Book 1 Chapter 661

661.

"What is this? The site of a manual labor camp?"

Illiana looked down at the mining village below with a sullen expression.

The second-year students from Lumerin and Damian were gathered tightly at the entrance of the mine.

They had their faces covered in soot, as if they had just finished work.

Without even thinking of washing or wiping it off, they held their meal trays and eagerly awaited dinner.

"In two days, the kids have turned into beggars."

Chelsea sighed, watching Illiana murmur, sending pitiful glances at the junior students.

"Our appearance isn't much better, you know?"

Leo's party had just finished exploring the Tartarus region for two days.

And they had come to this mine, located on the border with Tartarus, for rest.

A safe stronghold was essential for exploring the Tartarus region.

This place was also very safe, as it was where Lumerin and Damian's second-year students gathered for their exclusive Smith contract.

"I never dreamed I wouldn't be able to wash for two days."

Ar sniffed, putting her nose to the back of her hand.

"What are you doing?"

"N-ugh?!"

Ar jumped, seeing Leo approach her.

"Black rabbit. Don't come near me now. I smell."

Shashak- Leo chuckled as Ar distanced herself from him.

"Everyone probably smells the same right now, what's the big deal."

It was a party that had fought without a break for two days.

The mix of sweat and blood smell on their bodies was unavoidable.

"Is that so?"

Ar, with her arms crossed, tilted her head and stood next to Leo.

"By the way."

"Hm?"

"You've become quite skilled at using beastification and super senses, haven't you?"

Ar's ears perked up at Leo's words.

"Arion would have been pleased if he saw it."

Ar scratched the back of her head and giggled at Leo's compliment.

"No, no. I'm still very lacking!"

"No, you're not. I was truly surprised."

"Ehehehe."

"In that sense, would you like to get some special tutoring from me?"

"Good…"

Ar, who was about to answer with a completely relaxed face, suddenly distanced herself from Leo at incredible speed and took on a wary expression like a hissing cat.

"What kind of torture are you planning now!"

"Torture, you say."

Having previously undergone training that was close to torture from Leo, Ar couldn't help but be terrified.

Chelsea, who was watching the scene, murmured quietly.

"Indeed, there are many victims of Brother Leo."

"Right. Getting noticed by the class president doesn't seem very good. In that sense, I think I'm really lucky."

"Still, if you train with Brother Leo, even if it's hard, your skills definitely improve quickly."

Illiana chuckled, "Ooh-hoo-hoo," at Chelsea's words.

"That's a story very far from my life philosophy! My life goal is to become moderately famous! And based on that fame! To enjoy life!"

"…Is that something a successor of a family should say?"

"Of course!"

Chelsea, looking disgusted, said to Illiana, who spoke with utter confidence.

"I heard Brother Leo is going to train you soon too."

"Huh?!"

"He said he'd turn you into a true 'Light-Speed Quick Sword'."

"Why!"

"Because you kept talking about 'Light-Speed Quick Sword', he wanted to make you one."

"Hiiiii!"

Illiana clutched her head and screamed.

Chelsea sneered, looking at Illiana as if she found it amusing.

"Oh! Leo! You're here?"

At that moment, Karl spotted Leo's party approaching the lodging and looked pleased.

"Wow, it's clear everyone worked hard."

They had been told in advance that this place would be used as a base for exploration, so they weren't surprised by Leo's party's arrival.

"What's that, Karl?"

"This? It's dinner for the kids. If you haven't eaten yet, let's eat together."

Karl pushed a cart filled with food and headed towards Leo's group and the second-year students.

"Ohh! Food!"

"Food! Food!"

Cheers erupted from everywhere.

"It seems we're not even on their minds."

Chelsea's expression slightly soured, thinking her presence was overshadowed by food.

"Ah, everyone. Welcome. How was the exploration?"

Artian showed a bright expression.

Leo looked at Artian and said,

"I have something to tell you about that."

"Yes?"

Artian tilted his head slightly at Leo's words.

***

"After two days of exploring the initial part of the Tartarus region, the existence of a Hero Dungeon seems certain."

"It would be certain if we encountered demons from the Age of Calamity."

Demons from the distant past.

There was only one way for them to appear in the present world.

That was through a Hero Dungeon.

"After battling the demons, as we headed deeper, countless groups of Gigantes were holding their ground."

Those Gigantes were also beings that appeared during the Age of Calamity.

'You can tell by their armament.'

Leo looked down at his palm, recalling the weapons the Gigantes used.

"It seems we need to devise tactics assuming a battle with the Gigantes and then proceed."

"Yes."

As it was an exploration mission to infiltrate deep into the Tartarus region, they had to gather as much information as possible about the current Tartarus region's interior from the initial part.

The exploration over the past two days was for that reason.

"But one question arises."

Artian made a serious expression.

"Why is this area near the border so peaceful when so many Gigantes have appeared in the present world through a Hero Dungeon?"

The very reason Damian formed an exploration team was because they felt an unusual situation in the border region.

It hadn't taken long after the exploration team sent by Damian went missing for Leo's party to re-explore the area around Tartarus.

And according to the previous exploration team's report, such an unusual situation had not occurred in the initial part of the Tartarus region before then.

'It means the situation has deteriorated rapidly in the past few days.'

And if that many Gigantes had appeared, it wouldn't be strange for them to invade beyond the border into the dwarf territory.

It was, in a word, a tinderbox situation.

However, the surrounding area was peaceful.

Of course, as a border region, it wasn't entirely peaceful.

Monsters immediately cross over from the Tartarus region.

This mine also saw monsters appear several times.

To the point where work would be impossible without the students from Lumerin and Damian.

But that was all.

Considering the confirmed presence of a Hero Dungeon invading the present world, it was excessively peaceful.

"I think we'll only know more by going deeper."

Artian nodded at Leo's words.

The request delivered to Leo was to confirm the existence of a Hero Dungeon, but that wasn't all.

If the existence of a Hero Dungeon was confirmed, they needed to know whose Hero and from what era it was.

'In the current situation, it seems like a fragment of a Great Hero's Hero Record, but…'

The discovery of a Great Hero's Hero Record is certainly great news.

But if that Hero Record has become a Hero Dungeon, it's a different story.

Because the monsters that emerge from a Hero Dungeon mean they are monsters from the Age of Calamity.

'Moreover, high-ranking demons from that era have also appeared.'

Thinking that far, Artian said seriously.

"As a professor of Lumerin, I will speak to student Leo, the leader of the Arhi party."

At his words, Leo straightened his posture.

A Lumerin professor is not merely an educator.

They also possess the authority of a commander who can issue orders to students in an emergency.

No matter that Leo was the student council president and was out on a mission, if Artian used his command authority, Leo had to comply.

"It seems necessary to reinforce the party. Student Karl."

"Yes."

"Join student Leo's party."

"Huh?"

"And by my professorial authority, I will also have second-year Knightology students Luke, Aina, and Habitun join the party. I myself will also join the Arhi party."

Chelsea's eyes widened upon hearing that.

"Then will Professor Artian be the party leader?"

"No. Student Leo is the leader. I merely judged that the party's strength needed to be enhanced as a professor. Student Leo will be a better leader than me."

Luke, Aina, and Habitun.

The addition of the three top students from Knightology's second year was also to match Leo's existing party's tendencies.

All three of the top three second-year Knightology students are fundamentally specialized in speed.

Shasha from the second-year Summoning Department is also fast, but it would inevitably be overwhelming if she had to keep up with the third-year's fastest individuals.

"What about the second-years' exclusive Smith contract?"

"Let's proceed as planned. There are professors from Damian as chaperones."

Karl sighed at Artian's words.

"Ah. In the end, I'm being dragged into another death trap like this."

Karl, who was muttering with a miserable face, covering his face, asked.

"But how am I supposed to keep up with you guys? Unlike you monsters, I'm delicate."

"Don't worry about that."

Illiana smiled brightly and handed a rope to Karl.

"Karl, it's a special rope you use to tie up the luggage you've dug up."

"…You're not thinking of tying me to this rope, are you?"

"You got it exactly right!"

Illiana said, giving a thumbs-up.

"Tie it around your waist. I'll pull you."

"Do you want to see someone's waist break?"

Karl, scowling, looked around at the group.

'No matter who it is, except for one person, motion sickness is guaranteed.'

It was obvious they would run at incredible speeds, and it was unlikely they would consider him.

Karl, thinking that far, moved closer to Eliza, who could travel most comfortably.

"Eliza-nim."

"No."

"Aw, don't be like that. Huh? Huh?"

"Kneel and beg."

"Oh? Really? If I just do that, you'll let me ride? I can kneel and beg all I want!"

Eliza frowned, looking at Karl's bright expression.

"It's unpleasant."

After the party's strength was reinforced.

Leo said.

"Then let's rest well for a day and depart tomorrow morning. I'll inform the second-year students who have joined the party. Dismissed."

At his words, the party members dispersed to rest.

Leo stood up and looked down at his palm.

'…Whose world is this?'

He tried not to care, but Leo's eyes trembled slightly at the thought of his old friend's Hero Record.

Could he meet him again?

'He must be thinking about the past again this time, too?'

No matter who it was, the comrades in the hero's world now knew his true identity.

It was when Leo's heart was stirring.

"Uhm… Student Leo?"

"Yes, Professor Artian."

After the students had all left, Artian carefully called Leo.

"Student Leo, would you mind staying a moment? I have something to ask."

"Yes."

Leo sat back down.

The others thought they would discuss tomorrow's events and left first.

In the room were Leo and Artian.

The two were left alone.

Artian, sitting in front of Leo, hesitated, then opened his mouth.

"Leo. I've wanted to ask you this for a while."

"Yes."

"Do you happen to have a lover?"

"Huh?"

Leo showed a rare expression of surprise at the sudden question.

"Why do you ask that?"

"I feel the aura of a spiritual being around you, Student Leo."