Book 1 Chapter 781
781.
Whoosh-!
Demian's students began to form a formation amidst the fiercely burning black flames.
"Is there anyone who couldn't get out?"
"No, Chairman!"
A male student answered Valhall's question vigorously.
Valhall nodded at his words and said,
"Everyone, prepare for battle."
"Are we destroying those black flames?"
"No, I'll take care of that. You'll take care of the other side."
"What?"
Valhall looked behind him.
"Something else is coming."
Grrrroooar!
The roar of a monster echoed.
This was the eastern edge of the continent.
A land endlessly infested with monsters.
Therefore, countless monsters inhabited the surrounding area.
Of course, Demian's students had thoroughly exterminated monsters for mining development, creating a safe zone.
But now, monsters were swarming in large numbers, breaking through that safe zone.
"What is this?!"
"They shouldn't be able to break through the safe zone!"
Valhall spoke to the astonished dwarves.
"There's no such thing as 'absolute' in this world."
At his words, Demian's students shuddered.
"Don't be scared just because hundreds of monsters have swarmed in. Aren't you the successors of Dweno, continuing the legacy of Demian? Sweep them away."
At Valhall's words, the eyes of Demian's students changed.
"Vanguards! Forward!"
Clank-! Clank-! Clank-!
Demian's students, armed with heavy armor, advanced to the front in perfect order.
Dweno and Demian were those who served as the most reliable shields in the party of the Great Hero and the Hero of Genesis.
The students of Demian who followed in their footsteps were also famous for their sturdy guard, more so than any other school.
Indeed, a significant number of the renowned vanguard heroes in history were dwarves.
Of course, that didn't mean Demian's students only consisted of outstanding warriors.
Dwarf mages and summoners positioned in the rear prepared to annihilate the enemies, coordinating with the vanguard's movements.
Amidst the swirling, powerful magic, Driana, wielding a war hammer, let out a battle cry and charged forward.
Watching her, Valhall chuckled.
"You've grown a lot, brats!"
Saying so, Valhall looked at the black flames burning before his eyes.
Anyone could see they were flames of disaster.
Valhall, more than anyone else, could distinctly feel their presence.
'But these aren't proper flames of disaster.'
It wasn't Erebus.
If it were Erebus itself, it would have emitted an incomparable heat to what it was now.
Moreover, it would have completely controlled the monsters in the surrounding area.
There was only one reason why monsters were gathering, breaking through the safe zone.
They were simply rushing forward, heedless of consequences, reacting to the power of the black flames before them.
'…A fragment of Erebus… no… perhaps it's a residual thought.'
Valhall easily saw through the true nature of the black flames.
Valhall turned his head.
A gigantic mountain was visible in the distance.
'Mount Erdien.'
The eastern edge of the world.
This land, in the heart of the dwarf territory, was a dreamland for dwarves because countless rare resources lay dormant within it.
However, even after 5,000 years since the Age of Disaster ended, it still remained an unexplored territory.
It wasn't because it was Tartarus's domain.
This was a land where Tartarus's influence had not reached for 5,000 years.
Yet, the reason dwarves hadn't been able to develop this land was remarkably simple.
'Endlessly appearing monsters.'
No matter how many were exterminated, the monster appearances never ceased.
Furthermore, it wasn't just common low-level monsters, but a land of evil where even top-tier monsters capable of threatening heroes frequently appeared.
The reason the area around Mount Erdien became such a land was simple.
'Our final destination that we wanted to reach.'
But it was a land that Dweno himself ultimately could not reach 5,000 years ago.
Here, the primordial evil, Erebus, was exterminated by the Hero of Beginnings.
In that process, Erebus's blood rained down like a torrent, and the land itself became cursed.
'In essence, it's a land imbued with Erebus's resentment.'
Given such a land, it wouldn't be strange for Erebus's residual thoughts to appear.
Even as an evil god, Erebus was still a divine being, no matter what anyone said.
'But why did it suddenly react?'
There were no records of such black flames suddenly appearing in this land during the past 5,000 years.
Valhall, feeling puzzled, approached the burning flames of disaster.
Wooosh-!
Golden flames erupted from Valhall's body.
The flames soon enveloped Valhall's entire body.
Though reborn, Valhall was still loved by the flames.
In his previous life, this love was a curse, but this life was different.
And above all, these flames possessed resistance to the flames of disaster.
Sring-!
Valhall pulled out a gigantic battle-axe from subspace.
"Should I say, it's been a long time? Erebus. Though I don't know if you'll understand."
Valhall said with a cold voice.
"Do you recognize me?"
Thud-!
He kicked off the ground and charged towards the black flames.
Whoosh-!
Golden flames surged around Valhall's axe blade.
"It won't be the same as 5,000 years ago!"
Valhall's eyes flashed.
KABOOOM-!
Black flames and golden flames intersected.
Along with it, a massive shockwave echoed through the surroundings.
Erebus's residual thought, having taken form, blocked Valhall's axe with an arm.
CRUNCH-!
As the struggle of strength began, the surrounding ground began to sink-!
Erebus's body staggered and bent.
Just as Valhall was about to strike down at Erebus's neck.
Thud-!
Erebus's residual thought plunged its other arm into the ground.
CRACK! GRAB-!
At that moment, Erebus's hand burst through the ground Valhall was standing on.
"Damn it."
The moment Valhall clicked his tongue.
KUGAGAGAK-!
Erebus's hand pulled Valhall down.
Valhall was sucked into the ground.
KUGAGAGAGAGAGAK-!
A tremendous roar erupted from underground, and the ground swelled and sank!
KABOOOM-!
Finally, as Erebus pulled out its arm, Valhall, whose ankle was caught, also shot out.
His clothes were a mess, but there wasn't a single scratch on his body.
Valhall, still clutching his battle-axe, threw it straight at Erebus's residual thought.
KUGAGAGAK-!
The battle-axe, wreathed in golden flames, spun like a wheel as it flew.
Thud-!
Grrrroooar!
As the axe blade dug into its chest, Erebus's residual thought let out a roar.
Just as Valhall sneered at the sight of Erebus's residual thought.
WHOOSH-!
"…!"
Erebus's residual thought irritably flung Valhall towards the mine entrance.
KUGAGAGAGAGAGAGANG-!
The sound of the long mine interior being utterly devastated echoed.
Stomp- Stomp-
Erebus's residual thought walked to the mine entrance and gaped its mouth open.
KWA-A-A-A-A-A-A-!
Black flames poured from its mouth, incinerating the entire mine.
That wasn't the end.
Erebus's residual thought stretched its hand into the air, and it grew gigantic.
The hand, as massive as the mine that had burrowed into the small mountain, struck down on the mine.
KWA-GA-GA-GA-GA-GANG-!
The mountain was half-destroyed and collapsed.
It was a fight that truly defied common sense, as if the very landscape was changing.
Demian's students, who had been exterminating monsters, looked on at the fight that far surpassed common sense with faces filled with terror.
Erebus's residual thought turned towards the dwarves.
Stomp- Stomp-
As the residual thought approached, the dwarves wore tense expressions.
KUGUGUGUGUNG-
Then, a part of the collapsed mine began to heave.
CRRRR-RRR-RRR-RRR-!
The ground began to rumble, and a part of the collapsed mountain was lifted.
As it had been developed into a mine, that part of the mountain was a massive stone structure.
Boom-! Boom-!
Valhall, who had lifted a part of the mountain with both arms, grinned.
Veins bulged on his forehead and forearms.
Demian's students gasped at his terrifying strength.
Valhall, glaring at Erebus's residual thought, looked at the distant Demian students and said,
"Get out of the way on your own."
With those words, Valhall threw that part of the mountain straight towards Erebus's residual thought.
"G-GET OUUTTTT!"
"Run away!"
Demian's students screamed in panic and scattered.
KUGAGAGAGAGAGAGANG-!
The aftermath of a part of the mountain being flung into the air and then slamming into the ground was tremendous.
Literally, immense physical force overturned the surrounding area.
In the changed landscape, Valhall brushed his hands and clicked his tongue.
"It's a stalemate."
CRACKLE- CRACKLE-
The rocks split, and Erebus's residual thought walked out.
There was a limit to how much physical damage could be inflicted.
Conversely, Erebus's residual thought also lacked a decisive blow and couldn't defeat him.
Valhall extended his hand.
Then, the battle-axe buried in the rocks flew into his hand.
Stomp- Stomp-
Erebus's residual thought walked towards Valhall.
Valhall stroked the axe blade and said,
"You know, since I was reborn, I haven't been proud of myself at all. I was ashamed that I could only pass things on."
Valhall glared at Erebus's residual thought with sharp eyes.
"Even when the world revered me, I wasn't happy. I hated being called the savior who saved the world."
"…"
"So, pathetically, I wanted to forget. The fact that I was a Great Hero."
He had enrolled in Demian simply because he wanted to prove Kyle's existence.
"In this life, I just wanted to spend the rest of my days making pottery and painting."
Valhall gripped the axe handle.
"But it seems I can't. I found myself constantly thinking, 'How can I kill you?'"
He couldn't do what he loved.
Painting.
Making pottery.
Sculpting.
He no longer had any desire to spread beauty in the world.
He just found himself trapped in guilt towards his friend.
"Proving his existence isn't the way to help him."
A golden glow flashed in Valhall's eyes.
"I realized that only by finishing this with our own hands this time will I be able to face that friend."
Valhall adjusted his grip on the battle-axe.
"If I can't even deal with a mere residual thought… it makes no sense."
An ominous killing intent emanated from him.
In resonance, the battle-axe began to tremble.
At that moment, Erebus's residual thought, which had been closing the distance with Valhall, stopped.
Whoosh-
The burning black flames gradually subsided.
Soon, the black flames began to take the form of a human.
Valhall's face stiffened as he saw this.
Thud-!
Valhall charged straight in and chopped off the neck of Erebus's residual thought, which had taken on someone's form.
The severed neck floated in the air, then rolled on the ground.
Whoosh-!
The residual thought began to fade as if its power was exhausted.
Valhall's face contorted as he watched Erebus's residual thought, in Kyle's form, disappear.
"How dare you pull a stunt like this…"