Editor : Amethyst00



The white wolf roars.

Golden aura surged from the Brave gripped in Aaron's hand.

With golden light flashing in his eyes, Aaron chased the Lich King.

In Aaron's golden pupils, two timelines overlapped.

The first was the present.

The second, the future.

Fwoosh—!

Aaron moved at an unrecognizable speed and swung his sword.

A golden trail carved through the air.

KWA-GAGAGAGANG—!

The Lich King's resurrected body was destroyed once again.

Having barely protected his essence, the Lich King looked shocked.

'He sees the future?!'

An impossible notion.

Even Erebos, who possessed countless divine powers, could not do such a thing.

Even seeing just a brief glimpse of the near future regularly was a terrifying ability.

A domain that belonged to gods.

No—beyond the gods.

"You beast, how dare you…!"

CRACK—!

Before he could finish his sentence, a golden flash split Hell Kaiser's face in half again.

Fwoosh—!

Aaron once again kicked off the ground and pursued Hell Kaiser.

A clear future appeared before him.

'What exactly is courage?'

As Aaron weaved between demons and monsters, he questioned himself.

He had wondered for a long time.

What exactly is courage?

Why did his friends say he had great courage, even though he was always terrified?

In crucial moments—

Perhaps it was because he could become brave.

'Then why was I able to do that?'

The mysterious courage that arose when there was nowhere to run.

Why couldn't he always muster it?

He pondered it, but there was only one conclusion.

'Because I'm a coward.'

Aaron feared many things.

But after facing death—

He was freed from countless fears.

On his final journey, he was the first to entrust his burdens to his friends and close his eyes.

Afterwards, countless ages passed, and with Leo's help, he could see the future.

He even gained the fortune to face and overcome past wounds.

Now, Aaron had nothing left to lose.

Yet he was still a coward.

'Maybe… it's because I saw the future.'

The blue sky he never saw while alive.

The dazzling sun.

The beautiful moon in the night sky.

And the captivating starlight.

The future sparkled with countless sights Aaron had never seen.

So much so that he felt bitter over not being able to enjoy them.

But before that came a fear—

A fear that this beautiful world might be lost.

Even if it wasn't a future he could enjoy… the thought that others might lose it terrified him.

'I'm a coward.'

CRACK—!

Demons and monsters collapsed, spewing blood in Aaron's wake.

There was no hesitation in his blade.

He shook the battlefield alone—like a god of war.

'But I'm also a hero.'

People of the future burdened him by calling him a Hero.

Though he didn't feel worthy of that title.

Even though he sacrificed himself to save his comrades in the end—

Wasn't that also the result of ultimately running away?

'But… I can't just keep my head down forever.'

The burdensome title of Hero.

The label of being a symbol of courage that didn't suit him.

He had to carry it all.

'Because Kyle is still fighting.'

For his friend who still fought alone, Aaron chose to be brave.

He still didn't understand what courage was.

But he knew what he had to do.

In a future he could never live—

The true hero, Aaron, stopped his charge.

Before him stood the terrified Lich King.

The root of fear comes from the unknown.

And right now, Hell Kaiser couldn't comprehend the being before him.

Through time—

A hero perfected in a distant future, one that the current Hell Kaiser could never understand.

"What… are you?"

At Hell Kaiser's question, Aaron grinned slyly.

"A Brave."

FLASH!

A golden strike pierced Hell Kaiser's crown.

Overwhelmed by Aaron's power, far beyond imagination, Hell Kaiser perished within the world of heroes.

"How does it feel? Facing death?"

To Aaron's mocking question, Hell Kaiser thought in his fading consciousness:

'Why does this brat's sharp tongue remind me of that surviving hero?'

bl

"My god…"

Lysinas covered her mouth.

Her gaze fixed on Aaron, who had just defeated Hell Kaiser.

'That's… Aaron?'

His usual terrified demeanor was completely gone.

Reborn as a complete hero, Aaron now looked like the ideal hero incarnate.

Kyle's eyes widened at the sight.

Agon's hand trembled as he held his sword.

'Aaron…'

Agon smiled faintly, seeing his disciple ascend to a realm he couldn't even imagine.

'You've grown… so much.'

As he thought that—

TAP—!

Azonia landed atop the fortress wall.

"Master… Ah. Lord Agon."

Azonia looked at Agon with an awkward smile.

"…."

Agon, staring at Azonia whose brown hair had turned golden, muttered,

"So it was you… Azonia."

"Huh?"

Azonia looked puzzled.

"You came to save me and the children… again and again. So it was you…"

Azonia's eyes widened in response.

Even Damien, who was being carried by Azonia, looked surprised.

Just then—

TAP—!

Leo landed beside Azonia, carrying Luna and Dweno on his shoulders.

"Phew."

"Kyle! Is it really okay to leave Aaron alone?"

To Luna's question, Leo replied,

"Yes. Right now, he's mentally complete."

"What do you mean?"

"It means he remembers the future too. So there's no need to worry. He'll return just fine."

Leo, knowing Aaron's ability to see the future, reassured Luna.

"I see. So you're the Surviving Hero?"

Agon nodded as he looked at Leo.

Leo returned the gaze with slight surprise.

"You came with Aru, didn't you?"

"Lord Agon, your memory…?"

"Yes. It returned. Strange, isn't it?"

Agon murmured while looking at his hand.

In the recovered memory, Agon and the orphanage were saved.

Of course, he knew it was a lie.

Like a dream.

But…

"Thank you."

"…."

Even if it was a lie—

That emotion was real.

"Thanks to you… I was saved."

"…."

At Agon's gratitude, Leo responded,

"Let's save the thanks for when this is all over."

Leo looked toward the roaring Erebos.

ROOOAR—!

RUMBLE RUMBLE—!

The ground cracked open, and black magma surged up.

Seeing it, Leo spoke,

"Azonia, Damien."

"Yes, Lord Leo."

"Can you help Lord Agon hold back the demons of Tartaros?"

Aaron had taken care of the Lich King.

And even Erebos hadn't been fully summoned.

But that didn't mean things were good.

Countless demons and beasts still aimed at the walls of Raysar.

Even if the rite wasn't complete and he couldn't use divine powers, Erebos was still Erebos.

One mistake could lead to instant defeat.

To Leo's request, Damien answered,

"Lord Kyle, don't ask if we can. Just tell us to do it."

THUD—!

Damien slammed his axe into the top of the wall.

"We'll hold them off until the great heroes finish that bastard off."

The conviction in his voice was like a work of art.

"Too bad there's no canvas,"

Dweno muttered, stroking his beard.

"Wow! So reliable! You said he's a direct successor of Dweno, right? Don't I have any successors?"

Luna sparkled with curiosity. Leo answered instead,

"You do."

"What? Really? What are they like? Have you met them?"

As Luna widened her eyes, Leo nodded.

"Just like you."

"Like me?"

"Yep."

"Heh. Then they must be super smart and pretty."

"That's sounds like an insult to me."

"Pfft!"

"Heh!"

Azonia and Damien burst into laughter despite themselves.

Luna shot a glare at the two.

At that moment, Lysinas and Kyle arrived at the wall.

"Ah! Lysinas! Mission complete…!"

Luna waved brightly.

But without replying, Lysinas ran up and dropkicked Leo in the stomach.

She climbed on top of the fallen Leo, grabbed his collar, and shook him.

"You bastard! You toyed with me?!"

Watching her growl fiercely, Dweno said,

"Whoa, whoa. Calm down, Lysinas. You might really kill him."

Dweno pulled her back, trying to calm her down.

Luna crouched beside Leo and looked down with a smile.

"What?"

"I'm still better than that violent dragon, right?"

"You or Lysinas, same thing."

Just as Luna opened her mouth to protest—

"Looks like the future is relatively peaceful."

Kyle said dryly.

"Judging by how carefree you all look. Hard to believe that's me."

At his murmuring, Luna blinked.

"Kyle, this isn't being carefree, it's being soft. Look—try relaxing your eyes like your future self. You'll look so much better."

"You want me to make that dumb expression?"

Kyle smirked.

Leo, watching, dusted himself off and stood.

He looked at Lysinas, Luna, and Dweno and gave a sincere, apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"Seeing myself from a third-person perspective… I realize you all went through a lot. Even I find myself annoying."

"You've matured."

"Ahahaha!"

Dweno admired, and Luna laughed holding her stomach.

"Lysinas, say something to this guy."

At Kyle's prompting, Lysinas pouted, then grabbed Leo's hand and softened her expression.

"It's okay, as long as you get it."

Kyle grimaced.

Then—

FWOOSH—!

With a golden flash, Aaron returned.

"Guys! I'm back!"

"Aaron, are you hurt anywhere?"

Lysinas checked him over.

She worried that he might have been injured after returning alone from the jaws of death.

"I'm fine, Lysinas. What should I do next?"

Aaron asked brightly.

Lysinas glanced at Leo.

"Why look at me?"

"You know the future."

"Even knowing it, this part is unknown to me. I don't have the answer either."

Leo looked at Erebos.

"Isn't it the leader's job to find the answer?"

"…."

At that, Lysinas looked at Erebos.

"Aaron at the front. Dweno and Kyle support him. Luna and I take the center. Rear guard… Leo, that's you. Let's finish this."

Everyone nodded at Lysinas's formation.

As everyone prepared to face Erebos—

Swoosh—

Leo offered Kyle a sword.

"What's this?"

"It'll help you right now."

What Leo handed him was none other than Posteritas.

Kyle, confused, took the sword his future self gave him—and his eyes widened.

"This is…?"

"Dweno made it. It's our exclusive weapon."

"You don't need it?"

"Me? Heh."

Leo chuckled.

"I've suffered way more than you. I don't need it as desperately."

"…You really are annoying."

Leo laughed.

Then pulled something from subspace.

"You still have that in the future?"

A tattered, pitch-black cloak.

"Yeah."

FLAP—!

Leo draped the cloak around him.

The fluttering cape caught the eyes of Lysinas and Luna.

"Wearing this makes me feel at ease."

Leo looked at Lysinas and Luna.

"Because I feel your hearts."

A cloak they made, wishing he wouldn't be hurt anymore.

He hadn't realized it then, but now he was thankful just for that sentiment.

As Leo smiled faintly, Luna muttered in a daze,

"Lysinas."

"What?"

"Why is he suddenly so cool? Doesn't it feel like he's gonna be super popular with women in the future?"

"…He's always been cool."

"You've got hearts in your eyes."

"Hmph."

"Anyway, I feel uneasy. He's definitely gonna be popular with girls."

"…."

Lysinas didn't reply.

Luna didn't say anything more either.

Because they were touched by the look in his eyes.

Then—

"Feelings? Get real. You must've forgotten, but do you remember how much he used to nag us even if we got a tiny scratch?"

Kyle grimaced.

With that, Lysinas and Luna felt their mood plummet into the abyss.

"…."

Leo looked at them and said,

"I'm sorry."

"What? Why are you apologizing? I wasn't wrong, was I?"

"Really… I'm sorry."

Leo ignored his past self's grumbling and spoke sincerely.

Watching him, Dweno said,

"Aaron."

"What?"

"Don't turn out like that idiot anymore."

"Why?"

"When an adult says not to, you say yes, sir."

"Dweno, you sound like a old man."

"…That damn brat really ruined the kid."

Dweno looked to the sky and sighed.