Editor : Amethyst00



Whoooosh—

“What is that?!”

Lunia's eyes widened at the sight of black flames outside the Tower of Heroes’s window.

At the same time, Eiran's bewildered voice rang out.

“Miss Lunia! Your appearance…?!”

“Huh? You too?”

“Eh? Ah!”

Lunia and Eiran, who had been disguised as Seiren and Azonia, had reverted to their original appearances.

They weren’t the only ones.

Drianna had also returned to her true form.

Lunia, startled and wearing a confused expression, trembled slightly.

“It’s just like back then…”

“Back when?”

“When we defeated Erebos’s fragment in Lady Luna’s world! It's exactly the same!”

It was just like during their first year, when they attacked Luna’s world.

When Erebos went berserk, their possessions were lifted and they returned to their original forms.

“Those implemented within the Hero's world can't perceive that monster!”

Lunia stepped up onto the windowsill.

“We have to stop it! Otherwise, this world will collapse!”

Whoosh—!

Without hesitation, Lunia leapt from the window, wings of flame unfurling from her back.

It was a magic that manifested phoenix wings.

Seeing this, Drianna jumped and landed on Lunia's back.

“Are you not getting off?!”

“Don’t be stingy! Give me a ride!”

“What do you think I am?!”

“A model equipped with mount functionality.”

“Do you want to die?!”

“Miss Lunia! Stopping those flames is our top priority right now!”

Eiran flew up beside Lunia and spoke urgently.

Grinding her teeth, Lunia flapped her wings.

Whoosh—!

The magically created flaming wings traced an arc through the sky, flying toward the apocalyptic flames.

Once near Erebos, Lunia shook Drianna off her back.

Drianna willingly jumped down.

Lunia, now alone, saw her hair turn pure white.

Rooooaaaar—!

The crimson flames turned white.

It was the sacred flame of the Phoenix King, said to purify the world.

Whoooosh—!

In Lunia’s outstretched hand, a vivid crimson flame burned.

The forbidden magic of House Lunda.

A holy fire that burned even the caster as fuel to incinerate all unclean things, now fused with the white flame.

Sacred Flame.

As Lunia raised her hand, a massive flame surged upward.

Her flame grew to rival the size of the disastrous fire.

The sacred fire consumed the black flame.

WHOOOSH—!

The white flame devoured the black fire, then suddenly vanished.

The black flame disappeared without a trace.

In that instant—

The white flame contracted rapidly.

Startled, Lunia wrapped her entire body in phoenix wings.

KABOOOOOM—!

The flame, which had shrunk to the size of a fist in a blink, exploded violently.

At the same time, the black flame tore through Lunia’s fire.

“Damn!”

Clicking her tongue, Lunia quickly put distance between herself and the black flames.

Rooooooar—!

The black flames chased after her.

To escape the pursuit, Lunia soared upward.

ROOOOOAAAAAR—!

The black fire relentlessly closed the gap.

‘I can’t dodge this anymore!’

Just as Lunia clenched her teeth, bracing for Erebos’s attack—

Whoosh—!

Someone yanked her away like a snatched leaf.

“Chelsea Lewellin!”

“Hold on tight!”

Chelsea, cloaked in wind, manipulated the surrounding air currents.

Her body accelerated rapidly.

The black flames fell behind.

Suddenly, a wall of black fire surged up in front of them.

Chelsea slowed and changed direction.

As the distance closed again, the black flames split into multiple streams and pressed in on both Chelsea and Lunia.

Watching the black flames move to ensnare them from all sides, Chelsea pushed her agility to the limit.

Whoosh—!

“Eek?!”

Without realizing it, Lunia hugged Chelsea tightly.

Chelsea dodged Erebos’s attacks while heading toward the ground.

Vwooom—!

Skimming just above the ground, Chelsea sped across the terrain.

The black flames doggedly chased her back.

“You stupid cat!” Chelsea yelled frantically.

Aru stood where Chelsea was heading.

Her blue eyes, now synchronized, stared directly at Erebos’s flames.

In her hands was a broken sword.

Brave.

The sword Aaron had left to Aru.

At its tip shimmered golden aura.

Aru’s entire body was cloaked in a gentle golden light.

Step—!

Aru grasped the sword with both hands.

“HAAAAAH!”

With a loud shout—

FLASH—! BOOOOOM—!

As she swung, a massive golden slash exploded forward.

‘Aaron’s sword?!’

The strike was so reminiscent of Aaron, Lunia’s eyes widened in awe.

Chelsea veered off to avoid the slash, and the chasing black flames were caught in it.

BOOM—!

The slash that gouged the earth also obliterated the pillar of black flame.

‘That girl… when did she become this strong…?’

Lunia was shocked.

And not just her.

Everyone watching stared in awe at Aru and the overwhelming display.

“When did Aru get so strong?”

An Azonia student gasped, and Luwen calmly replied.

“No surprise there. Considering how that dumb cat trains every day.”

Since receiving Brave from Aaron, Aru had pushed herself harder than ever.

She’d always admired Aaron and wanted to be like him.

But after being acknowledged as his successor, her goal had sharpened.

It wasn’t just wanting to be like Aaron anymore.

She had to become like Aaron.

She had to become someone who could ease the worries of that always-concerned hero.

That was Aru’s mission, and she fought desperately to achieve it.

Whoosh—!

Aru’s white hair fluttered in the wind.

Chelsea murmured in a daze.

“You look… just like Lord Aaron…”

And she was right.

Aru now looked undeniably like Aaron.

No one could refute her words.

Just then, Aru’s ears perked up.

She crossed her arms and raised her chin, flashing a triumphant grin.

“Heh heh!”

“Lord Aaron, I’m so sorry. I thought that stupid cat looked like you.” Chelsea sincerely apologized to Aaron in her heart.

WHOOOSH—!

The black flames flared again.

Drianna muttered upon seeing them.

“It doesn’t seem as strong as the fragment of Erebos we encountered over summer break.”

“Of course. That time, we fought a full fragment of the Erebos that the Hero of Beginning split into six. This is just a shard from one of those fragments. It shouldn't be this strong.”

Lunia clenched her fist.

“Still a monster, though.”

“C-Can we handle it with just our strength?” Eiran asked anxiously.

Just as Lunia bit her lip—

“We don’t have a choice.”

Aru glared at the black flames.

“We can’t rely on those who aren’t here. We have to do this ourselves.”

Step— step—

Resolute, Aru walked toward the black fire.

“If we keep expecting help, we’ll never move forward.”

Clench—

“We can’t keep being treated like kids forever. We have to become equals. To follow in his footsteps.”

All eyes were on Aru’s back.

“We have to win with our own strength.”

What Aru was looking at were the backs of two figures walking far ahead.

One was the ever-admired Hero.

And the other—

The Black Rabbit.

Aru’s determined stance inspired courage in those who watched.

Seeing that, Chelsea murmured, “You really looked like Lord Aaron just now…”

“Ahem!”

“Still just a dumb cat.”

Chelsea clicked her tongue.

“Wait— where’s Carl?” Eliza asked Eiran.

Eiran blinked wide.

“Uh… Sir Carl said he needed to speak with Lady Rodia separately… He’ll be here soon.”

“It’s definitely going to be a problem without him.”

Lunia muttered with a furrowed brow.

“I feel reassured when he’s in charge.”

“Carl Thomas, in command?”

Seiren, Azonia, and even Damien students began murmuring.

“True, Carl's ability to read battle flow and issue commands is amazing.” Abad nodded in agreement.

“No doubt. We relied heavily on him when we fought Erebos’s shard in Lord Dweno’s world. He better hurry up.”

Meanwhile, at that moment, Carl—

Whoooosh!

“AAAAAAHHHH!”

—was screaming and hiding behind Rodia’s back.

“Don’t run away!”

“You can say that because you can’t see the black flames, Lady Rodia! They’re terrifying!”

“Then you look properly! Ack! I got burned! Get out here and tell me where that damn fire is!”

“I’ll die if I go out now!”

“Am I your shield?!”

“You said you’d be my shield!”

They were currently searching for Lumene, and only Carl could see the black flames—not Rodia.

bl

FLASH!

A flash of light streaked through the air.

“KYAAAAAA!”

“Hey, could you shut up? My ears hurt.”

As Eliana screamed, Elena, cradled like a princess in her arms, replied dryly.

“How could I not scream?! Erebos’s flames are right in front of—KYAAAA!”

“So Erebos is scary, but I’m not? Want me to do something really terrible to you?”

“Eek!”

Eliana shrieked at Elena’s threat.

The reason Eliana was carrying Elena and approaching Erebos was simple:

To assist Kyle, who was holding Erebos off alone.

“Why me?!”

“Because you’re the fastest.” Elena beamed sweetly.

Watching her, Eliana regretted her earlier actions.

‘Who’s the fastest here? Me.’

‘Heh. Eliana Raden, faster than even Chelsea, Duran, or Eliza. How can I help you, senpai?’

‘Oh, how dependable. I hereby name you my mount.’

‘Huh?’

‘Carry me close to Erebos.’

Elena needed two things:

Time to fully chant her spell, and a knight who could protect her and move at high speed.

Eliana was the perfect match.

Elena drew her staff from her robes.

As her chant began, a massive storm of mana swirled.

Eliana trembled.

‘I knew she was powerful, but this is…’

As a magic swordswoman, Eliana knew how monstrous a mage Elena was.

But this—

‘Her mana alone surpasses most hero-class mages!’

Eliana gulped.

Whoosh—!

The black flame, reacting to Elena’s mana, surged toward them.

Eliana drew her sword.

FLASH!

A light-infused aura cleaved through the black fire.

Eliana trembled as she dodged Erebos’s attacks at incredible speed.

‘I can’t dodge this much longer!’

She bit her lip.

Due to the immense magical pressure, the flames had shifted their target from Kyle to Elena.

There was no time to escape.

Eliana moved instinctively.

Whoosh—!

She threw Elena out of harm’s way.

Safely out of range, Elena unleashed her spell.

‘Now what about me?’

Eliana laughed bitterly.

She had protected Elena—but now she was in danger herself.

‘Please don’t let me die…!’

As she squeezed her eyes shut—

FLASH—! WHOOSH—!

A gray aura split the black fire in two.

Flap—!

A black cloak wrapped around her.

“Huh?”

Eliana blinked and looked up.

Kyle had seized the opportunity when the black flames shifted focus to Elena.

Glance—

Kyle looked down at her.

He flicked her forehead.

“Who told you to give up so easily?”

Blushing furiously, Eliana’s face turned beet red.

Kyle gently set her down and rushed toward the black flame that had been struck by Elena’s magic.

Elena approached Eliana.

“You okay?”

“S-So cool… My heart can’t take it… I’m a Kyle fan from today. Huff… huff…”

Eliana slumped down, completely forgetting the situation.

“Snap out of it. He’s taken, you know.”

“S-Still like him…!”

“What a sinful man.”

Elena clicked her tongue.