Luna, who had been firing off End, kept her eyes fixed on the place where the Death King had been.
'He won't go down with just this.'
The current Luna was the version of herself from the era when the Great Heroes went on their final expedition.
By the standards of that time, each Great Hero’s combat prowess overwhelmed the Legion Commanders who served as Erebos’s subordinates.
Even the Supreme Commander of Tartarus, Death King Hell Kaiser, was no different.
'But that was only when I was in my prime.'
The current Luna was in a Spirit state.
And what maintained her existence was her own mana, which had been dwelling in Cometes, supplemented by Seiren’s mana.
Because of this, there were significant restrictions on her use of magic.
'Besides, that bonehead. He’s gotten stronger than he was 5,000 years ago.'
Luna could easily guess the reason behind his increased strength.
'It must be because of that Fragment of Erebos he’s carrying.'
She gauged her current power against the Death King’s.
'It might be a bit difficult to simply crush him in a head-on clash of power.'
While Luna was stroking her chin...
Goooooo—!
An ominous surge of dark mana soared.
Seeing this, Luna narrowed her eyes.
'I guess he swallowed that Legion Commander.'
Having noticed without difficulty that the Death King’s power had grown even more formidable, Luna clicked her tongue lightly.
Fwaaaa—!
The Death King revealed himself, one hand wreathed in the black flames Elgenie had been emitting until moments ago. Luna spoke to him.
“A tragedy of fratricide, huh? Well, I guess that’s about the level of you Demon bastards.”
“It seems that filthy mouth of yours hasn’t been fixed, even in death.”
“A person destined for greatness has to be consistent, whether they’re alive or dead.”
Luna smiled broadly and snapped her fingers.
Whiriririrring—!
A strange resonating sound echoed, and hundreds of swords made of mana were instantly created around her.
Sword of Banishing.
It was magic Luna had created specifically to deal with the Death King.
A spell that acted like the natural predator of the power of the dead.
Seeing Luna, the Death King raised his hand.
Goooooo—!
Black mist poured out from his hand.
With a gesture from Luna, the hundreds of swords rained down on the Death King like a downpour.
Pupupupupung—!
In an instant, the Swords of Banishing were blocked as they collided with the Death King’s mist.
“Did you think the same tricks from 5,000 years ago would work on me?”
“Yeah, I guess they don’t.”
Tak—
Luna calmly grasped the one remaining Sword of Banishing in her hand and immediately unleashed her mana.
Flash—!
The Death King’s eyes twitched as he watched Luna disappear in an instant.
'Spatial Movement Magic?'
He rapidly deployed a mana search.
And in that split second.
Sensing murderous intent from behind, the Death King used Spatial Movement Magic.
Slash—!
The Sword of Banishing cut through empty air.
“So close~”
Luna licked her lips, swinging the Sword of Banishing back and forth.
Watching her, the Death King’s eyes narrowed.
'Did she cast acceleration magic on her own spell?'
It was not simply a matter of increasing physical speed.
It was literally magic that made Luna’s own time flow faster.
For a brief moment, Luna had controlled her own time.
'That is a magical concept that didn't exist 5,000 years ago.'
The concept of magic related to time acceleration had only been properly established in recent times.
Even then, it was magic born from a single mage with a special mana trait.
Even now, mages who could apply magic in such a way were rare.
'I suppose it's to be expected.'
He did not know how long she had been in this world.
However, the magic she used was clearly different from 5,000 years ago.
'I expected as much, but most of the countermeasures I prepared for Luna Lubinence’s appearance in this world will be useless.'
Ever since last winter, when he heard the catastrophic news that the invasion plan to bring down Seiren had been thwarted by the appearance of the Surviving Hero and the Founder of the Nebula, the Death King had been devising countermeasures against them.
It was an undeniable fact that a Great Hero had appeared in this era through the Hero Record.
It was, quite literally, a miracle.
'But what happened once can happen again.'
Just as the Death King predicted, Great Heroes continued to appear in this era.
The Brave-Arron, had vanished after subjugating one of the Fragments of Erebos.
And now...
Luna, the Founder of the Nebula, stood before him.
'It’s only right to assume her level of magic has risen another step beyond what I know.'
The Death King used black magic.
Kwagagaga—!
Smoke made of pitch-black death energy enveloped Luna at incredible speed.
Seeing this, Luna quickly used acceleration magic to escape the Death King’s attack.
She could have dodged more easily using Spatial Movement Magic, but Luna chose acceleration magic instead.
Approaching the Death King at immense speed, Luna clapped her hands once.
As her hands parted, particles of light poured out from between them like buckshot.
Kwagagagagang—!
A powerful explosion erupted.
However, it was blocked by the Death King’s dark red barrier magic.
Fwaaaa—!
At that moment, the Death King’s hand transformed into the bones of a giant beast.
The beast, burning with black flames, opened its maw wide, attempting to swallow Luna.
Fwaak—!
Luna quickly widened the distance again.
“How annoying.”
The Death King clicked his tongue.
The Monster Queen Sillatna, the Giant King Gias, and others.
They were Legion Commanders specialized in close combat.
Compared to heroes, they were of the Knight classes.
In contrast, the Death King was of the Summoner and Mage classes, specialized in summoning and magic.
And Luna kept forcing close combat against such a Death King.
The reason was simple.
Luna exerted incredible power even in close combat.
She was more than capable of overwhelming the Death King, whose combat style was that of a traditional mage.
The magic that exerted the most powerful force in evasive maneuvers was spatial magic.
However, Luna did not use Spatial Movement Magic.
The same went for the Death King.
It was not because a melee involving Spatial Movement Magic was especially difficult.
For Luna and the Death King, it was simple magic.
However, spatial movement had a fatal flaw.
Short-range spatial movement was magic that folded space.
As such, the destination could inevitably be predicted.
Of course, common sense said this was impossible in the middle of battle, but Luna was the strongest mage in the history of magic, and the Death King was a being who had existed for thousands of years, infamous even in Tartarus as the user of the most powerful magic and curses.
In Luna’s case, she refrained from using Spatial Movement Magic to guard against her position being predicted and countered, while the Death King chose to construct defensive magic instead.
“Do you intend to continue this tedious war of attrition?”
“Yep.”
Luna smiled brightly.
Luna was in a situation where she would inevitably disappear once her mana was exhausted.
The Death King saw through that as well.
'If there were no restrictions, you would have shown yourself from the beginning.'
But unfortunately, time was currently on Luna’s side.
'The Surviving Hero.'
Crack—! Crackle—!
Leo, trapped in the Mirror Queen’s world, was trying to escape.
“Do you know the decisive difference between us, who seek to destroy the world, and you, who seek to protect it Luna Lubinence?.”
“Like I give a damn, you bonehead!”
Luna’s eyes flashed.
In an instant, a pentagram appeared in Luna’s pupils.
Pachijijik—!
The barrier magic surrounding the Death King was dispelled.
She had understood the structure of the magic formula, reverse-calculated it, and destroyed it.
Luna tried to approach again.
Seeing this, the corners of the Death King’s mouth curled up.
Goooooo—!
A massive amount of dark mana flowed from the Death King.
Kugugugung—!
As the Death King raised his hand, debris from all over Lumeria City soared into the sky.
Luna hesitated.
“A destroyer only needs to crush what is in sight, but a guardian must protect what is in sight.”
Tukwagagagagak—!
“Urgh!”
Luna deployed magic to protect the people.
The falling debris stopped, held by Luna’s psychokinetic magic.
Luna blew all the debris far away.
Seeing this, the Death King raised his hand.
Goooooo—!
Black flames surrounded Luna.
Just as the black flames were about to turn Luna to ash...
Flash—
A massive magic circle formed from Luna’s hand.
“Stella Radius.”
As Luna’s Original Magic was completed, a flash of light drew a long trajectory and flew toward the Death King.
Kwagagagagak—!
Half of the Death King’s body was blown away.
Crack— Creak—
However, the Death King’s body returned to its original state.
Seeing this, Luna frowned.
“Wow, that’s disgusting no matter how many times I see it. You really won't die.”
“You should know well, shouldn't you? Luna Lubinence. I am one who is already dead.”
The Death King curled his lips.
“As long as my core is not destroyed, I am an immortal being.”
“Yeah, same structure as those low-level liches.”
Luna let out a sneer.
The core was always carried within the Death King.
But destroying it was not easy.
'Since it's the heart of his mana, it’s unimaginably hard, and he can move its location at will at any moment.'
Luna grimaced.
Looking at her, the Death King laughed.
“That applies to you as well, Luna Lubinence.”
“What?”
“Have you forgotten? You, too, are one who is dead.”
Snap—! Crackle—!
With a hand imbued with Erebos’s malice, the Death King pulled out his own opposite arm.
The arm soon took the form of a spear.
Goooooo—!
A massive surge of dark mana whirled around it.
'Homing magic!'
Luna’s face hardened.
It was magic that absolutely hit its target.
The moment Luna tried to dismantle the magic...
Thwack—!
“Gah...?”
In an instant, the Death King’s magic pierced Luna’s heart.
“You bastard...”
Luna’s face contorted.
Looking at her, the Death King said,
“That magic contains all the power of Lord Erebos, burned using Elgenie as kindling.”
The Death King spoke coldly.
“Originally, it was power meant to kill the Surviving Hero, but the moment a being like you intervened, that was already out of the question. Besides, the will of the god that used Elgenie as kindling held an even greater grudge against you to begin with.”
Luna coughed up a surge of blood.
“I consumed a pawn as great as a Legion Commander. Then I must make sure at least one thing is thoroughly broken.”
Luna bowed her head, her hands trembling.
“Right now, you, who would advance the magic of this era by several stages, are a more threatening existence than the Surviving Hero. Luna Lubinence.”
If a plan went awry, one had to choose the maximum gain from the situation.
In the Death King’s view, that was the miserable death of Luna Lubinence.
Fududuk—!
At that moment, the spear of bone disappeared.
Every last black flame of Erebos had been contained in that single spell.
However, Luna did not die.
“You will not disappear immediately, Luna Lubinence.”
The Death King laughed chillingly.
“Even if your heart is pierced, your limbs torn off, and your head blown apart, you can exist in this world. Because you are a dead being, just like me. I hope you show us the most wretched sight possible and die in despair.”
“You son of a bitch...”
“Because I loathe you Great Heroes.”
The Death King swung his palm.
Kwang—!
“Cough!”
Luna’s body was slammed into the ground by the massive impact.
Kwagagagagang—!
“Luna-nim!”
Lunia approached Luna, her face pale.
The heroes holding back the legions of the Death King and the Blood Queen also wore expressions of despair as they saw Luna bleeding from her pierced heart.
“Don't come!”
Luna shouted, spitting out blood.
Then, as if it were nothing, she pulled herself up.
Immense pain, enough to make her lose her mind, wracked her entire body.
Every time she moved, it felt like a scream would burst out.
The power of Erebos and the power of the Death King’s curse.
Any other person would have had their mind shattered and gone insane.
However, Luna laughed.
“This is great! It means I can fight as much as I want without having to worry!”
Spitting blood and laughing belligerently, Luna showed not a shred of despair.
Tak—
The Death King, landing on the ground, shook his head at the sight.
“A Great Hero indeed. You’re tenacious. To think you can laugh even through pain that would shatter one's mind.”
Wearing an expression of disgust, the Death King spoke.
“Luna Lubinence. If you exist as a Spirit, what would your lingering regret be?”
“Not being able to chew you all up and swallow you whole.”
“That might be it. But I don't think you, who left the aftermath to the Surviving Hero who knows no surrender, would have made that your regret.”
The Death King let out a small laugh and said,
“Then this might be your regret.”
The Death King spread his palm.
It was a wraith’s contract seal.
Luna, who had been scowling, began to freeze as she confirmed the contents of the contract seal.
A moment later, Luna’s face turned pale.
“Hehehe. Hehehehehe— Hahaha!”
The Death King ridiculed Luna, suppressing the laughter that was about to burst out.
Luna stared at the ground with a ghastly face.
“It seems this was the correct answer.”
The Death King hid the contract seal.
“Velkia, whom you worried about so much, has been resurrected as an undead. Didn't you teach your student poorly?”
Kwagagagagang—!
When the Death King swung his arm, Luna was helplessly sent flying and crashed.
Kwang—! Crackle—!
At that moment, the entire space fluctuated violently and began to crack.
Seeing this, the Death King’s eyes narrowed.
'The Surviving Hero is coming soon.'
He had to trample Luna before then.
Just as he thought that...
Runic Language began to be heard.
Flash—!
A massive magic circle was woven into the sky.
The Death King’s face hardened at the sight.
“End?”
He looked toward where Luna had been blown away.
There stood Luna, looking at him with her eyes shining as usual, her middle finger raised.
“Is there no mental impact even after seeing your student resurrected as an undead?”
At the Death King’s question, Luna smiled brightly and replied,
“Like hell there isn't, you son of a bitch.”
***
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