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“When the universe was created, there was chaos.”

“Clear and light rose to be heaven, the muddy and heavy fell to become land. Lastly, there were lives. All things in the universe exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites.”

“Water and fire, heat and cold. Warm spring and summer, cold autumn and winter. Light and darkness, day and night. Then there’s also… Good and evil.”

A world-weary voice echoed between heaven and earth. It soothed the crowd like a cool spring breeze and reignited the hopes in their heart like the blazing summer sun.

Everyone momentarily forgot the desperate situation they were in, and looked toward the source of the sound…

A rift was torn open in the dark sky. A ray of light descended, and like a lone spotlight, it shone on a tall and majestic figure.

A knight?

That was the first impression everyone had when they laid eyes on the figure. Upon a closer look, they realized that the figure did not quite resemble the image of the knight in their memory.

His pure gold armor did not cover his whole body. His abdomen, upper arms and legs were only protected by black leather armor that clung to his skin. However, the gold part of the armor was extremely thick and looked heavy.

The pauldrons were decorated with unknown vicious beasts that had a pair of sharp horns on its head. It made him look like a badass.

The most prominent part of the armor was at its belt. The buckle was extremely gorgeous, decorated by five gems of different colors that complimented the centerpiece—a yin yang gem. The design certainly gave the buckle a mysterious finishing touch.

“You are…” the vice dean absent-mindedly murmured.

Although his voice was barely audible, the armored figure still caught it. He turned his head around. Though his face was hidden behind a black facial armor, the vice dean seemed to be able to see a boundless light of hope.

“I am the Emperor… Ah, damn.”

The figure quickly caught himself. He composed himself, then cleared his throat before speaking slowly.

“Who I am matters not. Name is but an utterance. But if you insist on knowing, you may refer to me as… Brave.”
“Brave?”

The vice dean was taken aback, because he was all too familiar with the name, “Brave.”

In fact, there was no one in the world who would find that name unfamiliar.

Rather than calling it a name, “Brave” was more of a title given to heroes who had defeated evil by their own strength and rescued the people who were in need. Such figures were often heard in countless tales and their appearances were usually accompanied by demon kings, evil dragons and princesses.

However, the vice dean knew very well that these figures only existed in tales. Saving the world alone was only a beautiful lie weaved for young and hot blooded teenagers.

The reality had always been unbearably cruel.

“Are you… doubting me?”

The vice dean could clearly feel the burning gaze behind the facial armor.

Without waiting for the vice dean’s reply, the armored figure who called himself Brave, continued speaking to himself.

“Ahh, I understand. I understand everything. People were so foolish. They longed for the appearance of the heroes in their time of despair, yet loathed their dazzling light. After all, the light was too blinding and scorching hot for those poseurs.”

The vice dean flew into a rage upon hearing that. “I won’t allow you to insult them! They may have failed in becoming heroes, but they’re definitely not poseurs!”

Brave sneered. “Then tell me, were their sacrifices meaningful?”

“Meaningful…?”

Brave’s question struck the vice dean like a bolt of lightning. Every word stabbed his heart like sharp knives.

He was right. The sacrifices of those old men were all for naught.

…Because Golden Demon Htilil still remained standing, unscathed.

“Even so, you should not insult them!”

The vice dean gnashed his teeth and asked again, “Who are you exactly?!”

“Haven’t I told you? I am Brave.”

Brave sighed softly for unknown reasons.

“Although valor is a pure gem, useless sacrifices aren’t acts of valor. It’s called dying in vain. People who do useless things that have no effect on an outcome can never become heroes.”

“What are you trying to say!” The vice dean was going to bombard Brave with more questions, but a sudden burst of white light blinded him. By the time his eyes could see normally again, he was floored by the scene in front of him.

The old men whom he thought were gone… were now lying on the ground in front of him, perfectly unharmed…

Although their eyes were tightly shut, the calmness on their faces as well as the rise and fall of their chests suggested that they were only soundly asleep.

Furthermore, he could see one or two bright green strands among their white hair.

“T-This… is…”

The vice dean’s voice trembled as he failed to form a coherent sentence for the longest time.

“They have severe loss of life force in their bodies, so I patched them up,” Brave explained calmly, almost as if the miracle he had just performed was nothing unusual.

The vice dean shook his head…

No, that was not what he wanted to say… The question he wanted to ask was…

The armored figure who called himself Brave had soared in the sky, leaving behind only a sentence that echoed in the vice dean’s ears.

“Don’t look away now. I’ll show you what a real hero is.”

Brave went off to confront the Golden Demon.

Golden Demon was the first to speak. “I never thought that you would chase me all the way here! It’s not like you to give away your identity on your own accord.”

There was a trace of doubt in her anger, a trace of fear in her doubt and a trace of helplessness in her fear. All these complex emotions were fully expressed in that single piece of dialogue. It was so well executed that even the most excellent actors in the world would applaud.

Brave remained calm and relaxed. He spoke with unwavering firmness in his voice.

“That’s because I have realized that if I continue hiding my light, this world will be enveloped by your darkness. You left me with no choice but to come forward and show myself! It is time… for the world to know that hope has always been on their side!”

The Golden Demon flew into a rage. “Don’t get so cocky! You may have succeeded in stopping me countless times before, but you definitely won’t this time!”

“If I have succeeded countless times before, then I assure you, this time won’t be any different!”

Brave drew his golden longsword and rushed toward the Golden Demon.

His attack was simple, direct and efficient. No one could even perceive the power in his sword.

“Careful, the Golden Demon is a tough enemy who uses strange moves!” the vice dean warned Brave loudly.

“I know. Of course I know. I know better than anyone just how talented, powerful, terrifying and unfathomable the Golden Demon is, but…”

Brave continued charging toward his enemy without any hesitation. The sword in his hand showed no signs of stopping.

“This is my destiny…”
“GWAAAAAAH!!!”

The outcome was beyond everyone’s expectation.

Their archenemy, who was so strong that she could easily suppress the Aurora Dragon, force more than ten peak saints to die with her, and struck despair into everyone’s heart, was now holding her right arm while screaming in pain.

“My arm! My right arm! As expected of the man who is named Brave to be able to cut my right arm off so easily!”

Brave watched Golden Demon as she rolled on the ground, hissing his name while clutching her perfectly intact right arm even though there was a deep cut that ran from her chest down to her abdomen.

“It seems like my new move is more effective than I thought. The pain is even enough to cause confusion.”

The Golden Demon froze for a moment before she continued wailing.

“Why?! Why am I still no match for you even though I have powered up in the Ancient Ruins?!”
“That’s because you’re not the only one who is growing stronger every moment.”
Brave looked up at the sky and said ruefully. “You are the reason that I must become stronger.”
“Don’t get so cocky!”

The Golden Demon got up with difficulty and shakily pointed her finger at Brave.

“You! Even if you’re powerful, this is not the end yet!” she hissed, like a wounded beast that was cornered.

Beep, beep, beep.

A strange sound that sounded like an alarm clock echoed in everyone’s ears.

The Golden Demon laughed loudly. “I have planted a bomb that is powerful enough to destroy a nation in the foundation of this academy. When the timer runs out, everyone in the Holy Dragon Empire will be blown into smithereens! All of them, haha!!!”

“WHAT?!”

Chill invaded everyone’s heart.

A bomb that was powerful enough to destroy an entire nation? What a joke! How could something like that possibly exist in the world?

But then again…

Everyone could not help but believe it. After all, the person who said this… was the Golden Demon herself, the most notorious criminal in the history of mankind!

There was no reason for her to babble nonsense and make empty threats.

“There is no need to worry.”

A voice filled with righteousness from within that golden armor reached everyone’s ears, and melted their hearts that were frozen by fear.

“I will stop her.”

For some reason, everyone was convinced just by hearing that person’s voice.

Brave suddenly landed. He dropped down on one knee and placed his hands on the ground.

“What… are you trying to do?”

“Stopping you,” Brave said nonchalantly before roaring loudly, “RISE!”

The ground shook, as if he had just yanked something out from the ground.

“You… You… Don’t tell me…”

Terror filled the Golden Demon’s voice.

“Have you lost your mind?! You’re planning to sacrifice a hundred years of your life just to save these vermin? Do you think it’s worth it?”

“Of course!” Brave replied sternly, “Aren’t heroes supposed to rescue everyone in a crisis?!”

Brave rose to his feet again and raised his right arm, with an object shaped like an alarm clock in his hand. He then crushed it, deforming it so much that it stopped working.

The second hand was merely one tick away from completing its final rotation.