Chapter 147
Chapter Title: The Black Flame Calamity
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Rumble-!
The earth trembled.
Groooaaar!
At the same time, a mass of corpses burst through the floor, letting out a roar.
“Oh, my.”
Seeing it, Elena took a handkerchief from her bosom and covered her nose and mouth.
“How vulgar.”
At the same time, shards of light flew toward the mass of corpses.
Shatter-!
Like massive shards of glass, Elena's magic mercilessly crushed the lump of corpses.
Dark red blood splattered, and chunks of flesh from the corpse pile flew everywhere.
Flash-
For a moment, yellowish eyes turned toward Elena.
“Hmm.”
Elena narrowed her eyes.
“It's useless! Such a crude attack!”
Hahaha-! Biner burst out laughing and stirred his black magic.
Crunch-!
The mass of corpses Biner had summoned, a corpse golem, tore off a piece of flesh from its own body and threw it at Elena.
Elena dodged the chunk of flesh thrown at incredible speed.
Having cast Fly magic, Elena was soaring freely in the air.
‘He wouldn't make such a shoddy attack.’
Rumble-
Just as Elena thought this, a dark hole opened right behind her.
Along with it, the chunk of flesh Elena had dodged shot out.
Seeing it, Elena immediately cast a Shield spell.
Splat-
Elena frowned at the chunk of flesh stuck to her barrier.
At the same time, the flesh clinging to the barrier swelled up.
Boom-!
Flesh and bone scattered in all directions.
A mist of dark red blood spread everywhere.
Elena, now visible, chuckled, "Hmm-"
“This one hurts a little.”
‘His attack power has increased to a level incomparable to before.’
Elena narrowed her eyes and looked at the black flames enveloping Biner's body.
‘Is that the power of a god… the power of Erebos?’
Narrowing her eyes, Elena surveyed her surroundings.
Floating in the air, Elena had a clear view of Barharun's landscape.
The elves in the streets screamed and fled at the sight of the corpse golem.
The entire city was thrown into chaos.
But…
‘They're disappearing.’
Elena could see the city's inhabitants vanishing into particles of light.
‘Just like Merin a moment ago.’
The inhabitants of this world were disappearing as if the World of Heroes had been conquered.
‘But they aren't disappearing because it was conquered.’
The world is collapsing.
Having experienced many Worlds of Heroes, Elena knew this by instinct.
Just then, a light shot up from the center of the city.
‘A signal flare spell? Is that Leo and Lunia?’
Hardin also noticed it.
Biner's face, now a hideous monster's, contorted mercilessly at the sight of the flare.
“Sid, that bastard! Why the hell are there damn hero candidates over there!”
Elena's eyes narrowed at Biner's hysterical shout.
‘Sid?’
The name of a famous demon.
A beastmaster who had devoured hero candidates time and time again.
‘Can Leo and Lunia handle him?’
Even if they were the year representatives, he was a demon far too difficult for first-years to face.
Elena landed beside Hardin.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“I'll take care of things here.”
At his words, Elena glanced at Hardin and said.
“Will you be alright alone? That demon. He's gotten quite strong.”
“It's enough. You go and support Lunia and Leo.”
“Alright. I'll leave it to you, then.”
Elena smiled brightly and was about to head toward the World Tree.
Boom-!
A massive chunk of flesh blocked Elena's path.
Biner's giant arm had stretched out to stop Elena,
“You damn wench. Where do you think you're running?”
Seeing Biner's cold smile, Elena grinned.
“I'd recommend you move this filthy arm while I'm asking nicely.”
“Ha! Arrogant wench! Keep acting so high and mighty…”
Flash-! Crack!
“Keuk!”
A shard of light created by Elena embedded itself in Biner's face.
“You seem to be gravely mistaken about something.”
Thwack! Crack! Stab-!
“Guh?”
“I'm not exactly running away because I'm scared of you.”
The shards of light Elena created mercilessly pierced Biner's body according to her will.
Looking at Biner, who now seemed to be covered in broken glass, Elena raised her slender arm.
And she beckoned with a long, delicate finger.
Whoosh-!
The shards of light shot high into the sky, following Elena's will.
Along with them, Biner, with the shards embedded deep in his body, was also flung into the sky.
“Well then, I'll leave the rest to you, Hardin.”
Waving with a bright smile, Elena headed toward the World Tree.
Whoooooosh-!
At the same time, Biner's massive body began to plummet straight down toward Hardin.
Seeing this, Hardin sighed and lowered his sword.
Fwoooosh-!
A wind of Aura swirled around Hardin.
Looking up at the sky, Hardin swung his sword at the approaching Biner.
Flash-!
A silver flash glinted, and at the same time, a massive blade of wind split Biner's body in half.
“Gyaaaaaaaah!”
Biner's pained scream.
Crash! Crash!
Biner's body slammed into the ground, splattering flesh in all directions.
Biner's body squirmed and reformed, healing itself.
“Th-that damn wench, even at the end…!”
Slice-!
Biner, glaring with flashing eyes in the direction Elena had gone, suddenly felt his vision flip upside down.
“What?”
“This is no time to be worrying about Elena, is it?”
Thud-!
Biner's head rolled onto the ground.
Looking down at Biner, Hardin spoke.
“Your opponent is me.”
“Ha! Arrogant…! You think someone like you can stop me?”
Seeing the indignant Biner, Hardin said calmly.
“I may not be enough, but I hope you'll be satisfied with me.”
“Grrr! These damn brats…!”
Killing intent flickered across Biner's face.
Reaching out to pick up his head, Biner placed it back on his neck and said.
“I'll chew you up ali…”
Thwack-!
Once again, his vision flipped.
By the time Biner realized it, his head was rolling on the ground again.
‘When did he cut me?’
Biner's face was filled with shock.
There was no sign of him swinging his sword.
‘Did he swing his sword at a speed I couldn't perceive? No! This brat didn't swing his sword at all!’
And yet, his neck was severed.
Looking at Biner's shocked expression, Hardin said.
“One never knows where the wind will blow from.”
Hardin calmly raised his sword.
Thwack-!
This time, Biner's arm flew off.
Biner's body regenerated.
Rip! Thwack-!
His body began to be hacked to pieces at an even greater speed.
When half his body was gone, Biner realized.
‘He's controlling this space with his Aura?’
Biner's face was filled with shock.
Just as he'd suspected, Hardin was in perfect control of the wind in the surrounding area.
The blowing wind became his sword, cutting Biner down.
‘What kind of monster is this kid…!’
Biner's face turned pale.
Seeing Biner's face, Hardin said with a blank expression.
“You were planning to fight Elena while being this surprised?”
“What?”
“That woman is incomparably stronger than this.”
Rip-!
Biner's face was sliced apart.
In his disjointed vision, he could see Hardin with a cold expression.
“I don't know what you're plotting in the Founder's world… but things will absolutely not go the way you want.”
***
Luna's gaze followed the white hair.
A speed difficult to follow with the naked eye.
The boy's flashing red eyes seemed to embroider the empty air.
‘Who is this boy?’
A boy she had met for the first time today.
Moreover, not an elf, who could be called her kin, but a human.
For Luna, he was the first human she had ever met in her life.
But the boy treated her with a familiarity as if they had known each other for a long time.
She wasn't shy around strangers, but even so, the familiarity she felt from the boy bewildered her.
The boy's familiarity. The way he treated her felt as if he knew her all too well.
It was the same now.
Leo precisely avoided the trajectory of Luna's magic as he cornered the enemy.
When using her magic, she didn't need to worry about Leo's movements at all.
All Luna had to do was comfortably chant her spells.
It was as if they had been coordinating for a long time.
‘How strange.’
The flow of Luna's mana became light and lively.
She chanted her spells without hesitation.
She could focus everything solely on her spells.
It was the same for Leo.
Until now, Leo had always paid attention to every aspect of the situation while fighting.
Even with allies, he always prepared for the worst-case scenario.
He had never comfortably entrusted his back to anyone.
It wasn't because he didn't trust his comrades.
In his past life.
It was a habit formed from filling the void left each time his friends departed, one by one, during that long and fierce war.
But the Leo of now was different.
As if a long-empty space had been filled.
Leo entrusted his back to Luna.
Luna's presence, which had reliably guarded his back for so long, was like giving wings to Leo.
Watching them, Lunia felt a chill run down her spine.
‘Their coordination is this perfect.’
The two of them were like comrades who had fought together for a long time.
Their synergy was so good it was as if they were sharing thoughts.
Rip-!
After cutting down the magical beast before him, Leo glanced at Luna.
Luna's eyes also met Leo's.
Unlike Leo, who knew the reason for their perfect coordination, Luna was bewildered by it.
Leo smiled and charged toward the next enemy.
“Ugh! He got faster?!”
Lunia, shocked, supported Leo.
Luna watched Leo's back and thought.
‘Leo Flove, who are you?’
As if she had met her soulmate.
‘How do you know me so well?’
The image of the boy who had affirmed her dream came to mind.
‘Why did I think I had to help this boy?’
Questions swirled in her mind, but there was no hesitation in Luna's movements.
Just then, the Folium emitted a soft light.
A gray light, different from before.
The rough yet warm light captured Luna's attention.
‘I promise you.’
Seeing the Folium's sudden reaction, Luna looked surprised.
The moment she saw that light, she felt as if someone's beautiful, clear voice had brushed past her mind.
‘This meeting will surely save the world.’
“Lady Luna?”
“Hm?”
“Why… are you crying?”
“What…?”
Feeling the tears streaming down her cheeks, Luna tilted her head, not understanding why.
“I wonder. Why am I crying?”
Looking at Luna, who was expressing her confusion as if she couldn't find a reason, Lunia looked flustered.
Meanwhile, Leo didn't stop.
He madly slaughtered the magical beasts blocking his path.
‘Only low-level magical beasts are blocking the way. Strange.’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
Sid, whom they had met earlier, was not a low-ranking demon.
‘If a demon of his caliber has been nesting here for so long, there should be more dangerous things around.’
As he was thinking that, they came to a fork in the path.
“Which way to the audience chamber?”
“The right!”
At Luna's words, Leo ran without hesitation.
A moment later, a large door decorated with the World Tree came into view.
“Is that it!”
Fwoosh-!
Leo's flames blazed even more fiercely.
“Stop.”
Just then, a shadow shot up in front of Leo.
The one who emerged from the shadow was none other than Sid.
“How dare lowly creatures like you come to a place like this…”
Thwack-!
Before Sid could finish his angry tirade, his head flew into the air.
Leo, who had sent Sid's head flying without batting an eye, scoffed.
“Why so talkative?”
“You! Grr!”
Sid's face, now rolling on the floor, was filled with fury.
Thump-!
Leo stomped on Sid's head and said.
“That's your true form, isn't it? Vermin.”
Leo sneered.
Wooooom-!
Powerful black magic erupted from Sid's head.
Thwack-!
Leo kicked Sid's head.
Thwack-! Tumble, tumble!
Sid's head, which had been rolling on the floor, came to a stop.
Spider legs sprouted from the severed cross-section of the head.
Seeing it, Luna grimaced.
“Ugh! Why is it so disgusting?”
“The wench with vulgar blood talks too much.”
“Just because you posed as a high elf, do you really think you're an elf?”
Leo smiled coldly.
Watching Leo, Sid crawled over to a nearby monster on his spider legs and plunged them in.
Stab-!
As the spider legs dug into its flesh, the monster's body soon transformed into that of a human.
“You will never enter this place.”
Fwoosh-!
Sid's body was engulfed in black flames.
With that, his black magic began to rise endlessly.
Wooooooom-!
A summoning circle appeared in the air, and magical beasts began to pour out.
The terror of a high-ranking beastmaster was their ability to endlessly summon fearsome magical beasts.
Seeing this, Luna and Lunia wore tense expressions.
“'Never enter,' huh.”
Leo narrowed his eyes as he watched.
“Strange.”
“What's strange?”
“What you're receiving now must be Erebos's blessing.”
The mana of a demon who has received power from Erebos rises sharply.
Erebos's mere presence grants immense power to demons.
“Hoh? You have a sharp eye.”
Sid curled the corner of his lip.
“Then you must also know how much stronger I've beco…”
“How much of an effect could a blessing have on a low-class demon like you?”
Leo said dismissively.
“What did you say?”
Sid's eyes filled with rage.
“What I'm curious about is why Erebos, who has enough power to grant a blessing, isn't dealing with us himself.”
Leo curled the corner of his lip.
Seeing Leo, Sid's expression stiffened slightly.
Just as Leo hated Erebos, Erebos would also hate Kyle—the current Leo—who had put him in that state.
The image of Erebos roaring and spewing curses as he was split into six pieces was still vivid in his mind.
He could clearly feel Erebos's presence beyond the door.
And yet, even with Erebos right in front of him, there was no reaction.
‘Even though I've been reincarnated… Luna is also included among those he cursed.’
And Luna is here.
And yet, there is no reaction.
“The thing inside. Isn't it just a shell?”
At Leo's words, Sid's face hardened completely.
“Looks like I'm right.”
Leo smirked and stirred his Aura.
“It doesn't matter. Just because you saw through it doesn't mean you can get past this door.”
Killing intent emanated from Sid's body.
Fwoosh-!
Black flames blazed fiercely.
“You will die here.”
Leo's flames blazed even more fiercely.
Fwoosh-!
The flames began to burn Leo's body.
The Phoenix's Aura, enhanced by the Brave Hero's Breath, increased its firepower.
Crimson flames.
The secret flame of the Jerdinger family, which Leo had perfected through self-study, though he had never been formally taught.
‘Crimson Flame. This isn't enough.’
He gathered mana in the hand not holding the sword.
Seeing Leo's mana, Lunia's eyes widened.
“Huh?”
Lunia let out a bewildered gasp.
Leo's Aura was very familiar to Lunia.
It couldn't be helped.
It was the same Phoenix flame, after all.
‘But… was his mana similar too?’
The moment that question crossed her mind, Lunia's face filled with shock.
‘No! That mana is…!’
Leo's mana was similar to that of the Lundua family.
And the mana formula being woven along with it.
Lunia's hand trembled.
It was a spell she had shown Leo just once.
One of the Lundua family's secret spells.
The spell she had used in her duel with Leo.
‘Scorching Heat?’
Fwoosh-!
The Jerdinger's Crimson Flame and the Lundua's Scorching Heat merged.
Fwoosh-!
It created wings of flame.
Sid's eyes widened at the sight of the flames burning like the wings of a real phoenix.
“How can a human wield the flames of a phoenix!”
“…Because I'm the Phoenix's contractor.”
Leo, imbuing his sword with the flames, grinned.
“I did a little research.”
Flash-!
The instantaneously blazing flames incinerated everything before him.
The purifying flames of the Phoenix were anathema to magical beasts.
Swept up by that power, Sid's body burned mercilessly.
“Kraaaaaaah!”
Along with a pained scream, even the door vanished without a trace.
For a moment, Leo saw an abyssal darkness.
Lunia was overwhelmed by the darkness, but Leo walked into it without batting an eye.
Step- step-
The audience chamber was empty.
Amidst it all, Leo raised his head.
Strength flowed into Leo's hand.
An arch-nemesis he was facing after thousands of years.
The calamity of black flame.
‘Erebos.’
Killing intent formed in Leo's eyes.