Chapter 370

370

Leo gazed upon the spirit before him.

It hadn’t taken very long to reach the top of this palace of pleasures.

The illusions spread across this place were undoubtedly dangerous ones that could very well steal away one’s life.

But they did not affect Leo.

Thud—Thud—

Leo approached Rael.

Rael stared expressionlessly at the approaching Leo.

“How were you able to reach here so quickly?”

Rael’s illusions were not something that could be broken simply by possessing great power.

It was a fair ‘trial’ for everyone, regardless of strength.

Yet Leo had passed it with an absurd ease.

In response to Rael’s question, Leo said,

“Because I’ve already experienced all of this before.”

Rael’s eyes flickered at Leo’s words.

“Experienced… it?”

“Yeah. It’s a little embarrassing to say, actually.”

Leo smirked and continued.

“Transcending one’s limits…”

Leo’s crimson eyes fixed directly on Rael.

“Trusting in myself until the end…”

Thud—Thud—

“Walking forward despite endless despair…”

Chk—

“Pursuing possibilities in the face of the impossible…”

Leo, standing before Rael, spoke.

“I’ve done all of these things so many times that it’s gotten tiring. That’s why I won’t be swayed by just illusions.”

“Don’t joke around! It’s absolutely not as easy as you make it sound!” Rael shouted.

“There are those who have sacrificed themselves for thousands of years because they couldn’t do that! Don’t speak so lightly!”

“Are you talking about the Heroes of the Cataclysm?”

“…!”

Rael’s eyes widened in surprise.

Except for Seirun, Leo had never met the Heroes of the Cataclysm.

But he knew what thoughts lay behind the lessons they left at the schools they founded.

Transcend your limits.

Believe in yourself.

Move forward.

Pursue possibilities.

Later generations believed these lessons represented the values the Heroes of the Cataclysm pursued.

But the reality was different.

Lumeran ultimately believed he could not transcend his own limits.

Seirun thought he gave up because he failed to fully believe in himself until the end.

Azonea reproached herself for not having the courage to move forward.

And in the case of Demian, he couldn’t believe in his own potential and eventually let go of his hammer.

The lessons at each hero-academy weren’t things the heroes had managed to achieve themselves; they were their regrets, their wishes for future heroes.

“Such foolish individuals.”

Leo let out a slight sigh.

He could somewhat understand what kind of minds the Heroes of the Cataclysm had possessed when they thought these things.

The only Hero of the Cataclysm Leo had met was Seirun.

When Seirun realized who Leo was, he couldn’t even meet his eyes.

He simply bowed his head and trembled with guilt.

The Heroes of the Cataclysm saved the world.

“But the fools didn’t think so themselves.”

They succeeded in defeating Erebus but failed to completely eradicate it.

“The immortal Catastrophe Flame continues to burn endlessly.”

Witnessing this cycle of never-ending flames, the Heroes of the Cataclysm had no choice but to confine Erebus within their world.

Then they destroyed the Hero Record to ensure Erebus couldn’t escape.

The Heroes of the Cataclysm believed they had failed, leaving the fate of the world to future generations.

“If they couldn’t transcend their limits, they wouldn’t have survived the never-ending loops. If they didn’t believe in themselves, they would have crumbled in despair. If they had no courage, they wouldn’t have chosen self-sacrifice. And because they pursued possibilities, they were able to pass hope on to the future.”

After meeting Seirun,

Leo wished to meet the other Heroes of the Cataclysm as soon as possible.

“Just what did they see when trying to defeat the Heroes of the Cataclysm’s records?”

Not even Great Heroes were immune to failures.

Had they encountered their limits only a few times?

Had they not doubted and faltered in their belief of themselves?

Had they not been gripped with fear countless times, and failed to believe in their possibilities just as many?

Perhaps they saw their own pitiable forms countless times.

Yet the Great Heroes had still saved the world.

“It’s because they didn’t give up.”

The same would apply to the Heroes of the Cataclysm.

To have accomplished such great things and still look down on themselves.

“I’ll have to give them a little lecture if I get the chance.”

Leo clicked his tongue and addressed Rael.

“So, who exactly are you? How do you know the Heroes of the Cataclysm, and why are you testing what they pursued?”

“My name is Rael. I am the Great Spirit of Luminance, governing the light.”

“The Great Spirit of Luminance?”

Leo tilted his head in curiosity.

“You’re the spirit contracted with the Dragon of the Cataclysm, Rodia, aren’t you?”

Throughout history, countless contractees of the Great Spirits have existed.

But since three thousand years ago, no one has contracted with the Great Spirit of Light.

In fact, the Spirit of Light has always been special.

This uniqueness dates back to the distant past, even to the Era of the Gods.

The Great Spirit of Light only grants contract rights to those who, not only possess the abilities of a Spirit Master, but also are qualified to lead the world generation after generation.

Luminous Great Spirit who once contracted with Lissinas, chose her because he believed she had the potential to lead the world.

Because of this selectiveness, the actual appearance of the Great Spirit of Light has been extremely rare throughout history, even though its existence is widely known.

Hence, the fact that no one has contracted with the Light Spirit for thousands of years isn’t necessarily surprising.

But…

“To think you haven’t even managed a generational transition?”

“Rodia entrusted me with a request.”

Rael’s eyes turned cold.

“To find a hero who will save the world.”

“So that’s why you created those illusions.”

Leo understood why such powerful illusions had blocked the way.

“A test, was it?”

“…Yes, once upon a time.”

The pale golden irises, which seemed ready to shine brilliantly at any moment, now darkened.

As Rael stared that way, Leo crossed his arms.

“So, am I qualified to be your Vow Keeper by breaking through all these illusions?”

“Doesn’t it feel a bit too arrogant? Leo Flove.”

Rael sneered.

“The illusions are just a part of the tests. There are many more waiting besides the illusions.”

“Is that so? What are these other tests?”

“I never said I wanted to test you specifically.”

Rael’s body slowly floated up.

Crossing her legs and brushing her white hair streaked with gold, Rael narrowed her eyes.

“For thousands of years, heroes far greater than someone like you—heroes incomparable to you—have come seeking a contract with me. All well-prepared.”

-Leo being greater than those heroes… that sounds like a far-fetched story, doesn’t it?

“Who are you?”

-I am Elshi.

“A Spirit of Darkness?”

-Yes. Pleasure to meet you, Great Spirit of Light, Rael.

Elshi slightly lifted the hem of her skirt and greeted politely.

Seeing this, Rael narrowed her eyes.

“I dislike spirits of darkness. They’re unnecessarily sinister.”

-Spirits of darkness also dislike spirits of light. They are too brightly radiant for no reason. But I admire the brilliance.

Rael thought of Elshi as a spirit with a peculiar mind.

Great Spirits possess the dominion to rule over lower spirits.

Even if from different elemental domains, no lower spirits could dare defy Great Spirits.

But Elshi retorted to Rael without hesitation.

Only other Great Spirits had the capability to do so.

The current Great Spirit of Darkness Rael knew of was Spirit of the Abyss, Ignit.

“I’ve never heard anything about the Spirit of Darkness undergoing generational change.”

Rael turned her interest away from Elshi.

Seeing Rael’s dismissive attitude, Elshi gave a faint, bitter smile.

“It’s unfair that just because we intruded, you won’t administer the test. I already passed one of the tests, didn’t I?”

“Does the title of a Great Spirit’s Vow Keeper appeal to you? How greedy of you. Aren’t you already the Vow Keeper of the Three Great Familiars? Or is it something else? Do you have some sort of craving for collecting familiars? Unfortunately, I’ve long given up on this world.”

Rael smirked.

“If you desire the title of the Great Spirit of Light’s Vow Keeper like other heroes, you’ll have to wait for the next Great Spirit of Light.”

Hearing Rael’s mockery, both Leo and Elshi exchanged glances.

Leo burst out laughing, and Elshi covered her mouth, stifling giggles.

In response to this reaction, Rael’s eyes twitched.

“What’s so funny?”

-Isn’t it obvious? A Great Spirit renowned for being the most noble among spirits, proclaiming ‘I’ve given up on this world’ while posing as the ruler of such a dark city?

Elshi’s words caused Rael’s eyes to fill with anger.

“Do you understand my feelings? All the vile sights I’ve witnessed over thousands of years, searching for a contractee while hoping for the hero who would save the world?”

Suddenly, an unusual light emitted from Rael’s body.

Observing this, Elshi’s face expressed slight disappointment.

Elshi had a strong yearning for light.

Born as the darkest entity, living through the darkest era, she developed an intense yearning for light that she could neither possess nor witness.

Thus, she admired the brilliant Great Spirit of Light, filled with the light she herself could never have.

During the Era of Catastrophe, when Elshi came into existence, the Great Spirit of Light was already absent.

That’s why she had long hoped to meet the Light Spirit of this era.

But Raerl was different from the kind of Great Light Spirit Elshi had envisioned.

As a Great Spirit of Darkness, Elshi could feel the deep darkness embedded in Rael’s heart.

“Why would a Great Spirit like you give up on the world?”

Leo asked in bewilderment.

“Hundreds of years searching! For a contractee! For the hero who would save the world! But then heroes become too absorbed in their own triumphs to move forward!”

Rael’s voice trembled with suppressed frustration.

“For 3,000 years, I have yet to encounter a proper hero! None of them truly walk toward their light; rather they harbor desires solely to elevate themselves by making a pact with me! Filled with overblown arrogance because they’ve merely been recorded on the Hero Record, proclaiming they can do anything! Can you understand how I feel after 3,000 years of witnessing such people!”

The roughness in Rael’s voice indicated the emotional release.

As a Great Spirit of Light, she had once aimed to protect the world… but eventually had to abandon her precious contractee, burdened by her own feelings of inadequacy.

“Indeed! Even those challenging the old world have appeared! But among them, none could form a contract with me! And even the grand and noble heroes ultimately failed repeatedly, didn’t they!”

Prolonged frustration locks you in darkness.

“Anyone who could form a contract with me runs away at the sight of just a fraction of the darkness I’ve seen!”

Rael cried out with obvious irritation.

“It’s not just about heroes! Look at this country! The land that bore the Dragon of the Cataclysm has become so vile! Can these things truly be worth saving?!”

All the while, knowing what kind of future awaited the world only intensified her pain.

“Don’t you dare speak lightly! You, humans who live barely a hundred years! And you, an inexperienced spirit! Can you even know what real despair is?”

After releasing a dense torrent of emotions, Rael lowered her head.

At that moment, both Leo and Elshi spoke simultaneously.

“Maybe you don’t understand…but we know despair far better than you do.”

“Do you?”

“What?”

“I get your feelings,” said Leo flatly. “But do you actually know?”

“The feeling of witnessing a world’s demise.”

“Right now, what…”

“Pfft, tsk tsk. That so-called Abyss Spirit I met earlier acted like it had seen all the world’s ugliness, creating an atmosphere, and now even the Great Spirit of Light has fallen to this? What’s going on these days?”

-Leo, that sounds incredibly old-fashioned, you know that?

While shaking her head, Elshi approached Rael and said,

-Why don’t you see it? The era I had to survive in?