Chapter 481

481.

“Now, in the sky!”

Pushing through the bushes, Lil urgently revealed her presence.

Upon discovering Artkan standing in a standoff with Leo, her expression drastically changed.

“Is that a Demon?”

With an astounding speed, Lil closed the distance and swung her battle hammer with all her might straight at Artkan’s head.

CHIIIIIIING!

An enormous sound erupted, causing the grass and trees around the center between Lil and Artkan to flatten in opposite directions.

‘Not even flinching?’

Despite the powerful attack, Artkan didn’t change his expression in the slightest.

He hadn’t even taken a defensive stance or guarded himself.

Literally, Lil’s attack had no effect on him whatsoever.

Artkan turned his gaze toward Lil.

“Don’t b*tt in when adults are talking; it doesn’t end well.”

Saying this with a gentle smile, Artkan sent shivers down Lil’s spine.

BANG!

When Artkan grabbed Lil’s hammer, scarlet sparks flew.

CRACKLE!

BANG!

In that moment, Artkan’s wrist flew off.

WHOOSH!

Seeing his hand turn into sand and scatter, Artkan turned his gaze to Leo.

“Leave her alone.”

Leo’s voice echoed with deep malice.

“Thank you, Master!”

Having moved back to secure a safe distance from Artkan, Lil, drenched in cold sweat, spoke.

“Master… Do you know this Demon?”

Artkan’s amused expression deepened.

“Ho ho ho! It seems so! Indeed. That girl is one of the two people, isn’t she?”

“The two people?”

Lil looked at Artkan with a puzzled expression at his words.

“Master, do you know this Demon?”

Lil asked with a flustered voice, as if sensing some existing relationship.

“Ho ho, you could say we share quite a deep connection… In some sense, so do you and I, I suppose.”

“Stop spouting nonsense.”

A killing intent emanated from Leo’s body.

Witnessing this, Lil involuntarily took a step back.

As he observed this Leo, Artkan bowed his head.

“If my words have offended you, I apologize.”

‘If he continues to provoke this further, it’ll truly become dangerous.’

Artkan, who had been a trusted aide of the Demon King for 5000 years, knew Leo all too well.

In the current situation, with the Knight of the Yellow Heaven being the most dangerous factor, Leo was not the kind of person who would recklessly jump into a fight simply to settle an old score.

‘If I provoke him any further, he’ll surely go all out to k*ll me by any means.’

Artkan refrained from calling Leo the Hero of Survival to avoid provoking him.

‘It’s different from when I met him six months ago at Shan.’

Leo was regaining his past power at an incredible speed.

And that speed had only accelerated due to the rewards obtained from his conquests of Dwenno’s and Lissinas’s worlds.

‘While he hasn’t yet reached the height of his prime, it’s already more than enough to extinguish me.’

Moreover, none other than the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle.

‘A Demon hunter extraordinaire.’

The Greatest Hero feared by Demons had always been Kyle.

In the ancient past, Artkan, who fought all the Great Heroes, still vividly remembered the battle with Kyle as the scariest moment of all.

An All-Class Hero, Leo used a vast array of skills.

While it might be possible to create opportunities to escape when facing other Great Heroes specialized in one skill, that was nearly impossible with Leo.

“Since I’ve set the stage, I’ll take my leave.”

With a smirk, Artkan melted into the darkness.

As Lil watched him disappear, she inquired.

“Who was that?”

It was easy to see that the high-ranking Demon was someone not to be trifled with.

“Grand Duke of Mourning.”

“WHAT!”

The force tightened in the hand clutching her sword.

In the previous life, it was none other than Artkan who made Bihar an orphan.

Likewise, it was Artkan who orphaned Berkiya as an infant.

High Necromancers revitalize the dead whom they’ve slain.

Later on, Artkan turned a fallen comrade of Bihar into undead to torment her.

Berkiya, too young to remember, saw her parents revived as undead by Artkan, leaving her heart shattered.

‘Sorry to have such an unworthy teacher.’

Leo sighed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Leo.”

“Yes.”

“I hope it’s you who defeats him.”

This sudden statement left Lil with a bewildered expression.

However, observing Leo’s profile glaring at where Artkan had disappeared, Lil could see an angry and somewhat sorrowful look.

As she watched it, Lil determinedly declared.

“Yes! I’ll certainly defeat him.”

Her firm response made Leo smile faintly.

Then it happened.

Gooouuuuu!

An ominous aura could be felt emanating from the sky.

A dark aura was coalescing into a single point.

‘Does he intend to strike the capital with a sword?’

Leo lowered his stance.

If such a powerful attack were to reach the capital, countless people would d*e.

Gooouuuu!

As the gray aura enveloped Leo’s body.

FLASH! KOOOOONG!

A pillar of pure white light shot down from the sky.

The Knight of the Yellow Heaven swung his greatsword in irritation, deflecting the pure white beam.

KOOONG!

The dark aura and the pure white beam tangled and flew, striking the capital’s castle wall.

KOOOOOH!

The castle wall crumbled helplessly.

“Light Spirit?”

Lil murmured in a troubled tone upon witnessing this.

Narrowing his eyes, Leo glanced at another direction.

There stood seven individuals led by a man clad in a flowing white robe.

Recognizing the insignias embroidered on the robes, Leo muttered.

“The Justice Guild.”

*

“Ho?”

Tamus whistled in amazement as he looked at the people blocking his path.

“In this era, there are actually competent Heroes.”

“An honor to meet you, Senior Knight of the Yellow Heaven.”

“And who might you be?”

“My name is Jerome. I am a Light Seeker and, despite my inadequacies, serve as the leader of the Justice Guild.”

“Guild, you say. A group of Heroes from this era?”

“You seem well informed.”

Jerome smiled kindly.

“However, compared to the other Seniors who began revealing themselves yesterday, you look quite… intact.”

Jerome looked at Tamus meaningfully.

“Upon seeing the dead Heroes resurrect as undead, I had several thoughts.”

“Such as?”

“The Demon King has acquired an immense power. Using this power, he revived Heroes as undead. The less qualified Heroes likely fell into decay as undead. Moreover…”

“Moreover?”

“I believed that some like you, with intact minds, also appeared. And that they had betrayed the world.”

Jerome shrugged.

“Isn’t it true that you, Senior Tamus, have also displayed cowardice by once turning away from the world’s peril?”

KOOOOONG!

A black aura engulfed Jerome.

Yet, it was blocked by a blue aura.

A knight armed with a b*stard sword and shield firmly guarded Jerome.

“An impressive move.”

The corner of Tamus’ mouth twisted.

“Did you say your name was Jerome? Watch your words. I’m merely using the Demon King.”

“Using?”

“Indeed. He believes he has full control over my body but…”

Tamus raised his hand.

GOOOOOUU!

A powerful d*ath aura surged from his palm.

Then suddenly,

ROAR!

An earth-shattering roar filled the air.

Jerome’s gaze turned to beyond the castle wall.

Countless undead were rising from the ground.

“Is that Necromancy?”

“No, it’s Spirit Magic.”

Tamus chuckled.

“These were once my mighty troops who ruled the continent alongside me long ago. While the Demon King gave me the power to revive them, they remain loyal to me. His power couldn’t dominate my spirit. Rather, my spirit controls his power.”

Clang!

Tamus repositioned his great sword.

“Remember this, Jerome. Not everyone who is on the Hero Record is necessarily the same kind of Hero.”

His eyes gleamed from beneath the hood.

“Through the Hero Record, the power of the previous Heroes is passed down, making it easy to ascend to the Hero’s throne. You cannot be called a true Hero. You’re merely mass-produced fake Heroes.”

Tamus sneered.

“Weak-willed Heroes and fake Heroes like you may degenerate into the Demon King’s slaves, but I am different.”

“Though I agree that not everyone with their name on the Hero Record is the same kind of Hero…”

Jerome laughed dryly.

“…the latter part is just unsubstantiated nonsense. So, what is the goal of your resurrection?”

“First, I will create an army of spirits to purge Tartarus. Then, after unifying the continent, I will rule this world as an immortal hero, guiding these worthless slaves onto a righteous path. Doing so will also prove how foolish the Dragon of the Cataclysm was for choosing the Knight of the Dusk over me.”

“Tsk, so that’s why you abandoned the world’s crisis? How pathetic.”

Jerome sneered back.

Tamus swung his sword.

KOOOOOOONG!

A colossal black slash flew through the air, aiming to bisect Jerome.

FLASH! KOOOOONG!

A massive shield of pure white blocked the slash.

The shield was conjured by Chain, Justice Guild’s deputy guild master who specialized in magic.

The black slash that had been absorbed by the barrier was rebounded.

“Hmph, is that the Count Shield of Seirun?”

Upon seeing the magic, Tamus smirked and swung his sword again.

The black sword blow was absorbed into his blade.

Upon witnessing this, Chain narrowed his eyes.

“Master, that blade is…?”

“Indeed… it is the divine sword Nox, crafted by Lord Dwenno.”

Nox.

During the Era of Catastrophe, Dwenno, recalling the beauty of the night sky, had forged this legendary sword.

“Is this a Hero Weapon?”

Eyes of greed gleamed in one of the Hero knights among Justice Guild’s members.

“You fake Heroes obtained fakes through the Hero Record, but none of my treasures are fakes.”

Tamus smirked.

“This blade is the genuine masterpiece left behind by God’s Blacksmith.”

“Indeed, befitting someone who once built the most powerful empire in the world, your collection of treasures is immense.”

Jerome stroked his chin.

“This battle might be worthwhile.”

“You lack the strength to defeat me.”

“Our party has tamed even Legion Commanders in the Hero’s World. Do you truly believe you can defeat us?”

Jerome unleashed his holy power.

The air was filled with countless luminous spirits.

Jerome’s expression darkened.

“World Betrayer Tamus. By the name of Justice, I will vanquish you, a hero of this era.”

“Guiding the world is the role of a true Hero. Fake Heroes who climbed to heroism through the Hero Record are unnecessary.”

As an ominous aura emanated from Tamus’ body, the atmosphere grew tense.

WOONG!

Nox, the sword that exuded a deep black aura, reacted.

“Hmm?”

Tamus noticed the sword’s unusual reaction.

WHOOSH!

At that moment, golden flames burst forth.

“Guh?!”

The intense heat caused Tamus to unconsciously drop Nox.

WHOOSH!

THUD!

As the legendary sword plummeted, it was caught by someone.

As the black blade shimmered with starlight, transforming into the image of a beautiful night sky, Leo appeared, nonchalantly carrying Nox over his shoulder.

“You people are making quite a lot of pointless noise.”

“Leo Flove.”

Jerome narrowed his eyes.

“Isn’t this stage beneath you yet?”

Ignoring Jerome’s statement, Leo flew upwards to a similar height.

“Do I look like I’m listening to you?”

Jerome’s attempt to reason with Leo fell on deaf ears.

Watching this, Jerome let out a derisive laugh.

“You are incredibly disrespectful to your seniors.”

“I’ve never had a senior like you.”

Turning his gaze to Tamus, Leo asked.

“Are you the Knight of the Yellow Heaven?”

“…”

After observing Leo closely, Tamus finally spoke.

“Those eyes, that tone of voice… Indeed… As that fellow said, it’s exactly as it was when I saw you in the Hero’s World.”

Tamus smirked.

“How pleasant it is to meet you, Hero of Beginning. My name is Tamus.”

The until-then arrogant Tamus bowed respectfully.

“You are my true Heir.”

At Tamus’ unexpected statement, the members of the Justice Guild gawked.

They couldn’t comprehend the meaning of such a proclamation.

Leo, after scratching his ear with his pinky, asked.

“What did you say? Can you repeat that?”

“I’ve told you, I am your true Heir.”

To which Leo responded unflinchingly.

“Lunatic.”