Chapter 628
Chapter Title: Conquest Failed
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“Hold on! Luna is still keeping the Demon Queen occupied!”
Akint shouted desperately.
Nearly half a day had passed since the Demon Queen Silatuna had dragged Leo into the Curse of Severance.
After what had seemed like a suicide mission.
Leo had been holding Silatuna for a long time.
‘Was Luna this skilled?’
Akint clenched his fist, looking at the place where the Curse of Severance had been cast.
Luna certainly had the power to defeat a Legion Commander.
But that was strictly in terms of her power as a mage.
It didn't apply to a situation where she had to face a Legion Commander alone.
‘Luna was definitely strange today.’
She didn't smile as she usually did, nor did she boastfully declare that they should just trust her.
She merely spoke with a calm detachment.
‘And that magic.’
The memory of the dazzling spell that had struck Silatuna surfaced in Akint’s mind.
It was a magic with a colossal power he had never seen before.
Akint knew of a spell with a similar form.
‘Teacher Akint! Look at this! Isn't it amazing?’
‘Yes! It’s truly incredible. When this magic is complete, the world will surely…’
‘Yes! I’ll be able to fill the world with flower fields! The magic to make flowers bloom will be complete!’
‘…Not a magic to save the world?’
‘Oh, that’s just a side effect that comes with completing the flower-blooming magic.’
The magic formula Luna had shown him.
It was a brilliant spell that even he, who had studied magic his entire life, could not easily comprehend.
‘Could it be that she completed it?’
It was the only explanation he could think of.
‘If Luna has comrades who can protect her… perhaps there’s a chance to end this terrible era.’
Luna was a flower that had just begun to bloom.
If there were more like her, with limitless potential, there was still hope for this age.
‘She was a child who had long since left my hands.’
Thinking of his student, Akint prepared a spell as he faced the advancing legion.
The legion’s assault was ferocious.
Before their onslaught, the elves were like a candle in the wind.
A situation where they could collapse at any moment.
But the elves tenaciously fought back against the legion.
Those gathered here were skilled individuals who had thrown themselves into a battle for the fate of the world.
Of course, there were some who did not yet deserve to stand here.
But there were also many champions whose power was worthy of being called heroic.
Moreover, the legion currently had no commander.
Silatuna’s retainers, terrifying and powerful demons, were running rampant, but they couldn't control the entire legion.
A legion is, quite literally, the hands and feet of its commander.
It is only when the commander is present that its true value is revealed.
‘If Luna defeats Silatuna…! Winning this battle isn’t just a dream!’
As Akint thought this, he gritted his teeth, watching the darkness approach from afar.
Night would soon fall.
It was clear that the battle would become even more difficult once night arrived.
It was then.
*Crack-!*
A fissure began to form in the empty air.
Akint’s gaze shot toward it.
*Crack! Shatter-!*
Space shattered, and from it, a massive demon revealed itself.
“The Demon Queen!”
“Oh… dear gods…”
Seeing the Demon Queen freed from the Curse of Severance, the elves’ faces were momentarily painted with despair.
“The Queen has finally returned!”
“Victory will be ours!”
In contrast, the morale of the Demon Queen’s legion soared.
Just as Silatuna’s legion was about to grow even more ferocious.
[Ahahahahahahaha-! I’m out! I’m finally free!]
Silatuna’s desperate voice echoed.
Her appearance was somewhat strange.
Blood was flowing from all over her body, cascading to the ground like a waterfall.
As the blood hit the earth, a thick, potent poison mist spread around her.
At first glance, it was a threatening sight.
But in other words, it meant her body was so torn to shreds that she was bleeding that much.
Her wretched state caused a stir among the legion.
“Where’s Luna?!”
Akint frantically searched for Leo.
And then he saw him.
Leo, standing in the sky, silhouetted against the encroaching darkness.
A bright light formed in Leo’s hand.
Star Magic—The End.
For a moment, light pushed back the darkness.
At that moment, Silatuna’s legion clumped together into a mass of flesh, rising before her like a shield.
Leo’s magic was momentarily blocked by the demonic shield.
The shield made of the demon legion was annihilated, but Silatuna remained unharmed.
[The darkness is coming! Your time is now over!]
A look of ecstasy appeared on Silatuna’s face.
She had been trapped in the Curse of Severance she herself had cast, forced to feel endless terror.
But the elf before her, who had inflicted such absolute horror, was now finished.
She now had her legion, and night was falling upon the world.
Now, it was not she who would feel terror, but that elf.
The crazed smile on Silatuna’s face twisted into a scowl.
It was because of Leo’s attitude—he was calmly staring in one direction, not even sparing her a glance.
The direction from which darkness was encroaching as the sun set.
The west.
[Ignoring me until the very end…!]
As rage boiled within her at Leo’s demeanor, Silatuna suddenly recalled a fact.
The news of the demise of her comrade, the Gluttony King, who reigned as the strongest Legion Commander, had come from the west.
[Don’t tell me…!]
*Flash-!*
A brilliant light erupted from the west.
The light pushed back the world’s darkness.
Everyone, without realizing it, turned to look at the source of the light.
[This is…!]
Among all the magic Leo knew, the strongest in terms of pure destructive power was The End, created by Luna.
No magic surpassed The End in power, versatility, and range.
However, there was one spell that, under certain conditions, could rival or even exceed its power.
A light-attribute magic that judged and annihilated evil beings.
“Punishment.”
It was the unique magic of Lisinas, who had judged countless demons.
At the center of the light emanating from the west, a woman could be seen.
A beautiful woman with black hair, Lisinas, met Leo’s eyes for a moment.
Her face held both surprise and relief.
Looking at Leo, Lisinas smiled gently.
Nocking an arrow of light onto a bow made of light, Lisinas aimed at Silatuna and released the bowstring.
*Flash-!*
[Kiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!]
A scream of agony erupted from Silatuna’s lips.
In the original history, this battle had been all but lost.
‘But it’s different now.’
History had changed.
Leo summoned his magic staff.
And he began to gather his mana.
The power of a spell is directly proportional to the time spent chanting it.
Even for the same spell, the longer the incantation, the more powerful it becomes.
The problem is that the mage is left defenseless during a long chant.
And currently, Leo was in the middle of a battlefield.
Even though she had been hit by Lisinas’s magic, the Demon Queen was still alive, and the legion she led was still intact.
[You hideous wench! How dare you in front of me!]
*Rumble-!*
Silatuna raised her arm to crush Leo.
“Hideous? Have your eyes gone rotten?”
Just then, a mocking laugh was heard, and a gray aura flashed.
*Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-shink-!*
In the storm of sword energy that erupted, Silatuna’s arm was minced into pieces, falling to the ground as a rain of blood.
“Calling a pretty elf like this hideous, of all things.”
The user of the gray aura then simultaneously used magic and spirits to set Silatuna’s body ablaze.
*Cra-boom! Fwoooosh-!*
Fire magic and fire spirits raged fiercely.
[Kyaaaak!]
Screaming in agony once more, Silatuna glared with hateful eyes at the young man with gray hair.
[All-Class! You’re the hero who survived?!]
“Yeah. It was a short and foul acquaintance. Let’s never meet again.”
Kyle gave Silatuna the middle finger before turning to look at Leo.
“Hey, gorgeous. End it.”
‘…Did I really talk like that back then?’
Watching Kyle jerk his chin with a very defiant tone, Leo’s expression momentarily twisted.
“Tsk. Elves. So damn unpleasant.”
Misunderstanding Leo’s grimace, Kyle clicked his tongue.
“Tsk.”
Leo clicked his tongue back at his past self before unleashing his magic.
“The End.”
In the distant future.
The magic that would become a symbol of despair for Tartaros was once again unleashed from Leo’s hands.
This time, it was different from the previous spells.
A spell with the maximum power Leo could muster exploded forth.
*RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE-!*
[Aaaaaaaah! Oh, gods!]
Silatuna’s shriek echoed as she was struck directly by The End.
After the massive storm of mana, the Demon Queen’s form vanished without a trace.
“…He’s insane.”
Witnessing the scene, Kyle let out a cry of astonishment.
He had apparently never imagined a spell of this magnitude.
Having squeezed out every last drop of his mana, Leo swayed.
*Thud-!*
Just as Leo lost his balance and was about to fall to the ground.
Someone grabbed his hand.
“Are you alright?”
Lisinas smiled gently as she supported Leo.
“You’re Luna, right?”
At her question, Leo nodded and then asked.
“Do you know the name Rodia?”
“Huh? Who’s that?”
“…Never mind. It’s nothing.”
‘…It seems Lisinas’s memories in this world haven’t carried over.’
Perhaps it was because this wasn’t the World of Heroes.
At Leo’s words, Lisinas said.
“Leave the rest to us. Kyle!”
At Lisinas’s call, Kyle nodded and headed to the ground to face the Demon Queen’s legion.
***
As night fell.
The outcome of the battle was the reclamation of the Elf Forest.
It was an expected result, if anything.
‘Unlike back then, this time Silatuna was slain by me.’
Leo looked down at his hands.
‘In a case like this, since I’m alone in this world, I was able to change history… but what about the worlds where demons have already entered?’
Knowing the future is, in itself, an enormous variable.
Just as Leo was lost in thought about what lay ahead.
“Luna!”
“Lady Luna!”
Akint and a crowd of elves rushed towards Leo.
Seeing them, Lisinas stepped forward and smiled gently.
“You must be Lord Akint? It is an honor to meet you. My name is Lisinas. Thank you for leading us to this miraculous victory.”
At Lisinas’s words, Akint shook his head.
“No. Without you, we could not have achieved victory. Thank you so much for your support.”
While Lisinas and Akint were talking.
“Lady Luna! Are you alright?”
Hirion rushed over in a hurry.
Looking at Hirion, Leo said.
“You survived.”
“Yes. Somehow…”
As Hirion laughed awkwardly, Leo let out a small chuckle.
“You alright?”
Kyle approached Leo.
Watching Kyle stare at him with a somewhat defiant face, Leo momentarily narrowed his eyes.
‘Was my expression always that full of dissatisfaction?’
Seeing his past self from a third-person perspective, Leo felt an indescribable emotion.
“Elves, I swear. Does it bother you when I look at you?”
“That’s not it.”
Feeling a strange sensation, Leo shook his head.
Seeing Leo, Kyle smirked.
“Then what? You’ve fallen for me?”
“What kind of rude remark is that to Lady Luna!”
Hirion flared up.
Looking at Hirion, Kyle simply wore an indifferent expression.
And Leo thought.
‘So there was a reason Lisinas and Luna used to snap at me sometimes. I want to punch him.’
Just as Leo wore a serious expression at his past self’s behavior.
[Conquest Failed: The world will collapse.]
A message appeared, and light poured out.
The light that burst forth with the message blinded him.
When his vision returned, the scenery of the Flove estate came into view.
Leo looked at the black paper fragment clutched in his hand.
*Swoooosh-*
The piece of paper turned to ash and disappeared.
‘Is the page also being destroyed due to the conquest failure?’
Watching the Legion’s Record turn completely to dust and scatter, Leo’s expression grew serious.
‘I’ll have to discuss this with Melina.’
Leo glanced to the side.
‘Alright, shall we go finish things up?’
As he headed toward the sense of Jorua’s presence, Leo felt a momentary doubt.
‘Putting that aside, even I thought I was obnoxious. Why on earth did they fall for me?’
It was a question that, had Lisinas and Luna heard it, they would have surely answered with, “Good point.”