Chapter 528

528.

The dungeon door opened.

“Lord Leo.”

At that, Mel, who had been waiting, hurried over.

“Are you all right?”

“Does it look like I’d lose to some inexperienced juniors?”

“Well, that’s not exactly it, but…”

Mel shook her head as she looked at Leo, who was smirking.

Mel knew that Leo had yet to fully regain the power from his past life. She also knew that purely in terms of strength, the Heroes of the Cataclysm were superior.

However…

‘They lack your experience.’

The Heroes of the Cataclysm were also heroes who had saved the world from destruction. They had stabilized a world on the brink, repelled the shards of Erebus, and driven back Tartarus. Tremendous heroes, no doubt.

But Leo was the Great Hero who had saved a world moments away from annihilation. He had lived through a far more grievous era and emerged victorious from endless battlefields.

It wasn’t that the Heroes of the Cataclysm lacked experience—it was simply that the scale of what Leo had achieved was unimaginably immense.

Thus, even if there was an obvious disparity in current strength, Mel believed that Leo’s unmatched experience would bridge that gap.

“Well, if they were actual people, it might’ve been tough even for me. But with those mere puppets…”

Mel was impressed.

She knew Leo was Kail, but even so, what she was witnessing was undeniably astonishing.

“Still, what kind of Hero Dungeon produces puppets mimicking the Heroes of the Cataclysm?”

Mel’s expression turned deadly serious.

Thanks to Leo’s presence, they had been able to contain the situation without much loss. Without him, it would have caused immense damage.

As Mel thought this, Leo quietly reflected.

‘If I were to say that a god created these puppets to test me, and they went berserk and escaped, what kind of expression would she make?’

“What exactly was inside?”

As Mel asked, Leo recalled the scene within.

‘Oh great Hero of the Beginning! Please stay a little longer! This humble servant wishes to serve you further! To gaze upon your noble visage for a little longer! I beseech you, do not leave! At least another cup of tea!’

Leo remembered Rian, who had sobbed pitifully while clinging to his pant leg, even as being kicked away.

“A madman, rather a fanatic, was inside.”

“Huh?”

Even the Dragon Lord, heir to the King of Wisdom, Rissinas, couldn’t make sense of Leo’s words.

Looking at the confused expression of the King of Wisdom, Leo continued.

“Anyway, I’ll tell you the full story later. For now, we need to move forward with finding Berkiya.”

Leo took a deep breath.

“Regardless, I’ll have to do it myself.”

“…”

At Leo’s words, Mel’s eyes widened.

*

“The atmosphere has been strange since yesterday, Class Leader.”

The next day.

Hero studies class.

All second-year students were gathered, and Iliana whispered quietly while sneaking a look at Leo.

Not just Iliana, but practically every student in the second-year class was observing Leo, whose face had lost all expressions.

“Something seems off. Do you know anything, Chloe, Sia?”

Iliana asked Chloe and Chen Sia, representatives of the dormitory where Leo stayed.

The two girls exchanged glances and shook their heads.

‘What happened yesterday?’

Chen Sia gazed at Leo with a serious expression.

‘Being the Great Hero, it’s natural for him not to bat an eye at trivial matters.’

Any ordeal that felt like a typhoon to Chen Sia would likely be just a breeze to Leo.

Yet, the heavy atmosphere around Leo was weighing down her heart.

‘It must be something related to Lady Berkiya.’

Nothing else came to mind that could elicit such a reaction from him.

Chen Sia clenched her fists tightly.

‘I am still not enough.’

Right now, the Shadows of Shan were tracking Berkiya’s whereabouts.

Of course, it was a state secret that Berkiya might have risen again as an undead.

Even in the Empire of Shadows, it wasn’t an easy task.

‘I want to be of help.’

Chen Sia bit her lips tightly.

Chen Sia wasn’t alone.

Chloe, Celia, and Abad were also watching Leo anxiously. Even Duran, Eliza, and Warden couldn’t help but cast furtive glances at Leo.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Everyone knew.

Leo, who had remained unshaken before any difficulties or trials.

Such was Leo that his heavy demeanor alone was enough to depress the entire second-year class.

No matter what was said, Leo was their leader, like how Lissinas had been 5000 years ago.

Then Chelsea sat next to Leo.

“Big Brother Leo?”

Chelsea called his name cautiously, but Leo, lost in deep thought, didn’t hear her.

In Leo’s mind, scenes from the early morning returned vividly.

The disciple who had ultimately succumbed to the shadow.

‘Berkiya wasn’t broken by Tartarus.’

The Demon Queen was undoubtedly responsible for the deaths of those dear to Berkiya.

But ultimately, the cause was the malice of those who let their desires corrupt them.

Which led her to go berserk, losing all reason.

She sought to judge all those who had sinned.

Leo also had no intention of showing mercy to those who trampled others for their own desires.

But even so, judging all those who sinned was impossible.

‘Since it’s also a part of this world.’

The world is full of complex relationships.

If asked whether the world before the Era of Catastrophe was bright, Kail would have said without hesitation that it was not.

The same was true now.

While the world was rotting in various places, entirely cutting away the rotten parts would leave nothing of the world standing.

‘Because I’m not exactly a saint either.’

Good people can do evil, and evil people can do good.

The world cannot be simply divided into good and evil due to its intricate web of relationships.

Berkiya must have understood this too.

Perhaps she couldn’t see any other way forward.

‘The gods claimed that their era was too bright, and that’s why the Era of Catastrophe began.’

The gods drove Erebus, the primordial evil, into the depths of darkness to benefit the world.

Because of that, the world did not face the specter of destruction for a long time.

But it eventually brought about a disaster that reduced the world to ashes.

Berkiya was no different.

The brighter she tried to lead the world, the darker the shadows opposed her.

But…

‘That fact didn’t make her wrong.’

That was why it was difficult.

What to say to Berkiya, who knew darkness better than anyone and had looked into its deepest abyss.

If her ears were closed, would his words even reach her?

And…

‘Could I possibly stop Berkiya’s rampage that claimed even Bihar’s life?’

Leo could not bear to give up on Berkiya.

He wanted to bring her back to her senses no matter what.

But…

‘I might have to give her peace, in the worst-case scenario.’

Even for Leo, that was a terrifying possibility.

He had confidently told Rian, but the fear of not being able to pull his fallen disciple from the darkness was daunting.

‘What if I can’t save Berkiya?’

As Leo bit his lip, someone suddenly grabbed him.

Bright blue eyes entered his vision.

Around them, students were gasping and blocking their mouths in surprise.

Leo, too, looked stunned at the person who had forcefully pulled him by holding his face with both hands.

Their faces were so close they could feel each other’s breath.

Chelsea blinked several times as she met Leo’s eyes.

When she finally let go, Leo massaged his throat.

“Was my neck hurting?”

“Well, I called you several times, and you didn’t respond.”

Chelsea pouted, a childish act suitable for someone her age.

She glanced around angrily.

“What are you staring at? Haven’t you had enough entertainment?!”

Instantly, the gaze that had been on them scattered.

Chelsea might be obedient only to Leo and her older brother Abad. She may look like a small angel in front of those two, but to others, she was a tiny demon.

‘She’s obedient in her own way, not just good-natured like that.’

Chelsea had a temperamental streak and had charged into training sessions with Leo fueled by anger on numerous occasions.

‘And she goes back to smiling as if nothing happened.’

Like a capricious wind.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

Chelsea tilted her head.

Celia, Chloe, Duran, Abad, Eliza, and Warden—those who knew nothing of Leo’s true identity—wore grave expressions as they observed the serious aura Leo exuded today.

Chen Sia and Kal, who knew Leo’s true identity, wore even more serious expressions.

But Chelsea was unconcerned.

She approached like a gentle breeze and asked for a reason.

That was comforting for his heart.

‘Upon reflection, Chelsea is the only one from those who know my true identity whose attitude hasn’t changed a bit.’

Even Lunia and Eiran, and even good-natured Kar, subtly changed their mannerisms.

They continued to be close friends as before.

‘But what should I say? Oh, you respect me?’

Such looks are unavoidable.

But not from Chelsea.

She remained the same.

It didn’t matter if Leo was the Great Hero or not, if he had saved the world or not.

To her, he was simply a figure of admiration, someone she would follow and one day hoped to stand beside.

As Chelsea swung her legs lightly, she mumbled in her heart.

‘I’ll just do what I want to do.’

‘Kail has taken on too many burdens. He will absolutely not share them, so I beseech you. Be my older brother Kail’s… Leo’s strength. Make a space where Leo can laugh freely.’

Chelsea remembered Aron’s parting words before leaving.

She wanted to share the burdens that Leo carried if possible.

But if he wouldn’t,

‘I can at least hold onto him so he doesn’t fall.’

She could perhaps support his back at times.

They could never be equals.

The years they had lived and the paths they had walked were far too different.

A lifelong figure of admiration she must follow.

Forever destined to be in Leo’s shadow.

But that was why,

‘I can support him.’

If others heard, they might wonder how she could ever be of help to the Great Hero.

But Chelsea didn’t care.

With a grin, she looked up at Leo.

‘Because Leo is Leo.’

Her first hero—his flawless smile somehow reminded her of Berkiya.

Leo reached out his hand and gently stroked her sky-blue hair.

“Hihihi-”

Her expression brightened like a cat enjoying the caress.

“Chelsea, if by any chance you were to stray down the wrong path, how do you think I should make you listen to me?”

“Huh?”

At Leo’s question, Chelsea’s eyes widened.

She then rolled her eyes around a few times before answering.

“Would you even be able to communicate with me?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… This is tough!”

With her arms crossed, Chelsea frowned in deep thought.

“First, if it were you, Leo, you’d probably punch me in the head, right?”

“Yes.”

“And you’d definitely kick my a** too, huh?”

“Of course.”

“Stop flirting with my b*tt.”

“When did I ever flirt with it?”

“You tried to singe my behind during the entrance exam when everyone was watching. You owe me a marriage proposal.”

“Then you should’ve just listened to me back then.”

That was when Chelsea used to rebel against Leo.

As she watched Leo effortlessly tease her, Chelsea’s previous rebellious attitude softened into a pensive one.

“But even if I came to my senses, it’d still be scary.”

“Huh?”

“Even if I come back to my senses, you’d probably still do something brutal.”

“You know me well.”

“Even if I don’t want to, I’d probably come back to my senses.”

At Chelsea’s words, Leo smirked and rested his chin on his hand.

“Oh?”

His mood had considerably lightened.

‘So, I shouldn’t let her off the hook easily until she comes back to her senses, right?’

Why had he been overcomplicating it?

As Leo chuckled, he soon softened his smile.

‘Ah, seems my worries about that damned disciple getting rebellious while thinking she’s stronger aren’t unfounded.’

The strength of Berkiya he had seen in the Akasha Record was incredibly powerful, far beyond what Leo was capable of now.

‘Ah, this isn’t about how to persuade her—it’s about how to beat her into submission.’

While Leo stroked his chin, the door opened with a bang.

Eiran entered the classroom.

Her sudden appearance made all the second-year students look at her curiously.

As an exchange student, she was an incredibly diligent top student. It was practically a given that she’d be in the room before class.

But arriving barely before the class started?

And all her close friends were already in the classroom.

As everyone wondered, Eiran approached Leo with a pale face.

And with a near-tearful expression, she cried out.

“Lord Leo! Grandfather… Grandfather has!”

At Eiran’s trembling voice, Leo’s expression turned rigid.