Chapter 203
—To all honored guests in the audience stands, please evacuate immediately to the interior of Seiren grounds! I repeat, all honored guests in the audience stands, please evacuate immediately to the interior of Seiren…
Urgent announcements echoed throughout the campus.
Those who had come to Seiren to watch Lumeiren quickly evacuated into the main building under the guidance of the students.
“Foolish Monster Queen…”
Before the Monster Queen could arrive, the first to speak in the assembly of heroes and guild members was none other than Birias.
He was active on the Tartarus front led by Seiren.
Though he had yet to make his name on the [Hero Record], his abilities were said to rival that of active heroes.
“This is an unprecedented situation, but in a way, it’s fortuitous.”
Birias looked around and spoke with confidence.
“This is Seiren, a hero military academy. Not even a legion commander should dare invade this place. And yet she came of her own accord—shouldn’t we be thankful?”
Birias curled his lips into a smirk.
“[Crisis is opportunity!] Let us defeat the Monster Queen Sillatna here and now!”
Though often overshadowed by its name as an educational institution, the hero academies housed far more power than just students and teachers.
When combined, their stationed forces alone were powerful enough to wage war against the world.
Moreover, heroes had been summoned in preparation for Tartarus’ provocation.
As Birias exuded confidence and some nodded in agreement—
“That might be possible if it were an ordinary legion commander… but we’re talking about the Monster Queen Sillatna.”
That voice came from Jean, the [Undine Knight] representing Lumene.
“If we try to take her down recklessly, we might be the ones defeated.”
“Tsk, tsk. To think someone listed on the [Hero Record] would speak so fearfully, even with all this power on our side.”
As Birias’s rude remark made Jean frown, Nerzia spoke coldly.
“Birias. Is now really the time to stir conflict with words like that?”
“…My apologies.”
Birias bowed deeply toward Nerzia, prompting her to sigh.
Watching this, Jean shook his head inwardly.
‘This is why racial supremacists are a problem.’
Jean, already familiar with this type of elf, knew it was best to ignore them.
Just then, the principal of Seiren, Bennett, opened his mouth.
“It’s true we have overwhelming power. But the opponent is a legion commander who has existed since before the Age of Calamity.”
With his characteristic expressionless face, Bennett looked around and said,
“We must not try to interpret her by our standards. Rather than aiming to defeat her, it’s wiser to focus on holding her back.”
“I agree with Bennett.”
Nerzia nodded.
A few elven heroes voiced dissatisfaction.
But none dared challenge the words of the academy’s principal and vice principal.
“What do you think, Kalian?”
Bennett turned to Kalian.
Everyone held their breath and turned to him.
Sword Star Kalian—currently the strongest hero alive, and the man who had defeated a legion commander.
“I agree with you.”
Kalian’s reply made Bennett nod.
“Then let’s divide responsibilities.”
As Bennett said this, one elven hero raised his hand.
“Principal, then who will face the Monster Queen Sillatna?”
“Sillatna will be dealt with by me and the heroes I select.”
Kalian replied calmly.
“The rest of you, stop her [legion].”
—
“First and second years to the rear!”
“But we want to fight too!”
“Don’t be ridiculous! You think this is a game?! This is real combat! Don’t act tough—prepare to provide support from the back!”
Professors from Lumene and teachers from Seiren quickly organized the students.
“Assistant Professor Sena! Leo is missing!”
Carr shouted urgently.
Sena’s expression twisted in shock.
“Student Leo?”
“Yes! We can’t find him anywhere!”
The students of Class 5 stomped anxiously, their faces full of worry.
“What do we do…?”
“If you’re talking about Leo Plov, there’s no need to worry.”
“Vice Principal?”
At Lieven’s appearance, Sena widened her eyes.
The students turned to him.
“Vice Principal! Do you know where Leo went?”
“I gave him a mission. He’ll rejoin the first-years soon, so don’t worry.”
“Ah.”
“That’s a relief.”
The students of Class 5 let out a sigh of relief.
“Assistant Professor Sena, lead Class 5.”
“Y-Yes!”
After calming the students, Lieven looked toward the empty section of the audience where Leo had disappeared.
‘…I don’t know the reason, but Leo Plov is definitely inside a [Hero’s World] right now.’
The moment Leo vanished before him, the phenomenon was exactly the same as when one enters a Hero’s World.
Lieven took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.
The downpour still hadn’t stopped.
However, the ominous crest of the Monster Queen that had appeared above had vanished.
‘She must’ve already descended.’
She was surely summoning her legion and beginning the invasion of Seiren.
‘What is Tartarus planning…?’
—
Beyond Seiren’s towering fortress walls, stood the united forces of Lumene and Seiren’s heroes.
“I agree with constructing an outer defense line, but… what exactly is the plan?”
Elven hero Lubeche Teigra asked with a puzzled look. Allan Lunda replied calmly.
“Just watch.”
The one leading the defense construction was Sedgen.
Step, step—
Holding his staff, Sedgen walked ahead alone.
He stopped far from the Seiren wall.
As a few elves looked at him with confusion—
Thud—!
Ruuuumble—!
Sedgen struck the ground with the tip of his staff.
The earth rumbled as a giant wall rose from the ground.
Ruuumble—!
“…!”
Many elves widened their eyes at Sedgen instantly raising such a massive wall.
“Professor Sedgen’s [Alchemic Wall] is still as incredible as ever.”
From the back, Chade Lewellin commented, and Ain nodded.
“Both Professor Sedgen and Professor Harrid could’ve been on the [Hero Record] long ago if they’d worked on the front lines instead of academia.”
Though not specialized in combat, Sedgen’s alchemy held enough power to change the course of battle with ease.
As the wall was completed, mages quickly began casting enhancement and defense spells on it.
With a new fortress instantly built, the united forces finished preparations for the legion’s assault.
Perched on the wall, Kalian asked Harrid,
“Professor Harrid, is contact with the outside still severed?”
“Yes.”
“Tch. They prepared thoroughly.”
Even [Teleportation] was blocked.
Support from the outside had been completely cut off.
But the eyes of the hero alliance burned with determination.
They all knew.
Even the terrifying legion of the Monster Queen, who had existed since the Age of Calamity, could not break through Lumene and Seiren’s united heroes with just one legion.
Just then—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The earth shook.
At the front was the Gigantes division.
Atop the largest one, sitting on a grotesque throne of flesh, was a woman.
Everyone who saw her swallowed hard.
‘Monster Queen, Sillatna.’
Boom—!
The demon army led by the Gigantes halted.
At a considerable distance, the two forces faced each other.
Shwoooo—!
The rain showed no signs of stopping as Sillatna sat with her legs crossed on the throne and spoke.
“Greetings, you worm-like vermin.”
Sillatna’s eerie voice echoed throughout Seiren.
Not only the hero alliance at the front lines, but even the civilians within Seiren and the lower-year students heard her.
“My name is Sillatna, loyal servant of the great calamity, Erebos.”
Her booming voice carried the power to strike fear into all who heard it.
“I have personally descended to hunt you myself—consider it an honor…”
“Silence, you filthy demon!”
At that moment, Birias shouted.
“Do you know where you are?! This is Seiren! Today, we’ll bring you down and avenge the Founder’s grudge—ugh!”
“What an insolent insect.”
Goooooh—!
A jet-black [Dark Mana] coiled around Birias’s body.
Those nearby rushed to dismantle the [Dark Mana] that had engulfed him.
Birias, too, resisted with all his might.
But Sillatna’s curse could not be stopped.
“Who said you could interrupt me?”
Without even sparing him a glance, Sillatna sneered.
“Conquering a few [Hero’s Worlds] makes you think you’re some great hero?”
“Ggghk—!”
Birias choked, his body beginning to swell—
Fwoosh—!
Suddenly, his body was enveloped in crimson flames.
Thud!
“Haa… Haah—! T-Thank you, Allan…”
Allan had unleashed [Phoenix Breath], burning away Sillatna’s curse.
Birias narrowly survived and expressed his gratitude.
“Don’t provoke the enemy recklessly.”
Allan warned coldly.
Birias bowed his head deeply.
“You’re awfully talkative, Monster Queen.”
“Sword Star.”
Kalian stepped forward, and Sillatna narrowed her eyes.
“Did you enjoy my little gift?”
“Yes. Thanks to your rude little ‘gift,’ I had quite the ordeal.”
At her provoking words, Kalian chuckled and nodded.
“Although, thanks to that, we rooted out all the spies you planted within our academy. Monster Queen, lucky for us you’re such a brute. If it had been the Necromancer King or the Giant King, it wouldn’t have been so sloppy.”
As Kalian laughed heartily, Sillatna gave a bloodthirsty smile.
“You damned old man.”
“So this invasion is your little tantrum?”
“And what if it is?”
“Then it’s a stroke of luck for us.”
Kalian gave a smile equally filled with killing intent.
Gooooooh—!
His overwhelming bloodlust made even the hero alliance flinch.
Groooowl?
Screeeeech?
The demon army stirred uneasily.
“Your infamous title as the ‘most dreadful’ will soon become nothing more than a [legend].”
At those words, Sillatna cackled like a lunatic.
Ruuuumble—!
Just her laughter made the wall Sedgen created tremble.
Her terrifying power sent chills down the spines of the hero alliance.
Her crazed laughter stopped abruptly.
“Keep dreaming.”
Sillatna raised her hand.
“I’m tired of talking. Shall we begin?”
At that, Kalian drew his sword.
“Let’s see you struggle—just like your so-called great heroes did before you.”
Sillatna flicked her fingers.
Groooaaaaar!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Monster Queen’s legion began their charge.
“Everyone, prepare for battle.”
At Kalian’s low command, the heroes gripped their weapons.
“Attack!”
With his shout, the mages unleashed their spells into the air.
Boom-boom-boooom!
Brilliant spells exploded across the battlefield.
Countless demons perished in the blasts.
Dark magic from the demon army struck the fortress wall, exploding violently.
Watching the chaos, Sillatna rested her chin on her hand and smiled.
“It’s about time…”
—
Shwooooo—
It was raining.
Leo opened his eyes, recognizing it.
“…Black rain…?”
He murmured blankly.
The rain that symbolized the Age of Calamity.
‘Right, I entered a Hero’s World.’
With that realization, Leo noticed he was lying flat and quickly sat up.
Then he looked around.
The area was in ruins.
A devastated castle.
It looked familiar.
‘The Zegdiac Battle.’
Poison King Zegdiac.
A legion commander who wielded terrifying poison.
Among all the defeated commanders, he had been the most dangerous.
The battle where he was defeated was known as the Zegdiac Battle.
‘History says other great heroes held off the legion while Luna defeated Zegdiac alone…’
But reality was different.
‘Luna and I defeated him together.’
Recalling that time, Leo looked around.
‘The Hero Record I touched must have been from this event. But why is it activating now?’
He was full of questions.
‘And why isn’t there a battle happening?’
During the battle with Zegdiac, Kyle and Luna had fought nonstop.
This place was the battlefield where Zegdiac was slain.
Normally, it would be full of fierce combat.
But there were no signs of fighting.
‘What’s going on? Could Tartarus have interfered here too?’
Previously, Luna’s World had been different from recorded history.
There was no guarantee that wouldn’t happen again.
‘Unlike Lumene, which purged all traitors, Seiren still has some. Maybe Tartarus has invaded Luna’s World again…’
“You…?”
Just then, a voice called out as Leo was deep in thought.
He quickly turned his head.
Standing there was a familiar elven woman.
No longer the girl he remembered, she was now mature.
As she stared at him in surprise, Leo instinctively called out her name.
“Luna.”
Calling her name so naturally, Leo froze.
From Luna’s perspective, it must seem like a stranger was calling her by name.
But contrary to his worries, Luna smiled and answered softly.
“Yes, Kyle.”