Book 1 Chapter 297
297
Swoosh- whoosh-
A fountain of blood was gushing from the neck of the severed Gias.
Chiiiiiik-!
The blood spilled on the floor polluted the surrounding area.
The commander's blood, which possessed potent toxicity, was in itself a terrible poison that melted flesh and bones.
However, Dweno did not bat an eye even though he was covered in the commander's blood.
“It always smells terrible!”
Leo muttered to himself, watching Dweno frown as if displeased.
‘His resilience is always disgusting to see.’
Even Kyle and Arion would try to avoid getting directly covered in the commander's blood.
Swoosh-!
Just then, Gias lifted his foot.
Kwaaang-!
Gias's foot crushed Dweno.
The aftermath caused the blood in the blood puddle to surge high, becoming a wave that enveloped Leo.
Thump-!
Leo, who had hastily dodged the black wave, raised his head and looked at Gias's neck.
‘I inflicted a blow, but… it wasn’t a significant one after all.’
Leo's attack itself hadn't worked much from the start.
From Gias's perspective, it was merely a small scratch.
It had only served to create an opening, and Dweno had precisely exploited that opening.
Although his neck was severed, it wasn't a major injury for Gias.
No matter what anyone said, Gias was Luna's strongest magic.
He was a being with incredible defensive power, having survived a direct hit from the Finality.
Kugugugugugu-!
The ground shook.
“Heup!”
Dweno, crushed under Gias's sole, raised both hands and was pushing the foot away.
“Hryaahhhb!”
Hwaak-!
Veins bulging on his forehead, Dweno pushed Gias's foot with all his might.
Kukong-!
Gias stumbled back two or three steps.
Dweno grumbled, slinging his battle-axe over his shoulder.
“To step on a person, how utterly rude.”
“It only ended that way because it was you. If it had been someone else, there wouldn't be a trace left by now, would there?”
“Isn't sturdiness the strength of a dwarf?”
“But you are excessively sturdy.”
Haha! Leo shook his head, watching Dweno laugh heartily.
It was a seemingly relaxed conversation.
However, both of their senses were focused on Gias.
They seemed ready to enter battle immediately if they sensed anything unusual.
-Interesting.
Gias picked up his own head and placed it back on his neck.
His severed neck healed instantly.
-Leo Plov. I know the extent of your skill.
Gias's chilling gaze turned to Leo.
-It would be best to kill you here for sure.
Leo curled the corners of his mouth at Gias's murderous gaze.
“If you focus on me, you'll be the first to die, won't you?”
-Kheheheh. You are too overconfident in yourself.
Gias scoffed.
-The one I am wary of is only your future self. As a fledgling, you don't even deserve a place in this fight. The moment you step into the midst of my battle with Dweno…
Gias's eyes flashed.
-Your death is decided! You foolish one!
Kwagagagagagang-!
Gias swung the Yormungand's Corpse Sword.
With a single sword strike, the surrounding area was devastated as if a natural disaster had occurred.
A formidable attack stemming from a formidable size.
Leo, who narrowly dodged the attack, glared at Gias.
‘Indeed, it’s too early for my current strength to interfere in this battle.’
Leo's attacks had no effect on Gias whatsoever.
Even if he poured all his strength into inflicting a wound, it would only be enough to create a small opening.
But now, even creating that opening would be difficult.
Because the same method wouldn't work on Gias twice.
With Leo's current strength, influencing the outcome of this battle was close to impossible.
Conversely, Gias didn't need to try to kill Leo.
Leo could die simply by being caught in the fight between Dweno and Gias, which was akin to a natural disaster.
He was standing in the middle of a battlefield of a completely different dimension.
But even so, there was a reason Leo followed Dweno.
Hwaak-!
“Dweno!”
Leo, floating in mid-air, shouted.
Along with that, Dweno leaped towards Leo.
Leo squeezed all the aura from his body and concentrated it into his sword.
And he showed the flat of his blade to Dweno, who had leaped towards him.
Tap-!
Dweno landed on the sword.
“The battle is certainly easier this way.”
Leo, returning Dweno's grin, swung his sword with all his might towards Gias.
Kwaaaaaaa-!
Using Leo as a foothold, Dweno charged towards Gias with incredible speed.
-No?!
Gias's eyes widened.
The reason Leo forcibly entered this battle.
It was entirely to be Dweno's foothold.
So that Dweno could concentrate on the battle.
So that he could exert his power most perfectly.
Leo stood in this place purely as Dweno's supporter.
‘How ironic.’
To be playing the role Dweno had played for him in the past.
But because of that, he could perform this role even more perfectly.
-You… what exactly are you?
Gias's enraged gaze turned to Leo.
Looking at Gias, Leo smiled coldly.
“The biggest variable in your plan.”
***
On the battlements of Gadslon.
Arion silently watched the battle between Dweno and Gias.
The confrontation between Dweno and Gias was literally a battle of shield against shield.
Neither had the offensive means to inflict significant damage on the other in one go.
Therefore, they had to wage a long and tedious war of attrition.
In a sense, it was a fight between opponents with the worst compatibility.
But in that desperate battle, Dweno was clearly gaining the upper hand.
The reason for that was Leo's presence.
‘How many hours has it been already?’
Arion's eyes followed Leo's movements.
Leo, as seen through Arion's eyes, was not merely walking a tightrope.
It was more like sprinting madly on a rope that seemed about to snap.
The moment he stopped moving for even a second or made a minor mistake would lead directly to death.
If it had been anyone else, they might have died dozens of times over.
But he had survived until now, supporting Dweno.
It was not merely a realm of overwhelming skill and foresight.
It required superhuman mental strength to make calm and accurate judgments on the threshold of death.
‘A power that only one who has always kept death close can obtain.’
Watching that desperate struggle, Arion felt a sense of kinship with Leo.
His struggle in dire circumstances was too similar to their own.
Arion clenched and unclenched his hand.
‘It’s almost dawn.’
The time when the singularly gloomy dawn would break.
Leo had told Arion to conserve his strength until dawn.
Gias’s legions attacking Gadslon were not posing any threat to Gadslon’s walls.
Everything was going smoothly.
‘The Giant King attacked directly… is this all there is?’
Arion felt a shiver run down his spine.
‘Lisinas and Kyle… and Luna aren’t here, and we can stop the Giant King’s invasion so easily?’
Since when were commanders such easy opponents?
This invasion had too many sloppy points.
Arion's intuition screamed.
The real crisis was about to begin.
“Defeser.”
“Yes, Lord Arion!”
“Have you still not made contact with Lisinas?”
“Yes. It is presumed that Lord Lisinas, Kyle, and Lady Luna are trapped within Leysar by another commander’s barrier. As for when communication will reach the three of them…”
It was then that Arion gritted his teeth at Defeser's words.
“Master Arion! At this rate, I think we can defeat them without significant damage!”
Berkias, who had been holding back the enemy's assault for a long time, ran over to report on the war situation.
Heroes who would not leave their names in the future but sacrificed their lives for their era were doing their best to stop the legion's invasion.
Dweno had a definite advantage over Gias.
Even without Arion stepping in, the tide of battle was slowly turning in Gadslon's favor.
The more it did, the more Arion's ominous premonition reached its peak.
Unfortunately, this unease had never been wrong.
Hwaruk-
Suddenly, a small spark shot up behind Berkias's back.
Arion stood up.
Defeser, who was even closer to Berkias, instinctively grabbed Berkias and pulled her.
“Ah?”
The moment Berkias let out a bewildered gasp.
Hwaak-!
A piece of scorched metal suddenly appeared in the air.
Arion's keen sense of smell told him exactly what it was.
‘Dweno's scent… Kyle's scent…’
It was so damaged that its exact form was unrecognizable, but it was undoubtedly a weapon made by Dweno and used by Kyle.
And…
‘Erebos's… scent!’
Hwarurururuk-! Kwagagagagang!
Black flames exploded and scattered in all directions.
The flames instantly engulfed Berkias and Defeser.
Hwaak-!
Arion raised his aura and sent his sword flying through the flames.
“Berkias! Defeser!”
Arion cried out urgently.
The flames cleared, and Defeser appeared.
Berkias, held in his arms, shivered.
“De, Defeser-nim… are you… alr… right…?”
“Are you alright, Miss Berkias?”
Defeser smiled even though his entire body was burning.
“I… I'm fine… but Defeser-nim…!”
“It’s not a big wound. Don’t worry.”
As if to reassure Berkias, Defeser stood up with a smile.
Then, with Berkias behind him, he glared at the flickering black flames and backed away.
Defeser's face turned pale.
‘Flames of Calamity!’
Defeser had witnessed Erebos's flames, which burned the world.
And these black flames were the Flames of Calamity themselves.
‘How did it reach Gadslon…!’
The primordial evil that made even gods despair.
Absolute despair, Erebos.
Even the destructive monster that burned the world had a weakness.
It was that he could not go beyond his own domain.
The reason he commanded the commanders of Tartarus was to gain control over areas where he could exert his influence.
Gadslon was still a land beyond the reach of the Flames of Calamity.
Yet, black flames appeared on this land.
Swoosh-!
Arion drew Brave.
And he rushed towards the flickering black flames.
Hwaak-!
Arion’s sword slashed through the black flames.
Hwaruruk-! Kwaaaak!
The black flames engulfed Arion.
“Master Arion!”
Berkias cried out, her face pale.
But Arion, who had defended the attack with his Aura Armor, burst through the flames and threw a punch at the main body.
Paang-!
The black flames scattered in all directions.
‘It’s too weak to be Erebos.’
Arion’s face was filled with bewilderment.
Clang!
A piece of metal clattered to the ground.
Hwaruruk-!
But soon, the metal piece began to spew flames.
‘Burning even stronger?’
It was then that Arion was surprised.
“What is that?”
“Black flames?”
Hero candidates who had sensed the unusual situation rushed over.
Ar and Carl wore bewildered expressions.
“Wait, if it's black flames…”
“No. Isn’t it too sudden?”
It was when Eiran and Dryanar wore expressions of disbelief.
Runia muttered, her face pale.
“Erebos…!”
Hwarurururuk-
The black flames began to take shape.
Hwaruruk-!
A mass of flames that transformed into a human form.
It was still burning flames, but its appearance was clearly human.
The expression on Arion’s face disappeared.
With a murderous look on his face, Arion swung his sword at the black flames.
Hwaruruk-!
At that moment, flames shot out from the black flame's hand and took the shape of a sword.
Chae-ang-!
Sword and sword crossed.
Kwaak! Kwang-!
The black flame could not withstand Arion's power and was sent flying, crashing into the city wall.
“As expected of Lord Arion!”
Ar cheered.
Thud-!
The black flame stood up.
Arion closed the distance at an invisible speed for an additional attack.
Chae-ang-! Kwak-!
At that moment, the black flame deflected Arion's sword and counterattacked.
Arion twisted his neck and dodged the sword with minimal movement.
At that moment, Berkias's face hardened.
“No way…”
“Why, what's wrong, Lady Berkias?”
Eiran asked, flustered.
Clatter-!
Arion's eyes, having created distance from the black flames, wavered.
In the exchange just now, someone's image strongly came to mind.
“Kyle…?”