Book 1 Chapter 884

884.

Screeeech!

Water aura wove through the air like a stream.

Chen Xia rode upon it, gliding as if on an ice rink, moving at high speed.

"Wow…"

Chelsi, watching from afar, widened her eyes.

"She's like a water spirit…"

"She's not like a water spirit."

Melina suddenly appeared from behind, but Chelsi turned her head as if she had known, looking at Melina.

Seeing Chelsi like that, Melina's eyes widened slightly, then she smiled sweetly.

"Student Xia is truly handling water on par with spirits."

Even Leo couldn't handle elements as well as spirits.

This was something even Licinas, the King of Wisdom and hailed as the strongest spirit user, couldn't achieve.

Even handling elements at a spirit level doesn't grant overwhelming power.

However, depending on how it's utilized, combat ability can be drastically increased.

In fact, Chen Xia was restraining the primordial evil with fluid movements, as if dancing.

Even with Melina assisting by moving back and forth, it was astonishing.

"Professor Mel."

"Yes."

"Who is the closest person to Leo oppa in our school right now?"

"Well, even if they have the same goal, everyone's aspirations are different."

Melina looked at Chen Xia, who was blocking Erebus's advance.

"Considering their aspirations… Student Xia is indeed the closest to Leo."

"Is that so."

Chelsi clenched the staff in her hand.

She felt resentment at being left behind.

However, she showed no signs of being discouraged or disappointed in herself.

Instead, she burned with fighting spirit and moved forward without hesitation.

'To strive forward with competitiveness even in a battle for the fate of the world.'

Melina watched Chelsi's back as she began to sing without a word.

Clearly, if one only looked at the overall ability to handle elements, Chen Xia had the upper hand over Chelsi.

But in a specific domain… in the domain of sound, Chelsi handled wind at a level surpassing spirits.

The fact that she perceived Melina's approach, who came without a sound, was proof of this.

Mana shimmered in response to Chelsi's song.

A great magic, completed in an instant, tore Erebus's body to shreds.

Seizing that opening, Eliza amplified Pegasus's power to its maximum and unleashed lightning upon Erebus.

Though it was power temporarily gained through the power of the Fairy King Silode, the three were clearly fighting against Erebus.

While harboring fear of an uncertain future, they also possessed an unwavering belief in themselves.

These were the heroes of the beginning, Kyle.

No, they were the heroes who would bear the future of the world chosen by Leo Flov, the King of the Beginning.

'If I let my guard down, I'll become obsolete.'

Of course, he had no intention of backing down willingly.

As a descendant of the King of Wisdom.

As a senior hero who had supported this era for a long time.

He had absolutely no intention of retiring from the front lines.

"Kirian. Help me."

"…Understood."

Kirian, gritting his teeth, deployed fairy magic.

It was the power of sealing, to suppress the opponent's strength.

Melina, concentrating her mind, amplified Licinas's mana.

Grooooan!

Pain, as if her entire body was being ripped apart, engulfed her.

The power Melina was wielding now was clearly far beyond her limits.

Melina converted Licinas's mana into spiritual energy and enhanced Kirian's abilities.

Kirian was a mythical beast sworn to Leo.

However, the oath between Leo and Kirian also contained Licinas's mana.

As such, it was possible to forcibly enact the proof of Kirian's oath.

This incurred an even harsher price on top of the immense burden already placed on her body.

Blood flowed from Melina's mouth, eyes, and nose.

[Professor Mel!]

Cal's urgent voice was heard.

Except for Cal, the other hero candidates were unaware.

The reason the three currently fighting Erebus could hold on was not just due to their individual strengths, but also to Cal's command and Melina's assistance.

If they learned that Melina, one of those two pillars, was in trouble, the three would undoubtedly be shaken.

'Don't let the three know, Student Cal.'

[But…]

'I am not as weak as you worry, Cal Thomas.'

Melina called Cal by his full name.

That was a sign of acknowledgment as a fellow hero on the battlefield.

'On this battlefield, I will wager everything.'

Even if it meant my life.

Crackles!

Rumble!

With the power of the forcibly enacted oath, Kirian's strength increased overwhelmingly.

The power of the seal suppressed Erebus.

Fwoosh!

-Krgk?!

At that moment, Kirian's eyes widened.

-It's gotten stronger?!

ROOOOAR!

Despite Kirian's sealing magic, Erebus's firepower grew stronger.

Melina narrowed her eyes.

'That fragment of Erebus is clearly a newly awakened fragment.'

It was natural for its power to grow stronger the more it burned.

It was only because it hadn't fully regained its power that they could hold it back this much.

Yet, it suddenly unleashed a level of firepower that had increased.

It was too short a time to have regained its full power.

'Cal Thomas. Do you know anything about this?'

To Melina's sharp question, Cal bit his lip tightly.

[According to Silode-nim… it's because Silode-nim misses the past.]

'I see.'

Melina nodded.

She understood the situation.

The current owner of this illusion magic was Silode.

However, Erebus, with its power of erosion, had influenced the illusion magic.

In other words, it had become one with the illusion magic.

'According to that influence, the more Silode-nim misses the past, the more it regains its past power, is that it?'

For Erebus, which had just been sealed, reversing time would be a faster way to regain power than simply letting time pass.

-Ah, can't I tell Father not to miss the past?

Kirian said nervously.

To that, Melina smiled bitterly.

"That's impossible."

-Why! How could it be!

"…Because he's an adult."

-What?!

Kirian looked bewildered.

"There's only one reason an adult misses the past."

Melina continued, looking at Erebus.

"It's because the present is too difficult."

The responsibilities and duties that each person must bear.

"Adults have too many things to worry about, though their burdens differ in size."

That's why they miss it.

The childhood where they only looked forward to the future.

The irreplaceable past days when they were excited, looking forward to what tomorrow would bring.

The time shared with loved ones who could no longer be met, even if the past was difficult.

"The harder the present is… the more one misses the past."

Goooooo!

As if in response to those words, Erebus unleashed powerful firepower.

-You are making a futile resistance.

Erebus's voice echoed.

-It's no use, no matter how much you grasp the possibilities of the future and strengthen your will.

Fwoosh!

[It got bigger!]

Cal let out a cry of shock.

"Krgk?!"

Chen Xia hastily drew up her water aura.

Sizzle!

But the water aura evaporated instantly.

"Xia!"

Whoosh!

Eliza flew at incredible speed, grabbed Chen Xia's wrist, and soared upwards.

Kagaagaa! Fwoosh!

Black flames erupted from Erebus's body like an explosion.

The flames of disaster that burned until death upon contact.

Those flames seemed like they would instantly engulf Chen Xia and Eliza.

"Krgk!"

Eliza gritted her teeth, amplified her spiritual energy, and increased her speed.

At that moment, a beautiful singing voice echoed in Eliza's ears.

Chelsi's magic accelerated Eliza's speed.

ROOOOAR!

Eliza narrowly escaped the black flames with Chen Xia.

"Thank you, Eliza-yang."

Chen Xia expressed her gratitude, and Eliza bit her lip tightly.

"It's too early to thank me. Blocking those damned black flames is the priority."

"…"

Chen Xia steadied herself.

-You have no future.

Erebus's taunts continued.

-As long as that old, decrepit fairy desires the past.

Goooooo!

The flames grew larger.

Silode bit his lip tightly.

-It's my fault. Because I'm not good enough…

"No! Not not good enough! You're more than great!"

Cal shook his head in denial.

"You've struggled for 5,000 years! I'd miss the past too if I lived that long!"

-…

"Don't worry."

Cal gave a thumbs-up.

"The monsters at our school aren't the kind to give up this easily! They're the kind who'll die and come back to life!"

It was bravado.

But Cal was trying his best to boost Silode's spirits.

-Cal Thomas… you are truly a human like Licinas.

"Haha. Well."

-You seem like you'd be good at bluffing.

"…"

Cal wore a complex expression at Silode's words, which could be interpreted as either praise or insult.

-Yes… they are all descendants of Kyle.

Silode's blurry eyes became clear.

His body was burning.

Nevertheless, Silode smiled.

-Then I must exert myself a little more.

Woong!

The Fairy King's mana grew stronger.

-My sworn companions… my friends must have hurt this much too.

***

Fwoosh! Kagaagaa!

When Lil swung her battle hammer, the ground shook and a fierce wind raged as if a natural disaster had occurred.

"This is… beyond the realm of monsters. Truly a walking natural disaster."

Sigguas, the King of Desire, looked at Lil with vacant eyes.

"If you continue to say rude things, I will scatter your body into pieces."

Lil growled ferociously.

Seeing Lil like that, Sigguas shook his head.

"Truly, I don't want to fight you. I think it would be easier to face Elena Zerone, who is renowned as a villainess."

"If I fight with Elena-senpai, I'll want to die."

Lil readjusted her battle hammer and charged at Sigguas.

Watching Lil, Sigguas glanced at the infant Leo who was overwhelming the Legion Commanders.

'As expected of a hero of the beginning. Can he easily deal with mere fledglings like us even with such a penalty?'

It wasn't just a matter of power difference.

'No matter how much of a hero of the beginning he is, Leo Flov's vessel is not complete.'

The power of the new Legion Commanders surpassed that of the Legion Commanders born in the era of heroes.

The only difference between Leo and the new Legion Commanders now was 'experience'.

In the current situation, it was impossible for Sigguas to subdue Lil and join her.

'Even if it were possible, he would be ravaged.'

Sigguas waited for his moment without a word.

Of course, before that, if the minds of the new Legion Commanders were destroyed, Tartaros would have to create Legion Commanders again.

'That cannot happen.'

It wasn't out of camaraderie.

It would waste too much time.

In any case, the current new Legion Commanders were proper creations of Hel Kaiser, the King of Command.

It would be a shame to discard them as disposable chess pieces.

'But in the worst case, I'll discard them.'

As he thought that.

Goooooo!

From afar, Erebus unleashed a powerful force.

Lil flinched, and Leo turned his gaze towards Erebus.

In that fleeting opening, Sigguas moved.

"Ah! Brother! Be careful!"

Lil hastily followed Sigguas and warned Leo.

Before Leo could react, Sigguas used his power on Leo.

"Hero of the beginning, what do you think will happen if you go further back into the past in that state?"

Leo's body rapidly shrank.

Whoosh!

Eventually, Leo's existence disappeared.

"B-Brother…"

Lil's face turned pale.

"Hehe. Even a great hero seems unable to abandon his attachment to the past, to the companions he cherished."

Sigguas let out a low laugh and looked at Lil.

"Now then… no matter how much you are a natural disaster yourself."

The Legion Commanders, who had been ravaged by Leo, got up.

"Can you face four Legion Commanders?"

Looking at Sigguas, Lil bit her lip tightly.