The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 186

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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 186. Treasure Hunt (1)
“Ugh…”
The next morning.
Yurina stirred awake and let out a groan that sounded like she was dying.
“You okay?”
“Y-yeah. I’m fine…”
“We need to gather soon, so wash up and get ready quickly.”
“…Okay.”
Yurina pushed herself up from the bed and turned to look at me, already dressed in my uniform.
Her eyes, which had been gazing at me with a vacant expression, suddenly widened in alarm.
“Huh? W-what?”
Yurina flustered, touching her lips nervously.
“D-Dale… did we… yesterday…?”
“Huh? What about yesterday?”
“N-no, I mean… a k-kiss…?”
“What kiss?”
I shook my head as if I had no idea, and Yurina let out a relieved sigh, placing a hand over her chest.
“It’s nothing. I must have confused it with a dream.”
“…”
What happened between us yesterday was no dream—it was very real.
‘It’s better to let her think it was just a dream.’
If her memory of her first kiss—something that happens only once in a lifetime—was of us kissing right before she got drunk and vomited into a toilet, that would be absolutely horrific.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
And so, Yurina—no, Yuren and I arrived at the assembly point.
The area in front of the Inn was bustling with candidates who had arrived earlier.
“So, did everyone get good rest yesterday?”
Lucas Kane looked over the candidates gathered at the assembly point.
Since there had been no scheduled activities on the first day, all the candidates had stayed up late playing and drinking, getting barely any sleep.
But perhaps it was the magic of the words “school trip”.
The eyes of the candidates gathered at the assembly point sparkled like stars.
“Before I introduce today’s schedule, there’s someone I’d like to introduce to you all. This is a very important person, so be careful not to act carelessly.”
“An important person?”
“Who is it?”
The candidates tilted their heads in confusion at Lucas Kane’s unusually polite manner of speech.
“Well, you’ll see when they arrive.”
Lucas Kane chuckled softly and contacted someone via his Hero Watch.
Soon, the sound of metal clanging echoed out, and knights clad in pristine white armor appeared.
Walking in perfect formation as if measured by a ruler, they emanated such overwhelming pressure that it was difficult to even breathe in their presence.
“That’s…”
“The Seven Star Knights?”
“Wow… I’ve only heard about them, but this is my first time seeing them in person.”
“Mine too.”
The Seven Star Knights.
An order of holy knights composed of the Holy Kingdom’s strongest sacred warriors, currently led by Johan Basillio, the Sword of Holy Nation and fourth-ranked hero.
While some assessments suggest their individual combat prowess falls short compared to the Empire’s strongest order, the Golden Knights, and the Republic’s elite special forces, the Hwarang Unit.
What the Seven Star Knights were truly known for was their unshakeable unity and loyalty, surpassing any other organization.
‘Even in my past life, the Seven Star Knights had never produced a single traitor among the nation’s elite military forces.’
Of course, precisely because of this, the Seven Star Knights were famous for refraining from external activities and remaining secluded within the Holy Kingdom’s capital….
“Why are the Seven Star Knights here…?”
The same question arose in the minds of the candidates.
Tap, tap.
An elderly woman in white priestly robes approached, escorted by the Seven Star Knights.
With silver hair and a gentle expression, she bowed respectfully toward the candidates with a benevolent smile.
“Welcome, candidates of Hero Academy. It is truly an honor to meet the future heroes in this way.”
Though her tone was soft and gentle, her voice carried clearly through the ears of the hundreds of candidates gathered at the assembly point.
The appearance of the elderly woman in priestly robes sent ripples of commotion through the candidates.
“That person is…”
“Could it be…”
“Is that Marian? It’s Marian, isn’t it?”
“Insane…! The Pope is coming here?!”
Pope Marian.
A Master ranked second among current heroes and the hero leading the Holy Kingdom at present.
The candidates stirred at the unexpected appearance of the Pope.
“Everyone, quiet.”
Lucas Kane stepped forward and took the microphone.
“Upon hearing that you would be coming on a school trip to the Holy Kingdom, the Pope herself came to visit you.”
“….”
No matter how important Hero Academy’s existence was within the Three Nations, would the head of an entire nation really visit for merely a school trip?
Finding the answer to the question that arose in their minds was not particularly difficult.
The candidates’ gazes naturally concentrated on Iris.
“Marian…?”
“Hehe. It’s been a while, Iris. How is school life treating you?”
Marian waved her hand gently while looking at Iris.
Iris appeared flustered, having never expected Marian to come here.
“I’m sure you’re all surprised, but the reason I came here today was not to see Iris.”
Marian turned her gaze away from Iris and continued speaking as she looked around at the candidates.
“I heard that you all showed courage and stood against the sudden invasion of the Beast Legion. It would have been a difficult choice even for your seniors who have graduated from school and become official heroes, yet you accomplished this difficult task while still being mere candidates.”
Her voice continued softly.
“Therefore, to repay your courage, the Holy Kingdom has prepared a small event for you.”
“An event…?”
“What do you mean?”
The candidates tilted their heads in confusion at the word “event.”
Marian turned to face the candidates, a warm smile gracing her lips.
“Hehe. The event we’ve prepared is… a ‘treasure hunt’ event.”
“Ooh…!”
“T-treasure hunt?”
Treasure hunt.
More precisely, the candidates’ eyes gleamed at the word “treasure.”
“As you all know, in the Termal Region where you are now, there lies Grace’s tomb. And on the path leading to that tomb, there stands a massive ruin.”
Just as Marian said, Grace’s tomb had been constructed beneath a colossal ruin.
There were numerous theories—whether to prevent grave robbers from intruding, or to seal away the dangerous beasts dwelling beneath the ruin.
But the true reason had never been revealed.
“We had planned to create a light-hearted event where you would find clues within that place and retrieve the tokens we’d hidden beforehand, receiving treasures befitting your efforts….”
“Huh?”
“You ‘had’ planned?”
The candidates’ expressions hardened at the ominous past tense.
“At the suggestion of Hero Academy, we’ve decided to prepare a somewhat different version of the event.”
“….”
“The part about you finding the tokens we’ve hidden in the ruin beforehand and receiving treasures accordingly remains the same.”
However.
“To develop your combat abilities and grant you practical experience… we plan to station ‘obstacles’ within the ruin.”
“…Obstacles?”
“Are they releasing Guardians like they did in the last midterm evaluation?”
“Wait, with this many people here, they’re releasing Guardians? Do you know how much gold that would cost?”
“And the Holy Kingdom has the lowest Guardian manufacturing technology among the Three Nations anyway.”
“So if not Guardians, what are these obstacles supposed to be…?”
The candidates’ questioning gazes turned toward Marian.
“The obstacles we’ll station within the ruin are… the people standing before you.”
“…?”
“In other words…”
Marian maintained her gentle smile while delivering words that were anything but gentle.
“The Seven Star Knights will beat you down… or rather, subdue you to obstruct your treasure hunt.”
“….”
“….”
Silence descended.
The excited atmosphere evaporated in an instant, as if struck by an icy wind.
“So you’re saying…”
“We’re supposed to find treasure hidden in the ruin while the Holy Kingdom’s greatest knights interfere?”
“What kind of insane nonsense is that?”
The candidates’ faces twisted in disbelief.
Well, that made sense.
Asking candidates who hadn’t even received their official hero licenses yet to face the Seven Star Knights—an organization composed of active heroes and elite warriors—was an unreasonable condition by any measure.
“Now, now, calm yourselves.”
Lucas Kane opened his mouth to address the bewildered candidates.
“As you all know, we didn’t come to the Termal Region for a pleasure tour—this is a school trip!”
Thump!
Lucas Kane stamped his foot lightly and continued with a forceful voice.
“Does anyone know what ‘school trip’ means in the old language of the Republic?”
“….”
“….”
While candidates from the Empire and Holy Kingdom stared blankly, unable to answer.
“Isn’t it written with the character for ‘polish’ and the character for ‘study’?”
A candidate from the Republic raised his hand and answered.
Lucas Kane shook his head with a resolute expression and shouted.
“No! You’re wrong!”
“Pardon?”
“The ‘school’ in school trip uses the character for ‘head’ and the character for ‘study’! In other words, learning while your skull gets cracked open! That is the true essence of a school trip!”
“What is this guy talking about?”
Unease rippled through the candidates from the Republic.
“Anyway! All candidates who wish to participate in the treasure hunt, step forward!”
“Huh? We can choose not to participate if we don’t want to?”
“That’s right. However….”
The corners of Lucas Kane’s mouth curved upward wickedly.
“For candidates who don’t participate in the treasure hunt, I have prepared an intimate endurance training schedule with me, so you’re free to decline if you wish.”
“….”
Training with Lucas Kane or braving the Seven Star Knights’ interference to hunt for treasure.
Whichever option they chose, only hellish visions came to mind, and the candidates’ faces fell.
“Um, might we know what the treasure is?”
“Of course.”
Lucas Kane readily nodded at the candidate’s question.
“Well… various treasures are prepared depending on the grade of the proof you find, but I’ll tell you about the first-place treasure for now.”
As Lucas Kane manipulated his Hero Watch, a pristine glass vial materialized in the air as a hologram.
“‘Divine Grace’. The Holy Kingdom’s supreme elixir, said to revive even those on death’s door, is the first-place treasure.”
“…!”
Divine Grace.
It was the Holy Kingdom’s greatest elixir, capable of instantly healing wounds and restoring depleted mana alike.
“I-insane… Divine Grace, you say….”
“Isn’t that incredibly expensive?”
“I heard you could buy a mansion in the heart of Valhalla City with just one of those….”
Among heroes who constantly walk alongside death, the Blessing of the Holy Kingdom was akin to carrying an extra life in one’s pocket.
Of course, given its worth, the price was exorbitant—literally whatever one demanded.
“If we could just somehow avoid the Seven Star Knights and find the treasure….”
“This is a complete life reversal, isn’t it?!”
The candidates’ eyes burned with renewed fervor.
‘Divine grace, indeed.’
Unlike the other candidates making a fuss, I clicked my tongue with an indifferent expression.
For anyone else, perhaps—but for me, this blessing was utterly useless.
‘Should I just not participate?’
Those who didn’t participate in the treasure hunt would have to undergo Lucas Kane’s extreme training, or so I’d heard.
Honestly, considering my usual training volume, even extreme training would amount to nothing more than child’s play.
‘Right, rather than waste time hunting for useless treasure, I should just keep training.’
As I was about to step back with that thought.
“Oh, by the way, candidates who find treasures in this hunt will receive bonus points reflected in the comprehensive evaluation rankings according to the treasure’s grade. Keep that in mind.”
“Third-year Warrior Department Dale Han! I will participate!”
I shot my hand up and shouted loudly.

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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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