The Hero Who Returned Remains the Strongest in the Modern World Chapter 53

It was a colosseum of 50 meter radius.

A circled stadium with its surface coated with square stone tiles.

The crowded seats were clattering.

The colosseum's circumference was covered by 2 meter super thick transparent plastic, so that the audience are safe and can watch the unusual power holders killing each other with no worries.

The seats are decorated with chandeliers and red carpets, the gentlemen and ladies are happily chatting while drinking wine.

Dressed in tuxedos and dresses, truly the spectators were the upper echelons of society.

Both in the front and behind were influential people and they were talking about the main match of today.

And at that time—Their sight changed to the stadium.

Their gazes were on the black-suited man with a microphone in his hand and walking to the center of the colosseum.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Today's main event is being open up!"

He pointed to the east of the arena and said.

"The master is here! A living legend! Peerless in the Orient! The master of the Orient's secrets! The depraved hermit: Liu Qi!"

The whole stadium clamored.

Right now an ovation was happening that could be heard even outside of the venue.

And then, an old muscular person was coming out from the eastern waiting room.

"The legend of the lunar eclipse 3 years ago— Divine Beast of the Far East— A divine beast that was said to be a match for the Nine Tails— The legend that told that the Qilin was killed with Sage Arts will be revived today and here!"

He continued talking and pointed to the western direction.

"The Vatican's Holy Knight who returned from the pit of hell! Linford!"

The audience fell silent contrary to the earlier cheering of the hermit.

"It's understandable since everybody doesn't know. He was just another cannon-fodder holy knight of the Vatican half a year ago."

And then, the black-suited man took a deep breath.

"But, however! He rapidly grew in certain circumstances! Right now there's an open seat… he's selected to be a successor to St.Richard who has left being one of the 6 strongest God-hunting Heaven Knights. He's a veteran of the Vatican and he intends to prove himself by entering the death pool and defeating the peerless hermit of the Orient!" (TN: Yo fam, lemme just put random bullshit and hopefully it sticks. Sometimes I hate it how adding a bunch of words together works in Japan so normally.)

Even with the protest of the black suited man the audience didn't budge.

He sighed, and talked while heading for the exit.

"Everyone's honest, aren't they? The bet's odds for Liu Qi is: 1.05 and for Linford are 120. This is the 7th challenger to Liu Qi sent from the Vatican…Well then, enjoy the one-sided slaughter!"

And then the black suited man was no longer in the arena.

There were only two men remaining in the arena now.

One person is naked above the waist— The Lower half is green Mao pants, the depraved hermit.

The other person wore deep crimson helmet and armor, wielding a holy sword and blond-hair and red eyes the Holy Knight.

"Fuufoo. However, is it really okay?"

"What do you mean by good, old man?"

"Certainly, to become one of the 6 Heaven Knight, you'll need to display a power that can destroy me that not even divine beasts can reach."

"Yeah, it's as you say."

"But, I'm a depraved hermit who likes slaughter and blood. Don't you think that if you stay here then you won't return back alive?"

"Fufu. Well, that's probably like that. However, that's only if I lose…"

And then the depraved hermit gave a broad smile.

"I like it."

"Like… what exactly?"

"I like seeing impudent brats like you getting cut up into small pieces by my sage arts."

"You're hobby is horrible!"

The depraved while chanting a spell he was drilling his body.

Simultaneously a ill-willed wind was blowing with the spell.

"Just like a typhoon."

While fluttering his long blond hair the holy knight Linford made a cool expression and smiled.

"Is it fine to not attack me? I'm training for the sage arts. My mastery… Like you said my technique won't work properly unless a large stage is prepared… This technique is comparable to a middle-distanced large-scale ritual explosive magic. Well, to deal with this technique is for close-combat users to attack first before it's completed. And to stop you from interfering with it… I also have my muscles and close-combat arts."

"This battle is a demonstration to the Vatican. There's no point in me defeating you if you haven't brought out everything you have."

"Fufu… This brat! I wonder if you'll continue laughing later?"

"I won't do anything until the art is complete— With that I'll rest for a bit."

And Linford hit his palm.

"I know. Shall we talk about the old days?"

"Old days… Actually, do you seriously intend to wait for me to finish my art?"

"Yes. It's as you said. By the way, I was your usual trivial holy knight half a year ago… My real power is around a lone dominion fighting 5 people…" (TN: Tf is your issue Author, seriously?)

"The top 6 Holy Heavens Dominions… You were a holy knight of the lower branch. And additionally you were the burial division specializing in demons?"

"The full story is only known by the 6 Heavenly Holy Classes and me as the combatant. And so half a year ago I took the duty of subjugating a monster… The strategy's code name was: Bisfort."

"Abyss… A cave in the south pole?"

"You're correct. It's one of the places where monsters appear and connected to Hell. It was a large-scale expedition led by the 6th Heavenly Knight St.Richard. There were 10 dominions, holy knights 70 and two of the burial division."

"However, haven't you heard of the saying the Abyss is sealed with a lid?"

"An unthinkable monster appeared… It was a total defeat. I was the exception. At that time I had an accident and slipped down and continued falling underground of the abyss. Well, I strayed from the main unit and thanks to it I escaped from death. And I came back from the abyss just one week ago."

"One week ago? Wasn't the story about half a year ago going to the abyss?"

"Yeah, where I slid down was connected to a strange place. Well, a little… I crossed the river of Hell?"

"River of Hell?"

The hermit was confused.

"And, what did you do for half a year across the River of Hell?"

"I leveled up… for a bit. Aah, and your Sage Arts… Certainly they are ultra fighting skills. However, speaking in skill levels… then it's around 3. It's a far-cry of mastery."

"Level up? What are you talking about?"

And Linford hit his palm.

"Now, shouldn't you be prepared now?"

"Umu. Certainly. However… Let me ask one thing."

"What is it?"

"Holy Knights are more resistant to magic due to God's protection."

"More accurately put it's Magic Defence: Level 2."

"Since earlier what you are you talking about?"

"Fufu. Well at any rate, you'll understand soon."

"You really have confidence to take my Sage Arts?"

"Yes, I do."

The hermit took distance from Linford by back-stepping.

The distance between each other was around 30 meters now.

And then the hermit raised his fist up high.

"In that case scatter by the explosion as you so desire! Flaming Dragon!"

Above the hermit's head a large flaming dragon appeared.

Its whole body is covered with golden flame, it's 30 meters high and 2 meters wide.

No, to say it more precisely that wasn't a dragon but a flame which was taking the form of a dragon.

"The ultimate goal of the hermit is to discard the lump of flesh and become a spiritual being and assimilate with the deified earth! And this is the— The dragon's power melting into the atmosphere! Feng shui power of nature that only hermits can use!" (TN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feng_shui )

The audience was getting stirred up, Linford just smiled.

The flaming dragon fluttered for a bit over the hermits head and then rushed towards Linford.

"Scientifically speaking, there's no way you can survive the flaming dragon attack of millions celsius which can melt steel easily!"

The golden flamed dragon opened his mouth and tried to swallow Linford whole and in that moment—

「Skill：Magic Attack Reflection」

The dragon immediately did a U-turn and went for the hermit.

"What… is this?"

The hermit from being surprised so much froze on the spot.

"Dragon? The enemy is there! Go there!"

However, the golden dragon didn't obey those words.

"A, ah, aaaaa, stoop…Gubyu."

That was the death scream of the hermit who had his whole body vaporized by the intense heat in an instant.

"Now… the skills were given to holy knights from the start. The result of training the skills beyond the Physical Resistance level 2 and Magic Attack Resistance level 2… I break through the limit which was supposed to be level 10. It was because I had them from the start that they had evolved in absolutely absurd skills. Basically, Physical Attacks Reflection and Magic Attack Reflections—The current me can even defeat Gods!"

Linford lightly stretched and then nodded.

"For now as the Vatican ordered… Shall I go make some noise in the island country Japan?"

Chapter end