The Extra Can't be A Hero

In the remote regions of the Hyades Republic, there existed a serene, ethereal mountain range. History had given it multiple names. Locals worshipped it, outsiders called it the unpassable, but the truth of the matter was… no one remembered its real name anymore. If it ever had one, time had swallowed it whole, like the mountains had swallowed everything else.

Now people just call it the Veil.

A spine of black stone and ragged cliffs, constantly drowning in a thick, unnatural mist that bled down into the surrounding forest like smoke from some hidden fire. At night, if the sky was clear and the moon hung just right, you could see the peaks from the edge of the eastern valleys.

Sharp and crooked, like the ribs of some dead god trying to claw out of the earth. Even from that distance, you'd feel it—something cold crawling up your spine, like being watched by something that didn't blink.

But the Veil wasn't always this way.

Just twenty years ago, there were hordes of villagers who lived near the mountain range, clinging to the nomadic lifestyle passed down by their ancestors. But now, nobody lived there… not anymore.

Cloaked with thick mist, no one could see two feet ahead of them if they ever had the misfortune of getting lost. Unnatural sightings of superpowered beasts, each possessing their unique strengths, instilled fear in the owners of this ancestral land. Thus, they left with heavy hearts, hoping one day… their home, their land, could return to its peaceful state.

"The Veil, huh? So, mom and dad are here?"

Leon stepped into the misty mountains with caution, his eyes shifting systematically to scan the vicinity.

"According to what he said, yes."

Amon walked with both arms behind his back, as if he were out for an evening stroll. Even though they were encased with mist, the man didn't feel threatened in the slightest.

"They should be at the centre of the fog. I feel a strong mana disturbance there."

Yue followed up with confidence in her voice. In terms of mana sensitivity, no one was more adept than her among the trio. Thus, like a seasoned guide, she directed the two boys who joined her on this excursion. Caught in the thick mist, it would be an issue if any of them were to be separated. Although…

"Hey, I know that we need to stick close to each other in this fog, but… aren't you two too close?"

Leon saw Yue clinging to Amon as if she were glued to him. Her arms were around his waist, and her face buried deep in his neck. It was a wonder that the pair could continue moving so effectively, even though they had turned into conjoined humans who shared a body.

"What are you talking about? This is our normal distance!"

"..."

While Leon was used to Yue's obsessiveness, he was surprised to see Amon's nonchalance. Usually, he would have pushed her far away by now, but the man wore a blank expression, as if nothing was wrong.

"Amon… are your injuries still affecting you?"

"Hmmm… That's not it. It has been a month since my battle, and my body has mostly recovered."

Physically speaking, there was nothing wrong with Amon. It was just that internally, his body was still recovering from the backlash of the Eclipse Mystic Arts. While it wasn't an impediment to his strength, Amon had to refrain from using his trump card for a period, at least until his body had fully recovered.

"Then… Never mind."

Leon wanted to suggest that the pair separate, as watching them being so lovey-dovey was making his heart burn. But he decided against it. They were called the Fantasy Couple for a reason, so forcibly separating would seem petty. Besides, he had bigger matters to worry about.

"I hope they're safe."

"Your parents will be fine," Amon reassured the saddened Hero. "That's why we're here, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Why don't you tell us more about them? We still have some time to kill."

Truth to be told, Amon and Yue planned to wander deep into the Veil until Leon's father sensed their presence. So there was no need for them to search or follow a rigid path. Besides, Amon was curious as to how Leon perceived his parents, the people who laid the seeds of this generation's hero.

"Haha, it's nothing much," Leon scratched his nose with a laugh.

"I'm sure you know all about my father, the Solaris genius. Well, he can't compare to you, but he was the best of his generation."

Before Amon came about and broke the records out of the water, the one who held the greatest genius of the Solaris House was none other than Lucas Solaris. He was the fastest to graduate from the Knight's Academy, the youngest Knight to join an Order, and the youngest to join the Golden Dragon Order. If he continued his trajectory, there was no doubt that he would take over his father's post as the Solaris Lord.

"Yes, I heard he was the best. Wise and noble."

"Haha, noble indeed. He was the one who taught me chivalry, honour and justice."

Leon remembered his father fondly. Not the harsh training he put him through, but the qualities that he'd bestowed on him.

"As for my mother… Well, she was kind, loving and beautiful. More so than anyone I know."

"Oh? Should I tell that to Ellahan?"

Yue popped her head out and interrupted, only to be met with Leon's wry smile.

"Be my guest. Ella knows all about my mom."

"Heh, I'm joking."

Truthfully, Yue was also curious about Leon's mom. Although she had lived two lives, she had never once met the mysterious woman.

"My mother… She would never hurt a fly. She never once raised her voice at me, even when I misbehaved. Honestly… If she didn't get sick, I wouldn't have been forced to leave them at a young age."

"She got sick? How?"

"I'm not sure," Leon shook his head, unaware of what fate befell upon his parents. "One day, my mother collapsed when she was tending to our garden. My father tried to heal her, but it was to no avail. However…"

As the bitter memories resurfaced, Leon's face hardened.

"It felt like… my parents were expecting it to happen. While Dad tried to alleviate her pain, my mom's face seemed… resigned. That's when he sent me to train with Sir Arthur."

"Oh…"

"I wished to help, but Dad said that I would be a burden. And I have never seen them since."

"..."

Yue turned to look at Amon, who was completely silent. He knew full well what was behind Leon's mother's illness, and well… they were here to resolve it.

"Don't worry, since we're here, we'll save your mother too."

"Definitely!"

Leon replied with delight, knowing that Amon would keep his word. However, their heartwarming scene was disrupted by a chill in the air. Narrowing his eyes, Amon seperated himself from Yue, and spoke softly to his fellow Knight.

"Leon, there's something here."

"Yes, I can feel it too." The young Hero instinctively took out Ascalon and pointed it at the source of the disruption.

"There are seventeen of them, right ahead."

"..."

Amon paused, slightly taken aback by Leon's sensitivity. In the past, there was no way Leon would have fully identified all of the assailants. But what he didn't know was that, after being possessed by the Solaris Founder, Leon's power had increased dramatically. Not just his mana pool, but even his sensitivity, he could see vibrations in the air clearly, and even a gentle gust couldn't escape his ears.

"... just so. If that's the case, could you take care of them?"

"May I?"

Leon's eyes sparkled with delight, not at all insulted that Amon asked him to deal with the enemies himself. Instead, he looked ecstatic, eager to test out his new skills.

"Of course, just try not to overdo it."

"Heh, I most definitely won't."

Channelling his mana, Leon's body exploded with a golden aura. Five Suns, followed by five smaller stars, orbited around him, creating a massive pressure field that made even Amon flinch. Amon himself had Six Suns, so feeling Leon's mana made him raise an eyebrow.

And that was just the beginning. Gripping the Holy Blade, he charged forward with no wasted movements. In no time, he found the assailants, mysterious merman-like creatures that wielded harpoons. The identities of the beasts were shocking, but their malice was unmistakable.

Leon knew that if he left them be, they would unquestionably wreak havoc on the land, or worse, threaten his family. Hence, he pulled no punches.

With one firm swing of his blade, he decapitated three mermen without hesitation. Their bodies instantly combusted from the leftover holy fire, ending any hopes of them surviving. Pivoting his posture once more, Leon charged straight at another, impaling it while a ray of flames incinerated two more.

As the remainder attempted to charge at him together, Leon twisted his body and created a flame wheel dense enough to burn them to ashes.

Even without Amon's help, the young Hero could end the lives of all the assailants in mere seconds.

'He improved yet again… The experience he had fighting the Clay Emperor proved to be invaluable.'

Sure enough, the Solaris Founder had opened up Leon's potential. At this stage, Leon could no longer be called a young Hero, but a fully fledged Hero.

"You got better."

"Thanks," Leon accepted the praise without much emotion. From his point of view, this level of skill should be expected. When the Solaris Founder took over his body, he had seen the precipice of what a Hero could become. This much was nothing.

"I wonder what these monsters are… They don't have demonic mana, but they are unquestionably beasts."

"Well… If we don't know, why not ask someone who does?"

Amon gestured towards the other side as a familiar presence made itself known. Initially, Leon was on edge, wary of the newcomer, but as he saw the familiar face, his blue eyes brightened with joy.

A middle-aged man, one who looked strikingly similar to Leon, walked forward with heavy footsteps. His beard, weary and untidy, looked ancient, and his once brilliant gold eyes were now faded with darkness. However, at the sight of his precious son, it regained some semblance of light.

"Leon…"

"Dad!"