Book 1 Chapter 771

771.

The Underground Temple of Styx.

This was an ancient temple built long ago, before Death’s Frost Nyx was consumed by Erebus, the Flame of Calamity.

Later.

A place created through the belief that Nyx, the immortal being of ice that never melts, would one day be resurrected.

In one of the resting places of Styx, followers of Nyx slumbered, frozen in time.

In the center of such an ice temple, Aketon, the Saint of Grief, offered a prayer.

"My condolences to those who came into this world meaninglessly and will disappear meaninglessly…"

Drip- drip-

"May the goddess's grace be with those who vanished without being embraced by the goddess…"

Tears of blood streamed from Aketon’s eyes.

"May the world one day greet the true blessing of death…"

He genuinely felt sorrow for the world and rose to his feet.

Erebus and Tartarus were burning the world to erase it without a trace.

They had no interest in ruling.

They merely sought to return to nothingness, where nothing existed, by being used as fuel for the world’s destruction, even themselves.

In contrast, Nyx and Styx desired to make the world eternal and immortal.

To be trapped in eternally unmelting ice where time does not flow, maintaining their appearance from life for an eternal death.

Though the form is different, both are ends.

It’s merely a difference in perspective between burning it away and preserving it by freezing.

However, because of this, Tartarus and Styx could never understand each other.

The reason was that while both groups desired the end, their forms were polar opposites.

However, from the perspective of the inhabitants of the surface, there were moderates.

That was Styx.

As their goal was to stop the world’s form in an eternal and immortal state.

They felt the need to cultivate the world into the beautiful form desired by Nyx until complete victory.

Therefore, in the distant past.

They reigned as the largest religion on the surface.

Humans worshipped Nyx, and other races also worshipped Nyx as a goddess.

The demons of Styx were revered as apostles of the goddess, and Nyx was worshipped as a god who promised eternity to people.

Although their origin remained 'evil', the inhabitants of the surface at that time did not care.

They were merely enjoying the sweet moments of their era.

"Indeed, livestock should be so," the Saint of Grief muttered to himself.

The reason Styx ruled humans.

It was because humans were elements that constituted this world.

Most humans were repulsive from their perspective, but among them were those with shining souls.

Moreover, for the world to meet its death in a more perfect form, harmony was necessary.

Therefore, they ruled humans.

Just like livestock.

Not only humans.

They treated most of the beings on the surface who worshipped them in the same way.

The Saint of Grief stopped walking.

Before him lay countless inhabitants of the surface, trapped in ice.

These were all those who had sworn loyalty to Nyx.

Those with great power who would dedicate themselves to the great war that would one day lead the world to its end.

They were the great warriors of Styx, who would become the foundation for the world’s grand death.

Passing them, Aketon reached the deepest part of the underground temple.

A giant door stood before him.

This was the abode of Death’s Frost, Nyx.

"Great Goddess. I implore you, your creation, to grant me an audience."

Aketon, kneeling, bowed his head.

However, unlike usual, there was no answer from the goddess.

At that moment, when Aketon felt doubt.

KWA-A-ANG-! FIRE-RRRR-!

"……!"

The great door was destroyed, and black flames began to surge.

"Flame of Calamity!"

Aketon, eyes wide, was about to unleash dark magic when.

GOOOOOOO-!

A terrifying cold wind began to blow, suppressing the black flames.

Along with it appeared a beautiful woman with pale white skin and white hair.

"Ooh! Nyx…!"

As Aketon knelt and bowed his head to Nyx, Erebus's voice was heard.

-Foolish, Nyx.

"You are the foolish one, Erebus."

Nyx shot back at Erebus with a chilling voice.

"5000 years ago, I saw your memories and learned the reason for your failure. It was because of your vulgar madness to burn everything that you failed to achieve your goals."

Disgust flickered in the eyes of Death’s Frost.

"To think that after burning the other five evil gods and becoming the absolute evil, all you achieved was this. It's truly astonishing that you, of all beings, have room for disappointment."

-You speak boldly, having been consumed by that vulgar madness yourself.

KWA-A-A-A-!

The black flames unleashed immense heat.

However, that heat soon failed to affect its surroundings and was suppressed by Nyx’s cold.

"It's useless. The initiative is completely mine now. You are nothing more than a fragment of thought. The world will now meet its death in its complete form."

-Is that so?

Erebus chuckled softly.

-You will be defeated by the surviving hero anyway.

"No. I will not fight the Hero of Origin."

-Interesting. Are you going to shake your rear for a mere mortal?

"That's a thought only you, a vulgar being, would have."

Nyx scoffed.

"I learned from your memories that his nobility is eternal and worthy of praise."

-And so? How do you plan to persuade him?

"I intend to promise him the entire world."

-Kuh.

Erebus burst into laughter.

-Ughaha ha ha ha ha ha ha! To think you would have such a thought even after witnessing my fight with the Great Heroes! I wonder who is vulgar!

"What do you mean?"

-Do you truly not know what the Great Heroes fought me for!

"To protect the world from your grasp."

-Khuhuhuhu! When you see the surface dwellers as livestock, you can't understand your opponent to this extent.

Erebus's consciousness mocked Nyx.

-Yes. Do as you wish. I will watch your end as a fragment of thought.

Convinced that he could no longer regain control of the body, Erebus’s consciousness finally disappeared.

"My Goddess… what was that just now…?"

"I saw the Hero Record."

Nyx spread her palm.

On it were fragments of a burnt Hero Record.

"I was curious about how the Hero of Origin, Kyle, was able to defeat Erebus."

"You found out?"

"Yes. As expected, he was a possessor of a special power. After seeing his story, I became curious. What was his fight with Erebus like? So, I peeked into Erebus's memories etched within my body."

Although it was Nyx's body, she had existed as a part of Erebus for a long time.

Because of this, Erebus's consciousness remained strongly within Nyx's body.

There was a situation where she could have lost her body again to Erebus if she had made a mistake.

However, Nyx succeeded in suppressing Erebus's consciousness.

"Saint of Grief."

"Yes, my Goddess."

"The Hero of Origin, Kyle, is a being more magnificent and noble than anyone else."

"If the Goddess says so, he must be truly great."

"Yes. He was a being capable of becoming the master of an eternal and immortal world."

Aketon was surprised by Nyx's words.

Even he, the leader of Styx and Nyx's closest confidant, had not attained the title of World Master.

"To think such a noble being has already died… How can this be anything but regrettable!"

Aketon felt grief.

As expected, the world was wrong.

To meet such a fleeting end, to disappear after death.

If he had received Nyx's grace, the outcome would have been different.

His death would have come after the world had become complete.

Nyx smiled faintly at Aketon's words.

"It's alright. Fate… did not abandon the Hero of Origin."

"Yes? What does that mean…?"

"Leo Froble."

Nyx's eyes gleamed.

"He is the reincarnation of the Hero of Origin, Kyle."

***

'What is this power?'

Phlegethon, the Saint of Blood, stared in shock at Lisinas, who was overpowering him.

'Is this the power a surface dweller can possess?'

"You mere lizard!"

FIRE-RRRR-!

At that moment, Pyrrha, the Saintess of Fire, unleashed a blazing flame.

"I will burn you!"

FIRE-RRRR-!

Pyrrha’s flames engulfed Lisinas.

Seeing this, Pyrrha wore a sinister smile.

However…

FIRE-RRRR-

The flames, spewed out explosively, gathered effortlessly into Lisinas’s hand.

Seeing this, Pyrrha’s eyes widened.

"How…!"

"It is indeed frustrating."

Lisinas sighed lightly.

"My mana is far from my prime."

Hearing this, Leo, who had been watching the situation, clicked his tongue.

In terms of skill and technique, Leo had far surpassed his prime.

However, one thing, mana, he had not yet reached.

'My physical vessel is not yet complete.'

This was something even Leo could not help.

Only time held the answer.

Of course, even so, he had the power to defeat a Legion Commander.

Lisinas was, after all, a spirit contracted with Leo.

Lisinas’s maximum mana output did not exceed Leo’s strength.

'Well, we were incredibly strong in our prime.'

From Lisinas's perspective, the current situation was understandably frustrating.

"How can a mere dragon become so strong!"

Pyrrha exclaimed as if in agony.

"Wow, fresh. I haven't even heard stories like this from the Tartarus demons."

"Would you be the only one? I find it fresh too."

As Lisinas found it novel, Leo said indifferently.

"The era we lived in was strange. It was an era where if you weren't strong, you were doomed."

Demons also considered the strength of surface dwellers to be natural.

That era continued and became the era of heroes.

"I don't know how long ago the era you lived in was."

Leo looked down at Phlegethon and Pyrrha and scoffed.

"Do you know how much blood was shed by the people 5000 years ago to create this era? And do you imagine how much people have strived for 5000 years to protect and maintain that era?"

Leo pointed his chin towards where the hero candidates, led by Lunia, were fighting in the distance.

"Looking at the level of those you proudly present as heroes, I can tell. Are they livestock?"

Livestock with just big bodies.

Demonic pets that looked presentable because they were protected and managed.

"There's no way such beings can defeat our little ones."

Leo scoffed.

These were hero candidates who honed their skills daily in preparation for the great trials to come.

Even if they hadn't fully blossomed, they weren't weak enough to be defeated by mere livestock.

Crucially.

"I can tell the level of those who haven't even properly investigated this side."

They were on a different level from Tartarus.

Leo and Lisinas knew that Phlegethon and Pyrrha were Legion Commander-level monsters.

However, from Leo and Lisinas’s perspective, they were just strong but foolish beings.

"There’s nothing easier to deal with than fools who are only intoxicated by past glory. Anyway."

Leo smiled faintly.

"You are also the ones who were defeated by Tartarus?"

Phlegethon and Pyrrha’s faces turned red with shame.

"We defeated that Tartarus? That means you losers are too insignificant to be opponents worthy of us."

"How dare you, a slave race, speak so freely…!"

*Snap*!

At that moment, Lisinas tore off Pyrrha's arm.

"KYYYYYAAAAAAAK?!"

"Who are you calling a slave?"

Lisinas said in a chilling voice and threw Pyrrha’s severed arm into his shadow.

*Snap*! *Crunch*! *Crackling*!

Pyrrha's arm, sucked into Lisinas’s shadow, was torn apart beyond recognition.

"You’re better off being ripped to shreds."

Lisinas grabbed Pyrrha by the hair, lifted her up, and said menacingly.

Overwhelmed by his presence, Pyrrha’s body trembled.

Watching this, Leo muttered.

'It's over.'

If Lisinas was genuinely angered, it was safe to assume she was doomed.

Leo shifted his gaze from Lisinas to the hero candidates.

The past suddenly came to mind.

Through Eiran and Chen Xia, the images of Berkia and Vihar appeared, bringing a faint smile.

His memories went further back.

When was it?

Was there a time when I was like that?

He recalled his past self.

Remembering that time, Leo muttered.

"You've grown well, my little ones."