Book 1 Chapter 1039

1039.

That was something even Luna hadn't expected.

"Why did you make that choice?"

"Why? We cannot imagine. That a world completely outside our influence could continue to exist. But you're saying such a world can exist. How…."

Rian was genuinely happy.

It also represented the feelings of all gods.

"Is this the unknown possibility you've been searching for so desperately?"

In the new era, gods are not needed.

If so, there is no reason for even the gods, who were the custodians of the world, to exist.

"Actually, we didn't know either. That someone who could completely defeat Erebus's fragments would be reborn."

The gods thought the world would be destroyed again someday.

But as if to mock their thoughts, the hero of the beginning, Kyle, was reborn.

"With Kyle-nim reincarnated, we've become truly useless."

Rian's face looked relieved.

Watching Rian, Luna thought.

'The gods… they had affection for this world too.'

It was a form of affection that Luna, who had lived a comparatively insignificant amount of time, could not possibly understand.

But their affection for the world was undoubtedly greater than hers.

As she dazedly listened to the gods talk about gladly meeting their end.

"But… I am still worried."

"About what?"

Lena asked with a puzzled expression.

"When the light was brightest, the deepest darkness came."

Rian's face blurred.

"And when the world was at its deepest abyss… the brightest light illuminated it."

From the age of gods to the age of disaster.

And from the age of disaster to the age of heroes, Rian mentioned the moments that followed.

"Then… this moment must be the world's brightest moment."

A moment brilliantly shining with the hope that darkness would completely disappear.

But in other words.

"Erebus will never accept that future so readily."

Just as the great heroes changed the future.

Erebus can also change the future.

The future always changes its form.

And the right to change that form is equal for everyone.

FWOOSH-!

At that moment, black flames erupted from the closed entrance.

Luna bit her lip.

"Can you fight against that?"

To Luna's question, Rian shook her head.

"Only one thing can extinguish the flames of disaster…"

At those words, Luna's gaze turned to Lena.

Rian also looked at Lena.

"The power of purity."

"…Was I really born with the power of purity?"

To those words, Rian smiled faintly.

"Yes. I guarantee it. Although you're still inexperienced… you resemble Kyle-nim."

"Why?"

"Well, of course…"

Rian shrugged, looking at the young Luna.

Young Luna smiled bitterly.

"I don't know much about Leo, but… I know that human is incredibly, disgustingly persistent."

"Huh?"

"It means they never give up. Like someone."

Rian added with a faint smile.

At those words, Lena bit her lip.

In Lena's era, the Hero Academy had disappeared, but its lessons were passed down.

Words passed down to future generations by the heroes of the Great Revelation.

'Surpass your limits, believe in yourself, move forward, pursue possibilities.'

These became the milestones that heroes of each race pursued.

But not in Lena's era.

In the new era that would someday arrive…

'Virtues that all races must pursue.'

Humans, obsessed only with surpassing their limits, became trapped by those very limits.

Elves, believing only in themselves, became arrogant, beastmen acted recklessly, and dwarves, fixated on possibilities, ended up ignoring anything with even the slightest chance of success.

But the new era is different.

All races challenge their limits and trust in themselves.

Based on that trust, they move forward and reach out to possibilities.

Lena moved towards the black flames.

'Have we regressed?'

It might seem that way.

As Velian said they would change the past, the disappearance of the Hero Records and deviation from the gods' arrangement might seem like regression.

But seeing the gods smiling brightly in the face of their own annihilation, she realized.

'We haven't regressed; we're just in the process of finding the right answer.'

The countless individuals who would become heroes in Lena's era were no different from the hero candidates in Leo's era.

'Even if we have regressed… we just need to find our way again and move forward.'

That is the proper respect due to those who trusted future generations and passed on the world.

WHOOSH-

Aura formed on Lena's sword.

Seeing that, spirit Luna's mouth fell open in a daze.

-The power of purity… is this it?

It was different from what she knew.

Not gray.

Nor pure white.

-Transparency?

Untainted transparency.

Literally, a state of being able to become anything.

Unlike the hero of the beginning who had to protect the world and pass it on to future generations.

Now, the color of the person who must color that world could only be transparent.

Seeing that transparency, Rian muttered.

"As expected… it was good to become the manager of the Hero Records."

There was no regret.

Only… worry.

'Darkness will come.'

As much as the age of disaster.

Or perhaps, even deeper darkness.

The flames of disaster before her eyes were not the real threat.

Rian's instincts told her so.

Feeling the anxiety creeping up in her chest, Rian clenched her fist.

'Kyle-nim.'

There is worry… but I will not despair.

'Even if the future changes… we can just change it again.'

Everyone has the right to change the future.

Looking at the flames of disaster, Rian sent her boundless faith to the hero of the beginning.

***

CRUNCH!

ROOOOAR!

Lumerne's sword severed Yormungandr's neck.

WHOOSH-!

Rodia's dragon language magic mercilessly pierced Yormungandr's blood-spewing body.

KRAAAAAAAA!

Just as the King of Wisdom and the Hero of the Beginning had done in the past.

The Dragon of Creation and the Knight of Twilight had defeated the Glutton King, the strongest legion commander.

But…

CRASH-!

Suddenly, another Yormungandr shot up from the ground.

"Damn it! What is this?!"

Rodia shouted irritably.

"Azenia and Damian will be here soon!"

Lumerne shouted.

Meanwhile.

Seirun, who was fighting other legion commanders, clenched her fist.

In front of her, her friend Annelie was gasping for breath, her chest heaving.

"Seirun… Don't worry. I'll protect you."

"…"

Seirun clenched her fist.

She knew.

Annelie would keep that promise.

Even if it cost her life.

'I… won't be able to stop that.'

Seirun bit her lip.

At that moment.

GROOOOOWL-!

Black flames erupted from the ground.

KUOOOOWAAA-!

"Erebus?!"

"What…!"

Rodia and Lumerne cried out in shock.

'No… no!'

But Seirun saw through the identity of the Erebus that had appeared.

It looked as if it had no reason, its form unstable.

'A fake Erebus created by the legion's records! But summoning that Erebus from the legion's world would consume immense power…?'

The summoned fake Erebus roared towards the sky.

KUOOOOWAAA-!

'It's calling…!'

Its own fragment that exists in the current time period.

Erebus, lacking reason, reached its hand towards the sky.

Seirun could feel a chaotic power there.

A power similar to the one that brought her future self into reality.

'That's the legion's record!'

Thinking that far, Seirun's face hardened.

'Erebus's goal is to hand over the legion's record to the Erebus of the current time period!'

At that moment.

GROOOOOWL-!

The sky turned ashen, and an arm wrapped in giant black flames emerged.

"Krrk!"

Seirun cast a magic spell.

At that moment.

CRACKLE-!

"…!"

A chilling cold swept through.

And with it, the legion's record and the fake Erebus froze.

Lumerne and Rodia's gazes fell upon Seirun.

"Seirun… was it you?"

"No…"

Seirun shook her head.

This magic was from someone who did not exist in this era.

But Seirun knew the origin of the mana that cast this spell.

The young sorceress who shone brilliantly with countless possibilities.

'Chloe Muller!'

Seirun bit her lip.

"We have to stop it! We have to stop the Erebuses from contacting each other!"

At Seirun's cry, Lumerne and Rodia moved hastily.

But it was faster for the Erebus fragment to grasp its own hand, created from the legion's world.

CRUNCH-!

The ice was futilely destroyed.

"Ah…"

Seirun wore a look of despair.

And with it…

The world stopped.

The rampaging flames of disaster.

Her friends trying to stop them.

Everything stopped.

***

FLAME-! CRACKLE-!

The sword and spear imbued with the power of the Phoenix King and Pegasus King scattered fierce energy.

Leo looked at Erebus with a stern expression.

The body possessed by Velian was shattered repeatedly and miserably.

An overwhelming battle.

Erebus's fragment was thoroughly trampled by Leo.

But Leo's expression was rigid.

[Heh heh… heh heh heh…! As expected, a surviving hero. Hahahahaha! A mere fragment can do nothing!]

Seeing Erebus laughing madly, Leo asked coldly.

"What have you done? No, even from the start, you…"

Leo's eyes narrowed.

"Where did you expend your power?"

"The first plan was to merge with the fragment from the past. But it was impossible."

Erebus looked up at Leo with cold eyes and said.

"The second plan was to destroy the Hero Records from the past. But that, too, was ultimately impossible."

Erebus staggered to its feet.

GROOOOWL-

Its body grew larger.

"The final plan was to entrust the legion's world to my past self."

"…"

"Honestly, the outcome was uncertain. Because I didn't know how the future would change with just one fragment of the legion."

"…"

"But as you can see! It seems I have gained infinite possibilities! Look! The surviving hero! The world!"

Erebus's eyes gleamed.

"The world has stopped! Khahahahahaha!"

Leo unhesitatingly swung his sword towards the fifth fragment, now devoid of power.

SWISH-!

The fifth fragment rolled on the ground.

"You are defeated, surviving hero. Khuhuhuhut!"

Seeing Erebus mocking him, Leo unhesitatingly stomped on its head.

CRUNCH-!

The power of Erebus, purified by the power of purity, was converted into divine power and entered Leo's body.

But compared to the fragments he had defeated before, the divine power was negligible.

'This was its aim…'

Leo clenched his fist tightly.

The future has changed.

That thought filled his mind.

'Find a way. Find a way…'

Leo's mind raced furiously.

"Grandfather!"

At that moment, a bright voice was heard.

Leo turned his head.

Lena was running towards him with a radiant face.

"Grandfather! You know, I have the power of purity… Huh? Huh?"

Lena looked around with a flustered expression.

Young Luna also wore a surprised look.

"What is this situation?"

-Time… has stopped?

Spirit Luna was also astonished.

"It seems Erebus succeeded in alteration."

Rian said with a dark expression.

"…"

Leo looked at the past Rian and said.

"Can you explain the situation?"

"…Yes. Before that."

Rian bowed her head.

"Let's go to where the culprit who stopped the flow of time is."