Book 1 Chapter 1012
1012.
Whooooosh-!
A cold wave blew across the cold northwestern sea.
In that cold wave stood a woman with blonde hair.
Her gaze fell upon the frozen sea.
Enkinias.
The next Lord, chosen as the successor to the Dragon Lord, Melina.
She was a young, even childlike dragon, but her talent and abilities were recognized even by Leo.
Enkinias was currently carrying out a mission.
It was to monitor the World of Creation.
It was a critical mission to immediately report any anomaly in the World of Creation, which had currently been dungeonized.
Deep within this frozen sea lies a calamity that could destroy the world.
“Lady Enkinias.”
“Yes.”
“Are you really sure it’s okay not to close Lord Seirun’s world?”
One of the dragons guarding the place with Enkinias cautiously asked.
“It will be fine. Erebus, trapped in the World of Creation, shows no sign of coming out. Now is the time to be wary of Tartarus’s potential resurgence.”
At Enkinias’s words, the dragon bowed its head with an uneasy expression and disappeared into the blizzard to carry out its duty of guarding the surroundings.
Though she pretended to be calm, Enkinias also felt a sense of unease.
But more than that, she trusted Melina’s words.
‘For reasons unknown, Erebus in the World of Creation does not move. But…’
If Tartarus moves, that’s a different story.
External factors could easily create dangerous situations.
Currently, what Dragonia was wary of was Tartarus’s potential movements.
As Enkinias was thinking that, her shoulders flinched.
The moment Enkinias sensed an unusual situation.
The stench of rotting corpses began to spread intensely.
A scent of death that far surpassed the range of foul odors.
Enkinias’s face contorted in horror.
Golden mana surged from her body.
Enkinias, having activated Dragonic magic, immediately fired a spell behind her.
But at that moment, she hastily withdrew the magic.
“Hoo?”
The demon let out an exclamation of surprise.
Within the ominous dark-red hood, dark-red eyes gleamed.
However, the eyes from which the light gleamed were entirely empty, like pitch-black darkness.
What was visible on Enkinias’s face was white bone, contrasting with that pitch-blackness.
“Necrolord… Helkaiser…!”
Enkinias let out a groan.
In the Necrolord’s hand was the neck of the dragon who had just expressed concern.
The Necrolord had intended to use that dragon as a shield to block Enkinias’s magic.
“Quick judgment.”
The Necrolord, who had been looking at Enkinias with interest, soon nodded as if he understood.
“Indeed, are you Enkinias? They say the Dragon of Silence is quite fond of you?”
The Necrolord, who had easily recognized Enkinias’s identity, pushed away the unconscious dragon.
Fwoosh-!
Suddenly, the blizzard stopped.
It wasn't that the Necrolord used dark magic or emitted energy.
It was simply that even the weather felt fear and receded from the thick aura of death emitted by the Necrolord.
As the blizzard disappeared, Enkinias let out a groan.
Dragons assigned to this mission were scattered here and there on the frozen sea.
“How….”
Seeing Enkinias groan, the Necrolord let out an eerie laugh.
“Living beings are creatures cursed with forgetfulness.”
Thump-
“Yes, recently we have faced endless defeats.”
Thump- Thump-
“I have lost comrades who have been with me since before the Age of Calamity, and even fragments of the Great One are being subjugated by you.”
The Necrolord spoke in a remarkably calm voice.
There was not a hint of emotion in his voice.
Grief, sorrow, despair, anger, lament.
The situation of Tartarus could be said to be the worst, to the extent of feeling such emotions.
In the current situation, Tartarus's situation was bound to be desperate.
The Hero of Beginnings, Kyle, had reincarnated.
Not only that, but he was unifying the world.
He was making preparations that only one who had experienced the Age of Calamity could make.
Of course, time was not on the world's side.
No matter how great an achievement one accomplished, or how terrifying an existence one was, having even subjugated an evil god.
Ultimately, there was a limit to one's lifespan.
From the perspective of the Necrolord, who had lived for countless ages, it was a mere 100 years.
After about 100 years, Leo, a human, would eventually die of old age.
But the Necrolord knew.
That his 100 years, granted eternal time, were different from the 100 years of a mortal facing death.
From the Necrolord's perspective, it was a mere 100 years, but from Leo's perspective, it was a tremendous 100 years.
There was no need to look far.
It had only been 3 years since Leo entered the Hero Academy.
During those three years, which were but a fleeting moment for the Necrolord, Leo inflicted devastating damage on Tartarus.
‘The surviving hero would never grant me time.’
If time was on the enemy's side.
Then all that needed to be done was to end everything before that time came.
5000 years ago.
Just as he had prevented the world's impending destruction.
The Necrolord knew.
Just as he regarded Leo as a terrible fear.
Leo felt the same way.
‘That guy would never let his guard down.’
Unless it was a complete victory.
The tide could turn at any time.
Just as brilliant hope had surged into a world once filled with absolute despair.
This era, full of hope, could at any moment be filled with despair.
Knowing that fact…
“The surviving hero would never let his guard down. But.”
Sarcasm tinged the Necrolord's voice.
“You are different.”
The Great Hero and the Hero of Creation are appearing in this world.
Even after the Age of Heroes dawned, the Monster Queen and the Giant King, who had reigned as symbols of calamity and terror for thousands of years, were subjugated.
Furthermore, even fragments of Erebus, which could be called the world's long-cherished wish, are disappearing.
Successors personally chosen by the Great Hero have appeared, and a new king of the world to lead them has emerged.
A turning point that decided the fate of the world.
The greatest moment in history that could completely drive away despair.
That was the current era.
And in this battle for the fate of the world, victory was smiling upon the world.
That’s why they forget.
Blinded by victory and hope.
How terrifying Necrolord Helkaiser, Tartarus, was.
“If the surviving hero were in your position, he would never have let his guard down. You focused too much on the World of Creation.”
Though they spoke of being wary of Tartarus.
In reality, what Enkinias was more wary of was the World of Creation.
Subconsciously, she thought that Tartarus, which was suffering devastating blows, would be unable to move.
“Kuh-heuk!”
“Well, even if you hadn’t let your guard down, you wouldn’t have been able to stop me.”
Enkinias hastily tried to inform Melina of the current situation using magic.
But the magic didn't reach.
“Victory is truly ironic.”
The Necrolord closed the distance with Enkinias.
“Because one never knows who it will smile upon.”
Currently, Seirun is disconnected.
A situation that even Leo, let alone the Necrolord, could not have predicted.
Of course, that wasn't why the Necrolord came here.
Thump- Thump-
The Necrolord closed the distance with Enkinias.
He didn't say anything like "move aside."
Not only would she not move aside anyway, but even if she did, he had no intention of letting her live.
Enkinias’s eyes sank coldly.
Crunch! Crackle!
Eerie bones, like thorns, pierced through the Necrolord's robe and protruded from his body.
A moment later.
The Necrolord turned his back on the enormous golden dragon and looked around.
He had missed all the dragons who were supposed to die here.
“Indeed.”
It was because of Enkinias before his eyes.
“The Dragon of Silence must be fond of her.”
The Necrolord nodded and raised his hand.
It was to cut off Enkinias's remaining faint breath.
But his movement soon stopped.
His gaze turned to the frozen sea.
The Great Creator was calling.
The Necrolord answered that call without hesitation.
***
Woosh-!
The first thing the Necrolord saw upon entering the World of Creation was the World of Creation burning with black flames.
A question arose on the Necrolord's face as he saw it.
-It's been a long time, my Legion Commander.
At the voice from the other side, the Necrolord knelt and bowed his head.
“I greet the Great Destroyer.”
-It seems you have come to distrust me.
“……”
The Necrolord did not answer Erebus's words.
He merely kept his head bowed.
Erebus chuckled, looking at his creation.
The primordial evil was absolute destruction to the world.
Beings living in the world would never be able to understand him.
But the Tartarus he created was different.
Erebus knew.
That the demons who followed him as their creator would never betray him.
Demons were like extensions of Erebus.
Just as members of the world desired the world's continued existence.
Demons desired the world's destruction.
Only that was the reason for the demons' existence.
Therefore, it was impossible for the Necrolord, a demon, to show distrust towards his creator.
But Erebus understood the distrust of his most loyal subordinate.
And in doing so, he showed mercy.
-I permit you to voice your complaints to me.
“Primordial Evil. I have awaited your resurrection, my Lord, for 5000 years.”
-I know.
“Then why are you trapped in the World of Creation, even though you can resurrect yourself?”
The Necrolord asked, as if he couldn't understand.
“My Lord, here is the fragment of yours I found. Regain your power and hasten to prepare for the great destruction. Just as it was 5000 years ago. I, insufficient as I am, will follow your will.”
Erebus spoke, looking at his subordinate who was bowing his head and wishing for his resurrection.
-A few days ago, a dragon from the future came to find me.
“The future?”
The Necrolord’s eyes twitched.
To him, it was the most detested word.
-Yes. He bowed his head to me and told me about the future.
“……”
-He said that no matter what method I used, I would be subjugated by the surviving hero.
“Those are unpleasant words, indeed.”
-No.
“……”
-Those words are likely true. I will eventually be defeated by the surviving hero.
The Necrolord remained silent, watching Erebus calmly acknowledge his defeat.
-So he told me. That he would take my fragment to a future where the surviving hero does not exist.
“How truly grateful it is that even in the future, there are madmen. To follow Lord Erebus and take a spark to the future.”
-He was a madman, but he wasn’t someone who followed me.
“……?”
-He regarded me as merely a past loser. That since I had been defeated once, I could be defeated any number of times.
“Then what was his intention in taking the risk of moving a spark to the future?”
Erebus scoffed, recalling the Dragon Lord, Bellian, who had visited him a while ago.
-He held the belief that the world's progress had stopped because I, as an existence, disappeared.
“Progress comes with threat, you say… Truly a baseless delusion.”
-He desired knowledge of how to wield the power of my fragments, so I informed him.
“Then… the Primordial Evil has planned to resurrect in the future by utilizing that delusion, have you?”
If there was a natural enemy named Leo Flob, then all that was needed was to move the spark to an era where that natural enemy did not exist.
“I will help that dragon right now.”
-My loyal subordinate.
“Yes.”
-Do you think someone with such a baseless conviction can win against the surviving hero?
“……”
-To return to the future, various conditions would be necessary. To achieve those conditions, confrontation with the surviving hero seems unavoidable.
“Then shouldn’t we help that person even more?”
-No. He will die at the hands of the surviving hero in one way or another. His delusion will not be realized.
“Then what should be done…?”
-If you know the future, why not change it?
“Yes?”
-The surviving hero changed the fate of a world that was certain to be destroyed 5000 years ago.
Erebus laughed.
With the absolute power of calamity, Erebus saw the future of a world where not even ashes remained.
But the Hero of Beginnings twisted that future and changed the world’s fate.
He literally changed the future.
-That means it is entirely possible to change the future of a world that is certain to be saved into destruction as well.
The black flames engulfing the surroundings surged greatly.
-Do you understand? My loyal subordinate. This very moment is the turning point that will decide the fate of the world.