Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 387

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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387.

 

Roooooooar—!

 

The world was burning.

 

Unextinguishable black flames that wrapped around the surroundings.

 

A dangerous sea of calamitous fire that could cost one’s life with just a touch.

 

Even as they walked through it, no fear could be found in the eyes of the gray-haired man and the black-haired woman.

 

“…We’ve finally arrived.”

 

Kail muttered as he looked at the black tower burning in the distance.

 

A massive tower of endless height that seemed like it could pierce through the very sky.

 

It was the Tower of Calamity, the dwelling of Erebos, the primordial evil.

 

The place where the Calamity Forces first began to burn.

 

The final destination of the expedition force.

 

Killing intent poured from Kail’s eyes.

 

In his clenched fist, his nails dug into his flesh.

 

Drip— Drip—

 

Seeing the blood flowing from Kail’s hand, Risinass spoke.

 

“Kail, calm down.”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Kail opened his hand.

 

Traces of the long-continued brutal battles remained scattered across his hand.

 

Those scars were proof that he had never given up and continued reaching toward hope even in endless despair.

 

He had suffered terrible wounds so many times that it was miraculous his hands remained.

 

Each time, he barely recovered and gripped his weapon again.

 

At first glance, they were just unsightly hands covered in scars.

 

But to the Great Heroes, they were hands more meaningful than anyone else’s.

 

***

 

“I’m feeling this anew, but Kail, your hands are truly beautiful.”

 

Before departing on their journey.

 

Looking at Kail’s hands holding a wine cup, Dweno said.

 

“What are you suddenly talking about? These hands aren’t your type, are they?”

 

“They’re certainly not my type of hands.”

 

Dweno looked down at his own hands.

 

They were just as scarred as Kail’s, and the same was true for Arron.

 

Even Risinass, who stayed in the rear on the battlefield, had many scars on his hands, though not as many as the three of them.

 

Luna also had many scars, but she wore gloves or used magic to hide them so they weren’t noticeable.

 

Dweno sipped his drink.

 

“But aren’t those hands the ones that cultivated hope in this world? Even if they’re not to my taste in appearance, the fact remains that they possess beauty.”

 

“Gulp— Gulp— Puha! I think this is the first time Dweno has called Kail beautiful.”

 

Luna, who had poured the golden liquid from a large beer mug down her throat in one go and wiped her mouth, spoke as if it were fascinating.

 

“Right. The only beautiful thing about this guy is his hands. And we all have the same hands.”

 

“…Then in the end, Dweno, you’re saying Kail has no unique beauty?”

 

Arron tilted his head while blowing on his hot tea.

 

“Of course.”

 

“What do you do? The self-proclaimed aesthete says you’re not beautiful.”

 

“Hmm… Kail surely has beautiful points too. Don’t give up.”

 

“These guys, really. Are you going to keep evaluating me by your standards!”

 

The dwarf nodding his head firmly and Luna giggling with laughter.

 

Seeing Arron genuinely worried, the enraged Kail charged at the three of them.

 

After a bout of commotion, Kail returned to his seat and rested his chin on his hand.

 

“You all seem so carefree, not like people about to embark on a final journey.”

 

Kail shook his head with an incredulous expression.

 

No matter what anyone said, it would definitely be the worst battle.

 

There was absolutely no guarantee of success.

 

No, it was a final journey where the probability of failure was even higher.

 

Even with such a massive trial ahead of them, no tension could be found among his friends.

 

Kail sighed as he watched Luna drinking excessively, determined to beat Dweno.

 

And he also saw Arron looking flustered and declining when others offered him drinks.

 

“There’s no tension to be found anywhere.”

 

Risinass, who had brought a beer mug and sat in front of Kail, smiled slightly.

 

“It’s not a bad sight. Rather, it’s nice to see everyone so hopeful.”

 

Looking at the tavern where the party was taking place, Risinass nodded with satisfaction and took a sip of beer, showing an expression of relief from fatigue.

 

“That’s much better than being scared beforehand.”

 

“What kept you so late?”

 

“I was writing my memoirs.”

 

Risinass rested his chin on his hand like Kail.

 

“Come to think of it, we once held a meeting here, just you and me.”

 

“Did we?”

 

Kail made an indifferent expression and clinked glasses with Risinass.

 

Gulp— Gulp— After downing his drink and wiping his mouth, Risinass spoke.

 

“I told you, Kail.”

 

“What?”

 

“That we would save the world.”

 

Looking at his friend smiling confidently, Kail let out a chuckle.

 

“Yeah, yeah. How impressive.”

 

“Apologize right now for being so contrary in the early days.”

 

“I think I’ve already apologized countless times?”

 

“That’s not enough.”

 

Risinass, who snorted, stared intently at Kail’s face with his flushed, intoxicated expression.

 

“Yeah, yeah. I was wrong. You were right.”

 

Looking at Kail speaking as if annoyed, Risinass smiled with satisfaction.

 

“And I’ll keep the promise I made with you too.”

 

“…?”

 

“We promised, didn’t we?”

 

Risinass crossed his arms and smiled.

 

“That I wouldn’t leave you alone.”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

Kail smiled.

 

“Kail, you’re no longer a hero who just survives. You’re.”

 

Risinass grinned—

 

broadly.

 

“A new beginning.”

 

***

 

“I’m more level-headed than anyone.”

 

Kail spoke calmly.

 

“I’ve lost far too much.”

 

With sunken eyes, Kail looked at Risinass.

 

“I’m carrying a lot too. So I have to succeed.”

 

“…”

 

“Failure is unacceptable.”

 

At those words, Risinass clenched his fist.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Risinass bit his lips tightly.

 

“Don’t worry, Kail. I won’t let you bear it alone.”

 

Risinass said.

 

“The promise we made at first, I’ll definitely… keep it.”

 

***

 

Knock knock knock-

 

Whoosh-!

 

Leo opened his eyes at the sound of knocking.

 

Leo sat up and covered his face with his hands.

 

“Wake up, Kail. It’s morning.”

 

Leo got out of bed at the voice from outside.

 

‘How strange. To dream about that time.’

 

After talking last night, Rodia left the inn room.

 

The Erebos Expedition had started yesterday.

 

Still just Leo and Risinass.

 

A party of only two people.

 

They couldn’t suddenly add the unplanned Rodia to such a group.

 

‘If other variables arise in the original events, there’s no telling how the Heroes’ World might get twisted.’

 

Whatever anyone said, Leo had overcome this trial once before.

 

From Leo’s perspective, it was like repeating the past.

 

Therefore, he thought it would be best to clear the Heroes’ World while eliminating variables as much as possible, and Rodia agreed with this opinion.

 

So Rodia decided to join later.

 

Leo opened the door.

 

Risinass was standing with his arms crossed, looking up at Leo.

 

“Good morning, Kail.”

 

Leo greeted Risinass, who was greeting him with arms crossed and a somewhat stern expression.

 

“Yeah, good morning.”

 

Leo smiled slightly as he greeted back.

 

Seeing Leo like this, Risinass showed a slightly flustered expression.

 

“What?”

 

“I can’t get used to your attitude since yesterday.”

 

“Can’t get used to it?”

 

“You were extremely prickly and twisted for the past few weeks, but overnight you became gentle.”

 

Risinass continued, showing his bewilderment.

 

“Even if I ended up forming a party with you, I thought we’d fight quite a lot. Even today.”

 

A shadow fell across Risinass’s face.

 

“There was a big battle yesterday.”

 

“…”

 

Leo recalled the distant past.

 

From Leo’s perspective, it was the distant past.

 

But for those living in this world, it was just yesterday.

 

After going through a life-or-death battle, Kail always drank heavily.

 

To somehow forcibly shake off the memories from the battlefield.

 

But the current Leo was different.

 

That version of himself had already disappeared in the distant past.

 

What stood before Risinass now wasn’t the man who lived with empty, ashen eyes without any hope, but the man who carried the dreams given to him by his companions and saved the world by confronting the primordial calamity.

 

Even if it was the same person, it was natural that he seemed unfamiliar.

 

“Someone taught me.”

 

“What?”

 

Leo smiled slightly.

 

It was the smile Leo often gave to the hero candidates.

 

“That if you never give up and keep moving forward, you can grasp hope.”

 

At Leo’s words, Risinass blinked.

 

“Let’s go eat breakfast.”

 

Leo left the room and went down to the 1st floor.

 

Watching his retreating figure, Risinass had a dazed expression.

 

Whoosh-

 

-What’s with that spaced-out expression?

 

White flames flickered on Risinass’s head, and a palm-sized woman appeared.

 

Katariou, lying on her side on top of Risinass’s head with one hand supporting her head, grabbed Risinass’s black hair with her hand.

 

-It’s quite a different look.

 

Luminous, the Spirit of Radiance, appeared with small specks of light and gracefully climbed onto Risinass’s shoulder.

 

“What is?”

 

The Phoenix King and the Great Spirit of Light.

 

At the questions from his two pact makers, Risinass asked with a puzzled face.

 

At that question, Katariou made an exasperated expression.

 

-Want to look in a mirror?

 

“Why a mirror?”

 

-Because you have the face of a girl who fell in love at first sight?

 

“What?! What are you talking about!”

 

Seeing Risinass getting flustered, Luminous laughed.

 

-I think it looks nice? Risinass, who was always bound by beliefs and had no leisure, is making an expression like a girl his age.

 

-It is quite a masterpiece.

 

“It’s not like that!”

 

Risinass shouted and snorted as he went down to the 1st floor.

 

“I was just surprised to see a completely different side from the surviving hero I knew.”

 

-So isn’t that good?

 

Katariou said with a mischievous smile.

 

“Of course it’s good. That kind of appearance is better than looking like you’ve lived through everything in the world, right?”

 

-What kind of appearance is that?

 

“Like heroes from fairy tales.”

 

-So that’s my pact maker’s taste.

 

“I said it’s not like that.”

 

Grumbling, Risinass sent away his two pact makers.

 

Thud- Thud-

 

Going down the stairs, Risinass touched his left chest.

 

‘My heart has been restless since yesterday.’

 

It had been since the moment Leo held his hand.

 

‘Kail changed from that moment.’

 

Risinass had definitely noticed that change.

 

‘Yes, it’s exactly like the hero I had hoped and wished for.’

 

Someone who never gives up and keeps moving forward.

 

Reaching that thought, Risinass quietly smiled.

 

‘I see. I’ve been waiting for that kind of hero for a long time.’

 

***

 

During breakfast, Risinass said.

 

“Before we leave for the Elven Forest. There’s something we need to do.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Form an expedition force to fight against Silatuna, the Monster Queen who cursed the Elven Forest.”

 

Risinass and Kail’s first great achievement, the subjugation of Jormungandr.

 

That achievement was not accomplished by their strength alone.

 

Without the allies who helped Risinass and Kail at that time, even those two might have failed.

 

The powerful guardians of Gardstron of that era.

 

It was possible because they held Jormungandr’s feet.

 

Though they didn’t leave their names in history, they too were comrades who weathered the age of despair together.

 

Originally it was an expedition force that Risinass had assembled to fight against Silatuna.

 

But when they encountered Jormungandr, the expedition force also suffered massive casualties.

 

So they were satisfied with having Luna join the party and gave up on the Elven Forest.

 

“You’ll be busy for the next few days.”

 

“Yeah. I’ll handle the preparations. You rest until then.”

 

At Risinass’s words, Leo rested his chin on his hand.

 

“No, I have some things I need to do too.”

 

“Things to do? What kind?”

 

At Risinass’s question, Leo smiled.

 

“A contract.”

 

“A contract?”

 

At that answer, Risinass showed a slightly bewildered expression.

 

‘Originally it would be a contract made much later than this. But now I can meet them.’

 

A partner who had weathered countless battlefields together.

 

The leader of the Pegasus called the Pure White King.

 

‘Albus.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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