The Last-Seat Hero Has Returned

40. The Unchanging b*stard (1)

The Sealing Festival was over.

Due to the unprecedented situation of the demonic beast attack, this Sealing Festival was recorded as the worst festival since the founding of the Hero School.

Perhaps the only silver lining was that there were no casualties among the general tourists and cadets.

There were many injured, but thanks to the quick response of the professors and some cadets, the worst-case scenario was avoided.

However, even though there were no casualties, would the incident of demonic beasts rampaging within the school be dismissed as a mere happening?

The school declared an indefinite closure and devoted all efforts to uncover the truth of the incident.

Well, they used grand expressions like devoting all efforts, but in the end, not much truth was revealed.

The identity of Professor Morpheus, who was the general manager and person in charge of the festival, was a demon.

He had disguised demons as merchants and infiltrated them into the school, causing this commotion.

Right after the commotion, Professor Morpheus disappeared and fled outside the school.

This was the content announced by the school.

Naturally.

After the outline of the incident was announced, all kinds of criticism were directed at the school.

The fact that a demon had disguised himself as a professor and had been active as a professor for several years without anyone knowing.

The fact that they couldn’t reveal who the demon disguised as Professor Morpheus was, or what purpose he had for causing this commotion.

The fact that they ultimately let the main culprit escape, and so on.

Due to these various issues, the public opinion, which was heading towards the worst situation, could barely be calmed down by the intervention of the current principal of the Hero School and the third-ranked hero in the Tri-Nation Hero Comprehensive Ranking, ‘Thunder God’ Lionel Ryu.

“This incident is my fault for being away from the school for so long, so blame me.”

Of course.

There was no one who could question the hero of the ‘Ryu’ family, known as the third-ranked hero in the Three Kingdoms and the top family in the Republic.

Thus, with the return of Lionel Ryu, the monster disturbance was settled.

The Hero School was preparing to return to normalcy after a two-week break.

* * *

The training hall inside the school infirmary.

It was a training hall used by injured cadets for rehabilitation training.

‘Those who use the private recovery room also have a private training hall.’

Money is indeed good.

Beep.

[Hero cadet ‘Dale Han’. Identity confirmed.]

As he opened the door with his Hero Watch, a training hall about 20 pyeong in size appeared.

“Let’s see.”

He sat in the middle of the training hall and gently closed his eyes.

He spread the magic power sleeping within the stigmata widely through his meridians.

‘As expected, my magic power has increased since the fight with Ashtaroth.’

Of course, it wasn’t as if he had gained near-infinite magic power like when he was engulfed in the primordial flame.

The magic power currently residing in the stigmata was about half the average amount of magic power possessed by cadets.

Compared to before the fight with Ashtaroth, his magic power had increased by about 1.5 times.

‘The important thing is that this increase didn’t happen gradually but all at once.’

Magic power was something that was supposed to be accumulated gradually through daily breathing techniques.

Of course.

There were rare cases where magic power could increase all at once by taking an elixir that increased magic power or by gaining some kind of enlightenment, but those were extremely rare.

“So, if I can wrap myself in the primordial flame like that time, my magic power might increase again…”

The primordial flame, which had fiercely burned while enveloping his entire body, had seeped deep into the stigmata and remained still since the end of the battle with Ashtaroth.

‘If I could enter the state of Fire God at will, I wouldn’t have to worry about magic power in the future.’

The state of Fire God.

It was a name he had given to the phenomenon where the primordial flame enveloped his entire body.

‘For now, I don’t even know why I entered the state of Fire God in the first place.’

Recalling the memories of that time, he had formulated a few hypotheses.

‘The first hypothesis is experiencing many deaths in a short period of time.’

The primordial fire reacting to my ‘death’ was something I had learned through the magic training that took place four times a day, so I thought it was the most likely hypothesis.

‘Even when I died until my mind was exhausted like that time, I did not enter the incarnation state.’

I secretly left the recovery room without Iris knowing, repeatedly dying and coming back to life, but the primordial fire showed no reaction.

‘The second hypothesis was to use all my magic until it was exhausted.’

Again, the primordial fire did not move an inch.

“The last, third hypothesis is….”

Honestly, I had doubts even while forming this hypothesis.

‘The primordial fire moved in response to a strong will.’

When my mind was filled with the single thought of saving Iris.

Suddenly, the primordial fire began to wrap around my entire body and burn fiercely.

“In terms of order, this is correct….”

I was still not sure if the primordial fire moved for that reason.

“It’s not like some shonen manga.”

I let out a deep sigh and shook my head.

Anyway.

One thing became certain after several tests.

‘There is currently no way to enter the incarnation state at will.’

Therefore, it was right to think of the incarnation state as a power outside of my control.

‘You can’t include a power you can’t control in your full strength.’

I put aside thoughts about the incarnation state and gripped my sword.

If the incarnation state is a power outside of my control, then the only thing I gained this time is magic?

‘That’s not it either.’

A shiver ran down my hand holding the sword.

A strange sensation as if the sword and my hand were connected as one.

It was a sensation I had never felt before, even after wandering the continent for thousands of years, wielding a sword.

‘My swordsmanship has reached a new level.’

When I properly executed the technique I had always imagined in my head, my swordsmanship, which had been stagnant for many years, suddenly surged as if a blocked blood vessel had been cleared.

“Well… even if I say I executed it properly, it was only once.”

Moreover, now that the incarnation state had been released, I couldn’t use those techniques again.

Still, just as there is an insurmountable wall between 0 and 1.

The experience of using the ninth form of the Solar Sword, which can only be used upon reaching the ‘ultimate state,’ has seeped into my sword, elevating my skill to a new level.

‘Thanks to that, my martial arts skills have also improved significantly.’

Was it called the “All-Encompassing Return”?

The rise in swordsmanship didn’t just increase my sword skills.

From basic movements to the martial arts I learned from Berald, everything had grown to a level where the difference from before was palpable.

“Magic is… honestly a bit ambiguous.”

I did use barrier magic when fighting Ashtaroth.

But since I learned magic mainly in theory, using it in actual combat still felt awkward.

‘I need to get used to using magic now.’

In the past, I couldn’t even think of using magic due to the absolute lack of mana, but now the situation is different.

If I can naturally use magic in actual combat along with swordsmanship and martial arts, I will be able to grasp much stronger power than before.

“Let’s see… I think I can take on Professor Lucas without the stigma amplifier now.”

I wanted to run to Professor Lucas right away and ask for another sparring match.

‘If I did that, Iris wouldn’t stay quiet.’

With a bitter smile, I was about to continue my solitary training in the private training ground.

Bang!

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

The training ground door burst open, and the saintess, with an excited expression, barged in.

“Mr. Dale! I told you to rest quietly in bed, didn’t I? When did you come here again?!”

“No, it’s just that sweating a bit actually speeds up recovery…”

“Be quiet!”

And so, I was dragged back to the recovery room by Iris.

* * *

After being cooped up in the private recovery room for several days due to Iris’s nagging,

I finally enjoyed the joy of escaping the recovery room and looked up at the shining sunlight.

“It would be nice if you stayed until the end of the school break…”

Iris muttered with a pouty face, as if she was dissatisfied with me leaving the infirmary.

“We agreed on just one more day. And Iris, isn’t it hard for you to just take care of me all the time?”

“That is…”

Iris trailed off, glancing back at Camilla, who was sending a sharp gaze from behind.

Camilla let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

“The Holy Nation has sent an investigation team to ensure the safety of the Saintess after this incident. You must return to the dormitory today.”

“Can’t I stay just one more day?”

“No, you cannot.”

Camilla shook her head firmly.

Iris glanced at me wistfully, then slumped her shoulders and started walking towards the dormitory.

“…Dale.”

“Yes?”

Camilla approached me cautiously.

“Thank you.”

She bowed deeply, almost at a 90-degree angle.

Although Camilla had lost most of her memories before and after the incident due to Ashtaroth’s ‘Dream’, she seemed to have heard from Iris that I protected her from the monster’s attack.

Usually, she would look at me with disapproval, but now she was sincerely expressing her gratitude with a serious expression.

I looked down at the bowing Camilla and chuckled.

“What’s with the sudden change?”

“Ugh… Shut up!”

Camilla blushed slightly and averted her gaze.

“Anyway, I mean it. Thank you.”

“Just words?”

“Hmm? Do you need a reward? If there’s something you want…”

“Hey, hey, I’m joking.”

What kind of reward would I need for protecting my lover from a past life?

“No, I don’t feel comfortable just letting it go with words. If there’s something you want as a reward, just tell me.”

“Hmm.”

A reward from Camilla.

Since I didn’t do it expecting a reward, nothing came to mind.

“Just give me something appropriate.”

“Appropriate? This is a reward for protecting the Saintess. It can’t be just anything!”

“You’re really making this difficult. Then give me what you think I’d like the most.”

“What you would like the most…?”

For some reason, Camilla’s cheeks flushed as she took a step back.

She glanced at me furtively, covering her chest with her hand, as if there was anything to hide.

“Ah, so it’s true! Now you’re finally showing your true colors!”

“What?”

“Ugh. You… I mean, isn’t it obvious what men like the most?!”

Camilla shouted, her face a bright red.

“That’s it, isn’t it? Heh, even if you say you don’t like it, your body is honest… or something like that! Or maybe you’re a master of swordsmanship but a novice below the belt… trying to force that kind of situation on me?!”

“What are you talking about, woman?”

“You… you vulgar creature!”

“No.”

The vulgar one is in your head.

“Ugh…! Ah, I get it! I’ll prepare something that will satisfy a man… just you wait!”

With that, Camilla dashed off, following Iris.

“……Hah.”

I let out a deep sigh and turned my steps back to the dormitory.