1051. The Boy Who Longed to Be a Hero / 1052. The Hero's Back and Shirou

"I don't care! I still need to inform the others. If Lord Apollo loses face at the assembly of gods, you know the consequences!" The Little Folk ran in the other direction, shouting at the others.

"Damn it! Let's go!" The guards ran outside.

Rouen, Little Folk of the Lilliputian tribe, followed the same tactic, summoning all the guards around him to support the main gate, while he quietly slipped down and opened the western gate.

Bell and Wielf, who were waiting there, emerged from the bushes and ran in.

Everyone who saw this through the mirror was stunned.

"What?! The Apollo Familia has betrayed us?!"

No matter how unbelievable this may seem, that's how it is in the mirror image. The Little Folk boy from the Apollo Familia stands with two members of the Hestia Familia.

Apollo could no longer maintain his composure. Veins throbbed on his forehead as he gritted his teeth and said, "Rouen!!! You ungrateful traitor!"

Yes, the Hestia Familia sent five members, but only four actually appeared, because one of them had infiltrated the Apollo Familia from the beginning.

"Well done, Lili! Come to think of it, I really didn't recognize him at all," Wielf said, looking the Little Folk boy over.

"Hmph! Of course! Lili can be quite capable when she gets serious." Lili maintained her Little Folk boy's voice, but her tone was exactly like a girl's.

This is her special True Magic — 'Cinderella,' which is the ability to transform into anyone she wants to become. Four days ago, after leaving the Soma Familia, she seized the opportunity to capture Rouen of the Little Folk, then took his place and infiltrated the Apollo Familia.

"Thank you, Lili," Bell said to the girl.

"It's up to you now, Lord Bell! This is all Lili can do! Miss Ming said she'll hold off ten people on the other side at all costs," Lili said earnestly, looking at Bell.

"Yes! We're off!" Bell clenched his fist, his heart pounding with excitement.

"Yes, Lili, lead the way." Lili, who had memorized the layout of the main city a few days ago, led the two away from the guards and ran towards the main city.

"All that's left is to storm the throne in the main city and cut down the flag. Lord Bell! For you, for the Goddess, please win!" Lili deactivated her transformation, reverting to her little girl form, and said to Bell.

"I know!" Bell replied.

A long, beige marble staircase connects to the main city. At the top of the staircase stand eight True Magic and four warriors. Upon seeing the approaching figure, they immediately began chanting incantations, summoning small fireballs.

"I'll hold them off here! Go, Bell!" Wielf cast his True Magic: "Burn to ashes! External Law Karma!"

Boom!! The fireball that the True Magic hadn't even finished summoning exploded out of control, and the heatwave knocked them all to the ground!

"Go!!! Bell!" Wielf roared, raising his greatsword and charging towards the other adventurers.

"Yes!!!" Bell replied, his feet moving at incredible speed, transforming into a blur as he rushed upwards. He couldn't afford to waste the situation his comrades had fought so hard to achieve.

Chapter 1051 A Boy Who Yearns for Heroes

"What on earth is going on! Why did they get in?!"

Inside the command tower of the main city, the short-haired woman, Daphne, roared in a rough voice, her temper flaring as the situation spiraled out of control. Her slightly curly short hair swayed with her shouts, and her almond-shaped eyes widened in anger.

"The city walls are useless! The main gate has already been breached by the Demon Sword Forger!" the scout reported.

"The city walls are fine! Can't we just take a look and see?! More importantly, why are there so few people inside the city? Where are the reinforcements?" Daphne questioned.

Through the window of the command tower, one could clearly see that the eastern city wall was in ruins, and the members there were being skillfully manipulated by a man wielding a demonic sword.

Holding the city walls is pointless now, but there are too few guild members near the main city who can come back to reinforce!

At this point, apart from the captain on the throne and the scouts who delivered the message, only ten members remained in the marble corridor, including Daphne and her companions. Compared to their previous advantage of 100 to 5, this was a significant weakening.

"Ru, Ruen said that Hyacinthus directly ordered us to attack outside the city..." the scout whispered.

"Huh!? The commander never gave such an order! I've been here the whole time and I haven't heard of it!" Daphne roared angrily.

Unless it goes through him, who is in charge of guarding the command tower, the orders of General Hyacinthus, who guards the throne, cannot reach the members.

"Could it be that Rouen has betrayed us...?"

Thinking about it that way, it's quite possible. If I had been able to take revenge on the Apollo Familia when I was first forced to leave my original clan, I might have done the same...

After all, Apollo didn't actually have much popularity within the Familia; half of its members were forced to join, resulting in numerous factions and disharmony within the Familia. This was one of the reasons for the group's low combat strength...

Daphne bit her lip to calm herself down and assess the situation.

"Where are the commanders at the main gate and the side gate?"

"Okay, it seems they've all been wiped out. The Demon Sword Forger was too powerful, and a woman from the Far East country also used a self-destruct True Magic in the fortress, trapping many of our companions. We don't know how many of them are still able to move."

The fact that intelligence transmission was delayed to this extent is likely due to Rouen's interference, as well as the opponent's overly rapid attack.

Daphne clicked her tongue at the thought. The Game War had only just begun; the so-called "utter defeat" perfectly described the current situation.

Daphne was filled with immense frustration, cursing the arrogant and complacent General Hyacinthus who had disregarded the enemy's orders before the battle, and also cursing her own hesitant actions when the city walls were bombarded.

"Daphne, the enemy is here!? It's the enemy general! Bell Krune!!!" A shout came from outside.

"Follow me! We absolutely cannot let him reach the throne!" Daphne led the way and ran out.

Bell sprinted up the marble steps and entered the main city's tower, then proceeded along the general route Lili had described.

The gods put a lot of effort into this Game War. The command tower here is huge, with worn-out carpets covering the stone slabs everywhere, and even dusty murals on the walls of the passageways. It looks like a noble castle that has been abandoned for many years.

An orc, hidden in the shadows and wielding a dagger, suddenly charged out and attacked. On the other side, a spearman thrust forward with a long spear, but Bell calmly dealt with the situation.

First, he dodged the incoming blade, then counterattacked to deflect the opponent's weapon, and finally raised his foot high to deliver a high kick. Bell's left foot sank deeply into the orc's cheek, and the enemy was sent flying with a cry of pain, crashing to the ground.

Every adventurer who stepped forward was easily knocked to the ground.

"Miss Daphne, I didn't expect to meet you here," Bell greeted the only girl standing at the back.

"Bell Krune ..." The short-haired girl stared at the boy in shock. Was he this strong when they last met? She was clearly a higher-level adventurer, so why did she feel no chance of winning now?

The girl wavered!

The next moment, Bell transformed into a white blur, rushing past the girl and heading upwards.

"Bell! You're the general of this war." As he ran forward, scenes of Shirou training with him flashed through Bell's mind.

During the day, Bell practiced with Ais, and at night, Shirou gave Bell special training.

But Bell gritted his teeth and persevered; only in this way could he become stronger.

"This war is aimed at you, so it must be ended by you, a member of the Hestia Familia. This is your responsibility! And deep down, you also hope for this." That's what Shirou said to Bell at the time.

Bell had his head down at the time, Shirou's words struck a chord with him.

The eldest brother was very strong; he knew this from the very first day he met him.

My older brother is a good person. He kindly helped me, even though we only met by chance. He didn't laugh at me for being so old and still having such aspirations to be a hero.

The older brother was actually carrying a very heavy burden. Whenever he was lost in thought, Bell could feel the loneliness in his back, but he never hesitated to help him.

She is capable, kind, compassionate, and responsible.

So, there are people like this in Orario after all, Bell once thought to himself.

Yes! He's just like the hero I've always admired.

If we leave everything to our eldest brother, perhaps everything will go very smoothly, and we'll win the game without any risk.

But if that happens, I'll probably feel regret and remorse whenever I think about it in the future.

Why didn't you muster the courage? Why were you so cowardly? Why didn't you face the formidable enemy that you should have overcome and defeated on your own?

"I can help you fend off most of the enemies and provide you with a fair fight as much as possible, but the outcome must be determined by you. Get up from where you fall! Otherwise, you won't be able to grow in the long run," Shirou said to the boy.

"Yes, brother!" Bell replied in a strong voice.

Everyone chooses to believe in themselves.

Whether it's the goddess, the older brother, Lili, Wielf, or fate, they all entrusted the outcome of this battle to themselves.

Last time, in the brawl at the tavern, Bell was defeated by that ponytail youth. So he sought out Miss Ais and tried every means to train hard to become stronger.

"I want to make the decision myself! I want to win against that person!"

Chapter 1052 The Hero's Back and Shirou

A flame burned fiercely in Bell's chest, his pounding heart urging him forward. This was the path he needed to defeat his opponent, prove himself, and become a hero.

Bell's resolve grew stronger, overcoming the regret of defeat, the humiliation of his destroyed home, the tears no one knew, and the roar of certain victory next time.

During the fight at the bar, Bell was beaten so badly that he was completely helpless and toyed with by his more experienced opponent.

While being chased in the streets, he could only desperately drag Goddess along as they fled. If it weren't for the rescue of Wielf, Lili, and the others, he wouldn't have been able to get the money out at all.

At that time, I was no match for that man at all.

This is the third battle, and Bell is determined to surpass that man.

To avenge past humiliations, to fulfill the promise of victory between himself and the Supreme God, and also to surpass the towering peak that looms before him.

A white light shone from Bell's right hand, a heroic aspiration stemming from his admiration for heroes and a heartfelt desire to become one.

There was no sign of anyone else in the passage; only Bell's footsteps echoed.

The remaining enemies reside at the top of the tower, between the thrones, with General Hyacinthus and his personal guards.

"A bunch of good-for-nothings! What are you all good for?! How can you show such a disgraceful face?! How can I possibly face Lord Apollo...?"

Hyacinthus, seated on the throne at the deepest part of the command tower, twisted his once handsome face, pounded his fist on the armrest, and cursed at his men.

They're nothing but nameless brats and tasteless friends, and there are only five of them.

Unexpectedly, the nearly one hundred members of the group were not only completely outmaneuvered by the enemy, but they also managed to infiltrate the area. Hyacinthus could not hide his anxiety, both towards them and towards himself.

"Commander, Commander!? Please, let's escape from here!"

"Cassandra, shut up!"

The presence of the girl who repeatedly called out to him from beside the throne fueled his resentment to a new level.

Since morning, Cassandra, a long-haired girl dressed in a long-skirted combat suit, had been tirelessly trying to persuade Hyacinthus to leave the command tower. The girl's persistent nagging and cowardly attitude only fueled his anger.

"Please, please believe me...!" Cassandra pleaded. She possessed a degree of precognitive ability, allowing her to see fragments of the future in her dreams.

"Did I tell you to shut up?! Have you finished talking in your sleep?!" Hyacinthus shouted, waving his arms in a fit of rage.

Having been entrusted with the Lord Apollo, he could not afford to make such a defeatist move as deserting in the face of battle. In the end, he believed that he could not possibly lose.

"Are you blind?! There are other members here besides me. If Bell Krune dares to come alone, we will definitely not let him leave alive!" Hyacinthus said, pointing to the members who remained in the command room to provide personal protection. They were all personally selected by Hyacinthus, and all were high-level adventurers of level three.

With Hyacinthus himself, dealing with a newbie who is only level 2 is undoubtedly a piece of cake.

His reaction made Cassandra's face look like she was about to cry. Trembling, she shifted her gaze to her feet. Looking down at the floor, she hugged herself tightly, as if she were trying her best to endure pain.

"Ah... ah..."

The long-haired girl's face turned deathly pale, and fear gradually consumed her.

Seeing her demoralizing behavior, Hyacinthus felt his blood boil and was about to reprimand her.

The girl then muttered something under her breath.

"Lei wants..."

Bell ran and reached the stairs leading to the throne at the top of the tower.

He sprinted through the deserted passageway toward the grand staircase deep in his vision, while simultaneously focusing his thoughts on his right hand, where the white light was gathering.

"...!"

[Hero's Wish] has been activated!

Every time he activates a skill, a hero he respects and admires will appear in Bell's mind.

This time, however, the being he longed for was not a character from the legends of heroes he had read before, but someone he had never seen before. Yet, the image that surfaced in his mind was so clear: he saw only a figure from behind.

It was the back of a man as strong as steel, with white hair and wearing a red robe, standing straight in a vast wilderness studded with iron swords, with only giant rotating gears in the sky above.

Somehow, the man's back view somehow mirrored Big Brother Shirou's... back view.

"You mean thunder? The sky is so blue, where did the thunderclouds come from? How could there possibly be thunder?" Hyacinthus snorted involuntarily upon hearing Cassandra's mutterings.

However.

"No..." Cassandra denied in a trembling voice.

Holding her head in her hands, she whispered, her face ashen:

"Lei is coming up..."

The girl's eyes remained fixed straight down.

"What?"

Directly below the thrones.