Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 397
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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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397.
Thud- Thud-
With each step he took, his entire body screamed in agony.
‘My body has already surpassed its limits.’
It was only natural since he had been continuously squeezing out power beyond his limits.
Moreover, even though Risinass had protected him, the fact remained that he had taken Jormungandr’s breath attack head-on.
‘That damn lizard, I’ll beat the hell out of it later.’
The burning pain throughout his body made him feel like he might lose consciousness.
‘Endure it.’
Leo gritted his teeth.
Crack-! The sound of grinding teeth echoed.
‘I’m going to save the world?’
Yes, he would save the world.
But it was impossible to do it alone.
‘You said we’d save the world together!’
Clench-!
Leo gripped his staff tightly.
‘It’s your wish!’
Mana rippled.
Kail knew the end of this journey.
Someday, he would carry the hopes entrusted to him by Risinass, Luna, Dweno, and Arron and face the primordial evil.
‘It wasn’t just their burdens I carried.’
The heroes who willingly risked their lives for the world and fell before calamity.
The single wish they had yearned for.
And the desires of those who looked toward hope without succumbing to despair in order to live for the future.
‘I didn’t refuse to give up. I couldn’t give up!’
What Risinass entrusted to Leo in his final moment was the world.
Something he knew was too enormous for those frail shoulders to bear, yet something he couldn’t bear together with him.
‘If you forced me to carry what I couldn’t give up on…’
Clench-!
Leo clenched his fist.
Gray mana surged from Leo’s body.
‘Then you don’t give up either!’
His gray eyes flashed.
-Foolish one! What pointless struggling!
Roooooooar-!
Jormungandr stepped back from the killing intent that erupted from Leo’s body.
Realizing that he had unconsciously been overwhelmed by the momentum, he roared in fury.
-A dying wretch!
Whoooooosh-!
Dark red flames surged from Jormungandr.
Leo burned the remaining mana in his body as he looked at Rodia.
Thump- Thump- Thump-
Rodia felt her dragon heart beating frantically.
‘My mana is responding to Kail-sama’s will.’
More precisely, Risinass’s mana that she had obtained as a reward for conquering the Heroes’ World was responding.
‘…That’s right. Kail-sama received Risinass-sama’s dragon heart in the final battle. In other words, Risinass-sama’s power is also Kail-sama’s power.’
Thump- Thump- Thump-
It was only natural for power to follow its original master’s will.
‘I can’t move right now. Then…’
Rodia nodded toward Leo.
‘I’ll entrust all my power to Kail-sama!’
Roooooooooar-!
As if responding to Leo’s will, Rodia drew out Risinass’s magical power.
Her heart began beating frantically as if going berserk.
Blood poured from her mouth, but she didn’t care.
‘Even if my heart bursts. I’ll help Kail-sama with all my might!’
Seeing Rodia like that, Leo put strength into his hand.
‘I’m sorry, just help me a little.’
Leo lowered his stance.
Roooooar! Whoosh-!
Golden aura and flames surged from Leo’s body.
Arron’s aura and Dweno’s flames.
Crack-!
Leo’s feet dug into the ground.
Boom-!
As he leaped, the ground where he had been standing caved in with a massive shockwave.
He closed the distance with Jormungandr at tremendous speed.
-What the…!
Jormungandr’s eyes widened.
A speed that even he, who could foresee the future, couldn’t fully grasp!
Thwack-!
Leo kicked Jormungandr from below upward.
Whoosh-!
Jormungandr’s massive body shot up into the sky.
Leo’s body charged once more.
Leo appeared in the direction Jormungandr had flown and unleashed another kick.
Crack-!
Craaaaaaaash-!
Jormungandr’s massive body was slammed into the ground.
The Calamity Flames tried to devour Leo’s body, but Dweno’s flames protected Leo like armor.
Leo raised his spear.
Based on Risinass’s mana, he manifested Arron’s aura and Dweno’s flames.
Power that far exceeded the allowable range.
Every time Leo moved his body, muscles throughout his body tore and bones crumbled.
But those wounds were instantly healed by Rodia’s healing magic.
All that remained was pain that felt like it was burning his brain.
Thunk-!
Leo hurled his spear.
A massive golden spear pierced through Jormungandr’s body.
Shriiiiiiiek!
As a massive shock no less than the pain of his body burning from the Calamity Flames struck him, Jormungandr writhed frantically.
With the massive spear embedded in his body, Jormungandr couldn’t escape.
‘It’s still far from over!’
Leo gritted his teeth.
The current attack was merely buying time by risking his life.
He couldn’t finish off Jormungandr with just this much.
Leo didn’t have the strength left to defeat Jormungandr.
‘As I am now, it’s woefully insufficient.’
This stalling tactic wouldn’t last much longer either.
But he believes.
‘That guy won’t die here.’
Leo raised his staff.
‘He won’t break here.’
Whooom—!
‘The Risinass I know… is someone who pursues his beliefs to a foolish degree!’
Leo put strength into his staff.
‘Because he’s the savior of the world!’
Even in a state far beyond his limits, Leo pressed forward.
A brilliant magic circle was embroidered in the void.
Watching this scene, the elf mage Perik’s eyes widened.
A magic technique he’d never seen before.
But…
“How can it be so beautiful?”
Admiration burst forth naturally.
That magic, as if carved from stars.
Another light that would illuminate the world brightly.
Whoosh—!
The world where night had fallen shone as brightly as if it were broad daylight.
The light shining from the tip of Leo’s staff seemed to drive away the despairing darkness.
Leo unleashed the magic his friend had passed on to him.
The primordial evil.
The flame of calamity that never goes out.
The only magic that could destroy an immortal being.
Leo called out that name.
“Innocent.”
***
It was deep darkness.
Risinass blankly looked down at his hands in the darkness.
As a spiritualist, Risinass could tell that only his soul remained.
At that moment, the darkness disappeared.
In the middle of a forest.
A beautiful elven woman who seemed to have just shed her girlish appearance was making a sullen expression.
“You defeated the Devouring King? Impressive. But if I had been there, defeating him would have been my job.”
‘Is this a future event?’
Defeating the Devouring King.
It seemed Kail had accomplished a great feat.
“Anyway, that’s amazing! You’re qualified to be my companion!”
Her boastful appearance felt like a spoiled young lady, yet somehow wasn’t unlikable.
Soon the elven woman smiled brightly and extended her hand.
“My name is Luna! Luna Rubinance! I’m destined to become a great archmage, nice to meet you, Risinass.”
“What?”
When the woman he’d never met greeted him, Risinass was flustered.
At that moment, the scenery changed again.
A place with abandoned houses.
A small graveyard.
With eyes that seemed somehow frightened but filled with firm resolve.
A beast-man boy spoke.
“I don’t know how much help I can be.”
The timid-looking beast-man boy clenched his fists tightly.
“I’ll come with you too. I can’t do anything amazing, but… standing in front of everyone and blocking enemies… I think I can do that. I’ll try to be brave!”
The beast-man boy introduced himself.
“My name is Arron. Please take care of me, Mr. Risinass.”
Once again, someone he had no memory of called his name.
‘It’s like… reading the memories of a soul.’
But this was undoubtedly his own memory, no matter who looked at it.
‘What on earth…’
When even she, who had accumulated vast knowledge and wisdom, couldn’t properly accept the current situation.
“Hmm! Those are beautifully shining eyes. You might just save the world.”
The scenery changed again as a dwarf grinned.
“Those eyes will surely shine even in darkness. Don’t worry about weapons. I, Dweno, will make them for you. Please take care of me, Risinass.”
It was indeed Dweno, whom he had considered as a companion candidate.
Like viewing someone else’s lifetime memories, he read through memories that were his but not his.
But it wasn’t over.
The beast-man, now grown into a young man, died while crying and saying he was sorry.
The dwarf left words asking him to take care of things… the elf conveyed words of trust and passed away.
His heart felt like it was burning at the final farewells of these strangers he was seeing for the first time.
Each time he watched these unknown people leave, his heart felt torn as if he had lost something precious.
Crackle— Crackle— Crackle—
Before he knew it, Risinass was standing in the middle of a calamity where black flames blazed.
A gray-haired man was kneeling before a giant black dragon, screaming in anguish.
And he could see the back of a black-haired woman watching that scene.
Her back, as she watched the young man’s anguish, looked somehow terribly painful and sad.
“Kail…”
He quietly called the name of the familiar man who was screaming.
And the black dragon that had died was…
“Me?”
He muttered without realizing it.
As if responding to that call, the woman who had been watching the black dragon’s death and Kail’s anguish turned around.
“It’s… me.”
Risinass muttered blankly.
Looking at such a Risinass, another Risinass smiled faintly.
“Right, but wrong.”
“What?”
“You’re a foolish one. And I am the King of Wisdom, Risinass.”
The King of Wisdom said with a smile.
“What… are you exactly?”
“I am you.”
The King of Wisdom said.
“The future you who will embark on a journey with Kail… and fight against Erebos together with Luna, Arron, and Dweno.”
Step— Step—
The King of Wisdom approached Risinass.
“But the you who will ultimately send away friends that cannot be exchanged for anything else, and in the end leave everything to Kail and depart first.”
Risinass swallowed hard.
“Foolish one, Risinass. You alone cannot save the world.”
At the King of Wisdom’s words, Risinass’s face contorted.
He could see Kail screaming in anguish.
Only distant despair came to mind.
Risinass’s hands trembled.
Then.
Swoosh—
Kail, who had been screaming in agony, raised his body.
Thud— Thud—
And he staggered forward.
“But Kail is the same in that he can’t save the world alone.”
The King of Wisdom said.
“It was because it was ‘us’ that we were able to save the world.”
Even in a desperate situation, the final hero advances without giving up.
“My past self.”
The King of Wisdom made a sad expression.
“Kail will surely fulfill our wish. But… that’s because you… I… we… have pushed so much onto Kail.”
Risinass gritted his teeth.
“The reason he didn’t give up despite being frustrated… despairing… and suffering pain worse than death… is because he shouldered too much.”
The King of Wisdom looked straight at Risinass.
“Let’s not become ashamed before those who trusted you and me and entrusted us with the future.”
The King of Wisdom said with emphasis.
“Let’s become worthy of that back of Kail who won’t give up until the end.”
Risinass watched Kail advancing even alone.
“The promise that we wouldn’t leave him alone… we won’t be able to keep it in the end.”
Risinass recalled the image of Kail who had smiled while holding his hand, saying they would save the world.
He couldn’t even imagine what feelings Kail had when he grasped his hand, despite the promise he couldn’t keep.
“But… not now.”
The King of Wisdom said.
“The current Kail needs you. He’s waiting for you.”
Even if it’s a promise that ultimately won’t be kept, now is not that time.
Breaking the promise is a story for the distant future.
“Kail is staying strong.”
The King of Wisdom extended his hand with strength.
“Let’s stay strong just a little longer.”
The foolish one grasped that hand.
Just like… how Kail had grasped his hand.
“Yes.”
At the foolish one’s answer, the King of Wisdom smiled brightly.
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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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