I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 59: The Name That Shook The World [3]

THUD!

Lilith’s headless body collapsed to the ground.

All the students saw it, their eyes wide open in shock.

Moment ago, they had struggled to even stood in her presence, but It doesn’t even took him a second to finish her off.

Moment passed—

Their minds failed to register what had just happened.

But then, they finally saw him.

A figure clad in black, his right hand gripping a sleek silver katana, and in his left—a severed head.

Lilith’s head.

He held it by her black hair, crimson blood dripping onto the dirt below.

Under the moonlight, his white hair shimmered, his face concealed behind a black metallic mask. The Hero Association’s insignia gleamed on his right chest, and on his left—a single glowing number:

01

The savior of humanity.

The god among all men.

The one feared by demons.

The strongest human known to mankind.

The name that shattered despair.

The name that shook the world.

The name that brought back hope.

"Hope…" someone whispered.

Like a divine grace restoring light to the world, his presence alone was enough.

Hope landed gracefully, his feet touching the ground beside Lilith’s lifeless corpse. He looked down at her headless body and spoke in a low voice.

"Lilith."

Silent.

Gripping her severed head, he lowered it near her neck. His voice remained cold, devoid of emotion.

"I know you aren’t dead."

"…"

Indeed, he was right.

As the daughter of Zila, the Goddess of Will, Lilith possessed power comparable to a deity’s.

Simply put—she was immortal.

A mere mortal weapon like a katana couldn’t even graze her. And Hope knew that—better than anyone.

The students, still frozen in shock, watched in awe.

Their fear had subsided.

Because he was here.

For the past three years, Hope had built a name for himself—not just because he was the Rank 1 Hero, but because he was Hope.

Every mission he took ended in success, with casualties so rare, that they almost seemed impossible.

And now—he was here to save them.

They had no reason to doubt. If he was the one who had come, their survival was guaranteed.

"How amusing."

A voice echoed.

Lilith’s severed head spoke.

A chill swept through the forest, freezing the air itself.

Terror gripped the students’ hearts.

’How can she speak?!’

’It defies all common sense!’

But logic didn’t matter anymore—because it was happening right before their eyes.

Lilith’s headless body began to rise.

Screeekkk!

Her spine stretched from her open neck like a serpent, wobbling until it reconnected with her head.

The grotesque sight sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

They trembled.

But Hope—

His gaze was still hidden behind his mask, but they can tell, he had an upper hand.

Confidence. Power. Control.

It was as if he already knew he had the upper hand.

Lilith, now whole once again, turned to him with a smirk.

"I finally found you." Lilith murmured.

An Authority holder, she finally found it, at least —She wouldn’t return empty-handed this time.

Her master, Nathalia, would be pleased.

Hope gripped his katana.

"Your master."

He paused.

"Who was she again…?"

Lilith’s blood ran cold.

Nobody knew she had a master.

Yet he did.

She didn’t stop herself from asking, her tone was now serious.

"Who are you?"

Hope ignored her question.

"Was it Cailix?"

"…"

Lilith didn’t answer.

"No. Then—"

"…Raziel."

"…"

Still no answer.

"Hmm… then it must be—"

"—Nathalia."

"!?"

This time she reacted.

But Lilith mind had something else running.

’How does he know these names?!’

She couldn’t stop herself.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Lilith’s voice rose in intensity as her Aura exploded—far stronger than before.

A supernova of Essence Aura surged from her body, sending unnatural ripples through the entire forest.

Hope, however—

He didn’t flinch.

He took a single step forward.

Lilith instinctively stepped back.

Her eyes locked onto him.

His presence—it was overwhelming.

A divine glow flickered in his eyes, eternal, and unblinking.

Her voice shook.

"Wh-What God do you serve?"

She was awestruck.

She knew it, better than anyone.

If they fought here—

She would lose.

Hope stood still, as if pondering something. Then, he activated his Authority.

The world stopped.

Every sound, every movement—frozen.

Lilith didn’t even register what had just happened.

Her mind screamed.

How can someone be this powerful?!

This wasn’t just affecting the surroundings.

No—

It was affecting the entire world.

For the first time—

She was the one in terror.

A single bead of cold sweat dripped down her forehead.

Hope took a step forward.

Lilith’s body began to peel apart—layer by layer.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

He stood just a finger’s width away.

Leaning in, he whispered into her ear.

"Tell this to Asmodeus, his end is near."

Her confidence faded, for the second time, she felt small.

She had never predicted this.

"Wha—?! How did you kno—?!"

Hope didn’t let her finished, he placed the tip of his katana on her cracked forehead, and pressed it so hard that it went inside like a popsicle.

The blade sank in—like a knife through butter.

Time resumed.

The world returned to normal.

The rustling of leaves filled the silence.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

The fight—if it could even be called that—ended in an instant.

A single overwhelming force.

Unstoppable.

Unmatched.

Unreal.

And they could only watch.

***

Two minutes earlier, somewhere to the south (Demon Continent):

Slash! Slash!

"Phew!..."

Envy wiped her sweat, clearing the bushes infront front of us, she said in a slow yet commanding voice.

"Alright. Stay close to Pride, and don’t hesitate to scream if you find yourself danger."

The trio nodded.

The command was directed at the four of us. We stuck together in a tight formation, with Envy leading at the front and Ruby covering our rear.

I chose not to take the lead. It would’ve been odd for an academy student like me to give orders to two single-rankers—especially when they followed without question.

’That girl is heartbroken,’ Sera spoke from above. She was talking about Ruby, who for some reason has a depress look on her face.

’What do you mean ’some reason’? This is your fault!’

’How is all this my fault?!’ I argued.

I looked behind, slightly tilting my head.

Ruby was walking behind me, her face still looked with depression, she muttered something under her breath, but I didn’t catch it.

But then—

Our eyes met.

"!"

"!"

A strange current ran through my body. My heartbeat quickened, pounding so hard it nearly reached my ears.

My face felt hot.

Ruby quickly averted her gaze, brushing her bangs aside to hide her reddening cheeks.

"…"

I couldn’t stop staring at her.

’W-What is happening to me? Is this someone’s skill?’

’You are correct. It’s all due to a skill.’

I swallowed hard.

’I knew it! But what skill?’

Sera answered, she appeared in front of me, hovering in the air, her eyes met mine.

’A skill called… Zane’s love.’

’…!’

I flinched, the hair on my hands stood up. I now felt an electrical impulses in my guts.

’P-Please stop, it’s nothing like that! I was like brother to her.’

’Say this same thing to her, and she will ignore you till the rest of your life.’

I ignored her ridiculous nonsense for now and continued moving with the others. Sera was way too talkative for a ghost.

"How much more distance?" Envy turning to Ruby asked.

"…"

No response.

Ruby seemed lost in thought.

’Shit…! Not in front of Master!’

"Ruby?" Envy asked, this time her tone was high.

"…!" Ruby finally noticing flinched, before responding.

"Y-Yes master!"

"I asked, how much more distance?" Narrowing her eyes she asked again.

She seems pissed.

’How scary.’

"Umm…" Ruby tapped on her wristband and reported in, "Just five more kilometers."

"Hmm," Envy nodded, "Focus on the mission."

"Yes master!"

Anna, standing beside me, leaned toward Aria and whispered.

"Your mother seems scary."

Aria chuckled. "She is. But she’s also very kind."

She was right—Envy was kind.

…To others, that is.

If you wanted to see her real self, you had two options: fight her or train under her.

Just thinking about past training sessions sent chills down my spine.

’Poor Ruby, I feel bad for her.’

I hope she forgives me soon.

’Do you want her forgiveness?’

What is she on about?

Isn’t it obvious.

’I do.’

’Alright, then go hold her hand for the whole day. That’ll do it.’

Sighh!

A deep sigh escaped my lips.

What was I expecting?

She was going to be a real pain in the ass in the future.

For the last time, I make her remember.

’Ruby and I aren’t like that. What makes you think we are?’

Sera grinned from ear to ear.

’A woman’s intuition.’

Then, with a teasing tone, she added,

’And you know what? I think she really lik—’

DOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!

"!"

"!"

"!"

Before she could finish, an overwhelming pressure erupted from nowhere.

We all dropped to our knees.

I turned my head back—

Ruby was kneeling, struggling under the sheer weight of the pressure.

But she was unharmed.

With a hoard voice, I asked.

"S-Sera.."

’I know!’

We both sensed it.

A sheer power beyond anything I had felt.

There’s no doubt—

Another Authority holder is near us.

And a powerful one on that.

I tried to stood up, but the pressure was too much even for me.

Without any thinking, I activated my skill.

〘Ruler〙

End of Chapter.