Chapter 112
Chapter Title: The Guardian of the Azure Sky
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“You can stay here for the night.”
The man who had attacked Leo and Ar, Agon, led the two to an old house.
This was the southern edge of Reysar.
A place known as the ‘Cursed Land’ in the massive refugee city.
In fact, Reysar’s central government had designated this area as a restricted zone.
The residents had long since departed, and there were even rumors of monsters appearing.
Thanks to that, vacant houses were plentiful, and this house was one of them.
“I will return in the morning.”
With those words, Agon left the house.
Mentioning Ar-on’s name had allowed them to avoid a fight, but Agon had not yet let down his guard against Leo and Ar.
Leo laid Ar down in a corner of the room and looked out the window.
He could see an ominous red moon.
*That damned moon… I’ll never get used to seeing it again.*
If the ash-gray sky symbolized the day of the Age of Calamity, that ominous red moon symbolized its night.
Seeing it again after fifteen years, the moon was still as eerie and sinister as ever.
*Alright, then.*
Leo left the house.
Using Aura Step, he moved lightly, climbing onto the roof and running toward Reysar’s southern wall.
Just as he remembered, there were no guards, likely because this area was outside the central government’s control.
Reaching the top of the wall, Leo reached his hand out beyond Reysar.
*Thump-!*
His hand stopped as if blocked by an invisible wall.
“Does this mean the only area I’m permitted to be active in this world is Reysar?”
Leo recalled the contents of his Heroics class.
*As real as it seems, the World of Heroes is ultimately fake. That’s why there are set boundaries for activity, right?*
If this World of Heroes had already been cleared several times, there would be no need for such checks.
But Leo and Ar were the first to enter this particular world.
When entering a world with an unknown clear method, the first priority was to determine the scope of one's operational area.
Leo once again tried to communicate with the outside.
“This is Kyle. Please respond.”
There was still no answer.
Leo narrowed his eyes and looked up at the empty air.
[Objective: Find Ar-on in Reysar.]
*The objective hasn’t changed.*
During the midterm exam, the objective didn’t appear until after they defeated Chubarn.
*In that case, it’s not a rampage. But why can’t they control the World of Heroes from the outside?*
Leo thought back to the situation just before he entered the World of Heroes.
*When I touched it, Ar-on’s page reacted.*
Leo considered a hypothesis.
*The known keys needed to open a World of Heroes are the world’s master, or an item with a deep connection to them. These are also used to control the World of Heroes. But what if there’s another key? For instance, a person with a deep connection?*
Of course, if such a rule existed, it would have been discovered by now.
But every time Leo entered a World of Heroes, he had shown different results from others.
He had obtained clear rewards twice in Albi’s world, where normally none existed.
Moreover, both times, the rewards were unrelated to Albi.
*If Ar-on’s world opened because of me, that would explain why the outside can’t control it.*
It would mean the means of control was inside, not outside.
Of course, this could just be speculation.
But…
Leo looked down at his own hand.
*Is it really a coincidence that I was reincarnated with my memories?*
Even in the Age of Calamity, there were many great heroes.
A world hurtling toward ruin.
Countless people called heroes had gathered their strength to save the world.
But they all met tragic ends, and eventually, everyone fell into despair.
It reached a point where anyone who claimed they would save the world was called a ‘fool.’
Lisinas, Kyle, Luna, Ar-on, and Dweno had ultimately achieved that impossible feat.
That is why the gods praised them as the Great Heroes.
Because it was a feat only they could accomplish.
*What if my rebirth with my memories wasn’t a simple coincidence?*
Kyle was the last hero of the Age of Calamity and the Hero of the Beginning who opened the current era, but he had by no means achieved that feat alone.
It was only possible because he had inherited the strength of his friends.
What if the Hero Record was a provision for the Great Heroes who would be reborn in the future?
*If I can once again inherit their powers…*
Leo clenched his fist.
*Then the complete annihilation of Erebos wouldn’t be impossible.*
***
“Ugh!”
Ar clutched her throbbing head.
She was groggy, but she recalled her last memory before losing consciousness.
Her ears and tail instantly perked up as she scanned her surroundings warily.
“Huh?”
But it was just an unfamiliar house.
Realizing there was nothing to be wary of, she tilted her head in confusion.
As she looked around, Ar spotted Leo sleeping in a corner and hurried over to him.
“Wake up! Black Rabbit.”
“Ah, you’re awake?”
“What happened yesterday? Who was that man?”
“There was a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“Yeah. It seems that man mistook us for intruders yesterday. But we talked it out.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, are you okay? That guy yesterday was incredibly strong.”
“I’m as sturdy as they come!”
Ar flexed her arm as if it were nothing and laughed cheerfully.
*The impact must have been considerable.*
Though beastkin were known to be tough, the man Ar fought yesterday, Agon, was an immense powerhouse.
Agon.
He was a renowned hero who had been active since before the Age of Calamity.
After Erebos began to stir and the Age of Calamity started, he built an even greater reputation by striking down countless demons.
In fact, until six years before the current time, the sky over the battlefields where he fought was blue.
That was how he earned the name [Guardian of the Azure Sky].
But even a hero like him ultimately failed to stop the advance of Erebos and Tartaros, and was defeated.
*And he drifted to Reysar and settled here.*
He might have left the battlefield now, but that didn't mean the skills he had honed on the front lines of the Age of Calamity had disappeared.
Despite being struck by such a man, Ar was perfectly fine.
Her wounds had already healed.
Even considering the sturdiness and life force of a beastkin, it was a surprising feat.
“Hoh?”
As Leo let out a sound of admiration, Ar wore a smug expression.
“What? Are you admiring my beautiful form anew?”
“Just thinking you’re sturdy enough to make a good shield.”
“Who are you calling a shield, you rude little rabbit!”
Ar glared and lunged at Leo.
Just as he reached out a hand to stop her.
*Creak-*
The door opened, and Agon entered.
Ar tensed up immediately.
Even if it had been a misunderstanding, the memory of yesterday’s sudden attack remained, and her body reacted instinctively.
Seeing her, Agon looked surprised.
“You’ve recovered already? Did you use a potion?”
“It’s natural healing.”
“Impressive.”
Agon expressed his admiration as he watched the wary Ar reply.
He then carefully observed Leo and Ar, his expression hardening.
“You are younger than I thought.”
Looking slightly bewildered for a moment, Agon soon returned to a stoic face and said.
“Follow me. I will treat you to breakfast as an apology for what happened yesterday.”
With those words, Agon left the house.
Ar narrowed her eyes at his retreating back.
“He thinks he can smooth things over for yesterday with just breakfast? It’s a good thing it was me. If it had been a weakling wolf, they’d still be groaning in pain.”
“A weakling wolf? You mean that friend you seemed close with yesterday?”
“We’re not close.”
Ar shot Leo a glare, then crossed her arms and scoffed.
“It’s suspicious, offering a meal out of the blue after attacking us yesterday. How about we just leave?”
“He doesn’t seem like a bad person.”
“Black Rabbit. You’re surprisingly soft, aren’t you? You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance. He might be acting kind now, but who knows when he’ll turn on us…”
*Grumble-*
Ar’s face, which had been set in a serious expression as she advised Leo, turned bright red.
Come to think of it, she hadn't eaten anything since yesterday.
“Let’s eat first.”
“But still…”
“We’re in the World of Heroes right now. We don’t know what might happen, so we need to maintain our strength as much as possible.”
“Ugh.”
Ar couldn’t offer any rebuttal to Leo’s words.
Leo smiled at her.
“And you don’t have to worry. That man seems to know Ar-on.”
“What? Really?”
*It’s more than just knowing him. He’s Ar-on’s master.*
Leo muttered inwardly as he followed Agon.
He was the father figure who took in the orphaned Ar-on and established his values as a hero.
The existence of the current [Brave Hero] was only possible because of the noble man named Agon.
The person Kyle’s party had originally tried to recruit for the subjugation force was Agon, not Ar-on.
*Though his will was already broken when we first met.*
By the time Kyle’s party arrived in Reysar, the man who befitted the reputation of the Guardian of the Azure Sky was nowhere to be seen.
Compared to then, the current Agon could be considered to be in a fine state.
As for the reason why, even Ar-on didn’t know for sure, so it had remained a mystery.
***
Agon led them to a wide, open lot.
Upon arriving, Ar’s jaw dropped.
“W-What is all this!”
In the clearing, children were eating.
Humans, beastkin, dwarves, elves.
Their races were varied, and their ages were too.
But they all had one thing in common: they were all much younger and skinnier than Leo and Ar.
“Mister Agon! Come have breakfast!”
An elven girl, who appeared to be the oldest among them, approached with a bright smile.
Of course, even if she was the oldest, she looked no more than twelve or thirteen.
“Who are that big sister and brother over there?”
“They are guests. I’ve had my share, so please serve these two.”
The elven girl nodded as if she understood.
“Big sister, big brother. Come this way. I’ll get you breakfast.”
Watching the elven girl approach with a mature expression for her age, Ar hung her head low.
After a moment of her shoulders trembling, she suddenly lifted her head and shouted.
“Mister! I completely misunderstood you! You’re a good person!”
Ar’s shout, with tears welling in her eyes, was enough to momentarily fluster even the battle-hardened Agon.
Leo chuckled at the sight of her and looked over the children sitting in the clearing.
Then, he noticed a black-haired girl sitting in a corner and his expression froze in surprise.
*Could it be?*
Leo stared intently at the girl.
At that moment, the girl seemed to notice his presence and looked up.
She tilted her head as if confused.
The girl didn’t know Leo, but Leo knew her very well.
No, it was more than just knowing.
Leo rubbed the back of his right hand.
The Great Spirit he had made a contract with in the past.
*The Shadow Spirit, Elsie.*