Grand Return System

Chapter 259: I’ll help you vent your anger!!!

I’ll help you vent your anger!!!

Maya’s eyes widened.

"What are you doing?"

She immediately tried to pull her hand away, but Leon only held it a little tighter, careful and gentle.

A small smile tugged at his lips.

"I know I messed up, my beautiful Senior Sister."

The words hit Maya like a direct attack.

The composure she had been desperately maintaining cracked instantly.

Color rushed to her cheeks.

"W-Who are you calling your beautiful Senior Sister?!"

Leon stared at her innocently.

"You."

"Leon!"

"Hm?"

Maya glared at him, though the effect was greatly weakened by how red her face had become.

"You’ve become completely shameless."

Leon laughed.

"I had a good teacher."

"Oh, shut up."

Despite herself, Maya felt the corners of her lips twitch.

Leon noticed.

His expression softened.

"Senior Sister..."

Maya avoided his gaze.

"What?"

"I’m really sorry."

She hesitated.

"...Sorry for what?"

"For ruining the moment."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"W-What moment?"

Leon looked at her for a second before answering.

"The moment."

He deliberately stressed the words.

"The one where a certain beautiful woman closed her eyes and waited for me to kiss her."

"M-Maya’s eyes widened.

"That’s not what happened!"

"Really?"

"Yes, really!"

Leon looked unconvinced.

"I don’t know. That’s not how I remember it."

"Then your memory is broken!"

Leon couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Maya wanted to stay angry.

She really did.

Unfortunately, seeing his stupid grin only made her more flustered.

After a moment, Leon finally raised both hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright. Maybe I’m remembering it wrong."

"You are."

"Of course."

Maya let out a small huff and crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

For a few seconds, silence settled between them.

Then Leon spoke again.

"I made myself a promise."

Maya narrowed her eyes.

"That sounds dangerous."

"It isn’t."

"I don’t believe you."

Leon smiled.

"We still have a lot of time ahead of us."

Maya’s heartbeat slowed slightly.

"...And?"

Leon looked directly into her eyes.

"So when the day comes..."

His voice became quieter.

"I won’t let our first real kiss get ruined by bad timing."

Maya froze.

For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

Leon’s smile turned gentle.

"I’ll make sure it’s a kiss you’ll never forget."

For a moment, she simply stared at him.

Then her face became even redder than before.

"What kind of ridiculous thing are you saying?"

"The truth."

"You really don’t know how to be embarrassed, do you?"

"No."

"Hopeless."

"Probably."

Maya tried to sound annoyed.

Failed completely.

Leon could clearly see the happiness hidden beneath her embarrassment.

A warm smile appeared on his face.

Then he stepped closer.

Before Maya could react—

He gently brushed a strand of blue hair away from her face.

Maya froze.

"L-Leon...?"

His gaze softened.

"You know."

"What?"

"I like seeing you smile more than sulk."

The teasing expression disappeared completely.

Only sincerity remained.

For a moment, Maya could not look away.

Then Leon leaned forward.

A soft kiss landed on her forehead.

Gentle.

Warm.

Tender.

Nothing playful.

Nothing teasing.

Just affection.

Maya froze completely.

Her fingers instinctively touched the place he had kissed.

A strange warmth spread through her chest.

Her voice became very small.

"What... was that for?"

Leon smiled.

"For making my Senior Sister stop being angry."

Maya lowered her head.

"You think one forehead kiss is enough?"

"Oh?"

Leon looked surprised.

"Should I give another one?"

"LEON!"

Maya immediately covered her face.

The tips of her ears had already turned red.

Leon laughed softly before standing up.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"To find more treasures, make more memories, and move one step closer to our perfect future."

He extended a hand toward her.

"Let’s continue."

Maya stared at his outstretched hand for a few seconds.

Then, trying her best to hide the smile tugging at her lips, she placed her hand in his.

"...Fine."

As Leon gently helped her up, Maya found herself staring at him.

Then her fingers unconsciously touched her forehead.

A strange warmth still lingered where he had kissed her.

She wanted to ask him why.

She wanted to complain about how shameless he had become.

She wanted to tell him to stop making her heart race.

Yet when the words reached her lips, none of them came out.

In the end, she simply lowered her gaze and nodded softly.

"...Okay."

Somehow, her mood had become much better.

Anyway, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future, so there was no hurry.

After settling the matter, Leon’s thoughts returned to something more important.

The Inferno Swift Bird.

And the old earth spiky turtle.

The two beasts had disappeared toward the Golden Entrance Gate long ago.

Originally, Leon intended to follow them immediately.

Unfortunately, he had been transported away and delayed.

Now that he had reached the Pinnacle Realm, it was time to continue.

Still...

The Martial Emperor Tomb remained dangerous.

Leaving Maya behind alone wasn’t something he liked.

The two exited the Spiritual Mana Powered Cave together.

The moment they stepped outside, the strange distortion of time vanished.

Fresh air greeted them.

The ancient landscape of the tomb stretched endlessly beneath a crimson sky.

Leon took a deep breath.

"Time really passes quickly."

Maya nodded.

The experience inside the cave almost felt unreal now.

Suddenly, Leon remembered something.

"Oh right, Senior Sister, you said that you met Dario when you came in. Did he make things difficult for you?"

Maya was slightly surprised.

Then she nodded.

"Yes. He tried."

A trace of displeasure flashed through her eyes.

"When he attacked, Tobias intervened and stopped him."

"I wasn’t interested in wasting time fighting them, so I left."

She paused.

"I wonder how their battle ended."

The smile on Leon’s face slowly disappeared.

His eyes narrowed.

A cold glint flashed within his pupils.

Anyone who dared target Maya...

Would eventually settle accounts with him.

However, the killing intent vanished as quickly as it appeared.

His expression relaxed once more.

A calm smile returned.

"Senior Sister."

"Hmm?"

Leon looked toward the distant horizon.

Then spoke lightly.

"Let’s go."

A dangerous gleam appeared in his eyes.

"I’ll help you vent your anger."