The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 9

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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 9. First Lesson (1)
After my meaningful(?) reunion with Juliet.
I spent the remainder of my suspension quietly fortifying my foundation.
—Scrape.
The moment I opened my eyes upon waking, I drew the blade across my throat from the sword resting at my bedside.
As the Primordial Flame seared my chest with its scorching agony, I immediately began my meditation.
Mana accumulated automatically even without deliberate meditation.
But by focusing my mind through meditation like this, I could accumulate far greater quantities of mana than usual.
‘The pain persists for roughly five minutes.’
Only within this window could I sense the Primordial Flame’s essence and accumulate mana.
“Inhale, exhale.”
I repeated long, measured breaths while concentrating on the mental imagery within.
Whoooosh!
What materialized in my mind’s eye was a flame of such immense proportions its boundaries were unknowable.
I stepped forward cautiously, gazing upon the fire that burned with savage intensity as if to devour the world itself.
Before this vast inferno, my existence was nothing more than a handful of ash.
‘Come.’
I extended my hand toward the flames.
Burn the flesh, incinerate the soul.
I seized the savagely burning fire.
The intensified agony ravaged my body with renewed ferocity.
It was pain so terrible that anyone else would foam at the mouth and lose consciousness the instant they felt it.
‘I can endure this.’
I can bear it.
I can withstand it.
Pain is familiar to me.
Suffering is intimate.
This much is—
Nothing but dust compared to the countless deaths I have already experienced.
‘Move.’
I called out with my will, but the colossal inferno did not even twitch.
It merely left behind a spark the size of a candle flame.
As if brushing away some bothersome insect clinging to my body.
I carefully moved my arm so the spark resting in my palm would not extinguish.
‘So this is the extent of the spark I’ve brought this time.’
It was a pittance compared to what I had extracted while enduring the agony of my flesh and soul burning in those raging flames.
But for me now, even this was more than enough.
I slowly brought the candle-flame dancing in my palm to my left chest.
And then.
“Exhale.”
I exhaled the breath I’d been holding and opened my eyes.
The searing pain that had felt like a hot branding iron pressing against my chest had completely vanished.
“Oh, this time I’ve accumulated quite a bit.”
By meditating to visualize my mental imagery and concretizing the image of bringing ‘fire’ to life, I could accumulate far more mana than simply enduring five minutes of agonizing cold sweat through conventional breathing techniques.
‘The principle is similar to breathing techniques.’
According to what I’d heard from Yuren before, even with the same breathing technique, the amount of mana accumulated varied drastically depending on how one implemented the ‘mental imagery’ and concretized the visualization.
Back then, no matter what I did with mental imagery or anything else, mana wouldn’t accumulate, so I’d let it go in one ear and out the other.
“So this is what it feels like.”
Realizing that the amount of mana I accumulated varied depending on my effort and skill, I felt motivation bubbling up from within.
‘Though I’m still limited to four times a day.’
I swallowed a bitter laugh and sheathed the sword that had severed my neck back into its scabbard.
Scattered across the bed sheet was the gray ash residue that remained after ‘Resurrection.’
“Cleaning this up every time is tedious.”
When I severed my neck, the blood that sprayed out would disappear along with the body’s regeneration, so there was no need to wash the bed sheets.
But this ash residue that remained instead of blood was equally difficult to clean up.
‘I need to think of another method.’
Severing my neck cleanly with a sword was simple and caused minimal pain.
But the way blood sprayed everywhere and my head separated from my body was too messy (though it disappeared quickly), so I felt the need to change my approach.
‘I need to devise a cleaner, more efficient way to end my life.’
For now, I didn’t have the luxury of contemplating novel suicide methods.
“Time to wash up.”
Monday, marking the start of the week.
It was the day I would attend my first class after the regression.
* * *
Early morning.
The Corridor was filled with Candidates moving toward their morning classes.
“Oh, there’s Dale.”
“Ah, is that the one from the rumors…?”
“Apparently he beat up Juliet this time too?”
“But wasn’t he ranked last in the comprehensive evaluation?”
“That’s why everyone’s going crazy! They say he was hiding his strength all along.”
“What, is he the protagonist of some play?”
On my way to the ‘Practical Combat Training’ Classroom.
I could hear the whispers of Candidates lining the Corridor.
The incidents I’d caused last week had apparently become quite the topic of conversation throughout the Academy, as every Candidate I passed was discussing me.
‘I didn’t expect to become this much of a talking point.’
Well, I understand.
If I heard rumors that the worst dunce in Academy history—a Candidate ranked dead last—had suddenly beaten everyone up as if he’d become a completely different person, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.
‘I don’t want to stand out this much.’
But I had no intention of skulking around while hiding my strength.
The past.
Or should I call it the future, from this point in time?
To take the hands of those I’d only been chasing and pull them forward, I couldn’t remain as the lowest-ranked member of the Candidate Program.
—Click.
I pushed open the Classroom door, ignoring the whispers around me.
“….”
“….”
The eyes of the Candidates fixed on me, and an awkward silence settled over the room.
“Sigh.”
Thinking this atmosphere would continue for a while, a breath escaped me unbidden.
‘Where’s Iris?’
My gaze naturally drifted toward the window seat.
There sat Iris, her eyes gleaming with intrigue as she looked my way, and beside her was Camilla, glaring at me with such ferocity it seemed she might kill me on the spot.
‘I really should apologize to Camilla.’
But seeing that expression, if I spoke to her now, an apology would be the last thing that happened—another commotion would erupt instead.
“Ugh.”
I ignored their stares and took my seat.
As soon as I sat, the awkward silence that had blanketed the Classroom began to dissolve, replaced by murmuring once more.
Listening carefully, most of the chatter was, unsurprisingly, about me.
“Alright, you brats. Stop your gossiping and take your seats.”
Professor Lucas Kane opened the door and entered the Classroom.
His gaze swept across the room before settling on me.
“Fall asleep in my class one more time, and you’ll find yourself flying out of here. Understand?”
“I’ll remember that.”
“Good.”
I bowed my head respectfully, and Professor Lucas Kane simply nodded without further comment.
Even though I’d been careless, rumors had circulated among the professors about how a Candidate’s punch had sent me flying while I slept, so I’d expected some backlash.
Seeing him move past it with just a simple apology spoke volumes about Professor Lucas Kane’s character.
‘I owe a lot to Professor Lucas Kane for allowing me to graduate, even as the lowest-ranked member.’
As I recalled memories from my past life, a satisfied smile crossed my face.
“Now, before we begin, let me take attendance.”
Professor Lucas Kane began calling names one by one, casually strolling through the Classroom.
I was wondering why he insisted on walking around while taking attendance when—
“Dale Han.”
“Present.”
Whoosh.
As Professor Lucas Kane passed by my desk, he discreetly slipped a white note into my hand.
‘What’s this?’
Tilting my head in confusion, I unfolded the note he’d handed me.
[Remember this! I only took that hit because I was careless! If I’d been serious, a brat like you wouldn’t even be worth one punch!]
“….”
I take back what I said about having no hard feelings.
‘How petty can this man be?’
When I turned to look at Lucas Kane with an expression of disbelief, I caught him clearing his throat awkwardly, clearly trying to avoid my gaze.
Good.
At least he knows enough to be embarrassed.
‘This guy really is entertaining, I’ll give him that.’
Stifling a snicker, I tucked the note into my left chest pocket.
“Excellent. Everyone’s here.”
After finishing attendance, Lucas Kane stood on the platform and surveyed all the Candidates.
“What’s today’s lecture called?”
“Practical Combat Training, sir.”
“Right. The purpose of this class is to build experience and knowledge for the real battles you’ll face against Mains or Magical Beasts in the future.”
Lucas Kane nodded and continued his explanation.
“Albert.”
“Yes, sir!”
“What do you think is the most important thing when preparing for actual combat?”
Albert pondered for a moment, then suddenly stood up from his seat, clenching his fists.
“I believe it’s the ‘courage’ to not fear even when facing an enemy.”
“Courage is something you use when packing your lunch box.”
“Pardon?”
“Hahaha! What do you think? I heard this joke from Professor Bianca recently—it’s pretty funny, isn’t it?”
“Ah… yes.”
Albert sat back down with a lukewarm expression.
Lucas Kane descended from the platform and placed a hand the size of a pot lid on Albert’s shoulder, grinning widely.
“Laugh.”
“Sir?”
“I said laugh.”
“Ahahahaha!!! Comparing ‘courage’ to a lunch box container—that’s brilliant! Professor Bianca really does have a great sense of humor! Ahahahaha! Oh, I’m laughing so hard my stomach hurts!”
“There we go. That’s more like it.”
Lucas Kane nodded with satisfaction, while Albert clutched his stomach, trembling (from nervousness) as if genuinely in pain.
“Well, let’s get back to the main point.”
Lucas Kane climbed onto the platform with heavy steps and continued in a more serious tone.
“The most important thing in actual combat isn’t pointless courage—it’s ‘experience.'”
Even Candidates who tremble with fear at the mere glance of a Magical Beast will grow accustomed to it after slashing through them a few times.
“And real combat experience can never be gained within this cramped Classroom.”
Tap.
The professor lightly struck the platform and pointed out the window.
“Come on. Today’s class is outdoors.”
At the mention of an outdoor class, quiet sighs erupted throughout the Classroom.
“And for this class, we’ll form parties of three, so gather your party members freely. You have fifteen minutes.”
The Classroom stirred once more at the mention of party training.
Some Candidates smiled brightly without a care, while others wore gloomy expressions and glanced nervously at those around them.
‘Party training, huh.’
Party training.
The very word drew an involuntary sigh from my lips.
Considering that most heroes form parties to conduct their activities after graduation, it was certainly a good thing to give us Candidates experience working with others in parties from this stage onward.
‘But every time, I’ve ended up forming a party with whoever was left over because I couldn’t find members until the very end.’
The atmosphere of such forced parties had been absolutely dreadful.
‘This time….’
I glanced around just in case.
“Ugh.”
As expected.
With all the rumors swirling around me, there was no way any Candidate would want to form a party with me.
As I sighed deeply, resigned to being left until the end again and forming a party with Candidates whose names I barely knew.
“Dale.”
A familiar voice reached me from behind.
“Would you like to form a party with us?”
I turned around to see the saintly woman with a gentle smile gracing her lips.

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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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