---

Captain Hermann, the proud captain of the Philion Imperial Academy’s guard, doubted his eyes at the scene unfolding before him.

He thought they had perfectly surrounded the warehouse, but suddenly the warehouse building was torn apart as if swept away by a typhoon, and a sudden swarm of specters, ghosts, and banshees filled the night sky.

The harmony of screams from the evil spirits rattled the guards’ spirits and plunged them into despair and fear.

“Uagh! A ghost!”

“No! We’re going to die…!”

The guards covered their ears, but the screams filled with the aura of death could not be blocked just by that.

Only Captain Hermann, who had actual war experience and could use body strengthening techniques, raised his magical power to protect his hearing. However, like his subordinates, he too felt the urge to lose his mind.

“Aah, the legion of evil spirits…!”

Such a number of evil spirits could only be seen on the battlefield where demonic commanders ran rampant during the last war.

The fact that they appeared right in the middle of the capital was already a nightmare, but the truly worst part was that unlike last time, none of the Seven Heroes of the continent were present at this moment.

Captain Hermann wanted to flee from this place immediately. However, what held him back was the realization that fleeing would not change the outcome significantly.

Down below stood Instructor Ion. Whether Instructor Ion would die at the hands of that legion or survive, all that would remain for Hermann was the stigma of treason for having fled from this place.

And a traitor’s entire family would be exterminated, meaning that his beloved wife and young daughter, the only happiness he obtained after the war, would be executed for treason as well.

“U-ugh… that can’t be!”

If he died here, it would be just Hermann’s personal death; but if he fled, it would mean the annihilation of his whole family. Captain Hermann could not bear to lose his family again after the war.

Hermann thought about how to retrieve Ion’s corpse and run, and he jumped into the warehouse building, which was left with nothing but its skeletal outer walls.

Fortunately, the stairs leading down to the underground remained, and he barely managed to descend to the lower level with trembling legs.

What awaited Hermann in the underground was an unexpected sight.

Instructor Ion, whom he had thought would have already become a corpse, stood firmly facing the legion of evil spirits.

Ion stabbed, slashed, and struck at the specters, ghosts, and banshees. Each time he did, the legion of evil spirits was ripped in half and pierced as if their might was completely negated, vanishing in an instant. It was a sight hard to believe.

Even amidst the fierce battle, Ion’s expression remained unyielding, and in his hand, he held a long, thorn-like red spear.

Captain Hermann recognized the spear’s name. He cried out, trembling in astonishment.

“N-no way… the Spear of Evil Spirits, Ezetus!?”

On the continent, there existed ten legendary items known as Divine Relics.

Whether they were truly bestowed by the gods is unknown, but they possessed mysterious powers that could not possibly be created by mortals, lacking divine nature.

People often said,

“Three great treasures. Three sacred relics. Four great disasters.”

The Spear of Evil Spirits, Ezetus, was among the four great disasters, known for its ability to cut through the insubstantial. Additionally, it was rumored to bring misfortune to its wielder.

But the real reason the Spear of Evil Spirits was famous was not because of its tremendous power or the curse of misfortune, but because of the one who currently wielded it.

Captain Hermann had seen him just once before. A lone spear-wielder clad in black armor, rampaging through the battlefield like an evil spirit while wielding the red spear.

“H-Huh, the Faceless Hero…!!”

Despite Hermann’s incredulous cry, Ion continued to swing his spear without looking back, uttering the words.

“There are people who have been kidnapped. Get them to safety.”

At those words, a shiver ran through Hermann. Instinctively, he responded.

“Y-yes…! Understood!”

The orders of the Faceless Hero were absolute for the soldiers on the battlefield. And this place was already a battlefield. Hermann felt as though he had become a soldier of the Empire again, obeying the hero’s command as he scooped up the kidnapped people lying down in the underground and headed back to the surface.

Above, countless legions of evil spirits were still wandering, but Hermann was not worried at all.

Because right here, one of the Seven Heroes of the continent was present.

Daisy, without even glancing at the kidnapped or Hermann, looked at Ion with trembling eyes.

“The Faceless Hero…? The Faceless Hero, is that you?”

Daisy’s voice was filled with disbelief. No, it was closer to a feeling of not wanting to believe. This couldn’t be. It was impossible for a mere Captain of the Empire, a lowly instructor at the academy, to be the Faceless Hero?

Daisy never imagined such a meeting with the Faceless Hero. So Ion could not be the Faceless Hero.

“No, no way. The Faceless Hero hasn’t appeared in years… I thought he might be dead! It can’t be! Don’t mock me with a spear that just looks somewhat similar!”

From Daisy’s eyes, emerald light exploded forth. Following her will, tens of thousands of evil spirits poured forth towards Ion like a torrential downpour.

Ion’s response was simple. He took a deep breath, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and began to thrust, slash, and swing his spear.

Ion’s spear technique steadily increased in speed. With each swing, the red spear tore the air as if it were splitting wind. It soon swung so quickly that his arms were barely visible. Ion created a wall of red spears, literally grinding down every evil spirit that poured forth.

The evil spirits that once reigned in fear over the human army could not inflict any harm on Ion and were torn apart and vanquished one after the other.

Daisy, witnessing that scene, spoke with a dazed expression.

“Is it really the Faceless Hero…? Seriously, did he really kill the ‘Undying King’ with that spear?”

The elven necromancer who drove the Ionia Kingdom to ruin fell at the hands of a single hero.

Daisy felt joy, emptiness, and then rage upon hearing that news.

Because the Faceless Hero had avenged her, the hatred she held against the ‘Undying King’ for the death of her kingdom, people, and family had nowhere to go. Ultimately, Daisy’s fury turned against the elves of the Great Forest and the elven princess who claimed to promote harmony between humans and elves.

She believed her revenge was justified. The blood spilled by elves should be repaid with elven blood. Because she thought that was right, Daisy did not stop her quest for vengeance, and those who could have stopped her had long since left this world.

But just one person.

If there existed someone who could tell her that her revenge was wrong.

It would undoubtedly be the Faceless Hero, Daisy had thought for a long time.

“…If you really are the Faceless Hero.”

Daisy retracted the pouring evil spirits. If that truly was the Spear of Evil Spirits, a mere evil spirit would not be able to inflict any damage on him. She had to avoid any unnecessary consumption.

“If you really are the Faceless Hero, you could easily block something like this.”

Instead, Daisy spread her arms wide and called forth another being. Originally a power not granted to humans, but the ancient power merged with Ionia’s bloodline made it possible.

Daisy’s soul opened a portal to another realm, connecting her with a powerful entity, which manifested on this land through Daisy’s soul.

—Ghuoooo….

As the sky ripped apart, a massive skull poked its head through. From above, it looked down mockingly upon the ground with its red eyes. It was the Dreadlord, the supreme entity of evil spirits residing in the Dark Realm, a ruler of countless evil spirits.

Yet, Ion had no idea what that being was and didn’t care to know.

He simply thought the skull was ridiculously large.

Ion gripped his spear tighter and straightened his back, looking up at Daisy.

“Anything beyond this might be dangerous.”

As Ion said, dark tears began to flow from Daisy’s eyes. Every vein had burst and her whites were painted red, making it obvious that she was pushing herself to the limit.

That was true. To summon such a being, Daisy had consumed a significant amount of her lifespan, and on top of that, she had her soul partially collateralized with the Dreadlord. For Daisy, death was no longer a refuge.

“H-huh, the Spear of Evil Spirits? The Faceless Hero? Don’t be ridiculous! If it’s real, prove it! Prove the weight of that name!”

—Ghuoooo….

In the sky, a huge skull gradually emerged, parting the dark clouds. The gazes of Daisy and Ion collided in a snap.

At this moment, if Daisy was not stopped, an incredible disaster would befall the capital due to that skull. There was no room to retreat.

“Hah…”

Ion steeled his resolve.

If she desired proof,

“…Alright.”

He had no choice but to provide a demonstration.

“I’ll show the Faceless Hero.”

Ion held the spear blade of the Spear of Evil Spirits upside down, aiming it at his own heart.

“What- are you crazy!”

To the outside world, it looked like nothing more than a suicide. Daisy shouted in horror.

But Ion’s arm was faster than her words.

Ion pierced deeply into his heart.

A scream of agony erupted.

“GGGUUUAAAAA――!!!”

The moment he withdrew the spear, a surge of dark magical power exploded from his shattered heart.

That magical power wrapped around Ion’s entire body, creating a glossy black armor. Black flames flickered as if dancing among the gaps in the armor plates.

The shattered heart quickly regenerated, pulsating wildly as it released magical power. A massive amount of magical power surged through his veins like an explosion.

Eventually, where the storm of magical power settled, a man donned in armor wrapped in black flames held the red spear, his golden eyes flickering.

An ominous and overwhelming aura seemed poised to swallow everything around him, pressing the air heavily.

Daisy acknowledged that no further denial was useless.

The man right before her was,

The existence known as the black devil of the battlefield—

“The Faceless Hero…!”

Was indeed that being.

 

---