Book 1 Chapter 819
819.
Just five people captured the gaze of everyone on the battlefield.
A silence fell as if time had stopped.
Despite being on the verge of an urgent battle, no one made even the slightest sound.
It couldn’t be helped.
Because the legends were before their eyes.
And not just any legends… legends who saved this world 5,000 years ago and commanded the respect and awe of all races at a glance.
The Great Heroes.
Such beings had reappeared, transcending 5,000 years.
Moreover, even the Hero of Beginnings, who was thought to be a figment of imagination.
How could this situation possibly be explained?
“Are they really the Great Heroes?”
“Does this even make sense?”
“What in the world is going on?”
“Is this a dream?”
The heroes, who had been silenced by the overwhelming presence of the Great Heroes, regained their composure.
And they expressed their doubts.
It was a situation that was utterly incomprehensible to their common sense.
‘Right… This world doesn’t know yet that they can appear in the present through the Hero Record.’
As Kyle pondered how to calm the heroes who were about to fall into confusion.
Melina, who was close to the Great Heroes, lightly tapped the ground with her staff.
Toong-!
A light and cheerful sound.
But like ripples in calm water, the sound instantly spread around.
The gazes of those who hadn’t grasped the sudden change in situation instantly turned towards Melina.
With everyone’s attention on her, Melina spoke.
“Silence.”
At her words, everyone fell silent.
“You are before great legends. As heroes of later generations, please do not show any unsightly behavior…”
Though called the Silent Dragon, Melina was the strongest hero currently existing.
On top of that, she held the title of Dragon Lord.
As a descendant of the King of Wisdom, the Dragon Lord, who always enlightened with wisdom, publicly declared, and its impact was immense.
“How can the Great Heroes be here?”
Sword Saint Kalian asked in a gentle tone.
It was a question everyone had, but dared not ask, unable to step forward before the Dragon Lord.
Only someone like Kalian, a hero who bore the weight of an era, could avoid being intimidated in front of the Dragon Lord.
Melina smiled faintly at Kalian’s question.
“It’s the hidden power of the Hero Record.”
“The hidden power of the Hero Record?”
“Yes. We were able to bring the Great Heroes to this land through the Hero’s World.”
Everyone was astonished.
Such power was hidden in the Hero Record?
If it had been an ordinary person speaking, no one would have believed it.
But the one speaking now was none other than the Dragon Lord.
That gave her words absolute credibility.
“Ooooh…! Great Ancestor of the Nebula…!”
The elves collectively knelt and bowed their heads.
Some prayed towards Luna.
They were members of the Pureblood Society.
Among them, several representatives of the Pureblood Society approached Luna.
“Great Ancestor. To reappear on this land again… This is truly a miracle! We are so overjoyed to have greeted the Ancestor that the trembling of ecstasy does not cease!”
The Pureblood Society knelt before Luna with moved expressions.
Luna narrowed her eyes, looking at the man who seemed to be the representative of the Pureblood Society.
Because the man before her was someone Luna knew well.
“My name is Sirgaon! I dedicate this humble life to striving to widely spread the greatness of the elves to the world. Please grant this Sirgaon the honor of kissing the back of your hand…!”
Sirgaon reached out his hand, trying to grab Luna’s hand.
Kwaduk-!
But before that, Luna was faster, kicking Sirgaon in the face.
“Aang? How dare you try to touch me with those filthy hands?”
Luna raised her eyes and flipped her middle finger at the flying Sirgaon.
“Get lost! I refuse the worship of dirty purebloodists like you! And critically!”
Luna went next to Kyle and shouted.
“Only this guy can kiss my body?!”
“Is that something to say while grabbing my collar?”
“You guys listen carefully!”
“Are you ignoring me?”
“Kyle and I are in love with each ea… Ooof! Ugh! Ugh?!”
“That’s enough.”
Lishinas, who had intervened between Kyle and Luna, smiled brightly and covered Luna’s mouth.
Naturally, though his face was smiling, veins protruded on his forehead.
Luna tried to shake off Lishinas’s hand somehow, but it was impossible for her to win against Lishinas in strength.
In the end, Luna bit Lishinas’s hand.
“Ow! Are you an animal?! Why did you bite me!”
“You were the one who ignorantly suffocated me with force first!”
“That’s because you were saying weird things!”
“What’s so weird about this! You were trying to marry Kyle for fraud!”
“Why is that story coming up! And I didn’t just try, I did…!”
“Lishinas is a con artist! Con artist Lizard… Oop oop oop?!”
“Shut up!”
The heroes of the present era gaped at the fight of the Great Heroes, which defied imagination.
Arion hunched his neck as if embarrassed, and Dweno looked at the sky and lamented.
“They’re making us look bad.”
Kyle clicked his tongue and said irritably.
Just then.
-Ahahahahahahaha!
A sharp, maniacal laugh echoed.
At the same time, a massive body appeared above the dark red sky.
Someone looked at it with a shocked expression.
“Monster Queen, Shilathuna!”
“Ev-everyone, get away!”
Shilathuna’s gigantic body fell towards the ground, as if it would crush all the heroes at any moment.
Just then, Lishinas and Luna, who had been struggling and fighting while holding onto each other, looked up at the sky with flashing eyes.
The two unfolded their magic with murderous eyes.
“Still so crude.”
“What kind of dog act is this! Get lost!”
Just as the cold voice of Lishinas and the fierce voice of Luna seemed to echo, Judgment and End were activated from their respective hands.
Flash! Kwagagagagakang-!
Magic imbued with immense destructive power struck Shilathuna.
Kwagagagagak-!
Shilathuna’s body was pulverized without a trace.
“She, she defeated Shilathuna in one blow! As expected of the Ancestor…!”
One elf cried out in a voice full of awe.
Then Luna scratched her head.
“Why does she cast resurrection spells or something? And did I defeat her alone?”
“It must be a power anyway. Shilathuna wouldn’t fall that easily, would she?”
“Tch.”
Luna clicked her tongue at Lishinas’s words.
Whatever it was, with just one spell, those who had doubted were now convinced that the figures before them were indeed the true Great Heroes.
If they were truly the Great Heroes!
Even if the fragment of Erebus had been resurrected, there was hope.
Morale soared.
Seeing that, Kyle said to Melina.
“Melina.”
“Ah, yes! Lord Kyle.”
“Lead the heroes.”
“Yes!”
“Melina, good luck.”
Lishinas smiled gently and patted her head, and Melina smiled shyly.
“Don’t worry! I will watch the Great Heroes achieve victory here!”
Lishinas, who burst out laughing at Melina speaking with such determination, looked at Erebus, who was spewing black flames in the distance, and said.
“Let’s go.”
With Lishinas in the lead, Kyle followed right behind.
Luna stood side by side with Kyle, and Arion and Dweno followed behind them.
“Somehow it reminds me of the old days.”
Arion murmured with a nostalgic expression.
“It’s the same as then.”
That moment when they embarked on their final battle.
To Arion’s words, Dweno said.
“It’s different from then. And it shouldn’t be the same as then.”
Kyle nodded at his firm words.
“You’re right, Arion. It’s different from then. We’ll face a different outcome.”
“Of course, of course.”
Luna, with her arms crossed, nodded.
Lishinas, who heard the conversation, said.
“Yes, it’s different from then.”
5,000 years ago.
The final journey ended with the Great Heroes’ victory.
But it was a victory marred by wounds.
For the Great Heroes, that victory was a deep wound.
Wounds caused by each other’s deaths, which could never be healed.
A moment like a clearly visible scar that remained after years.
‘If I had had courage.’
‘If I had made slightly stronger weapons.’
‘If I had created powerful magic.’
‘If I had been wiser.’
‘If I had looked ahead faster.’
That last journey, where the world was saved, was a time fraught with regret for the Great Heroes.
That’s why…
“I have no intention of repeating it.”
Lishinas said powerfully.
“This time, no one will die, and we will win.”
***
Erebus narrowed his eyes, watching the Great Heroes approaching him.
His anger over the failure of his scheme had long since subsided.
-Hell Kaiser.
[Did you call, Great One?]
-Lead Tartaros and punish those foolish ones who dare to oppose me.
[As you command.]
The Lich King bowed his head and disappeared.
Tartaros began to move.
Seeing this, Erebus opened his left palm.
Kwaduk-!
The flesh of his palm burst open, and blood gushed out like a fountain.
The fountain of blood soon poured onto the ground like a waterfall.
Hwaruru-!
The ground was swept by black flames.
From it, grotesque demons emerged with terrifying screams.
The Authority of Creation.
Countless hideous monsters, excluding Tartaros, endlessly poured out.
Just then.
Chanting began to echo.
Luna, positioned in the rear, began to cast a spell.
A moment later.
Flash-! Kwagagagagagagaang-!
With a massive explosion, the demons created by Erebus’s authority were swept away and vanished.
But Erebus did not care.
It was within the expected level anyway.
‘I must suppress Luna’s magic.’
Among the Great Heroes, only Luna could deal with the endlessly regenerating demons all at once.
And Luna’s magic was a deadly threat even to Erebus.
The demons were merely a means to prevent Luna’s attack from focusing on him.
Erebus’s gaze turned to Kyle.
‘A moment ago, he clearly used the power of his strongest days.’
But he wouldn’t be able to use that power continuously.
Miracles that transcend common sense do not happen without a price.
The greater the miracle, the greater the corresponding price is required.
That is the very principle of this world.
‘His manifestation of past power just now must have been through the use of divine power.’
Erebus, who easily grasped the source of the power, smiled menacingly.
‘If I am careful only at that moment. Victory will be mine.’
The Great Heroes appeared in their past forms, but their power still remained in the present.
***
“Kyle.”
“What?”
“You have a plan, right?”
Kyle chuckled, looking at Lishinas who had come beside him.
“As expected, I can’t fool you.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“I’ll be the bait.”
“Bait?”
“Yes.”
Kyle looked down at his palm.
“Though it’s still a skill I’m practicing.”
Kyle raised his head and met Lishinas’s eyes.
“You, you’ll do well.”
Lishinas frowned as Leo smiled.
“What kind of ridiculous thing are you doing again… Anyway, you have a trump card, right?”
“Yes. Until then, I’ll leave it to you.”