Chapter 390

390.

Crackle-crackle-crackle!

A powerful bolt of pure-white lightning was tearing through the sacred domain of Pegasus.

“What nonsense…! How could His Majesty heed the call of such an impure being?!”

Arpia exclaimed in disbelief.

Looking at the astonished Arpia, Rodia, arms crossed, spoke up.

“It’s not that nonsensical, is it?”

“What did you say?”

“Look, I know Lord Kyle’s reputation well too, so I can understand why you’re thinking this way.”

Rodia turned his gaze towards the lightning-filled domain.

“You all, why does Pegasus not give up on an invisible hope and continue to fight?”

“Do you also think we are foolish?”

“Not at all.”

Rodia shook his head.

Her orange eyes, like the setting sun, pierced straight into Arpia.

‘Is this Dragon really a juvenile Dragon?’

A sense of wisdom could be felt emanating from the young Dragon, still in its infancy.

While Arpia carefully observed Rodia.

“Because the world is kept from destruction due to noble beings like you.”

Rodia said.

“And if the reason for not abandoning that hope is because we believe in the threadbare possibility that the world will someday be saved… well, there’s nothing absurd about it, is there?”

Arpia’s eyes widened.

“It might not be trustworthy right now. Nonetheless, believe in it.”

Rodia said, making eye contact with Arpia.

“Because Lord Kyle will make a miracle happen.”

“…Have we met somewhere before?”

“Hmm.”

Rodia gave a wry smile.

Although pretending to be unaware, Rodia knew Arpia well.

Not only her—Rodia also knew her Vow Keeper, Alene Prilène.

‘They weren’t just acquaintances but close friends.’

Alene and Arpia had been assistants in the battle against the King of Gluttony, Jormungand.

And they had sacrificed themselves countless times to save Rodia.

‘We don’t worry about it, let’s just keep attacking! Kyle!’

‘Show it! The hope you spoke of!’

Back then, in Rodia’s immature days, when possessed by Kyle’s body, Rodia spoke of hope.

Rodia’s words were true.

The world was saved by the Great Hero and restored to peace. The scorched world reclaimed its original form, and many races flourished once again in a golden age.

But to the people of this time, such a future seemed like an impossible fantasy.

Alene and Arpia staked everything on that improbable dream.

Even if the source of this message was the controversial Hero of Survival, Kyle, they didn’t hesitate to sacrifice themselves to create a path, trusting in the sincerity behind Rodia’s words.

‘It still hurts, after all.’

Rodia closed his eyes.

‘That a friend who shared friendship with me, who saved me countless times, could forget me…’

It wasn’t something that could be dismissed as just another figure from the past.

Hooaaak!

At that moment, the lightning dissipated, revealing Leo and Albus.

That instant, all the Pegasi bent their knees and bowed their heads.

“Please raise your heads.”

With Albus’s words, the Pegasi lifted their heads.

“I have formed a pact with Kyle, who is present here.”

The Pegasi began murmuring among themselves.

“Of course, he hasn’t been fully recognized as a Vow Keeper.”

Albus glanced at Leo.

“Though he certainly has the qualifications to form a contract with me, I don’t know him well enough yet.”

For a Familiar King, fulfilling the contract conditions alone was not enough.

Whether the individual was truly valuing as a Vow Keeper and if their pursuits were worthy of assistance were all evaluated.

If they didn’t find them suitable, the contracts could be broken at any time.

Albus’s words made Leo smirk.

“So, Kyle.”

Albus blinked her expressionless eyes.

“You said you were going to purge the primal evil, yes? Do you have a plan?”

“There is one. The first thing we need to do is decided.”

“What is it?”

“Hunt down the King of Gluttony, Jormungand.”

A moment of silence spread through the Pegasi at the offhand mention of the most terrifying Demon known to Leo.

“What…?”

Arpia asked again.

Smiling at Arpia, Leo replied.

“Hunt down the King of Gluttony, Jormungand. That’s our first goal.”

*

‘Alene Prilène, as always, joined without hesitation.’

Walking down the street, Lissinas recalled the list of candidates for the eradication squad.

Alene Prilène.

Lissinas had formed a friendship with her from the first day he arrived in Guardstron.

From the very beginning, Lissinas had seen through Alene’s essence.

‘Law and Order.’

Lissinas had always explored countless wisdoms since childhood, not just out of intellectual curiosity but out of necessity.

Each Dragon race has its symbol.

For Black Dragons, it’s darkness.

And every race becomes familiar with their symbol.

Fire Dragons and Water Dragons are born from volcanoes and seas and spend their childhoods there.

The same goes for Black Dragons, who grow up in the depths of the underground, becoming familiar with darkness.

Lissinas was no exception.

In the pitch-black darkness, Lissinas embraced it.

Black Dragons are the protectors of the world’s order within the darkness.

They neither hesitate to punish traitors who turn against the world nor sacrifice the few for the greater good.

That’s the way Black Dragons maintain order.

Lissinas had always seen it as natural.

She was exceptional and many of her kin believed she would grow up to be the King of Darkness without a doubt.

One day, however…

She was led by the adults to see the outside world for a short while.

It was the day young Dragons destined to lead the next generation were gathered in one place at the Dragon Conference.

And the world she saw…

Captivated the young Lissinas’ heart.

‘It was a shock.’

To Lissinas, who had only lived in the darkness, the world was breathtakingly beautiful.

‘It was… a kind of revelation.’

She was moved by the realization that this was the world she lived in.

And her curiosity about this world began to grow.

It was then that it started.

Her quest to explore all aspects of this world.

As she learned more about the world, her affection for it only grew stronger.

She came to believe without a doubt that everything in this world had value.

It was around this time.

She began to reject the Black Dragon’s creed of cutting out what was unnecessary for the world.

And… then came the age of catastrophe.

The world Lissinas had been curious about was destroyed.

The world lost its light and hope and transformed into one filled with darkness, despair, and sighs.

So, Lissinas made a vow.

To restore the world to its original state.

She studied ancient scriptures to eradicate the primal evil.

And she learned about the primal evil, Erebus.

‘That he is a being comparable to the gods, and that he was a being displaced by the order established by the gods over countless ages.’

The reason the Demons created by Erebus were not eradicated even under the era of the gods.

It was because not even the gods could destroy Erebus.

‘If the gods are light… then Erebus is darkness.’

Light and darkness.

They cannot coexist absolutely, yet they cannot be separated.

And when the order established by the gods collapsed…

The flames of Erebus covered the world.

The gods could no longer set foot in the lower realms and the world hurtled towards destruction.

Just as the gods hated Erebus, Erebus felt the same.

But both sides knew that they could not completely destroy each other’s existence.

Therefore, the gods bound the darkness with their order.

But Erebus was different.

The primal evil chose to burn everything and let it vanish.

Because he knew it was the only way to obliterate the gods he hated.

‘A being within the order established by the gods… cannot defeat Erebus.’

So Lissinas searched.

For a hero to save the world.

For a miraculous hero free from the gods’ order.

And the one she finally found was the Hero of Survival, Kyle.

‘With his purely unbound mana, allowing him to possess the unprecedented power of All-Class.’

A being truly beyond the world’s order.

If Lissinas’ prediction was correct, Kyle was the nemesis of the primal evil Erebus.

The hero Lissinas had desperately searched for.

‘Well, the person I barely found wasn’t the hero-like figure I expected him to be.’

So Lissinas couldn’t hastily declare that Kyle possessed the power to defeat Erebus.

The genius Mage of the Elves, Luna.

The Heaven-guardian of the Beastmen, Agon.

The great blacksmith of the Dwarves, Dwenno.

The three chosen companions to eradicate Erebus would open the path to him.

‘Including myself.’

Though they might suppress the eternally blazing Catastrophe Flame, they could not destroy it.

‘Only Kyle can defeat Erebus. In the end, he’ll shoulder the most dangerous task.’

This meant sacrificing himself for the world.

Lissinas was ready to willingly lay down her life for the world.

But not everyone could.

‘If Kyle rejects the battle against Erebus and changes his mind… the world can’t be saved.’

Kyle, the sole hope to save the world.

That’s why Lissinas kept silent about the nature of Kyle’s mana.

There was no guarantee Kyle would have the same resolve.

And so Lissinas clenched her teeth.

She remembered extending her hand, proclaiming that she would surely save the world with a noble smile.

She felt nausea from her own self-loathing and mocked herself.

‘In the end, am I nothing more than a Black Dragon after all?’

Sacrificing the few for the greater good.

Isn’t that the same as the Black Dragon’s doctrine that she despised so much?

Shaken by her self-loathing, Lissinas returned to the inn.

Then she stopped to stare at the three who were waiting for her with their meal prepared.

“Who are you two?”

Lissinas looked at the young female Dragon looking up at her with sparkling eyes, a touch bewildered.

“Hello! My name is Rodia! I’ve admired you for a long time!”

“…I’m not someone to admire that much. They call me Foolish One.”

“Yes! Don’t worry! From now on, I’ll burn anything that speaks such disrespectful words!”

“Be quiet.”

Leo sighed and pressed down on Rodia’s head.

Then he said to Lissinas.

“She says she wants to come along on our journey.”

Leo smiled and glanced at Albus.

“And this one is….”

-Hmm. The Sovereign of Purity, are you?

Katariu revealed herself above Lissinas’ head, curling her lips.

“Nice to meet you, Flame Empress.”

-For the most noble existence to choose such a remarkably rude human as her Vow Keeper is quite unexpected.

To Katariu’s words, Albus responded,

“Because Lord Kyle’s voice reached me.”

Looking at Albus calmly, Lissinas quickly gripped Leo’s wrist and dragged him outside.

“How on earth did you form a contract with the King of Pegaus?”

To Lissinas’ question, Leo replied,

“You know about my mana characteristics, don’t you?”

“What?”

Lissinas’ eyes widened.

“You… knew?”

“Yeah.”

Leo said matter-of-factly.

“And you also know that was why you chose me.”

Leo smiled.

“…So you must know I’m the most dangerous, right? Then why are you coming along?”

“Because I believe you will lead the world to salvation.”

Without hesitation, her answer made Lissinas draw in a breath.

“Don’t worry so much, Lissinas. We’re going to save the world.”

Leo said firmly.

“I’m ready. So don’t hesitate. We just need to… move forward.”

Leo knew this well.

Even the calm-smiling Lissinas was feeling uncertain about this uncertain future.

That’s why he wanted to give hope.

‘Just like it was given to me.’

With a soft smile, Leo patted Lissinas’ shoulder and said,

“Let’s go in. That Rodia person might be to your liking.”

“Okay.”

Lissinas smiled and nodded.

‘Kyle is indeed the hero I’ve been searching for.’

It suddenly dawned on her.

If Kyle was truly the hero she had searched for,

Then she had to help his journey with all her might.

In that case…

“Yeah. Kyle. You’ll definitely save the world.”

‘I must become Kyle’s shadow.’