"Urapus Ashford!"
Hearing someone insignificant, the cadets turned to their own bidding. They sighed in relief. Finally, after a long, tiring, exhausting, and humiliating session, they could go back to their dorm.
The groaning Roxanna drastically changed her demeanor, removing her 'wounded' foot from Urapus's lap as she coldly looked ahead.
He just chuckled, poking her nose a little bit.
"Roxanna, you're quite childish if you act like that. I do find it cute though."
Roxanna's hue face twitched, shifting into a tiny smile. A batter like this with Urapus made her feel closer.
It doesn't have to be complicated.
"Don't fool around. Just go."
Hearing her subdued, tiny voice, the former hero quickly stood up and stepped up, facing the sergeant directly.
"Urapus Ashford, Major General realm."
The cadets froze. They quickly turned to the vocal point of the field where the sergeant stood coldly. Their voices were in their throat, ready to show their disdain and ridicule.
Even if you're so close to Roxanna Harden, who do you think you are?
Tyr sniggered, preparing for the largest outburst he ever had in his both lives. What a flashy joke! Just a mere S-rank talent, don't you think you're delusion has gone too far?!
However, as they wanted to holler their childish ridicule, the sergeant turned icy cold. His focused gaze landed on Urapus, who was visibly at ease.
"Urapus Ashford, I won't repeat this again. I will not hold back."
"Do your best, Sir."
The cadets stopped midway on their stance. They dumbfoundedly looked at the sergeant, who looked dead serious. The stout man has already gone all out, not intending to give his opponent even the slightest blindspot.
The force of his inner energy caused the grass on the field to bow. Even cadets with inadequate realms find themselves struggling to stay on their spot.
The sergeant wasn't kidding. He'd truly give his all this time.
As he put his guard up, creating a defensive barrier around him, the sergeant looked at the cadets coldly, "If you treasure your safety, I suggest you move out of this field and observe from the outside. I won't tell this twice."
Some cadets remained unconvinced. However, most of them had already been intimated by the sergeant's murderous aura and quickly ran outside of the field's vicinity.
Only Rosheld, Roxanna, and Velarin stayed, creating a relatively adequate distance between them and the fighters.
As soon as the field cleared up, Urapus turned steadfast as a burst of aura exploded, creating an even more exaggerated effect.
Outside the range, the cadets were shocked and dumbfounded, and most of them even stumbled back, plopping on their backside.
"Just... Just what is this?! How can someone like this be of our generation...?"
Urapus's aura is overwhelming, subduing! Rosheld barely held on, while Roxanna struggled a bit to balance herself. Only Velarin has a relatively easier time, although not by much.
While the heir was in disbelief, both girls simply looked on with awe and admiration. They expect nothing less from the legendary First Hero.
"Finally, I could go all out."
His hair was swept back by the force of his own aura, and with a smirk painting his face, Urapus crouched and dashed out. An explosive sound crashed as the Ashford heir clashed against the sergeant's barrier.
The man widened his eyes. Such speed! He tried to retaliate by blocking the punch with his iron ring, but it simply crashed against him, hollering him backward.
With a thunderous crash, the sergeant crashed against the iron fence. Urapus chased after him, not intending to give the man a single chance.
From the fog sourced from the impact, tiny iron needles shoot out, creating several trails of fog. Urapus tilted his head as he easily weaved through the needles.
He narrowed his eyes. A pity, his abilities are still locked.
Looking at the now iron-skinned sergeant, Urapus simply waited for the man to come.
The sergeant clenched his fists. What a lad! He managed to bring out one of his core abilities.
With a bloodthirsty smile, the stout man punched the ground with the sheer force of his fist, creating a fissure enough to distract Urapus.
Urapus stumbled a little, and when the sergeant flashed out and appeared behind him, the hero grinned. The leg that stumbled suddenly quickened its trajectory, causing a devastating blow to the sergeant's lower side body.
Just right on his kidneys!
Even his iron skin couldn't absorb all of the impact!
The sergeant's face turned white, and he, once again, crashed against the iron fence. They were already fighting in the middle of this stupidly massive field, yet the sergeant kept hitting the corners.
Roxanna's initially cold eyes shined with warmth. She brought her hands to her chest, showing a tiny smile on her flustered face.
"I know I can believe in you. You'll always be the strongest."
Beside her, Velarin was in a trance. Her eyes refused to move away from him, who still looked dashing even when he was in a fight.
Many said that heroic men looked the most dashing when they fought with valor!
"So he's still stronger in the end. Well, what should I expect from the First Hero, then? Can't say I'm surprised."
Velarin plopped on the field, having her chin on her hands as she intently observed the dashing boy in the spotlight. Even with the help of her system, he's still overpowering her.
Her eyes burn with excitement. She was wrong!
There is a worthy opponent, a hurdle that she ought to surpass with all her might! Although she believes she'll eventually surpass him with the system, she couldn't help but be excited!
The sergeant once again stood up. He craned his neck and showed an excited smile, staring at Urapus with fervor.
"Throughout my whole life, I must admit it now. Urapus Ashford, you are the strongest cadet I've ever seen!"
The person in question did not answer. He merely brought his foot forward and jumped, offering a punch that contained all his strength.
Right now, it was just straight-up suppression. The sergeant knows he has no chance at all, but he's still going for it.
The iron on his skin was absorbed by his fist, creating a very condensed, hard strong matter which acted like gloves on his hands.
This is his best ability. The ability that could destroy a whole spaceship with ease!
The fists of the two fighters clashed. It was a clash with no deceit nor wits, only pure, unadulterated violence and power! The impact surpassed their initial assumption, even alerting those outside the range of the field.
In the end, while Urapus crouched to resist against the opposing force, the sergeant was thrown out of the field. The reinforced iron fence couldn't hold on anymore.
In the middle of the field, Urapus's tangled hair swayed as he glanced up, having a decisive look on his face as his eyes were filled with a hint of rage.
"Now come to me. Target me with all your might, bastards!"
| +5,000 Hero Points!
Surely, they couldn't ignore a 6-year-old child capable of thwarting a General expert.
What are heirs and heiresses hailed from Sovereigns? Inheritors of the lost lineage? Or even the so-called golden generation?
In front of me, Urapus Ashford, they're nothing!
He was already attractive enough, but with his inhumane strength and talent, his mighty persona, and his innate demeanor, one would find it hard to believe if someone said he wasn't the strongest of them all!
As if wanting to convey such a message, Urapus indifferently held his head high, like the arrogant son of heaven.
Although it was a little bit childish and disturbing, Urapus couldn't bear to hold back. He must convince those deformed bastards that he is an arrogant young master, who deemed himself as the strongest!
When people saw such a pretentious demeanor, they'd naturally find it repulsive. The surge of intention to bring that person a few pegs is innate. It's inevitable!
Especially for those things who deemed mankind as nothing more than material for a first-grade evolution. They who deemed us as nothing more than a bunch of frogs in a well!
| +5,000 Hero Points!
Inwardly in glee by yet another prompt, Urapus ran his fingers througj his hair. With a cold sneer, he stood up and approached the unconscious sergeant.
Roxanna quickly catches up to him from her initial shock, clutching his hand as if it were natural. She was amused and maybe a little bit entranced by his cold, handsome demeanor.
"Urapus, is the sergeant okay?"
"Don't worry. It's just a small bruise. I intentionally direct most of the force towards his invulnerable spot."
Urapus looked at his own hands, noticing the spasming, purple bruises. Yes, the sergeant's hands were that strong.
Roxanna quickly tucked them to her chest, trying to ease the pain. Urapus just chuckled. This pain is nothing for him, but her concern is palpably cute. It warms him somehow.
As they left the scene, as if witnessing something historical, the cadets all fell down out of mental exhaustion.
"Urapus Ashford... The rumored kid who was named after the First Hero is him?"
"I just didn't expect him to be so powerful. I just thought of Ashfords as jokes, daring to use the First Hero's name for their child. But this is just ridiculous..."
It was especially for the girls, who were lovestruck by the sheer dashingness they'd witnessed.
"Such handsomeness... I-It was truly out of this world!"
"Urapus Ashford... I can't believe someone could be so... So indescribable!"
The ever-arrogant Tyr was dumbfounded. His mouth was still hanging down, clearly befuddled by the sheer power the supposedly useless heir had displayed.
Even when he reached his dorm, he was still befuddled, with his dimmed eyes roaming about.
"No wonder Roxanna Harden could easily fall into your hands. No wonder she was so fixated on you... Ashford, You've been playing the pig to deceive the world..."
"You've even tricked me, saying that you were her brother..."
"Urapus Ashford, you... You sly bastard!!!!"
His initial confidence of being the chosen one has withered a little. He is no longer at ease, and excessive anxiety and paranoia started to creep in.
At last, Tyr couldn't help but target Urapus to bind him. Something he ought to do by jealousy and envy.
And what frustrated him further was the information the system showed!
[Urapus Ashford]
| Talent: S-rank Ash Controller.
| Abilities: None.
| Affection: 0
| Requirements: ...
| Reward: SS-rank talent: Ash Sovereign, Urapus Ashford's upgraded abilities, Urapus Ashford's loyalty.
"Bullshit!!! System, quit your bullshitting!!!"
"Fucking nonsense!!! Are you kidding with me?!"
Receiving no answer from the system, Tyr could only cage himself with his own doubt and frustration, leaving himself with no way out.
That day, as Tyr was drowning himself in his own self-doubt, the whole world was told shocking news originating from the headquarters of mankind, the Verest Capital.
They were told the appearance of a child named after the Exalted First Hero, who surpassed the strength of a sergeant despite being a mere child.
They were told of a boy named Urapus Ashford.
The whole world knows. Even the Outer Forces know. The higher-ups have no intention to hide it.
They want to let everyone know that mankind will not lose in the coming war.
Mankind would not bend, nor it would plead for mercy in the face of the Outer Forces.
Instead, a figure would lead them like mankind used to. An indescribably charismatic figure with enough power to fight back against the Outer Forces single-handedly.
To let mankind know that within the pit of despair they've fallen in, a shining ray of light has appeared.
"...Is what you would like for the whole world to know?"
Roxy was speechless, looking at the Urapus who had the audacity to try the snacks Principal Orhelm presented for formality. The bald man merely chuckled, his shoulders shaking in clear amusement.
In the principal office, Urapus shrugged his shoulders, "We need to boost the morals."
"I get it, but why do you have to make it sound so narcissistic and obnoxious? What is this?! Indescribably charismatic figure?"
"It's fine, Roxy. Heroic younglings should not be suppressed! Besides, it's normal for a heroic boy like Urapus to be proud of his accomplishment."
Of course, the unsaid objective was left unsaid. Principal Orhelm stared at Urapus, who tilted his head in agreement. He couldn't help but be emotional.
Just what the hell has this kid experienced before? Creating a ploy to centralize the attention of the spies to him, preventing any of his generation from dying a meaningless death.
The kid is so young and was blessed with talent enough to overturn the world, yet his heart enveloped his whole generation. He did not back down as the strongest of his generation, and instead, he wished to show the world that he had nothing to fear about even if he was are of everything.
The Principal couldn't help but be shaken inwardly.
Is this what it felt like when the First Hero was still present to protect humanity? The selflessness that makes even the most selfish of men bowed in admiration?
Urapus Ashford merely did this for the sake of the safety of the current generation, yet he already felt so shaken. Then what about the First Hero? Who did so for the sake of the whole of humanity?
It was a this moment that Orhelm truly realized.
The reason no one dares to use the title of the First Hero after his passing.
His aged eyes stared at Urapus, who looked like nothing but a handsome boy. Who knows behind his leisure attitude, a heart bigger than the world resides within him?
Meanwhile, the person in question was beaming inwardly, feeling very giddy.
| +10,000 Hero Points!
| +10,000 Hero Points!
...
The prompts are endless! They kept appearing, leaving him ecstatic and shocked.
"Do you even understand what's coming for you afterward, Urapus?! You'll be chased by the Outer Forces anywhere you go. You will have no freedom at all. How about your parents? What if they target them to hold you hostage?"
Roxy was frustrated about the proposal of this kid. It was just too pretentious! Too arrogant! She also couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. Have we degraded so badly that we have to use the most talented boy as a martyr to protect other children?
"Mistress, I've taken up the name of the First Hero because my Father entrusted me with it, hoping me to become a good and honorable man. My parents may hold me dear no matter what I become, they may accept me even if I disgrace my family. It was who I was supposed to be. But I have the power to not be like that."
"The power to make them proud. The power to actualize who my father wants me to be. And besides, I couldn't let the First Hero's name be tarnished, right?"
"If I back down just like that, wouldn't I disgrace the First Hero? Wouldn't those bastards turn his name into a laughing stock if I, who inherited his exalted name, hid in my home like a coward? Wouldn't they treat mankind's effort of preserving what's left, mobilizing hundreds of millions of lives, which proceeded to die for the sake of our future, as nothing more than a swarm of yaps?"
"It's not about whether I'll be safe or not. It's not about whether I was too presumptuous or not."
"It's about whether we will honor what mankind has done and what our ancestors have died for, rather than tarnishing it by hiding like a pathetic, little coward."
Urapus may not show it, but he's proud of who he used to be.
He may disdain his former self.
He would scorn himself, and he would definitely scold the kid to death if he could meet his former self.
But he never ever regretted who he once was.
The First Hero is not someone deserving of disdain. That man was the crutch of mankind. A man with countless valors that it'd be impossible for people to count them all.
Even Urapus sometimes felt amazed. His former self was truly perfect. So perfect that he wouldn't even hurt the soul of his people who wished for his death.
Urapus showed a serene smile.
The First Hero was him, but he is not him.
He did not even once regard himself as Urapus, the First Hero, since he is conscious of his former life.
In this life, he is the son of Ren Ashford and Natashya Ashford.
In this life, he is Urapus Ashford, the proud heir of the Ashford Family. After all, he wouldn't even dream of doing something like this if not for these prompts.
| +10,000 Hero Points!
| +10,000 Hero Points!
He inwardly smirked.
Heh.