Editor : Amethyst00



"You want to challenge my world?"

"Yes."

Leo silently looked at Xyau, who nodded seriously, then poured himself a drink and took a sip.

A fruity aroma lingered in his mouth.

Though the taste was smooth, it was easy to tell that it was a strong liquor with high alcohol content.

After downing the drink, Leo asked,

"Why?"

There was a hint of curiosity in Leo's eyes.

He wondered why someone would want to challenge his world, of all places.

"Even if you do challenge my world, you won't get any kind of conquest reward."

Only the worlds of those who have already passed away offer conquest rewards.

Leo had once asked Rian, the administrator of the Hero Record, about this.

"Because the records of heroes in the Hero Record are one continuous story. As long as they live, the story continues. Only when their eyes close does the story truly end."

Rian had said that while touching the records.

"Only completed stories can be passed down to future generations. That's the most fundamental law of the Hero Record."

There is one exception.

"The owner of the Hero Record."

Leo can receive rewards regardless of which world he conquers.

"You should know that already, shouldn't you?"

Leo stared into Xyau's dark eyes.

His disciple, Bihar's descendant.

But even so, Xyau bore no resemblance to Bihar.

That's what 5,000 years will do.

Though they may be connected by blood, it wouldn't be wrong to say they are essentially strangers.

However…

"Why do his eyes look so much like her?"

Over generations, Bihar's blood had certainly diluted.

But Bihar's will remained vivid.

Even if, at one point, she was swept up in the obsession of needing to enter the Hero Record as a shadow, that didn't make her wrong.

Leo could only feel sorrow for the shadows who chose to imprison themselves in darkness.

And she felt guilty.

Because the one who left behind the ideals the shadows followed was none other than the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle—himself.

A hero who saved the world, and at the same time, the first shadow.

But for thousands of years, the shadows suffered because of the legacy he left behind.

"If I had acted differently 5,000 years ago, perhaps shadows would have received the same recognition as other heroes."

Perhaps they could've lived lives registered in the Hero Record, not hidden in the background of history.

The gods never denied the achievements of shadows.

Rian, the administrator of the Hero Record, once said:

"There were many among the shadows who were noble and great enough to be recorded."

But they couldn't enter the Record because they themselves denied their own accomplishments.

"The gods considered that the greatest trial of the shadows."

Leo recalled Rian's bitter smile.

As a recorder, he too had felt sorrow for the shadows.

"I hope they can break out of their shell and take pride in themselves."

But the shadows never did.

Even though they sacrificed themselves for the world, they denied their achievements.

Leo knew well that this all originated with him.

"I hunted traitors simply because someone had to."

Originally, that had been the duty of the black dragons.

But Kyle—Leo—drew a line, believing it wasn't right for Lysinas, the savior of the world, to do such work.

Many black dragons who had lived through the age of gods ended up twisted and corrupted in the age of catastrophe.

They became enemies of the world.

Dragons looked down on the work of black dragons.

Kyle had inherited that outdated way of thinking.

Lysinas shouldn't do it—but someone had to.

That was Kyle's mindset when hunting traitors.

Those who dreamed of a brighter future shouldn't get their hands dirty.

It should be done by someone like him, who didn't care about status or honor.

That's all it was.

"I was just a janitor."

That's why Leo never wanted Bihar to help him.

He pushed Bihar away multiple times when she tried to follow him while hunting traitors.

But in the end, Bihar still followed, and they moved together.

Even then, Kyle always said the same thing like a habit:

"If the world is saved, stop doing this kind of work."

"Why?"

"There are plenty of other things to do."

"Will you stop too?"

"No."

"……"

"I can't just sit by and watch those people live in the light."

"Then I…"

"This bloody work is something I can handle alone. You go help Lysinas with her duties."

"……"

"Answer me."

"…Yes."

So later, Bihar tore and kept Kyle's records as a shadow.

The one who taught Bihar that the work of shadows was worthless was none other than himself.

That's why Leo felt guilt toward the shadows.

And that's why he thought of pulling Chen Xia and the others—these shadows—out of the darkness.

So they could finally receive the recognition they deserved.

So the world could see they were heroes too.

Now, many shadows are beginning to step into the light.

They are becoming heroes, not shadows.

That's why Leo couldn't understand Xyau.

Leo is Kyle.

As long as Leo is alive, no one can receive conquest rewards from Kyle's world.

Kyle's story isn't finished.

Act 2 has begun.

Xyau knows that.

Yet Xyau still tries to conquer Kyle's world as a shadow.

He doesn't seek conquest rewards.

He wants only one thing:

To experience an even deeper abyss as a shadow.

Despite the path to the light being open before him, this shadow chose to descend into the depths.

Leo couldn't understand it.

Xyau answered Leo's question with a smile.

"I imagine Lady Bihar felt much the same way as I do."

"…"

Xyau looked at the Book of Shadows.

Bihar's record was in there.

Around the time the world was saved, 5,000 years ago.

Bihar had a choice.

To live in the light like Velkia.

Or to remain in the darkness.

She chose the darkness.

"Because someone had to do it."

"Yes. But that could be done as a hero."

"Indeed. In the future, as you once did, heroes who live in both light and shadow will emerge."

Xyau smiled genuinely.

"It's not even far off. My daughter will likely be one of them. That was always our true nature."

"Exactly. So why do you insist on living as a shadow?"

A time is coming when the distinction between hero and shadow will blur.

There will be no need for anyone to live strictly as a shadow out of duty alone.

A time when heroes are shadows, and shadows are heroes.

Yet Xyau insists on walking that path.

"Because the First Shadow told us we weren't wrong."

Xyau said this proudly.

"If we weren't wrong…"

His eyes settled on the Book of Shadows.

"Then I wish to walk the path my ancestor took."

Conviction burned in his eyes.

"This path walked by so many before me."

Eventually, he raised his eyes to Leo.

"I wish to walk it. And to say—"

"To say what?"

"That the First Shadow has no need to feel guilty toward us."

"……"

"If Lady Bihar had known of the First Shadow's guilt, she surely would've made the same choice I have."

Xyau said firmly,

"That's why, as the last Shadow King, I want to reach the highest peak. I want to overcome your trials."

So he could proudly declare that it had been his own choice.

"You might die, you know?"

Unlike Hero Dungeons, there's no safety net in the Hero's world. You can escape in emergencies, but Kyle's trials were tough enough to make even that difficult.

"That's why I passed the throne to my daughter."

Xyau laughed heartily, downed another drink, and added,

"Anyway, you're just as stubborn as Bihar."

"Hahaha! Maybe it's because I'm her descendant! Come on, have a drink."

Xyau laughed joyfully and poured Leo another drink.

And so, they drank bottle after bottle of the strong liquor.

Amid the scattered bottles, Leo asked,

"So the challenge will be after the imperial succession is over?"

"Yes."

"You'd better be thoroughly prepared. You really could die."

"Don't worry. I've no intention of dying."

"…"

"I fully intend to meet my grandchildren."

Drunk, Xyau added,

"Which brings me to this—now that she's queen, wouldn't a political marriage between Arhi and Xian be perfect? You need a strong ally, doesn't you?"

Xyau said seriously.

"It's not just because she's my daughter—she's really beautiful, isn't she? I'm sure Arhi would have excellent heirs. Oh, and if you already have someone in mind for Arhi's queen, I wouldn't mind. After all, heroes are known to be passionate lovers, aren't they? Honestly, I wanted to have a big harem too…"

As Xyau rambled on, Leo frowned.

"You should go."

"Is there something about Xia you don't like? She's a perfect girl, I tell you."

"Elsie. See the guest out."

At Leo's words, Elsie giggled and escorted Xyau out.

Even as he left, Xyau bragged about his daughter like a doting fool.

Once quiet returned, Leo cleaned up the bottles and headed for bed.

Elsie came back.

"Did the emperor leave?"

["Yes. He was heading toward the knight academy dormitory."]

'Trying to catch a glimpse of Xia, maybe?'

bl

"…"

Chen Xia, who had been tossing and turning in bed, opened her eyes when the smell of alcohol hit her nose.

"Kya—huh?!"

She screamed upon seeing Xyau looming over her, but Xyau quickly covered her mouth so the sound wouldn't travel.

Even someone like Xia, trained in the shadows, couldn't help but be startled by the sudden visit from the Shadow King.

"Father! What are you doing here?"

"I came to meet the King of the Beginning."

Xyau smiled warmly, then turned serious.

"Xia, sneaking in here made me realize—you could easily get into his room with your skills."

"…"

Xia sat up, rubbed her temple, and said,

"What kind of father tells his daughter to sneak into a man's room?"

"It's more common than you think."

"…"

"You know how dirty the world is."

Xia sighed deeply.

"In that sense—"

Xyau pulled out a bottle and handed it to her.

"…What is this?"

"Alcohol. Nothing builds closeness between a man and a woman like booze."

"Thanks for the thought."

"Oh, I laced it with drugs, by the way."

"…"

"Just kidding. Anyway, Xia."

"What now?"

"Your choice of sleepwear is still so childish. You're not that young anymore, you know. That worries me. Because men—"

"I can take care of myself. Please leave."

"Tut-tut! I'm not convinced!"

"Go already!"

"Remember this, Xia! History is often made through nights and drinks! Even you—you were born when I had a drink with your mother during a mission…"

"OUT!"

With a frosty expression, Chen Xia chased Xyau out through the window.

She slumped onto the bed with a heavy sigh.

'Ever since he handed me the throne, he's been acting like this…'