Chapter 260

260

Evade the Hero CH 260 TL

#9 Their Situation: The Situation of a Man Once Called the Mercenary King

“King? Me?”

I nodded, observing the woman’s evident confusion.

“The one who brings the necklace will become the Mercenary King. That’s the rule.”

“Command? But from whom?”

Her momentarily dazed eyes began to focus again.

“No way...!”

“That’s right, no way.”

Getting the necklace meant being tied to that wicked professor.

Even if that person was an incredibly evil villain who could ruin lives at will, they wouldn’t send someone unrelated.

...probably.

“What is your relationship with the person who gave it to you?”

“With that person...”

The woman’s face, as she glanced at the sky for a moment, held various emotions.

“I think you know.”

While others might not, I could understand.

I would have a similar expression if asked such a question.

Respect for the pure ability, anger when I remembered the tortures I endured to learn this skill.

Sadness at meeting this person again, hope at the chance to distance myself from him.

All these emotions played out on her face.

“You’re his student, right?”

“Yes, I’m his student.”

After thinking it over, the woman nodded in agreement.

“How much have you learned?”

“About two years of learning different things.”

I nodded at the woman, who sighed again as she looked at the sky.

“That seems to be expected. I’m her student too, about a year’s worth of learning.”

“You’re lucky you left quickly.”

“I am. Incredibly lucky.”

How much effort did we put into escaping that hell?

Normally one spends over four years at the crossroads of life and death, undergoing training. We cut it down to one year.

It was an amazing accomplishment credited to talent.

Effort. It was the result of sacrificing everything.

That’s how we escaped from the grasp of our instructor, that devil known as ‘Guardian.’

Although I heard later that it didn’t last long.

Because we became official members within a year, the professor gained three years to accomplish tasks that the organization couldn’t ignore due to lack of manpower.

This led the Professor to infiltrate the royal palace and build up an impressive resume.

However, attempts to return to the organization were thwarted by threats of betrayal and ongoing continental wars.

Thus, the organization was forced to postpone all plans.

As a result, the Professor remained within the Empire to gather vital information and earn even greater recognition.

They pledged never to take on missions as the Professor again after enduring so much in the Empire.

From now on, they would prepare the following students not to graduate early.

Just hearing about it sent shivers down my spine.

They were essentially extending the training by three years.

If it had been me, I’d have gone crazy.

And to think we grew up under the tutelage of Bat, who constantly pushed us to our limits.

“You’ve been through a great deal.”

“Yes...”

Although she was about a year behind me, this girl was one of the professor’s last students.

Given the professor’s nature, they must have done a lot of research with each new generation.

Research, implementation, then more research.

This led to perfecting techniques for torture and lethal methods without causing death, which were then passed down.

However, what truly mattered was,

“You will face even greater challenges ahead.”

“Yes, I will.”

It wasn’t just about the past; it was ongoing.

“Let me clarify, the person once known as the Mercenary King is me.”

“Understood.”

“Due to past circumstances, I left the organization and eventually became a mercenary.”

“I see.”

“But after training under that Professor, there is no way I could be ordinary, right? Eventually, the whispers in the neighborhood about the Mercenary King turned from a nickname to a title.”

“Isn’t that expected for the professor’s students?”

“True. Not during my time as a mercenary, but a little earlier, even the rookies I met back then ended up that way.”

I had met a former rookie who had risen to become the head of a villainous organization from our days in Magic Origins, where survival meant wielding a sword.

How happy we were to meet.

So happy that we couldn’t help but clash swords at every opportunity.

I had defeated all the newcomers who looked down on me and put them under the gallows, presenting them as if they were carpets.

Despite their filthy appearance and cunning demeanor, there was dignity in them.

They would be strong. Apart from me, I don’t think there was anyone among the mercenaries who could defeat this person.

“Well then, shall we begin?”

“Yes.”

After a brief nod to my junior, I raised my sword.

“Crazy! A sword strike right from the start!”

“Wow... Chief, isn’t it too strong to come out like that against a young opponent?”

“Wow, are you going for the leg shake effect?”

“That’s Chief for you. Knowing how to use your own weaknesses for effect.”

The surroundings were noisy as usual, but I paid it no mind.

“Alright, are you ready?”

Even though he’s called Professor Student, I wasn’t sure about his swordmaster skills.

If he wasn’t a swordmaster, should I opt for a scenario where I deplete my magic power and accept defeat?

Being a Sorcerer wouldn’t be bad either.

I should have checked first, but I got too excited at the thought of distancing myself from the professor and ended up making a mistake.

Nevertheless, I possessed sufficient skill to manage the uncertainties.

Find a balance...

“Huh?”

Was it my mood? I sensed a sudden darkness.

No, before that, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.

Gulp.

The sound of swallowing saliva could be heard. What was going on?

“I’ve been ready for ages.”

As I observed my junior smirk, a cold sweat trickled down my back.

“I’ll take the name of Mercenary King... from you, Senior.”

The moment he finished speaking, I lunged forward.

Thud!

“Crazy! What was that?”

A massive fist struck the ground where I had stood.

Gazing up at the creature responsible for the blow, I let out a scream.

“Let go, Surtr.”

Kwoooong!

A giant with a crimson body began to roar. Immediately, that huge body was enveloped in a crimson flame.

“Madness! Watch out!”

“Scream!”

“Sorry! Sorry for being arrogant!”

Some mercenaries were blown backward by the massive magic storm.

Amidst the chaos as the onlookers screamed and fled, my Junior was still looking at me.

“Junior?”

“Yes, Senior.”

I had a feeling something was amiss.

“What is it?”

“Oh, just...”

My junior paused briefly, then offered a sweet smile and said,

“The professor has a contract with this big demon.”

Although she said with a cute smile after blinking a few times,

Kwooooom!

The massive fist of the great demon descending upon me was anything but cute.

“Why on earth are you making a deal with a big demon?”

“Because it’s Professor.”

“Now something makes sense!”

I shouted as I blocked the subsequent attacks with my sword.

But the opponent wasn’t the Great Demon.

“I’m here too, Senior?”

“Crazy?”

Upon diverting my attention from the great demon, I noticed almost a hundred magic orbs hovering in the air.

Crazy.

Using magic on a great demon and being able to cast such spells.

“Enough! Surtr, take up your sword as well.”

-Rise, Ragnarok!

With ominous words, the great demon summoned a gigantic sword out of thin air.

“Uh... Junior, can’t we stop this?”

We can’t win against that. My instincts were screaming.

Nevertheless,

“No, we can’t.”

My adversary was the professor’s pupil.

They were unrivaled in wickedness among all living beings on Earth.

Ultimately, I found myself the target of my junior’s onslaught and spent the following day fleeing desperately. The mercenaries knelt in reverence as a new king was born.