Chapter 584

Whoosh—

“What in the world is that?!”

Lunia’s eyelids flew open as she caught sight of dark, shadowy blazes outside the glass of the Hero’s Tower.

Simultaneously, Eiran’s bewildered cry echoed through the room.

“Miss Lunia! Your looks…?!”

“What? Yours too?”

“Pardon? Oh!”

Lunia and Eiran, who had previously been masquerading as Seirun and Azonia, had somehow shifted back into their true appearances.

They weren’t the only ones affected.

Dryana had likewise reverted to her actual form.

With a flustered look on her face, Lunia winced and let out a small shudder.

“This is just like what happened back then…”

“Back then?”

“When we fought against the shards of Erebus in Luna’s world! The situation is identical to that time!”

It recalled the events during their initial year when they were conquering Luna’s world.

When Erebus went berserk, their disguises shattered, returning everyone to how they truly looked.

“The inhabitants created inside the Hero’s World are completely oblivious to that monstrosity’s presence!”

Lunia stepped onto the ledge of the window.

“We have to intercept it! Otherwise, this entire realm is going to tear apart!”

Fwoosh—!

Without a second thought, Lunia plunged from the windowsill as blazing wings spread wide from her back.

It was a spell that conjured the wings of a phoenix.

Observing this action, Dryana jumped forward and landed right behind Lunia.

“Get off me this instant!”

“Don’t be so stingy! Give me a lift!”

“What exactly do you take me for?!”

“A prime transport unit with a built-in seat.”

“Do you have a death wish?!”

“Miss Lunia! Right now, our main focus has to be halting those dark blazes!”

Eiran hovered closer to Lunia, speaking with deep urgency.

Gritting her teeth, Lunia beat her wings forcefully.

Swish—!

The magical wings of fire traced a glowing path through the air, racing straight toward the catastrophic inferno.

Arriving in the vicinity of Erebus, Lunia tossed Dryana off her shoulders.

Dryana dismounted willingly, dropping down on her own.

Left by herself, Lunia’s hair instantly shifted to a stark, pure white.

Rumble—!

The deep red fire transformed into a brilliant white color.

The legendary flames of the Phoenix King, rumored to cleanse all of creation.

Whoosh—!

Vibrant crimson fire erupted from Lunia’s extended palm.

It was the ultimate forbidden spell of the Rundoa family.

The sacred fire that incinerates all corruption, using the caster’s own essence as kindling, merged directly with the stark white light.

‘Sacred Fire.’

The moment Lunia lifted her arm, a colossal wave of fire roared into life.

Somehow, Lunia’s magical fire expanded until it was just as massive as the destructive dark blazes.

The holy conflagration completely swallowed the black fire.

Flash—!

The pure white fire, having devoured its dark counterpart, suddenly vanished into nothingness.

The pitch-black blazes were entirely wiped away.

Right at that instant.

The white flames rapidly condensed inward.

Startled by this sudden shift, Lunia recoiled and quickly shielded her entire body with her phoenix wings.

Boom—!

The fire, which had shrunk down to the size of a fist within a split second, detonated with immense force.

At the exact same time, the dark blazes ripped right through Lunia’s defense.

“Tch!”

Clicking her tongue in frustration, Lunia quickly backed away to put some distance between herself and the dark fire.

Rumble—!

The dark blazes surged forward in hot pursuit of Lunia.

Attempting to break away from the relentless chase, Lunia angled herself sharply up into the higher sky.

Roar—!

The black fire stubbornly closed the gap, refusing to let Lunia escape.

‘It’s becoming nearly impossible to dodge!’

Just as Lunia clamped her teeth together, bracing herself for the incoming strike from Erebus.

Whoosh—!

An arm suddenly reached out and yanked Lunia to safety.

“Chelsea Rwallin!”

“Cling to me tight!”

Enveloped in swirling winds, Chelsea exerted control over the atmospheric currents.

Chelsea’s movement speed spiked dramatically.

The gap between them and the dark blazes began to grow.

All of a sudden, a barrier of dark fire erupted directly along Chelsea’s path.

Slowing her pace, Chelsea pivoted and soared toward an alternative route.

As the dark blazes rapidly gained ground once more, the fire separated into multiple tendrils, converging on Chelsea and Lunia from all sides.

Focusing her gaze on the paths of the dark tendrils attempting to trap them, Chelsea pushed her agility to its absolute limit.

Swish—!

“Whoa?!”

Instinctively, Lunia locked her arms securely around Chelsea.

Slipping past every single one of Erebus’s intricate maneuvers, Chelsea dived straight down toward the earth.

Whoosh—!

Chelsea zipped ahead at an altitude that nearly scraped the blades of grass.

The dark blazes trailed tenaciously behind her back.

“Hey, brainless cat!”

Chelsea shouted out desperately.

Ar, who had been sprinting in Chelsea’s direction, stood firmly in place.

Ar’s glowing blue eyes locked directly onto the incoming fires of Erebus.

Clutched in Ar’s grip was a fractured blade.

Braver.

The weapon that Arion had passed down to Ar.

A brilliant golden light gathered at the shattered tip of the blade.

A soft golden luminescence began to radiate from Ar’s form as well.

Thud—!

Ar secured his grip on the hilt with both hands.

“Haaaaaaah!”

Ar released a resounding battle cry.

Flash—! Crash—!

With a massive swing of the blade, an immense wave of golden energy erupted outward.

‘Is that Lord Arion’s technique?!’

Lunia’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief at the sight of an attack that so closely mirrored Arion.

Swerving quickly, Chelsea avoided the path of the blast, while the pursuing dark blazes were completely caught up in the golden wave.

Boom—!

The energy strike, which tore a deep trench into the terrain, completely shattered the column of dark fire.

‘When did Ar… manage to become this…’

Lunia found herself utterly stunned.

And she wasn’t alone in her shock.

Every single conqueror present stared at Ar with wide, astonished eyes, completely taken aback by the incredible display.

“Since when did Ar possess that kind of power?”

As a student from Azonia muttered in sheer disbelief, Rwen offered a composed reply.

“It makes perfect sense, honestly. Especially if you know how hard that ridiculous cat pushes himself daily.”

Ever since Ar received Braver from Arion, he had driven himself through even more brutal training.

Ar had always held Arion in the highest regard, dreaming of matching his footsteps.

However, after actually meeting Arion face-to-face and being chosen as his true successor, his ambition transformed into something far more concrete.

It was no longer just a vague wish of ‘I want to be like Arion’.

It became an absolute rule: ‘I must become like Arion’.

He needed to reach that level to provide peace of mind to the hero who carried so many burdens.

That was the vow Ar had taken, and he had worked himself to the bone to make it a reality.

Whoosh—!

Ar’s snowy hair danced wildly in the rushing wind.

Staring at him, Chelsea whispered under her breath.

“It really is… just like Lord Arion…”

It was an undeniable truth.

Ar’s present demeanor vividly invoked the memory of Arion.

It clearly wasn’t a sentiment unique to Chelsea, as absolutely no one stepped forward to contradict her observation.

Right at that second.

Ar’s ears twitched slightly.

He then crossed his arms, tilted his chin upward, and assumed a highly self-satisfied expression.

“Hehe!”

“Lord Arion, please forgive me. I can’t believe I thought that foolish cat actually resembled you.”

Chelsea offered a silent, earnest apology to Arion.

Fwoosh—!

The dark blazes surged back to life once more.

Observing this development, Dryana spoke in a low tone.

“This entity doesn’t seem quite as formidable as the shard of Erebus we encountered over the summer break.”

“Naturally. The opponent from that time was one of the six primary shards that the Hero of Beginnings originally tore apart. This one is merely a tiny fragment that split off from that shard. There’s no way it could match that level of power.”

Lunia tightened her hand into a fist.

“Even so, it remains a dangerous threat.”

“Are we… truly capable of defeating it with just our current group?”

Eiran looked visibly anxious.

Hearing those words, Lunia bit her lip hard.

“We don’t have any other options.”

Ar fixed his gaze on the black fire and spoke firmly.

“We can’t just sit around wishing for people who aren’t present to save us. We have to handle this ourselves.”

Step— Step—

Having spoken his mind, Ar began marching directly toward the dark blazes.

“If you constantly wait around for a savior, you’ll never move forward in life.”

Clench—

“I refuse to remain a protected child forever. I want to stand as an equal. To follow his path.”

Countless eyes watched Ar’s advancing figure from behind.

“We must break through this challenge using our own capabilities.”

In truth, the images Ar kept in his mind were the silhouettes of two individuals walking far ahead of him.

One belonged to the legendary hero he idolized.

The other belonged to someone else.

‘Black Rabbit.’

The sight of Ar’s back instilled a newfound sense of bravery in everyone watching, prompting them to move.

Witnessing that, Chelsea whispered.

“In this exact moment, he genuinely mirrored Lord Arion.”

“Ahem!”

“Though he’s still ultimately just a silly cat.”

Chelsea clicked her tongue right after making that comment.

“Karl? Where did Karl go?”

Eliza questioned Eiran.

At that question, Eiran’s eyes widened in realization.

“Ah… Karl-nim mentioned he needed to have a private discussion with Rodia-nim… he should be arriving shortly.”

“It’s going to be incredibly tough to manage this without his presence.”

Lunia creased her forehead, muttering to herself.

“Things always feel much more secure when he’s the one directing our movements.”

“Karl Thomas taking charge?”

Following Lunia’s remark, not just the students from Seirun, but those from Azonia and Damian as well, began exchanging whispered comments.

“It’s undeniable that Karl has an extraordinary talent for reading the battlefield and issuing strategic directions.”

Avad nodded, expressing his agreement.

“Very true. Karl provided immense tactical support when we went up against the shard of Erebus in Lord Dweno’s domain previously. He’ll surely show up soon.”

Meanwhile, Karl’s situation was quite different.

Fwoosh—!

“Aaaah!”

Karl let out a terrified yell and scrambled to hide behind Rodia’s back.

“Stop fleeing like a coward!”

“Rodia-nim, you only say that because you can’t perceive these dark blazes! They are incredibly dangerous!”

“In that case, you need to keep your eyes peeled and guide me! Ow! I just got singed! Get out in front right now and point out where these miserable flames are coming from!”

“If I step out there right now, I’m a dead man!”

“Do you think I’m supposed to be your personal shield?!”

“You literally promised you would act as my shield!”

Karl was currently moving alongside Rodia, who lacked the ability to perceive the dark fire, as they searched for Lumerne.

Flash—!

A brilliant burst of illumination.

“Aaaah!”

“Hey, you’re practically bursting my eardrums. Could you perhaps lower your volume a bit?”

As Iliana shrieked in panic, Elena, who was being carried securely in Iliana’s arms like a princess, offered a tranquil response.

“How am I supposed to stay quiet?! The fires of Erebus are erupting right before my— Aaaah!”

“It seems you find Erebus terrifying, but you don’t fear me at all. Perhaps I should give you a reason to be truly frightened?”

“Eek!”

Iliana choked back her breath in sheer terror at Elena’s subtle threat.

The explanation for why Iliana was currently sprinting toward Erebus while carrying Elena was quite straightforward.

It was to provide assistance to Kyle, who was currently engaging Erebus entirely on his own.

“Why did it have to be me of all people?!”

“Because your speed eclipses everyone else’s.”

Elena offered a radiant smile.

Staring at Elena, Iliana couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret regarding her past choices.

‘I happen to be the swiftest individual present. Need a hand?’

‘Hmph. When it comes to sheer velocity, I, Iliana Raden, easily outpace Chelsea and Duran from the second-year class, both of whom are famous for their quickness, as well as Eliza. What do you require from me, senior?’

‘Oh, how incredibly reliable. I hereby designate you as my personal transport.’

‘Pardon?’

‘Would you mind bringing me within close range of Erebus?’

Elena required two specific conditions.

Sufficient time to fully concentrate on casting her high-level magic.

And a vanguard possessing the necessary mobility to shield her during that vulnerable window while moving at top speed.

Iliana was the perfect match for that exact role.

Elena drew her magical staff from the folds of her attire.

The moment she initiated her spell incantation, a massive vortex of concentrated magical energy began to swirl violently.

Sensing the pressure while holding Elena, Iliana flinched as a tremor ran through her shoulders.

‘I always knew her capabilities were extraordinary, but this is unreal.’

As a magic swordsman herself, Iliana was well aware of just how terrifyingly gifted a sorceress Elena Zerion truly was.

But this display was on another level entirely.

‘If we are judging strictly by pure magical capacity, doesn’t this scale completely eclipse the majority of mage-class heroes?’

Just as Iliana swallowed hard in awe.

Whoosh—!

The dark blazes, drawn by the sudden concentration of Elena’s magical energy, veered sharply and lunged downward.

Reacting instantly, Iliana drew her blade.

Flash—!

A radiant edge of light cut directly through the dark fire.

Despite utilizing her immense speed to dodge Erebus’s relentless strikes, Iliana felt a chill run down her spine.

‘I can’t keep evading like this for much longer!’

Iliana bit down hard on her lip.

Because of the massive, overwhelming concentration of magical power, the dark fire completely abandoned its assault on Kyle, shifting its full focus onto Elena.

In that split second, escaping together was out of the question.

Iliana’s instincts took over with absolute calm.

Swish—!

With a powerful heave, she threw Elena completely clear of the incoming strike zone.

Having been safely tossed outside the path of the dark blazes, Elena immediately unleashed her gathered magic.

‘What happens to me now?’

A bittersweet smile crept onto Iliana’s face.

She had successfully ensured the safety of Elena, the person she was charged with protecting, but she had left herself entirely exposed to the danger.

‘Please, let me survive this…!’

The moment Iliana squeezed her eyelids shut in resignation.

Flash—!

Fwoosh—!

An ash-gray wave of energy cleaved the dark fire completely in half.

Flutter—!

A dark cloak draped itself protectively around Iliana’s form.

“Huh?”

Letting out a dazed gasp, Iliana opened her eyes and blinked upward.

The exact moment the dark blazes turned toward Elena, a brief vulnerability appeared, and Kyle had seamlessly capitalized on that single opening to intervene.

Glance—

Kyle directed his gaze down at the girl in his arms.

As Iliana sat there dazedly murmuring, Kyle reached out and lightly flicked her forehead, speaking in a firm tone.

“Who gave you permission to throw in the towel so easily?”

Hearing those words, Iliana’s face flushed a deep crimson, completely erasing all thoughts of the perilous situation from her mind.

Kyle gently set Iliana down on the ground and immediately bolted toward the dark blazes that had just taken a direct hit from Elena’s spell.

Elena walked over to where Iliana was sitting.

“Are you holding up alright?”

“He’s so… incredibly handsome… My heart can’t take this… I’m officially declaring myself a devoted supporter of Lord Kyle from this day forward. Wow… ah…”

Prostrate on the turf, Iliana babbled senselessly, entirely losing track of the surrounding chaos.

“Get a grip on reality. The man is already married.”

“I don’t care… I still adore him…!”

“What an absolutely dangerous individual. Both of them, honestly.”

Elena simply clicked her tongue in mild exasperation.