Book 1 Chapter 208

Leo raised his hand towards Zerdiak's retreating back, who was trying to cross over to the present world through the crack.

Woooong-!

A powerful gray magic swirled.

Leo, created by a giant magic circle, completed the spell.

"Moonlight."

As an emerald flash flickered, a barrage of light engulfed the defenseless Zerdiak.

Flash-! Kwagagagag-!

"……!"

But for a moment, the abyss flames that erupted behind Zerdiak's back swallowed Leo's magic.

Leo's face hardened as he saw that.

'Erebos's Flame!'

"Damn it!"

Spitting out a curse, Leo bent his knees.

Thump-! Bang-!

As he kicked off the ground, Leo's body shot towards Zerdiak like a bullet.

Slyueng-!

Gray aura gathered on Leo's sword.

Kwagagagagag-!

Leo's sword strike targeted Zerdiak.

But again, flames erupted and blocked Leo's sword.

'This makes it certain, these flames clearly have will!'

And they are aiming for one thing.

To resurrect his subordinate into the present world.

'I have to stop it!'

The current era, called an era of peace.

But that peace is maintained only by a delicate balance.

The peace, barely maintained thanks to the many heroes being nurtured, could collapse with just a slight crack.

But Erebos is not the only threat.

Tartarus's forces are still intact.

Especially the Necromancer King, the Giant King, and the Monster Queen.

These three legion commanders and the legions they lead are monsters with the power of an entire Hero Academy.

In such a situation, what if another legion commander with the same power as these three appeared in the present world?

The long peace would surely come to an end.

Leo's red eyes flashed.

Gritting his teeth, he burned his magic.

Pure white light emanated from Leo's hand.

Kyle's unique magic, gifted by Luna, the Progenitor of Constellations, to the First Hero.

"Innocent."

Hwaak-!

The power of purity shimmered in Leo's hand.

And he threw it towards the abyss flames.

Hwaak-!

For a moment, the black flames scattered.

But soon, the flames burned even more fiercely.

'Is this a fragment of Erebos's power, stronger than the fragment I encountered in Luna's world before?'

Leo gritted his teeth.

And he tried to unleash even more powerful magic.

Whoosh-!

Suddenly, the flames began to gather into a small ball.

Leo's face hardened as he saw that.

'It's going to explode…!'

Grasping the phenomenon that occurred next, Leo quickly deployed his magic and aura.

Kwang-!

Along with an ear-splitting explosion, a massive shockwave engulfed Leo.

Thud-!

"Damn it!"

Embedded in the ground, Leo spat out a curse.

Hwarururuk-!

As if mocking Leo, the black flames clearly blazed.

Then, they soon subsided.

Ching-!

Along with it, with a sound of something breaking, Zerdiak escaped to the present world.

Crossing the boundary of the past, a great disaster had returned to the present world.

Leo sprung to his feet.

Through the massive crack, the scenery of Seilun was visible.

'Silathuna!'

The view of Seilun, seen from below the sky, was despair itself.

'I must go quickly and stop them…!'

Gulp-!

As Leo was about to throw himself, he flinched at the force that suddenly grabbed the hem of his clothes from behind.

Silver hair and golden eyes that sparkled like stars.

The beautiful elf stared intently into Leo's red eyes.

"Where did Zerdiak go?"

"Luna."

Leo gritted his teeth.

A dear companion.

A friend he had never forgotten for a single day.

What could he explain?

Should he explain that this was the past world and Zerdiak had moved to the present?

Leo knew well.

That the friend who declared she would bloom flowers all over this world was always a naive woman looking towards the distant future.

That she was a confident young lady who believed without a doubt that she would be in that glorious future.

That's why he couldn't bring himself to say it.

'This is a false world… and you are already dead.'

That she was a past existence, already dead and gone.

Leo could never tell Luna.

As Luna watched Leo's distorted face, she subtly loosened her grip.

And she smiled.

"You're making that face again…"

Luna took a step closer.

And she reached out her hand.

"It's strange."

Luna's hand touched Leo's cheek.

"Your face is different… and you're not the Kyle I know… but I don't feel unfamiliar with you."

Leo's red eyes widened.

Luna smiled, looking at her reflection in those red eyes.

"Long time no see, Kyle… no, Leo."

"You… remember what happened then?"

"No. I had forgotten originally. But I remembered the moment I saw you. You gave me courage and the strength to move forward when I was in despair, didn't you?"

Luna smiled gently.

"That I would be called the Progenitor of Constellations in the future."

Luna slightly closed her eyes.

"Seeing your face, I understand. In the future, I… will die, won't I?"

Leo held his breath.

Luna, who opened her eyes, looked at Leo with her golden irises.

"Tell me just one thing."

"What?"

"Erebos… you defeated him, didn't you?"

"…Yes."

"My death wasn't in vain, was it?"

"Yes."

Seeing Leo answer with a face that looked like he was about to cry, Luna smiled brightly.

"Then it's fine."

The great hero of the past… calmly accepted her unchangeable fate.

As if she was satisfied as long as her death was not in vain.

She wore a smile that was too beautiful.

"But the danger isn't completely over yet, is it? Kyle."

"That's right."

"Where did he go?"

"…To the future, 5000 years from now."

"5000 years…"

Luna blinked her large eyes and scratched her head.

"It's too far in the future, I can't grasp it. What kind of era is it?"

"…It's an era of peace. Erebos has been sealed."

"Really? Then how did you get here? The kids I met back then also came from the future, right?"

"…In the future, there's something called Hero Records."

Leo briefly explained Hero Records.

"Hoho. I see! The gods left something quite useful!"

Mmm-hmm! Luna nodded, impressed, and chuckled.

"By the way, all elves and even other mages praise me as great. I knew it would be like this. I'm great!"

Luna, who crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and laughed ha-ha-ha! She then covered her mouth and chuckled.

"By the way, you were forgotten? Pfft! Only you? You saved the world! That's hilarious! Puh-heh-heh!"

"…You find that funny?"

Leo let out a wry laugh.

One moment arrogant and condescending.

What expression would people have if they saw this?

"Right, it's not the time to be laughing and chatting like this."

Luna nodded.

"Then let's go, Kyle."

"What? Where?"

Luna looked at Leo with a look of pity.

"Where else, to the future."

"…You can't go."

Leo looked up at the crack in the sky.

Zerdiak must have crossed over to the present world due to Erebos's power.

But Luna couldn't.

Luna was strictly a being within the world of heroes.

Moreover, Luna's world had not yet even been conquered.

Luna would not be able to go outside.

Leo was certain of that fact.

Because… Luna seemed unable to see the large crack in the sky.

She couldn't see the appearance of the present world beyond it.

That was proof that Luna was a past figure who could only live strictly within the story.

At Leo's words, Luna looked up at the sky.

"Indeed, all I see is a gloomy sky."

Crack-

Cracks appeared on Luna's body.

Leo's face hardened as he saw that.

Not just Luna's body.

The world was slowly cracking.

Hwarururuk-!

Black flames flickered through the gaps.

"But this world won't last much longer."

As the mistress of the world, Luna sensed it.

That her world wouldn't last much longer.

'The shock is causing the world itself… to collapse the Hero Records.'

Leo gritted his teeth.

"Kyle."

Luna looked straight at Leo.

"I can't let my sacrifice be in vain like this. It's a waste. It's unfair."

"…"

"If a ghost from the past went to 5000 years in the future, I'll chase after it and kick its butt."

Luna's golden eyes flashed.

"I will save my cute descendants who praise me in the future! I am the Progenitor of Constellations!"

"…They aren't that cute."

"Anyway!"

"…Do you have a plan?"

At those words, Luna clapped her hands together.

"I'll pray hard to the gods."

"…After cursing the gods so incompetently all the time, you're going to pray hard now?"

"Oh God, I pray. I pray. Please help me so that I can travel to 5000 years in the future and defeat that ugly Zerdiak."

Ignoring Leo's words, Luna began to pray.

With a very serious face, Luna begged and begged.

"Send me! Send me to 5000 years in the future! You incompetent gods."

Leo, who let out a deep sigh at the sacrilegious words that would make even a god reconsider if they heard them, suddenly looked down at his wrist.

He saw the Polyum, which was granting him power.

'God…'

The miracle of God that granted Leo the power of the past.

Leo restored his Polyum to its original form.

Luna's eyes widened at another Polyum.

Leo handed the Polyum to Luna.

Luna received the Polyum.

Instantly, Luna's eyes shone brightly like stars.

The cracks on her body also began to disappear.

"Ah…"

Luna gasped as she looked up at the sky.

"That's the future."

Luna's expression changed to surprise, and she grinned.

"With this, I can tear that ugly lizard to shreds."

Luna, with a warlike smile, said to Kyle.

"Let's go! Kyle! Let's go to the future and blow away those Tartarus bastards!"

"You're full of spirit."

Leo burst into laughter, watching Luna's sparkling eyes.

"Before that!"

Luna pointed the Polyum at Leo.

Luna's magic swirled around Leo's body.

As the bright light faded, Leo looked down at his body.

"Hmm! Now I'm starting to get used to it a little."

Luna nodded.

Before she knew it, Leo had transformed into Kyle's appearance.

The appearance Luna remembered.

"Honestly, the pretty boy look is more to my taste… but still, I think that look is the most like you, Kyle."

Luna grinned brightly and poked Leo's side.

"Don't be so arrogant with your pretty boy look, Kyle! You, Kyle!"

Saying that, Luna floated up.

"The Progenitor of Constellations, Luna, goes!"

"…You seem to like your epithet."

Leo burst into laughter and followed Luna, using flight magic.

"Ah, come to think of it."

"Yeah?"

"Lisinath told me he liked me."

"What?"

Luna's eyes widened.

"Really? I had no idea!"

Seeing Luna's disbelieving expression, Leo nodded.

'Right, it's not me who's strange. It's that Lisinath guy who didn't show any signs.'

Thinking that, Leo stared intently at Luna.

"Why?"

"It's not you, right?"

"You've been living peacefully in the future for 5000 years, have you gone mad?"

"Right. It's not you, right?"

"Of course."

Seeing Leo burst into laughter, Luna nodded.

"Then it's fine. Let's go."

Leaving Luna behind, Leo flew towards the hole Zerdiak had created.

Luna, who stared intently at his retreating back, muttered.

"Even after dying and coming back, he's still like that. What an idiot."

***

Kiiioooooh!

Benedict's magic struck Zerdiak's neck.

Benedict, along with Albi, Ellen, and Cheid, poured all their strength into stopping the rampaging Zerdiak somehow.

The four heroes showed outstanding performance against Zerdiak, who had no reason.

However, they were unable to deal enough damage to subdue Zerdiak.

Lunia, watching this, gritted her teeth.

'Father… Principal.'

Hwarururuk-!

Fierce flames blazed around Lunia's body.

It was the flame of a phoenix that consumed even herself.

Lunia's eyes caught the sight of the demon king rampaging with no reason.

'I have to take down at least one more. That way, I can lessen the burden on others.'

Despite already being covered in burns all over her body, Lunia did not stop.

"Lunia!"

At that moment, Eiran rushed over.

"That's dangerous! You need to step back and treat your burns…!"

"I… I can do more!"

"No! Your life is in danger!"

Eiran stopped Lunia with a tearful face.

Lunia looked like she would really turn herself into ashes.

"I can fight more…"

"Wouldn't it be better to listen to your friend?"

Lunia flinched at the voice from behind.

It was a familiar voice.

A voice she could never, ever forget.

'No way… it's impossible.'

Lunia's body trembled.

"I thought so back then too, you're quite reckless, aren't you?"

If Leo had heard this, he might have scolded her, saying, "Is that how you talk?"

But Leo wasn't here now.

Lunia turned her head.

Eiran also stared at her with his mouth agape.

A beautiful elf stood there, holding two Polyums.

Eiran rubbed his eyes.

But the being before him did not disappear.

"Luna…-sama?"

"Yes."

Luna smiled faintly.

"You've worked hard."

Letting go of the Polyums, Luna reached out and patted Lunia and Eiran's heads.

"Leave the rest to this older sister."

Luna looked at Zerdiak.

"The ghost of the past will be dealt with by a being of the past."

The legend that had slept now revealed itself before her eyes.