Book 1 Chapter 673
673.
Gooooo-!
A massive surge of magic swirled around Artian.
Artian, who had closed his eyes and was chanting, soon opened them.
"Flame Wave."
Hwarurururuk-!
A colossal tidal wave of flames erupted from the fortress's moat.
The Gigantes, advancing to break down the castle walls, screamed upon seeing it.
But the magic was not over.
"-!"
A beautiful singing voice echoed in the center of the battlefield.
The wind responded to the song made of runes.
Hwioooooo-
Magic shimmered from Chelsea's body, who held a staff.
The area around Chelsea was so serene it felt impossible to believe it was the heart of a battlefield.
The song was as beautiful as to captivate anyone, were it not for the circumstances.
However, the scene created by the song was terrifyingly ferocious.
Gooooooo-!
The tidal wave of flames, which had been engulfing the Giant King's army, intensified.
Like waves swaying in the wind.
It didn't just surge in one direction but attacked from all sides.
Artian's eyes sparkled.
"When did that brat become such an amazing mage?"
Although he was a professor teaching Heroics, a field unrelated to magic, in the Summoning Department.
As he had contracted with a Heroic Spirit mage, Artian himself was knowledgeable in magic.
Grinning- Artian generated even more magic.
Consequently, Flame Waves continued to pour out from the moat.
The area around the fortress, through the magic of Chelsea and Artian, became literally the center of a sea of fire.
"Haaaaap!"
From the heart of that sea of fire, Duveno swung his battle axe.
"This is a perfect environment to fight in!"
The combination of Chelsea and Artian's magic was so powerful it could turn even allies into ashes.
But it didn't deal significant damage to Duveno.
Duveno, who had been a shield for the Archi party against the disaster flames, the most terrible of flames.
Even Luna's fire magic couldn't pose a great threat to Duveno, who could withstand it.
Pugeok-!
"Kkeo-eeer-!"
"Where are you looking?!"
Duveno, decapitating a demon subordinate of the Giant King writhing in pain, engulfed in flames, looked up.
"Die! Dwarf!"
A colossal demon, wielding a massive battle hammer with both hands, was smashing the hammer down towards the dwarf.
The momentum of the hammer, piercing through the sea of flames, was formidable.
Kwaaang-! Jjeojeojeok-!
Duveno's battle axe, which blocked the battle hammer imbued with evil dark magic, cracked.
Upon seeing that, the giant demon grinned maliciously.
"This weapon was bestowed upon me by the great Giant King! It's impossible to block it with something made by a mere dwarf…"
Kwak-!
In an instant, the dwarf's fingers, not holding the battle axe, dug into the head of the battle axe.
"Tell the Giant King,"
Duveno grinned coldly.
"that he can't even hammer a nail with such a crude hammer."
Ppajijijijik! Kwadeuk-!
The colossal battle hammer, which began to spread from Duveno's fingertips, was shattered into pieces.
"No!"
The giant demon let out a cry of astonishment.
Duveno tossed aside the cracked battle axe, opened an interdimensional rift, and leaped.
A massive greatsword appeared.
Duveno, leaping up to the giant demon's face, said,
"Shall we test if your hide is as sturdy as your weapon?"
Buak-!
The swung greatsword mercilessly severed the giant demon's neck.
"Hmm, your bones aren't sturdy enough. Were you a picky eater?"
Duveno, grinning at the flying giant demon's head, landed on the ground.
"Kill the Iron-Blooded Gatekeeper!"
"No! Aim for the castle walls!"
The Giant King's army became flustered.
Luke, watching from atop the castle wall, shivered.
"Duveno-nim… you're truly amazing."
"He seems capable of defending it alone."
Aina's eyes widened.
Watching them, Enniha bit her lip tightly.
"No. Even so, he can't defend it alone."
"Indeed, there's no beating numbers."
Driana made a sour expression.
"But now, we are here too!"
Ar puffed out his chest.
"Right… you guys are here."
On this castle wall, there were many heroes with greater power than Ar now.
But Duveno had never gone out alone like this while defending the castle before.
'It's because of us.'
To protect them, Duveno had always had to fight disadvantageous battles.
'We're just a burden.'
Enniha looked up at the sky.
Leo was there.
The reason Duveno could fight on the front lines with peace of mind now.
'If only I had at least one reliable comrade… if I had been even a little more reliable, Duveno could have moved forward with peace of mind.'
Enniha clenched her weapon with a furious expression.
"They're coming, prepare yourselves!"
The Giant King's army, piercing through the sea of flames, assaulted the castle walls.
Kwak-!
'I should probably get going.'
Duveno, decapitating the Gigantes before him, surveyed the battlefield.
The army's offensive was endless.
'…But… why isn't he here?'
However, the Giant King, who could be considered the core of the army, was nowhere to be seen.
'This isn't a full-scale assault.'
Duveno saw through it in an instant.
'What are you plotting, you insidious fellow.'
*
Leo rapidly charged towards the flock of Fafnirs that filled the sky.
Gooooo-!
Spiritual energy surged from the tip of Leo's sword.
The sword in his hand, Fosteritas, reacted to Leo's spiritual energy.
Pajik- Pajijijijik-
Pure white lightning, flowing from Leo's body, gathered at the sword's tip.
"Are you ready?"
[Yes!]
The moment Ati's answer ended.
Pure white light flashed from Leo's eyes.
Beonjjeok!
The spiritual energy swirling from Fosteritas momentarily became pure white lightning and soared into the sky.
Kureureung-!
The lightning that pierced through the clouds created thunderclouds.
Kwaareung-! Pajijijijik-!
[Aaaaaaaah-!]
Ati's screams of pain echoed in all directions.
The power Leo used was the essence of lightning.
The power of Albus, the last Pegasus King from 5000 years ago.
A skill inherited as a reward for conquering the world of Lyssinas last time.
The Flame Emperor of the Phoenix.
The Pure White King of the Pegasus.
The Fairy Queen of the Fairies.
Even among mythical beasts, their powers are special.
Only those qualified can wield them freely.
A power that inflicts immense pain the moment someone other than a Mythical Beast King or their successor wields it.
'Albus couldn't leave a successor.'
That's why there shouldn't have been any Pegasus capable of wielding the essence of lightning properly in this era.
'Right. There shouldn't be.'
[Aahahahahahahahahaha!]
Ati, who had been screaming in pain, began to laugh with ecstasy.
[So good! I feel alive! Ahahahahahahahaha!]
Choking with manic laughter, Ati spread its wings and soared into the sky at immense speed.
Kuwaaaaaaaaa-!
Where Ati passed, the Fafnirs crumbled into dust.
'First, I need to gain air superiority.'
Without control of the sky, they would have to fight a disadvantageous battle.
Of course, that's not the only reason he took to the sky.
There was a more important reason here now.
'He said he participated in the Battle of Ivaldi, didn't he?'
There's an old grudge here.
An old grudge he couldn't settle with his own hands, regrettably.
Fafnirs are undoubtedly superior magical beasts.
They were also mythical beasts that instilled the most terror in people during the Age of Disaster.
But they have a clear weakness.
'The reason these guys became superior mythical beasts isn't that each individual is strong.'
Of course, even a single Fafnir is by no means a weak magical beast.
Each and every one is a highly threatening magical beast.
But even so, compared to other superior magical beasts, their power seems weak.
Especially when considering that superior magical beasts are monsters that exhibit power equal to superior mythical beasts.
Yet, the reason Fafnirs are classified as superior magical beasts is singular.
'Pack living.'
The Fafnir's most terrifying weapon is not its strong physical ability.
It is their reproductive rate and growth speed.
And their tendency to obey the leader's commands absolutely.
By taming just one Fafnir leader, Beast Masters can control the entire pack.
The day Duveno joined and the Archi party was completed.
Lyssinas's first target was none other than the large-scale subjugation of Fafnirs.
Thus, Fafnirs became extinct and disappeared during the Age of Disaster.
'Lyssinas believed the world couldn't be saved as long as Fafnirs existed.'
Fafnirs, whose numbers had increased so greatly, were more threatening than any other magical beast.
But these Fafnirs weren't always superior magical beasts either.
They were originally intermediate magical beasts.
'They only became superior magical beasts after the Age of Disaster began.'
The Fafnir's abnormal reproductive rate and growth speed were not originally their characteristics.
"Eliza!"
"Why are you calling me!"
"Can you handle these guys alone for a moment!"
"What is it?"
Leo looked up at the sky.
"There's something up there."
Upon hearing that, Eliza looked up at the sky.
Then, she curled the corners of her mouth upwards.
"It's possible."
"Are you sure it's okay?"
"Exceed your limits, that's our school's motto, isn't it? And…"
Eliza frowned slightly.
"I don't like seeing that human boast about being a hero either."
Eliza, revealing a strange competitive spirit, generated spiritual energy.
Affected by that spiritual energy, Pegasus Lu emitted even more intense lightning.
"You're reliable?"
"Hmph."
Eliza snorted at Leo's words and summoned a mythical beast.
Countless flying mythical beasts, led by Wind Wyverns, were summoned.
"Guys."
Eliza grinned.
"Let's hunt those ugly lizards."
Pajijijik-!
The Pegasus's blessing was bestowed upon the mythical beasts summoned by Eliza.
Leo inwardly marveled upon seeing that.
'She succeeded in summoning a Pegasus not too long ago, and already such an application.'
Marvelling at Eliza, Leo said, holding Ati's reins,
"Ati. As high as possible."
[Yes! Master!]
Ati's eyes flashed and soared into the sky.
Kiyeeeeeee!
An immense number of Fafnirs blocked Leo's path like a cloud.
As if they couldn't let Leo pass.
Leo held out his palm.
Pababaabaat-!
The essence of lightning began to gather on Leo's hand.
Kwak-! Kwajijijijik-!
As he clenched his fist, a pure white spear appeared.
Hwak-!
As the pure white spear was flung, the Fafnirs were incinerated.
As if a giant hole had appeared in the clouds.
A vacant space was created amidst the darkly gathered Fafnir flock.
A foul smell of burning protein wafted to his nose, but Leo, unconcerned, charged through the gap.
Huuk-!
Ati, soaring above the clouds, discovered something.
[Master, is that…?]
"It's a dragon."
Leo said calmly.
The white-haired man standing on the clouds looked noble at first glance.
It was as if an eerie silence flowed around him.
A beautiful, handsome man who seemed detached from the world.
Leo approached the man, who stood still with his eyes closed.
"Hello?"
"Not only do you trespass upon my domain, but an inferior human like yourself dares to speak to me?"
The man opened his eyes with a serene expression.
"You wish to die, it seems."
At his words, Leo laughed.
"I wanted to meet you. Gimeon."
"Hoho? Are there still humans who remember this Gimeon-sama? But your tone is rude."
A black glint flashed momentarily in Leo's eyes.
Upon that, Gimeon's eyes twitched.
"That spiritual energy… Lyssinas?"
"I was truly bothered that I couldn't tear you to shreds with my own hands."
Leo's eyes curved gently.
But a chilling murderous aura swirled within them.
"Now, that annoyance will be resolved."
"Haha, you're an amusing human. A mere inferior being claiming to kill me, a dragon? What a funny joke."
Gimeon burst into laughter as if he had heard a funny joke.
"I don't know how you obtained Lyssinas's power. But it seems you mistake gaining the power of a dragon for being able to fight me."
Gimeon sneered.
"Just as humans have their statuses, dragons have theirs. Lyssinas's power, which you had to serve me in the darkness, can never be a match for me, the Dragon King."
Gimeon declared with a clearly condescending gaze.
"Dragon King literally means the strongest dragon."
"Strongest, you say, you traitorous lizard."
"What?"
Gimeon's expression changed drastically.
"And Dragon King… I'd appreciate it if you didn't casually use the title?"
Leo's voice turned icy.
"In this era, the only Dragon Lord is that fellow, Lyssinas."