Book 1 Chapter 227

227

'It can't be the real thing…'

Leo gripped his hand tightly as he looked at the fragment of Brave.

Brave.

It was the beloved sword of the hero Aron, and the most famous weapon he had ever used.

"Is this Brave?"

Dorberman narrowed his eyes.

"Brave is known as the hero's sword that never breaks, yet this sword is broken."

'A sword that never breaks…'

Hearing Dorberman's words, Leo closed his eyes.

And let out a deep sigh in his heart.

"That's right! I heard it's a sword that never breaks as long as you don't lose your courage!"

"Indeed! Ar! That's a splendid mindset, worthy of a descendant of a hero!"

Dorberman crossed his arms, nodded in satisfaction, and then said,

"If only those scrawny limbs were a bit more 강화, you'd have an even more magnificent presence."

"I don't need unnecessarily bulging muscles."

"A strong body is a symbol of strength and beauty."

"My body is already strong and beautiful!!"

Ar declared proudly.

'A conversation between muscle-brained individuals.'

Leo sighed inwardly as he watched the wolf who was advising and the cat who was responding firmly.

"There is no such thing as a sword that never breaks. Any sword will break when it reaches its limit."

Leo sighed deeply.

"Moreover, if Brave truly never broke, the real one would have remained."

"Hmm. That's a plausible argument, but it's hard to believe that the sword symbolizing the hero Aron was broken."

Dorberman stroked his chin.

"After all, the last expedition of the great heroes is hardly known."

The deeds of the great heroes were relatively well-documented.

Kyle's story was largely erased by Tartarus in the depths of history.

However, only Kyle's name was excluded.

The significant battles in which Kyle participated were recorded.

But the last expedition remained an unknown territory.

'Even the recorded Hero Records barely mention that time.'

That's why the stories of how the great heroes defeated Erebus differed by race.

"Ar. And Leo. Didn't you two actually talk with Aron for a long time?"

'Not only did we talk for a long time, but we fought together for a long time.'

Leo laughed bitterly inwardly, and Ar nodded vigorously.

"The Aron I met hadn't obtained Brave yet, though."

"Yes. You said it was Aron before he joined the expeditionary force. What was he like then?"

The Aron Ar saw was a timid boy who, upon seeing Ar covered in blood, recoiled in fear and shouted not to come any closer.

To Dorberman's question, Ar took a deep breath.

Then, clenching his fist tightly, he shouted.

"Aron was a spirited, valiant, and magnificent man who would not succumb to evil!"

"Indeed! Just like in the stories! He was exceptional even from a young age!"

Leo felt a headache coming on.

It seemed this fool remembered his memories of Aron quite distortedly.

'Anyway, beastmen are as simple now as they were in the past.'

Leo, pressing his temples as he looked at the students of Azonia, said.

"Anyway, where did this fragment of Brave come from? Was a new, unknown Hero Record of a hero discovered?"

At Leo's question, Ar perked up his ears.

Dorberman also widened his eyes.

He hadn't yet acknowledged that this sword fragment was Brave.

However, if this fragment was indeed from Brave and deeply connected to the Hero Records, then it made sense that the Empire of Lodren had invited the two students representing Azonia here.

"A new Hero Record has not been discovered. However, a question arose regarding Brave, and we invited the two of you from Azonia to seek your counsel."

At Cherna's words, Dorberman crossed his arms.

"If it's a matter related to Azonia, why is Leo Phlove here?"

"Black Rabbit! Are you transferring to our school?"

"No."

"You were summoned because we judged you would be helpful in this matter."

Cherna said, looking alternately at Leo and Ar.

"Leo Phlove, Ar Tune. You two conquered the hero's world last summer. As a reward, Ar Tune, you gained the power to use sign language at will. Is that correct?"

At Cherna's words, Ar's tail stiffened.

Dorberman looked at Cherna with surprised eyes.

That fact was considered top secret within Azonia.

The only students aware of this information were the former student council president who had already graduated and Dorberman, who had just taken office.

This information was so strictly hidden that even very few instructors knew about it.

Since permanent sign language was known to be exclusively possessed by the hero Aron, its revelation to the outside world could cause confusion, so Azonia had chosen to conceal it for the time being.

It was no wonder Dorberman was surprised that an outsider like Cherna knew it.

"Don't be surprised. It's information provided by Azonia."

Cherna's expression turned serious.

"This Brave was obtained as spoils of war after defeating a 'Hero Hunter'."

As the term Hero Hunter was mentioned, a murderous aura flickered in Dorberman's eyes.

Hero Hunter.

A faction that formed one pillar of Tartarus's forces.

Those who hunted heroes.

They were not demons.

A group of traitors tainted by darkness.

They once aspired to be heroes but fell, turning their swords against the heroes.

'Well, there were such guys in the past too.'

Leo, with his arms crossed, narrowed his eyes.

"This is Brave, but it's not the real thing. It's a fake obtained as a reward for conquering the hero's world."

At Cherna's words, Dorberman's face hardened.

Ar flinched, his shoulders trembling, and asked.

"Does that mean… the Hero Hunters conquered Aron's world, which was unknown to the public?"

The appearance of Brave was already famous.

It was one of the world's most renowned swords, and its power was well-known through the Hero Records.

Brave, shining brilliantly in Aron's hand, was a symbol of the hero and a symbol of the courage of heroes.

However, the rewards for conquering had never been Brave until now.

"Yes, the important part starts now."

Cherna took a deep breath.

"The Hero Hunter who used the sword was a beastman. And he used sign language on a night when the full moon was not out."

"……!"

At those words, everyone's eyes widened.

"Ar Tune. This means there's a beastman in this world, other than you, who can use sign language whenever they please."

At Cherna's words, Leo narrowed his eyes.

'Permanent sign language.'

A skill that any beastman who had mastered Aron's breathing could use.

However, there were no such beastmen 5,000 years ago.

Nor were there any for thousands of years after Aron's death.

Ar himself only gained the ability to use sign language with the help of the Hero Records.

Leo examined the fragment of Brave closely.

Faintly, he could feel Aron's aura.

"Was the Hero Hunter able to use sign language… because of Brave's power?"

"Exactly."

Cherna narrowed her eyes at Leo's question.

"He went berserk using sign language. But as soon as Brave was damaged, the sign language disappeared."

Cherna tapped the fragment of Brave.

"Ar Tune, they say your sign language awakens the blood of a beastman through a special flow of aura. I want you to investigate if this fragment of Brave has such power. And Leo."

Cherna looked at Leo.

"I heard you also received a similar reward for conquering. Although you are not a beastman and cannot use sign language, I thought you might be able to help uncover the secret of this sword's efficacy, so I arranged this meeting."

"May I touch it?"

"Of course."

With Cherna's permission, Leo reached out and grasped the fragment of Brave.

Aron's aura, faintly dormant in the sword, reacted.

'If a mere fragment holds this much power… it's no exaggeration to say that the complete sword would have held Aron's aura itself.'

Leo knew Brave well.

One of the strongest swords created by Dwenow.

Although it broke in Aron's final battle, its power, durability.

And its effects were well known.

'Brave didn't have the ability to turn beastmen into sign language users. Was this ability added when it became a Hero Record reward?'

This sometimes happened.

The three rewards obtainable by conquering Hero Records.

Hero Skill, Hero Ability, Hero Weapon.

Among these, when a Hero Weapon was obtained as a reward, it sometimes possessed abilities that were not originally inherent in the weapon.

"Black Rabbit, let me touch it too."

Ar, who had come next to Leo, reached out and touched the fragment of Brave.

At that moment.

Whoosh-!

"Unyaak?"

A golden light flashed, and Ar let out a scream.

Everyone looked at Ar with surprised eyes.

Sharp claws had appeared on Ar's hand.

His eyes had turned feline.

His overall impression became fierce.

'Beast transformation?'

Ar hastily withdrew his hand from the fragment of Brave.

Ar, whose beast transformation had receded, looked at his hand and the fragment of Brave in surprise.

Dorberman carefully picked up the fragment of Brave that had fallen to the floor.

It showed no particular reaction.

"Why did it only react to Ar?"

Leo narrowed his eyes as he looked at Dorberman, who had a puzzled expression.

For several hours afterward, the investigation into the fragment of Brave continued.

The conclusion reached was singular.

The fragment of Brave reacted to Ar.

"The available data is limited."

Cherna narrowed her eyes.

"Could you stay in the empire for a few more days?"

"If it concerns Aron, as a student of Azonia, I will cooperate fully."

Cherna smiled gratefully as she watched Dorberman bow his head.

"Ar, let's go back to the dormitory."

"Yes."

Ar snapped a salute and was about to follow Dorberman.

"Uniaaaak?"

He let out a scream and jumped up.

"You. You're going to talk to me."

Leo had grabbed Ar's tail and was pulling it.

"How dare you pull a lady's tail!"

Ar hissed and lunged at Leo.

Leo held Ar's face to stop him and said to Dorberman.

"May I speak with Ar for a moment?"

"You can discuss transferring with me, you know?"

"That's not what this is about."

"Hmm."

Dorberman, whose massive muscles rippled, looked alternately at Leo and Ar, then flashed a lewd smile that belied his size.

By now, the sun had set.

"It's a good time."

Dorberman waved goodbye and left.

Ar's eyes widened, and his tail wagged.

With only the two of them left in the hallway, Ar asked.

"What is it? Black Rabbit. What are you planning to do alone at this hour?"

"You."

Leo clicked his tongue.

"You still can't properly control your sign language ability, can you?"

"Huh?"

"Let me check. How well have you learned to control sign language."

***

"This must be the place."

Late at night, Sedgen clicked his tongue low as he looked at the hut before him.

One of the professors, Lumern, spoke to Sedgen.

"Professor Sedgen. Outsiders will absolutely not understand."

As he looked at his worried junior professor, Sedgen said.

"The views of outsiders are irrelevant. The chairman's permission is what matters."

Sedgen, speaking calmly, approached the hut.

Knock-knock-

"Riina. It's Sedgen. Open the door."

Despite Sedgen's words, there was no response.

Light seeped from the hut's window.

She wasn't absent.

Professor Lumern looked puzzled, and Sedgen clicked his tongue and opened the door.

*Creaaak!* *Clang!* *Rumble!*

As soon as the door opened, empty bottles rolled out.

A terrible smell of alcohol assailed their nostrils.

Sedgen let out a deep sigh and saw a woman lying face down on the center of the living room's wooden desk, holding a bottle.

"Riina. Get up."

"Sedgen?"

The woman called Riina was a beautiful young woman.

Silver hair and golden eyes.

However, she was of the same generation as Sedgen.

"What brings you here?"

As Sedgen looked at Riina, who was exhaling the smell of alcohol while yawning lazily, he took out an appointment letter from his pocket.

"Read this."

Riina read the appointment letter with a face still groggy from drink.

"Principal? Me?"

She let out a small laugh and carefully folded the appointment letter and put it in an envelope.

"Hey, Sedgen. I'm not a famous professor like you or Halind. Nor am I listed in the Hero Records, and certainly not famous to the public."

Riina, with a nonchalant smile, popped open a bottle of alcohol and gulped it down.

"All I know how to do is take the heads of traitors."

Riina Flix.

She was a woman who graduated from Lumern in the same year as Sedgen and Halind.

However, she chose darkness instead of the bright light given to hero candidates.

She was a hunter who, from the shadows, hunted the traitors and Hero Hunters who threatened the world.

"That's why I need you."

Sedgen smiled faintly.

"Lumern needs a strong principal to protect the students right now."

At those words, Riina sighed and scratched her head vigorously.

"Alright. But I'm doing it my way. The fact that you intended to recommend me as principal means you'll let me do as I please, right?"

"As you wish."

Riina squinted as she looked at Sedgen's faint smile.

'I've felt this way since long ago. Sometimes this guy seems more problematic than Halind.'