Editor : Amethyst00



Leo’s words made the Pegasus, Alty, narrow her eyes.

[What are you? We haven’t even made a contract yet—how are you exerting influence over me?]

Her polymorphed state breaking and returning to her original form wasn’t by her own will, but by Leo’s power.

A summoner could exert some influence over their contracted beast.

But that only applied after a contract was established.

Leo had indeed summoned Alty through the circle Shasha had prepared, but that was all— they weren’t under contract.

Alty was still the Pegasus of the Lordren royal lineage.

Yet Leo had forcibly intervened in the contract and taken command rights.

For anyone other than the sworn contractor to control her was… a situation a high-ranking phantom beast like a Pegasus might find offensive.

But Alty felt more curiosity than displeasure.

“There’s a gap because it’s only a provisional contract, right? I just slipped through that.”

[Not impossible… but for a teenage human boy to pull it off? Hard to believe.]

“What can I say, I’m that good.”

Leo shrugged.

Alty, watching him with half-lidded eyes, gave a slow nod.

[Well, having a strange experience now and then isn’t so bad. Shasha, I’ll lend this boy my power for a bit… Shasha?]

Alty turned toward Shasha with a puzzled look—then froze.

Leo’s face hardened too.

Shasha’s face was locked in shock, frozen in place.

Looking her over, as if time itself had stopped, Leo muttered:

“A curse.”

Even with all the curses he’d encountered surviving the Age of Calamity, this form was new to him.

‘A newly developed curse?’

Eyes narrowing, Leo dashed toward Alty.

Without hesitation, he vaulted onto her saddle.

“Excuse me.”

[Wait! Who told you you could just climb on—!]

“The situation’s urgent. It might offend you, but bear with it.”

Leo reached out and softly stroked the Pegasus’s neck.

[Hhh—!]

Alty flinched at the touch.

“Ah, sorry. Reflex.”

In his past life as Kyle, Leo had once contracted a Pegasus. Sitting on her back again stirred emotions he couldn’t quite name.

[Touching a lady’s body without permission…]

“My apologies.”

Alty was faintly surprised by how naturally his hands gripped the reins.

[Have you handled a Pegasus before?]

In his former life, he’d fought countless battles with a Pegasus at his side—his touch was practiced, natural.

“This is my first time in this life.”

[Then why does it feel so familiar?]

Alty introduced herself.

[I should finish my introduction. My name is Alty. And you?]

“Leo Plov.”

[Pleased to meet you, Leo Plov. It seems dire, so I’ll lend you my strength for now.]

Alty pawed the ground irritably.

[So? Who’s the enemy? Judging by Shasha’s state, this reeks of Tartaros.]

“You’re right. They’ve infiltrated Lumene’s Grand Archive.”

[The Grand Archive? Must be no ordinary demon, then.]

Alty curled her lips in a smirk.

[Fine. But kid—if you’re going to ride me into battle, can you handle it? I don’t suffer incompetent riders.]

Spreading her wings, she eyed him sharply.

Leo laughed.

“Once you get used to me, you won’t let anyone else on your back.”

[Hoh? Cocky. The only one who’s ever satisfied me was Lordren’s first emperor.]

Alty chuckled.

[Well, carrying an arrogant brat full of fire might be entertaining. Here we go!]

Whoosh—!

Crackle-crackle-crackle!

As Alty fully spread her wings, blinding white sparks whirled around her.

Boom—!

She burst through the door in a thunderous crash.

Crackle—!

At the same time, gray lightning surged from Leo’s hands.

[An aura of lightning?]

Alty was startled.

[You can wield aura too? And summon me at your age? Impressive.]

Yes, even if it was through Shasha’s summoning circle, a summon was still a summon.

And judging by her own sense, Leo’s reserves of spiritual power were far below Shasha’s.

But on top of that, he could use aura freely.

[You can command lightning as you please… we might make a good pair.]

With a small sound of admiration, Alty followed Leo’s guidance and soared toward the library’s uppermost heights.

Reaching the towering ceiling, Leo narrowed his eyes and looked down below.

‘This is similar to a Severance Curse.’

The Archive itself was cut off from the outside world.

But not exactly.

‘The space itself is altered.’

It resembled the Hero’s World.

Though fundamentally different—while the Hero’s World was a wholly created world, this was simply severing and isolating the existing space.

‘A pocket dimension?’

A technique to carve out a new dimension within the old.

It couldn’t affect the original plane, but for stealth and infiltration, nothing beat it.

Normally only the caster could enter.

But Leo was inside now.

‘No—the rule is, anyone who perceives the curse’s nature can enter.’

If he hadn’t recognized it, he’d have been trapped without ever realizing this space existed.

‘I understand the mechanics. But whoever can cast a high-level curse like this will be a headache to deal with.’

While Leo scanned the frozen Archive, tense—

Flash—!

Behind a desk below, crimson-black light split into several beams.

Sensing it, Leo yanked the reins.

KRRR-BOOOM!

Bolts of dark-red magic bullets shot up, targeting Leo and Alty.

Whoosh—!

Alty blazed through the Archive with incredible speed.

The Pegasus, fastest of all spirit beasts, moved like lightning itself.

Crackle—!

Her body wrapped in thunder, blazing against the dark, was a breathtaking sight.

FWOOOSH—!

She evaded every magic bullet.

But the shots she dodged curved midair, homing in on them again.

‘Homing type.’

Leo glanced back, then forward.

Whoosh—!

A massive bookshelf loomed ahead.

He vaulted lightly over it.

CRASH!

The bullets plowed through the shelf, still chasing.

Leo called out:

“Faster!”

[What? At this speed you’ll slam into something. I don’t mind, but you’ll hurt.]

“I don’t care. Just move exactly as I command.”

[Fine, but don’t regret it.]

Alty sighed and accelerated.

The crushing pressure of wind slammed into them.

Obstacles rushed at them faster than thought.

Leo steered her sharply with the reins.

Alty’s eyes widened in shock.

‘His reflexes are incredible!’

She had never imagined a rider who could issue flawless commands even at such speed.

‘As a rider… he surpasses even the first Emperor Lordren? What is this brat?’

Leo’s crimson eyes glinted as he tracked the demon’s movements through the tangled Archive.

The caster of such a high-level curse was powerful and slippery— but Leo pinpointed their location without much trouble.

Crackle—!

A magic circle sprang from his hand.

Alty gasped, horrified.

[Magic?! I thought you were a Spirit Knight?!]

Just moments ago, she’d seen him wield aura and assumed he was a spirit knight who commanded both aura and summons.

Now, seeing him use magic, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“I’m All-Class.”

[All-Class?!]

Stunned, Alty felt Leo channel the spell into her horn.

“Chain Lightning!”

CRACKLE-CRASH!

Blinding lightning erupted.

Alty’s eyes widened.

‘He fused aura with magic?!’

That would amplify the spell’s power tremendously.

‘This cocky brat is using me as a magic amplifier?’

She let out a disbelieving laugh— then fired the chain lightning from her horn.

KRRR-BOOOOOM!

The enhanced spell obliterated the pursuing dark magic.

“There!”

[Got it!]

Alty surged after the enemy.

Then—A vast summoning circle formed midair, birthing a blood-soaked golem.

[Blood Golem? Insolent! You think a lump of meat can block me?]

With scorn, Alty flared her wings.

Crackle! BOOOOM!

Her enchanted armor crackled with furious sparks.

Unlike the young Fiora or the crippled Kiran, Alty was a complete, unbroken member of the Three Great Beasts.

While they needed Leo’s aid, Alty alone was a force of destruction.

But as she released her power, the Blood Golem sprouted enormous bones.

Flesh knit itself across its frame.

‘A fusion.’

A Blood Golem fused with Bone Golem and Flesh Golem.

‘And those materials… Gigantes remains?’

A golem crafted from the corpse of a mighty beast.

Leo’s spiritual power surged.

Crackle—!

Whoosh—!

Alty’s wings expanded even larger.

Her eyes flew wide.

‘This kid… awakened my latent power?’

To awaken hidden potential in a fully grown spirit beast…

That was far beyond coaxing growth from an immature one.

It required overwhelming skill as a summoner.

BOOOOOM!

Alty streaked like a white comet, punching through the golem’s chest and lunging for the demon.

In that moment—

Whoosh—!

The enemy vanished.

KRAAASH!

The curse shattered, the Archive ringing with noise.

“What happened here?!”

“Who dares cause such uproar in the Grand Archive?!”

The furious voices of librarians echoed.

[Who are you, really…]

“We’ll talk later.”

Sensing people approaching, Leo dismissed Alty back to her rightful place.

Revealing he had summoned a Pegasus would only cause trouble.

He turned—and saw the door before him.

Narrowing his eyes—

‘This place…?’

bl

In the dead of night, Leo—having used his powers in the Grand Archive—was escorted to the Tower of Heroes like a criminal.

To wield powers there was more than a school rule violation.

It was grounds for expulsion.

Fortunately, only he and Shasha had been in the Archive at the time.

Shasha accompanied him as a witness.

“Enter, Student Leo Plov.”

The headmaster’s secretary, Erena, spoke coldly.

Leo glanced at her, then stepped inside.

Shasha tried to follow—

“Princess Shasha, you will wait.”

Erena barred her path.

Shasha scowled but then nodded.

She, too, understood the gravity of the situation.

‘This is bad. Did he summon the Pegasus and lose control? But then why did it vanish outside so suddenly?’

She was bewildered.

Inside, Leo entered the office.

Three figures awaited him.

Principal Kalian.

Vice Principal Rivein.

And Brian, the professor in charge of the Grand Archive, infamous for his strictness.

“Explain yourself, Leo Plov! Why did you dare commit such a grave offense, breaking the sacred rules of the Archive?!”

Brian stroked his white beard furiously, voice thundering.

Leo scratched his cheek.

“An accident.”

“Accident? Accident?!”

Brian’s eyes sparked with fury.

He was about to roar again when—

“Calm yourself a moment, Professor Brian.”

“P-Principal!”

“I understand why you’re upset. But Vice Principal Rivein and I will speak with Student Leo first. We’ll decide the discipline after.”

Brian grudgingly nodded and stormed out.

But inwardly, he clicked his tongue.

‘What was the student rep thinking? Whether deliberate or not, this won’t be swept under the rug.’

Whether intentional or accidental, Brian knew this was serious.

Once he was gone, only three remained.

Kalian stroked his beard.

“No need for pleasantries between us. Let’s get straight to it, Student Leo.”

His eyes sharpened.

“Tartaros?”

“Yes.”

“Did you learn its purpose?”

“Not fully. But one thing’s clear—it’s after the Hero’s World.”

“The Hero’s World?”

“Yes. I believe it seeks the Hall of Heroes.”