Book 1 Chapter 458

It was the evening, ten days after the annihilation of Erebus's fragment, when guests visited the Floob family's mansion.

"Eat well, everyone. I put in some effort today."

Reina smiled and warmly served dinner to her son's friends.

"Wow! Thank you!"

"It looks so delicious!"

Chelsea and Eiran exclaimed with delight at the feast spread before them.

"Aunt, your cooking skills are amazing."

Celia exclaimed.

Reina covered her mouth and laughed, "Ho ho ho!" at Celia's admiration.

Karl muttered, watching the scene.

"Indeed. Most of the people here are at a desperate level."

The girls' eyes gleamed with a chilling light.

Karl quickly hid behind Leo.

"Mother only made the soup, the rest was all done by the chef."

"Making soup is difficult, you know."

Reina said shamelessly.

And so, a boisterous atmosphere unfolded.

Despite the end of the training camp, quite a few students were spending their vacation at the Floob family's home.

Reina seemed to enjoy the lively atmosphere and was very kind to her son's friends.

"Shall we continue what we were talking about earlier?"

Abad, sitting next to Chelsea, paused his meal, moistened his throat with water, and spoke.

"Regarding the world situation after the subjugation of Erebus's fragment."

As Abad began, Iliana poked her salad with a fork and said,

"Won't Tartarus's forces shrink and our forces flourish?"

"Indeed, the whole world is in a festive mood right now."

Teyd nodded in agreement with Iliana.

Celia shook her head at that remark.

"My thoughts are a bit different."

"What do you think?"

"There might be a large-scale attack from Tartarus."

Celia said with a serious expression.

"From Tartarus's perspective, the fragment of Erebus has been subjugated again, just like 3,000 years ago. It's a catastrophic blow to them."

"Indeed, given their dire situation, they might do anything, right?"

Chloe nodded in understanding.

Leo fell into thought, listening to their conversation.

'The Hell Kaiser wouldn't foolishly attack just because one fragment of Erebus was destroyed.'

As Celia said, it was indeed a catastrophic blow to Tartarus.

However, even so, given the Hell Kaiser's personality, with the Demon Queen subjugated and the Giant King immobilized, the balance of power was broken.

The probability of a rash action was not high.

'Of course, they wouldn't just stand by and do nothing.'

Leo let out a deep sigh.

'Whatever happens, he will move.'

Meanwhile, Reina smiled faintly as she listened to the students' discussion.

'It's wonderful. To have such a serious discussion about the future world situation when everyone is in a festive mood.'

She thought they were truly worthy of being called hero candidates.

"Leo, what do you think?"

Luna, who was participating in the conversation, asked Leo, seeking his opinion.

"I…"

Just as Leo was about to speak.

The dining room door opened, and a maid approached Reina and spoke softly.

At her words, Reina's eyes widened, and she stood up.

A moment later, there was a commotion outside the dining room.

As all the dining students widened their eyes.

The door opened, and several people entered.

Celia and Chelsea's eyes widened.

"Uncle Zis?"

"Rosetta-nim, how did you get here?"

Zis Zerdinger and Rosetta Lewalin had visited the Floob family.

The other students also showed surprised expressions at the two's reactions.

Zis Zerdinger and Rosetta Lewalin.

Both were graduates of Lumern.

Furthermore, they were renowned powerhouses in the Rodren Empire.

Although not on the Hero Record, they possessed skills equivalent to heroes, and their status and position within the Rodren Empire were such that they could be considered heroes.

It was no wonder everyone was surprised by the sudden appearance of such influential figures.

"I heard something significant happened. You overcame the ordeal. Well done."

Zis approached his nephew Leo and Celia and patted their shoulders.

"What brings you here?"

"We came to deliver an imperial letter from His Majesty."

"His Majesty the Emperor?"

Celia, Chelsea, and Abad looked surprised.

The apex of power in the western continent.

An imperial letter from Rodren?

"Lord Rosetta."

At Zis's words, Rosetta nodded and approached Leo.

"Leo Floob of the Zerdinger family, receive the Emperor's missive."

At that, Leo stood before Rosetta with a puzzled expression.

As Rosetta, with a serious expression, was about to take out a luxurious box containing a letter from subspace.

Another commotion arose from outside.

"What in the world is going on?"

Karl tilted his head slightly out the door with a puzzled expression.

"Huh?!"

And let out a startled scream.

"What's wrong?"

Chloe asked with a puzzled face, and Karl said,

"There are all sorts of races in the living room!"

"What?"

"And they're all big shots!"

It was as Karl said.

Outside the dining room, many prominent figures who appeared in the world's newspapers were gathered.

"I can roughly guess the situation."

Reina, with her arms crossed, narrowed her eyes.

As a Lumern graduate, Reina quickly grasped the situation.

"What's the situation, Aunt?"

"Everyone visiting our family now belongs to the Hero Guild."

"What? Why would the Hero Guild come to the Floob family?"

"It's probably to recruit Leo."

At that, everyone's eyes widened.

***

"Those Hero Guild guys. What are their intentions?"

In the Lumern principal's office, Riina said in an irritable voice.

The Hero Guild.

It was an organization composed of heroes who walked the path of heroism, led by those listed on the Hero Record.

Many Hero Guilds exist in the world.

And the affiliated factions vary.

Guilds are sometimes established and led by the state to support heroes, or they are formed by alliances of prominent hero families.

Or they are founded by graduates of hero academies.

Hero Guilds from hero academies, in particular, have a long history.

In the case of Hero Guilds affiliated with hero academies, the founders were all taught by the heroes of the Great Opening.

They possess strong influence due to their 3,000-year history and deep connection with the heroes of the Great Opening, and many wish to join.

However, joining is also very difficult.

"Since you are from this school, you all know the rules well, right?"

"I heard that the Guild Alliance has made a proposal to the board of directors. In fact, many Hero Guilds are currently showing activity."

The news that Halind conveyed to Riina was none other than the Hero Guilds intending to offer admission to students.

Guild members of the Hero Guild are dispatched to the front lines in battles against Tartarus.

The activities of the Hero Guild are excessively dangerous.

Therefore, students are prohibited from joining the Hero Guild.

However, the Hero Guilds have now proposed to lift this rule.

Riina saw through the reason for the Hero Guilds' actions.

"Is it to recruit Leo Floob?"

The reason the Hero Guilds proposed a change to Lumern's school rules was to recruit Leo.

An all-class like Kyle, the Hero of the Beginning.

Furthermore, the youngest student council president in Lumern's history.

Even up to that point, he was a talent that any Hero Guild would covet.

'But Leo Floob's value has surpassed that.'

Riina narrowed her eyes.

A boy still only 16 years old.

An age filled with immense potential.

Yet, he was already being evaluated as possibly possessing power comparable to a hero, surpassing even Lumern's strongest.

However, in the recent revival of Erebus's fragment, Leo played an active role on the front lines alongside the brave Argon and the Dragon Lord.

While most people focused on the revived brave and the 'Silent Dragon' who broke the silence, the Hero Guilds paid attention to Leo, who was still just a student.

"He proved that he possesses power that not only rivals heroes but even surpasses most heroes. What exactly is your disciple?"

"It's hard to call him my disciple. I haven't taught him much."

Halind had been a teacher at Lumern for a long time and had taught many students, but Leo was the first student he had so little to teach.

"Skills, personality, disposition, goals. It's no exaggeration to say he was born a hero."

Halind nodded at Riina's words.

It was no wonder the Hero Guilds coveted him.

"Still, there's a limit."

Riina frowned as she looked down at the documents.

The Hero Guilds' objective was Leo's recruitment.

In addition, they aimed to recruit the golden generation, evaluated as having promising futures, under their guilds.

"In a situation where any disaster might befall the world, they're seeing it as an opportunity."

Just as Riina was greatly wary of Tartarus's movements.

The Hero Guilds were also wary of Tartarus.

And there were those who saw the current situation as an opportunity.

"The general public always talks about heroes as noble beings."

Riina narrowed her eyes.

Heroes are great beings who can only become so by overcoming trials.

And given the gods' recognition, they indeed appear noble.

There are indeed noble heroes.

But…

"Where there is light, there is also darkness."

The gods are not particularly interested in the character and ideology of those who achieve great deeds.

They can be listed on the Hero Record simply by achieving deeds that are praised as great.

"That's why there are so many heroes with eccentric personalities."

Halind clicked his tongue at Riina's words.

"It would be fine if they were just eccentric. The problem is that there are lunatics who don't doubt their own justice even a bit."

Heroes are not as noble and great as people think.

Among them, there are those who commit cruel acts without hesitation for their own justice.

And those who do not hesitate to sacrifice the few for the many.

And there are countless heroes with their own ambitions.

Heroes are beings who lead the world.

There are plenty of those who are intoxicated by the fact that they are chosen by the gods.

Riina rested her chin on her hand.

'This is probably why Tartarus has not been subjugated for 5,000 years.'

After the era of disaster ended.

Tartarus's forces rapidly diminished.

The era of heroes began, and the power of heroes increased dramatically.

Of course, Tartarus had three catastrophic legion commanders.

But even so, it was difficult to raise the declining forces of Tartarus to the level of the era of disaster.

It would have been more natural for their power to decrease.

However, despite countless large-scale wars over the past 5,000 years, Tartarus's power has only grown stronger.

The reason is simple.

'Because what they each want is different.'

There are numerous heroes, and with them come ideals and justice.

Therefore, even if their goals are the same, the process is not smooth.

The world, according to its own interests, has engaged in more checks and balances than cooperation.

In contrast, Tartarus has moved with only one goal in mind.

This was the biggest reason for the current world order.

It is the same now.

The reason why they desire Leo Floob and outstanding hero candidates is to realize their own justice.

'And that justice is not necessarily right.'

"Truly, Leo Floob is no longer just a student."

Riina sighed.

"He is the center of the era."