Xylex.

The continent, situated in the South and is mainly known for its trade and agriculture.

Despite being the densest continent and, from land mass perspective, the biggest one, Xylex wasn't much resourceful at any time, world crisis erupted.

In the past, the continent, which had the divine protection of the heavenly beast Scylun, seldom actively participated in any conflict.

Like the ancestors, the current emperor of Xylex, Thannath Seiya Exylam, doesn't interact much with worldly affairs, although they have a friendly relationship with the other six continents.

Given the rate of superhumans and magicians, Xylex brings up every year; the rest of the world has considered this land of granary as the weakest continent of them all.

But very few people know that the continent, which adores the tag of being weakest, has taken a step that would result in a leap in its power equilibrium. A single lead would shake the world hierarchy and unsettle the world balance.

Hero Summoning.

The ancient myth, which now has become a part of children's tales and storybooks, has been reanimated.

The folklore verifies that in the distant past, there came a time when the darkness over the world spread beyond the capability of any human, then came the idea of Hero Summoning.

The ancient Runic technique, which requires a sacrifice of hundreds of offerings and a colossal amount of mana, ignites the spell and calls the hero from an indefinite space.

Since the techniques required sacrifices and runes, which weren't found in ages, no kingdom took an interest in it. And the Morach of Darkness being dormant past these many years also negated the need to summon a hero.

How Xylex was able to recreate the Mythic Grade spell and summoned not one but five heroes at the same time was something only the kingdom's top council was aware of.

Now why the summoning hero was so overly evaluated and required such a high grade of investment?

Simple. It's the power boost the summoned heroes are bestowed along with the transfer of worlds. 

The monstrous strength and unparalleled skills they get with the summoning ritual, makes them unique commodity who can easily overwhelm every battlefield they step upon.

Now the question arises, at what price did Emperor Thannath bring so many catastrophic entities into this world?

_______________________ 

"Please remind me, why these two are here?"

With annoyance clearly blended in her voice, the platinum-haired saint asked the person beside her as she looked at a duo in front.

"Because I need the hero's face so all the blame can be drawn upon him while I do the work from the background."

Austin, with a wry smile, explained to his not-so-happy lover, as the trip to Xylex was primarily planned for only Luna and Austin.

"It's rude to use my Kyou-kun as a puppet, Austin."

The one who pouted was the olive-haired girl Sicily as she countered Austin's non-fabricated words while clinging to the man beside her.

"It's okay, Sicily. We both know what he meant."

Kyouki tried to calm Sicily down as he also understood why in the first place, Austin told him about this plan and asked them to come along, unlike the last time when Austin deliberately manipulated him into going to the Northern Empire.

Luna was also aware of Austin's plan and how he wanted to work, but being unable to enjoy their honeymoon made her mood extremely sour.

But then again, she had an eternity to spend with Austin, so these kinds of chances would come again.

'But still, I wanted to be alone with you...'

Wiping her non-existent tears, Luna asked Austin which was most concerning in hand.

"What's our next move, Austin?"

The room, which was lively for some seconds, turned heavier with Luna's query as it indeed wasn't a causal trip of these four in this foreign land.

They were here to initiate a war. To take vengeance and to accomplish something. It might sound childish to think that a group of mere teenagers was trying to rival a whole nation, but neither of these four was going to back down; when they reached this point.

"Hmm...plan, huh."

Austin got up before he lifted a round table from the corner of the room and placed it in the center for everyone's convenience. 

Gliding his hand over the round table, a brownish sheet of paper which by texture and designs carved on it, looked like a map, appeared out of nowhere.

Sicily's eyes sparkled at such fluency and peculiar affinity with magic, before she asked subconsciously. 

"Austin.I never got the chance to ask...but are you proficient with Space Magic too?"

Kyouki had the same question, but sensing the ominous stare from the left of Austin, he held back his urge to ask.

"Aren't you getting too interested in someone else's man?"

Kyouki felt daggers piercing his heart as he heard Luna committing herself for Austin but naturally, he didn't let it become evident from his expression.

"Wha-me? Of course not! I don't look anyone other than my Kyou-kun!"

Kyouki felt some of the holes in his heart getting healed from Sicily's gentle words as he smiled thinly.

Austin, on the other side, was silently watching the banter as he thought whether it was really okay for him to bring the duo along.

But as he said, he needed an identifiable face who would take the final blow on Xylex and can get the fame all for himself.

Austin wanted vengeance but being in the spotlight wasn't his thing. 

Well, what happened back in Eden Academy was the result of his clouded mind which became like that after he saw Luna in such a state.

But now, things were different, and so would Austin's approach.

"Listen carefully...."

______________________ 

"Has the hero left the territory already?"

"Yes, sir. She didn't use the portal; instead chose to run all the way to Gram."

Two men adorning extravagant attire walked into a massive hall as the man walking at the back answered the high and majestic, Emperor of Xylex.

The heated topic around the palace and in the upper echelon of the kingdom was their Summoned Hero's departure for Gram.

It was the first time when the Hero, whose name no one had heard until now, went outside the territory since her summoning.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go out; instead, she was shackled with the kingdom and only can move out on command.

"Hmm...well, she is a freak then she-ah!!"

Suddenly Thannath's steps came to an abrupt halt as his eyes started illuminating with a greenish glow, and his mouth parted like something was about to be released.

The man beside Thannath looked at his majesty's sudden change before he chanted a spell and erected a barrier around the Blond-Haired Emperor.

"Guards!!! Protect the king!"

The man shouted in a heavy pitch before from the shadows emerged a group of more than a dozen black metal cladding warriors as they stood with their back facing the barrier and front focused on their surroundings

The way the Nobel commanded the guards and invoked the spell, signified that it wasn't the first time for Thannath to fall into such a state.

But it doesn't mean that these occurrences rang any fortune bells.

'I hope my lord returns safely...'

____________________ 

Infinite space. 

That was the only thing Thannath could see in the space he gets forcibly pulled toward often these days.

His eyes were normal here, unlike his original body, which still was in the main hall of his palace. With his breathing slightly unsteady, signifying the anxious state of mind, Thannath heard the voice he could never get used to.

[I warned, yet you failed.]

The heavy and condemning tone, which by such a glimpse, anyone could tell that it didn't belong to a human, resonated in the void space.

Thannath shuddered upon hearing the voice of the creature he had been interacting since not so long. 

"Should I kowtow in apology?"

Even though he tried to sound casual, his shaken parts of speech made it evident how scared he was currently.

And it was to be expected from someone who hasn't even breached the territory of Unique Rank until now. 

[Dare to talk back, and I will make sure what you cherish would cease to exist.]

Thannath didn't speak nor sneered as he knew what the voice told was all in its capabilities. 

For a deity, Thannath's whole kingdom would be a speck of dust that could be wiped anytime desired.

[At least not everything went wrong.]

Thannath's eyes blinked in perplexion as he stared at his front, even though there was nothing to keep his eyes on.

"What?"

[Celeria's descendant is here. Make necessary preparation and lure her to me...]

The Emperor's eyes went wide in shock as he hurriedly asked the first thing that came to his mind.

"The Saintess of Gram is here?!!"

But before even his word could have been uttered completely, the white space around him started fading.

Thannath gritted his teeth in frustration as his vision darkened just before he heard a familiar voice calling out for him.

"My lord...are you awake now?"

Slowly parting his lids, Thannath caught the nervous gaze of his trusted minister. Still, instead of quelling the bespectacled minister's worries, the first words he spoke made the minister even more anxious.

"Summon Yuuske and send our spies to the town. We have been ambushed."

_____________________ 

A/N:- Mystery would be unraveled, so don't worry and keep hanging with it~