Book 1 Chapter 843
843.
“Today is a glorious day.”
A clear and resonant voice echoed throughout Retin.
Melinny, standing on a podium on the balcony of Arhi Royal Palace overlooking Retin, was giving a speech to the people.
“A long time ago. This world faced a great crisis. It was a terrible era where the world teetered on the brink of destruction.”
Melina’s speech captivated the people with its calm power.
“But the world was not destroyed. The great King of Wisdom, Lord Ricinas, gathered the great heroes in one place… and unified the world.”
It was a fact everyone knew.
But now, at this moment, the story resonated deeply within their hearts once again.
“And 3000 years ago. The great heroes of the Genesis succeeded the will of the great heroes and saved the world from falling into darkness. We are living in a world left by the great heroes and protected by the heroes of the Genesis.”
Melina closed her eyes.
“After the Era of Calamity ended. The present we live in is undoubtedly the most brilliantly shining moment.”
An era where the great heroes and heroes of the Genesis, who were beings of the distant past, reappeared.
And an era where even the vanished gods reappeared.
“The history of the Age of Heroes, built over 5000 years, must have been for this very moment.”
At Melina’s words that they were living in the most brilliant era, people felt an overwhelming sense of elation.
Indeed, over the past 5000 years of history, there had been countless turning points.
But never had such miraculous events occurred in succession.
It was when everyone was filled with such high spirits.
“But the brightest moment is also the moment closest to darkness.”
The sudden heavy words from Melina cast a somber atmosphere.
“The awakening of Tartarus, the resurrection of the Erebus fragments. The world is closer to darkness than ever before.”
Melina informed them of facts they had deliberately ignored.
Currently, Tartarus had suffered a massive blow.
The successors of the great heroes had been born, and a hero with pure mana characteristics, who could be called the natural enemy of Erebus, had appeared.
As a result, not only the legion commanders who had terrorized the world for ages but even the fragments of Erebus had been subjugated.
But that wasn't necessarily a good sign.
It meant that the 5000 years of peace were cracking.
A situation where the Era of Calamity could come again.
The world was shining most brilliantly now, but it was at a crossroads where it might plunge into darkness at any moment.
Everyone swallowed dryly.
“Because it is such an era… we need a king.”
Melina spoke into the silence that had fallen over Retin.
“Everyone gathered here. Please look to your side.”
People listening to Melina's speech looked to their sides.
“This scene is very unfamiliar to us. The five races, who distrusted and didn't believe each other for 5000 years, are all gathered here in Retin. But… although it’s a very unfamiliar sight, none of us find this situation strange. Why is that?”
Melina smiled gently.
“We are all descendants of those who resisted and survived the destruction of the world 5000 years ago. That's why our blood unconsciously remembers. The fact that 5000 years ago, we were one.”
“The landscape of Gadsron was no different from today. We trusted and relied on each other and fought against the darkness. United under a single king, we overcame the difficulty of the world's destruction.”
Melina opened her eyes.
“The King of Wisdom was not a reigning king but a savior and a guide. And now… we have come here to witness the coronation of the new King of the World, who has inherited the will of the King of Wisdom.”
Looking behind, Leo walked over, step-by-step.
“Dragon Lord Melina, as the proxy of His Majesty Ricinas, the King of Wisdom, hereby declares. The birth of Leo Flobe, the new King of the World, the King of Genesis.”
Melina took off the crown.
“Now he is the savior who will lead the world to light.”
The crown was placed on the white hair.
“We announce the founding of the nation named Genesis, the Kingdom of Arhi, and the birth of its first king.”
Whoooooooooa-!
“Long live the King of Genesis!”
“Long live the Kingdom of Arhi!”
The thunderous applause and enthusiastic cheers of the people poured out.
Then, Enkinnias, disguised as Leo with magic, softly mumbled to Melina.
“It’s a bit much, Lady Melina.”
“Hm. I’m not bothered.”
The fact that she had to crown Leo was enough to put a tremendous burden on Melina.
But if it was for Enkinnias, who was a substitute, there was no burden.
Of course, Enkinnias felt the opposite.
Everyone watching this scene rejoiced.
And at that moment.
Ominous movements were about to begin in various parts of Retin.
The Dark King, mixed in the crowd, grinned.
“Foolish wretches. Rejoice and die.”
The Dark King mocked the people, clenched his fist, and shouted.
“If the King of Genesis, who made the Necromancer King flustered, suffers a blemish on his reputation, his authority will fall to the ground! Then the position of Tartarus's supreme commander will be mine!”
A voice filled with ecstasy.
He had no doubt that with his voice as a signal, the Hero Hunters and demons hidden throughout Retin would begin their terror.
But at that moment, the Dark King did not know.
That he had fallen into a ‘nightmare’.
***
A demon belonging to the Dark King's legion shone its eyes, awaiting the command of the legion commander it followed.
‘What an exhilarating event this is!’
To be able to cast such hopeful souls into the abyss of darkness.
Just thinking about it filled him with ecstasy.
Feeling the shivers not stopping, the demon gave an eerie smile.
But even though the time had come, there was no signal from the Dark King.
‘What is it? Why is there no signal?’
The demon, Tafra, began to grow irritated with impatience.
He wanted to dye this place with blood as quickly as possible.
And when his irritation reached its peak.
“I can't take it anymore!”
*Crack!*
His body, disguised as a human, swelled up.
Then the skin on his head exploded, scattering in all directions.
“Gwoooooooh!”
As he roared.
*Whoosh!*
A giant battle hammer flew towards his head.
“Be quiet!”
*Bang!*
With the downward swing of the hammer, his swollen head was crushed inward as if split.
“Wow, that must hurt…”
Along with it, a slightly worried voice was heard.
“It’s a demon! Miss Eiran! Don't pity it!”
“Huh? I wasn’t pitying it?”
“Is that so?”
While Eiran and Lil were conversing.
The demon’s crushed head regenerated.
“Woman! A woman!”
The demon's eyes gleamed with ecstasy.
“Killing women is even more satisfying! Kyahahaha! The expression on their face when you violate and kill them!”
Lil spoke, looking at the demon drooling and making a gluttonous face.
“Hmph! Even if I were to be defeated by you, my will cannot be broken! No matter how much you try to break my spirit!”
“Kyahahaha! Is that so…?”
“S-so cool! Lady Lil! Y-you’re like a female knight from a novel!”
“Hm? But I am a spirit user?”
“B-but you're like a knight! You're so brave and cool!”
Eiran said, clenching her fists.
“Is that so? What about the knight in the novel Eiran read?”
“How should I put it? She had a very strong will! A strong knight who would never be broken! But she was defeated by the male lead, the enemy commander, and the male lead tried to break the female knight's heart… Ahhhh…”
“The male lead is a vile human. That’s new.”
“No! The illustrations are somewhat… maybe a little similar to Lord Leo…”
Looking at Eiran, whose face was slightly flushed, Lil seriously mumbled.
“If brother were to violate me to break my spirit, I might be broken and fall.”
“L-Lord Leo violates Lady Lil and makes her fall?”
“Yes.”
“I-I might not be able to resist either…”
“Miss Eiran, are you feeling unwell? Your face is flushed red.”
“N-no, it's nothing!”
“Hey, you two.”
Seeing the two hero candidates who had completely forgotten about him, the demon spoke with a bewildered face.
“Hey.”
“Hmm. How should I resist brother's magic?”
“W-would resistance even be possible?”
“Probably close to impossible. Brother is incredible.”
“R-right? Lord Leo is so grown-up…”
“Hmm… if I think about him sometimes being considerate in an adult-like way… if I saw that while being tortured for a long time, I might not be able to resist and would fall.”
“T-torturing then treating kindly… that sounds amazing!”
They were talking about different things, yet the conversation strangely progressed.
“Are these damn bitches ignoring me?!”
“We are currently imagining resisting brother's magic, do not interrupt us!”
“This is a very important moment! Don't interrupt!”
Lil savagely raised her battle hammer, and Eiran, scattering a sharp aura unlike her usual self, rushed at the demon.
*Crunch! Slice! Slice!*
“Kwahhh!”
Tafra screamed at the sudden change in atmosphere and the two's cruel assault.
And he shivered at the eerie aura in their eyes.
‘What! What is this madness…!’
***
“…?”
No commotion arose.
Rather, it was quiet.
“What is this…?”
The Dark King's face contorted.
Only the people's cheers echoed irritatingly.
“Shut up!”
Dark magic exploded from the Dark King's hand, engulfing the surroundings.
At that moment.
*Whoosh!*
“…!”
The crowd exposed to the Dark King's attack scattered like flower petals.
However, the cheers did not stop.
As the Dark King's face hardened at the sight.
Suddenly, the fervent cheers of the people stopped abruptly.
Along with that, the remaining people also vanished like flower petals.
“What is this…?!”
As the Dark King’s face was colored with shock.
*Step-step-*
In the middle of Retin Square, where people had vanished and only silence flowed.
Footsteps began to be heard.
“Has Hell Kaiser gone too far?”
At the same time, an amused voice was heard.
“To be threatened for his position by a brat who doesn't even know he's under a spell.”
“Leo Flobe? Is this your doing?”
“No. It's Melina's work.”
Leo said calmly.
Ricinas's unique magic, Nightmare.
It was a spell Melina had cast throughout Retin.
Its targets were the demons and Hero Hunters hidden in Retin.
The Dark King's face twisted.
“The Silent Dragon's power was this strong? It's different from the information.”
“It would be. Melina grows too, you see.”
“Did the Silent Dragon still have room to grow? How is that possible!”
“Well? Maybe she met a good tutor.”
Leo chuckled and tilted his head.
“So? Who are you?”
“My name is Dark King Dakir. Remember it.”
“Is there a reason to?”
“What did you say?”
“It's a little rude for a first meeting, but I don't think we'll ever meet again anyway. In that sense, I'll give you a choice.”
Leo's red eyes shone eerily.
“How do you want to die?”