Chapter 290

Chapter 290

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[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

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The Hero was about to move directly to the heart of the Great Forest, the Immortal’s Realm.

However, just before doing so, he sensed a barrier obstructing the teleportation.

Unlike the barrier of the fairies who had protected the forest before... this one exuded a very sinister aura.

Having replicated the essence of the Archmage, he could decipher its contents.

“A barrier for blocking space, comprehensive camouflage... illusion and reality manipulation.”

It was an intricate and high-level barrier, making it understandable why no one had noticed the anomalies in the Great Forest.

The Hero had no choice but to change the destination to the entrance.

Upon arriving at the Great Forest,

“...”

The forest from the outside appeared as tranquil as ever.

A clear and blue sky.

Sunlight filtering through the leaves, and a subtle floral fragrance.

Even the chirping birds.

Crunch-

However, the moment the Hero took a step inside,

Whirrrrrr-

as if turning the page of a picture book,

the tranquil scenery vanished in an instant.

Swoosh-

The Hero drew the Sword of Hope, gazing at the floating ashes.

The acrid smoke stung his eyes.

Screeeech-

The eerie cries of monsters broke the silence.

The Hero realized the sounds were getting closer.

There was no time to waste.

▼

Replicate recorded individual: Ted Redymer.

▲

Whoosh-

The Hero leapt, slicing off the talons and their owner lunging at him.

The chimera with its grotesque form thrashed on the ground.

“The 1st and 2nd corps of Theo.”

...And Theo was here too.

Although far away, he could clearly sense the evil presence.

An indescribably sinister chill was emanating from the heart of the Great Forest.

A sense of urgency slowly crept over him.

“I need to hurry.”

But at this rate, it would take quite some time to reach the interior.

Theo seemed to have noticed him, as all forces were focusing on him.

“Fighting them directly will delay me.”

The Hero decided to test a slightly different combat method.

▼

Replicate recorded individual: Yussi Glendor.

▲

▼

Replicate recorded individual: Pia Joyce.

▲

Rumble-!

With the highest level of alchemy at work, the devastated ground of the forest trembled.

Large rocks clung together.

Debris of earth and wood filled the gaps, forming a shape.

It seemed as if a powerful magnetic force was at work between them.

Roarrr-

Finally, the colossal golem took shape and slowly rose.

It wasn’t just one.

Despite the Hero pouring only a portion of his mana, more than ten golems were formed.

Thud-!

The weight crushed the ground.

The golems advanced in all directions.

“...Break through the encirclement and aid the nearby fairy villages.”

After giving the order, the Hero immediately prepared the next technique.

▼

Activate Infinite Technique, First Style: ‘Massacre’.

▲

Massacre was an ultimate technique created through the essence of his disciples.

As the children grew stronger, the number of ice arrows had increased from the previous twenty to nearly a hundred, appearing behind the Hero.

“Intercept the approaching monsters.”

The ice arrows imbued with the magic property of ‘tracking’ from Evergreen hummed as they circled around the Hero.

All that remained was to charge forward.

Amazingly, all of this took place in less than a few seconds.

Even the Hero’s running speed hadn’t diminished at all.

Synchronization with ??? had rapidly increased the replicable capacity.

Thus, as he anNyhillated the demon army on his path and advanced through the forest, the Hero suddenly sensed a familiar presence and came to a halt.

Clack-

Beyond the dense trees, a silhouette appeared.

Its massive base had mostly been corroded by the contamination.

Countless leaves fell lifelessly to the ground.

Flowers and branches withered and drooped toward the earth.

The ground shook as if an earthquake was happening.

It was as if this little world was being completely destroyed.

This wasn’t it.

Not this despairing, futile landscape filled with regret and lament.

She had hoped to die watching people, finally at peace, laugh together.

The leader, Felson, Taylor, Yussi... all of them, even the other comrades who now lay dead beside her, laughing together.

That was the scene she wished to see as she died.

“It’s regrettable.”

“Iira....”

“It’s regrettable.”

Regret.

Finally, Iira understood Ted Redymer.

She realized what he felt when he left the world without fulfilling his mission of salvation.

...So, she could accept the hypothesis that the Dawn Knights had secretly pondered.

‘So that’s what it was. That’s how it was.’

The doppelgänger wasn’t acting out of its own greed.

It continued all those lies to fulfill the mission Ted Redymer had personally entrusted to it.

As someone who loved the leader dearly, it was a hypothesis Iira had difficulty accepting.

‘You were like me.’

A comrade inspired by the ideals of Ted Redymer, drawn toward where he shone.

“Chase the monster!”

Then she remembered the sight of him running away, being pointed at by people on the hills of Rosenstark.

In the moment when deep regret welled up inside her,

it was already too late.

Iira shook her head weakly.

Crunch-

It was then that they heard the sound of footsteps behind them.

It was hard to believe.

Could there still be a survivor here?

Iira and Taylor blankly stared at the figure approaching them.

“......”

It was an unfamiliar face.

But soon they realized they had encountered him once before.

A vivid memory surfaced.

The hills of Rosenstark.

The man who had stood there calmly.

“......”

The man slowly approached and knelt.

He gently took Iira’s small hand, which had been grasping at the air.

“......”

He said nothing.

He didn’t resent them for chasing him away back then.

He didn’t reproach them for believing in him only now.

He simply looked at her with warm eyes, as if everything was alright.

A single tear rolled down Iira’s cheek.

“I’m sorry.”

For some reason,

although he said nothing,

it seemed he understood everything she wanted to say.

Iira’s lips quivered.

“I’m sorry....”

He nodded silently.

It was then that he tightened his grip on her hand.

“...I understand you.”

All the surrounding noise disappeared, and only the man’s voice lingered in her ears.

It was an unfamiliar voice, just like his face.

But for some reason,

Iira and Taylor felt that the voice was similar to the one they longed for.

Gruff but kind.

Somehow reassuring.

That kind of voice.

Whoosh-

A pure white flame began to flicker on the blade of the Black Hope.

A warm and... comforting flame.

As she watched it, Iira’s expression gradually relaxed.

She smiled faintly.

“Thank you... Hero.”

The Hero gripped the sword imbued with white flame and stood up.

A voice, choked with sobs, reached his ears.

“Please.”

The Hero’s hair swayed slightly as he nodded.

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[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Join our Discord for release /invite/dbdMDhzWa2

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