Book 1 Chapter 447

Everyone was speechless at the overwhelming majesty of Arion, who split the sky.

Gugugugugugu-!

The place where the black pillar of fire erupted was a great distance from where Arion stood.

But Arion, as if ignoring such a distance, cleaved the pillar of fire in two with immense power.

A colossal sword mark was etched into the earth in a straight line between Arion and the pillar of fire.

Thick dust rose.

The students' gazes, one by one, fixed on Arion's back.

"As expected, Lord Arion! You're amazing!"

At those words, everyone snapped back to their senses.

"Is that… truly the Hero Arion?"

"Is there any other warrior besides Lord Arion who can unleash such an overwhelming blow?"

"And that kid Ar! He clearly called him Lord Arion just now, didn't he?"

An appearance so similar, and transcendent power.

Coupled with Ar's cry, who had experienced Arion firsthand while conquering the hero world.

"Hero!"

"Like the Hero of Genesis and the Founder of the Nebula, he has reappeared in this world!"

"Lord Arion!"

From the top of the castle wall, filled with despair, the embers of hope ignited.

"Is that person truly the hero?"

"Yes. He's the real hero."

Melina nodded at Akatis's astonished question.

En didn't take his eyes off Arion.

Kugugugugugugu-!

At that moment, the earth trembled again.

Kwagagagagagag-!

From the place where the black flames erupted, something like black magma surged upwards.

Splat-! Hiss-! Fwoosh-!

Flames erupted on the ground where the black magma touched.

The magma, like slime, coalesced into one place and transformed into the form of a giant of fire.

Melina took a deep breath as she watched Erebus take shape.

For her, a challenger in the world of creation, it was a nightmarish form.

The faces of the hero candidates hardened.

Erebos.

5000 years ago and 3000 years ago.

The primal evil that plunged the world into a crisis of destruction.

Those living in the era of heroes could not be unaware of his name.

However, very few had actually seen Erebos in the 3000 years since the 재앙's reappearance was brought to an end by the heroes of creation.

They could only imagine and infer his appearance based on the records written in literature.

"Haha. Damn it. It's just like the fairy tale."

Kal muttered with a trembling voice.

Lunia, with a grim expression, clenched her fist tightly.

"It… it's nothing compared to then."

Lunia, who had fought against a fragment of Erebos slumbering in Luna's world, swallowed hard, her mouth dry, at the overwhelming pressure that was incomparable to that time.

If the Erebos fought in Luna's world was a small campfire, this was a massive wildfire.

"What are you worried about! We have Lord Arion! If we combine our strength, we can defeat a fragment of the resurrected Erebos! Everyone, be brave!"

Ar shouted with sparkling eyes.

However, those who faced a calamity that would destroy the world, encountered only in stories, could not easily regain their courage.

As Erebos took shape, their fear also became more pronounced.

"It's okay to be afraid."

Arion spoke, turning his back to the hero candidates of later generations.

"It's natural to tremble with fear in the face of great terror. I was too, and so were Risina, Kyle, Luna, and Dueno."

Arion took a breath.

"What's important is to overcome that fear. So, will you show me?"

Arion turned his body.

"Your courage."

At those words, Vanir's eyes widened, and he stepped forward.

"Noble Great Warrior! Students who bear the name of Azonia!"

Vanir shouted towards the students of Azonia.

All eyes turned to Vanir.

Arion flinched for a moment at the chilling voice, but no one noticed.

"The Great Hero wishes to test our courage!"

"Ah, no. I'm not exactly testing you, I just want to see…"

"We entered Azonia for the sake of the world! Didn't we! With the courage bestowed by the Hero in our hearts! Didn't we dream of becoming heroes to protect this world inherited from the Great Heroes!"

"Yes!"

The students of Azonia roared.

"Now, that crisis has arrived! Although we are mere pebbles rolling on the side of the road compared to Lord Arion, a bunch of weaklings!"

"Weaklings! It's not good to belittle yourselves like that…"

"But! If we tremble with fear here! We are trash worse than pebbles! Do you want to become trash?"

"No!"

"Then let's prove it! That you are not trash! If you are proud to be descendants of Lord Arion! Show your courage! Understood!"

"Understood!"

Arion placed his hands on Vanir's shoulders, who was leading the juniors, and said seriously.

"You shouldn't say things that belittle yourselves like 'weaklings' or 'worse than pebbles' or 'trash'."

"Lord Arion…!"

"You and the students of Azonia are proud children. I'm not testing your courage. You just need to show courage. So, cherish yourselves…"

"Did you hear that! Weak trash! Lord Arion says he's proud of us!"

"Uoooooooh!"

Arion, seeing Vanir crying out in emotion, looked at Melina with a pained expression.

"The Azonia students are simple, so it's better to just accept it."

It was when Melina gave a troubled smile.

"She's still as simple and brutish when she gets excited, huh? Lis, don't we have any fancy speeches?"

Torua asked, tilting her head, and Lis chuckled and said to the juniors.

"Let's show them that courage isn't exclusive to Azonia."

"Yes! Understood!"

"Lord Arion! You're amazing!"

"Sign my autograph later!"

Cheers erupted from the Lumeran side as well.

Rienia crossed her arms.

"Listen up, everyone. We've inherited the will of Luna, the great Founder of the Nebula! Moreover, Lord Arion has reappeared, and the Azonia kids will be a solid shield. With such a great meat shield, does it make sense to be scared?"

"Hey, who are you calling a meat shield?"

Vanir growled lowly, and she corrected herself.

"Friend shield."

"I don't like that either!"

Vanir shouted, but Rienia didn't bat an eye.

"Anyway, our Seirun proved to Luna and Kyle last year that we are the best! This time, let's prove to Lord Arion that we are the best too!"

"When did you prove to Luna and Kyle that you were the best?"

"It's Azonia who will be recognized by Lord Arion!"

Driana, watching the former student council presidents bicker, raised her hand.

"Shouldn't the former president also say something?"

"What's the point of speaking? It'll just be buried by those crazy people."

"The president still has no presence."

"Are you insulting me?"

"It's a compliment."

It was when Weckerdon, the former student council president of Demian, let out a deep sigh.

"Excuse me. Could you lend me a sword?"

"Gasp! A-Arion!"

Weckerdon's eyes widened.

"I-I'll give it to you! No! Please use it!"

Overwhelmed by the fact that the Hero Arion had asked him for a sword, Weckerdon opened a spatial rift and poured out swords.

"Please use what you need!"

Arion picked out a sharp discarded sword from Weckerdon's swords.

Clang-!

Arion, gripping the sword, took a deep breath.

Shing-!

Though it was an unnamed sword, it was an incredible masterpiece.

Looking down at his reflection in the blade, Arion said.

"It's a magnificent sword. I'll use it carefully and return it."

"No way! Hehehehehe!"

"You're like a sycophant."

"He's only got a solid presence when he's like that, isn't he?"

The graduates from other schools whispered, but Weckerdon didn't care.

It was then.

Thump-!

The earth shook.

Erebos, who had somehow taken shape, began to move.

Gooooooo-!

Erebos's roar echoed.

Arion took a breath at that.

-Khaaaaaaaang-!

Arion's howl repelled Erebos's roar.

Those who heard the voice widened their eyes.

"Is this the Hero's howl?"

"Amazing!"

The anxiety they had felt until a moment ago disappeared.

Their hearts trembled, and their courage doubled.

As everyone marveled, Arion raised his sword.

"Everyone, prepare now."

Fwoosh-!

Flames ignited from Erebos's body.

"It's coming."

Kwawaaaah-!

A wave of black flames swept over them.

Goooooo!

Arion readjusted his grip on the sword and swung it horizontally.

Fwoosh-!

A giant golden line split the black flames.

The sharp golden sword strike directly hit Erebos.

Serr-! Fwoooosh!

Kuaaaah!

Erebos, cleaved in two, let out a scream of pain.

Arion's eyes twitched for a moment as he saw that.

Fwoosh-!

Dark red blood oozed from the wounds, soaking the ground.

But the wounds were soon covered by black flames and healed.

Fwoosh-!

The blood of Erebos that flowed onto the ground created a monstrous creature.

Seeing that, Arion muttered.

"…The right arm?"

"Yes?"

"It's nothing."

Shaking his head, Arion turned his head.

"I will now select party members who will attack Erebos with me."

***

"It seems to be the right arm."

Leo narrowed his eyes.

-What do you mean?

Kiran asked with a puzzled expression at Leo's muttering.

"That fragment is the right arm of Erebos's fragments."

"How does Master know that? From the outside, it just looks like a big black giant."

At Ati's puzzled tilt of the head, Leo said.

"You all know that demons are creations of Erebos, right?"

The mythical beasts nodded.

"Erebos used his right hand when creating demons, beasts, and monsters. Risina believed that the authority related to creation resided in his right hand."

In fact, Erebos created his loyal subordinates with his right hand.

-Indeed. That's why Leo thinks the fragment he cut off is the right arm.

Elsi said, as if understanding, and Leo nodded.

"But it's strange. Even for him, creation of monsters would consume a lot of energy, so why is he wasting his power?"

He wondered about Erebos's sudden creation of monsters.

"Leo!"

Arion, having finished forming the party to fight Erebos, called out to Leo.

Leo landed on the ground.

And he checked the members.

'Arion, Melina, Torua, Ulta, Rienia, Lunia, Eiran, Eliza.'

Except for Arion, there wasn't a single knight class.

Rienia and Eiran, though magic swordsmen, possessed mobility comparable to most knight classes and firepower exceeding that of mages.

'A combination focused on firepower and mobility.'

Rienia and Eiran also looked a bit perplexed as if they had heard their roles from Arion.

At that moment, Ar approached Leo.

"Black Rabbit! Lord Arion said he would stop Erebos alone, is that okay? Shouldn't we help a little?"

Ar asked with a worried expression.

Seeing Ar like that, Leo said.

"He said he'd do it alone because it's okay."

"B-but…"

It wasn't just any enemy, it was Erebos.

The worst monster in the world that had driven the world to the brink of destruction.

Even if it was fragmented, it seemed precarious to stop such a terrifying monster alone.

"You still don't know which era that Arion came from, do you?"

"Huh?"

Ar's eyes widened.

Come to think of it, he hadn't heard.

"Which era did he come from? Black Rabbit, did you hear?"

"Final Chapter."

"What?"

"It's Arion from when Erebos was subjugated."

Ar's eyes widened.

'If there wasn't the restriction that he would disappear when he consumed all his divine power, the current Arion could win even a war against all of Tartarus single-handedly.'

With the Monster Queen subjugated and the Giant King absent, Tartarus, with only the Undead King, could not handle the complete Arion.

"You are fighting monsters here."

Stomp- Stomp-

Leo approached Arion.

"Then, shall we go?"

Arion readjusted his grip on the sword and said.

"To subjugate the primal evil."