Book 1 Chapter 629

629,

Rumble, rumble, rumble-!

The ground shook.

Joa, clad in rock armor from head to toe, charged towards Reina.

Whoosh-!

Reina's sword moved gracefully.

Fwoosh-!

Flames decorated the air along the trajectory of the swinging sword.

The scattered flames in the air, without dispersing, were instantly compressed and imbued into the blade.

The crimson-burning blade of the Flame Storm.

Reina's sharp gaze fixed on Joa, who had reached her immediate vicinity.

Clang-! Crack-!

With a heavy sound, Reina's sword could not cut Joa and was repelled.

Gritting her teeth, Reina used the recoil to spin her body and deflect Joa's attack.

CRASH-!

A tremendous shockwave echoed along the straight line where Joa had charged.

Reina gritted her teeth at the tingling sensation running up her right hand holding the sword.

'It's broken.'

Her wrist was damaged in the earlier clash.

[Hey! Reina Flobe! This is truly the limit now!]

Ista urgently said to Reina, who was gritting her teeth.

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

Many of her bones were also broken.

She was barely avoiding fatal injuries that would prevent movement, forcing herself to continue the fight.

She forced her unmoving body to move by using flames.

However, continuing the fight using such methods had also reached a point of impossibility.

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

Reina gripped her hand.

[You are amazing enough! More heroic than any hero I've ever seen!]

Ista was desperate to stop Reina somehow.

[You've done enough!]

"No."

Reina forcibly aimed her sword at Joa.

"I can still fight more."

She had already surpassed her limits many times.

Moreover, her opponent's strength had already been weakened through the battle with Leo.

Even so, the difference in strength was obvious.

There are certainly things in the world that cannot be achieved by will alone.

Joa, before her eyes, was such an existence.

Reina could never defeat Joa.

"There is something I must pass on to the next generation."

But Reina did not give up.

"Because flames bloom most spectacularly at the very last moment."

If she retreated here, the successors who would follow her would die.

Reina glanced at Celia.

"I haven't passed on everything I have yet."

At the very least, she had to pass on what she could.

Thinking so, Reina ignited her will.

"So, lend me your strength."

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

KWAHHH-!

The flames grew stronger.

A firepower so intense that even Reina's mind momentarily reeled.

In the pain of her body burning, Reina further composed herself.

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

"You persistent woman!"

Joa's murderous voice echoed.

If he had maintained even a little composure, he might have ended the fight long ago, using the various supernatural abilities he had stolen.

But thanks to being thoroughly toyed with by Leo and struggling even against Reina, whom he was certain was weaker than himself, Joa was gradually losing his reason.

Therefore, the method he chose was simply to overwhelm with sheer power.

The difference in strength was obvious.

But Joa, who prided himself on controlling his power, was merely being swayed by his own strength.

Joa could not fully utilize his abilities to their limit.

It was the limit of one who had stolen the power of others.

"This is the end!"

Rumble, rumble, rumble-!

Joa, wrapped in earth aura, an attribute opposite to flames, charged at Reina with tremendous speed.

A power imbued with immense physical force, enough to make a trace disappear with just a graze.

Reina took a deep breath.

The heat grew more intense.

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

But Reina did not lose consciousness.

'Focus.'

She concentrated the flames into a single point.

'Chase him with your eyes.'

Reina's crimson eyes captured Joa.

'Don't retreat! Don't be afraid!'

She braced herself.

'I can cut him. Forward… advance!'

Thud-! Slice-!

Reina advanced and swung her sword.

Splat-!

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

Thud-! Poof-!

Reina slumped down on the spot.

The flames that had enveloped Reina vanished.

Thump-

Reina's body fell forward.

"Aunt!"

Celia rushed over, her face pale.

Breathing faintly, Reina let out a difficult laugh.

"Looks like… I succeeded in cutting him…"

"Yes."

Celia gritted her teeth and nodded.

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

"Of course."

Suppressing the tears that threatened to burst, Celia answered firmly.

Celia also knew well what Reina was trying to convey to her.

"This woman… until the very end…"

From Joa's body, which had been killed by Reina once more, a terrifying murderous aura erupted.

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

Joa, who shouted in a creepy voice, raised his hand.

The moment Celia saw that and raised her aura.

Flash-!

"…!"

From behind Joa, a pure white light burst forth.

"Huh?"

Reina's eyes widened.

"How can this be! Leo Flobe!"

Joa, turning his head, shrieked in horror.

There stood Leo, with pure white light behind him, as if dawn was breaking.

"Leo!"

Celia's face brightened.

"Aunt! It's Leo! Leo finally…!"

Celia, who was about to help Reina, looked puzzled.

"Aunt?"

Reina was already looking at Leo with lost eyes.

Leo's figure, backed by bright light, looked familiar.

A long time ago.

It overlapped with the image of a person who was in the brilliant sunlight that appeared in a dark world.

Reina unknowingly repeated that name.

"Hero of the Beginning…"

***

Leo's eyes twitched as he rushed to where Joa's presence was felt.

He saw monsters using supernatural abilities.

Chelsea, who was dealing with an ogre, found Leo and her face brightened.

"Leo oppa!"

"What's that?"

"I don't know the details! But they're using supernatural abilities! Their intelligence is also exceptional!"

"Really?"

He had a hunch.

'World of the Legion.'

When you conquer the World of Heroes, you are given power as a reward.

The World of the Legion would likely be the same.

'Are these guys the traitors who conquered the World of the Legion?'

The conquest reward seemed to be the power of monsters.

'It's more like a curse than a reward. Well, it suits the fate of a traitor.'

Leo, having thought that far, looked at Zamua.

"Do you need help?"

At those words, Zamua curled up the corners of his mouth.

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

Boom-!

Zamua charged at the ogre and body-slammed it.

The ogre, receiving a tremendous impact, was sent flying.

"Chelsea!"

"Yep!"

"That's right! Energetic! Just like the Knight Department!"

"I'm from the Magic Department!"

"But you also take classes in the Knight Department!"

"Because I'm a Battle Mage, I'm taking it as a minor!"

'No worries then.'

Leo turned his head to the other side, watching the two bickering yet working well together.

There, Lis and Abbad were overwhelming a Gigantes.

In the air, Ulta was slaughtering beasts.

Others also had their morale boosted by Leo's appearance.

Leo's appearance alone changed the tide of the battle.

Soon, Leo, who arrived at Joa's location, raised his aura.

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

That newly awakened ability was the power to replenish his life with stolen supernatural abilities.

'Killing him multiple times is annoying. If that's the case.'

Leo's crimson eyes gleamed.

'Destroy the authority itself.'

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

The Necromancer King, who had obtained a fragment of Erebus, had gained more powerful authority than 5000 years ago.

But if that was authority granted by Erebus's power…

'Then it can be destroyed with the power of purity.'

A gray aura shimmered at the tip of Leo's sword.

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

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

Aura of Purity.

The power Leo obtained in this life after endless training.

Leo looked at Reina, who was confronting Joa.

'Did she borrow Ista's power…?'

Leo let out a hollow laugh.

'Reckless, indeed.'

But it was just like Reina to be Reina.

Reina sometimes had a childlike side to her.

But…

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

Leo moved his feet.

Whoosh-!

Leo, who instantly reached Joa's front, spoke.

"Didn't I tell you?"

What came from Leo's mouth was undisguised mockery.

"That you're just rotting away the power you stole."

Leo, with a cold smile, simply cut Joa down.

Splat-!

"Ugh!"

Joa's body collapsed.

Leo lightly shook off his sword and sheathed it.

Thud- Thud-

And without even glancing at Joa, he walked towards Reina.

"Only! I only died once!"

Just then, Joa rose from the spot as if screaming in defiance.

Before long, Joa had taken on Reina's appearance.

But soon, his flesh began to melt away.

"What?"

Inside, Torua revealed himself.

"What is this…!"

Even when he transformed into countless other forms, those forms soon melted away.

"This can't be! I'm dying!"

Joa's face turned pale as he understood the situation that had befallen him.

"N-no! I am to become perfect! A perfect being! I am the man who will become a god! But! I'm dying so meaninglessly!"

Thud-!

"Aaah!"

Joa, who had turned into a skeleton, was kneeling.

He frantically groped at his face.

"I can't die like this…"

Shwaaaah-!

Joa's body, which had been denying his death, soon turned to dust and disappeared.

***

Thud- Thud-

Reina, supported by Celia, silently watched Leo walk up to her.

"Are you alright?"

Reina smiled and nodded at Leo's indifferent question.

"Of course."

"That's a relief."

At Leo's dry remark, Reina pouted.

And she spoke as if sulking.

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

"Even if I did, would Mother stop?"

Watching Leo let out a chuckle, Reina grumbled softly.

"Such an uncharming fellow. Does he usually act like that to other kids too?"

"He tends to."

Celia smiled bitterly.

Just then.

-Ahem! Lie down here!-

Kiruan appeared before Reina.

-Leo told me! To heal the aunt somehow!-

Fairies can use powerful healing magic.

-Lady Reina. I'm Elsi. Leo is very worried about you. Do you need anything?-

Chirp- Chirp-

Even Elsi and Piora clung to Reina, showing worried reactions.

"…"

Reina let out a hollow laugh.

"He hasn't changed since he was little, has he?"

"In what way?"

"On the outside, he's indifferent and snarky."

"That's right."

"But behind the scenes, he cares a lot?"

"Ah."

Celia nodded as if understanding.

Indeed, Leo had such a side to him.

Reina clicked her tongue, looking at Leo who was standing with his back turned far away.

"It's not just because he's my son. There must be a lot of girls who've fallen for him."