Chapter 424
Fzzzzz- Fzzzt-
A pitch-black fissure formed in the air.
As if space itself had cracked.
Crrrrrack- From the split in the darkness, a dark red energy poured out like a torrent.
A moment later.
The crimson smoke that spilled from the fissure carried a potent aura of death.
The green grass on the ground began to rot.
If a student were to witness this scene, they would be paralyzed with terror, unable to even scream.
The aura of death soon took on a human form.
A man cloaked in black robes gazed upon the landscape of Lumene.
The man’s identity.
None other than Death King Hell Kaiser, the supreme commander of Tartarus, who had reigned as a terrifying calamity for the past 5,000 years.
Each time he exhaled, the air became tainted, and everything his feet touched met its demise.
The Legion Commander who wielded the most dangerous power among Tartarus’s legions: ‘death.’
He was, quite literally, the embodiment of death.
Thud-
Someone appeared before Hell Kaiser.
A boy with snow-white hair and crimson eyes.
Hell Kaiser’s lips curled into a smile.
The reason he had come to Lumene today.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Leo Plov.”
—
Leo wasn’t the only one who sensed the Death King’s intrusion into Lumene.
-Leo-nim.
“I know.”
Leo calmly responded to Melina’s urgent call through magic.
-I’m coming too.
“No, there’s no need. You need to be ready for any unexpected situation.”
-But.
“He must have an agenda for coming here. He’s not the type to barge in recklessly.”
The summit was a gathering of the greatest heroes of this era.
No matter how powerful the Death King was, and even if he had reigned as a figure of terror for 5,000 years, it would be foolish to barge in here now.
“If he were going to barge in, he would have done it when the Monster Queen was alive and the Giant King was still around.”
-Then why did he come?
“I have a hunch.”
With that reply, Leo headed toward the source of the Death King’s aura.
Thud-
The Death King stood there, unchanged from 5,000 years ago.
Hell Kaiser smiled when he saw Leo.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Leo Plov.”
Step- Step-
Hell Kaiser approached Leo.
“So you’re the hero candidate leading the next generation, the one who has repeatedly interfered with my plans and performed countless miracles?”
Whoooooooom-!
An ominous Dark Mana erupted from Hell Kaiser’s body.
“When I asked about you before, they said you were the one who would destroy me, is that right?”
Hell Kaiser’s crimson eyes gleamed.
“I’ll ask you again.”
Swish-
The aura of death surged from his raised fingertips.
“What is your true nature?”
KABOOOOM-!
A massive explosion shook the earth.
Piercing through the thick smoke, an Aura of flames targeted Hell Kaiser’s neck.
Clang-!
Leo’s sword struck Hell Kaiser’s neck.
But it didn’t cut through; it was blocked.
Whoooooooom-!
A powerful Aura erupted from Leo’s body.
Seeing this, Hell Kaiser raised his hand.
A grotesque staff made of black bones appeared in his hand.
Whoosh-!
With a swing of the staff, a black aura engulfed Leo.
Leo used Aura Step to evade the Death King’s attack.
Tssssss-!
‘Curse of Decay.’
The moment that black aura touched something, it began to rot.
Leo surveyed his surroundings.
The curse had already spread throughout the area.
‘Curse of Isolation.’
A curse that isolates the inside of the curse from the outside world.
Even if Hell Kaiser rampaged here, no one outside would know.
Leo looked at Hell Kaiser.
‘Just as I expected. He came to figure out my true nature.’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
The one standing before him was not the Death King himself, but an avatar.
Even so, it possessed formidable power.
Wooooong-!
Magic formed at Leo’s fingertips, the hand not holding his sword.
Star Magic.
Flash! Kaboom-!
Hundreds of light projectiles shot out from the magic circle, engulfing the Death King.
“Wielding such crude tricks.”
Hell Kaiser’s eyes quickly scanned the magic.
Whoosh-!
Before the light projectiles could even touch Hell Kaiser’s body, they vanished as if they had evaporated.
They weren’t blocked by Hell Kaiser’s power.
He had analyzed and dispelled them.
“I am the one who dispelled even Luna’s magic. You know better than anyone that the crude results of tampering with her legacy won’t work on me, don’t you? Leo Plov, or rather.”
Whoooooooom-
A black space opened above Leo’s head.
Along with it, bones, flesh, and blood poured down.
“Surviving Hero.”
Thud thud thud thud thud! Splatter! Splatter! Swishhhhh!
Bone fragments, flesh, and blood covered Leo.
Hell Kaiser, seeing this, smiled coldly and activated Black Magic.
Kaboom-!
The pile of corpses exploded, shaking the earth.
“As expected, such magic doesn’t work on you.”
Hell Kaiser burst into laughter.
“It’s been a while, Spirit of Radiance, has it been 3,000 years?”
-Death King.
Laurel gritted her teeth, revealing her hatred.
The detestable enemy who had fought against the Dragon of Genesis Rodia several times 3,000 years ago.
Leo, who had blocked the Black Magic with Laurel’s power, looked at the scattered fragments of bones and flesh.
Kneeling down, Leo picked up the hilt of a sword lying among the ruins of bones and flesh.
It was an Artifact that had already lost its function.
It seemed to have been the Artifact used by one of the people in the pile of corpses that had just attacked him.
Leo raised his head and looked at Hell Kaiser.
“Are these the corpses of heroes?”
“A gift for our reunion, Surviving Hero. Haven’t you survived to the end, stepping over the deaths of countless heroes?”
Hell Kaiser burst into laughter.
“Didn’t you even turn away from the deaths of great heroes who were more precious than your own life, Surviving Hero?”
Hell Kaiser’s laughter echoed.
“When the Hero left behind the words ‘I’m sorry’ as he died, were you crying? What were your feelings in the face of Dweno’s death, who left behind an unholy Artifact?”
Murderous intent formed in Leo’s eyes.
“What must Luna have been thinking when she said it was better for you to survive than herself?”
Clench-!
“In the end, Lysinas left everything to you, and when you were the only one left alive again, becoming the last hero, what were your feelings?”
Whoooooooom-!
The murderous intent emanating from Leo’s body caused the air to tremble.
All the creatures that had barely survived Hell Kaiser’s aura struggled to distance themselves from Kyle as much as possible.
“Stand tall, Surviving Hero. No, Last Hero.”
Hell Kaiser wore an eerie smile.
The smiling skeleton spread its arms wide.
“Even if everyone in the world forgets your blasphemy of defeating a god, I will remember it.”
Hell Kaiser looked up at the sky and shouted.
“In the end, I know your foolishness in defying even death, which no one else can ever defy, and facing God alone again!”
Clack clack clack-
The sound of bones colliding echoed.
“In the end, you will become the Last Hero again! You are the beginning and the end of this era! But don’t worry. I will remember until the day the world burns and disappears by the grace of God! That you existed! Hahahahahahahaha!”
Wooooong-!
Laurel turned into light and wrapped around Leo’s feet.
Spirit Armor—arming oneself with a Spirit to draw the Spirit’s abilities into the body.
Currently, Leo’s speed was no exaggeration to say that he was the Spirit of Radiance itself.
“Are you done provoking me? Death King.”
Leo smiled.
Hell Kaiser shuddered at that chilling smile.
‘It’s not working.’
He had intended to provoke Leo, but it wasn’t working.
Despite his seething rage, Leo remained extremely calm.
Whoosh-!
Leo charged toward Hell Kaiser.
He closed the distance with Hell Kaiser like a streak of lightning.
Thwack-!
Leo’s sword slashed Hell Kaiser’s neck.
Hell Kaiser’s body, separated from its head, flew through the air.
Spirit Armor is a Spirit Art that arms with a Spirit to draw the Spirit’s abilities into the body.
Currently, Leo’s speed was no exaggeration to say that he was the Spirit of Radiance itself.
“You don’t need to remember.”
Leo said coldly.
“Because this world will never be destroyed.”
Kaboom-!
Drawing a trail of light, Leo instantly slashed Hell Kaiser’s body to pieces.
“I will never be the Last Hero again.”
Whoooooooom-!
Dark Mana erupted from Hell Kaiser’s body like an explosion.
The moment the Black Magic tried to engulf Leo.
Whoosh-!
Leo’s shadow soared.
Kaboom-!
The shadow became a blade and broke Hell Kaiser’s Bone Staff.
For a moment, Hell Kaiser’s eyes widened.
“This is…….”
Spirit of Darkness.
But not just any Spirit of Darkness.
Hell Kaiser knew this Spirit of Darkness.
“The Shadow Spirit?”
5,000 years ago.
Hell Kaiser was shaken for the first time by the power of the Great Spirit of Darkness, which had been annihilated by his own hand.
Hell Kaiser’s face twisted when he discovered Elci, who was riding on Leo’s shoulder.
“How……!”
Thwack!
At that moment, Leo, who had approached Hell Kaiser, grabbed his face.
Leo activated his Aura.
Leo, covered in gray Aura, soared high into the sky.
Bang-!
In an instant, Hell Kaiser’s face slammed into an invisible wall.
It was the wall created by the Curse of Isolation.
Kaboom-!
Leo flew into the sky, slamming Hell Kaiser’s face against the wall of Isolation as if grinding it away.
Crack-!
The Curse of Isolation couldn’t withstand Leo’s power and began to crack.
Clang!
Eventually, a hole formed in the Curse of Isolation, and Hell Kaiser soared into the sky, held captive by Leo.
“You have driven countless heroes to their deaths for thousands of years. And you have mocked their deaths and desecrated their corpses. You will now pay the price for that.”
Leo lowered his voice as he spoke.
Hell Kaiser’s very existence was an insult to those who had sacrificed their lives for the world.
Knowing this, Hell Kaiser had provoked Leo.
But Leo, even in his anger, did not lose his reason.
“That bastard……!”
Hell Kaiser’s face twisted as he saw Leo’s cold eyes.
Leo forcibly turned Hell Kaiser’s face.
Crack-!
A chilling sound of bones echoed.
Thwack-!
In an instant, Leo ripped Hell Kaiser’s head from whatever remains it is connected to in his body.
“Look closely. And remember.”
Leo grabbed Hell Kaiser’s dangling head and made him look at the stadium where the first-year tournament match was taking place.
“Those children, Erebos. Tartarus…….”
Leo, turning Hell Kaiser’s head to face him, said fiercely.
“Will destroy you. Hell Kaiser.”
Waaaaaaaaaah-!
At that moment, cheers erupted, indicating that Luke and Aina’s match had been decided.
Hearing those cheers, Leo smiled.
“It’s not us who will burn and disappear!”
“Kyle……!”
Snap-!
Cracks formed in Hell Kaiser’s head.
“It’s you bastards!”
Thwack-!
Hell Kaiser’s head shattered in Leo’s grip.
Swishhhhh-!
Hell Kaiser’s avatar turned into sand and disappeared.
At that moment.
Fwoooooosh-!
Black flames blazed.
‘Calamity Flame?’
Leo’s eyes twitched at the sudden Calamity Flame.
Whoosh-!
He summoned Mana.
Gray Mana enveloped the black flames that would never go out.
Whoosh-!
The Calamity Flame subsided.
At that moment.
Wooooong-!
The Calamity Flame, which had been dying down, emitted a white light and then seeped into the gray Mana.
Leo’s eyes widened.
‘This is Divine Power……?’