Chapter 302
Wooooooh—!
Pure white flames raged around Lunia.
Fwoosh—
The flames consumed her whole.
Lunia bit her lip tightly.
The very fire that had accompanied her all her life was now devouring her.
‘This is… the flame of the Phoenix King… the Flame Emperor’s fire.’
Her expression twisted in pain as the flames threatened to swallow her entirely.
Rumble—!
Erebos’s Thought Projection advanced toward Lunia.
Just as Ar gritted her teeth at the sight—
Step—
“Eiran…”
Eiran stood before Erebos, blocking his path.
Clad in radiant silver armor, she was chanting an incantation.
‘The spell Lord Leo taught me.’
It was, at its core, the same as the secret magic Velkia had spoken of—
but the details were different.
‘I could see Velkia’s own effort in trying to manifest this magic.’
Velkia had never mastered Star Magic.
Elves only began to wield Star Magic long after her death.
Because of that, Velkia…
Had never completed the magic her master, Luna, had left behind.
But she never stopped struggling.
She pondered endlessly, challenged it countless times.
That tireless effort—
not wanting to bring shame before the great masters she followed—
was evident.
‘She’s just like me.’
Eiran smiled faintly.
Their personalities differed, but the sight of someone desperately chasing the one they admired— that was something she deeply understood.
With that thought, Eiran began her spell.
If she failed, there would only be death.
But—
‘I’ll succeed.’
Gripping the Erquint Velkia had entrusted to her, Eiran faced Erebos’s projection head-on.
“Sword of Animus.”
Star Magic, overflowing with fairy mana, manifested.
All her mana was poured out to create a blade brimming with the vibrant energy of life—and it slashed through Erebos’s projection.
Gwaaaaargh!
For the first time, a scream of pain tore from Erebos’s Thought Projection.
Eiran collapsed to her knees, completely spent after releasing all her mana at once.
Erebos’s form twisted—the attack that always healed instantly now left a scar.
The Origin Magic Luna had left behind was powerful enough to wound even an immortal being.
Fwoosh—!
Writhing in pain, Erebos’s projection raised its arm high.
Eiran looked up at the sight and smiled gently.
‘I… believe.’
That radiant girl she had once met—a friend who shone like a hero from a fairy tale—Eiran believed in her.
Crack!
“Who said you could touch anyone with those filthy hands?”
Lunia’s fierce voice rang out.
Her hair blazed white, and her crimson eyes gleamed like fire.
Fwoosh—!
A white fireball floated above her palm.
She controlled the overflowing white flames within her.
The spell Luna had once created to oppose Erebos’s flame— a spell that had never been completed, lost to history—now bloomed once more in Lunia’s hands.
“Flame Emperor.”
As Lunia completed the spell, the white fire swallowed the black flame whole.
Gwaaaaaaaah!
Erebos’s Thought Projection screamed in agony.
Fwoosh—!
Clang—!
And then, it vanished without a trace.
Thud—
Lunia sank to the ground.
Step, step—
Katariu approached and smiled faintly.
“Well? How does the true flame of the Phoenix feel?”
“…It hurts.”
Lunia answered honestly before collapsing in exhaustion.
—
Kwagagagagang—!
Arron was sent flying, crashing into the fortress wall after being struck by Erebos’s black flames.
Empowered by Erebos’s blessing, Gias’s strength was overwhelming.
Kwagagagagang—!
The wall crumbled, burying Arron beneath the rubble.
Gwoooooooh!
Gias roared toward the sky.
Depeser’s face went pale.
Everyone atop Guardslone’s wall looked up in terror at the massive surge of dark mana.
A colossal magic circle formed in the air.
With it, black lightning poured down.
Crack! Boom!
The scale of the dark magic was terrifying.
It felt as though the world was on the brink of destruction.
Despair filled the eyes of many heroes.
Then—
Flash! Boom!
A towering wall of water rose to meet the lightning, blocking it completely.
All eyes turned toward Leo.
Urk—!
The backlash of that defense struck him hard.
—That’s the limit! Any more damage and you’ll bear it directly, Contractor!
Erham’s voice rang urgently.
Thud—!
Leo dropped to one knee.
The mana of Gias, amplified by Erebos’s power, was beyond comprehension.
Depeser’s face twisted in despair at Leo’s pain.
“Don’t make that face.”
“Sir… Leo?”
Leo forced himself to his feet, the Water Shield still held high.
Standing firm against the relentless storm of lightning, he said,
“Everyone, don’t lower your heads.”
He looked across the defenders struggling atop the wall.
So many familiar faces.
More than half of them would die in this battle.
Even if he saved them now, history wouldn’t change.
But still, Leo refused to lower his shield.
“Hold your heads high. You are heroes who defended this age.”
Heroes whose names never made it into the Hero Record.
Countless souls who perished in the Era of Calamity.
But because of them, this era existed.
Leo, who lived in the present and understood their time better than anyone, couldn’t allow them to despair or bow their heads.
“Soon, a new dawn will rise—not that damned black sun, but a bright one.”
Looking toward the sky as the first light of dawn broke through, Leo declared,
“So don’t give up. Keep fighting. I believe in you.”
Everyone stared in awe at Leo, who smiled just like a certain wise dragon once had.
“Believe in the hero who gave you courage.”
Kwagagagang—!
From the shattered walls, golden light burst forth.
The hero, wrapped in golden Aura, shone like the sun itself.
Leo looked at Arron, who held the Brave high.
There was no longer fear in his eyes.
The Aura of the Hero’s Breath flared from his sword, expanding until it seemed to pierce the heavens.
Gripping his golden sword tightly, Arron stepped into the air and charged toward the Giant King.
Gwoooooooh!
Gias unleashed a savage roar.
At that moment—
Fwoosh—!
The black flames symbolizing Erebos vanished.
The madness in Gias’s eyes faded, and clarity returned.
His eyes widened as he saw the golden blade rushing toward him.
[Arron!]
Clang—!
The Brave and Gias’s sword collided.
Slice—!
In an instant, Gias’s sword shattered effortlessly.
And it didn’t end there.
Slash—!
Arron’s blade cut clean through Gias’s waist.
[Im… possible…!]
Gias’s face twisted in horror.
Fwoosh—!
Golden light exploded.
In the blink of an eye, Arron swung his sword thousands of times, reducing Gias to shreds of flesh.
Splatter—!
Blood and flesh scattered across the ground.
Even for a Legion Commander with monstrous regeneration, it was a fatal blow.
Empowered by Erebos’s energy, Gias had overreached—and the price was death.
Then—
Uwoooooooh!
The Giant King’s army, sensing their commander’s fall, fled in terror.
“We did it.”
Leo smiled as he thought of his friends who had defeated Erebos’s Thought Fragment.
[You have stopped the invasion of the Giant King.]
[The Divine Blacksmith and The Brave have survived.]
[Dweno’s World: Advanced – Guardslone Defensive War has been cleared.]
Reading the message before his eyes, Leo sank to the ground.
“It’s over.”
—
“Heh, not bad, Seiren Representative.”
“How about it? Now that I’ve mastered Lady Luna’s magic, you have to admit I’ve surpassed you.”
“Please, I was personally guided by Lord Arron. I’m still better.”
Lunia and Ar bickered playfully.
“Driana, are you all right?”
“…Carr, I have a request.”
“What is it? I’ll do anything I can.”
“…When we return, strike a dramatic pose of despair for me. As a nude model, of course.”
“Seeing you say weird things again means you’re fine.”
Carr laughed dryly.
“Eiran.”
“Yes, Lady Velkia?”
“Who do I marry in the future?”
“Uh… well… your ancestor… um…”
Velkia’s curiosity about the future left Eiran flustered.
Then—
Fwoosh—!
Black flames erupted once more.
Everyone’s faces turned pale.
“Resurrecting… again?”
“No way! We don’t have the strength left to fight!”
‘The spell… wasn’t complete yet.’
Lunia clenched her teeth.
She had barely managed to activate the magic, but it was still incomplete.
As the party stared at the rising black flames in despair—
Flash—!
A white bolt of lightning struck down upon Erebos’s fire.
Crackle! Crack!
Electric sparks flew in every direction.
“A Pegasus…!”
Carr’s eyes widened.
Everyone looked up—at the man with gray hair riding atop the Pegasus.
Swoosh—
He opened his eyes and dismounted.
“What’s going on here?”
He looked around calmly.
“I sensed Erebos’s power and came as fast as I could… Did you guys defeat him?”
“Are you… the Hero of Beginning?”
Carr swallowed hard as he asked.
“Hero of Beginning? What’s that supposed to mean?”
The man looked puzzled.
Eiran’s voice trembled as she spoke.
“Kyle… is that you?”
“Yeah. It’s Master Kyle.”
Velkia replied bluntly.
“And why are you so beat up again?”
“Shouldn’t you praise your hardworking disciple instead of scolding her?”
Pouting, Velkia muttered, and Kyle clicked his tongue.
“Yeah, yeah. You did well.”
He ruffled her hair roughly.
Though she frowned at the touch, a faint smile crept onto Velkia’s face.
“I don’t know who you all are, but you fought Erebos, right?”
“Y-yes, sir!”
Kyle gave a faint smile at the tense Hero Candidates.
“Good. I’m glad there are people like you to entrust the future to.”
As he smiled reassuringly, the Hero Candidates held their breath.
Fwoosh—!
Black flames rose again.
Swoosh—
Kyle’s eyes turned cold as he pointed his sword at Erebos’s Thought Projection.
Kwagagagagak—!
A storm of gray Aura burst forth, hurling the black flame skyward.
Gwaaargh!
The black flame writhed in the air.
Kyle began chanting.
Voom—!
Lunia and Eiran recognized the magic circle forming above.
Star Magic—
but different from what they knew.
‘Is this also… Origin Magic?’
Lunia’s eyes widened.
“Innocent.”
As Kyle completed the spell, a pure white flash shot into the sky.
The black flame vanished completely—along with the metal shard that served as its core.
The party could only gape in astonishment.
“That man… is the Hero of Beginning… Kyle.”
Resting his sword on his shoulder, Kyle smiled.
“So what’s that supposed to mean? I’ve never been called something that grand before.”
That smile—so reminiscent of Leo’s—left everyone speechless.
Then—
[You have stopped the invasion of the Giant King.]
[The Divine Blacksmith and The Brave have survived.]
[Dweno’s World: Advanced – Guardslone Defensive War has been cleared.]
The world came to an end.