Chapter 586

Karl, who had spent some time discussing Leo with Ri-an, tentatively broke the silence.

“Um… Ri-an-nim.”

“Yes, Karl-nim. Give me your orders.”

Observing the divinity standing before him, whose manner of address had taken a bizarre turn, Karl found himself at a loss for words.

‘There is a wildness in his gaze.’

Though his lifespan had been relatively short, Karl had undergone numerous trials following his admission to Lumerne.

Throughout those ordeals, he had encountered quite a few individuals who had lost their minds.

Yet, the mania residing within Ri-an far surpassed any of them.

Just a moment earlier, when Karl had spoken Leo’s name and presented a photograph of them together, Ri-an had cried out, ‘You have bestowed upon me the fresh title and visage of the Hero of Genesis! Oh! What service can I offer? This wretched frame! Grant me the honor of serving as Karl-nim’s footstool!’, and had thrown himself to the ground at Karl’s feet.

The deity who, merely a breath ago, had regarded Karl as nothing more than a stray pebble on the path was completely gone.

In his place stood someone who resembled a zealot devotedly honoring a deity.

Furthermore, he viewed Karl as the emissary of that very deity.

‘He isn’t merely putting on a show or becoming swept up in the joy of the moment.’

A chilly perspiration trickled down Karl’s spine.

To be perfectly honest, Karl found Ri-an’s behavior deeply unsettling.

It wasn’t out of fear that the entity would harm him.

He was simply paralyzed by the incomprehensible fervor of a supreme being whose mindset he could never fathom.

Karl cleared his throat and spoke,

“My companions are currently battling the Flame of Calamity in the outside world, and I am uncertain if I ought to remain lingering in this place.”

Ri-an possessed the knowledge required to defeat Erebus at this very moment.

However, he could not narrate the entirety of Leo’s chronicle right here.

Should he attempt to do so, the conflict outside would already be resolved in failure.

Hearing Karl’s concerns, Ri-an spoke reassuringly, signaling that there was no cause for alarm.

“There is no need for you to trouble yourself over that matter.”

Ri-an extended both of his arms.

“This domain exists as a separate reality, severed from the external realm. It functions quite similarly to the Hero’s World. Should I desire it, the passage of duration within these bounds moves far more sluggishly than it does outside.”

Ri-an offered a gentle smirk.

“Lumerne likewise managed to keep Erebus at bay within this realm for an entire year.”

“A full year? Entirely on his own?!”

“Truly, one would expect nothing less from Lumerne.”

Karl displayed a shocked countenance, while Rodia voiced her deep respect.

“Therefore, Karl-nim, please put your mind at ease and resume the chronicle of the Hero of Genesis!”

Prompted by Ri-an’s request, Karl rubbed the back of his neck and took up the tale once more.

Positioned beside him, Rodia similarly directed all her attention toward Karl’s words.

Before long, Karl’s narration reached its conclusion.

Ri-an shut his eyes, savoring the lingering resonance of the tale.

Anxious, Karl spoke up to the resting Ri-an,

“Ri-an-nim. Please, you must now instruct us on how to overcome the Flame of Calamity.”

Upon hearing those words, Ri-an uncovered his gaze.

“Very well. To begin with, based on what Karl-nim has shared, you all already hold a single asset capable of matching that abomination.”

Ri-an commenced the shaping of a figurine using a specialized blade and precious gemstones that materialized out of thin air.

“First. Lunia El Lundia stands as the heir to the originator of the nebula.”

“Lunia?”

“Indeed. Was she not referred to as the seeker of the nebula?”

With great dexterity, Ri-an sculpted a likeness of Leo.

“The sorcery bequeathed by the originator of the nebula to future lineages, known as the [Emperor of Flame]. That specific sorcery stands as the sole power currently in existence within this domain capable of matching the unquenchable Flame of Calamity.”

“Is that particular sorcery truly so grand?”

“Indubitably. For it is a craft forged by an individual who could easily be deemed the most brilliant sorcery prodigy since the inception of magic itself.”

Ri-an, having finished the likeness of Leo, inspected it from several perspectives before continuing his explanation.

“Naturally, completely wiping out Erebus in the manner of untainted mana attributes is a fantasy. A ‘Sealing’ would represent the absolute pinnacle of achievement.”

As he scrutinized the figurine, a trace of dissatisfaction crossed Ri-an’s features.

Under normal circumstances, he would have poured endless care into crafting such an object.

However, because he had rushed the process just now, the final craftsmanship fell short of his standards.

Setting the initial figurine aside, Ri-an retrieved another precious stone and began reshaping it.

Fine shimmering powder drifted down to rest upon the floor.

“Even so, given the current capabilities of that young girl, Lunia, accomplishing this is far beyond her. Her development remains far too raw.”

Hearing this assessment, Karl gave a nod of understanding.

“The secondary option involves banishing the entity back to its place of origin. That is to say, casting it back into the World of Genesis. Under the present circumstances, that stands as our sole path forward.”

“And by what means do we banish it?”

“It seems the abomination forced its way into this realm through a bridge connecting the worlds. Consequently, we must locate and obliterate the gateway through which it breached this reality… which is to say, its focal core. What manifests out there is not its genuine physical manifestation. It is merely a dense accumulation of raw energy. Destroy the focal core, and the manifestation will dissolve.”

“If the solution were that straightforward, you ought to have informed Lumerne-nim from the start!”

“It is by no means straightforward. Halting its progress demands the expenditure of celestial energy. It would require the forfeiture of my own life. Had there been even a marginal prospect of victory, I would have surrendered my existence without a second thought. Yet, no such prospect existed.”

“What?”

“For that marks the boundary of Lumerne’s capacity.”

Upon hearing this revelation, Rodia bit down hard on her lower lip.

Karl’s expression turned entirely blank.

“Karl-nim. Do you comprehend the reason Lumerne instructed you to ‘surpass your boundaries’? It is precisely because he proved incapable of surpassing his very own.”

“……”

“He stretched his grasp toward an ascension he could not claim. In the end, he sank into despair when his fingers failed to clutch it.”

Ri-an propped his chin upon his hand.

“A creature of the air may soar through the skies, yet it can never touch the vault’s true end. Should it exhaust itself trying to pierce that limit, nothing awaits it but a terminal descent. That is precisely how Lumerne brought an end to his own horizon of growth.”

“……I was under the impression that the higher beings favored Lumerne-nim.”

“They do, in fact. High entities take pleasure in the chronicles of champions, yet they find equal amusement in witnessing the downfall of those very champions.”

Ri-an offered a radiant grin.

“The Hero of Genesis undeniably altered the course of reality. Yet, he fell short of attaining anything greater. In the end, he failed to ascend to the rank of a Great Hero. The higher beings find great amusement in such tragic fates.”

Rodia clamped her teeth together, her fists squeezing tight.

It was a reality that sickened her to her core.

Because of its undeniable truth, she found herself entirely devoid of any counterargument.

‘In the days when we suppressed the remnants of Erebus and put a halt to the return of the disaster, it appeared as though harmony would prevail.’

Yet, in the aftermath, the very remnants they believed they had subdued erupted into fire once more.

Observing the ceaseless burning of the remnants of Erebus, the Heroes of Genesis were left with a singular, bitter realization.

That they had met with failure.

That they lacked the capacity to mirror the Great Hero.

According to what Karl had shared, they were destined to uncover a path in the days ahead.

Yet, that did not constitute a permanent remedy.

It was merely a temporary delay to buy fleeting moments of time.

‘Ultimately… we proved incapable of achieving anything through our own strength.’

Lumerne could not break past his restrictions, and Seirune could not foster belief in her own capabilities.

Azonia found herself unable to take a step forward, and Damian in the end proved incapable of chasing his latent capabilities.

‘My own story yields no difference.’

If the inheritance passed down by the King of Wisdom to succeeding lineages was a germ known as optimism.

Then the legacy Rodia had surrendered to time was a profound abyss of hopelessness.

She had done nothing more than shift the burden onto the shoulders of the future.

“A champion is defined by achieving the unachievable. While my affection for Lumerne is genuine, I harbor doubts as to whether sacrificing my existence is justified for a Lumerne who retreated from his own boundaries…”

“Lumerne-nim…”

Karl cut through Ri-an’s words to speak.

“He intends to shatter his boundaries and banish Erebus from this reality.”

Ri-an tilted his head slightly, appearing puzzled.

“Did my explanation fail to register with you?”

“I grasped it entirely.”

Karl offered a faint grin.

“I am well aware. I know he tasted bitter defeat because he could not match the stature of Leo. I know that Lumerne-nim ultimately failed to break through his restrictions. And I know he retreated from those boundaries by locking Erebus away within the World of Genesis.”

“And despite that awareness, you maintain that he will shatter his boundaries?”

“Indeed.”

Karl provided his confirmation without a single trace of hesitation.

“On what grounds?”

“On the grounds that he refused to abandon hope.”

Confronted with such an unpredicted declaration, Ri-an’s features instantly blanked in astonishment.

“Had he truly abandoned hope… the concept of waging an eternal struggle against Erebus within the confines of the Hero’s World would never have crossed his mind.”

Karl spoke while casting his gaze toward the figurine of Leo that Ri-an had fashioned.

“One might experience deep frustration when a path remains hidden. One might strike an impassable wall and tumble to the earth. One might succumb to despair when faced with a grueling trial and choose evasion by leaving the task to those who follow.”

Karl continued, a gentle smile gracing his face.

“Nevertheless, had he truly surrendered, he would have ceased all endeavor entirely. So long as he refuses to yield, the opportunity to begin anew remains absolute.”

Provided one does not abandon the struggle, the chance to test one’s boundaries remains ever present.

It remains possible to restore self-belief, just as it is possible to rise once more and forge ahead.

Reclaiming lost horizons of potential follows the same truth.

For as long as surrender is rejected, a fresh start can be claimed a thousand times over.

“The Heroes of Genesis did not meet with failure.”

“……”

“Their ultimate offering, rooted in their belief in what the future might hold… will in the end deliver this world from ruin.”

Rodia’s features lost all expression, struck by the weight of the words.

“For that reason, Lumerne-nim will shatter his boundaries. For the sake of what lies ahead.”

This stood as the ultimate resolution of Karl, who had thoroughly absorbed Lumerne’s educational tenets during his time at Lumerne Academy and had persevered without yielding up to this very second.

“What a bizarrely dim-witted perspective.”

“I shall accept that as praise.”

“Indeed, it was intended as such.”

Ri-an retrieved a precious stone from within his attire.

He proceeded to elevate the stone directly before his gaze.

The reflection of Karl took shape upon the surface of the gem.

“Karl Thomas-nim. You will find it impossible to rise as a champion within the boundaries of this current epoch.”

“I am far more cognizant of that reality than anyone else.”

Observing Karl’s likeness cast back at him through the stone, Ri-an grinned with deep contentment.

He then spoke.

“The focal core belonging to the Flame of Calamity is the literal rupture that has manifested within this reality. The mere reality of its intrusion signifies that a breach has torn through the fabric of the world; thus, if the breach is sealed, the abomination will forfeit its capacity to persist in this realm.”

Ri-an offered a warm, kindly smile.

“Your sole task is to drive me directly into that focal core.”

“Pardon?”

Ri-an closed the distance to Karl and clasped his hand tightly.

In that instant, Ri-an’s physical form erupted with a radiant luminescence.

“Karl-nim, no. Karl Thomas.”

“……?”

“Crossing paths with you may well be an immense blessing. It is my hope that you persist in chasing fresh horizons, precisely as you do at this moment.”

“Ri-an-nim?”

Karl cried out, entirely bewildered by the turn of events.

As the luminescence dissipated, Karl found himself gripping a solitary staff.

Staring at the staff, which radiated an ethereal presence reminiscent of the Hero’s Record, Rodia spoke softly,

“It appears that I, too, have arrived at my ultimate boundary.”

“Rodia-nim?”

Rodia offered a soft, comforting smirk.

The surrounding archive had vanished without a trace.

In the space where Karl and Rodia now stood lay the ancient remnants of a subterranean sanctuary.

Fwoosh-!

“The Flame of Calamity?!”

Just as Karl cried out in sheer shock.

Groooowl-!

An intense, brilliant luminescence burst forth from Rodia’s physical frame.

Moments later, Rodia’s figure reshaped itself, taking on the massive proportions of a dragon.

Having reassumed her sovereign manifestation, Rodia reached downward and swept Karl up in her grasp.

She then directed her maw upward toward the overhead vaulting.

Rumbbble! Flash-! Kaaaa-BOOM!

An untainted white torrent of energy erupted from Rodia’s maw, carving a titanic passage that ripped straight through to the upper landscape.

“Incredible…!”

Karl was left standing with his jaw slack in utter awe.

Flap-!

Rodia unfurled her great wings and surged toward the upper world at a staggering velocity.

“Urghhhhhh?!”

[Karl Thomas.]

“Yesssssss?!”

Buffeted by the crushing force of the rushing air currents, Karl forced out a reply with great difficulty.

[You are well aware that dragons bestow their favor upon champions, are you not?]

“But whaaaaaaat?!”

[You shall ascend as a champion.]

“Huh?”

As Karl’s gaze locked with Rodia’s, an expression of profound shock washed over him.

Whoosh-!

Having cleared the depths to arrive high in the open sky, Karl’s gaze fell upon a landscape that had commenced its descent into ash and cinder.

“Did not Ri-an-nim state that becoming a champion was beyond me?”

[Within the confines of this current epoch, yes.]

Rodia answered, her tone laced with a sense of gladness.

Karl’s face remained entirely blank.

Directing her focus toward the stunned young man, Rodia added,

[The version of myself that you are destined to encounter in the days to come will harbor no recollection of your existence, yet…]

Swooosh-!

Rodia’s physical manifestation dissolved into fine ash, fading into the air.

[I shall remain eager for that day. Eager to greet you, who will have ascended to the rank of a champion.]

Without question, her future incarnation would experience immense joy upon encountering Karl.

Proclaiming him to be the champion of a fresh epoch, brought forth precisely because she had uncovered the location of the Hero’s World.

Those possessing raw capability who seemed fated to be swept away in the present.

That in the days ahead, they would cultivate that raw capability and emerge as true champions.

[Extend your aid to Lumerne, Karl Thomas.]

Swooosh-!

Rodia’s physical form dissolved into absolutely nothingness.

Whoosh-!

In the precise instant that Karl’s frame began a rapid descent back toward the earth.

Whoosh-!

“Karl!”

Eliza, surging forward atop a wyvern, swept down and caught Karl securely.

“Where on earth have you been hiding all this time? And what was the meaning of that dragon just a moment ago?!”

“Did you not agree to abandon formal speech with me?”

“Does such a trivial detail matter at a time like this?!”

Prompted by Eliza’s exclamation, Karl directed his focus to the staff gripped firmly within his hand.

“That was Rodia-nim.”

Offering his reply, Karl directed his gaze downward toward the Flame of Calamity consuming the earth below and inquired,

“What is the status of the current engagement?”

“Owing to the sudden intervention of Lumerne-nim, the line is holding for now, but… the situation remains critical!”

“Understood.”

Karl drew a deep, centering breath.

“In that case, let us initiate our counteroffensive this instant.”