There Are No Heroes

7 The Fall of the Kingdom and the Escape

Their attack struck the Ice Hero squarely.

Landing back on the frozen ground, they gasped for breath, their bodies tense with anticipation. But as the misty haze cleared, a horrifying realization struck them.

What they had just attacked was not the Ice Hero’s real body—it was nothing more than an ordinary chunk of ice.

King Skarvlad and The Rangers stared in disbelief at the shattered ice before them, their expressions darkening.

"Haaa… That was just—" The king couldn’t even finish his sentence. His eyes darted around frantically, searching for the true Ice Hero.

A chilling laugh suddenly echoed through the arena, followed by a raging snowstorm. The blizzard swirled violently before slowly forming into a humanoid figure.

"Hahaha! You truly are easy to deceive!" the Ice Hero mocked, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I am one of the three Special-Tier Heroes. My element is water, and I have mastered its final form—ice. My physical body is not mere flesh and blood. I am the embodiment of the element itself!"

The Rangers clenched their weapons tightly, their bodies stiff with tension, while the king struggled to maintain his composure.

"Why do you look so panicked?" the Ice Hero continued, flashing a cold smile. "Naturally, your attacks won’t work. Only another hero might stand a chance of wounding me."

Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps broke the silence. From behind a mound of snow, a massive warrior emerged—the same fighter who had battled Hendrik earlier. His face was twisted in fury as he hoisted his colossal war hammer.

"I don’t care who you are! I despise all heroes! Haaaaa!" he roared, his hammer glowing with lingering fire magic as he launched himself at the Ice Hero with all his strength.

"Don’t be reckless!" the king shouted.

But with a mere flick of his fingers, the Ice Hero summoned jagged ice spears that impaled the warrior from all directions.

King Skarvlad could only watch in silent despair as the strongest warrior in the arena fell lifelessly to the ground.

"Hmm… I’m growing tired of this game. Let’s end this, shall we?" the Ice Hero declared, brushing off imaginary dust.

"You bastard!" The remaining members of The Rangers charged in unison.

The swordsman dashed forward like a bolt of lightning, his blade gleaming with deadly intent. Yet, the Ice Hero evaded him effortlessly.

King Skarvlad seized the opportunity, swinging his sword from behind in a surprise attack. But the Ice Hero caught the blade with ease, his grip turning the steel to ice.

He prepared to hurl the king away—but before he could, a sudden force slammed into him.

Boom!

The tank warrior had struck him with all his might, sending shards of ice scattering across the arena.

But then—

A new form emerged behind the swordsman.

The Ice Hero, completely unharmed.

He wrapped his icy fingers around the swordsman’s throat.

"Aaargh!" The swordsman struggled, pounding at the Ice Hero’s arm, but his strikes were meaningless.

The king rushed forward, sword in hand—only for a spear of ice to shoot straight toward him.

Whoosh!

The spear pierced his body.

His breath hitched, his limbs turning numb as ice crept over his skin.

"I… I’m sorry," the king murmured, his gaze sweeping across the arena. His people—his soldiers—his kingdom. All reduced to nothing but frozen husks and shattered corpses.

The tank warrior, gathering his last reserves of strength, charged at the Ice Hero.

But before he could land a hit, his feet were encased in ice.

Whoosh!

A massive chunk of ice flew toward him—his comrade, the swordsman, now nothing more than a lifeless block of frozen flesh.

Crack!

The impact shattered her body into countless icy fragments.

"Haaaa! Hiiiii! Haaaa!"

A wretched scream tore from the tank warrior’s throat, raw and filled with unspeakable anguish. The woman he had fought alongside, the one he had always seen as an older sister—gone. Just like that.

His body trembled violently, a maelstrom of grief, rage, and helplessness wracking his soul.

The Ice Hero merely stood there, watching with a twisted grin.

"Hahaha… Look at you! Weak and powerless," he sneered, his laughter echoing in the lifeless arena.

"Why don’t you just kill us like you did the others? Are you incapable, you damn hero?!" the tank warrior roared, his voice quivering with rage.

"Hahaha! You’re smarter than I thought," the Ice Hero mused, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "Because you, my dear little warrior, are my entertainment."

"Entertainment?! You call this entertainment?!" The tank warrior’s voice shattered the silence, trembling with fury he could no longer contain.

The Ice Hero stepped forward, his face brimming with arrogance. "That's right. But now... I'm bored. Bye-bye," he said nonchalantly, turning his back on the tank warrior who stood frozen in place.

But before taking another step, the Ice Hero raised his hand. The air around him froze instantly as he summoned a towering ice golem. In the sky, hundreds of minions in the form of ice bats and eagles emerged, ready to unleash destruction.

"Destroy everything," he commanded coldly.

"Wait! Where are you going?! Kill me now!" the tank warrior screamed in despair. There was no hope left for him—only rage and the desperate desire for an end.

Yet, the Ice Hero paid him no mind. He continued walking, leaving behind the chaos he had just unleashed. Behind him, the colossal golems rampaged through the arena without mercy, while the flying ice monsters scattered across Skarvlad, bringing devastation wherever they went.

What was once a grand arena had now become a wasteland of destruction, ice and shattered debris swirling in the air.

---

Meanwhile, in a distant forest, Princess Selena was on a hunting expedition with her guards when she was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Tiana and the royal advisor. They rode atop Tiana’s familiar—a towering, fierce bear with piercing eyes that glowed with intensity.

"Princess! We must leave at once! The kingdom is under attack by the Ice Hero!" Tiana shouted urgently.

Princess Selena turned to them, her gaze sharp yet bewildered. "What do you mean? Explain clearly!"

"His Majesty the King has ordered us to take you to safety!" the advisor responded, his face filled with worry.

But Princess Selena shook her head firmly. "No! I will not run. I must return and fight alongside my father. Soldiers, prepare to ride back!"

Tiana stepped forward, blocking the princess’s path. "No, Princess! You must leave now. The kingdom is far too dangerous!"

"I don’t care! I am the princess of this realm! If my kingdom is in peril, I will stand by my father and my people!" Selena declared passionately. "Soldiers, move out!"

The guards, hearing their princess’s command, moved to push past Tiana and the advisor. But Tiana refused to yield. She commanded her familiar to let out a thunderous roar, stopping the soldiers in their tracks.

"GRAAAWR!"

The deafening roar echoed through the forest. The guards, who had been prepared to advance, now stood frozen in fear, unwilling to take another step.

Amidst the chaos, Princess Selena acted swiftly. She dashed toward her horse, attempting to mount it, but Tiana was faster. She threw a rope, expertly ensnaring the princess’s legs.

"What are you doing?!" Selena shouted in fury, struggling to free herself.

Before she could do more, the royal advisor stepped forward, pressing a precise point on her body.

Selena’s body went limp, her vision darkening as consciousness slipped away.

"Do not move!" Tiana snapped at the soldiers who still stood motionless. Her gaze was sharp, her tone unyielding. "If you make a move, my familiar will tear you apart without mercy!"