Book 1 Chapter 626

626.

The elves stared at the monster forest with tense eyes.

Leo watched them silently.

The elves present at this moment were truly noble elves.

The era of catastrophe began.

The elves, who had built the most powerful force on the ground, were helplessly crushed by Tartarus' invasion.

It was the same for every race, but this tendency was even stronger among elves.

'Even now, but at that time, elves were a race with strong pride in their own race.'

Compared to other races, they had beautiful appearances, and many were born with dazzling talent in anything from aura to magic and summoning.

The elves of this period were a superior race revered by other races.

Fueled by this influence, their swollen pride gradually became corrupted by arrogance and self-righteousness, thus rotting the elf race from the core.

In the face of an unprecedented catastrophe, the High Elves, who boasted great power, abandoned the nobility they had maintained for so long and sacrificed their own kin for their own lives.

It was a atrocity brought about by the belief that they were special beings and that the sacrifice of others was natural for special beings.

Thus, the High Elves, who could be considered the roots of the elf race, were helplessly rotten and crumbled, but the elf race itself did not lose hope.

No matter how rotten they were, the elves of that time undoubtedly nurtured a giant tree that became the pillar of the world.

The sprouts that bloomed at the end of that tree possessed nobility.

To find their homeland.

And to drive out the catastrophe from the world.

The elves gathered here were the ones who had come together for a great cause.

Luna was also one of those countless sprouts.

"Lady Luna! Please stand behind me! I will protect you!"

An elf youth said with a serious expression.

'I can't get used to any of this.'

Leo couldn't help but let out a wry laugh at the reactions of the surrounding elves who called him Luna.

"I, Hirian, will protect you so that Lady Luna can cast magic with peace of mind!"

The youth said, firmly gripping a shimmering shield.

"Hirian?"

"Hey. Did you forget again?"

Hirian wore an expression of exasperation.

Hirian.

It was a name Leo knew.

Even in the era of catastrophe, overwhelming powerhouses left their fame behind.

Heroes in this era were even more precious and valuable than heroes in the current era.

'It wasn't an era overflowing with heroes like now.'

For allies, they were a sliver of hope that would allow them to continue living.

At this time, Leo, who was called the surviving hero, and Lisinas, the foolish one, were objects of avoidance.

Kyle was a human with ill omens, whose companions all died, and Lisinas, a dragon like a witch, who dangled false hope to people by claiming the world could be saved.

However, even in such circumstances, Kyle and Lisinas were not isolated.

Although they were called ominous beings, ironically, the battlefields where the two participated often resulted in victory or a high number of survivors.

Therefore, in Gardsron, Kyle and Lisinas were regarded as figures to be kept at a distance in normal times but revered on the battlefield.

The same was true for everyone else, except for Aeron, who had not yet fully entered the battlefield.

At this time, Luna was already renowned as a great magician who had turned several seemingly doomed battles into victories with her overwhelming magic.

At this time, Luna, along with Akint, who had become the leader of the elves, was called the hope of the elves.

Dwenno was also a powerful dwarf warrior and blacksmith, and people who wanted to recruit him into their party piled up like mountains.

Besides them, there were many other beings called heroes in this era who possessed great fame.

There were even heroes of this era whose names were forgotten, but whose deeds were passed down to the present, 5000 years later.

Leo also remembered the names of several famous heroes of that time.

'Of course, not this guy.'

Hirian was not a person called a hero.

Nor did he possess the same skill.

He was just an elf knight, visible anywhere.

Leo remembered him because of Luna.

After this battle ends, Hirian will die.

Not just Hirian.

'Most of the elves here… will meet their death here.'

***

After the battle in the Elf Forest ended.

On the way back to Gardsron, Luna created graves for her fallen kin in a dense forest.

Graves where even bodies could not be buried.

But Luna remembered the names of all her comrades who died in battle and meticulously made gravestones one by one.

"It's foolish, isn't it? There was no need to risk our lives."

Luna, who still had the appearance of a maiden, smiled bitterly as she carved Hirian's name, showing particular sorrow.

"Are you acquainted? You seem quite sorrowful, so he must have been an exceptional fellow."

"No, not at all. I met him for the first time in this battle. His skill… he was an elf who shouldn't have been on the battlefield."

Luna got up and clasped her hands together, speaking.

"It's not just this elf. Many elves who closed their eyes this time were those who shouldn't have been on the battlefield."

Those who were not yet qualified to fight.

But they had no choice but to take up arms and go into battle against Tartarus.

Because there was no one else to fight for them.

Lisinas said, watching Luna mourn her fallen kin.

"My proposal. What do you think?"

"You want me to go with you, right?"

Luna turned towards Kyle and Lisinas.

In the dense forest, Luna's eyes were a little sunken.

Luna said in a voice that had lost its confidence.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but I don't want to form a party with comrades who die before me."

Luna glanced at the graves.

Seeing Luna's expression, Lisinas poked Kyle's back.

"You want me to say it?"

"Seeing her say that, I think your words will be more persuasive than mine."

"Damn lizard."

Kyle grumbled softly, realizing that Lisinas wanted him to persuade her because he was the surviving hero, and stood before Luna.

"What, how many died before you for you to say something like that?"

"What?"

Luna's eyes turned fierce.

Lisinas covered his face and muttered, "I meant for you to persuade her gently. I was a fool to ask."

"Then what are you to speak so carelessly?"

Seeing Luna snarling and retorting, Kyle said calmly.

"The surviving hero."

Luna paused at Kyle's answer.

Seeing Luna like that, Kyle taunted.

"I don't want companions who die before me either. You seem to be the perfect fit."

"……"

Luna's face softened slightly as she looked at Kyle.

She saw a shadow in Kyle's eyes that was even greater than her own.

It wasn't a remark intended to mock her.

"What is your goal?"

"To defeat Erebus."

"……"

For a moment, Luna wore an incredulous expression.

"You're going to defeat Erebus? Are you crazy? What did you eat to think something like that?"

Luna looked at Kyle as if he were a subject for serious research.

Kyle scrunched up his face and looked back at Lisinas.

However, Luna mulled over the words "defeat Erebus" and soon said.

"Still, alright. Defeat Erebus! That's a goal that suits me perfectly! I like it. I'll join your party."

Luna said, regaining her spirits.

"Did you say your name was Kyle? My name is Luna! I am destined to shine like the stars in the night sky, so consider it an honor to have me join your party!"

***

From that day on, Luna made a resolution.

She would no longer allow people to die in vain.

'He struggled to the very end to protect Luna and lost his life, didn't he?'

Leo glanced beside him.

Akint stood there with a firm expression.

Everyone here knew.

That this battle was reckless.

But they had no choice but to fight a reckless battle.

Monsters were pouring out of the Elf Forest, which had fallen into the hands of the Monster Queen.

If they waited any longer, the balance of power in the surrounding areas would be disrupted.

Even if they couldn't recapture it, they had to inflict at least some damage on the Monster Queen and her army.

If they couldn't suppress the Monster Queen here, the world's destruction would only accelerate.

The situation was that desperate.

The elves gathered here had embarked on a reckless battle to prevent it.

Just then.

Boom-!

The ground shook.

Flap-flap-

The birds inhabiting the forest were startled and flew into the sky.

Those birds soon became prey for the monsters inhabiting the forest.

[Hahahahahahahahahahaha-]

A frivolous and chilling laughter echoed.

At that laughter, the elves covered their ears tightly.

[It seems you've come here to die, you pathetic ear-things.]

At the mocking voice, Akint bit his lip tightly.

Hirion, who had pretended to be calm and told them to just trust him, gripped his shield tightly.

"Lady Luna! Please retreat to the back now!"

At that moment, an elf female knight with a sword rushed in and said.

The elves knew.

Luna's magic was the only hope in this situation.

Their mission was to hold the front lines as much as possible so that Luna could cast her magic without worry.

"Lady Luna! We will risk our lives to protect you!"

Hirion, who had been in a panic, came to his senses and said urgently.

Despite the words of the surrounding elves, Leo stood still without moving.

"Luna, I know it's hard to believe, but trust us. So you can focus on your magic…"

"I trust you."

Leo said calmly.

"Akint. You… the people here will risk their lives to protect Luna. I know that better than anyone."

"Luna?"

To the eyes of those around, Luna seemed to be speaking like a different person.

Unconcerned by the surprised reactions around him, Leo gazed into the air silently.

[Objective: Repeat the history of glorious victory. Slaughter as many elves as possible.]

Squeeze-!

Leo's grip tightened.

This was not the world of heroes that Leo knew.

The protagonist here was not a hero but a legion.

And it was Silatuna, with whom he had the most tiresome past entanglement.

Leo had clearly settled that old score.

But that didn't mean the past events disappeared.

'This world is pain itself for Luna. It was something she had to bear until the moment she died.'

Leaving behind someone like a father.

A past stained with blood and tears, where many had to sacrifice to protect a naive self.

Rumble-!

In the distance, the Monster Queen appeared.

Leo stepped forward.

"Don't risk your lives for me."

Leo said, looking at the elves who had gathered to protect Luna.

"What you must protect is your own lives. Do your best to survive."

"B-but High Elves did that!"

"Their method was wrong. But that doesn't mean prioritizing your own life is wrong. Cherishing yourself is extremely natural."

Leo said.

"Because I will protect you. You do your best to survive. That's what you should do now."

"B-but Lady Luna! Then you're just passing the burden onto her!"

"It's okay, I've been carrying it for a long time."

"……?"

Seeing Leo say something incomprehensible again, Hirion looked bewildered.

Seeing Leo like that, Akint said with a firm expression.

"Then who will protect you?"

"……"

Leo looked at Akint.

"I will protect you."

"……?"

Seeing Akint's perplexed expression, Leo smiled.

[Now, which one should I hunt first?]

Thump-!

Seeing Silatuna slowly approaching to instill fear, Leo bent his knees.

'Repeat the history of victory? Slaughter as many elves as possible?'

Leo raised his head.

'Who says you can?'

Even if he wins here.

History will not change.

Because history that has already been written cannot be rewritten.

But…

'As the hero of the beginning, I cannot tolerate the same history repeating before my eyes. Even if it's a false world.'

Bang-!

As Leo leaped, he shot towards Silatuna like a projectile.

[Huh?]

Silatuna paused for a moment.

Seeing Silatuna like that, Leo smiled coldly.

"Aren't I a being sent to destroy this world anyway?"

Roar-!

Great magic flickered in Leo's hand.

It was magic that did not exist in the history of this era.

Magic that Luna would complete much later.

"Then I can just kill you without looking around?"

Leo smiled menacingly.

Silatuna's face hardened at the unusual magic.

"You're the one being hunted, Monster Queen."

The magic was completed in Leo's hand.

Star Magic - End.

Flash! BOOOOM-!

[Keeeeeek?!]

Magic that could not exist in this era struck Silatuna directly.