Chapter 247
Crunch—!
Fritz crushed a skeleton’s skull with his bare hand.
Swish—
As his body spun like a top through the air, red threads scattered from him.
Crash-crack-crash-crash!
After demolishing the skeleton squad, Fritz adjusted his glasses.
“There certainly are a lot of them.”
The endless stream of undead pouring in from the corridor was enough to exhaust anyone just by looking.
But Fritz’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
“Need a hand?”
Chen Xia, following behind him, asked.
“There’s no need for you to step in, Senior.”
Fritz gave a faint smile.
Whiiirr—
The red threads dispersed around the area went taut.
A unique magic woven from Fritz’s blood and mana.
“Blood Flame.”
FWOOSH! BOOOOM!
Flames engulfed the entire corridor in red fire.
Using the scattered red threads as fuses, Fritz incinerated the undead in an instant and smiled with a soft chuckle.
Chen Xia frowned as she looked at him and asked,
“You alright?”
“What do you think, Senior?”
Instead of answering her concern, Fritz adjusted his glasses again and replied with a question.
“Didn’t I seem a bit like Senior Leo just now?”
“In what way? No, more importantly, are you alright?”
“Senior Leo’s main attribute is fire, isn’t it? So I tried mimicking him with magic. Of course, with my lacking ability, I’m nowhere near his level, but just a little… just a tiny bit like Senior Leo—”
“Leo doesn’t really stick to a specific attribute when using magic. But seriously, are you okay?”
“As expected of Senior Leo!”
Ignoring her concern entirely, Fritz pulled out a notebook and jotted down a new fact about Leo.
‘He seems fine…’
Despite blood pouring from his hand, Fritz didn’t seem bothered at all.
It wasn’t blood from a wound.
Because his magic involved using blood, the backlash from casting such powerful spells caused heavy bleeding.
‘His mana trait is a double-edged sword.’
He could gain overwhelming attack power by consuming blood, but the caster also suffered significant consequences.
‘An unusual freshman, that one.’
Thinking that, Chen Xia smiled gently.
‘I wonder what kind of freshmen enrolled this year?’
Looking at Fritz naturally led her to that thought.
But she soon shook it off.
‘I won’t be returning to Lumene anyway.’
With a bitter smile, Chen Xia continued walking.
Fritz sealed his wounds and took out a red potion from his coat, drinking it.
An alchemical elixir to replenish lost blood.
“Fritz, was it? You really admire Leo, don’t you?”
“It wasn’t this extreme at first. I simply thought he was someone worth protecting as a Shadow… but after meeting him in person, I realized it.”
Fritz placed a hand over his heart as he walked behind Chen Xia.
“He truly is someone worthy of respect.”
“…That’s true. Leo is an incredible person.”
“If you meet him and talk with him yourself, Senior, I’m sure your thoughts will change too.”
“No. I can’t meet Leo right now.”
‘If I do, the resolve I’ve made might collapse.’
“If Leo truly becomes the greatest hero someday… I’d like to meet him then.”
“No. The one who’ll become the greatest hero is me.”
At the voice from the shadows, both Chen Xia and Fritz stopped walking.
Fritz took a defensive stance, while Chen Xia let out a deep sigh.
Step. Step.
A man in bloodstained white clothes—Xian—emerged from the darkness.
He smiled as he looked at his fraternal twin.
“Long time no see, Xia.”
“…It’s been a while, Xian.”
“You don’t look happy to see me.”
Xian smiled and spread his arms.
“We’ve never gone this long without seeing each other. Aren’t you being a bit cold?”
“I never wanted to see you again.”
Fritz flinched and looked at Chen Xia.
‘Is this really the same person?’
The warmth she had shown just moments ago was gone.
With a face like ice, Chen Xia approached Xian.
“Because if we meet again, I’ll have to kill you again.”
He may be a traitor, but he was still her flesh and blood with whom she’d spent her entire life.
Thinking she had killed him by her own hands had been one of the most painful moments of her life.
She didn’t want to go through that again.
But Xian was too twisted a monster to ignore that pain.
“I wanted to see you again. I have a lot to ask you.”
Xian smiled gently.
“I heard you enrolled at Lumene and played the hero cadet. Why’d you do that?”
He asked curiously.
“You know better than anyone. Unlike me, you’re not someone who fits the role of a hero.”
At his words, Fritz’s eyes twitched.
“Enrolling at Lumene would only leave you more wounded.”
Looking at Xian who spoke with such apparent concern, Chen Xia smiled faintly.
They’d been together since childhood—she knew.
Those weren’t words meant to hurt her.
He truly was worried.
‘That’s just how he is.’
“You talk nonsense. Senior Chen Xia is more suited to be a hero than anyone.”
“Oh?”
Xian chuckled at Fritz’s remark.
Then scoffed.
“Hardly. She’s more suited to be a Shadow than anyone.”
He shrugged, dismissing Fritz’s claim.
Chen Xia didn’t deny it either.
‘There’s a difference between what you want to be and what you can be.’
She forced herself to ignore that truth and pushed her way into Lumene.
But after seeing other hero cadets, she had no choice but to admit—she couldn’t become a hero.
“Chen Xia, you can’t become a hero.”
Xian said seriously.
“So don’t keep hurting yourself. You’ll only end up miserable.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
Chen Xia raised her hand.
She wasn’t angry.
Fsssh—
A killing aura radiated from her body.
“But Xian, you can’t become a hero either.”
At that, Xian let out a deep sigh.
“That’s a shame. I thought you’d understand me.”
Xian smiled sadly.
“You were always the one who understood me best.”
Of all people, it had been Chen Xia who’d felt most sorry that Xian could never become a hero.
She had been the one to tell him the most that he was suited to be one.
“I thought you understood me.”
The expression faded from Chen Xia’s face.
“But I was wrong. You’re insane.”
“So, in the end, you’re no different from the rest of the common rabble.”
Fwoosh—
Chen Xia vanished.
Splash!
Her [Aura of Water] surged over Xian.
Xian swung his sword in response.
Whooosh!
The wind howled.
BOOM!
The water aura scattered in all directions.
“You can’t beat me, Xia.”
Xian smiled as he looked at her.
Whsssh—
A light breeze stirred.
Seeing that, Chen Xia deployed her aura.
RUMBLE! CRACK-CRACK-CRACK—!
A raging storm of wind burst from Xian’s body.
A razor-sharp gale that destroyed everything.
Fritz quickly retreated.
Fwoosh—!
But Chen Xia didn’t back away and instead rushed into Xian’s arms.
Xian’s eyes twitched at the sight.
Like flowing water.
Dodging Xian’s wind aura naturally, Chen Xia closed in.
Thump!
Both her palms struck Xian’s chest.
Flash—!
Her eyes lit up blue for an instant.
BOOM!
Xian’s body blasted backward.
Like a water cannon exploding, water surged in every direction.
She had compressed her water aura and released it all at once in a massive burst of water pressure.
CRASH!
Xian slammed into the wall.
Chen Xia clutched her side in pain.
She had taken a hit from his counterattack.
“You’ve gotten stronger.”
Xian mumbled in admiration as he stepped through the hole in the wall.
Then he scoffed.
“But you’ve lost your edge.”
“…”
Chen Xia glared at him coldly.
“You used to be far more dangerous. Looks like life in Lumene dulled your edge.”
Xian clicked his tongue.
“See? That’s what happens when you try to be something you’re not.”
Fssht—
Chen Xia’s body vanished into the shadows.
Seeing that, Xian’s eyes glinted with bloodlust.
“That’s disappointing. I wanted to remember your end as a Shadow.”
Fwoosh—!
Whoooosh!
‘A Hero Ability?’
Hidden in the shadows, Chen Xia’s eyes widened at the sight of Xian emitting a blazing [Aura of Flame].
“You’re not even worth remembering.”
CRASHHH—!
The flaming aura exploded.
Chen Xia was thrown across the ground, completely overwhelmed.
Ssshhh—
Smoke rose from her body.
She had been slashed by a flaming strike.
Looking at her, Xian turned without hesitation.
Then he looked at Fritz, who had been caught in the blast, and smiled.
“You’re still alive?”
“Ghh…”
“I’ve sworn to eliminate every Shadow in this world.”
Fritz raised his magic power.
Xian lifted his sword and smiled.
“Let me put you to rest.”
Splish—!
A hand slapped into a puddle.
Xian flinched and turned around.
He saw Chen Xia, head bowed, struggling to rise.
His eyes twitched.
“You’re still alive?”
Chen Xia lifted her head.
Her eyes burned with icy killing intent, making Xian grin.
“Persistent, aren’t you?”
He approached her.
“But Xia, you must’ve felt it too, right? The overwhelming difference in power.”
Whoosh—!
Aura swirled around Xian’s sword.
“It’ll be easier if you just give up. Consider it your brother’s final mercy.”
Clench—!
“…!”
Chen Xia took a step forward.
The ground sank beneath her.
Compressing her aura, she spoke coldly.
“Keep your mercy.”
BOOM!
Chen Xia slammed her fist forward.
Xian was struck squarely and sent flying.
RUMBLE!
He smashed through the wall and hit the floor, grimacing.
‘This is taking longer than I thought.’
Thud—
Xian stood up and brushed debris from his body.
Step. Step.
Chen Xia was approaching.
‘She should’ve hit her limit… How is she still moving?’
That last attack had been Xian’s strongest strike, pouring everything into it.
‘I can’t afford to be held up by someone like Xia.’
He felt anxious.
He had assumed killing Chen Xia would be easy, but she was still battle-ready.
And though he tried to deny it—he was afraid.
Afraid of the possibility that Leo might catch up to him.
‘I’m going to the underground. Now.’
Ignoring Chen Xia, Xian ran.
‘Xia will follow me. Then I’ll get Kyle’s sword first—dealing with her can come after.’
—
The innermost underground chamber of Shan’s imperial palace.
Only Shan’s royalty could enter.
Even then, none could approach without the emperor’s permission.
But Xian arrived easily.
The palace was currently under siege by the Necromancer King’s legion.
The Shadows protecting this place had already been eliminated.
‘Father and the other Shadows must be captured by Artkan.’
Of course, the Necromancer King’s army would soon be wiped out.
But as long as he secured what he came for and escaped beforehand, it didn’t matter.
Xian approached the sealed door.
The powerful seal passed down from previous generations responded only to royal blood.
He smeared his blood on his hand and placed it on the door.
RUMBLE—
The door opened.
Step. Step.
Inside was a massive archive.
All of it was records left behind by the Shadows—unknown to the world.
The emperors of Shan had regarded these records as treasures.
The deeds of the Shadows.
Though no one acknowledged them, they had always stood behind history.
But to Xian, it was laughable.
“It’s not like the world’s going to recognize any of this.”
Even if it did, no one would acknowledge them.
Not unless it was written in a Hero Record.
People didn’t recognize achievements unless they were officially recorded.
The only reason these archives even existed was because they couldn’t get their names into the Hero Records.
“A Shadow is just a Shadow. That’s why they’re worthless. Xia.”
Xian looked behind him at the approaching Chen Xia.
“Then why come here to this archive?”
She asked.
Xian pointed to a sword mounted on the wall.
“For that sword.”
The only weapon in the entire place.
“They say it belonged to the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle.”
Chen Xia’s eyes widened at his words.
“Kyle’s sword…?”
“Yeah! Tartarus told me about it. That our founder might’ve been one of Kyle’s disciples.”
Xian smiled at her shocked expression.
“I don’t know how we ended up degraded to mere Shadows, but this is fate.”
He pointed at himself.
“Now that the world knows the Hero of the Beginning was real, I, a descendant of his disciple, will inherit Kyle’s Hero Record.”
“You believe Tartarus?”
Chen Xia looked dumbfounded.
“Why wouldn’t I? So Xia…”
Step. Step.
He approached the wall and drew the sword from its mount.
“Rest easy. I’ll inherit Kyle’s power and destroy Tartarus myself.”
“You’re still spouting that nonsense…”
Chen Xia frowned and glared at him, but then froze as she looked at the sword.
‘Wait, that sword… I’ve seen it before.’
She’d seen it somewhere.
Xian hadn’t noticed, but she remembered it from one of her classes at Lumene.
‘It was during Hero Studies…’
Crunch—! FWOOSH—!
At that moment, wind aura exploded forth.
Chen Xia quickly deployed her aura to block the storm.
BOOM!
“Guh?!”
But she couldn’t hold it off and was slammed into the wall.
CRASH—!
She collapsed to the ground, buried under falling records of the Shadows.
“Incredible.”
Xian looked down at the sword in amazement.
“Still this sharp after 5000 years! And it channels aura so well.”
Even at a glance, it was clearly a divine sword.
“Truly the work of a god-tier blacksmith.”
Xian trembled with excitement.
Thud—
At that moment, Chen Xia began to rise.
Her body trembled.
“You’ve reached your limit.”
Xian walked toward her calmly.
“So why are you still struggling?”
“…Probably because of something I heard over and over again this past year.”
“And what was that?”
“They told me… to surpass my limits.”
Xian let out a long sigh as she took up a fighting stance with a smile.
“Looks like Lumene really broke you.”
He looked at her pitifully.
“Let me say it again, Xia. You can’t become a hero.”
“I know.”
“Then why keep pretending to be one?”
Those who step into darkness can never return to the light.
Too much blood stained her hands to ever be a hero.
From the moment she stopped believing she could be one, the gods would never acknowledge her.
If even she didn’t recognize herself, no god would.
But still…
“Can’t I dream?”
Seeing Chen Xia smile so brightly, Xian felt an odd wave of disgust.
It was the same pure smile she always wore.
Yet now, it seemed blinding.
And for some reason, it made him feel nauseous.
“Dreams are meant to be broken. You know that, right?”
Xian raised his sword.
“You could never beat me. The only reason you came close back then was because I slacked off in my shadow training.”
Just as he sneered and moved to strike—
“Do you really think that’s something to be proud of, you pathetic idiot?”
A mocking voice rang out.
Chen Xia’s eyes widened.
Xian scowled and turned toward the entrance.
Step. Step.
“Leo… Plov.”
“I once knew someone who had the most absurd dream.”
Leo smiled at Chen Xia.
“And he said—dreams exist to be fulfilled.”