I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 89 : Back Where I belong.

"Hey, hey, look!"

"Aren't they...?"

Loud chatter spread through the bustling city streets as a sudden disturbance broke the flow of their daily life.

"Look ahead!" someone shouted.

"Hope! It's Hope!" another voice cried out.

Out of nowhere, a massive group of students—around two hundred in total—had appeared in the middle of the crowded city, their sudden arrival catching the attention of everyone nearby.

For a brief moment, everything stopped.

Pedestrians halted in their step. Shopkeepers abandoned their counters. Conversations died down. Even the vehicles on the road screeched to a sudden stop, the drivers frozen in shock.

After they saw at the center of it all, stood five figures, weapons in hand.

They recognised them.

Justice. Greed. Envy. Pride.

And Hope.

The four blinked in surprise, their gazes landed toward a distant sight.

A massive, snow-capped mountain loomed in the background, its icy peaks glistening, scattering the sun rays like a prism.

Frostvile Mountain.

It took them a moment to process their surroundings.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

The deep vibrations of a helicopter echoed through the sky.

Above them, a black chopper hovered, the insignia of the Hero Association on its side.

A camera, mounted beneath the aircraft, focused on the scene below. The lens shifted, zooming in on the group of students before locking onto the five figures standing at the front.

It scanned their faces.

Recording everything.

***

The icy wind bit at my skin.

I barely noticed it. My eyes remained locked on the towering peak in the distance, its crystalline icy surface reflecting the sun's light like a prism.

Frostvile Kingdom.

I was back.

The familiar chill seeped into my bones, a shift in temperature, the scent of the cold air, and palm trees and strawberries, I felt it all.

And, the steady thump-thump-thump of a helicopter echoed across the sky.

A sharp exhale escaped from me.

'Ah...!' It was Sera.

The emotion in her voice was unmistakable—relief, disbelief, and something else.

For the first time in millennia, she was free from that nightmare.

I barely had time to process that thought before a voice cut through the noise.

"Zane!"

I turned toward the sound.

Squinting my eyes, my gaze sifted through the crowd until I saw Anna.

She was waving her hand, her expression filled with something close to joy.

And not just her—Aria and Julius stood beside her, their eyes too locked onto me.

I let out a slow breath, raising my hand slightly. I wave back.

The murmurs turned into shouts, whispers into a loud roar.

The people who had frozen in shock moments ago now surged forward, surrounding us in a circle instantly.

Their eyes scanned every detail of us—the torn, bloodied clothes, the dirt on our skin, the exhaustion look on our shoulders.

All of them raised their cameras. It flashed.

Click. Flash. Click.

The world became blinding in my eyes.

I narrowed my eyes, raising a hand to shield myself from the relentless flash.

The single rankers moved instantly, covering all of us, controlly the crowd.

They controlled the crowd, kept the students safe, and contacted the Hero Association for immediate support.

I stood in the background, watching it all unfold in front of me.

I was thinking.

Thinking back to the hell we had just survived. The mind-ravaging nightmare that had pushed all of us to the brink. The fight, the blood, the desperate struggle to make it back alive.

And yet…

This day—this very moment—would go down in history.

After all—To everyones eyes.

A single double-ranker and five single-rankers had done something impossible.

They had rescued over 200 students from the unknown Demon Continent.

And that too with zero casualties.

A feat beyond anyone's imagination. Something no one had ever dared to dream possible.

But it happened.

Read 𝓁atest chapters at fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm Only.

It was real.

All too real.

The wail of sirens tore through my thoughts.

Ambulances and Hero squads arrived in no time, rushing to check everyone's condition, including mine. I barely paid attention to any of them as they scanned me.

Then, more vehicles rolled in.

Luxurious ones, this time.

I didn't need to guess who they belonged to.

Nobles.

They must have come running the moment they heard the news.

Fathers and mothers pushed past the authorities, their eyes shifted rapidly as they searched for their children.

And when they found them, they collapsed into their arms, holding them like they would never let go.

I clenched my fists.

I wanted to run, too.

I wanted to see my parents.

They must have seen the news. They must be rushing here right now.

I needed to see them.

To hug them.

To feel their warmth.

To melt into their embrace.

I really needed to.

***

"Are you injured anywhere else?"

A man in a white coat asked me, I looked up, his voice muffled by the surgical mask covering half his face.

I shook my head.

"No, sir."

"Alright. Sign here. Write your name, your year rank, year at Nova, and contact information." He handed me a clipboard with a standard medical form clipped to me.

I did as he instructed, filling out the details with quick strokes before handing it back.

"You're clear to go," the nurse beside me said, gesturing toward the exit.

I stood up, grabbing the fresh T-shirt provided by the Authority. My old clothes were barely holding together, they were torn and stained with dirt and dried blood. Without hesitation, I pulled on the clean clothes, adjusting it over my body.

Then, tapping my wristband, I checked the time.

09:00 A.M.

It was morning alright.

My parents were probably outside, waiting for my arrival.

The Authority had held back all students for mandatory medical checkups—except for the noble-born. Those kids had been allowed to leave the moment their families arrived.

Meanwhile, commoners like me were kept in the medical camp, forced to go through every procedure before being released.

"Sigh…"

I sighed.

Maybe it was for the best.

I didn't want my parents to see me in those tattered clothes.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the medical van.

The moment I did, the morning sun hit my face, its warmth spreading across my skin.

Everyone I knew had probably gone home by now.

A strange emptiness settled in my chest.

I felt... pretty damn lonely.

"...Hey."

But then—A soft, familiar voice called out from my left.

I flinched.

Turning my head, I saw her.

The slight blush on her cheeks. The way her crimson eyes shimmered under the sunlight.

Her fiery crimson hair swayed slightly in the light breeze.

"Ruby…?"

Vol - 02

End of Chapter.

A/N: Hey Itsron, here! This is the Start of Vol-02, this volume will mainly focus on Academy Arc, Few Gods and Few Authority Holder, Noble house, Relationship, bonding, new teammates, and much more.

I will try my best to complete Vol-02 for 100+ chapters before moving to Vol-03.

Thanks for coming this far, and supporting me. And I do apologise for my shortcomings and all those plot holes and mysteries, I will do my best to Improve my writing.

Thanks once again!😉