Leveling From Hell

Chaos reigned across all corners of the 150 escort carriages. The Valiant soldiers held the front lines, forming a solid wall of defense, while the Valiant examinees provided support from behind.

Arrows flew, magic crackled, and every guard stood ready to face anyone attempting to breach their lines. Swordsmen and close-range fighters moved between ranks, intercepting bandits attacking from the sides, while commoners and nobles helped each other regardless of status, united for a single purpose: survival.

Horses neighed, carriages rocked over uneven ground, chains creaked, and dust mingled with blood hung in the air. The clash of metal, screams, and explosions of magic formed a brutal symphony of chaos.

"Keep the left flank tight!" shouted a Valiant soldier, parrying an incoming blade.

"Don't let them split our line!" another yelled, blocking a bandit thrust.

Within the convoy, a shadow moved so quickly it was almost impossible to track with the naked eye. 'If I use the demon army, there will be more casualties.' Arzael shifted from one end to the other, killing bandits one by one. His fists and speed ensured no enemy survived more than a few seconds. Soldiers and examinees felt his presence before they could even see him.

"Hey, did you see that shadow? So fast!"

"Who is that?"

"Impossible… he's everywhere at once!" whispered an examinee, eyes wide.

Whispers spread throughout the caravan, filled with awe and fear alike.

In carriage 75, Chitara, Lena, Seraphina, and Puff prepared to face the densest wave of bandits. The Valiant soldiers guarding Chitara were starting to be overwhelmed.

"Protect Princess Chitara!" shouted a guard, his face slick with sweat and blood. "Don't let any bandit get close!"

"I can't hold them all!" another soldier yelled, slashing at a charging bandit.

Puff, panicking, tapped Seraphina's shoulder. "Seraphina, where's Arzael? Why does he keep disappearing?"

Seraphina looked at her gently. "He's helping another carriage."

Lena furrowed her brow, clearly annoyed. "He's helping another carriage?! I already ordered him to protect Princess Chitara!"

Chitara raised her hand, halting the argument. "No need to talk so much. Focus on our line. Even from the back, we can hold them off."

"Stay sharp! Don't let one slip through!" a Valiant soldier shouted as he blocked an enemy strike.

Mana gathered in Chitara palms, forming sharp stone projectiles. With swift movements, the stones shot toward the bandits, shattering their bodies and breaking their formation.

Lena leaped to the front line with the Valiant soldiers, her sword gleaming under the firelight and magic. Every strike cut down bandits attempting to breach the defenses, her focus entirely on protecting the princess.

Seraphina raised her hands, mana flowing like a stream through them. In an instant, a massive explosion struck the bandits' position. White light surged, annihilating them in a single, crushing strike. The blast was so immense it could be seen across the entire convoy, from front to back.

"By the gods… what power is that?!" a soldier shouted, shielding his eyes from the light.

Chitara looked at Seraphina, confused. "Is that explosion magic, or did you detonate mana?"

"I detonated mana," Seraphina replied expressionless, her voice flat.

"How is that possible?" Chitara still didn't understand.

"See? I told you! Don't worry as long as Seraphina's here!" Puff proudly exclaimed from Seraphina's shoulder.

"Unbelievable… she's like a living weapon!" an examinee muttered, gripping his staff tighter.

Minutes passed. The remaining bandits had vanished, their bodies scattered on the ground, some severely wounded, some dead. The air was still thick with smoke and the smell of scorched earth.

Suddenly, the ground trembled violently. From the darkness, a colossal figure emerged, an ancient beast radiating a terrifying aura. Its red eyes glowed, its body covered in spikes and thick armor, every movement cracking the earth beneath it.

"What is that?!" shouted an examinee.

"No way…" another replied, in disbelief.

"Brace yourselves! Don't get too close!" a Valiant soldier yelled, raising his shield.

After slaughtering many bandits Arzael appeared beside Seraphina again, his eyes sharply focused on the creature.

Puff glanced at Arzael briefly. "Boss, look! That creature looks corrupted, just like what happened in the Crystalline Spires," she said from Seraphina's shoulder.

"What kind of creature is that?" Lena asked, her sword ready.

Arzael remained calm. The guards immediately formed formations, while examinees fired magic from a distance, fire, lightning, and ice struck the giant, but it had no effect.

"How is this possible?" muttered one examinee, eyes wide.

"Keep firing! Don't stop!" another shouted, as he cast a lightning bolt that bounced off the beast's armor.

Arzael squinted, realizing the creature's core was protected by thick armor on its chest. "Seraphina, when I get there, destroy its chest armor to expose the core."

Seraphina nodded, understanding. Mana gathered in her hands. The explosion struck the beast's chest; the armor cracked, revealing a dark, pulsating black crystal.

ZRRTTHH—

Arzael leaped beneath the creature, his fist striking with immense force. The giant trembled violently, the crystal shattered into pieces, and the beast collapsed, dead, shaking the ground as it fell.

"Huh? Who killed it?" a soldier asked, unbelieving.

"I saw a black shadow right after the explosion," whispered another.

"Did you see that?!" an examinee gasped.

Level Up! 46 → 47

"Shadow Step."

Arzael blinked, evading attention, and reappeared next to his friends.

"Done and dusted."

"Y-you… how…" Lena stammered, still in disbelief.

Chitara nodded, confirming what they already suspected. "So the guild master's words were true."

"See? The strength of Seraphina and Arzael!" Puff proudly shouted.

"You talk as if you did it," Arzael sighed, his crimson eyes calm.

Suddenly, Alicias appeared, her short red hair hidden beneath a witch hat larger than her body. "I knew it—the ones who killed it were you two!."

"we meet again, lost child!" Puff replied.

They began bickering again, their voices adding chaos to the now quieter battlefield.

After the assault, the journey continued. They rested briefly, calming themselves and tending to injuries. No casualties, only a few soldiers slightly wounded, thanks to Arzael's.

"Not a scratch on the princess," a guard muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

"I thought we'd lose half the convoy!" another soldier said, shaking his head.

Inside the carriage, Arzael reflected. 'The black crystal… it must be the work of the Alzareth Empire. They want the Valiant representatives wiped out… but they can't. Not with me here.' A sinister smile formed on his face.

Puff, Noticing his smile and asked, "Why are you smiling, boss?"

"Nothing," Arzael replied calmly.

...

Five days later, they arrived at Hero's Haven. Since the bandit ambush, no further attacks had disturbed their journey, and now the city sprawled across the plains like a shining citadel carved from the very heart of Illumina.

The city's walls stretched impossibly high, pure white stone etched with ancient runes that shimmered faintly as the first rays of the morning sun struck them. Each glyph glowed like a spark of divine fire, casting the surrounding fields in a warm, ethereal light.

Low rolling hills encircled the city, forming natural fortifications that blended seamlessly with the plains, their slopes dotted with watchtowers and sentries that scanned the horizon for any approaching threat.

From above, the city appeared immense and perfectly ordered, roads radiating outward like veins connecting the heart of civilization to distant lands. Within the walls, the districts were meticulously arranged: the heroes' quarters, where statues of legendary figures stood beside sprawling training grounds and arenas; a grand square dominated by a colossal colosseum whose gates promised spectacle and glory; the academy, its spires of crystal and stone reaching toward the clouds, radiating latent magical energy; and a neutral district, bustling with merchants, travelers, and adventurers from every corner of the mortal worlds

At the very center rose the Citadel of Light, a towering white crystal monolith that eclipsed every other structure. Its smooth facets caught the morning haze, fracturing it into cascading beams of light that danced across the city.

Majestic and commanding, the citadel's glow pierced the mist like a beacon of hope, declaring without words that this was the heart of the heroes' world, a place of courage, vigilance, and unyielding strength.

"here we go."