anwhile, standing before Arthamonth's town gates, Luna, Valen, Guren, Natasya, and Rain stood together in their battle robes, facing Mayor Daniel and the thousands of town guards behind him.
"Thank you for gracing our small town with your presence, Bow Hero Luna." Daniel respectfully addressed Luna, bowing his head toward her.
Luna smiled gently, shaking her head as she spoke: "Mayor Daniel, there's no need for gratitude; instead, it is we who owe you and the people of Arthamonth our thanks for providing us with a place to rest. We will always cherish this kindness, and I promise to repay it in the future."
Listening to Luna's words, a joy that Daniel couldn't conceal spread across his round, chubby face.
Had these polite words been spoken by a commoner or another noble, Daniel might have remained indifferent, yet coming from the mouth of a hero, they held significant weight. It ant he had received an indirect favor from her!
With this realization, his long-held dream of being promoted and transferred from this remote place to the capital could finally materialize in the near future!
'Hahaha! I, Daniel, am truly fortunate in this life!' Daniel chuckled inwardly.
Swiftly regaining his composure, he nodded in agreent.
"If that's the case, then I, Daniel, am deeply honored to accept it, Bow Hero Luna," he said with a joyful smile, not hesitating to accept Luna's verbal promise.
Luna simply nodded back with a serene smile, choosing not to add anything further.
Having witnessed countless facets of human nature, Luna couldn't help but discern Daniel's innermost thoughts and true intentions.
Regrettably, Luna didn't concern herself with Daniel's thoughts or intentions, viewing him as a fleeting presence in her life who would never cross her path again.
"In that case, Mayor Daniel, my entourage and I will return to our troops' side," Luna remarked casually.
"Alright, please take care on your journey as well as in this war against the demon race—Bow Hero Luna, Spear Hero Valen, General Natasya, Great Mage Rain, and Marquis Guren. The people of Arthamonth will always pray for your victory." Daniel spoke respectfully, bowing his head, followed by the entire guard behind him.
"Thank you," Luna replied softly, nodding slightly as she turned to leave, followed by Valen, Natasya, Rain, and Guren.
Watching the group until they were out of sight, Daniel, who had maintained a respectful expression, suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! Everyone, let's celebrate tonight!" Daniel exclaid loudly, startling the entire guard behind him, who initially feared they had misheard. However, as they grasped Daniel's sincere intent, excitent swiftly spread, and eager shouts resonated throughout the Arthamonth town gate.
***
On their way to join the troops stationed five kiloters away from the town of Arthamonth, Luna and Natasya conversed at the front, deliberating and brainstorming war strategies. In the middle row, Rain accompanied them silently, while Valen and Guren, positioned behind, exchanged wordless glances.
"What did you observe?" Guren inquired, his tone carrying a chill as he glanced at Valen beside him.
"Nothing. I just thought you were a bit different this ti," Valen replied with his usual reckless smile.
Upon hearing this, Guren's eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered whether Valen had detected his ascension into a sword hero.
However, confident in his ability to conceal the Holy Sword of Zenith, Guren felt relieved.
"What exactly do you an?" Guren asked with a note of caution.
Valen, rubbing his chin, examined Guren from head to toe, causing him to shiver and feel unsettled under his gaze.
After a mont, Valen withdrew his gaze and smiled faintly.
"I sense a change in you. You appear to have grown stronger and improved since last ti, am I right?" Valen guessed, instantly putting Guren on edge.
'This man's observations are truly unnerving,' Guren thought to himself, narrowing his eyes slightly at Valen.
Valen's intuition, despite his reckless deanor, was uncanny, a fact that Guren was well aware of.
Taking a small breath to compose himself, Guren imdiately plastered a faint smile on his lips.
"So, have you discerned that I'm stronger and feel threatened by ?" Guren inquired in a sowhat arrogant tone.
After obtaining the Holy Sword of Zenith and experiencing the transcendent power last night, he felt highly confident in his newfound strength, which had increased manifold from before.
Moreover, he also ca to understand how distinct he was from the true heroes, fueling his resentnt toward Leon for not perishing sooner.
If he had acquired the Holy Sword of Zenith earlier, shouldn't his na be reverberating throughout the Empire or even the world by now?
Listening to Guren's question, Valen shook his head with a mocking smile.
"Although I acknowledge your slight increase in strength, it doesn't grant you the authority to threaten . No matter how powerful you beco, even if you were to beco a hero and wield a holy weapon, you still can't surpass ." Valen's words dripped with arrogance and dominance, laced with a subtle implication, causing blue veins to protrude on Guren's forehead.
Valen's arrogance tempted Guren to strike him with his Holy Sword of Zenith.
However, his improved emotional control allowed him to swiftly regain his composure.
"Humph! How can you be so confident?" Guren sneered coldly before continuing mockingly: "After all, you were always defeated by Leon and never once erged victorious against him, right?"
Upon hearing the na 'Leon', Valen's expression hardened montarily before returning to normal.
"Leon, that guy isn't human, so it's no surprise I was bested by him," Valen replied nonchalantly, catching Guren off guard with his straightforward admission.
Guren frowned as he redirected his gaze towards Valen, his tone cautious as he asked, "How powerful was Leon? Can you elaborate?"
Though Leon was soone he harbored resentnt towards, Guren found himself unexpectedly curious.
Perhaps it stemd from taking on the role of the new sword hero in Leon's place, or simply from a desire for comparison to boost his own ego—Guren couldn't quite decipher his own motives.
Yet one thing remained certain: he was genuinely intrigued to learn of Leon's strength during his lifeti.
In response to Guren's question, Valen's expression shifted from its previous recklessness to one of calm and composure.
"I can't quite put into words how formidable Leon is," Valen replied casually, leaving Guren puzzled by his cryptic response.
Yet, before Guren could inquire further, Valen interjected.
"But unquestionably, his talent, strength, ability, ntality, and perception were all at their peak, leading to conclude he wasn't human at all, but rather a monster that should never have existed in this world," Valen continued, a faint smile playing across his lips.
Upon hearing this, Guren's eyes widened, his expression gradually shifting to one of jealousy.
"Monster, huh?"
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