Leon Pepper
Leon Pepper is America's SS-rank ability user, a cheerful marksman whose Object Control lets conventional vehicles and firearms damage mana-protected monsters. His growing control becomes part of Revival's final plan against the Demon Lord. (Chapters 130–131, 279–280, and 343–345)
Biography
From American ranker to Revival
Leon meets Shin's party over Antelope Canyon, where he pilots a black attack helicopter and destroys a wyvern with its machine gun. His easy friendliness turns the subjugation into a friendly competition, but he remains focused when the wyverns strengthen and casualties begin. He later joins Revival, returns to the United States when ordinary duties call, and commits himself to the guild's campaigns to reclaim monster-held regions. (Chapters 130–135, 207–208, and 220)
Leon's exceptionally fast dungeon progress carries him through the Second Dungeon and into the First. Rather than teaching him Peruta Circuit, Shin introduces him to Lin, whose weapon-enhancing power resembles his own. Lin accepts Leon as a student, alternates workshop instruction with dungeon practice, and eventually praises both his character and potential. (Chapters 279–280 and 309–323)
The final operation
During the final wave, Leon continues fighting alongside Revival but is withheld from the main gathering for a special assignment. With Licorice and Lotte helping him assemble and protect the assets, he uses Object Control to launch several thousand explosive-laden fighter jets. He cannot maneuver every aircraft elaborately or run them all at full power, but he positions the force well enough for Shin to reinforce and drive it into the Demon Lord. (Chapters 336 and 343–345)
Appearance and personality
Leon is a young Black man with black hair, a bright smile, and notably white teeth. He is commonly associated with pistols, cigarettes, helicopters, and an energetic speaking style. (Chapters 130–131, 153–158, and 279)
He is exuberant, sociable, and quick to call people “friend.” His enthusiasm does not prevent him from taking work seriously: he climbs the dungeons at unusual speed, accepts Lin's demanding instruction without hesitation, and can remain behind the front line to complete a less glamorous strategic task. His confidence in Shin and Revival is sometimes excessive, but it is consistently paired with willingness to help. (Chapters 131–135, 249, 279–280, and 309–323)
Powers and abilities
Leon's SS-rank ability is Object Control. Within its effective range, he can move objects freely, strengthen them with mana, and give otherwise ineffective weapons enough force to penetrate monsters' mana defenses. At his introduction, the practical scale is limited to firearms, bazookas, and small vehicles; he pilots a helicopter while controlling its machine gun and also fights with paired handguns. (Chapters 130–131 and 156–158)
Dungeon growth and Lin's instruction greatly expand that foundation. By the final battle Leon can lift and direct thousands of fighter jets, though he explicitly cannot perform elaborate maneuvers with the whole formation or operate every craft at full power. His ability controls and empowers weapons; Shin's separate authority supplies the final reinforcement and acceleration that turns the massed aircraft into a decisive strike. (Chapters 279–280, 309–323, and 343–345)
Power progression
| Stage / Realm / Ability | Chapter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SS-rank Object Control | 130–158 | Begins by moving and mana-reinforcing firearms, bazookas, and small vehicles within a limited practical range. |
| Second Dungeon appointment and Revival training | 156–280 | Dungeon growth plus Lin's instruction improve scale, weapon reinforcement, and tactical control. |
| First Dungeon marksman | By 309–323 | Advances into the higher dungeon and trains to use authority-bearing firearms rather than conventional force alone. |
Relationships
- Kang Shin: Leon begins as Shin's friendly rival in the wyvern hunt, then becomes a trusted Revival member. Shin recognizes the direction of his talent, connects him with Lin, and relies on his large-scale control in the final operation. (Chapters 130–135, 249, 279–280, and 343–345)
- Lin: Their similar weapon-enhancement abilities make Lin the mentor best suited to Leon. Lin tests his talent and work ethic, teaches him directly, and sends him into the dungeon to practice each lesson. (Chapters 279–280, 309, and 322–323)
- Hwaya Eleni Mastiford: Leon greets Hwaya enthusiastically as Britain's SS-ranker and socializes with her and Shin during the Antelope Canyon operation. They later serve together in Revival's global campaigns. (Chapters 131–135 and 207–343)
- Edward Walker: Leon and Walker are fellow Revival members with complementary operational skills. Leon pilots the plane home when Walker is injured after the Lava King battle. (Chapters 207, 227, and 232)
Items
- Firearms: Leon routinely carries pistols and uses mounted machine guns, empowering both weapons and projectiles through Object Control. The corpus does not assign his ordinary guns individual names. (Chapters 130–131 and 153–158)
- Lin's custom firearm work: Lin begins crafting a gun component when Leon arrives for training, but the completed weapon's name and full specifications are not stated. (Chapter 279)
- Controlled aircraft: Helicopters and fighter jets are temporary objects under Leon's ability rather than personal equipment; the largest shown formation numbers several thousand craft and exceeds his capacity for fine individual control. (Chapters 130–131 and 343–345)