491.
“My lord Demon King. Why have we come to such a ruin?”
A woman standing beside Demon King Hel Kaiser bowed her head and asked.
She was bl**d Queen Elgenie, one of the Legion Commanders of Tartarus.
“This is the grave of the Legion Commander once known as Mirror Queen, Lady Kinesh, from long ago.”
It wasn’t Hel Kaiser who answered Elgenie’s question, but rather Grand Duke Artkan of the Mourning.
Elgenie glared at Artkan.
Even though Artkan was a Great Demon who had lived for 5000 years, he was one of the Legion Commander’s confidants.
As a Demon, Elgenie’s rank was higher than Artkan’s.
However, Elgenie felt a great threat from Artkan.
It wasn’t just Elgenie.
Currently, all the Legion Commanders of Tartarus were wary of Artkan.
Even among Legion Commanders, not all were on equal footing.
The three Legion Commanders who had survived since the Era of Catastrophe—the Demon King, Demon Queen, and Giant King—were clearly in a different class.
Elgenie herself was a confidant of Demon Queen Silatuna.
As long as she was Silatuna’s confidant and a Legion Commander, she didn’t have much to worry about.
But once Silatuna fell, her standing within Tartarus began to waver.
Indeed, no Legion Commander was unaware that the current de facto ruler of Tartarus, the Demon King, did not favor the newer generation of Legion Commanders.
‘Any incompetent Legion Commander can be ousted at any time. If that happens, this person is likely to take over our position.’
If only Artkan wasn’t excessively competent, perhaps he would have already ascended to the rank of Legion Commander.
Elgenie bit her lip at the thought when…
“The Mirror Queen, Kinesh, was eradicated here by Lady Luna 5000 years ago.”
Demon King Hel Kaiser muttered calmly.
“I’ll need soil from the grave of someone who bore a grudge.”
“I shall visit the tomb of the founder of Star Cloud.”
“No, allow me the honor, my lord Demon King.”
Elgenie stepped forward, kneeling before him.
“Please bestow your command upon me.”
“If you so desire, bl**d Queen.”
“Yes, I won’t let you down.”
‘What was that just now?’
Leo, who had just wiped away the bloodstains, wore a serious expression on his face.
The undeniable pain and the stench of bl**d proved it was neither an illusion nor a hallucination.
‘Could it be related to dreams?’
Leo recalled the dream from just moments ago.
It was something he could never forget.
‘It wasn’t just a simple dream.’
It was an event that took place 5000 years ago in this very location.
Three Great Heroes who had lost Aron and Dwenno fought their decisive battle against Erebus here.
‘And… they lost.’
Technically, it wasn’t defeat.
Just as the Great Heroes couldn’t bring down Erebus, Erebus also couldn’t completely annihilate the Great Heroes.
In fact, Erebus took a significant blow and retreated.
Whether it was Aron’s or Dwenno’s time, immortality didn’t mean they were invincible.
The wounds inflicted by Aron and Dwenno gave the surviving heroes a clear path forward.
The five fierce battles on their final journey were all crucial steps in their mission to eradicate Erebus.
Still, Leo considered the four earlier battles as failures due to the loss of comrades.
Leo took a deep breath.
‘The content of the dream wasn’t from my perspective, but from Luna’s.’
Leo recalled the third battle.
Having inherited Aron’s aura and Dwenno’s flames, Leo stood alone at the front line, blocking Erebus.
As Leo closed his eyes, he remembered 5000 years ago.
‘After burying Dwenno, we headed east. And…’
It was during their rest before the third battle.
‘…Let’s surely win. Let’s survive no matter what.’
Luna vowed.
‘The three of us will achieve Aron and Dwenno’s dreams. Let’s live earnestly, for their shares as well.’
When Aron passed away, Luna wept and lost consciousness.
When Dwenno left, Luna didn’t cry.
She stifled her emotions, burning only with the desire to destroy Erebus.
‘Just before our final expedition, our thoughts were all different.’
Aron feared the d*ath of his friends.
Dwenno was resolved to sacrifice himself for others.
Lissinas pledged to save the world no matter the cost.
‘I anticipated failure.’
Leo’s gaze darkened.
When everyone was prepared for sacrifice, the only one who thought none of the five would d*e was Luna.
Partially due to her optimistic nature, but more so because Luna probably couldn’t have imagined it.
‘That we would be incomplete without any of the five.’
Though their races were different, they were family.
She couldn’t have accepted losing even one of them.
‘Let’s create a world where Aron’s hoped-for children can live happily… a world full of the beauty Dwenno sought to create. And so… let’s be happy.’
It was Dwenno’s last words to Luna.
He told Lissinas he trusted him and told Kyle to move forward.
And to Luna, he said to be happy.
Though they constantly bickered, Luna and Dwenno were the closest drinking buddies, despite their races and ideals being opposites.
‘They were like uncle and nephew.’
That’s why Dwenno genuinely worried about Luna, who couldn’t bear to let anyone go.
Luna, smiling while saying she’d be happy, was showing her last genuine smile.
When the third decisive battle began…
Erebus appeared different from before.
The massive Ancient Evil had transformed into the size of an ordinary human and revealed himself to the three.
The sudden change in appearance made the three understand who Erebus feared most.
‘That b*stard fears Luna’s magic the most.’
At the time, Luna’s magic was lethal even to the god-like Erebus.
Though incapable of killing the immortal Erebus due to her lack of pure mana characteristics, had Luna landed a direct hit and someone dared to face him afterward…
‘The b*stard would have been finished.’
That’s why he minimized his form to reduce his target.
The battle began, and Erebus relentlessly targeted Luna.
‘But Luna was a genius beyond what Erebus anticipated.’
During the battle, Luna remodeled her End magic intended for demons into a direct human-targeting spell.
As a result, though Erebus succeeded in mortally wounding Luna, Luna’s magic dealt him severe damage.
When Erebus reverted to his original form, Leo faced him alone to bring him down.
‘I should have defeated him then.’
Leo grimaced as he recalled that moment.
Alone, Leo couldn’t stop Erebus and instead was severely injured.
As the two injured warriors faced each other, Lissinas stepped forward to confront Erebus alone.
Luna looked toward Leo, smiling as if to reassure him.
Her twisted face at the verge of tears made him instantly realize her intentions.
‘Hey…!’
‘Kyle…’
‘Stop!’
‘If one of us must survive, then it’s only right that you, who carries Aron and Dwenno’s legacy, remain.’
‘Stop it! d*mn you!’
‘This is best. You would have done the same in my position.’
‘No…! No!’
‘Sorry for leaving this burden to you.’
Recalling the past, Leo looked down at his hands.
‘Could this dream be somehow related to Spirit Magic?’
Leo had once heard from Lissinas that when one dreams the experiences of a spirit, it can feel real.
‘When dreams feel like reality…’
But scars from dreams don’t appear in real life.
‘Could it even be possible for Luna’s spirit to remain after 5000 years?’
Leo’s expression grew serious.
A spirit of someone who lingers due to unfulfilled attachment.
Yet Leo doubted his comrades had any such attachment left.
Though they died without witnessing the world’s salvation, they trusted their friends who remained to achieve it.
The world was indeed saved.
Thus, the greatest wish of Leo’s comrades was fulfilled.
‘If this dream is tied to Spirit Magic… Could Luna have had some other concerns?’
Leo’s expression turned serious just as…
Knock-knock.
“Master Leo, are you awake?”
The door opened cautiously, revealing Chen Sia.
“I’m awake.”
“Yes. Please eat.”
“Alright.”
Dawn had broken sometime after Leo woke, and now it was morning.
“What do you plan to do today?”
As Chen Sia stood beside Leo emerging from his room, she inquired, to which Leo replied nonchalantly.
“I’ve got something to find.”
“Something to find?”
“That’s right.”
“What is it?”
Curious, Chen Sia asked, and Leo replied briefly.
“A grave.”
After breakfast, Leo delved deep into the forest.
“Master Leo, Chen Sia mentioned you’re looking for a grave. Whose grave are you looking for?”
“Luna’s grave.”
“A… Luna-sama…?”
Eiran first nodded as if understanding, but then her eyes widened in shock.
“Lu… Luna-sama?”
“That’s right. Luna passed away somewhere around here.”
“My goodness!”
Eiran’s wide-eyed astonishment prompted Leo to place a finger to his lips.
Realizing the hint, Eiran quickly covered her mouth.
“What kind of secret story are you making sound so interesting?”
A distant Chen Sia approached curiously.
“It’s not important.”
As Chen Sia didn’t yet know Leo’s true identity, it wasn’t the time to tell her about Luna’s grave.
Thus, the three began their search through the woods.
“Do you know the precise location?”
“Can’t say for sure.”
As Leo responded to Chen Sia’s inquiry nonchalantly, he thought:
‘The grave might have faded away by now.’
By the time the sun was high in the sky.
While pondering the grave of Luna, Leo felt a stir in his gaze.
“Master Leo?”
Chen Sia looked perplexed at Leo’s sudden shift in demeanor when:
“Heroes-to-be? What are such wet-behind-the-ears brats doing here?”
Laughter echoed.
Swish-swish.
A woman with crimson hair and crimson eyes emerged through the underbrush.
“Is she a demon?”
Chen Sia frowned at the ominous presence emanating from the woman.
“Not just any demon, human woman.”
bl**d Queen Elgenie smirked.
“I am Elgenie, the bl**d Queen, a mighty Legion Commander of Tartarus!”
The unexpected heavyweight’s appearance startled both Chen Sia and Eiran.
“Legion Commander, what brings you here?”
Leo inquired blankly.
“I don’t owe you an explanation, but… suffice it to say I’ve come here by Demon King’s order.”
Elgenie laughed mockingly.
Mentioning the Demon King’s name was simple.
The name itself instills fear in others.
Elgenie had already frightened the hero candidates with her presence, and mentioning the Demon King only deepened their dread.
The bl**d Queen intended to instill terror and then eliminate the trio.
“King Demon.”
Leo smirked.
“If he sent a powerful demon of Legion Commander rank all the way here… you’re here for Luna’s grave, aren’t you?”
“How in the world would you know that?”
Elgenie’s expression darkened.
And in that instant…
Leo’s eyes glimmered.
A terrifying aura of killing intent emanated from Leo’s body, making the surroundings tense.
Chen Sia’s face turned pale.
She could feel water spirits fleeing in terror due to her pact with them.
Eiran’s lips trembled uncontrollably.
A primal aura of d*ath.
And just as it appeared, it vanished.
“From the moment you demons showed up here, I never intended to let you d*e peacefully.”
Leo was grinning.
“Especially if your purpose is Luna’s grave, I’ll have to give you even more attention.”
“What… what is this human?”
Elgenie’s face was painted with fear.
It wasn’t merely unsettling or frightening.
Elgenie, known as the bl**d Queen, possessed the ability to manipulate bl**d.
Yet the moment her bl**d-red eyes met Leo’s crimson gaze, an overwhelming scent of bl**d filled her senses.
‘The smell of demon bl**d.’
Even with the brief eye contact, Elgenie was overpowered.
Her instincts screamed:
‘This human has slaughtered innumerable demons beyond imagination.’
As Elgenie’s instincts told her this, Leo gazed at her like a butcher sizing up his next piece of meat.
The moment Elgenie instinctively decided to flee…
Whack!
“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!”
Leo’s blade sliced through Elgenie’s neck.
![[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")
