Chapter 520
Chapter Title: Unwelcome Visitor
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520.
After Halind’s special lecture on Heroics, the second-year students were left in a state of shock.
‘Anyone who dreams of being a hero, not just second-years, would be shocked by this story.’
Leo was inwardly musing as he glanced around at the students’ grave faces.
“I can’t believe it.”
Chelsea muttered with a dazed expression.
“To think that a record written in the Hero Record was erased.”
“This doesn't seem like a simple matter.”
Eiran also murmured with a serious look.
“He said that even though the Iron-Blooded Sorceress, Tiar, was confirmed to have been resurrected as an undead, her record wasn't erased.”
“On the other hand, in the case of the Nether Knight, Tamus, his resurrection as an undead wasn't confirmed, but his record was erased.”
Chen Xia continued the conversation with a puzzled expression.
‘I was the one who put Tiar to rest and erased Tamus’s record.’
Mel was restricting information regarding Leo’s actions during his last dispatch.
‘His fame is sufficient for now. In fact, any more might become a hindrance.’
An unprecedented all-class, the youngest student council president, the youngest to be registered in the Hero Record.
Leo was already a hero the entire world was watching.
He was a being who could instantly change the established order and dynamics of the world.
When such an individual appears, those holding onto the world’s order have one of two reactions.
They either follow or rebel.
And no matter how much of an unprecedented all-class hero he was, registered in the Hero Record, to the existing heroes, Leo was still just a kid.
‘There’s no guarantee there won’t be guys who would try to harm him if persuasion fails, just like with the Justice Guild.’
Just as Leo let out a soft sigh.
“Hey, Leo. The Iron-Blooded Sorceress and the Nether Knight. Are they connected to you? The erasure of their Hero Record entries… did you do it?”
At Karl’s words, the three girls who had been talking among themselves turned to look at Leo.
“Yeah, I did.”
Everyone wore a look of utter astonishment at Leo’s answer.
“You really do transcend common sense all the time, don’t you? Ah, but being a Great Hero is already beyond common sense, isn’t it?”
Karl clicked his tongue.
“So you’re the one who deleted all those other heroes’ records? Huh? Huh? Is that it?!”
“Incredible! Young Master Leo!”
“Come to think of it… the Book of Shadows was also completed when Young Master Leo touched it, right?”
“Wait? Does that mean you can even record things in the Hero Record?”
“That’s right.”
“How is that possible?”
An excited Chelsea asked, bouncing up and down in front of Leo.
Leo patted her head and said.
“The Hero Record was originally mine.”
“What?”
“It was originally yours?!”
Everyone stared in shock.
“Yeah. That’s why I have the authority to record and erase. I can receive other rewards, too.”
“So the reason you were able to bring the other Great Heroes out of the Hero Record is because you’re its owner!”
“Yes.”
Everyone gasped in admiration.
“Now the puzzle pieces are fitting together.”
Chen Xia nodded.
Watching her, Karl let out a “Hoh?” of admiration and stroked his chin.
“What strange idea are you cooking up now?”
Chelsea asked sharply, narrowing her eyes. Karl replied.
“Lately, I’ve been seriously thinking, what if we started a religion centered on Leo?”
“A religion that worships Leo?”
Eiran’s ears perked up with interest.
“Yeah. We’ll call it Leoism.”
“Lame.”
Chelsea grimaced without a hint of hesitation.
“Hey, how can you say the name is lame right in front of Leo?”
“I wasn’t talking about Leo’s name. I was talking about your idea.”
“Why? This is a chance to make a fortune!”
“If you keep trying to use a Great Hero as a money-making scheme, you’ll be struck by divine punishment.”
Chelsea scoffed.
Chen Xia, who had been laughing at the scene, asked.
“In that case, was Lunia’s recent registration in the Hero Record also your doing, Young Master Leo?”
Lunia was currently causing a stir with the title ‘She Who Chases the Nebula.’
“No. Lunia recorded that herself.”
“Lunia did?”
“Yeah. It seems I’m not the only one with the authority to record and erase.”
“How on earth is that possible?”
“According to what God said, it was a gift to me, not to the original world. Looking at the situation, it seems to be a gift to the Great Heroes, to be precise.”
“Now you’re bringing a real God into this?”
The conversation had gone so far beyond his imagination that Karl just shook his head.
“Anyway, they’re calling a convocation of heroes about the Hero Record. If the big shots are visiting, the academy is going to be pretty chaotic, right?”
“It has to be. There must be a lot of incredibly anxious heroes out there.”
Chelsea scoffed.
In his special lecture, Halind hadn’t viewed all heroes in a positive light.
But Halind wasn’t the only one with such feelings.
There were plenty of people who looked upon heroes with a jaded eye.
“There are plenty of people who indulge in ‘licentiousness’ just because they’re heroes.”
Chen Xia smiled faintly.
Unlike her usual self, her eyes were cold.
“Well, if Leo has the power to erase records, isn't the meeting and everything else meaningless?”
Karl muttered nonchalantly, lacing his fingers behind his head.
“I don’t know. This might be a good opportunity to clean out everyone I think is unqualified.”
At Leo’s words, the four of them froze in place.
Karl, Chelsea, Chen Xia, and Eiran.
All four were hero candidates.
And one didn’t have to imagine how severe the backlash would be if countless heroes had their qualifications revoked.
Even if it was necessary, it would cause immediate and massive chaos.
Leo grinned at the four of them staring at him with hardened faces.
“I’m kidding.”
“You’re kidding, right? You surprised me!”
Eiran beamed.
‘That definitely didn’t sound like a joke.’
‘If things go south, Leo is more than capable of doing it.’
‘Should I request a shadow dispatch from Father and the Shadow Lords? Some of the heroes who lose their qualifications might cause a riot.’
But the other three knew that Leo was someone who would do just that.
Just as the five of them were heading towards the dormitory.
*Zzzzzzt-!*
A crack suddenly began to form right in front of Leo.
He stopped in his tracks.
‘What’s this?’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
In that moment-!
*Flash-!*
A massive spatial distortion occurred before his eyes.
Seeing this, Chen Xia flinched and stepped in front of Leo.
“A spatial distortion?! Is this a Hero Dungeon?”
“Wait! There are no Hero Record fragments or anything here!”
“Step back for now! Before we get sucked in!”
Chelsea, Karl, and Eiran cried out in alarm.
Leo, who was staring intently at it, said.
“Calm down. I think it’s fine.”
“What?”
“It seems to be a Hero Dungeon… but it’s stabilized.”
Leo gently patted the shoulder of Chen Xia, who stood before him protectively.
Chen Xia, who had been tense, relaxed.
Standing before the entrance to the Hero Dungeon, Leo narrowed his eyes and said.
“Go get the professors.”
***
The sudden situation caused rumors to spread throughout Lumerne.
The five who had first discovered it were taken to the Hero’s Tower to explain the situation.
The professors were controlling the area around the Hero Dungeon as a precaution.
But even after a full day, there was no sign of change from the dungeon.
The students’ curiosity grew, but their duties as students came first, so everyone went to class.
“I mean, being a good student is all well and good.”
Iliana pouted in the second-year Knight Department’s training ground.
“But self-study right after such an exciting incident? The professor isn’t even here!”
“It’s not self-study, student Iliana. Today, we’re having sparring practice for the first time in a while.”
Ain’s assistant professor, Claria, said with a faint smile.
“By the way, Iliana, I heard you’ve been conducting magic research with Professor Ren and the Magic Department students recently?”
“Th-That’s…”
“After shouting about being a knight all the time, are you finally betraying the department?”
“Awoooo!”
Iliana whined, looking around for help.
But most of the students averted their gazes.
‘Class Preeeez! Save me!’
Iliana looked for Leo, who would surely save her, but unfortunately, he was going to be late for class today.
Just as Claria closed in on her and Iliana was on the verge of tears.
“Hmph-! This place hasn’t changed.”
At the voice from the entrance, Claria frowned and turned her head.
“You are…”
“It’s been a while, Claria. As beautiful as ever.”
“Sir Kaodin.”
Claria narrowed her eyes.
“Kaodin? Crimson Lightning, Kaodin Kurken?”
“He’s here?”
“But that man is definitely…”
As the second-year Knight Department students murmured his name, one student swallowed the rest of his words.
“Hm? Junior. What were you about to say?”
Kaodin smirked and reached out to that student.
*Thump-!*
“Gah?!”
The male student’s body was lifted into the air.
“If you’re in the Knight Department, you should say it with confidence to the end.”
As Kaodin sneered, Claria spoke coldly.
“Let him go, Sir Kaodin.”
“Claria, if it’s a request from you, I must oblige.”
Kaodin released his hand with a kind smile.
“Gasp! Huck! Huck!”
“Sven. Are you alright?”
Chen Xia approached and supported her classmate.
Kaodin looked at Chen Xia and let out a “Hoh-” of admiration, then muttered under his breath.
“Skill, check. Character, check. Looks, check. A shame she’s a Shadow.”
Chen Xia ignored Kaodin as he clicked his tongue.
Claria stood in front of Kaodin, as if to protect Chen Xia.
“What brings you to Lumerne?”
“Is this not my alma mater? Am I not welcome here? Besides, I have to clear my great-grandfather’s wrongful name.”
Kaodin Kurken.
A Knight-class hero registered in the Hero Record.
An archer who went by the epithet ‘Crimson Lightning.’
He was also Ain’s classmate during their school days.
‘And the great-grandson of Meterar Kurken, who recently attacked as an undead.’
“Claria, are you still planning to rot away as Ain’s assistant professor? Why don’t you join my Valkyries already?”
Kaodin pointed towards the entrance of the training ground.
There stood twenty knights.
All of them were women of outstanding beauty and skill.
“I am happy with my position as Professor Ain’s assistant.”
Claria said coldly.
“You should come to me before that beauty of yours withers. Or what? You denied it, but are you and Ain in that kind of relationship after all?”
At Kaodin’s words, a chilling killing intent formed in Claria’s eyes.
“Do not insult Assistant Professor Claria.”
Chen Xia stepped in front of Claria and smiled faintly.
“Didn’t Ain teach you not to interrupt when adults are talking? Or do you not know knightly conduct because you’re a Shadow? That would make you a failure as a Shadow, too. You shouldn’t interrupt when a hero is speaking, should you?”
“The Dragon Lord declared that heroes and shadows are equal beings.”
“No matter how great the Dragon Lord is, you can’t change a tradition that has lasted for thousands of years overnight.”
Kaodin sneered.
“Or what? Are you trying to get my attention? I can’t accept you into the Valkyries, but… a bodyguard wouldn’t be bad. A Shadow would be useful at night, too, I suppose?”
Kaodin’s eyes scanned Chen Xia’s face and body.
Seeing this, Claria lost her reason.
“You son of a bitch! To my student…!”
“I’m so sorry, but I already have a master to whom I’ve pledged my body and soul. Even if I didn’t, I would refuse a bug like you.”
Chen Xia said with a bright smile.
In that instant, Kaodin’s eyes changed.
*Wham-!*
Without hesitation, Kaodin kicked Chen Xia in the stomach.
*Zzzzzzt! Fwoooosh-!*
At the same time, two longswords crossed at his neck.
“Hah, why are kids these days so rude? Weren’t you taught to show respect to your seniors?”
Kaodin glared with murderous eyes at Celia and Duran, who had their swords pointed at him.
It was then.
“Then did your parents not teach you?”
*Step- Step-*
*Thud-*
Leo, standing at the entrance of the training ground, stared at Kaodin with cold eyes.
“If you want to be treated like a person, stop acting like a dog and start acting like one.”