Chapter 691

“I see. So his counter-enchantment failed to undo it?”

Gias rubbed his lower jaw thoughtfully.

The specific spellcraft that Leo had deployed moments ago was one that Gias recognized intimately.

It was a technique forged during the historic Age of Calamity.

An incantation designed specifically to track down and eliminate a multitude of colossal fiends.

This was the signature sorcery belonging to Kyle, the Hero of the Beginning.

Due to their immense frames, the massive demonkin inherently carried a tremendous amount of mass, directly proportional to their gargantuan sizes.

Consequently, the greater their weight, the more profoundly they were bound by the laws of gravitational force.

Kyle had exploited this exact structural vulnerability, utilizing gravity-altering magic to bring down the behemoths.

However, it wasn’t a basic technique that simply multiplied the downward pull.

Tartaros was fully aware of this anatomical weakness, and defenses had been developed. Whenever these colossal fiends were subjected to a crushing gravitational pull that threatened to shatter their skeletons, the protective grace of Erebus’s blessing would ignite.

This was a divine safeguard granted to the titanic demonkin by the devastating fires of disaster.

Under normal circumstances, any gravity spell powerful enough to completely obliterate a body would be rendered useless by this protection.

Yet, the sole reason these massive fiends could still be brought down by Kyle’s methodology was due to the distinct properties of Kyle’s internal energy, which possessed the innate ability to unravel and destroy Erebus’s blessing.

Naturally, this specific sorcery was not an absolute solution against every single titanic fiend.

The more formidable ones could withstand the immense pressure by channeling potent dark sorcery of their own.

Furthermore, those behemoths who possessed high mastery over dark magic could neutralize the technique entirely using cancellation spells.

Nevertheless, without those specific defensive capabilities, they were completely exposed and helpless.

For this very reason, Gias had dedicated ages to analyzing Kyle’s gravity arts.

However, since his reincarnation into the contemporary era, Kyle had continuously refined and evolved his spellcraft.

This advancement explained why Gias’s own cancellation methods had proven entirely ineffective.

Of course, this setback did not mean that Gias’s centuries of investigation were completely wasted.

The foundational principles underlying Leo’s current spell casting were still rooted in the concepts Gias understood.

If that was the case, he simply required a moment to modify his counter-spell and realign it with the altered magical frequency.

‘Furthermore, maintaining an area-of-effect spell of that magnitude continuously is an impossibility.’

Unless one happened to be the cosmic progenitor of the constellation itself.

Even the Hero of the Beginning possessed inherent restrictions.

‘Particularly given that he has yet to fully reclaim the peak of his historical power, it is doubly impossible.’

Gias’s gaze gleamed with cold calculation.

He remained at the rear of the forces, silently analyzing the shifting tides of the conflict.

The Titanic Monarch, Gias.

He was an exceptionally prudent and calculating arch-demon.

His natural disposition stood in stark contrast to the bloodthirsty and aggressive monster queen, Silatuna.

While he might initially appear comparable to the Necromancer King, who took pleasure in ensnaring his adversaries through elaborate schemes and setups, Gias possessed a distinct nature.

Gias would never personally enter a fray unless absolute victory was guaranteed.

He preferred to remain a detached observer until the right moment arrived.

Regarding this particular engagement, Gias felt entirely assured of his ability to crush both the Hero of the Beginning and Dweno.

Even so, he refused to rashly charge into the front lines.

The opponents he faced were legendary figures who had rewritten history.

These were individuals who had executed deities and shattered the long-held aspirations of the demonic race.

They had manifested the impossible into reality time and time again.

Even with only a pair of them standing before him, the situation demanded the highest degree of vigilance.

On top of that.

‘Where has that fellow Dweno vanished to?’

Dweno, who arguably posed the most irritating tactical threat, was nowhere to be seen on the field.

‘What sort of strategy are you employing? Hero of the Beginning, God’s Blacksmith.’

It was glaringly obvious that a hidden plot was unfolding.

There was an incredibly high likelihood that an ambush had been set specifically to target him.

The blacksmith was undoubtedly concealed somewhere in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike him down.

‘Did you truly believe I would fall for such a transparent deception?’

Even if his entire army were to be wiped out, it could always be gathered and reconstructed from scratch.

However, if he, the supreme commander of the forces, were to fall, the entire campaign would collapse instantly.

He would slowly drain the energy of his targets.

And at the precise millisecond victory became an absolute certainty.

‘I will sever your heads from your shoulders!’

Gias’s eyes flared with a lethal intensity.

“Incredible, absolutely magnificent! Black Rabbit!”

Ar leaped into the air, tossing both of her hands upward in pure excitement.

“It honestly makes me question whether you can even be classified as a human being anymore!”

“Am I supposed to take that as praise or an insult?”

Leo looked back over his shoulder, clicking his tongue lightly.

However, that distraction lasted only a brief second.

His focus immediately locked back onto the army of the Titanic Monarch.

He could sense a ripple of unease spreading through their ranks.

The enemy forces had clearly not anticipated that such a massive portion of their front line would be wiped out by a single, wide-range offensive spell.

This was especially true considering these were massive fiends renowned for their peerless defensive capabilities, rather than standard demonic infantry.

Yet, their disarray lasted only a brief moment.

The disruption within the army was swiftly brought under control.

In truth, only a fraction of the vanguard had perished instantly under the weight of Leo’s spell.

While a shocking number had been caught in the blast simultaneously, that was the extent of the damage.

‘Unleashing a ceaseless torrent of such devastating magic is an impossibility for anyone who isn’t Luna.’

And it was an even more unrealistic feat for his current self.

‘Though, it hardly matters.’

In the end, Leo’s objective was never to induce terror across the entire host.

“Ah…”

“This… this specific sorcery belongs to…!”

A number of the fiends began to succumb to sheer panic.

These individuals were all high-ranking entities, the core veterans of the Titanic Monarch’s host who had managed to live through the ancient Age of Calamity.

The mere fact that these veteran commanders were falling into a state of hysterical terror meant the previous spell had achieved its intended effect.

To create a temporary fracture in the absolute unity of the enemy army.

That was precisely what Leo had set out to accomplish.

“Leo!”

Right at that moment, Enniha sprinted toward them with an expression of deep urgency.

“What about Dweno? Dweno is nowhere to be found!”

“Lord Dweno departed to retrieve the specialized combat gear!”

“The combat gear?”

“That’s right!”

Ar offered her absolute, unshakeable confidence.

“He will arrive here shortly.”

Leo added his own calm assurance to her words.

“We need to set the stage before Dweno makes his appearance. It will take them a considerable amount of time to fully resolve the chaos in their ranks.”

“What? Granted, that was an awe-inspiring spell, but… there is no way an army of that scale would remain disorganized for long just from that…”

Now was the opportune moment to strike at the visible fissures.

“Because I am about to throw their entire formation into absolute chaos starting right now.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Ar, come with me.”

“Huh? Understood!”

Without a single moment of hesitation, Leo leapt straight off the high fortress wall, and Ar followed his lead instantly.

“What in the world?!”

Enniha let out a sharp gasp of utter disbelief, rushing to peer down at the base of the massive fortifications where the two had thrown themselves off.

Leo, plunging rapidly toward the ground, planted his foot firmly against the vertical stone surface and pushed off.

Harnessing that sudden momentum, Leo propelled himself forward like a bullet, launching an direct assault toward the advancing host.

Kkheoeoeoeoong!

A fierce, echoing roar burst from Ar’s throat as she trailed closely behind him.

Having shifted into her beastly state, Ar likewise rebounded off the structural wall and charged ahead into the fray.

“What is wrong with those kids?!”

Even if they possessed immense faith in their own combat prowess, leaping headfirst into an entire army was pure madness!

There had to be a boundary to recklessness.

“Is it an absolute requirement to be completely insane just to preserve this world…? Wait! That feline isn’t even human to begin with! What kind of creature is she?!”

A warrior of the Ivaldi clan stepped up beside the stunned Enniha.

“Lady Enniha! We must deploy reinforcing forces immediately…!”

“…No.”

“Pardon?”

“They never requested our intervention. If they chose to venture out together, they must possess a calculated strategy.”

“But—but still!”

“Let us place our faith in them.”

Enniha stated firmly, keeping her eyes locked onto the distant figures of Leo and Ar.

“In the exact same manner that we place our trust in Dweno. Let us trust that young man.”

Dweno had placed his complete confidence in Leo.

If that was the case, the rest of them ought to extend the same trust.

“All forces, prepare to hold the defensive lines.”

“Understood, ma’am!”

The Ivaldi combatants immediately went to work with frantic efficiency.

While overseeing the defensive preparations, Enniha noticed a young dwarven boy managing one of the large siege engines and called out,

“Dit.”

“Yes, Lady Enniha!”

Dit ran over to her side without delay.

“Keep your eyes fixed firmly on Leo.”

“Huh? I am watching him, but…”

“That young man… was managed to survive countless deadly encounters on the field of battle solely because of the specialized equipment your father crafted.”

“What?”

Dit’s eyes widened in profound astonishment.

“You recall your father stating that his greatest wish was to contribute to the salvation of this world, correct?”

“…Yes.”

Enniha offered a warm smile, gently stroking Dit’s hair as the boy squeezed his small hands into tight fists.

“I am telling you now, Dit. Your father… is the very individual who preserved the life of the champion destined to rescue this entire world.”

“What? Rescue the world?”

“Indeed. That is precisely why I want you to observe him closely.”

Enniha turned her gaze back toward the battlefield where Leo fought.

“Because you are witnessing the battle of the person who will save our reality.”

Hwaaaak!

Leo surged forward with incredible, blinding velocity.

From the high vantage point of the fortress, the army of the Titanic Monarch had seemed right there.

However, that was merely an optical illusion caused by the immense size of the giant demonkin.

In truth, a massive expanse of open ground separated the fortifications from the enemy vanguard.

Yet, that vast distance became entirely trivial as Leo bridged the gap in the blink of an eye.

“Fiora, Kirian, Arti.”

Woong!

Three legendary mythical beasts answered Leo’s call instantly.

It was not a literal summoning of their physical forms.

Instead, their divine blessings materialized, enveloping Leo’s entire frame.

Hwareureureuk—

Pajijik!

Woong!

“Ooooh!”

Ar let out a sound of pure amazement.

The craftsmanship of the God’s Blacksmith.

The blazing embers of the Phoenix and the crackling lightning of the Pegasus wrapped around the specialized gauntlets and greaves that Dweno had forged.

Simultaneously, a protective barrier materialized around Ar’s form.

The exact same defensive aura cloaked Leo.

His blade’s edge, his feet, and his torso were all shielded by the lingering might of the mythical beasts.

That was not the limit of his preparation.

Ancient runes began to flow seamlessly from Leo’s lips.

The cosmic energy of the stars erupted within him, revitalizing his physical limits.

Empowered by the divine graces of the mystical beasts and the massive enhancement of his celestial spellcraft, his power swelled.

“This feels absolutely incredible!”

Ar’s eyes shined with excitement as she inspected her empowered fists.

“Awaken your extrasensory perception! Shield my movements!”

“Leave it entirely to me, Black Rabbit!”

With a broad smirk, Ar took up her position directly behind Leo’s back.

Hwareureuk—

Kwagagagagagang!

A brilliant, crimson arc of concentrated flame sliced completely through the leading Gigantes warrior.

“Gwooooooooh!”

Paying no heed to the agonized shrieks of the dying Gigantes, Leo instantly pivoted to butcher another colossal monstrous beast standing adjacent to it.

“Graaaaaaah!”

He avoided plunging into the dense core of the opposing host.

Instead, his strategy resembled the peeling of a fruit’s outer skin.

He methodically cut down the enemy units stationed along the outer flanks, completely grinding their forward momentum to a halt.

Leo’s heightened extrasensory perception completely eliminated any vulnerability from behind or the sides.

Naturally, even if he could detect every oncoming strike through his heightened awareness, it was impossible to personally parry every single attack when an entire army focused its fury on him.

However, Leo was not fighting this battle in isolation.

He possessed a trusted partner guarding his blind spot.

“Uryaahhh!”

Kwaang!

Ar cleanly deflected a massive, iron bolt launched directly at Leo’s exposed back.

It was a terrifyingly large projectile, resembling the heavy arrow of a ballista.

As the redirected projectile spun wildly through the air with a sharp whistling sound, Ar delivered a swift kick to its feathers, sending it hurtling back toward the massive fiend who had fired it.

Kwak!

“Kkeureuk?!”

The colossal demonkin, its forehead completely impaled by its own projectile, let out a final gurgling gasp and crashed heavily to the earth.

Ar lowered her stance, narrowing her eyes at the next wave of Gigantes closing in on them.

Hwareureureuk! Pajijijik!

Wild torrents of fire and electrical energy danced across her claws and feet.

Ar’s fire-wreathed talons violently shredded through the advancing Gigantes squadron, reducing the opposition to ashes.

Her strikes shattered the skulls of her adversaries without mercy, incinerating them instantly.

Ar’s ears twitched continuously, tracking every sound.

Her physical reactions, having fully integrated into the domain of extrasensory awareness, grew exponentially sharper with every passing second.

‘Every single offensive is being directed toward Black Rabbit, which allows me to perceive the trajectories of the enemies with absolute clarity!’

One step, then another.

She immersed herself even deeper into the profound state of sensory awareness.

The longer the combat persisted, the more she fell into a state of absolute focus.

‘This girl.’

Leo’s eyes widened slightly as he registered the fluid movements of Ar backing him up.

‘She is evolving right in the middle of combat, isn’t she?’

Her fighting style was gradually beginning to mirror the movements of a certain individual.

She was starting to resemble that specific person who had always provided him with unwavering resolve.

The exact moment Leo channeled greater power into the hand gripping his hilt—

Hwaak!

Out of nowhere, an immense, sweeping blade materialized directly in his field of vision.

‘Did someone manage to bypass my sensory awareness?’

This particular strike had originated from outside the boundaries of his extrasensory perception.

Leo snapped his head upward.

‘The Giant Knights.’

Just as Leo braced himself to absorb the massive kinetic force of the impending blow—

“Where do you think you are aiming?!”

Kwaang!

“Ar?”

Ar had successfully intercepted an attack from an angle where Leo’s own sensory abilities had failed to register a response.

Tak!

“As long as I am standing guard, nobody gets to lay a single finger on Black Rabbit!”

An exhilarated Ar let out a proud snort, puffing out her chest.

“Truly remarkable.”

Right at that moment, a figure materialized in mid-air, a faint smirk playing on their lips.

“Nareda.”

“It has been quite a while, Hero of the Beginning, Kyle. You seem to be training an exceptionally capable feline companion.”

“Who exactly are you calling a domestic pet right now?!”

Ar bared her teeth, letting out a hostile growl.

“I am going to rip you into shreds and end your life!”

Ar, who had tightened her fists with a thoroughly bloodthirsty expression, suddenly snapped her head around to look at Leo in shock.

“Huh? The Hero of the Beginning?”

Observing Ar’s bewildered realization, Leo spoke coldly,

“It appears your collection of underhanded strategies has only grown over the past five millenia.”

“Heh, it is precisely due to that single trait that I have managed to keep my life intact until this current age.”

Leo narrowed his gaze, staring intently at Nareda, who offered a refined, respectful bow.

“Your commander’s inherently timid disposition appears completely unchanged from the past.”

“I must ask you to refrain from such disrespectful language. My lord is merely exercising proper prudence. He is currently seeing right through your deceptive ambushes.”

“Deceptive ambushes, you say…”

The corners of Leo’s mouth curled upward into a sharp grin.

“I would be highly pleased if he continues to think exactly that.”

‘…Why? For what possible reason is Dweno refusing to show his face?’

The expression on the Titanic Monarch Gias’s face twisted into an ugly grimace.

The Hero of the Beginning had launched a direct assault.

If that was the case, then Dweno, universally acknowledged as the ultimate defensive bulwark, should have been spearheading the charge.

The responsibility assumed by that novice, who was dubbed the successor of the Brave, was a duty that should normally be handled by the Brave themselves or the Hero of the Beginning.

Yet, Leo was currently occupying Dweno’s tactical position.

Meanwhile, the role traditionally held by the Brave was being executed by an inexperienced youth who had barely begun her journey.

‘An inferior, clumsy imitation of Dweno’s tactics. This is an obvious setup.’

When that arrangement had first entered his sight, Gias had dismissed it with a sneer.

It was undeniably a transparent, shallow ruse, precisely as he had anticipated.

However, as time pressed on, an unsettling sensation began to creep over him.

Gias’s features contorted further with doubt.

‘Is it within the realm of possibility… that Dweno is not present on this field of battle at all? No! That is utterly inconceivable!’

The Titanic Monarch Gias understood Dweno’s psychological profile more intimately than anyone else alive.

Gias’s eyes stretched wide with sudden realization.

‘What exactly are you plotting?! Kyle! Dweno!’