Book 1 Chapter 149

149.

Kugugugugung-!

The castle of Barharul fell.

The city, called the sanctuary of the elves, was burning.

The devastation created by the fragment of the great calamity was truly like terror and dread.

And that great calamity was destroying even the world of heroes beyond Barharul.

Hwareureuk-!

The world caught fire.

Teobeok- teobeok-

Outskirts of Barharul.

"Heave."

Piba, who had climbed to the very top of the God's Tower, settled down.

As a god, he could feel the world burning.

"The world is collapsing."

Piba, with a relaxed expression, gently shook the alcohol in his hand.

He seemed unconcerned even as his existence was fading.

'It's a fake body anyway.'

Whether his future self returned to heaven or was annihilated.

He had no way of knowing.

But gods, as beings, do not greatly concern themselves with such things.

They knew better than anyone that the most important thing was the present.

Piba’s gaze fell on one person.

'Kyle. Show me why you are the great hero…'

With a deep smile, Piba downed the wine.

***

Hwareureuk-

Luna looked up at the sky, her lips pressed together.

'The world is collapsing.'

She hadn't experienced much yet, but she could clearly feel Luna's world breaking apart.

"What happens if the hero's world is not conquered and is instead destroyed?"

"I don't know. There are no such cases in the literature."

Elena, who said that, glanced up at the sky.

"But it seems certain that the conquerors won't be unharmed."

'Would that be possible… that's a foolish question.'

There was no choice.

Now was the time to defeat the legendary great calamity.

Taking a deep breath, Luna slapped her own cheeks hard.

With a "slap-!" sound, Elena’s eyes widened as she looked at Luna.

By now, the elf girl’s eyes were burning fiercely.

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

'It's embarrassing to have declared myself a rival and then be the only one scared!'

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

It wasn't in her nature to falter like this.

As Elena watched Luna steel herself, she asked,

"Does your cheek hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt."

"Really?"

Cook-!

"……!"

Luna glared at Elena, who was relentlessly poking her cheeks.

Her competitive spirit was ignited by Elena’s teasing.

"I said it doesn't hurt."

"Wow. What a tough young lady."

Kwak-!

"This hurts even when I'm not trying!"

Luna, with her eyes wide, shouted, and Elena chuckled.

"You're quite an unusual elf too? Is your good student persona all an act?"

Tears welling up slightly, Luna cradled her cheek and glared at Elena.

Just then.

"What is that monster?"

"They’re here? Hardin."

Elena greeted Hardin with a welcoming expression.

"It's Erebus."

"Erebus?!"

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

Elena smiled faintly, a ferocious smile spreading across her face.

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

At her words, Hardin’s expression tensed.

He wanted to hear the detailed story, but the situation didn't seem to allow it.

"Where is Leo Flove?"

"Leo is over there."

Elena pointed forward.

Hardin’s eyes widened.

"Progenitor?"

A beautiful elf girl captured Hardin’s gaze.

If it weren't for the current situation, he would have paid his respects with elven etiquette and been moved by her existence.

But this was not the time.

Hardin gripped his sword.

Meanwhile, Leo approached with Luna.

"Huh? There's one more person. Is she a comrade too?"

"Yes. Luna-nim, this is Hardin. A great and beautiful being, like a single ray of starlight…"

"Yes, yes. We can chat later."

Elena interrupted Hardin’s attempt to praise Luna with flowery words and said,

"So, Leo, you suggested defeating it. Do you have a plan?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Luna and I will take the front. Luna and Elena-senpai, please provide magical support from the rear. Hardin-ssi, please intercept the monster’s attacks from the middle to protect the two of them."

"Isn't it a better formation to have the mage Luna-nim in the rear and you and I in the front?"

Hardin questioned, and Luna grinned.

"I hate being stuck in the rear just because I'm a mage. Besides, only I and this girl can block that monster’s attacks."

"If Luna-nim says so, we must follow."

Elena smiled faintly.

Indeed, a short while ago, when Erebus swept through the surrounding area, Luna and Elena had no means to protect themselves from the black flames and had to rely on Luna’s help.

'But Leo-kun alone blocked the flames.'

It was strange.

'In terms of mana, I and Luna far surpass Leo-kun. That means Leo-kun has a way to counter the black flames.'

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

Hardin also nodded at Luna's words.

"Alright, then."

Luna gripped Polium.

And with a grin, she glared at Erebus.

"Let's smash that damned black thing."

"Before that, remember one thing. Never touch its flames."

Everyone nodded at Leo's words.

Leo glared at Erebus.

"Then let's begin."

At those words, Leo and Luna charged at Erebus.

Elena and Luna deployed their mana, and Hardin invoked aura and mana to protect the two.

Luna, watching Leo’s retreating back as he ran forward, hesitated for a moment and then asked,

"Hey."

"Why."

"Can I follow you after this is over?"

At her words, Leo stopped.

Then, turning back to Luna, he said,

"Don't you have things to do here? I’m a suspicious stranger whose identity is unknown."

To that question, Luna nodded.

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

Luna looked directly into Leo’s red eyes.

"I feel like you’ll show me sights I can’t even imagine."

"What? Are you in love with me?"

Leo scoffed, and Luna smiled brightly.

"Maybe so."

"……"

Leo was momentarily dumbfounded by her bright, somehow shy smile.

But he soon composed himself and said,

"Let’s talk about that after we defeat that guy."

"Alright!"

Luna enthusiastically raised her staff.

Along with it, Luna’s mana was deployed.

Hwareureuk-

"Hell Fire."

A fiery red flame erupted from the tip of Polium.

The hellfire, boasting the strongest power among fire magic, was created.

This magic, which turns everything to ashes, was a magic that even the current elves, let alone past elves, were reluctant to learn.

It was considered too destructive magic, incompatible with the elven nature.

However, Luna didn’t care about any of that.

Hwareureureuk-!

In response to Luna’s mana, Erebus spewed black flames.

"Go!"

Kwagagagang-!

Luna's magic flew towards Erebus.

Erebus swung its arm.

Kwakh-!

A lump of black flame that broke off from Erebus’s body collided with Luna’s magic.

Kwagagagang! Hwareureuk-!

The black flames engulfed the hellfire.

Puuung-

But as the hellfire exploded, the black flames scattered in all directions.

Leo saw that and lowered his sword.

Go go go go-

A gray aura emanated from Leo's sword.

The aura soon enveloped the black flames scattering like a glass wall.

Hwahhwak-!

The black flames bounced off Leo’s aura.

'Erebus's flames are inextinguishable, immortal flames.'

The ever-burning hellfire basically burns everything made of mana.

The fact that the source of the power of a being that would destroy the world is immortal is a despair for the terrestrial races.

Leo now does not possess the immense power of Kyle in the past.

Nor does he have the outstanding talent, magical sense, and overwhelming mana like Luna.

At first glance, taking the front seemed like a reckless act.

But Leo was confident he could defeat Erebus's fragment.

That's because Leo is special.

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

'Natural enemy? What do you mean?'

'The gray mana you possess seems neutral at first glance.'

'It's not at first glance, it's just neutral. It has no particular characteristic. Except for being all-class, how can I compare to you guys?'

Whether it was aura, magic, or summoning.

Unlike his companions, Kyle lacked the talent to reach the ultimate in any ability solely on his own.

'Your neutral attribute is different from other neutral attributes.'

However, Lisinas laughed happily as she looked at Kyle’s dull gray power.

'At first glance, it seems like a simple neutral attribute, but… your mana is purer than anyone else’s. If I had to define your attribute, it would be purity.'

Kyle's attribute given by the King of Wisdom.

Kyle was slightly pleased with the attribute she gave him at the time.

Of course, there were those who, not wanting to see their friend happy, would ruin the mood like ghosts.

'Purity, they say! Purity! It really doesn't suit Kyle!'

'Lisinas. Purity is a symbol of beauty. Your words are a blasphemy against the name of purity!'

'…Yes. I am far from pure. This eccentric elf and perverted dwarf.'

Leo shouted, jokingly calling out to both of them.

Luna furiously pinched Kyle’s arm, and Dwenos repeatedly hit his arm with his cauldron-like hands.

Watching them, Lisinas said,

'Arion, what do you think of Leo?'

'I don't think he's close to pure, do you?'

Arion, scratching his cheek with an awkward smile.

Recalling past events, Leo burst out laughing.

'Lisinas said that purity means it can become anything. That's why I'm all-class.'

Go go go go-!

A magic formation appeared in Leo’s hand.

Luna’s eyes widened when she saw it.

'What is that?'

It looked familiar.

Luna immediately understood what it was.

'The magic formation I was developing?'

Luna, who was flustered, soon shook her head.

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

The magic Leo was using now was the star magic Luna had created.

But this magic was special.

It was the only magic that, despite being created by Luna, Luna could not use.

A magic that Luna created solely for one person: Kyle.

Kyle's unique magic.

The fact that Luna created another person's unique magic highlighted her genius.

This magic did not have special effects or peculiar properties.

It was simply a projectile of mana that maximized Leo’s mana attributes.

But.

'Your pure mana can become anything, Kyle. But that also means.'

The meaningful smile of Lisinas, who had gathered the great heroes to subdue the great calamity, came to mind.

'It means it is not affected by anything. In other words, it can counter Erebus's immortal power. That is why you are the natural enemy of that hateful great calamity.'

And it was as he said.

Go go go go- Flash-!

Leo’s gray mana turned pure white.

A magic that saved Leo’s life countless times in the final battle.

A magic that inflicted fatal wounds on immortal beings countless times…

Although it was star magic created by Luna, the progenitor of the nebulae, it was a unique magic completed solely for Kyle.

"Innocent."

Hwak-!

A pure white sphere was created above Leo's head.