Book 1 Chapter 113

[113] 112.

"You can stay here tonight."

Agon, the man who had attacked Leo and Ar, led the two to an old house.

This was the southern tip of Leisar.

It was a place called the 'Cursed Land' in the giant refugee city.

The central government of Leisar had also made this an off-limits area.

The residents had left long ago, and there were even rumors of monsters appearing.

Thanks to that, vacant houses were abundant, and this house was one of them.

"I'll come back again tomorrow morning."

With those words, Agon left the house.

Thanks to mentioning Arion's name, they were able to avoid a fight, but Agon still didn't let his guard down against Leo and Ar.

Leo, who had laid Ar down in a corner of the room, looked out the window.

A foreboding red moon was visible.

'I still can't get used to seeing that damned moon.'

If the gray sky symbolized the day of the era of calamity, that foreboding red moon symbolized the night of the era of calamity.

The moon, which he saw again after 15 years, was still chilling and ominous.

'Well then.'

Leo left the house.

Using Aura Step, Leo lightly leaped onto the roof and ran towards the southern wall of Leisar.

As it was an area outside the central government's control, there were no guards as Leo remembered.

Reaching the wall, Leo stretched his hand out towards the outside of Leisar.

Thump-!

Leo's hand was blocked as if hitting an invisible wall.

"Is the only area where activity is permitted in this world Leisar?"

Leo recalled the contents of his Hero Studies class.

'Even if it feels real, the world of heroes is ultimately fake. That's why their scope of activity is limited like this?'

If this world of heroes had already been conquered several times, there would be no need for such verification.

However, Leo and Ar were the first to enter this world of heroes.

When you enter a world whose conquest method you don't know, the top priority is to understand your scope of activity.

Leo attempted to communicate with the outside again.

"This is Kyle. Please respond."

There was still no response.

Leo narrowed his eyes and looked at the air.

[Conquest Objective: Find Arion in Leisar.]

'The conquest objective is still the same.'

During the midterm exams, the conquest objective didn't appear until he defeated Chubarun.

'So it's not a rampage. Then why can't the outside control the world of heroes?'

Leo recalled the situation before entering the world of heroes.

'When I touched it, Arion's page reacted.'

Leo thought of a hypothesis.

'The key known to open the world of heroes is the master of the world, or an object closely related to the master. These are also meant to control the world of heroes. But what if there's one more key? For example, a person with a deep connection?'

Of course, if such a rule existed, it would have been discovered.

However, Leo had always shown differences from others when conquering the world of heroes.

He obtained conquest rewards twice in the world of Albi, where conquest rewards normally don't exist.

And both times, the rewards were unrelated to Albi.

'If Arion's world opened because of me, then it explains why the outside can't control this world.'

The means of control are internal, not external.

Of course, it could be a mere guess.

But…

Leo looked down at his hands.

'Is it really a coincidence that I was reincarnated with my memories?'

There were many great heroes in the era of calamity as well.

A world heading towards destruction.

Numerous people called heroes joined forces to save the world.

But they all met tragic ends, and everyone eventually fell into despair.

To the point where those who claimed they would save the world were called 'fools.'

Lisinas, Kyle, Luna, Arion, and Dwenno finally achieved that impossible feat.

That's why the gods praise them as great heroes.

It was a feat only they could accomplish.

'What if it's not just a coincidence that I was reborn with my memories?'

Kyle, the last hero of the era of calamity and the hero of the beginning who opened the current era, did not achieve that feat alone.

It was possible because he inherited the power of his friends.

If the Hero Record is a provision for a great hero to be reborn in the future?

'If I can inherit their power once more…'

Leo clenched his fist and thought.

'The complete subjugation of Erebus is not impossible.'

***

"Ugh!"

Ar clutched his throbbing head.

He was groggy but recalled his last memory before losing consciousness.

Ar's ears and tail perked up, and he scanned his surroundings warily.

"Huh?"

But it was just an unfamiliar house.

Realizing there was nothing to be wary of, he tilted his head.

Turning his head, Ar quickly approached Leo, who was sleeping in a corner.

"Wake up! Black Rabbit."

"Ah, you're awake?"

"What happened yesterday? Who was that man?"

"There was a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?"

"Yes. It seems that man mistook us for intruders yesterday. But I resolved it through conversation."

"I see."

"By the way, are you okay? That man was very strong yesterday."

"I'm strong!"

Ar flexed his arm as if it were nothing and laughed cheerfully.

'He must have been quite shocked?'

Although a beastkin known for his sturdiness, Agon, whom Ar fought yesterday, was an incredibly powerful individual.

Agon.

He was one of the renowned heroes who had been active since before the era of calamity.

After Erebus began to stir and the era of calamity began, he built even more fame by defeating numerous demons.

In fact, as recently as six years before the current time, the sky above the battlefield where he fought was blue.

That's why he was given the name [Guardian of the Azure Sky].

But even such a hero couldn't ultimately stop the advance of Erebus and Tartarus, and they were defeated.

'And they flowed into Leisar and settled here.'

Although he had left the battlefield now, that didn't mean the skills he acquired fighting on the front lines of the era of calamity had disappeared.

Despite being defeated by him, Ar was remarkably unharmed.

His wounds had already healed.

Even considering the sturdiness and vitality of a beastkin, it was astonishing.

"Hooh?"

As Leo exclaimed in admiration and looked at him, Ar puffed out his chest proudly.

"What? Are you admiring my beautiful form again?"

"I thought you'd make a good shield because you're so sturdy."

"Who are you calling a shield! You rude bunny-faced brat!"

Ar, with narrowed eyes, lunged at Leo.

It was then, as Leo blocked Ar with his outstretched hand, that…

Creak-

The door opened, and Agon entered.

Ar tensed up immediately.

Even though it was a misunderstanding, the memory of being suddenly attacked yesterday remained, and it was an instinctive reaction.

Seeing Ar like that, Agon showed a surprised expression.

"You've already recovered? Did you use a potion or something?"

"It's natural healing ability."

"Astonishing."

Agon marveled at Ar, who answered while remaining wary.

Then, he carefully observed Leo and Ar and his expression hardened.

"You're younger than I thought."

Agon, showing a slightly perplexed expression, then said with a blank face.

"Follow me. As an apology for what happened yesterday, I'll treat you to breakfast."

With those words, Agon left the house.

Watching his retreating back, Ar narrowed his eyes.

"He's going to brush off yesterday's incident with just breakfast? It's a good thing it was me. If it were a weak wolf, they'd still be groaning."

"A weak wolf? You mean that friend you seemed close to yesterday?"

"We're not close!"

Ar glared at Leo, crossed his arms, and scoffed.

"It's suspicious that he suddenly offers us a meal after attacking us yesterday. How about we just leave?"

"He doesn't seem like a bad person."

"Black Rabbit. You're surprisingly soft-hearted, aren't you? You shouldn't judge people by their appearance. Even if he's being so kind now, he could turn at any moment…"

Gurgle-

Ar's face turned red as he lectured Leo with a serious expression.

Thinking about it, he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday.

"Let's eat first."

"Still…"

"We're in the world of heroes. We don't know what will happen when, so we need to maintain our stamina as much as possible."

"Ugh."

Ar could offer no rebuttal to Leo's words.

Leo smiled as he looked at Ar.

"And don't worry. That person seems to know Arion."

"What? Really?"

'Not just know him, he's Arion's teacher.'

Leo muttered inwardly and followed Agon.

Agon was a father-like figure who took in Arion, an orphan, when he was young and shaped Arion's values as a hero.

The fact that the current [Brave] exists is thanks to the noble man named Agon.

Agon, not Arion, was originally the person the Kyle's party intended to recruit into the subjugation team.

'Although his will was broken when we first met.'

When Kyle's party arrived in Leisar, Agon was nowhere near the reputation of the Guardian of the Azure Sky.

Compared to that time, Agon now was in good condition.

Arion didn't know the reason for this either, so it remained a mystery.

***

They followed Agon to a wide open space.

Ar, upon arriving at the open space, gaped.

"W-What is this!"

In the open space, children were eating.

Humans, beastkin, dwarves, elves.

They were of various races and ages.

But the commonality was that they were all much younger and skinnier than Leo and Ar.

"Uncle Agon! Have some breakfast!"

An elf girl, who appeared to be the oldest, approached with a bright smile.

Of course, she looked no older than twelve or thirteen.

"Who are the older sister and brother over there?"

"They are guests. I've had enough, so feed these two."

The elf girl nodded as if understanding.

"Sister, Brother. Come here. I'll give you breakfast."

Ar lowered his head, looking at the elf girl who approached with a mature expression unbecoming of her age.

After trembling for a moment, she suddenly raised her head and shouted.

"Uncle! I misunderstood! You're a good person!"

Ar's tearful shout momentarily flustered even Agon, who had seen it all.

Leo, chuckling at Ar, looked at the children sitting in the open space.

Then, he spotted a girl with black hair sitting in a corner and looked surprised.

'No way?'

Leo stared intently at the girl.

At that moment, the girl seemed to notice Leo's presence and raised her head.

Then, she tilted her head as if finding it strange.

The girl didn't know Leo, but Leo knew the girl well.

No, it wasn't just knowing.

Leo rubbed the back of his right hand.

The great spirit he had contracted with in the past.

'Shadow Spirit Elsi.'