446.
“It’s burning?”
Leo’s expression hardened.
The earthquake had already ceased.
However, Aron’s single word sent a chilling shock through Leo.
“It’s burning.”
One didn’t need to think too deeply to understand the meaning of those words.
‘Erebus’s resurrection.’
5000 years ago.
The Hero of Beginning, Kyle, had split Erebus into six pieces. Now, one of those pieces had awaken, signifying its resurrection.
‘Could one of the pieces have been dormant here all this time?’
Leo glared at the ground.
Even back then, 5000 years ago, when Erebus was split, Leo, who was involved in the act, didn’t know where the fragments had ended up.
‘The last thing I remember is seeing the broken pieces scattering in the sky.’
Erebus, engulfed in black flames, had fallen from the sky to the ground.
The final image Kyle saw before losing consciousness was the six pieces scattering like the dawn breaking through a gray sky and the appearance of a radiant sun.
After that vision, he slipped into a deep slumber.
‘So far, the pieces of Erebus that have been discovered include Silrod’s initial fragment and the fragment resurrected 3000 years ago that was sealed within the world of catastrophe by the Heroes of the Cataclysm. Also, it is believed that Hel Kaiser holds a third fragment.’
None of those fragments could possibly be here.
The fragment in Fairy Land is under Silrod’s management, while the resurrected fragment has been sealed away in the Hero Record.
‘If the Demon King had appeared here, Aron would have noticed by now.’
This meant that the Erebus Aron had sensed was the fourth fragment.
“How could it awaken so suddenly?”
Leo asked his doubt aloud, to which Aron replied.
“5000 years have passed since Erebus was defeated, and 3000 years ago, one of the fragments already resurrected, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then wouldn’t it make sense that the remaining fragments could awaken at any time?”
Aron was right.
3000 years ago, one of the fragments already resurrected. Therefore, it wasn’t strange that the others could awaken at any moment.
“But it’s too sudden.”
As Leo furrowed his brow, Aron spoke.
“Or perhaps it woke up because of the divine power used when I was brought out from the Hero Record’s containment.”
“Indeed.”
Leo nodded seriously in response to Aron’s words.
If the dormant Erebus was awakened by the use of divine power when Aron was brought to this world, it all made sense.
Just at that moment, Melina’s voice called out from above.
“Lord Leo!”
“Melina.”
A voice descended from the sky, and as Melina landed before him, Leo spoke.
“Contact the entire world immediately. There’s a possibility that a fragment of Erebus has resurrected.”
“Wh-what?”
Melina’s face turned pale.
“Surely… surely the cause of this situation is somehow connected to Erebus’s fragments?”
“Yes.”
Leo clenched and unclenched his fists as he continued.
“It seems the fourth fragment has awakened.”
“I will gather the second-year students already recalled and evacuate them along with the first-years to other regions.”
Indeed, Erebus’s fragments. In a state similar to the Rebirth of Catastrophe, this was a test far too massive for the Hero Candidates to shoulder. As a Dragon Lord, Melina swiftly handled the situation, preparing to open a warp gate with her magic.
But Melina stiffened in place.
Seeing her expression, Leo and Aron immediately understood the situation.
“It seems teleportation is impossible.”
“Yes.”
Aron’s words were met with Melina’s rigid confirmation.
The very existence of Erebus distorts and warps the laws of the world.
Magic is a skill that manipulates the laws of the world to create phenomena. Of all magic, those that manipulate space are especially unstable.
Given that Erebus’ presence destabilizes the space around it, spells that involve teleportation become entirely unusable. Even Luna’s technique is ineffective under these conditions.
“First, gather the first and second years in one place.”
“Yes. And then?”
“We need to inform them about the situation.”
Leo drew his sword as he spoke. Watching this, Melina gritted her teeth.
“The children might feel despair.”
“They will despair, but it doesn’t matter—because we also have hope, don’t we?”
“You mean…?”
“Yes, we now have a hero.”
The sudden appearance of monsters and beasts.
The 2nd-year students, who were outside in Delan, were urgently summoned and immediately engaged in battle after hearing instructions from Melina.
Flames and lightning wrapped around swords howled as they were unleashed.
KWAH-OAAH! PSSHHHTT!
“GAHHHH!”
Celia and Duran’s auras devastated a massive beast, causing it to collapse in pain with a shriek.
SWOOSH!
At that moment, Chen Sia soared up into the air, her water-based aura trailing gracefully in the air like silk.
WHOOSH!
Despite its delicate beauty, Chen Sia’s aura emitted an eerie sound as it sliced cleanly through a beast’s neck.
bl**d gushed out from the beast’s neck as if from a waterfall.
With a soft landing, Chen Sia watched as the giant body collapsed behind her.
THUNK!
The monsters crushed beneath the body turned into puddles of bl**d and flesh.
A whistling sound echoed through the air as Abad raised his staff.
“Tempest!”
As soon as he completed the incantation, a catastrophic wind blew, carrying the beasts and monsters away.
SCHREECH!
“Pinful bert!”
Chloe’s unique spell turned the surrounding monsters into shards of ice.
THUNK!
At that moment, an earthquake struck.
“Warden! Was that you?”
“No.”
When Eliza questioned Warden, he glanced at the ground.
“The earth spirits are trembling.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means something is present.”
Just as Warden narrowed his eyes, a pillar of light erupted not far away.
“That’s the mark of Dragoonia! It seems like Lord is signaling us to go there!”
In response, the students of Lumeran hurried toward the pillar of light.
There, they met the arriving first-year students, along with some graduates who had been fighting off monsters.
Kal looked in awe at the immense fortress created using alchemy.
“So this was made on the spot? Truly, a Dragon Lord’s work.”
Near the gate, Jamua shouted.
“Get inside the fortress before the monsters and beasts descend upon us!”
Following Jamua’s commanding voice, the first and second-year students all entered the fortress.
“What’s going on exactly?”
“Is this just another training drill?”
“Considering the fortress is ready, it doesn’t seem like training.”
Among them, some second-years mistakenly thought it was still a drill.
Toruwa crossed her arms and muttered irritably.
“This is why the Hero Academy’s teaching approach is problematic. Even with all the talk about how realistic the drills are, some students still assume anything is just a drill, even when abnormal circumstances unfold and monsters attack like they’re trying to k*ll us.”
“I agree with that, but thanks to this, the first and second years are handling the situation quite commendably.”
Uhta’s response made Toruwa nod hesitantly.
Listening to this, Ris muttered.
“The atmosphere doesn’t feel right.”
“Big Brother!”
Celia hurried over.
“So this isn’t a drill but an actual situation, right?”
Ris nodded to Celia’s question.
“Yes.”
“But what’s the situation?”
“I don’t know the full details. We’ll have to wait until Lord provides an explanation.”
As Ris trailed off, two dragons appeared in the sky above the fortress.
Everyone was startled as two golden scaled dragons landed on the fortress wall.
The golden dragons transformed into a middle-aged man with blonde hair and a blonde girl, standing atop the wall.
It was Melina’s subordinate, Akatis, and her heir Enkinias.
“Are all here?”
Akatis’ question prompted Rienia to step forward.
“Yes, all students from the Hero Academy are present. Could you explain the situation, please?”
Enki replied to Rienia’s inquiry.
“Lord will soon arrive and explain the current situation.”
This made the first and second years, who thought it was a training drill, start murmuring uneasily.
In the silence that followed, Melina appeared from the sky, landing on the fortress wall between Akatis and Enki.
“To all of you…”
Melina’s solemn voice immediately filled everyone with a tense atmosphere.
“You are hero candidates.”
Melina began slowly, addressing the students.
“You work tirelessly every day to become heroes, prepared to face trials whenever and wherever they may come. You are the righteous ones who fight for the world.”
Everyone listened intently, but some began to wonder as her tone deepened.
“…And trials—calamities strike without warning. It happened 5000 years ago and 3000 years ago. And now… again.”
KOOOONG!
A massive quake shook the ground, stronger than any felt before.
As all the students stared in alarm,
KAHHHH!
A colossal pillar of fire erupted in the distance, as if tearing through the earth.
The flame surged endlessly, like a towering spire piercing the sky.
The surreal sight left the hero candidates speechless.
“Black… flames?”
Someone whispered in confusion.
“It’s… the heavens!”
The sky began losing its light, stars disappearing as pitch-black darkness filled the air.
The students recognized the ominous signs all too well.
5000 years ago, and 3000 years ago—these were the harbingers of global destruction.
As everyone realized the gravity of the situation in terror,
Melina’s voice boomed heavily, proclaiming the truth.
“To all of you, the calamity has awoken.”
“To all of you, the calamity has awoken.”
As Melina’s powerful voice echoed, Leo muttered while gazing skyward from the top tower of the fortress.
“To see this accursed sight again…”
The symbol of the calamity coloring the sky sent shivers down his spine.
“I see now… this feeling.”
Aron murmured wistfully.
Aron, born in the Era of Catastrophe, didn’t know what it was like to lose peace. The despair that came with facing horrific calamities was something he was unfamiliar with.
“To everyone, it feels different. That sky is about to disappear tonight.”
Leo looked at Aron.
“I wanted you to live peacefully, to live without worry.”
“I’ve had plenty. And I’ve found much peace.”
Aron smiled.
“I once died. But thanks to Kyle, I got to see the world we saved. What greater blessing could there be?”
Both Leo and Aron knew.
This battle would mean Aron’s end.
Though the situation was grim, neither Leo nor Aron were strangers to despair.
But the young sprouts were different. To them, this despair was too large to bear.
“But, dear ones, don’t worry.”
Melina’s strong voice carried out.
At this, Leo spoke.
“Thus… we need a symbol.”
There was no point in hiding now.
“If calamity has returned, then it’s time for the symbol of courage to also return.”
Leo stared directly into Aron’s eyes.
“I need your courage, Aron. Please.”
“Leave it to me.”
With a knowing smile, Aron leaped down from the tower.
THUNK!
Landing beside Melina, Aron looked down at the hero candidates.
“Teacher Akkan?”
Chen Sia looked at him questioningly.
With all eyes on him, Aron raised his hand.
BLAST!
A surge of aura erupted from Aron’s hand, creating a massive column of light piercing the sky like Erebus’s black flames.
That light soon formed into a golden sword.
Aron, holding the golden sword, swung it towards the pillar of fire.
WHOOSH! KAHHHHH!
The pillar split in two, causing a tremendous explosion.
Someone, gazing at the awe-inspiring spectacle, muttered.
“He… split the heavens?”
The night sky, hidden by Erebus’ power, had revealed the twinkling stars again.
Toruwa murmured an old legend passed down for centuries.
“When he wields his sword, the heavens split… people gained great courage from this overwhelming sight.”
Everyone stared at the legendary figure’s back, remembering his name.
“The hero… Aron.”
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
