LHAHS Chapter 520
After Harrid's special hero studies lecture ended, the second-years couldn't help but be in shock.
Observing the students' serious expressions, Leo murmured inwardly, Anyone who dreams of becoming a hero, not just the second-years, would find this lecture utterly shocking.
"I can't believe it," Chelsea muttered blankly. "The records in the Hero Record have been erased?"
"This isn't a simple matter," Eiran also murmured with a serious expression. "Even though the Iron-Blooded Mage, Tiaru, was confirmed to have been resurrected as an undead, her record wasn't erased."
"On the other hand, the Nether Knight Thamus had his record erased even though he wasn't confirmed to have been resurrected," Chen Xia added, looking puzzled.
I'm the one who laid Tiaru to rest and erased Thamus's record.
Leo had limited the information Mel could disclose regarding his previous mission.
My reputation is already more than enough. If it grows any further, it might become an obstacle.
An unprecedented all-class hero, the youngest student council president, the youngest to be recorded in the Hero Record—Leo was already a hero who commanded the world's attention.
That meant that he had the potential to overturn the established order in an instant, because when such a figure emerges, those who maintain the world's balance will react in one of two ways: they either follow him or oppose him.
Besides, no matter how unprecedented an all-class hero was or how he already had his name in the Hero Record, to the existing heroes, he was still just a rookie.
Just like with the Justice Guild, if persuasion doesn't work, some won't hesitate to resort to violence.
Leo let out a small sigh.
"Hey, Leo. You're connected to the Iron-Blooded Mage and the Nether Knight, aren't you? Did you erase their records in the Hero Record?" Carl suddenly asked.
The three girls who had been deep in conversation turned to look at Leo.
"Yeah, that's right," Leo replied.
Everyone's expressions twisted in shock.
Carl clicked his tongue. "You seriously never fail to defy common sense. Ah, but I guess being a Great Hero is already beyond common sense."
"Then, did you erase all the other heroes' records too, Leo? Huh? Huh? Was it you?!"
"That's amazing! Sir Leo!"
"Now that I think about it… the Book of Shadows was also completed the moment Sir Leo touched it, wasn't it?"
"Wait? Then that means even the Hero Record is within your power?"
Leo nodded. "Yeah."
"How is that even possible?" An excited Chelsea hopped up and down in front of Leo, demanding answers.
Leo patted Chelsea's head and said, "That's because the Hero Record was mine to begin with."
"What?"
"It was yours to begin with?!"
Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
"Yeah. That's why I have the authority to record and erase names. On top of that, I can also receive additional rewards from conquests."
"So the reason you were able to bring the other Great Heroes out of the Hero Record was because you're its rightful owner!"
"That's right."
Everyone let out awed exclamations.
Chen Xia nodded. "The puzzle pieces are finally coming together."
Carl let out an impressed "hoooh" and stroked his chin.
"What weird thoughts are you having now?" Chelsea narrowed her eyes and asked sharply.
Carl replied, "Lately, I've been seriously considering whether we should start a religion around Leo."
"A religion devoted to Sir Leo?" Eiran perked up, showing interest.
"Yeah. We can call it the Church of Leo."
"That's lame." Without a shred of hesitation, Chelsea scrunched up her face in disgust.
"Hey, you can't just call it lame right in front of Leo."
"I wasn't calling his name lame. I was saying your idea is lame."
"Why?! This is a golden opportunity to make a fortune!"
"If you keep trying to use a Great Hero as a money-making scheme, you're going to get struck by divine punishment." Chelsea scoffed.
Chen Xia chuckled, "Then, was it Sir Leo who recorded Lunia's name in the Hero Record?"
Currently, Lunia had also caused an uproar with the title "Follower of the Nebula".
Leo shook his head. "No, that was Luna."
"Lady Luna?"
"Yeah. It seems like there are others besides me who have the authority to record and erase names."
"How is that even possible?"
"The gods said it was a gift to me for saving the world, but considering the circumstances, it seems more accurate to say it was a gift to the Great Heroes."
Hearing the utterly ridiculous explanation, Carl shook his head in disbelief. "Now we've got actual gods getting involved? By the way, with a hero assembly being called over the Hero Record, things are going to get noisy at school, huh?"
"There's no avoiding it. A lot of heroes must be seriously on edge," Chelsea let out a sarcastic chuckle.
Harrid's special lecture made it clear that he didn't view all heroes positively, but he wasn't the only one who felt that way. There were plenty of people who looked at heroes with disdain.
"There are many who indulge in privilege simply because they are heroes." Chen Xia smiled faintly, but unlike usual, her eyes were ice cold.
Carl leaned back with his hands behind his head and murmured lazily, "Well, if Leo has the authority to erase names, doesn't that make the entire assembly pointless?"
"Hmm… Maybe this is a good chance to clean up all the ones who don't deserve to be heroes," Leo muttered.
The four of them froze.
Carl, Chelsea, Chen Xia, Eiran were all hero candidates, so they didn't need to imagine how chaotic things would become if countless heroes lost their qualifications.
Even if it was necessary, the immediate aftermath would be pure chaos.
As they stared at Leo with tense expressions, he smiled faintly. "I was joking."
"You were joking, right? You really scared me!" Eiran let out a bright laugh.
No, that didn't sound like a joke at all.
If it were Leo, he'd totally do it if he felt like it.
Should I request Shadows from Father and the Shadow Lords? There might be some heroes among those whose qualifications were revoked who will cause trouble.
However, the other three knew full wellthat Leo was entirely capable of following through with that "joke."
As the five of them made their way toward the dorms, a rift suddenly began to form right in front of Leo.
Zzzzzzt—!
Leo narrowed his eyes and halted in his steps as a massive spatial distortion appeared before his eyes.
What is this?
Chen Xia flinched and immediately stepped in front of Leo. "A spatial distortion?! Could this be a Hero Dungeon?"
"Wait! There aren't any Hero Record fragments or anything like that here!"
"Step back for now! Before we get sucked in!"
Chelsea, Carl, and Eiran shouted in alarm.
Leo, who had been silently watching, said, "Calm down. It seems fine."
"What?"
"It does look like a Hero Dungeon… but it's stable."
Leo reached out and patted Chen Xia's shoulder as if to reassure her.
Only then did her tense posture relax.
Standing at the entrance of the Hero Dungeon, Leo narrowed his eyes and said, "Go call the professors."
News of the sudden event spread rapidly throughout Lumene. The five students who had discovered it first were sent to the Tower of Heroes to explain the situation, while the Hero Dungeon was placed under the professors' control as a precaution.
However, even after an entire day, there was no activity from the Hero Dungeon. Curiosity among the students only grew, but since their duties as students came first, everyone attended their classes as usual.
Eliana pouted in the second-year knight department's training ground. "I mean, yeah, sure, students should be responsible and all, but self-study after such an exciting event? The professors aren't even here!"
"It's not self-study, Eliana. We're having sparring practice for the first time in a while." Assistant Professor Claria smiled. "By the way, Eliana, I heard you've been researching magic with the magic department students and Professor Len lately?"
"T-That's…"
"You were always so adamant about being in the knight department, but now you're betraying your class?"
"Aaauugh!" Eliana's face twisted into an expression of distress as she sent desperate glances for help.
However, most of the students averted their eyes.
Class Prezzzzz! Save me! Eliana searched for Leo to rescue her, but unfortunately, Leo was late to class today.
Just as Claria was closing in, a voice rang out from the entrance.
"Kuh—! This place is the same as ever."
Claria furrowed her brows and turned her head. "You are…"
"It's been a while, Claria. You're still as beautiful as ever."
Claria narrowed her eyes. "Sir Kaodin."
"Kaodin? The Crimson Lightning Kaodin Kruken?"
"That guy showed up?"
"But wasn't he…?"
The second-year knight department students murmured among themselves upon hearing his name, but one of them cut off mid-sentence.
"Hmm? Junior, what were you trying to say?" Kaodin smiled and approached the student, extending a hand.
Thud—!
"Guh?!"
The male student's body lifted off the ground.
Kaodin smirked. "If you're in the knight department, you should have the confidence to speak your mind."
"Put him down, Sir Kaodin," Claria coldly commanded.
"Claria, if it's your request, I must oblige." Kaodin smiled amiably and let go.
"Gah! Huff, huff!"
"Sven, are you alright?" Chen Xia stepped forward to support her fellow student.
Kaodin let out a low whistle as he watched. "Skills? Check. Personality? Check. Looks? Check. A Shadow though… what a waste."
Chen Xia ignored him with a click of her tongue.
Claria stepped in front of Kaodin as if shielding her. "What brings you to Lumene?"
"Am I not allowed to visit my alma mater? Besides, I need to clear the unjust accusations against my great-grandfather."
Kaodin Kruken was a knight hero recorded in the Hero Record, an archer known by the alias Crimson Lightning, a classmate of Ain during their school days, and the great-grandson of Meterrar Kruken, who was resurrected as an undead and invaded not long ago.
"Claria, are you really planning to rot away as Ain's assistant professor forever? Why not join my Valkyries instead?"
Kaodin gestured toward the entrance of the training ground. Standing there were twenty highly skilled and strikingly gorgeous female knights.
"I am satisfied with my position as Assistant Professor under Professor Ain," Claria replied icily.
"You should come to me before that beauty of yours withers away. Or what? You kept denying it, but are you and Ain actually an item?"
Kaodin's words made a chilling aura rise in Claria's eyes.
"Don't insult Assistant Professor Claria." Chen Xia stepped forward, smiling faintly.
"Haven't you been taught not to interrupt when adults are speaking? Or is it because you're a Shadow that you don't understand knightly etiquette? In that case, you're a failure as a Shadow too. A hero is speaking—know your place."
"The Dragon Queen declared that heroes and Shadows are equals."
"No matter how great the Dragon Queen may be, she can't overturn traditions that have lasted for thousands of years in a single day." Kaodin sneered. "Or what? Do you want my attention? I may not accept you into my Valkyries, but I suppose I could make you my personal guard. Shadows are useful even at night, after all."
Kaodin's gaze roamed over Chen Xia's face and body.
Claria's patience snapped. "You fucking bastard! How dare you say that to my student…!"
Chen Xia cut in, beaming brightly, "How unfortunate. I already have a master to whom I have pledged my body and soul, but even if I didn't, I wouldn't want anything to do with filth like you."
Boom—!
His face twisting, Kaodin kicked Chen Xia in the stomach.
Crackle! Fwoosh—!
At the same time, two longswords crossed against his throat.
"Tck. Why are brats so rude these days? Haven't your elders taught you to respect your seniors?"
Kaodin's eyes gleamed murderously as he looked at Celia and Duran, who had drawn their swords against him.
"Then what about you? Did your parents not teach you any manners?"
Step, step— Thud—
Standing at the entrance of the training ground, Leo gazed at Kaodin with icy eyes. "If you want to be treated like a person, stop acting like a goddamn animal."