Meanwhile, the Hero...
Much time had passed since the succubi and nightmares had petitioned to defect. Yu Jin let out a soft chuckle as he recalled those days. He wasn't sure if he should call it unexpected... or perhaps inevitable... or if humanity's leaders had simply chosen the lesser of two evils to secure victory. Regardless, the high-ranking officials of mankind had accepted the proposal with surprising ease and composure, and Reina, the Nightmare, had departed for the imperial capital with a few of her closest confidants.
At one point, Yu Jin had worried that this might be a trap laid by the succubi. Fortunately, his fears proved groundless. Once the non-aggression pact was signed and an alliance was forged with the nightmares and succubi, many things changed within the human territories. First and foremost, the demons' covert operations decreased dramatically. The espionage that the succubi and nightmares used to conduct by infiltrating human society vanished entirely. Instead, they began exposing other demons who sneaked in to carry out sabotage.
Humanity was finally able to root out the factions that had been pulling their strings from the shadows for over a century. Even Yu Jin had never imagined so many covert agents were hiding among them. To think that the very noble who had passionately advocated for peace talks was actually a disguised demon... When that truth came to light, it caused an absolute uproar. It meant that demons could be hiding anywhere among humans. Fortunately, the succubi and nightmares, who possessed the innate ability to distinguish their own kind, ferreted every last one of them out.
That was not all. The succubi and nightmares immediately relocated their territories into human lands. Though there was some friction during the transition, they made every effort to integrate quickly. They expanded their influence by using the very abilities that had once tormented humans to serve them instead. From budget-friendly brothels to selling pleasant dreams to soothe anxiety... Their work ethic was so exceptional and their business acumen so sharp that even those who had initially opposed the treaty with the demons had no choice but to gradually accept them.
The greatest change, however, was on the battlefield. Soldiers faced many hardships at the front, including crippling anxiety and pent-up sexual frustration, and the succubi and nightmares began to resolve these issues. Brothels and pleasant dreams—though only a fraction of their problems had been addressed, the soldiers' combat effectiveness saw a noticeable boost.
Furthermore, the fact that the succubi and nightmares were highly capable mages played a massive role. Training mages who could perform on the battlefield was an incredibly difficult task. It required talent, of course, but raising them to a level where they could stand on the front lines took a long time. The demons knew this well, which was why they always targeted rear-line archers and mages first. But with the vengeful nightmares and succubi taking to the field, the depleted ranks of human mages swelled, making defensive warfare much easier. And as defense became more manageable, the army gained breathing room and was finally able to transition to the offensive.
Six months... Just half a year after the succubi and nightmares threw in their lot with humanity, the tide of war completely turned. Humanity marched forward, securing victory after victory, reclaiming lost lands and expanding their territory. Meanwhile, the demons suffered consecutive defeats, forced to vomit up the lands they had conquered. To make matters worse for them, the demon legions failed to coordinate with one another, seemingly busy bickering and shifting the blame for their losses. It was, without a doubt, a golden opportunity.
In this manner, more than a year had passed since the campaign to subjugate the Demon King began. Today, as always, Yu Jin was defending humanity at the absolute front lines.
"Sigh..."
"Yu Jin? What is troubling you now?"
Balder asked, his expression unusually bright.
"Balder, did you visit the brothel again today?"
"Bwahahaha! Isn't it a win-win for both sides? I get to enjoy myself, and the succubi get their essence."
"Take it easy. You're going to wear yourself down to the bone."
Balder looked at Yu Jin and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk. Are you still unable to forget the Saintess?"
Yu Jin, hit right where it hurt, couldn't find the words to reply.
"I understand holding a torch for the Saintess, but that's one thing, and enjoying life is another."
"What?"
"An entanglement with a succubus is just a game, isn't it? Just a bit of fun."
It wasn't necessarily a bad thing... That was how Balder explained it, but it wasn't enough to convince Yu Jin. Even if such behavior was considered normal in this other world, to Yu Jin, an Earthling, it felt bizarre. Well, there were certainly people on Earth who behaved that way too, but... Yu Jin had no desire to join them. For some reason, indulging in such acts made him feel as though he were betraying the Saintess, and he simply couldn't bring himself to do it.
"You haven't forgotten we have a job to do today, have you?"
"Eina has finished her preparations as well."
"Right..."
Today, they were scheduled to launch an assault on the territory swarming with Orcs. The Orcs, who had once boasted the greatest strength among the demon legions, had now been severely weakened. Forced onto the front lines to take responsibility for the defection of the succubi and nightmares, the Orcs were being brutally torn apart by humanity's counteroffensive.
"Today, I'm going to slay the Orc Lord for good."
They had already clashed with the Orc Lord five times. Yu Jin had emerged victorious in every single encounter, but external interference had always prevented him from delivering the finishing blow. To completely dismantle the Orc legion, it was imperative to eliminate their focal point—the Orc Lord, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
"Indeed. Now that he has lost his entire royal guard, he won't be able to run away."
Yu Jin tightly gripped the Holy Sword at his waist. When would peace finally come to this world? Honestly, he didn't know. Would it be when the Orc Lord fell? Or when they subjugated the other demons? Or perhaps only when every last demon was eradicated? A faint sense of skepticism crept into his mind. Yet, driven by his duty as the Hero, he continued to fight.
Yu Jin was currently tearing through the Orc lines alongside his companions. Every time the Holy Sword flashed, several Orcs were cleaved in two, while arrows flying from behind pierced the foreheads of others with deadly precision.
"Hehe, they really are nothing but a disorganized rabble now."
Eina let fly arrow after arrow, looking almost cheerful. The priests and nuns sent by the Holy Order to support them couldn't keep up with the Hero's party at all, but that was fine. As long as they followed behind, it was enough. Their true role would begin during the battle against the Orc Lord.
"That's a good thing. It means today is finally the day we take the Orc Lord's head," Balder remarked.
Yu Jin agreed with him.
"Let's end this."
At the center of the Orc territory... in a space designed to ostentatiously display his status as chieftain... the Orc Lord sat arrogantly.
"Grrr... Have you come again?"
"Yes. We're here to finish you."
"Bwahahaha! To think our proud Orc race would fall because of those damn whores!"
A flicker of regret passed through the Orc Lord's eyes.
"Yes! If only you hadn't murdered my sister...!"
Reina, the Nightmare, burned with pure rage and murderous intent.
The Orc Lord slowly rose from his seat and picked up his weapon resting behind him—a massive greatsword chipped and nicked in countless places.
"Indeed... My arrogance has led our race to ruin."
"I will avenge my kin who died at the hands of you Orcs!"
Yu Jin looked at Reina. She looked as if she had lived her entire life solely for this moment, ready to burn everything to ashes. Yu Jin had also witnessed the horrific state of the succubi and nightmares who had fallen into the hands of their fellow demons. Their limbs severed, treated like mere playthings... Their eyes gouged out, their ears destroyed, subjected to unspeakable torture... Though there were humans who committed such madness, it was still far too cruel and barbaric. Having seen those atrocities firsthand, Yu Jin completely understood why Reina had led her people to defect to humanity.
Without a word, Yu Jin raised the Holy Sword.
"I am the Lord of Ruin, the Incarnation of Destruction!"
The Orc Lord roared, unleashing his power. A massive, ferocious wave of magi erupted in all directions. The sheer pressure of the demonic energy tore through the air and shattered the surroundings, but it could not pierce Yu Jin or the barrier of the Holy Sword.
"Grrr!"
The Orc Lord's eyes bloodshot, his sclera turning pitch black. His already dense muscles swelled even further, and the tusks protruding from his jaw grew longer. The transformation was staggering—his massive frame, which originally exceeded three meters, now seemed to tower over four meters.
"Berserk...! Is he planning to self-destruct?!"
Reina seemed to recognize the Orc Lord's current state immediately.
Yu Jin was also well aware of this phenomenon. It was a state some demons entered when pushed to the brink of defeat, desperately forcing their power to swell in a final, frantic struggle. The explosive increase in strength, coupled with the unnatural energy, mutated their bodies into something grotesque. However, this overwhelming power was far too much for their physical vessels to handle, and it would inevitably lead to self-destruction.
"You treacherous bat! I'll drag you down to hell with me!"
The Orc Lord charged with ferocious momentum. Reina showed no intention of backing down, preparing her magic to counterattack instead. With a sigh, Yu Jin stepped in front of her, intercepting and halting the Orc Lord's charge. A spell launched from behind struck the chieftain, but it failed to penetrate the swirling shroud of magi.
The battle between the Orc Lord and the ten combatants, including Yu Jin, commenced. It was a desperate struggle, but the desperation was entirely one-sided.
"Aaaagh!"
Though the Hero's party sustained injuries, the priests and nuns supporting them from the rear healed them instantly. In contrast, the Orc Lord fought entirely alone, without a single subordinate. His wounds accumulated, and his regeneration couldn't keep pace. As spells battered and broke his physical form, even his monstrous healing factor ground to a halt. It was a fierce clash, but from the very beginning, the Orc Lord stood no chance. He had known this, yet he fought anyway...
"Guh..."
His limbs broken, unable to stand any longer, the collapsed Orc Lord glared at Yu Jin and his companions with eyes full of venom. Yu Jin looked down at him with an indifferent gaze.
"This is your end, foolish chieftain."
Reina seemed absolutely thrilled. Was it because this was the moment of vengeance she had yearned for so desperately?
"It looks like you want to take his head yourself," Balder noted.
"No, I don't need that much. I just want to witness his end."
Everyone turned their gaze to Yu Jin, the leader of the party. Yu Jin... slowly raised the Holy Sword high. His body completely broken, the Orc Lord lay motionless, his face contorted in bitter resentment.
"It's over."
Slash.
The Holy Sword severed the Orc Lord's neck.
One of the Four Heavenly Kings who had terrorized humanity had met his end today. It was a monumental victory for mankind, yet Yu Jin's heart felt strangely heavy. How many more demons would he have to slay before peace finally arrived? The question lingered in his mind. Still, a victory was a victory. He retrieved the Orc Lord's head, stepped outside, and displayed it to the public. The remaining Orc remnants lost all will to fight upon seeing it, and the human forces erupted in celebration at the news of the grand triumph. Watching them, Yu Jin was able to temporarily forget the skepticism he had felt moments ago. He still had his doubts, but if he wanted to keep seeing their joyful faces, he would have to push himself a little harder...
"Victory is ours!"
One legion had been subjugated, and another was now on the path to total annihilation. Surely, the world would become a little more peaceful now... Yet, Yu Jin could not afford to stop. True peace had not yet been achieved, so he had to keep moving forward.
That night, as everyone threw a grand feast to celebrate the victory, Yu Jin slipped away alone.
"Saintess... am I doing well?"
Yu Jin stared blankly up at the sky. The dark night sky was beautifully adorned with twinkling stars and a brilliant moon. It was a completely different sight from the night sky he used to see on Earth. Though he had grown accustomed to it by now, it was a constant reminder that this world was not his own. The Goddess had praised his actions, telling him he was doing a wonderful job.
If the Saintess were here, would she have told him to kill one more demon instead of wasting time on such thoughts? For a saintess, she had always been rather fierce. But knowing she had suffered so much due to humanity's dire circumstances, Yu Jin had actually found that side of her endearing at times. Whenever Yu Jin grew disheartened, she would praise him with an awkward, embarrassed expression. His desire to see her again grew stronger than ever. If he ever got to see her again, then... he wanted to lay bare the feelings locked deep inside his heart.