The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 83: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (5)

The only light in the dimly lit basement came from the magic circles engraved across the floor and walls, glowing quietly.

A noblewoman in a resplendent dress grimaced ferociously.

"The first Sun Gate has been breached?"

Rosanna Helios, the head of the Helios family, narrowed her eyes at the absurd report coming through her Hero Watch.

A gate guarded 24 hours a day by hundreds of soldiers had been breached?

"How many are there?"

"J-just one."

"One? You’re telling me just one person?"

Rosanna glared at the Hero Watch, from which the panicked voice of the captain of the guards was coming.

"Get a grip and report properly. What’s the situation?"

[As, as reported! The intruder singlehandedly overpowered the 282 guards protecting the Sun Gate and breached the main entrance!]

"……."

It wasn’t as if they had secretly climbed over the relatively less guarded outer wall—they had broken through nearly 300 guards and entered from the front?

‘This makes no sense….’

Though the 300 guards weren't 'Heroes' blessed with Stigmas, they were all highly skilled and armed with magical tools.

Even if a Hero possessed superhuman strength, breaking through 300 well-armed guards singlehandedly was no easy feat.

"Report the intruder's characteristics."

[He had g-grey hair and was wearing a Hero Academy cadet uniform!]

Grey hair and a Hero Academy cadet uniform?

‘It can’t be….’

Rosanna’s expression hardened.

The face of that audacious Republic mutt who had defied her during the observation class flashed through her mind.

"Where is the intruder now?"

[They’re quickly approaching the mansion along the path!]

"Send out the Knights of the Sun to subdue the intruder."

The second Sun Gate protecting the Helios family was guarded by one of the top three knight orders in the Empire.

These knights resided permanently within the mansion grounds, tasked with defending the family against outside threats.

[Understood!]

Footsteps hurriedly ran off, leaving a heavy silence in the basement.

"Mother, surely you don’t mean to…."

"Stay lying down. Don't get up,"

Rosanna snapped at Yurina, who was attempting to rise from the surgical table.

Her face was tense, lips bitten in frustration.

A few minutes passed in silence before another report came through the Hero Watch.

[Currently engaging the intruder with the Knights of the Sun!]

"Good work."

Rosanna sighed in relief at the follow-up report.

The Knights of the Sun were unlike the entrance guards—they were an elite force comprised entirely of 'Heroes' who had awakened Stigmas.

Moreover, this was not a mere ragtag band of heroes, but a powerful knight order made up of top graduates from the Hero Academy.

The Knights of the Sun were strong enough to face off against most large guilds.

Surely, dealing with one rookie cadet wouldn’t take long….

[Th-the Knights of the Sun are being pushed back!]

"What?"

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[Half the Knights have already lost consciousness, and the remaining half are barely holding on!]

"W-what are you saying?"

Rosanna brought the Hero Watch closer to her face, panic spreading.

Barely five minutes had passed since the engagement report, and yet—how could this be?

Half of the Knights of the Sun had lost consciousness?

And the other half was barely holding out?

‘What in the world is happening?’

The situation was so absurd that she wanted to believe it was some kind of elaborate prank by the captain of the guards.

[Captain Robert is now fighting the intruder!]

[Cap-Captain Robert is being pushed back!]

[Captain Robert has fallen! The Knights of the Sun are all incapacitated!]

Rosanna's face froze in shock.

Robert Helios, her closest subordinate and the captain of the Knights of the Sun, was a Hero carrying the bloodline of the Helios family.

Though he was a child of a concubine and hadn’t learned the family’s secret Sun sword techniques, he was still ranked in the top 100 of the Empire’s hero rankings—a so-called 'Ranker.'

"A cadet defeated a Ranker?"

And it wasn’t even after a long, hard-fought battle.

Judging by the timing of the report, Robert hadn’t even lasted three minutes before being overwhelmed.

Even with the other Knights of the Sun assisting.

"What is going on… What is this situation?"

Rosanna pressed her forehead in disbelief.

A single cadet had stormed the Helios family estate, an event absurd in itself, but to break through two Sun Gates—gates that had never been breached in the 500-year history of the family—in mere moments?

Such a thing should have been impossible unless a high-level archbishop-class demon was leading the charge.

[The intruder is heading toward the mansion!]

"S-stop them!"

[But there are no forces left….]

"Surely there are still troops on standby in the mansion! Take them all and stop that person!"

[U-understood!]

The panicked voice faded into the distance.

"It seems the situation isn’t going well."

Pausing by the surgical table, Faust, who had been quietly observing the unfolding situation, finally spoke.

"N-no! It’s fine! Don’t worry and please focus on the procedure, Doctor!"

"Hmm. This doesn’t seem like an appropriate time for a procedure, though…."

Faust shrugged as he continued.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

"Besides, there’s no need to worry, right?"

"W-what do you mean…?"

"After all, the Helios family has three Sun Gates."

"……."

Rosanna stiffened at Faust’s words.

The third Sun Gate of the Helios family.

Inside the mansion was a protective barrier installed by the legendary sage Julius Bastian himself.

"But if we activate the barrier…."

Rosanna trailed off, biting her lip.

The barrier Julius had created wasn’t meant to subdue intruders.

It was designed to obliterate them with a barrage of magical attacks, turning them to ash in an instant—a barrier specialized for 'elimination.'

"Ugh…."

Rosanna had no intention of killing a mere cadet, even if he was a lowborn mutt from the Republic.

She hadn’t expected this situation to escalate to the point where she’d have to consider such an option.

"Why are you hesitating? Surely you’re not planning to show mercy to a scoundrel who’s invaded your family?"

"N-no, it’s not that…."

"If it’s not, then quickly contact the guards and activate the third Sun Gate."

"……."

Rosanna silently looked down at her Hero Watch.

[Intruder has entered the mansion!]

Urgent reports continued to stream from the Hero Watch.

"Is there anything more important right now than creating the 'Sun' for the Helios family?"

Faust's sweet whisper echoed.

Just as she swallowed and was about to speak—

"No, stop!"

Yurina, who had been lying on the procedure table, urgently sat up.

It wasn't hard to figure out who the 'intruder' rampaging through the mansion was.

'Dale.'

She didn't know why he had come, but among the candidates capable of neutralizing hundreds of guards and the Sun's knights by himself, there was no one else she knew except Dale.

Her joy at Dale coming to rescue her was short-lived.

As soon as she heard the order to activate the 'Protection Barrier,' a chilling sensation ran down her spine.

'Mother must be stopped.'

No matter how strong Dale was, he couldn't possibly survive a barrier cast directly by the Great Sage.

"Stop, Mother... Aaaagh!"

Crackle!

At that moment, a blinding light burst from the magic circle around the procedure table.

The light transformed into chains that bound Yurina tightly.

"Nngh...! Let me go!"

"Defying your mother is not a good idea."

Faust sneered coldly as he looked back at Rosanna.

"Rosanna?"

"...I understand."

Rosanna, as if making a decision, picked up the Hero Watch.

"Activate the barrier."

[The, the barrier, ma'am?]

"Or would you rather sit around twiddling your thumbs while the intruder waltzes into the mansion?"

[N-No, ma'am. I'll activate the barrier right away.]

Wuuuuung!

As the Great Sage’s barrier activated, a wave of powerful magic spread even to the basement.

"No! Please, stop..."

Yurina's desperate voice rang out as she reached out, her face filled with panic.

But before her plea could be completed—

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

A thunderous roar shook the entire mansion.

Cracks appeared in the ceiling of the basement, and chunks of debris fell down.

Soon after, a report came through the Hero Watch.

[Barrier is functioning normally.]

"Whew, good. What about the intruder?"

[I'll go check right away.]

Panting could be heard through the communicator, as if the guard captain was rushing somewhere.

Amidst coughing, probably due to the smoke filling the mansion from the magical bombardment, the captain spoke again.

[Intruder confirmed dead.]

"Well done."

Rosanna smiled brightly and nodded.

"Ah..."

Yurina, wide-eyed, stood frozen.

"Aah..."

Yurina wrapped her trembling arms around herself.

"Aaah, aaaahhh!"

She screamed as if in convulsions, her body twisting violently.

The chains of light dug into her body, and blood began to seep out.

"You... you dare, YOU DARE!"

Yurina, eyes bloodshot, glared murderously at Rosanna.

"Yurina, you—"

"I'll kill you! I swear!"

Rosanna was taken aback, staring at her daughter who was now radiating killing intent.

She had never seen her daughter like this before.

The once docile girl who had always obediently followed her was gone.

Yurina, now looking like a demon with her face twisted in rage, was struggling, covered in her own blood.

"How dare you talk to your mother like that—"

Just as Rosanna was about to scold her—

[...What the...]

A voice, filled with shock, came through the Hero Watch.

[Why... Why is he still alive?]

"...What did you say?"

Rosanna furrowed her brows and raised the Hero Watch.

"What’s going on?"

[A-Ahh. N-No, don’t come closer.]

"Captain?"

[Stay back, you monster! AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!]

CRUNCH!

The sound of something being destroyed echoed through the communicator, followed by silence.

"W-What is this..."

Rosanna stared at the now disconnected Hero Watch in disbelief.

Thud, thud.

Footsteps echoed from beyond the basement door.

Rosanna, her eyes wide with fear, turned to look at the door.

"No way..."

Before she could finish her sentence—

BOOOOM!

The basement door shattered with a deafening explosion.

A thick cloud of ashen smoke billowed in.

Amidst the swirling dust, a pair of green eyes gleamed fiercely.

"Yuren... no, Yurina, wasn’t it?"

Dale casually walked into the basement, his gaze fixed on Yurina, who was bound to the procedure table.

"I’m here to take you."

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]