Book 1 Chapter 523

Mel, investigating the Hero Dungeon, showed a surprised expression as Demian appeared before her.

'How is Lord Demian in the mortal realm? No, more importantly, why is he attacking us?'

The people of the world believe the heroes of the Great Opening died 3,000 years ago.

However, Mel knows well that they have been continuing their struggle in the heroes' world for the vast expanse of 3,000 years.

Melina had actually met Demian in the world of the Great Opening.

Although they had never actually spoken, Demian had clearly seen Mel.

And it was impossible for someone of Demian's caliber to not recognize Mel.

Mel hurriedly stepped forward.

"Lord Demian! There is no reason for you to fight us…!"

*Squeeze-*!

As Mel spoke urgently, she saw veins bulge in Demian's hand gripping a colossal axe.

'He's coming…!'

Mel quickly unleashed her magic.

*Kwakagagagagagang-!*

The Battle Axe swung.

Dark aura surged like a tidal wave, engulfing Mel and the heroes.

The earth split and trembled.

As the heroes were astonished by the awe-inspiring sight.

*Kwagagagagang-!*

A barrier of dark magic blocked Demian's attack.

All eyes turned to Mel.

"That's the power of the King of Wisdom…!"

"Amazing."

Mel being the Dragon Lord was already an open secret.

Everyone's jaws dropped.

Normally, Mel would have said something to the effect of "What are you talking about?", but she had no time now.

Cold sweat trickled down Mel's forehead.

'As expected, he's strong.'

Taking a deep breath, Mel raised her hand.

*Flash-!*

Shadows rose from the ground, enveloping Demian.

*Kugugung-! Thump!*

Demian's knees buckled as his limbs were restrained.

As Mel clenched her fist, the pressure on Demian intensified.

'I'm sorry, Lord Demian.'

As she apologized to Demian in her heart.

*Flash-!*

A golden glint flashed in Demian's eyes.

*Go go go go go!*

The dark aura transformed into a golden aura that seemed to burn.

Seeing Demian, whose entire body emanated golden light, Mel gritted her teeth.

'Lord Dwenow's power!'

Demian was the conqueror of Lord Dwenow's world.

As such, he was also the inheritor of Lord Dwenow's power.

*Pududuk-!*

Demian grabbed the magic restraining him from Mel.

Then, an unusual sound came from Mel's hand.

Mel gritted her teeth and put more force into it.

*Swak-!*

The force restraining Demian grew stronger.

Accordingly, Demian's power also grew stronger.

*Udeuk-! Udeudeuk-!*

An unusual sound emanated from Mel's hand, which was connected to the magic.

Mel, being a magic-specialized dragon, could not wield aura.

However, even so, she was a dragon.

The most powerful race in the world, their physical strength far surpassed ordinary people's common sense.

Mel was the Dragon Lord, possessing the strongest power among them.

Few beings in this world could surpass Mel in pure physical strength.

And the magic Mel used was the Shadow Prison.

It was magic created by Lisinas, and not only magic power but also physical strength influenced the spell's power.

In other words, the stronger the strength, the more exponentially the power increased.

Despite her overwhelming magic power and physical strength as the Dragon Lord, Demian broke through Mel's magic with pure physical strength.

*Swak-!*

"Ugh?!"

Mel clenched her hand and stepped back.

Her finger bones were crushed by the backlash of the destroyed Shadow Prison.

Mel unleashed her magic once more.

Demian charged towards Mel.

At that moment.

*Flash-! Kwagagagagang-!*

A white lightning bolt fell from the sky.

*Pajijik- Pajik- Pajik-!*

There was Leo, riding a Pegasus.

Leo looked down at Kai and Eliza riding on his back.

Then he looked at Mel.

When Leo's eyes met Mel's, she nodded slightly and said,

"Everyone, step back. I will seal off this entire area to prevent further damage."

"It's too reckless to try to stop Lord Demian alone!"

"Other heroes and professors will arrive soon. If we stop Lord Demian together…"

"We can't face him when we don't know his exact condition. The only certainty is that he is fighting us right now."

Mel said calmly.

"He is not only the successor of Lord Dwenow, the blacksmith of the gods, but he also defeated the fragment of Erebus resurrected 3,000 years ago. It's impossible for the heroes currently in Lumern to face someone with power that overwhelms even a Legion Commander. The casualties could be immense. So, I will try to stop him."

"But alone…"

"Not alone. Student Leo will help me. As the sworn ally of Pegasus, he will be a great help."

The other heroes couldn't argue with Mel's words.

"Student Leo. Please."

"Yes."

Hearing Leo's reply, Mel smiled faintly and raised her hand.

*Suseuseuseuseu-!*

Dark magic surged from her body.

It was none other than Lisinas's power.

The dark magic flowing from Mel's body rose high and formed a giant dome-shaped sphere.

Magic to isolate the outside from the inside.

The outside could no longer see what was happening inside.

Inside, only Leo, Mel, and Demian stood facing each other.

"Now then."

Leo turned his gaze towards Demian.

"I'll ask just one thing: What are you?"

In response to Leo's question, Demian lowered his stance and assumed a charging posture.

Seeing Demian like that, Leo narrowed his eyes.

He sensed some power emanating from Demian.

'Divine power?'

When Leo briefly brought Seirun to the mortal realm before, divine power was not needed.

Unlike Luna and Aron, the heroes of the Great Opening were living beings.

In other words, it wasn't a record from the heroes' world.

Therefore, opening the gate and bringing them out was possible with Leo's authority.

But from the current Demian, divine power was emanating.

'It's strange to think he came to the mortal realm using divine power. The heroes of the Great Opening have no means to obtain divine power currently. Even if they did, they wouldn't be able to use it.'

"Hmm."

Leo let out a light exhale.

Meanwhile, Demian lowered his stance.

Seeing Demian like that, Leo opened a spatial rift.

'Shall I test it once?'

*Kwaak-!*

Demian readjusted his grip on the Battle Axe and charged.

Leo put his hand into the spatial rift and pulled out a colossal Battle Axe.

*Kagagagagagak-!*

He swung the Battle Axe held in both hands from bottom to top.

A sweeping attack that scraped the ground.

*Jjeok-!*

The axe blades crossed.

A clash of immense power against power.

For an instant, the space where their weapons crossed distorted.

And then…

*Kwagagagagagagagagang!*

The ground where Leo and Demian stood sank as if a meteor had fallen.

*Pajijik- Pajadeuduk-!*

At that moment, cracks began to form on both axe blades.

*Pogeok-!*

Unable to withstand their strength, the weapons shattered.

The compressed aura exploded, and Leo was blown away.

*Thump! Thump! Thud-! Charyureuk!*

Leo rolled several times on the ground as if bounced.

Leo, scattering the impact with a breakfall, steadied himself.

He was pushed back while standing, unable to withstand the force.

Looking at his tingling hands, Leo burst into laughter.

"As expected, a successor of Dwenow, is it?"

Mel hurriedly asked Leo, who was shaking his hands.

"Lord Leo, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. In terms of pure physical strength, that guy seems to be stronger than me."

Leo said, flexing his fingers.

"The 'real' one is probably much stronger than this."

"So he's not the real one?"

"Correct."

Mel had also vaguely suspected it.

"He's a fake created from the records of the Hero Record. He has no consciousness. Only the instinct to fight exists."

"How is that possible?"

"Who knows. It might be an anomaly in the Hero Record. In any case, if left unchecked, it's a disaster. We must defeat him now."

Leo approached Demian, who was made of divine power.

'Why would something like this suddenly appear? Could it be that there's been an anomaly in the Hero Record?'

Despite his doubts, Leo focused on Demian.

'If I let my guard down, I'll be defeated.'

Even though he was a fake, he was incomparably stronger than the Knight of the Underworld he had defeated before.

Leo clenched his fist.

"You said you were Dwenow's successor?"

Golden flames surged around Leo's body.

It was Dwenow's aura.

"Let's see how tough you are."

In response to Leo's power, Demian also unleashed Dwenow's power and took a fighting stance.

If there are no weapons, then with fists.

That was Dwenow's way of fighting.

*Swak-!*

Leo charged at Demian and threw a punch.

*Ppeogeok-!*

Demian's head snapped back from Leo's powerful blow.

But without hesitation, he landed an equally powerful blow to Leo's face.

Leo casually snapped his neck.

"As expected. You're tough, aren't you? Whose 'defense' is tougher?"

*Ppeogeok-!*

The fearsome fistfight between the Great Hero and the Hero of the Great Opening began.

*Kwang! Kwagwagg-!*

Terrifying roars echoed.

If another hero were hit, each punch contained enough power to obliterate them.

*Ppejeok-!*

As their fists exchanged blows, cracks appeared in Demian's aura.

At that moment, Demian's movements stopped abruptly.

Leo, without hesitation, drove his fist into Demian's abdomen.

*Kwaaaang-!*

Demian's body floated up and then crashed to the ground.

"I don't like this kind of brute-force fighting."

Leo wiped the blood flowing from his lips and spat out the blood in his mouth.

Dwenow enjoyed this kind of hand-to-hand combat.

In terms of pure physical ability, Aron was the strongest among the Great Heroes.

But in this kind of fistfight, no one could match Dwenow.

"That old man. He was unnecessarily tough."

'Clash of physique and physique! Dialogue of the body! Fistfight is also a form of art!'

Of course, that toughness was also part of that incomprehensible artistic spirit.

Remembering Dwenow, Leo was wary of Demian.

'He's not down yet.'

The difficulty in this kind of fight is that it's hard to land fatal blows on each other.

Especially someone like Demian would surely get up and attack again immediately.

'He's that sturdy. If it becomes a long fight, I might be at a disadvantage.'

If Leo used weapons, magic, or summoning, the fight would end much sooner.

And he could gain a much more advantageous position.

Yet, Leo insisted on the fight that Demian seemed to enjoy.

This was also Dwenow's favorite way of fighting.

'He's testing me.'

Mel realized this as she watched Leo.

Even if it's a fake, Demian's power isn't fake.

Perhaps one day, he might meet other Great Heroes again.

It was highly likely that he would meet the heroes of the Great Opening in the near future.

In preparation for that time, Leo wanted to know what kind of people the heroes of the Great Opening, called successors of his friends, were.

In order to tell the Great Heroes he would meet again about their successors.

To acknowledge the successors on behalf of his friends to the heroes of the Great Opening he would meet.

'Rodia and Seirun were fully qualified. Lisinas and Luna would be happy seeing those two. Demian. It seems you are the same.'

Just as Leo clenched his fist with a smile.

*Jijijik-! Jijik-!*

For a moment, Demian's body began to blur.

Seeing that, Leo paused.

Then, Demian's form, which had been repeating appearances and disappearances, changed.

Demian's appearance was nowhere to be seen.

Standing there was a dog-like beastwoman wearing a silver wolf fur.

*Cheongrang- Cheongrang-*

She wore short leather pants that exposed her legs.

Her top was also a revealing leather armor that exposed her shoulders, abdomen, and waist.

Loop-shaped bracelets and anklets made sounds as she moved.

An outfit unsuitable for combat.

But she was enveloped in a murderous aura like armor.

It was an outfit that suggested an intention to break through the battlefield with bare hands.

Leo narrowed his eyes.

"Great Warrior."

Azenia smirked towards Leo.

Seeing that, Leo realized.

"Indeed. It's not just me who's testing people."

Leo knew of beings who enjoyed testing people in this manner.

He had read about them in ancient texts.

Not while alive, but before dying.

"A god."