Editor : Amethyst00



A knight who wields a sword values the arm that holds it as much as life itself.

And that arm had just been mercilessly severed.

Reed, consumed by panic, could do nothing but clutch the severed stump and scream.

The pain radiating from the severed area was immense, but the psychological shock was even greater.

"Where should I cut next?"

The emotionless voice brought Reed back to his senses.

He was also a knight who had been recognized by the gods and risen to the rank of hero.

No matter how great the shock, he couldn't just keep screaming in front of his enemy.

Gripping his severed arm, Reed distanced himself from Leo.

He recovered the sword that had been in the severed hand.

Reed's sword was the heirloom of House Zerdinger.

A weapon that possessed great power in and of itself.

Clenching his teeth, Reed gripped the sword with his left hand.

'I can reattach the arm!'

With the help of magic, reattaching a severed limb was more than possible.

And whether it was fortune or misfortune, Leo had made a clean cut.

'That makes it easier to reattach!'

Reed's eyes flared open.

'For now, defeating the monster in front of me takes priority!'

"Knights! Execute that madman!"

At Reed's command, knights appeared and surrounded Leo with swords drawn.

Leo looked at the knights of House Zerdinger and spoke in his usual emotionless tone.

"If you are knights of Zerdinger, stand aside. I'm only here to deal with a traitor."

"Foolish bastard!"

Reed sneered at Leo with a twisted smile.

"These are my loyal knights! Do you think they would obey your orders? A traitor? Don't make me laugh!"

Reed shouted in fury.

"I'm only trying to make Zerdinger the greatest family of heroes! The current head, Selde Zerdinger, is too soft! Even though he has power, he doesn't use it! He wastes it on the meaningless front line against Tartaros! Not just Selde Zerdinger! That fool Lewellin too! Even the imperial family!"

His eyes gleamed.

"Why are we wasting our power on something as pointless as Tartaros? Lordren was never meant to remain confined to the western continent! It's a nation with the capacity to rule the world as a great empire!"

Driven by pain and rage, Reed poured out his beliefs.

"Zerdinger should lead the way! We should rise to become the empire's top family and support the imperial family in ruling the continent! That way, we'll make Zerdinger the greatest house of heroes in the world! This isn't about my personal ambition! If you truly care for Zerdinger, you must have such aspirations!"

"Is that why you joined forces with the threat that has slain countless heroes throughout history?"

"I didn't join them—I'm just using them."

"That's what they all say."

Leo lowered his sword.

"Unaware that they're the ones being used."

Tartaros desired only one thing:

The division of the world.

If people like Reed were steering Zerdinger, the empire would surely waver.

'Is this also his handiwork?'

Leo thought of the Lich King, Hell Kaiser.

The Lich King was a master of intrigue.

This was how he sowed poison across the world.

The Elves' Pureblood Society was the same.

They claimed they were the ones using their enemies.

But merely relying on their power became a weakness in itself.

And yet, those who allied with Tartaros never considered that a weakness.

'Because they think they can crush everything with brute force.'

The Lich King never blackmailed them with their shared secrets.

He only pretended to be used.

Just like he used the Pureblood Society to slowly collapse Elven society.

He would make them tear each other apart over time.

"I don't care about the empire's or the family's history."

"Then you are unworthy of the main line."

"Maybe. But you're the last person who should say that."

"What did you say?"

"The emperors of the empire… the heads of Zerdinger… even the heads of Lewellin…"

Leo's crimson eyes focused on Reed.

"None of them ever invaded another country. Do you know why?"

"Their predecessors lacked ambition."

"No."

Leo narrowed his eyes.

"They wanted to make this land a better place to live."

Five thousand years ago—the Age of Calamity.

The land most mercilessly trampled wasn't the east, where Tartaros emerged, nor the north or south.

It was the western continent.

The most advanced land.

Which is why it was the most thoroughly destroyed and devastated.

Even now, most of the Lordren Empire's territory—then and after the Age of Calamity—was where Tartaros's influence had been strongest.

Lordren's vast territory wasn't gained through conquest but by driving Tartaros out of land they had occupied for centuries.

And now, that land had become the most fertile in the world.

Even Lysinas had once said it was beyond restoration.

But now it was the most prosperous land on the planet.

Leo, who knew the past, understood better than anyone how much effort the people of this land had put into its restoration.

The predecessors of Zerdinger had given everything to rebuild a ruined land and ensure peace for its inhabitants.

They were too noble to be dismissed as lacking ambition.

A foolish reason.

'That's why they're called the house of heroes.'

"The flames of the Phoenix are noble. They burn themselves to destroy evil. I'm sure the first Zerdinger received the Phoenix's power for that very reason."

"Foolish dreams. Why should the strong sacrifice themselves for others? That's idiotic."

"Yes, it is."

Leo closed his eyes.

"But never forget this. The world continues to exist today only because of those so-called foolish acts, committed without hesitation by the heroes who fought back against scum like you who rot the world from within."

"Absurd. A hero is someone who achieves great feats. If I'm the one rotting the world, then how do you explain me being a hero!"

"A hero?"

Leo tilted his head.

"Who?"

"A nameless hero like you! No matter how much you deny it, I was chosen by the gods—!"

Reed's mocking expression froze.

"You don't even deserve to be called a hero."

[Your Hero status has been revoked.]

The message that appeared before his eyes made him realize it instinctively.

"You… what did you do to me!"

He didn't know how, but Leo's judgment had stripped him of his status.

"I merely denied your claim of being a hero."

"AAAAARGH! What are you knights doing?! Kill him now!"

"Yessir!"

The Elder Council knights moved to surround Leo.

Step—

Leo took a step.

At that moment—

Thwack—!

The heads of the Elder Council knights flew into the air all at once.

Watching this, Algren—the Shadow Lord of the North—muttered, "Beautiful."

Leo's sword carried no emotion.

Just cold, impartial death for the traitors.

To Algren, he looked like divine judgment.

Thud—!

Leo's grey eyes turned to Reed, who collapsed to the ground instinctively.

His body trembled uncontrollably.

His mouth made clacking noises.

Step… step…

"S-spare me… please…"

"You only have two choices. Die cleanly, or die painfully."

Reed knew it instinctively.

That the being in front of him was death incarnate.

There was no survival.

"J-just make it quick…"

Reed pleaded, forcing out words with all his strength.

Leo replied indifferently.

"You've already made your choice."

Crunch—!

"Guhhhh!"

Leo's sword pierced Reed's mouth.

It precisely severed his lips and tongue before withdrawing.

Then his left arm was sliced off as Reed writhed on the ground in agony, unable even to scream.

Leaving him twitching on the floor, Leo walked toward the Elder's Hall.

bl

'It's all over! I have to escape from Zerdinger!'

Edgerson moved quickly through the Elder's Hall, face grim as he heard flames and screams echoing from all directions.

He believed everything was over for one simple reason:

[Your Hero status has been revoked.]

The loss of that title had taken everything from Edgerson.

And not just him.

For reasons unknown, all members of the Elder Council had lost their hero titles.

After that, the elders scattered, each trying to escape Zerdinger.

To a hero, that title carried immense power.

Chosen by the gods for the world's salvation.

A hero was superior by nature.

The title alone was proof of nobility.

Edgerson had used Hero Slayer for a simple reason.

Even if it came to light one day—

He was still a hero.

Even if he had already taken control of Zerdinger, being chosen by the gods meant…

He could always claim it was for the world's sake.

Even if people pointed fingers at him—

That was only temporary.

History is written by the victors.

In the end, he would go down as a noble hero.

But that title was now gone.

The elders had lost their greatest protection.

'Why! Why!'

Edgerson was consumed with rage.

Just then—

Step…

Someone appeared around the corner.

Edgerson's face twisted in recognition.

"Regas!"

Clenching his teeth, Edgerson growled.

Regas replied, "Give it up."

"Don't be ridiculous! What did I do wrong to deserve this?! All I wanted was for my grandson to become head of the family!"

"Plotting in the shadows for personal gain cannot be forgiven."

"Ha! And you believe those lowly shadows?! I don't even know what a Hero Slayer is!"

"Hero Slayer… the Shadow Lords who've long watched over the world's darkness are terrifying indeed. To have uncovered that so quickly…"

Edgerson flinched.

Regas's gaze grew cold.

"You seemed to believe you had control over all of Zerdinger's shadows."

Ssshhh—

Someone emerged from the shadows.

Edgerson's face froze.

"But that's not true. There are shadows in places even darker than you imagined. Everything you said in this hallway has reached my ears."

Edgerson ground his teeth.

"This is all your fault! If you'd done your job properly, Zerdinger would have surpassed Lewellin long ago!"

"That's true. Our generation has no shortage of talent. But is surpassing Lewellin so important?"

"Of course it is! It's not just about surpassing them! It's about making Zerdinger the greatest house of heroes! And yet you did nothing but hide! Talking about shedding blood? Sacrifice for the greater good, you fool! You and your wife and your children all spouted the same naive nonsense! If I had been the family head, Zerdinger would already be the greatest house in Lordren!"

"Is that your final will?"

"You bastard!"

Edgerson lunged at Regas.

Regas spoke calmly.

"You forget—my father didn't inherit the headship because he was the eldest son. Just like our grandfather."

Regas's father, the former head of Zerdinger, had been the second son.

"There's only one reason I became head."

Slice—!

Spurt—!

"Guuh?!"

Edgerson's head flew through the air.

"Because I was better than you. Just like my father was better than yours."

Thud—roll—

"Impossible…"

Edgerson stared in disbelief that it ended in one strike.

Regas spoke calmly.

"Not all heroes are equal. And with your skills, I doubt you would have made Zerdinger the greatest house in Lordren."

bl

Leo hunted down every traitor in the Elder's Hall.

Eventually, he reached Edgerson's office.

Waiting there were Anya, Kirin, and Regas.

"Grandfather?"

"The more I learn, the more ridiculous you are. Holding the world's darkness in your hands all this time… No wonder you showed no interest in the family's inheritance."

Regas chuckled.

'This old man's really something.'

Leo hadn't expected him to arrive here this quickly.

While Leo admired him, Anya stepped forward.

"Sir Leo, here."

She handed him a communication crystal.

"It was made by the Hero Slayer."

"…I can trace its magical residue."

Normally, this would be impossible.

But Leo had hunted countless traitors since thousands of years ago.

Before being the strongest hero, he was the strongest shadow.

Even today, his pursuit and execution of traitors had left even the Shadow Lords speechless.

Then—

Wooooong—!

The crystal reacted.

Leo narrowed his eyes and poured mana into it.

The vibration stopped.

A moment later…

["Leo Plov?"]

The Hero Slayer spoke.