Chapter 164
At Leo’s words, Pegasus—Ahti—narrowed her eyes.
[What are you? How did you exert influence over me before the contract was even formed?]
She hadn’t returned to her original form by her own will—it was Leo’s power.
A summoner can exert some influence over their summoned beast.
But that’s only after a contract is established.
Leo had summoned Ahti through the summoning circle Shasha created, but it was only a summoning—not a contract.
Ahti still belonged to the Lordren royal family.
Yet Leo had forcibly intervened in the contract and seized authority.
A being other than the Oathbound controlling her—a situation any top-tier summoned beast like Pegasus might find offensive.
But more than annoyance, Ahti was intrigued.
“There’s a gap because it’s just a provisional contract, right? I just slipped in through that gap.”
[It’s not impossible… but to think a mere teenage human boy could do it? Hard to believe.]
“I’m just that talented.”
Leo shrugged.
Seeing this, Ahti, her eyes half-closed, nodded.
[Well, it’s not bad to have a new experience. Shasha, I’ll lend this boy my power for a bit… Shasha?]
Ahti looked at Shasha in surprise.
Leo’s expression also hardened.
Shasha was frozen, still wearing a look of shock.
It was as if time itself had stopped.
Leo checked on her and muttered,
“It’s a curse.”
Even Leo, who’d survived the Age of Calamity and encountered all kinds of curses, had never seen one like this.
‘A newly created curse?’
Narrowing his eyes, Leo ran to Ahti.
Without hesitation, he mounted her saddle.
“Excuse me.”
[Wait! Who said you could just get on…!]
“The situation’s urgent. Sorry if it’s rude, but bear with it.”
Leo gently stroked Ahti’s neck.
[H-Huh?]
Ahti flinched.
“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Having once contracted a Pegasus in his past life as Kyle, Leo couldn’t help feeling moved at riding one again.
[Touching a lady’s body so casually.]
“Sorry.”
Ahti was a little surprised by how naturally Leo took the reins.
[Have you ridden a Pegasus before?]
Having ridden Pegasi into countless battlefields in his previous life, his movements were instinctive.
“First time in this life.”
[Then why are you so comfortable?]
Surprised, Ahti introduced herself.
[Let me finish introducing myself. I’m Ahti. And you?]
“Leo Plov.”
[Pleased to meet you, Leo Plov. I’ll lend you my strength for a while since it seems urgent.]
Restless, Ahti pawed the ground nervously.
[So? Who’s the enemy? Judging by Shasha’s state, is it Tartarus?]
“That’s right. They’ve invaded Lumene’s grand library.”
[In Lumene? Must be quite the powerful demon.]
Ahti curled her lips.
[Alright. But kid, you think you can handle me? I don’t like entrusting myself to a lousy rider.]
She spread her wings, challenging Leo.
“Once you get used to me, you won’t let anyone else ride you.” (T/N: Damn my dirty little mind. HAHAHAHA. If you know, you know. HAHAHAHA)
[Hmm? Pretty confident, aren’t you? The only one who ever satisfied me was Lordren’s first emperor.]
Ahti chuckled.
[Well, letting a cocky kid full of spirit ride me isn’t so bad. Here we go!]
Whoosh—!
Crackle—!
As Ahti fully unfurled her wings, a fierce white spark surged.
Boom—!
At the same time, Ahti smashed through the door and burst out of the room.
Crackle—!
At that moment, gray sparks burst from Leo’s hand.
[Lightning Aura?]
Ahti was surprised.
[You can use Aura at your age and summon me? Impressive.]
Even if it was through the summoning circle Shasha opened, a summon was a summon.
And as far as Ahti could tell, Leo’s spirit power was far less than Shasha’s.
And yet he was also wielding Aura.
[You control lightning freely, too? We might get along.]
Impressed, Ahti flew up to the top of the library with Leo.
At the highest point of the library ceiling, Leo narrowed his eyes and looked down.
‘It’s similar to the Curse of Severance.’
The entire library was cut off from the outside world.
But it was a little different.
‘The space itself is different.’
It was reminiscent of the Hero’s World.
Of course, at its core, it was not the same.
If the Hero’s World creates an entirely new world, this simply isolates the space from the outside.
‘Is this a two-dimensional concept?’
A technique that creates a small, new dimension inside the original world.
It can’t affect the original dimension, but it’s a very subtle way to cross spaces.
Normally, only the caster can enter such a space, but Leo was now inside.
‘More precisely, it’s structured so that not just the caster, but anyone who recognizes the curse’s nature can enter.’
If Leo hadn’t noticed, he wouldn’t have even known this space existed.
‘I get the principle. But if the enemy can use such a high-level curse, they must be pretty tough.’
As Leo surveyed the frozen library, on high alert—
Flash—!
Behind a desk below, dark red light split into multiple streaks.
Realizing what was happening, Leo yanked the reins.
KABOOM—!
Dark red magical bullets shot toward Leo and Ahti.
Whoosh—!
Ahti dashed through the library at blinding speed.
Among all summoned beasts, Pegasus was the fastest by far—she was literally like lightning.
Crackle—!
Wreathed in thunder, lighting up the darkness, Ahti was a breathtaking sight.
Whoosh—!
She dodged every magical bullet.
But the bullets Leo and Ahti evaded changed direction to pursue them.
‘They’re tracking shots.’
Leo glanced back, then forward.
Whoosh—!
A tall bookshelf loomed up ahead.
Leo easily vaulted over it.
KABOOM—!
But the magic bullets punched right through the shelf to keep chasing.
Leo said,
“Go faster.”
[What? We’ll crash into something. I won’t mind, but it’ll hurt you.]
“Doesn’t matter. Just move as I guide.”
[Fine, don’t regret it.]
Ahti sighed and picked up speed.
The wind pressure was staggering.
Obstacles whizzed by, impossibly fast.
Using the reins, Leo directed Ahti.
Seeing how Leo was able to give perfect instructions at such speed, Ahti’s eyes widened in astonishment.
‘His reaction speed is incredible.’
She never dreamed a rider could command so flawlessly even at this speed.
‘He might even be better than Lordren’s first emperor as a rider. What kind of kid is this?’
Leo’s crimson eyes flashed as he pursued the demon’s movements through the complex library.
To cast such a powerful curse, the enemy’s strength—and secrecy—had to be exceptional.
Yet Leo easily located the enemy’s position.
Crackle—!
A magic circle appeared in Leo’s hand.
Ahti screamed in shock.
[Magic? Weren’t you a beast knight?!]
After seeing Leo use Aura earlier, Ahti assumed he was a beast knight who controlled Aura and summoned beasts, but now, watching him use magic, she couldn’t help but be stunned.
“No, I’m all-class.”
[All-class?!]
While Ahti was still in shock, Leo used the completed spell on Ahti’s horn.
“Chain Lightning!”
Crackle—!
A fierce spark shot out.
Ahti’s eyes went wide.
‘He just fused spirit power and magic.’
That would boost the spell’s power immensely.
‘This cheeky kid is using me as a magic amplifier?’
Even as she gave a hollow laugh, Ahti shot Chain Lightning behind her.
KABOOM—!
The massively empowered Chain Lightning destroyed the pursuing dark magic.
“Over there!”
[Got it!]
Ahti accelerated, chasing the enemy.
At that moment, a massive summoning circle appeared in midair, forming a lump of bloody flesh—a golem.
[Blood Golem? How arrogant! You think a pile of blood can stop me?]
Looking down with a scoff, Ahti spread her wings wide.
Crackle! KABOOM—!
Fierce sparks burst from the armor she wore.
Unlike the still-young Fiora and the now-wingless Kirran, Ahti was a fully realized member of the Three Great Beasts.
While the other two required Leo’s support, Ahti was a powerful summoned beast even on her own.
But reacting to Ahti’s power, the Blood Golem’s body began to sprout massive bones.
Flesh appeared all over its body.
‘A fusion.’
They’d fused a base Blood Golem with a Bone Golem and a Flesh Golem.
‘And the materials… Are those from a Gigantes?’
A golem made from the corpse of the mightiest Demonic Beast—Leo unleashed his spirit power.
Crackle—!
Whoosh—!
Suddenly, Ahti’s wings grew even larger.
Ahti’s eyes went wide.
‘This kid…? He awakened my latent abilities?’
To awaken the latent power of a fully matured summoned beast—
Unlike drawing out potential from a growing summoned beast, this was a powerful and difficult technique that brought out hidden strength even the beast itself didn’t know existed.
Without overwhelming skill as a summoner, it was impossible.
KABOOM—!
With a trail of white light, Ahti punched a hole through the golem’s chest and charged at the demon.
At that moment.
Whoosh—!
The demon disappeared.
KABOOM—!
With that, the curse was broken and a thunderous noise rang out in the library.
“What’s going on?”
“Who’s making all that noise in the library?”
The furious voices of the librarians rang out.
[Who are you, really…?]
“We’ll talk later.”
Sensing people approaching, Leo returned Ahti to her original place.
If it got out that Leo had summoned Pegasus, it would be a headache.
After sending Ahti back, Leo looked up.
And seeing the door in front of him, he narrowed his eyes.
‘This place…?’
—
After using his abilities in the library late at night, Leo was practically escorted to the Hall of Heroes.
Using abilities in the library wasn’t just a simple rule violation.
He could even be expelled if things went badly.
Fortunately, the only students studying in the library that night were Leo and Shasha.
Shasha was brought as a witness along with Leo.
“Please enter, Leo Plov.”
The principal’s secretary, Sena, said in a cold voice.
Leo looked at her for a moment before stepping into the principal’s office.
Shasha tried to follow him in.
“Please wait here, Princess Shasha.”
At Sena’s words, Shasha looked dissatisfied, but soon nodded.
She understood the gravity of the situation.
‘This is bad. Did I lose control and go berserk after summoning Pegasus? But why was I suddenly outside?’
Shasha was feeling a mix of confusion.
Leo entered the principal’s office.
Inside were three people.
Principal Kalian, Vice Principal Lieven,
and the famously strict librarian in charge of Lumene’s grand library,
Professor Brian.
“Explain yourself, Leo Plov! Why did you dare break the rules and commit such a serious offense in the sacred library!”
Brian shouted, stroking his white beard in agitation.
Leo scratched his cheek.
“It was an accident.”
“An accident? An accident?!”
Brian’s eyes blazed.
As Brian was about to shout again—
“Calm down, Professor Brian.”
“P-Principal!”
“I understand why you’re upset, but the vice principal and I will speak with Leo first. Then we’ll decide the disciplinary action.”
Brian nodded and left the office.
He clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘He’s a class representative, but I don’t know what he was thinking. If he’s punished, it’ll be a big deal.’
Whether it was an accident or not, Brian felt this couldn’t be overlooked.
Once Brian was gone, only three remained. Kalian stroked his beard and spoke.
“No need for introductions. I’ll get straight to the point, Leo.”
Kalian narrowed his eyes.
“Tartarus?”
“Yes.”
“Were you able to figure out their objective?”
“I couldn’t learn the purpose, but I’m certain their target is the Hero’s World.”
“The Hero’s World?”
“Yes. It seemed he was after the Hall of Heroes.”