Book 1 Chapter 613

613.

Late at night.

Chelsea looked at the Tongkon royal palace with uneasy eyes.

Even though a long time had passed, there was no news from Leo and Celia.

'They said the flow of time can be different in the Spirit Realm.'

About half a day had passed since Leo entered the royal palace.

But Chelsea felt anxious.

It wasn't that she was worried about Leo.

No matter what anyone said, Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings.

Even if he had invaded the Spirit Realm, Leo would be able to get through it.

The problem was the news that had come from Lodren.

'Who on earth would do such a thing?'

Chelsea bit her lip.

Even the news of Torua losing consciousness and Reina's abduction.

Chelsea was worried about Leo's reaction when he heard this news.

'How could such a thing happen in the middle of Gerdinger's territory?'

Where Torua was, was a battlefield with rebels.

But where Reina was, was different.

A city that boasted security comparable to the imperial capital.

A major incident that occurred in Peion.

Furthermore, the target was none other than Reina.

She was no longer a direct descendant of Gerdinger, nor was she a major figure.

Just the lady of the house of a noble family in a remote kingdom.

There was only one special thing about such a Reina.

That she was Leo's mother.

It was easy to tell who they were targeting by abducting Reina.

'Are they traitors?'

Chelsea recalled the Hero Hunters.

'Or another enemy from within?'

It was when Chelsea clenched her fist.

Shhhhhh-

The winter wind blew.

At that moment, Chelsea's eyes sharpened.

Whoosh-!

Chelsea, pulling out her staff, turned around and chanted a spell.

Sharp blades of wind enveloped the person approaching Chelsea.

"Wow, Chloe too. Are you really students who are about to become third-years?"

The opponent exclaimed.

"Anyas Beggs?"

The daughter of the Northern Magic Tower Lord, whom she didn't know personally but had seen a few times before.

Chelsea looked a little bewildered seeing the half-elf Anyas.

She was a person who shouldn't be here.

Seeing Chelsea, Anyas spoke.

"I came to deliver a message to Lord Leo. But since he's absent right now, I'll tell you."

"Why are you telling me?"

"Because Lord Leo told me to relay it to Miss Lwallyn if he was absent."

Anyas's eyes curved.

Seeing Anyas like that, Chelsea remembered someone.

'My aunt?'

The head librarian of the Imperial Magic Archive and the younger sister of the current Lwallyn family head.

Cherna Lwallyn.

Of course, that was her public identity, but in reality, she was the one who led the shadows of the Lwallyn family.

In other words, she was Lwallyn's shadow.

Chelsea didn't know that fact.

But for some reason, she felt an aura from Anyas that reminded her of her aunt.

Chelsea, who had been briefly thinking of Cherna, shook off her thoughts and asked.

"What is the message?"

"It's the identity of the person who abducted Lady Reina and those involved in the incident."

"Who is it?"

Chelsea's face hardened.

Seeing Chelsea, Anyas spoke.

"It's the Hero Slayer. And those suspected of being collaborators in that incident are……"

Anyas's voice trailed off, then she sighed.

"The Gerdinger Elder Council."

At those words, Chelsea's eyes widened.

It was then.

Rummmble-

The royal palace began to shake.

Chelsea and Anyas, both with startled eyes, turned their heads towards the royal palace.

***

Whoosh-!

Leo dodged the flickering blue flames in front of his eyes.

'The power of the Spirit of Purification.'

Celia was definitely enhanced in all aspects.

Not only the firepower of the flames, but also her strength and speed.

Crash-!

As Celia struck the ground with her sword, a massive tide of flames engulfed them.

Leo dodged it and then spoke.

"But you've only gotten stronger."

On the contrary, her swordsmanship had regressed.

It couldn't be helped.

What need did a spirit have to practice swordsmanship?

Simply wielding a sword.

"In fact, you're far short of the original Celia."

Whoosh-

Leo, with an indifferent expression, dodged Celia's sword that was trying to cut off his head.

And…

Thump-!

"Gasp?!"

He unleashed an uppercut on Celia's stomach.

Whishhhh! Kwa-ga-ga-gang-!

Celia flew straight back and slammed into the royal palace wall.

But Celia, protected by Spirit Armored, seemed unharmed and sprang back to her feet.

The gorgeous red dress emitted even more powerful flames.

Seeing Celia rush at him, emitting flames even more powerful than before, Leo clenched and unclenched his fists.

Then he slammed his fist straight down on Celia's head.

Kwa-ga-ga-gang!

Celia, slammed into the floor.

Leo stepped on Celia's back with his foot.

Crash-!

Celia's body went straight through the floor and crashed into the floor below.

Seeing that, Laruel made a flustered expression.

"-L-Lord Leo. Even so, aren't you attacking Celia, who has lost consciousness, too excessively?"

At Laruel's words, Leo spoke indifferently.

"That's why I'm attacking her excessively?"

"-Huh?"

"I never taught you to easily lose control of your body."

Leo looked at Celia as if he was displeased.

Since they first met, Celia had trained with Leo.

Of course, he didn't teach her swordsmanship or aura manipulation techniques.

But battle know-how, as well as physical strength and mental fortitude, etc.

He guided her so that she wouldn't lack in any area.

For Leo, it was unacceptable that Celia, even as a Great Spirit, lost consciousness and surrendered her body.

"Huh? You lack perseverance!"

"-Th-that's something perseverance can't do much about…"

Before Laruel could stop him, Leo jumped down in front of Celia, who was on the floor below.

And he frowned, watching Celia get up.

"This definitely won't do. I think I've been too lenient in training her."

At those words, Celia's body, which had been about to pick up her sword, flinched and stopped.

"From now on, I'll have to put you through it more thoroughly, won't I?"

Celia's body trembled.

"Don't… make… me laugh!"

Flames of aura surged from Celia's body.

The crimson Gerdinger flames pushed back the blue flames.

Whoosh-!

Even the top-grade spirit sword and dress were pushed back by Celia's flames.

"When did you ever train me leniently! You always tormented me viciously! And what? You're going to put me through it more thoroughly from now on? Are you even human?!"

Celia even pointed her finger at Leo and shrieked.

"You finally came to your senses."

Leo, with his arms crossed, said indifferently.

"The fact that you lost control of your body is proof of your inadequacy. To build perseverance, putting you through tough training is indeed the best."

"Do you know that sometimes you really seem like an old fuddy-duddy?!"

Celia stomped her foot and shouted, an exasperated look on her face.

Seeing Celia, Leo spoke.

"By the way, you."

"What!"

"Put something on."

"……?"

At those words, Celia looked down at her body with a puzzled expression.

And her fair skin turned bright red.

"W-what is thissss!"

Seeing Celia hug her body and squat down, Leo said indifferently.

"It seems that dress burned all your clothes."

"That perverted spirit! I'll kill it!"

Leo, shaking his head at Celia who was glaring and radiating killing intent, pulled out clothes from his subspace, handed them to Celia, and turned his head away.

Celia, who hurriedly put on her clothes, let out a deep sigh.

"Anyway. What should we do about the Spirit of Purification?"

Seeing Celia's worried expression, Leo spoke.

"You don't need to worry about that?"

"Huh?"

It was when Celia made a puzzled expression.

Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-

Suddenly, the royal palace began to shake.

At that, Celia made a flustered expression.

"What?"

"The Spirit Realm is collapsing."

This place was not just a royal palace, but a space connected to Istar, the Spirit of Purification.

If such an Istar suddenly loses control of this place, it will collapse.

"Oh, what do we do? Shouldn't we escape?"

"It's the Spirit Realm, so escaping would be harder. You just need to stay."

"Just stay?! What if we get caught in the collapse!"

"It's just a building collapsing, that's all."

"This huge royal palace is collapsing, and you say 'just'?!"

Leo casually sat on a chair in a corner of the room, as if asking what the problem was.

"You won't die from this much."

"No! What if we get seriously injured anyway!"

"How did I train you? You're going to get seriously injured by just getting caught in this much of a collapse? Then your training is insufficient, isn't it?"

"Hey! You really!"

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

Celia, pale with fright, screamed.

Soon, the Tongkon royal palace collapsed.

***

"What's going on?!"

Abad, who had rushed over in a hurry, looked at the collapsed royal palace with an incredulous expression.

Despite the collapse of the massive royal palace, there was no damage to the surroundings.

Literally, only the royal palace collapsed cleanly.

Thud- thud-

Something stirred amidst the ruins of the royal palace.

Kwa-ga-ga-gak-!

"Seriously!"

Celia, who emerged through the pile of ruins, made an exasperated expression.

"When the royal palace collapses, you should be thinking about escaping! Who in the world would just let themselves be crushed, saying they won't die!"

"Celia! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine……"

Celia made a flustered expression, seeing Abad who had rushed over, grabbing her shoulder and checking her all over.

Abad let out a sigh of relief.

"You're safe."

Although they had known each other for a long time, Celia scratched her cheek awkwardly and avoided his gaze, seeing Abad's expression for the first time.

"Of course. I'm perfectly fine."

"What about big brother Leo?"

Chelsea rushed closer.

"If it's Leo……"

"He's over there."

It was none other than Anyas who answered instead.

"Who?"

"Anyas Beggs?"

At the sudden appearance of the half-elf, Celia looked puzzled, and Abad looked bewildered.

Anyas, smiling at the two of them, found Leo sitting cross-legged on the highest point of the ruins and murmured.

"It's like a throne."

Leo's figure, sitting with a calm face, exuded an overwhelming sense of intimidation.

Meanwhile, in Leo's eyes, he saw Istar, subdued by the top-grade fire spirits, kneeling on the ground amidst the ruins.

Elsi stood in front of her.

Alsia knelt before such an Elsi and said.

-Our new master.

-Master.

All the fire spirits in Istar's domain were kneeling before Elsi.

Seeing that sight, Laruel made an incredulous expression.

-My goodness… the Great Spirit of Darkness dominating the spirits of fire…

Could this even be possible?

Staring at the thrilling sight, Leo chuckled.

"Now that you mention it, I think I've heard that such a being existed in the distant ancient times."

The most noble spirit.

A legendary being that dominated all spirits.

A name forgotten in this era.

"Spirit King."

Elsi's appearance under the moonlight brought back the past of 5000 years ago.

'She controlled the Necrolord's army and ultimately led an impossible battle to victory.'

However, as a price for using too much power, Elsi also disappeared.

Leo, who had been looking at Elsi, stood up from his seat.

It was then.

"Big brother Leo!"

Chelsea ran over with an urgent expression.

"Lady Reina! Lady Reina has been abducted!"

At those words, the expression vanished from Leo's face.

Grooooooan-

Thud-

Chelsea, who was approaching Leo, suddenly found her legs giving way and collapsed without realizing it.

It wasn't just Chelsea.

Everyone nearby gasped.

Shwaaa-

The wind blowing under the moonlight scattered his white hair.

A fierce light flashed in Leo's red eyes.

"What did you say?"