567.
“Incantation Magic?”
“That’s right.”
When Driana asked, Leo nodded.
“Are you alright? That magic looked incredibly powerful.”
“It’s powerful magic, so it’s a test.”
“He’s talking about Chelsea.”
“That’s correct. Why did you cast an illusion spell on Chelsea LeWalyn? Weren’t you trying to show those Dragons a thing or two?”
Continuing Driana’s statement, Lunia also asked curiously.
“They were secretly looking down on Chelsea.”
Leo smirked.
“Let them realize through Chelsea how great she is and how narrow-minded and arrogant their thoughts were.”
Upon hearing Leo’s words, Lunia made a dissatisfied expression.
“I thought you’d crush them so they’d never rise again.”
“That’s my usual style, but I thought it wouldn’t be bad to show them how vast the world is.”
Even after Leo’s explanation, Lunia still looked slightly discontented.
Watching Lunia, Leo clicked his tongue.
“Thinking of smashing the overconfident Dragons’ faces, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Learning only the bad traits from Luna, I see.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“Does this even feel like a compliment?”
But despite Leo’s words, Lunia just giggled—showing a pretty smile.
‘You’re becoming more and more like Luna’s shameless traits.’
There were so many good things to learn, so why only the bad?
“Should I hit her once she breaks free from that illusion?”
“Lunia, if you keep choosing such wicked actions, people will truly start calling you a delinquent Elf.”
“My heart isn’t bad—it’s actually pure!”
“Seems like your heart has already been ground finely and turned into soft powder.”
At Driana’s words, Lunia flared up.
“Think back to when we first met, and understand with an open heart.”
As Leo spoke, Lunia’s face turned white.
“Black Rabbit and the Delinquent Elf’s first meeting? How was it? How was it?”
Ar’s eyes lit up as she asked.
“Don’t do it! Don’t say it!”
Lunia lunged at Leo to cover his mouth, but Ar stopped her.
Though Lunia has a fierce temperament and wields terrifying magic, there was no way she could overpower Ar physically.
“My Phoenix was initially chosen to be Lunia’s Vow Keeper. But when she found out that I made the contract first, she threw a tantrum demanding it back.”
“Such a drama queen.”
“And then she cried pitifully, begging for it back.”
“I didn’t cry—I only pretended to!”
Lunia yelled furiously.
Ar’s eyes sparkled.
“And then she challenged me to a duel, claiming she would prove herself as the one truly worthy of being Phoira’s Vow Keeper…”
“AAAK! AAACK! AAAARRRGHHH!”
Lunia screamed, her face as red as her hair.
It was from early days in the first year, an embarrassing memory from her naive youth.
Proving she was worthy of being the Great Hero’s Phoenix Vow Keeper?
Could there be a more humiliating event?
‘And of all people, she tells this to THESE people!’
“That’s annoying.”
“Gggrrrr—!”
“Do you think you’re some kind of wild animal?”
Lunia tried to bite Driana’s hand as she moved to cover her own mouth.
“Phoenix as stakes and challenging to duel. Hmph!”
Ar, who was holding Lunia, chuckled unpleasantly.
‘I’ll definitely erase this cat’s memory of this!’
Just as Lunia was grinding her teeth,
Gooouuuuu!
Black magic energy erupted from those affected by Nightmare.
Everyone’s gaze immediately shifted to Leo.
“It might seem to you, Lunia, that I’m dealing with them gently compared to you, but mentally, this method could be much harder.”
Leo’s left eye had turned black and was emitting black magic energy like smoke.
“It seems like it’s really started.”
“Nightmare!”
Riden’s eyes widened in shock.
The reason Lissinas, the leader of the extermination team, is revered endlessly by the younger generation of Dragons isn’t just because he saved the world. After the Era of Catastrophe ended, and the world was being rebuilt, Lissinas’ profound wisdom was indispensable.
Even though he passed away before the new era officially began, the world was reconstructed based on his plans. Those who remained carried on his wisdom.
Even after the fall of Erebus and during the resurgence of Tartarus, Lissinas’ foresight still guided them.
During the early Era of Heroes, Lissinas also chose fairy knights like Berkiya and other heroes who stabilized the world during its uncertain times.
Lissinas’ writings, which predicted future events, were nothing short of prophecies.
And the only reason this was possible was because Lissinas had unwavering certainty that the world would be saved even in the most hopeless situations.
And this Lissinas also left behind a legacy for his kin.
He allowed future generations to learn Incantation Magic, which he had created. Learning this magic became the ultimate goal for Wisdom Academy students.
The fact that Leo had used this magic was astonishing. More shockingly, the magic Leo used was Nightmare, one of the most difficult forms of incantation magic, renowned as the strongest illusionary magic.
Among Lissinas’ magic, Nightmare stood out for its cruelty.
Its origin can be traced to the curses used by demons from Tartarus, so its cruelty was almost unavoidable.
“Riden?!”
Just then, a voice came from behind, and Riden twitched.
There stood Siren.
At the sight of Siren, Riden immediately showed a guarded expression.
Nightmare—an illusion magic that makes you fight the person you least want to battle.
The one who revealed themselves must clearly be an enemy.
Siren, too, showed a similar expression, but when the two locked eyes, they both looked perplexed.
“Strange? I don’t mind fighting someone like Riden.”
“Oh? That’s a mutual feeling.”
“Riden? Siren?”
“What’s happening?”
At that moment, other Wisdom Academy students, Pheldir and Midah, also appeared.
“Are you saying we fell into the same illusion?”
Riden looked surprised.
“Does that make sense? Nightmare is a magic that reflects individual thoughts, showing the person each victim least wants to fight. Even if used as an area effect, it usually just shows individual worst-case scenarios.”
Siren shook her head as Pheldir, with a serious expression, muttered.
“Could the magic have been modified?”
“That’s impossible. In the last 5000 years, countless attempts were made to reinterpret Master Lissinas’ magic, but no one succeeded.”
Midah looked perplexed when suddenly,
Clomp. Clomp.
Footsteps could be heard in the dark void.
“Chelsea LeWalyn, is that you?”
As Riden recalled Chelsea, who was pulled into the same illusion, a voice came from the darkness.
“Sorry, but no.”
A clear voice echoed from the darkness.
Clomp. Clomp.
As a figure emerged from the darkness, the Dragons’ eyes widened.
Whoosh!
The wind swirled, blowing the shimmering black hair of the elegant woman, who was gracefully smoothing it. She looked at the Dragons with composed eyes.
Siren’s expression clouded with shock.
“Lissinas-sama?”
“You know my name well, traitors of my kin.”
“A…!”
Listening to Lissinas’ words, Siren’s face paled.
This wasn’t limited to Siren.
“Th-this isn’t possible.”
“Without a doubt. Lissinas-sama is someone the Dragons least want to fight…!”
“But none of us have ever met Lissinas-sama!”
The horrifying part of Nightmare is that it creates the opponent you least want to confront, becoming stronger depending on the opponent’s ability.
However, there is a flaw.
It only includes people you’ve encountered. And now, Lissinas was standing before them.
The Wisdom Academy students were plunged into panic.
“Hold on, this Nightmare is strange! This doesn’t seem like normal Nightmare—it feels like some other magic…”
Whoosh!
Just as Midah, regaining her composure, spoke urgently, a flash of light streaked through the space, and a beam of light pierced Midah’s abdomen.
“Wha-?”
Gag!
Without understanding the situation, Midah coughed up bl**d and collapsed.
Thud!
“One down.”
Lissinas’ emotionless eyes scanned the remaining Wisdom Academy students.
Recalling the eyes of Leo who had utilized the Dragon Words magic, Riden had a sinking feeling.
The faces of the Wisdom Academy students were painted with terror.
“Everyone… Run!”
At Riden’s shout, Siren and Pheldir dispersed.
Riden quickly picked up the unconscious Midah and ran into the shadows.
“An acceptable choice in a situation of overwhelming force.”
Lissinas said, maintaining an indifferent expression.
“But there’s a difference between fleeing out of sheer terror and planning for a future battle.”
Lissinas’ cold eyes probed the darkness beyond.
“In your case, it seems to be the former.”
Riden’s jaw trembled continuously.
‘This isn’t really Lissinas-sama! It’s an illusion!’
If it were the real Lissinas, they wouldn’t have been able to escape, and all would have been annihilated on the spot.
But even if it was a fake, it was clearly a monster they couldn’t fight.
Riden gritted his teeth as he glanced at his unconscious friend slumped over his shoulder.
‘I have to run! We have to get away!’
Any thoughts about how to escape the predicament had fled his mind.
It was only the endless despair engulfing him that remained.
At that moment—
Thud! Thud!
Siren and Pheldir tumbled toward Riden.
His face hardened.
“The game of tag is over.”
From the darkness, the emotionless Lissinas appeared.
Riden’s jaw rattled incessantly.
And as he attempted to flee using magic with his friends’ bodies,
Lissinas smirked.
To Riden, it looked like mockery.
Mockery directed at the foolishness of someone trying to retrieve bodies that were already dead.
But Riden couldn’t abandon his friends’ corpses, even if they were.
‘I have to run… No matter what, I have to run…’
It was already forgotten that this was a test.
d*ath in Nightmare is real d*ath.
Ridden with fear, Riden stepped backward slowly while Lissinas advanced, step by step.
Whoosh!
A gentle wind blew.
BOOOOOM!
A gale whipped up, sweeping past Lissinas.
Riden’s eyes widened.
There stood Chelsea, her back to him.
“Chelsea… LeWalyn!”
“Hurry, take your friends somewhere safe and heal them!”
“What?”
“Your friends are still alive!”
Realizing the truth in Chelsea’s words, Riden flinched and examined his friends.
It was true.
None of them had been hit in vital spots, avoiding instant d*ath.
Though, the injuries were still grave.
The powerful Dragon life force had managed to barely hold on to the three lives.
“Hurry!”
“And you?”
“I’ll try to stop her!”
“It’s impossible alone!”
“True! If that were the real Lissinas-sama, it would definitely be impossible!”
Chelsea furrowed her brows slightly.
“But it’s a fake!”
“What if I AM real?”
“No! The portrait of Lissinas-sama I saw is much more handsome than you! So, you’re definitely fake!”
Lissinas’ eyes twitched.
Then she smirked again.
At the same time, terrifying magical energy poured out from Lissinas’ body.
Watching this, Chelsea regretted her words inwardly.
‘ maybe I shouldn’t have said the part about being unattractive…’
![[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")
