Book 1 Chapter 450
450.
A staff shone like starlight in Leo’s hand.
Kometes.
A staff named after a comet.
It was a divine-grade staff created by Dwenor and named by Luna, arguably the strongest magical staff in existence.
Even during its creation, it held immense magical power, as Dwenor, known as the divine blacksmith, poured his very soul into its making.
‘And to top it off, Luna modified it extensively with all sorts of spells. Infusing her own magic into it was just a bonus.’
Furthermore, it gained the magic of Seirun, Luna’s successor, as it passed through his hands.
‘The problem is, it became a magical staff that is just as difficult to wield.’
No family in a long time had been able to properly handle Kometes.
Not even the Tinggel family, who carried Seirun’s blood.
The reason was simple.
‘The staff’s creator, the one who used it, and the one who inherited it were all unprecedented geniuses.’
Even for Leo, it was only recently that he became able to wield Kometes perfectly after receiving it from Seirun.
Gripping Kometes, Leo soared high into the sky.
Leo, now at a height where Erebus was barely visible, unleashed his magic.
Woong-!
Kometes responded to Leo’s magic, emitting a light.
Leo’s red eyes turned gray.
Gray magic flickered from Leo’s body as he unleashed his power.
A magic circle was drawn in the air.
A crystallisation of magical incantations made of geometric runes.
It wasn't just magic; it was a magical system.
In this world, only one person.
A magical system that only the Hero of Beginnings could use.
Leo completed the magic by quietly reciting the name of the spell.
“Bible.”
As the incantation was completed, the magical array of Bible rapidly changed.
New runes were inscribed within the magic circle.
It was the magical array of the Star Magic.
Leo, wielding Kometes, deployed the magic.
Flash-! Crackle-!
Beautiful magical incantations were generated around Leo.
Seeing it, Leo recited the incantation.
As Leo’s magic chanted, the magical array shone in various colors.
Along with it, the mana in the atmosphere began to vibrate.
A beautiful melody echoed across the entire battlefield.
It wasn’t a voice.
It was a sound created by the vibrating atmospheric mana.
“What in the world is this?”
Uilta’s expression was one of surprise.
Torua, who had been holding her staff and chanting, opened her eyes wide.
“It’s a magic chant.”
The atmospheric mana resonated with someone’s chant.
That resonance was simply heard as a melody.
“Star Magic.”
Lienia, recognizing the nature of the magic, widened her eyes and looked up at the sky.
“Leo Flov?”
Her mouth hung open.
“It’s amazing, Leo-nim.”
Eiran also expressed his admiration.
“Just how powerful is this magic?”
Lunia also looked bewildered.
Just then.
[Everyone.]
Melina’s voice reached their ears.
[I will be commanding from now on. Uilta, take Lienia and attack Erebus.]
At her words, Uilta grabbed the reins of his Pegasus, Eiria.
Whoosh-!
Flying at incredible speed, Eiria unleashed lightning.
Zap-!
While flying at speeds beyond imagination, Lienia straightened up.
Whoosh-!
An incredible sense of speed was felt.
But Lienia, unperturbed, pulled back the bowstring.
Gooooo-!
As she drew the bowstring, she uttered the incantation.
As Lienia chanted the Star spell, the atmospheric mana that was resonating with Leo responded to Lienia’s chant.
Lienia’s eyes widened slightly.
‘What is this?’
She had only chanted along with Leo’s magic.
Yet, she could feel the power of the spell growing even stronger.
It was infused with a power far exceeding her maximum capabilities.
But still, there was no sense of instability.
‘It feels more stable.’
*Snap-!*
Lienia pulled the bowstring even tighter.
‘As if this were its original power.’
With a remarkably natural flow of mana, Lienia finished the incantation.
“End.”
Fwoosh-!
As Lienia released the bowstring, the arrow-shaped magic of End flew towards Erebus.
Flash-! BOOM-! WHOOSH-!
As a result of the magic, trees and grass around Erebus were blown away in the opposite direction.
Fwoosh-!
As black flames poured out, Melina said:
[Torua, please block the flames with Earth Magic.]
Torua moved the earth with her magical array.
*CRASH-!*
A massive earthen wall rose up and blocked the flames.
‘Torua’s magic shows no change in power.’
Lienia unleashed her magic.
Cold air swirled around her hands.
Magic deployed with a normal magical array showed no change in power.
Lienia used Star Magic.
Then, a distinctly different reaction of mana occurred than usual.
“Torua! Use Star Magic!”
“The Star Magic is currently growing stronger than usual!”
At her words, Torua also hastily checked her magic.
And she understood Lienia’s meaning and wore a surprised expression.
Lunia and Eiran also noticed the change.
“What is happening?!”
Eliza asked urgently, and Lunia replied:
“I don’t know. All I know for sure is that the Star Magic array is being influenced by Leo’s incantation.”
As she spoke, Leo’s magic was completed.
Flash-!
A pillar of light descended from the sky.
***
Flash-!
Erebus’s eyes twitched at the brilliance of the starlight that covered the sky.
It was a magic of considerable power that Erebus could not afford to underestimate.
As far as Erebus knew, there was only one person capable of wielding such magic.
-Luna Rubinenes?
*KABOOOM-!*
The pillar of light engulfed Erebus completely.
A colossal explosion occurred simultaneously with a massive flash.
Arion’s eyes widened as he witnessed the scene.
“Luna?”
It was as if he were looking at Luna.
But Arion knew.
Luna did not exist in this era.
If not Luna, then there was only one person who could wield Star Magic like this.
‘Kyle!’
Arion smiled.
‘As expected, Kyle is amazing.’
It was clearly different from himself, who had stopped.
Even after reincarnation, Kyle had continued to hone himself.
‘Now, his magic has advanced to the point where it’s mistaken for Luna’s. He hasn’t regained his peak power yet, but once he regains it, he will undoubtedly become incomparably stronger than the Kyle I knew.’
Arion clenched his hand.
Fwoosh-!
Just then, black flames emerged from the dust.
-What’s with that relieved expression?
“Erebus.”
*THUD-!*
Erebus took a step towards Arion.
Despite being hit directly by Leo’s magic, Erebus was still intact.
-Indeed, it’s not Luna Rubinenes.
Erebus looked up at the sky.
-A surviving hero.
As Erebus murmured softly, Leo descended from the sky.
“Did you sleep well for 5000 years?”
-What is that appearance? A surviving hero.
“Because you were still alive, I came back to life to finish you off completely, that’s all.”
Leo’s lips curled.
Seeing Leo with a clear smirk on his face, Erebus said:
-You’ve fulfilled your role sufficiently by delaying the end of the world for 5000 years.
*RUMBLE-!*
Erebus laughed at Leo.
-Unlike me, who won’t disappear until this world is burnt to ashes. It’s natural for a mortal like you to disappear. Yet, you stand before me, unable to die. Hahahaha-!
Erebus’s wild laughter echoed.
-To defy even your given fate. Truly astonishing. You are more fitting of the name ‘Surviving Hero’ than anyone else, Kyle.
Whoosh-!
Following that, intense black flames swirled.
Melina hastily tried to approach to help the two.
Erebus glared at Melina as she did.
-How dare a lowly creature like you covet this place!
“Krgk?!”
With Erebus’s enraged roar, a wall of black flames surged.
Seeing this, Leo narrowed his eyes.
“You’re extremely discriminatory, aren’t you?”
-A surviving hero, and a brave one. You are different from lowly creatures.
“What’s the difference?”
-5000 years ago, when I was burning the world. The abhorrent gods disappeared from this world. My old enemies were prevented from setting foot in this world again.
Fwoosh-!
Erebus’s body burned with black flames.
-The destruction of the world became a foregone conclusion. In such a situation, it was you who defied that fate.
Pure evil that has existed since the beginning.
A being of destruction that existed solely to burn the world.
When the gods disappeared and he revealed himself.
The destruction of the world was a natural outcome.
But the Great Heroes ultimately defeated Erebus and prevented that destruction.
-You are the ones who achieved what even the gods could not. To me, you are enemies more powerful than gods. I cannot place you on the same level as lowly creatures. Be grateful. You have received recognition from me, the primordial evil.
“How incredibly humbling, it’s enough to make me swear.”
Leo gritted his teeth.
-Heh heh heh. So.
Erebus’s gaze shifted to Arion.
-You, who persist through the gods’ record system, are quite relieved, aren’t you, Arion? Even though you trembled with fear just before death.
“That doesn’t matter anymore.”
Arion gripped his sword tightly.
His face was imbued with a steadfastness incomparable to before.
“I no longer fear death. The world has been saved.”
Arion pointed his sword at Erebus.
“I also do not fear disappearing. Because I have no doubt that Kyle will defeat you.”
-Hoo hoo hoo. Khhh heh heh heh. Hahahahahaha!
Erebus burst into wild laughter.
Seeing that, Leo scowled.
“What’s so funny?”
-How can it not be funny! Kyle! I cannot understand why you call this pathetic being a hero!
Erebus looked at Arion.
-Listen well, cowardly hero. The surviving hero is alone. There is no you, no the divine blacksmith, no the progenitor of nebulae, no fools. You are the only one left in this world!
“No! Kyle has successors who carry on our spirits! He is not alone!”
-Is that so-called successor those lowly creatures over there?
Erebus’s gaze swept over Melina and the hero candidates standing on the battlefield.
After a moment, Erebus looked at Arion with pity.
-They cannot replace you, hero.
“No! Those children are definitely……”
-Even if they replace you, hero… you have overlooked one fact.
“What?”
-That the surviving hero is about to face me once more.
Erebus lowered his body.
And he said softly:
-It means repeating the pain you experienced once more.
Arion’s face stiffened.
“Arion, don’t worry about it.”
Leo said with a blank expression.
“I’m already prepared.”
-You may be prepared, but is this cowardly hero also prepared?
Erebus’s lips twisted.
-You, the only Great Hero who feared death and doubted the salvation of the world, even while sacrificing yourself out of fear of your friends dying. I will tell you the final moments of the others I have seen.
Fwoosh-!
Erebus’s body ignited.
-They selfishly passed on their ideals to the surviving hero. They passed on their unfulfilled dreams! Believing without doubt that the surviving hero would achieve them, they closed their eyes in satisfaction! Yes! Their belief was correct!
Leo’s face hardened and he unleashed his magic.
-In the end! The surviving hero saved the world! You were given the wish of all five of you, and you struggled until the end, unable to die! Astonishingly! You met the most painful death among the five of you! And now! You are about to repeat that pain once more!
Leo looked behind Arion.
He could see his shoulders trembling slightly.
-It’s strange? Hero. Why do you wear the same expression as when you died?
Erebus’s face was filled with delight as he looked at Arion’s face, contorted as if he were about to cry.
“This bastard…!”
A murderous intent flickered in Leo’s eyes.
-It is truly enjoyable, to crush one’s nemesis.
Erebus’s aura, which had been chuckling, suddenly changed.
-Enough of this idle chatter.
A dreadful killing intent poured from Erebus’s body.
-Now, I will burn you all.