Chapter 211
‘We brought her down.’
Leo steadied his breath as he looked at the spot where Sillatna had disappeared.
The end of a wretched fate.
One of the three most terrifying threats in Tartarus, whom even the Great Heroes had failed to subdue time and time again.
Back when the Subjugation Force had gained the strength to face Erebos, the legion commanders began avoiding direct confrontations with the Great Heroes and instead targeted the other heroes.
Though the Subjugation Force had grown stronger, their numbers still numbered only five. It was impossible to fend off the legion commanders’ simultaneous attacks from multiple directions.
They judged that it was impossible to bring down both Erebos and the legion commanders with the Subjugation Force alone, so they focused their efforts on defeating Erebos.
‘That was the best we could do at the time.’
They couldn’t afford to allocate their strength to the legion commanders while a calamity like Erebos remained at large.
Taking a deep breath, Leo turned his head.
Before he returned from the Hero’s World—
He walked toward Kalian, who had stood in Sillatna’s way.
Step—step—
His entire body screamed in pain.
But Leo didn’t care.
A few moments later, Leo reached where Kalian stood and closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh.
Kalian was still standing.
His body must have already reached its limit.
Though praised as a hero who bore the weight of his era, he was still an old hero who had lived over a century.
Even with the help of the dragon Lieven, stopping Sillatna was a feat worthy of being called a miracle.
Using his sword like a cane, Kalian looked at Leo and smiled faintly.
“…Truly a Great Hero. To have defeated the Monster Queens…”
Leo’s gaze dimmed.
The life of the Sword Star, who praised the Hero of the Beginning, was slowly fading.
He had burned through his very life to stop the Monster Queens.
“I didn’t do it alone.”
Leo looked back.
“Ohh… Lady Luna…”
“…Who are these people?”
Luna asked cautiously.
“They’re the ones who stood against Sillatna before we arrived.”
“All we did was hold the line.”
Kalian bowed his head.
“We couldn’t do anything with our strength alone.”
Kalian’s eyes dulled.
“If not for you… many heroes… many students would have died. I was inadequate as someone bearing the responsibilities of an era.”
Watching Kalian berate himself with trembling hands, Leo spoke.
“No, because you weakened Sillatna, we were able to hold out. Without you, I wouldn’t have lasted until Luna arrived.”
“You have every right to hold your head high as a hero.”
Luna approached Kalian and grasped his trembling hands as she spoke firmly.
“So lift your head.”
Kalian lifted his head at Luna’s words and spoke.
“…I’ve admired you since I was young. The peace you passed down to us… I wanted to protect it.”
His voice quivered.
“To offer my life for the next generation… it’s only natural for someone who bears an era… The words you’ve given me… are more than I deserve.”
His voice was growing weaker and weaker.
“I have one request, Hero of the Beginning.”
Summoning his last ounce of strength, Kalian looked at Leo.
“…Would you grant this old man… a glimpse of hope?”
The Sword Star pleaded earnestly.
“Who… are you to Leo Plov?”
At that question, Leo took a deep breath.
Then he dispelled Luna’s magic.
Under the setting sun—
Kalian’s eyes widened as he saw the Great Hero transform into a young boy.
And as if finally relieved, he smiled brightly… then slowly closed his eyes.
Luna gently caught the collapsing Sword Star and whispered softly to him as he faced his end.
“…You’ve done well. May your story be remembered forever.”
Blessing the hero’s final moment, Luna gently laid Kalian down and watched Leo walking toward Lieven.
Lieven, too, was nearing his end.
Facing the setting sun, Leo looked down at Lieven and said,
“Don’t worry. Follow after the Sword Star.”
“…Yes.”
“The hero you chose was the best. Even Lysinas would be proud of the hero you selected, one who upheld her ideals.”
“That’s… such an incredible honor.”
Lieven, smiling faintly, slowly closed his eyes.
As Luna looked at the two fallen heroes, she spoke.
“I’ve seen countless people die… but it never gets easier.”
Closing her eyes, Luna brought her hands together and offered a prayer for the two of them.
Leo watched her noble form in silence.
A moment later, Luna opened her eyes and looked at Leo with a soft smile.
Her body began to glow faintly.
The end of a miracle was drawing near.
Leo clenched his teeth.
“Lu… na.”
He called her with a trembling voice.
“Shh.”
Luna raised her index finger to her lips and whispered softly.
“Can’t you see me off with a smile? Like that time.”
Remembering when Leo had once shown her a magic that bloomed flowers, Luna beamed.
“We’ll meet again someday. Though I can’t promise another me will remember this…”
Luna gently closed her eyes.
“But still, I’m sure we’ll meet again.”
Like a friend meeting again tomorrow.
Luna approached Leo with light steps.
“So, Kyle.”
She reached out and caressed his cheek.
The light emanating from her body grew ever brighter.
“Please don’t give up.”
Luna kissed Leo on the cheek.
“Because it was that unwavering determination I fell for.”
Smiling shyly, Luna stepped back.
“I’m sure… we’ll meet again.”
Whoosh—!
Luna’s body dissolved into particles of light and vanished.
Feeling the warmth lingering on his cheek, Leo unconsciously brushed his right cheek with his hand.
Then he looked at the place where Luna had disappeared and gave a bitter smile.
“…Would it kill you to show a little emotion?”
Before he knew it, the sun had set, and darkness had arrived.
His eyes turned to the battlefield, now cold and still.
And so ended the Battle of Seiren, a chapter etched into the pages of history.
—
News of the Monster Queen’s defeat shook the entire world.
The end of a calamity that had long threatened the world.
But what stirred people even more was the reappearance of the “Great Heroes.”
Luna, Founder of the Nebula.
And now even Kyle, the Hero of the Beginning, whose existence had only recently been confirmed.
When word first spread that heroes from a distant past had appeared in the present age, many refused to believe it.
But once Lumene and Seiren officially acknowledged it, the world went into an uproar.
The long-feared Monster Queen was defeated.
And the Great Heroes had returned.
It was like a festival.
But the mood in Lumene was somber.
At the Grand Parade Grounds in Erek, Lumene—
All the students stood in formation, dressed in black.
In a solemn atmosphere, they offered flowers to Kalian’s portrait.
It wasn’t just the students.
Graduates from around the world gathered in Lumene.
Some even shed tears.
He had long served as Lumene’s principal, guiding many heroes and becoming a symbol of their aspirations.
The death of such a Sword Star was bound to cause a massive ripple.
As the flower offerings ended and all paid their respects to the Sword Star—
Professor Harrid stood at the podium before the microphone.
—A letter left by the principal during his lifetime has been found.
All eyes turned to Harrid.
—He wished for it to be read aloud in front of everyone here, and so I shall now read the principal’s final message.
With his usual emotionless expression, Harrid held up the letter and began to read.
[I hoped this letter would never need to be made public, but here I am, leaving my last words in writing.
I pray that no students lost their lives in vain.
Do not grieve too deeply over the death of this old man.
It’s only natural for a hero to draw their sword for the next generation.
I merely did what was expected.
Don’t place too much weight on my death.
I am just one person fading into history.
Move forward.
As I did.
As countless heroes before me did.
Always remember these words—
Surpass your limits.
Continue to push beyond, and I hope all who hear these words become the great heroes who will lead the world.
I believe in you.]
The reading of Kalian’s letter ended.
Afterward, the heroes gathered and gave the Sword Star the highest honors, concluding the funeral.
Thus, the era of the Sword Star came to a close.
—
At the top of the Hero Tower in Lumene—
In the principal’s office, someone gazed down at the entire campus.
“…He was a man full of mischief. But he was still worthy of respect.”
The man spoke in a heavy voice.
“Whenever we visited, he would always stand here, watching over Lumene, as if keeping an eye on each and every student.”
He let out a bitter sigh and turned around.
“But just as he wished in his will, we can’t mourn forever. We can’t leave Lumene without a principal or vice principal.”
“I agree, Director.”
Harrid responded calmly.
“Then who do you think is suitable to be principal? Many are recommending you or Professor Sedgen as candidates.”
The hero known as the Infinity Speller—
Altech Zeron, head of the Zeron family and Lumene’s director, posed the question to the two professors.
Harrid and Sedgen.
Though neither had made it into the Hero Record, they were renowned as the finest professors who had trained countless heroes at Lumene.
Not only the current faculty, but also many alumni would surely support one of them becoming the next principal.
But Harrid and Sedgen both shook their heads.
“I’m not fit to be a principal, Director.”
“I agree with Harrid.”
“That’s unfortunate. I had hoped one of you would take the role.”
Altech looked genuinely regretful.
“Then may I delegate the task of selecting the principal candidate to you both?”
Normally, the authority to appoint the principal belongs to the director.
But Altech intended to entrust that authority to them.
They had both been part of the faculty long before Altech became director.
He trusted and relied on them almost as much as he had on Kalian.
“Understood. We’ll look into candidates.”
As Sedgen nodded, Altech did the same.
Then he spoke earnestly.
“Now, I’d like to consult with you both about the academic calendar.”
At those words, Harrid let out a long, troubled sigh.
“…It’s not really the right time to talk about school schedules.”
The Sword Star had died.
People were still caught up in the excitement of the Monster Queen’s defeat and the Great Heroes’ return, but…
They would soon realize—
How massive the void left by the Sword Star truly was.
Of course, Tartarus had also lost the Monster Queen.
That was undeniably a major blow.
But the Sword Star’s death was a loss of equal magnitude.
The current era’s peace had been maintained thanks to the immense deterrent that was the Sword Star.
It had been a delicate, precarious balance.
And that balance had now collapsed.
No one could predict what kind of provocation might come from Tartarus next.
“I’ve heard things aren’t looking stable in Seiren either.”
All academic activities in Seiren had come to a halt.
“We still don’t know the identity of that mysterious legion commander… but the scholars suspect it may be the ‘Poison King Zegdiac’ from ancient times.”
Now that the Great Heroes had returned—
There was no reason an ancient legion commander couldn’t reappear as well.
The real question was—
How had a legion commander from the distant past suddenly manifested in the heart of Seiren?
“The Great Heroes… the ancient legion commanders… there’s only one explanation that makes sense. The Hero Record.”
Altech nodded at Sedgen’s words.
“Exactly. And the likelihood is high that traitors within Seiren summoned the ancient legion commander. After all, even Lumene once witnessed the return of a legion commander that was supposedly defeated by the Sword Star. In fact…”
Altech spoke with a hardened voice.
“One of Lady Luna’s Hero Records has been completely destroyed.”
At those words, Harrid and Sedgen’s faces turned grim.
“That’s why I’m requesting a faculty meeting on this matter.”
“What’s the agenda?”
“To bring the vacation period forward. First, we’ll send the students home. I believe Lumene needs time to regroup and prepare for whatever lies ahead.”