Editor : Amethyst00



Gods.

The beings that transcend all common sense.

These transcendent beings once moved freely between the heavens and the mortal realm.

Modern historians said that, gods, by their very existence alone, must have been powerful enough to control the world below.

‘But in truth, that wasn’t the case at all.’

Though it was called the Age of Gods, their actual influence wasn’t as great as one might imagine.

“I pay my respects to the great one.”

“No need for formality.”

At Leo’s polite greeting, the god chuckled lightly and rested his chin on his hand.

“Still, this is fascinating.”

“What do you mean?”

“As you already know, gods who descend to the mortal realm are bound by restrictions. The only thing we can truly offer you is knowledge.”

Of course, even a sliver of that knowledge could shake the foundations of the world.

That was why gods rarely spoke carelessly.

“But tell me, why is it that you—no, why do the blessings of the gods rest upon you?”

Leo smiled at the god’s narrowed, amused eyes.

“How much have you seen?”

Instead of answering, Leo countered with a question, and the god’s expression brightened with intrigue.

‘Well, well. He knows how to deal with a god?’

Before a god, any mortal is but a mere creature of the lower world.

But this elf before him was different.

‘No… not an elf.’

The god’s eyes pierced through all illusions.

Within Akint’s body, he could clearly see the image of the white-haired boy inside.

‘A human boy… or rather, a young man.’

And faintly, beyond Leo’s form, the god glimpsed another presence.

Understanding dawned on him.

“I see now. The Record System, is it?”

“What is this Record System?”

“Surely you would know best? You’re benefitting from it even now.”

The god smiled gently.

“My introduction is late. My name is Pivua. I’m honored by this meeting.”

“I’m Leo Plov.”

Leo spoke his true name without hesitation.

“I see. Leo. You seem familiar with gods, so I’ll ask for your understanding in advance. Divine knowledge must not be known by mortals— even if that knowledge is false.”

At those words, Leo felt a chill run down his spine.

‘He even saw through the fact that I’m not real?’

He was reminded once again of how terrifyingly powerful a god could be.

“What kind of achievement did you accomplish for a mortal to become master of the Record System?”

“By Record System, do you mean the Hero Record—the power to manifest past worlds like this?”

“Hmm. So you don’t know the full truth. Whoever gave it to you was rather irresponsible.”

After a brief pause, Pivua nodded.

“Well, since you’re its master, explaining a little won’t cause any harm. The Record System… or as you call it, the Hero Record— how much do you know about its power?”

“I know that it records the deeds of those who accomplished feats recognized even by the gods. That it allows us to manifest past worlds like this one, and that clearing them grants conquest rewards.”

“Conquest rewards?”

The god’s previously bored eyes gleamed with curiosity.

For a being who was nearly omniscient, mystery was a treasure beyond measure.

After a moment’s thought, Pivua seemed to realize what those rewards meant.

“I see. Theoretically not impossible. Then it’s quite a powerful system indeed. Which means… it wasn’t made by a single god.”

Pivua’s expression turned serious.

“Leo, what kind of feat did you accomplish for the gods to grant you such tremendous power?”

Leo hesitated.

‘Even if he’s a false god, should I reveal everything?’

If something went wrong, it could jeopardize their dungeon conquest.

‘But this might be a good chance to learn more about the Hero Record.’

He met Pivua’s gaze.

‘I’ve never heard of a god named Pivua.’

Even Luna hadn’t known that the headmaster of Balharun was a god.

‘The kinder the god, the more silent they are—wasn’t that what she said?’

Deciding Pivua was trustworthy, Leo spoke of his feat.

“…I saved the world.”

“Indeed! To have saved a world—no wonder the Record System was bestowed upon you! How did you achieve such a thing?”

Pivua straightened with visible excitement.

“Would you tell me your story? It’s been so long since I’ve met a hero like you.”

‘Gods love tales of heroism— They never fail to praise mortals who defy the impossible to achieve greatness.’

Recalling what Lishinas once said, Leo replied quietly.

“I defeated Erebos.”

For a moment, the god couldn’t comprehend the words.

Then, as realization struck, his expression turned to shock.

bl

Darkness fell upon Balharun.

The massive High Elf city glowed brilliantly at night—its avenues illuminated by dazzling magic lamps that painted the cityscape in splendor.

Drunken elves wandered the streets, laughter echoing through the air.

Before the world’s end, before the coming of the Calamity— the world was at its most peaceful… and most corrupt.

“This city is strange.”

A man murmured in one of Balharun’s back alleys.

The brighter the light, the deeper the shadow.

Unlike the pristine main streets, the back alleys were dark and filthy.

“So bright, yet somehow so comfortable.”

“The legion commanders said most elves of this era are already rotten.”

From the shadows came a low, mocking laugh.

A young girl in Balharun’s school uniform stepped out.

“So it’s only natural this decaying city feels cozy to us, isn’t it?”

“Still, don’t get careless.”

The middle-aged man across from her warned in a firm tone.

“There are elves from this time who helped the commanders defeat the legion—and even the great being itself.”

“Hmph.”

The girl—Viner—snorted.

“So, Viner. Why did you call us here?”

“It seems a rat has crept into the dungeon.”

“A rat?”

“The hounds from the Hero Academy caught the scent.”

“A dungeon conqueror, then.”

The man’s face twisted.

“How many?”

“So far, only one spotted. But if one made it this far, there’s no way it’s just one.”

Viner’s lips curled into a sharp grin.

“They don’t seem to have grasped the situation yet. It’ll be easier to handle them before they regroup. Sarman—you’re overseeing the prison, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“There should be a student named Zera imprisoned there. Wait for the right moment and eliminate him.”

“So that’s it. I did hear the commotion about a student using Aura despite never learning it. A dungeon conqueror, then. What a nuisance.”

Viner laughed shrilly at the man’s grumble.

“Oh, don’t be like that. Isn’t it fun?”

Her eyes gleamed with malice.

“Just imagine it—the look on their faces as the pages of their beloved Great Hero burn away. It’ll be delicious.”

Just thinking about it made her shudder, hands pressed to her flushed cheeks.

“To see despair shadow those righteous faces… ah, how thrilling!”

The old man beside her sighed.

“Indulging in desire is fine, but don’t let it ruin our work.”

“Hehe—don’t worry.”

“We’ve hit a snag in conquering this world… but this, too, is a trial we must overcome. My friends,”

He looked seriously at Viner and Sarman.

“In the name of the great Erebos, we must destroy this page.”

bl

Though night had fallen, Pivua remained absorbed in Leo’s story.

Even a near-omniscient god could hardly imagine such a thing.

The feats achieved by the Great Heroes were nothing short of miracles.

Darkness now filled the interior of the Tower of God.

Unlike the bright streets outside, only faint moonlight filtered in through the clouds.

“That a mortal child could defeat the Primordial Abomination…”

Pivua stared at Leo in disbelief.

To that, Leo replied quietly.

“I didn’t do it alone.”

“Heh. Yes, you said you achieved it with your companions.”

“Why did the gods leave Erebos alone?”

“That creature was an existence rivaling even the gods. A monster no mortal could oppose— but still, something fundamentally different from us.”

Pivua clicked his tongue.

“Light and darkness are inseparable. If this world is light, then that abomination was its darkness. It has existed as an immortal monster since the beginning. We gods could not destroy it, but we lent strength to mortals to push it back into the depths of darkness, maintaining balance.”

Leo listened intently, hearing for the first time the tale of an age long before the Calamity.

“But when light grows stronger, so too does darkness. Erebos gathered strength beyond the veil, until at last it became powerful enough to drive gods from the earth. That must be what you call the Age of Calamity.”

‘So that’s why even gods said saving the world was impossible…’

Leo recalled the past.

“The world, long wrapped in light, was bound to fall. But you and your companions defeated that monster with your own strength. Be proud, Leo Plov. You accomplished what even gods could not.”

“What good is that? Everyone’s forgotten it.”

“That’s truly regrettable.”

“I’ve gotten used to it. At first, I was angry at being forgotten… But now, I’ve accepted it. I have something else I need to do.”

“And what would that be?”

“The complete destruction of Erebos.”

Pivua fell silent for a while, then sighed deeply.

“Leo. You’ve accomplished a feat beyond divine comprehension. That means you’ve endured unimaginable trials.”

No one in the mortal world could ever understand Kyle’s pain. Only those who had shared that journey could.

“And now you mean to face that agony again?”

Just because he had done it once didn’t mean he could again. The Primordial Evil was not something that could be met with complacency.

Leo, more than anyone, knew that.

“Your second life… it must be a miracle even gods couldn’t foresee.”

Even a god near omnipotent could not preserve the full memory of a reincarnated soul.

“Will you truly spend that precious second life in trial again? Have you no thought of rest, of leaving it to those who come after?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

In the darkness, Leo’s red eyes gleamed brightly.

The clouds parted, and moonlight spilled into the tower.

The soft silver light fell upon Leo, and to Pivua’s eyes, he looked almost sacred.

“Because that’s what I’ve decided.”

As he stood bathed in moonlight, Pivua thought to himself—

‘So the day to end the long battle has finally come.’

His hands trembled.

‘At last… a world that no longer needs gods.’

Overwhelmed with emotion, Pivua spoke.

“I see now. There was a reason the gods gifted you such a world.”

“…? But this is Luna’s world.”

“Leo, the Hero Record you speak of— it’s something the gods bestowed upon you. Which means the Record itself originally belonged to you.”

Leo’s eyes widened.

“So that’s why only I receive unique rewards.”

Pivua’s expression grew grave.

“However… if a divine artifact is malfunctioning, there must be a cause.”

His eyes flashed with divine insight.

“Leo, this world—no, the Hero Record itself—may have fallen into shadow.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t say more. If I break the law instead of you, I’ll be discovered. This is the most I can tell you— You must uncover the rest yourself.”

Step, step—

Pivua walked forward.

He retrieved Polyum from its glass case.

Holding one of its leaf-like pieces, he infused it with divine power.

‘Someday, this power will aid him when the time comes.’

Turning, Pivua handed the relic to Leo.

“This staff was crafted through my knowledge. It will surely aid you.”

“Can I really accept this? It’s the elves’ treasure.”

“Polyum chooses its master—and it has chosen you.”

Pivua smiled.

“It will help you navigate this world.”

As Leo grasped the staff, a faint vitality pulsed through it— as if the relic itself had come alive.

That meant Polyum had recognized him.

Seeing this, Pivua smiled warmly.

“Great hero, may blessings light your path.”