Chapter 209
Chapter Title: Legendary Reinforcements
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“Hold them back!”
“Don’t let the legion break through the line!”
The Hero Union screamed desperately, trying to halt the legion's advance.
Silatuna, victorious in her battle against the Sword Saint, was slowly approaching.
The walls Sedjen had created were also reaching their limit from the constant attacks.
“We can’t hold out any longer! Shouldn’t we fall back to Seirun’s walls?”
One of Seirun’s instructors said to Halind.
At his words, Halind looked at the approaching Monster Queen.
“If we do that, she'll join forces with the unidentified legion commander inside Seirun.”
The Seirun instructor gasped.
“Are you confident you can stop that?”
Halind was right.
If the two legion commanders joined forces, it would truly be the end.
They were trapped.
The word ‘despair’ began to loom vividly in the minds of the Hero Union.
*Fwoosh-! Thud-!*
Just then, someone appeared in the sky.
“Who are you?”
A hero from Seirun shouted at the gray-haired young man who had appeared before him.
At the cry, the young man, Leo, glanced at the elf.
“Reinforcements.”
“What did you say?”
The elf hero looked bewildered by the curt reply.
It was then.
*Zzzzing-!*
A massive magic circle formed above Silatuna’s head.
The crimson magic circle glowed, then unleashed a flash of destructive power.
*Flash-!*
“Dodge it!”
“Everyone, fall back!”
Silatuna’s terrifying black magic destroyed everything.
Those who had witnessed the battle between the Monster Queen and the Sword Saint from afar knew all too well how powerful Silatuna's attacks were.
As the Hero Union retreated, Leo raised his sword.
*Woooong-!*
Gray aura gathered at the tip of Leo’s sword.
“What are you doing?!”
“Get out of the way!”
Everyone stared in horror at Leo, who intended to face Silatuna's attack head-on.
‘He’s going to die!’
Everyone who saw Leo thought the same thing.
Just as they all froze, bracing for the sight of Leo being vaporized without a trace…
*Flash-!*
A gray sword strike bisected Silatuna’s spell.
*Kra-ga-ga-gang-!*
It caused a massive explosion in mid-air, sweeping over the legion.
Everyone in the Hero Union stared at Leo’s back.
*Shwaaaaaaah-!*
Amidst the unrelenting downpour.
Leo opened his mouth.
“How long are you going to stand there cowering?”
A quiet voice.
But amplified by his aura, it reached the ears of every member of the Hero Union.
“You’re heroes, aren’t you?”
Leo looked back over his shoulder.
“Didn’t you earn the title of hero by achieving deeds the gods themselves recognized?”
“Who in the world are you…?”
Sedjen asked, stunned.
That single sword strike just now.
‘It was on par with the Headmaster… no, it was a strike even more powerful than the Headmaster’s.’
“Who are you?”
At Sedjen’s question, Leo let his sword hang loosely and spoke calmly.
“My name is Kyle.”
Leo’s gaze turned forward.
“I am the one you call the Hero of the Beginning.”
“What?”
“The Hero of the Beginning?”
“That’s impossible…!”
A being who had long been treated as a fictional Great Hero, someone who didn't actually exist.
A mysterious Great Hero whose existence had only recently been confirmed.
The Hero Union couldn't easily believe Leo's claim to be this Hero of the Beginning.
But Leo didn't care.
Whether they believed in his existence or not.
That wasn't important.
What was important now was subjugating Silatuna, who stood before them.
“If you are heroes, then prove it.”
Leo spoke to the frozen heroes with cold eyes.
“If you are heroes acknowledged by the gods, then show me your courage.”
The voice of the young man who called himself a Great Hero echoed in the heroes’ ears.
“The Monster Queen will be slain here today.”
Leo pointed his sword to the sky.
*Flash-!*
*Kra-ga-ga-ga-gang-!*
Lightning struck his sword.
“Lightning Storm.”
At Leo’s incantation, a storm of lightning raged.
*Bzzzzzzzzzt-!*
“He can use magic of that caliber?”
“Wasn’t he a knight?”
The power of the spell, which far surpassed that of any archmage, left the heroes in shock.
Ain clenched his fist.
“Could it be… the real Hero of the Beginning?”
According to legend, the Hero of the Beginning was an All-Class.
If this man was truly the Hero of the Beginning, it wouldn't be strange for him to wield powerful aura and magic simultaneously.
Silatuna’s legion was electrocuted by the lightning.
-Impossible. Impossible. Impossible!
Watching from a distance from the wall, Silatuna’s face hardened.
It couldn't be.
Why was that man, who had disappeared 5,000 years ago, here now?
‘Jerdiac’s revival in this era was thanks to Lord Erebos’s power!’
Thanks to that, he had escaped the World of Heroes and crossed over to the present.
Since Jerdiac had crossed over, it wasn't theoretically strange for Kyle to do so as well.
But…
‘The gods vanished from the mortal plane long ago!’
There was no one to lend the divine power needed to summon a Great Hero to the present world.
So how could the Hero of the Beginning appear in this era?!
Silatuna raised a massive arm.
*Bzzzt-!*
Crimson sparks flew.
With them, a javelin made of powerful black magic formed in her hand.
-Disappear! You ghost of the past!
With a murderous roar, the spear of destruction flew toward the source of Kyle's power.
*Kwaang-!*
A clash of power against power.
Gray aura and crimson mana mixed, sending a pillar of light shooting into the sky.
*Fwoosh-!*
The rain clouds in the surrounding area were instantly blown away.
The rain stopped, and the sunlight hidden behind the dark, gloomy clouds poured down.
Coincidentally, Leo was standing right where the sunlight fell.
Silatuna’s face twitched.
-Kyle!
Watching Silatuna spit out his name, Leo readjusted his grip on his sword.
“I’ve come to end this twisted fate that has continued from the past, Monster Queen.”
As he spoke, three summoning circles appeared around Leo.
“Summoning?”
“Wait! This power is…!”
The summoners’ eyes widened.
Crimson red, pure white, and a light green brimming with life force.
The summoners knew all too well what that meant.
Three familiars emerged from the summoning circles.
A phoenix flapping its massive wings landed on Leo’s forearm.
A small fairy landed on Leo’s shoulder.
Finally, a beautiful pegasus allowed Leo to mount it.
[Chirp?]
[Huh? Who are you?]
[Is that really you, Master?]
Piora, Kiruan, and Aty looked at their contractor with bewildered reactions.
Leo spoke to the three of them.
“I’ll explain the details later. For now, it’s time to fight that thing.”
The three familiars’ gazes turned to Silatuna.
[What’s that? That ugly monster?]
[It’s the Monster Queen.]
[Chirp! Chirp!]
Kiruan made a disgusted face, while Aty’s eyes sharpened.
Finally, Piora flapped her wings aggressively.
“I need your strength.”
Leo’s current power was a temporary manifestation of his past strength, summoned through divine power.
He could fight Silatuna on his own, but he didn't have enough power to defeat her by himself.
‘This isn’t my power from my prime.’
Moreover, Leo was on a time limit.
To completely defeat Silatuna, he needed to join forces with Luna.
But Luna was currently on her way to subjugate Jerdiac.
‘Even if he was revived with Erebos’s power, he was killed once. He can't be in a perfect state.’
Until then, Leo needed to use all his power to hold Silatuna back.
“Piora, Kiruan. Grant your blessings to the heroes.”
At his words, Piora and Kiruan flapped their wings and flew toward the wall.
“Aty, you and I will face that thing.”
With that, Leo pulled on the reins.
[This feeling! Ahh! It really is you, Master!]
Aty let out a cry of joy at Leo’s touch.
Then, she flew toward Silatuna at an incredible speed.
[How are you in this world!]
“Jerdiac came to this world, so why can’t we?”
[Kgh!]
Leo scoffed at Silatuna’s cry and swung his sword.
*Flash-! Kra-ga-ga-ga-gak-!*
Leo’s massive gray aura tried to sever Silatuna’s neck.
But the barrier that had formed around Silatuna activated.
[I’ll kill you again!]
A lump of flesh on Silatuna’s body transformed into the shape of a giant serpent.
Like a hydra, the snake’s head, with its maw wide open, flew to swallow Leo whole.
Leo pulled on the reins, soaring rapidly into the sky.
And he began to chant.
The strongest magic created by Luna.
*Woooong-!*
A complex magical formula appeared on Leo’s palm.
Having completed the spell, Leo chanted the incantation.
“Terminus.”
*Flash-!*
A cold, dawn starlight swept through.
With it, the massive serpent monster created by Silatuna disintegrated into dust.
[Kgh!]
Silatuna’s eyes widened.
Looking down at her, Leo spoke.
“Monster Queen.”
Leo spoke to the legion commander as if delivering a sentence.
“Your time ends today.”
*Shing-!*
Leo readjusted his grip on his sword.
“I’ll make sure you’re buried as a relic of the past, just like your colleague Jerdiac.”
***
*Step- step-*
With a light gait unbefitting the urgent situation, Luna walked through the middle of the battlefield.
Everyone’s eyes widened at the sight of her.
There was no one who didn't know what Luna looked like.
In textbooks, in historical documents.
They had seen her beautiful image time and time again.
The object of everyone’s admiration.
The hope that brought peace to this world.
The greatest elf in the world.
Luna was such a being.
Jerdiac’s legion, having lost all reason, charged at her from all directions.
But Luna didn't even glance at them as she conjured her mana.
*Flash-!*
Hundreds of golden magic circles materialized.
This was Luna, known as the strongest mage in history.
Although she didn't possess the power of her prime, she was not a being that a mindless legion could stop.
*Kra-ga-ga-gak-!*
Needles of light formed around Luna and rained down.
*Shwaaaaaaa-!*
Luna looked at the rain soaking her hair.
It wasn't the wretched black rain.
It was a clear, pure rain.
To Lumerne and Seirun, this rain was like the herald of a disaster.
The presence of Silatuna, whose very existence changed the climate.
But to Luna, this rain was a welcome sight.
‘How many years has it been… since I’ve seen a clear rain?’
The moment she thought that.
*Flash-!*
A pillar of light shot up in the distance, blowing away the rain clouds.
With it, the sunlight hidden by the clouds poured down.
Luna looked up at the sky.
A clear, pure sky filled her large, golden eyes.
*Grip-*
Luna’s hand tightened on Polium.
‘We… we really saved the world.’
She felt like tears were about to stream down.
How much had she despaired?
Fighting against Erebos and Tartaros, she had reassured people that there was hope.
But even as she said it, she trembled in fear.
She had broken down countless times at the thought that she might not be able to save the world.
Even though she knew she would die.
Even though she knew she wouldn't be able to see the world that had regained its peace with her own eyes.
That was why this sky was special to Luna.
It felt as though all her pain and despair up to this point had been rewarded.
*Thud-!*
Luna stopped walking.
‘The time I can stay here is short.’
She could feel her divine power diminishing the more she used her strength.
The time she was allowed was extremely brief.
But she could do much in that short time.
Luna looked at the old elf using star magic.
She was amazed to see an elf she had never met before using star magic as if she had taught him herself.
It was in that moment that she truly realized this was the future.
*Craaack-!*
Jerdiac opened his mouth.
With it, he spewed a breath of potent venom.
“Kgh!”
Benet squeezed out his mana, trying to block the attack.
Seeing this, Luna gripped Polium.
*Flash-! Kra-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak-!*
A curtain of light deflected the breath.
“…!”
The gazes of the heroes fighting Jerdiac all fixed on Luna.
And their eyes widened.
“You must not despair.”
Luna smiled gently.
“And I hope you never let this light be stolen from you again.”
*Woooong-!*
Luna’s immense mana stirred.
*Rumble-rumble-rumble-!*
The ground began to shake from Luna’s mana.
“Don’t repeat the same misfortunes we did.”
A hexagram magic circle appeared on Luna’s palm.
Benet’s hand trembled.
Known as the First Star of the Founder, he knew what this magic was.
He had used this magic himself.
But… it was incomparable to his own.
‘The original.’
Benet looked at the elf emitting golden mana and called her name in a trembling voice.
“Lady Luna?”
As if in response, Luna smiled faintly and completed the incantation.
“Starlight.”
The starlight that poured from her hand engulfed Jerdiac.
-Kiaaaaaaaaaak!
The body of the mindless Jerdiac was torn apart as he writhed in agony.
‘He died at Kyle’s hands once and came back to life. Jerdiac isn't in a perfect state.’
Moreover, he had lost his reason and had already taken significant damage from the heroes.
In Luna’s eyes, Jerdiac was not a legion commander.
He was just a monster consumed by the instinct for destruction.
Jerdiac’s eyes glinted as he summoned his greatsword, Venom.
-Kuoooooooooo!
*Thump, thump, thump, thump!*
He let out a roar and charged toward Luna.
Benet hurriedly deployed a spell.
“Chain Stella!”
*Kra-jee-jee-jee-jing-!*
Chains of light shot out from the magic circle and wrapped around Jerdiac’s body.
*Kooong-!*
*Rumble-rumble-rumble-!*
Restrained by the chains of light, Jerdiac’s muscles twitched.
“Beings of the past should not exist in the present.”
Luna aimed Polium at Jerdiac.
“They only bring chaos.”
*Woooong-!*
A massive magic circle formed.
“So, just disappear.”
*Flash!*
“Stella Radius.”
A spell whose name was not left in history.
A flash of starlight that even Leo’s bible could not contain, usable only by Luna, shot out from Polium.
*Kra-ga-ga-ga-gang-!*
The flash of starlight, which seemed to pierce the heavens, soon vanished into the sky.
Jerdiac’s body, his upper torso blown away, began to collapse.
*Saaaaaaah-!*
It crumbled away, disappearing like sand.
The same happened to the legion summoned by Jerdiac.
Lowering her staff, Luna looked around.
The students of Lumerne and Seirun gathered around her.
“Founder… nim?”
An elf asked with a look of disbelief.
Luna didn't answer the question but smiled.
“Founder-nim!”
“Ahh! O, great Progenitor of the Nebula!”
The students of Seirun knelt and bowed their heads.
It wasn't just the Seirun students.
Even among the Lumerne students, there were some who showed the Great Hero the proper respect.
“Lady Luna.”
Benet approached with a trembling voice.
Looking at him, Luna said.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time.”
“Pardon?”
*Woooong-!*
Luna used magic to open a warp gate.
“I have to go.”
“Where are you going?”
Ellen asked urgently, and Luna smiled as if it were obvious.
“To Kyle.”