Outside the towering walls of the royal castle in the capital of the Empire of Light, the training fields bustled with activity. The clang of swords and the grunt of exertion filled the air as the Heroes, clad in armor and determination, honed their skills with relentless focus.
It was their final day before embarking on a journey that would take them far beyond the borders of their homeland—to another continent, another world.
Guards patrolled the perimeter, their watchful eyes often drifting toward the Heroes. There was something different in the air today, a weight that hung over the fields. The guards, seasoned warriors who had seen much, couldn’t help but admire the discipline and intensity the Heroes displayed. These were not ordinary recruits.
They were humanity’s finest, chosen by fate itself, preparing for a conflict unlike any they had ever known.
Tomorrow, they would leave the Empire, crossing seas and skies to the distant Achaean Continent—a land ruled by the Olympian gods for thousands upon thousands of years. It was said that the gods themselves had been born and raised there, in a time so ancient it had become more myth than memory.
Now, the continent was fragmented, divided into powerful city-states—the Athenians, the Spartans, and the Trojans, who ruled the farthest reaches of the land. War, true war, awaited them there.
The danger was there. They knew the blood that would be shed, the lives that would be lost. That was why the training today carried an edge of desperation. The Heroes pushed themselves beyond exhaustion, knowing that their skills would soon be tested in the fires of battle. The weight of responsibility was heavy, and none of them could afford to falter.
Overseeing the field was a striking figure—a woman with fiery red hair that cascaded down her back and piercing green eyes that missed nothing. Her expression was stern, her posture rigid as she watched the Heroes train with the gaze of someone who had seen battle before, who knew the stakes. This was Cecilia, one of the individuals raised and groomed by the Divine Knights themselves.
While she was not technically in charge of the Heroes—that role belonged to Liphiel—Cecilia had spent much time among them, becoming a quiet but constant presence by their side.
In recent months, she had grown even closer to them, offering more than just guidance—offering comfort. She had become a moral anchor, especially after the tragedy that had befallen them all.
Nathan.
His name lingered in the air, even though he was no longer there. The memory of his death had cast a long shadow over the entire group. The gruesome end he met—killed by Demons who had infiltrated the castle, his blood staining the floor of his room, his clothes left in ruins, and the ashes believed to be his—was a wound that had yet to heal.
His very presence, which had been slight but still noticeable, had evaporated completely. It was as though the world itself had erased him.
The shock was immense. Even those who hadn’t particularly cared for Nathan were shaken to their core. He was one of them—a classmate, a companion—and if he could fall so suddenly, so brutally, then none of them were safe. Fear gripped the remaining Heroes, a fear that gnawed at the edges of their minds. Could they be next? Was death already stalking them, just waiting for the right moment to strike?
Cecilia had been their pillar of support during those dark days. She stood by them, steady and unwavering, offering whatever comfort she could. But it wasn’t just Cecilia who had tried to pick up the shattered pieces.
Their teacher, Amelia, had taken Nathan’s death the hardest. She had always been protective of her students, and the loss of Nathan felt like a personal failure, a blow that had struck her to the core. For a week, she had been inconsolable, retreating into solitude to grieve. Her absence was keenly felt, and when she finally returned, her recovery had been slow and painful.
Cecilia’s sharp green eyes first locked onto the Hero with the strongest Skill, an SSS Skill, Jason Spencer, known as the Hero of Light. His golden sword gleamed as it cut through the air, meeting the blade of his sparring partner, Aiden Fletcher, who had earned a reputation as Jason’s fiercest rival.
The clash of steel echoed through the training grounds, each strike causing the ground to shudder beneath the weight of their power.
Jason swung his sword in a sweeping arc, the blade humming with divine energy. Aiden met it head-on, his own sword glowing with a crackling intensity. Their swords collided with a deafening impact, sending out shockwaves that rippled across the training field. Dust rose from their feet as they exchanged blows, the sheer force of their battle enough to awe the onlookers.
In the past nine months, the growth of both Heroes had been nothing short of astonishing. Their power had reached levels that defied comprehension, and even the hardened soldiers who patrolled the castle grounds were left speechless by the raw energy they witnessed daily.
Aiden smirked as he parried Jason’s strike. “You getting weaker, Spencer, or just scared?” His voice carried an edge of playful arrogance.
Jason met Aiden’s taunt with a calm smile, his eyes gleaming under the midday sun. “No, Aiden. You’ve just gotten stronger.”
The acknowledgment seemed to irritate Aiden, his expression tightening in frustration at Jason’s ever-present composure. Gritting his teeth, he quickened his pace, his sword moving in blurring arcs as he launched a renewed assault. The intensity of their battle escalated, the clashing of their blades ringing out like thunder.
For minutes, the two warriors battled, neither giving an inch. Sweat trickled down their faces, their breaths coming in ragged bursts. Eventually, both of them stepped back, exhaustion beginning to weigh on their movements.
“Damn,” one of their classmates muttered from the sidelines, wide-eyed at the spectacle before them. “Jason and Aiden… those guys are absolute freaks.”
“Yeah, no way we’re competing with them,” another chimed in, shaking his head in disbelief. “Even with years of training, we wouldn’t come close.”
“Thank God they’re on our side, right?” Another added, casting a wary glance at the two.
The boys in the class could only stare in awe, while many of the girls watched with starry eyes and flushed cheeks, admiring not only the strength but also the striking handsomeness of the two most reliable Heroes. Jason, with his golden aura, and Aiden with his fiery presence.
However, not all was harmonious within the ranks of the Heroes. Over the months, a rift had formed between those blessed with A-Skills or higher and those with more modest abilities. Jason and Aiden, now considered monsters of strength, represented a gap that many of their classmates knew they could never hope to bridge.
The divide grew, and while admiration persisted, so did an undercurrent of envy and frustration.
BADOOOM!
Suddenly the ground trembled as a thunderous explosion echoed from the distance, the sound rippling through the castle and the surrounding lands. Heads snapped toward the source, eyes widening in shock and fear. In the forest just beyond the castle walls, a massive fireball bloomed into the sky, its flames licking the air hundreds of meters above the treetops.
The force of the blast sent a shockwave that rattled windows and even reached the training fields, knocking dust and debris into the air.
A hushed silence fell over the onlookers, replaced by the faint murmurs of dread.
“She’s at it again,” one of the Heroes muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
“She really needs to hold back. This is getting dangerous,” another classmate whispered nervously.
“You wanna tell her that? She’ll roast you alive,” a third retorted, wide-eyed.
“One day, she’s gonna kill us all,” a voice added, half in jest, but the nervous edge in his tone was unmistakable.
Everyone knew the source of the explosion. There was only one Hero capable of such devastating fire magic among them. The power of the blast rivaled that of a 6-Star spell, a level of destruction that sent chills through even the most seasoned warriors. They all watched in awe unable to say anything. The person responsible was a Hero after all.
Cecilia’s gaze remained fixed on the smoke billowing into the sky, her expression tight with concern.
“Courtney…”