Book 1 Chapter 812

812.

Clang- Clang-

Whoosh-!

The sound of metal being struck echoed.

With every strike of Balhar's hammer on the metal, fierce flames erupted.

Clang-!

As the hammer met the metal, golden flames flickered.

Balhar, releasing the hammer, picked up the metal with tongs, examined it back and forth, and nodded.

Hiss-

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

"It's not a bad workspace."

"Oh, it's nice to get praise from the greatest blacksmith of the current era."

"You said you were also knowledgeable in alchemy?"

"Well. I like making things that will make me money."

"Hmm."

Balhar stroked his chin and gazed at Kal, who was grinning slyly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing."

Shaking his head, Balhar left the workshop.

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

"Huh? Is Leo asleep?"

As Kal looked surprised, Balhar said,

"Kal, I'm sorry, but could you go get us something to drink?"

"Yes! I'll be back slowly!"

Kal quickly dashed off.

"He's a sharp kid."

"Kal is indeed sharp."

Leo, opening one eye, chuckled.

"You look tired."

"I couldn't sleep properly because of what happened yesterday."

The ice mirror that suddenly appeared.

And the hand that grabbed Leo along with it.

'…It wasn't Nix's power.'

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

'That magical aura… it was Chloe's.'

Chloe had been researching parallel world theories and magic formations for a long time.

Of course, no matter how much of a genius Chloe was and how exceptionally talented she was in magical theory, it would be impossible to create magic that crossed world lines on her own.

'But Chloe is now with Lisinas.'

Lisinas, the King of Wisdom.

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

His wisdom would surely extend deeply into parallel world and multiverse interpretations.

Leo brushed his own hand.

The presence of those with whom he had made pacts as a summoner was clearly felt.

Among them, he distinctly felt the presence of Lisinas, who had made a pact with him as a heroic spirit.

Of course, he couldn't summon him due to the different world lines.

However, he knew that the contract made between their souls was still valid.

'In any case, I'm still connected to that side.'

He was not a being that belonged in this world.

Leo took out his pocket watch and checked it.

The passage of time was clearly more advanced than before.

'The flow of time has accelerated.'

"You seem impatient."

"…"

"Well. It must be a conflict."

At Balhar's words, Leo looked at the ceiling in silence.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I wish you wouldn't go."

"…"

"5,000 years ago, we didn't fight with noble intentions… but we didn't fight expecting rewards either."

"Right. Except for Lisinas."

"Indeed. We had no choice then, as it was just us."

Balhar sat on the sofa opposite Leo.

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

"…"

"It would be enjoyable."

Balhar closed his eyes.

"Just imagining it is enjoyable. If we overcome all trials, we can truly enjoy peace without great worry. It wouldn't be bad for the five of us to go on adventures together. An adventure to find the mysteries and beautiful things in this world that we don't know about. My heart races just thinking about it. It would also be good to teach Kar the true meaning of peace."

Balhar smiled softly.

"It would be fun to see you struggling, caught between Lea and Run. Yes. If possible, it would be even better if the three of them became my nude models simultaneously…"

"Don't derail the conversation, you perverted old man."

Leo scowled.

"You still don't understand aesthetics."

"I have no intention of understanding, nor do I want to."

Seeing Leo's blunt refusal, Balhar clicked his tongue.

"Whatever happens… it will be happy. That's why I don't want you to go."

"…"

"But."

Balhar opened his eyes.

He looked at Leo with a bitter expression.

"If it's the Kyle I know, I think he'll go back."

"…"

"It's not that the other side is more important than us."

"…"

"That's the kind of person he is… that's why I think the man named Kyle was able to save the world."

Balhar looked into Leo's red eyes.

"Isn't that what the hero Kyle of the beginning would do?"

He never turns away from what he carries.

He intends to take responsibility for what he has taken on to the end.

That's why Kyle disliked taking responsibility from the start.

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

"When that moment comes. I will push your back. Even if Run and Kar resent me. I will cheer you on."

"…"

If that happens, Balhar will surely regret that choice someday.

'No, he will repeat the regret, remembering that moment countless times.'

But…

'Still, I will make the same choice.'

Balhar smiled, thinking that regret was his own burden.

"I owe you a lot."

"If you want to repay me, take it off."

"I refuse."

Leo scowled.

"Whatever happens, finding Nix is the priority."

Just as Nix from the other world sent Leo here.

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

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

Leo fell into thought.

Whatever it was, waiting didn't suit his temperament.

As Leo was contemplating, the door opened.

"Kal, you're back? Huh?"

It wasn't Kal who opened the door, but Lea.

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

Leo asked with a surprised look, and Lea hesitated before saying,

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

"What is it?"

"The gate that brought you to this world."

"The one in the forest where you met Kar? That gate didn't react at all?"

"Yes. But it might be different now."

"What?"

"The pocket watch you have."

At those words, Leo took out his pocket watch from his pocket.

"The time flowing in that watch is probably not the time of this world, but the time of the other world."

"It probably is."

"You said the flowing time is accelerating?"

"That's right."

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

"Hmm."

"The reason you were able to cross into this world through that gate, but couldn't go back, might be because you are a person of that other world."

"Lea, are you saying that the entrance itself was opened from the other side, but the exit is on this side, so Leo, being from the other world, couldn't use it? Is that what you mean?"

"That's right."

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

Seeing Lea nod heavily, Balhar let out a gasp of admiration.

"Did you know?"

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

Seeing Lea trailing off, Leo stood up.

Lea flinched.

"We'll know if we go."

Seeing Leo like that, Lea, who had been muttering, said,

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

"…"

"That's what Kyle would do."

At those words, Leo smiled bitterly.

"Thank you for saying that."

***

Whoosh-

Eastern continent, border region with Tartarus.

Standing on the high castle walls where a cold wind blew, they looked at the approaching army with faces full of anxiety.

The army was strange.

An army mixed with numerous non-human races, excluding humans armed with crystal-like armor and weapons.

Each and every one of them had surprisingly beautiful appearances.

And each and every one of them possessed powerful abilities.

And among them were demons.

These demons were not the demons of Tartarus generally known.

Ancient demons, Styx.

An army with overwhelming numbers and powerful strength.

Despair was literally approaching.

Even with all the heroes of Devian, the strongest nation in the eastern continent excluding Shan, gathered, the power difference was overwhelming.

"Where on earth… did such an army appear from?"

Wynn Shen, adjutant to Lasarwon, the supreme commander known as the "Iron Fortress," and a hero in his own right through his personal strength, bit his lip tightly.

He had lived on the battlefield fighting demons for a long time, but this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

"Can we win…?"

His anxious gaze turned to the old hero, Lasarwon, who had defended the Iron Fortress for a long time.

"Logically, it's an impossible fight."

He had heard through the Silent Dragon what kind of beings were pouring in.

A distant past, unrecorded in history.

Demons who had threatened the world along with Tartarus.

It seemed like a war with no chance of victory.

Even heroes who had achieved great deeds and received divine recognition.

At this moment, they could only sense defeat.

"But you never know. Adjutant. Do you remember what I said not long ago?"

"Yes?"

"It's an era that needs a rightful king who will reign over the world."

"Yes."

The advancing Styx army stopped.

And a demon stepped forward at the front.

"Listen, foolish mortals of the earth. I am Acheron, the first saint of the frigid death, sorrow."

Acheron's voice echoed.

"Immediately cease your futile resistance. You are beings with finite time after all. As such, your time will eventually come to an end… but there's no need for it to be this moment, is there?"

Acheron said benevolently.

"We are different from the wicked and ignorant demons of Tartarus. We are not rioters who only think of burning the world like the flames of disaster! If you surrender immediately… you will receive Styx's mercy. And you will also have the honor of being incorporated into the Styx army…"

"What grand words from someone trying to destroy the world?"

A scoffing sound echoed.

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

It was Lisinas.

"Is that you, the leader of the great heroes who repelled the flames of disaster in the past?"

Acheron sneered.

"Your companions all met their deaths… and you, a foolish remnant, resist us alone? How utterly foolish."

"Yes. That's right, my old title was Fool. So I don't know much about surrendering."

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

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

"Heh. So? Are you going to incite the foolish mortals to fight despite this overwhelming numerical disadvantage?"

"There aren't that many."

"What?"

Seeing Lisinas with a nonchalant expression, Acheron's eyes twitched.

Lasarwon, watching from behind, smiled.

"We have a king now, Adjutant."

"Yes?"

"A hero who led the world to salvation and uniquely received the title of king in history is by our side right now."

At that moment.

Lisinas took out a book from her embrace.

"What is that?"

"It's the Book of the Dead."

"What?"

"It's a book inscribed with the names of heroes who devoted themselves to this world."

Lisinas brushed the book.

"What are you going to do with such an old book?"

As Acheron sneered, Lisinas smiled faintly and held out the Book of the Dead in her hand.

Rustle-!

Along with it, the book opened, and the pages began to turn at a rapid pace.

Light flowed from Lisinas's body.

"If you still have lingering attachments to this world… answer my call."

Lisinas's clear voice echoed.

"If that lingering attachment is a desire for the world's peace… respond to my call."

Roar-

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

"If you still have the will to fight… rise up."

Flash-

"I shall grant you time in this world!"

Countless pillars of light poured down from the sky.

At the same time, an immense number of heroic spirits appeared.

Everyone's jaw dropped.

"This is impossible… all of these are… heroic spirits?"

Everyone's gaze turned to Lisinas.

Lasarwon muttered,

"The legend… isn't a legend for nothing."

While everyone was stunned.

Thump-

Lisinas closed the book and smiled faintly.

"Now it looks like we have a chance."

"You pathetic lizard with your cheap tricks…!"

"I defeated the overwhelmingly powerful Tartarus with these cheap tricks. Honestly, they are too good for you."

"You speak recklessly with your loose tongue!"

Seeing Acheron enraged, Lisinas let out a hollow laugh.

'Trying to deal with a mere pompous guy when I was trying to face the Lord of the Dead… this verbal sparring is fun.'

Thinking that far, Lisinas clenched her fist.

'…My time remaining in this world has drastically decreased with this.'

Lisinas glanced back.

'I'm counting on you, everyone… hurry and bring Kyle here.'