Hero Yi Ga-ram.
When she first arrived in this world, she faced humiliation in the traditional initiation among heroes, leading to her being labeled a ‘Fallen Hero.’
Even now, as she hunts down corrupt heroes, this infamy still circulates among them.
For heroes who always look for faults in others, having a history as a ‘Fallen Hero’ was enough reason to be despised.
‘So, the once Fallen Hero now chooses to help laborers, unlike the others…’
Instead of embracing the culture of heroes, she walked a different path than other heroes.
Her irregular assistance was proving to be a great help in reinforcing the station at this mont.
“Thanks to you, the work finished quicker than expected. Shall we leave the finishing touches to the laborers and go eat sothing?”
“Hmm, sounds good. What’s for lunch today?”
“We have so seasoning left at the lodge. How about so spicy pork?”
“…It seems like whenever I eat with you, it’s always either spicy pork or pork cutlet.”
“Well, after a hard day’s work, you need sothing hearty and spicy for energy. But why do you call Hyo-sung ‘Brother’ all the ti and ‘Mister’?”
“If you’re calling ‘kiddo,’ it ans there’s a big age gap, right? -rong~”
The two heroes, bantering playfully, left the work site.
While the laborers watching them generally showed positive reactions, not everyone would view it positively if it seed to be directed at the concept of heroes.
Heroes were seen as figures to be admired by all—spiritual support and idols.
If such beings stood on the sa level as ordinary citizens, they might be seen as losing their symbolic status as idols.
‘But such perceptions are, after all, fine with .’
Marcus Cradle.
To him, as the legion commander, everyone in the army was part of the community and rely a component that should be encouraged to cooperate to achieve their goal.
The sa went for heroes.
Even if there were roles suitable for them, those who failed to perform their roles and only sought benefits were inevitably considered a burden.
“Aide, how many heroes are currently available for activity?”
“Apart from Yi Ga-ram and Nam Ja-seong, who helped the laborers, most of them don’t have specific tasks… I’m not sure if they will be cooperative.”
“If they are uncooperative, we’ll have to take a firm stand.”
Power must be used if one had it.
And if they wouldn’t listen, a warning would suffice.
As the person in charge of this land, Marcus had the authority to do so.
“Oh my, Hero~ You shouldn’t touch there~”
“What’s the harm~? We had plenty of fun last night~”
That decision led him to a hero’s quarters.
Ignoring the coquettish voice inside, as he entered, the man and woman rolling on the bed expressed their displeasure towards him.
“What the…? What are you doing here without even knocking…?”
“Hero Shin Ji-ho.”
Marcus replied with an indifferent voice.
To him, what mattered was not who the person was or their feelings, but protecting the safety of the station.
“Do you think I’m in a position to back off just because you say so?”
“…*Hiccup. *Oh, what? It’s you?”
Only then did Hero Shin Ji-ho, who had been clinging to the adventurer woman like a courtesan, cast her aside.
His face was still flushed red. It seed his mind hadn’t sobered up from drinking all night, even as he recognized the visitor with an arrogant look.
“Ah ha~! So it’s our esteed Legion Commander! Sorry about that. I drank too much and was slow to recognize you~!”
His behavior was frivolous and ill-mannered.
Shin Ji-ho, showing no minimum respect towards his superior, abruptly got up from the bed and started to reach for the bottle of liquor on the table.
“What brings you here? Wanna join in the fun? Good timing. The traders brought so good liquor. Let’s drink together…”
Crash!
A bottle shattered as it fell from a hand violently swung.
Shin Ji-ho’s face, looking down at him, began to show increasing annoyance.
“Ah, damn, that was the only bottle.”
“So, are you going to attack over it?”
An average person would have braced for death at this point, having offended a hero.
But Marcus, unfazed, shot back at Shin Ji-ho as if to overpower him.
To oppose him ant defying the royal family, which would lead to becoming a wanted criminal and a fallen hero.
“Puhuhu, as if~ I also live off the empire’s bounty, how could I dare defy the Legion Commander?”
Fortunately, even though he was drunk, he still possessed that level of common sense.
Even if it was not genuine loyalty or a grand cause, it was good to make use of whatever formality could be achieved.
“…Follow . I’ll introduce you to a place where you can shine.”
“Okay, I’ll do as you say~ But after the job’s done, no disturbing for a while, okay? It’s so draining to be disturbed when things are going well~”
Shin Ji-ho, dragging his drunken body, threw on his clothes haphazardly.
Marcus, glancing back at him following, quietly turned his head and replied.
“…As long as you get the job done, it’s fine.”
His steps staggered from the liquor, but there was no sign of worry on his face.
As if possessing an absolute certainty that whatever happens next, he could handle it.
Yes, if it was him, he would surely manage whatever ca his way.
After all, the title of hero was given to those born with such capabilities.
If there was a key factor, it wasn’t ability, but motivation.
Despite being a legion commander, he headed to the field, as he was the only one who could control the problems that might be caused in such a situation.
“Are those guys down there?”
“Yeah, that’s the undead army under the Corpse Lord’s influence.”
At the end of a foggy ridge, they arrived at a small hill.
Below the hill, they could see the undead legion being observed by the reconnaissance unit they had joined, standing still in their place.
Their equipnt was old and rusty, but they were ard nonetheless.
The orderly appearance of the hundreds-strong force was sothing that could never naturally occur among the wild undead.
“Wow, look at that crowd. Are those the Four Knights I’ve only heard rumors about?”
“No, it’s a unit led by a Lich under them.”
“Not a legion commander, but just a battalion-level? Geez, I thought they called for sothing formidable, but it’s just to clean up these riffraffs.”
With that number of forces, they could also respond.
But doing so would an sending hundreds on their side, too, and if they engaged in a full-scale battle, there would be casualties on their side as well.
Moreover, without a proper understanding of the enemy’s strategy, leading the troops into direct combat could play into the enemy’s hands.
To prevent the opponent’s intentions in advance, the best strategy was to conduct a surprise attack with a small, elite force.
“So you’re saying you can’t do it?”
But for a hero, it would be botherso to elaborate on such intentions.
As Marcus spoke in a provoking tone, Shin Ji-ho burst into laughter and quietly got up from his seat.
“Just watch from here. I’ll go and handle it quickly.”
Shin Ji-ho, adjusting his loosely worn clothes, moved his staggering feet.
The mbers of the reconnaissance unit watching him descend the hill expressed their concerns to Marcus, who had co with Shin Ji-ho.
“Commander, is it really okay? No matter what, handling that number alone is…”
“You. Don’t you know why a hero is called a hero?”
Alone against forces numbering in hundreds.
It was only natural to be anxious if you’ve never witnessed the dignity of a hero, but Marcus, as a legion commander, had seen the feats of many heroes.
He had experienced firsthand why heroes were called so and why, regardless of their character or purpose, they were revered as saviors.
‘Yes, regardless of their values or actions, their strength is real.’
Pazuzzik!!
The mont Marcus etched the current flowing through the hero’s body into his eyes, he found himself comparing him to a hero he had once idolized in the past.
There might be differences in detail, but at least the power and potential he possessed might be comparable to that of the hero he had seen back then.
“Hu… man.”
But was his mind so rotten that he couldn’t recognize such power?
Soon, a high-ranking undead called a Lich, wearing a black hood and leading the undead legion, began to show hostility towards the approaching Shin Ji-ho.
“Hu… man h… has co here. Everyone, for our queen… prepare for battle…”
Boom!!!!
Fierce lightning shot from his swung hand.
The Lich’s head was incinerated by the attack, causing convulsions to erupt simultaneously among the undead in front.
It wasn’t confusion from their leader being attacked.
The actions of the mindless undead prioritized the commands of a higher entity.
When such a commanding entity was incapacitated, the wild undead naturally reverted to their most primal instincts.
“Grooaa, aaaaah!”
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
The undead were screaming and raging, driven by madness and hunger.
Their target was naturally the human closest to them, but Shin Ji-ho just stood there, focusing strength into his body.
*Pazuzzik, zuzzik. *The current spreading over his skin and outwards was due to his ability, ‘Electric Skin.’
He could generate electricity when channeling his magical power through his skin, a capability dramatically enhanced by various artifacts and elixirs received from his patrons.
Kwagagang!! Kwagagagang!!
Consequently, what transpired was a massacre happening at this very mont.
The undead, targeting the lone human, were burned to the bone by the current before they could even reach him, turning them into ash, one after another.
There was no need to aim when spreading the electricity.
The overwhelming power emitted just by standing was enough to easily incinerate the decayed bodies.
“BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”
Shin Ji-ho, showcasing such power, burst into laughter.
His drunken mind began to swell with exhilaration as he watched the trash being overwheld by him at that mont.
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