Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Aslan Kingdom's Hero Sage (4)
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Sage's forces from the Aslan Kingdom entered Lorangleble Village.
"The village is empty."
"Did they get hit...?"
"The Demon King's demon beasts must have gone mad."
"Sigh, these people were subjects of the kingdom too..."
Sage's face was grim.
The ominous demonic energy emanating from the village.
The villagers here had probably fallen to the Demon King as well.
Just like Bergio.
'Avenge me.'
Grind!
Bergio's voice echoed in her mind like a hallucination once more.
Trauma.
Ever since that day she saw Bergio's head, neatly packed in a box, the trauma wouldn't leave her mind.
"Are you alright?"
The 2nd Army Commander, who had come along as her advisor, asked her.
"I'm fine. Could you fetch one of the priests for me?"
"Understood."
The 2nd Army Commander nodded knowingly and rode off to bring a priest from the main camp.
"Cure."
Holy power scattered from the priest's hand, enveloping her head.
The voice that had sounded like a hallucination no longer rang in her ears.
The symptoms had worsened since they set out.
Perhaps because they were getting closer to the Demon King's lair.
Her head throbbed with pain.
Maybe Bergio's vengeful spirit was drawing near.
"Whew, let's purify this place first and use it as our base camp. From here on, it's all mountain paths, so there aren't many good spots to set up camp anyway."
"Yes, understood."
They turned the abandoned Lorangleble Village into their base camp.
Priests and mages cast purification magic around the village outskirts.
It was to eliminate any potential curses and drive out the lingering demonic energy.
The main knight orders, mages, and 500 elite troops from the 2nd Army stayed inside the village, while the rest of the forces built temporary camps around it.
"Let's first draw up an entry strategy."
Sage called the top brass and began a strategy meeting.
The meeting was mostly led by the 2nd Army Commander, who outlined the plan.
"There will be monsters scattered throughout the forest. It's natural for monsters to spawn around a dungeon, but this time it's the Demon King's descent, so expect a lot of them."
The 2nd Army Commander's strategy was straightforward.
Form teams of 10 knights, 300 soldiers, 2 mages, and 5 priests to advance along each path.
"In the end, the ones who have to assault the dungeon will be you, Hero, and 30 elites, right? Conserving their strength as much as possible—that's the key to this expedition."
The main force would enter under heavy guard, minimizing exposure—that was the commander's strategy.
It was efficient.
Could there be a better plan?
As they hammered out the strategy...
"What's that smell? Something sweet..."
The officers in the command tent sniffed the air.
A sweet smell?
Sage noticed it too.
A fragrant scent gently tickling her nose.
Strange.
Why this smell?
Then chaos erupted outside.
"Kyaaak!"
"Uwaaaak!!"
"Stop him! What the hell are you doing?!"
Women's screams, men's frantic shouts, and maddened roars mixed in.
"I should check it out..."
That was when it happened.
"Grrrgrrrk!"
The 2nd Army Commander, in the middle of strategizing, began foaming at the mouth.
"Commander?"
"Ughhh, woman... Heh, your tits look delicious."
"What are you doing right now? Commander! Snap out of it!"
The commander reached out, groping for Sage's breasts.
He stripped off his own clothes, exposing his erect lower half.
"What the..."
As Sage recoiled in shock...
"Hero! Commander! It's aphrodisiac gas! Everyone, shield yourselves with mana!"
A mage who had been watching outside rushed in shouting.
Aphrodisiac gas?
"Didn't the purification magic clear it all?"
"There were boxes in the village basement containing the gas. Physical objects, so purification magic couldn't..."
"Why didn't you find it sooner..."
What were the soldiers doing while the purification was being set up?
"We need to get out of the village first!"
"R-Right."
"Grrrk! Pussy... Don't run, stick your ass up, you bitch!"
Shing!
The commander drew his sword.
"Everyone, restrain him!"
But the officers who couldn't handle mana were in a similar state.
"Damn it."
Even among the knights who could wield mana, some were contaminated by the gas, their minds clouded.
They had realized too late.
Sage herself was lightly infected too.
"We're pulling out of the village. All knights who can handle mana, retreat now!"
The priestesses were already being gang-raped by multiple soldiers.
One female mage had been raped by men and then strangled to death.
"Pussy!!!!"
A deranged soldier charged at her with sword drawn.
As if he'd die happy just to get on top of her, he rushed straight at Sage.
Slash!
The soldier's head flew off.
His head shot high into the sky.
Better to kill him quickly than waste time saving such a soldier's life.
"We'll escape the village and purify the gas from outside!"
"Understood!"
"What about those already caught?"
"Rescue who we can, abandon the rest."
Sage dashed toward the village entrance.
500 soldiers and officers unable to wield mana were fully poisoned.
Even among knights and mages, those who reacted late were beyond saving.
"Haaah!! Cock so good~. More. Give me moreee!!"
Even those who seemed fine had been exposed too long and lost their minds, slaves to instinct.
They became monsters of lust, heedless of gender.
Men fucked each other, desperate for any hole.
Sage barely suppressed her rising nausea at the horrific sight and fled the village.
Only 70 knights, 30 mages, and 80 priests managed to escape.
One 5th-circle mage stayed behind, unable to flee.
"Hiiiing!!!"
"Haaahh!!!"
"Kaaaak!!!"
Screams like wails of the damned echoed from the village.
Over 500 people were turning it into a hellscape inside.
"We'll purify it."
Priests and mages chanted spells in unison.
The spreading gas gradually settled.
Only then could they begin rescue operations.
Countless had killed each other over exclusive access to holes, swords drawn.
Some died mid-act.
The talented 5th-circle mage lay dead, her body charred like she'd been burned.
Likely caught in her own spell.
"Find the 2nd Army Commander. He's the most important one."
Pinching her nose against the fishy stench and blood, Sage searched for the commander.
"Oh no..."
The commander sat with legs spread, a sword pierced through his chest—dead.
The loss of the man meant to lead in the hero's absence was a devastating blow.
Most officers were dead too, survivors trembling in delirium.
"Damn it."
Sage bit her lip.
Blood trickled down.
Wait for reinforcements here?
Or push through?
There was only one choice.
"Rally the troops. Regroup, then enter in two days."
There was no retreating anyway.
I'll kill him.
Kill the Demon King and avenge our soldiers' gruesome deaths.
"It succeeded."
"Good start."
A grin spread across my face at Yulia's report.
I'd planted the trap secretly because abandoning the village outright felt wasteful.
Railey and Kina had struggled to design it non-reactive to magic.
But I'd rewarded them well for their efforts, so no complaints.
"The hero's reaction?"
"She's furious. Enemy losses estimated at around 300. Most brass wiped out, including one 5th-circle mage."
Excellent results.
"Now we just wait for them to enter the dungeon. Keep watch continuously."
"Understood."
Two days later.
Report came: Hero's forces entering the forest.
They split into four groups, advancing rapidly toward the dungeon.
"Orc unit breached."
"Spider trap breached."
"Goblin sniper unit in forest wiped by knights."
Reports flooded in of scattered monsters dying and traps broken.
I knew they couldn't stand against the main force anyway.
The important part came after.
Once the hero entered the dungeon.
Unlike the forest with multiple paths, the dungeon had one entrance.
Limited numbers could enter.
"Shall we deploy the Lord of Dibel Forest? With the orcs behind and trolls, even strong foes would struggle."
"Nah. Not yet."
They had their proper timing.
"Tell them to hit the enemy main force one hour after the hero's party enters the dungeon."
"Understood."
The soldiers without their commander would scatter in panic.
"Demon King! Hero reached the dungeon entrance!"
At Ariana's report, I grabbed Demonic Sword Arubis and stood.
Like a bull in the arena.
Charging straight ahead, heedless of surroundings—like a reckless bull.
'Bulls always fall for the matador's taunts and lose.'
Meeting a pathetic end, fodder for the crowd's laughter.
What finale would she bring?
I was quite looking forward to it.
Sage had pushed deep into the dungeon, at the cost of countless lives.
Hundreds of soldiers died breaching the forest paths and slaying scattered monsters; many knights fell assaulting the dungeon.
A vast plaza.
Resembling a royal throne room, a massive statue stood here.
She realized this was the Demon King's final chamber.
She felt his ominous power from this place.
"Sorry there's nothing proper to offer my guests."
The Demon King emerged from behind the statue, his deep navy skin gleaming.
With massive horns, he stood leisurely before her.
"Demon King..."
"Did you like my gift? Ah, you must have, since you came all this way."
"You dog bastard."
"My mages were rude. They left without proper farewell, so I called them to apologize this time."
Two mages appeared behind the Demon King.
"Oh my, our hero made it all the way here. Should've rested comfy in the kingdom. Why come all this way?"
Nod.
Kina and Railey.
Humanity's traitors who deceived her, Bergio, and the king with wicked lies.
"You bitches..."
"Look at that glare. The eyes of a madwoman. Right, Railey?"
"Yeah."
"I'll kill you myself."
All their fault.
Bergio died because of those bitches betraying humanity for the Demon King.
Shing.
The hero drew her holy sword.
"Already? I haven't shared Bergio's dying words yet."
"Don't you dare speak Sir Bergio's name with that filthy mouth!"
The hero charged.
Priests' blessings enveloped her.
Mages' Haste sped her further.
Attack spells flew to cover her advance.
"That won't do."
Kina and Railey began chanting.
Ice and wind whipped toward the mages.
"Who dares challenge His Majesty's throne!"
Boom!
A dragonkin wrapped in black scales, a female knight in holy knight armor, and a woman in seductively revealing clothes appeared from the rear.
They engaged the knights.
The two mages handled Sage's mages.
'Can't count on allies, huh?'
One-on-one with the Demon King.
Better than expected.
Then it happened.
A curse stronger than the priests' blessings struck the hero.
A black-haired woman in dark priestess robes approached the chanting priests.
"Blessings from fools clinging to foolish faith are worthless."
Every one of them was elite.
'Have to hope they win.'
Her companions were mostly kingdom elites too.
They'd win without her help.
Her goal: slay the Demon King.
'Avenge me.'
Bergio's voice seemed to whisper in her ear.
I'll do it.
Avenge you.
With my own hands.
Light poured from the holy sword.
Fwoosh!
It clashed with the Demon King's demonic sword, exploding.
[Rage][Aphrodisiac][Trauma][Curse of the Wicked Woman][Lewdification]
[Blessing][Grace][Encouragement][Cure][Haste][Holy Sword][Hero's Grace]
The hero hovered with a barrage of status effects and buffs.
Especially the layered blessings, stacked multiple times, further empowered her.
Even Amy's curse was strong, but one person's curse had limits.
This was the terror of overwhelming numbers.
Five clashes.
"Die, you fuckerrrr!!"
Sage and I exchanged five blows.
Demonic energy clashed with holy power, shaking the dungeon.
Rumble.
Sand fell from the ceiling each time.
On the fifth clash.
Slash.
My left arm flew off from the holy sword.
At the same instant.
Crack!
The demonic sword shattered the hero's armor.
Her clothes tore, exposing her flesh.
Atop snowy hills bloomed cherry-blossom pink nipples.
"What pretty tits."