Book 1 Chapter 660

660.

Whoosh.

A dry wind from afar scattered Leo's white hair.

Leo silently gazed at the scenery unfolding before his eyes.

The party was currently at the very beginning of Tartarus's domain.

"I'm a little nervous."

Chelsea muttered, clutching her long staff tightly with both hands.

Not only Chelsea, but most of Leo's party members had experience entering Tartarus's domain.

Since they were all children of great families, they had participated when their families went on expeditions to Tartarus's domain.

But the atmosphere was completely different this time.

When Chelsea had been active in Tartarus's domain, she had moved with the skilled members of her family.

It was merely a small part of a large-scale expedition, literally.

But now it was different.

The number of party members was seven.

As such, the burden Chelsea had to bear was also immense.

The atmosphere was sharp, as if the others felt the same way.

Duran fiddled with the longsword hanging at his waist, and Eliza, who would normally be manicuring her nails, was vigilantly scanning her surroundings with sharp eyes.

Driana, in her case, was on point, keeping watch ahead.

Ar was standing with his arms crossed and eyes closed, but his cat ears were twitching incessantly.

In the midst of this, Iliana spoke to Leo with a tense expression.

"Class rep. Surely you have extensive combat experience in the Tartarus zone, right?"

"Today's my first time coming to Tartarus's domain."

"What?"

At the unexpected words, not only Iliana but all the party members stared at Leo.

"Heeheehee! Even the black rabbit who gives off the vibe of a grizzled old man is just a boy after all!"

Ar stood defiantly in front of Leo.

"Big sister will tell you all about it with her abundant experience, so rely on big sister."

Leo, who had been looking at Ar with his blue eyes sparkling, pulled a coin from his pocket and flicked it to the floor.

*Pat!*

Ar, who had unconsciously stepped on and caught the glittering gold coin as it flew past at high speed, fell silent, then glared up, grabbed Leo's collar, and shook him.

"I mean! How long are you going to treat me like a cat?! I am a proper hero! The successor to Arion-nim!"

"Even so, you're still just a kitten."

"Nyaoooooo!"

As an enraged Ar hissed, Driana brought the flat side of her axe down on Ar's head.

*Thud!*

"Ugh!"

"Don't get so agitated, you silly cat."

Driana grabbed Ar by the scruff of his neck, who was crouched down clutching the back of his head, and dragged him away.

Chelsea let out a small sigh watching the scene.

"It's chaotic."

"But the tense atmosphere has lightened up a lot, hasn't it?"

"Oh? Now that you mention it?"

Chelsea's eyes widened when she heard Leo's words.

"Too tense an atmosphere isn't good in the middle of enemy territory. In that sense, Ar's ability to lighten the mood is excellent."

"Class rep, you sound like a professor."

Iliana giggled.

Leo chuckled, looking at Iliana, and then said.

"Well, since everyone seems to have somewhat relieved their tense atmosphere."

Leo's eyes narrowed.

Ar's eyes, which had been pouting, also sharpened.

*Sizzle-*

A momentary ripple of lightning aura flickered in Duran's hand, and Iliana's shoulder trembled slightly.

*Whoosh!*

At that moment.

A dark crimson blade flashed behind Eliza, who was in the rear.

*Flash! Clang!*

"Oh?"

A woman in a black robe lightly exclaimed in admiration, looking at Iliana's sword which had blocked her scythe.

"There's one quick-reacting brat, isn't there?"

"One?"

Iliana curled up the corner of her mouth.

*Sizzzzzzle! Flash!*

Golden lightning roared fiercely behind the woman.

Duran, gripping his greatsword, flashed his eyes and swung his sword as if to cleave the woman in half at the waist.

"Oh dear?"

The smiling woman's body shot up into the sky.

"You reacted quite quickly, but that's all…"

"…you think? You stupid demon!"

"!"

*Thump!*

Ar's foot dug into the robed woman's face.

A tremendous explosion-like sound erupted from Ar's terrifying kick, and the demon was sent flying, crashing into the ground.

A huge wind pressure bore down on the demon.

*Kwoooosh!*

"Hmph?!"

The demon's eyes bulged.

The demon bit her lip tightly against the immense pressure crushing her body.

'That sorceress wench!'

Chelsea, holding a long staff in both hands, pressed down as if crushing the demon, with the tip of her staff aimed at her.

*Grooooooan!*

Black magic spewed from the demon's body, who was gritting her teeth.

She was generating anti-magic power, resisting Chelsea's wind.

Chelsea smiled faintly watching this.

"Would you like to look up a little?"

"What?"

The moment the demon's gaze turned upwards.

Driana, holding her axe high with both hands, was plummeting towards the demon at an incredible speed.

"Hmph!"

Driana's axe struck the demon's head directly.

*Crash! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang!*

The surrounding ground cracked, and fragments soared up.

Iliana's mouth gaped watching the scene.

"What kind of brutish strength is that…?"

"Driana's raw strength is terrifying."

"I thought you were the strongest among us."

"My specialty is elegant movement based on high speed. You all seem pretty fast too, but you wouldn't be able to keep up with me."

"Hmph. Sorry, but the fastest person in all the Hero Academies is none other than me! The Light-Speed Swift Sword Iliana-nim."

"What?"

Ar instantly looked at Iliana.

Chelsea, who had released her magic, muttered, watching this.

"Is she really going to stick with that embarrassing nickname?"

"That epithet sounds pretty cool?"

Chelsea stared at Ar with a dumbfounded expression.

Duran muttered, looking at Ar.

"It's a tragedy. That we have to live in the same era as things like them."

"Ah, I agree with you this time."

It was when Chelsea shook her head at Duran.

Driana emerged through the dust cloud and said.

"She escaped to the sky."

At her words, everyone's gaze turned skyward.

"Which demon is that demon?"

Eliza, riding the summoned Wind Wyvern, narrowed her eyes and asked, and Leo replied.

"Judging by the aura of black magic, she's a Beast-Mage."

As soon as he finished speaking, the demon, Ingel, took off her robe.

"These insolent brats!"

Blood was flowing from Ingel's forehead, which had been struck.

Ingel's neck, which had been making an enraged expression, suddenly burst as if becoming bloated.

"Ugh!"

From her distended mouth, Ingel vomited an egg the size of her own face.

"Blech!"

Eliza grimaced upon seeing it.

"She's definitely a Beast-Mage."

A demon who stands opposite to a Summoner.

She was a demon who used the power of magical beasts.

The egg Ingel vomited fell to the ground and *cracked!* open.

Then, a demon identical to Ingel popped out of it.

"Ugh! Blech!"

Ingel vomited another egg.

And with it, another Ingel popped out of the fallen egg.

"W-what? What is that?"

Iliana made a horrified expression.

"Is it a clone…"

"A clone?"

"It's a unique black magic used by Beast-Mages."

Leo said calmly.

"It's a magic that summons a clone with the exact same power as oneself. It's a very troublesome magic."

"Such magic! I've never heard of it!"

'It was a magic that Beast-Mages enjoyed using during the Age of Calamity.'

It was when Leo was about to draw his sword.

"Don't you step forward, Leo Flobe."

Duran, with his greatsword slung over his shoulder, said while drawing his longsword with his other hand.

"Because we'll take care of that."

"Are you sure?"

At his words, Chelsea said.

"This mission was one that even heroes failed. It means it's incredibly difficult. And you put us as your comrades in that mission, didn't you?"

*Rumble-rumble-rumble!*

Summoning circles began to unfold in front of the cloned Ingels.

Along with them, something gigantic began to appear.

Chelsea said, seeing it.

"I vaguely understand what you're thinking, Leo oppa."

He wanted to give them experience.

Chelsea, Duran, Eliza, Iliana.

The four of them knew this fact.

"But even if we're inexperienced, you chose us because we are worthy to stand on the same battlefield as you, Leo oppa, right? If so, then trust us."

Chelsea unleashed her magic.

"Our party name is the same as the Great Heroes' party name, isn't it?! If so, there's no need for even the class rep to step forward for an opponent of just this level."

"That's right, Leo. You are our party's trump card. Preserve your stamina as much as possible."

After Driana's words, a golden aura erupted from Chelsea's body.

"Here I come!"

*Slam!*

Ar, who had somehow been summoned, charged without hesitation towards the five Gigantes.

"Kuh-heo-uh-uh-uh-uh-uhng!"

A howling erupted from Ar's mouth.

"Iliana!"

At Eliza's shout, Iliana mounted the Wind Wyvern.

*Whoosh!*

The Wind Wyvern flew through the sky at an incredible speed.

"These insolent brats! I'll make you regret challenging me to a fight!"

Ingel's eyes in mid-air gleamed with killing intent.

Ingel, who had been scouting the surroundings, was swept away by excitement upon seeing the suddenly appearing group of humans, beast-folk, and dwarves.

There should have been no living beings in this entire area.

And yet, humans, beast-folk, and dwarves, who seemed utterly inexperienced, suddenly appeared in such a place.

'Heh heh! I'll feast after a long time!'

She attacked, feeling exhilarated.

But the brats possessed astonishing power.

'What in the world! Is it even possible to have such power at this age?!'

Unable to believe the outcome, Ingel decided to do her best.

"Nwaaaaaaaa!"

*Thump!*

Ingel's eyes bulged, watching Ar charge at incredible speed and kick a Gigantes in the chest.

'Beast transformation…?'

It wasn't night now.

And yet, a beast-folk performing beast transformation…!

Ingel's shoulder, who was watching from the sky, flinched.

"So that's it! I heard a beast-folk who can perform beast transformation appeared! That's you, you wench!"

A sneer crossed Ingel's face.

"It's these guys! The foolish ones who resist destruction!"

'They're amazing, but… at just that level…!'

It was astonishing that a beast-folk, a dwarf, and two humans were fighting five Gigantes, but it was absurd that they claimed they would save the world with just that level of skill.

"What are you talking about, you ugly old hag."

At that moment, an annoyed voice was heard.

*Flash!*

With an incredible flash, Ingel's vision was momentarily inverted.

"Huh?"

"To use an outdated black magic that was already nullified 5000 years ago! What an incredibly dense demon!"

Iliana scoffed.

"W-what… did you say?"

"A clone's power becomes excessively weak compared to the original, doesn't it? So, if I just get close like this and *slash!* it, it's over!"

It was true.

That was why it was created by the Monster Queen 5000 years ago and soon after became obsolete.

Ingel, the user, also knew that.

However…

"This wench! How did she know the weakness of this magic?! This magic was bestowed upon us by the Monster Queen just recently…"

*Grooooooan! Kwa-ga-ga-gak!*

"Good job, Beeper."

Eliza's Wind Wyvern blew Ingel's body away.

Ingel, who was bounced back by the aftermath of the Wind Breath and only her face remained, crashed to the ground with a hollow expression before she could even finish her sentence.

*Thud! Roll-roll-roll! Plop!*

Ingel's rolling head stopped at someone's feet.

Suddenly, Ingel's gaze turned skyward.

"She has the power of a High Demon, but her practical abilities are terrible."

Leo, who had muttered indifferently, raised his foot to crush Ingel's head.

Suddenly…

"Ah… ah… ah…!"

He paused, seeing the horror in Ingel's eyes.

"Why… why is the sky… the sky…"

Leo lowered his foot, looking at Ingel who was making an expression of disbelief.

And he opened his mouth.

"You. To which affiliation do you belong, demon?"

"The sky… it's impossible…"

"I asked which legion."

Leo's eyes, looking down at Ingel, suddenly turned gray.

Ingel's face was instantly colored with fear.

An indescribable pressure was felt.

Ingel chattered her teeth and answered in uncontrollable terror.

"I-I… am… the Monster… Queen… Shilathuna's… Legion."

'Now I understand. This is not a demon from the current era.'

*Thud!*

Leo, having heard the answer, crushed Ingel's head without hesitation.

'She's a demon from the Age of Calamity.'