Chapter 150
Chapter Title: A Parting Promise
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150.
Luna’s eyes widened as she saw Leo’s magic.
“It’s beautiful.”
The pure, snow-white magic was so stunningly beautiful it drew an involuntary gasp of admiration.
The moment Erebos, who had been spewing black flames, saw Leo’s magic, it unleashed a ferocious killing intent.
The hostility was palpable.
‘Just as I thought. This thing is after me.’
With a cold expression, Leo sent Innocent flying toward Erebos.
*Fwoosh-!*
A bullet of pure white mana shot forward.
*Fwoooosh-!*
The all-consuming black flames blazed fiercely.
Like a savage beast, the fire opened its maw wide and swallowed Innocent whole.
*Gwooooooooooooo-!*
The black flames thrashed about wildly.
At that moment.
*Fwoosh-!*
Erebos’s flame, which had swollen like a balloon, suddenly exploded.
*Booooom-!*
Flames scattered in every direction.
But the black flames that dispersed into the air could no longer burn and quickly died out.
That wasn't all.
Erebos’s main body, affected by the explosion, staggered.
*Thud-!*
*Gwoooaaaar!*
Erebos let out a furious roar.
“Attack!”
Leo shouted.
With his cry, Luna deployed her magic.
*Flash-!*
Countless magic circles embroidered the air.
The prodigious young archmage, a marvel in her own right, swung her staff.
*Flash! Kraka-ka-ka-ka-boom-!*
A storm of magic, incomparably more powerful than before, raged forth.
But despite being directly hit by numerous spells, Erebos was unharmed.
“This isn’t working either?”
Luna wore a look of shock.
Seeing this, Leo frowned.
‘Why aren’t Luna’s attacks working?’
Leo swung his gray aura.
*Swoosh-!*
*Woooooaaaar!*
Erebos’s enraged roar echoed.
It worked.
Leo’s attack, incomparably weaker than Luna’s, had an effect.
‘Could it be that Luna’s attacks don’t work because she’s a being from the World of Heroes?’
It was entirely possible.
An urgent look crossed Leo’s face.
In this party, Luna was not only the vanguard holding the front line but also the mage with the strongest attack power.
‘If Luna’s attacks are ineffective, it’s a huge blow.’
While Leo felt a sense of urgency…
Flames erupted from Lunia’s body at the rear.
*Fwoooosh-!*
Lunia clenched the small flame burning on her palm.
*Fwoooosh-!*
In an instant, wings of fire unfurled.
The symbol of the Lundua family.
The flame passed down from generation to generation, a long line of Phoenix contractors.
“Sacred Flame.”
The forbidden flame that consumed even its user blazed fiercely.
The one sustaining the flame was none other than Lunia.
As long as her will did not falter, Lunia’s body would burn like kindling.
Seeing this, Elena smiled.
“So this is the flame of the Lundua family.”
Elena approached Lunia, who wore a pained expression.
“Wait! It’s danger…”
Lunia tried to step back, her face flustered.
But Elena embraced her before she could.
The wildly thrashing flames threatened Elena.
But Elena paid them no mind, tightening her arms around Lunia and resting her chin on the girl’s shoulder.
“The scent of a wild flame. I see. You’re a bit of a dangerous one too, aren’t you?”
She charged headfirst toward her goal without hesitation.
Even if she were to burn away to nothing, this elf girl would not waver.
Elena gently pushed Lunia away and smiled faintly.
Pink mana flowed from Elena’s body.
*Fwoosh-!*
Flames ignited on Elena’s body.
Lunia’s eyes widened at the sight.
“This magic is…”
“Sacrifice. A Heroic Magic left by the elven saint, Menamel.”
“Wait! Sacrifice is definitely…!”
“Yes. The ultimate healing magic. They say Menamel could even revive the dead with it, right?”
“Yes! But this magic…!”
The caster takes on the wounds of the target.
It was, quite literally, a magic of equivalent exchange.
“Right now, you’re the one with the strongest attack power among us.”
Elena smiled faintly.
The Phoenix’s flame grows endlessly stronger as long as it burns.
The Lundua flame also grew stronger the more it burned.
But unlike the Phoenix, it had a limit.
For the Phoenix with its infinite life force, it was a mighty power, but for an elf who lacked it, it was a double-edged sword.
In other words, the moment the body could no longer endure was the limit of the Lundua flame.
Elena had just removed that restriction for Lunia.
“But, Miss Elena…!”
“Oh my. A third-year isn’t so weak that a first-year brat needs to worry about her.”
Elena shrugged, as if it were nothing.
“So, burn even brighter.”
Elena said, her expression that of a noble queen.
“Show me your worth, Lunia El Lundua.”
“…Don’t blame me if you regret this.”
*Fwooooooooooosh-!*
The wings of fire grew even larger.
Accordingly, Elena’s pain intensified.
But Elena merely smiled with regal grace.
‘Honestly… I can’t let my guard down around Seirun, can I?’
*Thud- Thududung-!*
The fallen Erebos pushed itself up.
It roared upon seeing Lunia’s fiercely blazing flames.
*Wooooooooooooo!*
A spear of fire formed at Erebos’s fingertips.
It hurled the spear directly at Lunia and Elena.
To intercept the attack, Hadin flew towards Erebos’s spear.
*Woooong-!*
The surrounding atmosphere answered Hadin’s call.
Hadin, having seized control of the wind, focused his aura at the tip of his sword.
Then, he thrust his sword forward with both hands.
*Fwoosh! Kraka-ka-ka-boom-!*
A soaring blade of wind struck Erebos’s spear of fire.
Hadin’s expression hardened as a chilling heat washed over him, and he tensed his entire body.
*Kwang-!*
The spear of fire shattered.
‘This is the legendary Great Calamity…!’
Just blocking a single strike felt as if it had drained all the energy from his body.
Hadin’s eyes fell upon the back of Leo, who was holding off Erebos at the very front, in sync with Luna.
‘…Leo Flove.’
Lumerne’s first-year representative.
Perhaps he himself was stronger for now.
‘But we stand in different places.’
He felt that the boy already stood somewhere unreachable.
He was certain that the gap between a first-year and a third-year… that any difference in grade would be surpassed in an instant.
He felt no inferiority complex or envy.
Only admiration.
It was different from his goal, Elena.
‘Yes.’
Realizing the nature of his emotion, Hadin let out a laugh.
‘It’s reverence.’
Hadin felt reverence for a human boy younger than himself.
In a place he could never stand.
He felt reverence for Leo, who stood in the same place as the Great Hero.
At that moment.
*Kra-ka-ka-ka-ka-boom-!*
A pillar of red flame erupted from behind him.
Hadin turned his head.
There stood Lunia, who had created a flame of astonishing firepower.
“Here I come!”
Lunia hurled the massive flame she held aloft in both hands toward Erebos.
Seeing this, something occurred to Leo.
“Luna.”
“What?”
“That magic, can you strengthen it further?”
Leo gestured with his chin toward Lunia’s ‘Sacred Flame.’
Luna looked at him, her expression one of disbelief.
“You want me to take control of such a high-level spell and make it stronger? It’d be far easier to just dispel it!”
“You can’t do it?”
“Be realistic! Realistic! You’re a mage too, you know? Talk some sense!”
To snatch control of a spell cast by another, one needed an overwhelming difference in skill.
Even with a skill gap, if the opponent’s spell was a high-level magic composed of a complex formula, gaining control was impossible.
Even if one somehow managed to seize it, its power would be reduced to a pathetic level.
And he wanted her to strengthen it?
It was absurd.
As Luna stared at him with an incredulous look, Leo said.
“You can do it.”
“What?”
“You’re a genius.”
At those words, Luna’s ears perked up.
Easily swayed by praise, Luna was once again puffed up with pride at Leo’s words.
“Well. This genius is a genius for a reason.”
Luna cleared her throat with a proud “Ahem!”
“Come to think of it, it’s not theoretically impossible, is it?”
A grin spread across Luna’s face as she tightened her grip on Folium.
“Alright! What the hell! I’ll give it a shot.”
“So simple.”
“What was that?”
“I’m counting on you.”
Luna, who had whirled around at Leo’s mumble, saw him give her a thumbs-up and let out a chuckle. “Hmph-!”
Then she closed her eyes and raised her mana.
*Wooooong-!*
Luna’s mana enveloped Lunia’s Sacred Flame.
In that instant, Luna’s consciousness slipped into a trance.
‘Huh? This magic formula… it’s familiar.’
Luna felt a sense of wonder.
Leo’s magic from before.
And this magic now.
They were similar to the magic she was researching.
As she analyzed and understood the structure of the formula, Luna was filled with admiration.
‘The person who created this formula must be a genius. As much of a genius as me!’
It was so similar to the ideals she pursued.
Luna delved into the formula created by her future self, exploring it again and again.
For a fleeting moment, Luna was lost in a trance.
And she realized something.
*Gwoooooo-!*
Suddenly, Erebos lunged toward Luna.
But Luna, lost in her magic, couldn’t react.
*Kraka-kak-!*
In an instant, a gray sword aura sliced through Erebos’s wrist.
“Not a second time.”
Leo said in a frigid voice.
“I won’t let you take her from me a second time.”
The fragment of the Great Calamity flinched at his murderous tone.
Leo, who had overwhelmed the fragment of Erebos with a single glare, gripped his sword.
*Gwooooooooooooooo!*
Enraged, Erebos swung its arm at Leo, who stood protectively in front of Luna.
Leo didn’t dodge.
If he did, Luna would be exposed to danger.
*Grip-!*
Erebos’s giant hand closed around Leo.
*Kraka-ka-kak-*
Black flames erupted from Erebos’s hand.
Hadin, Lunia, and Elena’s eyes widened at the sight.
At that moment.
[Objective: Help the Progenitor of the Nebula, Luna, complete her star magic.]
[The Progenitor of the Nebula, Luna, has completed her star magic.]
A message appeared before the challengers’ eyes.
As everyone watched in surprise.
“You’re not going to die from just that, are you?”
Luna asked with a bright smile.
*Flash! Kraka-kak-!*
As his gray aura flared, Leo sliced through the hand holding him and escaped, a grin on his face.
“Of course not.”
His body was burned in several places.
Black flames seeped into his skin.
His face was contorted in pain, but his lips were curled into a smile.
“Alright then.”
Luna looked at the magic she had successfully controlled and smiled faintly.
“This is the end, you damn soot-ball.”
*Flash-!*
A sphere of flame, shining as brilliantly as a sun, flew toward Erebos.
*Woooooooooo-!*
*Thud!*
Erebos braced itself and blocked the magic.
*Kwang-!*
But its knees soon buckled.
*Grrrrrrr-!*
Erebos, letting out a pained roar, was soon unable to resist the force and was crushed by the magic.
*Thud! Kra-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-boom-!*
A massive pillar of fire shot up into the sky.
*Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!*
Erebos’s scream pierced the heavens.
But soon, burned beyond recognition, it turned to ash and vanished.
***
The ominous sky returned to its original state.
All that remained was the half-destroyed Barharun castle.
In the midst of it, Lunia murmured.
“It’s… it’s over.”
Her body trembled with joy.
“We defeated Erebos… Hiiiek?”
“Hmm. I thought you’d smell burnt, but you usually have quite a refreshing scent.”
Lunia shrieked and pushed away Elena, who was burying her face in the crook of her neck.
“What are you doing!”
Seeing Lunia’s ears turn red, Elena giggled.
“Your reaction is cute. I like it. Should I kidnap you and take you to Lumerne?”
“I absolutely refuse! I am the proud year representative of Seirun!”
Lunia shook her head, her face flushed, as she looked at Elena, who had found a new favorite toy.
“Oh my, what a shame.”
Just as she was smacking her lips.
“We did it! We beat that monster! And I completed the magic I’ve been researching for so long!”
Hahahaha! Luna burst into hearty laughter.
“You guys! You were pretty good! I thought all elves were stuffy, but I guess there are people like you too!”
“It’s an honor to be praised so… huh?”
Hadin, who had been responding politely, was shocked when Luna threw an arm around his shoulders as if putting him in a headlock.
Luna slung her other arm around Lunia’s neck and laughed cheerfully.
“An arm around… Lady Luna’s shoulder…!”
“Th-This must be a dream! No! It can’t be a dream!”
Elena giggled at the two dazed elves.
“The foolish faces of Seirun’s year representatives. It would be quite a sight to capture in a photograph.”
“She’s a Great Hero. Isn’t this kind of behavior normal for her?”
Leo approached Elena.
He tried to support her.
But Elena slapped his hand away with a faint smile.
“You shouldn’t touch a lady so carelessly.”
Leo gave her a nonchalant look.
“Weren’t you just leaning on Lunia just fine?”
Although she had passed it off as good-natured teasing, Elena was currently in a state where she could barely lift her head.
“Hmph. You have a sharp eye.”
Elena’s eyes narrowed.
She was pretending to be fine, but her condition was at its worst.
The reason Lunia was unharmed despite using such powerful magic was that Elena had taken on all the flames Lunia was meant to endure.
“But I don’t need that kind of consideration.”
Elena smiled sweetly.
“A queen is a noble flower to be left alone, Leo.”
“Aren’t you a bit young to be a queen? A princess, maybe.”
“Hmph. True. When I was little, I always preferred the rescued princess in fairy tales over the hero. I found myself admiring that role more.”
Elena giggled.
“Though, I’m the type to rescue myself before any prince or hero shows up.”
Having said that, Elena’s eyes narrowed.
“Besides, shouldn’t you be worrying about yourself before you worry about me?”
The most severely injured member of the party right now was none other than Leo.
“I’m used to it.”
But Leo just shrugged with a nonchalant smile.
The two of them approached Luna.
“With this, I’m one step closer to my ultimate magic!”
Luna exclaimed, full of excitement.
At her words, Elena’s eyes lit up as she asked.
“What exactly is this ultimate magic you’re aiming for, Lady Luna?”
“Prepare to be amazed! It’s the magic to make flowers bloom!”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Lunia, Elena, and Hadin stared blankly.
It wasn’t because Luna’s goal was too absurd.
The three of them naturally turned their gazes to Leo.
The flower-blooming magic Luna spoke of.
It was the forgotten magic of the Progenitor that Leo had successfully restored during the school trip.
“Anyway! I’m going with you guys!”
Luna grinned.
“You’re all leaving, right? To the outside world? Take me with you!”
“No.”
Leo said firmly.
Luna pouted.
“Aw, come on. Don’t be so stingy, take me with you.”
“No. I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“We have our own path. And you have yours.”
Leo drew a line.
How wonderful would it be if they could go together?
‘…There would be nothing more joyous.’
But it was impossible.
This was different from Elsie’s case.
Elsie was, in a sense, categorized as an ‘ability’ contracted to Leo.
Luna, on the other hand, was the master of this world.
No matter how incredible the World of Heroes was, it likely couldn’t sustain a Great Hero.
Luna’s deeply sullen face suddenly turned to one of surprise.
“You…?”
Lunia, Elena, and Hadin couldn’t see it.
But Leo was biting his lip, hard.
His hands clenched into fists.
And at that moment.
After a sudden meeting.
As if bidding a sudden farewell.
[Luna’s World: Prologue - Barharun has been cleared.]
The world announced its end.
*Fwoosh-!*
Simultaneously, the challengers, except for Leo, vanished.
They had returned to their original world.
This was reality.
Luna, who had to live in the past, and Leo, who had to live in the future.
The difference was far too great.
Forcing his contorted expression into a smile, Leo spoke.
“You’ll definitely meet them… the great companions who will do incredible things with you.”
“…”
“Your own adventure awaits you.”
“…Are you leaving now, too?”
“I think I have to.”
Luna knew instinctively.
She couldn’t be with the boy before her.
Her shoulders slumped.
Her ears drooped, a rare sight for Luna.
Suddenly, cracks began to appear in the world.
The end was coming.
At that moment, Leo reached out his hand.
“Luna Rubinus.”
“Yeah?”
*Fwoosh-!*
A flower bloomed from Leo’s hand.
Luna’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re going to be a greater mage than anyone else. You’ll save the world… be revered by all elves, and be called the Progenitor of the Nebula.”
Leo squeezed out what little mana he had left.
The desolate ruins were instantly colored with flowers.
“Your future… will be more brilliant than anyone’s.”
Luna’s eyes went wide with shock.
“So don’t be discouraged. You.”
Leo reached out and ruffled Luna’s hair.
“Being confident suits you.”
“…Yeah!”
Luna beamed.
Seeing that bright smile, Leo took a step back.
He returned her smile with one of his own.
His vision was engulfed in a bright light.