Chapter 83: The Mysterious First Hero
After leaving the capital, Ekaterina suddenly wrapped her arm around Qin Chu, pulling him close.
Don’t mistake this for a romantic gesture.
But her waist, firm and toned, felt nice against his. He shamelessly placed his hand on her hip, enjoying the contact.
She shivered at his touch, her cheeks flushing, her breath quickening. Her body, hypersensitive to his presence, yearned for his affection.
Loseweisse, watching them, her gaze filled with pity for Ekaterina, felt her anger rising.
“Hero-sama, we need to pick up the pace. Hold on tight,” Ekaterina said, her voice firm.
She bent her knees slightly, Star Flame Battle Qi surging through her legs, flames engulfing her athletic form. Then, with a powerful burst of energy, she shot forward, her speed incredible, Qin Chu clutched tightly in her embrace.
The scenery blurred, trees flashing past in a dizzying rush. The air, sharp and cold, whipped at their faces, stinging their skin.
Natia, watching them disappear, was confused. Wasn’t this supposed to be a training exercise?
What was going on?
She didn’t dwell on it, her curiosity quickly fading. She raised her hands, a whirlwind of energy gathering around her, lifting her small form into the air.
She followed them, her speed slower than Ekaterina’s, but her flight smooth and effortless.
Loseweisse brought up the rear. Her magic, focused on light and mental manipulation, supplemented by a few… unusual… abilities, didn’t grant her exceptional speed. But her stamina was incredible, her regenerative abilities potent. She wouldn’t fall behind.
Ekaterina, glancing back, seeing that Natia was lagging behind, relaxed slightly. Leaning closer to Qin Chu, her voice barely audible above the wind’s roar, she spoke. “Master, I have some important information.”
“What is it?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
He opened his mouth, but the wind, sharp and cold, rushed in, almost tearing his lips apart.
Star Flame Battle Qi, its properties exceeding mere explosive force, granted its wielder incredible speed, rivaling even a meteor’s velocity.
“It’s about the Hero Squad…”
Qin Chu’s expression turned serious.
He had manipulated Ekaterina, turning her into his spy within the Hero Squad, to monitor their movements, to anticipate their actions. After all, his approach in this life differed significantly from his previous one. Their plans would have to adapt.
“Ronald, the nobleman swordsman, has located one of the First Hero’s soul fragments.”
Qin Chu’s eyes narrowed, his body tensing.
He had never met the First Hero, but he instinctively viewed him as his greatest enemy.
To resurrect him, they needed to gather his soul fragments. In his previous life, they had almost succeeded.
And if he could acquire this fragment… it would give him leverage over the Hero Squad. After all, he only had three doses of Stunning Love left…
“Where?”
“Within the Third Demon Princess’s territory. Ronald has infiltrated it and is searching for the fragment.”
“Good. You’ve done well, Ekaterina. I’ll reward you later,” he said, his voice cold, a cruel smile touching his lips.
Ekaterina’s face lit up, her smile unsettling in its intensity. She understood his meaning.
She was eager to complete this mission, to receive her… reward…
She increased her speed, her desire for his touch fueling her.
“Ekaterina, what do you know about the First Hero?” he asked, his voice casual.
“The First Hero?” She considered the question as she maintained her breakneck pace. “He was… charismatic…”
“He was popular wherever he went.”
“Women… even men… cheered for him…”
Her tone was detached, as if she were recounting a story, a tale unrelated to her own life. She had no interest in the First Hero. They had shared experiences, but to her, those memories were like a book she had read… She remembered the plot, but it lacked emotional resonance.
Women… even men…? He was universally adored?
What made him so popular? Was it his charm?
Qin Chu, remembering his own mediocre charm stat, felt a twinge of annoyance. Was the First Hero exceptionally handsome? If he was more attractive than him… well, that was unforgivable.
“But despite his popularity, he wasn’t interested in… romance… There were never any rumors about him and any women…”
“Even the Hero Squad members… they all adored him…” She paused. “Except for me.”
You felt the same way before.
He thought, but he kept his observation to himself.
He knew very little about the First Hero. The Hero Squad members had rarely mentioned him, his existence shrouded in a strange mystique.
What kind of man could inspire such unwavering devotion, such blind loyalty?
He had been dead for years, and they were still willing to kill for him?
Did he possess some kind of… mind control… Ability? Qin Chu couldn’t imagine any other explanation.
But Shaye had said that mental manipulation, though powerful, wasn’t permanent. It required constant reinforcement.
And if the caster died, the control would eventually fade.
And Loseweisse, Ekaterina… they didn’t seem to be under any kind of mental influence. Their actions were their own.
Shaye had confirmed that there were no signs of manipulation on Ekaterina.
So what was the explanation?
“He had a Super-tier Ability, right? What was it?”
Ekaterina frowned, her memories of the First Hero hazy and fragmented. “Grotesque Slayer?”
“Yes, that’s it. It allowed him to deal incredible damage to… unnatural… beings: ghosts, Demons, monsters, aberrations…”
It was a powerful Ability, especially valuable in a world plagued by Demons.
But Qin Chu was still suspicious. It wasn’t enough to explain the Hero Squad’s unwavering devotion.
He asked about the First Hero’s other Abilities, but they were all relatively minor: Fire Element Affinity, Enhanced Strength, etc.
Was he hiding something? Just like he had used Shaye’s power to mask his true abilities from Zimmerman and the other Sages, could the First Hero have possessed a similar Ability?
His curiosity intensified. Though dead, this man seemed to be his greatest enemy, besides the Void Evil God.
And his existence was… unsettling…
“Was he truly dead?” he asked, his voice cold, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes.
“I… I believe so…”
“If he’s dead, why are all of you still alive? You were fighting alongside him, weren’t you?”
Ekaterina considered his question. “It happened suddenly. We were battling the Demons, making good progress. There were casualties, of course, but we were pushing them back, eliminating them. We believed that once we defeated the Dark Witch, Shaye, and the Eternal Monarch, Nagath, victory would be ours.”
“But then… the First Hero left a letter, claiming that Shaye and Nagath were too powerful, that a final confrontation would result in too many human casualties. He decided to assassinate them himself.”
“We found the letter and rushed to stop him, but it was too late. We arrived just in time to see his body… torn to shreds by Nagath’s claws. His blood… it stained the sky.”
Wait…
A crucial detail suddenly struck him. The Hero Squad had arrived just as the First Hero had been killed!
“Didn’t you see his soul fragments? Why didn’t you collect them?”
“And why would Nagath kill him but spare you?”
…
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