I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 62: We Finally Met [1]

Few minutes earlier:

A blur of movement— A gust of wind.

The atmosphere was still, eerie silent.

Two figures walked in the forest, the dense forest covered in trees and bushes.

SLASH! SLASH!

With a fine horizontal slash, both the figure cleared their path, cutting all the bushes in their path.

Justice and Greed.

The Rank-2 and Rank-9 heroes made their way in the direction where Hope had dashed off.

"What was he thinking, running off like that?" Justice asked, his tone irritated.

"That guy ran away. I’m one hundred percent sure," he complained again.

Greed didn’t respond.

After the five Single Rankers arrived on this continent, they split into two groups to search for the students.

Hope, Justice, and Greed formed one team. Pride and Envy were in the other.

Slash! Slash!

The slashing continued, as they kept on moving forward.

A sudden, overwhelming pressure descended upon them.

DOOOOOOOMMMM!!

"!"

"!"

Their steps hated, they both stood frozen.

This pressure—it was unlike anything they had ever felt before.

Cold sweat dripped down their foreheads.

’What the hell was that?!’ Justice thought, his hands trembling as he struggled to keep hold of his sword.

Greed was no different.

As Single Rankers, they were among humanity’s strongest. No monster, except for the Fallen, had ever made them feel this helpless before.

Justice tried to move his arm.

He failed. The pressure was crushing him.

"Ugh!" He tried to push his limit further.

Nothing happened.

’Fuck!’ Justice growled.

Greed had already given up, he stumbled back, fell to the ground.

He didn’t bother to stood up, the pressure was just too much for him to handle.

But—

Almost instantly the overwhelming aura which was pressing them— vanished.

Silence fell over them.

"Huh?!"

"Wha—?!"

It took them a few seconds to collect their thoughts.

Justice was the first to speak.

"What was that?"

Then, realization struck them.

"That’s where Hope was headed."

Justice turned to Greed and gave a simple order.

"Let’s go."

Justice had always dreamed of being Number One. But that dream was shattered by someone younger than him—Hope.

He wanted to be humanity’s symbol of strength. The one people looked up to. The greatest hero.

This mission was his chance—his chance to surpass Hope.

Without hesitation, he dashed toward the south.

***

Present (Zane’s POV):

Visit ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience.

"Go back to your group."

Hope repeated his command.

I did as I was told, quietly turning back toward the others.

"Ugh!"

A weak groan reached my ears.

I lowered my gaze instantly.

"!"

There—

A man almost unrecognizable laid on the ground, his face peeling off, falling apart. Cracked face, almost making his insides visible.

I flinched witnessing it.

It took me a moment to recognized who he is. His weapon was fused to his exposed muscles.

Defender.

The rank-69 hero.

His body twitched as the wind polished against his raw, exposed muscles.

I gulped.

Without hesitation, I rushed to his side, pulling out an A-Rank Healing Elixir from my Inventory Ring.

I made him drink it.

"Hang on… you will be fine." I reassured him.

But I know deep down, he was beyond saving.

I had known him for two years.

I remembered that time, when he and I was on a same mission.

It was one of my mission as Rank-1 Hero, and he was my partner.

Unlike others, he didn’t look me with those the why others did.

He didn’t envy me.

Unlike the others, he never looked at me with envy.

He wasn’t greedy.

He only cared about fulfilling his duty.

I respected him for that.

There were few heroes in the Hero Association who truly lived up to their titles.

Defender was one of them.

"Um..mm…ta..m.."

Defender parted his lips, its filled with blood.

He tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t leave his throat.

I clenched my fists.

"Y-You’ll be fine…" My voice wavered.

He once told me—he had no family.

No one was waiting for him back home.

I just…

I just… couldn’t let him die.

Pop!

I opened another bottle of A-Rank Healing Elixir.

One after another—I used all my potions.

"…"

Nothing worked.

A-Rank Elixirs weren’t enough.

What I needed was an S-Rank Elixir.

But I didn’t have any.

SHATTER!

I threw the bottle to the ground in frustration.

Turning my head, my gaze locked onto Hope.

He was distributing S-Rank Elixirs to the students.

I narrowed my eyes.

He had them.

"Hey!"

My voice didn’t seem to reach his ears.

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"HEY!!"

All the students turned toward me.

Their eyes shifted from me—to Defender’s dying body.

Hope finally turned.

His voice was cold.

"I’m sorry. I already distributed all the potions."

He continued.

"The Hero Association only gave me fifty S-Rank bottles."

My gaze darted to the fifty students holding those bottles.

I pleaded with them.

Their faces darkened.

They looked down at their elixirs.

Then at Defender.

Their fingers tightened around the bottles.

No one moved.

"Ah…"

I closed my eyes.

Selfish bastards.

"H-Here… take mine."

A voice broke through the silence.

I looked up.

A girl.

Silver hair.

Ruby-red eyes.

Her clothes were torn. Her face covered in cuts and blood.

She held out her potion toward me—an S-Rank Elixir.

"…"

I hesitated.

She needed it for herself.

I pulled my hand away, ready to refuse.

"No—"

"He is dying!"

Her voice cracked as she forced the bottle into my hands.

I blinked in surprise.

She was the only one who stepped forward.

I took it.

"What’s your name?" I asked.

"Umm…? It’s Lyra."

Lyra, huh…

I would remember it.

And with that, I removed the cap of from the elixir.

The liquid inside was crimson red, it’s an indicator that this is an S-rank elixir.

From rank F to rank SS, all type of elixir portion existed. All were created and tested in a laboratory.

S-rank elixir were harder to find. Only the top organization like Hero Association possesses it.

I emptied the potion in Defenders mouth.

Almost instantly, the skin on his face begun to redevelop. His cracked open muscles were filling up, closing the wounds.

It took around four minutes to completely heal his body.

"Zane!"

Huh?

I turned to the voice calling my name.

"What the—?!"

Ruby came running from the forest.

What is she doing here… Didn’t I tell her to wait with the others?

Her face was filled with worry.

I stood up.

’Human, beware.’

Sera’s voice echoed in my mind. Her eyes were locked onto Ruby, staring daggers into her figure.

I failed to understand.

The effect of my Ruler skill had worn off.

Sera spoke again.

’She isn’t real.’

End of Chapter.