Book 1 Chapter 812

812.

Clang- Clang-

Whoosh-!

The sound of metal being struck echoed.

Each time Balhar's hammer hit the metal, fierce sparks flew.

Clang-!

As the metal and hammer collided, golden flames flickered.

Balhar put down his hammer, picked up the metal with tongs, examined it, and nodded.

Hiss-

Balhar put the metal in water to cool it, then set down his hammer and left the workshop.

"Not a bad workspace."

"Oh, I'm glad to hear the greatest blacksmith of this era praise it."

"Didn't you say you were also deeply knowledgeable in alchemy, young man?"

"Well, I just like making things that make money."

"Hmm."

Balhar stroked his chin and stared intently at Karl, who was grinning slyly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing."

Balhar shook his head and left the workshop.

Outside the workshop, Leo was sitting on a sofa with his eyes closed.

"Huh? Is Leo sleeping?"

As Karl looked puzzled, Balhar said,

"Karl, I'm sorry, but could you go fetch something to drink?"

"Yes! I'll be back shortly!"

Karl quickly dashed out.

"He's a quick-witted friend."

"Karl is indeed quick-witted."

Leo opened one eye and chuckled.

"You look tired."

"I didn't sleep well because of what happened yesterday."

The sudden appearance of the ice mirror.

And the hand that had held Leo with it.

'…It wasn't Nyx's power.'

It was the same ice mirror as when he came here, but it wasn't Nyx's power.

'That magical sensation… it was Chloe.'

Chloe had been researching for a long time to devise a magical formula based on parallel world theory.

Of course, no matter how brilliant Chloe was and how exceptional her talent in magic theory, it would be impossible for her to create magic that crosses world-lines by herself.

'But now, Lysinathus is by Chloe's side.'

Lysinathus, the King of Wisdom.

The wisest being who had mastered all known knowledge in this world.

His wisdom would be deeply involved in the interpretation of parallel and multi-worlds.

Leo stroked the back of his hand.

The presence of beings with whom he had made a pact as a summoner was clearly felt.

Among them, the presence of Lysinathus, who had made a pact with him as a spirit, was distinctly felt.

Of course, he couldn't summon him because the world-line was different.

Even so, he knew that the contract made between soul and soul was still valid.

'Anyway, I'm still connected to the other side.'

He was not a being belonging to this place.

Leo took out his pocket watch and checked it.

Time had clearly passed much faster than before.

'The flow of time has accelerated.'

"You seem anxious."

"…"

"Well. It would be a dilemma."

At Balhar's words, Leo silently stared at the ceiling.

"What do you want to do?"

"I hope you don't go."

"…"

"5,000 years ago, we didn't fight with a noble heart… but we didn't fight for a reward either."

"Yes. Except for Lysinathus."

"Right. Back then, it was just us, so we had no choice."

Balhar sat on the sofa opposite Leo.

"But even so, it's true that we fought with everything on the line. That's why I believe we have the right to enjoy peace in this world. All five of us together."

"…"

"It would be fun."

Balhar closed his eyes.

"Just imagining it is fun. If we overcome all trials, we can truly enjoy peace without great anxiety. It wouldn't be bad for the five of us to go on an adventure together. An adventure to find mysteries and beautiful things in this world that we don't know about. Just thinking about it makes my heart pound. It would also be good to teach Karl what true peace is."

Balhar smiled gently.

"You suffering between Leah and Rune would also be enjoyable. Yes. If possible, all three of you simultaneously being my nude models…"

"Don't take the conversation to a strange place, you perverted old man."

Leo scowled.

"You still don't understand aesthetics."

"I have no intention of understanding it. And I don't want to."

Balhar clicked his tongue, 'Tsk-tsk,' seeing Leo speak so firmly.

"Whatever it is… it would be happy. So I hope you don't go."

"…"

"But."

Balhar opened his eyes.

He looked at Leo with a bitter expression.

"The Kyle I know, I think he would go back."

"…"

"Not because that side is more important than us."

"…"

"Because he is that kind of person… I believe that the man named Kyle was able to save the world."

Balhar looked into Leo's red eyes.

"Isn't that what Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings, would be like?"

He never turns away from what he bears.

He tries to take responsibility for what he has taken on until the very end.

That's why Kyle had always disliked taking responsibility.

Because he knew better than anyone that the weight of responsibility was never light.

"When that moment comes, I will push you forward. Even if Rune and Karl resent me. I will cheer you on."

"…"

If that happened, Balhar too would surely come to regret that choice someday.

'No, he would remember that time and repeat his regrets countless times.'

But…

'Even so, I will make the same choice.'

Thinking that regret was his own burden, Balhar smiled.

"I owe you a lot."

"If you want to repay me, take off your clothes."

"I refuse."

Leo scowled.

"Anyway, finding Nyx is the priority."

Just as Nyx from the other world sent Leo here.

Nyx from this world could also send Leo to the other side.

'Or wait for Chloe to complete the path to return.'

Leo fell into thought.

Whatever it was, waiting wasn't his style.

As Leo was contemplating,

The door opened.

"Karl, are you here? Huh?"

It wasn't Karl who opened the door and came in, but Leah.

"Weren't you busy with student council duties?"

When Leo asked with a puzzled face, Leah hesitated and then said,

"Leo. I've been thinking about something."

"What is it?"

"The gate through which you came to this world."

"The one in the forest where I met Karl? That gate didn't react at all, did it?"

"Yes. But it might be different now."

"What?"

"The pocket watch you have."

At that, Leo took out the pocket watch from his pocket.

"The time flowing on that watch isn't the time of this world, but the time of that world."

"That's probably right."

"You said the flow of time is getting faster and faster, right?"

"That's right."

"If my guess is correct, it's probably because you're becoming more and more assimilated into this world."

"Hmm."

"You were able to cross into this world through that gate, but couldn't cross back. That might be because you were a person from the other world."

"Leah. Are you saying that the entrance itself was opened from the other side, but since the exit to return is on this side, Leo, being a person from the other world, couldn't use it? Is that what you mean?"

"That's right."

"But you mean that if Leo, now assimilated and closer to this world, might be able to cross the gate?"

Seeing Leah nod heavily, Balhar exclaimed, "Huh-!" in admiration.

"Did you know?"

"It's just a guess. It's a hypothesis, so whether it will work or not…"

As Leah trailed off, Leo stood up from his seat.

Leah flinched at that.

"We'll know if we go there."

Leah, who had been moving her lips while watching Leo, said,

"Leo. I… I also think you should go back."

"…"

"Because that's what Kyle would do."

At that, Leo gave a bitter smile.

"Thank you for saying that."

***

Whoooosh-

Eastern Continent, border area with Tartaros.

Standing on the high city wall, where cold winds blew, those present looked at the advancing army with faces full of unease.

The army was strange.

A mixed army of numerous heterogeneous races, excluding humans armed with crystal-like armor and weapons.

Each and every one of them possessed surprisingly beautiful appearances.

And each and every one of them possessed powerful extraordinary abilities.

And among them were demons.

These demons were not the generally known demons of Tartaros.

Ancient demons, Styx.

An army with overwhelming numbers and immense power.

Literally, despair was approaching.

Even though all the heroes of Deviant, the strongest nation in the Eastern Continent except for Shan, had been gathered, the difference in power was overwhelming.

"Exactly… where did such a large army appear from?"

Winne Shen, the deputy commander of Rasaweon, the supreme commander known as the "Fortress of Steel," and herself a hero by her personal might, bit her lip hard.

She had lived on the battlefield of war with demons for a long time, but this was the first time for such a case.

"Can we… win?"

His anxious gaze turned to the old hero who had long guarded the Fortress of Steel, Rasaweon.

"Logically, it's an impossible fight."

He had heard from the Dragon of Silence what kind of beings this approaching army was.

A distant past, not recorded in history.

Demons who, along with Tartaros, had threatened the world.

It looked like a hopeless war.

No matter how many heroes had achieved great feats and gained divine recognition.

At this moment, they could only intuit defeat.

"But who knows, Deputy. Do you remember what I said a while ago?"

"Yes?"

"That it's an era that needs a rightful king to rule over the world."

"Yes."

The advancing Styx army stopped.

And at the forefront, a demon stepped forward.

"Hear me, foolish mortals of the earth. I am Acheron of Sorrow, the First Saint of the Freezing of Death."

Acheron's voice resonated.

"Immediately cease your futile resistance. You are beings with finite time anyway. As such, that time will eventually come to an end… but does it have to be this moment?"

Acheron spoke benevolently.

"We are different from the unruly and ignorant demons of Tartaros. We are not a mob that only thinks of burning the world like the flames of disaster! If you surrender now… you can receive the mercy of Styx. And you can also enjoy the glory of being incorporated into the Styx army…"

"What grand words for someone who intends to destroy the world?"

A scoff echoed.

Along with it, a woman with black hair landed on the city wall.

It was Lysinathus.

"Are you the one who led the great heroes who stopped the flames of disaster in the past?"

Acheron sneered.

"All your comrades met their deaths… and you alone, a foolish departed one, intend to resist us? Utterly foolish."

"Yeah. That's right, my old title was 'The Foolish One'. So I don't really know about surrendering."

"It's surprising that a fool like you saved the world."

"I didn't save it. Someone else did."

"Hmph. So? Even with this overwhelming numerical disadvantage, you intend to incite foolish mortals to fight?"

"There aren't that many."

"What did you say?"

Acheron's eyes twitched as he saw Lysinathus's nonchalant expression.

Rasaweon, who was observing from behind, chuckled.

"We have a king now, Deputy."

"Yes?"

"I mean, the hero who led the world to salvation and was uniquely granted the title of king in history is now with us."

At that moment.

Lysinathus took out a book from his pocket.

"What is that?"

"A register of names."

"What?"

"A register with the names of heroes who dedicated themselves to this world."

Lysinathus stroked the book.

"What do you intend to do with such an old book?"

As Acheron scoffed, Lysinathus smiled faintly and held out the register in his hand.

Whoosh-!

With that, the book opened, and pages began to turn at a rapid speed.

Light flowed from Lysinathus's body.

"If there are lingering regrets yet unfulfilled in this world… answer my call."

Lysinathus's clear voice resonated.

"If those unfulfilled regrets are a desire for the well-being of the world… answer my call."

Whoooosh-

The light emanating from Lysinathus's body grew even more intense.

"If there is still will to fight… rise."

Flash-

"I shall grant you time in this mortal world!"

Innumerable pillars of light poured down from the sky.

Simultaneously, a tremendous number of spirits appeared.

Everyone's mouths hung open.

"It's impossible… Is all of this… spirits?"

Everyone's gaze turned to Lysinathus.

Rasaweon muttered.

"A legend… is not a legend for nothing."

As everyone was spellbound.

Thud-

Lysinathus closed the book and smiled faintly.

"Now it seems worth a try?"

"A lowly lizard dares to show off parlor tricks…!"

"With these parlor tricks, I defeated Tartaros, who was overwhelmingly stronger than you. Honestly, these parlor tricks are wasted on you."

"You're just babbling nonsense with that mouth of yours!"

Lysinathus let out a hollow laugh, watching the enraged Acheron.

'Having to deal with an arrogant fool when I was expecting the King of the Dead… This verbal sparring is amusing.'

Having thought that far, Lysinathus clenched his fist.

'…With this, the time I can stay in the mortal world has been drastically reduced.'

Lysinathus glanced- behind him.

'Please, everyone… hurry and bring Kyle back to me.'