I WAS The Rank–1 Hero

12 P.M.

—Yaaawn.

Staring at the clock stuck on the wall of my room, I yawned.

"I'm late."

Yep, for the first time since I came to Nova, I was late for my classes.

I blinked at the window near the balcony; the temperature was cold, as expected of winter in Frostvile. Despite setting my alarm, I didn't wake up in time.

But I didn't mind.

Last night was worth it.

And, I'd trade a hundred lectures just to relive that moment again.

I stretched my body, and turned to where my balcony was.

The light entering from the balcony lit up the room as I graciously stepped down from my bed.

"It's already past twelve…"

If I went to attend my classes now, then I'd get a special scolding session from all my professors, especially the special training classes my master was taking.

I still have time though…

And if I wished to, I could only attend that special training class. But I had decided not to.

—Creeek.

Sliding the door open, I stepped out onto my balcony, the cold air brushing past my hair, and the whole view of the Nova campus came into my view.

Despite it being the afternoon, it was silent outside. No usual chattering, no other activity or such.

Everyone must be busy in their classes.

I rested my hands on the railing. Leaning forward, I breathed in the air.

"Haaaahh…" I sighed. "I still can't believe it."

Thinking back on last night, a smile formed on my face.

"Who would have thought that we both would end up like this."

I don't hate it. Instead… it made me really happy.

Now I have another reason to get stronger as soon as possible. After spending a lot of time studying and attending academy, I barely had any time to focus on my training.

At the Hero Association, we had to train all day to keep maintaining that muscle memory and stamina, but here in Nova—it was barely anything.

"Fuuuuuu…"

Taking a deep breath, I leaned fully on the railing. It was about time I got serious.

But for that, I need to learn as much information about them as possible, and I don't think I'll find anything in the Human Continent.

My gaze shifted to my wrist, on which the tattoo of my contract with Nathalia was. I was planning to contact her last night, but…

Well, let's just say I had a rather important matter to handle.

"Let's just take a break for today."

I had decided not to attend any of my classes today—not even Envy's special training class. Knowing Envy, she would definitely figure out that I must have had a reason not to attend her class… and even if I did, I don't think she would teach anything fancy in front of all the students.

"Alright."

Turning around, I stepped inside my room, closing the door behind me. I took off my shirt and tossed it into the laundry bucket.

I was planning to contact Nathalia after I freshened up.

Before I hopped into the bathroom, I decided to make myself some coffee. After turning on the coffee machine, I headed toward my shower room.

….

Placing the cup of my coffee on the table, I sat on the sofa before asking Sera.

"Sera," I called her name, "Do you think Nathalia and Lilith were aware of your existence?"

Her ghostly figure appeared in front of me, floating in the air, as her silver hair let loose, framing her small round face, while her milky white body this time was covered in a white gown.

Anybody would mistake her for a ghost if they saw her like that, but unlike humans, she had one thing that stood out.

Her long, pointy ears.

I narrowed my eyes at her appearance.

"How are you changing your clothes each time I see you?"

'Hm?' she answered in my mind, but her lips moved with her every word—just her voice alone was only audible to me.

Sera squinted her eyes at me before she declared smugly, 'A lady needs some proper attire.'

"..."

She's a gone case.

Anyway, placing her hands on her chin, she answered my previous question.

'If you are asking if Nathalia and Lilith knew about my existence… honestly, I have no idea at this point.'

She continued.

'The fact that Nathalia's whole image has changed only after a million years is bugging me till now.'

She hovered to my left and rested her body beside the empty place on the sofa.

'It's hard for me to even tell if it's the same Nathalia I remembered from the past.'

Now that's interesting—and problematic at the same time. I had witnessed Sera's memories, and there, I hadn't seen Nathalia nor Lilith, not even for a second.

As if reading my thoughts—which she literally did—she answered.

'The Fallen that you have witnessed in my dream was a commander-rank demon, one who served directly under that demon king—Amadeous.'

Amadeous, huh?

Now that I think about it, Amadeous was a mortal who joined the opposite side of the gods, and because of his assistance, both sides ended in a stalemate.

"How did a mortal become this powerful?"

I still have mixed feelings about him—a mortal whose strength alone rivals Ylthea, the supreme goddess… It's really ridiculous when you think about it. I mean, how and where can a single mortal get that amount of power, which shifted the equilibrium that much?

'Gods and Olympus…' Sera began, staring right at me, 'these two possessed mysteries that even I was unaware of. And as for a mortal being attaining such power…'

She paused, then continued.

'...well, let's just say, it's possible.'

"Hm?" I reacted to her words.

"What do you mean it's possible?"

'Human, just think for a second and take note of my words,' she spoke, not letting me breathe, 'Amadeous was a mortal.'

"Ah…!"

Now I get it.

"Amadeous is still alive and ruling the Demon Continent," I raced my mind on the possible conclusion, "If he's still ruling, then that means he's no longer a mortal…"

'Exactly.' Sera nodded her head.

"Immortality…?" I said.

I concluded a rather insane theory in my mind.

"Sera, how much do you know about immortality?"

She went silent for a second before she spoke.

'Don't ask me. It's better if you ask someone who truly is an immortal.'

Ah… Sera once told me that despite elves being a species who lived for more than millennia, they were bound to die at some point.

If their neck was cut open, they wouldn't regenerate—same as Nathalia.

A Fallen Angel who had been living for millennia, but never attained the status of an Immortal.

But to Sera's next words, I nearly spat the coffee in my mouth.

'But, I do know one thing about Immortals.'

"And that is?" I asked.

'Immortals are those who possess divine blood in their veins.'

"Eh?!"

Divine blood?

Then stuttering, I asked,

"T-then… how come I have immortality?"

Looking dead in my eyes, she said,

'That's the thing I was planning to say…'

She continued.

'You didn't come from divine bloodlines. You were a mortal, just like Amadeous.'

"...!?"

I understood where she was getting at, but still listened.

'Your and Amadeous's conditions were the same. You were both mortals, but somehow, you both attained the status of Immortals.'

Immortals—a being whose life wouldn't end, no matter how many times they died.

They would come back to life, living till the end of the universe, witnessing everything fading away… It was nothing more than a curse.

It's something worse than death.

Rubbing both my hands together, I traced my fingers on the ring that Ruby gave me.

Just by looking at those two shiny diamonds, my mind became lucid, and everything else around me turned clearer.

Demon lord Amadeous, gods, deities, and Authority holders—those were the terms the Human Continent was unaware of. The concept of gods and deities only existed in fairy tales.

We were up against powers we had no knowledge about. And I think in the Human Domain, only I was aware of their existence.

I can't deal with them all alone.

That's a clear fact.

'Human, you are forgetting something,' Sera said.

"Hm?"

I was confused by her words. Forgetting something?

Thinking harder than I ever had, a realization hit me instantly.

"Of course!" I stood up from my sofa, pacing rapidly, rounding inside my room.

How could I miss something like this?!

I wasn't exactly alone fighting the opposite side—there were others too.

Just like me, there must be six others besides me who were on Goddess Ylthea's side.

They were fighting them too, other Authority Holders like me who stood on the same side.

But—

"How can I find them?"

That's the biggest issue. I had no knowledge about any of their whereabouts.

Finding them was like finding a needle in a haystack.

And there's also the possibility that they weren't guaranteed to belong to the Human Domain.

They might have been scattered all across this planet.

I halted in my steps.

Remembering the warnings that Nathalia and Sera gave me… I formed a theory.

"If an Authority Holder uses their powers near another Authority Holder, then there's the tiniest possibility that I can find them."

But the risk involved was too high.

I couldn't just activate my skill <Paradox Invoker> anywhere I wanted.

What if someone from the enemy's side spotted me?

I would be finished then and there.

Thinking more about it, I made a decision.

"Let's not go with this plan, unless absolutely necessary."

I nodded multiple times before turning to Sera.

"Alright," I muttered, tightening my hands on my wrist. "Let's see how much Nathalia knows."