Chapter 57
Chapter 57 - The Demon King Appears!(1)
In a small city of Kern in the Marktress border region. In the middle of a gloomy alley not far from the western gate.
A long-held breath burst out.
I was lying flat on the ground, blankly staring at the sky.
"Phew."
Simultaneously, a cool sound of 'swoosh'.
When I turned my head, I saw Lucy struggling to walk with a black sword.
Lucy looked alternately at my sword, Bestak, and me before asking.
"Are you long-time acquaintances with that woman called Seolbaek?"
"No."
"Is she precious enough to save even through multiple regressions?"
"No."
"Is there anything you gain from enduring pain beyond death?"
"No, and why is the immortal Demon King's tongue so long? Just kill me already."
When I answered casually, Lucy looked even more puzzled.
She irritably nudged the sword at my neck.
"Use your life more preciously. I say this as your contractor."
I looked at the night sky again. Signal flares warning of the party's crisis continuously decorated the night sky.
In the view tinted with various colors, Seolbaek's slightly blushing smile suddenly comes to mind.
―Yes, absolutely. After the Musinje festival, on the day of the fireworks... let's watch them together!
As that voice came to mind, even the slightest hesitation disappeared.
I must go back after all.
No matter what happens today, I must survive here with Seolbaek.
Because...
"I promised to go on a date with her."
"... Huh?"
"Damn it, I mean. After living as a 24-year-old virgin, I'm finally trying to improve my life. And the whole world is joining hands to interfere with all their might. This damn other world that hasn't done anything for me. Huh?"
"... Huuuh?"
"Just watch. I must go on that date. Even if I have to be dirty and petty about it, I will watch the fireworks with Seolbaek. Damn it."
And for that. Yes.
I'll gladly try up to 100 times.
"13 more times is nothing. Come at me, world!!"
I might be naive, but I'm not weak-willed.
Whether it's Casas or Cazix or Casus. You shadowy forces whose identity I don't even know.
You underestimated me too much.
Did you think I would give up my chance to lose my virgin status so easily?
Not a chance, you bastards.
"Very well. Let's see how long you can struggle. I shall watch until the end."
As if not particularly expecting my response, she swung down her sword with all her might right after finishing her words.
I blankly watched the blade coming down like a guillotine.
As consciousness faded, what dominated my mind was Lucy's joyful laughter.
"As promised, I'll cut off your limbs, so keep your wits about you, hero! Kahahaha!"
How did it come to this?
No. When exactly was this fated to happen?
At least one thing is certain.
Everything started two weeks ago. At the exact moment when I defeated the Demon King in that nameless village.
Everything had already begun from there.
As my darkening consciousness slowly started getting pulled into the past.
―Hmm. I think I've lazed around enough. Should I get up now?
For a moment, I felt like I heard such a languid voice.
But it quickly faded away.
The Demon King's sword had reached my neck.
* * *
About a month has passed since leaving Halcenberg Castle.
While crossing Mitelland, I've somewhat adapted to this world. I've noticed a few things. Mainly five points.
First.
'This place is truly a gloomy place. Even Hell Joseon would be paradise compared to here.'
It wasn't just Halcenberg. This world is fundamentally spicy-hot level of harshness.
The small villages we occasionally visited mostly had traces of destruction.
People's eyes were dead like frozen pollack.
There was even a village deep in grief from a string of deaths.
'Only the capital had any semblance of human life.'
While I headed southwest from Mittelland to Marktress.
I visited over 30 cities and villages, but only one place deserved the word peace. Only Helix, the magic capital of Mitelland.
It seems to be because it's protected by the 'Seven Wizards' the Margrave mentioned. Other villages without that protection were miserable.
There were even countless places that completely collapsed into ghost towns within days.
And that reason leads to my second observation.
'Demon Kings appear anytime, anywhere.'
I had a misconception.
Demon Kings aren't such rare beings. In this world, they're closer to a natural disaster, like a weather phenomenon.
If I had to compare, they're like localized heavy rain.
Suddenly, without warning. When strong magical waves distort in the air, before you know it, a Demon King appears there and starts destroying everything around.
Moreover, it happens quite frequently.
Yes. For example.
"Die... die! You trash humans! Don't come near me!!"
A white-haired boy screaming and a white-haired woman with purple skin guarding him.
Just like what's happening right in front of my eyes now.
"Stay away! Get lost, I said!!"
Suddenly, a scream echoed through the burning village center.
A roar so intense it made the sunset-tinted sky tremble. Immediately after, a translucent dark blue energy exploded from the boy's body.
Zzzap! The energy that spread rapidly in a radial pattern instantly passed through numerous heroes.
Boom, bang, crash! People exploded helplessly like balloons against needles.
Bone fragments and organs scattered everywhere.
"Hiiiek... th-this!"
"Keep formation! Don't let them escape!"
"Mind your own business, you bastard!"
Chaos and confusion. Like Tang dynasty soldiers, countless people are crowding the village that has turned to ashes.
They were surrounding figures who had just released an unknown wave. I also noticed them from a distance.
'That must be the Demon King.'
The one who released the wave was a white-haired young boy. He's wearing worn-out ceremonial robes and his hands are bound with restraints.
'No... is that really the Demon King?'
Next to him is a woman with purple skin who seems to be advertising "I'm a demon" with her whole body.
In one hand, they grasp a dark crimson sword, their body barely clad in the tattered remnants of an empty suit of armor.
I quickly scanned their status from the boy to the woman.
[Monster Information]
[Name: Demon King Polluxius]
[HP: 588/588 MP: 1020/1020]
[STR: 30 AGI: 79 INT: 266]
[Details: Once a young pope of the ancient holy nation Schueltz. Planned to execute witches but was instead transformed into a Demon King's vessel by Knight Han's scheme. Mentally unstable, emits powerful pulses that negate all magic.]
[Name: Valkyrea Commander Primula]
[HP: 1184/1184 MP: 770/770]
[STR: 182 AGI: 201 INT: 55]
[Details: Commander of the forgotten elite Winged Knights of ancient holy nation Schueltz. Only retains the instinct to protect Pope Polluxius. Cannot use the Winged Armor, symbol of Valkyrea's fame, but still maintains powerful combat ability.]
Obviously, one of them was the Demon King. It was somewhat unexpected that it was the boy rather than the woman.
The purple-skinned woman is... presumably a high-ranking demon like Eldritch.
In simple terms, she seems to be something like the Demon King's bodyguard.
And the third characteristic of this world that I notice whenever a Demon King appears.
'This world really... is crawling with heroes.'
The hundreds of people surrounding the young Demon King and demon woman are all heroes.
Heroes, heroes, heroes, and more heroes. Heroes everywhere you look. It's nauseating.
My hero number being '163417413' suddenly feels very real given this population density.
I don't think even the army training center had this many shaved heads gathered.
'Ugh, this is disgusting.'
I frowned at the sight and turned to Seolbaek and Lucy who were nearby.
"Hey Seolbaek. Can't we just ignore this one? With this many people, they'll surely catch them."
"No way. We can't ignore people in trouble!!"
"Sigh."
And I learned something else about Seolbaek. That's the fourth thing.
I thought she just wanted attention, but she's a passionate girl burning with a sense of justice. She can't just pass by when she sees injustice or people in trouble.
Tsk. You don't look the type.
"Aaaaah! I, I don't want to die!!"
"S-save me!!"
As I clicked my tongue at the predictable situation, things began to change rapidly.
The purple-skinned woman who had been still until then started to move.
"Aaagh!"
"T-this woman... stop her!"
"No! If the formation breaks again... Guhak!"
Swoosh, slash!
Blood fountains invariably sprouted where the woman's purple afterimages flickered.
Bisected human corpses began rolling on the ground everywhere. Blood splattered in all directions.
It was merciless slaughter to the point of feeling unreal.
"Eek!"
Someone near me gasps and collapses.
When I turned to look, it was a female hero holding a large sniper rifle. Her body-fitting suit and rabbit-like perked ears were distinctive.
I quietly clicked my tongue and said a brief prayer for her.
"Ah... Aah!"
The reason she gasped was obviously because the woman appeared before her.
The woman's movement that appeared suddenly showed no mercy.
"Die, vermin."
Squelch. With an unreal sound, the woman's rusted greatsword split the female hero in half.
From crown to groin. Even the hastily raised sniper rifle was helplessly cut in two.
The female hero died without even being able to scream her last.
Splat.
The bisected corpse falls to the ground from the cut surface. The wet sound of flesh was chilling.
"......"
Everyone who saw the one-sided slaughter took steps back in unison.
Soon the scene descended into chaos. By none other than fellow heroes.
"G-get out of my way, you bastard!"
"Waaah! Save me!"
"Damn... I can't die like this!!"
I even laughed at the situation unfolding exactly as expected.
Most of the hundreds gathered here were a ragtag bunch who hadn't even met until just now.
The reason so many heroes are crowding here is simple.
[Quest Generated (Epic)]
[Name: Demon King Appears! - Fallen Star, Demon King Polluxius]
[Details: Forced quest. Heroes who receive this quest have all actions restricted until the main target is eliminated, and are forcibly teleported within the target's range within 1 hour. Use any means necessary. Kill the main target.]
[Reward: All stats +5. 1000 gold coins (additional payment based on contribution ranking). Hero Sense +2]
[Special Reward: Random box with Goddess's blessing - Limited to heroes ranked 10th or higher in contribution]
That's right.
Quest. This quest is the reason why everyone was forcibly transported here.
Among these guys, 80% were brought here unwillingly, and the remaining 20% are opportunists hoping to get rewards.
I let out a hollow laugh watching people who had fallen into panic.
'Getting drafted even in another world. Life is f*cking hell.'
These guys couldn't possibly have any sense of camaraderie or brotherhood.
When the situation is favorable it doesn't matter, but when it's unfavorable, this is what naturally happens.
"Ahhhhh!"
"H-help! Help me!!"
The formation crumbled helplessly. Heroes or whatever, everyone threw away their weapons and rushed to run away in their underwear.
In the chaos, countless people were either trampled to death or tried to use others as shields.
It was truly chaos. Complete mayhem.
"Arghh!"
"Aaaahh!"
And the price of selfishness was severe.
"You toys of Ashin.... I'll slaughter every last one of you."
The collapse of the formation made the demon lady's movements even more dynamic. As a result, the speed at which the incapacitated heroes were being eliminated actually accelerated.
They had hastened their own demise.
"... Ugh!"
And at some point, the demon lady's sharp gaze that had been sweeping across the battlefield reached me.
Just as I flinched my shoulders, her figure disappeared.
A bad feeling made my back tense up. I immediately lowered my upper body.
"Damn it!"
Right after, a whoosh sound split the air above my head. The demon lady had somehow approached me and swung her greatsword.
No time to be surprised. I quickly created distance between her and myself while taking Seolbaek and the Demon King with me.
"Good instincts. You vermin."
Snicker. Just as her mouth corner slightly lifted, she vanished from sight.
I instinctively drew out Bestak and swung it.
Clang!
Sparks flew before my eyes. Sword met sword.
After the clash, we continued our silent battle while glaring at each other.
"You... blocked my sword."
The Demon Lady seemed somewhat surprised. I responded to that reaction with a snicker.
At this point, I'll reveal the fifth and final thing I've realized.
"If you treat me like the others, you'll end up shitting blood."
The Border Duke is a monster beyond imagination. After experiencing the wider world, that became clear.
And I, who had been under that monster... I just hadn't known until now because I had no point of comparison.
Without realizing it, I had become half a monster myself.
To put it simply.
Right now, I'm skilled enough to rank in the upper-middle tier even among active heroes.
"I, descend."
While sneering, I slowly started adding more strength to my sword hand.
Creak. As the Demon Lady was pushed back by the force, she gradually stepped backward.
And reflected in her panicked eyes was my triumphant face.