Book 1 Chapter 836

Leo climbed onto the training ground and looked down at the two knights.

Everyone watched the scene in stunned silence.

Seeing this, Jeswan didn't know how to react.

Hell Hound Jeswan Tureck.

He was a skilled individual who had reached the rank of hero at the young age of his late twenties.

From the southern continent, where many small nations waged endless wars over vested interests.

He was a man who had worked as a mercenary on battlefields where people killed each other from his late teens.

He had not received any formal education.

He had simply killed his opponents for 'survival'.

And to survive, to become stronger, he had stolen and learned the skills of knights on the battlefield.

Ten years passed like that.

He defeated the man then called the Mercenary King on the battlefield and became a world-renowned figure.

Based on that feat, he rose to the rank of hero, and Jeswan ended the conflict in his homeland.

After that, he left his homeland and wandered around the world.

A hero of mercenary origin, belonging to no one.

His presence alone could cause a nation's military power to fluctuate, making him a powerful force that the kings of countless nations desired.

However, no nation managed to recruit Jeswan.

Jeswan was a man far removed from the so-called noble families.

He was free-spirited and rough, having come up through the battlefields since childhood as a mercenary.

A hero completely different from the common image of a hero.

That's why he gained a notorious reputation as a mad dog.

Although he called himself a wandering knight, he didn't really think of himself as a knight.

He considered himself a mercenary, then as now.

Then one day, he heard about Leo Frolov of Lumern.

An unprecedented all-class.

But he thought it was just a young lord with a peculiar talent.

'Few good people come from Lumern.'

There were a few truly capable individuals in Lumern, but they were extremely rare.

However, he was utterly astonished to hear soon after that he had reached the rank of hero at such a young age.

'When I was fighting on the battlefield… No, at an even younger age, he reached the rank of hero?'

Only those who have become heroes know how difficult it is to obtain the title of hero.

After that surprise, however.

He even heard that he had now obtained the title of King of the Beginning.

Jeswan felt a deep interest in the person named Leo Frolov.

Of course, he didn't exactly acknowledge him as a king.

He was regarded as a leader of heroes who would lead the next generation, but what did that have to do with him?

He just wanted to fight and see how great he was.

Thus, Jeswan came to Retin.

However, meeting Leo was not easy.

Even with the status of a hero, one cannot arbitrarily meet the king of another country.

The reason why heroes can easily meet the rulers of countries they have never seen is that those rulers wish to meet the heroes.

If the other party does not desire it first, there is no way for even a hero to meet them.

So Jeswan challenged Leo to a duel.

At that time, there were many skilled individuals who wanted to fight Leo, so he had no reservations.

However, most of those duels were rejected by Crimson Wave, Sees.

In fact, it was an absurd story.

For an outsider to challenge a king who was about to ascend the throne, with his coronation just around the corner.

'It's the kind of story you only hear in old tales.'

He clicked his tongue.

But to his surprise, Leo appeared at the duel in Nezerin.

Enraged by that fact, he said sarcastically,

"I will receive the stipend."

At first glance, it sounded like he was saying he would be evaluated for his skills and become a knight of the Archi Kingdom.

However, Jeswan had no such intention.

It was just a sarcastic remark.

He was trying to provoke the opponent and incite their anger, poking them lightly.

Even if he reached the rank of hero as a student and received the title of King of the World, he was still young.

He must have pride in his skills.

He thought he could fight him if he belittled such a person.

'After all, a normal king wouldn't want to make someone like me a knight.'

The hero called the mad dog, whom the world's rulers feared.

That is Hell Hound Jeswan.

He had no intention of sincerely serving anyone, so he was merely a source of disruption.

As he was thinking that, Leo pointed his finger at him and said,

"Interview passed."

'What is this person talking about?'

Jeswan looked at Leo, who had climbed onto the temporarily constructed training ground.

Although it was temporarily constructed, it seemed to showcase his proficiency in magic.

It was a remarkably elaborately made training ground.

It was at a level where it would not budge from any ordinary impact.

'High-level alchemy magic.'

Jeswan, who did not know much about magic, easily saw through it as an extraordinary level of alchemy magic.

'Is this what being 'all-class' means?'

Jeswan smirked inwardly and looked up at Leo.

He was still 17 years old.

An age that could easily be called a brat.

But Jeswan could see it.

How much of a 'monster' the being before him was.

People often called Jeswan a chosen one.

A war orphan who never learned proper aura cultivation or even proper martial arts since childhood.

Such a war orphan became a war hero and was praised as a 'hero' who would lead the world.

People said such a feat was impossible without being chosen by talent.

But Jeswan didn't particularly like that story.

'It just means I'm a lucky guy.'

They tried to explain everything solely by talent, disregarding the effort he had put in and the life he had lived.

From Jeswan's perspective, it was an unpleasant story.

'If I were a chosen one, I would have been born into a good environment with good talent.'

In that sense, the true chosen one in Jeswan's eyes was standing before him.

King of the Beginning, Leo Frolov.

'Talent that naturally places him above others.'

Of course, he had no intention of being jealous of it.

Just as he was born this way, Leo was also born this way.

'So, I want to see just how great a talent he was born with.'

Jeswan grinned inwardly and climbed onto the training ground.

Then he said to Nezerin,

"Hey, girl. Aren't you coming up?"

"I will show my true self and be recognized. Not by ganging up."

"Talking so nonchalantly."

Jeswan scowled.

Despite being called a mad dog, Jeswan actually didn't dislike such chivalry.

In fact, he respected them, having seen several truly noble knights on the battlefield.

However…

'This woman is strangely irritating.'

When he felt a primal annoyance.

Leo said,

"I said I would see the skills of both of you at once."

At that, Nezerin hesitated and then climbed up.

Seeing this, the crowd began to murmur.

"The Knight of the Sand Castle has won a duel against a hero before."

"Yes, she should be considered an actual hero-level knight…"

"Two hero-level knights at once?"

"Is that okay?"

"Tut tut! My dear sir. He is the King of the Beginning, recognized by the King of Wisdom, no less! Although he is young, it's natural for him to have skills that overwhelm other heroes!"

"Rather, I like Sir Nezerin's confident attitude. Wanting to test herself even in defeat, like a knight…"

"Compared to that, the Hell Hound…"

Because he wasn't a hero with a good image, hateful glances from the crowd were directed at Jeswan.

But Jeswan didn't care.

He knew he wasn't welcome anywhere anyway.

*Whoosh-!*

As Jeswan spread his hands, flames erupted and two spears appeared.

*Shwing-!*

At the same time, Nezerin drew the bastard sword from her hip.

The two knights simultaneously took their stances.

Leo stood still and watched the two hero-level knights without a word.

Meanwhile.

"Ah, they finally started fighting."

Elena shrugged.

If one were to face Leo's power without immunity, the sense of despair would undoubtedly be beyond imagination.

"What do you think will happen? Shya?"

Elena asked, looking at Chen Shya.

But when there was no answer, Elena tilted her head.

"What are you doing?"

Chen Shya was silently staring at Nezerin.

"What's wrong?"

"No. I'm just a little concerned."

"The Knight of the Sand Castle?"

Chen Shya nodded silently.

*Wow-!*

At that moment, gasps poured out from various places.

Leo had summoned a 'spear'.

Seeing that, Jeswan's lips curled upwards.

'I heard his main weapon was a sword. A spear.'

Jeswan, showing interest, suddenly met Leo's eyes.

Seeing Leo smirk at him, he chuckled.

'Perhaps he brought out a spear to test me?'

Jeswan uses short dual spears.

Although his tactics were different from Leo's long spear, as they belonged to the 'spear' category, their fundamentals were the same.

'This is an honor. Then, let's see just how great your skills are?'

Jeswan's eyes glinted as he charged at Leo.

*Whoosh-!*

At that moment, sand began to swirl around Nezerin.

'Sand-shaped aura. I heard rumors, but it's unusual.'

Jeswan glanced back with an intrigued expression.

Actually, he wanted to fight Nezerin too, but his interest in Leo before him was even greater.

'Let's see the skill of this chosen hero!'

Jeswan, who had reached within striking distance of Leo, thrust the spear in his hand towards Leo.

And he swung the other spear from below upwards towards Leo.

The spears moved like a two-headed beast.

*Clang! Clang-!*

However, Jeswan's attack was easily blocked by Leo.

Jeswan didn't care.

He knew it wouldn't work anyway.

More importantly.

*Swish-!*

A sand-shaped sword sprang from the ground, aiming for Leo.

*Thump-!*

Leo lightly stepped on the tip of the sand sword and leaped.

Then he thrust his spear towards Jeswan.

*Scrape-!*

A thrust at a speed that was easy to dodge.

'He's not trying to overpower me with brute force? Is he paying attention to that woman…?'

As Jeswan's expression turned puzzled.

Leo's spear, like a snake, aimed for Jeswan's neck.

Startled, Jeswan hastily deflected Leo's thrust and retreated.

After that, Leo lunged at Jeswan.

Although Nezerin's attacks continued intermittently, Leo seemed to ignore her and only targeted Jeswan.

'What is this guy?'

Jeswan felt goosebumps all over his body.

He realized that Leo's spear technique resembled his own.

It wasn't that Leo was imitating his spear technique.

Jeswan could see the 'experience' left within Leo's spear technique.

'Battlefield…'

A characteristic that could only be seen in mercenaries like himself.

There was clearly a strong scent of blood within the spear.

It wasn't a scent that had accumulated for just a day or two.

A scent of blood so thick that even Jeswan, who had spent half his life on the battlefield, could not imagine it.

It was definitely not the scent of a noble hero chosen by destiny.

*Clang-!*

Jeswan, who had deflected Leo's spear, swallowed dryly and looked at Leo.

'Just… what is your identity?'