Book 1 Chapter 887
887.
A pure white flash, entwined with thunder, streaked across space.
Kiiiiiing-!
The sharp sound of air being torn echoed where the flash had passed.
And a moment later, a massive shockwave devastated the surrounding area.
Albus, possessing Atie, pursued Erebus, who moved at an unseen speed.
The Pegasus King was the fastest being in the world.
Its speed was so great it gave the illusion of spatial teleportation.
Furthermore, he could control that speed at will.
Fwaat-!
Erebus stopped in mid-air.
The primordial evil, wreathed in black flames.
Though it took the form of a giant fiery being, its speed was disproportionate to its size.
Udududuk-! Kwadeuk-!
Erebus's body began to shrink in an instant.
No matter how transcendent its speed, escaping the Pegasus King was impossible.
Thus, its enormous body was merely an easy target.
Erebus, shrinking to human size in an instant, opened its mouth wide.
Goooh-!
A destructive aura flickered within its mouth.
Kwaaaaaaaaah!
The breath of black flames targeted Leo.
Seeing this, Leo grabbed Albus's mane and unleashed his spiritual power.
Pajijik!
Pure white thunder surged.
The ability of a mythical beast tamer was to maximize the beast's power.
-Kael! You've gotten even more amazing!
"Of course!"
Albus's thunder formed a protective barrier.
Beonnok-!
Leo, piercing through the black flames, raised his hand.
Hwarureureuk-!
White flames flickered at his fingertips.
Pat-!
As Leo clenched his fist, the white flames took the form of a sword.
Uuung-!
The sword made of white flames was imbued with an aura of purity.
-Amazing! It's a completely different summon than Licinas, isn't it?!
As Katariou, in sword form, reacted with surprise, Leo said,
"Ricinaus and I are different."
-Hmph! Still, Ricinas is the best!
"I agree."
The flames of Schrödinger flickered from Leo's body, and crimson flames overlaid the white flames.
After that, Dwenno's golden flames wrapped around Leo and Albus like armor.
Seeing Leo closing the distance at incredible speed, Erebus's black eyes glinted.
Hwarureuk-
A sword made of black flames appeared in Erebus's hand.
Leo's eyes seethed with hatred.
It was the sword that had taken the lives of Luna and Ricinas.
Kwak-!
The swords of flame clashed.
Kwaaaaaaaaah-!
Flame and flame entangled, becoming grey flames that soared into the sky.
Flames erupted from Erebus's body, soon taking the form of a beast.
Beasts with vicious fangs lunged and bit at Leo's body.
Kwadeuk-! Hwarureureuk!
Golden flames protected Leo's body.
Leo extended his free hand, the one not holding the sword.
As the spear of judgment, emitting thunder, was summoned, he thrust it into Erebus's face without hesitation.
Kwadeuk-! Hwaak-! Pavavabat!
The thunder emanating from the spear blew away Erebus's face.
The power of the black flames faltered for a moment.
Not missing the opportunity, Leo, imbued with aura in his legs, kicked Erebus.
Kwaang!
Space distorted, and Erebus's body was flung away.
Though his body shattered into pieces, Erebus soon returned to its original state.
At that moment.
Silode's magic bound Erebus's body.
-A futile act.
As Erebus tried to break free from Silode's magic.
Kwak-!
The spear of judgment, imbued with Albus's power, flew and pierced Erebus's chest.
The spear of judgment was imbued with Aron's golden aura.
"The chase is over."
The balance of the fight, which had been even until just before the summoning of the beast kings, was broken the moment Leo summoned them.
Though a perfect being, it was Erebus of the age of calamity and Leo, who had become the future.
The Erebus of the past could never defeat Leo.
After reincarnation.
Leo had replayed countless battles with Erebus in his mind.
'If I had done this back then, would they not have died?'
One by one.
He lived a life of regret, savoring each choice made at the time, for he vividly remembered the final moments of his dying friends.
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands.
He spent his time imagining how to fight Erebus hundreds of millions of times.
Because of this, Leo had perfectly grasped the Erebus of the past, and that difference was decisive.
"You, who are nothing more than a remnant of the past, can never defeat me."
This was a certainty.
A certainty that only one who had dwelled on a painful past filled with endless regret could possess.
Tak-!
Leo grasped Fosteritas.
Uuung-!
A magic circle appeared on the blade.
If Luna learned magic to make flowers bloom.
Leo learned magic to complete this magic.
Binding Erebus with aura and summoning was solely for this one magic.
"Zero."
As Leo completed the magic, the purity magic surged around the sword.
Beonnok-!
As Leo swung the sword, a white flash surged.
The power of purity calmly and brutally tore Erebus's body to shreds.
Hwaak-!
The light faded.
Tuduk- Tududuk-!
The black flames subsided, and Erebus's body began to scatter into dust.
-Hehehe… Heheheheh.
"What's so funny?"
-It's astonishing, a hero who survives.
Erebus's gaze turned to Leo.
-Your appearance, seeking the same path even after enduring such pain, is truly astonishing.
Saaaaaaaah-
-Try to struggle as much as you want.
Leo's red eyes met Erebus's.
-The end of it will be despair…
Kwaak-!
Leo's sword flashed and severed Erebus's head.
Saak-
The black flames died down.
Erebus's body, turned to ash, was purified.
Leo felt the divine power accumulating in his body and looked down at his hands.
Leo clenched his fist and withdrew his spiritual power.
'Three more to go.'
***
"We won!"
"As expected of Leo! To have defeated Erebus!"
Chelsea jumped up and down from her seat, cheering. Kal clenched his fist and smiled brightly.
"As expected of big brother!"
"Lil, please stay lying down. Your wounds will open."
Eliza laid down the excited Lil.
Melina stood silently, waiting for Leo.
"Professor Mel."
"Yes, Shiah student."
"Please rest."
"Heh? Did you notice?"
Melina was more severely injured than Lil in this fight.
She just didn't show it.
Her body was such that she could collapse at any moment.
As Melina waited for Leo with a relaxed smile, her eyes widened for a moment.
Chen Shiah, who had looked at her with surprise at her reaction, also looked ahead and opened her mouth blankly.
"Ah! Oppa Leo! Hurry… come?"
Chelsea also waved her hand and then wore a blank expression.
"Eliza, something terrible has happened."
"Why?"
"I think I have arrhythmia."
Lil said, her face serious, worrying about her own condition.
Eliza shook her head and glanced at Leo.
"It's as I imagined."
"Huh? What is?"
To Kal's question, Eliza snorted.
"The appearance of Leo Flov as an adult."
"What did you imagine?"
"A grumpy old man."
"You're probably the only one who imagined that."
Despite Kal's remark, Eliza just snorted.
Melina stepped forward to greet Leo as he approached.
"You must have had a hard time, Leo student."
Melina bowed her head with a gentle smile.
Without hesitation, Leo struck Melina's head.
Ppook-!
"Why, why did you hit me?"
Seeing Melina clutching her head and looking crestfallen, Leo said,
"You were trying to die, weren't you?"
At Leo's words, Melina cowered.
Leo then roughly pulled Melina's cheeks.
"Ayyaya! It hurts! I'm sorry!"
Melina was scolded without even thinking of resisting properly.
"Submit a reflection paper when you get to school."
"A reflection paper at this age is a bit…"
"That's why I'm telling you to do it. Shiah, help Melina with her treatment."
"Yes."
At Leo's words, Chen Shiah supported Melina.
While doing so, she kept glancing at Leo and thought to herself.
'It's more than I imagined, it's bad for my heart.'
While Chen Shiah calmed herself down.
"Oppa Leo! You were really cool!"
Chelsea approached, smiling brightly.
"He just looks like an old man."
"Don't you need to wear glasses?"
At Eliza's words, Chelsea scrunched up her face.
Leo said to their reactions.
"How did it feel to sense death?"
"…"
"…"
Leo realized that the two had felt the moment of death.
The two fell silent at his sharp question.
A moment later, Chelsea spoke.
"I was scared."
"Don't forget that feeling."
Leo patted Chelsea's head.
Eliza knew the words were also for her and snorted.
"By the way, you defeated the perfect Erebus. There's nothing to worry about from now on, right?"
Kal approached and said cheerfully. Leo slumped onto a nearby rock.
"Just because we won easily this time doesn't mean future battles will be easy."
"Huh?"
"Because we don't know what form the newly resurrected one will take."
Kal chuckled at Leo's words.
"Still, you'll win in the end, right?"
At those words, Leo burst into laughter.
"Of course."
It was when Kal was chuckling that.
Kiran flew towards Leo.
Seeing this, Kal seemed to gauge the situation and stepped back.
- … Father.
-You've worked hard, Kiran.
Silode smiled gently at Kiran.
Seeing Silode like that, Kiran bit his lip tightly.
-Now you can fully become the Fairy King.
At those words, Kiran's shoulders trembled.
Becoming the Fairy King meant one thing.
Silode's demise.
'What expression should I put on?'
Should I cry?
Or should I act like the Fairy King?
Or should I show my usual boisterous demeanor?
Kiran didn't know what would reassure Silode.
It was when Kiran hesitated.
-Is this fairy your successor?
Katariou, in his spirit state, appeared.
-Quite dignified.
Likewise, Albus, in his spirit state, smiled faintly.
The time allowed for the two beast kings was also short.
Their appearance here was literally due to Silode's magic.
Illusion.
However, even if it was an illusion, designating a successor was possible.
The contract ritual of a beast king was not about transferring special power.
It was merely about awakening the beast king's authority in the one who was qualified.
And currently, here were the Phoenix and Pegasus who could inherit the beast kings.
-By the way, Albus, your successor seems like a mess, doesn't he?
Katariou sneered.
At those words, Albus's eyes twitched.
-Why?
-Atie, wasn't it? That Pegasus. It's a vulgar Pegasus that enjoys being dominated.
"Aagh! Vulgar! Those arrogant eyes, that speech! I love it!"
Atie shivered with joy.
-Heh! Compared to that, the child who will become my successor, look. Though young, he is full of dignity!
"I will become a phoenix that is not ashamed of the position of Katariou's successor, though my body is lacking."
Piora, who had taken on the form of an adult, raised her chin with elegant gestures.
She exuded the dignity of a phoenix.
Seeing Piora like that, Albus looked at Atie with a slight pout.
Kiran, watching the scene, rummaged through something in his pocket and sprinkled it on the ground.
Zarararararak-!
Rolling on the dirt floor like tiny seeds were none other than chocolates.
At this sudden action, the beasts looked at Kiran with puzzled expressions.
"Chocolate!"
Piora, who had been holding her chin high and her back straight, was startled and then sank to the ground, frantically picking up and eating the chocolates that had fallen.
Katariou's mouth dropped open.
-Snap out of it, King Phoenix. That 'Pheenix' is like a pigeon picking up dropped snacks. Dignity my foot.
Kiran, wearing a look of pity, raised his eyes at Piora.
However, there was chocolate around her mouth, and her hands, picking up fallen chocolates, did not stop.
Kiran, showing a look of pity, displayed his usual self.
So that Silode could be reassured.
-You've really grown up.
Silode smiled faintly.
-You even consider your father.
- …
Kiran bit his lip tightly.
-Kiran.
Silode called his son's name calmly and embraced Kiran.
Patting his back, Silode said,
-I clearly lived a life bound by the past.
Even though the world was filled with light, I remained alone in the darkness.
-I couldn't live the life I wanted.
I was never able to fulfill my desire to explore the world.
-I also had many regrets.
I resented the world.
But…
-Still… I was happy.
Silode said with all his heart.
-I built a new homeland… met many fairies… and met you and Kiya… I was truly happy.
What Silode resisted until the end was to settle what he couldn't do in the past.
But that wasn't the sole reason.
The many fairies he had met and parted with.
It was also to protect Fairy Land, the homeland of fairies that those fairies genuinely cherished and yearned for.
Silode clearly looked to the past.
But what he never gave up was for the future.
-So, Kiran, don't pity me too much.
-Father…
Tears fell from Kiran's eyes.
Silode gave Kiran his final wings on his back.
Beonnok-!
Golden light poured from Kiran's wings.
-Congratulations on becoming the Fairy King, Kiran.
Kiran, smiling brightly, took out the ring of life.
And he handed it over to Kiran.
Hwarureuk-
Silode's body, which had been holding on until now, began to burn.
Silode looked back.
And he smiled faintly as he looked at the young man with gray hair standing there.
-You also miss the past.
"It's not missing."
Kyle said to the last remaining former Archy member.
"I remember it so I don't forget."
At those words, Silode smiled brightly.
Hwarook-!
Soon, Silode's body turned to ash and disappeared.
Before they knew it, the group was standing in the middle of the fairy forest.
Leo opened his palm and caught the scattering ashes.
"Now I can't tease you for being a crybaby."
Leo looked up at the sky.
"For 5000 years… you've worked really hard."