The first thing to touch the silver shield was fire.

The fiercely burning flame on the surface of the black orb that seemed to swallow the air around it swept upon the shield.

Everything turned red at that moment.

However, the fire was unable to break the shield. In fact, it couldn’t leave a single mark on the silver light.

– The crown prince’s shield broke!

However, people gasped even louder once the fire disappeared.

The black orb that was sparkling with specks of white light…

It looked as if a condensed version of the night sky was striking down into the ground.

The silver shield and its two wings…

The moment the black orb touched its surface…

Baaaaaaaaaang—–

There was another loud explosion.

The black orb looked sturdy but it exploded as soon as it touched the shield.

No, darkness attacked the shield like water bursting out of a hole in a dam.

It resembled a black wave.

“!”

However, they got goosebumps on their arms as soon as they saw the black wave.

Some people were overwhelmed with fear.

An unexplainable sense of anxiety swept over their bodies.

It felt as if fear that made them unable to fall asleep at night was attacking them.

“Gasp.”

“Mm.”

Some people gasped while others looked away from the darkness.

Of course, some people were calm. However, they still felt discomfort from this black thing pushing toward them.

Whether big or small, they felt an instinctual feeling of discomfort.

“Ah.”

Choi Han gasped.

He thought that this power was similar to his own. However, they were different.

They both had the same darkness, but night was not a source of fear for Choi Han.

It was because light existed within the darkness.

However, this darkness had a sense of instinctual fear within it.

Humans, even when they are at home, would feel an unexplainable sense of fear and dread if they quietly looked out into the darkness outside the window while by themselves.

Maybe it was because of things that this darkness made them think about or because there is some sort of instinctual reaction within their bodies.

As for this darkness, it was like that basic instinct.

‘I see.

Choi Han realized it.

This black thing pushing toward them…

The specks of light in this weird power that was coming toward them as liquid, or smoke, or who knows what, were traps unlike the hope and goals that Choi Han’s light represented.

They were traps to sink the prey that looked for light within the darkness farther inside.

“…….”

Choi Han felt a sense of discomfort that he could not fully explain.

He had this desire to slash apart this power that seemed similar but was different from his own.

However, he held himself back.

There was no need for him to pull out his sword.

Oooooo— oooooo–

The air rumbled.

The aftershock of the shield and darkness crashing against each other made the air rumble.

But the silver light did not submit to the darkness.

It continued to release its radiant light.

“Ah-”

People couldn’t help but gasp at this beautiful sight.

It looked even holier than normal because this light was being used to stop the darkness.

“…It’s shrinking.”

The darkness seemed to be unable to get past the shield as it was slowly shrinking.

The fear and dread were slowly disappearing.

This discomfort and the goosebumps on their arms were all calming down.

Those feelings were being replaced with marvel and relief.

One of the students in the Department of Military Science looked away from the silver shield and toward the platform.

Commander Cale Henituse was firmly standing there with the silver light extending out of his hands.

There were no changes to the Commander’s expression.

“…….”

Cale was looking up at the sky with a stiff look on his face.

This eccentric darkness that was pushing forward like liquid but looked like smoke…

Cale could not relax despite it slowly disappearing.

– Human, this is nibbling away at it!

Raon’s five-layered shield on top of the silver shield…

The darkness was nibbling away at the shield.

They were then disappearing with the shields.

– …Human, this power is weird. It feels like it will swallow everything.

Of course, I will not lose!

This darkness was estimated to disappear together the moment all five layers of Raon’s shield disappeared.

As Raon mentioned, he would not lose.

‘But the wanderer used this power as if it was nothing.’

He called it a simple warning.

– But human, the wanderer did not use magic when he disappeared!

The wanderer who flicked his hand to send this large orb down to the plaza had disappeared.

Sui Khan, who was up in the sky, confirmed it.

‘He said that person disappeared instantly?’

Raon said that he had not felt any change to the mana when the wanderer disappeared. This meant that the person in the sky instantly disappeared using something other than magic.

‘…How leery.’

This person felt different from the enemies he had faced until now.

Wanderers.

Cale had thought them to be like Choi Jung Soo and Choi Jung Gun. That was why he was able to hypothesize and understand the powers they used or their way of thinking.

However, something was different about that wanderer just now.

The power he used was something Cale could not understand, but most importantly-

‘He’s strong.’

His instincts were warning him.

The enemy, someone whose face he couldn’t even see, was very strong.

‘Fuck.’

Maybe it was because of this sense of danger that he was feeling for the first time in a long while, but Cale got chills on his arms.

– Human, it’s done!

Cale could see the sky with the darkness completely gone as this was just a warning.

The enemy did not leave any traces behind.

All he could see was his silver shield and its two wings.

The blue sky beyond the shield was extremely beautiful and refreshing.

It was a rare warm day for the winter.

‘My body feels light as well.’

Cale’s body was feeling light and refreshed as well.

It was to be expected as he had not done anything.

“…….”

‘What do I do?’

However, his inside was not feeling so light and refreshed.

‘With my own mouth-

I myself said that the shield will not break.

In front of so many people.’

Cale knew something else as well.

‘They also said that this was being broadcast out to many places, didn’t they?’

The different Academies in Roan Kingdom as well as some cities would have seen everything.

“Ha.”

How many people must have seen this?

Cale was getting a headache.

He withdrew his shield and blankly stared up at the sky as the silver light disappeared and the warm sunlight shone down on him.

The people below the platform saw it all.

The way their Commander looked up at the sky with a stiff look on his face…

His appearance showed no pride or ego about the miraculous great power that he had just used.

Instead, they felt deep anguish and a heavy burden.

People could not easily open their mouths after seeing that.

‘Hmm?’

Cale then realized that his surroundings were too quiet.

The people who would normally be cheering or applauding were quietly standing there.

‘Shit.’

Cale realized something after seeing the stiff looks on their faces.

‘They must be anxious.’

It was not everyone, but a portion of the people had seen how the Academy administrators were unable to figure out the identity of this sudden enemy and acted frantic.

People always feared the unknown enemies the most.

That was why they must still be scared despite the enemy disappearing.

‘Ha.’

Cale held back a sigh.

‘The Academy and the Royal Palace will end up saying something about today’s incident anyway.’

People would feel less anxious if they gave an answer or explained the cause of the issue.

That was the attitude the Royal Palace should have toward the citizens of the Kingdom who faced such an ordeal.

Cale raised his head and looked at the terrace of a building.

He saw crown prince Alberu.

Alberu nodded his head. Cale understood the meaning behind that nod.

‘Yes, I need to give them some sort of explanation right now.’

Especially since it was currently being broadcast out, giving even a short explanation would prevent chaos.

Most importantly, it would reduce any rumors.

Cale approached the magic amplification device.

“Hmm?”

Alberu flinched in response.

“What’s up with him?”

He found this to be odd.

They were far away, but he had nodded his head at Cale after they made eye contact.

It was a sign.

‘Just come down. I will take care of things.’

Alberu was being considerate of his sworn sibling.

It was also his duty as the crown prince.

However, Alberu saw Cale walking up to the amplification device instead of coming down from the platform.

He wondered what Cale was trying to do.

Cale started to speak at that moment.

“I’m sure you were all shocked. Thank you very much for remaining calm.”

Cale started gently as he looked out at the people.

He could see their stiff bodies and expressions.

They must be feeling chaotic.

Despite surviving the ordeal, they were probably scared that something like this would happen again.

They would feel even more anxious if there was no explanation.

Whether it was the king disappearing…

Or the Royal Palace being attacked, this situation could have made them recall those events.

These memories they wanted to forget might have rushed back up in the face of danger.

“Please calmly follow the administrators from here on.”

He motioned to the Chancellor who quickly nodded his head.

Of course, he looked out of it.

‘Tsk.’

Cale wondered whether the former Prime Minister should really be like this but he simply clicked his tongue internally and spoke to the people.

“And please don’t worry.”

People would feel even more anxious if he simply stopped with that.

It was something he learned as Kim Rok Soo while fighting against the monsters on Earth.

He needed to share some information with them.

“We have already figured out the enemies aiming for our world and have prepared for it. We are already fighting against them. That is why you do not have to worry.”

Cale stopped there and looked around.

He could see Lily and the students around her.

“Congratulations for the start of the new school year. I hope you are able to get everything you want this year in school.”

He saw Basen as well.

The parents of the students were by his side.

Cale gave a simple comment.

“The Academy will, as always, protect this place until you all reach your dreams.”

Cale then walked down from the platform.

He did not hear any cheering or applause behind him.

Cale understood the situation.

‘Yeah, how shocked must they be?’

In fact, he preferred this sort of quiet reaction.

Cale gave short greetings to the Academy administrators who were blankly staring at him and quickly walked.

He sent signals to Choi Jung Soo and Sui Khan with his eyes.

‘We need to learn about the wanderers.’

He needed to chat with the God of Death as well.

It was possible that their final enemies would be a group of wanderers.

This frustrating feeling made Cale undo the top button of his shirt.

He subconsciously started scowling.

The Academy administrators lowered their eyes when they saw this, but Cale had no idea. It was none of his business.

‘Ah, but it is nice that I don’t have to give a speech.’

He was not really good with things like this compared to smacking the enemies in the back. Cale did like it that his speech was canceled.

His footsteps were, albeit not visible to the others, extremely light.

The people looking at his back were unable to look away from him.

Crown prince Alberu watched all this before clenching his eyes.

“Ha.”

He couldn’t believe it.

‘Does this punk even want to be a slacker?’

Alberu was truly curious.

Nonetheless, he started to speak.

The aide by his side approached him.

“Was everything broadcast out?”

“Yes, your highness. We were unable to stop it as it was a sudden situation.”

“…Since it was Cale Henituse giving a speech, I’m sure that foreign nations were interested as well?”

“Yes, your highness. Despite the fact that we only broadcast it out within the kingdom to areas with connections to the Academy, I’m sure they would have planted informants to see it.”

“Then it wouldn’t be wrong to say that this incident has been spread to the entire continent?”

“Yes, your highness.”

Alberu stopped talking after hearing the aide’s short response.

The people in the plaza were unable to open their mouths either.

Cale completely disappeared from the plaza.

Someone who was watching gasped.

“Ah.”

There was no way to describe it.

A new enemy, a new threat had appeared.

That information was shocking but he felt a bit relieved to hear that the kingdom was already aware of the enemies and fighting against them.

He felt that there was no need to be scared.

Nonetheless, he couldn’t stop being scared.

Someone subconsciously mumbled at that moment.

“I thought he was in recovery.”

Cale Henituse.

He and his friends were the heroes who saved the Roan Kingdom and the entire Eastern and Western continents.

Recently, they had heard that Cale Henituse was remaining secluded because his health was not doing well.

Everybody had believed that.

However-

The truth was-

“…He was fighting?”

‘Against enemies like that?’

They were at a loss for words.

Now that he thought about it, Cale and his friends, who had accomplished such achievements, had all quickly gone silent.

Normally, people who make such achievements would rise to high positions or they would at least hear about them creating their own little territory. But for some odd reason, it was quiet.

“There was a reason behind it?”

“Normally, such people would receive a title or a reward. I was wondering why it was so oddly quiet!”

People started opening their mouths one by one.

One person suddenly said something he recalled.

He was sure that-

“…He said world?”

Their commander had said the following.

He said that there were enemies aiming not for this kingdom, but this world.

“It feels like a strong enemy that can’t even be compared to Arm.”

People looked at each other.

“…They were fighting… Against such enemies?”

Quietly without showing any signs of it happening?

Despite them being sure that he would have been in pain and coughed up blood?

“…….”

He was so flabbergasted that he could not say anything.

It was not marvelous, it was unbelievable.

These emotions that were impossible to explain with words were quietly or loudly roaring within people’s hearts.

All of this was broadcasted through the video communication device.

Furthermore, the power figures of the Eastern and Western continent, the ones who were wary of the now strong Roan Kingdom and their great hero, Cale Henituse, were visible as well.

“…I understand why the Roan Kingdom did not try to suppress others with strength despite being able to do so. I see why they wanted to make deals and use politics.”

“Ha. The Roan Kingdom used their strongest card not for power but quietly behind the scenes to save the world? Ha! Seriously?!”

Conversations that would flabbergast Cale were happening all around the continent.

* * *

“…….”

Cale silently clenched his eyes shut.

“There’s no helping you now.”

Alberu calmly commented.

“Cale my boy, you are, legen, wait for it, dary.”

“Fuck.”

Cale was swearing in front of the crown prince.

—

Translator’s Comments

I couldn’t help with the HIMYM reference. It seemed so fitting!

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