449.
Booming sounds echoed as Erebus took a step forward.
Kook-kook-kook-kang-!
With just one step, the entire ground shook violently.
Whoo-shh-!
A fierce wave of black flames erupted around Erebus.
Even at a distance, an intense heat that choked the breath radiated outward.
Toluah wiped cold sweat from her brow and muttered under her breath.
“To this extent, just from his existence…”
Erebus hadn’t used any special powers.
He had simply taken one step.
Yet it felt as though a massive calamity had unfolded.
The sky emitted an increasingly ominous dark red glow.
Uhta, with Rienia riding in front of him, murmured.
“Indeed. The Lady Aron decided not to bring other frontline fighters for reasons like this, I see.”
Excluding Aron, most party members were adept at long-range attacks.
Lunia, Eiran, and Eliza formed a team of three.
Lunia concentrated on attacking with the Phoenix King’s White Flame.
Eiran protected Lunia with the family’s unique Anima sword and armor.
Eliza carried Lunia, evading Erebus’ attacks.
It was a combination tailored so the still inexperienced Lunia could focus solely on attacking.
“It seems different now, but initially, I thought Lady Aron was truly extraordinary to handle him alone.”
Rienia wiped nervous sweat from her brow.
“Any other knight class in the frontline would’ve been reduced to ashes instantly.”
The reason Riena, Jamua, and Vanir-like frontliners were not brought was because they weren’t yet qualified to stand here.
Rienia and the others were no different, merely able to support Lady Aron from outside the battlefield.
“Though, there’s already a student who’s standing on that stage.”
Rienia glanced upward.
She could see Leo looking down at Erebus.
Taking a deep breath, Rienia lifted her bow.
“Leave it to you, Uhta.”
“You can count on me.”
Among the hero candidates here, Rienia was the most powerful purely in terms of raw strength.
A former student council president from Seirun, she was a magic archer who wielded both magic and aura. Even back then, being merely strong wasn’t enough to become president of Seirun.
“Though things are different now.”
Until last year, only the strongest star mage of the era could become Seirun’s president.
Toluah sent Lunia flying toward Eliza.
“Take care, irritable summoning department junior.”
“You’re awfully casual about this situation.”
“Indeed. We’re merely here to support Lady Aron from offstage. Besides…”
Toluah glanced at Lady Aron’s figure standing before the massive black catastrophe.
“We have our hero.”
“Once more…are you prepared to see the sight of the world burning?”
Aron narrowed his eyes.
As he did, Erebus’ gaze flickered.
There was no trace of fear in Aron’s eyes.
“Hmm.”
Erebus smirked in amusement.
“Apparently, the one who couldn’t accept his impending d*ath until the very last moment back then now no longer fears d*ath.”
Aron gripped his sword toward Erebus with a blank expression.
“Having experienced d*ath, have you overcome the fear that arises from ignorance? Or…”
Swish-!
Erebus’ sword-arm was raised.
“Is it that, as the paltry remnant of the past, you’re indifferent to life and d*ath?”
Koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-kang-!
With all his force, Erebus swung his arm, causing black flames to soar into the sky.
The black flames engulfed Aron directly.
“Aron-sama!”
Melina called out anxiously, to which Leo responded.
“He’s fine.”
“Huh?”
“He wouldn’t be fazed by something like that.”
Simultaneously with Leo’s words, a golden flash pierced through the black flames.
Aron gripped the sword with both hands.
Whooom-!
“Hoo-”
Inhaling deeply and closing his eyes while concentrating, Aron’s extrasensory perception opened.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the flames writhing around Erebus.
The face of Erebus, twisted into a fierce snarl, became visible.
Clear mockery directed toward him.
But Aron paid no heed.
“Be calm.”
Aron had already tasted defeat.
No one knew this fact better than Aron himself.
The moment extrasensory perception revealed Kyle and Luna’s deaths, Aron experienced extreme fear.
And chose his own d*ath in place of them.
Because he was afraid of losing his friends.
“But at the moment Kyle came to rescue me, I gave up.”
The friend with a will of steel would never have given up.
“And Luna would have trusted in her own potential until the end.”
The friend who had boundless self-confidence in her possibilities.
“Likely, Rissinas wouldn’t have lost hope until the end.”
The friend who possessed the greatest hope in this world.
“Because he would have believed that Kyle wouldn’t give up until the very end. Unlike me.”
Aron held up his sword vertically.
His expressionless face was reflected on the blade.
The existence of someone who had countless times been paralyzed by fear, having completely broken, was there.
“But thanks to my friends, I was able to witness the world salvaged.”
“Therefore, I have no regrets anymore. Therefore…”
“You will annihilate by whatever means!”
Flash!
With Aron’s proclamation, a golden streak of energy slashed at Erebus’s neck.
Yet the neck wasn’t severed.
Koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-kang!
Erebus’s gigantic body fell, crashing into the ground.
“Let’s leave the remnants of the past! The phantom of the past will deal with it!”
Aron pointed his sword at the sky.
Crackle-!
A brilliant golden light shot toward the sky.
As if mimicking a sun-like small gold sphere that exploded in the sky.
Flash! Koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-kang!
A downpour of sword energy like rain from the heavens covered Erebus.
“The world.”
“That is…the battle of the Great Hero!”
The hero candidates standing on the castle wall gaped in awe.
The battle of the Great Hero truly transcended all common sense.
To this extent, even those who had spent their lives hearing tales of Great Heroes, admiring, revering, and praising their strength and achievements, were shocked.
“At this level, one saves the world, huh.”
Duran muttered with a sense of reverence on his face.
“Wow…the battle at the Gaistrom Fortress was truly impressive, but this goes beyond any comparison?”
The awe was palpable to even Kal, who had once witnessed Aron’s power.
“Is this the ultimate form of Lady Aron?”
It was exactly as described in the documents.
Truly a ‘God of War’.
“Leo fights at the forefront in battles like that?”
Abad whispered softly.
After Aron’s attack began,
Toluah’s and Uhta’s attack commenced.
Toluah’s magic pierced through the flames Erebus emitted, hitting its body directly.
Uhta, riding a Pegasus, darted through the air at incredible speed, hindering Erebus’ flames.
Whoosh-!
At that moment,
A tremendous column of pure white flame rose toward the sky.
Seeing it, Driana murmured.
“It’s Lunia.”
The moment she said it,
Whoosh-!
The Emperor Flame covered Erebus.
Cheers erupted among the Seirun students.
“As expected from Senior Lunia!”
“Next student counsel president of Seirun!”
“According to the documents, the Phoenix King’s flame is an eternal blaze that never extinguishes, right?”
The Seirun first-years’ eyes lit up.
Koo-koo-koo-koo-kang!
But soon, seeing Erebus emerge undeterred from the white flames, they hesitated.
Even after taking a direct hit from Toluah and Lunia’s magic, Erebus didn’t show any signs of faltering.
“That much magic and yet it doesn’t flinch…”
“Is it possible to participate in battle like this?”
Not only among the first-years but also among the second-years, voices of fear could be heard.
Seeing this, Celia furrowed her brows.
When people see something beyond their imagination, they easily become frightened.
“I did the same.”
In the mid-term exam of the first semester, Leo himself was a figure of nothing but dread.
She was scared, despairing, believing she could never catch up.
“Yet, I couldn’t keep my head down forever.”
The sight of Leo forging ahead like showing them his back spoke volumes.
As if saying he was waiting for the day they stood on the same battlefield.
Leo was, in a way, saying that.
“Others need to understand this as well.”
Just as Celia was pondering how to boost the courage of her classmates and juniors,
Thud- thud- thud-!
Arga stomped her feet irritably.
“Why are you like that?”
To Kal’s question, Arga screamed.
“I’m frustrated!”
“What?”
“The Black Rabbit and the irritable brat! And Eiran is already on that stage!”
“Well, Leo is extraordinary, and both Lunia and Eiran have special skills, which is why they’re on the stage. It’s not that you’re lacking…”
“Therefore, I’m frustrated!”
Changes began in Arga’s body.
The characteristics of a feline became more prominent in her physique.
She was transforming.
Arga, standing on her hind legs like a cat snarling, hissing, and bristling, declared.
“I obviously don’t have the qualifications to stand on that stage! To stand beside such a great hero and experience that glory!”
That remark drew everyone’s gazes to Arga.
“To anger! I’ll vent this anger on those ugly monsters!”
Nyaaah! With a sharp cry, Arga sprinted down the castle wall.
Seeing Arga’s retreating figure, the students, who had been stunned by the battle beyond their comprehension, clenched their teeth, showing expressions of embarrassment.
While they were paralyzed by fear, someone was angry for not being able to join that fight.
They felt shame at this stark difference.
“d*mn it!”
“Was I this weak? No, I’m not!”
Gritting their teeth and fighting off their fear.
Seeing this, Celia muttered.
“Did Arga plan this?”
“That fool? Surely not.”
Kal chuckled.
Next to him, Driana nodded.
“True, it wasn’t planned. But this seems to be Arga’s ability.”
“Arga’s ability?”
Celia tilted her head.
“She’s the person designated by the Hero as the successor. It seems fitting that her every action instills courage in others.”
Driana grinned as she wielded an enormous battle axe from the space beside her.
Looking at her retreating figure, Celia balled and unclenched her fists.
“I can’t afford to fall behind.”
The battlefield isn’t confined to that area alone.
Rooooooar-!
Monsters spawned by Erebus’ authority stormed the castle walls.
*
“Master Leo, your orders.”
To Melina’s words, Leo said,
“Melina, you’re Lissinas-sama’s successor, right?”
“Huh? Oh, yes. Despite my shortcomings, I’ve regretfully taken on the challenge of exploring Lissinas-sama’s realm…”
“Then, take command.”
“Me?”
Melina was baffled.
“Bu-but how can I dare command when Master Leo is here…”
“Command was originally Lissinas’s role.”
“…”
“How long do you plan to remain silent?”
Leo’s cold words made Melina grit her teeth and bow her head.
During the attempt on the world of chaos,
Melina led the expedition.
And her party was wiped out.
Since that time,
Melina became the ‘silent dragon.’
Even now, having broken her silence, she couldn’t contemplate leading the party against Erebus.
Seeing her hesitation, Leo said,
“Melina.”
“…”
“Look at that.”
Leo pointed at Aron fighting against Erebus.
“Leo-sama…”
“Even if you’re afraid, look at that figure. We’ve gained courage from it. If you find it hard to believe in yourself, trust me. You have ample ability to lead this party and fight against Erebus. I assure you.”
Hearing this, Melina took a deep breath.
“Yes!”
With that response, Leo smirked.
“Will you?”
Leo extended his hand.
A bright light accompanied the materialization of a staff.
“Though it doesn’t suit me…”
Leo twiddled the tip of the staff as he spoke.
“I’m just going to mimic what Luna would do.”
![[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")
