Hero Awakening

'Hero Awakening (True) Humanity Salvation Quest, huh...'

The quest reward was something truly bizarre. Or maybe, deep down, I'd sensed it coming while progressing through the quests.

Even before the Demon King subjugation quest popped up, the Tower's master had kept probing my intentions.

What if I'd just stopped at an appropriate point and accepted the reward then?

Even if it had only been a paladin class, my brother would've been thrilled and celebrated with me. And if I'd become an inquisitor, I could've racked up achievements surpassing Shin Yu-ra's Dark Detection skill, living a laid-back, successful happy life.

But what drove me all the way to Demon King subjugation?

If it hadn't been me. If I hadn't existed.

If I hadn't been cursed with the Eternally Cursed Body.

Lately, I'd been overwhelmed by guilt over all the people who'd died on Earth during those 998 loops.

Until now, I'd taken countless human lives without a second thought.

With the excuse—not quite an excuse—that 'I was cursed, so I had no choice,' my humanity had dulled and worn away at the edges.

Stealing someone's life had become as routine as breathing air.

Did the world, and humanity, wish to be cursed just as much as I was?

Except for the first few loops, I'd felt no hesitation in taking lives throughout nearly every regression. Close ones aside, it didn't matter if I hated them or didn't know them at all—they were all the same.

This loop was no different; right after regressing, I'd wiped out Kwak Jae-ho and his gang without a second ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thought, just like always.

They were scum, sure, but I'd lived a life no better than theirs. Did I even have the right to judge them? The qualification to cast the first stone?

If entertaining such thoughts was the price of staying untainted and sane, I could just endure and ignore it. But the weight of all those lives I'd taken was piling up monumentally—heavy, so heavy.

'So you're giving a guy like me a Hero Awakening quest to save humanity, Tower Master?'

Out of all the good, brave souls in the world, you're really handing the hero quest to a former Demon King? Seriously?

"This has to be a joke."

I frowned, glanced at the sky, then at the system window, and finally let out a massive sigh before hitting accept on the reward.

It hit me then: Of all people, why me?

998 loops. And I'd destroyed the world as the Demon King that many times too.

That meant there had been 998 'heroes' who couldn't progress the quests this far or defeat Demon King me.

With my luck stat at 999 keeping me untainted, the Tower Master must've figured turning a former(?) Demon King into the hero would prevent extinction this time around.

I could kinda understand that dilemma, which made me hit accept despite the absurdity of the quest.

* * *

The eyes of Kang Dae-jin, the sacrificial executor of justice, and First Knight Order Captain Jeong Hyeon-seop twisted strangely.

"The third bell has rung. Does that mean the Bell Tower trials are complete?!"

No way. Kang Dae-jin shook his head, still refusing to accept reality.

As he did, the Iron-Blood Pope's brow furrowed.

'Tch, useless fool.'

Everything pointed to one conclusion.

As prophesied, the hero who would save the world had appeared, pulled the holy sword, and completed all the Bell Tower quests.

A mystical light shimmered on the once grim entrance to the Bell Tower, clearly signaling the hero's birth.

As crowds gathered amid ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the chaos from the glowing entrance, he summoned the knights to clear the area while the Iron-Blood Pope, Cheon Myeong-jin, tried to rationalize the situation in his mind.

The atmosphere inside had already shifted with the saintess's appearance—praise and prayers echoed everywhere, welcoming the hero.

The black cloud-like dark energy that had blanketed the tower's peak had transformed into a pristine white aurora brimming with holiness.

'The hero has appeared, and the quests are done. That means he surpassed the ones I couldn't complete.'

The pope's face held a smile, but his eyes trembled faintly, unable to hide the shake.

'I unearthed the saintess and built the church this far, but the Bell Tower rejected me after I fled the trials, never giving me another shot at the holy sword.'

Cheon Myeong-jin sensed his papal seat wobbling with the hero's arrival, anxiety gnawing at him.

'Kang Dae-jin was the same, which is why I could keep him under my thumb without worry.'

Despite solidifying his power, the followers revered the saintess over him, the pope, and thirsted for the hero's unknown arrival.

The hero's emergence wouldn't strip his position, but it would surely shrink his influence massively.

'At least the hero's a fresh-faced newbie who just awakened. What a relief.'

When he first found the saintess at age 12, her holy power kept her eyes sealed—a child needing protection. He'd half-forcibly taken her from her parents to the main temple.

To prevent the holy saintess from losing her power to corruption, he'd confined her to the temple's top, barring her from stepping out, and handled all public events himself.

This centralized power around him naturally, placing everyone at his feet.

The new hero, at 19, was surely a naive kid ignorant of the world.

Like with the young saintess, he could bind the hero under him, coaxing and manipulating as needed.

As his eyes regained ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠calm amid these schemes, the Bell Tower entrance opened.

All eyes locked on the black silhouette piercing through the light.

* * *

Once the level-up messages stopped, I opened my status window to check the new acquisitions.

Two combat skills and two support skills acquired upon becoming a hero.

They screamed holy knight with the holy power usage, but the scale and damage multipliers were insane—befitting hero skills.

'Infinite Hero' recharges holy power every 7 minutes in battle, and 'Fortune of Annihilating Evil' is an AoE perfect for mob clears.

'Wrath of Annihilating Evil', obviously anti-Demon King, seems ideal for one-shot finishes.

The support 'Dimension of Annihilating Evil' adds mental attacks while shielding allies, saving face nicely.

All top-tier skills perfect for a hero's path. They're complete-form, not growth-type, which is a slight letdown, but this is premium hero treatment.

I'd shared skills with subordinates as Demon King, so I know: sharing slices from your own power.

Spread too thin across many, or overload one, and it burdens you. Infinite dark energy sharing from the Dark Dimension? Grateful in theory, but the suffering it caused fuels rage, not thanks.

The Tower Master's conditional holy power sharing might seem stingy, but that's why it's decent for me.

'Gotta check the upgraded armor too.'

'Jackpot.'

The holy sword's skills are nuts, but skill-loaded armor? Two usable skills without holy power cost.

The armor's look drastically changed too—massive golden iron wings sprouted, making me feel angelic.

'Great, but... aren't they a bit bulky for everyday wear?'

At the thought, the wings folded, shrinking to look like dual swords on my back.

Manageable for daily use now.

After checking rewards, I descended the stairs and opened the entrance.

And—

"Waaaaah! The hero's out!"

—faced a roaring sea of cheers from the massive crowd welcoming me.