Book 1 Chapter 682

682.

Arga narrowed the distance with Leo with a serious expression.

*Squeak-!*

In an instant, Arga's kick struck Leo's face.

*Hoo-!*

Seeing Leo, who dodged the attack by leaning back, Arga's eyes sparkled.

"Opening!"

He leaped up and attacked Leo again with the foot he was supporting himself with.

*Pak-!*

Leo spread his palm and blocked Arga's attack.

*Whoosh-!*

Leo's body was pushed back in an instant.

*Tap-!*

Leo, who landed on the floor, looked straight ahead.

By now, Arga's fist was right in front of Leo's nose.

*Fwoosh-!*

Arga's fist sliced through the air.

Along with it, dust scattered in all directions.

Arga flinched.

By now, Leo's palm was right in front of him.

"Lost again!"

Arga lay flat on his back on the floor, looking frustrated.

Seeing Arga like that, Leo said,

"It's already the forty-seventh time. We'll be up all night at this rate."

It was past midnight.

Arga had requested sparring with Leo.

This was the condition Arga had set, in exchange for Leo training to develop fire resistance in Dwenow.

Leo would spar with Arga until Arga was satisfied while they were in the dungeon.

That's why Leo was sparring with Arga even though it was late at night.

"I can still do more!"

"You have good stamina."

"One more time!"

Seeing Arga sit up abruptly, Leo sighed.

"Please, let's get some sleep."

"Hmm?"

At those words, Arga, who had crossed his arms and was staring intently at Leo, smiled.

"Well, if the black rabbit pleads so much, I'll let it go for today."

"I'm so grateful it brings tears to my eyes."

Leo sighed and took off his sweat-soaked top.

His top was soaked with moisture from sweating profusely.

Wringing it out, Leo muttered to himself.

'Is it because he's a child? He's still energetic even after moving so strenuously.'

As Leo thought that, something suddenly came to mind.

'Wait, my body is also that of a child.'

He sometimes forgot.

'Is it a mental issue?'

Leo let out a hollow laugh and shook his clothes.

Arga watched Leo, exclaiming, "Hoo- hoo-."

"What are you looking at?"

"No. Seeing you like this, I realized the black rabbit has a great body."

Balanced muscles, neither excessive nor lacking.

Of course, compared to the students of Azonia, it might seem meager, but his pure physical strength was immense.

"My eyes are being treated."

Arga crawled towards Leo and poked at his abs with a smirk.

"Don't touch me carelessly, you perverted cat."

"You call an innocent girl such a vulgar nickname?! Don't compare me to Dryana!"

"At least Dryana doesn't ask people to take off their clothes for lewd purposes."

"Gaaah!"

Arga clenched his fist, his face contorted with anger, and then lifted his shirt, showing his stomach, and said,

"If you're not satisfied, you can touch me too! Touch me! And apologize for calling me a perverted cat! Apologize for comparing me to Dryana!"

At that, Leo grabbed Arga's side.

"Aagh! I said touch me! I didn't say pinch me!"

"Where do you think you are, carelessly showing your stomach? Perverted cat."

"You're not apologizing! And you called me a pervert again!"

Arga, who barely escaped Leo's grasp, lunged at Leo and bit his head.

"Grrr!"

Ignoring Arga, who made animalistic noises, Leo took off the bracelets and anklets on his wrists and ankles and put them down.

He then lightly rotated his wrists.

They were bracelets with weight magic.

They didn't feel heavy to others, but they definitely put a burden on the wearer, making them a training artifact he had enjoyed using since childhood.

Arga, who had been biting Leo's head while hanging from Leo's back, came down and sat next to him.

He then glared at the artifact with a slightly sulky expression.

He knew.

If they sparred without such restrictions, he would be no match for Leo.

Still, it was frustrating.

Looking up at Leo, who was getting up and loosening his ankles, Arga said,

"I wish we could fight without restrictions someday."

"Indeed. When do you want to catch up?"

"Ugh!"

Arga's face reddened at Leo's slightly provocative remark.

Leo chuckled, seeing Arga like that, and ruffled his hair.

"You're getting strong fast enough. So don't be too impatient."

"Hmph! Right! Among the successors of the great heroes, I'm second!"

"Second?"

"Yes. Black Rabbit, Me, Gangster Elf, Perverted Dwarf! That's the order!"

'I bet Lunia thinks the same way?'

Leo burst into laughter, watching Arga puff up with pride.

"You forgot one person."

"Huh?"

"Dragon Lord."

"Ugh!"

Arga flinched.

No matter how energetic Arga was, if Melina was the comparison, it was a different story.

Dragon Lord Melina was already a hero carrying an era on her shoulders.

"I… I'll catch up soon!"

"Really?"

"Of course! Black Rabbit! I'll catch up to you first! And then it's Lady Melina!"

Arga shouted proudly.

Leo chuckled, watching Arga like that.

'The order is reversed.'

Of course, Arga had no way of knowing, so he decided to let it slide.

"What are you two doing this late at night? Going on a date?"

"Oh! Dwenow!"

Seeing Dwenow laughing heartily, Arga sprang to his feet.

Leo, who had already noticed Dwenow approaching, glanced back and said,

"We were training."

"My, you're diligent. Aren't you two already strong enough?"

Leo said, stroking his chin with a surprised expression.

"This much is still far from enough. You, Dwenow, would know that best, wouldn't you?"

Seeing Leo speak with a slightly sharp tone, Arga was startled.

"Hey, Black Rabbit! Such an attitude towards Dwenow!"

"I don't mind, so don't worry."

Dwenow approached Leo with a hearty laugh.

"I saw that this friend was ill-mannered from the moment I first saw him."

*Thump-! Thump-!*

Dwenow patted Leo's shoulder with a joyful laugh.

Though it looked like a light pat, to Leo, it felt like being hit with a metal club.

"Why are you hitting me, you old geezer?"

"Did it feel like being hit? You. Your frame is fine, but you're weaker than I thought."

Leo grimaced and pushed Dwenow's face away with his foot, seeing Dwenow click his tongue.

"You perverted old geezer!"

"Pervert. This is the first time I've been called that in my life! If it were Enni, maybe! Why am I a pervert! Hahaha!"

Dwenow, stroking his chin and tilting his head, laughed and swung a fist towards Leo.

Leo dodged the dangerous punch and kicked, but Dwenow also quickly dodged.

"Ughhhhhhhhh."

Arga, witnessing such extreme disrespect before his eyes, was at a loss.

However, the two who had been fighting fiercely soon sat down composedly and started talking.

"So, the reconnaissance results say it's completely sealed off?"

"Yes. External help is difficult."

"Is it difficult to dispel with magic?"

"…It's a barrier created by Erebus's power. It's impossible to break."

"Is that so."

Dwenow's expression became serious.

Seeing that, Leo said,

"There must be a core forming the barrier around the fortress. We just need to destroy it."

More precisely, it's the entrance to the core of the Legion's world.

Through that, they would infiltrate the Legion's world and find and destroy the Legion's records.

If that happened, this Hero Dungeon would collapse.

Lying to Dwenow, Leo said,

"So, we plan to search the area around the fortress starting tomorrow."

"Do you need anything?"

"Hmm. I'd like to move with the Ivaldi warrior candidates."

"With those kids?"

"We have to divide our manpower too."

Arga, Dryana, and Iliana couldn't move due to training.

Kal also couldn't leave the alchemy furnace because he was fully engaged in producing potions needed for the battle with Tartarus.

In the end, Leo's party was also short of manpower.

They couldn't ask for help from the Ivaldi warriors because they had to guard the walls.

"Even the candidates have been scouting the area around the fortress and hunting monsters. They would be a great help."

Their pure combat power was weaker than Leo's party.

However, the experience they gained living through the Age of Calamity far surpassed that of the hero candidates.

Therefore, they would undoubtedly be a great asset in reconnaissance missions.

Dwenow, who had been considering Leo's words, nodded.

"All right. I'll let the warrior candidates know."

Dwenow nodded and smiled at Arga.

"You have a good friend as a comrade."

"Yes."

As Arga smiled shyly, Dwenow chuckled.

"His temper might be terrible, but he seems like a friend with much to learn, so learn a lot."

"Why are you picking a fight again?"

As Leo contorted his face, Arga jumped up and shouted,

"Yes! I will definitely become strong with the black rabbit! I will become strong and definitely defeat Erebus! On the honor of Lord Arion!"

Seeing Arga, whose eyes sparkled and fists were clenched, Dwenow said,

"You're reliable!"

"Hehehe."

"Make sure you defeat him. That hateful black flame."

"Of course! Even if I have to give my life, I will definitely…"

"No."

"Huh?"

"Never die. Don't die, and defeat him."

Dwenow said firmly.

"Yes!"

Arga answered energetically, and Dwenow nodded with a smile.

"Then, wash up and get to bed early for tomorrow's exploration."

"Yes!"

*Snap-!*

*Splash-!*

As Leo snapped his fingers, a torrent of water fell on Arga.

Arga, soaked like a drowned cat, glared and shook Leo by the collar.

"What are you doing!"

"I gave you a bath."

"Wash me properly! Nicely!"

Arga, who complained fiercely, shook his body and spattered water all over Leo.

Then, with a snort, he left.

Leo chuckled, watching Arga's retreating back, and followed him, saying,

"Then I'll be going too."

"Leo, I have something to ask."

"Why?"

"The core of the barrier you're trying to destroy. If you destroy it, we win, right?"

"Probably."

"What about us… the people of Ivaldi?"

"…"

Leo was momentarily speechless.

'Disappear.'

Of course, he couldn't say that.

While this was just a fragment of the past for him, for Dwenow, this was the present.

"Wouldn't it be best to escape here and go to Gardsron? It doesn't change the fact that this is a dangerous area. If we deal a heavy blow to the Giant King's forces, a gap will surely open up."

"…"

Dwenow stared intently at Leo's face.

Leo met Dwenow's gaze.

"Then we'll have to prepare thoroughly for a large-scale relocation."

Dwenow smiled faintly and nodded.

"Yes. Prepare thoroughly."

Leo nodded and returned to his tent.

Arga, who had been waiting for Leo from afar, returned with him.

The two, who started walking together, gradually moved further away.

Dwenow, standing in place, simply watched their retreating figures.