Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: It's Burning (8)
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# 159
“Productive hoeing.”
“Productive punching it was.”
Wiping the sweat from my forehead while looking at the demon’s utterly shattered corpse.
“Freakishly tough bastard.”
The symbol of sturdiness—a demon with a body so sturdy that it broke five of our God Hoes.
It was a relief that it had lost an arm, suffered fatal wounds, and finally gone down after taking hits from the Iron Bat.
If it had been in perfect condition, it probably would’ve held out three or four times and counterattacked.
“Let’s see here~”
I’d already confirmed the kill perfectly with the Iron Bat, but you never know.
Earlier, I thought its head was smashed and it was dead, but when I hit it with the bat, it flapped around screaming.
“Master… really pissed off?”
“Well, that too.”
In novels, and in reality too.
The sight of peasants oppressed by evil lords shows up often.
But them rising up against the lord? That’s novel stuff.
In reality, except for a tiny fraction of cases, peasants never even think of defying their lords.
Even when their kids starve to death, even when people eat people—they fear the nobles.
But there’s one case where those peasants rebel with 99% certainty.
When the lord sets fire to their crops.
Crops are the peasants’ hope.
No matter the situation, the hope that next year they’ll live well!
When that hope burns away, the peasants with nothing left behind them rise up.
That’s the rage I was feeling now.
“But it was easy to kill since it was a demon.”
“No backup~?”
“Exactly.”
But no matter how angry I was, I had to think about the aftermath.
If the princess had done this arson, would I have killed her?
Of course not.
I’d hit her harder with the Iron Bat than last time, but I wouldn’t kill her.
Killing her would make me an enemy of the empire instantly.
Especially in an empire full of people gnashing their teeth at me.
They’re just cowering under the princess’s power and authority, but the moment she dies by my hand, they’ll do everything to kill me.
They’d even have the justification of revenge!
But demons are different.
No matter how strong, they’re demons.
A race hostile to almost every species on this continent.
There are churches and kingdoms preaching peace with them, but most hate demons because of the countless wars between continents.
In other words, even if a strong demon slips through, self-proclaimed heroes, so-called heroes, and real heroes will all move to beat it down.
“Demons get blocked automatically if you live near a church that hates demons!”
“Humans are scarier?”
“Yep. Humans have always been each other’s worst predator.”
Clack clack.
I lit a fire with flint, poured oil on the corpse, and set it ablaze.
“Burns nicely.”
“Master’s field too.”
“Ugh…….”
Even after perfect overkill, the corpse showed no sign of getting up.
Well, it’s a corpse, so that’s expected.
“Go get beaten by the Evil God in hell, you damn demon.”
“There’s no Evil God in hell!”
Listening to the Iron Bat, I started packing my gear.
According to this bat-head, our darling daughter is the sole descendant of a succubus in this world.
Thus, she’s the final trump card in deciding the next demon king.
“Damn demons. Doesn’t the Demon God have a brain? Why make 101 tribes and complicate everything? Just 100 would’ve been fine!”
“Then it’d be 50-50 and no decision~? Better to have one extra vote~?”
“50-50 is a tie, so have a showdown and winner takes all! Why make a fuss trying to take my daughter!”
“Wants Master’s peace over demon world wars…….”
“Of course.”
Better demons fight among themselves than trouble come to our cute daughter.
“So, that way then… horse is dead, gotta run?”
Even with recent stamina training, running’s tough.
“Let’s go!”
“Yep! For lil sis!”
I grabbed the Iron Bat, back in bat form, and started running in the direction the other demons fled.
-Master, run faster!
-I’m running, I’m dying here!
-You trained some!
-It’s been less than a year of proper training, still sucks!
Breath starting to heave.
Mid-40s, no mana—I deserve praise for keeping this pace.
The Iron Bat, who doesn’t run itself, just kept nagging.
-Our lil sis’ll die at this rate!
-Old man won’t go down easy, he’ll be fine.
I say that, but I’m worried about our cute daughter too.
Crossing the hill and pushing through low mountains,
“OK. There they are.”
Crack!
I could smash the snake-head demon’s noggin.
#15 Their Circumstances: A Certain Hero’s Circumstances
“Grahhh! Damn humans! You dug a trap!”
“You come here and spout what nonsense? Dog so you bark nonsense?”
“Damn it! How dare you treat proud wolfkin like mongrel dogkin!”
“Dogkin? I just called you a dog?”
“Grahhh!”
I block the charging demon’s fist with my holy sword.
This sword, blessed by the God of Nature, ranks top three among holy swords for protecting its user.
“Damn hero!”
“Your master doesn’t feed you unless you curse? Must suck. Gotta wag that tail hard for dog chow.”
“I’ll kill you!”
“Relks, don’t fall for the taunt!”
The wolf demon charges at my natural taunt.
Tough because of good sync with the snake demon casting spells from behind—if separate, fight would’ve ended ages ago.
“Die, human!”
Aura-clawed nails rake the air, unleashing a blast with a boom.
Would shred a normal knight armor and all.
But I’m a hero.
Chosen by the gods!
“Exleon.”
The holy sword Exleon of the Church of Nature begins to glow faintly.
The power of Exleon, which showed insane might even as sword aura on first use.
I channel that golden power into sword beam, slicing the aura slash.
“Guhk!”
The wolf demon, upper and lower body split, stares at me in disbelief.
“Y-You…….”
“Told you, hero. Annoying.”
Ptooey.
I spit toward the wolf demon and swing, severing its head.
“As expected of our hero’s trash talk…….”
“Looks like you’ve got complaints, Hill. Why not say it stinks?”
“Hero’s position in the church is like the pope’s… Blasphemy for believers, they’d drag you off.”
“Just stating facts?”
“Yes.”
Ignore the comrades’ voices from behind.
Back in my Evil Organization days, barely remembered now.
The one thing unforgettable.
No, anyone who experienced it would never forget—Instructor told me:
‘To win fights, use any means necessary.’
‘In battle, use everything you can. No body part can’t fight.’
‘Eyes? Use gaze and expressions to summon Santa behind them. Mouth? Spit, curse—vital combat organ.’
‘For those with parents, curse their parents—super effective taunt.’
‘But works on orphans too. Say ‘that’s why no parents’—8 out of 10 charge mad.’
Instructor was always right.
‘Life away from home sucks.’
‘Help once, twice—they think you’re a sucker.’
‘Heroes are suckers. Ultimate suckers. Church-chosen ones worst. Get holy sword, get strong—but endless dirty jobs! No pay! Can’t quit! Slave contract!’
“Ugh…….”
Hits home every time.
Especially for me, church hero—last one was gold.
Drew sword to survive, but only church heroes can draw it.
Got kidnapped to Church of Nature, became hero almost by force.
Became super strong with Nature God’s blessings, but had to do church orders blindly.
Refuse? Hill clings to legs, bawls.
Ignored at first.
Tried moving with Hill attached.
After one, two, three days, I gave up first.
Couldn’t bathroom or bathe those three days!
Gods got nothing better? Oracles every time.
Solve one case, need rest—bam, oracle, go.
Gods are pervs.
See everything, fix it yourselves.
Sadists rolling heroes with oracles.
Or make more heroes!
Nearby hero handles nearby stuff!
“H-Hero!”
“Crap!”
While grumbling and confirming kill on wolf demon per instructor,
Snake-head slips away.
“Checked all brave demons!”
Heard demons never retreat in battle.
All lies.
Snake-head’s escape speed—pro level.
Spraying curses and poison mist to block pursuit—instructor’s classic escape trick!
“Annoying!”
Plow through curses and poison with holy sword.
Not physically strong, but escape skills top-notch.
“Thinking of old man, there’s gotta be village nearby…….”
Heroes praised when they ‘perfectly’ save everyone.
Slight casualties? ‘Why so late? Failed to save who?’
Many dead? Blame hero more than culprit.
If villagers hurt by my slip-up?
All my cool image down the drain.
“Can’t let that happen!”
Heroes need popularity too.
Fame means discounts, free beds in villages!
Unpopular heroes shunned.
Hate outdoor sleeping.
I can sleep comfy on cape in snowy mountains, deserts, even mid-ocean—but bed’s better.
“Hup!”
So full speed after snake-head!
“Huh?”
Someone charging at snake-head.
Normally, I’d rush in, max holy sword power, one-shot demon head, save the guy.
But seeing silver thing in his hand.
I had to stop dead.
“What? Graaaaaahhh!”
Snake-head panics seeing man pass black curse orb, then hit by silver thing—emits unearthly scream.
“Demon God, your servant suffers agony—let me die now.”
I pray instantly to man-hating Demon God for quick demon death.
“Sp-Spare…….”
“It’s fine. No one’s died from this yet.”
“K-Kill me!”
“Ugh…….”
I involuntarily turn from demon’s scream.
Silver rod batters demon’s whole body fast.
End bulges perfect for striking, grip concave for one-hand hold—ideal thickness.
“Iron… Bat…….”
Worst weapon, even Sword Saints hate it, pounds snake-head.
“Sh-Should… run?”
Got holy sword proof I’m hero, but no way I beat that freakish demon soldier.
Now’s chance.
Instructor doesn’t recognize me.
Sneak away now……
“Hero, caught the demon?”
“Shh!”
But chance gone as Hill yells seeing my back.
“You……?”
“Guek…….”
Instructor’s eyes widen meeting mine.
What do? Say what?
Still gazing at me, beating demon—skill unchanged.
Still at it?
Thoughts flash, conclusion quick.
Sheathe holy sword, polite stance, bow head,
“Long time no see, Master.”
Show proper disciple respect to master.