Chapter 531: Farewell For Now
(Skyshard Mansion, Planet Vorthas, Two Days Before Deployment)
A couple days before deployment, Charles gave Leo half the day off to go visit his family and get his affairs in order, just in case he unfortunately died during his first war.
"Are you sure you’re going to be safe in this war? This is no longer a virtual game Leo.... And wars are dangerous," Amanda said with a concerned voice, as Leo chuckled and pulled her cheeks in response.
"I’ll be fine, don’t worry. I will have Dumpy to protect my back, won’t be involved in anything too dangerous, and will mostly just be supervising Dupravel fighting on my behalf.
My transport craft will be at the core of the fleet movement, which will also be the best craft, with best pilots and best defensive measures, that will only land when it’s absolutely safe.
So yeah, I’ll be okay.
But are you sure, I should take Ben with me?" Leo asked in turn, as Amanda nodded with a teary eye.
"Yeah, he’s been itching for a fight and wants to test out his new body.
It will be good for him to come with you in this war, and with me cloud backup-ing his memories, it’s not like he will be at any real risk of losing his life.
Also, it’ll give me peace of mind if I know that both Dumpy and Ben are by your side...." Amanda pleaded, as Leo simply shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly in response.
"Yeah, I don’t mind taking him with me. The old man taught me most of what I know about fighting. It’ll be fun to share the battlefield with him again—" Leo said with a smile, as Amanda hugged him tight.
"Come back to me safely, okay?" She pleaded, as Leo hugged her back and gently stroked her head.
"Yeah, don’t worry. Even if no-one else returns from that war alive, I will—" Leo promised, as he made a mental note of not doing anything too reckless during this war.
—--------
While Leo privately consoled Amanda upstairs, the atmosphere within the Skyshard Mansion living room was absolutely electric.
Dumpy, Ben, Jacob, and Luke all sat around the living room table, as Dumpy excitedly told them all about his war plans.
"I’m telling you, the smoking man has tortured me too much! This war is my chance to vent. And I will not spare anyone! All puny humans will feel the wrath of Dumpy, the strongest frog!" he roared, slamming a stubby hand on the table with enough force to rattle the snack bowl.
Jacob chuckled. "You need to stop referring to Monarch Charles as the smoking man. If he hears you, he might just turn you into frog soup one of these days."
"I’d like to see him try!" Dumpy snapped, puffing up his chest. "After the hell he’s put me through, I can confidently say that my skin is fireproof now. Also acidproof. And stabproof. I’m practically invincible."
"You’re practically delusional," Luke retorted, as he winced while trying to contain his laughter.
Ben cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. "I’m coming as well... I’ll try to get more kills than you, young one."
Dumpy froze. Then blinked twice.
"It’s impossible, Lord Grandfather," he said with a dead-serious tone, placing a hand over his heart. "Only Lord Father has the skills to surpass me if he tries. I’m afraid you stand no chance."
Ben raised a brow. "Is that so?"
"Yes. Your kill count will be respectable, of course. But you are a relic of a different age.... While I, on the other hand, am an unrivalled killing machine."
"Unrivalled?" Jacob laughed. "You cried because a ladybug landed on your back on your way in today."
"It was red and aggressive looking!" Dumpy snapped. "We frogs have icks too, okay? We don’t like insects!"
"What an unrivalled mindset," Luke teased, as Dumpy outright ignored him and flexed.
"You may all doubt me now, but when I return with ten thousand kills under my belt, you will have no choice but to acknowledge my greatness!"
Ben raised his teacup. "I’ll race you to twenty."
"You’re on," Dumpy said, slapping the table again, as he looked completely fired up.
"Y’all do realize there’s a chance this war might not even break out near you, right? They might stick you in a backline support squad." Jacob said, as being the only real soldier in the room, he knew how real wars worked, and how the Commanders were always at the back away from any real action.
But Dumpy immediately looked genuinely offended by his speculation.
"I have suffered a lot of tyranny under the smoking man, and shall under no circumstances be sidelined! I was born for crushing mongrel humans! It is my birthright and I shall have it!"
Dumpy claimed boldly, as everyone in the room burst out laughing.
The little frog was genuinely the cutest and most adorable pet.
And although it had a slight attitude, by now everyone in the family adored him to death.
—----------
Later that evening, just as Leo was gearing up to leave for war, Jacob pulled him aside near the mansion gates, his expression unusually serious.
"I know you’re a grown man, and I know you can handle yourself just fine... but for my sake, just listen to my ramblings for a minute."
Leo raised a brow but didn’t argue.
Jacob sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "War isn’t like duels or tournaments, it’s messy, loud, and confusing.
People die for no reason, and the battlefield doesn’t wait for anyone to figure things out."
He looked Leo dead in the eyes.
"Don’t chase glory. Don’t try to be a hero. The ones who last are the ones who keep their heads low, assess the situation, and move smart.
You’re strong, yeah, but even the strong die if they stop thinking. And you... you’ve got too much to live for to let ego get in the way."
Leo stayed silent, absorbing every word.
Jacob continued, his voice dropping lower. "If a situation smells off, it probably is. Trust your gut, not the damn mission sheet. And always... always know where your exits are. The battlefield’s a shifting beast. Don’t get swallowed."
He took a step back and gave Leo a firm nod, then patted his shoulder hard enough to give him a shake.
"Alright, that’s enough lecturing. Go win your damn war. But make sure you come back in one piece, you know, for your mom’s sake...."
Leo smirked, but the glint of tears in his father’s eyes hit him harder than he expected, as he replied with a "Copy that, old man," before walking away.