Book 1 Chapter 508

508.

Lunias's face hardened at the sudden appearance of the Legion Commander.

El Genie, the Queen of Blood.

She was one of the terrifying beings that made the world tremble in fear.

'A Legion Commander in this situation!'

Lunias bit her lip.

The nightmare of last year flashed back.

The large-scale invasion of Silatuna, the Monster Queen.

And the appearance of a Legion Commander defeated by the great heroes in the distant past.

The despair she felt then washed over her.

If the great heroes hadn't been there then, Seirun would have collapsed.

While Lunias's face hardened.

Luna tilted her head.

"A Legion Commander? You?"

Doubt appeared in Luna's eyes.

"I know you're a powerful demon, but you're a Legion Commander just for this?"

"What?"

For a moment, El Genie's face hardened.

Lunias also looked back at Luna with a blank expression.

"Luna, is that really a Legion Commander?"

Seeing Luna ask with disbelief, Lunias answered inadvertently.

"Yes, El Genie, the Queen of Blood. She is definitely a Legion Commander."

"Hmm."

Luna, with her arms crossed, tilted her head slightly and muttered.

"Are the Legion Commanders these days not up to par…?"

"Hmph! What is this elf bitch spouting!"

El Genie's eyes blazed.

Goooh-!

A vast, dark magic swirled.

Flash-! Hwaruruk-!

Crimson flames engulfed Luna.

"Luna-nim!"

Lunias called out to Luna in surprise.

Hwaak-!

At that moment, the crimson flames gathered on Luna's palm.

Seeing that, El Genie's face hardened.

Luna rolled the flames in her palm around before smiling faintly and throwing them back at El Genie.

"I don't need it, so I'll return it."

Hwaak-!

The flames were reabsorbed around her.

"You… what in the world are you?"

Seeing El Genie ask with wary eyes, Luna curled the corners of her mouth.

"Luna, the Progenitor of the Nebula."

"Are you a mad elf?"

"You spew words without thinking."

Luna curled the corners of her mouth.

"Did the Monster Queen, that damn monster, teach you that?"

Goooh-!

Magic surged from Luna's hands.

Flash-!

El Genie's eyes were filled with shock.

Kwagagagang-!

Pillars of light poured down from the sky.

'Magic of this magnitude in an instant…!'

A thrill ran through her body.

For a moment, a human flashed through El Genie's mind.

'Leo Flove… the reincarnation of the surviving hero, Kyle…!'

The human with terrifying power and the elf before her overlapped.

"Ah… yes… that's how it is…"

El Genie rolled her eyes back.

"Yes… you… you are indeed Luna, the Progenitor of the Nebula…!"

El Genie's body trembled.

Seeing that, Luna narrowed her eyes.

"That's…"

"What in the world is going on?"

Lunias rushed to Luna's side.

"It's a kind of divine possession, so to speak."

"Divine possession?"

"Yes. Receiving blessings from their god, Erebus. It has a strengthening effect on demons."

"B-but the Primeval Evil is clearly sealed…"

"It's a kind of lingering thought."

Luna recalled what Leo had told her.

'Erebus had a strong grudge against Kyle, right? Then he would have one against me too.'

"I definitely died at the hands of Erebus. But I didn't go down easily."

The wound Luna inflicted on Erebus as she died.

That wound allowed Leo to defeat Erebus.

'He must have a big grudge against me.'

The grudge Erebus held was now blooming through the Legion Commander before her.

"That's good. Shall I get my revenge from 5,000 years ago?"

A cold killing intent flowed from Luna's body.

Seeing that, Lunias took a breath.

'She's definitely different from Leo and Arion.'

Leo's aura was one that felt like it would tear the opponent apart.

Arion exuded a sharp aura, as if he could cut through anything at any moment.

In contrast, Luna exuded an aura that felt like it would destroy anything that stood in her way.

Watching Luna's back, Lunias instinctively reached out.

Squeeze-

"Huh? What is it, Lunias?"

Seeing Lunias holding onto her clothes, Luna made a puzzled expression.

"Last time… Arion-nim… disappeared after using immense power."

At Lunias's words, Luna's eyes widened slightly.

"Last time, when you defeated the Monster Queen, Luna-nim also disappeared after using 'The End'… It's the same situation as then, isn't it?"

Lunias becoming the student council president of Seirun in her second year wasn't just because she had strong power.

Despite her rough personality, she was fundamentally a wise honor student with leadership skills.

It wasn't difficult for the insightful Lunias to grasp Luna's situation.

That's why she felt it instinctively.

'If Luna-nim uses her power… she'll disappear.'

There was no way there wouldn't be a price for a being like a great hero to remain in the current world.

Unlike last time, Luna was now staying in this world through a contract with Leo and a Heroic Spirit, not the power of the Hero Record.

However, the foundation of that Heroic Spirit contract was Luna's magic embedded in the Cometess.

If that magic were depleted, Luna would no longer be able to remain in this world as a Heroic Spirit.

Whether Luna had any lingering attachment to this world or not.

"Yes, that's right."

"I… I want Luna-nim to stay in the present world longer."

Lunias said with a trembling voice.

"I want to learn more from Luna-nim and be with you longer."

Lunias gritted her teeth.

"I hope you can enjoy this peace that Luna-nim has achieved for a little longer."

"……"

Luna's eyes wavered.

Her heart was shaken by the words of the young elf.

That was also something Luna deeply desired.

"But if we don't stop that guy now, many people will die."

Luna said, looking at El Genie who was emitting an unusual aura.

"Don't worry about that."

Lunias said forcefully.

"There are heroes in this era too."

Hooong-! Kwahwahwah-!

"Hryaaah!"

A dwarf warrior's greatsword split the crimson flames.

"Aqua Will."

Shwaaa-!

A spell cast by a human mage protected people from the flames that threatened to turn the surroundings into ashes.

"Wind spirits, lead the people to safety."

A beast-man spirit medium summoned countless spirits to evacuate the unconscious people to safety.

Luna recognized them at a glance.

They were all heroes whose names were recorded in the Hero Record.

Lunias reached out.

"Renea."

Along with fierce flames, a beautiful phoenix appeared.

Hwaaak-!

Lunias's hair turned into white flames.

Seeing that, Luna's mouth opened slightly.

'The first time I saw this child… was about a year ago from now, wasn't it?'

At that time, they had joined forces to defeat a fragment of Erebus.

She also recalled her struggling fight against Zerdiak.

'I knew she had become stronger compared to then, but I didn't expect her to have grown this much.'

"Don't worry."

Lunias said forcefully.

"Trust us. We are insufficient… but there are those who follow in the footsteps of Luna-nim and the great heroes."

Lunias approached El Genie.

"Luna-nim, please watch from over there."

Currently, with the Twilight Festival, numerous people have come to Lumelia City.

Among them are many heroes whose names are recorded in the Hero Record.

Luna's eyes wavered.

"Can I trust you… and leave it to you?"

"Of course! Luna-nim, please watch from a safe place!"

Smiling brightly, Lunias ran off and shouted.

"I am Lunias El Lundia of Seirun! That demon is El Genie, the Blood Legion Commander!"

"How dare you invade Lumelia City during the Twilight Festival!"

Human knight heroes were indignant.

Heroes continued to gather to stop El Genie.

It was then.

"My kin, step back. This place is dangerous!"

Elf swordmages guided Luna to the rear.

"This is not a place for you!"

Thinking Luna was a civilian, they hastily evacuated her with other people.

"Ah…"

It wasn't just heroes.

Countless people were trying to protect others.

As Luna retreated from the battlefield, she muttered to herself.

'Is it okay to leave it to them?'

Luna's eyes wavered.

'Can I… can I stay in this era a little longer?'

Luna bit her lip.

'Is it okay to enjoy this happiness a little longer?'

***

Goooooh-!

Lumern, located in the middle of the vast Lumelia Lake.

A large and ominous dark cloud hung in the sky above it.

Kwareung-!

An ominous thunderclap echoed.

Students who were about to head to Lumelia City for the Twilight Festival after class emerged from the buildings, murmuring.

"What… what is this?"

Karl muttered in a bewildered voice.

Then, Eiran, standing beside him, said in a slightly frightened voice.

"It's like… last year's Seru Battle."

At his words, spoken with a hunched neck, the faces of those around them hardened.

"It's the Curse of Severance."

"H-Mr. Mel?!"

Karl was startled.

During the summer vacation, during the process of subduing one of Erebus's fragments, Karl, along with Chelsea, realized that Mel was Melina.

Mel smiled faintly at Karl and said.

"This aura… it feels like the Necro King."

"N-Necro King!"

Karl exclaimed in shock at the mention of the name of the de facto ruler of Tartarus.

'I heard from Leo-nim that the Necro King's power has become stronger…'

Flash-! Bang-!

At that moment, something fell from the sky.

Three people landed on the ground.

"W-what?"

"Who are those people!"

The surrounding students looked bewildered.

However, the aura they exuded made everyone's complexions change.

"Undead?"

As all the students emanated hostility, the three approached someone calmly.

"Long time no see, Dragon Lord."

Everyone was shocked by the man in the middle's words and looked at Mel.

"What did you just say?"

"Mr. Mel, what?"

Seeing the one who revealed her identity, Mel sighed deeply.

"It's been a long time, Lord Meterar."

"Meterar? Wait! If it's Meterar, he was the principal of Lumern!"

"I've definitely seen that face in the portrait…!"

Everyone's eyes widened at the appearance of a hero from several generations ago.

However, their faces slowly hardened at the powerful killing intent emanating from his body.

It wasn't just Meterar.

The others standing beside him were also famous heroes whose names were recorded in the Hero Record generations ago.

Amidst everyone's shocked expressions, Mel opened his mouth.

"Were you that resentful?"

Mel asked with a blank face.

"That you couldn't challenge the world of creation."

At Mel's words, the faces of the three heroes resurrected as undead contorted.

"We wanted to ask you. Why didn't you choose us!"

At Meterar's words, Mel burst into laughter.

"It wasn't that I didn't choose you. I was just protecting you. I couldn't send heroes who had achieved great deeds into a death trap."

"Exceed your limits. That is the teaching of Lumern. We just tried to follow it."

"At the time, I thought it was reckless courage. But now I understand. It was just bravado blinded by glory."

At one time, Mel had chosen the heroes before him as candidates to challenge the world of creation together.

However, the heroes before him had not grown enough to challenge the world of creation.

But they hoped to challenge the world of creation, and Mel ultimately refused.

And… it turned into resentment and a contract with the Necro King.

Disgust flickered in Mel's eyes.

"To talk about Lumern's teachings, yet choose to become a slave of the Necro King… Don't you think that's contradictory?"

"It's because of you."

Hatred appeared on Meterar's face.

"Because of you who didn't make a proper choice!"

Seeing him charge forward, unleashing his rage, Mel swung his palm.

A massive amount of magic repelled Meterar.

Kwagagagang-!

Meterar crashed into a nearby building.

Starting with that, countless undead began to appear from the ground.

In response, the students of Lumern took combat stances.

Mel looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes.

"You want to try, Necro King."

***

Leo opened his eyes.

'In the Mirror Queen's illusion.'

It was the streets of Lumelia City.

But Leo knew this was an illusion.

As Leo flexed his hands.

"Kyle."

At the voice from behind, Leo turned his head.

"Lisinas?"

Seeing a familiar face, Leo furrowed his brow.

He had faced Lisinas in a previous illusion by the Mirror Queen.

As Leo tensed.

"How is it? How does it feel to have saved the world twice?"

"What?"

Seeing Lisinas ask with a bright smile, Leo wore a bewildered expression.