Book 1 Chapter 509
509.
Goooooo-!
“Kyaaaaak!”
“It’s a demon race!”
“Tartaros's legion has invaded!”
“Quickly, to Lumeren for help…!”
Screams echoed through the streets.
It was literally pandemonium.
“Hey! Come to your senses!”
“No consciousness! Not waking up!”
“Move the wounded here!”
Injured people were scattered everywhere.
“Eljennie, the Queen of Blood, has invaded!”
“Those who can fight, to the front!”
“Stop the legion!”
“Evacuate the people!”
Information about the source of the chaos spread throughout the city.
Those who could fight advanced to the battlefield.
Those who could not fight evacuated to a safe place.
Watching from afar, Lunia took a deep breath.
Then she stood before Eljennie, the Queen of Blood, who was scattering an unusual aura.
A beast warrior approached Lunia.
“Seirun’s student council president.”
Lunia glanced at the one who spoke to her.
He looked to be in his early 30s, and true to a beast warrior, he was a man of healthy build.
“Who are you?”
At Lunia's question, the beast warrior introduced himself.
“My name is Gale. Has the introduction been made?”
“Stormblade.”
Lunia uttered his alias.
Gale, the Stormblade.
He was a man who had begun to gain renown as a young beast warrior hero.
Though young, he was a seasoned hero, having experienced countless battlefields against Tartaros, typical of a pugnacious beast warrior.
As he spoke to her, Lunia wore a puzzled expression.
“What is it?”
“Wouldn't it be better to retreat?”
Gale gestured towards the rear with his chin.
“I've heard about your skills through rumors and know them well. But this battlefield is still too much for you, a mere second-year student.”
Gale wasn't looking down on Lunia.
However, objectively speaking, Lunia was still a second-year student at the Hero Academy.
‘Even if she's the student council president, she's not like Leo Flove. That monster.’
Leo had already become student council president in his first year, and recently even made it onto the Hero Records.
But Lunia was different.
From Gale’s perspective, Lunia becoming Seirun’s student council president seemed largely influenced by the rivalry between Lumeren and Seirun.
‘Seirun must have seen Lunia El Lundia’s future.’
Lunia’s reputation was already world-famous.
It was a clear fact that Lunia would become the hero representing the elves in the not-so-distant future.
Gale judged that Lunia had been given the student council president position in advance, in preparation for that time.
It wasn't just Gale who thought this; the heroes who had come out to stop Eljennie also nodded as if in agreement.
As Lunia was about to open her mouth, looking at them.
Gooooo! Hwarrr-!
Dark red flames surged from Eljennie’s body.
Other heroes who saw it trembled.
“Everyone, retreat!”
“Mages and summoners, activate a barrier to stop Eljennie’s flames!”
The heroes moved in perfect order.
While most of the heroes present were fighting a Legion Commander for the first time, their movements were incredibly systematic.
No matter how renowned a hero listed in the Hero Records, fighting a Legion Commander is not common.
Moreover, surviving a battle with a Legion Commander is not easy.
That's why those who fought Legion Commanders always tried to record their experiences.
Heroes active on the Tartaros battlefield memorize information about Legion Commanders left by senior heroes, in case of an emergency.
The heroes here were thoroughly familiar with Eljennie’s combat strategy.
Except for one person.
Gale stared wide-eyed.
“What are you doing! Lunia El Lundia!”
While everyone else prepared for Eljennie’s attack, Lunia was approaching Eljennie.
As everyone thought it was an act of suicide, Lunia took a deep breath and raised her magic power.
Woong-!
A magic spell circle appeared on Lunia’s palm.
Lunia grasped the spell and unfolded it.
Hwarrr-!
Flames whirled above Lunia’s hand.
“Holy Flame.”
It was the flame passed down through the Lundia family.
The sacred flame of the Lundia family, which had burned away impurities for generations.
‘The Lundia family's will to purify evil, even if it means burning themselves.’
For that reason, the Holy Flame was a forbidden magic.
The Lundia family.
No, among the flames used by existing elves, it possessed the most powerful force, but it was also the most dangerous flame.
Even in the long history of the Lundia family, no one had ever perfectly controlled the Holy Flame.
‘Until now.’
Lunia smiled faintly.
Crimson flames enveloped Lunia, creating wings of fire.
Lunia’s hair, turned pure white, soared.
Lina, Lunia's sworn companion, transformed into flame and entered Lunia.
Gooooo-!
The flames engulfing Lunia burned even more fiercely.
Finally, Lunia completed her magic.
“Flame Emperor.”
The triple harmony of Lundia's flame, Phoenix's flame, and Luna's star flame.
Three flames blazed around Lunia.
Kwagagagak-!
Lunia swung her hand towards the dark red flames rushing towards her.
Kwagagagang-!
Flame met flame, and a pillar of fire surged.
Lunia clenched her fist, having neutralized Eljennie’s flames.
‘Is neutralizing all I can do!’
Lunia gritted her teeth.
What if it were Leo?
‘He would have overwhelmed it.’
Lunia took a deep breath, remembering his still distant back.
“How…!”
“Is this stage still too much for me?”
Gale, who had a shocked expression watching Lunia ask, arms crossed, stiffened his face.
“How did you do it?”
“I just stopped it. My flame is a flame made by Lady Luna. It makes no sense for it to be weaker than a Legion Commander's flame.”
Lunia said as if it was nothing.
But this process was by no means easy.
‘…It was a kind of awakening.’
The catalyst was the training camp during summer vacation.
Chosen by the Dragon Lord, Lunia was filled with hope.
But in the battle with Erebus, Lunia could do nothing.
She trembled at the helplessness of merely watching from afar.
It was the same for Ar.
‘After the training camp, that foolish cat and perverted dwarf had a good fight.’
Claiming to be the successor of a great hero, she could not be satisfied with her current state and immersed herself in training.
This was the result of that process.
‘Looking back now, it was all Leo's calculation.’
The possession, allowing the phoenix to dwell in her body, was also inspired by how Leo handled Fiora.
‘And also controlling flames.’
Lunia clenched her fist.
Now she understood.
‘It was because Leo was a great hero.’
Then she also understood with what kind of heart he had been watching her.
‘I thought I would follow Leo’s footsteps.’
The person she had chosen as her life’s goal.
‘That feeling hasn't changed even now.’
Whatever Leo's true identity, Lunia would follow him.
‘So I need to become stronger.’
Just blocking a Legion Commander's attack once is not enough.
‘I need to move further forward!’
The heroes stared at Lunia with blank faces.
Gale chuckled as if dumbfounded.
“Both Leo Flove… and you. Lumeren and Seirun are no joke these days, are they? The Azonia juniors will have to work harder.”
“Ar Tune is just as good as I am.”
“What?”
“If you rest on your laurels after making it onto the Hero Records, we'll quickly catch up to you, won't we?”
Lunia smiled.
Gale grinned, looking at Lunia.
“Hey, hey. Unlike those old farts, I'm still a spry 30-something. I can't be caught up by juniors so far below me already!”
“That arrogant punk.”
Several heroes glared at Gale.
The tense atmosphere relaxed for a moment.
“Let me introduce myself again. My name is Gale Ernedi. I'm called Stormblade. I’ll take care of the rear.”
Starting with Gale, the heroes introduced themselves to Lunia.
It meant that they no longer saw Lunia as a child unsuited for this place, but acknowledged her as an equal.
Lunia took a deep breath, looking at them.
“I am Lunia El Lundia. Please take care of me.”
Gooooooo-!
Once again, dark red flames surged.
The full-scale battle between the heroes and the Legion Commander began.
* * *
The streets were literally a festival.
Countless races were shouting cheers.
More grandly than ever before.
There was no worry or concern.
For today, everything was forgotten.
It had to be.
“Because today is the day of complete liberation.”
Lisinas smiled brightly.
“The complete subjugation of the Primordial Evil, the Flame of Destruction.”
Lisinas looked at Leo with a proud expression.
“This is the day you finally achieved the long-cherished wish you yearned for. Today, we gathered to celebrate your accomplishment.”
Leo was in the parade procession.
“…”
Leo silently watched the scene.
Receiving the welcome and blessings of countless crowds, Leo arrived at the central plaza of Lumeria City.
Luna, Arion, and Dweno stood there.
Leo, watching them, said.
“Why are you… in this era?”
At Leo’s question, Dweno crossed his arms.
“You're saying strange things. Didn't we all reincarnate together? To subjugate the Primordial Evil that we passed down to later generations.”
“Yes, that’s right. And so, we finally achieved complete peace!”
Arion burst into a bright smile.
Leo stared intensely at Luna.
“What? What are you looking at?”
Luna, with a sullen expression and crossed arms, sharply turned her head, and Dweno clicked his tongue, muttering softly, ‘So unforthcoming.’
Luna's eyes flashed with anger.
Amidst this, Lisinas said.
“It’s truly fortunate. To be able to be reborn together in the future.”
“…”
“It’s fortunate. That we can live in this world together.”
Leo looked up at the sky.
“You think so too, Kyle?”
Leo closed his eyes.
‘It's fake.’
That was the terrifying thing about the illusions the Mirror Queen possessed.
Even knowing it was fake, it was hard to escape easily.
Soon, one would forget it was fake and become immersed.
But even so, Leo did not succumb to the illusion.
Because the person the Mirror Queen remembered him as and the person he was now were completely different.
The Kyle of that time was someone who couldn't even properly see hope.
But…
This illusion pierced him to the bone.
‘How many times had I thought it?’
When he realized he had been reborn as Leo Flove.
Leo thought.
‘If I reincarnated, maybe the others did too.’
But in the end, he was the only one reborn into this world.
‘How wonderful would it have been if they had also been reborn.’
It was a wish that could never be granted.
The illusion before his eyes was too sweet.
“…”
Therefore, Leo turned his back.
“Kyle?”
Lisinas called out with bewildered eyes.
But Leo walked away without hesitation.
And he reached out his hand towards the empty air.
Squeeze! Crackle-!
A crack appeared in the empty air.
“Gasp?!”
A pained groan erupted.
“Wh-… why?”
Kaneshi wore an expression of disbelief.
“This illusion… it must be your most desired dream, no? Why?”
“Because it’s a dream that cannot be fulfilled.”
Leo said sharply.
Kaneshi’s face twisted.
“In this world, you won’t suffer. You would peacefully draw your last breath, so why are you trying to go to hell?”
“There’s something I want to see.”
Leo smiled.
“I'm curious how those guys will grow.”
He thought of the hero candidates living in the same era as him.
The children he acknowledged and whose path he had shown.
Future comrades with whom he had laughed and spent time.
Leo wanted to see their future.
“I'm curious what kind of adults they'll grow into.”
Leo smiled gently.
“And one more thing.”
Grip-!
Leo’s hand tightened around Kaneshi’s nape.
In response, more cracks appeared on Kaneshi’s body.
“I’m not trying to subjugate Erebus simply to save the world.”
Whoosh-!
Leo pulled Kaneshi close to his face.
“You're mistaken. You're not the only ones who hate me.”
Leo’s eyes burned with vengeance.
“Erebus who killed my friends, and all of you Tartaros. I’m going to wipe you out because I won’t be satisfied until you're erased from this world.”
His heart might indeed be nothing but ashes.
But even in that ashen heart, there were precious things.
Not for the world.
Certainly not for a greater cause.
Revenge for what was taken.
Flash-
A spark ignites in Leo's heart.
Crackle-!
The world cracks.
Shatter-!
The world goes dark as if a mirror has broken.
Leo glanced at the crumbling world, then walked into the darkness without regret, muttering.
“There’s still a long way to go before I can rest peacefully.”
Beyond the darkness.
Though unseen, where Leo was heading was a certain future.