Book 1 Chapter 694

694.

Leo and Gias's clash.

With just a single strike, the surroundings were plunged into destruction.

All living creatures in the vicinity of the collision site were turned into a bloody mess.

The bloodied mess evaporated without leaving a trace.

The terrain in the surrounding area began to change.

Thwack-!

Space distorted, and Leo was flung away.

Kwagagagagang-!

Like a meteor, Leo traced an arc and collided with the ground.

The surrounding area was swept away by the shockwave.

Thick dust rose.

Demons and monstrous beasts gathered around.

Kwaaaaaaa!

A vortex of flames swept through, clearing away the surrounding demons and monstrous beasts.

The demons and monstrous beasts that hadn't completely turned to ash screamed.

But despite their bodies burning, the demons and monstrous beasts scattered killing intent and charged towards the center of the flames.

Skratch-!

A gray line cut through the air.

Pwoosh-!

The bodies of the demons were severed by a sharp sword strike and fell scattered.

Thud- Thud-

Leo, who walked out of the fire, lightly rotated the arm that had swung the sword.

Then he looked at Gias, who was standing far away.

'It's a divine authority.'

A unique ability, divine authority, possessed by the highest-ranking Greater Demons.

However, the Legion Commanders' divine authorities are special.

The divine authorities possessed by the demons under a Legion Commander are bestowed by the Legion Commanders, but a Legion Commander's divine authority is bestowed by Erebus.

The reason why the current era's Legion Commanders are weaker than the past ones.

It was also the presence or absence of divine authority.

A Legion Commander, fearsome in power by themselves, was ultimately only half a being without a divine authority.

After Erebus was sealed, Gias also lost his divine authority.

'Well, they're such monsters that even without divine authority, they can't be compared to the Legion Commanders born in the Age of Heroes.'

But now.

Gias had regained his divine authority.

He had been influenced by Erebus, who resides in the world of the Legion.

'His divine authority is Berserker.'

The moment it's activated, his power skyrockets, transforming him into a demoniac being that summons destruction and ruin.

It was simple, but precisely because of that, it was one of the most powerful divine authorities even among the Legion Commanders.

In addition, a Legion Commander's divine authority also imbues the Legion.

As a result, the power of the Giant King's Legion was now even stronger.

Simple and powerful, but Gias's divine authority had a clear drawback.

That was becoming a monster that loses its reason and is swept away only by the instinct of destruction.

Gias is overly cautious.

In a huge war, that caution sometimes trips him up.

Like a little while ago.

'If he had stepped forward from the beginning without being wary of Dweno, it would have been dangerous.'

But Gias was overly wary of Dweno and made the mistake of breaking the Legion's momentum in the first battle.

He also gave Ibaldi time to thoroughly prepare his defenses.

However, that caution doesn't always trip him up.

Sometimes his caution and patience become Gias's powerful weapons.

'Even more so in a one-on-one battle.'

The overwhelming power emanating from his massive body is certainly terrifying.

But that also becomes a weakness, as his target area is large.

Therefore, Gias carefully strategizes against his opponents in one-on-one battles.

He doesn't rush foolishly even when he gains the upper hand.

Gias, having activated Berserker, is in a sense simple to deal with.

Either overpower him with strength or, if strength is lacking, dig a trap.

However, the current Gias maintains his reason despite having activated Berserker.

Furthermore, his divine authority is much stronger than Leo remembers.

Hwa-rururuk-

Flames of disaster ignited on Gias's body.

He hadn't just strengthened his power with divine authority alone.

The current Gias was receiving Erebus's blessing.

'To gain Erebus's blessing, one must offer oneself as a sacrifice.'

Seeing that, Leo narrowed his eyes.

'Indeed… did he use another version of himself as a sacrifice?'

The current Gias had devoured his past self.

And with his bones and skin, he had crafted armor and weapons.

The sword Gias wielded.

That sword was made from Gias's spine.

'It wasn't Gias himself who activated the divine authority, but his armaments.'

He had completely passed on his power to his future self.

And he had imbued his consciousness into his spine.

Biological repulsion arose from that grotesqueness.

'He's a complete monster.'

Leo lowered his stance.

'In terms of subjugation difficulty… he'd be on par with Jörmungandr.'

Jörmungandr, the King of Gluttony, whom Leo and Lisinas barely defeated by combining their strengths.

A Legion Commander who commanded no Legion.

The strongest demon, worthy of being called a Legion all by himself.

Gias's current power was on the level of Jörmungandr.

Thump-! Thump-!

Gias walked towards Leo and narrowed his eyes.

"Amazing. To regain such power after living for barely over ten years."

"I only seriously started handling mana three years ago."

Leo smirked nonchalantly.

"Is that so?"

Kwagagagagagang-!

Gias's sword struck Leo down.

The flames of disaster that had enveloped the sword disappeared.

A sword mark was etched into the ground.

Leo, who had deflected Gias's sword, changing its trajectory, felt the agonizing pain of his arm being shattered.

Gias, looking down at Leo, shifted his gaze towards the city wall.

Gias's gaze landed where Ar was standing.

"That girl, called the successor of Arion, her growth is also extraordinary."

Even considering the Hero Record, Ar's growth rate was fast.

'The same must be true for that elf girl, said to be Luna's successor.'

It was clear that someone was at the center of everything.

"But your miracles will end today."

Gias's face twisted hideously.

"What do you mean by that?"

"It means you die here. The surviving hero."

"Ah."

Leo, who nodded as if he understood, curved his lips into a smile.

"I don't particularly think tearing you apart and killing you is a miracle, do I? Isn't it obvious?"

Crash-!

Gias kicked Leo.

Whoosh-! Kwaang-!

Leo, flung away, crashed into the city wall.

"B-Black Rabbit!"

Ar called out to Leo urgently.

Leo, spitting blood, pulled his arm out of the wall.

Leo's sword was imbued with Arion's aura.

Leo looked straight ahead.

Just before he was kicked.

He had cut Gias's ankle.

With the maximum power Leo could muster.

'I couldn't cut him.'

Leo's current sword strike could not cut Gias's body, which was strengthened by divine authority and Erebus's power.

"Black Rabbit!"

Ar, with a tearful face, came down next to Leo, helped him up, and climbed back onto the city wall.

"I want to fight too!"

"It's still too early for you."

"But!"

"We need time to defeat him."

"T-time?"

"Yes. Time to complete the magic."

Leo, having moved away from Ar, wiped his mouth.

His insides felt like a mess.

'Still, I can endure.'

There was only one way to overcome this situation.

Luna's magic.

And he could imitate Luna.

The problem was the vanguard.

He needed the strongest shield to protect him while he completed the incantation.

"Dweno will come."

"B-but! He hasn't come for a long time! I'd rather…!"

"I told you, it's too early."

Leo gave Ar a rap on the head.

Thud- Thud-

Leo walked forward.

'Anyone can waver.'

He was not a perfect person.

Likewise, Dweno was not perfect.

Not just himself and Dweno.

Arion, Luna.

Even Lisinas.

No one was perfect.

Wavering and wandering were natural.

But…

'The place we always looked at was the same.'

This belief would not waver.

Leo looked up at the sky.

The pre-dawn night sky.

It was almost time for dawn to break.

At that moment.

A message appeared before Leo's eyes.

"See?"

With Ar's eyes wide open, Leo smiled faintly.

"I told you he'd come."

***

Kwagagagang-!

Dweno reached out his hand towards a sharp sword strike that scattered like flower petals.

Grab-!

"Gasp?!"

Aina, whose neck was seized, struggled.

A sword full of keen energy caught his eye.

'It's a sword I made.'

It was an armament that might be able to pierce Dweno's defenses.

But regrettably, the sword he made would not harm him.

The armaments he made were such armaments.

At that moment-

Shk-

"……?"

Aina's sword, Demon Slayer, grazed Dweno's cheek.

Doubt flashed in Dweno's mind for a moment.

Squeeze-!

"Ugh?"

As Dweno applied a little force, Aina, unable to breathe, went limp for a moment.

"Aina!"

Luke hurriedly closed the distance to Aina.

"Take her."

"Huh?"

Dweno tossed Aina to Luke as if handing her over.

Luke, who hastily caught Aina, tripped over his legs and rolled on the ground.

He held Aina tightly in his arms so she wouldn't get hurt.

Dweno gave Luke, who had rolled up to him, a flick on the forehead.

Pow!

"Gasp?!"

Luke's eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Pabababababat-!

At that moment.

A pure white flash and golden lightning that blurred Dweno's vision appeared.

It was Duran and Iliana.

"They're fast."

Dweno murmured softly.

"But that's all there is."

Grab- Grab-

"Gasp?!"

"Ugh?"

Dweno reached out his hands and lightly grabbed Duran and Iliana by the scruffs of their necks.

He had predicted their paths and snatched the two.

At that moment.

"Don't lay a hand on my disciples! You brat-AAAAH!"

"You. If you're going to speak informally, speak informally, and if you're going to speak formally, speak formally."

Artian, who sharply exploited Dweno's opening from behind, swung his fist.

Dweno smiled faintly and forcefully threw his head back.

Thud-!

At that moment, Artian's forehead and Dweno's back of the head collided.

Thump-

Artian instantly fell to his knees, losing consciousness.

And he squeezed his hands, putting pressure on Duran and Iliana's necks.

Eventually, both of them lost consciousness and fainted.

At that moment.

Kwaaaaaaaaaa-!

"Now!"

Simultaneously with Chelsea's shout, Habiden brought his sword down.

Chelsea drew out as much magic as possible to create a blade of wind with Habiden's sword, which wielded the aura of wind.

Seeing that, Dweno took a breath.

And…

"Haaaah!"

He let out a battle cry imbued with aura.

It was different from Arion's howling.

The atmospheric pressure instantly changed in a flash.

The blade of wind scattered in the air.

The sudden change in atmospheric pressure and Dweno's battle cry contained in the sound greatly damaged the ears of Chelsea and Habiden, who were sensitive to wind changes.

As a result, both of them rolled their eyes back and fainted.

"…What… is this…"

Karl, who was commanding from behind Eliza riding a Wind Wyvern, gaped.

"Your command is sharp, Karl."

Dweno smiled faintly.

"But this fighting style seems new to you."

Dweno was right.

It was an extraordinary fighting style.

'This is practically like hitting an opponent with a shield.'

He had subdued them based on overwhelming defensive power.

With shivers running through his body, Karl unconsciously hugged Eliza tightly.

Eliza, who would normally react sharply, also gulped.

Her heart pounded rapidly due to instinctive fear.

In the midst of that…

"Haaaah!"

Driana charged at Dweno from the front.

"Hey! No! Driana! Stop!"

Karl said in alarm.