Chapter 682
Chapter 682
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 682
Chapter Title: Late Night Training and a Necessary Lie
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682.
Ar closed the distance with Leo, her expression serious.
*Swish*!
In an instant, Ar's kick shot toward Leo's face.
*Whoosh*!
Seeing Leo bend back to dodge the attack, Ar's eyes gleamed.
“An opening!”
She launched herself into the air, attacking Leo again with the foot she'd been using for support.
*Thwack*!
Leo blocked Ar's attack with an open palm.
*Shove*!
Leo's body was pushed back in an instant.
*Thud*!
Landing on the ground, Leo looked ahead.
Ar's fist was already right in front of his nose.
*Whoosh*!
Ar's fist cut through the empty air.
With it, dust scattered in all directions.
Ar flinched.
Leo's palm was now right before her face.
“I lost again!”
Ar flopped onto the ground, spread-eagled in frustration.
Looking at her, Leo spoke.
“That's forty-seven times already. We're going to be up all night at this rate.”
It was past midnight.
Ar had requested a hand-to-hand sparring session with Leo.
It was the condition Ar had set in exchange for uncomplainingly undergoing the flame resistance training with Dweno.
That he would spar with her until she was satisfied for the duration of their time in the dungeon.
That was why Leo was sparring with Ar, even though it was deep into the night.
“I can still go on!”
“You've got great stamina.”
“Let's go again!”
Leo sighed as Ar shot up into a sitting position.
“Please, let's just get some sleep.”
“Hmm?”
At his words, Ar, who had been staring up at Leo with her arms crossed, smiled.
“Well, if the Black Rabbit begs like that, I suppose I can let you off the hook for today.”
“I'm so grateful I could cry.”
Sighing, Leo took off his sweat-drenched shirt.
Thanks to sweating buckets, the shirt was completely soaked.
Wringing it out, Leo muttered to himself.
‘Is it because she's a kid? She's still full of energy even after moving so intensely.’
As he thought this, something occurred to him.
‘Wait, my body is a kid's, too.’
He sometimes forgot.
‘Is it a mental thing?’
Letting out a dry laugh, Leo snapped his shirt out.
Ar watched him, oohing and aahing in admiration.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing. Just thinking that the Black Rabbit has a pretty nice body.”
Well-balanced muscles, not too much and not too little.
Of course, compared to the students of Azonia, he might look frail, but his pure physical strength was immense.
“It's a feast for the eyes.”
Ar crawled over to Leo and, grinning, poked his abs.
“Don't touch me so freely, you pervert cat.”
“How dare you call an innocent girl such a lewd name?! Don't lump me in with Driana!”
“At least Driana doesn't tell me to take my clothes off with ulterior motives.”
“Kuh!”
Ar clenched her fists with a frustrated look, then lifted her shirt to show her stomach and said.
“If you've got a problem, then you can touch mine! Go on, touch it! And apologize for calling me a pervert cat! Apologize for lumping me in with Driana!”
At her words, Leo grabbed Ar's side.
“Aah! I said touch, not pinch!”
“Who told you to go flashing your stomach around? Pervert cat.”
“Instead of apologizing, you called me a pervert again!”
Barely escaping Leo's grasp, Ar lunged at him and bit his head.
“Grrrrrr!”
Ignoring Ar, who was making animalistic noises, Leo unfastened the bracelets and anklets from his wrists and ankles and set them down.
Then he lightly rotated his wrists.
They were bracelets enchanted with weight magic.
They were training artifacts that didn't feel heavy to others but placed a definite strain on the wearer's body, items he'd been fond of using since he was young.
Ar, who had been clinging to Leo's back and biting his head, got down and sat beside him.
And with a slightly sulky face, she glared at the artifacts.
She knew.
She knew that if they sparred without these restraints, she would be no match for Leo.
Still, being frustrated was being frustrated.
Looking up at Leo, who stood up and began to loosen his ankles, Ar spoke.
“It would be nice if we could fight without restraints someday.”
“I agree. When are you going to catch up?”
“Ugh!”
Ar's face flushed at Leo's slightly provocative remark.
Seeing this, Leo chuckled and patted her head.
“You're getting stronger fast enough. So don't be too impatient.”
“Hmph! You're right! Among the Great Hero's successors, I'm number two!”
“Number two?”
“Yep. The Black Rabbit, me, the thug elf, and the pervert dwarf! That's the order!”
‘I bet Lunia thinks the exact same thing.’
Leo burst out laughing at the quickly puffed-up Ar.
“You forgot someone.”
“Huh?”
“The Dragon Lord.”
“Ugh!”
Ar flinched.
No matter how high-spirited Ar was, it was a different story when Melina was the comparison.
After all, the Dragon Lord Melina was already a hero shouldering an entire era.
“I-I'll catch up to her soon!”
“Really?”
“Of course! Black Rabbit! First, I'll catch up to you! And then Lady Melina!”
Ar shouted spiritedly.
Looking at her, Leo let out a small laugh.
‘You've got the order wrong.’
Of course, Ar had no way of knowing, so he decided to let it slide.
“What are you two doing at this late hour? On a date?”
“Oh! Lord Dweno!”
Seeing the heartily laughing Dweno, Ar shot up from her spot.
Leo, who had already sensed Dweno approaching, glanced back and spoke.
“We were training.”
“My, how diligent. Aren't you two plenty strong already?”
Seeing Dweno stroking his chin with a curious expression, Leo said.
“This isn't nearly enough. You, of all people, should know that best, Dweno.”
Ar was startled to hear Leo speak in such a slightly impudent tone.
“B-Black Rabbit! How can you take that tone with Lord Dweno!”
“I don't mind, so don't you worry.”
Dweno laughed heartily and approached Leo.
“I saw right through this fellow's lack of manners the moment I first met him.”
*Thump! Thump!*
Dweno laughed cheerfully and clapped Leo on the shoulder.
It looked like a light pat, but to Leo, it felt like being struck with an iron club.
“Why is this old geezer hitting me?”
“Did a light pat feel like a hit? You. You look sturdy, but you're weaker than I thought.”
Watching Dweno click his tongue, Leo scrunched his face and pushed Dweno's face away with his foot.
“You perverted old geezer!”
“Perverted? That's a first in my life! I could understand if it were Ennihar, but why me? Hahaha!”
Stroking his chin and tilting his head, Dweno laughed and threw a punch at Leo.
Leo dodged the dangerous fist and kicked out, but Dweno quickly dodged as well.
“Uwaaaaaaah.”
Witnessing such incredible disrespect, Ar didn't know what to do.
But the two who had been fighting so fiercely soon sat down calmly and began to talk.
“So, the reconnaissance results say we're completely trapped?”
“That's right. Help from the outside will be difficult.”
“Is it difficult to dispel with magic?”
“...It's a barrier made from Erebos's power. It's impossible to break through.”
“I see.”
Dweno's expression turned grave.
Looking at him, Leo spoke.
“There must be a core in the area around the fortress that's maintaining the barrier. We just need to destroy it.”
To be precise, it was the entrance to the center of the Legion's World.
After invading the Legion's World through there, he would find and destroy the Legion's Record.
If he could do that, this Hero Dungeon would collapse.
Lying to Dweno, Leo continued.
“So, starting tomorrow, I plan to search the area around the fortress.”
“Do you need anything?”
“Hmm. I'd like to move with Ivaldi's warrior candidates.”
“With those children?”
“We need to split our forces, too.”
Ar, Driana, and Iliana couldn't move because of their training.
Karl, too, was in full production of potions needed for the battle with Tartaros and couldn't leave his alchemy cauldron.
In the end, Leo's party was also short on manpower.
He couldn't ask for help from Ivaldi's warriors, as they had to defend the walls.
“Even if they're just candidates, they've been carrying out reconnaissance and monster subjugation missions around the fortress, right? They'll be a great help.”
Their pure combat power was weaker than Leo's party.
But the experience they had gained living through the Age of Calamity far surpassed that of the hero candidates.
As such, they would surely be a great asset on a search mission.
After considering Leo's words, Dweno nodded.
“Understood. I'll speak to the warrior candidates.”
Nodding, Dweno looked at Ar and smiled.
“You have a good friend for a companion.”
“I do.”
Ar grinned shyly, and Dweno chuckled.
“He seems to have a rotten personality, but he also looks like a friend with much to teach, so learn a lot from him.”
“Why are you picking a fight again?”
As Leo scowled, Ar shot up from her spot and shouted.
“Yes! I will definitely get stronger with the Black Rabbit! I'll get stronger and make sure to subjugate Erebos! On Lord Ar-on's honor!”
Watching Ar, whose eyes sparkled as she clenched both fists, Dweno said.
“How dependable!”
“Ehehehe.”
“Make sure you defeat him. That hateful black flame.”
“Of course! Even if I have to sacrifice my life, I will definitely...”
“No.”
“Huh?”
“You must not die. Defeat him without dying.”
Dweno said firmly.
“Yes!”
Ar answered energetically, and Dweno smiled and nodded.
“Then wash up and get to bed early for tomorrow's search.”
“Yes!”
*Snap*!
*Splash*!
Leo snapped his fingers, and a torrent of water fell on Ar.
Ar, now looking like a drowned cat, glared daggers at Leo, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him.
“What was that for!”
“I was just washing you.”
“Could you wash me a little more gently! Gently!”
Screaming, Ar let out a torrent of complaints, then shook her body, flinging water droplets all over Leo.
Then, with a snort, she turned and stormed off.
Leo chuckled at her retreating back and followed her, saying.
“Well, I'll be going too.”
“Leo. There's something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“The core of the barrier you plan to destroy. If you destroy it, we'll win, right?”
“Probably.”
“What will happen to us... to the people of Ivaldi?”
“...”
For a moment, Leo was at a loss for words.
‘They will disappear.’
Of course, he couldn't say that.
To him, this place was just a fragment of the past, but to Dweno, it was the present.
“Shouldn't you escape this place and head to Gardsrone? This area is still dangerous, after all. If we deal a major blow to the Giant King's forces, an opportunity will surely arise.”
“...”
Dweno stared intently at Leo's face.
Leo held Dweno's gaze.
“In that case, we'll have to prepare thoroughly for a large-scale migration.”
Dweno smiled faintly and nodded.
“Yes. Prepare thoroughly.”
Nodding, Leo returned to his tent.
Ar, who had been waiting for Leo from a distance, walked back with him.
The two began to walk together, their figures growing smaller in the distance.
Dweno remained where he stood, simply watching their retreating backs.