What should I do if the hero is resurrected in the Monster Girl Encyclopedia?

Chapter 204 The burly man arrives in the rain
The deep pits left by repeated hoofprints and footprints, like festering scars, were filled with mud and water, yet they reflected no light. Raindrops fell into the mud and puddles, splashing out dull, fine notes.

The dampness seeped in through the cracks in the wooden planks, mixing with the white mist rising from the soldiers' sweat, making the already cramped barracks even more humid and stuffy.

"Raise your arms! Straighten your back! Just like Instructor Meruse taught us..."

Arnoni's low shout sounded particularly cold and hard against the sound of the rain. He took half a step forward, and the recruit in front of him unconsciously hunched his shoulders, and even the training sword in his hand, which was pointed directly at Arnoni's face, began to tremble slightly.

He repeated his elder brother Ryan's teachings, his gaze unwavering, "You must keep in your hearts what you must protect... family, honor, this land!"

Before he finished speaking, he flicked his wrist, and the wooden sword whistled down. The recruit felt a sharp pain in his hand, and the training sword fell to the ground with a thud. A suppressed sigh rose from the surrounding crowd.

But just as Arnoni was about to sheathe his sword, the slender figure suddenly unleashed astonishing power. The recruit lunged forward, using his elbow to firmly wedge the wooden sword in Arnoni's hand, bent down to retrieve the fallen weapon, and swept it with a resolute arc towards Arnoni's throat...

The sword's edge came to an abrupt halt at the last inch.

The recruit was breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his chin. He then realized what he had done, his pupils dilating slightly in fear.

"Not bad... You've already ignited your fighting spirit in just the second live-fire training session!"

Arnoni's feigned coldness vanished, and he gently deflected the sword's edge, revealing his usual approachable and gentle smile.

Although he only switched allegiance to the God of War a dozen days ago, under Brother Ryan's tutelage, he was already able to use shouts and battle cries to release the magic within him to intimidate targets... was it called spirit or something? In short, according to Brother Ryan, he was good enough to survive a day on the battlefield.

Even with his mediocre skills, he was practically invincible in this barracks… Although they were guards under the Iceflower Knights, their training intensity far exceeded that of ordinary guards, most of them had never truly experienced life-or-death combat. After all, the Knights' heroes were too dazzling, and they were usually responsible for logistics and guard duties.

After Arnoni demonstrated his combat skills to everyone, the faint red aura surrounding him silenced all the doubters. The group eventually accepted him as their temporary instructor, listening to him impart the teachings of the God of War.

After all, it wasn't until they opened their hearts to each other that they realized... the God they had once devoutly worshipped had long since closed his eyes and ears to all the believers who were feeling lost and confused, and no longer responded. They had each knelt down to pray in the dead of night, and choked up in front of the holy image at dawn... each believing that they were the only poor souls abandoned by God.

Now that we've come to terms with it, and our eyes meet, we realize that each face reflects the same confusion.

"Lord of the Army, invincible in all battles, God of war, guardian of righteous war... Lord Ares. I will bring you victory and a magnificent battle unlike any other in this world."

Arnoni pounded his right fist into his chest, and the other guards awkwardly imitated this unfamiliar ritual, their movements still carrying the restraint left over from their past prayers.

This new doctrine belonging to the God of War is far more concise and to the point than the commandments of the main god they are familiar with... The most important points are all about combat.

Wherever weapons are used, they become whetstones for tempering oneself.

Whatever the sword takes, it will surely be the glory that is rightfully yours.

Wherever the will to fight is ignited, it is for the sake of protecting what is cherished.

The next second, the wooden door of the barracks was knocked loudly, and a rough female voice came from outside, piercing through the rain, "Aroni... Hey, are you there? Answer me! Someone's looking for you... Where do you know such a strange person?"

All activity in the barracks came to an instant. The soldiers quickly packed their training supplies under their beds and into their pillowcases... Some even opened a hidden compartment in a wooden cabinet and threw in a roughly carved statue of the God of War.

They recognized the voice; it belonged to the bold and forthright instructor, Meruse.

Noticing that their gazes met, Arnoni nodded. "I'll go see who came to see me... Once you've gone far enough, continue training as I told you. Time is running out."

He pushed open the door and gave a high five to the tall, one-eyed woman outside. She handed him a thick, oil-soaked cloak, which Arnoni draped over his shoulders and fastened the leather strap at the collar.

Their feet sank deep into the mud the moment they stepped outside, each step kicking up large clumps of sticky sludge. The two moved slowly through the rain, their footsteps swallowed by the soft, wet earth. Finally, the female instructor couldn't help but lower her voice.
"you…"

Her remaining left eye scanned Arnoni up and down, then her rough hand slammed heavily on his back, so hard that he staggered half a step and almost fell headfirst into the mud.

"Did you offend someone? The burly man who came looking for you is at least two meters tall, and he has such a long scar on his face."

She drew a diagonal line across her face.

"It's alright, Instructor Meruse. I should be able to handle it myself... Is he red-haired?"

Seeing that Arnoni's expression remained unchanged, she irritably ran her fingers through her rain-soaked hair.

"The hood covered him completely, but I remember that scar looked like something a stranger would do. And..."

Her voice was lowered even further, barely audible in the incessant sound of the rain. A glint of light flashed in her single eye.
"He was wearing the Nosculim family crest, which is why he could move freely through the barracks... I suspect he might be a privately hired thug."

"If you can't handle it, just say so. I know a few shady ways to get you out of Rescadeer safely. You can come back whenever you want once things have calmed down."

"Okay. I understand... Thanks, Instructor Meruse."

Arnoni quickly ruled out Ryan's suspicion in his mind.

Nosculim… that name was already etched into the deepest corner of his memory. The girl’s radiant face, the regret in his parents’ eyes as they lay dying, the old priest in the slums closing his parents’ coffins with his hands trembling inexplicably and his words hanging in the balance… he had never truly erased these images from his heart over the years.

"Sigh... You'd better be careful."

Instructor Meruse squeezed his shoulder hard. "He's waiting in the barracks up ahead. I'll keep watch outside. Just call if anything happens, understand?" "Okay."

Arnoni took deep breaths, letting the humid air rush into his throat, and then pushed open the wooden door of the barracks.

In the dimly lit center of the barracks, a mountain-like figure sat facing the gate. His mere stillness was enough to freeze the air; a palpable sense of danger pressed down on the entire space. Arnoni calmly pulled out a wooden chair.

"Hello, may I ask who you are...?"

The man in the shadows leaned forward slightly, the candlelight finally illuminating the gruesome scar running down his cheek. His deep voice shook the air, "Do you know... Wilmarina?"

The moment that name was uttered, Arnoni felt a cold blade pressed against his throat.

"...I know her. We were close childhood playmates."

After a moment's thought, he decided to answer truthfully. There was no way to hide these matters; if the other party was from the Nosculim family, then coming to him meant that they were very familiar with these things. "My parents used to be servants in the Nosculim family."

"Hmm...very good. You should also know that she now belongs to the Iceflower Knights, and is the flagship of the Knights, right?"

The burly figure let out a deep laugh, the candlelight flickering on his scarred face. "Have you ever thought about reconnecting with her, using your childhood friendship as leverage to get her to give you a hand in the Knights? Rising to prominence would be just a matter of a word."

"…No."

Arnoni shook his head decisively.

That's putting the cart before the horse.

He joined the Ice Knights precisely so that he could stand shoulder to shoulder with her through his own strength... and to find out the truth about what happened back then.

"Ouch."

The man stroked his chin with great interest.

"If you knew that the girl actually has a place for you in her heart, and that she wouldn't refuse if you just asked, and that it would be easy for her to promote you to knight... wouldn't you be tempted?"

Why does this person keep asking about Wilmarina?

Arnoni's spine tensed abruptly. And what he was saying—that Wilmarina had her own things on her mind… was it true?
In the previous few chance encounters, her gaze had never lingered on him; she would only glance at him quickly before hurrying on.

"I won't be tempted."

His voice was clear and firm: "If a promotion does not come from one's own efforts, then it is completely meaningless."

"One last question...did you ever have feelings for her?"

The rain outside the barracks grew heavier. Arnoni gazed at the other's face, scarred with horrific marks, and frankly revealed the answer hidden deep within his heart.
"…Yes."

Before he finished speaking, Arnoni's right leg suddenly slammed into the ground, shattering the wooden chair beneath him. Amidst the flying splinters, he swiftly grabbed the thickest piece of wood, and with a whooshing sound and a faint red aura, swung it straight at the opponent's face! His heel landed on a piece of wood, and he kicked it backward, aiming for the window next to the barracks door… If he could break it, Instructor Meruse should rush in! He'd explain the rest to her later!

Now that this person has figured out Wilmarina's thoughts and is approaching her at this crucial moment, it's clear he wants to use her as a bargaining chip. With only a little over a day left until the welcoming ceremony, he absolutely cannot become someone else's weakness to control her at this crucial moment!
Since that's the case, we have no choice but to invite this uninvited guest...

He lay quietly on his sickbed until everything settled down.

"...Huh? Wait, wait a minute...! Arnoni, it's me...! Wilmarina!"

A girl's voice came from under the hood, and the burly figure in front of him took off the hood, revealing shoulder-length light blue hair cascading down.

boom.

The broken wood struck the opponent's forehead with its momentum, leaving a visible red mark under the fair skin, which was particularly glaring under the light.

Arnoni froze on the spot, the broken piece of wood in his hand falling to the ground with a thud.

"Wow... brilliant. I never expected this to be such a great idea from a big-breasted stunner like you..."

Hiolitta chuckled and nudged Kieslfeld's side with her elbow, hitting a ticklish spot. Kieslfeld bared her teeth and tried to dodge.
"I never imagined that little girl from the Noskurium family would mimic like this! What was she thinking? She looked so fierce and menacing. It's amazing that my boyfriend didn't run away on the spot, don't you think, Uncle!"

Mirad tilted his head, clearly still not quite grasping the connection. "...Spirit. He worships the God of War? And Wilmarina likes that child Ryan mentioned?"

Through the rain, the three figures, now invisible, watched the live broadcast from the barracks.

...They had come to see what was going on with what Kieslfeld had said about "Wilmarina taking action this afternoon," but they never expected to witness such a... good show.

(End of this chapter)