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Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Note: this is the LN version, not the WN version

This part is equal to the chapter 3 of the WN ver

Thanks Send in the Killer Clowns for editing this part.

Prologue:

The Beginning of the End

Part 3

There was once a crisis that befell the world.

In that world, there were nine kingdoms in one

continent. With their exquisite military balance, they, the nine kingdoms, had built

the world in a transitory peace. It was only ten years ago that the peace

collapsed.

It was around that time that the evil dragon

appeared in the frigid lands of the North. The evil dragon that alighted upon

one northern kingdom was named, Colchis, and feared by all. As if it were

reaping the ear of a rice plant, the dragon had eaten and scattered the people with

ease; driving the kingdom to the brink of destruction. At that conjuncture,

several kingdoms joined forces and raised an army to subjugate the evil dragon.

However, on prairie the evil dragon was an invincible

being. Its black-luster scales were much harder than steel making the evil

dragon impenetrable by the bolts of ballistae. From an altitude that neither

swords nor spears could reach, the evil dragon could disembogue a red-hot

breath that could melt their steel weaponry and cremate the people in an

instant.

The war against it had concluded too

one-sidedly with the destruction of the joint kingdom alliance. On the other

hand, the evil dragon was furious with the result. Humans, its food and toys,

had bared their fangs at it. This was unforgivable.

Without languor the evil dragon had immediately

reached the kingdom’s capital, incinerating the castle together with all of the

statespersons. Unsatiated, it had even spread its wings to the neighbouring countries,

devastating all settlements that met its sight.

As a result of this event, three northern kingdoms

had crumbled in the blink of an eye. Following their downfall, the remaining

six kingdoms had no choice but to accept that the world was in a crisis.

However, there was nothing they could do. Even

with a large army, they could not leave a single scratch on the evil dragon’s body.

Then how could they possibly subjugate the evil dragon? Furthermore, if they

failed to slay the dragon, it would burn down all of the kingdoms in

retaliation.

If they all mobilised their armed forces for another

joint army, there would be a reprisal. That is to say, without their armies,

the fighting power protecting each kingdom would be insufficient. The kingdoms’

leaders who were concerned with this dilemma had finally found a solution.

They selected a single person who possessed the

greatest fighting power from each kingdom. These six individuals were to be

inserted into an independent, wandering squad that had no ties to the kingdoms

but possessed the purpose of slaying the evil dragon. In the hopes that the

dragon would not see an independent squad as an act of war against it, the

kingdoms could place their faith in the six and fortify their own kingdoms with

what little respite they had bought.

In stagnating their own main armed forces, they

had believed that the small squad could act in secret, gaining the element of

surprise. The shortcoming of a smaller number could be compensated if the team

fought within the cave that the dragon claimed as its lair. They, the kingdoms,

had considered that it would be easier to deal with the evil dragon inside the

cave, because it could not fly to the sky if it was within the cave.

Thus, six heroes were chosen from each kingdom.

From one of the six kingdoms, a human hero who

held a holy sword—Lyell;

From one of the six kingdoms, a dwarven warrior

who held a sacred shield—Gadols1;

From one of the six kingdoms, an elf who

mastered every magic—Maxwell;

From one of the six kingdoms, a human saint who

could heal and recover every wound and injury unless the wounded or injured

perishes—Maria;

From one of the six kingdoms, a werecat sage the

people claim to have made a thousand lives scatter within a single month—Cortina;

From one of the six kingdoms, a half-demon

assassin who was infamously known as “Shadow Feather” —Reid.

In alignment with the expectations of the

persons in authority, after fighting a fierce battle, they, the heroes of the

squad, subjugated the evil dragon, Colchis. Without losing a single member, their

unprecedented achievements were beyond expectation; to such an extent that their

home countries didn’t know what to do with them.

Lyell and Gadols’s reputations had shaken the

throne, and Maria and Cortina’s popularities surpassed the influence of the

pope and persons in authority at the time. All of the six heroes’ positions were

uncontrollable. Because of which, the persons in authority feared the heroes’

vengeance. And above all else, the assassinations by Reid…

Among the six heroes, Hero Reid was a heterogeneous

existence. Despite being an assassin, he was not wicked. He, who fought and killed according

to his justice, was forever feared. His

criteria for good and evil were always based on his own sense of justice, and that

drew the line between Reid and the persons in authority.

Originally, such reckless emotional traits and

racial attributes would have prevented his admission into the squad, however his

fighting power was recognised—and the world was at a time of war. Thus, he was selected

as a hero—it could even be said that he was chosen as a trump card for

humanity.

In the end, the six heroes were expelled from

their home kingdoms under the pretext of it being for sake of the restoration

of the ruined three kingdoms. Although it was an event that was designated to

them, the Sage, Cortina, had already predicted the scenario in advance.

Of course, in order to assuage the heroes’

spirit of rebellion against the kingdoms, each country had issued rewards to

them. Each hero tacitly knew the true intentions of the persons in authority. Without

daring to utter that, they had

quietly stayed in a remote region.

They were not interested in power; they just wanted

to spend the rest of their lives peacefully without being involved in the political

struggle.

Regardless, the final moments of their

camaraderie would inevitably arrive.

It began with the marriage between Lyell and Maria.

The party had dissolved as the result of their marriage. There were no problems

with regards to their union, but it marked a turning point for all of them. Afterwards,

it had arisen.

They, who possessed outstanding skills, could

not adapt themselves to other adventurers, because their strengths were too

much for the other adventurers. Moreover, Gadols fulfilled his dream of having

his own shop and retired. Nearly all of the party's main force retired. Even Maxwell

had already returned to his home kingdom and recurred as an educator, apart

from national affairs. Only Reid and Cortina, who had nowhere to go, continued on

as adventurers.

Soon after, there was an incident where Reid

had to fight against the daemon alone, and lost his life that day. The

reinforcements did not make it in time, and Cortina who was left alone also

retired in despair. Maxwell then settled down from teaching at his newly founded

Magical Academy as its board chairman. In other words, all of the heroes had

left the limelight.

And then time passed…… Ten years later.