Book 1 Chapter 510
510.
“Huuup!”
Meterrar shouted a battle cry and quickly approached Mel.
A black shimmer rose around Mel.
Squish-!
The shimmer entangled Meterrar’s body like threads.
Kugugugugung-!
At that moment, Meterrar’s soles dug into the ground.
Meterrar’s eyes twitched.
“Gravity magic.”
His eyes turned to Mel.
“Trying to buy time, I see.”
Meterrar, a seasoned knight, easily understood Mel’s intention.
This was Lumern.
And as the former headmaster, he knew Lumern’s strength well.
Among the students, there were already those with strength comparable to heroes.
That wasn't all.
The professors who taught those students.
They were either listed in the Hero Record or possessed power equal to heroes, even if not listed.
Hero academies weren’t just randomly one of the powerful forces that suppressed Tartarus for nothing.
“How shallow.”
Meterrar curled up the corner of his mouth.
“You should know better than anyone that we are not ordinary heroes, right?”
Gooooooo-!
Dark blue aura emanated from his body.
The aura soon turned into sharp sword energy, scattering in all directions.
It was when Meterrar, having forcibly dispelled the magic, was about to charge at Mel.
Jjeojeojeojeojeojeojeok-!
The floor began to freeze with an ominous sound.
Meterrar’s eyes twitched, then he leaped high.
Thump-!
Saaaaaaaah-!
The floor froze, and a powerful cold current scattered.
Meterrar’s gaze turned to one side.
“Hoh, she’s only a second-year but using powerful magic.”
Clank-!
Chloe lifted the staff she had planted in the ground.
Then, thin ice fell from her body.
Ice World.
Her unique magic had threatened a hero whose name had been known in the previous generation.
‘A pure mage, indeed. Mages who use this level of ice magic are rare, and at this age?’
The power of magic is not combat power.
No matter how powerful the magic, they are helpless if distance is allowed.
But even so, the magic she used at this age was extraordinary.
‘A second-year using fifth-year level magic.’
“The Knight Department will have to step up.”
The moment Meterrar muttered quietly and swung his sword at Chloe.
Kwagagagagagang-! Pajiijijijik-!
Golden aura blocked Meterrar’s sword.
Meterrar’s eyes twitched as he looked at the young knight who stood in front of him.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Duran’s golden eyes flashed.
“Undead don’t need to worry about the Knight Department.”
‘This guy is also a second-year?’
Meterrar frowned, looking at Duran who blocked his sword, even if it was a single strike.
A second-year blocking his sword, which was outstanding even among heroes.
“I’ll compliment you. For blocking my sword, even if it was for a fleeting moment.”
Meterrar put strength into his hand.
“But it’s reckless. Blame your foolishness and die.”
The moment his sword was about to change, a small shadow burrowed into his embrace.
Kwaaang-!
With a loud crash, Meterrar’s body floated in the air.
Thwack-!
Meterrar, who was bounced back, landed on the ground and looked at the girl who had sent him flying.
Chen Sia, using water aura, attacked Meterrar directly, having merged her aura with Duran’s with an expressionless face.
“Another second-year?”
Meterrar twisted his face and was about to subdue Chen Sia and Duran when.
Kukugugugugung! Hwarurururuk-!
A huge pillar of flame poured down from the sky.
Celia, who had maximized the power of her flames with Abbad’s magic, had delivered a blow.
Meterrar’s face gradually hardened.
‘Another second-year?’
Students with power far beyond second-year level appeared one after another.
‘Even so, there are only two vanguards. I can easily subdue them…’
Two people grabbing his ankles.
The moment he thought he could easily neutralize them if he only subdued Duran and Chen Sia.
A massive rock flew at an incredible speed and slammed into Meterrar.
Kwaaang-!
With a dizzying force, Meterrar twisted his face as he looked at the large-bodied boy, Wareden, who had attacked him.
‘Another second-year!’
Just as he was about to counterattack.
A small mage girl and an elf magic swordsman girl interrupted between Wareden and Meterrar, hindering him.
“Lord Wareden, that’s amazing!”
“How barbaric.”
Eiran shouted in admiration, while Chelsea stuck out her tongue as if disgusted.
Chelsea used wind magic to assist Wareden and Eiran’s movements.
It was then.
‘Their movements are systematic. Who is commanding them? Is it the Dragon Lord?’
His skill was one thing, but he was repeatedly caught off guard by the formation set up to counter him.
There was definitely someone who watched his movements and predicted the next attack.
‘And these youngsters’ movements are precise. I can only assume it’s the Dragon Lord’s command…’
“Aaaaargh! What do you mean by flying strangely all of a sudden!”
“Shut up! Who said you could touch strange places! I’ll kill you later… no, should I kill you now! Karl Thomas!”
“That’s because you’re being so harsh! This is beyond my control!”
Karl’s pained scream and Eliza’s furious voice echoed in the sky.
“Excellent, everyone.”
Mel smiled brightly, looking at the second-years.
“What are these?”
Meterrar asked Mel.
Mel shrugged at the question.
“They are the future.”
“The future?”
“Yes. The future that will carry this world forward.”
At those words, Meterrar scoffed.
“Did you deceive these children with sweet words as well? What words did you use? Did you tell them they could save the world? Hahahaha. Like us? Hahahahahahaha!”
Meterrar burst into laughter and pointed at Mel with his hand.
“Foolish students of Lumern. I will tell you the truth. I don’t know what you heard from this Dragon Lord, but you can never save the world. No, rather, you will be abandoned by this dragon!”
His eyes gleamed with hostility.
“You will not be given the opportunity to challenge the Genesis!”
Celia frowned upon hearing those words.
“Genesis? What on earth is that?”
“Isn’t it related to the Hero of Genesis?”
At Chen Sia’s reply, Chelsea put her hands on her waist.
“No, anyway, ‘abandoned’ and all that. Isn’t the former traitor headmaster's persecution complex just immense?”
“This is the first I’ve heard that Professor Mel is the Dragon Lord.”
Chloe made a puzzled expression.
“What did you say?”
Meterrar showed a bewildered expression at the second-years’ confused reaction.
“There’s no need to listen to a defector who sold his soul to Tartarus.”
Abbad said with a laugh.
“We don’t need anything else. Just defeat him.”
Wareden revealed his fighting spirit and clenched his fist.
Kugugugugung-!
The earth shook by the great earth spirit he contracted.
“You are reliable, everyone.”
Mel smiled gently at the second-years, then stood in front of Meterrar.
“I have never abandoned you. You merely went astray.”
Mel put on a cold expression.
“Even I don’t know what will become of these children. But one thing is certain: it’s arrogant to assume these children won’t succeed just because you failed. And crucially.”
Mel paused, then turned to the second-years and said.
“It wasn’t me who chose these children as the future of the world.”
“What did you say?”
“It was a great being far above me.”
Mel pointed to the sky with her finger and smiled faintly.
“Are you saying it’s a god?”
“Hmm… in some sense, it might be similar. Because it is the one who gifted us the current world.”
“Nonsense.”
Meterrar’s face twisted.
Ignoring him, Mel said.
“By the way, it’s a pity.”
Mel sighed softly and raised her hand.
“Not only did the hero I chose in the past fall and sell his soul to the Lich King… but he can only play the role of a mere pawn to buy time.”
“What?”
“The Lich King won’t invade Lumern.”
Mel’s eyes narrowed.
The undead, who were heroes in the past, and countless demons were invading Lumern.
That was clearly the Lich King’s legion.
‘But it’s only a fraction.’
Mel had been silent for a long time, earning the title of the Silent Dragon, but she had never simply turned away from the world.
In that silence, she had served as a huge deterrent to Tartarus.
Mel, who had endlessly fought the Lich King in unseen places, recognized it at a glance.
‘This is merely a tactic to buy time, to tie down my power and Lumern’s. The real target… must be Lord Leo in Lumeria City.’
If so, Leo might be in danger.
The Lich King was not one to launch such an operation unless victory was certain.
‘…It’s not just the authority that was enhanced by the fragment of Erebus. His power has also grown stronger.’
Even though the Lich King’s main body wasn’t here, it wasn’t easy to break the curse of severance he had cast.
Mel clenched her fist.
‘But now, we have an unexpected variable that even the Lich King didn’t consider.’
Mel clenched her fist.
‘Lady Luna.’
***
Crack-!
The Lich King narrowed his eyes, seeing the air crack as if a mirror was breaking.
“Indeed, the Mirror Queen’s ability doesn’t work on the ‘Surviving Hero’ of today.”
Even if his authority was enhanced by the power of Erebus’s fragment, he couldn’t revive the old legion commanders indefinitely.
He could only revive one legion commander.
‘And all the legion commanders would escape my control.’
The grievances of the dead legion commanders ran deep.
As such, it was clear that the moment they were revived, they would lose their reason, rampage, and attack the world.
The Lich King was not pleased with that.
No matter how overwhelmingly strong he was, attacking outside of Tartarus’s domain in an era with numerous heroes was suicidal.
‘They would suffer considerable damage, but… we would also suffer significant damage.’
In such a situation, he had revived the Mirror Queen, who could control her reason and had inflicted immense damage on the ancient great heroes.
Of course, the Lich King knew that the Mirror Queen’s ability wouldn’t work on the current Leo.
In the past, the Mirror Queen had been defeated by Luna in vain.
‘And the Surviving Hero has overcome countless trials. It would be strange if the Mirror Queen’s ability inflicted immense damage on him, who even defeated a god.’
Crack-crack-crack-!
More cracks appeared in the air.
‘But even so, he will definitely suffer mental damage.’
The Mirror Queen’s illusion was insidious.
Overcome one illusion, and another appears.
It couldn’t break his mind, but it could inflict a powerful blow.
‘Even in a weakened state, can the Surviving Hero really stop me?’
It didn’t matter if he couldn’t be defeated.
‘I’ve been thinking for a long time about how the Surviving Hero could defeat Lord Erebus.’
In a desperate situation, the Surviving Hero defeated a god alone.
Not simply by inheriting all the power of other great heroes.
Nor by other comrades inflicting damage on Erebus.
‘After long thought, I realized that his mental strength surpassed the will of a god.’
Therefore, it was necessary to create a crack in that mental strength.
The Lich King’s goal was ultimately to wear down Leo’s mental strength.
‘I pray that you suffer, Surviving Hero.’
The Lich King curled up the corner of his mouth.
Then he looked at the people of Lumeria City who were evacuating.
“There are some things that cannot be protected.”
Ziiiiiing-!
A summoning circle unfolded in the air, and legions of undead began to pour out.
“I wonder how many people will die until you subdue the Mirror Queen and come out.”