Chapter 591
Chapter Title: A New Record
-----------------------------------------------------------------
591.
The hero candidates, who had been cheering, collapsed into their seats one by one.
The taut tension dissipated, replaced by a wave of relief that it was finally over.
“Man, I really thought we were done for this time.”
“We couldn’t afford a single mistake… Do heroes… do they all fight such terrifying battles?”
“Look, my hands are still shaking.”
Everyone eagerly began to talk about the battle they had just endured.
They had overcome countless trials during their time at the hero academies.
But compared to today's experience, those were nothing more than child's play.
They had even witnessed the battle between Erebos and the Great Hero, but they never imagined they would have to face Erebos themselves.
“It really makes you realize how incredible the Great Hero and the Heroes of Genesis are.”
Even Celia, who always maintained a perfect composure, sat on the ground and shook her head.
“Ugh! That was so~! Hard!”
Ar flopped onto her back, spreading her limbs out.
She was so exhausted that the reality of their incredible achievement hadn't even sunk in.
All anyone wanted to do was rest.
Gazing at the sky, Ar furrowed her brow slightly.
The brilliant sunlight beat down, stinging her eyes.
Just as Ar, squinting against the light, was about to close her eyes…
*Thud— Thud—*
Someone walked up, casting a shadow over Ar’s face.
“Huh? Who is it?”
The blinding sunlight blurred her vision, making it hard to see the person’s face.
As Ar squinted at the figure, her blue eyes widened dramatically.
“Good work. That was impressive.”
Seeing Kyle's gentle smile, Ar, who had been gaping, shot up from her spot.
“Nwaaaaah?!”
Everyone’s gaze instantly snapped to Ar as she let out a strange shriek.
And when they saw the man standing before her, their faces filled with shock.
“W-Wait! Is that for real?!”
“Why is he here?! This is Lumerne’s world!”
“Is… is he a fake?”
Disbelief was etched on every face.
‘Leo?’
Chelsea’s eyes went wide as she stared at the Hero of the Beginning.
At that moment, Kyle’s eyes met hers, and he smiled faintly.
‘It really is Leo.’
Even as Leo, he possessed a charisma that dominated his surroundings.
But now, his charisma was on a completely different level, far surpassing what he had when he was Leo.
‘Well, I guess this is his true form.’
She didn't think Leo had been pretending to be their peer.
He had always been mature.
He had simply hidden his true self to blend in with them naturally.
Sometimes pushing them forward from behind.
Sometimes leading the way, showing them his back.
Chelsea nodded to herself, thinking of how Leo must have been helping them grow without ever revealing his true identity.
‘He’s a true adult.’
Just as she had this renewed realization…
“S-So handsome…”
Eiran clasped her hands together, murmuring in a daze.
“Miss Eiran, you’re drooling.”
“Huh?! *Slurp*.”
At Chen Xia’s words, Eiran flinched and wiped her mouth.
“But he really is handsome.”
Chen Xia let out a gasp of admiration as well.
Those who knew Leo’s true identity were marveling at this new side of him.
Lunia silently observed Kyle.
‘A goal I must one day reach.’
Just as Lunia clenched her fist…
“Um… are you really the Hero of the Beginning, Sir Kyle?”
Ar asked cautiously.
“I am.”
“Gasp! H-How are you in Lumerne’s world?”
“When I opened my eyes, I was in a world 5,000 years in the future. I saw Erebos, so I dealt with it. But chasing after that thing led me here.”
Kyle stated calmly.
“What exactly is this place?”
“This is a place called the World of Heroes.”
Following Ar’s words, Chloe explained the Hero Record.
“The future has some interesting things.”
Kyle said impassively.
‘Leo is such a good actor.’
Watching him, Chelsea inwardly burst into laughter.
The students, who had frozen at Kyle’s appearance, finally snapped out of it.
Soon, they swarmed around Kyle, bombarding him with questions.
“Sir Kyle! What was going through your mind when you fought Erebos alone?”
“Why are the Great Heroes able to appear in the present day?”
“Were you and Lady Luna really lovers!”
Unable to contain their curiosity, the students fired off questions.
The Great Hero was an object of reverence, but there was just as much they were curious about.
The students, having gained the fortune of being able to speak with a Great Hero, did not want to miss this opportunity.
Forgetting their exhaustion, the hero academy students gathered around Kyle.
“What’s everyone gathered for… Gak?”
“The Hero of the Beginning?”
Karl, who had returned supporting Lumerne, looked startled upon seeing Kyle, while Eliza wore an expression of disbelief.
Just then, Lumerne approached Kyle.
The students parted to the left and right.
Everyone held their breath at the incredible sight of a meeting between a Great Hero and a Hero of Genesis.
“I… I was able to come this far because I looked up to you. I was even undeservedly called your successor. Do I…”
Lumerne’s hands trembled.
“Do I have the right to follow in your footsteps?”
Just as the students here admired Lumerne and followed him…
Lumerne had followed Kyle.
But he had shown a disgraceful side to the one he respected.
Kyle looked silently at Lumerne, then reached into his cloak.
And he drew a sword.
An old sword.
The one he had used before receiving Postelitas from Dweno.
“This is the sword I used for the longest time.”
Kyle offered the sword to Lumerne.
“It's yours now. Does that answer your question?”
“……”
With a trembling hand, Lumerne accepted the sword.
“You don't need qualifications to follow me. I'm not so great as to demand such things.”
“Thank… you.”
“If anything, I should be the one thanking you.”
Kyle smiled.
“Thank you for not giving up.”
Lumerne’s grip on the sword tightened.
Kyle’s acknowledgment was more precious to Lumerne than anything else.
It felt as though his thousands of years of effort had been rewarded.
Kyle’s gaze shifted from Lumerne to the hero candidates.
“I watched you fight.”
At his words, the hero candidates held their breath.
“I considered helping, but… it didn't seem necessary.”
The corners of Kyle’s lips curled up.
“So be proud of the great feat you achieved today. Raise your heads. You will all surely…”
Kyle’s gaze swept over each and every hero candidate before finally landing on Karl.
“Become heroes.”
[Lumerne's World: Final Chapter - Sacrifice has been cleared.]
As he finished speaking, the clear message appeared in the students' vision.
*Fwoosh—!*
With a brilliant flash of light, the World of Heroes sent the students back to their original world.
Only two people remained in the World of Heroes.
Kyle and Lumerne.
*Fwoosh—!*
A bright light burst from Kyle’s body as well.
Simultaneously, he returned to his form as Leo.
“It's been a while since I went all out. My body's aching.”
Seeing Kyle, who had been about his height just moments ago, shrink to a smaller size, Lumerne couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Stop wandering.”
Leo said, patting his shoulder.
“I am me, and you are you. You just need to walk your own path.”
“…I understand that now.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
Leo placed his hands on his hips and stretched his back.
“How is the imprisoned Erebos?”
“…Since Seirun informed us of your existence, Sir Kyle, it has been growing rapidly stronger. As if it had been hiding its power until now.”
“As I thought.”
The fragment of Erebos that Leo and Seirun had stopped together in Seirun’s world…
That had been a large piece broken off from the main fragment.
And the piece in Lumerne’s world was even smaller than that.
But their power levels were comparable.
This meant only one thing.
The Erebos fragment had become much stronger than before.
“No, it was probably already strong from the start.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
“It must have been using the Worlds of Heroes as kindling to increase its power.”
A flame grows stronger the more it burns.
Until there is nothing left to consume.
It builds its firepower.
The World of Heroes was a prison that held Erebos, but it was also the kindling that fed its strength.
Just as Leo defeated Erebos and converted its power into divine power…
Erebos, too, was surely absorbing divine power as its own.
It must have been secretly growing stronger for thousands of years.
For such an Erebos to suddenly reveal its power meant…
“It must have realized your existence, Sir Kyle, and grown impatient.”
“How much longer can you hold out?”
“I do not know. However…”
Lumerne looked down at Kyle’s sword.
“Seirun, Rodia… and I, who have met you, have undoubtedly grown for the first time in thousands of years. So we will hold out for as long as we can. We will absolutely not fall easily. We will stop it until the very, very end.”
“I’m counting on you.”
“Leave it to us.”
Lumerne smiled confidently.
With that, the world began to collapse.
The cleared world was disappearing.
Leo’s body also began to glow brightly.
“Ah. I almost forgot to say this.”
Leo said, as if he had just remembered.
“Seirun and Rodia.”
“Yes.”
“Tell that damn pointy-ear and that rotten lizard…”
“Pardon?”
Lumerne looked flustered at the sudden harsh language.
“Tell them that the next time I see them, I'm shaving all their hair off.”
“……”
Watching the snarling Leo, Lumerne thought to himself.
‘He must have heard us call him an idiot and a moron.’
Lumerne shook his head, thinking of the two of them.
*Fwoosh—!*
With a brilliant flash of light, Leo vanished.
***
A void where nothing existed.
In its center stood a child with gray hair and eyes.
The child, holding a large book as big as their torso, opened their mouth.
“I will now begin the Record-Keeping Council.”
At those words, colorful orbs materialized in the void.
—Surprising.
A voice filled with astonishment flowed from a light-green orb.
—I thought we would no longer be given the right to select heroes.
“You’re right, Pibua. This council is my decision alone.”
—Kuhaha~ You acted as if you’d follow the Hero of the Beginning’s every word. So in the end, you wanted to do as you please, too?
—Even if you’ve changed, you’re still one of us.
The mocking voices of the gods echoed from all around.
Hearing them, Rian smiled faintly.
“I intend to end the role of the gods after selecting just four more heroes.”
—Why four?
When Pibua asked in a serious tone, Rian replied.
“The King of Wisdom, the Brave Hero, and the Divine Blacksmith. I believe it is our given role to select their successors.”
Rian stated calmly.
“I believe it is our duty for gifting the Hero Record to the mortal world.”
At those words, the gods who had been mocking Rian fell silent.
—The successors to the King of Wisdom, the Brave Hero, and the Divine Blacksmith. That’s three. Who is the last one?
At another god’s question, Rian said.
“We will discuss that later. For now, I request a council to decide whether or not to record Ar Tune.”
—Ar Tune… She was acknowledged by the Brave Hero.
—Honestly, she reached a realm the Brave Hero couldn't, didn't she? Does that even make sense? That ability to turn others into animals.
—But she has never overcome a trial worthy of a hero. It’s a stark contrast to Lunia El Lundua. Of course, it was the Progenitor of the Nebula who selected her.
—Her lack of trials is no longer an issue. Look at her performance against that abomination this time. If she can’t become a hero, then who can?
The gods engaged in a deep discussion about Ar.
The usual playful atmosphere was completely gone.
The council proceeded in a very solemn state.
They, too, had agreed with Rian’s words.
That selecting the successors of the Great Heroes was their duty.
“Then… do we acknowledge Ar Tune as a hero?”
As the council came to a close, Rian asked for the final decision.
No one cast a vote against it.
“By unanimous decision, Ar Tune will be recorded in the Hero Record. Her epithet will be…”
Rian opened the Hero Record.
“Successor to the Brave Hero's Will.”
Ar’s name and epithet were recorded in the Hero Record.
After the council ended, the gods began to chat.
They spoke about the recent events.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming boisterous again, Pibua spoke up.
—Rian. The fourth hero you mentioned we must select… are you perhaps referring to Kyle’s successor?
“Are you crazy? How dare the likes of you and I even discuss the successor of the Hero of the Beginning? Are you in your right mind? Go kneel before Sir Kyle's statue and apologize right now!”
Rian yelled, even pointing a finger.
At Rian’s reaction, Pibua let out a deep sigh.
—Then who is it?
“Our final duty.”
At Rian's words, all the gods showed a puzzled reaction.
“To select the hero of the new era and bring a complete end to the age of gods. Therefore, I will propose a motion regarding the record of another.”
Rian paused, took a deep breath, and then spoke.
“I request your permission to record Karl Thomas in the Hero Record.”