The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned
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Rustle, rustle.
The demonic beast emerging from the thicket didn’t seem large enough to warrant the name "demonic beast."
At most, it was only slightly taller than the average adult male.
In fact, if it stood next to Berald, Berald would probably appear larger in stature.
“....”
Its build and physique were modest, to the extent that at a glance, it was difficult to distinguish it from a human.
Yet, despite its humanlike appearance, there was one grotesque feature that immediately marked it as a demonic beast.
It had no nose, no mouth, and no ears.
Its face was devoid of any proper sensory organs, as though it had been burnt and melted away.
All that could be seen were five pairs of eyes covering its face.
‘A Ten-Eyed demonic beast, huh... It certainly has a peculiar look.’
Just by looking, it was impossible to deduce what kind of creature this demonic beast had originally been.
“That demonic beast....”
Professor Elisha's eyes trembled slightly.
I released my arm from around her and stood up.
“Have you seen it before?”
“...Yes.”
Biting her lip, she gave a small nod.
I wanted to ask where she had seen it and why her expression was so grave, but—
“Groooaaaahhhh!”
The demonic beast let out an eerie cry and raised its right arm.
Its arm warped like mud, molding into the shape of a crimson blade.
“Tch.”
For now, questions could wait.
Dealing with that arrogant demonic beast, which was radiating murderous intent, was the priority.
“Hoo...”
I let out a short breath, summoning my magic.
The mana dormant in my Stigma flowed through my bloodstream, spreading across my entire body.
“Groooaaaahhh!”
The demonic beast charged at us, emitting an unsettling howl.
For a brief moment, I wondered how it could make such sounds without a mouth.
Then I readied my sword, pointing it toward the approaching demonic beast.
Woooom!
The demonic beast’s arm, now a crimson blade, burned fiercely with a dark red aura.
‘A demonic beast that can wield aura.’
Just seeing that savage, blazing aura was enough to understand why people said only the strongest among the Rankers could handle a Ten-Eyed demonic beast.
Clang!
Swords clashed, sending a powerful shockwave up my arm.
Despite its humanlike appearance, a demonic beast was still a demonic beast.
Its raw physical capabilities far surpassed those of any human.
“Bind it!”
Shwaaaaak!
Professor Elisha launched webs of silk that ensnared the demonic beast.
“Groooaaaahhh!”
Professor Elisha staggered as the demonic beast thrashed violently and was almost pulled toward it.
“Ugh!”
In the end, she had no choice but to sever her own threads.
Professor Elisha glanced at the corpse of the wolf demonic beast we had fought earlier, her face grim.
“Just two extra eyes, and it’s this much stronger....”
“Well, starting from the Ten-Eyed level, the power scales drastically.”
I shook off the tingling in my hand and gripped my sword again.
“But... even so, it’s definitely stronger than a typical Ten-Eyed demonic beast.”
I had fought several Ten-Eyed demonic beasts in my previous life, but one this powerful was rare.
“......”
Professor Elisha bit her lip, as if she had some idea about its origins.
Leaving her behind, I took a step toward the demonic beast.
Sure, it was stronger than an average Ten-Eyed demonic beast.
It could wield aura, and its strength was overwhelming for its relatively humanlike size.
But—
‘At the end of the day, it’s just a Ten-Eyed demonic beast.’
I had once burned a demonic beast from the Abyss with twelve eyes to ashes.
Of course, I wasn’t in my “Avatar” state like I had been back then.
“Ignite.”
But I could still imitate it.
Fwoooosh!
Ashen flames roared around me, engulfing my body.
Gray smoke billowed from my pores, spreading like a dense fog.
“Hah...”
I exhaled a breath of ash and then—
Boom!
Kicked off the ground.
“Groooaaaahhh!”
The demonic beast swung its right arm, now a crimson blade.
That arm, blazing with dark red aura, was—
Ashen Sword 1: Refract.
The ashen flames coiling around my sword severed it cleanly.
“Groooaahhh!”
A scream erupted.
The demonic beast clutched its right arm, which I had just cut off, and bent over.
Taking advantage of the moment, I swung my leg in a low arc toward the demonic beast.
Whack!
My kick struck its leg, sending its body staggering.
Its leg bent at an unnatural angle.
“Groooaaahhh!”
With a scream, the demonic beast’s twisted leg melted into a muddy mass, reforming into a sharp scythe.
The demonic beast spun its body and swung the scythe upward, aiming for my head.
“Not so fast!”
Professor Elisha crossed her hands in an X and spread them wide.
Dozens, no, hundreds of threads shot out toward the demonic beast.
“Groooaaahhh!”
Perhaps because it had already cut through her webs once, the demonic beast didn’t hesitate and swung its scythe.
However—
“So presumptuous.”
Elisha’s lips curled into a cold smile.
She brought her hands together and twisted them sharply.
Shiiiiiing!
The hundreds of threads intertwined in midair, forming thick ropes that wrapped around the demonic beast’s leg.
The demonic beast froze, unable to move.
“Groooaaaahhh!”
It thrashed and roared, but no matter how much it struggled, it couldn’t break free from the ropes binding its leg.
“Stay still, you pest.”
I approached the flailing demonic beast.
‘I’ll capture it alive for now.’
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Drawing a small cut on my hand, I let blood trickle out and summoned my blood sword.
Thud!
I plunged the crimson blade deep into the demonic beast’s chest, like driving a stake.
“Grooo... grooo...”
As the blood sword greedily absorbed the demonic beast’s life essence, its movements visibly weakened.
“Now then...”
I turned to look at Professor Elisha.
Professor Elisha stood silent, her lips pressed tightly together, gazing down at the demonic beast with a complex expression.
"Professor."
"Ah... Sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment."
"Where did you encounter this demonic beast?"
"......"
Professor Elisha closed her eyes briefly before speaking in a slightly trembling voice.
"When I was a child. I remember seeing it when my village was attacked."
"Then..."
"Yes. It's not just a wild demonic beast; it's a servant demonic beast of Jackal."
"......"
A servant demonic beast of Jackal.
‘So the appearance of powerful demonic beasts in a C-rank danger zone...’
It was all orchestrated by Jackal.
"But why would a servant demonic beast of Jackal be here...?"
Professor Elisha furrowed her brows, unable to comprehend.
Previously, there had been an incident where Jackal managed to infiltrate the academy’s exam grounds with a servant demonic beast, but that had been no more than a minor demonic beast of the lowest rank.
But this demonic beast was a "Ten-Eyed" rank, one of Jackal's most powerful servant demonic beasts.
There was no way he would send such a demonic beast here without a significant purpose.
And then...
"It doesn't seem like it's just one demonic beast."
"Excuse me?"
Professor Elisha's violet eyes gleamed as she scanned the bushes where the demonic beast had appeared.
"There are multiple traces of demonic beasts. It's likely that other servant demonic beasts are also here."
"Then the low-rank wolf demonic beast from earlier as well..."
"It’s probably another of Jackal’s servant demonic beasts."
"......"
Jackal commanded an army of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of demonic beasts.
This might mean that they had come here in force.
"Candidate Dale."
Professor Elisha turned to look at me and asked.
"In your ‘previous life,’ did anything like this happen?"
"......"
The appearance of Jackal’s servant demonic beasts near the Hero Academy.
Even though over a thousand years had passed, an incident vividly etched in my memory resurfaced.
"Yes, it did. There was an incident where Jackal’s demonic beast army appeared near the Hero Academy."
"Oh?"
"But..."
I grimaced as I continued.
"That incident happened ten years after I graduated... which means about 12 years from now."
Twelve years into the future.
It was during the time I had just finished ten years as a mercenary and had formed a party with Yuren.
"What exactly happened?"
"......"
That day.
Although I hadn’t been at the scene, I knew well what had transpired.
"An attack."
"...An attack?"
"Yes. A large-scale assault by Jackal’s demonic beast army."
"......"
Professor Elisha's expression stiffened.
"Jackal attacked the Hero Academy?"
"Yes."
I nodded and continued.
"To stop Jackal's demonic beast army, heroes from the three allied nations gathered... and a war broke out between over a thousand heroes and the demonic beast army."
And then.
"In that war... Professor Elisha succeeded in killing Jackal."
"......"
Did she sense something in my expression?
Professor Elisha gazed at me with heavy eyes.
"And what happened after that?"
"......"
"After I killed Jackal... what happened to me?"
"...You died."
That was the end of 'The Spider with the Cursed Eyes,' Elisha Baldwin.
"I see."
Professor Elisha gave a faint, bitter smile, as if she had expected that answer.
"Hearing about a death I don’t remember from someone else... it’s a strange feeling."
"It’ll be fine."
I placed a firm hand on her shoulder and said in a determined voice.
"This time, I’ll protect you, Professor."
"...Ahem."
Professor Elisha let out a dry cough and averted her gaze, turning her head away.
The tips of her ears, visible through her black hair, had turned red.
"Anyway, does that mean another large-scale assault by the demonic beast army will happen this time?"
"Not sure. Just the appearance of Jackal's servant demonic beasts near the academy isn’t enough to confirm that, but... it’s possible an assault could happen."
"We should report this to the headmaster right away."
If there was a chance of a large-scale assault, preparations had to be made.
"Let’s head back to the academy."
"Understood."
After taking care of the captured Ten-Eyed demonic beast, Professor Elisha and I carried its body down the mountain.
Once we loaded the corpse into the trunk and got into Professor Elisha’s magical vehicle to head back to the academy—
"Wait, is that...?"
"......"
Both Professor Elisha and I froze in unison.
In the distance, the Hero Academy came into view.
From there—
Thick black smoke was rising into the sky.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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