Book 1 Chapter 394

394.

The expedition's journey continued.

And they arrived in the vicinity of the place where Yormungand, the Glutton King, whom Leo had spoken of, was expected to be.

Accordingly, the expedition members also wore increasingly tense expressions.

"Let's rest here for today."

Lisinas said this even though there was still time left before sunset.

This was because they could not recklessly enter the dangerous zone where they might encounter Yormungand during the nighttime hours.

The expedition thus set up a camp and prepared their meal.

'The atmosphere is heavy.'

Rodia lit a bonfire with magic and surveyed her surroundings.

They might soon battle Yormungand, who was reputed to be the strongest legion commander.

So it was natural for them to feel tense.

'In this era, not a single legion commander has ever been subjugated.'

Although they had embarked on an expedition to subjugate Yormungand, risking their lives.

It was natural to tremble with anxiety.

Rodia, who had lit the bonfire, approached Leo, who was looking at a map on one side.

"Lord Kyle."

"What."

As Leo replied indifferently, without even taking his eyes off the map, Rodia spoke.

"Isn't it about time you informed the expedition about the strategy to subjugate Yormungand?"

At Rodia's words, Leo spoke calmly.

"There's no such thing as a strategy."

"What?"

"Because Yormungand is a legion commander for whom strategies don't work."

Leo took his eyes off the map and looked at Rodia.

Rodia made an astonished expression.

"How can such a thing be?"

"Where can it be? It's right here. You've also fought against the Glutton King, so you should know."

Rodia recalled the Glutton King.

A legion commander possessing overwhelming power.

Even Rodia, the leader of the Heroes of the New Era, felt a tremor.

'Excluding the fragment of Erebus, he was the most formidable enemy.'

He was, literally, the strongest demon.

"Unfortunately, he's not someone you can devise strategies or countermeasures against."

Leo let out a small sigh.

"Certainly, compared to my previous life, the expedition's power is higher now. And at that time, we couldn't properly prepare for fighting Yormungand, whom we encountered suddenly, whereas now we have definitely made preparations to subjugate him. But."

Leo emphasized.

"The fact that the expedition will be annihilated the moment we falter even a little remains unchanged. The victory 5,000 years ago was truly a near-miraculous victory."

The time when he gained the power to overwhelm Yormungand was a period of complete growth, both physically and mentally.

It was when he reached the era called the King of Wisdom and the Hero of the Beginning.

"Then how on earth did you defeat Yormungand?"

"I transcended my limits."

Leo let out a chuckle.

"While I drew his attention, Lisinas pierced his heart."

"As expected of Lord Lisinas!"

Rodia, clasping her hands together, her eyes sparkling.

"It's the same now. While I draw his attention, others will attack."

"Will Yormungand obediently target only Lord Kyle?"

"I'll make him target me. It's true that he possesses overwhelming power among all legion commanders. But do you know why he couldn't serve as the core of Tartaros?"

"……Well, I've never thought about it."

"Because he's stupid."

"What?"

For a moment, Rodia wore a bewildered expression.

Every legion commander she knew was a demon with immense power and cunning to match.

That's why legion commanders were terrifying.

But for the Glutton King, the strongest legion commander, to be a strong but foolish brute.

"If that guy could think even half as well as the Necromancer King, the world would have been destroyed long ago. If you insult Erebus, he'll lose his mind and target only me."

"Alright. I understand your plan for Lord Kyle to focus Yormungand's attention and create an opening. But with Lord Kyle's current power, is it possible to withstand Yormungand's concentrated assault?"

"It's possible. That's why I made a pact with Albus."

Leo showed the contract array on the back of his hand.

"His recklessness is a terrible disaster in itself, but it can also be a fatal weakness."

Leo's red eyes gleamed.

"I will create the opportunity."

Leo unhesitatingly declared that he would take on the most dangerous role.

"All you have to do is pierce the heart of that clumsy brute."

The moment he said that.

Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-!

The ground began to shake as if an earthquake had occurred.

"W-what is it?"

"Something's coming!"

The moment the expedition members panicked.

CRASH-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-!

Something colossal soared up from a place far from the campsite.

A gigantic serpent.

-KWOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

A terrifying roar echoed from the mouth of the serpent, which soared so high it seemed to pierce the sky.

"Yormungand!"

***

"What?"

"He really appeared!"

"Everyone, prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!"

At Yormungand's appearance, the expedition fell into a panic.

They hurriedly formed their ranks and prepared for battle.

Knights and warriors gripped their weapons.

Mages chanted spells, and summoners summoned their respective summons.

Even up until this moment, most of the expedition members had been skeptical of Leo's words that they would face Yormungand.

Therefore, when Yormungand appeared, everyone was gripped by fear.

But even though they were terrified, they weren't intimidated.

All of them had navigated through an era of disaster and were seasoned warriors who had protected Gardsron for a long time.

Although they might not have left their names in history, they were heroes who laid the foundation for an age of heroes.

Even though they were gripped by fear, they did not neglect what they had to do.

Amidst this, the most surprised were Leo and Rodia, who had been certain of Yormungand's existence.

"This is far from where the battle originally took place!"

Rodia said urgently, and Leo clicked his tongue.

"You know there's no law that states what happens in actual history must happen exactly the same way in the Hero Record! Unexpected situations can occur at any time!"

"But… this error is too big!"

"Nothing will change. You prepare for battle too!"

At Leo's words, Rodia also formed her position with the expedition.

Meanwhile, Lisinas came running.

"Kyle! It's just as you said!"

"Yes."

Leo clenched and unclenched his fist.

Meanwhile, Alros, from the formed expedition, spoke.

"I, Kyle, and Alene, as the vanguard, will step forward!"

"No."

Leo shook his head.

"I will stop him alone. Alros, Alene. You two aim for his openings."

"What did you say?"

Alros's complexion changed drastically.

"Kyle! Even for you, that's too reckless a plan! To try and stop him alone!"

"Alros is right! Kyle! What on earth are you thinking?!"

Lisinas, with a pale face, clutched Leo's sleeve.

"No one in this expedition can match my mobility, because I have a contract with the King of Pegasus."

Leo looked at Yormungand.

"That monster cannot be killed by ordinary attacks. All of you, except for me, must exert your full power to inflict a fatal blow."

"Even so, stopping Yormungand alone is close to impossible."

"Unfortunately, these are the kinds of things we must do from now on."

"What?"

Leo looked at the expedition members.

"To save the world, you must make the impossible possible."

Everyone wore blank expressions.

"And subjugating that damned serpent here is the first step toward saving the world."

Leo spoke seriously.

"Don't worry about me. I am a hero who survives. Even if everyone here dies, I will survive until the very end."

"You're saying unlucky things."

Perik let out a hollow laugh.

"Can you really stop him?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll leave the front to you."

"If you show even a little sign of faltering, we'll help you immediately."

"We're counting on you, Kyle."

Alros and Alene patted Leo's shoulder.

"Everyone, take your positions."

Rodia formed the ranks.

The heroes moved quickly.

Amidst this, Leo spoke to Lisinas, who was still clutching his sleeve.

"Don't worry too much."

Leo gently removed Lisinas's hand from his sleeve.

"Because this battle will be the beginning of a great journey."

At Leo's words, Lisinas nodded heavily.

***

Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-!

-Are these the maggots crawling out of Gardsron!

Crawling on the ground, Yormungand scoffed at the presence he sensed from afar.

-I smell dragons. Their flesh is a delicacy!

Sniff-sniff-

Yormungand, who had come this far chasing an ominous scent, flicked his tongue.

Fitting his title as the Glutton King, a voracious appetite surged within him.

Amidst this, the Glutton King spotted someone flying towards him.

-Hmph, a mere fly comes alone, without fear…

Yormungand, who was scoffing as he watched the human daring to fly towards him alone, froze for a moment.

Carried on the wind.

An ominous scent of blood.

It wasn't a scent actually emanating.

It was a scent deeply engraved in the soul of the human flying towards him.

'What… is this stench.'

It was a scent he absolutely did not want to approach.

But before that…

Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-!

The ground trembled.

More precisely, Yormungand's body was trembling.

The legion commander called the strongest.

'What on earth… is this fear.'

His instincts were speaking.

Yormungand felt an unspeakable terror towards that mere human.

Another scent, hidden by the smell of Erebus.

'The scent of my blood?'

The primal fear of not wanting to confront the human before him made him, the strongest legion commander, feel utterly pathetic.

But before that.

He felt a hatred that overwhelmed all of it.

'This is impossible!'

Yormungand's sense of smell, which had even caught the scent of a soul, was telling him.

That human had killed him, and even the great god he revered.

That his very existence desecrated everything about him.

Yormungand began to rampage as if having a seizure.

Primal fear and hatred caused him to lose reason.

-KIEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Yormungand rolled his eyes back and let out a desperate roar towards the sky.

"It's been a long time, Yormungand."

Leo, who had reached Yormungand's front, said.

-Godslayer! I don't know a filthy existence like you!

"Of course. But I know you."

A dense murderous aura emanated from Leo's body.

"By the way, Godslayer? I've never killed a god, though?"

-Shut up! You cannot reach the gods! Today, here! Your existence will be erased!

Yormungand, whose reason was paralyzed, spat out a disjointed, hate-filled curse.

Watching Yormungand, Leo narrowed his eyes.

'This guy, I don't know why, but it seems he knows what I did in the future.'

Leo narrowed his eyes.

'But nothing changes.'

The fact that Yormungand must be defeated here and now remains unchanged.

Whoosh-!

Leo unleashed his spiritual power.

Along with it, pure white lightning surged.

Crackle-crackle-crackle! Flash-!

Leo, who had summoned Albus, rode upon it and said.

"Albus, fly up."

Saying so, Leo pulled on the reins made of spiritual power.

CRASH-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-!

At that moment, Yormungand's breath of destruction enveloped where Leo had been.

But Leo was not there.

Yormungand's six eyes stared directly into the immensely high sky.

-…It has finally begun.

Albus muttered, looking down at Yormungand.

"Yes. We need to finish off that worm."

Leo gently stroked Albus's mane.

"Please understand if I'm a bit rough in this first battle, young lady."

-Kyle, you're the one who shouldn't be swayed by my power.

At Albus's words, Leo smiled faintly.

-But you said your goal was to stop that hateful being alone, right? Will it be possible?

"It's possible, but… seeing how he's lost his mind, I think I'll have to play my trump card a bit sooner."

-A trump card? Was there another trump card besides me?

Seeing Albus speak in a slightly haughty voice, Leo burst into laughter.

"Yes. I was going to summon them later, as I thought it might arouse unnecessary suspicion."

-Suspicion?

The moment Albus wore a puzzled expression.

Leo spread both his arms out to his sides.

Whoosh-!

At that moment, spiritual power surged on the backs of Leo's hands.

Golden and black contract arrays appeared.

Albus's eyes widened the moment she realized that power.

-This power…!

Albus asked, as if unable to believe it.

-Kyle, what exactly is your true identity? How on earth…!

"My true identity, huh… People do call me that."

Leo burst into laughter and forcibly enacted the 'unmade pact.'

"The Hero of the Beginning."

A summoning circle appeared.

Leo called out the names of the pact-makers.

"Els, Shilod."

At that call, the pact-makers revealed themselves.