LHAHS Chapter 510
"Hmph!" Meterrar let out a battle cry and charged swiftly at Mel.
Black haze rose around Mel.
Kwaak—!
The haze coiled around Meterrar's body like threads.
Kugugugugung—!
At that moment, Meterrar's feet sank into the ground. His eyes twitched.
"Gravity magic, huh." His gaze locked onto Mel. "You're trying to buy time."
As a seasoned knight, Meterrar immediately saw through Mel's intent.
This was Lumene, and as a former principal, he knew Lumene's strength well. Among the students, some already possessed strength comparable to heroes.
Not only that, but many of the professors teaching those students had their names recorded in the Hero Record, and even those who hadn't were still as powerful as heroes.
There was a reason why hero academies formed one of the strongest pillars in holding back Tartaros.
"How shallow." Meterrar curled his lips into a smirk. "You should know better than anyone that we're not your average heroes."
Goooooooo—!
A dark blue aura erupted from his body and instantly sharpened into countless sword slashes, slicing through the surrounding area and breaking Mel's magic by force.
He immediately moved to charge at Mel, when with an ominous sound, the ground began to freeze.
Zzzzzzt—!
Meterrar's eyes twitched, and he leaped high into the air.
Tak—! Saaaaaa—!
The ground was consumed by ice, a fierce chill spreading outward.
Meterrar's gaze turned toward one direction. "Oh? Only a second-year, yet already you can wield such powerful magic."
Clatter—!
Chloe lifted the staff she had struck against the ground, causing shards of ice to fall from her body.
Her unique magic, Ice World, had just threatened a renowned hero of the previous generation.
A pure mage. It's rare to see a frost mage of this caliber… and at her age?
The power of magic alone did not determine one's combat ability. No matter how strong the magic, if an opponent closed the distance, a mage was nothing but defenseless prey.
However, for a second-year to wield such magic was no ordinary feat.
A second-year casting magic at a fifth-year level.
"The knight department needs to step up its game." Muttering under his breath, Meterrar swung his sword at Chloe.
Kwagagagagang—! Pzzzzzt—!
A golden aura intercepted his blade.
Meterrar's eyes twitched as he looked at the young knight standing before him.
"What nonsense." Duran's golden eyes gleamed. "A mere undead has no business worrying about the knight department."
A second-year as well? Meterrar furrowed his brow as he stared at Duran, who had blocked his strike. Even among heroes, his swordplay was exceptional, yet a second-year had stopped his blade?
"I'll give you some credit. Even if it was just for a moment, you blocked my strike." Meterrar tightened his grip on his sword. "But it was reckless. Blame your own foolishness as you die."
As his sword began to shift, a small shadow darted toward his chest.
Kwoooom—!
With a thunderous impact, Meterrar was knocked airborne.
Thud—!
After being flung back, he landed and turned to see the girl who had struck him.
Chen Xia, infused with water aura, merged her energy with Duran's and launched another attack on Meterrar.
"Another second-year?" Meterrar's face twisted in irritation.
He moved to subdue Chen Xia and Duran, but then a massive pillar of fire rained down from the sky.
Kukugugugugung! Fwoooosh—!
Celia, having amplified the flames to their maximum with Abad's magic, had struck.
Meterrar's face hardened.
Yet another second-year?
One after another, second-years with overwhelming strength were appearing.
Even so, there are only two knights in their front line. I can easily take them down…
Duran and Chen Xia had just grabbed his ankles. If he took them down, the entire formation would crumble… or so he believed until a massive boulder hurtled toward him at incredible speed and slammed into him.
Kwoooom—!
The sheer force made his head spin.
Meterrar scowled at the towering boy who had thrown it—Walden.
Another second-year!
As he tried to counterattack, a small mage and an elf swordswoman dashed between him and Walden, disrupting his movement.
"Walden! That was amazing!" Eiran exclaimed in admiration.
"So reckless." Chelsea clicked her tongue in exasperation.
Chelsea used wind magic to support the movements of Walden and Eiran.
Their coordination is systematic. Who's leading them? The Dragon Queen?
Their individual skill was one thing, but the way they were countering his every move—someone was clearly predicting his actions and dictating the flow of battle.
And these kids' positioning is too precise. The Dragon Queen must be commanding them…
"Kyaaaaah! Don't suddenly change direction while flying, you idiot!"
"Shut up! Did I ever say you could grope me?! You're dead, no, I'll kill you right now, Carl Thomas!"
"It's because you're so damn scary! This was an accident!"
Carl's agonized screams and Eliza's furious voice rang through the sky.
Mel beamed at the second-years. "You're all doing wonderfully."
"What… are they?" Meterrar asked.
Mel shrugged. "They're the future."
"The future?"
"Yes. The future that will carry this world forward."
Meterrar sneered. "So, you've deceived these children with sweet words as well? What did you tell them? That they could save the world? Hah… Just like you told us? Hahahahaha!"
Meterrar burst into laughter and pointed at Mel, his eyes gleaming with hostility.
"You're all so foolish, students of Lumene. Let me teach you the truth. I don't know what this so-called Dragon Queen has told you, but you will never save the world. No, you will be abandoned by that dragon instead! You will never be given the chance to challenge Dawn!"
Celia furrowed her brow. "Dawn? What even is that?"
"Doesn't it have something to do with the Heroes of Dawn?" Chen Xia added.
Chelsea put her hands on her hips. "Wait, abandoned? Betrayed? That ex-headmaster really has a severe persecution complex, doesn't she?"
"This is actually the first time I'm hearing that Professor Mel is the Dragon Queen." Chloe tilted her head in confusion.
"What?" Meterrar looked bewildered at the second-years' clueless reactions.
"There's no need to listen to the words of a traitor who sold his soul to Tartaros," Abad chuckled.
"It doesn't matter. We just need to take him down." Walden clenched his fists, his fighting spirit flaring.
Kugugugugung—!
The ground trembled as the Elemental Lord of Earth, with whom he had formed a contract, responded.
"You're all so reliable." Mel smiled warmly at the second-years before stepping forward to face Meterrar, her expression turning cold.
"I have never abandoned you. You were the ones who strayed from the path. I don't know what will become of these children, but one thing is certain—just because you failed doesn't mean they will. Thinking otherwise is arrogance. And most importantly…"
Mel paused, then turned to look at the second-years.
"I wasn't the one who chose these children as the future of this world."
"What?"
"It was someone far greater than me."
Mel pointed a finger toward the sky with a soft smile.
"Are you claiming that it was a god?"
"Hmm… In a way, you could say it's something similar. After all, that person gifted us this world."
"Ridiculous." Meterrar's face twisted in disgust.
Ignoring him, Mel continued.
"How unfortunate." With a small sigh, Mel raised a hand. "A hero I once chose fell into darkness, sold his soul to the Lich King… and now, is nothing more than a disposable pawn meant to buy time."
"What?"
Mel's eyes narrowed. "The Lich King intention is not to invade Lumene."
Countless undead who were once heroes, along with hordes of monsters, were attacking Lumene. They were undoubtedly part of the Lich King's army, but there were too few of them.
Mel had remained silent for a long time, earning the title of the Silent Dragon, but she had never simply ignored the world.
During that silence, she had served as an unseen force restraining Tartaros.
From the shadows, Mel had ceaselessly fought against the Lich King, and she could tell at a glance.
This is nothing more than a diversion to tie down me and Lumene's forces. The real target… must be Sir Leo in Lumeria City.
The Lich King would never resort to such tactics unless he was certain of victory, which meant that Leo could be in danger.
…Erebos's fragments haven't just strengthened his authority. They've increased his power as well.
Even without the Lich King's main body present, breaking through the curse of severance he had cast was no simple feat.
Mel clenched her fist. But right now, we have an unexpected factor even the Lich King didn't anticipate.
Mel tightened her grip.
Lady Luna.
Crack—!
Like a mirror shattering, a fracture appeared in the air.
The Lich King narrowed his eyes. "So, the Surviving Hero is unaffected by the Mirror Queen's power."
No matter how much the fragments of Erebos had strengthened his authority, he couldn't resurrect an infinite number of past commanders. He could only bring back one.
But every single one of them would resist my control.
The grudges of the fallen commanders ran deep. If resurrected, they would surely lose all reason and rampage against the world.
The Lich King found that troublesome. No matter how overwhelming his power, attacking outside of Tartaros while so many heroes still existed in this era would be suicide.
They would take considerable damage, but… so would we.
Because of that, he had chosen to revive the Mirror Queen, the one commander who could retain her reason and who had once dealt immense damage to the Great Heroes.
Of course, the Lich King had expected that the Mirror Queen's power wouldn't work on the current Leo.
In the past, the Mirror Queen had been easily defeated by Luna, and the Surviving Hero has overcome countless trials since then.
It wouldn't be surprising if the power of the Mirror Queen, which couldn't even faze Luna, now had little effect on him.
Crack—!
The fracture in space deepened.
Even so, he must have taken some mental damage.
The Mirror Queen's illusions were cruel. Defeat one, and another would take its place. Even if his spirit wasn't broken, he would still suffer a severe blow.
Can you still stop me, even after being weakened, Surviving Hero?
Defeating him wasn't the priority.
I've thought about it for a long time—how exactly did the Surviving Hero defeat Lord Erebos?
In an utterly hopeless situation, the Surviving Hero had slain a god alone, and it wasn't only because he had inherited the strength of his fallen comrades, or because the others had weakened Erebos for him.
After much thought, I realized that his willpower surpassed even the will of a god.
That meant there was a need to shatter that willpower.
The Lich King's true goal was to wear down Leo's willpower.
I pray that you suffer, Surviving Hero.
The Lich King's lips curled into a grin as he turned his gaze toward the people evacuating Lumeria City.
"There are always things one fails to protect."
Ziiiiing—!
Summoning circles spread across the air as an army of undead began to pour out.
"Let's see how many will die before you finish dealing with the Mirror Queen."