Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Descendants Ruined the Country
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"What the actual fuck."
The first words out of the mouth of this long-awaited savior of the nation were the most vulgar curse imaginable.
The robed figures surrounding him gaped in stunned silence. Among them, a silver-haired woman in the most ornate robes stared at him with wide, bewildered eyes.
"U-um... Kasian? What did you just say?"
"This has to be a dream. Yeah, it must be a dream. I ate chicken and went to bed earlier. Right, it's just indigestion giving me a nightmare."
I denied reality and slapped my cheek hard enough to echo.
It hurt.
"Ah, fuck."
That just pissed me off more.
I irritably swept my hair back and looked around. The musty smell of mold, a faintly glowing magic circle, and humans who looked half-starved and skeletal.
The grandeur of the golden palace I'd seen yesterday was nowhere in sight. This was some crumbling underground dungeon.
I pointed a trembling finger at the silver-haired woman.
"Hey. What did you say earlier?"
"Pardon? Oh, I am Elicia von Reinhardt, princess of the empire..."
"Who asked for your name? Not that. Before that."
"I-I said the return magic circle isn't working."
"..."
Crack.
My fist popped with the sound of knuckles cracking.
No return? One-way ticket?
After all that hell, seeing the ending credits, getting my medal, tearful goodbyes with my comrades, and logging out.
Finally back in reality for some chicken and kimchi stew, and now dragged back here with no way home?
"Who the hell decided that?"
A crimson-black aura began seeping from my body.
"Eek!"
"Ka-Kasian! Please calm down!"
"What kind of hero's aura is that? That's the Demon King!"
The surrounding mages recoiled in horror. Some collapsed, legs giving out.
Hero who saved the empire? Apostle of Light?
Don't make me laugh. My title was Demon of the Battlefield. My methods were so ruthless even demons recoiled, and I piled their corpses into mountains.
I strode toward the princess who'd named herself Elicia. Despite her face paling in terror, she didn't flee.
"Open it again."
"O-open what?"
"The door home. Open it right now, you crazy bitch! Or I'll turn this underground hole into your grave."
Even under my threat, the silver-haired woman didn't back down. She had nowhere to go.
"It's impossible!"
She squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.
"We poured every last mana stone from the imperial treasury just to activate the summoning circle! We even pried the mana stone from the crown and ground it to dust, prepared for total failure!"
"What?"
"The empire is on the brink of destruction now—no resources, no mana left! We've squeezed it dry; all that's left is dust!"
Un-fucking-believable.
"On the brink? I saved it all! I lopped off the Demon King's head and wiped out the demon race—how the hell is it collapsing? When I left, continental unification was right around the corner. Just mop up the remnants and it was done!"
"That was 500 years ago!"
The princess cried out, voice breaking.
"You did bring peace, Kasian. But 500 years passed. Human greed and civil wars decayed the empire. Now rebels and elves have the capital surrounded!"
"Why blame a retired guy like me for your ancestors' and your incompetence ruining the country, you shameless bitch?!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
No sooner had she finished than dull thuds echoed from beyond the sealed iron door.
"Found them! The rat bastards are hiding here!"
"Bust this door, and the princess is ours! Cut off her head for the leader!"
Not demon roars or orc howls—just the greedy, loathsome voices of human men.
"Ha..."
A hollow laugh escaped me.
The empire I bled 20 years of youth to protect, crumbling not to the Demon King but to humans squabbling over scraps? This was the end of my ending?
"Please help us, Kasian."
The princess dropped to her knees before me. Her white dress hem dragged in the filthy dirt. She clutched my pants like a lifeline.
"You're a legend. The strongest knight in history books. Please, save us...!"
"Legend my ass—I'm a civilian!"
I bellowed.
"Even a year and a half of mandatory service kept me up at night. I slaved here over 20 years! I just want to go home, eat my chicken, and sleep—now you've dragged me back! Are you people even human?!"
"If you leave, we're all dead! The empire's last bloodline ends!"
"Maybe let it end!"
Irritation boiled over. Save a drowning man, and he demands your wallet—now they're clinging like debt collectors, holding my life hostage.
"Let go, you bastard! Let go now!"
"I can't! Who'll protect this nation without you?!"
"You do it! Why hassle a discharged vet?!"
I shook my seized leg irritably, yelling.
"Don't delude yourself. I'm no apostle of justice. Fight and fry among yourselves for all I care. I just want to go home and finish that chicken."
"But...!"
BOOM!
A massive explosion shattered the iron door. Armed soldiers poured in through the dust cloud.
"Hahaha! There you are, you damned imperial remnants!"
A dozen rebels at least. Their eyes locked on the silver-haired princess, then flicked over my ragged clothes.
"What's this? Some beggar...?"
The burly leader approached me with a sleazy grin.
"Princess's boy toy? Looks like a guard with that stance."
He shoved my shoulder roughly.
"Outta the way, you worm. Unless you wanna die like a dog."
I stared at my shoved shoulder. Then slowly looked up at the brute.
"Worm..."
A scoff slipped out.
"Hilarious. I crushed Demon King legion commanders."
"What? This lunatic spouting nonsense."
"You're the worm. Can't read the room, flapping your gums."
The cramped underground air grew heavy. The brute's grin vanished.
"You little shit... wanna die?!"
As his hand twitched toward his sword hilt.
Rumble...
Invisible Hand
Basic black magic—grabs and crushes at will
A crimson-black aura erupted from deep within me like an explosion. It became formless hands, snatching the brute's throat.
"Gah!? Gurk! Guh...!"
"C-Captain?!"
The brute's body floated into the air. I hadn't moved a muscle. Pure intent to crush was enough.
His legs kicked wildly off the ground. His face turned purple in seconds, eyes bulging like they might pop.
The overwhelming sight made his snickering minions recoil.
"M-mage? No chant?!"
"How's he levitating a guy?!"
Backing off from this? Kids these days have no tolerance. Back in my time, even scouts had more grit.
"Let me go, you monster! Know who's backing us?!"
One minion drew his sword with shaking hands. I scoffed.
"Whoever it is, who cares? Weaker than me."
"Ka-Kasian...?"
The princess murmured blankly behind me. I walked slowly toward the dangling, purple-faced brute.
"Rebels? Civil war? Don't care. Dragged here outta nowhere, and some punk lays hands on me?"
I clenched and unclenched my fist. Mana surged fiercely through my veins.
Status screen? Skill list? Unnecessary. My body was a massive database.
The subtle flow of mana control. The feel for severing bone from flesh efficiently. The perfect angle to snap a neck.
Twenty years of battlefield grinding—killer instincts awakened like riding a bike.
This...
I looked down at myself, certain.
Peak condition.
I approached the floating brute. His terrified eyes reflected me.
"Mind if I borrow your sword? Bare hands feel gross."
Shing.
I drew the sword from his belt. Heavy, but a cheap piece of junk with crap balance.
"No maintenance at all. Teeth all chipped. Supply corruption bad these days?"
"S-spare... guh..."
"I'm in a shit mood right now. You know why? You assholes own at least 1% of this fucked situation."
I aimed the blade at his forehead.
Crackle!
Blue lightning sparked along the rusty iron. High-density mana the junk couldn't handle—but didn't matter.
Just hold for the neck slice.
"W-wait! Surrender...!"
He tried to shout something. My hand didn't stop.
Slash.
A clean strike, no hesitation. Eerie severing sound, and the headless body thudded to the floor.
My first fight in 500 years.
Against puny rebels, not Demon King forces.
"Come on, you fuckers."
Perfect stress relief.