Chapter 255
Chapter Title: The Heroes of the Cataclysm
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“Everyone, please take out your Heroics textbook.”
At Mel's words, the students took out two books.
The books were titled *Discourse on Heroics* and *The Lives and Deaths of Heroes*.
Normally, the second-year Heroics textbook was just *Discourse on Heroics*.
But this year, a book called *The Lives and Deaths of Heroes* had been added to the list of required materials.
'Was *The Lives and Deaths of Heroes* a required book for all grades?'
When he bought his textbooks in Lumeria City, he had simply stuffed the books the bookstore clerk gave him into his subspace.
So, this was the first time he was actually looking at the book properly.
Leo paused as he looked at the book about the lives and deaths of heroes.
Author: Melina
Leo lifted his head and looked at Mel.
Mel, whose eyes met Leo's, smiled brightly and waved.
“This book,”
Chloe, ever the top student who thoroughly prepared and reviewed, placed the book she had already read several times on her desk and spoke.
“It's strange, the author has the same name as the current Dragon Lord.”
At her words, Leo glanced at Mel and said,
“Isn't it written by the Dragon Lord?”
“No way. This book was just published this year. It must be someone with the same name.”
*'She really did write it, though.'*
But no one could have imagined that the Dragon Lord herself had taken a job as a professor at this academy, was teaching a class, and had even published a book for it.
*'Because it's just that unconventional.'*
Leo glanced at Mel, muttering inwardly as he flipped through the book.
“It was published this year, but the content is excellent. The section on the Heroes of the Cataclysm is particularly amazing.”
Chloe, the diligent top student who had already read the book several times, had sparkling eyes.
*'The Heroes of the Cataclysm.'*
Leo turned to the page about the Heroes of the Cataclysm and rested his chin on his hand.
The heroes who first conquered the World of Heroes and opened a new era.
*'Many people see them as our successors.'*
Not only were they the first to discover the World of Heroes, but they were also the first to conquer the Hero Records of the Great Heroes and inherit their power.
*'The subjugation of the seven legion commanders of Tartaros. And they prevented the second coming of the Calamity by sealing a fragment of Erebos.'*
The second coming of the Calamity.
Based on the records, it was nearly as devastating as the beginning of the Age of Calamity.
An era when countless nations fell and the legion commanders of Tartaros ran rampant.
But thanks to the five heroes, another Age of Calamity was averted.
Mel flicked her finger, and a piece of chalk on the blackboard floated into the air on its own.
Then, as if dancing, it drew the figure of a person on the board.
[The Knight of Twilight, Lumerne.]
He was a man praised as the strongest knight, who had single-handedly subjugated a legion commander of Tartaros and their entire legion.
“There are many records and anecdotes left about the Heroes of the Cataclysm,”
Mel said, looking at the second-year students.
“However, for the past 3,000 years, there have been almost no attempts to conquer the Hero Records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm. Does any student know why?”
As soon as she asked, several students raised their hands at once.
“Student Iliana Raden.”
“Yes!”
Iliana, who stood up with a clenched fist, answered.
“Because the Hero Records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm are all managed by Dragonia, and the dragons only permit chosen heroes to attempt them!”
“That's correct.”
Mel smiled brightly and clapped once.
“As a reward, Student Iliana will receive...”
“Participation points, right!?”
“I'll give you a cookie.”
“Huh?”
Iliana looked flustered.
“You expect participation points for answering such an easy question?”
“Don't try to get a free ride!”
Jeers erupted from all around.
“Shut up!”
Iliana, shouting with a flushed face, hesitantly walked up to Mel.
In truth, she was too embarrassed to go up, having confidently demanded points for answering a question that wasn't even difficult.
*'Ah, whatever! The cookie looks tasty, anyway.'*
But since it was hard to refuse a professor's goodwill on the first day, she decided to brazen it out.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
Iliana smiled, took the cookie, returned to her seat, and took a bite.
“Mmm~!”
Iliana's eyes widened, and she shivered with delight.
Then she cupped her cheeks, her face a picture of bliss.
“It's so good~”
Humming a tune as she munched on the cookie, Iliana paused and put a finger in her mouth.
“What's this?”
[Well done. 5 points]
On a small piece of paper with a cute rabbit drawing were her participation points.
“How many points is it?”
“Five points.”
Iliana answered Mel's question.
“Student Iliana, that's five extra points.”
“Ooh!”
Iliana's face lit up.
Mel smiled and looked at the students.
“I'll be giving cookies to students with good class participation. And inside the cookies, there are random attitude points.”
“Random?”
“Yes. You get to eat a cookie and get points. We can all have fun studying together.”
The entire class looked dumbfounded at this unheard-of lottery system for attitude points.
But no one objected.
At Lumerne, the teaching methods are decided by the professor.
To argue against it was tantamount to challenging the professor's authority.
And so, the class proceeded.
Starting with the story of the Knight of Twilight's childhood, the lesson delved into his values and psychology.
It was a class that deeply researched and analyzed the goals he pursued.
Mel's class felt less like a Heroics lesson and more like a thorough academic study with the Knight of Twilight as its subject.
The second-years began to understand the Knight of Twilight, whom they had only known through records and anecdotes.
Ding dong-dang dong-!
The bell signaling the end of class rang.
“Class is over.”
Mel smiled gently and closed her textbook.
“I'll give you one homework assignment. Lumerne's very first achievement was defeating the Orc King who ruled the area at the age of thirteen. If you were Lumerne, what do you think his state of mind was before he went to subjugate the Orc King? Please submit a report on that. Any questions?”
Mel tidied up the cookie jar.
Seeing this, Chelsea raised her hand.
“Yes, Student Chelsea Llewellyn.”
“Professor Mel. The class was very interesting. It was a great opportunity to understand the first headmaster more deeply. But there's something I don't quite understand. In our first year, we studied and researched how to conquer various Worlds of Heroes. But your class, Professor Mel...”
“Is about why I'm focusing on understanding the 'hero' rather than conquest methods?”
“Yes.”
“That's a good question.”
Mel smiled gently.
“As Student Iliana Raden mentioned earlier, the Hero Records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm are managed by Dragonia. Does anyone know the reason for that?”
At her words, the second-years fell silent.
No student knew the reason.
The smile vanished from Mel's face.
“It's because they are dangerous.”
“Isn't it a given that conquering a World of Heroes is dangerous?”
“Yes. But the Hero Records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm are currently impossible to conquer. Over the past 3,000 years, numerous attempts have been made, but not a single one has succeeded. Those who tried were hailed as the greatest heroes of their time, but most of them lost their lives in vain.”
Mel used her magic to move the eraser and clean the blackboard as she spoke.
“Another professor will teach you the methods for conquering Worlds of Heroes, just like you learned in your first year. The reason for this special class, however, is simple.”
Mel looked around at the students.
“It's not just you. The same class is being held at Seirun, Azonia, and Damian.”
The students' eyes widened.
This was certainly surprising news.
“The methods you've learned so far for conquering Worlds of Heroes are for conquering unspecified ones.”
Analyzing and researching the World of Heroes.
Or methods to quickly identify the mission and objectives.
That was the kind of Heroics class Lumerne students had been taught until now.
“But the method I will teach you will be a class focused on perfectly understanding the Heroes of the Cataclysm. And this, too, is one way to conquer a World of Heroes. Would any student like to share their thoughts on why this is a method of conquest?”
At her words, the students glanced at each other.
Just then, someone raised their hand.
“Student Leo Flove.”
All eyes turned to Leo.
“It's to achieve what even that hero couldn't.”
Mel smiled brightly.
“That's the correct answer.”
Mel didn't give Leo a cookie.
Leo, too, sat down without receiving a cookie.
“The method I will teach you is the foundation for achieving an [Over-Clear] of a World of Heroes.”
The students began to murmur.
“Why is understanding the hero the foundation for an [Over-Clear]?”
This time, Celia raised her hand and asked.
“Conquering a World of Heroes is about retracing the great deeds of the heroes who came before. That's why those who attempt it usually know what their objective is and what they must do to achieve it.”
The students nodded.
“But an Over-Clear is uncharted territory. To accomplish a feat that even the hero themselves found impossible, simply following the existing path is not enough. You must achieve what the hero missed, what the hero couldn't do. To do that, you first need to perfectly understand what kind of person that hero was.”
The students nodded at her words.
“And the reason we've chosen the Heroes of the Cataclysm as the subject is simple.”
Mel's expression turned serious.
“Dragonia has sent a request to each of the hero academies.”
“F-From Dragonia?”
“All of a sudden?”
“My goodness. Isn't this the first time in nearly a thousand years?”
While the students were in shock, Woreden crossed his arms.
“What was the request?”
At his question, Mel smiled gently.
“The request was for your generation to conquer the Hero Records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm.”
The students' eyes widened.
***
“Don't I get extra points?”
After class ended.
Leo went to visit Mel in her professor's office during the break.
Mel sighed deeply at Leo's grumbling.
“How could I possibly dare to give you a cookie and talk about extra points, Leo? Besides, it wasn't a difficult question for you.”
“That's discrimination.”
Leo grumbled but sat down in front of Mel.
“So. What's the reason this generation has to conquer the Hero Records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm?”
“The biggest reason is that this generation has immense potential.”
“That's because of me, I suppose.”
“Yes.”
Mel nodded.
Because he wasn't wrong.
“But the most important reason is likely that they only have about a hundred years left, at most.”
“They?”
Leo looked puzzled.
“There's something I didn't tell you when you visited Dragonia.”
Mel's face hardened.
“The reason Dragonia hasn't released the Hero Records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm isn't simply because they're 'impossible to conquer'.”
“Is there another reason?”
“Yes. In the process of trapping Erebos within their Hero Records, most of the records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm were burned away, but the major ones still remain. For example, the records related to the subjugation of the legion commanders.”
“A Hero Record containing the subjugation of a legion commander shouldn't be impossible to conquer.”
“Yes. The problem is, even if you conquer the World of the Heroes of the Cataclysm, you won't receive a reward.”
“Why not?”
“Because the Hero Record doesn't recognize them as dead heroes yet.”
While there are countless records of the Heroes of the Cataclysm, almost nothing is known about their final days.
Some say they founded the academies, retired, and lived a comfortable old age, while others say they went into seclusion and disappeared from public view.
What's clear is that nothing is known about how their lives ended.
“Don't tell me...”
Leo's face hardened.
“Yes.”
Mel's expression was grim.
“The five heroes are still fighting against the fragment of Erebos they sealed within their own World of Heroes.”