Tartarus’s sudden raid.
To those with power, it might have been a trial they had to overcome.
But to ordinary people without power, it was nothing short of an unprecedented disaster.
Resistance was impossible.
It was not because they were incompetent. Nor was it their fault.
To those who had simply lived each day faithfully, it was nothing more than a bolt from the blue.
Under the protection of those with supernatural powers, people evacuated to safe areas beyond Tartarus’s reach.
Those who could handle Aura, Magic, or Summoned Beasts volunteered to join the battlefield, but the people leading the evacuation rejected them.
“No. With your abilities, you’ll only die in vain if you stand on the battlefield!”
“B-but we could still be of some help!”
“I’ve held a sword for a long time, despite how I look!”
“No. If people weaker than me go, you’ll only become a burden.”
The Elven knight spoke sternly, gritting her teeth.
“Even I would only get in the way if I went to the front lines right now.”
With a frustrated expression, she knew her skills were not enough to stand on the battlefield nearby.
That was why she had been tasked with protecting the people in the rear.
A Beastman warrior assigned to the same duty spoke up.
“We don’t know when the rear will be in danger either. So let’s stay here together and prepare for any eventuality.”
“Ugh...”
“I-I understand.”
The people clenched their fists and nodded, preparing for battle with tense faces.
Everyone trembled with anxiety.
Fortunately, there had been no casualties yet.
There were injured, but thanks to the many Mages and Summoners, critical situations had been avoided.
That was only possible because countless heroes and outstanding individuals with supernatural powers had gathered in Lumeria City for the Twilight Festival.
Even so, the loud explosions and eerie screams ringing out from afar fueled the people’s fear that danger could reach them at any moment.
Rumble!
The axis of the earth shook from the aftershocks of powerful Magic.
People hunched their shoulders.
Amidst it all, one Elf sat with her head bowed.
Her slender shoulders flinched every time a loud noise echoed.
With her ears drooping, she sat alone in a corner, staring at the ground.
'It’ll be okay.'
Luna bit her lip hard, her gaze fixed on the floor.
'Lunia has grown reliable.'
She was worthy of being called her successor.
'The other heroes are reliable too.'
Just as Lunia had said she was responsible for the current era, the heroes were noble and trustworthy.
'It’s okay even if I don’t step forward.'
Luna closed her eyes tightly.
She wanted to stay in this world longer.
A brilliant future she could never have imagined.
In a world full of possibilities, there were endless things she could do.
When Luna first stepped into the world of Magic, she had been captivated by it.
She had wanted to see the end of Magic.
But the world had not left Luna alone.
The dangers threatening the world never allowed Luna to devote herself entirely to Magic.
And by the time the world regained peace, Luna’s time had run out.
'It doesn’t have to be me anymore.'
Luna bit her lip.
'I’ve done enough.'
She wanted to stay in this world forever.
There were so many things she wanted to do.
But what made Luna even more desperate was...
'Now I can finally be with Kyle in peace.'
She had thought about it endlessly.
What would have happened if she had met Kyle in a bright, hopeful world instead of a dark, desperate one?
Of course, their first impression of each other would have been the worst.
But little by little, she would have been captivated by the human named Kyle.
'Maybe we would have even had a child. Maybe we could have enjoyed a happy everyday life.'
It was a happiness she could never have now.
'Because my time has stopped, and Kyle’s time continues. If so... I want to be with him just a little longer.'
It was selfishness.
'But that isn’t a crime.'
Luna lifted her head slightly.
Her eyes, which had always shone brightly, were dull.
'So, just a little longer...'
Swish.
At that moment, something appeared before Luna’s eyes.
“Huh?”
Luna let out a dazed sound.
Her blurred focus sharpened.
It was a single flower held in a small hand.
Luna looked up.
A young Elven girl was holding the flower out to her.
“Pretty Unni, are you scared?”
The girl asked with a worried face.
“Ah.”
“Don’t be scared. I’ll give you this flower.”
“Thank you.”
Luna took the flower and smiled faintly.
“Are you alone, little lady? Where are your parents?”
“Mom is fighting the bad monsters right now!”
The girl said, clutching a doll wrapped in her other arm.
Luna easily recognized what the doll was.
'My doll.'
The Elven child held the stuffed doll tightly and said,
“My mom is really strong! She graduated from Seiren and uses Star Magic like Luna-nim. Zap, zap! So don’t worry!”
The girl spoke with a bright smile.
Seeing that cheerful sight, Luna could not help but laugh.
'She’s like Velkia when she was young.'
Brave even in an emergency.
It was the innocence of a child who did not fully understand the situation, but even so, it was bright.
'It’s because she’s a child who doesn’t know darkness.'
Luna reached out and stroked her head.
“You’re a brave little lady.”
Just then.
“Ah! It’s the pretty drunk Noona!”
The boy she had met on the first day of the festival, the one who had said he respected Dweno the most, came running over.
“Noona, I even bought a Luna-nim mask.”
The boy smiled broadly and showed her the Luna mask hanging around his neck.
“Wow...”
The Elven girl gaped, her eyes sparkling when she saw it.
At that, the boy tilted his head, then took off the mask and handed it to her.
“Want it?”
“Yeah!”
“Then be my friend.”
“Okay!”
'...Kids these days have great moves.'
Luna watched with a dazed expression as the children naturally became friends, laughing brightly.
“Noona, if you’re anxious, stay with us.”
“What?”
The boy took the flustered Luna’s hand and led her to where the children had gathered.
Humans, Elves, Beastmen, Dwarves.
Children of various races were huddled together, talking.
It seemed they had been gathered in one place so they could be evacuated quickly in case of emergency.
There were traces of tension and anxiety, but the children seemed to firmly believe the heroes would protect them.
“Oh, I know that Noona. She’s the Noona who told us stories about the Great Heroes yesterday. She said Kyle-nim loves Luna-nim.”
“What does it mean to love?”
“It means you like someone a lot.”
“Noona, tell us more stories about the Great Heroes!”
“Noona! For me! Tell me about Arron-nim...”
The children chattered endlessly as they looked at Luna.
Listening to their nonstop conversation made her head spin.
After a while, the children moved on to another topic.
Seeing that, Luna smiled softly.
'How will these children grow up?'
“Arron-nim might appear and save us.”
A Beastman child said, clenching his fists.
“Won’t Dweno-nim appear too?”
“I want to see Kyle-nim.”
“I want to see The Wise King!”
Like children, they shared dream-like stories.
'Wow... I can’t keep up with the conversation.'
Luna wore a troubled expression as the children’s topics changed every second.
“I think Luna-nim will appear.”
The Elven girl who had given Luna the flower said with a flushed face.
“You think so too, pretty Unni?”
“...”
Luna clenched her fists.
Kraaaa-boom!
At that moment, a massive explosion erupted nearby.
Fwooooosh!
Along with it, dark red flames soared.
“We must evacuate to another location!”
“Move! Children first!”
The situation changed abruptly.
At the urgent shouts, people began evacuating the children.
Screams filled the air.
In the chaos, the children screamed as well.
Just then.
Rumble!
The dark red flames soaring high into the sky turned black.
Seeing this, Luna’s face hardened.
'Erebos’s flames!'
Whooooosh!
The Black Flame swept toward the people.
Just as Luna was about to stir her Magic Power at the sight...
Flash!
Pure white flames blocked the Black Flame.
“Urgh!”
Lunia, who had raised a wall of flames, let out a groan.
“Lunia!”
Luna hastily called out to her.
Without even having time to answer, Lunia gritted her teeth. Her red eyes flashed as she made the pure white flames burn even more fiercely.
“Ahahaha! This is the power! The flame of a god! Ahhh! A divine revelation! I can hear His voice!”
Elgenie’s voice, filled with ecstasy, rang out.
Seeing this, Luna’s eyes trembled.
'That’s not simply Erebos’s blessing.'
Luna saw through Elgenie’s condition at a glance.
'Erebos is burning his flames through that Legion Commander as a medium.'
Elgenie was firewood.
The problem was that she was an incredibly massive piece of firewood.
The spark of Erebos’s malice used Elgenie’s massive body as fuel, burning more and more fiercely.
“Weak! So weak! You think you can block my flames with that kind of fire? Kyahaha!”
With Elgenie’s mad laughter, the Black Flame grew increasingly violent.
“Shut the hell up and get lost!”
Lunia shouted, drawing her firepower to the maximum.
K-boom!
The white flames pushed back the Black Flame, causing a massive explosion.
“Huff! Huff!”
Lunia panted heavily.
The heroes who had retreated were already reorganizing their formation.
Luna watched the scene in silence.
“Luna-nim! Leave this to us and fall back quickly!”
Lunia shouted.
Even at those words, Luna simply stood there in silence.
Just then.
Vroooom!
Countless summoning circles appeared everywhere.
Seeing this, the heroes’ faces turned pale.
“This power is...”
“Could it be Death King Hell Kaiser?!”
Clank. Clank.
An army of the dead began pouring out from the summoning circles.
Lunia’s face instantly hardened.
“Luna-nim! You must evacuate now!”
“P-pretty Unni. Let’s go, quickly.”
Then someone grabbed Luna’s hand and pulled.
Luna turned her head and looked at the Elven girl, Lui, who was holding her hand.
The child’s body was trembling.
But because she had been worried about Luna, she had risked danger and run here.
“Lui!”
At that moment, an Elven woman fighting on the front lines shouted urgently.
A Mage Hero, she wore a look of panic when she saw her daughter.
“Mom! In front of you!”
The girl’s eyes widened.
Fwoosh!
In that split second, the encroaching Black Flame tried to swallow the Elven Mage.
Seeing this, Lunia’s eyes widened.
Regardless of strength, Lunia was currently the only one who could block that Black Flame.
“Damn it!”
The moment Lunia tried to deploy her Magic in haste...
Flash! K-boom!
A flash of light flying from behind Lunia pushed back the Black Flame.
It blew away the Black Flame with overwhelming power.
“Luna-nim?”
Lunia hurriedly looked back.
There stood Luna with her hand raised.
Luna met Lunia’s eyes and smiled softly.
Lunia’s face crumpled as if it would break, recognizing the meaning of that smile.
“Was it Lui?”
“Yes?”
Luna looked down at Lui, who was holding her hand, and smiled gently.
“Sorry, this flower... It got ruined.”
Luna showed the flower Lui had given her, then stirred her Magic Power.
Then, a vibrant flower bloomed in Luna’s hand.
Luna placed the flower in Lui’s arms.
And then, she gave her belated answer.
“Unni thinks so too. Luna-nim will crush all the bad monsters. So don’t you worry.”
Luna reached out and gently stroked Lui’s head, then stepped forward.
'Surely, if I turn away, I could stay longer.'
She could achieve more and spend more happy time with the one she loved.
'But... would that really be like me?'
5,000 years ago.
The reason she had stepped forward to save the world was not simply to save the world itself.
'It was to protect the world I belonged to and loved.'
Did she regret sacrificing so much to protect the world?
'How could I?'
Did she resent closing her eyes before she could do everything she wanted?
'Not at all. It was the path I chose.'
The reason she had reached an unimaginably high level of Magic.
The reason she had gained the fame she so desired in future generations.
'It must be because I remained true to myself until the very end. If so...'
She could not turn away here.
'The moment I turn away, I’ll surely stop being myself. Right, Kyle?'
Luna smiled as she thought of the friend who was more reliable than anyone else.
'In the end, all of you would have chosen to fight Erebos again, just like me.'
Leo’s voice seemed to echo.
Luna laughed at those words.
'I think you’re right, Kyle.'
Step. Step.
Grip!
Lunia instinctively grabbed Luna as she passed by.
And with a face on the verge of tears, she said,
“Luna-nim...”
Luna looked at Lunia for a moment and reached out.
Whoosh!
Cometes appeared in Luna’s hand.
The staff the Comet Mage had entrusted to the Hero of Beginning returned to the Founder of the Nebula.
And from her, it was passed down once more to the next generation.
“Don’t cry. Square your shoulders and hold your head high, Lunia El Lunda.”
Luna grinned.
“Because you are the successor to the Founder of the Nebula.”
(T/N: SHIIIIIITTT IS ABOUT TO GET REALLLLL! LETS GOOOOOOO!! THAT LINE GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS!!)
Lunia bit her lip and held back her tears.
“Watch closely, and see what kind of person the one you respect really is.”
Leaving the rear to Lunia, Luna walked forward.
Vroooom!
The black flames burned.
Seeing this, Luna reached out, grasped the air as if seizing it, and pulled.
K-boom!
Space distorted, and someone was slammed into the ground as if dragged out by force.
“This power... Could it be?”
The stern voice of Death King Hell Kaiser, who had been watching the situation from a safe place, rang out.
“Yeah. That’s right, you bag of bones.”
Luna wore a lethal smile.
“Lady Luna Lubinence has descended. So you’re dead, you bastard.”
Flash! K-boom!
As soon as she finished speaking, the light of [End] struck Death King Hell Kaiser.
***
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