Editor : Amethyst00



"How about giving the hero candidates a gift?"

Before dawn, in the early morning hours.

Lysinas, seated on the windowsill, letting the morning breeze wash over her, suddenly spoke.

It should've been warm weather, but due to Nyx's influence, a chill wind as cold as midwinter was blowing through the room.

Leo looked puzzled at her words.

"Out of the blue?"

"It's not out of the blue."

Lysinas smiled softly.

"They've earned the right to inherit the weapons of the great heroes, haven't they? They're successors you personally chose. And they need to prepare themselves—mind and body."

"You mean, to raise morale?"

"Exactly."

Lysinas looked out the window.

Dawn was beginning to break.

"Nyx will soon come with her full force."

And indeed, that was true.

In a short time, Nyx and Styx had both taken significant damage.

The ancient heroes the candidates defeated last night—each of them had been a massive force on their own.

But what was lost was only a portion.

The real blow to Styx came from one thing—

The extermination by the Saint and the Priestess.

Through Leo and Lysinas, the second priestess and the third saint and priestess were eliminated.

From a Tartaros perspective, it was a loss equivalent to having their legion commanders defeated.

Granted, the opponents had been far too formidable.

None other than the Hero of the Beginning and the Wise Queen.

Even if their power wasn't at its peak, a great hero was still a great hero.

Unless they were completely weakened, Styx's high-ranking demons had now found themselves facing the worst possible opponent—Leo, who was regaining his full strength.

But whatever the cause, Nyx and Styx had lost a substantial part of their forces, and they wouldn't sit back and watch any longer.

"If Nyx brings her entire army of demons and attacks…can we stop her?"

"Who knows."

Leo stood beside the window where Lysinas was seated.

He took in the cold dawn air and let out a quiet laugh.

"But I don't feel like we'll lose."

"Hm?"

"It's the strongest lineup, isn't it?"

"True. It really is the strongest combination."

Lysinas let out a giggle.

Knock knock—

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

When Leo opened it, Chloe was standing there, holding a large magic tome.

"Leo, I have something to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Can you come to my room for a bit?"

Leo glanced back over his shoulder.

Lysinas, sitting by the window, gave him a small nod, and Leo stepped out of the room.

Left alone, Lysinas quietly watched the rising sun.

Just then—

Another knock.

Already knowing who it was, Lysinas gave a small signal with her eyes, and the door opened.

The one who entered was none other than the Dragon Queen, Melina.

She greeted Lysinas in the formal manner of old dragon customs and stepped closer.

"What is it?"

"I came to report something… unusual. But… Lord Leo…?"

"He just stepped out. You can tell me instead."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"Why are you so tense?"

"Well, it's just… reporting directly to you makes me stiffen up."

Seeing Melina's awkward expression, Lysinas burst into a laugh.

"So then? What's this unusual report?"

"Yes. There have been sightings of unknown monsters along the eastern front of Tartaros."

"Styx, no doubt."

"Yes. I think we should prepare."

"Understood. I'll let Kyle know."

"Yes, ma'am!"

bl

When Leo entered Chloe's room, he let out a dry chuckle at the sight before him.

Countless magic tomes were spread across the floor.

In the center lay a large sheet of paper, covered with what appeared to be Chloe's arrangement of a magical formula.

"Sit."

"There's nowhere to sit."

"Hmm. I guess the bed will do."

At that, Leo approached the bed.

It, too, was buried in books, but fortunately, there was just enough space to sit.

Avoiding the scattered tomes, Leo sat down on the bed and looked at the large sheet with the magical inscription.

'An ice clone formula, huh.'

A difficult technique even among high-level demons, but Chloe had already been using it as her signature magic even before enrollment.

Even now, as a third-year, it remained one of her greatest specialties.

While examining the paper, Leo muttered, "Multiversal interpretation?"

"You recognized it right away?"

Chloe smiled brightly and sat down beside Leo with a stack of papers in hand.

Squeak—

"Take a look at this analysis. I gave it a try myself, but I'm not sure if this approach is right. I wanted to hear your opinion."

Reading through the stack of papers Chloe handed him, Leo let out a quiet breath of admiration.

"Why?"

"No, I just… it really reminds me that you're a genius."

"You don't get anything for flattery, you know."

Though Chloe answered curtly with a huff, the slight blush on her cheeks gave her away.

Leo laughed and said, "I think this approach is the right one too. But this part here—"

"Yeah?"

Chloe leaned in closely and looked where Leo pointed.

Her lake-like blue eyes sparkled with intellectual curiosity.

"Rather than thinking of it as mirror to mirror, wouldn't it be more fitting to see it as the branching of a tree?"

"Hmm. That's true. They're not exactly identical… If they were, it'd be meaningless."

"Exactly."

"Ah, in that case, how about this?"

Excited, Chloe dived back into the magical discussion with Leo.

They debated magic formulas for quite some time—passionately.

Then, all of a sudden, Leo lifted his head.

And gave a look of disbelief.

"Leo, about this part here—huh? Why are you staring like that…? KyaaAAAH?!"

As Leo didn't respond, Chloe looked up—and shrieked as she threw herself into Leo's arms.

At the same time, Chen Xia, who had been pressing her forehead to the window with a cold expression, slid the window open and entered the room.

"Alright, that's enough. If this 'improper coed interaction' continues any further, I'll have to report it to Miss Celia of the Disciplinary Committee."

"It's not improper coed interaction! We were just having a strictly academic discussion about magic—"

"That's how it always starts. But the moment you invite a boy into your room, the excuses begin. Besides, Miss Chloe has a history, doesn't she?"

"That was an accident!"

"What kind of indecent accident is that supposed to be?!"

"…What are you even doing?"

Leo asked, to which Chen Xia smiled sweetly.

"Disciplinary duty."

"It's not what you think, so quit bothering Chloe."

"Yes, sir."

Chen Xia answered meekly and took a step back.

Watching her, Leo turned to Chloe.

"You're really making progress with this outrageous magic theory, huh?"

"I've barely scratched the surface."

At her answer, Leo let out a quiet chuckle and rose to his feet.

"It's about breakfast time. Let's go eat."

"Okay. You and Xia go on ahead. I'll clean up and join you later."

Leo and Chen Xia left Chloe's room.

Left alone, Chloe immersed herself in the magic formula, organizing what Leo had taught her.

bl

Underground Temple – Nyx's Chamber

Within the chamber filled with countless crystals of ice, Nyx sat upon her throne with her eyes closed.

As an evil god, what she dreamed of was a perfect world.

A flawless world—one where she could fall into an eternal slumber called death, never to awaken.

That was Nyx's one true wish.

And now, she had found someone most fitting to exist within that perfect world.

"The Hero of the Beginning, Kyle… no—Leo Plov."

To live in the same era as him was, for Nyx—who desired a perfect world—nothing short of fortune.

Nyx rose from her throne.

The Goddess of Frozen Death stepped forward and stood before a massive block of ice.

She gazed at the countless reflections of herself mirrored within it, then opened her mouth to speak.

"What I need is the body of a perfect hero."

What Nyx sought was a world, dead and whole in its final form.

"I have no use for the soul."

As she brushed her fingers across the icy reflection, Nyx curled her lips into a faint smile.

In her hand, she held a shard of the Hero Record.

Then, Nyx vanished.

A heavy gloom hung over Davienne.

Ever since the ancient heroes' assault, unease had settled across the capital.

In the aftermath, the hero candidates ventured into the city after breakfast to assist in calming the chaos.

They helped clear the wreckage and maintained public order, preparing for any unforeseen incidents.

Meanwhile, Leo used the Shadows to track the First Princess's movements.

Once he had learned of her alliance with Styx, he could no longer simply stand by.

'That doesn't mean I can support the Second Prince, either.'

Clicking his tongue as he cleared debris, Leo pondered.

To his eyes, neither the First Princess nor the Second Prince seemed fit to rule.

Dealing with the First Princess was one thing—but handing a great nation like Davienne over to the Second Prince would be nothing short of reckless.

'Isn't there anyone decent among the collateral royal lines? Hmm… Maybe this is just political interference on my part.'

Deep in thought, Leo suddenly realized he stood alone amid the ruins.

"……"

His crimson eyes narrowed.

Before him stood a woman of breathtaking beauty.

"Well now… Fascinating."

"What is?"

"That even stench can come in varieties. I just realized that again."

"A stench…? It's rather painful to be likened to the Flame of Calamity."

Shing—!

Leo drew his sword and aimed it at Nyx.

"You've arrived earlier than expected."

"Fate always strikes when least expected."

Vwooooom—!

A grey mana began to surge from Leo's body.

Watching him, Nyx spoke.

"Hero of the Beginning—I have not come to fight you."

"I don't have any options other than fighting you."

"Perhaps if you hear me out, you'll change your mind."

Nyx gave a soft smile.

"I need you, Leo Plov."

"I've already lost far too much for that."

As Leo exuded a terrifying killing intent, Nyx slowly opened her palm.

'…The Hero Record?'

"I know what you've lost… what burdens you carry… and with what resolve you live in this very moment."

Nyx smiled gently.

"I've seen it all. This… is your final chapter."

Final chapter.

The moment of salvation for the world—and the page where the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, would lose everything in the end.

"Leo Plov. I will give the entire world to you."

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in that kind of thing."

Leo scoffed.

But Nyx shook her head calmly.

"It's not just about giving you the world."

"What?"

Fwaaash—

The Hero Record fragment in Nyx's hand fluttered like paper in the wind and floated toward Leo.

Flap— Thud.

Leo caught it midair.

"I'll send you to the world you should have lived in."

Leo silently readjusted his grip on his sword.

'I don't know what she's plotting—but what I need to do hasn't changed.'

'Extermination.'

Just as he bent his knees, ready to charge—

Crackle—

The Hero Record fragment in his hand began transforming—into a wall of ice.

Leo stared at it.

A human-sized wall of ice, now standing where the record had been.

It reflected the world like a mirror.

But strangely, Leo's reflection was nowhere to be seen in the icy surface.

Naturally, Leo didn't hesitate and swung his blade.

No—he tried to.

Clang—!

The moment his sword touched the ice, his knees buckled.

Leo's face hardened.

'No.'

Sucked into the mirror, Leo found himself looking at his own body from the other side.

Time in the world beyond the glass appeared to have frozen.

'What is this…?'

As if swept away by a current, Leo's consciousness was flung deep into the mirror's depths.

Thud—

Nyx turned her back, gazing at the unconscious Leo lying on the ground.

"I wonder… which world you'll choose."

Rustle… rustle…

"Though I imagine the answer is already set."