The five looked at each other then focused their eyes on the person who best showed leadership qualities and skills during the trip.

  A weak-looking hero.

  He had pale skin and a skinny body like an elf. If one were to put a skirt on him, he’d look like a girl.

  He was wearing the usual attire of a commoner.

  It was said that when they appeared, their condition was like that of soldiers of a defeated army. Since they had spent a long time camping, they hadn’t had a chance to wash properly, so there was a bad smell coming from their bodies, and their underwear had already turned yellow…


  I almost threw up when I heard about it from Mage A.

  Hence, they were washed and given new clothes first.

  “They call me Aaron. I was summoned first, and I now lead the rest of our kind. Let me ask you, Sixth Hero, a question that demands attention. While we fought earnestly in the Western Continent, you took your chance to gain power and become emperor. Tell me, are you not ashamed?”


  “Not a bit.”


  “Hmph! Pretending won’t help.”


  “Hail Master Mollan.”


  “Hail!”


  “Hail!”


  “Hail!”


  The Holy Mollan Empire had perfect cohesion.

  “Not at all. As you can see, I’m fine as I am.”


  Even the faculty ignored Master Mollan, the greatest being. So I, as his student, felt uncomfortable about it.

  But now, everyone was praising him.

  I was glad to be able to thank the terrible but highly respected teacher for his blessing.

  Hence, I had nothing to be ashamed of.

  Besides, this empire would keep me from becoming a shameful father in front of my son when I met him.

  Aaron, who couldn’t argue against my perfect logic, was at a loss.

  But he instantly regained his composure.

  “I ask the sixth Hero, is it not our goal to eliminate the Five Great Disasters and the Demon Lord? Do you refuse to cooperate with us?”


  “No. Yes.”


  “This world is on the brink of destruction! What kind of emperor are you, then, if you dare deny reality? If this world falls, your empire will be turned into nothing but ruins and dust. Do you not wish to graduate?”


  This Hero’s speech was the strangest of all the heroes I had met before. He didn’t sound like a modern Earthling.

  He looked more like a thousand-year-old Guardian.

  That was well reflected in his race.

  ? Race: Millennial Man

  ? Level: 999+

  ? Job: Hero (Experience 500%)

  ? Skills: Physical Strength Z, Dexterity Z, Swordsmanship MAX, Magic Power MAX, Fortitude MAX…


  ?State: Tense

  Millennial Man.

  My experience hadn’t passed 1000 years yet, which made me uncertain, but if members of a race with a short life span lived more than 1000 years, the word “millennial” seemed to be added to their race.

  Every race had its own peculiarities, but this was the first time I had seen one in humans.

  I decided to take a closer look at Aaron’s Millennial Man, and I was in for a shock.

  ?Type: Race

  ?Title: Millennial Man

  ? Rank: Rare

  ? Ability 1: Aging is replaced by experience points.

  ? Ability 2: All accumulated knowledge is replaced by experience points.

  ? Specialty 1: Gain a cloaca.

  ? Specialty 2: Asexual reproduction is possible.

  ? Specialty 3: Interracial interbreeding is possible.

  ? Race 1: Excellent adaptability.

  ? Race 2: Includes various abilities.

  Apparently, if one lived more than 1,000 years, they would become a completely different race.

  Interracial interbreeding was okay, but cloaca and asexual reproduction had nothing to do with humanity.

  If humanity were driven to extinction, would it be possible to reproduce alone? They would lose gene diversity, though.

  These features of the race reminded me of Noah’s Ark.

  But that wasn’t all.

  ?Type: Report Card

  ? Name: Aaron

  ? Combat Power: B

  ? Accomplishments: D+

  ? Reputation: A-

  ? Personality: B

  Shadow A’s “Teacher” skill went up, providing me with more information.

  Since he was already in the secondary education course, he had two transcendent skills, but his Combat Power was still graded B.

  Were those his current grades?

  ? Denial: Both yes and no. You could say it’s the arithmetic average of his past grades! That aside… I know it’s against the rules if a teacher shows a student another student’s grades, but since the student looked at it on his own, it should be okay, right?

  ‘Of course, it’s okay! You’re smart, Trainee Teacher!’


  Since that was the case, I took a look at his personal file, too.

  ? Type: Personal File

  ? Name: Aaron

  ? Alignment: Lawful Good

  ? Main Quality: Diligence

  ? Experience: 1705 years

  ? Record: 1

  ? Overall Rating: Oldest among all students in the secondary education course. Showed diligence and fine character since elementary school, except, unfortunately, he was deprived of talent. But I believe that someday his efforts will bear fruit, and he will be the most outstanding student.

  1705 years.

  I thought I needed to be quiet about my 61-years’ worth of experience this time around.

  I looked at Almond with pity. He was still unsuspectingly muttering to himself.

  “Hey, Almond.”


  “My name is Aaron, not Almond!”


  “Alright, Diligent Hero Almond. Do you remember your home address, your phone number, or at least your parents’ names?”


  “What are you talking about?”


  Judging by the way he dodged the answer, he probably couldn’t remember much since he had been here too long.

  My heart sank deeper into my chest!

  “I feel sorry for you. As of today, you’re relieved of your duties as a Hero. You’ve done enough. Since you have a cloaca and can asexually reproduce, I’ll let you choose: a handsome butler or a beautiful maid? Which do you prefer? Ah! Perhaps you like both? I’ll help you graduate, so just rest for now and enjoy the company of beauties and handsome men.”


  “What right do I have to rest…?”


  “Shut up and rest.”


  The righteous Hero’s wing bone struck between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae of 1705-year-old Almond.

  He wouldn’t be able to move properly until graduation because of a herniated disc. In return, the beauties and hotties would nurse him for days on end, pleasing him with a nice massage.

  He had worked hard for 1705 years. He earned it!

  ? Touched: Cadet Kang Han-soo caring for other students brings tears to my eyes… You have such a kind heart.

  ‘That alone is enough to make you cry? You’re sensitive, Trainee Teacher!’


  “The others… nothing interesting.”


  Status, appearance, personal record, grades.

  All but Almond, who left accompanied by the best servants and maids of the imperial palace, had nothing special.

  “Sixth Hero… No, Your Majesty the Emperor, what do you plan to do with us?”


  Almond was followed by the Female Hero. She introduced herself as the second summoned Hero.

  After thinking for a second, I answered her.

  “We have to send you back to your journey again. That’s what Heroes are supposed to do, after all. If you don’t want to, you can resign, and I’ll help you find another job. I’ll take responsibility for your marriages as well.”


  I could do that much until they could adjust to their new life and settle down.

  Oh! The magnanimity of the MAX-Class Hero had made itself known…


  “Then who will save the world?”


  “Me.”


  Before next year, I would have the Central and Northern Continents united and solve all the problems.

  “By yourself?”


  “Naturally.”


  “That’s reckless! If you think overcoming the Five Great Disasters will be as easy as it was in your elementary education course, you are mistaken! You will die!”


  “Silence. Only I am allowed to decide if it’s reckless or not. Regardless, it is now my turn to ask questions.”


  “Go ahead…”


  I decided to ask what I’d been wondering all along.

  “What became of Alex and Lanuvel?”


  The magic circle only transported the heroes. Alex and Lanuvel, who were supposed to be with them, were nowhere to be found.

  I could have checked their “school activities” myself and not asked questions, but I wasn’t a stalker, and I didn’t have much free time.

  Hero B lamented.

  “The Phantom King Shakespeare defeated us, killing Alex and reviving him in the process. With our forces falling behind in power, we had to retreat.”


  Alex had been killed, huh?

  I made her continue.

  “And Lanuvel?”


  “She stayed behind with her companions from the Northern Continent to hold back the influx of summoned ghosts. Maybe she’s already… Oh! With the last drops of her magical power, she teleported us to her summoning circle. She didn’t have enough magic to include herself, preventing her from escaping with us. She stayed behind instead.”


  “There she goes again.”


  “What?”


  “Nothing.”


  Lanuvel, always pretending to be nice, could have escaped. She just purposely didn’t do it.

  That aside…


  “Next question. Why did you attack them so recklessly without the help of angels?”


  It was a question that had interested me ever since I saw them on the Western Continent.

  According to the Trainee Teacher’s explanation, only by teaming up with the angels could the Five Great Disasters be defeated.

  I had Divinity ZZ, so I was an exception, but not them.

  What was their suicidal march to the Western Continent about?

  “What?”


  Oh… They didn’t even know about it. I could see now why Diligent Hero Almond couldn’t graduate despite spending 1705 years trying to defeat them.

  But that was still amazing. How could he not know about it even after fighting them for 1705 years?

  ? Defense: It’s not surprising at all! After all, there are no angels in the elementary education course, so there’s a possibility that the juniors won’t even know about such a race. Getting to their city, El Molando, isn’t easy either. You have to somehow find the angels outside their territory first and gain their trust step by step.

  Everything was too complicated!

  As it turned out, for as long as they didn’t know they needed the angels’ help, they’d be stuck in a cycle forever.

  Poor Hero Almond… Mollan.

  “Anyway, it’s good to have you back, heroes. You probably can’t get over losing Alex and Lanuvel, but I hope the reward I have prepared for you will be enough to soothe your pain. Ahem! As compensation, I grant you five days of rest, after which you must decide whether you will go on a new journey or work for the empire. Now, all that’s left is the Seventh Hero. Thank you for waiting.”


  I looked at the newcomer.

  If he turned away, I would’ve immediately forgotten his ugly face, but somehow I felt like I had seen him somewhere before.

  I decided to read his mind.

  ‘Tsk. Who knew I’d meet the Demon Lord again, the one who pulled on the mask of a Hero! Oh, and became Emperor in the initial location? Haha! He blocked my path at the Festival of Heroes, and now he shows up in the secondary education course? Crazy!’


  Hmm. Still couldn’t remember.

  But from the way he was thinking, he was probably Junior A, the one I beat at the last Heroes Festival.

  I took a look at his personal file.

  ? Type: Personal File

  ? Name: Leon

  ? Perception: True Neutral

  ? Property: Rivalry

  ? Experience: 225 years

  ? Record: 2

  ? General Assessment: An excellent student that has great talent. He doesn’t like to lose. His only drawback is that he doesn’t care what methods he has to use to win. It wouldn’t be inappropriate to label him as the victim of the grading system. It’s a shame that he hasn’t received attention for a few years now because of the interference of some strange student.

  ‘Some strange student? I wonder who that is!’


  “Hero Lemon.”


  “You got my name a little wrong, but I remember you, Kang Han-soo! It’s me, your rival, Leon!”


  “Rival?”


  “That’s right! Will you accept my challenge?”


  “Sure.”


  I wasn’t a hero who avoided challenges.

  “Oh! Have I been acknowledged…”


  “Did everyone hear that? For threatening to kill the emperor, he must be locked in an underground prison full of slimes and tortured until he goes insane.”


  “W-Wait!”


  A hero didn’t turn a blind eye to those who might bring trouble and worry in the future.