Chapter 453

Book 1 Chapter 453

Observing the deep apprehension clear on Ar’s face,

“Lady Melina. What are we to do with this item?”

Chelsea inquired, retrieving the blade that Arion had cast aside.

Turning her attention to the object, Melina replied,

“That is Brave. It is the iconic sword intimately tied to Sir Arion’s legacy. Surely you recognize it, Chelsea?”

“I do, but it is fractured, is it not?”

As Chelsea voiced her concern with a troubled expression, Melina gave a solemn nod.

“Its fracture occurred prior to his departure from the realm of heroes.”

“Will fighting with a damaged weapon impede Sir Arion?”

“Wielding Brave in battle, even in its broken state, remains far superior to engaging empty-handed. However… the current circumstances leave Sir Arion with no room to…”

Kwaaaang—!

A colossal detestation echoed once more before the defensive barriers of the city.

Shattered by the ferocity of Erebos’s assault, Arion was hurled forcefully to the earth right before the outer wall.

The sheer kinetic force of his impact obliterated the surging hordes of beasts pressing toward the fortifications.

Stumbling heavily, Arion forced himself back to his feet.

The raw energy of his aura burned as fiercely as before.

Yet, Arion’s physical form was utterly devastated.

Even so, his resolve to fight endured completely unmarred.

As though violently purging any remnant of terror from his mind, he fixed a burning, defiant gaze upon Erebos.

Kwang—!

Erebos plummeted from above, sticking the landing directly ahead of Arion.

—What drives your futile, agonizing resistance? Timorous champion. Do you tremble at the demise of these microscopic entities you foolishly mistake for salvation?

“Kreheoooeooeong!”

A guttural, primal roar ripped from Arion’s throat.

Shrouded in a blazing mantle of aura, Arion once more launched his body straight toward Erebos.

Observing this desperate advance, Erebos’s eyes flared with malice as he violently swept his arm forward.

Kwaaaang—!

Arion was sent crashing backward into the dirt yet again.

Undeterred by the impact, he tore forward through the soil, baring his claws to rip and shred deep into Erebos’s arm.

With the future he once glimpsed through his precognition completely obscured from view, Arion pressed onward in a chaotic, desperate struggle.

It was an unprecedented, breathtaking clash of raw physical might between the world’s champion and the ancient, primordial malice.

The structural devastation radiating from their collision was catastrophic.

Had Arion not stood his ground, absolutely no one present possessed the strength to stall the primordial malice single-handedly.

‘Just a fraction longer, a mere moment more, and Kyle’s incantation will reach completion!’

His sole imperative was to contain Erebos and erode his vitality until that critical moment arrived.

No matter how relentless the fires of this cataclysm burned, continuous, precise strikes would inevitably deplete its reserve of power.

Though he was dealing with an immortal entity, it remained entirely susceptible to physical degradation.

‘I must diminish his strength sufficiently so that Innocent can erase him from existence entirely!’

Grievous, agonizing burns began to manifest and multiply across his entire flesh.

His physical frame shrieked under the immense pressure, balanced precariously on the brink of total collapse.

The torment far surpassed any physical agony Arion had ever withstood in his lifetime.

‘Do not falter!’

Arion’s gaze snapped wide with renewed focus.

‘The suffering Kyle endured must have been vastly superior to this!’

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

Arion bellowed fiercely, driving his teeth and claws directly toward Erebos’s throat.

Simultaneously, the horrific fiends spawned by Erebos continued their relentless assault against the city’s defenses.

Witnessing Arion’s harrowing, life-or-death confrontation from afar, Chelsea clenched her hands into tight, white-knuckled fists.

‘Is there absolutely nothing I can do to assist Sir Arion?’

Memories of Arion’s characteristic warmth and gentle kindness toward her flashed through her mind.

The very man who had displayed such genuine happiness at the prospect of a peaceful era where young children could laugh freely was now locked in a brutal struggle for survival.

Pacing back and forth in her desperation to provide aid, Chelsea’s eyes locked onto Brave resting within her grasp, and she cried out,

“I shall venture out and return Brave to Sir Arion!”

Melina’s gaze widened in sheer astonishment.

“Such an action is far too perilous.”

“Yet, am I not the individual best suited for such an endeavor?”

Chelsea countered with absolute gravity.

“Given my compact stature and swiftness, I can easily evade the monsters’ counterattacks and secure a safe return! Such maneuvers are precisely what a wind mage excels at!”

“If that is the case, someone of my standing or Ulta should…”

“Lady Melina and Senior Ulta are required here to repel the advancing hordes!”

Both Melina and Ulta represented the primary defensive anchors currently maintaining the integrity of the wall.

Should they abandon their defensive positions, the entire city risked immediate annihilation.

“… I have failed my duties as a Dragon Lord. To be reduced to sending a youth such as yourself into the absolute jaws of peril.”

“Should the danger prove insurmountable, I shall retreat without hesitation!”

“Listen, Chelsea. Are you entirely certain of this path?”

As Karl voiced his deep anxiety, Chelsea confidently extended her index finger toward the sky and declared,

“Without a doubt!”

Leaving them with those parting words, Chelsea secured Brave firmly against her back and vaulted down from the high city wall.

‘Heatwave.’

Chelsea invoked her signature elemental magic.

An arcane discipline that granted her absolute dominion over the shifting air currents around her.

The deployment of this spell bestowed upon Chelsea an extraordinary level of swiftness and evasive capability.

Hwaak—!

Chelsea blurred across the terrain at a staggering velocity, navigating directly toward the cataclysmic zone where Arion and Erebos clashed.

Sensing her rapid approach, various monsters bared their fangs with lethal intent and lunged across her path.

Utilizing her precise control over the wind currents, Chelsea effortlessly shifted her trajectory to dodge every incoming strike.

‘The grueling sessions under big brother Leo’s guidance have truly borne fruit! As have the insights from Sir Arion’s precognition training!’

While she remained incapable of properly manifesting the precognitive abilities Arion had attempted to instill in her, the rigorous discipline had refined her combat instincts to an incredibly sharp degree.

A multitude of persistent fiends continued to track Chelsea’s movements aggressively.

However, a barrage of arcane projectiles deployed from atop the distant walls rained down to shield her advance.

This long-range suppression was provided by the keen marksmanship of snipers like Reenia and Juen.

The precise moment Chelsea breached the perimeter of the duel between Arion and Erebos,

Kwaang—!

A heavy mass crashed violently through the air toward her position.

“Sir Arion!”

It was Arion, his physical vessel pushed far beyond its absolute endurance.

With his titanic transformation completely dissipated, he could only emit low groans as he strained desperately to raise his frame from the earth.

As Chelsea rushed forward in a frantic bid to offer assistance,

—Inconsequential parasite.

A voice dripping with absolute condescension reverberated through the air.

Chelsea’s features froze instantly.

—Desert that pathetic savior and flee this place. Do so, and I shall grant clemency to your worthless existence.

Chelsea’s survival instincts screamed violently in response to the malevolent voice, which carried an undeniable undercurrent of mockery and disdain.

The urge to flee was overwhelming.

Her mind recognized that she was standing before an ancient catastrophe completely beyond her capacity to comprehend.

Goosebumps erupted across her skin as a violent tremor seized her limbs.

Unbidden tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

Every fiber of her being urged her to run away.

Despite the paralyzing fear, Chelsea refused to relinquish her hold on Arion.

“Chelsea… fall back.”

Arion staggered, forcing a desperate surge of energy into his trembling legs.

“Only a moment longer remains. Retreat to a place of safety.”

“Sir Arion, you have surpassed your physical limits! We must depart together immediately!”

Though consumed by terror, Chelsea stubbornly attempted to hoist Arion up to extract him from the warzone.

—This mortal child possesses a reservoir of valor that utterly eclipses your own, savior. Quite commendable.

The ancient entity’s vow to grant her passage should she choose to retreat was entirely genuine.

To Erebos, the termination of Chelsea’s insignificant life held no inherent worth.

His singular objective was to break Arion’s spirit by forcing him to watch the very embodiment of the future he championed flee in absolute, sniveling terror.

Yet reality refused to conform to his design.

This defiance alone was more than enough to stoke the embers of Erebos’s irritation.

—Perish then, mortal whelp, and let your final thoughts curse the arrogance of your futile grandstanding.

Kwaaaak—!

In tandem with Erebos’s decree, columns of destructive fire erupted from every conceivable direction.

Catching sight of the impending doom, Arion attempted to summon his remaining aura, only for his physical form to flicker unreliably.

The phenomenon signaled an undeniable reality:

‘My permitted duration has expired!’

The entirety of his celestial energy had depleted at the absolute worst conceivable juncture.

Gritting his teeth in defiance, Arion pulled Chelsea tightly against his chest and forced out the absolute dregs of his remaining aura.

‘At the very least, Chelsea must survive!’

Hwaak—!

A vortex of obsidian flame entirely consumed the forms of Arion and Chelsea.

Hwarurureuk—!

“Ah…”

A collective, stunned silence fell over the onlookers.

The legendary savior who had served as their solitary bulwark against Erebos had vanished from the field.

Inevitably, the crushing weight of utter defeat settled heavily upon their consciousness.

The complexions of everyone present drained of color, replaced by a stark, paralyzing dread.

Hwarurururureuk—!

Beneath a sky stained a deep, ominous crimson, the landscape lay utterly devastated by the rampant spread of black hellfire.

A singular, terrifying concept solidified within the minds of the prospective heroes:

‘The Resurgence of the Cataclysm’

Tadak—!

Amidst this profound despair, Leo descended gracefully from the heavens, his boots touching down directly in the center of the scorched, blackened earth.

He slowly tilted his gaze upward to confront Erebos.

—The curtain falls.

Erebos projected a mocking tone toward Leo.

—Your champion has been eradicated, and your meager capabilities possess no means to deter my advance.

The entity’s voice vibrated with unadulterated triumph.

Erebos remained entirely certain that he would soon witness Leo’s features warp into an expression of utter hopelessness.

—The Epoch of the Cataclysm dawns anew!

Coinciding with Erebos’s triumphant proclamation, the obsidian fires surged with renewed, violent intensity.

Hwarurureuk! Tadak— Tadak—

In spite of the overwhelming display, Leo’s countenance remained entirely unbothered.

He quietly continued to consolidate his internal power, focusing entirely on preparing the activation of Innocent.

With the current threshold of energy available to him, even if he drained every drop of vitality from his being, it was fundamentally impossible to manifest an incantation grand enough to bring about Erebos’s downfall.

Even if the energy of absolute purity served as the ultimate antithesis to primordial malice, such an advantage was rendered completely meaningless in the face of an insurmountable disparity in raw power.

And yet…

—What is the meaning of that expression?

Erebos’s features twisted into an expression of raw, unmitigated fury upon beholding Leo’s completely tranquil face.

—How can you maintain such an unwavering, ridiculous confidence?! He is no more! That pathetic coward has been thoroughly erased from this world…

“Shut your mouth! You wretched piece of trash! Who are you calling a coward!”

Interruping Erebos’s grandstanding, a voice saturated with pure rage boomed across the clearing.

Ar, having sprinted frantically across the battlefield, now stood firmly at Leo’s flank, his furious gaze locked onto Erebos.

“Sir Arion is no coward! He possesses a degree of valor greater than anyone else in existence!”

—Such profound ignorance is truly pitiful.

Erebos murmured, exuding an air of utter disbelief.

—His life reached its natural conclusion five millennia ago, and the shallow intervention of the deities has reached its end, causing that coward to fade entirely from this realm. To draw inspiration from such a pathetic spirit and think to challenge me is the height of absurdity…

“Nyaaah! Keep your filthy mouth off Sir Arion’s name! You misshapen, disgusting mass of garbage!”

Ar cut the ancient entity off once more, venting his frustration in a high-pitched, hysterical shriek.

“I am well aware that Sir Arion experiences fear! Yet that does not make him a coward! He is an individual who confronts and conquers his terror even when he is shaking inside! Hero Arion delivered this world from destruction! That is precisely why he stands as a legendary champion! Do you honestly believe such a monumental figure could ever be deemed a coward? Has your five-thousand-year slumber thoroughly rotted your intellect?!”

Ar went so far as to point an accusing finger directly at the entity, the veins along his neck pulsing visibly as he completely abandoned his composure.

His adversary was nothing less than the literal manifestation of the world’s ruin.

The cataclysmic entity that had once struck absolute terror into the hearts of immortals—the primordial malice, Erebos.

The sheer absurdity of the spectacle left even Erebos temporarily speechless.

Through Erebos’s perceptive gaze, the profound terror vibrating through Ar’s physical frame was completely transparent.

Under normal circumstances, a mere beastman of his stature should have been rendered entirely mute, incapable of uttering a syllable in his august presence.

An insignificant speck of dust possessing no right to even occupy a position on this grand stage of conflict.

A subordinate lifeform that ought to be groveling in the dirt, paralyzed by the mere act of meeting his gaze.

And yet,

“Sir Arion will stand tall once more! He will return to his feet and thoroughly thrash you!”

Despite the absolute terror gripping his soul, he refused to retreat a single inch, voicing his defiance to the heavens.

He maintained an unshakeable conviction that Arion—a man who had already dissolved into nothingness and ceased to exist—would inevitably return.

—Barring an ascension into the literal pantheon of the divine, such an occurrence is a fundamental impossibility.

“Sir Arion is a deity!”

Attempting to apply logic to the furious beastman was entirely futile.

—What a spectacularly delusional simpleton, championing a ghost that shall never grace this world again.

“Who are you calling a simpleton! You absolute brainless fool!”

“Kukuk… Phewfufufu hahahahaha!”

Leo, who had remained a silent observer to the entire exchange, suddenly found himself unable to contain his amusement and burst into a hearty laugh.

He couldn’t help but marvel at Ar, who was currently displaying a level of audacious defiance that even Luna, notorious for her unpredictable antics, would struggle to match.

“Though his delivery is crude, his words ring true.”

Leo offered a subtle, knowing grin.

“Arion shall return to us.”

Hwarurureuk—!

—Have your cognitive faculties thoroughly disintegrated?

“On the contrary, my mind has never been clearer.”

Though the champion had fallen before his eyes, Leo’s absolute conviction had not degraded in the slightest.

“He is simply not the type of individual who knows how to abandon a fight.”

“Krrrrrr—”

Ar emitted a low, resonant growl from deep within his chest before unleashing a thunderous howl toward the heavens.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

A radiant, shimmering golden aura exploded outward from Ar’s physical form.

The exact moment Erebos’s gaze narrowed in response to the reverberating howl,

Flash—!

A brilliant pillar of golden aura erupted upward, piercing cleanly through the remnants of the obsidian hellfire that had previously engulfed Arion and Chelsea.

Erebos’s face instantly contorted into an expression of unadulterated shock at the unfolding spectacle.

—Inconceivable!

A radiant, triumphant grin broke across Ar’s face.

Leo turned his gaze toward him and let out a long, weary sigh, as if conceding to an immutable truth.

‘To think you considered yourself an anchor weighing us down, you ridiculous fool.’

Leo lowered his eyes to examine the palm of his own hand.

As if vibrating in direct harmony with the resurgence of Arion’s aura, the mystical flame of Dweno flared to life with renewed vigor.

Beholding this phenomenon, Leo closed his fingers into a resolute fist and muttered softly to himself,

‘My refusal to yield was never born from the burden of carrying others.’

Luna’s reassuring words that always offered him solace, Dweno’s trusted implement to which he could confidently commit his very survival, the brilliant, piercing radiance of Lisinas that cut through the deepest darkness even behind closed eyelids, and the commanding silhouette of Arion’s back—a beacon of reliability unmatched by any other—it was the collective weight of these bonds that provided Leo the fortitude to persevere.

He directed his gaze toward Arion, who was currently emerging from the dissipating embers of the black fire, cradling Chelsea safely within his protective embrace.

‘You may have harbored the illusion that you had succumbed to despair. Yet, when the final hour struck, you forced yourself back to your feet.’

He had consistently provided solace to the weary and instilled valor within their hearts, promising that salvation was within reach.

‘We… shall emerge victorious.’

He possessed absolute certainty that his companions would claim the ultimate triumph.

‘You consistently deny your own significance. And yet, the catalyst for every miracle we witness has always been you, Arion.’