Chapter 203

203

– Distinguished guests in the spectator seats, please evacuate immediately to the inside of Seirun’s campus! I repeat, distinguished guests in the spectator seats, please evacuate immediately to the inside of Seirun’s campus…

An urgent voice echoed throughout the school.

Those who had come to Seirun to watch the Ruse Tournament quickly followed the students’ guidance and evacuated into the main building of Seirun.

“Foolish Demon Queen.”

Before the Demon Queen could arrive.

From the gathering of heroes and hero guild members, none other than Birius was the first to speak.

A man active on the frontline against Tartarus assigned to Seirun.

Even though his name was not yet listed in the Hero Record, his skill was reportedly on par with active heroes.

“This is an unprecedented situation, but it might actually be a good thing.”

Birius looked around the room and spoke confidently.

“This is Hero Academy Seirun. No Legion Commander would dare to invade such a place. For her to walk right into this, it’s almost like she’s handing us a win.”

Birius curled his lips into a smirk.

“Crisis is opportunity! Let’s exterminate Demon Queen Silatuna here today!”

While the Hero Academy is not often recognized due to its name, it has many hidden forces aside from just students and educators.

Combined, their power stationed within the school is so formidable that they could potentially engage in war against an entire world.

And this time, they were prepared with gathered heroes in anticipation of Tartarus’ provocation.

Birius showed confidence, and a few others nodded in agreement when suddenly…

“It might be possible with a regular Legion Commander… but our opponent is Demon Queen Silatuna.”

Then Undine knight Jin from Lumeran spoke.

“We might end up being the ones in trouble if we attempt extermination so recklessly?”

“Ho, ho. With all this power at our disposal and you’re still afraid? Not very befitting of someone whose name is on the Hero Record.”

As Jin frowned at the rude remark, Nerzia spoke coldly.

“Birius. Is this the time to cause discord with such words?”

“I apologize.”

Birius bowed deeply to Nerzia, and upon seeing it, Nerzia sighed.

Watching this, Jin shook his head internally.

‘This is why supremacist brats are such a pain.’

Jin, familiar with this type of elf, knew that ignoring them was usually the best course.

That’s when the principal of Seirun, Bennett, spoke up.

“Our current strength is indeed formidable, but our opponent is a Legion Commander who has existed since before the Era of Catastrophe.”

With his characteristic emotionless face, Bennett looked around the room and spoke.

“She is a being that must not be understood with our common sense. Our goal should be to stop the Demon Queen, not exterminate her.”

“I agree with Bennett as well.”

Nerzia nodded.

At that, a few elf heroes showed their dissatisfaction.

But there was no one daring enough to argue against the principal and vice principal of Seirun, who held the ultimate responsibility.

“What do you think, Kalyan?”

Bennett asked Kalyan.

Everyone held their breaths and focused on Kalyan.

Kalyan, the Sword Sage of legends.

The strongest hero of this generation, known for taking down a Legion Commander.

“I also agree with your words.”

Upon hearing Kalyan’s agreement, Bennett nodded.

“Then let’s divide our tasks.”

As Bennett spoke, an elf hero raised their hand.

“Principal sir, so who is going to handle Demon Queen Silatna…?”

“Silatuna and her forces will be stopped by me and the heroes I select.”

Kalyan calmly said.

“You all will take care of Silatuna’s ‘legion’.”

Beyond the tall walls of Seirun.

The hero alliance of Lumeran and Seirun stood ready.

“I approve of setting up an external defensive line here… but what do you plan to do?”

As elf hero Rubecia Teigura looked on with a puzzled expression, Ellen Lundar spoke calmly.

“Just watch.”

The one moving forward to build the defensive line was Sedgen.

Trub trub trub…

With his staff in hand, Sedgen walked forward alone.

When Sedgen stopped at a spot far from Seirun’s walls, some of the elves looked on curiously.

Thwack!

Guuuuuuuh!

Sedgen struck the ground with the end of his staff.

The earth began to shake, and then a colossal wall began to rise.

Guuuuuuuh!

“…”

Seeing Sedgen create such a tall wall in the blink of an eye, many of the elves widened their eyes in surprise.

“Professor Sedgen’s alchemy still remains as formidable.”

From the back, Chade LeWalyn, clutching his staff, expressed his admiration, and Ain nodded.

“Both Professor Sedgen and Professor Halind would have surely been listed in the Hero Record long ago had they served on the front lines instead of as educators.”

Though not specialized for combat, Sedgen’s alchemy boasted a power that could easily shift the balance of the battlefield.

Once the wall was completed, magicians quickly imbued it with reinforcement and defensive spells.

With the creation of this new fortress in a blink of an eye, the hero alliance completed their preparation for the legion’s attack.

As he sat atop the wall, Kalyan asked Halind.

“Professor Halind, is external communication still cut off?”

“Yes.”

“Tsk. They’ve prepared thoroughly.”

Also, space travel is impossible.

It was a situation where all external support was completely severed.

But the eyes of the hero alliance burned with courage.

Everyone here knew it.

No matter how terrifying the Demon Queen’s legion from the time of the calamity was, not even a single legion could possibly surpass the united power of Lumeran and Seirun’s hero alliance.

Just as the hero alliance was waiting for the Demon Queen, it began.

Kung! Kung! Kung!

The ground began to rumble with the sounds.

In the forefront, the Giganthes corps could be seen.

On the head of the largest among them was an unsettling throne made of flesh, on which sat a woman.

Upon seeing her, everyone involuntarily swallowed hard.

‘Demon Queen, Silatuna.’

Kung!

The march of the demonic race’s legion led by Giganthes came to a halt.

At a considerable distance, the hero alliance and the Demon Queen’s forces stood in standoff.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Amidst the continuous downpour, Silatuna, crossed-legged on the throne, spoke.

“Hello there, wormlike beings.”

Silatuna’s eerie voice echoed throughout all of Seirun.

Her voice, loud enough to reach not just the hero alliance at the defensive line but also the civilians within Seirun and the lowerclassmen waiting in standby.

“My name is Silatuna, servant to the great calamity Erebus.”

Her colossal voice carried a power that terrified its listeners.

“I’ve personally descended here to hunt you all down for your honor…”

“Begone! Filthy demon!”

Suddenly, Birius shouted.

“How dare you invade here without knowing what this place is! This is Seirun! Today shall be the day we eradicate you and avenge our forebears… Cough!”

“Insolent vermin.”

Aoooohhh!

A deep crimson evil power wrapped around Birius’s body.

Those around him urgently tried to rescue Birius by attempting to dismantle the deep crimson evil power.

Birius also tried to increase his resistance to counter Silatuna’s power.

But Silatuna’s curse was beyond resistance.

“Did I say anyone could interrupt my words?”

Without even glancing at Birius, Silatuna sneered.

“What does capturing a few hero worlds even matter? You think you’ll become a great hero?”

“Kukk…!”

Birius let out a choking sound.

Just as his body was about to inflate,

Whooshhh!

His body was enveloped by crimson flames.

Thud!

“Haaa… Haa… Th-Thank you, Master Ellen.”

Ellen, with his Phoenix flames, burned away the power of Silatuna, narrowly saving Birius’s life.

“Don’t provoke the enemy recklessly.”

Ellen warned Birius coldly.

As Birius deeply bowed his head in apology,

“You sure do talk a lot, Demon Queen.”

“Sword Sage.”

Kalyan stepped forward, and Silatuna narrowed her eyes.

“Did you like my little gift?”

“Yes. That insolent gift of yours caused me quite a bit of trouble.”

In response to Silatuna’s provoking words, Kalyan chuckled and nodded.

“On the bright side, it allowed us to eliminate every spy you planted. Fortunate that you’re so ignorant. If it was the Demon King or the Giant King, they wouldn’t have schemed so carelessly.”

Seeing Kalyan laughing joyfully, Silatuna gave a deadly smile.

“You d*mn old man.”

“So, did you invade Seirun to seek revenge?”

“If I did?”

“It’s a good thing for us.”

Kalyan gave a lethal smirk.

Whooshhhhh!

Even the hero alliance flinched at the overwhelming killing intent from the Sword Sage.

Gwooooooh?

Keeeeeek?

The Demon Queen’s legion started to stir.

“Eventually, your notorious reputation of ‘Greatest Demon’ will become a ‘legend.'”

Upon hearing those words, Silatuna began laughing madly.

Gooohhhhhhhhh!

With her laughter alone, the wall created by Sedgen began to tremble.

The monstrous power made the hero alliance feel a chill down their spines.

Silatuna’s insane laughter suddenly stopped.

“Ambitious dreams you have.”

Silatuna raised her hand.

“Enough idle chatter. Let’s begin, shall we?”

With that, Kalyan unsheathed his sword.

“Let’s see you flail around as your ancestors’ heroes once did.”

Silatuna wiggled her fingers.

Gwooooohhhhh!

Kung! Kung! Kung!

The Demon Queen’s legion began a unified charge.

“Everyone, prepare for battle.”

With Kalyan’s quiet words, the hero alliance gripped their weapons.

“Attack!”

As Kalyan shouted, the magicians’ spells illuminated the sky.

Kaaaaa-Baaaaaaaang!

Magnificent magic erupted on the ground.

Countless demons were obliterated by the magic.

The black magic shot by the demon race exploded upon colliding with the wall.

Watching this scene, Silatuna rested her chin and laughed.

“Seems like the time has come.”

*

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah-

Rain was falling.

Leo, who realized it, opened his eyes.

“Black rain…?”

He muttered absentmindedly.

The black rain symbolizing the Age of Catastrophe.

‘Right, I’ve entered the Hero’s World.’

The moment he realized this, Leo noticed that he was lying on his back and got up.

As he looked around, the area was in ruins.

A devastated fortress.

He recognized it.

‘The Zerdiaq battle.’

Poison King Zerdiaq.

A fearsome legion commander known for handling lethal toxins.

He was the most dangerous monster among the legion commanders that the Great Heroes had successfully eradicated.

‘The Zerdiaq battle was when those great heroes eradicated him.’

‘This history is known as the tale where all the other Great Heroes fought the Zerdiaq legion while Luna single-handedly eradicated him.’

The real history was different.

‘Luna and I combined our strength to eradicate him.’

As he recalled that time, Leo looked around.

‘This record in the Hero Record must be the one we tampered with back then. But why has it been activated now?’

Leo felt a sense of doubt.

‘And why isn’t the battle happening?’

In his fight against Zerdiaq, Kyle and Luna fought endlessly.

This was the site where Zerdiaq was eradicated.

Originally, a fierce battle should be happening right now.

However, there was no sign of such a battle anywhere.

‘What’s going on? Could Tartarus be responsible here too?’

Previously, in Luna’s world, the events clearly deviated from actual history.

There was no guarantee that the same wouldn’t happen now.

‘Unlike Lumeran, where we expelled all the traitors, Seirun still has traitors within. Perhaps they’ve also infiltrated Luna’s world again…’

“You…?”

While Leo was lost in thought, a somewhat surprised voice reached his ears.

Quickly turning his head, he saw a very familiar elf woman standing there.

Unlike the girl he had seen before, she looked much more mature.

She looked surprised and was looking at him. Leo instinctively called out her name.

“Luna.”

Upon instinctively calling out Luna’s name, Leo fell into thought.

For Luna, it must have felt like a stranger just randomly called her name. However, contrary to his expectations, Luna smiled and responded to his call.

“Yes, Kyle.”