Book 1 Chapter 284
284
Gurgle gurgle gurgle!
“……!”
Suddenly, water entered his mouth and nose.
Ar, eyes wide open, began to thrash about wildly.
“Puwah! Cough! Cough!”
Ar, who barely managed to get above the water, coughed wildly.
“Is everyone safe?!”
An urgent voice came from beside him.
He turned his head to see Kal also pushing his face above the surface of the water.
“I, I’m fine!”
Eiran’s urgent voice was heard.
“First, let’s get out of the water!”
With those words, Kal used Fly magic.
Eiran also used magic to float his body.
Ar stood on the water using Aura Step.
The three, who had escaped the water using their own methods, dried themselves.
“Where are the black rabbit, the representative of Seirun, and the dwarf with the weird way of speaking?”
*Rustle-!*
As Ar asked, shaking his body to get rid of the water, Eiran wrung out his uniform and replied.
“W-well. They don’t seem to be around.”
Eiran, urgently looking around, wore a serious expression.
“A-anyway, we’ve entered Dweno-nim’s Hero Record, right?”
“Yes. The message clearly said so.”
Ar wore a tense expression.
Seeing that, Kal opened a sub-space.
“First, wipe yourself with this. Your current appearance is a bit too stimulating for a teenage boy.”
As Kal said, Ar and Eiran’s uniforms clung tightly to their bodies, revealing their figures.
At Kal’s words, Eiran took Kal’s towel with an embarrassed expression.
“Hmph, you must be getting flustered by this big sister’s appearance!”
“Uh, yeah.”
“What’s with that rudely indifferent reaction?!”
Ar bared his fangs, extended his claws, and glared, but Kal couldn’t help it.
Compared to Eiran, her curves were sadly non-existent.
He also handed a towel to the hissing Ar.
“Wow, this towel. It’s amazing. It gets you completely dry just by wiping!”
Eiran admired the towel that absorbed water as if sucking it in.
Seeing Eiran instantly return to her original appearance, Ar also wiped herself with the towel Kal gave her and marveled.
“Hmph, it’s a product I made. It’s disposable. It’s popular among the female students at our school.”
Especially in Noble, where Kal belonged, there were many noble young ladies, making it even more popular.
“Anyway, we need to quickly rendezvous with Leo, Lunia, and Driana…”
Kal, returning to the main topic, spoke and looked up at the sky.
And his face hardened.
It wasn't just Kal.
Eiran also looked slightly pale.
An ash-gray sky, unimaginable in the current era, unfolded before them.
Kal gulped dry saliva.
It was natural, having entered Dweno’s hero world.
‘The era we are in now is the Era of Calamity.’
An era heard countless times through numerous texts.
From the testimonies of heroes who conquered the distant hero world, they could indirectly know the sky of that era.
That’s why he thought he knew.
But the ash-gray sky, seen directly, was enough to instill an instinctive fear in Kal.
‘This is… proof that the world is perishing.’
Countless heroes who left their names in history.
Among them, a landscape that only the chosen ones could see.
The sky seemed to be speaking.
It’s still too early for you.
Eiran also flinched, as if intimidated.
“Indeed… that sky is scary.”
Ar, who had experienced it once, also muttered in a tense voice.
“First, let’s check the objective.”
Ar said calmly.
At Ar’s words, the two nodded and activated their consciousness to check the objective.
[Objective: -]
“Ugh!”
But seeing the objective message that appeared before their eyes, Kal shrieked.
The objective was blank.
Ar and Eiran also looked perplexed.
Even for the three, who had experience in the hero world, it was the first time the objective was blank.
“An unusual situation… could it be a Hero Dungeon?”
Ar wore a serious expression.
The objective was the core of conquering the hero world.
Usually, the conquest is achieved based on the objective, but now the objective was blank.
“Now that you mention it, it was strange when we entered the hero world, too, wasn’t it?”
It was mentioned in the message that it was Dweno’s world, but the specific event was obscured.
“Let’s investigate first.”
“Alright.”
They quickly thought of what to do.
And just as they were about to move.
*Fwooosh-!*
“……!”
Armed individuals quickly surrounded the three.
Accordingly, the three naturally took on a combat stance.
“Suspicious individuals!”
“How dare you intrude upon the Spirit Lake! Identify yourselves!”
“Are you Tartarus’s spies?!”
The three were surprised to see various races showing vigilance.
‘If this is the Era of Calamity, is this normal?’
Kal quickly assessed the situation, lowered his guard, and raised both hands.
“Just a moment. We are not suspicious people.”
“Yes, we just got lost.”
Eiran also said cautiously.
“Don’t lie! This is the city’s water source! It is thoroughly guarded! It’s impossible to get lost and enter here!”
A human, who appeared to be the captain, raised his voice.
Seeing that, Kal wore a troubled expression.
“I think it would be best to just follow these people’s words for now?”
“I think so too.”
“Can’t be helped. If things go wrong, let’s look for a chance to escape.”
It was when the three were about to be apprehended.
“Put away your weapons. Those children are not Tartarus’s spies.”
A gentle voice came from behind.
Kal and Eiran looked puzzled.
But Ar’s ears perked up.
Ar had heard this voice before.
A beast-man youth emerged, pushing past the armed guards.
It was a white wolf beast-man.
Roughly grown white hair and sharp golden eyes.
Kal and Eiran’s bodies trembled.
It was someone they knew very well.
One of the great heroes who saved the world.
‘The Hero… Arion!’
‘It’s Dweno-nim’s world, but why is the Hero here!’
A legendary figure who led impossible battles to victory, a symbol of courage, was before their eyes.
As hero candidates, could there be a greater honor than this?
It was when Kal and Eiran were trembling with emotion.
*Swoosh-!*
Ar rushed at Arion with incredible speed.
Before those around them could even react…
“Lord Arion! It’s Lord Arion!”
“Hiiiiiik?!”
Arion’s dignified face was stained with fear.
It wasn't just Arion.
The guards who were on alert also instantly looked terrified.
Because Ar’s eyes were completely unfocused.
“You’re so cool! *Huff! Huff!* I admire you! *Pant! Pant!*”
“G-get away!”
A terrified Arion shrieked, looking at Ar who was clinging to his leg.
“Suspicious individuals are threatening Lord Arion!”
“Subdue them quickly!”
“As expected, these guys are definitely Tartarus’s spies!”
“Arrest them!”
In an instant, the surroundings became chaotic.
Ultimately, due to Ar, who was overly excited upon seeing Arion, the three were arrested.
***
*Whoosh-!*
It was a world of fire.
The surroundings were burning.
Lunia and Driana stood there.
“Are you okay?”
“Even though I look like this, my fire resistance is excellent.”
“You’re back to your strange way of speaking again.”
Lunia narrowed her eyes.
In a place where it was difficult for ordinary people to even stand, Lunia and Driana stood calmly.
As the Rundia family wielded the phoenix’s flames from birth, this level of flame did not greatly affect Lunia.
Driana, although she had given up the path of a smith now, also had strong fire resistance, having been with flames since childhood.
This level of flame had no effect on the two.
“By the way, what exactly is this flame?”
“…It looks like a spirit's flame.”
Lunia looked around, narrowing her eyes.
‘And it’s not just an ordinary spirit. It’s a Great Spirit-class spirit.’
Lunia, who had a talent for phantom beast magic but was also quite knowledgeable in spirit magic as a summoner, easily identified these flames.
‘Furthermore… I can also feel the power of a phoenix.’
Lunia crossed her arms at the familiar lingering scent emanating from the flames.
‘What exactly is this space?’
It was when Lunia wore a puzzled expression.
*Thump-! Thump-!*
The sound of the ground shaking was heard.
Lunia and Driana flinched.
*Kyuung-!*
“A golem?”
A gigantic golem appeared from within the flames.
Lunia smiled faintly, looking at the fire golem enveloped in flames.
“It seems to be the guardian protecting this place?”
“Hmm. To get out of here, we’ll have to defeat this first.”
Golems are usually used as sentinels to guard an area.
As guardians protecting a specific area, golems are very powerful and show hostility towards intruders.
But neither Lunia nor Driana was overly worried.
No matter how powerful, the two were hero candidates.
A golem was no threat.
Driana, who stood at the front, took out a war hammer from her sub-space.
Lunia naturally stood at the rear.
They had never fought together before, but the two naturally formed a combat formation.
Lunia, as Seirun’s top second-year student, was well-versed in combat.
Driana, though not currently, was a former class representative of Damian.
Her skill was genuine.
*Swoosh-*
Seeing the two in combat stance, the golem lifted its foot.
*Wham-!*
“……!”
*Crash-!*
At that moment, the golem’s arm, which had closed the distance at an incredible speed, sent Driana flying.
Driana was slammed directly into the wall.
Seeing that, Lunia wore an expression of horror.
‘What the! This golem!’
Golems, the culmination of magic engineering.
However, due to their massive mass, there were limits to their movement.
But this golem far surpassed the simple category of golems.
Just as the golem was about to target Lunia.
*Boom-!*
Driana, who kicked off the wall and flew, struck the golem’s head with her hammer.
Driana’s eyes twitched for a moment.
“Amazing. To be unscathed after taking that attack.”
As Lunia marveled, Driana tightened her grip on the hammer and said.
“Durability is a characteristic of dwarves.”
Outwardly, she was a small and cute dwarf girl, but her durability was sturdy.
“Tough girl.”
Thinking she was a reliable vanguard, Lunia stirred her magic power.
“Lunia El Rundia. Let’s pour out our full power.”
“Huh?”
“That golem. It’s made of Orichalcum.”
Lunia’s face was filled with horror.
“It’s possible to make a golem out of Orichalcum?”
“It’s impossible. But if you consider whose world this is. It’s not impossible.”
“The divine blacksmith… Lord Dweno’s world…”
Lunia groaned.
It probably wouldn’t be impossible with Dweno’s technology.
*Kyuung-!*
The golem’s operating sound was heard.
Seeing that, Lunia and Driana lowered their stances.
“They’re energetic young ladies.”
Beyond the golem’s eyes.
Dweno tilted his head.
“If they’ve intruded into a forbidden zone, there must be a reason. Shall I subdue them first?”
The forbidden zone of the city of Guardsron.
Intruding into the heart of the spirit flames that provided heat and light to the city was definitely not something to be taken lightly.
“Troubles keep arising with the three of them out of the city.”
Dweno let out a light sigh and moved the golem using magic.
***
“You. What’s your identity?”
*Shhhak-*
Berkia cautiously widened the distance from Leo with wary eyes.
Leo looked around.
‘A forest.’
It was a forest that felt somewhat familiar.
‘Right. Is this the forest around Guardsron?’
Berkia had trained in this forest, not far from Guardsron.
There was no sign of people around.
‘Looking at her age, it’s probably time for her to start fighting.’
She probably came into this forest to train alone.
‘Her current age is about 17? Or 18, I guess.’
Leo, who had easily discerned Berkia’s age, spoke.
“Where are your masters, Kyle, Luna, and Arion?”
“How did you know I’m their disciple?”
Even more vigilance appeared on Berkia’s face.
‘Hmm. If the fact that she was our disciple isn't widely known yet, it means she hasn’t made a name for herself yet… In that case, she must be 17.’
Leo quickly absorbed information from each of Berkia’s words, assessing the current situation.
“I get it. You! You’re a spy from Tartarus! You plan to kidnap me to threaten my masters!”
Leo let out a light sigh, seeing a disciple with an imagination as rich as someone else.
“Who’s in Guardsron right now?”
“Do you think I’d tell you that? I’ll defeat you!”
Berkia approached Leo as if there was nothing more to hear.
Being wary of suspicious individuals was natural in this era.
Even if they weren’t demons from Tartarus, this was an era rife with traitors.
Berkia’s vigilance was entirely justified.
‘But still.’
*Clang-!*
“Huh?”
Leo, who knocked away Berkia’s sword, tripped his disciple.
‘When she acts so impudent, it makes me inexplicably angry.’
“Kyaaak!”
Seeing Leo, who completely saw through her movements, Berkia was subdued without even being able to properly display her skills.
It literally happened in an instant, in the blink of an eye.
“Berkia.”
“Don’t act familiar and call my name!”
Berkia, with a face full of vigilance, tried to stir her magic power.
Seeing such a Berkia, Leo spoke.
“I came to Guardsron to find Kyle, the surviving hero.”
“Why Master Kyle?!”
“Because I’m also an All-Class.”
“What?”
Berkia froze for an instant.
Leo spread his palm.
Aura, magic power, and spirit power gathered together and surged.
Seeing that, Berkia’s eyes widened.
“I investigated a lot because I wanted to become his disciple. That’s why I know about you.”
Around this time, Berkia knew very well how important the ability of an All-Class was.
Mana characteristic: ‘Purity’.
Although it was not publicly known, Lisinas had informed her that Kyle’s power was the key to defeating Erebus.
Therefore, Berkia knew very well how important an event it was that another All-Class had appeared.
Berkia, who had been stiff, spoke while looking at Leo’s surging power.
“I’ll tell you just one thing.”
Berkia wore a serious expression.
“Master Kyle is a person with a bad personality. So I recommend learning from someone else.”
“Yeah. I see.”
*Thwack-!*
“Why did you hit me?!”
Leo thought, giving his disciple, who was unreservedly dissing him, a flick on the head.
‘She's just asking for trouble, just asking for trouble.’