Book 1 Chapter 939
939.
“Hero Dungeon?”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“Yes. Azonia, Eiran, and Kal are currently caught up in a Hero Dungeon. Given that Perena Hergin also disappeared, it’s likely she was swept in with Kal.”
At Leo’s words, Damian crossed his arms, his expression serious.
Those Leo had summoned were Damian, Elena, Lunia, Ar, and Driana.
Finally, there was Chen Sia.
All were students who knew about the Heroes of Genesis.
“Where is the Dragon Lord?”
Damian asked, looking around the room.
“Contact with the outside is currently cut off.”
“You mean we’re isolated from the outside?”
“Yes.”
At Leo’s words, Damian stroked his chin.
“It seems the Hero Record ran rampant, affecting this entire space where the Dragon Lord’s magic was cast, causing the magic to go out of control.”
Leo nodded at his words.
Lunia, who had been listening to Leo and Damian’s conversation, wore a serious expression.
“Then it means we don’t know when everyone in this space will be pulled into the world of heroes, right?”
At that, Ar crossed her arms.
“Still, it’s not a completely desperate situation.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Ar.
“First of all, Lady Azonia entered the world of heroes, right? That means at least the safety of the people inside the hero’s world is secured.”
Everyone nodded at her words.
The Heroes of Genesis were not simply discoverers who found the phenomenon called the world of heroes.
They were also the greatest conquerors in history.
In fact, it was the Heroes of Genesis who had conquered the most hero worlds in history.
Among them were several Great Hero Worlds, considered to have the highest conquest difficulty.
“Stupid cat is right! Besides, Lord Damian is here too!”
Driana clenched her fist and looked at Damian.
The students looked at Leo and Damian with newfound expressions.
A Great Hero, the Hero of Origin, and an indomitable Great Warrior, a Hero of Genesis, forming a party to conquer a Hero World.
Something that seemed only possible in fantasies was actually happening before their eyes.
At Ar and Driana’s words, Leo opened his mouth.
“Even so, the situation is still not good.”
“Young Master Leo. You know whose Hero Record is running rampant right now, don’t you?”
Chen Sia spoke quickly, catching on.
“Arion’s world.”
At that, everyone looked surprised.
“Do you know the incident too?”
“…The destruction of Reysar. If it’s Arion’s world, it’s obvious that the goal is to keep him alive.”
Leo, who knew the situation, scratched his head.
“For now, I’ve stopped the test and told the first-years to gather in one place… You guys gather the second and third-years from each school. Sia, summon the Shadow Lords.”
Leo silently gazed at the scenery outside the room.
“We have to rescue Arion in the shortest time possible, no matter what. With our current power, if things go to the worst, it could be dangerous.”
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
“Because the Great Heroes almost perished during the destruction of Reysar.”
“…?”
Damian answered in a firm voice.
He had read a Hero Record in its complete state before.
As such, he knew all the actions of the Great Heroes, and because of that, he also knew how significant the destruction of Reysar was.
“5000 years ago, Erebus was summoned in Reysar.”
“…!”
“It’s best for everyone to be prepared. If we make a mistake, we might end up fighting Erebus himself, not just a fragment of Erebus.”
***
Kal took Perena and quickly entered the back alleys of Guardsron.
“You know the way well?”
“Because I mapped out all of Guardsron during the last conquest. Luckily, the paths are the same as back then.”
“So? Why did we come to the back alleys?”
“Our outfits are too conspicuous.”
That was true.
Lumerun's school uniform had a very sophisticated design.
Moreover, since it was made of mana cloth, a fabric imbued with mana, it was always clean and neat.
Even in this era, clothes made of mana cloth weren't nonexistent, but they were generally used for combat-related purposes.
In an era of calamity where practicality was a virtue, luxurious school uniform designs were just too eye-catching.
“We need to change clothes. What kind of clothes do you prefer?”
At that, Perena flinched and recoiled.
“You’re not seriously telling me to change clothes in front of you, senior Kal, are you?”
“Uh….”
“Are you perhaps using your status as a lover to make such unreasonable demands on my sister too?!”
Kal scratched his cheek, watching Perena glare fiercely with narrowed eyes.
“No. I was going to use a potion to change the design of our clothes.”
“A potion to… change clothes designs?”
“Yeah. I developed it specifically for Lumerun school uniforms. It uses the mana patterns of mana cloth to transform them into other forms of clothing.”
Kal wore a proud expression.
“Our school uniforms aren’t just simple clothes; they have excellent defense, right? It’s a waste to change clothes every mission. And it’s annoying. It’s also hard to get clothes when conquering a Hero World like this. Well, solving it with magic is a method, but then traces remain, so there’s a risk of being caught by high-level mages.”
Kal explained the situation with a beaming smile like a merchant, then pulled out a potion from his pocket.
“But if you change the fabric with this potion, no magic traces are left! Kal’s General Store's special potion can solve all the annoying situations that can arise because of clothes!”
“…But the quality of mana cloth used by each uniform shop is different, isn’t it? Is that potion compatible with all uniforms?”
Lumerun uniforms had minimum specs but no standard size.
This was because Lumerun freshmen came from various social statuses, and their family circumstances were equally diverse.
At Perena’s question, Kal shook his head.
“No. It’s a potion made based on [Breathligger].”
Breathligger.
It was the place that had made Lumerun uniforms for 1,000 years.
The quality was top-notch.
Only students from well-to-do families could afford to wear them.
In fact, Perena’s uniform was a Breathligger.
In Kal’s case, he bought it with his own money when he became a third-year.
‘My sister gave me an earful for spending that money.’
Of course, when he bought her an alchemy catalyst, she quieted down.
Perena pouted at Kal’s words.
“What? Not many students would be able to use it then.”
“Starting next year, the entire student body will be able to use it, I think?”
“Why?”
“Because from next year, Lumerun will switch to providing uniforms for free.”
“This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
“Of course, it’s the first you’re hearing of it. Only the student council president, vice president, and acting student council president know about it yet.”
Meaning only Leo, Elena, and Kal knew.
“To use internal information to conduct business.”
As Perena looked dumbfounded, Kal looked wronged.
“Why? This is school welfare made possible because of me. I even got permission from Leo and Senior Elena.”
The gist of the story was simple.
“…We have quite a lot of money left over these days?”
“Yes. Thanks to the slave army.”
“Please don’t call your juniors slaves.”
One day, Leo asked with a puzzled expression after checking the school's operating funds, and Elena smiled brightly, pointing at Kal.
Kal, who was sprawled on the student council sofa, protested, but Elena didn’t listen.
“Kal managed our finances and initiated new projects for the school. It’s money we saved and money we additionally earned.”
Leo was once again amazed by Kal’s new abilities.
“Perhaps we can increase student welfare a bit?”
“Even if we increase scholarships, there’s still money left. Whatever it is, spend it quickly.”
“That’s quite an irresponsible thing to say for an acting director.”
“Just because I’m the acting director doesn’t mean I can touch school funds. And if we leave it unused, all sorts of opportunists will swarm. The knight faculty wants more training facilities, the magic faculty wants research funds, the summoning faculty wants more new summons. Do you know how annoying it is when professors constantly pester about money?”
As Elena frowned and spoke, Leo said,
“Then let’s provide uniforms for all students for free starting next year.”
“Huh?”
“All the other schools are doing it.”
Leo shrugged his shoulders.
“And seeing students discriminated against because of their uniforms didn’t look good.”
“Oh, right. That’s upsetting.”
Kal nodded, agreeing with Leo’s words.
Then he got up and handed a document to Leo.
“What is it?”
“School Uniform Free Provision Report.”
“Amazing! Kal! Did you make this in advance?”
As Elena’s eyes sparkled, Kal wore an embarrassed expression.
“I thought Leo would provide uniforms for free if there was this much money left over.”
“Excellent! Kal, as expected! To grasp your superior’s intentions in advance and prepare things! You truly are a hero-grade slave!”
Kal, called an odd-grade slave, looked like he wanted to cry.
“This is why I can wholeheartedly entrust tasks to you! When you graduate, make sure to come to the Jereon family! Understood?”
“You’re planning to dump all the work on me and settle down in the Arhi Kingdom, aren’t you?”
“Yep. Kal is smart after all!”
Seeing Elena smile brightly, Kal vowed he would never go.
Leo read the report and said,
“If you’ve prepared it like this, you must want something, right?”
“I can get some profit from the uniforms bought with the money I made.”
For reference, a portion of the revenue went to Lumerun.
“You have great skills.”
“Of course. Whose boyfriend do you think I am?”
At Kal’s somewhat shameless words, Perena unconsciously burst out laughing.
After changing their clothes, the two fell into thought.
“First, we need to figure out the conquest objective…”
[Conquest Objective: ■■ ■■■ the ■■th of ■■.]
Kal checked the conquest objective message.
“Most of my conquest objective letters are broken. How about yours?”
“I can only see the word ‘survival’.”
“Hmm. It seems the message letters are different for each person. Has this ever happened before?”
“We learned in Hero Studies class that it’s a phenomenon often observed in Hero Dungeons.”
“Perhaps I’m hazy on it since it was something I learned in my first year?”
Kal smiled wryly.
“First, let’s gather information.”
Kal and Perena exited the alley.
A short while later.
Kal murmured, looking at Guardsron’s city wall.
“Huh?”
“Why?”
“…It must be not long after the incident when I conquered Dweno-nim’s world.”
“How do you know?”
Kal pointed at the collapsed wall with his finger.
“That exact part collapsed before. The scale is much larger now, though.”
“Ah.”
“If that’s the case, then it should be safe for now.”
Kal said, recalling Leo telling him that even though Guardsron suffered great damage after the attack by Giant King Gias, it was safe for a while afterward.
“The security within Guardsron is reliable. Let’s split up and gather information first.”
“Specifically, what kind of…?”
“I don’t know. For now, since it’s a Reysar destruction mission, let’s try to gather all information about Reysar.”
When the direction is unclear, collecting information indiscriminately is one method.
Perena nodded at Kal’s words.
“Let’s meet back here in an hour.”
Separated from Kal, Perena looked around Guardsron.
Overall, a shadow hung over people’s faces.
‘…This is the Age of Calamity.’
Perena swallowed dryly, listening to people’s conversations.
A short while later.
‘Ah, it’s almost time.’
Confirming that the time agreed upon with Kal was almost up, Perena didn’t hesitate and entered the alley.
She had already largely grasped the complex paths of the alley, so there was no great difficulty.
As Perena moved quickly through the alley.
Click-
She flinched for a moment at a stinging sensation in her neck.
Drip-
Blood flowed from Perena’s neck.
Drops of blood hung in the air.
Invisible threads were spread around Perena like a spiderweb.
“How curious.”
Just then, a dry voice came from behind her.
“You're clearly someone who lives in the dark, but there’s no foul smell. You… what are you? Did you receive special training from the Tartaros guys?”
An unknown girl appeared and stroked Perena’s cheek.
“W-who…?”
Perena trembled and asked, overwhelmed by the opponent's intense killing intent.
“These days, you all call me and my master this.”
The girl answered calmly.
“Shadow.”