Book 1 Chapter 453
453.
While Ar was making an anxious expression,
“Lady Melina. What should we do with this?”
Chelsea brought the sword Arion had discarded and asked.
Watching this, Melina said,
“That’s Brave. It’s a sword that’s synonymous with Sir Arion. Chelsea, you know it too, don’t you?”
“Yes, but it’s broken, isn’t it?”
When Chelsea spoke with an anxious face, Melina nodded.
“It was already broken even before he left the hero’s world.”
“Will a broken sword hinder Sir Arion?”
“It would be better to fight wielding Brave, even if it’s broken, rather than fighting bare-handed. But… Sir Arion right now doesn’t have the luxury of…”
Kwaaaang-!
Once again, a tremendous sound echoed in front of the city wall.
Arion, struck by Erebos's attack, crashed to the ground in front of the city wall.
In the aftermath of the impact, the monsters charging towards the city wall were swept away.
Arion staggered and got back on his feet.
The power of his aura was still intact.
But Arion’s body was a wreck.
Yet, his fighting spirit remained unbroken.
As if forcibly shaking off his fear,
he glared at Erebos, his fighting spirit ablaze.
Kwang-!
Erebos landed directly in front of Arion.
-What makes you struggle so desperately? Cowardly hero. Do you fear the death of those insignificant beings you believe to be hope?
“Kreheoooeooeong!”
A howling echoed from Arion’s mouth.
Arion, enveloped in aura, once again charged towards Erebos.
Watching this, Erebos’s eyes flashed, and he swung his arm.
Kwaaaang-!
Arion was flung back again.
But unyielding, he tore through the ground, sharpened his claws, and shredded Erebos's arm.
With the future, seen through precognition, now invisible,
Arion continued a seemingly reckless battle.
An unprecedented, thrilling hand-to-hand combat between the hero and the primordial evil.
The aftermath of that battle was terrifying.
If it hadn't been for Arion, no one would have been able to stop the primordial evil alone.
‘Just a little more, just a little more, and Kyle’s spell will be complete!’
His role was to block Erebos and chip away at his strength until then.
No matter how inextinguishable the flame of disaster, if it’s continuously cut down, its power weakens.
It was true that he was an immortal being, but it didn't mean he couldn't take damage.
‘I have to weaken him enough for Innocent to completely annihilate him!’
Horrific burns accumulated all over his body.
His body screamed in agony, as if on the verge of death.
It was a pain more intense than anything Arion had ever experienced.
‘Hold on!’
Arion’s eyes widened.
‘Kyle must have suffered far more than this!’
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Arion roared, tearing at Erebos’s neck.
Meanwhile, the demonic beasts created by Erebos assailed the city wall.
Chelsea, watching Arion’s desperate struggle, gripped her hands tightly.
‘Is there any way I can help Sir Arion?’
She recalled Arion’s kind and gentle demeanor towards her.
Arion, who had genuinely rejoiced at the thought of a future where children smiled brightly, was now engaged in a desperate fight.
Pacing anxiously, wanting to help Arion somehow, Chelsea looked at Brave in her hand and shouted,
“I’ll go and deliver Brave to Sir Arion!”
Melina’s eyes widened.
“That’s too reckless.”
“But I’m the most suitable for this role, aren't I?”
Chelsea said seriously.
“I’m small and fast, so I can definitely avoid the monsters’ attacks and get back! This kind of thing is a wind mage’s specialty!”
“Then someone like me or Ulta…”
“Lady Melina and Senior Ulta must stop the monsters!”
Melina and Ulta were currently powerful forces guarding the city wall.
If they left their positions, the city might collapse immediately.
“… I’m disqualified as a Dragon Lord. To have to send a child like you to the most dangerous place.”
“If it gets too dangerous, I’ll run away immediately!”
“Hey, Chelsea. Are you sure about this?”
When Karl asked worriedly, Chelsea confidently raised her index finger and shouted,
“Of course!”
With those words, Chelsea strapped Brave to her back and leaped from the city wall.
‘Heatwave.’
Chelsea used her unique magic.
Magic that manipulated the surrounding wind freely.
That magic granted Chelsea overwhelming mobility and evasion.
Hwaak-!
Chelsea flew at incredible speed towards the fierce battlefield of Arion and Erebos.
Monsters spotted Chelsea, revealing their killing intent, and charged at her.
But Chelsea used wind manipulation to evade all of their attacks.
‘My training with big brother Leo helped! And Sir Arion’s precognition too!’
The precognition she had been trained in by Arion couldn't be used properly yet.
But as a result of her training, her senses had been sharpened significantly.
Several monsters persistently targeted Chelsea.
But magic flying from the city wall covered Chelsea.
It was the support of those specialized in sniper magic, like Reenia and Juen.
Just as Chelsea reached the battlefield of Arion and Erebos,
Kwaang-!
Something flew towards Chelsea.
“Sir Arion!”
It was Arion, whose body had reached its limit.
Arion, even his transformation undone, was groaning and trying to get up.
As Chelsea frantically tried to help Arion,
-Insignificant creature.
A voice filled with contempt was heard.
Chelsea’s face hardened.
-Abandon that cowardly hero and leave. Then I will spare your worthless life.
Chelsea's instincts sent a signal at the evil voice, which was full of clear mockery and scorn.
To run away.
That this was an unprecedented disaster she could never handle.
Goosebumps rose all over her body, and she trembled.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
She wanted to run away.
But Chelsea did not let go of Arion.
“Chelsea… stand back.”
Arion staggered, putting strength into his legs.
“Just a little more. So go to a safe place.”
“Sir Arion is at his limit! Let’s go quickly with me!”
Despite being terrified, Chelsea tried to take Arion and leave the battlefield.
-This young human girl is far more courageous than you, hero. How admirable.
There was no lie in the promise to spare her if she retreated.
Chelsea's death was of no value to Erebos.
He merely wanted to mock Arion by laughing at the pathetic sight of the future Arion had considered hope fleeing in fear.
But it didn’t go as planned.
That fact was enough to make Erebos feel displeased.
-Die, human girl, cursing your foolishness for displaying useless bravado.
Kwaaaak-!
Simultaneously with Erebos's words, flames erupted from all directions.
The moment Arion saw this and tried to use his aura, his body shimmered.
It meant only one thing:
‘My time is up!’
All his divine power was exhausted at the worst possible moment.
Arion gritted his teeth, pulled Chelsea into his embrace, and squeezed out his aura.
‘At least Chelsea!’
Hwaak-!
Black flames enveloped Arion and Chelsea.
***
Hwarurureuk-!
“Ah…”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
The hero who had been holding back Erebos disappeared.
Naturally, the word 'defeat' flashed through their minds.
Everyone’s faces naturally turned pale with fear.
Hwarurururureuk-!
A dark red night sky.
A world engulfed in black flames.
A single word came to the minds of the hero candidates:
‘The Return of Disaster’
Tadak-!
Just as everyone despaired, Leo descended from the sky and stood in the middle of the black flame-scorched earth.
And looked up at Erebos.
-It's over.
Erebos mocked Leo.
-The hero is gone now, and your power cannot stop me.
A voice filled with exhilaration.
Erebos had no doubt that despair would settle on Leo’s face.
-The Age of Disaster shall return!
Simultaneously with Erebos’s declaration, the black flames raged even more fiercely.
Hwarurureuk! Tadak- Tadak-
However, despite this, there was no significant change in Leo’s expression.
He simply continued to accumulate power to unleash Innocent.
With Leo’s current strength, even if he squeezed out everything he had, it was impossible to complete a spell powerful enough to defeat Erebos.
No matter how much the mana of purity was the natural enemy of primordial evil, it was useless if the power difference was too great.
Yet…
-What is that expression?
Erebos’s expression twisted mercilessly at Leo’s serene face.
-Why can you show such unwavering faith?! He is no more! That coward has vanished from this world…
“Don’t make me laugh! You damn bastard! Who are you calling a coward!”
Cutting off Erebos’s words, someone shouted with an enraged voice.
Ar, who had rushed over, was now standing beside Leo, glaring at Erebos.
“Sir Arion is not a coward! He is the one with the strongest courage in the world!”
-Ignorance is frightening.
Erebos muttered as if dumbfounded.
-He died 5000 years ago, and the gods’ shallow miracle ended, causing him to vanish from this world, a coward. To gain courage from such a coward and try to oppose me. Utterly foolish…
“Nyaaah! Don’t call Sir Arion a coward! You face-smashed lump of a thing!”
Ar again cut off Erebos’s words, screaming hysterically.
“I know Sir Arion is scared! But he’s not a coward! He’s someone who overcomes his fear even when he’s terrified! Hero Arion saved the world! That’s why he’s a great hero! Do you think it makes sense for such a person to be a coward? Have you been asleep for 5000 years and lost your mind?!”
Ar even pointed his finger, veins bulging in his neck, completely losing his temper.
His opponent was none other than the embodiment of disaster.
The terrifying existence that made even gods tremble, the primordial evil Erebos.
This sight even made Erebos dumbfounded.
In Erebos’s eyes, Ar’s terrified appearance was clearly visible.
Normally, a beastman like him
shouldn't be able to utter a single word in his presence.
A weak existence unworthy even of standing on this battlefield.
A lower creature that should tremble, unable to even make eye contact.
Yet,
“Sir Arion will rise again! He will rise and beat you up!”
Despite being terrified, he shouted without backing down.
He believed that Arion, who had already vanished and no longer existed, would return.
-Unless he steps into the realm of gods, that is impossible.
“Sir Arion is a god!”
It was pointless to reason with him.
-What an utterly ridiculous fool who will never exist in this world again.
“Who are you calling a fool! You fool!”
“Kukuk… Phewfufufu hahahahaha!”
Leo, who had been watching the situation from the side, burst out laughing unconsciously.
He even felt a sense of wonder at Ar, who was achieving something even Luna, known for her outrageousness, couldn’t.
“But he’s right.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“Arion will come back.”
Hwarurureuk-!
-Have you lost your mind?
“No, I am perfectly sane.”
Arion had fallen, but Leo’s faith hadn’t wavered one bit.
“He’s not someone who would ever give up.”
“Krrrrrr-”
Ar growled lowly beside him and then let out a howl towards the sky.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Golden aura erupted from Ar’s body.
The moment Erebos's eyes twitched at that howling,
Flash-!
Golden aura shot up, piercing through the flames that had enveloped Arion and Chelsea.
Erebos’s face was painted with shock at the sight.
-Impossible!
Ar wore a bright expression.
Leo looked at him and sighed deeply, as if saying, ‘You can’t be helped.’
‘Who’s the burden, you fool.’
Leo looked down at his hand.
As if reacting to Arion’s aura,
Dweno’s flame flared up.
Seeing this, Leo clenched his fist tightly and said to himself,
‘I didn’t give up because I carried a burden.’
Luna’s voice that brought him relief, Dweno’s weapon he could entrust his life to with peace of mind,
Lisinas’s dazzling light that was bright even with his eyes closed,
And Arion's back, more trustworthy than anyone else—it was because of all these that Leo could endure.
He looked at Arion, who had emerged from the black flames, holding Chelsea in his arms.
‘You might think you gave up. But in the final moment, you rose again.’
He comforted everyone and gave them courage, saying the world would be saved.
‘We… will win.’
He had no doubt that his friends would be victorious.
‘You always say no. But the harbinger of miracles has always been you, Arion.’