Chapter 672
Chapter 672
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 672
Chapter Title: Heroes Take the Stage
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*Thud—! Thud—!*
The faces of the Ivaldi warriors turned pale with fear as they watched the endless horde of the Giant King's army advance.
Clutching their weapons, they all trembled.
It was then.
"Let us fight, too!"
A voice called out from below the wall.
Leo walked to the inner wall and looked down.
Below the wall.
He saw beastkin and dwarf boys and girls, who looked to be in their late teens, clutching their gear with determined expressions.
"We can fight! We'll be a help!"
"I told you no!"
"We're warriors, too! Look! We even have weapons!"
"Those are just things made by young brats! And you think you can stand on this dangerous battlefield just because you've hunted a few monsters?"
The beastkin girl and dwarf boy at the front gritted their teeth.
"Leo. What are you looking at?"
Just then, Karl approached with a curious look and glanced down from the inner wall.
In that moment, the beastkin girl pointed at Leo and Karl.
"Then what about them! They're outsiders! So why are they allowed to join the battle?"
"Lord Dweno gave them permission to stand on the battlefield!"
"Grr! Why can't we? We're prepared to die at any moment!"
"Wow, what a spirited beastkin kid."
Karl leaned against the railing, letting out a whistle, and spoke to Leo.
"They seem pretty confident in their skills. Shouldn't we ask for their help?"
"No."
"Why?"
Karl looked taken aback by Leo's firm refusal.
"The era you live in and this one are different."
The Age of Calamity was an era of decline.
An age where even properly educating children was difficult.
It's completely different from Karl, who was born in the Age of Heroes.
Their upbringing is fundamentally different from hero cadets who are thoroughly prepared to stand on the battlefield.
"They might have some combat experience of their own."
Leo turned away coldly.
"But that's all it is. In this era, brats like them only stand on the battlefield when the city is on the brink of destruction."
At those words, Karl smacked his lips as he looked at the boys and girls his age staring up at them with resentful expressions.
As Karl was about to follow Leo, he happened to meet the eyes of the beastkin girl who seemed to be the leader.
Karl looked down at the beastkin, smiled brightly, and gave her a wave.
"Don't worry too much. My friends may not look it, but they're all monsters. We'll keep the city safe."
"Grr!"
Sparks flew from the beastkin girl's eyes.
"Karl, hurry up."
"Alright!"
At Chelsea's call, Karl pulled himself away from the inner wall's railing and headed for the outer wall.
And looking at the Giant King's army beyond the wall, he muttered.
"But man, there are a disgustingly large number of them..."
"Hmph. Just a moment ago you were spouting nonsense about changing history, and now you're saying something so pathetic?"
"I guess I was a little out of my mind a moment ago."
At that, Eliza placed a hand on her forehead and shook her head.
"I was a fool for thinking you were a little cool."
"Huh? What was that? I think I just heard something amazing. Could you say it one more time?"
"Get lost."
As Karl's eyes widened and he leaned in, cupping his ear, Eliza irritably pushed his head away.
"Everyone seems so relaxed."
Leo commented, watching the scene.
"Yeah. But aside from us, the atmosphere isn't great."
Chelsea said, looking at the intimidated figures on the wall.
It was only natural.
The Giant King's army before them was, quite literally, a force of despair.
One of the reasons the hero cadets could remain calm was the presence of Dweno.
The people of Ivaldi didn't know, but every hero cadet did.
That Dweno was one of the Great Heroes who ended the Age of Calamity.
Of course, they weren't just relying on Dweno.
They shook off the anxiety seeping into their hearts and squeezed out their courage.
Because they could see the back of one person who remained unshaken.
*Lord Dweno is one thing, but Leo is also playing a huge role.*
A hero who had turned countless impossibilities into possibilities.
The faith inspired by the man named Leo Flove was immense.
He was, in every sense, their leader.
"Shall we turn this fear into courage, then?"
"Black Rabbit, fighting!"
At Leo's words, Ar clenched her fist and shouted.
Leo turned to Ar with a pathetic look.
"What are you talking about?"
"Huh?"
"That's not my job, it's yours."
"Me?"
Ar pointed at herself with a bewildered expression.
Leo said.
"In the Age of Calamity, whose role was it to give courage to allies gripped by fear on the battlefield?"
"Lord Ar-on!"
"Then who are you?"
"Ar Tune! The one who inherits the will of the Brave Hero!"
"Then turning fear into courage is your job, isn't it?"
Leo gently poked Ar's forehead with his finger.
"How long are you going to leave it all to me? Take some of this burden."
"Jeez! You sound like an exhausted old man!"
Ar grumbled while rubbing her forehead, but she soon nodded.
"But you're right! Just as the Black Rabbit says! Hah! It's time for me, the one who has ascended to the rank of hero! The one who inherits the will of the Brave Hero, Lord Ar, to step up!"
With a triumphant look, Ar climbed to the highest point of the wall.
Seeing the cat beastkin suddenly climb to the highest point, everyone's gaze turned to Ar.
"Hey! Listen! We allowed you to join the battle, but we won't tolerate you moving around on your own!"
"More importantly! It's dangerous to be so exposed!"
Nearby beastkin rushed to pull Ar down.
It was certainly dangerous to be so openly exposed to the enemy.
She could be hit by magic or long-range thrown weapons at any moment.
"Huuuuup!"
Ar took a deep breath.
Watching her, Leo looked out at the battlefield.
*He must be watching, too.*
The Necro King would surely be observing this battlefield.
*Show them. Who you are.*
*Awooooooooooooooo—!*
A massive roar erupted from Ar's mouth.
A golden aura swirled around Ar's body.
The warriors of Ivaldi flinched at the sound of the roar.
"This is...?"
"What in the..."
Their fear began to fade.
In its place, courage filled their hearts.
Dweno's grip on his battle-ax tightened.
The sight of Ar's back, howling, was etched in his eyes.
"Huh?!"
"Beast transformation!"
In broad daylight, with no full moon in sight.
Gasps of astonishment erupted from all around as they watched Ar undergo beast transformation.
But the miracle didn't end there.
One by one, the beastkin warriors began to transform.
They stared at the changes happening to their bodies with faces of disbelief.
"W-What is this!"
"Incredible!"
Power surged through their bodies.
Ar, now transformed, bumped her fists together and grinned.
"Let's not be scared, everyone! If we're scared, we can't win a winnable fight! Let's smash all those ugly bastards!"
"Waaaaaaaaaaah!"
Their morale soaring, the warriors of Ivaldi let out a cheer.
"Unbelievable...!"
"This is truly reassuring!"
Enniha wore a look of shock, while Dweno stroked his beard and let out a hearty "Wahahaha!" laugh.
It was then.
*Screeeeeeeeeeeeech!*
An enormous number of Fafnirs appeared in the sky.
Seeing them, Leo spoke.
"Eliza."
"What is it?"
"How long are you going to hide it?"
"Hmph."
Scoffing, Eliza closed her eyes and brought her hands together.
*Crackle— Crackle—!*
Pure white lightning began to swirl around Eliza.
Chelsea's eyes widened at the sight.
"Don't tell me?"
*Fwoosh!*
With a flash of white light, a pure white Pegasus appeared before Eliza.
"No way."
"She summoned a Pegasus at that age?"
"Those kids! What in the world are they!"
The warriors on the wall gasped in astonishment once more.
*Clip-clop— Clip-clop—*
"Duran Moira, Chelsea Llewellyn."
Approaching the Pegasus, Eliza looked at her rivals one by one and smirked.
"You'll never be able to catch up to me now."
"Hilarious."
"Hmph! I'll catch up in no time, so enjoy this moment while you can!"
Duran looked indifferent, and Chelsea scoffed.
"Um, Eliza. What about me?"
Illiana asked with a hesitant expression, and Eliza replied.
"Is someone as lazy as you even worth mentioning?"
"Class reeeep! Eliza's ignoring me!"
"That's why we should train hard, right?"
Illiana complained to Leo with a teary face, and Leo just smiled.
"Whoa! Eliza! Awesome! You finally did it!"
Karl exclaimed in admiration.
Looking at Karl, Eliza smirked and was about to mount the Pegasus.
"Wow! But Eliza! It's really beautiful!"
"What?"
At Karl's words, she almost slipped and fell.
"What are you talking about all of a sudden!"
Seeing Eliza shout with a slightly flushed face, Karl pointed at the Pegasus and said.
"What do you mean? Your Pegasus, it's really beautiful."
"..."
Eliza's shoulders trembled.
"You... just you wait until this is over."
"Hey, why?"
"Hmph!"
Scoffing at Karl's aggrieved expression, Eliza gently stroked the Pegasus's neck.
"Let's go, Lu."
[Yes, Eliza.]
*Flash— Crackle—!*
A storm swirled as Eliza's Pegasus, Lu, soared into the sky.
*Fwoosh! Fwoosh!*
*Screeeech!*
*Kieeeek!*
Pure white lightning drew an arc.
Where the arc passed, Fafnirs screamed and plummeted.
"That's completely one-sided."
"A Pegasus's lightning power is a natural counter to Fafnirs."
After explaining to the impressed Ar, Leo summoned Arti.
"Another one?!"
"How on earth did those kids form a pact with a Pegasus at their age!"
Gasps of astonishment erupted from all sides.
*'To call me a kid, I'm about the same vintage as you all.'*
With a wry smile, Leo mounted Arti and said.
"Eliza and I will take the sky. You guys handle the wall."
"Should we follow Professor Artian's command?"
"Professor Artian won't be able to."
Leo glanced toward the rear of the wall.
*Whoooooosh—!*
A massive amount of spiritual power and mana was surging around Artian.
A mage's heroic spirit had possessed her body.
"She's preparing a big one."
"Then should we follow Lord Dweno's command..."
"You can do it."
"Huh? Me?"
"Of course, you should."
"But you and Lord Dweno are here, right?"
Leo smiled at that.
"I'll tell you the same thing I told Ar."
"What?"
"How long are you going to leave it all to me? Take some of this burden."
"Haah!"
Karl let out a deep sigh.
Then he slapped his cheeks and turned around.
"Sorry, but."
Karl laughed awkwardly.
"Can you entrust your lives to me?"
"I can."
Duran said without hesitation.
Karl looked slightly surprised at that.
"Huh? Without hesitation?"
"Leo entrusted the command to you. So we should follow."
Chelsea shrugged as well, and Driana clapped Karl on the shoulder.
"I'll entrust it to you anytime."
"Ugh."
Karl staggered under Driana's strength.
"Well, if you mess up the command, I'll kill you first."
Karl laughed awkwardly at Chelsea's words.
"Hey, that's a bit..."
"We've entrusted our lives to you, so shouldn't we take your life as collateral?"
As Chelsea smiled brightly, Karl let out a hollow laugh.
It was then.
*Kra-ka-ka-ka-ka-boom—!*
An explosion roared.
*Whoooooosh—!*
"It's a dark magic shell!"
"Everyone, brace yourselves!"
Screams erupted from all over as they saw a massive projectile of dark magic flying from the Giant King's army.
"Lord Dweno! Lord Enniha! It's dangerous to show your faces outside!"
At the dwarf's urgent warning, Enniha said.
"Don't we need to hide behind the wall?"
"Don't take your eyes off that sight, Enniha."
"Huh?"
*Flash! Crackle—!*
With a flash of pure white lightning, Leo appeared in front of the dark magic shell fired by the Giant King's army.
*Swish—!*
A long gray line drew an arc from left to right.
And...
*Kra-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-boom—!*
The dark magic shell exploded in mid-air, shaking the very earth.
The wall trembled.
Everyone stared at the back of Leo, mounted on his Pegasus.
*Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek—!*
*Bwooooooooooo—!*
As the siege weapon's attack was nullified, an ominous horn blared, and the Giant King's army began to charge.
Seeing this, Dweno leaped from the wall without hesitation.
"Dweno!"
Enniha called out urgently, and Dweno replied.
"Don't you worry! The sky is well-protected now!"
*Thud—!*
Leaving those words behind, Dweno landed on the ground.
*Whoooooooosh—!*
A golden, flame-like aura flickered around Dweno's body.
Normally, he wouldn't even dream of charging in alone.
Because there would be no coming back.
But not now.
*Kieeeeeeeek!*
*Thud-thud-thud-thud—!*
A unit of Gigantes charged, aiming for Dweno.
*Scraaaaaape—!*
Dweno grinned fiercely, dragging the blade of his ax along the ground.
"Now, then."
*Grip—!*
Gripping the battle-ax with both hands, Dweno's eyes flashed.
*Thwack—!*
A dull thud echoed.
The Gigantes in front of Dweno were sliced in half at the waist.
The massive ax blade had bisected them.
"With my back so well-protected, why don't I go all out for once?"