LHAHS Chapter 446
"Something's burning?" Leo's expression hardened.
At some point, the earthquake had stopped, but Aaron's single statement sent a chill down his spine. Something was burning. He didn't have to think deeply to understand what that meant.
The revival of Erebos.
Five thousand years ago, as the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, he had split Erebos into six fragments. One of those fragments had now awakened.
Could a fragment have been lying dormant here?
Leo glared at the ground beneath him. Five thousand years ago, even though he was the one who had split Erebos apart, he hadn't known where the fragments had gone.
The last thing I remember is the scattered pieces of that thing dissipating into the sky.
Covered in black flames, it had plummeted from the heavens to the earth. The final sight in Kyle's life had been those six fragments scattering, the gray sky parting like the break of dawn, revealing a radiant sun.
After that, he'd lost consciousness and fallen into a long slumber.
So far, the known fragments of Erebos are the first one discovered by Sylord, the one that revived three thousand years ago and was sealed in the World of Dawn by the Heroes of Dawn, and the third fragment, which is presumed to be in the hands of Hell Kaiser.
None of those could be here. The fragment in Fairyland was under Sylord's watch, and the revived fragment was sealed within the Hero Record.
If the Lich King had appeared here, Aaron would have sensed him.
That meant the Erebos Aaron was sensing now had to be the fourth fragment.
"Why did it suddenly wake up?" Leo voiced his doubt.
Aaron replied, "It's been five thousand years since Erebos was defeated, and three thousand years since one of the fragments revived, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then wouldn't it make sense for the other fragments to be close to revival as well?"
Aaron was right. One of the fragments had already revived three thousand years ago. There was no reason the others couldn't awaken at any time.
Leo furrowed his brows. "But it's too sudden."
Aaron suggested, "Maybe it's because I left the Hero World."
Leo gave a heavy nod. "Yeah."
After entering Aaron's berserk Hero Record, Leo had pulled him back into the present world. During that process, he had used divine power.
If the dormant Erebos was stirred awake by the divine power I used to bring Aaron here…
Then its revival made sense.
Just as he clicked his tongue, Melina's voice rang out from above.
[Leo!]
"Melina."
Tap!
She landed before him, and Leo spoke. "Alert the entire world immediately. Erebos's fragment may have revived."
"What?" Melina's face turned pale. "Are you saying this entire crisis is related to a fragment of Erebos?"
"Yeah," Leo said, clenching and unclenching his fist. "It looks like the fourth fragment has awakened."
"Understood. I'll start by evacuating the second-years along with the first-years to another region."
This wasn't just any threat—this was a fragment of Erebos. A calamity like the return of disaster itself. For hero candidates, it was an overwhelming trial far beyond their ability to handle.
As the Dragon Queen, Melina acted swiftly. Gathering mana, she prepared to open a Warp Gate—then her face stiffened.
Seeing her expression, Leo and Aaron instantly grasped the situation.
"Spatial travel is impossible, isn't it?" Leo asked.
"Yes," Melina responded in a rigid voice.
The mere presence of Erebos distorted and warped the world's laws. Magic, which functioned by interfering with the laws of the world to manifest phenomena, was especially unstable when it came to spatial manipulation.
Since Erebos's mere existence disrupted the space around it, even Luna hadn't been able to use teleportation magic near it.
"For now, gather the first and second-years in one place," Leo ordered.
"Understood. What next?"
Leo drew his sword. "We explain the situation."
Melina grit her teeth. "The students will fall into despair."
"They will," Leo admitted. "But it doesn't matter. We also have hope. Did you forget?"
"What? Ah!" Something clicked in Melina's mind, and her eyes widened. "Right now, we have the Brave Hero with us."
The second-years, who had been in Dellan, were urgently recalled and heard Melina's message about the sudden appearance of demonic beasts and monsters. Quickly grasping the situation, they immediately engaged in subjugation.
Whoooosh—! Crackle—!
Flames and lightning entwined around a blade, roaring with destructive force.
Kraaaaah! "Graaaagh!"
Celia and Duran's aura ravaged a massive demonic beast's body. The creature let out a wretched scream as it collapsed.
Splat—!
Chen Xia soared toward the fallen beast, water aura trailing behind her like flowing silk.
Swoosh—!
Despite its delicate, ribbon-like appearance, the water aura let out a chilling sound as it severed the demonic beast's neck. Blood gushed like a waterfall from the giant creature's throat.
As Chen Xia landed softly on the ground, the massive corpse crashed down behind her.
Rumble!
The monsters beneath it were crushed into pulp.
Whiiiir—!
Abad raised his staff. "Tempest."
As his spell completed, a storm of destruction swept through, scattering the demonic beasts and monsters like leaves.
Crackle—!
"Fimbulvetr."
Chloe's unique magic turned the surrounding monsters into frozen statues.
Kuuuuuuu—!
Then, an earthquake struck.
"Walden! Is this your doing?" Eliza asked.
"No." Walden stared at the ground. "The earth elementals are afraid."
"What do you mean?"
Walden narrowed his eyes. "It means… something is there."
Flash—!
Not far away, a pillar of light shot into the sky.
Above, Chelsea, who had been eliminating airborne monsters, shouted, "It's the crest of Dragonia! Looks like Lady Melina is calling us there!"
At that cry, the Lumene students turned toward the pillar of light. There, the first-years were arriving. The graduates who had been hunting monsters also began gathering.
Carl's jaw dropped at the sight of the massive fortress built through alchemy. "She made this on the spot? As expected of the Dragon Queen."
In front of the fortress gates, Jamua called out, "Get inside the fortress before the demonic beasts and monsters swarm in!"
At his booming command, the first and second-years quickly entered the fortress.
"But what the hell is going on?"
"Is this really just training?"
"If they prepared a fortress like this, then isn't it training after all?"
Some of the first and second-years were still under the illusion that this was part of their training.
Watching them, Torua crossed her arms and grumbled, "This is why the hero academies' training methods are flawed. No matter how much they emphasize making training feel real, some students still think it's training even when real monsters are trying to kill them."
"I agree," Ulta said, "but thanks to that, all the first and second-years are handling the situation remarkably well."
Torua nodded in agreement.
As the two conversed, Rhys muttered, "The atmosphere feels off."
"Brother!" Celia hurried over. "This isn't training, is it? This is real?"
Rhys nodded. "Yeah."
"Then what exactly is happening?!"
"I don't know the details either. Not until Lady Melina explains…" Rhys's voice trailed off.
Whoooosh—!
Everyone stared in shock as two dragons with golden scales appeared in the sky above the fortress.
Flash—!
The two dragons, radiating golden light, landed on the fortress walls. A golden-haired middle-aged man and a golden-haired girl.
They were Akatis, Melina's right-hand man, and Enkinas, her successor.
"Is everyone here?" Akatis asked.
Raynia stepped forward. "Yes. All the hero academy students are gathered. So, can you explain the situation?"
En replied, "Lady Melina will be here shortly to explain everything."
Hearing that, the first and second-years—those who had still believed this was training—began murmuring anxiously.
Moments later, Melina descended from the sky and landed atop the fortress walls.
"Everyone."
Standing between Akatis and Enkinas, Melina spoke in a slightly stiff voice, and the gathered students tensed.
"You are hero candidates," she continued slowly. "Every day, you train tirelessly to become heroes. To stand against trials whenever and wherever they may come. To become noble warriors who fight for the world."
A wave of confusion spread among the students.
"And trials… disasters arrive without warning. Five thousand years ago, three thousand years ago, and now…"
RUMBLE—!
The students looked around in alarm as the ground began to shake violently. A tremor incomparable to any before.
BOOOOOOOM!
Far in the distance, the ground erupted like an explosion, and a massive pillar of fire shot into the sky. It towered like a spire threatening to pierce the heavens. The flames surged higher and higher, never ceasing.
Faced with such an unreal sight, the hero candidates gaped in shock.
"Black… flames?" someone murmured in bewilderment.
"The sky…!" Another voice, trembling with fear, cried out.
The stars were disappearing. Brilliant light faded, swallowed by pitch-black darkness.
The hero candidates knew exactly what that meant.
Five thousand years ago. Three thousand years ago.
This phenomenon was far too similar to the one that had once led the world to ruin.
As everyone processed the gravity of the situation, Melina solemnly declared, "Everyone, the calamity has awakened."
Standing atop the fortress tower, Leo muttered as he looked up at the sky, listening to Melina's powerful voice. The symbol of calamity that stained the sky sent a shudder down his spine.
"To think I'd see that damned sight again," he cursed.
"So this is what it feels like," Aaron murmured bitterly.
Born in the Age of Calamity, Aaron had never known what it felt like to have peace stolen from him. He had never experienced the despair of facing an impending catastrophe.
Leo shook his head. "It's different. Because by tomorrow night, that sky will be gone." He turned to Aaron. "I wanted you to feel at ease and enjoy peace."
"I already have," Aaron replied, smiling. "I've enjoyed it enough, and I've felt reassured. I died back then, but thanks to you, Kyle, I got to see the world we saved. What greater blessing could there be?"
Both Leo and Aaron knew. Once this battle was over, Aaron would disappear.
It was a hopeless situation.
Still, Leo and Aaron were no strangers to despair.
The young ones, however, were different. For them, this despair was too great to bear.
"Don't worry, everyone." Melina's powerful voice rang out.
Leo exhaled slowly. "We need a symbol," he said.
At this point, there was no reason to keep anything hidden.
"If disaster has returned, then it's time for the symbol of courage to return as well." Leo locked eyes with Aaron. "I'm counting on you, Aaron. Lend me your courage."
"Leave it to me."
Smiling, Aaron leapt from the tower.
Thud—!
Landing beside Melina, he looked down at the gathered hero candidates.
"Instructor Akan?" Chen Xia's eyes widened in confusion.
As all eyes turned to Aaron, he raised his hand.
Flash—!
Aura erupted from his palm. Like the pillar of black fire, a massive golden aura surged into the sky, piercing through the darkness. The swirling aura condensed…
Shiiing—!
And became a golden sword.
Aaron lifted the sword high and swung it toward the black flames.
Whoooosh—! BOOOOOOM!
The pillar of fire split in half, triggering a massive explosion.
As everyone watched in stunned silence, someone murmured, "He… split the sky?"
The night sky, once overshadowed by Erebos's power, was now twinkling with stars once more.
Torua, staring blankly, recited an old legend that had been passed down for generations. "When he swings his sword, the heavens split. And in that overwhelming sight, people found great courage."
As they watched the man who had recreated the legendary scene with their own eyes, they whispered his name in awe.
"The Brave Hero… Aaron."