Book 1 Chapter 859
‘Hmm. It seems to be a vision of the future.’
In the middle of a desert where the sun blazed, threatening to cook everything, Lil stood with her arms crossed, lost in thought.
‘Judging by the temperature, this must be the Suliman Desert, the hottest part of the southern desert.’
Checking the heat on her skin, Lil confirmed her location.
The Suliman Desert was known as the most scorching region in the south.
A temperature where it was impossible for humans to survive.
A place called the Desert of Death, where not a drop of water could be found.
Of course, for Lil, an exceptional spirit mage, such an environment posed no significant threat.
There was no place in the world beyond the reach of spirits.
Spirit mages were the most familiar beings with nature itself, and Lil was a spirit mage recognized even by Leo.
Even now, she was using spirit magic to create a comfortable temperature around herself.
Above her head, she had created a water curtain using water spirits to block the sunlight.
Lil assessed her changed body.
‘It’s not just my body that has grown; my spiritual power has also become overwhelmingly strong.’
Lil clenched and unclenched her fist.
Having somewhat grasped the current situation, Lil fell into thought.
‘Now, how do I get out of this illusion?’
There were several ways to escape an illusion.
The most common was to dispel the illusionary magic circle.
However, this was difficult.
Especially since Lil did not possess the magical aptitude to dispel magic circles.
‘The second method is to break free with force.’
There were other methods, but this was one of the simplest she could try right now.
Having thought that far, Lil nodded and reached out her hand.
*Woong-!*
The magic artifact on Lil’s wrist reacted, and a spatial rift opened.
From it, Lil retrieved her favorite weapon, the Battle Hammer.
*Tak-!*
‘Illusion magic is magic that uses light. And a magic circle is a weave of magical energy.’
Lil summoned light and wind spirits.
‘If I condense powerful light and create a wave that shakes the magic weave at its center, I might be able to crack the weave. And sound is a prime example of a wave.’
Lil condensed the power of the light spirit to its maximum.
Then, using wind spirits, she created high-frequency sounds around it.
“Huuup!”
With a battle cry, Lil swung the Battle Hammer.
Lil struck where the light was condensed.
More precisely, it was at the point where the wind, compressed by the wind spirits to suppress the high-frequency sound, was concentrated.
*Kiiiiiing-!*
A sharp sound echoed.
Along with it, the space began to tremble with intense light.
The principle was simple.
It was merely emitting powerful light and compressing high-frequency sound around it, trapping it.
Swinging the Battle Hammer was to explode the compressed wind force all at once, creating a strong vibration.
The trembling space distorted and, for a moment, began to crackle with *jjeojeojeojeok-*.
However, the space soon returned to its original state as if recovering naturally.
“Hmm. So it’s not possible even with my current strength?”
Lil lowered her hand with a disappointed expression.
‘To think that this is impossible even with my greatly increased spiritual power.’
Lil’s idea just moments ago was something Lissinas would have been shocked to see, but Lil was unaware.
‘Would brother be able to do it? Ah, he would be able to. Brother is special.’
Though her level had already surpassed special and would shock even great heroes, Lil sighed deeply at her own inadequacy.
‘First, I need to regroup with my juniors. They should be around here.’
Lil, having summoned wind spirits, scouted the surrounding area.
‘What an incredible illusion…!’
Lil’s eyes, which had been admiring the illusion, suddenly sharpened.
She had detected an unusual power through the spirits scouting the area.
‘Dark magic.’
It was nothing less than the aura of a demon.
Lil walked with a *tebok- tebok-* sound.
Each step, her feet sank deeply into the sand.
After a while.
Arriving at the location where the demon was hiding its presence, Lil raised her Battle Hammer.
*Kwaaaaaaaaang-!*
As Lil brought down the Battle Hammer, an immense amount of sand was scattered into the sky as if a giant explosion had occurred.
“Gwooooaargh!”
Along with that, a roar echoed, and the demon revealed itself.
It stood about 3 meters tall, with skin like granite.
Its face resembled that of a lion.
Its hands were similar to a human’s, but its fingernails were like blades.
Lil’s eyes twitched.
“Beheritios?”
Beheritios was a notorious high-ranking demon that had appeared 200 years ago.
The one who appeared on the southern battlefield against Tartarus had massacred countless beastmen.
Twelve beastman heroes had met their end at his hands.
Lil lowered her stance, breaking out in a cold sweat.
She then gauged the power emanating from Beheritios.
‘Can I win?’
Beheritios was a demon clearly beyond the level that hero candidates could handle.
Furthermore, Beheritios was a demon active on the front lines of Tartarus in the southern continent.
His dark magic exerted overwhelming power in sandy terrain.
Even though Lil had far surpassed the level of a student, there was no guarantee she could defeat him.
However, Lil did not retreat or show fear.
Those who dream of becoming heroes must always be prepared for trials.
The lesson from Lumern was ‘Exceed your limits.’
‘Challenging the impossible is the attitude of a Lumern student!’
“Hmph, a mere human girl. You don’t even flinch before me!”
Beheritios, who had been hiding in the sand to ambush Lil, sneered.
‘Lil Luce of Lumern?’
She was already a hero candidate who had become a target of vigilance even within Tartarus.
“Cutting off the sprout of a hero can be a form of entertainment.”
“……?”
At Beheritios’s words, Lil wore a puzzled expression for a moment.
‘What is it? This illusion should be of the future, shouldn’t it?’
Had her future self still not become a hero?
Or was it because it was an illusion?
‘It’s an illusion that has created a future where not only my appearance but also my strength has increased. And yet, I haven’t become a hero?’
Lil felt something was strange.
Having strength does not guarantee accomplishment.
That means strength does not equate to the qualification of a hero.
However, there was one thing Lil was certain of.
No matter what future it was, her ideal image of a hero would not change.
Though born into a military family, Lil was more drawn to the mindset of a ‘protector’ than a ‘conqueror.’
Her sole purpose was to protect the weak and create a world where people could live well.
That was also why she chose to be an adventurer rather than a soldier.
She believed that the strength she was born with was meant to be used for righteous causes.
That sentiment had not changed even a bit since her admission to Lumern.
And yet, she hadn’t become a hero?
“By the way, it’s strange. You’re more mature than I was informed.”
Hearing Beheritios’s words, Lil asked,
“Were you in the Illusion Forest until just a moment ago?”
“Indeed. I came to burn down Fairy Land.”
At Beheritios’s words, Lil nodded.
She realized that the being before her was not an illusion but real.
‘In that case… I must defeat you even more.’
Lil, gripping her Battle Hammer tightly, summoned her spirits.
Then, she deployed her Spirit Armor and charged towards Beheritios.
“What?!”
Before he could even react, Lil reached Beheritios and swung her Battle Hammer.
*Kwaang-!*
Along with a massive impact sound, Beheritios’s body was sent flying.
Lil paused and looked down at her hand.
“Ooh… Come to think of it, my strength did increase!”
She had never imagined that the power within the illusion would be effective against something outside the illusion.
As Lil marveled,
“Wh-What is this monstrous power!”
Beheritios’s voice, filled with shock, was heard.
At that, Lil’s eyes widened.
“Who are you calling a monster girl! How rude of you, a demon!”
“I never called you a monster girl!”
“You’re calling me a monster girl again!”
Enraged, Lil charged at Beheritios.
***
A dark night.
The tavern was filled with the sounds of people having a joyous time.
Kyle’s party enjoyed food and drinks at the tavern and left around midnight.
The life of a mercenary was generally like this.
On days they survived their life-risking work, they ate, drank, and reveled to relieve stress.
And they forgot what they had lost.
“La~ Sha~ My feelings for you are real~”
Drunk Shen followed Lasha, sobbing.
Kasam, carrying the sleeping Lasha on his back, said,
“She’s asleep. She wouldn’t even know if someone kidnapped her.”
Shen cried when drunk, and Lasha slept.
Kasam, having an incredibly high tolerance for alcohol, always looked after the two.
“Kyle, take Media home first. I’ll take this drunken Shen to his knight quarters and then go home.”
“Got it.”
“Heh heh. Am I being escorted like a knight?”
Leo nodded at Kasam’s words, and Media chuckled playfully.
Leo escorted Media to her lodgings.
The night streets of Rebatin were dangerous.
While it was fine in the early evening, after midnight, conspicuous women like Media could fall victim to crime.
Of course, Media was a dragon who could easily level this city if she wanted to.
‘I didn’t know that back then.’
Thinking to herself, Leo escorted her to the inn where Media was staying.
Even in Rebatin, the central upscale inns had relatively good security.
“Kyle. Since you’re here anyway, why don’t you sober up a bit too?”
“Alright.”
At Media’s words, Leo entered the upscale inn with her.
Inviting someone to stay for a drink to sober up didn’t mean inviting them to a room.
It simply meant staying in the lobby on the first floor.
Sitting on a chair in the lobby, Media looked at Leo with interest.
“So. Did you summon any spirits?”
“No.”
“Magic practice?”
“I’m practicing, but it’s not going well.”
“Really? Hmm.”
Media tilted her head and took out paper and a quill from her pocket, beginning to scribble something.
Media was the first person to recognize Kyle’s all-class talent.
Therefore, as a spirit mage, she taught Kyle spirit magic and other magic.
And she checked Kyle’s condition daily with the eyes of a researcher.
After a brief check, Media took out another piece of paper from her pocket.
Then, unlike when she was researching, she started scribbling something.
Leo rested his chin on his hand as he watched her.
“…You said it was a letter to your sibling?”
“Huh? Ah, right. To be precise, a child who is like a sibling.”
Media smiled faintly.
“Should I say, a knight of my family? It’s closer to a lord-vassal relationship… but I consider him like a sibling.”
The recipient of the letter was likely also a dragon.
‘I used to think she was simply the daughter of a noble family…’
Looking back now, she was an incredibly high-ranking dragon.
Someone who literally possessed the power to move the world.
In the Age of Gods, having a family as a dragon meant being a candidate for Dragon Lord.
Of course, Media did not become a Dragon Lord.
Leo said in a subdued voice,
“Are you here… to investigate the eastern edge?”
“……? How do you know that?”
Media’s eyes widened.
Seeing Media like that, Leo gave a bitter smile.
“Well? How do you think I knew?”
Just then.
*Hwarararar-!*
Flames ignited behind Media.
Leo flinched and leaped to his feet.
“Kyle?”
Media looked slightly taken aback.
“Is there something behind me?”
Media turned around and looked with a puzzled expression.
However, Media tilted her head, as if she couldn’t see the burning black flames.
The flames that had been burning soon subsided.
“……It’s nothing.”
Leo slumped back into his seat.
‘…I see why I was caught in the illusion.’
Leo’s expression hardened.
‘A fragment of Erebus, sealed by Sylod, has awakened.’
And a part of that power has invaded Sylod’s magic.
‘Are you fighting Erebus alone, Sylod?’