Chapter 450
Chapter Title: Reunion with the Adversary
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In Leo’s hand, a staff shone like starlight.
Cometes.
A staff bearing the name of a comet.
Crafted by Dweno and named by Luna, it was a divine-grade staff that could be called the strongest of all existing magical staves.
When it was forged, Dweno, known as the god's blacksmith, had poured his artisan soul into it, imbuing it with immense magical power.
‘Not stopping there, that Luna girl plastered it with all sorts of formulas, modifying it beyond recognition. Not to mention infusing it with her own magic.’
On top of that, it passed through the hands of Seirun, Luna's successor, adding Seirun’s magic to the mix.
‘The problem is that it became an incredibly difficult magical staff to handle.’
For ages, no family had been able to wield Cometes properly.
Not even the Tingel family, who carried Seirun's blood.
The reason was simple.
‘Because the staff’s creator, its original user, and its inheritor were all geniuses of their era.’
Even Leo himself had only recently managed to wield Cometes perfectly after receiving it from Seirun.
Clutching Cometes, Leo soared high into the sky.
Reaching a height where Erebos was barely visible, Leo unleashed his magic.
*Vwoooom-!*
Cometes responded to Leo’s magic, emitting a brilliant light.
Leo’s red eyes turned gray.
As he stirred his magic, a gray aura flickered around his body.
A magic circle was drawn in the empty air.
The crystallization of a magical formula, composed of geometric runes.
It wasn't a simple spell, but an entire system of magic.
A system that only one person in this world could use.
The Hero of the Beginning.
Leo completed the spell by softly uttering its name.
“Bible.”
As the incantation was completed, the magical formula of Bible rapidly transformed.
New runes were inscribed within the magic circle.
It was the magical formula of Star Magic.
Leo, holding Cometes, deployed the spell.
*Flash-! Crackle-!*
A beautiful magical formula materialized around Leo.
Seeing this, Leo began to chant.
In time with his incantation, the magical formula glowed in a myriad of colors.
Simultaneously, the mana in the atmosphere began to vibrate.
A beautiful melody echoed throughout the entire battlefield.
It wasn't a voice.
It was the sound created by the trembling of atmospheric mana.
“What in the world is this?”
Ulta wore a surprised expression.
Hearing this, Torua, who was chanting with her staff in hand, widened her eyes.
“It’s a magic incantation.”
The atmospheric mana was resonating with someone's chant.
That resonance simply sounded like a melody.
“Star Magic.”
Riennia, recognizing the nature of the magic, widened her eyes and looked up at the sky.
“Leo Flove?”
Her jaw dropped.
“Amazing, Sir Leo.”
Eiran also marveled.
“Just how powerful is this magic?”
Lunia, too, wore a bewildered expression.
It was then.
[Everyone.]
Melina’s voice reached their ears.
[I’ll be taking command from now on. Ulta, take Riennia and attack Erebos.]
At her words, Ulta gripped the reins of his Pegasus, Eiria.
*Whoosh-!*
Flying at incredible speed, Eiria discharged lightning.
*Crackle-!*
While flying at a speed that defied imagination, Riennia stood up.
*Whoosh-!*
She felt an immense sense of speed.
But Riennia paid it no mind and drew her bowstring.
*Gwoooooo-!*
As she pulled the bowstring, she began to chant.
When Riennia recited the star incantation, the atmospheric mana that had been resonating with Leo reacted to her spell.
Riennia’s eyes widened slightly.
‘What is this?’
She had only chanted along with Leo’s incantation.
Yet she could feel the power of her spell growing ever stronger.
A power far beyond the maximum she could normally muster was imbued within it.
But despite that, it didn’t feel unstable.
‘If anything, it’s more stable.’
*Grip-!*
Riennia pulled the bowstring even tighter.
‘It’s as if this is its original power.’
Feeling the incredibly natural flow of magic, Riennia finished her chant.
“Annihilation.”
*Paaat-!*
As Riennia released the bowstring, the spell of Annihilation, shaped like an arrow, flew towards Erebos.
*Flash-! Craaaaaash-! Whoooooosh-!*
From the aftershock of the magic, the trees and grass around Erebos bent in the opposite direction.
*Fwoooosh-!*
As black flames poured out, Melina spoke.
[Torua, please block the flames with Earth Magic.]
Torua used a magical formula to move the earth.
*Rumble-!*
A massive earthen wall rose up, blocking the flames.
‘Torua’s magic shows no change in power.’
Riennia stirred her magic and cast a spell.
A chill swirled in her hand.
A spell cast with a standard magical formula showed no change in power.
Riennia used Star Magic.
Instantly, a reaction from the magic occurred, clearly different from usual.
“Torua! Use Star Magic!”
“Star Magic is stronger than usual right now!”
Hearing this, Torua hurriedly checked her magic.
Understanding what Riennia meant, she wore a look of surprise.
Lunia and Eiran also noticed the change.
“What’s going on?!”
Eliza asked urgently, and Lunia replied.
“I don’t know. What’s certain is that the Star Magic formula is being influenced by Leo’s incantation.”
As she said that, Leo's spell was completed.
*Flash-!*
A pillar of light shot down from the sky.
***
*Flash-!*
Erebos’s eyes twitched at the brilliant starlight that covered the sky.
It was a spell powerful enough that even he could not dismiss it.
Erebos knew only one person capable of using such magic.
—*Luna Rubinance?*
*Craaaaaaaash-!*
The pillar of light swallowed Erebos whole.
A massive flash was followed by a colossal explosion.
Witnessing the scene, Ar-on’s eyes widened.
“Luna?”
It was just like watching Luna.
But Ar-on knew.
Luna did not exist in this era.
If not Luna, there was only one person who could wield Star Magic like this.
‘Kyle!’
A smile formed on Ar-on’s face.
‘Kyle is amazing, as always.’
He was clearly different from Ar-on, who had come to a standstill.
Even after being reincarnated, Kyle had continued to hone himself.
‘He’s progressed so far that I could mistake his magic for Luna’s. He hasn't regained his peak strength yet, but once he does, he’ll surely be incomparably stronger than the Kyle I knew.’
Ar-on clenched his fist.
*Fwoooosh-!*
Just then, black flames pierced through the dust and revealed themselves.
—*What’s with that look of relief?*
“Erebos.”
*Thump-!*
Erebos took a step toward Ar-on.
Despite taking a direct hit from Leo’s magic, Erebos was still standing.
—*I see, you are not Luna Rubinance.*
Erebos looked up at the sky.
—*The surviving hero.*
With Erebos's soft murmur, Leo descended from the sky.
“Did you sleep well for 5,000 years?”
—*What is that pathetic state you’re in? Surviving hero.*
“You’re still alive, so I came back to life to finish you off for good, that’s what.”
The corners of Leo’s mouth twisted up.
Seeing the clear sneer on Leo’s lips, Erebos spoke.
—*If you delayed the end of the world by 5,000 years, I suppose you have fulfilled your role sufficiently.*
*Thud-*
Erebos scoffed at Leo.
—*Unlike me, who will not vanish until this world is burned to ashes. It would be perfectly natural for a mortal like you to disappear. And yet, you stand before me, unable to even die properly. Khahahahahahaha-!*
Erebos’s mad laughter echoed.
—*To defy even your given fate. Truly astonishing. You are more befitting of the name ‘surviving hero’ than anyone else, Kyle.*
*Whoosh-!*
In response, intense black flames swirled around him.
Melina urgently tried to approach to help them.
Seeing her, Erebos’s eyes flared.
—*How dare a mere, insignificant creature intrude upon this place!*
“Keuk?!”
With Erebos's furious roar, a wall of black flames shot up.
Seeing this, Leo narrowed his eyes.
“You’re quite the discriminator, aren't you?”
—*Surviving hero, and Brave Hero. You are different from those insignificant creatures.*
“How are we different?”
—*5,000 years ago, when this body burned the world, the detestable gods vanished from this realm. My old adversaries could no longer set foot in this world.*
*Fwoooosh-!*
Erebos’s body blazed with black flames.
—*The world’s destruction was a foregone conclusion. In such a situation, it was you who defied that fate.*
Pure evil, existing since the beginning of time.
An existence of ruin, here for the sole purpose of burning the world.
The moment the gods disappeared and he revealed himself, the world's destruction was an absolute certainty.
But the Great Heroes ultimately defeated Erebos and prevented that destruction.
—*You lot accomplished a feat that not even the gods could achieve. To me, you are adversaries more formidable than the gods. I cannot place you on the same level as those insignificant creatures. Be grateful. You have been acknowledged by me, the primordial evil.*
“My, I’m so damn grateful I could just about curse.”
Leo gritted his teeth.
—*Khehehehe. So.*
Erebos’s gaze shifted to Ar-on.
—*You, who subsist through the gods’ record system, seem greatly relieved, Ar-on. Even though you trembled in such fear right before you died.*
“That no longer matters.”
Ar-on gripped his sword tightly.
His face held a resolve that was incomparable to before.
“I no longer fear death. Because the world has been saved.”
Ar-on pointed his sword at Erebos.
“I don’t fear disappearing either. Because I have no doubt that Kyle will defeat you.”
—*Hahaha. Keheheheheh. Khahahahahahaha!*
Erebos burst into mad laughter.
Seeing this, Leo scowled.
“What’s so funny?”
—*How could it not be amusing! Kyle! This body cannot comprehend why you all call this pitiful being a Brave Hero!*
Erebos looked at Ar-on.
—*Listen well, you cowardly Brave Hero. The surviving hero is alone. Neither you, nor the god’s blacksmith, nor the founder of the nebula, nor the foolish one are with him. He is left all alone in this world!*
“No! Kyle has successors who have inherited our spirits! He is not alone!”
—*Are those insignificant creatures over there your so-called proud successors?*
Erebos’s gaze shifted to Melina and the hero cadets on the battlefield.
After a moment, Erebos looked at Ar-on with pity.
—*They cannot replace you, Brave Hero.*
“No! Those children will surely…”
—*Even if they could replace you, Brave Hero… you have overlooked one fact.*
“What?”
—*That the surviving hero will once again fight against me.*
Erebos lowered his body.
And spoke softly.
—*It means he will repeat the same suffering you all went through once more.*
Ar-on’s face hardened.
“Ar-on, don’t mind him.”
Leo said with a stoic expression.
“I’m already prepared.”
—*You may be prepared, but is this cowardly Brave Hero?*
The corners of Erebos’s mouth twisted.
—*The only Great Hero who feared death so much that he sacrificed himself, yet in the end, feared death and doubted the world's salvation. Let me tell you of the final moments of the others I witnessed.*
*Fwoosh-!*
Erebos’s body blazed.
—*They selfishly pushed their ideals onto the surviving hero. They passed on their unfulfilled dreams! Believing without a doubt that the surviving hero would accomplish them, they closed their eyes in selfish satisfaction! Yes! Their faith was correct!*
Leo’s face hardened as he stirred his magic.
—*In the end! The surviving hero saved the world! Vowing to fulfill the dying wishes of you five, he struggled to the very end, unable to even die! To a degree that I found marvelous! Of you five, he met the most painful death! And now! He is about to repeat that agony all over again!*
Leo looked at Ar-on's back.
He could see his shoulders trembling slightly.
—*How strange, Brave Hero. Why do you wear the same expression as when you died?*
Seeing Ar-on’s face contorted as if he were about to cry, Erebos’s face flushed with ecstasy.
“You bastard…!”
Killing intent filled Leo’s eyes.
—*It is truly enjoyable, breaking an adversary.*
Erebos, who had been chuckling, suddenly changed his demeanor.
—*The idle chat ends here.*
A sinister killing intent poured from Erebos’s body.
—*Now, I shall burn you all to ash.*