The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 281

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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 281. War (5)
“Huff, huff…! This, this is insane!”
Bishop Jordan clutched his blood-soaked wound, breathing in ragged gasps.
The silver-haired female candidate had blocked the vanguard’s path to the Main Building.
She hadn’t appeared on any of the danger assessment lists he’d compiled, so he’d dismissed her as merely a trivial distraction—but
‘What is that monster!’
The moment combat began, he understood.
This silver-haired woman was not an opponent he could face.
‘This isn’t about whether she’s a candidate or not—that’s not even the issue.’
A Master.
Yes, her martial prowess could only be explained if she possessed strength rivaling the Five Great Heroes, who were considered the strongest among current Heroes.
‘Could other Masters be here? No, but none of the Masters I know have that appearance.’
Where had everything gone wrong?
“Ugh… cough!”
Metallic-tasting blood rose up his throat.
“Is it already over?”
Step, step.
The silver-haired woman approached him, her blade trailing lazily at her side.
Despite the fierce exchanges that had transpired, not a single strand of her hair was out of place.
Her gait was as noble and elegant as moonlight spilling across the night sky.
The silver blade in her hand gleamed with an ominous shimmer.
‘Damn it….’
Bishop Jordan bit his lip, anxiety flooding his expression.
He still had cards left to play.
But.
‘If I use the Spark of Destruction….’
Deep hesitation crossed Bishop Jordan’s face.
To unleash the true power of the Spark of Destruction, a corresponding ‘price’ was required.
“Ugh….”
His deliberation didn’t last long.
Bishop Jordan turned his body to flee from the silver-haired woman.
And then.
Whoosh.
“…Huh?”
Black flames dwelling within the stigma suddenly engulfed his body.
“What, what is this? Why suddenly…?”
The spark that Amon had granted him began to spiral wildly beyond his control.
“Ah, ugh.”
Roooaarrr!
“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”
The flames intensified.
A terrible, searing pain spread through me as if molten metal, heated to an inferno, flowed through my veins instead of blood.
Bishop Jordan staggered backward, watching the black flames that engulfed his body burn with increasing ferocity.
The embers of Destruction consume their master’s life as kindling.
In other words, each time the embers’ power is used, the master’s lifespan decreases drastically.
Because of this, even when using them, one should only use the bare minimum of embers.
“Wh… wh… what…?”
But this wasn’t the bare minimum—this was burning through every last moment of remaining life itself.
As far as he knew, only one being could do such a thing.
Amon, the master of Destruction.
“Ah… Amon… you bastard…!!!”
Before he could finish his furious cry.
Whoooosh!
Bishop Jordan’s entire body was consumed by the black flames.
The demonic energy born from burning life ravaged the surrounding earth with savage ferocity.
“This is….”
Yurina, the silver-haired woman watching the scene, stepped back with a rigid expression.
It was the same situation as when she had faced Hectar, a Demon, in the Demon Realm before.
‘Dangerous.’
She had already heard from Dale how much power that Demon wrapped in black flames possessed.
And beyond that.
“This way!”
“Wh… is that… Bishop Jordan?”
“Did he use the power of the embers?”
“But at that level, wouldn’t he have burned through his entire remaining lifespan…?”
The Demons that appeared in pursuit as well.
‘I can’t afford to waste more time.’
Yurina turned without hesitation.
Whoooosh!
The savage flames descended upon her fleeing form.
“Ugh…!”
The protective barrier of demonic energy wrapped around her body melted in an instant, and her skin charred black.
“Just… follow me quietly!”
Yurina sprinted backward, scattering silver sword energy in her wake.
Searing pain erupted from her left thigh, scorched by the black flames, but she clenched her teeth and increased her speed.
“Chase… them….”
“Yes, yes!”
Following Amon’s command, the Demons rushed toward the Main Hall Auditorium.
* * *
Main Hall Auditorium.
The Main Hall Auditorium was filled with Candidates who had gathered after hearing the broadcast, their faces pale with dread.
“D-Demons attacked the Academy…?”
“Did you see the numbers? How many of them are there?”
“Ugh… I don’t want to die.”
Last year, there had been an attack by the Beast Legion under the Archbishop of Beasts, but this situation was entirely different.
Beasts and Demons.
If asked which was the more terrifying entity, most would choose Demons without hesitation.
“All of you, get a grip!”
Lucas Kane’s sharp rebuke resonated through the auditorium with piercing clarity.
“Is this pathetic display what you call Heroes in training?”
“B-But…?”
“But nothing! Freeze that excuse solid!”
Boom!
Lucas Kane stomped the ground with brutal force.
The entire auditorium trembled, and every Candidate’s gaze snapped toward him.
“What do you think a Hero actually is?”
“…”
Silence descended upon the auditorium.
Sigh.
Lucas Kane exhaled deeply and scanned the sea of terrified Candidate faces before him.
“Al-Beeeeeert!”
“Not even now?!”
Albert, who had been hiding among the other Candidates, trembled violently as he rose to his feet.
“Answer me, quickly!”
“A… a Hero is… someone who stands against the Demon God’s forces to protect humanity… chosen by the Seven Gods… a superhuman!”
“Exactly. A Hero is a super’human.'”
Tsk.
Lucas Kane clicked his tongue and continued.
“In other words, they’re nothing more than humans who happen to be a bit stronger.”
So then.
“You’re allowed to be afraid. You’re allowed to be terrified.”
Lucas Kane swept his gaze across all the trembling Candidates before speaking in a low voice.
“But—don’t you dare act pathetically. That is the bare minimum duty of those chosen by the divine to protect humanity.”
“…”
A profound silence settled over the auditorium.
Clap clap clap.
Applause broke through the stillness, echoing outward.
“Haha. As expected of Lucas Kane. Those words truly stirred the heart.”
“C-Chancellor?”
Raonel swept his gaze across all the Candidates gathered in the auditorium before turning his attention toward Elisha.
“Is everyone here?”
“Yes. There are still some Candidates who haven’t arrived, but those are the ones currently executing separate ‘operations.'”
“I see.”
Raonel nodded and stepped up onto the podium.
“I imagine everyone was quite startled by the sudden attack.”
“….”
“However, don’t worry. A warp gate will open shortly, and you’ll be able to evacuate safely.”
“A, a warp gate!”
The mention of a warp gate sent the auditorium into immediate chaos.
But it was short-lived.
“Quiet.”
Raonel’s voice, delivered in a low, commanding tone, quelled the commotion.
“I understand your desire to evacuate as quickly as possible, but as Professor Lucas Kane mentioned, all the Candidates gathered here are heroes chosen by the gods, bearing the duty to protect humanity.”
Therefore.
“When the warp gate opens, I ask that the first-year Candidates evacuate first, in orderly succession.”
A faint smile played at Raonel’s lips.
“Can I trust my proud Candidates to do this?”
“….”
The Candidates responded not with words, but by quickly forming lines according to their year.
Raonel smiled with satisfaction and nodded.
“Dale, may I ask for your help?”
“Yes.”
I’d already heard from Professor Elisha that Demons were converging on the Main Hall Auditorium, so there was no point in wasting more time.
Whoooosh!
Ash and embers burned fiercely, consuming my body.
The surging magical power was drawn inward, and a warp gate materialized within the auditorium.
“Go! First-years, move in order!”
The Candidates moved under Professor Lucas Kane’s direction.
As the evacuation of Candidates was underway.
Crash!
The auditorium doors shattered, and Demons appeared.
“Hahaha! You’re all hiding here—”
“What, what is this?”
“A warp gate…?”
The Demons stared at the warp gate in the auditorium, their expressions bewildered.
“Damn it! Destroy the warp gate quickly!”
“Don’t let them escape!”
The bishop-level Demons commanding the Apostles of Ruin shouted urgently.
As they rushed forward toward the warp gate.
Whoooosh!
Blazing black flames.
“Ah….”
“W-what… my body….”
“Ahhhhh! H-hot! It’s burning! It’s burning so much!!!”
The Demons convulsed violently, their screams piercing with agony.
The black flames wrapped around their bodies and burned with savage intensity.
“That is….”
I squinted as I watched the Demons engulfed in the black flames.
“Ugh…! D-Dale!”
Crash!
Yurina burst through the Main Hall Auditorium wall.
“A-Amon is…! He’s turning the Demons into his clones!”
“…Clones, you say.”
I squinted and turned to look at the Demons engulfed in the black flames.
Just as I had witnessed in the Demon Realm, the bodies of the Demons wrapped in black flames were gradually losing their original forms and transforming to resemble Amon.
‘I need to hold out until reinforcements arrive.’
Once all the Candidates had evacuated, reinforcements from the Empire, the Holy Kingdom, and the Republic would arrive.
‘There’s no need to push myself into a reckless fight until then.’
What I needed now was to buy time—
“…Huh?”
Then.
I noticed Yurina holding her leg, her face twisted in pain.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing!”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
“I… I got a bit injured fighting Amon’s clone.”
“…Show me.”
“I-I’m fine! Don’t worry about it!”
“Now.”
I pulled Yurina’s wrist toward me.
Her left thigh was charred so severely that bone was exposed beneath the burned flesh.
“I… I’ll ask Iris to treat it later, so don’t worry.”
“….”
“D-Dale? Your expression is frightening….”
“Berald.”
“You called for me, sir?”
Berald, who had already arrived at the Main Hall Auditorium, quickly approached.
“Take Yurina to Iris.”
“Huh? Is she injured?”
Berald’s expression crumpled as he examined the wound on Yurina’s thigh.
“Trust me! I’ll take you straight to Iris!”
“All right.”
I nodded and stepped forward.
Originally, I had planned to hold back my strength and simply buy time until reinforcements arrived.
Whoooosh!
Savage grey flames surged forward, pushing back the black fire.
“Amon, you’re watching from some corner, aren’t you?”
I turned to face Amon’s clones and slowly gestured with my hand.
“Come out, you bastard.”

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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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