Book 1 Chapter 149

149.

Rumble-!

The city of Barharun crumbled.

The city, known as the Elven Sanctuary, was burning.

The devastation wrought by the Fragment of the Great Calamity was, quite literally, a sight of horror and dread.

And that Great Calamity was destroying not just Barharun, but even the world of heroes.

Woosh-!

The world was ablaze.

Tap- Tap-

On the outskirts of Barharun.

"Whew."

Pivoa, having climbed to the top roof of the Tower of God, settled down and sat.

As a god, he could feel the world burning with his own eyes.

"The world is collapsing."

Pivoa, with a leisurely expression, gently shook the alcohol held in his hand.

He seemed unfazed, even as his own existence was vanishing.

'This body is fake anyway.'

Whether his future self had returned to the heavens or been annihilated.

There was no way to know.

But beings like gods don't greatly care about such things.

They knew, better than anyone, that the present was what mattered most.

Pivoa's eyes turned towards one person.

'Kyle. Show me why you are the Great Hero…'

With a deep smile, Pivoa guzzled down the wine.

***

Woosh-

Runia looked up at the sky, clenching her lips.

'The world is collapsing.'

Though she hadn't experienced much, she could distinctly feel Luna's world falling apart.

"What happens if the World of Heroes isn't conquered and just collapses?"

"Even I don't know that. There are no such cases in the records."

Having said that, Elena glanced up at the sky.

"But it seems clear that the Conquerors won't be safe."

'Is that possible…? Such a question would be foolish.'

There was no choice.

Now was the time to defeat the legendary Great Calamity.

Runia took a deep breath and slapped both her cheeks hard.

Smack-! Elena's eyes widened as she looked at Runia at the sound.

Before she knew it, the elf girl's eyes were burning fiercely.

"Leo wasn't scared! I can't be scared anymore!"

'It'd be embarrassing if I declared him my rival and then I'm the only one completely terrified!'

The person she aimed to catch up to was already far ahead.

Giving up and sitting down now was not in her nature.

Watching Runia compose herself, Elena asked.

"Doesn't your cheek hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt."

"Really?"

Poke-!

"…!"

Runia's eyes widened as she watched Elena ruthlessly poke-! poke-! her cheek.

Her defiant spirit was ignited by the teasing.

"I said it doesn't hurt."

"Wow. What a tough lady."

Pinch-!

"This hurts even when I'm fine!"

Runia yelled, her eyes wide, and Elena chuckled.

"You're quite a peculiar elf, aren't you? Was your 'honor student' demeanor all an act?"

Runia, with a hint of tears in her eyes, covered her cheek and glared at Elena.

It was then.

"What in the world is that monster?"

"You're here? Hardin."

Elena greeted Hardin warmly.

"It's Erebus."

"Erebus?!"

"More precisely, it seems to be a fragment of Erebus."

Elena smiled faintly, a menacing glint in her eyes.

"And we're going to defeat it right now."

At her words, Hardin's expression grew tense.

He wanted to hear more details, but the situation didn't seem to allow it.

"Where is Leo Plov?"

"Leo is over there."

Elena pointed ahead.

Hardin's eyes widened.

"Ancestor?"

A beautiful elf girl captivated Hardin's eyes.

If it weren't for the current situation, he would have bowed with elven courtesy and been deeply moved by her presence.

But this was not the time for that.

Hardin gripped his sword.

Meanwhile, Leo approached with Luna.

"Huh? There's one more person. Are you a companion too?"

"Yes. Lady Luna, I am Hardin. Like a great and beautiful ray of starlight…"

"Yes. Yes. Let's save the chatter for later."

Elena interrupted Hardin, who was about to praise Luna with flowery language.

"So, Leo. We decided to defeat that thing, do you have a plan?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Luna and I will take the front. Runia and Senior Elena, please provide magic support from the rear. Mr. Hardin, please block that guy's attacks from reaching the two of them in the middle."

"Isn't it the correct formation for you and me to take the front, with Lady Luna, a mage, positioned in the rear?"

Hardin questioned, and Luna grinned.

"I hate being stuck in the rear just because I'm a mage. And only this kid and I can block that monster's attacks, right?"

"If Lady Luna says so, we should follow."

Elena smiled faintly.

Indeed, when Erebus swept through the surrounding area just moments ago, Runia and Elena had no means to protect themselves from the black flames and received help from Luna.

'But Leo blocked the flames alone.'

It was strange.

'In terms of magical power, Runia and I far surpass Leo. That means Leo has a way to deal with the black flames.'

She didn't know what it was, but for now, entrusting the front to Leo and Luna was the best option.

Hardin also nodded at Luna's words.

"Alright, then."

Luna gripped her Folium.

And with a grin, she glared at Erebus.

"Let's smash that damn black bastard."

"Before that, remember one thing: absolutely do not touch its flames."

Everyone nodded at Leo's words.

Leo glared at Erebus.

"Then let's begin."

At that moment, Leo and Luna charged at Erebus.

Elena and Runia unleashed their magic, and Hardin generated aura and magic to protect them both.

Luna hesitated, looking at Leo's back as he ran ahead, then asked.

"Hey."

"What."

"After this is over, can I follow you?"

At her words, Leo paused.

He turned back to Luna and said.

"Don't you have something to do here? I'm just a suspicious stranger of unknown origin."

Luna nodded at the question.

"Of course, I do. There are things I want to do. But I feel like I could gain much more valuable things by following you than by learning here."

Luna looked directly into Leo's red eyes.

"You'll surely show me sights I can't even imagine."

"What? Have you fallen for me?"

Leo jeered, and Luna smiled brightly.

"Maybe."

"…"

Leo's expression momentarily froze at her bright smile, which held a subtle hint of shyness.

But he quickly composed himself and said.

"Let's talk about that after we defeat that guy first."

"Alright!"

Luna raised her staff enthusiastically.

With it, Luna's magic unfolded.

Woosh-

"Hellfire."

Crimson flames erupted from the tip of the Folium.

The infernal flames, boasting the strongest power among fire-attribute magic, were generated.

This magic, capable of reducing everything to ashes, was one that even ancient elves, let alone current ones, hesitated to learn.

It was considered too destructive a magic, incompatible with the elves' nature.

However, Luna didn't care about such things at all.

Woosh-woosh-woosh-!

Reacting to Luna's magic, Erebus spewed black flames.

"Go!"

Clang-clang-clang-!

Luna's magic flew towards Erebus.

Erebus swung its arm.

Crash-!

A mass of black flames, detached from Erebus's body, collided with Luna's magic.

Clang-clang-clang! Woosh-woosh-woosh-!

The black flames swallowed the infernal flames.

Boom-

But when the infernal flames exploded, black flames scattered in all directions.

Leo saw that and extended his sword.

Growl-

Gray aura emanated from Leo's sword.

The aura soon enveloped the black flames, which were scattering like a glass wall in all directions.

Whoosh-whoosh-!

The black flames bounced off Leo's aura.

'Erebus's flames are immortal flames that never extinguish.'

The endlessly burning inferno fundamentally incinerates everything made of mana.

The fact that the source of power of a being destined to destroy the world was immortality was a matter of despair for the earthly races.

The current Leo did not possess the mighty power of the past Kyle.

Nor did he possess outstanding talent, magical sense, and overwhelming magical power like Luna.

At first glance, taking the front seemed too reckless.

But Leo was confident he could defeat the fragment of Erebus.

That was because Leo was special.

'We are all special. But Kyle. Among us, you are probably the most special. Your mana attribute is, quite literally, a natural enemy to Erebus.'

'A natural enemy? What do you mean by that?'

'Your gray mana seems to be un-attributed at first glance, doesn't it?'

'It's not "at first glance," it's just un-attributed. It has no special features. How can I compare to you guys, other than being all-class?'

Whether it was aura, magic, or summoning.

Unlike his companions, Kyle did not have the talent to reach the ultimate in any ability through his own strength alone.

'Your un-attributed nature is different from other un-attributed ones.'

But Lisinath laughed gleefully, looking at Kyle's cloudy gray power.

'At first glance, it seems like simple un-attributed power… but your mana is purer than anyone else's. If I were to define your attribute, I would call it purity.'

Kyle's attribute, given by the King of Wisdom.

At the time, Kyle had been slightly pleased with the attribute she had given him.

Of course, there were those who, disliking to see their friend happy, instantly ruined the atmosphere.

'Purity! Purity! It really doesn't suit Kyle at all!'

'Lisinath. Purity is a symbol of beauty. Your words are an insult to the name of purity!'

'…Yes. I'm far from pure. You weird elf and perverted dwarf.'

Leo put both of them in a headlock simultaneously and yelled.

Luna spitefully pinched Kyle's arm, and Dweno hit his arm hard with his pot-lid-like hands.

Watching them, Lisinath said.

'Arion, what do you think of Leo?'

'I guess he's also far from pure?'

Arion's awkward smile and scratching his cheek.

Recalling the past, Leo burst out laughing.

'Lisinath said it. Purity means it can become anything. That's why I'm all-class.'

Growl-!

A magic formula formed in Leo's hand.

Luna's eyes widened when she saw it.

'What is that?'

It looked familiar somehow.

Luna understood what it was at once.

'The magic formula I was developing?'

A surprised Luna soon shook her head.

'No. It's different from what I made.'

The magic Leo was using now was the Star Magic that Luna had created.

But this magic was special.

Because it was the only magic Luna had created but couldn't use herself.

Magic that Luna had created for only one person: Kyle.

Kyle's unique magic.

Luna's genius shone through in the creation of another's unique magic.

This magic didn't have special effects or unique properties.

It was simply a bullet of mana, maximizing Leo's magical attribute.

However.

'Your pure mana can become anything, Kyle. But that, in other words…'

Lisinath's meaningful smile, when she gathered the Great Heroes to subjugate the Great Calamity, came to mind.

'Means it is unaffected by anything. That is, it can contend with Erebus's immortal power. That's why you are the natural enemy of that hateful Great Calamity.'

And her words were true.

Growl- Flash-!

Leo's gray mana turned pure white.

The magic that had saved Leo's life countless times in the final battle.

The magic that had dealt fatal blows to immortal beings countless times…

Star Magic created by Luna, the Ancestor of the Nebula, but perfected solely for Kyle's use.

"Innocent."

Whoosh-!

A pure white sphere formed above Leo's head.