Chapter 448
Chapter Title: The Awakening of Erebos
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448.
Two Great Heroes and one hero gathered to subjugate the fragment of Erebos.
And six hero candidates charged towards Erebos.
Ar-on, at the very front, ran across the sky.
“He's so fast.”
Torua, riding her staff, exclaimed in admiration.
Lunia, riding in front of Torua, said.
“Of course he is, he's Ar-on! But why do I have to ride on your staff, Torua?”
“We have no choice. Your friend is moving with a junior from our school's summoning department. And Rienia is flying with Ulta.”
“That's not what I mean. I can perfectly well manage without your help, Torua….”
“You wouldn't be able to keep up. You're a glass cannon, specializing only in firepower.”
“A glass cannon?! I'm perfectly good at other kinds of magic too, you know!”
“Yes. But not as good as me, right?”
“Grr!”
Seeing Lunia clench her fist in frustration while staring ahead, Torua smiled slyly and blew into her ear.
“Hoo-!”
Lunia covered her ear, her face turning beet red as she protested.
“Wh-What are you doing?”
“You seemed nervous.”
“I was not!”
Torua chuckled and said.
“You seem to want to be helpful, but you just need to focus on attacking. That's probably why Lord Ar-on had you join the party.”
“……Yes.”
As she answered, she glanced at Leo at the head of the party, her expression tinged with frustration.
*Can I still not stand by his side?*
Lunia knew it too.
As did Eiran and Eliza.
*Except for Leo, we second-years are still not skilled enough to join this party.*
Even Torua, Ulta, and Rienia were not skilled enough to fight alongside Ar-on and Melina.
But as graduates, the three of them could at least support Ar-on and Melina.
The reason Lunia, Eiran, and Eliza, who couldn't even provide support, were chosen by Ar-on was because of a single spell.
“You completed the Flame Emperor? Amazing! If Luna had known, she would have been overjoyed.”
On a day during the training retreat.
Hearing Lunia say she had completed the Star Magic, Flame Emperor, Ar-on was genuinely moved.
Lunia was bewildered, wondering if it was something that would move Ar-on to such an extent.
“Isn't Flame Emperor a spell Lady Luna created to counter the flames of Erebos?”
“That's right.”
Flame Emperor, the unfinished spell left behind by Luna.
Although Lunia had completed the spell, she actually didn't know much about the magic called [Flame Emperor].
All she knew was that Leo had taught her the magic formula recorded in Luna's grimoire, kept in the Shan Empire, and that it was a spell Luna had been unable to complete in her lifetime.
Lunia knew well the meaning behind the unquenchable white flame Luna had sought to create.
“Didn't she intend to defeat Erebos with this magic?”
Thinking that Luna had ultimately failed to achieve her goal, Lunia felt she had to complete this spell.
“Yes. But it had another, greater meaning.”
“What was that?”
“There are five spells that Luna sought to create with a special sentiment.”
At Ar-on's words, Lunia and Eiran perked up their ears.
No matter what anyone said, Luna was the great progenitor of the Nebula, whom the elves respected and loved the most.
So when a story about Luna came from the mouth of Ar-on, her colleague and friend, they couldn't help but focus.
“One is a spell that makes flowers bloom. It was a spell that contained all of Luna, the one she herself was most proud of.”
“I know.”
“It's the textbook of Star Magic.”
Both Lunia and Eiran knew that well.
“The second is Stella Radius.”
“Ah…”
“The spell that defeated Jerdiac.”
“That spell is Luna herself. She created it by picturing herself shining brightly like a star.”
A flash of brilliant starlight, a unique magic belonging only to Luna.
It was the very symbol of Luna, something that even Leo's Bible could not contain.
“The third is Annihilation.”
It's a spell that, even now, is renowned as the world's strongest magic.
“Luna had a personality where she wouldn't be satisfied unless she thoroughly destroyed everything that stood in her way, so she created this spell…”
“Lord Ar-on. You don't have to finish that sentence.”
Lunia said urgently.
Lunia didn't want her image of the legendary Luna to be shattered any further.
But the reactions of those around her were different.
“Ooh! So she had a similar personality to this ill-tempered knife-ear!”
“Wanna die?! You stupid cat!”
Watching the commotion, Ar-on laughed cheerfully.
“You look like you're having fun.”
Ar-on nodded at Driana's question.
“I was just wondering if this is how others saw us.”
At that answer, everyone except Leo stared wide-eyed.
“Did the Great Heroes act like this with each other every day?”
“Nah, no way.”
“Somehow, I don't think so.”
Lunia, Ar, and Driana whispered among themselves.
“It sounds like it would have been fun.”
As Karl said, clasping his hands behind his back, Ar-on nodded.
“It was fun.”
Seeing Ar-on's faint smile, Eiran asked.
“What's the fourth spell with a special sentiment?”
“It's a spell called Innocent.”
“Innocent?”
“Isn't that the spell Lord Kyle used?”
At Ar-on's words, everyone recalled Kyle, whom they had briefly met in Dweno's world.
“Yes. It's a spell Luna made for Kyle.”
“It was certainly a beautiful spell.”
Lunia smiled brightly.
Hearing Ar-on's story, Leo recalled that time.
*‘Ahem! Kyle.’*
*‘What is it?’*
*‘Come and sit here. I've made a spell for you.’*
*‘Another useless spell, I bet. I don't need it.’*
*‘What's wrong with a spell that makes flowers bloom!’*
Seeing Luna glare and growl, Kyle let out a small sigh and sat down in front of her.
*‘What kind of spell is it.’*
*‘It's a spell I made using your mana attribute. The name of the spell is Innocent.’*
*‘Didn't you say that "innocent" and I don't suit each other at all?’*
*‘Yeah. You don't. But Dweno said that in some ways, you're so pure you're like an idiot. I got my inspiration from that.’*
*‘Want to see what this pure idiot can do to you? You damn knife-ear.’*
“Lego o' me!”
Luna struggled as Kyle pinched her cheeks with his hand and pulled them side to side.
She flared up and tried to fight back, but Kyle's arms were much longer, so she could only continue to be teased.
Recalling the past, Leo gave a wry smile, and Ar-on, seemingly remembering it as well, burst out laughing.
Just then, Eiran asked with a very excited expression.
“But... if Lady Luna gave Lord Kyle a spell she'd imbued with special feelings... does that mean... maybe Lady Luna had feelings for Lord Kyle... or something like that?”
Just the thought of it seemed to make her happy, as Eiran cupped her cheeks with her hands, her ears twitching, unable to contain herself.
“Eiran certainly has a rich imagination.”
“She really does.”
Lunia and Ar snickered.
At their reaction, Driana said.
“Compared to you two eccentrics, I'd say Eiran has a perfectly girlish side, wouldn't you?”
At Driana's words, Lunia and Ar's eyes widened, and Karl clicked his tongue and said.
“You're a girl their age too, you know. You, the pervert, are the most abnormal one here.”
Watching the four of them bicker, Ar-on shook his head.
“I doubt Luna had those kinds of feelings for Kyle. The two of them fought at the drop of a hat.”
“I see.”
“Just like us.”
The others had 'I knew it' expressions, while Eiran's ears drooped in disappointment.
“So the fifth spell is Flame Emperor.”
“Yes.”
Ar-on nodded at Lunia's question.
“Flame Emperor is a spell Luna developed to block the black flames.”
“To block them?”
“Yes. Because Dweno and I fought on the front lines. It was a spell she made to protect us.”
Ar-on smiled bitterly.
“It was a spell she created, saying she couldn't bear to let a single one of us die.”
And in the end, it remained unfinished.
*If Flame Emperor had been completed, fate might have changed.*
Leo sighed bitterly to himself.
The image of Luna sobbing before the deaths of Ar-on and Dweno, blaming herself, came to mind.
For Ar-on, it was probably a blessing.
*Because Luna's screams would have broken Ar-on.*
Hearing Ar-on's words, Lunia's expression turned solemn.
She had never imagined that the spell passed down to her after 5,000 years was created with such feelings behind it.
***
*I must fulfill Lady Luna's wish.*
Now, Lunia knew.
First Ar-on fell, and then Dweno.
Third, Luna followed her friends.
Lunia could not even begin to imagine how Luna must have felt at that time.
*I may be lacking... but I must protect everyone with Lady Luna's magic.*
Lunia steeled her resolve.
In the meantime.
They had already reached Erebos's immediate vicinity.
Fwoosh-!
Flames erupted from Erebos's body.
At that moment.
Flash-!
Ar-on stomped his foot down hard.
In that instant, Ar-on, cloaked in a golden aura, assumed his beast form.
“Kuuuooooooooooh!”
Ar-on's roar echoed once more.
The powerful howl instilled courage in the hearts of the party members.
As Ar-on drew his sword, the golden aura concentrated at its tip.
With that, Ar-on became a golden flash and charged toward Erebos.
Bwooooosh-!
“Kuooooooooh!”
The Brave Hero's sword sliced through Erebos's chest.
Landing on the ground, Ar-on's eyes flashed.
“Melina!”
At Ar-on's shout, Melina grabbed Leo's hand and soared high into the sky.
The moment they reached the apex of the sky.
Melina brought her hands together.
Woooong-!
A massive magic circle formed.
The surrounding atmosphere shimmered from the unimaginable amount of magical power.
“That's an incredible amount of mana... What in the world is that spell?”
As Lunia asked while preparing her attack, Torua, who was chanting a spell, glanced at the sky and answered.
“Disaster, the Dragon of Creation. It's Rhodia's unique magic.”
A grand magic that dominates the surrounding nature.
Fwoooooooosh! Kwaaaaaaaah-!
A giant tempest enveloped Erebos.
Seeing that, Eliza muttered.
“It's a perfect superior version of Abad's Tempest.”
“Of course it is. If Abad's Tempest is a spell that causes natural disasters, that spell is one that controls them.”
It is literally a grand magic that ranks among the strongest in the natural world.
Kwaaaaaah-!
Guooooooooo!
Erebos struggled, trying not to be swept away by the massive tempest.
However, while Disaster managed to halt Erebos's movements, it didn't inflict significant damage.
Melina smiled faintly at the sight.
*It's fine. This is enough.*
Melina's role was, after all, to pin Erebos in place.
“Lord Leo.”
Melina called to Leo.
“Lisinas's magic.”
At her words, Leo raised his hand.
“Lariel.”
Flash-!
In Leo's hand, the Great Spirit of Light, Lariel, was summoned.
As Leo roused his spiritual power, just as the Spirit of Radiance had long ago.
The Spirit of Brilliance transformed into a bow of light.
Leo grasped the bow of light and drew the string.
Woooong-!
An arrow nocked itself on the end of the string.
Watching this, Melina smiled brightly.
*Long ago, the light shot forth by the King of Wisdom to drive out all that was corrupt and wicked.*
Leo spoke its name.
“Punishment.”
Flash-!
Kwagagagagagagang-!
The arrow of light struck Erebos, causing a massive explosion.
Kwagagagaga-!
The tempest holding Erebos vanished without a trace.
In the middle of a huge crater, black magma was scattered in all directions.
Seeing that, Leo narrowed his eyes.
A shudder-inducing power.
But not only Leo and Ar-on, but even Melina couldn't understand the current situation.
“It seems... excessively weak.”
At Melina's murmur, Leo clicked his tongue.
“I see.”
“Yes?”
“His seal has been broken, that's true, but his consciousness hasn't awakened yet. He's just wielding his power on instinct.”
“Which means…”
At Leo's words, Melina's expression hardened.
“Right. It hasn't even started yet.”
The magma squirmed and then formed into the shape of Erebos's face.
The moment Ar-on saw it and raised his sword.
Flash-!
In an instant, Erebos's eyes opened.
Ar-on's face stiffened as their eyes met.
-Hehehehehe.
A mocking laugh flowed from Erebos's mouth.
-Is this the shallow miracle of the detestable gods?
Kuoooooooooh-!
The surrounding atmosphere changed drastically.
Fwoosh-!
Erebos's body ignited once more.
Kugugugung-!
Exuding an oppressive aura incomparable to before, Erebos sneered at Ar-on.
-Are you prepared to see the world burn once more? O ghost of the past.