Chapter 555

Book 1 Chapter 555

555.

Zereon.

This lineage stood as one of the three prominent aristocratic households of Rumerun, alongside Ligaard and Tursia.

Three millennia past, when the disaster first emerged, three legendary champions fought beside Rumerun, the Knight of Twilight, to vanquish hordes of fiends, establishing the foundations of these families.

Zereon, known as the Sage of Twilight, served as the chief strategist to Rumerun.

Ligaard, hailed as the Sword of Twilight, spearheaded the vanguard to tear through enemy ranks, and Tursia, designated the Shield of Twilight, acted as Rumerun’s ultimate protector.

In the eras that followed, once Rumeria City was constructed and Rumerun Academy was established by Rumerun,

His trusted companions likewise assumed their unique responsibilities.

Zereon took up the mantle of chairman for Rumerun Academy.

Ligaard assumed the role of mayor governing Rumeria City.

Tursia was appointed commander of the Knights under Rumerun’s leadership.

Carrying forward the grand inheritance of Rumerun, these three lineages made Rumeria City their primary seat.

Situated just outside the eastern perimeter of Rumeria City,

Not very far away, stood the grand estate of the Zereon clan.

Creak—!

The door to the transport drawn by griffins swung open.

The gathered retainers and relatives awaiting the future head of Zereon froze momentarily upon witnessing a youth with pale hair emerge from the vehicle.

Within moments,

The members of the Zereon household readily discerned who he was.

‘Snow-white hair matched with crimson eyes?’

‘Could that be Leo Flob?’

Under the collective gaze directed at him,

Leo extended an arm back toward the interior of the vehicle.

A pale, delicate hand emerged to clasp his own.

Grasping Leo’s hand for support, Elena stepped lightly onto the earth, her expression radiating warmth.

“A flawless reception, wouldn’t you say?”

“Only because a certain individual insists on formal protocol to an exhausting extent.”

“Your mother and father?”

“No, I am referring to Celia.”

While holding the title of successor to the Flob line, his mother’s house, Zerdinger, acknowledged him with the status of a primary bloodline heir.

Such status within Zerdinger carried immense weight beyond a mere title.

Given the ancient lineage of Zerdinger, their domain spanned vast regions populated by countless subjects.

Leo had already been assigned five prospective knights.

These chosen warriors, collectively known as Slayers, were concurrently enrolled as freshmen at Rumerun Academy.

Furthermore, an independent fief was slated to be granted to him shortly.

‘Do you grasp my point? A true direct heir represents the honor of the entire house! You must embody that! I realize your temperament leans toward being carefree, but you absolutely must remain conscious of public perception! Do you hear me?’

Remembering the incessant lectures from Celia, Leo offered a quiet laugh.

“Now that I recall, was Senior Liss not your cousin?”

Elena twirled a lock of her hair softly while advancing toward her gathered kin.

“A highly esteemed visitor graces our home today. Moreover, he is a savior to the Zereon clan, meaning his hospitality must be entirely faultless.”

“Understood, Young Miss!”

“Lord Flob, allow me to escort you to your quarters.”

“Are there any belongings to carry?”

“I shall personally escort young Leo, so the rest of you may oversee the evening feast. Right this way, young Leo.”

Setting the pace, Elena guided him toward the interior of the residence.

Leo walked close behind her.

The residence belonging to the Zereon family was massive.

It bore the unmistakable weight of antiquity, though its layout appeared somewhat unstructured and piecemeal.

“Has this place undergone continuous expansions across the millennia?”

“Precisely. Adapting through change happens to be the core doctrine of the Zereon clan.”

“I see.”

“You remain largely unfamiliar with the legacy of our house, correct?”

“Indeed, I am.”

“You state that with an impressive amount of confidence.”

Households possessing immense international renown typically boast historical feats recognized across the world.

Within that elite tier, Zereon is far more than a lineage providing leadership to Rumerun Academy.

They are a legendary bloodline of sorcerers who fundamentally shaped the chronicles of magic.

Expressing ignorance regarding such a legacy might ordinarily provoke annoyance, yet Elena betrayed no hint of irritation.

“Our ancestors formulated and spread the foundational principles behind ‘Heroic Magic’. Hence, we are bound to constantly welcome evolution.”

[Heroic Magic.]

Outstanding sorcerers among the champions possess a signature, distinct form of sorcery that serves as their personal hallmark.

For instance, Luna commands stellar sorcery, whereas Leo possesses the Bible.

Typically, such primordial individual arts were transmitted via direct ancestry, guarded teachings, or frequently vanished entirely with their creators.

Alternatively, they could be unlocked as victory incentives by overcoming trials within the Hero’s World.

The specific arcane arts inherited via the Hero’s World, organized so that anyone could potentially acquire them, became classified as Heroic Magic—and it was the Zereon household that originally devised the framework for formatting these complex spell matrices.

“Ah, that explains it.”

“Indeed. Though in truth, Master Leo likely has little requirement for such Heroic Magic.”

Elena let out a soft, knowing grin.

Her assessment was accurate.

Leo’s singular arcane trait, the Bible,

Functioned as a spellcraft framework permitting the execution of any magical art without encountering standard drawbacks,

It preserved the original purity of the spells through Leo’s distinct internal methodology.

“Though the Bible does possess its own boundaries.”

“Of course. Every practitioner is bound by their ultimate reservoir.”

A sorcerer essentially acts as a container for mystical energy.

Regardless of the Bible’s versatility, incantations that surpass the container’s volume remain out of reach.

“One cannot simultaneously manifest high-tier arts like Chloe’s Ice World, Abad’s Tempest, or Chelsea’s Heatwave if they exceed that capacity.”

Pausing outside a doorway, Elena turned.

“Even so, I find a parallel between them. The pinnacle of magic toward which our house strives, and the nature of your own power.”

“The ultimate goal?”

“This shall be your lodging for this evening, young Leo.”

As the threshold opened, it revealed an expansive and opulently appointed chamber.

“Please unwind until the evening meal is served.”

Bestowing a pleasant smile, Elena turned and departed.

Once left alone, Leo stepped inside the quarters and rested on the couch.

His eyes caught an oil painting mounted on the wall, prompting him to remark aloud:

“It appears the magical ideal the Zereon clan chased mirrors the very path you sought.”

The subject of the artwork, Rumerun, possessed a gaze filled with unyielding determination.

Gazing upon Rumerun’s likeness, Leo’s mind drifted back to the exchange he shared with Lian.

“Transcend your boundaries. Such was the core pedagogical principle embraced by Rumerun, the Knight of Twilight, upon establishing the institution.”

Lian pulled out an intricate figurine of Rumerun carved from precious jewels from within her garments, setting it down upon the tabletop.

“It served as a vital warning directed toward posterity.”

Lian continued, idly tracing the crown of the Rumerun figurine with her fingertip.

“A cautionary tale urging them to avoid his path.”

“How peculiar,”

Leo murmured, his features clouding over with confusion.

“While I have yet to encounter Azonia and Damian, I know Rodia and Seirun were figures who perpetually strove against their own thresholds.”

Granted, the Heroes of Genesis ultimate fell short of entirely suppressing the remnant of Erebus.

Yet even when trapped in profound hopelessness, they placed their faith in those who would follow, offering up their lives without hesitation.

That single choice demonstrated that the Heroes of Genesis were individuals who refused to abandon hope, maintaining the same conviction they held five millennia prior.

To willingly lock themselves away inside an unending loop of time?

‘They enacted a desperate measure that even our group would hesitate to consider.’

Leo found it hard to believe that a prominent figure among those Heroes of Genesis could fall prey to such self-defeat.

“Did the doctrines passed down by the rest of the group hold a similar meaning?”

Lian shook her head in response to Leo’s inquiry.

“The specific educational principles bequeathed by the remaining Heroes of Genesis represented the perfected versions of themselves that they yearned to emulate.”

One after another, Lian produced small figurines representing both the Heroes of Genesis and the Great Heroes from her robe.

“Seirun deeply respected Luna’s absolute self-conviction. Consequently, she desired that the youths inheriting her legacy would possess an equally unshakeable confidence.”

She positioned the figurine of Seirun directly behind the one representing Luna.

“Azonia harbored a profound admiration for Arion’s fortitude to forge ahead without faltering, even amidst paralyzing dread. Thus, she aspired to embody that exact bravery.”

Azonia’s figurine was arranged right behind Arion’s.

“Damian held great reverence for Dwyno’s discernment, particularly his knack for identifying avenues of success amid bleak odds. He sought to replicate that trait.”

Dwyno had viewed the state of existence with a grim outlook matching Leo’s own.

However, his defining distinction from Kyle lay in his persistent belief in potential pathways forward.

He acknowledged the latent potential within Luna, Arion, Lysinas, and even Kyle—potential that Kyle himself rejected.

Dwyno’s viewpoint stood apart from that of Lysinas, who clung blindly to naive optimism, from Luna’s unyielding self-assurance, and from Arion’s sheer willpower to trample fear and advance.

Setting Damian down behind Dwyno, Lian then retrieved the figures for Lysinas and Rodia.

“While Rodia left no explicit teachings, he was deeply impacted by how Lysinas shouldered the burden of the entire world.”

Lian gave a soft smile.

“Every single one of them held an earnest desire to match the Great Hero they looked up to. It brought them true fulfillment to know they could trail behind them, even marginally, by declaring themselves their disciples.”

“Was Rumerun an exception?”

“Rumerun held Leo-nim in the highest regard, just like his peers. The steadfast, unbending willpower of Leo-nim represented Rumerun’s ultimate aspiration.”

Lian lightly nudged the figurine of Rumerun, situated behind Kyle’s counterpart.

“Walking the path blazed by Leo-nim, Rumerun successfully overthrew Erebus. Furthermore, he repeatedly drove back Erebus whenever the entity threatened to reawaken.”

Throughout those trials, Rumerun held fast without surrendering, perfectly mirroring the tenacity of Kyle, whom he idolized.

“Yet, there came a moment when Rumerun came to a realization.”

“What did he realize?”

“That whereas his fellow champions were gradually transforming into the likeness of their revered Great Heroes, he remained completely stagnant.”

By mastering the domains of the Great Heroes, the Heroes of Genesis absorbed the techniques and strengths of their forebears.

Rumerun, however, found himself blocked.

“Rumerun managed to overcome Leo-nim’s domain repeatedly, yet he was never granted any victory rewards.”

“What prevented him from receiving anything?”

“Because the true essence of Leo-nim’s strength is not something that can simply be passed down as an external reward for conquest.”

“That makes sense.”

A capability harboring limitless potential.

That pristine mana, which drew admiration even from divine beings, was inherently bound to a single soul and untransferable.

“Even if my unique abilities eluded his grasp, it shouldn’t have stopped him from fulfilling his own duties, right?”

“Correct. Rumerun was certainly not lacking in power when measured against the rest of the Heroes of Genesis. It was simply a matter of a stark realization.”

“Which was?”

“He came to understand that the mantle of the Hero of Beginnings was something he could never truly assume.”

“…”

While Rodia, Seirun, Azonia, and Damian were capable of stepping into the shoes of Lysinas, Luna, Arion, and Dwyno,

Rumerun faced an impossible task.

“Convinced that he needed that exact strength to definitively vanquish Erebus, Rumerun grew utterly consumed by copying Leo-nim’s blade techniques and magical arts.”

Leo envisioned the Rumerun figurine that Lian had displayed previously.

An art of the sword that mirrored his own precisely.

“Rumerun desperately sought to transform into your double, despite recognizing the futility of it.”

Lian gave the gemstone figure of Rumerun a sharp tap.

The falling trinket hit the surface with a sharp clatter! and fractured into tiny fragments.

“The aspiration to be someone else is entirely distinct from the reality of achieving it. By fixating on an unattainable mold, Rumerun cast away his own inherent potential.”

Lian exhaled a heavy sigh.

“In due course, he reached an insurmountable barrier and faltered. Eventually, he even abandoned the pursuit of mirroring you. It was at that point he sought my presence at the heart of the world.”

Following that encounter, Rumerun acquired the knowledge necessary to constrain Erebus from Lian, working alongside the Heroes of Genesis to seal Erebus inside the Hero’s World.

“While the revered Great Heroes provided a beacon of optimism for the remaining Heroes of Genesis… for Rumerun, Leo-nim represented pure despair.”