This World Needs a Hero

Chapter 87

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After the practical training, the extreme kids naturally gathered in the lounge.

It was to discuss the shocking midterm exam results that had just been announced.

Cuculli spoke in a low voice, “So, what’s the Forest of Martial Arts?”

“Well, is it a dangerous place?”

“Gerald, you dummy, that’s a response anyone could give.”

“Why me…!”

Unable to get a clear answer, Cuculli asked the smartest classmate in her opinion.

“Ban!”

“Yeah.”

“Hehe, explain it.”

Although he felt it every time, Cuculli’s innocent wall-colored eyes had a magical power that made it difficult to refuse.

It’s not for nothing that the dormitory kitchen is robbed every day.

Ban reluctantly began a brief explanation.

The Forest of Martial Arts.

It was undoubtedly one of the distinctive places among the extraordinary training locations of Rosenstark.

It was because the forest itself emitted ‘demonic energy.’

Cuculli, who had heard that far, tilted her head curiously.

“Huh? It’s not even a ground with stakes, why demonic energy?”

“There’s an ‘artificial core’ in the center.”

“Artificial core?”

“Exactly. You know, demons, monsters, stakes have cores in them, right? They artificially made that.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Thanks to that, the Forest of Martial Arts, periodically exposed to magic, became an environment similar to a Demonic realm.

A hostile space for humans.

Before heading to the real demonic realm, it was created with the intention of providing a similar experience as much as possible.

“… Zero, that gentleman is not in his right mind. Making such a dangerous place!”

Contrary to her words, Cuculli’s eyes were sparkling more than ever.

“You can control demonic energy step by step, so it won’t be that dangerous… probably.”

Cuculli abruptly leaned in towards Ban, who had just finished explaining.

The boy quickly turned his head.

“Smarty. Where did you learn all this?”

“I, I read it in a book. ‘The Beginning of Rosenstark,’ in the library…”

…A book? The library?

Cuculli’s sky-blue eyes sparkled.

“Take me with you next time!”

“To the library? You fall asleep just by going to your own study room…”

Cuculli’s horn drooped.

“Hmph, what can I do if I haven’t developed the habit of reading books? My dad said that if I tried to read a book, he would throw me off a cliff. He thinks only fortune-tellers read books.”

“…He threw you off a cliff for reading books?”

“No?”

“……”

It was a moment of such casual banter.

Karen, who was listening to the explanation beside them, murmured sadly.

Her carefree face was covered with worry and unease.

“Do we have to take exams in such a dangerous place?”

Tap-tap –

Evergreen patted Karen’s back reassuringly.

“Come on, even if that’s true, do you think the professor would just throw us into such a place without a plan?”

Gerald, who had been lurking around, belatedly offered comfort.

“Yeah! He even said he would prepare us during lecture time before the exams. Don’t worry too much.”

“Next week and the week after that, he said he would soon upload the lecture schedule, let’s check that.”

Following Evergreen’s words, the kids took out their connectors one by one.

It was right after a new announcement had been updated.

The next lecture schedule was imminent.

“Hmm…?”

The kids, checking the schedule, had puzzled expressions.

“Blacksmith meeting? What’s this about?”

* * *

The next morning.

The hero headed to the temporary workshop in Noubelmag.

It was to convey the schedule for the upcoming lectures.

“Uh… Is it too nerve-wracking?”

The person standing next to him was swallowing saliva, looking restless.

“Is it really okay for me to go to such a place?”

“It’s okay, just stop trembling.”

“To meet Lord Noubelmag. If my classmates find out, they’ll be jealous… Of course, there’s no one to brag to…”

Whether it was due to tension, excitement, or maybe both, Pia’s petite body couldn’t stay still.

It was right after asking if she wanted to go together to meet Noubelmag.

She abandoned everything she was doing and stood up from her seat.

It seemed like she hadn’t noticed that the spilled ink from the fallen ink bottle was halfway covering the documents.

…She seemed to be a natural alchemist.

“His personality can be a bit eccentric.”

“It’s okay; artisans tend to be a bit grumpy.”

The hero looked at the luxurious scroll in her hand.

It would contain a ‘special fatigue recovery potion.’

It seemed more luxurious packaging than what he had received before, perhaps due to the mood.

‘…I don’t think she was this nervous even when she was assigned as my temporary assistant.’

Ironically, back then, there didn’t seem to be any signs of annoyance.

The hero walked faster, feeling a strange sense of disappointment.

Pia followed behind, “L-Let’s go together, Professor!”

They soon arrived at the shopping street.

The hero looked around to find the address Yussi had given.

There was no need to walk more than a few steps.

At the entrance of the shopping street.

Clang! Clang!

Sharp sounds of metal being struck echoed rhythmically from the most prestigious blacksmith shop.

The address pointed to that place.

The forging workshop supplying training equipment, ‘Power Forge,’ was just across the street.

The blacksmiths, curious about the identity of the new neighbour, quickly scattered when they saw the hero and Pia.

‘What is he already making?’

The workshop door was wide open, so the hero entered without any particular hesitation.

Creak!

The workshop floor made a sound, announcing the arrival of a visitor.

One thing was certain; the sound of striking metal remained unchanged.

‘…The facilities are better than I thought.’

The workshop, illuminated by scattered cooling artifacts, was not only comfortably warm but also pleasant.

Moreover, the materials piled everywhere looked high-quality at first glance.

For a hastily arranged temporary workshop, it was in remarkably good condition.

Perhaps the relationship between Yussi and Noubelmag wasn’t as bad as it seemed.

Clang!

The hero soon discovered Noubelmag, wearing work goggles and hammering away in a corner.

The purpose of the metal piece on the anvil couldn’t be easily identified.

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‘What is he making?’

…Sometimes curiosity must be restrained.

The hero and Pia silently observed him to avoid disturbing his work.

Clang! Clang!

Noubelmag’s movements were relentless, rapid, and precise.

“Wow…hup.”

Pia exclaimed in admiration at his delicate and skilled craftsmanship but then quickly covered her mouth in surprise.

However, even that level of distraction couldn’t disturb the craftsman’s concentration.

After a few more minutes of hammering, Noubelmag carefully examined the finished product, checking its weight and balance.

Then, he compared it with the sketch on the workbench.

A rather satisfied smile spread across his bearded face, adorned with sweat droplets instead of foamy beer bubbles.

It was a pleasant sight.

“Kuhmm.”

The hero, sensing that the process was complete, purposely made a noise.

Noubelmag raised his head.

“…You move around quite quietly for such a big fellow, Leader. Good morning.”

The hero also raised a hand in greeting and settled into the nearby chair.

“Yussi seems to have taken good care of you.”

“…Well, there’s plenty to tear apart. It feels good to work in a decent environment after a long time.”

“Tear apart?”

“You’ll hear about that directly. I’m working on something quite charming.”

…Something charming?

The hero tilted his head for a moment.

‘Ah.’

It wasn’t entirely beyond his imagination.

When he first visited the Principal’s office to receive the key to the library, there was a rather ambiguous conversation.

“I…actually got a chance to get my hands on something I’ve been searching for a long time.”

“Can I tell you about it later when it’s confirmed? I don’t want to speak prematurely.”

Is it related to the ‘something I’ve been searching for’?

The hero wondered.

Thump-

Noubelmag, now sitting across from them, took off his gloves and safety goggles.

His gaze, like a sharpened awl, was directed towards Pia, who was sitting across from him like a planted staff.

“Leader is always friendly with the girls, be it now or before. Who is she?”

“My assistant. An excellent alchemist. She wanted to see you.”

“An alchemist…”

“Yussi says her alchemical skills are better than hers.”

“Huh? That arrogant guy admits that?”

Noubelmag’s expression subtly turned more favorable.

Then, he approached and extended his calloused hand.

Pia, surprised by the unexpectedly friendly response, shook hands with a look on her face as if she might faint.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Noubelmag. It must be tough working under the leader. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Oh, no, it’s not. I’m Pia Joyce. It’s truly an honor to meet you! A, a fan!”

The hero added a word to Pia, who looked like she might faint with joy.

“For a while, I’ll take care of your paperwork, so focus on Awaken research and assist Noubelmag. You can come to work at your own pace.”

Pia’s face became like that of a released prisoner upon hearing his words.

“Professor…!”

It was a reasonable decision.

Alchemy and metallurgy were mutually complementary.

When two geniuses from these fields met, it was appropriate to provide as much support as possible to create synergy.

Perhaps another splendid collaboration like ‘Awaken’ might emerge.

A highly upgraded Pia Joyce was eagerly anticipated.

“Now, let’s get to the main point. Pia, hand over the lesson plan to Noubelmag.”

Noubelmag carefully examined the document detailing the class schedule and location.

“Hmm, I’ll finally get to see the Leader’s disciples. So, what kind of class do you plan to showcase their talents?”

“There’s no fixed plan; you can do whatever you think is good. Make any requests you want. We’ll cooperate fully.”

Noubelmag’s eyes sparkled right after hearing this.

For a craftsman, it was customary to understand not only the creation of the weapon but also the small habits and quirks of the future owner before making a weapon.

He must have his own routine.

The hero respected that.

“Well, if you allow, I have one request.”

“What is it?”

“Do you remember the initiation test for the Dawn Knights?”

The hero nodded silently.

“How about a simplified version?”

Noubelmag grinned sinisterly.

After a brief consideration, the hero accepted the proposal.

Since they decided to roll with it, why not make it a bit more challenging?

* * *

Originally, the recruitment of new members for the Dawn Knights was a private process.

Recommendations from existing members’ acquaintances, scouting already renowned heroes, or voluntary enlistment by such individuals filled the vacancies.

However, in the distant past, there was a time when public entrance exams were conducted.

It happened not long after the establishment of the Dawn Knights.

‘Back then, with the rise of the demons, there was a shortage of manpower in the face of the most dangerous frontlines, and vacancies occurred in the Dawn Knights.’

The knightly order that raised the banner of humanity’s defense on the most perilous front.

Many valiant individuals were drawn to the glory, applying for the “new member recruitment” of the Dawn Knights.

It was overwhelming to verify each one individually.

Therefore, the ‘Original.’ in charge of combat evaluations, devised a single test to assess the mental and combat capabilities of a large number of candidates simultaneously.

It was named “A Day of Exhibition.”

▼

Information on the test has been recorded in the database.

Would you like to read it?

The Day of Exhibition.

Invented by the previous user, Ted Redymer, this test method was adopted to determine eligibility for entry into the Dawn Knights. It has the advantage of assessing various qualities such as stamina, mental strength, patience, and weapon skills simultaneously.

However, due to its high difficulty, it significantly reduced the number of candidates in the next round of applications. The rules are as follows:

1. Candidates take the test in a designated location.

2. Each candidate is assigned an individual zone.

3. Candidates are free to move within their assigned zone.

4. Unless they give up or become incapacitated before the end of the test, they pass.

▲

To avoid difficulties in supervising alone, the hero requested assistance from Kasim.

He gladly accepted, and thus, the three of them awaited the extreme students in the test arena.

The location was one of the indoor combat training grounds.

Since there was still some time before the arrival of the students, the hero subtly initiated a conversation with Noubelmag.

“I didn’t expect to showcase A Day of Exhibition to the students.”

“It might seem excessive, but as a creator, I need to see a lot”

Noubelmag replied with determination.

It was his belief as a craftsman – ignorance was never acceptable.

Ignorance could create flaws in weapons.

A craftsman needed to know everything about how the users wielded, slashed, stabbed, blocked, deflected, and maneuvered with their weapons.

If there were gaps in that understanding, imperfections could be embedded in the finished product.

Flawed weapons, even in situations where death wasn’t imminent, could lead to the demise of their wielders.

“Neglecting this process is a grave sin,” Noubelmag continued.

“Understanding every detail is essential. Especially when it comes to crafting custom weapons and improvements, there’s no room for negligence – especially for the students of the leader.”

The hero acknowledged, “I understand.”

It was a non-negotiable aspect for Noubelmag.

The old craftsman surveyed the spacious testing ground with fiery eyes.

“For A Day of Exhibition, I should be able to provide most of the information you seek.”

With a creaking sound, the door opened.

The students entered the combat training ground, bustling with anticipation.

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