Book 1 Chapter 479
479.
It was around sunset when Leo returned to the tomb of the losers.
In the massive parade ground, orphan soldiers were gathered in small groups, eating.
After confirming the faces of the orphan soldiers, Leo approached Lyl, who was eating with Crown Prince Jeremin in front of a campfire.
“Oh, this is very delicious. I’m sure it was made with a special secret recipe?”
“It’s just a common military cooking method. It’s surprising that it suits Crown Prince Jeremin’s taste.”
“It’s fundamental to becoming a great king. Hahahaha.”
“Prince Jeremin will surely become a great king.”
Jeremin, who had been staring blankly at Lyl’s gentle smile for a moment, cleared his throat and said.
“Ahem. For that to happen, I must quickly stabilize the country and find a wonderful partner to build a good country with.”
“You will surely meet a good person, Ah! S…”
Lyl, who was smiling brightly as she answered, spotted Leo.
Then she paused, about to greet him warmly, and then cried out.
“Hyungnim!”
Leo stopped his steps, watching Lyl call him with a bright smile.
Not only Leo, but also Jeremin, who slumped his shoulders seeing Lyl show him no interest, and the knights accompanying him.
Even the orphan soldiers stopped eating and looked up at Lyl.
“Hyungnim, where have you been?”
Thanks to Lyl’s repeated address calling Leo “Hyungnim,” everyone’s gaze naturally turned to Leo.
‘So, he’s decided to call me that in front of others?’
It was certainly strange to call Leo, a junior, “master” in front of others.
Even so, he had deeply pondered the matter, thinking he couldn’t simply call Leo, who was strictly his master, without respect.
And it seemed he had finally settled on that particular title.
-He’s definitely unique too.
-Peep.
-Calling a younger man “oppa” feels like you’ve surrendered somehow… “Hyungnim” isn't a very exciting title.
Kil'an, Fiora, and Ahti showed a lukewarm reaction.
-Why, isn’t it quite cute?
-I’ve felt this before, but Elsi’s sensibilities are truly unique.
As Elsi spoke with a bright smile, Laruel showed a reaction of surprise.
“Lyl-nim. You call Leo-nim a very… no, a somewhat peculiar title?”
When Jeremin asked with an awkward expression, Lyl nodded seriously.
“Yes. As Your Royal Highness knows, Hyungnim is only one year my junior, but whether you look at his skill or the achievements he has built up, he is a respectable person. He is a hero who became the student council president of Lumen and is listed in the Hero Record!”
“I certainly think Leo-nim is a truly great person, even one of the greatest in history… but there are titles like ‘oppa’ or ‘orabeoni’ as well…?”
At Jeremin’s hesitant words, Lyl’s expression turned serious.
“There’s already a junior who calls Hyungnim ‘oppa.’ That child is very cute. If I, who am old and not cute, were to call Hyungnim that, people would look at me very strangely.”
“They’re already looking at you strangely enough.”
Leo clicked his tongue and sat next to Lyl.
Then he looked at the orphan soldiers who were engrossed in their meal again.
“It seems you’ve completely subjugated the little ones.”
“Why are we little ones! You! There’s not much of an age difference between us!”
At Leo’s words, Lou, a girl who was sitting not far away, hastily eating bread, flared up and shouted.
To that, Lyl said.
“Lou. You mustn’t speak disrespectfully to Hyungnim.”
“Ugh! O-okay, Captain.”
“Answer short and clear!”
“Yes!”
When Lyl shouted, her eyes wide open, Lou flinched, stood at attention, and answered crisply.
“Hmm, excellent. Now, continue with your meal.”
Leo muttered, watching Lyl nod with satisfaction.
“It’s a complete military setup, isn’t it?”
“I thought establishing hierarchy was a priority.”
“Well done.”
“No. I succeeded in subjugating those children, but I failed to change their way of thinking.”
Lyl’s eyes clouded.
From the atmosphere, it felt like the orphan soldiers were following Lyl.
But she couldn’t change their fundamental nature.
The orphan soldiers followed Lyl because they acknowledged her strength.
And they yearned to become stronger through Lyl.
The reason was simple.
‘To kill the enemy on the battlefield.’
They were orphan soldiers created by Grand Duke of Funerals, Arthkan’s plan.
‘In a way, these children might be similar to those who lived in the era of calamity 5000 years ago.’
5000 years ago, countless people, including his disciples, experienced such tragedies.
It was impossible for Vihar to overcome the dark emotions deeply rooted in his heart all at once.
‘Perhaps they will carry it for the rest of their lives.’
“Hyungnim.”
“What.”
“Those children, can I look after them for a little longer?”
“After all, the contract condition is to change the hearts of those children.”
Leo glanced at Jeremin, then said.
“If you want to look after them, go ahead.”
“Yes!”
“And while we’re at it, how about we train together?”
“Training? That’s great!”
Lyl’s eyes sparkled brightly.
‘My first training with Master!’
In the dead of night.
Lyl stood in the middle of the parade ground.
Next to Leo, who stood before Lyl, was a small girl with white hair, and on her shoulders sat a small fairy and a small chick.
‘Master’s spirit beasts.’
It was a well-known story that Leo was the convenant holder of a phoenix, a fairy, and a pegasus.
“Is today’s training going to be with Master’s spirit beasts?”
-Huh? No, we just came to watch.
-Peep. Peep.
-Show us something cool, Lyl.
Kil'an, Fiora, and Ahti answered one after another.
After Ahti finished answering, she pulled out a bag of snacks from her arms, and Kil'an and Fiora pounced.
Lyl was flustered by the utterly boisterous atmosphere.
As the three great spirit beasts, they ought to have dignity, but there was no such feeling at all.
-Hey! That’s mine!
-Peck! Peck! Peck!
Kil'an and Fiora were tugging at a single piece of snack on top of Ahti’s head.
Just then, Laruel, who had shrunk her body to palm-size, appeared and smacked Kil'an and Fiora on the back of their heads with her palm.
-Cough!
-Beep?
-Maintain the dignity of the three great spirit beasts. Don’t shatter the illusions of a summoner with many dreams.
Laruel said in a cold voice.
-That’s rich! You’re the one among us with the least dreams and hope! You old hag!
-Peep! Peep! Peep!
-Do you want to die?
Laruel, with an expressionless face, wildly whipped Kil'an and Fiora with a whip made of light.
Seeing that, Ahti gaped her mouth wide-! and then her eyes sparkled brightly as she shouted.
“Ki, Kil'an! Call me old hag too! Laruel! Hit me with that whip too!”
‘…Is this a dream?’
It was when Lyl muttered blankly, watching the situation unfold before her.
Slither-!
Darkness generated from the ground and grabbed Fiora and Kil'an.
Laruel, enveloped in darkness, went ‘Ugh!’ and then became obedient.
“Elsi! Bondage play for me too!”
-Yes, yes.
“Kya~”
Ahti, trapped in the swamp of darkness, rejoiced.
When the situation settled, Elsi smiled faintly at Leo.
At that, Leo stood before Lyl.
“Shocking, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Since we’ll be seeing each other often, I decided to show you their true nature first, so you don’t have any unnecessary illusions.”
Leo said calmly.
“It’s better to break illusions early.”
“Hahahaha.”
Lyl scratched her cheek, laughing awkwardly.
Watching Lyl, Leo placed Elsi and Laruel on his palms.
“Say hello, this is Elsi, the Great Spirit of Darkness. And this is Laruel, the Great Spirit of Light.”
“What? The Great Spirit of Light, Laruel?!”
Lyl showed a shocked expression.
After Lodhia, the Dragon of Creation, no one had contracted with the Great Spirit of Light for the past 3000 years.
But here she was, appearing clearly.
The Great Spirit of Light was a legendary and romantic existence for spirit users.
“As expected of Master!”
But on the other hand, it made sense because it was Leo.
‘I wonder if nothing Master does surprises me anymore?’
Lyl, who had been looking at Leo with eyes full of respect, paused.
“Wait a minute, but the Great Spirit of Darkness? Isn’t the Great Spirit of Darkness definitely Ignit, the Spirit of the Abyss?”
Lyl was flustered, recalling the Great Spirit of Darkness whom Leo had met last year.
-Elsi is a great senior who was active with the great heroes during the era of calamity 5000 years ago. Comparing her to such a reclusive hermit is an insult to Elsi.
Lyl’s body trembled at Laruel’s cold voice.
-Isn’t Laruel also a reclusive hermit, if we're going by that logic?
Elsi asked with a puzzled face, but Laruel looked away.
“Elsi is a spirit obtained as a reward for conquering the Hero’s World.”
“Ooooh! That’s possible too!”
Lyl exclaimed and clapped.
Watching Lyl, Leo said.
“Lyl, what do you think your weakness is?”
“Hmm… being excessively ordinary?”
“I’d like to ask where you’re ordinary, but let’s set that aside.”
Leo folded his arms.
“Your weakness is that you have no weakness. That also means you have no outstanding strengths.”
“Yes, I think so too.”
“In that sense, you have something in common with me.”
Leo, being an All-Class, was good at everything.
But he couldn’t reach the ultimate realm like his friends.
“Our type of training method is extremely simple. It’s about expanding the vessel itself.”
“Is it possible for a spirit user to expand their vessel in a short period?”
“There is one way. It will be painful, though.”
“What is it?”
“It’s handling the power of a higher spirit.”
“What?”
Lyl was flustered by the completely unfamiliar concept she had never heard of.
Watching Lyl, Leo said.
“From now on, I will cast Spirit Armored on you.”
Spirit Armored.
An advanced spirit art that allows a spirit to possess one’s body and be weaponized.
Lyl could also use Spirit Armored.
However, that was only for her covenant holder to possess her own body.
Making a spirit one contracted with possess another person was something unheard of.
“Is that possible?”
“It is possible. However, maintaining the Spirit Armored depends entirely on your capacity. Moreover, since it’s forced, maintaining it itself will be extremely painful.”
Laruel, who had been on Leo’s palm, had already transformed into a round ball of light.
“If you stop halfway, it will be useless. Will you still do it?”
“…It’s a way to get stronger quickly, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Then I will do it.”
Lyl said, clenching her fists tightly.
Leo smiled faintly at her resolve and approached Lyl, saying.
“Turn around.”
Lyl showed Leo her back.
“Then, shall we begin?”
Leo’s hand touched Lyl’s back.
Lyl’s body trembled as the enormous presence of the great spirit entered her through Leo’s hand.
“Hngh?!”
Lyl let out a groan and clenched her teeth.
At that moment, Spirit Armored was activated.
And then.
“Ugh!”
As the Spirit Armored dissolved, Lyl covered her mouth and ran to the corner of the parade ground.
“Blech!”
It felt like her head and stomach were twisting.
The power of the great spirit, far exceeding her tolerance, instantly exhausted Lyl.
“Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!”
Lyl gasped for breath, staggered to her feet, and then collapsed.
Not only her body but also her mind was overloaded.
“Do you want to quit?”
Lyl turned her head at Leo’s question.
Then she grinned- and said.
“No.”
She grabbed her trembling legs and pushed herself up.
“Please, Master, again.”
***
Clank- clank-
A man with a deep hood pulled down was walking in the middle of a battlefield.
Screeeech! Crash-!
A massive explosion sounded in the distance.
The sound of metal friction echoed with each step the man took.
Eventually, the man reached the middle of the battlefield.
There, an undead hero was fighting a group of heroes.
The heroes of the Justice Guild spotted the hooded knight and shouted.
“Another undead.”
“What a terrible deception, we shall exterminate those who defile the name of hero.”
Watching the heroes muttering with stern voices, the knight drew the greatsword strapped to his back.
Shink-!
With an eerie sound, a pitch-black greatsword, as if it could swallow even souls, revealed itself.
The beautiful blade, as if an artwork, showed off its elegance.
“I defile the name of hero?”
With a disdainful voice, the knight gripped his sword tighter and muttered lowly.
“Worms who wouldn’t have been called heroes if it weren’t for the power of the Hero Record, dare to…”
Swoosh-!
The knight swung his greatsword.
A black line was drawn across the air.
The heroes of the Justice Guild who had been rushing towards the knight stopped their movements.
“What is it?”
“Something…”
Thwack-!
In an instant, heads flew.
With just a single sword strike, the bodies of those called heroes collapsed.
Clank- clank-
The knight approached the undead hero caught in his attack.
“…The heroes of this era are pathetic. Is there no one who can even block a single strike?”
“You are simply too strong, Knight of the Netherworld.”
“Grand Duke of Funerals.”
“Weren’t you once a hero who stood shoulder to shoulder with the heroes of creation?”
“Once… even for a moment?”
The Knight of the Netherworld lowered his voice.
Slash-!
A sharp sword strike took off Arthkan’s head.
“Don’t talk nonsense, Grand Duke of Funerals.”
“I misspoke.”
Even with his face rolling on the ground, Arthkan was perfectly fine.
His body picked up its head.
Whoosh-!
A fierce wind blew.
Then, the hood he was wearing flew off.
There was no face where it should have been inside the helmet.
Seeing his appearance, Arthkan said.
“Is it because you have no head that you decapitate heroes?”
“That’s right, the Knight of Twilight presumptuously cut off my head.”
Tamuz tapped, tapped, below his neck.
“Did you say that most of the heroes of this era are from the military academy established by those pathetic heroes?”
“That is correct.”
“Then I should cut off all their heads. Those who follow the one who defied my will deserve blood vengeance.”
Arthkan asked at Tamuz’s chilling words.
“If I find the tomb where your lost face and legacy slumber, do you intend to incorporate them into your ‘Legion’?”
“Such weaklings cannot be called heroes.”
Tamuz’s eerie voice echoed.
“Only those I acknowledge are true heroes.”
“There is a hero I would very much like to introduce to you.”
Tamuz looked at Arthkan.
“I have no interest in the insignificant heroes of this era.”
“In a sense, they are a hero of your senior class.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“The Great Hero, Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings.”