Book 1 Chapter 296

296

Gyaaaah!

Gias let out a roar towards the empty air.

With that, a giant spatial gate opened, and knights and mages clad in black armor and robes appeared.

Seeing them, Eiran flinched and shuddered.

"W-what is this? They don't look like demons at first glance?"

"Traitors."

Berkia glared, drawing her sword.

"Those who sided with Tartarus to survive."

Eiran and the party members alike held their breath.

The traitors who would later be called 'Hero Hunters'.

Unless it's a special case, one would have no reason to fight against 'Hero Hunters'… those who betrayed the world and sided with Tartarus.

The party members were not yet aware of the pressure of having to cut down their own kin who looked exactly like them.

"What should we do?"

Arion asked Dwenno, watching Gias from a distance as he glared at Gardsron.

Dwenno fell into thought at Arion's question.

"It would be best to defeat him before he fully invades Gardsron…"

Dwenno narrowed his eyes.

"If that happens, Gardsron's defenses will be weakened. If, the moment I or you leave Gardsron to attack him, his army were to attack here, it would be problematic in many ways."

The endless wave of a Legion Commander's army was a symbol of despair.

Moreover, unlike other Legion Commanders who had consumed their strength by participating in numerous major wars, Gias's army had rarely participated in wars, boasting formidable strength.

"He is cautious, despite his size. And cunning."

Dwenno narrowed his eyes.

"We don't know what kind of trap he might have laid."

Anger simmered deep within Dwenno's eyes.

Seeing that, Leo gripped his sword.

'It's only natural.'

Shortly after the Age of Calamity began.

It was Gias who destroyed Dwenno's hometown.

Meanwhile, numerous monsters began pouring out of Gias's spatial gate.

Seeing that, Leo narrowed his eyes.

'I see… he's also spent the past ten days gathering anything he could use as subordinates from the surrounding area.'

Without an army, a Legion Commander's power is halved.

It was clear he had spent the last few days creating his own army to compensate for that weakness.

Although they were nothing but a ragtag bunch, the fact that there were two Gias made even this ragtag army an immense threat.

'He intends to decisively crush Gardsron, doesn't he?'

"He won't move until dawn."

Leo looked at Dwenno and Arion.

"So, one of you two should conserve your strength until dawn."

"Conserve strength? Are you saying we shouldn't fight?"

"Yes."

The true potential of a Great Hero is best known by the Legion Commanders who fought against them.

The power to make the impossible possible.

It's not simply because a Great Hero is strong.

'Looking back, we've always carved a path to victory in unfavorable situations and achieved it.'

Thinking about it now, it's hard to believe how they led so many battles to victory.

Countless victories that were close to miracles.

Gias was more wary of that potential than anyone else.

'He's probably thinking of gradually chipping away at our stamina like hunting.'

Once the night passes and the past Gias and his army appear, Dwenno and Arion, already weakened, will no longer be able to resist.

'Is he planning to be a decoy himself?'

Leo clenched and unclenched his fists, looking at the distant Gias.

Seeing Leo like that, Dwenno said,

"I understand what you're saying. But if a monster like Gias makes a move… we have no choice but to step in."

At Dwenno's grave words, Leo said,

"Indeed, you are the world's hope."

Leo looked at Dwenno and Arion.

"If it weren't for you, the world would have perished long ago. That's why you've carried so much."

Leo smiled.

"But… isn't it okay to share the burden sometimes?"

Fwoosh-!

A giant shadow appeared in the sky above Gardsron.

Kal opened his mouth wide.

"Dragons…"

The sight of dozens of dragons adorning the sky was truly magnificent.

All the party members gasped at the grand spectacle that could never be seen in this era.

Starting with the dragons, warriors and mages of various races, and summoners appeared on the city walls.

Seeing them, Leo muttered softly,

"Once I tried carrying it, and it was too heavy."

Flash-!

The dragons flying in the air polymorphed and descended onto the city walls.

Defesere was at the forefront.

"You all, step back."

Defesere looked at Berkkia, Leo, and the others and said.

"This battle is not a child's play. Please evacuate to a safe zone."

"I want to fight too. I have enough strength to fight."

Berkkia said resolutely.

Seeing Berkkia like that, Defesere adjusted his glasses.

"Miss Berkkia. I am well aware of your abilities. However, you are one of the future of the world. Don't you think you lack experience for a battle like this?"

Berkkia flinched at Defesere's rare sharp gaze.

Defesere.

He was like a father to all the children of Gardsron.

He personally ran an orphanage, and Berkkia had seen Defesere since she was young.

He was usually gentle, but in moments like this, he was so resolute that it was hard to defy him.

Defesere's gaze turned to the others.

"Now, hurry."

Seeing Defesere like that, Leo said,

"Combat is something that must be experienced eventually. If you believe in Berkkia's future, why not believe in Berkkia now?"

At Leo's words, Defesere's cold gaze turned to Leo.

"Do you think you have the right to be here now?"

At that, Leo laughed.

"Absolutely."

Leo looked at his party members.

"We've trained for this."

Rumble-!

The sound of monsters nearing Gardsron could be heard.

Seeing that, Leo raised his hand.

Whoosh-!

A magic circle was drawn in the sky.

At the sight of the magic circle, Defesere's eyes widened.

Not only Defesere.

Everyone wore expressions of shock.

"Luna-nim's… magic?"

The magic circle drawn in the air in response to Leo's mana.

It was none other than the magic of stars.

As Leo completed the spell, orbs of light poured down towards the monsters.

Pfft-!

Seeing the pouring light magic, Dwenno closed his eyes.

"Arion."

"Y-yes?"

"You conserve your strength, just in case."

At Dwenno's words, Arion's eyes widened.

Arion was bewildered that Dwenno, who could be considered the head of Gardsron, was following Leo's opinion.

"Defesere."

"Yes!"

"You guard the city walls."

"Then, Dwenno-nim…?"

"I will go fight the Giant King."

Thump-!

Seeing Dwenno readjusting his battle axe, Defesere panicked.

"N-no! If Dwenno-nim goes alone to face the Giant King and falls into a trap…!"

"When did I say I was going alone?"

Dwenno looked at Leo.

"This friend here will watch my back."

Dwenno said, looking at Berkkia and the party members.

"Don't overexert yourselves and guard the city walls well."

"Yes! Don't worry and go! Those ugly monsters won't be able to cross Gardsron's walls!"

At Berkkia's shout, Dwenno burst into laughter.

"Reliable!"

Dwenno, letting out a hearty laugh, leaped down from the towering city walls.

Leo followed suit, leaping down without hesitation.

"L-Leo!"

Runia called out to Leo, who was falling below the city walls, with a bewildered expression.

Leo smiled at Runia.

"I'll be back, so guard well!"

Thump-!

Tap-!

The two, who landed on the ground, ran towards the Giant King simultaneously.

Kuaaaah-!

A large monster, an ogre, charged at them.

As Dwenno was about to swing his battle axe, Leo stepped forward.

"Don't intervene until you fight Gias."

"Ho? Can you clear the path?"

At Dwenno's question, Leo raised his sword.

Fwoosh-!

Aura and magical flames wrapped around the sword.

Whoosh-!

A summoning circle appeared in the air, and a small phoenix materialized.

Cheep-!

"What? You've lost weight?"

Cheep- Cheep-!

Fiora flew around Leo, as if showing off her body.

"Next time I'm fat, I guess I can play ball."

Leo muttered, recalling how Katharion made Fiora lose weight, and Fiora shook her head frantically, chirping.

Leo chuckled at Fiora, then unleashed his spiritual power.

Fwoosh-!

Fiora's body ignited fiercely with Leo's spiritual power, and then seeped into the sword.

Kuaaaah-!

The phoenix's flames swirled.

Leo's eyes gleamed as he looked at the ogre blocking their path and the monsters behind it, then swung his sword.

Fwoosh! Kua-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

Along with the swirling phoenix flames, he annihilated the monster unit before him.

Hiss-!

"Not bad."

Dwenno, running through the path of fire that had been created in a straight line, readjusted his battle axe.

Leo ran ahead of Dwenno, charging towards Gias.

Anything that blocked his path was burned and cut down.

In an instant, Dwenno reached Gias and knelt, gripping his battle axe.

"It's been a while."

Kuaaang-!

Dwenno kicked off the ground and flew towards Gias's face as if he were a cannonball.

"Giant King Gias."

A murderous intent flickered across Dwenno's face.

Kua-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

Golden flames flickered from Dwenno's battle axe, forming the shape of a giant axe blade.

The enlarged axe blade of flames was swung fiercely, as if to sever Gias's thick neck in one go.

Fwoooosh-!

-It's certainly been a while, Dwenno!

Gias swung the corpse sword of Jormungandr in his hand.

His eyes gleamed with exhilaration.

-I've wanted to kill you!

Kuaaaaaaang-!

The golden axe and Jormungandr's corpse sword collided.

Kuga-ga-ga-gang-!

Shockwaves engulfed everything in all directions.

The ground was turned over, and everything nearby was blown away.

Kaga-ga-ga-gak-!

Leo, enduring the shockwave, charged towards Gias.

-Hmph! I thought you'd come with Arion. What is this milky-mouthed brat?

Gias sneered and unleashed dark mana.

Swoooosh-!

A mass of dark crimson mana erupted from Gias's body.

"Hmph!"

Dwenno invoked his aura armor and endured Gias's attack.

Gias didn't care, even though he hadn't dealt any damage.

The attack was aimed at Leo in the first place.

A Legion Commander's mana release possessed a power that instilled terror just by being exposed.

Furthermore, if one were to be hit directly by the released mana, it would be difficult to survive in most cases.

Fwoosh-!

However, Leo showed no waver even when directly exposed to the aura of the mana release.

For an ordinary person, perhaps, but for Leo, the Legion Commander's aura was ineffective.

He quickly evaded the mass of released mana using Aura Step.

Gias's eyes twitched at the near-miraculous movement.

"Are you being too careless just because you know the future?"

Gias's eyes widened at Leo's mocking words.

-You…!

"Of course, even if I know the future, the outcome won't change."

Fwoooosh-!

Aura gathered on Leo's sword.

-Leo Phlabe!

Fwooooosh-!

Leo's sword slashed across Gias's chest.

Fwoohahahaha-!

Blood poured from Gias's chest.

Gias, having allowed himself to be attacked as a consequence of carelessness, staggered slightly.

Fwoosh-! Thwack-!

Dwenno's axe blade exploited that opening.

The axe blade was lodged in Gias's neck.

However, just before he could sever his neck, Dwenno hastily dropped the axe and retreated.

Fwoosh-!

Gias's arm passed through the spot where Dwenno had been.

If he had put strength into severing his neck, he would have been blown away by that arm.

'What a shame. I could have severed his neck.'

Dwenno licked his lips.

Gias would not die just from having his neck severed.

'He wouldn't have gone through so much trouble if he died from having his neck cut off.'

However, it would inflict considerable damage.

This would give them a definite advantage in the battle that was about to begin.

'It's the same as that time.'

Dwenno's eyes sank.

When Gias attacked Dwenno's hometown.

Dwenno had almost severed Gias's neck.

Of course, even if he had cut it, he wouldn't have been able to defeat Gias.

Because Dwenno at that time was weaker than Dwenno now.

But the outcome might have been slightly different.

'I might have been able to save my hometown people.'

It was at that moment, as Dwenno gave a bitter smile.

Thump!

"…?!"

"What are you spacing out for!"

Leo, who had flown behind Dwenno unnoticed, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"Quickly, sever his neck!"

Fwoosh-!

Leo threw Dwenno with all his might towards the battle axe lodged in Gias's neck.

Dwenno invoked his aura with all his might.

Thwack-!

-You bastards!

Gias's eyes widened.

Seeing Gias like that, Dwenno curled the corners of his lips.

'Yes, it's different from that time.'

Creak-! Thwack-!

The sound of the axe blade digging into bone echoed.

'Now… I have companions.'

Thwack-! Fwoohahahaha-!

Gias's head flew into the air.

Along with it, a fountain of black blood erupted.