Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 49

Early dawn.

Choi Hyun-seok was training as usual.

“Sigh~ Haa…”

Every dawn.

Before going hunting, Choi Hyun-seok never skipped his one-hour training session.

Soon, Choi Hyun-seok finished his training and slowly regulated his breathing.

“Hoo! It’s refreshing again today!”
“Umm… Hero. Good job…”

Rahel walked over, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

She always woke up just in time for the end of his training.

“Alright. Shall we start the day energetically today!?”

“Waaaa…”

Rahel raised her arms in the air with her eyes half-closed.

The raised arms swayed back and forth, looking just like a sea anemone in the ocean.

“Ah, before we leave, can you check my combat power once?”

“Suddenly…?”

“My level went up a lot thanks to Doras. I’m curious how much I’ve grown.”

As he spoke, Choi Hyun-seok checked his stats.

▫Level: 420

·Strength: 134

·Agility: 132

·Stamina: 137

·Mana: 133

·□□: ??

·Charisma: 56

·Bonus Points: –

His stats had increased quite a bit compared to before.

This was not only due to leveling up but also because they steadily increased during training and combat.

While he was looking at his status window with satisfaction, something strange caught his eye.

“Huh? What is this?”

A strange square had appeared in the middle of the status window for the first time.

·□□: ??

Choi Hyun-seok tilted his head 45 degrees.

“Square and question marks?”

What on earth could it be?

In times like this, it’s faster to ask Rahel.

“Rahel. Something strange appeared in my status window?”

“Something strange?”

Rahel, who was struggling with the combat power measuring device, turned around.

“Yeah. Some square shape and question marks popped up, what is it?”

“Square and question marks?”

“Yeah. Square and question marks.”

Rahel picked up a twig and drew □ and ? on the dirt floor.

“Like this?”

“Yeah.”

Rahel chuckled.

“Don’t joke around.”

“I’m serious.”

“Stop talking nonsense and stand aside a little. You’re not fitting in the goggles properly.”

Rahel picked up the measuring device again and struggled to check Choi Hyun-seok’s combat power.

“No! I’m serious! There’s a square and question marks!”
“Yeees~ If circles, triangles, and at signs (@) appear, then tell me again. Okay?”

Rahel answered casually.

Choi Hyun-seok clenched his fist and trembled.

“That…”

He was serious, not joking, but she didn’t believe him.

“Hoo, I don’t know!”

Choi Hyun-seok decided to ignore it.

Judging from Rahel’s reaction, she didn’t seem to know anything about it either.

He decided to forget about the square and question marks and continue measuring his combat power.

“Is it okay to stand here?”
“A little more to the left.”

“Here?”

“Okay! Stay right there!”

Rahel pressed her head close to the goggles, which were as big as her face.

Beep beep beep! Beep!

[Combat Power: 13936]

“Ooh!”

Rahel exclaimed as she looked at the number on the measuring device.

“What is it? How much did it come out to?”

Rahel read the combat power displayed on the goggles.

“Thirteen thousand nine hundred and thirty-six!”
“Oh! It’s gone up quite a bit?”

It felt like only yesterday that he was struggling at 1,500 combat power, but now he was approaching 15,000.

“When I first used the measuring device, I wondered if I could even exceed 10,000, but it’s gone up so quickly.”

“I know, right?”

It was a new feeling.

Has it only been two months since he bought the combat power measuring device?

In that time, Choi Hyun-seok’s combat power had increased nearly tenfold.

Of course, combat power is only limited to physical abilities or the amount of mana.

Perhaps that’s what makes it even more impressive.

“Let’s keep growing like this and break through 20,000!”
“Yeah! Let’s break through 20,000, 100,000, and even 1,000,000!”

“Good!”

“Until the day we break through the Demon King’s head!”

“Th, that’s right…”

Choi Hyun-seok was momentarily taken aback by Rahel’s unrestrained words.

But he quickly regained his composure and lifted Rahel onto his shoulders.

“Shall we get going now?”

“Yes! Let’s go!”

The Hero Party energetically left Bobo’s house.

Their minds were filled with thoughts of how to exploit the cooks even more.

***

That evening.

Choi Hyun-seok, having returned from his duties as head cook, began Raidrun and his usual training.

Just before the sparring began as usual.

“Um, Raidrun. There’s something I’m curious about,” Choi Hyun-seok said.

“What is it?”

“I want to learn more about Aura.”

“Hmm…”

Raidrun closed his eyes for a moment as if thinking about something.

Soon, he nodded and opened his mouth.

“It’s still a bit early, but. Choi Hyun-seok. You should be fine.”

In fact, Raidrun was planning to teach about Aura a little later.

He had taught Aura out of necessity before, but it was a very dangerous thing.

Learning Aura without a foundation could damage the body.

“Tell me first. It seems like you have something you want to ask.”

“Ah, actually…”

Choi Hyun-seok told him about what happened with Doras.

The Aura Promot that Doras used.

Choi Hyun-seok was secretly envious as he watched it.

He wished he had such a hidden technique as well.

“Promot, huh…”

Raidrun stroked his chin as he listened to the story.

“First of all, I think it’s important to give you a general explanation about Aura. I’ll tell you about Promot after that.”

Raidrun began to explain about Aura.

Aura is largely divided into two types.

Aura that moves the body, with a certain form.

And non-formal Aura, like Promot, which has no such form.

“Compared to general Aura, the number of non-formal Auras is quite small. In the first place, Aura is the exclusive property of a few, but non-formal Aura is kept even more hidden.”
“To monopolize power.”

“That’s right.”

Raidrun nodded and continued.

“However, Promot is an exception. Promot alone is a non-formal Aura that is widely known.”

“Why is that?”

“Because Promot is an ancient Aura that has been passed down among the Demon race since ancient times. It’s impossible for anyone to own it exclusively.”

“Ah…”

It’s impossible to hide an Aura that is already widely known.

“But, even so, very few people learn it. Why do you think that is?”
“Is it perhaps because it’s dangerous?”

Choi Hyun-seok recalled Doras, who was dying after using Promot.

“That’s right. Promot is extremely dangerous. I have also built up quite a bit of proficiency, but I don’t want to pass it on to you.”

In fact, Raidrun had already mastered Promot.

Not only that, but he had mastered more than 10 types of Aura in total.

In the first place, creating one’s own unique ‘Aura’ was an incredible feat.

Without a wealth of experience, skill, and talent, one could not even attempt it.

Raidrun already had enough of these elements, so he was able to create his own Aura, ‘Raidrun-style martial arts’.

“Hmm…”

Choi Hyun-seok pondered.

‘That looked really useful…’

He didn’t know exactly what Promot was, but he knew that it temporarily gave him great power.

If he were given such an ability, he would surely be able to overcome many more hardships.

“Even if it’s dangerous… could you perhaps teach me?”

Choi Hyun-seok asked cautiously.

Raidrun grabbed his forehead and lowered his head.

“Ugh… If that’s the case, then I can’t help it.”

“Thank you!”

“But, you have to be prepared. Your life may be in danger.”
“I have been risking my life here every moment.”

That was true.

Since coming to this Black Star, there had never been a time when Choi Hyun-seok’s life was not in danger.

He didn’t think learning one more technique here would cause any bigger problems.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

Raidrun began to teach Choi Hyun-seok how to use Aura Promot.

As time passed.

“Choi, Choi Hyun-seok! Are you okay!?”

For some reason, Raidrun was calling out to Choi Hyun-seok with wide eyes.

“Keu, Keueok…!”

Choi Hyun-seok was foaming at the mouth and trembling.

“What on earth is going on!? Get a grip, Choi Hyun-seok!”

Raidrun shouted as he slapped Choi Hyun-seok’s cheeks.

Suddenly, something flashed through his mind.

‘Could it be…?’

Raidrun then realized his mistake.

‘Oops! Promot is an Aura exclusively for the Demon race. It’s having a bad effect on Choi Hyun-seok.’

Promot is an Aura that has been passed down among the Demon race since ancient times.

It was not meant for humans.

The situation is different from when he was teaching Raidrun-style martial arts.

Raidrun’s unique Aura has a form that moves the body.

As long as you have two arms and two legs and mana, there is no problem in using it.

But Promot is an Aura that uses the nature of magic itself, so humans cannot use it.

Only then did Raidrun realize what he had done and began to run with all his might.

“Choi Hyun-seok! Just wait a little longer! You must not die!”

The only one who can save Choi Hyun-seok now is the Saintess Abelson Marriott.

***

The super-giant nation, the Holy Empire of Gatrein.

Orban IV is the Emperor of Gatrein and the Pope of the Deusis Church, which has the largest religious following on the continent.

Despite being over 70 years old, he was still vigorous.

Although his back was bent due to aging, his eyes radiated a more intense energy than in his youth.

The absolute power had gifted him with more energy than youth.

Orban IV was clearly the most powerful human on the continent.

A man was hanging in front of such Pope Orban.

He was covered in wounds and bleeding all over, and his left arm was cut off below the elbow.

“Lord Oseld. Are you conscious?”

The name of the sinner was Oseld Gefen.

He was one of the hidden hounds of the Holy Empire of Gatrein, who had recently set out to rescue the Saintess.

At the voice calling him, Oseld barely opened his eyes.

He parted his trembling lips.

“The Pope…”

“That’s right.”

The Pope said with a benevolent smile.

At the same time, Oseld thought.

‘Is it starting…’

The torture would begin again.

Torture in the name of repentance.

Whenever Oseld failed a mission, he would be tied up in this confessional and whipped for days.

Usually, a high-ranking priest who also acts as a hound, like himself, would carry out the torture, but.

Occasionally, the Pope himself would step in and whip him.

‘Breaking the longest record.’

How much time had passed?

He had been tortured for nearly a month before, but this was the first time it had lasted so long.

‘That old man… is getting more and more vicious.’

Oseld sneered inwardly.

He had no intention of begging for his life.

Although his left arm was cut off, he was still useful to the Pope.

The Pope would never kill him unless his value was exhausted.

Of course, he wouldn’t let him go either.

Oseld, who had been thinking trivial thoughts for a while, opened his mouth.

“Hurry up and start…”

“Hahaha. Lord Oseld. Start? What are you talking about?”
“Aren’t you here to carry out the torture… no, the repentance?”

“No. The repentance is over.”
“If not repentance… then the next mission.”

At Oseld’s words, the Pope nodded.

“That’s right. Although Lord Oseld has committed a sin this time, there is no eternal sinner.”

“…”

“I will give you a chance to correct the sin you have committed.”

Oseld felt like vomiting at the Pope’s disgusting words.

But Oseld didn’t want to die yet.

“What is that chance?”
“Kill Abelson Marriott.”

The Pope said without changing his expression.

Oseld doubted that he had misheard.

“Huh? What did you say?”

“The next Saintess. I said to kill Abelson Marriott.”

“…Why?”

It’s not like he had any personal connection with Abelson.

Even if it wasn’t the Pope’s order, he would have wanted to cut off Abelson’s head.

Nevertheless, he asked because he couldn’t understand it at all.

“Kill the next Saintess… what’s the benefit of committing such an act?”
“Do you need to know such things?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”

Oseld shook his head.

“I can’t accept that mission.”

The Pope’s eyes sank coldly.

“Are you refusing an order now?”
“I can’t help it. The Gourmet in the Black Star [Referring to Choi Hyun-seok]. That’s not someone I can handle.”
“Ah, is that so?”

The Pope’s expression, which had been cold, changed back to a gentle one.

“Don’t worry. We will start the operation when the Gourmet is not there.”

“…?”

“I said the Gourmet will not be in the Black Star. So Lord Oseld, you don’t have to worry about anything and just carry out the mission.”

“How do you know that…?”

At Oseld’s question, the Pope shook his head.

“Do not try to fathom the will of God one by one.”

“…”

“Just go as He guides you.”

The Pope smiled brightly.