Book 1 Chapter 885

Kuung-! Hwareureureuk-!

"Kkeuk?!"

Chen Xia bit her lips tightly against the overwhelming pressure.

The pressure, incomparable to moments before, made her body tremble involuntarily.

Chelsea swallowed dryly.

The word 'death' flashed through her mind.

It wasn't just Chelsea.

Chen Xia and Eliza felt the same thing.

Since enrolling in Lumern.

Chelsea's school life had never been smooth.

She had overcome trials befitting or exceeding the name 'Golden Generation'.

Even so, she had felt the threat of death countless times.

But never had she faced death as clearly as now.

The moment she intuited it.

Chelsea felt herself becoming calmer instead.

'How strange.'

Though still young, she was a hero candidate.

Chelsea knew well that the path she had to walk was far from the heroic tales in fairy tales.

Especially since the one she admired and chased after was none other than Leo.

To follow such a arduous journey, it wouldn't be strange to risk her life at any moment.

She had always been mentally prepared to not hesitate if the moment to risk her life came.

But she had thought that if faced with death clearly, she might hesitate a little.

Yet now, Chelsea was more level-headed than ever.

Chelsea gripped her staff.

'I'm ready.'

What she had to do now was resist death.

To fight Erebus without giving up.

The moment she thought that.

Uung-!

"Fairy's blessing?"

'Kirian?'

She had known Kirian was helping with blessings for a while.

But this power was distinctly different from Kirian's.

"Ah…!"

Chen Xia and Eliza's eyes widened as they felt the power of the blessing.

-Aren't you all a little too young to be prepared to face death?

A gentle voice was heard.

Sararaak-!

A small fairy appeared in the middle of the battlefield where tension had reached its peak, scattering golden dust.

Silode stood before Erebus, flapping her wings.

-Are you going to use your remaining time to fight me, foolish fairy?

-Yes.

Silode's body was burning like embers in places.

But she didn't care.

-I won't wander any longer.

Silode spread her hands.

Kugugugugung-!

Along with it, the Fairy King's magic pressed down on Erebus.

-Hmph!

Erebus's momentum, which had been unstoppable until now, was broken.

-5000 years. I've spent all that time in regret and longing!

The golden light emanating from Silode's body became clearer.

-If only I had been a slightly better Fairy King! Wouldn't at least one person have returned alive! Wouldn't even the great heroes have seen a brighter future! I regret it!

Regret and repentance are the burden of those left behind.

-The flame of disaster! I've spent 5000 years wondering how I could stop you!

Googogogogo-!

Kugugugugung!

A golden sealing circle pressed down on Erebus.

She couldn't destroy Erebus.

'But at least! Until Kyle arrives!'

She could hold on until then.

Kwaaaaaaaaah-!

Erebus's flames grew stronger.

-Because I've spent it in regret! You cannot stop me. Pathetic fairy!

Silode's body cracked.

-That regret! Because you are bound to the past!

The more Silode longed for the past, the stronger Erebus's flames became.

-You can only long for that era! You cannot escape the curse of those left behind!

Erebus's laughter echoed.

Silode laughed at that laughter.

'Right, I can never escape the past.'

How could she forget?

The memories of those times that shone like stars in the dark night sky?

The past that was dark but happy.

'Because I'm an adult.'

When tired and struggling.

At the last moment of life, the past is desperately missed.

But it wasn't because she longed for that era.

'To recall the happy times, and use those memories as a stepping stone to move forward into the future.'

Tzereok-

Cracks formed on Silode's body.

'I miss and cherish the past.'

***

A wind that brought death simply by inhaling it blew.

If there weren't two people here, they wouldn't have been able to endure.

It was clear that even most heroes would lose their lives just by breathing here.

Tadak- Tadadak-

A campfire burned.

In front of it sat a man with gray hair and a beautiful woman with black hair.

The woman held a black cloak in her hand.

Rysina was meticulously mending the tattered, ruined cloak.

Kyle watched her in silence.

"This cloak is old too."

"It's been a long time since I received it as a gift."

"Yes. That's right. So many things have happened since then."

Rysina nodded at Kyle's words.

After that, Rysina continued to mend the cloak calmly.

Watching her, Kyle thought.

'I'm glad it's just you and me left.'

He, who was more accustomed than anyone to losing things.

And Rysina, who could maintain composure even in the final moments, even if shaken by the death of a comrade.

Even in the worst moments, Kyle found a reason not to give up.

And he felt disgusted with himself for finding this situation fortunate.

"It's fortunate, isn't it?"

"……?"

"That it's just you and me."

Rysina bit off the thread and looked at Kyle.

"You're not the only one who thinks that."

"……."

"I think so too."

Rysina said with a blank expression.

"Arion and Dwenno… Luna would definitely think so too."

"…Yes."

"Let's not think about what we've lost."

"It's cruel."

"What is?"

"That it's you and me left in the end."

Kyle smiled bitterly at Rysina's words.

"…That's right."

Seeing that, Kyle felt a sharp ache in his chest.

He remembered the time they first became partners.

He recalled the promise Rysina, whom he wanted to forget, had made to him… the promise not to leave him alone.

"Rysina."

At Kyle's call, Rysina looked into his empty gray eyes.

"Have you ever longed for the past?"

"…A lot. Even at this very moment, I miss it. The past that has passed. What about you?"

"I used to miss 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 that had passed."

"What about now?"

"…I miss it."

"Longing for the past is because the present is difficult."

"Is this how we become bound to the past?"

Rysina shook her head, watching Kyle offer a bitter smile.

"No."

"……?"

"While longing for the past is indeed because the present is difficult, it's not simply because you are bound to the past."

Rysina closed her eyes.

Memories surfaced.

Memories of Arion, Dwenno, and Luna, whom she had sent away first.

Memories of many others with whom she had shared time, besides those three.

"The reason we long for the past is to move forward."

"……."

"So, Kyle."

"……?"

Memories diverged.

In his memory, Rysina had never said such a thing.

Rysina handed the mended cloak to Kyle.

"Are you ready to move forward again, using your memories as a stepping stone?"

Binguet-

Rysina smiled.

Kyle's eyes widened.

Beside Rysina, Luna, Dwenno, and Arion were now present.

'…Right. This was a hallucination.'

A hallucination showing him what he wanted to see.

Kyle closed his eyes and opened them.

He had somehow transformed into the appearance of a boy with white hair.

"Yes."

Leo got up and put on the cloak.

"I'm ready."

Hearing Leo's words, his friends smiled.

***

"Cough!"

Googogogogo-!

Lil coughed up blood.

He had numerous large and small wounds all over his body.

He had suffered immense internal damage from the excessive use of his mana.

But Lil's eyes did not lose their light.

He emitted a sharp gaze.

Alone, he was holding off four Legion Commanders.

'Winning is impossible. Even so, I can at least delay them.'

Lil tightened his grip on his battle hammer.

"Sigas, it seems the end is near, why don't you finish it?"

Psykhe, the Queen of Nightmares, looked at Erebus, who was visible in the distance.

"We're going to welcome a god."

"Do you think I'll let you?"

Despite bleeding and being mortally wounded, Lil smiled fiercely.

Seeing that, Sigas, the King of Desire, felt fear.

The potential of the spirit user before him seemed endless.

'He's still an incomplete hero.'

Even if he had obtained the power of the future, he hadn't made it entirely his own.

What would happen if such a monster were completed?

His desire told him.

To take the life of the hero candidate before him.

"We must kill Lil Luche for sure."

As Sigas replied, the jewel in his hand rattled.

Tup-!

Someone grabbed Sigas's wrist.

"I've felt it before, but that sound is incredibly annoying."

"Brother!"

Lil smiled brightly upon seeing Leo, who had returned to his original form from his infant appearance.

"Oh dear…"

A look of dismay appeared on Sigas's face.

Fear appeared on the faces of the other Legion Commanders.

The nightmare-like being before them had returned.

And in its complete form.

"Now then, shall we continue what we were doing?"

As Leo smiled chillingly, Sigas, as if a lizard cutting off its tail, did not hesitate to cut off the hand Leo had grabbed.

Sigas, freed from Leo, disappeared into the darkness.

It wasn't just Sigas.

The other Legion Commanders were the same.

"As expected of you, Brother! The Legion Commanders are running away!"

"They're just amateurs who don't know how to fight properly."

Leo replied calmly and approached Lil.

He then slipped his hands under Lil's knees and back and lifted him up.

Leo used healing magic.

While not as effective as a healer, it was sufficient for emergency treatment.

"Reckless."

"Hehe. I pushed myself a bit."

Lil blinked and smiled, and Leo chuckled.

"Good job."

Lil smiled with pleasure at the compliment.

"It was worth the effort. This means I can become the vice-student council president, right?"

"……."

"Brother?"

"We'll talk about that later."

Leo looked at Erebus, visible in the distance.

"First, let's deal with that damned black flame."

With those words, Leo joined the battlefield at incredible speed.

"Student Leo!"

Melina's bright smile appeared as she noticed Leo's presence.

Seeing Melina, Leo scrunched up his face.

He realized instantly upon seeing Melina's condition.

'She fought with her life on the line.'

Given her opponent, it wasn't unreasonable.

After all, Melina, being the eldest among them, would have felt a responsibility to protect the other hero candidates.

But even so, Leo had resolved not to lose a single person in this life.

'I'll have to scold her later.'

Thinking that, Leo handed Lil over to Melina.

"Heal him."

"Yes."

Melina cast healing magic on Lil.

Melina was superior to Leo when it came to healing magic.

"Brother Leo!"

Chelsea looked ahead with a worried expression.

"Lord Silode…"

"I know."

Leo said calmly and moved forward.

"I'll help, Young Master Leo."

As Chen Xia tried to follow, Leo said.

"You've done enough."

Even a glance showed they were in no condition to move further.

They had endured until Leo arrived.

They had accomplished a mission that was nearly impossible.

"Silode would have been relieved too. So."

Leo moved forward.

"Leave it to the old folks now."

***

Googogog-!

Flames raged madly.

'Erebus just before extermination.'

Looking at Erebus, who had returned to the past and was unleashing overwhelming power, he clenched his fists.

A single fairy was struggling to block such an Erebus.

The fairy, like a small tree caught in a fiery storm, looked like it could turn to ashes at any moment, but was holding on with difficulty.

"I'm here, Silode."

-I've been waiting, Kyle.

-The hero who survives?

Erebus's eyes twitched.

-Have you reincarnated?

"Something like that. This time, I intend to finish you completely."

Leo said with a nonchalant expression.

"You are the third fragment to be annihilated."

-Hoho… As expected of my hateful rival.

Erebus wore an amused expression.

-But can you, with an incomplete vessel, face me as I am now?

"……."

-Can you face me, who burned all your companions alone?

What stood before him was not just a fragment of Erebus.

It was the very origin of the Age of Calamity.

Within this hallucination, he had been reborn as an entity of destruction.

It was impossible for the current Leo Flobrow to win.

He could use the divine power obtained from subduing other fragments.

But Leo excluded that possibility.

'I can't cling to the past forever.'

Googogog-!

A giant shadow loomed over Leo's head.

-I'm curious to see if you can stop me.

Erebus swung his fist as if he had found an interesting test subject.

-Let's see?

Kwagagagagagag-!

Great black flames erupted in the surrounding area.

At that moment.

Flash! Kwaaaaaaak-!

-……!

A pure white slash soared into the sky.

Seeing that, Erebus's eyes were filled with shock.

'Arion's aura? No! It's the aura of the surviving hero!'

Kung- Kung-!

But the slash was not in Erebus's memory.

Hwarruk! Tadak- Tadak-

"I'm curious too."

A voice was heard from within the black flames.

A more mature voice than before.

But it was a voice that perfectly matched his demeanor.

Teobuk- Teobuk-

A young man with pure white hair walked out.

Silode sat on his shoulder.

"You, the disaster of the past."

Teobuk-

Leo, who had become an adult, stood before Erebus and curled the corners of his mouth.

"And me, who defeated you once more in the future."

His red eyes glinted.

"Let's see which one of us wins. Of course, the answer is already decided."