Editor : Amethyst00



KUGUGUGUNG—!

An unending number of Tartaros legions descended to the ground.

As Leo narrowed his eyes at the sight—

WHRRRRMMM—!

The warp gate pulsed, and heroes from each military academy began to arrive.

"Senior Kar!"

From Azonia's side, Aru rushed toward Kar.

"What's going on?!"

At the same time, Lunia approached Rune and asked,

"Has Erebos's fragment started moving?!"

"Yeah. Three of them."

Rune's answer made everyone's expressions stiffen.

The news of Erebos's resurrection had already spread among those who had arrived via warp gate.

"Where are the fragments of Erebos?"

Suddenly, Melina, the one known as Silent Dragon, appeared before Leah and asked urgently.

Yet on the battlefield, only the countless Tartaros legions were visible.

As Leah hesitated to answer—

"He went elsewhere."

It was Leo who responded instead.

"But I'll be calling him back soon."

"Huh? What do you mean…?"

Melina looked bewildered.

Leo let out a faint smile, prompting Melina to turn to Leah.

"Who is he?"

"The Hero of the Beginning, Kyle… That might explain it."

"What?!"

Melina's eyes widened.

She knew of the reincarnations of the Great Heroes.

Just then—

CRACKLE—!

An icy mirror formed right in front of Leo.

A face suddenly poked through.

"Leo!"

"Lunia?"

"Huh? Who's that?"

Seeing a face emerge from the ice mirror, Leah looked surprised.

As Lunia blinked in confusion, Leo spoke casually.

"That's the reincarnated Lysinas."

"Wha—?! Reincarnated?!"

"Yeah. And I see you managed to pull off that spell."

Leo admired her briefly, and Lunia replied, "It's a miracle of overlapping coincidences! Anyway, I can't hold it long! Hurry…!"

"Lunia. The Erebos fragment from this world crossed into ours."

"What?! I thought something was off—that's why the sky looks like that!"

Lunia's face turned serious.

"So… can you maintain the spell and fly the mirror to the battlefield?"

"I'll try. I think I can."

"Then head this way."

"What are you planning?"

"What do you think?"

Leo clenched and unclenched his hand.

"Drag him back to this world."

"Can you really do that?"

"I'll make it happen. Give me the signal when ready."

"Got it!"

Lunia disappeared.

"Leah."

"Yes?"

"Get ready for battle."

Leo gazed into the distance, at the legions of Tartaros.

"It's going to be brutal."

"Understood. Let's go, Melina."

"Yes."

As Leah departed, Leo took a deep breath.

That's when Rune approached.

"Leo. You really think you can force Erebos back?"

"Probably."

Just as Leo nodded—

["Leo, I'm at the center of the battlefield!"]

"Can you see me?"

["Wait, that… that's Kyle, isn't it?!"]

Lunia's voice rose in shock.

"Looks like Lysinas pulled it off. Tell him—send Erebos flying into the mirror."

["Alright!"]

Leo closed his eyes.

CRACKLE—!

White sparks crackled from Leo's body.

Rune's eyes widened.

"Divine power…?"

It was the power Leo had gained after purifying one of Erebos's fragments.

Leo recalled it—

The moment from both past and present when he had been at his strongest, just before the final battle with Erebos.

WHRRRMMM—

His body began to glow and transform— Taking on his former self through the divine power.

But the transformation affected more than just Leo.

"Leo, your appearance—huh?!"

Rune gasped.

Her voice had changed.

No longer the voice of a girl, but a grown woman. Unfamiliar, yet unmistakably her own voice.

She reached for her face— It wasn't hers anymore.

"…It's me."

Luna's form.

"Whoa? Senior Kar?!"

"Huh?"

Aaron looked stunned as he checked his own transformed body.

"What… Why am I back in my old form?"

"GYAAAH!"

"HIIIEEEEK!"

"HUFF! Huff! Lord Aaron! You're… huff… so cool!"

"S-Scaryyyyy!"

Aru clung to Aaron's leg, eyes rolling back.

"S-Senior Valhar?! Why did you suddenly become so old?!"

BOOOOM—!

"AAGH!"

Drianna was struck on the head by a hammer—wielded not by Valhar, but by Dweno.

"Watch your mouth."

"You grew a huge beard all of a sudden! I mean—wait. W-Wait a second, are you… Dweno?!"

"Hmm… My strength hasn't changed much, but my appearance sure has. Is this Kyle's divine power?"

Dweno chuckled, stroking his beard.

"It's more comfortable this way."

"Lady…Lysinas?"

Even Melina was stunned by Lysinas's transformed appearance.

Lysinas said nothing, simply gazing down at his own hand.

At that moment—

Leo—no, Kyle—crouched low and leapt skyward.

WHOOSH—!

He soared with incredible speed—bringing the ice mirror with him.

The sheer force swirling around him—

'How did I ever control this power?'

Kyle let out a faint, bitter laugh.

The vessel called Kyle, Hero of the Beginning, now overflowed with unmatched power:

[The aura of the Brave,]

[The flame of the Divine Blacksmith,]

[The mana of the Poet of the Star,]

[The heart of the Wise Queen—]

Even Kyle himself couldn't fully understand the strength flowing from him.

["Leo! He's coming!"]

Lunia's shout echoed from beyond the mirror.

Kyle activated his magic.

WHRRRRMMM—!

Silver mana swirled—

The mana of the Poet of the Star.

"Stellar Chain."

He unleashed the starry spell toward the mirror.

CLINK—! CLINK—!

Chains of starlight shot through the portal and wrapped around something beyond.

CLAMP—!

He caught it.

Kyle pulled with all his might.

FWWOOOOOSH—!

The resistance was massive—

But—

'This is just half of Erebos!'

Kyle grinned.

'This is the same strength I used to defeat you!'

Power that shattered all logic.

"Come quietly! Back to the place you belong!"

With a roar, Kyle yanked—

—and Erebos, in Kyle's form, was dragged from the mirror.

"…Hero of the Beginning! Must you stand in my way again?!"

Erebos roared in fury.

Kyle smirked.

"Of course I do. I'm your only natural enemy."

Kyle's face turned cold.

FWOOSH—!

"It disgusts me, seeing you in that form. Time to drop the act."

Dweno's flame engulfed Erebos.

FWWOOOOOSH—!

CRACK! SNAP! RIP!

Kyle's façade burned away, and Erebos's massive form began to emerge.

The grotesque sound of flesh twisting and distorting echoed across the field—

Until a gigantic infernal giant—large enough to block out the sky—stood revealed.

This was the true form of Erebos.

The Calamity Flame, born to burn the world.

KYYYYLLLEEEE!!!

Erebos swung his massive arm.

Space itself warped at the strike.

FWWOOSH—!

Kyle charged straight into it.

At close range, Kyle used Aaron's aura to maximize his physical power—

SMASH!

A kick that should've been like dust compared to Erebos's massive frame— landed directly in his gut.

CRAAAAAAAAAAASH—!

Erebos's massive body was launched across the battlefield toward Tartaros.

BOOOOOM!

He swept through his own creations as he fell.

A full one-third of Tartaros's army was obliterated in an instant.

But—

'It's meaningless. He has the Authority of Creation.'

Kyle landed.

The divine power, a fragment of Erebos himself, wouldn't be enough to defeat even half of him.

The power burned bright but was consumed just as quickly.

CRACKLE—

Kyle dispelled the divine power.

Yet his transformed form remained, lingering from the energy's aftermath.

The other Great Heroes, too, still retained their previous forms.

"Kyle, we're ready."

In an instant—

A massive fortress wall had been erected.

Within it, the heroes stood in perfect formation.

A testament to Lysinas's unparalleled leadership.

Luna, Aaron, and Dweno joined Kyle's side.

GWRRRRRROOOOOAAAAHHH—!

A thunderous roar of rage erupted from Erebos.

At the same time, the night sky turned a deep, bloody red.

In this moment—

The Age of Calamity had returned.

The heroes trembled at the sight.

Terror and despair loomed, morale threatening to crumble.

That's when—

"Aaron."

Lysinas called out softly.

"KUUUUUUUUOOOOHHHH!!!"

Aaron howled.

The cry of the brave pierced through the despair Erebos spread.

All eyes turned to the Great Heroes.

"That figure…!"

"Gasp! The Great Heroes?!"

"It must be an illusion, right?!"

"But someone just launched Erebos through the air! Only the Great Heroes or the Hero of the Dawn could do that!"

"Then… are they real?!"

Murmurs spread.

Just as Lysinas was about to speak—

Kyle beat her to it.

"Don't be afraid."

All eyes turned to him.

The battlefield fell silent.

The man once thought to exist only in myth now stood before them.

For a moment, even the dread of Erebos's resurrection was forgotten.

Everyone was swept up in the awe of seeing the Hero of the Beginning—a legend made real.

And then—

"I—no…"

Kyle paused.

Then drew his sword.

"We are here."