Editor : Amethyst00



Flash—!

The Priestess, like a massive block of ice, was engulfed by a flash of light.

No—it was different from what you'd normally call a flash.

It wasn't a bright light that momentarily stole away your vision.

The light distinctly had a gray hue.

"What kind of magic… is that?"

Lunia muttered absentmindedly.

"It looks like star sorcery…?"

Chloe, standing beside her, had a confused expression.

Just as Chloe said, everyone could tell it resembled star sorcery.

But that was all they could understand.

They could only realize it was someone's unique magic taking the form of star sorcery.

At that moment, Walden murmured, "It looks familiar."

Everyone turned toward Walden.

"It resembles the gray mana Leo Plov uses."

"Ah, you're right! Then is that Leo-sunbae's unique magic?"

Leah spoke with wide eyes.

"She's disappearing."

"What?"

But when Luca spoke next, everyone's gaze returned to Leo.

Just as Luca said, Ameriol, struck by Leo's magic, was slowly breaking apart, her body disintegrating into pieces.

None of the surrounding buildings exposed to that gray light were being destroyed.

Leo's magic had affected only Ameriol.

Watching this unfold, Lysinas clenched her fist.

'I've never seen this magic before… but it's definitely Kyle's magic.'

She recognized it immediately.

In a way, that magic resembled the Hero of the Beginning himself.

That faint, desolate gray hue gave those who saw it a strange sense of solitude and longing.

Unique magic often reflects a mage's inner state.

In that sense, this gray light mirrored Kyle's life.

'Kyle before he met me.'

The faded inner self of a surviving hero who had lost everything and had nothing left.

Just before the announcement of a great beginning.

'He fused "Extinction" and "Innocent."'

Lysinas saw through the nature of the magic in an instant.

It was a near-miraculous power that returned everything related to evil gods to nothingness.

Anyone could tell at a glance the level of that magic.

The spell that completed the magic was a fusion of "Extinction" and "Innocent."

Magic created by Luna.

But combining those two spells into a new form of magic was entirely Leo's ability.

Even Luna could never have imagined the fusion of the absolute destructive magic "Extinction" and the purely innocent magic "Innocent."

Before anyone realized, Kyle's magical prowess had reached just behind Luna, the genius herself.

Suddenly, the distance between them felt immense.

The distance between Leo, who continued to move forward, and herself, left behind in place.

'Since I can't go any further, that gap will only widen.'

["Lysinas."]

"Yes. What is it?"

Elsie cautiously looked up at Lysinas—and was surprised.

Lysinas was smiling.

["Aren't you… sad?"]

"Hm? Why do you think I should be sad?"

["Because… you must have felt the distance between yourself and Leo."]

They were miraculously sharing the same time now.

But that miraculous moment would not last forever.

Aaron, Luna, Dweno… and Lysinas as well.

Whoever it may be, such miraculous moments had ended and would end again.

Lysinas would be no different.

Elsie didn't understand how Aaron, Luna, or Dweno felt when they departed earlier.

She didn't know how they saw Leo then.

But if it were Elsie—if it were herself—

'I think I'd feel so sad and miserable.'

The distance between herself and someone more precious than life.

The reality of not being able to be together would surely have felt like despair and resentment.

But there wasn't a trace of that emotion in Lysinas.

Instead, she smiled with pure joy.

"I can't help but be happy."

["What?"]

"All the things I said in the past were lies."

["Lies?"]

"Yes. They were lies. If they hadn't been, I wouldn't have been able to give people hope back then."

["…"]

"I had to deceive people, no matter what."

["But those lies… they've become truth now."]

"Yes. But the fact remains—I was a fraud."

Lysinas smiled brightly as she looked at the completely vanished gray light.

"But now, a hero who speaks only the truth has appeared. And the fact that it's Kyle…"

Without a shred of falsehood, Lysinas said, "I'm so happy and proud."

Watching Kyle, who would become the hero she could never be—who she could no longer become—her heart trembled.

["…Did you fall for him all over again?"]

"…Yes. So much that I want to hug him."

["Then let's go meet him."]

"Let's."

Lysinas smiled and headed toward Kyle.

bl

Ameriol perished without even realizing she was dying.

Leo sheathed his sword and walked expressionlessly toward Elena and Lyl.

"As expected of you, hyung! You took down a demon of legion-commander level all by yourself!"

Lyl said excitedly.

Leo replied indifferently.

"Legion-commander level? Don't joke."

"Huh?"

"Judging by her position and dark mana, maybe she looked like a legion commander. But in terms of actual ability, she was just a dumb, overpowered demon."

If Sillatna or Giath—who had already been subjugated—had possessed Ameriol's abilities, they would never have been taken down so easily.

Power alone doesn't equate to combat capability.

From Leo's perspective, the second Priestess Ameriol was just a strong, dumb demon.

"…Aren't your standards a little too high?"

Elena frowned, and Leo smirked.

"With your current strength, you two couldn't have taken her down. But it's the truth."

"Just what standard are you using to judge a legion-commander level demon?"

"The ones that existed during the Age of Calamity."

"…"

Even in the current era, if a legion commander appeared, the surrounding nations would feel an existential threat.

Among the three legendary legion commanders, now all but one defeated, their very presence inspired terror.

"Are the current ones really legion commanders? They're just high-ranking demons pretending to be."

But this man's standards were too damn high.

"Damn boomer."

Elena muttered.

Leo approached her and tugged her ear.

"Ow ow ow! What are you doing to your sunbae! Lyl! Get me away from this man!"

"Stay still."

"Sorry, Elena-sunbae. Hyung's orders come first."

"This is mutiny—! Aaaaagh!"

Leo now pulled on the hair above Elena's ear.

As Elena screamed—

"No one seems seriously injured."

Lysinas appeared not far away.

"Gasp! Dame Lysinas!"

Lyl snapped to attention and bowed at a 90-degree angle.

As a result, Elena—carried piggyback—was dropped onto her rear.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Elena shouted, and Lyl replied sternly,

"Elena-sunbae, Lady Lysinas is present. Please show proper respect."

Usually, Elena bossed Lyl around, but in front of the great heroes, the roles reversed.

Grinding her teeth, Elena glared at Lyl—then noticed Leo barely holding in his laughter.

'That jerk!'

It was clear he was enjoying teasing her.

Feeling like a toy, Elena thought, 'Just once—I really want to punch him!'

While she seethed inwardly—

Lysinas smiled faintly as she watched.

Then approached Leo.

Thud— Thud— TAPTAPTAPTAP— BAM—!

Before Leo could react, Lysinas sprinted at full speed and delivered a dropkick to his face.

Wham—!

Leo went flying and tumbled across the ground.

"What the hell was that for?!"

Leo gritted his teeth, but Lysinas coldly pointed to her chest.

Then said icily, "Be grateful I ended it with just that."

Lysinas scoffed, then patted Elena and Lyl on the head.

Elena looked smug; Lyl was confused but smiled brightly.

Watching this, Leo frowned and flopped onto the ground, picking up a chunk of ice to cover his face.

["Lysinas."]

'Yes?'

["Didn't you say you wanted to hug him?"]

'I did. But when I saw that smug face with zero remorse, I just wanted to kick it.'

Elsie shook her head.

bl

Whooooosh—!

Eastern Continent.

At the border with Tartaros.

An old man sat atop the towering fortress wall.

The hero known as Rasawan Robet—pride of Davienne, nicknamed "The Iron Fortress."

A wrinkled face, coarse white hair, and an eyepatch covering his right eye—he was already aged.

An aging hero.

But the glow in his left eye reminded everyone that he was not merely a relic, but the steadfast shield who had protected the East from demons for decades.

At that moment, a woman with jet-black hair climbed the wall.

"Commander!"

"Have all the winter supplies been issued to the soldiers, Vice-Commander?"

"Yes. But we don't know how long this climate will last—are you sure it's okay to switch to full winter gear so suddenly?"

Winnie Shen, his deputy, was a hybrid with beastkin blood.

She, too, was a hero—nicknamed "Iron Claw"—who had served Rasawan for many years and protected the Eastern front.

The Eastern front didn't just face elite demons and massive monsters.

Sometimes, waves of lower demons and monsters came in tidal numbers.

No matter how powerful heroes, knights, mages, and summoners were, they couldn't handle those numbers alone.

So the ordinary soldiers on this front were also essential warriors—equal in importance to heroes.

That's why preparations were thorough to minimize non-combat losses—like providing proper winter gear.

The fierce northern winds could be deadly without it.

But if the weather suddenly warmed and snow melted, the gear could hinder movement.

Even so, Rasawan had ordered full winter equipment.

Considering there had been a recent warm spell, it might seem excessive.

In response to Winnie Shen's doubts, Rasawan handed her a note.

Looking puzzled, she opened it—then froze upon seeing the seal.

"This is…!"

"The Dragon Queen's seal."

Rasawan said plainly.

"The Silent Dragon sometimes gives advice to heroes. She usually stays silent… but I've never seen a hero survive after ignoring her words."

Rasawan had received her advice many times.

And each time, he had managed to repel near-impossible attacks from Tartaros.

"But… isn't it strange? If this is advice, she could've said it officially."

Many junior commanders were confused by the sudden change to winter gear.

Had an official statement been made, it would have eased that confusion.

But instead, the Dragon Queen chose this roundabout method.

"Do you know why?"

"Pardon?"

"If she speaks officially… it becomes a command, not advice."

Rasawan's remaining eye gleamed with wisdom.

"Deputy—no, Winnie. Remember this."

"Yes."

"No matter how great the being, commands will always incite resistance. People may obey in the moment. But the Dragon Queen is not our ruler—she is our advisor."

For now, the Eastern front issue was manageable.

But what if it involved complex interests?

"No matter how justified the command, interference—especially in something like our civil war—will lead to backlash from one side."

"…."

"If that happens, the authority of the one who gave the command is lost."

"…This is an age of chaos. Wouldn't it be better to establish a consensus until the chaos ends…?"

"Impossible. Maybe if the dragons had ruled… but it's been 5,000 years since they stepped back from history to become advisors—selectors."

In people's minds, dragons were observers now.

"If they tried to rule again, backlash would be inevitable."

"It's complicated."

"It is."

Rasawan sighed.

"This era needs a rightful king who can reign over the world."

To unite this chaotic world, a king with overwhelming influence was necessary.

"No such king exists. No one would accept it."

Winnie Shen shook her head.

"You're right. It's virtually impossible. But who knows?"

Rasawan smiled.

"Now that the Wise Queen who once saved the world has reappeared… maybe she'll choose such a king."

"What?"

"She chose the hero who saved the world. Who's to say she won't choose the one to lead it?"

As Rasawan chuckled—

Boom—!

A small tremor rippled through the area.

It was faint—but both Rasawan and Winnie, heroes at the level of transcendents, sensed something was off.

"I may be old, but… where did that shock originate?"

"…The west."

"The west?"

Winnie furrowed her brow and turned her head.

The west—the land Rasawan had devoted his life to protecting.

"…Something's not right."