Book 1 Chapter 144

Syd felt goosebumps all over his body as he looked into Leo's eyes.

"What is this look?"

Leo's eyes showed no particular emotion.

Hostility towards demons, fear, etc.

The emotions that a person would normally have were completely absent.

It was simply calm.

Only a slight disgust, as if cleaning up trash on the roadside, could be glimpsed.

He had never seen eyes like these before.

Even those called heroes did not have such eyes.

For a moment, Syd, overwhelmed by Leo's killing intent, felt terror.

Syd, regaining his composure, felt cold sweat pouring down his body.

"What can you possibly do?"

Syd, letting out a sneer, quickly regained his composure.

"This world is completely under our control. It seems you've managed to notice our existence… but that's all. What can you possibly do?"

"We can do more than you think."

Seeing Leo smile coldly, Syd's face contorted.

'Should I kill him right here?'

He thought about it for a moment, but then looked around.

'There are too many eyes watching.'

Syd was currently in the body of the Principal of Barharun.

And he had controlled the entire school for a long time.

It was true that he could control Barharun as he pleased.

But that was only behind the scenes.

He couldn't openly use his power in front of others.

Erebus and Tartarus had been hostile to gods and terrestrial races for a long time.

This was also true before the Age of Calamity.

The moment his identity was exposed here, everything he had done up to this point would be in vain.

Leo had acted with precise understanding of this.

He couldn't use his power in public places.

Nor did he have any justification to oppress Akint using his authority.

Knowing this, he had openly declared war.

Leo, looking at Syd with cold eyes, turned away.

Syd, staring at his retreating figure, curled his lips.

'You won't be able to do anything.'

He had prepared for a long time.

'You will see the great hero you revered burn away powerlessly!'

Tartarus's goal was not simply to ruin Luna's world.

It was to completely burn it away!

So that the power could not be inherited!

Syd trembled with ecstasy at the thought of that face contorting with despair.

'I will personally cut off your neck as you despair watching the great hero burn away!'

Leo paid no mind to Syd's flashing eyes.

He simply approached Luna.

'The conquest of this world will be complete the moment Luna creates the foundation of Star Magic.'

Leo fell into thought as he saw Luna approaching, having exchanged greetings with the princess.

'But it must be completed solely with Luna's power.'

Star Magic was literally the creation of something from nothing.

A completely new magical law that did not exist.

Magic completed purely by the power of one person alone.

There should be no assistance whatsoever in creating that magic.

At that moment, Star Magic would no longer be Luna's creation, but magic completed with someone's help, and it would lose its light.

"Luna. Did you speak with the princess?"

"Yes! But the princess seems to have changed a lot."

"Changed?"

"Yes. She used to dislike me, but now she's smiling brightly at me?"

At that, Leo looked towards the princess.

Most of the elves at the party had already finished greeting her.

So there were not many people left in line.

Leo's eyes sparkled as he joined the line to greet the princess.

After a while.

When it was his turn, Leo bowed his head.

"Akint, I pay my respects to the princess."

"Nice to meet you, Akint."

"Yes. By the way, Princess, do you know anything about Lumern?"

Leo, kneeling, looked up at Sergia and smiled.

At the question, her gaze momentarily changed.

"Yes. I do. It's a name I've heard before. Akint, do you know about Seirun?"

"Of course, I do."

Having answered up to that point, Leo stepped back with a smile.

To others, it would have sounded like a strange conversation.

Indeed, those around him looked at Leo with puzzled eyes.

But for the two of them, it was an efficient code to confirm each other.

'No one in this era would know about the future Hero Academy.'

Leo thought to himself as he returned to Luna.

'Lunaria is the princess. Things might be easier.'

Meanwhile, Lunaria also looked at Leo's receding figure with sparkling eyes.

'It's definitely Leo.'

It could be Elena, but judging by his tone and demeanor, it was Leo.

Lunaria took a deep breath.

'I have to tell Leo about Erebus.'

As she thought this.

The music in the party hall stopped.

Along with it, the protagonist of the day, the Elf King Ergen, appeared at the entrance of the party hall.

All the elves in the hall knelt respectfully.

"Happy birthday."

"Happy birthday!"

Ergen smiled at the congratulations from the high elves.

"You've all gathered to celebrate my birthday… Thank you. I'm grateful for you all gracing this occasion. Don't worry about me, and please enjoy the party today."

Saying so, Ergen went to the head seat and sat down.

The elves gathered for the party lined up before Ergen.

Music flowed, and the party began again.

Luna was taking a deep breath in a corner.

"You're nervous, which is unlike you."

"Well! It's decided whether I'll receive funding from His Majesty Ergen again or not!"

Luna said, clenching her fist.

The reason she came to this party was to present her research results to the Elf King and receive his sponsorship.

Although isolated, Luna had worked hard to overcome her situation.

"Things might work out a bit easier."

"What?"

Luna's eyes widened in confusion at Leo's words.

Then, Luna's eyes widened further as she looked in the direction Leo pointed.

There, Lunaria was approaching.

Luna bowed her head in respect.

Lunaria, seeing Luna, took a deep breath and said to Leo.

"Would you like to dance… one song?"

Both in the past and now, elves love music and dance.

Dancing together at parties was their culture.

So, asking for a dance was not strange.

"It's an honor."

Leo smiled gently and led Lunaria to the center of the party hall.

The two began to dance to the music.

"You're Leo, right?"

"Yes, Lunaria."

Lunaria let out a sigh of relief at Leo's words and said.

"How much have you figured out about this world?"

"That it's before the Age of Calamity and that it's Luna's world."

"I figured out that much too. Do you have any guesses about the conquest condition?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Luna creating Star Magic."

"Indeed."

Lunaria nodded at Leo's words.

"And one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Tartarus is in this world."

At that, Lunaria's face stiffened slightly.

"He's even in this party hall right now."

Lunaria's hand, gripping Leo's, tightened.

"Is it the Tartarus from the past?"

"No. The ones from outside, like us, have entered."

Lunaria's expression hardened.

"That could be possible."

"It could be possible? Have you figured something out too?"

Seeing Lunaria, who was not surprised and quickly understood, Leo looked puzzled.

Never before had demons invaded the world of heroes.

It was an event that would literally turn the world upside down.

Yet, Lunaria accepted Leo's words without the slightest doubt.

Leo was convinced that Lunaria had figured out something he didn't know.

At Leo's question, Lunaria took a deep breath.

"Leo, don't be surprised and listen."

"What is it?"

"In this world… Erebus is here."

Leo momentarily couldn't understand the words due to Lunaria's slightly trembling voice.

"Erebus is here?"

"Yes."

"How do you know that?"

"I saw him myself."

The strength in their hands, naturally clasped while dancing, increased.

His body, which had calmed down seeing Luna, began to tremble again.

"Lunaria."

At Leo's call, Lunaria looked up.

In their original forms, their heights were not very different, but now there was a clear difference.

Leo smiled as he looked at Lunaria, who was looking up at him.

"It's okay."

It wasn't Leo's voice that she knew.

It was the voice of someone from the past that Lunaria didn't know.

But the power contained in that voice was Leo's.

It was like when she saw Luna just a moment ago.

The fear and anxiety in her heart subsided.

Feeling Lunaria's trembling stop, Leo said.

"Can you tell me more about that story?"

***

"This is boring. A war of attrition."

Elena said with a bored expression, flicking her fingers.

*Fzzzzt-*!

Blue lightning spread in all directions.

*Bara-barabat-*!

*Gwaaaargh*!

Screams erupted from the electrocuted Skeleton Knights.

*Click*-!

*Fssssh*-!

With a snap of her fingers, the Skeleton Knights turned to dust and disappeared.

The back alley was literally a paradise of corpses.

Undead poured out endlessly.

Not only in numbers but also in variety.

From low-level undead to high-level undead.

It was literally a nest.

*Gwaaargh*!

A Ghoul walked out from the depths of the alley.

But it was different from a normal Ghoul.

It wore armor and held a crude weapon in its hand.

"Ghoul Soldier."

Elena narrowed her eyes at the stench.

Hadin adjusted his sword.

A gentle breeze blew, carrying away the stench.

The stench emanating from the Ghouls contained poison.

Of course, it had no effect on skilled fighters like Elena and Hadin.

However, Elena and Hadin were currently with Merin.

It was too late to send Merin back now that she was deeply involved.

'She might face a terrible fate if she's discovered.'

Elena stroked Merin's terrified head.

She was merely a figure who existed in the past.

There was no reason to protect someone who didn't exist.

However, neither Elena nor Hadin abandoned Merin.

Even the greatest hero cannot save everyone in the world.

Therefore, they had to protect at least those who were doing their best to live before their eyes.

That was the virtue of a hero candidate.

Even if it was someone who had already disappeared in the past.

'Hadin would think so. He's stubborn.'

Elena removed her hand from Merin's head and pointed her finger at the Ghouls.

*Ziiiing*-!

Particles of light were generated at her fingertips.

There was no particular reason for Elena to shield Merin.

She had simply been taught that way.

*Flash*-!

With a bright light, a white beam shot out, blowing away the Ghoul Soldiers.

'And because I have the strength to protect.'

*Thump*- *Thump*-

Elena, walking ahead, twirled her hair.

"It's getting bothersome."

Annoyance flickered in her eyes.

"Should I just blow away this dirty back alley?"

"That won't do."

"Why?"

"If you use magic, the surrounding area will be destroyed."

"Hmmph. It's a trash heap anyway. What's wrong with it being blown away a bit?"

"Hmmph - Such thoughts are unbecoming of a hero candidate."

*Click*- *Click*-

A sweet voice was heard from the depths of the alley.

Along with the sound of high heels, an elf emerged from the darkness.

However, neither Elena nor Hadin could identify the student in school uniform.

"You finally came out."

Elena said with a pleased expression.

"What a rude girl. What do you mean by 'finally came out'? Am I some kind of dog?"

At the question, Elena's eyes widened, and she showed a look of pity.

"Oh my, I seem to have made a mistake. Did you think you were at least a dog? I thought you were a cockroach…"

"What?"

"Dogs are at least cute. You're just a disgusting bug, aren't you? So, a cockroach is fitting."

"Did this girl swallow a mop…!"

The Necromancer's face contorted with rage.

But then he smiled leisurely.

"Well, talk all you want. You're all going to die soon."

"Oh my, no matter how disgusting, a cockroach is just a cockroach. Have you ever seen anyone die from a bug?"

Elena said with a bright smile, and the Necromancer scoffed.

"No, you will die."

The Necromancer smiled coldly.

"Because soon, the God will open his eyes."