Editor : Amethyst00



FWOOOSH—!

Black flames blazed before their eyes.

Those flames seemed to burn with endless, insatiable hunger—destructive, consuming.

As if they wouldn't be satisfied until they devoured the entire world.

'No. It's actually trying to devour the world.'

GUOOOOOOOO—!

The black flames roaring ahead were, quite literally, a catastrophic force capable of ending the world.

FWOOM—!

An intense heat surged forward.

'Ugh?!'

Chen Xia instinctively recoiled from the heat pressing against her face.

Just breathing felt like it could incinerate her lungs.

There were only four people here who could currently stand against Erebos.

'Me, Miss Chelsea, Miss Eliza, and… Professor Mel.'

Aside from Melina, the other three had no business being on this battlefield against Erebos under normal circumstances.

Their presence was only possible thanks to the future granted by the Fairy King's magic—a kind of trick.

Chen Xia, who had taken the front lines as a knight-class, clenched her fists and stared at the giant spewing black flames.

Having grown up as Xian's shadow from a young age, Chen Xia had countless combat experiences.

Since enrolling at Lumene, she had fought demons many times and had even faced Erebos before.

But this was her first time confronting it in a real battle.

Just standing before it made her body tremble.

'So this is what Leo-doryeong has been fighting against…'

Feeling anew the greatness of Leo, Chen Xia tried to steady her trembling.

'Someday… I'll have to stand on this battlefield with only my own strength.'

From the moment she vowed to protect Leo's back, that had become inevitable.

'When that time comes… this experience will help me immensely.'

Chen Xia lowered her stance.

VMMM—!

Water aura shimmered from her body.

Her once-shaken heart now calmed like a still lake.

Swish—

Eyes closed, Chen Xia extended both arms.

An almost completely unguarded posture.

A shadow fell over her head.

Erebos's palm was descending toward her.

Chelsea, watching from a short distance away, flinched.

"Xia! You're too exposed…!"

Just as Chelsea cried out—

Chen Xia opened her eyes.

At that exact moment—

SWOOSH—!

With a swing of her arm, a massive blade of water surged upward.

The sharp blade of water instantly severed Erebos's hand.

Of course, simply severing a hand wouldn't stop Erebos.

From the wound, sticky black liquid poured out.

"Xia, it's dangerous…!"

Chelsea rushed forward to help Chen Xia—

WHOOSH! SNAP—!

"Wha?!"

A whip flew from behind and wrapped around Chelsea's neck.

Blocked, Chelsea glared behind her.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Hold your line, Chelsea Lewellin."

"But Xia can't hold it alone—"

"It's frustrating, but Xia is overwhelmingly stronger than us in actual combat."

Eliza glanced forward.

"She also has a better grasp of power dynamics between allies and enemies. And yet, she chose to face Erebos alone."

Chen Xia, a knight-class, held the front line.

Eliza, a summoner with high mobility, provided support between front and rear.

Chelsea, a magician, handled the rear.

Chelsea could perform best as a battle magician on the front lines, but you couldn't always play to your strengths.

"Right now, do your job the best you can. That's how you help Xia."

"Ugh…!"

Chelsea shrank at Eliza's sharp words.

Seeing this, Eliza took a deep breath.

They were the same academic year and top-level talents—but there was still an age difference.

Even a mere two years mattered a great deal at this age.

'If it were any other time, Chelsea Lewellin wouldn't be this shaken.'

As Chelsea steadied herself, Eliza gave another brief glance to the front.

Erebos.

Maintaining composure before such an apocalyptic calamity was nearly impossible.

Eliza's heart, too, was wavering.

She was only pretending to be composed because she was slightly older than Chelsea.

'This is… beyond anything I imagined.'

When she first enrolled at Lumene—

Eliza had never imagined she'd end up fighting Erebos.

Yet here she was, standing at a turning point in history.

'Can I really do this…?'

As heiress to the Hergin family, she had lived a life of no regrets.

Eliza had full confidence that she would become a greater hero than any past head of her house.

But the being before her made even the proud history of House Hergin seem trivial.

Doubt and fear crept in—could she really handle this monster?

Her hands trembled on the reins of her Pegasus.

As Chelsea and Eliza faltered—

"Now then, my monstrous young ladies. Ready to begin a new legend?"

A carefree voice rang out, wildly inappropriate for the situation.

Chelsea and Eliza flinched.

"Wow. Every time, I'm reminded—never mess with Chen Xia."

Carl clicked his tongue.

Currently, Carl was monitoring the entire battle from the rear.

"What's with this heavy mood? You nervous or something? That's not like you."

Carl teased, but neither Chelsea nor Eliza responded.

"You really are nervous, huh."

Looking slightly flustered, Carl continued.

"Don't worry too much! Our job is just to hold the line until Leo gets here! And besides—"

Carl shouted with confidence.

"You've got me, the support hero, right behind you! Trust me! I'll lead you to victory!"

Chelsea snorted.

"Carl, don't get cocky! Eliza, say something!"

She turned to Eliza—only to gape at her slightly flushed face.

Eliza's eyes darted around, visibly flustered.

"Eliza, are you sick? What's with that weird face—it doesn't suit you."

"What are you saying?"

"Heh. Carl's grown surprisingly charming, hasn't he?"

At that moment, Melina appeared between them.

"Professor Mel! Charming, seriously?!"

"Oh my, he's quite gallant and dashing now, isn't he? Eliza, you're lucky to have such a fine boyfriend."

"D-Don't tease me!"

Flustered, Eliza looked away while Melina smiled gently and turned toward the rear.

'You've all grown so dependable.'

Carl's abilities as a support had reached a level where she could entrust him with command.

"Now then, everyone. I know you're nervous…"

Melina gripped her staff.

"But now is the time to exceed your limits—just like Student Xia."

Her unusually firm tone made Chelsea blink.

"Because the enemy is Erebos?"

"No. Because this is the time to prove yourselves."

"Prove?"

"Yes. To the last Arhi, who has guarded this world alone for 5,000 years."

Melina glanced behind her.

"That now, you're here."

bl

Carl looked down at his palm in shock.

There sat a small fairy, listless and weak.

The problem was—he didn't look good.

The beautiful wings of the fairy had lost their strength, seemingly about to crumble.

Not only that.

Small embers clung to his wings, slowly eating them away.

Seeing this, Carl understood.

This fairy didn't have much time left.

"Uh… Are you alright?"

To Carl's question, Sylord weakly lifted his head.

["You are…?"]

"Ah, my name is Carl Thomas."

["The Herald of the Beginning…"]

"Well, it's a heavy title, but that's what they're calling me."

Just then—

["Father!"]

Kiran rushed in from behind Carl to embrace Sylord.

["Kiran…"]

Sylord managed a faint smile.

["I'm glad… that I could see you in my final moments."]

["Don't say that! Father! You can live longer!"]

With teary eyes, Kiran grabbed Sylord's hand.

["I'll maintain the seal you've been holding! That way, you'll have time left! You can go on adventures around the world with Leo—just like you've always dreamed!"]

At Kiran's words, Sylord slowly shook his head.

["I never intended to pass this role to you."]

Sylord opened his palm.

Kiran gasped.

["My wings…"]

["I'm sorry, Kiran. I kept your final wings. With only the strength I have left, I couldn't maintain the seal otherwise."]

The fragment of Erebos in Fairy Land had begun to stir around the time Kiran was born.

But the seal magic then was strong—it didn't break.

The crack only appeared a few months ago—when Sylord's life neared its end.

["Why did you take them…?"]

["…Because I didn't want to burden you with my duty."]

Sylord's eyes dimmed.

["I wanted you… to live freely, unlike me."]

Sylord knew the reason his son had acted out.

If Kiran became the next Fairy King, he'd inherit the duty from 5,000 years ago.

Sylord had willingly taken that role—but he couldn't bear to pass it to Kiran.

["This is… my fight."]

Arhi, the last one standing after 5,000 years.

He didn't have the strength to finish the fight.

Even so, he couldn't abandon the responsibility as one who once fought in that era.

["Because this peace… was bought with the sacrifice of my precious friends."]

He couldn't pass the burden of a bygone era to Kiran, who had to begin a new fight.

["Kiran. Help the Dragon Queen."]

["Father!"]

Sylord might not last until the battle ends.

Knowing that, Kiran desperately called out to him.

["Don't be a child!"]

Sylord spoke sternly.

["If it is the duty of the old king to restrain that monster, then it is the duty of the new king to defeat it! Defeat it before my time runs out! Go!"]

If Sylord died, the illusion would vanish.

Then Chen Xia, Chelsea, and Eliza would lose their power to fight.

At those words, Kiran bit his lip and flew to Melina.

"…Will he be alright?"

Carl asked gently.

Sylord gave a faint nod.

["Kiran is strong. He'll be alright."]

Carl looked solemn.

["Ah… I miss it."]

Sylord's eyes filled with longing.

["Truly… this is Arhi."]

Even in this urgent moment, the scene before him stirred old memories.

Then—

GOOOOOOO—!

"What the—?!"

Carl's face turned to shock.

"Why is it getting stronger all of a sudden?!"

Out of nowhere, Erebos's power had surged.

Sylord's eyes narrowed at the sight.

So sudden.

'This isn't just natural growth over time…'

It felt like it had returned to the past.

Sylord looked down at his hand.

The ember had now eaten into his palm.

'…I see.'

He bit his lip.

'It's because… I longed for the past.'