Editor : Amethyst00



Rumble rumble rumble—!

The ground shook.

GROOOOAAAH!

At the same time, a mass of corpses let out a roar as it burst up through the floor.

“Oh my.”

Seeing it, Elena pulled out a handkerchief from her bosom pocket and covered her nose and mouth.

“How vulgar.”

At that moment, shards of light flew toward the corpse mass.

Crash-crash-crash-crash—!

Like gigantic shards of glass, Elena’s magic mercilessly crushed the corpse mass.

Dark red blood splattered, chunks of flesh bursting in every direction.

Flash—

In an instant, yellow glowing eyes turned toward Elena.

“Hm.”

Elena narrowed her eyes.

“Pointless! Such crude attacks!”

Cack-cack-cackle—! With a burst of laughter, Viner raised black mana.

Squish—!

The corpse mass she had summoned, the corpse golem, tore chunks of flesh from its own body and hurled them at Elena.

Elena dodged the chunks of flesh flying at tremendous speed.

With her Fly magic active, she moved freely through the air.

‘There’s no way she’d rely only on such a petty trick.’

Rumble rumble rumble—

Just as Elena thought that, a pitch-black rift opened behind her.

From it, the very same chunks of flesh she had dodged burst forth.

Seeing it, Elena instantly deployed a shield.

Splat—!

Flesh slammed into her barrier, making her grimace.

At once, the flesh clinging to the barrier began to swell.

BOOM—!

Flesh and bone exploded in every direction.

A mist of dark red blood spread all around.

As she revealed herself again, Elena gave a soft laugh.

“This one stings a bit.”

‘Its offensive power has shot up compared to before.’s

She narrowed her eyes at the black flames enveloping Viner’s body.

‘That must be divine power… Erebos’s power?’

Her sharp gaze swept the surroundings.

From her vantage in the sky, she could see the city of Balharun clearly.

Elves on the streets screamed at the sight of the corpse golem and fled.

The entire city was thrown into chaos.

But…

‘They’re disappearing.’

She saw the city’s residents vanishing into fragments of light.

‘Just like Merin earlier.’

As though this world were being conquered like a Hero’s World, its residents were disappearing.

‘But they’re not vanishing because of a conquest.’

The world itself was collapsing.

Having experienced countless Hero Worlds, Elena realized it at once.

At that moment, light shot up from the city center.

‘A signal spell? Leo and Lunia?’

Hardin spotted it too.

The monstrous Viner’s face twisted in fury the instant he saw the signal.

“Sid, you bastard! Why are those damned hero candidates there?!”

At his furious outburst, Elena narrowed her eyes.

‘Sid?’

A notorious name among the demon race.

A demon warlock who had devoured hero candidates countless times.

‘Can Leo and Lunia handle that one?’s

Even as first-year representatives, a demon of that level was too much for them.

Elena landed beside Hardin.

“Elena.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take this place.”

At his words, Elena glanced at him.

“Are you sure? That demon’s grown quite strong.”

“It’s enough. You go support Lunia and Leo.”

“Understood. Then I’ll leave it to you.”

With a bright smile, Elena turned toward the World Tree.

BOOM—!

A massive lump of flesh blocked her path.

Viner’s enormous arm had stretched out to stop her.

“You damn brat. Where do you think you’re running?”

Looking at his cold smile, Elena smiled sweetly back.

“I recommend you move that filthy arm while I’m asking nicely.”

“Ha! Arrogant wench! Still strutting around—”

Flash—! Crack!

“Guhhh!”

Shards of light pierced Viner’s face.

“You seem to be under a serious misconception.”

Wham! Thud! Smash—!

“Urgh?!”

“I’m not running because I’m afraid of you.”

The shards of light drove mercilessly into Viner’s body at her will.

He looked as though he were clad in broken glass.

Elena raised her delicate arm.

With a flick of her slender fingers—

Whoosh—!

The shards of light shot skyward.

And with them, Viner—his body riddled with shards—was hauled into the air.

“Then I’ll leave the rest to you, Hardin.”

Waving with a radiant smile, Elena flew toward the World Tree.

Fwoooooosh—!

At the same time, Viner’s massive body began plummeting straight down toward Hardin.

Seeing this, Hardin sighed and lowered his sword.

Whirl—!

A gale of aura swept around him.

As the looming mass filled his vision, he swung his sword.

Flash—!

In a silver blaze, a colossal blade of wind split Viner’s body clean in two.

“GYAAAAAAHHH!”

Viner’s scream of agony.

BOOM! BOOM!

His body crashed into the ground, flesh splattering everywhere.

But soon his body writhed and reformed.

“Th-that cursed wench, even to the end…!”

Slice—!

As Viner glared toward Elena, his vision flipped.

“What—?”

“Shouldn’t you be focused on me instead?”

Thud—!

Viner’s head rolled on the ground.

Looking down at him, Hardin spoke.

“Your opponent is me.”

“Ha! You arrogant… You think the likes of you can stop me?”

Hardin replied evenly to the enraged demon.

“It may not be enough, but you’ll have to make do with me.”

“You damn brats…!”

Viner’s face twisted with murderous intent.

He reached for his severed head, lifting it toward his neck.

“I’ll chew you up alive—”

Slice—!

Once more, his vision flipped.

Before he realized, his head was rolling again.

‘When did he cut me?’

His face filled with shock.

There had been no sign of a swing.

‘Did he swing so fast I couldn’t perceive it? No… he didn’t even swing.’

Yet still, his neck was cut.

Staring in horror, he heard Hardin’s calm voice.

“You never know where the wind will blow.”

Hardin raised his sword again.

Slash—!

This time, Viner’s arm went flying.

His body reformed.

But—slash! hack!—

In rapid succession, he was carved apart.

When half his body was shredded, he realized.

‘He’s dominating this entire space with aura?’

His face twisted with horror.

Indeed—Hardin was perfectly controlling the wind around him.

Every gust became his blade, slicing Viner apart.

‘What kind of monster is this…?!’

Viner’s face turned pale.

Hardin, expressionless, spoke.

“You’re this terrified, yet you thought you could fight Elena?”

“What—?”

“She’s far stronger than this.”

Slash—!

Viner’s face was split apart.

Through his collapsing vision, he saw Hardin’s cold gaze.

“Whatever schemes you’re plotting in the Poet's World… it will never go your way.”

bl

Luna’s gaze followed the boy’s white hair.

So fast her eyes could barely keep up.

His crimson eyes flashed, tracing streaks across the air.

‘What on earth is this boy?’

She had only met him today.

Not even an elf like herself, but a human.

It was her first time meeting a human in her life.

Yet the boy treated her as though they had known each other for years.

She wasn’t shy by nature, but even so, the warmth he gave unsettled her.

His familiarity, the way he treated her—like he knew her better than anyone.

Even now.

Leo avoided her spell trajectories with perfect precision, driving the enemies back.

She didn’t need to worry about his movements at all when casting.

All she had to do was chant freely.

As though they had fought side by side for ages.

‘It’s amazing.’

Her mana flowed more lightly, smoothly.

Her chants had no hesitation.

She could devote herself entirely to magic.

And Leo was the same.

Until now, he had always stayed alert of every variable in battle.

Even with allies, he never truly let his guard down.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them—

In his past life.

During that long, brutal war, as comrades fell one after another, he had grown used to filling the empty places himself.

But now Leo was different.

As though the long-empty space had finally been filled.

He entrusted his back to Luna.

Her presence, once steadfast behind him for so long, now gave him wings.

Watching them, Lunia shivered.

‘Their coordination is this perfect…?’

They looked like comrades who had fought together for years.

Almost as if they were sharing thoughts.

Slash—!

Leo cut down the beast before him, glancing at Luna.

She met his eyes.

He knew why their synergy was perfect.

But Luna, bewildered by it, could not understand why.

Leo smiled, charging toward the next enemy.

“He’s gotten even faster?!”

Lunia gasped as she supported him.

Luna stared at Leo’s back, thinking:

‘Leo Plov… just who are you?’

As though she had found her soul’s counterpart.

‘Why do you know me so well?’

The image of the boy who had affirmed her dream came to mind.

‘Why did I decide to help him?’

Questions swirled in her, but her movements never faltered.

At that moment, Polyum shone with a soft light.

A different light this time—gray.

Rough, yet warm.

It drew Luna’s eyes.

‘I promise you.’

Suddenly, Polyum reacted. Luna’s eyes widened in surprise.

In that moment, it felt as though a beautiful, ringing voice brushed through her mind.

‘This meeting will surely save the world.’

“Lady Luna?”

“Hm?”

“Why… are you crying?”

“What…?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Luna tilted her head, puzzled.

“Strange. Why am I crying?”

Not knowing the reason, she gave a doubtful smile.

Lunia stared at her, flustered.

Meanwhile, Leo kept moving.

He slaughtered the beasts before them relentlessly.

‘Only low-rank beasts blocking the way? Odd.’

Leo narrowed his eyes.

Sid was no low-tier demon.

‘If one of his level has been nesting here, there should be worse monsters around.’

As he thought this, they reached a fork.

“Which way to the audience chamber?”

“To the right!”

At Luna’s words, Leo charged without hesitation.

Soon a massive door bearing the World Tree’s emblem appeared.

“There it is!”

Fwoooosh—!

His flames blazed hotter.

“Stop right there.”

A shadow rose up before him.

From it stepped none other than Sid.

“How dare lowly creatures like you—”

Slice—!

Before he could finish his words, his head flew.

With a cold snort, Leo cut him down without blinking.

“You talk too much.”

“You—!”

Sid’s severed head glared, face twisted with rage.

Thud—!

Leo stomped on it.

“That’s your true form, isn’t it? Vermin.”

He sneered.

Vwoooom—!

Sid’s head spewed black mana.

Thud—!

Leo kicked it away.

Thud—! Roll roll—!

The head rolled across the floor, then stopped.

From the stump sprouted spider legs.

Luna winced in disgust.

“Ew! How disgusting is that?”

“A filthy half-blood dares yap so much.”

“Just because you pretended to be a High Elf, you thought you really were one?”

Leo gave a cold smile.

Using its spider legs, Sid crawled to nearby beasts and stabbed into them.

Crunch—!

As the legs pierced flesh, the beasts’ bodies transformed into human forms.

“You will never set foot in there.”

Whoooosh—!

Black flames engulfed his body.

His mana surged higher and higher.

Vwoooooom—!

Summoning circles opened in the air, pouring out demonic beasts.

That was the terror of a high demon warlock—endless summoning.

Luna and Lunia tensed at the sight.

“You’ll never enter, huh.”

Leo narrowed his eyes.

“That’s strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“The power you’re wielding now—it’s Erebos’s blessing, isn’t it?”

A demon blessed by Erebos gained explosive strength.

The mere existence of Erebos empowered them.

“Oh? Sharp eyes.”

Sid sneered.

“Then you know how much stronger I’ve become—”

“A low-grade demon like you won’t get much out of such a blessing.”

Leo spoke flatly.

“What?”

Sid’s eyes flared with rage.

“What I wonder is—if Erebos has enough strength to grant blessings, why isn’t he here striking us down himself?”

Leo’s lips curved.

At that, Sid stiffened.

Erebos loathed him.

Just as Leo—once Kyle—hated Erebos.

He could still see the image of that being, shattered into six, screaming curses.

He could feel its presence vividly beyond the door.

And yet—even though he and Luna, both cursed, were right here—there was no reaction.

‘Even if I reincarnated, Luna is still one of those Erebos cursed.’

And yet, nothing.

“What’s in there… isn’t the real thing, is it?”

At his words, Sid’s face froze.

“So I’m right.”

Leo chuckled, aura flaring.

“No matter. Even if you’ve seen through it, you won’t pass this door.”

Sid’s killing intent erupted.

Whoooosh—!

Black flames roared.

“You’ll die here!”

Leo’s flames blazed even hotter.

Whoooosh—!

They began to consume his body.

The Phoenix aura infused with the Brave’s Breath.

Prominence.

Though not formally taught, he had perfected it on his own: Zerdinger’s secret flame.

‘Prominence. Still not enough.’

He gathered mana in his free hand.

Lunia’s eyes went wide.

“Huh?”

She gasped in shock.

His aura was familiar.

It had to be—

The Phoenix’s fire.

‘But… his mana too?’

Her eyes trembled.

‘No…! That mana—!’

It resembled the Lunda family’s.

And then—

The spell he wove.

Her hand shook.

She had shown him that magic only once before.

One of her family’s secret arts.

The spell she’d used in their duel.

‘Incandescent?’

Fwoooosh—!

Zerdinger’s Prominence merged with Lunda’s Incandescent.

Whoooosh—!

Flames shaped into wings.

True Phoenix wings.

Sid’s eyes bulged.

“A human—using the Phoenix’s fire?!”

“…Because I’m a Phoenix contractor.”

Leo smiled, sheathing the flames into his sword.

“I did a little studying.”

Flash—!

The flames erupted, burning everything before him.

The Phoenix’s purifying fire—the natural enemy of demons.

Sid’s body burned in agony.

“GRAAAAHHHH!”

With his screams, even the door vanished.

For an instant, Leo saw darkness within.

Lunia faltered under its pressure.

But Leo, unfazed, stepped forward.

Step— step—

The audience chamber was empty.

Leo lifted his gaze.

His grip tightened.

At last, after thousands of years—his nemesis.

The catastrophe of black flame.

‘Erebos.’

Murderous light filled his eyes.