Chapter 142: Korin Guardians
aShE9yO“Let’s end it here for the day.”nae4
0S0pMaster said, dismissing us once she was done looking over everyone’s postures and progress one last time.IxrD
w5qppM“It’s already night. I didn’t realize it because the sun was up the whole time.”m0L
9dM652“…Food.”kOYtet
0Whov“Korin! Do you want to drop by the city and have a bite to eat?”UFzm
1M6c5X“Shall we?”qNj7S
9vuYVEIt was very likely that we would have to stay behind till late quite often from now on, so it seemed like a good idea to find a place to have dinner together or look for ingredients and cook at home. Fortunately, our office was in a good location and it probably wasn’t going to be hard to look for a nice restaurant.tva
QxWZp“Can you stay behind for a bit, Korin?”EI4FoIG
d1NEjx“Master?”AVh9i4O
ew2I gazed at her for a while, before turning to the members of my guild.341bRWe
IFDu11“You guys can go without me.”FCzB
jmYtAcWhen I sent everyone else back, Master Erin hopped forward and started caressing my head.XMjRCI
6dS“You were excellent today. I could see a lot of your expertise in the fine and profound details, let alone your fundamentals.”0xG4taZ
4JGKX“It’s… still far from being enough.”MD4d2hO
VmmThere was something I noticed during the fight against Tates Valtazar when our spears were aligned.OLL
pv07puHe wasn’t going all-out. He didn’t even use everything in his arsenal, and yet I had been absolutely crushed.ZSI
NfkxPWB“Don’t feel too concerned about what happened with Tates. I am here to help you reduce that gap.”8MWMD0I
YNu1a“Thank you.”qXZkeX
iynJStanding on her toes, she caressed my hair one more time before retrieving her spear through the Rune of Return.jSVDZ
KhL“The reason I told you to stay behind is to help you grasp the dormant power inside you – the one that you can’t fully control yet, which right now you are just using as a storage for aura.”v1hexe
FchRr“You mean the Aura Core of Sebancia Duke…?”FwyGDZ
8hX“What a nostalgic name. He was an outstanding person.”VuPUhv
EZ0A2Di“Do you know him?”5bN
DhRv1“Of course. Because he used to be my disciple 800 years ago.”QAA
0FpfLP0“Huh?”piagUe9
ihHEf4uThe Great Hero, Sebancia Duke, who used to have absolute status 800 years ago was one of her disciples?!irc7
ABQLMI“Mhmm. That was when I was roaming around the continent. It was only for 3 years but in his youth, he learned from me before going out into the world.”N9PeJ0K
lJC5Q7NAfter that, in reminiscence, she added how there used to be a rumor about her being an unaging witch.NNWWJ
irzXC“That young boy became a great hero after 20 years of time. It wasn’t so good towards the end, but…”G80
bDWI told her about how I met Sebancia Duke’s soul in the library. She replied in awe, seemingly unaware of the fact that Sebancia Duke’s grimoire had been inside the campus.zJgI
6dIeW“It must have been put in by one of my disciples from 100 years ago, Arum. Back when we were building the Great Library, there was a lot from my collection but there was also the contribution of my disciples.”w2V7x40
cKKfiIt was things like this that made me think about how human relationships tended to mysteriously link over time.AJqyWQ
MWsVt“The fact that Sebancia’s Aura Core ended up in your body, could perhaps be the work of fate.”IN7uozR
bCbaqMaster then said while tapping my spear with her’s.pCK2Q
MC5EA“Try activating that power.”TixYNs
8iyI touched the Aura Core inside me – the one that used to belong to Sebancia and pulled out aura from it.lubePr
R0Yofm❰1st Demonic Spear, Darkness❱20s8VB
uDP“Sebancia used to embed the power from his Aura Core into his weapon, but what you are doing right now is not the correct way to use it.”3l7QC
z3X1aShe rested her spear on my Silver Spear which was now tainted in darkness. When she did, the dark aura that used to dwell in the Silver Spear started moving over to her spear.DF98mG6
DODvv“Huh?”q46sRM
cILJfG“This is evidence that you have yet to master your control over aura. Besides, most importantly, it is because you haven’t understood the nature of Sebancia’s aura.”SMogkf
MyovahHer spear that finished absorbing every bit of aura was now pitch black. She raised the spear high into the air… before striking down as if drawing a cross.wNa
ZHfAma❰2nd Demonic Spear, Heaven Falling on Five Dragons❱HMrS0
2xtJY—Kwaaaaaang!noQ
pF3DcnOA roar resonated across Paradise. The mighty spread of aura sliced apart the distant clouds and injured the earth below.bEHaEVQ
J4xGTV“This is one of the skills that he polished time after time to behead the five evil dragons that were bringing chaos to the kingdom. As for the result… I’m sure you know that already.”tZx1
I9S[Look. This is the heaven-defying power – the one I used in my youth to kill a dragon.]pp9Gyq5
F7n2PI couldn’t help but gulp as I looked at the damage done to the world. It was something that would come out in the legends… Well, it might not be anything strange considering how he was a legendary hero himself.TzpL
iORoa“Right now. You have three things to work on.5Crw
4dy“Firstly, be used to the manifestation of the Sun.CgqQNJF
8SNlFQ“Secondly, increase your skill with the spear even further, until you can truly master the Void.ChS1m
0xJuL“Lastly, you must perfect this power that Sebancia has left behind for you. You must learn how to embed the aura into the weapon using the 1st Demonic Spear, and use the 2nd Demonic Spear to release it, and also learn its final form.”pW97
iswMaster said with a smile while holding her white, glistening spear which regained its luster after releasing every bit of dark aura it had swallowed. It was a perfect and wonderful demonstration of aura manipulation. How much time would it have taken for her to reach that level? And how long did Sebancia take to reach that stage?C7EOdz
5CsFs“Will I… be able to do it?”Gy9
nd5AxjlIt was then. Suddenly, her spear started flying at me. I used my spear to block that sharp, piercing attack and the clash of the two spears created a fluctuation in the air around us.HrX
hVqI-Guuuuuung…!Hl3uD
qFiThe air continued to resonate as howling blades of wind surged out in all directions. It was a simple stab – just one stab and yet… it was followed by all sorts of world-quivering phenomena.fYG8hj
p1o“Who do you think the one standing before you is? I, myself, am the first guardian of this world; the master of countless heroes. I am the Goddess of Heroes.”idvi1GD
Fc8ZLDanann of Justice.t0mBI
DcmMaster of Heroes.JQ4
JYI7bTGuardian of Humanity.AMx
Kp3Q9“I can assure you as the one who has raised innumerable geniuses, that you truly have the talent of a hero. Your talents are real.”brNOlr
typ“Well… I also do think so myself.”45avCKn
6i0XyD9“Fufu. And I’m not just talking about your talent with the spear. You are talented in something that, believe it or not, is by far the most important thing for anyone looking to fight.”YzJd
wb6k“And… what would that be?”Yv8HWHJ
Scd“Conviction. An unbending conviction that lets you pronounce your presence to the world. That is the aptitude, talent, and foundation of a hero.”Xh7
aiMEven though it’s not like I’m full of myself… there are actually a lot of big shots that spoke positively about me.Njj
qrqB0Lunia and Garrand the Sword Emperor were such examples, and even in the last iteration, Master had chosen me instead of Park Sihu. Even in this iteration…kO31
gcPRq[You have the right to inherit everything I once had.]sYH8M
aXJSebancia Duke had chosen me as his inheritor. Like what Master said, there might be something about me that made them acknowledge me.8SylBpJ
8fPgCwR“I will pass down everything I have to you and perfect you. You will become the hero that will save this world, becoming stronger than anyone else.”AFDpP
0NGSaying that it was a gift to the one who volitionally vowed to become a hero, the goddess gave her blessings.eZiJLU
njRmIO***Yk0
sznCeyAfter the training was over, Master and I left Paradise and walked down the streets together.HyoT
4n5y“The restaurants seem to have changed a lot.”SWtV
4o8ub“Have you not been here as Chairman Eriu?”2T9
ZDb2kBK“That was a puppet after all. I did pretend to eat sometimes to avoid suspicion but that was it.”8r8JYgN
cRCxcNKIt appeared that for her, who had been sealed for 80 years, meals were just a way to avoid suspicion.8v6
VHDN“Ah, but Clara sometimes brought me food. Is it true that people eat raw fish these days?”wFe0
06sXnQ0“You mean sushi?”aal2m
Y399YM“Yes. Clara was appalled by it. That seems to be one of Hua’s favorite dishes though.”LSDv
5jHTT“Let’s try it one day.”eN8
AJ0J“Sure. Any time.”pxg6va
hO5VWe started walking again. Even though she should have been here a few times as the chairman, she seemed quite excited now that she was walking down the streets with her true body.c7Gns
vqEqs“By the way, how did it feel manifesting the Sun?”ue0b
xuNu“…Honestly, it still feels like my inside is churning.”YkD8Qc
sjLIt was possible to continue manifesting the Sun thanks to the infinite mana supply of Shadow Paradise but that came at the cost of my body. Making sure that it stayed there on top of swinging the spear was quite a horrendous experience.fu3FjI
Zkm“You have to get used to it. Claiomh Solais has already acknowledged you as its owner.”4I5AS0
uJi2J0“If I could compress the power of the Sun…”OVd
Zpv…I would be able to reenact the ability of the all-powerful King, Eochaid Bres, who had pushed Park Sihu and me into a corner in the last iteration.WKK4FnP
UKrerIThat would literally make me the God of the Sun, but there was another prerequisite that had to be met for that to happen.MGZm68
FUrcN“Don’t push yourself too much. If you overcome the trial at the Treasury, Mag Mell… You will receive Airgetlam of Nuada, made personally by Dian Cecht.”byV
pHOaQDian Cecht, and Nuada… When saying those names, there was a flicker of reminiscence and nostalgia in her eyes.SwGUi9
8JTUVW“…Were they your family?”yAPLeN
N5uurt“Yes. Dian Cecht, Nuada and Lugh… We were all part of a family, because we – the Danann were one big community.”KKBaVK
VAKwQUVDanann.cAeAWh
NIqThe race that used to reign over this land before humans – the so-called gods.zttk
4YgeW9LThis continent, which was created by the Sky Titans, and enriched by the Danann, was invaded by the Goidels. They absorbed the goodwill and teachings of the Danann and eventually rebelled against the gods, opening up the era of heroes.MDY
ELeUG4Buried in greed, they took Paradise for themselves, which was recorded in the Book of Invasions of Erinn.54amo
uXRG4RThe Danann thus fell from grace. Everything crumbled down, with the future weighing on the shoulders of a young Danann who had the same name as Paradise.JRodxPf
q7pi4sy“Looks like I have gotten old, seeing how I feel nostalgic out of the blue.”ydVJ
HR8oSW“That has nothing to do with age. Everyone’s like that.”wMm
mvBMP“Fufu… I don’t think you should, considering how young you are but…”Y5qvfpn
NAuSjz8Master turned towards the sky with a blank gaze. She stared at the dark night sky as if relying on the stars above to reminisce about the past.wo76Ol
JHq“They have all left. They left after fulfilling their duties. At times, I used to resent my ancestors for leaving preemptively, while leaving everything behind in my hands.”K7khV
YeD0oniA thousand years.0p1FpVx
5nHbsl6There was most likely no one in the world who could understand what was going through the mind of the final Danann, who had been quietly fulfilling her duties for over a thousand years.Yjlekyk
fDEj966“That must be why I was so delighted. Valtazar – Tates… was a child left behind by the ancestors. When I realized that I wasn’t the last of my kind like I had originally thought… I must have become too emotional.”VO9KGq
399She blankly lowered her gaze towards me.okp2e
DlRNz“I made a very big mistake in the past, and I have the duty to rectify it. Do you understand what I mean?”9X3pja
0UX7“Are you… really going to involve yourself?”fmbGaF5
BFn0“I can’t leave it to children, can I?”qLK3uSu
EWn8dBThis topic had been a constant source of dispute for us. I wanted to hide her in the Shadow Paradise as much as possible but… in the end, I couldn’t dissuade her.s3BZ
Sms93“Adults can’t hide behind children. Even if something bad were to happen to me, I…”PcD3L
1ia7gZG“Erin.”4vnUf
Uc39P“Huh?”aUtgHa
AJhqfqWhen I suddenly called her by her name, Master widened her eyes into circles and looked straight at me while blinking her circular eyes. Looking down into her eyes, I forced her next to the wall and declared.NPQFTt2
feR“In the future, I lost a lot of my companions. To Fermack, Dun Scaith, Dumnorix, and Eochaid… my comrades were killed, and there were many people I couldn’t save.”1l0
EUvak“Ko… rin?”l4KO
2Nrm“That includes you.”PUF3haM
0xp“But this… is something I must do…”8IOI8h
efSj“No. This time, it’s different. I won’t let a single person slip by. No one will be left to die.”LI1q0mE
mRYHzFV“Uht…?”BERHp
TOL4DjThis might be a form of obsession and me being stubborn, but if I really was someone worthy of being chosen by the God of the Sun, by the system, and by the Master of Heroes…kUfuS
CFHZb“You are not going to die this time. Because I will save you.”fjSM
wMiS7eU“But that’s…”Kesw0
W57I“Trust your disciple. You said I have the qualifications of a hero, did you not? Erin. All you have to do is trust me and stay behind my back.”DUdXf
E5N676iPerhaps I was being arrogant. Maybe I was way too self-centered.4t5MR
Uya“I will not disregard the misfortune of the good. Ever since I engraved that vow onto this body, I have never given up on you.”att
R49“…”uU60sz
MOg4YA“So don’t act like you have lived enough or like you are ready to leave the world in front of your disciple. Ask anyone here and they’ll say you look like my younger sister.”iTre
3n0V“That’s just because I don’t age…”y5t
QiWGz“It doesn’t matter if you have lived a long life or not. Both you and I still have a long way to go. We can continue to live while anticipating what will come tomorrow.”RKcUN
c8IEZUFacing her, who still seemed dumbstruck, I floated a wide smile.eERI
qCB8“E~verything will turn out just fine. I am sure it will.”Atakj
s4Ucqz“Fufu…”ep6Wnb
lFwZ9XAt last, she started to smile again. She appeared dumbfounded seeing a youngster like me acting like an adult.oIg
PrLDJi“Right. You are an adult.”aqCnY5D
HCbWmnK“Of course. I am obviously a very mature adult if you consider my experience from the future. I’m 22.”2zt
ZQmI was actually over 40 but… that was beside the point.OFPhvp
HrCYY8B“You are still wayyy~ too young. Compared to me.”Fj0aM
Yl9qWP“Nope. Everyone’s a friend above 20.”R9O3fbg
Efko3IX“Really?”FCQugxo
1poNt“So go out, have some delicious food, make friends, buy nice clothes and enjoy your life. You have someone who is willing to do all of that together right next to you.”JZC0I
06dD“???”ONsE
g4aMaster looked around, before turning back to me with flushed cheeks for some reason.F90boV
hVN2l“Then can you do that with me, Korin?”vop5P
TI38“Why not.”KMg
eD9CCnDI was actually talking about Lady Josephine but… well, I guess she wasn’t here right now.eG2Jf2
I6c“Let’s do everything together.”SU99cc
gnR“Ah~ I’m so lucky! I wasn’t expecting such a fortune to arrive near the end of my life… Uht!?”mpVal83
EZAShe was acting like this was the end of her life again so I chopped her head with my hand. Master Erin gazed up at me in stupor with blinking eyes after being hit by her disciple all of a sudden, but I brazenly opened my mouth.61i7Fp
hNZIO9“You look so pretty and young but that’s all for nothing when your mind is so old! Cynicism and pessimism are far from being helpful.”NRaa
ZydxDx“Umm… Right.”UbCuGP
ArOzF“The amount of time you have lived until now doesn’t mean anything. Stand up. Make your back straight! Bring your chest out! If you have the belief that everything will be fine, you can be considered young no matter how old you really are.”i0Rp42m
brmx2“Haha. Where did you learn to say these things?”ZpO
Vd7wg“They all come from the honesty of my heart, beautiful lady.”337gKa
8GgHolding onto her hand, I kissed the back of her hand and looked at her with a smile.v3wiLLH
8kP“Seriously… I can’t beat you with words.”iXkLYH
JXxdJg“A master shouldn’t be trying to beat their disciple.”ygkaR
yjcThe reason I went back in time–lA1O
MzaThe reason I shouldered the destiny of saving the world instead of the player.f6sM0
xU79PaHIt was all because I was one hell of a greedy bastard, who wanted to save everyone.BVIoQU8
diRxJThis was something I could not back down on.8JJtG2e
wMXqx4The world saved by me needed to have everyone in it. No one was allowed to be out of that picture.083Fgj
DuMP5lcThat night, I pledged to myself yet again.9Dz
6I8py***V3D0qf
mSFdCpGermain Luther was a spy dispatched by the Old Faith.zFL
q816His role was to save Captain Laurent, who was arrested while attacking Hua Ran under the command of Bishop Renault Lusignan, as well as gathering information from Merkarva and sending it to the headquarters.leXu
rryThe original plan was to save Laurent in collaboration with the Tower of Mages, but unfortunately for them, the stupid mages of the Tower ended up ruining it.y1H
SszAfter Elder Morushtan was arrested by Saintess Estelle, they became too hasty and were in too much of a rush.LKDetG
GyLWThis was why he didn’t like the heretics of the Tower… And yet despite all that, they still had the guts to tell him to find out the date of Elder Morushtan’s relocation to the Grand Chapel of Zeon.4PZ
YWKKKIt was incredibly irritating, but Germain was the only one inside the Academy who could gather meaningful information so there was a lot on his shoulders.rXCCJ
fR83qp“Huu…”toYP
UttOIt was great that he was able to smooth his way into the Academy without raising any suspicion, but because of the aggressive actions of the special ops of the Old Faith and the rash terrorist attack of the mages of the Tower, the Academy was currently on full alert mode.qbfBAsB
UcarNOHe was stopped no matter where he went and gathering information became a lot harder, meaning that it was going to be an arduous battle.W5xLq
Hyg2ZAs a single student, who was a mere freshman, it was difficult to find reliable pieces of information.sdo
gEyhaUsThat day was the same as always. Germain was walking across the campus without any success.RYSdgi
1jLCYq0“Hoh~. Look who it is. It’s one of our promising juniors, isn’t it?”Hz8GSsq
tblsS6rSomeone amicably spoke up to him. It was a very familiar voice.MtaikRQ
eQa4“Umm… Senior?”Cmxwa
rwn“How are you doing these days? Doing alright?”T8vdr3J
aT4A 2nd-year Senior threw his arm around his shoulders with his usual wild-looking smile on his face. Germain was quite fond of his open attitude that easily let him befriend anyone.0ys
w0K“Haha. We just finished our interim exams so… I can finally take a breather now.”rI1pSh
pDRP“Oh yeah? It is a lot harder in your 1st year, because of all the other subjects that you need to take apart from your electives.”CCbxe
gpKThat was one of the other problems that deterred Germain from gathering information. Although the Academy was well-known for giving a lot of spare time, that was only for the 2nd years and above.aUrLgLS
pggNnFreshmen students had to learn survival skills, map-reading skills, and whatnot, so it was incredibly difficult to find time apart from late afternoons.a8be
HZf“Oh right, Junior. Do you remember my offer?”MwLJVL
QCWRkk“Umm… By offer, you mean…?”qa0QuP
jkdboao“I just created a Guardians Guild. It’s hard to find someone with good skills like you even from the 2nd year students after all. So, how does it sound?”zL0iuK
5RlTThoughts on joining our Guild?csWzre3
klQde[Be mindful of the help that comes when you need it the most.]8W2VZe
dklJxGermain Luther was still too young to be rational enough to understand that concept.EgjH
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