Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Loneliness In Cheers

Meanwhile, the students in the audience watching the duel gradually began to tense up.

Though Dianes didn’t notice, they understood all too well what Chiron’s steaming, raging body signified.

Chiron’s technique. Equus Puro.

Even the nymphs and centaurs who had spent the longest time in this forest had only seen Chiron’s absolute combat mode twice.

“I-is that okay?”

“Master Chiron is getting that excited...”

“It seemed like he just did something with the spear, but did that alone make him so thrilled?”

Those who were not aspiring heroes or whose skills were still lacking were puzzled.

“Using the spear like that? Without a shield?”

“Is he disregarding his life and focusing solely on attacking?”

“Nonsense, didn’t you see their sparring match earlier? He read Master Chiron’s trajectory and defended with his spear while simultaneously attacking.”

“Oh... So the Master’s lower body being hit earlier wasn’t by chance?”

“Combining attack and defense... What kind of life has he led?”

Those who could read this were in awe.

“Handling the wind so freely, could he be the son of Zephyros?”

“Are you blind? A boar? That’s not divine power, it’s something else. And have you ever seen Zephyros’s sons doing that?”

“Uh... no?”

Meanwhile, among the few in this forest, only four could somewhat maintain parity with Chiron and were precisely following Dianes’s movements, holding their breaths.

Unfamiliar spear techniques, winds rising with the spear, and strange movements.

The duel, with its relentless exchanges, was igniting a fire in the hearts of boys who dreamed of becoming heroes.

As they couldn’t take their eyes off the fierce battle between their master and the new classmate, the flow suddenly changed.

“Huh?! Crazy Demon Spear?”

“Hey, hey, he only uses that when the opponent goes berserk!”

“..Damn, emergency team! Get ready!”

In the long history of the Forest of Heroes, it was a master move that Chiron had shown only twice.

That brutal attack, which crushed everything in its path, was said to astonish even the Titans.

“....”

While everyone was shocked and amazed by the unique ultimate stance of the centaur, only Hercules quietly observed the situation.

He had once faced Chiron’s ultimate move himself.

The attack, which forced an unreasonably violent head-on confrontation, was nothing short of a rampage.

“Now... what will you do?”

Even in the forest, where so many heroes grow, only Hercules withstood Chiron’s ultimate spear.

On top of that, it comes with one last killer blow.

In other words, the delicate-looking newbie had martial arts and movements that rivaled those of Hercules.

While numerous eyes were focused on the confrontation between the two, the two soon crossed.

-Kuang!!

What is blocked can be destroyed. If it cannot be broken, it can be destroyed.

That is the crazy wind.

The Crazy Wind Spear that turns over the rivers and collapses the mountains.

What? Why is it so quiet?

“Instead of that, why don’t you wave your hand once?”

I slowly raised my spear as Chiron had whispered.

Only then did the colosseum begin to fill with cheers.

“Uwaaahhh!!”

“Awesome, freshman!!”

“Ah... I’m inspired. The ballad of the Black Wind who faced the great teacher Chiron with his spear!”

“Whose son of a famous god could he be?”

“Judging by his control over the wind, he might be the son of the West Wind!”

“Maybe... he’s so handsome...”

“Look at him sweating... Slurp.”

Thunderous applause and cheers.

Although there were some extraneous noises mixed in, it was an enthusiastic welcome reminiscent of the cheers of ancient followers.

In response, I also slowly looked around and accepted the welcome, while Chiron slowly raised his hand to silence the crowd.

“In the name of Chiron, son of Cronus and foster son of the ancient Goddess of Abundance, Rhea. Today, in this place, I intend to accept Dianes of Passos as a member of the Forest of Heroes. If anyone objects, come forth now and face his spear!”

Indeed, the title of mentor of heroes was not an empty one. At his dignified voice, the colosseum instantly fell silent again.

Chiron, who looked around the colosseum with stern eyes as if to challenge anyone to come forward, nodded once he saw there were no objections.

“Good! Then, in the name of Zeus and the twelve gods of Olympus, I declare Dianes of Passos as Chiron’s disciple from this moment!”

As Chiron made the declaration and lifted my arm, the audience erupted into applause and cheers once more.

-Wooaaahhhh!!

“Ha...”

The scorching sunlight, aching limbs, a face drenched in sweat, a heart that felt like it would burst.

And this thrilling feeling running down my spine.

That sensation of reigning in the midst of long-forgotten worship and cheers.

“Hahahahahaha!!”

My body was empty, and my arm, held by the strong hand of the centaur, ached.

Nevertheless, I burst into laughter with all my might.

The number one of the Hundred Thousand Mountains and the Hundred Thousand Demonic Cult.

The living god of the Heavenly Demonic Cult, who was taught by the twelve demon lords in the gap between life and death!

Those fierce memories came back to life.

A strand of song passed through the gap like an auditory hallucination.

-Coming down from the sky, he is the Heavenly Demon, the master of the demonic path.

He achieved the unification of the continent, the grand ambition of the empire.

Nine peaks kneeled under the hundred-thousand mountain range.

Five Great Families bowed their heads to the cult.

His reign, counting hundreds and thousands, will last for tens of thousands of years.

The conquest of the martial arts world now feels like a distant past.

At the end of it, even the emperor of the Great Ming Empire bowed to me, and when I stood in the Taihe Hall of the Forbidden City, where only the Emperor could stand.

It was the song sung in unison by civil and military officials and the demons who looked up at me.

The small nostalgia was brought on by the cheer and excitement I heard after a long time.

However, when I erased it and opened my eyes again, the half-human, half-horse was looking down at me kindly, and the still green young ones were looking down at me from the audience.

-Waaaaa!!

“Haha, guys, it’s been a while since I’ve seen such enthusiasm.”

It really felt sudden, as if it had just hit me.

This wasn’t South Korea, where planes fly and cars run.

Nor was it the martial arts world where believers and powerful masters, who cheered for me breathed, but a completely different world.

The Heavenly Demon Emperor, who commanded all demons, was no more, and only the young orphan Dianes remained.

“Alone in the sky, a lone goose is flying high... Haha.”

In the midst of those who were cheering for me, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the inexplicable emptiness.

Even though I only saw her a day ago, for some reason, I really missed Neri.