Book 1 Chapter 397

397.

Stomp. Stomp.

Every step I took made my whole body scream.

'My body is already beyond its limits.'

It was natural, given that I kept squeezing out power beyond my limits.

Besides, even if Lisinas protected me, the fact that I was directly hit by Jörmungandr's breath remains unchanged.

'That damn lizard, I'll give you hell later.'

I felt like I was losing consciousness from the pain of my body burning.

'Endure.'

Leo gritted his teeth.

Grind! The sound of grinding teeth echoed.

'I'm going to save the world you wanted to save?'

Yes, I will save the world.

But it's impossible alone.

'You're the one who said let's save the world!'

Squeeze!

Leo gripped his staff.

'It's your wish!'

Mana shimmered.

Kyle knows the end of this journey.

Someday, I will face the primordial evil, carrying the hopes entrusted to me by Lisinas, Luna, Dweino, and Arion.

'It wasn't just their burden.'

Heroes who willingly risked their lives for the world and perished in the face of disaster.

The single wish they yearned for.

And the wishes of those who moved forward, looking towards hope without succumbing to despair, to live in the future.

'It's not that I didn't give up. I couldn't give up!'

What Lisinas entrusted to Leo at his last moment was the world.

Knowing it was too immense for his slender shoulders to bear, yet unable to bear it together.

'If you pushed it onto me so I couldn't give up…'

Clench!

Leo clenched his fist.

Gray mana surged from Leo's body.

'Don't give up either!'

His gray eyes flashed.

-Fool! Futile struggle!

Goooooooh-!

Jörmungandr recoiled from the killing intent emanating from Leo's body.

Realizing he had been pushed back in momentum without realizing it, he roared in fury.

-You who are on the verge of death!

Fwoosh-!

Crimson flames erupted from Jörmungandr.

Leo burned the remaining mana in his body and looked at Rodya.

Thump- Thump- Thump-

Rodya felt her dragon heart beating wildly.

'My mana is reacting to Lord Kyle's will.'

To be precise, it was Lisinas' mana, obtained as a reward for clearing the hero's world, that was reacting.

'…Yes. Lord Kyle received a dragon heart from Lord Lisinas in the final battle. Therefore, Lisinas' power is also Kyle's power.'

Thump- Thump- Thump-

It was only natural for power to follow the will of its original owner.

'I can't move now. Then…'

Rodya nodded towards Leo.

'I will entrust all my power to Lord Kyle!'

Gooooooooh-!

In response to Leo's will, Rodya drew out Lisinas' magic.

Her heart began to pound as if it were going berserk.

Blood poured from her mouth, but she didn't care.

'Even if my heart bursts. I'll help Lord Kyle with all my might!'

Seeing Rodya like that, Leo put strength into his hand.

'I'm sorry, please help me just a little.'

Leo lowered his stance.

Goooooh! Fwaaa!

Golden aura and flames erupted from Leo's body.

Arion's aura and Dweino's flames.

Quack!

Leo's feet dug into the ground.

Boom!

As he leaped, the ground he stood on caved in with a massive shockwave.

He closed the distance to Jörmungandr at incredible speed.

-What…!

Jörmungandr's eyes widened.

Even for him, who could foresee the future, it was a speed he couldn't grasp!

Chomp!

Leo kicked Jörmungandr from bottom to top.

Fwaaaah!

Jörmungandr's massive body shot into the sky.

Leo's body sprinted once more.

Leo, who appeared from the direction Jörmungandr was flying, delivered another kick.

Thwack!

Quagagagagagagag!

Jörmungandr's colossal body slammed into the ground.

The flames of disaster tried to consume Leo's body, but Dweino's flames protected him like armor.

Leo raised his spear.

He had materialized Arion's aura and Dweino's flames based on Lisinas' mana.

Power far exceeding the permissible limit.

Every time Leo moved, his muscles tore and his bones were crushed.

But the wounds were instantly healed by Rodya's healing magic.

All that remained was the pain that felt like it was burning his brain.

Thwack!

Leo threw his spear.

A giant golden spear pierced Jörmungandr's body.

Kieeeeeeek!

Jörmungandr writhed wildly as a shockwave, no less painful than his body burning in the flames of disaster, overwhelmed him.

With the giant spear lodged in its body, Jörmungandr could not escape.

'Still far from over!'

Leo gritted his teeth.

The current attack was merely buying time at the cost of his life.

He couldn't finish Jörmungandr with this.

Leo no longer had the strength to defeat Jörmungandr.

'I'm far from enough with my current self.'

This time-buying tactic won't last long either.

But he believed.

'He won't die here.'

Leo raised his staff.

'He won't break here.'

Vwoom!

'The Lisinas I know… is the guy who pursues his beliefs to the point of foolishness!'

Leo put strength into his staff.

'He's the savior of the world!'

Even in a state far beyond his limits, Leo pushed forward.

A brilliant magic circle was woven in the air.

The elf mage, Ferick, who was watching, widened his eyes.

A magic formation he had never seen before.

But…

"How can it be so beautiful?"

Exclamations of admiration burst forth.

The magic, as if carved from stars.

Another light that would brightly illuminate the world.

Fwaaaah!

The world, enveloped by night, shone brightly as if it were broad daylight.

The light shining from the tip of Leo's staff seemed to drive away the despairing darkness.

Leo unleashed the magic his friend had passed on to him.

The primordial evil.

The never-extinguishing flames of disaster.

The only magic to destroy an immortal being.

Leo spoke its name.

"Innocent."

***

It was deep darkness.

Lisinas stared blankly into the darkness, looking at his hands.

As a spirit caller, Lisinas knew he was merely a soul.

At that moment, the darkness disappeared.

In the middle of a forest.

A beautiful elf woman, who seemed to have just shed her girlishness, wore a sullen expression.

"You defeated the Glutton King? Impressive. But if I had been there, I would have been the one to defeat him."

'Is this the future?'

Defeating the Glutton King.

It seemed Kyle had accomplished a great feat.

"Anyway, it's amazing! You're worthy of being my companion!"

Her arrogant demeanor felt like that of a spoiled young lady, yet it wasn't entirely unlikable.

The elf woman then smiled brightly and extended her hand.

"My name is Luna! Luna Rubynance! I'm destined to become a great archmage, so please take care of me, Lisinas."

"What?"

Lisinas was taken aback when the woman he had never met greeted him.

At that moment, the scenery changed again.

A place filled with abandoned houses.

A small cemetery.

With eyes that seemed somewhat frightened but held firm resolve.

The beastkin boy said,

"I don't know how much of a help I'll be."

The timid-looking beastkin boy clenched his fist.

"I'll go with you. I might not be able to do anything great… but I think I can stand in front and block enemies in your stead… I'll try to be brave!"

The beastkin boy introduced himself.

"My name is Arion. Please take care of me, Mr. Lisinas."

Again, someone he didn't know called his name.

'It's like… reading the memories of my soul.'

But anyone looking at this would know it was his own memory.

'What on earth…'

Even she, who had accumulated so much knowledge, couldn't fully accept the current situation.

"Hmm! Bright, beautiful eyes. You might be the one to save the world."

The scenery changed again, and a dwarf grinned.

"Those eyes will surely shine even in the darkness. Don't worry about weapons. I, Dweino, will make them for you. Please take care of me, Lisinas."

It was indeed Dweino, whom she had considered a potential companion.

It was like seeing the life memories of another person, reading memories that weren't hers.

But it wasn't the end.

The beastkin youth, now a young man, died leaving behind words of apology while crying.

The dwarf left words of entrusting the future to her… and the elf died leaving behind words of trust.

The final goodbyes of strangers she had never met felt like her heart was burning.

Every time she saw people she didn't know leaving, her heart felt like it was being torn apart, as if she had lost something precious.

Crackling- Crackling- Crackling-

Before she knew it, Lisinas stood in the center of a disaster where black flames blazed.

A man with gray hair knelt before a giant black dragon, screaming.

And behind him, the back of a woman with black hair was visible, watching the scene.

Her back, as she watched the young man's scream, looked incredibly pained and sad.

"Kyle…"

She softly called the face of the familiar man who was screaming.

And the black dragon that died…

"Me?"

She muttered unintentionally.

As if responding to the call, the woman who had been watching the black dragon's death and Kyle's scream turned around.

"It's me…"

Lisinas mumbled blankly.

Another Lisinas smiled faintly, watching her.

"Yes, but no."

"What?"

"You are the foolish one, and I am Lisinas, the King of Wisdom."

The King of Wisdom said with a smile.

"Who… are you?"

"I am you."

The King of Wisdom said.

"The future you who will embark on a journey with Kyle… and fight against Erebus with Luna, Arion, and Dweino."

Stomp. Stomp.

The King of Wisdom approached Lisinas.

"But you are the one who will send away your irreplaceable friends first, and ultimately entrust everything to Kyle and leave before them."

Lisinas took a breath.

"Foolish Lisinas, you cannot save the world alone."

Lisinas's face contorted at the King of Wisdom's words.

She saw Kyle screaming.

Only distant despair came to mind.

Lisinas's hands trembled.

Just then.

Swoosh-

Kyle, who had been screaming, got up.

Stumble. Stumble.

And he moved forward, stumbling.

"But Kyle can't save the world alone either."

The King of Wisdom said.

"It was because we were 'us' that we could save the world."

Even in a desperate situation, the last hero moves forward without giving up.

"My past self."

The King of Wisdom's face was filled with sadness.

"Kyle will surely fulfill our wishes. But… it's because you… I… we… have entrusted so much to Kyle."

Lisinas gritted her teeth.

"It's because I've been burdened with too much… that I didn't give up, even after being frustrated… despairing… and experiencing pain worse than death."

The King of Wisdom looked straight at Lisinas.

"Let's not be ashamed in front of the people who trusted you and me and entrusted their future to us."

The King of Wisdom said with strength.

"Let's be proud in front of the back of Kyle, who will not give up until the end."

Lisinas watched Kyle move forward alone.

"The promise that I wouldn't leave you alone… we couldn't keep it in the end."

Lisinas recalled Kyle's smiling face as he held her hand and said he would save the world.

She couldn't imagine what kind of heart he had when he held her hand, making a promise he couldn't keep.

"But… not now."

The King of Wisdom said.

"Kyle needs you now. He's waiting for you."

Even if it's a promise she won't be able to keep in the end, it's not now.

Breaking a promise is a story for much later.

"Kyle is trying his best."

The King of Wisdom said with strength, extending his hand.

"Let's try a little harder."

The foolish one took his hand.

As if… Kyle had held her hand.

"Yeah."

At the foolish one's answer, the King of Wisdom smiled brightly.