Book 1 Chapter 952

952.

Leo explained to Luna about the things that would happen in Leysar and the strategy to prevent them.

"So. Tartarus has dispatched demon forces to interfere with Leysar's support, and you need my help to defeat the demon forces threatening Gadshron, right?"

"Yes."

"The future won't change, but you're still trying to stop it to save Leysar?"

Luna covered her mouth with a touched expression.

"Oh my, to think that the fruit of love born between me and Kyle is so commendable."

"……"

Unable to bear Luna's sparkling gaze, Leo subtly averted his eyes.

Then he met eyes with Elena, who was staring at him from beside him.

Elena smiled softly.

"I understand the situation. But can the two of us stop it?"

Even without a legion commander, it's not easy to face such a massive force of demons and monsters.

Moreover, they have to fight on open ground, not on Gadshron's walls.

If it were Luna in her prime, she could do it alone.

But the current Luna has not yet bloomed her talent.

Leo replied to Luna's question.

"She's also thinking of going with us."

Leo pointed at Elena.

"And one more person. I have someone in mind."

Leo thought of Lunia, who had not yet crossed over into the hero's world.

Of course, even if she crosses over, it's unknown whether she'll come to Gadshron or go to Leysar.

'But if she comes, it would be easier.'

"Hmm. Then what about the vanguard? Dwayno is making a warp gate, right? Should I take Lysinas?"

Lysinas couldn't manipulate aura, but as a dragon, her close-combat power was also very strong.

Leo replied to Lunia's question.

"Lady Lysinas needs to hold the center here."

"Indeed. If it were chess, Lysinas is the king."

She is the spiritual pillar of Gadshron.

Moreover, they need to organize the personnel to fight in Leysar and devise a strategy.

Lysinas, being the core, must not move.

"I will handle the vanguard alone."

At those words, Luna's eyes widened.

And again, she covered her mouth and murmured with a touched expression.

"Oh my. As expected, a descendant of me and Kyle. How commendable."

Saying so, Luna profusely stroked Leo's head.

"Pfft."

Elena involuntarily burst out laughing at the complete treatment as a child.

Leo said.

"If you pet me too much, your hand will get poisoned, and you'll die."

"Oh my, you're so shy. Hmph. Hmph!"

Luna smiled softly and stroked Leo's white hair, pressing down as if massaging it.

At that action, Leo let out a small sigh.

"Look at that cheeky gaze. Exactly like Kyle!"

Luna giggled, looking at such a Leo.

'Did I unnecessarily say I was a descendant?'

It was a lie made to easily get Luna's help, and Leo slightly regretted it.

"Then, shall I trust you?"

Luna smiled faintly.

"You said we're departing at dawn tomorrow, right? Let's meet at Gadshron's entrance. I have things to prepare until then."

"Yes. Then I will also prepare until then."

"Okay. See you later."

Luna smiled brightly and waved her hand.

As they came out of Luna's house and walked down the alley, Elena, who was staring intently at Leo's face, smiled a little mischievously.

"Descendant?"

"Why? What? Why?"

Elena smiled faintly, looking at Leo who was staring at her as if asking if there was a problem.

"No. It just seems like Leo is getting more brazen as time goes on."

"What are you talking about?"

"How could you even think of deceiving Lady Luna?"

"I learned it from Lysinas."

"Hmm? Leo. Did you do something wrong to Lady Luna?"

"No."

"It seems like you did?"

'Unnecessarily quick-witted.'

Leo clicked his tongue.

Leo sighed, looking at Elena, who was delighted to have found a weakness.

"Lord Leo!"

Just then, Eiran walked towards Leo.

"Miss Lunia has also come to Gadshron."

"Perfect timing. Where is she?"

"She's currently with Lady Lysinas at Master Dwayno's workshop."

"Let's go."

Preparations to prevent Leysar's destruction were steadily proceeding.

***

Sniff-sniff-

Ar closed his eyes and concentrated on his sense of smell.

Then he suddenly opened his eyes wide.

"Hmm! It seems certain that it's not around here."

"…Ar. Do you know you're more like a dog than a cat?"

"Ehehehehe."

"It's not a compliment. I'm just saying."

Arion said, looking at Ar, who was shyly smiling and scratching his head at his words.

"Why does Azonia hate me?"

Arion recalled the brown-haired dog beastman.

The beastman great warrior currently leading the hero candidates and preparing to prevent Leysar's destruction.

Arion could easily see that unlike himself, who lacked leadership qualities, Azonia possessed the power to lead people.

"Lady Azonia doesn't hate you, Lord Arion!"

"But she makes an angry face every time she sees me?"

"That's!"

Ar crossed his arms.

Then he stated confidently.

"She's jealous."

"Huh?"

"She's jealous because Lord Arion is incredibly strong. Isn't that subtly cute?"

If Azonia had heard that, she wouldn't have let it slide.

Of course, not because she was angry about being called jealous, but because someone dared to call her cute.

Although being jealous of someone might seem like a negative thing at first glance.

If the object of jealousy is Arion, the story changes slightly.

Azonia genuinely envied Arion's strength.

An insurmountable wall.

In other words, it also meant that Azonia was strong enough to be jealous of Arion.

Azonia learned Arion's supersenses and howling by herself.

This was different from Ar, who inherited Arion's power by conquering Arion's world.

Ar had Leo by his side to teach him how to use his powers.

But Azonia reached Arion's back on her own.

Ar also knew how amazing Azonia was.

It meant that unlike himself, who merely looked up to and respected Arion, Azonia genuinely tried to surpass him.

That challenging spirit also didn't come from ignorance.

She genuinely challenged him despite knowing the vast difference.

An impossible feat without courage.

Seeing Ar express respect for Azonia, Arion recalled something that once again flashed through his mind.

'Pathetic!'

'How can you be so strong?'

'If you just had a little more courage……'

A dog beastman with golden hair, a hero.

Golden eyes similar to his own.

The same place.

The same timeline.

But as a child, Arion endlessly repeated his encounters with that girl.

'Ah……'

Arion's eyes widened.

'It's Azonia.'

Her hair color was different from now.

But the girl in his memory was clearly a young Azonia.

Azonia, who had come to find him in the same timeline countless times.

And those attempts repeatedly failed.

'Lord Arion. Let's go quickly. Please?'

Azonia, who had come to find him and tried to persuade him countless times.

'We have to save Master Agon and the orphanage children! So let's go quickly!'

After that, as time passed, she started to plead with a tearful face from a certain point.

'Let's go! You damn coward!'

From a certain point, Azonia in her girlhood was angry with him.

But in the end, he was too scared to follow Azonia.

"Ar."

"Yes?"

"You know the children from Master's orphanage you saved?"

"Yes."

Ar, who had been answering without thinking, felt something strange.

"Huh?"

Ar, with wide eyes, urgently asked.

"Oh, Lord Arion! Have your memories returned?"

"Yes."

Ar felt something strange watching Arion answer indifferently.

This was not the usual Arion.

"Answer me, Ar."

Arion asked again.

"Ria and my siblings."

Arion bit his lip tightly.

"Did they really die from an epidemic?"

"……"

"They didn't die from an epidemic, did they?"

Ar couldn't answer.

In actual history, the children of the orphanage were attacked and killed.

Arion looked up at the sky in silence.

I understand.

The reason Master suddenly changed.

And why he didn't meet me at the last moment.

The children of the orphanage were Agon's everything.

If they had died by external forces, Agon would no longer have been able to live a hero's life.

'He might not have wanted to show me that side of him.'

I understand.

The reason Azonia hates me.

She desperately tried to save the orphanage and Agon.

But he, a weak coward in those days, ultimately couldn't muster the courage.

Arion, biting his lip tightly, spoke.

"Ar."

"…Yes."

"What are the conquest conditions?"

"……"

"Saving Leysar or letting me meet Master Agon probably aren't the conquest conditions."

The hero's world can be conquered simply by achieving what actually happened.

What these descendants were trying to do now was to go against actual history.

"I, I can't say!"

Ar stubbornly shook his head.

Arion's ears twitched as he looked at Ar.

Whoooosh-!

Arion beast-transformed.

Accordingly, Arion's ears moved even more sensitively.

Seeing that, Ar flinched.

'Supersenses?'

Arion had now activated his supersenses.

Its range was…….

'All of Leysar?!'

Ar wore an astonished expression.

He transcended only his sense of hearing, making its range encompass all of Leysar.

Supersenses are not merely about maximizing one's senses.

It is a power that requires immense mental and physical energy to process the information obtained through those senses and extract the necessary information from it.

Blood instantly flowed from Arion's ears.

"…My survival is the conquest goal."

He detected all the conversations of the Hero Academy students throughout Leysar and found out information about the conquest goal.

"Oh, Lord Arion! Wait a minute."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Ar. But I can't put you all in danger because of me."

Having said that, Arion ran off in the blink of an eye.

Ar hastily chased after Arion.

'He's thinking of going to the warp gate!'

I have to stop him.

Ar, having judged that, tried to catch Arion somehow.

But even if it wasn't Arion in his prime, the gap was immense for the current Ar to catch up.

The scenery of Leysar came into view for Arion as he sprinted at incredible speed.

This was Arion's hometown.

But this place would soon burn and disappear.

'But I shouldn't save it. I can't put the children of the future in danger for the sake of those who are already dead.'

Arion, who had been wearing a resolute expression, suddenly raised his fist.

Crash-!

A colossal aura clashed with an aura.

People walking the streets screamed at the sudden sound of explosion.

Thud-

Arion landed on a nearby building.

And he looked at the one who had blocked him.

"Azonia."

"I felt a strange aura… As expected, it's Lord Arion."

Azonia's keen senses detected that Arion had used his supersenses extensively.

Arion remained silent at Azonia's words.

Azonia's eyes twitched as she looked at Arion.

"Lord Arion. Have your memories returned?"

"…Yes. I remember everything, even when you conquered my world when you were little."

Azonia was surprised by Arion's words.

But she hardened her face at the resolute will she felt from Arion's face and asked.

"So? You're going to run away?"

"I'm not running away. I can't sacrifice the future for the past. That's why I'm trying to conquer this world."

Grind-

A grinding sound of teeth came from Azonia's mouth.

"Move."

When Arion spoke in an emotionless voice, Azonia laughed fiercely.

"Make me move."

The moment those words ended, Arion's palm covered Azonia's vision.

Thump-!

Arion slammed Azonia straight towards the ground.

Craaash-!

The surrounding area was engulfed by immense power.

As Arion was about to head towards the warp gate.

Thwack-!

Azonia's heel struck Arion's back.

Azonia, her eyes flashing, slammed Arion straight into the ground.

Crash-!

Azonia cracked her knuckles.

"You see, I'm different from the others. I can punch you without hesitation."

Azonia snarled fiercely.

Whoosh-

Arion, who had gotten up, looked at Azonia and said.

"That's strange. I, too, feel like I can face you without hesitation, for some reason."

The Brave and the Great Warrior glared at each other.

After a few seconds.

As if by appointment, the two simultaneously charged at each other.