Editor : Amethyst00



Clang—! Clang—!

Fwoosh—!

The sharp ringing of hammer against steel echoed through the forge, each strike from Valhar's hammer unleashing fierce, golden flames.

Clang—!

As steel met hammer once more, golden fire shimmered and danced.

Valhar put down the hammer, picked up the glowing steel with a pair of tongs, examined it from several angles, and nodded in satisfaction.

Sssssss—

He plunged the steel into water for cooling, steam hissing upward.

Then, placing his tools aside, Valhar stepped out of the workshop.

"Not a bad workspace."

"Ooh, hearing that from the greatest blacksmith of the era—it feels pretty good."

"You were knowledgeable in alchemy too, weren't you?"

"Well, I like making things that sell well."

"Hmm."

Valhar rubbed his chin with a mischievous smile, watching Carl thoughtfully.

"…Why're you looking at me like that?"

"No reason."

Shaking his head, Valhar stepped out.

Outside the workshop, Leo sat on a couch with his eyes closed.

"Huh? Is Leo asleep?"

Carl tilted his head, but Valhar spoke up instead.

"Carl, sorry to trouble you, but could you fetch us something to drink?"

"Yep! I'll take my time!"

Carl darted off at once.

"He's a sharp one."

"Carl is sharp."

Leo opened one eye and gave a faint smile.

"You look tired."

"I didn't sleep properly after what happened yesterday."

That mirror of ice had appeared so suddenly—and the hand that had grabbed him.

'…It wasn't Nyx's power.'

Though the mirror resembled the one he'd first passed through, the magic wasn't Nyx's.

'That feeling of mana… it was Chloe.'

Chloe had long been researching spellcraft based on the theory of parallel worlds.

Of course, no matter how much of a genius Chloe was, creating magic that traversed timelines was impossible alone.

'But now she has Lysinas at her side.'

Lysinas, the Wise Queen.

The most knowledgeable being, who had mastered every known form of knowledge.

His wisdom surely extended into multiverse theory and alternate realities as well.

Leo brushed his hand across the back of his own.

The presences of the beings he had contracted with as a summoner still pulsed within him.

Among them, the presence of Lysinas—whom he had bonded with as a spirit—remained vivid.

Though he could no longer summon him due to the shift in worlds…

He could feel that their soul-to-soul pact remained valid.

'I'm still connected to the other side.'

He didn't belong to this world.

Leo pulled a pocket watch from his coat.

Time had clearly advanced more than when he first arrived.

'Time's flowing faster.'

"You seem anxious."

"…"

"Well, of course. It must be tearing you up."

At Valhar's words, Leo silently gazed at the ceiling.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I'd rather you stay."

"…"

"Back then, 5000 years ago… we didn't fight out of pure nobility. But we didn't do it for reward, either."

"Yeah. Except for Lysinas."

"Hah, true. But it was just us back then—we didn't have a choice."

Valhar sat across from Leo on the opposite sofa.

"Even so, we risked everything. That's why I believe we've earned the right to enjoy peace in this world. All five of us—together."

"…"

"Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Valhar closed his eyes.

"Just imagining it is enough. If we overcome all trials, maybe we'll finally have peace. Maybe we could set off on an adventure together—searching this world for wonders and beauty we don't yet know. That alone excites me. Teaching Kar what true peace is… that'd be nice too."

Valhar smiled gently.

"And seeing you living your life sandwiched between Leah and Rune, suffering… That'd be delightful. Oh, and ideally, the three of you could all be my nude models at once—"

"Stop dragging the conversation somewhere weird, you damn pervert."

Leo scowled.

"You still don't understand true aesthetics."

"I don't want to. Never will."

Valhar clicked his tongue with disappointment.

"Well, whatever… it'd be a happy life. So yeah, I hope you don't leave."

"…"

"But."

Valhar opened his eyes and looked at Leo with a bitter expression.

"If it's the Kyle I know… you'll go back."

"…"

"Not because you care more about that world than us."

"…"

"But because that's the kind of man you are. That's why Kyle could save the world."

Valhar stared at Leo's crimson eyes.

"That's what makes you the Hero of Beginnings."

He never looked away from what he had to carry.

He always took responsibility to the end.

That's why Kyle hated responsibility so much—because he understood better than anyone just how heavy it truly was.

"When the time comes, I'll be the one to push you forward. Even if Rune and Kar resent me for it, I'll cheer you on."

"…"

And when that time comes, Valhar knew he would regret it. Without a doubt.

'No… I'll remember that moment again and again—and regret it every time.'

But still—

'Even so, I'd make the same choice.'

Valhar smiled, accepting that the regret would be his alone.

"I owe you a lot, don't I?"

"If you really want to repay me—take off your clothes."

"Declined."

Leo grimaced.

"In any case, I need to find Nyx first."

Just as the Nyx of the other world had sent him here, the Nyx of this world might be able to send him back.

'Or I'll wait for Chloe to finish crafting a path home.'

Leo fell into thought.

Waiting wasn't really his style.

As he pondered—

The door opened.

"Carl's back? Huh?"

But it wasn't Carl who entered—it was Leah.

"Weren't you busy with student council work?"

Leo raised an eyebrow. Leah hesitated, then spoke.

"Leo… I've been thinking."

"About?"

"That gate—the one you used to cross into this world."

"You mean the one in the forest where I met Kar? It hasn't reacted to anything since."

"Yeah. But it might now."

"What?"

"That pocket watch you have."

Leo pulled it from his coat at her words.

"The time that flows through that watch—it's not of this world, right? It's from your original world."

"Probably."

"And you said time's flowing faster?"

"Yeah."

"Then maybe it's because… you're becoming more synchronized with this world."

"Hm."

"You were able to enter through that gate—but maybe you couldn't go back because you didn't belong here."

"Leah… are you saying the entrance was opened from the other side, but the exit is here, and since I wasn't a part of this world, I couldn't use it?"

"Exactly."

"But now that I've started to sync with this world, I might be able to pass through?"

As Leah nodded heavily, Valhar let out a low whistle.

"You knew?"

"It's just a theory. A guess. I don't know if it's true…"

Leo stood up.

Leah flinched.

"I'll know if I check."

Leah opened her mouth, then said softly—

"Leo. I… I think you should go back."

"…"

"Because that's what Kyle would do."

Leo gave a bitter smile.

"Thanks… for saying that."

bl

Whoooooosh—

Eastern continent, on the border of Tartaros.

Cold wind swept across the high fortress walls, where soldiers stood with anxious expressions, watching the approaching army.

And what an army it was.

A bizarre mixture of races, all but human, save for a few clad in crystalline armor and wielding weapons that shimmered like glass. Each and every one of them was strikingly beautiful. And each one wielded formidable supernatural power.

Among them were demons—but not the typical ones from Tartaros.

They were the ancient demons of Styx.

A legion vast in number and overwhelming in strength.

Despair itself was marching toward them.

Even with all of Davienne's greatest heroes gathered—second only to Xian Empire in strength across the eastern continent—the disparity in power was clear.

"Where in the world… did an army like that even come from?"

Winnie Shen, deputy commander to Rasawan, the legendary hero known as the Iron Fortress, clenched her lips. Even with her own skills reaching the realm of heroes, she felt helpless.

She had fought countless battles against demons—this was something else entirely.

"Can we… even win?"

Her uneasy gaze turned to Rasawan, the aging hero who had long defended the Iron Fortress.

"Logically speaking, this is an unwinnable war."

They had learned through the Silent Dragon what kind of army was advancing.

A threat not even recorded in history—demons from a bygone age who once rose alongside Tartaros to end the world.

It looked hopeless.

No matter how mighty the heroes were, how blessed by the gods—this moment was one of despair.

"But you never know, Deputy. Do you remember what I said not long ago?"

"…Yes?"

"That a rightful king is needed to stand above the world."

"…Yes."

Just then, the army of Styx came to a halt.

And from the front stepped a demon.

"Hear me, foolish mortals of the surface. I am Acheron of Sorrow, First Saint of Frozen Death."

Acheron's voice rang across the battlefield.

"Cease this futile resistance at once. You are beings of limited time. One day, your lives shall end regardless… but does it have to be today?"

He spoke with a tone of benevolence.

"We are not like the savage and ignorant demons of Tartaros. We are not fanatics like the Flame of Calamity who wish only to burn the world. Surrender now… and you shall receive the mercy of Styx. You may even receive the honor of joining our army—"

"What a grand speech from someone trying to destroy the world."

A mocking voice cut him off.

A woman with black hair landed on the fortress wall.

Lysinas.

"So it's you… the one who once led the great heroes to stop the Flame of Calamity?"

Acheron sneered.

"All your comrades are dead, and now you alone—a foolish ghost—dare stand in defiance? Utterly laughable."

"Yeah, my old title was 'the Fool.' So surrender's not really in my vocabulary."

"How could such a fool have ever saved the world?"

"I didn't. Someone else did."

"Then? Even in this overwhelming numerical disadvantage, you intend to stir the mortals to fight?"

"It's not that many, honestly."

"…What?"

Acheron's eye twitched at Lysinas's indifferent expression.

Behind her, Rasawan chuckled.

"We have a king now, Deputy."

"…What?"

"A true hero, the only one in history ever given the title of King, the savior of the world—stands beside us."

At that moment—

Lysinas pulled a book from her robes.

"What is that?"

"A ledger."

"…A ledger?"

"A list of names of those who gave their lives for this world."

She gently brushed her hand over the book.

"And what do you intend to do with that dusty thing?"

Acheron scoffed—but Lysinas simply smiled and extended the ledger.

Flararararak—!

The book opened and its pages began flipping at incredible speed.

Light radiated from Lysinas's body.

"If there remains a lingering will left behind in this world—then answer my call."

Her voice rang loud and clear.

"If that lingering will is a wish for the world's peace—then answer my call."

Vwoooooom—

The light surrounding her grew even stronger.

"If the will to fight remains—then rise."

Flash—!

"I grant you time in this world once more!"

Countless pillars of light rained down from the sky.

In an instant, a vast number of spirits appeared.

Mouths dropped open.

"This… this many… These are all spirits?"

All eyes turned toward Lysinas.

Rasawan murmured in awe.

"…So that's why legends are called legends."

While the others were still stunned—

Thud.

Lysinas closed the book with a soft smile.

"Now… looks like we've got a fighting chance."

"You filthy lizard dares resort to petty tricks—!"

"With these petty tricks, I defeated Tartaros—who were far stronger than you. Honestly, you're not even worth it."

"How dare you spew such garbage—!"

Acheron howled, but Lysinas merely laughed.

'Trying to fight the Lich King was one thing, but dealing with this arrogant fool… the banter's actually kind of fun.'

She clenched her fist.

'…This has drastically shortened the time I can remain in the living world.'

She glanced back over her shoulder.

'Please… everyone… bring Kyle back soon.'