Chapter 149

149.

Kugugu-guung-!

The Barharun Castle has collapsed.

The city known as the Sacred Ground of the Elves is burning.

The scene of devastation created by the Shards of the Great Catastrophe was nothing short of pure terror and awe.

And the Great Catastrophe was not stopping at just Barharun—it was even destroying the Hero’s World.

Hwarrrrrk-!

The world was on fire.

Tubek- Tubek-

On the outskirts of Barharun.

“Hmmph.”

Pibua, who had climbed to the top of the spire of the Tower of the Gods, sat down.

In his divine eyes, he could sense the world burning.

“The world is collapsing.”

Pibua, with a leisurely expression, swirled the wine in his hand.

Even as his own existence was fading, he seemed unfazed.

‘It doesn’t matter anyway. This body is just a fake.’

Whether his future self returned to the Heavenly Realm or dissipated, he had no way of knowing.

But deities don’t concern themselves with such matters greatly.

They understood better than anyone that the most crucial thing was the present.

Pibua’s eyes turned toward a single individual.

“Kyle, show me why you are the Great Hero.”

With a deep smile, Pibua gulped down the wine.

*

Hwarrrk-

Lunia looked up at the sky and clenched her jaw.

“The world is collapsing.”

Though she hadn’t experienced much yet, she could clearly sense that the world of Luna was breaking apart.

“If the Hero’s World collapses without being conquered, what happens?”

“I don’t know either. There is no such case in the literature.”

Elena, saying this, glanced briefly at the sky.

“But it’s certain that the conquerors won’t fare well.”

‘Is that even possible…? Sounds like a stupid question.’

There was no choice.

Now was the time to overthrow the legendary Great Catastrophe.

Taking a deep breath, Lunia slapped her cheeks hard.

With the sound of “Tsallssik-!” Elena widened her eyes and looked at Lunia.

The eyes of the elf girl were now gleaming with intensity.

“Leo didn’t flinch, right? I can’t keep hesitating anymore!”

‘How embarrassing if I, who boldly declared a rival, am the only one trembling in fear!’

The rival she aimed to catch up to was already far ahead.

She couldn’t sit idly by like this.

Seeing Lunia gathering her resolve, Elena asked,

“Doesn’t your cheek hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Really?”

Kuk-!

“…!”

While watching Elena mercilessly poking her own cheeks with “Kuk-! Kuk-!”, Lunia’s eyes widened.

Being teased made her pride kick in.

“It does hurt,” Lunia declared.

“Wow. One tough lady.”

Dduk-!

“If it hurts normally, then why aren’t you saying so already?!”

With wide eyes, Lunia shouted, and Elena chuckled.

“You’re quite unusual for an elf, aren’t you? All those excellent student qualities must be an act?”

With tears slightly welling in her eyes, Lunia, clutching her cheeks, glared at Elena.

At that moment,

“What is that monster?”

“Has he arrived? Hardin.”

“It’s Erebus.”

“Erebus?!”

“More precisely, it’s likely to be a piece of Erebus.”

Elena grinned with a malevolent smile.

“And now we’re going to take it down.”

At this, Hardin tensed up.

He wanted to hear the detailed story, but the situation didn’t seem conducive.

“Where is Leo Flove?”

“Leo? He’s over there.”

Elena pointed ahead.

Hardin’s eyes widened.

“Ancestor?”

An elegant elf maiden had captured Hardin’s eyes.

Had it not been for the current situation, he would have offered a proper respectful greeting as per elf customs and marveled at her presence.

But this was not the time.

Hardin gripped his sword.

Meanwhile, Leo approached with Luna.

“Hm? There’s one more person. Are you also part of the group?”

“Yes. Lady Luna, this is Hardin. A great and beautiful streak of starlight-like…”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s save the small talk for later.”

Elena interrupted Hardin’s eloquent rhetoric aimed at praising Luna and asked,

“So, Leo. I suggested we take this thing down. Do we have a plan?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“I’ll handle the front with Luna. We ask Senior Elena and Lunia for magical support from the rear. Hardin, we ask you to stop any attacks aimed at the two of them from the middle.”

“Isn’t it the right tactical structure to position the mage, Lady Luna, at the rear and have you and me handle the front?”

As Hardin expressed his doubts, Luna smirked.

“Mages hate being stuck at the rear. And likely, only this guy and I can stop that monster’s attacks.”

“If Lady Luna says so, then we follow.”

Elena grinned.

In truth, moments ago when Erebus swept across the area, neither Lunia nor Elena had the means to protect themselves from the black flames and had to rely on Luna for help.

‘But Leo managed to block the flames all by himself.’

That was strange.

‘Even in terms of raw magical power, Lunia and I clearly surpass Leo. This must mean that Leo possesses some means to counter the black flames.’

She didn’t know what it was, but for now, leaving the front to Leo and Luna was the best option.

Hardin, too, nodded in agreement with Luna’s words.

“Well then.”

Luna gripped her Polyium tightly.

Then, smirking, she glared at Erebus.

“Let’s blow that cursed thing to pieces.”

“Before that, remember one thing. We absolutely cannot come into contact with that thing’s flames.”

Everyone nodded at Leo’s words.

Leo glared at Erebus.

“Then let’s begin.”

At that moment, Leo and Luna rushed towards Erebus.

Elena and Lunia channeled their mana, and Hardin, protecting them, raised auroras and mana.

As Luna watched Leo’s retreating back while standing ahead of her, she hesitated and asked,

“Hey.”

“Why.”

“If we defeat this threat… can I follow you after?”

This made Leo pause.

Turning back to look at Luna, he said,

“Don’t we have things to do here? I’m a suspicious foreigner of unknown origin.”

To this question, Luna nodded.

“Of course we do. There are things I want to do. But I feel I might gain something far more precious by following you than I can learn here.”

Gazing straight into Leo’s red eyes, Luna continued,

“I’m sure you will show me landscapes beyond my imagination.”

“Are you in love with me?” Leo teased.

At this jest, Luna laughed brightly.

“Maybe.”

“….”

The bright smile exuding a hint of shyness caught Leo off-guard momentarily, making him expressionless.

But quickly collecting himself, he said,

“That conversation will have to wait until after we’ve defeated this guy.”

“Alright!”

With enthusiasm, Luna raised her staff high.

In that moment, her mana began to expand.

Hwarrrrk-!

“Hel Fire.”

From the tip of Polyium, a bright red flame erupted.

A supreme-class flame magic known as “Hell Fire” was created.

This magic, capable of turning everything into ashes, is something even the ancient elves were reluctant to learn because it goes against the elves’ gentle nature due to its incredibly destructive power.

Nevertheless, Luna paid no mind to such things.

Hwarrrrrk-!

Responding to Luna’s mana, Erebus emitted black flames.

“Go!”

Kagaga-gang-!

Luna’s magic flew toward Erebus.

Erebus swung its arm.

Kwaak-!

A mass of black flames separated from Erebus’s body and collided with Luna’s magic.

Kagaga-gang! Hwarrrrk-!

The black flames engulfed the Hell Fire.

Pueng-

However, as the Hell Fire exploded, the black flames scattered in all directions.

Seeing this, Leo lowered his sword.

Gooouuuuu-!

From Leo’s sword, a gray aura burst forth.

The aura soon enveloped the scattered black flames like a glass wall.

Hwarrrk-!

The black flames were deflected by Leo’s aura.

‘Erebus’s flames are the flames that never d*e — the never-ending fire.’

Fire that burns continuously, based fundamentally on mana, consumes everything.

The source of power possessed by the entity destined to bring about the world’s demise is a despairing fact for terrestrial races — that it is unextinguishable.

The current Leo does not have the immense power that Kyle had in the past.

Nor does he possess the exceptional talent and overwhelming mana like Luna, who excels in both magical acumen and natural abilities.

At a glance, it seems too reckless to take the front position.

However, Leo had confidence that he could defeat the shard of Erebus.

It’s because Leo is special.

‘We’re all special. But Kyle, among us, you’re probably the most special. Your mana characteristic is literally the natural nemesis of Erebus.’

‘A nemesis? What does that mean?’

‘Your gray mana appears, at first glance, to be attribute-less.’

‘It’s not just at first glance. It’s truly attribute-less. Totally plain. Except for being all-class, how can I compare to you guys?’

Whether it was an aura, magic, or summoning, unlike his comrades, Kyle lacked the talent to achieve ultimate abilities in any single area.

‘Your attribute-less nature is different from others.’

However, Rissinas laughed joyfully at Kyle’s murky gray force.

‘At first glance, it might look like a simple attribute-less nature, but… your mana is purer than anyone else’s. If I were to define your characteristic, I would call it “purity”.’

The characteristic assigned by the King of Wisdom.

At the time, this definition made Kyle feel slightly pleased.

Of course, there were those who disliked seeing their friend happy and intentionally ruined the mood.

‘Purity? That doesn’t suit Kyle at all!’

‘Rissinas! Purity is a symbol of beauty. Your words are blasphemous to the name itself!’

‘…Yes. I am far from purity with these eccentric elves and perverted dwarves.’

As Leo shouted and hung both of them with a headlock,

Luna fiercely pinched Kyle’s arm, and Dwenno, with his pot-lid sized hand, hammered him repeatedly.

Recalling that scene, Leo burst out laughing.

‘Arone, what do you think of Leo?’

‘He probably isn’t like purity, right?’

Arone’s awkward smile and the rubbing of his cheek.

Thinking back to those memories, Leo laughed.

‘Rissinas said purity means you can be anything. That’s why you’re an all-class.’

Gooouuuuuu-!

A magic incantation was formed in Leo’s hand.

Seeing it, Luna’s eyes widened.

‘What is that?’

It felt somewhat familiar.

Luna instantly understood what it was.

‘The incantation I developed?’

Startled, Luna shook her head.

‘No, it’s different from what I created.’

The magic Leo was using now was the Star Magic that Luna had created.

But it was special.

It was the only magic that Luna had made and couldn’t use herself.

The magic Luna had made solely for one person: Kyle.

Kyle’s unique magic.

It was a notable aspect of Luna’s genius to have created someone else’s unique magic.

This magic didn’t have any special effects or unusual properties.

It was simply a magic pellet that maximized Leo’s magical characteristics.

However,

‘Your pure mana can be anything, Kyle. But that also means…’

The meaningful smile of Rissinas, who gathered the Great Heroes to combat the Great Catastrophe, came to mind.

‘You’re unaffected by anything. That means you can counter the immortality of Erebus. That’s why you’re the natural nemesis of that loathsome Great Catastrophe.’

And indeed, that was the case.

Gooouuu- Flash-!

Leo’s gray mana transformed into pure white.

The magic that saved Leo’s life countless times in the final battle.

The magic that inflicted fatal wounds on the immortal entity multiple times…

The Magic of the Stars created by the progenitor of Celestial Clouds, Luna, but completed solely for Kyle’s use.

“Innocent.”

Hwaak-!

A sphere of pure white light formed above Leo’s head.