Book 1 Chapter 148

148.

Chiiiiiiiiiik-

Leo's body, which had pushed his firepower to its limit, quickly cooled down.

"Leo! When did you learn our family's magic?"

"I learned it by watching your magic."

"What? It was only once!"

Leo smiled, seeing Runia astonished.

"I created a magic formula by referencing it. Of course, compared to the real thing, it's crude."

It was as Leo said.

Although he had created magic by referencing Runia's flames, it was crude compared to the original.

"How is this crude? It's clearly producing power."

"There's a price."

"What? What price?"

Leo grabbed his collar and slightly pulled down his shirt.

Runia flinched upon seeing Leo's burned chest.

She knew that Leo had used flames beyond his limits, even at the cost of his own body.

'Still, isn't this a bit too much?'

Runia made a flustered expression and tried to cast healing magic on him.

"It's okay. I'll do it."

Leo cast healing magic and looked towards Erebus.

His eyes were captivated by the black flames.

The hateful flames that had once plunged the world into disaster.

The great catastrophe that had brought terror and despair to the world was before his eyes.

Leo's eyes flickered with murderous intent as he tightened his grip on his sword.

Runia, who had followed Leo into the audience chamber, swallowed hard.

Even seeing it again, she was overwhelmed.

'Is Leo not bothered at all?'

Thinking that, she cautiously approached him and looked at Leo's profile.

"Le…o?"

Before she knew it, the expression on Leo's face had disappeared.

The Leo Flobe that Runia knew was a boy who, despite being younger, was more mature than herself, almost insolent in his maturity.

Not the typical youthful pride or arrogance.

Or recklessness, but literally exuded an adult-like aura.

A composure that seemed incapable of losing its cool in any situation.

He was even annoyingly slick like an old man, yet he was a boy more trustworthy than anyone.

That was the boy, Leo, that Luna knew.

But now, Leo showed none of those characteristics.

A chillingly expressionless face.

And with it, red eyes emitting a murderous aura that could make one faint.

The boy she knew was gone.

For some reason, that fact felt unfamiliar and scary, and Runia instinctively reached out her hand.

Clasp-

Leo looked at Runia, who was pulling at his clothes.

Seeing Runia with a subtly anxious expression, Leo smiled faintly.

Seeing Leo return to his usual self, Runia felt relieved and let go of his clothes.

Leo, having regained his composure, assessed the situation calmly.

'This is a fragment of Erebus.'

As Leo expected, the Erebus in this world right now was merely a fragment.

A literal mass of pure power, devoid of any will.

Even that power was embarrassingly weak to be called Erebus.

'Of course, that alone is catastrophic.'

This fragment alone was distorting the world of heroes.

Though it was merely a shard of power, it was clearly a terrifying monster, too much to handle for now.

'But that's when it had a will.'

Leo gripped and unclenched his sword.

'Alright, then how do I deal with this damned thing?'

Even if it's a mass of power, if that power is an inextinguishable flame of disaster, it's difficult to deal with.

It was when Leo narrowed his eyes.

"What in the world is this?"

Luna's bewildered voice was heard.

Leo and Runia looked at Luna.

Luna glared at Erebus with vigilant eyes.

"Why is something like this in the audience chamber?"

"Lady Luna. Can you see this?"

Runia asked with a somewhat flustered face.

As far as she knew, the residents of the hero's world could not see Erebus.

No matter how great a hero Luna was, she was ultimately a being of the past, already dead and gone.

No matter how real it seemed, it was an illusion that didn't actually exist.

It was normal for her not to perceive Erebus, just like other figures in the hero's world.

"Of course. It's so big, does it make sense that it's not visible?"

Luna looked at Runia as if to ask what she was talking about.

"Runia. Is there any difference between Erebus now and when you saw it earlier?"

At Leo's question, Runia looked at Erebus with a tense face.

"No, it's the same."

At Runia's answer, Leo narrowed his eyes.

'What's the difference, exactly?'

"So this is the monster you two were talking about? Then it's simple! Let's deal with this monster right now before it wakes up!"

"W-wait a minute, Lady Luna! You mustn't act rashly!"

A surprised Runia tried to dissuade Luna.

But Luna was the owner of an eccentric personality, where action preceded words.

Luna, gripping Polyum, unleashed her magic.

Flash-!

Along with it, countless magic circles adorned the sky.

Luna's mighty magic surged.

Before Runia could even stop her, Luna's magic poured out.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

Splendid magic adorning the sky.

Runia's jaw dropped at its overwhelming might.

Once again, she felt reverence for Luna's boundless potential.

Thick smoke from the explosion filled the entire audience chamber.

As the smoke cleared and Erebus revealed itself, Luna's face showed a choked expression.

Despite being directly hit by Luna's powerful magic, Erebus was unharmed.

Seeing Erebus unaffected, Luna, spurred by stubbornness, flared up.

"Oh? Look at this?"

"Lu-Lady Luna! First, calm down…!"

In fairy tales and texts, the progenitor of the nebula is described as having a benevolent and gentle personality.

A great mage who maintained calm in most situations and was a pillar of support for the great heroes.

That was the general image of Luna.

'That's why fairy tales are fraudulent.'

The real Luna was hot-blooded and reckless when she got angry.

It was Luna who had the most destructive tendencies in the subjugation party.

Just looking at the incredibly powerful magic she created was enough to guess her personality.

Such a Luna was enraged.

When she got like that, she was usually unstoppable.

'Usually.'

Leo approached Luna.

And he hit Luna, whose eyes were sparking, with a 'Pow-!' on the head.

"Ouchhhhhh!"

Luna, clutching her head and crouching, glared at Leo with teary eyes.

Seeing that, Runia was startled and rushed to comfort Luna.

"Lu-Lady Luna. Are you alright? Leo! How could you hit Lady Luna!"

"She's going berserk like an idiot."

"Who's an idiot!"

Luna grabbed Leo's collar and growled.

Pushing Luna away, Leo said,

"Calm down. That monster isn't something you can defeat by blindly rushing at it."

At his words, Luna paused.

Then she glared at Erebus with an 'ugh' sound.

Runia looked bewildered, seeing Leo calm Luna down in an instant.

Even in his previous life, it was Leo's role to calm down a rampaging Luna.

'Why didn't Luna's magic work?'

Even if she hadn't completed Star Magic yet, Luna's magic was overwhelming.

It was strange that even a fragment of Erebus was completely unharmed.

It was when Leo had a serious expression.

"Insolent…!"

A voice filled with murderous intent was heard.

Leo turned his head and looked at the recovered Sid with an unenthusiastic expression.

"Still alive? Persistent, aren't you."

"I will not forgive you who trampled this place with your filthy feet…"

"Oh my, was there a bug here too?"

Thwack-!

With a cheerful voice, a pretty leather shoe stomped on Sid's head.

For the actions of a beautiful girl, it was quite rough and cruel.

"Ugh~"

Elena shook off Sid's flesh and blood clinging to her foot as if it was disgusting.

Since she was protected by magic, no blood or flesh stained her foot, but the physiological repulsion was unavoidable.

"I came because I was worried. You two are both fine?"

Elena, who had entered the audience chamber with a bright smile, discovered Luna and her eyes widened.

"Progenitor of the Nebula?"

"Progenitor of the Nebula? What's that? I don't know who she is to be called by such a grand name, but it sounds quite cool?"

Luna's eyes sparkled with admiration.

"Miss Elena. So."

"Yes, I understand."

Elena, who had extensive experience in conquering hero worlds, easily grasped the current situation.

Then she approached Luna and politely bowed.

"I am Elena Zerion. It's an honor to meet you."

"Oh? Yes. Nice to meet you. I'm Luna Rubinence."

Elena smiled faintly.

Then she approached Leo.

"Oh my! Leo, are you hurt?"

Runia was a little flustered watching Elena fussily examine Leo's body.

'She met a great hero, and that's all her reaction is?'

Elena's movement, as she fussily approached Leo, stopped.

"What is that?"

Elena's face, which usually maintained composure, stiffened slightly.

Her eyes were precisely directed at the sleeping Erebus.

"It's Erebus."

"Erebus?"

She recalled Biner's words before coming here.

'He said the god had awakened… was he talking about this?'

Elena's expression grew tense.

Even she, who never lost her composure, couldn't help but be tense in front of the terrifying disaster from legends.

But then, seeing Erebus showing no reaction, she wore a puzzled expression.

"Is it sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Then it's simple."

Elena smiled faintly and poked Leo's cheek with her finger.

"Even if it's a monster, there's nothing to fear if it can't move, right? Let's get rid of it right now."

Leo pushed Elena's hand away and stepped forward.

Goooooooo-!

Aura and magic swirled around Leo's body.

"Hooh?"

Elena let out an exclamation of admiration.

'Amazing, isn't he?'

The power swirling from Leo's body was not at a first-year student's level.

'As expected, he's a bigger deal than I thought.'

Elena's eyes sparkled.

Meeting a great hero from the past was amazing.

But unlike others, she didn't attach any more meaning to it.

It wasn't that she didn't respect great heroes.

It was because she didn't dwell on the past much.

'What's important is the present.'

Elena's interest couldn't help but be deeply drawn to the person who would become a new great hero, rather than a great hero who had closed their eyes long ago.

It was when Leo was about to use his magic.

"Insolent!"

Sid, who had been trampled by Elena and revived, recovered his body again and blocked Leo's path.

"What a persistent bug."

Elena made an annoyed expression.

"How dare you wag your vulgar mouth in this safe place!"

Murderous intent flickered in Sid's eyes.

Elena scoffed, looking at Sid.

"You, what can you possibly do to be so confident…"

Thump-!

Suddenly, a huge thumping sound was heard.

Everyone looked surprised by the thumping sound.

Thump- Thump-

Hwa-reu-reuk-

The quietly burning black flames began to blaze fiercely.

Sid turned his head, an expression of disbelief on his face.

Flash-!

Erebus's crimson eyes opened.

"E-Erebus-nim!"

Sid's face was stained with ecstasy.

"Hahaha! The God! The great God has awakened! The will of God has awakened!"

Runia and Elena's faces turned pale as they watched Sid, who was shaking and letting out insane laughter.

"Now! Prostrate and worship! You hateful remnants of the great heroes! Tremble in fear before the great flame of calamity…!"

Crash-!

"Cough-!"

Erebus's massive foot crushed Sid.

Hwa-reu-reuk-!

Sid burned and disappeared.

Goooooo-!

As it stood up, black flames began to sweep across parts of the World Tree.

Gworeooooooo-!

With a fierce roar, black flames swelled from Erebus's body.

The moment they saw that, Runia and Elena's instincts screamed.

'We're going to die.'

Kwagagagagagaga-gang-!

A massive wave of black fire covered everything.

Runia squeezed her eyes shut.

Then, realizing she was alive, she carefully opened her eyes.

Elena stood beside Runia with her arms crossed.

'I had no means to stop it… As expected, a progenitor is still a progenitor, even if young?'

Elena's gaze, which had been on Luna's back protecting her, moved forward.

'By the way, what about that kid?'

"Are you okay? That monster is terrifying."

Luna's face, which had maintained a relaxed expression until now, was tinged with impatience.

"Did it wake up because of me?"

Runia shook her head, seeing Luna clench her teeth.

"I don't think so. B-but what about Leo? What about Leo? Was he caught in those flames?"

"Leo is right there in front."

Elena pointed forward.

There stood Leo, his body protected by gray magic.

Leo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

'Is this the limit for now?'

He had taken a considerable hit.

But even if it was strong, he wasn't so easy to defeat that he would fall to a fragment of Erebus.

As the one who had subjugated Erebus, Leo had countermeasures against the inextinguishable black flames.

The surrounding area, including the World Tree, was gone.

The castle had collapsed, and the world was engulfed in black flames.

It was as if the world was ending.

Groooaaarrrr!

In the midst of it, the fragment of Erebus roared.

'Why did that suddenly move?'

Leo frowned.

Erebus, which was merely a shell without even a will, suddenly moved.

'Did it suddenly gain a will? No. I still don't feel any will from it.'

Only ferocious madness resided in Erebus's eyes.

Nevertheless, Erebus was running wild.

'Is it because of me?'

Just as Leo hated Erebus.

Erebus also hated Kyle, who had split it into several fragments.

If Erebus's power had awakened based on instinct, it wouldn't be a strange story.

Leo gripped and unclenched his fist.

"What should we do now?"

Elena bit her fingernails, an anxious expression on her face.

Runia clenched her teeth.

The two people who knew about Erebus felt only one emotion.

Overwhelming despair.

"What to do? Why ask the obvious?"

At that moment, Luna, who had removed the barrier, said calmly.

Runia and Elena looked at Luna's back.

Luna smiled faintly, turned around, and said,

"We have to defeat that monster."

At her smile, Elena and Runia's eyes widened.

For a moment, that confident look overlapped with someone else.

"Isn't that right, Leo?"

Luna spoke to Leo.

At her words, Leo chuckled.

"Of course."

Elena murmured, seeing Luna's appearance, not flinching in the slightest even before the great catastrophe.

"It's amazing."

"Huh?"

"I mean, the way Lady Luna gave us courage just now."

Elena smiled.

"Doesn't she resemble Leo?"

"…!"

Runia's eyes widened.

And she looked forward.

They certainly resembled each other.

Recalling the school trip, Runia was surprised.

Elena, with her hands clasped behind her, stared intently at Leo.

"So this is how the first-year kids felt during Gigantes."

Her heart stirred.

She had never felt this way in her life.

"A hero…"

It was a word she had never admired.

Even if she respected someone, she had never once thought of wanting to follow in their footsteps.

She thought it would continue to be that way.

But… Leo's back captivated her gaze.

She began to admire him.

Her heart was drawn to his so brilliant appearance.

Feeling that, Elena thought.

'It might not be so bad.'

Despite the desperate situation, the girl who for the first time in her life admired a hero smiled brightly.