Book 1 Chapter 660

660.

Fwooosh.

A dry wind blowing from afar ruffled Leo's white hair.

Leo stared silently at the scenery unfolding before his eyes.

The group was currently at the entrance to Tartarus's domain.

"I'm a little nervous."

Chelsea mumbled, gripping her long staff tightly with both hands.

Most of Leo's party members, including Chelsea, had experience entering Tartarus's domain.

As children of distinguished families, they had participated in expeditions to Tartarus's domain with their families.

However, the atmosphere was completely different from then.

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

She had merely played a part in a large-scale extermination force.

But now, it was different.

There were seven party members.

Therefore, the burden Chelsea had to bear was also significant.

The atmosphere seemed sharp, as if the others felt the same.

Durand fiddled with the long sword hanging at his waist, and Eliza, who would normally have been tending to her nails, scanned their surroundings with sharp eyes.

Driana was at the forefront, guarding the path ahead.

Aar folded his arms and closed his eyes, but his cat ears twitched restlessly.

Amidst this, Iliana spoke to Leo with a tense face.

"Captain. You have a lot of combat experience in Tartarus's territory, right?"

"This is my first time coming to Tartarus's domain."

"What?"

At the unexpected remark, Iliana and all the other party members looked at Leo.

"Heh heh heh! Even a black rabbit who exudes the aura of a seasoned veteran can't help but be a boy!"

Aar stepped forward in front of Leo.

"I'll teach you well with my vast experience, so rely on this older sister."

Leo, looking at Aar, whose blue eyes sparkled, took out a coin from his pocket and tossed it to the ground.

*Pop-!*

Aar, who instinctively stomped on and caught the glittering gold coin as it flew past him at high speed, fell silent, then his eyes widened, and he grabbed Leo by the collar and shook him.

"So! When are you going to stop treating me like a cat! I'm a full-fledged hero! The successor to Lord Aarion!"

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

"Nnnnngh!"

As the enraged Aar hissed, Driana struck Aar's head with the flat of her axe.

*Thump-!*

"Oof!"

"Don't get so excited. You foolish cat."

Driana grabbed Aar by the scruff of his neck as he crouched down, clutching the back of his head, and dragged him away.

Chelsea let out a small sigh as she watched the scene.

"It's chaotic."

"Still, the tense atmosphere has subsided quite a bit."

"Huh? Come to think of it?"

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

"A tense atmosphere in the heart of enemy territory isn't good. In that sense, Aar's ability to lighten the mood can be considered excellent."

"Captain, you sound like a professor."

Iliana giggled.

Leo chuckled as he looked at Iliana and said,

"Well, it seems everyone's tense atmosphere has been somewhat relieved."

Leo's eyes narrowed.

Aar, who had pouted his lips, also sharpened his gaze.

*Fzzt-*

A brief aura of lightning flickered from Durand's hand, and Iliana's shoulders trembled slightly.

*Whoosh-!*

At that moment.

A dark red blade flashed behind Eliza, who was at the rear.

*Flash-! Clang-!*

"Oh?"

A woman in a black robe let out a light exclamation as she looked at Iliana's sword, which had blocked her scythe.

"There's a quick-reacting brat here?"

"One?"

Iliana curled the corners of her mouth.

*Fzzt-fzzzt! Flash-!*

Golden lightning howled fiercely behind the woman.

Durand, holding his greatsword, swung his sword with a glint in his eyes, as if to cleave the woman in two at the waist.

"Oh my?"

The woman, with a sly smile, soared into the sky.

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

"…you think? You foolish demon!"

*Bang-!*

Aar's foot struck the robed woman's face.

A sound like a great explosion erupted from Aar's terrifying kick, and the demon was sent flying, crashing to the ground.

A great gust of wind then slammed down on top of the fallen demon.

*Roaaaar-!*

"Hmph?!"

The demon's eyes widened.

The demon bit its lips tightly under the crushing pressure.

'This mage woman!'

Chelsea, holding her long staff with both hands, aimed its tip at the demon and pressed down as if to crush it.

*Gooooooo-!*

The demon, gritting its teeth, exuded dark magic.

It generated an anti-magic field and resisted Chelsea's wind.

Seeing this, Chelsea grinned.

"Would you like to look up?"

"What?"

The moment the demon's gaze turned upward.

Driana, holding her axe with both hands, was descending towards the demon with tremendous speed.

"Hmph!"

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

*Crack! Roar-!*

The surrounding ground cracked, and debris flew up.

Iliana, seeing this, gaped.

"What monstrous strength…"

"Driana's physical strength is terrifying."

"I thought you were the strongest among us."

"My specialty is elegant movement based on speed. You guys seem quite fast, but you can't match me."

"Hmph. Sorry, but the fastest in all hero academies is none other than me! The light-speed swordswoman, Iliana!"

"What?"

Aar momentarily looked at Iliana.

Chelsea, having dispelled her magic, muttered as she looked at Aar.

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

"That epithet is quite cool."

Chelsea looked at Aar with a dumbfounded expression.

Durand muttered, looking at Aar.

"Tragic. To have to live in the same era as these guys."

"Ah, for once, I agree with you."

It was when Chelsea shook her head in disbelief at Durand.

Driana, emerging from the dust cloud, said.

"It escaped into the sky."

At her words, everyone's gaze turned to the sky.

"That demon, what kind of demon is it?"

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

"Judging by the aura of dark magic, it's a demon mage."

As soon as he finished speaking, the demon, Ingel, shed his robe.

"You insolent brats!"

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

Ingel's neck suddenly bulged as if to burst.

"Ugh!"

From his enlarged mouth, Ingel vomited an egg the size of his own face.

"Ugh! Blech!"

Eliza scrunched up her face at the sight.

"It's definitely a demon mage."

A demon at the counterpoint of a summoner.

A demon that uses the power of a beast.

The egg Ingel spat out fell to the ground and cracked with a *rustle-!*

Then, a demon identical to Ingel emerged from it.

"Ugh! Blech!"

Ingel spat out another egg.

From the egg that fell with it, another Ingel sprang forth.

"What, what is that?"

Iliana's face was filled with horror.

"Cloning…"

"Cloning?"

"It's a unique dark magic used by demon mages."

Leo said calmly.

"It's magic that summons clones with the same power as the original. It's a very troublesome magic."

"I've never heard of such magic!"

'It's the magic that demon mages frequently used during the Age of Calamity.'

Leo was about to draw his sword when.

"Don't step forward, Leo Frohb."

Durand, with his greatsword resting on his shoulder, drew his long sword with his other hand and said.

"We'll handle that."

"Are you sure?"

At his words, Chelsea said.

"This mission was a mission that even heroes failed. It means it's incredibly difficult. You chose to include us as companions for that mission."

*Rumble rumble rumble-*

A summoning circle began to unfold in front of the cloned Ingels.

Along with it, something enormous began to reveal itself.

Seeing that, Chelsea said.

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

He wants to give them experience.

Chelsea, Durand, Eliza, and Iliana.

The four of them knew that fact.

"But even if we're inexperienced, we have the right to stand on the same battlefield as Leo-oppa, right? If so, please trust us."

Chelsea unleashed her magic.

"Our party's name is the same as the party of great heroes!? Then there's no need for the captain to step up against such an opponent."

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

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

"Here I go!"

*Thwack-!*

Aar, without hesitation, charged towards the five previously summoned Gigantes.

"Grroooaaarrr!"

A howl erupted from Aar's mouth.

"Iliana!"

At Eliza's cry, Iliana climbed onto the Wind Wyvern.

*Whoosh-!*

The Wind Wyvern flew at tremendous speed.

"You insolent brats! I'll make you regret challenging me!"

Ingel's eyes glinted with malice in the air.

Ingel, who had been scouting the surroundings, was swept up in excitement upon seeing the group of humans, beastmen, and dwarves who had suddenly appeared.

There should have been no living beings in this area.

And suddenly, humans, beastmen, and dwarves who seemed incredibly inexperienced appeared.

'Heh heh! It's been a while since I've feasted!'

He attacked with a thrill.

But the brats possessed astonishing strength.

'How, how can someone of this age possess such power!'

In disbelief, Ingel decided to give his all.

"Niaaaaaaah!"

*Bang-!*

Ingel's eyes widened as he watched Aar, who had charged at tremendous speed and kicked the Gigantes in the chest.

'Transformation…?'

It wasn't night now.

And yet, a beastman in transformation…!

Ingel, watching from the sky, flinched.

"I see! I heard a beastman who could transform had appeared! So it's you!"

A sneer appeared on Ingel's face.

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

'It's impressive, but… at this level…!'

It was astonishing that two humans and a dwarf were fighting five Gigantes, but it was absurd that they claimed to save the world with such skill.

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

Just then, an annoyed voice was heard.

*Flash-!*

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

"Huh?"

"Using outdated dark magic that was deciphered 5000 years ago! What a dim-witted demon!"

Iliana sneered.

"What… what did you say?"

"Cloning weakens the original body too much, right? So if you get this close and just *swipe*, it's over!"

That was true.

That's why it was abandoned shortly after being created by the demon queen 5000 years ago.

Ingel, the user, also knew that.

But…

"You wench! How did you figure out the weakness of this magic! This magic was bestowed upon us by the Demon Queen just recently…"

*Gooooooo-! Roar-!*

"Good job, Pipi."

Eliza's Wind Wyvern sent Ingel flying.

Blown away by the aftermath of the Wind Breath, only Ingel's face remained as he fell to the ground with a look of futility, unable to finish his sentence.

*Thud-! Roll, roll! Thump-!*

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

At that moment, Ingel's gaze turned to the sky.

"You have the power of a high-ranking demon, yet your combat ability is abysmal."

Leo muttered indifferently and raised his foot to crush Ingel's head.

At that moment…

"Ah… ah… ah…!"

Seeing the look of shock in Ingel's eyes, Leo paused.

"Why… why is the sky… the sky…"

Seeing Ingel with a look of disbelief, Leo lowered his foot.

Then he opened his mouth.

"You. Which faction do you belong to?"

"The sky… it's impossible…"

"I asked which legion."

As Leo looked down at Ingel, his eyes momentarily turned gray.

Ingel's face was instantly filled with terror.

He felt an indescribable pressure.

In the face of irresistible fear, Ingel stammered and replied.

"I, I… am from the Demon Queen… Shilathuna's… legion."

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

*Thump-!*

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

'A demon from the Age of Calamity.'