Book 1 Chapter 1023

After the consequences of Erebus's fragment traveling to the past occurred.

Leo quickly gathered information to assess the situation.

Before the Age of Calamity.

The northern continent was the homeland of the elves.

Unlike the frozen land it is now, it was the most prosperous land on the entire continent.

Rather, the eastern part of the continent was the frozen land like it is now.

During the Age of Calamity, Erebus appeared at the eastern end.

Even after Erebus was defeated, the ice spirits affected by it migrated en masse and settled in the northern part of the continent, thus completing the current northern region.

'Is he trying to seriously change the past?'

Thinking so, Leo heard the story through Melina, who had rushed over.

"I quickly checked the continent's history, but nothing has changed."

Fortunately, those who knew of Lena's existence were aware that the past had changed.

However, all other individuals were affected.

As Leo pondered Melina's report, Lunia cautiously asked.

"Um… what if we don't realize it has changed?"

"That won't be the case."

Seirun answered Lunia's question.

"I clearly remember the memories from before it changed. In any way, we have escaped the influence of the alteration of the past."

Seirun looked out the window at the falling snow.

"Perhaps Erebus tried to change the past and failed."

Leo nodded at his words.

"We won't have much time. We must complete the magic to go to the past as quickly as possible. How is the situation?"

In response to Leo's question, Seirun wore a smug expression.

"Thanks to Luna, it's going smoothly!"

At his words, Leo stared intently at Seirun.

Then, looking at Lunia, he said.

"Lunia, you can go now too."

"Okay."

"I'll help too."

Melina also followed Lunia to help interpret the magic formulas.

As Seirun tried to follow them, Leo called out.

"You, come with me for a private interview."

"Huh?"

At Leo's words, Seirun looked bewildered.

Leo made coffee and placed it in front of Seirun.

"Ah, thank you."

Seirun picked up the coffee and took a sip.

Leo, sitting opposite him, watched him and said.

"Hey, you adulterous elf."

"Ouch! Hot!!"

Seirun, who was drinking coffee, jumped up and burned the roof of his mouth.

After barely calming down, Seirun, in pain, became indignant.

"Why are you calling me such a vulgar name!"

"You loved someone who was already taken, right? Then isn't that adultery?"

"That's why I never loved Lumern…!"

"You didn't? Are you going to deny it now?"

"……"

Seirun's face turned bright red.

"Fine! I had feelings for him! But I didn't show my feelings or seduce Lumern, so why is it adultery!"

"Yet you clearly showed your feelings to the other person."

"That's why! It's not adultery!"

Seirun, who had been yelping, took a deep breath.

"No matter what anyone says, you are Luna's successor."

Leo said to Seirun.

At his words, Seirun paused, then gave a bitter smile.

"Leo-nim, you've changed a lot compared to when you were Kyle."

Seirun had met Kyle countless times in the world of heroes.

"You also warmly encourage and comfort the heroes of this era so they can grow."

As if seeing it for the first time, Seirun looked at Kyle.

"I think I raised Berkkia and Bihard quite well too."

"You did. Still, what should I say? Kyle-nim back then was a very strict and cold person."

Leo looked at Seirun.

"I thought you might hit me if I said something frustrating… it's a bit surprising."

"Oh? Then can I hit you?"

"Huh?"

"I was wondering. Should I treat you like kids these days? Or like the old guys."

"Um…? Leo-nim?"

"But thinking about it, you're not a kid, are you? That means there's no need to treat you kindly."

"No. Still, compared to Leo-nim, I'm still young…"

"Clench your teeth. I'll fix that rotten spirit of yours."

"N-no to violence! No to violence! Hiiiiiiek!"

Seirun tried to escape but was caught by Leo.

Leo pinched Seirun's cheek hard as he screamed.

"Well, if you were Lumern, I would have beaten you, but you're not my direct junior, are you? If Luna were her original self, she would have beaten you half to death. What a shame."

"Our benevolent Luna would never do such a terrible thing!"

"…Isn't the world of the great hero you conquered the most Luna's world?"

"It is?"

"Then why don't you know Luna?"

Seirun chuckled at Leo's bewildered expression.

"I know her very well! About our kind-hearted Luna!"

"……"

'Isn't all the delusion about Luna that the elves had originated from this guy?'

Leo said, having a reasonable suspicion.

"Anyway, be a bit more confident. It's still true that you are a hero of creation."

"……"

At his words, Seirun's expression became slightly clouded.

Seeing Seirun like that, Leo sighed.

'I don't think I or Luna can help him get out of this state by being by his side.'

What Seirun needs now is stimulation.

A stimulus that can reignite his passion.

And unfortunately, Leo and Luna, who are his distant seniors, cannot reignite it.

Nor can his junior, Lunia.

'The ones who shared the same era.'

The other heroes of creation who risked their lives together, had each other's backs, and elevated each other.

Only they could reignite Seirun.

'If I go to the past… will things change a little?'

Leo looked out the window and let out a small sigh.

***

The cold northern wind was howling.

At this weather, it wouldn't be strange if a blizzard were raging.

However, the northern weather, though cold, was quite warm compared to usual.

And that was by no means a good thing.

High walls.

A dragon woman with pure white skin and orange eyes narrowed her eyes.

"It's strange."

"Yes?"

At the dragon's muttering, a beastkin warrior beside her looked surprised.

In the beastkin warrior's eyes, there was near-infinite respect.

The dragon before him was considered the successor of the King of Wisdom who led the great hero who saved the world 2,000 years ago.

And she was also a great hero who actually discovered the potential of the Hero Record, discovered countless heroes, and saved a world heading towards crisis, earning the title 'Dragon of Creation' from the gods.

"What is strange, Dragon of Creation."

The beastkin warrior asked in a respectful voice.

Like all beastkin, he had infinite respect for the great beastkin hero, the valiant Arion.

He was also a beastkin who wanted to follow in the footsteps of the great warrior who inherited his will.

Although he had not yet received the title of hero, he was a man filled with the desire to conquer Arion's world by being recognized by the Dragon of Creation.

She is the selector of heroes and the one who grants permission to conquer the Hero Record.

Rhodia is someone any aspiring hero would want to impress.

"It feels ominous."

Rodia clicked her tongue softly.

At her words, an elf nearby perked up his ears.

"What do you mean by ominous?"

Anelli Berkia.

She was hailed as the noblest among the elves alive.

"Didn't the current Tartarus forces say they couldn't continue fighting?"

Anelli was right.

The fragment of Erebus revived, and Tartarus, which had been silent for a long time, also stirred.

The world faced the re-emergence of calamity, and countless worlds were engulfed in flames before the advance of Tartarus.

The flames that burned the world seemed to be growing uncontrollably.

However, the atmosphere changed with the sudden appearance of the Dragon of Creation, Rhodia.

Led by the Dragon of Creation Rhodia, the Meteor Magician, the Great Warrior, the Indomitable, and the Knight of Twilight.

The successors of the great heroes who saved the world 2,000 years ago appeared and began to stop Tartarus.

The greatest war since the great war 2,000 years ago.

And as countless heroes appeared, led by the heroes of creation, the world once again achieved victory in a great war against Tartarus.

This was a great war that would later be named the [War of Creation].

The forces of Tartarus were greatly annihilated.

Although they failed to defeat the Lich King, the Queen of Monsters, and the King of Giants, who had existed since the Age of Calamity, all the other legion commanders disappeared.

'The source of Erebus's power is the inextinguishable flame of calamity.'

Rodia's plan was to trap it in the cold northern continent to prevent the flame of calamity from intensifying even slightly.

And the heroes succeeded in trapping the revived Erebus in the northern region.

'In the meantime, we must thoroughly prepare for its subjugation.'

Although many heroes were born, only the heroes of creation could properly fight the fragment of Erebus.

'Moreover, we must also prepare for a potential attack from Tartarus.'

Although they were annihilated, the three legion commanders, who could be considered the core strength, were still a threat.

If a counterattack were to occur while many heroes were away to defeat Erebus, it would be a major problem.

Time was needed to prepare for the subjugation of Erebus's fragment.

That's why Erebus was trapped in the cold north to buy time.

And a massive encirclement was formed to prevent contact between Erebus's fragment and Tartarus.

Of course, it wasn't easy.

Many elves protested at the idea of trapping a calamity like Erebus in their homeland.

Anelli, the head of the Ersar family, struggled to persuade the protests of such a race.

In any case, the tide had turned in favor of the world.

'Of course, if we fail to subjugate Erebus's fragment, the situation will become uncontrollable, so it's just a walkover so far.'

Even Rhodia could not guarantee victory.

In such a situation, she suddenly felt a sense of unease.

And the source of that unease was not the north in front of her…

But her back.

'Is Tartarus moving? The Lich King wouldn't be unaware that it's suicide to attack us while we're holding our ground, would he?'

An encirclement and fortress to trap Erebus.

This place would not collapse even if Tartarus attacked with all its forces.

As Rhodia frowned.

Gooooooo-!

Suddenly, a massive dark magic began to swirl high above.

"Enemy!"

"Tartarus's attack!"

An alarm was raised among those guarding the walls.

Rhodia's face hardened.

It was not because her unease had become a reality.

It was because of the 'identity' of the dark magic she clearly felt.

"This is…?"

Rhodia's face was filled with shock.

"The Earth King?"

A legion commander who used the power of deep darkness from within the earth.

Zikriss, the Earth King.

The attacker was a legion commander who had already been defeated three years ago.