Chapter 298
Kraaaash—!
“Hup!”
Dweno braced himself as a wave-like shockwave surged toward him.
Veins bulged across his forehead.
Leo dove behind Dweno’s back for cover.
Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!
The storm of force crashed against Dweno head-on.
“Hraaaagh!”
Using his battle axe as a shield, Dweno withstood the torrent of energy.
As the shock subsided, he gripped his axe again, lowering his stance to charge at Gias—
But then he froze.
“Why’d you stop?”
Leo’s expression hardened as he, too, sensed something wrong.
Thud—! Thud—!
Gias halted as well, turning toward Guardslone.
-Heh heh heh.
As Gias chuckled ominously, Dweno readied his axe once more.
“That laugh is unsettling.”
-Leo Plov.
Gias’s gaze shifted to Leo.
-You said it yourself, didn’t you? That you’re the biggest variable in my plan. Very well, I admit it. I hadn’t accounted for you. And you’ve been far more troublesome than I expected. For that, I’ll give you credit.
Leo frowned at the sudden remark.
-I can’t tell how you entered this world. It hasn’t undergone [Hero Dungeonization] yet.
‘Not a Hero Dungeon?’
Hero Dungeons.
A phenomenon where an unstable [Hero Record] runs wild and swallows its surroundings—a side effect born when Erebos was sealed within the Record.
Pages tainted by Erebos’s power caused localized rampages.
Leo had assumed this world of Dweno’s was such a dungeon, formed through that corruption.
But apparently, it wasn’t.
‘If Dweno’s Hero Record wasn’t corrupted by Erebos’s power… then it must’ve been triggered when Eiran touched it, activating the [Hero’s World].’
Velkia must have been one of the central figures of this world as well—after all, she had fought on the front lines after the Battle of Guardslone.
Eiran, her descendant, who possessed the [Erquint] Leo had given her—she must have been the key that opened this world.
‘Then how the hell did ‘he’ get in here?’
-Aren’t you curious? How I was able to enter this detestable world?
Gias’s eyes gleamed.
-It was by the guidance of a great god.
“What?”
-The god granted me the key to enter this world. And now, that god has awakened from His long slumber and opened His eyes.
Gias bared his teeth in a grotesque grin.
-It doesn’t matter if you’re a variable. This will still be your grave, and this world will burn to ashes. Hahahahaha!
Dweno spoke through Gias’s mocking laughter.
“Return to Guardslone.”
-Whether I go or not, the result will be the same.
Boom—!
Gias slammed his massive foot down, blocking the path toward the fortress.
-You think I’ll just let you do as you please?
Dweno sighed and pulled his battle axe back as if cocking a weapon.
Whoosh—! Crack—!
-Ghk?!
“I couldn’t care less about your opinion, Gias.”
Spinning at incredible speed, the axe struck Gias’s ankle.
“I told that lad to return to Guardslone. Which means I’ll make sure that happens, no matter what you do.”
Thud—!
Losing balance, Gias toppled to his knees.
Taking advantage of the opening, Leo shot toward Guardslone at full speed.
-You think I’ll let you?!
Gias swung his free hand toward Leo.
Flare—!
Dweno charged straight into the giant palm.
Crash—!
With a headlong tackle, Dweno deflected the hand meant to crush Leo.
-You pest!
Furious, Gias swiped his other hand, striking Dweno squarely.
Whoooosh! Slam—!
The impact sent Dweno crashing into the ground, carving out a massive crater.
Boom—!
But Dweno burst out of it a moment later, ramming his head into Gias’s chin.
-Ghk?!
Reeling, Gias staggered and fell backward.
Landing lightly, Dweno said,
“I told you—you’d have no choice but to let him go.”
Rumble—!
Gias’s severed ankle regenerated as he rose again.
-Useless resistance…
Thud—!
The towering giant loomed like a mountain, gazing down at the smallest of the races.
Dweno looked up at the seemingly endless height.
-The god’s flame will burn everything in the end.
Gias raised the [Corpse Blade of Jörmungandr].
-It will blaze endlessly until all things turn to ash. No matter how you struggle, neither your fate nor the fate of this world will change.
His eyes flashed coldly.
-You and your companions… all of you will burn away.
“You talk big for someone whose future shines so brightly,” Dweno replied.
-Wha… you insolent…!
“In other words,” Dweno said with a grin, “our expedition must’ve succeeded, then.”
He burst into manic laughter.
“I don’t know what you were trying to change by crawling into this ancient past…”
His eyes gleamed fiercely.
“But your future won’t change.”
-Say whatever you like. The ramblings of a ghost from the past won’t reach me.
Power began surging through Gias’s body, his muscles bulging grotesquely.
-And this battle is only beginning.
‘Authority…’
The Giant King’s authority—[Berserker].
Once activated, all his power surged exponentially, turning him into a mindless engine of destruction.
It was in that state that Gias had destroyed Dweno’s homeland.
‘The drawback… is loss of reason.’
A massive body made for a massive target.
No matter how tough his defenses, constant strikes could eventually break through.
That same enormous form granted overwhelming might—but also made him dangerously paranoid and easily provoked.
A monster that destroyed everything indiscriminately was, in some ways, the most vulnerable prey of all.
A double-edged power.
‘This time, I’ll end this cursed cycle for good.’
—
Tap—!
Returning to Guardslone’s ramparts, Leo’s expression froze at the sight before him.
Boom—! Boom—!
Within raging black flames, Arron was locked in a fierce duel with a flaming demonic figure.
Thud—!
Arron’s kick smashed into the creature’s abdomen.
Crash—!
The black flame entity slammed into the wall.
Baring his fangs, Arron lunged forward, claws raised.
Rip—!
His sharp talons tore through the fire-born creature.
Clang! Clatter!
As its form scattered into sparks, a molten piece of metal dropped to the ground.
Leo’s gaze fixed on it.
He recognized its aura.
It was the one weapon Dweno had ever called his masterpiece—
The blade forged solely for one hero.
The sword meant to open the path to the future—Dweno’s gift to Kyle.
“[Posteritas].”
During the final battle against Erebos, Posteritas had fulfilled its duty and shattered.
It hadn’t broken—it had melted.
The tip had lodged deep within Erebos’s body and burned away.
The rest was lost.
Kyle had closed his eyes for the last time, the hilt still in his grasp, which the dwarves later recovered.
The other half was thought to have dissolved into nothing.
But now, that melted fragment had appeared here in the Hero’s World.
‘The god granted me the key to enter this world… and that god has awakened.’
Leo recalled Gias’s words.
Then—
Flash—!
A crimson eye opened on the melted blade.
That disgusting red iris glared at Leo, filled with hatred.
A chill ran down his spine.
He had seen those eyes before—
That singular will.
That burning hatred toward him.
They were the same eyes he’d glimpsed briefly after the entrance exam—the eyes of Erebos.
Flare—!
From the shard of Posteritas, black flames burst forth again, taking human form—
But this time, its target was Leo.
Flare—!
Before it could strike, Ar lunged at its flank.
Thud—!
“Wha—?!”
A spell activated, blocking Ar’s strike.
And then—
Vwooom—!
A summoning circle flared as [Demonic Beasts] poured out.
The grotesque monsters opened their maws to bite into Leo’s neck—
Slash—!
Silver aura flashed as Eiran’s blade cleaved through them.
“Leo! Are you all right?!”
“I’m fine.”
Leo’s face hardened.
“Stop coming back and just die already!”
Lunia’s furious voice rang out as her crimson flames engulfed the creature.
But it broke through the fire.
Ar and Eiran struck from both sides, claws and sword flashing, yet even as its body tore apart, the monster’s blade was aimed squarely at Leo.
Leo’s eyes went cold.
Slice—!
A head flew through the air.
Drawing his sword in one fluid motion, Leo decapitated the entity.
“How unpleasant.”
He understood now.
It was a fragment of Erebos’s will.
‘So that’s how he entered this world.’
A remnant of Erebos’s consciousness—slumbering within Posteritas—had somehow awakened.
It had summoned Gias here.
That fragment, influenced by the lingering echo of its past self within the Hero’s World, had gradually regained strength and consciousness.
‘And it took shape using the memories within Posteritas…’
Leo’s jaw tightened.
‘We need to end this fast.’
Even a dying ember would reignite when given fuel.
Though small now, it would only grow stronger.
Just as Leo clenched his teeth—
Flare—!
A magic circle appeared, and a boy emerged.
Leo recognized him instantly.
‘Jers.’
A young dragonkin who had died during the Battle of Guardslone.
“M-Master Arron! From the west side—! The G-Giant King and his army have appeared…!”
“What?”
Shock filled Arron’s eyes—and everyone else’s.
“Wait! The Giant King’s already fighting Dweno! How could he show up again?!”
An elven mage shouted in panic.
“I-I don’t know either!” Jers stammered.
The future’s Gias was fighting Dweno.
The appearance of his past self had been expected.
But not Erebos’s fragment.
This was beyond all prediction.
‘Do I finish this one first, or head west? If the western gate falls while I’m gone…’
Leo grit his teeth.
They were short on hands.
He could only handle what was within expectations—but now everything had spiraled far beyond that.
“Master Arron! Everyone! Hurry to the west!” Jers shouted, stamping his feet.
Whiiish—! Boom!
“Kyaaah!”
“W-what was that?! An attack?!”
Something massive crashed into the wall from afar.
As the dust cleared, Dweno emerged, brushing himself off.
“Hrmm! That smarts!”
He patted the dust from his armor as if nothing had happened—but his body was a wreck.
He glanced at the burning black flames, narrowing his eyes.
“What’s that thing?”
“…Most likely… a fragment of Erebos.”
“A fragment, huh.”
As he stroked his beard, a shout came from behind.
“M-Master Dweno! Another Giant King and his army have appeared to the west!”
“I see.”
Dweno’s eyes dimmed.
With a deep sigh, he said,
“Arron, you’ll handle the ones in the west. Leo, you’ll assist him.”
Arron hesitated.
“Then what about Erebos?”
“We can’t leave that thing here—it’ll disrupt the battle. So we’ll move it.”
“Move it? Where?”
“Where else?”
Dweno lunged forward, swinging his axe sideways into the fragment of Erebos.
Clang—!
With a deafening metallic crash, the remnant flew across the city and slammed into the buildings below.
Kraaaash—!
Dust and rubble filled the air.
“They can deal with it down there.”
Depeser stepped forward.
“I’ll go with the dragons to face it.”
“No, you handle the Giant King’s army in the west.”
Dweno’s gaze flicked toward the fragment.
“That thing will be dealt with by Velkia, Lunia, Ar, Eiran, Driana, and Carr.”
“Understood!”
“Got it.”
Ar answered firmly, while Lunia cracked her knuckles, glaring at the blazing shadow.
Leo stepped closer to Dweno, lowering his voice.
“It’s dangerous.”
“You know its power too, don’t you? Even with me added to that lineup, it’ll be tough!”
The fragment’s growing power was immense—enough to turn the tide of battle in an instant.
It was a hopeless variable.
Dweno’s chosen six were strong, yes—but they were still incomplete vessels of heroes.
To pit them against Erebos’s rising malice was reckless.
“I can’t have you face it. Arron will need you.”
“But—”
“There’s no other choice. It’s checkmate.”
Dweno looked at him steadily.
Leo clenched his fists.
“So have faith.”
“…What?”
“Have faith in the future you chose.”
“…!”
“I believe those kids are ready to face their trial.”
Dweno’s calm eyes met his.
“They’ll be the pillars that hold you up. Trust them.”
Leo looked toward his comrades preparing for battle.
“You can’t shoulder everything alone forever.” (T/N: Goosebumps. Yeah. )
“….”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“You’re finally sounding like an old man.”
“Heh. Even Lysinas used to come to me for life advice.”
“Lysinas did?”
“Yes. Though it was more like venting—thanks to some idiot’s idiocy.”
Leo let out a short laugh at Dweno’s sharp tongue.
Dweno turned toward the raging Gias.
“Then… shall we begin round two?”
—
Thud—! Thud—!
Everyone on the western wall froze in terror at the sight before them.
Overwhelming despair filled their minds.
It was nearly impossible for Arron alone to hold back both a Legion and its Commander.
“Is this… the end?”
Someone whispered, voice trembling.
“Are we really going to be destroyed?”
Despair spread like infection.
And once fear took root, it bred endlessly.
Then—
Awooooooo—!
A wolf’s howl echoed through all of Guardslone.
The legion’s advance stopped.
The terrified soldiers’ eyes cleared.
The spreading fear vanished in an instant.
The howl ceased.
“Everyone, get ready to fight.”
The once-timid voice now rang steady in everyone’s ears.
Tap—!
Arron appeared atop the wall and drew his sword.
Shing—!
His body began to change—fangs elongating, claws sharpening, fur bristling all over.
“Today might be our last day.”
His calm, determined voice carried across the fortress.
“But maybe… it won’t be.”
Arron looked back at the heroes who had risked everything for the future.
“We made it this far because we never gave up. Because we refused to surrender, we found hope—didn’t we?”
He smiled.
“So let’s be brave a little longer.”
It wasn’t a grand speech.
Just a quiet call for courage.
But—
The encouragement of the one who had once been most afraid gave strength to all.
“I’ll admit,” Leo said, stepping beside him with a grin, “you’re better at this speech stuff than Lysinas ever was.”
Everyone’s spirits soared.
If fear was contagious—so was courage.
“We can win this,” Leo said with conviction.
“And for that…”
He reached into his coat and pulled out his left hand.
Between his fingers glimmered four colored orbs—red, blue, silver, and brown.
“…I’m right here.”