Book 1 Chapter 1010

1010.

Gooo-!

"This is…!"

Lunia's expression was one of shock.

Chen Xia also hardened her face.

A terrible power that drives a world, unforgettable, into catastrophe.

"Flames of Calamity…!"

Lunia and Chen Xia, shouting in shock, quickly ran towards where the energy was felt.

Elena, Chelsea, and Eiran also had their expressions change abruptly.

"Hmm? It's really just as Leo said, isn't it?"

Elena's narrowed eyes turned towards where Erebus's power was felt.

"We need to evacuate the people quickly!"

At Chelsea's urgent shout, Elena brought her index finger to her lips.

"Shh. Just wait a moment so I can grasp the situation, okay?"

At Elena's words, Chelsea and Eiran paused.

Elena, who had been assessing Erebus's energy for a moment, opened her mouth.

"It seems Erebus's fragment hasn't revived after all."

"Pardon?"

At that, Chelsea and Eiran looked flustered.

Elena looked at the two of them and said,

"I cast a detection spell around where the energy is felt, but the energy is too weak. It's not even as much as the shard we defeated before."

Elena recalled a part of Erebus she had defeated in Luna's world before.

A fragment of Erebus's shard sealed in the World of Genesis.

It didn't even have that much power.

"Eiran unnie said Master Seirun came to the present world, didn't she? Could this have come along with her then?"

"No. That wouldn't be it. It's definitely one of the fragments."

Elena shrugged her shoulders.

"Some bastard is using a fragment of Erebus to wield power."

"How do you know that?"

"Because the situation over there is visible in my eyes right now."

Elena said, looking at the scene visible on her retina.

Eiran looked at Elena with admiration.

"You can see the situation of a distant place in real-time without magic tools or familiars?"

As a magic swordsman, Eiran noticed that Elena was casting a detection spell.

However, a detection spell was a magic that could ascertain an enemy's location and surrounding information, but it couldn't obtain visual information.

Therefore, magic tools and familiars are used as auxiliary tools to obtain visual information.

This is because transmitting video information falls under the domain of communication magic.

Of course, obtaining visual information with a detection spell wasn't impossible, but it required extensive modification of the magic spell formula, and it took too long, making it excessively inefficient.

Yet, Elena did it effortlessly.

"Using magic tools or familiars takes too long."

"Usually, that's faster, though…?"

As Eiran was slightly flustered, Chelsea sighed softly.

"Eiran unnie. You shouldn't try to understand Senior Elena when it comes to magic."

Like Abard, Chelsea was also a wizard who had been called a genius since she was young.

Her talent was so outstanding that it didn't fade even in Lumern, where countless talents gathered.

Indeed, while it involved complex circumstances and luck, Chelsea earned the epithet of a hero at a young age.

But even for Chelsea, with such talent, Elena's genius was beyond comprehension.

Elena, who had been smiling sweetly at Chelsea's words, became serious.

"Anyway, a human using Erebus's power… What exactly is that?"

Its identity was unknown.

But considering its connection to Erebus, it was clearly a traitor.

'Is stopping that guy why that child came from the future to the past?'

Thinking up to there, Elena said,

"Chelsea. First, inform the professor about the situation and evacuate the people, trying to prevent chaos as much as possible."

If an evacuation were to happen suddenly, it would only exacerbate the chaos, and people could get hurt in the process.

If it were truly the worst-case scenario, such a situation would be unavoidable.

In Elena's judgment, the current emergency wasn't the worst-case scenario.

"Yes!"

With that reply, Chelsea immediately ran off.

"Eiran, help me. I'm a mage, so I need a bodyguard."

Elena smiled sweetly and linked arms with Eiran.

"I will protect you."

"Oh! How dependable. Shall we go save my granddaughter then?"

"Granddaughter?"

"Yeah. Lena is fighting the enemy right now."

"Excuse me…"

"Hmm?"

"She could be my granddaughter too, you know."

At that, Elena pulled Eiran along.

"Don't talk nonsense, let's move."

"No… it's not nonsense…"

"Come on, come on! Move quickly!"

***

Flash-!

Leo quickly headed towards where Erebus's energy was detected.

His movements were faster than anyone else's.

Leo's eyes twitched as he ran at a terrifying speed over the roof of a campus building.

-Leo!

Elsie cried out urgently.

"Tsk!"

A clicking sound of Leo's tongue echoed from his mouth.

At that moment, his vision went black.

A very brief moment.

Clack-

Leo stopped his steps.

Whoosh-!

The cold, snowy winds of the north blew.

A biting wind.

It was completely different from the mild weather just a moment ago.

But the location hadn't changed.

The spot where Leo stood was exactly the same.

The roof of the Seirun building.

Leo's eyes narrowed.

'What changed wasn't the place… but the time.'

"It's surprising no matter how many times I see it. You're not surprised at all."

Leo's gaze was directed forward.

A man stood there.

A man with bright golden hair and golden eyes.

Looking at him, Leo's head tilted askew.

"A dragon?"

"Yes. It's tiresome to greet you again, but… it can't be helped. It's an honor to meet you, great King of Beginnings, Leo Flobsy."

Ignoring the man who was bowing politely, Leo looked around and said,

"A Lord?"

"Huh."

"And you came from the future?"

"Well, this is…"

"And this current timeline is the future."

"I'm genuinely curious… where exactly does your insight come from?"

"Experience."

Leo said nonchalantly.

The place hadn't changed.

Only the timeline had changed.

But the buildings of Seirun, which could be called the center of the elves, were in ruins.

Since its establishment, Seirun had always been the center of elf society.

Never once had it been left unattended like this, untouched by elves.

Then there was only one answer.

'This is how it looks in the future.'

It wouldn't be a very distant future.

At most, the near future, close to a hundred years.

'It doesn't seem to be a simple illusion.'

Leo's red eyes slowly took in the eerie scenery of Seirun.

And he realized without difficulty that this was the 'future' that would happen.

'More accurately, it must be the Seirun this guy saw.'

"I am curious, though."

"That the brilliant Seirun has fallen like this?"

"No."

Leo chuckled.

"After going through all that trouble to save the world, why do you harbor such dissatisfaction and hostility?"

Leo was genuinely curious.

"Well, not to boast, but… I would have eventually defeated Erebus, right?"

"…"

"And dealt with Tartarus as well."

Annoyance was evident on Leo's face.

"This time, I would have completely defeated Erebus, wouldn't I?"

Leo was genuinely dumbfounded by the behavior of the future Dragon Lord who was glaring at him.

"I would have created an era of peace, wouldn't I?"

As he spoke, he observed the aura of the dragon from the future.

There was no sign of denial.

"I just did everything."

Leo rarely showed such irritated emotion.

"What exactly are you dissatisfied with?"

He had no intention of boasting about saving the world.

No intention of showing off either.

It was what he had to do.

Because he had merely completed what he couldn't do 5000 years ago.

He had no thought of being worshipped for it, nor did he want to stand above others.

But he was annoyed by the dissatisfaction in the era of peace he had achieved by risking everything.

"What more do you want me to do?"

Leo asked fiercely.

The reason for his anger was exceedingly simple.

From the Age of Calamity to the present.

Many risked their lives.

No, they even sacrificed their actual lives to achieve the world's deep-seated desire.

Some fell in despair.

Some passed away carrying a terrible sense of debt in their hearts, while others dedicated thousands of years to the world, trusting in future generations.

Leo was by no means a saint.

He had no intention of saving the world or sacrificing himself for others whose faces he didn't even know.

The driving force behind Leo's actions was always for his precious people.

Everything he bore was ultimately for his precious people.

He didn't expect gratitude for the era of peace he had achieved in that way.

But seeing the future person who looked at him as if 'that was wrong,' let alone gratitude, his stomach churned with anger.

Leo, who had no particular desire to be well-regarded by future generations, was both angry and genuinely curious about the dragon in front of him, who had come back to the past to express dissatisfaction to him.

"What exactly is this all about?"

At Leo's question, the dragon's lips curled up.

"It's the first time you've asked such a question."

Leo's eyes narrowed as he watched the dragon, who wore an amused expression.

'Since earlier, he's been talking as if he's encountered me many times in a strange way.'

"No matter what I say, you will never understand. Because the King of Beginnings will end the 'Age of Heroes' anyway. According to your beliefs."

Shing-!

The dragon drew his sword.

"I am the Dragon Lord. The one tasked with selecting heroes and guiding the world onto the right path."

"It seems there aren't many dragons left in the future to be a Lord."

"I apologize, but the King of Beginnings seems to think he is the only one special, however…"

Swish-!

Leo swung his sword at the sword energy that flew towards his neck.

At that moment.

Clang-! Slice!

"…"

The sword deviated from the path Leo had predicted, struck away Leo's sword, and cut his cheek.

'What was that?'

Overwhelmed by swordsmanship?

No.

'He completely sees through my movements.'

Leo's red eyes turned to the enemy in front of him.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you."

The Dragon Lord curled his lips.

"No matter what anyone says, the King of Beginnings is a precious existence who will defeat Erebus."