Book 1 Chapter 616
616.
For a knight wielding a sword, the arm that held the sword was like life itself.
In a situation where that arm had been mercilessly severed.
Panicked, Reid could do nothing but grab the severed limb and scream.
The pain spreading from the cut was one thing, but the psychological shock was even greater.
“Where shall I cut next?”
However, Reid snapped out of it at the bland voice that reached his ears.
He too was a knight who had been recognized by the gods and ascended to the position of a hero.
No matter how great the shock, he couldn't keep screaming indefinitely with an enemy before him.
Reid, holding his severed arm, put distance between himself and Leo.
Reid retrieved the sword that had been grasped by his severed hand.
Reid's sword was the heirloom of the Zerdinger family.
The sword itself was an artifact possessing powerful strength.
Reid, holding the sword in his left hand, gritted his teeth.
‘I can reattach my arm!’
With the power of magic, a severed arm could easily be reattached.
And whether it was misfortune or luck, Leo had cut off his arm cleanly.
‘If so, reattaching it should be easier!’
Reid glared with wide eyes.
‘Right now, defeating the monster before me is the priority!’
“Knights! Execute that impious man!”
Knights appeared at Reid's command, surrounding Leo and pointing their swords at him.
Seeing such knights, Leo spoke with an expressionless face.
“If you are Zerdinger knights, step aside. I am merely here to execute a traitor.”
“You fool!”
Reid let out a twisted laugh, mocking Leo.
“These are my loyal knights! Do you think they would obey your command?! And a traitor? What a joke!”
Reid screamed, consumed by malice.
“I merely wish to make Zerdinger the greatest house of heroes! The current head! Seld Zerdinger is too soft! Even with power! He doesn't use it! He merely wastes strength senselessly on the front lines with Tartarus! And it's not just Seld Zerdinger! That foolish Rwalin too! The Imperial Family too!”
Reid's eyes gleamed.
“Why waste meaningless power on something like Tartarus?! Rhodran is not an empire to remain in the western continent! It is a nation with the capacity to become a great empire that will rule the world!”
Excited by the pain, Reid passionately expounded on his thoughts.
“We, Zerdinger, must take the lead! We must rise to the position of the empire's greatest family! We must assist the Imperial Family and rule the continent! And thus, Zerdinger must be made the world's greatest house of heroes! This is not my personal greed! If one truly wishes well for Zerdinger, one must have such ambition!”
“Is that why you allied with the threat to the world that killed countless heroes in the past?”
“We didn't ally! We are merely using them.”
“Everyone used to say that.”
Leo lowered his sword.
“Without even knowing they were being used.”
Tartarus wanted only one thing.
The division of the world.
If such individuals moved Zerdinger, the empire was bound to waver.
‘Is this also that guy's doing?’
Leo recalled the Necrolord Hel Kaiser.
The Necrolord was skilled in intrigue.
In this way, he sowed poison throughout the world.
The Elven Pureblood Society was no different.
They merely claimed to be using their opponents, but.
The very act of using their power became a 'weakness'.
But those who allied with Tartarus didn't consider it a weakness.
‘Because they thought they could just crush it with power.’
From the start, the Necrolord didn't use the weakness of having allied with him to blackmail.
He merely pretended to be used.
Just as he had tried to gradually dismantle elven society using the Pureblood Society.
He slowly made them devour each other.
“I have no interest in the history of the Empire or the history of the family.”
“Yes. Such qualifications for a direct lineage are indeed beyond your worth.”
“Yes. But that's not for you to say.”
“What?!”
“The past emperors of the Empire… and the heads of Zerdinger… and furthermore, even the heads of Rwalin.”
Leo's crimson eyes turned towards Reid.
“They never invaded other nations. Do you know why?”
“Our predecessors, unfortunately, lacked ambition.”
“No.”
Leo narrowed his eyes.
“It must have been to make this land a better place to live.”
5000 years ago, the Age of Calamity.
The most thoroughly ravaged land was neither the eastern continent where Tartarus first appeared, nor the northern or southern continents.
It was none other than the western continent.
The most developed land.
And thus, the most thoroughly destroyed and desolate land.
Most of the current Rhodran Empire's territory, even during the Age of Calamity.
Even after the Age of Calamity ended, it was the region where Tartarus's influence was strongest.
The Rhodran Empire acquired its vast territory not by conquering other nations, but by driving out Tartarus, which had occupied this land for a long time.
And now, it has become the most fertile land.
This land, which even Lysinas had shaken his head at, saying recovery seemed impossible.
Has now become the most livable and prosperous land in the world.
Leo, who knew its past, could vividly understand how much effort the people who lived in this nation had put into this land.
There were Zerdinger's ancestors who cultivated the devastated land and staked everything they had so that the people living on it could live in peace.
Too noble to be merely judged as lacking ambition.
Therefore, a foolish reason.
‘That's why it must be a house of heroes.’
“The phoenix's flame is noble. For it is the power to consume oneself and destroy evil. The first Zerdinger receiving the phoenix's power long ago was likely for that very reason.”
“Nonsensical dreams. If one has power, why should one sacrifice for others? That is a foolish act.”
“Yes, it is foolish.”
Leo closed his eyes.
“But do not forget. The world continues to exist because there were heroes who unhesitatingly staked everything on those foolish acts that types like you, who corrupt the world, mock as foolish.”
“Ridiculous. A hero is merely one who achieves a great feat. If I corrupt the world, how will you explain me being a hero?!”
“Hero?”
Leo's head tilted askew.
“Who?”
“A nameless hero?! No matter how much you deny it, I have the gods' chosen…!”
Reid's face, which had been mocking Leo, stiffened.
“You don't even deserve to be called heroes.”
[Heroic Qualification Revoked.]
He instinctively realized the meaning of the message that appeared before his eyes.
“You… you! What have you done to me?!”
He didn't know why, but Leo's pronouncement had stripped him of his status.
“I merely denied that you are a hero.”
“Uwaaaah! What are the knights doing?! Why aren't you executing that man at once?!”
“Loyalty!”
The Elder Council's knights surrounded Leo.
Thump-
Leo took a step.
At that moment.
Swoosh-!
The heads of the Elder Council knights flew into the air simultaneously.
Watching the scene, Algs, the Northern Shadow Lord, murmured.
“Beautiful.”
Leo's sword held no emotions.
Just blandly.
As if doing what had to be done, he impartially delivered death to the traitors.
To Algs' eyes, that sight resembled divine judgment.
Thud-!
Leo's grey eyes, which had cut down the knights with a single stroke, turned towards Reid.
Thud-!
Reid instinctively collapsed to the ground.
His body trembled violently.
Accordingly, a chattering sound emanated from his mouth.
Stomp- stomp-
“Sa, save… save…”
“You only have two choices. Die peacefully, or die in agony.”
Reid instinctively knew.
That the being before him was absolute death.
That he could absolutely not survive.
“P-please, in one go…”
Seeing Reid desperately squeeze out his voice to beg, Leo spoke nonchalantly.
“You already made your choice.”
Thrust-!
“Kkueeeeoook!”
Leo's sword pierced Reid's mouth.
Leo's sword, having precisely cut around his mouth and tongue, was withdrawn.
Reid's left arm, flailing on the ground and writhing in pain, was severed.
Leaving Reid, who was squirming on the floor unable to scream, behind him, Leo headed towards the Elder's Corridor.
***
‘It's all over! I have to get out of Zerdinger!’
Aggerson, hearing the sounds of fire and screams from all over the Elder's Corridor, hardened his face and quickly headed for the secret door.
The reason he thought it was all over was simple.
[Heroic Qualification Revoked.]
It was the culprit that had stolen everything from Aggerson.
Aggerson wasn't the only one.
For reasons unknown, everyone in the Elder Council had lost their hero title.
After that, the elders scattered, fleeing Zerdinger.
For a hero, the title of hero wielded influence far beyond imagination.
A special being chosen by the gods for the peace of the world.
A hero was, in themselves, a superior human.
And the title of hero was a guarantee that they were a noble human.
Aggerson's reason for using the Hero Slayer was simple.
Even if this incident were to be revealed later.
Aggerson was a hero.
Even if he had already taken control of Zerdinger, as one chosen by the gods.
He could create the justification that he used the Hero Slayer for the sake of the world.
Even if he were to be pointed at and criticized.
It would only be for a moment.
History is written by the victors.
In later generations, he would undoubtedly remain a noble hero.
However, he had lost that hero title.
The elders had lost the most powerful means to protect themselves.
‘What the hell! Why! Why!’
Aggerson felt a surging sense of injustice in his chest.
That's when it happened.
Stomp-
Someone appeared from around the corner of the hallway.
Aggerson's face contorted as he recognized the figure.
“Regas!”
Seeing Aggerson speak through gritted teeth, Regas said.
“Give up.”
“Don't be ridiculous! What on earth did I do wrong to deserve this? I merely wished for my grandson to become the family head!”
“As long as you plotted behind the scenes for selfish desires. You cannot be forgiven.”
“Ugh! Do you believe the words of those lowly shadows?! I tell you, I know nothing of the Hero Slayer!”
“Hero Slayer. Indeed, the Shadow Lords, who have guarded the world's darkness for a long time, are fearsome. To have discovered that much in such a short time.”
At those words, Aggerson flinched.
Regas's eyes, looking at Aggerson, turned cold.
“You seemed to think you controlled all of Zerdinger's shadows, but.”
Shhick-
Someone emerged from Zerdinger's shadows.
Aggerson's face stiffened upon seeing that.
“That's not so. Shadows exist deeper within Zerdinger's darkness. All the stories you blabbed in the Elder's Corridor hallway reached my ears.”
At those words, Aggerson gnashed his teeth.
“It's all your fault! If you had just done things properly, our Zerdinger could have surpassed Rwalin long ago!”
“Indeed. Our family has been overflowing with talent since our generation. But is surpassing Rwalin really that important?”
“Ugh! It is important! Surpassing Rwalin isn't the end! We could make Zerdinger! The greatest house of heroes! Yet you merely cowered! What? Shedding blood?! You fool who doesn't understand the sacrifice of the few for the many! You, and your wife! And your children! All of you spout such nonsensical dreams! If I had been the family head! Zerdinger would already be Rhodran's greatest house of heroes!”
“Is that all of your last words?”
“Youuuu!”
Aggerson charged at Regas.
Seeing such an Aggerson, Regas spoke nonchalantly.
“You seem to have forgotten one thing. My father was not one to pass on the position of family head just because one was his son. Just like our grandfather.”
Originally, Regas's father, the previous-previous head of Zerdinger, was the second son.
“I became the family head for only one reason.”
Slash-!
Thwack-!
“Gasp?”
Aggerson's head flew into the air.
“It's simply because I am superior to you. Just as my father was superior to yours.”
Thud- roll, roll, roll-
“Unbeliev…able…”
Watching Aggerson react with disbelief that the outcome was decided in a single strike, Regas spoke nonchalantly.
“Not all heroes are the same, you see. With that skill, you would have made Zerdinger Rhodran's greatest house of heroes indeed.”
***
Leo moved through the Elder's Corridor, eliminating the traitors without exception.
Soon, upon arriving at Aggerson's office, Leo found Anya, Kirin, and Regas waiting for him.
“Grandfather?”
“The more I learn about my grandson, the more speechless I become. To think he held the world's darkness. No wonder he never showed much interest in the family's legacy.”
Regas chuckled heartily.
‘This grandfather. He's quite formidable.’
He hadn't expected him to reach this place so quickly.
While Leo was impressed.
Anya approached Leo.
“Lord Leo, here.”
Leo picked up the communication crystal that Anya handed him.
“It's an item made by the Hero Slayer.”
“…I can track the residual magical energy.”
Normally, this would be impossible.
But Leo had been tracking and executing countless traitors for thousands of years.
Before being the strongest hero, he was the strongest shadow.
Just from seeing him track down and execute the traitors here today, it was an overwhelming tracking ability that even the Shadow Lords wouldn't dare to attempt.
Just then.
Whirrr-!
The crystal reacted.
Seeing this, Leo narrowed his eyes and infused magic into the crystal.
The crystal's vibration ceased.
A moment later.
[Leo Flovenia?]
The Hero Slayer spoke.