Bab 19: The Embarrassed Hero
Midnight, Victor sat in the backseat of a car, with the god of strength, Herakles, behind the wheel.
[Do you want to extract the memory of the 'Demon Emperor'?]
"Yes," Victor responded with a nod.
[Lean back. This process might be painful.]
Following the system's instructions, Victor leaned back against the seat. The next moment, his body stiffened as a torrent of information surged into his brain. Instantly, a burning sensation flared across his skull.
His nervous system was overstimulated, triggering a surge of neural activity far beyond normal limits. An excruciating pain gripped him, as if thousands of needles were stabbing into his brain simultaneously. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, trying to suppress a scream, but his efforts were in vain.
His eyes widened, pupils dilated, and blood began to trickle from the corners of his eyes—evidence of ruptured capillaries caused by immense pressure. Victor's hands gripped the leather seat beneath him tightly, his nails nearly tearing through the upholstery.
In that moment, foreign memories—images of war, power, magic, and destruction—bombarded his mind in chaotic waves. This continued for several minutes, accompanied by relentless agony.
At its peak, it felt as though his brain would explode. Then, suddenly, the pain subsided, leaving behind an eerie silence.
Herakles didn't glance back despite Victor's groans—he had been ordered not to.
Victor gasped for breath, his expression blank. It was the most excruciating pain he had ever experienced.
"Pull over, Herakles," he said weakly.
Obeying Victor's command, the car stopped on a hill with a descending road surrounded by forest.
"Are you all right, young master?" Herakles asked, turning to check on him.
"Yeah, I just need to..." Before finishing his sentence, Victor hurriedly stepped out of the car and vomited violently.
Herakles quickly followed, patting Victor's back.
After a few moments, Victor straightened up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. A grin crept across his face. "So, this is the Demon Emperor's memory, huh?"
He raised his palm slightly in front of him, and a blue energy suddenly coalesced, swirling into a sphere.
The sphere moved to the tip of Victor's index finger as he pointed toward a direction in the forest. The energy ball glowed brilliantly, illuminating the darkness.
Victor fired the energy sphere, which shot forward at incredible speed, its radiant light cutting through the night.
In mere seconds, the sphere reached a mountain several kilometers away, and...
BOOM!
The energy ball exploded with a deafening blast, its impact akin to a miniature atomic bomb. The shockwave sent trees trembling, nearly uprooting them.
Flames raged, engulfing the mountain within a radius of tens of meters.
Herakles's expression showed a hint of surprise, while Victor grinned in satisfaction.
"In the memory, this attack could destroy five mountains in a row. I guess I'll need to practice to fully adapt to this Demon Emperor's memory," he remarked, his tone laced with confidence.
Within the Demon Emperor's memories, Victor had gained countless insights into high-level magic and their applications. Most of them were the Demon Emperor's own creations, allowing Victor to wield them instantly without learning their techniques.
Looking at Herakles, Victor said, "Let's not head back tonight. Let's train here," grinning widely.
"As you wish, young master," Herakles nodded in agreement.
---
Time flew quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the sun had risen, its soft, warm light illuminating the earth, bringing life to the planet.
In London, down an alley near a sidewalk, the sound of camera shutters and bright flashes filled the air, accompanied by the chatter of a dozen onlookers.
All attention was focused on a young man lying on the ground, stark naked, with bottles of alcohol and bruises on his face.
"This kid is probably still in high school, yet his life is already like this," an old man muttered in disgust, shaking his head.
"Maybe he got drunk and picked a fight with someone. He probably deserved it," another pedestrian commented.
Ridicule and the snapping of photos were directed at the naked young man sprawled on the ground. From his face, it was clear he was Leon Emery.
At this moment, Leon began to regain consciousness, roused by the noise and flashing lights. His eyes fluttered, and he finally woke up, disoriented by the blinding lights and commotion.
"What are you all staring at?" Leon asked, bewildered.
He had no clear recollection of anything, and as he woke, he found himself in this bizarre situation.
"Why don't you take a good look at yourself—especially that bruised, pocket-sized pride of yours?" the muscular man sneered, his words igniting laughter from the crowd.
Leon frowned, clearly annoyed by the insult. But he followed the man's suggestion and looked down. His eyes widened in shock when he saw himself completely naked.
He immediately stood up, covering his shame, his face a mix of disbelief and unbearable embarrassment as the crowd continued to stare.
Unable to bear it any longer, he darted away like a shadow, disappearing from sight.
---
Meanwhile, in the middle of a grassy forest clearing, Victor stood, looking up at a massive boulder hurtling toward him.
Quickly, he channeled mana into his finger, which became shrouded in dark red energy.
His sharp gaze fixed on the giant rock descending toward him like a meteor. The moment it was in front of him, Victor pointed his finger at the boulder, and it shattered into countless pieces.
Victor grinned, immensely pleased with his progress. What he had just used was the Absolute Finger technique, making his finger indestructible and capable of destroying anything.
His eyes turned toward Herakles, who floated in the air. Sparring with him was both exhilarating and intense. Herakles's extraordinary strength and durability allowed Victor to unleash his magic without holding back.
The two had been training together for over five hours, causing widespread destruction in the forest due to their overwhelming power. Victor, in particular, had been experimenting with hundreds of spells created by the Demon Emperor.
Raising his hand, a white staff with a dragon motif and a dragon's head at the tip appeared in Victor's grip—the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang, Sun Wukong's weapon.
"Now it's my turn," he said, preparing to attack.
Just as he was about to move, his motion was abruptly halted by a hologram that appeared before him.
[Due to your actions, Leon has lost his dignity. His naked condition was seen by many, severely tarnishing his image among some people.]
[Congratulations, you have earned 1 lottery ticket.]
Victor couldn't help but laugh as he read the hologram. He had set everything up, and it worked, earning him one lottery ticket.
His mood was excellent. Last night, he had acquired the Demon Emperor's memory, and this morning, he received a lottery ticket.
Considering that the last lottery granted him the Earthquake Punch, he was eager to see what he'd gain this time.
But for now, he decided to save it. Turning to Herakles, Victor shouted, "Herakles, let's wrap up this training."
Herakles followed Victor's command, landing quickly in front of him.
Herakles couldn't hide his admiration for Victor. During the training session, he had been thoroughly impressed by Victor's skills and magic. Even during sparring, Victor's power far surpassed the first stage of the Sage Realm.
"So, are we heading home, young master?" he asked.
"Yes, I need to go to school. I'm a bit excited about it," Victor replied with a smile.
He was in Year 13, just months away from graduating high school, and less than two months from the Miracle Spirit Awakening Ceremony.
Hadiah
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Power 
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