Chapter 2: The World’s Most Handsome Sword Hero: Leon Kruger
Year 7026―Calendar of the Heroes’ Ascension, Desert of Chaos
Situated to the west of mankind’s empire, the Desert of Chaos is a barren wasteland renowned as the Land of the Dead.
The title remains inseparable from the vast number of armies that perished in the desert, as it served as the battleground between two mighty races in the world—the human race and the demon race.
For seven thousand years, the two races locked in perpetual conflict never tired of brandishing their war flags, and the atmosphere in the desert this time was no exception.
Amidst the desert, chilled by the night wind, two sizable factions were locked in an all-out war.
“Attack! Slay those demons!”
“Fear not death, for the gods shall bestow their blessings upon us!”
“Annihilate the foes of the empire and humanity!”
A contingent of armies clad in white armor, bearing the sun flag, persisted in shouting words of encouragement to the vanguard troops already engaged with the adversary—none other than the forces of the Demon race, humanity’s sworn enemy.
Throughout the battlefield, the ceaseless echoes of swords clashing, roars, moans, and shouts reverberated.
The magnitude of the conflict was so immense that anyone witnessing it couldn’t help but tremble in their heart.
Countless lifeless bodies from both sides were strewn across the terrain, leading to contemplation about renaming the Desert of Chaos to the Desert of Corpses.
Meanwhile, amid the chaos on the battlefield, 10 kilometers away, a masked man with half his face concealed observed the turmoil with an indifferent gaze.
Draped in gleaming white armor, with a trailing white cloak fluttering in the wind, he bore a mysterious presence and radiated a serene yet powerful aura.
His indifferent demeanor towards the war conditions might lead one to believe that this mysterious figure had no connection to the ongoing conflict.
However, who could have fathomed that this enigmatic figure was none other than the main commander of mankind’s forces in this war—the Hero of the Sword, Leon Kruger, one of the three heroes of humankind, wielding the legendary holy sword of Zenith!
“Tskckck! This battle is more daunting than I anticipated. I didn’t expect the Demon race to deploy their elite troops to counter the Empire army’s sneak attack,” Leon whispered, shaking his head as he observed the conflict and releasing a small sigh.
Gradually, he removed his half-face mask, revealing a handsome visage that could compel admiration from women and even captivate gay men worldwide, leaving them unable to resist a subtle swallow.
His flawless and symmetrical jawline, eyebrows as straight as a sword, and the subtle smile on his lips had the power to make anyone who beheld him instantly captivated and likely to fall in love.
Furthermore, his golden-colored eyes gleamed with captivating beauty in the moonlight reflections from above.
If there’s a word for perfection, it’s probably the most fitting term to describe his countenance.
“Huft~ Wearing a mask like this is truly uncomfortable and a bit stifling,” Leon remarked, glancing at the half-face mask in his hand and expressing a mild complaint.
However, not wearing a mask would be even worse, as his handsome face would attract the attention of women, who would gaze at him like hungry wolves.
“Could the ancient saying that a handsome face doesn’t always bring blessings but also bad luck be true?” Leon pondered, rubbing his chin and hazarding a casual guess.
If men worldwide were to hear him utter such words, they would likely gather to pummel him with wooden blocks, exclaiming, “Damn it! What kind of arrogant speech is that?”
Regrettably, there was no one in the vicinity to hear his grievances.
“Boom!”
While lost in his daydream, the reverberating echoes of explosions shattered the battlefield repeatedly, abruptly jolting him back to reality.
“Hoh? Have the mages already begun their incantations and cast their magic?” Leon raised an intrigued eyebrow.
He then raised two fingers and rubbed them against his right eye.
Instantly, a gold-colored magic circle materialized in his right eye, and his vision gradually sharpened, resembling a telescope, as he peered toward the battlefield.
Through his enhanced vision, he witnessed chaos among the forces of the Demon Race, bombarded by sorcerers from the human side.
The unfolding scenario undeniably signaled a turning point in the war, with the momentum now favoring humanity.
“Quite a commendable strategy. It appears the commanding general has received strategic guidance from the four-eyed man at the palace,” Leon remarked, withdrawing his gaze and offering a faint nod, expressing a sense of satisfaction.
The tide of battle had shifted favorably, and there was no need for his direct intervention, especially since the true enemy he awaited had yet to make an appearance.
His gaze gradually shifted toward the sky, adorned with twinkling stars and two moons—one luminous and one dark—aligned far apart from each other.
“22 years, huh? I hadn’t realized I’d lived and survived that long in this fantasy world.” Leon pursed his lips, and a hint of melancholy, tinged with sadness, graced his handsome face.
Truthfully, he wasn’t native to this world but rather from Earth.
In his previous life, he was an 18-year-old youth from a noble lineage who was abruptly transported to this fantasy world while diligently working on his homework.
Thrown into this peculiar world as a one-year-old baby born into a simple family, he regarded it as a legendary journey reminiscent of the fantasy novels he typically read in his spare time.
He even harbored the expectation of becoming a protagonist with a system.
With that naive mindset and eager anticipation of ascending to the pinnacle of this world, much like a character in a novel, he abruptly realized that this fantasy world was not what he had envisioned; it was profoundly perilous.
The eagerly awaited system, typically granted to senior transmigrants in novels, never manifested, prompting him to swiftly realize that he wasn’t a protagonist or the like but rather just an ordinary person who had inadvertently entered this peculiar world.
Born in a tranquil modern world devoid of demons, dragons, magic, swords, and other mystical elements, how could he navigate life in this new world without a cheat?
Fortunately, he swiftly acknowledged his situation and avoided getting lost in his fantasies.
Gradually, he worked his way up to his current standing as one of the three heroes of mankind—the sword hero!
Contemplating his current status as a hero, a smile instantly graced his lips.
He lowered his gaze, fixating on the white sword adorned with shimmering golden patterns before him—a sword none other than the renowned Zenith Holy Sword.
“Even in the absence of a system-based cheat, I do not yield, for you are my genuine cheat, aren’t you?” His hand, resting on the hilt end of the holy sword, gently stroked it.
In response, the sword emitted a faint glow, seemingly relishing and responding to his tender touch.
“Hmm?” Lost in thought, one of his eyebrows lifted slightly as a red butterfly, seemingly appearing from nowhere, alighted on the tip of his index finger.
“A butterfly? In this arid desert?” Leon blinked curiously, raising his index finger to inspect the unexpected visitor.
The butterfly appeared ordinary, and its uniqueness might have stemmed from the vivid red hue of its wings, which resembled the color of blood.
Shortly after, the butterfly fluttered forward, and Leon’s gaze involuntarily tracked its path.
To his surprise, within 20 meters of his position, dozens of similar butterflies had silently gathered, unnoticed by him.
Immediately, his expression shifted from surprise to a slight smile.
“Oh? Has it finally made its appearance as well?”
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