Book 1 Chapter 146

146.

The elves looked on in shock at the brilliantly shining light of Folium.

Lunia also looked back and forth between Leo and Luna with surprised eyes.

"Leo, what on earth is that staff?"

"Folium."

"What? Folium?"

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

But 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 were made for Luna.'

It was like that now.

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

"Why do you have Folium?"

"I obtained it somehow."

Leo shrugged at Lunia's question.

"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.

Defeating a great catastrophe.

It was a story that would only appear in fairy tales.

Having seen Erebus herself, Lunia thought it was close to impossible.

"There will be no other way to conquer this world now."

"What?"

Lunia showed a surprised expression at Leo's words.

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

Leo clenched and unclenched his fist.

'The reason Tartarus could enter the hero's world must be deeply related to the Erebus that Lunia saw.'

And it would also be related to the hero's pages being damaged.

Leo said with such 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 piece of Erebus, which had been broken into many pieces, was revived, the land suffered catastrophic damage.

That day, called the return of the great catastrophe, also signaled a crack in the peace achieved by the great heroes.

'A monster that could threaten the world with just one piece.'

That presence would probably be unforgettable.

However, the aura of Erebus, which should have been clearly felt now, was not.

'It's not because it's sleeping. The Erebus in this world is not complete. It might just be a fragment.'

If so, it would not be impossible to defeat it with the current strength.

Convinced of this, Leo spoke to Luna, who was examining Folium with a curious expression.

"Luna, let's go."

"Huh?"

Luna stopped at Leo's friendly call.

After looking at Leo for a moment, she asked.

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

It was as Luna said.

This was a party celebrating the birthday of the Elf King.

Leo and Lunia were merely unidentified intruders.

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

However, they had clearly seen Leo take out Folium, so they were hesitant to act rashly.

Amidst this, Leo approached the Elf King, Ergen.

"Human boy. Why did you disguise yourself as a High Elf and intrude upon this sacred land? And why do you possess Folium?"

Ergen asked to calmly assess the situation.

"I am here by the will of a god."

"God?"

"Yes. By Pibua's will."

Upon mentioning Pibua's name, Ergen let out a deep breath.

Pibua.

A god known publicly only as the principal of Barharun.

However, only a few High Elves knew that he was a god who had existed since the city was built a very long time ago.

Mentioning Pibua's name meant that Leo had truly come here at Pibua's summons.

'And this boy brought Folium.'

Even if he wasn't chosen by Folium, he had the eye to distinguish between real and fake.

The Folium reflected in Ergen's eyes was real.

Pibua had also anticipated that much and given Folium to Leo.

"What is Pibua's will?"

"To defeat the darkness that has fallen upon the World Tree."

"The darkness of the World Tree? Is it possible for you alone?"

"Only we can do it."

Ergen nodded at Leo's words.

"I understand. The elves will not block your way."

At Ergen's words, the elves attending the party glared.

"Your Majesty! It is only right that a human who has entered this place should be punished! Yet, not only are you letting him go, but you are allowing him to enter the World Tree with his dirty feet!"

An elf said urgently.

Ergen sighed, looking at such an elf.

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

His gaze turned to Luna, who was wearing Barharun's uniform.

"That student was chosen."

Only those chosen by Folium could become king.

That was literally an elf tradition and culture.

Denying Folium's light was no different from denying the honor they held so dear.

"That can't be the real Folium!"

"That's right! It must be a forgery brought by wicked people!"

But the opposition did not subside.

Ergen ignored them and said, "I will handle this here, so you may go, human boy."

Leo bowed at those words and approached Luna and Lunia.

'Still, he's the last king of the elves.'

Ergen was a king who fought against Tartarus to the very end in the age of catastrophe.

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

"Let's go."

Luna and Lunia followed Leo at his words.

"This is the real Folium."

Luna exclaimed and examined Folium.

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! My name is Lunia El Lundia! It's an honor to meet you!"

"Lunia El Lundia, hmm hmm! Nice to meet you. But is it really an honor to meet me?"

"Of course! Luna, you are famous!"

"What? Has my fame spread so far in the outside world? Hmph. As expected, my genius cannot be hidden!"

Lunia, with a smug smile with her hand on her chin, made Lunia groan "Agh-!" and squeeze her eyes shut.

Leo narrowed his brow at such Lunia and asked.

"What's wrong?"

"You are too dazzling! Beautiful! Cute! To think I can talk to a progenitor!"

'It's just a stupid, arrogant person. What's dazzling about it?'

Leo let out a deep sigh.

"Ar's reaction was strange when he saw Aureon, and you're the same, aren't you?"

At those words, Lunia flinched for a moment, forgetting that Luna was in front of her, and looked at Leo.

"Ar? Are you talking about the top student of Azonia's first year?"

"Yes."

"How do you know how that child reacted when they met Aureon?"

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

"What?! How?!"

"It's too long to explain now."

Lunia narrowed her brow at Leo's words.

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

"They were excellent. Like the representative of Azonia's grade."

"And."

"And? They were just cute."

"C-cute…?"

Lunia was taken aback.

Luna, watching the scene, said.

"Hey. Let's talk about things you two only know later. What's your name?"

"Leo Flob."

"Okay. Leo, Lunia. So? What should I help with? Didn't you say earlier that darkness had fallen on the World Tree?"

"Right. There is a monster hiding in the World Tree now. We're going to hunt that monster."

"A monster? Not bad for my first feat."

Luna showed a confident reaction.

"What about Folium?"

"You keep it."

"Huh?"

"It's yours anyway."

Leo said with a smile and opened the entrance to Barharun's castle gate.

Creak-

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

"There will be many obstacles. Be alert."

Luna and Lunia, looking inside the castle gate, showed expressions of horror.

Inside the Barharun castle, called the sacred sanctuary of the elves, was filled with hideous demonic beasts.

"Where did all these things come from!"

Leo said, looking at the horrified Lunia.

"If Erebus is here, this is natural."

Leo squinted his eyes.

"It's no exaggeration to say this place is a den of demons."

Saying so, Leo drew his sword.

Flicker-!

A flame aura wrapped around the sword.

Seeing that, Lunia also generated mana.

Whoosh-!

Luna exclaimed in admiration at the aura and mana infused with the power of a phoenix.

"That's an amazing ability?"

Then, Luna, feeling a competitive spirit towards boys and girls her age, grinned.

"Then shall I show off my skills too?"

Luna elegantly swung the Folium in her hand.

Thwack-!

And holding it firmly, she generated mana.

A pearlescent mana shimmered.

Lunia showed an impressed expression at that.

'To be able to see the progenitor's magic right in front of me!'

What greater honor could there be for an elf?

Leo, looking at the two elves who had finished their preparations, generated mana and shot a spell into the sky.

Whoooosh-! Boom-!

The mana bullet shot high into the sky and exploded brightly.

A flare.

It was magic to inform Elena and Hardin, who were somewhere in Barharun, of their location.

Leo turned his gaze into the castle.

Seeing the group of demonic beasts revealing their killing intent, Leo said.

"Let's go."

With those words, Leo charged forward.

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

A chanting sound like a beautiful melody.

Hearing that sound, Leo felt his grip strengthen.

'I can't believe the day would come when we'd work together again.'

The anxiety that remained in his chest vanished.

The voice that had pushed him forward and saved his life countless times on the battlefield where life and death were at stake awakened his senses.

The voice that had gone through countless trials with him gave him courage again.

Crack-!

Leo severed the neck of the demonic beast in front of him.

What followed was literally a spectacular show of blood fountains.

Leo's movements weaving through the demonic beasts were divine.

As if he had eyes on his back, he reacted to attacks coming from all directions.

He slaughtered the demonic beasts with minimal movements.

Lunia's eyes widened at the sight.

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

He had become incomparably stronger than during the school trip.

Lunia felt her emotions stir.

'I can't lose.'

Beside her is the progenitor she had admired since childhood.

In front of her is the boy she decided to aim for and chase.

'I can't lose.'

Will ignited in Lunia's red eyes.

Whoosh-

Lunia raised her index finger.

A small flame was created on it.

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

"Crimson Frisbee."

It was Lunia's unique magic, perfected after relentless practice since the school trip.

The magic, imbued with will, weaved through the demonic beasts and literally cut them down.

"Amazing."

Luna exclaimed, watching the fight of the two.

'I can't lose either.'

"Fireball."

Fwoosh-

The completed spell was surprisingly ordinary.

Luna showed a surprised expression as the basic fire magic was completed.

However, Luna added one more magic circle to the fireball.

"Amplify."

Lunia showed a look of horror at the fireball filling the space.

The magic in front of her was extremely simple.

It was merely a spell to replicate magic.

Despite its simplicity, the phenomenon defied common sense.

Luna simply repeated the amplification spell endlessly.

She amplified the fireballs that had increased at an astonishing rate again.

A simple, brute-force task.

This simple task became twice as difficult as amplification progressed.

Usually, one or two times is the limit.

However, Luna repeated it without much difficulty.

'This is the progenitor's skill.'

She is not called a genius because she created the magic of the great star.

Her magic sense and mana capacity were on a different level.

"Is this enough?"

Luna flicked her finger.

Click-!

Fwoosh-!

The amplified fireballs flew towards the demonic beasts.

Fwobobobobong-!

Kwoooooh!

The screams of the demonic beasts echoed.

It was impossible to ravage a unit of demonic beasts with just simple fireballs, even in this era of greatly advanced magic.

"Amazing."

The progenitor, still in her girlhood.

But her power was overwhelming.

'This is Luna Rubinence, the Progenitor of the Nebula.'

Lunia dared not judge Luna.

Lunia trembled at the progenitor's power.

Luna coughed as if seeking praise, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lunia.

But Lunia could not grasp what Luna wanted.

'What does she want?'

She never imagined that the progenitor would want praise.

As the flustered Lunia stared blankly, Luna showed a disappointed expression.

When Leo returned to the two of them, he reached out as if accustomed to it.

And ruffling Luna's hair, he said.

"Well done, amazing."

Luna's face lit up at Leo's praise, and she puffed out her chest and nodded.

Then she stopped and became indignant.

"Hey, aren't you younger than me? Then treat me like your older sister!?"

"You're the one who childishly asked for praise."

"Ugh? How did you…? Anyway, I'm the older sister! I don't need praise from someone younger than me! Rather, I'll praise you!"

Luna ran at Leo and ruffled his hair.

Leo chuckled and accepted Luna's actions.

Lunia felt a strange feeling watching the scene.

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

Leo and Luna, walking ahead.

For some reason, the two of them seemed very close.

'Like old friends.'

How could he treat a great hero so casually?

She felt a sense of wonder.

At the same time, she felt a strange emotion at the casual demeanor of Leo and Luna, who seemed closer than herself.

As Lunia watched the two with complex emotions, Leo said.

"Lunia."

"Yeah?"

"Your new magic was amazing. You're working hard, aren't you?"

Leo chuckled and patted her head.

Lunia narrowed her brow at Leo's action.

"Hey, I'm older than you."

"Really? Then treat me like an old lady?"

"You punk? Do you want to die!"

Lunia, glaring, lunged at Leo.

Leo burst into laughter, watching his former and current comrades grab him and shake him.

And he glared into the depths of the castle.

'How much further do we have to go?'