Mirror Queen Kinesi.
5,000 years ago.
She was one of the Legion Commanders they had once subjugated.
Leo’s hand tightened.
Without anyone noticing, Luna’s magic had already hidden Leo, herself, Lunia, and Kinesi from their surroundings.
The people on the street simply smiled brightly at the flowers that had suddenly bloomed and passed them by.
Once Luna had prevented any potential chaos, Leo drew his sword.
This was Leo, a man who had crossed countless battlefields in his past life and overcome endless trials.
Starting with Jormungandr, the first monster he and Lysinas had subjugated, followed by Zerdeac.
And then there were the others who had survived for 5,000 years and threatened the world: the Monster Queen and the Giant King.
They were beings so hideous that the very fact the world still existed felt like a miracle.
He had fought them all, emerged victorious, and finally saved the world by subjugating Erebos.
Even setting Erebos aside, the number of times he had put his life on the line was beyond counting.
‘If I had to pick the most disgusting opponent I’ve ever faced among the Legion Commanders… it would be this damn bitch.’
Mirror Queen Kinesi had once single-handedly driven the Great Heroes to the brink of annihilation.
“Shall we settle the score we couldn’t finish 5,000 years ago?”
The corners of Leo’s mouth curled up.
“Settle what score? You were already subjugated 5,000 years ago.”
“That was not a victory achieved solely by your own strength.”
Kinesi spoke with a dry, emotionless face.
“It was merely the power of your comrades. You were helpless before my power.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed at Kinesi’s words.
‘It’s true that her ability is a headache.’
It was then, as Leo clicked his tongue inwardly.
“What? Leo is Kyle… what does that…”
Lunia wore a dazed expression.
Unable to process it immediately, Lunia turned to look at Luna.
Luna gave her a slight nod.
Shock washed over Lunia’s face.
‘Wait, then everything Leo has done until now makes sense!’
Even aside from the fact that he was an All-Class, Leo had always been shrouded in mystery.
Starting with his mastery of Star Magic despite being human, followed by his overwhelming growth rate.
On top of that, his mental strength was powerful beyond anything Lunia could have imagined.
The fact that the person she had aimed to stand beside was the Hero of Beginning sent Lunia into a brief panic.
‘Have I been speaking rudely to a Great Hero all this time?’
The way she had acted toward Leo until now flashed through her mind.
Just as Lunia was spiraling in shock.
“Luna Lubinence?”
Kinesi let out a soft exclamation as she noticed Luna’s presence.
“Long time no see. I didn’t expect us to meet again, considering we both died.”
Luna stepped forward, crossing her arms with a smirk.
Contrary to her mild voice and expression, a killing intent no less intense than Kyle’s flowed from Luna’s eyes.
Fundamentally, Leo and Luna’s mindset toward Demons differed from the people of this era.
Although this was called the Age of Heroes, it was still an era of peace.
Even though Tartarus remained standing, they had coexisted for thousands of years.
Because of that, depending on the situation, people would compromise with Tartarus.
In this era, Demons were enemies to be subjugated, but they were also a factor to be managed according to the circumstances.
But for Leo and Luna, who had lived through the Era of Calamity, there was no such thing.
Demons were simply targets for annihilation.
The killing intent and aura radiating from Luna grew even stronger.
Voooooom—!
‘Is this… the aura of the Great Heroes?’
Lunia swallowed hard.
Luna’s mere existence overwhelmed everything around her.
She wasn’t even particularly using her Magic Power.
What was radiating from Luna right now was the pure intimidation belonging to the person herself.
This was the presence of the Archmage who had stood against the God of Destruction who sought to end the world.
It easily surpassed the pressure of the killing intent Leo was emitting.
It wasn’t that Leo’s presence was weaker than Luna’s.
Glancing at Luna, Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘Is she testing her?’
Leo’s gaze naturally turned to Lunia, who was standing beside Luna.
Lunia’s body was trembling from the indirect influence of the aura.
‘If this girl is to be my successor. If she is truly meant to stand on the battlefield against Erebos alongside Kyle.’
Luna also glanced at the trembling Lunia.
‘She must be able to overcome at least this much.’
Luna was different from Arron.
Arron was somewhat rough, but he pushed Ar while constantly checking her condition.
Luna, however, did not do that.
If Arron taught by encouraging and pushing from behind, Luna taught by pushing her student off a cliff.
This teaching style had also been apparent with Velkia.
She usually doted on her, but she was strict whenever she taught magic.
She always tested the limits.
Lunia gritted her teeth.
‘Get it together! Lunia El Lunda!’
Lunia didn’t realize this situation was a kind of test.
However, she endured through sheer stubbornness.
‘I made up my mind to stand by Leo’s side! I was so happy when Luna-nim called me her successor! If I can’t even withstand an aura that isn’t even directed at me, how pathetic would that be!’
She forced her eyes open and took a deep breath.
Lunia’s trembling subsided.
Seeing that, the line of Luna’s lips curved softly.
‘Reliable.’
“I see, you are a Spirit.”
Kinesi looked slightly intrigued.
“How unexpected. Of all the Great Heroes, I thought you would be the one least likely to leave any regrets behind.”
Kinesi reacted dryly.
Luna frowned as she watched Kinesi.
5,000 years ago.
When they were subjugating Kinesi, it was Luna who had played the biggest role.
Without Luna, they wouldn’t have escaped annihilation.
The reason was simple.
Kinesi’s ability didn’t work on Luna.
Even so, Luna found the Legion Commander before her unpleasant.
The Legion Commander in front of them was ‘Void’ itself.
The Demons of Tartarus feared and hated the Great Heroes.
It couldn’t be helped.
They had no choice but to feel hatred toward the Great Heroes who had subjugated their god and blocked their destiny to destroy the world.
But Kinesi was different.
She was the most anomalous existence among the Legion Commanders of Tartarus.
She followed the orders of her creator, Erebos, but she had no interest in the destruction of the world.
Naturally, she didn’t harbor any hostility toward the Great Heroes who had subjugated Erebos and killed a god.
“I’m the one who’s surprised. To think you would be revived as an Undead.”
Spirits and Undead were polar opposites, but the reason they remained in the physical world was the same: lingering regrets.
“I developed one small regret at the moment of my death.”
The corners of Kinesi’s mouth distorted.
“I became curious about the end of the Surviving Hero.”
“What?”
“The Surviving Hero was the only natural enemy of the great god. However, I thought the Surviving Hero would be the first of you to die.”
Kinesi laughed.
It was a hideous laugh, oily with desire.
“Because his heart was nothing but ashes. There was nothing there. Just like me.”
A sense of ecstasy filled her eyes.
“I was curious what kind of end he would meet. What kind of face he would have as he died. Ah! Yes! This might be similar to what you call feelings of adoration!”
“Crazy bitch.”
Leo spat the words out without a moment’s hesitation.
But Kinesi didn’t care.
“Of all the people to get stuck with, why did you have to get stuck with a crazy bitch like this?”
Luna spoke with a deep scowl, and Leo replied calmly.
“I know, right? Why are all the women who say they like me not normal?”
At those words, Luna’s eyes widened as she glared at Leo.
Whether the two were doing that or not, Kinesi continued to say what she wanted.
“But after being revived by the power of Death King Hell Kaiser, I heard an unbelievable story. That you, Kyle, subjugated the god as the final survivor.”
Curiosity bloomed on Kinesi’s face.
“How was that possible?”
Looking at the various emotions flickering across the Mirror Queen’s face, Leo furrowed his brow.
“Ah! I’ve come to want to know more about you. I wanted to understand you more. Because I’m sure I could understand you better than anyone else.”
Kinesi’s body shook.
“Bullshit.”
Luna laughed coldly.
“How could a mere Demon ever understand us?”
“Luna Lubinence. You will never be able to understand.”
Kinesi laughed.
“One who emits so much brilliant light can never understand. You, who are so certain of the path you walk.”
Luna clicked her tongue.
She wasn’t someone who could be reasoned with in the first place.
“Surviving Hero Kyle, I’ve come to want to see your end even more.”
Woooong—
Kinesi’s form changed.
Seeing that, Leo lowered his stance.
“Kyle.”
Luna looked worried.
“Don’t worry. What happened back then won’t happen again.”
At Leo’s words, Luna clenched her fists tight.
Kinesi, who had turned into a massive mirror, reflected Leo.
In that instant.
Leo’s form vanished.
Thump! Thump!
Along with him, the people in the surrounding area collapsed.
“What is this…”
Lunia looked startled.
“It’s the Mirror Queen’s ability.”
Luna gritted her teeth.
“She reflects her opponent’s image. She shows them endless illusions of what they most want to see… or what they most hate to see.”
‘It seems she’s focused all her power entirely on Kyle this time, though.’
Back then, Kinesi’s illusions hadn’t worked on Luna.
Luna, who possessed absolute faith in herself, forged her own path.
Neither sweet illusions nor horrific trials could shake Luna’s heart.
“Mirror Queen Kinesi’s own combat power is pathetic. But her ability itself is the most powerful.”
Like Jormungandr, who was famous for being a Legion Commander without a legion, she was also a Legion Commander without a legion.
However, unlike Jormungandr, who didn’t need a legion due to his uniquely powerful martial might, she, who could turn everything caught in her mirror into an illusion, was a legion unto herself.
“You said Leo was Kyle-nim, right? What kind of illusion did Leo see 5,000 years ago?”
“...”
Luna went silent for a moment before her lips parted.
“He said he saw illusions of fighting us.”
Kinesi’s illusions became more powerful the deeper the darkness in one’s heart.
And at the time, Kinesi’s ability was like a natural counter to Kyle.
“In those nightmarish illusions, Kyle said… he killed all of us.”
Lunia gasped.
It was a form of conviction.
The conviction that his comrades would never turn their blades against him.
With his terrifying mental strength, he had cut down his friends.
But even so, one’s mental strength wears down within endless illusions.
Luna closed her eyes and recalled the situation when they had subjugated Kinesi.
Everyone else had awakened from their illusions.
But Kyle had remained as he was, gripping Lysinas by the throat and pointing his sword at her.
Arron and Dweno had intercepted Kyle’s sword, his movements mechanical and void of expression.
Lysinas, with her throat held, had simply widened her eyes.
‘I’m okay, Kyle.’
Lysinas had smiled softly.
She simply accepted everything about her friend.
‘I’m okay.’
‘It was only then that Kyle realized it was an illusion and withdrew his sword.’
Luna looked toward the direction where Leo had disappeared.
There wasn’t a single tremor in her eyes.
‘He’ll be fine.’
They had overcome countless trials together.
Because of that, Luna believed that Kinesi’s ability wouldn’t be able to do anything to Leo.
‘The Kyle of then and the Kyle of now are different.’
“These people are…”
“They’ve been affected by Kinesi’s ability. Since it’s the power of a Legion Commander, ordinary people have no immunity. For now, let’s take care of the people.”
“Yes, Luna-nim.”
It was just as Luna and Lunia were about to move.
Rumble—!
A black rift opened in the air.
Lunia’s face hardened.
The one who emerged through the pitch-black space was a woman with blood-red hair and madness in her eyes.
Luna narrowed her eyes.
“And who are you?”
“Me?”
The woman wore a chilling smile.
“My name is Blood Queen Elgenie. A great Legion Commander of Tartarus.”
***
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