Chapter 442

442.

‘What can I do now?’

Aron deeply pondered.

The era now was different from the time Aron had been born and grown up in.

The era Aron had to live in was one where the future was pitch dark.

‘Children couldn’t even dream. Even I, who followed Lissinas, couldn’t recall the era I wished for.’

Even Aron, who desired a bright and hopeful future for the children, could only vaguely imagine a peaceful era, never truly grasping its form.

As it was an age where everything was taken from them at birth, it was inevitable.

And then the peaceful era that unfolded surpassed Aron’s imagination in its brilliance.

But the threat had not ended yet.

There was no knowing when the Era of Catastrophe might return.

Aron did not wish for this current peace to be disrupted.

Aron was now teaching those who were preparing to take the stage.

“Can I help even the ones who have already taken the stage?”

At Aron’s words, Melina’s eyes widened.

“Are you suggesting helping the graduates as well?”

“Yes.”

“It’s quite an honorable and grateful statement. What kind of guidance do you have in mind?”

“I’m not good at instructing others.”

Aron raised his fist.

“So the method is only one.”

“One?”

“Yes.”

*

“Can you handle it?”

Vanir asked with a blank expression.

Her face showed no change in expression.

But the situation was not normal.

She may have been a graduate of Azonia and a former Student Council President, but she knows the world is vast.

There are still many formidable enemies out there stronger than her.

Aron’s strength was evident from the first glance.

Even though Vanir knew that this Beastman in front of her possessed power that surpassed her own.

Still, her pride was hurt by this provocation.

“Huh, huh. Why are you so worked up?”

Rienia giggled and patted Vanir on the shoulder.

“One try would be enough.”

Though her tone was light, Rienia also had her sharp gaze set on Aron, her pride wounded by the provocation.

“Right, Ris?”

“That’s right.”

Ris nodded and fell into thought.

Aron nodded looking at the three of them.

“Then, shall we begin?”

At Aron’s words, Ris drew his sword and said.

“Riena, Vanir.”

Ris narrowed his eyes.

“Let’s go all out from the start.”

With this statement, Riena and Vanir, though momentarily showing expressions of incredulity, nodded.

Woooosh-!

Vanir lunged at Aron.

Clang-!

Riena dashed through the forest with incredible speed.

Gooouuuuu-!

Ris swung his sword downward, summoning Zerdinger’s flames.

They transitioned to a battle stance without hesitation.

‘The age hailed as the Era of Heroes.’

Even before being called the Era of Peace, the current era is known as the Era of Heroes.

The mindset of those who graduated from the Hero Academy and have entered the battlefield was undoubtedly different.

Aron watched as Vanir quickly closed the distance.

Swish-!

Before he knew it, Vanir was wielding twin swords, each about the length between a longsword and a dagger; her dark eyes glinted as she swung them.

Kaboom-!

Aron single-handedly blocked the sword strikes swung at an incomprehensible speed.

Vanir’s eyes twitched as she saw Aron blocking all her attacks with one hand.

Aron stretched out the other hand to suppress Vanir.

At that moment, Vanir lowered her stance.

Woosh-! Shhhhh-!

Suddenly, Ris swung his sword.

The aura of flames surged.

Kaboom-!

Aron’s hand and Ris’ sword clashed, causing a massive explosion.

As if a wave crashing, the flames enveloped Aron.

‘The flames are perfectly controlled, aren’t they?’

Among all elements, flames are the roughest and hardest to handle.

While emitting a heat that could incinerate Aron, it didn’t affect Vanir.

Aron exerted force with his hand.

Woosh-!

Suddenly, the golden aura extending from Aron pushed Ris’ sword away and blocked Vanir who lunged toward him.

Clang-!

The swords were stopped just in time.

Ris and Vanir narrowed their eyes.

‘He didn’t use aura.’

‘Pure technique.’

In this brief exchange, they saw through everything.

Even while dealing with them, Aron still had room to spare.

‘Where did such a person come from?’

“What are you doing?”

On a cliff overlooking the forest.

Melina, who had been observing the duel between Aron and the three, slightly bowed her head at the voice coming from behind.

“You’re here.”

“I felt your magical energy.”

Leo, who had been sleeping in the early morning, detected that Melina had used magic and came to this place.

The magic Melina had cast was none other than a barrier.

“Did Aron ask you?”

“Yes. He said he wants to help the graduates, so he asked me.”

“Hmm?”

Leo looked down from the cliff.

“Can the graduates gain much from this?”

“That depends on how they approach it.”

Leo, with his gaze set on Aron who was dealing with Ris and Vanir, said,

“But confronting the strongest will yield many things, especially in martial arts, where Aron is at the pinnacle.”

Ris took deep breaths, gazing at the man standing before him.

From the start, Ris had given his all against the Beastman standing before him.

Knowing that this person was above them, they never let their guard down.

But even with all their preparation, the results unfolding before them were hard to accept.

‘He never counterattacked even once.’

Against Ris and Vanir’s relentless offenses, Aron never attacked.

All the attacks were blocked.

As if they were facing an immeasurable wall.

‘Where did such a person come from?’

“Your full power isn’t this, right?”

Aron said, looking at Ris and Vanir.

“Show me your full strength.”

Aron raised his hand.

Gooouuuuu-!

A golden aura flowed from his fingertips.

Seeing this, Ris and Vanir trembled.

“If it’s hard, should I come to you?”

The moment Aron smiled and took a step.

Flash-!

A dazzling white flash shot a dart toward Aron.

Kaboom-! Drip-!

Aron stretched out his hand and caught the arrow.

Clang-!

At that moment, a freezing cold sensation exploded from the arrow, enveloping Aron.

Aron’s body froze.

Aron swiveled his eyes toward the direction the arrow came from.

‘A fusion of aura and magic. Quite powerful.’

“Haaa!”

Vanir closed the distance with Aron.

Drip-! Ting-!

Aron broke through the ice and lunged at Vanir.

Poof-!

Instantly, Vanir’s body turned into black smoke and disappeared.

‘Aura property.’

Aron’s extrasensory perception opened.

At that moment.

Shhhh-!

A massive pillar of fire surged.

Aron looked at Ris.

Gooouuuuu-!

The blazing Phoenix flames compressed into his sword.

Ris, holding the crimson glowing sword in both hands, readied a stance to strike Aron.

At the same time, Riena’s arrow aimed at him was felt far away.

Woooosh-! Ziiing-!

The explosive sword strikes and the cold arrow aimed at Aron.

Aron stretched out both his hands.

Shhhh-! Zzzing-!

Fiery sword strikes and freezing arrows aimed at Aron.

Suddenly.

Gooouuuuu-!

“What?”

Ris’ eyes widened in shock.

Aron’s aura wrapped around the fiery and freezing auras.

Whoosh-!

As if guiding water flow.

When Aron brought his hands together, opposite forces spun within his hands.

Watching from afar, Riena also showed an expression of bewilderment.

Ris and Riena unleashed their highest possible attack.

But they never thought this would bring Aron down.

They merely intended to find an opening by tying his hands when he defended their attacks.

That opening would be seized by Vanir, the fastest of the three.

But, terrifyingly, Aron not only blocked Ris and Riena’s attacks but also gained control.

‘No, if this aura is cut!’

Vanir approached Aron from the shadows.

At that moment, Vanir felt her heart drop.

Vanir, who had completely hidden herself in the darkness, met Aron’s eyes.

At that moment.

Zzzzzing-! Shhhh-!

A freezing arrow flew towards Ris, and a fiery sword strike soared towards Riena far away.

“Uhgh!”

Shhhh-!

Ris unleashed the Phoenix’s aura.

Ziiiiiiing-!

But unable to defend completely, he was thrown back.

Boom! Shhhhh-!

Riena couldn’t defend herself as well.

Click-!

“Guh?”

Vanir had her neck grabbed and was subdued by Aron.

Struggling to counterattack, Vanir soon slumped in resignation.

The battle was decided.

It wasn’t one or two levels higher.

‘A different dimension.’

Aron, looking at Vanir, smiled and let go of his hand.

Thud-!

Vanir collapsed into her seat, drained of energy.

“Great. You’re heroes capable of carrying an era. I’m reassured.”

Ris warded off the freezing aura with his own aura as he approached.

Riena, emerging from the forest with her scorched body, stared at Aron in disbelief.

“Is there really something to be reassured about? You’re already a different dimension of strength.”

Riena gritted her teeth and asked.

Aron responded, seeing the expression on Riena’s face.

“My strength doesn’t matter. You’re still young, right?”

Aron helped up Vanir who was sitting on the ground looking up at him.

“You still have a bright future ahead. You will become even greater in the future. That’s why I want to help you.”

“Help?”

“Want to try learning this?”

Aron extended his hand.

A golden aura swirled above it.

“Huh?”

The three were shocked.

Aron, looking at the rotating aura in his palm, said,

“It’s not a special technique or anything. It’s just a knack to maximize the power of the aura. Depending on how you apply it, you can deflect others’ attacks as seen earlier.”

The three recalled how Aron had deflected Ris and Riena’s attacks earlier.

“This technique is dangerous for second-years to learn. Will you learn it and later teach your juniors?”

“Why are you teaching us such an incredible technique?”

Ris, with a face of confusion, asked.

He knew the man before him had taught the technique of Extrasensory Perception to second-years.

He understood how amazing that technique was.

And now the man was teaching them another Aura Skill.

At Ris’s question, Aron smiled.

“So I can have peace of mind.”

Aron’s answer came as Ris and Riena wore expressions of not understanding.

At that time, Vanir, watching the golden aura rotating in Aron’s hand, widened her eyes.

‘The aura rotates in a spiral? And maximizes its power…’

3000 years ago.

The inheritor said to be the hero Aron’s heir, the Great Warrior Azonia.

While the Comet Wizard Seirun redefined the Magic of the Stars, the Great Warrior Azonia successfully replicated Aron the Hero’s Aura Skill.

The one who created the beastmen’s [Hero’s Breath] was also Azonia.

One of Azonia’s representative skills was there.

‘Spiral.’

A technique that amplifies power by rotating the aura.

‘The Lady Azonia said this was also Lord Aron’s technique.’

Like the Hero’s Breath, Azonia intended to pass on the Spiral to the beastmen.

But, before doing so, the Heroes of the Cataclysm left the world.

And now, the Aura Skill used by Aron was astonishingly similar to Azonia’s lost technique.

‘A lost technique and a Beastman using a golden aura, and Lord Aron resembling features.’

Vanir’s eyes widened as she tremblingly looked at Aron.

“Surely… Are you…?”

Vanir looked at Aron with trembling eyes.

Aron silenced her with a finger on his lips.

Looking at Aron’s gentle smile, Vanir trembled.

‘The Hero… Aron?’