Level Up Legacy

General Perli watched the collision unfold, and he remained unfazed under the impact. The youngster, who was younger than his son, was hurled into space after receiving the devastating attack of Amelio.

“That boy is… dead,” muttered Ilia Perli as he stared with sadness at the sky. “Such a talent at such an age… he must be favored by the heavens as well.”

The ground shook beneath them under the impact of Alexie Linan’s attack, which created a crater, burying Amelio within it. Major General Perli stared at the destruction of their collision, his eyes refusing to believe that this was a struggle between humans.

“Have we, as a species, truly reached this far?” muttered Ilia Perli, feeling like a child seeing an awakener for the first time. “It is ironic that I, a peak-Astra-ranker, am awed by a youngster.”

“Major! It seems Amelio has been hurt by that attack, so this is now our chance!” shouted the scholar knight while adjusting his glasses. “Alexie Linan has sacrificed his life for this chance, so we mustn’t waste it!”

“Indeed, but… that attack of Amelio made me realize that none of us, combined or individually, can handle him. He is… a veritable monster,” said Ilia Perli before sticking a cigar into his mouth. “It seems we are all going to die here, kiddos.”

“That is fine by us, teacher,” smiled the Unbroken Corps, their determination burning through their eyes. Ilia Perli nodded with satisfaction as he smoked his cigar.

“Let us show this bastard what we will do for our homeland,” Ilia Perli threw away the cigar before raising his hand toward the sky. “Come forth, Lexus!”

The sky rumbled as lightning struck Ilia Perli, turning him into nothing but a pillar of white. His arm reached out toward the lightning, which gathered to form a spear of light.

“God of Lightning, Lexus!”

Ilia Perli appeared from within the pillar of light, wearing full-body light armor. This was his Astral Spirit, Lexus. It was the reason that Ilia Perli was known as the strongest man in the Yalveran Union, and one of the strongest in the world.

“There it is!” shouted the rest of his men. “Our teacher’s ultimate attack, bright-bright-knight!”

“… do you all wish to be vaporized?” glared Ilia Perli at his men, who laughed it off and began revealing their abilities one after the other. There were no other Astra-rankers in their unit, so he was the only one with a spirit.

“That bastard…” a monster-like growl came from within the dust cloud at the center of the city. “… he dares to harm me… me… Amelio, the sole god in this world!”

The dust settled, and the corps could hear the slithering of a serpent accompanied by the ground shaking. A giant serpent appeared from behind the crater that was created earlier, peeking from behind the remaining buildings.

“I won’t forgive him… whether he is the creator, or the outsider, or whatever… I will kill him!” shouted Amelio as his figure appeared in the center of the crater. Ilia Perli squinted his eyes at the calamity whose injuries were not light.

“That brat… did this?” muttered Ilia Perli in awe. Amelio’s arms were bent backward, mangled beyond recognition. The calamity calling himself a god huffed like an animal, with his arms broken and useless now.

“Who would have thought that… he would have that amount of strength within him?” muttered Amelio with a grin on his face. “He has always been a jack of all trades, making him the most troublesome opponent!”

“Major!”

“Spread out,” nodded Ilia Perli as he leaned forward, bending his knees. “Half of you should handle the serpent behind him, and the other half should support me in battle. Use formation 12-A, Variation D.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Oh, ho?” muttered Amelio as his head turned toward Ilia. “Are you going to attack me now, useless humans? You should have used that chance to run away.”

“Monsters like you are to be hunted, not fled from,” said Ilia Perli as lightning crackled around his body. “Let me show you the might of mana since you seem incapable of using it!”

“You are quite arrogant for an ant who relies on something the world gave it,” Amelio grinned as his arms twisted back into place, and the mangled flesh fell off to be replaced with new tissues. “My stats are not just strength, after all.”

The lightning crackled and struck the surrounding ground. Ilia Perli frowned as he witnessed the sight of instant regeneration, making him wonder whether this was a true god. However, whether it was God or the devil, Ilia had a single duty.

“Defend our land!” shouted Ilia as he bolted forward, turning into a streak of lightning as well. The high electricity sent Ilia faster than any eye can see, and his spear was aimed at Amelio’s heart.

“Humans’ wills,” muttered Amelio as his arms were restored to normal, “are breakable.”

“Lexus!” shouted Ilia Perli as Amelio punched toward his spear, and the weapon shone bright enough to blind the world. The heat coming from the lightning spear vaporized the ground beneath them, but Amelio was unharmed despite being inches away.

“Use,” spat the calamity, “less.”

The punch connected with the lightning, and the spear exploded as it struck Amelio. Ilia could feel the impact of the punch in his arm, making him almost let go of his weapon. However, Amelio struck with his leg, striking Ilia’s stomach.

Crack.

Boom!

“Gah,” blood gushed from Ilia’s mouth as his armor broke, and he was sent flying by the attack. His body whistled by as the rest of his men fought as well, before being sent flying.

“Major!” shouted the scholar knight before pulling Ilia towards him using his ability. “Are you alright?”

“This is… absurd…” muttered Ilia with a shaken expression. “My attack did no harm… at all…” coughed the Major and blood accompanied every fit.

“Healer Soul, Highest Grade!” shouted the scholar knight before a green light enveloped Ilia, healing his internal bleeding. If not for Lexus protecting him, then Ilia knew he would die.

“Relay this message to his majesty,” muttered Ilia Perli as stood up. “This calamity is undefeatable.”

***

Oren felt tired after striking the monsters down, unlike his usual self. His mana affinity always allowed him to recover mana faster than others, making him capable of fighting for a long time. However, now, he was tired even though Kody was still fine.

“You look pale, Oren,” said Maryam, the runemaster Arthur sent, with a frown. “I warned you about fighting with those wounds. Do you want to die?”

“I am… fine,” muttered Oren, as he knew he was not. Inwardly, he was worried that the method he used to defeat the Minotaur was not a dream and that Lancelot was the reason for this change.

‘Are you there?’ asked Oren inwardly, and a voice answered him.

‘Yes, master.’

Oren was silent as he realized that this wasn’t a bad dream. There was a ‘demon’ living within him, or that was what Oren thought at first. Now, he knows it was an Abyssal Spirit, as Lancelot told him.

‘Are you the one who is feeding on my mana?’

‘Correct, you are. The mana I had, I used.’

Oren didn’t want to listen to Lancelot talk in that bizarre manner, so he asked nothing more. The spirit was feeding off his mana because it used what mana it had in the earlier fight, letting Oren survive.

“Master Ronin’s villa is right ahead!” shouted Kody toward them after taking down the last monster. “There are no monsters from this point on!”

“They should be able to tell that this place has someone powerful within it,” said Maryam as she, without waiting for an answer, supported Oren. As he stared at her with surprise, the runemaster smiled at him for the first time. “Alexie asked me to take care of you, after all.”

“You have my gratitude,” said Oren with a nod, as he allowed her to help him. His wounds were still fresh, even though most of them have healed already. “Master Ronin and Melania should be there.”

The five walked toward the villa and tried to ring its bell. After not receiving an answer, Kody pushed the gate open and walked into the residence. The place was quiet, and the door was left open.

“Is someone there?” called Kody as the three walked through the hallways and the kids followed them with cluelessness. “Master Ronin? Miss Melania?”

“There are people in the backyard,” muttered Oren as he felt their presence. Kody nodded and led the way there, before opening the sliding door that oversaw the pond and tree.

“It seems you have visitors, Ronin,” said a voice Oren didn’t recognize, and once the three entered the backyard, they found Master Ronin sitting opposite a woman. “Are these your other children?”

“I never took a wife after you, June,” said Master Ronin with a frown. “I was waiting all this time, but never have I imagined that I would meet you like this.”