Book 1 Chapter 389

'Perhaps that power is why Lisinas couldn't make a contract with Pegasus.'

Dragons are a race that has maintained the order of the world since the age of gods.

They were messengers of the gods, protecting the world and following the will of the gods.

Therefore, each dragon race had its own unique duty, and the Black Dragon was the race that annihilated all who turned their backs on the world.

Because of such duties, Black Dragons became objects of fear, wild, and cruel.

Especially in the Age of Calamity, darkness was an object of fear and disgust.

'Indeed, many among the Black Dragons fell and sided with Erebus.'

Even if different, the essence is the same darkness.

It was easy to fall.

Leo recalled the many fallen Black Dragons he had buried in darkness with his own hands.

'It's understandable that Lisinas disliked her racial traits.'

Before disliking them, Lisinas feared her own essence.

Knowing that, Leo unhesitatingly stepped into the darkness in Lisinas's stead.

So that Lisinas could move towards the light.

'To me, the light she showed was hope.'

For Leo, taking on Lisinas's duty was a natural thing to do.

***

Leo walked inside Guardsron with Lodia.

They headed to the darkest alley of Guardsron.

Following behind Leo, Lodia showed a slightly surprised expression.

"There was a place like this?"

It was a path unknown even to Lodia, who had conquered Lisinas's world several times.

"I researched Guardsron of this era many times for conquest. As expected, it's hard to know as much as you, Kyle-nim, who lived through this era directly."

"Yes. But you know information I don't."

"Yes."

Lodia nodded at Leo's words.

"What is the range of action in this hero's world?"

"For now, there's nowhere within Guardsron that I can't go."

Lodia explained her past conquest experience to Leo step by step.

Lodia, who had attempted to conquer this world several times, explained the failure conditions in detail.

"Actually, this world can never be cleared without you, Kyle-nim."

"What do you mean?"

"The moment Lisinas-nim realizes that the conqueror is not an All-Class, it immediately becomes a conquest failure."

This hero's world is a world of possession-type heroes.

In other words, the conqueror must possess Kyle's body and fight against Jormungandr with Lisinas.

However, even if they enter Kyle's body, the conqueror does not become Kyle.

No matter how much they imitate Kyle, the unique characteristics only Kyle possesses.

The abilities of All-Class, based on the Pure Magic attribute, can never be imitated.

Lodia also realized that fact and attempted conquest by hiding the fact that she was not All-Class somehow.

However, she was eventually discovered to be not All-Class and failed.

"It is strange. Even so, to fail conquest regardless of the situation the moment it's realized that I'm not All-Class."

"Well, since it's you, Kyle-nim, conquering this world right now, you don't have to worry about that."

Lodia smiled faintly.

Leo, who had felt a doubt, also nodded.

In the meantime, the two arrived at a dead end.

Lodia examined the wall of the dead end closely and clicked her tongue.

'If I hadn't come with Kyle-nim, I don't think I would have noticed.'

The wall was an entrance.

The problem was that the entrance was so secretly hidden that it was difficult even for Lodia, called the Dragon of Creation, to notice.

"The barrier of the Pure White King. It doesn't seem easy to open."

Leo chuckled at Lodia's words.

"You don't have to worry about that."

Chuckling, Leo reached out his hand to the wall.

Gray mana flowed from Leo's hand and enveloped the wall.

After a moment.

*Wuuuung-!*

The wall shimmered, and an entrance was created.

"As expected of Kyle-nim."

"I know Albus's abilities best."

Leo replied, recalling his contractor.

As they entered the entrance, a pure white corridor unfolded.

When they reached the end of the corridor, a vast hall unfolded.

The men and women sitting elegantly inside the hall spotted Leo and Lodia and glared at them.

"Human and Dragon?"

"How did you get in here?"

Seeing them with disbelief, Leo said.

"I came here because I wanted to meet a Pegasus."

At Leo's words, a woman with pure white hair approached Leo.

"That face… it's familiar."

Leo glanced at the Pegasus.

"It's Kyle, the surviving hero."

Leo also knew this Pegasus.

'Was it the Pegasus contracted with Alene Prelerene?'

One of the beast summoners who guarded Guardsron.

She was Alene Prelerene's contractor.

He had faced her several times on the battlefield.

'She was a positive woman. Should I say it's befitting of a Pegasus contractor?'

Basically, contractors of the three great beasts are possessors of strong mental fortitude.

Most of those who fought against demons in this era participated in battles out of necessity to survive.

Simply going to the battlefield to protect a city could grant one a status incomparable to others.

In this era, protectors of cities enjoyed benefits akin to nobles.

However, the contractors of the three great beasts protected cities for an unseen hope.

Alene was one of those people.

And those who wandered searching for hope in this era were objects of ridicule.

It seemed meaningless to search for hope in a situation where the world could be destroyed at any moment.

Kyle, the surviving hero, also ridiculed them.

And this Pegasus was greatly angered by Kyle's actions of ridiculing her noble contractor.

Arpia, the Pegasus, looked at Leo with disgust.

"Corrupted and fallen one. What is the reason for trespassing in the sacred grounds of Pegasus?"

"Who are you calling corrupted and fallen now?"

Lodia said in a chilling voice at Arpia's words.

Arpia glanced at Lodia.

"A young dragon. To trespass in this sacred ground with this fallen one. Be ashamed!"

"Pegasus. I'll give you a chance now. Apologize for calling Kyle-nim corrupted and fallen. Then, for this time, I will forgive you generously."

"A young dragon is insolent."

Lodia's lips curled at Arpia's words.

The moment their eyes met, Arpia flinched.

'Is this… the gaze a young dragon can have?'

Cold sweat poured down her back.

Lodia, who had opened her dragon pupils, was glaring at Arpia with a trembling intensity.

Although she had the appearance of a young girl, she was a great hero who united the heroes of creation and saved the world once more.

She was a powerful dragon called the successor of Lisinas, the King of Wisdom.

It was natural for her to easily overwhelm even a powerful Pegasus.

In an instant, the surrounding Pegasus gathered.

However, Lodia did not back down.

She absolutely could not tolerate Arpia's words.

Kyle was the hero of the beginning who opened a new era.

He was one of the five most noble people Lodia knew.

It felt like an insult to have such a Kyle called corrupted and fallen.

In the tense situation, Leo reached out his hand.

And he gently pressed Lodia's head.

"Calm down. If you've attempted conquest so many times, you should be used to this treatment, right?"

"It's different when I'm treated like this and when Kyle-nim is directly treated like this."

"I appreciate you caring for me, but endure it. At this time, I had nothing to say even if I was treated like this."

Calming Lodia down, Leo took a step forward.

"I apologize for trespassing in the sacred grounds and showing hostility. But I have business here."

"…What business do you have here?"

Facing Arpia and the Pegasus with eyes full of distrust, Leo said.

"I came to meet the Pure White King."

"You want to meet the King? For what reason?"

"To form a contract."

"Contract? Ahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Arpia burst into laughter.

Not just her.

All the Pegasus jeered.

The Pegasus here knew what kind of being Leo was.

He was the surviving hero who was content with just living day by day.

He was a coward who trembled in fear of the impending destruction but didn't think of fighting against it.

He was someone who mocked and denied hope.

That was Kyle, the surviving hero.

And yet, this Kyle wanted to make a contract with the Pure White King, the most noble being in the world.

Was it even possible?

"Know your place, surviving hero. You are never worthy of being our King's contractor."

Arpia glared at Leo.

"I admit you are strong. In this Guardsron now, there is no one as strong as you… yes, it must be Lisinas, the dragon who harbors noble light."

"But Lisinas couldn't make a contract with Pegasus."

"Yes, she cannot make a contract with us. That's a shame. If she weren't a Black Dragon, she would surely have been a suitable King's contractor."

Arpia gave a bitter smile and narrowed her eyes at Leo.

"Pegasus are the most noble beings among all mythical creatures. We Pegasus never give up hope. No matter how outstanding someone is, a contract is impossible with someone like you, whose spirit was broken long ago."

Arpia said with finality.

"Your call will never reach us."

At Arpia's words, Lodia crossed her arms.

"Whether to contract or not is up to the Pure White King, isn't it? At least let me meet them."

"Hmph. It is sacrilegious to bring the surviving hero to the King… however, the King is currently in a deep slumber. He fell asleep after suffering severe injuries in the battle against the hateful Tartarus."

'He was asleep at this time.'

Albus fought Tartarus from the early days of the Age of Calamity.

Leo also knew that he had fallen asleep to recover his strength from the long battle.

However, he only learned now that it was until just before he was supposed to make a contract with him.

"Now. If you have finished your business, withdraw from the sacred grounds. Surviving hero and young dragon."

As he said that, Lodia's brow furrowed.

*Wuuuuung-*

Leo stirred his spiritual energy.

A summoning circle appeared on Leo's palm.

Seeing that, Lodia's eyes widened, and the Pegasus scowled.

"A useless act."

"We'll see if it's useless."

Lodia had a triumphant expression at Arpia's words.

'Wake up, Albus.'

Leo called out to his contractor whom he had parted with long ago.

'I need your power.'

*Wuuuuung-!*

The gray summoning circle emitted a strong light.

At that moment.

*Flash! Kuaaagagagagaang-!*

Pure white lightning struck.

Seeing that, the faces of the Pegasus were filled with shock.

A storm of powerful spiritual energy swirled around Leo.

*Hwaak-!*

Pure white light burst from the summoning circle.

A pure white space.

Only Leo and the girl with pure white hair remained there.

Albus, the girl, looked up at Leo and said.

"…Only a contractor can awaken me from my slumber."

Albus said with a slightly confused expression.

"But I have never made a contract with you. Who are you, anyway? How could you wake me up?"

"Well. Perhaps it's fate?"

"Fate?"

Leo smiled as he looked at his contractor.

"In the near future, you will surely have made a contract with me. It's just that it's been moved up a little."

"What kind of absurd talk is that."

"The important thing is that my call reached you, and my spiritual energy woke you from your slumber."

Albus's eyes widened at the spiritual energy she felt from Leo's body.

'What is this spiritual energy?'

As the King of Pegasus, she had met countless noble beings.

'But there was not a single one with such pure spiritual energy.'

Perhaps the reason she woke up without having made a contract was because of this pure spiritual energy.

"Can you grant me what I desire?"

"Of course."

Seeing Leo, who answered without hesitation, Albus let out a hollow laugh.

"You answer without even asking what I desire."

"It's to quell the flames of calamity, isn't it?"

At Leo's answer, Albus's eyes widened.

"For that, I need your power."

Leo extended his hand towards Albus.

"Let's go together."

Albus looked at Leo with confused eyes.

Albus found the man before her unfamiliar.

But in the near future, Albus, without hesitation, took the hand of the person who would become her contractor in a future she didn't yet know.

"It's really… been a long time."

"Yes?"

Leo gave a bitter smile to the surprised Albus.

"It's just me talking to myself."