Chapter 284: The Hero
lTHmIn remote regions where signal barely reached, a blimp with a massive screen crossed the skies, broadcasting the face of Heavenly Sword.8s4
47b3It was the handiwork of Victor Poison, president of the Association. Thanks to it, the entire world could watch Heavenly Sword’s speech live.2mb4
1jXGEven satellite-manipulated signals reached a place where they normally never would: the Demon Realm, Gehenna.Eq3c65
9W2yF[Let upon us… fall the blessing of the gods.]qkvv8
83vKf9“……”FjjmQsn
ewA9Leon turned off his phone’s screen. Reflected in the black glass was his own distorted face—like that of an enraged demon—staring back at him. Seeing that image, a wave of revulsion surged within him.rgX0
uLLP0PCrunch.Zhj
DBubJHis veins bulged red as he gripped the phone until it warped. Then he hurled the mangled chunk of metal like a spear. It shot off like a meteor and disappeared into Gehenna’s horizon. His strength, from grip to throw, was overwhelming.EJdfh
l8a“Looks like someone’s in a bad mood, Hero.”Tmh
cxfThe voice came from Herya, who had appeared beside him like a ghost. Leon shot her a death glare and turned his back. He didn’t want to talk to anyone.UbU9KED
6o61“I’m not in a great mood either today.”rybt
4XNqIImHerya rubbed her temples and sighed. It wasn’t something she usually did, but it came out naturally, like a habit. All because of Kang Geom-Ma.QqjZDk
T9h‘Your face.’jmMn
1SBLThat phrase still echoed near her ears, like a buzz underwater. Herya pressed her lips tight. She was feeling something she rarely did—annoyance.tNUcg
QaxwR“Calm down, Herya. It doesn’t matter. Lord Kuarne will deal with him anyway.”2cp92ZH
VB7V4GV“No.”eGG9
nCTJpS2Leon reacted to Herya’s murmur. He turned his head a third of the way, his eyes glinting coldly.hz5gYga
xppCxO“I’ll be the one to deal with Kang Geom-Ma. That’s the reason I’m here with you.”L7jvA
NI4U2oX“That… well…”mLUj
tevvHerya hesitated a moment before replying.C6tWiVa
3IyF“With all due respect, he’s not someone you can take on alone, Hero. It’s not that I underestimate your power, but with the war beginning tomorrow, it’s important to have an objective understanding of oneself.”detE18m
Q506JFFLeon was strong. Since returning to the Demon Realm and accepting the power of Balmung, his strength had grown by the day. But it still wasn’t enough to reach Kang Geom-Ma. As rude as that brat was, his presence alone was overwhelming. Now she understood why Lord Kuarne had been watching him for so long.r24
bnd2p“Hero, you are not on Kang Geom-Ma’s level.”IZF
RZ1gJX9That’s why Herya decided to say what she truly thought. It wasn’t to vent. Really, it wasn’t.XgbC
gDvhMO“……”HYaTIiQ
7zKvm0pLeon didn’t reply. He simply glanced at her. The air between them turned heavy and quiet.IdW
AGMIt was just then that Leon placed a hand on the hilt of Balmung. Around him, a gentle light began to spread like mist, forming a brilliant white shroud.EkdeW8
6HycFlash.pBRvL7b
f1OzlA white space appeared suddenly. It felt like midday, but with stardust floating in the air, it also evoked the night. The sky, the ground, the structures—everything became abstract, like a piece of modern art that wasn’t meant to be understood.vcVju
8KaiaThe stars glowing in the white sky began to take shape. Not just one, but two, three, four—they multiplied endlessly, until the count lost all meaning. Herya saw them all reflected in her translucent pupils.KBg
OkoTX“Those… they’re…”rhb
I6yiTrHerya felt a chill in her bones. She understood by instinct. That infinite, singular being watching from above was—VlTRYa
PD1“A god.”IL5A
pbxy1As she uttered the words, the scenery returned to normal. Herya quickly looked at Leon.DsPSn
VdAL“Hero, you…”gBp
DbOMBut Leon didn’t want to hear the rest. He turned away again.2lAKF
PLmdYEHerya watched him in silence, then let out a short laugh.6ck3C6
p0PZLMDestiny was already sealed. Catastrophe—that is the fate of mortals.JHWcs
Bg3f***RyqPd4T
mXb“Leon.”lYq
yZ9xKRIt was a day before he began to mature.v2FBWeq
1dI1eO“The day you were born, half the world smiled with you.”yzAUXwn
p3UOi5aThat’s what his father said as he gently patted his head. Embarrassed, Leon softly pulled away from the gesture. As he brushed back his messy blond hair, he asked:YBdvY4
3yycT“If half the world smiled… does that mean the other half didn’t?”Pu4e
t4MHis father smiled. Or at least, it seemed that way. In truth, Leon had never clearly seen his father’s face. It was always covered in shadow, as if the light was behind him.21qOJb8
c2lApPw“Son, nothing in this world has only one side. When one side laughs, the other cries. When some are full, others go hungry.”w06Hk3
QmqT0kDLeon replied, eyes wide and curious.TAv2dk
Jfbs“Can’t everyone be happy? Why should only one side benefit?”fcHAxqg
FHwnJMx“Mmm.”B5jc69
rbHsHHis father murmured, stroking his chin, seemingly searching for gentle words. Leon noticed, but pretended not to. He just wanted to spend more time with him—his father only visited once a year.fgTbG
NWbJQK4Once, he had asked why they couldn’t be together every day. His father had dodged the question awkwardly.7VAgc
uwkyeHLeon didn’t press. He assumed there must be a good reason—maybe his father was out protecting the world. That’s what he believed.zwm
BqhAHe believed in his father. If he couldn’t trust the brightest man in the world, what else was there?0nnSAG
4sFiJ“A world where everyone is happy… with my limited imagination, I can’t picture it, Leon.”TsAHof
hmh3VAfter a while, his father smiled again. Then he added:rUkwNo1
jC2Ofw“But if anyone can make it real, it’s you.”lMR
rwmTV“Me? How can I do something even you couldn’t?”QwyV4Z
QFTK0b6Little Leon pouted. He was upset. He didn’t like his father putting him above himself. He couldn’t accept the idea that the person he admired most would diminish himself.Pk7
PlVJc“Precisely because you’re you.”QJz5yZ
J1MfepuStill, his father spoke with unwavering conviction.9jtm4
8fjxPLv“Leon, you can. You’re the son of your mother and me. You can make the whole world happy.”qUzTJld
jLi1txk“……”Abq5C
jF3CJtHis father knelt to his level. Leon inhaled softly, biting his lower lip.UfmgEGh
Cqu38m“I believe in you.”IcnQI
8EBW6iWith that, his father vanished once again for another year. Leon was left alone once more in the dark cave.srD
SCxHis father had told him his mother died giving birth to him and had returned to the gods. Since he had no memory of her, he didn’t feel particular grief.qWf
11afFor him, his father was enough. When he felt deeply lonely, he would just repeat his father’s words—that someday, once everything was over, they’d live together. He longed for that day.FoOIa
UDRCQHwWhen that same day came again the next year, it was finally time to reunite. Leon was excited since morning. He prepared a simple meal to welcome him. For something made by imitating books, it wasn’t bad.cfIcTj
tD2VhgThen, an explosion rang outside the cave. Leon lived in a cavern within the Demon Realm, Gehenna. Slaughter among demons was common, so it didn’t surprise him at first.TOAl9Bp
axTpa“Aaaaahhhhhhh!”K6luy
fwHBut the scream that followed froze him. It was his father’s voice. In that moment, Leon’s senses awakened. His perception sharpened, and the whole scene played vividly in his mind. For a moment, his heroic potential blossomed.nrEPi
I4YCjBang!s63k
pGiILeon burst through the cave door and ran out. Dust kicked up behind his heels. His steps were fast and firm—unbelievably so for a ten-year-old.rTdxyOS
jnI0He reached the source of the scream, breathless. Desperately, he searched the ground for his father. Nothing. Though panic gripped him, his senses had never been sharper.9pb6
gjvzDvHe closed his eyes. Then opened them. An instinctive act. For a moment, he shed his humanity and released his divinity. His brilliant blue eyes opened wide and looked up.4WJ0
099JK“……!”qK2zcW
oz6A black sun. At its center, hanging like a crucified puppet, was his father. Of his 36 wings, 34 had been torn off. Those severed wings floated behind him, spinning in circles as if alive.RR3
CNX3YVIt was a horrifying sight. His father, Metatron, had been executed like a criminal.U2E3p5
1q5“Dad!”MRUm4Y
5OnmHearing his son’s voice, Metatron slowly raised his head. Leon’s eyes widened. Torn eyelids, skin laced with bloody scars, flesh devoured to reveal organs and bone—it was the first time he saw his father’s face without shadow.igG4F
eYiOw“D-dad…”9YSYbs
wiq67v8His lips trembled. Still, his subconscious was processing everything. He analyzed the surroundings and grasped the situation.iWUx
52V8JHis father was being judged. Only one kind of being could punish Metatron—a god.v5m
RsvtQY1“…Son…”Ff8B
29GEFHis father rasped. White, viscous blood dripped from his cracked lips.HlXH2
Ei97u0A“Run… get out of here.”W5l
gexCraaaack!wCZ0VwK
ma6XdVeAnother wing was ripped off. Metatron coughed blood and groaned. At that moment, Leon’s patience snapped.Pyh4WT
ayLmHe lowered his body, ready to leap. His thighs tensed. He no longer thought rationally—only emotionally.gNQ
ypoNU69But then—0ZatZvY
lWXBOOM!QgO2N
S03rThe air beside him distorted, and an explosion blasted him backward. He was flung far, beyond the nearby forest. Despite being so small, he shot through the air like an arrow.dRz2gNL
K2cc87Thud. Thud. Thud. Leon bounced off several trees before crashing into a large rock. He peeled off it like a sticker with no adhesive.CNxa
8YH“Ugh…”VbK
YoIb7SFClawing at the ground, he tried to stand. His legs burned as if on fire. The bone in his left leg had broken through the skin like a nail. He couldn’t even walk.sjWh
xaHuLsKLeon collapsed. Overcome by helplessness. That scene had been too cruel for a ten-year-old. But what hurt most was—Udj
ZvH‘It was all my fault.’6nk6
MHntteThe immortals punished the mediator for becoming distracted. His father ended up like a dog boiled alive. Everything was lost—no mercy, no forgiveness.5l0
2LrGYStep, step.GBVR
X1O1mlTFootsteps rustled through the underbrush. This was the Demon Realm, land of demons and beasts. An encounter was inevitable.5EYN7gJ
5MEabLeon felt his blood run cold, his vision dimming. His eyes lost all light. He was ready to die.86N
NcGK“Are you alright?”BvjQ5
bKzXQFrom the bushes emerged a man, dressed head to toe in white, with a beautiful face. He looked completely out of place in this hostile land.ZbxB
FKftnA“Your father requested I save his son. That’s why I had to throw you like that.”QyPU1Y
dNpCuHe snapped his fingers, and as if by magic, Leon’s wounds began to heal. Even so, Leon stared at him warily, like a cornered animal.0pGwb7
ajKd“Well, well…”SQPjp3e
TNZhfIXThe man gave a gentle smile. Then, without forcing conversation, simply turned and walked away.p2dlO
Fvs“…Who are you?”9Er2
ThysIHM“The enemy of your enemy.”ZNCc
a9w8sRThe man replied, slowly turning his head.4vt01Wa
m28“In other words, a temporary ally.”avRedq
2vUOThus began the first meeting between the hero… and the Second Corps Commander.2OMXCH
xyEZt***kXDqP
hv0Leon opened his eyes. The scenery shifted from past to present.ut3
ddb2YIn both, the black sun continued to burn fiercely above Gehenna’s sky, as if trying to incinerate it.Eme
ewtbQe“Father.”WHDbjg
59eQ93wLeon bowed his head. The Demon King’s army, pouring out like a torrent, parted like the Red Sea to form a path. At the end of it, Kuarne approached in even strides.z944Vt5
swv“The moment has finally come.”5ooXy
PYEcKuarne smiled benignly. Though of the same race as his father, they were opposites in every way. Metatron, even blood-soaked, still shone with splendor. This man, though spotless on the outside, reeked of rot within.3Pii
9LdY‘…Aren’t I the same?’6T9
tuPoEuLeon bowed his head even lower. He no longer had the face to look up to the sky.ul5
8oXXW‘A world where everyone could be happy.’sY4tBsF
7P4hY3HHe had turned his back on his father’s dream. Instead of universal happiness, he chose vengeance.UUc
HoiNot everyone can be happy, Father.bt5h9tn
V33He had come too far to turn back now. One foot already dangled over the edge of the abyss.kLZc
IUmdg9G“Seems my nephew is lost in thought, right before the big event.”5lc6
ZiL0wXKuarne shrugged and stood at the center of the legion. He looked around expressionlessly and joined his hands in a seal.NcH0hft
J4ZWhooom—bI2sWi
HUsAA slight vibration spread. The ground beneath their feet lit up and sank. In the next instant, everyone felt like they were floating. In fact, they were suspended in mid-air.Kpjw1
Ftef5P4「Sinkhole.」SHZ0
KgvAUBeyond the massive hole that opened lay a different landscape from the Demon Realm—one Leon knew well: Joaquin Academy.BUyrwM
qWq“Drain humanity of everything and strip them of what’s theirs.”e2VE
0d2As Kuarne issued his divine order, gravity returned, and the demon army plummeted in droves. As they fell, they cast elemental magic—water, fire, earth. Like wolves finding prey, they licked their lips, bared their fangs, and let out grotesque cries. Only bat wings were missing—they were practically demons in every sense.Ec2
2zkCSM“Damn it.”9LAc
lfvC…From the sky’s gaping hole, a black army rained down. Kang Geom-Ma, already prepared for a counter, wasn’t particularly surprised. He was more baffled by the ridiculous showmanship.mN76bU
fkuStill, since they’d made the first move, it was time to return the favor with a proper welcome.3LE
0AgIcD3“Until I cut them down.”Q2NLWW4
61LTDN···
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···oaazof
I7CFebruary 7, 2035, Solar Calendar.sPPn
T3PHenThe beginning of the Second Great Human-Demon War.voD
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