“From above!”
Lily hurriedly pushed through the bushes.
The moment she saw Atkan facing Leo, her expression changed.
“A demon?”
Whoosh—!
Closing the distance in an instant, Lily swung her Battle Hammer at Atkan’s head.
Crack—!
With a deafening roar, the grass and trees around Lily and Atkan were flattened in the opposite direction by the shockwave.
‘He didn’t even budge?’
Even though the blow had been packed with tremendous force, Atkan’s expression did not change in the slightest.
He had not even bothered to take a stance or brace himself.
Quite literally, Lily’s attack had done no damage.
Atkan turned his gaze toward Lily.
“It’s rude to interrupt when adults are talking.”
Goosebumps rose all over Lily’s body as Atkan spoke with a gentle smile.
Grab—!
Dark red sparks burst out as Atkan grabbed Lily’s hammer.
Sizzle—!
Crunch—!
At that instant, Atkan’s wrist was severed.
Swoosh—!
Atkan watched his hand turn to sand and scatter away, then shifted his gaze to Leo.
“Don’t touch her.”
Leo’s voice was steeped in killing intent.
“Th-thank you, Hyung-nim.”
Breaking away from Atkan, Lily retreated to a safe distance, cold sweat running down her back.
“Hyung-nim, is that…?”
A look of interest crossed Atkan’s face.
“Heh heh heh! Hahahaha! I see. So that’s what it is. That girl is just like those two.”
“Those two?”
Lily looked puzzled by Atkan’s words.
“Hyung-nim, do you know that demon?”
Sensing an odd familiarity in their exchange, Lily asked in a flustered voice.
“Heh, we go way back. In a sense, you and I are connected now as well.”
“Cut the crap.”
A murderous aura poured from Leo’s body.
At the sight of him, Lily instinctively took a step back.
Atkan lowered his head as he watched Leo.
“I apologize if my words offended your ears.”
‘If I provoke him any further, it’ll become truly dangerous.’
Atkan knew Leo better than anyone.
He had lived as the Death King’s close aide for 5,000 years.
With the Nether Knight being the greatest threat here, Leo was not the kind of man who would recklessly throw himself forward just to settle an old grudge.
‘If I push him any more, he’ll try to kill me no matter the cost.’
The reason Atkan had not called Leo the Surviving Hero was simple.
He was trying to avoid getting on Leo’s nerves as much as possible.
‘He’s different from when we met in Shan six months ago.’
Leo was recovering the power of his previous life at an unbelievable rate.
And that growth had accelerated even further because of the [Conquest Reward]s he had obtained from clearing Dweno’s world and Lysinas’s Hero World.
‘He hasn’t returned to his prime yet… but he’s already more than strong enough to erase me.’
And above all, this was Kyle, the Hero of Beginning.
‘A man who excels at hunting demons.’
Of all the Great Heroes, the one demons feared most was Kyle.
5,000 years ago.
Atkan had fought all of the Great Heroes.
But the battle with Kyle remained etched most vividly in his memory, as the most terrifying of them all.
As [All-Class], Leo wielded a vast array of techniques.
Against Great Heroes who specialized in only one field, Atkan could sometimes create an opening to escape.
Against Leo, that was nearly impossible.
“Well, now that I’ve set the stage, I’ll take my leave.”
Atkan’s lips curled into a smirk before he vanished into the darkness.
Lily, who had been watching everything unfold, asked,
“Who was that?”
At a glance alone, it was obvious he was no ordinary high-ranking demon.
“The Archduke of Funeral.”
Gasp!
Grip—!
Lily’s grip on her weapon tightened.
In his previous life, it was Atkan who had turned Vihar into an Orphan Soldier.
And it was Atkan who had made Velkia an orphan while she was still an infant.
A high-level Necromancer used those he killed as Undead.
Later, Atkan tormented Vihar by turning her comrades into Undead.
He tore Velkia’s heart apart by resurrecting her parents, whom she could not even remember, as corpses.
‘I’m sorry for being such a poor master.’
Leo closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Lily.”
“Yes.”
“I want you to be the one to kill him.”
Lily looked bewildered by the sudden request.
But as she watched Leo stare at the place where Atkan had vanished, his profile looked angry, and somehow sad.
Seeing that, Lily answered firmly.
“Yes! I’ll definitely kill him.”
Leo gave a faint smile at her spirited reply.
It was then.
Rumble—!
An ominous Aura poured down from the sky.
Pitch-black Aura began gathering in a single spot.
‘Is he planning to attack the capital?’
Leo lowered his stance.
If an attack of that scale struck the capital, countless people would die.
Vwoooom—!
Just as a gray Aura began to gather around Leo’s body—
Flash! Boom!
A pillar of pure white light came crashing down from the heavens.
The Nether Knight swung his greatsword with irritation and deflected the pillar of pure white light.
Crash!
The pitch-black Aura and the pure white pillar tangled together and shot off, slamming into the capital’s walls.
Kaboom!
The walls of the capital crumbled helplessly.
“A Light Spirit?”
Lily muttered in shock.
Leo narrowed his eyes and looked in another direction.
A group of seven stood there, led by a man in a pure white robe.
Seeing the crest embroidered on the fluttering robe, Leo muttered,
“Justice Guild.”
===
“Ho.”
Tamuss let out a short exclamation of admiration as he looked at those blocking his path.
“So there are some decent ones among the heroes of this era after all.”
“It is an honor to meet you. Are you the sunbae known as the Nether Knight?”
“Who are you?”
“I am Jerome, the Light Seeker. I am the leader of Justice Guild, though I am still lacking.”
“A guild. You mean those groups of heroes in this era?”
“You’re well-informed.”
Jerome wore a gentle smile.
“However, unlike the other sunbaes who began appearing yesterday, you seem remarkably… intact.”
Jerome looked at Tamuss meaningfully.
“Seeing dead heroes suddenly reappear as Corpses gave me a great deal to think about.”
“And what did you think?”
“That the Death King suddenly gained immense power. Using that power, he summoned heroes as Corpses. Most likely, heroes who lacked the proper qualities were corrupted into Corpses. And furthermore…”
“And furthermore?”
“I thought heroes with sane minds like you would also appear. And that they would have betrayed the world.”
Jerome shrugged.
“In truth, weren’t you a coward who once turned a blind eye to the world’s crisis?”
Boom—!
Pitch-black Aura lunged at Jerome.
But the dark Aura was blocked by blue Aura.
A knight wielding a bastard sword and shield stood firmly before Jerome.
“Not bad.”
The corners of Tamuss’s mouth twisted.
“Jerome, was it? Mind your words. I am merely using the Death King.”
“Using him?”
“Indeed. He believes he can control me at will with his power, but…”
Tamuss raised his hand.
Ooooooh—!
A powerful energy of death burst from his palm.
The next moment—
Rooooar—!
A thunderous roar echoed out.
Jerome’s gaze shifted toward the city walls.
Countless Undead were rising from the ground.
“Death Magic?”
“No. Spirit Magic.”
Tamuss spoke with amusement in his voice.
“They are the elite soldiers who once ruled the continent at my side long ago. It was the Death King’s power that revived them, but their loyalty remains mine. He cannot control me. Rather, my will dominates his power.”
Clack—!
Tamuss tightened his grip on his greatsword.
“Remember this, Jerome. Just because one’s name is recorded in the Hero Record does not mean all heroes are the same.”
Tamuss’s eyes gleamed from beneath his hood.
“You, who easily reached the position of hero by inheriting the power of your predecessors through the Hero Record, cannot be called true heroes. You are merely mass-produced fakes.”
Tamuss sneered.
“Weak-willed heroes or fakes like you might become the Death King’s slaves. But I am on an entirely different level.”
“I agree that not everyone recorded in the Hero Record deserves to be called a hero, but…”
Jerome gave a dry laugh.
“The rest of what you said is baseless nonsense. So what is your goal now that you’ve been revived?”
“First, I will create a Legion of souls and subjugate Tartarus. Then, after unifying the continent, I will rule this world as an Immortal Hero. Leading pathetic slaves onto the right path is the duty of a Great Hero. And when that happens, it will prove that the foolish Dragon of Genesis, who chose the Twilight Knight over me, was wrong.”
“Heh. So that’s why you neglected the world’s crisis? How petty.”
Jerome scoffed.
Tamuss swung his sword.
Slash—!
A massive pitch-black sword strike tore through the air, as though to split Jerome in two.
Flash! Boom!
A massive pure white barrier swallowed the attack.
It was the magic deployed beside Jerome by Chain, the vice guild master of Justice.
The strike Tamuss had launched was reflected right back at him.
“Hmph. Seiren’s magic, Count Shield?”
Seeing the spell, Tamuss curled his lips and thrust his sword forward.
The pitch-black sword strike was absorbed back into Tamuss’s blade.
Seeing that, Chain narrowed his eyes.
“Master, that sword…”
“Yeah… It’s the divine sword, Nyx, forged by Lord Dweno.”
Nyx.
The legendary greatsword Dweno had forged while reminiscing about the beautiful night sky during the Era of Calamity.
“Is that a Hero Weapon?”
Greed flashed in the eyes of one of the knight heroes among Justice Guild’s executives.
“You people wield fakes gained through the Hero Record, but among my treasures, there is not a single fake.”
Tamuss’s lips curled upward.
“This sword is a genuine artifact left behind by the Divine Blacksmith.”
“I see. As expected of the man who built the most powerful empire in the world. It seems you possess countless treasures.”
Jerome stroked his chin.
“That makes taking you down all the more worthwhile.”
“You cannot do it with your strength.”
“Our party has even subjugated Legion Commanders within the Hero Record. Do you really think you can defeat us?”
Jerome roused his Spirit Energy.
Countless Light Spirits materialized in the air.
Jerome’s expression hardened.
“Tamuss, traitor to the world. As a hero of this era, I will eliminate you in the name of justice.”
“Leading the world is the role of a true hero. Fakes who became heroes through the power of the Hero Record have no place in this world.”
Just as immense Aura began to writhe from Tamuss’s body—
Vwoooom—!
Nyx, which had been releasing pitch-black darkness, reacted.
“Hmm?”
Tamuss’s eyes twitched.
Fwoosh—!
In the next instant, golden flames erupted.
“Ugh?!”
Startled by the searing heat in his hand, Tamuss reflexively let go of Nyx.
Whoosh—!
Grab!
As Nyx fell toward the ground, someone caught it.
At that moment, starlight began to shimmer across the pitch-black blade.
Resting Nyx, now transformed into something that resembled a beautiful night sky, on his shoulder, Leo clicked his tongue.
“You’re both spewing the same bullshit.”
“Leo Plov.”
Jerome narrowed his eyes.
“Isn’t this stage still too early for you?”
Leo rose to the same height as if he had never even heard Jerome speak.
“Didn’t you hear me?”
Leo ignored him and looked at Tamuss instead.
Jerome gave a dry laugh as he watched him.
“Your attitude toward a Sunbae is quite disrespectful.”
“I don’t remember ever having a Sunbae like you.”
Leo replied indifferently as he stared at Tamuss.
“So you’re the Nether Knight?”
“…”
At Leo’s question, Tamuss stared intently at him.
After a moment, he opened his mouth.
“Those eyes. That tone. So what he said was true. You are exactly as I saw in the Hero Record.”
Tamuss’s lips curved upward.
“I have wanted to meet you, Hero of Beginning. My name is Tamuss.”
At Tamuss’s sudden words, the members of Justice Guild widened their eyes.
To them, what he had just said made no sense at all.
Leo picked at his ear with his little finger and asked,
“What? Say that again.”
“I said, I am your true successor.”
Leo answered with a blank expression.
“Crazy bastard.”
***
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