DANMACHI: THE ECHO OF FALLEN HEROES

After leaving that place, the god took Leo to the surface, and that day was the most brutal. The god intensified the training as if sensing that time was running out.

The god made him run for hours among hidden traps and shadows. Then he blindfolded him and forced him to dodge attacks blindly under a light rain that slipped between the rooftops of the old district. When he fell, he forced him to get up. When he bled, he made him bleed more.

"Your enemy won't stop because you're tired!" shouted the god, throwing stones at him. "And neither will your friends if they ever see you as an obstacle or a traitor!"

Leo fell. He coughed up blood. He gritted his teeth. And yet he got up. He fell. And he got up again.

"You don't need muscles! You need meaning!"

The training lasted for hours, and when night fell, Leo collapsed near the fire. He could barely move.

"You've made progress. And you know it," said the god, handing him a bowl of water. His voice did not have its usual mockery. It was calm. Serious.

Leo could barely nod.

"Old man... that day you told me you were doing all this for them... were they heroes?"

The god was silent. Then he spoke in a different tone. Softer. More human.

"That's right, Leo. They were different from other adventurers, something incredible even for the other gods... but over time, the world forgot what it meant to be a hero. They were replaced by titles, medals, and empty applause. By statistics on a chart. But they... they gave their lives for something more. For people like you."

Leo slowly turned his face toward him.

"And you remember that?"

"That's right. But that doesn't matter now, because I know that a new hero will soon arrive, one unlike any before. And with him, a new era will soon begin, the era of the heroes of the future," affirmed the god.

Silence spread, this time warm.

Then the god rose. He walked over to a long box covered with black cloth. Leo had not seen it before. When he removed the cloth, he revealed a dagger. It was not ostentatious, nor magical, nor shiny. But its edge was sharp, its hilt was dark leather, and engraved on the blade was a symbol that Leo recognized: the same one that adorned the god's jug.

"I forged it myself. It has no enchantments. It does not shine. It does not cut metal like butter. But this dagger has history. It was made from iron collected from the ruins of the ancient Tower of Babel, where the heroes fell." He paused. "It is a symbol. Of those who fell... and those who can still rise."

The god approached Leo and placed it in his hands. Leo took it with trembling hands. The hilt was warm, as if it held a memory.

"Now this belongs to you," said the god.

"What? Wait, this is a lot of responsibility," said Leo, blushing and nervous about the situation.

"I know you will live up to the feelings of the fallen heroes and bring a new balance, forging your own destiny," said the god.

"Thank you..." said Leo, looking away from the dagger.

"Don't see it as a gift. It is a legacy. Not of blood, but of conviction," said the god.

The god then took out a package wrapped in gray cloth. He untied it carefully.

"Here is your armor. You will need this as well."

The god took out a set of light armor, a black version with silver edges, inspired by the old elven combat models. The plates were thin, flexible, as strong as mithril steel but as light as hardened leather. It covered his torso, shoulders, and arms without hindering movement.

Finally, he took out something wrapped in blue velvet cloth. When he unfolded it, he revealed a dark gray cloak with crimson highlights that were only noticeable in direct light. It was soft, light, and resistant. Leo stroked it, unable to comprehend its texture.

"This cloak will help you hide in dangerous situations. It's not just any cloak; it's made from a piece of the Goliath with defensive properties against magic and stealth," explained the god.

The symbol of the god's family was engraved, barely visible, on the inside of the cloak, as if only Leo should know about it.

"Ouranos helped me get this... He said that if the child I care for is going to bear the weight of the gods' mistakes, at least he should have something worthy of a hero," he laughed sadly.

Leo said nothing. He changed in silence. For the first time, he felt like a real adventurer. Not because of the weapons, but because of the emotional weight they carried.

"Why are you giving me all this?" he finally asked.

The god looked at him, seriously. He sat down in front of him, unfolded the old falna scroll, and held it with both hands.

"Because it's time for your last update with me."

Leo sat up straight. He didn't quite understand. The god placed a hand on his back, the mark burned softly, and his falna lit up.

The ink rearranged itself, as if alive. The numbers and letters danced.

__________________________________________________________________

[ Status Update ]

Name: Leo

 Level: 1

 Strength (STR): H 180

 Endurance (END): H 143

 Dexterity (DEX): G 231

 Agility (AGI): F 421

 Magic (MAG): I 26

Special Ability: Will of the Defiant (唯一意志 / Will of the Defiant)

 "While the user is on the brink of death, all of their stats increase in proportion to their desire to survive. They can unconsciously withstand up to three times the damage before falling, and their fear is also reduced."

Development:

[✓] Hunting

[✓] Perseverance (anomalous: acquired prematurely)

[✗] Magic

[✗] Enchantment

[✓] Stealth

__________________________________________________________________

Leo watched him with wide eyes. He had improved. But beyond the numbers, he felt that something else had changed. Something deeper.

"Why do you say it's the last one?" he asked.

The god looked at him. And for the first time, he did so with sadness.

"I must go, a long journey, there is a place I must go, old contracts, debts, questions that need answers. I cannot stay any longer, not without jeopardizing everything I have worked for, including you and..." The god stopped speaking and turned to Leo. 

Leo was speechless.

"You won't be alone. Ouranos will watch over you from afar, he will update your status if necessary. And I... I will watch over you from wherever I can."

"Why now?"

"Because I found what I was looking for. Or rather... who I was looking for. And you, Leo, are what this world needs: someone who doubts. Who feels. Who chooses?"

"And what will I do now?"

"You will protect the Xeno. That creature you saw was chained up. Don't let them find it. Not the hunters. Not the gods. It is a soul that should not exist. Or perhaps... proof that there is hope. It was captured by mistake. They were going to destroy it, but it was saved by Ouranos. Guide it, if you can. Protect it, if you must. Learn from it... if you are willing. — God pointed out.

The god smiled at him.

Leo felt the weight of responsibility fall on him like a stone... and yet he did not break.

—I promise I will.

The god nodded. He turned, but then stopped.

—One last thing.

—Yes?

"If one day they hate you,

"When the time comes," said the god, "they will call you a monster. Some because they will not understand your strength. Others because they will not understand your decisions and your story. "Don't train to become strong, Leo. Train to be free. Free from repeating the mistakes of others, and overcoming them, free to show this world a new era that is approaching. And when that day comes, if they say you've become a monster, if even your friends turn their backs on you... Remember what I've always thought of you. —-

The god extended a hand. The god smiled. He hugged him tightly for the first time.

Leo looked at him, attentive.

"You were my last hero. The most human of all." —