Book 1 Chapter 398

398.

Flash-!

A pillar of light soared.

Everyone saw it and their eyes widened.

But only Leo was not surprised.

"You're late, you damn lizard."

Feeling Lysinas's magic, Leo curled the corners of his lips.

As if he knew Lysinas would come.

Leo calmly looked at Jormungand.

-What in the world is that?!

Jormungand screamed as if his teeth were chattering.

He falls, yet he does not stay down.

He rises again and again, thrusting his sword.

Jormungand, who had been spreading fear across the world, was now being consumed by fear himself.

-Are you immortals?!

"If we were immortal, we wouldn't have gone through this much trouble."

Leo answered coldly to Jormungand's words.

"Just think of it as destiny."

-What did you say?

"That it's your destiny to die by our hands."

-You bastarddddddddd!

A catastrophic flame erupted violently from Jormungand's body, whose eyes had rolled back.

The catastrophic flame, brought forth by sacrificing his flesh and soul, granted Jormungand temporary immortality.

-No matter how much you struggle, it's useless! Your end is determined! Now that I have the great power of a god, the power of immortality, in my hands! Your destruction is sealed!

"That power, you say."

Leo curled the corners of his lips.

"If it's borrowed power, regrettably, it won't work on me."

-What did you say?!

"I am the one chosen by the greatest great hero in this world."

Leo unleashed his magic.

"The sole natural enemy of Erebus."

Flash-!

The released light of Innocent enveloped Jormungand.

-Kyaaaaaaaaah-!

Jormungand writhed in pain.

The light of purity, woven by the greatest wizard in the world, blew away the unquenchable catastrophic flame.

Woosh-!

-This is unbelievable…!

Jormungand was horrified that Erebus's blessing had disappeared.

The black flame, which should not have gone out until it burned everything of his.

The power of immortality he gained by sacrificing everything had vanished.

-Not yet! The god's blessing disappeared due to your trickery, but my power is still intact!

Gooooooooh-!

Leo curled the corners of his lips, looking at Jormungand, who was spewing dark magic.

"It's over, you damned worm."

Kugugugugugugugugu-!

Lysinas's body transformed into a black dragon.

Gooooooh-!

A massive wave of mana rippled from Lysinas's mouth.

The strongest attack technique possessed by a dragon.

Flash-!

Lysinas unleashed a breath.

A grayish flash.

Chaos Breath, created by combining the powers of light and darkness.

Jormungand, who had been resurrected by Erebus's power from a near-death state, shrieked.

-Ooooh, Erebus!

Jormungand, directly hit by the breath, cried out to the sky and vanished into dust.

[Lysinas's World: Prologue - The Beginning has been cleared.]

***

"We won…!"

"We really won!"

"Haha. Not a single person died!"

Joyful voices flowed from the expedition team.

They thought only death awaited them.

But not a single member of the expedition team lost their life.

Whoooosh-!

Leo's body, its strength exhausted, fell from the sky.

Woosh-!

Albus urgently flew and caught Leo's body.

-Kyle! Are you alright?

"I don't think I'll die."

Leo stroked Albus's mane, giving a bitter smile.

After landing, Albus took Leo to where the expedition team was.

The polymorphed Albus supported Leo.

"You've worked hard, Albus."

Leo stroked Albus's head.

Albus looked up at Leo.

"You really did it."

Albus smiled brightly, recalling Leo's resolve to subjugate Jormungand.

"Yeah."

Leo smiled.

"This… will surely be a great leap towards the future."

Meanwhile, Elcy and Silod also flew around Leo.

-Amazing! Amazing!

-To subjugate the Glutton King!

Albus spoke, looking at the spirits and fairies chattering so loudly his head buzzed.

"Kyle needs rest right now. Please be quiet."

Despite Albus's warning, the two continued their chatter.

Unable to bear it any longer, Albus grabbed their mouths and clamped them shut.

Leo gave a bitter smile, watching the scene.

He wasn't sure about Elcy and Silod.

But in Albus's case, he wouldn't be able to see him again in reality.

Albus was a precious partner from Leo's past.

"How was it, Albus? As a covenant holder, how was I?"

At Leo's question, Albus, who had been holding the two tightly, smiled brightly.

"You were the best. I'm glad I followed you."

'You were the best, I have no regrets about following you.'

Leo wore a bitter expression, looking at Albus who was giving a bright smile, as if it were their last.

"Quick, move Rhodia!"

"Oh my god… it's mana exhaustion!"

"To squeeze out mana until it came to this!"

"Kyle! You should get treatment too…"

"I'm fine, take care of him first."

As the expedition members crowded around Leo, Leo pointed to Rhodia, who was gasping for breath, and said.

Leo also looked equally terrible, but in terms of severity, Rhodia was more urgent.

While Leo was gasping, Rhodia's expression became a little more stable.

Crack-

The world began to crack.

'…Is it the end?'

Since the world had been cleared, he could no longer stay here.

While Leo wore a bitter expression, the expedition team crowded around him.

"It's a miraculous victory."

"…This victory will surely bring about a massive change."

Just as Kyle was about to speak, looking at them with expressions of deep emotion.

[Would you like to record the hero's story?]

Suddenly, a message appeared before Leo's eyes.

Something like this had happened before.

'Record.'

The moment Leo chose to record.

Flutter-!

Pages of the Hero Record began to swirl around.

Everyone in the expedition team was startled by the sudden situation.

Meanwhile.

One page was placed in the hand of each hero who had joined the expedition.

"This is… my name?"

"I feel divine power. Surely the gods disappeared from the world long ago?"

"…Our story is written here."

Allox, Peric, and Alene looked bewildered.

Leo reached out his hand.

At that moment.

Flutter-

The pages held by the heroes were sucked into Leo's hand.

Leo looked at the pages in his hand and said.

"…I will surely take your stories to the future."

"What?"

Even if the outcome in the hero's world changed, history would not change.

But at least.

The evidence that they existed could be conveyed to the future.

Their stories, their achievements, their sacrifices.

The fact that they became the foundation of world peace could be made known.

"Because it's the least I can do to repay you."

Leo gave a bitter smile.

"It was good to meet you all."

Leo stroked Albus's head, who stood beside him.

At that moment, Lysinas walked up to Leo.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

Lysinas said, casting his eyes down.

"…I'm sorry for being satisfied alone and passing it on to you."

Leo smiled at those words.

"I'm used to taking on burdens, so it's fine. Just. I hope you don't give up."

He reached out and gently caressed the foolish one's cheek.

"It will be harder than for anyone else… but we will surely save the world. Your foolish earnest wish… will come true."

Lysinas touched Leo's hand that was caressing his cheek.

Looking at such Lysinas, Leo said.

"Cheer up."

That was all he could say.

Crack-

The cracks in the world grew larger.

The time of farewell was approaching.

Before he knew it, Kyle's appearance had vanished, and only a boy with white hair and red eyes remained.

Lysinas was calm, though he might have been surprised by the sudden change.

"Actually… I couldn't open my eyes on my own. You woke me up."

"Woke you up? Who?"

"The King of Wisdom."

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

"I was able to meet my future self, who resided in your mana."

Leo's eyes wavered.

Looking at such Leo, the past Lysinas said.

"This seems to be the only way I can repay you."

Crack-!

The world collapsed.

At that moment, Lysinas's eyes slowly closed.

Clink-!

At the same time, the world disappeared.

A space of only darkness.

Only Leo and Lysinas remained there.

Lysinas, who had his eyes closed, opened them.

With eyes that were somehow deeper.

Lysinas spoke in a trembling voice.

"…It's been a long time, Kyle."

A voice filled with longing.

Leo felt a lump in his throat.

"Lysinas."

A friend he had parted with long ago in the distant past.

It was Lysinas, the King of Wisdom.

Of course, it wasn't the real her.

Both Leo and Lysinas knew.

Necromancy.

Though it calls forth souls, it does not bring back the dead in their complete state.

The memories of the soul residing in mana are merely tiny fragments.

But…

That was enough to convey the story.

"This is the first time."

Lysinas reached out and wiped Leo's eyes.

"Seeing you cry."

Kyle didn't cry in the face of his comrades' deaths.

To give faith to his dying comrades.

To show a strong front so they wouldn't be anxious even in their final moments, he didn't cry.

"Is it strange, you damn lizard?"

Leo answered gruffly.

But a smile played on his lips.

Lysinas looked at such Leo and said.

"I'm just sorry. Because you couldn't cry peacefully in the face of your comrades' deaths. And… thank you."

Lysinas cast his eyes down.

"For saving the world."

"…I didn't save it alone. It was possible because we were together, and."

Leo reached out and roughly grabbed Lysinas's chin.

"Mph?"

"If you're thankful, shouldn't you say it proudly while looking me in the face? Why are you bowing your head so pathetically?"

Normally, Lysinas would have immediately kicked Leo for his extremely rude behavior.

But Lysinas couldn't meet his eyes.

"…I couldn't keep my promise, could I?"

The promise not to leave him alone.

Lysinas ultimately couldn't keep it.

Kyle once again became the hero who survived.

At Lysinas's words, Leo said.

"Don't worry about it."

Leo chuckled.

"Anyway, I knew you were a malicious swindler."

"…If you're going to comfort me, wouldn't it hurt to use nicer words?"

Even with a frown, Lysinas smiled brightly.

"How's the future?"

"There are still mountains of things to solve. Erebus, whom we only sealed, needs to be completely dealt with. And to do that, I need to raise comrades to fight with me."

As Leo shook his head, as if flustered, Lysinas crossed his arms and chuckled.

"Now I understand how hard it was for me."

"Yeah. Yeah. You're so great."

Leo said indifferently.

Lysinas smiled faintly, looking at such Leo.

Leo said to such Lysinas.

"So… don't worry too much."

"Huh?"

"Because the world we protected by risking everything will not be engulfed in catastrophic flames again."

Leo smiled, looking at Lysinas.

Lysinas's eyes widened.

His smile somehow resembled hers.

A smile he wore to give hope to people.

'But he's different from me.'

If she had faked a smile to give people faith.

This smile was different.

"The courage Arion taught me, the will Dweno showed me, the light Luna gave me. The hope you showed me."

It was truly a smile that gave hope.

"Because I will pass all of that on to future generations."

'Before I knew it, Kyle was…'

Lysinas wore a blank expression.

"This time, I'll finish it."

'He really became the hero who would save the world.'

Lysinas smiled brightly, looking at Leo.

Before long, Lysinas's body began to fade.

"To think that Kyle became like this. It's strange."

"It's because you passed it on to me, you damn lizard."

Leo said gruffly.

Lysinas reached out, looking at such Leo.

Clench-!

He roughly grabbed Leo by the collar.

Finally, he couldn't stand it and was about to hit him.

…The moment he thought that.

Woosh-!

Lysinas pulled Leo's collar.

Leo's eyes widened slightly.

Suddenly, their lips met.

After kissing for a long time, Lysinas calmly stepped back.

And smiled, looking at Leo, who had his head bowed.

'He must be flustered.'

Because this dense guy wouldn't have known her feelings.

Lysinas was expecting to see her friend, who usually didn't get flustered by much, flustered when.

"You're terrible at it."

Leo gruffly wiped his lips.

At that sight, Lysinas's face stiffened.

Leo looked at Lysinas with a pathetic expression.

"What did I think it was. You might as well have practiced if you were going to do it."

Lysinas's shoulders trembled.

Having finally mustered up the courage, anger surged within him at Leo's composed demeanor.

"I saw your journal, you know? Thinking about it now, I feel wronged, don't I? Hey, you should have shown it. Because of you, I needlessly got called an idiot by a young kid. Take responsibility."

"Die! Just die!"

Lysinas, with his eyes rolled back, lunged at Leo and strangled him.

"Just die like this! It's true you were too much of an idiot to understand, wasn't it?! You damned human!"

The enraged Lysinas poured out uncharacteristically harsh words and strangled Leo.

After a commotion, Lysinas gasped for breath.

Leo, who had been chuckling at such Lysinas, opened his mouth.

"Lysinas."

"What!"

Seeing Lysinas's sharp reaction, Leo said.

"That day… thank you for reaching out to me."

Lysinas paused.

Then, he clamped his mouth shut, holding back tears, and unknowingly hugged Leo.

And as if choked up.

He expressed his gratitude.

"No, thank you. For taking my hand."

Leo stroked his friend's head, looking at Lysinas who was speaking tearfully.

Woosh-!

Soon, Lysinas turned into light and disappeared.