Chapter 684

Sizzling and snapping—

The campfire blazed intensely.

Gathered around the warmth, young boys and girls sat taking a break.

“This is incredibly tasty!”

“Agreed! It’s so good! I could eat this forever without getting bored of it!”

“This is honestly the most flavorful food I’ve ever tasted in my life!”

Expressions of pure joy lit up the faces of the Beastkin and Dwarf warrior cadets as they chewed their meals.

Observing them, Artian raised a hand to mask his face.

“Kuh-heup!”

A sheen of moisture covered Artian’s eyes as he gazed upon the young warrior cadets.

The sustenance the warrior cadets were presently consuming consisted of the standard combat rations issued for long-term deployments departing from Lumerne.

Regardless of which academy they belonged to, young hero cadets frequently found themselves facing extreme hardships during extended operational deployments.

To preserve a resilient psychological state over long durations under such grueling conditions, maintaining a highly nutritious diet is absolutely vital.

Because of this, every single hero academy dedicates immense resources to developing combat rations capable of retaining total freshness even within sub-spatial dimensions.

These specialized institutional provisions possess distinct flavors tailored to the specific traits of each race, ultimately evolving into a trademark specialty that represents each individual school.

The institutions themselves remained highly aware of this rivalry, channeling substantial funding into continuous research and engineering.

Consequently, the culinary quality was entirely assured.

‘This marks the grandest shift from the era we knew.’

Leo pondered silently, slowly masticating a piece of dried meat from the field provisions.

Risinas had similarly exerted every ounce of effort to manage logistical supplies back then.

Yet, within a world that was already crumbling apart and teetering on the brink of total annihilation, resource availability had reached its absolute bottleneck.

Not even the deceptive savior who had guided humanity toward a glimmer of hope could alter that.

Nor the eccentric, brilliant magician whose intellect cast a radiant gleam amidst utter hopelessness.

Nor the peculiar blacksmith whose forged armaments received high praise from the divinities themselves.

None of them possessed the power to overcome that stark limitation.

‘The youths of this generation certainly have things easy.’

Naturally, it wasn’t as though these young hero cadets were merely softened by such comforts.

Logistical lines always have their boundaries.

A true hero cadet must possess the grit required to slice up and consume the flesh of vicious monsters or magical beasts, and filter tainted blood for sustenance whenever immediate food and fresh water run dry.

‘Then again, it is always preferable to avoid being forced into those dire circumstances altogether.’

Once their deployment commenced and they experienced the flavor of Lumerne’s specialized provisions, it was impossible for the warrior cadets not to feel deeply struck.

These young combatants had been raised in an age where severe deprivation was a daily reality.

Going entirely without food for two or three consecutive days during harsh periods was a routine occurrence for them.

The grand feast they had previously attended was a highly extraordinary luxury.

By departing from Ivaldi and arriving at this current stronghold, they had uncovered hidden underground reserves, allowing them to participate in a fleeting moment of plenty.

Even that abundance was considered generous only from the restricted viewpoint of Ivaldi; from the perspective of any modern-day hero cadet, it constituted a highly meager quantity.

Under these conditions, when introduced to field rations meticulously engineered by Lumerne to alleviate the psychological burdens of student deployments, it was only natural for the young fighters of Ivaldi to feel profoundly touched.

Artian, possessing a highly sensitive disposition, found his vision clouding with tears at the sight.

“Tere, aren’t you going to have another portion?”

“No, thank you. I have already consumed quite a lot.”

Tere, a bear beastkin youth standing nearly two meters tall, offered a self-conscious grin.

A moment later, however, his stomach emitted a loud rumble.

“We have no way of knowing when an assault might happen, so shouldn’t you fill yourself up completely?”

Spoken by Chelsea, who was seated right beside him eating her own portion, Tere offered his justification.

“I wish to save some so my younger sibling can experience this food as well.”

Hearing his reply, Chelsea shifted her gaze across the gathering.

Aside from Tere, several other warrior cadets were actively setting aside portions of their food.

Witnessing that display, the moisture in Artian’s already damp eyes spilled over into genuine tears.

“Everyone! The moment we make our way back to the stronghold, proper provisions will be distributed, so please do not distress yourselves over that…!”

“Stop right there! You absolutely must not do that!”

Kanea interjected, shaking her head rapidly in sheer astonishment.

“You mentioned resources, correct? We cannot predict when those Tartaros forces might launch an onslaught, which means you cannot recklessly hand out such vital materials to everyday civilians!”

Hearing her reprimand, Artian recoiled slightly before letting his shoulders drop in dejection.

“Y-you speak the truth. Allowing my sentiments to cloud my judgment as an instructor… I acted with great foolishness.”

“Oh, please don’t take it that way. Your intentions were entirely born of concern for our well-being, weren’t they?”

Kanea spoke up hurriedly, trying to soothe Artian’s feelings.

The local young warriors assigned to this scouting operation had not simply developed a close bond with the visiting students; they had also cultivated a profound sense of reverence for Artian.

Provided it did not involve terrifying phantoms, Artian’s vast capacity for compassion and acceptance was celebrated even back within Lumerne.

In a sense, it was completely expected for these young combatants to look up to him.

Observing the ongoing interaction, Leo spoke up.

“Whether you intend to deliver food to your kin or keep it for yourself, that is an action you can only perform after you manage to make it back with your life. Do not needlessly deprive your bodies of nourishment only to find yourselves lacking the strength to fight when a crisis hits, resulting in your demise or causing a liability for everyone else. Simply consume your food.”

Faced with his chillingly practical words, the young combatants who had been hoarding their rations winced slightly and nodded their heads in compliance.

“Leo Plov, are you aware that your demeanor can sometimes be utterly devoid of human warmth?”

Even the highly cynical Eliza found herself feeling a deep sense of sorrow for the local youths.

The emotion hit her with particular intensity because their harsh reality stood in such stark opposition to her own upbringing, which had been defined by a life of absolute prosperity.

The exact same sentiment weighed heavily on Duran.

In complete contrast to them, Leo maintained a remarkably unbothered composure.

‘While it is true that Leo Plov does not possess a gentle temperament.’

If anything, Leo’s fundamental nature veered toward the harsher side.

He merely chose not to display that facet of himself on a regular basis.

Viewed positively, he possessed a maturity far beyond his years; viewed negatively, his outlook was deeply cynical.

“This is hardly an environment where these youths can afford to be guided by raw emotion, so I merely offered them a realistic piece of guidance.”

Hearing his perspective, Kanea allowed a melancholy smile to grace her lips.

“Your assessment is undeniably accurate.”

Kanea, finding herself in total agreement with Leo, spoke with an air of genuine wonder.

“When I observe Artian-nim, it strikes me as truly remarkable.”

“What exactly strikes you that way?”

“It is difficult to put into words, but it feels as though he originates from an entirely different realm compared to us.”

At her statement, Artian gave an embarrassed laugh and rubbed the side of his face.

“Furthermore, it is not just Artian-nim; all of you share roughly the same age bracket as us, do you not? And yet, you are completely distinct from what we know.”

“In what manner do you perceive us as different?”

“Let me see.”

Kanea paused to reflect for a brief moment before offering her thoughts.

“Would it be accurate to describe you all as benevolent?”

“Even if you exclude myself and Leo oppa, the remaining two individuals sitting here are lightyears away from being benevolent. They possess incredibly unpleasant dispositions.”

“If your intention is to instigate a confrontation, you should address me directly, Chelsea Rualin.”

“I am under the impression that someone who fails to embody even a single tenth of Abbad Rualin’s noble standard has zero authority to lecture anyone else.”

Duran uttered his words with an underlying threat, prompting Eliza to snap back with freezing disdain.

“From where I stand, every single one of you three possesses an awful personality, so cease this bickering.”

Leo lightly shrugged his shoulders.

Watching the display play out, Kanea let out a soft laugh, “Ahaha,” before continuing.

“When I speak of benevolence, I am not referring strictly to a person’s temperament. Perhaps… a better term would be self-sacrificing?”

Kanea nodded her head in affirmation.

“You individuals are putting your lives on the line for people you don’t even know, aren’t you? That is the part I find truly magnificent.”

“You, alongside the rest of the combatants native to Ivaldi, put your lives on the line to safeguard your stronghold as well, do you not?”

“That is… because we view our community as one massive, interconnected family.”

A kinship established across an immense scale.

Offering mutual aid was a matter of course for them.

If they failed to support one another, total annihilation would be their only reward.

Consequently, it was their default nature to maintain an intense suspicion toward anyone from the outside world.

It was solely due to the fact that Dweno, the supreme commander of Ivaldi, had personally vouched for their characters that they had managed to bridge the gap so rapidly.

Under normal circumstances, achieving this level of familiarity would have been an absolute impossibility.

Among the young warriors gathered here, only a microscopic fraction possessed living biological parents.

Had it not been for Enniha, who oversaw the operations of Ivaldi’s sanctuary for orphans, and had it not been for Dweno, who provided the financial backing for Enniha’s endeavors, the vast majority of the young fighters standing in this circle would have perished long ago.

In that regard, they viewed one another as genuine siblings who shared common parental figures in the form of Dweno and Enniha.

“It is truly astonishing that you people, who possess absolutely no historical ties to us, are willing to battle on our behalf to such an extreme degree. If our roles were entirely reversed… the person I used to be would have turned a blind eye to your plight without a second thought. We truly are… quite selfish, aren’t we?”

Following Kanea’s vulnerable admission, the surrounding warrior cadets all cast their eyes down in collective embarrassment.

“Whenever I look at your group, it feels as though you are emitting a radiant light.”

Kanea’s expression grew noticeably somber.

“You exist on a completely different plane than we do.”

Noticing the shadow that had fallen over Kanea’s features, Leo interjected.

“What can be said about the person you are today?”

“Pardon?”

“What can be said about the version of you that exists right now, after having crossed paths with us? Even if our predicaments were swapped at this very instant, would you genuinely choose to turn your back on us?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Then that is the only detail that carries any true weight.”

Kanea and the rest of the young combatants of Ivaldi, having been brought up amidst an era defined by catastrophic ruin, had simply never been exposed to anything else. They were unaware that such an alternative approach to existing in this world even existed.

Choosing to disregard the perils faced by strangers is not an inherent moral failure.

‘And that holds even truer within this specific epoch.’

It was a brutal stretch of history where they simply lacked the knowledge of how to behave otherwise, and where adopting such selflessness would have actively prevented them from surviving.

As far as Leo’s extensive knowledge went, there existed only a singular individual born into this bleak, dark age who possessed the innate ability to cast a blinding brilliance around himself.

‘Verkia.’

Verkia, who had been one of his personal students, was an individual capable of brightening his entire surroundings much like the sun itself.

‘That unique trait was precisely what rendered him so extraordinary.’

Not even Aron possessed the capacity to replicate that feat.

“The type of individual you were during the days behind you holds no significance. What matters is the transformation you have undergone in the present.”

Leo let out a quiet chuckle.

“You have evolved and taken a definitive stride forward, achieving genuine personal progress. That is a highly commendable feat, so hold your head high with self-respect.”

Prompted by Leo’s encouraging words, Kanea reached up to scratch her cheek.

“As I suspected, you possess a wavelength that feels remarkably close to our own.”

Kanea harbored a distinct feeling that the sole individual within this entire gathering with whom she shared a true sense of mutual understanding was Leo.

Naturally…

“It is merely a comparable frequency, but in every other category, you are entirely distinct.”

Setting aside that minor sense of shared experience, they stood a world apart from one another.

“To describe it accurately, observing your conduct evokes the exact same sensation as observing Dweno-nim.”

‘A remarkably sharp perception.’

“The version of myself from the past would have undoubtedly lost her heart to you! However, at this present moment! I am entirely captivated by Khal!”

“That individual named Khal. He seems to command quite the following.”

In response to Leo’s quiet observation, Duran spoke up.

“Hmph. Given that he functions as a true champion, it stands to reason that he carries an inherent magnetism capable of pulling others toward him.”

“What has possessed you to actually utter a favorable comment regarding Khal for once?”

“I simply articulated an undeniable reality.”

Duran let out a sharp snort before continuing.

“Provided he possesses the necessary appeal as a gentleman, I view such a development with total favor from my personal standpoint.”

Faced with Duran’s reasoning, Leo’s features contorted into a bizarre expression.

“What is the meaning of that? Why do you display such a distasteful look?”

“I was unaware that your personal inclinations leaned in that specific direction.”

“If you are seeking to instigate a brawl, I am more than willing to accommodate you, Leo Plov.”

Watching Duran begin to emit a hostile growl, Leo promptly elevated both of his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“My apologies. Still, what is the underlying reason for you viewing his popularity with favor?”

“Even though his merits far exceed what my sister deserves, I look upon him as a viable candidate to become her spouse. Consequently, speaking from the position of her elder brother, I noted that I look upon it favorably.”

“What sort of absolute garbage are you spouting now?”

Responding to Eliza’s sharp inquiry, Duran maintained an entirely detached tone.

“Garbage? Khal Thomas holds official citizenship within Moira. I occupy the position of supreme ruler over Moira. Speaking as a monarch, exploring matrimonial alliances with noble bloodlines to secure top-tier capabilities is the absolute foundational strategy of governance. I never could have envisioned that the direct successor of Hergin would remain completely oblivious to a concept so utterly elementary.”

Eliza’s shoulders began to quiver with an uncontrollable rage.

“What is causing you to become so visibly agitated, Eliza Hergin?”

Taking in that entire comedic display, Chelsea murmured under her breath.

‘Does that idiot Duran actually comprehend the nature of his own actions, or is he completely devoid of situational awareness?’

Chelsea gave her head a dismissive shake before redirecting her attention toward Leo.

“Leo Oppa. Is there a particular matter that is currently weighing on your mind?”

“More than ten full days have elapsed since we initiated this reconnaissance operation.”

“Yes, that is accurate. We have already methodically scoured every hidden corner and crevice all the way up to the perimeter of the Wall of Constraints.”

Building upon Chelsea’s assessment, Artian offered his thoughts.

“It appears whatever we seek has been masked with exceptional skill.”

The territory encompassing the stronghold that was hemmed in by the Wall of Constraints did not span a particularly vast distance.

‘Furthermore, the total absence of that individual named Giath is deeply unsettling.’

It wasn’t merely a matter of Giath being missing.

The entire military host belonging to the Giant King was completely missing from the territory.

‘This indicates they have managed to transition beyond the boundaries of the Wall of Constraints.’

Could such a feat actually be executed? Leo pondered the problem deeply before constructing a plausible theory.

The interior zone bound by the Wall of Constraints functions fundamentally as a domain of actual reality, yet simultaneously, it operates as a sector of a dungeon world.

To put it another way, it represents a location where concrete reality and the labyrinthine realm cross paths.

The fundamental principles governing the dungeon world hold sway within that space.

And Leo was fully aware of a specific technique that allowed one to completely bypass the structural constraints of the Legion’s realm—or to be more precise, the laws governing the Hero’s realm.

‘The specific process of channeling celestial power.’

In the exact same manner that Leo had previously utilized celestial power to extract Luna and Aron into the tangible outer world.

It was entirely plausible that the forces of Tartaros could likewise tap into the authority of Erebus to transport entities native to the Legion’s domain out into the open world.

‘Could that prior assault… have been a calculated move to trim down their own numbers?’

Reflecting deeply on the details of the previous skirmish, Leo clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

The ultimate objective of the Giant King’s host, having successfully migrated to the outer world, was blindingly obvious.

‘To fortify and augment their combat capabilities.’

The storm would burst forth in the very near future.

A massive, coordinated offensive on a scale that would completely dwarf the events recorded in conventional history.

‘If I can manage to obliterate the historical anchor of the Legion before that event manifests, the issue should be fundamentally neutralized.’

Yet, despite their exhaustive efforts, not a single gateway leading directly into the Legion’s domain could be located anywhere within this immediate zone.

Having pursued that line of reasoning to its natural conclusion, Leo subtly shifted his gaze.

His eyes focused directly toward the precise vector where Ivaldi’s primary stronghold was situated.

‘Could the gateway actually be hidden within the interior of the fortress itself?’