Mimic Awakening

Chapter 27: The Hero

(Humans?)

With how much Azrael has powered up these past days, the range of his radar greatly improves so much that he can decently perceive up to three floors, which are the floors above and below, of this dungeon simultaneously.

(There are quite a number of them, but one of them stands out the most. He is quite powerful. Do you know anything about it?)

(A large group this deep in the dungeon... Could it be that they are here to retrieve me since I have gone missing?)

(Since you are actually a big shot in the kingdom, they might be here for that reason. But it still depends on who they are. Can you describe them?)

(Let’s see...)

Ignoring all the other entities on his radar, Azrael narrows his focus on the group of humans on the fifth floor. He realizes that it is a big group composed of at least fifty humans.

Azrael can actually perceive how powerful a person can be to a certain extent by measuring how much mana they possess. On his radar, mana can be measured like that of thermal imaging through infrared light.

Based on his experience, the hue of the mana is proportional to the maximum mana reservoir of an entity. He also concludes that the hue is based on the color of their magic cores. Red is the lowest, and purple is the largest.

Although they do not seem to be standing out at first glance, a few of them catch his interest. One that possesses turquoise mana.

(There are more than fifty of them. I can’t grasp how powerful they are, but I am sure that they are nowhere near your assassins. But...)

(But?)

(I recognize a few exceptional ones that are different from the rest. And then there’s one individual that might be on par with the awakeners.)

(That must be an awakener. There are a handful of awakened adventurers and mercenaries in the kingdom, but I doubt that any of them would venture into a newly discovered dungeon this soon. If there’s an awakener who would be willing to risk their life to save others, it must be him... the kingdom’s hero.)

(The hero?)

The moment Azrael hears that word, he feels a brief sense of panic in him. The heroes he knew in the novels in his previous world are generally against the forces of evil. Knowing that he would be suspected of the disappearance of the Great Sorceress and the party accompanying her, the hero might point their blade at him. To top it all, he is a monster, so there is a high chance of them fighting him.

Fortunately, Azrael judges that the hero is just as powerful as the leader of the party they fought before. If the hero does not have a powerful or broken awakened ability, Azrael has nothing to worry about. Not to mention that Claire is threatened to be on his side.

(Yes, the hero. Julius Geoffrey van Avery.)

(Such a long name. Is he a noble?)

(Yes. He is actually an heir to a barony of this kingdom.)

(I see. Is he powerful, though?)

(As an awakener? He is above average. His swordsmanship is only second to the supreme commander of the Knights Order, and he is better than an elite magic knight in terms of magic. I will always win against him all the time. It is just that his awakened ability is troublesome to deal with.)

Claire then proceeds to tell Azrael about the awakened ability of the hero.

(If you are stronger than him, then I would as well. It doesn’t matter if they all come together.)

(Do you intend to fight them?)

(Fighting is undoubtedly unavoidable given my situation. Negotiation is also out of the question, as would be talking to a brick wall. Out of all options, I decisively opted for a fight.)

(I know you will do this for survival, but is that the real reason?)

(I have one—no, two more important reasons, but I can’t tell you yet. I will ask you this. Will you assist me in this battle against your countrymen?)

(...)

Claire thinks deeply about it. After a few seconds of silence and weighing out the odds, Claire finally comes up with a resolution.

(Alright. I have decided to help you in this battle, Azrael. If you have a plan, please don’t hesitate to use me as you fit.)

(Excellent choice.)

◆◇◆◇◆◇

A few days ago...

In the middle of the forest, the sounds of rolling wheels and unsynchronized footsteps reverberate from the caravan. The path the caravan is taking is the same path that the local woodcutters used to walk.

Obviously, the convoy is not going to be a forest to cut trees or even subjugate monsters. Their intentions are something bigger and much more important.

The march is composed of various groups of people, but it is apparent that they mostly consist of individuals inclined to battles. In total, there are around a hundred men and women marching to a certain location.

Among the people in the convoy are a group of powerful individuals who are the members of the heroes’ party. As the most important people in the caravan, the members are boarding a special carriage crafted with luxurious features like stabilized suspensions and an enhancement that lightens the weight of the cargo and passengers.

Inside that luxurious carriage, where the interior is decorated with red walls complemented by gold accents, the five members of the heroes’ party are in their seats. Three sit in the front, while the other two take the rear.

The heroes’ party is composed of three men and two women. All of them are fully equipped, ready to battle anytime. Though they do not have to do anything until they reach their destination.

The leader of the party, the hero, who sits on the back seat, is a young adult man equipped with fancy battle gear. The hero carries the name of Geoffrey.

(Man, being a hero isn’t easy. Phew.) Geoffrey relaxes his eyes with a sigh.

The hero, with the full name of Julius Geoffrey van Avery, is the eldest son and the heir of a baron in the Kingdom of Roheazul, the nation to which the convoy belongs.

Geoffrey is a tall man, around six feet in height, which was considered tall by human standards on the continent. He has lustrous, golden-blonde slicked-back hair sitting on top of his head with vibrant, light-blue eyes. Even though he doesn’t want to admit it, he is aware of his overflowing charisma that captivates the hearts of the people around him, even before he was the hero.

He was born from a humble barony with his kind parents and a little sister who is two years younger than him. Growing up, Geoffrey dreamt of becoming a hero like the legendary heroes he heard from epics and tales.

Long ago, long before the kingdom was established, the continent was full of chaos and destruction. Wars were waged almost continuously, which caused endless famine and countless deaths. Races fought for the top, resulting in the extinction of a few.

Amidst the chaos, a group of brave champions stood from the frightened population and fought for their freedom. After years of fighting, the group successfully drove off the aggressors before they established the foundations of the kingdom.

Ever since hearing those tales again and again, Geoffrey steeled his resolve to become the defender of the kingdom and its people. From an early age, he pursues getting stronger not only to reach his dreams but also to protect his loved ones as well.

He trained himself to the bone and grew so strong and powerful that he could solo dungeons in the kingdom. His feats and achievements eventually reached the ears of the royal family. It did not take long before he was hailed as the hero of the kingdom by the king himself.

Together with his loyal friends and companions, they formed the heroes’ party and began carrying the kingdom’s banner in every one of their crusades. They defeat hostile monsters and foreign forces that threaten the security of the kingdom. The heroes’ party are always ready to lend their hand in the name of justice and the people of the kingdom.

A few days ago, the king suddenly summoned them to the palace and told them that they are tasked to find out what happened to the expedition of the Great Sorceress to the newly discovered dungeon.

That was the first time Geoffrey and his party heard of her disappearance, and they know how important she is to the kingdom. Geoffrey always knows that venturing into the unknown is dangerous, but he still accepts the mission for the sake of the kingdom. In addition, he will use this chance to prove something. freёwebnovel.com

"Geoffrey," a man’s voice rings in the cabin and snaps Geoffrey to the current situation. "Before we departed from the palace, you mentioned that a certain noble said something to you. Could you tell us about it now?"

One of the members of the heroes’ party sitting on the front seat looks at the hero. He is a man around the same age as the hero. His undercut hair is navy blue, and so are his gazes. Light but durable leather armor comfortably clad his upper body and leather trousers below the belt, together with leather gloves and boots. His name is David Bogdan, the heroes’ party’s marksman and ranger.

Geoffrey takes glances at his team for a moment, which makes the room fill with the dampened noises from the outside, before he exhales a long breath and opens his mouth. "Actually, it was Marquis Corvallis who approached me and gave me a piece of advice." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

"Marquis Corvallis? Isn’t he one of the opposition?" David speaks with a bit of confusion. "And what does he have to do with this?"

"Hm. I don’t know. But he told me not to do this mission for the sake of my safety whatsoever. But I highly doubt his words."

"He is indeed suspicious," one of the women in the carriage, a light-cyan, hime-cut-haired mage named Agatha Reigam, agrees. "If anything else, he probably wanted to reduce the kingdom’s power by getting rid of the Great Sorceress."

"I also thought the same, Agatha." Geoffrey nods. "It could be one of their tactics or his personal matters, but we can’t say for sure right now. What’s more important is to save the Great Sorceress and bring her back to the kingdom."

The rest of the heroes’ party nods in agreement to Geoffrey, feeling optimistic about fulfilling this important mission.

"Very well, everyone. The destination is almost there, I think? Prepare yourselves for the unknown."

The wheels continue to roll for about an hour, and Geoffrey and his party have finally arrived at the entrance to the newly discovered dungeon.