Chapter 592

Book 1 Chapter 592

The spark of calamity that emerged during the Festival of Heroes was a massive crisis, unfurling right when the gaze of the entire world was concentrated on the event. Yet, that very catastrophe swiftly transformed into an absolute miracle.

The manifestation of Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings, sent the global population into an absolute frenzy as he crushed the destructive flame and vanished as quickly as he had arrived. Once the initial pandemonium was settled, the Festival of Heroes picked up right where it left off. A dire threat had loomed, but miraculously, not a single life was lost.

“Man, for a split second there, I genuinely believed we were done for.”

Kal chuckled lightly, throwing out a playful comment while setting up his marketplace stand.

“You seem exceptionally cheerful,” Leo remarked.

“Well, obviously! I worked myself to the bone getting everything ready for this festival! I would have been absolutely livid if they called the whole thing off!”

In the immediate aftermath of the containment, a heavy debate had arisen regarding whether the Festival of Heroes should even proceed. Ultimately, yielding to the desperate wishes of the countless spectators who had eagerly anticipated the gathering, the administrators agreed to run the event to its natural conclusion.

“Honestly, because of that madness, public interest has skyrocketed even more. We owe it all to the Hero of Beginnings dropping in at the perfect moment.”

Three days had flown by since the opening ceremonies of the Festival of Heroes. At this stage, the four rival hero academies were neck-and-neck, locked in an incredibly tight race for the highest score. The passion radiating from the crowds watching the hero cadets perform was intensifying by the hour. Before long, the gathering evolved into a grand celebration enjoyed by every single attendee—exactly what Leo had hoped to see.

“So, what exactly are you setting up here?” Leo asked, looking rather perplexed.

Kal flashed a wide grin. “This is my final grand jackpot here in Lumerin.”

Looking thoroughly pleased with himself, Kal offered a confident thumbs-up. “The grand finale needs to be unforgettable, right?”

“What’s the plan?”

Instead of answering verbally, Kal swung a painted placard into view.

“A lottery?” Leo read aloud.

“Bullseye. What’s a festival without a little gambling? I teamed up with Dryana to launch this venture.”

“Why involve Dryana?”

“She’s setting up her own station right next to mine,” Kal replied, humming a cheerful melody under his breath.

Watching him work, Leo questioned, “What about moving up to the third year?”

“Hey, it would be amazing if I could. But let’s face reality, there’s zero chance, right?” Kal shrugged carelessly. “Though that doesn’t mean I’m just packing my bags for home or throwing in the towel.”

“What are you doing instead?”

“I actually purchased a modest property over in Lumeria City recently.”

“When? Where did you get that kind of capital?”

“Not too long ago. I’ve been running transactions diligently ever since my first day of enrollment, you know?” Kal flashed a smug grin, forming a circle with his thumb and pointer finger. “Our aristocratic clientele happens to be incredibly wealthy and loose with their pockets. I managed to hoard a massive stash of coin, and I used those funds to buy the estate.”

Kal continued arranging his booth as he spoke. “Starting next term, I’m going to establish my main operations in Lumeria City, expanding my enterprises using everything I picked up during my time at Lumerin.”

“An enterprise?”

“I won’t just deal in standard military gear; I’m talking high-level intelligence. I want to construct a specialized network that can instantly track and relay global incidents and emergencies directly back to Lumerin. Plus, I intend to establish my very own private warp gate utilizing the elite network of contacts I built right here.” Kal turned his gaze directly toward Leo. “Moving forward, you guys are going to be making waves across the globe. Before you finish school, I need to make sure I am fully equipped to back you up from the shadows.”

“And that truly satisfies you?”

“My goal from day one was to be a top-tier supporter. So, as long as I am backing you guys with everything I’ve got, I’m fulfilling my purpose, right?” Kal cleared his throat proudly. “And to be completely blunt… even if by some miracle I did qualify for the third year, I’d be absolutely terrified to take it.”

Kal suddenly grabbed his head with both hands, shuddering visibly. “That utter nightmare of a woman… how much harder is she going to slave-drive me next year? No way… count me out!”

Leo could only shake his head as he watched his friend tremble in sheer terror.

He wasn’t wrong; it really was brutal.

Elina was never the type to ease up just because a project was succeeding; she simply used success as an excuse to pile on more responsibilities. What made it truly devious was her uncanny ability to assign tasks that pushed a person directly to their absolute breaking point without quite snapping them.

“So, I’m getting a head start out there. I’ll build the foundation and be waiting for you all.”

Deep within the principal’s office, Raina, the head of Lumerin, was reviewing the upcoming Festival of Heroes timeline alongside Elena, the vice student council president, and Professor Sedjen.

“What is the current status of the watch in Lumeria City?”

“Extremely stable,” Elena replied. “Because of the chaos on opening day, the populace is remaining highly alert and cautious. If anything, criminal activity has taken a sharp dive.”

“So that disastrous event actually worked in our favor?” Raina muttered, scratching at her scalp.

In truth, if Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings, hadn’t intervened when he did, the body count would have been catastrophic.

“Have we made any headway in identifying the perpetrator behind the assault?”

“The Dragon Lord is personally spearheading the hunt as we speak.”

“Then their capture is only a matter of time.”

“Agreed.”

An event of this scale couldn’t have materialized out of thin air. A literal piece of Lumerin’s sacred Hero Record had spontaneously gone berserk right in the center of the Erek training ground. That implied an infiltrator had smuggled the artifact past their defenses.

“Just like the Pureblood Society lurking within Seirun, we clearly harbor plenty of snakes within our own borders,” Raina remarked, her gaze turning frosty.

She might have stepped away from active combat duties on the front lines, but she remained a creature of the shadows. To her, turncoats were meant to be hunted down and utterly destroyed.

“For now, our primary focus must be ensuring the Festival of Heroes concludes without further interruption,” Sedjen noted, directing his words to the principal.

Raina nodded in agreement just as a firm knock echoed through the room.

The heavy door swung inward, admitting Harlind. Carrying a stack of official paperwork, he stepped up to Raina’s desk and proffered the files.

“Here are the specific records you requested.”

“You actually completed them already? Remarkable efficiency, especially given how chaotic your schedule is right now,” Raina praised, accepting the stack and scanning the contents.

Elena watched the exchange, her expression turning inquisitive. “What sort of paperwork is that?”

“It is the official petition regarding Kal Thomas’s academic advancement,” Harlind answered flatly.

Elena’s eyes widened instantly. Harlind was universally known across the campus as Lumerin’s Wailing Wall. To the upperclassmen, his very name inspired dread. He was infamous for ruthlessly discarding any student who failed to meet his rigorous benchmarks. While his expulsion rates had dropped over the past two years due to his assignment to the incoming first-years, that was solely because the fresh recruits were still undergoing initial assessment. Elena had witnessed far too many older students forced to pack their trunks and leave solely because of Harlind’s red pen.

It was staggering to see a man like him drafting paperwork to promote a student rather than expel them—especially since Kal lacked the necessary academic scores to move forward.

“This is quite a surprise. I never expected Professor Harlind to draft a promotion request for a student whose grades fall short of the advancement threshold.”

“I simply came to the realization that Lumerin’s conventional testing parameters are fundamentally incapable of measuring the true worth of Kal Thomas,” Harlind stated evenly. “The boy entered this academy with the explicit goal of becoming a supporter. From the moment he arrived, he proved his capabilities lay in elevating others from the background rather than engaging on the front lines.”

Elena nodded slowly, conceding the point.

“Initially, I assumed that was the extent of his utility. However, upon closer inspection, I realized there was more to him.” Harlind, having monitored Kal closely since his freshman year, had developed a unique appreciation for the boy’s traits. “He possesses the rare gift to unlock the dormant potential in his peers, weaving disparate talents together to generate exponential power. I am convinced that this is Kal Thomas’s genuine gift.”

Harlind gestured toward the detailed evaluation Raina was currently scanning. “This represents an entirely uncharted category of capability. I believe such a trait is equally indicative of a hero’s potential. Consequently, I drafted the recommendation.”

“The sentiment is admirable,” Sedjen interjected, clicking his tongue lightly. “However, swaying the council of directors will be an uphill battle.” Though he personally concurred with Harlind’s assessment, he knew arbitrary exemptions were rarely granted. Even with their combined seniority and immense leverage as veteran faculty members, the final verdict rested solely with the board—a highly traditionalist group that would likely dismiss Kal’s unique contributions out of hand.

“I am merely doing right by my student,” Harlind replied stoically.

Elena smiled warmly at his stubborn dedication. “You truly are the finest educator this institution has to offer.”

“What an outrageous claim! The finest educator in Lumerin stands right before you! It is I, Sedjen!” the older professor sputtered in mock outrage.

“Of course, of course. Professor Sedjen is unmatched as well,” Elena chimed in playfully, her eyes twinkling as she watched Raina look over the files.

Several days rolled by, and the grand Festival of Heroes finally entered its twilight phase.

“…What in the world is going on here?”

Eliza stood frozen, staring in absolute bewilderment at a massive, winding queue of people. Clutching the championship trophy from the recent Phantom Beast Race in her hands, she had found herself with some rare leisure time after her victory. Remembering that Kal was running some sort of business for the spectators, she had wandered over to pay a visit, only to encounter an intimidating mob encircling his booth.

“Step right up! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Brave knights! Master mages! Exalted summoners! Come witness the ultimate chance to acquire masterwork gear forged by Demian’s Dryana—the personal blacksmith to none other than Leo Plov himself! Do not let this slip away!”

Kal was standing atop an elevated platform, roaring into an amplification megaphone to draw in the swelling crowds. He was completely besieged by an ocean of warriors, sorcerers, and conjurers, all desperately vying for a chance at high-grade armaments, staves, and summoning focuses.

Suddenly, a warrior wearing a highly stressed expression stepped up onto the stage.

“Attention everyone! We have a brave knight hailing from the Del Kingdom of the southern continent stepped up to brave the 10-consecutive pull!”

As Kal bellowed into his megaphone with practiced theatricality, the surrounding audience erupted into a collective roar of excitement. Brilliant magical spotlights illuminated the stage, focusing squarely on an immense glass cylinder suspended from the overhead scaffolding. Within the transparent container, a multitude of vibrant, fist-sized spheres swirled and shined like precious gems.

Raaaaattle!

The spheres tumbled furiously in a chaotic tempest before the automated hatch at the base of the cylinder snapped open, dropping ten distinct orbs. Spotting a crystalline sphere resting among the batch, the knight from the Del Kingdom let out a triumphant bellow.

“D-i-a-m-o-n-d!”

Dropping to his knees, he hoisted the translucent sphere toward the sky with trembling hands, drawing collective gasps from the spectators.

“No way! A Diamond tier! That’s exactly what I was pulling for!”

With shaking fingers, the warrior popped the sphere open, but his face fell into instant despair as he read the tiny slip of paper tucked inside.

“Are you kidding me?! A sorcerer’s staff?!”

“Unbelievable! You’ve successfully pulled a Diamond-tier magic staff! Let’s hear it for him!” Kal shouted.

The knight, having beaten astronomical odds only to receive a legendary item he couldn’t actually wield, let out a soul-crushing groan. Instantly, a horde of spellcasters surged toward the platform.

“I’ll buy it off you right now!”

“Ignore him, sell it to me!”

“Name your price!”

Eliza’s jaw dropped as she witnessed the borderline maniacal frenzy unfolding before her. “What kind of madness is this?”

“They call it ‘Highly Toxic Gacha,'” a familiar voice replied.

“Leo Plov?” Eliza turned, her eyes wide with surprise.

“I’m currently weighing my options,” Leo admitted, watching the spectacle. “Specifically, whether the student council needs to step in and shut this operation down.”

The rewards Kal had organized were, fundamentally, random lottery prizes. The individual tickets weren’t exorbitantly priced, making them seem reasonable relative to the grand prizes on display. The true trap lay in the abysmal drop rates. By utilizing extravagant showmanship and dazzling visual effects, he completely blinded the audience, keeping them buying ticket after ticket. People were mindlessly emptying their purses, utterly convinced that the next pull would grant them a custom weapon forged by Dryana.

Naturally, even the rare few who defied the odds and drew an exceptional item weren’t out of the woods yet.

“I did it!”

An demi-human sorcerer roared in ecstasy, thrusting his newly acquired staff into the air. With bloodshot eyes and a manic grin, he marched straight toward the adjacent crafting station.

Dryana was waiting there, casually balancing a heavy smithing hammer in her hand.

“I’m here for an upgrade,” the sorcerer declared.

“This marks your third consecutive attempt. If I were you, I’d take the win and walk away,” Dryana advised calmly.

“Ha! I am a beastman,” the sorcerer scoffed proudly, chest puffed out. “The fierce blood of predators runs through my veins.”

“An admirable display of bravado. You truly walk the path of Lord Arion.”

“Hmph.”

Dryana accepted the staff from the sorcerer’s hands, resting it flat across her iron anvil before raising her hammer.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The demi-human mage, along with every single onlooker in the immediate vicinity, held their collective breath, watching the hammer fall with dry throats. The entire square fell dead silent.

Crack!

“Ah, my apologies. My grip slipped,” Dryana noted with a casual click of her tongue.

“NOOOOOOOO!”

The beastman sorcerer clutched his head, releasing a gut-wrenching shriek of absolute devastation.

“Better luck next time,” Dryana murmured, giving the broken mage a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

“…”

“Apparently, if you manage to beat the terrible drop rates and successfully navigate the upgrade process, your weapon is swapped out for an immensely upgraded variant,” Leo explained.

In reality, no actual smithing was occurring on the spot; it was merely a carefully staged illusion utilizing prop replicas designed to shatter or survive the hammering based on calculated probabilities. Yet, the dramatic flair of the performance struck a deep chord with the audience, eliciting intense waves of euphoria and despair. Hooked by the sheer thrill, the spectators were throwing themselves into the upgrade trap with even greater fervor.

“I honestly have no idea how his mind conjures these schemes,” Leo murmured, watching Kal continue to charm the marks.

“Leo Oppaah!”

From across the grounds, Chelsea came sprinting at breakneck speed, screaming Leo’s name.

Pant! Pant!

Leo blinked in confusion, looking down at Chelsea as she bent over, hands on her knees, desperately trying to catch her breath. “What’s happened?”

“Kaal! Where is Kal right now?”

Leo simply gestured toward the raised stage, watching her chest heave as she struggled for air.

“Kal!” Chelsea screamed.

Utilizing her wind magic to drastically amplify her vocal cords, her voice boomed across the marketplace, instantly drawing the focus of every single person in the vicinity.

“Chelsea? What’s the emergency?” Kal called back, looking thoroughly bewildered from his podium.

In a state of utter shock, Chelsea cried out, “It was just made official! Your name has been inscribed upon the Hero Record!”

“Wait, what?”

“What did she just say?”

Murmurs… Whispers…

Following her proclamation, Kal’s expression froze into a complete blank slate, while Eliza’s eyes threatened to pop out of her head. The surrounding populace began to whisper furiously.

“Well, look at that,” Leo murmured, a sharp glint entering his eyes as he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Chelsea stamped her foot in sheer frustration, staring at Kal who remained utterly motionless, completely unable to process the words. “I’m telling you! You’ve officially been recognized as a hero!”

“WHAAAT?!” Kal shrieked, his voice cracking in sheer disbelief.

Right on cue, Elena materialized from the crowd, stepping up directly behind Chelsea. “My goodness, you’ve delivered the verdict already? You move fast.”

Fashing a radiant smile up at Kal, Elena spoke up, “Kal, the council of directors was officially called to order. They are currently conducting an urgent review regarding your transition into the third year… and based on the current trajectory of the room, it looks like you are officially moving up.”

As Elena beamed, Chelsea’s face lit up with absolute delight. Even the usually stoic Eliza couldn’t suppress a joyful grin at the spectacular news.

“Incredible!”

Though the general public didn’t fully comprehend the inner workings of the academy, the mere announcement of a newly minted hero’s emergence prompted a massive wave of applause and cheers from the crowd.

The sole individual who remained entirely paralyzed, trembling in place, was Kal himself.

Elena’s smile turned sweet yet distinctly menacing as she locked eyes with him. “So, I look forward to your continued cooperation next term… Acting Student Council President.”

Staring at the terrifying hidden meaning behind her grin—a sight meant only for his eyes—Kal gripped his head in absolute horror.

“NOOOOOOOOO!”

Watching his companion howl in complete misery, Leo offered a dry commentary. “Looks like he successfully rolled a critical upgrade on his promotion.”