Book 1 Chapter 585

After the flames of Erebus appeared in Lumerne's world.

Rodia was heading somewhere urgently with Kal.

"Rodia-nim! There's another black flame ahead!"

"Damn it!"

Rodia spat out a curse.

Rodia couldn't see the black flames.

They were flames only visible to the Conqueror.

But even though they couldn't be seen, Erebus's flames had clearly struck the characters within the Hero's World.

"Aaaargh!"

"S-save me!"

People from the Hero's World, passing by, screamed without knowing why.

Seeing this, Kal bit his lip tightly.

To Rodia, they looked like they were suddenly screaming and turning to ashes.

But to Kal's eyes, they clearly appeared to be burning and disappearing. They looked like they were suddenly screaming, and to Kal's eyes, they seemed to be burning and disappearing in the black flames.

Kal bit his lip tightly.

"Don't weaken, Kal Thomas!"

Rodia shouted at Kal.

"They're not real! In actual history, they didn't meet such an end… Kugh!"

Rodia clutched her head.

It was due to the shock of her ego being destroyed once again.

The Hero's World tried to consume her ego every time Rodia realized she was fake.

"I know."

Kal said firmly, supporting the swaying Rodia.

"Finding Lumerne-nim is the priority right now."

"…Yes."

Rodia regained her balance and took a deep breath.

"Right now, I'm like a blind person with my eyes open. So, will you be my eyes again, like a moment ago?"

"Yes. I just thought of a good way."

Kal grinned and evoked his magic.

Fwoosh-!

Then, flames appeared before Rodia's eyes.

Seeing that, Rodia made a surprised expression.

"This is?"

"It's illusion magic."

Kal said, glaring ahead.

"It's an exact replica of the black flames I see before my eyes."

Rodia marveled at Kal's words.

"You're quick-witted, aren't you?"

"I'm great at thinking on my feet!"

Kal grinned.

'It doesn't seem like just quick thinking.'

In this urgent situation, she perfectly supported Rodia.

Of course, the illusion unfolding before her eyes was crude from Rodia's perspective.

It was merely overlaying the scene visible to Kal.

But…

'To reflect the unfolding scene in the illusion in real-time is impossible without incredible observation skills.'

Furthermore, when fighting against the black flames earlier, she gave perfect instructions to Rodia, who couldn't see them, and overcame the situation.

'Excellent command ability.'

She was outstanding at reading the flow of battle and commanding.

'He's still just a young boy.'

Although his talent as a mage was lacking, he showed potential.

Rodia, who extinguished all the black flames with Kal's support, withdrew her magic and said,

"In the future, children like you will also ascend to the position of heroes, won't they?"

"Kek? Rodia-nim, that question…"

"It doesn't matter."

Rodia's eyes momentarily blurred.

Her head throbbed painfully, but she didn't care.

At Rodia's question, Kal paused and scratched his cheek.

"No."

"What?"

"It's the same in the future. Only those with the power to achieve great deeds can become heroes."

To Kal's answer, Rodia smiled wryly.

"Indeed… The gods' tastes don't change easily."

Rodia looked disappointed.

"I hoped that many people would bloom their potential through the Hero's World."

"Ah, I did receive a lot of help from it."

Kal raised his thumb.

"If it weren't for the Hero's World, I wouldn't even have been able to attend Lumerne for two years. It's all thanks to Rodia-nim. I'm grateful every day!"

Rodia burst into laughter at Kal's cheerful reaction.

"By the way, did you know about the gods?"

When Rodia heard that Lumerne had gone to find a god, she had a place in mind.

Rodia answered while walking briskly.

"I didn't know. However, I knew there was something at the center of the world, meaning underground Lumerne. That's why Lumerne gathered us in the first place."

"So if there is a god, it's in underground Lumerne."

"That's right. Before the Age of Disaster, the ruins of the Age of Gods lie dormant in underground Lumerne. If there is a god, it's only there. The place we're heading to now is the entrance to those ruins."

Arriving underground through the hidden passage, Kal witnessed a massive, open entrance.

Seeing that, Rodia looked bewildered.

"It's open?"

"Was it originally closed?"

"Yes. It couldn't be opened by any means."

"…Let's go in for now."

The two walked into the shrine.

Not knowing what obstacles they might encounter, they moved with maximum vigilance.

However, their efforts were in vain as they reached what appeared to be the innermost center of the shrine without much difficulty.

And even the door at the center was wide open.

Beyond the door lay a long corridor.

Upon reaching the end of the corridor, there was a tightly closed gray door.

"What… what is beyond here?"

Rodia pushed the gray door with a tense expression.

Creak-

The door opened smoothly.

What unfolded was an unknown space with countless bookshelves stretching infinitely.

"Where is this?"

Rodia and Kal looked bewildered.

"I'm having many rare experiences today."

A beautiful being, whose gender was unclear, with gray hair and eyes, walked towards them.

"A person materialized by the Record System and a Conqueror together seek me… It's a shame all of this is a lie."

"Rian-nim!"

"Hm? You know me?"

When Kal spoke his name, Rian tilted his head, then showed a bored expression.

At that sight, Kal felt a strange sense of otherness.

'Rian-nim in the restroom, I felt… kind.'

While the real Rian felt familiar, Rian in the Hero's World was completely different.

Looking at Kal with dull eyes, as if he were looking at a stone on the roadside.

"You are the god. You've really survived… Kugh!"

Rodia covered her face.

Seeing Rodia like that, Rian stroked his chin.

"Hoh? Maintaining sanity by destroying your own ego? Truly a Dragon of the Great Opening, worthy of a hero who saved the world."

Rian exclaimed "Hoh- hoh-" in admiration.

"You came to find Lumerne, didn't you? Unfortunately. Lumerne was just fending off that monstrosity here a moment ago, but."

Rian pointed his finger at the ceiling.

"Now, chasing the escaped monstrosity, he has headed to the surface."

Having said that much, Rian seemed to lose interest and returned to his chair in the library, slumping down.

"Well, now that all your questions are answered, will you leave?"

Kal asked Rian.

"I have a question. Rodia-nim has been experiencing ego dissolution since the moment she realized this was the Hero's World, so why are you, Rian-nim, fine?"

"Why should I answer? What benefit do I get from answering that?"

'This god. He's more fickle than I thought.'

It was a stark contrast to the future Rian, who would answer any question.

'If this is his original personality… does he only become interested in things that seem interesting to him?'

Thinking that, Kal said,

"You looked at Rodia-nim with great interest a moment ago. Isn't that enough of a reward?"

"So, you're asking for an answer because this phenomenon gave you enough amusement? How presumptuous."

Rian looked at Kal as if he were foolish, then answered irritably.

"It's simple. The Hero Record is an artifact made by a god. As such, the system cannot intervene with beings comparable to gods."

Rian had a haughty expression.

"Although I am a fake materialized by the power of the Hero Record, I am a being comparable to a god, so I cannot be classified as an error."

"What about the Great Heroes?"

"Hoh? Have there been cases where Great Heroes perceived Conquerors as anomalous beings? That's peculiar."

Rian looked intrigued.

"The Great Heroes are special. They are the masters of the Hero Record. Of course, the conditions for the world to be maintained while acknowledging the existence of a Conqueror are stringent. The Great Heroes themselves must recognize the Conqueror's existence on their own."

Kal, who had heard from Leo that Dweino knew his identity when conquering Dweino's world, nodded.

"Now, are all your questions answered? I believe I have sufficiently repaid you for the enjoyment you gave me."

Rian waved his hands dismissively.

"Now, it's annoying, so leave. Don't steal my time any longer."

"…Don't you have an abundance of time?"

"Can't you see I'm making a statue of Kai-nim right now?"

Rian showed the gemstone statue he was carving and said.

"Go help Lumerne and deal with that monstrosity."

"Can't you tell me about Erebus's weakness?"

"It's annoying. When seeking knowledge from a god, a worthy offering is required."

Rian looked at Kal irritably.

"Can an ordinary human like you afford to pay the price for seeking wisdom from a god?"

Kal fell into thought, seeing Rian openly mocking him.

Rodia said to Kal,

"Kal. We can't get any more wisdom from this god. So let's go help Lumerne."

"Even if you have the Pure Mana attribute, you can't stop Erebus."

Kal looked at Rian.

"And this god definitely knows how to stop those black flames."

At that, Rian's lips curled up.

"A quick-witted human."

"If you know that fact, why don't you tell us?"

As Rodia's face hardened, Rian answered as if asking the obvious.

"Because it's fun."

Watching Rian chuckle, Rodia looked dumbfounded.

"In any case, this world is fake. Even if I burn and disappear, I won't die."

Rian had a haughty expression.

"Managing Hero Records for thousands of years has been incredibly boring. For me, Lumerne and the monstrosity's struggle is an unparalleled amusement."

"Ah, I see."

Rodia smiled and started to approach Rian.

Kal, horrified, clung to Rodia's arm.

"R-Rodia-nim. Calm down. Calm down."

"Let go! God or whatever, I'm going to smash you to pieces!"

Rodia's eyes flashed menacingly.

Rian merely yawned lazily at Rodia's reaction.

"I! I'll try to persuade him!"

At Kal's words, Rodia backed away, huffing.

"That was a boring farce."

Kal said to Rian, who wore a bored expression.

"If I provide satisfactory interest and fun, you'll tell me Erebus's weakness, right?"

"Can someone like you, a mere mortal, provide interest and fun to me, who knows everything in the world?"

"In the future, the Hero of the Beginning will be reincarnated."

"…"

Rodia looked dumbfounded.

Rian chuckled.

"You have a rich imagination. To spin such absurd tales."

Then he looked directly into Kal's eyes.

After a moment, Rian, who had been staring into Kal's unwavering eyes, stood up.

And then he said,

"Sit."

"Yes?"

"No, please sit. Please sit down."

Kal awkwardly sat in the seat Rian had been occupying.

Rian, kneeling before him, looked up at Kal.

"May I sit here?"

"Of course! It's absurd for someone like me to sit comfortably while listening to a distinguished guest who has come to convey the words of Kai-nim, sit on the floor! So! I am now ready to listen. Kal-nim. So? What did the Hero of the Beginning, who is greater and more noble than a god, say? Reincarnated? Please tell me quickly. Yes? Yes? Yes?"