Hero (8)
I was watching Ria's match, feeling something close to outright astonishment.
To think she could even interfere with it...
Honestly, I hadn't even hoped for interference.
But on the off chance, I'd deliberately leaked a bit of black magic power, and she'd interfered with it directly, using it right away.
On top of that, she'd instantly unleashed Dark Burst—a basic black magic spell that gathered and detonated dark power—and Shadow Veil, the defensive barrier that cloaked her body.
Ria had probably done it purely on instinct...
But this was genius, plain and simple.
And having experienced it firsthand... from the victim's side, it's pure hell.
Feeling the Demon Eye's interference ability in action made it crystal clear why Demon Eyes held absolute dominance over demons.
When it hit, it was like your whole body plunged into a sticky swamp—mana flow disrupted, movements refusing to obey, that suffocating frustration.
Thank goodness it wasn't a real fight. If you'd felt that mid-battle while your mana was jammed up, it'd be fatal.
But she pushed too hard. Handling that much black magic will take a serious toll on her body...
Sure enough, Ria's face had gone slightly pale, fine beads of sweat dotting her forehead.
Interfering with black magic and weaponizing it was an advanced technique that demanded immense mental and physical strain, even from a Demon Eye user.
Judging it too risky to continue, I turned to Baekseol.
"She's grown even more than I expected. You must have trained her well. Thank you. I've seen enough—let's end the match."
"I told you it'd surprise you! Hold on just a sec~"
Baekseol extended her hand, and an ice wall sprang up instantly between Ria and the knight.
"That's enough!"
With those words, Ria turned to look straight at me.
Her eyes sparkling, like she was begging for praise.
Did seeing Seraphim and Serene on the way back do this...? Ria and Baekseol are almost too endearing.
Ria's pure, expectant gaze was like a balm, healing the exhaustion from my Darkteria days.
Getting here was brutal too...
Seraphim had chased me all the way out of Darkteria, like she knew somehow.
"Astra~ Look forward to your next visit. I'll prepare something even more special. Oo-hoo-hoo♡"
Remembering her seductive smile sent chills racing down my spine.
Ugh... Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
I shoved the unpleasant memory aside and steadied myself.
I walked slowly toward Ria, who was waiting for praise.
My black hair gleamed under the training ground lights, each step amplifying my intimidating presence.
As I reached her, Ria spoke first.
"As you saw, I succeeded in interfering—and I even used it to perform a technique, Master Astra."
The knights, who'd been watching Ria fondly, froze at the name "Astra" from her lips. Then they dropped to their knees in shock, bowing deeply.
"We greet the Captain of the Jin Gang Regiment, Astra!!!!!"
I ignored the knights' greetings, raising my hand slowly to gently stroke Ria's head.
"Well done."
My voice—cold yet laced with warmth—echoed across the training ground.
I'd love to drop the intimidation, smile, and say it warmly...
But my Supernatural Ability always enforced perfect charisma and absolute dignity. No chance.
At least my voice...
I tried to make it as gentle as possible.
"With your skill, you'll soon subjugate those demons and bend their power to your will. That'll bring you closer to your goal."
Ria's purple eyes lit up like a starry night sky.
"Yes, it's all thanks to you, Master Astra."
I stroked her head even more softly.
I only took her in at first because of her 'Regret' talent...
But her aptitude for wielding it, plus her physical gifts—she had potential rivaling the top character in my book.
I'll have to take her there.
A place that could make the already transcendent Ria overwhelmingly stronger.
If things went as planned, she could convert the frozen demon essence inside her into her own power.
That would create the world's first dual-ability wielder...
But thinking about leaving brought Baekseol to mind.
One Soul Orchid wouldn't fully restore her; she'd need ongoing Life Transfer to cultivate more flowers.
To maintain her condition, we'd need a steady supply.
I'll take Baekseol too.
It was simple, really.
Life Transfer required Life Plunder anyway, so bringing her along solved everything.
The tavern buzzed with lively chatter.
At one table sat Sera, Cross, and Gabriel.
"...Thanks. Honestly, if I'd gone alone, they would've killed me back there."
"It's only natural. Even if you weren't a hero, I'd have helped, Cross."
Cross stared at Sera, who spoke with calm serenity, as if it were obvious.
Only natural...? The strong helping the weak isn't natural at all.
The world was one where the strong trampled the weak and the masses idolized power. Helping the weak was never the norm.
Cross knew that truth intimately, having lived it in his bones.
To him, Sera seemed naive—someone who'd only seen the world's shiny surface, her head full of flowers.
But he didn't hate it.
No, it fascinated him.
After years as a mercenary surrounded by deceivers chasing profit, meeting someone who saw helping others as obvious...
People like this exist.
She was like a single white lily blooming in a filthy mire.
Her purity, untouched by the world's ugliness, filled him with awe.
"Mercenaries repay grudges tenfold and favors a hundredfold. That hero story—mind telling me?"
That was why.
Why a man who lived for coin, believing it made him strong, now sought a tale worth nothing.
"Well, to explain heroes, I should start with why we need them. Do you know which god our order worships, Cross?"
Sera's voice rang clear and soft, like a bell.
She already carried the poise of a hero.
"Think it's Luminaris or something."
"Hm."
Gabriel, who'd been silently watching, shot Cross a disapproving glance.
"Luminarisnim."
"I don't worship gods, so Luminaris."
"Luminarisnim."
"Luminaris."
Their voices sharpened.
Like clashing swords.
Sera sighed at the bickering pair and continued.
"Enough, both of you. Gabriel, why are you so harsh only with Cross?"
"My apologies."
"Does it bother you that I don't call her Luminarisnim?"
Sera pondered Cross's question, then shook her head.
"You're not in the order, so it's fine without the honorific."
"See? Heard that, Gabriel?"
"Urk..."
Gabriel flushed red. Cross guffawed, downing his beer.
Sera shook her head at them and got back to the point.
"Anyway, Luminarisnim gave a revelation to the Pontiff. A revelation is a prophecy and warning straight from the god. This one foretold the world's destruction."
"Destruction...?"
Cross set his mug down hard, shock wiping the playfulness from his face.
He'd half-expected it from all the hero talk, but hearing it carried real weight.
"Fortunately, Luminarisnim showed us how to overcome it."
"The heroes?"
"Yes. Me, you, and three more. Five heroes must unite."
Sera gazed at Cross with earnest eyes.
"So please—join me as a hero to save the world."
"...One question. If it's world-ending, even Lunaria Empire, Haven, and Darkteria couldn't handle it alone. Five people—even chosen by a god—sounds tough. Uniting all humanity? Impossible. Aren't you scared? You could die."
Sera gave a wry smile.
"Terrified. Honestly, I want to run."
"...Then what drives you? If you're scared, just flee."
"It's people like you, saying that, who make running impossible."
"What?"
"You're right—scared means run. The Pontiff even told me to come back if it's too much, said they'd handle it... Heh, that just made escape impossible for me."
"Why?"
Cross would bolt if his life was on the line—especially with permission, giving it legitimacy. So why?
Sera gazed into the distance, murmuring as if to herself.
"I can't bear to let the people who worry for me and tell me to run... die."
Her voice trembled, but her resolve was ironclad.
"Luminarisnim chose me for a reason. If I bail, they might die. I... I won't allow that."