Chapter 424
Chapter Title: Confrontation with the Necro King
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424.
Crackle— Sssst—
A pitch-black rift formed in the air.
As if space itself had cracked.
Crrrack— A crimson-black energy poured out from the fractured darkness.
A moment later.
The crimson-black smoke that spilled from the rift carried a vile aura of death.
The green grass on the ground began to rot away.
Had any student witnessed it, they would have been so paralyzed with fear they couldn't even scream.
The aura of death soon took on a human form.
Presently, a man cloaked in a black robe gazed upon the Lumerne landscape.
The man’s identity.
He was none other than the commander-in-chief of Tartaros, the one who had reigned as a terrifying calamity for the past 5,000 years: the Necro King, Hel Kaiser.
The air became polluted with his every breath, and everything his feet touched met its end.
The legion commander who wielded ‘Death,’ the most dangerous power among the armies of Tartaros.
He was, in the truest sense, the incarnation of death itself.
*Step—*
Someone appeared before Hel Kaiser.
A boy with pure white hair and crimson eyes.
A corner of Hel Kaiser’s mouth curled up.
The reason he had come to Lumerne today.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Leo Flove.”
***
Leo was not the only one to notice the presence of the Necro King who had infiltrated Lumerne.
—Leo-nim.
“I know.”
Leo answered calmly to Melina’s urgent call, which reached him through magic.
—I will go as well.
“No, there’s no need. You prepare for any contingencies.”
—But.
“He must have a scheme for coming here. He’s not the type to invade recklessly.”
The summit was a gathering of heroes considered the greatest of the current era.
No matter how powerful the Necro King was, or how he had reigned as a figure of terror for 5,000 years, invading this place now would be reckless.
“If he were going to invade, he would have done it back when the Monster Queen was alive and the Giant King was still hale.”
—Then why on earth has he come?
“I have a guess.”
With that, Leo headed toward the source of the Necro King's energy.
*Step—*
The Necro King stood there, unchanged from 5,000 years ago.
Seeing Leo, Hel Kaiser’s lips curled into a smirk.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Leo Flove.”
*Thud— Thud—*
Hel Kaiser approached Leo.
“They say you’re the hero candidate who will lead the next generation, the one who has thwarted my plans time and again and performed countless miracles, yes?”
*Ruuuuuumble—!*
An unsettling black magic emanated from Hel Kaiser’s body.
“When I asked about you before, I was told you were the one who would destroy me, was I not?”
Hel Kaiser’s crimson-black eyes flashed.
“I will ask once more.”
*Swoosh—*
The aura of death flickered at his raised fingertips.
“What is your identity?”
*KRA-BOOOOM—!*
A massive explosion rocked the very earth.
An aura of flame pierced through the thick smoke, aiming for Hel Kaiser’s neck.
*Grab—!*
Leo’s sword struck Hel Kaiser’s neck.
But it didn't sever it; it was blocked.
*Ruuuuuumble—!*
A powerful aura erupted from Leo’s body.
Seeing this, Hel Kaiser raised his hand.
A staff made of grotesque black bone appeared in his grasp.
*Fwhoosh—!*
As he swung the staff, a black energy swept toward Leo.
Leo used Aura Step to evade the Necro King’s attack.
*Sizzzzle—!*
‘A curse of corruption.’
The moment anything touched that black energy, it would rot away.
Leo scanned his surroundings.
A curse had already been cast over the entire area.
‘A curse of severance.’
A curse that isolated the inside from the outside.
Even if Hel Kaiser went on a rampage here, no one outside would know.
Leo looked at Hel Kaiser.
‘Just as I thought. He came to figure out my identity.’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
The one before him now was not the Necro King’s main body, but a clone.
Even so, it possessed formidable power.
*Vwooom—!*
Magic formed at the fingertips of Leo's free hand.
Star Magic.
*Flash! K-K-K-K-K-BOOM—!*
Hundreds of light bullets shot out from the magic circle, descending upon the Necro King.
“Such crude tricks.”
Hel Kaiser’s eyes swiftly analyzed the magic.
*Fwoosh—!*
Before the light bullets could even touch Hel Kaiser’s body, they vanished as if evaporated.
They weren't blocked by Hel Kaiser’s power.
He had analyzed and dispelled them.
“I am the one who dispelled even Luna’s magic. You, of all people, should know that a crude tinkering of her legacy would not work on me, wouldn't you? Leo Flove, no.”
*Ruuuuuumble—*
A black space opened above Leo’s head.
With it, a torrent of bones, flesh, and blood rained down.
“Surviving Hero.”
*Th-th-th-thud! Splat! Splat! Swoooooosh!*
Bone fragments, flesh, and blood engulfed Leo.
Watching this, Hel Kaiser smiled coldly and activated his black magic.
*K-K-K-K-K-K-K-BOOM—!*
The pile of corpses exploded, shaking the ground.
“As expected, such magic is ineffective against you.”
Hel Kaiser burst into laughter.
“It’s been a while, Spirit of Radiance. Has it been 3,000 years?”
—Necro King.
Laruel gritted her teeth, her hatred palpable.
The detestable enemy she had fought countless times alongside Rhodia, the Dragon of Genesis, 3,000 years ago.
Having blocked the black magic with Laruel’s power, Leo looked at the scattered pieces of bone and flesh.
Bending his knees, Leo picked up the hilt of a sword lying amidst the ruins of bone and flesh.
The weapon had long lost its function.
It seemed to have belonged to one of the people in the pile of corpses that had just rained down.
Leo raised his head and looked at Hel Kaiser.
“Are these the corpses of heroes?”
“A reunion gift, Surviving Hero. Did you not survive by treading upon the deaths of countless heroes?”
Hel Kaiser burst into laughter.
“Did you not even leave behind the deaths of the Great Heroes, who were more precious to you than your own life, Surviving Hero?”
Hel Kaiser’s laughter echoed.
“Were you crying when the Brave Hero died with an apology on his lips? What did you feel before the death of Dweno, who left behind that blasphemous weapon?”
A murderous intent formed in Leo’s eyes.
“And what was in Luna’s heart when she said it was better for you to survive than her?”
*Crrrack—!*
“When Lisinas finally entrusted everything to you, and you once again survived alone to become the final hero. What did you feel then?”
*Ruuuuuuuumble—!*
The air stirred from the killing intent emanating from Leo’s body.
Every living creature that had barely survived Hel Kaiser’s presence now scrambled to get as far away from Kyle as possible.
“Hold your head high, Surviving Hero. No, Final Hero.”
Hel Kaiser smiled a ghastly smile.
The smiling skeleton spread its arms wide.
“Even if all the world forgets your blasphemy of felling a god, I will remember.”
Hel Kaiser looked to the sky and shouted.
“Even as you alone defy the death that others can never escape, and once again stand alone against a god, I know of your foolishness!”
*Clack, clack, clack—*
The sound of bones clashing rang out.
“In the end, you will once again become the final hero! You are the beginning of this era! And its end! But do not worry. Until the day the world burns away in the grace of a god, I will remember! That a being such as you existed! Hahahahahahahaha!”
*Vwooom—!*
Laruel transformed into light and enveloped Leo’s feet.
Spirit Armored, which armed him with a spirit.
“Are you finished with your provocations, Necro King?”
Leo smiled.
At that chilling smile, Hel Kaiser flinched.
‘It’s not working.’
He had intended to provoke Leo, but it wasn't taking.
Despite his seething rage, Leo was utterly calm.
*Fwoosh—!*
Leo charged toward Hel Kaiser.
Like a flash of light, he closed the distance.
*Slice—!*
Leo’s sword severed Hel Kaiser’s neck.
Separated from its body, Hel Kaiser’s head flew through the air.
Spirit Armored was a spirit art that armed the body with a spirit, drawing out its abilities physically.
Right now, it was no exaggeration to say Leo’s speed was that of the light spirit itself.
“There’s no need for you to remember.”
Leo said coldly.
“Because this world will not be destroyed.”
*Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-shlick—!*
Tracing an arc of light, Leo instantly diced Hel Kaiser’s body to pieces.
“And I will not become the final hero again.”
*Ruuuuuuuumble—!*
Black magic erupted from Hel Kaiser’s body as if exploding.
The moment the black magic tried to envelop Leo.
*Fwoosh—!*
Leo’s shadow shot up.
*Clang—! Crack!*
The shadow became a blade and shattered Hel Kaiser’s bone staff.
For a moment, Hel Kaiser’s eyes widened.
“This is…”
A shadow spirit.
But not just any shadow spirit.
Hel Kaiser knew this shadow spirit.
“The Shadow Spirit?”
5,000 years ago.
At the sight of the power of the Great Shadow Spirit who had been extinguished by his own hands, Hel Kaiser was shaken for the first time.
Discovering Elsie perched on Leo’s shoulder, Hel Kaiser’s face twisted.
“How…!”
*Grab!*
In that instant, Leo closed in on Hel Kaiser and seized his face.
Leo activated his aura.
Cloaked in a gray aura, Leo shot straight up into the sky.
*CRASH—!*
For a moment, Hel Kaiser's face was slammed into an invisible wall.
It was the wall created by the curse of severance.
*K-K-K-K-K-K-K-KRACK—!*
Leo flew upward, grinding Hel Kaiser’s face against the wall of severance.
*Crack— Crrrrack—!*
The curse of severance couldn't withstand Leo’s power and began to fissure.
*SHATTER!*
A hole finally opened in the curse of severance, and Hel Kaiser was dragged into the sky, still in Leo’s grip.
“For thousands of years, you have driven countless heroes to their deaths. You have mocked their deaths and desecrated their corpses. Now, you will pay the price.”
Leo said, his voice low.
Hel Kaiser’s very existence was an insult to all those who had sacrificed their lives for the world.
Knowing this, Hel Kaiser had tried to provoke him.
But while Leo was enraged, he had not lost his reason.
“You…!”
Seeing Leo’s cold eyes, Hel Kaiser’s face contorted.
Leo forcibly turned the head he was gripping.
*Crrrack!*
A gruesome sound of bone echoed.
*Rip—!*
In that instant, Leo tore Hel Kaiser’s head from his torso.
“Watch closely. And remember.”
Leo held the disembodied head of Hel Kaiser and forced it to look at the arena where the first-year tournament match was unfolding.
“Those children will destroy Erebos. Tartaros…”
Turning Hel Kaiser’s head to face him, Leo spoke fiercely.
“They will destroy you. Hel Kaiser.”
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah—!”
At that moment, a cheer erupted, as if the match between Luke and Aina had been decided.
Hearing the roar, Leo smiled.
“It is not us who will burn and disappear!”
“Kyle…!”
*Crr-crack—!*
A crack appeared on Hel Kaiser’s skull.
“It is you!”
*SPLAT—!*
Hel Kaiser’s head exploded in Leo’s grip.
*Swoooooooosh—!*
Hel Kaiser’s clone disintegrated into sand.
At that moment.
*Fwoosh—!*
A black flame ignited.
‘The Flame of Calamity?’
Leo’s eyes twitched at the sudden appearance of the flame.
*Fwoosh—!*
He stirred his mana.
Gray mana enveloped the inextinguishable black flame.
*Fwoosh—!*
The Flame of Calamity died down.
In that instant.
*Vwoom—!*
The dying Flame of Calamity emitted a white light before seeping into the gray mana.
Leo’s eyes widened.
‘This is… divine power?’