Chapter 206
Leo, wandering through the ruins, found shelter from the rain and laid Luna down inside.
He then gathered a few things that could be used as firewood and lit a bonfire with the [Fire] spell.
Crackle—crackle—
After confirming that warmth had begun to fill the abandoned building, Leo looked out the window.
The black rain was still falling outside.
As he stared out, a strange feeling crept in, and he brushed his hand across his face.
‘If this is a possession-type world, then I should’ve taken on Kyle’s appearance, shouldn’t I?’
White hair, red eyes.
And the still-youthful face—was that of Leo Plov.
‘What’s going on? Is this not a possession-type world? But Luna clearly recognized me as Kyle.’
As Leo pondered, he reached one conclusion.
‘Did Luna’s page malfunction and cause an error?’
The [Hero Record] contains sealed fragments of Erebos.
Erebos is a being that stands against the gods.
Even if the [Hero Record] was created by the gods, prolonged exposure to Erebos’s power would inevitably cause an error.
‘In that case… is there a fragment of Erebos in this world too?’
Leo hardened his expression and looked up at the sky.
Then he stopped as something caught his eye.
‘A rift? What is that?’
Just as confusion struck Leo—
KIIIIIIIIII!
A piercing roar slammed into his ears.
“Guh?”
A searing pain throbbed through his entire head.
‘A [Fear] effect!’
Alongside the intense fear, a massive gust of wind erupted.
Leo’s face tensed as he saw the monster towering into the sky—shaped like a giant draconic humanoid.
‘Zegdiac!’
The appearance of a formidable foe he had once defeated long ago made Leo grit his teeth and glance behind him.
Luna was still unconscious, overcome by Zegdiac’s poison.
‘She fought Zegdiac alone—of course she’d be in this state.’
—Come forth! Luna Lubinence! I’ll finish you off just like I did Kyle!
Zegdiac’s roar echoed throughout the ruins.
This world was different from the true history.
In reality, Zegdiac should have been defeated here by Kyle and Luna.
But instead, he escaped and survived.
‘…Maybe I was the one who fell first due to the traitors’ interference.’
Leo approached the unconscious Luna.
With a bitter expression, he wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and smiled wryly.
“I’ll handle the rest.”
Leaving those words behind, Leo stood up.
Whoooosh—!
He saw violet particles gathering in Zegdiac’s mouth.
‘[Poison Breath].’
CRACKLE!
The deadly breath ravaged the already crumbling ruins.
It was an indiscriminate bombardment.
Thankfully, it didn’t reach the place where Leo and Luna were.
But it was only a matter of time.
Taking a deep breath, Leo opened the door and stepped outside.
‘I don’t have the power to defeat a Legion Commander right now.’
Even though he had possessed Kyle, he only assumed Kyle’s appearance.
He didn’t become Kyle.
The only power Leo had now was his own—Leo Plov’s.
‘But for just one moment… I can fight him.’
Bang—!
Leo opened the door and used [Fly Magic] to lift himself into the air.
Sensing his magic, Zegdiac turned toward him.
His eyes twitched.
—A human?
“Long time no see, Zegdiac.”
—You speak as if you know me well.
Zegdiac sneered grotesquely at Leo.
—I don’t know insignificant humans like you.
Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘He recognizes me as Leo Plov.’
“But I know you well.”
—Keh keh keh! Of course you do! I’m the Legion Commander destined to wipe out your kind. Be honored that I, Zegdiac, deliver your death sentence.
Leo smirked.
“Honored? Don’t make me laugh. I never wanted to see that disgusting face of yours again.”
Zegdiac’s eyes flashed.
Fwoosh—BOOM!
A massive tail swung through the air and smashed into Leo.
He was hurled at incredible speed, crashing into the ground.
—You’re just a foolish brat who doesn’t value his life. How dare you speak so rudely to me, Zegdiac?
Lying flat on the ground, Leo groaned and pushed himself up.
—Oh? Still alive?
The old Leo might have died from that single attack.
Zegdiac curled his lips in amusement.
—At least you’ll make for some entertainment before I kill Luna Lubinence.
Leo’s eyes flared with killing intent.
“You’ll never kill Luna.”
—Heh, such arrogance. What can you even do?
“I can do a lot. For instance…”
Whoooooosh—!
A gentle green light shimmered from the [Polium] embedded in Leo’s arm.
Zegdiac’s expression twisted.
—That’s… divine power?
“Like killing you.”
—I didn’t think there were any humans left blessed by the gods. But what can you do with that? The gods can’t even set foot in this world anymore.
Zegdiac opened his jaws wide.
Whoooooosh—!
Leo drew his sword as Zegdiac gathered breath in the sky.
—Vanish, human!
FLASH—!
A violet flash blinded Leo’s vision.
Leo’s eyes gleamed as he swung his sword from below.
A massive gray slash surged skyward like a wall.
CRACKLE—!
The breath was split cleanly in two before Leo, exploding in twin blasts to either side.
Zegdiac looked down in shock at Leo, who stood calmly with his sword raised.
—This power… Kyle’s?
The divine power gifted by Pibua stored within [Polium].
It was a power that allowed Leo to temporarily reclaim his past strength—Kyle’s strength.
—Impossible! He was clearly killed moments ago! How could this be…!
Leo rested his sword on his shoulder, staring at the wide-eyed Zegdiac.
—You… what are you?
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Leo’s red eyes gleamed.
“I’m Kyle.”
—Nonsense!
“Well, I might be a little different from the Kyle you knew.”
Leo lowered his stance.
Bzzzzzz—!
A gray [Aura] shimmered around his body.
“I’m from far beyond the future you remember.”
BOOM!
As Leo stomped down, the ground beneath him caved in, forming a massive crater.
By pushing Arron’s breath to the limit, he explosively amplified his [Aura].
At that moment, Leo had reclaimed Kyle’s power at its peak.
Of course, not the time when he defeated Erebos with all his allies’ strength combined.
‘If I draw upon that power, the divine blessing won’t last long.’
Pibua’s blessing allowed Leo to manifest his past strength for only a brief moment.
If he brought forth the power from the battle against Erebos, the divine blessing would quickly burn out.
What Leo needed now wasn’t power to defeat the Flame of Calamity—it was power to defeat a Legion Commander.
‘Then Kyle’s power from this time is enough!’
Leo’s red eyes glared as he appeared before Zegdiac.
Zegdiac opened his mouth wide to devour him.
Fwoosh—BOOM!
—Guh!?
Leo had already slipped under Zegdiac’s jaw and launched a powerful kick.
Fueled by explosive [Aura], Zegdiac’s body was flung high into the air.
Even though he killed Kyle and gravely injured Luna, he ran away.
That meant Zegdiac had also suffered serious damage.
He likely went into hiding after realizing Luna had been hit by his poison.
As the [Poison King], the longer a fight dragged on, the more favorable it became for him.
‘He’s not in perfect condition!’
This meant that Leo—empowered by the peak of Kyle’s strength—had the overwhelming advantage in this battle.
Seeing the staggering Zegdiac, Leo ignited his [Flame Aura].
Fwooooosh—!
Zerdinger’s flames surged.
Zegdiac’s attribute was poison.
And flame was its natural counter, a power that burned away toxins.
Empowered by [The Hero’s Breath], Leo’s strength reached its peak.
—You!
Zegdiac thrust out his hand.
Whoooooosh—!
A massive violet greatsword appeared.
It was [Venom], Zegdiac’s weapon, capable of melting anything it touched.
Many heroes had perished from a single graze of that blade.
It was one of the most terrifying horrors of the Calamity Era.
But—
“Useless.”
Fwooooosh—!
A [Star Magic] formation rose over Leo’s palm.
A magic that didn’t exist in this era.
In the distant future—
A spell created by elves who revered Luna and sought to follow in her footsteps.
‘Let me borrow this, Lunia.’
Leo smiled, thinking of the elven girl.
“Scorch.”
Fwoooosh—!
The flames of the Lunda family ignited in Leo’s hand.
“Crimson Blaze.”
And Zerdinger’s flames surged on his blade.
The ultimate flames of both families, who inherited the power of the [Phoenix], burned fiercely.
Eventually, the two flames merged into wings of fire.
—The Phoenix’s… flame!
“If I could wield this level of fire back then… maybe it would’ve been easier to defeat you.”
—You… you! What are you!?
“I told you.”
Leo sneered coldly.
“I’m Kyle.”
CRACKLE—!
—KRAAAAAGH—!
The Phoenix’s wings sliced through Zegdiac’s massive wings like blades.
His hulking body plummeted to the ground.
Leo dove after him to deliver the finishing blow.
Zegdiac swung [Venom] at him.
Fwoooosh—!
Leo countered with his flame-infused blade.
SLASH—!
—This… can’t… be…!
Split in two along with [Venom], Zegdiac spewed poisonous blood as he crashed to the ground.
THUD! SPLASH! SSSSSSS—
His massive body and the poison it released melted through the ruins.
Tap—!
Landing, Leo held his breath.
Zegdiac’s blood was pure, deadly venom.
‘Is it over?’
Leo quickly moved away from the corpse and took a deep breath.
Ordinarily, it would’ve been nearly impossible to defeat Zegdiac alone.
‘The blessing is fading.’
Leo looked down at his palm.
He could feel Kyle’s fiery strength slowly burning out.
“Still… that rift in the sky…”
Leo looked up at the crack he had seen earlier.
Crkkk—
He felt the rift in the sky widening.
Then—
Crack—snap!
The rift began to descend.
A brilliant light poured through it, and Leo’s eyes widened.
“What… is that?”
At that moment—
Whoooooooosh—!
An eerie heat swept over him.
Leo turned his head sharply toward it, eyes wide.
Zegdiac’s melted body had burst into black flames.
Zegdiac rose again.
KIIIIIIIIII—!
With a roar, toxic air surged out violently.
“Guh?!”
Leo’s eyes flew open.
Zegdiac’s fully restored wings beat wildly as he rocketed toward the rift in the sky.
BOOM! CRASH—!
Zegdiac’s massive body shattered the rift.
CLANG!
Reaching into the rift, Zegdiac began clawing through it like a madman.
“Erebos’s power? No—wait, what the hell is he trying to do?!”
Leo flew toward him in alarm.
He didn’t know what it was—but his instincts screamed that he had to stop Zegdiac.
And then—
Leo’s expression froze at the sight beyond the rift that Zegdiac had torn open.
“Sei…ren?”
His face stiffened completely.
Elci’s presence flashed through his mind.
And he realized exactly what Zegdiac was after.
“You’re trying… to go outside?”