Book 1 Chapter 146

146.

Seeing the brilliantly shining light of the Folium, the elves made expressions filled with awe.

Lunia also looked alternately at Leo and Luna with surprised eyes.

"Leo, what on earth is that staff?"

"Folium."

"What? Folium?"

Originally, the Folium was a magic staff symbolizing the Elf King.

However, by now, it was a staff that symbolized only Luna.

I heard that the actual Folium emitted the most brilliant light when Luna used it.

'As if it was made for Luna.'

It was the same now.

It was emitting a brilliance incomparable to when Leo touched it.

"Why do you have the Folium?"

"I just happened to get it."

Leo shrugged his shoulders at Lunia's question and said.

"Then."

Leo looked up at the World Tree.

"Shall we go?"

"Where?"

"To defeat Erebus."

At Leo's words, Lunia trembled.

"Defeat Erebus?"

"Yes."

"Is that possible?"

Lunia's face darkened.

Defeat the Great Calamity.

It's a story that would only appear in a fairy tale.

Lunia, who had seen Erebus firsthand, thought it was close to impossible.

"Right now, there might be no other way to conquer this world except that."

"What?"

At Leo's words, Lunia made a surprised expression.

'Nothing is certain yet. How Tartarus was able to enter the heroes' world. Why a fragment of Erebus is in Luna's world.'

Leo clenched and unclenched his hand.

'However, Tartarus being able to enter the heroes' world is probably deeply related to the Erebus that Lunia saw.'

And it would also be related to the heroes' page being broken.

Leo said with conviction.

"You don't have to be too scared. The Erebus you saw is probably different from the Erebus we know."

"What?"

3000 years ago.

Even when one of Erebus's fragments, which had been divided into several pieces, was resurrected, the surface suffered catastrophic damage.

That day, called the return of the Great Calamity, was also a day that heralded a crack in the peace that the great heroes had achieved.

'It's a monster so powerful that just one fragment could threaten the world.'

Its presence would probably never be forgotten.

But now, the aura of Erebus, which should be clearly felt, was not perceivable.

'It's not because it's sleeping. The Erebus in this world is not whole. Perhaps it's just a fragment.'

If so, defeating it with our current strength might not be impossible.

Leo, having made that judgment, spoke to Luna, who was examining the Folium with a curious expression.

"Luna, let's go."

"Huh?"

At Leo's familiar call, Luna paused.

She looked at Leo for a moment and then asked.

"It's true that I agreed to help you. But shouldn't you tell me what I need to help with first? And it doesn't seem like we're in a situation to go anywhere right now."

Luna was right.

This was the party hall celebrating the Elf King's birthday.

Leo and Lunia were merely unidentified intruders who had invaded this place.

Indeed, everyone was still looking at Leo and Lunia with wary eyes.

However, because they had clearly seen Leo take out the Folium, they couldn't move rashly.

In the midst of this, Leo approached the Elf King, Ergen.

"Human boy. Why have you disguised yourself as a high elf and invaded this sacred land? And why do you possess the Folium?"

Ergen asked calmly to assess the situation.

"My presence here is the will of a god."

"A god?"

"Yes. It is the will of Phiva-nim."

When Phiva's name was mentioned, Ergen exhaled deeply.

Phiva.

A god publicly known only as the principal of Valhallrun.

However, only a few high elves knew that he was a god who had existed since ancient times, since this city was built.

Given that Phiva's name was mentioned, it meant Leo had truly come here at Phiva's summons.

'Moreover, this boy even brought the Folium.'

Even if he hadn't been chosen by the Folium, he at least had the eyes to distinguish between real and fake.

The Folium reflected in Ergen's eyes was real.

Phiva had also anticipated that much and handed the Folium to Leo.

"What is Phiva-nim's will?"

"It is to eliminate the darkness that has fallen over the World Tree."

"Darkness of the World Tree? Is it possible with just you all?"

"It's something only we can do."

Hearing Leo's words, Ergen nodded.

"I understand. The elves will not obstruct your path."

Hearing Ergen's words, the elves attending the party opened their eyes wide.

"Your, Your Highness! A human entering this place is something that deserves punishment! But not only are you letting them go, you're even allowing them to step onto the World Tree with their dirty feet!"

An elf said urgently.

Seeing such an elf, Ergen sighed.

"You all saw it, didn't you? That the light of the Folium chose this human boy. And."

His gaze turned to Luna, who was wearing the Valhallrun uniform.

"That it chose that student."

Only one chosen by the Folium can become king.

That was, quite literally, an elven tradition and culture.

Denying the light of the Folium was tantamount to denying the honor they valued so highly.

"That can't be the real Folium!"

"That's right! It must be a counterfeit brought by wicked individuals!"

But the opposition did not subside.

Ergen ignored them and said.

"I will handle things here, so go, human boy."

At those words, Leo bowed his head and approached Luna and Lunia.

'Still, befitting the last king of the elves.'

Ergen was a king who fought against Tartarus until the very end of its early stages in the Age of Calamity.

The elf kings who succeeded him were all corrupt, but Ergen had risked his life for his kin.

"Let's go."

At Leo's words, Luna and Lunia followed behind Leo.

"So this was the real Folium."

Luna admired it, examining the Folium from all angles.

Then she tilted her head, looking at Leo and Lunia.

"So, I don't think we've introduced ourselves yet?"

At those words, Lunia said urgently.

"Hello, Luna-nim! My name is Lunia El Rundia! It's an honor to meet you!"

"Lunia El Rundia, mm-hmm! Nice to meet you. But is meeting me really such an honor?"

"Of course! Luna-nim, you're famous, aren't you?"

"What? My reputation has spread that far in the outside world? Hmph. As expected, this body's genius cannot be hidden!"

Seeing Luna make a smug smile with her hand on her chin, Lunia exclaimed 'Ah-euk!' and squeezed her eyes shut.

Leo narrowed his brows and asked such a Lunia.

"What's wrong?"

"You're, you're too dazzling! You're beautiful! You're cute! To think I can talk with the Ancestor-nim!"

'…She's just a smug idiot. What's dazzling about her?'

Leo let out a deep sigh.

"Ar, that kid, also had a strange reaction when he saw Arion. Why are you the same?"

At those words, Lunia momentarily forgot she was in front of Luna, flinched, and looked at Leo.

"Ar? Are you talking about Ar, the top student of Azonia's first-year class this time?"

"Yes."

"How do you know her reaction when she met Arion-nim?"

"Because I conquered Arion's world with that kid."

"What?! How?!"

"It's too long a story to tell now."

At Leo's words, Lunia narrowed her brows.

"What did you think of that kid, Ar?"

"She was excellent. Befitting Azonia's class representative."

"And?"

"And? She was just cute."

"Cu- cute…?"

Lunia was flustered.

Luna, who had been watching, spoke.

"Hey. Let's save the stories only you two know for later. What's your name?"

"Leo Flobe."

"Alright. Leo, Lunia. So? What do I need to help with? Didn't I hear earlier that darkness has fallen over the World Tree, or something?"

"That's right. A monster is hidden in the World Tree right now. We're going to subdue that monster."

"A monster? Not bad for my first great deed."

Luna showed a confident reaction.

"What about the Folium?"

"You keep it."

"Huh?"

"Because it's yours anyway."

Leo, who spoke with a smile, opened the entrance to Valhallrun's castle gate.

Creak-

This castle was a kind of entrance connected to the inside of the World Tree.

"There will be many obstructors. Be on guard."

Luna and Lunia, seeing inside the castle gate, made expressions of horror.

The interior of Valhallrun Castle, known as the sacred sanctuary of the elves, was filled with grotesque magical beasts.

"Where on earth did these things pop out from!"

Seeing the horrified Lunia, Leo said.

"If Erebus is here, this much is only natural."

Leo narrowed his eyes.

"It's no exaggeration to say that this place is a demon's den right now."

Saying that, Leo drew his sword.

Whoosh-!

An aura of flame enveloped the sword.

Seeing that, Lunia also manifested her magic.

Whoosh-!

Seeing the aura and magic imbued with the power of the phoenix, Luna burst out in admiration.

"That's an amazing ability, isn't it?"

And Luna, filled with the unique competitive spirit among peers, grinned.

"Then shall I show off my skills too?"

Luna gracefully swung the Folium in her hand with a flourish-!

Clack-!

Then, holding it firmly, she manifested her magic.

A light silver magic shimmered.

Seeing that, Lunia made an emotional expression.

'To think I can see the Ancestor-nim's magic right before my eyes!'

Could there be any greater honor for an elf than this?

Seeing the two elves who had finished their preparations, Leo manifested his magic and shot a spell into the sky.

Whoosh-! Bang-!

A magic missile soared high into the sky and exploded brightly.

A signal flare,

It was a spell to alert Elena and Hardin, who were somewhere in Valhallrun, of their location.

Leo turned his gaze inside the castle.

Seeing the horde of magical beasts radiating killing intent, Leo said.

"Let's go."

With those words, Leo ran forward.

Along with him, Luna's voice was heard from behind.

A chanting sound, like a beautiful melody.

Listening to that sound, Leo felt strength surge into his hands.

'To think the day would come when we'd synchronize again.'

The small anxiety remaining in his chest vanished.

The voice that had pushed his back countless times and saved his life countless times on the life-and-death battlefield awakened his senses.

The voice that had overcome countless trials together once again gave him courage.

Crunch-!

Leo sliced off the neck of the magical beast in front of him.

What followed was, quite literally, a spectacular show of blood fountains.

Leo's movements, weaving through the magical beasts, were almost divine.

He reacted to attacks coming from all directions as if he had eyes on his back.

He slaughtered the magical beasts with minimal movements.

Lunia, seeing that, opened her eyes wide.

'I knew he had gotten stronger… but I never imagined it would be this much.'

He had become so strong that he was incomparable to when they were on the school trip.

Lunia felt her emotions trembling.

'I can't lose.'

Beside her was the Ancestor she had admired since childhood.

In front of her was the boy she had set as her goal and resolved to pursue.

'I can't lose.'

Willpower settled in Lunia's red eyes.

Whoosh-

Lunia raised her index finger.

A small flame was generated above it.

The flame was soon compressed, turned into a disc shape, and began to rotate fiercely.

"Crimson Frisbee."

It was Lunia's unique magic, which she had perfected by dedicating herself to it since the school trip.

The magic, imbued with willpower, wove through the magical beasts, quite literally slicing them apart.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Luna, seeing the two people fight, exclaimed in admiration.

'I can't lose either.'

"Fireball."

Whoosh-

The completed spell was unexpectedly ordinary.

When the basic fire magic was completed, Lunia made a flustered expression.

But Luna added one more spell formula to that Fireball.

"Proliferation."

Lunia made a horrified expression, seeing the Fireballs filling the space.

The magic before her eyes was extremely simple.

It was merely a spell formula that duplicated magic.

Unlike its simplicity, the phenomenon defied common sense.

Luna simply repeated the proliferation spell formula endlessly.

She proliferated the Fireballs, which had increased at an incredible rate, once again.

A simple and crude task.

This simple task becomes twice as difficult the more one deploys proliferation.

Usually, once or twice is the limit.

But Luna continued to repeat it without much difficulty.

'This is the Ancestor-nim's skill.'

She isn't called a genius just because she created the magic of the great stars.

Quite literally, her magical sense and mana capacity were on a different dimension.

"Is this enough?"

Luna snapped her fingers.

Snap-!

Whoosh-!

The proliferated Fireballs flew towards the magical beasts.

Boom-boom-boom-boom-bang-!

Kwooooaah!

The screams of the magical beasts echoed.

Devastating a horde of magical beasts with just simple Fireballs.

It was an impossible feat even in this era where magic had overwhelmingly advanced.

"Amazing."

The Ancestor, still in her maiden years.

But the power she possessed was overwhelming.

'This is Luna Rubinens, the Ancestor of the Nebula.'

Lunia didn't even dare to evaluate Luna.

Lunia trembled at the Ancestor's power.

Seeing such a Lunia, Luna cleared her throat with an 'Ahem!'

Luna was looking at Lunia, her eyes sparkling brightly.

Like a child looking for praise.

But Lunia couldn't accurately discern what Luna wanted.

'What is she hoping for?'

She couldn't have imagined in her wildest dreams that the Ancestor would be hoping for praise.

Just as the flustered Lunia stared blankly, Luna made a disappointed expression.

Leo, who had returned to the two, extended his hand as if accustomed to it.

And he ruffled Luna's hair, saying.

"Well done, that was amazing."

At Leo's compliment, Luna's face brightened, and she straightened her chest and nodded.

Then she paused, and then flared up.

"Hey! You're younger than me, aren't you? But you're treating your older sister like a younger sibling!?"

"You're the one who childishly wanted praise."

"Ugh? Ho-how did you…? Ah, anyway, I'm the older sister! I don't need praise from someone younger than me! On the contrary, I'll praise you!"

Luna rushed at Leo and messed up his hair wildly.

Leo chuckled, accepting Luna's actions.

Lunia, seeing that, felt a strange sensation.

'How did Leo figure out exactly what Luna-nim wanted?'

Leo and Luna, walking ahead.

For some reason, the two seemed incredibly close.

'Like old friends.'

How could he treat a great hero so casually?

She felt a sense of wonder.

On the one hand, she also felt strange about Leo and Luna's casual demeanor, which made them seem closer than herself.

Just as Lunia was looking at the two with complex eyes.

"Lunia."

"Huh?"

"Your new magic was amazing. You've been working hard, haven't you?"

Leo chuckled and patted her head.

At Leo's action, Lunia narrowed her brows.

"Hey, I'm older than you, you know?"

"Oh, really? Then should I treat you like an old lady?"

"You punk? Do you want to die!"

Lunia, with her eyes glaring, rushed at Leo.

Seeing his old comrade and his current comrade grabbing him and shaking him wildly, Leo burst into laughter.

And he glared into the castle.

'How much further do we have to go?'