The entire first-year class gathered in the auditorium.
The sound of chatter filled the auditorium, emanating from students in their mid-teens.
Amidst this, associate professors and teaching assistants came forward to prepare for the lecture.
Once the preparations were complete, one of the associate professors addressed the assembly.
“Everyone, please maintain silence. The lecture will commence shortly.”
“Understood.”
The students complied with the teaching assistants’ request.
Although the chatter diminished somewhat, it did not entirely subside.
Teenagers who were enjoying themselves with friends were not easily subdued by the words of adults alone.
The associate professors were aware of this fact but chose not to press the issue further.
The individual responsible for today’s lecture was none other than Professor Artian Nier.
“My apologies for my tardiness, everyone!”
Professor Artian entered the auditorium and offered her apologies as she took the stage.
Thud!
“Ah!”
She accidentally tripped and fell.
At that instant, all the students straightened up and fell silent.
With a slightly embarrassed expression, Professor Artian rubbed her knee and proceeded to the center of the stage.
Artian Nier.
Currently, the most formidable professor among the first-year students.
The reason was simple.
In her class, physical reprimands were swift if anyone made noise.
However, it was important to note that this was not her choice; rather, it was the work of the impatient spirits bound to Professor Artian.
Consequently, students were on edge the moment Professor Artian made her appearance.
Merely by being present, Artian had a grip on the students. She clapped her hands and smiled warmly.
“Indeed, our students are exemplary! So well-behaved in the presence of your professor!”
Optimistic Artian believed that her students were simply well-mannered.
“Last time, we delved into the tales of heroic families, correct? Shall we revisit some of that material before we dive into today’s lesson?”
Artian commenced her lecture.
“Would anyone like to discuss why heroic families could be established following the emergence of the Hero Records?”
Hands were raised here and there.
Regardless of her strict reputation, she was an excellent professor.
Her lectures were easily comprehensible, and she was lenient with grading.
Considering that there were stringent professors who deducted points, actively participating in Artian’s class was a prudent choice.
Even Karl eagerly raised his hand.
“Karl from Class 5?”
“Yes!”
Karl, who cheered softly, stood up.
“To enter the realm of a hero in Hero Records, one needs an object deeply connected to the hero or a story involving them. Descendants of heroes inherit these relics, which facilitates access to the world of heroes.”
“You are absolutely correct, Karl. You’ve earned 5 points,” Artian acknowledged.
Karl’s face lit up with a smile as he settled back into his seat.
“While it may have political undertones, the profound bond between Lumeren Academy, the custodian of Hero Records, and the heroic families exists for this very purpose.”
The key to unlocking the world of heroes might lie with them, but the records themselves are housed in Lumeren’s Hero Records.
“Heroes whose artifacts did not survive prior to the revelation of the world of heroes can obtain related items through archaeological investigation and excavation.”
The Hero Records predate the world of heroes’ revelation, dating back to the Age of Calamity, with countless pages dedicated to heroes who cannot access their own world.
“Since a single relic cannot unlock all the pages of a hero, excavation becomes the next vital pursuit after raiding hero dungeons. Furthermore, power inheritance tends to be unstable in dungeons created during rampages. Now, onto another question.”
Artian turned her gaze back to the eager students.
“Can anyone elaborate on the significance of Hero Studies beyond what I’ve explained?”
Once again, hands shot up in response.
“Duran from Class 1.”
“The world of heroes can serve as a guide for conquering it.”
“Correct, Duran. You’ve earned 5 points,” Artian commended as Duran resumed his seat, maintaining a composed demeanor.
“The world of heroes represents the challenges past heroes encountered. Even with knowledge of the hero’s story, these challenges can be so monumental that they appear insurmountable. Many have lost their lives in these trials. Hence, even minor clues or stories become invaluable keys to conquering them.”
This is why students held Hero Studies in such high regard.
“As you progress to higher grades, you will select a hero to inherit their power and tackle their pages. By that time, you should also identify which hero aligns best with your disposition.”
Iliana offered a light applause.
“Alright, shall we proceed to the presentation of homework?”
The previous week, Artian had assigned homework to all first-year students.
Although the homework was not particularly challenging, its purpose was significant. The task was to contemplate one’s aspirations as a hero and present them in the next hero studies class.
While it might seem trivial, for those aspiring to be heroes, establishing an image of a hero was essential. As all the students had enrolled at Lumeren with a strong sense of purpose, the first-year students dedicated their weekends to pondering this task earnestly.
“Alright, let’s begin with Class 1.”
The students of Class 1 exchanged nervous glances.
Discussing their hero aspirations in front of a large audience was a daunting task.
“Class 1, there’s no need to feel embarrassed! Your aspirations are your guiding stars! Speaking confidently about them in front of others is something to be proud of… Ahem!”
“Now is not the time to speak; this is Artian’s class.”
“Professor Sedgen! Please! Professor Artian is already feeling timid!”
Professor Sedgen, who had been enthusiastically cheering for the hesitant Class 1 students, was gently restrained by the other homeroom teachers.
It was at this moment that Selia stood up.
With her posture erect, she pushed her hair back and spoke with unwavering confidence.
“I aspire to become a knight who surpasses the achievements of my family’s ancestors.”
Surpassing the illustrious lineage of the Zerdinghers, there could be no greater ambition.
“Wow! That’s an admirable goal!” Artian applauded.
Next in line was Chloe.
“I aim to create a grimoire containing only my original spells.”
“A lofty objective for a mage,” Artian remarked.
Starting with Selia, the students took turns sharing their aspirations.
Initially hesitant, once they began speaking, there was no stopping them.
The homeroom teachers, observing from the back, listened intently to their students’ presentations, recognizing that these brief speeches symbolized the paths their students wished to tread.
Eventually, it was Class 5’s turn.
“I aspire to provide support to heroes.”
As Karl spoke, Artian wore a look of surprise that quickly transformed into a smile.
She understood Karl’s intentions.
“It appears that Karl envisions a role in supporting our heroes.”
“Yes.”
Most students couldn’t quite grasp Karl’s choice to become a supporter, but the professors generally viewed his path positively.
Then it was Leo’s turn.
He stood up and calmly declared, “My goal is the complete eradication of Erebos.”
A hushed silence settled over the auditorium.
Both Artian and the students gazed at Leo with puzzled expressions.
The complete eradication of Erebos wasn’t just an individual aspiration; it was a wish the world had held since the age of calamity. Even the mightiest heroes had failed in this endeavor. Uttering it aloud was considered foolish and subject to ridicule.
“It’s an ambitious goal!” Artian managed to compose herself and offer a smile.
“Isn’t that dream a bit too far-fetched?”
Leo smirked as he stroked his chin. “Once, there was a foolish person who dared to voice such a far-fetched dream. At some point, I found that foolish statement deeply moving. So, I decided to inherit that dream.”
Karl regarded Leo, who was making cryptic remarks, with a perplexed expression. Then he smiled. “Someone with such a grand ambition would need an excellent supporter, wouldn’t they?”
“I’ll be counting on you, Karl.”
***
“The first year representative certainly has a unique ambition,” one of the homeroom professors mumbled as they observed the freshmen’s presentations.
“Didn’t he respond in a rather playful manner?” another professor questioned.
“The supervising professor is Professor Hallind, isn’t it? Do you think he’d tolerate a joke in this setting?”
“Nevertheless, aren’t those ambitions overly unrealistic?”
Opinions among the professors were divided.
Just then, Sedgen turned to Hallind, who was seated next to him, and asked, “Do you think he was joking?”
“No, he’s not the type to spout nonsense,” Hallind replied, his brow furrowing.
“That’s what makes it somewhat unsettling.”
It had been thousands of years since Erebos had been defeated by the great heroes and sealed into multiple fragments. There had been several resurrections during that time. Yet, the revival of even a single fragment could plunge the world into a catastrophic crisis.
And here was a student with a dream of completely eradicating Erebos.
‘Is he merely a fool? Or does he possess an extraordinary capacity?’ Hallind pondered.
Even after a month, Hallind couldn’t fully gauge Leo.
While Hallind was intently observing Leo, the principal’s secretary, Elena, approached the professors, carrying a box.
“This will be the Hero Record page we’ll use as a textbook this time.”
“Well done, Secretary Elena,” Professor Sedgen acknowledged, accepting the box and rising from his seat.
The other homeroom professors followed suit.
This joint class also involved the professors, specifically to prepare for any emergencies. In the past, there had been several instances where a retrieved page from the Hero Dungeon went berserk. It wasn’t a common occurrence, but it wasn’t unheard of either, so professors always kept a watchful eye when Hero Records were used as textbooks to safeguard the students.
By the time the professors were making their way to the podium, the rest of the class had concluded their presentations.
“Ladies and gentlemen, moving forward, our Hero Studies will involve utilizing Hero Records retrieved by the dungeon raiders.”
Professor Artian received the sealed box from Sedgen and began to address the class.
“At last!”
“This is my first time coming into contact with a Hero Record!”
“I’m feeling quite nervous!”
The students expressed their excitement.
“For today’s lesson, we will read the page from the Hero Record, deduce whose hero’s page it belongs to, and formulate a strategy for conquering that hero’s world.”
Technically, this lesson didn’t necessitate the use of Hero Records, but it was a skill they would eventually need in real combat situations. Therefore, Hero Records with undisclosed content were employed to emphasize the gravity of the lesson.
“Class representatives, please step forward.”
“I envy you, Leo. You get to touch the Hero Record firsthand!”
Nella chuckled at Iliana’s comment.
“We’ll all have a chance to touch it after class, so what’s the big fuss?”
“But having the first touch is a privilege!”
Iliana couldn’t help but envy the special privilege granted to the class representative.
Thus, ten class representatives approached the podium.
“Oh, it’s Leo, the 5th class representative, huh?”
Chen Shia, the 10th class representative, greeted Leo warmly.
“It was a spontaneous decision today.”
“Spontaneous?”
Chen Shia tilted her head in confusion.
As all the competitive first-year students gathered, a unique atmosphere enveloped the room.
Artian unsealed the box.
“This time, we have retrieved two Hero Records. Naturally, only one will be utilized as a teaching tool. The other is a page fragment… I brought it to demonstrate that such fragments exist.”
Artian raised the page fragment and handed it to Leo, who was closest to her.
Leo extended his hand without hesitation.
In that instant, the page fragment emitted a faint glow.
And the moment the page made contact with Leo’s hand…
[Hero Record Open. World of ■■. Chapter: ■■-■■■]
A message appeared before Leo, one he had seen before.
Artian, along with the class leaders and even the professors who had been preparing for contingencies, were taken aback.
Wooong-!
Light surged from the stage floor.
A language of God unknown to the inhabitants of the underworld.
“Rampage?”
Accompanied by Professor Sedgen’s bewildered voice, the radiant light engulfed the stage.
Shortly after the light dissipated, Leo, the professors, and the class leaders found themselves in an unfamiliar space.
They stood in the midst of a battlefield.
The ground was littered with the lifeless corpses of grotesque monsters.
“Stay vigilant, everyone! This is a Hero Dungeon!”
The class leaders turned pale at Hallind’s exclamation.
“Hallind! I see a wall over there!”
Sedgen pointed to the wall that Leo had been gazing at.
Leo regarded the wall with a blank expression.
It was a wall he recognized well.
A place that no longer existed in this era.
The last bastion and the ultimate city during the Age of Calamity.
The walls of Guardsron.
The scent of burning monsters, demonic creatures, and devils assaulted Leo’s senses.
For Leo, this sight was indelible, a memory he couldn’t forget.
If it were that time… if his memory served him right, he would have heard these words:
‘Yes, Kyle. My wish is indeed foolish.’
“Yes, ■■. My wish is indeed foolish.”
At the sound of the voice from behind them, the professors and team leaders turned their heads, taken aback.
And they involuntarily gasped.
The person before them was a highly renowned figure.
Leo mechanically turned his head towards the source of the voice.
The woman spoke with the same unwavering conviction as before.
“But ■■, we will save the world.”
In this era, she was known as the King of Wisdom, the Black Dragon.
A formidable and noble hero who had brought a glimmer of hope to an era steeped in despair and heading towards destruction.
Back then, she had been a close friend, one who had been ridiculed as a fool.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Leo called out a name.
“Risinas.”
At Leo’s call, Risinas offered a faint smile.
Whaaak-!
Simultaneously, the world crumbled around them.
In the blink of an eye, they found themselves back in the auditorium.
“What…!”
“Professor, what just happened?”
Students questioned in shaky, panicked voices.
Hallind made a calm decision.
“Class is temporarily dismissed. Everyone, please remain calm and exit the auditorium.”
In response, the associate professors guided the students out.
Leo stood there, his gaze fixed on the fragment of the Hero Record page in his hand.
He knew whose page it belonged to.
‘Kyle’s page. This is my record.’
Cliche Novel 