Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Hero
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Hero.
Rubbing her eyes, she woke up.
Ermé yawned with half-lidded eyes as she pushed herself upright.
'Today feels kinda good for some reason.'
Actually, she'd been feeling this way lately.
She no longer had nightmares when she fell asleep like she used to.
Unlike before, when she'd have to pull all-nighters for days just to crash.
Everything had changed so much.
She'd even secured a proper clan house.
The clan business was going smoothly.
Her reputation was rising, and things were falling into place like never before.
How many hero candidates were already in the clan?
'......Heh heh heh.'
Watching them made her feel like she was staring at the ever-growing pile of gold coins in the warehouse.
'Guess it's about time to snag some elixirs.'
Top priority was Han Yuseong.
She'd hooked up minor ones for the others, but he was the one making the biggest contributions to the clan.
Anyway, for Ermé, these were days of growing contentment.
She stretched, greeting the morning.
Heading down to the dining hall for the breakfast Han Yuseong must have prepared.
'What the hell.'
Why was there no food?
Ermé glared around with fire in her eyes before remembering the guests who'd been staying since yesterday.
'Ah.'
These people might be the problem.
Sword Emperor, Volkan.
And Black Hope Duke, Theo Blacksea.
Plus the crown prince, Bellod Elion.
They were all seated.
And it wasn't just them.
Some were turning down meals from their church to eat here instead.
Veronica and Clara.
Because of those two sisters.
That was why her breakfast was gone.
Veronica was still aggressively stuffing grass-fed greens into her mouth.
Clara moved with elegant poise, but her fork flew just as fast as her sister's.
"Phew, that's a proper breakfast right there."
Volkan patted his belly and said.
Theo Blacksea wore a satisfied grin beside him.
'No, seriously.'
Ermé knew they were important guests.
But right now, she felt like she could explode.
'My breakfast......!'
Then Han Yuseong sidled up to her.
"Here."
"Eh? Huh?!"
He handed her a plate of food.
Tomato spaghetti, steam rising warmly.
Ermé's favorite.
"Figured those guys would devour everything, so I made it ahead."
"Ahaha, thanks."
Ermé's face lit up with gratitude at his thoughtfulness.
She headed to the table and gingerly picked up her fork.
Normally, she'd attack it like Veronica.
But with Han Yuseong there,
she twirled the spaghetti neatly and took a dainty bite.
One taste, and she went full assault mode.
Han Yuseong smiled warmly at the sight.
'Ermé always reminds me of Mungchi.'
(For the record, Mungchi was a dog.)
*
I stepped out into the clearing.
It was called a clearing, but Ermé had set it up specially for training, so it was equipped with all sorts of gear.
I even came here to train whenever I had time.
And there,
I'd brought So Yeonhwa with me.
The others had shown up too.
Volkan and the crown prince, grinning like it was a show.
Clara, Veronica, and Rosen waiting in case of injuries.
Even other clan members, calling it a rare spectacle.
"The empire's infamous Genius Slayer versus Yuseong."
Glasses remarked, adjusting his specs.
"Brother, I knew you were amazing, but this level......"
Pin, looking at me with inexplicable admiration.
Why was he making that face?
'Ever since we cleared that labyrinth together.'
Something had felt off between us since then.
Whatever.
Not important.
I looked at So Yeonhwa ahead of me. Her eyes were vacant.
But beneath that, I could sense anticipation as she gazed at me.
'......I did say I'd give her a beating.'
I eyed So Yeonhwa.
Her gaze scanned me.
But she didn't look as easy as I'd thought.
Of course not.
Genius nurtured by the empire since childhood.
Genius Slayer, for crushing other geniuses into despair.
A moniker earned with the empire's full backing—a genius among geniuses.
Me? Sure, I had cheats, but less than three months in. Us two clashing.
Anyone'd think it weird if I had the edge.
-Impressive.
The holy sword, seeing the Genius Slayer, let out that sentiment.
High praise from a sword that rarely complimented anyone.
-You can tell she's beyond master level just from her stance. She might be the most dangerous opponent you've faced.
'Dangerous, yeah.'
She gave off a dangerous vibe.
But I'd felt this before. More than once or twice.
Every bastard who'd blocked me always carried this aura.
I picked up a wooden sword.
Volkan, now between us, raised one arm high.
"Match......"
As Volkan started the bout,
my vision flipped.
*
Roar.
The world had crumbled. Acrid smoke blanketed the sky.
A massive royal castle.
Shattered walls.
Every building collapsed, smashed to bits.
Slashes everywhere, like something had torn through.
Innumerable blood soaking the ground.
Piles of corpses stacked like mountains.
'......Again.'
Again.
When I met Veronica.
And when the holy sword taught me the true hero's swordsmanship.
I'd seen scenes like this.
'What the hell do you want.'
What are you trying to show me.
Why me.
I was just living fine. Why drag me here.
As I glared at the sky with those eyes,
my gaze met something.
"......"
A mountain of corpses.
A figure stood atop it.
Or was it human?
'Can a person hold that much power?'
Just locking eyes felt like my mind was chipping away.
A feeling I'd never had before.
Like the world itself turned hostile.
[......]
The being stared at me with indifferent eyes.
A body gleaming golden. Like melting gold into human shape.
Golden hair shining.
And
crimson eyes dripping blood.
Those eyes held no emotion.
Inorganic.
Not human—more machine or puppet.
Expressionless, just standing there.
"......"
I knew this being.
Many things had changed.
But the features remained distinct.
-Th-this is......
The holy sword's faint voice echoed.
Boom!
The castle crumbled.
A once-mighty structure collapsing.
The woman watching it—
Presumed to be So Yeonhwa—formed a massive sword of light.
Light that could cleave the world.
'......What.'
Light.
It symbolized divinity, nobility.
Holy power healed, protected, guarded, empowered, smote foes.
That was light.
But not this.
This light would destroy everything.
-Light of Annihilation......! Why does the power of Extermination Light......!
The holy sword's horrified voice.
Shocked, as if seeing the impossible.
-Surely, those beings......!
The sword tried to say more, but
the woman, wielding her world-slicing light sword, stared at me.
[Boring.]
And swung.
Her light-forged blade.
Cleaving the world.
*
"......Wh-what the fuck?"
My vision flipped back.
To the previous scene.
I looked at So Yeonhwa. She tilted her head, gem-like eyes on me.
'......'
Definitely So Yeonhwa.
Everything different from now.
But unmistakably her.
Transformed into something inhuman.
Not So Yeonhwa.
"What? Why the sudden freakout?"
Volkan asked, confused by the shift.
"Hold on."
Face pale, I quietly called out to one being.
'......Holy Sword.'
I called the holy sword.
For some reason, it had seen the vision too.
And when So Yeonhwa transformed,
it freaked out.
Unlike clueless me,
it knew something.
-......What was that scene just now?
The sword asked me.
'No idea.'
-No idea?
I knew nothing.
Never heard of such a being.
My friend said
after slaying the Demon King, something appears.
But not this.
Not the one after Veronica either.
And
I'd never heard of this existence.
-......Why does that being exist? I can't understand.
'Holy Sword?'
-It was definitely......bound by the 'Covenant'......sealed away....... Even the great first hero couldn't handle 'them'......so he made a pact with the gods to bind himself......and weakened the entire world......to fight their apostle, the 'Demon King,' across generations......
The sword mumbled, lost in confusion.
What the hell was wrong with it.
I called out, panicked.
'Holy Sword! Calm down!'
-......My apologies. I lost composure.
The sword replied, voice steadying.
-That was definitely an Extermination Light.
'Extermination Light?'
-Light of Ruin......I don't know why they appeared. They emerge when humanity's power crosses a threshold......to 'reset' them all. Beasts of annihilation......
Snip.
The sword's words cut off suddenly.
-Hm? What? Something just disconnected.
Back to its chipper tone.
-What's that? That's the Genius Slayer chick? Heh, perfect chance! Use the true hero swordsmanship I taught you and take her down!
"......"
I
could say nothing.