Book 1 Chapter 291
291
Late at night.
Everyone in the group was fast asleep.
It wasn't strange for them to fall asleep as if collapsing, given the hectic time they had spent since entering the Hero's World.
Berkia, too, had just returned from training and was so exhausted that she slept so deeply she wouldn't notice if she was carried.
Clunk-!
Leo, who was sleeping in the same room as Kyle, opened the door and came out.
He sat at the dining table in the living room and gazed out the window.
A silent darkness had settled.
‘This silence is welcome too. I used to hate it to death in the old days.’
Leo fell into thought, reminiscing about the past.
‘The Hero Record we've entered now is the Siege of Gardsron.’
[Capture Objective: Stop the Giant King.]
Leo's eyes darkened as he looked at the capture objective floating before him.
The Siege of Gardsron.
After several victories against Tartaros and subjugating numerous legion commanders, the world ignited a spark of hope.
However, they suffered enormous damage in this Siege of Gardsron.
‘Though the damage Tartaros took was also not insignificant.’
The world, which had barely grasped hope, once again encountered great despair.
The Giant King's invasion at the time was that formidable.
‘Even if the current legion commanders and the legion commanders of that time are the same, their power is different.’
The Age of Calamity.
When Erebus was still alive.
The scale of Tartaros was incomparably different from now.
The period when the world was heading towards destruction was, in other words, the peak of Tartaros's prosperity.
The power of the legions led by the commanders was incomparably formidable compared to now.
‘There were many powerful demons too. Crucially, the scale was different.’
When one legion commander moved, endless legions of demons swarmed.
Last year, when Silatuna invaded Seirun.
The scale of the legion Silatuna led was adorable compared to now.
‘Crucially… the legion commanders had Authority.’
The Authority of a legion commander.
That was a unique ability granted to legion commanders by Erebus.
Authority that made legion commanders, who were terrifying monsters even without it, even more terrifying calamities.
The legion commanders of the current era did not possess that Authority.
‘Because Erebus is gone.’
Authority was Erebus's power, not the legion commander's.
Now that Erebus had been subjugated and sealed by Kyle.
The legion commanders could not use Authority either.
But now it was different.
‘The Giant King lost all his legions when he invaded Gardsron.’
But at that time, Gardsron was truly on the verge of destruction.
‘If Gardsron had fallen… I don't even want to imagine it.’
Leo shook his head.
The current era has the miracle called the Hero Record.
A divine gift that inherits the power of heroes to give birth to new heroes.
Because of this, the current era has far more heroes than the Age of Calamity, incomparably so.
But the Age of Calamity was different.
There were great heroes, but there was a severe lack of heroes to support them.
‘In a way, our positions and the legion commanders' positions have swapped.’
In the current era, legion commanders still possess immense power.
The only hero who can fight a legion commander alone is, at best, Melina.
But the legions following the commanders have lost their power.
‘The true power of a legion commander is the legion. While individual heroes are not a threat to them… a multitude of heroes can only be a massive threat.’
The Giant King's invasion, targeting the power vacuum created by Kyle, Lycinas, and Luna's absence.
And that invasion was imminent.
‘Many will die.’
Leo gazed at the city landscape with a heavy expression.
Deffesser also lost his life in this battle.
‘He died saving Berkia.’
It was a painful history for the people of the current era.
But for Leo, it was an event where countless people he knew lost their lives.
‘And… the situation is even more serious now.’
Leo's face hardened.
The upcoming battle of Gardsron would unfold differently from reality.
‘In this era, there are two Giant Kings.’
Leo clenched his fist.
The Giant King has entered the Hero's World to destroy Dweno's Hero Record.
They barely managed to stop him in the past.
But what if there were two Giant Kings?
‘Gardsron… will fall.’
Leo clenched his fist.
The aftermath of defeat was clear.
Dweno's Hero Record would undoubtedly burn and vanish.
A chilling murderous intent gleamed in Leo's eyes.
‘I can't let that happen.’
Gazing at the scenery outside the window, Leo vowed.
‘I will stop it, no matter what.’
If there was a Giant King on Tartaros's side.
Gardsron had Leo.
‘I won't repeat the tragedy of the past.’
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
Puff- Puff-
Arion asked, looking at Dweno, who had a pipe in his mouth.
“I'm thinking about the children who came to Gardsron today.”
“Ah, them?”
Arion smiled faintly.
“Isn't that good? If there are children like that, they will surely be a great help in fighting Erebus in the future.”
“Perhaps.”
Clunk-!
Dweno said, tapping off the ash from his pipe.
“But that kid, Leo, he was amazing. He was like Kyle, I tell you.”
“Isn't it because he's all-class?”
“There's that, but… something about his aura, I guess? It was similar to Kyle.”
“…”
Dweno paused.
And then he thought about Leo.
‘The essence of fire isn't destruction, is it?’
Dweno curled his lips, recalling Leo's words.
“Interesting.”
Dweno stroked his beard and said.
“Arion.”
“Hm?”
“Those children, do you have any intention of teaching them?”
At those words, Arion's eyes widened.
“I have a few children I'd like to teach.”
Arion thought for a moment, looking at Dweno, who smiled meaningfully, then nodded.
“Yes, I will.”
“Good. In that case, I'll be busy for a while too.”
“Why?”
“I think I'll have to make some armaments.”
Dweno rose from his seat.
“Armaments to gift to those children of hope, you see.”
***
The next morning.
“Leo, you'll definitely be a good husband.”
Berkia nodded at Kyle's words.
“Yes. You cook well.”
“Lady Berkia helped too, didn't she?”
“That's true!”
Berkia puffed out her chest.
“But Eiran helped too. Good boy, good boy.”
Berkia patted Eiran's head, then looked at Dryana.
“Dryana's stew is delicious too. Even though she cut the vegetables in a strange way.”
“Thank you for the compliment. And that is art.”
“Art? Is it shaped like minced monsters?”
Kyle scooped a potato from the stew with his spoon and squinted.
Dryana hit Kyle's back with her tiny hand.
“You're good at jokes too.”
“Gah?!”
Kyle rolled on the floor from the unimaginable pain.
Kyle, who had barely recovered from the pain, got up and looked at Runia and Ar.
“You two worked hard too.”
Kyle held back a chuckle.
“Of course, just staying still might have been helping enough.”
“Kyle. Shall I tell you just one thing?”
Runia smiled sweetly and elegantly extended her hand.
Then she grabbed Kyle by the collar and made a menacing expression.
“I've given up on acting like an honor student, you know? You know what happens if you provoke me any further, right?”
“It's weird to become a gangster just because you gave up being an honor student!”
“Huh? Do you have a problem with my true self?”
“Eek?!”
Kyle shrieked, looking at Runia, who was exuding a murderous aura.
Ar sharpened her claws, looking at Kyle.
“My claws are itching. Can I scratch you instead of a tree?”
“I'm too squishy, there's no scratching satisfaction!”
It was when Kyle was shrieking.
“Stop it and eat.”
Leo, having finished cooking, placed the food on the table and sighed.
Berkia was the first to quickly grab a plate of food and said while eating.
“Hmm, it's a familiar taste.”
Seeing Berkia gobbling up Leo's food with a curious expression, the others also filled their hunger.
Just then, a knock was heard.
“Yes, I'm coming.”
Kyle opened the front door.
“Good morning.”
Ar jumped up from her seat, seeing Arion who had opened the door and entered.
Eiran and Kyle, recalling yesterday's events, pushed Ar's shoulders down, forcing her to sit.
Arion looked slightly intimidated, seeing Ar.
It was when Ar was twitching like a cat that had found its prey, looking at Arion.
Grab-!
“Nyaaah?!”
Ar leapt up, feeling pain in her backside.
“How many times have I told you not to rudely grab a lady's tail!”
“Then don't twitch excitedly like you're about to pounce.”
Leo said indifferently, pulling Ar's tail.
Having calmed Ar, Leo offered food to Arion.
“Ah, thank you.”
Arion ate it, and her face softened.
“It tastes incredibly familiar.”
Leo chuckled, seeing Arion and Berkia enjoying their food, and asked.
“What brings you here so early in the morning?”
“Yes. I want to make you an offer.”
“An offer?”
Leo tilted his head.
Arion nodded, looking at Leo.
“Yes, I want to teach you martial arts.”
Everyone's eyes widened at Arion's words.
“You two. I can't say I'm a great teacher, but would you like to learn from me?”
Arion said, looking at Ar and Eiran.
“Yes! I want to learn! Please let me learn!”
Ar shouted excitedly, and Eiran also spoke with a trembling voice.
“It, it's an immense honor.”
Kyle looked at the two with an envious expression.
“Lucky them.”
Arion smiled faintly, looking at Kyle.
“You're Kyle, right? Runia, Dryana. The three of you will be taught directly by Dweno.”
“Huh?”
“By, by Lord Dweno?!”
Kyle made a bewildered expression, and Dryana looked excited.
Runia also looked stunned.
‘Was this what Leo meant by the test?’
To be able to learn something from a Great Hero.
For a hero candidate, there was no greater honor than this.
“Then what about Leo?”
At Runia's question, everyone's gaze turned to Leo.
Leo chuckled, receiving their gazes.
“I have something else to do. So don't worry about me.”
“Something else to do?”
Ar tilted her head.
“Yes. I'll be preparing.”
Everyone's expressions changed upon hearing Leo's words.
They realized what Leo meant by "preparing."
‘He's preparing for the capture alone?’
“So you all should learn as much as you can.”
***
After breakfast, everyone except Leo left the house.
The party members looked at Leo with a somewhat worried expression.
This was because they knew they had to fight a legion commander in this Hero's World.
Especially Runia, Eiran, and Kyle, who had actually experienced the terror of a legion commander, had heavy expressions on their faces.
‘It's an opportunity for them. There will be much to learn from Arion and Dweno.’
Their teachings could become a stepping stone for a huge leap as heroes.
Leo left the house.
‘First, the power to deal with Giath, who entered the Hero's World, is a priority.’
If there are two Giant Kings, it's impossible for Gardsron's current forces to stop the invasion.
‘But Giath, who came to burn down the Hero's World now, also has a vulnerability.’
Leo squinted.
‘He cannot reveal himself to his past self now.’
The true terror of a legion commander is when their legion, which obeys their commands absolutely, is with them.
It is no exaggeration to say that a legion commander's true power is unleashed when they move with their legion.
In this era, there are two Giant Kings.
But the Giant King's legion is ultimately the same as before.
‘He can't combine forces with his past self either. He moves alone.’
Leo squinted.
The Giant King Giath, despite his terrifying size, is very cautious and suspicious.
What if the past Giath met another Giath?
‘He would definitely try to kill him.’
Coming from the future to the past is impossible.
If something abnormal happens, eliminating that abnormality is the Giant King's way.
The past Giath would surely never trust his future self.
‘That means individual extermination is possible. In that case, the capture isn't impossible.’
Thump- Thump-
He walked through the streets of Gardsron.
The faces of the people were dark, but hope flickered in their eyes.
A short while later, Leo turned onto a less frequented path.
He knew the streets of Gardsron like the back of his hand.
A short while later.
Leo stopped in front of a dilapidated mansion where no one was around.
‘Lycinas's mansion.’