The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 6

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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 6. Building a Foundation (2)
Crash!
Thud, roll roll.
Whoooooosh.
Three days of being locked in my dormitory room, dying and resurrecting repeatedly.
Through various experiments, I discovered several facts.
First, endlessly repeating death and resurrection doesn’t increase mana infinitely.
Second, once I resurrect and mana increases, it plateaus for approximately six hours before increasing again.
Third, when I die and resurrect a maximum of four times per day, the amount of mana gained far exceeds what I could accumulate through conventional “breathing techniques.”
“Haha! This is insane, absolutely insane.”
I gazed down at the notebook documenting three days of trial and error, my face breaking into a satisfied smile.
The mana problem that had shackled me since my previous life.
I never imagined I could solve it through such an absurdly simple method.
‘The method of accumulating mana is rather unconventional, though.’
Four times a day.
I had to end my own life every six hours for mana to increase—no matter how I framed it, this could hardly be called a normal approach.
“So… I die right after waking up in the morning, die after lunch, die after dinner, and die one last time before bed?”
Damn it.
Even as I said it, I couldn’t believe how insane this sounded.
“Sigh. Well, what else can I do?”
Since conventional methods wouldn’t let me accumulate mana, I had no choice.
In my previous life, Iris would have beaten me senseless the moment she found out I was recklessly throwing my life away, but now there was no one to scold me for it.
“…Tsk.”
I suppressed the desire to hear her scolding voice and continued my thoughts.
‘I’m somewhat worried that using this method continuously might wear down or erase my Holy Mark.’
Wasn’t the original power of Primordial Flame meant to devour and destroy Holy Marks?
For some reason, even after absorbing Primordial Flame, my Holy Mark remained intact, but I couldn’t help worrying—if I continued drawing on Primordial Flame’s power like this, wouldn’t the Holy Mark and the blessing of resurrection within it eventually vanish?
‘So far, there’s been no change at all.’
The Holy Mark inscribed above my left chest showed no signs of erosion or disappearance anywhere.
The blessing of resurrection dwelling within it resurrected me from death just as it always had.
“Ha.”
Thinking about it this way, my current situation felt rather absurd.
‘I endured for so long, living only for death.’
Now I found myself worried that the blessing of resurrection might disappear.
A hollow laugh escaped me unbidden.
Regardless, the fact that Primordial Flame couldn’t destroy the “blessing of resurrection” dwelling within my Holy Mark was good news.
‘If I can keep increasing my mana this way… I can reach far greater heights than in my previous life.’
If that happens.
I can protect those I failed to protect.
I can save those I failed to save.
No more.
I wouldn’t have to lose anything.
“….”
Before the memories of my past life, which I had been desperately suppressing, could surface any further, I opened my eyes that had been closed.
“Let’s see, now then….”
Now that I had established a solid foundation for growth, it was time to acquire a weapon that would become a formidable asset.
‘A weapon.’
I methodically recalled memories from my past life and organized things that might prove useful.
‘It can’t be a weapon that’s too difficult to obtain or too hard to handle.’
Ancient relics or divine artifacts imbued with the power of gods came to mind.
Several artifacts I had searched for while wandering the Continent in my past life surfaced in my memory, but they were all things impossible to acquire right now.
‘Even if I obtained them, I wouldn’t be able to use them properly.’
The more powerful an artifact, the higher the master’s level needed to wield it—and currently, everything except the memories remaining in my mind had been reset.
Even if I somehow managed to obtain an artifact through sheer effort, there was a high chance I wouldn’t be able to use it properly.
‘A weapon I can acquire quickly while providing immediate combat strength.’
One thing came to mind first.
‘Holy Mark Amplifier.’
A potion that forcibly caused the Holy Mark to go berserk, granting temporary immense power.
For me, who had suffered from insufficient mana, it was like rain in a drought—a weapon beyond compare.
‘I’m not sure if calling it a weapon is appropriate.’
But considering its effects alone, it was powerful enough to crush ordinary artifacts, so calling it a weapon wouldn’t be unreasonable.
Of course.
The side effects were equally devastating.
Even a single dose could twist the vital energy throughout one’s body, and repeated doses could melt one’s organs, potentially leading to death in severe cases.
“Well, that’s not a concern for me.”
I gazed down at the Holy Mark inscribed on my left chest and let out a quiet laugh.
“Now that the plan is set, I should head out.”
The location of the creator of the Holy Mark Amplifier—a hero who would later achieve great deeds in the war against the Demon Gods.
That place was….
‘Reynald Hero School.’
Yes.
It was this very school where I currently stood.
* * *
The Warrior Department professor’s office.
Lucas Kane was staring at me with eyes that seemed to ask what kind of trouble I was planning to cause this time.
“You want to meet with Jade Bastian?”
“Yes.”
Jade Bastian.
He was a professor recognized as the foremost expert on the Continent regarding Holy Mark research.
“Why Jade Bastian all of a sudden? He’s a researcher, so there shouldn’t be any reason for a candidate to seek him out.”
“I wanted to seek career guidance for my future path.”
“But Jade Bastian oversees the Magic Department, doesn’t he?”
“Isn’t it possible to participate in Holy Mark research regardless of department?”
“Hmm.”
Lucas Kane’s eyes darkened with intensity.
“…Career guidance, you say. From Jade Bastian?”
A gaze sharp as a beast’s turned toward me.
“Do you even know how he’s referred to around this academy?”
“Of course I do. How could I not?”
No matter how much time had passed.
How could I forget the infamous reputation of the “student killer”?
“And you still want to meet him?”
“Isn’t it all just rumors anyway? The story about Jade Bastian killing his student?”
“Rumors, my ass.”
Lucas Kane’s eyes narrowed in displeasure.
It was hard to believe this reaction came from a fellow professor, not some candidate spreading gossip behind closed doors.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
“Two years ago, it was Jade Bastian himself who went around boasting that he killed candidate Oscar.”
“Didn’t the investigation conclude it was an accidental incident during a research experiment?”
“That’s only because he’s of Bastian bloodline!”
Crash!
Lucas Kane slammed his desk violently, his expression heated.
“Even if it really was an accident, a professor shouldn’t have acted that way!”
His fist, large as a cauldron lid, trembled as he continued in an agitated voice.
“Do you know what that rotten bastard did in front of Oscar’s grave? He insulted the dead student, calling him a ‘worthless fool’—I heard it with my own ears!”
“Why did you only listen? Wasn’t it then that you gave Jade Bastian a good punch to the mouth and got your salary docked for it?”
“Uh… that, well. Ahem. That was when I was still young back then.”
“Haha. Anyone listening would think you’re talking about something from twenty years ago, Professor.”
“Shut your mouth, you brat!”
Lucas Kane shouted and kicked at my shin.
Whoosh.
I smoothly twisted my body and dodged his kick.
“You….”
Lucas Kane glared at me with those characteristic predatory eyes.
“How the hell did you change so much overnight?”
“I regressed from the future.”
“Damn it.”
No.
I really did regress, so this feels a bit unfair.
“You… don’t tell me you made a contract with the Demon God or something?”
“You’re aware that heroes who have awakened the Holy Mark of the Seven Gods cannot become Demon Contractors, are you not?”
“…Ugh.”
Lucas Kane swallowed hard, his eyes narrowing in evident confusion.
There was one lie I had told him.
‘In truth, heroes can also contract with the Demon God and become Demon Contractors.’
Of course, not now—only in a future when the Demon God’s seal weakens.
There was no need to invite misunderstanding by elaborating further.
“Well, regardless of the suspension period, meeting with other professors isn’t forbidden. I’ll write you a letter of introduction, so go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
“Hmph. Do as you please—live or die, I don’t care.”
Lucas Kane scribbled the letter of introduction with clear reluctance, his expression thoroughly displeased.
I accepted the letter from Lucas Kane and turned toward the office door.
Click.
Just as I was about to open the door and leave.
“…If anything happens, come straight to me.”
I heard Lucas Kane’s worried voice from behind.
I let out a soft chuckle and nodded.
‘Remarkable.’
A man whose appearance and true nature were worlds apart.
* * *
Jade’s Research Laboratory was located in the most remote corner of the school.
Given how expansive the school grounds were, most candidates wouldn’t have even known such a secluded place existed.
-Knock, knock.
I rapped on the firmly closed laboratory door.
-Knock, knock, knock.
I knocked several times, but no response came from within.
-Thud, thud, thud.
“Professor Jade. I know you’re in there.”
This time I knocked with more force.
Soon the door creaked open with a grinding sound.
The moment it opened, a stench poured out—acrid and suffocating.
Peering through the gap, the laboratory interior was revealed to be as disheveled as a haunted mansion.
“You are… who?”
An elderly man poked his head through the narrow opening.
His skin was deeply wrinkled and spotted with age marks.
His white hair was matted as if unwashed for days, and he wore a robe so filthy it couldn’t even serve as a rag.
He looked exactly as I remembered him.
“I am Dale Han, a third-year candidate of the Warrior Department.”
“…What business do you have with me?”
“I’ve come because I’m interested in your research. Here is a letter of introduction from Professor Lucas Kane.”
“….”
Jade Bastian took the letter of introduction and began shaking his shoulders with a peculiar chuckling sound.
“You’re interested in my research?”
“Yes, particularly in the creation of potions that influence the Holy Mark.”
“Hehehehe, hihihihihihi!!!”
Jade Bastian erupted into a grotesque laugh, as though blessed—or rather, corrupted—by the Demon God himself.
“You… you must know who I am to have sought me out, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Hehehehe, hehehehe! So you know exactly who I am and still wish to participate in my research?”
Jade Bastian laughed like a madman, spittle dripping from his lips.
Crash!
He wrenched the door wide open and seized my collar with brutal force.
His eyes gleamed with madness as he leaned in, his voice dropping to a sinister whisper.
“You… will die.”
“Is that so?”
Well, what of it.
Go ahead and try.

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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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