Editor : Amethyst00



Luna’s eyes widened as she witnessed Leo's magic.

“Beautiful.”

The pure, snow-white spell radiated such brilliance that admiration escaped unbidden.

The moment Erebos, who had been exhaling black flames, saw Leo’s magic, it released a ferocious killing intent.

An unmistakable hostility.

‘As expected, this bastard is targeting me.’

Leo’s expression turned cold as he hurled Innocent toward Erebos.

Whoooosh—!

The pure magic bullet shot forth.

Fwoooosh—!

The black flame that burned all things roared fiercely.

Like a savage beast, the fire opened its jaws wide to swallow Innocent.

Ooooooooohhh—!

The black flames raged violently.

Then—

Booooom!

The flames of Erebos swelled like a balloon before bursting apart.

BANG—!

Flames scattered in all directions.

But the dispersed black fire could no longer burn, sputtering out into nothingness.

Not only that—Erebos’s own body staggered under the blast’s impact.

THUD—!

Rooooooar!

Erebos bellowed in rage.

“Attack!” Leo shouted.

At once, Luna deployed her magic.

Flash—!

Countless circles of magic filled the air.

With awe-inspiring majesty, the girl Archmage swung her staff.

Flash! BOOOOOM!

A magical storm far stronger than anything before swept over Erebos.

But even after taking the full brunt, Erebos remained unscathed.

“This doesn’t work either?” Luna’s face twisted in shock.

Seeing that, Leo frowned.

‘Why isn’t Luna’s attack working?’

He swung his gray aura.

SLASH—!

ROOOOOAR!

Erebos howled in pain.

It worked.

Compared to Luna’s overwhelming spells, Leo’s attack was far weaker—yet it worked.

‘Could it be because Luna is a native of the Hero’s World, her attacks can’t affect it?’

That possibility was all too real.

Leo’s face grew tense.

In their party, Luna wasn’t just the frontline shield—she was their strongest attacker.

‘If Luna’s attacks don’t land, we’re at a huge disadvantage.’

As his anxiety spiked, flames suddenly blazed up from Lunia’s body in the rear.

Fwoooosh—!

She clutched a small flame burning atop her palm.

Fwaaaaah—!

In an instant, fiery wings spread open.

The symbol of House Lunda.

The sacred flame passed down for generations as the Phoenix’s contractor.

“Sacred Fire.”

The forbidden flame that burned even its wielder ignited furiously.

As long as Lunia’s will endured, her body would burn like kindling.

Elena watched, then smiled.

“So this is the flame of House Lunda.”

She approached Lunia, who bore a pained expression.

“Wait! It’s dangerous—!”

Startled, Lunia tried to step back.

But Elena embraced her first.

The rampaging flame threatened to consume her.

Yet Elena ignored it, tightening her grip as she rested her chin on Lunia’s shoulder.

“The scent of a fierce flame. Yes, you’re a dangerous child too, aren’t you?”

No hesitation, no matter the cost. Even if she burned away herself, this elf girl would not falter.

Elena released her slightly, smiling softly.

Pink magic welled up from Elena’s body.

Fwoooosh—!

Her form ignited.

Lunia’s eyes widened.

“This magic…!”

“Sacrifice. A heroic spell left behind by the elf saint, Menamel.”

“Wait—! That spell is—!”

“Yes. The strongest healing spell. Menamel supposedly used it to revive even the dead.”

“Yes, but this magic…!”

It was an equal exchange—transferring the patient’s wounds to the caster.

A spell of pure substitution.

“Right now, you hold our strongest firepower.”

Elena smiled.

The Phoenix flame only grew stronger the longer it burned.

Lunda’s fire, too, grew fiercer as it blazed.

But unlike a phoenix, an elf did not have infinite vitality. It was a double-edged sword.

The moment the body gave out marked its limit.

Elena erased that restriction for Lunia.

“But Elena, you’ll—!”

“Oh my. Are you saying a third-year is so weak she needs a first-year’s concern?”

Elena shrugged lightly.

“So burn brighter.”

With the noble expression of a queen, she spoke:

“Show your worth, Lunia El Lunda.”

“…Don’t blame me if you regret it.”

FWOOOOSH—!

Her flaming wings grew larger.

The pain Elena endured grew equally worse.

Yet she laughed, proud and unbowed.

‘Truly… even Seiren couldn’t be underestimated.’

BOOM—!

Fallen Erebos rose again.

It roared upon seeing Lunia’s burning fire.

Raaaaghhhh!

A spear of fire formed at its fingertip.

It hurled it directly at Lunia and Elena.

To block that attack, Hardin flew toward Erebos’s spear.

Vwoooom—!

The air itself responded to his call.

The master of wind gathered aura at his blade tip.

Then he thrust both hands forward.

SLASH! CRAAASH—!

A soaring blade of wind smashed against the fiery spear.

The searing heat prickled Hardin’s skin. He gritted his teeth and braced himself.

KA-BOOOM—!

The fiery spear shattered.

‘So this is a legendary Great Calamity…!’

Blocking just one strike left him utterly drained.

Through the haze, Hardin saw Leo’s back, standing at the frontline alongside Luna, fending off Erebos.

‘…Leo Plov.’

The first-year representative of Lumene.

For now, perhaps Hardin’s power still eclipsed his.

‘But he stands somewhere I can’t reach.’

The boy already seemed beyond his grasp.

Whatever gap lay between years—it would be crossed in an instant.

No jealousy arose. Only awe.

Unlike his goal, Elena—this was something else.

‘Yes.’

Hardin recognized the feeling with a smile.

‘Reverence.’

Before this younger human boy, Hardin felt reverence.

For Leo stood where only great heroes could stand.

At that moment—

KRAAAAAAASH—!

A crimson pillar of fire erupted behind them.

Hardin turned to see Lunia, conjuring a flame of terrifying power.

“Here it goes!”

Lunia hurled the blazing inferno she had raised high toward Erebos.

Seeing it, Leo remembered something.

“Luna.”

“What?”

“Can you strengthen that spell?”

He jerked his chin toward Lunia’s Sacred Fire.

Luna gave him a look of disbelief.

“You’re asking me to amplify a high-tier spell like that? Dispelling it would be easier!”

“You can’t?”

“Say something possible! Something possible! You’re a mage too, aren’t you? Think logically!”

To seize control of another’s magic required overwhelming superiority.

Even then, complex high-tier spells resisted such control.

Even if one succeeded, the power would weaken drastically.

But strengthening it? Impossible.

Luna’s face screamed incredulity.

“You can do it,” Leo said.

“What?”

“You’re a genius.”

Her ears perked. Easily swayed, Luna preened at the praise.

“Well… I am a genius.”

She coughed importantly.

“Thinking about it, theoretically, it’s not impossible.”

With a sly grin, she gripped her staff.

“All right! Let’s try it.”

“Simple enough.”

“What was that?”

“I believe in you.”

At Leo’s mutter, Luna turned sharply, catching his thumbs-up and smirking.

She closed her eyes, releasing her mana.

Vwoooom—!

Her power wrapped around Lunia’s Sacred Fire.

Her consciousness slipped into trance.

‘Huh? This spell structure feels… familiar.’

Luna’s heart skipped.

Like Leo’s spell earlier.

This one too.

It was similar to her own research.

Parsing its construction, she marveled.

‘Whoever designed this was a genius. As much as me!’

It matched her ideals exactly.

She delved deep into this future self’s magic.

And in a fleeting instant, she understood.

ROOOOAR—!

Erebos lunged at Luna.

Lost in trance, she didn’t react.

SLASH—!

A gray blade severed its wrist.

“Not this time.”

Leo’s voice was ice.

“I won’t let you take anything twice.”

The killing intent in his tone made even the Calamity fragment flinch.

Overwhelming it with gaze alone, Leo gripped his sword.

RRAAAAAGH!

Erebos swung at Leo, blocking Luna’s front.

Leo didn’t dodge.

If he did, Luna would be exposed.

CRUNCH—!

Its giant hand seized him.

FWOOOSH—!

Black fire erupted.

Hardin, Lunia, Elena’s eyes widened.

At that instant—

[Objective: Help Luna, Progenitor of the Constellations, complete the Star Magic.]s

[Luna, Progenitor of the Constellations, has completed the Star Magic.]

Messages flashed before the conquerors’ eyes.

All were stunned.

“That’s not enough to kill you, is it?”

Luna beamed brightly.

FLASH—! SLASH—!

A flare of gray aura cut Erebos’s grasp. Leo broke free, grinning.

“Of course not.”

His body was scorched, skin seared by black flames.

Pain twisted his face—but his lips held a smile.

“Now then.”

Luna gazed at the spell she had mastered, smiling.

“This is the end, you damn black thing.”

Flash—!

Like a radiant sun, the blazing orb flew at Erebos.

ROOOAR—!

THUD!

Erebos caught the spell as if supporting it.

CRASH—!

But its knees buckled.

RRAAAAAGH!

Howling in agony, Erebos was crushed beneath the magic.

BOOOOOOM!

A towering pillar of flame pierced the sky.

Screeeech—!

Its death-scream echoed heavenward.

Then, burned beyond recognition, it crumbled to ash.

bl

The ominous sky returned to normal.

All that remained was the half-destroyed Balharun Castle.

In the midst, Lunia whispered:

“I-it’s over.”

Her body trembled with joy.

“We defeated Erebos—eek!?”

“Mmm. I expected a burnt smell, but you’re surprisingly fresh.”

Lunia shrieked, pushing away Elena, who had buried her face into her neck.

“What are you doing!?”

Blushing to her ears, Lunia scowled. Elena chuckled.

“Cute reaction. I like you. Maybe I’ll kidnap you and drag you to Lumene.”

“Never! I’m the proud grade representative of Seiren!”

Lunia flailed, red-faced, while Elena smacked her lips in disappointment.

“My, what a shame.”

Just then—

“We did it! We took down that monster! And I finally completed the magic I’d been researching forever!”

Hahaha! Luna burst into hearty laughter.

“You guys! Not bad at all! I thought elves were all uptight, but you’re not so bad!”

“I’m honored by such praise—huh?”

Polite Hardin froze as Luna hooked an arm around his shoulder like a headlock.

She slung her other arm around Lunia’s neck, grinning.

“Sh-shoulder to shoulder with Lady Luna…!”

“T-this must be a dream! No, it better not be!”

The two dazed elves left Elena giggling.

“Seiren’s representatives looking this foolish—what a picture that’d make.”

“Isn’t that normal for a great hero?” Leo asked, approaching Elena to steady her.

But she batted his hand away with a smile.

“A gentleman shouldn’t touch a lady carelessly.”

Leo frowned.

“You had no problem leaning on Lunia.”

She had played it off lightly, but Elena could barely hold her head up.

“Sharp eyes you have.”

Her lids drooped half-closed.

Despite her façade, she was in dire straits.

The reason Lunia stood unscathed after unleashing such firepower was because Elena had taken on all its burden.

“No need for consideration.”

Elena smiled.

“Leave the queenly flower untouched, Leo.”

“Queen? Isn’t ‘princess’ more fitting for your age?”

“Hm. True. When I was little, I admired princesses in fairy tales more than heroes. I longed for them.”

Elena laughed softly.

“Though I’d probably escape before any prince or hero could save me.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“Anyway, you should worry about yourself more than me.”

Of them all, Leo was the most gravely wounded.

“I’m used to it.”

He smiled nonchalantly, shrugging.

Together, they walked toward Luna.

“With this, I’ve taken one step closer to my ultimate magic!” Luna exclaimed, brimming with excitement.

Elena’s eyes lit up.

“What is this ultimate magic you seek?”

“Don’t be shocked! It’s a spell to make flowers bloom!”

“……”

“……”

“……”

Lunia, Elena, Hardin all gaped blankly.

Not because it sounded silly—

But because their eyes naturally fell on Leo.

The flower magic.

The forgotten ancestral spell Leo had restored during their class trip.

“Anyway! I’m going with you!”

Luna grinned.

“You’re leaving this world, right? Take me with you!”

“No.” Leo’s voice was firm.

Her lips jutted out.

“Aww, don’t be stingy. Bring me.”

“No. I can’t.”

“Why?”

“We have our path. You have yours.”

He drew a line.

How wonderful it would be, if they could walk together?

‘Nothing would make me happier…’

But it was impossible.

Unlike Elsie, who existed as part of his ‘ability,’ Luna was a native of this world.

Not even the Hero’s World could drag a great hero away.

Luna’s pout froze into shock.

“You…?”

The others couldn’t see it, but Leo bit his lip. His hand clenched tightly.

And then—

As abruptly as they met, a farewell loomed.

[World of Luna: Prologue – Balharun Conquered.]

The world announced its end.

Fwooosh—!

And in that instant, all challengers except Leo vanished, returning to their original worlds.

This was reality.

Luna belonged to the past. Leo to the future.

The gulf was too vast.

Forcing a smile, Leo said:

“You’ll meet them. Great companions who’ll do amazing things with you.”

“……”

“Your adventure awaits.”

“…You’re leaving too?”

“I think I have to.”

Luna instinctively knew.

She could not stay with this boy.

Her shoulders slumped. Even her ears drooped.

The world began to crack apart.

The end was near.

At that moment, Leo reached out.

“Luna Luminance.”

“Huh?”

Fwooosh—!

A flower bloomed in his hand.

Luna’s eyes went wide.

“You’ll become the greatest mage of all. You’ll save the world… be revered by all elves… known as the Poet of the Star.”

He forced out what mana remained.

Flowers spread across the ruined wasteland.

“Your future will shine brighter than anyone’s.”

Luna’s eyes grew round with shock.

“So don’t fall. You—”

He ruffled her hair.

“Confidence suits you best.”

“…Yeah!”

Luna smiled radiantly.

Leo took a step back, returning her light with a smile of his own.

His vision drowned in white light.