Journey to Become the Zenith

The Forgotten Hero’s Laughter

Videl continued telling about Victor’s nature to Niklaus.

The ancient chamber remained quiet except for the low crackling of the enchanted lamps burning along the stone walls. Their pale blue flames danced softly, casting shifting shadows across the old fortress room hidden deep beneath the earth. The scent of cooked food still lingered faintly in the air, mixed with ancient dust and the cold metallic smell of old artifacts that had survived countless ages.

Videl sat across from the Fourth Hero, her sapphire-blue eyes lowered slightly as she searched for the right words.

Talking about Victor always made something warm bloom inside her chest.

Even now, after everything that had happened, simply speaking his name brought her comfort.

”He’s... difficult to explain,” Videl admitted quietly, brushing a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. ”Sometimes he acts like nothing in the world truly matters to him... but at the same time, he notices things other people don’t.”

Niklaus remained silent, his crimson-golden eyes calmly watching her.

Videl continued slowly.

She told Niklaus a little bit about Victor’s philosophy in life, as well as the joy he gains in fighting battles against stronger opponents, and other minor things Videl could think of.

As she spoke, more memories naturally surfaced within her mind.

Victor standing fearlessly before monsters far stronger than himself.

Victor laughing during battle like a madman intoxicated by danger.

Victor teaching her swordsmanship beneath the trees near Kanal Village while acting annoyed every time she praised him.

Victor sitting silently under the night sky as if carrying burdens nobody else could see.

The more she spoke, the softer her expression became.

Even Amura, who sat quietly nearby in her human form, noticed the subtle warmth hidden inside Videl’s voice.

Niklaus listened carefully to every word.

At first, his expression remained unreadable, but slowly, something began changing within his gaze.

Nikalus who was listening to Videl describe her friend Victor, was having this feeling that he knew who Victor was. At first the feeling he got was a bit vague, but as Niklaus continued listening to Videl the more Niklaus believed that he knew who this person was.

A strange nostalgia surfaced within him.

A memory buried beneath countless years.

A battlefield stained crimson.

A black-haired man laughing while standing against impossible odds.

Golden eyes burning with madness and excitement.

The more Videl spoke, the stronger that image became.

Then suddenly—

Niklaus’ eyes widened faintly.

’This boy called Victor... he’s too similar to him. This can’t be a coincidence; Victor must be the reincarnation of Anos!’

The moment Niklaus reached that conclusion, a deep laugh escaped his lips.

It began quietly.

Then it grew louder.

Then louder still.

”Hahahaha!”

The sound echoed throughout the ancient chamber like thunder rolling across mountains.

Several ancient artifacts trembled slightly from the pressure leaking unconsciously from the Fourth Hero’s body.

Videl froze in confusion.

Amura instinctively moved closer to Videl while Rika blinked repeatedly in surprise.

Videl was confused as to what was happening and simply stood there dumbfounded as he looked at the laughing Niklaus.

Niklaus leaned back against his chair, one hand covering his face while he continued laughing like a man who had finally solved a mystery tormenting him for centuries.

”The Gods must be playing with us, old friend!” Niklaus suddenly exclaimed between laughs. ”You actually became a reincarnator!”

His crimson-golden eyes gleamed brightly.

”As expected of the strongest, not even death could change you. You still continue to look for that challenge that could make your very blood boil in excitement!”

His laughter softened slightly.

”No matter what you become, is that really all that you seek? Hahahaha!”

Videl stared at him blankly.

She could not understand what he was talking about.

Reincarnation?

Strongest?

Old friend?

None of it made sense to her.

But one thing was clear.

The person Niklaus was describing... truly sounded like Victor.

Even the way Niklaus spoke carried strange familiarity, as though he had once walked beside Victor long ago.

Or perhaps beside the person Victor once was.

Niklaus couldn’t help himself and started laughing even louder, he was getting too excited.

The ancient fortress itself seemed to vibrate from his amusement.

Yet beneath that laughter...

There was loneliness too.

A deep loneliness hidden behind centuries of silence.

Eventually, the laughter slowly died down.

Niklaus exhaled softly while shaking his head.

”For thousands of years...” he murmured faintly to himself. ”And somehow you still remain exactly the same.”

Videl hesitated before finally speaking.

”Sir Niklaus...”

Niklaus lifted his gaze toward her.

For the first time since meeting him, the overwhelming aura around him had become strangely lighter.

Almost human.

Once he was done laughing he looked at Videl with a huge grin on his face.

”Little Hero, tell me—”

Niklaus suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

His expression froze slightly.

Then his gaze drifted toward the distant stone walls of the underground fortress.

The excitement inside his eyes dimmed.

He remembered.

He could not leave this cave.

Not yet.

Not until certain chains were broken.

The realization clearly frustrated him.

Videl watched as his rapidly changing expressions shifted from excitement... to irritation... and finally quiet resignation.

The sudden emotional shift left her completely confused.

”What is it you want Sir Niklaus?” Videl couldn’t help but ask, seeing that Niklaus looked like he wanted something from her.

Niklaus remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking.

”I wanted to go and meet this friend of yours, but unfortunately I can’t leave the cave at the moment.”

A faint bitterness flashed across his eyes.

”So instead I want you to deliver a message to this friend of yours.”

The atmosphere inside the room became heavier.

Even the flickering blue flames along the walls seemed to dim slightly.

Niklaus slowly reached beside his chair.

Then he pulled out something wrapped carefully in black cloth.

”Tell him that the fourth hero figured out the truth...”

His voice had become quieter now.

Almost regretful.

”Tell him that the fourth hero was sorry, and also grateful to the demon lord.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Videl noticed something strange.

For a brief instant...

Niklaus’ confident expression cracked.

Pain flickered through his eyes.

Old pain.

Ancient pain.

The kind that never truly disappears no matter how much time passes.

”Please tell him that for me,” Niklaus continued softly, ”and also give this to him.”

Niklaus then handed a demon’s horn to Videl.

Even through the cloth, Videl could feel the terrifying mana radiating from it.

The moment the horn was exposed slightly, the room trembled.

A suffocating pressure descended instantly.

The mana flowing from the horn felt ancient... violent... overwhelming.

Videl’s breathing became uneven.

Even Amura stiffened.

Rika instinctively took several steps back, her face pale.

The horn itself was dark crimson, covered in strange runic patterns that pulsed faintly like veins carrying blood.

Videl was overwhelmed a bit and she couldn’t touch the horn.

Not because she feared it—

But because the mana inside it felt alive.

Niklaus noticed immediately.

Without saying anything, he calmly wrapped the horn with a special black cloth that instantly suppressed the terrifying mana flow.

The suffocating pressure vanished.

Videl exhaled deeply without realizing she had been holding her breath.

Niklaus carefully extended the wrapped horn toward her once more.

”Please tell him for me.”

This time, Videl accepted it.

The wrapped horn felt surprisingly warm inside her hands.

Almost as though it carried remnants of someone’s soul.

Videl slowly lifted her eyes toward Niklaus.

And there—

For the first time—

She truly saw him.

Not as some ancient terrifying existence.

Not as the legendary Fourth Hero.

But as a tired man carrying countless regrets.

There were varied emotions dwelling within those crimson-golden eyes of his.

Gratitude.

Guilt.

Longing.

Sadness.

Relief.

It was the gaze of someone who had finally found closure after wandering endlessly through darkness.

Even though she couldn’t understand what kind of relationship was between Victor and this powerful being, Videl could feel the resolve Niklaus placed behind those words.

The sincerity behind them was impossible to fake.

Videl tightened her grip slightly around the wrapped horn.

”I promise that I will tell him what you said, as well as hand this over to him.”

Silence followed.

Then slowly—

Niklaus smiled.

It was not the amused grin from earlier.

Nor the carefree laughter of a powerful ancient being.

It was a quiet smile.

Gentle.

Almost proud.

”Don’t worry little hero,” Niklaus said softly. ”With him by your side, your path will surely be different from the rest of us.”

The moment he finished speaking—

Space distorted.

A terrifying amount of mana surged throughout the chamber.

Videl’s eyes widened.

Before she could even react, countless glowing runes appeared beneath her feet.

Wind exploded around the room.

Amura and Rika immediately returned to their weapon forms instinctively.

”Niklaus—?”

Videl reached forward slightly.

But the Fourth Hero only waved his hand calmly.

The ancient dragon-like wings behind him spread slightly, filling the chamber with overwhelming pressure.

”Go,” he said quietly.

The world blurred.

Light swallowed everything.

And after saying what he wanted to say, Niklaus forcefully teleported Videl near the town of Fantom City.