Those eyes were of varying sizes, their pupils a dark crimson. They densely covered the entire sky, all of them staring fixedly at Lilith. A terrifying pressure spread out, and the stone slabs on the street began to tremble slightly.
The faces of the other five Rank 9s changed. They wanted to say something, but they were silenced by a single look from the blonde man.
Clearly, this powerhouse above Rank 9 did not harbor the same awe for the “man in black” as the others. He felt he had the strength to challenge the other party.
Lilith turned her head, glanced at the hand pressing down on her shoulder, then raised her own hand and gave it a light smack.
“Pah.”
The blonde man felt an irresistible force surge through him. His entire arm was knocked away, and he had to retreat three steps before he could steady himself.
His expression shifted.
“Mind your own business, and you might just live a little longer,” Lilith said coldly.
The atmosphere instantly became thick with tension.
Seeing this, Leonard quickly spoke up. “Everyone, calm down! We can talk this through. This is where I live, so please don't fight!”
The blonde man spared him a cold glance. “Who are you? What right do you have to speak to us?”
Leonard gave an awkward smile. “My name is Leonard, I’m the...”
“Stop!” the blonde man suddenly interrupted, his face changing drastically.
He stared intently at Leonard, his golden pupils filled with shock.
“What did you say your name was?” the blonde man’s voice trembled slightly.
“Leonard,” the boy replied, confused.
The blonde man remained silent for a full five seconds before suddenly waving his hand. “We’re leaving!”
The countless eyes in the sky closed instantly. He turned and walked back toward the spatial crack he came from without looking back.
The other five Rank 9s looked at each other in confusion, but they followed him nonetheless.
The six of them quickly disappeared into the rift, and the crack sealed shut as if it had never existed.
Silence returned to the street.
Only Lilith and a completely bewildered Leonard remained.
...
On the other side of the spatial crack, at the periphery of the Endless Mountains.
After the six of them landed, the elderly man with the giant sword couldn't help but ask, “Captain, why did we leave? Weren't we there to investigate the ruins?”
The blonde man—the captain of the investigation team—had an expression that was currently terrifyingly grim.
He took a deep breath and slowly uttered two words: “Leonard.”
“Leonard?” The old man in the red robe frowned. “The boy's name? Is there a problem with it?”
“Leonard,” the captain repeated, his voice dry. “That was the name of the Hero from a thousand years ago.”
The five of them froze simultaneously.
“The... the Hero?” the man with the giant sword stammered. “But... but didn't the Hero die a thousand years ago...”
“He died,” the captain cut in, his tone icy.
One of the Rank 9 powerhouses spoke up. “Could it be that the Hero is still alive? That he’s just staying in there and not coming out?”
Suddenly, the space began to tremble violently.
“Impossible!” the captain roared.
Then, perhaps realizing he had lost his composure, he took a deep breath to calm down.
“Forgive me, I lost my cool,” the captain said.
“A thousand years ago, I saw it with my own eyes. The Demon King killed the Hero. The Hero thrust the Holy Sword into the Demon King's abdomen, but the Demon King crushed his heart in response. The Hero's body was reduced to ashes by the erosion of the Demon King's Demonic Energy. Nothing was left.”
He paused and added, “I am one of the survivors of that great battle.”
The group fell silent.
After a long while, the old man in the red robe asked cautiously, “Then... who was that person? And the people in that town... who are they?”
The captain turned his head, looking toward the ruins, and said word by word:
“Are you sure he’s human? Or rather, that anything in that entire town is human?”
He raised his hand, and a faint golden film of light appeared on his palm. It was the protective mana he used to resist the Demonic Energy pollution.
“The concentration of Demonic Energy pollution here is so high that even Rank 9s like us need to keep our bodies shielded with magic at all times to stay here.”
The captain said slowly, “If those were truly humans... how could they survive in such an environment?”
The five of them looked at each other, seeing a deep chill in each other's eyes.
“Then... why was that esteemed man in black there?” someone asked.
The captain was silent for a long time before saying:
“I don’t know.”
“But I know one thing: that boy calling himself Leonard is definitely a problem.”
“And the issues with this ruin... are much bigger than we imagined.”
He turned to look toward the Royal Capital.
“Let’s go back and report. I’m afraid this mission... is not something we can handle.”
The figures of the six men vanished into the forest.
Only the wind of the Endless Mountains remained, howling as it blew across the massive crater.
On the other side, a figure watched this scene. “Heh, it wouldn't be any fun if I just let you leave like that.”
“Hmm... let me think. Who should I start killing first?”
His gaze fell upon the six people. “Five Rank 9s... they’ll certainly make for some rich nourishment. That one above Rank 9 might be a bit troublesome, but only slightly.”
His gaze then shifted toward Lilith. “From start to finish, I haven't been able to see through her realm at all. Perhaps she has some means of hiding her strength. No matter. The one beside her is the real trouble.”
He looked back at the six people. “I'll start with you lot!”
Rate on N.U.
