Book 1 Chapter 248

248

Hwaak-

A gust of wind swept through.

Leo tilted his head, avoiding the storm of aura that raged around him.

Then, he swung his arm.

Kwang-!

With a massive sound of auras colliding, Sian was sent flying.

"Kuhuk!"

Sian glared at Leo with wide-open eyes.

There was only one entrance to the chamber.

And Leo was guarding it.

Sian had already experienced the overwhelming difference in power earlier.

But…

'He broke through Artkhan to get here.'

Sian didn't think Artkhan had been defeated.

'He must have let him go to deal with Abamama. But he wouldn't have let him go easily.'

Sian knew Artkhan's abilities.

The divine power to retrieve corpses and make them move with the abilities they possessed in life.

'Dirge.'

Every time he cleared a Hero's world, Sian would test his newly acquired powers using Artkhan's divine power.

That's why he knew the power of his divine power well.

Indeed, Leo's body had many large and small wounds.

His face showed fatigue, and his shoulders heaved as if he were out of breath.

'Compared to him, I'm fine.'

Artkhan had perfectly restored his stamina.

'And now, I have the sword used by the Hero of the Beginning in my hand.'

This sword was not just hard and sharp.

Gripping the sword, Sian knew.

Weapons made by the divine blacksmith Dweono are called divine artifacts.

This is because they contain immense power that surpasses imagination.

'Even though I don't know how to use the power of this sword yet.'

Sian readjusted his grip on the sword.

'If I can use it, I can defeat Leo Frohb.'

With that thought, Sian pointed his sword at Leo.

"It would have been better for your well-being if you hadn't come here."

Tuk- tuk-

Leo took a step forward.

Sian flinched and stepped back.

However, he soon flushed and shouted indignantly.

"You should be prepared. It won't be the same as before."

"What's different?"

"I have the sword of the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, now."

At Sian's words, Leo looked at the sword Sian was holding.

It was a rather peculiar-shaped sword.

The blade was so short that it wouldn't be strange to call it a dagger.

But the hilt was as long as a typical longsword.

It was an odd sword with a blade-to-hilt ratio close to 1:1.

Of course, it wasn't the first time he had seen the sword.

"That sword is not the sword of the Hero of the Beginning."

"What?"

Sian's face contorted.

"That sword is named Erquinte. It's the sword of the Fairy Knight, Berquia."

Erquinte had a deeper connection to Luna than Kyle.

Originally, Erquinte was a sword Dweono gave to Luna.

Luna then gave her sword to her disciple, Berquia.

Although Berquia was also Kyle's disciple, so there was a connection, it was not the weapon of the Hero of the Beginning.

'By the way, you found it.'

Leo smiled bitterly.

Berquia had lost Erquinte in the Battle of Tarmetia.

It was the last battle the Great Hero participated in before leaving to subjugate Erebus.

Biharu had told Berquia, who was disheartened by losing the item her master had gifted her, that she would find the sword.

'It seems you couldn't return it.'

After Erebus was subjugated.

They must have had busy days rebuilding the world, following the will of their masters.

"Nonsense, why would my ancestors keep the sword of the Fairy Knight!"

"There must have been a reason. In any case, it's certain from Lumern's Heroology class that the sword is Erquinte."

Last year, Artian, a Heroology professor, had taught a class on the weapons of unknown heroes.

It included information about Erquinte.

"And you can't wield that sword properly."

At Leo's words, Sian's face contorted.

"Don't act so superior!"

Enraged, Sian charged at Leo.

A powerful aura burst forth from his body.

Kwagagag-!

Sian began to move at tremendous speed.

Moving so fast he was almost invisible, Sian aimed for Leo's vital points.

"You're tired! You won't be able to keep up with my movements!"

Taunting Leo, Sian accelerated even further.

Leo let out a light breath and raised his sword.

Swoosh- Thud-!

Sian's lips curled as he slashed Leo's back.

'I'll increase his small wounds like this.'

Sian quickly disappeared into the darkness, avoiding Leo's gaze.

The power of shadows.

Although he used the power of shadows, which he had once disdained, Sian didn't care.

What was important now was defeating the monster before him.

However, Sian's attack didn't last long.

Just before he concealed himself in the darkness, Leo had grabbed Sian's neck.

"H-how…!"

"Clumsy."

Leo said coldly, his red eyes flashing.

"Do you have anything else to show?"

Leo

Goooooo-!

The flames of Schrödinger erupted.

Seeing the flames that swelled as if to engulf the user, Sian's face turned pale.

Kwagagagag-!

Leo's flames burned Sian mercilessly.

"Kuh…."

Sian, who barely escaped, crawled on the floor and muttered.

"Impossible… This is absurd… I… I was chosen… I was born with the talent to become a Great Hero… Why…!"

Struggling weakly, Sian crawled towards the entrance, but Leo's foot blocked his path.

Sian's face turned pale.

"S-save me! You're a Hero candidate, aren't you? I'm Sia's family! Would a Hero candidate arbitrarily take the life of a friend's family?"

Flames-

Leo spat out flames as if it were not worth listening to.

Seeing this, Sian cried out urgently.

"I… I'm going to be a hero! You… you're going to be a hero too, aren't you? You're going to fight Tartarus, right? If even one strong person exists, it will be a great help later!"

"That's true, I suppose."

"Th-then…!"

Sian's face brightened at Leo's affirmation.

"But I don't know if you're that great of a guy."

Leo smiled faintly.

Sian instinctively knew that smile was a death sentence.

"And I certainly don't know if you're worth keeping alive."

Kaaaaaaah!

"Aaaahhhhh!"

The flames of the Phoenix engulfed Sian.

Sian, who had been writhing and rolling around the room, stopped moving and then vanished into ashes.

Leo picked up Erquinte, which was lying on the floor.

'If possible, I want to give it to Eiran.'

Eiran, the second-highest-ranked student in Seirun and a descendant of Berquia.

It would be best if Erquinte were entrusted to Eiran's hands.

'Biharu would want that too.'

Even if he couldn't return it to her directly, Biharu would surely want it to return to her descendant.

Leo looked around the ruined archive.

"What are these?"

"They are all… records of shadows."

At Chen Sia's explanation, Leo picked up a book lying on the floor.

As the contents unfolded, it described the deeds of a certain shadow.

"I see."

Leo nodded and carefully placed the records one by one into the bookshelf.

His actions looked like a tribute to a hero.

Chen Sia, who had been gazing blankly at his back for a moment, said.

"There was no need for Lord Leo to get his hands dirty."

"Is it really necessary to say that I got my hands dirty?"

Leo said calmly.

"It is only natural to punish a traitor."

"……."

"Let's go back. If we have more unexcused absences like this, it won't end with just a letter of apology."

"Thank you for coming to get me. I'm truly happy."

Chen Sia smiled bitterly.

"But I am a shadow. I cannot become a hero."

"Why?"

"The gods will never acknowledge me."

Chen Sia spread out her hand.

"I've done dirtier things than Lord Leo can imagine. And I'm a cruel woman."

Chen Sia smiled faintly.

"Even though Sian was a traitor, he was my twin. I can smile like this even after seeing him die."

No matter how deserving of death he was.

He was blood kin with whom she had spent her whole life.

Even though her blood kin had died, Chen Sia was unfazed.

"Are there any Hero candidates like me?"

"There wouldn't be."

"See? I'm not fit to be a Hero candidate."

Chen Sia's smile looked somewhat eerie.

"Will the gods acknowledge someone like me?"

"They won't."

"Yes, I'll never be able to make it onto the Hero Record…."

"But does that matter?"

"Huh?"

"Does the gods' acknowledgment matter so much?"

Chen Sia's eyes wavered at the unexpected answer.

"Didn't you enter Lumern to become a hero? Why did you want to become a hero?"

"…I wanted to be someone who helps many people."

Chen Sia replied, lowering her gaze.

"So? Do you not want to help people now that you think you can't become a hero?"

Chen Sia replied, flustered.

"N-no. In the way of shadows…"

"What way is there to helping people?"

Leo chuckled.

"If that heart hasn't changed, then you still want to be a hero."

Chen Sia's shoulders trembled.

"You will surely become a hero loved by the people. It doesn't matter if your name is on the Hero Record or not."

Her heart fluttered.

He affirmed her impure dream.

It was as if he was extending a hand to her, who hesitated to move forward with her feet submerged in darkness.

It was as if the darkness was receding from the dazzling light.

'This is why… I didn't want to meet him.'

She had made up her mind.

But seeing Leo affirm her own impure dream, that resolve crumbled in an instant.

She found herself reaching out towards the light without realizing it.

"Let's go back, to Lumern."

"…Yes!"

Chen Sia replied unconsciously.

'Even if I can't get my name on the Hero Record… I'll give it a try.'

What was important wasn't the Hero Record.

Realizing that, Chen Sia burst into laughter without her realizing it.

Leo, who had been chuckling at Chen Sia, paused.

'Divine power…?'

He turned his head with surprised eyes.

In the corner of the archive bookshelf.

He saw an old leather-bound book there.

Leo approached the bookshelf and took out the book.

'Aura Seal?'

Aura Seal.

It's the ability to infuse will into aura and leave it so that only the chosen one can open it.

'It's Biharu's aura.'

Leo felt his disciple's aura and raised a gray aura.

In response to Leo's aura, the seal was naturally released.

And what was inside…

"Hero Record…?"

Chen Sia exclaimed in surprise, looking at the page emitting divine power.

As Leo was flustered.

[Would you like to open your world?]

A message appeared before his eyes.

Leo looked surprised upon seeing it.

It was different from the Hero Records he had seen up until now.

He had entered Hero worlds many times, but this was the first time he had seen such a message.

'And it says 'my world'?'

Leo, flustered, answered with his will.

'No.'

With those words, the message disappeared.

Leo looked down at the Hero Record.

The page of the hero before him held a powerful divine power.

It was as if he were looking at a complete Hero Record.

Chen Sia, who had rushed to Leo's side to confirm the contents of the Hero Record, gaped.

"This… looks like a record of shadows?"

The deeds recorded in the Hero Record.

Although the name was erased, it was full of the extermination of traitors.

Although he considered it a fake, to a Lumern student, this Hero Record was real.

"What on earth…"

Seeing Chen Sia's surprise, Leo tightened his grip.

'It's… my record.'

The contents of the pages were all things Leo had done during Kyle's time.

'I see….'

Looking at the Hero Record, Leo understood the situation.

'Biharu must have taken all my records as a shadow.'

Among the Great Heroes, only Kyle had exterminated traitors.

Of course, there were many records that were unpleasant to see.

Someone had to do it, but there was no guarantee that everyone would understand.

If this record had remained intact and passed down to future generations, he would have been remembered as a Great Hero who did dirty work compared to his other friends.

Biharu did not want her master to be recorded in such a way.

'So she hid it?'

He smiled bitterly.

'I wish she had left it as it was.'

Then perhaps shadows would not have been disrespected.

If it had been known that even Great Heroes worked in the darkness for the sake of the world.

If it had been known that their achievements as shadows were recognized by the gods.

The current treatment of shadows might have been different.

'Biharu might not have disappeared into the pages of history either.'

It was when Leo let out a deep sigh.

Rustle-

The pages suddenly began to turn automatically.

And then, a blank page was created at the end.

'What is this…?'

[Would you like to record the Hero's deeds?]

Leo narrowed his eyes, seeing the message that appeared before him.

Chen Sia, bewildered by the unprecedented situation, looked at the blank page.

'Record.'

The moment Leo thought that.

Biharu

Biharu's name appeared at the top of the page, and her deeds began to be recorded on the page.

Woong-!

The Hero Record glowed and floated in the air.

Grind- grind- grind-

The records of shadows, which had been placed on the bookshelf, began to shake and were all pulled out.

The shadow records swirled around the Hero Record.

Woong- Woong-! Rustle-!

Pure white light emanated from the Hero Record.

The shadow records were all sucked into the Hero Record.

Fah-!

A powerful light filled the space and then disappeared.

The shadow records that had filled the archive were also gone.

"W-what is this?"

As Chen Sia was surprised.

A large book fell from the air.

Thump-!

A book with a black cover fell onto Leo's hand.

Chen Sia's mouth dropped open when she saw the cover.

Leo stroked the cover.

'I see.'

Leo let out a hollow laugh.

Fibua's words came to mind.

The Hero Record belonged to Kyle.

Which means…

'Does that mean I have the right to record?'

[Hero Record - Book of Shadows]

It was the moment the deeds of the shadows who had worked in darkness their entire lives were recognized.