The Hero's Return
Five heroes. Among them, Mio handled wide-area firepower, buffs, and debuffs. That was why demons always feared her name. It was war, so explosions and destruction didn't matter. Especially since it was in the otherworld of Pandemonium, not the human realm.
But when she joined wars in the human realm, Mio couldn't be of much help. Wide-area magic risked sweeping up allies. Buildings were a problem too. She couldn't destroy the homes innocents returned to. It was only natural, coming from someone who had lost her own home and family.
In contrast, Rian, Abel, and Uba specialized in close combat and destruction. With Mio's buffs leading the way, Rian and Uba stood at the forefront, while Abel disrupted enemies from the rear with chains and an assassination dagger. Rian's "black power" especially was on another level. Those touched by that sword were shredded beyond recognition, broken down completely. Before long, it became a vicious energy that erased them at the cellular level. It shone brightest in one-on-one fights. Rather than hordes of foes, Rian clung tenaciously to single targets, earning him crazy bastard remarks from Abel.
"Amplify."
Rowen gazed at the frost gathering on his Ice Blade. The Valenos family's trait was frost magic. A chilling aura swirled around him, cooling the heated fire in Rowen's heart.
"Don't overtax your core before it's fully grown."
It could now produce black, but it still couldn't reach its limit. If he wanted to bleed out from his veins and sweat glands until death, no one would stop him. He could even recommend it as a new suicide method. But that wasn't the case.
For now, the key was how far he could push this power. The Mana Flower not fully bloomed meant the core wasn't fully grown either. The Mana Flower formed the core's heart. It generated mana within the body, while the core was merely the vessel containing it. Rotating the core stimulated the vessel to release a bit more, while also neatly organizing the mana.
The Mana Flower was the Valenos family's source of mana. It was thanks to this flower that they wielded frost.
"More."
A suit of blue ice armor began enveloping Rowen's body like an infection. Crunch. The cold friction of ice rang in his ears. To others, it looked like ordinary armor, but its durability and functionality suited Rowen perfectly. It reminded him of the sacred relic Lergios's Armor, the last thing he'd worn in his previous life. Snow-white wolf fur draped over Rowen's neck. From hunts long ago. Beneath it formed silver-white plate, no—ice barriers. Black energy flowed through them. Frost mana mixed with black aura enhanced the defense. The wolf spirits dwelled in the ice armor. Light and sharp in form, the ice armor would make Rowen even more agile.
Thud!Rumble!Thud!
With each step Rowen took, countless ice weapons embedded themselves around him. The path he'd walked, a thorny hell evoking his tragic past. Now that the past had returned to him, he felt those weapons he'd created more keenly. He strode through the graveyard of swords. The abyss turned pure white. Fused with his fragments, the perfected Rowen raised his hand.
Sword Conductor. The blue ice weapons lodged in the sword graveyard flew through the air, aligning beside Rowen. Twin spears, longswords, bows, halberds, daggers, lances, wands, shields—even that. They orbited him like soldiers following their commander. Reminiscent of the Knights of the Round Table, they formed a circular mandala at his gesture. As Rowen's core spun, so did the mandala on his back. Every one exuded black energy. Blue and black forces. Black-blue energy created a haze around Rowen's body.
And so, now. The incarnation of the past merged with the incarnation of vengeance, summoning history to this place. Having reclaimed his fallen pieces, his self was finally complete. The great knight had returned to the present world.
Blue hair fluttered in the wind. A third eye opened in the center of her forehead, red and black. The overwhelming demonic aura felt different from before, exuding immense pressure. Mio sensed no star energy, but Arahan was different. As a top adventurer, she'd slain a Black Dragon and an Earth Dragon. But the demon before her was on another dimension. Her body trembled slightly.
Mio clicked her tongue. She'd supported the melee specialist Arahan, but hadn't let the demon close in. Above all, Arahan now lacked the power she'd had against the changed foe. Her speed, dodging energy-suppressing chains effortlessly, could be called supersonic. Mio had pushed it far from the Magic Tower. That allowed her Meteor, but the demon quantum-decomposed it in an instant. Mio's face showed surprise. No, great surprise. It rivaled the Four Heavenly Kings. She'd killed them herself, so she knew. This demon had reached the same realm as those past kings—or higher.
"...Damn it."
"My apologies, Lady Mio."
"Not your fault. That bastard's the problem. If I could just dig in a bit more..."
Mio's rune language lit the sky. Arahan's rune language swallowed the earth. Tesiah's corrupted rune language emitted an eerie sound.
"Hehe! You sisters are super strong!"
"Are all you 'prophets' like this?"
"Hmm... I don't really know! I'm the only one who made a 'direct' contract with Him!"
"Direct...?"
Tesiah's demonic spear tore through the air. Arahan swung her chains with force, batting it away. But the spear returned to Tesiah's grasp. The demonic spear that sought its master felt annoyingly persistent.
"What's that? I don't have a weapon like that."
"...Tenacious."
"Agreed. My master never taught me anything like it."
"Haha... Uba, that idiot, always ran to pick up his own thrown weapons."
"...That muscle pig."
"Well, his body was faster than the weapons he threw, so by the time enemies noticed, they were already dead!"
Mio spoke with odd pride, hands on hips, chest puffed out. She was showing off to her comrade's disciple. Meanwhile, Tesiah charged. Not at Mio—the gap in their power was too vast. Getting close might mean death. Instead, she swung at Arahan, who matched her level.
Boom!
Mighty demonic energy shot straight ahead. Arahan twisted the air using Rosbriel's gravity. The sky warped with golden mana. Even slight distortion shaved off parts of the icy ground.
"Oh... You block that? How about this?"
"...Piece of cake!"
Spear and sword. Gravity and destruction traded blows, drawing a Milky Way across the blue sky. Red and gold clashed, birthing sunlight. When Tesiah thrust, Arahan blocked; when Arahan slashed straight, Tesiah arced back. Crack! Arahan blocked part of the demonic spear with her foot. Spinning and lifting her leg was the right call. A thrusting kick. Arahan's lithe, tall frame gave her the edge in that exchange. She immediately countered.
"Kgh...!"
"Told you. Easy as pie."
"Hehe... Keep flapping that mouth, and it might end quick?"
"We'll see."
As Arahan finished speaking, Mio's support fire began. Countless fire energy orbs rained down.
Rat-tat-tat-tat! Like frantic punches, sharp impacts echoed. Arahan pulled back. Flames erupted with a boom, creating a hellscape.
"You're awake~"
"Yeah."
"...You've changed a bit?"
"Just reclaimed my true self."
Yuria twitched her brow. Not exactly something to blurt out. Sure, she was at an age to swoon, but in his past life, he'd been an adult who'd endured everything.
"Not even embarrassed, spouting middle-school syndrome crap?"
"...It's the truth. What can I do?"
Yuria snickered. Seeing that, Rowen smiled too. He could tell she'd protected him all this time. While the three fought, the Magic Tower would just get caught in the crossfire. Yuria had guarded it—and him.
"Thanks."
"Flattery gets you nowhere."
"I know. Still wanted to say it."
Rowen looked to the sky. Raising his head, he saw it filled with explosions and rune traces.
"As expected..."
Mio, specialized in area attacks, couldn't cut loose. Rowen took a step forward.
"Can't do without the real me, huh?"
It might sound like a cocky kid's line, but Rowen meant it. The word "ugly" from his past self in the abyss echoed in his ears. As he walked, the ground froze beneath his feet. Yuria rubbed her eyes. Rowen had always had absurd mana reserves, but the aura he emitted now was worlds apart. Like Mio—a hero who'd run through trials and tribulations.
"Yuria. Guard the Magic Tower well."
"Yes. I would anyway."
"Sass... This is why kids these days suck."
"I've lived longer than you?"
Rowen brushed it off lightly. Blue armor naturally covered his legs from the freezing ground, then his body. Snow-white wolf fur adorned him. Black energy formed short spikes. Weapon Master. Countless weapons began manifesting one by one.
"Then."
"Looks like you've rested enough."
"Didn't rest. Just finally figured out what to do next."
Nothing had changed. He just wouldn't let blind hatred consume him like before. Control it. Like reining in emotions, Rowen controlled the black energy.
Boom!
Amid bursting flames, Arahan and Tesiah were still locked in struggle. If he could shred her now, great. But Tesiah blocked every strike flawlessly. And with her spear, she was a tad more flexible. In that instant, Arahan felt something in earnest. A warm, familiar power. But at an overwhelming new height. Mio felt it too. Familiar, longed-for... a power that brought tears just thinking of it.
As Tesiah's spear tip neared Arahan's nape!
Crackle!
Countless frost petals bloomed with the mandala. Dozens of Ice Blades flew through the air. Swinging an ice spear summoned hundreds more slashing the sky. A black-blue sun shielded Arahan and Mio.
"Still can't do shit without the real me, huh?"
"You brat, casual speech! ...Wait."
Rowen's single line. It triggered Mio's essence-seeing eye naturally.
"How..."
"Long time no see."
"...For real?"
Rowen grinned. His gaze shifted naturally. Arahan knelt over tangled chains. He helped her up, stroking her hair.
"Good work."
"...Young master, why..."
"You've rested. Don't worry."
Shing!
Ice Blades aligned beside Rowen. The Sword Conductor fixed sharp eyes on the enemy. No mercy for kids. Even if her age matched his now, the grudging souls of those she'd killed whispered to Rowen.
-Save us.
That one phrase was enough. Saving humans gripped by demons was a hero's duty. He was just being true to himself.
"Mio. Lots to talk about."
"...Liar. How are you..."
"Hard to believe? I couldn't either. Woke up making 'wah' cries. How could I?"
"...Really Rian?"
Rowen—no, Rian—nodded. Black sword energy naturally poured out. Vicious haze wrapped the Ice Blades.
"Weaker than before, but convincing enough?"
"...Bastard. Should've said from the start."
"Didn't wanna interrupt. Figured going to Pandemonium meant something important."
"...Idiot."
Rowen chuckled awkwardly. He stood back-to-back with Arahan, casting a simple stamina recovery spell.
"You good?"
"At young master's side, this Arahan can do anything...!"
"Good."
Rowen glanced at Mio. Her face mixed joy and complexity. Suppressing his own nostalgia, he targeted Tesiah.
"Mio. Like old times, yeah?"
"...Idiot."
"Haha..."
"And hey."
Still not angry, Mio layered buffs on Rowen. She stood by him, staring intently. Face different from his past life, but speech and inner self screamed Rian.
"You're back."
"...Yeah."
All that returned were Mio's tears and smile.