Book 1 Chapter 675

675.

*Crunch!*

"Grooooaaaaar!"

Gigantes, who had placed his hand on the rampart, roared.

*Screech!*

A flash of light gleamed and cut off Gigantes' wrist.

Gigantes, who was climbing the rampart, screamed and fell to the ground.

As Aina, who had cut off its wrist, readjusted her sword.

*Kiiiaaak!*

From the sky, a flock of Fafnirs let out a strange cry and targeted Aina.

*Whoosh!*

"Not on my watch!"

Iliana's sword moved at incredible speed, cleaving a Fafnir in two.

Iliana, who had swiftly blocked them on the rampart, smiled faintly at Aina.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No."

Iliana nodded, looking at Aina who answered with her characteristic expressionless face, and raised her hand.

*Zhiing-!*

A beam of light shot out from a magic circle created on her palm, sweeping away the monsters rushing towards the rampart.

"As expected, Senior Iliana is amazing."

Luke exclaimed, watching the scene.

Even though she chose the Swordsmanship Department, Iliana was a magic swordsman.

Her disposition was more specialized in swordsmanship, but if one only considered pure talent, her talent as a magician was not inferior to her talent as a knight.

Even among magic swordsmen, there was a difference between her and Luke, who focused on enhancing swordsmanship with magic.

Just then, Habidan, holding a spear, swiftly flew in and thrust his spear at a demon.

"You, mere human…!"

"What are you, dying to that human?"

Habidan scoffed at his opponent, then swung his spear diagonally, cutting down the demon.

"Archers! Now!"

At Kal's shout, the archers who had been waiting behind leaned out from the rampart and drew their bowstrings.

*Pababababat-!*

Arrows shot by dwarves and beastfolk rained down on the monsters climbing the rampart.

But there were monsters that did not fall even under that barrage of arrows.

"Next, cannonballs! Fire!"

*Kwagagagagang-!*

Magic cannons spat fire in sync with Kal's command.

*Grooooaarr!*

Giant demons, monsters, and magical beasts fell, turned into a bloody mess.

Habidan clicked his tongue, watching the sight.

"Senior Kal's eye for reading the flow of battle is amazing."

The rampart area currently being defended by the hero candidates was maintaining a very stable defensive line.

When the vanguard, made up of hero candidates, pushed back the Giant King's army clinging to the rampart, arrows and magic cannons flew into the gap.

Thanks to Kal's coordination, they were literally achieving results beyond their limits.

*Tatata tatat-!*

*Pababababak! Kwajik! Kwadududk-!*

"Wooahhh!"

"Enniha-nim!"

Then, cheers erupted.

The only elf in this battlefield.

Enniha was running along the outer wall, slaughtering the demons threatening the rampart.

It was literally artistic movement, close to divine skill.

*Hwirik-! Tak-!*

Enniha leaped off the rampart and landed on top of it.

"Wow, amazing!"

Luke exclaimed.

"Thank you. But…"

Enniha looked up at the sky.

*Flash! Kwagagagagang-!*

Leo, riding a Pegasus in the sky, swept away the ground monsters with magic.

"She definitely said she was an All-Class, right? Wow… are surviving heroes like that too?"

An exclamation burst from Enniha's lips.

Leo was one of the two large pillars maintaining this battlefield.

Of course, the other pillar was…

"Khaaaab!"

Dweno, who had leaped high from the rampart, flew towards the ground.

*Hwarrrrrruk-!*

Golden flames blazed around his body.

Like a meteor, Dweno's body plunged into the ground.

*Kwagagagagagagang-!*

Dweno, who had swept away the Giant King's army with a shockwave, began to chop down demons with his axe blade with terrifying momentum.

Just then.

*Bwoo-!*

The sound of a horn trumpet echoed high in the sky.

With that sound, the Giant King's army began to retreat.

"They're running away!"

"The bastards are running away!"

"Waaahhhhh!"

Cheers erupted from all over the rampart.

Morale soared at the fact that they had repelled the Giant King's forces.

"Long live Dweno-nim!"

"Long live the Iron-Blooded Gatekeeper!"

Voices praising Dweno echoed everywhere.

It was Dweno who had noticeably distinguished himself in defending the rampart and executing Gimeon, who was infamous as a traitor.

Leo silently watched the retreating Giant King's forces from the sky.

"We won."

Eliza, who had been defending the sky with Leo, flew over.

At her words, Leo said,

"Indeed."

"Is something wrong?"

"It feels like it ended a bit too blandly."

His words were true.

The Giant King's army still had the power to fight.

Yet, they retreated.

Of course, Ivaldi was the one who held the initiative in the battle.

'But Gias isn't here.'

Leo's eyes narrowed.

For an army to display its true strength, a legion commander is needed.

In other words, the current Giant King's army was only half-complete.

Meanwhile, Dweno, on his way back to the castle, also turned his head to look at the retreating Giant King's army.

This battle was a perfect victory.

But he couldn't hide a lingering discomfort.

'That guy… has something up his sleeve.'

***

"Wahahahaha!"

"Feast!"

Day turned to night.

The entirety of Ivaldi was swept up in a festive atmosphere.

Barbecuing began here and there in the wide open space in front of the rampart.

Beastfolk and dwarf warriors emerged from the warehouse, carrying barrels on their shoulders.

Those in the residential areas prepared food.

It was a feast to share the joy of victory.

"Drink! Drink!"

Chelsea looked flustered, watching the boisterous dwarves and beastfolk drinking heavily.

"It's true we achieved a great victory, but is it okay to relax this much?"

The Age of Calamity was a time when Tartarus' demons could invade at any moment.

As such, she had thought the atmosphere would always be grim.

In fact, Ivaldi's atmosphere had been fierce.

But after the great victory, the atmosphere was completely relaxed.

"Even so, what if a battle suddenly starts?"

As Iliana spoke worriedly, Leo said calmly,

"They're guarding the ramparts in shifts."

Leo, sitting in front of a campfire, glanced at the rampart and said,

"The people here are seasoned warriors. They'll easily shake off the alcohol and go to the battlefield, won't they?"

*Crack-*

Leo broke a branch, then threw it into the campfire and said,

"Besides, if they don't get to relax like this, they probably can't endure it, can they?"

At this time.

Whenever a large-scale offensive from Tartarus was repelled, a large feast was held in any city.

It couldn't be helped.

Day by day, they lived oppressed by the anxiety of not knowing when they would perish.

An era where hope was unthinkable.

Just surviving day by day was cause for gratitude.

After overcoming a major crisis, they had to relieve their feelings like this.

To forget their anxiety, even for a little while.

At Leo's words, the other hero candidates tilted their heads.

Leo's words were understandable yet incomprehensible.

'It can't be helped.'

Only those living in this era would completely understand.

"By the way, there's still a distance between us."

Aina, sitting in front of the campfire, murmured softly as she looked at the dwarves and beastfolk who were some distance away from them.

"It can't be helped. Even if we fought together, the distance won't close instantly."

Chelsea shook her head.

Just moments ago, they were outsiders viewed with suspicion.

It would be difficult to open their hearts with just one battle.

Just as she thought that.

"Hey, hey! Look at this! Guess what I got?!"

Just then, Kal rushed over excitedly.

Next to him was a barrel floating in the air with floating magic.

"I got a barrel of alcohol!"

"Awesome! Kal! How did you do that?"

Iliana clapped her hands in admiration, and Kal gave a smug 'Hoo-!' expression.

"Isn't it all thanks to my abilities?"

"As expected of Kal!"

Iliana gave a thumbs-up!

It was Kal who, despite being treated warily as an outsider, managed to get a barrel of alcohol.

"Are you saying you're going to drink alcohol while still a student?"

Just then, Artian approached Kal, crossing her arms firmly, her brows furrowed.

"Gasp."

"Ah, Professor Artian."

Kal and Iliana flinched, seeing Artian's eyes narrow.

"B-But… the atmosphere is like this. Wouldn't a little bit be okay…?"

"A little bit?"

"I'll just return it right away."

As Kal quickly tucked his tail, Ar and Drian came closer to the barrel.

"Hehehe, we're students from another school, so it shouldn't matter, right?"

"Don't worry, Kal. We'll drink it well so your hard work isn't in vain."

Basically, beastfolk and dwarves are races that love alcohol.

Artian spoke, looking at the two eyeing the barrel.

"Even if you're students from another school, aren't you two still students?"

"Our school doesn't really have a rule against drinking alcohol…"

*Smash-!*

"Aaaah?!"

Artian's small fist ruthlessly smashed the opening of the barrel.

Ar and Drian, realizing that a Spirit had possessed her, quickly tucked their tails.

They had already seen firsthand how terrifying Professor Lumen in front of them was.

Leo, who was watching the scene, chuckled and said,

"Let's let it slide for today. Everyone worked hard."

"You're the student council president, you should set an example!"

"Isn't it human nature to want to do something more if you're told not to?"

"…"

Artian, who had been glaring at Leo with her arms crossed, snorted.

"Pour me a glass."

"Ohh!"

With permission granted, Kal took out cups.

The feast began in earnest.

Fueled by alcohol, the hero candidates boasted of their exploits.

Leo raised his head.

Elves and humans… no dragons were visible.

'Even if you talk about humans and elves, it's just us and Enniha.'

Ivaldi was literally a city of dwarves and beastfolk.

And among the cities that survived during the Age of Calamity, it was an isolated city.

It was the most desperate city.

"Lord Dweno is truly amazing!"

"Ah… I'm glad Lord Dweno is here."

"For Lord Dweno!"

Here and there, dwarves and beastfolk were shouting Dweno's name and making toasts.

'Yes… these city folk are Dweno's people.'

It was then that Leo murmured softly to himself.

"What are you doing all alone, looking gloomy?"

Enniha, holding a drink, approached with a bright smile.

"Where's Dweno?"

"That dwarf, he's holed up in the workshop right now. He's a man who loves alcohol, so it's quite unusual, isn't it?"

Enniha shrugged her shoulders and plopped down in front of Leo.

"By the way, aren't you going to play? The kids are having quite a fun time."

Enniha smiled faintly, watching Arhi's party betting on who could drink faster.

"Don't you have a lot of pretty friends? Isn't it a fun time to drink together for a while?"

"They're too young, you see."

"Aren't you a kid yourself?"

Enniha made a bewildered expression and sipped her drink.

The fastest drinker was Artian.

"Ugh-! This is an adult's drinking capacity!! You brats!"

"Ohh! Little lady. Just like in the battlefield earlier! You're hot-blooded!"

"You're the best drinker among your friends!"

Just then, drunken dwarves and beastfolk approached.

"Aaaah?! Who are you calling a friend! I'm much older than these guys!"

"Huh? You look the same age no matter how I look at it."

"How old are you, miss?"

"Twenty-six!"

"Gasp! You were an elder sister?"

"Who's an elder sister! I'm thousands of years older than you people…"

"Hahahahaha! Professor Artian. Have more. More!"

Kal sweated nervously and hastily shoved a bottle of alcohol into Artian's mouth.

It was an outrageous act that would have been unthinkable under normal circumstances, but it was a drunken action due to the extreme urgency.

Artian also glug-glug-glugged the alcohol down.

"Bring more!"

"She's drunk."

Leo clicked his tongue.

Was it due to the alcohol?

One by one, Ivaldi's warriors gathered around the hero candidates.

"Hey, you were amazing, weren't you?"

A female beastfolk wearing glasses, who appeared to be a magician, approached Chelsea and said,

"You used magic and then suddenly engaged in close combat, didn't you? You seemed like a knight, are you perhaps a magic swordsman?"

"I'm a pure mage."

"What?!"

In the Age of Calamity, there was no concept of a battle mage.

That's why Chelsea's combat style was bound to be surprising.

Was it because of the alcohol?

The distance between the Ivaldi warriors and the hero candidates gradually narrowed.

Watching the scene, Enniha used her index fingers and thumbs to form a rectangle, then winked one eye and framed the scene with her fingers.

"Hmm~ a nice picture. What should I say, it's like a combination of the new generation and the old generation."

"Why don't you ask them to be your models?"

"Yeah, I will. But you know what."

Enniha rested her chin on her hand and looked at Leo.

"You're the one I'd most like to be my model right now."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You… you're just like the sun. I love sunlight the most in the world. So I really want to see it."

"That's an image that doesn't suit me."

"Huh? No, no."

Enniha shook her head and said,

"Would you be my painting model?"

'A model for the painter who made Dweno get art sickness…'

"If I'm okay."

"Really!"

Enniha smiled brightly and grabbed Leo's shirt.

"…What are you doing?"

"You said you'd be my model?"

"So?"

"Then take it off. Become the form born for art."

Leo stared intently into Enniha's eyes.

Looking at her eyes, she was clearly not in her right mind; she was drunk.

"Take it off! Take it off!"

It seemed her true nature was revealed after drinking.

Leo clicked his tongue, watching Enniha tugging at his clothes.

'Is this the elf version of Dweno?'

No.

Dweno must be the dwarf version of this elf.

'In the end, this one was also a pervert.'