Book 1 Chapter 956

956.

Ar followed Agon in a hurry.

Just chasing Agon, who was sprinting through Reysar's back alleys at an incredible speed, made it hard to breathe.

‘I didn't realize it when I met Lord Arion in his world in my first year.’

Ar knew Agon was strong.

Because he was Arion's master, of all people.

But even so, he never imagined he would be this strong.

Ar had gained overwhelming strength compared to two years ago.

Though still young, he had become a strong individual who could no longer be called a rookie.

Yet, Ar couldn't gauge Agon's strength.

‘It's like Lord Arion and Lady Azonia.’

Ar clenched his teeth and put more power into his feet to close the distance with Agon.

Thump-!

The moment Ar's speed increased even further.

Agon suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Gah?!"

Ar screamed and reduced his speed.

Barely slowing down, Ar could only stop after lightly bumping his forehead against Agon's firm back.

Agon turned to look at Ar and said.

"Amazing. To possess such strength at such a young age."

"Huh? Oh! It's because the person who taught me taught me so well."

"I didn't know Arion was excellent at teaching. I thought that child was good at learning but not at teaching."

"Huh?"

"Aren't you Arion's disciple?"

"Ah, yes. You could say that."

Ar made a flustered expression.

"But… how did you know?"

"Because you used Arion's technique."

"Ah…"

Supersenses.

A technique Agon taught Arion.

More precisely, he taught him how to control supersenses.

Supersenses themselves were a power Arion had since childhood.

Thanks to being swayed by that power since childhood, Arion had become a terrible coward.

"I hadn't expected it to be a skill that could be taught to others, though."

At Agon's muttering, Ar recalled another person who taught him this ability.

‘Black Rabbit.’

Leo was the one who helped him awaken his supersenses.

As Agon said, Arion's teaching ability was not just terrible, but despair-inducing.

Ar wagged his tail.

"Indeed… That child has grown enough to take on a disciple."

A faint smile formed on Agon's lips.

From the dry, sand-like appearance he had just moments ago, a bit of the Agon Ar remembered was visible.

Seeing that, Ar clenched his fist and said.

"Lord Agon…! Erebus might be summoned in Reysar soon!"

Ar said urgently.

Currently, the Conquerors are striving to prevent the worst-case scenario of Erebus's summoning.

The Shadows are also moving.

However, they were also prepared for the eventuality that Erebus's summoning could not be stopped.

Hero candidates were preparing for a siege in case of an emergency.

In such a situation, one more strong individual like Agon was needed.

At Ar's words, Agon let out a chuckle.

"Then why not leave Reysar quickly?"

"Huh?"

"This city no longer has hope."

Agon said in a cold voice.

Looking at Agon, Ar swallowed dryly.

The Agon Ar knew was no longer there.

Of course, Ar also knew why Agon had become like that.

At that time… if it hadn't been for Leo and himself, all the children in the orphanage would have been murdered by those sent by Reysar's lord.

Agon also knew that fact.

Nevertheless, he couldn't openly antagonize Reysar for a long time.

Agon's epithet was the Guardian of the Azure Sky.

The refugee city of Reysar was a city that he had protected and cultivated, so it was no exaggeration.

Though burning with hatred, his duty as a hero suppressed that hatred.

But the hatred lodged in Agon's heart did not fade.

The more he suppressed it, the more fiercely it burned.

Eventually, the flames of hatred consumed Agon.

And he reached this state.

Agon vowed revenge against Reysar's lord and his followers.

In the process, Reysar's safety was pushed out of his concern.

The only thing important to him was revenge.

"Did you tell me to meet Arion?"

"…"

"I don't want to show Arion this side of me."

He didn't want to show his ugly self, consumed by hatred, attempting to destroy Reysar.

Agon had also heard news of Arion.

He was proud of his disciple who had begun to bring hope to a world of despair.

On the other hand, he loathed himself for choosing to hinder such a disciple.

That's why Agon didn't meet his disciple.

No, he couldn't meet him.

‘…The lord of Reysar was dealt with by the Black Rabbit, wasn't he?’

When they were conquering Arion's world in the first year.

It was Leo who dealt with Lebyton, who would later become the lord of Reysar.

But even in actual history, it was Leo who executed him.

‘And Lord Agon remained the Guardian of the Azure Sky.’

He burned with hatred and tried to plunge Reysar into crisis.

But when Reysar was actually in crisis.

He protected the people.

Did he break free from revenge and hatred and return to being a hero who protected people?

‘No, if that were the case, the Black Rabbit wouldn't have been unaware.’

It wasn't Agon who dealt with the traitors.

It was Kyle, the Hero of the Beginning.

Ar clenched his fist.

And opened his eyes wide, looking at Agon.

Ar's blue eyes sparkled.

Seeing those eyes, Agon furrowed his brows.

"Why… are you looking at me with such eyes?"

"Lord Arion always respected Lord Agon."

"…I am not a respectable person now."

"No."

Ar shook his head.

His white hair swayed gently.

"Lord Arion will continue to respect Lord Agon."

In a moment of crisis.

What Agon ultimately chose was saving people, not revenge.

He was a man who couldn't help but be a hero.

Agon's eyes wavered at Ar's confident words.

There was an innocent look about him.

That appearance reminded him of the children in the orphanage.

At that moment.

Whoosh- KABOOM-!

Azonia, who flew from a distance, demolished a building in the alley.

Thud-thud-thud-

Azonia picked herself up and roared savagely.

"That damned guy! He's really not holding back at all!"

"Lady Azonia! Over here! Here!"

Ar called Azonia, pointing at Agon.

Azonia's eyes widened.

"Master…?"

"…"

Agon's eyes were momentarily tinged with confusion.

Seeing that, Azonia gave a bitter smile.

It was natural.

Azonia had met Agon many times.

And she became Agon's disciple, learning from him.

But that was in the world of heroes.

Every time Agon accepted Azonia as a disciple, all memories disappeared.

It was the same now.

From Agon's perspective, some woman he'd never seen before was calling him master.

He couldn't help but be bewildered.

At that moment.

‘Master!’

A memory flashed through Agon's mind.

Agon grabbed his head.

"Gah?!"

"A-Are you alrigh—"

CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-!

At that moment, Arion landed not far away.

The impact caused building debris to scatter everywhere.

Thwack-!

A pile of flying stones hit Azonia perfectly on the back of her head.

In that fleeting moment.

Agon vanished as if disappearing.

"Don't stop me anymore. I'm going back to Gadsthon—"

"Because of you, we missed Master Agon!"

Azonia's eyes blazed with fury as she lunged and grabbed Arion by the collar.

"It's too much! Lord Arion! We might have been able to persuade Lord Agon…!"

This time, even Ar made a tearful face and blamed Arion.

"Uh… hmm…"

Arion looked at Ar and Azonia with a flustered expression, then gazed at the spot where Agon had been standing.

Then he gave a bitter smile.

"Master doesn't want to meet me… There's nothing I can do."

"Don't be ridiculous! It's not because of you, it's because I wanted to talk to Master again!"

"Do you know how Lord Agon feels when you say something like that?!"

Azonia roared as if spewing fire from her mouth, and Ar also reproached him.

Arion made a tearful face.

‘I have no allies.’

"This way!"

"Catch the terrorists who attacked the city!"

At that moment, the voices of Reysar's guards were heard.

Among them were those who were active as heroes in Reysar.

Arion tried to escape.

Azonia grabbed Arion by the scruff of his neck.

"Where do you think you're going to run!"

"Let go! I have to get back to Gadsthon quickly—!"

"Don't be ridiculous! I'll never let you go! Cat! Grab this damn wolf!"

As Azonia snarled, Ar clung to Arion's back with a smack.

"Don't ever let go."

Azonia said, bending her knees.

"Let's break out and join the kids."

WHOOSH-!

Azonia leaped.

Before the encirclement could form, the three beast-kin escaped the area.

***

"This… is too easy, isn't it?"

Anias said to Damian.

It was true.

Infiltrating Reysar's lord's castle was too easy.

Even with a hundred shadows infiltrating the castle, there was no great difficulty.

‘Is it a trap?’

Anias couldn't help but think that.

To Anias's question, Damian replied.

"It has to be easy. Shadows don't exist in this era."

"Ah…"

The Age of Calamity was an era without shadows.

As such, vigilance was inevitably lax.

One hundred shadows began to scour the vast lord's castle.

They were all skilled in identifying and eliminating traitors.

They felt disgust for the heroes, including Reysar's lord, who had sold their souls in this Age of Calamity.

A moment later.

Damian and Anias arrived in a room in the basement of the lord's castle.

And they saw a giant summoning circle, their faces hardening.

"This is…"

"It's black magic."

Anias quickly analyzed the magic circle.

"An incomprehensibly complex magic circle… I think this is a summoning circle?"

Saying that, Anias unleashed magic power.

"Shall I destroy it?"

"…No."

Damian approached the magic circle.

Whoosh-

Golden flames flickered in Damian's hand.

It was Dwenos's flame, which he had inherited.

Damian, protecting his hand with the golden flame, placed it on the summoning circle.

At that moment.

KRAAAANG-!

Black flames surged.

"Lord Damian!"

Anias called out to Damian in surprise.

But Damian silently kept his hand on the black flames.

A moment later.

WHOOSH-!

Damian quickly retracted his hand from the summoning circle.

He barely managed to shake off the black flames that were burning him with the golden flames.

"A-Are you okay?"

Anias rushed over.

Damian wiped the blood flowing from his eyes and nose and said.

"It seems… we won't be able to stop Erebus's summoning."

"Huh?"

"And I found out what the medium for Erebus's summoning is."

Disgust filled Damian's eyes.

"What is it?"

"People."

"Huh?"

"These madmen are trying to summon Erebus by sacrificing living people."