The first thing the new Nero wanted to figure out, once he grasped his new reality, was where exactly he stood in the story's timeline. That piece of info was critical. Depending on the period he'd landed in, his odds of pulling off his dream could vary wildly.
The best-case scenario would've been waking up as Nero when he was just a baby. Not only would he dodge the fallout of the guy's bad choices, but he'd have a long stretch of time to shake things up and have some fun doing it.
Unfortunately, that wasn't how it played out.
Based on his new memories, he was currently 28 years old.
Using that and what he remembered of the novel's plot, Nero realized he'd landed—ironically—in one of the story's quieter stretches. It was a year before the main plot kicked off. During this time, nothing major was going down.
Nero was relieved to find himself in this window. Sure, there were earlier periods that might've been better, but this was, ironically, the cutoff where things still worked in his favor. If he'd popped into existence a year later, after the plot started rolling, his room to maneuver would've shrunk to almost nothing, leaving him little shot at chasing his dream.
"The worst-case scenario hasn't hit yet."
That was Nero's thought, and he was damn glad for it.
It's worth noting that Nero was actually the very first major antagonist the main character of *Legends of Heroes* would face.
As such, his life was set to end a year from now, at the hands of the hero.
Why? Well, the original Nero would, in a year's time, set off a chain of events threatening the entire Middle Land, becoming the first of the seven Calamities the protagonist would take down.
Now that he knew where he stood in the timeline, Nero started sketching out plans to make the most of this period. For days, he racked his brain, piecing together every future event from the novel—skipping meals and barely drinking.
Sure, he'd dodged getting pummeled by the protagonist, but Nero wasn't content with just surviving. He wanted a thrilling life, to become this world's hero. To pull that off, he'd need to twist the story's events in his favor using his knowledge of the book.
After a week of brainstorming, he mapped out the novel's timeline.
Nero's first goal was to personally take down the seven Calamities that would plague the world in the story's first half—before the protagonist could—or at least snag the credit for it. Since he was the first Calamity, that left six to deal with. They'd show up in this order: the Unholy King, the Black Mist, the Night Howlers, the Cursed Melody, the Red Witch, and the Cannibal Virus.
That was a laundry list of threats that could potentially wipe out humanity—or the whole world.
Of these Calamities, two were unlikely, three were very likely, and one was already simmering.
The two unlikely ones were tied to major events Nero wasn't sure would even happen, given the changes his actions would cause. The one already brewing? He set that aside for now—it was untouchable for both him and the protagonist at this stage. But that wasn't a problem. Ironically, it'd be easiest to handle once it hit its peak.
That left the three likely Calamities. If Nero wanted, he could stop all three from ever happening. But that wasn't the plan.
How do you get hailed as a hero if you prevent disasters instead of saving the day?
It was better for him if they happened. As for stopping them, Nero wasn't too stressed. The real challenge was figuring out the most epic, glorious way to do it—or how to take the credit. It might sound twisted to let catastrophes unfold for personal gain, but Nero had a solid excuse to back it up. It wasn't just the thrill of being a hero driving him. It was also the only way to slow down the final boss and prep for their eventual arrival.
Of those three Calamities, Nero decided to tackle them in order. The first up was the "Unholy King"—the second big threat the protagonist faced after the original Nero.
The Unholy King was actually a bloodthirsty ruler whose lust for power would spark the Second Great War, nearly plunging the world into chaos. A textbook villain—evil just for the hell of it. Naturally, he was the most hated and despised antagonist in the novel.
According to the story, the Unholy King would become the next ruler of the Jayeros Empire, one of the world's five major nations. Originally the legitimate crown prince, he'd orchestrate a purge of the imperial family and nobility after a civil war he'd engineered himself, seizing total control and kicking off his dark quest to become Emperor of the world.
What made this Calamity likely was a detail from the book: during the Unholy King's rise, it was said the civil war between Jayeros' nobility and royals had raged for nearly four years. His coronation happened two years after Nero's defeat—roughly two years after the main plot began. So, the civil war had already been tearing through Jayeros for over a year.
Either way, all that was left was figuring out how to deal with the Unholy King. Waiting two years for his coronation like in the book? Out of the question. Not only did Nero think it'd take too long, but he was worried the protagonist—who'd show up in the Middle Land next year—might steal his thunder. He needed to speed up the guy's rise, and to do that, he'd have to meddle with the timeline.
It'd be easier if he knew who the protagonist was, but as Nero Vaelheim, he couldn't move as freely as he'd like. Still, he had a crew of capable lackeys and the title of an underground guild leader—a role that'd come in handy.
After tons of thinking, Nero hashed out a rough plan. If everything went right, the civil war would end this year, the Unholy King would be crowned next year, and Nero would take him down that same year.
Proud of his scheme, Nero spent the next day sprawled on his comfy bed, recharging his mental batteries.
"Isolation time's over."
With that thought, Nero sat up. It was time to take his first steps in this world.
---
In the shadowy, tucked-away alleys of a city stood a building that looked totally unremarkable.
The lobby was steeped in deliberate dimness. The room was huge, lined with dark walls that seemed to swallow any light lucky enough to slip through the heavy, blood-red velvet curtains framing the tall windows.
Suddenly, the thick door creaked open, revealing a man with silver hair, decked out in a sharp black suit. His piercing, blood-red gaze swept the room.
Everyone froze, hooked by this guy's magnetic presence. He moved forward with the confidence of a predator. Hushed whispers rippled through the crowd, everyone wondering who he was.
His eyes scanned every inch of the lobby, catching every detail. When he reached the reception desk, an assistant in a flawless suit, standing behind a dark wooden podium, looked up at the sound of his footsteps.
A brief silence hung in the air. Then, with a faint smirk, the man spoke.
"I've got a meeting. Can you let them know I'm here?"
"Who should I announce?"
The man paused before answering solemnly, "Zeref Grimwald."
The assistant nodded.
He touched a discreet earpiece and murmured a few quiet words. The man waited patiently, his cold gaze roaming the room. After a moment, the assistant turned back to him. "You're expected on the top floor."
The man gave a polite nod, saying nothing.
His sharp blue eyes briefly flicked to the burly guy standing near the assistant. "I'll escort you up, sir."
Without fanfare, the pair set off, moving through hallways that were both quiet and buzzing. Muffled conversations, the echo of heels, and the faint smell of fresh coffee filled the air. They reached an elevator, its doors sliding open to reveal a plush interior.
The guard motioned for the man to step in first. The doors shut with a solemn hush as the elevator climbed to the upper floors. They finally hit the top level. Ahead stretched a wide hallway, ending at a massive oak door flanked by two stone-faced guards in pristine suits.
The escort stepped back, giving a slight bow.
"Here we are, sir. The Guildmaster's been informed of your arrival."
With that, the guard straightened up and headed back down in the elevator.
The man approached the door.