Editor : Amethyst00



"Hey, you, the fox girl over there."

"Y-Yes?"

At Azonia's call, third-year student Ruwen looked startled.

Ruwen usually had a slightly irritating personality.

Unlike other Azonia students who liked to fight fair and square, Ruwen enjoyed using her brain and setting traps.

She didn't particularly like head-on confrontations.

After all, she was a mage.

She was a very unusual type within Azonia.

Even so, she was the third strongest among the formidable third-years of Azonia.

In Azonia, strength is respected.

Survival of the fittest.

That's why, depending on the nature of the leader—i.e., the student council president—the atmosphere of the school could vary drastically.

But even in such circumstances, strength was law.

Still, due to her personality, many people rejected Ruwen.

Living in that environment had made her develop a feisty personality.

But right now, she looked completely intimidated.

Her tail and ears drooped, and she glanced around nervously.

But that was true for the other Azonia students as well.

Standing before them was the successor of the Brave Aaron and the founder of the school—the Grand Warrior.

No beastkin could help but feel small in front of her.

"I'm thinking of taking command in place of the timid Aaron here."

"Lord Aaron isn't timid! He's brave!"

"You've been talking down to me every time Aaron comes up, huh?! Huh?!"

Azonia flared up and grabbed Aru's cheeks.

Aru squirmed, trying to escape Azonia's grasp.

Watching this, an Azonia student was struck with admiration.

'Our boss really is an idiot.'

They never imagined anyone would dare talk back to Azonia like that.

Still, there was a sort of respect in that consistency.

Of course, Azonia didn't dislike Aru, who acted like a wildcat.

In fact, she liked her.

'Well, the others are reacting normally, at least.'

Azonia glanced sideways at Aru, who was rubbing her cheeks and muttering to herself.

Beastkin society has a strict hierarchy.

They obey the strong.

It's a basic instinct of beastkin.

However, beastkin also have a surprisingly stubborn side that refuses to acknowledge others easily.

'If we had only ever submitted to the strong, we'd have been wiped out or enslaved long ago.'

The drive to challenge the strong and fight back is another beastkin instinct.

Beastkin obedience to the strong only activates when an overwhelmingly powerful leader who can guide them appears.

Beastkin are good at recognizing and following a true leader.

The problem is that a beastkin capable of uniting all others has rarely appeared in history.

'Even Aaron lacked that quality.'

Azonia glanced at Aaron, who was looking around anxiously.

Aaron wasn't a natural leader.

'He's the lone-wolf type. Sounds funny saying it like that.'

Whatever the case, Aaron could inspire courage in people but wasn't suited to lead a group.

He was a lone powerhouse who shaped great tides by his own strength.

That was the man named Aaron.

In contrast, Azonia was a born leader.

With her outstanding leadership, she had accomplished the nearly impossible feat of uniting the beastkin.

The current beastkin culture and power structure had been established by her.

Her innate qualities were why other beastkin shrank in her presence—not because of her achievements, but because of her sheer presence.

But not Aru.

She seemed submissive but got defensive easily.

Azonia poked Aru's blushing cheek and murmured inwardly:

'She must have been born with leader-like qualities too.'

And yet, she also had some of Aaron's traits.

'She's a really unusual cat.'

Azonia patted Aru's head and looked toward Ruwen.

"Support me as a strategist."

"A strategist?"

"Yeah."

It was obvious at a glance that Ruwen was the smartest among the Azonia students.

Of course, Azonia wasn't just leading the Azonia hero candidates.

'Looking at the big picture, she's perfect for the role.'

Azonia's instincts as a leader were telling her.

That fox beastkin was the perfect strategist.

And so, the students began to gather around Azonia.

"Aru."

"Yes?"

"You go with Aaron and find Master Agon."

"Okay! Lord Aaron, let's go!"

"Huh? Oh, right."

Aaron was dragged away by Aru.

Once he was gone, Azonia pointed at Damien.

"Alright, the students selected by this pretty dwarf gentleman here should listen to what he says."

Whack!

"Gah?!"

"Who are you calling a pretty gentleman, you damned beast."

Without hesitation, Damien punched Azonia in the jaw.

Then he stepped forward in front of the students.

The students stared at him in shock.

A dwarf who just socked the jaw of the Grand Warrior, the Hero of the Dawn?

They couldn't even imagine that Damien himself might also be a Hero of the Dawn.

"……"

Damien looked at the students.

He had intentionally hidden his true identity in history.

He had always been a shadow.

The real Damien—who should have been the true hero—had given him everything.

His identity, his name… even his life.

He thought of his friend, his benefactor.

'You said you wanted to follow in Lord Dweno's footsteps.'

But the real Damien lacked the necessary talent.

Even so, he never stopped trying.

He was the very definition of relentless determination.

But when the world fell into crisis,

He gave everything to his shadow without hesitation.

'If it's you, you can carry on Lord Dweno's will.'

And in that crisis, his friend, though not a shadow, died as one.

To honor that friend, Damien erased himself from history.

Damien looked at his successors.

The seeds planted by the Heroes of the Dawn to save the world.

The students of the Hero Academy.

If he revealed his identity to them, the real Damien might vanish from history forever.

But still…

'As the founder of the school, I have a duty to protect the students.'

He had to shield these still-green kids and send them into the future.

'I'm sorry, Damien.'

He apologized to the real Damien.

Of course, his friend would've just gotten mad, saying such things didn't need apologizing.

"My name is Damien."

He revealed his identity.

The students' jaws dropped.

Even Azonia's eyes widened in surprise—she hadn't expected him to reveal it either.

"Today, Raysar has fallen into the hands of traitors."

Damien calmly explained the situation.

"To save the city, we need to hunt the traitors."

And so, he addressed the first-year shadow candidates gathered there.

"If you want to become heroes, stay. That is by no means the wrong choice. However…"

His beautiful voice gained weight.

"Being a shadow isn't the wrong path either. There are things only shadows can do. Saving the heroes who save the world—that is the essence of a shadow."

Thus began the birth of countless heroes.

Several silent first-years stepped forward after hearing Damien's words.

"Huh? Zerev?"

"Why are you going over there…?"

"Sorry. I'm a shadow candidate."

Zerev, a first-year from Lumene, gave a bitter smile as he apologized and stood before Damien.

Gasps of surprise came not just from the Lumene students, but also from Seiren, Azonia, and Damien's own first-years.

Damien looked around at the first-years, nodded, and disappeared into the darkness.

The shadow candidates followed him into the shadows.

Azonia clapped her hands as she watched the stunned remaining students.

"Alright. Let the experts deal with the traitors. We need to take the walls of Raysar."

The invaders weren't just the summoned Erebos.

Countless monsters brought by Erebos were also descending.

Holding the walls was essential to fight them off.

Azonia grinned.

"This is going to be the most brutal battle you've ever faced. Be ready."

At her words, the students swallowed nervously.

bl

As time passed, more Hero Academy students and shadows arrived at Godthrone.

"Looks like the ones who got dragged in but aren't here must've landed near Raysar."

Elena said with a cheerful smile.

"Hmm. I see. By the way, you…"

"Yes, Lord Dweno?"

"Ever considered becoming a nude model?"

"If I can pose with him!"

Elena beamed and clung to Leo's arm.

"After all that idiocy, turns out you're still a man."

"We're nothing. Don't say weird things."

"I don't care about your love life. Just strip for me before we leave tomorrow."

"Get lost, you damned pervert."

"Don't be so stingy. Be a man and take it off."

"I said get lost."

"Boo~ Don't be stingy~ Be a man and strip~"

Elena jeered from behind Dweno.

Seeing Leo's annoyed glare, she ducked behind him.

"By the way, when are you going to tell Lysinas and Luna about your identity? Especially Luna—don't you have to tell her to wipe out the army invading Godthrone?"

"I have something in mind for that."

"Sounds like an absolutely ridiculous plan."

Dweno clicked his tongue.

Leo just shrugged.

bl

That night.

Leo visited Luna's home.

"You really shouldn't visit an older woman's house at this hour."

Luna pressed on Leo's nose.

Then she saw Elena nearby and smiled.

"Girlfriend?"

Leo shook his head.

Luna tilted her head, then asked,

"So? What brings you to this big sister?"

"Lady Luna."

"Yes?"

"I am your descendant."

"……"

Luna's eyes wavered for a moment.

Elena looked down at Leo, speechless.

"Elven blood runs through my veins."

"Wait, what? What are you even talking about…?"

As Luna looked flustered, Leo simultaneously released aura, mana, and spirit power.

Luna's mouth dropped open.

"All-Class?"

"Yes. I am your descendant and also Lord Kyle's."

Luna's mouth opened and closed.

Then she composed herself and grew serious.

"I see… No wonder you seemed familiar… But to think you're a descendant of both me and Kyle…"

She blushed and smiled happily.

It seemed Leo's ridiculous lie had worked.

Watching this, Elena murmured inwardly,

'This guy's even selling fake medicine now?'