Chapter 252
Chapter 252
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Hero's Progeny (4)
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"What an idiot."
Someone muttered indifferently, voicing the feelings of the entire group.
The Hero.
The selfless actions of this great hero, who seemed ready to save the whole world.
To his companions, it was beyond familiar—it had become downright endearing.
Whenever the Hero declared he suddenly wanted to help someone, they'd just go along with it like, Oh, of course you would.
Even so, this time his behavior was particularly bizarre.
"So, is this it? You're preparing a gift for someone who might carry on your will someday, in case you end up dying?"
The woman spat the words in an irritated tone, not even understanding them herself.
That was exactly right.
They hadn't grasped what the Hero was trying to do from the start.
The other companions began chiming in one by one.
"What to say... Sometimes when you pull this, it's beyond admiration—something more."
"Outrageous. Seriously. Now you're embracing people from the future and the past too? Man, this is a Hero. No wonder the holy swords line up like girls who've sprouted legs."
"Hm. I get it. I've said it over and over: we can save the present thanks to our ancestral gods' care. Not some god we don't know where lives or what looks like."
"Kudarak. Please—whether spouting nonsense or blaspheming, pick one? My disillusionment with you is hitting critical. Cough!"
"S-Saintess...! Please, calm—"
"Yeah. Calm down, little one. That frail body can't even muster a proper rage."
And as always, their headstrong banter veered off course smoothly.
With his companions sidelining themselves before long, the Hero simply continued his work in silence.
"Hero."
The only one still paying attention to his actions was the fairy perched on his shoulder.
"So, what do you plan to leave? For that someone who might become your heir—"
Truth be told, the fairy felt the same as the others.
She didn't welcome the Hero's attitude of accepting his eventual death as a given—and assuming someone would naturally take his place.
But for now, curiosity took precedence.
The Hero.
What sort of gift would this great hero prepare for the future?
In response to the fairy's question, the Hero formed his signature faint smile.
"Teachings..."
The fairy summed up his words that way.
-Stop, stop!!!
-Kya아아아아악!!!
The reversing swamp Astrolog.
Fairy Shuyen.
Their screams overlapped.
The light vines conjured by the holy sword.
The force constricting the sludge giant grew ever stronger.
Proof that the giant's power was steadily weakening.
Soon enough, Astrolog's roar ceased.
-It hurts, it hurts so much!!! So hot!!!
Now, only the fairy's pained moans emerged from the giant's maw.
-You all...! She seems to be suffering!?
Wind's Wing voiced its concern toward Rishir and the holy sword.
It assumed the fairy remained alone after Astrolog's dissipation, writhing in agony.
-Ri, Rishir!? That's what it's saying—
Jallak joined in the mantle's worry.
Astrolog's reincarnation had borrowed the fairy's energy.
Even with the giant's form lingering, pushing it to the brink might harm the fairy—who knew?
Their concerns were entirely justified.
The best call without knowing the light power overwhelming the giant.
-Pl, please stop...! At this rate, I— I...!
The fairy's anguished moan spurred their judgment.
-You!
-Rishir!
"..."
Rishir gritted his teeth.
Crack—
His skin split and burst in places, blood pouring out.
The recoil from pushing Overadvance to its utmost, transcending his limits.
To Rishir now, the mantle and sword's suggestion sounded all too sweet.
Deep down, he wanted to halt the power's application right away.
Escape the extreme recoil and that agony.
'Damn. Why no blood from my face like usual—'
Escape the anxiety that he might screw himself up.
In that moment, their timely words offered perfect justification.
"No!!!"
Even so, the shout burst from his lips.
Rishir recalled it.
The fairy's energy before the great evil's reincarnation.
That pure aura, like clear dew—that was her true form, her essence.
"If it's truly all over... if the spirit's regained its original energy— it wouldn't hurt from that power!!!"
-Reckless...! How can you be so sure!?
Wind's Wing gasped in horror.
Even droplets nurturing fragile sprouts could become a mountain-crushing tsunami when amassed.
Power was like that.
No matter how gentle or harmonious, magnitude bred inevitable destruction.
Rishir's explosive power manifesting through the holy sword!
Wind's Wing wondered: even healing divinity at that scale—couldn't it harm the target?
To that doubt, the man replied.
"Damn it, I don't know!!!"
-...!!!
"But somehow, it always works out!!!"
-Wh-what...!?
Utterly baseless.
Seemed designed to breed doubt, not faith.
Yet strangely.
Wind's Wing sensed unshakable confidence in the man's words.
Absolute certainty in a power he didn't fully grasp—
Wind's Wing couldn't fathom a response.
Thus, it got helplessly swept along.
By that vibe of somehow it'll work!
-Grh...! Now even I don't know—is this really okay!?
-You!!! Exactly!
-Jallak!? What are you—...!?
The holy sword's show of kinship deepened Wind's Wing's confusion.
And so.
Sensing their full trust(?), Rishir drew forth every last drop of power in response.
A fierce roar, as if hauling out his entire body's might!
The holy sword resonated with its wielder, raising its voice in kind.
Wooong wooong wooong—
Its form now rivaled a sun risen in the night.
The vast cavern filled utterly with light. Not even faint shadows permitted.
-Kya아아아아악!!!
The fairy's scream sharpened further.
-Ah, aaa— aaaaa...!!!
Overlapped by the giant's moan, precarious as if crumbling.
It was then, as the giant thrashed in torment.
Chaling!
A crystalline sound, like countless glass beads clashing and scattering, filled the space.
Along with light shards as pure as the sound—
-This is...!
The wondrous sight left Wind's Wing—and even the holy sword—momentarily speechless.
Myriad light fragments drifting in the air.
Shattered droplets, each one.
The sludge that formed the giant's body—
Now so pure it perfectly held the light.
Those scattered droplets didn't plummet but held position midair.
Scattering the light they cradled within—
Soon, they understood why the droplets had scattered.
Sludge giant.
Unable to endure the light vines' bonds, it had collapsed.
The now-targetless vines converged in one spot.
Intertwining into a thick trunk—
The aimless light power spread naturally.
Light branches and leaves sprouted along the trunk.
-World Tree...
Wind's Wing and the holy sword murmured unwittingly at the majestic, sacred light tree's form.
How a mere human's energy evoked the World Tree's image—not even an elf—
Wind's Wing and the holy sword had no way of knowing.
Rustle—
Then, the tree's firefly-like light droplets fell.
"...!"
Rishir didn't miss the small form mingled among them.
Flutter!
Rishir leaped, Wind's Wing billowing.
His hand softly caught the falling fairy's body.
In midair, the man's and fairy's gazes met.
The man glanced at his holy sword as if struck by a thought, then flashed a sly grin.
"Yeah. Like you said, would've been big trouble without the holy sword?"
"..."
The fairy blanked for a moment.
Soon, she burst into laughter.
A cheerful smile she hadn't worn since parting with that person.
-I thank you once more. With utmost respect! Without you, my master's companion would have met an irreversible fate!
Wind's Wing—
The mantle abruptly faced Rishir, bending at a perfect right angle.
Like a transparent figure in a mantle bowing its head.
Rishir flashed his signature sly smile.
"Pass the thanks to Jallak instead."
-To Jallak...?
"My power alone couldn't have driven out that giant. Sometimes it feels ridiculously overpowered, but it's pretty limited too. Normally, against a giant rooted in spirit energy, I couldn't have wielded it fully."
-Then...
"Jallak's hidden ability added a special property to my power."
-My god. Jallak! You've hidden such a power all this time!?
Hm.
Overadvance holy sword Jallak let out a meaningful hum.
No matter how I think about it, I don't have any such ability—
Feels like Rishir's ability—
Instead of denying outright, better stay quiet.
Rishir could be right?
And above all—Rishir's paying attention to me?
A single word encapsulating that rambling rationale.
"Rishir."
Then.
The fairy approached Rishir.
Now, that tiny lifeform no longer gazed down from on high.
Face close, staring him straight in the eye.
"Sorry for all the rudeness so far. I had no right to judge you, the holy sword's master."
"Nah. No way. Aren't you the Hero's companion? I think you have every right."
"..."
His sly vibe melted the fairy's stiff expression naturally.
"And you must have that right."
"Hm?"
Rishir pointed to Wind's Wing.
He was drunk now.
On the thrill of victory?
No.
Wind's Wing.
The euphoric rush from that mysterious treasure—
Vulgarly dubbed the "high"!
"So you can legally hand over the Hero's legacy to me, right?"
"..."
The momentarily stunned fairy went pfft—and burst out laughing.
The fairy eyed the man with keen interest.
That casual air.
She'd thought he wouldn't care much for the Hero's legacy or honors, but he was human after all.
'Well.'
The fairy nodded.
The Hero's legacy.
Inheriting it meant succeeding that great hero's will—no different.
An honor none could refuse.
"You really like that thing, huh?"
The fairy teased mischievously.
Curious how this earnest-looking man would voice his grand ambitions.
"Yes! Felt it crystal clear using that power just now!"
"Felt what?"
The fairy was already stifling a laugh.
Easy to guess what he'd say.
He'd probably invoke the "Hero's will" or somesuch.
Declare his resolve as successor.
Youthful vigor and ambition overflowing.
Having glimpsed his human side in the once-inscrutable man, the fairy felt a spark of fondness—
"This massively boosts my assassin sword's utility!"
"?"
-?
What.
What sword?
The words from this hero, who'd flaunted the holy sword's might without restraint—left the Hero's companions, legacy included, utterly baffled.
Whatever.
Rishir pressed on excitedly.
"Free movement regardless of terrain!!! That's what hit me. Ah! Even a swordmaster couldn't react—"
Keek.
Rishir mimed slitting his throat with a roguish sound.
The fairy and mantle's minds began to haze over.
-J-Jallak...? Your master's—condition seems off... Power side effect? Assassin sword... You, a holy sword, can't tolerate such shady—
-Eek!!!
The holy sword cut the mantle off in panic.
-Don't spout reckless nonsense without knowing!!!
-Jallak?
"What...?"
The fairy and mantle reeled at his sudden fury.
-Rishir!!! Ignore them!!! I feel alive when you wield me as an assassin sword!!!
Holy sword.
Acting like...?
Shuyen's jaw dropped.
Wind's Wing's too—gaping in shock.
Mantle or not.
-Speaking of which, how thrilled I was when you used me for sword practice—...
The holy sword's shy confession continued.
The fairy and mantle could only stare vacantly, dumbfounded.
"Rishir, I've got something to tell you."
Rishir's race-transcending charisma had softened fairy Shuyen's speech to natural tones.
Rishir kept glancing at Wind's Wing amid the holy sword's bashful confession.
The fairy addressed him.
"Sorry to disappoint, but that item—the first Hero's true legacy isn't Wind's Wing."
"Yes?"
"It's Hero-left, so calling it his legacy isn't wrong—but what he truly meant for his successor lies elsewhere."
"Another legacy..."
Disappointment flickered across Rishir's face, swiftly swallowed by curiosity.
"What is it? That other legacy—"
"Teachings."
"Teachings...?"
The fairy answered through action.
With a tiny gesture, she summoned vast energy.
Soon, it formed a single dimension gate.
"...!"
In that instant.
Rishir's eyes widened hugely.
'No way—the Hero, the first Hero, teaching me directly!?'
Wind's Wing was forgotten.
Facing history's greatest great hero.
Rishir realized his heart pounded fiercely.
Pleased, the fairy smiled.
"How about it. Ready?"
"W-wait a sec!"
"Huh?"
"My companions—could I share that chance with them!?"
"...Companions? You have companions? Then why'd you come alone?"
"Uh... You only brought me?"
"...Huh? Now that you mention it—how did you get in here alone?"
Hm?
Eh?
Uh?
The man's inscrutability, veiled by his easygoing vibe, crashed over the fairy anew.
She tilted her head repeatedly, like a glitchy doll.
"No, seriously—how'd you enter alone!?"
Rishir's proposal was rejected.
Fairy Shuyen.
She'd acknowledged Rishir—not his entire party.
Left with no choice, Rishir stepped through the dimension gate alone.
The moment his foot crossed—
"Uh..."
The world enveloping Rishir transformed.
"This is..."
He looked around.
Sunlight through stained glass bathed the space in vibrant hues.
The sight felt more majestic than flashy or garish.
At the center stood a hugely sculpted statue, carved with exquisite care.
"You've arrived."
"...!"
As Rishir examined the statue, a calm voice came from behind.
"Recognize her?"
And the fairy's voice from his shoulder.
"The woman called our party's priest—the saintess."
"...!"
Saintess.
The great priestess who purified the world alongside the Hero.
Encountering this historical titan rivaling the Hero himself filled Rishir with surreal dread.
The saintess spoke calmly to the flustered Rishir.
"First, let me heal those wounds."
Rishir was paying dearly for maxing Overadvance.
An overload type he'd never endured before.
It gifted him excruciating pain and fatigue.
Pressing on without rest only worsened it.
Skin cracks.
The bleeding he'd barely stanched restarted.
Suddenly, blood poured from his entire body.
"Entrust yourself to my energy."
The saintess faced him without a hint of alarm.
As if such injuries were trivial.
It was then.
A ripple stirred in the saintess's lake-still eyes.
All Rishir's wounds and depleted energy had abruptly healed.
The saintess's hand, poised for a "miracle," hovered awkwardly in empty air.
Sudden situation.
Rishir faced a hero from the unfathomably distant past, per the Hero's design.
In other words.
He'd abruptly encountered an anomaly.
The fairy sensed the incongruity.
"Calm down. I'll explain."
Why are you the one calming things?