The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 142

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 142. Let’s Head to the Beach (1)
“Heavenly Extinction Asura Gauntlet….”
Gilbert, who had been lost in thought with his eyes gently closed, shook his head at last.
“I’ve never heard of such a name before.”
“….”
Silence descended upon Gilbert’s response.
My gaze and Berald’s both turned toward the stained bandage resting on the table.
Though it now appeared as filthy as something that had been left beneath a bed for years.
‘If that wasn’t a mistake just now.’
That stained bandage was undoubtedly an artifact of formidable power.
The gauntlet we’d found in the Ruins seemed trivial by comparison.
“You mentioned before that this bandage contains magical power, didn’t you?”
“Well, despite its appearance, it was incredibly durable.”
Gilbert said this as he grasped the stained bandage in his hand.
“Let me see for myself.”
He drew a deep breath, then pulled the bandage with all his might.
“Hrraaagh!”
Not content with merely pulling, he twisted and wrung it, spinning it around with tremendous force.
Though Gilbert was not a warrior trained in martial arts like Berald.
He was nonetheless a descendant of the Iron Fist bloodline, possessing an innate heavenly strength that allowed him to effortlessly overwhelm ordinary warriors.
Yet even as such a person exerted his full strength in pulling.
“Hmm. See? No matter how hard I pull, not a single scratch appears.”
“So that’s why you believed magical power was embedded within it?”
“Yes. Tell me—how long do you think ordinary bandages typically last?”
“Well… since they’re generally consumable items, not very long, I’d imagine.”
“Yet this bandage left by the Iron Fist, despite its soiled exterior, shows not a single tear upon close inspection. That’s why I suspected some magical power was infused within it.”
Just as Gilbert said, the bandage left by the Iron Fist had maintained its form perfectly intact through five hundred long years.
“But I only thought it was a magically treated, durable bandage. I’ve never heard of any hidden function until now.”
“….”
So neither Gilbert himself nor his predecessors had any knowledge of this bandage’s true nature.
“Berald. Can you recreate that again?”
“You mean… the Heavenly Extinction whatever gauntlet?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. Understood.”
Berald, wrapping the bandage around his hand, closed his eyes and concentrated his magical power.
Vwoooom!
Just as before, the bandage shimmered with black light, transforming into the solid form of a gauntlet.
“Huh.”
Gilbert stared at the bandage transformed into the shape of a black gauntlet with astonished eyes.
“…Is that the true form of the legacy left by the Iron Fist?”
“That seems to be the case.”
The bandages were likely stained so heavily to conceal the magical runes inscribed within them.
“The real question is why only Berald can draw out the true power of the Legacy of Iron Fist….”
“I have a theory about that.”
Gilbert gazed at the black gauntlets adorning Berald’s hands through narrowed eyes.
“That fool Berald was hopeless with magical talent from childhood, yet his fists surpassed even most heroes. And he never learned from anyone.”
“…Does that mean he inherited the blood of the Iron Fist more deeply than others?”
“Precisely. More than anyone in the Ryu family lineage over the past five hundred years.”
Suddenly.
I recalled something Raonell had muttered while watching Berald after his sparring match with Laios Ryu.
-Could it be… No, it couldn’t be.
If that murmur had referred to the power of the Iron Fist dwelling within Berald.
‘Then it makes sense that Berald could wield the Legacy of Iron Fist that no one had been able to handle for the past five hundred years.’
Come to think of it.
In my previous life, Berald didn’t begin learning martial arts in earnest until after graduating from the Academy—that is, after turning twenty.
‘Yet he still created his own martial art, Berald’s Martial Technique.’
That would have been impossible without overwhelming innate talent.
“So, to summarize…”
Berald clicked his gauntleted fists together and grinned widely.
“I’ve obtained an incredible treasure, haven’t I?”
“Well… yes.”
“Hahahaha! So it’s true that good deeds bring good fortune!”
Berald laughed heartily, his joy unrestrained.
His face showed no trace of the complex worries about bloodlines or legacies.
‘Lucky bastard, having such peace of mind.’
I stifled a chuckle watching him.
Well, regardless.
The future continued to change.
Slowly, bit by bit.
Toward something better.
* * *
Two weeks had passed since I arrived at Berald’s Mansion.
Around the time the daily repetitive training was beginning to grow tedious.
“Ah, Dale!”
A handsome blonde man arrived in an elegant magical carriage, stepping into the mansion.
Juliet, upon spotting me, waved with a bright smile.
“Are we invisible?”
“Oh. S-sorry….”
“Heh. Just joking. By the way, what brings you here, Juliet?”
At Berald’s question, Juliet’s lips curled into a sly grin.
“A Foundation that’s been working with my father’s company sent us a wonderful gift.”
“A gift?”
“Yeah! Look at this!”
Juliet pulls several tickets from her pocket.
“Celestial Resort accommodation vouchers!”
Celestial Resort.
One of the most famous resorts within the Republic, it was a vacation destination renowned for its stunning beaches and luxurious facilities.
“You know where it is, right Dale?”
“I’ve heard about it plenty.”
It was one of those places Candidates would boast about after break ended, bragging about their visits to each other.
Of course, I’d only heard about it—in my entire previous life, I’d never actually been there once.
“Hehe. When you go there with people, you can even use a private beach!”
Juliet grinned widely and handed me five tickets.
“It’d be a waste to just train the whole break, wouldn’t it?”
“But I heard these are incredibly expensive… are you sure it’s okay to accept them?”
“Yeah! We’re… we’re friends, after all!”
Juliet’s smile was still a bit awkward, as if the word “friends” didn’t quite sit right yet.
I took the resort vouchers in hand and looked back at my party members.
“What do you all think?”
“I’m absolutely in favor!”
“Me too! Me too! I really want to go!”
Berald and Iris threw their hands up excitedly, their eager breaths escaping in bursts.
“I’ll go if Dale goes.”
Yuren nodded readily as well.
The last one remaining was…
“Hmph! A luxury resort at such a critical time! How absurd!”
Camilla Bediche scoffed and took one of the tickets from my hand.
“Everyone’s become so complacent just because they’ve made progress in recent training!”
She opened her eyes wide and meticulously checked the expiration date and time written on the ticket.
“Don’t forget! We are heroes with the duty to protect the weak and defend the world from the evil Demon God and his minions!”
She carefully folded the resort voucher and tucked it safely into her pocket.
“Now more than ever, we must dedicate ourselves to training! How can you only think of playing around!”
“Right.”
Her words and actions were completely at odds with each other.
“O-of course! That said, I can’t ignore the party’s collective will just because of my own opinion! If you all really, truly want to go, then I suppose I have no choice but to accompany you!”
Camilla was already barely suppressing the corners of her mouth from curling up in excitement at the prospect of the resort.
I shook my head watching her.
“No, if that’s really how you feel, you don’t have to come.”
“…What?”
“I agree with Dale. I don’t want to force you to come if it means compromising your convictions.”
“S-Saint…?”
Iris placed a hand on Camilla’s shoulder with a gentle smile.
“Camilla, you stay here and focus on your training.”
“…”
A heavy silence descended.
Camilla’s shoulders trembled, and moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes.
“S-sob… Y-yes… I understand…”
“Pfft! Ahahaha!”
Iris patted Camilla’s shoulder and burst into delighted laughter.
“Just kidding, just kidding! Of course Camilla has to come with us!”
“Ah, Iris!”
Only then did Camilla realize she’d been tricked, her face flushed crimson as she scolded Iris, forgetting the honorific entirely.
Iris broke into another fit of laughter before turning to Juliet and continuing.
“If it’s a beach resort, we’ll need to buy swimsuits beforehand.”
“The resort might have rentals available, but if we can manage it, it’s better to purchase our own, don’t you think?”
“Hehe. Well then, Juliet.”
Iris gestured toward the magical carriage Juliet had arrived in.
“Could you give us a ride to the city?”
“Of course!”
Juliet nodded readily with a bright smile.
The moment our brief summer vacation was decided.
* * *
Celestial Resort.
A luxury facility that seemed to have been constructed by pouring money directly into it.
It ranked among the top five vacation destinations across the Three Nations, so expensive that even seasoned heroes would hesitate to visit.
The Celestial Resort had one unique system—it provided private beaches to guests through the use of warp gates.
Around 130 small uninhabited islands surrounded the resort, and guests could freely travel to their assigned island via warp gate.
“Let’s see… So I need to take gate 33?”
While everyone else was still preparing in their rooms (surprisingly, it was one room per person), I finished early and headed to the island ahead of them.
‘I should grab a parasol and a beach mat… oh, and I need to bring meat to grill.’
Since it was a private beach where I didn’t need to worry about others’ eyes, I could do whatever I wanted.
“Still, Celestial Resort…”
In my past life, I never even dreamed of coming here.
I steadied my bewildered heart as I made my way toward gate 33.
Whoosh.
As I passed through the gate, an expansive beach and a picturesque white sand shore came into view.
“Wow! This is insane, absolutely insane… huh?”
Then.
I noticed a parasol planted in the beautiful white sand bathed in sunlight.
Beneath the parasol was a white beach chair, and upon it lay a woman reclining leisurely.
‘What the…?’
Why would there be other guests at a private beach?
‘Did I enter through the wrong gate?’
As I tilted my head in confusion, glancing around the area.
“…Hm?”
A familiar tobacco scent tickled my nostrils.
The woman lounging in the beach chair slowly rose to her feet.
A provocative black bikini that contrasted starkly against her alabaster skin.
A flawlessly smooth body without a trace of excess flesh, and elegantly slender legs.
As she lifted her sunglasses slightly, a scar running across the corner of her left eye came into view.
“So, how are you enjoying your summer break, Dale?”
Elisha smiled knowingly as she spotted me.

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