This World Needs a Hero

Chapter 93

HEL SCANS

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Shortly after the start of the exam.

The defense team fell into confusion.

“Where the heck are these arrows coming from!”

“No, they keep changing positions! It’s not a flying squirrel, it’s above and then below…”

“Can someone take a look!”

“…I’ll check.”

Amidst the screams of the students heard through the short-range communication devices, Meian, a second-year student hiding near the third-floor window, decided to step forward.

…Squeak!

Meian aimed at the training arrow that had fallen to the ground after hitting the acupoint.

It was right after he raised his head.

‘…In that moment?’

Could that freshman see beyond the wall?

It was utterly incomprehensible to him.

Meian declared with bitterness.

“…Hit area, head. Meian is out.”

“What?”

“Wait… does that make sense?”

The place they were ambushing was right in front of the stronghold.

From the attackers’ perspective, it was the quickest route to plant the flag on the stronghold if they could break through.

But the defense team boldly reduced the number of personnel.

It was only a firepower unit consisting of archers.

“It’s a straight path. If we ambush a few archers, how are they going to break through?”

“Yeah. The rest of us will be flexible and focus on marking Luke or her.”

It seemed like a reasonable strategy at first glance.

The road was structurally the key point of defense that could withstand over a dozen troops in two or three rows.

But an unforeseen situation unfolded.

‘One building to the northeast on the second floor, one on the rooftop, and one in front of the stronghold’s platform. The rest…’

Evergreen squinted, hiding in the shadow of the bell tower, surveying the exam venue.

A battle song.

She had experienced facing real monsters in Solintale, her hometown.

She had practiced simulated battles countless times.

To pass a difficult written exam, she thoroughly studied the patterns of historical battles recorded in history.

Thanks to that, Evergreen could roughly sketch out the defense team’s strategy, where they set traps, and where they might be ambushing, just by looking at the terrain of the exam venue.

With a slow and extended sensory detection, she could completely pinpoint their locations.

Her calmness, quick judgment, and decisiveness to seize opportunities that the hero had emphasized so much were now ingrained in her through the hellish training she underwent, elevating her skills to a whole new level.

Taking down the defense team, who had become complacent one by one was not a challenging task for her in the face of her leap in skills.

“….”

“….”

Only four defenders remained on the road now.

They muttered into their communication devices with expressions of frustration.

“No, it’s just one person. Why should we be stuck like this?”

“Stay calm. You roughly got the positions, right? Over there, by the bell tower.”

“Darn it, how did they get up there?”

The one who seemed like their leader opened his mouth with determination.

“We have no choice but to go out at once. While one person is engaging, the other three will identify the positions and intercept.”

“What if we don’t reveal ourselves?”

“That’s even better. We can reposition while maintaining the encircling formation.”

“Just waiting…”

“Didn’t they already figure out our positions? If the main force comes, it’s over. It would be quite embarrassing to be wiped out by a freshman. Agree?”

Any opposing opinions were immediately silenced.

“Counting to three. One.”

…Two.

…Three.

They rushed forward, all aiming their bows towards the bell tower, where Evergreen was presumed to be.

However, there was no one there.

Rustle-

The only sensed presence was directly in front of them.

‘Oh, when did she come down?’

Evergreen, leaning diagonally against the platform on the road, drew her bow.

The four arrows attached to the bowstring glowed ominously.

…

“Ah, I wish all exams were like this.”

There was no malice in that mutter.

* * *

The anonymous bulletin board was buzzing with discussions about the midterm exams, specifically about the ‘Extreme’ students who were making headlines.

– No, are they a different breed? How can they improve so rapidly? It doesn’t make sense logically.

└ I’m a bit confused too. There are a few people who took the entrance exam together, but it feels like they’re different individuals.

└ Isn’t it strange that there’s no change even with the world’s best examiner teaching? If I had gotten in, I might have done better.

└ 😂😂😂.

– There’s a rumor about a monster archer with four hands and a hundred eyes in Extreme. Is it true?

└ Yes, it’s true. I saw it.

└ Not a monster, but cute.

└ Is it the person themselves? Seems like it.

└ No the person above is not me.

– Ha, that’s why I said it’s a must to enroll in Extreme. Do you feel the loss now?

└ So did you catch it?

└ I feel like I might die of envy. They even received weapons from Noubelmag.

└ Are you friends with Noubelmag?

.

.

.

Everyone seemed to be doing well.

‘Well, it would be awkward if they couldn’t stand out in Fine Arts after showing off like that.’

The hero smiled slightly and put down the connector.

The young professor, who was presenting the ‘Duty Badge,’ glanced at him.

“Haha, it seems like there’s something enjoyable going on.”

“Well, sort of.”

The duty room in the freshman dormitory.

Today was the day for the monthly duty rotation.

Originally, professors took turns for duty in academic dorms, research buildings, or various key facilities.

Despite being a legitimate educational institution, the reason for having such a systematic duty rotation in Rosenstark was due to the repeated invasions they had faced.

‘It’s like military facilities, to be honest.’

Anyway, the hero was in the process of receiving the handover from Professor Jeremy Eitrobin, who was the duty professor last time.

Eitrobin, who was preparing to leave for the day, consistently made small talk.

It seemed like he didn’t want to miss the opportunity for a one-on-one conversation with the hero.

Knowing that Eitrobin had quite a sticky relationship with the senior professors, the hero, who had recently become aware of this, didn’t find him particularly pleasant.

“By the way, I didn’t know you would personally serve in the office. Usually, the Unir professors tend to delegate…”

“So, are you standing in for them? That must be tough.”

He awkwardly chuckled.

Looking at the records, he had stood duty consecutively for several days.

“Haha… Now, you should go inside and prepare for the exam.”

“Was it ‘History of the Demons’?”

“Wow, you remember the name of my lecture? It’s an honor.”

The hero received the duty badge from Eitrobin and wore it on his left arm.

‘…Forget about delegating duty. I should serve even more diligently.’

During the exam period, the curfew was relaxed.

HEL SCANS

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—————

Many students utilized the library, study rooms, and various practice facilities late into the night, leading to an increase in incidents.

Due to the loosened regulations, there was a need to be more vigilant, as there could be traitors taking advantage of the relaxed atmosphere to carry out schemes.

“Well then, take care!”

Watching Eitrobin disappear with occasional steps, the hero also prepared to leave.

Unlike other professors, he had no intention of spending his time in the duty room.

‘For now…’

Woo-woo-woo-

▼

Mystery: Activating the Astera Vision.

▲

It seemed like talking to ‘him’ took precedence.

The hero headed to the study room.

* * *

“…Son.”

This is a dream.

The moment that voice was heard, half of him realized.

He had to realize.

It was the voice of his mother who had passed away more than ten years ago.

Memory is a strange thing.

Even if you think you’ve completely forgotten, given the right trigger, it surges out of the subconscious in an instant.

The boy stared ahead, lost in thought.

‘…Yes. This is how she looked.’

The first thing that caught his eye was the neatly combed short hair behind her ears.

The same color.

Gentle, twinkling brown eyes, just like his.

A kind and compassionate face smiled at him.

He didn’t notice it when he was younger, but now he saw many similarities.

He opened his mouth.

“…Mom.”

In reality, there weren’t many ways for Ban to reminisce about his mother.

In his family, all traces of her had been erased for a long time.

His father no longer mentioned her.

Even when he tried to delve into his memories, the time they spent together was so long ago that it remained blurry.

It wasn’t for no reason that he wandered in the Library of Memories.

However, occasionally, very ordinary and everyday memories would unexpectedly surface.

A tender touch that used to wake him up, a supportive voice that resonated every time he practiced swordsmanship in the training ground.

In the bedroom, lips that touched his forehead.

When he turned his gaze away from a book in concentration, there would inevitably be a fruit plate on the desk.

The absence of those small and trivial moments felt immensely significant, sharp, and poignant from the moment he became aware of it.

It was as if there was no shortage of memories tearing up his childhood.

“….”

The dream was short.

Ban gazed at his mother’s fading face.

There were many things he wanted to say.

But before that, there was one thing he had to say.

He moved his stiff tongue and managed to utter it.

“…I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

That was the end.

“…Ah.”

Ban opened his eyes.

The view was entirely blurry.

As if momentarily vacating reality, the vividness of his long-standing memory faded.

Where was this?

What time was it now?

When did he fall asleep?

He had no idea.

His head throbbed.

In contrast, the desk felt cool.

With his head resting quietly, Ban surveyed his surroundings to understand the situation.

Thick books filled the shelves, a neatly arranged desk and chairs, a dark window, and the sound of a pen scratching… faint snoring.

That must be Cuculli.

And…

“……”

“……?”

“……”

“…Huh?!”

Gray eyes?

Ban abruptly sat up.

The hero was standing right in front of him, staring at him with calm gray eyes.

Ban was shocked to the point that his heart seemed to jump out.

‘What’s this? Why is the professor here?’

His mind quickly regained its composure after the unexpected appearance.

Right.

This was the study room attached to the freshman dormitory.

For the past few days, he had been stuck here studying for exams.

Today, too, he must have come here right after training and fallen asleep without realizing it.

‘Then what about the professor?’

Only belatedly did Ban notice the badge on the left arm of the hero’s formal attire.

He seemed to have been patrolling.

Ban quickly bowed his head and spoke in a hushed voice.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

However, the hero’s gaze didn’t leave Ban’s face.

He stood there silently, looking at him with calm gray eyes.

‘Did I talk in my sleep or something?’

Ban wondered, feeling a bit flustered.

He absentmindedly raised his hand, and at that moment, the hero spoke.

“Ban.”

The hero opened his mouth, and his low voice resonated in the quiet study room.

Ban, in the midst of lifting his hand, stopped and turned his attention to the hero.

“Uhh, I can’t eat this anymore… please pack it for me.”

Cuculli, sitting right behind, mumbled in her sleep with her head buried.

The hero, after releasing a small sigh, spoke with determination.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

It was a firm voice that didn’t seem to allow any disagreement.

HEL SCANS

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