Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 249 Awakening
Of the twelve candidates, at least nine are quite outstanding swordsmen.

They were either directly or forced into this battle, and Lex showed just how outrageous a once-apex creature really was.

In an instant, he saw through the opponent's swordsmanship system and easily defeated him by imitating a more advanced tactical style.

Initially, the candidates were thinking about fighting and winning.

But soon, it became a real education bureau.

The young man encountered an opponent he could never defeat, but through repeated defeats, he could still feel a clear sense of growth.

"What kind of monster is this?"

"This is the kind of continental hero who can use the name 'Enzo Continent'. Isn't this strength a bit off?"

"I've made progress! I can actually feel that I've made progress."

"He seems stern, yet his sword is gentle, too gentle. He's somewhat sentimental, somewhat weak. Is this truly the hero who almost became emperor?"

"Stupid dad!"

At least Lex made a deep impression on young people in his own way.

He was quite clear that everything in this world was illusory; only the power to control one's own destiny and future was real.
"Their strength is quite impressive; several of them are even top-tier warriors."

The candidates were generally quite young, but their level was not low; after all, they were not rural geniuses from a poor, remote place like the Kingdom.

Many of the "people from great powers" brought out quite powerful weapons and equipment, and several of them were dressed in fancy clothes and did not look like ordinary people.

There were even a few "non-human" beings.

One of the volatile barbarians, suspected to be of the Infernal race, unleashed terrifying lightning from his battle axe when enraged.

Rean even sensed something similar to the goddess sisters, suggesting that this was probably a rare divine being or artifact.

That giant, seemingly an ancient creature, had an unfortunate candidate who was blocked by it. With a gentle pinch, the giant turned the candidate into a lump of minced meat.

That little imp even tore space apart with her bare hands.

"Those veterans weren't the most in danger; in fact, they were putting up a very tough fight. This batch of candidates is of a very high caliber."

Dania finally ran over; perhaps she had already figured out how to face Rean.

The truth is, when Lex appeared in front of her, she was able to distinguish between the two much better.

Even if they look exactly alike, even if they share the same soul, even if they both treat themselves quite well, they are still two completely different people.

If I really look back, I'm afraid I owe this man a lot.

Putting everything else aside, Dania has already vaguely sensed the wondrous uses of the ring that comes with resurrection; it might even be a high-level artifact that even top-tier archmages cannot decipher.

"Thank you for your help with these things. Please have some experts look into it."

But shortly after she arrived, and after agreeing to a private one-on-one meeting, Rean gave her a job.

Those were some sketches, mainly various "badges", "marks" and "overly obvious facial descriptions".

Rean plans to contact the authorities to help open the candidates' boxes.

“You really can see it.” Dania pouted. She remembered the masquerade ball when she first became a candidate. She was sure that this person had watched them make a spectacle of themselves.

"Oh, sorry, it was really hard to explain back then."

Dania sighed. The moment she confirmed that Rean was a reincarnation of a hero, his identity had become too special, and she didn't even know if she had the right to be angry with him.

She plans to hand over these sketches to professionals.

Finding out exactly who these candidates are will allow us to prepare for any changes to come, and there is absolutely no reason to refuse.

But after taking a quick look, she was shocked.

"I recognize this and this. The 'Eagle Dragon' emblem of the Sylon Empire. To wear it, one must be at least a member of the royal family. This 'Leaf Arrow' is even more outrageous. This is the medal of the 'Revenge Elf,' meaning that this elf is an extremely rare branch, an internal killer within their own race, and they are basically elven nobles."

Dania's heraldry was mediocre; she could easily recognize the two, only because they were so famous.

The distance between the Celon Empire and the Kingdom is not too far, with three or four medium-sized small countries in between. That member of the royal family should not miss this opportunity.

It's likely that many of the candidates are people of high status, and if they are indeed involved, it certainly won't be an individual affair.

In reality, the selection of heroes involves exploring underground ruins, which is basically meaningless for individuals.

At the very least, it requires the support of a team or even a force, and it requires months or even years of effort.

If they get involved, they will naturally be drawn into more factions, and it is foreseeable that Radiant City will soon be in chaos.

Dania was stunned. She had come up with the idea, but it seemed she had unknowingly gone too far. Rumors were already circulating that the "Hero Selection" was actually a way for the princess to choose a husband. If other countries or powers were to try and turn this into a real-life scheme to pressure the royal family, wouldn't she also face an unhappy marriage?
"You, you're not going to run away, are you?" Dania tugged at Rean's sleeve, revealing an uneasy look in her eyes for the first time in front of him.

She leaned closer, her eyes filled with unease and hesitation, her fingers even trembling.

It seems that the change in identity has completely changed some things.

At least Dania had never shown such weakness to anyone else, not even Lex himself.

"Don't worry, I promised."

Rean hesitated for a moment, but in the end, looking at the uneasy girl, he touched the end of her hair.

As girls grow older, there are many places that can no longer be touched casually.

The girl was startled at first, then looked around. Nobody was there!

So she held back, or at least she felt she had held back.

"Don't worry, I'm not Lex."

With a sigh, Rean still managed to say those words.

Believe it or not, Dania immediately trusted him.

Throughout the journey, whether it was the Deer Order or the Mind Flayer Mastermind, Rean never backed down. At least he always tried his best to finish his tasks, which was a huge difference from someone who had the ability but was irresponsible.

"It's an agreement," Dania said, still filled with unease.

"It's a promise."

Rean bent down, looked down at the girl, and said calmly.

To onlookers, the man and girl kneeling down looked like a monarch and his subject, a daughter and her father, or a princess and a knight about to go into battle.

The relationships are so complicated that Rean doesn't even know how to evaluate them.

But if you want to do something, do it; if you want to help, help. Those who possess power should serve their own desires.

[Satisfaction increased by 10%]

"Shut up. If you had handled it better, there wouldn't have been so much trouble."

Rean sighed. Some things were unavoidable from the beginning. The seal of the "deer" was recorded in the main quest of the Heroic Spirit Encyclopedia, and Rean had no intention of backing down during this process.

If the demonic tide eventually arrives, rather than going with the flow, at least find a place to stand.

"Let's gather information on the candidates first. You'd better speed things up and set the rules for this candidate competition ceremony so that the adventurers can start exploring underground. That way, even if they come, they'll join the competition in accordance with the rules, instead of being forced to comply."

"Ah."

Her Highness nodded, got up and left; she was very busy.

However, Rean's expression was quite subtle. Rean originally thought that after finishing his business in the Hall of Heroes, his two "daughters" would both be clinging to Rex.

Without saying a word, the two turned and left. This wasn't just a simple separation; other candidates kept bothering the spirit to inquire about the situation.

Rean could tell that Hela was angry, while Dania had truly forgotten.

"Lex, this is a bit pitiful." One daughter complained, the other forgot—this middle-aged father's life was all too real.
[Satisfaction level decreased by 5%.]

"Haha." Rean didn't mind at all and laughed very happily.

He felt no sympathy whatsoever; in fact, he almost wanted to laugh.

What's the big deal about this satisfaction level? Other heroes are important, but your daughter is in my hands. I'm not worried about you not giving me a high score. It's a bit strange, but that's roughly the idea.

"Oh, and the little one too."

Another key point is Lana, who was dragged into this.

This time, it wasn't Rean who opened a back door; Lana was one of the first targets locked on.

It seems she truly possesses the talent to become a hero.

"Lana, who are you?"

Rean found Lana in her room, but the cold look in her eyes clearly indicated that she wasn't the little girl he remembered.

"Lena. Lena, the hero."

(End of this chapter)