Book 1 Chapter 672

672.

Thump-! Thump-!

The faces of the Ivaldi warriors, watching the endless tide of the Giant King's army, were filled with terror.

Each gripping their weapons, all of them were trembling.

That was when it happened.

"Please let us fight too!"

A voice was heard from below the castle walls.

Leo walked towards the inner wall and looked down.

Below the castle wall.

He could see beastmen and dwarf boys and girls, who looked to be in their late teens, each gripping their weapons with determined expressions.

"We can fight! We'll be helpful!"

"They're saying no!"

"We are warriors too! Look! We have weapons!"

"They're just things made by mere brats! And! You want to stand on this dangerous battlefield after only hunting a few monsters!"

The beastman girl and dwarf boy at the very front gritted their teeth.

"Leo. What are you looking at?"

At that moment, Cal approached with a puzzled expression and turned his gaze to below the inner wall.

Suddenly, the beastman girl pointed at Leo and Cal with her finger.

"Then what are those people? They're outsiders! Why are they participating in the battle!"

"Dwenno-nim allowed them to stand on the battlefield!"

"Hmph! Why are we not allowed! We are prepared to die at any moment!"

"Wow, what a spirited beastman kid."

Cal, leaning on the railing, exclaimed and said to Leo.

"They seem quite confident in their skills, perhaps they could ask for help?"

"No."

"Why?"

Leo's firm response made Cal's expression falter.

"The era you live in now is different from that era."

The Age of Calamity was an era of decline.

An era where it was difficult to even properly educate children.

It was clearly different from Cal, who was born in the Age of Heroes.

Their living environments were completely different from the hero candidates who were thoroughly prepared to stand on the battlefield.

"They might have a lot of practical experience."

Leo turned away coldly.

"But that's all. In this era, such brats only stand on the battlefield when the city is on the verge of destruction."

At those words, Cal looked at the young boys and girls who were looking up at them with resentful expressions and smacked his lips.

Cal, who was about to follow Leo, suddenly made eye contact with the beastman girl who seemed to be the leader.

Cal looked down at the beastman and gave a bright smile, then waved.

"Don't worry too much. My friends are all monsters, you know. We'll protect the city safely."

"Hmph!"

Flames lit up in the beastman girl's eyes.

"Cal, hurry up."

"Oops!"

Cal, pulled away from the inner wall railing by Chelsea's call, headed towards the outer wall.

And looking at the army of the Giant King visible beyond the wall, he muttered.

"But there are so many of them… they're disgusting…"

"Hmph. You were just talking about changing history and now you're saying such pathetic things?"

"I think I was a bit out of my mind just now."

At that, Eliza put her hand on her forehead and shook her head.

"I was a fool to think you were a little cool."

"Huh? What? I think I heard something amazing just now? Can you say it again?"

"Get lost."

As Cal's eyes widened and he brought his ear closer, Eliza irritably pushed Cal's head aside.

"Everyone seems to be overflowing with余裕."

Leo said, watching the scene.

"Yes. But the atmosphere isn't good, except for us."

Chelsea said, looking at the intimidated wall.

It couldn't be helped.

The army of the Giant King visible before them was, quite literally, an army of despair.

One of the reasons the hero candidates could maintain their composure was Dwenno's presence.

The people of Ivaldi didn't know, but the hero candidates all knew.

That Dwenno was one of the great heroes who ended the Age of Calamity.

Of course, they weren't relying solely on Dwenno.

They shook off the anxiety that permeated their chests and mustered their courage.

Because in their eyes, they saw the unshakeable back of one person.

'Dwenno-nim is Dwenno-nim, but Leo is also playing a big role.'

A hero who turned countless impossibilities into possibilities.

The belief that the human named Leo Flub could provide was immense.

He was literally their leader.

"Then shall we turn fear into courage?"

"Go Black Rabbit!"

At Leo's words, Arta clenched his fist and said.

At that, Leo looked back at Arta with a look of pity.

"What are you talking about?"

"Huh?"

"It's not me, it's something you have to do."

"Me?"

Arta pointed at himself with a bewildered expression.

At that, Leo said.

"In the Age of Calamity, who was responsible for giving courage to allies who fell into fear on the battlefield?"

"Arion-nim!"

"Then who are you?"

"Ar Tune! The one who inherits the will of the warrior!"

"Then it's your role to turn fear into courage."

Leo tapped Arta's forehead with his finger.

"When are you going to leave it all to me? Take this burden."

"Ugh! You sound like an incredibly tired old man!"

Arta grumbled as he rubbed his forehead, but then nodded.

"Still, you're right! Just like the Black Rabbit said! Hmph! I, who have reached the position of hero! Ar, the inheritor of the warrior's will, it's my turn to step forward!"

With a triumphant expression, Arta climbed to the highest point of the castle wall.

As the cat beastman suddenly climbed to the highest point, everyone's gaze turned to Arta.

"Hey! Listen! We allowed you to participate in the battle, but we can't tolerate you moving around on your own!"

"More importantly! It's dangerous to be in such an exposed place!"

The surrounding beastmen rushed to get Arta down.

Indeed, if he was openly exposed to the enemy, it would be dangerous.

He could be hit by magic or long-range projectiles immediately.

"Hoo-ugh!"

Arta took a deep breath.

Watching him, Leo looked at the battlefield.

'He must be watching too.'

The Lord of the Undead would surely be watching this battlefield.

'Let them know. Who you are.'

Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-!

A mighty roar erupted from Arta's mouth.

Golden aura swirled around Arta's body.

The Ivaldi warriors flinched at the sound of the roar.

"This…?"

"What on earth…?"

Fear disappeared.

Instead, courage filled their hearts.

Dwenno's hand, gripping his battle axe, tightened.

The sight of Arta howling was imprinted on his eyes.

"Huh?!"

"Shu-hwa!"

In the daytime, without a full moon, gasps erupted from here and there as they saw Arta performing Shu-hwa.

But the miracle didn't end there.

Beastman warriors began performing Shu-hwa one by one.

They looked at the changes happening in their bodies in disbelief.

"Wh-what is this!"

"Amazing!"

Their bodies overflowed with strength.

Arta, who had performed Shu-hwa, bumped his fists together and grinned.

"Everyone, don't be scared! If you're scared, you can't win even a winnable fight! Those ugly bastards! Let's smash them all!"

"Waaaaaaah!"

The Ivaldi warriors, filled with high spirits, let out a cheer.

"Unbelievable…!"

"This is truly reassuring!"

Enniha's face was filled with shock, and Dwenno stroked his beard and let out a hearty laugh, "Wahahaha!"

That was when it happened.

Kiiiiaaaaaaaah!

A tremendous number of Fafnirs appeared from the sky.

Seeing that, Leo said.

"Eliza."

"What is it?"

"How long are you going to keep hiding it?"

"Hmph."

Eliza snorted, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together.

Fzzzt- Fzzzt-!

Pure white lightning began to swirl around Eliza.

Seeing that, Chelsea's eyes widened.

"No way?"

Fwaaaababat!

With a flash of white light, a pure white Pegasus appeared before Eliza.

"Unbelievable."

"Summoned a Pegasus at that age?"

"What the heck are those guys?!"

The warriors on the wall let out exclamations of shock once more.

Click- click-

"Duran Moira, Chelsea Rewalin."

Eliza approached the Pegasus, looked at each of her rivals one by one, and chuckled.

"You'll never be able to catch up to me now."

"Ridiculous."

"Hmph! I'll catch up soon, so enjoy this moment to the fullest!"

Duran said with a nonchalant expression, and Chelsea snorted.

"Hey, Eliza. I…"

Iliana asked with a bitter look, and Eliza said.

"Is a lazy person like you worth discussing?"

"Revenge! Eliza is ignoring me!"

"That's why you should train harder?"

Iliana complained to Leo with a tearful face, and Leo smiled faintly.

"Wow! Eliza! Amazing! You finally succeeded!"

Cal exclaimed.

Eliza, smiling faintly at Cal, tried to mount the Pegasus.

"Wow! But Eliza! You're really pretty!"

"What?"

At that moment, Cal's words made her almost fall.

"What are you talking about all of a sudden!"

Seeing Eliza yelling back, her face slightly red, Cal pointed at the Pegasus and said.

"What am I talking about? Your Pegasus is really pretty."

"……"

Eliza's shoulders trembled.

"You… just you wait after this."

"No, why."

"Hmph!"

Eliza, who snorted at Cal's wronged expression, gently stroked the Pegasus's neck.

"Let's go, Lou."

[Yes, Eliza.]

Flash- Fzzzt-!

A storm raged, and Eliza's Pegasus, Lou, soared into the sky.

Fwaaat! Fwaaaababat!

Kiiiiiaaaaaaaak!

Kiiiiaaaak!

Pure white lightning drew trajectories.

Where the trajectories passed, Fafnirs shrieked and fell.

"It's completely one-sided."

"The power of lightning that Pegasus possesses is the opposite of Fafnir."

Leo, who explained to the admiring Arta, summoned Ati.

"Again?!"

"How did those children make a pact with a Pegasus at that age!"

Gasps of shock erupted from all around.

'I'm about the same age as you guys, so calling me a child is a bit much.'

Leo gave a wry smile in his mind and said as he mounted Ati's back.

"The sky will be handled by me and Eliza. You guys take care of the wall."

"Should I follow Professor Artian's command for the strategy?"

"Professor Artian might not be able to."

Leo glanced at the rear of the castle wall.

Goooooo-!

Immense spiritual and magical power flickered around Artian.

A mage spirit had possessed his body.

"He's preparing a big one."

"Then Dwenno-nim's command…"

"You can do it."

"Huh? Me?"

"Then you have to do it."

"But you and Dwenno-nim are here?"

At that, Leo laughed.

"I'll say the same thing I said to Arta."

"What?"

"When are you going to leave it all to me? Take this burden."

"Haaah!"

Cal sighed deeply.

Then he patted his cheeks and turned around.

"I'm sorry, but."

Cal smiled awkwardly.

"Can you entrust your lives to me?"

"We entrust them."

Duran said without hesitation.

At that, Cal looked slightly surprised.

"Huh? Without hesitation?"

"Leo-oppa entrusted the command to you, so we have to follow."

Chelsea shrugged her shoulders, and Driana patted Cal's shoulder.

"You can entrust them to me as much as you want."

"Ugh."

Cal staggered from Driana's strength.

"Well, if you mess up the command, I'll kill you first."

At Chelsea's words, Cal smiled awkwardly.

"No, that's a bit…"

"Since we entrusted our lives to you, don't we have to hold your life as collateral?"

As Chelsea smiled brightly, Cal let out a hollow laugh.

That was when it happened.

Kwagaagaagaang-!

An explosion echoed.

Wheeeeeng-!

"It's a magic bullet!"

"Everyone prepare!"

Screams erupted from here and there as they saw the giant black magic bullet flying from the Giant King's army.

"Dwenno-nim! Enniha-nim! It's dangerous to show your faces outside!"

The dwarf's urgent words prompted Enniha to say.

"I don't have to hide behind the wall?"

"Don't take your eyes off that sight, Enniha."

"Huh?"

Flash! Fzzzt-!

Pure white lightning flashed, and Leo appeared before the black magic bullet fired by the Giant King's army.

Swish-!

A long gray line drew a trajectory from left to right.

And then…

Kwagaagaagaagaagaang-!

The black magic bullet exploded in mid-air, shaking the earth.

The wall trembled.

Everyone looked at the back of Leo, who was riding a Pegasus.

Kiiiiiaaaaaaaak-!

Boo-woo-woo-!

As the siege weapon's attack was rendered futile, the Giant King's army began to charge with an ominous horn blast.

Seeing that, Dwenno leaped from the wall without hesitation.

"Dwenno!"

Enniha called out urgently, and Dwenno said.

"Don't worry! The sky is reliable now!"

Thump-!

With those words, Dwenno landed on the ground.

Goooooo-!

Golden flame aura flickered from Dwenno's body.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't even dream of charging alone.

Because there was no going back.

But not now.

Kiiieeeek!

Thump-thump-thump-thump-!

The Gigantes unit charged, targeting Dwenno.

Kagaaag-!

Dwenno grinned ferociously, grinding the blade of his axe on the ground.

"Well then."

Squeeze-!

Dwenno, gripping his battle axe with both hands, his eyes glinted.

Thud-!

A dull sound echoed.

The waists of the Gigantes in front of Dwenno were severed in two.

The giant axe blade had cleaved the Gigantes in half.

"Since the rear is also reliable, shall I go all out too?"