Book 1 Chapter 885
885.
Thud—! Roar—!
“Ugh?!”
As the crushing pressure surged, Chen Shia bit her lip tightly.
Her body trembled involuntarily from a pressure incomparable to just moments ago.
Chelsea gulped, a dry swallow.
The word ‘death’ flashed through her mind for an instant.
And it wasn't just Chelsea.
Chen Shia and Eliza felt the same thing.
After enrolling in Rumerne.
Chelsea's school life was far from smooth.
She had overcome trials that were fitting of or even surpassed those of the Golden Generation.
Amidst them, she had countless times felt the threat of death.
But never before had she faced death so vividly as she did now.
The moment she instinctively realized it.
Chelsea felt herself become calm instead.
‘How strange.’
Though still young, she was a hero candidate.
Chelsea knew well enough that the path she had to walk was far from the heroic tales in fairy tales.
Especially since the one she admired and followed was none other than Leo.
To follow that arduous journey, it was never unusual to put her life on the line.
She had always prepared herself mentally, so that when the moment came to stake her life, she would not hesitate.
However, she had thought that she would hesitate a little when clearly facing death.
But now, Chelsea was cooler than ever.
Chelsea gripped her staff firmly.
‘I’m prepared.’
What she had to do now was to resist death.
To fight against Erebus without giving up.
The moment she thought that.
Woong—!
“A fairy’s blessing?”
‘Is it Kiruan?’
She knew that Kiruan had been helping them with a blessing since a little while ago.
But this power was distinctly different from Kiruan’s.
“Ah…!”
Chen Shia and Eliza also felt the power of the blessing and their eyes widened.
-Isn’t it a little too early for you all to be preparing for death?
A gentle voice was heard.
Shhhshhh—!
Scattering golden dust, a small fairy appeared in the middle of the battlefield, where tension had reached its peak.
Silrod flapped its wings and stood before Erebus.
-Are you really going to spend the little time you have left fighting me? You foolish fairy.
-Yes.
Parts of Silrod’s body were burning like embers.
But it didn't care.
-I will no longer wander.
Silrod spread its hands.
Kugugugugung—!
With that, the Fairy King's magic suppressed Erebus.
-Hmph!
Erebus’s momentum, which had been unstoppable until now, was broken.
-5000 years. I spent those long years in regret and longing!
The golden light flowing from Silrod’s body grew even more vivid.
-If only I had been a proper Fairy King a little longer! Wouldn’t at least one person have returned alive! Regretting whether the great heroes could have seen a brighter future!
Regret and self-reflection are the몫 of those left behind.
-Flame of Calamity! I spent 5000 years wondering how I could stop you!
Gohohohoh—!
Kugugugugung!
A golden sealing formation suppressed Erebus.
He couldn't destroy Erebus.
‘But at least! Until Kyle comes!’
He could hold on until then.
Kwaaaaaaaah—!
Erebus’s flames grew even stronger.
-Because you spent it in regret! You cannot stop me. You pathetic fairy!
Silrod’s body cracked.
-That regret! Because you are tied to the past!
The more Silrod longed for the past, the stronger Erebus’s flames became.
-You can only wish for that era! You cannot escape the curse of those left behind!
Erebus’s sneer echoed.
Silrod smiled at that sneer.
‘That’s right, I’ll never be able to escape the past.’
How could he forget?
The memories of those dark but star-like bright days in the night sky?
Those dark but happy times.
‘Because I’m an adult.’
When tired and struggling.
At the very last moment of life, the past is desperately longed for.
But that was certainly not because he longed for that era.
‘To remember those happy times. And to use those memories as a stepping stone to move towards the future.’
Crackle—
Cracks appeared on Silrod’s body.
‘I yearn for and cherish the past.’
***
A wind blew that could kill just by inhaling it.
Indeed, if there weren't two people here, they wouldn't have been able to endure it.
Here, even a decent hero would surely lose their life just by breathing.
Crack— Crackle—
A campfire burned.
In front of it sat a man with gray hair and a beautiful woman with black hair.
In the woman’s hand was a black cloak.
Lysinas was carefully mending the tattered, ruined cloak.
Kyle merely watched her in silence.
“It’s old, this cloak.”
“Because it’s been a long time since I received it as a gift.”
“Yes. That’s right. A lot has happened since then.”
Lysinas nodded at Kyle’s words.
After that, Lysinas mended the cloak indifferently.
Watching her, Kyle thought.
‘It’s a relief that only Lysinas and I are left.’
He, who was more accustomed to loss than anything else.
And Lysinas, who, though she might waver at the death of a comrade, could maintain her composure even in the final moments.
Even in the worst moments, Kyle searched for a reason not to give up.
And he detested himself for considering this situation a relief.
“It’s a relief, isn’t it?”
“…?”
“That it’s just you and me left.”
Lysinas snapped the thread with her teeth and looked at Kyle.
“You’re not the only one who thinks that.”
“….”
“I think so too.”
Lysinas said with an expressionless face.
“Arion and Dweno… Luna would definitely think so too.”
“…Right.”
“Let’s not think about what we lost.”
“How ironic.”
“What is?”
“That in the end, it’s just you and me left.”
Lysinas smiled bitterly at Kyle’s words.
“…Indeed.”
At her expression, Kyle felt a throbbing pain in his chest.
He remembered the time they first became partners.
The promise Lysinas had made to him, which he had tried to forget… the promise that she wouldn't leave him alone, came to mind.
“Lysinas.”
At Kyle’s call, Lysinas looked at him with empty gray eyes.
“Have you ever longed for the past?”
“…Many times. Even now, at this moment, I long for it. The past I’ve lived through. You?”
“I used to long for it a lot.”
Kyle looked down at his hands.
“But at some point, just recalling old memories became too difficult. So I tried to forget the past I’d lived.”
“Now?”
“…I miss it.”
“You miss the past because the present is hard.”
“Is this how one becomes trapped in the past?”
Seeing Kyle give a bitter smile, Lysinas shook her head.
“No.”
“…?”
“It’s true that you long for the past because this moment is difficult, but that’s not simply because you’re trapped in the past.”
Lysinas closed her eyes.
Memories surfaced.
Memories of Arion, Dweno, and Luna, whom they had sent ahead.
Memories with many others who had shared time with them besides the three.
“The reason we long for the past is to move forward.”
“….”
“So Kyle.”
“…?”
The memories were mismatched.
In his memories, Lysinas had never said such a thing.
Lysinas, who had finished mending the cloak, handed it to Kyle.
“Are you ready to use your memories as a stepping stone and move forward again?”
Smile—
Lysinas smiled.
Kyle’s eyes widened.
Beside Lysinas were Luna, Dweno, and Arion.
‘…Right. This was an illusion.’
An illusion that showed him what he wanted to see.
Kyle closed and opened his eyes.
Kyle had already transformed into a boy with white hair.
“Yes.”
Leo stood up and put on the cloak.
“I’m ready.”
Hearing Leo’s words, his friends smiled.
***
“Cough!”
Gohohohohoh—!
Lil coughed up blood.
He had large and small wounds all over his body.
He was in a state of severe internal injury due to excessive use of spiritual power.
But Lil's eyes did not lose their light.
He emitted a flashing gaze.
He was holding off four legion commanders by himself.
‘Winning is impossible. Even so, I can at least buy some time.’
Lil gripped his battle hammer tighter.
“Sigas, it seems like a decision has been made. Why don’t you finish it?”
Phisikia, the Succubus Queen, looked at Erebus in the distance.
“We’re going to welcome the god.”
“Do you think I’ll let you?”
Despite bleeding and being seriously wounded close to death, Lil smiled fiercely.
King of Desire Sigas felt fear at the sight.
The potential of the spirit user before him seemed boundless.
‘He’s still an incomplete hero.’
Even if he had obtained the power of the future, he had not yet fully made that power his own.
What would happen if such a monster were completed?
His desire told him.
To take the life of the hero candidate before his eyes.
“Lil Luche must be killed for sure.”
It was then, as Sigas said that and rattled the jewels in his hand—clink-clink-clink—
Thump—!
Someone snatched Sigas’s wrist.
“I’ve always felt it. That sound is incredibly annoying.”
“Brother!”
Lil smiled brightly, seeing Leo, who had returned from his infant form to his original appearance.
“This is…”
An expression of dismay appeared on Sigas’s face.
Fear filled the faces of the other legion commanders.
A nightmare-like presence had returned before them.
And in his complete form.
“Alright, then, shall we continue what we were doing?”
As Leo flashed a chilling smile, Sigas, as if a lizard shedding its tail, cut off the hand Leo had gripped without hesitation.
Sigas, freed from Leo, disappeared into the darkness.
It wasn't just Sigas.
The other legion commanders did the same.
“As expected of you, Brother! The legion commanders are running away immediately!”
“Because they’re just brats who don’t even know how to fight properly.”
Leo, who answered indifferently, approached Lil.
And putting his hands behind Lil’s knees and on his back, he lifted him straight up.
Leo used a healing spell.
It wasn’t as efficient as a healer, but it was enough for first aid.
“How reckless.”
“Hehehe. I overdid it a bit.”
Lil blinked and smiled, and Leo chuckled.
“Well done.”
At the compliment, Lil gave a pleasant smile.
“My efforts paid off. With this, I can become the Vice Student Council President, right?”
“….”
“Brother?”
“We’ll talk about that later.”
Leo looked at Erebus in the far distance.
“First, let’s deal with that damned black flame.”
With those words, Leo joined the battle at an incredible speed.
“Student Leo!”
Melina, recognizing Leo's presence, smiled brightly.
Leo frowned as he looked at Melina.
He realized at once after seeing Melina’s condition.
‘She fought with the intention to die.’
Given who the opponent was, it wasn’t reckless.
After all, Melina, being the eldest among them, must have felt a responsibility to protect the other hero candidates.
But even so, Leo had resolved not to lose a single person in this lifetime.
‘I’ll have to give her a lecture later.’
Thinking so, Leo handed Lil over to Melina.
“Heal him.”
“Yes.”
Melina used healing magic on Lil.
When it came to healing magic, Melina was superior to Leo.
“Leo oppa!”
Chelsea looked forward with a worried expression.
“Silrod-nim…”
“I know.”
Leo said indifferently and stepped forward.
“I will help you, Young Master Leo.”
As Chen Shia tried to follow, Leo said.
“You all have played your part sufficiently.”
At a glance, they were in no condition to move further.
They had endured until Leo arrived.
They had accomplished a mission that was close to impossible.
“Silrod must be relieved too. So.”
Leo moved forward.
“Now, leave it to the old folks.”
***
Gohohoh—!
Flames raged wildly.
‘Erebus on the verge of being subjugated.’
Returning to the past, he saw Erebus unleashing overwhelming power and tightened his clenched fist.
Such an Erebus was being difficultly held back by a single fairy.
Like a small tree engulfed in a blaze, the fairy, seemingly about to turn to ash at any moment, was enduring with difficulty.
“I’m here, Silrod.”
-I’ve been waiting, Kyle.
-The surviving hero?
Erebus’s eyes twitched.
-Have you reincarnated?
“Something like that. This time, I intend to finish you completely.”
Leo made an indifferent expression.
“You’re the third fragment to be annihilated.”
-Hoo… Indeed, worthy of my hateful rival.
Erebus made an amused expression.
-But can you, an incomplete vessel, face me now?
“….”
-Can you face me, who burned all your comrades alone?
What stood before him was not just a mere fragment of Erebus.
It was the very culprit who initiated the Age of Calamity.
In this illusion, it had become the very embodiment of destruction.
As Leo Plov, it was impossible to win against it now.
He could use the divine power obtained from subjugating other fragments.
But Leo dismissed that possibility.
‘I can’t cling to the past forever either.’
Gohohoh—!
A gigantic shadow loomed over Leo’s head.
-I wonder if you can stop me.
Erebus swung his fist, his face as if he had found an interesting experimental subject.
-Let's see.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang—!
A massive black flame erupted throughout the area.
At that moment.
Flash! Kwaaaaak—!
-…!
A pure white slash soared high into the sky.
Erebus’s eyes were filled with shock at the sight.
‘Arion’s aura? No! It’s the aura of the surviving hero!’
Thump— Thump—!
But it was a slash not present in Erebus’s memories.
Hooosh! Crackle— Crackle—
“I wonder too.”
A voice was heard from within the black flames.
A more mature voice than just moments ago.
But a voice that suited the tone perfectly.
Step— Step—
A young man with pure white hair walked out.
Silrod sat on his shoulder.
“Between you, the calamity of the past.”
Step—
Leo, now in his adult form, stood before Erebus and curled the corner of his mouth.
“And me, who defeated you once more in the future.”
His red eyes flashed.
“Who will win, that is. Although the answer is already decided.”