Chapter 480

480.

[Indeed, such events are currently unfolding in the northeastern part of the continent.]

Mel sighed deeply.

[It’s my fault regarding the Justice Guild. I failed to manage it properly, dirtying your eyes and ears, Lord Leo.]

“You don’t need to apologize to me.”

Leo replied impassively.

It was the early morning.

Leo was communicating with Mel.

The autumn dawn was quite chilly.

Leo sipped tea boiled with herbs he had gathered from the forest.

[Should we move the other Hero Guilds or Lumeran?]

“No, if we mishandle this, it might lead to a civil war. Justice Guild, after all, is a massive force. Moving officially against them isn’t wise.”

Leo had more than enough power to bring down the Justice Guild.

Be it shadows across the world moving at Leo’s word or the Dragon Lord, who acts as Leo’s mouthpiece, either could suffice.

But even then, there’d be consequences.

Especially for those who lack sound judgment.

‘With the Demon King still alive, it’s better not to engage in self-destructive actions.’

“Exposing their true colors alone should be enough to achieve results.”

Mel nodded at Leo’s words.

“The most urgent task right now is managing the scattered Hero Tombs across the world.”

[Yes, if it becomes known that the Demon King is resurrecting heroes as undead, the world will fall into great chaos.]

“That’s true.”

Leo sighed deeply.

Since ancient times, the undead had been despised and scorned by the living.

But what if a hero, whose name was once on the Hero Record, were to rise as an undead?

‘That hero’s honor would be utterly destroyed.’

If that hero left no legacy in the world, that would be the end of it.

However, if that hero’s descendants had grown powerful, it’d become problematic.

It would mean the disgrace of the hero’s ancestry.

‘That, in itself, would cause massive division in the world.’

Leo sighed deeply.

‘We need to find a way to protect the honor of the heroes who have perished.’

Leo narrowed his eyes.

“Considering the worst-case scenario, which hero might become an enemy?”

[The worst case would involve Sir Tamus of the Underworld. Especially given that you’re in the land he once ruled. Perhaps the Demon King’s goal is to resurrect him as an undead.]

Mel’s serious tone made Leo look at her in confusion.

“Is this Tamus guy really that impressive? I heard he refused to cooperate because he was jealous of the Cataclysm Heroes.”

“And there’s hardly any record left in the Hero Record.”

Given that countless heroes from the past have no surviving records, it wasn’t unusual that Tamus wasn’t documented either.

Unfamiliar with Tamus, Leo was naturally puzzled by Mel’s reaction.

[Before the Cataclysm Heroes emerged, he was known as the most powerful hero in the world of that time—an era you’re familiar with.]

“Yes.”

[He was so powerful that even Lady Rodia considered him a candidate to be a Cataclysm Hero. In fact, he was also one of the heroes who joined her when she assaulted Lord Lissinas’ world.]

“Rodia?”

Dragons were beings who selected heroes.

The Leo who had met Rodia knew she was exceptionally intelligent.

A dragon with the wisdom worthy of being the successor of Lissinas.

If she had worked with him, it was certain proof of his strength.

[According to her memoirs from the time of the Rebirth of Catastrophe, he was a hero powerful enough to stand alongside the Cataclysm Heroes.]

“Why did such a hero turn his back on the world’s crisis?”

[It’s said that the Knight of the Underworld attacked the Great Hero’s World but never received any rewards for his conquests.]

“Is it really just because of that? Ignoring the world’s crisis?”

[…Not just that.]

“If not, then what?”

Mel hesitated for a moment, then opened a small Warp Gate, sending Leo a single book.

It was one of the memoirs of Rodia that only the Dragon Lord could access within the Dragoonian archives.

‘This is different from the one I saw before. Is it more like a diary?’

The earlier memoirs by Rodia felt like an official record, packed with forceful documentation.

‘Pretentious. That arrogant lizard.’

Leo clicked his tongue as he remembered meeting Rodia, then opened the memoir and quickly read through it.

Soon, he came across mentions of Emperor Tairim, Tamus.

‘So he was a Spirit Mage? One who could handle countless spirits.’

Even before he was a knight, he was a powerful Spirit Mage who led a legion of spirit knights through the relics of heroes used during their lifetimes.

‘An ability similar to Lissinas.’

Leo was impressed.

This was probably the reason Rodia considered him as a candidate to save the world.

However, besides his power, most of the memoirs expressed concerns about his personality.

[Just as Lord Lissinas welcomed Kyle as his first companion, I too accidentally accepted a human as my first companion. However, he was different from Kyle. Though Kyle had a rough demeanor, …Tamus was arrogant and cruel. Could I guide him to the right path?]

The main concern Rodia had was towards the character of this hero named Tamus.

Later, the Great Warrior Azonia joined her team, followed by the Comet Wizard Seirun, and then the Unyielding Demian.

Despite the Knight of the Underworld’s troubling nature, Rodia’s team grew stronger as they conquered many Hero Worlds.

However, unlike others who received rewards for their conquests, Tamus never received any.

Amidst this, a decisive event occurred.

[Today, I met a human named Lumeran. He’s a hero who conquered Kyle’s world alone.]

Rodia had shown a lot of excitement during her first meeting with Lumeran.

More so than with her other comrades.

“Hold on.”

Detecting a particular emotion from the text, Leo glanced up from the memoir and looked at Mel.

“Is it possible… that our friend Rodia had feelings for Lumeran?”

[Yes, it seems she fell for him at first sight.]

“Is that so? Did Lumeran know?”

[In the archives of Dragoonia, we have memoirs of the Cataclysm Heroes. When I read Lumeran’s memoir, it seemed he was aware of Rodia’s feelings. He seemed quite troubled by it.]

“Why was he troubled?”

[Seirun also had feelings for Lumeran. Isn’t that romantic?]

Leo chuckled wryly.

“Indeed, it must have been troubling. Knowing Seirun’s and Rodia’s personalities, they must have pursued him quite aggressively.”

[No, neither pursued Lumeran.]

“Huh? Were they shy in showing their feelings, despite their personalities? Though come on, our side has a deceitful lizard and an overly dramatic mage who usually aren’t shy at all.”

[It’s… because neither Rodia nor Seirun could fully comprehend their own feelings towards Lumeran. Only Lumeran seemed to notice their ambiguity.]

“…”

Leo’s expression turned intense.

[Leo-sama?]

Mel looked bewildered.

‘Wait… So they couldn’t even understand their own feelings, let alone others’, and yet they criticized me as an imbecile?!”

Leo bristled, remembering how Luna and Lissinas were dismissed with scorn.

“I’ll just shave their heads bald next time I see them!”

Seeing Leo growl, Mel flinched.

The idea of balding the Cataclysm Heroes was an absurd and grandiose statement only a Great Hero could make.

Leo clenched his teeth and continued reading.

The subsequent content detailed this:

“The Knight of the Underworld had feelings for Rodia and grew jealous of Lumeran. Decisively, this caused him to veer off and be expelled from the group… and he refused to help in the final battle against Erebus?”

Leo chuckled in disbelief.

“Are you kidding me? This guy is utterly insane?”

To abandon the world’s fate due to mere jealousy was absurd.

“What an egotistical person!”

Seething, Leo slammed the memoir shut.

“Mel said that after the Cataclysm Heroes surpassed his fame and the people ridiculed him, Tamus grew enraged. He challenged Lumeran to a duel intending to k*ll him. Eventually, he was beheaded and died. The Tairim Empire concealed this fact to hide their founding emperor’s flaw and requested that Dragoonia erase any Hero Record associated with the Knight of the Underworld’s final days.”

Even the Cataclysm Heroes, who used to be his comrades, perhaps wanted this once noble hero to be remembered honorably by future generations.

“Even now, he’s become a figure of mockery.”

Leo recalled hearing some students mocking the “warped Knight of the Underworld.”

In modern times, he was remembered as a powerful hero who abandoned the world for personal gain and was regarded as a coward.

Though understandable, it fit.

“Still, a character like that would naturally align with the Demon King.”

Leo narrowed his eyes as he thought about Tamus.

Goo-o-o-o-o-o-!

An unnatural power surged.

Leo tilted his head, gazing at the sky.

“The Demon King’s aura.”

Realizing the source of the power, Leo stood up, narrowing his eyes.

[Leo-sama?]

Mel called him, perplexed.

“Looks like we have a visitor.”

“To be precise, he might not consider himself a visitor to you.”

At the sound of a voice from the side, Leo turned.

“Grand Duke of Funerals.”

“It’s been a while, Mr. Leo Flove, or rather—”

Artkan bowed deeply to Leo.

“Mr. Hero of the Beginning Kyle.”

Leo raised his hand.

“Revealing your form before me means you’re inviting d*ath.”

Goo-o-o-o-o-o-!

An overwhelming energy emanated from Leo.

The terrifying murderous intent caused Artkan’s eyes to narrow.

‘The Demon King sent me here to gauge the current strength of the Hero of the Beginning, but…’

The power emanating from the current Leo was beyond anything Artkan had ever experienced.

‘Even the current Legion Commanders without special powers might be easily wiped out.’

Though legion commanders, whether they possessed authority or were merely powerful demons with many underlings, were fearsome beings capable of instilling terror worldwide.

Artkan lowered his head respectfully.

“Though it’d be a pleasure to duel you, Mr. Kyle, today I am merely here to guide.”

“Guide?”

“There’s someone else who wishes to meet you, I suppose someone far below you.”

[Listen, all who dwell on this land.]

At that moment, a massive voice boomed across the capital sky.

[I, Tamus, the ruler of Tairim and your master, have returned! Bow down and worship me immediately!]

The oppressive voice shook the entire city.

Leo, who looked up, muttered,

“I never had such a junior.”