Book 1 Chapter 810

810.

Flash-

The warp gate emitted a bright light.

With it, several people appeared from the warp gate.

Kalian, the principal of Rumern, who was tending to trees in the garden around the warp gate dressed as a gardener, widened his eyes at the sight.

"They're finally here!"

He jumped up and threw off his wide-brimmed straw hat.

"Student Rea! I've been waiting for you!"

Seeing Kalian, who greeted her as warmly as a grandfather meeting his grandson after a long time, Rea pressed her temples.

"Principal. Isn't it outside of work hours…?"

"It's fine! Don't we have a very, very competent faculty at Rumern? They're handling the work in place of this old man!"

"Professor Halind and Professor Sedgen… and Professor Riina must be busy managing the students?"

"They're friends I've watched since I was a student! They're very, very competent! They won't bat an eye at that much overwork!"

"If the principal does the work, they won't have to suffer from overwork!"

"Ho-ho? Isn't this all because of you, Student Rea?!"

"Why me all of a sudden?"

"Student Rea is so competent that she's taken even my work. I've become too accustomed to a life without work. Lately, my eyesight has been dim too."

As Rea sighed deeply while looking at Kalian, who was exaggerating, she spotted someone approaching from afar.

"It's Professor Halind."

"Tsk. Persistent."

Kalian clicked his tongue and tried to escape.

But Rea used magic to hold Kalian's ankles.

"Attacking an old man! The Student Rea I know wouldn't do such a heaven-defying act of delinquency!"

As Kalian protested with wide eyes.

Thud-

"Principal. It's work hours."

"Halind! Let go of this! I need to lecture my Student Rea a little…!"

"Work comes before lectures. Ain, Ren."

Click- click-

At Halind's call, his loyal subordinates, Professors Ain and Ren, grabbed Kalian's arms.

"Escort him to the principal's office."

"Overworking an old man! Do you think you won't get old!"

Kalian's desperate cry echoed, but Ain and Ren did not listen.

Halind glanced at Rea.

"You've returned, I see."

"Yes, Professor Halind."

Halind's gaze, watching Rea nod, turned to the others.

'The student council presidents from other hero academies interacting with Rea. And…'

Halind's final gaze fell on Leo.

Halind approached Leo.

Seeing Leo's puzzled expression, Halind said,

"Your name?"

"It's Leo."

"Leo…"

Halind also knew that the instigator of this Rumern commotion was the boy in front of him.

After looking at Leo for a moment, Halind said,

"Have you considered teaching at Rumern?"

Leo's eyes widened at the sudden scouting offer.

But then he smiled.

"I don't think it's time to teach anyone yet."

"Looking at Chelsea Lewalin and Iliana Laden, it doesn't seem like that."

"I just showed them the way a little."

"That's also excellent teaching."

"This person would be more suitable as an educator than I am."

Leo grinned, grabbed Rea's shoulders, and pulled her towards him.

Rea, with wide eyes, looked back.

"Well."

Halind said indifferently.

"You can be an excellent leader, but as an educator, you seem a little lacking compared to him."

"Hmm? I've been influenced a lot by this person too?"

"Showing and leading the way is clearly different from teaching the way and pushing from behind."

Having said that, Halind turned away without hesitation.

"If you're interested, let me know."

With those words, Halind left, following Kalian.

"Were you doing the principal's work too?"

"Yes, I thought it would be more efficient. When I'm busy or absent, Principal Kalian handles the work again… lately, he's been angling for retirement."

"That makes sense."

"Hey, how long are you going to keep holding on?"

At that moment, Rune, who had inserted himself between the two, slapped the back of Leo's hand that was holding Rea's shoulders.

"By the way, I've thought about it before, but that Halind fellow is very sharp."

Valhar said, stroking his chin.

"His insight into the essence is accurate."

"Well, Professor Halind has that side to him."

Leo nodded.

"Does your world's Principal Kalian also pawn off work like this and run away?"

At Rea's question, Leo smiled wryly.

"Our world's Principal Kalian single-handedly stopped the Demon Queen and died with all his strength."

"Ah…"

"It was a noble end, befitting someone who carried an era."

Rea remained silent.

Seeing Rea like that, Rune said,

"Well, Rea, aren't you supposed to go to your students now? You have a lot to sort out, don't you?"

Seeing Rune pushing her back, Rea narrowed her eyes.

"You seem eager to get rid of me?"

"Of course not. Leo's been running wild, so there's a lot to sort out… and you have to show the children their own paths, right?"

"That's right. You must be very busy."

"So hurry up…"

"Is only Rea busy?"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! What are you doing!"

Leo grabbed Rune's ear.

When Rune protested with wide eyes, Leo pushed Rune towards the warp gate.

"You also have things to sort out in Seirun. The Pureblood Society, or the descendants you couldn't take care of."

At those words, Rune faltered.

"In a way, you were the laziest of the four of you."

"Ugh."

Rune, with a guilty expression, let his ears droop.

"…You're right. It's pathetic."

Rea, who had emphasized "Kyl-ness" to her students.

Kar, who tried to teach the students of Azonia a lot, even if his explanation was a bit too self-centered.

Unlike Valhar, who perfectly passed on his skills, Rune was the great hero who had stagnated the most.

"I… I might be disqualified as the progenitor of the constellations."

Seeing Rune, who had lowered his head with a dejected expression, Leo said,

"You can do well from now on."

"Huh?"

"You're a genius, aren't you? If you put your mind to it, you'll have plenty of inspiration from the Seirun kids."

At those words, Rune's drooping ears gradually perked up and then began to twitch non-stop.

He crossed his arms and snorted, "Hmph!"

"That's true! The greatest genius in magical history! I, Luna!"

Flattered by Leo's compliment, Rune rushed towards the warp gate.

"I'll finish up quickly and come back! Wait for me! Leo!"

Watching Rune return to Seirun with a bright smile, Valhar shook his head.

"Soon, the Elf society will be in ruins."

The Pureblood Society is secretly collaborating with Tartarus.

Until now, an unmotivated Rune did not judge the Elf society to be that rotten, but now it's different.

"He'll sweep it away in an instant."

Rune has a quick mind, decisiveness.

And also the drive to act.

If it were invisible, perhaps not.

The moment he found a clue through Leo, the cleanup of the Pureblood Society would be literally instantaneous.

'Even if he seems reckless, his on-site judgment is accurate.'

"Rea, you take care of the kids too."

"Yes. Leo, you'll be staying at Rumern as a guest for a while, right?"

"That's right. I have something to ask of you."

"Ask?"

Kar tilted his head.

"Yes."

Leo clenched and unclenched his fist.

"I want to be confirmed on how well you're utilizing the abilities you inherited from us… and whether you can develop them further."

***

In the small training ground attached to the accommodation building provided to guests of Rumern.

Leo, Kar, and Valhar were talking.

"You emitted killing intent when you fought?"

Leo looked at Kar with surprised eyes.

"That's right. At that time, Kar was clearly emitting killing intent towards that evil god Nix."

"For such a timid guy to even think of that."

During the Age of Calamity.

Kar possessed overwhelming martial prowess, but his timid and kind nature prevented Kar from truly harboring murderous intent towards his opponents.

Kar could only fight with his full strength when his comrades were in danger.

Leo couldn't believe that such a gentle Kar had emitted killing intent.

"You made a big decision."

At Leo's words, Kar clenched his fist.

"…I keenly felt how much I relied on you all in my past life."

"Hmm. You can even think about such things. You're quite something?"

"Yes, in my past life, I didn't take any responsibility."

"Huh?"

"Rea was responsible for the world, Rune always worked hard to enrich Gardsron with his magical skills. Kyle… Leo, you alone dealt with the darkness of the world, and Valhar was our reliable advisor."

"That's right."

"In comparison… I was indulged because I was young."

"…"

"You told me I was the bravest person in the world… but I could only be courageous because you were there."

Kar's eyes narrowed with a serious expression.

"I've decided to become someone who can be brave on my own now."

"…That's a splendid resolution, Kar."

"Heh heh."

Valhar smiled gently, and Kar shyly chuckled, scratching his head.

Watching him, Leo smirked.

"You've decided to move forward too."

"Yes."

"But there's something I need to correct."

"Huh?"

"You weren't exactly indulged, nor did you not take responsibility."

"Huh? No, Leo. It's okay if you're trying to comfort me."

"So I'm not trying to comfort you, I'm just telling the truth…"

Thwack-!

"Gasp?!"

From behind, Valhar wrapped Leo's neck with his thick forearm.

Suffocated by Valhar's overwhelming strength, Leo patted Valhar's forearm.

"Kar, go to Rea for a moment."

"Huh? Why Rea all of a sudden?"

"Tell Rea the same story you just told us. She'll be the happiest."

"Ah, yes!"

Kar nodded with a naive smile and ran off.

As Kar disappeared into the distance, Valhar released Leo.

"Huff! Huff! What the hell are you doing, you damned old man?"

Leo protested, rubbing his neck, and Valhar kicked him hard in the back.

"Do you want to discourage Kar? What good will it do to tell the truth?"

"Why? Back then, you weren't useful no matter what you were asked to do, so you weren't asked to do anything! It's time for him to know now!"

"Shut up! You should just rejoice in Kar's growth with pure sincerity!"

"That's why. Won't he grow more if he knows?"

"Halind's eyes are wrong! You are the worst as an educator!"

Meanwhile.

"…You've made a big decision, Kar… But what's with that smile?"

"Huh? Am I imitating Leo? How is it? Cool, right? Rune taught me!"

'I hoped he wouldn't be corrupted.'

In the end, Kar had been corrupted by the fools.

Rea, seeing a smile that clearly reminded her of someone, felt unable to tell whether to cry or laugh.

***

Erebus, in the form of Kyle, looked up at the sky.

He could turn the blue sky into a dark, deathly color at any moment.

But Erebus did not.

He had been reborn as half of himself by absorbing the fragment held by his subordinate, the Death King, and the resurrected Nix.

'It's not time yet.'

Erebus narrowed his eyes.

'If a surviving hero from another dimension has come here… there must be an entrance.'

Through that entrance, he would cross over to a world where no great heroes exist.

'And then I will turn that world into ashes and devour the fragment of myself that is there.'

After that.

'I will return here and turn both worlds into ashes.'

If that happens.

'You will never be able to stop me, surviving hero.'