Chapter 66 : Worst Warrior (5)

The Shadow Hero.

He was a hero of the shadows, handling tasks in the dark that could not be dealt with openly.

In terms of raw strength, he couldn’t be compared to the other heroes.

But what made the Shadow Hero truly terrifying was his willingness to use any means necessary.

Before being influenced by the Saintess, he committed countless atrocities under the guise of justice.

Despite this, the only reason he was still called a hero was simple:

The Demon King’s power was so overwhelming that even the Shadow Hero’s crimes were overshadowed.

“So, I only managed to capture a petty thief?” Wolfgang clicked her tongue in frustration.

It wasn’t difficult to deduce that Hyde was the Shadow Hero.

His appearance, weapon, and combat style all matched the records.

However, the records and legends described the Shadow Hero as being weaker in direct combat compared to the other heroes.

This left Wolfgang feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

“Still, Captain, you defeated a hero all on your own!”

“That’s right! It’s an incredible achievement, sister!”

Even if he was weaker in combat compared to other heroes, there was a reason he was called a hero.

While his strength may have been less impressive than his peers, the Shadow Hero’s legacy and feats were nothing to scoff at.

“It’s a bit disappointing, though. I was curious about how a hero might taste.”

“I can assure you, you’d be disappointed. He was trash.”

“Still…”

“Trust me, eating something like that would only make you sick.”

Only Jackal expressed regret over not having encountered the hero personally.

Wolfgang patted Jackal’s head in reassurance, and she meant what she said.

Though she wasn’t entirely sure of the Shadow Hero’s exact state, one thing was clear—he wasn’t like ordinary living humans.

If anything, he felt closer to an undead.

Unlike other undead, he didn’t radiate an overtly ominous aura or appear overtly corpse-like, but the similarity was there.

Even if consumed, he wouldn’t have been particularly satisfying.

“Let’s think positively.”

In any case, defeating one of the enemy’s primary forces was an undeniable fact.

With one of the four heroes taken care of, only three remained.

After dealing with them, the next step would be to target the Saintess.

Thankfully, the Shadow Hero had isolated himself in this remote location, making it easier to eliminate him without interference.

But luck like this likely wouldn’t follow them with the next hero.

Killing a hero, a symbol of the kingdom’s history, would naturally provoke strong resistance.

“If the crown prince finds out about this, we might lose the only ally we have within the kingdom. It would be best to handle this discreetly…”

“It would also give me an excuse when I return to the Empire.”

Yet, questions lingered.

The Shadow Hero had referred to Wolfgang as a remnant of the old era.

What exactly did he mean by “old era”?

If she represented the old era, who or what symbolized the new era?

While Wolfgang didn’t know for certain, she could guess.

If she was the old era, then the new era likely referred to the Saintess.

What puzzled Wolfgang was the criteria for dividing the old and new eras.

Simply associating it with the title of Saintess seemed too grandiose to justify the term “era.”

“There must be a reason.”

For now, though, no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t find an answer.

She decided to stop pondering and stood up.

Clinging to unsolvable questions only wasted time and energy—a fact she had learned from experience.

However, as she was about to leave, she felt a sudden sharp pain in her eye, accompanied by the sound of burning flesh.

She knew exactly what this meant.

“Damn it.”

“Captain, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, for now.”

Wolfgang’s flames had a unique property—they burned brighter and hotter the more powerful their fuel.

Apparently, the Shadow Hero had been formidable enough for her flames to perceive him as such.

As her flames consumed Hyde, they grew stronger, even with her eyepatch in place.

Though she hadn’t fully unleashed her power, the flames still intensified.

If things worsened, the seal might fail to contain her power.

Galina, noticing this, looked at Wolfgang with concern.

Wolfgang forced a smile and said, “Don’t worry too much. I’m fine.”

For now, at least.

The Saintess was not merely a ceremonial title.

In the past, during the Demon King’s reign, humanity had struggled to unite against the threat.

The reasons were numerous—ideologies, racial conflicts, and other disputes.

The Demon King was a force barely manageable even with unity.

Disorganized and divided, the heroes stood no chance, and the continent plunged into darkness.

It was the Saintess of the Kingdom of Mines who united the heroes.

She personally took up sword and banner, leading the heroes and warriors into battle.

Through their efforts, they defeated the Demon King and restored peace to the continent.

Yet, the Saintess and the heroes were not content with temporary peace.

What if the Demon King returned?

Would their successors be able to stop him?

While they trusted their descendants, they still prepared safeguards.

They anticipated the misuse of their legacy, such as wielding their power for domination.

The power of a hero was meant for the public good.

To awaken it for personal reasons required a direct royal bloodline as the vessel.

This was a warning from the first Saintess—to prevent the misuse of a hero’s power.

But she had not foreseen that the perception of threats would vary from person to person.

To the current Saintess, Jeanne, Wolfgang seemed a far greater threat than the Demon King.

After all, Wolfgang had killed one of the four heroes—a fact Jeanne couldn’t ignore.

Though there was no concrete evidence, Jeanne had no doubts.

She believed Wolfgang was the culprit because no one else in the kingdom had the power to kill a hero.

The kingdom’s greatest guardian, the White Dragon, was the only one who could compare.

But the dragon had neither reason nor justification to kill a hero.

Having hesitated too long, Jeanne had lost one of her cards.

Though it was fortunate that the lost hero was the weakest, she couldn’t afford to lose another.

That’s why Jeanne and Jaiha were now walking through the underground halls of the royal palace.

“To think such a place existed beneath the palace. How did you know about this?” Jaiha asked.

“As the Saintess, I inherit the knowledge of my predecessors. Among it is a method to prepare for great threats.”

“And by great threats, you mean…”

“We’re almost there.”

Behind a dusty stone door lay a vast, eerie space illuminated by an ominous blue glow.

At the end of the narrow path stood a lone tomb.

Devoid of decoration, it was marked only by a stone coffin.

The somber atmosphere seemed to carry a warning from the one buried there.

But Jeanne ignored it.

She despised the need to resort to this.

Even imagining a future without him tore at her heart.

But she bit her lip, refusing to waver.

If only the heroes had a system where one’s awakening triggered the others.

Unfortunately, they awakened only in response to external attacks, nothing more.

Perhaps it was arrogance or an overreliance on others.

Either way, it was foolish.

Because of it, she was forced to lose someone dear to her.

As if to confirm this, Jeanne turned away from the coffin, tears streaming down her face.

“Your Highness.”

“For the sake of the kingdom, please die.”