Chapter 244

244

‘What is this guy?’

Leo narrowed his eyes.

‘Chen Sian? Is he related to Chen Sia?’

Similar name.

Black hair and black eyes.

Resembling appearances and vibes.

There was no doubt that the man in front resembled Chen Sia.

“What’s your relationship with Chen Sia?”

Upon Leo’s question, Chen Sian burst into laughter.

“She’s my twin.”

‘A twin?’

Upon hearing this, Leo looked Chen Sian up and down and nodded.

‘Indeed.’

“Why did you attack me?”

“I thought you were a Shadow of Shan.”

Chen Sian grinned as he lowered his sword.

“It’s because you move in the dark, resembling a Shadow.”

‘So it wasn’t to interfere with me meeting Chen Sia?’

Leo placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

‘I heard this guy was destined to become a Great Hero?’

The current era is the Era of Heroes, and many dream of becoming one.

But someone aiming to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the five legendary Great Heroes who saved the world in the past is someone Leo has never seen before.

3000 years ago.

When a Piece of Erebus resurrected, the founders of the Hero Academy—the legendary heroes—were only able to barely reseal it.

Even the records of these heroes, known as the “Hero Record,” remain incomplete 3000 years later.

And yet here we are, someone talking about becoming a Great Hero—such talk couldn’t help but sound absurd.

“You attacked because you thought I was a Shadow? If you’re a member of the Shan royal family, why attack a Shadow of Shan?”

“Do you even know her position? I thought you were just a regular school friend, but it seems you know quite a lot.”

Sian laughed, surprised.

“It’s simple. Shadows are something that shouldn’t exist.”

Leo’s eyes flickered.

“Don’t you think so too?”

Sian smiled faintly.

“They hide in the dark and do all sorts of dirty work while claiming it’s for the world, all just to console themselves.”

The tone was calm, almost soothing.

Such demeanor was quite similar to Chen Sia.

But the thoughts he carried were entirely different.

“Why do such people exist?”

Sian shook his head as if they were incomprehensible.

“Shadows have no value. That’s why they need to disappear.”

“You were once a Shadow yourself, weren’t you?”

“Yes. That’s why I can confidently say Shadows are unnecessary. That’s why I intend to erase them from this world.”

With a soft smile, Sian watched as Leo slightly nodded in understanding.

Experience speaks volumes.

The person in front of him is……

“A traitor, it seems.”

“That hurts. To be called that by someone known as the top Hero Candidate.”

Sian lifted his sword with a wry smile.

“It doesn’t matter what you say. I will become the greatest hero anyway.”

“The gods won’t acknowledge you.”

“That’s fine. If I achieve feats even the gods can’t ignore, then even the entire world will recognize me.”

‘He’s delusional.’

Swish-!

Leo drew his sword.

The person before him was dangerous.

‘He needs to be dealt with now.’

“But I have one question I want to ask.”

Sian’s eyes narrowed.

“Leo Flove, the top Hero Candidate, why can you act like a Shadow? Is it possible you are a Shadow as well?”

“You could say something like that.”

“The world has been deceived.”

Sian shook his head.

“To mistake such a person for a top Hero Candidate.”

Whizz-!

He spun his sword in his palm.

Snap-!

With a firm grip, Sian burst into laughter.

“You’re a disgrace to heroes, Leo Flove.”

He believed himself to be the epitome of a hero and denied Leo solely because he acted like a Shadow.

Sian genuinely thought that way.

He thought he was the representation of justice.

“Yet you were once a Shadow as well.”

“That’s impertinent. I abandoned the path of Shadows long ago.”

“Completely delusional.”

Engaging in conversation with such a person was a waste of time.

A deep killing intent flowed from Leo.

Traitors must be punished.

It was one of Leo’s unchanging principles, past or present.

Seeing this, Sian smiled.

“Let’s see how a top class’s skills hold up.”

*

While fleeing from Leo, Chen Sia sensed something off.

‘What is it?’

Amid the familiarity of the darkness, an alien sensation crept in.

‘This isn’t because I’m being chased by Lord Leo.’

With her familiarity with the dark, Chen Sia could feel the difference.

‘Something is different.’

As she turned the corner of a hallway, an acrid smell of bl**d flooded the air.

Chen Sia’s face froze.

The entire hallway was filled with corpses.

All Shadows.

Chen Sia approached one of the bodies nearby.

And as she extended her hand, she pulled off its mask.

Her teeth gritted.

It was a Shadow candidate she had trained with since childhood.

The same was true for the others.

‘They were the kids sent to trap Lord Leo in the dark.’

And they were dead.

Moreover, their throats had been slit, clearly done to ensure their demise—a signature move of Shadows.

‘Who……!?’

It wasn’t Leo.

Sian and Leo were classmates in the Department of Knights and had trained together for the past year. It wasn’t Leo’s swordsmanship.

As Chen Sia inspected the swordsmanship, her face turned rigid.

Having been trained from childhood to hunt down and eliminate traitors among Shadows, Chen Sia had seen countless cadavers, learning everything she could from them.

The type of weapon used, skill level, gender, height, even habits could be discerned.

And the sword marks on the Shadow candidates’ bodies were all too familiar.

‘Though his swordsmanship has changed… no doubt about it.’

Chen Sia’s hands shook.

‘He’s alive.’

Her supposedly deceased twin.

Shan’s supposed traitor, Sian.

Chen Sia stood up.

Using the cover of the dark, she returned to the palace.

‘Why come back?’

There was no reason to return.

No, at the very least, his being alive was something that shouldn’t have come to light.

If it did, the Shan kingdom would undoubtedly mobilize everything to eliminate Sian.

And yet, Sian had boldly returned to the heart of the Shan Palace.

‘Why is he here?’

As Chen Sia clenched her teeth, a perplexed voice called out.

“Princess?”

Chen Sia turned her head.

“Jane, and…”

“I’m Fritz Edgon of Lumeran’s first year. Senior Chen.”

“I’ve dropped out of Lumeran. I’m no longer a Hero Candidate. So you shouldn’t call me senior…”

“No, you are still our senior, Miss Chen.”

Fritz stood proud.

“You are still a Hero Candidate and a student of Lumeran.”

“Don’t act so impertinently to the princess!”

Jane tried to punch Fritz in the rib but he deftly evaded.

“Looks like you’ve made a good friend, Jane.”

“She’s not my friend!”

Furious Jane then urgently asked.

“What’s happening here?”

As Jane hardened her face, she saw the fallen Shadow Candidates, and her expression turned grim.

“They… they…!”

They were Shadow Candidates she trained with since childhood who now lay cold as corpses.

“Chen Sian has returned.”

“Pardon?”

Jane’s face paled.

Chen Sian, once thought to be the most likely successor to the throne of Shan, was someone Jane and many Shadow Candidates once respected. He was as gentle as Chen Sia despite surpassing her in talent.

But there was one problem. His ambition to become a hero.

Most Shadow Candidates dismissed this as a childhood dream since one couldn’t defy the destiny of being a royal of Shan.

Then, one day…

Sian slaughtered every Shadow candidate who followed him, along with the mentors, and fled from Shan.

Chen Sia was supposed to have killed Sian then.

Everyone believed Sian was dead. But it turned out he was alive and had returned to the palace.

“Jane, inform His Majesty.”

“Princess, you?”

“I’m going to deal with that guy.”

“It’s dangerous! He wouldn’t have come alone! Likely…!”

“Yes, I’d say he has probably taken refuge in Tartarus.”

Given how the successor of Shan had betrayed and gone, it was only natural Tartarus would accept him.

“Therefore, I must eliminate this traitor.”

Chen Sia’s grip tightened on her sword.

“It happened because I couldn’t k*ll him. I need to finish this myself.”

Looking at Chen Sia, Jane bowed deeply.

Then she dropped to her knees.

“I obey your orders.”

After Jane performed the formal bow, she disappeared into the dark.

Chen Sia then spoke to Fritz.

“You should withdraw as well. This doesn’t concern you.”

At which Fritz politely responded,

“As your junior, it’s my duty to assist you.”

“But I told you, I’ve withdrawn.”

“No, you are still a Lumeran student and a Hero Candidate.”

At these words, Chen Sia gave a wry smile while carefully observing Fritz.

‘He was a Shadow candidate as well, wasn’t he?’

Then he’d know.

Shadows cannot become heroes.

So why did he still treat her as a Hero Candidate?

“Why do you call me a Hero Candidate?”

“Because Lord Leo called you so. If Lord Leo says it, then that is true.”

At Fritz’s words, Chen Sia’s eyes twitched.

‘Lord Leo still regards me as a Hero Candidate?’

She had fled from his presence to avoid wavering.

But just hearing that made her heart race.

To be recognized as a Hero Candidate by the person she considered the most heroic was unavoidable.

“I guess I’ll have to speak to Lord Leo personally.”

Chen Sia took a deep breath to steady her resolve.

“First, I need to deal with this menace.”

Thud – Thud

Chen Sia took a step forward.

Fritz followed without hesitation.

Chen Sia didn’t try to stop him.

As they turned the corner,

Whoosh!

The smell of d*ath wafted their way.

Clank – Clank.

Skeletal warriors, wielding swords, emanated menacing auras.

‘He’s definitely borrowed the power of Tartarus.’

Chen Sia sighed softly.

Without a doubt, the palace would be swarming with creatures summoned by Sian from Tartarus.

Creatures that normally couldn’t enter had been allowed passage by Sian’s hand.

‘But if so, why hasn’t the palace fallen already?’

Chen Sia squinted her eyes.

‘What is he truly after?’

Surely, he wouldn’t have returned without a reason.

Whatever it was, she must eliminate him first.

As she prepared to step forward,

Clang – Clang

Fritz moved ahead.

“Senior, it’s best to conserve your strength.”

Fritz grinned as he cracked his knuckles.

“I’ll handle these lowly beings.”

A surge of mana erupted from Fritz’s body.

‘A combat magician.’

While Chen Sia watched,

Fritz raised his hand and bit his palm.

Splat!

bl**d oozed out.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, bl**d spurted from his palm and began to solidify, empowered by mana.

‘So he specializes in bl**d-related mana.’

A mana trait usually frowned upon given its unorthodox battle methods, but for a Shadow, it was perfect.

For Fritz, bl**d alone was a potent weapon.

“I’ll clear these lowly undead.”

Bam!

A crimson blade flashed in the dark.

Chen Sia trailed behind, her gaze penetrating the darkness.

‘Chen Sian.’

This time, I’ll k*ll my twin for sure.

Chen Sia made her vow.