Chapter 143: The Ascension of Guren to Become the Sword Hero – Part 1
Moments before…
Inside the Holy Hall of the Three Heroes, two lights moved at extraordinary speeds, chasing each other in a blur.
Their velocity was so great that the naked eye could barely detect them.
However, upon closer inspection, it was clear that the light being chased was significantly faster, gradually leaving the pursuing light behind.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, the leading light emitted an intense flash, then swiftly turned and attacked the light trailing it.
Caught off guard by the sudden maneuver, the pursuing light was thrown 200 meters away, crashing into two sturdy golden pillars with a resounding ‘Boom!’ that echoed throughout the hall.
“Cough! Cough!” The sound of coughing emerged from the direction of the two shattered pillars, revealing a man with an extremely handsome yet pale and bloodied face.
This man was none other than Guren, who was currently attempting to gain recognition from the Holy Sword of Zenith.
“Damn… Did I fail again?” Guren cursed inwardly as he slowly rose to his feet, enduring the excruciating pain that pierced his body.
An hour had passed since Guren began his attempts to gain recognition from the Holy Sword of Zenith. Despite trying both persuasion and force, all his efforts had ended in failure.
The wounds covering his body were clear evidence of his struggle.
The face that had once appeared extremely handsome, capable of mesmerizing any woman, was now marred by blood on his forehead and cheeks, giving him a pitiful appearance.
His green eyes, once full of vitality, now looked haggard and weary.
Certainly, among all his injuries, the most prominent was the star mark on his forehead, the symbol of the hero’s destiny he had activated earlier.
The mark, which had previously shone brightly, now flickers as if it might dim and disappear at any moment.
Furthermore, the holy power within his body had been depleted, leaving Guren with the realization that any further exertion would likely result in paralysis and severe bodily harm.
Faced with this situation, Guren clenched his palms tightly, his green eyes filled with hatred as he stared at the light hovering above, which slowly dimmed to reveal an exquisite white sword—the Holy Sword of Zenith.
“Why… why… why did you reject me!?” Guren exclaimed in frustration and despair.
He believed he was the chosen and destined one, expecting the Holy Sword of Zenith to recognize him, especially since Leon, its master, was dead!
With Leon’s demise—a lingering thorn in his heart—Guren had envisioned himself seamlessly ascending to become the sword hero of this era, yet the harsh reality of the Holy Sword Zenith’s refusal to acknowledge him had repeatedly slapped him.
Despite his relentless efforts to earn its recognition, even after activating the hero’s destiny within himself, the Holy Sword of Zenith remained aloof, refusing to acknowledge him in the slightest, pushing him to the brink of madness.
“Unacceptable… This is utterly unacceptable…” The anger and hatred raging within Guren’s heart had reached their peaks, akin to a volcano primed to erupt at any moment.
Becoming a hero is Guren’s dream, and gaining the recognition of the Holy Sword of Zenith is the pivotal first step he must take.
However, this seemingly simple step feels as heavy and daunting as a mountain pressing down upon him, with the rejection of the Holy Sword of Zenith itself serving as that insurmountable obstacle.
*Buzz!*
As Guren was consumed by his anger, suddenly, the Holy Sword of Zenith hovering above radiated with brilliant light, instantly alerting him to the impending danger.
“Not good!” Guren snapped back to reality, instinctively attempting to dodge, only to find his legs immobilized, rendering him unable to move.
*Boom!*
Suddenly, tremendous pressure descended upon him, forcing him to sprawl to the floor and shatter the ground beneath him.
“Arghh!” Guren gritted his teeth, endeavoring to channel the holy power within him to break free from the pressure.
However, his efforts were futile as he sensed an obstruction in his mana circuits, thwarting the flow of his holy power.
“What? My holy power is blocked?” Guren widened his eyes in disbelief, feeling the pressure intensify with each passing moment, causing the bones throughout his body to creak and groan as if they were being slowly crushed.
Moreover, under this immense pressure, crimson blood seeped from the corners of his mouth, his ears, his nose, and even the corners of his eyes, inflicting unimaginable pain upon him.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the hall, Velix, Jim, and Rain witnessed the scene with varying expressions but shared a common emotion: shock.
They hadn’t anticipated that Guren would fall into this situation, where he faced not only rejection but also utter destruction at the hands of the Holy Sword of Zenith.
“Your Majesty… This…” Jim, wearing a complex expression for the first time, glanced doubtfully at Velix beside him.
Velix, his face dark and gloomy, took a deep breath to compose himself.
Though he had anticipated Guren facing challenges, the extent of his rejection and the violent attack by the Holy Sword of Zenith far exceeded his expectations.
“Jim, can you analyze why Guren failed to gain recognition from the Holy Sword of Zenith?” Velix turned to Jim with an indifferent and cold tone.
Upon hearing this, Jim fell silent for a moment, his gaze returning to Guren, who was currently being suppressed by the Holy Sword of Zenith.
“According to my observations, Your Majesty, there are two possible reasons for Marquis Guren’s failure,” Jim said with a nonchalant tone and narrowed eyes.
“Two possibilities?” Velix raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with curiosity.
“Yes, two possibilities,” Jim replied with a slight nod, elaborating, “the first possibility is that the Holy Sword of Zenith refused to accept a new master following the death of Sword Hero Leon.”
“As we know, Your Majesty, the death of a hero of mankind before the overthrow of the Demon Emperor has never occurred in the 7,000-year history, and the death of the hero Sword Leon is the first example of this case. Therefore, given the absence of precedent, this possibility is feasible.”
Listening to Jim’s analysis, Velix pondered deeply, finding his reasoning to make sense.
As Jim had stated, never before had a hero fallen or perished prior to the defeat of the Demon Emperor, and Leon’s situation marked the first instance of such an event.
Therefore, this could indeed provide a clear and rational explanation for the Holy Sword of Zenith’s rejection of recognition for Guren.
Taking a small breath and exhaling slowly, Velix inquired, “So, what’s the second possibility?”
Jim’s expression hesitated for a few moments before he finally replied in a low tone, “The second possibility, Your Majesty, is that Sword Hero Leon is not dead and is still alive today.”
As soon as Velix heard this, his expression turned cold and gloomy once more.
Previously, Jim had mentioned this matter several times, which had made him somewhat vigilant, though initially hesitant.
However, at this moment, upon hearing Jim’s statement once again and witnessing Guren’s violent rejection by the Holy Sword of Zenith, Velix’s vigilance sharpened drastically, and an unfamiliar fear gradually welled up within his heart.
‘Leon…’ Velix muttered in a cold tone, brimming with killing intent and hatred.
If Leon was indeed still alive and the rejection of the Holy Sword Zenith against Guren was for that reason, then this situation could become dangerously volatile.
“Jim, which of the two possibilities do you find more plausible?” Velix inquired, his tone heavy.
Sensing Velix’s shift in demeanor, Jim closed his eyes briefly before responding directly, “I’m inclined to believe the second possibility, Your Majesty.”
Upon hearing this, Velix nodded once before refocusing his attention on Guren, striding purposefully toward him.
Observing this, Jim was taken aback, exchanging a bewildered glance with Rain, who mirrored his confusion.
Velix walked slowly towards the center of the hall and stopped beside Guren, who lay sprawled on the floor, looking disheveled.
Sensing someone next to him, Guren painfully raised his head and was surprised to see Velix.
“Your Majesty?” Guren exclaimed, grimacing in pain.
Velix ignored Guren’s call, focusing instead on the Holy Sword of Zenith, which floated above, emitting a bright light.
“Holy Sword of Zenith, your master, Leon Kruger, is dead. Accept Guren as your new master,” Velix commanded sternly, startling Guren, Rain, and Jim, who were watching.
*Buzz!*
Upon hearing Velix’s words, the Holy Sword of Zenith trembled slightly, its light growing stronger, as if enraged by Velix’s words.
Suddenly, the light enveloped the entire hall, and the immense pressure that had weighed on Guren now fell upon Velix as well.
*Boom!*
The pressure was so intense that Velix instantly ducked, causing the floor beneath him to crack with astonishing speed.
Facing the sudden attack from the Holy Sword of Zenith, Velix’s expression turned grim. He quickly extended his hand to his right side.
*Whoosh!*
Abruptly, a golden staff adorned with seven floating crystal stones appeared in Velix’s hand, radiating a bright golden light that instantly shattered the pressure exerted by the Holy Sword of Zenith.
The sudden emergence of the golden staff caused the Holy Sword of Zenith to tremble slightly, as though confronting an everlasting adversary.
Swiftly, the Holy Sword of Zenith accelerated toward Velix, but suddenly, four golden chains emerged from the surrounding space, binding the Zenith Holy Sword and rendering it immobile.
*Buzz!*
The Holy Sword of Zenith emitted a brilliant light, its struggle against the golden chains intensifying, yet the chains gripped its body even tighter.
Observing this, a faint smile graced Velix’s lips as he shifted his gaze to the bewildered Guren.
“Guren, you must swiftly subdue the Holy Sword of Zenith. These chains are nearing their limit,” Velix remarked in a casual yet urgent tone.
Hearing this, Guren snapped out of his reverie and tried to rise, despite the pain gripping his entire body.
“Your Majesty, is this really alright?” Guren inquired, his voice tinged with doubt and uncertainty.
Velix shook his head and replied in a cold tone, “Don’t worry, just hurry.”
Guren nodded, turning his gaze towards the Holy Sword of Zenith, constrained and forcibly lowered by the four golden chains.
A smirk played on his lips as Guren, despite his injuries, took heavy steps towards the Holy Sword of Zenith.
“Hahaha! Did you ever imagine things would turn out like this?” Guren chuckled, a devilish smile curling on his lips.
*Buzz!*
The Holy Sword of Zenith emitted light frantically in an attempt to break free, but its efforts proved futile, eliciting a faint smile from Guren.
“Hehehe! Your attempt to escape is futile, Holy Sword of Zenith!” Guren’s whisper dripped with mockery.
Without delay, Guren swiftly seized the hilt of the Holy Sword of Zenith, activating the Hero’s Destiny mark on his forehead and channeling all of his holy power, while declaring in a loud tone, “So, bow down to me!”
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