Chapter 574: The Hero Climaxes in Defeat Again Today[R-18] (61)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 574: The Hero Climaxes in Defeat Again Today[R-18] (61)
I’d casually declared I would dismantle Nerzaka, but reality wasn't so simple. His breath and magic were useless against me, but my attacks couldn't completely subdue him either. Whenever my sword sliced through his scales, he would immediately heal the wound with high-level recovery magic.
‘And he's tougher than I thought.’
I steadied my breathing and glared at Nerzaka. His breathing was ragged, and his golden eyes flickered with a mix of anger and impatience.
“Hey, this is getting boring. Can't you just stop resisting and die quietly?”
My taunt seemed to set him off, and he roared.
“Krrrrrr... Do you think I would lose to a mere human—!”
With a furious roar, Nerzaka created hundreds of overlapping summoning circles in the air. From within them emerged dozens, no, hundreds of women.
All of them were dark elves, with dark skin, pointed ears, and a piercing beauty.
“Meira, hold him off while I escape!”
At Nerzaka's command, the dark elves surrounded me, their faces expressionless.
“Hey, lizard. After all that posturing, you're just going to run?”
“Shut up, human! Weren't you the one who cowardly attacked me with numbers first?!”
“So you're not a real dragon, just a scared little lizard.”
The beast flinched for a moment but immediately turned as if to flee. Of course, I wasn't about to let him go.
‘Bi-yeon, he's exhausted. You take him.’
‘Ugh, you're in heat again, making me do all the hard work.’
‘I'll get you something tasty when this is over.’
‘Okay~’
The spirit fusion dissolved, and Bi-yeon appeared. She immediately whipped up the wind, forming it into blades that slashed at the fleeing Nerzaka.
Meanwhile, I faced the unit of dark elves Nerzaka had left behind.
‘They look like beautiful women... Strange. Why isn't my dick reacting at all?’
The question was answered when I swung my sword and cut off the head of one charging at me. What was revealed in the severed wound was not flesh. It was a grotesque tissue of mixed metal and blood vessels. As her clothes melted away, what extended from beneath her skirt was unmistakably a male organ.
In the original story, they were only described as combat weapons modified by Nerzaka. But seeing them in person, they were nothing more than monsters wearing the skin of beautiful women.
“Disgusting.”
I scowled and swung my sword.
A black slime that was neither blood nor flesh splattered as the dark elf soldiers' necks and limbs were severed. They charged like machines, feeling no pain.
*
After grinding all the modified dark elf weapons to pieces, I turned my head to look into the distance. Bi-yeon was flying around Nerzaka's massive body as if dancing.
Her teal hair streamed behind her, cutting through the wind, and her movements were like those of a beautiful butterfly.
-CRASH! CRASH!
With every blade of wind Bi-yeon unleashed, Nerzaka's scales were stripped away, spraying blood. Even when the beast twisted its body and spewed its breath, Bi-yeon rode the wind to evade it freely. Then she would soar back up and carve new wounds into his eyes and the nape of his neck.
“Grrrrrrrrr...!!”
Nerzaka's roar echoed through the mountains, but it no longer held any menace. The scales where he tried to carve magic circles for recovery cracked and turned white, only to become bloodied again in an instant. As if mocking his efforts, Bi-yeon would inflict a new wound as soon as one began to heal.
‘She's having the time of her life.’
I watched the scene with my arms crossed, a smirk on my face. The more he writhed in pain, the sharper the blades Bi-yeon carved into him.
“Stop—!!”
Nerzaka's roar could no longer shake the mountains. His voice was hoarse, and only a blood-tinged breath escaped him.
“I saw a dragon once, back when I was human. But...”
Bi-yeon smiled coldly and raised her sword.
“You're far weaker than that one.”
‘It's over.’
Bi-yeon's sword sliced through the air and plunged straight down.
-KRA-KOOM!!
After the massive dragon's corpse crashed down, shaking the mountain range, the surroundings fell strangely silent.
*
When I went underground, Sora and Lucy were stepping on something. No, to be precise, they were gleefully beating up Volgus of Gluttony.
“Gueeeek—! P-please, stop...! Spare me!!”
Volgus squealed like a pig.
“Stop? You pig bastard, what was it you said?”
Lucy pressed his face into the ground with the tip of her foot.
“‘Your small breasts please me, so you will be my bride?’ Ha! The nerve...!”
Lucy stomped down again.
“Heek! I was wro— Gack—!!”
Before he could finish, Sora kicked him in his chubby side.
“And what did you say to me? That big breasts are bad luck, so you'd use me as a broodmare?!”
He gulped, blood and saliva dripping from his face, and flailed his arms and legs. I watched the pathetic sight for a moment before slowly raising my hand.
“Girls, that's enough.”
“Dad! Did you get the dragon?”
“Papa! This bastard dared to tell me—”
“Shh.”
I shook my head and put a finger to my lips.
“I still have things to discuss with this one. Be quiet for a moment.”
At my words, the two sisters dropped their playful demeanor and quietly stepped back.
I slowly walked over and stood before the bloodied Volgus. He looked up at me with his battered face, breathing heavily.
“Hah... heok... Please, spare me...! I'll tell you anything I know...!”
“Good. Volgus of Gluttony.”
I narrowed my eyes and placed the tip of my sword under his chin.
“I have a question for you.”
“Yes, yes! Just ask!”
“The Demon King's true body is in the west, isn't it?”
For a moment, Volgus's eyes wavered violently.
“Th-that's...”
“You don't have to answer. I see it's there. That hasn't changed.”
I pushed the sword in a little deeper and asked my final question.
“One last thing. Is the Demon King male or female?”
-Gulp.
Volgus's Adam's apple bobbed. He darted his eyes around, trying to avoid my gaze, but he couldn't hold out. Overwhelmed by my murderous aura, he answered with trembling lips.
“W-why do you...?”
“I'm the one asking the questions. Just answer what you're asked.”
The tip of my sword dug deeper into his neck. A little more pressure and blood would burst forth.
“Hiiik—!! M-male!!”
“Male...?”
I repeated, narrowing my eyes.
“Y-yes! But... but it's a little strange. Since birth... that is...”
Before he could say more, I expressionlessly thrust my sword forward.
“That's enough.”
-Swish.
Volgus's head was severed in a single stroke. Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the ground.
‘Just as the Hero was born under strange circumstances, it's highly likely the Demon King was also born with mixed genders.’
I'd always wondered why the Demon King's army had been so quiet after Luxiar of Lust went on her rampage. But now, I had a good idea why.
‘Like the Hero, he was born with a twisted gender... and because of that, he might not be able to wield his full power. Given the racial traits of demons, he might be able to hold on for a while, but there's no way he's in a normal state.’
A smile crept onto my lips.
“Girls.”
My daughters looked up at the same time.
“Ha-yul and I are heading back to the capital first. You two stay here, clean up the remnants, guard the dragon's corpse, and kill anyone who approaches.”
“Okay~”
“Got it, Papa.”
Ha-young yawned and waved her hand dismissively.
“Don't worry, Dad. We'll take care of everything.”
“Alright, we're leaving. ...Marienne, come here. You need to go back too.”
Marienne hurried to my side, and I pulled her into an embrace by her shoulder.
The next moment, Ha-yul's wings and my wind swirled together.
And with that, we soared quickly into the sky, heading east toward the royal capital.
*
The events in the Kingdom of Sievern spread across the entire continent in an instant. The attack of a high-ranking demon, and the appearance of a dragon.
But what was most shocking of all was the descent of an angel.
The reputation of the Hero Marienne, whose name had been largely unknown, now echoed throughout the continent because of this incident. And my name spread far and wide as well—as the human who had faced a dragon and returned alive.
The fact that I had killed Nerzaka was, of course, a secret.
But that wasn't the only issue. Rumors always travel in packs. Along with news of my deeds, word of my injuries also spread across the continent.
Of course, the injury was a false rumor. It was a deception I had intentionally spread for the sake of my future activities.
The royal council chamber in the castle.
The atmosphere in the council chamber, presided over by Queen Bellatrix, was heavy.
The damage to the capital was beyond imagination. Collapsed buildings, burned castle walls. Fallen knights and nobles, and thousands of dead citizens.
It was a situation where no one could smile.
Amidst it all, Marquis Alcladion's name shone with a strange light. This was due to the rumor that he had become both a hero and a cripple. For the noble faction, it was both welcome and unwelcome news. It was a chance to keep him in check, but it also meant the kingdom's shield had been broken.
“...Duke Baran. What is Marquis Alcladion's condition?”
Bellatrix's cold voice cut through the council chamber.
Duke Baran closed his eyes for a moment, then gave a heavy nod.
“I have confirmed it myself... His condition is grave. The wounds will heal, but it seems he will never be able to use mana again.”
-Murmurs.
At those words, a stir went through the council chamber. The atmosphere was as if the entire kingdom's pillar had collapsed.
Bellatrix raised her head and looked to the other side.
“...Duke Arduan. What of the movements of the neighboring countries?”
Arduan stroked his beard and replied.
“Kaisern seems to have settled its internal affairs. They are already gathering new forces and preparing for war again. Furthermore, it is said that the Empire's hero has won a great victory in a battle against the demons.”
The council chamber fell into a heavy silence once more. The kingdom's future was growing increasingly uncertain.
“Marquis Alcladion, who protects the south, has been so gravely injured. In the coming war with the demons... and with the constant pressure from neighboring countries, what are your thoughts?”
Bellatrix's blue eyes swept across the chamber. But the nobles only exchanged glances, unable to offer any clear solutions.
After a moment of silence, Duke Arduan slowly stepped forward. A sinister smile flashed beneath his beard.
“...First, we must avoid war with Kaisern at all costs. It is regrettable, but how about we arrange a truce on the condition that we return the territory Marquis Alcladion conquered?”
Several nobles nodded at his words.
“That's reasonable.”
“We cannot allow the kingdom's wounds to deepen.”
But Bellatrix narrowed her eyes coldly.
‘Even if the Marquis is injured now, he could recover miraculously... If we arbitrarily give away his achievements to Kaisern? The Marquis would never forgive us.’
Bellatrix's gaze deepened.
‘But we also lack the strength to confront Kaisern head-on right now. If the Empire supports Kaisern again... Sievern is finished.’
After some thought, her red lips slowly parted.
“The Duke's proposal certainly has merit. However, the moment we return in vain what a subject of the kingdom shed blood for, the trust of the people and the knights will shatter.”
She paused and looked around the chamber. The nobles' gazes all focused on her.
“However, it is also true that we cannot afford an all-out war with Kaisern in our current state. Therefore, how about this agreement? We will reward Marquis Alcladion for his service by granting him some of the noble territories left vacant by this incident, and we will arrange a truce with Kaisern on the condition that we return a portion of the occupied lands.”
Several nobles nodded at the plausible compromise. But Duke Arduan's eyes remained cold.