Book 1 Chapter 629

629,

RUMBLE-!

The ground shook.

Zorra, clad in armor of rock, charged towards Reina.

WHOOSH-!

Reina's sword moved gracefully.

WHOOSH-!

Flames painted the air along the trajectory of her swung sword.

The scattered flames, instead of dispersing, condensed onto the blade for a moment.

The blade of the Flame Storm burned crimson.

Reina's sharp gaze fixed on Zorra, who was just inches away.

CLANG-! CRACK-!

With a heavy sound, Reina's sword bounced off Zorra, unable to cut through.

Clenching her teeth, Reina used the recoil to spin her body, evading Zorra's attack.

ROOOOAR-!

A massive shockwave erupted in a straight line from Zorra's charge.

Reina gritted her teeth, feeling a throbbing pain run up her sword-wielding right arm.

'It's broken.'

Her wrist had been shattered in the previous collision.

[Hey! Reina Frohb! This is truly your limit now!]

Istah said urgently to Reina, who was grinding her teeth.

Reina's body was already covered in numerous large and small wounds.

Many of her bones were broken.

She was barely managing to fight, having narrowly avoided any fatal injuries that would immobilize her.

She used flames to force her immobile body to move.

However, continuing to fight in this manner was no longer possible.

[If your body collapses, your mind will too! Soon, my flames will consume you!]

Reina tightened her grip on her sword.

[You've done enough! You're more heroic than any hero I've ever seen!]

Istah was desperately trying to stop Reina.

[You've done all you could!]

"No."

Reina forced her sword towards Zorra.

"I can still fight."

She had already surpassed her limits countless times.

Moreover, her opponent was weakened from his battle with Leo.

Even so, the difference in strength was clear.

There were indeed things in this world that willpower alone couldn't achieve.

Zorra, standing before her, was one such thing.

Reina could never defeat Zorra.

"There is something I must pass on to future generations."

But Reina did not give up.

"Flames burn most brilliantly at the very end."

If she were to retreat now, those who would succeed her would die.

Reina glanced at Celia.

"I haven't been able to pass on everything I have to give."

She had to at least pass on what she could.

Thinking this, Reina's will burned brighter.

"So lend me your strength."

[Ugh! Stubborn woman! Then do as you wish!]

ROOOOOAR-!

The flames grew stronger.

The sheer power made Reina's mind reel for a moment.

In the agony of her body burning, Reina steeled herself further.

'Just a little more! Just hold on a little longer!'

"You annoying woman!"

Zorra's 살기 (killing intent) filled voice echoed.

If he had maintained even a sliver of composure, he might have ended the fight long ago, leveraging the various powers he had stolen.

But being thoroughly toyed with by Leo and struggling even against Reina, whom he was certain was weaker, Zorra was losing his reason.

Therefore, his chosen method was to simply overwhelm her with sheer power.

The difference in strength was undeniable.

However, Zorra, who prided himself on controlling his power, was merely being swept away by it.

Zorra could not wield his abilities to their fullest.

This was the limit of someone who stole the power of others.

"This is the end!"

RUMBLE-!

Zorra, enveloped in earth aura, an element antithetical to flames, charged at Reina with incredible speed.

A force imbued with immense physical power that would obliterate anything it touched.

Reina took a deep breath.

The heat intensified.

The pain of her body burning and the intense heat that made her dizzy.

But Reina did not lose consciousness.

'Focus.'

She concentrated the flames into a single point.

'Chase him with your eyes.'

Reina's red eyes locked onto Zorra.

'Don't back down! Don't be afraid!'

She steeled herself.

'I can cut him. Move forward!'

THUMP- SWISH-!

As Reina stepped forward, she swung her sword.

SLASH-!

At that moment, Zorra's body, which had reached Reina's immediate vicinity, was cut in two.

THUD- WHOOSH-!

Reina collapsed onto the ground.

The flames that had enveloped Reina disappeared.

COLLAPSE-

Reina's body fell forward.

"Aunt!"

Celia rushed over, her face pale.

Breathing weakly, Reina managed a tired smile.

"I… succeeded in cutting him, it seems…"

"Yes."

Celia nodded, clenching her teeth.

"Celia, that sword just now… you must not forget it. Understand?"

"Of course."

Suppressing tears that threatened to burst, Celia replied with strength.

Celia knew well what Reina had tried to pass on to her.

"This woman… to the very end…"

Zorra's body, killed by Reina once more, pulsed with terrifying killing intent.

"But this is truly the end now! I'll turn you into a bloody mess!"

Screaming with a chilling voice, Zorra raised his hand.

As Celia, watching him, began to manifest her aura.

FLASH-!

"……!"

A pure white light erupted from behind Zorra.

"What?"

Reina's eyes widened.

"Impossible! Leo Frohb!"

Zorra turned his head and let out a cry of shock.

There stood Leo, bathed in pure white light, like the dawn breaking.

"Leo!"

Celia's face lit up.

"Aunt! It's Leo! Leo's finally…!"

Celia, who had been supporting Reina, looked surprised.

"Aunt?"

Reina was staring at Leo with a vacant gaze.

Leo, backlit by a radiant light, was familiar.

Long ago.

She saw the image of a person standing in the brilliant sunlight that had arrived in a dark world.

Reina unconsciously repeated his name.

"Hero of the Beginning…"

***

Leo, who had been rushing towards the location of Zorra's presence, felt his eyes twitch.

He saw monsters using special abilities.

Chelsea, who was fighting an ogre, saw Leo and her face brightened.

"Oppar Leo!"

"What is that?"

"I don't know the details! But they're using special abilities! They're intelligent too!"

"Really?"

He had a suspicion.

'The World of Legions.'

Conquering the Hero's World grants power as a reward.

The World of Legions would be no different.

'Are these traitors who conquered the World of Legions?'

The reward seemed to be demonic power.

'It's more like a curse than a reward. Well, it's fitting for the fate of traitors.'

Thinking this far, Leo looked at Jamua.

"Do you need assistance?"

At his words, Jamua smirked.

"Do I look like I need it? Hraaaap!"

CRASH-!

Jamua charged at the ogre and headbutted it directly.

The ogre, struck by the immense impact, was sent flying.

"Chelsea!"

"Yes!"

"That's right! You've got spirit! Just like the Knight Department!"

"I'm from the Magic Department!"

"You take Knight Department classes too!"

"I'm a Battle Mage, so I take them as a minor!"

'No worries here.'

Seeing the two bickering yet working well together, Leo turned his gaze elsewhere.

There, Riss and Abad were overpowering Gigantes.

In the air, Ultar was slaughtering monsters.

The morale of others also rose with Leo's appearance.

The tide of the battlefield had shifted simply by Leo's arrival.

Finally reaching Zorra's location, Leo unleashed his aura.

'He must have been resurrected by the Necromancer King's authority and awakened new abilities, right?'

That newly awakened ability was to replenish his life force with stolen powers.

'Killing him multiple times is bothersome. In that case…'

Leo's red eyes flashed.

'I'll destroy the authority itself.'

The Necromancer King's authority was power gained through Erebus's blessing.

Having obtained a fragment of Erebus, the Necromancer King gained even greater authority than 5,000 years ago.

However, if that authority was derived from Erebus's power…

'It can be destroyed by the power of purity.'

A gray aura shimmered at Leo's sword tip.

The gray aura soon began to transform into pure white light.

Along with it, a bright light erupted, as if dawn had arrived.

The Aura of Purity.

A power Leo had obtained in this life through endless training.

Leo looked at Reina, who was confronting Zorra.

'Did she borrow Istah's power…?'

Leo let out a wry laugh.

'Foolish.'

But it was very much like Reina.

Reina, who sometimes had childish tendencies.

However…

'She's a respectable adult… and a respectable mother.'

Leo walked forward.

WHOOSH-!

Leo, who reached Zorra in an instant, spoke.

"Didn't I tell you?"

Leo's words were filled with clear mockery.

"You're just letting the power you stole go to waste."

Smiling coldly, Leo sliced Zorra in half.

SLASH-!

"Cough!"

Zorra's body collapsed.

Leo lightly brushed off his sword and sheathed it.

THUMP- THUMP-

Then, without glancing at Zorra, he walked towards Reina.

"Just! Just died once!"

At that moment, Zorra, spitting with rage, got up from the ground.

Zorra had somehow taken on Reina's appearance.

But soon, his flesh began to melt away.

"What?"

Torua appeared from within.

"What is this…!"

No matter what other forms he transformed into, they soon melted away.

"Impossible! I'm dying?!"

Zorra's face turned white as he understood his predicament.

"No, no! I was meant to be a perfect! A perfect being! I was destined to become a god! Yet! I die so meaninglessly!"

THUD-!

"Aaaah!"

Zorra, now a skeleton, fell to his knees.

He frantically touched his face.

"I can't die like this…"

SSSHHHHH-

Zorra's body, denying his own death, turned to dust and vanished.

***

THUMP- THUMP-

Reina, supported by Celia, gazed silently at Leo, who had walked up to her.

"Are you alright?"

To Leo's indifferent question, Reina smiled and nodded.

"Of course."

"That's a relief."

To Leo's dry words, Reina pouted.

Then, as if displeased, she said.

"Aren't you going to tell me not to do that again?"

"Would you stop if I told you, Mother?"

Seeing Leo chuckle, Reina grumbled softly.

"Such a grumpy child. Does he act like this to others too?"

"He tends to."

Celia smiled wryly.

Just then.

-Ahem! Lie down here!

Kiran appeared before Reina.

-Leo said! to heal you somehow!

Fairies could use powerful healing magic.

-Reina-nim. My name is Elsi. Leo is very worried about you. Is there anything you need?

Chirp- Chirp-

Elsi and Fiora clung to Reina, showing worried reactions.

"……"

Reina let out a hollow laugh.

"He hasn't changed since he was little."

"In what way?"

"Outwardly, he's indifferent and a bit of a tsundere."

"That's right."

"But secretly, he takes great care of people?"

"Ah."

Celia nodded as if she understood.

Indeed, Leo had that side to him.

Reina clicked her tongue, looking at Leo, who was standing far behind.

"It's not just because he's my son, but I bet there are many girls infatuated with him."