《I'm Actually Not Overpowered!》 Chapter 1 Heck Yeah! It Begins "Oh, Hero!" A smile crept up on my excited face. My eyeballs widened, as they took in a scene that I had seen more times than I could count. As the bright lighting from my 55-Inch TV Screen clouded my vision, I licked my lips in anticipation of the next line. Disyed on the TV Screen was a clich¨¦, the summoning of a hero by a world in dire need of help. Then, just in time, a seemingly clueless boy appeared at the center of the summoning circle, which was glowing bright blue and white. My teeth gleamed, reflecting the white light from my tv screen as I counted the seconds before the next line, then practically whispered it at the exact same time as the character I was closely monitoring. "Where am I? Who are you?" The words that came out of the main character''s mouth were precise and without hesitation. No, he was in full control of his actions and words¡ªat least, that was what It looked like. The boy''s gaze did not contain any innocence, neither was he flustered by his new environment. He simply stared at the priestess and her knights with both caution and skepticism. "I believe I asked a question." He went on to say. ''Yes¡­ now answer the question!'' I grinned with expectant eyes. "Hero from a faraway ce, we greet you! Please¡­ help us!" At this point, the priestess¡ªwho had the appearance and countenance of a goddess ¡ªand her highly capable guards bowed before the champion they had summoned. The cool boy, in his school uniform, calmly observed his surroundings. He did not let their actions fluster him in the slightest. Yes¡­ this was the perfect character! "I see¡­" He smiled. The summoning room looked very luxurious, and the dazzling jewels that were hung around were a testament to the wealth of the Kingdom that called upon their Hero''s assistance. My eyes widened even more, if that was even possible, as I itched for the next line. ''It''s here! It''s finally hereeeee!!!'' One of the best statements made by any anime character, and one of this character''s most iconic lines! The moment he pursed his lips to speak, I was already prepared. My body couldn''t hold in the excitement, as I got ready to say the words as soon as the MC said his. "¡­ Then, at what cost?" It was spoken in a low undertone, barely audible. The cold voice of the main character rang through my ears, and I could feel the emotions of everyone who had heard him. This was a scene I had watched more times than I could remember. It belonged to my favorite anime. My favorite Main Character My favorite Genre! "Transmigrated With The Strongest System!!!" I guffawed with a bright glimmer in my eyes. ''I swear, Selyon really made a great masterpiece!'' "¡­ At what cost?" I repeated those words again and again. To normies who didn''t understand the significance of those words, they would probably think I was overreacting. However¡­!!! ¡­ For someone like me, who knew this anime like the back of my hand, it was aplete masterpiece! That linepletely encapsted the whole series. "Look at the expression on their faces! They don''t know how many times the MC has heard those lines, clueless retards!" As the show went on, I was totally absorbed in the activities that went on. "Hehehehe¡­"Iughed silently into the night. I knew how it would end, but¡­ that didn''t make it any less interesting. ''That genius, Selyon! Is he a god?!'' I continued watching¡­ and watching¡­ and watching! And, as I kept watching, one dominant thought raced through my mind. I knew it was prettymon among those who were hooked on the same stuff as I was. The thought that swirled around my mind slowly morphed into¡­ desire. A strong desire! "If only I could get Transmigrated too¡­" A lot of Anime these days were so saturated with that underlying principle. Reincarnation. Transmigration. Body Swap. It mattered not to me. There was only one central genre that tied these concepts together. Isekai! No single Weeb could say that they hadn''t seen or heard of this genre before. It was peak! And the reason for its sess was quite simple. Isekai provided everyone with something that many other forms of entertainment didn''t. The hope of a better life! "Being OP. Complete invincibility! Bing the Chosen One. Having a second chance. Obtaining revenge. Building a Harem. Face pping. Reaching the pinnacle." So many ideas were wrapped around the giant ball of Isekai! [A/N: Isekai basically means an epic adventure where the MC finds himself in a different world] Everyone who watched a show in this genre would slowly began to have a slight thought. It always began as a subtle idea. A ''What if?'' However, it slowly transformed into a driving basis for some. Certain religions confirmed that it was indeed possible. Groups were growing more receptive to the idea. Even Memes were saturated with ''Truck-Kun'' and several other deep-seated connections to the lore. It was slowly gaining more recognition among both Weebs and Normies alike. ¡­ And, I was no different! Even if I had a prettyfortable life, devoid of trauma or actual regret, I still had that wish within me. ''What if¡­?'' For a moment, it felt like I was in a trance. I closed my eyes and imagined¡­ ¡­ A world of swords and magic. It was beautiful. A grin spread across my face as I remainedfortable in my haven. I wasn''t exactly what one would call a Chunnibyou, and I somehow knew that these ideas were simply silly delusions, but¡­ why couldn''t I get rid of them? [A/N: Chunnibyou basically refers to a syndrome where people are delusional. It ranges from believing in supernatural phenomena to thinking there''s a certain throbbing in your left eye. Also, if you do not understand some of the terms, please do mention them in the Paragraph Comments. I''ll answer them. Also, a lot of these terms don''tst too long into the series.] ''Even if it''s just for a moment, I want to¡­'' I simply wanted to enjoy it. ''¡­ Transmigrated With The¡­ Stro¡­'' nk. For a moment, everything went nk. Until¡­ "SAMUEL!!!" A voice called out to me. My eyes popped open and my heart raced. For a moment, I felt lightheaded, and my visioncked focus. The voice that shouted my name felt oddly familiar, but I couldn''t put a face to it no matter how hard I tried. ''I feel funny¡­'' My blurry vision started regaining focus. ''Don''t tell me¡­?!'' My lips cracked into a smile as I widened my eyes to the world around me. Could it be that I actually got¡­?! My vision finally returned to normal, and I began scanning my surroundings. "¡­ O-Oh¡­" My voice came out t, disappointed. I was still in my room. The most usible possibility was that I had slept off. "My mom probably called me¡­" I murmured, feeling all my excitement wash away in an instant. "¡­ Must be time for dinner." I rose from myfortable bed and ignored the dark TV Screen in front of me. Dragging my sluggish body to the entrance, I limply walked to the door and twisted the knob. >SHUUUUUUUU< A cold wind suddenly blew over me. I didn''t realize it could get this drafty, but small details like that became bothersome in my groggy state. The door slowly opened thanks to me pulling it. The more I pulled, the stronger the wind was. Until¡ª >VWOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHH!!!< The door flung open by itself and I was assailed by an intense wind that seemed topletely overwhelm all of my senses. Before I could recognize what was happening, a brilliant, blinding light followed. >SHIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGG< I glued my eyes shut instantly, and winced. ''What the hell?!'' Hearing distant echoes of my name being called out. The howling of the wind that surged through my body. The brilliant light and warm embrace that pervaded every ounce of my being. This wasn''t a simple feeling. ''This is¡­ no, it couldn''t be!!!'' For a moment, it felt like I was flying. But, I couldn''t open my eyes because of the blinding light. Relying solely on my senses, it was clear how blind and lost I was. But, the feeling didn''tst forever. ''Huh?'' I felt the smooth surface of the ground under my bare feet. It was cold¡­ ufortably cold. I felt the wind subside, and the blinding light naturally dimmed. Then, whispers and mors surged forth. They were inaudible, but¡­ I could tell that a group of people were around me. ''Could this be¡­ no, this has to be¡­'' Once again, my forgotten smile returned, and I awaited the staple words that woulde in a few seconds. "Oh, Hero!" My body trembled with excitement. ''It''s happening¡­ it''s really happening!!!'' The voice was different from that of the priestess in the Anime I had watched, and my surroundings felt terribly ufortable¡ªand cold. However, I had no doubt¡­ "Where am I? Who are you?" My calm voice surged forth as I stood from my kneeling position. Still having my eyes closed as I waited for the perfect moment to calmly open them, I stuck both hands in the pockets of my pajamas and heaved a calm sigh. For a moment, no sound was made. It was the cue for my second line¡­ right? As I pursed my lips and readied myself to make my second line known¡ªmidway into the act¡ªa voice interrupted me. "H¡ªHero from a faraway ce, we greet you¡­" Unfortunately, I was already caught up in the moment, and couldn''t stop my body from preceding my brain. ''Shit, it''s toote!'' "I believe I asked you a question." My voice rang out as I opened my eyes to the new world that weed me. The first thought that ran through my mind as I opened my eyes were¡­ ''E-eh¡ª?!'' The new world I had appeared in, the fantasy world I had dreamed of for so long¡­ ''The fuck is this?'' ¡­ Was so utterly disappointing! "P-p-p-please¡­ help us!" * * * * * [A/N: Please check Auxiliary Chapters for information on Characters. Original Character Artworks will be made avable on the Discord Server, so please do well to join.] https://discord.gg/yMPNRURZJh ~Thanks!~ Chapter 2 This Isnt How It Usually Goes ''Transmigrated With The Strongest System'', By Selyon! It was a Light Novel series with both Manga and Anime adaptations. It had a total of 22 Light Novel Volumes, 199 Manga Chapters, and a total of 3 Seasons in the Ongoing Anime Series. Actually, based on my personal opinion, it was aplete masterpiece! The main Character, Damien, was Transmigrated into a world that needed to be saved. He was suddenly thrust into a strange reality that he knew nothing about. Asked by the people there to save their reality, he was burdened with the role of a ''Hero'', and he had to neutralize the threat guing the Fantasy World. Initially, I had thought that this was simply a clich¨¦ Isekai Trope, and I had simply watched the anime out of curiosity and boredom. Little did I know that I was in for an unbelievable treat. It wasn''t until the end of the first season that I was shown the unexpected truth! The MC, Damien, was actually a Hero who had Transmigrated to several worlds on various quests! The world we all experienced in Season 1 was simply the fifteenth reality he''d had to rescue. Repeating the same line of being asked for help, Damien had to traverse 20 Worlds and defeat the respective threats in order to return home. That''s right! It was that kind of story. After eating up the Anime and Manga, I went after the Light Novels and devoured the story. It saddened me to see how the story ended, but I did. It was a wonderful novel, filled with several twists and mysteries. The plot twist at the end was especially unexpected. However, at the end of the day, the MC overcame the challenges and became ridiculously OP! He defied causality and challenged the very principalities of the world¡ªthat sort of thing. In all my life, I had never read something as well-written as that. Which was why, it was my ideal world. "If I ever get ''Isekaid'', I''d want to be transferred to that very same world!" I couldn''t ept any less. It wasn''t as though the Novel''s world wasn''t dangerous, but at least I knew it like the back of my hand. In addition, the MC was also extremely OP since he had the knowledge and abilities of the past Transmigrations he went through. I waspletely convinced that that it was the perfect setting for someone like me. "I want to get Transmigrated to that world too!" I eximed emphatically. __________________________ ''¡­ So, what''s the meaning of this shit?!'' My eyes took in the dirty and unfamiliar environment that surrounded me. The cold, damp ground sent shivers from the soles of my feet to the top of my head, but there were more pressing issues that demanded my attention. ''The fuck?'' I swore angrily. I was in a filthy tent. The brown fabric that was used for the temporary structure looked old and worn out. To make matters worse, it stank. I took a quick nce around me, spotting the bare floor, dirt ridden materials that were used to make up the summoning circle, as well as the frugal sacrifices ced before me. ''What the hell?'' I asked. "P-p-p-p-please¡­" A feminine voice rang out, drawing my attention to the one who summoned me. As I centered my attention on her, my eyes caught four other men who were dressed in poor excuses for an armor. ''Are they meant to be the Imperial Soldiers, or Royal Knights?'' I wondered. Because to me, these men looked like barbarians¡ªat best! " P-please, save us!" My eyes finally focused on the stuttering girl. She had blond hair, styled in two pigtails , and her brown irises depicted a childlike innocence. However, unlike the prim and proper priestess I had expected to see, this one was dressed in an overly simple attire. She had rough skin, and freckles dotted across the bridge of her nose as well. The look in her eyes was one of desperation, a usual countenance when in the presence of heroes, but what was with this whole getup? ''Something isn''t right here¡­'' My thoughts rang as I looked around, trying my hardest to maintain my calm demeanor. The setting was wrong. The characters were wrong. Everything was wrong. ''Damn¡­ I got Transmigrated after all, but why do I have a bad feeling about this?'' Thankfully, my long hours of practice in front of the TV, and during my spare time, paid off. I waspletely unfazed¡ªat least on the surface¡ªby the unnerving incident that was happening. "I see¡­" I said calmly, as I looked around me once more. ''This ce looks beat up as hell! But, I can''t break my character, can I?'' Yes! The MC that I admired so much would never break even under unknown circumstances. Even though he got transported to various worlds, he objectively and calmly analyzed his surroundings. How many times had I read the book? How long had I studied his character? As a follower of his doctrine, I couldn''t afford to break down at this point! ''Let''s y along¡­ for now.'' A knowing grin spread across my face as I stared at the faces of the flustered and confused plebeians in front of me. "¡­ Then, at what cost?" ''YESSSSS! NAILED IT!'' I screamed excitedly, in my head of course. Ipletely utilized my constant hours of practice and gave the perfect intonation to the words. Damien''s deep voice. His intimidating stare. His cocky smile. I replicated everything urately and adjusted my vocal cords to deliver the most perfect line. It was elegant to say the least! ''I''ve always wanted to say it in this kind of setting!'' My piercing gaze never left the woman before me. She lookedpletely flustered by my soft whisper. It was made to be barely inaudible, but notpletely so. That was because the people around me were meant to hear my silent question. The fake priestess'' flustered reaction became increasingly obvious as she began to tremble. ''Why is she¡­?'' One more look at her face showed me an emotion I wasn''t expecting to see. ¡ªPAIN! She had an expression of excruciating pain hovering in her eyes like a shadow. Frustration and powerlessness made the young woman bite her lips. ''Hey¡­ what''s going on here?'' I asked internally, looking at her entourage to see their reactions. Sure enough, the caricature guards also shared the same look. Their bodies shook, and they turned their faces away in utter helplessness and frustration. ''Is this because of my question?'' It was a line that the MC stated due to his many years of experience as a Transmigrator. Even though he was powerful, there were many who were intent on taking advantage of his superb skills. That was why he always charged a fee. ''If I would be risking my life for some strangers, this isn''t too much to ask, right?'' Of course, I supported that logic! Which was why cheapskates like these ticked me off. The hallowed ground for summoning was a mere tent that looked shabby and flea ridden, and everything just seemed so out of ce. Judging by their current reactions, I could now tell that they werepletely useless. ''Fuck! Really? Nothing at all? They can''t part with anything? How could they summon a Hero despite that?'' As I continued to wallow in my self pity and frustration, the stammering girl spoke up again. "O-Oh Hero¡­ p-please¡­" ''For the love of¡ª" I was about to roll my eyes at this point. If they wanted to show their sincerity, it was only expected that they fork over some benefits, right? Before I couldplete my speech, all five of them fell to their knees and bowed to me. ''U-uh?!'' Now I was flustered beyond belief. My level of surprise was so great that my facade nearly broke. ''Shit! Close call!'' "¡ªPlease, Hero! Please, Hero!" Her begging was so frantic. It superseded what I was expecting. "I beg you, Hero! Please help us. The cost¡­ as soon as you save us from our peril¡­ we are willing to offer you everything else." ''They''re this desperate?!'' I wondered incredulously in my head. "You may rule over us, judge our people ording to your righteous ways, lord over our final patch ofnd. But, please!" The Priestess'' voice was so fast, so frantic, that I had to fully concentrate on her words toprehend what she was saying. "PLEASE, SAVE US O'' HERO!!!" Everyone in the tent spoke in a thunderous voice. Their voices resonated deeply within me, and for some reason¡­ I felt my heart respond to them. ''They''re sincere!'' During my journeys as an avid Weeb, I had picked up a few things. One of them was the ability to properly read people and decipher their true intentions. It developed so far to the point that I could detect an uing plot twist with only the slightest of hints. Who would betray whom, The true mastermind of a cmity, Those with ulterior motives, As well as characters who possessed genuine intentions. "Raise your heads," I said to the five people kneeling before me. When I saw their desperate, pleading eyes and their shivering, pathetic bodies, I understood. ''They fall under thest group.'' Even though everything around me was sus as heck, and I was still confused in this otherworldly environment, I knew what I had to do. "Fine¡­" I replied, calmly and confidently. "¡­ I''ll help you." [SYSTEM NOTICE] [Your Actions Have Been Recorded In The System''s Records] Chapter 3 Hold On, What Can I Actually Do? [SYSTEM NOTICE] [Your Actions Have Been Recorded In The System''s Records] The moment the golden tab before me appeared, I smiled in anticipation. ''It really is just like the novel!'' I eximed. Just like the System that was used in T.W.T.S.S, I had gotten a notification about my eptance of their Quest. Thanks to this, I was already tied to these people, whether I liked it or not. I was tending towards not. Failure toplete the Quest had repercussions, and sess had rewards. The most important thing to note about ''Root Quests'' was that they were the underlying motivations and principles that governed every action the MC would make, until he finally eliminated the origin threat. ''This was why I had to ask for the cost before agreeing to help. Damn, it''s toote now¡­'' It was an impulsive and rash action on my part. If Damien saw me now, I was sure he would be pissed. Still, I knew just how he too reacted when he arrived in his first Transmigrated world. Unlike me, he didn''t keep his cool at all. In fact,pared to the immature and inexperienced MC of my favorite Novel, I was actually doing pretty well, all things considered. "T-THANK YOU, HERO!" The kneeling people bowed once more, thanking me fervently. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [They Will Be Added To Character List] ~You May Check The Information Of Those You Have Built Certain Rtionships with In The Character List~ My smile broadened into a grin. Usually, one could only check the Basic Status Bars (HP and MP), and Levels of any character using the System. However, Character List would give a more detailed exnation and statistical analysis of selected individuals. ''I have five already? Damn! I''m good.'' No matter how I looked at it, these guys were too trusting. The pieces of this puzzle were falling into ce too easily. It was almost suspicious. If it wasn''t for the confidence I had in my intuition and people-reading ability, I would have already ced them on my ''Watch Out For'' List. ''I suppose that won''t be necessary, at least not yet.'' The System never lied. This meant I actually had their trust and loyalty. "Rise to your feet," I said to them in my usual calm manner. It was partly because I was ufortable seeing them kneel for so long, but also due to the fact that the ground was quite a mess. ''It''s so cold. My feet are getting numb!'' Still in my pajamas, and with nothing serving as protection for my feet, I shivered a bit. That didn''t mean I disyed my difort, though. The Priestess and her four barbarian guards rose obediently. ''Hmm. I wonder if there''s anything in my inventory that I can use¡­'' The System had many capabilities. One of them was a special storage unit that contained items and personal effects of the MC. In light of the fact that I was currently the MC, it should work for me too¡­ right? I should also use this chance to check out my Stats and stuff. This should have been the first thing I did upon my arrival. The unusual atmosphere had distracted me and had made my head all muddled up, but I was slowly getting ustomed to things. From the corner of my eyes, I spotted the concerned expression of the Priestess. One of the guards also seemed to be whispering something into her ears, to which she nodded. I was a bit curious about it, but my curiosity could wait. The most pertinent matter was my overall Stats and Condition. I had to get ustomed to my new reality as soon as possible. That meant only one thing. ''System Window!'' I spoke in my head. Instantly, arge golden window appeared before me. ''Let''s see what I got!'' [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 1 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Curious; Excited (Stable) Status Infliction: None Title: Hero ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Locked]~ ~Inventory [Locked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Locked]~ ~Arcana Value [Restricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] "What?" Words of profound confusion escaped my lips for the first time. This didn''t look like the kind of System Window I was hoping to see. Almost everything was locked, and even the most important aspect was restricted. Was this some sort of joke? Was this really the same world that I read about in the novel? ''Calm down! Calm down!'' I repeated silently, willing myself to calm down. ''Let''s check the Stats first. At least, that should be¡­'' [Stats] Level: 1 Exp: 0.0 ss: None (ssless) Karmic Value: 0 [Basic Ability] HP: 10/10 MP: 1/1 Strength: 1 Agility: 3 Vitality: 2 Intelligence: 3 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] "What is wrong with this shit?!" I eximed in an infuriated tone. I had to finally admit it. "This System is broken¡­" ¡­ And I didn''t mean it in a good way! "E-erm, Hero¡­ there''s something you should know." The Priestess, whose name and Status Bar I could see above her after I activated the Status Window, Sarah Pierce, called out to me. ''The hell?'' I looked in her direction, too caught up in my own dilemma to care about the terrified expression on her face. "T-the thing is¡­" The youngdy began to mumble. ''This made no sense. No, it never made any sense ever since I arrived here.'' Even though I had the same System as the MC from my favorite Light Novel, and the dynamics were pretty much the same¡ªeven the Arcana Value was there¡ªI was starting off with an extremely limited profile. ''The MC started episode 1 with his Stats in thousands, and that''s even calcting the penalty he suffered in hisst Transmigrated World. Why would I¡­?!'' As I racked my brain trying to figure out all this, and trying very hard to piece together the mystery behind how very strange and yet simr the world I was in was to that of my MC''s, the words of the Priestess jolted me back to reality. "Hero, our people¡­ everyone is in danger as we speak. The forces of the wicked one has already descended upon us, so please¡­" ''Holy shit, this can''t be happening!'' Danger? A Quest? Right now? This had to be a joke, right?! "¡­ Oh Hero¡­" She pleaded. The very words that I had always loved to hear suddenly made me stiffen with fear and a terrible foreboding. "¡­ Please save us!" [SYSTEM NOTICE] [The enemy forces have begun their assault and your help is required to fend them off.] Sess: Resist the Opposition alongside your allies and drive them away. Failure: Your allies are eliminated and the Base ispletely wiped out ¡ªReward: 5 Stat Points. 1 Skill (Active/Passive). 10 Karmic Value. ¡ªFailure: Death ~Do You ept This Quest?~ [Yes] [No] Chapter 4 Hero, Please Help Us! [SYSTEM NOTICE] [The enemy forces have begun their assault and your aid is required to fend them off.] Sess: Resist the Opposition alongside your allies and drive them away. Failure: Your allies are eliminated and the Base ispletely wiped out ¡ªReward: 5 Stat Points. 1 Skill (Active/Passive). 10 Karmic Value ¡ªFailure: Death ~Do You ept This Quest?~ [Yes] [No] ''What the hell?!'' Things just went from 0 to 100 real quick! ''Death? What kind of¡­!!!'' Why was I being assailed with such a Quest when I had just arrived? Worst of all, my Stats were shit. I was practically fodder. The difficulty of this mission had to at least be Grade A. ''There''s no way I''m epting this!'' Instantly, I tapped the [No] icon, rejecting any form of involvement with such a dangerous mission. [SYSTEM NOTICE] ~You can not refuse this Quest~ [You do not have enough Karmic Value to pay the Refusal Penalty] The moment I saw this response, my heart started beating fast and my countenance fell. I turned pale and felt sick to my stomach. ''Shit, how could I forget!'' Without any Karmic Value, I didn''t have any choice in epting or rejecting the Quest. The worst part was that I was being assigned a Primary Quest. Other than the Root Quest, missions like these were probably the most important. ''Still¡­ shit!'' There was no room forint, and my summoners were already looking at me with desperate eyes. Being caught up in so many thoughts and worries, I decided to act calm and natural. Comining wasn''t going to get me out of this mess, after all. ''Let''s act like Damien¡­ think like Damien!'' "Alright, I ept." My tone was definite and resolute. I stared at the relieved people in front of me, as I strived hard to hide how incredibly nervous, I really was. "Lead me to the battlefield." They nodded instantly, and two of the four barbarians instantly left the tent. The remaining two swiftly kept the curtains that served as the entrance open, allowing the evening breeze and dim light to pierce the mild darkness and stuffy air around us. ''Let''s just hope for the best!'' I gulped, moving out of the summoning circle. The Priestess bowed as I walked past her, and moved to stand behind me, a bit to my right. "T-thank you so much, Hero! Truly!" She pestered me with words of relief. I could tell just how desperate they, However¡­ ''It''s not like I had a choice in the matter! These guys just dragged a total stranger into their own mess!'' Orange light from the setting sun greeted me as I stepped out of the tent. I felt a warm breeze envelop me, causing me to close my eyes for a moment. The moment I opened them, though, I was met with yet another devastating surprise. ''This¡­ what is the meaning of this?!'' We were in a wastnd! I saw many tents pitched around the one I just came out of¡ªall were in even worse conditions than the one behind me. Based on what my eyes were seeing, it would seem that my summoners had indeed used their best facilities to summon me. My jaws nearly dropped as I took in the horrifying sight around me. ''This is horrible¡­'' It looked like a camp full of misery and despondency. The tents around had tears all over them. They looked so worn out that I gulped at how awful they were. ''People actually¡­ live here?!'' "Hero, please¡­ let us hurry!" A voice came from behind me. It belonged to the Priestess, and I could see the look of pain hidden behind her eyes. Her tone was urgent, but also very bitter. My heart tightened, but¡­ I made sure I actedpletelyposed. "Alright, let''s go. Where are the enemies?" This time, I turned to the bandit-looking guards who were around me. Their two other colleagues must have departed to join the battle, so the remaining two had to be my entourage. "About that¡­" One of them lookedpletely at a loss for words. I nced at the second one, hoping for a better answer. "We are surrounded, Hero¡­" ''Holy shit!'' "The enemy''s forces havepletely trapped us in¡­" ''No. No. No!!!'' "¡­ They''re closing in on us even as we speak, preventing any route of escape¡­" ''Please, no!'' "¡­ The battle is more intense at the Northern Gate, though. That''s where we''re headed!" At that point, there was only one emotion that was rising from the pit of my stomach. I thought I could avoid it and actpletelyposed, but¡­ at this point, it began to assume dominance over my entire body. ¡ªFEAR! ''This is bad! This is bad! This is ba¡ª!'' "Hero, please let us hurry!" They sounded desperate now. Theirrades were most likely perishing, as they bought time for me to make a grand appearance, in order to protect them and save their entire base. They were right to pressure me, their only hope. There was only one problem, though¡­ ''I''m weak!'' There was nothing I could do! I waspletely useless! Did they want someone who would most likely be a liability to them to join their battle for survival? "O-okay¡­" For the first time, my speech faltered. Still, I made sure not to break my expression. ''I can''t decline the quest!'' We began moving quickly, and before I knew it, we started running. ''I can''t refuse them!'' My breath was heavy, and my vision was blurry. I was slowly nearing my physical limit. ''I can''t run away!'' The enemy had actually surrounded us. There was nowhere to run to. No escape. "Huff¡­ Huff¡­" I tried to hide my exhaustion, but I was probably going to copse soon. It wasn''t like I was in a particrly bad shape, but¡­ I hadn''t run like this in a very long time. "There! That''s the enemy horde!" One of the guards pointed right in front of me. We had passed the vast wastnd already, and now that I had gotten closer to therge barrier that surrounded the entire encampment, I could see much better. "This¡­!!!" My eyes fearfully took in what was right before me. ''Heuukkk!!'' At this point, I didn''t care about whether my face was calm or not. I didn''t bother looking around to see if their eyes were on me or not. The sight unfolding right in front of me was the only thing that mattered. ''N-no way¡­'' I stopped in my tracks. My body was trembling. I was breathing heavily, already at my body''s limit. Perspiration poured from my body at an unprecedented rate. "N-no¡­ no way¡­" My eyes bulged and my throat wentpletely dry. This wasn''t a dream, I knew. It was reality. Right in front of me¡­ were corpses! Brutalized flesh of humans littered the ground. Arge pool of dark red blood filled the ground. I saw human parts scattered around, as well as the pained expressions of the dead men¡­ and women. However¡­ "CHARRRGEE!!!" "HOLD THEM DOWN!!!" "THE HERO IS HEREEE!!!" "JUST HOLD ON A BIT LONGER!" "JUST A BIT¡ªUARGHH!!!" ¡­ The people who were still alive fought with all their might. I heard deafening battle cries. I heard roars of war. I heard bursts of power. But, judging from what I was seeing and hearing, it was clear¡­ ¡­ who was going to win¡­ ¡­ and who would lose! The reason for such carnage and cmity, my eyes were transfixed on them. ¡ªThe Demons! I forced thest of my saliva down, shivering at the sight of the grotesque beings. They had slimy ck bodies, huge muscr builds, and an intense re that seemed to pierce my very being. ''Lower Demons!'' My mind rang. With their drooling jaws and sharpened ws, they fought the struggling soldiers, overwhelming them with both numbers and power. "GURRUUUUUUUU¡­." Their disgusting voices banished all the strength from my body. Before I knew it, I slumped to the ground, kneeling while cing both my hands on the cold ground. I shivered violently. Both because of the icy surface of the ground¡­ and IMMENSE FEAR! I didn''t want to fully admit it before, but¡­ ¡­ I couldn''t do anything here! "Hero, please help us!" Someone beside me said. "No¡­ I¡­ I¡­" "Hero, we''re counting on you!" Another voice rang in my ears. "¡­ I¡­ I¡­" "Hero, the enemies are right in front of you." Yet another person spoke. "¡­ I can''t¡­" "HERO. HERO. HERO. HERO. HERO. HERO. HERO. HERO. HERO." Voices upon voices ovepped. Why couldn''t they see for themselves? Why didn''t they understand? HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! Couldn''t they see for themselves? ''I CAN''T DO SHIT!'' Still, their voices never stopped. Someone knelt right beside me, cupped my face and lifted it up, before looking straight into my eyes "Hero, please look at me!" My blurry vision suddenly sharpened and I noticed the woman before me. Tears streamed down her face and I saw pain, guilt, hopelessness, and several other emotions within those windows that led to her soul. Nheless, something else lurked in the deepest recesses of her eyes. ¡ªHOPE! "Please¡­" ''I can''t do it! I can''t help you! Can''t you see? I''mpletely weak!'' "¡­ Help¡­" My heart raced at an unimaginably fast rate. Even though I knew it waspletely impossible to win¡­ Even when I knew the decided oue¡­ "¡­ Us!" ¡­ Why was there a tiny glimmer of hope within me too? From the reflection of the Priestess'' eyes, I saw my face. My face was calm. It looked so confident. It looked like the face of someone that could win. ''Why do I¡­'' I lookedpletely in control. ''¡­ Have such a face?'' When I saw my confident look through her eyes, I felt an unimaginable amount of power surge through my body. It wasn''t extra energy or anything special. I still felt physically exhausted. No, it was something I had long abandoned ever since I saw the scene of carnage. It was¡­ "Fine¡­ I''ll help you." ¡­ HOPE! My body stopped trembling as I rose to my feet. My pounding heart and screaming head suddenly reduced to a dead calm. Everything came to aplete standstill and I felt a lull within me. ''It''s alright¡­'' I felt a strange sense of confidence. Even as the enemies closed in on us. Even when more people died and despair rang all around. Even when I knew I couldn''t do anything to stop it. The peaceful lull never left me. ''¡­ I can win!'' Chapter 5 Looks Like I Have No Choice "System Window," I said with a smooth exhtion. [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 1 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Curious; Excited (Stable) Status Infliction: None Title: Hero ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Locked]~ ~Inventory [Locked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Locked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] Suddenly, everything became clear, the path I could take opened up. "¡­ Arcana Value." And, I saw my only path to survival. [Arcana Value] User Level: <1> Arcana Level: <1> Arcana Avable: <1> [See More] "See more¡­" [Arcana List] Name: The Fool Number: #00 Status: Unlocked Cost: None [One Unrestricted Use Avable] [END OF INFORMATION] "Perfect!" The moment I saw this, a smile formed on my face. I looked beside me and saw the kneeling Priestess. She looked at me with such sorrow and hope that my heart ached once more. The youngdy still had trust in someone as pathetic as me. I had no particrly good abilities or immensely powerful stats. However¡­ "Thank you." I smiled at her. ¡­ I knew for sure now¡­ "Hero¡­" She murmured, with more tears falling from her eyes, as my confident grin was reflected in her eyes. ¡­ I wasn''t going to lose! "Please, Sarah¡­" I shed her one final smile. "¡­ Call me Sam." The evening wind blew, sending the smell of blood and gore my way. My nose tingled, and my eyes widened. My body trembled in anticipation, and my legs began to move. As I walked, my eyes took in the sight of all the Demons in front of me. I could see their Status indication¡ªthe Names, Levels, HP, and MP of each and every one of them. Once I was done, it was finally time for the next step. ''See you all soon.'' "GRUUOOOOOO!!!" They bellowed. Unfortunately for them, their voices could no longer reach me; their weapons couldn''t touch me. If I couldn''t beat them now, the solution was simple. "Arcana Call: The Fool¡­" I would have to try again. >VWOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHH< _________________________ I didn''t get it at first. No, it probably just never urred to me since I had been so preupied with only my favorite aspects of the book, and the overpowered part of being Transmigrated to another world. But, it was only when my mind waspletely calm that I remembered. I had indeed been Transmigrated into another World. It was the same one as in my favorite Novel. The storyline progression was the same too. But, I had made a fatal error in judgment. My first memory of the MC''s story in T.W.TS.S. was his 15th Transmigration. He was overpowered beyond description, and his experiences kept himposed andpletely in control of most situations. However, reality was not like a novel. If indeed I wished to recount the experiences of the MC, and live in the same world as he did¡­ then I should have been ready for the implications. Yes, that''s right, I was sent to the very beginning. Not the 15th round¡­ but the very first. The scenes of the first Transmigration were only referenced by the MC, and a few shbacks were shown in the actual Novel. However, it was a well-known fact that the Author didn''t dwell very well on it. That was probably why I didn''t immediately remember the little details that were given in the original story. The dirty tent. The war-ridden world. The wastnd The desperate humans And¡­ their utter eradication. It wasn''t until I hadpletely calmed down that I remembered. These people were doomed. __________________________ Pure darkness. I felt inescapable darkness surround me. However, it onlysted a moment. Because, after the darkness came light. It shone so brightly that I felt overwhelmed by it. However, this onlysted a moment too. Then, as I felt my consciousness return¡­ I heard someone speak. "Oh, Hero!" A feminine voice called out to me. My lips curled up in a smile. ''So, it worked¡­ it really worked¡­'' I knew the next line, and the one after that. Memories of what would happen after this introduction, and even beyond, came rushing back to me. ''¡­ So, I''m back.'' I rose from my kneeling posture, feeling the damp environment of the dirty room and watching the five people who kept mepany. Sarah and her four guards. The environment was the same as I remembered. It was the moment I arrived, right after being summoned¡­ and before epting the Root Quest. If I yed my cards right, then I wasn''t going to be bound by the Primary Quest. It would be difficult, but¡­ if I followed the original story, I would be able to escape. I would survive! It waspletely possible. But¡ª "Summoners, I understand your plight¡­" ¡ªWould I really do something like that? The MC in the original novel often regretted some of his actions. One of the most traumatic and guing guilt he always had was abandoning the people here. It wasn''t as though his life became any better after escaping the Camp. He suffered immensely, had to face a lot of difficulties, and eventually¡­ he survived and grew stronger. It had been a long, arduous path for him. Still, he initially didn''t regret his actions, despite how much his guilt gued him. Why? He did it for survival. There was no way he would have survived if he hadn''t run away, right? Right?! WRONG! It wasn''t until afterpleting his first round that he realized his errors. He made a mistake and let the Camp perish. As a result, he''d had to suffer even more before achieving greatness and defeating the Demon God. ''Even at that, it''s nearly impossible to pull it off¡­'' I knew just what was required of the MC. It wasn''t something I had the courage or mental strength to do. Which was why¡ª "¡­ I will help you. Do you trust me?" ¡ªI intended to make a different choice! My audience, all five of them, looked at me withplete awe. Their eyes disyed surprise and utter relief that I was going to ept them¡ªand so quickly too at that. "Yes! Wepletely trust you! Please save us!" [SYSTEM NOTICE] [They Will Be Added To Character List] ~You May Check The Information Of Those Whom You Have Built Certain Rtionships With In The Character List~ [SYSTEM NOTICE] [Your Actions Have Been Recorded In The System''s Records] SYSTEM NOTICE] [The enemy forces have begun their assault and your aid is required to fend them off.] Sess: Resist the Opposition alongside your allies and drive them away. Failure: Your allies are eliminated and the Base ispletely wiped out ¡ªReward: 5 Stat Points. 1 Skill (Active/Passive). 10 Karmic Value. ¡ªFailure: Death ~Do You ept This Quest?~ [Yes] [No] "Very well. I ept." Words couldn''t describe the immense joy and relief they had when they saw me. "Since you trust me, then¡­ listen carefully to what I''m about to say," I said to them, stepping out of the summoning circle. I had theirplete loyalty and trust, so I doubted they would go against anything I said. This was the only thing I could do at this point, but¡­ at least it would save everyone! "There isn''t much time. Now, then¡­ let''s turn the tables around, shall we?" Chapter 6 Let The Show Begin! "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" She exhaled shakily. Sarah and her four elite guards ran as fast as they could. Two were ahead of her, while the other two made sure they maintained the same pace as their only Priestess. She was indispensable to them, after all. Of everyone in the Camp, no one else could use Holy Magic. Even though she was only a Level 5 Priestess (the highest attainable level was 19) her abilities were of utmost pertinence in the ongoing war. Of course, no one could determine the Levels except through Divine Revtion and a Spell, so they still required her aid to check just how powerful she¡ªand everyone else¡ªwas. "Lady Sarah, how are you feeling?" One of the guards asked her as they ran. Even though she appeared unperturbed, they all knew how draining the Hero Summoning Ritual had been for her. In fact, it was a miracle that the entire ritual seded. The guards knew how many times they had previously attempted this ritual, yet it was to no avail. It was only when the Camp was in danger ofplete obliteration that they decided to try their luck once more. Fortunately, the heavens epted their prayers and the hero they sought emerged. The moment theyyed their eyes on the one they had summoned, the guards did not doubt his capabilities. His mere presence gave them confidence. Though none could ce their hands on exactly what it was that inspired such confidence, there was something about the Hero¡ªthe way he looked, moved, and spoke¡ªthat made thempletely at a loss for words, flustered so to speak. Even though no one had told him about their current predicament, he understood everything perfectly. He was so valiant that he agreed to help them immediately, saving them a lot of time. "I heard that something is taken in exchange for using Summoning Magic¡ªan equivalent price must be paid by the Summoning party¡­" One of the guards stated nervously as he looked at Sarah, their one and only Priestess. If that was the case, then howe she waspletely fine? "The Hero didn''t even ask for anything in return¡­ such a benevolent person¡­ he seemed to good to be true." The second guard also stared at their most valuable¡ªscratch that, second most valuable asset¡ªin their battle for survival. It wasn''t as though they weren''t aware of the risks of Summoning Magic. At that point, they were desperate enough to try anything, so long as it meant their collective survival. But¡­ ¡­ If anything happened to the Priestess, then¡­ the only one they would be able to count on was the Hero. "I''m fine!" Sarah blurted out exasperatedly. The guards quickly stood at attention the moment she snapped at them. They surmised that she probably found their worried gazes annoying. ''Well, if she says it''s alright, then¡­'' ''I''m perfectly fine¡­ But why¡­?'' Sarah mused. As Sarah ran, the thought clouded her head. Even though the guards were surprised, the one who was most amazed by her current condition was none other than the Priestess herself. A Summoning Ritual was something that required an equivalent exchange. In essence, if they were to summon an entity as powerful as a Hero, then the repercussions had to have been severe, dire even. Yet, nothing happened to her. This had been bothering her since she performed the ritual. It wasn''t as though she had summoned a useless dog or something. This was a Hero¡ª a champion of the world! Why were there no consequences?! Suddenly, Sarah''s eyes bulged as she came to her own conclusion. She hadn''t thought of this, but maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ ''Did he¡­ intentionally refuse to receive anything in return?!'' It was said that the one being summoned was the one who demanded the offering that would be paid as tribute. What if the Hero himself didn''t want anything? What if he was generous enough to appear without requesting anything from them? ''T¡ªthat makes sense!'' Sarah thought with increasing conviction. Even when he was summoned, the powerful being was fully aware of their situation and didn''t even ask forpensation. Other than the requests he made, he hadn''t imposed anything on them at all! Such a kind and benevolent being was the one she had summoned! Sarah was ovee with emotion, but she fought to remainpletely calm. After all, the Hero had given them a simple mission. Even if they would bepletely useless when he made a grand disy of his powers, he had told them to assist him in their limited capacity. "Ten minutes, no, upy the enemies for five minutes. By then¡­ the preparations should be ready." That was what their champion had said. If it was only that long, then they would try their best. They had to. The ceremony to summon a Hero had taken much longer, so if they could only spare that long for their almighty savior¡­ it would be well worth it. "Hero¡­ I''ll do my best!" Sarah mumbled underneath her breath as she closed in on the iing crisis. "GUARK!" >SWISH!< "HOLD THEM DOWN!" >BOOOOMMMM!!< "HIYAAAA!!!" >WHOOOSSHH!< "GURUUUU!!!" >FWUUUSSSHHH!< "ROARRRR!!!" >VWUUMM!< "FIGHT!" The moment they arrived at the scene, Sarah could already see quite a number of guards on the ground. Five of them were visibly dead, the rest were terribly injured. While she couldn''t do anything about those who had lost their lives, the living still had hope. "Holy Magic: Blessing Of Life!" The Priestess poured out her Mana and made her appeal known. Instantly, white sparks of energy surged from her and enveloped the bloodied individuals on the ground. Like dancing fireflies, they floated around the injured ones, radiating luminous energy. Suddenly, the sounds of pain and agony came to a halt and wounds began closing at an incredible pace. Before long, the fallen soldiers rose to their feet,pletely healed of their battle wounds. Sarah smiled in relief, happy she could at least do something to aid those who had survived. If she had only been a Level 8, or maybe 9, Sarah would have been able to cast [Holy Magic: Breath Of Life], to revive the dead ones, but¡­ unfortunately, she was still not at that level yet. Still, the Priestess was more than happy that her earlier summoning ceremony hadn''t depleted any Mana she had. Just using this Spell had consumed over half of her Mana. She could tell by just how drained she felt. But, if it meant that she could help even a tiny bit, It was definitely worth it. "I''m not done!" She shouted, once again casting another Spell. "Holy Magic: Blessing Of Power!" This was a Buff Spell that would raise the physical abilities of her targets at least fivefold. With that, her Mana was exhausted. Using two incredibly strong Spells in session had drained her, but since it was only to buy time, Sarah needed to use all she had in her capacity to help. In her head, the clock was ticking. "Three more minutes¡­" The warriors had gotten even more powerful thanks to the buff they received. With everyone''s morale being boosted by the Hero''s appearance, and their uing salvation, they all fought valiantly. The Dark-skinned Demons were slowly being pushed back, albeit temporarily. Soon, everyone would lose their spunk, and the battle would tilt back in the favor of the Demons. The Buff would notst forever. Before then, though, the warriors gave all they had, screaming and shouting as they broke through the enemy''s thick line of defense. "Almost time. One more minute¡­!!!" At this point, Sarah was counting the seconds. Still, she didn''t lose hope. Their Hero would soon arrive. Once he did, the battle was as good as won! At least, that was what Sarah¡ªno, everyone¡ªbelieved. To believe otherwise would hurt too much. They had to remain positive. One minute passed. Then two. Then three. It was time for the Hero''s debut. However¡­ there was no one in sight. "W-where is the Hero?" She asked with fear creeping up her throat. It started as a small whisper, but this voice began spreading among the exhausted troops. They had fought with all their strength, refusing to spare anything. The battle had been so intense that the other Demons who had been charged with encircling the vige had toe to the Northern Gate for backup. That was how valiantly they fought. It was all because they knew the Hero would soon arrive. Yet, where was their champion? Sarah looked in the direction of the tent. Her heart was beating rapidly, and tears welled up in her eyes. ''H¡ªHero¡­!!!'' At this point, shouldn''t he have been running towards them? Flying would have been fine too! Even if he was simply strolling, any sign of the Hero would have been enough to bring rest to the minds of everyone, but there was nothing. It was as though there was no Hero. ''This cannot be happening, not now.'' She thought desperately. "N¡ªno¡­" Sarah mumbled, her body trembling. "Guarkkk!!!" Someone screamed as he fell backward. Their formation had finally been broken and the Demons were once again gaining the upper hand. The soldiers were already beyond tired. The Buff had worn off, and now the only thing they felt was exhaustion. In a few minutes, the battle would be over. The Demons would win, end of story. Still¡­ ¡­ Still¡­ ¡­ STILL!!! Sarah held on to a glimmer of hope. She had no choice, without hope, she was as good as dead. She focused her gaze in the direction of the tent, using up every inch of her vocal chords to bring forth her final plea for salvation. "HERO, PLEASE SAVE USSSSSS!!!" Would her prayers be answered? Would the man of the hour hear her¡ªno, everyone''s pleas?! The answer was¡­ ''No response¡­?'' "¡­." And, just as everyone was about to give in to despair¡­ >VWWUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHH!!!< Arge whirlwind began swirling at the center of the Camp settlement. It was so massive and filled with power that allbat ceased immediately. Both Humans and Demons had no choice but to look at the massive tornado. And then, just as the Tornado was about to be bigger, it suddenly dispersed. No, more like it waspletely negated. "N-no way¡­" Many muttered. There was only one thing that could have obliterated such a terrific phenomenon. It had to be something even more powerful. "It looks like I was a littlete¡­" A loud voice boomed. The sound was so intimidating and overwhelming that all who heard it trembled as they stared at the one who spoke. Their eyes bulged! Excitement rippled through the crowd. Everyone, without exception, looked at the one who spoke with a great surge of emotion. For the Humans, they felt relief¡­ andplete confidence.Finally, he was here. But, for the enemies¡ªthe Demons¡ªthere was only fear. "¡­ Do not worry any longer¡­." The huge figure loomed, towering above the t wastnd and sorry excuses for tents. His height reached the very clouds, and the glorious one was majestic enough to capture everyone''s attention. "¡­Why?" The marvelous voice boomed. Sparks of thunder and swirls of energy covered him. It was as though the giant man stood amid storms. A giant Hero, taller than the mountains, was staring at the cluster of allies and enemies. He was capable of crushing them with a single step¡ªor leveling everyone with a single swoop. Yet, the Hero did no such thing. He simply smiled with absolute confidence and gave the most assuring statement to the hopeful humans. "¡­ Because I am here!" Chapter 7 Have I Suddenly Become OP?! TERROR! A ripple of fear spread though the Lower Demons as they gazed upon the majesty of the giant being. His confident grin was enough to send shivers down their spines, a dozen times over. Lower Demons were creatures of low intelligence. They were no better than wild animals, with respect to their cognitive skills. It was due to this that they were used as mere pawns in battle. They relied solely on their instincts which were naturally inclined to violence. However, even unintelligent beings were not unaware of a core primal emotion that was associated with any living being. FEAR! They gulped and shivered, visibly shaken, unable to stand their ground. If that being took so much as a single step, the earth would shatter. A single breath of his could rip them to pieces. They had no hope ofying even the minutest of scratches upon him. Still, one question kept nagging at their primitive minds. Why wasn''t he attacking? His refusal to move from his position raised many questions, but the basic minds of these simplistic creatures found it quite difficult to process so many variables all at the same time, so they finally settled on what seemed most likely. ¡ªAbsolute Confidence! The towering god-like human waspletely aware of how insignificant they were to him. The condescending look in his eyes and his refusal to budge was simply an invitation to death. It was as though he was telling them "Take a single step forward, and die!" None of them desired that. Although some of theirrades had fallen, the Lower Demons had their confidence and pride, so they kept pressing on. But now, things were different. An immensely powerful being that surpassed all their expectations had appeared. The demonic entities knew it within themselves¡­ that they were royally screwed. "GUARRRAAAKKKK!!!" In one joint roar¡ªno, whimper¡ªof retreat, the dark beasts ran as if their lives depended on it. In this case, it did. Their screeches were filled with desperation. The survival instincts of the creatures were in overdrive and their demonic adrenaline made them quicken their pace as they fled. It was indeed, a sight to behold. Even as they were escaping, the monsters still nurtured a hidden fear that the celestial being behind them would smite them. The possibility of that happening made them quicken their pace even more¡ª clouds of dust trailing behind them. Fortunately for them, they were too weak to be considered worthwhile for the glorious entity. And so, he spared them not even another gaze. Their lives were spared! In gratitude, they resolved never to invade¡ªor evene close¡ªto the area under the custody of such a powerful entity. In their entire primitive lives, these Lower Demons had never met a being as strong as the entity they had just witnessed. In simple terms¡­ ¡­ He was OVERPOWERED! _______________________ "H-he saved us¡­" Sarah whispered, her eyes filled with tears. The worn-out soldiers also gazed upon the magnificent image of their champion. Although they had heard tales of such heroic beings, none were as magnificent as this. It was as though they wereying eyes on God himself. "Oh, Hero¡­" The Priestess sped her hands together and stared at her savior with absolute reverence. He had fulfilled his promise. More significantly, he had requested no charge at all. While she was a bit concerned that he had spared the demons, letting them escape, Sarah was too overwhelmed with gratitude toin. "Do not fret, everyone." The Hero''s booming voice ricocheted all over the crowd. "Salvation¡­ hase¡­" As those words came out, the image and voice of the Hero began to fade away. The Camp members closed their eyes and bowed down. At the same time, the image of the hero before them began to glitch and flicker as though he was pixted. How could they keep theirposure, after all? And so, while their eyes were tightly shut, The Hero dissipated, as though he was nothing more than a mirage. ___________________________ "Whew. That was a close one!" I heaved a sigh of relief. Referring to the incident as a close call, was the undestatement of the century. ''I was scared for my life, worried that it wouldn''t actually work''. Fortunately, my performance was perfect. ''They all bought it! Sweet!'' I gave myself a victory bump. Even as I was all alone in the Summoning Tent, surrounded by a Magic Circle that was different from the one used for Summoning, I couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed with a great sense of relief¡ªand pride. ''Thank goodness I remembered¡­'' Had it not been for my immense knowledge of my favorite Novel, as well as the materials necessary to pull this off¡­ it would have been the end for both me and everyone else here. [A Few Moments Earlier] "Since you trust me, then listen carefully to what I''m about to say," I said to my audience¡ªthe five people in the room. "There isn''t much time. Now, then¡­ let''s turn the tables, shall we?" As expected, they were willing to do anything I requested of them¡ªno questions asked. "Do you still have leftover ingredients used to make this summoning circle? Holy Water, Mana Chalk, and Mercury?" Their eyes widened in surprise. Were they surprised that I knew of the ingredients used to make the Circle? "A-as expected of the Hero. Y-yes. You are right! We still have some leftover ingredients." Sarah answered, sounding flustered. "Perfect," I said with obvious relief. ''If they didn''t have them, this would all be hopeless.'' Thanks to my summoners'' desperation, they wholeheartedly heeded my absurd request without the slightest resistance. "Just show me the ingredients and buy me some time. Ten minutes¡­ no, five minutes is enough!" The guards and Priestess did as they were told in a hurry, and left quickly to support theirrades. The moment I saw the look in their eyes before they left, I instinctively knew¡­ ''They''re counting on me!'' All that I saw during my previous encounter with this world came flooding back. I remembered the endless carnage. The destruction. The desperation. But, that wasn''t all. The hope everyone had in me. Their expectations of a Hero who would deliver them from cmity. Even though I was weak and powerless¡­ their faith and hope gave me strength. ''Isn''t this what I always wanted? To be a Hero?'' Overpowered or not, it was time to earn my keep. ''Failure wasn''t an option!'' There were two major ingredients used for creating a Magic Circle. ¡ªMana Chalk and Mercury. Holy Water could also be added for additional effects, as well as to make an appeal to the divine. All of these fundamental knowledge were stuck in my head thanks to the countless hours I spent watching and reading about them. These ingredients, in short, were necessary to create what I desired. What were my intentions? To summon a Magical Beast to decimate my enemies? Or would I conjure up an Angel to battle on my behalf? Would I be able to call upon Heroic Spirits toe to my aid? Perhaps even summon another Hero to take my ce? The answer to all those questions¡­ ¡­ was NO! I didn''t have enough MP to do any of those things. Equivalent exchange was the rule of Summoning Magic, and I literally had nothing to offer in exchange. That was why I couldn''t even dream of summoning even the minutest of things! Still, there was something else I had in mind. "I''ll need to alter this Circle, though!" I grinned, looking at theplexyer of Signs and Symbols that had been embedded in the ground. I had seen this many times while reading the Light Novels, and there were plenty of arts that alluded to the Summoning Circle. In essence, it was already a part of me. However¡­ the image of a Hero''s Summoning Circle wasn''t the only one I had. Quickly moving in a desperate motion, I grabbed the chalk and began drawing on the ground, in quick, rapid motions. Time was of the essence. It was harder than I thought, considering the fact that I had only drawn the circle on paper before, childishly hoping for some miracle back when I was on Earth. This would be my first time inscribing something of this magnitude. ''I had heard of some people who actually drew Circles on the ground¡­ damn, it''s hard!'' I hadn''t been a Chunnibyou back on Earth, so I wouldn''t know of such people. However, struggling with the design actually made me wish¡ªfor a split second¡ªthat I had attempted something like that even once. ''Sorry, everyone! I might be a bitte¡­'' >SKRIIIII< My drawing came to a halt and I was finally done with the Circle. ''It looks creepier now that I''m looking at it in person¡­'' I thought to myself, looking at the altered symbols and signs. The next step wascing the lines with Mercury to conclude the process. It was a delicate procedure, but since I had handled it on previous asions, it was rtively easier due to the fact that I was working on arger surface. "Whew! All done!" I looked at the circle. All that was left at this point¡­ was to invoke the effects I wanted. "Finally, it''splete." I grinned. ¡ªThe Mirage Circle! That''s right, this was aplex piece that stood at the pinnacle of ''Bullshitting!'' By altering the form of the Summoning Circle, I had changed the properties to match that of a Mirage Circle. And thetter only had one effect¡­ it was for showbiz! If things went well, it would be perfect for what I needed. Digital Entertainment was an untapped technology in this world I found myself in, but the sort of things I could project using this Circle were simr to Holographic Disys back on Earth. In conclusion, they weren''t real. They were shy, but rtively useless. "Now, then¡­ let the show begin!" Chapter 8 The Sublime Art Of Bullshitting The rest was history. I had initially utilized the ''Whirlwind Effect'' Disy, making it seem as though a huge tornado appeared out of nowhere. But, I realized that it would not be adequate to achieve my aims. The wind would scare the enemies, but itcked the charisma to deal a perfectly crushing defeat to the ruthless Demons I had seen with my eyes. To beat those horrible savages, I had to break their spirit. I needed something that radiated power, or someone rather. Having no other choice, I had to step into the Circle myself and project myself as an awe-inspiring being. Adding a few additional effects, like lightning swirling around my body, and a storm cloud above to make my avatar seem more intimidating, I was able to create a perfectly magnificient and powerful version of myself. Even though I couldn''t see anyone since I was in the tent, I made sure to perfectly adapt my voice and tone to suit the situation. To be honest, I was a little scared that someone would suddenly barge into the Tent and watch me make empty actions within the Mirage Circle. That would have been mortifying beyond belief. Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened. Everything went smoothly¡ªtoo smoothly if you asked me. Other than the dy I experienced, the rest was a cinch. And then¡­ "GUAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" ¡­ I heard the frightened screeches of the Demons. Due to my experience, obtained though careful study of my favourite novel in all adaptations, I could tell from their tone that they were scared shitless. The ground rumbled as they turned tail and ran away. Such cowards. As a result, Ipleted the Quest peacefully! [SYSTEM NOTICE] Type: Primary Difficulty: A ¡ªtBase Reward: 5 Stat Points. 1 Skill (Active/Passive). 10 Karmic Value. [Achievements And Additional Rewards Will Take Some Time To Calcte] ~Will You ept Your Base Reward Now?~ [Yes] [No] My lips curled up in a grin the moment I saw this. I selected the [Yes] option without hesitation. It was better to receive something for the time being, while waiting for my other rewards. I wasn''t being impatient, but Stat Points, Skills, and Karmic Values were a big deal in this world. I wasn''t sure when I would need them, hence it was best to have as many on hand as possible. In this world, it was pertinent to acquire as much skills as possible. ''Though, I already know the first Skill I''ll be getting¡­'' I rolled my eyes in annoyance. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [System Reward] <5 Stat Points Has Been Given To You> <10 Karmic Value Has Been Added To Your ount> [End Of Information] Once I epted the System''s initial Reward, the Window vanished from sight and I gave an exhausted sigh. "As expected¡­" These weren''t a bad start, for now¡ªespecially the Skill. Unfortunately, it required Mana for use. And I currently didn''t have enough MP to even attempt one try. In essence, it was currently useless! I suddenly felt exhausted and sighed deeply, returning back to reality. ''Haa¡­ I thought I was going to die, seriously¡­'' My body nearly slumped as I came out of the deactivated Mirage Circle. While it didn''t consume any of my meager Mana, there was a Time Limit to how long the effects wouldst. Still, to think I risked my life for such a measly reward. I couldn''t even count on the additional rewards to be given by the System. ''I didn''t exactly achieve anything, so it''ll probably be a few more Stat Points at most. Maybe for Intelligence or something¡­'' The System judged Rewards based on Aplishments and Contributions. Other than the Base Rewards, other special stuff could be given if the Hero did an exceptional job. Unfortunately, I barely made the cut. That was the harsh truth. It almost made me break down in tears. "It''s better than nothing, though¡­" I muttered, epting the situation grudgingly. Noise beganing from outside at this point. The townspeople must have been returning from battle. From the pitch of their tone, they sounded ted¡ªmaking me relieved that there were not too many casualties. ''I should go greet them¡­'' But, I looked at my Pajamas. Due to the tension and ardous experience, I had all but forgotten that my legs were also killing me. The cold was brutal, and my legs felt like they were made of wood. If I went out in this condition, I would not only look unsightly, but I could also end up embarrassing myself and ruining the heroic image that I had carefully crafted. ''I can''t have that!'' Suddenly, a bright idea came to me, causing my face to transform instantly. ''I better hurry!'' _______________________ Sarah and herrades slowly walked to the tent, shouting cries of victory. They had been able to ward off the enemy thanks to their valiant Hero''s appearance. Even though they had suffered a casualty of nine people in total, everyone knew that having only so few deaths was a miracle in itself. If the hero hadn''t appeared, the entire camp would have been wiped out. Besides, the nine had died before the Hero was summoned, so it was technically their fault. As soon as he arrived, though, the man of the hour turned the battle aroundpletely. He was worthy of the Title of Hero¡ªthe invincible one granted from the heavens. To be honest, Sarah still found it hard to believe that such a being existed¡­ and that she had been the one to summon him. However, reality spoke for itself. "Gather all the elderly, the sick, and the young. We all need to pay homage to our savior!" Sarah dered to her personal guards. In terms of hierarchy, she was at the top of the food chain. ? With the Hero present, her position was diminished a little, but no one could argue with the person who had summoned their champion, could they? Instantly, the able-bodied men darted to the tents used for refuge, fulfilling their duties with haste and precision. If they faltered for even a moment, it would be an insult; both to their Priestess and to the Hero himself. Within a few minutes, everyone was gathered before the Summoning Tent. Their eyes were transfixed on the beat-up structure that seemed luxurious inparison to the others around. The wastnd stretched over a great distance, but their primitive fences made the Camp Grounds seem a bit more civilized than the rest of the devastated areas. The townsfolk numbered at most three hundred¡ªand they gazed upon the Tent with both hope¡­and fear. They adored the Hero for his deeds and mighty disy of power, but who wouldn''t fear a being that could wield an immeasurable force? As some trembled in their raggedy attires, others whispered the great deeds of the Hero to those who had been absent. Curiosity and tension grew with every second that psed. "Please, be silent!" An authoritative voice finally spoke. Hermand echoed towards the three-hundred or so humans, and they obeyed instantly. No one uttered a single word. Sarah, the Priestess, was the one who gave themand. She now stood before everyone else, clearly about to make an announcement. As she backed the Hero''s Tent, her expression was filled with a radiance that emitted hope and joy. "Everyone, I thank you for gathering here today. It is indeed a memorable and miraculous asion. We survived a great tragedy and have received a powerful being into our midst!" The Priestess'' words rang true in the hearts of everyone. The warriors knew just how devastating their situation had been. They had watched theirrades die, and they too had been about to meet the same fate. Even the ones who didn''t go into battle knew that cmity was almost upon their settlement. They had been fated for extinction. Yet¡­ "The Hero has graced us with his presence and goodwill! And, he now stands within the tent behind me." People were in awe as she spoke elegantly, and her passionate voice soared even higher with each passing word. The smile on Sarah''s face blossomed, and her eyes widened in excitement. Telling the people just how great the Hero was, gave her an indescribable thrill. "I will now venture into the tent to usher the Hero outside. I implore you all to demonstrate your respect and loyalty to our champion¡­ OUR SAVIOR!" The townsfolk now trembled at her words. Whatever gratefulness they had felt earlier, had be amplified after hearing their Priestess speak. The power of words was at work, and the people were at its mercy. "Thank you, everyone. Now, then, if you will excuse me¡ª" "There''s no need for that, Sarah." A voice sharply interrupted the Priestess. Instantly, the entire crowd nced around sharply in surprise. Usually, interrupting the speech of someone¡ªespecially an individual with the rank of Priestess¡ªwould be considered rude, or even sacrilegious at its extreme. But, no one couldin this time. Considering the one who spoke was the Hero himself, second only to the gods in terms of rank. He had more than enough right to do this much. "I wille out myself." The Hero''s voice surged from within the tent, once again sending shivers down the spine of everyone present. No one needed to be told what next to do¡ª ¡ªKneel! They all knelt down. They bowed, with Sarah at the forefront, ready to wee the Hero into their midst. "Please, grace us with your presence¡­ Oh, Hero!" * * * * * [A/N: Please check Auxiliary Chapters for information on Characters. Original Character Artworks will be made avable on the Discord Server, so please do well to join.] https://discord.gg/yMPNRURZJh ~Thanks!~ Chapter 9 Sweet, I Really Pulled It Off! Nervous gulps escaped the throats of the townspeople. Their bodies shuddered uncontrobly. They lowered their gazes, unable to lift their faces to see who would emerge from the tent¡ª "Here Ie." ¡ªThe Hero! The fabric swayed in the air as it was pushed aside to make way for the most important person in the vast wastnd. A faint aroma tickled the noses of every single person in the town, and they perceived a scent that induced a mind-numbing bliss. The sweet smell of flowers, along with a strong dash of mint wafted around the entire camp. Smiles unconsciously yed on their lips as they eagerly expected him. One step Two steps Then the man before them stopped. A few were bold enough to shift their gazes a bit, allowing them to look upon the shoes he wore. It was the most peculiar item. It looked fluffy and soft¡ªlike cotton, and its shiny blue color was in sharp contrast to the dull, dirty ground. An illustration of dragon heads was depicted on both of the strange fluffy shoes. That was what gave the people their final clue as to what materials were used to create the soles for his feet. Dragons! The Hero had in dragons and actually used their hide for shoes! The gazed at him in awe. Such was his power! "You may raise your heads." His voice was low, yet unnerving. How could a single personmand such authority? As instructed, everyone began to lift their faces. Their hearts began to beat quickly, like drums used to proim a forting battle. Was it just them, or¡­?! It was at that moment that they realized¡­ that an actual sound was ying! The beats and rapid flow of the sound made their hearts jump in both tion and deep curiosity. The sound was music, yet it was unlike anything they had ever seen. The tempo rose as the hero got closer, they then looked up, finally gazing upon the one who stood before them. ''Nngh!!!'' Their eyes widened in awe as theyid eyes on him. Even Sarah and her four guards were surprised by the Hero''s current appearance. When they summoned him, he hadn''t been outfitted like this¡ªnot even close. For a moment, silence pervaded the expanse as they could not seem to decipher his current image. Donning a blue long-sleeved jacket that matched his trousers, the Hero had both arms out of the sleeves and wore a pure white vest underneath. His dragon-designed shoes matched his outfit well, and the glow in his blue eyes made him look angelic. Still, though, that was only the tip of the iceberg. Atop the Hero''s right palm was an object none of them had ever seen before. It initially looked like a book, but its texture wasn''t that of a book. It seemed to a tablet encased in a ck and gold pouch, but its surface was gleaming brightly. It was from this very item that the sound they were hearing emanated from. The crowd continued to observe nervously as the people wondered what sort of item the Hero had in his palm. The few who could use Magic couldn''t sense a trace of Mana from the thing, but they knew better than to judge a Hero''s relic using their own standards. It was most likely from a realm beyond their capabilities. There was no doubt about it now¡­ ¡­ This was the genuine article¡ªA True Hero! Suddenly, the music stopped, and then the man standing before them gazed at the people with a warm smile. It seemed like he was somewhat excited, but that was probably their imagination. Perhaps the Hero was satisfied with their greeting, despite being inadequate? If so, then this truly was a benevolent being. "Huu¡­" The magnificient being in front of them, heaved a great sigh. Everyone stopped breathing. Now, the tension was so thick, a knife could cut through it. It was clear that the magnificient being was about to address them. No one dared move a muscle. "¡­ I greet you all." He said, smiling. Silence. They had no idea what they could do in response, so they simply settled for absolute decorum. "You all must be weary. Having suffered such great tragedy and pain, truly, your desperation and sorrow have reached a justifiable crescendo." Even if they said nothing, everyone waspletely dazed by the Hero''s mastery of words¡­ as well as his immense understanding. "Yet, you have all gathered before me. I thank you all." Warm emotions spread throughout the hearts of those who listened. What manner of invincible being would be so considerate about the feelings of those beneath him? This was something only the Hero was capable of! "My name is Samuel, a Hero summoned to save this world from the scourge of evil." Hearts were moved, and at this point, everyone had the same hopeful glimmer in their eyes. To be honest, they had only attempted summoning a Hero to rescue them from their demonic invaders. But, to think that this being had actually thought so far ahead! Truly, he was¡­ "All I ask is that you trust my words wholeheartedly. As your Hero¡­ I will help you!" ¡­. The Perfect Hero! ___________________ ''Sweeeeeeeet!!!'' I squealed internally. The lines I had just uttered were one of my favorites from the T.W.T.S.S Light Novel. It was said by the MC after a particr stronghold suffered severe casualties and desperately required the Hero''s aid. ''I have to say¡­ I pulled it off perfectly!'' Even though I couldn''t get all those legendary items that the Hero had when he gave this reassuring statement, Ipensated for it quite well with a few belongings of my own. I had unzipped my pajama top, using it as a jacket while exposing my white vest underneath. Then, I obtained my favorite pair of Flip Flops using the ''Shop'' Feature. I would have gone for the Crocs, but the Flip-Flops went well with my Pajamas, so it was the best choice. As for what I held in my hand like a Grimoire¡­ it was none other than my Tablet! It had a very solid pouch that had rune designs on it to make the thing look like a legit Grimoire, but it was just an average Tablet. Of course, I used the music feature and gave myself a pretty neat beat to make a proper entrance. Having technology in a world like this helped a great deal. I was certain they would think I was using some sort of advanced Magic to generate the sound. ''Hahaha! In Another World With My Tablet. Epic!'' Some would call it unnecessary, but what kind of grand entrance didn''t have a great background music to go with it? I had to create the perfect atmosphere! Why would I go so far, though? The answer was simple. ''I needed them to believe that I was the real deal¡ªa Hero!'' And not just that, but I also needed to properly establish my position in this new society. Based on my experience with Hero stories, there were two major routes that the Summoned One usually had to take. The first was the path of prestige and respect¡ª where the people would actually love and adore the Hero for his deeds. However, the more popr route was the second one¡ªwhere the Hero gets betrayed or is forced to work his ass off to help the citizens of the new world. No one gave a Hero any recognition in the second route, and he always had to prove himself or go on a loner''s journey. ording to what was mentioned in T.W.T.S.S about the MC''s first Heroic adventures, he had followed thetter. The problem with these sorts of things was that the second route was usually arduous. The MC would ovee several obstacles alone, and would suffer all kinds of punishments. Some developments ended with the MC building a Harem, but I was sure that the harsh environment of my favorite Novel would not condone such a thing. ''Damien suffered a lot in his first go. I didn''t n on going through that, not in the slightest!'' If I could conquer this starter town and somehow build a stronghold for myself here, then the first route would be more feasible for me to achieve. That was all there was to it. ''Alright, then! Let''s do this Hero thing!'' Chapter 10 Getting An OP Reward! Karmic Value! In the novel, Transmigrated With The Strongest System, it was one of the most important assets of the MC. In fact, at the earlier stages, it was the one of most relevant assets for survival and adaptation in the Fantasy World Damien was thrust into. Why? Because, just as humans had money in the world I came from, Karmic Value was the System''s currency of exchange. More urately, it was the only means of exchange! Even for avoiding a Penalty or a Quest, one needed Karmic Value Points to pay. It was a perfectly crafted system that could make or mar the user. After clearing my earlier Quest, I received 10 Karmic Value as a reward. Looking at such an amount, would anyone think it was worth much? Nope. And they would be damn right about it! 10 Karmic Value waspletely useless. To get a single good gear from the System Shop, I would need at least 100 Karmic Value. Inparison to the number 100, 10 was just abysmally small. ''To think I risked my life for such a smallpensation¡­'' Okay, so, I wasn''t stating all this information just to be petty. The relevance of Karmic Value in this whole adventure, especially the 10 which I had just received, could be considered to be a game changer. Usually, I would consider 10 to be a minimal amount, however, I had just recalled that there are exceptions to every rule. ''The Junkyard!'' That''s right! The System Shop was separated into two categories. The Main Shop had amazing items with mind-blowing effects. Magic tools, or Skill Scrolls. Their abilities ranged from C Rank to S Rank. Wielding a single Item from the Main Shop would make me considerably strong in this world¡ªespecially among the mobs that surrounded me. ''Too bad I can''t afford any of that shit!'' The only things my 10 Karmic Value could obtain were items deemed as trash. They belonged in the Junkyard. Now, when calling something trash, I wasn''t exactly talking about unusable rubbish. By human standards, trash could be defined as useless items to be discarded. Yes, that was the perfect definition. So, ording to the System¡ªin a world of Swords and Magic¡ªwhat would be considered trash? Come on, think hard! Yes, it would be none other than TECHNOLOGY! The Junkyard contained things from my world¡ªobjects of technology and civilization. Not all Items in the Junkyard were cheap though, so yet another two categories existed. [Junkyard Category] [Please Pick] ¡ªOption 1: Secondhand Items ¡ªOption 2: General Items The first option contained the cheapest categories of items in the System Shop. And that was because they were all personal possessions of the user. Yes! Every item in the Secondhand Option was mine. My Flip-flops. My Tablet. Everything I recently acquired came from that section of the Shop. It was very convenient, yet dirt cheap! I got my Flip Flops for one Karmic Value, and my Tablet was sold for four. That gave me 5 Karmic Values left. Wasn''t that absolutely ridiculous? Thanks to this, I was able to impress the audience. They all seemed to buy into my BS, and their eyes were filled with deep respect and admiration. Thanks to my stunt, the System informed me that more names had been added to my Character List. In short, every single person who had heard me felt such deep loyalty that they were recorded by the System. I was ecstatic! The easy route was finally opening up for me. As if that wasn''t enough of a reward, the System finally popped up after keeping me waiting for so long. [SYSTEM NOTICE] ~Would You Like To Receive All Your Rewards Now?~ ''About time!'' I grinned to myself, almost forgetting that I was on stage for a moment. The honest citizens who watched me still had their expressions of reverence, so they must not have noticed my blunder. ''I should check it outter¡­ or¡­'' Deciding not to leave things to fate, I epted the System''s Rewards. It wasn''t like it was a big deal anyway. Or so I thought¡­ [SYSTEM UPDATE] [Here Are Your Rewards Based On Your Aplishments] ~100 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~300 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~100 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~1,000 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~Skill: Rune crafting has been given~ ~Skill: Freedom Of Expression has been given~ ~Skill: With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power, has been given~ ~30 Stat Points have been given~ ~Title: [Fraud] has been given~ ~You Have Leveled Up (¡Á5)~ [End Of Information] ''Holy shit!'' My brain shut down for a minute. I felt a wave of immense shock reverberate all over my body. Everything went ck. And then¡­ I could feel myself passing out. I was definitely going to faint. But, just as I was about to lose consciousness, ''it'' manifested. [Skill: Freedom Of Expression has been automatically applied] [Skill Effect: You will never loseposure when in the presence of another. Words will never fail you, and every individual action shall be performed wlessly.] I was able to remain utterlyposed despite being so rattled. This was beyond my wildest expectations. ''T-this many Rewards?!'' It took some time toprehend it. 1,500 Karmic Value. Three Skills. One Title 30 Stat Points. Five Level Ups. These were rewards that had beenpletely beyond my expectations, yet¡­ how did I get them? I didn''t really do anything, did I? I just¡­ I just¡­ It was initially unbelievable, highly overwhelming and unfathomable, but when I mulled it over in my head.. ''¡­ It actually made sense!'' Every action I took, as unimpressive as it seemed, was actually a big deal for a clueless Level 1 Noob. I had surpassed the System''s expectations, hence it rewarded me generously. ''Hahaha¡­ why was I worried for nothing?'' Iughed silently. The System was honest. It rewarded me based on my efforts. Nothing more, nothing less. ''I had initially intended to do the barest minimum to survive, but¡­ if this is how things are, then¡­'' I set my gaze on my absolutely loyal minions, as well as the wastnd they called home. Wasn''t this quite the opportunity for me? More Achievements = More Rewards. ''Sweet'' ncing around, I could see that there was much work to be done on the vast wastnd. Basically Work = Acheivements. In essence, this was actually a gold mine! I made a silent apology to everyone who bowed before me. I was so sorry for thinking they were useless. This couldn''t have been possible without their efforts. But, now that we had arrived at this juncture, there was no way I could stop now. With the many potential rewards that awaited me, depending on my achievements, and the easy progression in sight, my motivation was soaring through the sky. ''¡­ Why don''t I just go all out?'' Chapter 11 Let The Kingdombuilding Begin! From the dawn of time, Demons have always been the dominant race in this world. They were superior in every way, and their capabilities far surpassed that of any other being. These beings were not only more intelligent, but their advancements and innovations also propelled them to the top of the food chain. Power and influence belonged to them. That was basically the state of things in T.W.T.S.S. Unlike my world, where humans reigned supreme, the Demons were in charge here. Just as we had innovations and advanced civilizations back on Earth, the Demons had the same thing going on here. In short, they were the humans of this world. Every other being could be ssified as lower animals¡ªactual humans included. For the sake of specificity, it should be noted that the humans were considered primitive, perhaps they would be regarded as the equivalent of apes or monkeys in my previous world. While the humans were recognized to possess some level of intelligence, they were too primitive topete with the Demons. Basically, this was the hierachy in this world. Demons were at the top. Weaker creatures were at the bottom. Humans existed somewhere in the middle. And this unfair situation was created by none other than the monarch of this world¡ªthe Demon God. As the name implied, this being was the God of Demons. As a result, he was on their side. This world was designed for them to be at the top. Everything that existed was for their benefit, and every other creature could only struggle for the scraps. Just as humans on Earth often gloated about being the superior species, the Demons enjoyed such privilege here. As such, other creatures could never even dream of changing the status quo . The Level Cap for everyone was determined. The number of Skills, Titles, Job Rank, Stats; everything had been predetermined to ensure that no race could everpete with the Demons. For instance, humans had a Level Cap of 30. No human could exceed that limit, no matter how strong. That meant it was the peak of growth. Compared to that, even the weakest High-Rank Demons were about Level 50. The vast difference ensured no one could ever challenge the Demons. No one except the Hero! In essence, the major difference between the Hero and everyone else was that he had no limit. The Cap ced on the inhabitants of this world didn''t apply to a foreigner. That was the principle behind the Hero''s existence¡­ as well as the reason why only he could stand against the Demons. As such, the Hero was literally the only hope of the people. They had no other choice! Having grown tired of living like livestock, everyone now prayed and begged for a savior¡ªsomeone who could deliver them from their status as nobodies. It was this very desperation that birthed my Transmigration into this world. I became the crystalization of the desires of this world, and the natural enemy of the dominant species in this world. Pretty epic story, yeah? ___________________ "Hmmm¡­" My lips quivered as I felt my eyes slowly open. My body wasfortably lying on afortable bed, and I could feel all the exhaustion from the previous day seep away. "Good morning, Hero." A sonorous voice sounded by my bedside. Yep, someone was watching me. "Sarah, I''ve told you already. Call me Sam." I spoke, rising from the lovely bed and sitting upright. "I-I''m so sorry for my disobedience, He¡ªS-Sam¡­" She stuttered nervously. ''It seems she''s still having difficulty getting used to it.'' I sighed, getting my eyes used to my environment. I was currently in what could only be described as my residence. The entire structure was arge tent that I bought from the Junkyard. It was quite cheap, but it served an important purpose. Since there was no way I was going to sleep in the dirty tents they had, this was the best alternative I had. Of course, everyone marveled when I pulled the stuff out of nowhere. "As expected of the Hero!" "The Hero is amazing!" "All hail the Hero!" Their marvel at something so basic made me realize why humans were referred to as a primitive race in this world. Still, I couldn''t exactly me them, could I? This was the only life they knew to live. "Good morning, Sarah. Fetch me my Ancient Grimoire." I told her with a dignified look. Instantly, the girl rushed to a corner within the tent. There was a chair and table¡ªlike a reading spot. Atop the desk was what I told her to get me. The object itself was in a ck and gold case, having rune symbols designed around it. It looked powerful and mysterious indeed¡ªa look I was going for when I purchased it from my world. Yes, the Grimoire was none other than my Tablet. "Here it is, my Lord!" With blinding speed, Sarah was back with my item. I nodded and epted it, opening it to check the time and date. ''It''s time for my Daily Log¡­'' I thought, staring at the screen. Picking up my stylus pen, I opened my ''Notes'' and created a new entry. [Tuesday, September 6, 2022] ~It has been three days since I arrived in this world, two nights since I have slept here. Initially, I was worried about what my life here would be like, but I have to say, I''m adjusting quite well~ A smile formed on my face as I looked around the tent I was in. A wardrobe stood in a corner¡ªopposite the study desk and chair. I had a few attires within. As much as I tried to be frugal with my expenses, being a Hero meant I needed to look the part. Raising the opinion of everyone around me was important work. ''Though, it seems that has already maxed out.'' My study desk had a few books that I needed in order to assist me with the ongoing ns I had for this ce. One of the books was different from the other modern ones. It was a detailed report given by Sarah; telling me all the important information about the Camp, and also the general state of the world. Since my knowledge of the first round was limited, I needed more Intel to n ahead. Besides, if I didn''t study well, everyone would eventually figure out my ignorance. I definitely couldn''t have that, so I decided to study every night before bed. ''I''ve always liked reading, so it''s not so bad¡­'' If I thought of the report as a story, then it was easier to digest. Other than the basic furniture, my tent was empty. I preferred a wide space. It made my premises look grander. I proceeded to go outside to get some air, momentster, I resumed my Entry. ~As I wrote earlier, the total poption of this settlement is three hundred and five. Though, the current poption is less than that because some of the townsfolk left to gather supplies from a neighboring settlement.~ I ordered Sarah to prepare warm water for me, so she skittered out of my room to get the job done. ~The two hundred and ny people here are loyal to me and see me as their champion. It is a heavy burden to bear, but I''m trying my best.~ A warm cup of tea was already ready by my bedside. I picked it up and had a good sip. "Haaa¡­ Sarah sure knows how to treat a guy well." If I had to praise one thing in this world, it would be their meditative tea. It definitely rxed my nerves. ~My current Karmic Value is 2,300. It has been fluctuating recently, but I have to admit that it''s a good development from the 1,505 I started with. Thanks to the numerous achievements I have been raking in, the System supplies Karmic Value aspensation. I''m trying to minimize my spending, but if I consider it as an investment, it''s easier to buy some stuff. By getting a good amount of stuff from the Junkyard, I can put them to good use here.~ p I was quite satisfied with what I was doing, and it wasn''t just thanks to the help of my world''s technology. ~Bybining my knowledge of the T.W.T.S.S Novel, the items from the Junkyard, and my personal Abilities, I was getting good results. Well, it''s my third day here. Let''s hope for the best!~ [End Of Daily Log] Chapter 12 Lets Get Our Priorities Straight ording to Maslow''s Hierarchy Of Needs, humans require certain necessities to attain stability and satisfaction in their daily lives. These are; physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. These needs, starting from first tost, need to be realized in a progressive manner. The further one goes down the list, the more difficult it is to achieve¡ªand the fewer the people who actually reach the peak of the hierachy. The Physiological needse first and foremost, i.e they are top priority. They involved stuff like food, water, warmth, rest, etc. You know, basic stuff for sustenance. However¡­ "Sigh, what kind of world is this?" I had uttered as I initially took a good look around me. The environment was harsh, and the people were barely scraping by. ''They don''t have the first Need settled, let alone the others'' I was exasperated, to say the least. However, where there is a will, there is a way. In this case, the way was simply to solve all the problems that confronted me, and then receive rewards from the System for my Achievements. This meant their apparent inability to fufill their basic needs, was actually perfect for my goals. The only issue confronting me was where exactly to begin. ************ The first issue was to alleviate the ''Physiological Needs'' of the people around me. While it wasn''t as though they were dying of thirst or starvation, the fact remained that they were running low on supplies. That was the reason why the Camp Leader¡ªthe actual Chief of these people¡ªalongside a few others, embarked on a journey to obtain supplies for the settlement. There was also a problem with obtaining water. Yep, I was shocked about that fact as well. Usually, these people performed a ritual¡ªwith Sarah as the lead¡ªand appealed to the heavens for rainfall. The sess rate was about twenty Percent, and the rain didn''tst very long since everyone''s Mana got used up pretty quickly. So, other than the little water they obtained from their little ritual, they also had to purchase water from a nearby settlement. I wanted to question the rationale behind not using Magic that condensed the moisture in the air to produce water, but changed my mind after observing them for some time. Unlike Demons, humans were somewhat primitive in this world. I didn''t mean they were cavemen or anything. It''s just that Magic Technology and innovations were a mystery to them. That meant it was up to me to solve that problem as well. In addition, the state of themunity itself was also dire. Not only was it a wastnd with no redeeming features whatsoever, it was also situated in the middle of nowhere. p ording to Sarah''s reports, they had had to fend off Demons quite often, but this was the first time they had had to face a number that overwhelming. And at that point, their manpower was depleted. However, as that was a matter of Security and Safety, I saved the Demon aspect forter. Besides, after that little stunt of mine, I doubted any of those Lower Demons would bothering close to this area. Moving on with the list of issues¡ªstill in the Physiological portion of Maslow''s Hierarchy¡ªthe Wastnd was extremely cold. In fact, on my arrival I had noticed the unusual chill. ording to Sarah, it got even worse at night. I nearly shudddered when I heard that. That was one of the reasons why I decided to summon a Tent for myself. Obtaining a sufficient source of light was also an issue, as the residents often had to use me posts and take turns gurading the area. I observed this routine at night and realized that it was too risky. One could hardly see at night, so it would be very risky if an enemy assaulted under camouge. That simply had to be fixed. Shelter was a major factor as well. The tents these people used were all worn out and threadbare. It alsocked the appropriate instion to keep their bodies warm at night. It was a marvel how they had even survived until now. ''Maybe an adaptive feature for growing up in such a harsh world¡­?'' I couldn''t imagine spending my entire life in such hell. Unlike them, I had a well-insted Tent. It was also veryrge, for good heat conductivity. I made sure to also inste the floors by having decent carpets. My nkets and bed were also quitefortable. Fortunately, since I could obtain my personal possessions through the ''Secondhand Items'' option, I was able to get a decent amount of what kept mefortable in my normal world. If I could do the same for these people, then it was certain that they would be able to live very decent lives. Many other issues cropped up as I investigated. They were things that Sarah had overlooked in her Reports¡ªprobably because she was just as primitive as everyone else. One of the most important was sanitation. I understood that they couldn''t pay much attention to such things because they were in a constant battle for survival, but if I was going to live there, it had to at least be conducive. The arrangement of everyone''s tents was also disorganized and clumsy. I preferred orderliness, so that would have to change. Every time I looked around, I observed new problems, so I decided to take a small notebook with me at all times in order to write every w this settlement had. The list was endless. This wasn''t an exaggeration! In as much as I was d to have issues to resolve, my capacity to render aid was not unlimited. ''I''ll have to pick the most important matters and address those first¡­'' And so, just as Maslow had his own hierarchy, I invented mine as well. By itemizing the list of problems faced by the settlement, I was able to draw a chart. The first problem to address wasn''t food nor water¡ªthey had those already¡ªbut the environment itself. Which was why, on my second day, I made sure topletely restructure the Camp. "Get rid of all those worn-out Tents!" Imanded. "You won''t be needing those mats any longer!" "We''re ridding ourselves of this!" "Throw that out!" By coordinating the efforts of the townsfolk without having to personally do anything myself, I solidified my position as their leader. It took the whole day, but we were finally able to raze the entire Camp to bare-surface level. Other than the sorry excuse for a fence with which they surrounded their settlement, everything else was destroyed. Well, almost everything. Weapons were kept, of course. But, even those were temporary. Soon, they would have to rid themselves of them as well. The leftover food and water they had left were gathered. Items for public use¡ªlike trumpets, artifacts, and a few objects of sentimental value were left. But, the personal effects of everyone were disposed of. Of course, it wasn''t like I threw the useless stuff in a bin or anything. Such a thing wasn''t even avable. I simply gathered everything to a corner outside the fence of the vige. At a nce the entire thing looked like a refuse dump. "Should I burn them?" Sarah had asked me with a determined glint in her eyes. "No. I still have use for them¡­" I said, winking. Not only was burning refuse so close to a residential area harmful due to the toxins it will emit, but it was also a signal that could attract enemy forces. Besides, hadn''t these people ever heard of recycling? "It seems I have a lot to teach you, Sarah¡­" "Eek! I understand, He¡ªI mean, Sam!" That was how the conversation ended. And so, we created a junkyard behind the Camp, where everything I deemed to be trash ended up. As a result, the people were left with barely anything in the Camp. However, none of them despaired. Instead, they looked to me with hopeful gazes. Their expectations were heightened as they awaited my salvation. And, as the Hero, I did not disappoint. ''Due to ridding the Camp of barely usable junk, I have racked in quite the achievement¡­'' I thought excitedly. Achievements were equal to Karmic Value. As a result of mybined efforts,I had garnered almost three thousand points. With that amount, I was able to get multiplerge tents and arrange them ordingly. A single tent could amodate at least thirty people¡ªwith room to spare. Since the Camp''s poption was three hundred and five, I summoned twelve Tents. Eleven was quite sufficeint to house the entire settlement, so the final one would be used a storage area. As a result of the properly organized housing arrangement, the settlement still had lots of space to spare. The remaining room was as spacious as the parking lot of argepany. ''This is what happens when you manage space well!'' I ordered the townsfolk to gather all the supplies into the storage. After everything was done, it was evening already. Usually, at this point, the people would have begun to get worried about what would be of them. But, my followers were different. They believed in their Hero! "System Window¡­" Imanded, grinning, deciding to make a good show for them. The tents I purchased hadyered grounds, so the people did not have to lie on the cold bare earth. The tents had a ck exterior and a white interior. The polyester material stretched across the empty expanse, giving the interior a peculiar synthetic smell. ''They''ll need beds and nkets¡­'' I reasoned internally. Summoning over three hundred beds and nkets was a little over my budget. So, I had to make do with something cheaper. So I purchased dual-insted sheets to serve as their beds and nkets. The sheets wererge, so each Tent only required two¡ªfor both right and left ends. The center would be a perfect walk space, and I made sure there would be enough space to amodate the thirty who would be spending their time inside. Since the insted sheets were doubleyered, the people could rest their backs on the soft cushions and also cover themselves properly. It was less than ideal by my standards, but this was still an improvement from their previous lifestyle. The number of Achievements I was getting was proof of that fact. Due to solving the housing problem as well as the sanitation issues, I felt a deep sense of aplishment on the second day. My Karmic Value however, reduced drastically, due to therge expenses incurred during the re-organization as well as stocking the store with the necessary items I would be needingter on. Still, having over 2,000 Karmic Value was still a big deal, so I couldn''tin. Nevertheless, there was still much to do. So, as I began my third day, I was ready to aplish much more. "For my Karmic Value and also for the people!" Chapter 13 I Guess Ive Grown A Bit What was the name again? ''In Another World With My Smartphone?'' I recalled. I recalled reading a Light Novel about a guy who got struck by a natural phenomenon¡ªprobably lightning, or something¡ªdue to God''s mistake. As a result, he got reincarnated into another world and he was able to take his Smartphone with him. That wasn''t all though. Apparently, he got all sorts of buffs and cheat abilities. I believe he also had ess to all the Elemental Attributes in that world. Still, the selling point of the whole novel was his Smart phone. The most amazing thing about it was that he could use stuff like the Inte, GPS, and probably even stream some decent movies or something. This guy was so broken that he was able to live veryfortably in his new world. Built a Harem of some charmingdies, and had the craziest adventures. Such severely biased treatment, just because one bolt of lightning struck his body and identally killed him. Tch! ''If that''s how it is, where''s my lightning?'' **************** After recording my daily log for my third day, I rose from myfortable bed and started my routine. "Let''s begin the exercise¡­" I murmured, taking off my clothes and flexing my nonexistent muscles. Yep, it was time for my morning workout session! When did I start working out?¡­ let''s just say it was a new habit I nned on sticking to. Of course, I wasn''t just doing it just for kicks. There were benefits attached to training my body every morning¡ªand I didn''t mean the health benefits or the appeal of being ripped. ¡ªStats! Yes, there were generally three ways to increase Stats. One was to Level Up. Doing so would grant Stat Points. The second waspleting Quests. Stat Points came as rewards for sessful quests. Last but not least, was the mostmon of all¡ªfollowed by everyone including themon folk. ¡ªDiligent training! "Push-ups first!" Iy on the ground and assumed the proper stance. Steadying myself, I made sure my centrifugal force was bnced. Thankfully I had enough room in the tent to aplish this. My eyes were aglow with determination, and I was certain my goals for the day would be fulfilled easily. ''Okay¡­ let us begin!'' [Twenty Seconds Later] "No¡­ no more¡­" I copsed on the floor, already at my limit. I panted heavily, and every single muscle in my body was racked with excruciating pain. "Haa¡­ haa¡­" I whimpered pitifully. My body writhed on the floor as I tried to ovee my exhaustion. ''I still have more to do¡­ I can''t get stuck here!'' Once again filled with determination, I ignored the pains coursing through my body and started another round. [Ten Seconds Later] "Urhhh¡­ no more. This will kill me. Seriously¡­" [Your Strength Stat Has Increased by 1] [Your Vitality Stat Has Increased by 1] ''Haa¡­ about time!'' These two Stats got raised by constant exercise. The others also required some specific training to increase them. I had been exercising faithfully for two days, and I only got a total of six Stat Points. "Worth it, my ass! Isn''t this a waste of time?" Though I said them, I didn''t fully believe those words There was a reason I was naturally raising my Stats like this rather than simply spending Stat Points to buff myself. I was certain that buffing myself would ensure that I didn''t get so exhausted or worn out after working out. However, that also meant I would need to spend more time exercising. The only reason my Stats were even going up so easily was because I had low ones. The higher it went, the harder it was to increase it. ''That''s why this is the perfect time to increase my abilities¡­'' I thought grudgingly. Wiping the sweat from my body using a towel I took out of my Inventory, I huffed and puffed, readying myself for another round. "Okay, Sam¡­ let''s do this one more time!" [Half An Hour Later] "System Window." My voice sounded dead, drained of all its energy, and I was on the floorpletely wasted. I felt like dying, but that was simply an illusion given by my body to remind me of my limits. A painful illusion. [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 5 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Exhausted. Excited. Status Infliction: Exhaustion. Pain. Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills [Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] "Damn straight!" Of course, I''d be deadbeat tired. Exercising for long hours without break¡­ only a madman would resort to that. The only reason I had been able tost so long was the Auto-Recover function I had earned as a ''Hero'' feature. Basically this feature helped me automatically recover lost energy after a certain amount of time. Healing was also improved as well. However most impressively, I never aged. These were all countermeasures provided by the System to ensure that the Hero would be an optimal vessel for defeating the enemy. And so, after getting deadbeat tired, I would recover, then push myself again. Rinse. Repeat. A cycle of excruciating pain daily. At least the rewards were worth it. Doing this for thirty minutes every day was my morning ritual. It was so I could raise my Stats as much as possible. At night, I also read several books to increase my Intelligence. Despite my initial intention of taking things easy, I had ended up pushing myself quite hard ever sinceing to this world. ''If I don''t want to die, then this is necessary¡­'' "Stats Window," I murmured, watching as the contents on the System''s screen changed. [Stats] Level: 5 Exp: 0.0 ss: None (ssless) Karmic Value: 2,300 [Basic Ability] HP: 15/15 MP: 5/5 Strength: 9 Agility: 4 Vitality: 11 Intelligence: 20 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] A grin formed on my face as I stared at my Stats. Despite the fact that I had managed not to spend any Stat Points, my abilities had increased considerably. My HP and MP naturally increased with Level Ups, and the ways to raise their Cap were quite tricky, unlike normal exercises. For Agility, I would need to start running or jogging, but that could wait until things in the town stabilized. My Strength and Vitality had also risen a great deal these past two days. I knew I was going to reach the limit soon, but¡­ till then, I needed to keep exerting myself to gain as many natural Stats as I could. Basic workout sessions could not increase my Stats indefinitely after all. Combat training. Magic training. Expeditions. All these and many more could increase my Stats exponentially. I would have to gain experience through many more thingster on, but for now¡­ this was the safest approach to get stronger. My Intelligence Stat was by far the most impressive, and that was simply because I had been consuming a great deal of knowledge ever since I arrived in this world. My research was mostly centered on subjects pertaining to the T.W.T.S.S. Novel, but I also branched out to notable facts and information manuals that would assist me in this new world. Due to being an avid fan of the Novel, I had the soft copy on my Tablet, so I had been catching up on the story''s progression. As expected, the first round was only vaguely mentioned. Besides, since I was taking a different path from the MC,so a lot of the information stated there was unreliable and useless to me. Still, additional knowledge wouldn''t hurt. My Tablet also had a folder that contained my notes on the Novel¡ªincluding a list of all the Spells, ssified ording to category, such as Runes, Artifacts, sses, Skills, etc. that were mentioned throughout the story. Going through them would take some time, but it was worth it as it would result in an increase to my intelligence and overall knowledge about this world. Also as a result of the increase in my cognitive skills, retaining such details were much easier. If I could memorize all the important details, it would be extremely helpful. "Well, It''s considerable progress. Let''s check out the next item on the list." Stats were good for generally gauging the ability of an individual, but in this world, they weren''t everything. More was needed. "Skill Window." [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule <2> Rune crafting <3> Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power <5> Insight "I never imagined I would already have five Skills¡­" A smile formed on my face as I observed each of them. [Skill Details] Allows the user to see five seconds into the future. [Current Rate: 3 MP per use.] Helps the user to craft runes faster and more urately. A ten to fifty percent increase in power is also added, depending on the quality of the Rune crafted. [Current Rate: 5 MP per use] You will never loseposure when in the presence of another. Words will never fail you, and every individual action shall be performed wlessly. [Current Rate: 0 MP per use (Constant)] You are able to obtain, store, and utilize one Skill from any of your subordinates. [Current Limit: 3 Total Skills] [Current Rate: Varies] Increases observation and sensory sharpness. The user can see better in the dark, and has a good grasp of his surroundings [Current Rate: 0 MP per use (Constant)] [End Of Information] That was about it. These were my cards. My arsenal so to speak. While they were not exactly the greatest, especially when it came to fighting, I couldn''t ask for a better starter pack. Besides, these were all rewards of all my hard work and genuine efforts. The fact that they weren''t given to me as cheats, on a tter of gold¡ªunlike that character who had ess to so many abilities from the start¡ªgave me a sense of satisfaction. While it was regrettable that I wasn''t Overpowered or entirely special, I couldn''t bring myself to hate my current state. "It''s not so bad, after all¡­" I mused happily. Chapter 14 Wheres The Bathroom Around Here? Based on my current knowledge of this world, there were numerous issues that needed improvement. Despite clearing the settlement, and creating a more conducive living environment, more improvements were necessary. First and foremost¡­ BATHING! Yep, that was indeed a factor I had needed to consider when I first arrived here. "How do you all use the bathroom? What do you do when you wanna ''go''?" I had asked Sarah As detailed as my favorite novel was, these little things were never addressed¡ªespecially because the MC operated as a lone wolf for the most part of his adventures. On his first go, it was a full-on loner vibe. That was probably why Damien never got to experience the sort of hardship I was currently facing. "Seriously? You¡­ do it¡­ like that?" I was honestly appalled. ording to Sarah¡ªwho looked mortified when I asked the question¡ªthey had public stalls for bathing as well as their excretory activities. Basically, only two of such facilities were provided and everyone had to share them. In addition the facilities provided were not only inadequate they were also disgusting, a situation no doubtpounded by the numerous people sharing them. As for bathing, it wasn''t a daily routine for the members of the settlement. Due to the chilly environment, the denizens of this wastnd only used the bathroom about twice a week. Important people like Sarah had the privilege of utilizing it three times. And I couldn''t even get started about how they used the toilet. ''¡­ The fuck?!'' I realized that some people in certain areas of the world operated using this method, but it was hardly hygienic. The worst part was the kind of environment they lived in. It was a dangerous, dirty, and tasking settlement that required tons of effort in order to make it conducive to live in. Unlike in my world where everything was made convenient and people could just stay in their rooms all day, these people had very active lifestyles. It honestly made me afraid. "Infections and diseases are real, you know?" I said to Sarah. Fortunately, thanks to the Hero buff, I was immune to natural ailments. As for my summoners, apparently, Sarah could use Healing Magic since she was a Priestess. That solved the problem of constant infection and diseases. It made me realize how very important the blonde was to the town¡ªand how they would all be fucked without her around. ''This has to stop!'' As a result, I developed a mechanism to assist them. "It''s my third day here. Thank goodness I found out about the problem early¡­" *************** I was wiping my body with a towel, after my daily exercise, and checking all my abilities through the System Window, when Sarah returned. "He¡ªSam, I am done preparing your bath for you¡­ sir." She said nervously. I smiled in gratitude. "About time¡­" I grinned, definitely feeling the urge to soak myself in warm water and let my exhaustion melt away. "You maye in." I ordered. Obeying my order, I saw Sarah''s silhouette move as she opened the tent''s synthetic door. As the Priestess entered the room, she blushed slightly and lowered her head until she stared at the ground. I knew the cause of her bashful behavior, though. It was none other than my current appearance. My attires were all doffed, so my bare body was in view. Other than my boxer briefs, I was practically naked. ''I didn''t n on feeling ufortable about this, though¡­'' Sarah watched me sleep. She observed me while I bathed. She stood guard while I peed. As she had no consideration for my privacy¡ªneither was she bothered about encroaching on certain important moments of my life¡ªI wasn''t going to spare her any longer. Until Sarah realized themon sense of letting me have my private moments, this was her punishment. "Well done." I smiled at her, flexing my slightly toned muscles and t stomach. I didn''t have a big build like many of the warriors around, but that was simply one of my body''s appeals. What woman would love an overly muscr guy like those barbarians? I mean, somedies were into that, but¡ª ''Judging by how flustered she is, this Priestess actually digs my physique.'' My observational abilities never failed me, after all. I could see her stealing nces at me from time to time as I finished mopping the sweat from my body. With one of my constantly active Skills being [Insight], it was easy to detect her movements and reactions. Soon, I had dried my sweaty body and returned the towel to my Inventory. I could have thrown it at her and told her to handle theundry, but¡­ ''¡­ I don''t trust these people with my stuff!'' "Lead the way." My gaze shifted to the waiting Priestess as she bowed her head and exited the tent. ''Alright, then¡­ let''s head out.'' ************** The rays of sunlight that hit my face as I stepped out were awfully lukewarm. It contained no heat that apanied the intensity of its light. It made me wonder if the giant ball of light in the sky was actually producing any heat. Cold wind sent shivers down my spine despite the insted robe I had on. It was one of my favorites, sporting designs of flying dragons on it. With Sarah stealing multiple nces at the bathrobe every couple of seconds¡ªdespite leading the way¡ªI knew it had to be fancy by this world''s standards. The townspeople were busy with certain affairs, so I encountered none of them as I walked in the direction of my newly constructed bathing area. "We are here, sir." I smiled as I got closer to where Sarah called ''here.'' It was barricaded with four stakes at all cardinal points, and blue curtains covered the interior¡ªhiding it from view. It resembled a typical bathroom. From where I stood, I could feel the heat emanating from the convergence of the water within the spot. My smile widened instantly. "Stand outside. I''ll be entering now." With that, I parted the curtain and entered the insted spot within, feeling more heat radiate through my body. Before me was a pool¡ªlike the kind of portable intable swimming pools that were popr in my world. Yet this one was slightly different because it was well insted, so not only did it ensure that heat was trapped inside, the properties used to construct the pool weren''t wholly rubber¡ªso it couldn''t burst due to excess heat. ''Having Sarah heat my bath with Magic sure is convenient¡­'' I smiled and stepped into the pool. "A-ahhh¡­." I sighed happily. The warm sensation of absolute bliss spread through my entire body as I returned both my bathrobe and boxer briefs to my Inventory. ''This is¡­ pure bliss.'' After putting my body through so much hardship, I saw this as my reward. My tense muscles had mostly been healed by my Auto recovery, however, I simply couldn''t get used to using such primitive means to bathe. ''Well, it''s not like I am a selfish monster too¡­'' Thanks to my benevolent heart¡ªand also to obtain more Karmic Value¡ªI installed bathroom stalls in the far corner of the settlement. The denizens were all probably having the time of their lives there. There was only one reason why such a thing was possible. It was because I found one of the root causes of theirck of proper hygiene. It wasn''t just because the weather was extremely cold and they were all busy with several activities. There was ack of one critical element that caused them to live the way they did. ¡ªWater! Once I solved that, and provided the appropriate facilities, my loyal followers were more than happy to utilize the bathrooms as much as they wanted. Chapter 15 What It Takes To Be A Hero Sarah Lyniette stood in front of the square-like curtain array, waiting patiently for the Hero to depart the bathroom. As she waited, the young Priestess smiled¡ªgenuinely happy for the privilege of serving as his personal aid. For the past three days, their Hero, Sam, had brought about great advancements in their little settlement. First, he saved them from the demon invasion. Then he undertook aplete overhaul of their shabby settlement, making it more conducive to live in. His actions had left a deep impression in her heart, and she had deeply revered him from that moment on. However, she had erroneously thought that his expertise was restricted tobat alone. She had been clearly wrong. In terms of knowledge and innovations, the man¡ªno, more appropriately, the god¡ªwas millions of steps ahead. In fact, Sarah felt terribly ashamed of the state of the settlement that had weed the Hero when he first arrived. The transformation that had urred in only a few days was an unforeseeable benefit of the Hero''s arrival. ? ''Compared to how things are now¡­'' Sarah was extremely mortified when she recalled the previous state of the settlement. For one, their old tents and rugged way of living had been reced with newly made shelters made by one of the Hero''s special powers. The workings of such an amazing mechanism was beyond Sarah''s limited knowledge, but basically the Hero could summon practically anything he required. He also defied thew of equivalent exchange¡ªas well as the necessary measure to use a Magic Circle. How powerful and magnificent he truly was! Not only did he summon multiplerge tents for everyone to live infortably, but their new shelters were also so warm andfortable that everyone had gotten the best sleep since they had been acquired. Who wouldn''t want to constantly stay by the side of such a being? It was Sarah''s pleasure to attend to his every need, yet she knew her inadequacies made her unable topletely prove her use to him. Still, this Priestess was determined to do her best. From writing detailed reports about their settlement, and some details about other settlements¡ªas well as proiming his magnificence and awesomeness to the townsfolk ¡ªSarah did everything within her abilities to support him. "S-Sam¡­" Her gentle voice whispered as she tried to practice pronouncing his magnificent name in his absence. Everything about the Hero was beyond extraordinary¡ªhis name was no exception. As a result, even someone as esteemed as Sarah couldn''t use it so flippantly. Still, she was determined to try her best. "Haaa¡­ this water is the best." The Hero''s voice came from within the curtains. Sarah''s cheeks flushed red with pleasure. Her face glowed with happiness and she felt a sublime sense of aplishment. Although he hadn''t directly said her name, Sarah was nevertheless happy that he appreciated her efforts. ''I-I''m so happy!'' She squealed internally. The Hero was the most excellent entity she had ever seen¡ªhe possessed both infinite wisdom as well as excellent Magical skills. His Ancient Grimoire could be unlocked by only he alone. She had tried to use it in the past, but not only could she not decipher thenguage, but no matter what she did, she couldn''t get past the initial screen. Just how powerful was such an Item¡­ and how great was the Hero who possessed it? Although she and everyone else in the settlement, couldn''t sense even an ounce of Mana from the item, she knew it was probably just beyond her skill set. Perhaps the Mana in such an item could only be sensed by amazing entities like the hero. Sarah could only sense a tiny bit of the Hero''s¡ªSam''s¡ªMana. It was faint and weak, but Sarah knew that it was only because of her current state. How could someone as lowly as her everpare to his greatness? However, the amount of Mana she sensed from him seemed to have increased these past few dayspared to when she had first summoned him. ''I-is it because I''m getting closer to him¡­?'' She wondered happily. Sarah wasn''t certain, but uncertainty was a feeling she had be ustomed to when dealing with the hero. Nothing about the Hero was predictable. Every time she saw him, he always did something that blew her mind. Just yesterday, he did the most unbelievable thing. He had solved the water scarcity issue that had gued their little settlement for a long time. They had managed to get by through strict water conservation, which was why they never had frequent baths and had to restrict their usage. Notwithstanding the Hero, thanks to his immense wisdom and benevolence, was able to solve this problem in the blink of an eye. By utilizing specific Magic Circles that she had never seen before and carving them to the earth, the most amazing thing urred before Sarah''s very eyes. Water began gathering from the air and poured onto the ground in heavy, concentrated showers. She couldn''t believe it, but it happened before her¡ªno, everyone''s¡ªsight! "It''s a Rune that allows the moisture in the air to converge at a very fast rate. They condense and pour on a single point. This is basic stuff, you know?" He said, incredulous that she had never heard of it. Much to her shame, Sarah could barely understand half the things he said, but she understood one simple fact. "Amazing¡­ he''s simply amazing!" The Hero was simply superb. Thanks to this innovation, which he called Runes, the people of the settlement were able to gain an unlimited amount of water. By grafting the Circle in several areas¡ªmaking itrger for a better effect¡ªthey had all witnessed the surge of more water than they had ever seen in their entire lives. Afterwards, the Hero created what he referred to as Public Bath stalls¡ªone each, for males and females respectively. It was designed in such a way that multiple people could take baths at the same time, and the curtains that surrounded the stalls ensured privacy and ensured that the chilly air wouldn''t infiltrate the bath stalls The stall also had a sheet covering serving as a roof at the top. These sheets that served as the roof had Runes grafted on them, allowing water to fall from above into the stalls. In consideration of the cold, the Hero slightly altered the Runes and caused them to bring forth warmer water. While the water wasn''t boiling hot, the warmth of the water showers were more than enough to rid their bodies of the environment''s chill. Thus with the unlimited water showers that fell upon them, everyone could bathe to their heart''s content. The Hero''s personal bath was even more amazing. The Rune he utilized made sure the water supply never went out, and he could activate it whenever he desired. Though, he often told her to do it for him¡ªby simply charging it with Magic to bring forth water¡ªand also to heat it up for him. Sarah was happy to be useful to the Hero, though. As she thought about him over and over again, the Priestess could not get rid of her feelings of admiration for him. "I''m done." A voice sharply came from behind her, causing the youngdy to jump in shock. "Ueghhh!!!" Once she calmed down, Sarah was ashamed of her shameless behavior, but the Hero didn''t seem to mind. Even when she offered apologies, he forgave her instantly. Once again, she was mesmerized by his unceasing benevolence. Truly, no one was better suited for the title of ''Hero'' than the man called Sam. Chapter 16 Im Getting Goosebumps [Sunday, September 11, 2022] ~It has been a little over a week since I first arrived in this world¡ªeight days to be exact. It hasn''t been all bad but a lot has changed since I first arrived. As always, the denizens treat me with awe and reverence. All in a day''s work for a Hero. I have to always maintain this public image for myself in order to remain on the safe route. These people must never discover my most biggest secret¡ª ¡ªThat I''m actually not Overpowered! Fortunately, I''m quite good at deception, so they don''t suspect a thing. Hehehe. As a result of my modern knowledge, my in-depth understanding of the principles of this world, as well as my personal skills, I have sessfully maintained my facade. Water was no longer a scarce resource in the settlement, and the environment has be far more conducive. Also due to the hefty Karmic Value in my possession, I could obtain two Sr Panels thus generating a decent amount of electricity. Even though the Sun was practically useless in this environment due to its minimal heat , by focusing its rays on the Sr Panels, it became extremely useful in generating electricity. Magic is indeed a wonderful thing. In addition, as the settlement didn''t consume high amounts of electricity, the energy produced by the panels could sustain the entiremunity. I also obtained a few giant batteries and outlets, so I could utilize some of my electrical appliances. How have I been able to aplish all these? The answer is knowledge! Every night, I studied the structure and instation methods of certain useful equipment. In addition, since I can obtain books and manuals from the Junkyard, I have a constant stream of knowledge from my world. That''s how I have been able to install the Sr Panels, outlets, and wires needed to form a simple electric system. Of course, the heavybor is done by my loyal followers, I only give instructions. So far, so good. I know I started off with a priority list based on Maslow''s Hierarchy Of Needs, but at this point, I''m just going with the flow. Since there are many issues to correct, I''ll just choose the ones that are most convenient for me. That doesn''t mean I''m insensitive to the people around me, though. After all, I''m doing this for their sake as well. In fact I have provided a few necessities for them already. One is clothes. Their rags were a sight for sore eyes, so I told them to dispose of everything. Clothes are cheap in the Junkyard, so I simply went shopping and purchased somefortable wear for them. Also, as the reward I obtained from the System for aplishing this, exceeded the amount I used to purchase the clothes, I didn''t consider it a loss in the slightest. Kitchenware and several other utilities were also reced by more modern items. They weren''t the best, but¡­ at least they''re usable and better than what was obtainable previously. Stuffs like tes, cups, pots, blenders, etc. have been brought from my world. I feel I''m modernizing this ce too much, but it''s the only way I can survive. Of course, I know using technology isn''t the only path to sess. This is a world full of magic and stuff, after all. That''s why I''ve decided to also leverage the knowledge I have of T.W.T.S.S. and develop this settlement by utilizing the principles of Magic. Solving the water problem, by using a Special Rune to absorb moisture from the air, was only the start. Severalmonce Magic Circles/Runes could be used for various functions. The humans however have no knowledge of all this because the Demons hoard all the information on technology and advancement. And so, by utilizing the references from my Tablet, I managed to solve more problems using the Runes. One of the most important was agriculture. As they lived in a wastnd with no acre of fertile ground, the people here had long given up on farming. Their food supplies, and even water¡ªamong others¡ªwere obtained from other settlements. In exchange, capable individuals from this settlement worked odd jobs and performed needed services for the other settlements. Depending on the supplies they required and the quantity, the representatives sometimes took up to a month to gather enough supplies. This method was however inefficient because the Camp had no manpower to spare, especially with the constant demon invasion. Hence, I decided to create more efficient solution to obtain food. Using arge Magic Circle to epass arge stretch ofnd on the very outskirts of the town, I was able to sessfully create fertilend. Magic is wonderful, after all. Of course, Sarah and everyone else who could use Magic had to pour their Mana into it, as well as resonate with the Mana Veins in the ground for support. Eventually, the previous wastnd becamepletely fertile. I also added another Magic circle to improve the soil''s nutrients, and even obtained some fertilizers from my world¡ªfor a superior effect. The most important factor was how to cultivate crops as in a quick and efficient manner. Fortunately, I had the right Spell for that. [Blessing Of Harvest], a Middle-Tier Spell, is able to speed up the processes of a crop''s growth. Depending on the amount of Mana expended, as well as how often it is used, crops can be grown at an abnormally fast rate. From my knowledge of the novel, this was how Demons cultivated their massive farnds. Since there were legumes and other grains in the settlement, I used those as experiments. I also taught the townsfolk the Spell. Having Sarah and every other capable person engage in a Mana Ritual to perform it, we were thus able to initiate the growing phase, making it quicker. At the moment, even though it has only been a few days since the project began, the crops were already nearing maturation. That''s because I made sure they used this Spell at least three times a day. As for recovering their depleted Mana, I used another Magic Circle that gathers the Mana Particles around, allowing anyone who steps in to automatically recover. Unfortunately, it doesn''t raise the Mana Cap, else I''d have been dwelling in the Circle every second of the day¡ªconsidering the meager amount of Mana I possessed. In a few more days, we should be able to harvest our first set of crops, which is a good thing. The farnd isn''t very huge¡ª its more of a garden actually ¡ªbut that''s only for the moment. I''m thinking of expanding our territory soon, but that''s a matter for a more convenient time. For now, I simply wonder how these inexperienced people will fare when harvest arrives. They''ve never cultivated crops before, how much more harvesting. I''m sure we''ll pull through, though. On a better note, the absent townspeople who left to get supplies will be arriving tomorrow. They already sent someone ahead of them, so I''m certain of the information. While I should be happy about the increased manpower of the vige, as well as due to the fact that their arrival would also be instrumental in my ns to conduct a census¡­ I''m a bit anxious. What if they are skeptical? What if they see through my facade? The current vigers were able to buy into my bullshit because they were awed by my disy to the Demon Horde thest time. They had not been able to look past that first impression. As a result, their respect, demeanor and countenance towards me is influenced by that first impression. But, these neers won''t be like that in the slightest. They had not been there, so they would be more objective in their view of me. It is very worrisome. At best, I think they''ll want me prove myself to them. Even if Sarah tries to stand up for me, it''s an unavoidable urrence. But if the proof they require isbat based, then I''m royally screwed. Although I''ve raised my Stats naturally through physical exercise, I''m nearly at the peak of growth attainable using that method. My current stats are also barely decent for a warrior, and I have zero fighting experience. Magic is out of the question as I''m only Level 5. I also haven''t cleared any major Quest, neither have I defeated anyone, so I can''t even Level Up. The only rewards I''m obtaining are based on my Aplishments. If I didn''te up with something impressive, my gig could be up. So basically, I''ll have to try my hardest today and tomorrow. If I can impress the iing group with what I''ve done so far, just as I impressed the scout who came ahead of them, then I should be able to wiggle my way out of proving myself. For now, I''m happy I don''t have to worry about the Demons. Since the Low-level ones won''t approach this area, and there has been no sighting of a Middle-Ranked one yet¡ªording to Sarah''s dependable reports¡ªI should be good for some time. At least, until the state of this settlement stabilizes. Whew! Alright then, this has been a long Entry, so I''m going to stop here. Let''s do our best today as well!~ [End Of Daily Log] ,m ******************* The ck Demons shuddered in fear. While they were savage beings who only knew how to respond to their basic instincts which were geared towards destruction, they weren''t entirely oblivious to their situation. The Demons whimpered and trembled as a single entity emerged from the darkness. This had been their turf for so long, yet someone of unbelievable power had just emerged. Usually, they would fight with all their might to defend their territory. However, this was no ordinary neer. "You. Weak." The terrifying voice of the higher life form rang in their ears, sending shivers of terror down their spines. A being capable of speech, yet not immune to the savagery that characterized their kind. Yes, the entity standing before them was none other than a Demon who stood at a level beyond what Low-Level Demons could ever attain¡ªboth in intelligence and power. A Middle-Ranked Demon! "Territory. Mine." The voice rang ominously, and the Low-Leveled Demons nodded inplete agreement. Any form of resistance would only bring about pain¡­ and death! And so, with fearful reverence, the pack of Demons bowed before their new leader. With a wide grin that disyed a pair of sharp teeth, the monster above monsters uttered those dark words of foreboding. "Everything. Mine!" Chapter 17 Putting On A Good Show [Pt 1] "Oh, Hero!" A multitude of people were kneeling before me. As I opened the door to my tent, responding to the cries of the people, my eyes caught new faces. I hadn''t seen them since arriving at the vige, which meant they were none other than¡­ ''¡­ The neers!'' Their heads were all bowed, and I could sense genuine loyalty and awe from everyone¡ªwell, almost all of them. "We greet the Hero!" And then, reverent cheers reverberated in the air, sending shivers down my spine due to the eeriness of the entire scenario. ''How¡­?'' A middle-aged man was at the forefront of the group. Behind him were both Sarah and another new face¡ªa girl who appeared younger than the Priestess. Then, behind those three were the rest of the townspeople. ''¡­ Why?'' I was genuinely at a loss for words, watching them grovel before me. ''I haven''t even done anything yet.'' Before they arrived, I had racked my brain in order to think of innovative ways to impress the members of the settlement that had just returned from their sojourn for supplies. After deliberating for so long, I was nning on providing another upgrade for the settlement¡ªperhaps a better set of weapons. However, the crowd before me, with their absolutely reverent looks of adoration, showed me that all my previous worries were inconsequential. I was worried for nothing. ''How did things turn out this way?'' *************** [A Few Hours Earlier] Byron walked down the arduous road, leading his team with a vigor and charisma befitting the leader of their group. Actually, he wasn''t merely the head of this little group. His true identity was that of the Chief of the Wastnd Settlement¡ªwhich was the unnamed patch ofnd that they upied. The group he currently led numbered up to fifteen, himself included. They were a small, elite team who ventured out of their settlement to obtain the necessary resources for their people. Byron didn''t like the idea of leaving the people he led behind, but he knew fully well that he had no choice. Theirnds were unproductive and barren. There was little to no benefit to living in such a ce except for the fact that it was cheaper. Every other viable settlement had either been filled up already¡ªor was overflowing with Demons. At least, even if their settlement was not ideal, it was rtively safepared to other areas. ''We simply have to put up with the way things are, at least for now¡­'' Byron sighed, realizing there were even bigger problems to tackle. Most importantly, everyone''s survival. He looked behind him to observe the other thirteen members of his group. They were all carrying the supplies they had obtained from their journey. The haul wasn''t as substantial this time around, but they had managed to scrape by what they could. ''At this rate¡­ just how many resources will we be able to obtain next time?'' Thoughts like these were typical for him as the leader, but this time, Byron was genuinely concerned. The resources they had barely managed to obtain this time were not only limited in quantity, they were also sub-par. In fact, only Subjugation quests were readily avable, and the difficulties were extremely high. Although the members of Byron''s expedition group were elites, there was still a limit to what they could achieve under such limited circumstances. As a result, the team ended up gathering very limited resources. Their rewards were only sufficient for them to purchase the most basic of necessities. At this rate, they would have to reduce their rations even more. ''Sigh¡­ let''s simply hope for the best next time.'' He thought dejectedly. But, if the situation didn''t change, then Byron feared for the future of his people. It looked quite grim. "Boss, we''re almost there¡­ I think." Someone approached Byron, rousing him from his deep thoughts. Unlike the older-looking man, in contrast the girl who spoke to him was a teenager. Her bright red hair and ruefully stern expression made it seem like she was in a terrible mood, but that was simply how she looked to everyone. She was cute, though, and her petite appearance made her all the more alluring. "Lucy, you really should stop sneaking up on me like that," Byron murmured. Despite her small size and cute appearance, the girl called Lucy was an exceptional human¡ªundoubtedly the strongest among everyone in the settlement. In terms of skill, Byron knew only a few individuals who could stand against her, and none of them belonged to the town he led. While Sarah Lyniette was the most important member of the town, second only to him, in terms ofbat, none couldpare to Lucy. No one really knew how old she was¡ªincluding the youngdy herself. She had suddenly appeared in the settlement, and after realizing how incredible useful she was, they decided to keep her. "Well, you were absentminded. Don''t me me for that. In any case, something looks weird about the settlement." She answered disrespectfully, in her usual flippant manner. Byron didn''t attempt to correct Lucy''s brazen way of speaking. He was used to that by now. Instead, he addressed the more pertinent issue she raised. "What do you mean by weird?" "Take a look for yourself, she shrugged, pointing to the top of a hill from where she had just descended. After that hill, they would arrive at the tnds where their settlement was located. In essence, the high slope ofnd was the only vantage point they could use to observe the settlement, from such a distance. It was especially useful in observing if their town had been invaded or not. That way, none of the expedition members would be caught off-guard. In extreme situations, they would even rush to aid their fellow denizens. "What''s the matter, Lucy?" Byron asked, worried by the girl''s peculiar expression. She looked extremely puzzled, indicating to the chief that something was indeed wrong with their town. ''Is it an invasion? Did the Demons attack while we were away?'' "Boss, I think¡­" Byron stared at the girl as her lips parted. His heart raced uncontrobly. What had the girl noticed? "¡­ I think we have arrived at the wrong town." Chapter 18 Putting On A Good Show [Pt 2] "¡­ What?" At first, Byron thought the girl was just pulling his legs about being in the wrong location. After all, he¡ªas well as nearly everyone else in the expedition team¡ªwere no strangers to this path, having made this journey numerous times. Although Lucy was a newer member of their settlement, she too had trod the path several times as well. So it was definitely impossible for them to get lost on such a familiar pathway. However¡­ "What is this ce?" Byron''s resolve¡ªthat they were not lost ¡ªbegan to wane when he climbed the hill and cast his eyes on the settlement a few distance from them. While the surroundings seemed familiar, the fenced area itself lookedpletely different from what he recalled. ''''I don''t¡­ understand¡­" He questioned, disbelieving. He waspletely sure that they were at the right destination yet something had definitely happened to the settlement. What was such a fortified patch ofnd doing at the center of a wastnd¡ªwhere his people should have been residing? ''What''s with that fence¡­ ?'' Most of the settlement waspletely obscured from Byron''s view, specifically due to the towering walls that surrounded it. This was apletely different sight from the state in which they had left the settlement. And so, other than the canopies that were slightly peeking out of the fence, as well as a strangely tall pir shooting out from the settlement, Byron couldn''t make out much else. The massive walls that surrounded the settlement had arge gate that faced the direction he wasing from. If they kept venturing down this path, they would arrive there in no time. ''I don''t like this¡­ I have no idea what''s going on.'' As Chief,ck of information wasn''t something Byron had to frequently deal with, so the entire situation unnerved him. Now that he had suddenly been thrown into the realm of uncertainty, the middle-aged man had to figure out what path to take. Therades who were with him were already terribly exhausted , due to the grueling pace with which they had walked to ensure that they arrived home as soon as was possible, a situation that became more urgent due to the strange state of the settlement. Some even had some minor injuries that they hoped Sarah would be able to cure, without them having to resort to expensive medicines or potions. So although Byron was hesitant, he couldn''t afford to stall his people for much longer. "Let''s keep pressing forward. I''m certain that was where our town was located¡­ though it seems bigger and different." Byron addressed everyone¡ªparticrly the youngdy beside him. ? "Hmm. What if the people there are different?" Lucy asked, seemingly worried. "It doesn''t matter. We''re all humans, anyway. I''m sure they''ll be able to understand our predicament." "Not all humans are exactly generous, you know?" This back and forth between Byron and Lucysted a short moment. Both sides had valid points, but Byron had to make the final call. "We can at least try, can''t we? Besides, we need a ce to rest. It''s already evening and we are all too weary to sleep without a roof over our heads in this cold weather." "What if the town has already been upied by Demons?" This was an extremely difficult question, and Lucy simply blurted it out like it was nothing. Her red hair swayed in the light wind, and her piercing gaze demanded an answer from Byron. "That would mean we should assume everyone in the settlement is either dead or they''ve be ves. I can''t ept that." The little girl rolled her eyes at his response. She lived by an ideology that the strong prevailed and the weak were cut down. There was no way she would join the pathetic weaklings that would fall at the hands of Demons. "If that turns out to be the case, then you can escape. We''ll buy you time, but first, I need to go further." At this point, nightfall would catch up to them. They had no choice but to keep pressing forward. "Fine. I''ll apany you for a while. If it gets dangerous, though¡ª" "Got it. You''ll leave." Byronpleted her unsaid words. Seeing as Lucy nodded in agreement, the Chief urged his people to keep walking. They all shared the sentiment of their leader, and since they trusted him, they marched on. Until¡­ they finally arrived at the tall gate situated in front of the settlement. ''I¡­ can''t see beyond it!'' Even if Byron jumped as high as he could, he wouldn''t be able to see past the dense fence and the gate before them. In the past, they had simply tied stakes and used them as bounds to surround the vige. It was flimsy security and primitive as well, but that was all they could spare. Their sparse resources would be better spent on food, water, or even better weapons for fighting. ''Unbelievable¡­'' Byron thought to himself. He had been to many settlements in the life he had lived. Yet, he had never seen this kind of construction. Only ''The Hub'' had this level of security, but that was simply due to the nature of that ce. An unknown town in the middle of nowhere having something simr was nothing short of incredibly strange. "Boss. What now?" Lucy roused Byron from his deep thoughts. "Huh? A-ah, I''m still thinking. There are no guards present, and it doesn''t seem like we can open the gates from outside." Even if they did, it would be rude to do something like that. The only thing that seemed to be quite out of ce in the massive gate was a small white-like contraption at the center. Oh, and a red button was also ced beside it. They seemed to be connected somewhat. ''A-are we supposed to hit that red button?'' There was no way Byron could find out the truth just by staring at it. Sooner orter, he had to do something. ''Else, we''ll be stuck in this terribly cold weather without a ce to sleep'' Taking the bold step as everyone''s leader, Byron stepped forward and pressed the red button. His fingers were pushed deeper than he expected, and the middle-aged man sharply retracted his hand. ''¡­ Ngh!'' It was a strange contraption, but he managed to be brave for his people. ''What now?'' For a moment, there was silence. Byron felt like they were being watched, but that was probably just his imagination. And then¡ª "Chief Byron?!" He heard a voiceing from within the gate. The voiced seemed familiar as though belonging to one of his people. "Carl, what''s going on here? Are you people sa¡ª?!" "Chief Byron is here?" "Let''s open the gate. One sec, Chief." "I''ll go inform Miss. Sarah." Three other voices called out. Byron was confused, but at least he understood that none of them were in danger. That brought relief to his heart. This indeed was the vige he led¡ªthere was no doubt about that now. ''But, if that''s the case, what the hell happened here?'' Chapter 19 Putting On A Good Show [Pt 3] >VROOM< The heavy gate started to budge, creaking heavily as it did. It parted on both ends and opened inwards. Slowly, Byron and his people were able to get a glimpse of the world within therge walls. The first thing they felt was the satisfying warmth that rushed through from within, as the gates opened. A delicious warmth coursed through their bodies, soothing their cold bodies due to the chilly atmosphere that was prevalent outside the settlement. ''Where is this warmthing from?'' Byron had no idea. He turned back to see that his people were also enjoying the strange, but pleasant atmosphere. First the walls, then the gate, and now this warmth. This was entirely unusual, it was as though they had stepped into an alternate universe! "Chief Byron, it''s nice to have you back!" Carl, one of the members of the settlement smiled at the middle-aged man. Although he was supposed to recognize the man instantly, they were members of the same settlement after all, he was quite startled due to Carl''s change in appearance. "C-Carl¡­ is that you? What are you wearing? You look¡­" Not only were the viger''s clothes drastically different from anything he had ever seen, the quality was also far superior to the ragged outfits worn by the Chief and his elite team. A mere viger had an even better getup than the leader. Strange things were happening indeed. But, that wasn''t all. Carl''s face looked fresh, and his skin seemed extremely radiant as he spoke. ''He''s been bathing regrly. There''s also no sign of frosty, ky or dry skin. Just what happened? Have they been using up our meager water resources for trivialities such as bathing?'' Byron didn''t want to believe that his people had lived wastefully while he was away, but there were so many things he didn''t understand yet, so he avoided jumping to conclusions. "Why are you dressed strangely, Carl? What''s with the walls? Why do you look so good? You even smell nice too. And this warmth, where is iting from?" The one who shot this barrage of questions at Carl was not the Chief, but the curious girl beside him. Her hand was on her chin as she stared at the somewhat flustered viger. "A-ah, about that¡­ Ah, where to begin¡­" Carlughed. Even though he appeared hesitant, only happiness and a distant sense of respect could be seen on his face. The reason he didn''t speak was because his mind was too muddled with how and where to begin the tale of theplete transformation that their settlement had undergone. "Don''t worry, Carl. I''ll take things from here." A sonorous voice came from behind him. This caused the man addressed to sharply turn and bow. "U-understood, Miss. Sarah!" Byron noticed that there was a lot more respect inherent in Carl''s tone and in his demeanor to Sara than before. ''That''s probably my imagination¡­'' The blond girl approached Byron and the expedition members, wearing a gown that could only be described as exquisite. She looked even more beautiful than before, and her clear skin couldn''t bepared to anyone on the Chief''s end. Even Lucy, who was oftenpared to Sarah in terms of beauty, could no longerpete with this new version of the Priestess. "Wee back, Chief Byron." She bowed slightly. Sarah then proceeded to address everyone else in her usual polite tone. "Tch." Came a dissatisfied sound from Lucy. It wasn''t news that Sarah and the girl didn''t really get along due to their contrasting personalities, but Lucy had never disyed her emotions so brashly before. It could have been due to the vast difference between the currently exquisite Sarah and the worn and torn Lucy. "Looks like you''ve been enjoying yourself quite a bit, Sarah." Lucy sneered, hinting that while she had been working her butt off for the town''s resources, the Priestess had done nothing but act all high and mighty, probably lounging all day. That was probably why she was able to gain such fair skin. Lucy didn''t have an excuse for the clothes and essories, though. "Yes. You are indeed right. I have been enjoying myself. And it''s all thanks to him." The Priestess'' eyes gleamed with admiration, though the neers present didn''t know who the ''him'' she referred to was. "I know you''re all confused. You have every right to be. I''ll do my best to exin all that has happened." Byron snapped out of his thoughts the moment his Deputy Chief nced in his direction. ''She has really changed¡­'' "You must be feeling ufortable by just standing outside. Please,e in." Sarah led them through the gate, causing the people to feel even more of the warmth that permeated the entire surrounding. It was unlike the polluted heat gotten from burning firewood. This seemedpletely natural, it was crisp and clean soothing the tense, frozen muscles of the travelers. But, the surprise everyone had experienced thus far was nothingpared to the sight that greeted them as soon as they stepped into the townpletely. >SLAM!< The gate behind them closed, and their eyes widened at the seemingly new world they just entered. "Wee back, Chief¡­ to the new and improved town." Everyone had the same thoughts as their jaws dropped and they tried toprehend the phenomenon that was urring before their very eyes. Not only was the town extremelyrger than its previous state, it was in a far cleaner and more organized state than it was before. The tents that served as houses were fitted into one corner, and they could see other structures arranged in an orderly setting. ''I-is that¡­?!!'' Byron''s eyes bulged as he witnessed what he had only seen in a few settlements. nts! Growing crops that were edible¡ªall of them! The Chief was lost in a world he had never envisioned, not even in his wildest dreams. It was difficult for him to even begin to understand a majority of the new facilities he observed around him ¡ªincluding the bathhouses and toilets¡ªByron simply gawked at their magnificence. He also saw therge pir that towered high into the heavens. Byron didn''t even know what Sr Panels were, so he could only be in awe and gawk like the ignorant man he was. He wasn''t the only one, too. Everyone with him had the same idiotic looks on their faces as they were bamboozled by the wonderful sights they had never seen before. They would probably have remained in their daze forever, until¡ª "Chief Byron, everyone, your surprise is to be expected." Sarah affirmed. Like robots, everyone looked at Sarah the Priestess. Their eyes yearned for answers. "Do not fret. I will exin everything." Chapter 20 Is The Hero A God? "M-my God¡­" These were the only words that Byron could utter in his dazed state after hearing all that Sarah had to say. To think the town had been attacked in their absence, and even more surprising, that the Hero Summoning had worked. It was a miracle beyond belief. However, based on what Sarah had said, that was only the least of the numerous miraculous things that had also urred within Byron''s short absence. The Hero that was summoned had not only asked for no remuneration, he had also saved everyone by disying his magnificent power. Furthermore, he went on to massively develop such a backwatermunity, like theirs into something supremely splendid. Everything Sarah had been wearing when they arrived¡ªeven down to her underwear¡ªwere all thanks to the Hero''s generosity. He did away with the old and brought in the new. His elite ss of Magic that could manifest any and all items from thin air was beyond Byron''sprehension.. The fact that he knew everything about the difficulties assailing the people, as well as how to resolve them, made Byron perceive the Hero as a divine entity that had descended from the heavens. His new mindset could have been partly influenced by Sarah''s hero-worship, as all she did was praise the Hero. ording to her, all the wondrous tales of the Hero''s magnificent deeds that she had been rting, were not exaggerations but the in, unsullied truth. Looking around, it was easy to believe all her words were true. Everyone donned new andfortable clothes. They all looked clean and radiant, due to constant baths. They were living happily and peacefully. ''Even the issue of food and water that I was so concerned about¡­'' It turned out everything had worked out perfectly thanks to the Hero''s intervention. He was indeed as perfect a being as Sarah depicted him to be. ''This great entity¡­ I would like to meet him!'' Byron thought, anticipating meeting such a great being. He needed to meet the magnificent and benevolent being that had saved his people, to not only thank him from rescuing his people from the shackles of the Lower Demons, but also for everything he had done to renovate and upgrade the settlement. Sure, a few people died, but it was by no means the Hero''s fault. Everything was due to their own weakness, and the amazing man had simply cleaned up their mess. "He is currently awaiting your presence in his residence. However¡­" Sarah''s eyes narrowed as she nced at Byron and the others with a peculiar gaze. One would almost think she considered them dirt¡ªespecially whenpared to the Hero. "¡­ It''s best you freshen up and properly prepare yourselves before meeting him." She said simply. Byron felt his heart squeeze in pain. How could he have been so thoughtless? Compared to the attires worn by everyone else in the settlement, he and his people stood out like sore thumbs in their rags. Besides, they hadn''t had a bath in a days, so their current condition wasn''t exactly optimal. To put it inly they were filthy. ''Yet, I dared ask for an audience with such a great entity¡­ how foolish!'' He chastised himself once more. "I will show you to a bathhouse, where you can freshen up before you meet with the Hero. Clothes have also been provided for you all, taking your measurements into ount." Byron marveled once more, awed by the structured way in which the Hero seemed to run the town. "For those who have been injured, I''ll also treat you before you meet the Hero." They could only render thanks, as well as apologies for the trouble. "It''s no problem. Compared to what the Hero is doing, what are my capabilities?" Byron and his fellows would have vehemently argued with Sarah if she had said this in the past. There was nothing ''ordinary'' about her abilities, extraordinary was more like it. A Level 5 Priestess was rare among humans, which made Sarah very valuable. The Spells she could utilize defiedmon sense, and everyone relied on her for numerous things. However, after hearing about the deeds of the Hero, as well as his capabilities, it was easy to understand why she had just made that statement. p Still, was it really fair for a mere human topare themselves to the likes of a god? Lucy was uncharacteristically silent, as though she was contemting everything Sarah had said. "Now, then. Let''s go to the bath." ******************* Byron was amazed! He had no idea that a bath could feel so good. The feeling of heated water sshing on his body from above felt sublime. He didn''t even require a bucket as the bath was specially designed for the water to shower upon him like rain. As expected, it was the Hero that came up with this innovation. Sarah had told Byron how he was a master of Runes, capable of developing a Rune for practically anything. Their barren soil turned fertile due to the effect of a Rune¡ªsame with their water supply. Byron even heard that the delicious warmth permeating the vige was a result of the another Rune by the Hero. It altered the chill in the area and heated it, creating a more pleasant atmosphere. Even ''The Hub'' didn''t have this form of luxury. ''Amazing! Simply amazing!'' Though Byron had heard of the existence of such luxuries, but by experiencing it, he felt like a child in a wondend. "A-ahh¡­ such refreshing water ¡­" He shamelessly moaned as more droplets sshed all over his body. He wasn''t the only one. Everyone was in bliss. Even Lucy¡ªwho was bathing alone in the women''s Bathhouse¡ªcouldn''t deny the luxury she was enjoying. This was paradise indeed. ******************* After changing into new clothes that fit properly, everyone was now ready to meet their savior. Sarah had already taken them on a mini tour of the town, so they had seen a great deal of town''s transformation. This filled them with even more respect for the Hero. No one could object to Sarah''s endless praises towards him, and before they knew it, Byron and the returning travelers also began mimicking her. They now stood in front of the Hero''s Tent¡ª the best looking tent in the settlement¡ªthat seemed to enclose something powerful and extraordinary within. Byron could feel his heart racing, and his ears picked up a melody that caused him to sweat slightly. The sound was emanating from the tent¡ªtunes of foreboding, disying the essence of the powerful entity right before him. Sarah had already exined to them how the Hero could utilize Sound Magic through his Ancient Grimoire¡ªamong other things. ''He defies the veryws of this world. If he''s not a god, then¡­'' Byron didn''t know if his thoughts were sphemous or not, but he deeply revered the Hero as a being closest to the ones who resided in the heavens. "Oh, He¡ªI mean, Sam¡­ the Chief and his entourage are here." Sarah''s voice was trembling at this point¡ªa sharp contrast to theposed manner in which she previously addressed everyone confidently. Her body quivered in awe, and her cheeks were so pink that one would have thought she had a fever. But, this was not a fever. It was simply pure reverence. "I see. Well, then¡­" He said grandly. Byron and the others swallowed their saliva and awaited the Hero''s words with bowed heads. "¡­ You may alle in." Chapter 21 Lets Just Go With The Flow Aaaand, that brings us to this point! I stared at the kneeling people with a superior air around me. I was aware that one small mistake on my part could send everything crashing to the ground. I couldn''t have that. Fortunately, I made sure to maintain my ''Hero aesthetic''. I was currently seated on my favorite couch from when I was still on Earth. It wasfortable,rge, and it appeared grander than it really was. ''I got it for like 2 Points in the Junkyard¡­'' I smiled mischievously. As, everyone was digging my current getup, I could see that my n was falling into ce. Reverent music yed in the background from the two speakers I ced at opposite corners in my room, intensifying the melody being yed by my Tablet¡ªcorrection, Ancient Grimoire. I needed to be in character, after all. I wasn''t being delusional or idiotic, but at this point, I couldn''t break character. It was best to just go with the flow. "You must have gone through a lot on your way here. Sarah tells me how you make diligent efforts for thismunity. I mustmend you all." This only caused the people to bow even deeper. Their expressions told me that they didn''t feel like they deserved those words. ''I haven''t even impressed them well enough, and they already trust me so much. Are the people here so gullible? Or, could it be¡­?'' I nced in the direction of the Priestess. Perhaps Sarah had already sang my praises to them in her usual manner. Of all my supporters, she was the most fervent, and I knew she always raised the spirits of everyone by talking about me every day. ''That''s the only reason I keep her close to me. If she can keep feeding everyone her bullshit, no one will be able to see through my ruse.'' I smiled, carefully concealing my true emotions. I was extremely fortunate to encounter such a gullible Priestess and make her my ally. ''If that''s the case, then I was safe for now.'' Everyone was added to Character List¡ªregistered as my subordinates¡ªexcept for one person. I nced in her direction, still trying my hardest to ensure I maintained an aura of superiority. ''Her name is Lucy, uh¡­? What''s with this girl? She''s already at Level 30?! Damn!'' For humans, their Level Cap was 30. The strongest of humans could not exceed this point. That also meant that those with that level were superior to all other humans. ''Why does she have that Level? She''s freaking strong, isn''t she?'' I was slowly beginning to panic. Even though I couldn''t see her full information, unless she was registered in Character List, I could at least observe a few things. ''Level 30. HP and MP are also incredible. Damn, this girl is basically the most powerful person I''ve encountered sinceing to this world.'' I didn''t know her Skills, Titles, or Character Info, but this Lucy girl was definitely a formidable force to contend with. ''No wonder theysted this long. Shit, they were hiding a monster like this?'' I thought everyone here was weak and thus gullible, which was why I could easily bullshit my way out of all my predicaments. They all blindly followed me, assuming I had the absolute strength to protect them all. This was only possible because they were also weak. ''But, this one is different.'' Even from the manner in which she carried herself, it was obvious that she was not like the others. As I stared at her red hair and spiteful crimson eyes, I gulped nervously. For those who were already strong, there was no need to follow another so obediently. Since she was already at the pinnacle of human ability, she must have been able to sense it by now¡­ how utterly weak the so-called ''Great Hero'' was. I felt like the ground should swallow me whole. She must be aware that I had been putting up a facade. ''If she reveals my secret, it''s all over!'' [System Notification] New Secondary Quest Added: [Lucy is a powerful warrior who is skeptical about your identity and unsure of your strength. Prove yourself to her and gain her trust] Rewards: Loyalty Of Lucy (The Strongest Plebian). Addition of Lucy to Character List. +5 Stat Points. +10 Karmic Value. Failure: Loss Of Trust From Supporters (Depending on how bad the failure is, you could lose all their trust) Additional Information: Depending on how well youplete this mission, additional Rewards Will be given for Achievements. [End Of Information] ''Fuck! This just had to happen!'' I never knew Lucy was an important character in the first round. She even had a Title, which meant this girl was very relevant to the story. ''Haa¡­ and such a failure is gonna deal a heavy blow!'' I had spent so much time, energy, and relentless effort to build myself to this point. There was no way I would allow a her would tear my kingdom down like this. That meant, as usual, I had to figure a way out of this. ''What should I do?'' "Rise to your feet. You will all be properly rewarded after you have had considerable rest." I stole a nce at Lucy, wondering if she was impressed by my generosity. Her ferocious gaze remained the same, causing my terror to increase ten fold. ''What the hell do you want? How can I prove myself to you? Just tell me!'' I screamed internally, however somewhere within me, I had already answered my own question. Still, I desperately hoped that wasn''t the case. Unfortunately, my inner thoughts seemed to have been read by the girl. Because, the next thing the young girl did was speak to me. "Hero, I have a request to make." Her tone was flippant, containing none of the respect and adoration I was used to from these people, but I couldn''t exactly get angry at someone who was superior to me in every way. If she wanted to kill me, it would be so easy. I would not even be considered a challenge by such a powerful human. "Oh? Sure. Ask for whatever you desire." I tried my hardest to ensure that my voice betrayed none of the panic I was feeling within. I spotted Sarah giving the girl an icy re, clearly dissatisfied by Lucy''s impudence. ''Will she think less of me for epting so easily? Shit, what else could I have done?!'' I racked my brain desperately as I pondered on what the consequences of my immediate consent would be. Never did I imagine¡­ that it would be the very thing I was dreading. "Hero, I request a duel from you." "Eh¡­?" Beads of sweat simultaneously appeared on all my pores, and every hair on my body rose. I instantly realized how screwed I was. "Fight me!" Lucy bellowed with confidence and determination. ''Fuck! I was definitely screwed.'' Chapter 22 Readying My Godslaying Blade >Ba-dump! Ba-dump!< ''Fuck¡­ fuck this!'' I was in the open field, at the town square. Every member of the town was present, all maintaining a safe distance while watching me. My heart raced rapidly as I fought hard to keep myposure. ''I don''t want this! Shit!'' Before me was a short redhead. Her severe, serious gaze unnerved me at every moment, and I gulped nervously, every second. That was how scary she was! ''How did things turn out this way? I don''t want thissssssss!!!'' [A Few Moments Earlier] "Fight me!" The girl called Lucy challenged me with zeal shining in her eyes. Her eyes were aglow with determination, and I could sense the stubbornness and immutability of her stance. Sincerely, I really wanted to fulfill her wish, however I knew it was a terrible idea to fight her. ''I''m a Level 5 noob while she''s in Level 30!'' The scales were uneven, to begin with. Worst of all was the issue of experience. I could tell from the young girl''s hardened appearance that she had been in a proper fight before. Probably countless of times. Compared to her, I was literal trash. ''I''ve only watched anime fight scenes and stuff because I thought they were cool!'' Back in my home world, every now and then, I tried practicing those moves. But, the things I watched weren''t as easy as they seemed. When it came to actually replicating those moves, it was next to impossible. No amount of training or Martial Arts could make a normal guy like me move like my favorite characters. ''As expected, the best way to resolve this is to humbly decline¡­'' Even if I lost some face in front of these people, it would be way better than embarrassing myself. Besides, I could alwayse up with some bullshit reason to refuse. "I¡ª" I started to say. "I pity you, Lucy. To think you desire to be so shamefully beaten." Sarah interrupted, just before I could speak. ''Oh shit! No, Sarah. Back off!'' I thought frantically, as I stared at the faithful Priestess. I understood that she was on my side, but¡ª "Lucy, do you really want to do this?" "Look¡­ it''s a bad idea, you know?" "The Hero is merciful, so if you apologize now, you can end this charade easily." The Vige Chief and his entourage also began to convince the teenage girl. For a moment, I was beginning to see a way out. If they managed to convince her, then¡­ it would be the perfect way to evade the battle. Unfortunately¡ª "No! I want to fight him!" The red-haired girl stared at me unflinchingly, as though she was already imagining kicking my butt. ¡ªShe just had to make matters worse. "Sigh¡­ stubborn to the bitter end. Very well, please He¡ªI mean, Sam, please go easy on her." "Yes, Hero. She is not a bad kid. She means well, really¡­" "Sometimes she''s just so stubborn, so it''s okay to discipline her a little." The people now shifted their gaze in my direction, expecting me to actually fight a Level 30 warrior. ''Do you people not have a conscience?!'' I wanted to scream, but restrained myself. At this point, I could still swallow my pride and refuse the fight. I could say that it was for the sake of the vige, and that I was going to forgive her impudence, but everyone already had high expectations from me. Besides, fighting her was also a Quest. I felt anxious, but there was really nothing I could do. ''I can''t¡­ I can''t say no, can I?'' Well then¡­ "Alright, Lucy. I will fight you." ¡­ I had to ept grudgingly. [The Present] And that leads us to this moment. "Thank you once again for agreeing to this Duel." Lucy already assumed a fighting stance, donning a blunt de as she stared at me. Her red eyes were predatory as looked at me confidently. Even though it was painful to admit, I was nothing more than prey to this girl. BUT¡ª! ''I didn''t intend to lose so easily.!'' I instantly essed my System Interface and purchased an item from the Junkyard. It was, of course, a Secondhand Item. The name was none other than¡ª "I''ll be using the Godying de, if you don''t mind," I murmured, keeping my cool thanks to my Skill: Freedom Of Expression. ''I was a collector of certain Anime Merchandise back when I was on Earth. This is an actual Katana, so it should work¡­ right?'' I knew that the stuff from my world, whenpared to Magic and stuff, was inferior. However, that could simply be solved by inscribing the item with runes. ''Fuck! I don''t have the time. I should have prepared this weapon earlier.'' I imagined it would be extremely embarrassing if my weapon shattered in front of the watching audience. ''A direct sh with her de is bound to shatter it, I''m sure of that!'' Silence coupled with stifling tension was amok in the atmosphere, and both of us waited for the first move from either party. Then, the girl suddenly parted her lips as she intently looked at me. "Can I¡­ go all out?" Her tone sounded hesitant. As expected, she must have already sensed how weak I was. ''It would please me if you pulled your punches!'' Though I couldn''t say that, this was exactly how I felt internally. "Of course. Come at me with everything you have." My unwavering voice seemed to stir a feeling of awe in the audience. They would be watching their beloved Hero fight against their trump card. Then, just as I gave my response, the girl¡ªLucy¡ªbegan adjusting her stance, crouching a little. >VWUUUUUSHHHH!!!< An immense surge of energy surrounded her. It was Mana. Shining fiery red, the girl was enveloped in a thick skin of the supernatural energy of this world. One hit would send me to the other side. However, if I backed down at this point, an equally terrible fate awaited me. ''Guess I''ll have to use that, eh?'' I smiled, taking an upright stance. I unsheathed my Godying de, revealing its silver-like edge that glimmered in the sunlight. The denizens of this world had neverid eyes on a Katana before, so they marveled at its shiness. Unfortunately for me, despite the beautiful luster, the weapon waspletely useless in this fight. ''System, allocate all Stat Points into Agility.'' [System Notice] [Agility: 6+35 = 41] [Stat Points Bnce: 00] A wry smile formed on my face and I was grateful to my past self for not carelessly spending all 35 of my umted Stat Points. At the same time, I was slightly pained that I was using everything up in a single fight with a midget. ''It can''t be helped.'' I stared hard at my opponent, feeling my newfound power course through my body. Donning the persona of a confident and overpowered Hero, a confident grin spread across my face. "Alright then¡­ shall we begin?" Chapter 23 The Hero Is Too Op [Pt 1] Lucy steadied her breathing. Her eyes weresered on a single target, and with a sharp breath, she strengthened herself with one of her three Skills. ''[Battle Perception]'' As she had initially suspected, the man standing before her wasn''t beingbeled as a threat. Her ability, [Battle Perception], measured the level of danger an individual posed. It also took Levels and Skills into consideration when making the deduction. That was why it surprised the small red-haired girl that the Hero was registered as a mild threat to her. No, in simple terms, it was better to say that he couldn''t manage to hurt her no matter how hard he tried. ''Then why¡­?'' The more Lucy thought about it, the more confounded she became. Was he weak? Was he strong? She had no idea what to expect, he was simply a mystery. His confident demeanor and rxed pose told her he wasn''t expecting a challenge from her. It vexed her that someone who was calcted to be extremely weak inparison to herself, was staring at her with such condescending eyes. It made Lucy a bit nervous, causing her to suspect that he could indeed be stronger. After all, he should have been cowering in fear. ''Nonsense! There''s no way!'' She gritted her teeth, now more enraged than confused. There was ultimately one way the redhead could clear her doubts. It was the very reason she chose to challenge him. ''I''ll see for myself¡­ just how strong you are!'' With her mind made up, she sent herself dashing in the Hero''s direction. >BOOM< The earth beneath her shattered, unable to fully absorb the impact of her powerfulunch. >WHOOSH!< The wind parted around her and she raised her dull de to strike. As always, it felt like time was at a standstill. Her movements were too fast for anyone to keep up with. Sarah had told her that she was at Level 30¡ªthe pinnacle of human ability¡ªso Lucy was well aware of where she stood on the food chain. A cocky smile spread across the young girl''s face as she swung her de with all her might, ready to hack down the Hero that confused her so much. >FWISH!< The de descended. It descended with remarkable speed and with earth-shattering force¡ªcausing even the ground to break and the wind around them to part. However¡­ "Not bad." ¡­ It never reached the target. The Hero was right beside the area of impact, looking asposed as ever. His cool expression caused the girl to shiver in shock and disbelief. ''H-how?!'' Her [Battle Perception] never lied to her. It was how she had been able to discern which opponents she could beat or those she couldn''t. This special Skill also used colors to ssify targets ording to their level of threat. White meant they were harmless. Yellow meant they posed danger. Red meant that they were very dangerous. Purple meant they were extremely dangerous. ck meant that they were impossible for her to defeat. The sharper and more defined the color was, the more powerful the opponent would be. ''How is this possible? He''s glowing a dull yellow!'' There was no way he should have been able to evade that strike! "Hohoho! As expected of the Hero!" "It''s not toote, Lucy. You can still back out now!" "No way! You reap what you sow. You need to be disciplined by him a little!" Lucy got even more enraged upon hearing the shrieks of the fanatical vigers. ''Shut up, retards!'' The girl growled internally. They couldn''t see what she saw, neither were they as strong as she was. The idiots around her couldn''t see the reason behind her actions. ''Even that Sarah¡­ why is she¡­?!'' Lucy''s eyes darted at the Priestess. The blond woman simply shot her a sharp and condescending smile. It was a smile that said, "Serves you right!" "Are you done warming up? When will you begin for real?" They taunted. In response to this obvious provocation, Lucy growled and swung her de upward, going for a nted strike. >WHISH!< Once again, the Hero evaded it smoothly. ''How is he doing that?!'' She thought frantically. Not knowing the answer to that question, Lucy could only scream and lunge even further to strike down her opponent. Unfortunately¡ª >FWISH!< >SWISH!< >VWUUUSHHH!< ¡ªNone of her strikes could touch the opponent. She was moving at a frightening pace¡ªin fact, even a Level 30 individual who wasn''t a warrior would have trouble evading her, not to talk of this weakling. ''So, how is he doing it? He doesn''t even look fazed!'' More jeers arose from the crowd, directed at her. In the same vein, cheers and cries of awe were directed at the Hero. That was when the red-haired girl finally snapped. Lucy''s body shook in vexation¡ªpure fury reced her sense of reason. "You''re so strong, uh? Fine then! You don''t mind if I use my full power, do you?!" Her tone sounded a bit off to her ears, but Lucy ignored it. "U-uh¡­" The Hero seemed to want to say something, but he never finished it. His expression remained calm, and his eyes were watching her with such coolness. Surely, he didn''t think much of her ability ''Even after everything, he hasn''t even made a single attack. Is he looking down on me so much?!'' Gritting her teeth and ring at the infuriating idiot, Lucy decided to use the other two Skills at her disposal. "[Mana Strengthening]. [me Attribute]." Instantly, bursts of mes appeared all over her as her body also glowed amber. The girl''s glowing skin and eyes, alongside the immense heat swirling around her body, showed just how serious she had gotten¡ªhow much more powerful she had be. "How about now? Is this enough for you? Come on!" She cried out, taunting him. Her de had already been enveloped by the mes, and it was also swelling with Mana. Lucy felt like she had broken from the shackles of her limits. With her newfound power, surely she would finally be able to¡ª! "It''s not toote to turn back now¡­" The Hero said, breaking into a soft smile. Once again, he exuded an aura of confidence and supremacy. And, he had just insulted Lucy, a warrior who was putting in all she had to emerge as the victor. "¡­ Toote¡­" She murmured, hardening her muscles and readying herself to lunge at the target. Her animalistic eyes gazed upon the Hero before her. "¡­ It''s toote now!" And so, the girl decided right there and then¡­ to truly fight with all she had. "Here I goooo!!!" Chapter 24 The Hero Is Too OP [Pt 2] Power! It is the undeniable, most effective means of survival. Lucy, having lived so long by that t, strived to achieve the heights of her human limits. Ever since ''that day,'' she had promised herself never to cower in weakness. Only the strong could survive in this cold, cruel world. That was her ideal¡ªher everything. ''I AM STRONG!'' Roaring in a fit of both determination and rage, while being surrounded by the amber aura of mes around her, Lucy charged at her prey with absolute ferocity. >VWUUUUUUSSSSHHHH< She left a zing trail of mes behind her, but the ferocious girl didn''t care. Her target was within reach. Her speed had surpassed its previous limits, and her power was on another level. In a sh, Lucy closed their distance and took a wide swing, refusing to waste the momentum she had built up. >SWISH< To her immense surprise, the Hero still evaded the attack, tilting his body so the strike didn''t touch as much as a hair on his body. ''GRRRRRR!'' Her inner self growled as she refused to give up. Now using both her hands to grip the de, Lucy brought her de down, aiming to sh the Hero in two. To her surprise, the man underneath made the strangest movement andunched himself into the air before she could strike him. ''You''re not getting away!'' The girl growled as sheunched herself upward with pure brute strength. However, once again, he dodged her attack with lightning speed, twisting in midair as he spun and safelynded on the ground. ''ARGHHHHH!!!'' Lucy was frustrated now, ring at the unwavering confidence of the Hero. She didn''t want to give up now. She couldn''t! >FWOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!< Using the ming cloak she donned, Lucy dived in the direction of the Hero, aiming to slit his throat. However, he sinctly twisted his body and evaded it. Every strike and deadly blow sheunched was fluidly dodged by the Hero in the most amazing moves. He would leap out of her range, and then move right before she did¡ªsessfully evading even her most skilled maneuver. ''Why can''t I reach him? Why?!'' Lucy contemted angrily. Was shecking something? Was there something she was overlooking? Just what did she need to do? ''There''s no way any person is this strong!'' Her mildly exhausted gaze rested on the Hero before her. There was no change in her evaluation of him. He still appeared as a mild¡ªalmost nonexistent threat to her. Yet¡­ yet¡­ ''He''s pushed me this far!'' Lucy could feel her muscles aching. She hadn''t gone all-out in battle for so long. Not after she had been so desperately fighting for her survival in the wild. Sweat dripped from her face, then her whole body. She took slow, short breaths, not letting her gaze falter for a moment. "Is that all?" The sudden words of the Hero cut through her like a hot knife through butter. Lucy red at him, scrutinizing his face for the first time. Throughout their match, she had been paying absolute attention to his whole body¡ªobserving for whatever move he would make and how she would counter. However, this time, she shifted her focus to his face¡­ and then his eyes. ''Shit!'' Lucy felt herself tremble instantly. The cold, unfeeling stare of the Hero was upon her. Her body refused to stop shaking as she stared into the deep calm of the one before her. ''T-those eyes¡­ the way they look at me¡­'' Her thoughts suddenly became incoherent. ''¡­ It''s as if they see everything!'' The piercing gaze of the man she fought had been on her ever since the start of the match. Lucy felt so foolish, yet stunned, when she realized it. ''Every move I made¡­ he saw theming a mile away¡­'' She gritted her teeth. The Hero was someone who wasn''t bound bymon sense, yet she had viewed him as a weakling. Lucy wanted to cry, but she held it in. She was sure that the Hero saw through her. He could see her insecurities. He could see her ws. He could see everything! Then¡­ what was the point of the entire duel? "Do you realize it now? You cannot win." His condescending tone cascaded on her, causing her entire body to shiver. Even though the words were heavy, Lucy didn''t feel hurt in any way. This was simply the ultimatew of the world. The strong devoured the weak. She had simply been the strongest around¡­ until someone of true power arrived¡ªrendering her strength meaningless. She gazed upon the Hero and hung her head in shame, regretting the foolishness of underestimating him. But there was still something she could not let go of. "Why¡­ why didn''t you strike even once?" She had experienced his power and speed, but Lucy still didn''t have a proper grasp on his strength. She could specte so many reasons why he didn''t attack. However, the most obvious was simple. "I''m too weak, aren''t I?" A sad smile formed on Lucy''s face, tears glistening in her eyes. For a moment, the entire field was silent. The young redhead looked at the Hero for an answer¡ªfor affirmation! However¡ª "You''re wrong." He said calmly. ¡ªHis words weren''t what she expected. "You''re strong, Lucy. The strongest I''ve seen since I arrived here." Lucy wanted to speak, denying the illusion of the meager strength she had. However, the Hero''s next words rendered her speechless. "The reason I did not return your strikes is simple. I was just too impressed¡­ that I didn''t want to hurt you." Lucy''s heart was thumping so hard as she stared hard at the Hero. Her crimson irises gleamed with delight. "You are very valuable to me, and to this town. So, Lucy¡­ I can''t hurt such a valuable resource, can I?" Before the young girl realized it, tears fell from her eyes, and she nodded in agreement. "Y-yes¡­ you''re right¡­" She said meekly. More tears streamed from her eyes. The more she tried to wipe them off, the more they cascaded down her face. She didn''t want to show such an unsightly aspect of herself to the Hero, but the overflowing emotions simply didn''t stop. Before the magnificence of the Hero¡­ in the presence of his overwhelming brilliance¡­ Lucy''s hardened heart hadpletely melted. Chapter 25 That Was A Close Call "It''s okay, Lucy." Before she realized it, the Hero closed his distance and locked her small frame into his warm embrace. "A-ah¡­?" She yelped in surprise. She was beyond shocked by the sudden action of the Hero that her heart jumped by leaps and bounds. It raced beyond anything she had ever experienced. "H-Hero, the mes¡­!!!" Someone from the audience called out, but he ignored those words. Despite the violent mes around her, the Hero didn''t let go. He kept her close, ignoring the irrelevant bursts of me that singed his body and outfit. As expected of the Hero¡­ even mes didn''t bother him in the slightest. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m so sorry!" Lucy bawled as she tightly embraced him as well. Her hot tears kept falling as she cried, but the Hero never let her go. He simply hugged her in silence¡­forting silence. Still, silence provided more than enoughfort, the moment was pure bliss for Lucy. Just as the legends said, a Hero would descend from the Heavens to save the world. Lucy thought everything to be utter bullshit and poppycock. However, as she was beingforted by the powerful being in her embrace, Lucy found out that the legends were actually true. The Hero had just saved her from the shackles of her pride¡­ and solitude. And so, if he could do that, then saving the rest of mankind wouldn''t be too hard for him. ''I-if it''s him¡­ if it''s the Hero¡­ then I''m sure he can do it!'' ****************** ''Sweeeeeeetttt!!!'' I squealed in excitement. My heart had been racing ufortably back then, but I was d everything was finally over. That was the most intense moment of my life, to be quite honest. ''I thought I would have a heart attack!'' My body shivered when I recollected various moments during the battle when Lucy''s immensely powerful strikes almost got me. ''I think I have PTSD!'' I still felt the aftershocks of the immense fear I had felt earlier. Was this ferociousdy actually trying to kill me, or something? Throughout the match, she kept ring and angrily charging at me. I could tell that she was out for blood. ''I don''t even know who you are!'' I wailed internally, was this some kind of personal beef or what. Fortunately, it seemed like I didn''t have to worry about being sliced into two. Even with that, I nned on staying far away from such a psychopathic Loli. She was definitely bad news. ''Haa¡­ we had a close call back there, didn''t we? Thankfully, everything worked out fine!'' Now here''s the question of the decade¡­ just how did I pull this off? I was quite surprised by the oue as well. But, once I realized what I had to do, the rest simply yed out as a result of convenience and sheer diligence. For one, I utilized my Skills in this battle. Using [Freedom Of Expression], I was able to stay calm and calcted at all times¡ªat least externally. I was totally freaking out within. Then, there was the Skill [With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power]. Due to its effects, I was able to utilize one Skill each from three of my already established subordinates. It sounded nice and all, but in the whole vige, there were only three fairlypetent people around; Sarah. The Vige Chief¡ªI always forget his name. Lucy. Fortunately, I had Sarah and Byron¡ªyep, I remember now¡ªunder my rule. As a result, I took a Skill from each of them. For Sarah, I obtained a Blessing for Mana Recovery, [Blessing Of Recovery]. As for Byron, I got a boost in Defense [Warrior''s Skin]. To be honest, increasing my strength with a buff would be meaningless, considering the huge gap in my ability and Lucy''s, so I didn''t even bother. I never intended to attack, to begin with. The minute I obtained those Skills, I knew figuring out the next thing to do was going to be quite dicey. Fortunately, I had the perfect skill set to ovee my troubles. [Insight] allowed me to get a good grasp of my surroundings. It also let me pay close attention to an object of focus. Utilizing it in a battle where I had to be on the constant defensive and consecutive evasion was indispensable. It basically gave me impable focus. But, the most important Skill of them all was [Five Seconds Rule]. By seeing five seconds into the future, I was able to see the next course of action my opponent would take before they made it. Precognition at its finest. Five seconds were enough for me to tell that Lucy was really going to kill me if I wasn''t careful. Every sh and strike she made was seen by me beforehand. It was a most convenient Skill. Unfortunately, it cost quite a bit of MP to maintain. ''3 MP is a fortune to a Level 5 noob like me!'' It was a good thing I had Sarah''s Skill that restored my MP, so I never had a drawback from using [Five Seconds Rule]. The duration of her Blessing wasn''t long, though, and the Cooldown was also an eternity. That meant I had to end the fight fast! To do that, I needed to give a wless performance to break Lucy''s will to fight. Still, despite all my avable Skills, I couldn''t make up for the difference between me and Lucy. Our physical abilities were too far apart. That was why I threw everything into Agility. There would be no point in seeing her future actions if my body could not act in response. This was also when my most convenient Skill came into y. [Freedom Of Expression] was a Skill that didn''t just give me the power to disy whatever emotion I wanted. It actually allowed me to perform any course of action as intended. Even unrealistic moves from Anime and movies, as well as coordinated movements that I spent a lot of my time watching¡ªbut never replicating¡ªwere now possible through the use of this Skill. Thanks to that, I was able to move fluidly and respond to Lucy''s unrelenting assaults. ''Haaa! I''ll be forever grateful for this Skill!'' Chapter 26 I Think Im Stuck In A Dilemma Even with all my advantages, the fight wasn''t easy. Actually, that was an understatement, it was difficult as hell. I was barely scraping by as we fought. Lucy''s power and speed exceeded my initial calctions, and I was extremely terrified of getting mutted during every second of our fight. Everything took a drastic turn for the worst when she used her remaining Skills with absolute ferocity. I knew at that moment that I was royally screwed. Luckily, due to all the evasion maneuvers I employed in our fight, I gained more Stats in Agility, so I got even faster. Also, the ''Hero'' Title buff made sure I wasn''t losing Stamina¡ªat least, not at the time. My other Title effect also came into y at that moment. ''Fraud'' Thanks to my constant bluffs and condescending statements, Lucy faltered and began making blunders. Her uncertainty made it perfect for me to regain control of the situation. Finally, the battle came to a close, and Lucy crumbled before me. To be honest, if it hadsted another minute or so, I would have humiliated myself and lost badly. I also came up with the perfect excuse for not using my useless weapon. Truly, for this fight at the very least, luck was on my side. ''I really tried my hardest. Let''s just hope the rewards are worth it.'' I smiled, trying to get away from the crying girl. The mes were getting unbearable. [Warrior''s Skin] granted passive defensive features, and I had also inscribed runes on my outfit to prevent damage to them. That was why I was able to confidently hug the girl¡ªas an emotional bonus. But, I didn''t intend on it being this long. ''OW! OW! OW!'' The mes were beginning to burn. If I didn''t get away soon, it could mean serious trouble! I would be toast, literally. ''Hey! Get away from me!'' I screamed internally, half ring at the smiling girl who didn''t seem to have any intention of letting go. As I thought, this girl really wanted to kill me! ''Let gooooo!!! Pleaseee! It burnnnss!!!'' I wanted to cry, but my fa?ade remained unchanged. Was this really¡­ how everything would end? After all my efforts at ensuring I didn''t die. To think I would go out in such an embarrassing¡ªand terribly painful¡ªway! ''Goodbye¡­ sweet world¡­'' ''Haha, just joking'' Of course, I wasn''t going to let myself suffer death like that. Not with the crazy effort I had put in to escape it. ''This was a mistake! I''ll reverse everything with Arcana Call!'' Then¡ª "Get away from the Hero¡ªI mean, Sam!" A sharp cry surged through the air as someone quickly dashed in my direction. "U-uh¡­?" "Stay away from him! Why are you ogling him so much? Even after losing, you''re still so shameless!" The one who intervened was none other than Sarah. To be honest, I had never been so d to see her butting into my business. "A-ah, I''m so sorry¡­" Lucy finally let go of me, granting me the sweet relief I desperately desired. Unfortunately, I couldn''t let that show in my demeanor. "It''s alright. My shoulders are always avable for you to cry on." Of course, I didn''t give a shit, but I said it anyway. Lucy''s eyes glimmered brightly the moment I said this, and it felt like I had received all her devotion. Still, I could not trust the little monster. ''Not only did she try her hardest to kill me when we fought, she nearly smoldered me in mes. Whether she''s doing this intentionally or not, being around this girl is bad news!'' I needed to create some distance. "S-stay away from him!" My savior, Sarah, intervened. Standing to my feet, I casually shrugged, trying desperately to ignore the stings of pain I felt all over my body. The Hero''s Automatic Recovery would handle that soon¡­ at least, I hoped. "What''s your problem, Sarah?" Lucy snapped back at the Priestess¡ªmuch to my chagrin. The young girl''s vicious eyes toward the blonde were a sharp contrast from what she had just shown to me. Hostility was lurking within those crimson irises. "T-The Hero just defeated you. Have s-some shame and reflect on your actions!" Although Sarah said this, the quivering tone she used to speak told me that her emotional outburst stemmed from a personal issue. Both women didn''t seem like they liked each other very much. The way they stared daggers at each other was enough proof. Besides, no one around tried to stop them. ''Haha, looks like we''ve got some rivalry, or something¡­'' [SYSTEM NOTICE] [System Reward] ~Loyalty Of Lucy (The Strongest Plebian)~ ~Addition of Lucy to Character List~ ~(+5) Stat Points~ ~(+10) Karmic Value~ [End Of Information] ''Ah, looks like the Base Rewards are here¡­'' I gave a wry smile, still watching both girls arguing. ''Hopefully, I had some good achievements from the fight¡­'' It was best not to raise my hopes too high, though. Even though Lucy seemed pretty hardcore, it was still rtively easier to get her on my side than I had thought. Resolving things through violence was a necessity this time, reminding me of the fact that I needed to resort to such measures from time to time. ''I can''t bullshit my way out of everything¡­'' To survive in this world, I needed to be stronger¡ªand fast! The problem was how to go about such a thing. ''The fastest way would be toplete Quests or to train in specific fields.'' The former was very risky, while thetter was virtually impossible¡ªat least for the moment. ''I think I overdid it with these people¡­'' I stared at the astounded faces of everyone around me. ? They all looked so impressed, faces gleaming in admiration of the almighty Hero. I was as strong as an average warrior, at best. However, unlike them, my practical knowledge about fighting was non-existent. That meant I needed more experience in waging battles¡ªnot only to increase my Stats, but also to build more confidence and muscle memory. ''Unfortunately¡­ they all think I''m Overpowered!'' Not only could I not get the proper guidance I needed from them¡ªsince they all assumed I was far stronger¡ªif I tried to force the issue and show my pathetic side to everyone, they would finally realize how much I sucked. There was no way I could have that! In the end, I was stuck between a rock and a hard ce¡ªan impossible situation! A single question kept echoing in my head as I had these thoughts. ''Who''s going to train me?!'' Chapter 27 Taking Measures For The Future… Sigh! After the entire battle scenario, I retired to my quarters. Thankfully, everyone had enoughmon sense not to disturb my rest¡ªwell, almost everyone. Sarah wanted to remain with me at all times. The girl really had no tact or any ability whatsoever to read the room. Fortunately, this wasn''t my first rodeo! "Do not be so selfish. It iste in the evening already. Shouldn''t you be more concerned about the welfare of the neers?" I told her, so she could get the hell off my back! As Lucy had challenged me the very moment we met, and I couldn''t exactly put it off, our battle had urredte in the evening. It was already getting dark out, and while there was no fear of the cold¡ªthanks to my innovation¡ªit was already time for my nightly activities. The neers weren''t exactly ustomed to the transformed state of the vige, so I had Sarah show them around and help them blend in. ''There''s really not much to do, though¡­'' But, it was best for Sarah to be busier with everyone else, so she could stop pestering me. [Freedom Of Expression] allowed me to portray whatever image or emotion I wanted people to see, but even I had a limit. "Haaaaaaa!!!" A guy had to unwind every now and then. Crumbling atop my bed, I took off my fa?ade and groaned inwardly. ''Being a Hero is truly hard work!'' I now had a deep respect for all the celebrities, back in my world, who lived morous lives and had active social media ounts. Surely, their lives wouldn''t always have been perfect. But, for the sake of maintaining their public image, they would don a persona that portrayed them in the best light. "Well, I guess it''s a bit of a stretch topare celebrities with a Hero who is destined to save the world. Still¡­" While murmuring and grumbling to myself, I remembered the night exercises I needed to perform. Morning training was one thing, but at night, I studied like crazy. The only way to keep up with this crazy world, as well as rake in as many Points as possible, was constant growth. ''I feel so mentally exhausted, but it can''t be helped¡­'' I murmured. The future looked bleak, and I wondered how long I would be able to keep up my act. Sooner orter, the truth would catch up with me. That depressing fact gnawed within me, making me shiver with the fear of what was toe. As I wallowed in despair of the future, a pinging sound awoke me from my trance. [SYSTEM NOTICE] ~Would You Like To Receive All Your Rewards Now?~ The moment I saw this, a glimmer of hope sparked within me. "Might as well see what the System has in store for me¡­" Who knows, it could actually be some good stuff. ''To be honest, I could use some cheering up right now¡­'' [SYSTEM UPDATE] [Here Are Your Rewards Based On Your Aplishments] ~10 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~300 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~1,000 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~Skill: Martial Arts has been given~ ~Title: Conqueror has been given~ ~(+10) Stat Points Have Been Given~ ~You Have Leveled Up (¡Á3)~ [End Of Information] "Whohooo!!!" I unconsciously shouted out victory cheers when I got the rewards. It really feels good when one''s efforts are appreciated. The fact that my achievements were seen by the System and judged to be appropriate enough to warrant such rewards was an amazing feat in itself. "I''m so happy right now." I wiped away the tears of joy that were forming in my eyes. Lucy turned out to be a blessing in disguise¡ªthough that didn''t change the fact that I was going to actively avoid her. Having a Skill for Martial Arts would definitely allow me to progress faster in bing an epic warrior. It might have had something to do with the fact that I copied the moves of the dope-ass movements from all the anime I had watched. ''I wonder¡­'' There were tons of anime and epic fight scenes on my Laptop. There were even much more on my Hard Disk Drive. If I retrieved those by using the Junkyard Function, wouldn''t I be able to learn Martial Arts well enough on my own? All I had to do was memorize the movements, and then replicate everything using [Freedom Of Expression]. Of course, the effectiveness of those moves would depend on my Stats, so the important factor was raising those numbers. Spending Stat Points should only be for emergencies, which meant that I needed to actively raise my Levels and Stats. "Looks like I''ll need to leave at some point¡­" I murmured while stroking my chin. I had been thinking about this for some time now, so it was sorta inevitable. ''But when?'' It had to be soon, but I could still put it off until things around had stabilized. At the moment, there were three major things I needed to be concerned about. One would be handling the neers and setting up a new hierarchy¡ªwith me being at the top, of course. Byron, the chief, was already captivated by my performance, so I didn''t imagine he would have much of an issue with me in charge. The duties and responsibilities of everyone also had to be spelled out, and since harvest was near, it would be good to have specified roles for everyone. The second matter would be to ensure the town grew even further. While there was now more progress than when I first came, we still hadn''t reached the level I required. This ce was still nothingpared to an area I would feelfortable living. Last but not least would be amassing enough power and knowledge so I wouldn''t get stranded or screwed over in this shithole. ''I have to study and train myself, but these guys around me also need to grow.'' It would greatly suck if I was the only one who did all the fighting around here¡ªespecially when it came to all the strong Demons still lurking in this world. Even though humans had fixed Stats and growth limits, the right knowledge, equipment, and tactic could turn the tides in our favor. ''Hmmn¡­ I guess I''ve got even more work cut out for me¡­'' I smiled. This was definitely not how I expected my Transmigrated Life to turn out. [A/N] Hi there. Author here. I just wanted to say that I''m really happy you''re reading this book. If you have any opinions, criticisms, or overall reviews, please do not hesitate toment. Chapter 28 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—Thats How It Goes, Right? Here we go again, I guess. ''Today marks the tenth day since I arrived in this brave new world. A lot has changed, but, it''s not nearly enough.'' My grin widened as I stared at the heap before me. We were currently outside the vige. By ''we'', I meant every single townsfolk. Of course, everyone was reverent enough to stay a good distance behind me. The only people who maintained some level of proximity with me were Sarah, Byron, and¡ªsurprisingly enough¡ªLucy. Thetter happened much to my dismay, but I couldn''t piss off the strongest person in the vige, now could I? Anyone would wonder why every single resident in the developing town would leave the walls confining them and go on an excursion outside. The answer was quite simple¡ªit was because of the heap of rubbish that stood before everyone. "A mountain of trash, uh¡­? Brings back memories¡­" My world had junkyards where heaps and piles of garbage were dumped into. Though this single pile was nothingpared to the mountainous heap in my world, it still evoked memories of my previously normal life. The current junkyard was made of things I deemed unfit for use when I was giving the town a makeover. Not only did I get rid of the worn-out Tents and ragged clothing, but several appliances were also thrown away. I reced their primitive lifestyle with some level of civilization. That meant their old stuff had nowhere to go but here. ''Burning them would have been a waste and would have caused harmful pollution, so I had the people gather them here. To think it has reached such a degree¡­'' Our Vige had expanded, and we also intended to grow further. To do that, we needed to get rid of this heap. Of course, leaving something like this to fester was against my philosophy of hygiene, so our development ns aligned with my intentions. "He¡ªI mean, Sam¡­ what should we do about it?" The adorable Priestess asked me with her wide eyes full of hope and innocence. Byron also asked something simr, and the vigers behind were prepared to follow my orders to the letter. I nced at the only one who didn''t make ament. ''This girl¡­'' I made sure my nce was careful as I stared at her. Lucy said nothing. She simply stared at me with her round, crimson eyes. Even though no words were uttered, I could sense the great pressure of expectation emanating from the girl. "You all do not need to do anything. Leave this to me." I finally gave my response with a confident smile. "Sarah¡­ you have the materials I require, don''t you?" "Yes, S-Sam¡­ here." As instructed, the Priestess brought out two vials filled with my most valuable tools¡ªof course, not counting my Grimoire. ''Mana Chalk and Mercury¡­ perfect! But, hmmm?'' I stared at the two vials, noticing something odd. "The quantity seems a bit small. What''s the problem?" I looked at the Priestess, who looked a little uneasy. ''What''s going on, don''t tell me¡ª?!'' I used [Five Seconds Rule] to look into the future and found out the reason. "Ah, I see¡­" I quickly added, cutting Sarah off from her speech. It was stupid of me not to realize it sooner. To cover up my stupidity, this was the most effective means I could utilize. "The Mana Chalk and Mercury have run out, haven''t they?" Sarah nodded nervously. ''Shit! I should have thought of this!'' Since resources were finite, it wasmon sense that these things would be exhausted with the way I had been using them so often. "As expected¡­" I murmured, garnering looks of praise and reverence from the audience. It would be bad news if they realized that my oversight had caused such a fatal error. The only way I could turn things around was to make it seem as though I had foreseen everything from the start. My actions here would probablye back to bite me in the long run, but this was the best I coulde up with at the moment. "Hmph. It''s no problem. This much will do." I smiled at Sarah, who was beginning to tremble in my presence. She handed the materials over to me, and I decided to work my Magic. Thanks to the constant utilization of Runes, my Skill [Runecrafting] had Leveled Up considerably. It was effective to the point that I could efficiently use a smaller amount of materials to achieve my desired result. ''This amount is cutting it close, but I should be able to make do with it¡­'' My initial n was to resolve everything on my own, but since the ingredients werecking, I would end up needing the aid of everyone to supplement the effects. "First, let me design the Circle." And that I did. By creating a Magic Circle around the heap and replicating the drawing I memorized from my Grimo¡ªI mean, Tablet¡ªI could conclude the first portion of my n. And what n was that? The answer was RECYCLING! Why the heck would I just throw away junk without thinking of any good use for them? Sure, they were old and worn out, but Magic was an amazing concept. Certainly, there had to be a good use for them! "Remain where I position you." As soon as the Circle was done, I arranged for a select few individuals to stand in specific locations outside the circle. Their job was to insert their Mana into the Magic Circle topliment the Mana Chalk that was used. That would, in turn, energize the Mercury. Once that was done, the Magic Circle would handle the rest. >SHIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG< The result was magnificent¡ªjust as I expected. The blue glow of the Magic Circle enveloped the pile of garbage, filling it with miraculous energy. Slowly, the heap began to change form¡ªmolding itself ording to the design I designated. "It''s birth¡­ is nigh¡­" I said smiling, watching in suppressed excitement. Everyone marveled at the miraculous sight, and I even saw some people bowing in response to the emergence of the giant figure that was being made. After a while of waiting, it was finallyplete. "I-it''s a miracle!" "T-to think the things we thought were worthless could¡­ birth this¡­" "I was so foolish to have suggested burning everything!" Everyone marveled before the hulking figure that now stood dormant within the Magic Circle. Even Lucy, who was silent the whole time, finally uttered a soft whisper to fully express how she felt. "A-amazing¡­" Indeed! It was truly a fine work of art¡ªthe best I could produce from useless pieces of trash. "A Magic Golem¡­" My voice was calm, as though stating a simple fact. Its body parts were a culmination of the old and rusty parts of the properties of everyone¡ªso it wasn''t exactly top-tier. Still, having a 10-Ft Golem at my beck and call wasn''t a bad deal, either. "I think I''ll call it Jason." Chapter 29 Is It Finally Time To Leave The Starter Town? "Kneel." My voice was authoritative and smooth, like a whisper in the dead of night¡ªat least, that was what I thought. The Golem I made from pieces of junk responded to my order by bending its knees in submission. Of course, it had no mind of its own, so it could only respond to simplemands, like a robot. Still, it felt satisfying¡ªand freaking cool¡ªto be able tomand such a massive thing. p ''In terms of power, this Golem can beat me, no sweat.'' In fact, it could handle almost everyone in the vige¡ªunless they all attacked it with a coordinated effort. That said, Lucy would most definitely be able to take it down on her own quite easily. In terms of Level, I estimated the Golem to be akin to a Level 20 individual, at best. Not even counting the fact that Lucy was a Level 30, she also had the ''Warrior ss''. That was a bad matchup for a Golem who could only rely on physical attacks. ''Brute strength has its limits, after all¡­'' Still, the fact that I made a Golem out of trash was a miracle in itself. And so, as I turned to the audience to address them, I found them all kneeling as well. "H-hero¡­" "He''s so magnificent!" "A-amazing!" They gawked in awe and amazement, forcefully immersing me in unwarranted glory. I felt a bit guilty that I was getting credit for something so simple, but there was no way I wouldn''t wee their praise. The System also endowed me with more Karma Points, so this hero worship definitely had its perks. Being surrounded by kneeling subjects, I smiled calmly and raised my hands slightly to address them. "You may all rise. This is simply the beginning." Their eyes were aglow with even more emotion and respect, but my craft of bullshitting didn''t end there¡ªno way! "This world is about to enter a new era. When that timees upon us, sights such as this shall be nothing to your eyes." I wasn''t exactly lying. "No matter what, though, know this¡­" More demonstrations of respect and absolute loyalty were showered on me. But, I was too far gone to repent. "¡­ I will always be by your side!" And then, the cheers descended thunderously. ************************* ''I need to leave this ce.'' My eyes were alit with determination, and my fingers were sped together as I sat behind my work desk. This was my 12th day here, and I had finally reached a dead end. ''There''s so much work left to be done. The Harvest of the crops is in a few days, and I really need to start working on expanding our territory. There''s also the issue of that new project I''m working on¡­'' It was driving me crazy, yet I was still stuck on one major problem. ''My Runes¡­ I''ve run out of ingredients to make them!'' While I had ess to lots of amazing knowledge and technology, I still needed Magic to make things happen in this new world. My Mana Capacity was abysmal at best, and the demand for innovations kept increasing on a daily basis. To maintain my reputation as the all-powerful Hero, I had to keep impressing the people. To be honest, I had myself to me for raising the expectations of everyone so high. ''But, it''s toote to turn back now¡­'' I had to do something, but I couldn''t achieve shit without Magic Circles. There were two major ways a person could cast Magic. One was the usual Spellcasting. This involved using the Mana a person had to achieve their desired effects. The second was to utilize Magic Circles or Runes. Depending on their effects and design, they could attract Mana from the Veins in the earth, or around the area. Of course, to do this, one needed the right conduit. That was why Mana Chalk was used to attract the Mana while Mercury would keep it stable. All this was elementary stuff, but without one of these ingredients, things got dicey¡ªespecially for me. ''I''m weak, after all¡­'' Fortunately, as always, I figured out a solution to my predicament. The good news was that I could finally put an end to my worries. The bad news, however, was that I would need to leave this ce. ''Considering the merits, it''s not really a bad idea. It was something I was nning to do eventually¡­'' Since the situation called for it, now was as good a time to venture out to the outside world. "Sarah." The moment I called, the blonde responded hurriedly and approached from the corner where she faithfully stood. Her apparent idleness initially upset me, considering the fact that others were busy with one task or the other. However, after realizing that great men needed to have some sort of secretary at their beck and call, I decided to keep Sarah by my side. ''It isn''t all bad, though. I get to send her on small errands and stuff like that.'' When thinking of days when I would rather just remain in bed, the prospect of having a personal caretaker did seem appealing. "Yes, S-Sam?" ''She no longer struggles to call me Sam. Just a bit of stuttering, I guess she has finally learned my name.'' I smiled at thedy. Her beauty was mesmerizing, but doing anything funny would simply result in a scandal of some sort¡ªthat much was guaranteed. ''I can''t sully my image in front of my greatest supporter, now can I?'' Especially considering that Sarah was a Priestess, I would practically bemitting social suicide. "Organize a meeting. I want every single member of the town present. There''s an important announcement I need to make." "U-understood!" She bowed and skittered away quickly. I sighed and took my Tablet, connecting it to myptop using a USB Cord. My Hard Disk Drive was also connected, so I had ess to the local storage of all three devices. It would have been nice if I could ess all my Cloud files, but Fantasy Worlds don''t have any Inte. Bummer! "I should take some important stuff that I need, so I can study while on the road. Or should I just take everything for the journey?" Realizing that I couldn''t trust these primitives with any of my stuff, it was best to simply carry anything that could be damaged. I mean, I had an Inventory, didn''t I? "Alright, then. Let''s get my speech ready for the masses." It was quite an enjoyable period, being in a remote ce like this, but it was time to see more of this world. ''Just when I was finally retrofitting everything to suit my tastes too¡­'' Oh well, a Hero has to leave the starter town one way or the other! Chapter 30 Using The Flashy Hero Smile Here I was, in the middle of nowhere. This town, which Imanded, had gone through so much, but we had persevered through it all. As I watched from the stage, staring at the audience before me¡ªa total number of three hundred and five citizens¡ªpride swelled within my chest. ''I''ve reallye a long way, haven''t I?'' The people looked at me with expectant gazes. It was rare for me to address everyone at once. That simply went to show the severity of the matter before us. "I have important news for everyone." The utter silence prior to my statement became more pronounced as everyone tightened their lips and looked attentively at me with their piercing stares. The pressure of delivering a stunning performance weighed heavily on me. Still, I went on. "I will be leaving this ce tomorrow." That instant, I observed the expressions of everyone who watched me. It was initially filled with disbelief¡ªand then, not long after¡­ Despair! An eerie devastation swept the atmosphere, and everyone instantly burst into tears, wailing loudly. "H-Hero!" "W-what¡­?!" "The Hero is leaving?!" "B-but why?!" "I-is it something we''ve done?" "I-is the Hero abandoning us?" "N-no!" "P-please¡­.don''t go!" "No! You promised you''d stay with us!" "No! Hero!" "HERO!" It grew sickeningly overwhelming how they called out for me¡ªnot that I didn''t understand their plight. ''I suppose this confirms it. They can no longer live normally without my existence.'' My n of making thempletely dependent on me worked. As long as they understood that my presence among them was essential to their survival, none of them would dare to defy me. ''Haaa¡­ looks like that''s out of the way. Uh?'' While in deep thought, ignoring the frantic cries and pleas of everyone present, I suddenly noticed two people weren''t joining the crying fest. "Aren''t you two worried?" I spoke softly, staring at the women¡ªSarah and Lucy. Their eyes were unwavering, and they kept staring at me with absolute confidence. To be honest, it made me slightly uneasy. ''Don''t tell me¡­ shit! Are they really confident that they can survive without me? But these two are the most useful among everyone present!'' Beads of sweat trickled down my face as my throat suddenly felt dry. "I trust in the Hero''s decision. The Hero never lies, is forever noble, and he always sticks to his words. You already told us you would never leave nor abandon us. I have full confidence in your words." Sarah said, bowing deeply. Her smile and eyes depicted the very essence of innocence, hopefulness, andplete trust. ''She really trusts me that much?'' I felt so happy about this for some reason. As for Lucy¡­ "I am not concerned about the others. No matter what, I will always follow you." Her tone sounded so serious and resolute that my bones slightly shivered. The stern gaze on her cute face made me somewhat relieved, yet worried, about her loyalty. "Hehe¡­ Haha¡­ Hahahahahahaha!" I burst outughing. Of course, this was intended, as I would not have been able to do so without that being my intention, because I could never look stupid in front of everyone thanks to Freedom Of Expression. Everyone marveled at my burst ofughter, and I continued for a while. Until¡­ "You are exactly right." ¡­ I finally put an end to the uneasy atmosphere enveloping us. Removing my gaze from the twodies, I addressed everyone once again. "Fret not, my people. I have not abandoned you at all. No, it is the exact opposite." ''Guess it''s time to let the cat out of the bag¡­'' I told everyone of my intention to visit the nearby city to obtain supplies and information, as well as to perform some ''activities'' that were beyond their understanding. While they expressed initial apprehension at my sudden decision to depart, none of them could deny the truth in my words. Besides, it would somewhat be selfish¡ªnot to mention foolish¡ªfor them to hoard me in their small vige while the world suffered the scourge of Demons. "Do not forget my grand assignment in this world. I intend to liberate your entire race. This is necessary to achieve that!" Ultimately, theypromised and became swayed by my words. The mood slowly changed from a sad farewell to an optimistic sendoff. Everyone''s eyes brightly shone with expectation once more as they expected me to achieve something great, like they were used to. "Sarah and Byron will apany me on my journey. The rest of you will remain here to carry out the assignments I will assign to you." "B-but, Hero¡ª!" As expected, I received a cry of displeasure from one person among everyone else. "W-why will you not take me with you? I wish to apany you!" Lucy raised her voice toin. Her crimson eyes pleaded desperately with me to bring her along, but¡­ ''Heck no!'' ¡­ there was no way I was going to let the most OP person in this ce tag along with me on a mission where I could potentially screw up. "Lucy, you are the strongest person in this ce¡ªbesides me, of course." Thest part was pure bullshit, but I was already on a roll. "When I was summoned here, I met carnage. That was because you and your team weren''t around to help everyone. I don''t want such a tragedy to repeat itself." With hopes that my words would cajole her, I spoke with feigned concern. "I don''t care about that! I just want to be¡­ to be¡­ of use to you!" She let out stubbornly. Something about her outburst made me think of a spoilt kid. "Lucy¡­" I moved close to the redhead. She slightly shivered, but firmly took her stance to brace herself for what came next. "¡­ I understand what you''re saying." Gently stroking her red head, I made sure my tone was as pleasant as possible. If she stubbornly decided toe with me, there was really nothing I could do to stop her. My best bet was to appeal to her emotions, if she had any, that is. "But, you realize my responsibility as a Hero, don''t you? These people¡­" I smiled, looking at the crowd that watched me fervently. Some were already tearing up. The glistening tears in their eyes overwhelmed even me, despite the fact that I couldn''t care less about them. "¡­ They are my responsibility. You want to be of use to me, don''t you?" I bent to her height, cing my hand on her chin as I drew closer. I could feel the heat in Lucy''s body rise, and her stiff face nodded in response to my question. "Then, please take care of everything in my absence." She stiffly nodded once again, staring at me with tears in her eyes. I knew it was finally time to pull out the big guns. I conjured up the perfect image I needed to portray in my mind, and ensured that my face was positioned ordingly. I then shed my best smile and gave her apletely heroic expression. "I''m counting on you¡­ okay?" I could swear that shes of light emanated from my face as I made that epic statement. "Y-yes¡­ I understand¡­" Lucy finally blurted out, ovee with emotion. ''Yes!'' I made an inner victory fist bump. I was immensely grateful that my charm worked. After all, I was scared to death of the little girl. It wouldn''t bode well to have her too close to me at all. "Very good." I withdrew from her before we got too close forfort. Returning to the central stage where I previously stood, my heroic smile never left my face. "I will be leaving tomorrow. Do not worry, everyone¡­" This bullshit worked better than I thought it would. The only thing left to do was to actually depart. "¡­ I will return in no time!" [A/N] I''m so sorry for the slow pace, everyone. Don''t worry, things get really interesting and heated up soon. We''re about to enter an intriguing point in the story. I hope you will keep apanying me on this journey. Thanks for reading, everyone. P.S: I haven''t confirmed Lucy''s age yet, so please don''t think of calling the FBI on Sam. Chapter 31 The Legendary Black Beast "How long will we be spending, Hero?" Sarah and Byron were in my tent, trying to put the finishing touches of our trip together. As they were the only ones who would be apanying me, it was imperative that we met privately. Byron was the one who made the earlier statement¡ªsince Sarah was already used to calling me by my name at this point. "It''s so we prepare all we need for the journey." The Vige Chief added quickly, bowing deeper. "There is no need for that. I understand." I told him, waving my hand in dismissal. A sigh escaped my lips as I stared at the two individuals and their reverent expressions. Sure, it was nice and all that they adored me, but there was something called ''overdoing it.'' ''To be honest, I want to return here as soon as possible. After all, there are no proper storage facilities here.'' I could utilize technology from my world to solve the problem, but it was simply cheaper and more efficient to use Runes. ''That means I have to retrieve what I need and return before it''s toote¡­'' ording to the report I got from Byron and Sarah concerning the ingredients I needed, we would need to explore a ''Labyrinth'' to obtain them. It wasn''t like they weren''t sold, but the financial condition of our settlement was quite awry. ''I could resort to selling some of the foodstuffs we''re producing, but a majority of them will be consumed here.'' Perhaps after this round, we could expand our farnds and begin trading with other ces. But, for now, I couldn''t rely on selling stuff. ''At least, not stuff that is here¡­'' My face morphed into a sly smile. Still, selling was only a secondary alternative. The best course of action¡ªas well as the cheapest¡ªwas to actually retrieve the materials ourselves. Based on Byron''s words¡ªsince the Novel didn''t go into that much detail on it¡ªMana Chalk could be found in many Labyrinths. The quality varied, depending on difficulty, but it was still doable. As for Mercury, it could be obtained by a simr means. That meant it was possible to obtain both ingredients without the need to resort to trade. ''We''ll do that, for now. At least, it''s notplicated. Once I''ve fully settled here, we can start the whole trading business.'' I intended to fortify my stronghold as much as possible. To do that, it was inevitable that we would eventually draw attention to ourselves, but we would cross that bridge, when we get to it. ''I''ll just have to keep a low profile, get what I want there, and quickly return here!'' Yep, that was the n. "How long does it take to reach our destination?" I asked Byron. "Since it''s just the three of us, it shouldn''t take more than three days." "¡­ The fuc¡ª?" I nearly spoke, but my shocked sound was stifled almost as soon as it came out. Byron''s answer made me shiver slightly. It would take a total of three days before we even arrived at the city? At that point, the harvest would have started already! Bloody hell! If I factored in our adventures in the city and estimated return journey, the whole thing would at least take a week. There was no way I nned on spending that long. "Why is it so long? Is the distance that far?" I spoke with a deted voice. "W-well, there''s that. But, asides that¡­ there''s the issue of transportation. We have to walk on foot. So, that makes the journey quite arduous." That was yet another bombshell. ''What the fuck? You mean¡­ I''ll have to walk for three days? Hell no!'' I had gone through so much injustice in this world, but there was no way they could make me do something so¡­ so absolutely unreasonable. ''I''m just a regr person! I can''t do something like that!'' Sure, my Hero buff would grant me good stamina and Auto recovery, bute on¡­ I couldn''t endure such hell! "I-is there no other way¡­?" I smiled slightly, not wanting to reveal my true emotions. However¡ª "No." Both individuals voiced out. ¡ªit turned out despair was all that awaited me. Space Magic was something that humans couldn''t even dream of achieving, so teleportation was out of the question. Some privileged people could fly with Magic, or used Magic Beasts for transportation. Unfortunately, none of us here had such luxuries. ''I could havee up with something to that effect, but¡­'' I had no ingredient to use for my Runes. Ultimately, we were stuck. "Prepare minimal luggage. Simply take what you need for the trip. I''ll handle the rest." That was my answer to them¡ªa small croak I could give so they could leave me all alone in my tent. As soon as the two departed, I tightly clutched my head in worry and gritted my teeth. ''Oh shit! Oh shit! What should I do?!'' *********************** The moment of truth arrived the next day, and every member of the vige saw our group off to the gate. It was dawn, early in the morning, yet everyone''s mood was alit with passion. We were already outside the settlement, and both myrades were with a single sack each¡ªpacking light¡ªas they were told. Everyone''s eyes bid me farewell, waiting for us to start our journey by vanishing into the horizon. However¡­ ''Ain''t no way I''m going to walk to a city!'' ¡­ Things weren''t going to go ording to how they imagined it. That was because I had my own ns. "The time hase¡­" I spoke with a deep voice of authority, stretching my hand toward the empty vast space before me. Everyone''s eyes focused on the Hero standing before them, and they held their breaths the moment I began to speak. ''Alright fes! Feast your eyes on thiiiisssssss!!!'' Instantly, a brilliant light burst forth, and an object emerged from thin air. It was a phenomenal sight, something considered impossible¡ªat least for everyone who watched, but me. A humongous machine appeared, having a rather peculiar shape and size. It had four wheels, and space within that contained chairs and a wheel-shaped structure. I smiled as I watched the stationary ck object manifest for all eyes to see. Yes, it was none other than¡ª "Legendary ck Beast¡­ I have summoned you for one purpose alone." My voice permeated the excited air as I walked in the direction of the vehicle, holding the ''Control Key'' that made it beep as I pressed the ''Unlock Button.'' >PEEP! PEEP!< The beeping sound caused everyone to step back in fright as well as marvel, but I remained unfazed by the response it gave. Instead, I ced my hand on its smooth ck surface, smiling at it intently. "Good girl¡­" Then, my face turned to the ignorant primitives who gawked at me in both reverence and utter confusion. What I just summoned was beyond their understanding, so they could only bow in respect. "We shall ride this ca¡ªI mean, Legendary ck Beast, to our destination." Sarah and Byron were awestruck as they watched me open the car door. "Hop in." Chapter 32 To The City Of Adventures! Before transmigrating to this new world, I was just a seventeen year old normal guy who lived a pretty normal and boring life. Of course, that meant I had learnt how to drive, and I had worked some part time jobs in order to afford some decent living for myself. Since Ipletely gave up on going to college and all that mundane, ordinary stuff, it was decided that I would simply get a car for my troubles. It wasn''t anything fancy¡ªjust an average car for an average boy. [A/N: Can''t say the exact model, cause¡­ reasons. Just use your imagination at this point. A random, average, ck car.] I got a License, and could basically drive the thing around pretty well. Even though I hardly went out, it was still an object of convenience. That WAS my life. Until¡­ ¡­ I arrived here. "L-legendary ck Beast?!!" "I-Its so ominous!" "Did you hear the sound it just made?" "W-what a terrifying creature!" "I think it''s staring at me. It''s infernal red eyes are blinking at me!" "Eeeek!" "The Hero truly is amazing! How could he he tame such a creature?" The entire inhabitants of the settlement, kept wondering in awe and looking at the car skeptically as though it could bite. The only way I could get away with this level of bullshit was because I was dealing with primitive savages. Even certain Magic Technology that was native to this world surprised them, not to talk of a machine of modern technology from my world. "Get in." I told Sarah and Byron. Both of them looked at the car warily, and to be honest they looked like clueless idiots. I couldn''t me them, though. Being primitive, it was a given that they would act that way. "Do not worry, I havepletely tamed it. Or do you no longer have any trust in me?" I asked, using a slightly offended tone. Upon hearing my words, both of them jumped nervously and shook their heads hurriedly. Apparently the fear of displeasing me was enough to get them moving. The next hurdle was how they would open the car door. As they fumbled with the handle, shaking nervously as they touched the smooth surface of my vehicle, I watched in utter amusement. Fortunately, I was a patient person, and I guided them on how to open the car. I also showed them the seatbelt, and got them to rx in the vehicle. ''This feels weird¡­'' I thought to myself. It was a tasking effort, but eventually I helped them ovee their nervousness, well at least¡ªfor the most part. >VRUUUMMMM!< As the engine hummed, whirring to life, everyone yelped in fright. The car began vibrating, causing Sarah and Byron to shriek like kids. ''The fuck¡­?!'' Patience, they said, was a virtue. Unfortunately, I wasn''t exactly a very virtuous individual. Still, myck of self control was masked with Freedom Of Expression''s calm fa?ade. With one hand on the steering, simultaneously ncing at the mirrors and the windscreen, my legs on the pedals, and my other hand shifting the gears, I readied myself for my first car ride in a Magical World. As cool as that sounded in theory, it was simply going to be a whole journey of gawking and screams. Plus, my car wasn''t exactly fantastic. ''Maybe cruising in a Ferrari would hit different¡­'' Unfortunately, I couldn''t afford something like that¡ªboth in my world and this one. That meant, like every moment in my life, I had to settle for what I was given. Once everyone settled down, I bid farewell to the townspeople and zoomed off in my Legendary ck Beast. As I watched clouds of dust and exhaust fumes rise trail behind, the little settlement slowly began to shrink into the horizon. Slowly, it went out of view, and myplete focus was fully given to my windshield ¡ªor, rather, whateverndscape was beyond. Hills and mountains were spread across the area, but the valleys were smooth enough for a car to traverse without much hassle. Fortunately, despite some bumpy spots, the territory mostlyprised of nds. As a result, out journey was smooth¡ª or would have been, if only I could ignore Sarah''s incessant chatter beside me, or Byron''s overbearing ass kissing. The worst part was that I had to y along as well. After all, I made the bed, so I had to lie in it. Only one thingforted me. A single thought kept me going, despite the throbbing pain in my head as we sped across unfamiliar areas¡ªwith Byron guiding me to our destination, of course. And that was the nature of the ce we were heading to. ''Adventurer''s City! That was every weeb''s dream!'' To gather the materials I required, we needed to enter Dungeons. To enter Dungeons, we needed to take Quests. To take Quests¡­ we needed to visit the Adventurer''s City! ''A perfect setting, if I do say so myself.'' With a satisfied grin, I drove further, getting closer to the thrilling adventure that awaited me. Hopefully, unlike everything I had experienced in this strange world so far, the Adventurer''s City wouldn''t be a disappointment. ******************************** "Settlement¡­ Near¡­" A shrill voice, thin yet heavy, echoed in the ears of the bowing creatures. This voice belonged to the new head of their pack¡ªa Middle ss Demon. Unlike the rabid and unintelligent beasts that belonged to the Demon Race, this was a being they could not hope to triumph. They could do nothing but bow in respect¡­ and fear! "Humans¡­ Weak Humans¡­" The Middle ss Demon rose from the makeshift throne that the Lower Ones had prepared. Her mature body seemed humanlike, except for certain features¡ªlike her arms, legs, and her pointed ears that were definitely not human, they resembled a Demon''s. Her ebony skin gleamed in the darkness, and the yellow glow in her eyes reeked of unbridled violence. "I¡­ strong¡­" She licked her lips and brought her hand close to her face, making a twisted face in turn. The Lower ss Demons could notprehend the thoughts of someone superior to them, but they understood what that expression meant. It was in and simple¡ªtheir primitive minds could discern that much. They could only brace themselves for the worst. "I¡­ subdue¡­ Humans." The Demon repeated in the same bloodthirsty tone. And so, a malevolent cackle echoed in the darkness, a sign that was ominous, portending future evil. Chapter 33 Am I Really In An Adventurers City? Our journey spanned about five hours, due to driving, which saved us the stress of undergoing what would have been apletely exhausting, nerve-racking journey. The average speed of my car would be around 60 kilometers per hour. We spent five hours on road, meaning the distance between our vige and the Adventurer''s City was at least 300 kilometers. I read somewhere that a person could cover 100 kilometers in a day, if they possessed the stamina and perseverance to undertake such an arduous journey. There was no way I could even dream of doing that, but I now understood why Byron had said it would take three days on foot. ''Thank you, past me, for not listening to this madman!'' I smiled to myself, relieved I saved myself that pain. It would have been hell to spend so much time walking, when there was an easier method to get to our destination without much hassle. ''My back and legs were sore, though. I haven''t driven for that long before¡­'' I stretched, getting out of the car. The other two who were with me¡ªSarah and Byron¡ªalso exited the vehicle. Since we were already pretty close to the Adventurer''s City border, I decided to return the car to my inventory. Nothing good woulde out of drawing too much attention to myself, after all. And so, after parking in an inconspicuous corner, I ced the vehicle back into my Inventory. Once that was done, we walked the remaining distance on foot. From afar, I could see the Adventurer''s City. It didn''t look that bad, so a smile radiated from my face. I was currently in a in white tee shirt and ck joggers¡ªconsidering the slightly humid weather that seemed to be prevalent in the region I was in. Sarah and Byron wore their standard outfit¡ªthe former, her Priestess garb, and thetter, his warrior clothing. Since we were pretty much set, I decided to forget about the past experiences I had suffered and look to the future with positivity. A City filled with the unknown and adventure¡­ it was certainly one of the hallmarks of a fantasy world. This could be the major game changer. Maybe, I could finally start enjoying this world. ********************************** Once again, disappointment sunk its ws deep into my heart. I should have known not to ce my expectations too high, but I was simply being my annoyingly optimistic self¡ªespecially since I was stuck with these two who constantly made me put on my false front. When was a guy to catch a break? Now, as for the reason behind my utter dismay¡­ it was obviously none other than the ce standing before me. "The Adventurer''s City." Usually, anyone saying that would exude vigor and enthusiasm, but those two concepts seemed alien to me at the moment. What I was currently looking at was definitely the antithesis of an "Adventurer''s City" Anyone would understand my sentiments if they saw through my eyes and witnessed the slums I was looking at. Erected a small distance from our small group of three was a crooked gate, and beyond that gate was a settlement¡ªmuchrger than the vige I came from, but almost just as bad. For one, the environment was dirty. The surroundings were akin to a dry wilderness that had the whole scorching sun trope, and a post-apocalyptic survivalist setting. Metal and more metal could be seen around. Even the outfits of the inhabitants seemed to be metal-based. However their terrible fashion sense was the least problematic thing about them. The people moving about were also another problem entirely. Not only did they have scary expressions, but they all walked around with unsheathed weapons and weirdly primitive outfits. I was appalled by theck of ss that surrounded me. It was as though, I had time travelled to the medieval age. The buildings looked old and grey,cking any hint of attraction or luster in the slightest. The gates were without guards, but that was simply because such measures weren''t ''t needed. The scary expression of the people around told me that if a disaster or invasion was to happen they would instantly tear it apart from limb to limb. While that was somewhat beneficial at least in terms of safety, I considered their approach to be barbaric¡­ at the very least distasteful. In simple terms, the Adventurer''s City looked like a dump filled with nothing but barbarians who had buff bodies and animalistic manners. ''I mean, look at that guy just carrying monster gore and everything while walking down the street! Isn''t it too disgusting?'' Iined internally. But, considering the fact that no one seemed to care, this seemed to be the norm of the city. As I was still contemting whether to step into the city or not, a group of Adventurers walked past me and my people. They looked rough, as one would expect from their kind, and they numbered up to seven. Of all of them, I spotted only one woman. ''She''s pretty¡­'' I would have thought if not for the bulging muscr build she had, as well as the weird haircut that seemed bald on one end, and needlessly long on the other. She too, like everyone else, was armed to the teeth with metal. ''You guys, it''s fucking hot! How can you be sofortable wearing metal!'' I didn''t understand, but was I supposed to? It was a Fantasy world where there was weird stuff known as Magic. Using that as a base for logic, it would be expected that these metal gear that everyone donned were enchanted with certain Spells, making them essential in a city where power was everything. I noticed the Adventurers looked at us for a brief moment¡ªespecially at Byron¡ªbefore returning their gaze to the city. They had a few things carried in a massive sack, and one of them seemed injured, so they must have juste from a Quest. "Hmmm¡­" I rubbed my chin, trying to appear thoughtful while considering the best way not to get overly involved with such an obviously wacky ce. "H-Hero, are you wondering why those men from earlier looked at me? The truth is¡­" Suddenly Byron started spouting stuff that I never asked him. Due to his needless chatter, though, I found out that he was actually once a resident of this City. He was an Adventurer¡ªand a good one at that. That was how he was able to attain such a high Level of 21 as a Warrior. ''So, he''s familiar with this ce more than just as a visitor, uh? Why didn''t you tell me this earlier, Byron?'' I stared at him with a charming Hero smile. Of course, it went without saying that it was fake. "I understand. Now, then, Byron¡­ it is your turn to prove your worth." I rose from where I sat and began walking in the direction of the City. "Y-yes, Hero! I''ll make sure to handle things well!" From picking out the Quests, investigating, interacting with the denizens of this scary ce, and even handling the rewards, I was going to be relying on my dear Vige Chief for so many things. Sarah, of course, would be my personal shield and loveablepany. Hopefully, everything would truly go as nned. Chapter 34 Whats This I Hear About An Assessment?! The Adventurer''s City¡ªKalum It was a ce where only the strong gathered, and the weak had no choice but to evolve in other to survive in such a hostile town, else they would have been minced meat. It was a society strictly run by a hierarchy. The strongest man in the city was known as the Guild Master, and he ruled the whole ce. He had the Adventurer''s Guild under his control, for one. He also maintainedw and order in themunity, as well as ensured that ie was generated in the city. The entire system was centralized on this simple structure and the town thrived. The Adventurer''s Guild gave out stuff known as Quests¡ªMissions, to be exact. If a personpleted the Quest, they would be rewarded with whatever rewards were stipted there. Quests could either be undertaken by a private individual, group, or even the Guild itself. The system was also pretty self-sufficient . Pick a Quest. Do the Quest. Get the Reward. It sounded easy, right? As long as one was strong, they would be guaranteed a ce in the City Of Adventurers. ¡ªAt least, that was what Byron told me. ********************************** "What do you mean we have to go through an assessment first?" At this point, I was exasperated. Why? It was because of the mess we got ourselves into¡­ again! [Moments Before] As Byron was my trump card in this very savage ce, I had him go into the Adventurer''s Guild office while Sarah and I searched for where we would be spending the night. It waste noon by the time we got into the City, and I didn''t know about the rest of mypanions, but I was too drained to go adventuring on that very day. Besides, what would I be able to aplish without a considerable amount of prep time, as well as a well deserved rest? Obviously nothing. Our two groups split up for a while, and Sarah found us a ce to spend the night in the godforsaken ''Death Metal'' City we found ourselves in. Fortunately, even though we were broke, Sarah had a few valuable items¡ªone of which was a Mana Gem, I think¡ªwhich she traded off for a night in the establishment. Of course, she attributed hermon sense to the fact that I had instructed her to prepare well for the trip. If I was being honest, though¡­ ''I never even thought that far! It literally never crossed my mind¡­ at all!'' But, seeing as I couldn''t tell her she was sorely mistaken about my supposed omniscience, I told Sarah that she did a job well done. All in a day''s job for a hero, right? The establishment we could afford was a run-down metal building that made me nearly gag due to the obviousck of proper maintenance. Sarah was also hesitant to choose the ce, but ourck of funds left us no choice. The grey-ck metallic color had lost its luster, and we could see rust all around the walls. The ce looked like a dungeon that was converted into an Inn. Having seen this people, I would not be surprised if that was true. Even as Sarah and I ascended the stairs, I could hear heavy creaking as though the steps would copse at any moment . ''We have no choice, we have no choice. I desperately chanted within me, to keep myself sane as we finally got to our room. It was a simple, small space. Most furniture was made of metal, and the bed was actually¡­ also metallic. ''I swear, these people are way too obsessed with this shit!'' Anyway¡­ Sarah and I finally settled down and waited for Byron to be done with his investigation. Once he was done, he traced us to our location---probably by means of his warrior tracking skill or whatever. That was when he told us the most annoying news I had received all day. "We need to be assessed by the Adventurer''s Guild. That''s the only way we will be officially recognized as Adventurers and also receive Quests." [The Present] "Why?" That''s right! I asked the question, controlling my frustration as best as I could. This wasn''t the deal. We were supposed to get to the City, get our Quests, get the goods we came for, and leave, no sweat. Why did things have to get soplicated? ''I''m Level 8, with almost no practical experience in this stuff. I can''t afford an assessment, especially one by these savages.'' If I was found out to be a phony, the results would be catastrophic to say the least. "I understand your thoughts, Hero." The Vige Chief responded in a calm, and understanding, tone. ''There''s no way you''d understand! You''re strong! I''m weak as fuck! This wasn''t supposed to happen!'' Of course, I made sure to conceal my true emotions carefully. "The Hero shouldn''t be subjected to any of those petty tests. If only we could reveal your greatness to everyone!" Sarah burst out, obviously displeased by the conditions. While I agreed that it was unfair for me to go through an examination, we weren''t on the same page concerning our core reasons. "It turns out the regtion is new, since more and more Adventurers have been dying recently¡ªeven for rtively easy Quests. The assessment is to ensure an Adventurer is fit for the task." Byron seemed to be pleading on behalf of the Adventurer''s Guild. They probably meant well by imposing the annoying examination on those who would be certified as Adventurers. Veterans like Byron and Sarah, who had experience in Quests, didn''t need to take an examination since they had proved themselves already. But, for me? It felt crazy that I would be the only one going through this stuff, but we had gone past the point of no return. "I understand you, Byron. It''s alright, Sarah." To get past this, I had to once again utilize my intellect, as though I wasn''t already stressed out from all today''s endeavors. "We can''t reveal my identity as a Hero, but the examinations are also necessary. In that case, I just have to take them." I saw no other alternative at this point. Sarah and Byron would definitely be present to cheer me on as I hopefully aced whatever challenge was set before me. After winning, we would then proceed toplete our mission. ''This is just getting overlyplicated. Adventuring sucks balls!'' I grumbled internally, looking at the expectant faces of the two acolytes who revered me. Well, since they trusted someone like me so much, I couldn''t exactly let them down now, could I? With a confident smile on my face, I nodded at Sarah and Byron, ready to use everything in my arsenal to win. ''Looks like I''ll have to rely on my Arcana Call soon¡­'' Chapter 35 I Honestly Want To Pass "Wee to the Adventurer''s Guild." Thedy in front of me said with a pleasant smile. Unlike the usual savage faces I saw¡ªI meant the Adventurers, obviously¡ªshe was actually really pretty. Her long, brown hair was sleek and beautiful, arching perfectly down her back, and she had a feminine charm that made her somewhat irresistible. ''Now I know why she was appointed as a receptionist here¡­'' I smiled to myself. The job of Adventurers was tedious, so it was understandable that they would ce attractive people at the forefront to present themselves in a better light, as well as to make the Adventurer''s guild seem more exciting and alluring, in order to help them recruit more members. "I''m here to register as an Adventurer." I said smiling confidently. Usually, when one saw a newbie, they would scoff at them. However, it all depends on how that newbie presented himself. For someone like me who could muster up charisma from thin air, it was easy to escape the condescending stares most fresh blood starting out would receive. "I-I see. Well, please, take the stairs over there and stop on the first floor. On the second door to your right, you''ll find a room." She stuttered a little, a sign that she was quite flustered by my smooth talk. Most newbies were often extremely nervous at the thought of the impending quests and the beautiful receptionist often made them even more nervous, in fact even veterans would also fawn over the youngdy''s beauty. I was actually suffering from both of those, but my facial reaction remained calm, cool and collected. "Alright. Thank you very much." I left the counter in a confident stride, following thedy''s instruction as given. Thanks to my Skill [Insight], I had an excellent perspective and a detailed awareness of my surroundings. Losing my way or failing to notice anything would be nothing short of careless on my part. ''Alright¡­ here we go!'' ********************************** I arrived in front of the specified door without a hitch. Ah, yes, Sarah and Byron weren''t with me. They didn''t even follow me to the Adventurer''s Guild. Of course, this was all because of me. "There''s no need for you to apany me. Why don''t you two investigate this town? Something is¡­ off¡­" I lied smoothly to get those two off my back. There was a reason I had to resort to that too. ''I don''t want those two to see me embarrass myself.'' I had no idea what kind of examination I would be having as an Adventurer candidate, so it was better for me to ditch them and try my hardest, without any pretense of being an OP hero. If things got dire, I could always use ''The Fool'', but I didn''t want things to get to that point. ording to what I learned from my dear friends¡ªas well as practically any fantasy-based story, Adventurers had a Rank System. There were 7 Ranks¡ªF Rank to S Rank. F Rank was the weakest, naturally. Followed by E, then D, followed by C, then B, then A, and then S. For the mission of obtaining the materials I required, even an F Rank would cut it. F Rank Quests mostly involved exploration and retrieval¡ªnobat involved. It was actually the perfect quest for me as it had minimum chances of failure, so as long as I didn''t royally flop, I would be alright. ''I''m Level 8, and the Skills in my arsenal are pretty decent. I should at least make the cut.'' With that in mind, my confidence skyrocketed and I proudly opened the door leading to my examination room. ''As always, I''ll just wing this stuff by bullshitting and using tricks.'' I definitely didn''t expect what I saw next. My jaws nearly dropped. ********************************** "Wee to your examination center. Please have your seat." A buff, shirtless man addressed me. Apparently, he was the instructor for the assessment. That wasn''t the only thing though. "You five will be examined today. I certainly do hope you all pass." Yep, I was going to be taking the exam with four other contestants. ''If I take the worst ce, it''ll make me seem like a loser in front of the others!'' My mind raced. I didn''t want nasty rumors to spread about me. If whatever went down here got to the ears of Sarah and Byron, my reputation could be at risk. That meant one thing¡­ ''I actually have to try my best! Shit!!!: I and the other fourpetitors that were waiting, were in arge room¡ªwhich was surprisingly indoors. The muscr shirtless man was our supervisor, and apparently, we were going to be having our Assessment here. The room itself was simply covered with metallic tiles(no surprises there), and other than the chairs we sat in, and the vast stage before us, nothing else could be seen. Even the ceiling waspletely tiled with metal. "This ce will serve as your test hall. My name is Gerund, and I will serve as your Exam Supervisor for today." ''What Rank is this guy? Maybe B Rank. He looks strong.'' My mind wandered as I covertly observed his bulging muscles. Even with all the painful exercises I did every morning, there was no way I could dream of getting this ripped. ''Is he on some fantasy-based steroids? The heck. He''s so buff¡­'' Of course, none of my surprise and amazement made any appearance beyond the confines of my mind. "Your Assessment will be simple. Adventurers have to keep things simple, after all. This Exam is ssified into two segments." Our guy, Gerund began speaking. "First is the Search Exam. We will ce some gems in random locations, and you''ll have to search for those. The more you find, the higher your points." I nodded slightly, smiling dumbly as though I wasn''t wondering how the heck I could find some randomly ced shit. ''I''m already screwed from the start, eh?'' "Following that is the Combat Exam." ''What?'' I mean, anyone withmon sense should have expected this much. Adventurers would often be faced with dangerous situations and fierce monsters, so it was only fair to grade a potential Adventurer based on theirbat capabilities. I knew all that, but still¡­ ''Shit! Both exams are rigged from the start! It''s like the universe just wants me to fail.'' At this point, I was no longer interested in getting a result that wasn''t too embarrassing. If I wasn''t careful, I would fail altogether. I had to try my hardest, or it could potentially be the end of me. ncing at the other four candidates seated beside me, I realized howpletely outmatched I was. It was as though failure was practically guaranteed. ''Fuck!'' Chapter 36 We Are All Aspiring Adventurers, Right? As expected, the first round was the Search Exam. As stated earlier, we were meant to search for certain gems that had been scattered across the room. ''But this is just a vast, empty room!'' I thought, in frustration, to myself when the whole thing was exined. "This here is the gem you will be looking for." Gerund brought out what seemed like a glittering sapphire stone It pulsated with light, and its warbling tune drew me in. I would recognize this stuff anywhere. It was a Mana Stone. "As you may all suspect, this isn''t a simple game of treasure hunting. This is also to test your sensitivity to the Mana around you. If you focus enough, you''ll be able to deduce or at least sense where the Mana Stones are." Ah! So it wasn''t something unreasonable, after all. "You have thirty minutes¡­" Once again, I stared around me. It truly was arge, empty hall. There may have been a couple of hiding spots around, however unless you really knew what you were doing, it would be tough finding anything in this vast space. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. In addition, I wasn''t exactly the best at Detection Magic¡ªsince I had a low Mana Count, sadly. However¡­ I still wasn''t nning on losing! "¡­ You may begin." Gerund dered. **************************************** Asa was a quite tenacious and young aspiring Adventurer. She had traveled from a wilderness settlement for a better life in the Adventurer''s City. She realized that it wouldn''t be a bed of roses, so she had steeled herself for the challenges ahead. Honing her skills as an expert ranger¡ªboth by using her internal energy and her physical prowess¡ªshe was certainly prepared for whatever would encounter on her path to achieving her goals. As a result, this youngdy could rely on her finely honed abilities to pass the test. ''Thirty minutes¡­ if I push myself, I''ll be able to get at least ten Mana Stones.'' Asa thought to herself, factoring in the time she would need to cool down and also determining that even with her current capabilities it wouldn''t be an easy ride. She was that earnest. "¡­ You may begin!'' The moment Gerund''s voice echoed in her ears, the youngdy sprang into action. Her ears twitched and her Mana resonated with the environment, causing her senses to be heightened beyond measure. When Gerund showed everyone the Mana Crystal, Asa had stored the frequency in her mind. Conjuring the same image at the moment, the youngdy closed her eyes and maintained absolute focus. ''Almost got it¡­ almost¡­'' And then¡ªjust when she was about to nab her prize¡ªsomeone found their first Mana Core. "Wohoooo!" The man''s voice disturbed Ada, causing her to re at him¡­ and also at the location where he stood. ''T-that''s where I was sensing a Mana Crystal!'' Asa''s thought wildly. She couldn''t believe it. As the most skilled Ranger in the room, Asa expected herself to be the first to snag a Mana Crystal, but someone actually beat her to it? And, not just that, but it was the same location she was about to find one. ''No. No. Don''t be distracted. It''s just a fluke. Just focus on the examination!'' With that in mind, the Ranger closed her eyes once again and repeated the process of intense concentration. This time for sure, she was certainly going to snag her prize. ''Yes! Yes! I found one! It''s in¡ª!'' "Yipeeee!!!" The same voice from earlier invaded her eardrums. This caused her to scowl in annoyance. Didn''t the man know that he was distracting her¡ªand everyone else¡ªwith his unnecessary noise? The moment she steeled her concentration to return her attention to the Mana Crystal, Asa found out that it had already been discovered¡­ by the very same man who found the first. So far, everyone was still in search of their first stone and this man had snagged two. ''What? How is this possible?!'' She thought to herself. Asa''s blond hair swayed as she violently shook her head in disapproval. ''Stop looking at him! Focus on your task!'' The girl chastised herself once more. Once again, she concentrated. But, the same thing repeated itself. ''What?!'' ''H-how?!'' ''W-what''s going on?!'' She couldn''t understand how and why she kept missing her mark and losing to the man whom she had initially written off. At a point, she got into a personalpetition with him, but her losses were too ring that she had to give up. ''It''s already been ten minutes. I haven''t gotten a single Mana Crystal!'' Asa was now worried¡ªno, frightened. If she failed this test, that meant she would lose her dream of bing an Adventurer. Then, what would have been the point of training for so long? Asa couldn''t let her hard work go down the drain. She also couldn''t let the image of the family that depended on her to vanish. The youngdy was that desperate. ''What of the others? How many have they gotten?!'' One of the other Examinees had three. Another had two. One was yet to find any at all. As for the man who was inescapable for Asa¡­ he had gotten seven Mana Stones. He didn''t even seem to be trying, yet he had so many. Asa couldn''t believe her eyes. It was unbelievable that a rookie like him would achieve such incredible feats, yet she had thought of him as some small fry initially. As her disposition toward him grew, she stared at him more intensely. For a moment, the aspiring Adventurer thought she saw the young man fidget, but that was probably her mistake. ''No, what are you doing, Asa! Focus on the task ahead!'' Once again undergoing this mental discipline, the girl decided to try her best. ''I was full of myself. I thought I was appropriately prepared, but I was wrong!'' There was still a lot to learn! ''I''ll make sure to do my best and take as much as I can from this experience!'' Silently, Ada thanked the mysterious man for the enriching lesson he taught her through his actions. ''I found one!'' Her thoughts sharply rang. Unconsciously, she expected the voice of the man to soar through the air in excitement again¡­ ''Uh?'' ¡­ But it didn''t. Chapter 37 Passing Wasnt As Hard As I Thought Refusing to lose the opportunity, Asa sprang from her location and unearthed the Mana Crystal from a metal tile that covered it. ''I got it! I got one!'' She squealed excitedly within her. She unconsciously let out a smile, hugging the object with unexinable passion. It was her first win, after all. Still, Asa couldn''t understand one thing. She was certain the man knew fully well where the Mana Crystal was. Even as she dashed to its location, she could see him gazing at the spot with a curious expression on his face.. Yet¡­ ''W-why?'' ¡­ Why didn''t he take the Mana Crystal. She looked at him and saw a distant gaze reflected in his blue eyes. His expression was of a somewhat distant sadness, but he also looked slightly hopeful. Asa was stunned, but it was more than that¡­ she was inspired. The strange man''s mncholy, even as he looked away and began walking in another direction, resonated deep within her heart. His entire aura was philosophical. ''He¡­ left the Mana Crystal for me¡­'' No, that wasn''t all there was to it. Had this been a part of his n all along? Was this entire show all for her to learn the valuable lesson of humility and to never overestimate herself? Asa felt it was too far-fetched, there must be a more usible exnation. However, the fact that the man always discovered the Mana Crystals she was on the verge of finding showed that there was indeed a connection. ''But, now that I''ve learned humility and have learned to do some self introspection, he has finally decided to leave me be?'' It seemed crazy, but Asa couldn''t think of any other logical conclusion. The only expression that flooded her heart, after settling for the sole rational exnation she coulde up with, was gratitude. ''Thank you¡­'' She knew not his name, but Asa owed her life¡ªher entire future as an Adventurer to the man''s benevolence and philosophical wisdom. Afterpletely internalizing this, the girl resumed her hunt for more Mana Crystals. She was behind the others, after all. **************************************** "Time up." Gerund''s booming voice stopped the Mana Crystal hunt that had been going on for about thirty minutes. ''Yes! About time!'' I heaved a sigh of relief, already extremely tired as a result of exerting myself too much. "All of you gather in a row." We all obeyed the scarily buff Examination Supervisor/Instructor. It was weird that he was handling this alone, but since he was most likely a big deal among the Adventurers, he was definitely more than capable to carry this out. "Now, to calcte your scores based on how many Mana Crystals you collected¡­" Gerund made us drop our Crystals in front of us, and we had a joint assessment. ''Jeez, couldn''t they do like a private judging session¡­'' I was a bit insecure about the number of crystals I was able to collect. "Liebert, 4 Mana Crystals. That equals four Points." Gerund was calcting our scores from the left to the right. I was standing at the far right so I was definitely going to be the final candidate to be scored . It was an advantage to be thest candidate to be assessed, because it provided me with enough room for me to check out the Mana Crystals of everyone else. This would help me realize how bad I sucked, if I lost. ''Uh?'' I was shell shocked and before I could regain myposure, Gerund''s voice echoed in the air again. "Desir, 6 Mana Crystals. Six Points." I was still recovering from my shock when another person''s score was mentioned. "Gu, 0 Mana Crystals. Zero Points." The guy in question was a barbarian that had even more muscle mass than Gerund. He also had tattoos all over his body, so I assumed he was from a very strong n or something. ''But zero? What the heck? Did this guy even try at all?'' Sure, I wasn''t one to talk, but still¡­ "Asa, 9 Mana Crystals. Nine Points." Gerund mentioned the girl who was right beside me. I was extremely surprised by the huge number she managed to obtain, but for a different reason. I wasn''t underestimating or anything. No, it was the opposite, actually. ''Even after I¡­ how did she get so many?!'' It was a mystery, but this Asa girl seemed too impressive to be a newbie. Why was someone like her taking the exam? I couldn''tin though. After all, without her presence, I would have been in quite the pickle. "Finally, Sam¡­ 12 Mana Crystals. Twelve Points." Hell yeah! That''s right. I got the highest score out of everyone in the room. If someone had told me this thirty minutes ago, I would have thought it was a terrible joke, but surprisingly I actually managed to pull it off. Well, if I''m being honest, it wasn''t exactly ''me'' that did the job. ''I used my Skill [Five Seconds Rule] to look into the future. Anytime someone found a Mana Crystal five seconds in the future, I would see the location of their prize and immediately retrieve it for myself.'' That was it! That was the trick I used to ensure I didn''t flop the Search Examination. My focus was initially random, but since the Asa girl was the first to discover a Mana Crystal, I sort of became fixated on her because she seemed like my best chance to achieve ster results. I had to admit, the girl was crazy good. It was amazing how she kept finding Mana Crystal after Mana Crystal. Of course, I was always one step ahead and ended up taking them all. However, by the time I racked up to seven Mana Crystals, I began to notice something¡­ I had actually observed it before, but I was so focused on the future that I lost track of the present. However, at that point, it was too ring to ignore. The aspiring Adventurer, Asa¡­ was looking at me fixatedly. The passion with which she stared scared the shit out of me. ''Has she noticed what I''m doing? Oh, shit! I''m in trouble! Damn!!!'' Fear of what would happen if I was caught cheating assailed me. Whether it would constitute cheating or not was the least of my concerns. My mind nearly exploded when I considered what Sarah and Byron would say if they heard the news. The Hero¡­ cheating in a simple Adventurer Assessment. I gulped nervously, realizing how ruined my image could have be. Due to the anxiety I was experiencing from being so worried, I lost control for a second and shivered a little, while under her gaze. ''Let''s just pretend nothing happened¡­'' Fortunately, that seemed to work. The girl looked away from me, and the next time I activated my [Five Seconds Rule] Skill, figuring out where she would find the next Mana Crystal, I decided not to risk it any further. It was better for me to find another host to leech on. And exactly that I did. Unfortunately, none were as good as Asa. After I cut myself off from her, I could only obtain five more Mana Crystals from two different targets. Thest guy¡ªGu¡ªscared me, so I didn''t even bother with him. Ultimately, I ended up with twelve. Not bad, to be honest. ''At least I passed. That''s all that matters¡­ Whew!'' Chapter 38 Hold On, So Were Fighting Monsters Now? The moment the assessment for the Search Exam was over, it was time for us to begin the Combat Exam. Even though I had scaled through the first hurdle pretty easily thanks to my conniving Skills, the second involved actually fighting. It would be difficult to bullshit my way around that. ''I''m not a man of violence¡­''I thought grimly as I looked around with uncertainty, hoping to see another weakling I could at least look better than. Unfortunately, there were none. The Ranger, Asa, looked confident in her ability¡ªand she had proved that she was actually pretty skilled. The barbarian dude¡ªGu¡ªwhopletely flunked his Search Exam, seemed like the kind of guy who would ace an assessment based on power. The other two¡ªLiebert and Desir¡ªalso seemed like they would be fairly good atbat. ''Well, they are more than good. All of them have Levels that are least in the 10s.'' The strongest, Gu, was in Level 15. That meant he was crazy strong for a Rookie. Of course, I couldn''t see the details of his abilities and Skills, but his Stats far outssed mine. In fact, all of theirs did. It was already a given that I would be the loser in this round. Still, I refused to give up. ''I was able to somehow trick Lucy, and she''s like a beast. Maybe I could do something like that again¡­'' With that seed of an idea growing in my heart, I looked forward to the second round. **************************************** "For this second round, we have captured monsters that you''ll be fighting." ''Eh?'' "Do not worry. The monsters are only E Rank. If you defeat one, then that''s one point for you. You''ll keep going until you can no longer fight." ''We''re fighting monsters?'' My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and beads of sweat started forming on my skin. ''Wasn''t it supposed to be like a sparring session with instructors or something? Why are we fighting monsters now?'' Of course, I could not voice this opinion out in the open at the risk of seeming like a coward. I simply maintained a fa?ade of calm on the outside, whilepletely freaking out on the inside. "We will begin with the one who scored the least in the first exam, then work our way up to the one who scored the highest." I could feel Gerund''s gaze rest upon me for a while, causing me to gulp nervously. The bulky man simply smiled at me, and then looked in Gu''s direction. "We''ll start with you." The rest of us took our seats as Gerund brought the barbarian to the center of the stage. He once again exined the rules of the examination, but he rified more details. Apparently, this test wasn''t aimed simply at measuring ourbat ability, but also to assess our stamina level and overall abilities. ording to Gerund, he was certain all of us could take down E Rank Monsters, but the real testy in how many we could defeat before running out of steam. ''The goal was for us to understand how to conserve our energy when dealing with multiple enemies. Adaptability and Survival are essential skills of an Adventurer, that could mean life or death in certain situations ¡­'' I took mental note as I listened. Once he was done, Gerund left Gu on the stage, and then a cage was lowered down from the ceiling. ''A cage? The ceiling? How did I not notice that?!'' It had to be the work of Magic¡­ or maybe it wasn''t there before. I was certain I observed the environment earlier, and even used [Insight] to make sure nothing escaped my notice. Perhaps my Level and Proficiency were too low to detect the cage. "This is an enchanted Cage, so it won''t break easily. You and the monsters you will be fighting will be locked inside this cage. That way, the monster won''t attack any of the other contestants." Gerund added. ''Ah, I see¡­ it''s like those rings they use for Death Matches. None of the challengers can escape unless one is dead!'' While I hated engaging in violence, watching was a different matter entirely. I could learn from the moves and tactics used by everyone who would fight before me. That way, when my turn came, I could at least get a passing grade. ''Fighting monsters isn''t the same as sparring with a person.'' Persons at least possessed a sense of rationality, animals on the other hand, were pure brute force. The tricks I used against Lucy would probably not be able to cut it when fighting a very dangerous and violent creature¡­ ''¡­ Doesn''t that also describe Lucy, though?'' "Focus, Sam!" I whispered, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. This was my chance to watch how it was done by pros, and also to cross-reference it with the other fight scenes from my devices that I had been memorizing. Despite the constant fear gnawing at me, I was looking forward to the results. ''This should be fun!'' **************************************** Gu took a deep breath and awaited the entrance of the first monster. There was a metal gate located at the far end of the giant cage he was trapped in. The instructor had said the monsters would emerge from there. The instructor had also mentioned that they were allowed to use any weapon and ability at their disposal, so Gu wasn''t very fazed by the challenge¡ªthough he despised being caged in. ''I don''t need weapons¡­ my fists will do the job.'' As for Skills, he had a Warrior Skill that was useful in times like this. While he didn''t have any Magic affinity, Gu was confident in his ability to at least take down ten of the monsters that woulde at him. ''I need at least that much, considering I didn''t get any points from the first Exam.'' Despite what his appearance depicted, Gu was actually quite intelligent. However, when it came to sensing Mana, he sucked at it. It was a disability he was born with, but that didn''t stop him from bing stronger through immense effort and sheer force of will. ''I will prove to everyone in my tribe¡­ just how powerful I can be without Magic!'' That was his whole purpose foring to the Adventurer''s City. Once he climbed up the ranks and made a reputation for himself, he would return to his people and lead them well. ''Lana¡­ just wait for me.'' He smiled in anticipation and then focused on the first beast he would be killing. >GRRRIIIIINNNNGGG< The metal bars opened, and he glimpsed the silhouette of a monster as it began approaching. Gu readied himself and prepared to fight with everything he had. ''Let''s go!'' Chapter 39 Cage Fight With Monsters, Could Be Graphic [Pt 1] "KRRRRRRRIIIII¡­" The grating growl of the wild monster caused the atmosphere to be extremely tense and filled with anticipation. The entire hall was deathly still as everyone was frozen in their seats waiting for the fight to begin. Anyone who paid heed to their surroundings would notice this in a heartbeat¡ªGu was no exception. However, his whole focus was on the creature that had already made its appearance. ''Goblin, uh? I expected as much.'' The barbarian man thought to himself. The monster before him had a slimy green body, along with a short, stout frame resembling a child. However, seasoned veterans knew not to underestimate monsters based on appearances. There were a lot of parameters to consider when ssifying a monster. Even with all that, Gu was right not to think too highly of the sniveling creature that was slowly approaching. ''A Goblin is indeed an E Rank Monster¡­ its small stature and limited intelligence doesn''t make it too much of a threat¡­'' Of course, there were more dangerous variants like Hobgoblins¡ªevolved variants that were even capable of using Magic and Skills. Compared to those, this one in front of him was only capable of quick attacks by using its ws and sharp jaws to assault prey. ''No problem for me!'' Gu tensed his muscles and readied his body. In as much as he refused to utilize his Trump Card early on, he refused to waste time on small fry. ''One hit!'' Effecting his resolve, Gu lunged at the fast-approaching Goblin with untamed ferocity. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< Utilizing his clenched fist, he made contact with the green creature''s cheek, causing its infant-like head to spin. A ''snap'' echoed across the caged tform, the sound was the Goblin''s neck snapping. "Yesssss" Gu straightened his pose, rubbing his clenched fist with his other hand as the dead Goblin copsed. >THUD< Just like that¡ªwith a single hit¡ªone opponent was down. "Next." He smiled, now more confident of his ability to y even more than the initial estimate. ''Can I make it to 20? Thirty will be a close call, but I should be able to!'' If things proceeded at their current pace, Gu was guaranteed a very high score. The very thought of this made the bulky man giddy with excitement. Unfortunately¡ª "KRRRRRRRIIIII¡­" "KRRRRRRRIIIII¡­" "KRRRRRRRIIIII¡­" ¡ªThings don''t always go as nned. "Three at once?!" Gu eximed, looking at the three Goblins that now appeared. Facing one opponent was one thing, but having to consider multiple targets was a different ball game entirely. Gu could feel his confidence waning. Perhaps it was simply his imagination, but he felt like the new batch of Goblins were stronger than the one he defeated with one blow. ''No! Don''t lose heart! Focus, Gu!'' Gritting his teeth and narrowing his gaze, the man encouraged himself and decided to give his all despite the sudden change. "Let''s do this!" >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< Once again, pouring strength into his legs, Gu sped across the stage to deliver a fatal hit to one of the Goblins. As he brought his unavoidable strike close to one of them, the two others jumped out of the way and aimed for his nks. ''I expected this!'' Gu grinned, spurring himself into action the moment his blow crushed the one in front of him. "RARRRRRRR!!!" The angry, yet desperate, cries of the monsters rang in his ears as they both charged at him with murder in their eyes. ''I won''t allow it!'' Rxing his tense muscles, Gu increased his flexibility and made his way to the ground, sessfully evading the joint assaults of his opponents. "¡­ A-arh¡ª?!" The dumbfounded expressions of the two green critters showed just how surprised they were by the unexpected move Gu made. However, before they could think of much else, the mass of muscles tensed in his body once more and sprang from the ground. >BOOOMM!< Raising his two legs, Gunded clean kicks on them as he returned to his feet. Thanks to the sheer difference in weight, both green monsters were blown away by the impact. The shock would have sent them beyond the bounds of the stage, but the cage prevented anyone from leaving. As a result, their backs met only strong resistance, causing them to cough out in shock. "GUARRRKK!!!" Gu didn''t waste this chance, leaping into action faster than they could recover from the recoil. Once again steadying his steps and clenching his fist, he pounded them with his full strength, causing their faces to be pummeled and their necks dislocated. "Haaa¡­" Gu heaved another heavy breath, sessfully killing a total of four monsters. He wasn''t arrogant enough to expect something rtively easier from the next round. The way he saw it, the iing wave would pose a much bigger threat than the three he just killed. ''I better ready myself¡­'' He didn''t want to recklessly use his Trump Card, but with the way the fight was going, Gu surmised that the time for going all out would soon arrive. "Haaa¡­ Alright, then. Next!" **************************************** It was just as he suspected. The next round brought forth Goblins that had weapons equipped. The one after that produced Goblins with armor on. The difficulty rose the more he fought, and Gu was eventually forced to use his Warrior Skill: [Overdrive] In short, this Skill allowed Gu to surpass his limits as a warrior. He would burn his inner energy and stamina, producing a Mana Coat, thus elevating both his offense and defense. This Skill made him extremely exhausted afterward, but the effects were worth it in the short run. Thanks to [Overdrive]''s effects, his skin was tougher than what the Goblins could handle, and a single blow knocked them out¡ªarmor or not. Gu was able to pummel his foes with extreme ease, but the clock was ticking and he was always aware that time was of the essence. Eventually¡­ after subduing 19 Goblins, Gu went down in exhaustion. He would have been able to defeat way more, but their teamwork, nimble movements, and the limited time he had, made his kill count smaller than expected. Still¡­ ''I did it! I did my best and fought to the end!'' ¡­ Gu was still happy that he killed more than he had initially bargained for. That was enough to put a smile on his face as he passed out. Chapter 40 Cage Fight With Monsters, Could Be Graphic [Pt 2] "Next, Liebert." Our ever reliable Instructor called out. Anky, carefree-looking dude stepped out. He didn''t look particrly special¡ªwearing a weathered tee-shirt and some baggy trousers. The patches all around his outfit showed that he was too poor to afford anything decent, and the dude''s thin stature wasn''t helping his case. To be honest, he felt like the opposite of Gu¡ªthat really buff guy that went first. Not only was his appearance a sharp contrast, but the vibe he gave off was simply underwhelming. After watching the heated struggle between the barbarian¡ªwhom I was low-key cheering for at some point¡ªand the Goblins, I felt very inspired. His moves were amazing¡ªnot exactly perfect, but quitemendable . I also liked the fact that he was strategic about saving up that special boost until the perfect moment. ''Though, in my own opinion he practically cut things too close. If I was in his shoes, I would have used it way before I got injured and ran out of too much stamina¡­'' There were lots of things I could criticize about him, but to sum it all up, he actually impressed me. ''He''s passed out now, though. Lol.'' I gave a subtle smirk, ncing at his slumped over figure for a moment before returning my focus to the puzzling appearance of the next candidate . Yep! The newestpetitor didn''t onlyck the proper physical appearance for a warrior, but the energy he radiated seemed inferior, as though he didn''t belong here. ''I''m sure he''s one of those aspirants who are just going into the Adventurer''s business because there is money involved.'' I couldn''t me his desperation, but at the same time, I wasn''t in support of it. This dude was most likely a goner the second he became an Adventurer¡ªthat is, if he managed to even scale though the tests. And, yeah, there was no chance of him surprising me as a ''Lowkey OP Background Character.'' I checked his Stats, so I was certain. ''This Liebert guy is the weakest around!'' Ahem, excluding me¡ªof course. Despite my poor appraisal and terrible opinion of the guy, I was still expecting a decent performance. He would probably lose anyway but¡­ If I could learn a thing or two from his match, then that would be pretty neat. ''Alright, fe. Show me what you got!'' **************************************** ''I''m hungry¡­'' Liebert could feel his stomach rumbling as he came to this realization. He was currently caged in, and any second from then, a monster woulde to attack him. Yet¡­ yet¡­ "I''m so hungry." ¡­ He could not get past the incredible hunger he felt. Liebert sighed as his stomach growled noisily. His bones grated one another as he fidgeted, waiting for the opponent toe at him. His deadpan eyes were distant¡ªas though he thought of something else, something besides the monster that would soon be attacking. ''I currently have 4 Points because of the little Mana Crystals I got. If I kill about six of them, that should make 10 Points. That''s enough to pass, right?'' Liebert''s bony face lit up and he willed his scrawny body to move. "Just six. If I get six¡­ that''s good enough!" Liebert never deceived himself by setting unrealistic goals. He never desired to be rich¡ªneither did he dream of bing powerful or popr. No, his ambitions were a bit more¡­ modest. ''Enough food to eat. Enough water to drink. Something nice to wear. A proper ce to sleep. A decent job to do.'' As long as he wasfortable, Liebert didn''t need anything else. Unfortunately, the world was cruel. He was deprived of even the most basic things he required to live. As ast resort, he was aiming to be an Adventurer. Hopefully, that would allow him to achieve his desire to live a simple life. The mortality rate of the job was extremely high unfortunately, especially recently. ''But, what choice do I have?'' Liebert steeled himself and readied his weak body. To survive in this cruel world, he had to resort to whatever means necessary¡­ anything besides dying! "KRIIIIIIIIIIII!!!" The first Goblin screech rang in Liebert''s ears, causing him to stiffen his body as he activated his only Skill. The green creature lunged at him with its small frame, desiring to rip the human into fine chunks of meat¡ªfeasting on the entrails afterward. Unfortunately for the Goblin, Liebert''s will to live was stronger than its desire to kill. As a result¡­ "Skill: [Mr. Bones]." ¡­ He struck first! >SQUISH!< Gooey green blood burst forth from the monster''s chest. The pungent liquid didn''t stop flowing from therge hole etched on its body¡ªnot until the Goblin breathed itsst and copsed in its puddle of blood. Standing atop the Goblin corpse, looking at the opening gate for more foes, was the emaciated man who licked his cracked lips. "Alright¡­ one down, five to go." Protruding out of both his hands were whitish objects, sharp and deadly. They each protruded from the center of his palms, and they were at least twelve inches long¡ªlike long sharp thorns or white javelins. "A-are those¡­?!" "No way!" "W-whoah!" Liebert could hear the other candidates exim when they saw the effect of his Skill, but he ignored them. This wouldn''t be the first time he had gotten reactions like those. He was used to being underestimated. Indeed, the whitish weapons he wielded on both hands were bones. They were manufactured from his body¡ªusing his nutrients as a base. Even though he tried to avoid using it, this was the only Skill he had¡ªthe only way he could fight. That was why he needed sufficient food and water¡ªat the very least so he wouldn''t die of malnutrition. The bones formed within him naturally, and he could bring them out of his body using openings¡ªlike pores¡ªthat stretched anytime they protruded. His Skill, [Mr. Bones], wasn''t simply a Trump Card. It was Liebert''s only card. "Here theye." He whispered, watching more of the green creature''s approach. They were three now¡ªjust like when Gu fought earlier. However, Liebert was too focused on his hunger so he didn''t watch the match, thus he was surprised when he saw their numbers. Still, he had his eyes intently set on his goal, so the young man did not waver. Tightening his grip on the bony weapons he had in both hands, Liebert let out an inner battle cry and hungrily stared at his targets. ''Just¡­ just a few more¡­'' He reassured himself. Chapter 41 Let Me See What Youve Got >WHOOSHH!!!< Liebert expertly moved his scrawny body and instantaneously pierced the heads of the two Goblins that charged at him. p The final one got a hit from behind, causing the Liebert to lose his bnce and stagger forward as he yelped. However, he quickly recovered and retracted the bones he used on the two earlier Goblins. Quickly creating a smaller bony structure, he pounced on the monster and slit its throat with the bone dagger in his grasp. "Two more¡­ just two more¡­" He rose to his feet and looked in the direction of the opening gate. The new Goblins that came out had weapons equipped, making them trickier to kill. Liebert realized this, and he certainly didn''t have enough nourishment to create borate bone constructs. ''A longer weapon would be better because of the advantage of reach, but I''m out of nutrients¡­'' What he needed was a way to kill two more Goblins, and the only weapon he had was a dagger. ''It''ll be a close call, but¡­'' Liebert steeled his stoic, hunger-stricken face and readied his bone knife. ''¡­ Let''s do this!'' **************************************** Consider me extremely surprised¡ªdamn! he actually pulled it off! A bright smile spread over my face as I watched the Liebert fellow exiting the stage. "He killed six Goblins, and then he surrendered. That guy¡­" The girl beside me muttered, causing me to nce at her for a moment. I believe her name was Asa. It seemed she noticed the same thing I did. ''He was never aiming for more than that amount.'' The guy probably deduced that he would reach the minimum requirement if he defeated six Goblins, and he was right. He simply used the minimum amount of effort required to achieve his objective¡ªnot getting too greedy and putting himself at greater risk. That was quite a genius move. Unlike Gu¡ªwho passed out after exerting himself to the limit¡ªLiebert didn''t have any injuries on his body, neither did he appear to be on the verge of passing out. ''I could have sworn that one of those Goblins got him in the back¡­ but there''s no injury¡­'' Perhaps he was morepetent than I thought. Or could it be the effect of a Skill? Speaking of Skills, that bone stuff he used was quite awesome. If it worked the way I thought it did, the possibilities were endless. ''I wonder if he can make wolverine ws, or maybe shoot out bone bullets. Those would be pretty cool!'' Grinning from ear to ear, I watched Gerund announce the next participant. It was a guy called Desir. He had a big build¡ªno, to be frank, I would call him stout. ''Look at those chubby cheeks and bby arms¡­'' I smiled, while observing his unusual form. Still, I couldn''t make fun of him. In terms of Levels and his Status Bars (HP and MP), he wasing a close second to Gu. Plus, with the absurd amount of HP he had,pared to his MP, I would say he was more likely to win in a drawn-out match since he was built like a Tank. ''He must have high Defense and Vitality. This guy¡­'' Once again, I was grateful for being thest person to fight. I had to watch and learn as much as possible from my predecessors. It was the only way I could stand a chance in the cruel test I was soon going to undertake. **************************************** "Next, Asa!" Desir got a total of 21 Goblins, the highest so far. He could have gone even further, but the time limit wasn''t in his favor. The moment the time was up, he had to withdraw from the match. Still, I was impressed, considering he was the only one who used his allocated time to the fullest. ''So, his style is a drawn-out battle, after all¡­ as expected of a Tank.'' "I guess it''s my turn¡­" The girl beside me rose to her feet, smiling a little. I felt like she was looking in my direction at some point, but I simply pretended not to notice. ''Does she still suspect me for the stuff that happened in the first test?'' If that was the case, then I had to think of something¡­ and fast! I watched the Asady climb the stage, holding onto her weapons with precision. Since we were allowed to use weapons, it was no wonder that she had a few equipped. Some would say that allowing the use of items and weapons was somewhat unfair, since some people were bound to have better items than others. There was also the factor that the examinees could pass simply based on their item''s advantages and not individual skill. But, I personally disagreed with that notion. ''Items are a part of a person''s capabilities!'' Even professional Adventurers relied on several items in their adventure. Besides, items could only do so much for an unskilled fighter. Therefore, it was more realistic to judge participants fairly, regardless of whatever items with which they were equipped. ''Besides, aspiring Adventurers don''t usually have enough funds to afford decent gear, so it''s pretty bnced¡­'' Our brave new challenger had a bow in her right hand, a quiver tightly strapped around her back, and I could count twenty arrows arranged within. Using Insight, I could also spot a few daggers expertly hidden beneath her skirt, attached to her gloves and boots¡ªeven under the soles of her feet. ''Damn, she''s armed to the teeth!'' Of everyone present, thisdy was probably the most prepared when it came to Items. Even Desir, whom I thought was pretty impressive with his shield and armor, was nothingpared to Asa''s badass getup. Her light, yet protective outfit was also amazing. ''She would have easily gotten the top score in the Search Exam, and now she''s blowing my mind in this second one.'' It was crazy, but I could feel myself getting super pumped up for the fight that would soon unfold before my eyes. ''This will be so cool!'' As the metal cage closed in on her, I felt the youngdy''s gaze meet me for yet another moment, and her smile intensified. It could have just been my overactive imagination, but something about the expression on her face told me that she wanted me to watch her with absolute diligence. ''Nah! I''m probably imagining things¡­'' Still, that didn''t mean I was going to pass up the opportunity to witness such an epic fight. ''Show me what you''ve got, Asa!'' Chapter 42 This Is How A Champ Fights! [Pt 1] Asa took one deep breath and waited patiently, preparing herself. If there was anything she had learned in her rtively long life in this world, it was that one had to be calm and patient to achieve the best results. ''He''s watching me¡­ I can''t mess up!'' The youngdy stole a nce at the ck-haired man who watched with absolute concentration. Since the Combat Exam started, Asa had been observing his actions. Despite his immense capabilities, the strange man watched the others who took the exams. To Asa, he appeared to be gauging their actions, seeing through every move they made. Surely, his skill must have far exceeded theirs. Even Asa found their techniques quite subpar, how much more so an individual more skilled than she was. ''They were subpar, yet he didn''t flinch in condescension while observing their actions¡­'' The blonde girl realized she had much to learn. Her arrogance had yet to vanish, which was probably the reason she viewed most of their performances as inferior. Perhaps he was seeing something she wasn''t. ''He''s also watching my match. Maybe I should ask him what I can do to improve after this Exam is over. Or¡­'' Asa shook her head quickly, not daring to imagine imposing something so disrespectful to a man of his caliber. Forming a Party with him, at least for their first Quest would be a learning experience for the fairdy, but she would not impose. ''I''ll only hold him back¡­'' Besides, his Adventurer Rank was most likely going to exceed hers by far. How could she dream of being a burden to him when he was leagues above her? ''My best bet is to try my best to catch up to him. Hopefully, we get to stand side by side eventually.'' With that in mind, Asa readied herself for the first wave that appeared¡ªa single Goblin. "KRII¡ª" >WHOOSH!< The moment it made its appearance, Asa shot it down with her trusty bow and arrow. It didn''t even take a second, and the first opponent was down already. "KRIIIII!!!" "KRIIIII!!!" "KRIIIII!!!" This time, three poured out, but the results were the same. Almost instantly, they were all struck down. It seemed like a miracle, how the Goblins plopped to the ground as lifeless corpses when they were roaring moments earlier. The next round had five Goblins that were armed to the teeth with weapons. Asa narrowed her eyes in concentration, preparing a different strategy for the neers. ''They can deflect my arrows with their weapons¡­ that is, if they''re fast enough.'' Asa had also observed the previous match¡ªmimicking the man she genuinely respected. While his gaze was on the aspiring Adventurers, she was mostly studying the Goblins and memorizing their fighting patterns. As a result, Asa was now familiar with their speed and the most likely action the green monsters would take. ''I should start getting serious¡­'' The girl smiled, activating one of her three Skills. ''[Insight]'' Thanks to this, she had better awareness of the terrain, and she had a nearly 360-degree vision. Details became sharper, and her senses were heightened to a frightening degree. It was due to this Skill, alongside her Mana Perception, that she was able to spot the Mana Stones earlier. This time, she was going to use the ability to hit her mark with absolute precision. Asa smiled, brimming with confidence as she readied her bow and prepared multiple arrows at once. "KRRRIIIIIIIIII!!!" She could hear many angry bellows, but Asa didn''t let those stop her. Hyah!" Leaping to the air¡ªwhere the armed Goblins were unable to reach¡ªAsa twisted her body as she took her shot. >WHOOOSHHH!!!< Every single arrow hit its mark, and the five Goblins copsed to the ground, oozing out blood as they breathed theirst. ''Alright! I''m just getting started!'' Asa smiled. She had just taken down nine of the green monsters, yet she had two more Skills that were yet to be used. If she managed her time and resources well, Asa expected herself to keep fighting until time ran out. It simply depended on how many Goblins she would be able to kill. ''I''ll keep my distance and strike them all down!'' She was a ranger, after all. **************************************** >WHOOOSHHH!< Upon exhausting all twenty arrows she had in stock, Asa now activated her second and third Skills at the same time. "[Sprint]. [Marksmanship]." She spoke out loud as a result of habit. Now that she had run out of arrows, it was time to rely on the small knives she had brought with her. Unlike her terrific skill with arrows, Asa wasn''t very good with knives, which was why she saved her [Marksmanship] Skill for this moment. Using [Sprint], she maintained a considerable distance from her armored foes, using her third Skill to target the openings they had. >FWOOOOSSSHHHH!!!< As expected, she hit her mark, causing the Goblins to scream out in pain as they copsed, sinking in their pool of blood. Once again, she survived another round without taking a single hit from the enemy. Asa was on a winning streak, having killed twenty-three Goblins, yet not slowing down or getting any meaningful retaliation. Anyone could see she was a natural at hunting. ''I''ve almost run out of knives, though. Sooner orter, I''ll have to retrieve the arrows and knives I threw so I can restock!'' Since she was terrible at closebat, she needed to be quick on her feet while ensuring she took down the targets in one hit, preferably. The gate opened and the next batch of Goblins were bigger than the previous group¡ªboth in number and size. Not only were they much taller and bulkier, but they were also about twelve¡ªeach having armor and weapons. None of the Examinees had made it this far, so Asa hadn''t expected this challenge. She was uncertain about her chances, but the Ranger knew she couldn''t give up now. ''I have to try!'' Readying her knives while keeping her eyes out for her weapons scattered all over, Asa took a deep breath and stretched out her muscles. This would be take a lot out of her. ''Let''s go!'' Chapter 43 This Is How A Champ Fights [Pt 2] >VWUUUSHHH< Asa raced, as quick as the wind, causing her blond hair to sway softly behind her. Her first move was to release the three daggers left in her possession, sending them flying in the direction of the nearest adversaries that blocked her path. "GWUUUUOOOHHHH!!!" The big Goblins let out guttural roars, howling in pain, staggering as the hits dealt serious blows to them. Unfortunately for the ranger, her attacks were not fatal. ''I was in a hurry, and since Iunched three, toward different directions at the same time, the force was dispersed!'' Asa reasoned frantically, but there was no merit in dwelling on her blunder. Her goal hadn''t changed, after all. >WHOOOSHHH< Thedy''s [Sprint] Skill gave her an edge in evading the spears that were hurled at her by the unrelenting adversaries, and thanks to her expert maneuvering, Asa was able to retrieve the two weapons that were her initial targets. ''My bow and an arrow!'' She smiled, grasping both items with determination. Asa had dropped the bow earlier in order to lessen the weight she had to handle¡ªthis was all because her arrows ran out. However, now that both the daggers and arrows were used up, Asa found herself at square one. Having no choice but to retrieve the ones she had used already, the Ranger was forced to choose between utilizing Arrows or Daggers. ''Daggers are more portable, and they will be less bothersome to wield¡­'' But if she was being honest, Asa knew going for the arrows was a much better option. For one, she was more skilled in using thetter than the former. Besides, if she added the effects of her Marksmanship with the efficiency she achieved with the bow, it would make her abilities skyrocket. ''Arrows it is!'' With that in mind, Asa took her aim and fired the first shot in the direction of the closest opponent that charged with unfettered ferocity. >WHOOOSHHH!!!< The spinning projectile traveled even faster than before, thanks to [Marksmanship], and sessfully drilled a hole into the head of her adversary. "G-Guiiikk¡­" The Goblin copsed¡ªarmor and all, causing Asa to lose her footing for a slight moment. The other Goblins didn''t waste this chance and lunged at her¡ªwhether to have revenge for their fallenrade, or simply because they couldn''t resist the allure of fresh meat. All that appeared in their eyes was a malevolent glint foretelling destruction. ''Not a chance!'' Asa thought, as she made to escape their collective strike. However¡ª "W-wha¡ª?!" Her legs identally slipped on the gooey Goblin blood that coated the stage''s floors, causing an unexpected hitch in the Ranger''s retreat. ''N-no! No way!'' Yet, as she fell to the ground, the Goblins advanced even further. She found herself copsing in a puddle of slimy green Goblin blood. It was so repulsive that Asa found herself yelping in shock, causing her body''s coordination to go out of sync. Before she regained her bearing, it was toote. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!< The first attack came crashing on her stomach. "Guark!" Asa spat out blood for the first time, feeling the impact of the Goblin''s blunt club knock the wind out of her body. Her helpless body flew to the metal cage that surrounded the stage, causing her to give yet another yelp of pain. The recoil of hitting her back on the metal barrier caused Asa to unwittingly drop her bow. The sudden pain that shot through her was excruciating enough to deactivate her active Skills, further driving the youngdy into an even more pathetic state. "GURRRUUUIIIIKKK¡­" The Goblins slowly converged around her¡ªsome wounded from her dagger strikes. They had suffered one casualty, but anyone could see that the Goblins had turned the tides of battle in their favor. "N-no¡­" Asa''s blurred vision took in the sight of the eleven Goblins that closed in on her. Since her body was helplessly lying on the floor, the monsters appeared muchrger than usual. ''I can''t¡­ I can''t lose now¡­'' Asa gritted her teeth. She was quite frail, and her defenses were very low. That was why a single strike was enough to push her to this state. It was the very reason Asa could only rely on her skills as a Ranger. Once she got hit with a strong attack, it was game over. Still¡ª ''¡­ Just one more¡­ if I kill one more¡­'' ¡ªIt felt so pathetic to be knocked down so badly after receiving a single hit to the stomach. ''Damn it¡­'' Even as she tried to will herself to stand, Asa no longer had the strength to do so. It truly was the end. "TIME UP!" Asa''s eyes widened as Gerund''s voice sharply cut through the air. Instantly, he approached the stage, emanating a very oppressive aura that scared the Goblins back to the entrance they crawled out from. In a sh, Asa was saved. "Haa¡­ it''s over already¡­?" She muttered, looking around her to see the corpses of Goblins strewn all over the stage. Her blurry vision then trailed in a particr direction¡ªto the person whom she was most afraid of disappointing. ''He¡­ he''s¡ª?!'' Asa''s eyes nearly brought forth tears as she watched him give a very genuine,forting smile. While he spoke no words, his expression could easily be tranted to "You did well." At least, ording to the woozydy''s interpretation. "Let''s get you off the stage." The bars were lifted, and Asa was given a low-grade medicinal herb to help her recover quickly. Even though it would have been more beneficial to find a better ce to rest, she returned to where she previously sat, huffing in exhaustion as she ingested more of the bitter herb she was fed with. There was only one reason for that action. "Next, Sam!" As she gently took her seat, the man of the hour rose to his feet, donning nothing but a confident smile. Asa simply couldn''t fathom the kind of power he would disy when his turn came. As her aching body was slowly revived by the medicinal properties the herb, the young Ranger watched with starry eyes as a future Legendary Adventurer was about to make his debut. ''I''ll be watching every moment of it, Sam!'' Chapter 44 My Debut As An Adventurer [Pt 1] How did the saying go again? ''When confronted with a challenging situation, always remember to approach it with a smile!'' I was pretty certain that the ''genius'' who invented that statement never had to face a horde of monsters though. ''I mean, noints¡­ just saying.'' That didn''t stop me from donning my usual bullshitting smile as I responded to my name. The moment of truth was finally here. I simply had to try my hardest not to screw things up. "And so it begins¡­" I muttered, stepping into the ring. My heart raced as the cage dropped from the ceiling, trapping me in with ferocious monsters. There was no escape. ''It''s my first time fighting monsters¡­ this feels kinda scary.'' But, I had gone past the point of no return¡ªliterally. [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] New Secondary Quest Added: [You are taking the Adventurer''s Combat Exam. Disy the overwhelming power worthy of a Hero and be a Legend.] Rewards: Addition Of A Particr Person to the Character List. +5 Stat Points. +10 Karmic Value. Failure: Loss Of Reputation From Spectators (Depending on how bad the failure is, you could gain a bad reputation) Additional Information: Depending on how well youplete this mission, additional Rewards will be given for Achievements. [End Of Information] As expected, the System didn''t let me off the hook this time. Of course, this meant I had to do my best to gain as many bonuses as possible for Achievements. ''Inventory¡­'' I quickly summoned my Godying de¡ªa Katana I had ordered as an Anime Merch, back when I was still in my regr world. Usually, such a weapon would be dead weight, but after fighting Lucy, I decided to give it an upgrade. Resolving to utilize all I had been learning in terms ofbat, I maintained a fighting stance and awaited the appearance of the first monster. The gate opened, and my target stepped out, sporting a disgusting smile. "KRRIIIIIII!!!" The Goblin did not waste any time before lunging at me. >SWOOOSH< I returned the favor by unsheathing my de and sliding forward in one swift movement. It was like a sh of light, a cool move that was only achievable because of my enchanted sneakers and Rune de. >SPLOOOSHHH!!!< Blood spurted out of the Goblin''s neck as it waspletely decapitated. Just like that¡ªin seconds¡ªI killed my first monster. ''Damn¡­ it''s not as hard as I thought.'' I smiled to myself, looking at my bloodied katana. It had three runes embedded in it. One was for heightened sharpness, the second was for greater durability, and thest? Well¡­ "Bring it on." I smiled, my de glowing a bright white color as the as my next opponents sauntered in through the gate. "A-aura sword?!" "He has that Skill?" "But, doesn''t that burn through Mana faster than normal? Is it truly wise to use that at the start of the match?" "What a fool." "This is getting interesting¡­" I could hear them whispering about me from beyond the cage, which meant their focus was on me. If I screwed up now, things would get really bad. But, I nned on being as outstanding as I possibly could. I wasn''t overly powerful, sure. However, no one was as skilled as me, at putting up a good show in this godforsaken ce. "Come," I whispered, narrowing my vision on the three Goblins that lunged at me with absolute ferocity. ''If I think of them as green dogs, they''re not that scary¡­'' Besides, I was pretty much unaffected by killing monsters due to the numerous times I had visualized doing so. ''After taking down the first one, the rest aren''t much of a bother.'' Increasing my speed, thanks to the enchanted shoes I had on, I swiftly dashed in the direction of the three opponents and unleashed a roundabout strike, cutting down all three of their heads at once. The white trail of my energy spread across the area, burning their flesh and sizzling blood. "That''s four down." My voice echoed through the area as the corpsesnded on the ground with a thud. The next batch would be a group of five who had weapons. Fighting armed opponents would normally be tricky, but not for me. ''As long as I can see iting, I can respond appropriately.'' Thanks to [Insight], [Five Seconds Rule], and [Freedom Of Expression], I could fight like a seasoned expert. There was no way I would lose to a couple of inexperienced monsters. The monsters lunged at me, roaring with their des tightly locked in their grasp. I could see where they would strike, and how long it would take for them to strike. Swiftly taking action, I took the initiative and took to the ground. shing their hind limbs, I instantly caused the Goblins to lose bnce. They yelped in pain as their bodies fell. Once they were in unstable forms, it was much easier tond killing blows on them. ''Compared to Lucy, these guys are chumps! Fighting them wasn''t as difficult as I imagined.'' Unlike back then, I now had a functional weapon. I had also learned many good moves that allowed me to respond to any situation I saw, using my precognitive ability. Having a good grasp of my surroundings helped as well, so I was in control of the tide of the battle. ''They don''t have very high durability, so it''s possible to take them down with my weapon¡­ but how long will thatst?'' My Godying de could trap in Mana and release it when I desired. That was the third function I gave it. Like a battery, it took time to charge, and I couldn''t use the power released indefinitely. Sooner orter, the Mana flowing through my weapon would run out. Was I worried about that, though? ''Not a chance!'' I grinned, wholly anticipating the next challenge. To be honest, I was initially worried about the oue of my battle, but after watching the others fight I realized something. ''The people in this world have limited Skills. Even Lucy only had three¡ªsame with Sarah¡­'' Sure, I was on the losing end in Stats, but I had more than enough Skills topensate for my shorings. With a broad smile, I shook off the green blood of my enemies and awaited the next group of opponents. ''Let''s see how far I can go!'' **************************************** [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule <2> Rune crafting <3> Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility, There Must Also Come Great Power; ¡ªWarrior''s Skin (Byron) ¡ªBlessing Of Recovery (Sarah) ¡ªMana Strengthening (Lucy) <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror Chapter 45 My Debut As An Adventurer [Pt 2] Asa couldn''t believe her eyes. She had never seen such outstanding swordsmanship¡­ such finesse! Initially, she had been worried about why Sam¡ªthe man she looked up to so much¡ªwould use such a powerful move at the start of his match. Asa considered such actions foolish, since it wasmon sense to save one''s strength for the greater challenge ahead. However, the moment she considered just how much of a stranger, he was to her, Asa decided that Sam must have had a good reason for that decision. And, she wasn''t wrong! "Amazing¡­ simply amazing!" Were the only words her lips could utter as she watched in absolute enthrallment. Sam had taken down the same amount of monsters she defeated, but in even less time. His stunning de and determined expression made her heart long for more of his elegant disy. And then, just when she was eager for more, the moment of truth arrived. "GURRRUUUIIIIKKK!!!" The opponents that bested even Asa, the group of twelve adult Goblins, walked onto the stage. Not only were they more powerful than the other Goblins, but their equipment made them trickier opponents. They each had respective weapons, and their armor¡ªwhile of low quality¡ªstill got in the way of defensive strikes. This wouldn''t be easy, even for the man who was currently on his winning streak. "Unlike me, he has been fighting in close range, and his movements are moreplex. He should have been exhausted at this point¡­ plus the light on his de is dying out¡­" Asa was worried that Sam had used up too much of his energy. Now that the truly terrifying targets had arrived, it would be next to impossible to face them with no active Skills. Perhaps he had a trump card. If that were the case, then Sam could probably be able to turn things around. However¡­ ''I haven''t heard of someone so young having a Skill greater than Aura Sword. If he used that first, that means he has no better Skill¡­'' Most people could only ever have one or maybe two Skills, but it was rare to find someone with three. In the end, humans had their limits, and Sam was still quite young. ''Even I have three Skills because¡­'' Asa halted her thoughts and curiously stared at Sam, eager to see what he would do next. Her eyes widened the moment the young man took action. In simple terms, she was awestruck. >VWUUUUSSSHHH!!!< Suddenly, a great gust of wind blew across the room, and the extreme pressure caused even Asa to shiver. Sam''s body was currently enveloped in raging blue energy, and his entire body was pulsating with power. The Mana that was previously in his de did notpare to what she was experiencing now. His current state¡ªshrouded in blue Mana¡ªwas far superior. Sam''s de, being an extension of his body, also glowed with the blue energy. At this point, the power the young man wielded far exceeded everyone''s expectations. Even the Instructor was greatly amazed by the sight. ''I-is this full [Mana Strengthening]?! Only Elite Warriors can use it!'' Gerund thought, quite impressed by thed. As an Elite Warrior himself, he could utilize the Skill, so he understood the caliber of warriors that could use it. [Mana Strengthening] was a Skill even better than [Overdrive] or [Boost] since it was an all-rounder type of enhancement, and it had no drawbacks. It raised a warrior''s ability beyond the limits, granting them the power only Mana could offer. For a person like Sam to have reached such a stage, he certainly wasn''t ordinary. "This examinee¡­ just who is he?" >SWOOOSH< Sam did not even attempt to run away or use roundabout tactics for the Goblins. No, he simply evaded their assaults and cut them down in a frontal assault. One could have considered his actions a bit brash and impatient, but for someone who had so much power, he simply didn''t care about his opponents. All they could do was miss, in their desperate attempts to attack¡­ and then suffer painful deaths by being cut down by a lone human. Even though they outnumbered Sam, it changed nothing. The young man easily dodged their assaults and overwhelmed them with his sheer might. It didn''t take more than a few seconds before every single monster was defeated. >SHUUUUU< The energy swirling around him finally dissipated, and the human was left all alone¡ªstanding atop a sea of monster corpses. "Is that all?" The terrifying human''s lips moved, and his voice echoed across therge hall. Even Gerund shivered as he looked at the boy''s calm face. p His eyes seemed to be like pools of endless abyss that couldn''t care less about the massacre he had just wrought. He was simply looking forward to the next bloodshed. ''T-this¡­ this is a true Adventurer!'' Gerund thought in awe. The examinee before him represented their core beliefs ¡ªeven better than most existing Adventurers. He had the power, charisma, and mentality to be a fully-fledged Adventurer. On that note, there was no need to waste any more offerings to test such a person. He had already passed. "T-that''s all for the Combat Exam. You cane out now." Gerund stuttered, still amazed by what he had just seen. ''[Aura Sword], and even [Mana Strengthening]¡­ he must have the [Martial Arts] Skill too, seeing his wless moves.'' These were all high-level Skills, and even Gerund only had ess to one of them. Whoever this ''Sam'' was¡­ he could not be regarded as an ordinary human. ''He''s too powerful!'' With that thought, Gerund concluded the exams. "Just wait a moment while I cote the scores." Upon saying this, the Supervisor dashed out of the Hall, leaving only the examinees. Usually, this would give them time to reflect on their performances and whether or not they had passed the exams. However, at this point, only one thought upied everyone''s mind. ''THAT EXAMINEE, SAM! JUST WHO IS HE?!'' All their eyes were on him, watching as he sat calmly on his seat and awaited the results toe. The one who stared the hardest was Asa, and her mind was full of praise and wonder for the young man beside her. ''H-he¡­ He''s so amazing!!!'' Chapter 46 I Just Got A Bit More OP "You all did well, and I must congratte everyone on passing the Adventurer Assessment." A cool, collected voice greeted everyone who stood. Gerund was standing behind thenky man who was speaking. His hair was smooth, and unlike everyone present, he looked more civilized. His auburn hair had an oily glow, and his expression exuded confidence. Everyone could tell that the man addressing them was extremely important, considering the aura of prestige and eminence that simply oozed out of him. ''He''s a Level 30. That means he''s strong¡­'' I thought to myself, gulping nervously. My name is Zabdel Forger. I am the Vice Guild master in this Adventurer''s City." ''What the¡ª?!'' How did things even get to this point? [Moments Earlier] The Combat Exam was draining. To be honest, I most definitely wouldn''t havested very long were it not for my Hero''s Title ''Auto-Recovery'' effect. Thankfully, I also Leveled Up many times during my fight, preventing my Stats from reaching rock bottom. The biggest challenge I faced was using the Skill I obtained from Lucy, [Mana Strengthening]. The stuff ate through my Mana at an insanely quick rate, causing me to desperately sh through my enemies so that I could Level Up in order to restore the lost energy. I had to even activate [Blessing Of Recovery] to boost my Mana Recovery due to the burnout I was experiencing. Even though I somehow pulled through the exams, I was terrified that even more monsters would be released. "Is that all?" I had said, actually very weary internally. Fortunately, Gerund¡ªour very enthusiastic Supervisor¡ªmisinterpreted my intentions, thanks to [Freedom Of Expression]. He called off the exam, most likely giving me a perfect score. That was how I was able to scale through the System''s Quest, as well as gaining extra rewards due to my outstanding Aplishment. Even as I returned to my seat, I noticed everyone''s eyes fixated on me. It felt a bit weird , but I was already used to being the center of attention. Sitting on my designated chair, the System finally came through. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [System Reward] ~Addition of Asa to Character List~ ~(+5) Stat Points~ ~(+10) Karmic Value~ [End Of Information] Well, I was expecting it anyway, so I wasn''t particrly surprised. However, that wasn''t all. [SYSTEM NOTICE] ~Would You Like To Receive All Your Rewards Now?~ ''Hmm? So soon? Maybe there aren''t many Aplishments this time around.'' Mulling these thoughts over and over in my head, I decided to check out the rest of the rewards. [SYSTEM UPDATE] [Here Are Your Rewards Based On Your Aplishments] ~10 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~100 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~1,000 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~Skill: Predator has been given~ ~Title: Monster Hunter has been given~ ~(+10) Stat Points Have Been Given~ ~You Have Leveled Up (¡Á3)~ [End Of Information] ''Holy cow!!!'' I was beyond amazed. I had Leveled Up five times when I fought the Goblins. Adding that to the three new Level-Ups I obtained, my initial Level had practically doubled. In a sh, I jumped from Level 8 to Level 16. It was beyond crazy! In excitement, I decided to check my System Window. [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 16 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: ted Status Infliction: Mild Exhaustion (Recovering) Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] I went on to check every new thing I had gotten. It was awesome that I grew so much in such a short span. Defeating Monsters really paid off! [Stats] Level: 16 Exp: 67.85 ss: None (Check Avable ss) Karmic Value: 6,354 [Basic Ability] HP: 26/26 MP: 20/20 Strength: 21 Agility: 52 Vitality: 25 Intelligence: 37 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule <2> Rune crafting <3> Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Predator [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter [End Of Information] It was unbelievable, but even I had to admit it. ''It''s not quite on the level of being OP, butpared to before¡­'' I was far more stronger now! Grinning to myself, I awaited Gerund''s return; only for him to arrive momentster, with an important man leading the way. ''Who the heck is that?'' I thought to myself the moment I first saw the dude. Unknown to me, he was¡­ [The Present] ¡­ The Vice Guild master! The moment Zabdel Forger introduced himself, the entire hall fell into a tranquil state, with panicked looks on their faces ¡ªmost likely still reeling from the shocking revtion. The atmosphere of the room was one of hushed reverence, and I even noticed a few people bowing. However¡ª ''I can''t bring myself to show too much deference¡­'' ¡ªThere was no way I would follow the crowd. It wasmon knowledge that the path of a Hero wasn''t carved like everyone else''s, and after the stunt I pulled not too long ago, there was no way I could pretend to be ordinary. "There''s no need to be so stiff with me. We''re allrades in arms. Usually, I wouldn''t even be interfering with the exams, but I just happened to be around." I nearly rolled my eyes when I heard that statement. It truly was convenient that the Vice Guild master would be in the area when an exceptional Adventurer candidate made his debut. As if he read my mind, Zabdel Forger nced in my direction and gave a warm smile. His piercing gaze made me a bit flustered, but I made sure to maintain myposure. "Now, for your results¡­" Zabdel nced in Gerund''s direction, nodding to the buff man to proceed. Our Exam Supervisor nodded and stepped forward, holding a parchment that most likely contained our performance evaluation. This was quite literally the moment of truth. Chapter 47 Im An Adventurer Now, Yay! Gerund began by stating our earlier scores in the Search Exams and then he calcted our achievements in the Combat category. If I were to simplify it, the results would somewhat be like this; _______ Gu: 0 + 19 = 19 Liebert 4 + 6 = 10 Desir 6 + 21 = 27 Asa 9 + 24 = 33 Sam 12 + 35 = 47 _______ As expected, I scored the highest. My goal had been aplished. Initially, I was thinking of taking the low-key route. It would have been satisfactory if I had simply done the bare minimum and got enough qualifications for the Quest we needed. But my feelings on that changed, the moment I realized we were taking the exam as a group. Besides, I was kinda digging the whole mysterious genius Examinee vibe that was going on, even though I knew it was all bullshit. Still, it wasforting to know that I could put up my fake front wherever I wanted. I smiled to myself, while the results were being announced, then a certain thought urred to me. ''Hold on¡­ why did I even register as an Adventurer, to begin with?'' If I had just let Sarah and Byron do the job while I took a tour of the city, that would have certainly solved the problem. I wouldn''t have needlessly exposed myself to danger, and it would have been a nice way to escape their watchful gazes. ''Shit, I didn''t think this through.'' However, now that I had be an Adventurer, there was no going back. I just had to follow the path I had carved out for myself. "Now, I''ll be letting you know the Rank Qualifications, and where you fall under." Gerund''s voice boomed, causing me to snap back to reality and focus squarely on him. The scores we got were only to allude to our Ranks. That was all everyone wanted to hear. "Liebert, E Rank Adventurer." ''Seriously?'' I was quite surprised. Wasn''t Liebert the guy who got the bare minimum in his score? I thought, for sure, he would get an F Rank. Or was the grading system different from what I had imagined? ''Hmmm¡­ maybe those who fail the tests are given F Rank?'' That meant the conditions for passing weren''t even as difficult as I had earlier imagined. "Gu, D Rank Adventurer." Well, after Liebert''s Rank was announced, I kind of figured that one wasing. "Desir, C Dank Adventurer." "Asa, C Rank Adventurer." It was finally my turn. I was going to score a B Rank¡­ at the very least. "Sam, A Rank Adventurer." My eyes bulged¡ªof course, only internally¡ªas I was announced to be A Rank. Shooting through the Ranks just by taking a simple exam was crazy. I was giddy inside, and the fact that all attention was on me didn''t help. ''Hehe!'' I was happy¡­ very happy. After going through all that hard work, my efforts paid off. While it wasn''t necessary to have taken the Adventurer''s Exam in the first ce, I was d I did. ''This warm feeling inside me¡­ I''m finally an Adventurer.'' The ultimate Fantasy-Based Job that I had dreamed of for so long when I was in my previous reality¡­ I just got epted. ''This is a big step for me. Nice!'' More than anything, I was certain that both Sarah and Byron would be ecstatic with the oue, so my status as Hero was protected. "I once again congratte everyone here. You are now Adventurers. As such, you can take Quests and receive Rewards from the Guild for the missions youplete. Of course, you''ll also be penalized if you fail toplete the mission." Gerund spoke, his voice severe, tomunicate the importance of his words. ording to him, three consecutive failures would cause an Adventurer to be demoted of their Rank, and a review would be taken for the person in question, to determine what Rank would be best suited for them. There were cases when people had injuries or illnesses that made them unable to function as high-ranking Adventurers, so they had to be demoted to a much less tasking Rank. "Come back here tomorrow for your badges. For now, you may leave." For someone who looked like a barbarian, Gerund sure sounded civilized. Zabdel smiled and nodded in agreement. I had almost forgotten he was still in the room. Since we were excused, I followed everyone else and decided to beat it. Byron and Sarah were probably waiting for me in our lodge. Spending so much time apart made me realize just how much I missed them. "Ah, Sam, one moment, please." Why wasn''t I surprised? I was called back by Zabdel¡ªthe Vice Guild master. ''This guy is a master. He''s Level 30! I''m sure he''ll be able to tell if I''m the real deal or not.'' I gulped. Since that was the case, I had to be smart and cautious. I would have preferred avoiding a meeting with himpletely, but stuff like this was to be expected for those who stood out too much. I brought this on myself the moment I decided to be excessively shy. "Congrattions on being an A Rank." The elegant Zabdel smiled warmly. I decided to maintain my cool, unfazed look for this interaction and responded calmly. "So, what do you need me for?" "Cutting through the chase, eh? I like your spirit!'' I was pretty sure he was misunderstanding something, but I decided to let him conclude his statement before mentioning anything. "Gerund here says that you disyed 3 High-Level Skills. Aura de, Mana Strengthening, and Martial Arts. I was simply intrigued so I decided to drop by." Oh? So that was what this whole thing was about. I knew it was rare for a person to have many Skills in these parts. It made sense that they would be on my case for possessing three powerful ones. But, these chumps were wrong about a few things. ''I don''t have [Aura de]. It''s just the effect of my sword. As for [Mana Strengthening], it belongs to Lucy. I can only use it because of a Skill¡­ and the sweet fact that she''s my subordinate.'' I could only agree wholly with the Martial Arts Skill, and to be honest, it helped a great deal when I fought. Unfortunately, even though it consumed no Mana, the Skill ate through my stamina like crazy. As a result, I got tired easily. "I was wondering, if it''s not too much trouble for you, whether you could spar with me." Chapter 48 [Bonus Chapter]I Think Theres A Little Misunderstanding Here "Could you spar with me, if that''s alright by you?" Great, it has alreadye to this. I knew what this Zabdel dude was trying to do. He most likely wanted to confirm my strength with his own eyes. Usually, I would jump at the opportunity to prove my strength, but was there really a need to in this situation? I had already passed, and there was nothing he could do about it. If he decided to doubt my abilities, I had tons of witnesses who saw me being a badass. There was no way he could refute that. ''Fighting him wouldn''t be so bad; if only I was guaranteed to win¡­'' This wouldn''t be the first time I was challenged by a Level 30. Lucy was also at that Level, and even though she was extremely strong, I managed to secure victory. However, unlike back then, a few things were different. For one, Lucy was a warrior, making her attacks limited to movements and strikes. If she had been a Tank, or some other ss, I would have lost that match. But now, one of those meddlesome ss Holders was now challenging me tobat. Of course, I couldn''t see the details of his Status Window, but his HP, MP, and Level were clearly disyed there. ''He has a ridiculous amount of MP, that is proportionate to his HP.'' There was no doubt about it at this point¡­ Zabdel was a Mage! ''Fighting someone who can use Magic is practically suicide! There''s no way I''ll ept.'' "Of course, I''ll make this challenge worth your while." Perhaps the Vice Guild master sensed my hesitation, because the next thing he did was to press the issue. ''Heck no! I''m not doing this no matter what you say!'' "Depending on the results, you could be promoted to S Rank. Only three active Adventurers have this Rank, you know? So, what do you say?" "That is indeed a tempting offer¡­" I murmured, still maintaining my fa?ade. Unfortunately for the man who was trying his hardest to sell his pitch, I didn''t need a rank as prestigious as S Rank. Having too much attention drawn to me at this time was bad enough. A Rank was good enough to get by, and it wasn''t like I nned on establishing an active position amongst the Adventurers. I just wanted ess to Quests. "¡­ I''m going to have to refuse." "Oh? Any particr reason why?" Tch! This guy just didn''t want to butt out of my business. "There''s something¡­ I must do¡­" My face left him and went to the exit. I once read that you could give various signals to a person through bodynguage. Anyone withmon sense would be able to sense if another person isfortable by watching them fidgeting and looking elsewhere. And so, by cing my gaze on the door, I was trying to tell the Vice Guild master to ''LET ME GOOOO!'' "Ah, I see. So it''s ''that'' matter, uh?" He smiled at me. ''Eh? What matter?'' What the heck was this guy talking about now? "I know there''s no time to waste. But, are you sure you''d be capable of handling it?" I was literally lost. What was the ''it'' that this dude was talking about? I have absolutely no idea what he is talking about. "Seems like you caught on. Yes, I''m in a hurry. I''ll be meeting my associates now. They''re waiting for me." "Ah, I see. You work fast. So that''s why you took the exams today. I understand¡­" Well, I would simply let him assume whatever he wanted. If that meant I could leave and avoid fighting him, then I could not be happier. "Alright, then. I''ll be putting my trust in you. I suppose I''ll see the results soon." ''What results? Weren''t you here when Gerund gave them to us?'' Well, at this point, I was just going to let things go on autopilot. "Then, till we meet again, Vice Guild master." I smiled coolly, taking my leave. "When next we see, I hope you''d be able to call me by my name. So, please make sure you definitelye back." There seemed to be a hint of pain in his voice, but maybe he simply had a sore throat. ''Of course, I''lle back. I need to get my Badge tomorrow so I can take the Quest.'' Nodding my head as if every single word the dude spouted made sense to me, I opened the door and left the room. ''Haa, it''s finally over.'' I heaved a sigh of relief after making sure the coast was clear. These guys didn''t have any CCTV, did they? Nah! Primitives like them never stood a chance. ''Let''s return to the inn. I should avoid much interaction with Sarah and Gerund, or else they''ll want to know how well I fared in the exam.'' It wasn''t all bad though, but wouldn''t it be better if they heard of my exploits from others? That would have a better effect than self-promotion. ''Alright then! I''ll do just that.'' **************************************** "Sir, were you serious? Is he really going to¡ª?!" Gerund''s face was scrunched up, disying an obvious expression of worry. "I got a report that two people were asking around about the recent cases of disappearances¡­ and those two happen to be his acquaintances." The Vice Guild master responded sinctly, smiling softly. Zabdel had connections all over the city. In addition, he was also extremely intelligent and perceptive. It didn''t take him too long to connect the dots. "The rules were changed recently because Adventurers have been dying a lot more these days. Many people don''t know the reason for their deaths¡­" But, the real question was how the Examinee, Sam, figured it out. ''As I thought, he''s no ordinary guy¡­'' Zabdel reasoned within himself. "He had his associates scour the city for clues on the missing cases of Adventurers, and the sudden spike in the mortality rates¡ªeven for simple Quests. Plus, he seems to be in a hurry to ''do something'' about it." Zabdel had gotten all he needed to hear from the young man to understand his intentions. Still, even though Gerund had been the one who saw Sam in action, he couldn''t fathom how the Vice Guild master considered something so absurd. Something so dangerous! "But¡­ that monster¡­ even S ss Adventurers can''t beat it. How will he even¡ª?" Chapter 49 Taking It Easy For My First Quest [Pt 1] "I don''t know. To be honest, he didn''t seem that strong when I saw him too." That said, Zabdel couldn''t shake off the chill he had felt in his presence. "A true master knows how to hide his strength. He wasn''t fazed, even when we spoke, and he acted in the mostposed manner. That man, Sam, is definitely hiding his strength." For him to be ambitious enough to y the troublesome Earth Dragon, yet apathetic about gaining an S ss¡­ Sam was certainly a man of great knowledge and power. Zabdel smiled, somewhat relieved that someone was finally going to do something about their problem. Although he was a bit worried about the fate of the young man, the Vice Guild master decided to put his faith in him. "I wonder what he''ll do next. I can''t wait." **************************************** My ears itched a little as I walked home, but I simply scratched them and continued humming while walking the deste road. The Adventurer''s Guild wasn''t very far from our inn, and I was very happy to take a rejuvenating walk after all the hassle I just went through. It was funny how so many strings of events had been tied to the simple need to get some Mana Chalk and Mercury. ''Well, we''re almost done anyway.'' By tomorrow, we should be able to clear the Quests. That meant that the day after, we could return to our settlement. ''If I hurry, I can make it in time for the Harvest!'' An estimated four days journey, rather than a week, was better than the initial n to walk it out and waste more time. ''Let''s take a short look around. I''ll return to the inn soon¡­'' I then eased my posture and took a rxed approach. I was an A Rank Adventurer already, and the mission was almost aplished. Things were looking up. **************************************** "Ohhhhh!!!" "As expected of the Hero!" Byron and Sarah showered me with praises as I broke the news. I would have preferred them to be quieter, but it seemed they couldn''t control their excitement. ? Still¡­ "But they should have given you S Rank! No, there should be a Rank made for just you alone to upy!" Sarah stated, looking affronted. I already told her I that didn''t want my identity as a Hero to be exposed, yet she kept bringing up crazy ideas. "I agree." ''Wait, you too, Byron?'' I gave a surprised re at the Vige Chief. I didn''t expect something like that from a supposedly mature man. Sarah must have influenced him more than I thought. "So, what about the investigation? How did it go?" I quickly brought up the excuse I told them about in the morning. No doubt, they were pointlessly toiling under the hot sun, finding clues for a mere passing remark I made. I felt quite guilty for sending them on a fool''s errand, but it was the only way. ''On the bright side, they don''t look too bummed out, so¡ª'' "It went well, as you anticipated, Hero." I nearly rolled my eyes at this point. Were they trying to be considerate of my feelings? Just like how a person would nearly always say "I''m fine" if someone asked, "How did your day go?" It was a normal response, so I decided not to think too much about it. ''I should probably get something to eat and nap. If I think of this as a short vacation, then¡ª'' "It turns out Adventurers have been going missing for the past couple of weeks now, and the mortality rate of their upation just skyrocketed in thest month." It was Byron''s words that hit the matter head on, sending me into a daze as soon as I heard it. ''Missing Adventurers? Mortality Rate? No, no, no!!!'' I knew this would trigger a forced story event if I got too close to the case, so I was going to stay clear away from it this time. I didn''t want to be associated with death or danger in this city. Wasn''t I clear enough about it? "I see. Well, this will all be over soon." I murmured. Ignoring Sarah''s and Byron''s inquisitive stares at me, I sighed and decided to leave myself out of the nonsense. These two had better let it go too. ''We''re obtaining Mana Chalk and Mercury, and then we get out of here!'' That was my n and I intended to go through with it. *************************************** The next day arrived sooner than I thought. It was probably because I slept off earlier than expected, though. Anyway, Sarah and Byron apanied me to the Adventurer''s Guild this time, and I went to receive my ID. It surprised the one dispensing the document that I was able to reach A Rank, but after shing a confident smile and remaining unfazed despite the pressure and attention around me, they must have considered me a genius or something. While I collected my ID, Sarah and Byron went to retrieve the Quest we needed for our mission. Once we got everything we needed, it was time to set off on a brave new adventure¡ªalbeit a very simple one. "E-excuse me!" Someone called out for me as soon as we left the Guild Building. I recognized the voice, but I still turned back to look. ''It''s Asa, that badass Ranger!'' My eyes widened slightly. It was nice for fellow newbies to interact. I was especially grateful that she didn''t notice how I was cheating in the Exams, not to talk of reporting me. "Your Quest¡­ I know this is impudent of me, but¡­ c-can I¡­" Was she always this unsure of herself? I looked at the stuttering blonde. Something about her reminded me of how Sarah was back when I first met her. "¡­ C-can I join your Party?!" She said quickly, practically sending my body into shock. ''Eh? Why? It''s just a Labyrinth Exploration Quest.'' Mana Chalk grew within those magical structures, and I wanted to get them. It wasn''t like there was going to be any difficulty whatsoever. She could just get her own Quest and explore the Labyrinth herself. [System Notification] ~Allow Asa into your party and form an unbreakable bond of trust~ [Rewards will be based on achievements and Asa''s inclination toward you at the end.] Cost Of Failure: None [End Of Notification] ''Well, this changes everything¡­'' Chapter 50 Taking It Easy For My First Quest [Pt 2] Think of Dungeons from those stories you''ve read, or the anime you''ve watched. Labyrinths were the same in the world of T.W.T.S.S. There were a few of them around, but the majority were situated in Demon territory. Labyrinths were natural structures¡ªlike volcanos, ciers, and whatnot, in my previous world. The only difference was that they had a high concentration of Monsters. As a result, several valuable resources, as well as rare types of nts and rocks could be found within. Of course, this Mana-rich atmosphere would also attract monsters, so several of them made the ce their haven. As a result, Adventurers had to explore Labyrinths and y monsters, while retrieving treasure or gathering herbs. Mana Chalk and Mercury were also stuff that could be found in Labyrinths¡ªwhich was why I was going, in the first ce. But why did the chick in front of me want to tag along? ''Anyways, it doesn''t matter. The System sees it as a Quest, and this could be my chance to get more benefits.'' I had no choice but to ept her request. "Thank you very much! I promise not to let you all down!" She bowed to her seniors and me. Byron and Sarah were both A Rank Adventurers, by the way. They didn''t start out that way, but by climbing up the ranks, they worked their way there. ''I heard Lucy is one of the only three S-ss Adventurers in this ce. I didn''t know she was that much of a hotshot.'' Anyways, I, Sarah, and Byron, all had higher Ranks than Asa, so she had to show some degree of reverence. "That''s fine. We don''t have all day, so let''s go." I snuck in that cool line and stared far into the distance, trying my hardest to look profound. Using [Insight], I noticed the reverent gazes of my three allies¡ªclearly, it worked. With that said and done, we walked resolutely to our destination. **************************************** The only Labyrinths within the borders of the City Of Adventurers was The Great Helios Labyrinth. It had the appearance of a couple of intersecting mountains that crossed each other in nted positions. Their bizarre postures, as they were clustered, was called the monument¡ªor more aptly the entrance of the Labyrinth. The bent mountains glimmered in the sun, like ss, and they weren''t too tall, so I could see their peak quite easily. ''We won''t be hiking, though¡­'' I smiled, looking beyond the sharp clusters of glowing rocks and easily spotting the hole that served as the entrance to the amazing ce before us. "Let''s go." Following my lead, my three Party Members forged ahead as we entered the luminous space that seemed like a different world¡ªsort of like a glowing cave. But, this was simply a preamble, not the main thing. Just like Dungeons, Labyrinths had structures akin to Floors. The difficulty of this Labyrinth ranged, depending on whatyer you found yourself in. From the Starting Floor, which was the easiest, Adventurers would proceed deeper into the Labyrinth¡ªsometimes climbing up, other times descending. This Labyrinth in question was the type where one had to descend to progress, making the easiest Floors the ones that were closer to the surface. Of course, this was all information I knew thanks to the Original Novel. While it didn''t give me much to go on, story-wise, I was familiar with important monuments like this one. The MC of the book, Damien, actually spent some time as an Adventurer, so he alluded to this ce many times. ''There was even a shback scene where¡ª'' My trail of thought was interrupted as I spotted some Mana Chalk growing at some parts of the wall. ''Ah, so this ce has it in abundance¡­'' "These ones are of low quality and have hardly grown two centimeters. We''ll find better ones as we proceed." Sarah said, noticing my gaze. "Ah, I see. Alright, then." I said, nodding sagely. And so, we proceeded. **************************************** We encountered a few enemies as we trod down the path before us. Most of them were low-ss Monsters, they were barely a challenge. From Spider Monsters, to Rabbit-like man eaters¡ªeach Layer had creatures that made the area their habitat, and since they procreated really fast, it was impossible to get rid of all of them. The only thing Adventurers could do when they encountered Low-ss Monsters was to either ignore them, or cut down the ones that were a bother. Of course, this only applied to Monsters in the single-digit Layers. From Layer 10, things got substantially more difficult. So far, no Adventurer had ever gone beyond the 17th Layer, so it was that crazy. ''Well¡­ that''s not our concern. Tops, we''ll need to get to the 9th Layer to get a good concentration of Mana Chalk and Mercury. I''m willing to chance 10, but that''s about it.'' Nothing dangerous would proceed out of this mission, so it was all good. Once we arrived at the Seventh Floor, we got our hands on a Mercury reservoir. In this world, Mercury could be found by excavating rocks and extracting the Mercury flowing within. I didn''t know how it worked in my previous world, but that didn''t matter, did it? An easy way to distinguish the rocks that had Mercury within, and those that didn''t, was their color. They had the same color as mercury, and their oily glow stood out well enough. ? The Labyrinth had a luminous structure, so there was no problem with seeing clearly. Since our enemies this time were simple scavenger Rat Monsters, we were easily able to secure a sufficient reservoir of Mercury. While harvesting, I noticed Asa''s gaze on me. No, I had observed it ever since we started the adventure¡ªif this could be called that. ''Is she bored? Does she expect me to do something fancy? Haa, what a bother¡­'' The System hadn''t announced the Side Quest to beplete, but even if it failed, there was no consequence, so I wasn''t too bothered. That was why I epted the Quest, to begin with. I wanted to get things over with quickly. Chapter 51 Lurking Danger "Huekk¡­" An agonizing cry echoed across the blood-soaked area. It was a vast expanse within the Grand Helios Labyrinth, and several mangled corpses could be found littering the glowing field. The man coughed out blood, and his missing hands were oozing out the crimson liquid like uncontroble dams. Drowning in his pool of blood, this Adventurer knew that his life hade to an end. Still¡­ ''Damn it¡­ I''m going to die like this? Why! Damn! No one told me¡­ no one said this thing would be in a single-digit Layer!'' All his life, he had yed it safe. Even as an Adventurer, he had always been cautious. The dying man knew his job was risky, which was why he made sure to restrict his activities to single-digit Layers¡ªforegoing the riches and glory awaiting him in the more dangerous regions. Still, he had survived for so long, thanks to his discretion. Yet¡­ yet¡­ ''This beast¡­ this monster¡­!'' His despondent eyes gazed upon the hulking figure that was munching on one of the several Adventurers it had killed. The massive creature showed nopassion as it broke the bones of its meal, like twigs, and swallowed the human whole. It the reached for another, and then another. Its scaly brown skin was extremely tough and practically imprable, and its massive figuremanded power. Its powerful jaws crushed the humans as its sharp teeth sank into their unresisting flesh, causing deoxygenated blood to leak out as it swallowed everything whole. The monster''s horns and gem-like green eyes were an aesthetic that only one race possessed. It was a Dragon. ''E-Earth Dragon¡­ this monster is¡­'' That was the man''s final thought as hey there dying. Regret and agony saturated his mind, but a final emotion was evident in his eyes as he drew hisst breath. Pity. He pitied the next group that would approach this Floor. ''¡­ This monster is¡­ impossible¡­'' And then death arrived. **************************************** "Alright, I''m done." Byron and Sarah said, showing me kegs full of Mercury. ''That''s at least fifty liters! Should be enough tost a few months. It shouldn''t be exhausted before Ie here next.'' I had better not get too greedy with mining. Just getting enough to restock the supplies would suffice. "Perfect!" I grinned internally, but as usual my face disyed aposed fa?ade. Of course, we couldn''t just carry the kegs around, so I decided to use my INVENTORY to handle them. "H-hueeee??!!" A sharp cry pierced the air as I did this, nearly scaring me to death. My eyes darted in the direction of the voice, and it came from none other than the Ranger herself, Asa. "What is it?" I asked, cing the final keg of Mercury into my INVENTORY without any issues. "Y-you¡­ what is that skill¡­ is that some special grade Space Magic?!" Ah, so she was observing my INVENTORY, wasn''t she? ''I forgot that something like this was umon here. I guess I''ve been too used to Sarah and Byron''spany.'' It wasn''t like I couldn''t bullshit my way out of this one, but would that really be okay? Unlike one gullible vige, if Adventurers got a wind of this stuff, they would most likely be meddlesome to deal with. I had to be smart about things. However¡­ "Something like that." ¡­ I decided to give a vague answer. "A-amazing! Simply amazing!" The girl''s eyes seemed to be shining diamonds at this point, so I simply left her to herself and focused on Sarah and Byron. "Where to next? We need to get the Mana Chalk next, right?" "Well, to get a good concentration of it, I''d rmend the ninth floor." "Yeah. It has an open space, so it''s going to be an appropriate location forfortable mining." "Hmmm¡­ I see." This was why it was good to have industrious subordinates. I was so d they had done this before, else I would be stranded so badly. "Alright. Let''s go." As we walked, I thought about various things. My two predominant thoughts were the Quest concerning Asa, and also something far more important. ''I can get a ss now!'' After checking my Stats thest time, I realized that I could get a ss, finally. In this world, it was possible to obtain one once a person exceeded Level 10. Both Sarah and Byron had sses as well. Even though I didn''t want to ask Asa, it was also quite obvious that she had a ss as well. ''Hold on, don''t I have her name in the Character List? Might as well check that out too.'' I wasn''t doing anything particrly important, after all. And so, I summoned the broad system panel in front of me and consumed the information disyed. **************************************** "E-eh¡­?" I was nearly dumbstruck by what I found out. My neck was so stiff that I could barely turn them in Asa''s direction as my eyes bulged in shock. ''Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!'' I had no idea until I checked her full information. Now that I knew, there was no going back! ''Asa¡­ you¡ª!!!'' "Hm?" She suddenly nced in my direction, causing me to swiftly look away. Hopefully, I wasn''t giving any creepy looks. "GUUUUAAAAARRRKKKKKK!!!" As I was contemting, while the rest of my Party progressed, a loud scream echoed through the air. The scream was blood-curdling and desperate, as though the person was in terrible pain. My heart skipped a beat, and I instinctively knew danger lurked wherever the sound came from. "What''s that? It''sing from the ninth floor!" Sarah''s eyes widened as she looked on ahead. Sweat appeared on Byron''s face as he prepared himself. He was a monk-like warrior and relied mostly on his fists¡ªsame as that Gu guy I met during the Assessment, so he brandished his fists and looked ahead as well, ready forbat. "Wait, everyone!" Asa quickly beckoned the rest of our party while I was still trying to get a grasp of the situation. "I''m a Ranger, so would you leave the Recon to me?" Asa must have realized how bothered we all were by the terrible scream we had just heard, and the devastating sound that followed. There was no way I was going to refuse her generosity. "Please do." I said smoothly. And so, we changed our formation, with Asa at the forefront, me watching the rear, then Sarah and Byron at the center. ''It''s not because I''m a coward or anything¡­'' Asa held her hand in the air, pausing as we were closely approaching the ninth Floor. "There''s something going on down there¡­ it''s¡­" She muttered. The eighth floor ended in a cave opening, and beneath it was a wide expanse¡ªas big as an outdoor field¡ªthat consisted the ninth floor. At least, that was what I was told. I could see Asa''s body shaking, as though she was trying her hardest to remainposed. She was currently the only one who could see what was happening beyond the cave. Since the girl was also at the forefront, I couldn''t see her clearly. But, her trembling body showed me that she was either scared, or just overwhelmed. "That thing¡­ what is it doing here¡­?" "What thing? What''s going on, Miss. Asa?" "Could it be¡ª?! It''s what we were asking about yesterday!" Suddenly, all three of them looked at me with joint gazes. "Eh?" I was so lost, but of course, I couldn''t show them that. ''But, if I didn''t even know what it was, how could I key into the conversation?'' "S-Sam¡­" Asa called out my name stuttering badly, ncing at me with eyes wide in fright. "Our fellow Adventurers are down there¡ªsome are already dead, but I can spot a few that are alive." ''Okay¡­'' I honestly didn''t like the direction things were heading. Looking back now, I should have just called it quits at that point. I should have turned back and run home. But¡­ I didn''t. "Their opponent is something I''ve only ever seen once¡­ and I''ve never fought it before." The shaky tone in Asa''s tone told me that I was in for a very deadly surprise. Why didn''t I pick the hint and just leave? "It''s¡­" "GUROOOAAHHHHH!!!" A roar interrupted Asa''s words. "Shit! It''s going to eat them!" The Ranger looked at me desperately. It was at this moment that I reached a crossroad. I had to pick one of the two. "S-Sam, she''s right!" "S-Sam, what will you do?" Even Byron and Sarah now stared at me with pleading gazes, hope sparkling in their eyes. Their gazes were akin to puppy dog eyes, and it was obvious what they wanted. ''Adventurers are dead because of whatever made that sound¡­ and you expect me to fight it?!'' I was struggling with maintainingposure myself, but it wasn''t as though I could turn a blind eye to the incident urring right in front of me. Especially when I had witnesses around me. ''Maybe I should take a peek too¡­ who knows, it might not be too big a deal.'' I smiled to myself, signaling Asa to let me have a look. Big mistake on my part. ''E-eh? No way! NO WAYYYYYYY!!!'' The sight that greeted my eyes upon looking made me realize at longst that I¡ªSamuel Peterson¡ªhad the worst luck in the entire world. Chapter 52 Facing An Earth Dragon, Should Be A Piece Of Cake "It''s an Earth Dragon," Asa whispered. ''I know that, dumbass!'' I screeched internally, ncing at the hulking thing several times. ? However, my surprise at the existence of the dragon was soon reced by a deep sense of disgust¡­ and distress. "T-this is¡­" My eyes widened as I took in the sight of carnage. This was the second time I would be seeing such gore since I came to this world. However, this one was far more sickeningpared to thest experience. Blood was strewn all over the vast ninth floor, and I could see the innards of people, as well as half-eaten chunks of human meat littering the floor. It was enough to drive me to the edge of fright. ''I''m scared¡­'' Blood. Corpses. Death. Monster. This was a critical moment for me, but my body wouldn''t move. My limbs were frozen in shock. ''A Dragon¡­ death¡­ monsters¡­ blood.'' Maybe I had a thing against senseless ughter, or maybe I just wasn''t used to this level of carnage. I could have watched it behind the screen of a television when I was back home, but this was different. I was seeing everything directly! There was only so much a person could take. "Sam¡­ what should we do?" A voice beside me finally jerked me out of my panicked state. I ceased hyperventting and stared in her direction. ''Did she see me panic?'' I asked myself. From her expression, it seemed she didn''t. A look of absolute trust was disyed on her face, and her brown eyes glowed with expectation. ''Haaa¡­ I see now¡­'' I had no idea why, but anytime I stared at Sarah during times like this, I calmed down. It made no sense, considering she was relying on me, but my fear suddenly vanished. "Isn''t it obvious?" I smiled at her, then returned my gaze to the beast beneath. Every second wasted was another moment that the monster had the opportunity to feast on more people. "I''m going to save everyone!" [SYSTEM NOTICE] [A rogue Earth Dragon had made its way into this Labyrinth and has been causing the death of Adventurers for some time now. Defeat it and prove your mettle.] Sess: Cause the Earth Dragon to flee/Kill the Earth Dragon Failure: Your allies are eliminated and the Earth Dragon seeds. ¡ªReward: 50 Stat Points. 1 Skill (Active/Passive). 500 Karmic Value ¡ªFailure: Death ~Do You ept This Quest?~ [Yes] [No] "The System never makes this easy, does it?" I smiled, rising to my feet. I could feel everyone''s gaze on me, but I didn''t care at this point. I couldn''t refuse this Quest anyway. It was one of those Forced Quest Scenarios that I was always trying to avoid. "Well, now that we''vee to this point, let''s see it through to the end." ''Let''s go!'' **************************************** Liebert panted as his saggy body was at the brink of copse. Even though his body was barely flesh clinging to bones, he usually had quite a bit of strength to spare. However, now? "I¡­ I can''t¡­" Liebert found his vitality failing him. His allies; Desir, Gu, and five other Adventurers had been easily defeated by the Earth Dragon, and while he and his recent acquaintances were still alive, Liebert couldn''t say the same for the Adventurers that they had formed a Party with. "Four of them are already dead¡­ shit!'' Liebert looked around him and met the dejected looks and terrified expressions of hisrades. He had heard of how dangerous a Labyrinth could be, but he never expected things to be this dire. If he had known, would he have be one out of desperation? Even though he had found a way to escape death by starvation, it seemed yet another kind of demise loomed over him. ''I''ll die here¡­?'' Liebert groaned as he smiled painfully. He had a special constitution that allowed his body to naturally heal at a heightened pace. As a result, he even required more nourishment than an average person. As a result of his body constitution and insufficient nutrition, he was constantly deprived of nutrients. He had lived a painful existence, but he still did his best to live. Yet, after all that, it was quite underwhelming to Liebert that he would meet his end here. "No¡­ no way¡­" He rose to his feet, protruded out bones from his palms as he grimaced in pain. He didn''t have enough energy or nutrients to create any more bone structures, but he was desperate. As a result, the process was extremely painful. "¡­ I won''t die here!" Liebert prepared his bone daggers and red at the monster that slowly approached him. He didn''t let the beast''s easygoing movements deceive him. The Earth Dragon in front of him was far faster than anything he had ever seen¡ªan impossible monster to defeat! "HAAAAAAAAA!!!" His screaming voice echoed across the vast hall as he readied himself for the growling beast''s strike. And then¡ª >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< A sharp noise echoed across the vast field behind the Earth Dragon¡ªa distance away from Liebert. "W-wha¡ª?" He was surprised to see other humans descend from the heights of the 8th Floor, despite a monster like the Earth Dragon present. ''N-no¡­ you guys should run. Escape! You can''t win this!'' Despite his survivalist personality, Liebert was kind. Even if he was going to die, he couldn''t live with himself if he watched others die because of him. That was the reason why he never became a killer for hire ¡ªno matter how bad things got. "Do not worry, Liebert¡­" A voice calmed him down, causing even the Earth Dragon to pause in its approach as it turned in the direction of the voice. The skinny man''s blurred vision was finally able to make out the silhouettes of the four people that had just descended. Among them were two popr faces¡ªA Rank Adventurers of Dulum Adventurer City¡ªand two other faces he couldn''t forget. ''Asa and Sam?!'' They had taken the Adventurer''s Exam together. Could that be the reason they were here? ''Maybe they''re close acquaintances to Desir or Gu? Or maybe they''re close with other Adventurers here¡­'' ording to Liebert''s experience, no one ever did a selfless act for no reason. There was always something to gain¡­ something to lose. "Why¡­? Why did youe¡­?" His voice was hoarse now, and he felt his strength giving out. "Why wouldn''t I?" The voice wasing from someone¡ªthe ck-haired person in their small group. Despite the Earth Dragon approaching the group, none of them seemed really fazed. ''Shit! I''m losing consciousness.'' "Just rest easy now¡­ because I am here." Liebert''s vision finally turned dark¡ªwith thest image he saw being a hero''s smile. ********************************************** ''Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!'' What the fuck did I just say? Why did I agree to do this? I must not have been in my right mind then, because now that I was on the 9th Floor, I wanted nothing but to leave this godforsaken ce. For one, the sight of the mangled corpses and deoxygenated blood was so sickening. I could have thrown up a dozen times over were it not for my really convenient Skill. It was also thanks to this Skill that I was able to smile despite being confronted by this world''s second most dangerous race¡ªsecond only to the Demons, of course. [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] [The Level Difference Is Too Wide. It Is Impossible To Win In A Confrontation] [END OF INFORMATION] The System was right. Even I could tell at this point, that the Dragon was far superior to anyone I had seen thus far. In fact, it far outranked the limits of the human race, as a Dragon''s basic stats were always higher than a regr person''s. A Level 1 Dragon would still be able to easily defeat low ranking humans¡­ not to talk of this Level 70 monstrosity in front of me. ''It''s impossible¡­'' I nearlyughed at myself for trying something so absurd. Was this truly the end? "Sarah, go heal up the victims. Save the ones you can. Byron, assist her. Asa, you know what to do, right?" Imanded my Party Members, as though whatever resistance we could create counted for something. "Understood!" Their voices all ovepped as they went about their various missions. For Asa, she was meant to distract the Earth Dragon for some time while I worked my Magic. ''There''s no time to set up a rune, so I''ll have to do this the old-fashioned way¡­'' I smiled nervously, gripping my sword as I prepared myself. There was only one chance at sess, and if I failed, it was all over. ''¡­ I''ll just have to follow in your footsteps again, Damien!'' With an expression of grim resolve, I gave the order. "GO!" Everyone scattered, leaving me in the center of the Dragon''s range. "GROOOOOAAAHHHHH!!!" It roared and approached at a terrifying pace. ''It''s fast!'' Even with [Five Seconds Rule] and [Insight], I was barely able to make out its insanely quick movements. But, thanks to my new Skill, I was in no serious trouble. " " It was an Overpowered Skill in a sense, since it allowed me 20% of my prey''s Stats as a bonus. That was the only reason why I even stood a chance! Chapter 53 How To Become A Dragon Slayer Skill: Predator It allowed me to take as high as twenty percent of the Stats of my prey for myself. Usually, the amount would be inconsequential, considering how prey were meant to be the weaker ones. But¡­ >BOOOOOOOOMMMM< ¡­ My opponent was a Level 70 Dragon with a terrifying build and monstrous speed. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< Thanks to the new boost, my body swelled with power, although I was barely able to evade the Dragon''s charge. "Haa¡­ that was close." I panted heavily, maintaining my battle stance. It wasn''t due to exhaustion¡ªI had a sizeable stockpile of vitality left. I just couldn''t believe I had dodged something so fierce. "GRRRRRDRRRRRR¡­" The Earth Dragon growled, leaving a pile of debris in its wake as it crashed through the wall. I gulped as it red at me. This time, it meant business. ''That''s the signal, Asa!'' I sharply nced in the direction of the Ranger. Fortunately, she wasn''t sleeping on the job. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< Multiple arrows darted in the monster''s direction, and they all nged as they hit its skin, with none prating. However, as expected¡ª ''It''s futile, uh¡­?'' ¡ªIts skin was too tough for mere arrows to pose any damage. It was no wonder that all these people had died. An Earth Dragon''s defense couldn''t be prated by regr human weapons, and this one''s Stats practically made it impossible for humans to beat it. The only reason I was even clinging to my life was because I knew all this beforehand. ''It''s like I''m really in the Novel¡­ the scene is reying itself.'' There was only one reason I had epted to do something this crazy¡ªand no, it wasn''t because I was suicidal or anything. It was simply because Damien, the Main Character of T.W.T.S.S. had also fought and won against an Earth Dragon during his Adventurer days. There were a few differences between that and this scenario, though. ''In the Original Novel, he didn''t fight the Earth Dragon until a few months after he arrived at this world and became an Adventurer, right?'' During that time, the terror of this Earth Dragon imed a lot of lives, and lots of Adventurers ended up dead. When Damien killed the Dragon, it brought him a lot of EXP and Karma Points from the System. He instantly skyrocketed in power, but most of all¡­ he rose to the spotlight. That was like his debut battle that made every Adventurer in Dulum recognize him as a true Hero. ''I''m not after that recognition now though¡­ it''ll only be a bother at this point.'' But, how could I say no to a bundle of very attractive EXP? "GROAAARRRRRRR!!!" The Earth Dragon''s voice peaked once more, nearly rendering me deaf due to its reverberating cry. I nced in Asa''s direction and saw that she was nearly out of arrows. It was time to make my move. ''Unlike Fire or Frost Dragons, Earth Dragons do not have a ''Breath'' Skill. Their advantagey in their incredible defense and crazy vitality¡­'' Even if a bunch of Lucys ganged up on this terrifying creature, I still wouldn''t see them securing victory. However¡­ "I''m going in!" I dived into battle once more, increasing my pace with all the strengthening Skills in my arsenal. Feeling the wind brush my hair, the smell of blood and death grew stronger, but I still pushed on. There was no way I could back down now! The Earth Dragon, who had been ring at Asa¡ªthanks to the diversion¡ªdidn''t notice my approach in time. However, the moment it did, it gave another deafening roar, widening its terriblyrge jaw and disying the inner recesses of its bloody mouth. ''Shit¡­ I really didn''t want to do this¡­'' Still, it was the only way. The only way to beat this Earth Dragon and save everyone¡­ "Haaaaa!!!" I propelled my body upward,unching myself quickly into the mouth of the beast. There was barely enough room, but I managed to get into its smelly and disgusting mouth without being squashed to death¡ªjust barely. My body glowed thanks to a multitude of Skills, especially Mana Enhancement. With my Stats already at an abnormally high rate, the Mana Enhancement Skill made me even more powerful. I felt invincible¡­ ¡­ but also grossed out. ''EWWWWWWWWW!!!'' I was instantly swallowed by the Earth Dragon¡ªthough I knew it didn''t want to. ''Earth Dragons have a sensitive stomach, so they like to chew up their prey before swallowing. It was definitely a reflex action.'' I was probably going to give this big guy a stomach upset, or something of the sort. ''There''s no way I''m leaving things at that, though!'' With my de in hand, I navigated my way through its very congested digestive tract, feeling my body already affected by the acid it secreted. I had never felt like throwing up so much¡ªconsidering all the blood and gore that I encountered in the belly of the beast. Worst of all, it seemed I was going to be a part of the endless bodies in the beast''s stomach . It was hot and ufortable, and I was already getting light-headed. However¡­ there was no way¡ªabsolutely no way¡ªI would forget what I was meant to do here! ''This is the only way¡­ the way Damien killed this thing back in the Novel.'' I brandished my de and decided on my first course of action. ''Let''s make some room first!'' >VWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM< *********************************************** Asa''s eyes were so wide that they nearly popped out of their sockets. Sam, their only chance at survival, had plunged into the mouth of the beast. Her body trembled as she wondered what would be of everyone else who had relied on him in the bid to save the fallen Adventurers. The Adventurer had realized it already¡­ that she stood no chance against such a monstrosity. Even the others¡ªthough they were A Rank Adventurers¡ªcould not win. In essence, their only hope was Sam. He was so confident in his n, and even when he dived into the beast''s mouth, he still had the same calm, confident expression on his face. ''I have to believe in him!'' Asa resolved as she fired thest bow in her quiver. Of course, the Earth Dragon responded to this with a snort and turned its full attention to the Ranger. Now determined to crush Asa like a little insect, the Earth Dragon began to charge. ''I''m too slow to evade, and it''ll probably kill me with one hit.'' Her body was trembling, and sweat poured all over her skin, but Asa couldn''t stop smiling, for some reason. There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she waited for Sam''s signal. She wanted to see, no she needed to see, just what he would do! >BOOOOOMMMM< The monster charged, leaving a trail of dust and debris in its path as it approached with ferocity. The earth rumbled, and Asa could feel her bones grating. Was this truly the end? "GRUUUUUUU¡ª" Suddenly, the beast let out a pained screech and copsed on the ground in a heap. "G-Gru-Guuuuuu¡­." More pained sounds emanated from the Earth Dragon''s bloodied mouth as it jerked its massive body violently. p Asa couldn''t understand it at first, watching as the monster was afflicted by an invisible force. It rolled on the ground and let out cries of help, unable to deal with the pain that was being wrought from within it. Slowly, though, Asa and everyone else who had regained consciousness, figured it out. "It''s Sam! It has to be!" He was taking out the monster from within! Asa couldn''t believe she hadn''t thought of it. Well, to be frank, it was a very dangerous and disgusting move, but still¡­ ''Does that mean he figured the inner parts of the Earth Dragon would be more vulnerable than the exterior?'' But, how could Sam have been so sure? It was a dangerous gamble that no one could attempt without the resolve of throwing their lives away. But, Sam didn''t strike her as someone reckless. ''So, he must have been sure of its weakness. That guy¡­'' Asa plopped to the ground, finally resting her tired legs as she sat. The battle was as good as over. "G-GURRRUUU¡ª!!!" Light began emanating from the monster''s mouth, almost as though it was breathing it out, and then¡ª >BOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!< The Earth Dragon''s body made a massive thud as it finally copsed to the ground¡ªalready dead. Its mouth was smoking hot, sizzling with leftover energy. "I-it''s over¡­?" Asa murmured, looking around her. First Aid was given to those who weren''t in critical condition, and Sarah had managed to heal those who badly needed it. Byron had assisted her throughout. At the moment, basically everyone, who could be helped, had been saved. .And then¡ª "Haaa¡­" ¡ªA hand came forth from within the monster''s mouth. Slowly, the entire body of the yer came into sight. He was drenched in monster goo, and he had a somewhat ragged appearance, but there was no mistaking it. As he came out of the jaws of death, Sam smiled and looked at everyone with confidence. "The work is done¡­" The katana on his hand vanished, and he gave the most inspiring words after a battle. "¡­ I won." Initially, there was silence. Pure, unbridled silence, brought about by the surprise of the spectators as a single human triumphed over the awe-inspiring power of a Dragon. However, this silence onlysted for a moment. "H-hero¡­" A whisper was heard. And then, a massive round of apuse resounded in the air. That, and the joint screaming of the champion''s name. "SAM! SAM! SAM! SAM! SAM!!!" Chapter 54 Lets Leave This Place Fast! ''Gross! Gross! Grooooossssssss!!!'' I felt so disgusted by my own body that it took everything in my willpower to maintain my fa?ade. Damn, why did I have to be greeted by an entourage of spectators? ''They''re even cheering for me now. Shit¡­ I think I''d like to be alone for a moment.'' Of course it wasn''t that I wasn''t happy about the attention or anything, but¡­ ''This feeling, it''s like someone dipped me in a sea of poo! I feel so disgusted that I could die.'' Still, the audience wanted what it wanted, it was my duty as a Hero¡ªor rather, the champion of the Adventurers to y the part. With an awkward grin on my face, I returned greetings to the warm reception around me. As I did this, only one thought was constant in my mind. ''I need to get out of here¡­'' *********************************************** "I-incredible¡­ I still can''t believe it." "It seems you were right, sir." Gerund was currently standing behind the Vice Guild master, who sat on afortable chair in an office. Seated opposite him, with only a center table between both sides, were Sarah and Byron. After the incident, there was obviously much to be done. One was alerting the Guild about the death of the Earth Dragon. Gerund knew how shocked he was when Zabdel told him that his hunch had been right, after all. More Adventurers came from the guild to retrieve he corpses of theirrades, while many others joined efforts to carry the Earth Dragon''s dead body away from the vicinity. "That man truly is amazing." Zabdel smiled, remembering how surprised he had been when he saw the Earth Dragon up close. It was sorge, that Zabdel doubted any human could put up a fight against it. Yet¡­ ''If the Guild master was present¡­ even he would lose.'' It just went to show the kind of special being he was. After everything, Zabdel invited eye-witnesses of the incident, which included Sam''s team. However, the man of the hour said he had something important to do, and left. No one could argue with his words. After all, if someone like him considered it important, then it definitely was. "One thing I don''t understand, though¡­" Gerund spoke in a conspiratorial manner. Everyone paused their praise of Sam, and then looked at the buffed-up Adventurer. "Why did he attack the Earth Dragon from within? That means the interior of Earth Dragons is weaker than normal. He chose a dangerous path¡­ just to kill the Earth Dragon. Why?" The general assumption of the people was that Sam was strong enough to defeat a Dragon, with or without tricks. There was no sign of a struggle in Sam''s fight. He had simply breezed through the battle and finished off his opponent quickly. However, considering what Gerund had said now, then perhaps all they had been impressed by were merely¡ª "Don''t be absurd. There''s obviously a reason why Sam did what he did." It didn''t make sense that a person with superior power would go about killing a weaker target in such a roundabout way. Only the weak resorted to such tricks. "But why didn''t he just slice the monster up?" That way, everything would have been resolved quickly. p "He obviously couldn''t. If you consider just how great the quality of Earth Dragon scales are¡­ what they can do¡­ Sam probably didn''t want to diminish their value." Gerund''s eyes widened in surprise at Zabdel''s words. He never thought of it that way. "T-then¡ª?!" "That''s right. He decided to take it out from within to minimize the damage." That meant he was simply thinking ahead while doing his best to defeat the dragon. The more Zabdel thought about Sam, the more astounded he was. "The dead Adventurers totaled seven. They belonged to the team before your party or the other crew arrived. There were supposed to be more deaths, but thanks to Sam, the problem was swiftly taken care of. "Sam is so amazing!" "Indeed! Strong, yet kind." Byron and Sarah once again burst into their hero worship, moring for Sam''s supremacy. "The problem is that there was no Quest on the Earth Dragon posted in the Adventurer''s Guild. I''m sorry, I can''t offer marypensation for your exploits." Zabdel sighed as he resumed his serious conversation with Sam''s two representatives. "It''s fine. He probably didn''t do it for the reward." "The Earth Dragon is far more valuable. He''ll use it well." That was true. No one could say the Dragon was the property of the Adventurer''s Guild. By all means, every part of its body was Sam''s property. There were no arguments in this department. "So, what do you n on doing with the Earth Dragon''s corpse?" "That''s up to Sam to decide." Zabdel nodded with a smile. "You''re right." As such, they discussed other important things¡ªincluding the details of the awesome incident they had experienced. Of course, a few ''Sam Supremacy '' was thrown here and there, but the conversation still touched on some relevant issues until it finally came to an end. One of the things that was guaranteed was the promotion of Sam from his current position to S Rank. ********************************************** "Haa, finally¡­ sweet solitude." I wasn''t an attention whore. Even someone like me had moments where they just wanted to be alone. That was exactly the case right now. After ying an exhausting part in the subjugation of the Earth Dragon, I needed to freshen up¡­ and also leave the gathering crowd. It wouldn''t be good for poprity, but handling everyone''s expectations was a no-no for me. Especially at this point. "Haa¡­ I can''t believe they think I''m that strong.". Sam had developed the habit of speaking to himself, so he was lost in his thought as he considered all that was happening. ''After ying the monster, I used my left over strength to uproot its teeth as a trophy¡­ something most grown men couldn''t dream of doing.'' They were just vastly inferior. The corpse of a Level 70 Monster would still be extremely powerful. Maybe it was because of the [You Have Leveled Up] adrenaline of that time, but instead of just walking away, I wanted to prove how strong I was to everyone. By removing the teeth from the jaw, and stating a cool line "I''ll be taking this," everyone doubted my capabilities less. At this point, I had already converted everyone into viewing me with reverence and caution. As for the Earth Dragon''s Scales, it was very difficult¡ªif not impossible¡ªfor conventional weapons to do anything. Still, it was highly valuable, and I knew that the Guild would do everything in their power to process it and make all sorts of cool stuff. ''I used the tooth I took from that Earth Dragon to rip out a scale in front of everyone too¡­'' They were all amazed by my proficiency in taking care of the corpse, and the extraordinary physical acumen I would have possessed to handle such a task. Of course, this was all a sham. ''I used Five Seconds Rule, as well as my whole power, just go pull that one scale out¡­'' It was honestly exhausting, to say the least, but the effects were worth it. I wasn''t sure how they would justify me having to enter the belly of the beast to finish the job, but I was certain everyone viewed me as strong henceforth. ''I should start returning¡­'' Rising from the small hill I rested my back on, I felt a warm breeze envelope me, soothing my frayed nerves. ''I jumped to Level 45, and got a new Skill and Title too¡­'' A smile formed on my face as I finally realized that, without knowing it at the time, I had be quite overpowered. "I should be about the strongest human in this world¡­" But, was that supposed to make me happy in the slightest? Humans were on the lower end of the food chain, so there was no needparing myself to them. If I was topare myself to my true adversaries, I''d say I was as strong as a Middle-ss Demon. Of course, it depended on the kind of Middle ss I fought. Young and inexperienced ones would meet defeat at my hands, but some Middle-ss Demons could even defeat the Earth Dragon I killed without relying on tricks. Once that came into view, it went to show just how weak I still was. ''I kept a tooth of the dragon as a trophy, though. Who knows, I might be able to scare someone by pointing the jaws of a Dragon at them. ''Let''s consider keeping it as proof.'' I began walking away, but before long ¡ªjust after a few steps¡ªI saw three people standing in front of me. "Hm?" The vast wastnd echoed in silence as I looked at the three people in front of me. Their faces were familiar enough to recognize. There was Asa, the Ranger who had temporarily joined my team. Gu, the barbarian warrior that still gave me the creeps with his bulky body. Finally, Liebert, the thin dude with the power of bones. ''What do these guys want with me? I have no money or anything.'' I heard, from my previous world, that once you be popr, you get a lot of people that you went to school with, or that you took exams with; try to leech off benefits from you. I had no idea what their deal was, but the theory just popped into my head. "What do you want?" Ultimately, I had to simply ask. Chapter 55 Looks Like I Made Some New Friends For a moment, there was a stifling, ufortable silence hanging in the air. Suspense was killing me, I couldn''t very well snap and shout at the three to tell me what their deal was. ''Just spit it out!'' I yelled within myself. Of course, if they were trying to take advantage of me, then I wouldn''t show my belly like some pushover. "I... I..." The first to speak was Asa. Apparently, Gu and Liebert were still finding it difficult to even open their lips. "I... would like to officially ask to be a member of your Party!" Asa asked, cing her hand on her chest and shouting with resolve. Her blond hair swayed, and I was a bit overwhelmed by her words. ''Whoah...'' "M-me too... please allow me to join you." Gu also added in his husky voice. ''Eh, you too?'' My eyes darted at thest guy. He looked just as miserable as before, having a thin body and a very hungry expression. Worst of all, his stomach actually rumbled. "Here. Have this." I inconspicuously took a pack of biscuits from my leftover stash in INVENTORY, and threw it in his direction. He caught it instantly, as though he was moving at the speed of light. "This too." This time it was soda. I watched in silence as he munched down everything and drank its contents in seconds. "Haaaa..." Liebert the glutton gave an expression I had never seen him make, and a burp even proceeded from his mouth. ''This is getting... weird.'' His appearance suddenly changed, and the emaciated body that he had donned before slowly became much healthier. I was stunned. "... I feel much better. I have no idea what you fed me with, but... if you can guarantee my meals, then I would also like to join your Party!" Ah, I see what''s going on now... The System even brought a Quest window, asking me to choose. That meant everything they said was legit. Despite it not being my intention, I had managed to win the hearts of three Adventurers¡ªno, maybe more. Still... "The thing is... I''m not going to be an active Adventurer. I have achieved my mission¡ªthe reason I came here." I said with a sigh. Surprised expressions greeted me. "I have a group of people I am leading. They rely on me, and I care about them very much. I have to return to them now." Their faces glowed even more for some reason. I decided to just get things over with so that there was no misunderstanding "That''s it. I''ll be leaving tomorrow, and I might probably note here anytime soon, at least... not until the time is ripe." Gasps now echoed in the air, but I didn''t know what I said that warranted something like that. "So, that''s it. I have a meeting with the Vice Guildmaster, and then I''ll be going to my Inn. If you still wish toe with me, then..." I smiled. My fingers pointed to a particr spot, by arge rock, just outside the Adventurer''s City. "... Let''s meet there by dawn tomorrow." Having Adventurers as allies wasn''t a bad thing. Though, I doubted that they would throw their entire careers as Adventurers away just to follow a random stranger where he went. I had no idea what the future held, but it was better to be honest with these guys. "Well, then... I''ll be on my way." I smiled, waving a bit as I left. The three Adventurers simply stood, dumbfounded, as I passed them by and made my way to the Vice Guildmaster''s office. Serah and Byron were handling matters rting to eyewitness reports and detailed exnations, but my meeting with the man known as Zabdel was more intricate. He couldn''t have such a conversation with my vassals, so the Vice Guildmaster had to request for me to personally show up. Perhaps he just wanted to see my face. ''I feel like a fraud for deceiving these people...'' But, why was there supposed to be guilt? I mean, I was currently stronger than him¡ªno, everyone here. ''I''m not Overpowered, but I''m not doing too bad either.'' A smile crept on my face as I approached Zabdel''s office while taking in the rusty, metallic environment of Dulum. ''I''ve gotten quite used to it at this point...'' I smiled and looked around even more. I was finally going to leave. While it was true that I made some nice memories in this city, there was also the fact that I had been traumatized as well. Taking that into ount, I was simply waiting for the time I would be able to return home and plop onto my lovely mattress. >WHAP< pping my cheeks, I rejuvenated my energy and pumped myself up for the task ahead. ''Let''s just get this over with!'' ******************* "You really did it. I knew you were up to it, but I didn''t know you would handle that threat so smoothly..." Zabdel spoke, his voice trembling slightly. "Ah, there''s no need sir. It was just pure coincidence." Better to clear the air now. "Hahaha! If you say so." ''But... it''s the truth.'' I once heard that humans never liked hearing the truth, but this guy was simply brushing it off. Did he not believe me? ''I''m not capping, though.'' "In any case, you''ll be promoted to S Rank, and I certainly hope we can have a more solid rtionship with each other." Zabdel stretched forth his hands. ''Ah, so this is one of these events, eh? Bing friends with the leader of a particr ce, so that you had political influence as a backup. I returned his gesture and shook his hand. "I will do everything in my power toe to your aid, that is, if you need my help, though I doubt you''d ever need someone like me," Zabdel said, using his second hand to cover mine. I smiled. He was wrong, though. There were a lot of uses for a Vice Guildmaster. If he was this impressed with me, I could definitely use it to my advantage. "Also, if I need your help, I''m hoping you can do the same. Let''s be there for each other." "Of course." I smiled further. ''Why does this feel like it''s going to be something bothersome in the future?'' I asked myself. Still, the benefits of having the Vice Guildmaster indebted to me, blinded my eyes from noticing other possibilities. In the end, we made an agreement and decided to be friends. "Call me Zabdel." "Call me Sam." With a smile ofradeship, both of us shook hands, and a newradeship was born. **************** "So, what add you going to do with the Dragon Corpse?" Zabdel asked. Ah, I almost forgot about that. Dragon Corpses were extremely valuable, and I was sure that would be the same in this society. I could sell it for money, but I was sure they wouldn''t have that kind of money to pay. The best thing I could do was invest it in something good. "I want them to be used... to make weapons," I said, staring hard at Zabdel. "Weapons?" "The scales of an Earth Dragon can be used as powerful ingots. You can use them to make powerful, durable weapons." I nned on giving the Adventurer City a portion, asmission for making the weapons, since we didn''t have the infrastructure to do it back at the settlement. "The eyes can be used for Magic Items, and there are uses for its teeth, bones, and other body parts. That Dragon was a gold mine! "M-may I ask... what you n on using the weapons for?" ''Ah, shit...'' Zabdel was probably wary. I wouldn''t me him. Having weapons made from Dragon Scales, and in suchrge quantities, would make my military exponentially more powerful. He probably just wanted to know if I wouldn''t use that power for evil. ''Have some faith in me, my friend.'' I nearly spoke in exasperation. "A threat ising... a big one." Zabdel''s eyes widened the instant I said this. "Y-you mean¡ª?!" I nodded. "Which is why I need those weapons as soon as possible." Every part of a Dragon was useful, so I was sure their experts would be able to work around it. Let''s add a bit of charity, so it won''t make me seem greedy. "More importantly, the dead Adventurers had families, didn''t they? Give them a sizeable amount of proceeds... so they can at least be able to sustain themselves..." That was good enough, right? I was kind enough, wasn''t I? "T-thank you very much..." Zabdel bowed his head at this point, making me flustered for a moment. I hadn''t expected this in a zillion scenarios. ''As long as he''s grateful, then that''s cool.'' Moving on, we had a conversation about a few things¡ªone of which was the matter concerning the Demons. "I understand." Was what Zabdel said after we talked about their race. I was simply trying to extract more information, yet it seemed like I was educating him. ''Ah, I should tell him my address, so they can deliver the weapons when they''re done... or should I juste back to fetch it?'' At this point, considering they would be taking a good percentage of the weapons, there had to be delivery services attached. And so, I told Zabdel where I stayed, showing him the location on the map. "Come over when it''s done. I''ll be expecting it." I smiled. Since everything was as clear as possible, I didn''t expect any misunderstanding this time. Chapter 56 I Have A Good Feeling About Today! "Haaa¡­" A soft, happy breath escaped my lips as I watched the sunrise from the room where I stayed. It was only for one night, but I got to experience the luxurious hospitality orded to a hero who saved many Adventurers and yed a Dragon. Not only was I promoted to S ss, but I was also given a fantastic lodging in the best spot within Dulum. ''Well, it''s not like it''s entirelyfortable, but this is far better than the other ce¡­'' Sarah and Byron were in their respective rooms, so I was able to fully express my glee. "I have a wonderful feeling about today!" My heart was thrumming with excitement as I grinned. When I first came to this city, I was disappointed beyond words. Afterward, I was nervous and worried about the future. But now? Things had gone better than my expectations, and I could finally be at ease. ''I just need to drive back to the starter town and conclude the harvest with them.'' After my short stint in the Adventurer''s City, there were a few ideas in my head. It would be nice if I could implement them. >DRRNNNNGGGG!!!< A loud sound rang through my ear, causing me to cringe in annoyance. "What the fu¡ª?!" [SYSTEM ALERT] "Oh, shut up!" I yelled, quickly dismissing the bothersome panel. This was a wonderful day, but the System wanted to ruin it for me yet again. ''I justpleted a rather difficult Quest. ying a Dragon is no easy task, you know?'' Having dismissed the bothersome System, I got myself a couple of nice goodies, but still¡­ a man needed to rest. "Should I go on a brief tour of the city before leaving? Na, too much attention will be drawn to me¡­" I remembered how everything yed out yesterday, and the numerous people that now viewed me as a heroic being. As much as I loved ying Hero, too much of anything wasn''t healthy. ''Ah, I forgot about those Adventurers¡ªAsa and the two others!'' Wasn''t our meeting supposed to be by dawn? Once again, I looked out my window and realized that I was running prettyte. "Oof, this must have been what the System was reminding me of. I better hurry!" Sarah and Byron could be here any second, so it was best I freshened up myself. "A change of outfit and some body spray should do it. They won''t notice I didn''t bathe, right?" But¡­ I would! As much as I was a shut-in, I valued hygiene a great deal. Was it really a time for the Hero topromise on his beliefs? ''Oof¡­ this is hard¡­'' The decision had to be made, and the time was now! ''Ah, screw it!'' *********************************************** I ended up cleaning my body with a wet towel¡ªmy method of showering in this primitive town. ''Our previous rooms didn''t have a bath since it was low quality, so I was actually looking forward to bathing in this one. Too bad, I guess¡­'' For luxurious residences, like the one I was currently at, there was a bath, but I didn''t have the time to go through the process. Apparently, it was separate from the room¡ªunlike the Hotels back in my world. Also, you would need to pay a separate fee to gain ess to it since water was a rare resource. Finally, it was a public bath. ''This is their definition of luxury¡­'' I nearly felt bad for them. Well, enough of that. I was currently on my way to the rendezvous spot where I was to meet up with Asa, Gu, and what was thatst guy''s name again? Liebert? Sarah and Byron were a small distance behind me. They let out happy, reverent expressions as I led the way. ''This isn''t necessary,'' I thought to myself, but my heroic self had no choice in the matter. News of my exploits had not spread everywhere yet, so the few people we encountered didn''t bother us. It was also very early in the morning, so that was another stroke of luck. We exited the City, finally bidding farewell to a life of adventuring, and headed straight for the giant cluster of rocks where I had three people waiting. ''Will they show? Will they not show?'' I had found myself asking those questions, but they turned out to be unnecessary. "You showed up." I smiled, looking at the three Adventurers who seemed to have been waiting for quite some time. "I apologize for beingte. Did you wait long?" My naturally cool Hero voice came out, and with an aura of confidence, I approached the three. Two out of three of them were garbed their Adventurer''s wear, which I imagined to be ufortable. Personally, I felt bad for being tardy and keeping them waiting. However¡ª "Not at all!" "We only just arrived." "It''s no issue¡­" ¡ªI realized that these peopled preferred a strong and unfazed persona for their Hero. ''I guess that''s what you expect when you''re in a world full of hardship. The people respected strength, so I had to be strong, both physically and mentally.'' "Great." I smiled at them. Asa Gu Liebert¡ªyeah, that was definitely his name. The first two had their little bags ready to go. I assumed it was their luggage, so that meant they were ready toe with me¡­ wherever I was going. As for Liebert, he barely had anything on, so I assumed he didn''t have any luggage¡ªthat, or he wasn''t interested ining with. ''I doubt that, though. That hungry expression in his eyes, and the fact that his name was in the Character List¡­ that shows that he is indeed willing.'' "Alright. It seems we are all set." I smiled, ready to perform my trick once again. "When should we depart? Since the sun has yet to fully rise, I advise we do so quickly. If we make haste, we can get to a shelter before nightfall." Asa spoke quickly, pragmatic as always. I noticed Sarah and Byron exchanging knowing smiles. I would have also snickered at Asa, but it wasn''t her fault that she was ignorant. In fact, her suggestion would have been perfect if there wasn''t a better option. "There is no need for that," I spoke, exuding an inordinate amount of charisma. I wasn''t entirely certain, but I was sure my voice deepened too. "W-what do you¡ª?" "Prepare yourselves, for I am about to summon a legendary beast that will take us to our destination. A creature far more mysterious and ferocious than the Earth Dragon." Asa''s eyes bulged when I spoke, and the remaining two shuddered at the same time. "I-is that such a good idea?" "Such a dangerous thing¡­ if something like that appears, then¡ª!'' "I don''t like this feeling¡­" As expected, they were wary. Having suffered a near-death experience at the hands of the Earth Dragon, it wasn''t strange that the Adventurers would be afraid of a mightier beast. "There''s no need to worry. The He¡ªI mean, Sam has the beast under his control." Byron spoke calmly. He stuttered when saying my name, but I guess that was simply because of how excited he was to be a passenger in my car. "Yes. It doesn''t hurt anyone. It''s pretty tame and allows us to ride it without voicing difort." Sarah''s voice was soothing, and I could also tell that she longed to be in the vehicle again. "A-ah, I see¡­" The Adventurers still appeared unsure, but after gazing at my confident smile, their hesitation melted. "Okay then. I trust in you, Sam!" "Yeah! Our lives are in your hands." "I¡­ I''m hungry¡­" I rolled my eyes at this. Taking their words of approval as consent, I decided to bring my car out of the Inventory. "Legendary ck Beast¡­ I summon thee." Gulps and shudders of excitement filled the air, but I poured all my focus into my acting skills. ''Timing¡­ I must get the right timing!'' And so, just as I shed a bright surge of blue light, my car appeared out of my special space. "U-uooohhhhh!!!" "T-that is¡­ just what is that thing?!" "This is¡­ impossible!!!" Ah, their reactions never got old to me. Once again, my pretty average ck car, which was now a superstar in its own right, glimmered under the rising sun. The blue Mana I emitted added to its aesthetic, making it appear cooler than it really was. ''Haaa! This is the best!'' I thought happily, as I looked in the direction of everyone. They were all enamored by the car''s appearance¡ªeven Sarah and Byron. "We have no time to waste¡ª" >DRRNNNNGGGG!!!< The System once again informed me of a Quest Alert, but I waved it off. ''Don''t interrupt my monologue!'' I gave an internal re. "¡ªLet us begin our journey." *********************************************** [SYSTEM ALERT] [Your territory is being invaded by Demons. Fend them off and reim your territory.] Sess: Cause the Demons to flee, die, or surrender. Failure: Your allies are eliminated and the Demons take over your territory. ¡ªReward: 100 Stat Points. 1 Skill (Active/Passive). 1,000 Karmic Value ¡ªFailure: Loss Of Allies and Territory ~Do You ept This Quest?~ [Yes] [No] Chapter 57 Home, Sweet Home? >VROOOOM!!!< The Legendary ck Beast roared as it sped across the wilderness. Waves of smoke and dust burst into the air as it charged uncontrobly. No creature couldpare to its Majesty, and its speed was otherworldly. Yet, the ck Beast did not tire. Rather, it maintained its pace and continued. "A-amazing!" "S-so cool!" "This is... divine!" The passengers could not help but marvel at its majesty. Not only were they seatingfortably in the creature''s body, but they could also see their surroundings through the ss panels around them. It was also very cool within the Beast, something unexpected when anyone considered the temperature within a living creature. As they kept marveling at the terrifyingly cool Legendary ck Beast, the Adventurers could not help but respect its master even more. For a single human to have been capable of such an amazing feat... just how powerful was he? Asa realized that she has underestimated his capabilities. Gu deepened his respect for his new liege. Liebert... was just happy he had such a sweet ride. Smiles andughs were on everyone''s faces. And, it was all thanks to one person. The Hero! ****************** ''Wohoooooo!!!'' I felt on top of the world, showered with everyone''s attention as I drove my car. The ride wasn''t exactly grandiose, but the reactions I got from everyone made me eternally grateful for my parents. They got the car, after all. Thanks to increasing the vehicle''s speed, the estimated time for arrival sped up by thirty minutes. I doubted we would even need to spend up to three hours on the road. ''I can''t use the car radio or Bluetooth to listen to music... too bad.'' Still, cruising with five people in the car wasn''t exactly bad. Sarah rode shotgun while Byron, Liebert, and Asa were in the back seat Gu wasrge, so he was ced at the rear spot¡ªyou know, that area that usually serves as the boot. They weren''t ufortable, which was a good thing. It would have been awkward if we had to squeeze ourselves in the vehicle. ''Thankfully this car recently had maintenance, or I could have been in serious trouble... the road isn''t exactly smooth and modern.'' I hardly went out as well, so there was enough fuel left for a three-hour journey. All in all, it wasn''t a bad experience. That is, until... ... We saw IT! ******************* "What''s that?" Sarah was the first to notice the oddity that awaited us. Pointing to the sky beyond, she noticed the ascending smoke that ckened the clouds. Once she did, Asa and the others also paid heed to the distant pir of ck smoke. "That''s... a fire..." Asa murmured. "Isn''t that the direction of our¡ª" Byron gasped. My body shuddered a little as I noticed the smoke grow thicker and bigger as we approached at full speed. ''What is that...? It''s too big to be a regr fire.'' A bead of sweat fell from my internal face as I started to have a terrible premonition. ''No! Calm down, Sam!'' I was being worried for nothing. So far, things had gone perfectly. There was no way things could go awry now. "S-Sam..." Sarah looked in my direction with a worried expression. The origin of the fire had to be the settlement. While we still had no idea what caused it, something had to be said. Everyone''s intense gaze now shifted to me, and their excitement morphed into cold anxiety. "It''s fine..." I managed to say. I mean, it had to be fine. If there was something wrong, wouldn''t the System have... informed... me...? ''Oh no!'' Was this the reason I got those pings from earlier? ''What have I done? What''s going on?!'' Now revving up the engine and stepping on the eleration pedal, I increased the speed of my car and charged at the ascending pir of smoke. ''Please... let this just be a fire...'' ************** It wasn''t a mere fire. The closer I got, the more I realized that awry truth. We arrived at the gate of the settlement, only to see it razed to the ground. The fence we built around thepound was now broken down, and I could see nothing but carnage and destruction in every direction. I didn''t bother getting out of the car, and I struggled to steer through the debris, heading straight for the residential areas. My eyes spotted the ruined crops and ashen sites. Everything was either burned or broken down¡ªugly vestiges of what they once were. Fearful whimpers escaped the lips of the woman beside me, but I couldn''t afford it. ''No... what happened here? What¡ª?!'' My eyes widened as I saw the first one... the first dead body. It was maimed to the point of no recovery. "T-that is..." My vision took in more of the carnage. Body parts were strewn all over the area, and I could see both the innards and outer parts of the residents. I saw headless bodies and bodiless heads. Dried blood painted the streets, and I could only shudder internally with every sight that greeted my vision. Even with the overwhelming emotions that assailed me... I kept driving. ''No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No'' With every distance covered, I saw more cmity. It wasn''t a war that urred... it was nothing short of a ughter. Finally, I reached the clearing. On one hand, I witnessed the residential areas. It waspletely torn apart¡ªdevastated beyond recovery. From what I noticed, there seemed to be no survivors. However, on the other hand... ''W-why¡ª?'' ... I could see my tentpletely erect. No harm had been done to it. Amid the chaos and destruction, it alone stood without any damage. ''How...?'' My heart was filled with an unexinable emotion. It felt hot, and I felt like screaming. Yet... my face remained calm. >BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< The loud sound of an explosion woke me from my stunned state, and I looked in the direction of the noise. ''The north...?'' I remembered the first time I arrived in this world. The conflict back then was also concentrated in the north. ''There''s a nest of Lower Demons situated in that direction, right?'' But I already took care of them, didn''t I? Was I being overconfident? Did I assume that they wouldn''t strike back? ''No! Lower Demons are cowards. They won''t bother resisting those stronger than they are.'' There was no way I could have been wrong about that! Driven by a myriad of pain, fear, shame, anxiety, anger, confusion, and so much more, I increased the tempo of movement in my vehicle and drove in the direction of the st. My eyes spotted familiar faces¡ªnow nothing more than corpses, but I refused to upy my mind with the thoughts that nearly drowned me. ''Please, No... No...'' >VROOOOOMMMMM!!!< ****************** "N-no..." My lips parted as words finally creaked out. With widened eyes and trembling insides, I gazed upon the scene unfolding before me. "You... finally came..." The girl who spoke gave a relieved smile. Her red hair fluttered with the wind, and her bloodied body was barely standing. The bled she tightly gripped was chipped, and a pool of blood had formed underneath her. "L-Lucy...?" Her slender frame did not suit the terrible state of her body. My heart shattered, from one to a million pieces, and the tragedy broke me. "... I''m sorry. I... I couldn''t protect everyone..." The girl''s breaking voice was low, and it contained so much sadness that it moved me to my core. As I stood away from the vehicle, watching from a distance, I could no longer resist the multitude of thoughts that assailed me. ''IT''S ALL MY FAULT.'' Everything I witnessed¡ªthe deaths and chaos all around me¡ªthey were all my fault! "H-Hero... I''m sorry for... for being too weak." I shuddered. Lucy''s smile did not cease. Her amber eyes contained a faint glow as she looked at me. The enemy Demon that rendered her into her current state was a distance away, supported by a multitude of Lower Demons. For some reason, the Demon didn''t interrupt my reunion with Lucy, and I did not even spare it a nce. All my attention... was on the child that was near death. "I can save you! Lucy!" Sarah yelled, drawing close to her as I remained frozen. "I-it''s toote. I used... that Skill..." Lucy''s bated breath and her pale skin seemed to get only worse. "N-no... Lucy." Byron also drew closer. Everyone seemed to be moving, but I couldn''t take a single step. ''Why...?'' "I had to use it... to stop the enemy... to hold the enemy off..." Lucy''s voice ovepped with mine. ''.... Why are you so useless?'' My mind''s voice rang deep in my heart. "... It was the only way to make sure..." Tears¡ªuncontroble hot tears gushed from my eyes. "... That the Hero woulde to save the day." ''WHY ARE YOU SO USELESS, SAMUEL!!!'' My heart cried as I watched Lucy look at me with herst remaining time in the world. "So, Hero..." My heart pounded and my tears kept falling as I clung to herst words. "... Please save us." Chapter 58 Origin Of The Tragedy [Earlier That Day] Lucy patrolled the settlement, just as she had done the previous day¡ªand the one before that. Ever since the Hero left and entrusted her with defending their territory, Lucy took it upon herself to watch over the denizens of the unnamed vige. With a sword on her hip¡ªmade from the parts of an S ss Beast she yed by herself during her time as an Adventurer¡ªLucy looked around ever so diligently. There was no sign of danger, but the little girl refused to take any chances. ''This is what he told me to do, after all.'' She smiled to herself, d that the Hero gave her such an important task. As she explored the outskirts of the town, leaving the north and moving closer to the south, Lucy remembered her first encounter with the powerful young man that she now respected. It was beyond mortifying that she had once suspected the Hero, Sam, of being a fraud and even outright despised him. She thought of herself as strong and looked down on him as weak. However, after their brief exchange, and the words he spoke to her, Lucy found another feeling recing the negative emotions etched within her. "I won''t fall below his expectations!" With those words, the redhead marched on. The Harvest of the town had alreadymenced, and in another day or so, it would conclude. So far, the townspeople were doing all they could to preserve the foodstuff they obtained in prime condition¡ªat least, until the Hero''s arrival. Everyone knew that he had a solution to everything, and this matter was no exception. ''By storing our food well, it won''t spoil, and we''ll have a stable means of nutrition. There''s bountiful water as well...'' All of these things were innovations brought by the Hero. Their territory was walled, and there were garrisons at every cardinal point which served as guards. They had a wide gate located in the south, for weing visitors and residents alike. The bath was also amazing. The rooms werefortable. The toilets were hygienic. The food was delicious. Everyone had one function or the other, and their society was thriving¡ªgrowing into something simr to a city than a meremunity. Lucy had experienced so many awesome things, all thanks to Sam... and ording to him, he was just getting started. "I can''t wait to see more!" She grinned to herself. Now in the South, Lucy decided to look as far as she could see, hoping to see the sign of the Hero¡ªor the Legendary ck Beast he had as his tamed monster. If things worked out well, he would be returning very soon, so she wanted to be the first to catch a glimpse. Unfortunately, after staying for some minutes¡ªnot exactly knowing how much time had psed¡ªLucy saw nothing. ''I guess he''s not returning yet...'' It was regrettable, but the red-haired girl understood. She couldn''t afford to be selfish during this time. "He''ll be back soon tho¡ª" Lucy''s eyes widened instantly as her senses picked up something... something dangerous! It was approaching from the Northern gate, but she could also sense several other dangers spreading out. ''This... this is¡ª?!'' Lucy didn''t have time to think or hesitate, as she quickly sped away from herfortable position and decided to return to the North. "Hugo, pass the West side and meet me at the North. I''ll pass the East!" Lucy instantly barked at the Golem which stood as the guardian of the Southern Gate. Therge construct hummed silently, whirring into action as it began moving. Its movements were too slow for Lucy''s tastes, but she was in no position toin. ''Danger! I sense Danger!'' With that in mind, the girl began her race to the center of chaos. **************** Lucy was right! As she dashed back to the North, she encountered feral beasts who could only be said to be Demons. ''Lower Demons? They''re attacking?!'' ording to what she heard, they shouldn''t have been able to pose any problem to the settlement any longer. Ever since the Hero took care of them, no Demon had evene close to their camp. Why would they be attacking now? ''Did they find out that the Hero is away? No... they don''t have that level of intelligence!'' Lucy analyzed the situation as she went for the de on her waist. Powering herself up by coursing Mana through her veins, the Level 30 warrior took to action and sliced her opponents into chunks of meat. ''I don''t have the time, so I''ll just kill them in one blow!'' Using [Mana Strengthening], the girl strengthened her muscles and gave a powerful sh, cutting through the Lower Demons like tofu. Before they died, Lucy could see their whimpering expressions, but she showed no remorse. Still, it made her wonder... ''They were frightened. Why would they keep fighting if they were scared?'' Lower Demons followed instinct. They were scavengers, through and through. While they preyed on the weak, if a more powerful creature appeared, they would retreat¡ªespecially if it was one they could never hope to what despite their numbers. ''So why...?'' Why did they fight with Lucy till the very end?! There was only one answer that popped into the girl''s mind, and that had to be the source of danger that wasing from the North. "A stronger person is leading them?!" That was the only possible answer, and while it made Lucy nervous, she decided to march on. ''I have to protect everyone! I have to fight!'' ***************** As she passed by the Eastern Garrison, she saw it engulfed in mes. The watchman was not there, so Lucy had to assume that he was most likely dead. "Damnit!" Since she didn''t have time to waste, she kept running. At this point, Lucy could see ck smoke ascending to the sky, so she had to assume that a fire had broken out. ''The Hero''s residence! The Harvest! The People!'' While others might have thought it strange that Lucy had quite a lopsided list of priorities, the girl thought she arranged things in perfect order. The only reason she sought to protect the people was because of the Hero, and the Harvest was also their means of survival. As for the Hero''s residence, it was a sacred ce akin to a shrine devoted to the gods. There was no way Lucy could allow it to get desecrated. Now increasing the tempo of her movements, Lucy closed the gap in one big jump and crossed the fence to thepound''s interior. >BOOOOOOMMMM< Shockwaves dispersed as she flew in the air, finally getting a bird''s eye view of the catastrophe that visited their settlement. It was terrible. Numerous ces had been set aze, including the farnd. Several people were struggling to hold back the wave of Demons, but ultimately failing. Thanks to the Hero disposing of their previous weapons of war, and the unarmed state of the residents, it was difficult to fight against the feral Demons. Lucy watched everyone being torn apart until she could not take it anymore. Activating all her Skills at once, the girl''s body burst into mes as she led a crimson trail down her path as she descended. >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< Like a meteor, the girl crashed upon the site filled with most Demons and brandished her de confidently. "I am your opponent!" With that voice echoing across the vastpound, everyone had no choice but to look in her direction. The energy Lucy exuded couldn''t be ignored, and the fact that she made short work of the Demons before her was a testament to her prowess She was in a rage, and nothing could stand in her way. "Evacuate everyone through the Southern Gate. The Hero should be on his way, so hopefully, you can meet up with him!" Lucy told the wounded residents, before turning all her focus on the enemies that charged at her. "COME AT MEEEE!!!" She roared in both fury and excitement. Killing Demons was something that she could never grow weary of. Memories of her first sight of blood, and the tragedy she experienced as a child, began ying in her head, but Lucy pushed them all out. This was no time for meaningless thoughts¡ªjust simple action! >SWISH!< She sliced her opponents. >VWOOOSHHH!!!< She sped through her adversaries, cutting them all up >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< She released waves of destruction and decimated all that stood in her way. Lucy was an unstoppable beast, tearing down the frightful Demons until none approached her any further. Their fear had reached a critical point and all of them began to retreat. "GHRIIIIIKKKKKK!!!" The multitude of Demons, still over two dozen, ran away. Their four limbs scratched the surface of the ground as they picked up speed. "You caused all this chaos... yet you think you can escape?" Lucy''s voice was low, but a lot of emotions were packed in them. Her eyes gleamed dangerously. "There''s no way I will allow that!" With her shout piercing the air, Lucy leaped into action, ready to tear apart more Demons and fulfill her duty. "I''ll kill you all!!!" Chapter 59 Taboo Skill "RAHHHHH!!!" >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Explosions surged forth as the retreating Demons burst into mes. One after the other, they were rendered into cinders by Lucy''s sh. The further they ran, the lesser they became. Still, the Demons kept running, since that was the only way to guarantee survival. By the time the Northern area was in view, only about a dozen Demons were left. The hole they had created to initiate their invasion was in sight, causing the Demons to run even faster¡ªif that was even possible. Lucy felt them escape her grasp, but it wasn''t because they had miraculously be more adept at running. No, it was the opposite. ''I''m... already getting tired?'' Lucy was distraught, but her mission remained the same. She would kill the Demons if it was thest thing she did. From beyond the broken-down walls, Lucy could hear explosions, but she ignored them. Sooner orter, they would all die by her de! Focusing on thest dozen Demons in view, Lucy kept moving and ying them, but thanks to her exhausted state, about seven of them escaped her grasp and crossed the wall. She could hear them screech for joy, their demonic sounds grating in her ears. ''You won''t escape!'' Resolving this in her heart, Lucy clenched her teeth and ran broke through the walls. >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< Debris flew in multiple directions as the unstoppable warrior clung to her de and appeared majestically¡ªor more like a wild, unrestrained beast. "RAHHHHH!!!" She let out a devastating roar and looked around for the enemies. However, what Lucy saw... was enough to calm the fierce rage in her heart. "Hoho, strong one. You strong one." A feminine voice echoed in the air, causing Lucy to shiver. ''This... this is...!!!'' The pressure she had been feeling all along began converging in a single direction. As the personification of terror made its appearance, the redhead knew... "Me. Stronger." ... That the perpetrator of the chaos was right in front of her. *********** Having a feminine body, the fiendish Demon was grinning in excitement. She looked just an adult human woman¡ªthough more savage than normal. Her hands and legs were covered in darkness, though, and the nails protruding out of them resembled ws. Between her perky breasts was a glowing red core that served as the Demon''s core. The gleaming gem was so exposed, yet the power the Demon disyed was enough to let those around her know how delusional they would be in assuming she was vulnerable. Horns proceeded from her long, ck hair, and her fangs were disyed thanks to her smile. Her eyes glowed red, and her body was currently enveloped in fiery Demonic Energy. The terrifying half-human-looking, and half-monster-looking, creature had a ck tail dancing behind her and she licked her lips in anticipation. At least a hundred lower-ss Demons were behind her. This was clearly a trap... and they had drawn in their prey. Standing by her lonesome was the slightly exhausted redhead. The mes that burned around her didn''t flicker as intensely as they did some minutes ago, but she wasn''t down for the count. Still, she did not move. The stale air around both sides seemed so choking, yet no party made any move. The human girl, though masking it with a facade of bravado, was actually terrified. Why? It was because she knew the nature of her opponent very well. "You''re... you''re a Middle-Rank Demon!" Lucy bellowed, ring at the enemy with both anger and fear. Other than the fact that she was outnumbered, Lucy already realized that she was outmatched. The reason was simple... A Level 30 Warrior like her was no match for a Middle-Rank Demon¡ªat least, not alone. "Haa... haa..." Sharp exhtions escaped Lucy''s lips and her mind went to work in a sh. ''In terms of Level, we could be about the same, but the Stats difference can''t bepared.'' Demons in their base form were naturally superior to humans, that was no secret. ''She also seems to be in peak condition, and she has backup... but I''m exhausted already. How much longer will Ist?'' Lucy felt her Mana drain quickly, and she was already feeling her body ache. She didn''tst as long when facing the Hero, but after their fight, Lucy had ensured she trained her stamina and fortitude well. She was stronger than in the past, but her overall limits remained the same. ''Can I win? I doubt it...'' If only Sarah was present. The two of them would have been able to put up a decent fight¡ªprobably even kill the Middle-Rank Demon. Whether they would be able to achieve that, and also kill the several Lower Rank ones present, was a different question entirely. "Come. Fight. You. Lose. Me. Win!" The Middle-Rank Demon was crude atnguage, but her ability to converse was a testament to her intelligence. She wouldn''t be an easy foe to fight. "But... I have no choice..." Lucy brandished her de, and the red aura around her burned even brighter. "... He... he entrusted me with this ce." The de seemed heavier than normal, but Lucy did not stop gripping it. Now supporting her hold with two hands, she took her stance and gave a determined gaze. "I... I will... I will protect this ce no matter what!" "Good! Good! Fight meeeee!!!" The Demon sharpened her ws and manicallyughed, ready to have some fun with the human. "Taboo Skill: Crimson Warrior!" >BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< A whirlwind of red energy, dark and sinister, swirled around Lucy, and her body glowed with a more terrifying kind of Mana. "Taboo Skill?!" The Middle-Rank Demon grinned with excitement. She felt the hair on her body stand up, but the crude being cared for nothing but violence and bloodshed. The desire for chaos flowed in her veins, and she hadn''t gotten nearly enough to satiate her hunger. >SHUUUUUUUUUU!!!< The energy settled, converging on the human girl, as her body waspletely dyed in red. "When you reach the peak of human power..." Lucy held her sword tightly. It was overflowing with aura¡ªimmense, deep aura. "... When you reach the limit of your capacity..." Her eyes were nowpletely red¡ªthe whites and all. "... You receive a Skill." It was the trump card of anyone who reached Level 30, but also their greatest weakness. ************** The Taboo Skill. It is like a monkey''s paw¡ªone that gives and also takes away. Desiring more power after reaching the zenith, exceptional individuals are granted one Skill that transcends their limits. No one knows why this system exists. Perhaps this is the way the world mocks the powerless, or takes pity on them. A taste of godly power is given, and weaklings are thrust into a temporary state of absolute strength. But, for this power, there is a consequence... [ALERT!] [Taboo Skill Has Been Activated] ~You May Lose Your Life~ [Do You ept?] ... That is, the loss of everything one had built up for their lifetime. The price for temporary absolute power... is the permanent return to a state of weakness. ************** "I ACCEPT!" >VWWOOOOOOOSSSSHHHHH!!!< In a red blur, Lucy charged at the Middle-Rank Demon, ready to tear her to pieces. "Heuk!" Her de descended on the Demon, causing blood to spurt out instantly. ''Tch! Too shallow!'' Lucy growled internally, seeing that the monster intentionally stepped back to avoid a fatal hit. ''Shit!'' Quickening her flow, Lucy leaped forward, determined to finish the job quickly. ''Just one strike and I can already feel myself losing consciousness.'' There was no way she could turn back now. Even if she had to die in the process, Lucy was determined to end the enemy''s life. "RAHHHHH!!!" Her de descended once more, causing the space around her to distort. Her Mana burned bright, and this time, it was clear that she had the upper hand. However¡ª >WHOOSH< ¡ªThe Demon vanished. "Wha¡ª??!" Before Lucy could make sense of the situation, a ball of mes exploded behind her, causing her to scream as she was propelled forward. "ARRGHHH!!!" More sts exploded around Lucy, and amid the confusion and pain, she spotted the Middle-Rank Demon a distance away, and her Lower-Rank Lackeysbining their meager Miasma to form basic Fireball Spells. ''Tch!'' Lucy leaped into action and dodged their flurry of assaults, but the consecutive volleys began to get annoying. ''She''s hiding behind her troops. I have to pass through them to get to her!'' With that in mind, Lucy charged onward, deflecting the mes that were in her way. "Faster! Faster! Faster!" >BOOOOMMM!!!< The ground ruptured and debris flew in every direction as she cleared the Demons in her path. Everything was to reach her main opponent and kill her. Sessfully mowing down everything directly in her path, Lucy moved in her straight line and reached the Middle-Rank Demon. Unfortunately¡ª "You. Stupid!" ¡ªThere was yet another trap waiting in store for her. "Die. Human!" A glowing Magic Circle apeared right underneath Lucy, and she was in no position to avoid the effects that manifested. It was literally toote. >BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Chapter 60 DO NOT READ >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Explosions surged forth as the retreating Demons burst into mes. One after the other, they were rendered into cinders by Lucy''s sh. The further they ran, the lesser they became. Still, the Demons kept running, since that was the only way to guarantee survival. By the time the Northern area was in view, only about a dozen Demons were left. The hole they had created to initiate their invasion was in sight, causing the Demons to run even faster¡ªif that was even possible. Lucy felt them escape her grasp, but it wasn''t because they had miraculously be more adept at running. No, it was the opposite. ''I''m... already getting tired?'' Lucy was distraught, but her mission remained the same. She would kill the Demons if it was thest thing she did. From beyond the broken-down walls, Lucy could hear explosions, but she ignored them. Sooner orter, they would all die by her de! Focusing on thest dozen Demons in view, Lucy kept moving and ying them, but thanks to her exhausted state, about seven of them escaped her grasp and crossed the wall. She could hear them screech for joy, their demonic sounds grating in her ears. ''You won''t escape!'' Resolving this in her heart, Lucy clenched her teeth and ran broke through the walls. >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< Debris flew in multiple directions as the unstoppable warrior clung to her de and appeared majestically¡ªor more like a wild, unrestrained beast. "RAHHHHH!!!" She let out a devastating roar and looked around for the enemies. However, what Lucy saw... was enough to calm the fierce rage in her heart. "Hoho, strong one. You strong one." A feminine voice echoed in the air, causing Lucy to shiver. ''This... this is...!!!'' The pressure she had been feeling all along began converging in a single direction. As the personification of terror made its appearance, the redhead knew... "Me. Stronger." ... That the perpetrator of the chaos was right in front of her. *********** Having a feminine body, the fiendish Demon was grinning in excitement. She looked just an adult human woman¡ªthough more savage than normal. Her hands and legs were covered in darkness, though, and the nails protruding out of them resembled ws. Between her perky breasts was a glowing red core that served as the Demon''s core. The gleaming gem was so exposed, yet the power the Demon disyed was enough to let those around her know how delusional they would be in assuming she was vulnerable. Horns proceeded from her long, ck hair, and her fangs were disyed thanks to her smile. Her eyes glowed red, and her body was currently enveloped in fiery Demonic Energy. The terrifying half-human-looking, and half-monster-looking, creature had a ck tail dancing behind her and she licked her lips in anticipation. At least a hundred lower-ss Demons were behind her. This was clearly a trap... and they had drawn in their prey. Standing by her lonesome was the slightly exhausted redhead. The mes that burned around her didn''t flicker as intensely as they did some minutes ago, but she wasn''t down for the count. Still, she did not move. The stale air around both sides seemed so choking, yet no party made any move. The human girl, though masking it with a facade of bravado, was actually terrified. Why? It was because she knew the nature of her opponent very well. "You''re... you''re a Middle-Rank Demon!" Lucy bellowed, ring at the enemy with both anger and fear. Other than the fact that she was outnumbered, Lucy already realized that she was outmatched. The reason was simple... A Level 30 Warrior like her was no match for a Middle-Rank Demon¡ªat least, not alone. "Haa... haa..." Sharp exhtions escaped Lucy''s lips and her mind went to work in a sh. ''In terms of Level, we could be about the same, but the Stats difference can''t bepared.'' Demons in their base form were naturally superior to humans, that was no secret. ''She also seems to be in peak condition, and she has backup... but I''m exhausted already. How much longer will Ist?'' Lucy felt her Mana drain quickly, and she was already feeling her body ache. She didn''tst as long when facing the Hero, but after their fight, Lucy had ensured she trained her stamina and fortitude well. She was stronger than in the past, but her overall limits remained the same. ''Can I win? I doubt it...'' If only Sarah was present. The two of them would have been able to put up a decent fight¡ªprobably even kill the Middle-Rank Demon. Whether they would be able to achieve that, and also kill the several Lower Rank ones present, was a different question entirely. "Come. Fight. You. Lose. Me. Win!" The Middle-Rank Demon was crude atnguage, but her ability to converse was a testament to her intelligence. She wouldn''t be an easy foe to fight. "But... I have no choice..." Lucy brandished her de, and the red aura around her burned even brighter. "... He... he entrusted me with this ce." The de seemed heavier than normal, but Lucy did not stop gripping it. Now supporting her hold with two hands, she took her stance and gave a determined gaze. "I... I will... I will protect this ce no matter what!" "Good! Good! Fight meeeee!!!" The Demon sharpened her ws and manicallyughed, ready to have some fun with the human. "Taboo Skill: Crimson Warrior!" >BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< A whirlwind of red energy, dark and sinister, swirled around Lucy, and her body glowed with a more terrifying kind of Mana. "Taboo Skill?!" The Middle-Rank Demon grinned with excitement. She felt the hair on her body stand up, but the crude being cared for nothing but violence and bloodshed. The desire for chaos flowed in her veins, and she hadn''t gotten nearly enough to satiate her hunger. >SHUUUUUUUUUU!!!< The energy settled, converging on the human girl, as her body waspletely dyed in red. "When you reach the peak of human power..." Lucy held her sword tightly. It was overflowing with aura¡ªimmense, deep aura. "... When you reach the limit of your capacity..." Her eyes were nowpletely red¡ªthe whites and all. "... You receive a Skill." It was the trump card of anyone who reached Level 30, but also their greatest weakness. ************** The Taboo Skill. It is like a monkey''s paw¡ªone that gives and also takes away. Desiring more power after reaching the zenith, exceptional individuals are granted one Skill that transcends their limits. No one knows why this system exists. Perhaps this is the way the world mocks the powerless, or takes pity on them. A taste of godly power is given, and weaklings are thrust into a temporary state of absolute strength. But, for this power, there is a consequence... [ALERT!] [Taboo Skill Has Been Activated] ~You May Lose Your Life~ [Do You ept?] ... That is, the loss of everything one had built up for their lifetime. The price for temporary absolute power... is the permanent return to a state of weakness. ************** "I ACCEPT!" >VWWOOOOOOOSSSSHHHHH!!!< In a red blur, Lucy charged at the Middle-Rank Demon, ready to tear her to pieces. "Heuk!" Her de descended on the Demon, causing blood to spurt out instantly. ''Tch! Too shallow!'' Lucy growled internally, seeing that the monster intentionally stepped back to avoid a fatal hit. ''Shit!'' Quickening her flow, Lucy leaped forward, determined to finish the job quickly. ''Just one strike and I can already feel myself losing consciousness.'' There was no way she could turn back now. Even if she had to die in the process, Lucy was determined to end the enemy''s life. "RAHHHHH!!!" Her de descended once more, causing the space around her to distort. Her Mana burned bright, and this time, it was clear that she had the upper hand. However¡ª >WHOOSH< ¡ªThe Demon vanished. "Wha¡ª??!" Before Lucy could make sense of the situation, a ball of mes exploded behind her, causing her to scream as she was propelled forward. "ARRGHHH!!!" More sts exploded around Lucy, and amid the confusion and pain, she spotted the Middle-Rank Demon a distance away, and her Lower-Rank Lackeysbining their meager Miasma to form basic Fireball Spells. ''Tch!'' Lucy leaped into action and dodged their flurry of assaults, but the consecutive volleys began to get annoying. ''She''s hiding behind her troops. I have to pass through them to get to her!'' With that in mind, Lucy charged onward, deflecting the mes that were in her way. "Faster! Faster! Faster!" >BOOOOMMM!!!< The ground ruptured and debris flew in every direction as she cleared the Demons in her path. Everything was to reach her main opponent and kill her. Sessfully mowing down everything directly in her path, Lucy moved in her straight line and reached the Middle-Rank Demon. Unfortunately¡ª "You. Stupid!" ¡ªThere was yet another trap waiting in store for her. "Die. Human!" A glowing Magic Circle apeared right underneath Lucy, and she was in no position to avoid the effects that manifested. It was literally toote. Chapter 61 Death >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< The explosion spanned for a great distance, and some Lower Demons even got caught up in it Still, the trap Magic achieved its work and wounded the target, so the Middle-Rank Demon grinned in glee. Lucy didn''t know this at the time, but her opponent was actually a Mage, not a Warrior. Her animalistic characteristics and beastly tendencies were merely manifestations of her Demon Heritage. In essence, the Middle-Rank Demon used Close-Range Teleportation Magic to create an appropriate distance between her and Lucy, before creating a well-hidden Magic Circle to deal surprise damage. "GUARRRKKK!!!" Lucy was pushed backward, thanks to the impact, forced to absorb most of the damage with her tiny body. Even though her current state granted her heightened physical abilities, it still hurt to receive a Magic Attack from a Middle-Rank Demon whose stats were most likely equal, if not superior. "Take. That!" A purple ball of mes appeared atop the ckened w of the grinning Demon, and it was instantly propelled at the agonizing girl. >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< Yet another burst of mes covered Lucy, but this time it was met with resistance. >WHOOOSSHHH< The redhead violently swung her de and regained control of her body in mid-air. Crimson aura swept across the area as a whirlwind and Lucyunched herself at the Demon. "HYAAAAAA!!!" A loud battle cry surged forth as, despite her wounds, Lucy charged at the opponent. "Tch!" The Demon was too slow to cast her Spell, costing her a good amount of blood. "Arghhh!!!" A howl of pain rang from the naked Demon as her body was horizontally sliced, nearly into two. It was just a few inches apart from her Demon Core, but it was a deep wound nheless. The pangs of agony grew louder as purple liquid oozed from her body. From her groaning, it was clear that the Demon had never been wounded like this before. Saliva dripped from her mouth as her face scrunched up in pain. "Unforgivable... unforgivable..." Her whispers were forced, and veins appeared all over her face. She turned to re at the warrior who was returning for another hit. "YOOUUUUUUUU. UNFORGIVABLEEEEEEEEE!!!" A burst of Miasma leaked out of the enraged Demon, pushing Lucy backward. "I KILL YOUUUUUUUUU!!!" The Demon''s tantrum caused the entire area to vibrate, and her wounds healed instantly. Lucy''s tired eyes widened in shock, watching as the proof of her hard work vanished as a result of the Demon''s regeneration. She was already worn out, reaching her limit, as a result of using the Taboo Skill. Any moment now, she would copse while paying the price of her Level reverting. If she strained herself too much, she was going to lose her life. ''I can still retreat if I decide now...'' But, the girl knew in her heart... that running away wasn''t an option¡ªnot anymore! "HAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Finding her courage amid the despairing Miasma that pervaded the area, Lucy screamed with all her strength. Even if she had to give her all... she would fulfill her mission. ''Until the Hero returns... until Sames back... I won''t stop!'' *************** The bloody maiden stuck to her resolve. Even as blood spurted from her body and her body neared expiration, she continued. Her de was swung, and the meager energy she had was burned out. Everything was to buy time for the savior to arrive. And so, as Lucy gave her final dance, she remembered her past. ''I...'' She was already on death''s door. Her little frame wasn''t going tost for much longer. She was bathed in her fluids¡ªboth sweat and blood¡ªstinking with excessive desperation. Yet... ''I...'' ************ Lucy''s past was one that never had even the tiniest smidge of violence¡ªat least on her end. She was an innocent little girl who could never hurt a fly. Her parents were merchants, so she lived a fairly luxurious life. They weren''t excessively rich, but in a world where resources were everything, Lucy and her family were well off. She had thought it wouldst forever, but everything changed when the Demons attacked. That wouldn''t be the first time Lucy experienced violence. Once in a while, foolish bandits attacked their warehouses or carriages, but they had able guards to defend them. Lucy had seen bloodshed, but none of it mattered to her. However, that was before she saw everything and everyone she loved cut down before her very eyes. The feral creature was a Middle Rank, and it was alone in its assault. No one was a match for the beast as it eradicated everyone in sight. Even the powerful guards eventually had to run for their lives it get decimated. Still, the Demon made sure it annihted everyone. Everyone, including her parents! Lucy ran, just like everyone else did. She had no idea why and how she was spared, but the Middle-Rank Demon seemed to ignore her and kept killing everyone else. Lucy did not understand. She was slower, much weaker, and much more vulnerable. Why wasn''t she prowled upon and devoured? Still, at that point, the girl was too desperate to live that she threw away all her questions and simply immersed herself in gratitude¡ªthat she was still alive. Unfortunately, everyone else paid the price for her escape. She never saw her parents, her family, or her friends¡ªLucy lost everyone that day. p It was only until after the event that everything began to make sense. She had never really cared about bandits dying because she was on the side of the strong. The Middle-Rank Demon probably ignored her because she was too weak. It was simply on a whim, and if it had decided to crush Lucy, there was nothing she could have done about it. In essence... "Keuk... Mom, Dad... why ..?" ... Lucy finally admitted to her pathetic state of weakness. It was hard, being all alone as a young girl, but Lucy had to survive. Her mindset shifted due to the trauma, and a strong entity emerged from the ashes. A being who swore to never again be weak. She started withying traps and hunting one Lower Demon at a time, and slowly, she began climbing thedder of difficulty. It was hard. It was dangerous. But, the girl realized that if she didn''t do anything, her weakness would never disappear. So, she persisted. On and on and on again. Until... she reached the pinnacle of power. It wasn''t until she was sixteen years old that Lucy finally reached the peak¡ªthough her looks made that impossible for anyone to believe. *************** Lucy was now neen years old... yet she was going to die in such a gruesome way. She had to ask herself, as the Demon approached for her execution; ''Did I... truly escape my weakness...?'' She was yet to find the Demon who killed her parents. She was yet to reach the height she dreamed of. "You. Strong. But... I Kill You Hereee!" The Middle-Rank Demon roared in both relief and exhration. "I..." Lucy groaned, her body wobbling as she stood atop her pool of blood. Yeah... it truly was the end, wasn''t it? HOWEVER¡ª!!! >SSSSKRRRRRRIIIIIIIII< A screeching sound echoed in the air, and a voice suddenly sprang into the air. "LUCYYYYYYYY!!!" The Redhead''s tired eyes widened as she looked to her side. Surprise and relief spread over her body, causing the strength she had been holding onto to melt. "I knew... you woulde..." The Hero''s face was as calm as she remembered. Did he foresee all this? The chaos and carnage? He didn''t seem surprised in the slightest. Frankly, Lucy was a little upset, but she could not get angry at the Hero. He had a n for everything, and he must have had a reason for things taking this drastic turn. Unfortunately for Lucy, she wouldn''t be there to experience it. Her time was up. As she was being taken away, Lucy uttered words to the Hero, to everyone. Even when Sarah and Byron approached, she didn''t stop speaking. They couldn''t help her. Her current state was beyond Sarah''s abilities. Perhaps the Hero could save her... but she didn''t mind if he refused to. Was she truly strong enough to stand by his side? Lucy felt like a burden, and upon realizing that she couldn''t actuallyplete her mission, she felt even more distraught. BUT¡ª!!! Even though she knew that she would perish here, like a dog, something had kept her heart beating and her body moving. There was something different about her than before. Now that her Levels were dripping quickly and her body couldn''t keep up, she would most likely be gone in a few seconds at best. Still, she couldn''t help but feel a little happy in her heart. Despite the regret and loss, a tiny fraction of joy seeped in. ''I... I changed a little, didn''t I?'' She was strong enough to stall for time, until the Hero arrived. For that, she was grateful. "Please, Hero..." She gave her final words. At this point, Lucy spotted a peculiar sight. The Hero¡ªSam¡ªwas crying. Tears fell from his eyes, and for the first time, he disyed a vulnerable side of himself. ''I see... I wish I could see more of that...'' Lucy smiled within herself. But, there was nothing else she could do now, butplete her words. "... Save us." Her eyes finally closed. And so, she died. ************ [A/N] This was supposed to be a wholesomeedy. Poor Lucy... Also, sorry about thest chapter. Made an error somewhere, and I can''t delete locked Chapters. Chapter 62 The Fool Lucy died right in front of me. In herst breath, she made a statement that brought several memories flooding my head. I remembered so many scenes of my favorite Novel, where the exact words were mentioned. "Hero, please save us." Those words carried more weight than any other. ''I''m... such an idiot.'' Even though I had read the T.W.T.S.S. Light Novel several times¡ªwitnessing various tragedies that urred in the book¡ªwhy had I be socent? This wasn''t a world of fun and games. It wasn''t the ideal fantasy setting. No, it was a ce riddled with war and chaos¡ªa world where death was the norm. Yet... ''I didn''t think things through...'' What had I been doing? Fooling around and trying to impress everyone else while neglecting the core essence of this world, what kind of joke was that? In the end, my negligence caused this. Around me was chaos, blood, mes, and dirt. Everything I built since the day I arrived here... everything was razed to the ground. Amid everything, I stood still¡ªunable to keep up the facade I furnished. This wasn''t a novel any longer. It wasn''t an anime I watched, or a means of entertainment viewed behind a screen. It wasn''t a dream either. This was reality. And stuck in this reality, with everything already turned to shit, I could no longer hold back my true self. "Keuk... I... I''m sorry... I''m so sorry..." My body trembled as I fell to the filthy floor. My obsession with hygiene didn''t dare kick in at that point. I was too immersed in my regret and grief to care. When a person is at their lowest, their true selves emerge. And the true form of everyone''s Hero¡ªSamuel Peterson¡ªwas no more than a pathetic fraud. ''I''m weak. I''m stupid. I''m useless. I... I...'' "HERO!" >WHAP!< I felt a stinging sensation on my cheek, pulling me out of the torrents of murky thoughts that enveloped me. "SAM! SAM!! SAM!!!" The voice that rang out was persistent. As I turned in the direction of the desperate cry, I found someone looking at me with tears in her eyes. It was... Sarah?! "Hero... Sam..." ''Please, don''t... don''t say those words...'' My heart sank. There was nothing I could do. Everything was gone, and everything was my fault. A scenario wrought by the supposed ''Hero'' who failed to save his people... what kind of cruel joke was that? "... Lucy died waiting for you toe. She sacrificed herself for your arrival." I knew that well enough. My eyes went to the corpse of the redhead. The smile on her cold face sent shivers down my spine, and her dried blood sickened me. I simply wanted to die at that moment, but... "LUCY''S LAST REQUEST... PLEASE FULFIL IT!" My eyes widened as I watched Sarah bow before me in her pleas. ''No. Stop that. Don''t do that... please.'' "Please, Hero..." Byron''s voice echoed in my ears as I looked in his direction. "... Save us." With that statement, he bowed too. I looked at the three Adventurers too. I had no idea why and how, but they too were pleading with subservient bows. They were all bowing, pleading, waiting... all for the Hero. ''Am I really a Hero? Do I deserve this? What can I do?'' My sullen heart was still in confusion when something else popped up in front of me. [SYSTEM ALERT] [You made a promise to save the people. Now fulfill your duty as the Hero.] Sess: Achieve a desirable/happy ending. Failure: Anything less than the Parameters of Sess ¡ªReward: NONE ¡ªFailure: DEATH ~You Can Not Refuse This Quest~ [Please, Hero... Save Everyone] "Ah..." ''So, even the System has joined the fray.'' I bit my lip and began rising from my low estate. My heart remained sullen, and my body was still trembling. However¡ª!!! "... I understand now." I smiled at the people whose faces remained nted on the floor and then turned my gaze toward the enemy who cautiously approached. It was a Middle-Rank Demon. It was my first time seeing one, and since I was so distraught by Lucy''s death, I hadn''t noticed her until now. "Level 50... a Mage... I see..." I couldn''t win in a fair fight. Even if I managed to win, then what? All this tragedy wouldn''t simply undo itself. [Please Hero... Save Everyone] The System''s message to me kept shing in my head, and a glimmer of emotion began emanating from within me. "You Hero? You Weak. Hero Weak." The Demon spoke for the first time¡ªor perhaps this would be the first thing I heard her say. She was snickering at me, daring to move even closer. Her minions were trembling, most likely because of the sight I showed them on my first day in this world. Unfortunately for me, the Middle-Rank Demon wouldn''t fall for the same theatrics. If I wanted to win, it had to be through violence¡ªunbridled violence. "I can''t win..." My voice was low, but not exactly despairing. I simply stated the truth. "Even if I beat you... it''s still a loss for me." In essence, the current situation made it impossible to achieve victory andplete the Quest. "Why did I overthink things? Why am I hesitating?" A smile formed on my face. My shivering body ceased trembling, and the tears in my eyes dried up. "I guess I''ll just have to start over." This wasn''t how things were supposed to progress. It was a bit premature, but I had to use my trump card so early. "I didn''t think I''d have to use this..." But, there was no other alternative. "Arcana Call: The Fool." Suddenly, I felt a bright light surge from within me. >SHIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG< ***************** Everything slowly became a blur, and non-existence took over. Reality warped, and I found myself drowning in the sea of time. ''No... not the beginning!'' Images ovepped with other images. Several scenes yed over and over, and I navigated through them. I was lost in an endless stream of time¡ªforced to pick the point of entry. ''Not there... not here...'' My eyes scoured the vast space, searching for the only viable means I could use to guarantee saving the future. The timeless world slowly dimmed, letting me know that I was running out of options. If I didn''t choose quickly, the effects would be random¡ªor worse, reset! "There!" My eyes finally spotted the period in time that I desired. My body naturally gravitated towards it, leaving every other checkpoint behind. ''With this... I''ll be able to do it...'' A smile formed on my face, and my heart ached. This was a big sacrifice, and my future just became uncertain. However, if it meant saving everyone... I had to do it! ''You can do this, Sam. You can save everyone!'' ¡ªAnd then everything became nk. ********************* Arcana Call. These are the Trump Cards of a Hero, tied to the very mission he embarks on. In the Original Novel, Damien had to scour all the worlds in order to advance his Arcana Call and obtain more features. It wasn''t until his collection wasplete that he arrived at the Grand Finale. Of the Arcana Calls that exist, there is one that the Hero starts out with¡ªThe Fool. After traveling worlds, he obtains 20 others and reaches the epitome of power. That serves as the major crux of the story. [The Fool] Arcana is a forbidden power that no one should wield. An ability tied to the regrets and wishes of every being that exists. The desire for another ending. A Reset! A Do-over! A Second Chance! By turning the tides of time, you can return to a certain point in existence and alter the events of the supposed future. However, there is a cost... ... TIME! The total amount of time a person has spent in existence is the Toll Fee of using ''The Fool.'' A Hero who has been summoned for a mere two weeks can not choose to reset something beyond the bounds of the time in which he has spent on the world''s ne. ,m He can either choose to reset¡ªreturning to the furthest point in time¡ªor select a particr point at which he can choose to begin his correction. Unfortunately, the price does not stop there. Once a trip is made, one can not use the Arcana again, until they return to the exact point in time where they left. As such, if a Hero leaves a certain future and returns a day back in time. He can not use [The Fool] until the future arrives once more. Plus, all the time the Hero has umted will be reset, and the cost of time will begin to count from that point onward. In simple terms; It matters not how much time you have in store. Everything returns to zero once you use [The Fool] once, and you have to begin stocking up again. However, even with these lopsided rules, there exists a bigger advantage. An advantage that ensures the second chance sought... may be achieved. Chapter 63 Im Gonna Make Things Right This Time! [SYSTEM NOTICE] Arcana Call: The Fool has been used. [You Have Now Returned To Your Designated Choice In The Past] ~Time Left Until Time Starts Counting Again: (4 Days)~ [Good Luck!] "Arghhh!!!" I woke up from a terrible nightmare¡ªor more like a foregone reality. With sweat pouring out of my body in the middle of the night, I heaved and looked around me. I was all alone in the dark and very familiar room. I was back at the settlement¡ªbefore it was ever invaded, to be exact. If my calctions were correct, I returned four days before the actual event... on the very day I would be leaving for the Adventurer''s City. "So... I''m really back...?" It took a moment for the reality topletely dawn on me, However, the moment it did, I found myself in a mix of emotions. ''Shit... I didn''t want to use it yet. Damn it!'' Other than the initial Free Trial of my Arcana Call: The Fool, I didn''t want to use it until I reached a juncture. For me, the ability to return to the past was my insurance. "I could have returned to the beginning of the Summoning... haa." I murmured. The reason for that wasn''t far-fetched. To use The Fool Arcana, you had to pay a toll. The means of payment was Time. With the Time I had already saved, it was possible for me to return to the beginning. After all, I never used Arcana Call despite how awry the situation got. It was all for one purpose! "Status Window..." I murmured, watching the System Panel pop up. [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 45 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Exhausted, Relieved, Slightly Annoyed. Status Infliction: Sleepy Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] [Stats] Level: 45 Exp: 17.85% ss: None (Check Avable ss) Karmic Value: 12,354 [Basic Ability] HP: 55/55 MP: 50/50 Strength: 31 Agility: 62 Vitality: 35 Intelligence: 47 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule <2> Rune crafting <3> Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Predator <8> Draconic Physique [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter <5> Dragon Hunter <6> Fool [End Of Information] "As expected..." I gave a grumbling sigh. It was just like in the T.W.T.S.S. Light Novel. I still had my Stats from the future. "Shit!" I really wanted to burst into tears, but I controlled myself. If I was too loud, then Sarah would pop out and start her usual charade. It was good enough that she wasn''t currently in the room. That would have been awkward, considering I was still recoiling from the traumatic sight I experienced. "What a waste, though..." I grumbled, looking through my Inventory and realizing I had all the Items I collected in the past. It was a shame, truly. Why? Well, most people would be happy if they got transported to the past with their cheat Skills and high Level. With this, I could officially prove that I was a powerful Hero, and Lucy would probably lose badly if we fought. It was because of this very reason that I was sad. "If I had gone further into the future and used The Fool when I became truly Op, then I would be a god at this point!" Clearing this world would also be in easy mode since I could grind and made all the mistakes in a foregone timeline. That was my n. If I kept pushing, despite every mistake I made, until I became strong and knowledgeable enough about this world¡ªI could simply turn the hands of time and start off as an Overpowered Hero! "Guess that''s all gone to waste now..." Thanks to the stupid stunt I pulled, it was virtually impossible to return to the starting point of the story. All thanks to theme conditions of [The Fool]. ****************** I wouldn''t me anyone if they said they don''t understand how it works. The truth is that I also struggled to grasp the concept until I took my time to study it. By study, I mean reading the source material at least a dozen times... going on the inte, and watching several exnatory videos. Yeah, that''s right! I was obsessed with understanding it... until the concept finally clicked. Now, how do I exin it to noobs who don''t know what''s up? The concept wasn''t very difficult, thinking about it now. It''s almost embarrassing how I couldn''t grasp something so simple. Arcana Call: The Fool... it has three major conditions, yeah? The first is the toll fee¡ªTime. The second would be the limitation of the ability based on the Time given. Finally, the restoration of the user''s knowledge, ability, and possession upon returning to the past. Yep, that''s about it! Still don''t get it? Lol, I know... it''s crazy. How about an analogy? Let''s say you have only spent one day in this world. That means you can only travel one day into the past¡ªat most. That is the price of ''Time'' that must be paid. But, what happens when you desire to travel only twelve hours into the past, and not a full twenty-four hours? What happens then? Well, that''s simple... the entire ''Time'' you save up will still be extinguished. Even if it''s a simple one-hour trip, the results will be the same. In essence, any slip-up or careless use of ''Time'' will cost you everything. Want to know the worst part? You can''t even stock up on Time until you return to the exact point where you chose to travel back in time. That means, until you extinguish your time travel trip of a day, you can''t save up time. It''s that simple. Still don''t understand? Welp... that''s not my problem. ****************** "I can never return to the beginning of my Summoning. Even if I want to save up as much time as possible, it will only start counting four days from now. I''ll never have enough... shit." All my ns were literally down the drain at this point. But, I did not despair. Neither did I regret it¡ªat least, not too much. I could have simply abandoned everyone and simply tried to live for as long as I could. After all, I would still be saving everyone when I decided to use the Arcana Call. But... "I just couldn''t do it." ... They needed me. It was stupid and illogical, but I didn''t think there was any other alternative. "It was my fault, anyway. I was too careless and let my guard down." Rising from my bed, I stepped onto thefortable ground in my warm room. I stepped out of the tent and got a feel of the cool, early morning breeze. "Everything is still here." I smiled. The tranquil atmosphere of the settlement was yet to be sullied. My racing heart finally found rest, and I took in every single moment of the peace and quiet. At the moment, I had three options. One was to go through the events as I did in the foregone future. I would go to Dulum, register as an Adventurer, y the Earth Dragon, gain fame and prestige, then return early enough to prevent the ughter. If I did that, I could end up achieving the best result. But... could I really do that with a clear conscience? Would I really be at ease in the Adventurer''s City when I knew my domain was in imminent danger? "No. I can''t risk it." Unlike before, there was no option of using Arcana Call to reset anything. This was my one and only chance to make things right¡ªno other option! What if my car breaks down as we''re returning? What if a horde of wild beasts attack? What if something unprecedented rears its head? What if the Demons attack earlier than usual? There were too many variables that I simply couldn''t be careless with my choices. "If I''m going to do this... I''ll have to think things through..." Down to the letter! No room for the tiniest bit of errors! "Fortunately, I have everything I need." A smile formed on my face as I stared at my Inventory. Mercury. Mana Chalk. A Dragon Tooth and a few Dragon Scales. Several other items were there... including money. Like, actual money in this world''s currency. "Perfect! This is going to be an epic second turn." Failure was not an option... for my sake and for the people relying on me. I was definitely going to save everyone this time. ****************** [A/N] I apologize if there have been too many info dumps in the recent chapters. The pace will be a lot faster starting next chapter. Get ready for some interesting events. Looks like our Hero means business now. Chapter 64 What Happens When The Hero Decides To Get Serious >VROOOOOOOOMMMM< My car sped through the rough road as I drove, seemingly without a care in the world. "A-Amazing!" "This Legendary ck Beast is... so amazing!" "The Hero truly is amazing!" I heard words that sounded fresh in my head. Why? Because this wouldn''t be the first time Sarah and Byron would sing my praises while being astounded by my regr vehicle. We were currently on our way to the Adventurer''s City, Dulum¡ªagain. Things were going to y out a bit differently than before, though. I didn''t have the time or heart to go through the entire process again. That meant I had to take the fastest route. ''Let''s go!'' ************** Zabdel Forger took his duties as Vice Guildmaster very seriously¡ªperhaps even more than his superior himself. Not only did he handle the everyday affairs of the City, but he was also responsible for collecting information throughout Dulum, while also managing their economic and administrative affairs. Needless to say, he was a busy man. Of course, to prevent working himself to death, Zabdel delegated responsibilities to people. By assigning capable individuals to various sectors, his burden lessened considerably. He was able to create an intricatework of affairs within Dulum. Perhaps it was because he was a Mage, but Dulum preferred sophisticated methods like thispared to the straightforward and brute way the Guildmaster preferred to lead. "Haa... I should take a break soon." Zabdel sighed as he rested his back in his sparse office. Looking at his wooden desk, filled to the brim with lots of parchments and documents, as well as ores of various qualities, the Mage was on the verge of breaking down. The only thing that brought him great joy was staring at the wooden furniture itself. Usually, the furniture in Dulum were made of metal¡ªeven homes were built with the same materials. Wood was rare, after all. However, after achieving such high status¡ªas a Mage and as the Vice Guildmaster¡ªZabdel was able to get his hands on the desk he used. It was rare furniture, and the stuff costed a fortune, but he didn''t mind. Looking at his precious desk never ceased to cheer Zabdel up. "Maybe I''ll work for a bit lon¡ª" "Vice Guildmaster!!!" A voice interrupted the man''s attempt at finishing his work... or at least some part of it. His door was flung wide open, and someone entered abruptly. The intruder had a very bulky body, and his bloodshot eyes were widened to a scary degree. "Gerund? What are you doing barging in like this?" Zabdel asked, a little irritated. Gerund was one of the few Adventurers Zabdel liked, and they had a close-enough rtionship. However, even rtionships had limits. Unless it was important, Zabdel did not appreciate actions like this. ''Maybe work is just getting to me... haa, I''m so tired.'' He tiredly stared at the Adventurer, who was in the process of forming the words that he so desperately wanted to say. ''Spit it out already!'' Zabdel eyed the paperwork on his desk. "Vice Guildmaster... a man just appeared... he demanded to see you." The veins in Zabdel''s head became even more evident upon hearing the bizarre news. "And? What kind of person is he? If he''s an aspiring Adventurer, he should go through the due process and¡ª" "N-no, it''s not that..." Gerund struggled to form more words. It seemed whatever he experienced was shocking enough to put him in such a state. This interested Zabdel a little, so he decided to listen attentively. "[Basic Spell: Calm]" Upon saying this, Zabdel sent a wave of Magic in Gerund''s direction,pletely curing the buff man of his shock. "A-ah, tha¡ª" "So what is it?" He also cut Gerund''s expression of gratitude short. He was currently not interested in formalities. Zabdel simply wanted to know what happened. "About that..." And so, Gerund exined. ... "WHAT?! Take me to him now!" ************* Zabdel was beyond confounded. Amazement and curiosity filled his eyes as he proceeded down the stairs to witness what Gerund had told him. They finally got to the designated floor for sparring among Adventurers and Zadbel opened the door in a hurry. "A-ah..." What he saw was enough to make even him speechless. "H-he did this...?" The auburn-haired man murmured. Right before him, a multitude of Adventurers was on the ground. Zabdel could see a bunch of B Ranks, A Ranks too. Finally, he saw an S Rank on the floor,pletely passed out. "A-ah...?" Zabdel raised his head to see the flickering light that wasing from a single location. "T-this is...!" A lone man stood, appearing to be no more than a young adult. He had a unique de in his hand, and blue energy swirled around him. "This bountiful amount of Mana... Sword Aura... Absolute Form! Who is... this person...?!" Zabdel couldn''t contain his shock any longer. The ck-haired man, who had been stationary for some time, nced in Zabdel''s direction. His stare was enough to send shivers down his spine. ''Me? A Mage of the Highest Caliber... I''m shaking?'' It sounded absurd, but he was currently experiencing the seemingly impossible. ''Even the Guildmaster can''t¡ª!'' "So, you''re finally here..." The man''s voice sent another jolt down Zabdel''s body. His deep voicemanded power and authority that the Vice Guildmaster had never seen before. This man¡ªif he could even be called that¡ªwas truly the real deal! "A pleasure to meet you, Vice Guildmaster. Do not worry about your Adventurers. They''re not dead or gravely injured. I just had to teach them... a little lesson." Zabdel understood that those words carried more meaning than he couldprehend, but he nodded anyway. He doubted he could win against this monstrosity. ''They all came at him together, yet he defeated them so easily. There''s not even a scratch on him...'' Zabdel gulped and decided to be as cordial to the stranger. "I understand. Someone of your caliber need not apologize." He found it weird that he was talking so politely with someone much younger than him, but the Vice Guildmaster could not afford to offend someone so oppressive. Zabdel noticed the man was smiling after hearing his words. It was a cold smile, almost as though the young dominator could see through every facade the older man was putting up. More fear and respect permeated his body instantly. "I havee only to ask for a mere favor. If you listen well, you''ll understand that this could prove beneficial to you too..." As calm and smooth as could be, the stranger''s words flowed. Zabdel grew even more interested, but he still treaded carefully. "May I ask what the subject matter is?" It was an impudent question, but not unreasonable. If the man came in peace, surely he would see no harm in answering such a simple query. Of course, if he chose not to, there was nothing that could be done. "It''s about the Monster that is giving you problems... that Earth Dragon." Zabdel''s eyes widened the moment he heard the man utter those words. "H-how do you¡ª?!" "There''s no need to exin. However, I understand your situationpletely. That beast has imed so many lives of Adventurers, hasn''t it? How many more need to die?" Zabdel understood what the stranger was saying, but it was easier said than done. The opponent was a Dragon. While it wasn''t a very powerful one, it still transcended the limits of human ability. Plus, its defense and tenacity were on another level entirely. Once, they gathered the strongest of Adventurers to face it, and while sacrifices were made, they were close to finishing the monster off. However, it was able to escape by burrowing a hole underground. This evasive ability made it too tricky to handle¡ªso much so that it became a thorn in their flesh. It was Zabdel''s ultimate wish to get rid of the creature, but there was no one strong enough to kill it. ''If we attack in a group again, it''ll retreat...'' And, the worst part was that no one knew where next it would strike¡ªmaking it the most unpredictable monster in the Labyrinth. Sealing the Labyrinth off was also not an option. Not only did Dulum get a great deal of their resources from there, but Adventurers obtained most of their proceeds from challenging the Labyrinth. Besides, if they didn''t asionally clear floors and defeat monsters, there would eventually be an outbreak of them. Ultimately, there was no other choice than to keep sending Adventurers. The only means the Guild devised to prevent more meaningless deaths was to make apulsory exam for aspiring Adventurers. At least, that way... some could be spared. "Why are you so deep in thought?" The stranger''s voice roused Zabdel from his myriad of thoughts. "A-ah, apologies. It''s just that¡ª" "There''s no need to think too hard about it, neither do you need to worry..." The young man slowly began approaching Zabdel. His fierce aura was so oppressing that the Vice Guildmaster unintentionally took a few steps back. ''A-ah...'' It was a simple expression of fear. Chapter 65 They Call Me The Legendary Dragon Slayer [Pt 1] Zabdel was feeling an emotion he hadn''t experienced in so long¡ªFEAR! He gulped and stepped back as the unfathomable being approached. Sweat dripped from his body and his instincts went into overdrive. An Adventurer was expected to be brave and daring¡ªand while Zabdel was more conservative in his approach¡ªhe was still the Vice Guildmaster, one who represented that ideal. For someone of his caliber to break down before a fellow human being... it was shameful of him. However, there was no one who could me him. ''Scary... he''s too scary!'' Fortunately, Zabdel''s frightened state did notst forever. "Ah... apologies." The menacing man spoke up, pausing for a moment. He noticed Zabdel''s current condition, despite how hard thetter tried to hide it¡ªas expected of someone with deep insight. "It seems merely using this is too much for even you." The overwhelmingly powerful man caused his aura to dissipate while whispering. His de also vanished from sight, and he assumed a normal form. For this, the Vice Guildmaster was eternally grateful. Now in a gentle stride, moving slower than before, the man approached once more. "There''s no need to fear that monster any longer." His voice exuded such confidence that Zabdel couldn''t help but think within himself, ''Why?'' "Why, you ask...?" The man gave a smile as he drew even closer. ''H-how did he know I¡ª?! Did he read my thoughts?!'' The Vice Guildmaster could no longer control his surprise, but even that did not faze the one who stood before him. No, it was the opposite, actually. His smile simply broadened. "... Because I havee." *********************** "I-I see..." Zabdel muttered, still recoiling from the brief story he was just told. He and the strange man were currently in his office, and while Zabdel sat in the seat of authority, he knew the one who was truly in charge. "So you have the Title of Dragon yer, and you know about that beast because of your natural ability to detect Dragons?" "That''s right." The Dragon yer spoke calmly. ''No one I know has ever gotten that Title before. The requirement is too high. I don''t know the effects of that Title, but I don''t think he''s lying,'' Zabdel thought to himself. "Normally, you''d need to be a part of the Adventurer''s Guild to undertake Quests and challenge the Labyrinth. That means you''ll need to take the exams..." "Ahem!" The man gave a gentle cough, but to Zabdel, it was more like a menacing prowl. "... B-but, of course, we''re willing to make an exception for you! You''ve clearly proven your mettle as an Adventurer..." Zabdel paused to look at the expression of the man. It was still looking somewhat ufortable. ''What more does he want? I know, I know!'' "We''ll give you an official Adventurer''s license. S ss, of course." He nced at the man again. The Dragon yer was still not pleased. ''A-ah... he''s clearly stronger than S ss. But, that''s the highest level that exists. Unless...'' "That''s fine. Since we''ve gotten that out of the way, I need to hurry back and take care of some business." Zabdel was happy he didn''t have to resort to his final card, but he was still wary so as not to disrespect the person before him. "A-ah, I see." "Remember what I have told you. In the next two days, the Dragon will strike the 9th Floor. No Adventurer must be in action then. Or else..." Rising from his seat, the man headed in the direction of the door, only to turn his head back to intensely stare at the seated Mage. Zabdel gulped as he and the man made eye contact. "... They''ll die." Upon making that final statement, the man left the room¡ªevery ounce of unease departing with him. "Haa... what a guy." Zabdel smiled to himself. He had silently cast [Calm] on himself many times, but the presence of the Dragon yer was too overwhelming that none of the effects worked. It wasn''t until after he left that Zabdel finally felt at ease. With a relieved smile on his face, and a resolute heart, the Vice Guildmaster of Dulum stared nkly into space and readied himself for the uing events. "I suppose I have my work cut out for me." ************** "Haa..." A heavy breath escaped my lips as I left the Adventurer''s Guild building. I made sure I walked a considerable distance away from the ce before I finally loosened my tense face and flexed muscles. ''Shiiiiiit! That was so harrrrrddd!!!'' I wailed internally while walking. My face still disyed a calm front, but I was really tearing up within. ''Acting super cool and edgy for long hours is really draining. How could Damien pull this off throughout the series?'' I guess it would be so much easier if those vibes were natural, but in my case, I had to y the part. ''Thank goodness he believed me. Whew!'' Thanks to my currently high Level, greater number of Skills¡ªespecially my newly acquired one¡ªand my enhanced apparel, I was able to beat those Adventurers down to get Zabdel''s attention. ''It''s better I don''t go through the whole exam scenario and waste valuable time. This is a shortcut that I need...'' Currently, Sarah and Gerard were hunting for extra supplies of Mercury and Mana Chalk. I still had a good amount in my Inventory, but more couldn''t hurt. ''Besides... I''ve used some up.'' One of the biggest changes I made to the original timeline was that I refused to waste my first day in the Adventurer''s City. It was still day 1, yet I was already almost done with my business in Dulum. ''I would have loved to kill the Earth Dragon as soon as possible, but...'' Earth Dragons were notorious for being evasive. Since I had no idea where and when it would appear, it was better for me to simply kill it when there was a better chance at sess. ''I''m sure many people would challenge Zabdel''s decision to give me special treatment, so if I make the Adventurers witness my bold feat, they''ll see just how reliable I am...'' I realized something after failing in my first turn. It was something I had thought of achieving eventually, but now I understood its urgency. ''Allies. Subordinates. Partners. I need as many of them as possible...'' If I could start with Dulum, that would be great. ''From my interaction with Zabdel, and the short time I''ve stayed here¡ªeven though the Novel didn''t give me many details¡ªit''s obvious...'' The people in this world respected the powerful! ''By creating this Dragon yer persona, I''ll be able to earn their respect and acknowledgment. If I y my cards right...'' A smile formed on my face. For the time being, though, it was better to work on my other little project. ''I would have preferred to get a permit from Zabdel and start grinding in the Labyrinth, but my interference could cause a chain of reaction that will affect the Earth Dragon''s appearance. I can''t risk that!'' I simply had to be patient and hope all things worked ording to my careful calctions. There really was no room for mistakes. ************** [Two Days Later] A group of Adventurers was gathered before the Labyrinth. Loud grumbles and dissatisfied noises pierced the air as the respective people voiced theirints. If one could make out the words they uttered, only one conclusion would be arrived at. "What''s the meaning of this?" "You can''t just shut down the Labyrinth because of that reason!" "I get my means of livelihood from this job. Come on, I need this gig!" "We knew the risks when we signed up. Just let us in." The Adventurers only had one demand¡ªthat they be allowed entry into the Labyrinth. Unfortunately, the entrance was barricaded by a group of highly-ranked Adventurers. A couple of A ss and one S ss. Since it was an airtight formation, the desperate Adventurers could not dream of forcing their way through. Besides, doing so would have also been a vition of the Adventurer''s code. No one dared do something that would cost them their profession. As if those factors weren''t enough¡ª "Calm yourselves, everyone." ¡ªThe Vice Guildmaster of the Adventurer''s Guild showed up. In an instant, everyone fell into aplete lull. They sharply nced in the direction of the strong voice, spotting the Zabdel approach with another man beside him. The man wore a dark cloak, having a mysterious aura around him. He looked much younger than their Vice Guildmaster, but the more perceptive Adventurers somehow got a more oppressing aura from him. "I believe this was announced on the Guild Board yesterday. You were all told not toe here today." Zabdel stated. The Adventurers grumbled. It was clear that they had no basis for theirints. The Guild already informed them prior to the date. Still, it was a well-known fact that these kinds of people were stubborn and very greedy. It would take more than a Notice to deter them. Chapter 66 They Call Me The Legendary Dragon Slayer [Pt 2] "W-we... we need to go in!" "We can handle the risks!" "There''s no need to fear an anonymous stranger''s words. I believe in my ability to survive!" As the stubborn Adventurers kept moring for a change in the rules, the air suddenly became heavy and the man who stood beside Zabdel suddenly made a light chuckle. "Oh? Is that so...?" His voice sounded so mean and fearsome that everyone shook in their boots. Zabdel also shuddered and pped his face in frustration. ''Those guys have done it now. Why did they have to piss off this guy, of all people...? The Dragon yer himself.'' Common sense would tell everyone to b quiet, but the more desperate Adventurers were well past that domain. They opened their loose mouths and kept pushing their luck. "Who the hell are you?" "This is our town. You can''t juste here and p your hums like that." "Tch. Crazy bastard!" The Dragon yer stared at the brazen individuals with both pity and disregard. They were not worth his time. "It seems you all have a death wish. Very well..." The man turned in Zabdel''s direction and gave a reassuring smile. "Very well... you should all go in and see with your own eyes... the kind of monster you''re up against." The truth was that only a few people had everid eyes on the Earth Dragon¡ªand they were all highly ranked Adventurers. None of them were interested in facing the fearsome thing after the horrors they had already witnessed, so only the ignorant dregs among the Adventurers dared think of challenging the unknown. "A-are you sure?" Zabdel asked in shock, looking at the man with both reverence and nervousness. This incurred the surprise of everyone who watched. What kind of man couldmand the subservience of their Vice Guildmaster? "Yes. It should be fine. They won''t die since I''m here, but... sometimes it''s important for people to see certain things for themselves." Zabdel agreed with the Dragon Salyer, and finally allowed the Adventurers entry¡ªalbeit with a single condition. "Be careful, especially on the 9th Floor." With that, the Adventurers, numbering about a hundred¡ªif not more¡ªstormed the Labyrinth, seeking stimtion and profit. ************** ''Alright, this is good...'' I smiled, walking beside Zabdel as we traversed the Labyrinth. Several Adventurers walked a small distance from us, while a few dared walk ahead. I could do nothing but secretly fist bump to myself, considering how everything was going ording to n. ''Having witnesses will be good for publicity. It will also be nice if they owe me their lives...'' An evil grin nearly leaked from my face, but I controlled myself. The little monsters that popped out of nowhere were handled by Zabdel and the other Adventurers, leaving none for me. As much as I wanted to get the Exp, it was more important to keep acting like the almighty Dragon yer. Maintaining my status as the cool savior of the Adventurers was my top priority, after all. I had Sarah and Gerard do a little public rtion for me, using both their names as A Rank Adventurers, and their connections. That way, I would have a nice weing party once the job was done. I could see a few Adventurers shooting dirty looks at me, but I ignored them. ''Most of these people must have died in my first turn. I''ll be saving them from that, yet they have no idea...'' Such was the fate of a Hero, I suppose. We finally arrived at the 8th Floor, near therge area that was the 9th Floor, and I ensured to spread my senses while waiting for the enemy. ''Nothing yet, uh? I guess we''re early...'' I nodded at Zabdel to indicate the area was safe, allowing the Vice Guildmaster to grant permission to the Adventurers to proceed. ''Ler''s hope this goes well...'' *************** Two hours. Even after two hours, no Dragon showed up. At this point, several Adventurers were already scoffing at the Dragon yer for being on edge so much. Even Zabdel found his belief in the words of the man wavering. ''Is the Dragon really going to show up...?'' The Voce Guildmaster thought to himself. "Oi, I heard you''re the one who said that monster woulde here today." A husky voice rang out, alerting Zabdel. It belonged to none other than Busu, a veteran C Rank Adventurer who was known for his workaholic nature. The heavily built man was currently harassing the Dragon yer, sneering as he spoke. "You nearly close me my profit for today, ya know! What would have happened if we all listened to you and stayed out. Tsk!" He was obviously provoking the Dragon yer, hoping to get some form of reaction. Zabdel nced around and noticed several stares converging in the outcast''s direction. ''Are they trying to ostracize him? Or is it to make him start trouble so they can have a reasonable cause to use their superior numbers to beat him?'' Zabdel groaned internally. None of the Adventurers that were taken down by the mysterious man were around, so all theplicit Adventurers were ignorant. Of course, there were a few Adventurers who didn''t seem to care about the conspiracy. There was a blond girl, an extremely muscr man, and also a very thin, butnky, individual. These three seemed uninterested in the current tension urring, only actively fulfilling their tasks and mining ores. A few Adventurers even talked about venturing to deeper floors, but since most were low-leveled dregs, none of them was going to act on it. It would be suicide for weaklings to challenge a double-digit Floor. "Really? What exactly is your aim with these theatrics?" The Dragon yer hummed gently. "Tch! What are you... when did I say I wanted to achieve anything? I was just stating the truth, ya know?" "Is that so?" At this point, a sharp gaze proceeded from the Dragon yer and connected to the impudent Adventurer. "Oi, don''t you think you''re being rude, brat? You''re in the wrong, yet you don''t seem apologetic at all!" Busu moved closer, testing his limits. Zabdel watched everything in silence, pretending not to notice. ''What will he do...?'' To be honest, Zabdel wanted to see for himself how the Dragon yer would handle Busu''s taunts. So far, the Dragon Slyer had done nothing, which felt odd to the Vice Guildmaster. Usually, the strong would exercise their strength in order to trample weaklings who acted conceited. Yet, the Dragon yer did no such thing. It was almost as if he was weak. ''Was he bluffing all along? There''s no Dragon here too...'' Zabdel was lost in thought, unsure of what to believe. ''No! I know what I felt back then...'' Now watching with unfiltered interest, the middle-aged man waited for an action from the young boy. Then... >SHUUUUU< ... It finally came. A strange object suddenly appeared in the grasp of the Dragon yer, almost like space itself warped. Zabdel''s jaw dropped, considering he had never experienced Magic so precise and well designed. Even he, a Mage of the highest caliber, could notpletely understand it. However, the highlight of the Dragon yer''s actions was not the Magic he used, but the item he brought out. "KEUUKK!!!" Everyone instantly leaped back in shock the moment their brains could process what the bony object represented. "T-that is...?!" Even Busu stumbled backward as he gasped for air. "That''s right. It''s a portion of thest Dragon I defeated. He was much tougher than the one I sense here, and I obliterated it till there was only one fang left from its corpse." Everyone could sense the amount of energy the object emitted, so that meant the monster had been yed just recently. "Do not doubt my words when I say this..." The Dragon yer nced at everyone in the room. Stifling silence followed. "... The Dragon wille. In fact..." The Dragon yer pointed in a direction, a smile nted on his face. "... It''s already here." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< The entire area rumbled as a hole was sted through, and a beast emerged. It had horns and glistening, scaly skin. Its fierce eyes and menacing presence were enough to tell the audience what kind of monster it was. "I-it''s a DRAGON!!!" A screech pierced the air, causing everyone to run for their lives. Busu abandoned his earlier mission of picking on the young man and took to his heels. Fear and shock were written on his reddening face. Everyone was wrought with fright, and regret swallowed some Adventurers whole. The Dragon in sight was an Earth Dragon, and it was stronger than every Adventurer there, evenbined. It''s massive form and majestic body caused many to lose their wills to fight, and even the stubborn ones knew they couldn''t win. "GRRRRRRRRR..." The Dragon growled, ready to begin devouring its prey. Everyone it stared at was nothing but food. This caused the unstoppable beast to grin in delight. However... "Where do you think you''re looking at?" ... A voice snapped it out of its pleasure. It came from behind, where a lone man stood¡ªgarbed in ck, but sparkling with energy. He had a wild grin on his face, raising his sword in defiance. "Your enemy is right here!" Chapter 67 Entering The Realm Of OP! ''Oh yeahhhhhh!!!'' My mind went ballistic as I grinned at the Earth Dragon. With my de wielded at just the right angle and a defiant smile spreading all over my face, I challenged the adversary. The beast red at me, most likely sensing the immense amount of energy surging through me. ''Do you see me as a threat? Hehe!'' My smile widened as I activated my Skills. >VWUUUUSSSHHH< The energy surging through me increased exponentially, as I received twenty percent of the stats of my adversary--all thanks to the Skill. Usually, my stock of Mana wouldn''t allow me to use so many Skills at once, but thanks to , I got a good share from the Earth Dragon. The highlight of my rapid increase in power was the new Skill I obtained, though. Not only was I granted a 200% increase in Stats, but my defenses became 500% higher than normal. It took a crazy amount of Mana, though, which was why I only activated it after I stacked the effects of Overall, my Stats now looked something like this; HP: [55/55 (+200)] ?¡ª2 [500%] MP: [50/50 (+150)] ?¡ª2 Strength: [31 (+250)] ?¡ª2 Agility: [62 (+50)] ?¡ª2 Vitality: [35 (+500)] ?¡ª2 [500%] Intelligence: [47 (+5)] ?¡ª2 Compared to what I started out with, the level I had now reached could be akin to godhood--just aparison, of course. ''So this is what it means to be OP!'' My heart began racing as I felt my body explode with so much power. It felt like I could do just about anything. "Focus, Sam... don''t get carried away!" I murmured, feeling my outfit absorb the excess energy I emitted. They began granting me various effects, thanks to the Runes I had grafted within them. Stuff like [Damage Resistance], [Weight Nullification], [Frictional Resistance], etc. I felt light, brimming with enough power to face my opponent squarely. ''The Earth Dragon''s Stats are still higher than mine, but if I add all the stuff I''m currently capable of, I should be able to win in a drawn-out fight...'' Plus, my Title Effect of Dragon Hunter gave me an extra 10 Percent Damage bonus against Dragon creatures. Needless to say, the odds were in my favor. But-- ''I don''t want to secure a hard-fought victory!'' My eyes scoured the area and I could see everyone''s eyes on me. My power had gotten the kind of attention I wanted, and it was up to me to give this narrative the perfect end. ''I''ve worked this hard... I''vee this far...'' There was no way I would go for an anticlimactic ending where I would have to take my time to kill the beast. "I''ve been looking forward to this..." I grinned, readying my stance as I squarely stared at the monster. My gaze dared it to approach me. Perhaps it was because of my [Dragon Hunter] Title''s effects, but the Dragon hesitated in its approach. All its focus was on me, but I could sense caution in its gaze. ''Guess it''s not as dumb as I thought...'' However, what manner of proud beast would be able to resist the urge to feed or conquer an opponent in front of it? "ROAAAARRRRR!!!" With a fearsome bellow, causing the very air around me to undte, the Earth Dragon finally charged. Its body was coated in Magic Enhancement, telling me that it was taking every precaution to ensure absolute victory. >BOOOOMMM!!!< The earth around the Dragon shattered as it increased its speed, closing the distance between me and it in mere moments. "Haa..." As I watched it approach, my feet became rooted to the ground and I strengthened my muscles. With my body bent a little, and my arms stretched backward, ready to lunge my de in a piercing attack at any moment, I waited. Rumbles caused my body to shake, but I remained stagnant... ... Waiting for the right time... "ROAAAARRRRR!!!" ... TO STRIKE! >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< The moment the Earth Dragon lunged its open jaws to devour me, I summoned every strength in my body and thrust. My de moved beyond even myprehension, and the st was concentrated at the tip, flying in a direct line. In a burst of calcified light, my blue Mana prated the mouth of the Dragon, invading its insides before any of us could move any further. Merely inches apart from the beast, I prayed for my sess, watching as the inner recesses of my opponent glowed bright blue. And then-- >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< --It finally erupted. In a burst of azure energy, the Earth Dragon exploded from the inside out. shes of light leaked out of the Dragon''s eyes, nostrils, and mouth as it shrieked in pain, sensing its obvious demise. The energy I sent to its body must have destroyed its internal organs and lethally wounded its heart. In conclusion... >THUD!< ... The Earth Dragon was dead already. ''Haa... haa... that was one hell of a gamble.'' I was so close to death that I could have sworn my entire body was trembling. Fortunately, I was simply faster than the Earth Dragon... thanks to and all the overwhelming advantages on my end. ''I won... I did it!'' I smiled, both in relief and indescribable ecstasy. The reason for the former was obviously because I managed to survive yet again. Dying would definitely suck. As for why I felt the former--ecstasy--there was only one answer. ''I''m freaking cool!!!'' The way I took my stance, the exact timing I used in thrusting my de, and the way the Earth Dragon let out the invading Mana I sent into his body like fireworks... ... They were in perfect sync. ''It''s almost as if we choreographed it.'' I was silently thankful to the dead monster, happy it was able to y its part well. ''Now, then...'' I nced at my dumbstruck audience. Now would be the perfect time to gloat. Asserting more of my obvious dominance was another way to go about things. The eyes of the Adventurers were filled with so much shock and reverence--so much worship--that I was almost overwhelmed by the attention. Still, I maintained the poise expected of a champion--a Hero--and climbed upon the dead body of the Dragon. With my de raised up high, and a charismatic smile stered on my face, I released the leftover Mana I had into the air--causing them to explode like fireworks. "The work is done..." A silent air of reverence greeted my deration. Everyone stared at me, and I could feel the tension rising, like a dam about to break. They were all waiting for me to make one final statement. And the moment I did-- "... The Dragon has been vanquished!" --The dam broke forth. "WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" ******************* Zabdel was beyond awestruck. His body shivered as he came to a conclusion he had never imagined. ''He''s strong... stronger than I thought!'' Never before had he heard of a human single-handedly killing a Dragon, talkless of using a single attack. The Dragon yer... was far more than he bargained for. "H-he really is unbelievable..." Zabdel heard a muttering from beside him. The Vice Guildmaster nced to his side and spotted a blond girl staring at the victorious man with fixation. Her eyes sparkled with awe and adoration--almost like that of a child. Zabdel knew who this girl was quite well. ''The rookie who recently got A Rank right off the bat thanks to her performance during the Adventurer''s Exam... Asa.'' When Zabdel heard of her fears, he was very impressed. Even though she paled greatlypared to the Dragon yer, who looked to be about the same age as her--if not younger--Zabdel knew Asa had the potential to be one of the greatest Adventurers to rise from Dulum. ''This talented rookie, and now the Dragon yer... just what kind of change is visiting this City?'' The Vice Guildmaster gazed upon the Dragon yer once more, donning a smile ''He really did it... he saved so many people.'' No matter what anyone would say, Zabdel recognized the young man as a hero among heroes. The being before his eyes closely resembled the Hero of humanity from the legends he had heard since he was a little kid. ''Could he be... the Legendary...?'' ***************** Okay, so maybe Sarah and Byron overdid things a little bit. The crowd that weed our group of Adventurers was beyond expectations. "A-ah...?!" Surprise nearly leaked from my face as I spotted a multitude of people gleaming with pride and surprise. Adventurers and citizens of Dulum alike--they were as bountiful as sands on the seashore--for real! Normally, they would have maintained a dead calm. However, the corpse I dragged in my wake as I emerged out of the Labyrinth was enough to trigger an explosive response. "WOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" With the carcass of the Earth Dragon behind me, I furthered my steps, donning my cool smile. Once more, I had seeded in the art of bullshitting. To make matters better, the System Rewards started flooding in, increasing the grin stered on my face. ''I''m Actually Overpowered!!!'' Chapter 68 What A Hero Is All About [Pt 1] What does it mean to be ''OP?'' The overpowered trope has be a staple in the anime and light novel world. Many peopleck the patience to see a character struggle for most of the series and brush up with death over and over again. Some people just want to see someone totally wreck their characters with overwhelming powers. Yes, that''s right! People like me enjoy watching the MC achieve a height where it is almost impossible to defeat him. Yes... that''s what being ''OP'' is all about. Now, to ask myself that simple question... "Am I OP?" I know the answer to that, though. ************** "A war ising... and a great conflict is brewing." I was in Zabdel''s office, directly speaking to him when I made the statement. The Vice Guildmaster appeared surprised after hearing my statement. We were talking about what to do with the dead body of the Earth Dragon I defeated. Of course, it was my kill¡ªso I had every right to the monster. Still, other than a few parts that I considered necessarily urgent, it was best I left it with them and used the same reasoning as the first round. ''Let them make weapons for me by using the parts...'' There was no need topensate any family member since no one died, so Zabdel had to use every necessary part for weaponry. The nds and interior organs of a Dragon could be used for Potions of various categories, but I doubted the humans in Lamar knew how to do it. It was either I showed them how it was done, or I simply did it myself. After calcting the probability and weighing my options, I chose thetter. "I''ll skin the Earth Dragon myself, and I will live you in charge of forging the weapons." Our Settlement didn''t have the right structures to make forge-quality weapons, and there was still a lot to be done before we could get to that point. ''The internal organs and meat will be taken into my Inventory, and I''ll carry out whatever research and processing I need to...'' There was no room for waste! As for the parts that the Adventurers could work on, I would leave it to them. "You haven''t handled Dragon Grade quality before, have you? Do be careful..." As much as I wanted to protect my interests, though, I was sure they couldn''t damage the Dragon scales by ident. Even if their actions were intentional, it was still very doubtful that they would seed. In any case, just as in the previous round, I told Zabdel my location so the weapons would be delivered to me when they were done. Also, by allying ourselves, I was able to secure Dulum''s assistance in any event that the Settlement¡ªor even me, personally¡ªwas in danger. There were about three S ss Adventurers in Dulum. If I counted Zabdel and the Guildmaster, that was about five of them already. Now that I had five peak humans to render assistance to me, I could consider my work in the city to be done. "I will be leaving this ce immediately." Rising to my feet, I paid myst greeting before heading out. As I walked out the door, I could see Zabdel bowing to me. To me, it was a bit extra, but not entirely terrible. ************** "Let us return." Gerard and Sarah were already waiting for me on the outskirts of the City, just as we agreed. I appeared, seemingly out of thin air, thanks to my camouged cloak. It was the only way I could escape the city without drawing too much attention to myself. The maneuvers I had to adapt to make it out of the City in one piece was nothing short of a miracle, but thankfully the worst was over... or so I thought. "E-excuse me, sir!" A voice rang out behind me, causing me to exim in shock. ''Shit! I thought no one was following me!'' Sharply turning back, I one person¡ªa young woman¡ªbeaming at me respectfully. I recognized the blonde well. "Asa...?" The moment I said this, the girl jumped in surprise. ''Oh, shit! I haven''t met her in this timeline.'' "H-how do you know my name?" She blurted out in inquisition. ''Ah, damnit...'' Thanks to my loose tongue, I now had to correct my tongue with the best method I knew of... "I know lots of things." ... BULLSHITTING. "A-ah, I see!" Asa''s eyes sparked with even more interest, but that no longer surprised me. I still had Asa''s character profile, after all. Detailed information about her were also included there, including the true Race she belonged to. "You were following me, weren''t you? Your level of skill is not bad..." Imented with a cool smile. ''It was great! Her skill level is great! I couldn''t even sense her at all! The problem with my invisibility cloak was that it needed me to deactivate all my Skills for it to function. I didn''t have stuff like to carefully sense my surrounding, so I had to take extra precautions. Yet, Asa was able to follow me despite my being non-visible. ''I''m Level 60 now... yet I couldn''t notice her.'' Yes, I was distracted. Yes, I was a novice with almost no experience. Yes, she was someone older and more mature than I was. But... it didn''t stop her from being impressive. The most shocking thing about Asa, though... "T-thank you very much!" ... Was that she became an A Rank Adventurer in this round. ''It shows how much I stunted her growth in the exams because I cheated. ''Yet another thing I rightfully corrected.'' I nodded internally with pride. "So, how may I help you?" "W-well, the thing is... I saw you fight that Dragon... and I thought it was impressive!" ''Ah, I see. So she became a fangirl.'' I had to say, it was a bit funny that even this version of Asa ended up admiring me despite myck of direct contact with her. ''Providence works in funny ways.'' I nodded and stared at the blond girl. "I only did what I had to do. I''ll advise you to do the same. That is... if you want to keep moving forward." Offering free consultancy services to a fan that approached you was one of the duties of a Hero. And I was very diligent in my job. Chapter 69 What A Hero Is All About [Pt 2] "A-ahh...?" Asa could feel her body tremble slightly as she stared at the Dragon yer. He was the mighty one who slew the Earth Dragon, someone beyond the capabilities of mere humans. ''I thought he''d be much scarier...'' Asa thought to herself. But, contrary to her imagination, the young man was warm and kind. He spoke to her in a cool tone, and the aura around him was friendly. If she didn''t know any better, the youngdy would have picked him out to be an average person. However... Asa was more perceptive than most people. She clearly knew the kind of great power that lurked within him. He could look normal, but the reality was far from the case. As if the vibes she was getting from the Dragon yer weren''t enough, he made a statement that resonated with her. "I only did what I had to do. I''ll advise you to do the same. That is... if you want to keep moving forward." ''H-he''s so profound.'' Her heart jumped upon feeling his sincerity. Did he know of her predicament? Was he aware of her people... and the reason she chose this path? ''No, there''s no way!'' Asa thought to herself. She had taken every step to ensure that get secret remained hidden. ''But, if it''s him...'' Asa looked at the Dragon yer''s amazing features. She didn''t want to burden anyone with her problems, but... would it be so bad if she asked him to help her? Asa struggled with the question squirming in her heart. However¡ª "I should be on my way. I have to guide my people¡ªprepare them for what ising." "A-ah, I see..." Asa snapped out of her thought, realizing she had been keeping him waiting. ''I can''t burden him, after all...'' Her fight¡ªthe battle of her people¡ªthere was no way she could drag him into it. ''He has his own people to lead... I can''t tie him down.'' She smiled and bowed her head. "Thank you for your audience, Dragon yer!" Her voice was loud, enough to show her sincerity. "Ah, it''s fine. Also, Asa..." A hand fell upon her shoulders, and a finger touched her chin. ''U-uh...?'' The young Adventurer''s body shivered as her head was raised and the strongest man she knew grew close to her. Asa found her cheeks getting hot, and her body twitching slightly. She wasn''t used to something as intense as this¡ªskin contact and the proximity of a man''s face. "... Please, you don''t need to call me Dragon yer." His warm smile caused her anxiety to vanish. "I... I couldn''t..." The hero''s finger left her chin and touched her lips instead. The warm texture she felt, as his soft fingers grazed her lips, caused Asa to shut them tight and passionately stare at the overpowering man. She could no longer resist, and she felt lost in his presence. "Call me Sam." "S-Sam...?" "That''s good. Sam. Let''s meet again someday, Asa." "Y-yeah... let''s... Sam..." The Dragon yer''s¡ªcorrection, Sam''s¡ªsmile broadened slightly, and the glow on his face intensified. ''Haaa... he''s too amaaazzziiiinnnngggg!'' Asa was delirious at this point. "Great!" Before the mood could proceed further, probably turning into something more... intimate... Sam pulled his face back and let go of her body. ''A-ah¡ª!'' By the time she regained a portion of her cognitive ability, she could see him walking away, waving as his body slowly moved. "He''s the best... The Dragon yer..." Her smile was unending, and her heart was jumping by leaps and bounds. "... Sam!" *************** ''Oof, that was intense!'' I felt my heart slowly calm down as I distanced myself from the Adventurer known as Asa. To be honest, I was feeling very intense thanks to how close I got to the girl. It was the first time I had done something like that, so, of course, I was freaking out. ''[Freedom Of Expression] is so convenient!'' I wailed internally. As for why I decided to do what I did... it was a System Quest. I simply had to make asting impression on her. To do that, I resorted to my Hero charms. ''Fortunately, it worked. I got the System Rewards. But, damn...'' Getting close to such a beautiful damsel was bad for my heart. ''I better get used to this. Damien was adies'' man, so there''s no rule stating I can''t be one too.'' The problem with creating a Harem, or engaging in any romantic rtionship at this point in time was the fact that I had already built an image of trust and respect. Everyone ced me on a pedestal, and it would be difficult to indulge in my more ''primal'' instincts. ''I doubt I''d be able to hit on a girl sessfully without it affecting my reputation in some way...'' I could liken my situation to that of a prophet in a religious organization. Everyone looks up to such a fellow, and in some religions, the prophet is second only to God. It would be absurd for a prophet to seek carnal affairs to try to indulge in his lustful desires. Someone holding such an office couldn''t be allowed to act indecently. As the Hero, I upied such an office¡ªand with great power, I had to show great responsibility. All of this meant one thing... ''My lewd adventures in this world have ended before they even began!'' It was sad, but I had to bear it. ''Such is the path I have chosen.'' A sniff escaped my nose. I returned to reality and observed that we had walked a considerable distance from the Adventurer''s City. I would have summoned the car the moment we got to the outskirts, but Asa was there. The girl didn''t budge a bit until she was out of sight. Thanks to her interference, we had to walk a safe distance before I brought forth my Legendary ck Beast. "Let''s go," I told my entourage¡ªSarah and Byron¡ªwho gave the usual mors of surprise and awe. ''Ah, never gets old...'' I gleefully thought. My mission wasplete in the Adventurer''s City¡ªand not only was I stronger, but I had set the foundation for future events. Now... I had to address the most pressing issue that weighed on my heart. ''Time to stop those goddamn Demons!'' Chapter 70 Middle Class Demon Living within the vast wilderness, among the cluster of rocks and caves, was a terrifying creature. Her very existence took the entire area by storm, causing the Lower ss entities around to bow in subservience. The world operated with the principle of survival of the fittest. The weak were suppressed by the strong and the strong devoured the weak. It didn''t take very long for the neer Demon to take full control over the territory of the Lower ss Demons. However, desire is insatiable. Living beings always sought more, in order to stimte their existence. Desiring to expand her influence, the Middle-ss Demon devised a n... one that would destroy the humans who dared to live in such outskirts¡ªaway from most civilizations. Killing them and taking over their territory would be the first step she was going to take. Dwelling in the darkness of the cave, looking at her loyal minions, the Middle-ss Demon gave a snickering expression as her heart raced with excitement. ''Hehe... hehehe...'' Her sharp teeth and crimson eyes brought out the evil persona she embodied. Naked, seated on the throne, she awaited the promised day when she would conquer her first set of humans. ''Tomorrow... I will prove my superiority! I will show them all that I am not worthless!'' Among the rest of her kind, the Middle-ss Demon knew she wasn''t all too special. However, in this fresh territory, she could take however she desired. Trampling on the weak, being the strongest... she would finally be a ''Ruler''... maybe one day, a ''Lord''. "I can''t wait! I can''t wait!!!" ************* The promised day arrived, and the Middle-ss Demon, Mid-Demon for short, rose very early in the morning¡ªeven before the sun rose. Her voluptuous chest swayed as she wildly pranced out of her abode. The Lower ss subordinates that were under her control¡ªhundreds of them¡ªwere already waiting for her. They were all on their knees, trembling in their primitive forms. With condescending scorn and a ddened feeling of superiority, she gave a deafening roar, sending more shivers down their spines. "Today. We strike!" Her speech was broken, and hernguage wasn''t entirely fluent. As an uneducated Demon, she was closer to the Lower ss dregs in terms of literacy. If Lower ss Demons were seen as primitives¡ªwild people¡ªin the Demon Society, then the Middle-ss ones mostly belonged to the average/working ss. Middle-ss Demons were educated to an extent, and they could converse properly, though their intelligence and civility were greatlyckingpared to the Upper ss. The Demon who grinned at her underlings was an inferior Middle-ss Demon. Though she was very strong for her age, she belonged to the lower strata among her people¡ªa status quo she could never escape. As a result, the Mid-Demon never quite fit in. No education. Forced to ve away to the superior she. Never enough to eat. Those were more than enough for her to find life among her fellows to be repulsive. ''I strong. I rule!'' She didn''t want to serve others. She would rather be in control. That was why this scene greatly pleased her. Watching others tremble in fear and reverence for her was an ecstasy she never enjoyed in the past. ''I destroy other territory. I rule territory. I be Ruler. I be Lord!'' That''s right! By ruling weaklings, even she too could attain some form of control. That was all she wanted. "Let''s gooooo!!!" **************** Despite herck of proper speech, the Mid-Demon was quite intelligent. She was a Mage, after all. As someone who lived both in civilized Demon society, as well as the wild, she had enough knowledge and wits to guide her actions. As a Demon Mage, she wasn''t suited for frontal assaults¡ªthough her brute appearance would suggest otherwise. Due to these factors, the Mid-Demon formted the perfect strategy to ensure her victory. As her army approached the settlement, she could see the soldiers trembling down to their bones. ''They weak. Why they scared?'' ording to what she could decipher from their actions, there seemed to be a being in the settlement that was strong¡ªenough to make them hesitate in carrying out their actions. ''Stupid weaklings.'' Lower ss Demons only followed instincts, so their fear for whatever person who was in the settlement had been overridden by her presence. Not only was she a present threat to the Lower ss dregs if they disobeyed her, but she had also made examples of a few of them. All to prove her supremacy! As a result, even though the Demons were scared, they had no choice but to follow her directive. The Demons covered themselves in the dirt, camouging themselves with the cover of the early morning darkness. Advancing slowly, they ensured no one could spot them from the four garrisons located at the settlement''s cardinal locations... especially the North. Once they reached the threshold¡ªa point where they would be sensed if they advanced any further, the horde of Demons halted. They numbered over three hundred, certainly more than enough to overpower a small settlement. Plus, with her strategy, the Mid-Demon did not doubt that there would be fewer casualties on her end. "Let''s go!" **************** The Demons began encircling the town as soon as it got bright enough, and they were able to get close enough because of the enchantment the Mid-Demon ced on them. Spreading all over the walls to cage the humans in, the Demons subtly performed their roles. As for the mastermind, she acted as a sniper and used her me Magic to burn down the garrisons in sight, killing the soldiers stationed there¡ªeven taking down the annoying fence that stood in her way. Everything was in mes and shambles, and she reveled in it. Her Demons had not returned as well, meaning they were most likely executing the foolish humans in the settlement. Since she had divided her forces into two¡ªabout 150 leading the frontal charge while the remaining were with her. If a strong enemy appeared, the Demons were supposed to them to her location¡ªthat way, she would handle the major threats. ''Strong person here... I want kill strong person.'' Her eyes were bulging with excitement and murderous intent. The Lower Demons were savages, but they knew the meaning of fear. For them to remain trembling while they stood before the settlement, there was no way someone powerful didn''t dwell in the settlement. ''I wait. I wait to kill strong one!'' And so, the Mid-Demon patiently watched the settlement go up in mes. She waited for her subordinates to return... all to no avail. "What happening?!" Veins appeared on her face as she considered the possibilities. There were only two that her mind could process. One¡ªAll the one hundred and fifty Demons she sent had been eradicated. Two¡ªthere was no strong person within the settlement. ''But... how this possible?'' If there was indeed someone strong enough to make a multitude of Demons¡ªalbeit weaklings¡ªshiver in fear, they had to be as strong as she was. Yet... not only did the Mid-Demon not sense any powerful creature, but the town was literally in zes and no one was fighting back. That meant there was only one possibility. ''I see... I see...'' The Mid-Demon nodded to herself, her breasts jiggling as she affirmed her conclusion. "No strong one here. Me is the strongest." A sadistic grin spread across her face as she decided to advance into the town and get a closer view of what she conquered. Signaling her warriors to move, the Mid-Demon began approaching carefreely. There was no longer a need to be cautious. "Hehe... Haha... Hahahahahaha!!!" Her cackles sent shivers down the spines of her followers, but they didn''t dare move beyond what they had been instructed to. ''Mine. My territory!'' As the Mid-Demon stepped beyond the zing walls of the settlement, she suddenly felt something strange. ''M-Magic¡ª?!'' It wasn''t hers, though. Suddenly, she felt drawn into the hole in the wall, and as soon as she went past the zing trail behind her, her eyes closed, and new ones opened. "W-wha¡ª?!" It was almost like a veil was lifted from her eyes, as the Mid-Demon stared at the wide expanse before her. "I-impossible...!" Right in front of her were her ughtered Demon soldiers. Their blood and gore were focused in a single location, and a single person stood atop everything. The protective fence that was assumed to have been destroyed was standing erect¡ªalmost as if nothing had happened. ''B-but... me just passed it...'' The Mid-Demon looked behind her, only to see nothing but the Demon army. Hadn''t she just traversed the burning fence? Why was she staring at it now? "You look confused." A voice brought her out of her shock, and the Mid-Demon felt her skin jump. The lone human who stood atop the pile of Demon corpses looked at her from his height, his de dyed in the blood of her fallen subordinates. His body glowed blue, and his eyes were staring straight at her without flinching. An oppressive aura could be felt from the individual... almost as if he wasn''t even human. ''Who... is... that....?!'' Chapter 71 This Is What I Call A Beatdown! [Pt 1] ''Who... is... that?!'' As the human''s icy gaze pierced her, the female Demon found herself getting anxious. Her confidence was slowly dissipating. The Middle-ss Demon couldn''t even maintain eye contact with the man for too long, so she looked beyond him. Her eyes noticed several other humans¡ªall unarmed as they watched the whole scene y out. They were a safe distance from the carnage wrought by the human, yet theirckadaisical attitudes were questionable. It was almost as if they were in no danger at all. It was beyond what she could understand. ''Humans weak. Humans dead. Humans lose!'' That was what she had thought. But what was ying out in front of her was beyond her calctions. "The time hase, Demon..." The human sttered the leftover blood, that dripped from his de, on the ground. His cold gaze did not leave her. "... Time to die." ************ ''Alright! Looks like the stage I set up is finally ready.'' Before I left the settlement for my mission in Dulum, I made sure to erect arge illusion barrier around our walls. That way, it would create a duplicate settlement and serve as an illusion to trick our enemies. Upon returning one day prior to the invasion, I also set up a few things and gathered my people¡ªinforming them of the iing assault. Of course, this caused them to ce me on an even higher pedestal than before. They just had to consider me even more powerful than before. ''Good grief.'' I nearly sighed as I looked at the army that spread out behind the Demon. ''I''ve practically used up all the energy in my de, so it''s worthless now. Plus, even though I defeated these ones and got some Level Ups, fighting for too long has exhausted me quite a bit.'' I was now Level 69 thanks to the sacrifice of the one hundred and fifty-seven Demons that came after me. ''Their Levels were low, and I could defeat them in one strike, but I guess it''s because of their sheer number that I Leveled Up so many times...'' Well, the Hero had Bonus EXP for ying Demons especially, so that must have also contributed to it. ''Level 69, eh? That''s actually very strong.'' I looked at the enemy with a condescending gaze as I knew the moment for retribution was near. Unfortunately for me, a Demon''s base stats were still higher than a human''s, so being Level 69 didn''t make me superior to a Level 50 Middle-ss Demon. ''I have more Skills, though a lot of them are in cooldown due to overexertion...'' There was no use overthinking things too much, though. In the end, I simply had to fulfill my mission. ''We''re at the crux. This is it... the moment of truth!'' >WHOOOSSHH!!!< I appeared on the ground, a small distance from the Mid-Demon, who was still surprised by what was happening. ''The Lower Demons recognize me, and after seeing me make a show of their deadrades, they won''t dare attack me. They might even want to retreat, but...'' I gave them all a condescending re, my blue eyes glowing with power. "If any one of you moves a single step from your position... you''re dead!" Surely, they understood what I meant. Their shaky bodies testified to that fact. "Now, then, vile Demon... shall we begin?" I smiled, taking confident strides as my body slowly approached hers. "We''ll act as representatives of our respective sides. Human versus Demons." "Y-you stupid. You fool! Humans no beat Demons! Demon win Humans!" Her bellow rang of broken pride. As expected, the Mid-Demon had poor use of words. She must have grown up without education¡ªamon trait among poor or powerless Demons in their society. ''Even then...'' I took a critical look at her, examining the feral being from head to toe. ''... Why in the world is she naked?!'' Other than her ckened hands and legs, also the horns and tails she had, the Demon looked like a growndy. That meant her boobs were just exposed for all eyes to see. I didn''t even dare look any lower, for the fear of what I might see, but she truly didn''t have any clothes on. ''This is crazy! Mid-Demons are primitivepared to Upper ones, but this is too much!'' I could feel something within me rise, and it wasn''t anger. ''Even Humans wear clothes in this world, and she isn''t! Her Demon Core is even obvious to see. What the heck?!'' Even though the de I currently wielded was useless, I could feel another one rising up to the asion. ''No! Not here! That would be so embarrassing!'' I told my body. Thankfully, it obeyed my will thanks to [Freedom Of Expression] ''Alright, easy breaths Sam!'' The Mid-Demon was flustered, and the Lower ones weren''t moving. This was the perfect chance to strike! ''So what if my de is useless? I''ll simply use my hands!'' Deciding to go ''Full Brawler'' on my adversary, I returned my weapon to Inventory. The moment I did this, the Mid-Demon charged at me at full speed. ''She''s fast!'' Her body was coated with Miasma, and I could feel its intensity the closer she got to me. But, other than that... ''Her boobs are jiggling as she''s running! What the heck! Those things are weapons on their own! Did she get naked because of that fact? Is it a battle strategy?!'' ... I could really feel myself get drawn into her bosom. Of course, that didn''t stop my body from doing the necessary. >WHUM!< Sharply dodging her sharp w strike, I folded my arms and gave a quick counterattack in the form of an Elbow Jab. "KUARKKK!!" Saliva poured out of the Demon''s mouth as I sent her flying with a single hit. Unsurprisingly, she sharply regained her stance as her feet dragged themselves on the bare floor. ''Ain''t no way I''m letting you go now!'' Grinning internally, I dashed at her. >WHOOOSH!!!< With our positions now reversed, I intended on inflicting the same kind of pain she gave my people. It was the least I could do as the Hero. Chapter 72 This Is What I Call A Beatdown! [Pt 2] The Mid-Demon felt her body ache as she regained bnce. The person who hit her was now dashing at her, ready to inflict another strike on her. "Tch!" She clicked her tongue, realizing the mistake she made. As a Mage, the Demon was not meant to lunge a frontal assault at her opponent. However, thanks to her flustered state, as well as the strange man letting go of his weapon, she gave in to her instincts and struck. As a result, he got the first hit. ''He human. Why he strong?!'' The Mid-Demon asked herself. It wasmon sense that no human could be as strong as a Demon of her caliber. That was why she had been looking forward to the kind of ''powerful'' foe she would decimate. She wasn''t expecting an equal! >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< The human approached her in a blur, too fast for her to quickly defend against. ''Shit!'' Even though she had never felt outmaneuvered before, the Mid-Demon felt overpowered by her opponent''s speed. >BOOOOMMM!!!< His fist hit her arms, just as she tried to block, causing her to fly back once more. ''Damnit! If like this, then...'' Using the momentum, she heightened her Miasma control and pushed herself further away from the enemy. It was the most optimal course of action, after all. After creating enough distance between her and the strange human¡ªtaking a strategic position behind her horde of Lower ss Demons. "Go! Attack him!" She screamed, feeling sore from the few blows she had received from the brief exchange with her adversary. Even though the Lower-ss Demons were most likely not going tost very long against the opponent, they could still prove their worth as Cannon fodder. ''They buy me time. Me use Magic. Me win!'' The Mid-Demon thought to herself. Unfortunately for her, though¡ª "....." ¡ªNot a single Loser ss Demon heeded her words. "W-wha¡ª?!" Her eyes bulged in shock. Their ck skins trembled as their grotesque bodies were stationary. The terrified looks in their eyes told her all she needed to know. ''N-no way...!'' The Lower ss Demons feared the human more than her. "It seems these dregs have more sense than I gave them credit for." The human''s voice suddenly emerged, sending another wave of unease through the Mid-Demon. She gulped, watching him approach slightly. Even though a horde of Demons separated her and the man, the Mid-Demon feltpletely defenseless. "Move. Now." A singlemand was enough to cause the group of Demons to part, giving the man ess to her. The Lower ss Demons, nothing but trembling beasts could do nothing against a higher power. She was all alone at this point. "Humiliating..." The Mid-Demon whispered. Her body shook slightly as she felt anger well up within her. "This is humiliating!!!" As she roared, an explosive wave of Miasma burst all around her, sending rocks flying everywhere. The area around the Mid-Demon ckened, and the influence of her demonic energy caused the atmosphere to turn sour. "You..." Her growl was more ferocious now, and her hateful re could be seen beyond the beautiful appearance she had. A wild animal ready to strike... that was the only way to describe the Mid-Demon at this point. ''I use my Skills! I beat him!'' She had five core Skills. With those, there was no way she could lose to a mere human. Besides, unlike Magic, Skills hardly took any time to cast. They had duration and cooldown periods, but they were convenient for moments like this. Stretching her hands at the man while watching him approach, she decided to use one of her favorites. "[Evil Eye]!" Her eyes shone crimson, and a wave of demonic energy left her body to invade the man. ''Hehehe! Now fall into madness and despair!'' >BZZZZTTZZZ!< A buzzing aftershock suddenly assailed the Mid-Demon, causing her to yelp in pain as she clutched her eye in pain. "A-argh... h-how...?!" The buzzing only worked like that if her attack failed, and she saw no reason why it would. As the man approached her, a smile formed on his face, causing her to shudder further. ''He resist it?!'' Realizing there was no time to think about why an attack failed to work, she decided to use another Skill. "[Predator]!" Once more, her Skill refused to activate, causing the Mid-Demon another round of confusion. Still, she could not afford to waste any time, so the only option was to try something else. The one on her mind took a lot of Miasma and required an intense amount of concentration to use, but the Mid-Demon had run out of options at this point. "[Marite]!" Strings appeared from nowhere and tried connecting to her opponent. She was certain that her Skill would work this time. However¡ª!!! ''Canceled again?!!!'' By the time the Demon exhausted all attempts to use her five Skills, the human was already right in front of her. Sweat fell from her worried face as she felt a presence unlike any other. Truly, she was cornered. But... "You fool!" A victorious smile spread on her face as a Magic Circle suddenly appeared underneath the human. It glowed brightly, and an explosion was imminent. She relished the fact that the human''s arrogance would lead to his downfall as he fell for her trap. Although, the Mid-Demon found it strange that the man didn''t have a surprised expression, neither was he oozing with despair, she chalked it down to her imagination. >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Like fireworks, the explosion painted the area in its magnificent glow, sending ripples of destruction flying around. The Mid-Demon watched as her adversary was devastated¡ªno doubt¡ªby her offensive prowess. "Hehehe, you foo¡ª" Suddenly, right before she couldplete her sentence, a hand emerged from the zing mes and grabbed her throat. "Heuukk!" A strained screech leaked out as her bulging eyes witnessed the impossible. ''N-no!'' It couldn''t be real... the sight before her was not possible. "Haa... is this all you can do?" The voice first appeared, then the owner emerged from the inferno. He was apletely different being from before¡ªan existence that transcended humanity. ''... This isn''t... human!'' * * * [A/N] If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' You can check it out and add it to your library. I promise it''ll be worth every second. https://.webnovel/book/ascension-of-the-failed-mage_24898011105190405 Cheers! Chapter 73 This Totally Counts As Cheating, Doesnt It? His body was shrouded in blue scales--like armor--and two horns protruded from his head. As the mes cleared upon the human''s emergence, his form became more pronounced. He still had his human shape, and his face was well-represented, but a majority of his body was now covered in something else. Something powerful! If the Middle-ss Demon didn''t know any better, she would have mistaken him for a member of her Kin. But, the receding shapes of his horns did not resemble a Demon''s--no, they were more akin to the second strongest race in the world. As of this moment, the Mid-Demon was certain... "It''s time to finish this." ... That she was staring at a Dragon! **************** ''I bet she didn''t see thating!'' I grinned as my glowing blue eyes stared hard at the obviously stunned Demon. To be honest, I had a bit of a close call just moments ago. That Trap Magic she used took me by surprise. If not for my Fire Resistant outfit, and then my transformation, I would have been toast--like, literally. ''After defeating the Earth Dragon for a second time, [Draconic Physique] evolved to [Draconic Transformation]...'' That was the reason I currently had this dope dragon-like form--like a certain Anime Character I knew who was Lord of the Seven Seas. "Time to end this. Resistance is futile." My deep voicemanded power, almost scaring me in the process. I watched as the Mid-Demon slowly sank into despair, and to be honest... I almost felt bad. It wasn''t because of her predicament, but because of how unfair our matchup was. ''She has scary Skills, and our Stat difference isn''t too vast. If things were slightly different, I would be the one on the losing end.'' The reason behind my rationale was quite simple. * * * Rewinding to a few moments ago--when the Mid-Demon was using her vtile Skills on me. I was genuinely scared out of my mind. A Demon of her caliber had to have about five Skills at her disposal, and they were going to be more frightening than those of humans. I wasn''t wrong! [Enemy Skill: Evil Eye is being used on you...] ''Eeeeeekkkk!!!'' I nearly cried when I saw the System tab. Evil Eye was a Demon Exclusive Skill that injected Miasma into a target and the poor soul to descend into madness and depravity. The effects were random, but most of the time, the victims would lose their sense of reason. Poisoning was also another effect. Miasma was harmful to non-Demons, so that made sense. Expecting my body to be invaded by Demonic Energy, I desperately tried my hardest to hide my fear. However-- ''E-eh...?'' I was very shocked. But, once I thought things through one more time, I realized it. ''The [Fool] Title negates any ''confusion'' or ''insanity'' Status Condition. It must have negated the Evil Eye Skill.'' It basically served as Plot Armor against the Mid-Demon''s ability, saving me from humiliation--or worse, death. ''I don''t know which is worse, at this point...'' Still, I knew I wasn''t in the clear yet. The Demon still had other Skills to utilize, and I prayed my luck would save me once again. Did my prayer work? [Enemy Skill: Predator is being used on you...] ''Ah...?'' [Enemy Skill: Marite is being used on you...] ''... Isn''t this cheating?'' She used up all of her Skills, yet my Titles or Skills were always against them. I was frankly shocked by my new identity--a walking Plot Armor machine. ''Hehehe.... heheheh... hehehehehe!!!'' I was invincible. With that mindset, I carelessly fell into the Mid-Demon''s trap and realized how screwed I was. Welp, we all know what happened after that. * * * "RARRRRRHHHHHHH!!!" The Mid-Demon finally snapped, forgetting reason as she lunged at me. ''Whoah!'' I quickly evaded her feral attack, tightening my fist while concentrating an immense amount of Mana there. >WHOOOSSSHHH< In a straight thrust, my arm lunged at her face, connecting seamlessly in a loud crack. "G-guar--!" >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Her body was sent crashing to the ground causing loud noises to echo around me. ''I can''t waste any more time. I''m almost out of Mana!'' With that in mind, I swiftly charged at the fallen Demon. "Urk!" She jumped to her feet and braced herself for defense. Something I noticed about her, ever since we started fighting, was that she sucked at closebat. This Demon was most likely a Mage, and while that would normally be disadvantageous for me, my current Stats and Skillset gave me an edge. "You''re wide open!" Like a blur, I slid through the flimsy defense she put up and hit her in her face, causing her body to spin. She tried using the momentum to deal a shy kick at me, but I easily evaded the strike and gave another blow to her stomach. "Guarkkk!!!" More saliva poured from her mouth as I sent her flying to the sky. She back-flipped mid-air, trying to gain a proper footing on the ground, but I was faster. The moment I could see where she wasnding--thanks to my future sight--I instantly dashed in that direction and cornered her once more. "W-wai--!" Not waiting for another word, I began dealing a flurry of attacks, crushing her with overwhelming power. She would try resisting at certain points, but her clumsy blows never touched me. ''I can''t give her time to use her Spells, and I have to end this quickly... at least before my time runs out!'' Her body swayed in multiple directions as I kept hitting her without remorse. Her beautiful face became swollen, and several bruises covered her body. Yet, I did not stop. "Arrrghh--!!!" A hit sent to her stomach, and then another to her face was enough to send her crashing further to the ground. This time, she couldn''t get up. ''Haa... haaa... that was intense...'' I breathed raggedly while staring at the Mid-Demon. I walked toward her, finally ready to deal the killing blow. One final hit, through her back, and it would be enough to forcefully eject the Mid-Demon''s Core. ''I could have done so while fighting her earlier, but those boobs were in the way. They were too distracting, so I kept stalling...'' My mind pictured her melons, and I could feel something rising within me again. ''Why did this idiot decide to get naked when she has a body like that?'' This was my problem with primitives. They just made life difficult for normal people--people like me. And so, as her body was nted on the devastated ground, I had a much better view to do the needful. I mean, the Demon''s butt was still in view, but her bruised tail reminded me of her identity. It was much better than trying to rip out a Demon Core that was stuck between two peaky mountains. ''Ahem! Ahem! That''s enough, Sam. Let''s finish thi--'' Before I finished my thought, the energy within and around me dried up--causing my transformation to be undone. ''Oh shit...!'' My mind rang the rm, and I realized how screwed I was. There was silence around me, and just as I thought no one noticed mypletely vulnerable state, I watched the Mid-Demon move from her position. ''Crap! Crap! Crrraaaaaappppp!!!'' She rose on her two feet and looked at me. Her gaze was hateful, and I could see her sharp teeth as she snarled. My body trembled--knowing the terrible truth that she was now the one with the advantage. ''What should I do? Oh no! I''m screeewweeeeddd!'' She began limping toward me, taking slow steps as she advanced. ''My body can''t move due to Mana Exhaustion. The only reason I''m still standing is because of [Freedom Of Expression]... I''mpletely powerless!'' My eyes darted in the direction of the vigers who kept cheering me on. ''Don''t just stand there, you guys! Help me! I''m gonna die here. Help me. Please help meeee!!!'' They were either blind or oblivious, because none of them moved a muscle. ''This is all my fault. Those idiots think I have everything under control... even this.'' I wept internally. Was this my punishment for trying too hard? Why was I too distracted by the Demon''s melons that I didn''t end things quickly. ''Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!'' I couldn''t even save myself using my Trump Card, Arcana Call. The appointed time hadn''t reached, so there was no escape. No Mana. No Skills. No backup. I was royally screwed. "You..." I could hear the Mid-Demon''s voice, low yet dangerous. She was merely within arm''s length from me now. A single strike and I would be a goner. ''Spare me, please.'' I begged her with my puppy-dog eyes--obviously internally. Even though I was in a very terrible position, my confident expression did not change for some reason. I was still bluffing, even though I would be dead a few secondster. ''God have mercy. Save my soul.'' With a tearful prayer, I prepared myself for the execution toe. "You... strong..." Her voice echoed in my ears, and I maintained eye contact. She raised both hands, and I closed my eyes... ready for death. Suddenly-- >THUMP< "Me... Surrender." ************ [A/N] Sorry fes, it looks like I won''t be able to keep that promise of 2 Chaps per day, after all. Do forgive me. Chapter 74 I Never Thought Of This Route, But It Sure Looks Nice! "M-me... surrender." I heard the Mid-Demon say as a copsing sound echoed. ''Eh?'' I was conflicted, but there was no way in hell I would show that. ''What''s going on?'' My eyes slowly opened and I saw the unbelievable. The Mid-Demon was currently kneeling, while raising her hands in total surrender. Her battered body was trembling as she did this, and while disdain filled her eyes, so did fear. ''Holy... holy shit!'' I couldn''t believe it, but it was happening right in front of me. That scene where the enemy Boss surrenders to the MC after an overwhelming show of power¡ªit was unfolding at the moment. For a moment, I simply stood¡ªdazed by the unexpected turn of events. I could have sworn that I would die a few moments ago. ''The Goddess of Luck has not abandoned me yet.'' A streak of tears flowed internally. After recovering a portion of my MP and Stamina¡ªthanks to my Hero Title¡ªI was finally able to move properly. Of course, not to the point of being able to fight. But, who saidbat was necessary at this point? There was only one response to give someone who willingly surrendered. And that is... "Now you know the difference between us." ... TO BLUFF! "Keuk!" A frustrated sound escaped the Mid-Demons lips as she slowly nted her face to the ground and begged for mercy. I couldn''t escape the feeling I was having at that moment. My life currently stood at the edge. ''I have to choose my words wisely. Ah, this is hard...'' If I made a slip-up and disyed even the slightest hint of weakness, the Demon could take it as an opportunity to strike. On the other hand, if I went on too strong and bruised her ego too much, she couldsh out and kill me. "P-please spare me." Her voice trembled. It was clear that she had a strong will to live. There was no way a proud Demon could bow before a human. ''Hmm... I really can''t call myself human anymore. I mean, I really blitzed her in that match earlier.'' A smug grin formed on my face, and I momentarily forgot how powerless I was. "And why should I spare your life?" My voice sounded cold and unfeeling. A condescending gaze descended upon the Mid-Demon, and as she raised her face, she was met with my ice re. "Who said you could look up?" My words instantly caused her to return her head to the ground as she kept pleading for mercy. ''Welp, it''s not like I could kill her now, even if I wanted...'' I was officially out of juice. In fact, if she decided to use one of those especially dangerous Skills on me, I would probably fall dead. But, who was going to tell her that? Certainly not me! "You haven''t answered my question yet. Why should I spare you?" To be honest, I was also asking myself that question. Here was the Demon responsible for everyone''s death in the first turn. Jokes aside, she killed Lucy and caused everyone to die¡ªforcing me to use my Arcana Call prematurely. I had every right to dispose of her at the moment¡ªagain, it wasn''t like I could. ''You''ve really ruined my ns, and you made me see stuff I didn''t want to experience. I''m not sure I could forgive you...'' My heart ached as I stared at the Mid-Demon. She was struggling hard to formte words, most likely due to her limited vocabry and flustered state. In a way, looking at her now, almost made me want to spare her life¡ªnot like I had any other choice at the moment. ''Let''s look at things on the bright side...'' Thanks to her incursion, I was able to realize a lot of my shorings. In the future, I was going to be more careful with events. Besides, even if she didn''t do any damage to the settlement, there was no telling when another harm would have done the same damage. Ultimately, I was the one who was careless in the past. Her actions made me realize that. ''Ah, I can''t believe I''m the one doing the convincing.'' I nearlyughed at myself. I looked for another reason¡ªespecially something I could tell Sarah and the rest of the humans in the settlement. As though reading my mind, Sarah, Byron, and Lucy approached me with haste. "Shall I dispose of her for you, Sam?" "What an unsightly Demon. Just give the word!" "You don''t need to sully your hands." I couldn''t believe these shameless people. I needed help not too long ago, yet they kept cheering me on. Now that the situation managed to solve itself, they wanted to reap the rewards? ''Heck no!'' Of course, I couldn''t say this to them. "There''s no need for that." My voice cut them short, causing all three to back away from the Demon. ''Even if I want the Demon dead, it has to be me who deals the finishing blow. Her EXP will be wasted on these guys.'' I internally red at the three of them. Still, though, I needed a good reason to spare her life. Personally, it left a terrible taste in my mouth to kill someone as sentient as this. Especially with how she desperately clung to life. "Very well... I will spare your life." Surprised gasps escaped my human subordinates, and even the Mid-Demon looked up in surprise. I could see teary eyes of gratitude, and her swollen face appeared confused. "Do not mistake my mercy for weakness." I quickly added, before she took me for some chump. "A-ah. Would never!" ''Yeah. Yeah. I know people like you.'' I rolled my eyes at the Demon''s subservience. The moment I turned my back, she could strike me down. That was why I had to keep pretending to be all that. "It would simply be a waste to kill you. Rather than having you die worthlessly, I will simply make you pay for defying me... with your body." My hand was raised and I gave a striking pose. Chapter 75 Shadow... I Mean, Demon Slave "It would simply be a waste to kill you. Rather than having you die worthlessly, I would simply make you pay for defying me... with your body." "A-ah... n-no way..." The Mid-Demon''s eyes showed shock, and tears began streaming from them. Lucy, Sarah, and Byron also seemed frozen with shock. At that moment, I realized my true intentions probably got lost in their interpretation. "I mean, you will work under me! That''s what I meant!" My protest was louder than I wanted, but I quickly let out my intentions before they all got the wrong idea. Once I was done blurting it out, everyone have a relieved look, finally making my heart to be at ease. ''What the heck is wrong with these people? They ruined my immersion too...'' As a result, I had to try my hardest to set the mood right once more. "You will work under me and pay for your life with service. Once you''ve paid your debts, I''ll release you." Obviously, this was a trick. Could anyone ever pay for their life? No way! Hahaha! Yes, this was how many people entered debts that they could never get out of. ''I''m so diabolical!'' My mind rang amusedly. "I-I see..." The desperate and naive Demon murmured. ''I''ve got her. Yessss!'' "... How long?" ''Eh?'' "W-what do you mean?" "How long do I have to work?" Her swollen face was serious, and her eyes stared at me seriously. She was clearly still scared, but the determined expression Mid-Demon made was enough to tell me... that she was dead serious. ''I was wrong. She''s not as naive as I thought.'' "Haa... five years. Work for me, and I''ll release you in five years." Her eyes widened in surprise, but I ignored thempletely. ''Five years is not much for a Mid-Demon. Besides, in that time, I would have gotten enough allies that losing her would be inconsequential...'' Damien spent a lot of time in this first world¡ªabout ten years¡ªso I had to make long-term ns. Mid-Demons had their Level Limits too. None of them could exceed Level 100. In five years, I would be able to secure even stronger adversaries, and my power would have passed that threshold. ''At that point, there would be no need for keeping her around.'' "You do not have the right to refuse." "Y-yes. I understand!" The Mid-Demon instantly replied. Of course, I knew word of mouth alone could not be trusted¡ªespecially since it was a Demon I was talking about. That was why I had to do the one thing many Isekai protagonists resorted to. That''s right. C''mon, we all know it, don''t we? It remained the dream of many weebs and degenerates¡ªa major reason behind Harems and Party Members. "From this point on, you''ll be my ve," I said to the Mid-Demon. To prove that, I was going to make a ve Crest and create a contract of five years with her¡ªas per our agreement. "Y-yes... Master." ''Nnghh!!'' My heart leaped the moment I heard those words. ''Holy shit... it''s real. It''s real...'' I forced my watery eyes shut and nced in the direction of the Lower-ss Demons. At this point, they were also kneeling¡ªprobably hoping I would show them the same mercy I gave their leader. ''Nice try, copycats.'' A smirk formed on my face. I had to consider the possibility, though. The Lower ss Demons had a considerable number¡ªover a hundred and fifty. It would also be a waste to kill them, after all. ''We''re terriblycking in Military force. The average Demon is always stronger than an average human. If I was to employ them as foot soldiers andborers, then...'' Thinking logically, it could work. By binding them all to the Mid-Demon, and binding the Mid-Demon to me, I could initiate a chain ofmand. ''Of course, I''ll also be able to give them directmand since I''m at the top of the food chain.'' It made sense. "You dregs will make sure to serve humans well... or you''re all dead." They groveled further, epting my conditions without resistance. I couldn''t even call them Demons any more. ''They''re just like castrated dogs.'' In any case, it seemed I was able to resolve the situation without any major casualties¡ªwell, except the Lower-ss Demons that died earlier. I guess we could call them the unlucky sacrifices. I needed their EXP too. ''Thanks to my fight with this Mid-Demon, my Stats have increased too. Epic!'' As a Level 69 Hero, I now had better Stats than most individuals could dream of. ''This should suffice, for now...'' But there was no way I could afford to get conceited. There are some entities in this world with Levels reaching the hundreds. Dragons especially had a limit of Level 300. As for Upper-ss Demons... they were a different ball game entirely. Compared to them, I was small fry. ''Oh well...'' At the very least, I was improving. One day too... I would truly achieve the heights of ''OP!'' ************** "You can heal her now, Sarah." I was preparing for the contract, so I decided to ease the Mid-Demon of her pain in the meantime. Call it an act of kindness. There was the possibility that she would go on a rampage once she was fully healed, but I doubted it. ''If she tries anything funny, I''ll strike her down without mercy... or so she thinks.'' The Priestess responded to my instructions without questioning them. The bright glow of her Healing Magic radiated on the Demon, causing her injuries to slowly disappear. This was one of the things I liked about Sarah¡ªher unyielding loyalty. She was so perfect, so easy to handle¡ªunlike some other person. "Why are you sparing her life? She''s a Demon, you know? They are our enemies!" Yep, that''s right! Lucy, the girl who was always on my case, objected strongly to my decision. "Don''t question the Hero''s choice, Lucy. He must have a reason for this." Byron tried to y the middleman, but I was sure he also felt ufortable with what was going on. But, I was fine with that. ''They''ll eventually understand...'' Chapter 76 I Hereby Name Thee Buba! ''These guys don''t realize it now, but this is really for their own good...'' I sighed and shook my head. Humans in this world never passed the threshold of Level 30. There was a special way to bypass the rule, but I wasn''t ready to divulge it yet. That meant, for the time being, we needed strong allies that could help in our fight against the Demons. Beings with higher thresholds¡ªlike Elves, Beastfolk, Dragons... even Demons. ''I can''t do everything myself... that has be painfully obvious.'' Perhaps it would be possible if I was stronger, but I knew my limits. I''m actually not overpowered. *********** The Mid-Demon was quiet. She obeyed¡ªwithout any form of resistance. Her life was at stake, after all. However, that didn''t mean she didn''t despise what was happening. If there was one thing she hated the most, it was being subject to another. Her experiences as a subordinate Demon in ''that'' society were enough to scar her for life, and she never wanted to suffer such humiliation at the hands of a human. The only thing she despised more than very was death¡ªwhich was why she agreed to the human''s deal to spare her life. ''Only five years. In five years... me free...'' Still, she didn''t like the situation at all. Her eyes observed the human who made her experience an overwhelming defeat. ''They call him Hero... could it be¡ª??!'' Even the Demons had heard the myths that humans clung to¡ªhow a champion would be summoned, and how that person was going bring peace to the world. Of course, no Demon would take such a thing seriously. They simply chalked it down to the desperate hope of humans as regards their inferior states. ''But... if he Hero, then...'' It made sense why she lost. No human could be capable of wielding so much power. That meant this ''Hero'' was special. Whether he was the genuine article or not remained a mystery ''He strong... me scared...'' Her thoughts trailed, remembering their earlier fight. The Mid-Demon could have sworn that the Hero had her on multiple counts, yet he never killed her. She had seen his eyes focused on her chest¡ªthe Demon Core there¡ªand he was certainly fast enough to end her life easily. Yet... yet... ''He beat me. He beat me bad. He keep beating me.'' She was nearly in tears when she remembered how much she suffered. Why hadn''t he just ended her life? The Mid Demon was now convinced of the kind of personality the Hero had. ''Sadist... He sadist...'' She sniffed, realizing just what she was getting herself into. ''Have to brace myself. Have to be ready.'' The five years she would be spending with the Hero was most likely going to be hell for her. A slight emotion of pity coursed through her as she looked at the unsuspecting Lower-ss Demons. Their peanut brains could not understand what they were getting themselves into. Once again, the Mid-Demon looked at the Hero¡ªrefusing to be deceived by his act of decency. Deep within, he had to be extremely cruel. Why else would he prolong her suffering? "You..." He finally nced at her location and called for her. The Mid-Demon instantly gulped as she jumped to her feet. ''He hear my thought?!'' Her body trembled as she remembered the beating he gave her thest time. Was it time for her first punishment? What horrid thing would she be subjected to? Her naked body wasn''t cold, but she shivered anyway. "What''s your name?" "E-eh...?" "I said what''s your name?" The Hero repeated, staring directly at her face. "A-ah... me d-don''t have one. No one give... name..." Her voice was trembling like a frightened child. "Ah, I see. No wonder. Well, we can''t have that. I''ll have to give you a name. It''s the only way to finalize the contract." The Hero was currently drawing a rune¡ªwhat he said would bind them together as Master/Servant for five years. Of course, she didn''t trust his words, but Magic never lied. "My don''t we call you Boob¡ªno, Buba. Yes. I''ll call you Buba." "B-Buba...?" He had no idea why and how the Hero came up with the name, but something about it sounded... inappropriate for her. "Ah, that won''t do, after all. Why don''t I go with a ssic? Let''s call you Lilith." That sounded much better to her ears, causing the Mid-Demon to nod. As of the moment, her name had be Lilith. The Hero inscribed the name in the Magic Circle he was working on. The Circle was more intricate than any Lilith had ever seen. It had to be of high quality. Once again, she wondered if he was really human. "So, we''re both going to stand in this Magic Circle. I''ll state the terms of the agreement. If you agree, it records it. If you refuse, the term will not be put into full effect. Do you understand?" Lilith gently nodded. "You remember our agreement, don''t you? Any small mistake, and mercy is forfeit. "L-Lilith remember!" Her voice quivered. "Perfect. Once I''m done with you, we''ll use a lower binding Spell on those Lower Demons. It''ll take quite some time, but it''s still morning." "U-understood!" Lilith began moving to the Magic Circle the moment she saw the Hero enter it. Once she did, her naked body was mere inches from the young Hero. She was within striking distance, and if he wanted, he could end her. Evidence of this was how he kept looking at her chest¡ªor rather, the Demon Core embedded there. ''Lilith have to work hard. Lilith don''t want to die!'' Determined to survive, Lilith pumped herself to cooperate, causing her two melons to jiggle. This only seemed to worsen the situation as his eyes were now more focused on her Demon Core. ''A-ah... what to do. Lilith scared...'' She wanted to break down, but she had to remain strong. Any little slip-up, and death awaited. Lilith closed her eyes and waited for the deed to be done. She would agree to his terms and live a horrible life of very for five years. The moment she obtained freedom, Lilith purposed in her heart never to attack humans again. She would much rather just live on her own than risk another hell. "Now, then..." The Hero''s voice interrupted Lilith''s thoughts, causing her to grow stuff. "... Let us begin." * * * [A/N] If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' You can check it out and add it to your library. I promise it''ll be worth every second. https://.webnovel/book/ascension-of-the-failed-mage_24898011105190405 Cheers! Chapter 77 The Easiest Route Involves Demons... Sounds Off, Right? "I hereby dere that I will be the master of this Demon, for the sum total of five years. ? She will do everything I instruct her to, except to die. She has no right to disobey me, except my instructions will directly kill her. She will not harm me, or any of my allies. She will guard any of my property with absolute diligence. She won''t ck off in any of her duties too." Once I was done with my side of the deal, I looked at her with expectant eyes. This was the decisive moment. Would she ept? Would she reject? I certainly prayed for the former, but Demons could be quite fickle. "L-Lilith ept..." ''Whew!'' The moment she epted, the Magic Circle I had drawn shimmered, and the symbols on it began floating around¡ªlike a light show. Warbling tones and brimming energy swirled around us for a while, and when it finally died down, certain effects took ce. A crest appeared on my right hand, and a mark resembling a choker encircled itself around Lilith''s neck. [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] [ve Contract Initiated] [ve Has Been Added To Character List] ~Skill Effect: With Great Responsibility, There Must Also Come Great Power Has Been Applied~ [You May Use Any Two Of Your ve''s Skills] Titles: [ve Master] and [Demon Contractor] have been given Skill: Domination has been given [Additional Stat Points and Karmic Value Have Been Given] [You Have Leveled Up] ''Haaa... looks like I did the right thing, after all.'' A smile formed on my face as I looked at the System''s response to my achievement. Sure, if I killed the Mid-Demon, I would have gotten more Level-Ups, but then what? The Skills, Titles, Skills, Karmic Values, and other perks I obtained thanks to enving her would be lost. ''I''m so happy she surrendered!'' My eyes were watery with joy. I had gotten a lot stronger just from having one Demon ve. It dawned on me that I could take this route in bing stronger. ''It''ll be an ethical issue if I make the members of other Races my ves, but Demons should be fine.'' An evil grin leaked out of my face, and I noticed Lilith shiver for a second. ''Oops. Keep it together, Sam.'' Now that the difficult part was done, it was time to handle the Lower ss Demons. ************* [Several Hours Later] ''What now?'' Lilith thought to herself. The Hero was finally done contracting with thest Lower ss Demon. He connected them to Lilith''s charge, ensuring she couldmand them just as he could. The only difference was that his orders carried more weight than hers. Frankly, after watching her new Master for some time, Lilith was plenty impressed. Not only was he well versed with Magic Circles, his ability to contract with so many Demons without showing any sign of exhaustion was nothing short of a miracle. But, the show was finally over, and it was now the moment of truth. Sure, Lilith and over a hundred and fifty were now subjects of the humans. However, that didn''t guarantee them any form of security. She could see disdain within the eyes of all the humans who watched her and the Lower-ss. Of course, Lilith understood that humans would naturally hate Demons. But, since they would be coexisting, she found that very worrisome. ''Lilith anxious. Where Lilith sleep? Will Lilith eat? How Lilith live?'' Her eyes were on her Master. In their contract, there was nothing stating that he would be responsible for her well-being. It was a cruel contract that only allowed her to escape liability if the orders included death. Her master was free of any obligations. Lilith understood all this when she entered the agreement, but now... the Demon was getting more and more anxious about her new life. "U-uuu..." Suddenly, her gaze met with her Master''s, and he gave a smile. The kind of smile that made her heart skip a beat. ''W-what is he...?!'' "Everyone, gather at the meeting area. I have some important things to say!" This deration echoed throughout thepound, greeting the ears of every living being around. As expected of people who respected the Hero, especially after his recent achievements, they all nodded and proceeded to the center of the town¡ªa in field. Since the settlement had walls surrounding it¡ªhouses at one side, farnd at another, and the store at another end, the center of the town remained quite spacious. Enough so that everyone could meet as amunity. "Come with me." "E-eh?" Lilith was shocked by her Master''s gesture. She watched as he stretched his hand at her, and she was hesitant to touch it with her ck ones. However, as a ve, she couldn''t exactly refuse her Master, could she? "O-okay..." Nervously holding his hand¡ªor was it he holding hers¡ªshe walked side by side with the Hero. Lilith found herself staring at the human, and her thoughts were in a daze. Just what kind of master would he be? ''N-no! No deceive Lilith! Master bad! Master sadist! Master beater!'' *************** I stared at the audience in silence. All eyes were on me, which was no surprise. The only difference this time, was that once in a while, they would shift their gazes to the being beside me. A Mid-Demon who could annihte all of them quite easily. Her Stats had even improved after we fought, so I doubted any of them could make her go serious. In essence, she was the second most powerful being in thismunity. As for the Lower-ss Demons, they were situated behind the people¡ªstill waiting for instructions, like loyal dogs ''I suppose it''s time.'' I gulped internally. Humans and Demons had never coexisted, but things were different now. To seed in this Hero endeavor of mine¡ªespecially choosing the easiest route¡ªI couldn''t afford to be so close-minded. ''Right here and now... I have to try convincing everyone about those prospects. And I have to seed!'' No matter the cost, my life here had to be as safe and guaranteed as possible. If having one or two Demons living here would make that possible, then so be it! * * * [A/N] If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' You can check it out and add it to your library. I promise it''ll be worth every second. https://.webnovel/book/ascension-of-the-failed-mage_24898011105190405 Cheers! Chapter 78 Am I A Hero? What is a Hero? When I was a kid, I used to watch lots of movies and animated series. I would see folks like Superdude and Bad save the day on countless asions. Then there were teams thatprised several heroes. Superhero groups like Justice Team, or the Revengers. Heroes came in many shapes and sizes¡ªsome being regr dudes with no special powers or anything. However, after many years of watching them¡ªand even dreaming of bing one at a particr point¡ªI noticed something. They all had something inmon. TRUST! The ''Trust'' of the people. That was what separated Heroes from vigntes or Anti-Heroes. Everyone believes the Hero. They love the Hero. They respect the Hero. And so, as someone who desired to reach that status, I realized what kind of man I wanted to be. Someone who saves others... someone others can rely on! But... ... As people grow up, they forget their childish ambitions. I was the same. I outgrew that desire and became a selfish, introverted Weeb. Other than the desire to consume vast amounts of novels, anime, manga,ics, and food, I literally cared about nothing and no one else. However, everything changed when I came across ''that'' novel. "Transmigrated With The Strongest System." The moment I read it... my life was forever changed. And that was why it became the best for me. A single volume rekindled the fire that I thought had died. The desire to be a true Hero! ************* ''Haa... no one understands these things...'' A single man can not build an empire. As the Hero, I was revered as a supreme being, capable of pretty much anything. I was pretty sure they thought I could totally blitz the Demon King if I wanted to. Bunch of idiots! No, perhaps I was the fool. Thanks to my misrepresentation, everyone now ced more trust in me than I wanted. I did everything myself¡ªat least in the department of nning. As a result, no one in this settlement thought for themselves. ''It''s convenient now, but it''ll be a bigger pain in the future.'' I couldn''t allow our current situation to fester! That said... "I am your Hero, am I not?" "WOOOHOOOOO!!!" Cheers echoed in my ears, almost making my eardrums burst. Even though these people obliviously followed me due to their mistaken notion, it wasn''t all bad. After all, their naivete saved me an incalcble amount of time that would have been used for exnations and tons of convincing. "I have rescued you from the scourge of the Demons. I have promised never to let you down. Now, I ask of you all..." It was thanks to their unwavering faith in the Hero¡ªin me¡ªthat I could pull this off. "... Will you trust me once more?" As expected, their reactions did not disappoint. "WE DOOOOOOOO!!!" Despite everyone''s dissatisfaction with the Demons. Regardless of their animosity with the vilest, most oppressive race in this world. Even with their hatred and the unimaginable sufferings they had experienced thanks to the evil beings... ... Everything was inconsequential before the Hero''s decision. ''Autocracy has its merits, after all!'' And so, with a single speech dering my intentions to adopt the Demons into our society¡ªas workers, of course¡ªmy subjects readily agreed. Their absolute trust in me rang true, and I was even able to get even more achievements as a result. For example; [Your Skill: With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power has evolved] I was so hyped when I saw this! Many other rewards came flooding in¡ªmostly Stat Points and Karmic Value. As I was watched by both Demons and Humans, a new Title popped in. [The One Who Unifies] I was surprised to get this one. Even Damien didn''t get it till his 5th Round. It was an important Title thatpletely changed the game... and I received it so easily! ''Looks like I made the right choice, after all.'' Truthfully, things were moving much faster than I imagined. I hadn''t even spent a month in this brave new world, yet so many balls were rolling. I could only handle so much, after all. ''There''s so much to be done now...'' Not only did we need more allies and resources, we also needed to expand our territory. That meant more manpower and security. Sure, the costs would increase, but if we had a much bigger and efficient workforce, we could even the odds and rake in more profit. My thoughts were not merely on this single patch ofnd. Ultimately, the world would have to know of my existence as the Hero who would lead them to victory. ''Everything starts from now.'' I watched everyone with eyes brimming with hope. I was no fraud, and I indeed wanted the best for these people. Yes, I took advantage of their ignorance. I also gave them the wrong impression on many things. But... wasn''t it all for the greater good? ''Overpowered or not, I''m the Hero...'' Raising my hand, I parted my lips and dered my intentions to everyone who looked up to me. "I will save this world!" As expected, more roars burst forth. I had said a lot of bullshit in the past, and my words could never be trusted. But... this time I meant it. ''This is the world I''m living in now..." "HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''... This is what I always wanted, isn''t it?'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I almost lost everything because of my recklessness. Because of that mistake, I now understand that there''s no going back now...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I''m not Damien. I''m not Selyon. I''m not like them...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''Compared to the big shots in this world, I''m unreasonably weak. But...'' "I will protect everyone, no matter what! I SWEAR ON MY NAME AS THE HERO!" My life in this new world was just beginning. I was responsible for so many people¡ªDemons and Humans alike. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way? Definitely not me! But, now that I had reached this juncture, there was no turning back. ''Not until I defeat the Demon God, and the 19 other Gods. Then... I challenge that ONE.'' It was going to be tough¡ªno, downright impossible. Even with my knowledge, victory wasn''t assured. Just thinking about the long journey that awaited me sent shivers down my spine. But, what sort of Hero would I be if I didn''t confront it head-on? ''If Damien could do it, so can I!'' As long as I yed my cards right, my goals could be achieved. ''I can do it!'' "HERO! HERO! HERO!'' ''I CAN DO THIS!'' * * * [One Month From Now] "I can''t do this..." Smoke filled the air as debris littered the ground. From the corner of my eyes, I could spot myrades¡ªno, my subordinates. They had been defeated so easily. As they struggled for their lives, I basked in despondency. Despair crept upon me, and the personification of my fears stood a short distance from me. "It is impossible to defeat me." A month ago, I would have vehemently disagreed with that logic. I would have sought whatever means I could to win. I would have used my Arcana Call. I would have bluffed. I would have done everything! ''I-I tried all I could think of... nothing works...'' Perhaps if I had one more chance... maybe things could be different. ''The Fool is out ofmission, and I can''t beat this one even if my Stats are all restored.'' Nothing could avail me at this point. ''They all depended on me... yet I couldn''t do anything. Everyone will die here... so will I.'' Frustration welled up within me¡ªand so did regret. Why did I ever think I could do this? I... I should not havee here! "It seems you''ve already epted your fate." I raised my head with thest bit of my energy, watching the silhouette of the Demon with my blurry vision. Defeating something like this was downright impossible. "Now... die." Something appeared within the Demon''s grasp. It was reddish, and the object had a peculiar shape. Was that... a heart? ''Haaaa...'' My thoughts trailed as the realization dawned on me. The Demon''s monstrous ws finally squashed the red heart, sending a painful¡ªindescribably painful¡ªsensation coursing through me. ''... This really is the end.'' "GUARK!" With my final cough of blood, I felt everything go nk. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [All Chances Of Restoration Have Been Exhausted] [YOU HAVE DIED!] * * * * * [End Of The First Arc: Settling In] ~The Second Arc: Demonic Crisis will begin shortly~ I hope you enjoyed the read. Also... If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' You can check it out and add it to your library. I promise it''ll be worth every second. https://.webnovel/book/ascension-of-the-failed-mage_24898011105190405 Cheers! Chapter 79 No Rest For The Hero "Haaa... isn''t life wonderful?" As I sat atop my newly constructed tower, I watched the world from a glorified standing point. The blue sky, the lukewarm sun, and the white clouds that drifted slowly. Everything was so peaceful up here. So beautiful. Thends spread about for miles¡ªeven the mountains that peaked at the clouds. I could see them all from my distance. "Project Overwatch is a sess." I smiled, tapping the extremely sturdy tower floor. I was currently over a hundred feet from the ground¡ªstanding on the t roof of the watchtower I designed. Designed for observation in all directions, I made sure it was tall enough for its purpose. "Now we can detect enemy attacks from a far range and a much higher anglepared to before." I nodded with a smile. While I was currently on the roof, the true guardpost would be situated inside the tower itself. It had four major openings at the cardinal angles, so the four guards who would be situated there could observe all the possible directions that the enemy could attack from. asional shifts would ensure work effectiveness and alertness. And, there was, of course, a bell I personally enchanted which hung on the ceiling. The guards could easily use it to alert the settlement of any harm that could befall us. Based on how far I could see, we would have at least twelve hours¡ªif not more to prepare for enemy invasion. If the enemy was on foot, we could have a whole day. "Once again, our security system is tighter than ever." I beamed, looking down to observe the settlement beneath me. Everyone was working so hard¡ªengaged in one activity or the other. The walls had been extended, and we now had ess to way more territory than before. What used to be the whole settlement became ssified as a residential area, and a separate patch ofnd was used for farnd. I made the manufacturing site also separated from the residential area¡ªsince it was unhealthy to ce them close to each other. Demons were working hard in constructing the highly fortified buildings we would be using for battle, and I could see their supervisor being hard on them. "She''s wearing clothes now..." I smiled in satisfaction. It was a tough job getting Lilith to put on clothes, but she was finally getting used to it. That warmed my heart. Her current outfit was a dark red crop top and tight ck jeans. It seemed she enjoyed extremely slim-fit clothes. As for shoes... she wore dark boots. I didn''t get it too, but those were her preference. I turned my gaze from the construction sites and looked toward our barracks¡ªwatching as Lucy trained the denizens of our little town. Her fiery spirit hadn''t dwindled since I met her, and she remained as ferocious as ever. To be honest, I still got the shivers anytime we spoke. I mean, I could beat her in a fight now, but... Lucy still made me nervous. As for the people she trained¡ªthey seemed to be in a lot of pain, but their determined expressions told me they weren''t giving up anytime soon. To protect our home, they were all resolved to be much stronger. "I''m happy to see that." Byron was overseeing things at the manufacturing nt. Having Lower ss Demons serve as the heavy lifters while using the craftsmanship of the humans, we were making groundbreaking technology using the knowledge I had of this world. "We''ll be needing more Mana Chalk and Mercury soon..." It was a bother that we had to go to the Adventurer''s City anytime we wanted to get those resources. Wasn''t there a way to artificially grow our own supply here? Perhaps we could discover a mine where they would be avable. My mind was more active than ever these days as I tried resolving so many issues. So much work awaited me on a daily basis that there was hardly any time to catch a break. "For example, that one..." I looked in the direction of the residential area. It was now properly tiled, and the houses were no longer tents. Yes, we had actual homes made of stone bricks. It was a bit tricky, but by using Magic to replicate certain stuff like cement, we finally pulled it off. It took me a week to sort through the project, so I was really happy when it worked. The tiled roads also had a simr story. Not only had our territory expanded, but we were advancing daily. Advancement meant effort. Effort meant time. Time meant work. And all the work eventually came to me. "Damn... it''s been a full month already." A tear nearly escaped my eyes. We had reallye a long way from when I started this journey, and for that... I was truly happy. Everything was so peaceful, but that didn''t make mezy. I made sure our farming project was going on smoothly, and the storage area was taken care of with Magic Runes which prevented rot. I even got my personal freezer from my System Shop, so we could all have some cold treats once in a while. Our military might was improving, and so were our defenses. Everyone was living a much happier, more productive life. The Demons had settled in nicely, even though they lived in a segregated location within the residential area. It wasn''t due to racism. ''Demons constantly emit Miasma, so living with them isn''t healthy.'' Even when they worked together, I had the humans put on safety vests that were enchanted. This blocked off the Miasma for some time. ''The effects aren''t forever, though. They also need to be charged, so they''re strictly for working hours.'' Ultimately, this divide would always exist¡ªunless I somehow solved the Miasma issue. "That can wait!" At the moment, two major things were on my mind. One was business. We had been stocking our foodstuff and exotic fruits¡ªmost of which were from my original world. Now that we had enough, it was time to start doing business. Chapter 80 My Precioussssssss!!! "During our next trip to Dulum, we should take some of our products to sell..." The problem with that, however, was that Dulum wasn''t exactly a ce that appreciated the kind of foods I was bringing to the market. Sure, they were novel and exotic, but no Adventurer would want to pay extra for a luxury meal. Only the top ones would be able to constantly afford it, and that wasn''t what I wanted. ''Fruits are healthy in the long run, so they should be more expensive here. But, Adventurers live short and risky lives. It''ll be hard convincing them to neglect meals that give them a momentary boost in energy and go for the more delicious and nutritious options...'' I wasn''t ready to devalue my products to suit the tastes of the Adventurers, so a new idea came to my mind. ''I have created a good rtionship with Dulum, but it''s time to expand my influence. If I leverage on the City, as a trustworthy ally, I can reach out to other areas.'' The ce I had in mind was the Merchant City. It was the perfect trading hub to introduce my products! ''The market is established, and I can make many connections too!'' Plus, there were several items and information I could obtain from the Merchant City that I didn''t have ess to in Dulum. ''For example, the current state of the world. The regions that are in dire straits, and those who could use a Hero.'' Merchants traveled far and wide, so their informationwork was second to none. Unlike them, Adventurers were muscle heads who could only think of violence and money. Definitely not my style! ''I''ll use Dulum to make contact with the Merchants!'' A few of them had to stop by the Adventurer''s City frequently¡ªfor issuing Quests of protection, procurement, among several other reasons. If I introduced my products to those Merchants, and they took it back with them... I was sure to make a name for myself. ''This world iscking in a lot of resources, thanks to their current state...'' Leveraging on this, I could do good business. After watching several anime and reading Light Novels for so long, I knew that for sure. But, I also knew that delving into business could be dangerous. I brought the risk of making enemies out of other merchants who would be losing thanks to my entry into the market. If I brought a great deal of groundbreaking technology, it would ruin whatever deal they were having with consumers. ? I could run them out of business, and that would cause them to bare their fangs on me. Acrimony was thest thing I wanted, so I had to tread carefully. "I''ll start with foodstuff, since those are always in demand¡ªmore demand than supply! Once I have enough information on the market, I''ll branch out.'' There was no need to rush. Until we had enough power and influence to defend our interests, it was better to start small. ''It''ll be even better if I can partner up with merchants and create a scenario where we all win.'' That was my duty as a Hero, wasn''t it? I was meant to be the pir that defended this world, and not a greedy person whose only interest was money. "Haa, I guess I have to betray my capitalist upbringing." A Hero was for everyone! As much as I loved this settlement and its people, the fact remained that I was meant to save everyone here. That included the innocent merchants who simply wanted to make a profit. "Well, we''ll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, I just have to make sure this first business n is sessful." How our food resources would be received by the market was going to affect any future projects concerningmerce. Everything was one step at a time. "Now, for the second matter that needs concern..." I sighed while staring far into the horizon. I squinted my eyes and felt the wind brush my face while inhaling the cool breeze. My heart felt a pang of both disappointment and unease. It wasn''t due to any apparent danger, but because I was worried about something. "Those Adventurers have still not said anything about the weapons I told them to make for me..." I murmured. Back when I first went to the Adventurer''s City, I made sure to kill that Earth Dragon, making a name for myself as the Legendary Dragon yer. I specifically told Zabdel¡ªthe Vice Guildmaster¡ª to make the parts into weapons. Some of the parts they could not process were taken by me since I could process them myself. But, since Adventurers were experts at weapons, I wanted them to forge the good stuff for me. Of course, it wasn''t for free. I nned onpensating them for their efforts. But, even looking at all I had done for them already, they should have readily agreed without expecting a reward. Yet, not only had Zabdel been tight-lipped about the whole thing, I was yet to see a single weapon made from the Earth Dragon. "Hold up... I hope it''s not what I think it is." After spending time making a series of ns concerning the Merchant City, it dawned on me that Dulum could have been. a step ahead of me. "Those bastards! Did they really sell my precious Earth Dragon parts?!" Tears nearly burst out of my eyes at this point. Why would they do something like that? "After saving their lives and trying my best to look cool. Those guys... they wouldn''t have done something like that, right?" The more I thought of it, the more it seemed probable to me. I mean, I had seen stories where the Vice Guildmaster was actually a viin in disguise. ''And he seemed so nice too. What if he sold the goods and ran away with the money? Shiiiit!!!'' I couldn''t control the feeling of pain and loss swirling within me. "No.... no way! My precious... my precious Earth Dragon..." As I sniffed, I looked above me¡ªwatching the cloud look dark all of a sudden. Yep! The future looked bleak already. Chapter 81 When It Begins To Rain Lemons The dark clouds rumbled, and then I realized it was just about to rain. "A-ah... is it that time of the year already?" As more thick clouds gathered, I remained frozen where I stood, watching the foamy clusters of grey and ash. It wasn''t like I thought they were beautiful or anything. I was just... ''MY EARTH DRAGON... GIVE ME BACK NY EARTH DRAGON!!!'' ... Lost in intense thought. As I was weeping internally¡ªwondering how to raise the question when next I went to Dulum¡ªthe shaft on the roof opened, and someone emerged. "Sam... it''s about to rain. Is it not best youe under shade?" "Ah, that''s true," I murmured. The Priestess hadn''t changed the slightest since I met her. She was still very loyal¡ªperhaps even more than ever. And she was plenty attractive in her overalls too. ''If I had yed my cards right... perhaps she would be Girl Number 1 in my Harem.'' I made a sad mental note, eviscerating something that would nevere to pass. ''Lucy should be Girl Number 2, and then Lilith should be Girl Number 3...'' It was a shame I could no longer depend on Asa, especially since we never really spoke all thanks to me resetting the timeline. ''I had initially thought there would be chances of further advance in the future, but...'' Apparently, Asa was an aplished A Rank Adventurer, and she was on the rise in the Adventurers business. I didn''t want to interrupt that. ''This shows just how much potential she has. Now I feel even worse for diminishing her capabilities in the lost timeline...'' In any case, all my Harem ideas were fantasies. Not only did these girls respect me a great deal, but they also seemed to be stiff as heck. Not one of them would even offer her body or perform a lewd act. I never had to see any censored scene... ''identally'', of course. ''Here I am, working myself to the bone, and no one can offer up themselves in gratitude?'' I knew I was being unjustifiably hard on them mentally. Perhaps the Earth Dragon stuff affected me more than I thought. ''The next time I go to Dulum, I''m going to raze that ce to the ground! They''re gonna cough up the merchandise... or so I''d like to say.'' With a deted sigh, I followed Sarah down the shaft until we got into the tower''s interior and I observed the guardpost. It wasn''t like I couldn''t cause somemotion in the Adventurer''s City or straight up ask for my property back, but... ''I still need to maintain good rtions with them in order to further advance my trade prospects.'' Plus, as allies of my people, Dulum remained indispensable¡ªespecially considering how they were already a well-known body in this world. ''It doesn''t mean I''ll just forget about it. I''ll definitely ask for my stuff back.'' Comradeship was built on trust, after all. The question I needed to get out of my mind was simple... ''Can I trust those guys or not?'' "A-ah¡ª" I realized I was standing in a single position for too long. Sarah was already looking at me with those cute and curious eyes. I bet she thought I was thinking about something super important. Well, it was kind of important, but... well, you get my drift. "Let us descend." I did mention the tower was over a hundred feet tall, right? In that case, how would you suppose a person navigated their way up and down the stairs? The answer was simple¡ªor rather, a bitplex. Sarah guided me to the door that led to our ticket down. As it opened, something was waiting for me within. A hovering box that resembled a smallpartment. Yes, that''s right! ''I developed an Elevator in another world!'' "Shall we?" I smiled as we stepped into the floating cube together. What kept it afloat was Magic, obviously. It had no wires or whatever thingies that Elevators had. The concept was simple. By using Magic Runes to make the box lighter, it floated. Then, by choosing to return down and adding an extra Rune, the box slowly got heavier until it reached the ground floor. ''Am I a genius or what?!'' There were some issues with it, though¡ªlike how you would always need to ce a rune to change the weight. What if we ran out of Mana Chalk and Mercury? I needed to think of more sustainable developments, but so far... we were doing pretty well. Thepartment hummed as it started to take us down slowly. I caught Sarah fidgeting from the side of my eyes. Her body moved ufortably as her gaze shifted in many directions. Clearly, she was feeling nervous as we were being slowly dropped by the Magic Elevator. ''So cute!'' Not long after, we arrived at the ground floor, and I stepped out of the Tower, only to be greeted by rain. "S-Sam!" I heard Sarah scream, but it was toote. Cool liquids fell on my body, and in no time at all, I was soaked. ''Welp... guess that''s that.'' It was just normal rain, so I didn''t understand why Sarah was being so shifty about it. Wasn''t it just her usual unnecessary pampering? ''Haa... I should just return to my house. Taking a short nap while it''s raining should help my mood a little...'' And so, as I was bathed in the cool rain, I nced at the Priestess once more¡ªhoping her attire would show me some nice proportions in their soaked state. I wasn''t disappointed. ''Is this how low you''ve sunk, Sam? Surrounded by so many cute girls, yet...'' I walked to my house with dignity, but within I knew I was a fallen man . ''... I have nothing to show for it.'' ****** Three people hurriedly traversed the wilderness, huffing and puffing as they did their best to navigate their way to the appointed destination as soon as possible. One was arge, muscr barbarian. Another was an extremely thin andnky man. Thest one... was a blonddy with charming features. Desperation lit up in their eyes, and they only had one destination¡ªonly one goal! "Legendary Dragon yer, please be well..." The blonddy whispered under there breath as her eyes showed more zing passion than ever before. "Dulum needs your help!" Chapter 82 Shit! I Got Caught?! Sarah smiled as she watched her lord nce at her with his charming smile. She could never get enough of his calm gaze and his unfettered smile. Every time she looked at his face, she would simply feel a wave of unadulterated happiness. Even as the rain beat her body, she felt the Hero''s gaze shift in her direction on countless asions. ''Is he worried I''ll catch a cold? Oh, Hero...'' Her thoughts were aloft. Even though she had only been caring for him for about a month now, Sarah felt like she had known him for longer. Being his personal assistant was definitely the greatest joy she could receive. ''Haa... Sam...'' Her eyes stared dreamily at him¡ªthat is, until she corrected herself. Lately, she had been having sphemous thoughts and filthy emotions. Sarah felt embarrassed by the feelings she had been getting rather frequently, desiring to purge them all. ''I... how can I think that way of the Hero??!'' She knew this emotion well. It was one that humans called love¡ªwhen two people desired each other and came together to act on it. ''N-no... the Hero is... too magnificent for me!'' Sarah chided herself once more. Still, she could not help but stare at Sam''s ck hair and charming blue eyes as he stared at her again. His gaze felt a bit distracted, as though he was looking a bit lower than her face. It was almost like¡ª ''A-ah!'' Sarah gasped, finally figuring it out. She trailed his gaze, and both his eyes were locked in one direction¡ªher chest! No, rather, it was her heart. ''H-he knows how I feel? N-no way...'' Both hands now covered her mouth as she tried to control herself. This was the Hero she was talking about. Nothing was impossible for him to achieve, and it wouldn''t be the first time he would be reading her thoughts. ''S-so he knows... the feelings buried deep within my heart?'' She had always viewed Sam with respect, but it was onlytely that that inclination morphed to be something else entirely Ever since Lucy, and then Lilith, entered the picture. Sarah did not know much about romance, but she did not want to lose the Hero''s attention to those two, at the very least. ''T-to think he knew all that...'' Sarah was embarrassed beyondpare. Yet, one question bothered her endlessly. ''Why hasn''t he said anything? He just looks at me. Is he waiting for me to speak first? No, this is the Hero we''re talking about here... surely he has a grand n. Or maybe those feelings aren''t worth hisment?'' "Uuuuuu..." Sarah let out a soft and confused sigh. The Hero was beyond her understanding, but even she wished to understand him a bit more. ''S-sam, I''m sorry for my shameless thoughts. I just can''t help but admire you...'' Her feelings would most likely never be reciprocated. A Hero of Sam''s caliber was simply out of her league! ********** ''What''s up with Sarah? She''s been looking at me for some time now while acting all embarrassed.'' My thoughts trailed as I nced at the girl. Suddenly, my eyes bulged wide open and I realized¡ª ''N-no way! Did she realize I''ve been staring at her boobs this whole time?!'' Knowing Sarah, she respected me too much to say a peep, but could that be why she had been acting strange ever since we started walking in the rain? ''Oh shit! I just ruined her mental image of me! Damnit!'' Tears rolled down my eyes, unnoticeable thanks to the constant outpour of the rain. ''All because of your lust, Sam... you jeopardized your future!'' How disgusted would she be by me now? Would she ever think of me the same as before again? As I thought along this line, I could do nothing but sigh and contemte my very bleak future. ''She knows now... that I''m a pervert. I guess there''s nothing I can do...'' I turned my neck a little and shamelessly observed her body once more¡ªseeing as her nearly transparent outfit tightly clung to her body. Now that the jig was up, I no longer needed to control myself. ''Get as much from the sight as you can, Sam! Opportunity cums¡ªI mean,es¡ªbut once!'' And thus, we continued this pattern until we arrived at my ce. ********** Asa and herpanions rode their Desert Ostriches, charging straight for the Legendary Dragon yer''s location. As the wind best her hair and dust trailed behind her, the young woman''s thoughts went to the man she had spoken to only once. He was noble enough to save Dulum before, and was generous enough to create peaceful rtions with their city. Even though he didn''t have much to benefit, he still supported the City so much that anyone who heard the story would be so embarrassed by his magnanimity. Truly, the Legendary Dragon yer was a man of substance! ''That''s why we need his help! He''s the only one who can help us now!'' "How much farther fo we need to go, Asa?" Gu, her extremely muscr Adventurerrade asked with concern. Asa could understand why. "It shouldn''t take more than a day. If we hurry, we can arrive before nightfall!" The truth was that they had been traveling sincest night, and none of them had gotten any sleep. Asa knew the Desert Ostriches were also at their limits, but she couldn''t will them.to stop now. Theirrades were currently on the front lines, trying their hardest to hold the fort while waiting for the backup to arrive. ''We have to get there fast!'' Her eyes were alit with determination. As Asa looked beside her, watching the two Adventurers who were with her on this very important Quest, she realized that they all participated in the Adventurer''s Exam together. Things had really changed since then, but Asa did not feel like she had changed much. "Even now... I can''t protect the ones I care about..." Her voice trailed as a sad memory lingered in her head. Still, she marched onward. Even if she didn''t have the strength to protect her city from the chaos currently guing it, there was one person who could. The Legendary Dragon yer himself. Chapter 83 Looks Like We Have Some Incoming Visitors [Pt 1] After a few more hours, the Desert Ostriches could no longer move. As Asa suspected, they were fully spent. The poor animals had been carrying them for hours, running as fast as their legs could carry them. Unfortunately, even though they were one of the fastest means of transport an Adventurer could use, Desert Ostriches didn''t have infinite stamina. "It''s fine..." Asa petted the bald head of her mount. The poor animal was wheezing at this point. It honestly made the blonddy feel bad about herself. ''How could I have pushed this creature to such a point...'' Still, despite her heartache, the resolve to make things right kept burning within her. Asa didn''t have the time to dwell on heartbreaking thoughts. "What should we do now?" Gu asked, staring squarely at the leader. Liebert, on the other hand,zily eyed the two. He was hungry and tired, so he would have preferred a rest. But¡ª ''I can''t slow them down. This mission''s reward is too great for me to pass up. If it''s sessful, then...'' ¡ªLiebert persevered for what he considered the greater good. His survival! "We keep marching on. Let''s leave the Desert Ostriches here. Since we''ve not been walking for hours now, we should have sufficient stamina to run for a long while." Liebert nearly leaked out a groan, but he controlled himself. "Our goal hasn''t changed. We must get to the target location before nightfall. Let us not forget the people that are counting on us!" As Asa made this deration, Gu clenched his fists and nodded with determination. He hadrades risking their lives on the front lines. There was no way he would take his time and risk their safety. ''Wait for me, everyone! I''ll return with help. I promise!'' "Liebert, can you keep up?" Asa suddenly turned to the emaciated man. "U-uh?" "You don''t seem to be in the best of health conditions, so I''m worried about your stamina." The blonddy continued. Truly, if one took a good look at all three of them, it was obvious who seemed to be the dead weight. Not only did Liebert have a sickly appearance, but he contributed very little to group discussions, and he seemed the least motivated. Asa, as the leader, had taken all these into ount, so she was a bit worried for him. "A-ah, I''m good. I''ll try not to slow anyone down." Liebert''s statement contained as little energy as there was assurance, but Asa decided to take his word for it. There was no time to spend doubting him, after all. "Alright! Let''s go!" * * * ''W-wha¡ª?! Amazing...!!!'' Asa''s eyes were wide open¡ªnearly popping out of their sockets¡ªas she watched something unbelievable unfold before her very eyes. Gu was equally surprised. They had been running for over two hours now, and Asa was already beginning to run out of steam. The barbarian was also facing a simr predicament, though it seemed he couldst longer if he pushed himself. However, for Liebert¡ªthe seemingly weakest among the bunch¡ªhe was running just as fast as when they just started. Maintaining his current pace, thenky man had already overtaken the other two. His form was unhinged, and his expression hardly changed. ''H-how much stamina does he have?!'' Asa found herself asking. She panted for fresh air, her body glistening with sweat. Her muscles ached, and the girl was already feeling lightheaded. ''B-but... I can''t stop now!'' Even though she felt like taking a break, there was no way she could do that with Liebert showing so much vigor. It would have been a different story if the sickly man was the one who rmended a break. Heck, even if Gu said it, she would happily oblige. But, as the Leader of the Party, Asa could not bring herself to call off their marathon! ''At this rate, though... I''ll be the first to run out of steam!'' Had she been resting on herurels for too long? Had she neglected her training that much? ''I can''t afford to ck off! Push, Asa! Push further!!!'' About an hourter, Asa finally rmended a break. *********** "H-Hero! We spotted some people heading our way!" As Iy on my bed, enjoying the little break allocated for myself, a sharp voice pierced my ears. ''No... please no...'' My eyes groggily opened and I almost let out a very irritated groan. ''Already? We''re having intruders already? This blows!'' Rising to sit on my bed, I ensured my face was in perfect condition before cing my gaze on the door of my room. "Come in." "Y-yes...".The voice hesitantly answered, and then he entered. "A-ah, it is an honor to be in your presence, O'' Hero." The man bowed before me. He was a middle-aged man¡ªI think Kurt was his name?¡ªand he was one of the security personnel in charge of minding the Watchtower. Kurt¡ªas I suspected¡ªappeared very nervous. His body fidgeted, and I could see his gaze shifting around the room. Well, I could understand why. "This is your first time here, isn''t it?" I asked, obviously donning my ''Hero Voice''. "Y-yes!" He groveled even further¡ªif that was even possible. ''Welp. Now I understand...'' Usually, my sanctuary was a ce only the top officials could enter. Folks like Sarah, Lucy, Lilith, and Byron were granted permission to even dream of entering. Of course, they had to knock first, and I also had to ept. Formoners like Kurt, the best he could do was appreciate the exterior of my home from afar. Lowly guards like him could never enter my residence. ''I don''t mean to be partial, but I read that doing stuff like this fosters apetitive spirit among workers.'' Apparently, people tried their best to be recognized as one of the few chosen ones. Using this as the basis of my rationale, I designed the current hierarchical system. ''Ah, I was so sleepy that I messed up and let him in. Damn...'' Of course, the Hero could never be seen to make mistakes, so I had to cover up for my indiscretion by acting calm and collected. ''The jig must never be up!'' Chapter 84 Looks Like We Have Some Incoming Visitors [Pt 2] I sent Sarah on some errands, so she was currently not attending to me. If she had been present, then this Kurt fellow would not have had direct contact with me. So, in a way, I was somewhat excused. ''Yep! I did nothing wrong!'' Once I shamelessly satiated my conscience, I resumed my ''Hero Vibe'' and addressed my subject with the dignity expected of someone in my position. "So, what is it you wanted to say?" My eyes narrowed at the middle-aged man as he trembled before me. He was probably lost in the magnificence of my room. ''It''s not anything fancy¡ªjust arge room filled with a bunch of stuff from my old world. It almost makes me feel like I''m back home too...'' I reveled in myfort. For example, I brought my television, my game console, my bookshelf¡ªbasically everything that could be recognized as my property from my previous world. As a result, even though my home wasrger than the others, it was stocked with so many things that I didn''t seem to notice how good I had it. "Y-yes. We spotted three persons heading in this direction. They''re running, so they seem to be in a hurry to reach here." "Any chance their goal is somewhere else?" "I don''t think so. They''re specifically targeting our direction. Plus, there''s no other residence in this vicinity." "Hmmm, I see..." My tone was collected, but... ''What the heck?! What have we done to deserve this kind of attention? What do these strangers want with us now?!'' I knew all the times of peace we had were too good to be true. ''Has the universe finally decided to punish me?'' "W-what should we do, Hero? We chose not to ring the bell because their numbers do not warrant a state of emergency." Kurt spoke with a trembling tone. Did he really think I would chastise him for his actions? "That was an excellent decision. You made the right call." "A-ah! Thank you, Hero!" I could see his face blushing, and honestly... that creeped me out a little. "Go speak to Lucy. Give her the details. She''ll confirm your report by taking a look from the Watchtower." The man nodded instantly, astounded by the wisdom I disyed. "Tell her I leave the formation of defenses to her. Once everything is ready, let me be informed." Truth be told, the potential intruders could end up not being enemies. In that case, I had to ensure the measures we took weren''t too severe. "Let it be a mild wee. If they choose to use force, then... so be it." "Understood! I will carry out yourmand with absolute fervency!" The man bowed, and then scurried away afterward. I was initially ufortable at the idea of having people old enough to be my parents ord me so much respect and reverence, but it had pretty much grown on me at this point. I was the Hero, so I just had to deal with it. "Now, then... let''s see what the problem is exactly." ncing at my bedside, I spotted my television remote¡ªamong other gadgets. I turned on the television with the remote, watching the thing disy thest anime I was watching in my downtime. ''A-ah, no. Not now!'' The Anime was paused, but I didn''t want the temptation of watching it when I had something more important to do. Thanks to having a couple of Sr Panels constantly charged by the Sun''s concentrated rays, I had ess to electricity. Even back on Earth, I was always a fan of clean energy. It took some time to sort out the wiring problem, but it eventually worked out. The whole town could finally enjoy the glorious power of Light Bulbs. ''Alright, back to topic!'' I quickly changed the channel and switched to a different ''Source''. ''CCTV. Yep! That''s the stuff!'' My Television screen instantly showed something different. It was live footage from the Watchtower itself! One of the advancements I made in this new world was introducing modern technology to make things better for me. I installed security cams in strategic ces around our settlement. That way, I could better observe many things from thefort of my home. ''They cost a good amount of Karmic Value, but their functions are well worth it...'' Not only did I get to see everything I wanted from afortable space, but the people revered me more since they literally thought I was omnipresent and omniscient. I could simply mention what happened at one location, even though I wasn''t present there. The question of ''How did he know?!'' would eventually get chalked down to me being just that powerful. As long as I could observe everything¡ªeven the sight from the Watchtower from my room¡ªI could better understand what we were facing. "A-ah, so those are the three figures approaching us..." I murmured, looking at them run through the wilderness. They were still a far distance off, and it was getting dark since it was evening, so I couldn''t exactly make out the details. Still... ''Don''t they look human?'' [System Recognition] ~Asa~ ~Gu~ ~Liebert~ [They Are Not Enemies] "Ohhh, nice one, System!" I already had a feeling they weren''t harmful. [No, you didn''t.] "I-in any case, I better stop all the panic before things get out of hand." Since they were here, perhaps my weapons were finally ready. I suddenly felt guilty for doubting Zabdel and the Adventurer City. ''I don''t see any sac with them, though. Do they have it stored in a Spacial Ring? No, there''s no way they have that technology...'' I decided not to ponder too much about where they had the items stored. The fact that they were hurriedlying to my doorstep meant they had realized their mistakes. I had to be generous enough to forgive them. "Alright, then. I should get ready for their arrival, shouldn''t I?" Sarah would be back from her errand soon. She was going to help me set up the perfect wee party for our guests. ''Alright! Should I flex a little?'' Chapter 85 Legendary Dragon Slayer... Just Who Are You??! [Pt 1] "W-what is this ce...?" Asa''s eyes widened to the point that they nearly looked bloodshot. It wasn''t just her, though. The other two were the same way¡ªeven the usually nonchnt Liebert. As the evening sun began to set and the moon slowly took over, the youngdy and her Party were only a short distance left from their destination. Of course, they had seen the ce from afar. When they did, they thought it was magnificent. However, the closer the three Adventurers got to the settlement, the more their awe skyrocketed. At this point, it had reached an immacte crescendo. "T-this... is simply a settlement?" Asa''s voice quivered. She could not ept such a word being used to describe this ce. The blonde knew what an actual settlement looked like... and it would be insulting to what her eyes were feasted upon topare the two. ''A city! This is a city!'' She wasn''t exaggerating, though. After watching the tall fence that stretched for a long distance, as well as therge structures that peaked from within, Asa was convinced. The most amazing part was the bright light and warmth that emanated from the city before her. Asa could feel her heart race and her body tingle as she approached the unknown. ''I-It''s amazing... too amazing." If it hadn''t been for her trust in the Legendary Dragon yer, as well as her desperation, Asa would not have taken this to be a human settlement¡ªespecially one situated out in the wilderness. But, she had to press forward! "L-lets walk ahead." The young Adventurer nced at her two dumbstruckrades. "Y-YEAH!" * * * The three Adventurers received an even greater shock once they drew nearer. Several humans were already standing in front of the massive gate to wee them. Asa noticed how they all looked devoted to their duties, and how they smiled with fervor. ''What''s going on here...?'' About thirty people were waiting in a long row, and two especially important people were standing at the center. ? These two women were famous within Dulum, so all three Adventurers knew of them quite well. "S-Sarah Lyniette the Holy Priestess?! Lucy the Strongest Plebian?!" Asa''s voice was louder than she expected, but her surprise could not be contained. What were two of the most important Adventurers of Dulum doing here? Were they also here to seek the Legendary Dragon yer? No, that couldn''t be right! ''They are standing in front of the gate as though they are a part of this settlement. Does that mean...?!'' Asa found herself not being surprised any longer. The Legendary Dragon yer was indeed a man worthy of awe and respect. He was able to obtain the loyalty of these two Adventurers so easily. The very same Adventurers who would not stay tied to Dulum despite all the efforts made by the Guildmaster and Vice Guildmaster¡ªor so Asa had heard. "Wee, Adventurers from Dulum. We know the one you seek... and he has been expecting your arrival." The Priestess spoke first. She was dressed in pure white linen, having ck and cold designs on her, along with a rosary bearing the holy sign of the Goddess wrapped around her neck. Her blond hair and gentle brown eyes resonated with Asa, making the youngdy''s heart flutter. Sarah Lyniette was just as the stories described her¡ªa gentle epitome of perfect devotion. "Let''s not waste any time. I''ll let you know a few things before venturing in." Lucy spoke next. Her crimson eyes narrowed on the three visitors, and despite her short stature, she was very intimidating. Asa and the others gulped instantly, realizing the difference in abilities between everyone and the littledy. ''S-so... this is someone who has reached the peak of human ability. A-amazing...'' Asa shuddered slightly. "You are only allowed in because ''He'' allows it. Since you are his honored guests, we will ord you with due regard. However, I would advise that you do not make any sudden reactions or suspicious movements. If you do, I will not hesitate to cut you down." An aura of domination seemed to fill the air, and the three Adventurers found themselves nodding without thinking about it. "Very well then. Hugo, you may open the door." Suddenly, the massive gates parted, and a giant being stood at the other end of it. "W-what?! T-that is¡ª?!" Asa was nearly dumbstruck as she saw the incrediblyrge Golem. It was at least fifteen meters in height. Not only did it have a bulky build, but the Mana within it was terrifying. Asa wasn''t sure if any Adventurer in Dulum would be a match for this humongous creature. Yet... "Hugo here is our gatekeeper. He won''t harm you, so let''s proceed inside. ... He was a simple gateman?! ''I don''t believe this. I can''t believe it!'' Even though Asa knew the Legendary Dragon yer was a powerful person, she didn''t expect him to rule over such powerful personalities. Perhaps it was her rationale that was wed. The blonddy realized that now as she proceeded into the city. "A-ah...!" Once she entered, the first thing she noticed was the brightness... and then the warmth. The heat that permeated the air made the chill of the night basically non-existent, but that was nothingpared to the wonderful disy of lights that illuminated the vastnd she entered. >DUM!< The gates were shut behind her, snapping Asa out of her delirious state. Her eyes simply broadened as she took in the ambiance of a totally different world. ''This ce is....amazing!'' She saw buildings made of earth, yet structured so well that she felt lost. She noticed how arranged their structures were. The tiled surface of the ground made everything so much better. The brightness, the warmth¡ªit was like daytime within the night. How was something like this possible? The most amazing part was that she couldn''t sense an ounce of Mana from the sources of illumination. None in the slightest! Asa saw the nightlife of amunity brimming with joy¡ªobserving as children ran around with smiles on their faces and the entire area bustling with such energy. It was enough to drive tears down her face. "A-amazing..." Chapter 86 Legendary Dragon Slayer... Just Who Are You??! [Pt 2] "So, you understand as well..." Sarah Lyniette''s voice tickled Asa''s ears, and her hand softlynded on her shoulder. "All of this has only been possible because of ''him''. He saved us, just like he rescued Dulum, and he made this ce a paradise. It''s all thanks to his power." Asa felt her heart racing ever so quickly as she thought of her first meeting with the Legendary Dragon yer. She had been so impudent to him. Had she known he was this great a personality, would she have grovelled instead? "Come, now. It''ste already, and I''m sure you''ve had a very tiring trip." Asa was brought out of her inner rollercoaster by Sarah''s melodic voice. "U-um, where are we going?" "To have you freshened up, of course. We can''t have you meeting ''him'' in such a state." Asa realized at this point, how drenched with sweat and dirt her body¡ªand that of herrades¡ªwas. They had stepped upon such a clean, sacred ce with filthy attires and dirty bodies. To be honest, it made her feel embarrassed. ''B-but...'' Slowly, the little voice within Asa that told her about the urgency of the situation at Dulum became eroded. She forgot about the urgency of their predicament. All she wanted to do at this point... was simply to please their amazing host. "Lucy, I''ll be taking them to the bathhouse now. Clothes have already been secured for them too. Please tell him we''ll be done within the next hour." The Priestess slowly turned in the direction of the crimson warrior. "Understood... though I reckon he already knows by now." "True. But his vast amount of knowledge should not excuse us from performing our duties." "Well said. I will deliver your message, then." Lucy immediately left the three Adventurers, as well as the thirty people who served as her entourage. As Asa watched Lucy go, she still could not help but feel awe and respect for the young girl. It wasn''t easy to reach the very pinnacle of one''s race. Lucy was among the handful of people who would ever attain that state. Yet, she held such reverence for another being. It simply showed the magnitude of his power. "Come now. Let''s get you all freshened up." Asa nodded and gulped, moving alongside her twopanions, like loyal sheep. Her lips moved, but words could note out. The further they walked, the more amazing sights she saw. For example, the massive tower reaching as high as the clouds. It was too unbelievable, yet there it was¡ªright before her eyes. The architecture and organization of the settlement¡ªif it could be called that at this point¡ªwas quite literally out of this world. "This ce is amazing... he really is unbelievable." "Ufufufufu..." Softughter escaped Sarah''s lips as Asa made her statement. Theugh was not condescending in any way. But, it wasn''t entirely that of agreement either. "You have no idea. This is simply the Residential District. We have several other areas already." "W-wha¡ª?! For real?!" Sarah nodded her head and smiled with confidence. ''N-no way! This ce is already enough to put Dulum to shame. If there are other areas that are equally as amazing, then...'' At this point, Asa decided to let go of hermon sense. There was no use trying to think things through. All she could understand at this point was that she didn''t understand much. The Legendary Dragon yer was a being beyond fathoming. ''Ah, lest I forget...'' The Adventurer nced at Sarah with curious eyes. "When you say freshening up, what do you mean?" For a ce in the wilderness, water was something of a luxury. She had heard that those who lived far away from civilization¡ªespecially in barrennds¡ªhad to travel to get necessaries like water and food. This settlement had to ssify as one of those ces. ''I would have thought like that just some moments ago, but with all I''ve seen... I can''t make any assumptions!'' Asa''s mind rang. "Well, first of all, you will have a nice bath. Whether you want it warm or cool is entirely up to you, but I would rmend the warm bath." "A-ah..." Asa was hearing it, but it sounded like a dream to her. She nced at herpanions, but they were too dazed by the sight of the city to even pay attention to Sarah''s words. "After your bath, we''ll give you a change of clothes too..." Asa had just noticed, but the outfit Sarah was wearing¡ªthe same as Lucy and the other residents of this City¡ªwas very unique. She had never seen such fabric before, and the embroidered effects on them were unbelievablyplex. Even the little kids in the city donned luxurious-looking outfits that put anything she had ever seen to shame. ''I heard the Merchant City has some amazing outfits, but I''ve never seen those before. Apparently, they are only for the richest members of society. That means they are super expensive...'' For even the littlest of kids to have amazing wears simr to the kind only attributed to the most prosperous, Asa could not even imagine the limits of the Legendary Dragon yer''s wealth. It was just as if the Legendary Dragon yer was a king¡ªno, a god¡ªwith no bounds or limits. "After you settle, we''ll treat you to some food so you can feel refreshed." "F-food?" The one who spoke up this time was Liebert. At the same instant which he spoke, his stomach rumbled, telling everyone around him of his predicament. "Yes. Food. Don''t worry, and don''t be impatient. I promise you''ll be satisfied." Sarah smiled cutely, almost as if she didn''t hear the growling of Liebert''s tummy. "Haha! I can''t wait, miss." Heughed. Asa''s cheeks turned red with embarrassment. One of her Party Members ended up disgracing their group by acting in an unseemly manner. ''Still, I''m curious too... what kind of food we''ll see...'' Everything she was seeing and heard was so surreal. Asa couldn''t wait till she went through them all. ''And, when I''m done... I''ll finally meet him.'' The mental image of the Legendary Dragon yer appeared in Asa''s mind as she made the thought. He was perfection incarnate. Chapter 87 That Time Adventurers Got Treated Like Kings! Everything was true! Down to thest detail¡ªthe things Sarah told them were all valid. Asa, Gu, and Liebert were behind stunned when they were introduced to the bathhouse. As advised, they used the warm shower option, and ''oh boy!'' were they pleased. The feeling of steamy water touching their bare bodies and permeating their bodies was beyond what words could describe. Nothing in Dulum couldpare to this experience! Asa, of course, used the female portion of the bath. She had the ce all to herself, and it was a paradise unlike any other. The water absorbed her into its ecstasy, and Asa could feel herself lost in the mist that gathered around her. Warm baths were the best! The young Adventurer could feel all her tensed muscles rx, and the aching bones within her slowly eased up. Thanks to overexerting herself in their bid to reach this City on time, she had been so exhausted. But now, everything seemed to melt away. Not only was the bath refreshing, but the aftermath was also just as satisfying. "S-sofortable!" "Ahhh... soft and warm!" "Smells so good..." The Adventurers were given fresh clothes¡ªall of which were fragrant andfortable enough for their tastes. Asa was given a nice wool sweater and a simple skirt¡ªboth of which were pink with white designs. Leggings were provided as well, so she did not need to feel exposed. Light sneakers served as shoes, and even though she did not know how they were made, Asa absolutely adored them. Gu donned a tank top, thanks to his huge physique. He had heavy jeans, as well asrge boots topliment them. The barbarian-looking warrior grinned with satisfaction upon seeing himself in such a wellplimenting outfit. As for Liebert, a in T-shirt and shorts seemed to do it for him. Not only did he feel at home in his new attire, the man could not help but enjoy the fragrant ''new cloth'' smell that apanied it. As the three of them adored their clothing, as though they were little children, Sarah directed them yet again. This time, the Priestess took them to a ce called ''The Guest House''. It was a huge building, and Asa could not believe such a ce was meant to amodate just three people. ''E-even the Vice Guildmaster would feel embarrassed with this...'' The Guest House was colored white, having numerous glowing jewels around it. Golden designs added more splendor to it. It was night, but the lighting around the building made its beauty pronounced. "Please,e in." Gulping while obeying Sarah''s words, the trip trooped into the Guest House with reverence. They were amazed by the interior, which was just as¡ªif not more¡ªimpressive than the exterior. White tiles, white walls, and a white ceiling greeted their eyes. The chandelier hanging atop their head seemed to be made of diamonds, gleaming with multicolored light. "WHOAHHH!!!" As though the meremoners they were, the Adventurers could not help expressing even more amazement. Their bodies shivered as they felt a strange frosty feel permeate the room. The entire building was being regted by a cooling system¡ªhaving a moderately chill effect that made Asa grateful for her wool sweater. The atmosphere was just right. As for Gu and Liebert, it wasn''t too cold that they felt ufortable. In fact, the strange chill made them feel at home in the vast space. Everything was perfect. From the interior decoration, to the sofas ced at just the right angle, then the carpet and rugs that made the ambiance of the room have the perfect shade of contrast. Everything was beautiful beyondpare. "Please, this way." The Priestess once again guided the gawking Adventurers to a separate room. They all simply followed her like innocentmbs, looking left and right as though they were children lost in a fairytale. None of them had lived grand lives, so it was easy for them to fall under the charm of the slightest luxury. At this point, the important mission they were entrusted with had vanished from their minds. The brainwashing was so intense that by the time they reached their destination, the three only had one thought. "AMAZING!" "Please... sit." Sarah spread her hand wide, and before them wasid a dining set. "W-whoah...!" The dining table was stretched for quite a long distance, and Asa estimated that about two dozen people could feast there without any issue. Seven chairs were ced there, though. Six by the left, six by the right, and one at the head center. The seats were will luxurious, but the one that stood alone was a different breed entirely. No one even dared imagine that would be their position. "Come on, now. Have your seats." Once again, Sarah urged the flustered bunch to befortable in the room. It was an impossible task, but Asa tried her best to calm down¡ªthe same as herrades. Liebert was the first to take his seat. His instincts whispered to his ears about what awaited him if he did as he was told. ''FOOD!'' Upon seeing one of herrades already seated, Asa chastised herself for her indecisiveness and quickly had her position. Gu followed afterward. The three all upied the seat at the left portion of the table. After all, Sarah''s hands had specifically moved in that direction. "Now that you are all settled... it is time to dine.". Once again, the Adventurers gave embarrassing sounds of awe... especially when the food arrived. "W-what is this?!" "This meal... I''ve never seen anything like this!" "It''s so much!" Sarah, the Priestess, simply smiled as she watched their honest expressions. She too was once like them¡ªignorant of the Hero''s magnitude. "You''ll be having Rice and Chicken Sauce. Orange Juice to go down with it, and Sd by the side. Do treat yourselves to this." With a bow, the people who brought the meals vanished from the room. "A-ahh...!" The trio wondered if it was really okay to enjoy something so grand. Their eyes gleamed as they observed the food with every Strength in their trembling bodies. Sarah sat at the right side of the table¡ªdirectly opposite them. Her smile urged them to have a bite from the luxurious meal spread before them. "I-I can''t take it anymore!!!" The first to give in to temptation was Liebert. Having no hold on his primal instinct, he used the cutlery to scoop the most delicious-looking item in front of him. The Chicken Sauce! "MPHHHHHH!!!!" His eyes instantly widened and a stifled sound escaped his tightly shit lips. The moment he took in the food, his body unconsciously let go of the spoon and simply quivered. "A-are you alright, Liebert?!" "W-what is happening?!" The skinny man could not respond to them. His lips were moving, but not to form words. No, they were simply chewing the stuff he had put inside his mouth. "Mmmmhhhh!!!" More tears proceeded down his cheeks as his mouth moved. The trembling in his body slowly stopped, but they were instantly reced with yet another spasm as his taste buds encountered another vor he had yet to explore. >GULP!< Finally, after a series of indescribable emotions, Liebert downed the sauce. Hisrades watched him with curiosity and unease. Just what had happened to their fellow Adventurer? "I-it''s... it''s..." Liebert''s body quivered from withdrawal as his bloodshot eyes eyed the vast food in front of him. Sweat appeared on his body and saliva began dripping from his mouth. Now that he had gotten a taste, there was no way he could go back. "IT''S SOOOOO GOOOOODDDDDD!!!" Before the other two could recover from his loud deration, Lieber went for the rice and found it to be just as interesting¡ªhaving a feel of salty-hot goodness that he could not describe. Most of Liebert''s meals were tasteless, so even rice was heavenly to his taste buds. Liebert took in the sd and found its juicy vegetable taste to be exquisite. His diet usually contained dry and stale meals, so having to chow down on a mix of healthy, sulent veggies made him ecstatic. "MPHHHHHH! YUM! AHHH! SO GOOD! AHH!!" Like a disgusting pig¡ªno, more like a starved beast¡ªLiebert devoured his meal with gumption. While Asa and Gu were appalled by hisck of manners, the two had to admit... that they were also very interested in the meal. If it was enough to drive Liebert to the edge of ecstatic insanity... just how amazing was the food? The aroma was enough to give them an answer. And so, they too indulged themselves in the boney trap of an irresistible palette. * * * "MMMMPHHHH!!!" Liebert suddenly began choking, reaching out for the Orange Juice before him with incalcble speed. "Ahhhhh!!!" A refreshed sound appeared once he downed the life-saving nectar of goodness. His body yearned for more, and his eyes could see the food left for him to devour. ''Never in my life...'' The man smiled and readied his stomach again. ''... Have I had so much to eat...'' Licking his lips and moving his body with absolute vigor, heunched his assault on the meal. ''... So much delicious food...'' Every single bite was heavenly. ''... I will cherish this forever!'' * * * * * [A/N] Do remember to check out my new novel. Title: Ascension Of The Failed Mage. Thank you. Chapter 88 The Legendary Dragon Slayer Is Also The Hero?! [Pt 1] The Adventurers had initially been on edge. However, after experiencing the pleasures of the Dragon yer''s City, they became quite mellow. After enjoying their meal, all three of them were delirious with ecstasy. The brainwashing wasplete. "Now, then. Since you have all gotten enough food and rest... shall we go?" "U-uh? Go where?" Even Asa had forgotten her mission as she sat behind the dining table, grateful she got to experience the wonderful mean even once in her life. "To see ''him'', of course. Isn''t that why you''re here?" The Priestess cocked her head and her warm-hearted smile caused Asa to snap out of her confusion. "A-ah, yes! You''re right!" The youngdy quickly snapped herrades from their embarrassing behavior, and before long they re-assumed their serious demeanor. "We''re ready!" Serious expressions now covered their faces. Even though they had just fed like gluttons a few moments ago¡ªand Asa even had some grains of rice on her chin¡ªthey all gave off professional vibes. Sarahughed internally, wondering where all the tension came from. ''Sam told us to feed them these meals as an experiment. If they took it with such gumption, then the market is sure to receive our food well...'' Fortunately, their attires had been enchanted with Runes, so they didn''t get messy despite the crude way the Adventurers ate. "Alright, then. But first, please use these napkins to clean up your face¡ªespecially your chin. Some of you have food stuck there." Sarah brought some soft white items for the three. "A-ah. Thank you... very much!" The Adventurers received the item with unfettered gratitude, and after they were done, the three nodded at one another with readiness. "Alright, then..." Sarah stood from her seat, followed by the same actions from the Part. Their eyes were alit with the message that burned deep within their hearts, and a strong sense of duty permeated their faces. The Priestess, who could sense their passion, nodded with even more satisfaction. ''They now realize how amazing Sam is. That''s good.'' Her mission as the Hero''s harbinger was done. It was now time for Sam to have the main show. "... Follow me." * * * "A-a... Amazing!" The three Adventurers must have had the same thoughts, because they all uttered the same words as theyid eyes on the residence of the settlement''s leader. They marveled at its blue and white ambiance. The surrounding lighting also made the building look like the center of attention. These three had seen the Guest House and thought it to be the greatest piece of architecture they had seen, but this one trumped it by far. It was smaller than the Guest House¡ªsure¡ªbut the way it was designed seemed like a pce, rather than a residence. The Adventurers had no idea, but to the Hero, it served as both. As they waited beyond the red carpet that peeked out of the inner recesses, Sarah stepped forward and conversed with the esteemed Host. Manners demanded that she knocked and then stated her business before even thinking of entering the Hero''s sacred residence. As she was about to knock, though, a deep voice pierced the air. "It seems you''ve brought the guests, Sarah..." The sudden voice of the Hero made the young Priestess stop dead in her tracks. Her body instantly tingled, and she felt a wave of both surprise and astonishment at the only man she could call Hero. ''H-he knew already?!'' Sarah wasn''t the only one who was amazed, though. The three Adventurers were already bowing at this point. It was clear that the Legendary Dragon yer could see them clearly. Still, none of them understood how he was able to sense them so clearly. Not only that, but his voice sounded so loud and deep. It also sounded close by¡ªalmost as if the Hero was right there with them. ''He''s not just omniscient but also omnipresent as well?! I-is that even possible? Have I really been underestimating him all this time?!'' Asa''s eyes bulged, and she found her heart racing once again. Fear, as well as anticipation, coursed through her body as she waited in her bowing state. "Very well. Come in." His voice boomed once more. For a few seconds, there was no motion. The Adventurers, as well as the Priestess, were still trying to grasp the profound nature of the Hero''s power. However, the more they tried, the more these people realized that his depths were too great to fathom. Ultimately, they would have to give up on the venture. "Yes. Right away!" Sarah snapped out of her dazed state, turning to look at the bbergasted guests of the Hero. "It is time." Her tone was precise¡ªsharp enough to return the attention of the hopeless Adventurers to her. "A-ah! Alright!" "O-okay..." "My stomach is rumbling..." And so, Sarah opened the door that separated absolute power from the rest of the world. The three prepared themselves and ventured in. Deep down, they must have all known how this experience would change their perception of reality. Nothing would ever remain the same! ********** ''Alright! Let''s not mess this up!'' A smile formed on my face as I saw the trembling Adventurers enter my abode. This Hero sanctuary actually had two major areas. One was my residence¡ªthefort of my room and whatnot. The second, however, was where I currently upied. My Throne Room! ''I was able to see them through the surveince camera I ced outside. And that microphone/speaker performance was epic! Hahaha! I''m pretty sure I surprised them!'' Thankfully, a concept like Inventory existed, so I could return my tools without anyone knowing. It was amazing how much better I was getting with theatrics. And so, being pleased with myself, I watched as my dear Adventurers approached with shivering forms. It seemed Sarah showed them quite a bit, so all of them were mellow. I could tell they were admiring the Throne Room scenario I had arranged specifically for times like this. Having them appreciate the beauty and splendor it represented made me happy that all my time and efforts weren''t in vain. "You are now standing before the one known to you as the Legendary Dragon yer..." Sarah began her lines. ''Yep! Yep! That''s right! This never gets old!'' "... But he is more than that. Here, seated in his majesty, is none other than the prophesied Hero himself!" Chapter 89 The Legendary Dragon Slayer Is Also The Hero?! [Pt 2] ''Eh? What the hell are you saying, Sarah?'' Perhaps I heard wrong, but did this Priestess just reveal my Hero identity to the Adventurers? Yeah, I must have heard wrong... "He is the one and only Hero, prophesied to save the world! Show him your reverence!" My eyes widened, and it took all of my willpower to maintain my calm demeanor. ''What the heck is she spouting? That isn''t in the script, Sarah!!!'' There was no way I wanted anyone outside this town to know of my Hero identity¡ªat least not until I had enough stability to actually get shit done. Why the heck did she think I took on the Monika of Dragon yer instead? Did she ever wonder about that? ''Of all people, to the Adventurers? They''re supposed to deliver my weapons to me, yet you''re telling them something like this?!'' What if they ended up keeping the goods to themselves while operating on the notion that the Hero was kind and benevolent? I wasn''t running a charity here. Just why did she have to ruin everything?!!! "H-Hero...?" I heard a stuttering feminine voice. It sounded familiar, and it came in the direction of the Adventurers, so it was easy to guess who the culprit was. "Y-you are... the Hero...?" The young Adventurer''s eyes were now widened, and her body kept shivering for some reason. I nearly gave a deep sigh of exasperation. ''Look what you''ve caused, Sarah! This is why I wanted you to keep shut!'' "T-the Hero?!" "For real?!" The other two Adventurers were also recoiling from their shock, and now everyone knew what was up. I couldn''t deny it any longer, else that would simply ruin the mood. Plus, a Hero never lies¡ªand that would just ruin the whole aesthetic I had going with the people of this world. ''If I deny it, Sarah will also look like a liar. I can''t do that to my favorite fangirl...'' Just by the sacrifices I was making for these people alone, I could feel the heavy weight of being a Hero. I could see their gazes converge on me¡ªexpectations glimmering in their eyes. I knew it instantly. ''Looks like I have to give a response... and I have to give it now.'' It was bothersome, but... "Greetings, Adventurers from Dulum¡ªAsa, Liebert, and Gu. I wee you to my humble abode. Indeed, I am the Hero." ... I had to do what I had to do. "A-ahhh!!!" "O'' Hero!" "Great one!" The three instantly took to their knees and prostrated before me with absolute fervor. Their voices were loud, and the trembling of their body told me how much they revered the Hero persona. ''I mean, the denizens of this world must have been told the stories of the Hero since they were kids. It''s probably like that group of people that was promised a Messiah...'' In a world like this, filled with despair, it was better to cling to hope, praying for the day of salvation. ''It seems they all had that conditioning from birth. Seeing me, the person who practically fulfills those conditions, I can understand why they can believe Sarah''s words...'' At this point, there was no turning back. My initial script was ruined, so I would have to ''ad lib'' my way through this whole thing. I mean, there was nothing wrong with freestyling, but I wasn''t expecting it now. ''Noints, Sam! Just do the needful!'' Once I pumped myself well enough, I poured all my focus into ensuring two major things. One was to obtain my Earth Dragon Weapons. There was no way I would let go of something I had kept my hopes on for so long. ''I don''t care if they think I''m a Hero! They''re gonna cough my stuff up!'' As for the second thing I would like to achieve... ''In the previous timeline, these three left the Adventurers City and joined me. If I y my cards well, then it''s possible that they do the same again.'' After going through their Character Info, I learned a couple of nice things about the three. Especially one in particr. It would be nice to have them under my rule¡ªno, it was a necessity! "Please, rise to your feet. I have only done what is expected of me as the Hero. In fact... I have not done nearly enough for this world." My voice trailed off in a thoughtful manner. From the corner of my eyes, I could see them disagreeing with my words. "N-no way, H-H¡ªI mean, Sam! You''ve done more than anything we could have imagined!" Sarah stuttered with overflowing emotions. "Y-yes! You saved a lot of lives in Dulum too! We are eternally grateful. Even now..." Asa defended me too. Being modest truly paid off. ''By the way, if you guys are eternally grateful, then where are my weapons?!'' I silently gritted my teeth while staring at the rising Adventurers. None of them were with any sac that could contain my goods. Besides, I wasn''t sensing any powerful Mana emanating from them, so there was no way they had used a Magic Item to store them. ''So why are they here? Where''s my stuff?'' I certainly hoped they weren''t here to give stupid excuses like; * "W-we''re sorry, but an ident happened and¡ª!" * There was no way I would be epting something like that. Still... the fact that none of them were talking about it made me feel like they were waiting for me to ask. ''Arghh! So annoying. Now that I''ve been revealed to be the Hero, I can''t use my ''Tyrant Vibe'' on these guys!'' Sarah really messed up this time. I had to forgive this slip-up, though. Since she did it with pure intentions, she was justified. Plus, with the ecstatic way the Priestess was currently staring at me, there was no way I could punish her¡ªeven if I wanted to. "We greet the Hero with absolute reverence." Asa and the others slightly bowed once again. ''Urgh! Enough already. Just hand over the goods!'' Chapter 90 These People Think Im A Pushover Hero, Dont They? "Mighty in splendor, graceful in righteousness. His powerful hand stretches outward as he saves those in need from distress..." ...h! h! h! Asa, Gu, and Liebert continued by singing praises to my name. They even started reciting whatever stories they were told about ''The Hero'' from their upbringing. Their voices ovepped, and the praises were too much that they burned my heart. ''Cringe! Too cringe!!!'' If I wasn''t too careful, these Adventurers would waste my time and I would not be able to obtain the items by the time they were done. ''I have no choice. I have to bring up the topic!'' "I know why the three of you are here." My voice calmly interrupted their chants of praises, or whatever. "A-ah...?!" "As expected of the Hero!" "A-awesome..." As expected, their eyes glimmered in more reverence. However, this feeling soon died out, and a heavy atmosphere took over the room. The Adventurers who addressed me with great energy and splendor suddenly had dull faces. ''Ah, herees the terrible news. They''re about to give me their sob story.'' I nearly rolled my eyes. Asa seemed to be the Party Leader, so the other two were dead silent¡ªwaiting for her to spill the beans, no doubt. I waited to hear whatever tall tale they would tell me. I knew I needed to exercise patience, but if it was one random excuse, then¡ª "I-I shouldn''t be surprised that you know already... the trouble that has befallen Dulum..." Asa began, now breaking down. Her body suddenly quivered with what appeared to be sorrow, and tears formed in her eyes. ''Oh? Her acting is good.'' I didn''t expect her to be in on the corruption of the Adventurers City. Weren''t people like Asa pure and kind? ''I''m disappointed, youngdy...'' To think she too would stand in my way of obtaining what was rightfully mine. "Everything happened so suddenly, but Vice Guildmaster Zabdel said you must have already seen iting..." I knew it! Zabdel was the mastermind behind this whole thing. ''I really didn''t expect him to be a sly fox, but I guess you can''t trust people.'' The only issue now was how to handle the situation. The way Asa was sniffing, and the whole narrative they had would probably put me in a tight spot¡ªespecially since I was the Hero. ''But I can''t forget my weapons, can I? Damn, this is hard...'' My eyes went back to Asa. She was still sobbing, and the other two wereforting her. As I watched them pat her back, I felt the hypocrisy from where I stood. They were all trying to gain my sympathy, weren''t they? ''Bunch of sycophants!'' "W-we need your help, Legendary Dragon yer... I mean, Hero. Please, help us!" ''How shameless! Not only would they deprive me of my stuff, but they now sought my aid?'' Things were already spinning out of control. Evidence of that was Asa already calling me ''Hero''. They were obviously trying to take advantage of me. [System Response] ''A-ah... I nearly forgot about that.'' But, wasn''t that what made this situation even more surprising? I mean, they were supposed to be on my side, but where were my goods? Nothing was adding up! "I see... I understand." My voice unconsciously let out. Asa and the others lit up a bit, obviously happy with my slip-up. ''This is the problem with ad-libbing. Shit!'' I was now stuck within their expectations of my duty as a Hero, and also forgiving them of their refusal to give me my stuff. ''There''s no way I''m going to be a pushover Hero!'' It was time to fight for my right! Like, I didn''t care if I sounded rude or whatever. I just wanted what was rightfully mine. "And what about the weapons I told Zabdel to forge? They''re important, you know..." Yes! That''s right! I intentionally used ''Zabdel'' to prove my superiority. With my condescending tone and my demand for the items, I was sure they would realize how unwilling I was in cooperating. "Y-yes! They really are! Without them, there''s no way we would have been able tost this long!" My eyes widened and I could not believe Asa''s shamelessness. ''She''s literally admitting to using my stuff for their own ends!'' It finally struck me. Dulum was probably in debt. Perhaps they even had economic problems and needed funds. I mean, looking at their rugged town, it wasn''t too far-fetched¡ªthough I didn''t expect things to be this extreme. ''They''re selling my Earth Dragon Weapons to pay off their debts? And now that it isn''t enough, they want my help? The heck?!'' Asa and the others had been eyeing all my goodies for a while now. They thought I was a cash cow, so they must have been nning to use me in order to settle their debts! How low were these people willing to go? "Last this long, you say..." I murmured, hiding the pain locked in my heart. I felt the ultimate betrayal course through me. How could the Adventurers I trusted so much betray me like this? "Y-yes..." Asa must have sensed the difort in my voice since hers echoed hesitantly. "... But, they won''t be enough." ''Y-you...!'' Asa''s eyes kept shifting as I stared at her intensely. So I was right, after all! They wanted my resources to settle their debts. ''Just how much is it anyway? Earth Dragon Weapons will be freaking expensive. How deep a mess could they be in?'' "This is serious..." My lips parted and a grave tone poured out. Asa and the other Adventurers nodded, now pretending to bepletely at my mercy. I was trapped! ''To think I wanted to use Dulum to reach out to the Merchants. If they''re so deep in debt, that''s nothing short of a pipe dream. Shit...'' As I pondered on what to do, Asa groveled even further and pleaded. ''Urgh! What more do you¡ª?'' "P-please save us from the Demon Invasion!" For a moment, my mind went nk. But, once it finally got restored, only one thought could manifest. It was a simple thought, but it conveyed a lot of meaning¡ªat least to me. ''E-eh...?'' Chapter 91 Crisis In The Adventurers City It all happened two days ago¡ªat the break of dawn. A whole armada of Demons suddenly appeared before the City Of Adventurers. There was no prior warning, neither had anyone seen signs of them marching close to the City before their appearance. It was as though they were transported there through the use of Magic. Their surprising emergence was the least of everyone''s surprise, though. The unbelievable number was something else to consider. An estimated number of ten thousand Lower ss Demon Soldiers, and then at least five hundred Middle-ss Demons were also spotted. That made a total estimate of 10,500 Demon enemies. The upper echelon of Adventurers were confident in taking down Lower ss Demons¡ªthough time would be needed to clear such an absurd number. However, for Middle ss Demons to have been in the mix, it was literally impossible to win. The Adventurers realized that the battle was already over before it began. Not only did the Demons have the element of surprise on their side¡ªthanks to the ambush¡ªbut they were also superior in numbers and power. It wouldn''t even be a battle. It was going to be a straight-up massacre! In face of such terrible danger, there was only one person who came to mind. The man who defied all odds and easily killed an Earth Dragon. He was the only one who could even have a chance at bringing them victory. To aplish this mission, the Ranger¡ªAsa¡ªand her two Party Members were assigned for the task. Even though they wanted to remain and fight, it was imperative that they sessfullypleted their mission. It was the only way to guarantee everyone''s survival. And so, having the fate of herrades resting on her shoulders, Asa sneaked out of the surrounded City at night¡ªalongside herpanions. The Radar wasn''tpletely clear¡ªand it wasn''t easy leaving Dulum¡ªbut thanks to her skills as a Ranger, they somehow managed. The camouge of the night also helped a great deal. Such was the tale of Asa and her twopanions¡ªone that was filled with much desperation and pain. At this point, only one person could save everyone. ********* "Vice Guildmaster Zabdel told me that you saw thising. You earned him that a storm wasing... he just didn''t think it would be this soon." ''A-ah...'' My thoughts trailed as I fought hard to maintain myposure. "You left the Dragon Corpse so we could make the necessary weapons to defend ourselves, but we realize now that we were not prepared enough. Our ipetence has left us to this situation. There is no way we can achieve victory with our current numbers and strength." I finally realized something after Asa''s whole exnation. "That is why we are here, Lord Hero! Please, we require your strength and wisdom to deliver us from this cmity." ''WHAT THE FUCK?!'' My brain was currently screaming in pain as I tried my hardest to process the information I was being fed with. Demons? Invasion? Coming storm? I hadn''t thought of anything like that! How could I have foreseen that Dulum would be invaded by Demons¡ªespecially with such an absurd number? ''Crap! Oh, crap!'' My weapons were now being used as theirst resorts for war, and they needed me to clean up the mess. ''I can''t face ten thousand Demons! Who are they kidding?!'' My body wanted to leak out sweat, but I fought to remain in control. ''So, it wasn''t debt, after all...'' I had wrongfully assumed things about the Adventurers. That was my bad. But, now that the real issue hade to light, I found myself wishing the debt matter was the case. ''I really don''t like violence! I don''t want pain! I don''t want to risk my life!'' This world was depressing enough as it was. Why would I want to throw myself into more danger? ''Refuse them, Sam! You have to refuse them!'' My thoughts rang. "Such misfortune. To think they suddenly ravaged your City..." Sarah''s voice suddenly sounded, causing me to sharply nce in her direction. I could sense something really troublesome about to proceed from her mouth, so I quickly made the signal for her to stop. Unfortunately... I was tote! "... Do not fear, the Hero is here. I am certain he will not allow this crisis afflict you all. An Army of Demons is nothing for Sam!" I wanted to jump from my seat and kick Sarah so hard. ''What the heck is she saying?!'' "Sam also defeated the army of Demons that invaded this ce. There were zero casualties!" Sarah was spouting words of insanity. I didn''t know it before, but she truly had a screw loose. ''You want topare a couple hundred of low-level dregs to an army of ten thousand?!'' They even had five hundred Middle-ss Demons! That was like Lilith multiplied by five hundred! How could I deal with that shit? "A-amazing!" "The Hero is so strong." "So strong..." The idiot Adventurers were even buying her crap. They all beamed with utter amazement, staring at me with unrestricted awe and expectations. ''Why is Sarah doing this to me? I swear, I''m never trusting her again!'' I wanted to pass out at this point, but I couldn''t afford to. ''Let''s face it, Sam. You have to deal with this...'' Once that was forcefully imnted in my head, no number of shrieks and annoyed groaning could save me from the task thaty ahead. I had to take care of the challenge¡ªas the Hero that everyone looked up to. "Hmph... a mere ten thousand Demons? I see how it is now..." Despite my fretting state within, I disyed the opposite. "A-ahhh!" "The Hero is amazing!" "The Hero is epic!" "S-so great!" I rose from my seat, greeted withpliments that weren''t true. "We will hold a meeting to discuss our ns forward. Sarah, prepare everything and make sure all the Leaders are present." The Priestess nodded with a charmed smile. She was very cute with the way her eyes glittered. That didn''t stop me from wanting to punch her, though. "As for you Adventurers, fear not..." I knew I was screwed, but it was toote to turn back now. I had just had to deal with it. "... I will save you all." Chapter 92 I Sense Some Awkward Tension In The Room ''Welp, this is awkward...'' As I sat at the center top of the board table, looking to my right and left, I noticed something I should have thought of much earlier. Seven people were seated before me¡ªthree Adventurers, and then four of my top administrators. ''Haa... the atmosphere is really tense, isn''t it? What have I done...'' I stared at how the trio red at one of my top leaders. Their animosity was unfiltered, and I could see pure rage¡ªcoupled with lots of disgusting from their eyes. "N-now, then... shall we begin the meeting?" I smiled, trying to think of the best way to address the ''Elephant'' in the room. What was happening in the incredibly sparse room was simple. My Demon Leader¡ªLilith¡ªwas being given the hateful re by Adventurers, and for good reason. I suppose this one was on me, considering I never told them the details of how this town worked. ''In the first ce, It''s something unconventional... Demons living with normal people.'' That was why, when I introduced Lilith at thest minute, the Adventurers could not hide their repulsion¡ªespecially Asa. It almost felt like she had a personal vendetta with Lilith¡ªjust like back then with Lucy. ''What''s with cute girls and hating on Demons?'' Lilith was plenty cute, especially now. If not for those horns of hers, that protruded from her head, it didn''t show at all. Her chest was covered with clothing, so her Demon Core was hidden. Also, her hands had gloves and her feet had boots. Almost all her Demon parts were hidden. Ah! I forgot her dangling tail. Yep, that was also exposed... my bad. "H-Hero, can I ask a question?" Asa raised her hand. It seemed she couldn''t take it anymore. Yep! Her eyes seemed to contain so much emotion, and I was certain she would be asking for answers regarding the Demon, Lilith. ''Ah shit, here we go again.'' "Of course." I nodded slightly, acting like theposed savior of humanity¡ªbecause... I sort of was. "W-why is a Demon... here?" Asa stuttered a lot. Her eyes shifted ufortably, and it was obvious that asking that simple question was hard for her. ''Is she trying to be respectful and considerate because of my personality? I see... she doesn''t want to seem rude.'' I understood Asa''s point of view. She just popped out of nowhere, with herrades, asking me for help. Wouldn''t it be very nosy and mannerless of her to question my decision? Yet, it seemed her repulsion for the Demon was that intense. There had to be quite the history. "Lilith is a Middle-Rank Demon I personally punished for her actions against this settlement. She''s my ve, and I''m using her¡ªand the Demons that serve under her¡ªto efficiently strengthen this ce." I exined. Of course, I owed Asa no duty to do so. If she didn''t like being with a Demon, the door was always open. However, there was no way I could ever be inconsiderate toward my dear friend, Asa. "A-ah... b-but... isn''t that...?" Asa still didn''t seem convinced. Her eyes darted hatefully at Lilith, who inly ignored her. If there was something I liked about the Mid-Demon, it was her tenacity. Even in the face of tant racism, she was unhinged. Now, that was something to respect. ''I don''t think I could ever handle it if someone treated me that way...'' "Lilith is under mymand, Asa. Same as the others. Their race has enved humanity and the other races as long as the dawn of time. Don''t you think it''s time to flip the order of things?" Narrowing my eyes, I spoke with calm conviction. "O-oh... I see... I apologize for my outburst, then." Asa''s eyes suddenly widened, as though she had an epiphany. Perhaps the whole ve issue resonated with her. Or, perhaps... she now despised me for having that warped perspective. The blond girl said no more¡ªbowing and quickly returning to her seat. ''Ah! I didn''t offend her, did I?'' My mind suddenly rang in a panic. Someone like Asa wouldn''t tell me if I had fallen low in her meter respect. She needed my help, after all. Still, the mere thought of having her treat me with disgust irked me. ''How do you manage this, Lilith?'' I stared at the Demoness, who simply donned a nk expression. Perhaps I would ask herter. I and the Demon girl hardly spoke these days. That had to change. In any case, we had to hurry and start the meeting. There was a lot to cover, and very little time. It waste, so we had to wait till the next day to make our move. ''Since it was easier for them to escape Dulum at night, I should also n my entry into the city at that time...'' That didn''t mean I couldn''t leave this ce earlier to observe the terrain and number of enemies before that time, though. Ultimately, it all depended on strategy, which was why this meeting was important. "Now, then, shall we begin?" With Lilith, Lucy, Sarah, and Byron upying the right end of the table, and the Adventurers upying the left, Imenced our very important discussion. * * * ''T-the Hero is... Sam is...'' As Asa looked at the man before her speak about the issues confronting them, as well as the steps to take, she only had one thought. ''... SUPER AMAZING!'' Ever since he chided her short-sightedness concerning the Demon Leader, Lilith, Asa now saw the Hero in a greater, more respectful light. How could he have had such an ingenious idea? To have also executed it wlessly and made Demons subject to him... what kind of being could do that except the Hero himself? ''Enving the ones who once enved us. It''s perfect the more I think about it.'' Merely killing the Demons would be a waste of their potential prowess forbor. Besides, wouldn''t everyone be letting them off easy if they simply died? The evil race had to suffer the humiliation and pain everyone else had endured for millennia The Hero was the one who imparted her with such wisdom, and for that... she was immensely grateful. Chapter 93 Its Quite A Mess, Isnt It? "Demons generally have a superior mindset. They will naturally underestimate the ability of their opponents, just as humans treat livestock." Thinking critically about it, everything made sense. In my world, humans domesticated dogs¡ªwho were said to be wolves in the past. I wasn''t really sure about the details. While a dog could still harm an average human, we didn''t exactly fear them. That was simply because we pose even more danger to them. I mean, sure, some folks had the fear of animals. I didn''t mean to throw shade at those who were frightened of dogs. It even happened to me when I was a kid. But, I would hardly expect hardened soldiers or police officers to be frightened of our dear canine friends. The same applied here, did it not? ''We''re up against a Demon Army¡ªnot random civilians. Of course, they''d all consider themselves the bigger threat.'' As a result, we could exploit that advantage. "Ah, I see..." Asa nodded with a smile on her face. I couldn''t help but feel it was fake. Her smile was too bright that it seemed forced. ''Is it just my imagination? Am I feeling guilty for something?'' At this point, everything was blurred, so I had to just push my sentiments to the sidelines. We currently had bigger fish to fry. "I''ll have Lilith speak to us about Demon Psychology. Since we have a practical example in front of us, we''re going to exploit it." Lilith couldn''t defy me, or make any act that would bring harm to my subordinates. That meant the information she would be rying was true. ''This is why it''s convenient to have a Demon ve.'' I smiled in satisfaction. For a moment, it seemed Asa gave a deep stare at me¡ªher eyes wide probably with disdain¡ªbut before I could mull it over, it was gone. Was I losing my mind? Was everything just my imagination? I had to calm myself. Lilith rose to her feet and addressed everyone while I thought of how to redeem myself before Asa. "Me a Middle-ss Demon, Lilith..." ''No need to introduce yourself to us. We already know who you are. Jeez.'' My thoughts snapped once I heard my subordinate''s lousy introduction. "Hero said Demon Army over ten thousand. Five hundred Mid-Demons there. Yes, Demon look down on small humans. But... it not possible to lose to small humans." Her chippy words were incredibly difficult to decipher, but I pieced them together anyway. ''We should really get this girl some education. My ears bleed...'' I mean, hernguage was bound to get better the longer she stayed in a civilized society, but Lilith had only been here for like... two weeks? Even in that period, she often spent time with the Lower ss Demons. That meant she hadn''t made much progress inmunication since Day 1. That had to change. "Small Humans weak. Demons strong. Hero stronger. If Hero beat the Demons. Hero win. Battle over." Lilith finished her presentation with a pleased smile. It seemed she was proud of herself for the nonsense she just spoke. ''I should have known better than to rely on Lilith''s words. She''s not even a civilized Mid-Demon.'' With no education, and then her warped ideology of life... her words would contain lots of bias. Most of all, she ced a lot of emphasis on me being everyone''s trump card. I should have seen thating, given her clouded perspective of my strength. I was stronger than everyone, sure. But even I couldn''t handle so many Demons. I would seriously die. ''If there''s something she said that makes sense, though, it''s that we can''t win with our current numbers. I mean, it would be suicide if we tried something so obviously dumb. Out of everyone in the settlement, I could only consider a bit over three hundred to fight against the Demon Army¡ªand half of them were the Lower ss Demons. Not only did we have civilians who were better off farming than fighting, but there were innocent children as well. There was no way I would make children fight in a war. ''And then, there''s the women...'' Of course, I was all for gender equality and equal opportunities. However, nursing mothers and the many pregnant ones could not afford that kind of sentiment. ''Thankfully, there aren''t really old people to worry about since most people who live out here die pretty early.'' I wasn''t sure that was something to be thankful for, but I still went with it. Altogether, we could muster three hundred forces. If we calcted the Adventurers City Forces¡ªwhich had about a thousand Adventurers¡ªthen we would end up with the joint number of a thousand and three hundred. Compared to ten thousand five hundred, wasn''t that too much of a joke? ''The Demons really went overkill on us this time, didn''t they?'' Why couldn''t this be an easy quest? I really had to rack my brain to think of something... and I had to do it fast. "Does anyone else have anything to say?" I smiled, throwing the floor open to my obviously capable audience. No one spoke. "Anyone?" My smile broadened. They all stared at me nkly. Those eyes told of nothing but their absolute reliance on me. ''For real? No one?'' This time, they all smiled at me. None of their empty heads could offer a solution, or at least an idea that I could exploit. ''This sucks balls...'' If we continued like this, there was no chance of victory. "Very well then. I understand." I sighed. Yep, thanks to everyone for being so useless. "We apologize for not being able to match up to your standards, Hero." As I watched their bows, I felt like knocking all their heads out of sheer frustration. What they were simply doing was dumping all the load on me. I mean, this was what I signed up for when I chose this path, but... ''... No use whining, Sam.'' Ultimately, I had to figure this shit out. If I made the slightest error, we could all die. Myself included. Chapter 94 Looks Like I Have To Save Everyone... Again! The meeting eventually came to a close, and I ended up with the bulk of the matters to personally deliberate. For example¡ª "How the heck are we supposed to win with these odds?" But, since I had enjoyed the Privileges of being a Hero for a while, it was time to suffer the repercussions. ''Alright, Sam! Let''s work for our meal!'' *********** That night, Asa, Gu, and Liebert were shown their residence in the Guest House. They each their respective room, making their eyes glow in disbelief. Not only were the rooms big enough to promisefort, but the Adventurers also got to experience something amazing. The bed, as well as other furniture, were made with wood¡ªone of the rarest resources in the world. And then, the soft foam of the beds was downright amazing! Asa could feel herself sink into it, and she had never felt anything so strangely pleasant in all her life. ''Amazing... amazing!'' Gu and Liebert didn''t find it any less impressive than Asa. Their expressions alone told of the amazement they had towards the respective rooms they would be staying in. Even though they were still concerned about theirrades who would still be fighting hard for the Adventurers, they felt it more sphemous to doubt the Hero. He had things under control, so the only thing they could do was trust in his abilities. He was their Hero, after all. And so, the three Adventurers slept like babies, enjoying the warm hospitality of their savior. Asa personally felt more indebted and attached to him. ''Maybe one day...'' A smile yed on her glossy lips as she smiled. ''... I''ll tell him the truth about me.'' Asa had been very hesitant to bring it up back when she had met Sam at Dulum. She didn''t know him that well, and he felt so much out of her reach that she couldn''t afford to bother him. Most of those remained true, even now. However, Asa was certain that things were different now. She had more confidence to rely on Sam, much deeper than ever before. ''Once this battle is over, I''ll tell him!'' Her eyes lit up. Once she made up her mind, deep sleep took her away from the state of consciousness. ***********. The next day, the three hundred soldiers in the small army I had were gathered¡ªthe Demons on the right side and Humans on the left. Lilith and Lucy were the ones in charge of rallying their respective troops, and the two women now stood in front of them. Their eyes were aze with determination, and I could sense the same vibe from their subordinates. ''Haaa... making me feel guilty.'' My thoughts trailed. Once I checked that everyone was present, I knew we were ready to go. There was only one thing left. It was so obvious that even a baby would understand, considering the enemy we were up against. ''We''re crazy outnumbered!'' But, I had long realized this. That was why¡ª "W-WHOAH!" "AMAZING!" "THIS IS CRAZY!" ¡ªI spent all nightpleting a major project I had been undertaking. ''Project Sentinel!'' Standing right behind my forces of three hundred were about one hundred more personnel. However, they weren''t living creatures. No, they were the backup forces I prepared for emergencies¡ªthe line of defense that was never supposed to be broken. ''Golems!'' I smiled at the giant humanoid constructs. They were all Earth Golems¡ªmade from the vastnds spread about us, and also from the rocks we harvested from therge hills and mountains. Each of them was powerful in their own right¡ªthough the upgraded Jason was still more powerful. ''Jason was my first project, after all. I had to make it a tad superior to the others.'' As a result, the Chief Golem stood in front of itsrades, all looking geared for battle. The Adventurers who stood behind me were most likely amazed by these constructs. I could hear their shrieks and gasps, after all. "This much is nothi¡ª" I instantly froze upon seeing Asa''s eyes directly locked with mine. Her gaze seemed so intense that I feltpletely overwhelmed. ''What did I do this time? Why is she staring at me? Is she still thinking about what I saidst night?'' There just was no pleasing women, was there? I epted my fate and simply decided to embrace the future, hoping she would hate me less as I saved her life and city. ''Still, with one hundred Golems serving as extra forces, our odds don''t increase by much...'' Sure, these Golems were made to be superior to Lower ss Demons, but even Jason''s abilities were at most Level 30 of a human''s limits. In essence, it would be evenly matched with Lucy, but was still going to lose against the likes of Lilith. As for the other Golems, their Levels were hovering around Level 20 to 25, by human standards as well. Jason''s Golem Level was Level 5, and the others were Level 4. Just for reference, the Max Level a Golem could ever attain was Level 10. In essence, my masterpiece project was just an average one at best. ''These hundred will be useful in handling the Lower ss troops, especially because of their regeneration and inability to get tired. But, if the Middle-ss Demons interfere, then it''s all over.'' I had to find another way to ensure absolute victory. ''It''s pretty much toote to start looking for allies, so we have to make do with what we''ve got...'' If there was any advantage we possessed, it was that I used Magic Runes to enhance the equipment of everyone. But,st I checked, Demons also had ess to Rune Technology. There was a possibility that our opponents also had strong Magic and enchanted weapons on their side. That fact alone scared me. ''How are we supposed to defeat over ten thousand with this? Huu... this is insane.'' I had a few more things in my Inventory. Stuff I wanted to try out. But, how sure was I that it would have a decisive effect on the battlefield? "Even with this small number, do not worry. I have a n." I smiled at everyone behind me. Their eyes showed absolute belief, and everyone nodded in approval. ''This is a bit scary...'' Chapter 95 Were On Our Way To Battle! Since we needed to aid the Adventurers as soon as possible, the question of transportation popped up. Usually, we would just take a car to Dulum, but that was a bit difficult with four hundred troops to lead. ''Haa... this is really going to cost me points...'' Or so one would think. But, I had that route covered too! The Earth Golems were designed to havepartments within them, so our troops divided themselves and stayed within each Earth Golem. I made sure to make the interior asfortable as possible. Each Golem had lighting, and cooling systems. The only downside was that no one could see what was happening outside the Golem''s body. It was the best I could do, given the materials I had to work with. ''Golems never tire, and they can keep up with the speed of a car since I specially enchanted them with the Rune.'' That way, I could take the leaders with my car¡ªwhile our soldiers followed from behind. It was perfect. As I looked at everyone gathered out of town, and also the remaining denizens of my little settlement, I felt hesitant to leave. ''What if this ce is in shambles once again? What if I leave and an attack happens? Will I be able to bear it?'' We needed every support we could get for this mission, so that practically left my people defenseless. Many would argue that I should have left a few Golems behind, but... ''That would be a waste.'' Right now, even one more personnel mattered. I couldn''t afford to leave any behind. The best choice was to go "All or Nothing!" As for my subjects in the town, they had a shelter that was underground and camouged. In the case of an assault, they were to escape to the shelter and stay there. Since the Watchtower was still active¡ªand there were still some denizens left¡ªthey could handle surveince themselves. I taught a few the runes needed to operate the Magic Elevator, so they simply had to be vignt and be on the defensive before I returned. "HERO, COME BACK SOON!" "SHOW THE DEMONS WHO''S BOSS!" "WE BELIEVE IN YOU!" As usual, their faith in me was unbroken. I was dying of anxiety and uncertainty at the moment, but I had to take a step of faith¡ªas I had always done. "Of course!" My smile was widely spread on my face and I exhibited confidence thatpletely betrayed how I actually felt. A Hero could not appear weak in front of his believers. That was the golden rule I set for myself. ''Shall we do this?"'' * * * The troops began taking their positions within the Earth Golems, and I also summoned my Legendary ck Beast. As expected, Asa, Gu, and Liebert gawked at it in amazement. Their surprised yelps and widened eyes would have been funnier to me, but the tense situation took out the fun in everything. The current dread was like the kind I often had when I was about to start an exam I never read for... except this was at least a hundred times worse. "B-ck Beast! Hero powerful beast!" This wasn''t the first time Lilith was seeing my car, since I often left the settlement in it, even after I defeated her. However, it was the first time she was permitted to be so close to it. As she caressed its surface, I could see giggles leak from her face and her cheeks blushing. I had no idea why and how the glossy surface of an average car could bring about so much joy¡ªalmost as if she was a kid. ''Whatever! Let''s get this over with!'' Since we were more than the car''s capacity, U had to do some arranging. Everyone sat the same way they did thest time we were in the car together¡ªof course, this happened in the overwritten timeline. We had all managed to befortable in the car during that time, so there was nothing wrong with using it now. The only odd one out was Lilith. Lucy was with the rest of our soldiers¡ªstaying inside Jason¡ªso she was not an issue. However, Lilith already made it abundantly clear she wanted to experience the Legendary ck Beast. It would be very unfair of me if I treated some strangers to this experience, and not her. ''But...'' I looked around me and sighed. The car was basically full, so it couldn''t support any excess. ''Plus, I don''t want the car to be too cramped.'' In the end, I settled for the simplest option I could think of. "Lilith will ride on the roof of the ca¡ªI mean, Legendary ck Beast." Surprisingly, she was happy with this position. "Yayyy!!! Me ride ck Beast! Hehehe..." ''Whew!'' I let her have whatever win she was imagining and made sure everyone else was arranged well. Once we were done with the preparations, I started the car and it gave a roar that frightened every neer in and outside the car. "HIEEEEEEE!!!" I had to calm their balls and exin a little so they would understand. Talk about a waste of precious time. Once everyone was physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for the journey... I went full throttle! ********** "AWESOMEEEE!!!" Lilith grinned, feeling the wind brush her face and dark hair as she sat on the Legendary ck Beast itself. Ever since she saw the Hero summon it, the Mid-Demon had always wanted to interact with it. Lilith often felt like the ck Beast called for her. Its glistening body was charming, and the forbidden nature of its dark skin tone always made her excited. Now, she was fulfilling her dream. Lilith wasn''t a passenger within the Beast, but the Demon girl couldn''t care less. In fact, she felt the ones within were missing out on the view and fresh wind blowing on her face as they dove. Nothing couldpete with this. Realizing this once more, the girl gave a sharp nod of victory. "Umu!" They had been traveling for over an hour now. Lilith knew it took about three hours to get to Dulum, so she didn''t feel rushed. In fact, she wished the journey was longer so she could enjoy the fresh breeze and thrill even more. Who would have thought her life would turn out this way? Certainly not her! Chapter 96 Mistake! Do Not Read! What is a Hero? When I was a kid, I used to watch lots of movies and animated series. I would see folks like Superdude and Bad save the day on countless asions. Then there were teams thatprised several heroes. Superhero groups like Justice Team, or the Revengers. Heroes came in many shapes and sizes¡ªsome being regr dudes with no special powers or anything. However, after many years of watching them¡ªand even dreaming of bing one at a particr point¡ªI noticed something. They all had something inmon. TRUST! The ''Trust'' of the people. That was what separated Heroes from vigntes or Anti-Heroes. Everyone believes the Hero. They love the Hero. They respect the Hero. And so, as someone who desired to reach that status, I realized what kind of man I wanted to be. Someone who saves others... someone others can rely on! But... ... As people grow up, they forget their childish ambitions. I was the same. I outgrew that desire and became a selfish, introverted Weeb. Other than the desire to consume vast amounts of novels, anime, manga,ics, and food, I literally cared about nothing and no one else. However, everything changed when I came across ''that'' novel. "Transmigrated With The Strongest System." The moment I read it... my life was forever changed. And that was why it became the best for me. A single volume rekindled the fire that I thought had died. The desire to be a true Hero! ************* ''Haa... no one understands these things...'' A single man can not build an empire. As the Hero, I was revered as a supreme being, capable of pretty much anything. I was pretty sure they thought I could totally blitz the Demon King if I wanted to. Bunch of idiots! No, perhaps I was the fool. Thanks to my misrepresentation, everyone now ced more trust in me than I wanted. I did everything myself¡ªat least in the department of nning. As a result, no one in this settlement thought for themselves. ''It''s convenient now, but it''ll be a bigger pain in the future.'' I couldn''t allow our current situation to fester! That said... "I am your Hero, am I not?" "WOOOHOOOOO!!!" Cheers echoed in my ears, almost making my eardrums burst. Even though these people obliviously followed me due to their mistaken notion, it wasn''t all bad. After all, their naivete saved me an incalcble amount of time that would have been used for exnations and tons of convincing. "I have rescued you from the scourge of the Demons. I have promised never to let you down. Now, I ask of you all..." It was thanks to their unwavering faith in the Hero¡ªin me¡ªthat I could pull this off. "... Will you trust me once more?" As expected, their reactions did not disappoint. "WE DOOOOOOOO!!!" Despite everyone''s dissatisfaction with the Demons. Regardless of their animosity with the vilest, most oppressive race in this world. Even with their hatred and the unimaginable sufferings they had experienced thanks to the evil beings... ... Everything was inconsequential before the Hero''s decision. ''Autocracy has its merits, after all!'' And so, with a single speech dering my intentions to adopt the Demons into our society¡ªas workers, of course¡ªmy subjects readily agreed. Their absolute trust in me rang true, and I was even able to get even more achievements as a result. For example; [Your Skill: With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power has evolved] I was so hyped when I saw this! Many other rewards came flooding in¡ªmostly Stat Points and Karmic Value. As I was watched by both Demons and Humans, a new Title popped in. [The One Who Unifies] I was surprised to get this one. Even Damien didn''t get it till his 5th Round. It was an important Title thatpletely changed the game... and I received it so easily! ''Looks like I made the right choice, after all.'' Truthfully, things were moving much faster than I imagined. I hadn''t even spent a month in this brave new world, yet so many balls were rolling. I could only handle so much, after all. ''There''s so much to be done now...'' Not only did we need more allies and resources, we also needed to expand our territory. That meant more manpower and security. Sure, the costs would increase, but if we had a much bigger and efficient workforce, we could even the odds and rake in more profit. My thoughts were not merely on this single patch ofnd. Ultimately, the world would have to know of my existence as the Hero who would lead them to victory. ''Everything starts from now.'' I watched everyone with eyes brimming with hope. I was no fraud, and I indeed wanted the best for these people. Yes, I took advantage of their ignorance. I also gave them the wrong impression on many things. But... wasn''t it all for the greater good? ''Overpowered or not, I''m the Hero...'' Raising my hand, I parted my lips and dered my intentions to everyone who looked up to me. "I will save this world!" As expected, more roars burst forth. I had said a lot of bullshit in the past, and my words could never be trusted. But... this time I meant it. ''This is the world I''m living in now..." "HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''... This is what I always wanted, isn''t it?'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I almost lost everything because of my recklessness. Because of that mistake, I now understand that there''s no going back now...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I''m not Damien. I''m not Selyon. I''m not like them...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''Compared to the big shots in this world, I''m unreasonably weak. But...'' "I will protect everyone, no matter what! I SWEAR ON MY NAME AS THE HERO!" My life in this new world was just beginning. I was responsible for so many people¡ªDemons and Humans alike. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way? Definitely not me! But, now that I had reached this juncture, there was no turning back. ''Not until I defeat the Demon God, and the 19 other Gods. Then... I challenge that ONE.'' It was going to be tough¡ªno, downright impossible. Even with my knowledge, victory wasn''t assured. Just thinking about the long journey that awaited me sent shivers down my spine. But, what sort of Hero would I be if I didn''t confront it head-on? ''If Damien could do it, so can I!'' As long as I yed my cards right, my goals could be achieved. ''I can do it!'' "HERO! HERO! HERO!'' ''I CAN DO THIS!'' * * * [One Month From Now] "I can''t do this..." Smoke filled the air as debris littered the ground. From the corner of my eyes, I could spot myrades¡ªno, my subordinates. They had been defeated so easily. As they struggled for their lives, I basked in despondency. Despair crept upon me, and the personification of my fears stood a short distance from me. "It is impossible to defeat me." A month ago, I would have vehemently disagreed with that logic. I would have sought whatever means I could to win. I would have used my Arcana Call. I would have bluffed. I would have done everything! ''I-I tried all I could think of... nothing works...'' Perhaps if I had one more chance... maybe things could be different. ''The Fool is out ofmission, and I can''t beat this one even if my Stats are all restored.'' Nothing could avail me at this point. ''They all depended on me... yet I couldn''t do anything. Everyone will die here... so will I.'' Frustration welled up within me¡ªand so did regret. Why did I ever think I could do this? I... I should not havee here! "It seems you''ve already epted your fate." I raised my head with thest bit of my energy, watching the silhouette of the Demon with my blurry vision. Defeating something like this was downright impossible. "Now... die." Something appeared within the Demon''s grasp. It was reddish, and the object had a peculiar shape. Was that... a heart? ''Haaaa...'' My thoughts trailed as the realization dawned on me. The Demon''s monstrous ws finally squashed the red heart, sending a painful¡ªindescribably painful¡ªsensation coursing through me. ''... This really is the end.'' "GUARK!" With my final cough of blood, I felt everything go nk. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [All Chances Of Restoration Have Been Exhausted] [YOU HAVE DIED!] * * * * * [End Of The First Arc: Settling In] ~The Second Arc: Demonic Crisis will begin shortly~ I hope you enjoyed the read. Also... If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' You can check it out and add it to your library. I promise it''ll be worth every second. https://.webnovel/book/ascension-of-the-failed-mage_24898011105190405 Cheers! Chapter 97 DO NOT READ! I Will Replace Them Tomorrow, I Promise. What is a Hero? When I was a kid, I used to watch lots of movies and animated series. I would see folks like Superdude and Bad save the day on countless asions. Then there were teams thatprised several heroes. Superhero groups like Justice Team, or the Revengers. Heroes came in many shapes and sizes¡ªsome being regr dudes with no special powers or anything. However, after many years of watching them¡ªand even dreaming of bing one at a particr point¡ªI noticed something. They all had something inmon. TRUST! The ''Trust'' of the people. That was what separated Heroes from vigntes or Anti-Heroes. Everyone believes the Hero. They love the Hero. They respect the Hero. And so, as someone who desired to reach that status, I realized what kind of man I wanted to be. Someone who saves others... someone others can rely on! But... ... As people grow up, they forget their childish ambitions. I was the same. I outgrew that desire and became a selfish, introverted Weeb. Other than the desire to consume vast amounts of novels, anime, manga,ics, and food, I literally cared about nothing and no one else. However, everything changed when I came across ''that'' novel. "Transmigrated With The Strongest System." The moment I read it... my life was forever changed. And that was why it became the best for me. A single volume rekindled the fire that I thought had died. The desire to be a true Hero! ************* ''Haa... no one understands these things...'' A single man can not build an empire. As the Hero, I was revered as a supreme being, capable of pretty much anything. I was pretty sure they thought I could totally blitz the Demon King if I wanted to. Bunch of idiots! No, perhaps I was the fool. Thanks to my misrepresentation, everyone now ced more trust in me than I wanted. I did everything myself¡ªat least in the department of nning. As a result, no one in this settlement thought for themselves. ''It''s convenient now, but it''ll be a bigger pain in the future.'' I couldn''t allow our current situation to fester! That said... "I am your Hero, am I not?" "WOOOHOOOOO!!!" Cheers echoed in my ears, almost making my eardrums burst. Even though these people obliviously followed me due to their mistaken notion, it wasn''t all bad. After all, their naivete saved me an incalcble amount of time that would have been used for exnations and tons of convincing. "I have rescued you from the scourge of the Demons. I have promised never to let you down. Now, I ask of you all..." It was thanks to their unwavering faith in the Hero¡ªin me¡ªthat I could pull this off. "... Will you trust me once more?" As expected, their reactions did not disappoint. "WE DOOOOOOOO!!!" Despite everyone''s dissatisfaction with the Demons. Regardless of their animosity with the vilest, most oppressive race in this world. Even with their hatred and the unimaginable sufferings they had experienced thanks to the evil beings... ... Everything was inconsequential before the Hero''s decision. ''Autocracy has its merits, after all!'' And so, with a single speech dering my intentions to adopt the Demons into our society¡ªas workers, of course¡ªmy subjects readily agreed. Their absolute trust in me rang true, and I was even able to get even more achievements as a result. For example; [Your Skill: With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power has evolved] I was so hyped when I saw this! Many other rewards came flooding in¡ªmostly Stat Points and Karmic Value. As I was watched by both Demons and Humans, a new Title popped in. [The One Who Unifies] I was surprised to get this one. Even Damien didn''t get it till his 5th Round. It was an important Title thatpletely changed the game... and I received it so easily! ''Looks like I made the right choice, after all.'' Truthfully, things were moving much faster than I imagined. I hadn''t even spent a month in this brave new world, yet so many balls were rolling. I could only handle so much, after all. ''There''s so much to be done now...'' Not only did we need more allies and resources, we also needed to expand our territory. That meant more manpower and security. Sure, the costs would increase, but if we had a much bigger and efficient workforce, we could even the odds and rake in more profit. My thoughts were not merely on this single patch ofnd. Ultimately, the world would have to know of my existence as the Hero who would lead them to victory. ''Everything starts from now.'' I watched everyone with eyes brimming with hope. I was no fraud, and I indeed wanted the best for these people. Yes, I took advantage of their ignorance. I also gave them the wrong impression on many things. But... wasn''t it all for the greater good? ''Overpowered or not, I''m the Hero...'' Raising my hand, I parted my lips and dered my intentions to everyone who looked up to me. "I will save this world!" As expected, more roars burst forth. I had said a lot of bullshit in the past, and my words could never be trusted. But... this time I meant it. ''This is the world I''m living in now..." "HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''... This is what I always wanted, isn''t it?'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I almost lost everything because of my recklessness. Because of that mistake, I now understand that there''s no going back now...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I''m not Damien. I''m not Selyon. I''m not like them...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''Compared to the big shots in this world, I''m unreasonably weak. But...'' "I will protect everyone, no matter what! I SWEAR ON MY NAME AS THE HERO!" My life in this new world was just beginning. I was responsible for so many people¡ªDemons and Humans alike. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way? Definitely not me! But, now that I had reached this juncture, there was no turning back. ''Not until I defeat the Demon God, and the 19 other Gods. Then... I challenge that ONE.'' It was going to be tough¡ªno, downright impossible. Even with my knowledge, victory wasn''t assured. Just thinking about the long journey that awaited me sent shivers down my spine. But, what sort of Hero would I be if I didn''t confront it head-on? ''If Damien could do it, so can I!'' As long as I yed my cards right, my goals could be achieved. ''I can do it!'' "HERO! HERO! HERO!'' ''I CAN DO THIS!'' * * * [One Month From Now] "I can''t do this..." Smoke filled the air as debris littered the ground. From the corner of my eyes, I could spot myrades¡ªno, my subordinates. They had been defeated so easily. As they struggled for their lives, I basked in despondency. Despair crept upon me, and the personification of my fears stood a short distance from me. "It is impossible to defeat me." A month ago, I would have vehemently disagreed with that logic. I would have sought whatever means I could to win. I would have used my Arcana Call. I would have bluffed. I would have done everything! ''I-I tried all I could think of... nothing works...'' Perhaps if I had one more chance... maybe things could be different. ''The Fool is out ofmission, and I can''t beat this one even if my Stats are all restored.'' Nothing could avail me at this point. ''They all depended on me... yet I couldn''t do anything. Everyone will die here... so will I.'' Frustration welled up within me¡ªand so did regret. Why did I ever think I could do this? I... I should not havee here! "It seems you''ve already epted your fate." I raised my head with thest bit of my energy, watching the silhouette of the Demon with my blurry vision. Defeating something like this was downright impossible. "Now... die." Something appeared within the Demon''s grasp. It was reddish, and the object had a peculiar shape. Was that... a heart? ''Haaaa...'' My thoughts trailed as the realization dawned on me. The Demon''s monstrous ws finally squashed the red heart, sending a painful¡ªindescribably painful¡ªsensation coursing through me. ''... This really is the end.'' "GUARK!" With my final cough of blood, I felt everything go nk. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [All Chances Of Restoration Have Been Exhausted] [YOU HAVE DIED!] * * * * * [End Of The First Arc: Settling In] ~The Second Arc: Demonic Crisis will begin shortly~ I hope you enjoyed the read. Also... If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' Chapter 98 Perspective Sure Is Nice Back when the Hero had taken her as a ve, Lilith thought she was going to live a life worse than death¡ªat least, until she gained her freedom. However... the longer she stayed with the Hero and everyone else, the better she understood his true nature. He wasn''t evil or sadistic at all. Everything he did was for the sake of his people, and he didn''t even relegate only the Demons to harshbor. The humans worked hard too, making it so that everyone had their fair share of activities cut out for them. Everything he did had a reason, and he was able to transform the somewhat passable settlement she invaded into an amazing ce. Not just anyone could achieve that. Lilith''s grin grew wider as she thought more about her master. He was indeed the epitome of perfection! ''Hero different. Hero nice... Hero good.'' The vehicle she sat on, the one he called the Legendary ck Beast was hard and glossy, and she simply enjoyed the ride more. Despite the fun she was currently having, Lilith realized the danger they were all heading toward. WAR! Demons were cruel, unforgiving creatures. She knew that much, as she belonged to the same race. Their cruel nature earned them their rightful ce as the most dominant race in the world. As such, Lilith was already aware of the harm that would befall her if she was to engage in battle with fellow members of her race. Facing an army so huge was basically suicide. Even though they had quite a considerable number of force on their side, it was still very dangerous¡ªalmost impossible to expect victory. ''But... I believe...'' The Demon Girl''s mind trailed to the Hero. Even though the odds were against him when she invaded, he single-handedly struck down everyone in his way. He was the epitome of power and unpredictability, wasn''t he? That was why she chose to believe in him. ''Me? Believe in someone...?'' Lilith smiled to herself. So much had changed since she first arrived here. She had changed. ''ve Contract still here. Me can run if life in danger. But...'' Her eyes were alit with passion, and her heart raced as she imagined the danger ahead. She could always escape if anything endangered her life, but Lilith was already determined. ''Me will fight... even if I die!'' That was her resolve. ************* Okay, so the ride was a bit awkward, considering the fact that I was running a bunch of simtions in my head. Unlike before, we were heading toward war. Clearly, no one would be in a cheerful mood. Initially, there was awe and stuff for the Legendary ck Beast, but as we got closer to the battlefield, I felt the heaviness within the car. Noughter whatsoever. In fact, most of the passengers were staring at me with full attention¡ªeither that, or they just looked at the passingndscape. It made me realize just how grim the situation was. I really couldn''t mess up now. ''Alright... in thirty more minutes, we should reach the destination.'' So far, I had taken a few things into ount. Hopefully, they all worked as intended. ''There''s no way we can win a full-blown battle. Our numbers and resources aren''t enough.'' It was no secret that the Demons outstripped us in both the number of their soldiers, as well as their quality. The best I could do was create a scenario¡ªlike with Lilith¡ªwhere they would surrender. If things went well, we could absorb them into our forces, thereby making our influence bigger. ''Yeah... that would be nice.'' A smile formed on my face. I simply hoped they could all misunderstand my power and submit¡ªthe same way my event with Lilith and her Demons yed out. ''Alright... shall we begin?'' * * * ''Ah, shit... this is worse than I thought.'' My body shuddered as I watched the massive amount of Demons all standing on the battlefield. Sure, I maintained my distance, but this was hardcore! "Haa... this is too much." A softugh of fear escaped my lips. Everyone else was in the car, and I was using my binocrs to see what was going on from my distance. Lying t on my belly, I brought my eyes closer to the lens to confirm the despairing number of Demons that appeared through the binocrs. ''Ah, shit...'' I had thought I knew what war meant, thanks to movies and that little skirmish with Lilith, but this was intense¡ªtoo intense! ''Now I understand why they were so desperate. This is crazy!'' I was currently on thest hill one could see before arriving at the Adventurer''s City, and from what I could see, the Demons had surrounded the whole ce. Since they had way more numbers than the Adventurers, they could afford such tactics. Ultimately, their strategy would also make it extremely difficult for us to enter the city. ''They must have increased their security after Asa and co left. This is bad...'' If we couldn''t get into the city, how were we to create a united front against the Demons? The question bugged me, but it was unwise to dwell too deeply on matters while neglecting the people I was leading. ''It''s noon right now. We have time to create a n. I can''t feel stuck. Hmm...'' Looking at things from different perspectives was something I could do. I just had to apply myself in bothersome ways. ''No matter the route I choose, though... it seems extremely dangerous.'' Still, I had to try. With those worries and thoughts in my mind, I returned to the car. * * * The Adventurers, Sarah, and Byron were waiting for me at the position where I packed, same as the hundred Golems that knelt in standby mode. Lucy was within the Jason, and the other soldiers had their respective positions within their assigned Golems. Since they weren''t supposed toe out until the time was right, I imagined their impatient and anxious states. I mean, they couldn''t even see anything going on outside. "I have made my decision." My voice contained authority, theplete opposite of what I was feeling at the moment. Still, the act had to continue. "After observing the Demon Armyid out before us... I know what must be done." * * * [A/N] I tried recing the chapters, but the Webnovel format rejected them because the new chapters I wanted to rece in the cloned ones were more than 100 words different. Because of that, and Word Count, it wouldn''t let me. So, I''ll just publish everything as new chapters and not rece the old ones. Thanks for being patient. Chapter 99 Even Demon Generals Dont Get Along [The Demon Camp] In an army of over ten thousand soldiers, a strong hierarchy had to exist. Usually, chains ofmand were centralized from the bottom to the very top. However, in this case, things were a bit different. Of the five hundred Middle ss Demons that led the army, ten of them were of the highest rank, giving them the greatest authority in the army. The other Middle ss Demons were divided under the banner of the respective ten Demons they were assigned to¡ªsame as the ten thousand Demons. That meant the army was, in fact, divided into ten groups, each having a number of one thousand and fifty. Not only was it much easier to organize a chain ofmand, but it also granted efficiency in their logistics and strategy. As a result, each Demon Camp could effectively handle an angle or position without wearing out the chain of authority. Using this method, the Demons could surround the City Of Dulum while maintaining their string level of hierarchy. In essence, their formation was airtight! * * * "Today... we take down this ce." A deep, authoritative voice echoed within a dark tent''s walls. The owner of the tone looked like a terrifying being¡ªhaving long hair covering most of his face and neck, like a lion''s mane. He was dark, though. Dark-skinned, and dark-haired. His eyes brimmed with crimson fury and the way everything around him shuddered spoke well of his authority. He was all alone in the dark tent, but this Middle ss Demon wasn''t speaking to himself. Seated on a grand chair, a table was set before him. Resting gently on the desk was a glowing sphere. The Demon Race knew it to be the Divining Orb, and there existed various kinds. Ranging from seeing far distances, to seeing even the future, Divining Orbs were notorious for a variety of functions. However, the ones that could achieve such mean feats were rare¡ªonly exclusive to the Upper ss in the Demon Hierarchy. The one this Mid-Demon utilized was simply formunicating with those in his immediate vicinity¡ªthe other Mid-Demons who served as Generals, like him. ~Agreed. It makes me annoyed we have to remain in this ce.~ ~They''re giving some of our footsoldiers trouble thanks to the pesky weapons they have~ ~I wish I could just go in there and kill the lot of them.~ ~Have you forgotten the purpose of this exercise?~ ~Yeah, yeah! I get it!~ More voices came from the Divining Orb, and the Dark Lion-like Demon sighed. Each Demon General had one Divining Orb, so they could use it tomunicate with each other instead of traversing their respective jurisdiction to pass a message across. It was efficient and useful. However, why did it feel like the Demon Generals were abusing its use to simply rant? This wasn''t the purpose of such a sacred item. "Can we get back to topic?" The Lion-Headed Demon said to hisrades. He was already scratching his two protruding horns¡ªsomething he only resorted to when he was upset. Unfortunately, his words seemed to vanish with the wind. ~Ah, so what we''re talking about isn''t on topic?~ ~Come on, you know what he meant.~ ~Zip it, fatso! I wasn''t talking to you!~ ~Hahaha! I like that one.~ ~Can you all just be serious? This is why we''re only seven in this meeting, and not ten. The rest don''t take us seriously.~ ~Pfft, that''s their business! Those stuck-up bastards.~ ~I know, right? Acting like they''re better than us when we''re in the same rank.~ ~Well... you have to take into ount their level of power...~ ~Tch! As if that matters if we have the same rank as Generals.~ ~Maybe you should say that to their face.~ ~...~ The Lion-Headed Demon could only sigh in even more exasperation. This back-and-forth was pointless. It was slowly drawing closer to the afternoon, and the n was to wipe out the humans before the end of the day. Usually, it would have been done sooner, but the Adventurers miraculously got their hands on some powerful weaponry that made them more formidable than normal. ''We would have interfered, but...'' The Mid-Demon scrunched his face as soon as he remembered the rule he and hisrade had to follow. They simply had to make use of their subordinates to achieve victory. ''It doesn''t change the result, though. Now that. we''ve surrounded them from all ends, we''ll use a pincer attack to wipe them out.'' Faced with an overwhelming assault from all angles, the Adventurers wouldn''t stand a chance. ''That''s what we''re meant to be talking about! Not this!'' The Mid-Demon''s growl leaked from his slightly opened jaws. He knew who was to me for all the mischief, though. Still, they were a team, so he had to tolerate everyone. "Perhaps we should just close the meeting. There''s no formal need to coordinate ourselves, to begin with. As long as we maintain our chain ofmand and close in on the targets, the work should still be done." ~Damn straight! See? This whole thing was pointless.~ ~Um, I think it''s because you¡ª~ ~Shut it, fatso!~ ~Welp, I guess this means we''re as good as done here...~ ~I suppose. Unless there''s something else you want to say?~ The Lion-Headed Demon stroked his mane as he explored his mind to search for something else to say. Unlike hisrades, he was not that wild a character. As much as he had the pride and strength of a Demon, he was not interested in underestimating or overestimating his opponents. He simply wanted to get the job done as quickly and as efficiently as possible. ''Maybe I should caution them against hubris...'' "I would like to implore everyone to¡ª" >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< A loud explosion interrupted the Demon''s voice, causing his body to shake as the ground trembled. "W-what is that?" His face looked around the tent, wondering what could have wrought something so loud and devastating. ~Hmm? What''s going on over there?~ ~You think the humans have begun their assault?~ ~Would they be so foolish? It''s practically suicide. Welp, I won''t me them... they''re dead anyway.~ ~Are they capable of something this powerful?~ As he was listening to the countlessments of his colleagues, the Lion-Headed Demon suddenly felt a presence emerge. "T-this is¡ª?!!" Chapter 100 W-What In The World Are You? "T-this is...?!" The Demon''s eyes widened and his jaws slowly dropped. The presence he was feeling made him, a powerful Demon in own right, shake. It was no ordinary presence gotten from strength or trickery. It was a strange power thatmanded an emotion that even he found extremely difficult to express. ¡ªAwe! "Something strong is here... and it''s getting closer. We''ll have to conclude this meeting for now." The Mid-Demon looked away from the Divining Orb. His gaze was now transfixed on the tent''s exit as he readied himself to leave. ~Need some backup? How serious is it?~ A voice spoke from beyond the Divining Orb. Of course, it belonged to the most obnoxious one among them. He wasn''t saying it out of concern, but mockery. The Lion-Headed Demon knew that quite well. "No." His response was swift and deep. ~I see. Bummer! Looks like your pride won''t let you ept help from another. Hahaha!~ The Mid-Demon ignored his colleague''s snarky remark and simply moved away from the Orb, preparing himself for what he might find once he opened the blinds. He found responding to be a waste of time. Why? Because hisrade was wrong about the reason for his refusal. ''The enemy might be trying to break our formation with this. There''s no way I''ll allow that to happen.'' Unless the situation was extreme, it was preferable to hold the fort himself and handle the crisis than to risk losing what they had worked considerably hard to build. Victory was already within their grasp, so it would be foolish to throw everything away due to a single threat. ''It''s not about pride. I just want toplete this mission...'' And it wasn''t even because he had some personal stake in the affairs of the Adventurers living in the barbaric city. He didn''t even care about them in the slightest. Rather... ''I just want to please him. If this is what he wants, then I will achieve it to the best of my ability.'' That was all there was to it. Clearing the blinds from his path, he greeted sunlight into the room. The Demon didn''t bother. squinting his enhanced eyes as he stepped out into the day. As his feet trod the dry, infertile ground, his body came to a slow halt as he witnessed the bizarre sight that was uring before his eyes. "What is... this madness?" His body was tensed and sticky sweat began appearing on his skin as he took in something impossible. Right before his eyes, the Demon saw a devastating crater that devastated a chunk of his territory. That was simply the start. His army of one thousand and forty nine¡ªminus him¡ªhad all fallen. Some seemed to have died as a result of the explosion, but the bloody entrails of the Demons on the ground told him that a fair amount were killed by someone. Gore and blood filled his eyesight, and all his soldiers were already dead. How swiftly it must have happened¡ªkilling all of them in a sh, before he could even leave his tent¡ªthe Mid-Demon wondered. ''I... I should ask him, shouldn''t I?'' His eyes focused on the only being that was standing amid the bloody corpses. The blood that dripped from his de, and the enormous amount of energy pouring from him was enough to tell the Mid-Demon who the perpetrator of this carnage was. Sparks of blue and white lightning shed around the being, and he was covered in scales like a dragon. He was bipedal, though, and even though two horns protruded from his head, he didn''t give off the vibe of a Demon. The power this intruder possessed, as well as his form, led the Mid-Demon General to conclude on only one choice. "A Dragonoid? Aren''t those rare, though?" As whispers escaped his breath, he noticed the being nce at him. ''Keukk!'' The dangerous look of the being screamed of calm bloodlust, driving the instincts of the Demon crazy. The way his expression was cold despite wreaking such havoc unnerved the Demon General, but not enough to make him lose his cool. ''Still, what is this unrest I feel within me? Somehow... I don''t want to fight this one.'' It was strange, but that was what the Mid-Demon noticed. "It seems you''re the only one here... a General." As the voice of the Dragonoid emerged, the air seemed to vibrate. His tone contained more power than the Lion-Headed Demon ever mustered. What in the world was going on here?! ''Dragonoids are rare, but they shouldn''t be powerful enough to make me feel this way...'' Perhaps it was the effect of a Skill? ''I have a high level of resistance, so unless he''s a higher level than I am... using a Skill tomand this effect shouldn''t be possible.'' Was it even possible for a Dragonoid to be on the same ne of power as he, a Demon General of the highest order? ''I have reached the pinnacle of Middle ss Demons... I''m Level 100 ording to the Divining Stone.'' Dragonoids had a cap of about Level 70, maybe 80. After all, they weren''t pure Dragons. Depending on the other half portion of their race, their Cap grew higher. Still, it wasn''t supposed to exceed Level 80. ''I should be superior to him, so why...?'' The Mid-Demon found himself shaking the more he thought about it. "It seems you understand the level of power that exists between us." The Dragonoid''s voice echoed in the Mid-Demon''s ears. Somehow, that made him annoyed. ''I''m a Demon, aren''t I? This defies reason. How can a Dragonoid be stronger than I am!'' Being unable to control his dissatisfaction and frustration any longer, he made to voice out his stance. >VSUUUUUUU< However, before he could dere anything, the Dragonoid form evaporated in a sh. The blue and white sparks of energy vanished. The blue scales and Dragon tail also disappeared, leaving behind a being within the fog of transformation. "Nnnghh!!!" After regaining hisposure from the surprise he got from the dispersal of energy, the Demon General red in the direction of his opponent. However¡ª "U-uh?" At this point, the the Demon felt like he could die of shock. What was now in front of him defied all expectations. "Y-you?! No way! You''re human?!" Chapter 101 Just A Little Bit Of Bullshitting ''Ah, shit... my transformation became undone...'' I realized I was screwed once the tough-looking Demon figured out my identity as a human. ''Oh, crap!'' Panic slowly squirmed to break free within me. And just when I was about to use my usual arrogant tone of authority, this happened. If this wasn''t bad luck, I had no idea what it was. Just to be clear, I didn''te here to thoughtlessly flex. That would be a dumb move on my part. No, I had a good reason for this. That involved using myself as bait, to distract the Demon General, so everyone else could enter Dulum. They were all within the Earth Golems, who basically looked like rocks from a particr angle. Thanks to the destruction I caused, the massive Golems could pass as debris¡ªI suppose. In any case, if the attention of my opponent was on me, the smokescreen of dust and devastation would give everyone the leeway of entering Dulum. It was a simplistic n, but the only one I could think of. The initial n was to run away as soon as I caused enough chaos. If everyone chased me, their focus would not be on the rest. However, after realizing a much more effective solution, I went with that instead. ¡ªThe Art of Bullshitting. My ultimate technique that had the greatest power in my arsenal. I could use it as both a passive skill and an active skill. With this in mind, I set out my n. Starting with a Mana Bomb I made by embedding runic inscriptions on an object, allowing it to constantly absorb Mana till it reached critical point, I created the explosion. Afterward, my Title [The One Who Unifies All] came into y. Thanks to it, I could cause my audience to be inplete awe of me and show me respect¡ªirrespective of Race. Of course, if any member of my audience possessed a higher Level than me, they could resist the Title''s absolute effect. It still had some persuasive effects on them, regardless. I knew all this because Damien used the Title''s effect to resolve conflicts with those more powerful than he was, by making them more septable to his suggestions. So, back to topic, I used the Title to make the survivors of the Mana Bomb explosion stay still¡ªsince I was stronger than all of them¡ªand proceeded to kill them without any resistance. It truly was an Overpowered Title. That was why I was surprised I got it in my first round. Crazy, right? However, as expected, the Demon General didn''t seem too affected by the Title''s absolute effect. I mean, he was a Middle ss Demon who had a whooping Level 100¡ªthe max for them. I shuddered at the mere thought of crossing des or fists with him. His face showed anger, telling me enough to know how screwed I was. Fortunately, his body''s reaction made it evident that he was already sumbing to the Title''s passive effects. If I just kept going, I could have nabbed him and bought enough time¡ªrunning away, afterwards. Unfortunately, my [Dragon Transformation] became undone. Once that happened, the jig was up. ''I''m dead. I''m dead. I''m dead.'' Sweat almost burst out of my skin as I watched the dark-lion Demon re at me with shock. Of course, after the shock wore out, he would being for my life. I had a few countermeasures in ce, but if I used them up now... how would I win the battle as a whole? All the audience around were dead, a d I could see a distinct separation between each camp. None interfered with the other, so if I chose to use everything I had, how would I inspire fear in the hearts of the Demon Army as a whole. There was literally no reason to exert myself so much¡ªexcept to preserve my life. ''I think that''s enough of a reason, though.'' More gulps escaped my internal self as I swallowed saliva. "You... just who are you?" The Demon General finally spoke. ''Eeeeek!!!'' His deep voice was enough to make me shiver to my bones. This macho dude had an aura of dominance that made Lilith seem like child''s y inparison. His twisted horns and menacing eyes told me he meant business. ''Fortunately, he still looks cautious of me. Haa... I better y my cards right!'' My survival depended on it. "The Adventurers gave you more problems than you bargained for, didn''t they? With those weapons of theirs..." "Your point?" The Demon General''s growl interrupted my speech, almost making making me to squeak under the pressure. ''Have some balls, Sam! Do what you need to do!'' I had to believe¡ªhave faith in the ultimate power of Bullshitting. All this time... ... It was yet to fail me! "They''re made from a Dragon''s corpse, those weapons. Who do you think slew the beast?" I noticed how the Demon''s eyes twitched, despite how he tried to hide it. "You''re bluffing." "Even after seeing my form, you still utter such words of disbelief. I suppose that is simply to offerfort to yourself." The Demon''s face scrunched in both frustration and more reflection. It seemed I was slowly reeling him in. ''No, Sam. Not yet! I cant afford to be careless now!'' Any wrong move, and all my hard work would be for nothing! "It is impossible for humans to beat Dragons." A smile formed on my face¡ªconfident and haughty. I made sure to prepare my most condescending tone while maintaining my pose of superiority. "Hehe... hehehe... hahaha... hahaha!!!" The Demon looked more annoyed than ever. I was frightened, but I made sure my deep, condescendingughter kept going. Laughing in front of my enemy made it seem like he was of no consequence to me. [Five Seconds Rule] was active, and I made sure a couple of them were also ready¡ªjust in case things went south. "Do not confine me to your mundane logic, you mere Demon." My gaze narrowed and my smile grew cold. With a stern look of warning focused on him, I took a step forward and watched as he took one backwards. "W-who... just who are you to utter such arrogant words?!" His bark was loud, but there was no threat in it. At this point, I was assured of my victory. "I''m the Legendary Dragon yer." Chapter 102 Is This Dragon Slayer For Real? "L-legendary...??!" The Lion-Headed Demon felt conflicted internally. Sweat appeared on his face, and saliva began forming in his throat. As his eyes captured the mere human physique, he convinced himself not to think too low of the being before him. ''I''ve never heard of a Legendary Dragon yer before, but...'' The Mid-Demon''s eyes narrowed on the human and found himself in a torrent of emotions. ''What should I do?'' There were two major options. He could either test the waters and attack the being before him, or he could make a tactical retreat to inform his other allies. ''He must be here to decimate the Demon Army. If this being could do this to mine, I''m certain he could do it to the others...'' The Mid-Demon was walking on shaky ground, so he had to be careful. The most effective solution was the only path he had to take. ''But... how exactly am I supposed to take action?'' The Legendary Dragon yer didn''t seem to desirebat, yet his presence invoked some degree of intimidation. He didn''t understand it. "My name is Hogun. I admit you are a formidable human. So..." The Mid-Demon strained a smile as he took a battle stance. Crouching a little, while releasing the dense Miasma within his body, he prepared for battle. "You... really want to fight me?" The Legendary Dragon yer''s tone reverberated in the Mid-Demon''s ears. It sounded condescending¡ªalmost as if the human actually pitied him. The statement was enough to crush whatever little pride he harbored. "Y-yeah..." Hogun, the Demon General growled. ''I would have preferred a tactical retreat, but there''s no way he would let me go. Besides, if he''s going to attack the other batch of soldiers next, then I just do my best to learn his abilities and weaken him a little...'' Hogun wasn''t so brazen to expect total victory, but... he wanted to achieve the best he could. "You''ll die, you know?" The Legendary Dragon yer narrowed his eyes while staring calmly. His eyes were devoid of any emotion at this point. It was just dead-on¡ªabsolutely cold! Hogun knew that if he went forward with this fight, the human would most likely kill him. Still... how could he give up?! "E-even if I die... I will dly give my life for the cause!" For a moment, there was stale silence. Afterward, the stale air rose to a terrifying degree. Both sides¡ªgood and evil¡ªstared at each other. "Hehe... hahahaha... hahahahahahaha!" A burst ofughter ruined the sacred moment of quiet, as though it was the calm before the storm. ''He''sughing? Am I that amusing to him? Is the gap between our power that wide?'' Hogun''s thoughts rang. He knew there were many people more powerful than he was¡ªUpper ss Demons and Ancient Dragons. Even though he was Max Level as a Mid-Demon, he was not so conceited as to believe he possessed absolute strength. But¡ª ''Is he that much stronger than me?!'' ¡ªHogun was now even more nervous at this point. "For a Demon, you amuse me. Very well... I shall let you live so you can entertain me some other time." "W-wha¡ª?!" Hogun''s eyes bulged in shock. Was the enemy¡ªa human¡ªsparing his life? Wouldn''t the natural course of action be to annihte the Demon that threatened and oppressed humanity? ''He sees me as entertainment? This man...'' Hogun felt stuck in his position, not knowing what to do, or what not to do. "Do not think of it as cowardly. You never had a choice, to begin with. I''ll spare your life now, so entertain me more next time." Before Hogun realized it, the human had turned his back on the Demon and was now leaving. His steps were slow and heavy, but they contained such finesse that the Mid-Demon felt mesmerized by them for a moment. However¡ª "W-wait! Do you really think I''ll let you go like that? You invaded our camp, killed my subordinates, and threatened me. Did you really expect to go like that?!" Hogun''s roar was loud. The air vibrated as his frustrated voice lifted to the heavens. >VWUUUUUUMMMMMM!!!< More Miasma climbed from his body, disying the power worthy of a Demon General. The ckish-red energy caused the air to undte, and a great evil pressure permeated the environs. Through all this, the human did not pause for a moment. He just kept walking gently. It was like Hogun''s words meant nothing to him. The power he released was too weak to be noticed. As Hogun saw the human''s defenseless back, he realized just how seemingly vulnerable the opponent looked at the moment. But, he wasn''t so foolish as to believe that. ''A-am I so weak...? He... he''s ignoring me?'' Hogun had not felt so useless in his entire life. The man ahead did not pay him anymore attention and just walked off, leaving the despondent Demon General falling to his knees. It was his absolute defeat. "I''m... so weak..." It was clear from the beginning. While he didn''t know how and why the human was so strong, the truth had been shoved on his face. "If someone like him is leading the humans... then..." Hogun couldn''t help but shiver at the prospect. There was no way their army¡ªdespite beingrge¡ªcould handle an absurdly strong being like that. ''At this point, won''t we have to take action as well?'' It was the only alternative. "Still, we have to talk to the Lord first." Hogun stood to his feet and decided to use his head rather than remain in despair forever. He turned to see the human, but there was no longer any sign of him. Other than the trail of carnage he left behind¡ªas well as therge crater¡ªit was as though he had never showed up. Somehow, it made Hogun wonder. ''How would a fight between him and the Lord go?'' For a moment, he ruminated on the thought, but it didn''t take him very long to dismiss it. Perhaps it was just his defeated mind that needed rest. ''No one here can best the Lord...'' A smile formed on Hogun''s face. It wasn''t due to needless pride or an inted ego. No, it was simple facts. ''He''s a member of the Demon King''s Inner Circle, after all...'' With that in mind, Hogun set out to do the needful. Chapter 103 Is This City For Real? ''Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!'' That was close! Too close forfort! I really thought I''d die. Even though I thought I had won the battle of words and took my leave¡ªhoping he wouldn''t do anything more¡ªthe guy actually threatened me with his power. ''He''s stronger than me, no doubt! I thought I''d shit my pants!'' My body was on the verge of breaking down under that Miasma, and it took everything in me to keep moving forward. To be honest... if he had struck me from behind, it would be over already. ''So risky! I think I might have PTSD!'' Tears nearly fell from my eyes. As for my location, I already got into the Adventurer''s City. Yeah, it was quite simple too. When that absurdly powerful Demon¡ªHogun, I think¡ªseemed distracted, I used my Camouge cloak to blend in with the surroundings and sneak into the City. Fortunately, everyone had also made it, so I didn''t have to worry about much else. Except¡ª "L-legendary Dragon yer¡ªno, I mean, Hero¡ªwee!" ¡ªAs except, Sarah and the others must have bbed of my identity yo everyone while I was away. And so, as I got snuck into Dulum, I was met with the bow¡ªlike, the one where they kneel and worship someone¡ªfrom every single member of the Adventurers City. Old and young. Citizen and Adventurers. Male and Female. All of them were bowing in my presence. "Wee back, Hero!" Their voices echoed into the air, almost causing me to wince. I was overwhelmed by the sight, almost to the point of running away from the absurdity. This was TOO MUCH! "That''s enough. You may all rise." My voice was calm, but it contained enough authority yo tell them to cease their shamelessness instantly. ''These guys make me feel like the bad guy.'' I was deceiving them a little, yes. But, I never wanted worship and stuff from them. Simple cooperation would have sufficed. As Imanded, they all rose to their feet. Their reverent eyes remained, however. It had the vibes of a cult, to be honest. ''It''s not your fault, Sam. It''s these crazy people.'' Appeasing my conscience with this, I looked around me. Zabdel, the Vice Guildmaster was at the forefront of the crowd¡ªthen folks like Asa, Liebert, and Gu were behind him. The other Adventurers and citizens were spread about, all giving the same look of awe and reverence. "Why are you all overreacting..." A whisper identally leaked from my lips as I sighed in exasperation. "We saw and heard all of it! The way you killed all those Demons and the way you spared that General of theirs. We know your power is supreme and exceeds anything within our imagination." Zabdel bowed his head deeply The citizens and Adventurers followed suit, adding to my difort. ''These guys were spying on me? Motherfuckers!'' They just have used the Binocrs I borrowed Asa to use fit reconnaissance, since she was a ranger. How could she have used my precious tool against me? ''The Demon Army is just about five hundred meters¡ªmaybe more¡ªaway from this ce. These spies...'' The explosion of my Mana Bomb, and the bluff stuff I used must have inspired them. Sigh... "That''s enough. We need to get down to business. We have no idea when next they''ll strike. Preparations need to be made." "U-understood!" I nced to the edge of the City''s walls and saw my Golems on standby¡ªproviding primary security for the city. The Demons were also within the constructs¡ªa decision I made to ensure the citizens of Dulum didn''t freak out until I exined the whole thing. "They won''t be attacking anytime soon. I''d advise you all to retreat to your homes and have a night of rest... at least until tomorrow." I smiled at the audience. Their faces contained relief. Surprisingly, they believed me so easily. After thanking me, they left for their homes. ''These guys... unbelievable!'' I couldn''t exactlyin, though, so I simply watched as they left. "Our top Adventurers are already preparing a residence for you, Hero." Zabdel approached me with the most respectful tone. "That can wait. Gather all the top Adventurers. We need to have a conference. I don''t have enough information on the opponents, so I''ll need you all to give yourments and opinions." "U-understood." Zabdel nodded. "Alright. I''ll be sorting out some things with my entourage, so just return when everything is set." "Y-yes! I''ll do so right away!" The Video Guildmaster scurried off¡ªboth with excitement and nervousness. I truly couldn''t get the middle-aged man. "Go assist him and make sure everything is in order." I nced at Asa, Gu, and Liebert, who were apparently still waiting by my side. I appreciated their newfound attachment to me, but I didn''t want it to look like I was already poaching them. Besides, they also needed rest. "U-understood! We''ll do that." I sensed disappointment in Asa''s voice as she led the three away. It made me feel bad, but at the same time, I was relieved that no one was present anymore¡ªexcept my townspeople, I mean. "H-Hero!" A voice sharply interrupted my fee seconds of thoughtful bliss. "Hm?" ? I didn''t see anyone from my line of sight, yet a voice clearly addressed me. "H-Hero, over here!" The voice sounded again, but this time I realized it wasing a little lower than expected. "Oh. Hello, there..." I smiled, looking at a cute little girl who was jumping and waving her hand to get my attention. She had brown hair tied into two pigtails, and freckles spread all over her face. Her brown eyes sparkled ad her rough cloth bounced with every jump she made. ''A kid? What''s a kid doing here?!'' My calm front remained intact. "You''ll save all of us, right? Mama and Papa keep saying that the Demons areing to kill us. You''ll save us, won''t you?" ''The fuck? What kind of development is this?'' Why would parents tell a kid something so gory? And why was she looking at me like that? Chapter 104 This Hero Is For Real [Pt 1] ''The fuck? What kind of development is this?'' Why would parents tell a kid something so gory? And why was she looking at me like that? ''Death by Demons... just how many times did she hear that?'' I stared at the little girl with very conflicted emotions. Of course, as the Hero, I could only be one thing to folks like her. "Of course..." My handnded on her soft brown hair and smiled confidently. Crouching a little, so we could be closer in height, I made sure my blue eyes connected with hers. "... I''ll save everyone." We both smiled at each other, and I felt some warm fuzzy feeling within me. The child''s innocent grin made the emotion rise even more. It made me mean every single word of assurance I told her. For the sake of children like her, and the hope of all the people in this City, I couldn''t lose. "That''s a promise." * * * The girl bounced off, smiling brightly as she left. As I watched her small frame leave, I felt my heart ache. This was reality, and everyone was depending on me. "The Hero is so kind." "Indeed." "We trust the Hero." These helpless people needed someone to rely on. It made me feel shitty that they had me, not a genuine Hero. Still, I could only try my best, right? "Sarah, Byron, and Lucy; you guys will be with me in the meeting." Lucy was generally in charge of our military. Sarah was support based, and Byron handled stuff like food distribution and supplies. ''My Inventory contains the food we''ll be using, but I can''t be the one in charge of tasks like that...'' It wasn''t due to pride. These guys just wouldn''t let me do stuff like that. ''Lilith will bemanding the Demons. I''ll let them know in the meeting too...'' "Tell Lilith she cane out of the Golem. We''ll be introducing her to everyone in the meeting." "Understood!" Sarah responded to my instructions. "Alright then. I will be taking a walk to survey the area. You should also rx until everything is set." I smiled at everyone. The One Hundred and Fifty humans smiled and nodded in excitement, happy to recieve my benevolence¡ªat least, that was what it seemed like. "Alright. I''ll be back shortly." * * * Once I had everyone off my back, I made use of my alone time by using my camouge cloak to take a silent walk. The eerie silence of the Adventurers City was terrifying, and the terrible expectation of the future had my heart racing. Still, I calmed myself. "Status Information." [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 75 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Exhausted, Relieved, Slightly Annoyed. Status Infliction: Sleepy Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] [Stats] Level: 75 Exp: 87.99% ss: None (Check Avable ss) Karmic Value: 35,200 [Basic Ability] HP: 85/85 MP: 80/80 Strength: 50 Agility: 90 Vitality: 80 Intelligence: 100 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule <2> Rune crafting <3> Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power ¡ªWarrior''s Skin (Byron) ¡ªBlessing Of Recovery (Sarah) ¡ªBlessing Of Power (Sarah) ¡ªMana Strengthening (Lucy) ¡ªMarite (Lilith) ¡ªEvil Eye (Lilith) <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Predator <8> Draconic Transformation <9> Domination [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter <5> Dragon Hunter <6> Fool <7> ve Master <8> Demon Contractor <9> The One Who Unifies [End Of Information] "Would you look at that? I''ve definitely grown from the way I was back then..." A smile formed on my face. I was Level 69 before, but I recently added 6 new Levels from the recent mishap. You''d expect me to gain more EXP and Levels, considering I literally killed over a thousand Demons¡ªfifty of which were certainly Mid-Demons. ''The Mana Bomb did most of the work, so no EXP for me. Sigh...'' The ones who directly died thanks to my direct actions were under the [The One Who Unifies] Title. As such, they didn''t resist. ''The problem with this Title is that it discourages killing those you''re trying to unify, so the EXP gain there is also cut short...'' Thanks to that, I only grew slightly. It was regrettable, but I achieved my goal regardless, so it was fine. Still... "That Demon, Hogun, he''s Level 100..." That was the Max Level that his kind could ever reach. Coupled with the fact that he was a Demon, his base stats were definitely going to be much higher than normal. ''Not only am I in Level 75, but even if I was in Level 100, he''d still be stronger.'' Shit! Things were worse than I thought. Way worse! If he was the Final Boss, then I would have at least found a way to get around the barrier of Levels. However, the problem had gone beyond that. ''That was simply one of the camps that I attacked. Plus, with his attitude, it seems he''s the leader of that regiment. The fact that he was willing to risk his life to fight means there are others in the high chain ofmand...'' He most likely had other Mid-Demon brethren leading the army. The question was whether or not they were all as monstrous as him. ''If that''s the case, then there''s even more trouble. Damnit...'' I had to think of a way out of the problem, but the more I questioned everything and tried to find a loophole, it seemed futile. Even with the resources I had, there was no way to guarantee the lives and property of everyone in the City. One way or the other, there was going to be loss. It was toote to avoid that. ''No use regretting the past. I just have to do all I can now. I can''t be stuck here.'' Inhaling and exhaling calmly, I looked at the city with tired eyes. "I''ll protect you guys. I have to!" Chapter 105 This Hero Is For Real [Pt 2] "E-EEEEEKKKKKK!!!" An annoying, but understandably, loud voice pierced the air. The Middle Aged man before me¡ªand the rest of my leaders¡ªlooked petrified with shock and fear. ''Ah, aren''t you just overreacting?'' I nearly rolled my eyes, but kept my calm facade going. "H-Hero... isn''t t-that¡ª!!!" Sighing internally, at this point, I approached the Vice Guildmaster of Dulum and touched his shivering shoulder. "It''s fine, Zabdel... she''s my ve." * * * Moments earlier, I had returned from my excruciating round of thoughtful strategies to emerging victorious. Spoiler alert, I still had no idea how to achieve this. Everyone¡ªSarah, Byron, Lucy, and Lilith¡ªwas awaiting my arrival. They were already prepared to leave for the meeting, so all we had to do was wait for things to fly on the Adventurers'' end. The human soldiers were talking with one another, trying their best to rx despite the horrific sight of the army we were up against. I knew they were all doing their best to get a grip. It didn''t take long after I arrived, before Zabdel personally came to inform us of thepletion of their preparations. Unfortunately, when heid eyes on the newest member of my group, he freaked out. So, yep... that was what happened. * * * "I-I see... so that''s how it is." The Vice Guildmaster murmured after a very draining round of exnation. Usually, my authoritative words as a Hero would be enough to make him swallow whatever confusion he had about Lilith. Unfortunately, we were not in my home territory. ''Plus, with all this tension rising everywhere, it''s best to be as clear as possible.'' I sighed internally as my eyes observed Zabdel''s countenance. Thankfully, he believed me. "I understand. Thank you, Hero. This just reminds me of how powerful and unpredictable you are." A smiled formed on his face. Reverence reced fear, and I could sense genuine feelings of awe. ''Ah, this just became awkward again...'' I wondered why Asa and the others didn''t warn Zabdel prior to himing? That would have saved me a lot of drama. Perhaps they didn''t want to be the ones to spill the beans? Well, either way. It didn''t change the fact that I had to clean up the mess by myself. "It''s fine. Now then, shall we go?" My voice resumed its deep and purposeful tone. Fortunately, my able Vice Guildmaster caught my drift and nodded in response. "Of course. Right this way." And so, I and my entourage were led to the designated site for discussion. ''Hopefully I figure out a good strategy before then...'' ******** All five S Rank Adventurers¡ªof course not counting those in the rank of Guildmaster or Vice¡ªwere present in the fairlyrge hall. Other than them, the elite A Rank Adventurers, and veterans in the business were also present. Party Leaders were also made to attend the meeting, so the total number of Adventurers were fifty nine. As important figures in Dulum, all the strong men and women know why they were present. It was to discuss the most pressing matter that troubled them. The venue was a ce reserved for important guests¡ªfor example, the leaders of several nations, or perhaps wealthy merchants and personalities of high standing. It was a surprise to see that Adventurers like them, who were more attuned to violence and a rugged lifestyle, could find themselves in such a ce. Surprisingly, there were wooden furniture present; afortable chair and an exquisite desk that stood in front of the small crowd.. Everyone else had metal-like chairs, but they were all standing in front of them. No one in the room sat on their respective seats as they were in no mood to rest. Besides, they awaited someone important. It wasmon sense to wait for him before anyone assumed their seats. * * * "W-will we really be alright?" A timid-looking man squeaked to a colleague beside him. He had a shabby hair, and his gear could only be described as shoddy¡ªat best. Unlike some of the big shots in the room, he was on the low end of the elite spectrum. As the leader of a Party, he had the requirements to attend this important meeting, but anyone could tell that he didn''t belong there. Not only was he a C Rank Adventurer¡ªquite average in looks and charisma¡ªhe was also physically weak and often relied on his caution and wits to tackle awry situations as an Adventurer. It was because of this that he was able to effectively lead his team members through so many hardships and countless trials. A few called him paranoid, but it was due to this overly cautious nature of his that his Party had never experienced any loss of members since its establishment. That was an achievement not many could boast of! Then again... his Party was just a few months old. No one knew the future. "You don''t believe in the Hero?" The colleague beside him was of almost equal status. The gear alone showed their simrities¡ªthough the brighter fellow had better maintained weapons and a very captivating armor. They were still quite cheap, though. "You need to have faith, Thomas. Don''t doubt the Hero." The brighter fellow smiled while tapping the shoulder of the more nervous Adventurer. Thomas nodded and gave a weary smile once he felt better. His friend, Andrew, was always the better speaker. It was no wonder he had more Party Members, despite being so reckless. "I-I see. I understand. Thanks." Andrew nodded and gave a brighter smile¡ªif such a thing was even possible. It wasn''t just Thomas who was nervous, though. Many people had fears and worries, but they were allforted by one thought¡ªthe Hero. Not all of them experienced it, but quite a good amount had used the ''Magical Magnifying Item'' that the Hero lent Asa¡ªwho was also in the room. The Item was amazing, as it made everything seem much closer when one saw through it. And the Hero had just so easily given Asa the power to heighten her Ranger Abilities beyond the natural. Thanks to everyone she, and herrades saw, the Adventurers in the room had faith... ... That their Hero wouldn''t fail. Chapter 106 Magnificent Strategy... Ish. No one had heard or seen of something so amazing before. The most surprising part was that no one could sense the amount of Mana it contained. In short, thanks to the Hero''s Magic Item, they saw the confrontation between him and a portion of the Demon Army, and how he easily devastated them. The enemies all froze in his presence, most likely due to his powerful influence, and even the Demon General was unable to do a thing. No one could exin why he had spared the Lion Headed Demon, but they still knew the Hero was powerful enough to solo the Demons¡ªat least ording to the words of Asa, who saw most of it. This gave everyone enough confidence. Since they were in a time of desperation, their human nature of desiring a savior popped in. Everyone looked in one direction¡ªThe Hero. >CREAK< The door finally opened, and the Hero walked in, Zabdel being directly behind him. Hushed sounds of awe filled the room as the crowd tried to suppress their uproar. They simply watched the ck-haired being wall majestically to his seat. Every step he took was purposeful and powerful. His cool demeanor made itpletely clear that he knew what to do. And so, once he sat on his wooden chair, he have everyone permission to rest their buttocks. "Without any further ado, shall we begin?" ********** ''This chair is hard... damn.'' I maintained a cam front, but my buttocks clearly didn''t like the rigid structure I sat on. Why was it made this way? Perhaps the wood''s quality itself wasn''t top tier? I understood wood was rare in this world, so I could understand. ''That said, look at these people...'' Their eager faces told me they were waiting for the best strategy meeting of their lives. I couldn''t promise them that, though. I truly wanted to help and offer hope, but lying would only put me in more trouble now. ''Let''s get the bothersome part out of the way first...'' "You maye in." Raising my voice intentionally, I called for my subordinates. Sarah, Byron, Lucy... and Lilith all came into the room. It took a few seconds for everything to register, especially the one who would have the center of attraction among them. However, the moment they realized it¡ª "A-a Demon!!!" "W-why is a Demon here?!" "Eeeeeeekkkkk!!!" ¡ªThe Adventurers assumed an either frightened or violent stance. ''Oh, boy.'' I almost pped my palm on my face, but I couldn''t. I expected this much, after all. It was best to begin exnations. * * * Fortunately, I didn''t need to say anything. I was surprised when Asa rose to he feet and addressed everyone on my behalf. I had almost forgotten she was in the room¡ªalong with Gu and Liebert. Shepletely defended Lilith, calling her my property. It was amazing how she decided to tell everyone about how I enved the Demons and used them for my nation. I had initially thought Asa was disgusted my my ''Enving Demons'' ideology, but how wrong had I been. She was so happy about the whole thing that I thought it was too dangerous. ''To think this is her view of me... wow!'' By the time she was done, everyone was calm and ready to start the meeting. "Now that we have gotten those things out of the way..." I smiled, nodding gracefully. ''Let''s see. How do I stall for time and get more information?'' "Why don''t you tell me the details of the Demon Army. What have you been able to discover from them?" In response to this, Zabdel rose and began his exnation. Of course, I listened carefully. It would be stupidity not to hear of their discoveries. It it could help me just a little, I had to take it, regardless. The Demon Camp was dividend into ten parts, ording to Dulum''s survey. The purpose of this move was to cage the Adventurers within the City''s walls. Not only were the Adventurers weaker, they were also smaller. The Demons'' strategy was terrifyingly effective. "They also seem to have ten Demon Generals. You fought with one of them." ''E-eh...?!'' What was I hearing? The monster I fought was simply one out of ten? Now that raised the stakes to a considerable level. ''Ah, damn.'' As I listened to the story more and more, the more I realized how hopeless the situation was. ''It''s annoying that none of these things were mentioned in the Light Novel. You would think a significant event like this featured in the story, but it didn''t!'' The Hero simply mentioned him leaving the Adventurers City after he defeated the Earth Dragon, because the citizens kept praising him too much. He went to to the Merchant City next, and got into someplicated mess there. After spending a few years sorting out the mess, he finally decided to return to Dulum. Unfortunately it was already destroyed. A Demon factory now upied the ce, and the Adventurers were nowhere to be seen¡ªmost likely dead. ''That''s about all the information I can get concerning this situation. Damn...'' I didn''t know it would happen this soon, to be honest. However, I was currently stuck in a mess I had to fix. "The Demons have the advantage in numbers and power, but we still have the home Territory." A couple gueri warfare, with the aid of Magic, could help. Whether or not we could best the odds, though, I couldn''t say. "Do you all have stocks of Mana Chalk and Mercury?" I could use Runes to also assist. If we were to y our cards well, we could secure less casualties through the¡ª "S-sorry Hero... but we''ve run out." "W-wha¡ª?!" "We spent a bulk of it making the weapons gotten from the Dragon carcass. Unfortunately, just as we were going to restock, the Demons appeared." ''This is a big issue. Damn it!'' The one thing that could turn this mess of a battle around wasn''t present, and the Demons were already blocking the entrance to the Labyrinth. There was only one word to describe our situation. ''We''re all screwed!'' Chapter 107 The Demons Are Slightly Worried "W-we need to have an emergency summit... all of us." The one who spoke so dreadfully, despite his bone-chilling voice, was the mighty Demon General Hogun. His body had still not recovered from the shock of facing, and losing to, the human who proimed himself as the Legendary Dragon yer. Picturing the image of the being sent a bit of shiver down Hogun''s body, and he was confused by why he felt a form of awe rather than pure hate toward the human. What was happening to him? Was it the effect of Magic? ~Whoah, was the human that strong?~ ~Don''t be a retard. Humans aren''t very strong. They have a Level Cap of 30, right? All of us here are Level 100. A Demon''s base stats is even higher than a human''s, so I don''t see how that is possible.~ ~Yeah... that''s a good point.~ "You lot didn''t see what I saw! You better not underestimate that man!" Hogun roared in frustration. His eyes were bulging with every, and his muscles were tightening in fury. "You fools had better not underestimate those humans! They''re far stronger than we have then credit for!" ~Whoah, Hogun, calm yourself.~ ~Hmph! I won''t believe it until I see the guy''s abilities for myself. Though, I''m pretty sure if mop the floor with him.~ ~We should all listen to Hogun. He''s objective about these things..." ~What exactly did you see? I mean, our camps aren''t exactly far from each other, but we''re supposed to remain in our designated positions.~ ~I saw a massive crater in your area. Did he cause that?~ ~I also saw dead bodies and a mountain of corpses.~ ~H-hold on, what?!~ "Huuu... you all..." Hogun''s whisper felt husky and heavy. The Demon Generals knew it was time to be silent in order to let him speak. Despite his overly firm and stuff personality, he was still one of the strongest of them. That earned him the respect of everyone using the Divining Orb. About seven of them were present¡ªa full house, so to speak. "Think about this carefully. We didn''t expect the humans to possess those Dragon-based Weapons. It''s not possible that they could have achieved something like that through ordinary means. Yet..." Hogun was lost in a sea of negative emotions. The more he thought of it, the more confused he was. "... Not only did they possess weapons out of their means, they actually struggled to survive the first wave." ~Yeah, we know that already. What''s your point?~ "The Legendary Dragon yer was the one who granted them those weapons! He made sure they could resist us. He must have also caught wind of our ns to destroy the City today and decided to disrupt everything by massacring my soldiers." Hogun wasn''t certain, but he had a good feeling that it was to serve as simple warning. The lives of his soldiers were sacrificed to warn him and the other Demon Generals. "We should move carefully henceforth." ~Hmm... do the others know of this?~ A calm voice proceeded from the Divining Orb. It was a soft female tone¡ªone.of the only two Demon Generals presently leading the army. The other one was, of course, absent from the meeting. "I personally called them and told them to hold off the invasion n. They must have also felt the explosion, so after I exined it to them, they decided to listen." ~I swear, you''re the only one who can talk to those stuck-up idiots.~ "In any case, we need to have a joint assembly¡ªmaybe a physical one." For a moment, there was static silence. However, a voice calmly asked the question on most of the Demons'' minds. ~Why?~ They could simply use the Divining Orb for group calls, while Hogun would inform the others of their decision , personally. Was there really a need to go an extra mile? "I''m... thinking of calling ''The Master.''" ~WHAT?!~ A joint protest rang from the Divining Orb. Even Hogun would have been shaken by the joint echoes of his colleagues, but he expected this much. ~WHY GO THAT FAR?~ To be frank, the Lion-Headed Demon saw logic in their protest. But, they didn''t understand. If only they could see how he felt... how the Legendary Dragon yer was. "Pray you never meet him in battle. Or maybe you should. Either way, I could clearly feel apulsion to be dominated by him when I was in his presence..." ~D-Dominarion?!~ "Y-yeah. It shames me to admit it, but... it felt the same as I usually feel in the presence of ''The Master''. ~Oi. Oi. This is serious.~ ~I didn''t know he was that strong.~ ~Well, it''s ultimately up to you. If that''s what you feel is right.~ ~Your actions are always for the benefit of Demonkind, so I understand.~ The Lion-Headed Demon gave a short smile. His eyes glimmered slightly and a relived expression broke on his face. "Thank you all." ~W-whatever! When do you want to have the meeting, anyway?~ ~Yeah. And also, when will we be attacking?~ ~Yep, just for reference.~ "To be safe, it''s best we meet tomorrow. I want the dust to settle. If that man sees us taking action, he might make another move. ~Pfft, I still can''t believe a single human is making us worry like this. For all we know, he could be a fraud who''s faking it.~ "You don''t know what I saw! There''s no way he could fake that! He''s the real deal!" Hogun rarely lost hisposure, but he did so at this point. Seething anger was properly expressed by the veins that appeared all over his face. His bloodshot eyes eyed the Divining Orb with annoyance. ~Welp. If you say so...~ "In any case, we shouldn''t attack if we don''t have enough information on the targets. As you all know, we need to be gathered before I can summon the Master, that''s why I wanted a physical meeting." Sounds of approval rang from within the Divining Orb, and once again, Hogun smiled in satisfaction and gratitude. He might have been overreacting, but the Demon General doubted it. "Thank you, everyone. All is to fulfil out master''s wishes!" Chapter 108 Ah, Starry Nights... Arent They Wonderful? It didn''t take long for the canopy of darkness to cover the night sky. Stars glimmered in their few, dim numbers, and the moon hung above. Dark clouds hovered in the deep expanse of the firmaments, and the chilly wind blew across the areas of the doomed city. Golems kept constant watch¡ªserving as security to alert of any evil that approached. This allowed the denizens of the surrounded ce have some measure of hope, at the very least. Everyone slept peacefully that night¡ªat least, better than thest few days. The Hero was granted his private lodging, while every of his important leaders were also given honorable rooms¡ªnone were as grandiose as the former, though. And so, as the night sky painted an eerie, yet peaceful sight that no one appreciated, one person stood in front of his window and stared at the distant clouds and dim stars. His breath was heavy, and his heart was in turmoil. He was the Hero himself... and despite everything that was said about him, one question remained prevalent in his mind. "What am I supposed to do now?" ********** Uncertainty made everything worse. I had been lucky thus far, but even in those instances, my chances of sess weren''t astronomically as low as this. It was either I had knowledge, or my opponents overestimated my capabilities. ''But, I can''t be everywhere at once. I also can''t use Runes, as our supply is very limited. There are options, but I can''t pay that price. Not now...'' As I bit my nails thinking of alternatives, a gentle knock sounded on my door. ''Am I imagining things?'' As if to prove me wrong, the knock sounded once more. ''Isn''t itte at night? Who could it be?'' I wondered, staring at the hardened metal door. "I-It me..." I heard a shaky female voice creak out. The whisper was soft, barely audible. I could sense a lot of hesitation behind the tone as well, but there was no way I wouldn''t recognize the voice. ''What is she doing here...?'' I wondered. It was prettyte¡ªprobably as close to midnight as I imagined. ''My phone could tell time, fortunately. Unfortunately, I wasn''t sure how urate it was in terms of this world''s time calendar. So far so good, though. "Come in." I made my voice loud enough so she could hear, while maintaining my position as I stared even deeper out the window. The door creaked, and the girl entered my private lodging. It was a spacious room with wooden furniture, but it remained a slightly average room nheless. I understood the tastes¡ªorck thereof¡ªthat Adventurers had, so I couldn''tin. As my visitor ventured further into the room, closing the door behind her, I inhaled the night breeze from my open window and Gabe a cool exhtion. "What are you doing here, Lilith?" My voice was a mix of ''distant'' and ''caring'', I think. It was the kind of aesthetic I was going for, and so far I was doing a good job at it. "W-well... I... I..." Her voice kept breaking, making everything she said incoherent. Lilith wasn''t exactly known for her good grammar, but it was just terrible tonight. I couldn''t make a single thing out. Slowly, my head turned in her direction and I gave a cool smile. The ray of moonlight washed over me as my gentle demeanor radiated forth. It was perfect for the aesthetic! Yes! It seemed the universe was on my side on this part, at the very least. "Come here." The Demon girl looked surprised by my invitation to draw near. She seemed unsure, and her cheeks were red, but she did so anyway. ''Ah, I''m just noticing... she''s putting on a negligee...'' It wasn''t transparent, though. Her ck night garment had enough fabric to keep my eyes away from the goods. ''At this point, that''s a good thing.'' I sighed internally. Naughty thoughts were far away from my mind at the moment. "M-Master... I..." Her voice kept breaking as she drew closer to me. Calmly observing her face, then her body, I realized she was trembling. It could have been cold or sickness, but I knew better than to conclude on that when considering a Mid Demon of Lilith''s caliber. No, it had to be something else. After racking my brain for a while, the answer dawned on me. ''She''s scared!'' Just as I figured it out, she was right next to me, clinging tightly to my body as het body kept shaking. "Lilith... you''re scared, aren''t you?" Her eyes widened slightly, and then she looked down, nodding shamefully. Her cheeks became redder, and her body seemed to cling tighter to mine. "M-Master... Lilith scared. Lilith..." Her voice was shaky, but I got the message. It felt a bit cowardly to say stuff like this, especially when everyone was trying their best to fight, but... ''Who can me her?'' I definitely wouldn''t. Unlike everyone else who was so enamoured by my presumed capabilities, Lilith knew the harsh realities of Demonkind. It was perhaps the one thing we shared inmon¡ªa bond that couldn''t be relegated. ''Having to face hundreds of Demons like her, and thousands more in the lesser cadre. I''m sure she knows the odds of her survival.'' As she clung more to me, I felt my heart ache for the Demon Girl. I initially despised her. After all, she was the one responsible for the deaths of my people in my first try. She made me waste my precious [Arcana Call], and she was an enemy. But, the more I got to know about Lilith, especially after she told me about her past, the more I empathized with her. Having someone like here to my room, breaking down in fright, was something I could not overlook. "Why don''t you escape?" Before I realized it, the words came out. "U-uh...?" Her expressions depicted surprise. I couldn''t stop myself at this point¡ªnot after the thought popped in my mind. Swiftly moving, I grabbed Lilith by both shoulders and drew my face closer to hers. Even if it wasn''t befitting of a Hero of my caliber... even if it ruined the aesthetic¡ªI had to be honest with her. I owed Lilith that much! Chapter 109 What The Heck Am I Doing? "It''s not toote. I could make a n that allows you to escape without any high risk. You''re a Demon too, so you''ll blend in well." As my voice echoed in the dark room, I felt the unheroic nature of the words. Wasn''t it hypocritical for a Hero like me to encourage someone to abandon the cause? I was literally telling her to run away and leave everyone else to die. "B-but, Master..." "No ''buts''! Your ve Contract allows you to leave once your life is at risk. You don''t have to be here of you''re scared." I could feel her gaze grow weaker. As my blue eyes reflected in her red ones, something deep sparked within them. "B-but, Lilith... Lilith..." Her voice was coarse now, and it felt like she was about to cry. ''Why...? Why are you doing this?'' "Isn''t living the most important thing to you? Isn''t that why you chose to be my ve? Survival is your top priority, isn''t it?" My voice suddenly rose. Was it in anger or desperation? Was I just transferring my pent-up frustration on the girl? Even if I felt stuck, I didn''t want her to feel the same. "Unlike me... you have options." My voice was also wavering at this point. The firm hands that held her shoulders loosened. I couldn''t endure the aching in my heart for some reason. Was it because of how utterly irresistible she looked like under the moon''s glow, or the vulnerable, yet stubborn expression she had. How could I force someone like this to fight and die just because of my little charade? "You can choose to flee, Lilith. You can¡ª" "No! Lilith won''t leave Master!" She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me. "W-wha¡ª?" He body stubbornly glued against mine, and despite how flustered I was I could feel every contact we made. ''What is she doing?!'' "Lilith won''t leave Master! Master kind. Master good. Master cons.. cos... considerate!" "But, you could¡ª" "Lilith will happily die for Master!" The more I felt and heard her, the more the pains in my heart increased. My conscience couldn''t bear it. "But you hardly know me, Lilith. How can you even say that? How can you give your life so easily to me...?" It made no sense! We were once enemies. The only reason we became allies was because I defeated her. There was no way she could have formed such a strong attachment to me in just two weeks. ''No way she could have done that...'' "Lilith loves Master!" Her sharp cry pierced the air and echoed in my ears. It made my brain shut down for a moment. "W-what did you just¡ª?!" "Lilith loves Master!" She repeated her words. It made me even more confused. As I staggered backward, she kept her strong hold on me, refusing to back off. "W-why...? I don''t... you don''t even know me, really." Everything I showed people was a front. No one could really understand how cowardly and perverted I truly was. They all saw what they wanted to see¡ªthe Hero of the world. And I also yed that part with absolute diligence and unrelenting effort. I felt no ill will towards the ones who depended on me. Rather, I just knew it had to be done. ''This world does not need Samuel Peterson. It needs the Hero.'' That was why I locked away every ounce of my excesses, focusing on the path that would yield the best results¡ªshowing the strong and charismatic persona that only a Hero could. That was what everyone knew me to be! Lilith was no exception. "You have no idea how I really am, so¡ª" "Master is kind! Lilith loves kind Master!" Her voice was stubbornly defiant, burying my weak reaction to her confession. My body suddenly felt weak, and for some reason... I wasn''t able to activate my [Freedom Of Expression]. My eyes had tears falling from them, and my body was shivering as well. Sweat formed on my face, and I had no idea what sort of expression I was making. It was just a mess! ''Why? What''s going on? Why am I not¡ª!?!'' "Master is kind. Master helped Lilith, even though Lilith bad. Master give Lilith name. Master give Lilith food. Master give Lilith house. Master give Lilith cloth. Master help Lilith learn. Master listen to Lilith. Master protect Lilith. Master defend Lilith. Master not abuse Lilith. Master not beat Lilith. Master not yell at Lilith. Master... Master good!" I was dumbstruck. I waspletely broken, unable to utter a single word of defense or excuse. What was I supposed to say? What more could I do? Everything she said... was correct. "B-but, I only did that because... it was the natural thing to do..." It wasn''t as though I was exceptionally kind-hearted. I just did what a normal person would be found doing. In fact, I thought of using her several times. She was just one of my tickets to having a fairly decent life, since I wanted to build a strong military force that would make me a force to be reckoned with. Lilith was just one of my many pieces. "I''m... not a good person. You only think the Hero is¡ª" "Lilith no care about Hero! Lilith love Master! Master is Master! Lilith love Master!" As those words echoed in my heart, I could no longer control it. ''N-no, don''t say that... please...'' Everything I buried underneath began surfacing. The dim moonlight went to my very depths and brought forth my ugliness. My weakness. ''... If you say this, then...'' My tears. My fears. My worry. My pride. My shame. ''... I won''t be able to control myself any longer.'' Everything came gushing out at that very moment. "I-I''m scared too, Lilith." My cracked voice leaked out,pletely devoid of any confident demeanor ormanding tone. Just the regr voice of Sam. "I don''t know what to do. Everyone is going to die at this rate. I can''t save the people. What should I do?!" Chapter 110 My First Time Is With A Demon "I don''t... I don''t know what to do! I''m so scared! I might lose everything here! All the empty promises I made, and all the bravado I pulled off... I can''t deliver! I don''t know what to do!" Silence reigned as I stared at Lilith. Exposing the ugly side of myself to this clueless Demon wasn''t going to help me in the slightest. She most likely didn''t even have the answers to my problems. Yet¡ª ¡ªWhy did everything naturally flow out? ''Ahh... now I know why [Freedom Of Expression] isn''t working...'' "Master..." Lilith rested on my throbbing body, causing me to lose bnce and fall on the cold surface of the floor. Thanks to my high Level, there was no damage, but I still felt the sh between my back and the hard ground. Just as I was recoiling from the impact, I noticed the Demon Girl was atop me, lying on my body with hers. ''... Is this what I really want? Is this the natural state I desire?'' "...Master..." Lilith''s voice furthered, now in a soft whisper. She obviously didn''t have any answer to my worry. Her mind couldn''t process or fathom the kind of miracle I would need to pull off a victory. But the way her eyes gleamed, and the soft smile yed on her face... I felt like she could see through mepletely. As her lips parted, I felt myself bing absolutely numb to everything¡ªthe worry and pain I felt. It just felt like there was no one or nothing existing apart from me and her in the room. "What are you doing, Lilith?" My voice called out to her as she remained on top of me, her hands on my chest. Her blushing face drew closer to mine and I felt my heart race with every moment that passed. Finally, she spoke. "... Sleep with me." * * * Of the millions of words a man can expect, there is but one that drives him insane the most. That is an invitation to sex. ~ A Random Quote * * * "... E-eh¡ª?!" My brain melted once I heard Lilith''s statement. ''No. I must have heard wrong. Clearly, she didn''t mean¡ª'' "Sleep with me, Master! Lilith knows Master is sad. Lilith wants to help Master. Lilith is also scared and lonely. So, Master... please sleep with Lilith." Her voice started rising as she ced her hand on her voluptuous chest. I was bbergasted, unable to word any intelligible sentence as I stared at the Demon Girl with confusion. It still didn''t dawn on me what she was implying. Perhaps it did, but my brain was too fried to respond. However... "W-why would you want that?" ... I just couldn''t stay quiet. I stared at her crimson eyes, waiting for an answer. As her gleaming irises shone, and her beautiful face glowed, Lilith gave the most charming smile I had ever seen. "B-because... Lilith loves Master." ''U-uh? I don''t understand...'' My body felt hot for some reason, and my heart was beating faster than ever. I was lost, yet focused on just the girl on top of me. Why was I so enthralled? Why was I losing control? Sweat began popping from my pores, and my breathing became ragged. It was like... I was in a different world¡ªa world where I had no control. "Lilith won''t leave Master. Lilith stay with Master..." Her words were like music to my ear, pulling me closer with every syble. "Y-you won''t leave me...?" I didn''t know when my voice croaked out. It felt pathetic and utterly powerless. I felt so vulnerable, and tears were definitelying out of my eyes. Yet¡ª "... You''ll be with me, despite everything? No matter what?" ¡ªMy heart yearned for more of her. I sought affirmation. I wanted her to draw closer to me. Why? "Lilith won''t leave Master..." As if she was reading my mind, she drew closer. "Y-you won''t...?" My insecurities surfaced, and she nodded in response. I could feel my sweat, smell the stinging stench, but they seemed irrelevant. Slowly, her face drew closer to mine, and I felt mine loft up to hers Before I knew it... our lips became one. We kissed. My hands moved on their own, and I touched her back, drawing her closer to me. She didn''t resist. Rubbing the soft fabric of her attire, I could feel her soft skin hidden beneath her negligee. Though that didn''tst long. Everything that night was a blur. I didn''t know why I chose to let myself loose after trying so hard to keep it together. People were counting on me, and the next day was definitely going to mark destruction. Yet... why was I upied with fulfilling my desires. ''What are you doing, Sam?'' My thought echoed as I carried Lilith while rising from the ground. We kept kissing, and I was too mesmerized to notice when we reached the bed. She remained on top as I plopped on the surface of the wellid bed. Our lips were still one, and despite her sharp fangs, I never felt the slightest but of pain. Just mesmerized ecstacy. ''Everyone is counting on you...'' My thoughts faded as she disrobed. Her perky breasts and erotic body reeled me in, and thest fraction of mymon sense was lost. The final thread of reason snapped, and I indulged in the forbidden fruit of ecstacy. * * * Lilith remained on top for most of everything. Since I was inexperienced and lost in a daze throughout most of it, I could only enjoy the pleasure she gave me. But it wasn''t just the act itself that made the night wonderful. Her constant words that kept me awake, driving away the guilt I felt. Her smile, and her touch. No words of undeserved praise or encouragements were heard. I was no longer pretending to be who I was not. Not at all. Everything that night felt natural¡ªsomething I hadn''t experienced since I came to this world. It was a surreal experience, my first time. I lost it to the person I least imagined it to be with. ''I...'' As the night went on and we embraced, I felt fulfilment andpanionship. Lilith and I had truly be one. Closing my eyes in the arms of my enemy, turned ve, turned partner, I could only feel deep gratitude and attachment. I smiled and closed my eyes, feeling myself drift into unconsciousness. ''... Thank you...'' Chapter 111 Double Upload (Dont Read) SORRY, IT UPLOADED TWICE. DON''T READ!!! "I don''t... I don''t know what to do! I''m so scared! I might lose everything here! All the empty promises I made, and all the bravado I pulled off... I can''t deliver! I don''t know what to do!" Silence reigned as I stared at Lilith. Exposing the ugly side of myself to this clueless Demon wasn''t going to help me in the slightest. She most likely didn''t even have the answers to my problems. Yet¡ª ¡ªWhy did everything naturally flow out? ''Ahh... now I know why [Freedom Of Expression] isn''t working...'' "Master..." Lilith rested on my throbbing body, causing me to lose bnce and fall on the cold surface of the floor. Thanks to my high Level, there was no damage, but I still felt the sh between my back and the hard ground. Just as I was recoiling from the impact, I noticed the Demon Girl was atop me, lying on my body with hers. ''... Is this what I really want? Is this the natural state I desire?'' "...Master..." Lilith''s voice furthered, now in a soft whisper. She obviously didn''t have any answer to my worry. Her mind couldn''t process or fathom the kind of miracle I would need to pull off a victory. But the way her eyes gleamed, and the soft smile yed on her face... I felt like she could see through mepletely. As her lips parted, I felt myself bing absolutely numb to everything¡ªthe worry and pain I felt. It just felt like there was no one or nothing existing apart from me and her in the room. "What are you doing, Lilith?" My voice called out to her as she remained on top of me, her hands on my chest. Her blushing face drew closer to mine and I felt my heart race with every moment that passed. Finally, she spoke. "... Sleep with me." * * * Of the millions of words a man can expect, there is but one that drives him insane the most. That is an invitation to sex. ~ A Random Quote * * * "... E-eh¡ª?!" My brain melted once I heard Lilith''s statement. ''No. I must have heard wrong. Clearly, she didn''t mean¡ª'' "Sleep with me, Master! Lilith knows Master is sad. Lilith wants to help Master. Lilith is also scared and lonely. So, Master... please sleep with Lilith." Her voice started rising as she ced her hand on her voluptuous chest. I was bbergasted, unable to word any intelligible sentence as I stared at the Demon Girl with confusion. It still didn''t dawn on me what she was implying. Perhaps it did, but my brain was too fried to respond. However... "W-why would you want that?" ... I just couldn''t stay quiet. I stared at her crimson eyes, waiting for an answer. As her gleaming irises shone, and her beautiful face glowed, Lilith gave the most charming smile I had ever seen. "B-because... Lilith loves Master." ''U-uh? I don''t understand...'' My body felt hot for some reason, and my heart was beating faster than ever. I was lost, yet focused on just the girl on top of me. Why was I so enthralled? Why was I losing control? Sweat began popping from my pores, and my breathing became ragged. It was like... I was in a different world¡ªa world where I had no control. "Lilith won''t leave Master. Lilith stay with Master..." Her words were like music to my ear, pulling me closer with every syble. "Y-you won''t leave me...?" I didn''t know when my voice croaked out. It felt pathetic and utterly powerless. I felt so vulnerable, and tears were definitelying out of my eyes. Yet¡ª "... You''ll be with me, despite everything? No matter what?" ¡ªMy heart yearned for more of her. I sought affirmation. I wanted her to draw closer to me. Why? "Lilith won''t leave Master..." As if she was reading my mind, she drew closer. "Y-you won''t...?" My insecurities surfaced, and she nodded in response. ? I could feel my sweat, smell the stinging stench, but they seemed irrelevant. Slowly, her face drew closer to mine, and I felt mine loft up to hers Before I knew it... our lips became one. We kissed. My hands moved on their own, and I touched her back, drawing her closer to me. She didn''t resist. Rubbing the soft fabric of her attire, I could feel her soft skin hidden beneath her negligee. Though that didn''tst long. Everything that night was a blur. I didn''t know why I chose to let myself loose after trying so hard to keep it together. People were counting on me, and the next day was definitely going to mark destruction. Yet... why was I upied with fulfilling my desires. ''What are you doing, Sam?'' My thought echoed as I carried Lilith while rising from the ground. We kept kissing, and I was too mesmerized to notice when we reached the bed. She remained on top as I plopped on the surface of the wellid bed. Our lips were still one, and despite her sharp fangs, I never felt the slightest but of pain. Just mesmerized ecstacy. ''Everyone is counting on you...'' My thoughts faded as she disrobed. Her perky breasts and erotic body reeled me in, and thest fraction of mymon sense was lost. The final thread of reason snapped, and I indulged in the forbidden fruit of ecstacy. * * * Lilith remained on top for most of everything. Since I was inexperienced and lost in a daze throughout most of it, I could only enjoy the pleasure she gave me. But it wasn''t just the act itself that made the night wonderful. Her constant words that kept me awake, driving away the guilt I felt. Her smile, and her touch. No words of undeserved praise or encouragements were heard. I was no longer pretending to be who I was not. Not at all. Everything that night felt natural¡ªsomething I hadn''t experienced since I came to this world. It was a surreal experience, my first time. I lost it to the person I least imagined it to be with. ''I...'' As the night went on and we embraced, I felt fulfilment andpanionship. Lilith and I had truly be one. Closing my eyes in the arms of my enemy, turned ve, turned partner, I could only feel deep gratitude and attachment. I smiled and closed my eyes, feeling myself drift into unconsciousness. ''... Thank you...'' Chapter 112 That Awkward Moment In Bed "A-ah..." As my eyes slowly opened in response to the morning sun, I felt something warm resting on me. My body felt more refreshed than it had ever been, but I could feel something... or rather, someone, on me¡ªespecially my chest. The tickling sensation of hair, and the soft touch of skin made me wide awake within moments. ''O-oh... that happened...'' As I saw Lilith''s naked body resting peacefully on my chest, a nervous smile broke out of my lips. ''So, it wasn''t just a dream.'' There were millions of thoughts running through my mind. It was difficult to pin any down, but merely seeing her very erotic body on top of me caused certain ideas to start forming again. ''I really popped my cherry. Wow...'' It really hit home. Many questions ran through my mind¡ªlike why Lilith did what she did. She suggested it, but... it wasn''t like I refused. ''Did I take advantage of her? Or did she take advantage of me?'' I wasn''t sure anymore. But, what I knew was the fact that I had the most amazing timest night. ''My body feels much better. My mind also feels so much clearer. It''s like... I''ve been reborn!'' In a way, it was somewhat true. I was no longer a virgin¡ªno, I had transcended to a much higher ne. Not many could boast of such feat at seventeen years old... right? ''I really am the Hero!'' A smile formed on my face as I gave my charming Hero smile, coupled with my signature wink. I hadn''t lost any of my charm. ''Hold up. Hold up. Shit! What have I done?!'' My mind suddenly attacked me with a fee scenes fromst night that made me cringe. ''I really broke character in front of her? Not just that, but I was pathetic as well. Damnit!'' I was indeed at my lowest then, but how could I have exposed such a side to someone in this world! ''Lilith shouldn''t be able to tell anyone if I enforce it with my Master Authority. Plus, it''s not like anyone will believe her over me. Still... the fact that she knows!'' I covered my face in shame, feeling red all over. It was veryme, what I did. I found it surprising that she wanted us to sleep together after seeing all that. ''But...'' A smile formed on my face as I remembered every other beautiful memory from the previous night. ''... She said she won''t leave me, no matter what.'' Despite being pathetic, weak and confused, Lilith stood by me and gave me the best thing she could¡ªherself. Even during our time together, she poured out her everything and ensured I didn''t sink into despair or fear. Somehow, it made me.happy that she knew the true side of me. I moved my hand and began rubbing Lilith''s dark hair, watching how tender she looked as she slept. No one would think such a girl was a vile and despicable opponent. To me, she looked... like a normal girl. Ah, well, she had horns. But, from a certain angle, one could think of it as cosy. In any case, those things didn''t matter any longer. Merely watching her caused my heart to be at rest. I felt like as long as she was with me... I wouldn''t break under the pressure. Crazy, right? ''She doesn''t simply see me as a Hero. That''s something.'' I chuckled at the thought. Unfortunately, myughter was loud¡ªenough to wake sleeping beauty from her cute slumber. "Uuu..." Her eyes opened slowly, and her crimson irises were directly focused on me the moment they rose. ''A-ah... this is awkward.'' My hand was still stroking her hair as she stared at me with her sleepy eyes. Her face was expressionless, and the silence in the room was stifling. I felt like any sudden movement would cause the world to crumble in an instant. I could do nothing but wait for the inevitable break of silence. "Uuu... Master... Good Morning." ''T-that''s quite an ordinary greeting. Maybe things are really cool...'' "Good Morning, Lilith. How are you today." I blurted out my own version of an ordinary greeting. Perhaps if we continued like this, we would both forget that we were in each other''s arms, naked, and on the same bed. "Lilith''s hole feels a bit sore. Master was too much for Lilithst night." Just with that statement, the illusion of normalcy came crashing down! "A-ah, is that so? Sorry about that. Haha..." An awkward smile leaked out as a bead of sweat dripped from my face. "Hehe... Master is so cute. Master was cutest night as well. The feeling was... ecstatic." The Demon Girl licked her lips as her eyes narrowed slightly. "A-ah..." My face was turning extra red. Why wasn''t my Skill working? At this rate, I would show how embarrassed I was. "Master, wasst night your first time?" ''Please... stop.'' I was so flustered, I could die. Lilith''s seductive smile was yet to fade away. She truly was a Demon! The girl drew closer to me, having her two jugs dance around my body as she came even closer. "Does Master want to do ''it'' again?" "S-stop it already! When did you start using such suggestive words. Haaaa..." I yelled in exasperation and embarrassment ''H-hold on...'' I took a sharp look at Lilith and noticed something¡ªsomething I hadn''t noticed before now. "Your Level is 60 now. How is that possible?" "Hm?" The innocent Demon cocked her head, most likely not understanding how I drifted from the topic of sex to Levels. "Your use ofnguage... it''s improved too. What''s going on here? Is it because of the sex?" My heart began thumping fast and my brain went to instant work. ''Something like this was never a development in the Original Novel. How is it possible that Lilith leveled up simply by having sex?'' Only Subi could Level Up by having sexual rtions with another, but that also meant that their partner would suffer a Level Down. ''T-then, does that mean....?!'' Chapter 113 Is This An Opportunity To Build My Harem? "Status Window!" I quickly checked my Status Information to confirm or disprove the creeping fear within me. [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 75 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Ecstatic. Aroused. Worried. Status Infliction: Horny Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] [Stats] Level: 75 Exp: 87.99% ss: None (Check Avable ss) Karmic Value: 35,200 [Basic Ability] HP: 85/85 MP: 80/80 Strength: 50 Agility: 90 Vitality: 80 Intelligence: 100 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule <2> Rune crafting <3> Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power ¡ªWarrior''s Skin (Byron) ¡ªBlessing Of Recovery (Sarah) ¡ªBlessing Of Power (Sarah) ¡ªMana Strengthening (Lucy) ¡ªMarite (Lilith) ¡ªEvil Eye (Lilith) <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Predator <8> Draconic Transformation <9> Domination [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter <5> Dragon Hunter <6> Fool <7> ve Master <8> Demon Contractor <9> The One Who Unifies [End Of Information] Much to my relief, I hadn''t Leveled Down. That should have been obvious, since Lilith wasn''t a Subus and she didn''t have that particr Skill. ''So how?'' How was it that she Leveled Up by 10 Levels, just by sleeping with me? Something like that wasn''t mentioned in the Original Novel! ''T-then... is this a new development? Something different from the original storyline?'' Perhaps Damien, the MC in the book, never explored this option. "M-Master, what''s wrong?" I nced at the confused Demon Girl beside me. Her gleaming crimson eyes and pouty expression made her look extra cute, but I was more concerned with what had actually ured. ''If this is not a coincidence, or if I can find the root cause of this, then...'' Wouldn''t it be possible to increase the abilities of everyone by using the same means as I did with Lilith? Not only that, but... finally... finally...!!! ''... I will be able to legitimately build a Harem!'' * * * Due to my status as a Hero, I am unable to engage in certain... acts. Not only does it sully the name of a Hero, but I also need to portray a pious and powerful image akin to one without weaknesses. That means, no women for me. However, with the ''Sex Level Up'' at my disposal, that all changes. "This is simply to make you all stronger." "I take no direct pleasure in this." "It''s for your own good." Using words like this, while also helping the people around me... I will finally be able to achieve my lifelong dream¡ªor at least one of them! Is this my reward for being such a good Hero all this time? Have the heavens finally decided to favor me? At longst... * * * "Lilith, let''s sleep together again!" I know it sounded weird, but I was doing it for the greater good. That alone gave me confidence. "W-wha¡ª?" "I want to try something out." "Master is too lewd." "It''s not like that, just hear me out." "Of course, Master can sleep with Lilith again. Lilith belongs to Master. Lilith wants to make Master happy." Somehow, her statements made me feel all the more guilty about what I was about to do. ''You don''t understand, Lilith. It''s for the greater good!'' Upon getting her consent, I decided to venture once more into the path of the transcended. I closed my eyes, strengthened my muscles, gathered my willpower, and the moved my hops. "A-ah! Wrong hole." "O-oh, sorry... sorry." Yep. It was still awkward. But, after the third time, I was confident I got it right. Why? Well, because of this; "Hyaaannngggg!!!" * * * [30 Minutes Later] "Haa... haa... Master is too rough... Haa..." As Lilith heaved whileying on the bed, I smiled deliriously. ''Yet another amazing encounter with ecstacy'' My lips grew wider. However, in ordance with my initial mission, I made sure not to lose sight of the goal. I checked both my Status Window and hers. However¡ª ''No increase in Level? Hmm... what''s going on?'' Everything about this current development just made me all the more confused. Even after such a passionate moment, there wasn''t a slight increase in her Level? ''Did I do it wrong? Is the Level Up conditional? Does it depend on a particr style or duration? Ah, there''s so much I don''t know...'' Unfortunately, this uncertainty put an end to my grand dream of having a Harem. ''Until I know more, I can''t risk it.'' But, how was I going to know more if I didn''t have multiple experiences with multiple women¡ªin order to gather data, of course. "I''ve hit a dead end. It''s fine, I suppose. I should not have ced too much emphasis on that...'' The situation at hand was dreary, and it wasn''t like I could run around town having sex with all the female fighters that I could find. ''Besides, how sure am I that some males won''t pop up and request for the same from me.'' If my ''reasons'' for sex was to make them grow stronger, why would I refuse advances from men? These were very shaky grounds, so I had to tread carefully. ''For now, I should simply he satisfied with the results.'' "Thank you, Lilith." I kissed the Demon Girl on her cheek, genuinely happy to have her with me. "M-Master really liked the sex?" "Not just that. N-no, I mean, I enjoyed that too... but more than the sex. Thank you for being with me... I really appreciate you." Her kind words. Her dedication. Her mere presence. They gave me strength. ''I don''t know how yet, but I''m not going to give up!'' Now motivated by the brand new reasons Lilith gave me to protect everyone and everything I cherished, I smiled. "I''ll definitely¡ª" >KOK. KOK. KOK!< "Sam, it''s Sarah Lyniette. May Ie in?" Chapter 114 W-Will I Really Be Caught Having A Scandal?! "Sam, it''s Sarah Lyniette. May Ie in?" As soon as the knock and the voice sounded, a single thought appeared in my mind. ''SHIT!'' Sweat began pouring out of my pores, and [Freedom Of Expression] wasn''t working, for some reason. My eyes darted around the room, taking in the implicating evidence that was no doubt going to sully my image if word got out. ''The Hero sleeping with his Demon ve. Oh, shit... that''ll the biggest scandal I''ve ever heard of!'' Sarah''s knocks became louder as she repeated her words. I was frozen in ce, unable to respond. My heart was racing and my jumbled thoughts tried to figure out a solution before it was toote. ''If Sarah is here, that means it''s important. Should I hide Lilith? No, Sarah''s senses are heightened, so she would still be able to sense her.'' If I threw Lilith out the window, it was possible that one or two eyewitnesses would see me, leading to a much bigger scandal. Rather than having random strangers see the Hero in apromising state, it would even be better if Sarah was the one that caught me. ''Maybe... if I exin the Level-Up issue to her, she''ll understand.'' I hadn''t confirmed it yet, though. What if it didn''t work for others? I would only bebelled as a liar! ''Arghhh!!! Everything is falling apart now.'' Fortunately, there was no major indication that I was engaged in any illicit activity. If I simply replied Sarah and thought of something on the spot, I could perhaps send her away without having her open the door. ''Yes! That''s exactly what I will¡ª'' "Sarah is here?" A fairly loud Demon girl''s voice interrupted my thought. Yes. Just as anyone''s guess would be... it was Lilith! ''How did I forget about her? Oh, crap!'' It was like I was jumping from one rollercoaster to the other. My mind hadn''t been given a moment to settle. At this rate... I could just as well go crazy. "L-Lilith? What are you doing in the Hero''s room?" Sarah''s voice peaked to an unprecedented level. Her tone told of both shock and suspicion, causing my body to tremble even more. It was only a matter of time before she opened the door to see what was up. ''Think, Sam! You have many options! Just go for one!'' My body refused to move, regardless. "The Hero is in the middle of a special meditation, so he can''t answer you. Hero asked Lilith to guard him while he is in this state, since he won''t be able to do anything." Lilith''s next response made my jaw drop in shock. "Shhh..." Her finger plopped on her pursed lips as she winked at me. ''E-eh...? Is this really Lilith?'' "A-are you sure? Why would he tell you and not me? I should probablye in to guard him too!" Following this voice was the creaking sound of the doorknob twisting. My eyes instantly turned bloodshot as it was fairly certain what wasing next. "Lilith is strong. Stronger than all of you. Of course, The Hero would ask Lilith and not anyone else." Her bold response, albeit harsh, caused the suspension of the doorknob. She had bought enough time. But... I knew too well that those words weren''t enough to stop Sarah. "B-but, he never did such meditations before now. I better make sure to¡ª" "The Hero never did it because the risk was too high. Sarah and the othrrs don''t have enough power to protect him, at least from some degree of harm. But, Lilith is a better choice." ''Damn... isn''t that too harsh?'' I cringed several times as the Demon Girl tore into thepetence of everyone. "B-but, how can I trust you with the Hero? Y-you''re..." "Lilith is the Hero''s ve. Lilith will never betray the Hero. Also... is Sarah perhaps implying that the Hero was wrong in his decision?" "A-ah, n-no... that''s not, that''s not what I¡ª" "Hmm? But Sarah is questioning the Hero''s words. Maybe Sarah thinks the Hero is not right about¡ª" "I was wrong!" The Priestess'' voice rang out, surprising me immensely. The Sarah I knew was often persistent and stubborn, especially towards others. Only Lucy was less agreeable than her, at least in areas where I wasn''t the one calling the shots. Yet¡ª ''Lilith really broke Sarah down within moments. Damn...'' ¡ªThis stubborn Priestess was thoroughly defeated. "Lilith will tell the Hero of Sarah''s visit when he is done." The Demon Girl''s voice implied that she was done with the conversation. I could only gulp and watch¡ªgrateful I had not said a word or taken any action. Leaving everything to Lilith was perhaps the smartest thing I didn''t think of. "U-understood. Then, I''ll make the preparations. Please tell him the moment he is done with his mediation. It''s quite urgent." "Lilith understands." I heard Sarah''s footsteps grow fainter¡ªevidence that she was, at longst, gone. "Whe! I thought I was screwed for a second there. Thanks, Lilith." I smiled at the Demon Girl with much relief. It was only when it was guaranteed that Sarah had gone that my body could finally melt infort. "Hehe! Lilith is a good liar! Master does not need to tell a lie. Lilith will do all that for Master!" She smiled cheerfully. My heart leaped a bit, and a a warm feeling permeated me. How could someone so seemingly dangerous and nefarious be so cute? "Y-yeah, I''m counting on you." "So, what now? Sarah mentioned the situation being urgent?" Lilith had a point. This was a sensitive period, and it my attention was required, I had to show up... no matter the cost. "If we leave here too soon, it will seem too convenient, though." I didn''t want Lilith or me to be viewed with suspicion. Still, I couldn''t afford to allow a very urgent matter to fester without my presence. I had to make a choice. "Let''s get dressed, Lilith. I''ll think of something to say, but it''s better we hurry up and see what''s going on." "Y-yeah... you''re right." For some reason, the Demon Girl was blushing and looking all embarrassed. I didn''t understand at first, until it dawned on me. "You don''t have an outfit to wear, do you?" Her nod was enough to tell me that I was right. She only came here in her negligee, and there was no way I could let her wear something as implicating as that out of this room¡ªespecially since I practically told her to ''guard me'', at least ording to the story. "Ah, damn... we''ll need to do something about that." * * * [A/N] I hope you''ve been enjoying the read so far. I apologize for the slow progression of this arc. I''ll try to speed things up a bit, and also bring in the action that we''re all looking forward to. Thanks for reading. Chapter 115 Here Comes An Overwhelming Crisis! [Pt 1] "This is trouble..." Zabdel''s voice whispered in a grim and trembling tone. One would normally chastise a grown man man his age for showing such morbid fear, especially when he was the leader of Adventurers¡ªfierce men who were said tock the fear of death. However, one look at the sight the Vice Guildmaster witnessed would make any sane person tremble. An army of menacing Demons were closing in on his City... and Zabdel could do nothing about it. "Who would have thought they would gather so soon?" The Vice Guildmaster was standing on the sturdy wall that surrounded the Adventurers City. He could see a great deal from where he stood, and things were definitely not looking pretty. Seemingly overnight, the Demon Army had converged, merging in four equally devastating groups. They previously had ten camps, but the army had decided to concentrate their soldiers to deliver a more effective blow. The North, South, East, and West, were the targets, and the Demon Army was closing in on them ever second. "They made their move quickly. Damnit..." Zabdel gritted his teeth. The Hero had told everyone to go home and rest for the night, plus he delivered a fierce assault on the Demon Forces just the previous day. Common sense said the Demons would take their time recuperating and strategizing before trying anything against them. So why...? Why were they attacking so suddenly?! As Zabdel was still having these worrisome thoughts, a female d in a white dress. Her exquisite overall had a few ck and gold embroidery, making the attire appear even more regal. As her blond hair swayed and her concerned eyes focused on the middle-aged man, he grew more worried. "Priestess Sarah, where is he? The Hero?" Zabdel''s voice sounded very impatient¡ªperhaps a bit impudent. However, both he and the highly skilled ss Adventurers around him knew he had reasonable cause for his attitude. If nothing was done, the Demon Army would advance even further... and all would be lost! "He is in the middle of meditation. He most likely knows of our situation and is doing something about it." "I-I see..." Zabdel nodded, feeling slightly ashamed for raising his voice at the younger person. "How is the situation?" Sarah, who didn''t seem to notice, kept up her concerned expression as she asked. "Ah, now good. Not good at all." There were currently one thousand and fiftybatants, in total. They would have been a bit more, but some had already died while defending the City before the Hero arrived. Still,paring the current number of the Adventurers and the Hero''s forces with the enemies'' was nothing short of a bad joke. They were outnumbered almost ten to one. Each Demon Company had at least two thousand five hundred soldiers. Leading the Lower ss Demons from behind were the Middle ss ones. Zabdel could spot three Generals from where he stood. He also got urate reports that three other Generals were situated at the South¡ªtwo and two were also situated in the West and East respectively. That made a total of ten Demon Generals¡ªall of whose power were inconceivable to humans. In short, the numbers were staggering! "We also have the short end of the stick in terms of quality." Zabdel pointed out, staring at the enemies that menacingly marched forward. Even though their special weapons had guaranteed their survival thus far, there was only so much they could have made from the Dragon Corpse. A few hundred weapons had been sessfully crafted, but most of them had almost lost their durability. The Demons were just that tough. In a free-for-all, it was no puzzle who would go down first. "The Hero is our only hope at securing victory." Zabdel murmured, ncing at Sarah with a look anxiety. "I know that. He''s surely working o n something! We shouldn''t doubt him. "I hope you''re right. I also believe in the Hero. But, can I ask you something...?" The middle aged man felt terrible for resorting to this, or even having such a thought, but he was a pragmatic and extremely shrewd individual. He wholeheartedly believed in the Legendary Dragon yer and the Hero, but after witnessing the insurmountable number and authority of the Demons, he was losing his faith. "Do you really believe he can defeat all of them?" It was a difficult question to ask, the Vice Guildmaster was well aware. He was basically asking the youngdy to question her faith. What kind of man was he? "I''m sorry I asked. Forget i¡ª" "I believe!" Sarah''s voice was loud and true. Her brown her eyes held no form of doubt. It was the purest form of dedication, and Zabdel waspletely awestruck by her confidence. "I-I see..." Zabdel felt embarrassed. However, this shame of his slowly transformed into faith. "I believe too. The Hero will definitelye through for us." Sarah Lyniette cracked a smile and nodded. Her face was filled with glimmers of hope, and her entire countenance melted into joy. "Indeed. He''s already here." Even the Vice Guildmaster could not reason with this level of devotion. "E-eh? Aren''t you taking it too far, Sarah? Isn''t he still in his¡ª" "No. Look. He''s really here." The Priestess pointed excitedly at the sky. ''What is she pointing at? It''s just the sky, and¡ª!!!'' Zabdel''s eyes widened in shock, and slowly the Adventurers around him began making murmurs of surprise and amazement. It was because the sight they saw was mind-blowing enough to silence the fears creeping in their hearts. "T-the Hero!" "The Hero is here!" "It''s the Hero!!!" Several cheers and voices all over the city gave a roaring deration as every troubled eye transformed to that of wonder. How could they remain depressed when their savior hovered above the city in his marvelous form? His shiny draconic form, and the confident aura oozing from him was enough to send the denizens of Dulum into an uproar. "He''s really here! And he''s flying to show himself to the enemies surrounding the City. This is... I never expected him to..." Zabdel was at a loss for words, but there was one person who seemed to bepletelyposed. It was Sarah! "He came... just as I believed." Her voice was soft, full of hope. Everyone around her could not help but agree. Her absolute faith was legitimate, after all. "And now... it''s time for our enemies to suffer." Chapter 116 Here Comes An Overwhelming Crisis [Pt 2] "Haa..." As misty breaths escaped my lips, I looked around me. The North. East. South. West. My sharp eyes took in everything in all directions. In my ascended state, floating above the Adventurers City, I was able to get the best perspective of the enemies that closed in on us. A predominant thought etched itself in my mind throughout. ''This is... impossible!'' Their numbers were astronomically higher than ours, and I wasn''t exaggerating. Still, it wasn''t as if I expected the denizens of this City to be of much use to me. I couldn''t make excuses about that. ''The real problem is their formation. They''re in fourpanies. Even if I can somewhat manage to stop one, the remaining three will plunge this city into ruin.'' I could send the Golems to hold the fort in another location, but that still left two more that would be unguarded. If I concentrated the stronger Adventurers in another direction, it would still leave one more entry point that could still make everything fall into shambles. ''It really is an impossible situation.'' I sighted everyone rejoicing and celebrating my arrival. In a way, I was grateful. I had thought they would somewhat harbor ill thoughts toward me, considering I told them all to rest instead of readily preparing for war. ''It doesn''t make sense, if you think about it. Why are they attacking immediately?'' Even I indulged in sex, rather than actively making preparations for the battle. ''There''s not enough Mercury and Mana Chalk to set up arrays. Not enough time to enhance everyone''s weapons or strengthen them with Potions. I can''t fortify the city''s defences ory traps too. This surprise attack is really a pain.'' However, I wasn''t going to give up now. I had already determined within myself to try my best. Thanks to one Demon Girl, ironically, I had regained my will to win. ''No matter what....I won''t abandon these people!'' The moment I strengthened my resolve, I noticed the fourfold Demon Army paused in their advance. It seemed they had finally taken notice of me. ''Ah, shit! My Levitation Potion''s effect will soon run out. I better do something fast.'' My panicky eyes sought for an easy and quick solution to the problem. The Demon Generals at the far back seemed to be up to something, so I had to make my first move. There was no way I could survive a bombardment from all of them¡ªin all directions, for that matter. ''Hero or not, I''m still human!'' "Inventory." >SHHHWWSSSSS< Instantly, two things appeared in my right and left hands respectively. One resembled a gun¡ªwho am I kidding, it was a toy gun! The kind of big toy guns that would propel balls when triggered. Depending on the model, some capsules could hold up to five balls. Well, I was currently with a superrge one that could carry ten balls within it. The bright blue and white color of the fake weapon made it stand out, and I made sure to enable it''s sound effects. The sound amplification rune I ced on the gun caused its ''action music'' to be as loud as I wanted. The devastating volume and blood curdling beat traveled a far distance, and I was sure the enemies could hear it. ''Phase oneplete. I''m sure bluffing won''t be enough, at this point...'' My eyes darted to the second object on my hand. A Mana Bomb! Shaped like a ball that one would.notmally put in the toy gun, my lethal Mana Bomb was brimming with power and raring to go. ''I only have like three more of these things. They''re not nearly enough to take down all of them, but...'' First impressions were important! Quickly, I locked and loaded the shell into my ''Magic ster'', as I dubbed it. ''The Rune Inscriptions I kept in the gun keep it from overloading due to the Mana I''m about to discharge. The conductivity is good too, since I''ve tested it...'' The Toy Gun itself didn''t cost me that much Karmic Value, and I ensured I improved it immensely¡ªgetting more than my money''s worth. I took my aim, stretching my weapon in the direction of the Northern Gate. With my sound amplification still ensuring both enemies and allies alike were shocked and anxious, the trigger was pulled. >BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Mana coursed through the gun, increasing it''s reach over a hundred fold. The velocity peaked to an unprecedented degree, and the Mana Bomb was sent flying directly at the center of the Demon Army. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< The rush of stocked-up Mana created a cloud of dust, energy, and smoke. The reverberating echo of the churning ground and consumed Demons filled the air, and within moments, my first impression was solidified. My majestic draconic form remained floating in the air, even though I knew time was almost up, and I pointed my gun in the direction of the south next. ''It''s not loaded, but...'' A confident grin yed on my face, and the ''heavy metal'' of my gun''s music reached a critical bass. The timing was perfect! The dead Demons were at least five hundred. They weren''t much, in the grand scheme of things, but I had just created an impression that I could casually destroy do many opponents without much effort. The music stopped ying, and the entire area was wrought with silence. I had enough experience in theatrics to know that the time had finallye to speak. "Demons... it seems you are a lot more foolish than I gave you credit for." The Demons were a far distance, but I could still see some of their expressions were soured. To be called foolish by a human must have stung a bit. Still, none of them could ignore someone who supposed had their life and death in the palm of his hands. "You did well gathering here like flies. Everything is just as I envisioned it. The future is also within reach." I was sure, at this point, they would be raiding questions like; "Can he see into the future?!" "Did we really fall for his n?" "H-he saw all thising?!" The answers to these questions were most definitely a big ''NO''! Chapter 117 Hold On! This Is Unexpected! I mean, I could see five seconds into the future, but that was my limit. As for the rest of the other amazing imaginations I painted in their heads, they were all bogus. I had very limited ammunition, so I had to make them count. ''Ah, crud... the Levitation Spell has practically worn out already!'' I felt myself slowly descend in my majestic state. To others, they must have thought I was descending¡ªmost likely to show the Demons my wrath. If only that were truly the case. "ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRR" A sudden cluster of demonic echoes woke me from my conflicting thoughts. "Eh?" I saw the entire Demon Army let out roars of passion. ''Oh no. Don''t tell me¡ª!!!'' My eyes bulged as their expressions came into view. The Demons were not backing down. No, it was the opposite! They resumed their march, increasing their pace as they made for Dulum. Worst of all, I could sense a very strong surge of Miasma bursting from each cardinal location. ''This is bad! This is bad! My actions had the opposite effect on them!'' When confronted with an impossible challenge, every being had two instinctual directive. One would be to give up and retreat¡ªout of perhaps fear or reasoning. However, the second alternative was far steeper, and very few chose it. ¡ªObstinance! ''They''re choosing to stubbornly proceed. Damn, the influence of their superiors must be high!'' Just like I was obstinately trying to save this City by protecting it, my enemies were also trying their hardest to destroy it. ''I can''t break their will like this. I have to¡ª'' >WWWUUUUMMMM< Before I realized it, a dark warbling tune yed around me, and deep purple energy manifested in my surroundings. ''U-uh?!'' As the distortion became clearer, I felt everything grow fainter, and it was like the purple energy around was swallowing me whole. ''I-it''s all blurry! What''s going on? I can''t... I can''t breathe!'' As I tried to resist the spatial copse around me, my sight spotted blurry images of the people who were looking up to me. I couldn''t see their hopeful faces, and their voices sounded distant at this point. ''W-what is...?'' >VWUUUUUMMMMM!!!< The swirling energy epassed my confused self and sucked my body into it, causing me to vanish from the height where I was. Everything happened so fast, and the power was too overwhelming to resist. In the end, I lost to the darkness. ************ "W-what just happened?" Zabdel was too stunned to reason properly, so it took him a fee moments to muster those words. Everyone was equally as surprised as he was¡ªsome disying their stupified expressions without filter. The Hero, who had dealt a deadly first blow on the enemies was suddenly shrouded in dark energy which warped the space around him. Before anyone could say or do anything, he vanished in the purple mist. "I-I don''t know. Did they take him away? Did they seal him off?" Many questions arose from the audience, but Zabdel was still trying to wrap his head around logic. He had to exin the urrence somehow. ''It looked like Spatial Magic. Did they really transport him from this ce?'' A cold sweat broke on the Vice Guildmaster''s face.If that was indeed true, and the Hero was no longer closeby, it could only mean one awful truth. ''W-we''re damned.'' Without the Hero, they were as good as ruined! * * * [The North Demon Company] "Hehe. Looks like Adu was able to use his Spatial Magic on him." An excitedugh leaked out. It sounded burly, like that of an overstuffed drum. The Demon who spoke was light blue inplexion, having a very round-like figure. His very robust physique, coupled with his 7-meter height, made him a massive creature in the eyes of all that beheld him. "I''m surprised. I didn''t think it would work, but it did." A Demon beside himmented. His Lion-like face and hefty physique made him appear menacing. Though he was quite tall, since he was beside him, the Demon called Hogun looked diminished. "Maybe Adu was right. Perhaps you overestimated his capabilities?" The round Demonmented with a cheery face. "Do you really believe that? Especially after seeing what he did just now?" Hogun''s reply caught the fatso off guard. He recoiled from the afterthought, and a bead of sweat came falling. "Then why did he get captured by the Spatial Discement Spell? Do you think he allowed it?" Hogun looked at his partner with an equally worried expression. Even he wasn''t certain of the Legendary Dragon yer''s motive. "I''m not sure, Shuuma. However, we can''t disobey the Leader''smands. Let''s hope Adu can hold him off for some time, so we canplete the mission." Hogun, Shuuma, and Adu, were the Demon Generals assigned to the North Gate. The n was to use thetter''s Spatial Magic to remove the Legendary Dragon yer from the battlefield. Once he was out of the picture, victory was assured. The others were all for the n, since Shuuma was a tricky opponent to deal with, and was the best candidate for stalling anyone for time. Only Hogun had a different opinion. Even now, when the n seeded, he couldn''t shake off his unease. "Something doesn''t feel right. Doesn''t this seem too easy?" "Let''s not think too much and do as the leader says." Shuuma murmured with his bloated tune. "True. To be safe, let''s get this over with quickly." "What? Really? I want to torture some humans a bit, though. If I can eat them alive while using my Healing Magic to resort their body parts and devouring them even more... ah, that would be entertaining!" The fat and blue Demon was drooling at this point. Hogun remained unfazed, despite everything his partner said. He was used to these kinds of talks, and while he didn''t personally care for any of the things that colleagues like Shuuma delighted in, Hogun didn''t fault or judge them for their indulgence. ''To every being their lot.'' His eyes narrowed as he watched the Human settlement. Every single person and building there would be destroyed before long. That in itself was absolute! ''As long as I fulfil his desires, that''s all I need.'' Chapter 118 The Moment Where Everything Starts To Fall Apart [Pt 1] >VWUUUUSSSHHH< An unsettling purple mist suddenly appeared in a vast wastnd. The desertnds were riddled with distortion, and within darkness spread for a small distance¡ªenough to fit an adult person. As space warped, and the fine line of reality blurred, an entity was spat out of the purplish-dark energy. He had dark hair, was bipedal, with little to no distinguishing features. In essence, he was a human. The human came out of the wormhole in elegance, however. He secured a propernding, kneeling on one foot while cing his fist on the ground as he raised his head to perceive his surroundings. "Haaa..." A soft sigh escaped his psrted.lips as his blue eyes took in the vast emptiness that surrounded him. Other than the dreadfully bleak wilderness, there was nothing present for miles. The scorching sun dealt harshly on thend, and the ground''s cracked surface sizzled with heat. Sands. Earth. Nothing more could be seen for a long distance. "This ce..." The lone human murmured as he remained calm. However, not long after his appearance and statement, another distortion appeared in space, and another being manifested. d in wicked purple Miasma, he grinned devilishly. Space twisted with his very presence, and the power he exuded was extraordinary. Long white hair flowed from his head and the purple glow in his eyes highlighted his ebony skin. As he floated in the air, d in a dark purple and ck outfit that regally flowed with the drifting wind, his gaze was focused on the calm human. "Hehehe... I told that idiot, Hogun that it would work." His voice sounded immature and childish. Perhaps it was because he was calling in amusement, or reveling in satisfaction, but the Demon guffawed like a little kid. Well, he indeed looked like one. His short stature made him barely up to five feet, and his clothes looked oversized for him. Even his horns were imbnced, as the right one was longer than the horn on his left forehead. Still, despite his very weird appearance, there was no doubt about two things. One, he was an immensely powerful Demon. Second... he was the one responsible for the human''s current predicament. "Hogun spoke very highly of you, but I don''t sense any strong power from you. It could be that he was exaggerating." The brutal kid Demonughed even more, maintaining his suspension in mid-air. "You..." At this point, the human finally spoke. He rose to his feet, not showing any form of fear concerning the kind of evil that confronted him. A serious demeanor yed on his face as his eyes directly stared at the Demon who was right in front of him. "... Adu, the Malevolent. That''s your name... right?" As this statement dropped, a deathly silence enveloped the two. They stared at each other for a moment, not bridging the considerable gap that dwelled between them. Their ominous stares told of enmity, and the fact that none of them spoke only.amplofied the pressure radiating between them. Sooner orter, though... one of them had to break. "W-wha¡ª?! How do you know who I am?" The first to speak was Adu. His expression¡ªeasy to read as a book¡ªwas that of shock. His eyes widened and his heart tightened when he heard the human say his name. "You were the one who brought me here, no? With that Spacial Magic of yours. Troublesome indeed." The human went on to say, cing both hands in his pocket as he calmly stared at the Demon. "I-indeed! Without you on that battlefield, those humans are toast! Hehe, they''re all gonna die!" Another brief moment of silence passed, and then the human gave a soft smile. "Interesting... so you took me to the middle of nowhere. About a hundred kilometers from the battle, isn''t that right? That''s the limit of your Spatial Discement, range... am I correct?" The Demon could only let out more surprise as the human spoke even more. "H-how do you know all that? You read minds, or what?" >ZSSHHUUUUU< A ze of pure blue energy revolved around the human, causing the Demon to back off, a bit in hesitation. ''When did I be so careful, like Hogun? Shit! This guy gets on my nerves!'' Adu the Malevolent found himself growling internally. After making his grand entrance, he thought he would toy with the human a little and wait until the City was destroyed. Sure, he would miss out on all the fun, and his colleagues were going to do most of the work. Still... he didn''t mind this at all. In fact, he wanted this responsibility! From what Hogun reported, the man standing before him¡ªThe Legendary Dragon yer¡ªwas absolutely powerful. Not only could he kill an army of a thousand within a moment, but he also granted the denizens of Dulum the ability to fight back against the Demons. The human was a catastrophic oddity that defied logic. Killing Dragons. Defying Demons. Remaining unfazed in all situations. And even now... knowing so many things that he could not have gotten information about. ''Just who is this guy? He''s more interesting than I thought...'' Adu found his unease melting away. In its ce, amusement took reign once more. "Hogun might have been right about you, though that changes nothing. So, was falling under my Spatial Discement Spell a part of your n too?" The child-like Demon grinned in anticipation. ''Can he really see the future?'' The thought alone was alluring. "What do you think? Tell me, Demon... do you really think you can win against me?" "I do!" Adu''s response to the Legendary Dragon yer''s question was swift. Frankly, there was no way to tell who would emerge victorious, but this Demon was not the type to worry about such trivialities. Adu was infamous for being recklessly enthralled in battle. However, it wasn''t because he was stupid. No, it was the opposite¡ªactually. "I can already see the difference in power between me and you. I know I will win." Adu grinned. "Oh? You sound very confident." The Legendary Dragon yer''s voice turned grim and threatening. Yet... the Demon General did not seem the least bit fazed. In fact, he broke into a mischievous smile¡ªbrimming with confidence¡ªcoupled with a condescending gaze. "Of course! After all... you''re too weak." Chapter 119 The Moment Where Everything Starts To Fall Apart [Pt 2] ''This is serious trouble...'' It took everything I had to maintain eye contact with the opponent¡ªa Mid-Demon who was at Level 100. Not only had all my bluffs not worked on him, but he was even more interested in fighting me than ever. ''I used [Five Seconds Rule] to see into the future in order to say some things he would have ultimately said. I thought that would faze him a but, but...'' Everything about that n went down the drain. My [Draconic Transformation] was in its cooldown phase, so I couldn''t power up at the moment. In this weakened state, there was really nothing I could do. ''I have no idea what is happening! Shit! At this rate, everyone in Dulum will be¡ª!!!'' Even though I gave a false front of calmness, the mere fact that the Adventurers and everyone I loved were going to face the horses of Demons without me made me extremely worried. ''No! I can''t leave them alone! I have to go back!'' The problem was, ''how?'' Not only was I weakened, but I was too far from Dulum. My opponent didn''t seem like the type who would let me off so easily. Plus, even at max speed, it would still take me a while to arrive there. ''It might be toote by then...'' However, there was one major thought that gnawed at me. Something that kept expanding within my heart, causing it to ache endlessly. ''Even If I return now... what can I do?'' The numbers were overwhelming, and the odds were against me. Even a single Demon General, like the one in front of me, was far stronger¡ªtalkless of nine more. It felt like I was stuck between a rock and a hard ce, and there was really no right answer. As if it heard my worried and confused inner thoughts, the System decided to make my task much clearer. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [The Demon Army has begun invading the Adventurer''s City, Dulum. Defeat this General and return to the City.] Sess: Cause the Demon General to flee, die, or surrender. Return to the City. Failure: Your allies are eliminated and the Demons take over the City. ¡ªReward: 1,000 Stat Points. 3 Skills (Active/Passive). 10,000 Karmic Value ¡ªFailure: Loss of Allies and City is Destroyed ~Do You ept This Quest?~ [Yes] [No] ''Like I have a choice!'' I instantly tapped on [Yes], not bothering to check the Rewards, or even knowing how I would get back to the City if I miraculously best my opponent. "Why are you just standing there? Won''t you attack?" The Demon called Adu sneered, obviously growing impatient. ''He must think I would be in a hurry since the Adventurers City is being ravaged. As much as I would like to rush him and end things quickly...'' Gritting my teeth, I remained patient. No matter what, I had to stay rational. There was absolutely no way I could beat this guy the way I was at the moment. Not only was he phenomenally stronger, but I was also much weaker thanks to my burnout. Plus, most of my Skills and Title effects wouldn''t work on him due to the difference in Level, or a Racial factor. Sure, I could still use [Five Seconds Rule], but without enough speed to evade his attacks¡ªespecially if they covered arge distance¡ªI was toast. [Rune crafting] was pretty much useless at this point. [Freedom Of Expression] was the only thing keeping me from losing edge at this point. Unfortunately, the Demon didn''t seem at all convinced of my purported power. That made him even more difficult to deal with than others. [With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power] was probably one of my most useful at this point, but the Low Level Skills I had in stock wouldn''t do much good against someone of his caliber. [Insight] was extremely useful, especially in the case of evasion of perception. Unfortunately, it would mean nothing if my speed couldn''t follow up. [Martial Arts] was pretty much wasted on me since my Stats were nothingpared to the enemy''s. [Predator] would be cancelled out. Mid-Demons like him were bound to have that Skill already. He could even have something more advanced, which meant that if I carelessly used mine, it would backfire. I couldn''t take that risk. [Draconic Transformation] was currently under cooldown, which was why I had been stalling for time despite my increasing frustration and impatience. As for myst Skill [Domination]... it was my best bet. However, the conditions I would need to pull that off were insane. In the end, this battle waspletely lopsided. My [Titles] could also y solid roles, especially [Hero], [Fool], and [Conqueror]. [The One Who Unifies] was basically shit at the moment, since it wasn''t going to remotely work on this opponent. ''For the Title to gain the slightest of effect, even on those of a higher Level, the opponent has to have a certain mindset that makes them septable to influence...'' Unfortunately, this Demon known as Adu was not one of the ideal targets. After all, since we met and began conversing... ''... He''s been looking down on me!'' "Hahaha! Don''t tell me you''re a wuss!" The malevolent oneughed, causing his purple energy to re up even more. My throat felt dry, and my I wanted to pass out due to how badly my head was spinning. Still, I held my ground and controlled myself. ''No! Not yet! Don''t allow yourself to lose! You have to win, Sam! Think of all the people relying on you...'' An image of Lilith, and then everyone else I had grown to call friends and family started popping into my head. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but the mere thought of them gave me strength. ''I HAVE TO WIN!'' >VWUUUUSSSHHH< Popping out of my inventory was my Godying de¡ªthe most durable weapon in my arsenal at the moment. Sparks of blue energy burst from.mh body as I red at my opponent and took a stance. ''Right here and now... I''ll win!'' Chapter 120 Hero Versus Demon General [Pt 1] My Godying de warbled as I clutched it tightly. ''I had a few tweaks added to it, so it''s much better than the one before.'' My thoughts trailed as I nced at all the inscriptions it now had. I also made sure to strengthen its properties with various other alloys, metals, and ores to make it several times more durable. Whether it would be enough against someone of Adu''s caliber was something I was yet to find out. Still... ''I''ll make sure to do everything to win!'' This wasn''t the time to care about having a dominant appearance any longer. My opponent already had an opinion of me, so it was even better to use that to my advantage. ''Anything... I''ll do anything to beat him!'' I was that desperate! "Hahaha! Why don''t youe over alrea¡ª" >VWOOOSHHH!!!< Pouring all my energy into dashing in my opponent''s direction, I took the first step. My de was clutched in hand, and I enhanced my muscles to the limit. Every strengthening Skill I had¡ªevery power I could muster¡ªI put them all in and brought my de crashing down. However¡ª "Is this the best you can do? How slow..." >CLANGANAG!!!< Before my de could reach anything, I felt itpletely break. The long and powerful katana shattered into pieces,pletely rendered useless in seconds. "A-ah...?" Before I could perceive anything else, something else happened... something I should have expected. >SWISH!< My eyes widened. My heart raced. My expression darkened. My arm... got dismembered. "Arghhhhhhhhh!!!" A loud scream pierced the air. It sounded like my voice, but I was in too great a pain topletely tell. "Gahhhh... Arghhhh....Arghhhhh!!!'''' Blood spurted out of my open shoulder as it was now devoid of my right arm. As the warm, red liquid fell to the ground, I felt more pangs of agony course through my body. Drool dripped from my mouth as tears and mucus wet my face. ''It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.'' IT HURT LIKE HELL!!! "Hahaha! Is this really the guy Hogun praised so highly? You''re pathetic, aren''t you? Damn, did I really waste my time.ot get my hopes up?" My mind was ringing due to the searing pain that I could hardly make out what he was saying. I had never experienced pain so brutal or deep before. It hurt like crazy! ''HAAAAAAAAA! ARGHHHHHH!!!'' More throes of agony burst out, that I felt like I would go insane. However¡ª >VWOOOSHHH!!!< ¡ªI still lunged forward! >SHUUUUSSSHHH< Another Godying de appeared from Inventory, wielded by my left arm this time. "You idiot. I''ll just do the same thing again." And, true to his word, just as I almost reached him, my de shattered once more, followed by my hand. "ARGHHHHH¡ª!!!" I gritted my teeth mid scream, having lost both hands, but already in the presence of the opponent. "Haha, what will you do now... uh?" As the Demon snickered, my right hand bepletely restored, and yet another de appeared from it. "How is that even¡ª?!" >SWISH!< My de came slicing down,pletely resistant to the Miasma the Demon exuded, thanks to one of the special Runes I ced on it. "Wha¡ª?!" I didn''t spare any expense. My muscles roared and I allowed the remaining embers of pain to further propel my downward stroke. Until¡ª >SPLOOSHHH!< ¡ªDemon blood came pouring out. "U-uh?" As Adu recoiled in surprise, I made my hasty retreat and leaped back¡ªcreating some distance between us. "Haaaa..." My eyes kept constant watch on the Demon General as I stabilized my breath and felt both my handspletely restored. The pain was gone as well. ''Can I get used to this? It hurts too much...'' My mind echoed grimly as I gritted my teeth. "You wounded me? Not bad. Haha. This isn''t nearly enough, though..." Adu smiled, and his body regenerated in a sh. All my efforts¡ªeverything I just went through was for nothing. "I have to admit, I''m surprised your flimsy de could reach me despite the dense Miasma around me." I remained silent, breathing slowly as I prepared myself for another round of hell. "I''m a Mage, you know? That''s my Primary ss. I''m specialized as a Dark Mage, meaning my raw Miasma is more powerful than most Demons." Eyes on the target, body ready to move, mind solely focused... I readied my entire being. "Why am I telling you this? It''s because it won''t happen again. Your de will never reach me agai¡ª" >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!< Once again, I charged. My body felt the pressure of the wind as I relentlessly closed the distance between my opponent and me. This time, however, I was not allowed to get closer. "[Dark Bullets] should suffice." Following the Demon''s voice, multiple ck spots in forms of tiny orbs appeared in front of him. They did not remain suspended for long, as the multiple dots began moving in my direction at breakneck speed. "Nnnghhh!!!" I strengthened myself, thankful for [Five Seconds Rule] which gave me enough time to react to the multiple ck projectiles heading my way. >SWISH< >FWISH< Now wielding two Godying des, one in each hand, I ran and shed the terribly corrosive elements before they brought me to ruin. Of course, given my low level and inferior speed, I could not deflect or avoid all of them. Some of them were able to bypass my countermeasures, piercing my body without mercy. ''Argh! Gah! Kak!'' Despite their corrosive effects and inhibiting abilities¡ªnot to mention the inexplicable pain¡ªI kept my pace. There was no way I could stop now! Not yet! My des be corroded before long, rendering them useless. I instantly brought out my spared to rece the two, hacking and shing until I closed the distance once again. "I don''t think so, human." With the snap of his fingers, I lost both hands at once, and a st was sent through my chest. "A-arghkkk!!!" I coughed out blood as my eyes widened in pain. However¡ª >SWOOOSHH< Two of my Godying des pierced Adu from behind. Chapter 121 Hero Versus Demon General [Pt 2] >SPLOOOOSHH< As my blood sshed out of my body, so did my opponent''s. I could see his face twist in surprise and sheer confusion, seeing that I was able to do what he said was impossible. "H-how...?" Before he couldplete his statement, my body limated to the pain, and my arms were healed. "Y-you¡ª!" Before Adu could say any more, the two des that were embedded in his body from behind drive themselves even deeper into his body. "Gak! This pesky little¡ª" The des were quickly engulfed in purple mes,pletely vaporized by the Demon''s Magic. However, already knowing this would happen thanks to [Five Seconds Rule], I was prepared. Twin shes swept forth from.the new Godying des in both my hands, causing dual nted wound marks on the Mid-Demon. My determined eyes watched more Demon blood pour out, and before my enemy could kill me in anger, I retreated once more. "You''re bing quite annoying. You attack and retreat like a fly. Pesky coward." Adu grunted, healing his body again. Once more, it was as though all my efforts had gone down the drain. Still... I remained focused on my task. "It''s impossible to win, you know? These pathetic attacks will do you no good. Plus, I haven''t even gotten started with you." ''NOW!'' I charged, ignoring the Demon''s taunts as I sped past his [Dark Bullets] and also some [Dark Spikes] he sent in addition. Many wounded me, causing me to nearly crumple to the ground, but [Freedom Of Expression] kept me going. He sent zing purple mes to me, and I found no way topletely evade them. ''ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!'' My body was roasted in the immense heat, but I did not die¡ªmuch to my torture. I proceeded from the inferno, nearly burned to a crisp, but restored shortly after by the miracle of the [Hero] Title. "How are you able to endure such¡ª" Before the Demon couldplete his sentence, ai was right in front of him once again. "I''ll just shield myself from yo¡ª" >BZZZTTTZZZZZ< His Spell was rendered void, another result of my one-time-use Special Runic Stone that I summoned from Inventory at thest minute. "Raaaahhhhh!!!" I lunged both my des at the Demon, stabbing through its body with both des. "Keuk!" Adu staggered backwards, nowpletely stunned by the new ability I disyed. Putting all the power I had into my fist, coupled with all the enhancements I could, I sent it lunging in his direction. >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< My fist connected to Adu''s face, sending him crashing to the ground in a magnificent rupture. "Haaa... Haa..." My nose bled, and I could feel all the muscles and bones within me ache. I felt like passing out at any given moment, but the work was not yet done. "Haa... Ha¡ª" My eyes widened, and I quickly dashed backward. >SWUIISHHH!!< Multiple dark spikes rose from where I previously stood, and they would havepletely skewered me if I remained there. Once again, I was saved by [Five Seconds Rule]. "Fine. I''ll acknowledge that you''re not weak. You held on longer than I expected... and that''s because you''re so damn persistent." Adu rose to his feet, now cleaning his battered cheek with disdain. "I''m ashamed that I let yound a hit on me, so I''ll have to stop messing around." The Demon rose in height, and spacial distortions began leaking from his body. "I''ll simply use my Spatial Magic. You won''t be able to even reach me." Purplish ck energy spread all around him, and I could tell that he would incessantly keep avoiding any hits by teleporting himself or my weapons from him. In essence, he won. However... "... Not yet." My eyes kept gazing at him with determination, and I let my power freely run through my fingertips. This Demon must have thought he was finally going to get rid of me by going all out. He must have had the impression that by raising his power, he could easily get rid of me. But¡ª ''I expected all of this.'' ¡ªHe wasn''t the only one holding back all this time! "I will win... I have to." Sparks of blue energy appeared all over me, and my surroundings started distorting. "Hm? What are you up to now?" I heard the Demon''s voice. Usually, I would have ignored it... but not this time. "I am the one who stands above all else. Savior of man and destroyer of hell..." I could see that he did not understand what I said, but I proceeded regardless. "... The hopes and dreams of many I carry, and the burden of the world, till I tarry. With this power, I shall remain..." "What the hell are you saying? A Chant?" Adu''s impatience rose, but so did my confidence in what was toe. "And thus, as I say...e and reign, God Of Infinite des!" >VWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!< In a sh, multiple blue distortions appeared, and several Godying des made their entrance. Locked onto the ground, levitating in the skies, dancing around me, fluttering and nging. A sight of unlimited des was in the works. "This reminds me of an anime I once watched..." My voice was calm and smooth as I stared at Adu. "... The protagonist faces off against an overwhelming foe whose arrogance.knows no bounds. The match is decided, and it''s certain who has the absolute victory." Two flying des made their way to my hands, and I grasped them tightly. "But... through sheer determination and unyielding effort, the protagonist emerges victorious." "What are you trying to say? This is reality. You can''t win if you''re weaker. That much should be clear to you." He was right. I found myself agreeing with his words. Even when I watched that anime, I felt it was unfair for the viin to lose, given just how powerful he was at the time. Perhaps he was right. Sheer will and efforts weren''t enough to make a weak champion emerge victorious. "But... there''s an additional element. A key determinant to his victory." My smile broadened as I stared hard at my opponent. ''The hubris of the strong.'' Chapter 122 Unlimited Godslaying Blades At Work! Ever since the match began, I knew my chances of victory was slim. Perhaps if I used my Mana Bomb or something of equal firepower, I could stand a chance. However, when I thought of the people I still had to save, it was beyond preposterous that I would waste all my resources here. ''Death by Mana Bomb doesn''t even give me any EXP. There''s no point.'' That was why I decided to use the only thing that guaranteed victory¡ªmy body! Before this crisis ured, I made sure to mass produce my Godying de. One was because I thought it would be cool to use a lot of des, like one of my favorite anime characters. However, my main reason was to arm my people with sufficient weapons so they could fight back against the Demons¡ªsince Dulum was yet to provide the weapons gotten from the Earth Dragon Corpse. I brought all the des with me and kept them in my Inventory. Unfortunately, I couldn''t distribute it to everyone before the surprising attack started. ''And now, this...'' Once I realized the kind of opponent I was up against, my mind went to work concerning the most optimal way to win. If I just spammed my many des like a mindless idiot, he would quickly switch to using his full power, and I would lose without being given a chance. The goal was to buy enough time while also chipping away at his health and learning more about his abilities. So far, I had gotten quite a bit of information, though not nearly enough. A major card I had in my hands was the knowledge of my opponent''s personality¡ªhis pride. Using it well, I was going to make out the most spectacr victory yet! ''It''s going to be a close call, but... I want to win!'' * * * "So, you now have many of those knockoff des. What of it? None of them are going to touch me anyway. I can easily¡ª >FWHOOOSSHH< Using the telepathic link I had with my des¡ªthanks to one of the Runes I made sure to embed in each ot them¡ªI sent two des toward Adu. "Hmph. I''ll just disce them somewhere el¡ª" >SPLOOSHHH< My glowing des pierced the Demon in his two sides, drawing out blood from him as he groaned in shock. "H-how?" "Your discement won''t work on any of my des. They''re Magic resistant." A confident smile crept on my face. "N-no way!" Of course, I was lying. There was no way I could achieve something like that yet. If I could, I would have made everything I had on to be Magic Resistant. Unfortunately, that wasn''t possible at the moment¡ªthe reason behind my half-baked form. What I really did was use my Special Runic Stone to interfere with his Magic. I only had a few of those, though, so it was impossible to keep it up forever. ''That''s why...'' Adu believing my tall tale was extremely critical to the n. "T-that doesn''t matter. Even if your res can get past my Magic, I can still simply teleport away. In the end, it''s useless!" Ad expected, he went for the second option. Things were about to get crazy from this point onward. ''Let''s go!'' >SWOOOOOOSSHHH!!!< As I sent a dozen my des flying towards him via telepathicmand, they all glowed and rushed in a sh. "Hmph!'' Adu instantly warped from his position, appearing in another location within moments. However¡ª "W-wh¡ª?!" >SPLOOOSH< More blood spurted from his body as a separate group of des now struck him. ''Using [Five Seconds Rule] to see where he will appear is very convenient. Thankfully, it came to this scenario!'' Before Adu could recoil from the damage, I sent another round of des, this time over thirty. "Tch!" He must have been flustered and utterly confided since he impulsively chose to teleport again. Unfortunately for him, what he met in his new location was an array of des that drilled holes into his body. "Gak! You¡ª!" Stretching his hands in my direction, the Demon sent dark waves of spikes my way. However, using my future sight and multiple des in my possession, I parried all of them, sending more of my weapons flying at him. "Shit!" As though driven by instinct, he teleported once more, meeting more wounds than he intended. "Gagh! Damnit!" Blood proceeded from his mouth as he shouted in annoyance and pain. We exchanged blow¡ªhim by sending dark spikes and bullets at me, while I keptunching my des and controlling them to do my bidding. It was extremely difficult¡ªcontrolling so many des to attack while evading and counteracting his own assault. If not for the help of [Fool] that helped my mind stay afloat, I would havepletely been overwhelmed. ''Not yet! Not yet!'' As each moment passed, Adu kept being skewered and pierced by my attacks. It mattered not where he went, he always met my des. Since I could control them telepathically, and I could see the future, it wasn''t impossible to make sure they always hit their mark. ''I can''t keep this up forever, though. I''ll run out of des at some point!'' I didn''t have unlimited copies of my weapons. Even if I did, my enemy was soon going to learn and grow immensely desperate. I had to act fast! "THAT''S ENOUGH!" Adu roared, sending a dark pulse flying around him. The des that would have pierced him were utterly decimated by the dark wave, and even I felt myself almost blown away. ''That must have cost a good amount of energy, since he chose not to use it until now...'' I noted while keeping my gaze on thepletely aggravated Demon. "I''ve had enough! This is the en¡ª" >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< My Mana Grenade¡ªa less powerful version of the Mana Bomb¡ªdetonated from behind Adu, sending him crashing to the ground. ''I can also telepathically control those ones. Once his Dark Pulse subsided, I sent it lunging from behind.'' "Gugh... you... I''VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" Adu''s scream of fury sent the whole area quaking. He swiftly abandoned his distance and dashed in my direction, most likely determined to finish me with his raw stats alone. However¡ª >SHWWWUUUSSHHHH!!!< My body transformed into scaly blue armor, and my majestic form sprang forth. >BOOOOOOMMMM< Chapter 123 Victory Is Mine >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< Out fists collided. Mine was covered in shiny blue scales, gleaming and busting full of energy. My opponent had purplish dark aura around him, enough to intimidate anyone. However, I wasn''t backing down! Not anymore! "Let''s begin round two!" I grinned, lunging the de second hand at the Demon. "Tch!" Adu tried warping away, but I disrupted his Spatial Magic once more, causing the de to slice through his arm. "Ngh¡ª!" Before he couldplete his growl, I sent a heavy blow flying to his face, adding all my enhancements to boost my strength. And then¡ª >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< He was sent flying! "We''re just starting!" Grinning, I pushed both my legs and lunged at Adu. "Wretched human." He growled, sending dark mes, dark spears, and dark Bullets flying my way. "Hmph!" I ignored them and let my defence handle the damage. >SWUIIIISSSHHHHH< My telepathically controlled des sharply lunged at Adu, who tried to defend himself against their attacks, but they were too small and numble for him to pick off on his own. ."GAHHHHHH!!!" Once again, he used his dark pulse to decimate the area. The des in his vicinity got turned to dust, shattering in a million pieces as they got vaporized. "Hah! Now you have no more weapons to¡ª" I had reached him at this point, and my draconic fist nted itself in Adu''s stomach. "Guh¡ª!" He spat out saliva as his face warped in shock. "I no longer have any use for those des." My grin was genuine, and I felt a surge of confidence rush through me. "At this point, right here and now... it''s my turn!" "Why, you¡ª" Another hit was sent to his cheeks in form of a kick. >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Adu''s body helplessly iled as he crashed down to the ground. I stood majestically, watching him pathetically rise from the ground with his ragged hair covering his face. This humiliated state, being covered in blood and filth, made it pretty evident how far from grace the Demon had fallen. ''I''m sure he has realized this by now... he''s not well suited for directedbat. He''s a Dark Mage, so his strength stats are weaker than others. That doesn''t mean I''m aplete match, though. If not for this system, I wouldn''t even be able to keep up.'' Every blow I gave had my full strength behind it, and I was using [Five Seconds Rule] every step of the way. ''I also had to spend a lot of my Stat Points to bridge the gap a little. Damnit...'' I red at the Demon. I was extremely frugal with my Stat Points, so this was extremely frustrating. I endured everything, though. ''I better end this quick. Time is running out.'' At this point, now that I had bridged the gap between me and Adu, there was one thing I could finally resort to. "Wretched humaaaaaaannnn!!!" >WHOOOSHHH< As I watched Adu lunge at me, I steadied my breathing and prepared my body to respond exactly to the mental images I conjured. ''Let''s go!'' >FWHOOOSSHH< Instantly twisting my body, I evaded the first strike of the Demon, counteracting by raising my legs to hit his face. He swiftly blocked the attack, raising both hands to deflect my kick... but that was his mistake. My fist descended on his cheek, sending his body iling backwards. "Guh!" I was only just beginning. My body instantly followed the flow, and I send another jab flying in the Demon''s direction, attacking his neck this time. Of course, the effects caused him to choke, and I didn''t wait for his agonizing expression to rx before sending another kick to his side. "A-arghkkk" My fist sent a shocking punch to his stomach, and my other hand gave whipping hits to his face. Once or twice he tried to fight back, but I easily evaded his assault and kept charging ceaselessly. The flow of my body and my opponent''s reactions were all ingrained in memory and instinct. As I utilized the [Martial Arts] skill,plemented by [Five Seconds Rule] and [Freedom Of Expression], I became the superior one on the battlefield. "Y-you damn!" Purple Miasma enveloped him as he tried to use a Spell¡ªmost likely the dark pulse. He must have previously ran out of Mana since he didn''t do it until now. Unfortunately for him, I had no intention of getting caught up in any attack. Quickly summoning a de, I sent it through Adu''s mouth, causing blood to spill out. "G-guurrrrrghhhhhh!!!" His Spell got disrupted, and I took his shock and pain as the queue to end our battle. ''Inventory!'' On my hand was a weapon simr to the Godying de, but it had an entirely different gleam. "Grand Godying de." I grinned, watching a swirl of dark blue and white energy wrap around the de. "W-wai¡ª" Adu was still flustered andpletely in shock as my powerful de came crashing down. >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< The powerful de bust through the Demon''s dense coat of Miasma, rending anything in its path as it made its way toward Adu''s body. "Die!" I growled. >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< "Arghhhhhhhhh!!!" Screams of pain, despair, regret, and multiple other emotions seemed to ring out as my Grand Godying de¡ªan upgrade of the Godying de cut through his skin in a trail of blue and white mes. "Y-you! I''ll heal! No matter....arhhhh....what you do... nnnghhh... I''ll heal!" As I heard Adu give his tired groan, I smiled with satisfaction. "Not this time. My de possesses a ''Bleed'' effect. You won''t be healing anytime soon." "H-how¡ª!!!!" "If you''re wondering how you lost, it''s simple. You never had a chance to begin with." "N-no! W-wait! Don''t!" "Nope. You''re dying here!" More intense heat enveloped my de as it cut through more of the Demon''s hard flesh. I could see that Adu was struggling with all he had, but there was no use. I am Adu the Malevolent! I have killed countless souls, and several beings quake at the sound of my name! I can''t die like this! No way!" Chapter 124 Time To Head Back... Fast! I am Adu the Malevolent! I have killed countless souls, and several beings quake at the sound of my name! I can''t die like this! No way!" His squeal was pathetic, and his tonecked any form of power. Once more, my de cut through more of his flesh. "Y-you! Just... just who do you think you are!!!" After taking a deep breath and pouring all my strength into my muscles, I gave a fiendish smile. "I am The Hero!" Adu''s eyes widened in disbelief, and his expression disyed a hidden fear at the mention of the word. "W-wha¡ª?" Before he could say any more, Ipletely sliced through him, sending blood spurting out as my energy danced around me. "Haaa... the work is done." I felt the tense energy in my body disperse. Falling to the ground, I smiled while heaving a heavy sigh. "I won." Now looking at the devastated environment, and at the corpse of the Demon General, I felt a huge sense of achievement. It wasn''t easy. It was definitely the most difficult fight I had ever undertaken since I came to this world. Still, I won! "But... now that it is over... how will I get back?" All that surrounded me was a vast wilderness. The City Of Dulum was a hundred kilometers away. Even at full speed, it would still take some time to get there. "Ah, shit... what am I going to do now?" * * * [Quest Sessful] [Rewards Will Be Given To You Now] My eyes widened in both surprise and relief. I hadpletely forgotten about the System and my rewards. "Haa... what is this feeling?" My body felt stronger, and I became chock full of energy. [You Have Leveled Up ¡Á30] "A-ah...??" My eyes bulged as I realized... just how powerful I had be in a single match. "Fuck..." Tears nearly formed in my eyes as I trembled in delight. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [System Reward] <1,000 Stat Points Have Been Given To You> <10,000 Karmic Value Have Been Added To Your ount> WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!< In a sh, I abandoned the battle scene¡ªbut not until I took Adu into my Inventory. Demon Corpses could be useful. "Wait for me, everyone... I''ming!!!" * * * [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 105 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Anxious. Afraid. Determined. Status Infliction: Status Elevation Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] [Stats] Level: 105 Exp: 98.99% ss: None (Please Select A ss) Karmic Value: 45,200 [Basic Ability] HP: 250/250 MP: 150/150 Strength: 130 Agility: 630 Vitality: 420 Intelligence: 150 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule <2> Rune crafting <3> Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power ¡ªWarrior''s Skin (Byron) ¡ªBlessing Of Recovery (Sarah) ¡ªBlessing Of Power (Sarah) ¡ªMana Strengthening (Lucy) ¡ªMarite (Lilith) ¡ªEvil Eye (Lilith) <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Predator <8> Draconic Transformation <9> Domination <10> Evil Warding de <11> Miasma <12> I Believe I Can Fly [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter <5> Dragon Hunter <6> Fool <7> ve Master <8> Demon Contractor <9> The One Who Unifies [End Of Information] [Additional Rewards Based On Aplishments... STILL PENDING] * * * The tripsted some minutes, during which I thoroughly nned what route I would take in order to save everyone. The Golems being destroyed didn''t mean all hope was lost. No, it was quite the opposite. If the Golems were used as vanguards, it was evident that they would be the first ones to go. In that vein, it made sense that they were already destroyed. That didn''t mean my allies had died. Besides, the System didn''t tell me I had failed my Quest. That meant everyone was safe! Of course, there was the possibility that I simply finished off the Demon General before my allies were snuffed out, but I shoved that thought out of my mind. I was certain they were holding the fort and expecting my return. ''That means I have to hurry!'' With that thought in mind, I raised my speed and charged for Dulum. However... "N-no. No way...'' ... Even from a distance, I could see the despairing sight that awaited me. "No, I refuse to believe this." I watched the ascending smoke and devastated city. ''No, hold on...'' I unconsciously found myself speeding beyond my limits. Like a rocket, I charged at the center of the devastated city. ''There''s no way this is Dulum, right? RIGHT??!'' Uponnding on the heap of ash and smoke, I was able to confirm for myself. The buildings were devastated beyond repair, and the streets were littered with blood and death, but... I couldn''t deny it. "I-It really is..." My eyes widened as I took in the destruction and carnage. "... Dulum." Chapter 125 The Dance Of Despair [Pt 1] [Hours Earlier] With the Hero''s sudden disappearance, the Adventurers of Dulum were faced with a very overwhelming choice. At first nce, it appeared they had two options, but in reality... only one existed. One was to wait for the Hero''s return, hoping he took care of the problem for them. However, as the Demon Army progressed with their march¡ªnearly reaching the City''s gates, Zabdel realized that the second option was all they had. "We fight! There''s no other option." Even though his sigh contained disappointment, there was hardly any sense of bitterness or hatred. He had simply resigned himself to fate. "Not only is it impossible to escape, but the enemy forces also far outweigh us all. In the end, all wr can do is offer our final means if resistance." His words sounded suicidal, but he was correct. As the Vice Guildmaster, it pained him the most that he had to face such bleak reality, but... "T-the Hero... Sam will definitelye back!" Sarah blurted out, unable to control her seething emotions any longer. Zabdel turned to look at the young priestess and smiled. Even now, he admired her total trust in the Hero. ''Can I really be like that...?'' The Vice Guildmaster wondered, watching the adversity that was upon them. "Then, when he arrives... it''s best he sees us doing our best, don''t you think?" Zabdel''s words seem to strike a chord in Sarah''s heart, as she seemed dazed for a moment. Once it was over, she finally decided to join the Adventurers in repelling the Demon Forces. It was impossible to win, but they had to do their best¡ªor die trying. * * * The Adventurer and Hero Forces were spread to the four corners of the City. Twenty five Golems each were respectively ced in the cardinal areas, and the Demons were allocated in like manner as to ensure fairness and a fair distribution of power. Sarah and Zabdel stayed at the North Gate. Lilith stayed at the South. Byron, alongside top-tier Adventurers stayed in the West, while Lucy and other top Adventurers took to the East. The bncing of members based on power and number was to ensure that each had an equal chance when facing the enemy. "Why can''t we just focus on one point in the city. If we win, we can choose to escape. Wouldn''t it make more sense that way?" The one who asked this was Asa. Her concerns about the sheer impossibility of winning kept troubling her, so she had to speak up. "It''s impossible to escape. Even if we do concentrate our forces on one area, we''d still be hard pressed to win. The time spent fighting just one wave will allow the other three to infiltrate our town and dominate our nks as well as our rear." Worst cade scenario would be if they got sandwiched by the enemy. Yes, that would be extremely terrible. "Plus, we''re not fast enough to outrun the enemy''s forces as a group. Many Adventurers may be able to escape, but even then...'' The gap in the physical abilities of a Human and a Demon was astronomical. Not only did thetter have more speed, in the first ce, but they also had better stamina. There really was no feasible way to run. "So, we have to stay... and fight?!" That was all they could do, really. Upon reaching that consensus, the people went fast to work. Unfortunately for them, they had only signed up for their deaths. * * * [The West] Byron and the small army he led were nervous. Beads of sweat appeared on their faces as they stared at therge gates that stood before them. Somehow, the gates didn''t seem asrge as Byron remembered it to be. What had usually given a strong impression on those who viewed it now seemed too feeble to protect those who gazed upon it. The humans stayed within the walls'' protection, sending the Golems as their first line of defense. Against the primal forces of the Lower-ss Demons, it was best to systematically attack and chip off their power in a strategic way. Given their numbers, it applied even more strongly in this case. No one could afford to waste their energy! ''Huu... everyone is relying on me! I have to do my best... at least, until HE returns.'' Since Byron was the leader of a frontier settlement, he had seen his fair share of hardship and Demon Invasions¡ªthough this one trumped everything he had seen by far. "Prepare yourselves, everyone!" The man roared, strengthening his muscles and preparing his hearts for the cmity to came. And then it happened¡ª >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< A bombardment of ming meteors cascaded on the Western portion of Dulum, leveling everything to the ground. Byron and his soldiers did not even get a chance to prove their worth as Adventurers or even humans. In the end, both the Golem and the human forces were wiped out by the chaotic flurry of fiery meteorites. It was quite literally the end for them. * * * "Ah, shucks... I wanted to keep some of them." A grinning Demon spoke with slight agitation. Even then, her smile did not fade. "Don''t be like that, Kiko. If you''re fortunate, the others could have spared a few humans. Maybe they have some you can use as pets." Another Demon appeared¡ªa striking gentleman with zing red hair and one ominous horn sticking from the center of his forehead. "That didn''t mean you had to kill them all, Pierrus!" The Demon called Kiko responded. Her smile continued, but she sounded angry... right? "It''s just more efficient to do it like this. Since the Leader gave us the go-ahead to interfere, I chose the route that produced the best result in the shortest amount of time. In essence, you''re wee..." "Tch. You and your damn utilitarianism..." Kiko didn''t bother arguing with Pierrus. He was a stubborn idiot who stuck to his belief on utility and efficiency. "Welp, it looks like we''re done here. I better hurry to look for survivors." "Yeah... you do that. I''ll just wait here. Or should I just return to the camp? Nah, I''ll wait here. Have fun." And thus, standing atop the ashes of the once loving and determined Humans, the Demons conversed casually. Nothing about the sight of despair, death, or destruction seemed consequential to these agents of chaos. Chapter 126 The Dance Of Despair [Pt 2] [The East] The loud noise that emanated from the Western Region shook everyone¡ªLucy and her soldiers weren''t an exception. ''I hope you''re fine, Byron." Her whisper was barely audible, but her eyes glittered with concern. It soon darkened, though, as she faced the challenge that stood before her. The Lower ss Demons were currently battling the Golems outside the East Gate, and her human allies were within the City, dealing with the unavoidable overflow of Demons who managed to get in. So far, things had been progressing pretty smoothly. If they kept this up¡ªthough it would take a great deal of time to clear so many Demons¡ªLucy felt a bit confident that they couldst a long time. ''Still, it bothers me...'' Lucy''s eyes narrowed as she focused on the sight beyond the Lower ss Demons. The Middle ss ones were simply standing¡ªall of whom were not doing anything but spectate. ''... Why aren''t they attacking?'' Her question was met with no response. Rather, more confusion confounded her as she swung her de. ''If things get dicey, I''ll use the Taboo Skill... though I''m not sure how effective it''ll be if so many Middle ss Demonse hurtling at us.'' With these thoughts and intense considerations ying in her mind, the young-looking girl kept swinging her de. "Welp... I''m bored watching already." A voice suddenly came from above Lilith. Her crimson eyes widened as she noticed two beings floating in mid-air. ''I-I didn''t sense them until they spoke!'' Sweat dripped from her face. One of the Demons resembles a pig¡ªno, an orc. He had a shell like a tortoise, though, and spikes covered his dark brown body. However, he wasn''t the one who had spoken earlier. "Little girl... I''ve been watching your struggles for some time. You''re the strongest among these people right? How about a little wager?" The second Demon spoke. She had bat-like wings, and her dark hairs were coiling around her like snakes. Her extremely pale body, violet colored lips and eyes likewise the color, entuated the evil aura she emanated. Her outfit was a dark violet gown, slit on both edges, and revealing many portions of skin, both on the upper and lower body. The Demon was beautiful, very much so. However, she also possessed the stench of evil...and death. Unlike the first Demon who hovered in the air through a special transparent-like board, she simply maintained her flight by her wings. "A wager... with a demon?" Lucy''s eyes screamed of distrust and rage. If she could, she would slice up the Demons in front of her. However, her experienced mind told her not to even dream of imagining it. Even with [Taboo Skill], she was most likely going to lose to just one of them. Taking on both at once was a fool''s dream, at best. Being honest with herself was a value that Lucy cultivated, but this wasn''t simply due to her personal assessment. ''[Battle Perception] shows then as ck. I don''t stand a chance, uh?'' Still, Lucy didn''t want to give up. "If you win, I''ll spare everyone. How does that sound?" Lucy knew this was nothing more than the sadistic trap of a merciless Demon. However, the disparity of the situation, and the enticing reward made her indulge in her curiousity. "What kind of wager?" The young redhead gritted her teeth as she asked. "Hahaha! Smart girl! It''s simple, really. If you can withstand three rounds of consecutive pain from me, without screaming or moving... I''ll leave this ce and spare everyone here." "W-wha¡ª?!" Lucy was bbergasted by what she heard. "Don''t worry, you won''t die. Plus, if I spare everyone here, you can go and assist yourrades, no? What do you say?" The pale Demon grinned with delight. Her narrowed eyes clearly depicted that she had an ulterior motive. Something in the spark of her eyes disyed deep intrigue. Lucy just couldn''t figure it out. "Make your choice, young human." The Demon added. Lucy gulped. What were her chances? She didn''t know. A deal like this could be the chance they needed to win. If she won, then... then...!!! "NO." Lucy''s eyes narrowed as she red at the Violet one with a deep fiery re. "Oh? May I ask why? Surely you don''t think you stand a chance against me, do you?" "I don''t need to tell you my reasons... monster!" Lucy strengthened her de and prepared herself for battle. ''Frankly, I don''t think I have any chances with her, but...'' The floating female Demon looked disappointed by Lucy''s choice, and the Orc-Tortoise Demon didn''t seem the slightest bit concerned. ''... I''ll never believe any words from their kind.'' She grit her teeth. The distant memory of her patents'' demise at the hands of a Mid-Demon shed in her mind. Lucy remembered the ''wager'' that was made there as well¡ªhow it never mattered in the end. ''Demons can never be trusted.'' That was her irond rule. >VWUUUSHHHH!!!< "[Taboo Skill]!!!" She shouted, pouring in all the power she could muster. >BOOOOMMMM!!!< Her crimson form materialized, and she became an epitome of beauty and power. With Lucy''s newfound form, she lunged straight for the floating Demon, ready to give her all in the fight. Her body was enveloped in crimson armor, bursting mes, and a beautiful amber color that screamed of danger. With both hands on her enchanted de, and her eyes focused on the enemy, the young girl sought to leave a mark. "How utterly boring." >ZZZTTTTTZZZ< A fine line of purple light suddenly appeared at the fingertips of the female Demon, lunging at Lucy beyond the speed of anything she could conceive. And then¡ª >FWISH< ¡ªBefore she could bring her de down, both of Lucy''s hands were cleanly sliced off from the elbow down. The thin purple light was so I tense and sharp enough that it rend the young human''s limbs in an instant. "A-ah¡ª!" As the pain began assailing Lucy, she felt her body fall from the height she reached. Paralysis and Pain. The ultimate despair. "AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!" Chapter 127 The Dance Of Despair [Pt 3] In a heavy thud, Lucy copsed to the ground. Her pool of blood spread underneath her, causing all the warriors and Adventurers around her to tremble and scream in shock and fear. "Hehe... I guess I''ll handle the rest. You must want to toy with the girl." They heard the Orc-Tortoise Demon speak. He was talking to the Violet clothed one. "Ah, yes. I don''t care for the other dregs. I''ll have my fun with this one." With this response, her bat-like wings pped and she descended in Lucy''s direction. The young girl was spasming as her voice screamed in pain. Her bloodshot eyes screamed of hatred, and her paralyzed body rang of agony. "S-stay away!" The brave Adventurers and thee denizens of Lucy''s settlement screamed out at the Demon, drawing their des or whatever weapons they had in stock. "I thought I told you I don''t want to handle these dregs..." Her eyes sharply went to the Demon still standing overhead-pletely ignoring the brave, yet pathetic, humans who challenged her. "Aye, aye." The Demon sighed. Suddenly, the spikes on his body began to quiver. Clearly, he was about to make his move. The humans were petrified for a moment, but they eventually gained the courage to fight--to resist with their might. "A-Atta--!" Before their resolution transformed into action, the spike of the Demon lunged at the humans around--faster than a porcupine''s, and definitelyrger. The spikes pierced the humans in many parts, causing blood to ssh in multiple directions. Screams of pain and despair rang in the air as everything was quickly turned into a bloodbath. Experiencing this extreme bloodshed while being unable to lift a finger was Lucy. Her body was still throbbing due to the pain, but the major reason she shivered so immensely was due to watching herrades die one by one. Their gruesome deaths scarred her mind as she was unable to do nothing, except watch their blood and innards gush out. "Hahaha! Now that''s the expression I want to see! Pure despair! I love it. You should have just chosen to take the deal instead of stubbornly choosing to fight. This is all your fault, you know?" The pale Demon grabbed Lucy by her hair and pulled her up. "Your stubbornness led these people to their deaths." Her words were sharp, and her warbling eyes contained amusement. She was obviously enjoying herself. "N-no... it didn''t. You would have killed them anyway." Lucy managed to murmur despite her pains. She had lost a lot of blood and energy thanks to using her Taboo Skill and being wounded so deeply. Paralysis also made her unable to use any of her abilities--not that they would work on the absolute monster before her. "Oh, you can''t be very sure, can yo--" "I am sure. Monsters like you... don''t care about human life. You''d just y your little game and let your partner handle all the dirty work. You never promised that he wouldn''t hurt anyone if I won, did you?" Lucy was straining to speak, but her hateful re never diminished. After she spoke, there was silence. The Mid-Demon General didn''t say a thing. Her expression fell a little, and she began trembling slightly. "You..." Her voice was shaky, but it was clear. Lucy could sense depravity in every syble, and it sickened her. "You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!" The Demon raised her face with a malevolent grin. Her smile was so wide that her curled lips curved to the edges of her face. It was an expression of utter evil. "I was going to torture you in the most agonizing way possible. Dismember your hands, then legs, then even kill one of yourpanions right in front of you... all to inflict pain on you." Not many would be able to endure such ruthlessness. "If you lost, I would have ughtered everyone mercilessly, saving you forst. But, it makes no difference if you won too. My partner here would simply kill you all. Ahh, too bad things didn''t turn out that way." The more the Demon Generalughed, the greater Lucy''s anger grew. Unfortunately, it only led to frustration. All herrades were dead, and she was powerless in the presence of such overwhelming evil. ''How frustrating. I feel so frustrated...'' Lucy''s mind trailed. Even with her ceaseless training and extreme determination, she was still unable to do anything when it came to fighting a Mid-Demon. Not only had she reached her limits, but even her Taboo Skill wasn''t enough to face her opponent. ''I was never able to get revenge for my parents... I wasn''t able to get strong enough...'' Lucy found herself break down. Her tough look and mental walls crumbled, and she gave in to her sorrow. "Keuk... how frustrating..." Tears fell and regret seeped in. She was going to die here, no doubt. After being tortured by the Demon who was now screaming in more delight, she would be defiled and killed in the most brutal way. That was simply how Demons were. ''S-Sam... I''m so sorry....'' In the end, she failed the Hero. She wasn''t able to buy enough time for him to return. He must have put so much faith in her, yet she failed miserably. Lucy''s heart ached at the disappointment she wrought on herself... And the Hero. It truly was the end, there was no doubt about that. ''I... I''m so sorry...'' And so, thest of her tears fell. What followed afterwards consisted of nothing but pure despair and agony. One that would be better left unsaid. * * * "Hey! Jez, Bulik, did you spare any humans from your side?" A cheerful Demon approached the duo, only to meet a deal of blood and gore. "Ah... never mind. You killed everyone too?" The pink-haired Demon sighed in annoyance... though her grin remained. Two horns proceeded from her long hair, like cat ears, and her face was utterly adorable. With her round sses, and princess-like outfit, she walked closer to the two Demons in charge of the East. She had been looking for a human specimen as her pet. Unfortunately, even this area was devoid of any. ''This sucks...'' Chapter 128 The Dance Of Despair [Pt 4] "Oof... you guys are as bloody as always." The Pink-Haired Demon said, taking in the awful sight that screamed of barbarism Not all Demons were bloody savages. Some had ss... finesse. "Isn''t Pierrus supposed to be with you? I''m guessing you guys are already done with the West." A voice interrupted herint. "Yeah. That jerk one-shotted them all." "Haha, as expected of him." Bulik, the Orc-Tortoise Demon chuckled lightly. Jez, the pale female Demon sighed and shrugged, ignoring Kikopletely. Her gaze was only locked in a particr direction. "What''s got her so down?" The pink-haired Demon, also known as Kiko, asked her bulky colleague. "Well..." He tilted his head in the same direction that Jez was staring at. A peculiar sight could be noticed amid the carnage. "What the heck is that one? Is it even human?" Kiko nced at a corpse that wasid in the corner. "Y-yeah..." Even Bulik hesitated once he got a closer look at the previously human girl¡ªnow a corpse beyond recognition. "Sheesh..." Kiko could only say, speechless. "She couldn''t evenst up to ten minutes. She broke easily. For a human, shested way longer than the others, but... I wanted more. I want moreeeeee!!!" The beautiful, but terribly dangerous Demon, Jezmented. Humans were frail,pared to races like the Elves or Beastfolk. She should not have expected much from them, yet this cruel being pushed one to this point. "Man... it doesn''t even look like... anything." Kiko observed how the human corpse had no skin. No arms, no legs, a deformed body, swollen cavities, several holes on various parts of its body. The head had also been cracked open, and a rotten brain was encased within. In short, it was not a pretty sight. "Damn... I wonder what it was before this." Kilo could only see one trace of the beings former existence. A strand of pretty red hair was on the ground, drenched in blood and corrupted by the foulness of the environment. Kiko found herself feeling bad already. Whoever the human was, it really suffered. That was certain. "Tough break... truly." * * * [The South] "HAAAAAA!!!" A loud scream pierced the air. This devastating noise was followed by blood gushing out. With terrific speed and extreme precision, a single being took charge of most of the area''s defences. That person was none other than Lilith. Her [Fireball]s scorched the targets. Her [Earth Spikes] turned them to mincemeat. With such extreme abilities that rendered the Lower-ss opponents to nothing but weak targets, the Demons that offered her assistance had easier jobs. Since Lilith was the one with the exclusive right to control the Demons, except for the Hero¡ªSam¡ªall of them were concentrated on the South gate. No human was located there¡ªjust her and her subordinates. As a Level 60 Middle ss Demon, she took control of the flow of battle really quickly. The Golems did a very good job, but it was clear who was doing the bulk of the work. >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< Her attacks devastated her enemies, but she still remained on edge. The Lower ss dregs were not her concern, but the Middle ss ones. Fortunately, most of them were Low-Leveled, so she could still handle them¡ªto an extent. Unfortunately... they were more than she bargained for! >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< >BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!< As a Mage, Lilith''s means of assault mostly consisted of long-range attacks. She had even set traps prior to the Demons invading the walls, which gave her an edge in battle. However, how much longer could shest for? Her Miasma was running low. The enemies were overhelming¡ªincreasing with every second. And then, the worst part... "The Demon Generals have still not made their move." Out of breath already, Lilith huffed, ring at the breached gate. More and more of the Demons kept pouring in, and the Golems weren''t enough to stop them. ''If only Lilith had Jason...'' She clicked her tongue. Unfortunately, he was located in the Western Gate, along with Byron andpany. She could understand the rationale behind that, considering she was already plenty powerful. The problem had to do with a properck of manpower, to begin with. Lilith was by no meanining, though. Whether in hardship or not¡ªthick or thin¡ªshe had resolved to remain. ''Master... I will protect this ce for Master!'' The major issue for her, though, was that she had no idea where her Master was. After giving her an outfit from his Inventory¡ªa proper gown and robe that she currently donned¡ªthey parted ways. She had hoped he would take care of the Demon problem since he ascended to the sky, and she was even hyped when he destroyed a significant number of them. Unfortunately, he disappeared. That didn''t stop what she had to do, though. Inasmuch as her first instinct was to seat h for him, Lucy had no choice but to defend the City he promised to protect. ''I have to do what I can. I have to!'' However, there were limits to everything. Even though she used her wits, Skill, abilities, cunning, subordinates¡ªeverything at her disposal... ... She eventually became stranded. * * * "You''re quite impressive impressive." Lilith was on the ground at this point, unable to gather any more strength. Her subordinates had all been extinguished. The Golems had been felled. She was the only one left, and her situation was extremely grave. As if matters were not worse already, the Demon Generals finally showed up¡ªall three of them. "It''s quite surprising that you''re protecting the Humans. Hm? I see... a ve Crest. That makes it even more interesting." The one speaking was one with spectacles. His sses hung tightly on his thin nose, and his handsome face spoke of pure ss. His elegant suit and impable footwear made his finesse all the more impressive. He had a hat on, and his dark cloak radiated Miasma. ''He''s equipped with so many Magic Items!'' Lilith found herself trembling under the pressure. The other two¡ªa Demon that looked like a cat-like furball, but with horns and gleaming blue eyes; a Demon with apletely ck physique, having very long red hair and long horns. On his shoulders protruded spikes. Lilith could only gulp in their presence. Chapter 129 The Dance Of Despair [Pt 5] A hatted gentleman Demon. A cute furball Demon. A ck, sinister Demon. These were the three foes that stood before Lilith¡ªall of whom were more powerful than she. The strongest, however, was undoubtedly, the one with the hat. "You killed a good number of our Demons, but I suppose they were just weak. That is their lot. It''s the same as the humans here. Their death is also their lot for being the way they are, wouldn''t you agree?" Lilith didn''t know what to think. She simply kept quiet and watched how her fate would be decided. "Your skills are a bit crude, but I see potential. If you keep resisting us, I will have no choice but to eliminate you, but... if you choose toe over to our side, your life will be spared. Lilith could sense no malice from the proposer. His ck and red eyes were honest, and his outstretched hand¡ªthough gloved¡ªwas a sign of his sincerity. "What do you say? Join us and live? Resist and die. The choice is yours." Lilith bit her lip. The choice was quite obvious, wasn''t it? Yet... "If you''re hesitating because of the terms of your ve Contract, I can easily take care of it. If you remain silent, I''ll assume you desire to join our side, but your contract forbids you from expressing it." The hatred Demon grew closer. A single step forward caused Lilith to shiver in absolute fright. "N-NO!" Lilith finally blurted out. It wasn''t even worthy of thought. Her mind had already been made long ago. She just had to gain enough strength to dere her decision. "Hm? Is this due to your ve Contract as well? I can''t imagine you''d want to remain as¡ª" "Lilith chooses this of her own free will! Lilith will never leave Master!" She rose to her feet, exuding unshakable determination. "Hm. It seems I misunderstood. You''re quite determined, Young Demon." Lilith''s eyes burned with passion indeed, but her body was weak. She had no strength to fight back. "As promised, your resistance means death." The hatted Demon sighed. Lilith maintained her ground. Her whole life, she had been scared of death above all else. She endured inconceivable humiliation and torture from her previous masters simply because of her desire to live. After doing all that, desperately clinging to life, the Demon found it strange that she was finally going to meet her end. It wasn''t as though she didn''t have the chance to live. It was a simple choice, but she found herself unable to make it. ''Lilith will never betray Master! Lilith will never leave Master!'' "You seem to love your Master so much..." The hatted Demon, as though reading her thoughts, spoke calmly. His left eye began gaining bright prominence. He was clearly up to something, and Lilith took a defensive stance once she realized this. "... I wonder where he could be, leaving his loyal ve in this condition." Lilith felt pierced in her heart upon hearing those words, but there was no way she could imagine her Master leaving her. He would never betray her... right? "Surely, you''re considering it. Perhaps he left and saved his life. Isn''t that usible?" "Shut up..." "Excuse me?" "Lilith said, shut up! What do you know about Master?!" Memories upon memories ovepped in Lilith''s brain. She remembered how he defended his settlement from her invasion. How he helped build the town into something amazing and beautiful. How he tried his hardest to protect the City Of Dulum. Lilith remembered her Master''s tears, how he worried about the people... and about her. "MASTER WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME!" With more conviction than ever before, Lilith yelled with all her heart. "Commendable. Your personality makes me want you to join us even more. Be that as it may, it is regrettable that you chose this path." Lilith steadied her breathing and decided to give her all to the very end. Even if it was to buy one more second, or one extra minute. She would hold her ground and wait! "I won''t let you¡ª!" Before shepleted her sentence, Lilith felt her consciousness fade instantly. ''E-eh...?'' She died that very moment. "Evil Eye: Death" The hatred Demon gave a soft sigh as he stared at the copsing corpse of the Demon who dared oppose him. His eyes narrowed as he watched her. His heart tightened, but he quickly abandoned the feeling. "It indeed is such a shame." There was no need to regret, though. He had given her a choice. She was the one foolish enough to refuse. If only she had been more receptive, then Lilith would be like the two behind him. Those who were wise enough to see.merit in his proposal. "ck. White. Let''s go." He spoke, leaving the scene with his missionplete. "Yes, Lord Heshu." With this chorus, the Demon Generals respectfully bowed. It seemed strange that they would do that to a fellow colleague, but the two Demons knew the hierarchy. Even among all ten of them, the Demon Generals didn''t have the same capabilities and level of authority. Even though they were supposed to be equal by name and title, the reality of the situation was from far from equality. For the Demon Generals, people like Hogun, Pierrus, and Adu were considered extremely strong. No one dared to mess with them, even though they all belonged to the same rank. However... ... Even these three understood their levelpared to Heshu. Being much older than the rest of them, Heshu was a prime Demon who had reached his limits ages ago. Toplement his abilities, he gathered Magic Items and was now even more powerful than most Middle ss Demons¡ªif not all. That was the kind of being he was. The kind of existence that made every other Demon General dwarf I''mparison... almost like an Upper ss Demon. Even though hisrades watched him in awe, Heshu ignored them and kept walking. He needed to rendezvous with the others at the North Gate. Still, the picture of the young Middle ss Demon never left his mind. She wasn''t absurdly powerful, but... something about her persistence and spirit moved him. ''Her name is Lilith, huh? I see...'' A smile formed on his face. It was impossible to tell if it was that of sadness or satisfaction. "Sounds like a good name." Chapter 130 A Certain Cry [North Gate] "Puack!" Blood proceeded from Sarah''s mouth as she regurgitated a mix of saliva and the crimson liquid. Her body shook immensely, and for good reason. When one''s boy was being crushed underfoot the giant leg of a massive Demon General, it was only natural to feel so much pain and agony. ''It hurts! It hurts!'' Her thoughts echoed. Her head powerlessly bobbed as she tried her best to escape her position, but it was impossible. She could do nothing but watch the Demon General feed on Zabdel, thest of her survivingrades. Asa, Gu, Liebert, and everyone else had been killed already. The reason she had survived this long was due to the Blessing Of Healing. Still, what use was being alive if one had to suffer such indescribable agony? "Hmmm... this isn''t tender enough. What did I expect from an Adventurer dreg? But... that Elf girl sure was delicious, so I had high expectations..." Shuuma, the chubby blue Demon, mumbled as he finally consumed Zabdel. "Finish the work quickly. We still have to investigate and destroy the property." His colleague muttered beside him. "You''re still worried about the Dragon yer? I mean... look around you, Hogun. It''s over. We''ve killed a lot of his colleagues. The others would have done the same as well." Shuuma cackled as his belly jiggled. This loudugh caused winds to part, and the area was filled with a deafening echo. "Well... there''s that factor to consider." The more he thought of it, the more Hogun was conflicted. Had he overestimated the Legendary Dragon yer''s insight and abilities? If so, that meant they were on the winning end. There was no need to be impatient and on edge. ''Yet what is this uneasy feeling. Why do I feel this way¡ª?'' "He''sing!" The female Priestess'' voice burst forth. "Hm?" Hogun stared in her direction with milf curiousity as to what drove her conviction. "He''s going to stop all of you. He is going to fix everything! He always does and he wi¡ª" >CHOMP!< Before the Priestess couldplete her statement, Shuuma bit a considerable portion of her body off, causing her to scream in pain. Blood gushed out of her body, but the cruel Demon simply healed her continued with his bike act. As he kept eating and healing her, Hogun simply watching with increased curiousity and a lurking fear that had now gotten stronger. ''Why is she so certain? Even now...'' Even as Shuuma inflicted her with so much pain, she never yielded. "Food should be silent! The only noise you should make is screams!" He chomped even more inint. Finally unable to take her fanatical rant, hepletely devoured the Priestess. "All done. No more survivors, right?" He adorably spoke, wiping the remnant blood on his face. There were some stains on his blue body, but those simply washed out on their own. "Yeah... let''s wait to converge with the others. They should be here soon. Ah, we should also contact Adu..." "He could still be busy with the Dragon yer dude..." "... Or, he could be dead." "Come on, man. Give Adu some credit. He''s not dumb enough to risk his life in any venture. He could easily escape if he wanted to. Let''s gather with the rest first." Hogun sounded like an overly paranoid character, so he decided to tone things down a bit. ''I hope I''m just overreacting. Or else...'' Suddenly, he felt it. No¡ªnot just him! Every Demon General felt it! Wherever they were, they sensed something powerfule their way. It pierced through the sky and was headed straight for Dulum, like a zing meteor. "W-wha¡ª?!" Hogun watched the speeding being trail past himself and Shuuma andnd a distance away. The energy shrouding the being was a bit different than he remembered, but as the dust settled and the suspense rose, Hogun could clearly see the person who made his entrance. It was none other than the person he had worrying about! "He''s here..." Hogun nced at Shuuma, who did not appear the least bit fazed. "That cker, Adu. What does he think he''s doing? The guy is here too early." They both watched in silence, observing the young man crumble to his knees. He did not resemble the same person Hogun recognized to be the Legendary Dragon yer. It was the opposite, actually. The man who was now sobbing and apologizing to thin air simply resembled a pathetic human. A weak, pathetic human! "Hehe, looks like you were young." Shuumaughed as he began walking forward. Hogun was simply left speechless, unable to tell how he felt. He felt somewhat moved, even when seeing the Dragon yer''s tears and cries of despondency. Shuuma approached the wailing human, clearly with a sadistic grin stered on his face. He sought amusement and his next meal. If the man would do him that favor, then he simply had to indulge in it. "Hey, where''s Adu? That cker was supposed to be in charge of you." Shuuma spoke, now already overhead the man he was speaking to. The Legendary Dragon yer''s back was open to attack, and Shumma felt like he could end him at any time. But first... he had to know about his colleague. ''Thanks to Hogun nting strange ideas in my head, a part of me is still hesitant...'' There ass the idea that perhaps the Dragon yer killed Adu. But from what Shuuma was seeing, that was highly unlikely. "Oi! Talk to me! I''m speaking to you, human." Shuuma was usually a passive Demon, especially when addressing his colleagues and superiors. His gentle demeanor was deceptive, however. It was only when among inferior beings that the Demon''s sadistic side blossomed. Anytime he saw weak people, his natural instinct was to crush them. "ept..." The Legendary Dragon yer''s voice was low, but Shuuma had definitely heard something along those lines. The Statement was followed by another¡ªeven more bizarre¡ªone. "200 Stat Points, Strength..." "Hm? Hey, what are you muttering you little¡ª" >WHOOOOMMM!!!< In a simple sh, Shuuma was hit by something drastically heavy¡ªoverwhelmingly so¡ªand his body was instantly propelled back. >BOOOOOMMMMMM< * * * [A/N] Merry Christmas, everyone. If you''re Jewish, Happy Hanukkah. Seasons greetings to my dear fans and readers. I cherish and love you all. Do have a lovely time. Chapter 131 One Versus Nine [Pt 1] >BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< I heard a deafening sound of crashing behind me, and it only got me irritated even more. "You..." My tone was hoarse, my gaze murderous. I knew the reason why. "It''s all YOUR fault." ? All this time, I had been cing all the burden on myself. I had called myself useless, I had struggled toe up with answers, and I had to resort to many desperate attempts. ''But, haven''t I been seeing things backwards?'' As my body rose from the devastated grounds, I ignored the devastatedndscape and turned my attention to the two Demons behind me. ''It''s their fault. The Demons... they''re the cause.'' My fists were clenched, and my hot tears dried up. Welling within me was pain and loss, my heart kept trembling with fervor. ''YOU...'' My clenched teeth sent a chilly sensation down my body, but the burning rage within me.would not subside. ''YOU MONSTERS!!!'' Right in front of me were two Demon Generals. One was fat and blue, while the second was the lion-headed one I encountered in the past. I didn''t care about anything more than that, though. They were my enemies. "YOU DARE! YOU MERE HUMAN DARES?!" The loud bellow of the one I hit¡ªthe fatso¡ªraged forth, and that only got me angrier. He rose to his feet and the mark of my blow on his stomach healed rapidly. He grinned in obvious satisfaction, walking from the rubble that was once a building. One step. Two steps. Three. Five. As I watched him walk with his legs, it seemed unforgiveable. ''Scum like you don''t deserve legs!'' An absurd amount of energy burst from me instantly, and I lunged at the Demon, instantly reaching for his chubby legs. "W-wha¡ª?!" Much faster and stronger than this one, I tightly gripped his ankle and jerked my hand as fast as I could. >SQUELCH!< I tipped the first and proceeded to the second, ignoring his painful scream. As I reached for the second, I felt another Demon¡ªhis partner¡ªapproach me from behind. "STAY BACK!" MY growl sent him stopping in shock, and Ipleted my mission by ripping the second leg off. "GUARRRHHH!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HOGUN? ARGH! HELP MEE¡ª!!!" I instantly grabbed the monsters chubby throat, feeling its blue fatty skin squirm softly against my grip. "Zip it!" I growled in greater annoyance. >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Lunging to the sky with flight, I took the Demon with me, ascending far into the clouds. The Demon struggled to speak, but my grip simply tightened on its throat with each attempt. It struggled by iling his bby arms, all for nothing. My velocity far exceeded the rate at which he could resist, so I had all the control. >WHOOOSSSHHH< Once I reached a particr threshold, I halted, flinging the blue Demon away while readying my fist with another powerful blow that would contain my anger and frustration. "W-WAI¡ª!!!" >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< Shockwaves and ripples of distortion spread in the sky as I sent the Demon crashing down. I made sure to hit it directly on the face, crushing it''s ugly nose and bby mouth. Now legless and with a devastated face, it fell to the ground, powerless to the force that drove him down. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< The destruction upon impact spread across a far distance, generating a crater at the center. I remained afloat, watching the clouds of smoke form and disperse, thanks to the strong wind that blew. "Monsters... it''s all your fault..." My voice sounded hollow, but the echoes of my heart''s frustration found expression there. Then¡ª! "Hm?" >VWOOOMMM< A Demon lunged at me with immense speed, but I reacted quickly, grabbing it by the throat instantly. I stopped its punch and squeezed my hand on its neck. Watching it choke brought me pleasure, and I tightened my grip even more. "Another one?" I sensed another life form approach. Crushing the throat of the one I held, I flung in in the direction of my next opponent, preparing my second fist for another powerful strike. Once he came within range, I sent the blow flying, causing both to crash to the ground. "More are gathering?" I looked around, seeing Demon Generals pop out like maggots. The mere sight of them infuriated me. I kept my breathing steady, but my hurting heart kept beating fast and hard. "Haa... haa..." They all gathered on the ground¡ªall nine of them¡ªand I watched them from my height. Somehow, I felt inclined to descend, and so I did. Slowly, I let gravity take its course and soon felt my feet touch the ground. "You''re the Legendary Dragon yer? You seem different... somehow." My face twitched a little and I focused on the hatted Demon who spoke. His tone was so formal andposed. It infuriated me that he hid his savage nature underneath such a civilized facade. However, that wasn''t the reason behind my concentration on him. "You... I from Lilith on you." My fists were clenched, and I red at the Demon with hard eyes. "Where is she?" "Ah, the brave Demon girl. She resisted our efforts so¡ª" "WHERE IS SHE?!!" My enraged voice echoed, sending shockwaves traveling throughout the city. The dust around me parted. I awaited his answer. "She''s dead. I killed her." His tone was calm... unremorseful. As expected. All Demons were like that, weren''t they? Crude and evil. "I... I see..." My body trembled for what seemed like forever. I would have loved to jump into action instantly and kill him, but I somehow found myself transfixed in this single position. These were evil beings who took away everything and everyone I loved. Plus, the System had given me a Quest to eliminate them. Slowly, I found my face growing numb. My expression dulled, my eyes sharpened. My trembling ceased. My heart was calm. There really was no need to get to worked up. ''Thinking and regretting cer. Right now, there is only one thing that matters...'' My cold gaze took in all nine of the Demon Generals that caused this cmity. ... The conclusion was quite simple, if you thought about it. "You don''t deserve to live." * * * [A/N] Merry Christmas, everyone. If you''re Jewish, Happy Hanukkah. Seasons greetings to my dear fans and readers. I cherish and love you all. Do have a lovely time. Chapter 132 One Versus Nine [Pt 2] A chilly atmosphere pervaded the ruined city of Dulum as nine Demon Generals faced off against a single human. Such a sight had never once been seen since the dawn of time. Humans could never hope to reach the heights of Demons... ever! Yet here was one who had injured not one, but three Demon Generals. And now, he stood unfazed against nine. It was inconceivable, to say the least. And it was for this very reason that several ones on the side of chaos found themselves swelling with rage and disbelief. A few were cautious. A few were curious. Both most were furious. How dare a human?! "That''s it!" A bulky Demon finally broke the ufortable silence. He had already reached his limits in tolerating a mere human acting up. As a Mid-Demon who had reached the epitome of power afforded to him, he understood the status quo very well. "I''m going to end this." The Demon General stepped forward, leaving the rest of hisrades behind as he approached the puny human. None of hisrades stopped him. The curious ones wanted to see what would ur. The wary ones couldn''t be bothered about their colleague''s rash actions. The enraged ones wanted the human to be taught a lesson. In essence, they all waited to see the aftermath. "I am Bulik, proud member of the Demon Race and a Demon General serving under my Lord and Master..." Now right in front of the human, whose expression remained nk and unfazed, the Orc-Tortoise Demon General found it fitting to pound some sense into him. "... Your actions are¡ª!" >SWISH!< "I don''t care." In a single vertical sh, faster than eyes could perceive, the Demon General Bulik was rend into two. His right and left side fell into opposite sides and purple blood sttered out as he fell. "W-WHA¡ª?!" Cries pierced the air, and each being expressed shock to some degree. The only one unsurprised was the perpetrator of the action itself. His gaze remained the same, even as Demon Blood touched his feet and the equally divided chunks of meat were right beneath him. In his hand was a de, gleaming purple and ck. The energy gathered on it defiedmon sense. "Looks like it''s sharp enough." He murmured, sttering the remnant blood of the deceased Demon on the ground. His cold, ssy gaze now fixed itself on the surprised Demons. "Eight left." His words sent chills down their spines. Some went as far as giving short yelps of terror. "H-how...?! Bulik has the highest defense among us, doesn''t he?" Murmurs rose within the group. It was one of the reason why they all thought it was best to leave him be. Bulik was a monolith¡ªan epitome of defensive prowess. How could he have been shed so easily? "H-hey... Bulik,e on... stand!" His pale partner¡ªJez¡ªspoke. Her desperate eyes looked at his corpse with palpitation and a strange feeling of pain. Usually, gore excited her. But now... "I sense Lucy from you. You killed her too, didn''t you?" "W-well¡ª!!!" Sweat formed on her face the moment the human''s hollow voice sounded. Jez never thought she would be so frightened of a human, yet here she was. Perhaps it was because of the sudden death of her partner that she¡ª "Eek!" Her voice squeaked as she watched him move. "Don''t act unbing of a Demon, Jez. We''re all here, so there''s no way he can bypass us and¡ª" >FWHOOOSSHH!!< With speed imperceivable by any of the Demon Generals, he reached their midst and sliced off the head the pale Demon. >SPLOOOSH< Blood poured out like a fountain, bathing the Demons in it. At this point, all seven could no longer ignore the human¡ªespecially since he was in their turf. "Seven left." *********** Now at the center of the enemies, I felt their pressure epass me, but it was hardly overwhelming. Before the start of this battle, I was Level 105. While they would have had higher Stats than me due to their nature as Demons, I had spent a good deal of Stat Points buffing my speed, vitality, and¡ªjust recently¡ªmy strength. All of my Stats were higher than the respective Demons, and that was without the buff of my Skills. I was faster, stronger, and I had the decisive weapon to kill them. The Evil Warding de¡ªone of the new Skills I obtained. It functioned less like a Skill since it allowed me to summon a weapon (The Evil Warding de). The de''s sustenance was my Mana, and it would vanish once its source of sustenance reached bottom barrel. With these, I was already top of my game. However, two Demon Generals had just died by my hands. My current Level was... 150. "[Draconic Transformation]." >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM< The energy burst from my transformation blew all the Demons away. I stood on my lonesome, feeling an increase in energy like never before. In my current state... just how powerful was I? As though presenting themselves as guinea pigs, two Demon lunged at me¡ªone white and shaped like a furball, the other ck and menacing. "I wonder..." "YOU IDIOTS, WAIT!" A loud shout caused them to falter in their steps, but it was toote. A single strike from killed them before they even had the chance to activate whatever Skills they wanted to. "Everyone, stay away from him. I''ll use an Area of Effect Spell to¡ª" >WHOOOOSSHHH< My de met that Demon''s throat next. As it pierced his neck, I sliced upward¡ªsevering the head into two. My dull eyes slowly began gaining color, and I found myself grinning in ecstacy. My Level was increasing, and watching these monsters get a taste of their medicine made me ecstatic. ''Serves you right!'' I thought wildly. They deserved it, after all. "Six lef¡ª" "PIERRRUSSS!!! You monster!" A Pink haired Demon screamed, tears falling from her cheeks. ''Tears? You dare bring forth tears?'' She looked like an innocent and kind princess, yet wasn''t she among the ones who devastated this ce? How could she cry? Did she just call me a monster? ME?! Chapter 133 One Versus Nine [Pt 3] The Pink-haired Demon''s hands touched the ground, and a Magic Circle began forming. It''s brimming color illuminated the darkened area, and I felt a great amount of rising energy converge within it. "Buy me time! I''ll summon my best one!" She spoke to her other colleagues who had already powered up at this point. I didn''t care for them or their abilities. I simply felt like getting rid of all of them. "[Mana Strengthening]" Once again, my power skyrocketed to an unbelievable degree, allowing to easily mow down my foes. It was so easy. Like slicing hot knife through tofu. It never felt so easy to take sentient life. These Demons who were once stronger than I was... now died so easily by my hands. I was so lost in the ecstacy that I didn''t realize when I had killed a majority of the Demons except three. The Summoning Circle wasplete, and I watched a Dragon-like monster surge forth from the blinding light. It gave a fearsome roar, enough to make my skin tingle a little. "Level 200? I see... this could be a little tough..." ... Was that what they expected me to say? ''[Predator]. [Conqueror]. [Dragon Hunter]'' Of all the things she could summon, she chose a Dragon? How very very hrious! ''My [Draconic Transformation] gives me Stats akin to a Dragon. My Level is high enough too. With [Predator], a portion of my opponent''s Stats will be mine. [Conqueror] allows me to defeat an opponent I once defeated more easily by increasing my abilities in proportion to the threat. [Dragon Hunter] grants me a better buff since my opponent is a Dragon.'' In essence, with all my abilities currently stacked¡ªplus the fact that I was now Level 191 thanks to killing four more Demons¡ªvictory was assured. "One strike!" I put aside my Evil Warding de since it only worked against beings who were deemed evil by the System¡ªDemons. Jumping as I clenched my fist, I poured an abundant amount of Mana into it and sped into the Dragon''s mouth. Navigating my way through it''s inner crevices, I destroyed anything in my path and went straight for the heart. >BOOOOOOMMMM< My surge of Mana from.within sent the Monster dying in a sh, and I tore my way out of the Dragon''s corpse once the work was done. Within seconds, I had defeated a fairly powerful creature. "Next." I descended from the monster''s corpse and began walking toward the summoner. "N-no way... my pet. M-my p-pet." The Demon had the gall to ignore me and charge straight for her deceased summon. As she passed my side, her head went rolling down and blood spurted from her swerving body. Death instantly met her. ''I''m now Level 210.'' Taking a mental note, I watched the remaining two enemies. Hogun and the hatted one. "Two to go..." "Impressive. I never expected us to be pushed this far. I''m surprised you are so strong." The hatted Demon didn''t seem angry or frightened. He just appeared impressed. Frankly, it pissed me off. "Are you surprised by my reaction? That I''m not upset or frightened? Well, the answer to that is simple..." The Demon out off his hat, disying his finely trimmed white hair and elegantly twisted horns. "... All that has happened is simply how it''s meant to be." The hat plopped to the ground as the Demon cracked his knuckles. "They were weaker than you are, so they died. This city of humans was not strong enough to resist our attack, so it perished. Surely... you understand." "Shut up." I could feel my rage surface. "I thought you, above all else could understand. Frankly, I''m not certain I could defeat you. But, if I''m unable to... and I perish, I know it''s simply my lot as the weaker one." "I said, shut up." "Well, I guess we can only find out the oue. First off, though, I''ll have to make things easier for myself." Suddenly, the outfit he wore gleamed brightly. I reckoned he was donning a Magic Item as an outfit. A clever move. The hatted Demon brought out a weirdly shaped stone, looking like a twisted thumb, and threw it into the sky. >SHIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGG!!!< The bright crimson light dyed the sky with it''s intense hue, but I couldn''t care less about the aesthetics. The effects, on the other hand... were quite interesting. "I just used something called an Equalizer Stone. It seals off Skills and Titles. You can only rely on your base Stats." True to his words, my Draconic Transformation became undone, and all my Skill as well as Title effects left me. "Of course, it also affects me, so... there''s that." He said that, but he was armed to the teeth with several Magic Items that raised the bat considerably. Even though I would have the advantage in base stats, with his Magic Items¡ªincluding a staff he just brought out, his highly concentrated armor-like attire, jewels, and several others¡ªit seemed like J had the disadvantage. "I tried using my Evil Eye Skill on you, among others. It seems you''ve surpassed the range of those who can be affected by it. I''ll have to resort to this to stand a chance." As at the moment, the results of the match was unpredictable. I could see myself losing or winning, depending on how long I couldst. ''Should I pour the rest of my Stat Points into Vitality?'' I considered internally. I watched as my enemy approached, wondering my next course of action. However¡ª [SYSTEM NOTICE] [Additional Rewards Based On Aplishments Have Been Calcted] [Yes] [No] A wide grin formed on my face instantly. The Additional Rewards for my fight against Adu had finally surfaced. "Yes." My grin grew wider, and I spotted the Demon grow wary because of it. The System disyed its Rewards before me, causing my previously relieved face to break into that of absolute satisfaction ''Oh, boy...'' I gazed at the Demon that was challenging me, happy with all of my heart that I would finally kill him. ''... You''re going to suffer!'' * * * [A/N] It hase to my notice that some of you are yet to join the Discord Server. Please do the right thing. Okay? Thank you. https://discord.gg/yMPNRURZJh Chapter 134 Hollow Hero [SYSTEM UPDATE] [Here Are Your Rewards Based On Your Aplishments] ~1,000 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~Title: Demon Hunter has been given to you~ ~Skill: Predator has evolved to [Grand Predator]~ ~[Five Seconds Rule] has evolved into [Five Seconds Rule: Advanced]~ ~[Freedom Of Expression] has evolved into [Absolute Freedom Of Expression]~ ~Skill: Unification has been given~ ~5,000 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~Skill: Am I A Zombie? has been given ~You Have Leveled Up (¡Á5)~ ~(500) Stat Points Have Been Added~ [End Of Information] "Haa..." My gaze went to the Demon that was about to recieve death. "You say I can''t use my Skills and Titles, right?" "Yes. The Stone has scanned the both of us, so¡ª" "It''s too bad... I just Leveled." "Eh?" My grin grew wider. It satisfied me that the Demon before was too stupid to understand. I just had to show him, didn''t I? I had a wide array of Skills at my disposal. Same as Titles. However, there was only one I really needed at this point. "Demon Hunter..." I murmured, staring hard at the gentlemanly Demon. .>SHWUUUUUUU< "What''s this? Did you just... get stronger?" The Demon''s eyes widened with surprise. Somehow, he still maintained his dignified appearance, and that got me angry. I wanted him to cower in fear and face despair. I was certain Lilith''sst moments was wrought with fear and pain¡ªas the girl only ever wanted to live. Yet, he took that away from her. He deserved death¡ªno, worse than that. "I don''t need Evil Warding de for you." I cracked my knuckles while ring at him. ? It was only fair to give him a beatdown. I wasn''t merciful enough to grant a quick death to Lilith''s murderer¡ªespecially now that the rest of the threats were dead. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< The Demon made his first move, lunging at me with extreme speed¡ªboosted by his artefacts, no doubt. ''He''s fast.'' I found myselfmenting. Without my new Level Ups, and the Title''s effect currently at work, I would probably be of the same¡ªor maybe a little lesser¡ªspeed. Considering my Agility had been severely boosted, it was amazing how fast my opponent was. As he dragged his staff, charging swiftly, the seemingly wooden object burst into red and ck mes. ''Highly concentrated Miasma... also dangerous.'' However, it was pointless if such an attack did not reach me... uh? I suddenly felt my body stuck to the ground. It was like earth was swallowing my feet, having no intention to release them. This ''Quicksand'' effect had to be caused by my opponent''s Magic, and I appreciated his intelligent series of moves Unfortunately... ''... This isn''t enough to hold me down.'' I broke free from the sinking ground and leaped backward, ignoring the zing inferno strike that scorched the area where I would have stood. The Demon remained transfixed on his location, grinning slightly as he raised his staff to the air. ''Hmm?'' I noticed clouds suddenly forming above me. >BRRRMMMMMMM< Almost as soon as I realized what was going on, purplish ck lightning came cackling and descending in a sh. >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< The entire ground was ripped apart as the explosion created fissures around the area of impact. "Not bad." I watched from my height in the sky. Serious damage could have been inflicted on me with that attack alone. It seemed my opponent wasn''t messing around. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< ming arrows wereunched from the Demon in their dozen, all gleaming bright blue. I easily evaded then from my height, calmly observing the enemy. He most likely had more up his sleeve. ''Let''s keep watching.'' I narrowed my gaze and noticed hails of crimson mes descend from the darkened clouds. ''Hail too? He has a wide array of high-level Magic. Just how old and experienced is he?'' The hailstorm covered a wide distance, and it was somewhat impossible to evade it entirely. As the brimming hot rocks descended on me, I decided to simply destroy them from my estate. ''He''s approaching me while I''m busy. Alright, I''m making my move now.'' Once the Demon got close, once again readying his de to incinerate me, I swiftly propelled myself toward him. "Wha¡ª??" My action surprised him, but I didn''t care. ''Did you think I''d run forever?'' I greeted him with an enhanced fist on his cheek, causing pieces of saliva to pour out of his face as his jaw became dislocated. "Guark!" He crashed to the ground, unable to bear the heavy strike. ''So, it''s weaker in physical assault... I see.'' A Demon who was incredibly fast, weak in strength and defence, but still had Magic topensate. Of everyone I fought, this one was the one with the most bnce and power. He was also most likely the oldest. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< I crashed on his stomach, using the sole of my legs to crush his abdomen. "Guarhkk!!!" Blood poured out of his mouth, and that filled me with delight. Grabbing his head, I tossed him into the sky, and thenunched myself not long after. Once he gained bnce, he tried to escape my grasp, but I was much faster and stronger anyway. He stretched out his staff to send a ray of crimson energy flying my way, but I raised my speed until I was right before him, causing his long-range attack to be meaningless. I sped my hands together and gave him a strike on his head. Something definitely cracked as the Demon fell to the ground in another terrible explosion. This process of violence repeated over and over again, with me intentionally drawing the fight out by torturing my opponent and inflicting him with pain. Until finally.... * * * [A/N] It hase to my notice that some of you are yet to join the Discord Server. Please do the right thing. Okay? Thank you. https://discord.gg/yMPNRURZJh Chapter 135 Time For A Do Over "It''s finally over. I truly fought with all I had. But you are superior. I suppose this is my lot... to be defeated by you." The Demon uttered as he coughed blood. Now unable to fight, his bloodied body and nearly naked form was transfixed on the devastated ming ground. "It''s strange how my colleague over there hasn''t moved at all since the fight started. Could he be frightened by your power? Had he epted his lot already? Maybe he¡ª" "Shut up." I red at his unfazed expression. Even now, he didn''t particr fear death or feel despair. "Lilith... that Demon Girl... she never betrayed you till the very end. I couldn''t understand back then, but... I can see why now. You really are¡ª" The Demon''s voice was irritating, plus I hated how he mentioned Lilith¡ªthe girl he murdered¡ªso casually, so I killed him by crushing his head underfoot¡ªlike the cockroach that he was. "Level 225..." I red at the final opponent, leaving the sea of blood and mes I had created in my fight with the now deceased Demon. "You never attacked even once... why?" My gaze was on Hogun, the lion-faced Demon. For someone with such qualities, shouldn''t he have been bold enough to attack... and die. "J-just how strong are you?" His lips muttered in a serious stutter. Nothing in his husky voice reminded me of the powerful tone he once wielded. When I looked at him, I felt nothing but indignation and disgust. "Stronger than all of you. And you''re all weaker than me." I approached him, ready to end his life as well. "Do you hate me... hate us?" I heard him ask. His face was surprisingly calmer than I expected. Hadn''t he just seen hisrades die one after the other. Surely, he understood who was next on my list, right? "You do not fear death?" "I do. Even at this very moment, I tremble. But... I also can''t help the way I feel at this moment." "And what is it you feel?" Hogun''s face twisted in confusion. He seemed ashamed to speak, but also had this glow in his eyes. A truly bizarre situation. "I feel awe. I feel inclined to believe you. I somehow feel like we deserve this. Like you did the right thing. I feel like supporting you... but... I also see you as an enemy of my Master." ''Uh? What the hell...?'' "Somehow, I wish my Master didn''t exist, so I could feel unrestrained to admire your power. At the same time, I want to wholly serve my master. It''s this confusion that I have been battling throughout your fight." ''Don''t tell me...'' It was just a theory, but could it be that Hogun was still being affected by [The One Who Unifies]? If that were true, and I used [Domination] on him recently, that would only make the effects binding and stronger. ''Back when I told him to back off... did he really not attack after that because of mymand?'' Realistically speaking, I could go further to ensure he became my subordinate. The seeds had been sown. I could harvest them. However... ... I would never do anything like that¡ªnot now! "You deserve nothing but death." Summoning my Evil-Warding de, I readied it to strike. "That hurts..." "That''s the point." Tensing my muscles and focusing on my target area, my hand was raised. "Well, I''m d to be of use to you... even if it''s to alleviate your anger a little." >SWISH!< In one clean slice, I sliced Hogun''s head off. Blood gushed out, and his lifeless body crashed to the devastated ground. It only took one hit, but I was certain. He was dead. "Level 230. Looks like this is as far as I get, huh." Now that all my enemies were destroyed and I had gotten crazy strong, wasn''t that just amazing? I pulled off something so incredible, something I could never have dreamed of. I was amazing, wasn''t I? "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" My loud bellow echoed as tears came streaming down. My heart hurt so badly that I clutched my chest tightly, hoping it would stop. Guilt, regret, and sadness returned. Despite all I had said about the misfortune of this City and my friends¡ªallocating it to the Demons¡ªI still felt responsible for them, regardless. "It''s all my fault. It''s all my fault. I''m so sorry..." Breaking down like this, in the middle of a ruined city, was unbefitting of a Hero. But, at this point, who else was here to stop me? They were all dead. No one could correct me. No one couldfort me. No one could encourage me. I was truly... "... All alone. I''m all alone." * * * I had no idea how long I sat sobbing, but after feeling miserable for a long time, something shifted internally. I felt my insides break, and then restructure itself. "What am I doing?" The question echoed in my mind. What was I? An idiot? Why didn''t I think of something so simple? "Hold on...!!!" My eyes widened as I looked around me. The horrid sight of devastation greeted me. A mess of the present¡ªan irredeemable reality. "I could use it... Arcana Call. I can fix everything! Yes... I can fix everything!" There was no need to mourn the deaths of everyone! "I should have enough time tost me about two weeks. If I use that time wisely, I''ll be able to save everyone." Yes, this reality wasn''t the end of it. Sure, it was risky. If I made another mistake, it would be impossible to reverse time once more. I would be left without options until those two weeks if reset were over. But, at the moment, weren''t things at their possible worst? "I''m smarter now. I''m stronger too. I can do it this time. I can change everything!" Whether my individual strength was enough to protect everybody or not was a different story entirely. One thing was for sure, though. "I won''t fail... not this time!" With that single thought, I picked myself from the ground, ignoring the horrid sight of bloodshed and chaos. "[Arcana Call: The Fool]." Two weeks was a long time to prepare. With that, I would be able to solve a lot of the problems that made this round a disaster. Not only that, but... ''... They''re all alive. Wait for me, everyone.'' My vision turned blurry, and I ignored the darkening sky and overwhelming darkness that pervaded the city all of a sudden. It felt chilly, but I didn''t care. I was out of this reality. Light surged from me, and I vanished from the horrid present... "Wait for your Hero." ... To a more eptable past. * * * [Time Left Until Death: 2 Weeks] * * * [A/N] Merry Christmas, everyone. If you''re Jewish, Happy Hanukkah. Seasons greetings to my dear fans and readers. I cherish and love you all. Do have a lovely time. Chapter 136 Back To The Past... Again I woke up, noticing thefortable squishy feeling of my mattress as I looked around me. I was back in my room, back in the frontier settlement. The walls were tent-like. It made sense, considering the fact that we were yet to build actual houses, at this point. "I transported to a few days after Lilith invaded. We''re still in the process of increasing security and strengthening the fences...'' Rising from my bed, I put on my Flip Flops and proceeded out of the room. "The roads haven''t been tiled yet, and the expansion is still in progress. I see there''s a lot that hasn''t been done yet." Comparing the image of what the settlement looked like in the future with its current state made me realize just how much progress we had made in the now-forgotten timeline. ''I had no choice, though...'' Feeling the early morning breeze wash over me, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. The fresh air was so pure, iparable to the stifling one I had to take in just moments ago. Nostalgia and desire squirmed within me as I watched the tents perk up. Sarah stayed in the closest tent to me--that made it much easier to sleep at night. ''I want to see them... I want to see all of them.'' My heart raced with excitement and impatience. All myrades who died, all my subordinates whom I failed. Everyone who awaited my return... I wanted to see them! "Calm yourself, Sam. There''s a lot to think about. There''s also a lot to do." Slowly, a smile formed on my face. An expression of relief, and eyes that sparkled with certainty, surely. "It''s two weeks till the invasion, enough time to prepare." There were many reasons for my failure in the past, but that was simply because of the unavability of more time, and the my personal weakness--both of which had been solved. It was the best moment to take action. "With my current abilities, and with the time at my disposal... I won''t lose!" * * * Full morning arrived. The sun rose, the bright and energetic sound soft people flourished, and everyone was set to begin their activities. As Sarah came to report to me in my room, I told her to gather EVERYONE for an announcement from me. She readily agreed and zoomed off to begin her first task for the day. Even though I felt the Priestess was always too enthusiastic when it came to orders from me, I couldn''t help but feel happy to see her that way. ''I''ve missed her.'' A smile unconsciously formed on my face. It would take some time before Sarah would gather everyone, so the best thing to do--at least, given the circumstances--was to check my Status Window. "Status Win--" [SYSTEM NOTICE] [Additional Rewards Based On Aplishments Have Been Calcted] [Yes] [No] ''A-ah!'' My eyes instantly widened, remembering a crucial factor. I was yet to collect my additional Rewards for defeating the nine Demon Generals. "Yes. Let''s see the rewards!" [SYSTEM UPDATE] [Here Are Your Rewards Based On Your Aplishments] ~9,000 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~5,000 Karmic Value has been dispensed~ ~Title: Demon Hunter has evolved to [Demon yer]~ ~5,000 Karmic Value Has Been Dispensed~ ~You Have Leveled Up (?¡ª5)~ ~(500) Stat Points Have Been Added~ [End Of Information] "Looks like no extra Skills or Titles were dispensed. Mostly Karmic Value and Stst Points." I muttered, critically examining the glowing panel. It was understandable, considering I wasn''t in an extremely difficult situation with the Demon Generals. I could still flee, or pick them off one at a time. They were only a threat when they were together, and I was so lucky they didn''t know how to work as a proper team. ''I would have been screwed if that was the case.'' In any case, since I had gone over all my Rewards, it was time to see my current state. [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 235 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Relieved. Excited. Curious. Status Infliction: Status Elevation. Regression. Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] [Stats] Level: 235 Exp: 13.34% ss: None (Select A ss Now) Karmic Value: 70,200 [Basic Ability] HP: 380/380 MP: 300/300 Strength: 350 Agility: 650 Vitality: 450 Intelligence: 150 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] "I''m so happy the System of this world works this way." A wide grin formed on my face. Not only did I get increase in Levels and Stat Points as Ipleted Quests and yed stuff, but simply by fighting and exerting myself, I could increase my primary stats. "I''m excited for what I''m gonna see next." [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule: Advanced <2> Rune crafting <3> Absolute Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power --Warrior''s Skin (Byron) --Blessing Of Recovery (Sarah) --Blessing Of Power (Sarah) --Mana Strengthening (Lucy) --Marite (Lilith) --Evil Eye (Lilith) <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Grand Predator <8> Draconic Transformation <9> Domination <10> Evil Warding de <11> Miasma <12> I Believe I Can Fly <13> Unification <14> Am I A Zombie? [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter <5> Dragon Hunter <6> Fool <7> ve Master <8> Demon Contractor <9> The One Who Unifies <10> Demon yer [End Of Information] "This is perfect." I was just as strong as a powerful Upper-ss Demon. My goals had far been surpassed. "In my current state, it''s possible to achieve my mission. But first... there''s something to do first." I looked at my System Panel and found exactly what I was looking for. * ss: None (Select A ss Now) * "Looks like it''s finally time." * * * [A/N] Merry Christmas, everyone. If you''re Jewish, Happy Hanukkah. Seasons greetings to my dear fans and readers. I cherish and love you all. Do have a lovely time. Chapter 137 Cant Mess This Up! sses! One of the most important aspects of anyone in this world. It quote literally shaped the path that any person would take as they progressed through life. sses determined a person''s upation, and it was universally epted by every race as the only way to determine an individual''s specialty. Since certain Skills were exclusive to particr sses, and the ss one chose determined their growth, type of training, and even means of living, selecting one was a very important decision to make. There existed nine kinds of sses, and under them were Specializations. Usually, you would need to be very high-leveled to recieve a Specialization. Thus, humans only had ess to the nine primary sses. The requirements for getting a ss also depended on the Race. For humans, reaching Level 15 ought to open the ss path for those who wanted to further their abilities and obtain new Skills. That said, not many humans reached this level. ''Level 15 among humans is considered high-end, after all...'' * * * "Now then..." I smiled, looking at the System''s attempt at making me choose a ss. I had been ignoring the ss option for some time now. I could have actually chosen one since I was in Level 15, but I chose to ignore it back then. Why? Because all the choices were a bust. Besides, one had to reach Level 100 before gaining a Specialized ss. What was the point of restricting myself to one ss, only to wait for so long before gaining a Specialized one. That was simply ridiculous. Besides... I had other reasons. Finally deciding to undertake the mission that would forever have influence on my path, I tapped on the urgent panel in front of me. * ss: None (Select A ss Now) * >BEEP< As soon as I tapped the contents within the bracket, a new panel was disyed before me, and the options became evident. [sses] [Please Select A Primary ss to gain ess to the Specialized sses] 1. Viger (Farmer, cksmith, Merchant, etc.) 2. Warrior (Knight, Lancer, Berserker, Monk, etc.) 3. Mage (Caster, Sage, Shaman, Crafter, etc.) 4. Thief (Assassin, Hoarder, etc.) 5. Tamer (Contractor, Master, Siphon, etc.) 6. Priest (Pdin, Holy Knight) 7. Ranger (Archer, Tracker, etc.) 8. Tank (Monolith. Aggressor, etc.) 9. Irregr (Alchemist, Schr, Commander, etc.) The System indeed understood the concept of clickbait. By showing some of the options I could attain in a particr ss, it would cause me to choose wisely. ''Once a ss is chosen, it can''t be undone. It''s one of the reasons I decided not to choose one haphazardly.'' There was no need to even nce around for the options. I knew what I was going to pick. "Number nine. Irregr." I murmured, tapping the corresponding name in the System Panel. ''Damien, the original MC, actually chose the Warrior path, and he became a Knight. He still had his ability to use Runes and Magic Items, though, so he was still pretty OP...'' ... However, I couldn''t go down that path. If Damien knew of the goodies he would be missing out on when he chose his ss, I was sure he wouldn''t have made that choice. ''Sure, this kind of limits my scope of the future and changes the storyline drastically, but... I can''t be a Warrior/Knight.'' [Irregr ss] [This contains sses that are too bizarre and do not fall under the major eight. They usually consist ofmonce works that are too advanced to be ced under ''Viger'', but nonbative to be ced in the other ss.] 1. Alchemist 2. Schr 3. Commander 4. Special Crafter 5. Seer 6. Undecided [Choose Wisely] "Nice use ofnguage. Like I''d fall for it, haha!" The System was trying to be tricky here, no doubt. First of all, why did it make it sound like the Irregr ss sucked. ''The introduction alone paints a bad image. Most people will start regretting that they chose this ss, and they''ll most likely be right... to an extent.'' sses like Alchemist and Schr were really nonbative, but their purpose was crazy good. ''Alchemists can make Potions with varying effects, and they can also use Nature-based Magic. Schrs have this OP Skill that allows them to see the Status Information of anything. They''ll have to expend more Mana to see higher-leveled beings, though.'' And that wasn''t all they were capable of! Sure, the other sses had more battle-oriented abilities, but not everyone desired to be a fighter or a mere civilian¡ªlike the Viger ss. The Irregr ss was the perfect bnce. ''Seers have irvoyance that allows them to see many ces, and the strong ones even have the ability to see the future. Commanders grant buff to others, and while they only have basic fighting abilities or Skill, their level of control and domination is high. Influence wise, this Skill would be perfect for me... but I already have [Domination] and [The One Who Unifies], so there''s no point. Special Crafters are like Alchemists, but they deal with tech. They get to see architectural paths and the various possibilities of any substance just at a single nce. Their ability to create isn''t restricted to Magic Items, but even beyond. If more people were Special Crafters, this world would evolve faster in terms of technology.'' These were the most reasonable choices for me, but none of them quite cut it. Truthfully, while I could have used them to achieve very outstanding results in my early stages, they were kind of useless to me now. ''The Schr ability is useless since I have the ability to see Status Information anyway. I don''t need to be an Alchemist since I can buy potions from the System store, and I have recipes from the T.W.T.S.S. book. The same applies for Special Crafter. As for Seer, with my new and improved [Five Seconds Rule: Advanced] I could see myself achieving the same effects in no time. Plus, I had [Insight].'' * * * [A/N] Special Shout-out to moo_moo_meow 869. You gave me a Christmas Gift. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas to you, and everyone else. This extra upload is all because of you. I''m definitely Mass Releasing soon. Chapter 138 I Have Decided To Be Undecided! [Irregr ss] [This contains sses that are too bizarre and do not fall under the major eight. They usually consist ofmonce works that are too advanced to be ced under ''Viger'', but nonbative to be ced in the other ss.] 1. Alchemist 2. Schr 3. Commander 4. Special Crafter 5. Seer 6. Undecided [Choose Wisely] Frankly, none of these Specialties cut it for me since I was eventually going to outgrow them as I progressed. I was also a greedy bastard who would begin regretting at some point, wishing I could go back and choose something else. That was why... "You''re the perfect choice." I tapped on the [Undecided] option. [System Warning] ~Choosing This Option Will Invoke a Penalty~ [You Will Lose 50 Levels And A Proportionate amount Of Your Stats If You Proceed] [Yes] [No] "Haha! You can''t scare me. I anticipated this!" This was the reason why I didn''t choose a ss even after surpassing Level 100. If I did, I would be stuck here, since choosing this option would take 50 Levels from me. ''The System would consider it an error since you need to be Level 100 to obtain a Specialized ss.'' The transaction would be invalid. But now... with my current Level, even with the penalty, I would still be high-leveled enough to select my desired Specialized ss. I tapped on [Yes] [Yes] [No] "Yes, dumbass! I''m sure!" Now gritting my teeth in frustration, I tapped [Yes] again. I didn''t have all day, after all. [Processing] [Processing] [Processing] I smiled, watching as my ss was getting Specialized¡ªor rather, wasn''t. You see, that was the amazing thing about the [Undecided] Specialized ss. Though it came at a great cost, and was buried in the options of the unpopr Irregr ss, it was still the best choice¡ªat least for me. Why? The answer was simple... [Congrattions] [You have obtained the Irregr ss: Undecided] ~You now have ess to the other sses~ ~You can borrow the Specialized Skills of any ss, owning them after a certain proficiency is reached (Purchase with Stat Points or Karmic Value)~ [Well Done] ... I could explore and choose from other sses¡ªPrimary and Specialized! ''Isn''t that simply the best?!'' Unfortunately, well... my Level and Stats would have a good drop¡ª50 Levels for that matter. "Just when I passed the Level 200 threshold, I''m back down. This sucks, but it''s worth it." Checking my Status to see I was now in Level 185, I sucked it in and celebrated my win. * * * "Sam, we''re all ready." A knock, apanied by Sarah''s statement roused me from my immersed Status Checking. At this point, I was exploring the other sses, seeing their Pros and Cons, so I could decide which I could borrow or purchase when the time called for it. "Ah, I see. I''ll be out shortly." A smile formed on my face and I decided to dress properly. It didn''t take a minute to step out if my pajamas and wear that one Anime Merch I had been saving for this moment. A dark cape cloak, shrouded in an aura of mystery and intrigue. I wore a decent shirt and nice trousers, along with my crocs to greet everyone. It seemed everyone was always fascinated with my Dragon-Designed Cros, so I decided to make it stay. As soon as I stepped out, I was greeted with the sight of the bowing denizens of my current home. They all gave me awe, greeting me with a thunderous voice of adoration. "WE GREET THE HERO!" ''Not so loud... damn!'' My eardrums rang a little, but I controlled myself. "I greet you too. Rise." I smiled. Looking at my audience, the Demons were on the left and the humans were on the right. I saw the leaders at the forefront of their respective racial group¡ªso only Lilith was with her Demon brethren. ''Kinda makes her seem lonely...'' I smiled, watching how she looked ufortable. Memories of the world long lost shed in my head¡ªespecially the ''alone time'' I had with Lilith the night before everything went to shit. ''A-ah! Crap!'' I unconsciously found myself staring in her direction. I had to keep it together. Even though there were many things I would have loved to say or do, this was two weeks prior to any significant event at all. The Lilith I was staring at most likely hated me, so it was best to leave her alone. Besides, my position as a ''Human Hero'' already made it a taboo to have any romance with Demons. Being a ve was probably as far as she could get... at least if I wanted to maintain my image. ''The best course of action would simply be to forget any of that ever happened. I... it''s for both our benefit.'' Still, wasn''t it unfair that I just recently got my first time, and I had reverted to a virgin once more. It wasn''t fair at all! "Ahem..." In any case, it was time for the speech. I conjured the powers that be, requesting the universe to bless me with divine inspiration and the capacity to utilize the ultimate means ofmunication. ''Ah, yes... once again, it''s time for...'' That''s right! My favorite move of all time. ''... Another round of bullshitting!'' "My people, I have had a vision. A grave threat is upon us¡ªone evenrger and fiercer than we have ever experienced." As expected, their face twisted in horror and fear. I had been doing this for some time, so I knew how to drive the conversation. ''So far, so good. Now, then...'' "Do not fret, though. I will not allow the enemies to seed¡ªnot as long as I remain your Hero!" Their faces instantly changed, turning relieved as though someone flipped a switch. "The Demons have begun their move, and their goal is to strike down the Adventurers City of Dulum¡ªproceeding to this town once they''re done with their mission." A brief moment of silence, and then... "Not on my watch!" * * * [A/N] It hase to my notice that some of you are yet to join the Discord Server. Please do the right thing. Okay? Thank you. https://discord.gg/yMPNRURZJh Chapter 139 Looks Like Im Two Weeks Early "I won''t let them!" Everyone''s smiles grew wider. I saw sparks in their eyes as they cheered. They were happy¡ªno, excited. Why? Because that was the expression I had on my face. They still had their absolute trust in their Hero! "Humanity will emerge victorious. With this, we will deal another blow to the Demons who have oppressed you for so long. Now, I ask of you... will you trust me and follow me to battle?" I didn''t even need to await their response. Of course, it was a deafening¡ª "YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!" With a smile, and hope for the future, I smiled at my subjects. I stopped dead in my tracks, though, noticing something quickly. ''Ah, shit... I forgot, there are Demons here. I just spoke of exterminating them without even considering... ah, shit...'' Lilith was currently staring at me with fear. Her re contained more fright than actual hate. It seemed to me that I had inspired her to dislike me even more. ''Isn''t this a good thing? But why do I feel bad?'' I looked at the rest of the Demons, and they also didn''t seem too good. What else did I expect¡ªreferring to their kind as enemies and stuff? ''Welp, it is what it is.'' What I had to do hadn''t changed. For the sake of the greater good, especially for everyone here that I cared about... I was ready to do anything. Even if it meant ughtering every other Demon on the. ''... Not like that''s possible, though. Hahaha!'' * * * We left the settlement by noon. Before then, I left behind several instructions and duties for some people. I had to return this settlement to the state I left it two weeks into the future. ''There''s no way I can return to living a primitive lifestyle after experiencing some form of civilization in this world...'' As a result, almost every denizen of the town was left behind. I only took the most useful ones¡ªmy leaders¡ªwith the exception of Lilith. Everyone was a bit hesitant, but I told them that Lilith would be protecting them against any form of threat, as she was the strongest. However, wouldn''t that make her more useful to me and my imminent quest? Most likely. Yet... why was I letting her sit this one out? "She''s the only one who can really control the Lower ss Demons, other than me. Of course, she needs to stay." I wasn''t taking the Demons with me too. They were needed to help build the settlement into what I wanted. And so, unlike thest try where I had many people form my personal army, I only went to Dulum with Sarah, Lucy, and Byron. I was even tempted to leave them behind, but decided against it. ''In the advent that the settlement is attacked, I''ll still have somerades left...'' That was my cold hearted rationale behind this choice. Besides, if things went awry, and everyone in Dulum perished, I still had those in the settlement to count on. Either way, I didn''t put all my eggs in one basket. It seemed cruel, but I couldn''t use Arcana Call anymore. This was the next best thing I could think of. ''I left a countermeasure back in the settlement, though. Hopefully, it doesn''te to that...'' Once everything was set, and the everyone was ready to go, I revved up the engine and left my sweet home behind in a cloud of dust. ''Is it just me, or is the car slower than usual?'' My eyes widened at the realization. I nced to see Sarah''s reaction beside me, also Lucy and Byron''s expressions behind me. They all seemed to think the car was going pretty fast. Yep... it was just me. ''I''ve gotten faster, after all. I''m faster than this car... especially if I fly.'' It was best to save all of that forter, though. ''At this moment, I have no Golem, and my Godying des have all run out...'' I still had a few more Magic Items¡ªlike my Mana Bombs, Mana Grenade, and a few other things¡ªbut they weren''t enough to take care of an entire army of 10,500. ''But... I have a n.'' A grin formed on my face as I increased the speed of my Legendary ck Beast. ''I don''t intend to simply emerge victorious by winning by a hair''s breadth, no." The kind of victory I sought demanded that the enemies were inplete subjection to the humanity. I wanted them to taste exactly the kind of despair they showed us. ''It won''t be a win if I don''t do that much!'' ************ [The Demon Realm] An entity sat on his glorious throne. His majestic form was covered in shadow, but it was clear that he was not only bulky, but incredibly powerful. As his glowing purple eyes peered into the empty space before him, enjoying the solitude of his court, a distortion in space appeared. The purple swirl of energy caused everything around it to twist. Within this spatial disturbance proceeded a being¡ªa Demon. "Father, I have arrived." The neer knelt before the overwhelmingly superior one. He had the appearance of a child, and one.of his horns was longer than the other. As his childlike voice echoed in the vast expanse, the boy Demon awaited the response of his only living parent. However¡ª "I have told you not to call me that." "B-but... we''re all alone, so¡ª" "Enough. Even walls have ears. I don''t want any of it... not until you''ve earned your mettle." "I-I understand." The Demon gritted his teeth in frustration. "You''ll be tagging along with Heshu on an expedition to im and in the territory of the humans." "A-ah...?" The kneeling Demon was surprised to hear this. His eyes reflected confusion, but also a strange sense of happiness. "I''ve given the details to Heshu. Prove yourself in this mission, and perhaps things might be a bit different." The one on the throne uttered with a tone of finality. The child-like Demon smiled in both tension and excitement. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for all this time. "I-I understand. I, Adu, will not fail you... Lord Valefor!" * * * [A/N] It hase to my notice that some of you are yet to join the Discord Server. Please do the right thing. Okay? Thank you. https://discord.gg/yMPNRURZJh Chapter 140 The Demons Side Of The Story [Pt 1] We arrived at Dulum before evening, and then settled in pretty nicely. Since I had a good name¡ªand an epic rank¡ªI was lodged in the best ce. It really wasn''t much different from the treatment I was used to in Dulum, so nothing special ured on that front. My subordinates also settled into their respective rooms, but I informed them to gather together in my room after getting their amodation sorted out. ''Since we''ll be staying here until the crisis, might as well get used to it...'' Once everyone had done the needful, they gathered in my room¡ªa vast space that consisted of Dulum''s best efforts to amodate me. "We''ll be meeting with Zabdel, the Vice Guildmaster of this City. it''s imperative we let them know what will ur before it''s toote." I revealed my n to my subordinates very calmly. It was possible that they wouldn''t believe me, but I highly doubted such a scenario. The mere fact that they were forging the Dragon-Corpse weapons based on the statement I gave concerning an imminent threat meant that my words contained validity. If I could warp things to my favor, then it was possible to demand the obedience of the people of Dulum. ''Hopefully, I pull this off...'' The n I had regarding the subjugation of the Demons was one that demanded absolute authority. I still didn''t want to reveal my identity as the Hero, and I was at least grateful that the future had changed in that respect. In that case, I would need to operate as the Legendary Dragon yer. ''Alright, Sam... let''s get this show on the road!'' ********** [The Demon Realm] "Adu, reporting for duty. Lord Valeformanded me toe before you concerning the mission." The Demon, d in ck and dark purple designs, approached another Demon who sat within his office. The room wasn''t extremelyrge, but it was bigger than most workces orded to Middle ss Demons. The office resembled a study, as several shelves containing different kinds of books and items were orderly arranged within. From Magic Items, to art pieces, and even weapons¡ªthey were neatly ced in their respective categories, giving it a very official and orderly look. Two chairs stood opposite each other, demarcated by an exquisite desk¡ªall made from fine wood. Heshu, the host, was seated on the main chair. His unfazed expression as Adu entered and made his deration told the visitor that he had been expecting him. Adu narrowed his purple eyes and he clenched his teeth¡ªclearly not pleased with how he had to report to a fellow Middle ss Demon. "Yes, Adu. Lord Valefor told me about you. You, me, and eight others will be taking possession of a portion in the human territory." The seated Demon replied. His name was Heshu, and his gentlemanly attire and speech made him appear to be noble and ssy. People like this pissed Adu off the most, but he held his dissatisfaction. ''Father said I have to fulfil this mission in order to be recognized. I can''t afford to fail.'' His thoughts echoed. Unknown to many¡ªif not all the Demons around¡ªLord Valefor was Adu''s father. And that was simply because of their difference in ss. Unlike his Upper ss father, Adu was a Mid-Demon. That meant no matter how hard he strived, he would never be able to break past his limit. Sure, he was very skilled and talented¡ªvery much so than most Demons in his rank. Still, that did not get him the recognition he desired. One would think the fact that he was the youngest ever Mid-Demon to reach Max Level would grant him the attention and acknowledgement of his father. Unfortunately, even that didn''t seem to move Lord Valefor. ''This time, it''s different. He finally said he''ll acknowledge me if I win. I just have to win.'' Adu grinned. Humans were weak. He simply had to achieve the desired results, and nothing would stand in his way of recognition. "There are a few things that I need to exin here. Still, I think it would be best if we were to discuss it as a group¡ªall ten of us." His fellow Mid-Demon, Heshu spoke. ''He''s talking like he''s better than me. I hate that...'' "For now, you may return. Come back tomorrow, when wemence the preparations for the mission." "Tch. Just one question." Adu''s tone grew more defiant with each passing moment. It was easy to suppress his entitled and stubborn personality when he was in the presence of his father. The strict ss hierarchy existed, and even he couldn''t deny it. The weaker had no choice but to respect the stronger. But, it was different with Heshu. They were literally in the same Level, and they were both Middle ss. In fact, Adu cold argue that he was more superior due to his immense talent, and the blood of his father that flowed within him. ''We''ve never fought, but...'' Adu was certain that he could emerge victorious. "Are you the leader of this expedition?" His question was blunt and point nk, but he was entitled to that exnation. After all, even though there was no fundamental respect toward Heshu based on ss or Level, perhaps he could ord some honor based on positional hierarchy. "It will be discussed tomorrow, but no. All ten of us will lead a select amount of soldiers. Since we''ll be operating on a somewhat mutual position of authority, I wouldn''t call myself the leader." "Heck yeah! That''s what I like to hear!" Adu reverted to his childish, petty self. There was no need to keep up appearances with an equal. His bigger right horn bobbed as he jumped, and his sharp teeth were disyed due to his excitement. "Very well then. I guess we''ll see tomorrow." Adu left Heshu''s office in a sh, not even bothering to take a second nce behind him. Once he heard what he wanted, he was off to prepare. ''I should have known. Father wants to test my individual ability and my capabilities in leading an army!'' That was why there was no strict chain ofmand among the ten leaders. It was simply so Adu could prove his worth in the best way necessary. "Hehe, perfect!" He chuckled loudly to himself, leaving the home of his soon-to-be colleague. Chapter 141 The Demons Side Of The Story [Pt 2] "I greet you all with utmost respect." In an open field, located within the militarypound of the Upper ss Demon, Valefor, ten Mid-Demons stood tall. Each had various forms¡ªfrom.scrawny to chubby, scary to cute. Their expressions also varied, but they all had demonic gleams in their eyes. Of the ten, one stood in front of the other nine and spoke formally. Any one withmon sense would think he was in charge. "The fact that you have all been chosen for this special task means the Lord thinks you are qualified. He has ced his trust in each and every one of us. Let us all do our best not to fail him." The one who spoke was none other than Heshu¡ªthe oldest, most powerful Mid-Demon around. It was said that even before any of the others were born, Heshu had been actively working for the Demon Race. His ancient knowledge, expertise, and even contributions within Demonkind had earned him a muchrger space to call homepared to others in his same ss. His prestige was also highly esteemed. "The target location is located to the Southeast of here. It''s in human territory, and there''s also a human city located there. We''re supposed to kill the humans and take control of that ce." At this point, Heshu used Image Projection Magic, a very specialized skillset one couldn''t have unless they were in a particr leadership ss. "If you''re wondering what the mission entails, it''s simple. There''s a Labyrinth located in that territory. The Lord seeks to im possession of it and¡ª" "A mere Labyrinth? We have tons of them here, so why would he¡ª" >WHAM!< A single chop to the head made Adu, who had interrupted his colleague''s speech, to yelp in pain as he rubbed the hurting point of contact. "Hogun! What did you do that for?" A bead of tears¡ªmaybe two¡ªformed in his eyes as he red at the lion-faced Demon beside him. "You were interrupting the briefing." Adu had always envied Hogun''s smooth baritone. The dark skinned Demon''s tone was deep and mature, unlike his own squeaking voice. ''He''s only a few years older than me, yet...'' Adu gritted his teeth as he red at Hogun''s focused expression. Even though they were friends, their personalities were in sharp contrast. "Hogun is right. I wasn''t done exining, so pay attention." Heshu spoke, interrupting what would have morphed into a blown-out fight. "Tch." With the tension reduced to an eptable degree, the apparent leader proceeded. "This Labyrinth seems of somewhat low quality on the surface, but our Divining Orb picked up an energy signature in its depth that contain great power." "A-ah... I see." Adu''s face warped into surprise. If that was the case, then it was somewhat understandable. "Also, it seems the Labyrinth extends underground, and there are many ores to be mined there. Precious metals and highly concentrated Mana Chalk. Mercury also seems to flow in high quality¡ªconcentrated in that location." Many of the Demons already had eyes nearly popping out of their sockets at this point. Mana Chalk and Mercury were highly valued resources. The higher the quality, the better. From research, to science advancement, to technological innovations, to even the purpose of Magic training, education,bat, etc. These resources were indispensable to Demon Civilization. "The reason we have been so prosperous, and we thrive in such a way... is because of the discovery of Runes that have shaped out civilization into this way." Heshu smiled, looking around him. The rest followed his gaze and looked around. Sure, they were all standing in an empty, bare field. However, taking a good look beyond their location revealed the glorious nature of the Demon Realm. High building, like skyscrapers, extended in the far distance. Disy panels appeared in mid-air, telling news or showing forms of entertainment. Demons used various Magic Items to travel, rarely moving by foot. Some used Magic Shoes that had [Flight] imbued on then as a Rune. Others preferred their outfits being enchanted, and others liked surfing on Magic Boards. The technology and Magic advancement in this world was at its apex¡ªwhether in medicine, orbat, or many other things. This prosperity hinged on Mana Chalk and Mercury. "As Lord Valefor''s subjects, we must get our hands on these resources and im it for our Lord, before the others take notice of them." Heshu moved back to the topic. Everyone nodded and agreed instantly. The Demon Race was not a monolith. There existed different territories, each headed by a Demon Lord. Each territorypeted vigorously for resources or various other things. Conflicts often ured between them as well. Wars had even been fought in the past. "We have a non aggressive treaty with the others, and the current Demon King''s reign has been peaceful, but... that won''t stop the others from iming our spoil before us. In fact, it''s for this very reason we need to be assured of victory." "We understand. Are we to move immediately, then?" Adu grinned, feeling fired up. The revtion of the true reason behind their invasion was exciting¡ªto say the least. The young Demon realized just what kind of position he would attain when he seeded. "No. Our territory is under scrutiny. If we mobilize arge force, the others will catch wind of our intention. We have to be subtle about it." The Demons had to agree on that front. It was normal for other territories to have spies or ambassadors pop up for the sake of observing another Lord''s domain. "We''ll patiently and slowly transport our soldiers to a pseudo zone. Once we teach the appropriate number, we''ll all be transported to our target location." "A-ah. We have to go through all that? How many soldiers are we talking about here?" Of course, it was Adu who spoke again. Only he was dense enough not to sense the level of authority and power that the Demon in front of him wielded. Perhaps he realized this, but simply ignored it. That was the kind of Demon Adu was. Chapter 142 Lets Clear This Labyrinth! [Pt 1] "Ten thousand, four hundred and ny. If you add the ten of us, it will be a total of ten thousand, five hundred. Ten thousand will be from Lower ss, and only a small amount of our actual soldiers will be mobilized." Heshu resumed speaking, answering Adu''s question. The maxed out Mid-Demons who heard this appeared surprised by the number presented before them. They couldn''t believe their ears. Why? "Ten thousand? And they mostly consist of Lower ss dregs? That''s smaller than I thought. Oh well, it''s the human territory we''re talking about here." Adu grinned. "True. In any case, everything should be done in ten days or so. We''ll all be staying in this militarypound before that time arrives, so we don''t attract much attention to us by moving around. "We''re Middle ss Demons. No one expects much from us anyway..." Adu murmured, looking away. Unfortunately for him, everyone heard this statement. This time, no one bothered keeping quiet. They all bombarded him with their genuine thoughts. "Speak for yourself." ************* [Day 1 After Arrival In Dulum] "Alrighty!" I gave a very positive smile, looking directly ahead. What stood before me was a gaping hole¡ªentrance to Dulum''s Labyrinth. It was my primary goal for this round, and a major element in executing my n. ''We have about twelve more days before the destruction of Dulum. If I''m counting the first invasion, then we have about ten days. I have to hurry...'' The Labyrinth of Dulum was the City''s major source of livelihood, and the Adventurers existed mostly because of that reason. Sure, Adventurers took many quests that didn''t involve the Labyrinth¡ªlike escort or delivery jobs. Sometimes being hired as tools of conflict between two forces, the Adventurers did just about anything for money. However, the single existence of the Labyrinth made certain the Adventurer''s job was upied. Why? Because there were always quests readily avable that required venturing into the naturally formed structure. "That''s the Great Helios Labyrinth for you." I smiled, appreciating the structure once more. The glimmering rocks, like mountains, that intersected in nted positions, clustered to form a cave-like entrance. The bent, thin mountains glimmered in the sun, like ss, and they weren''t too tall, so I could see their peak quite easily. ''As always, it''s such a pleasure.'' I proceeded to walk ahead, venturing into the Great Helios Labyrinth with a single goal. As I moved, I heard footsteps behind me. They belonged to the ones who would be venturing into this ce with me. ''Sarah, Byron, Lucy, Zabdel, Asa, Gu, and Liebert, and Gerund. I handpicked these guys because I am most familiar with them...'' To be frank, I only brought them along to serve as spectators for the grand show I was about to show them. If I disyed my might in front of a sufficient crowd, then they would even respect and adore me more. ''They''ll give me their unfettered loyalty.'' A smile formed on my face. That was simply a means to an end, though. The true reason I wanted to explore the Labyrinth rather than rigorously preparing for battle was because doing this was essential for preparation. In fact, it was an integral part of it. After I had a meeting with Zabdel concerning the imminent invasion of the Demons, he believed me and asked for my solution. I told him to keep working on the Dragon-Corpse weapons for everyone, but I needed their cooperation. Fortunately, they all trusted the Legendary Dragon yer and we''re septable to my words. It turned out I really had no reason to worry, in the first ce. And so, while the intended people were working on the weapons, I decided to enact my n of gathering resources within the Great Helios Labyrinth. "Mana Chalk, Mercury, Special Ores, and then..." My lips curled up in excitement as my eyes gleamed with excitement. My heart raced uncontrobly as I just imagined the end result of what I was going to achieve today. ''I''m prepared to spend all day here so long as I can achieve my goals!'' "Now then..." I nced behind me, meeting the gaze of everyone who followed me. Their expressions slightly differed from one another, but themon emotion I sensed there was adoration. "There''s no need to do anything. I''ll take care of them all by myself." With that, I resumed facing forward, hearing squeals and excited murmurs from the spectators¡ªstating how cool and amazing I was. ''The mood has been set. Now, hehe...'' I stepped into the cave-like entrance and stared into the chasm that led to the first floor. Apparently, since its discovery, no one had ever passed the 17th Layer of the Great Helios Labyrinth. In fact, the ones who seeded in beating the 17th Floor were the strongest party,prised of all the S ss Adventurers of the time, with Dulum''s Guildmaster leading the charge. It was an intense conquest, and they seeded after going at it for days. The 17th Floor was that tough! ''... I can''t wait to see for myself.'' Of course, I knew just what kind of monsters awaited us there. It was one of the things mentioned in the Novel. ''I''ve always wanted to fight one before...'' Stepping into the chasm, I initiated my adventure into the Labyrinth, my goals in mind and my targetpletely decided. ''... Minotaurs'' * * * >BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< In a single strike, I destroyed the barrier of earth that protected the 17th Floor from outside interference. After the previous conquest, the Guildmaster and the surviving Adventurers took their spoil, sealing the 17th Floor with the toughest rocks formed by the strongest Mages using Earth Magic. This was to prevent the surviving monsters within from evering out, and also to ensure not Adventurer was foolish enough to risk their lives to challenge it. However, for me¡ª "Let us proceed.". ¡ªAn earth barrier of that caliber was nothing short of paper thin. I could hear squeals of delight from the people behind me as I cooly stepped into the hallowed 17th Floor. "The time hase..." I smiled, looking at the illuminated space spread before me. "... Let the culling begin." Chapter 143 Lets Clear This Labyrinth! [Pt 2] A vast expanse greeted me the moment I stopped into the 17th Layer of the Great Helios Labyrinth. It was illuminated thanks to the fairly high quality Mana Stones that littered the ceiling and the walls. The gleaming rocks, and a few other valuable ores reflected the light, and I felt a moderately chilly climate thanks to the air drafts that were located at random spots within the ce. However, the most amazing feature of this ce were the denizens. When I broke the barrier that separated us from the 17th Floor, I knew amotion was bound to follow. I wasn''t wrong. "GRRRRRR.... HURRRRR...." Indeed, we had gathered the attention of a herd of Minotaurs that had made this ce their home. Their gleaming eyes disyed anger, and I could sense hostility from them. ''Ah, they''re just as tall as it was described. Selyon really is amazing.'' Every single detail of their build was recorded in the Light Novel. Well, I did see their appearance thanks to one of the Illustrations that was in the book, so... The Minotaurs before me had two horns, and their appearance were akin to angry bulls¡ªexcept they had human-like features as well They were of varying colors¡ªsome white, some ck, some brown. Their crimson eyes and long horns gave off a particrly menacing vibe. Not only were they muscr, they were also bipedal. Their upper body resembled buff humans, but they had hooves for legs. As if their unfair build wasn''t enough, they also had a height of at least 5 meters. A few even reached seven meters, making the situation all the more jarring. ''Humans are an average of one meter plus. How can wepete with monsters like these? It''s no wonder those guys nearly lost in their expedition...'' My thoughts trailed as I furthered into theirnd. The Minotaurs didn''t back down. The more I approached them, the faster they gathered from their respective positions and focused their attention on me. I signalled the rest to remain by the entrance. They only needed to watch... for now. "Alright then, how should we do this?" I smiled. More of the Minotaurs gathered, though a few still lingered in corners. I observed the monsters that still refused to budge, and they were the stronger ones. ''I see. So they send the small fry first. Talk about underestimating me.'' I grinned internally. Amid my calm observation, I noticed arge hole located at a far right corner. Using my heightened senses, I peeked within and noticed something interesting. ''Ah, I see. So that''s how it is.'' The Boss Monster, the Minotaur King, was within the cave-like structure. It was somewhat funny that they made a cave within a much bigger one, but that was how this world operated. ''They seem to be doing well, living a fairly organized life... for monsters, that is.'' Not only did they have an evident hierarchy, but their ecosystem was simple and efficient. Minotaurs usually ate the Mana Crystals that naturally formed within this ce, so there was really no need for conflict. Sure, there could be internal strife every once in a while, but those infrequent outbursts of violence would be stopped by the King. ''I don''t even think there was any need to worry about the Minotaurs invading the upper floors. They seem perfectly content with their lifestyle, and I''m sure they wouldn''t cause any problems if trouble doesn''t find them.'' Unfortunately for them, I demanded trouble. "GURRRRRUUUUU..." Their menacing tones echoed as they rallied around, trapping me in their middle. Any human could practically kiss their lives goodbye at this point. However, I was... "... No Longer Human." A grin escaped my face as I spoke. I had always wanted to say that. My sudden speech seemed to rattle the Minotaurs closest to me, causing them to raise their fists in an attempt to pummel me with their powerful blows. ''Their Stats are moderate, I guess. I won''t take any damage, but still...'' I calmly observed my opponents, watching everything move in slow motion. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [Minotaurs are dangerous monsters once threatened. Since you invaded their territory, take responsibility. Subdue the monsters at once.] Sess: Suppress or kill the Minotaurs Failure: You fail to suppress the Minotaurs ¡ªReward: 10 Stat Points. 100 Karmic Value ¡ªFailure: None ~Do You ept This Quest?~ [Yes] [No] "Haa... really?" I nearly sighed in exasperation. Thanks to all the dope rewards I had been raking in recently, the rewards presented before me seemed so meagre. ''Still, it''s better than nothing, right?'' I had no right toin, considering the fact that I was much stronger than my opponents. The mere fact that the System even deemed them foes worthy of elimination was more than enough. I picked [Yes] and decided on the best method to use in order to subjugate them. ''The truth is... this has been my intention from the very start.'' A wide smile escaped my face as I noticed their fists had gotten dangerously close. It was no matter, though. Everything was under control. "[Domination]." >SHWUUUUUUU< A pulse of invisible energy swept my surroundings, causing all the aggressive monsters around me to halt. Their immediate response to my Skill [Domination] made me smile in relief. This was the first time using it on Monsters, after all. "Alright then... mission aplished." The Minotaurs, all under the effects of [Domination]¡ªa Skill used to forcefully influence beings to adhere to one''s will¡ªbegan parting the way for me. I was allowed out of their airtight circle, granting my vision unhindered ess to the rest of the humongous cave. The Minotaurs under.my control gathered behind me, like the good underlings they were. This caused the more powerful ones¡ªwho had previously observed from the sidelines¡ªto jerk up and rush toward me in frenzied panic. "[Domination]." Once again, my wave of influence overwhelmed them, turning the previous enemies into allies¡ªno, subordinates. They proceeded to move behind me, having eyes devoid of violence or free will. They were simply marites being pulled by the strings of my will. But, simply this much wasn''t enough. "Now, then, will youe out... Minotaur King?" Chapter 144 Come With Me, My Adorable Soldiers! "MOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" As though responding to my taunt, the beast within its abode gave a bone-chilling deration of war. >BOOOOOOMMMM!!!< The ceiling and surrounding rocks of his cave flew in various directions¡ªreduced to nothing less than debris¡ªas he rushed out in rage. ''Ah, that''s a mess you''re making, Minotaur King.'' I was certain its subordinates¡ªsorry, previous subordinates¡ªwere the ones who were expected to clean it up and even rebuild it''s cave-like home. Unfortunately for the ruler, no one was permitted to act ording to its whims. Soon enough, even it would meet the same fate. "MOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Steam proceeded from its nose as its crimson eyes gleamed with the pure and primal instinct of destruction. I sensed bloodlust emanate from its dangerously huge physiquerger than any I had seen thus far. "It''s over ten meters tall. That''s crazy..." I whispered in excitement. The bigger the better, right? The Minotaur King was pure ck in color, and its body was finely toned and muscled, putting the other monsters to shame. It was no wonder they all obeyed someone like this. Heck, even I would lose all dignity before someone like this if I was a Minotaur. It held a club made of polished stone. Its dark surface matched the Minotaur King''s skin color, and I sensed a concentrated amount of Mana surging from it. ''I see. It''s a type of Mana Crystal. From its ck color, I can tell that its loaded with tons of power.'' Unfortunately, with no Rune or mechanism of any kind, the Mana would be uselessly trapped within the club. ''It''s almost sad to see something this valuable being used as a mere club. I made the right decision toe here.'' I wiped my tears, happy to be granted the opportunity to correct such a tragedy. "HUR HUR HUR." The Minotaur King started chuckling as it proudly approached me. Did it think I was crying because I was scared? Wow, that was one weird interpretation... but it made sense. ''In any case, I better end this. I don''t have all day.'' There were still many more Levels to explore, and other monsters to meet. I squarely stared at the arrogant beast and stretched my hand toward him. I could use my Skill without moving, but it added to the aesthetic if I did it this way. With my cool stance already established, and my epic expression settled, I narrowed my eyes and deepened my voice. "Come to me... [Domination]." >SHWUUUU< Instantly, my power radiated throughout the cave, generating a pressure that sent all the Minotaurs behind me to kneel in subservience. "M-M...moooo..." The Minotaur King was no exception. In only a few seconds, it was already done for. The evil gleam of violence in its eyes died out, and it crumbled to its knees. "It is done. You all... are mine now." A smirk naturally formed as I congratted myself for a job well executed. ''I give it a 9/10. It would have been better if I killed one or two as examples, but I can''t afford that. Every soldier counts.'' With that thought, I closed the curtain of this rather short chapter. The System, as expected, gave me my reward. * * * "A-amazing! The Legendary Dragon yer is beyond amazing!" Asa beamed. She wasn''t the only one, though. Practically everyone was excitedly chattering among one other about how awesome I was. ''I can hear you all, you know?'' My thoughts trailed. That didn''t mean I had to stop them, though. I believed in freedom of speech, after all. ''Hehe...'' Currently, we were harvesting the Mana Crystals, Mana Chalk, Special Ores, and Mercury that were situated within the Minotaur territory. Of course, the monsters were helping out, to make the work faster. ''It''s great how they can do anything as long as I give specificmands.'' The effects of [Domination] was golden in this regard. It filled the gap that its counterpart, [The One Who Unifies] couldn''t achieve. While thetter worked on all races, its effects didn''t apply to monsters. Unlike Demons and other Races, monsters were not registered as intelligent life forms¡ªeven though some of them could disy some form of intelligence. Lower ss Demons were akin to monsters, but their membership in the Demon Race granted them special privileges that made them separate. Besides, a few Lower ss Demons had the capacity to lead and reason with the rest of their kind. Plus, since Lower ss Demons were capable of sensible decisions such as retreat or strategic means of attack¡ªeven listening to instructions without the need of a mind-control ability¡ªthey couldn''t be ssified as Monsters. That was why my Title [The One Who Unifies] worked on Lower ss Demons and not Monsters. Besides, while both the respective Skill and Title allowed me to somewhat control the behavior and decisions of my targets, they functioned differently. [Domination] came from a ce of superiority and forceful usurpation of one''s will. That meant I had to either have a higher Level than my target, or my Stats had to be greater than my opponent''s Stat at the time of use. ''I initially wanted to resort to [Domination] when fighting Adu back then, but I found it impossible to ensure his Stat was lower than mine...'' In the end, [Domination] was very useful in gathering mindless ves who did one''s bidding by virtue of being inferior. As for [The One Who Unifies], it was a Title that made my audience septable to my charisma. It was more like a suggestive hypnosis or brainwashing. As a general rule, I couldn''t brainwash what didn''t have a brain. That was why monsters were exempt from the Title''s effects. ''In any case, this is good. The experiment turned out to be sessful...'' After realizing the disparity between my army and the opponent''s forces in the first round, I knew we needed more manpower. That was when it struck me! The monsters within this Labyrinth would make for good soldiers ifpetently controlled. They were the solution to our problem all along. Chapter 145 Im Such A Genius, Arent I? ''I know I''m more impressive than I think, but I''ve really outdone myself this time.'' A good look around proved my point nicely. Monsters made for the perfect workforce¡ªof course, while under my influence. Unfortunately, in the first round, the Demons had taken control over the Labyrinth. I didn''t have ess to their freebor. Besides, with that surprise assault, they initiated, there was no time to enlist the Monsters. ''But now...'' A wicked grin formed on my face. Not only did I have ess to a nearly unlimited supply of Mana Chalk and Mercury¡ªuseful for the runes I wanted to set up, I was also seeing some very nice ores that would make epic weapons and structures. Finally, with the many fairly powerful monsters lurking around this ce, I could gather more than enough to meet my needs. "Everything ising along nicely. Just you watch, Demons." I wasn''t going to lose this time. ''This battle is a game of resources. The only one permitted to win... is ME!'' ***************** ''I can''t believe this. This is simply beyond amazing!'' Among the entourage that religiously followed Sam was one very awestruck person. Her eyes never stopped glimmering as she looked at the back of the most gant person she had ever met in her life. ''The Legendary Dragon yer¡ªno, he said I should call him Sam... he''s so amazing!'' Her name was Asa, a B Rank Adventurer whose Primary ss was Ranger. She prided herself on her sensory abilities and high intuition, but in the presence of the amazing Legendary Dragon yer, every iota of conventional sense went to the drain. He was beyond the realm of reason, out of any means of analysis. He was simply superb! No, it wasn''t an exaggeration! He truly was a being beyond measure... ... At least ording to Asa. ''He controlled those Minotaurs with a single breath. He made them harvest all those ores and crystals within the most minimal time, and he stored them in an invisible dimension.'' Her thought recounted all but a fragment of his achievements. How could someone like that be within the realm of human understanding! ''Its almost like the Hero that was prophesied since the days of old has appeared.'' Of course, Asa didn''t know how the Hero would look like if he indeed appeared¡ªor if he was real¡ªbut if such a being existed, then they would most likely bear an uncanny resemnce to the Legendary Dragon yer. Yes! To Asa, there was no one she could use to measure higher than the magnificent man standing before her. "Let us proceed. This is only the beginning." His voice caused her body to tremble in awe, and she sheepishly nodded in response. ording to the Legendary Dragon yer''s words, they would leave the Minotaurs behind, so the monsters could keep harvesting the remaining useful portions of their habitat. ''What a brilliant n!'' Asa''s mind screamed inplete awe. Why? Because it amazed her just how incredibly efficient he was being. They would.proceed to even deeper depths while the beasts would ve away in service to their master. ''I-I''m so happy that I was chosen to witness thi!'' Asa had been surprised to hear that she was specifically chosen by the Legendary Dragon yer. Her joy knew no bounds that he even remembered her and their previous encounter. He had told her; "Do what you need to do." And she had been working toward that end. Not a day went by that she didn''t remember his words ringing in her mind and within her heart. Then, this happened. He chose her, among very few others, to apany him on this ultra important mission. Asa tried her hardest to contain her gleeful smile as she trailed behind the Legendary Dragon yer. They were heading toward the 18th Floor¡ªa level no one had ever reached before. It was shrouded in mystery and danger, yet the man before her walked ever so confidently. It was almost as though he saw the end from the every beginning. What kind of power could inspire such level of confidence in one''s abilities? How could a person be so certain of their victory? The answer was revealed to Asa as she watched him. Absolute Power! If one had unlimited, unrivaled power, then they wouldn''t need to worry about anything else. They would be the single, most powerful entity, so all forms of danger was rendered insignificant to them. That was what she realized when watching the Legendary Dragon yer. Asa observed his confident back, devoid of hesitation or the slightest hint of fear. It contained unbridled assurance. ''I... could I ever reach such a realm?'' The answer, of course, was no. She knew fully well where her limits lie. She could never hope to reach the zenith. But why did she have such faint hopes within her? Here, Asa thought, was a man who defied the logic that bound her. If he could transcend beyond the limits of humanity, despite being but a man, what stoped her from ascending to far greater heights. These thoughts pushed her forward, unable to resist the allure that the existence of the Legendary Dragon yer gave off. ''He''s so amazing! I-I... I don''t want to let him go! I... I...'' * * * The 18th Floor was a dreary ce. A stark difference existed between the previous Layer and the one they currently found themselves on. For one, no bright illumination governed the cave-like structure. It also consisted of several tunnel-like crevices. Amid this despairing darkness, even before Zabdel used a Spell to generate illumination, the Legendary Dragon yer summoned a Magic Item that sent a burst of brightness piercing the deep darkness. Not only one, but several Magic Tools were summoned by his awesome power, and he easily distribution it to each member. ''It''s strange. I don''t sense any Mana from it...'' Asa thought to herself. She also didn''t need any special means to activate it. By simply flipping a switch, the lights appeared. A simple mechanism, yet tooplex toprehend. Asa was once again filled with adoration toward her idol. ''A-amazing! He truly is beyond understanding!'' Chapter 146 Epic Of The Legendary Dragon Slayer The 18th Floor was dark as heck! The creepy vibe it was giving me made me bring out a shlight from my Inventory without thinking. I realized that everyone was watching me with a surprised look on their face. They probably wanted their own light sources too, considering how dark it was around them. ''There''s only so much a single shlight can achieve, after all.'' Out of my benevolence¡ªor maybe a bit of guilt¡ªI gave everyone a shlight of their own. Thanks to helping them out with technology they never had before, the System gave me rewards as an achievement. I got extra Karmic Value for my deeds of righteousness... not that I was aiming for that from the get-go. Trust me! *************** With this newfound Magic Item that was bestowed upon her, Asa pierced the darkness with the light in her grasp. Never had she felt so confident and powerful, having the ability to do freely use Light Magic, one of the rarest kinds in the world. ''This is so...'' Her face disyed shades of pink as she proceeded down the path the Legendary Dragon yer trod. Thanks to her Ranger abilities, she was able to get a good grasp of her surroundings, and her heightened senses made her confident, to an extent. The problem, however, was that the tunnels diverged to many points, and it was somewhat impossible to determine which one had the monsters they sought. Plus... ''I don''t see any Mana Chalk or Mana Crystals here. Isn''t this ce... an empty wastnd?'' "You should all stay rooted... and be prepared for what is toe." Asa shook a little, surprised to hear his voice. Yet, the calm tone which he used managed to soothe her anxieties. She obeyed and patiently waited. >SHWWUUUUUUUUUUUUU< An ominous energy rang from within all the tunnels that wereid out before them, and the wind howled in the most malevolent manner. Screeches and noises that echoed emptiness sprang forth as they are louder and louder with each passing moment. Asa trembled, feeling chilly all of a sudden. The fact that it seemed like multiple enemies were approaching in multiple numbers made the hair of her skin stand. The noises grated her ears, and they sound like wicked groans and insufferable cackles of evil. "So it''s them... the ones who have been cursed to the rotten home of darkness. Those who shall forever remain in the glorious crevices of pitch ck." It sounded like poetry to Asa''s ears, hearing the Legendary Dragon yer address impending chaos with such glorious words. "Let us put an end to this charade, shall we? Ghouls, Imand thee..." The owners of the screeching noises finally appeared in their multitude. They were at least a hundred¡ªno, even more. They kept pouring out of the tunnels, having wretched bodies and faded skin colors. They blended with the darkness, though their gleaming crimson eyes shone all across the room. "KIKIKIRRRRRIIII" Having hunching postures, they snarled and barked, scratching their long nails on the hardened ck ground. Focusing the shlights on the walls and ceilings, several ghouls also crawled there, like lizards who could never be exposed unless light revealed them. Before long, everyone was surrounded by these vile creatures¡ªhumanoids who looked nothing like humans. ''A-are these... ghouls?'' Asa was astonished. She didn''t think any undead would be here. These monsters, with sharp teeth and nails, were cannibalistic in nature. They hunted themselves, raped themselves, lived in total chaos¡ªa good contrast between them and the Minotaurs. Their murderous smiles and enraged faces depicted what they thought of the group of Adventurers¡ªnothing but prey. However, Asa could not help but smile with full knowledge of how the situation would y out. After all, their champion was present. "... [Domination]" Before she could count the seconds, the brought them under his control. It was just that easy. * * * The Ghouls'' territory, though Asa initially thought was useless, proved to be worthwhile. ording to the Legendary Dragon yer, while this floorcked Mana Chalks or Mana Crystals, or even Mercury, it was home to a certain kind of ore that only formed in pure darkness. She never knew that, yet thanks to his sinct exnation, she had learned something new. ''Is there really something he doesn''t know?'' She began wondering to herself. Once again, the Ghouls were made to perform the task of mining the important resources¡ªwhich they did with absolute vigor. Their menacing eyes remained, though, but that was simply a part of their characteristics. "Let us proceed." He snapped her out of her thoughts, and she dly followed once more. ''I don''t know how far we''ll go, but... I want to keep following him!'' And so Asa did... until they arrived at the Final Floor. * * * After going through several monsters like LizardMen, High Orcs, Hobgoblins, Spectres, etc., they arrived at thest Boss Room, which had a giant Hydra as the champion. Having three heads¡ªone which breathed fire, the other ice, and the final one poison, the monster was at least 15 meters and was the embodiment of carnage Of course, the Hero easily subdued the overgrown snake¡ªthough he had to roughen it about a bit. The defiant Hydra had to be smacked a little before it saw reason, and it was such a wonderful sight, seeing the Legendary Dragon yer fight for the first time in a while. After subjugating it, he used his dominating effect, thus making the giant Hydra his ve. Asa enjoyed every moment, watching as a usually impossible monster was made to be nothing more than another existence to be trampled by the overhelming might of her champion. "Let us proceed." He said once more. The Lamias, who were the previous subordinates of the Hydra, were left in charge of mining the area of the many avable riches it contained. However, the Legendary Dragon yer was not satisfied with all he saw. Apparently, there was more. And so... using his powerful fist, he created a hole into what would have been a bare floor with nothing beyond. However... what was revealed to be within the hole surprised everyone¡ªAsa included. "H-he knew all this?! H-how¡ª?!" Chapter 147 Holy Crap! No One Told Me About This! ''Whaaaaaaaa¡ª'' My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when Iid eyes on the unexpected. Sure, I had just finished clearing the Labyrinth¡ªa boring process, I assure you. Yet, I sensed a concentrated source of energy forming underneath the Hydra''s territory. I was under the impression that we were on thest Floor thanks to there being no entrance to another floor. Besides, there wasn''t a single crevice or opening, so it was safe to conclude that the Hydra was the Final Boss. Yet... ... For some reason, I kept sensing powerful and overflowing energy beyond. ''I should just check it out. It won''t hurt... I hope.'' With this thought, I poured my strength into my fist, concentrating a bunch of Skills while appearing to effortlessly smash the ground. >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< Fortunately, the floor wasn''t tougher than I bargained for. I had chosen the specific corner precisely because I didn''t want to strike an extra-hard surface, after all. Just as I suspected, though, there was something underneath the Hydra''s territory. It was simply segregated from the other floorspletely. I initially wondered why, but a single peek made me realize how pointless that question was. ''A-ah... I never knew this! No one told me this!'' I slowly got mad at Damien¡ªthe original novel''s protagonist¡ªfor not mentioning this information in the book. If I had known sooner, I would have done everything I could to arrive here as fast as possible... and I would havee alone! "W-wow! Those are..." "Incredible! I never knew those could be here." "Amazing! Simply amazing!" "This discovery is..." My entourage gathered around the hole before I could cover it, and they also sighted the goodies. ''Shit, it''s toote to hide the truth...'' I almost sighed, but restrained myself. Now, one.might get curious as to what we found within the hole that made me feel so excited¡ªenough to want to hoard everything if I could. The answer was... "This is the highest quality of Mana Chalk I''ve ever seen! Is this even possible?!" "Look at this Mercury, how it glows! I''ve never seen one of this kind of purity." "There''s even Holy Water! Howe!" "Isn''t that Prismatic Ore?" "Those rocks... aren''t they...?!" "My god... this ce is awesome. ... We found a lot of good stuff. Currently, everyone was exploring the vast underground expanse. Everywhere we looked, there was at least one valuable thing there. Mercury and Holy Water flowed like rivers, and extremely high quality Mana Crystals littered the ground. Considering I couldn''t get stuff like this from SHOP, it was an amazing find. ''SHOP sends me finished goods, not raw materials, so...'' But now, with all of these resources in my grasp, I could definitely achieve what I wanted to¡ªbing rich in the process as well. Unfortunately, with Zabdel''s watchful gaze on me, and everything else, it was impossible to nab all the goodies without tainting my image. Sure, I could take the risk and quickly swipe some of the good stuff without anyone noticing, but... what if I got caught? I could see the shame clear as day! "The Legendary Dragon yer is nothing but a shameless thief!" That was what they would say! Could I afford to let that happen after I had done so to much to ensure a good rtionship with Dulum? Besides... ''If the Merchants got wind of the news... how will I further my influence in selling what I want?'' While it was highly doubtful that Dulum would stab me in the back like that, considering all I''ve done for them¡ªand all I will do¡ªthere were too many witnesses here. What if one of them leaked the info? In any case, it was too risky to try stealing. I just had to wait for Dulum to use theirmon sense and give me a sizeable cut. ************ ''Adventurers have the right to any monster they defeat within the Labyrinth. If they discover Ores or Mana Chalk, Mercury or Mana Crystals; whatever precious item they find is theirs... so long as they follow due process and didn''t obtain them illegally.'' This was one the integral rules of the Adventurers Guild, and Zabdel recited it in his mind. Why? ''Ah, this is crazy. All of this... belonging to him! Control yourself, Zabdel...'' The Vice Guildmaster nced in the direction of the Legendary Dragon yer and gulped. Even though he seemed to be looking elsewhere, the middle aged man could tell that the powerful, though younger, fellow was keenly observing his surroundings. ''I''m so tempted to swipe a few. Just a couple of these would fetch a huge price in the market!'' Still, he had to let go of his greed. After all, what if he got caught? Everyone would look at him with scorn, and he would be a disgrace to Dulum. "The Vice Guildmaster is nothing but a shameless thief." That was how they wouldbel him. The repercussions that would have on the credibility of the Adventurers, as well as his person would be disastrous. Zabdel knew he had no im for the resources that were found. The Great Helios Labyrinth was a publdmark, used by free-spirited Adventurers. Sure, they paid their taxes, ensuring the resources could reach the government. Besides, the government was usually involved in selling the Adventurers spoils. They had tariffs and royalties charged, so they got a fair share of revenue¡ªalbeit little per person. ''With this amount of spoils, just how much will our gain be?'' Zabdel thought his brain would fry just from thinking about it. In the end, though, that was all government money. Zabdel was only human, after all. Sure, he was as upright as humans could get, but... surrounded by such riches made his own desires surface. ''We''re all members of the Party, right? He''ll give us a share, right?'' Zabdel prayed internally that he was given even a small portion of the goods. He would be so freaking rich¡ªenough to support the extravagant lifestyle he always wanted. ''I know we mostly did observation, though a bit of mining. Our contributions pale inparison to him. In fact, I can''t deny that he''s entitled to these.'' Still...!!! Zabdel wailed internally, hoping the Legendary Dragon yer would have mercy and show somepassion. ''Just give me a little!'' Chapter 148 I Guess We Can Have A Lunch Break Now. The materials were too much for any of us to reasonably think of exhausting. I realized this after rationally analyzing everything around me. Not only were the ores and liquid resources in surplus, but the Mana density here was also immensely high. Ideas started sparking in my head and a n slowly formed. ''Hehe, that could work...'' It was amazing how this ce didn''t even have a Boss Monster of any sort. ''Just a very rich deposit of resources. I could use these excellently well... for the sake of this City, of course.'' "What should we do now, Sir Legendary Dragon yer?" Zabdel approached me with a reverent tone. Something about his greeting seemed to indicate a level of hypocrisy. Was he trying to send me a message? Was he trying to personally tell me not to think of hoarding any of the items to myself? ''What a shrewd man you are, Zabdel.'' I grinned to myself. As Vice Guildmaster of Dulum, he had to be sessful at business and rtions, considering the Guildmaster was always not around¡ªnow being a very ssic example. "I have a n. But that involves all of these deposits remaining here. As for the other resources that are being mined above ground, we should check them out." Looking at the vast underground space, it was enough to serve as a base of operations. Not only was it hidden, but it was big enough to contain severalrge constructs. It was also overflowing with energy. ''Perfect!'' ''My MP is being restored thanks to being here alone. Thank goodness. I was about to pop another Mana Recovery potion into my mouth...'' [Domination] took a lot of MP per second. It increased depending on how many monsters I had under my control. Once my MP ran out, the effects would be dispelled. To reenact the effects, I would then need to use the Skill on the targets again... and that was just unreasonable. To prevent that from happening, I had been taking in Mana Recovery Potions in private, ensuring that my MP.didnt deplete. I even used a few Skills at my disposal to boost and recover my MP. All for the sake of not losing my grip. However, there was a limit to everything. Sooner orter, they were going to consume everything. "So, were returning to the surface?" Zabdel asked with curiousity. I was certain he thought we would have to climb all fifty Floors to check our total spoils. Not on my watch, no. ''Who knows the amount of MP I would lose if I leave this ce now?'' "There''s no need for that. I havemanded them to proceed here once they are done with their mining. It should take a few more hours, but before they are here... there are a few things I want to try out." Zabdel nodded and gulped. His face seemed a bit pale, and despite the great concentration of energy surrounding us, he didn''t seem all too good. He wasn''t the only one too. ''Ah, look at everyone''s face. How could I have forgotten... they''re still human, after all." Everyone most likely hungry or tired. Even though I was the one doing most of the work, it didn''t change the fact that they followed behind me. Lucy and Zabdel were the only ones in Level 30 among them, and even they would be famished at this point. ''I''ve been too absorbed in my goals. That''s terrible.'' "It''s been quite some hours since we''ve begun our exploration. Why don''t we have a lunch break?" "I-is that really alright?" "W-we''re fine." "Y-yeah. Let''s do what we can to h-help." Who were they kidding? The looks on their facespletely betrayed the message they were trying to pass across. If was almost too serious to be funny. "No. I insist. It''s important to obtain sustenance after exerting oneself. You have all apanied me on this important mission... you deserve to eat now." My tone sounded somewhat condescending, but I had no choice. If I made myself seem more authoritative, they wouldn''t waste my time with more back-and-forths ''Just agree already!'' As expected, they all agreed to eat once I enforced it with my official statement. I decided to handle the food supplies, considering I told everyone not to bring any with them. It would simply slow them down. Utilizing Inventory, I brought what would serve as our lunch¡ªrice and chicken. ''We cooked the rice from the harvest we just had. As for the chicken, I... bought it from Shop.'' The Adventurers with us¡ªZabdel, Asa, Liebert, and Bu¡ªwere surprised by the food I presented to them. However, upon getting a whiff of the rice and well-grilled chicken, along with the sauce I added to the mix, they couldn''t control themselves. "T-this is..." "I-I have never seen anything like this before." "C-can we really...?!" Their eyes sparkled with curiousity and unadulterated interest. Who was I to deny them of their meal, especially after they had endured so long without sustenance. "Please... dig in." And so they did. Tears fell from Liebert''s eyes as he dug into the chicken. I saw as some tried to maintain some degree of civility while eating, but the tastiness of the meal¡ªcoupled with their hunger¡ªmade it difficult for then to maintain it. Lucy, Sarah, and Byron were calmer when it came to enjoying their food. This wasn''t the first time they were eating something like this, so their taste buds had limated. Still, since they were famished, their speed was considerable. ''Haha...'' I made sure to enjoy my meal, taking only a moderate portion. ''I''m not very hungry, so it''s fine.'' Besides, I had to set an example to the people who looked up to me. The Legendary Dragon yer couldn''t be seen as a glutton¡ªno way! ''Besides, this is good. They''re enjoying the meal. If they like what they''re eating, it''ll be perfect for advertising.'' Since I was nning on going into the merchant trade¡ªfocusing primarily on food¡ªI needed people to get a taste of what I had to offer. Besides, by increasing the supply of food resources, I could help people as a Hero. As long as I didn''t overdo it, other merchants wouldn''t be too affected. ''Once we''re done eating, I should try out that thing...'' Chapter 149 The Legendary Dragon Slayer Uses Legendary Runes Too?! [Pt 1] I had nned on disposing the leftovers into Inventory after everyone was done eating. The purpose was to recycle the ones I could, or at least see if they had any use in the future. I doubted leftover chicken or a couple grains of rice and vegetables would make any substantial difference, but I wasn''t a fan of waste. To my surprise, there was no need to consider those things. After all... there were no leftovers! Down to the bones of the chicken, and to thest grain of rice... everything was devoured. Even Sarah, the most pristine of everyone, ate everything on her te. I didn''t know if they were doing this out of respect for me, or because they were simply that famished, but... it was surprising. ''I usually don''t eat with everyone in the settlement. Is this how they all eat? They make sure to clear their tes...?!'' My internal eyes widened in shock. An emotion swelled up within me. It was none other than pride. ''You guys... you guys are the best!'' While I didn''t particrly encourage eating every single piece of meat being offered to someone, I was still moved by their reluctance to waste. Long story short, the lunch break was over, and only the tes returned to my Inventory¡ªa well-enjoyed meal. "So, how do you feel now?" I asked them with a smile. Of course, all their responses were positive. Smiles filled their faces, and even Zabdel''s previously pale form had bright color. Their happiness and satisfaction brought joy to my heart. After all... ''Missionplete! You''re all loving my food, right? Well, rejoice for this free meal. Next time you want to taste it, you''ll have to pay! Hahaha!'' I could see my future being bright already. Not only was I going to take in money as a merchant, but my deep connection with Dulum would earn me a good deal of the riches they would soon possess thanks to this amazing stock of resources! ''Make sure you''re good customers in the future, you hear? Hehe...'' * * * "Now, then, let us begin..." I whispered, staring at the wide expanse ofnd before me. The people around me had already helped to gather some Mana Chalk and Mercury for what I wanted to try out. ''A Magic Circle I haven''t been able to use yet because of the amount of Mana it requires...'' A smile formed on my face. Now using my Skill [Rune Crafting], it was going to be a breeze. Plus, with the high quality Mana Chalk and Mercury with me, the effects were bound to be dramatic. Usually, engraved Magic Circles functioned by either collecting the Mana within the ground, or around them. The Mana Chalk served as an initiator, the Mercury served as the conductor, while the surrounding Mana served as the fuel. Depending on the quality of the Mana Chalk and Mercury, it was possible that certain Magic Circles would fail due to the insufficient threshold that was required. The Magic I wanted to try out was very advanced, so I required high quality materials. Also, since the Mana required to fuel the Magic was immense, a ce bustling with Mana¡ªlike this haven¡ªwas perfect. ''Time to start transcribing!'' ************ Asa closely watched the Legendary Dragon yer draw out a Magic Circle. It was tooplex for her toprehend that she was in awe once again. She had studied certain Magic Circles, as part of her basic education, but never had she seen such an intricate design before. Not only did it seem to contain undecipherable advancednguage, it was alsorge. Magic Circles needed to be precise. A small error in their construction could ruin the desired Magic... or could even result in apletely different result. That was why the few Magic Circles which were ever used by her people were carefully transcribed. Sometimes, days were spent on single Magic Circle in order to get the exact measurements and symbols correctly. Yet... ''He''s so fast!'' Asa didn''t doubt the results, though. She believed in the Legendary Dragon yer with all of her being. Whatever he was doing had an amazing end, she was well aware. ''He''s so fast and skilled. Not only is he unrivaled inbat, but in Magic Circles too. Is there anything he can''t do?'' The answer in Asa''s mind was a big NO. "All done." His voice startled her, causing a slight yelp to escape her lips. Her eyes widened as she witnessed the amazing Magic Circle. It was extremelyrge¡ªenough to contain a hundred people and still have room within it. She couldn''t decipher it at all, or recognize its use. "I linked it to my Mana signature, so it''ll respond to me when I want to activate it." The Legendary Dragon yer spoke, stepping away from the Circle. He stretched out his hand toward the Circle and smiled confidently. Asa got goosebumps instantly. "Gate." >BZZZZZZTTZZZZ< Sparks of blueish white light radiated from the Magic Circle. Like electricity, shes surged forth, and in a few seconds, something akin to a whirlpool of energy formed within the circle. It was a swirling pond of concentrated Mana, having light blue and white hue circling around it. "T-this is¡ª!" Asa had heard of the tales from her people, but she didn''t actually think she would every eyes on it. "Indeed. It''s Advanced Magic called gate. It links one to any location and transports then to their desired trajectory." It was a Magic lost to knowledge, and this was quote different from usual teleportation Magic Circles. Unlike the general teleportation Magic Circles that had fixed locations to transport their passengers, this particr kind could take a person to whatever location they desired. "For nornal teleportation Magic Circles, there has to be another Magic Circle in the prescribed destination. Both circles resonate and a path connects. But this is different..." The Legendary Dragon yer added. Asa was beyond amazed. What he called ''normal'' teleportation was the highest kind of spatial Magic her people could ever use. It was the apex. Yet... ''Amazing!'' Chapter 150 The Legendary Dragon Slayer Uses Legendary Runes Too?! [Pt 2] "With this, we can leave this ce without the need to climb back up." Asa and everyone else around her were amazed by the Legendary Dragon yer''s achievement. They couldn''t have been able to guess that this was what he was working on. Even after revealing it to them, it was surreal. "Since it''s connected to me, I can determine the destination. You''ll be transported to the entrance of the Labyrinth, so as not to draw any form of attention. "B-but what do you mean by ''you''? What about you?" Asa found herself speaking the very instance she heard his words. ? Her eyes gleamed with confusion as she desired to remain with him. She thought they would leave together, but... "There is still much to be done. A lot to aplish... for the times that approach us." His voice sounded distant, and his tone seemed somewhat lonely. Asa felt her heart tighten in pain. Despite her intention of staying by his side, she realized just how weak and incapable she was. He indeed had several ns he needed to execute, but she doubted she would be able toprehend them¡ªtalkless of contributing anything substantial. "I-I understand..." She bit her lip in frustration. Her eyes were hot, wet with depressed tears, but she held them in. Even though she wasn''t strong enough to stand behind him, Asa was determined to grow. ''I will keep doing what I have to do... hoping that one day, I too...'' She met his gaze the moment her head was raised. His smile was gentle and understanding. He must have seen though all her inner thoughts. "Do not fret. Just follow the instructions I gave you, Zabdel. When the time is right... I will return to the surface and lead you all into victory." "I-I understand!" The Vice Guildmaster nodded, albeit hesitantly. To be honest, he felt more like a burden and less like a leader. The fate of their entire nation rested on the shoulders of a single individual. ''What kind of a man am I?'' Still, he knew his limits. Zabdel understood that for the greater good, he needed to abandon his pride and obey the instructions of his better. "T-then, we will be in your care!" Everyone bowed. Sarah Lyniette had an expression of absolute confidence and faith in her Hero. Byron made a bow, disying hisplete trust in the Hero''spetence. Lucy nodded slightly, her stern expression being the reflection of her firm resolution to abide by the Hero''s instructions. Liebert''s eyes twinkled in gratitude, unable to forget the most amazing meal he had ever tasted in his entire life. Ever since he took a bite of the chicken and devoured the rice, slurped down the chicken sauce, and consumed the juice... he waspletely sold. He trusted the Legendary Dragon yer with his entire being. As for Gu, he had seen the power of the Legendary Dragon yer. Only a fool would disobey such an epitome of strength. He too had nothing but subservience to show. Every single one of Sam''s entourage were subject to his will¡ªall convinced that he knew best. "Now then... you may depart." And so, together, they ventured into the swirling pool of Mana within the Magic Circle. The pool glimmered with light as they vanished¡ªinstantly transported to the entrance of the Labyrinth. It was just as the Legendary Dragon yer had said! Every single piece of their body was intact, and they felt no form of difort. It was perfect teleportation! "He really is amazing!" "Indeed!" He''s the best!" "Agreed." "We can''t fall below his expectations." "Exactly!" They all moured and sang praises to the Hero, also known as the Legendary Dragon yer. Irrespective of how each individual knew him, their feelings of admiration remained constant. "I promise... I will do as you have instructed!" Zabdel whispered to himself, now more determined than ever. Humanity now had a champion, and he was willing to stand by them against theing demonic crisis that approached the city. The Legendary Dragon yer was bearing most of the burden, so the least he could do was y his part to his utmost. "I... I won''t fail!" ************* "Haa, they''re finally gone!" I heaved a sigh of relief, copsing to the ground in mental and emotional exhaustion. The more I did this gig, the more exhausted I was afterward. Pretending to be a know-it-all Hero or Dragon yer often took a lot out of me¡ªespecially when times of crisis were involved. ''The way Asa was looking at me back then... was she suspecting me or something?!'' Oh crap! This was trouble. I had sensed her hesitation when I told everyone to leave me behind, but how could I have known that she saw through my intentions. ''S-she knows I n on taking some of these items for myself?! But how? I didn''t give any reaction that would make her remotely think that way?'' Or did I give myself away in some sort of form that I wasn''t aware of? If that was the case, then this could be trouble... ''I don''t want there to be misunderstanding... I want to save everyone, yes. But... I want a little something for myself too.'' I didn''t think that was so bad. Was it? Let us be frank here. I was busting my ass for everyone, right? And technically, we wouldn''t have progressed this far without me. While I wasn''t demanding for their ''everything'', I just wanted some things for myself. It would just ruin my image if I were to ask for it personally. ''Besides, if I leave the allocation of these resources to their discretion, they''ll bring up some other excuse the same way they did with my Earth Dragon corpse.'' There wasn''t a chance I was going to let that happen again! ''Ah, looks like the monsters are closeby already. That''s good. And they even have the goods with them. Perfect...'' I smiled, happy to finally be able tomence my operation. With this as my base of operations, and with the amount of resources I had at my disposal... things couldn''t get any easier. " Now, then, shall we begin?" A deep voice of mine echoed within the massive expanse around me. With a dramatic pose and a confident smirk, Iughed to my heart''s content. It was exciting, to say the least... what was toe ''I can''t wait to see the results!'' Chapter 151 The Moment Of Truth Is Upon Us! "Tch. Finally... it''s time." Adu muttered, cracking his neck as he grinned with delight. He and the other nine Demon Generals were in position, leading their respective groups into battle. They were in the pseudo zone, a pocket dimension that existed as a temporary waiting point before they advanced to battle. Their numbers wereplete, and every single soldier was raring to go. "Remember, we''re not supposed to directly interfere. Our minions are meant to do the work for us." Hogun whispered to the child-like Demon. "H-hey! I know that already!" "Just saying... in case you forgot." "Why you...!" Hogun was by Adu''s right, so he was able to make somements that annoyed the malevolent Demon¡ªas he liked to call himself. "W-why don''t we all just calm down and¡ª" A blue Demon by Adu''s left muttered, having a meek and hushed tone. "Zip it, fatso! No one asked for your opinion." Adu snapped with his usual loud and disrespectful tone. "H-hey, I have a name, you know? It''s Shuuma, and you¡ª" "I said shut it, fatso! You''re fat and so you''re called fatso. Got it?" The fat and blue Demon called Shuuma shrink back and gave a deted expression¡ªthough not a single ounce of his weight reduced in any way. In fact, he felt quote famished after hearing his colleague bash him with so many words. Perhaps eating a few humans would do the trick. "The [Gate] Magic Device will take us directly to our location, so we should be able to attack from that point." Heshu spoke loudly, repeating information they already knew. They had been monitoring the city of Dulum for thest few days, and nothing was out of the ordinary. It was a simple Adventurer''s City filled with weak humans that would serve as nothing but fodder in the presence of their Demon Army. Victory was inevitable. "Now then... shall we begin?" >SHIIIINNNGGGGG!!!< * * * As nned, the Demon Army appeared right on the wilderness ins, just a moderate distance from the Adventurer''s City. The moment they arrived, each and every Demon only had only ce that their gaze went to.... the City, Dulum. To the Demons who were justing from a civilized environment, where technology and Magic were prettymonce, many were disgusted to simply look at the primitive city. The badly made fence that surrounded the city, the dirt and grime that made up the inner strata, and how their buildings were badly made. Of course, only those who had specialties in Sight Magic, or were extremely perceptive thanks to their heightened senses, could see just how incredibly pathetic the town was. "We''re to upy thisnd? I almost don''t see the point." Adu cackled uncontrobly. His Demon soldiers behind him nearly joined him, but the fact that the other Demon Generals didn''t do the same, cautioned their actions. "Adu, you know already that¡ª" "I know, I know already. It''s still hrious z though." He chuckled even more, cutting Hogun''s message short. "The resources that are out main goal run deep underground, and if you trace the location of the deposits they are right beneath this city." The Great Helios Labyrinth¡ªtheir target¡ªwas located in the outskirts of the city. However, since it had underground stratas as floors, the deeper one got, the closer they got to the city of Dulum¡ªjust underground. "Our goal is to im thend for out Lord, so there aren''t anyplicationster." Heshu smartly retorted. He wasn''t a Demon who liked constant social interactions and engagement. In fact, the only reason he hade thus far in talking to his colleagues was simply because he had been instructed to... by Lord Valefor. "Okay, so first we spread out and take formation. Remember the ¡ª" "We get it already." Adu angrily grumbled, cutting Heshu short. "Very well, then. I suppose we''ll only make contact when the mission isplete. I doubt anything will stop us, so... we will be seeing one another soon enough." Heshu and his army began dispersing, and so did everyone else. Adu too prepared to move to his position. ''Father could be watching through some kind of device... maybe a Divining Orb. I can''t mess up here!'' He floated in the air as his soldiers steadily followed behind him. This missipn.meant everything to Adu. He refused to lose! ************** "So, they''re finally here." The Vice Guildmaster, Zabdel muttered as he stared at a screen in front of him. It was a Magic Item known as a ''TV Screen'', and it was currently being powered by a Mana Generator known as a ''Battery''. The Legendary Dragon yer had given Zabdel and his people specific instructions on how to use this device, and they had set up what he could remember as ''Kamras'' all around thepound, so they could see everything that went on outside theirpound. As such, the very moment the Demon Army appeared, Zabdel and his most trusted Adventurers were aware of their enemies'' position... ... And their number. "Even though the Legendary Dragon yer said so, it''s still very hard to believe. To think... over ten thousand Demons areing our way." It was something beyond Zabdel''s realm of understanding. Fortunately, he didn''t need to. "Asa, sound the sirens. Gu, enlist all the Adventurers in the city. They should all gather right outside the gate. Gerund, the denizens of this City, make sure all of them are out of their homes too. They need to know what''s happening." Every one of Zabdel''s subordinates nodded and leaped into action. As they left the surveince room, leaving Zabdel alone with Liebert and the Legendary Dragon yer''s direct subordinates, the middle aged man couldn''t help but sigh. His body was trembling slightly, and despite his best attempt to hide his fright, he was genuinely terrified. However¡ª ''No! We''vee this far! I can''t back down now! Let''s but our trust in the Legendary Dragon yer. It''s the only way!'' "All the Adventurers have been equiped with high-end weapons¡ªnot like we''ll need it, ording to the Legendary Dragon yer." Zabdel turned to the remaining people within the room. "Our duty is to simply spectate." * * * [A/N] Happy new year, everyone. Also, there''ll be a mass releaseing soon, so look forward to that. Thanks for reading. It''s gonna be an epic year. Chapter 152 The Art Of War, By Hero Sam [Pt 1] The Demons watched as their human opponents spread across the walls of their city, each drawing their weapons in a feeble attempt to defend their home. At this point, the demonic forces had encircled the city¡ªbut so had the Adventurers. However, if one considered the disparity in numbers, onlyughter would be the end result. The humans were so weak. Their numbers were so small. It was hrious how they banded together to try to stop their forces. Even without muchmunication, the Demon Generals unanimously decided that their pathetic opponents did not deserve the full brunt of the Demon Army. "Let''s just send a couple hundred Lower ss from my group..." Thus, once they reached reasonable distance, some of the Lower ss Demons were set loose¡ªwildly anticipating the destruction of humanity. "RAARRRGGGHHHHHH!!!" Howls and growls of the primal Demons filled thale air as they raced in the direction of their enemies. Clouds of smoke and dust were left in their wake as they they rushed to tear their human targets apart. The fact that the Adventurers were trembling, despite bravely holding their positions, made the Lower ss dregs even more excited. They licked their lips, lowered their jaws, and let saliva ooze from them. Their long tongued screamed of the desire for violence. They fast approached. Any moment, and they would pounce upon the humans, rending them into nothing but mincemeat. "RAAAAHHHHH¡ª" Five meters to their targets, though, and the most surprising thing ured. >WHAM!< The Demonsnded on an ultra-thin wall of dense energy. "URK¡ª!!!" "URRUUU¡ª!!!" "KUUEKK!!!" Before they realized it, a miraculous sheet of blue energy was raised,pletely shrouding the human territory and the people in it''s protectiveyer. The blue energy served as a dome, serving as aplete cover for the humans. To say it was surprising would be an understatement. The Demons who tried to force their way through the barrier were burned to crisps by the energy that covered the city¡ªunable to even reach the other side in a single piece. A few of the Lower ss idiots tried to force their way through the barrier, but they all met deaths. None of them were fortunate to make it to the other side. Still, even if one or two had managed to pass through, they would be badly injured... and the Adventurers waiting behind the wall of energy were definitely not going to let them escape. It didn''t have toe to that, though, as every single Demon who so much as pushed against the blue veil was devoured by the dense energy. It surprised the humans, just as it amazed the Demons who watched the absurdity unfolding before them. "T-that is... top-tier Protection Magic, [Fortress]. H-how...?!" Hogun blurted out from his position. The remaining Demon Had simr reactions. Never had humans disyed such high aptitude for Magic¡ªenough to shroud an entire city in a defensive Spell that would be strong enough to fend off hundreds of Demons¡ªalbeit lower ss ones. There was a possibility that it was a Joint Magic¡ªinvolving a group of very skilled Mages, but... even then, producing such a result waspletely absurd. ''Maybe they used a Rune? Magic Circles, when properly done, can achieve this result. '' Heshu thought to himself as he analyzed the blue barrier in front of him. Unfortunately, even that line of thought was just as unbelievable. Humans didn''t have ess to any kind of high-tier information on Magic or Magic technology. Their civilization was hardly advanced, and their potential was so little that they couldn''t have progressed this far in their entire line of evolution. ''What''s going on, then? That [Fortress] barrier is the very same kind we Demons use to protect our territories. It''s that strong. How is it possible that humans erected it?'' Heshu found himself in a dilemma, but... as the situation demanded, they had to find a way around it. ''Maybe dig underground? But what if the barrier also covers the parts under the ground? No... if it''s a Magic Circle, it can only affect the area above it.'' That meant there was a chance they could infiltrate the city from beneath. "Everyone¡ª!!!" Before Heshu, or any other Demon General could give theirmand, another astounding thing ured. "W-wha¡ª?!" "N-no way!" "I-Impossible!" The faces of the Demons twisted in horror and absolute shock. Why? >VWUUUSHHHH< Massive gates filled with dense Mana began appearing all around the blue dome, spitting out monsters of various kinds. The monsters instantly lunged in the direction of the wounded or demoralized Lower ss Demons, ripping then apart Their numbers were overwhelming, and they were able to easily make short work of the surviving Demons who lingered around the barrier. In a few minutes, not a single Lower ss Demon was alive near the human territory. Thus caused an uproar of shock, disbelief, and a forced reevaluation of the humans they were dealing with. "What''s going on here? Not only Fortress, but [Gate] as well?" What else could the humans do, at this point? Heshu had no idea. At the moment, the monsters were on standby, taking formation right in front of the blue dome¡ªbut facing the Demon Army. Their actions were too organized for savage beasts, so a few smart Demons had to realize that someone could be controlling them. ''Controlling all of these monsters? That''s impossible, isn''t it?'' Their numbers were too much. Even if a human was indeed pulling their strings, the Mana expended per second would already be way more than a human could ever produce. It was even impossible for a human to control these many monsters to begin with. Of the several monsters who appeared, Minotaurs, Ghouls, Lamias, Centaurs, Lizardmen, giant spiders, buzzing insects, huge worms, Hobgoblins, Wild Kobolds, and several others were among. "A single can''t beat these beasts, not to talk of taming them!" Even if a group of humans ganged up on them, these many would be impossible to win over! Heshu, who had studied the limits of various creatures, knew this for a fact. Yet, what was this sight before his eyes that defied all logic? "This... this isn''t normal!" Just what was happening?! Chapter 153 The Art Of War, By Hero Sam [Pt 2] "A-amazing!" Asa was among the Adventurers who stood right in front of the city''s walls. She had been determine to defend her current abode, but it seemed like it wasn''t even necessary. First, there was a mysterious barrier that appeared out of nowhere. It protected them from the onught of the Demons, wiping them out to a frightening amount. She had never been so utterly bewildered. ''H-how...?!'' Not a single one of the enemies got a bit close! As if that wasn''t enough, several spatial ruptures appeared right beyond the barrier, spotting out monsters from their depths. The moment Asa had recognized the monsters that proceeded, the girl realized the only reasonable culprit behind all of these events. Though she did not know how he was able to generate a barrier thatpletely defended them, or how he was able to produce so many Gates, her mind instantly went to one person. One individual alone! "L-legendary Dragon yer!" With beaming eyes, she watched as the Lower ss Demons were destroyed, ripped to shreds despite their powerless squeals. The bloodshed was beyond gory, as the innards of the demonic creatures sttered the blue dome, sizzling and roasting as the energy burned them to nothingness. Asa watched all of this in excitement and amazement. Her cheeks were bright pink as her eyes sparkled. "H-he really is...!" The monsters assembled, forming orderly rows to create apletely water-tight formation. ''I-I can''t see a thing!'' She thought to herself, her visionpletely obstructed by the monster defenders. She wasn''t the only one unhappy about this fact, too. Many Adventurers were itching to see what would happen next, only to have their line of sightpletely blocked by the monsters. None of them couldin, though. After all, the mere fact that they had these creatures on their side was enough to give them some measure offort. "W-what now?" Asa''s thoughts manifested as words as she waited for what her hero would do next. * * *. An uneasy air wafted around the battlefield, and the Demons were caught in a stalemate. It wasn''t because they couldn''t win, despite the odds, but the surprises the humans kept pulling, one after the other, was more than a warrant for concern. With bothered face, Heshu picked up his Divining Orb and contacted the rest of his Demon Generals. They all stepped back, leaving their troops at the forefront of battle in order to converse more freely. "What the hell is going on here?" "I''m so confused." "This is unnatural. Humans shouldn''t world this much power." "Then, what should we do?" "S-should we contact the Lord...?" With many panicky, but also aggressive responses from his colleagues, Heshu pondered on what to do. He would have preferred simplypleting his mission without needing to bother the Lord, or even any of the other Demon Generals, but he realized that there was a need to report to their superior. "Lord Valefor is currently in a meeting among Demon Lords. That''s why he specifically chose this time period to invade the human territory, since the other Demon Lords will be busy as well." Heshu sighed. "Whaaatt??" "What should we do now?" "We''ll just keep losing troops if we send small fries to those monsters." "I rmend we use the Middle ss ones." "How will they get past that pesky barrier, though?" They were still stuck, one way or the other. Still, Heshu didn''t despair, neither did he worry. "Lord Valefor won''t be in the meeting forever. He should be done by tomorrow. Well contact him then. For now, we''ll just set up camp here." Judging by the monsters'' stationary formation, there didn''t seem to be any intention to attack. It pretty much appeared that they were prepared to defend the people, nothing more. "We''ll generate our own barrier and camp out in our respective positions. By tomorrow, we will contact the Lord and get his response." Best case scenario would be his permission for the Demon Generals to act. That way, they could annihte the monsters in their way and take the city far more efficiently. Even though he doubted that any of the Demon Generals, including himself, could break through the barrier, there were other ways to bypass it. ''Adu can use his Spatial Magic, White can turn incorporeal and pass through it. I also have a Magic Item that temporarily turns me intangible...'' The rest of the Demon Generals could simply dig through the ground and infiltrate the city too. ''Even in the Demon Realm, our territories are protected by at least five stacks of barriers. The one the humans utilized was simply one of the five. As long as they acted smartly, they could stillplete their mission. "The underground areas could have traps, and there could be more surprises waiting for us inside. We have to be careful... but... this mission must beplete." Hogun spoke in his husky, weirdly authoritarian tone. Everyone knew how fixated he was when it came to missions, but this time they had to agree with him. At this point, it had simply evolved past the issue of a mission toplete. It was now a battle of pride. The humans had challenged the superiority and sovereignty of Demons. If left unchecked, things could get past their current state. That was why... "We''ll have to put them in their ce... permanently!" * * * Night fell, and the Demons camped in their moderately safe distance. The red glow of their barrier contrasted the blue dome that protected the humans. Though they possessed different colors, the effects were basically the same¡ªat least that could be concluded thanks to the Demons'' confidence in their protection. No human could definitely break past such a barrier, after all. "What are we supposed to do now?" Asa asked Vice Guildmaster, Zabdel. Every Adventurer was gathered in therge hall, waiting for the decision of the Legendary Dragon yer, spoken through the lips of their leader. Zabdel was standing, and beside him were therades of the Legendary Dragon yer¡ªS Rank Adventurer, Lucy; Priestess and Elite Adventurer, Sarah; and Chief of his people, Byron. They already knew what was going to happen next, but left Zabdel to announce the details. "We... do nothing." Chapter 154 Ever Heard Of Demons Being Haunted? [Pt 1] "WHAT?!" The responses of the Adventurers¡ªor at least most of them¡ªwere filled with surprise and disbelief. Do nothing? Despite the threat that was right in their doorsteps? Despite how much help the Legendary Dragon yer had given them? They couldn''t do anything at this point? "You all misunderstand." A feminine voice cut them short. "I don''t think the Vice Guildmaster is done." The one who spoke was Asa, the rising rookie Adventurer. No one had anything against her, and her words made sense, so the audience instantly realized their mistake. They had jumped to conclusions even when, Zabdel wasn''t done with his message. With a smile oozing of confidence and slight dread for his opponents, the Vice Guildmaster chuckled and uttered the words. "Leave everything to me... that''s what the Legendary Dragon yer said." Everyone''s eyes widened. Their bodies trembled in excitement, and their hearts raced. Anticipation ran wild amid them. They all shared a single, obvious thought. ''What will he do this time?!'' * * * >WHOOOOSHHHH< "Hey, did you hear something?" A Mid-Demon asked his partner. They were both watchmen, serving to inform the.members of their camp of any attack or event out if the ordinary should they ur. Of course, this was a very drab and boring job. For hours since their shift began, none had seen even the slightest hint of an enemy. Wasn''t it a joke, at this point? "You''re probably imagining things." The partner responded, yawning as he smacked his lips. One more hour, and two other unfortunate souls would take their position. Both guards apparently couldn''t wait to tuck in for a night''s rest¡ªat least until they got to ughter humans the next day. "Hehehe... he... hehe... eeehhh...?" One of the guards suddenly froze in terror as his gaze fell behind his partner. All life drained from his face instantly, as a terrified expression formed on his face. "What''s wrong, buddy? You look¡ª" "B-behind... behind y-you..." His voice was hoarse, and his tone rang of fear. "What are you talking abou¡ª" Suddenly, something cold gripped his shoulder, causing him to freeze in his position. The frightened Demon also felt something touch his shoulders, feeling a chill of fear and great anxiety wash over them. Both Demons could see the ''things'' behind the other. Saliva forcefully went down there dry throats, and they prepared to take the most reasonable cause of action. After all, the creatures that held them in position were the antithesis of the Demon Race. The only thing that frightened them¡ªat least to some degree. That was why... this was the only thing they could do in this situation. They shut their eyes tight and prepared their vocal cords for what woulde next. It was.... "UWAAAHHHHH!!! GHOOOOSSSTTTTSSSSS!!!" ... A scream for help. >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!< Several hundreds of spectres¡ªghosts in innguage¡ªinvaded the camp, sending it into a throe of chaos. Demons jumped from their tents, screaming and causing pandemonium as the incorporeal beings cackled inughter and excitement. Some screamed with tears pouring from their eyes, while others sucked their thumbs in a corner. They all shared one thing inmon... all of them were scared stiff of the ghosts! You see, Spectres didn''t have physical forms, and they were one of the most annoying kinds of creatures to deal with. Without an ability to seal them, or the possession of astral attributes, it was nigh impossible to win. Of all the measures used to take care of Spectres, though, the most effective means was Holy Magic. Unfortunately, Demons were dark creatures of wickedness. None of them could be considered ''Holy''... at least not in the sense that was required to purge the Spectres. Some Priest Demons existed, but their abilities didn''t revolve around exorcisms. They were simply more adept at rasing the dead or creating lifeless immortal soldiers. Any could hardly be seen purging evil beings with Holy Magic. As such, Spectres were the very natural enemies of Demons! "ARGHHHH! " "STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!" "MOMMMYYYYYY!!!" That said... "Would you get a grip, soldiers? The Spectres can''t even do anything to you. They''re incorporeal entities!" With a fierce shout proceeding from his lungs, Hogun instantly brought his camp to order. ... Spectres couldn''t exactly harm Demons either. Sure, they dealt some astral damage to their opponents, but Demons had resistant bodies. Most Spectres didn''t even grant much damage, to begin with, and could only inflict the [Fear] Status on people. That meant the Demons were practically impervious to any actual damage. Take away the fear... and there really was nothing to worry about. "Any soldier who screams will die by my hands! Now hold your grounds!" "E-eeep...." Slowly and steadily, the camp regained order, and the Spectres abandoned the Demons after realizing there was no more fear to be harvested. >WHOOOOSHHHH< "Damn... we should have erected an additional barrier against incorporeal entities." Hogun murmured to himself. He wondered where the Spectres came from, suspecting the humans once more. How they were able to control the ghosts was something he couldn''t figure out, though. ''Well yed, humans. You would go this far?'' To be frank, Hogun was also trembling in his boots. He was just very adept at not depicting his fear when it counted. That was how great his will was! "I wonder how the others are coping..." He nced at both his right and left, hearing distant screams from the neighboring camps. Apparently, not so well. "Ah, I forgot about Adu. Shit... you''ve got us this time, humans!" Quickening his pace, the lion-faced Hogun rushed in the direction of his friend. Hopefully, the child-like Demon hadn''t wet himself before his arrival. ''Hang in there... Adu!'' * * * "EEEEEEEKKKKK!!!" The one known as Adu the Malevolent was curled up in a ball as he hid in a corner. Several Spectres hovered around his camp and several screams pierced the air. However, the Demon General covered his ears as his iron will crumbled. His usual confidence was basically non-existent. Tears fell from his eyes eyes as he shivered in his safe corner¡ªat least he hoped so. ''H-help me... please... help meeee!!!'' Chapter 155 Ever Heard Of Demons Being Haunted? [Pt 2] It was a nightmare! Spectres haunted the Demon Camp that night, and they were almost impossible to defeat. If a Spectre was warded off, then just as flies would return to the filth, they would gather once more to torture them. It was quite unfortunate that none.of the Demon Generals were any good at fighting incorporeal entities. Even if they were, the ability to stand up to the swarm of Spectres was another thing entirely. As such, screams and shouted filled the air of the Demon Camp. "Aduuuu! I''m here for you!!!" Hogun''s thunderous voice echoed as he swiftly made his way to Adu''s camp. A worried expression yed out on his face, but he pushed aside his fears and proceeded to help his friend. Hogun knew he was being selfish, considering he was abandoning the camp he led, but Adu''s situation was serious. Why? When it came to Spectres, Adu was a big scaredy cat! That''s right, he wouldpletely break down like a baby! ''To preserve his dignity, and also to save him before he has a heart attack... I have to hurry!'' With this thought, Hogun quickened his pace. Fortunately, their camps were right beside each other, so it didn''t take him any time to cross over. It took him even less time to find his dear friend curled up in a corner as Spectres surrounded him. ''God, he looks so pathetic.'' Hogun sighed in exasperation, watching as hisrade was crying and shivering in his curled up state. What other choice did he have, at this point, than to help his sorry excuse for a friend. * * * "T-thank you so much, Hoguuuunnn." "Ew, stop bawling on me. Get a grip!" The lion-faced Demon knew it would turn out this way. Adu was just so terrified that he refused to let go of Hogun after thetter rescued him from the swarm of enemies that couldn''t even hurt him. "Can''t you walk on your own now?" He murmured, ring slightly at Adu who remained stuck on his back like a leech. "I can''t. My legs won''t work." The t answer of the child-like Demon made it evident that he didn''t want to walk. "Why don''t you fly then?" "A-are you crazy? You want me to share the same airspace as those things? You crazy?!" Hogun gave up on his efforts to reason with his friend and simply epted his fate as a piggyback rider. ''This is so humiliating...'' * * * This torture of the Demonssted nearly all night, and everyone was so relieved when dawn reared its head. The Spectres dispersed, since they couldn''t be seen in daytime, much to everyone''s relief. By the time it waspletely morning, the Demons saw how messed-up their camp was. Not only was morale down, but most of them hadn''t slept a wink. They were physically exhausted, and their hearts were weak as well. It truly was the worst! The Demon Generals knew they were in a bad ce, and they once again organized their virtual meeting through the Divining Orb. Everyone was present. "What now? I think it''s safe to say that the humans are behind this assault." Hogun grumbled. He had been in charge of both Adu''s and his territory, not to mention piggybacking the incapacitated Demon. Out of everyone, he probably had it the worst. ~Yeah. After what they pulled off yesterday, I think this has to be them. It''s surprising, though... how they were able to know about our weakness.~ What seemed like Kiko''s voice rang out of the Divining Orb. ~The morale of the troops has hit rock bottom, and they are all in exhausted. If possible, I''d prefer it if everyone took a moment to rest, but...~ Heshu''s voice trailed in uncertainty. "Yeah. The enemy could use that chance to strike. Strategically speaking, this would.be the perfect time to strike. We must remain vignt." The Demon Generals concluded their meeting by deciding to maintain constant vignce. It was the only way to about any surprise attacks or ambush. Carelessness was an enemy! And so, even though rest would have been the preferable option, the Demon soldiers all prepared for an inevitable battle. They waited and waited. They waited the whole day. * * * "H-how is this... why are they not attacking?!" Hogun had bags under his eyes, and he was irritable beyond words. With rising anger and a deep seated anxiety, the Demon General wondered what the enemy was waiting for. It was practically evening already, yet... ''... I don''t understand!'' The troops had simply wasted more of their energy by remaining vignt. With no enemy attacking z they could have rested from their exhaustion. "It almost feels like they''re ying us, those humans." ~Bastards. Just wait till I get my hands on them!~ Adu''s voice sounded from the Divining Orb. ''It seems like he''s fine now.'' Hogun took a mental note. The Demon Generals were having another meeting, and this time it was organized by Heshu¡ªa true surprise. While he had been the first one told of the mission, and its details, the Demon preferred everyone doing their own thing. It seemed he despised too muchmunication between them. It wasn''t like anyone really disliked the idea, but Demons like Adu thought he was stuck up. Why, then, did he organize this meeting? ~I spoke to the Lord.~ Heshu''s message cause everyone''s body to stiffen. Lord Valefor was one of the several Demon Lords within therge and prosperous Demon Realm. His influence and power made those of lower estate tremble in awe and reverence. They had all agreed to inform him about the human problem, but now that Heshu went ahead with it, they felt oddly humiliated. The ghost incident yed in the minds of all the Generals, and they felt a great wave of awkward shame. ~He has given us the permission to directly engage the enemy. I believe we should wait till tomorrow before we attack. Our troops can rest for tonight, and then we''ll give it our all tomorrow.~ Chapter 156 Another Surprise For Our Demon Friends Heshu made sense, as usual. His leadership skills and maturity could shine during moments like this, if only he decided to interact with everyone more. "I see. That''s great." Hogun gave his agreement, and so did everyone else¡ªeven Adu, albeit grudgingly. ~We''ll erect an additional barrier to block off incorporeal entities like those Spectres. With that, a safe haven is assured for tonight.~ While Hogun didn''t understand why the humans hadn''t simply attacked when they had the prime opportunity to, he concluded that tomorrow would bepletely different. Their troops would be recharged, and even was going to be in full form. While had nothing personal against the humans, the desire to please his lord and fulfil his mission burned inside him. He had to win, at all cost! ~Then, since we are all in agreement. We should... wait, what is... what''s going on?~ Hogun was still confused about what was going on with Heshu on his end, when a Mid-Demon charged into his room with a frantic expression on his face. "T-they''ve started to make their move!" Hogun''s eyes widened the moment he heard the bizarre, almost impossible news from his subordinate. ''They had all day. Why now?!'' It was practically evening, wasn''t it? How was this the ideal time for battle? Hogun was still struggling with this thought, when a Demon General spoke through the Divining Orb. ~I''m guessing you all heard the news from your respectivemanders. The monsters have begun to steadily advance.~ Since no one objected, they had to assume it was the same for everyone. "Why would they make their move now, though?" Hogun found himself muttering. ~The Monsters all seemed to be resting throughout the day. We thought it was simply meant to trick us, so our troops remained vignt. Now that some time has passed, they''re more energized and our soldiers are more worn out.~ Kiko''s voice proceeded from the glowing sphere. When she put it that way, it made sense. ~Monsters can function optimally in the dark, and some are even more aggressive the closer it gets to dusk. If they manage to hold out until night, the Spectres might show up again. That would be bad...~ Pierrus added. Everyone had to admit, at this point, that they were in a difficult position. ~What if we ignore them? It''s not like they can get past our barrier.~ For a moment, everyone considered Adu''s opinion. However, it didn''t take them very long for it to be debunked. "Based on their behavior, it seems they''re being controlled by humans, or at least something very intelligent. If they knew the weakness of our barrier and the Demon Race, sending Spectres, then it''s possible they understand the weak point of this barrier." Hogun began exining. Since it was erected by using a Magic Circle, the area underneath them was unprotected. There were so many monster among the ones advancing who would be adept at digging through the earth and invading. Besides, it was very risky to let them get too close. "The humans have a simar barrier, so they already know its function. If they''re sending their monsters, they must have some sort of n." No one could argue with that logic. So far, their opponents seemed to have outwitted them on more than one asion. ~We''ve really underestimated the humans...~ "Indeed." A moment of silence pervaded the room, as they all thought of an alternative. How to defeat their opponents while dealing with the disadvantageous conditions they were currently under. ''We''ve never been pushed this far before. It''s hard to think of anything...'' Demons had always been superior. This situation itself was an absurdity, thus practically all of them were stuck on what to do. ~Well, we should still keep the barrier active. We can pick off the enemies as they approach, and even if they''re digging, we can kill them off by undoing certain portions of the barrier and attacking from there.~ Kiko finally broke the silence with a suggestion. After considering it together, the Demon Generals agreed to it. This way, they didn''t have to actively engage in an all-out battle. By attacking the enemies from a safe point, they would whittle down their numbers. Once everyone thought it through, they realized it was the perfect position to take. "Alright, Generals. Let''s lead our respective groups." They had encircled the city of Dulum and it''s surrounding, and their crimson barrier had covered the entire ce like an all-epassing fence. The monsters were still trapped in a cage, whether they liked it or not. ~Or... hear me out, we could just blitz the monsters ourselves!~ Adu came up with a simpler solution after being quiet for some time. His idea suddenly put a hold on the strategic relevance of Kiko''s position. It was for the simple reason that Adu made sense. However... "We should conserve out energy. We don''t know if these monsters are all these humans have. Besides, let''s not forget we still have to take down their city." It would be foolish to waste energy on the mobs when the bigger threats could be within. Having no idea what to expect, it was better for the Demon Generals not to go all out. ~Tch, fine.~ "Seems we have all agreed." Hogun sighed in exasperation. It was time to move out. * * * "This n should work." Hogun smiled slightly, looking at the approaching monsters with confidence in their troops'' abilities to fend them off from their protected distance. Ultimately, they would be using gueri tactics. ''That Kiko... she can actually bring up smart ideas when ites down to it.'' Hogun was happy she wasn''t as big a airhead as he previously assumed. Having reliablerades was an essential in achieving victory after all. "Now, then... shall we begi¡ª" >SWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!!!< Suddenly, a gust of wind formed behind the Demon Army, and a condensed surge of energy manifested. Swirling spatial ruptures surfaced, and several of them spanned across the circr formation the Demons had formed. Almost in an instant, these portals stabilized, all surrounding the Demons from behind. And then¡ª >THUMP< >THUMP< >THUMP< ¡ªAn army came forth. "N-no way...!" Hogun''s eyes widened, stretched to their limits as the sight caused his whole body to tremble. Proceeding from the portal was a second army. "T-this is bad." Chapter 157 Can You Stop This Crowd? The Demon Army was surrounded before they even knew what was happening. In front of them were the swarm of monsters that charged at them with primal ferocity. Normally, this wouldn''t have been a problem if the soldiers were in top form. Unfortunately, they were groggy from the umted exhaustion. Still, with the barrier that protected them like a wall, it was safe to say that they had a very good chance at victory. However... ... Behind them appeared a second group. "N-no way...!" "This can''t be real!" "T-those are¡ª!!!" The newly emerged soldiers were not living beings. They weren''t humans, neither were they monsters¡ªno, these things were something else entirely. "G-Golems?!!" That''s right. These soldiers were non-living machines of destruction. They had various forms¡ªfrom massive giant bodies, to quadrupedal beast-like designs. Some glimmered with bright colors, like precious gems, while others had more darkenedplexions. The Golems seemed to beprised of different various materials too. Some had metallic appearances, while others seemed to be rocks. This diversity in their appearances made them somewhat distinct. However, if there was a simrity between all of them, it was this... "T-they''re strong!" "This energy... it can''t be!" "They''re powerful! All of them are at Max Level!" Average Golems had a max Level of 10. A Level 5 Golem would have the same kind of strength, if not greater power,pared to a Level 30 human. Level 4s would be around the Level 20s to 25s by human standard. Usually, these were the most powerful kinds, or even the rarest most humans could ever dream of producing. However... "Level 10?! All of them?!" The learned Demon soldiers all screeched. Unlike with living beings, it was somewhat easier to determine their level. Based on the energy and quality that built them up, one could measure their Level. Any Demon with some education would know how to decipher a Golem''s Level. Which was why... the Middle ss Demons were in gaping shock once they saw the armada of Level 10 Golems. They spread across the battlefield,pletely surrounding the Demon army from behind in arge circle. In essence, the Demons were sandwitched between the monsters and the several Golems. With their rear and front werepletely sealed off, leaving no room for escape, it was easy to see only one cause of action. PANIC! "W-what should we do?!" "I''m so exhausted." "They''re stationary. Why are they not moving?" "We''re screwed!" "Why aren''t our leaders doing anything?" "We''re all going to dieeeee!!!" This new emotion of fear was a sensation most Demons hadn''t felt for any other being but fellow Demons. The fact that they were exposed to such a humiliating prospect in a battle against feeble humans made the situation all the more bizarre. However, how could they not panic? Right before their eyes were thousands of Golems who were of the highest quality. Just for reference, if a Level 5 Golem qualified as a Level 30 by human standards... how powerful would a Level 10 be? The answer was apparent to the Mid-Demons. Each individual was well aware that they barely stood a chance against just one of the Golems. The Average level of the Mid -Demons.on the battlefield was Level 35-40. A few were in higher Levels, but none¡ªexcept the Demon Generals reached Level 60. And a Level 10 Golem was exactly a Level 60 by human standards. Sure, a Demon was naturally stronger than a human. Their base stats made a huge difference, and Level 60 Demons were essentially going to be stronger than Level 60 humans¡ªthough no such human existed. To make it fair, then, how could one equate a Max-Level Golem to Demon standards? "T-they have to be at least Level 40... no, maybe 45." "You''re kidding, right? They''re not Level 30? B-but I''m Level 30! How will I survive?" "This is crazy!" "How did they even build something like this? Where did they get the technology?!" As they murmured among themselves, wondering what to do next, a brilliant beam of light surged in the air above. Everyone was attracted to the light¡ªeven the monsters stopped dead in their tracks once the luminous ray upied in the evening sky. It sparkled with blue and white shes, creating a vortex-like doorway. "C-could that be¡ª?!" Some wondered if this was Demon General Adu''s doing, but soon realized that it couldn''t be. His Magic was far more sinister. Besides, Demon General Adu was also just as surprised by this manifestation. If there was any good thing at all, it would be that the light appeared in the area of the monsters, so the frightened Demons still had their Magic Barrier defending them from whatever mysterious phenomenon was uring. >SWOOOOOOSSHHH< The blue and white shes of energy slowly dispersed, and a being manifested at the very center of the evaporating colors. He had dark hair, and his appearance was that of a human. This man had a peculiar set of armor, and several crystals of light danced around him. He was all alone in the air, but it seemed more dangerous than the monsters beneath him. In fact¡ª "N-NO WAY!!!" An exmation rang from the Demon Camp as they watched the impossible happen. Every single monster in sight did what the most unexpected thing ever. They knelt. They bowed. They paid homage. Every single one of the savage creatures were in obeisance to the glorious entity in the sky. He was like a god. The Golems were still stagnant, so it wasn''t certain if they were also under his control. However, considering his top-tier outfit that had some of their materials in it''s designs, and the crystals around him could be found on the Golems, it was highly probable. With all the Monsters bowing before him, and the Golems under his presumed authority, it was easy to tell who was in charge. "So, this is the one... the champion of the humans, and the author of our misfortune." Hogun struggled to speak, his tone sullen. He¡ªlike his otherpanions¡ªrealized just how grave the situation was. Was this going to be end?! Chapter 158 Is That A Bird? A Plane? No, Its...!!! "Who... is that?" Heshu murmured, forced to raise his head to observe the sovereign of the monsters. The sight seemed impossible, but that was what yed out before him. "Absurd, yet... this is reality. What do you all think?" He whispered, his Divining Orb in hand. ~I don''t know who that guy is, but he''s he cool!~ ~He is pretty awesome... but he''s a human.~ ~Is it safe to assume he''s the mastermind? That would make a lot of sense.~ The Monsters listened to him, and his hear had resemnce to the Golems behind them. There was very little reason to doubt that conclusion, at this point. ~I have to say... we''ve been yed quite well.~ Heshu gritted his teeth a little once he heard Kiko''s flippant tone. She was right, no matter how difficult it was to swallow. The Demon Army, despite their power and ns, had been bested from start to finish. From the appearance of the monsters, to the barrier around the City of Dulum, then the attack of the Spectres at night, even till the dy of battle. "And now, this..." The Monsters were more in terms of numbers. At least five thousand of them could be seen¡ªexcept for the Spectres, who still couldn''t manifest because of the sun. Despite this number, though, they were still rtively easier to deal with... ... At leastpared to the Golems. The Golems were only about three thousand in number, but their quality alone made them remarkably more dangerous. Max Level Golems could only be produced by Demons¡ªmaybe also Dwarves, but those were in hiding. It was doubtful if they could make so many given their extinct nature as well as the limited resources and tools they would have ess to. "I''ve never seen so many Golems in one ce... except the Demon Capital." Heshumented. He had only been there once, and it was the most magnificent ce. The technology there was iparable to other regions. Which was why it could have only been there he would be able to see thousands of Max Golems. ~Will the soldiers be able to cope, though? The Lower-ss Demons are basically fodder, at this point, and we only have 490 Mid-Demons.~ Hogun asked in concern. It was a grave situation, that was for sure. ~We can manage, I''m sure! We can take care of the monsters, and we allocate six Golems per one soldier~ The idea came from Adu, of course. It was juvenile, and basically everyone realized that the moment he spoke. ~I''m sure the soldiers are also debating whether or not they can handle them by evaluating their Levels. If only it was that easy...~ Kiko replied before any other Demon General could. She gave a hystericalugh, which must have enraged Adu. ~Shut up, bitch! At least I''m giving a suggestion. What are you doing to help, huh?" ~Calm down, Adu. Now is not the time to¡ª~ ~What do you mean? I''m perfectly calm, Hogun!~ This argument would go on for a while, unless someone stepped in. Thankfully, Heshu wasn''t in the mood to tolerate such meaningless discourse. "We''ll split into two groups. One group will go against the man in the sky while the other group will engage the Golems. The soldiers will fight the monsters." There was silence for a moment. Usually, that would connote some sort of agreement, but... ~Huh? Why can''t the soldiers fight the Golems?~ Once again, Adu''s voice rang out. "They don''t stand a chance." Rather than angrily snap at the obviously inexperienced Demon, Heshu responded calmly. ~But we can¡ª~ ~Let me exin it in a way you''ll understand, Adu. They''re Max Level Golems, so their estimated Level outstrip our soldier''s estimated Level.~ Kiko sighed, most likely in exasperation. ~R-really?!~ ~Yeah. You would know that if you paid attention to the briefings. Besides, they have a higher count than ourpetent soldiers. In essence, it would basically be overkill.~ Even for Demon Generals who were in Level 100, facing three thousand Max-Level Golems was downright extreme. The chances of victory was unequivocally very little. "Two Demon Generals will face the human above. More would have been allocated, but we can''t afford any more reduction in numbers." Heshu murmured. ~Wait, two Demon Generals against one human? Are you for real?~ "All the monsters bow before him, and he''s most likely responsible for the Golems. We can''t underestimate him. In fact, sending two is too little." If not that they required the manpower to be diverted elsewhere, Heshu would have honestly preferred all the Demon Generals to have a face off against him. "Is everyone on agreement?" "YES." Everyone''s response was unanimous, except for Adu who gave a more causal reply. Something along the lines of; ~Yeah, I guess...~ "Now, to choose the ones who would fight the human. I would rmend Hogun and Adu." ~Ehhhh? Why me?~ ~I''m also curious about this arrangement.~ "You two work best together. Besides, you excel at Meleebat, Hogun. It''ll make a good bnce with Adu, who uses long range. Both of you cooperate well and learn as much as you can while trying your best tost as long as possible." ~Hmm... I understand.~ ~Yeah. Yeah.~ "You sound dissatisfied, Adu. Weren''t you implying that the human wasn''t a big deal just now? Or had that position changed?" Heshu gave a slightly condescendingment. "O-of course it hasn''t! Just you watch!" The gentlemanly Demon smiled to himself. It seemed his words gave the kind of effect he was after. "Alright, then. Demon Generals, take care of things on your end. I will handle Adu''s section of the battlefield, alongside mine. Pierrus, handle Hogun''s section." ~Understood.~ Pierrus'' area-of-effect Magic made him the most reliable on terms of dealing with a crowd. It was one of the reasons Heshu chose not to pit him against the floating mastermind. "Alright, then... shall we get to work?" ~Last question. Have you tried contacting fath¡ªI mean, Lord Valefor.~ For a moment, there was silence. Heshu wondered whether to speak or not, eventually deciding on the former. "I did." ~And? What was his response?~ "..." Heshu sighed. It was a harsh reality they all had to face anyway, so it would be better to simply spit it out. "He said we must win at all cost. That''s all." In essence, they had to give their all to win... or die trying. Chapter 159 Wassup People! Did You Miss Me? The frightened faces of the demons. The hopeful expressions of the humans. The reverence of the monsters. The whirring of the Golems. ''... I see everything.'' A smile formed on my face as I observed everything around and beneath me. It had been over a week since Ist came out of the Labyrinth, so the outside world took a little bit getting used to. ''It''s a good thing I have some experience being a shut-in, so it wasn''t so bad...'' My eyes captured thendscape, and my heart raced in excitement and satisfaction. It was due to one sole reason. Everything thus far had gone ording to my n. It was perfect... literally! At this point, it was time to reap the benefits and score all my points. All of my hard work was finally going to pay off. There was no other other way around it. ''... I win!'' ************ "I-it''s the Legendary Dragon yer!" The denizens of Dulum all cheered as they used the Magic Item they were bestowed with to check the man in the sky. It was indeed none other than their dear savior! Their gazes instantly sparkled with hope as all of them rejoiced greatly. Sarah, Byron, and Lucy joined in the celebration. No one could remain indoors when the Legendary Dragon yer was finally making his debut after so long. People climbed their houses, some went as far as ascending the tallest buildings. Like monkeys, they desperately clung to fences or sat on the city''s walls¡ªanything to get a good glimpse of the man in the sky. He was the epitome of hope, one whom even the monsters worshipped. "H-he''s... the champion of humanity!" "All hail the Legendary Dragon yer!" All at once, every resident of Dulum¡ªadventurer and non-adventurer alike raised their voices to praise him. This wasn''t heresy. It was simply giving honor to whom it was due. "Hail! Hail! Hail!" Their voices ascended to the heavens as they fervently gave their devotion to the being in the sky. "HAIL!!!" ************* ''Haha, I feel embarrassed. You guys, stop it...'' Iughed internally. At this point, shouldn''t I have been used to such treatment? Still, being before such arge audience and being praised in this way... it made my heart race uncontrobly¡ªat least in my imagination. My regr heart was fine, thanks to [Freedom Of Expression]. "Now, then, shall we begin?" I whispered, narrowing my gaze on the the pesky barrier the Demons erected. The monsters would have a hard time handling the barrier, giving the demons the advantage. In a drawn out battle, though, I was still going to win. However... ''I want an absolute victory... something definite!'' Nothing about a war of attrition had any appeal to me. "I''ll use this..." Bringing out a special runic gem from my Inventory, I red at the special barrier. In my grasp was a special Mana Bomb. I had been cooking it up since day one of my stay in the base. ''It''s been soaking up Mana for so long, and I added Holy Water to have an additional.effect on the Demons.'' It was perfect for destabilizing the barrier that functioned on Miasma. "Here you go." In a single casual throw¡ªadding my Mana to give it the extra push it needed¡ªI threw the crystal-like object in the direction of the crimson fence that protected the Demons. "Bang." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!< The circr fence instantly buzzed, fading away as it destabilized. As expected, a single breach caused the entire thing to break down. "This should serve as the perfect signal for war." I grinned,manding the monsters to rise and ughter the foes before me. "Let the battle begin!" "ROOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!!!" Noises and fearless screeches of the wild beasts filled the air as clouds of smoke rose in their wake. The confused Demons could do nothing hut take formation and ready themselves to fight against their terrifying opponents. With the snap of my fingers, I activated the Golems who were waiting for mymand. They hummed, whirring to life instantly. "You know what to do. Destroy them all." >ZZZZTTTZZZZ< I was especially proud of my dear Golems. It took me forever to make their prototypes, but after those were done, I simply duplicated them by cing the materials in the Magic Circle I erected. It was quite simple after that. ''The monsters harvest the required materials. I make the Magic Circles. They dump the ores. The Golems are formed.'' This rinse, repeat process gave me the army I had now. I never thought things would work out so well, but they did... all thanks to the unexpected reservoir that was buried underneath the Labyrinth. ''The Labyrinth is actually connected to Dulum, so I had the monsters navigate their way through it, erecting an underground Magic Circle for the city.'' The results was the blue dome that currently shrouded Dulum. The barrier actually served two purposes, but I hoped things wouldn''t get to that. ''Things are perfect the way they are now...'' I gazed underneath me and noticed the battle was about to start. The Demon Generals were facing off the Golems¡ªas expected. Regr soldiers didn''t stand a chance, after all. The regr soldiers were fighting the monsters, but I reckoned without their barrier, they would eventually lose out in terms of manpower. Plus, they were all probably exhausted thanks to my prank. ''The good news is that if the Demons hold out until nightfall, the Spectres will return again. There really was no way around their loss.'' ''Hm?'' I noticed something that caused me to smile. As it would seem... the Demons had no intentions of letting me enjoy the wonderful stage I set. ''Here theye!'' >SHWWWWOOOOOSSSSHHHH< Surrounding me was purple energy. It warped the space around me, and seemed to be sucking me somewhere else... just like thest time. ''Not this time.'' One of the crystals that surrounded me gave off a bright blue glow, instantly neutralizing the purple energy. I remained stagnant in my position, waiting for the appearance of the two Demon Generals in my sensory range. ''Two against one, uh...?'' I held back myughter. "Please tell me this is a joke." * * * [A/N] Seems our dear Hero is feeling himself pretty well. Chapter 160 Wrapping Things Up Neatly >VWOOOSHHH< In what would seem like a sh to a normal person, the first Demon to show up was a familiar face. ''Oh, long time no see... Hogun!'' The lion-faced Demon roared as he made to rip me apart with his ws. His appearance was farrger than I remembered, having a hulky stature and gleaming metal-like skin. ''A transformation Skill, maybe? Nice enhancements...'' I, of course, evaded his attack with ease. However, the guy just wouldn''t give up. His body exploded in fiery dark-red energy and he lunged at me once more. ''You know... I didn''t know you could fly, Hogun. Talk about surprising.'' Well, it was only to be expected. He was the only one I didn''t really fight among all the Demon General in the first round. >WHOOSH< I evaded all his assaults, expertly moving my body in the air. I didn''t even need to use [Five Seconds Rule] to avoid them, but I still resorted to it¡ªjust in case. I saw everything. The move he was going to make next. The abilities he would use¡ªwhether he would give a ferocious roar that stunned opponents, or a devastating energy punch that would break his targets. They were all useless if evaded, though. ''Ah, the second one finally approaches.'' Several dark bullets flew my way, and they gave off a very familiar vibe. ''Oh? you''re here too, Adu.'' I grinned, observing the Demon General who red at me from his safe distance. After seeing that his earlier Spatial Discement didn''t work, he was most likely cautious now¡ªnot like it mattered to me at all. I had seven crystals around me, each with their important functions¡ªthough five served the same use. ''The constant use of [Domination] drains my MP like crazy, so most of these crystals are meant to serve as Mana batteries.'' As for thest two crystals; one was for generating a barrier to protect me, while the other interfered with the Magic Attacks pre-registered within it ''Fortunately, I know Adu''s abilities, so I can disable his annoying attacks. As for Hogun, I''ll just use my barrier if ites down to it...'' Of course, these countermeasures were only relevant in a situation where I wasn''t capable of avoiding their hits, in the first ce. ''After all... they''re Level 100 Demons, while I''m in Level 185. No matter how high their base stats are, I''m still superior.'' I was trying to avoid using too many Skills since I didn''t want to use up more MP than what was already being splurged, so even [Five Seconds Rule] wasn''t constantly activated. "Y-you... what kind of being are you? Are you... even human?" Hogun finally ceased his fruitless assault, huffing as he red at me. "Y-yeah! Why don''t any of my attacks work on you? What''s the meaning of this?!" Adu sharply added. He was a far distance from me, but I could hear his voice loud and clear. He sounded equally frustrated. Welp, it wasn''t like I couldn''t rte with how they were feeling. The situation was unfair¡ªfor them¡ªafter all. ''I get it, you guys... truly.'' But that was just how things worked when you were OP. ''Yeah, I know what I said before, but...'' At least for this moment, I had broken through to the heights of OPness!'' ''Forgive me, friends. I know what it''s like to lose.'' After all, in the first round, those took everything from me. I arrived to meet a city buried in debris and smoke. Dead bodies and despair weed me after I risked my life to win. Right now, I just wanted to return the favor. "Both of you... are trying to stall for time, are you not? You think if you hold out long enough, yourrades wille to your aid, right?" Hogun and Adu expressed shock the instant I said this. It wasn''t difficult to tell, considering they hadn''t given it their absolute all. Unfortunately for them, their n was meaningless. "Why don''t you take a good look beneath you. Are you certain help is going toe anytime soon?" My lips curled up calmly as I pointed in the direction of the Golems. Hogun and Ady''s rades were meant to be sweeping through the Golems, quickly rounding up and rushing to their aid when they were done. However¡ª "W-wha¡ª?!" "N-no way!" ¡ªThat was a misced expectation. The Demon Generals were currently struggling to fight their opponents. Out of the three thousand Golems, not even three hundred had fallen since the start of their long battle. The reason behind that was quite simple¡ªHoly Water. ''Holy Water serves as a Miasma Repent. It gives the Golems a resistance against the attacks of Demons." In short... they were screwed. "As you can see, it''s pointless to imagine that happening anytime soon. In fact, don''t you think it''s your friends who need your help?" The eight Demon Generals seemed to be getting exhausted¡ªsome even appeared injured. My Golems weren''t only capable of melee attacks, after all. They shotser beams from their eyes, granting them the advantage in long distance battles. It was even a miracle that the Demon Generals were still alive till this point. Well... I wasn''t exactly nning on killing them. At least, not straight away. "Tch. You... are you even human?" Hogun''s re intensified. "Why do you ask? Don''t I look like one?" Oh, my dear friend Hogun. Wasn''t he been too hurtful with his words? Did he really think I looked like something else? ''Well, I wouldn''t mind resembling an Elf. Hehe...'' "You know fully well what I mean! T-this power... this influence... this ability to fight back... humans shouldn''t possess it!" He roared, once again lunging at me. It seemed he hadn''t given up on the prospect ofnding a blow. Perhaps it was because I hadn''t retaliated against either of my attackers. ''Let''s change that.'' >WHOOOSHHH< Just as Hogununched himself at me, I closed the gap between us, catching his fist in a sh. And then¡ª >BOOOOOOMMMM< ¡ªI dug mine deep into his stomach. Chapter 161 Im Actually Quite Overpowered! "B-bleughhh" Hogun spat out saliva as his bloodshot eyes leaked out tears as a result of the pain that must have been surging through his body. ''We''re just getting started.'' I raised my fist tond another blow. >FWOOOOOSSSHHHH< Several dark spears lunged at me, courtesy of my other opponent¡ªAdu. ''Oh, I haven''t forgotten about you...'' My grin widened, as I proceeded to kick Hogun in the direction of the attack. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM< Friendly fire wasn''t good¡ªnope, not at all. Look what happened as a result. Hogun, as a result of being attacked by so much power while in his stunned state, was sent crashing to the ground. ''Ah, I feel for him. Falling into the battlefield itself...'' I said my prayers for the dude¡ªthough I knew he would most likely survive the fall. What happened to him after that... well, I could only wish him the best. "Hoguuuunnn!!!" I heard Adu yell, most likely preparing to teleport in order to catch his friend. ''Not on my watch, buddy.'' In a sh, I intercepted Adu before he could disappear, grabbing his throat while disabling his Magic in the exact same moment. "Where do you think you''re going?" I smiled, holding the short guy until we both witnessed Hogun crash into the battlefield. A huge crater was made, but that didn''t stop the Demons from fighting the monsters. It was a matter of life and death, after all. Everyone was either too tired, or too busy, to care about a Demon General''s descent. "Y-you bastar¡ª" >WHAM!< I spread a nicely made p on Adu''s face. My aim was a bit off, so I wasn''t satisfied with the results. ''Five points out of ten.'' "H-how dare¡ª" >WHAM!< This time, I nted it quote nicely. But... it still didn''t feel right. ''Seven points maybe?'' "I-I''ll kill y¡ª" >WHAM!< ''Seven point five?'' "Y-you¡ª!" >WHAM!< ''A solid eight! Can I get to nine? I wonder...'' >WHAM!< "Y-you think yo¡ª" >WHAM!< "S-shturp¡ª" >WHAM!< "S-shtup eet¡ª" >WHAM!< After a series of trial and error, I finally got to nine points. Unfortunately, I couldn''t proceed any further. Both left and right cheeks of my experimental subject were swollen behind belief. Their round surface would ruin the effects of the p, so no efforts could ever award me a perfect ten. ''Still, it was fun while itsted... right?'' I grinned at Adu. It seemed he already passed out... unfortunately. "Welp, down you go." I let go of him and focused my attention on the surviving Demons¡ªthe Demon Generals especially. A crash sounded from underneath me, but I ignored it. ''Probably some fallen garbage.'' So far, the battle had reached a crescendo. With the climax already within grasp, I had to start rounding up. "First, I should take care of all the Demon Lords. Then, I''ll use ''that'' on them. Yep... that''ll work." My goal was to use [Domination] on the Demon Generals and force them to enter a contract with me. That way, I would have morepetent subordinates under my control. As for the monsters, I needed to find a way to domesticate them. I couldn''t keep bleeding out MP anytime I wanted to utilize them. ''Or should I just let them return to the Labyrinth? Yeah... that''s probably for the best.'' After this battle, it would be best if I didn''t ruin too much of the ecosystem. Monsters had rights too, didn''t they? The right to be hunted by Adventurers. Why would I tamper with that? ''If I make make all the monsters good, what will the Adventurers hunt? They''ll have to leave Dulum. That''ll be bad for business...'' Besides, one could say that killing monsters was beneficial to humans since it have them more EXP, and Leveled them up. ''As someone who ns on making humans the victors on this... I can''t exactly take away their source of growing stronger.'' Sure, Dulum would most likely experience an economic boom thanks to the reserves that was buried under their basement, but Adventurers were Adventurers not only because of the money. Violence was a part of their lifestyle. If I wasn''t careful with how I handled the aftermaths of this battle, things could get ugly. ''Not like I understand the ways of these barbarians...'' I sighed. Conclusively, I had to return the monsters to the Labyrinth... but the Golems were mine. ''There''s no way I''m letting them go.'' My Inventory was also stock-full of so many stuff I took for myself. It couldn''t be considered hoarding since there was so much more buried underneath. ''I just took a small portion. It''s my payment for going through all this trouble for these guys...'' Once I put it that way, I was better able to sleep at night¡ªnot that I had a lot of opportunities to rest during my time underneath the ground. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< A loud explosion attracted my attention, and it seemed the Demon Generals were finally going all-out. A massive Dragon controlled by one of them was wreaking havoc and defeating so many of my Golems. The others also seemed to bebining their Magic Power to cause greater damage than they could achieve individually. Smart move. "That Demon will probably run out of MP before her Dragon does irreparable damage. In the end, no matter how I look at this... I''ll win." But, I couldn''t just stand by and allow my dear creations get chewed on by some overgrown lizard. No... they deserved better than that! "This is going to take quite a ton of MP, but that''s fine. We''re just about done here..." I casually my hand to the sky and chose to put my [Undecided] ss to use. "Switch: Mage." New Skillsets manifested before me, and I chose the most extreme. ''Levels determine what kind of Skills will be presented to you. With my current state, I can cause some serious damage...'' That was why I chose the Skill that was bound to end the meaningless struggles of the Demons¡ªas well as garner me more adoration from my fans. "[Fire From Heaven]" Chapter 162 Wheres The White Flag Around Here? "[Fire From Heaven]" >VWOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH< In what would seem like a sh of lightning¡ª but instead a pir of scorching fire¡ªa crimson burst of mes descended from the sky. Parting the clouds in an eviscerating manner, itnded on the target¡ªthe overgrown lizard who was chewing my Golems. "Burn to ash." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!< A cloud of smoke, mes, and definitely shockwaves, manifested¡ªsending every being on the battlefield and beyond into dead silence. The loud eruption of my Spell was enough to cause even the Monsters to cease their primal call for violence. Everyone simply stood still. I observed all of this from my heights, happy to be able to provide such a shy service. I heard shrieks and loud shouts from the residents of Dulum. They all praised me as though it would be thest thing they would do. As for the Demons, they all fell¡ªnot in death, but simply despair. I reckoned their knees gave out in fear when they finally understood the hopelessness of the situation. It was inevitable, after all. Imanded the monsters to pause, and they did. The Golems also stopped attacking. There was no longer any point to the violence. My point had been made. From the way theirmon soldiers fell into despondency, and how the Generals quaked while looking in my direction, I knew it already... ...The Demons had already lost. "And with that... let the curtains fall." ******** The Demons shuddered in response to the descent of the all-powerful monarch that descended from the sky. There was no other expression they could use to describe the entity who approached them, or the defeat he caused them to taste. Dread filled their hearts, and they found themselves paralyzed in fear. Demons... scared of a single human... how absurd was that? "M-my Dragon..." Kiko''s voice quaked as she spoke. Her strongest ''pet'' was now nothing more than a pile of burning flesh. It''s corpse was scattered all about, doused in the mes that fell from the sky. Every other Demon General¡ªthose who were conscious, at least¡ªknew Kiko''s Dragon to be their trump card. It was stronger than them, yet something of that caliber was destroyed in a single hit? How could any of thempete with that kind of power?! "You''ve done well resisting, but the end is inevitable." The voice from above rang. Every single being beneath was forced to raise their heads in reverence... every single one of them subject to the one who would decide their survival. Even the strongest Demon in their ranks¡ªHeshu¡ªalready understood that the power he currently faced surpassed that of his. In stats alone, even he would be pulverized. Plus, he was surrounded by hostiles that would ultimately lead him to his death. The Generals who were still conscious envied the two who had chosen the easy way out¡ªHogun and Adu, those lucky bastards. Jez. Pierrus. Bulik. Kiko. Shuuma. White. ck. All of them stared in dread. "Do you understand now? The mistakes you have made..." The circr formation that surrounded the city slowly converged in a single location thanks to the guidance of the Golems, and the culling they underwent. With every major yer¡ªsave the corpses and unconscious¡ªgathered in the north of the city, Every one simply had to face one direction to witness humanity''s champion. "You dared to attack my city. For that, you''ll pay dearly." None of the Demons present had any intention of begging a human for their life. No¡ªwhy would they? But that didn''t stop them from fearing for their lives. Even if they were going to die... they still had their pride as the absolute life forms on the. "I-I give up!" "I surrender!" "P-please spare my life!" "I''ll do anything to live!" "D-don''t kill me... please!" "I-I have kids!" "E-er... my parents are ill!" "At least let my wife off the hook!" "Take my husband instead!" "Don''t kill ussss!" One after the other, the prideful beings known as Demons experienced the ultimate kind of humiliation. They surrendered. * * * "Now that''s more like it." The human grinned, watching as the members of the Demon Race bowed before him. Well, not all of them. "You lot won''t surrender?" There were certain Demons who refused to bow before the human scum. A few of the Mid-Demons held on to their demonic pride, inspired by the leaders who also refused to back down¡ª ¡ªThe Demon Generals. Of course, a few of the Generals surrendered. Jez, Bulik, Shuuma, White, and ck¡ªall five bowed in homage to the insurmountable power before them. "You must think you''re quite brave. Why would you rather die than beg for your lives?" The human asked those who refused to give up. Their loyalty wasmendable. Perhaps, despite their differences, they were bound by a single thought; ''We won''t ever betray the Demon Army!'' If that was the case, then their actions were inspiring indeed. "You killed my Dragon! There''s no way I''m going to surrender to a jerk like you!" Kiko yelled, fuming with rage. It was no joke. She was truly upset! "Hey, you''re kidding, right? Throwing a fit at this point?" Pierrus, her more rational colleague asked in disbelief. Anyone who saw her actions would think she was crazy¡ªno, downright suicidal. "Hmph! Speak for yourself, genius. Why don''t you surrender? Isn''t that the ''smart'' thing to do?" She was right. To preserve their survival, wouldn''t it be best to swallow their pride and im subservience? Why, then, wasn''t Pierrus, the Demon known for pragmatism, doing taking the most logical approach? . "I wonder why I''m not surrendering... sigh, I can''t exin it. The most obvious means of survival should be to follow him, yet..." As someone who had always followed the greater profit, he had developed some sort of intuition that told him the best course of action to take. "... I don''t think it''s for the best." That was Pierrus'' conclusion. "And what about you, hatted Demon? Why will you not surrender?" Heshu, the gentlemanly Demon¡ªwho would usually be in his civilized outfit¡ªsighed in exasperation. His clothes oddly remained in good condition despite the chaps that had just ensued. His hat gently sat atop his head. "This is simply my lot. I lost, therefore... ''tis my fate what happens next." Chapter 163 The Final Boss Appears! ''Idiots. They''re all idiots!'' Jez thought to herself as she nced at her unyielding colleagues. The sensible thing to do when faced with an existence as overwhelming as this was to simply forfeit. ''He''s giving us a chance to surrender... at least take it!'' The pale Demon had thought Heshu, at the very least, would be sensible enough to think things through. Even Pierrus disappointed her. ''Oh, well... it''s their loss!'' Her goal was to simply wait until the perfect opportunity to slit their aggressor''s throat personally. There was no way she could tolerate being a human''s subordinate¡ªno matter how much power he disyed. ''At least, I''ll wait for my chance to strike!'' Even if she was kneeling and bowing before the human, she would be having the finalugh! * * * "Someone has to set an example for the few brave ones among the soldiers who refused to surrender, right? I might as well take on that role." Heshu grinned lightly. His other stubborn colleagues who refused to give in¡ªPierrus and Kiko¡ªstood beside him. The Demons who chose to be defiant lined up behind them. Obviously, they were meant to be some sort of resistance¡ªdespite how paltry. It was a meaningless resort, but admirable nheless. However... it was useless. ************ ''Welp, I wasn''t expecting this... not like it matters, though.'' In the end, I was still going to use [Domination] on all of them, so... it made no difference to me. ''Ah, seems I leveled up. I''m in Level 190 now. Yay...'' A grin formed on my face. That''s right... happiness coursed through my body. Everything had gone superbly well, after all. The number of potential soldiers¡ªMid-Demons alone¡ªI was currently looking at numbered at least two hundred. If I added the Lower ss dregs, I counted over two thousand in total. It was an absolute steal! ''Time to wrap this up. First, to dominate the¡ª'' >WHHHHHUUUUUUMMMMMMMMM< All of a sudden, before I couldplete my thoughts, the most unexpected thing ured. A massive spatial distortion appeared in the sky, a small distance from me and the Demons. Slowly, what seemed like a ck Hole opened. It started out little, until it turned massive. It looked big enough that entire houses could fit into them, yet the ck hole kept getting bigger. Purple sparks swirled from within it, and I could sense extremely dangerous amounts of energy. The bad news was... it was Miasma! "It seems I''m not toote..." A malevolent voice emerged from the dark crevice that formed in the sky, and a Demon proceeded out. He hadrge, twisted horns, and his expensive-looking garb connoted that of royalty. He had a dangerously purple gleam in his eyes, and darkness covered the usual whites one could find in regr folks. This was a Demon! However... ''N-no way! My God...!'' ... It wasn''t any ordinary Demon. Every ounce of confidence I had built slowly started to crumble as my body shuddered. The reality of the situation was slowly flipping, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. After all... "So, a good deal of you surrendered already. How disappointing. Yet you call yourselves Demons?" His gaze wasn''t even on me, but rather the lower life forms that existed underneath him. "W-we can exin!" "I-I was trying to buy time!" "I-I was going to kill himter!" "L-Lord Vale¡ª" "How unsightly... begone." With a snap of his fingers, dark ruptures appeared on the faces of every single person who surrendered, sucking their heads off in an instant. Blood sttered as their bodies fell in a heavy thud. Just like that... all of the Demons who surrendered met their end. ''N-no... this is bad. This is really bad!'' I could hardly move due to the pressure. Within my thoughts were multiple questions and alternatives¡ªall of which seemed to be dead ends. "Do not think you will get off easy because I spared your lives. I believe mymand was to win or die trying. The fact that your worthless lives remain shows how disobedient you are." The Demon spoke to the surviving Demons. I trembled in fear and utter suspense. Was he going to kill them too? Knowing this character''s personality, he was very much capable of such. "Your punishments wille after I''m done here." Apparently, he wasn''t going to dispose of them. However, with that came a different problem. The noble-like Demon now slowly fixed his gaze on me. It was absolutely terrifying! "To think a mere human caused this much chaos. You tamed those monsters and made those Golems? Interesting..." He rubbed his goatee and gave an amused expression. It only served to terrify me more. "My name is Valefor, human. I do not require your name since you''ll be meeting your end right here and now." A malevolent aura emanated from him, giving every word he uttered the weight of authority. ''Oh, I know who you are, Valefor...'' He was one of the Lords in the Demon Realm¡ªa Duke in his own right. In the T.W.T.S.S. Novel, he possessed the second most powerful kind of rank among the Demons¡ªthe first being the title of Demon King! ''He''s known to be ruthless, maniptive, and greedy... not to talk of incredibly strong.'' To think the first Upper ss Demon I ever ever saw in this world would be a Demon Lord! "Since this is a battle, I hope you don''t mind me inviting a small portion of my army as well..." Demon Lord Valefor''s condescending tone brought me back to reality. His words shook me to my core. ''N-no way. Please, no...'' He wasn''t going to do it, was he? The massive portal behind him was still open, and I could sense the energy within it rising at an abnormal rate. "... You know, to make things fair." This was bad! This was really bad! "I hope your army below can withstand them... a few of the monsters I brought along." "N¡ªno wa¡ª!!!" "ROOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!!!" Before I could even react, multiple beasts surged from the ck hole, swooping to the ground as they began their spree of havoc. It instantly dawned on me that I had been wrong all along. ''I should have known as much when everything seemed to work out too well!'' Nothing was going ording to n... not anymore! Chapter 164 Duking It Out With A Duke [Pt 1] Sure, I had my suspicions that the ten Mid-Demons weren''t the only ones involved in the invasion on Dulum. I thought that perhaps some bigwig was calling the shots. I didn''t understand the reason why, though... at least not until after seeing the resources buried under Dulum. It was official¡ªthis city had value! Some hotshot probably used a Divining Orb and found this spot. Yes, that had to be the only exnation. For one, if it was a major power in the Demon Realm¡ªsay, a Duke¡ªthe army would be a lot more devastating, whether it was against a.human civilization or not. They would have definitely sent more impressive people. That was why I assumed the bad guys were probably some folks who couldn''t afford to do any better. At this point, though, I realized how dumb that logic was. After all... the true mastermind turned out to be one of the greatest menaces in this world¡ªDemon Lord Valefor himself! * * * >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< Several beasts poured out of Valefor''s gate. They were humongous, horrendous creatures, having massive bodies. Compared to the Labyrinth monsters, these were the cream of the crop. Massive carnivorous worms, terrifying Demon Beasts, and even several Hydras. ''One of the smaller versions of the Hydra here was the Final Boss of the Great Helios Labyrinth... this is unbelievable!'' The monsters numbered only a thousand, yet their might was enough to make my own army look like fodder. I was still in shock, wondering what to do next with the emergence of these nerve-wracking forces, when I heard the damning voice of my foe. "This should solve the basic requirement of a battle. Now, then... shall we begin?" ''No... no wait!'' "Destroy them all." >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< In an instant, the massive beasts lunged toward my army¡ªboth the Golems and monsters¡ªtearing them apart in a sh. ''No! Shit!'' I wasn''t particrly concerned about the wellbeing of any of my foot soldiers anymore. No, there was something more important that would ur as a consequence of their demise! ''If they kill all the soldiers, their next target will be the humans in Dulum!'' I had to prevent that at all costs. However¡ª!!! "I certainly hope you have not forgotten about me." The Demon Lord, Valefor stared coldly at me. I waspletely stuck. With every second I wasted, my soldiers were dying. However, the choice on what to do was difficult. ''I have to hurry... fast!'' There was no time to think very hard. I had to employ a basic strategy that ensured I prevented the utter demise of my army, while also focusing on the prime antagonist here. ''Looks like I have to reduce the number of monsters he summoned. That''s the best first step!'' Using Inventory, I summoned several Mana Bombs andunched them in multiple directions. "What''s that contraption?" Valefor asked, watching as the orbs lunged in multiple directions¡ªtoward his enemies. ''Ah, right. Demons would rather not use Mana Bombs since the damage caused by it doesn''t add to their EXP. They never developed it too, because it''s too simple.'' As a result, I had an edge. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!< As nned, the Mana Bombs worked wonders, and many of the summoned monsters died. Still, they were still plenty enough to be overpowering. A desperate seat fell from my brow. "Ah, I see. An explosion. I can''t allow that, now can I?" I felt the Miasma from Demon Lord Valefor rise, but before I could even react... "Ah, shi¡ª" ... He teleported right in front of me and shoved a purple st in front of me. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< Instantly, I rapidly descended to the ground. The st nearly made me lose consciousness, and the damage was great, even though I was supposed to be protected by my Crystal. >K-KRIKKKAAAA< The crystal shattered instantly, and I found myself in the worst situation ever. >WHUSH< Valefor suddenly appeared directly overhead, gazing down on me with a cold stare. "Nice barrier. It seems one wasn''t enough." The Demon Lord stretched out his hand, sending another st my way. This time, things were going to get fatal. As such, I had no choice but to use all the Skills at my disposal... just to survive. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< I crashed to the ground, creating a massive crater upon my descent. "Gark!" I found myself coughing out blood, feeling the entirety of my being sizzling as a result of the damage. Fortunately, it wasn''t fatal. "Oh? A draconic form. Interesting..." The being floating above memented. He was in his base state, yet this Demon was pushing me this far. ''I''ll have to cancel the [Domination] effect I have on the monsters now. There''s no point since they''re worthless now.'' I needed to be able to utilize all of my Mana, while resorting to my Mana Batteries when I required them. ''This will take everything out of me!'' The reason why I was so cautious and pessimistic about my situation wasn''t solely due to my opponent''s title, or his infamy in the novel. No, it was because of something I was seeing right before my eyes. ''Demon Lord Valefor... Level 250.'' He was far stronger than me! ***************** The Demon Generals¡ªay least the ones who survived and we''re conscious¡ªwere immensely grateful that they had not surrendered. It seemed Pierrus was spot-on concerning his decision. His instincts had been correct, after all. "Whew! Thank goodness..." Kiko heaved a sigh of relief. "If he hadn''t killed your Dragon, would you have joined him?" The utilitarian beside her asked in suspicion. "W-what? No wayy! All hail the Demon Race!" She sharply responded. Truthfully, she considered joining the human. If he had asserted more pressure, she was probably going to change her initial stance. However, seeing that same intimidating figure get schooled by their leader, Kiko was grateful for not being so impatient. "It seems the battle is as good as done." Heshu murmured, looking at how the advantage now belonged to the Demons. "Did you predict this would happen? Is that why you didn''t surrender.?" Pierrus asked the de-facto leader. "Not at all. I just... thought it would be my lot to die against a stronger foe. That''s all." Chapter 165 Duking It Out With The Duke [Pt 2] Silence engulfed Heshu''s words, and the younger Demons¡ªKiko and Pierrus¡ª gave him an irreverent gaze. ''This crazy boomer.'' They must have thought. "In any case, let''s go retrieve Adu and Hogun from the battlefield. I saw them fall from the sky before, but I wasn''t able to help them then." The current battle between Lord Valefor''s army and the human''s forces was getting messier and dangerous by the minute. The Demon Generals literally had nothing better to do, and they preferred not to join in on the fight. As a result, the best thing to resort to was rescuing theirrades. "Let''s hope they''re still alive." Kiko smiled. "Idiot." Pierrus murmured in response. "H-hey!" Heshu sighed as he nced at the two. It was tiring being around people like these, but wasn''t he meant to be more grateful that he was alive? ''Still, though, how much longer will I live?'' This had been the perfect opportunity to be killed, and yet... he was saved once again. Heshu wasn''t actively seeking death, neither did he find any prospect in one''s life being extinguished. Regardless, he didn''t despise his own death. ''I can''t grow any further. I''m at my limit. I''ve been stocking up on Magic Items, but there''s only so many I can afford or that are even avable to the Middle ss.'' In the end, his life was slowly losing purpose. If it was his lot to live, he would live. If it was finally time to die, he had to ept it. Not just for himself, but also for everyone around him. ''The Humans. The Demons... whether or not one wins or loses... it''s determined by a person''s lot.'' The three Demon Generals finally proceeded into the thick of the battle, having no other aim than to retrieve their two unconsciousrades. * * * ''W-what''s going on?!'' Zabdel asked himself in utter shock. No, his question was mostly rhetorical. He knew exactly what the problem was, and how horrific it was. The Legendary Dragon yer had been true to his word, and took care of the Demon Army all by himself. He would have won! However, amid their cheers and early celebration of victory, someone else arrived. Someone who made them shiver, even though they were under the protection of an extremely sturdy barrier. ''W-who....is that?!'' Sweat fell from.his face as he gulped. Not only was he extremely scary, but even his level of danger could not be quantified by Zabdel. The neer Demon summoned frenzied monsters, and also easily sted away the Legendary Dragon yer. "N-no... this is bad..." His thoughts identally leaked out and formed words. The monsters were absolutely massive, and they were overpowering their champion''s army. Not only that, but their champion seemed to be helpless in the enemy''s presence. It made Zabdel¡ªno, everyone on Dulum¡ªrealize just how powerful the Demon was. "I-is he... a leader among them?" He whispered. Unease swirled in his heart, and Zabdel began pondering something else. Something akin to retreating. "Most likely. He''s most likely a Demon Lord." Sarah Lyniette spoke from behind him. The Vice Guildmaster nced at the Priestess, who also cast a slightly worried look. "Are you concerned about the Legendary Dragon yer?" It was a foolish question, but the middle aged man asked anyway. "Not exactly. I believe the Her¡ªI mean, Sam, can ovee any difficulty." Zabdel was amazed by the woman''s faith. Even though he had just seen the Legendary Dragon yer perform so many miraculous things, he still wasn''t certain that their champion could handle the current predicament. Perhaps even he did not expect it! "He will win... I believe that." Sarah softly smiled. "Then why do you look worried?" Zabdel must not have believed her. That or he was simply perplexed. Why would Sarah look worried when she had absolute faith. It didn''t add up. "I''m not worried about Sam. I''m more concerned with the effects. Sam will win... but at what cost?" Zabdel still didn''t understand. What was she implying. "A few craters have already been created due to this battle. You can expect to see some more. This fight... will be extremely destructive." "A-ah..." Zabdel slowly realized what Sarah was implying. When two elephants fought, the grasses they trampled underneath would be the ones to suffer. Even though the Legendary Dragon yer was powerful beyond imagination, so was his adversary. "We should brace ourselves for impa¡ª" >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM< Instantly, a portion of the blue barrier around them was invaded, and Sam¡ªDulum''s champion¡ªdescended from the sky. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< He helplessly crashed on into Dulum, devastating buildings in the process. Even in his draconic state, the man looked hurt beyond belief. He groaned, shuddering as he struggled to rise from the debris caused by his impact into the city. "So this is the city''s interior." A voice appeared from above. It belonged to Valefor, who was now within the dome. He had easily teleported inside¡ªunaffected by the resistance offered by the city''s azureyer of protection. As for Sam, who was recognized by the barrier already, his body was allowed entry into the city. As such, even though it wasn''t his intention... the location of Sam''s battle with the Boss was now in the very ce he wanted to protect. ************* "Haa... haaa..." I was running out of breath, and Mana. Using [Five Seconds Rule: Advanced] allowed me to see more into the future, but it took a great chunk of my MP. Besides, was there really a point in seeing the future when my opponent didn''t even give me any breathing room? I had been bombarded by him ever since the battle started, giving me no chance to rest. The only reason I still have MP left were my crystals, and thanks to this recent attack, all of them were now destroyed. ''I''m on my own.'' "Look at this ce. Is it even worthy of being called a city?" Valefor''s words echoed as he slowly descended. I couldn''t argue with him in that regard. I also thought the same thing when I first arrived here, after all. However... "A ce full maggots and worms. The resources buried here are like pearls before swine. Vermin like you deserve none of them." ... This ce was still precious to me! Chapter 166 Is This How It Ends?! [Pt 1] As I suspected, the Demons were here for the goods beneath the Great Helios Labyrinth. Even for a race as prosperous as theirs, the deposits found under Dulum were worth a lot. I reckoned my opponent required the resources to get an edge over the other Demon Lords. ''Because of that, Dulum is in danger!'' "Huff... huff..." I struggled to rise to my feet. [Freedom Of Expression] had me looking calm, but I was in a panic internally. "Oh? You still have strength in your legs, eh? You also do not appear worried. How interesting." I strengthened my body with all the Skills I could muster. A Demon Lord of this caliber wasn''t going down easily, so I had to give it my all. ''Even if my opponent is Level 250!'' I had no other means to fight, after all. My best bet was to believe that I could oust him in a battle of attrition. ''Thanks to the [Hero] Title, I''ll always recover as long as there''s enough time. If I use my future vision well and do my best tost as long as I can, then¡ª'' It was indeed possible! I could do it! [.] [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule: Advanced <2> Rune crafting <3> Absolute Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power ¡ªWarrior''s Skin (Byron) ¡ªBlessing Of Recovery (Sarah) ¡ªBlessing Of Power (Sarah) ¡ªMana Strengthening (Lucy) ¡ªMarite (Lilith) ¡ªEvil Eye (Lilith) <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Grand Predator <8> Draconic Transformation <9> Domination <10> Evil Warding de <11> Miasma <12> I Believe I Can Fly <13> Unification <14> Am I A Zombie? <15> Switch <16> Hire Purchase [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter <5> Dragon Hunter <6> Fool <7> ve Master <8> Demon Contractor <9> The One Who Unifies <10> Demon yer <11> Irregrity among Irregrs [End Of Information] [.] I probably had more Skills and Titles than the enemy anyway. It was best to use that to my advantage. "Let''s roll!" Gritting my teeth, I began building up power to lunge at the enemy. ''First things first... take the fight away from the city!'' >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< I sped past the debris and propelled my body toward Valefor, my levitating opponent. Even with [Five Seconds Rule: Advanced] act, he seemed totally still. I discovered he had a barrier I would sh with if I ended up trying a direct confrontation, so I avoided that route. ''Then¡ª!'' I instantly used to change my ss into that of a Warrior: Knight. I also summoned the , using to swiftly obtain Skills in the Knight department. Of course, I also spent all my Stat Points to ensuring I was in optimal condition for a fight. ''Abination of the de I wield as well as these other stacked up benefits of being a Knight is magnificent. This is probably the best form I can take currently...'' "Haaaaa!!!" Rushing toward the target with a terrifying swing¡ªbacked up by several enhancements and a Knight Skill known as ¡ªnot to mention the ''s effect, I expected to partially obliterate my target... or at least drive him out of the city. Unfortunately¡ª "Is this really all?" ¡ªI was too optimistic. Demon Lord Valefor was right beside me, at this point. Clearly, he hadpletely evaded my attack, and he was well within range. A smile formed on his face as he stared at my still body. I trembled internally due to his pressure, and it felt like I would faint at any given time. "Do you call that an attack?" I was about to respond to him when several sharp spikes pierced my dragon scaleyered body. The dark des easily tore through my skin, causing my blood to ooze out. "Guark!" I coughed out the blood that overflowed to my mouth, feeling several portions of body scream out in pain Unfortunately, I had no pain nullification Skill. "G-aah..." I controlled myself, ring at the malefactor, who seemed amused to see me suffer. I attempted to fight back, but a sudden explosion sent me crashing to the ground, creating a muchrger crater. I waspletely powerless¡ªtreated as a toy while the opponent easily handled me like I was nothing. This humiliation coursed through me... causing even my iron will to waver. ''Damnit... can I actually... win?'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" Suddenly, I heard several loud footsteps. It was almost as though a stampede rushed in my direction, and for a moment, my blurred vision attempted to make sense of what was uring. Once I did, my eyes widened in shock. ''N-no. No way!'' Marching in their multitude were all the Adventurers and allies I had. They had resolute expressions on their faces, and they all donned their best weapons. Even though I was the one meant to protect them, it seemed they truly wanted to defend me. ''Y-you guys...'' My thoughts hazily trailed as I recovered from the damage I had built up. ? Valefor was also looking in the direction of my human supporters. Once I saw the violent twinkle in his eyes, I understood! "No... you guys... don''t..." My voice was weak, but I stretched out my hand to pass my message across. Rising from my crater while doing my best to speak, my bulging eyes pleaded with everyone to BACK OFF! "... STAY BAC¡ª" >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< shes of purple lightning and dark mes burst forth, instantly consuming the people. I heard their screams, but their voices of agony were drowned by the eruption of Valefor''s attack. My eyes bulged as I saw thend scorched. Buildings were in shambles, and the people who had just arrived to defend their Hero were now severely injured and writhing in pain. "I can never understand humans. They came here just to die." Valefor murmured. He didn''t even seem out of energy after expending so much power. I knew he had some Magic Items that improved his power, but wasn''t this too much. "They''re not dead yet. Maybe one more..." He stretched out his hand for another round. I didn''t think my heart could take any more. "No... no way!" Gritting my teeth, I steadied myself to stop the enemy. "NO WAY!" Chapter 167 Is This How It Ends [Pt 2] "STOOOOPPP!!!" Somehow, I felt stronger than before. My power peaked to a new point, and I gripped my de with greater conviction. Hearing the pained moans and groans of my allies made me incredibly vexed, but also offered the motivation I required. Ignoring the smoke and thick dust, I plunged into the sky and prepared to hack down the enemy. >SWOOOOOOSSHHH< The Demon teleported the instant I almost reached him. ''Gotcha!'' A grin escaped my lips almost instantly. Sure, Valefor was fast, but his next location was already spotted by my precognition. There was no way I was letting my prey escape! >VWUUUUSSSHHH< I changed trajectory and lunged at Valefor''s new location, pouring all my energy into the swing. >FWOOOOOSSSHHHH< "Enough." I saw his next action, but was unable to evade the heavy blow. Multiple purple orbs all appeared from around me, expanding before I could escape their midst. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM< My defenses were not nearly enough, and the heavy damage sent me crashing to the ground. "G-gark!" Thankfully, I had more durability thanks to my current ss, but time was already up. Even with all the buffs, I couldn''t keep up. "You''re fast, human. You could have definitely kept up in my base form. Unfortunately for you, I can see through all of your moves." Valefor''s voice sounded from above me. ''N-no way...!'' Why didn''t I realize it sooner. So, I wasn''t the only one who could see the future. He could too! "I''m ending this farce now." Several specks of purple orbs appeared¡ªlike literal dust particles¡ªthey surrounded me. No... not just me! I looked around, and even the recovering Adventurers were all surrounded by the purple orbs. ''No.... stop!'' My eyes widened. My heart began racing at breakneck speed, and I instantly lost control of my emotions. Perhaps it was because I already knew the future thanks to my precognitive ability, or because I knew it was impossible to stop it. "Nooooo!!!" Tears flew from my eyes. Thest image I got of the Adventurers, including Sarah and everyone else... was how they looked at me with confidence. Even in their injured state, they believed I could save them! "No wai¡ª!!!" >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< Just like everyone else, I was engulfed in the explosion. It spanned across a great distance, consuming over half of the city as a result. "GARRHHHHHH!!!" I felt my entire Dragon body get scorched off, and even my skin was burning beyond ehat I could bear. It was torture¡ªand the only way I could survive was thanks to my several Skills that strengthened me. ''T-the others!'' Unlike me... no one else in the town could afford that kind of protection. "Oh? It seems you''re more stubborn than I expected." Valefor descended andnded on the devastated grounds of Dulum. Smoke ascended to the air¡ªso thick that everywhere seemed to be covered in fog. Of course, with my heightened senses, it wasn''tpletely imperceivable for me. "You protected them with your barrier. Not bad. I thought you had a Warrior ss, though." Valefor was correct. The denizens of Dulum were not dead yet¡ªthough the explosion would have definitely turned them into cinders of smoke and ash. I had used every ounce of my MP to summon a massive shield to protect them after using to be a Mage. It took almost everything I had, but... at the very least no one was dead. Quickly, I summoned a potion from my Inventory and consumed it, raising my hand to cast as many Spells as I could. "[mes From Heaven]. [Thunderbolt Of Gods]. [Four Elements sh]." Exhausting all of my MP in the process, I directed the most dangerous Spells in my arsenal toward the enemy. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!< Another great portion of the city was destroyed, but I had be desperate. Surely, this would do something! ''Right?? RIGHT?!!'' "Now throwing spells like a madman? It''s pointless." My opponent appeared unscathed. He proceeded from the smoke, clearing everything around him with a gust of fierce wind. It was at this moment¡ªseeing Demon Lord Valefor unaffected by my fiercest struggle¡ªthat I realized how pointless my struggle was. Desperation slowly morphed into despair, and the creeping fear within me surfaced. I had known this all along, hadn''t I? "I can''t do this..." Smoke filled the air as debris littered the ground. From the corner of my eyes, I could spot myrades¡ªno, my subordinates. They had been defeated so easily, barely alive due to myst-minute protection. But for how long? As they struggled for their lives, I basked in despondency. Despair crept upon me, and the personification of my fears stood a short distance from me. "It is impossible to defeat me." Valefor smiled. He was right. A minute ago, I would have vehemently disagreed with that logic. I had sought whatever means I could to win. I had used my Arcana Call. I bluffed. I did everything! ''I-I tried all I could think of... nothing works...'' I thought I prepared for everything. How wrong could I have possibly been? Perhaps if I had one more chance... maybe things could be different. ''The Fool is out ofmission, and I can''t beat this one even if my Stats are all restored.'' Nothing could avail me at this point. ''They all depended on me... yet I couldn''t do anything. Everyone will die here... so will I.'' Frustration welled up within me¡ªand so did regret. Why did I ever think I could do this? I... I should not havee here! I couldn''t even rewind time any longer. This was the dead end! "It seems you''ve already epted your fate." I raised my head with thest bit of my energy, watching the silhouette of the Demon Lord with my blurry vision. Defeating something like this was downright impossible. "Now... die." Something appeared within the Valefor''s grasp. It was reddish, and the object had a peculiar shape. Was that... a heart? ''Haaaa...'' My thoughts trailed as the realization dawned on me. The Demon''s monstrous ws finally squashed the red heart, sending a painful¡ªindescribably painful¡ªsensation coursing through me. ''... This really is the end.'' "GUARK!" With my final cough of blood, I felt everything go nk. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [All Chances Of Restoration Have Been Exhausted] [YOU HAVE DIED!] * * * [A/N] Well, it has been a great journey with everyone. I want to thank you all for supporting this book this far. I think it''s time I drop... an announcement. Don''t worry, the story isn''t over. Lol Just try to encourage this author by giving reviews, writingments, sending gifts, etc. It''s been a really... rough time of the year for me. And its funny cus the year is just starting. Thanks for reading. I hope to keep publishing chapters for you all. Cheers! Chapter 168 DO NOT READ DO NOT UNLOCK What is a Hero? When I was a kid, I used to watch lots of movies and animated series. I would see folks like Superdude and Bad save the day on countless asions. Then there were teams thatprised several heroes. Superhero groups like Justice Team, or the Revengers. Heroes came in many shapes and sizes¡ªsome being regr dudes with no special powers or anything. However, after many years of watching them¡ªand even dreaming of bing one at a particr point¡ªI noticed something. They all had something inmon. TRUST! The ''Trust'' of the people. That was what separated Heroes from vigntes or Anti-Heroes. Everyone believes the Hero. They love the Hero. They respect the Hero. And so, as someone who desired to reach that status, I realized what kind of man I wanted to be. Someone who saves others... someone others can rely on! But... ... As people grow up, they forget their childish ambitions. I was the same. I outgrew that desire and became a selfish, introverted Weeb. Other than the desire to consume vast amounts of novels, anime, manga,ics, and food, I literally cared about nothing and no one else. However, everything changed when I came across ''that'' novel. "Transmigrated With The Strongest System." The moment I read it... my life was forever changed. And that was why it became the best for me. A single volume rekindled the fire that I thought had died. The desire to be a true Hero! ************* ''Haa... no one understands these things...'' A single man can not build an empire. As the Hero, I was revered as a supreme being, capable of pretty much anything. I was pretty sure they thought I could totally blitz the Demon King if I wanted to. Bunch of idiots! No, perhaps I was the fool. Thanks to my misrepresentation, everyone now ced more trust in me than I wanted. I did everything myself¡ªat least in the department of nning. As a result, no one in this settlement thought for themselves. ''It''s convenient now, but it''ll be a bigger pain in the future.'' I couldn''t allow our current situation to fester! That said... "I am your Hero, am I not?" "WOOOHOOOOO!!!" Cheers echoed in my ears, almost making my eardrums burst. Even though these people obliviously followed me due to their mistaken notion, it wasn''t all bad. After all, their naivete saved me an incalcble amount of time that would have been used for exnations and tons of convincing. "I have rescued you from the scourge of the Demons. I have promised never to let you down. Now, I ask of you all..." It was thanks to their unwavering faith in the Hero¡ªin me¡ªthat I could pull this off. "... Will you trust me once more?" As expected, their reactions did not disappoint. "WE DOOOOOOOO!!!" Despite everyone''s dissatisfaction with the Demons. Regardless of their animosity with the vilest, most oppressive race in this world. Even with their hatred and the unimaginable sufferings they had experienced thanks to the evil beings... ... Everything was inconsequential before the Hero''s decision. ''Autocracy has its merits, after all!'' And so, with a single speech dering my intentions to adopt the Demons into our society¡ªas workers, of course¡ªmy subjects readily agreed. Their absolute trust in me rang true, and I was even able to get even more achievements as a result. For example; [Your Skill: With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power has evolved] I was so hyped when I saw this! Many other rewards came flooding in¡ªmostly Stat Points and Karmic Value. As I was watched by both Demons and Humans, a new Title popped in. [The One Who Unifies] I was surprised to get this one. Even Damien didn''t get it till his 5th Round. It was an important Title thatpletely changed the game... and I received it so easily! ''Looks like I made the right choice, after all.'' Truthfully, things were moving much faster than I imagined. I hadn''t even spent a month in this brave new world, yet so many balls were rolling. I could only handle so much, after all. ''There''s so much to be done now...'' Not only did we need more allies and resources, we also needed to expand our territory. That meant more manpower and security. Sure, the costs would increase, but if we had a much bigger and efficient workforce, we could even the odds and rake in more profit. My thoughts were not merely on this single patch ofnd. Ultimately, the world would have to know of my existence as the Hero who would lead them to victory. ''Everything starts from now.'' I watched everyone with eyes brimming with hope. I was no fraud, and I indeed wanted the best for these people. Yes, I took advantage of their ignorance. I also gave them the wrong impression on many things. But... wasn''t it all for the greater good? ''Overpowered or not, I''m the Hero...'' Raising my hand, I parted my lips and dered my intentions to everyone who looked up to me. "I will save this world!" As expected, more roars burst forth. I had said a lot of bullshit in the past, and my words could never be trusted. But... this time I meant it. ''This is the world I''m living in now..." "HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''... This is what I always wanted, isn''t it?'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I almost lost everything because of my recklessness. Because of that mistake, I now understand that there''s no going back now...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I''m not Damien. I''m not Selyon. I''m not like them...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''Compared to the big shots in this world, I''m unreasonably weak. But...'' "I will protect everyone, no matter what! I SWEAR ON MY NAME AS THE HERO!" My life in this new world was just beginning. I was responsible for so many people¡ªDemons and Humans alike. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way? Definitely not me! But, now that I had reached this juncture, there was no turning back. ''Not until I defeat the Demon God, and the 19 other Gods. Then... I challenge that ONE.'' It was going to be tough¡ªno, downright impossible. Even with my knowledge, victory wasn''t assured. Just thinking about the long journey that awaited me sent shivers down my spine. But, what sort of Hero would I be if I didn''t confront it head-on? ''If Damien could do it, so can I!'' As long as I yed my cards right, my goals could be achieved. ''I can do it!'' "HERO! HERO! HERO!'' ''I CAN DO THIS!'' * * * [One Month From Now] "I can''t do this..." Smoke filled the air as debris littered the ground. From the corner of my eyes, I could spot myrades¡ªno, my subordinates. They had been defeated so easily. As they struggled for their lives, I basked in despondency. Despair crept upon me, and the personification of my fears stood a short distance from me. "It is impossible to defeat me." A month ago, I would have vehemently disagreed with that logic. I would have sought whatever means I could to win. I would have used my Arcana Call. I would have bluffed. I would have done everything! ''I-I tried all I could think of... nothing works...'' Perhaps if I had one more chance... maybe things could be different. ''The Fool is out ofmission, and I can''t beat this one even if my Stats are all restored.'' Nothing could avail me at this point. ''They all depended on me... yet I couldn''t do anything. Everyone will die here... so will I.'' Frustration welled up within me¡ªand so did regret. Why did I ever think I could do this? I... I should not havee here! "It seems you''ve already epted your fate." I raised my head with thest bit of my energy, watching the silhouette of the Demon with my blurry vision. Defeating something like this was downright impossible. "Now... die." Something appeared within the Demon''s grasp. It was reddish, and the object had a peculiar shape. Was that... a heart? ''Haaaa...'' My thoughts trailed as the realization dawned on me. The Demon''s monstrous ws finally squashed the red heart, sending a painful¡ªindescribably painful¡ªsensation coursing through me. ''... This really is the end.'' "GUARK!" With my final cough of blood, I felt everything go nk. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [All Chances Of Restoration Have Been Exhausted] [YOU HAVE DIED!] * * * * * [End Of The First Arc: Settling In] ~The Second Arc: Demonic Crisis will begin shortly~ I hope you enjoyed the read. Also... If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' Chapter 169 DO NOT READ II DO NOT UNLOCK What is a Hero? When I was a kid, I used to watch lots of movies and animated series. I would see folks like Superdude and Bad save the day on countless asions. Then there were teams thatprised several heroes. Superhero groups like Justice Team, or the Revengers. Heroes came in many shapes and sizes¡ªsome being regr dudes with no special powers or anything. However, after many years of watching them¡ªand even dreaming of bing one at a particr point¡ªI noticed something. They all had something inmon. TRUST! The ''Trust'' of the people. That was what separated Heroes from vigntes or Anti-Heroes. Everyone believes the Hero. They love the Hero. They respect the Hero. And so, as someone who desired to reach that status, I realized what kind of man I wanted to be. Someone who saves others... someone others can rely on! But... ... As people grow up, they forget their childish ambitions. I was the same. I outgrew that desire and became a selfish, introverted Weeb. Other than the desire to consume vast amounts of novels, anime, manga,ics, and food, I literally cared about nothing and no one else. However, everything changed when I came across ''that'' novel. "Transmigrated With The Strongest System." The moment I read it... my life was forever changed. And that was why it became the best for me. A single volume rekindled the fire that I thought had died. The desire to be a true Hero! ************* ''Haa... no one understands these things...'' A single man can not build an empire. As the Hero, I was revered as a supreme being, capable of pretty much anything. I was pretty sure they thought I could totally blitz the Demon King if I wanted to. Bunch of idiots! No, perhaps I was the fool. Thanks to my misrepresentation, everyone now ced more trust in me than I wanted. I did everything myself¡ªat least in the department of nning. As a result, no one in this settlement thought for themselves. ''It''s convenient now, but it''ll be a bigger pain in the future.'' I couldn''t allow our current situation to fester! That said... "I am your Hero, am I not?" "WOOOHOOOOO!!!" Cheers echoed in my ears, almost making my eardrums burst. Even though these people obliviously followed me due to their mistaken notion, it wasn''t all bad. After all, their naivete saved me an incalcble amount of time that would have been used for exnations and tons of convincing. "I have rescued you from the scourge of the Demons. I have promised never to let you down. Now, I ask of you all..." It was thanks to their unwavering faith in the Hero¡ªin me¡ªthat I could pull this off. "... Will you trust me once more?" As expected, their reactions did not disappoint. "WE DOOOOOOOO!!!" Despite everyone''s dissatisfaction with the Demons. Regardless of their animosity with the vilest, most oppressive race in this world. Even with their hatred and the unimaginable sufferings they had experienced thanks to the evil beings... ... Everything was inconsequential before the Hero''s decision. ''Autocracy has its merits, after all!'' And so, with a single speech dering my intentions to adopt the Demons into our society¡ªas workers, of course¡ªmy subjects readily agreed. Their absolute trust in me rang true, and I was even able to get even more achievements as a result. For example; [Your Skill: With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power has evolved] I was so hyped when I saw this! Many other rewards came flooding in¡ªmostly Stat Points and Karmic Value. As I was watched by both Demons and Humans, a new Title popped in. [The One Who Unifies] I was surprised to get this one. Even Damien didn''t get it till his 5th Round. It was an important Title thatpletely changed the game... and I received it so easily! ''Looks like I made the right choice, after all.'' Truthfully, things were moving much faster than I imagined. I hadn''t even spent a month in this brave new world, yet so many balls were rolling. I could only handle so much, after all. ''There''s so much to be done now...'' Not only did we need more allies and resources, we also needed to expand our territory. That meant more manpower and security. Sure, the costs would increase, but if we had a much bigger and efficient workforce, we could even the odds and rake in more profit. My thoughts were not merely on this single patch ofnd. Ultimately, the world would have to know of my existence as the Hero who would lead them to victory. ''Everything starts from now.'' I watched everyone with eyes brimming with hope. I was no fraud, and I indeed wanted the best for these people. Yes, I took advantage of their ignorance. I also gave them the wrong impression on many things. But... wasn''t it all for the greater good? ''Overpowered or not, I''m the Hero...'' Raising my hand, I parted my lips and dered my intentions to everyone who looked up to me. "I will save this world!" As expected, more roars burst forth. I had said a lot of bullshit in the past, and my words could never be trusted. But... this time I meant it. ''This is the world I''m living in now..." "HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''... This is what I always wanted, isn''t it?'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I almost lost everything because of my recklessness. Because of that mistake, I now understand that there''s no going back now...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I''m not Damien. I''m not Selyon. I''m not like them...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''Compared to the big shots in this world, I''m unreasonably weak. But...'' "I will protect everyone, no matter what! I SWEAR ON MY NAME AS THE HERO!" My life in this new world was just beginning. I was responsible for so many people¡ªDemons and Humans alike. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way? Definitely not me! But, now that I had reached this juncture, there was no turning back. ''Not until I defeat the Demon God, and the 19 other Gods. Then... I challenge that ONE.'' It was going to be tough¡ªno, downright impossible. Even with my knowledge, victory wasn''t assured. Just thinking about the long journey that awaited me sent shivers down my spine. But, what sort of Hero would I be if I didn''t confront it head-on? ''If Damien could do it, so can I!'' As long as I yed my cards right, my goals could be achieved. ''I can do it!'' "HERO! HERO! HERO!'' ''I CAN DO THIS!'' * * * [One Month From Now] "I can''t do this..." Smoke filled the air as debris littered the ground. From the corner of my eyes, I could spot myrades¡ªno, my subordinates. They had been defeated so easily. As they struggled for their lives, I basked in despondency. Despair crept upon me, and the personification of my fears stood a short distance from me. "It is impossible to defeat me." A month ago, I would have vehemently disagreed with that logic. I would have sought whatever means I could to win. I would have used my Arcana Call. I would have bluffed. I would have done everything! ''I-I tried all I could think of... nothing works...'' Perhaps if I had one more chance... maybe things could be different. ''The Fool is out ofmission, and I can''t beat this one even if my Stats are all restored.'' Nothing could avail me at this point. ''They all depended on me... yet I couldn''t do anything. Everyone will die here... so will I.'' Frustration welled up within me¡ªand so did regret. Why did I ever think I could do this? I... I should not havee here! "It seems you''ve already epted your fate." I raised my head with thest bit of my energy, watching the silhouette of the Demon with my blurry vision. Defeating something like this was downright impossible. "Now... die." Something appeared within the Demon''s grasp. It was reddish, and the object had a peculiar shape. Was that... a heart? ''Haaaa...'' My thoughts trailed as the realization dawned on me. The Demon''s monstrous ws finally squashed the red heart, sending a painful¡ªindescribably painful¡ªsensation coursing through me. ''... This really is the end.'' "GUARK!" With my final cough of blood, I felt everything go nk. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [All Chances Of Restoration Have Been Exhausted] [YOU HAVE DIED!] * * * * * Also... If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' Chapter 170 For Real? Am I Really Dead?! They say when a person dies, they''re surrounded by pitch ck darkness. Then, they see a brilliant glow that they reach out to¡ªsomething like the light at the end of a tunnel. Well... ... That didn''t really happen to me. * * * "Damnit... I really died." My voice echoed across the vast expanse as I looked around me. It was clear white¡ªlike a vast ocean of nkness. The sky was undiluted with any color, and everywhere I looked had the same color¡ªorck thereof. The nkness seemed to spread for miles, and I couldn''t perceive anything but the natural whites that filled everywhere. I was the only odd one out. ''This sucks...'' I sighed. Having nothing more to do, I sat down. After a while, Iid my back on the clear floor and closed my eyes. There really was nothing I could do. Once you died, it was over. That was a fact I couldn''t argue with. ''I tried my best, but...'' Regret was useless, so I wasn''t going to torture myself with that. Myrades were most likely going to die. Dulum would fall. The Demons would continue their conquest and achieve everything they wanted. Game over! ''Despite how much I tried to postpone it... shouldn''t I have known this was inevitable?'' With another heavy sigh, I wallowed in the white space. I was probably going to be here for a long time, so I had to brace myself. * * * "You''re a strange human, aren''t you?" A voice suddenly appeared from a distance. "Hmm?" I slowly opened my eyes and rose to an upright sitting posture to witness a being who stood a small distance from me. How could I really exin who I saw? The ''thing'' was covered in pure white. It had a nk contrasted from everything else by its gold outlines. A strange power radiated from its body, and I could tell that it was beyond my perception. I simply sat and gawked at the being, silent as heck. What could I say in the presence of such an awesome existence? Withmon sense, anyone could easily tell that this was none other than¡ª "God. I am God." The white being proimed, as though I couldn''t conclude that much. In fact, anyone with a decent amount of IQ would have been able to figure that out already. "Wee to my domain." He seemed proud, for some reason. But, this was simply apletely nk space. It was devoid of life or color, or anything else. Justpletely bare. "O-okay..." Despite all my thoughts, I could only leak out a few stutters of nervousness. "So, as you can guess already... you''re dead. Usually, your body would just dpose and your Soul would be broken down into the foundation of the world, but... since you''re not an original resident of this world, you''ve been caught up here." The God exined. ''....'' I stared nkly at him, wondering what sort of expression he had to be making. There were a million things I wanted to say to this dude, but I kept quiet about them. It was best to let him talk, for now. "I have been watching your struggles since you got transmigrated to this world. It must have been difficult, yeah?" I dumbly nodded. "Well, you were summoned. There''s hardly anything I could have done about it. But to help you out... I gave you a gift, you know?" "Uh?" At this point, with no [Freedom Of Expression] or any other Skill working, I couldn''t control my facial reaction well. I gave a nd expression of surprise, trying my best to appear more shocked. "The Arcana Call you''ve used for a couple of times now... [The Fool]. I gave you that as a gift, so you could survive in this world." "Wha...?" "Surprised? Well, I am a generous God. I figured you''d probably not survive this world without a little divine help. I''m a little amazed you were able to operate it seamlessly, though. I thought I''d have to exin its workings to you first." "Haha... that was just luck. I watch a lot of anime, after all." It was a good thing he didn''t know about the T.W.T.S.S. Novel. Everything he had said or done was proof that he had no idea about the book. "Anime? Is that a term from your old world?" The white being asked, cocking his head. I had to say, this entity was very good¡ªeven better than me¡ªat acting. After all, almost everything he said were tant lies. Pure bullshit! ''You im not to have anything to do with the Transmigration when you''re the sole reason I''m here! You dragged me into this world, and you''re not taking responsibility.'' And just look how he shamelessly said he gave me [The Fool] as a gift, as if he had any other choice. Everything, from the System to my Title, was designed by this guy. ''And talk about misrepresentation! Why does he call himself God as though he''s the only one. He''s ''The Foolish God'', the least among all his siblings.'' He brought me to his realm to gloat and pretend to be benevolent when everything thus far was his fault. Fortunately, I knew the storyline well. ''Damien fell for his words and made so many errors because of this fraud. I don''t n on doing the same!'' After all, Spoiler Alert, this very entity before me served as the main antagonist of the T.W.T.S.S. Story. "Y-yes. Anime is a source of entertainment from my original world." Iughed nervously. He was pretending not to know about Anime when he practically snatched me from my world and brought me here. ''I have some concerns, though...'' My thoughts trailed as I tried my best not to let my suspicions show. In the first ce, why wasn''t it Damien who was summoned, but me? So far, everything seemed to add up. The setting, the abilities, even the antagonist. But, why was I the protagonist and not Damien from the Novel? I had no idea, really. That was why I initially wanted to see how my interlocutor would act before I drew any conclusions. Regardless, I needed more information. "Haha. Is that so? You''re an interesting young man. Even when you died and appeared here, I expected you to panic, even if just a little. Yet, you just epted it so easily. It didn''t seem like you were so eager to die." As I expected, this Foolish God'' had been watching me since I arrived here¡ªjust like the creep he was. In the original story, Damien''s first death ured not long after he was summoned into the first world. He was tasked with saving the settlement, just like me. However, with no sense of what was happening, or how to use his Arcana Call, he died miserably. When he arrived in this ce, he waspletely freaked out. I believe he spent a great deal of time here, going crazy and being mentally weakened, before the Foolish God'' appeared and deceived him. As a result, he made a grave mistake from the start of the series. In return, though, the Foolish God taught him on his Skills, Titles, sses, and also the Arcana Call. Damien was eventually resurrected by the Foolish God, who called it a second chance, and he was able to use his Arcana Call to reset the timeline. Once he did so, though, he ran away from the settlement... and everyone within it died. ''Yup! Not the best moment for our MC.'' Unlike him, however, I took apletely different route. I didn''t need the Foolish God to exin anything to me, and I had so much knowledge that I put it to good use. I was able to avoiding here altogether... and I would have preferred it if things never ended up like this. Now that they had, though, I was sure the lunatic in front of me would have questions pertaining to how I survived for so long without his ''help.'' "Well, I have watched a lot of Anime, after all. I know about ces like heaven, so I didn''t really fret. Plus, I know about concepts of Gods, that''s why I wasn''t too shocked when I saw you." "Keke... is that so?" This dude was making me more nervous the more I stayed here. Even though he was the most inferior of his siblings, the fact that he was the main antagonist of the series showed how formidable he was. Besides, blitzing me with a single thought would be a piece of cake for a God. I stood no chance. ''I just need to find a way to drive this conversation well...'' The Foolish God, despite his name, remained one of the most intelligent in the series¡ªif not the most. His cunning and ability to set up his master n was what made the plot of the original novel so intriguing. In terms of deceit and nning, he was by far the strongest. Damien was very impressive, but it wasn''t due to his natural prowess alone that he won. Someone like this was almost impossible to win against. The only advantage I had was my knowledge of all of these things. ''That''s why I''m certain of one thing, at the very least.'' A smile formed on my face as I calcted just what step I had to take to achieve the optimal result. ''I''m going to get resurrected. It''s only a matter of how!'' * * * [A/N] I''m sorry for the clone chapters. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and you understand what is happening so far. Things are about to get wild. Thanks for reading. Chapter 171 How Not To Deal With A God ording to the timeline of the original novel, Damien was killed pretty early¡ªjust a few minutes after he was summoned for the first time. It wasn''t his fault, though. Being an average modern guy, he was thrust into a strange world of Magic. As if that wasn''t enough, he was summoned amid a Demon invasion. There was nothing he could do, and death was the inevitable oue. When he died, our MC arrived in this nk space¡ªThe Realm of the Foolish God. Being in a strange domain, the innocent and confused boy was left with yet more questions. He spent an immeasurable period trying to make sense of his predicament, and no one answered him despite how hard he cried out. It was only until he was at the brink ofplete despondency that he was finally greeted with the presence of the divine being who called himself God. You see, the Foolish God must have wanted to strain the boy''s mind to the very limits, pushing him to the very edge of his sanity. That way, he would be much easier to manipte and less suspicious of his words. And it worked! Damien foolishly struck a deal with the Foolish God. He sold his freedom to the God, bing his Apostle and devour follower. Of course, it wasn''t clear what was happening on the surface, but Damien eventually found out he had been yed. Unfortunately, by the time he arrived at this realization, it was toote. The horrid Foolish God used the MC, and manipted a lot of his actions throughout the series. The only silver lining was Damien''s badass intelligence and how he managed to resolve the conflict at the very end. Now... it was my turn! * * * "So, what now?" I asked the white being who stood before me. I remained seated, not intending on moving an inch from my position. If I was to give a reason, I would simply say I was too scared to move... or any BS like that. The truth was that the Foolish God frightened me. Knowing what he was capable of, and his true intentions for me and the world I wanted to save, caused every fiber of my being to tremble. Still... there was no way I could show such weakness! ''At the very least, so he doesn''t suspect anything.'' I was fortunate not to be a denizen of his world. If that was the case, then he would be able to read my mind and even downright control me. Since he couldn''t do all that, the most the Foolish God could achieve was to deceive and manipte me. I gulped and awaited his response. "Hmmm. It''s kind of unfair how you just died, especially when you were trying to protect the denizens of that city. Such a shame indeed." I stifled myugh and nodded in agreement, trying to appear as sullen as I could. Most people would consider my interlocutor to be sincere, but I knew him more than a lot of things about the book. Yes, the Foolish God was a mysterious being. He was shrouded in deceit and paradoxes. However, for someone who had seen the series over and over again¡ªplus, being an active member in the T.W.T.S.S. fandom, I was privy to more than enough Intel. ''Conspiracy theories. Canon materials. Easter Eggs.'' I was aware of them all! Including the fact that the Foolish God had no power in the current world I was in. ''The current world I have been summoned to belongs to the Demon God¡ªthis guy''s sibling.'' Thus, the God in front of me wasn''t omniscient or omnipotent in any way. He didn''t have any direct hold on the events or events that went on in the world. Unfortunately, there was one exception. It was the only thing that directly linked the Foolish God with me and the world I was in. ''My Arcana Call! Every time I use it, he gets to see every single memory I have and the events that ur.'' Thanks to that, he knew about the current events that were uring in the Demon God''s world. Calcting the time it took for me to die, as well as the fact that the reboot time for using my Arcana Call hadn''t been reached, the Foolish God must have surmised that I was still stuck in the same event. ''Since he''s well versed in studying the respective worlds by appointing Apostles to serve as his eyes and ears, he has inflow of Intel. That''s why he can plot all he likes.'' Damien became his Apostle too, giving the Foolish God an even greater hold on the world so he could further his ns. ''I don''t have the ability to resist this guy, so I can only y along with him. But... I refuse to be an Apostle!'' "You know, I can probably resurrect you. However, to do that, certain conditions must be met." The Foolish God spoke, waking me from my deep thoughts. "U-uh?" I leaked out a tone of surprise. Of course, that wasn''t really the case for me. He wasn''t lying about that factor. In fact, the Foolish God hardly ever lied. He simply twisted the truth and yed on the intelligence of those he interacted with... a true personification of evil. "The conditions are quite simple, but also difficult." He added. I nodded slowly, waiting to hear what he had to say. "You need an anchor from this dimension to the world you died in. Something alive. The most effective way is a contract." ''Ah, well... he''s not lying.'' There had to be a medium of transportation from one world to another, after all. To begin with, for me to even manifest in this world, the denizens had to use a Hero Summoning Circle. In essence, a bridge that connected their reality with mine. One could call it a tether, or an anchor, but some sort of medium had to exist. That was the absolute condition that was necessary for resurrection. "Now, I understand that Magic so advanced isn''t avable to the humans. Hero Summoning is one thing¡ªconsidering it even has less than a one percent chance of seeding¡ªbut, to bring back someone dead... that would take more Magic Energy and a specialized tether." I nodded while still pretending to be surprised. I had no idea what kind of expression my adversary was making, or whether he already knew I was acting. However, this was the best I could resort to. ''I''ve gotten too reliant on [Freedom Of Expression]'' Internal tears streamed down my face. "In that case, I have a solution for you, Samuel Peterson." Of course, he did! It was finally time for the bait. "Make a contract with me. I will personally serve as your anchor to the world, and you''ll be able to return." I controlled my expression and refused to smile despite how great the temptation was. This was, by far, the easiest event I had ever experienced since being summoned¡ªof course, if you didn''t count the scary nature of the being in front of me. It was just too predictable! ''I''m really happy I read the Novel and Manga¡ªthe Anime too. I would be screwed otherwise.'' "A-a contract...?" I managed to say, pushing down the annoying smile that kept trying to surface. "Yes. I''ll form a link with you, and then use my divine power to return you to the world. This bond of ours will be formed due to the Arcana Call I gave you." So far, he was telling the truth. However, the Foolish God intentionally left out some important parts. ''He''ll be able to freely monitor me thanks to this bond. Plus, he gets privileges to interfere with some of my actions. The automated System framework I have will also be influenced by him, so that will suck.'' "Your Arcana Call will get more powerful, and a new feature will also be added. That should help you out in whatever challenge you''re currently facing." He added. This was the most tempting offer. It made the Foolish God''s deal nigh impossible to reject. Why? Because even if there was another way to return to the Demon God''s world, how was I going to stop the enemy that killed me? In the end, I needed Arcana Call to win. With the Foolish God''s help, I could get the ability I required to triumph. Anyone without my knowledge would obviously jump at the offer. ''But I can''t!'' If I became his Apostle, he would be able to get a hold on me. He would be able to spy on my Inventory''s contents, or even observe everything I saw, did, and owned¡ªincluding the T.W.T.S.S. Novel. ''I don''t know why he doesn''t know about it yet, but... if I ept this, there''s a good chance he''ll know.'' Once he found out, I was screwed! After all, the only reason he was using this approach was because¡ªdespite all my achievements and prowess¡ªhe still thought of me as an ignorant human. ''That must not change!'' Chapter 172 Is There No Other Way??! "So, Samuel Peterson... what is your decision?" The question hung above me and I pondered on what to say¡ªor rather, how to put it. Let''s not forget I was right in front of a literal God. He had incredible power that made my recent OP performance seem like a kindergarten performance. ''Let''s be smart about this...'' I reasoned internally. It was obvious what my answer had to be, considering all the things I had done so far was to ensure I saved everyone. If I was remaining consistent with my character, I had to take his offer. ''If I don''t, it will seem like I already know what he has nned.'' And thest thing I wanted was to tip him off that I knew more than I was letting on. Not only because the entire plot of the original story would be revamped if I went down that route, but also because I''d be royally screwed. "W-well..." I stuttered, trying to buy time as I thought things true. The problem wasn''t returning back to the world I left behind. The problem was doing so in a way that made sense. ''I can''t forget that I actually lost the battle. The enemy is too strong for me to handle. Everyone in Dulum is probably already dead too...'' Really, it was a lost cause anyway! I had lost badly, and the only way to redeem myself was to take my dear benefactor''s deal. That was the most logical conclusion! Which was why I had no choice, if I was to escape this. The tone and narrative had to change. "... Can I just return to my home world?" My reply finally came. For a moment after I spoke, there was a hollow silence. Neither me nor the imposing celestial being in front of me said anything. I awaited his response, hoping it would be something I could handle. Not even I could predict every single word that coulde out of this dude''s mouth. Unless... "No. I''m afraid not. You were brought here by the Hero summoning ritual." ... This same scenario was executed in the original Novel! ''Gotcha!'' You see, in the T.W.T.S.S Novel, the MC wanted so badly to return to his original world when he appeared here. After the Foolish God''s exnation, he really wanted to just go back to his mundane reality and avoid the death and tragedy he would face. I mean, that was pretty reasonable. Fortunately, just like back then, the Foolish God gave me the exact response. I had to thank my current luck. I was on a winning streak. ''Hey, hey! Calm yourself, Sam. Don''t get too carried away!'' Thest time that happened, things didn''t go down pretty. The fact that I was dead remained enough evidence for that. "But you''re God, right? If I contract with you, I can be resurrected in this other world, right? Why can''t you just send me to my normal world of I do the same?" It was a simple, innocent question. However, this inquisition challenged one basic thing¡ªthe omnipotence of our dear character. Of course, I knew what his response would be. "The world you''re from is not in my original jurisdiction. I have no direct stake in it." Which was why he had pretended not to know Anime and also acted like he wasn''t responsible for my transmigration in the slightest. I had to apud the Foolish God for his consistency. "B-but, if the humans can summon me from another world using their summoning circle, shouldn''t you be able to send me back since... you''re technically God?" It didn''t make sense that humans could call upon a Hero and a God couldn''t send him off. It would have made more sense if there were conditions, but that would be resolved by entering a contract with him. Besides, I had yet another issue to point out. It was something Damien couldn''t ask since his mind was practically mesh at the time of the Foolish God''s appearance, but... I was different. "Why did you design this world''s system this way? The Humans have a Level Cap, making them prey to the Demons. This war and misery. Everyone is suffering, except the Demons. Why do you allow so much suffering?" I couldn''t see his face, but I was sure he was already getting ufortable with these questions. ''The Foolish God is a great deceiver, but that''s because he twists the truth. There''s no way he can change fundamental rules of this world.'' This whole thing reminded me of the problem of evil in my current world. If this being truly was omnipotent, and he cared so much for a stranger who chanced upon this world... why were the denizens suffering? "It''s a result of evolution." His response was swift and concise. "I don''t interfere with the binding effects of this world. Several beings have simply evolved for millions of years, and the Demons simply ended up being at the top of the food chain." I opened my mouth in surprise. Somehow that seemed simr to a certain scientific theory in my world, but it was probably coincidence... right? "Then... you''re impartial?" "Indeed." "But, why do you want to resurrect me? If you do that, wouldn''t that be interference with this world? It would be like you''re supporting the humans by favoring the Hero. Wouldn''t that be bad for the demons?" Of course, I knew the angle he woulde from. The whole ''I felt bad for you since you''re a stranger from another world.'' And, as I expected, he used that card. I had to capitalize on that for sure! "But... wouldn''t that mean you''re interfering with the¡ª?" "What exactly is your issue? You don''t want to live? You would rather die?" The Foolish God''s tone was as calm as possible, but his choice of words showed how impatient he was getting. I had to admit, my actions were obnoxious, especially considering how my prior actions had shown how well I cared about loving and saving the world. Thus, the Foolish God was probably confused on where I actually stood¡ªa good thing, in my opinion. "No no no! That''s not it! I absolutely want to live. But... I don''t want to disrupt your policy or get in the way of bncing your world." I couldn''t see the expression on his face, but this pure white and gold sparkly dude was probably taken aback. "How do you I tend to do that without my assistance?" I smiled internally, genuinely happy we had reached this point. All the while I spent all alone, I had gone over my grief and thought of all the possible solutions on how to resolve my current dilemma. How to get resurrected, save everyone, and defeat the impossible enemy... all without getting the assistance of the main antagonist of this story. I already had the solution for one of the problems, but the other two evaded me until I recently thought of something. It was a probable n, but I still had to ensure the Foolish God couldn''t get in my way. ''Here goes...'' "I erected a barrier around the City of Dulum. It''s where I died. You said I need to establish a connection in terms of a contract or some sort of Magic anchor. Well, I got it." Silence pervaded the white room, and for a while, I felt awkwardness burrow into my skin. It feltpletely unbearable. Still, I endured. "What do you mean? borate." "The barrier I erected has two functions. One is to protect the City, and the other has a direct link to me. In essence, I have a connection to it, so I can be resurrected through thag medium, right?" It was the second function of my barrier that I hoped I would never get to use¡ªa failsafe in case things got awry. ''Thank God I actually did that. Whew!'' In a deadly battle where I wasn''t capable of using Arcana Call, this was the next best thing. I never wanted to face the Foolish God, but at least with this I had some sort of leverage. "Oh? Smart n. What prompted you to do that?" The scary being in front of me drew closer, his face now close to mine. I felt he was burrowing deep into my soul, and thus I couldn''t tell a lie. I had to be honest. In essence... "A-Anime." ... I responded with the most bullshit, yet correct answer. "Anime... I see." The Foolish God finally withdrew, granting me some room to breathe. This guy and everything he stood for simply oozed tension. I could only.imagine what the innocent Damien had to go through during his first meeting with this monster. ''Damien is an underrated character fr! Whew!'' The dear God I faced nodded while walking steps away from me, rubbing his bright chin with his glowy hand¡ªwell, his whole body was shiny anyway. "I understand. It could work. However, that doesn''t exin how you n on solving the current predicament you''re in. How do you intend on winning?" Ah, of course. This major question¡ªno, actually two. How was I going to defeat the enemy? How was I going to save everyone? Well... "... I''ll think of something. I don''t want to bother you too much, dear God." Chapter 173 All Of Them Are Dead Believe it or not, the Foolish God actually agreed with my solution. Well, the real question was whether the stakes were high enough for him to downright. It wasn''t like he had a simple justification to avoid my alternative, especially with all that had been established in our conversations. Thinking clearly on things, his ns weren''t even greatly affected by this one event. He had many other ways to win. For example, if I died once again, I would really have no other choice but to be his Apostle. And, since I wasn''t getting his help after I revived, the chances of dying soon after returning to the world was pretty high. Then, there was the fact that he could still somewhat monitor the world using my Arcana Call and the other few Apostles he had running around. All in all, this wasn''t a total loss for him. We both won this round. ''I made it this far... thank goodness!'' * * * "Samuel Peterson, you are now going to return to the world you just left. Nothing will change except your resurrection. Are you certain this is the choice you want to make?" For the umpteenth time, the Foolish God asked. I nodded, donning nothing short of an innocent confidence. I couldn''t tell whether he bought it or not, so I could only assume. "Very well. Do what you must to return. I must leave now. As a God, I have various other concerns that I need to attend to." Once he said this, his white body, having gold outlines and glitters around it, began fading away. ''Nest trick.'' I thought to myself, watching as he vanished. A God was busy with many duties, so one could only imagine how many things the Foolish God had to attend to. Well... the real answer was zero. ''He''s probably just gonna be watching me from a distance. I can''t sense him anyway, so...'' I sighed. Once the Foolish God went into hiding, I decided to have a few moments of silence to myself¡ªconfirming the n I had sketched up in my head. ''It''s going to be incredibly dangerous and risky...'' However, at this point, I was desperate. "Alright. I should begin resonating my soul to the anchor." * * * While creating the barrier that shrouded Dulum, I imbued two effects. One was for protection, while the other was for attraction. Generally speaking, when a person died, their souls would be broken down into particles and merge with their surroundings. That''s right¡ªthey became the nutrients of the world. However, when I died, my Soul was instantly raptured into the Foolish God''s realm. It was being preserved due to this very reason. ''It takes some time for a person''s soul to bepletely broken down. That''s what makes the attracting effect of the barrier very efficient.'' Like a ma, it was designed to absorb the souls of everything in the vicinity¡ªand it was also connected to mine, thanks to the wonderful asspull effects of Rune Craft. If I used the barrier as an anchor, I could return to reality... and back to my body. ''The Foolish God has granted me permission, so I can transfer my soul from this Realm.'' Finally! "Please let this work." ***************** "He''s dead." Demon Lord Valefor muttered in disinterest as he dropped the crushed heart of the Hero. Groaning sounds of the denizens of Dulum permeated the air, as many screamed in shock and horror. The only source of hope they clung to had been extinguished by the enemy. "N-no... no way. I can''t... I can''t believe it." Sarah Lyniette''s voice was in shambles as her mind broke apart. She could notprehend the sight¡ªor rather, she didn''t want to. Her heart ached to the point of torture. It filled her with such despair that she felt like ripping it out. Hot tears descended from the Priestess'' eyes, and she simply could not believe her sight. The only man she had ever relied on so heavily... he was gone. "H-he can''t be dead... he can''t... be... dea¡ª" Sarah could notplete her sentence before she fell into deathly silence. To her, this was quote literally the end. Everything had lost all meaning. It was all pointless. As for the rest of the witnesses, they were no better off. Sure, none of them grieved as much as Sarah, but their hearts wallowed in deep despair and unspeakable agony. Lucy shed tears... TEARS! The hardened warrior gave in to her most sensitive emotions and cried like a baby. Her injured body could do nothing but tremble in tears and bawling. She didn''t mind the snot or immature wailing. She simply let it all out. As for Byron, he was too dazed to speak. His body was simply paralyzed, and his mouth was wide open. The one who stood above all else was now dead. "H-he... the Legendary Dragon yer. Sam. N-no..." Asa was in the deepest slump. ''I-I thought he... I hoped he... no...not like this. Please don''t leave me.'' After finding her source of hope, she didn''t think it would be snuffed out so soon. ''Y-you taught me that it was possible. You showed me. So, why...,'' Her high hopes¡ªfor the present, and the future¡ªwere now shattered. Just when she thought he was the savior¡ªthat he was the invincible champion she required. How did it all end up like this?! ''... Why are you gone...?'' The Legendary Dragon yer was certainly not as invincible as she had thought. "Disgusting voices." The hateful mutter of the Demon Lord attracted no change in the tone of everyone around. They were paralyzed in fear, but even their gasps and wailings were unstoppable. It was enough to tick Valefor off. "That''s about enough." With the snap of his fingers, several hundreds¡ªno, most definitely thousands¡ªof dark orb-like bullets appeared behind and above him. They swirled dangerously, distorting space and oozing darkness so dense that anyone could sense the malevolence a distance away. "Be silenced." >WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH< In an instant, the numerous bullets riddled holes into the bodies of every single resident of the City. It took some one second. Others two seconds. A fewsted up to three. However, none reached five seconds... before they were renderedpletely dead. A pool of blood slowly converged as each viger copsed to the ground¡ªfor those who hadn''t done so already. The dark red liquid approached Valefor, but he ignored the stream. The moment the blood got close to him, they evaporated. ''Staining myself with something as bile as human blood? Never!'' Though, Valefor had to admit as he looked at his hand... the human he fought earlier was different. Sure, this city''s was weaker than him, but he couldn''t imagine facing five¡ªor maybe a little more than that¡ªof them. That would be unfair. ''He also had to worry about the lives of these people. What an interesting person.'' It was unfortunate that both the human champion and the ones he was trying to save were all dead. ''It just works that way. Inferior creatures should always meet such an end.'' As a firm believer in Demon superiority¡ªmuch like most of his Demon counterparts¡ªValefor malevolently grinned as he created a dark portal in front of him. His goal remained the same¡ªthe unbelievable reserves that existed at the very bottom of the City of Dulum. "Since I conquered thisnd, it''s mine. I have legal stakes on it, and the resources underneath... they''re all mine!" He slowly entered the swirling rupture of space, taking onest nce around to savor the sight of death. Nothing and no one was standing in his way any longer. There were a few sacrifices, but none that couldn''t be reced. ''So Adu didn''t manage to get himself killed. Tch, that''s regretful. I didn''t want to resort to assassination or poisoning, but...'' He simply had toe up with a more definitive way to kill Adu. Perhaps he could hire ''that'' hired assassin. ''Perhaps...'' Most of Valefor''s body had now vebtured into his portal and a dark smile remained nted his face. His destination, was of course the underground wonder that would secure his future as the top of the Demon Lords. As his head and the rest of his body were almost through the portal, Valefor thought he felt something. ''Did I just see¡ª? No, it''s probably my eye problem.'' Once again, he nodded and smiled. Afterward, hepletely vanished from thendscape. .... "If only he stuck around for a little more..." A voice emerged from among those who were dead. The voice was that of a man¡ªrelieved and confident. A smile formed on the person''s face and he swiftly took his position. "Let''s get to work!" * * * Valefor teleported to the very front of the Great Helios Labyrinth. He would have transported himself inside, but a spatial interference chose his current position as his starting point. Though it annoyed him, Valefor put up with this restriction. Due to being unaware of the kind of Limiting or Spatial Interference Spell that was at work, he decided to ignore the spell and speed to the room where his promised resources were. >VWOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH< Chapter 174 Making A Deal With The Devil... Literally >VWOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH< The wind parted as Valefor swiftly navigated his way though the tunnel. ''There''s nothing here... and there...'' The Demon Lord noticed as he went down the floors. None of them had any other precious materials left. They were all gone. Of course, that didn''t trouble him the slightest. ''I''m not after the trash! Just the main thing!'' He passed all the floors and broke through the Boss Room. >BOOOOOOMMM!< A crazed smile yed on Valefor''s face as hended in the massive cave-like structure¡ªeager to obtain his prize. "Hahaha! Finally, I¡ª!" His smile suddenly froze the moment he took a single look around him. Valefor could feel the color of his face growing pale and his expression bing frozen solid He was livid, to say the least. ''No...'' It was probably stating the obvious, but, Valefor didn''t find what he was expecting. ''Where are they?'' With quivering lips and bloodshot eyes, Valefor''s heart raced and his innermost blood boiled. "My spoils..." Veins appeared all over his face and his clenched jaws sharply opened. He simply couldn''t take it anymore. "... WHERE ARE THEYYY!!! >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< The entire cave-like structure trembled as a result of the Demon Lord''s rage. The ceiling copsed, and the central figure was too immersed in his confused rage to care. Even when he first arrived on the battlefield, and when he fought against the human who put up a fight, Valefor had asionally used his Magic to see through a Divining Orb in order to confirm the presence of his resources. He wasn''t stupid. It was possible that the very humans who had put up such an unexpected resistance could have hidden his treasures. Killing all the citizens of Dulum would ensure he never got his resources if they had moved the resources somewhere else. ''But I saw them. They were right here!'' The Demon Lord growled. Miasma leaked from his body in excess, and veins appeared on multiple parts of his body. To say he was annoyed would be an understatement. How could the resources he confirmed to be present not too long ago be gone? What could have caused it? Valefor was still pondering on this maddening issues when he felt something above him. Something... incredibly ominous. ''W-what... is this...?!'' Valefor was sensing the most unusual element to find in a ce like this. It was not only surprising, but it was incredibly intimidating. ''Miasma... and a lot of it?!'' The Level of Miasma he was sensing far exceeded even what he could produce. Valefor''s bloodshot eyes widened even further as his kind was spread too thin¡ªreaching the limit of cognition. First, the disappearance of his resources, and now the emergence of ominously dense Miasma. ''C-could it be¡ª?!'' As his thoughts rang, Valefor couldn''t contain the anger and frustration that climbed within his very being. ''Another Demon? Is it a Demon Lord? But this power...'' Valefor didn''t know of any Demon Lord with this kind of Miasma. It was enough to make him break a sweat. Regardless, he could think of no other possibility! Only Demons wielded Miasma. They were the special beings of this world. And Maisma this powerful could only be generated by an extremely powerful Demon Lord. ''Is it Paimon? Is he messing with me?!'' Valefor growled. He had done the best in his capacity to make sure he would be the first to gain ess to the resources buried here. He did all the hard work. Why would Paimon, a Demon Lord of the same rank, break the Demon Treaty by stealing from his spoils? ''Besides, this power can''t be his. It couldn''t be the Demon King, could it?'' No¡ªno, it couldn''t be him too. Valefor knew enough about the absolute ruler of their supreme Race that he was certain the Demon King could never lower himself to something as mundane as stealing. ''Besides, the resources are valuable... but not that much. Compared to his wealth, they''re not that impressive.'' This left him in the ultimate dilemma, and by the time his body was finally able to get over his initial shock, Valefor knew the only thing he could do. ''I''ll have to confront them¡ªwhoever they are!'' >BOOOOOOOMMMMM< In a brilliant blur, and also an explosion of the immediate vicinity, Valefor swiftly ascended above the Labyrinth. The floors copsed upon themselves, sending debris around as the structure broke apart to pave way for the enraged Demon Lord. Valefor''s rage and caution caused nothing beyond confusing, but he remained determined to see the culprit. And so¡ª >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< ¡ªAs soon as he emerged from the shattered ground that directly linked the base of the Great Helios Labyrinth to the city of Dulum, Valefor finally feasted eyes on his supposed enemy. It was a young boy... a human. "Y-you...?!" The human stood at the center of a dark red Magic Circle. Dark red and ck sparks of energy shed at every given moment, and the concentration of Miasma emerging from it was beyond natural. It was sublime. And that was one of the very justifiable reasons why the Demon Lord was frozen in shock as soon as he witnessed what he did. ''How is he still alive? I killed him!'' The courageous and surprisingly powerful human who stood against him¡ªwhom he killed¡ªwas not only alive, but was actively using Magic. ''He''s utilizing Miasma? And at this scale? No... no way! Not possible!'' The Magic Circle underneath the boy was something Valefor could hardly decipher. He could only transcribe a bit from it¡ªan amazing feat, given the current state of his mind. "WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE... YOU INFERIOR HUMAAAANNNN!!!" Valefor''s roar did not alter the expression made by the human¡ªjust like his destructive appearance didn''t faze him at all. The young man simply gave an undaunted stare, cing both hands in the pockets of his newly acquired jeans as his ck jacket and blue shirt fluttered with the wind. "Demon Lord Valefor..." The human whispered, enough so that the wind did not prevent his voice from reaching the recipient''s ears. Valefor felt a chill crawl up his spine, but there was no way he could show even an ounce of fear to a mere human. It was absolutely inconceivable! "... It''s over now." ''W-what is he¡ª??!'' >VWUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSHHHHH< The Magic Circle began humming ominously, revealing more of its twisted nature. Red glows that resembled the allure of blood. ck shes that personified darkness itself. Valefor''s body would have shivered if not for the extreme heat that was now proceeding from the Magic Circle. me-like Miasma ignored the outlines of the runic inscriptions, and it seemed like reality itself was breaking apart. This was...!!! ''S-summoning? But... this sheer amount of power¡ª!'' Valefor could notprehend it. Well, not until it was toote. "The offerings have been made. The scenery is to thine twisted desires. The stage has been set. Now, then creature of the darkness, ept my offer. Emerge and manifest your malevolence." >VWWWWWWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< The ground parted, and what seemed like a doorway to hell manifested. Dark mes of absolute cmity tore through the ground, and amid the tear in the fabric of space itself, a hand emerged. The hand was pale and stricken with emaciation. It looked beggarly and frail. Slowly, more parts of the body emerged, and the being that appeared from the murky depths made its appearance. A ck hooded cloak like the shade of darkness itself. Misty red energy that hinted the feel of blood and death. Pale skin that appeared to drain all life from itself. And finally... the horse it rode that personified the very color that it had¡ªpale all through. "One of the four horsemen. Death itself. ArchDemon from the realm of the Demon God, and Celestial among the 12 Great Ones of eternal damnation." The human chanted words he should not have known, singing praises and undtion toward the emerging personification that defied logic. A literal divine being that transcended the current ne of existence. ''N-no...!'' The being called death, seated atop its steed, took a nce around¡ªits face covered with the hood of darkness. It witnessed the numerous deaths and chaos that surrounded it¡ªboth within the dome and outside of it. The setting was fitting. That alone was enough to cause the grim reaper itself to leak out a smile. "Human..." The pale rider spoke¡ªits voice husky, yet akin to an echoed sound from the depth of a deep well. Despite hearing a tone that would normally make a person tremble to the core of their bones, the young man remained upright. It might have been due to a special Skill or Title of his... or perhaps sheer willpower. "... This is the first time a human has ever summoned any Great One. You possess the proper etiquette. You have weed me well with this precious scenery, and the precious resources given as sacrifices are well recieved." Valefor''s brain rang the moment he heard thest line. So, the prizes he had been looking forward to we''re already exhausted as sacrifices? The gates to hell never returned what was given to it, thus the Demon Lord had to admit that his treasures were long gone. "Now, tell me, human..." The grim reaper spoke with an amused tone. The very bnce between sanity and utter chaos hung on a thread. "... What is your request?" Chapter 175 Request To The Pale Rider Hell! The Divine Realm of the Demon God himself. Within this celestial ne, there exist twelve beings who are seen as the harbingers of chaos and destruction¡ªthe personification of malevolence. They are known as the 12 Great Ones¡ª The Four Horsemen The Seven Deadly Sins And the Primordial Fear They are the supreme beings¡ªArchDemons that stand at the pinnacle of all. And, among these twelve¡ªa member of the Four Horsemen¡ªthere is Death... also known as the Pale Rider. * * * "Tell me, human. What is your request?" The fabled ArchDemon from Hell spoke. His tone carried authority unlike any other, and the dangerous aura he emitted made everything''s round him experience corrosion. ckness spread across the earth, and the air turned stale. As the Rider awaited his answer, the human at the center of the circle raised his hand and pointed at the only being left out of the conversation. "That Demon... kill him for me." Demon Lord Valefor instantly shrieked. His bloodshot eyes captured the pointed finger of a mere human¡ªsomething he would have swiftly cut off if not for the presence that appeared to back him up. "Very well. Your desires have been heard." The being called Death responded, misty breath proceeding from his dry lips. He stretched forth his hand, and instantly an obsidian sickle manifested. It gleamed with the orange glow the evening sun¡ªthought the darkness that manifested on it slowly overshadowed any form of illumination. The sickle seemed to carry the very nature of death, and Valefor realized what would happen if he so much as touched it. Shuddering in terror¡ªthough trying his suppress it¡ªthe Demon Lord''s mind went to work. How could he hide what he himself could not understand? The fear and primal instinct to flee... had he ever felt something so intense? So degrading?! ''N-no... what''s this?'' Valefor''s mind struggled to maintain his sanity. "Apologies, Demon. Your life is no longer yours." Death''s horse slowly began to move, and a misty darkness surrounded its sole. The ck cloud lifted the steed until it levitated whole approaching Valefor. "W-wait! What are you doing?! Why are you against a Demon? Why are you listening to a human?!" To the Demons of this world, ArchDemons were akin to Angels that humans looked up to¡ªmessengers of God himself. How could a divine herald of the Demon God¡ªregardless of how powerful¡ªturn against a Demon? How could they pay heed to the words of human scum? Valefor could notprehend it, and he hoped his words would cause the being known as Death to see reason. "I would advise you not to speak or struggle. Your fate has already been sealed." Swinging his scythe, the Rider closed in on Valefor¡ªas a predator would his prey. It frightened the currently impotent Demon Lord. He couldn''t even dream of fighting, and now it had been proven that he couldn''t reason with the ArchDemon. The only thing he could do... was run! >VWUUUSHHH< A spatial rupture instantly appeared behind Valefor as he attempted to escape. Purple and ck shes surrounded him, ready to transport him to the farthest ce he could manage. At this point, he no longer cared about honor or appearances. He simply had to escape. ''The resources I went through all this trouble for is gone. There''s no point in hanging around!'' Holding fast to this rationale, Valefor swiftly made his escape. However¡ª >SWOOOSHH< ¡ªIn one swing of Death''s Scythe, the dark rupture of space perished. It canceled itself out! ''W-wha¡ª?!'' Valefor didn''t have time to be shocked, though. He simply had to use his short-distance teleportation to run away as soon as possible and¡ª >VWUUUUSHHHH< Even that didn''t work. The moment he activated his Miasma to vanish, Death would swing his scythe and kill off the Spell. ''T-then... I run!'' Death''s approach so far had been slow. If he raced away from the enemy before he could catch up, then... perhaps he had a chance! At least, that was what Valefor thought. "Cease your pointless struggle..." Death suddenly appeared behind Valefor, causing his eyes to bulge in shock. "... Or don''t. Either way, you''ll die." "H-how... so fast?!" The Demon Lord shuddered as he felt the chill of death stinging his behind. "Death appears when no being expects. It starts out slow and foreseeable. However... it is sudden. Unprecedented. Unpredictable. As well as..." Death raised his scythe, his voice echoing through the vicinity. Valefor managed to tilt his head and stare at the entity behind him. "... Inevitable." Thus, the swing descended. For the first time, as Valefor felt the scythe near him, he saw Death''s face. It was pale. Dry. Husky. Notpletely flesh, yet not a skeleton either. Somewhere in the middle. So grotesque and ugly. Yet... Death was smiling. A smile that reflected the ease at which he took his life. >FWUUUUSSSHHH< The speed was nigh imperceivable, and the scythe cleanly cut through Valefor. Helplessly in the sky, the Demon Lord''s body was torn in two¡ªthough only temporarily. Soon, his very flesh and bones were consumed by darkness, and his soul was harvest by Death. The Scythe took in all of him, leaving nothing behind. Valefor waspletely engulfed in the dark, cold embrace of death. Hisst thoughts? ''No... I wanted to survive... I wanted... to rise.'' It was a selfish desire. An inclination towards power. He still didn''t care for his dead soldiers or the unknown fate that awaited his son¡ªor even the numerous children he had. Valefor''s only thoughts were about himself! However, even those sentiments faded, lost in the eternal pit that was Death. * * * "Your request has been carried out." Death returned to the ground, directly facing his summoner. The human Hero who possessed just the right set of Skills and Titles to summon an ArchDemon from Hell. Not only were the humans who summoned Demons rare, but even those who did ended up calling upon the weaklings of Hell¡ªThe Lesser Fallen. How could a human possess the capacity to summon one of his caliber? No, perhaps this was only just the tip of the questions that Death had within him. How did the human know of him and his other colleagues? How did he know to prepare the proper setting and offer the appropriate offerings? He knew too much. "The offerings you offered are yet to be fullypensated for. Do you have yet another request for me to carry out?" The death of a single weakling was hardly worth summoning him for. A Higher Fallen couldplete the task. Why would he skip past the Elders and Nobles to reach him, a Great One? Death had multiple question, but he maintained his silence and awaited the next words that woulde out of the human''s mouth. "I want... the revival of every life that has been extinguished within this city¡ªof course, except for the Demon Lord that you executed." Death was mildly surprised. Not because of the request itself, but because he didn''t expect his summoner to be so ignorant about the due process. If he had enough knowledge to summon him, then wouldn''t he have understood how tall of an order his request was. "With the offerings you have sacrificed, that request can not bepleted." "Even if the Souls do not need to be procured?" The human pointed upward. Death raised his head to see what his summoner was referring to. He never expected it, but his shock reached an unexpected height. "You preserved their Souls in the barrier? I see. Soul attraction Runic Magic. Impressive." It was a mystery how the human was able to learn such Magic, but Death understood it wasn''t in his ce to ask questions. He operated on a code, and he was determined to follow through with his contract. However¡ª "Even with their Souls present, your offerings are still insufficient. You will not be able to resurrect them all." Death said. The precious ores, gems, Holy Water, Mana Chalk, raw materials, etc., that his summoner provided was valuable. Incredibly so. It was well past a fortune. When people sought to resurrect their loved ones through a contract with Hell, they gave up their fortune and most valued objects. If Death used the same standards, then perhaps he would be able to resurrect a hundred people? Maybe a little close to one hundred and fifty? Still, bringing everyone back was not possible with his insufficient sacrifice. "Then... what if I sacrifice something else?" The human muttered. Death, as always, reasonably weighed the choice. There was hardly anything of value the human possessed¡ªat least, with what he could sense. He also wasn''t very powerful,pared to other beings in this world. There was hardly anything of value that he could offer in exchange for what he wanted. "My Levels... I''ll give them to you." Death sighed. He understood the desperation of the living. But, that didn''t mean he had to tolerate it. "Even that is not enou¡ª" "No. Not just now. I mean all my Levels... all the Levels I''ll ever obtain. Now and for as long as I remain in this world." The human''s eyes contained a resolve Death had never experienced from anyone before. Even though his body trembled, and his clenched fists clearly disyed that this was something he didn''t want to do... he clung hard to his words. Tears fell from his eyes, and an deep sense of grief and regret coursed through him, but Death didn''t sense any hesitation at all. It was a pure sacrifice. "I''ll give everything to you. So... save them! Save everyone!" * * * [A/N] Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The Demonic Crisis Arc is about to end, and I want to appreciate you all for sticking with me throughout this volume. I certainly hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I liked writing it. Cheers! Chapter 176 Aftermath Of The Crisis [Pt 1] "U-urgh..." Hogun groaned as he awoke from his deep slumber. His head was ringing, and his body still throbbed with residual pain. He was still disoriented, but his blurry vision slowly regained focus. The lion-headed Demon tried to perceive his surroundings¡ªblinking hard as he yawned and winced even more. ''What is going on...? Where am I?'' The ceiling and walls seemed to resemble some kind of tent, though he felt magic coating his surroundings¡ªand not the good kind. "Oh? You''re finally awake, Hogun?" A sound came from beside him, causing the disoriented Demon to tilt his head to the right. His consciousness swiftly returned as he saw four of hisrades¡ªthree of which were all wide awake and staring at him. "W-what''s going on...? Heshu. Pierrus. Kiko. What happened...?" His tone was slurry, but Hogun still made his point. His memories were returning, and thest thing he remembered was how the humans were winning the battle. Their champion easily bested he and Adu, and he was sent crashing to the ground. The painful memory of defeat made Hogun''s heart sting, but a sudden thought shed in his mind. "Speaking of Adu¡ª?!" "Rx. You''re so uptight, jeez..." Kiko sighed, pointing to his left side, where he hadn''t bothered to look. "U-uh...?" Adu was still asleep. It seemed he was also rendered unconscious, and he hadn''t regained consciousness yet. "A-ah... that''s a relief." Hogun''s lion face disyed a warm smile. Despite his nasty personality, he was still Adu''s friend. He was d they both survived¡ªthough he was slowly realizing that he couldn''t say the same about every other person. "What happened? Where''s everyone else?" The only Demon Generals he could see were Heshu, Kiko, Pierrus, Adu... and himself. That was half of their total number. Plus, Hogun couldn''t see any of the Demon subordinates kept under their charge. A very terrible feeling slowly rose from within him. "I''ll exin." The one who spoke now was Heshu. He and everyone else were seated, almost as of they couldn''t be bothered with anything going on. And the reason for that was due to the story that Heshu was about to tell. * * * Hogun was told everything. The events that ured after he passed out. How the Demons that swore allegiance to the human champion were all ughtered by their master¡ªValefor. He was told about the sh between the human champion and Valefor, and how the human actually won. Valefor''s army was eventually defeated. The humans suffered no casualty. And the Demons were forced to surrender and taken prisoner. Heshu mentioned how they separated the surviving Mid-Demons from the Demon Generals, and how it was uncertain where their subordinates were being kept. "This tent is enhanced with Magic that makes it impossible to escape from. It has a high concentration of Holy Water too. Plus, there''s a rune formation outside that dampens our powers and generates a barrier." In essence, they were trapped. * * * "S-so, we lost...?" Hogun muttered, causing Heshu and the other Demon Generals to nod. It was appalling that their leader¡ªDemon Lord Valefor¡ªwould execute so many of his subordinates, and then lose the ultimate battle. It made him realize just how powerful their opponent had been all along. "Coming here was a mistake." Pierrus muttered. He hadn''t said a word until this moment, and his broody tone didn''t make the atmosphere any less tense. "Yeah, yeah. Now that we''re here, what''s our fate?" Kiko pouted. The utilitarian Demon shrugged, his eyes fixated on the ceiling for a while before he finally said anything more. "I assume the champion of the humans wille to offer us the same deal asst time. He''ll want us to offer allegiance." Pierrus'' words were like a bombshell to everyone. They must have all suspected the same, but if he could make an educated guess about it, then it was probably true. "I will never be his subordinate. He killed my pet Dragon!" Kiko protested. Heshu and Hogun fell silent. They didn''t know what to say. For Hogun, whose master was dead, he felt a void that had to be filled with a new superior. He often found himself enamored by the overhelming authority of the human champion, but... could he ever swear hid allegiance to such a being? As for Heshu, he wondered whether it was simply his lot to be a subordinate or not. At this point, he was no longer sure about what to do, or what not to do. "I''m considering epting his offer." Pierrus calmly posited, causing another uproar among the Demon Generals. "B-but why??!" Hogun knew he was being a hypocrite, but he spoke up anyway. "Didn''t you refuse before? Why now?" Kiko huffed in cute anger. Heshu simply maintained silence and awaited Pierrus'' reasoning. "There''s no merit in refusing. Even from our distance, I''m sure you could all sense the overwhelming amount of Miasma that came out of the town of Dulum. It didn''te from Demon Lord Valefor. His Miasma signature was separate..." Hogun''s eyes bulged. No one told him about this. "That Miasma must havee from the human champion. Not only can he use Mana, but also Miasma. Something tells me he isn''t wholly human. How else would you exin the fact that he possesses such abilities that transcend human limits?" No one could argue against Pierrus'' words. Kiko and Heshu especially understand how incredibly dense and otherworldly the Miasma they had sensed was. None of them could move, even though they were far away from the actual scene. If all of that power belonged to the champion of Dulum, then¡ª! "He''ll probably kill us if we refuse, just like he killed Demon Lord Valefor. And as you can see, he is well able to protect his people. Not a single one of the humans suffered casualty." It was an incredible argument. "What does your instinct say?" Heshu finally asked, narrowing his gaze on the pragmatist. "I''m still confused, and everything thus far had been unexpected. However, this seems like the best route for survival... and I''ll be taking it." Chapter 177 Aftermath Of The Crisis [Pt 2] Unknown to Pierrus, or Kiko, or Heshu, or Hogun, or even the sleeping Adu, an object hung at the corner of the tent''s wall. It was camouged, but beyond the veil of Magic, the object covertly monitored the group. This item had lens that captured every moment and recorded everything they conversed on¡ªrying it to another source in real time. This object was a security cam... and the footage was being watched by the very entity the Demons feared and revered. He smiled in his room, satisfied by their words and the oue of their conversation. Standing from his position, he prepared the outfit he would wear and readied himself to give the offer. "Excellent..." After all, he was now guaranteed that they wouldn''t refuse. Why was he so concerned about their eptance? Why couldn''t he just resort to force, like how he originally intended? He had proved time and time again that he was superior to them, so it wouldn''t have mattered to him anyway. Well, it did matter. And the reason for that was simple, though something he had to keep secret. Our dear champion... was now in Level 1. *********** "System Information." [SYSTEM WINDOW] Name: Samuel Peterson Level: 1 Age: 17 Years Gender: Male Current Condition: Tired, Nervous Status Infliction: Nil Title: Hero [See Additional Titles] ~[QUEST DETAILS]~ [FEATURES] ~ Stats~ ~Skills[Unlocked]~ ~Inventory [Unlocked]~ ~Character List~ ~Shop [Unlocked]~ ~Arcana Value [Unrestricted]~ [More Features will be added subsequently] [END OF INFORMATION] [Stats] Level: 1 Exp: 0.00% ss: None Karmic Value: 370,200 [Basic Ability] HP: 10/10 MP: 5/5 Strength: 51 Agility: 53 Vitality: 55 Intelligence: 100 [Complete Quests and y enemies to obtain Stat Points and EXP. Doing so will increase your Level and also grant you Stat Points] [END OF INFORMATION] [Skills] <1> Five Seconds Rule: Advanced <2> Rune crafting <3> Absolute Freedom Of Expression <4> With Great Responsibility There Must Also Come Great Power ¡ªWarrior''s Skin (Byron) ¡ªBlessing Of Recovery (Sarah) ¡ªBlessing Of Power (Sarah) ¡ªMana Strengthening (Lucy) ¡ªMarite (Lilith) ¡ªEvil Eye (Lilith) <5> Insight <6> Martial Arts <7> Grand Predator <8> Draconic Transformation <9> Domination <10> Evil Warding de <11> Miasma <12> I Believe I Can Fly <13> Unification <14> Am I A Zombie? [Titles] <1> Hero <2> Fraud <3> Conqueror <4> Goblin Hunter <5> Dragon Hunter <6> Fool <7> ve Master <8> Demon Contractor <9> The One Who Unifies <10> Demon yer [End Of Information] "Haaa..." A soft sigh escaped my lips as I made to leave my abode. No matter how many times I checked it, the truth remained ring to my face. I had indeed lost all my Levels¡ªas well as the ability to gain any in the future. My current Stats¡ªthough higher than a base Level one stat¡ªwas simply due to the current state of my physical body. ''All my training and fights were not in vain, at least.'' I had zero Stat Points and no Level Ups. My HP and MP were abysmal, at best. My OP ss was no longer avable. Everything had fallen t. ''But... it was worth it, wasn''t it?'' I smiled, leaving my room to witness the outside world. * * * "GOOD MORNING, HERO! WE GREET YOU!!!" Ah, that''s right. My Identity as the Hero was revealed after the final struggle against the Demons. At this point, there was really no difference between being a Hero and the Legendary Dragon yer. Both were beings that exceeded the bounds of logic andmon sense. "Hm. I greet you too. The time hase for the Demons to face their rpense..." My response was smooth, as always. Fortunately, I lost my Levels, but not my Skills and Titles. The unfortunate aspect of that was my inability to properly use most of them due to my low MP and Stats. Thankfully, [Freedom Of Expression] didn''t require any high stst to pull off. It had been my best friend since I started this journey of mine. It was my ultimate weapon to achieve the divine state of bullshitting. As expected, the crowd of people desired to follow me¡ªeven my subordinates who knelt before me. However, I refused. "This must be achieved through my hands. You should all do what you must... and rebuild this city with your hands." "OHHHHH!!!" "HEROOOO!!!" "HE''S SO AWESOME!" "HE''S DIVINE!" "ABSOLUTE RIGHT!" "WE HAIL THE HEROOOOO!!!" Fortunately, I was able to shake them off, and the people ventured on to do the task I gave to them. It had only been a little over a day since the war, though it somehow felt longer than that. The conflict ended in the evening, and after that, an entire day of cleaning up happened. This was a brand new day¡ªmeant to mark the resolution of everything. ''Even if I revived everyone using Death, the city is still damaged. It''ll take some time to rebuild...'' Thankfully, that meant everyone was busy. Too busy to bother me. ''I''m the Lowest Leveled guy, after all.'' Tears fell from my eyes. I couldn''t get much stronger than I currently was. My Stats would only.rise at a snail''s pace, and no matter how much stronger I was supposed to get... that simply wouldn''t happen. Sooner thanter, I was going to hit the wall. Which was why, now more than ever before, I required subordinates. ''The Mid Demons might prove stubborn, but if their leaders give up first, it''ll convince them to do the same.'' With the Demons under my control, as well as the Golems and leftover resources in my inventory, I would be able to make do. Besides, the most important part about my current self was how much Karmic Value I possessed I was undeniably weak, but now, things wouldn''t be as difficult as before. ''With this Karmic Value, I''ll finally be able to do the thing I''ve always wanted.'' A smile crept up on my face as I approached the abode of my Demon prisoners. ''Who knows? I just might be able to turn this whole thing around.'' * * * [End Of the Demonic Crisis Arc] Next Arcing soon, do anticipate it. [The Land Of Elves Arc is underway] Chapter 178 Nothing Is Too Hard For The Hero I had no choice. If I didn''t do it, everyone was going to die. What would you have done in my position? I was the Hero! They were all counting on me! Upon my resurrection, I knew I had to do something to defeat the viin and also revive the people who ced their faith in the Hero. That was why... ... I had to resort to it. The Forbidden Summoning! Even Damien never resorted to this until he was extremely desperate in the third round. It was something I couldn''t have achieved without the right Skillset. Fortunately, I possessed everything at the time of the crisis. I had the three most essential elements. The [Miasma] and [Runecrafting] Skills. And then the [Demon Contractor] Title. Add that to my knowledge of the proper method¡ªthe atmosphere of carnage and the offering of valuables¡ªI was able to achieve it. I summoned Death. I defeated the enemy. I resurrected the people. I won! ... But at what cost? Well, don''t mind me. This is simply a rant. The events of the invasion of Dulum is already behind us, right? Even though the consequences remain with me, I can say¡ªfor what it''s worth¡ªthat if I was ced in the same situation now, I would still make the same choice. That''s the kind of guy I have be... ... The Hero of this world. * * * [Two Weeks After The Demonic Crisis] In the lovely town of Dulum¡ªalso known as the Adventurers City¡ªeveryone was busy at work. From themon folk, to the Adventurers, to even the Golems and Demons. The once known city of iron had been demolished due to the assault of the Demonic forces¡ªespecially the Demon Lord Valefor. He rained evil Spells and decimated the area. He did his best to defeat the Hero and struggled all he could¡ªseeding only in devastating property. Ultimately, the almighty Legendary Dragon yer, now known as the Hero, stopped him. Unfortunately, a sh between two powerful forces left everything in their path destroyed. The Hero sessfully defeated the Demon Lord and captured the surviving Demon Army... but at what cost? The city was in ruins. However, despite all of this, the people wouldn''t dare to me the Hero. No, why would they? He had graciously preserved their lives and won a battle that would have ended in their absolute annihtion. They praised the Hero many times over, and would have been content with all he had done. However, much to their surprise, he offered to do even more. In all his kindness, the Hero decided to help rebuild Dulum! Using his immense wisdom and unconventional materials, the Hero decided to renovate the whole city. The whole City of Dulum would be remade into something more glorious. Almost everything had been ruined, anyway, so the people had noints. The Hero introduced the concept of bricks, cement, and a new housing system they weren''t used to. He showed them images that he conjured from his mind, showing them structures he called ''Models'' or ''ns''. He taught them many things within this short time, building their intellect to a level where they couldprehend the bare minimum of the Hero''s supreme wisdom. The more he spoke, the more they understood how profound he was. But, that wasn''t all that was amazing about him. With their current poption and ability, Dulum was doomed to spend months¡ªif not years¡ªrebuilding their City. However, the Hero wouldn''t have that. The Golems he had utilized for war were rebuilt using his amazing Runes, and the Demons he enved were put to work. Of course, the denizens of the City were a little on edge when they realized how they would be working alongside Demons. However, after apletely breathtaking exnation from the Hero about how the Demons had enved humans for so long, and how it was now finally time for them to pay their dues... everyone was riled up. None of the Demons could break free from the Hero''s power, so they remained docile and harmless¡ªwholly focused on performing their tasks. With the Demons'' assistance, and the Golems constant help, the city had experienced so much growth in just two weeks. Before long, the residents would finally be able to sleep in their warm houses rather than the many tents that the Hero provided. It was simply beyond glorious. This new and improved Dulum stood in everyone''s mind as they constantly kept working¡ªtheir thoughts constantly in praise of the genius Hero who was practically rebuilding the City. A single chant rang in everyone''s mind, up to the point where it became a song¡ªno, an anthem! Everyone in Dulum knew it at this point. It was the most sublime, most true statement that the entire poption of Dulum could agree on. "All Hail The Hero!!!" * * * "Ah... I think I''m in trouble." As I sat in my study¡ªlocated in one of the fewpleted buildings within the new and improved Dulum¡ªI was distraught by my current situation. Things had gotten so bad so fast. "The resources... they''re almost depleted." After my big stunt where I made a deal with an ArchDemon and practically saved the day, I was left with very little resources to work with. The big stockpile of resources I had been eyeing was used as an offering for Death, leaving me with the ones I had kept for myself in my Inventory. I thought those would be used as my personal fortune, but reality had a different fate in store for me. To rebuild my destroyed Golems, I needed Magic Circles. To use those, I needed Mercury and Mana Chalk. I ended up using a great deal to repair my army. But, that was only the beginning. The devastated city required heavy construction, and it felt irresponsible for me to simply leave Dulum while they went through such a difficult time. ''This city is broke...'' The Great Helios Labyrinth was practically useless, at this point since the monsters that should have upied it no longer inhabited it. And why would they? There was nothing of value there any longer. Besides, the monsters were all dead. Chapter 179 Life Of A Level 1 Hero After my loss to Demon Lord Valefor, the [Domination] effect I had on the monsters was removed. Upon my revival, I didn''t even have enough power to control them since I had to sacrifice my Levels to request the impossible from Death. ''Thank goodness the monsters were handled before they could flee in the direction of the settlement...'' My buddy, Death, helped me annihte all of them¡ªboth the ones on Valefor''s side, and the ones I had used¡ªas a farewell present, solving the problem for me. However, this left me with another problem I wanted to avoid in the first ce. ''The Helios Labyrinth is as good as useless now. There are no monsters and also no valuable resource within.'' That meant the major source of Dulum''s economy was in copse. How could I leave the City in such a state and return to my own settlement? Would saving it from Demons have any meaning of it was going to copse eventually? Besides, bearing the title of a Hero had its correspondent burden. It was unavoidable... I had to help them. Sure, I summoned some materials using the SHOP function of the System, but I still had to use a lot of Mana Chalk and Mercury to create Magic Circles in order to help ease the building burden. Since my MP was ridiculously low, and I couldn''t afford to utilize Magic orplex Skills at this point, I had to use Runes instead. ''Even enving all those Demons required a lot of Holy Water, along with the other resources in order topensate for my weakness.'' My resources were hemorrhaging at an rming rate. If I was grateful for anything, it was the fact that food and water wasn''t a problem. The city had a well, and I used my Runes to purify the water there, as well as replicate the trick I used for my settlement¡ªabsorbing the moisture in the atmosphere to generate water. As for food, we initially had to resort to the stock of food that Dulum possessed, but considering how a lot of it had gone to waste in the destruction, and how they couldn''t afford to splurge their finances on food, I had to send Sarah and Byron to the settlement to obtain foodstuff. ''This will somewhat dy my merchant ns, but it''ll help in the long run.'' Was my line of thought when I decided to use this method. Sarah and Byron were responsible for keeping charge over the settlement, and they would visit Dulum every once in a while to drop off food supplies and fill me in on the urrences in the settlement. Fortunately, nothing major had happened. ''I''ll have to remain here until this project is done. Or maybe I want to go away, but I would feel really guilty leaving these guys behind to do all the work.'' Frankly, I wasn''t really doing much at this point. Other than everyone reporting to me about the activities and achievements for the day, I didn''t really handle anything major. Zabdel was in charge of administration, and once I showed the artisans of the city how to build¡ªcreating a perfect model model myself, it wasn''t exactly difficult. ''Unlike the settlement, I don''t expect Dulum to be too reliant on me. They''ll owe me big time for this, but I won''t be with them for long.'' This way, they could be self-sufficient, in contrast to the settlement which I needed to rely on me. After all, that was my home base. ''I say that, but...'' Wasn''t I splurging too many resources on Dulum alone? At this rate, my reserves would be emptied. ''I don''t want to have to break the piggy bank!'' A sigh of tiredness and exasperation escaped my lips. ''We''ll need more resources toplete this project¡ªor at least, for the future. That much is certain.'' Even if Dulum ended up beingpletely rebuilt, then what? How would it survive, going forward? This was an Adventurer''s City. They needed weapons. They needed items. They needed resources! They also needed money! I was running very dry on all of these things, and I really wanted a miracle right now. To the people of the city, the worst was over, but I didn''t see it that way. ''Winter will being in a few months. I really need to get my shit together before then.'' If only a miracle could happen... anything! I would truly be grateful! "For now, though, I have to keep working my butt off." *************** "Huff... urgh.... mmh..." A blond girl turned ufortably while in deep sleep. Her tightly shut eyes were scrunched so hard that her entire face formed a frown, and then suddenly morphed into a frightened expression. Sweat appeared on her body, and she made ufortable moans while turning even more. The people sleeping beside her, all under one of the many tents procured by the Hero, didn''t seem to mind as they were in too deep a sleep to care. Still, the girl struggled and mumbled incoherent words. All a result of the darkness that enveloped her dream. She could hear their voices. She sense hear their screams. She could feel their desperation. The people in her dream called out for her. Their hands stretched out to touch her incorporeal self as she shivered in the horror. The image of her hometown shed in her mind. Multiple horrific memories popped into her mind as she felt like copsing. "Where are you?" "Why haven''t youe back?" "You promised..." "We miss you..." "Come back!" "Don''t go..." "Return to us..." The girl was in so much confused agony that she couldn''t help but scream in her dream. Unfortunately, not a single voice leaked out of her clogged throat. And that was because someone tightly gripped her by the neck. That someone... was a pointy eared reflection of herself. ¡ªAn Elf. ''N-no! No...!'' The blond''s bloodshot eyes met the gaze of the one who who stared coldly at her. "You coward..." The identical reflection''s voice echoed. "... Asa." * * * [Wee to the Land Of The Elves Arc] I hope you have fun while reading. Chapter 180 Theres Something About Asa [Pt 1] "Coward..." The blond image stood opposite Asa''s powerless frame, ring deeply at her as she hissed. Disdain and desperation yed on the strangler''s face, and her lips parted to form words that the dreamer feared to hear. "Why...? Why do you get to enjoy peace while we suffer tyranny?" Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? The words danced in her dreams, causing her brain to melt and her entire dream to copse. She simply couldn''t take it anymore. * * * "ARGHHHH!!!" Asa screamed as she woke from her sleep. She huffed heavily, staring right and left to see her neighbors stir in their sleep¡ªa few others popped their eyes open before returning to their sweet dreams. Nothing about what Asa just saw could be described as sweet, or a dream. "The same nightmare again..." She whispered underneath her breath. Sweat dripped from her skin despite the atmosphere being cool enough to banish any form of heat. Asa shuddered, even though the temperature wasn''t freezing. No, this difort came from her mind. "How much longer can I ignore it? I can''t..." In the end, Asa knew the only thing she could do to make it stop. The thought had crossed her mind several times, but she had tried her hardest to ignore it. However, as was made painfully obvious by her predicament, she couldn''t keep it up any longer. "I have no choice..." Asa muttered, her face showing pain while her eyes showed a tinge of hope. "... I''ll have to tell the Hero." ************** "Haaa... I''m quite jobless today. Should I take a walk?" The bright morning sun greeted me with its brilliance as I opened the drapes of the window and bathed in the magnificent sunlight. Soon enough, every denizen in Dulum would enjoy this kind of pleasure¡ªso long as I solved out bankruptcy problem quickly. ''The most guaranteed way would be to resort to another form of marketing. Maybe I can employ selling Magic Items it Runes. If I utilize my knowledge well, I can very well mize it.'' The problem with that, however, was time. ''It takes time to establish the proper connections with merchants, and also develop a well-organized trading structure...'' There was also the fact that I had to study the market and ensure I didn''t run some folks out of business. Besides, it was nearly winter, and the most essential stuff to sell at this period was food. That was why I wanted to really venture into that trade. Unfortunately... "Stop thinking about all that depressing stuff, Sam! Take a walk instead!" I cheered myself up by pping my cheeks. ''O-ow... why do people do this? It actually hurts.'' Yeah, I probably put too much strength into my hands. Considering how delicate my body currently was, I had to be mindful of the damage I took. ''My life depends on it!'' I concluded on taking my walk, so after freshening up in my nice bathroom, I wore a decent attire and exited myfortable abode. "GREETINGS, MASTER!" As expected, I was greeted by the unanimous response of my direct subordinates¡ªof course, other than the ones belonging to the settlement. I awkwardly watched as they bowed their heads and gave me their usual humble greeting. What made me so nervous wasn''t the fact that I wasn''t used to such a treatment. No, it was a separate matter entirely. "You may raise your heads." I spoke in my usual,posed tone. These subordinates of mine obeyed. All five of them raised their heads and looked at me¡ªeach having respective expressions locked on their face. Heshu. Hogun. Adu. Pierrus. Kiko. All five Demon Generals were kneeling before me, bound as my subordinates thanks to the ve Contract that existed between us. Their expressions ranged from indifference, to pure rage. I could easily tell that none of them were exactly happy to serve me¡ªexcept maybe Hogun? This was the kind of vibe that made me ufortable. Because this actually felt like enving them against their will¡ªwhich I was actually doing. ''I''m sorry, you guys. It''s either this or death... and I can''t waste valuable resources. I''m so sorry.'' I nearly cried internally. What made the situation even more awkward than normal was that each of these Demon Generals was stronger than me. It was simply by sheer misunderstanding and maniption that I was able to get them to willfully ept the ve Contract. One of then was a particrly tough nut to crack. ''I did kill his father, and there''s that mentality he has about Demon superiority...'' However, even if he was the only one shooting me a murderous re among the five, I was happy to have a gifted Demon like him on my team. He had his uses, after all. "Rise to your feet. Hmm? Where''s Lucy?" I asked them. "She decided to quickly patrol the area." Hogun spoke firmly,pletely going silent after he was done. An eerie air surrounded us, making the situation even more awkward than before. "Is that so? Haha..." All of the Demon Generals normally gave me the cold shoulder, so I was somewhat used to it... ... Somewhat Even though it had been two weeks since everything went down, they weren''t very fond of me and the people of Dulum. We were once enemies, after all. ''The only thing that has changed is their situation.'' I sighed internally. I killed their boss, killed their subordinates, and forced them to be traitors of their own kind. I, at the very least, made them keep most of their autonomy¡ªwhich included their expressions and reactions toward me. Of course, they had to obey mymands, answer me truthfully, and act in the benefit of my policies. "Alright, then. Let''s wait for her. After that, I''d like to supervise the ongoing construction." Chapter 181 Theres Something About Asa [Pt 2] "Good morning, Sam." Fortunately, Lucy came around not too long after my short and awkward conversation with the Demons. As usual, the redhead was dressed in her neat and light armor, donning her sheathed sword behind her while standing at ''attention''. While she was extremely cute, Lucy''s strong suit wasn''t acting the part. She was a Loli, yet behaved more mature than most of the older and bigger women I had seen thus far. ''At least she''s calling me Sam now. That''s progress.'' I smiled and returned her greeting. "Good morning, Lucy. How did your... patrol go?" "It went smoothly, as always. Thank you for asking." She nodded in response. Her speech was usually clogged with formality, and she always acted stiffly around me. Normally, that would have made me grow distant from her, but I found Lucy''s actions to be somewhat endearing. I mean, despite how she looked, she was neen years. It would be too much to ask her to be cute, at this point. Though, whether she wanted to or not, Lucy''s warrior vibe was still very adorable. ''To think I was frightened of her in the past...'' I smiled in nostalgia. Many things had changed about how I viewed this world and the people in it. If I were to think back, I had to thank Sarah, Lucy, and Lilith the most... for their help. ''All their memories of those events have been erased because of the Arcana Call, though. I suppose that''s a good thing... since it ended badly.'' My very first try ended badly for everyone in the settlement. Sarah had pulled me out of my slump, giving me necessary resolve to use Arcana Call and save everyone. It was a very heartwarming incident, but there was no way I wanted Sarah to remember how I broke down in front of everyone and disyed such weakness. Lucy''s death was also something I could never forget. It was one of the most tragic moments for me. Fortunately, I was able to reverse it all. ''I still haven''t forgotten your sacrifice, Lucy...'' I grinned at the short girl. "Is anything the matter, Sam?" She tilted her head obliviously. "N-no, nothing." Her clueless expression and stern face made me think she was cuter than usual, but I swiftly chased those thoughts away. "A-ah, yes. I would like to inspect the progress of the construction." "Very well. I shall stay at the rear, if that is fine by you. These five can stay at the front." Lucy''s words carried heavy weight as she shot the Demons a deep re. "Okay." I did my best not to stutter. To say things got even more awkward wouldn''t do the situation justice. I mean, it was no secret that Lucy held a strong dislike for Demons. Her statement implied that the Demons weren''t to be trusted in watching my back, so she would handle that. ''I understand your apprehension, but...'' I grimaced internally. Either way, it wasn''t like the Demons liked any of us much either, so in a way... it was fair. "You heard the Hero. Lead the way." Lucy''s hands were on her hip as she spoke. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she red at the five Demons. Of course, they had no choice but to obey. The five swallowed whatever words they wanted to say¡ªAdu really seemed like he was about to burst at this point¡ªand began moving steadily. Once they walked forward a little, I began advancing as well, while Lucy stayed very close to me from behind. Things really were awkward. ''Yikes!'' ************* Asa was assisting with the construction project¡ªjust like every other functional member of Dulum. Since Adventurers were physically stronger than regr people, they had to work for longer and had very little breaks¡ªthough she didn''t mind at all. For her, being able to be a part of the Hero''s efforts to recreate the city was simply amazing. ''Was this his n all along? He must have used the fight to ensure that this city''scking infrastructure would be gone. The damage caused to this city must have been intentional!'' That was only her theory, though. However, it made a lot of sense. Looking around her, Asa could see many workers talking and bonding. Adventurers and denizens discussing. Children assisting in whatever ways they could. Socializing here and there. Dulum had always been too busy for socializing¡ªat least, with what Asa experienced in her time there. Adventurers often went out toplete quests in order to make ends meet. No one had time for much socializing, unless they were in the same party. However, looking at the peaceful and friendly atmosphere, Asa surmised that it was the Hero''s intention to draw the people to one another. What an amazing and thoughtful n that was. Of course, there were Golems and Demons working too¡ªbut they were handling the more difficult tasks since their frames allowed them to do more. For humans like her, making blocks and carrying certain materials made up most of her work. The Golems were designed to build the actual structures since they were precise in their measurements and actions. Sure, they had artisans as supervisors, but the Golems did amazing jobs. As for the stronger Demons and Adventurers, they were responsible for carrying the heavy loads. ''I''m only Level 15. I can''t do all that much yet...'' Asa muttered to herself.'' Folks like Gu, Gndel, and other heavy lifters were meant to handle tasks like that. Since she was better suited for tasks like making blocks¡ªdue to her speed¡ªshe was working with most of themon people. ''The Hero, huh...'' Her thoughts finally returned to the matter that constantly gued her heart. No matter how much she tried to distract herself from her constant nightmares and their meaning, Asa kept returning to the subject. ''I have to tell the Hero. But how...?'' The Hero was a busy person. He had an entire city to manage, and a whole world to save. How could she get him mixed up with her problems? ''Would I even be able to have ess to him?'' Sam was always followed by an entourage of powerful subordinates, after all. "Haa..." Asa sighed in defeat. Who was she kidding? How could she even reach him? It wasn''t like some sort of miracle would happen and he would just pop out of nowhere. "N-no way!!!" A loud voice roused Asa, instantly snapping her from her thoughts. A loud voice. The voice attracted a lot of attention. But, most especially, it pointed everyone''s focus in a particr direction. A direction Asa also looked at¡ªnot at all expecting what sheid her eyes on. "T-the Hero is here?!" Chapter 182 Seeking An Audience With The Almighty Hero [Pt 1] ''H-he really is...!!!'' Just as was dered by the sudden rm by one of the workers, the Hero appeared to have been passing by. His magnificent outfit got all of their attention, and the entire workforce made sure to leave everything they were doing to wee him. "We greet the Hero!" They all dered, bowing before his majesty. The Hero currently donned what he referred to as a Hoodie Jacket, and the blue color flowed smoothly with the ck trousers he donned and his casual Crocs. His ck hair danced with the soft wind, and his marvelous smile caused everyone''s heart to race in delight. Everyone loved the Hero, without even a fraction of a doubt. ''He''s here! D-does he know about... no, there''s no way!'' Asa shook her head and tried to simply keep an open mind. The Hero had lots of responsibilities. Plus, he was already upied with rebuilding this city. While it was possible he knew of her plight, he was currently too busy. ''Maybe it''s better not to say anything.'' She trembled while biting her lip. Asa knew she would have to look forward to yet another version of the dreams that haunted her at night. Asa raised her head once more to gaze upon the glorious image of her savior and model figure when she noticed something. ''H-he''s looking at me?!'' It was so unexpected that Asa found herself frozen in ce¡ªalmost as if her body became lead. Her heart was still pretty malleable, though, and it was racing at a dangerous speed. ''H-h-h-he''s really l-looking at me!'' It wasn''t as if he hadn''t spoken to her before, but it was very rare. Asa still treasured the advice he gave her in the past, and she could vividly imagine all of their meetings. It shouldn''t have been strange for him to look at a familiar face such as hers. Still...!!! ''Those dazzling blue eyes, it''s almost like they can see right through me. And he''s smiling warmly at me. I... I...'' At this point, Asa couldn''t keep denying that the Hero unaware of the matters that troubled her heart. ''Is he waiting for me to speak up? Is he testing my courage?'' She didn''t know the answer. The Hero''s smile suddenly widened, and he nodded at Asa, almost as though he read her mind. It was... so humbling. ''H-he knows everything!'' Asa shut her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She felt so overwhelmed by the strong emotion coursing through her that it became impossible to stand still. ''I-I''m so sorry, Sam... I''m so sorry!'' In her cowardice, Asa ran away. Guilt. Shame. Anxiety. Awe. Several emotions churned within the young girl, but she couldn''t let them out in any way more than tears. She e picked up her pace and abandoned her workce, no longer able to withstand the purity of her Hero. *********** ''E-eh?'' What just happened? I had no honest idea. I had been taking a look around the progress everyone was making concerning the rebuilding of Dulum. Seeing everyone band together for one glorious cause made me genuinely happy. When I came to this spot, I came across this set of workers¡ªmostly residents I didn''t know of¡ªworking on the lighter aspects of construction. One ''genius'' had to scream out my position to everyone, causing them to pay me total kind. Usually, I would feelfortable staring emptily into a crowd, but I didn''t know most of these people. Fortunately, I spotted Asa, and I was happy to see her. In fact, her dazed expression was pretty cute, considering we hadn''t really spoken in a while. ''Maybe now would be a good time to address what has been on my mind about her...'' I had thought, nodding to myself as I kept maintaining my friendly Hero smile. How could I have expected that she would suddenly shed tears and run off? It made zero sense to me, to be honest. ''What did I do to make her break down so suddenly?'' I was sure my performance was wless. I didn''t creep her out... right? "Lucy, follow after Asa and ask her what''s wrong." I told the redhead behind me. "But, what of your security?" "Don''t worry. I''ll be fine. I can take them if they ever misbehave." A smile formed.on my face as I nced in the direction of the very dissatisfied¡ªyet scared¡ªDemons Generals. Lucy nodded instantly. ''It''s a good thing she listens to me.'' "Should I silently observe her? Or do you suspect her of subversion¡ªperhaps she''s guilty of something or hiding a dangerous secre¡ª" "No, Lucy. I''m just concerned. You''re a girl, and you''re also a fellow Adventurer. Plus, she respects you. Find out what she knows without letting her know I set you up to it, then report back to me." I didn''t want to go myself, because that would be weird. Plus, sending any Demon wouldn''t probably ry the kind of message I wanted to show. In the end, I had to resort to my cute little Lucy to make it happen. "Understood. I will carry out your request." "Thank you." That was indeed a relief, and I was happy to see Lucy run after Asa in swifter motion than thetter disyed. "Now then, shall we proceed?" The Demon Generals in front of me shuddered slightly and nodded, resuming their march which would lead me across the rest of the City. ''I think I''ll have a nap when I return.'' * * * Surprisingly, when I returned to my lodging space, Lucy was already waiting for me. I shouldn''t have been surprised, but it definitely felt weird that she arrived before we did. Weren''t girls supposed to talk for a long time, or something? "Great work. Did you get the information I wanted?" "Yes sir." For someone older than me to refer to me as that... what was my world turning into? "Great. Fill me in when we get inside. The rest of you are dismissed. Go watch over the perimeter. Ensure everything around this ce is safe and secure." If another enemy was going to attack, I needed to know when and where. "Understood." They all responded and left me alone with Lucy, who slowly trailed behind me as I entered my lodging ''Welp. It''s time for the moment of truth'' Chapter 183 DO NOT READ DO NOT UNLOCK OR READ! ''H-he really is...!!!'' Just as was dered by the sudden rm by one of the workers, the Hero appeared to have been passing by. His magnificent outfit got all of their attention, and the entire workforce made sure to leave everything they were doing to wee him. "We greet the Hero!" They all dered, bowing before his majesty. The Hero currently donned what he referred to as a Hoodie Jacket, and the blue color flowed smoothly with the ck trousers he donned and his casual Crocs. His ck hair danced with the soft wind, and his marvelous smile caused everyone''s heart to race in delight. Everyone loved the Hero, without even a fraction of a doubt. ''He''s here! D-does he know about... no, there''s no way!'' Asa shook her head and tried to simply keep an open mind. The Hero had lots of responsibilities. Plus, he was already upied with rebuilding this city. While it was possible he knew of her plight, he was currently too busy. ''Maybe it''s better not to say anything.'' She trembled while biting her lip. Asa knew she would have to look forward to yet another version of the dreams that haunted her at night. Asa raised her head once more to gaze upon the glorious image of her savior and model figure when she noticed something. ''H-he''s looking at me?!'' It was so unexpected that Asa found herself frozen in ce¡ªalmost as if her body became lead. Her heart was still pretty malleable, though, and it was racing at a dangerous speed. ''H-h-h-he''s really l-looking at me!'' It wasn''t as if he hadn''t spoken to her before, but it was very rare. Asa still treasured the advice he gave her in the past, and she could vividly imagine all of their meetings. It shouldn''t have been strange for him to look at a familiar face such as hers. Still...!!! ''Those dazzling blue eyes, it''s almost like they can see right through me. And he''s smiling warmly at me. I... I...'' At this point, Asa couldn''t keep denying that the Hero unaware of the matters that troubled her heart. ''Is he waiting for me to speak up? Is he testing my courage?'' She didn''t know the answer. The Hero''s smile suddenly widened, and he nodded at Asa, almost as though he read her mind. It was... so humbling. ''H-he knows everything!'' Asa shut her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She felt so overwhelmed by the strong emotion coursing through her that it became impossible to stand still. ''I-I''m so sorry, Sam... I''m so sorry!'' In her cowardice, Asa ran away. Guilt. Shame. Anxiety. Awe. Several emotions churned within the young girl, but she couldn''t let them out in any way more than tears. She e picked up her pace and abandoned her workce, no longer able to withstand the purity of her Hero. *********** ''E-eh?'' What just happened? I had no honest idea. I had been taking a look around the progress everyone was making concerning the rebuilding of Dulum. Seeing everyone band together for one glorious cause made me genuinely happy. When I came to this spot, I came across this set of workers¡ªmostly residents I didn''t know of¡ªworking on the lighter aspects of construction. One ''genius'' had to scream out my position to everyone, causing them to pay me total kind. Usually, I would feelfortable staring emptily into a crowd, but I didn''t know most of these people. Fortunately, I spotted Asa, and I was happy to see her. In fact, her dazed expression was pretty cute, considering we hadn''t really spoken in a while. ''Maybe now would be a good time to address what has been on my mind about her...'' I had thought, nodding to myself as I kept maintaining my friendly Hero smile. How could I have expected that she would suddenly shed tears and run off? It made zero sense to me, to be honest. ''What did I do to make her break down so suddenly?'' I was sure my performance was wless. I didn''t creep her out... right? "Lucy, follow after Asa and ask her what''s wrong." I told the redhead behind me. "But, what of your security?" "Don''t worry. I''ll be fine. I can take them if they ever misbehave." A smile formed.on my face as I nced in the direction of the very dissatisfied¡ªyet scared¡ªDemons Generals. Lucy nodded instantly. ''It''s a good thing she listens to me.'' "Should I silently observe her? Or do you suspect her of subversion¡ªperhaps she''s guilty of something or hiding a dangerous secre¡ª" "No, Lucy. I''m just concerned. You''re a girl, and you''re also a fellow Adventurer. Plus, she respects you. Find out what she knows without letting her know I set you up to it, then report back to me." I didn''t want to go myself, because that would be weird. Plus, sending any Demon wouldn''t probably ry the kind of message I wanted to show. In the end, I had to resort to my cute little Lucy to make it happen. "Understood. I will carry out your request." "Thank you." That was indeed a relief, and I was happy to see Lucy run after Asa in swifter motion than thetter disyed. "Now then, shall we proceed?" The Demon Generals in front of me shuddered slightly and nodded, resuming their march which would lead me across the rest of the City. ''I think I''ll have a nap when I return.'' * * * Surprisingly, when I returned to my lodging space, Lucy was already waiting for me. I shouldn''t have been surprised, but it definitely felt weird that she arrived before we did. Weren''t girls supposed to talk for a long time, or something? "Great work. Did you get the information I wanted?" "Yes sir." For someone older than me to refer to me as that... what was my world turning into? "Great. Fill me in when we get inside. The rest of you are dismissed. Go watch over the perimeter. Ensure everything around this ce is safe and secure." If another enemy was going to attack, I needed to know when and where. "Understood." They all responded and left me alone with Lucy, who slowly trailed behind me as I entered my lodging Chapter 184 Seeking An Audience With The Almighty Hero [Pt 2] "So, tell me, Lucy... what''s bothering with Asa?" I asked the girl who maintained a steady pace behind me as I made my way to my office. Since I had my modern home allocated to me, I ensured there was a study which I also dubbed my office. "Well, she wouldn''t tell me about it. I tried to be as persuasive as possible." ''Ah...'' It was Lucy, after all. Hermunication skills weren''t exactly prime, were they? I sat on my seat and positioned myself properly on my veryfortable chair. For a moment, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the pleasant feel. ''Wait a sec!'' My thoughts rang as I refered to an earlier memory. "You said you got the information I wanted, though." I stared hard at Lucy, who firmly stood beyond my desk. Didn''t she say that? I clearly remembered she mentioned how she had gotten what I told her to get. It wasn''t like Lucy to lie, so¡ª "Yes, Sam. It appears Asa is hiding something from us. Judging from her distracted gaze, her guilty expression, and how she avoided my questions despite how friendly I was towards her... I believe she is indeed keeping something very important from you." Lucy spoke calmly. Was that what she meant by ''the information I wanted''?! Did she think I was suspecting Asa of some kind of deeper thing other than harmless curiousity? ''I was just wondering why she ran away from me. If she''s hiding something from me, could it be¡ª?!'' My eyes instantly widened as a sudden realization came upon me. Had Asa somehow developed feelings for me?! "So that''s how it is..." My voice trailed as I narrowed my gaze. "A-as expected of the Hero! You understand the situation perfectly!" Lucy seemed to think I had everything all figured out, but I really had no clue. It was just a theory of mine. ''I-I mean, it''s not too far fetched. I''m kind of attractive, plus... I''m the Hero and stuff. She''s also a¡ª" Arrgh! What was I thinking? Just because the girl ran off and had something to hide, it didn''t mean she was falling for me. Why did I even start to overthink this matter? There was no need to assume anything. ''I''ll just ask her and use [Absolute Freedom Of Expression] to decipher the truth. It was an evolved Skill I obtained from [Freedom Of Expression]. Unlike thetter, it consumed some MP, but the results were well worth it. ''I can read her mind and intentions based on deciphering her expression. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, the Skill Instantly reads the slightest movement on her face or bodily movement and tells me what she''s thinking.'' It was a Skill, so it sort of defiedmon sense. Unless a person was an expert at manipting their entire body¡ªlike me¡ªor was using a Skill to interfere with the effects of [Absolute Freedom Of Expression], it would urately work. ''I''ve tried it a few times on Lucy, the Demon Generals, and a few others. It''s amazing.'' In any case, I needed to try it out on Asa... just to be certain. Besides, I was going to talk to her eventually. ''Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.'' "Summon Asa here. I''d like to have a word with her." Lucy responded with a sharp nod and an affirming "Yes" before leaving my presence. "Haa..." The moment she left the study, I heaved a heavy sigh and nkly stared into space. There were a lot of things to worry about, and I had reached a deadlock in trying to find solutions. Perhaps this issue with Asa was going to be a good distraction. Slowly, I began to hope that the secret she was keeping from me was going to be a big deal. It would be disappointing if everything was for nothing. "I really have nothing better to do." *************** Asa felt her body shiver as she entered the abode of the Hero. Lucy was right in front of her and they both stepped into the house with a sense of purpose. ''A-ah...'' Asa couldn''t stop shaking. Was she frightened? Was she excited? She had noplete idea. One thing was for sure, though. It was finally the moment of truth. ''He knows! He knows everything! He must have finally decided to ask me about it all!'' She gulped, pacing herself behind Lucy. ''So, he sent Lucy to ask me about it, yet I didn''t say anything. How foolish must I have been!'' Asa chided herself, staring at the back of the small statured girl. Lucy was Asa''s senior as an Adventurer, and thetter had respect for how powerful she was. Plus, she was a direct subordinate to the Hero, making her even more respectable in the blonde''s eyes. Unfortunately, she wasn''t the mostely person. ''I really wanted to say the truth, but it was too scary. Her rigidness and constant inquisition got me more nervous than usual.'' Frankly, it almost felt like an interrogation! ''B-but, if it''s the Hero, then¡ª'' Asa wouldn''t mind telling him the whole thing. In fact, she hoped he would help her... though she thought herself to be shameless for asking so much from him. Still, as her heart pounded and as she neared his presence, Asa prayed silently. ''Oh, Hero... please help me.'' * * * The Hero''s office was grand, and it contained numerous books and designs she wasn''t used to. His desk had a bunch of books, files, and documents¡ªevidence that the Hero was constantly busy. ''The desk and chair... even the shelf. Oh, my!'' Asa was seeing things correctly! They were all made from wood¡ªand the quality was the most superb she had ever seen before. The room also smelled nice. It was a scent she had never experienced before, but it felt absolutely divine. And seated in this cool,fortable, and utterly breathtaking room, was the Hero himself. He had a warm smile, and his blue eyesplimented the casual shirt he wore in the office. ''H-Hero!'' "Wee, Asa. Please, sit." He beckoned at a wooden chair for her to befortable. Asa''s eyes were still wide open when the Hero''s voice hit her once more. "We have much to discuss." Chapter 185 DO NOT READ DO NOT READ OR UNLOCK. IT IS A MISTAKE. THANK YOU!!! "So, tell me, Lucy... what''s bothering with Asa?" I asked the girl who maintained a steady pace behind me as I made my way to my office. Since I had my modern home allocated to me, I ensured there was a study which I also dubbed my office. "Well, she wouldn''t tell me about it. I tried to be as persuasive as possible." ''Ah...'' It was Lucy, after all. Hermunication skills weren''t exactly prime, were they? I sat on my seat and positioned myself properly on my veryfortable chair. For a moment, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the pleasant feel. ''Wait a sec!'' My thoughts rang as I refered to an earlier memory. "You said you got the information I wanted, though." I stared hard at Lucy, who firmly stood beyond my desk. Didn''t she say that? I clearly remembered she mentioned how she had gotten what I told her to get. It wasn''t like Lucy to lie, so¡ª "Yes, Sam. It appears Asa is hiding something from us. Judging from her distracted gaze, her guilty expression, and how she avoided my questions despite how friendly I was towards her... I believe she is indeed keeping something very important from you." Lucy spoke calmly. Was that what she meant by ''the information I wanted''?! Did she think I was suspecting Asa of some kind of deeper thing other than harmless curiousity? ''I was just wondering why she ran away from me. If she''s hiding something from me, could it be¡ª?!'' My eyes instantly widened as a sudden realization came upon me. Had Asa somehow developed feelings for me?! "So that''s how it is..." My voice trailed as I narrowed my gaze. "A-as expected of the Hero! You understand the situation perfectly!" Lucy seemed to think I had everything all figured out, but I really had no clue. It was just a theory of mine. ''I-I mean, it''s not too far fetched. I''m kind of attractive, plus... I''m the Hero and stuff. She''s also a¡ª" Arrgh! What was I thinking? Just because the girl ran off and had something to hide, it didn''t mean she was falling for me. Why did I even start to overthink this matter? There was no need to assume anything. ''I''ll just ask her and use [Absolute Freedom Of Expression] to decipher the truth. It was an evolved Skill I obtained from [Freedom Of Expression]. Unlike thetter, it consumed some MP, but the results were well worth it. ''I can read her mind and intentions based on deciphering her expression. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, the Skill Instantly reads the slightest movement on her face or bodily movement and tells me what she''s thinking.'' It was a Skill, so it sort of defiedmon sense. Unless a person was an expert at manipting their entire body¡ªlike me¡ªor was using a Skill to interfere with the effects of [Absolute Freedom Of Expression], it would urately work. ''I''ve tried it a few times on Lucy, the Demon Generals, and a few others. It''s amazing.'' In any case, I needed to try it out on Asa... just to be certain. Besides, I was going to talk to her eventually. ''Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.'' "Summon Asa here. I''d like to have a word with her." Lucy responded with a sharp nod and an affirming "Yes" before leaving my presence. "Haa..." The moment she left the study, I heaved a heavy sigh and nkly stared into space. There were a lot of things to worry about, and I had reached a deadlock in trying to find solutions. Perhaps this issue with Asa was going to be a good distraction. Slowly, I began to hope that the secret she was keeping from me was going to be a big deal. It would be disappointing if everything was for nothing. "I really have nothing better to do." *************** Asa felt her body shiver as she entered the abode of the Hero. Lucy was right in front of her and they both stepped into the house with a sense of purpose. ''A-ah...'' Asa couldn''t stop shaking. Was she frightened? Was she excited? She had noplete idea. One thing was for sure, though. It was finally the moment of truth. ''He knows! He knows everything! He must have finally decided to ask me about it all!'' She gulped, pacing herself behind Lucy. ''So, he sent Lucy to ask me about it, yet I didn''t say anything. How foolish must I have been!'' Asa chided herself, staring at the back of the small statured girl. Lucy was Asa''s senior as an Adventurer, and thetter had respect for how powerful she was. Plus, she was a direct subordinate to the Hero, making her even more respectable in the blonde''s eyes. Unfortunately, she wasn''t the mostely person. ''I really wanted to say the truth, but it was too scary. Her rigidness and constant inquisition got me more nervous than usual.'' Frankly, it almost felt like an interrogation! ''B-but, if it''s the Hero, then¡ª'' Asa wouldn''t mind telling him the whole thing. In fact, she hoped he would help her... though she thought herself to be shameless for asking so much from him. Still, as her heart pounded and as she neared his presence, Asa prayed silently. ''Oh, Hero... please help me.'' * * * The Hero''s office was grand, and it contained numerous books and designs she wasn''t used to. His desk had a bunch of books, files, and documents¡ªevidence that the Hero was constantly busy. ''The desk and chair... even the shelf. Oh, my!'' Asa was seeing things correctly! They were all made from wood¡ªand the quality was the most superb she had ever seen before. The room also smelled nice. It was a scent she had never experienced before, but it felt absolutely divine. And seated in this cool,fortable, and utterly breathtaking room, was the Hero himself. He had a warm smile, and his blue eyesplimented the casual shirt he wore in the office. ''H-Hero!'' "Wee, Asa. Please, sit." He beckoned at a wooden chair for her to befortable. Asa''s eyes were still wide open when the Hero''s voice hit her once more. "We have much to discuss." Chapter 186 Okay, I Truly Did Not See This One Coming ''W-wood... I''m sitting on actual wood...?'' Asa felt delirious, being in the presence of the Hero whilefortably rxed on a luxurious surface. Sure, she had seen and even experienced thefort of wooden furniture in the past, but none even came close to this quality. The nervous girl felt her body stiffen as her nose picked up the nice wooden smell of her chair. It was exquisite. "Asa, did you hear what I just said?" The Hero''s slightly raised voice finally brought Asa from her dazed state, instantly causing her to yelp while blushing in embarrassment. Fortunately, Asa wasn''t present so only two of them were in the room. Though, that in itself presented a problem for the nervous youngdy. "A-ah, yes. No... not really. I''m so sorry!" Her squeaky voice sounded funny, but Asa was not in the condition to pay heed to that. "It''s fine. I understand why you must be dazed. However, there''s no need to be so flustered. Just remain calm." Asa nodded obediently. With her head awkwardly hung on her shoulders, she waited for the Hero to repeat himself. ''Or should I just speak?'' "Asa, there''s something you''re keeping from me. I''d like to know what it is." The Hero''s soothing voice greeted her ears, and Asa felt her muscles stiffen even more. It was finally the moment of truth¡ªsomething she had been expecting. ''He already knows what I''m about to say, so I might as well...'' Asa took a deep breath and decided to pour her heart out. "Hero... I mean, Sam, you are correct. I am indeed hiding something from you¡ªno, from everyone in this city." As she spoke, Asa removed a ring that was on her right finger. The object gleamed brightly as it came off, shimmering golden dust-like energy around her body. Slowly, Asa''s body¡ªwell, mostly her face¡ªtook a peculiar new form. Pointy ears grew, and her eyes turned bright luminescent green. Her hair also turned longer, and it had a nature-like allure to it. Her skin kept a moderately light glow, and her face looked a dozen times more youthful. Her current appearance¡ªthe beauty and elegance disyed¡ªwas evidently not human. It was something more. "I am an Elf. My true name is Asariel Lucielle, sole daughter of thete Elven Chief and native of the Elf Sanctuary." The Hero was silent, and his fierce blue eyes remained stagnant. Asa felt like she knew why. ''He already knows my identity. He wants me to spill everything. Very well...'' She took another deep breath, closing her eyes to summon more courage. "I need your help, Hero. My people are suffering, oppressed under the tyrannical rule of my Uncle who forcefully took over our nation. I barely managed to escape with my life, so please..." The Hero''s calm face told her she wasn''t wrong. He was indeed aware of all of it. "... Please help me, Hero! Save my people!" ********* ''Ah, shit. Things just got moreplicated than I thought. I had known Asa was an Elf since her name was added to the Character List, but how could I have foreseen this development? She was a runaway princess who had a murderous evil uncle and a nation that needed saving. Just how much more cliche could her situation be? ''Oof, this sounds pretty rough.'' The original storyline never mentioned anything like this, so it couldn''t have been plot-relevant, but... just looking at the desperate expression Asa was making made me feel how serious this stuff was. ''Asa¡ªor should I say Asariel Lucielle¡ªis in quite the pickle.'' Why? Because unlike the events of the past¡ªwhere I had at least some idea of what I was doing, or the people involved¡ªI was quite clueless here. ''The original Novel only slightly mentions the Elves, and that is when Damien encounters a survivor. ording to the survivor, the Elf Sanctuary was destroyed.'' That event happened about two years after Damien appeared in the fantasy world, so I had to guess the Elven civilization wouldn''t be destroyed until some timeter. Why and how were never mentioned in the story, so I had no clue. ''I''m just shocked and confused.'' Never before had I been utterly clueless. "I understand your situation perfectly, Asa." Of course, I wasn''t going to tell the young Elf that. She was looking at me with her sweet pearly eyes. What was I supposed to do? Tell her she came to the wrong person? ''Besides, I pressured her to talk. She was clearly going to keep this to herself. It''s my fault for causing this awkward scenario...'' That meant it was up to me to fix it... even though I''d rather not. ''Welp, you wanted something interesting, Sam. Here it is!'' "You did well by speaking. You must have suffered a lot, keeping so much of this bottled down for so long..." Asa nodded, tears dripping from her face as she sniffed pitifully. Seeing such a prettydy cry so hard made my heart melt and ache at the same time. "I... I... I''ve been having so many nightmarestely. I feel like so many horrible things have gone wrong in my absence. I''m so scared. I only ran away to be stronger! Strong enough to liberate my people! I never... I never..." She sobbed even more, and I watched powerlessly. "... I never meant to abandon them!" I had never seen Asa so emotional before. The sincerity behind her words was enough to buy me over. I would be worse than a jerk to turn her away when she presented me with such a case, wouldn''t I? "Do not worry. Dry your tears, Asa." I rose from my feet, ensuring my shy Hero smile remained active. Asa''s bright green eyes were now fixed on me with both surprise and hope. I could feel her ragged breath from where I stood. Despite how awkward it was to stare at such an Elven beauty for so long, I kept my cool. ''I''m freaking out internally, so I''m grateful it''s not so obvious! "I will help you." My grin broadened, and her face softened. "Y-you will...?" Asa looked at me with such an innocently surprised expression that even I couldn''t resist any longer. ''S-so cuteeee!'' I squinted my eyes at the brightness of her cuteness. "Indeed. So do not worry..." Her tears dried and she nodded with such excited fervor. "... Just trust your Hero!" Chapter 187 [Bonus ] This Is Just As Easy As It Looks... Not Easy At All! Asa left my office in an excited daze after I promised to help her. Of course, she put on her Magic Ring and resumed her disguise as a human Adventurer, leaving my abode with a smile on her face. Before she left, though, I had her exin everything in detail, and boy was it a lot! Apparently, her uncle¡ªSamiel Lucielle¡ªsuddenly appeared with power beyond what a normal Elf could wield. He used this power to execute her father and imprisoned her mother while seeking to eliminate her since she was the sole heir. All of this happened roughly six months ago, and she had been traveling around in fear of being captured. After a harsh life in the neighboring cities, she finally found Dulum where she could earn a living while building her strength. Thanks to her family''s heirloom¡ªthe Magic Ring on her right hand¡ªshe could record one high-level Magic in it. Since it was necessary for her survival, Asa chose to choose the shape-shifting kind. Once recorded, it took a year before another Magic Effect could rece the registered one, so even in desperate situations, Asa was stuck with the Magic Ring''s current power. As for her home, the Elf Sanctuary, she had no idea what befell it after she left. However, from what she saw before running away, her uncle nned on making arge-scale mine and mill¡ªusing the Elves asborers. "I can only imagine the kind of hell they''re going through..." She had said. Still, Asa''s story was quite peculiar. Her uncle couldn''t have achieved this much with only his ability. Besides, the idea of making mills and mines had toe from somewhere else. From what I deciphered from my conversation with Asa, Elves were even more primitive than humans. I mean, even in games and literature, that was a given. Elves had a specialty of Runes and certainmonce Spells that assisted them in their everyday lives, so they didn''t need the help of technology. They had simple homes made from dried tree branches and wood. The fact that her uncle had something sorge-scale in the works¡ªand even how he was able toe into power, to begin with¡ªhinted at a hidden power at work ''So, she suspects her uncle is being backed by someone more powerful, and they''re using his lust for power to harvest the Elf Sanctuary''s natural reserves...'' That was what I was able to decipher from our conversation. And the conclusion? "This reeks of Demons..." Of course! Who else would it be? This was the world for those malevolent beings, after all. ''I don''t know how this will y out, or what to expect, but...'' At the very least, I knew the enemy, and how I could never underestimate them. ''If I''m going to do this, I have to think things through. Everything has to be nned for...'' I wanted to avoid using my Arcana Call at all costs. Dying was also out of the picture. That meant I had to thoroughly prepare for every oue. ''The Elven Race¡ªno, the whole world¡ªis counting on this!'' And, well, if the n managed to seed, perhaps I could tell Asa to convince her Elf brethren to part with some resources. We badly needed them, after all. ''Would that fly? I certainly hope I won''t be doing this for free...'' A Hero needed funds too, you know? *********** ''I-I did it! I actually told him!'' Asa''s was still in a daze as she left the Hero''s office and exited his abode. She was so lost in thought that she could barely bow to greet Lucy, who was patrolling the building with utmost diligence. ''He knows everything now! Finally!'' The young Elf realized how pointless her worries had been. How foolish she was for thinking, for even the slightest second, that the Hero would be too busy for her. Not only did he calmly listen to her story and make her feelfortable enough to share her past with him, but he readily agreed to save her people. He didn''t even give it a second thought! ''I always knew he was amazing, but¡ª!!!'' Sam had exceeded her expectations once more. He was smart enough to outwit a powerful Demon Army, powerful enough to decimate a fully powered Demon Lord, busy enough to cater to an entire City, yet... ... He was kind enough to listen to someone like her. ''The Hero is the best!'' As Asa returned to her workce, she had nothing but rejuvenated energy toplete her task¡ªand even work overtime, if it came down to it. That was simply how happy she was. Somehow, Asa just knew she would be enjoying her sleep for the night. And miraculously, she did. ************** [THE NEXT DAY] "I have gathered all of you here for a reason." Assembled before me were my most reliable subordinates¡ªat least, those who were around. Sarah and Byron were busy with the starter town, so they weren''t present. But, other than them, every relevant personnel of mine stood beyond my desk. "Lucy. Asa. Zabdel. Hogun. Heshu. Kiko. Pierrus. Adu." I mentioned their names. At this point, even though Zabdel never outright swore his loyalty to me, he could be counted among myckeys. It was one of the resultant consequences of my acts of valor. Lucy was by far the most reliable of the bunch¡ªin terms of loyalty and diligence, I mean¡ªand Asa was the most concerned with the current subject matter. As for the Demons, they were the most powerful subordinates I had in my arsenal. All in all, I needed all of these people gathered for what I was about to do. ''I spent all of my time yesterday thinking about everything I can do and the steps to take.'' There were still a few uncertainties and one or two things left unounted for, but there was a limit to what I could do to n for this kind of surprise event. ''I even had to consult with Heshu yesterday to find out all he knows about the Elves, considering he''s the oldest and most mature of the Demons.'' Unfortunately, he didn''t know much. He did mention something interesting, though¡ªa part of which I already suspected. ''The Elf Sanctuary and the surrounding area are under the control of another Demon faction.'' Bingo! My theory was spot on, after all. ''All that''s left is how to deal with them.'' Chapter 188 Looks Like The Start Of A New Adventure! "I will be temporarily leaving this city for an urgent task." I heard my voice echo in the still room. My assembled subordinates remained silent, though I could see a few expressions change, it seemed they decided to let me finish. "Something important hase to my notice, and it requires immediate attention. I''ll be leaving tomorrow, but there are a few things I''d like to leave settled before my departure." Once again, my statement was met with silence. The Demons didn''t seem to have any idea about what my ns were, which meant Heshu didn''t say any word to them. Zabdel seemed a bit worried, probably because he didn''t like the idea of me leaving Dulum. Lucy maintained a calm expression, most likely because she intended toe with me whenever I was going. As for Asa, she was the only one who appeared to have a positive response. Her cheeks were bright pink, and it was very obvious that she was doing her best to hide her glee. This whole thing was because of her, after all. "I-If I may ask... what is this urgent matter that hase up?" Finally, Zabdel spoke. He probably couldn''t contain his curiousity¡ªperhaps even fear¡ªany longer. I understood the man well. "I''d like to keep the matter private, if you don''t mind. Perhaps I''ll divulge the details once I return." My reply was straightforward, maybe even a bit too blunt. "I-I see. I apologize. Please do not take offense." Zabdel bowed in reverence. It was getting tiresome for me to see this kind of behavior from him, but I practically ignored it at this point. "It''s is fine. No offense is taken." Normally, I would have told him and everyone else in the room about my intentions, but I couldn''t afford to do that now. ''For one, Asa doesn''t seem like she wants anyone to know about her Identity as an Elf. She tried so hard to hide it. The least I can do is respect it.'' There was another reason behind my decision, though. ''I don''t want anyone to know the details of the mission in case anything goes wrong or something unexpected urs.'' So far, I had always won¡ªat least, ording to the eyes of my followers. If I told them I was going to save the Elves and something ended up uring that prevented me from doing so¡ªperhaps making it more difficult for me to achieve my initial objective¡ªthen my mission''spletion would be wed. ''I... I want to seed! I''ll do my best to ensure victory.'' This was just a contingency. "I''ll be departing with some people, while I''ll leave behind others for the wellbeing of this City. Do not worry, I do not intend on abandoning anyone here." Even though it was a tough job, I still nned on taking care of Dulum. In fact, one of my major motivations for going on this quest was to cater fit these people. "Lucy, Asa, Heshu, Hogun, and Adu... you five will being with me." I nced at my chosen candidates. "Understood." Lucy wasn''t going to stand for being left behind, so I had to bring her along with me. As for my choice with the three Demons, I needed them as my guards. ''I''m ridiculously weak now, after all. If I don''t have muscles, my life will basically be in danger.'' Hogun, Adu, and Heshu were very powerful¡ªeven among the ranks of the Demon Generals. Adu also had his spacial abilities that woulde in handy in this situation. Asa was the most integral member of this mission, so she had to be with me. "Pierrus and Kiko, you''ll be left in this city. I''ll exin the duties of your tasks after this meeting, but you''ll basically be in charge of the day-to-day management of this ce. You will ensure that things operate in the appropriate order." I continued. Pierrus was the most adept at management and his intellectual abilities were top notch. Kiko was like his twin sister or something, since I noticed the two went everywhere together, so I decided to pair them up to take care of the city. "Understood." ''I would have loved to take the whole gang with me, but... no way.'' In case of an unprecedented enemy assault, I needed a few capable members in the City. I didn''t have enough materials to erect arge scale Magic Barrier around Dulum, so I was just going to let my Golems and the two Demon Generals take charge of security. ''I''ll set up an rm system that''ll trigger if this ce is under attack, though. That way I''ll be able to teleport back.'' Moreover, Adu''s range of teleportation was limited to 100 Meters per use, it was going to take me a while if I decided to return to Dulum¡ªin case the city got attacked. ''That''s why I need capable people holding the fort here.'' I would have also loved to bring my army with me, but that would be too conspicuous. Fortunately, I had a backup n in case we had to face off against an army. ''Let''s pray it doesn''te to that, though...'' "Zabdel, just as always, you''ll be coordinating the workers. Ensure food and materials are properly distributed. Assign trusted officials to handle tasks that you can''t directly supervise." "I understand!" The middle aged man stiffly answered, causing me more cringe. "There are a few people I''d like to meet. First, I''d like to address Pierrus and Kiko privately. Then I''d like to speak with Asa after this. Finally, I''d like to talk with Lucy." The redhead, in particr, looked a bit surprised when I mentioned her name, but I simply smiled at her. "If my business has been concluded with you, you may leave this building and prepare for our departure at dawn. As for those I have intention of speaking with, leave this office and await your turn." Instantly, they obeyed my words and left my presence. All they had to do was loiter in the corridor, or something, pending the time I called them. ''They won''t be able to overhear anything since I made the doors and walls soundproof.'' Thus, the first persons I had to address were Pierrus and Kiko. ''Let''s just get this over with so I can prepare that other thing...'' Chapter 189 Someones Mad About Being A Slave "DAMNIT! THAT BASTARD!" A fierce and utterly enraged voice burst out in a vast tent. It belonged to Adu the Malevolent, and his body was shrouded in wicked purple Miasma. His eyes were bloodshot, and his body itched to destroy everything in sight, but a certain ''contract'' restricted him from doing so. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!!" With each vulgar word he spat out, his rage rise to new heights, and the space around him was beginning to twist in ordance with his deep animosity. Therge tent he was currently in was the Hero''s property, which made him unable to unleash his wrath as he desired. The city was under his protection, preventing him from releasing the pent-up rage that wanted to swallow him whole. He could have left, but... his contract ensured he remained in the vicinity at all times. Adu felt like he would go insane just from having to hear the indescribable feeling of humiliation he endured daily. "Be quiet, Adu. You should get some rest rather than whining. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Hogun murmured as he slept on his mattress. The lion headed Demon''s eyes were closed, but he was clearly aware of the deep frown that Adu responded with. "Y-you... how can you say that? Are you saying you''re not the least bit upset at that mere human''s treatment of us? The nerve he ha¡ª" Hogun stopped Adu with a heavy sigh that showed how tired he was of the constant whining and curses. "What treatment exactly? Giving us a decent ce to rest our heads, giving us moderately easier tasks to perform, giving us feeding and refusing to treat us like our status connotes?" Adu was rendered speechless by hisrade''s statement¡ªnot forck of words, but due to sheer surprise. "You... you''re actually defending him?!" "We''re ves, Adu! Or have you forgotten how we were at his mercy and he decided to spare our lives? Have you forgotten how he easily crushed our forces?" Hogun was exasperated at this point. "He killed my father!" "Your father tried to kill him and the people he was protecting. Do you not see the hypocrisy? He did everything to protect these people? Have you seen how happy they are with the Hero? How they treasure and honor him with genuine love? Did you ever experience something like that in the Demon Realm?" "Shut up! Hogun, how dare you wave off my father''s death? He... that Hero is the bane of our existence! How can you be okay with serving him?" Adu was nearly in tears at this point. Many emotions and memories yed into his head as he fought back the salty liquid that formed in his eyes. "Father promised me recognition after this mission. Do you know how hard I worked? Do you know how much I strived to achieve what I did? Yet, he... that bastard... damnit!" More throes of powerless regret and hate seared the tent''s interior. "Quit your whining already." This time, another voice intercepted the young Demon''s loud voice. It belonged to the third Demon who currently upied the tent¡ªHeshu. "What?" "I said quit your whining¡ªno, should I call it hitching?" Adu''s eyes turned bloodshot as he stared at the older Demon who was busy reading a book on his mattress. There were five mattresses in the room, and because two remained unupied due to the Hero currently meeting with Pierrus and Kiko, the three Demons had the ce to themselves. Heshu''s space was the furthest away from Adu''s, but the animosity between the two could be felt from a distance. "Hey, old man... don''t you dare think you''re shit. I don''t believe I ever talked to you." Heshu sighed, shaking his head as he turned the page of the book he seemed to be enjoying. Perhaps his intention wasn''t to tick Adu off, but by doing that, the frustrated Demon''s anger rose to a new height. "Hey! I''m talking to you, don''t ignore me!" At this point, Adu began marching in Heshu''s direction. As the Hero''s ves, they weren''t allowed to harm one another, but there was no way the so called ''Malevolent'' Demon could tolerate such gross disrespect. "HEY!" Now standing right in front of Heshu, Adu''s fuming face drew closer to the former and attempted to yank the book from him. "I wouldn''t do that if I were you." "Shut up and¡ª" >BZZZZTTTTZZZZZ< "ARRRGGHHHH!!!" Adu''s scream permeated the whole tent as ck bolts of lightning coursed through his body. Having a weaker physique than the other Demons, and being without anyyer of protection, he couldn''t withstand the heavy currents that assailed his body. As a result¡ª "Y-you... bas.... urghhh..." ¡ªHe passed out. >THUD< Adu''s body fell heavily on the ground, and Heshu ignored himpletely¡ªfocusing his gaze on the literature he kept digesting. "How did you do that? We''re not capable of attacking one another, right?" Hogun managed to ask despite being utterly dazed by the situation. After a moment of silence, Heshu shrugged and averted his gaze toward the sleeping the Demon. "I simply enchanted my book with a strong Magic Effect that prevents any unauthorized person from taking it. That''s technically not Magic directed against any one of you." Hogun was speechless. He hadn''t yet thought of a loophole like that. "Finally we can have some peace and quiet. If advice you to save your strength and contemte the journey we''ll be taking tomorrow." Hogun gulped and nodded, though something about what Heshu said¡ªor perhaps how he said it¡ªgot the lion headed Demon confused. "What''s there to contemte about, though?" The older Demon smiled, his wrinkly face forming an amused expression. Even then, his eyes still had a hint of caution. "We''re now subordinates of the Hero, making us enemies of the Demon Race. Keep that in mind as we go on whatever quest decided by our master''s wishes." With that final statement made, Heshu returned his attention to his book and paid nothing else around him heed. And even after minutes of silence; after Kiko and Pierrus returned and filled the room with more conversation; after Adu woke up and threw his usual tantrums; and then everyone went to sleep.... ... Hogun couldn''t forget Heshu''s words and what they implied. "... Enemies of the Demon Race, huh?" Chapter 190 DO NOT READ DO NOT READ AND UNLOCK. I''M SO SORRY. The wind parted as Valefor swiftly navigated his way though the tunnel. ''There''s nothing here... and there...'' The Demon Lord noticed as he went down the floors. None of them had any other precious materials left. They were all gone. Of course, that didn''t trouble him the slightest. ''I''m not after the trash! Just the main thing!'' He passed all the floors and broke through the Boss Room. >BOOOOOOMMM!< A crazed smile yed on Valefor''s face as hended in the massive cave-like structure¡ªeager to obtain his prize. "Hahaha! Finally, I¡ª!" His smile suddenly froze the moment he took a single look around him. Valefor could feel the color of his face growing pale and his expression bing frozen solid He was livid, to say the least. ''No...'' It was probably stating the obvious, but, Valefor didn''t find what he was expecting. ''Where are they?'' With quivering lips and bloodshot eyes, Valefor''s heart raced and his innermost blood boiled. "My spoils..." Veins appeared all over his face and his clenched jaws sharply opened. He simply couldn''t take it anymore. "... WHERE ARE THEYYY!!! >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< The entire cave-like structure trembled as a result of the Demon Lord''s rage. The ceiling copsed, and the central figure was too immersed in his confused rage to care. Even when he first arrived on the battlefield, and when he fought against the human who put up a fight, Valefor had asionally used his Magic to see through a Divining Orb in order to confirm the presence of his resources. He wasn''t stupid. It was possible that the very humans who had put up such an unexpected resistance could have hidden his treasures. Killing all the citizens of Dulum would ensure he never got his resources if they had moved the resources somewhere else. ''But I saw them. They were right here!'' The Demon Lord growled. Miasma leaked from his body in excess, and veins appeared on multiple parts of his body. To say he was annoyed would be an understatement. How could the resources he confirmed to be present not too long ago be gone? What could have caused it? Valefor was still pondering on this maddening issues when he felt something above him. Something... incredibly ominous. ''W-what... is this...?!'' Valefor was sensing the most unusual element to find in a ce like this. It was not only surprising, but it was incredibly intimidating. ''Miasma... and a lot of it?!'' The Level of Miasma he was sensing far exceeded even what he could produce. Valefor''s bloodshot eyes widened even further as his kind was spread too thin¡ªreaching the limit of cognition. First, the disappearance of his resources, and now the emergence of ominously dense Miasma. ''C-could it be¡ª?!'' As his thoughts rang, Valefor couldn''t contain the anger and frustration that climbed within his very being. ''Another Demon? Is it a Demon Lord? But this power...'' Valefor didn''t know of any Demon Lord with this kind of Miasma. It was enough to make him break a sweat. Regardless, he could think of no other possibility! Only Demons wielded Miasma. They were the special beings of this world. And Maisma this powerful could only be generated by an extremely powerful Demon Lord. ''Is it Paimon? Is he messing with me?!'' Valefor growled. He had done the best in his capacity to make sure he would be the first to gain ess to the resources buried here. He did all the hard work. Why would Paimon, a Demon Lord of the same rank, break the Demon Treaty by stealing from his spoils? ''Besides, this power can''t be his. It couldn''t be the Demon King, could it?'' No¡ªno, it couldn''t be him too. Valefor knew enough about the absolute ruler of their supreme Race that he was certain the Demon King could never lower himself to something as mundane as stealing. ''Besides, the resources are valuable... but not that much. Compared to his wealth, they''re not that impressive.'' This left him in the ultimate dilemma, and by the time his body was finally able to get over his initial shock, Valefor knew the only thing he could do. ''I''ll have to confront them¡ªwhoever they are!'' >BOOOOOOOMMMMM< In a brilliant blur, and also an explosion of the immediate vicinity, Valefor swiftly ascended above the Labyrinth. The floors copsed upon themselves, sending debris around as the structure broke apart to pave way for the enraged Demon Lord. Valefor''s rage and caution caused nothing beyond confusing, but he remained determined to see the culprit. And so¡ª >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< ¡ªAs soon as he emerged from the shattered ground that directly linked the base of the Great Helios Labyrinth to the city of Dulum, Valefor finally feasted eyes on his supposed enemy. It was a young boy... a human. "Y-you...?!" The human stood at the center of a dark red Magic Circle. Dark red and ck sparks of energy shed at every given moment, and the concentration of Miasma emerging from it was beyond natural. It was sublime. And that was one of the very justifiable reasons why the Demon Lord was frozen in shock as soon as he witnessed what he did. ''How is he still alive? I killed him!'' The courageous and surprisingly powerful human who stood against him¡ªwhom he killed¡ªwas not only alive, but was actively using Magic. ''He''s utilizing Miasma? And at this scale? No... no way! Not possible!'' The Magic Circle underneath the boy was something Valefor could hardly decipher. He could only transcribe a bit from it¡ªan amazing feat, given the current state of his mind. "WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE... YOU INFERIOR HUMAAAANNNN!!!" Valefor''s roar did not alter the expression made by the human¡ªjust like his destructive appearance didn''t faze him at all. The young man simply gave an undaunted stare, cing both hands in the pockets of his newly acquired jeans as his ck jacket and blue shirt fluttered with the wind. "Demon Lord Valefor..." The human whispered, enough so that the wind did not prevent his voice from reaching the recipient''s ears. Valefor felt a chill crawl up his spine, but there was no way he could show even an ounce of fear to a mere human. It was absolutely inconceivable! "... It''s over now." ''W-what is he¡ª??!'' >VWUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSHHHHH< The Magic Circle began humming ominously, revealing more of its twisted nature. Red glows that resembled the allure of blood. ck shes that personified darkness itself. Valefor''s body would have shivered if not for the extreme heat that was now proceeding from the Magic Circle. me-like Miasma ignored the outlines of the runic inscriptions, and it seemed like reality itself was breaking apart. This was...!!! ''S-summoning? But... this sheer amount of power¡ª!'' Valefor could notprehend it. Well, not until it was toote. "The offerings have been made. The scenery is to thine twisted desires. The stage has been set. Now, then creature of the darkness, ept my offer. Emerge and manifest your malevolence." >VWWWWWWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< The ground parted, and what seemed like a doorway to hell manifested. Dark mes of absolute cmity tore through the ground, and amid the tear in the fabric of space itself, a hand emerged. The hand was pale and stricken with emaciation. It looked beggarly and frail. Slowly, more parts of the body emerged, and the being that appeared from the murky depths made its appearance. A ck hooded cloak like the shade of darkness itself. Misty red energy that hinted the feel of blood and death. Pale skin that appeared to drain all life from itself. And finally... the horse it rode that personified the very color that it had¡ªpale all through. "One of the four horsemen. Death itself. ArchDemon from the realm of the Demon God, and Celestial among the 12 Great Ones of eternal damnation." The human chanted words he should not have known, singing praises and undtion toward the emerging personification that defied logic. A literal divine being that transcended the current ne of existence. ''N-no...!'' The being called death, seated atop its steed, took a nce around¡ªits face covered with the hood of darkness. It witnessed the numerous deaths and chaos that surrounded it¡ªboth within the dome and outside of it. The setting was fitting. That alone was enough to cause the grim reaper itself to leak out a smile. "Human..." The pale rider spoke¡ªits voice husky, yet akin to an echoed sound from the depth of a deep well. Despite hearing a tone that would normally make a person tremble to the core of their bones, the young man remained upright. It might have been due to a special Skill or Title of his... or perhaps sheer willpower. "... This is the first time a human has ever summoned any Great One. You possess the proper etiquette. You have weed me well with this precious scenery, and the precious resources given as sacrifices are well recieved." Valefor''s brain rang the moment he heard thest line. So, the prizes he had been looking forward to we''re already exhausted as sacrifices? The gates to hell never returned what was given to it, thus the Demon Lord had to admit that his treasures were long gone. "Now, tell me, human..." The grim reaper spoke with an amused tone. The very bnce between sanity and utter chaos hung on a thread. "... What is your request?" Chapter 191 DO NOT READ DO NOT READ AND UNLOCK. I''M SO SORRY. The wind parted as Valefor swiftly navigated his way though the tunnel. ''There''s nothing here... and there...'' The Demon Lord noticed as he went down the floors. None of them had any other precious materials left. They were all gone. Of course, that didn''t trouble him the slightest. ''I''m not after the trash! Just the main thing!'' He passed all the floors and broke through the Boss Room. >BOOOOOOMMM!< A crazed smile yed on Valefor''s face as hended in the massive cave-like structure¡ªeager to obtain his prize. "Hahaha! Finally, I¡ª!" His smile suddenly froze the moment he took a single look around him. Valefor could feel the color of his face growing pale and his expression bing frozen solid He was livid, to say the least. ''No...'' It was probably stating the obvious, but, Valefor didn''t find what he was expecting. ''Where are they?'' With quivering lips and bloodshot eyes, Valefor''s heart raced and his innermost blood boiled. "My spoils..." Veins appeared all over his face and his clenched jaws sharply opened. He simply couldn''t take it anymore. "... WHERE ARE THEYYY!!! >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< The entire cave-like structure trembled as a result of the Demon Lord''s rage. The ceiling copsed, and the central figure was too immersed in his confused rage to care. Even when he first arrived on the battlefield, and when he fought against the human who put up a fight, Valefor had asionally used his Magic to see through a Divining Orb in order to confirm the presence of his resources. He wasn''t stupid. It was possible that the very humans who had put up such an unexpected resistance could have hidden his treasures. Killing all the citizens of Dulum would ensure he never got his resources if they had moved the resources somewhere else. ''But I saw them. They were right here!'' The Demon Lord growled. Miasma leaked from his body in excess, and veins appeared on multiple parts of his body. To say he was annoyed would be an understatement. How could the resources he confirmed to be present not too long ago be gone? What could have caused it? Valefor was still pondering on this maddening issues when he felt something above him. Something... incredibly ominous. ''W-what... is this...?!'' Valefor was sensing the most unusual element to find in a ce like this. It was not only surprising, but it was incredibly intimidating. ''Miasma... and a lot of it?!'' The Level of Miasma he was sensing far exceeded even what he could produce. Valefor''s bloodshot eyes widened even further as his kind was spread too thin¡ªreaching the limit of cognition. First, the disappearance of his resources, and now the emergence of ominously dense Miasma. ''C-could it be¡ª?!'' As his thoughts rang, Valefor couldn''t contain the anger and frustration that climbed within his very being. ''Another Demon? Is it a Demon Lord? But this power...'' Valefor didn''t know of any Demon Lord with this kind of Miasma. It was enough to make him break a sweat. Regardless, he could think of no other possibility! Only Demons wielded Miasma. They were the special beings of this world. And Maisma this powerful could only be generated by an extremely powerful Demon Lord. ''Is it Paimon? Is he messing with me?!'' Valefor growled. He had done the best in his capacity to make sure he would be the first to gain ess to the resources buried here. He did all the hard work. Why would Paimon, a Demon Lord of the same rank, break the Demon Treaty by stealing from his spoils? ''Besides, this power can''t be his. It couldn''t be the Demon King, could it?'' No¡ªno, it couldn''t be him too. Valefor knew enough about the absolute ruler of their supreme Race that he was certain the Demon King could never lower himself to something as mundane as stealing. ''Besides, the resources are valuable... but not that much. Compared to his wealth, they''re not that impressive.'' This left him in the ultimate dilemma, and by the time his body was finally able to get over his initial shock, Valefor knew the only thing he could do. ''I''ll have to confront them¡ªwhoever they are!'' >BOOOOOOOMMMMM< In a brilliant blur, and also an explosion of the immediate vicinity, Valefor swiftly ascended above the Labyrinth. The floors copsed upon themselves, sending debris around as the structure broke apart to pave way for the enraged Demon Lord. Valefor''s rage and caution caused nothing beyond confusing, but he remained determined to see the culprit. And so¡ª >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!< ¡ªAs soon as he emerged from the shattered ground that directly linked the base of the Great Helios Labyrinth to the city of Dulum, Valefor finally feasted eyes on his supposed enemy. It was a young boy... a human. "Y-you...?!" The human stood at the center of a dark red Magic Circle. Dark red and ck sparks of energy shed at every given moment, and the concentration of Miasma emerging from it was beyond natural. It was sublime. And that was one of the very justifiable reasons why the Demon Lord was frozen in shock as soon as he witnessed what he did. ''How is he still alive? I killed him!'' The courageous and surprisingly powerful human who stood against him¡ªwhom he killed¡ªwas not only alive, but was actively using Magic. ''He''s utilizing Miasma? And at this scale? No... no way! Not possible!'' The Magic Circle underneath the boy was something Valefor could hardly decipher. He could only transcribe a bit from it¡ªan amazing feat, given the current state of his mind. "WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE... YOU INFERIOR HUMAAAANNNN!!!" Valefor''s roar did not alter the expression made by the human¡ªjust like his destructive appearance didn''t faze him at all. The young man simply gave an undaunted stare, cing both hands in the pockets of his newly acquired jeans as his ck jacket and blue shirt fluttered with the wind. "Demon Lord Valefor..." The human whispered, enough so that the wind did not prevent his voice from reaching the recipient''s ears. Valefor felt a chill crawl up his spine, but there was no way he could show even an ounce of fear to a mere human. It was absolutely inconceivable! "... It''s over now." ''W-what is he¡ª??!'' >VWUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSHHHHH< The Magic Circle began humming ominously, revealing more of its twisted nature. Red glows that resembled the allure of blood. ck shes that personified darkness itself. Valefor''s body would have shivered if not for the extreme heat that was now proceeding from the Magic Circle. me-like Miasma ignored the outlines of the runic inscriptions, and it seemed like reality itself was breaking apart. This was...!!! ''S-summoning? But... this sheer amount of power¡ª!'' Valefor could notprehend it. Well, not until it was toote. "The offerings have been made. The scenery is to thine twisted desires. The stage has been set. Now, then creature of the darkness, ept my offer. Emerge and manifest your malevolence." >VWWWWWWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< The ground parted, and what seemed like a doorway to hell manifested. Dark mes of absolute cmity tore through the ground, and amid the tear in the fabric of space itself, a hand emerged. The hand was pale and stricken with emaciation. It looked beggarly and frail. Slowly, more parts of the body emerged, and the being that appeared from the murky depths made its appearance. A ck hooded cloak like the shade of darkness itself. Misty red energy that hinted the feel of blood and death. Pale skin that appeared to drain all life from itself. And finally... the horse it rode that personified the very color that it had¡ªpale all through. "One of the four horsemen. Death itself. ArchDemon from the realm of the Demon God, and Celestial among the 12 Great Ones of eternal damnation." The human chanted words he should not have known, singing praises and undtion toward the emerging personification that defied logic. A literal divine being that transcended the current ne of existence. ''N-no...!'' The being called death, seated atop its steed, took a nce around¡ªits face covered with the hood of darkness. It witnessed the numerous deaths and chaos that surrounded it¡ªboth within the dome and outside of it. The setting was fitting. That alone was enough to cause the grim reaper itself to leak out a smile. "Human..." The pale rider spoke¡ªits voice husky, yet akin to an echoed sound from the depth of a deep well. Despite hearing a tone that would normally make a person tremble to the core of their bones, the young man remained upright. It might have been due to a special Skill or Title of his... or perhaps sheer willpower. "... This is the first time a human has ever summoned any Great One. You possess the proper etiquette. You have weed me well with this precious scenery, and the precious resources given as sacrifices are well recieved." Valefor''s brain rang the moment he heard thest line. So, the prizes he had been looking forward to we''re already exhausted as sacrifices? The gates to hell never returned what was given to it, thus the Demon Lord had to admit that his treasures were long gone. "Now, tell me, human..." The grim reaper spoke with an amused tone. The very bnce between sanity and utter chaos hung on a thread. "... What is your request?" Chapter 192 I Promise You, Its Not A Mecha Dragon "The time hase." I stood outside the gates of Dulum, watching as the sun rose on the horizon. The aesthetic was simply perfect that I knew I just had to throw a line for the moment to beplete. Thankfully, I didn''t fail. "The sunrise marks the dawn of this expedition. Be prepared." A whisper leaked from my lips and my head tilted to both my sides so my gaze rested on the people behind me. The excited Asa. The stern Lucy The annoyed Adu The stoic Hogun The smiling Heshu They were all prepared, ready for my instructions for departure. ''Now, then... we''re a total of six. The car can take all of us, butpared to the speed of the Demons, it''s quite slow. I also don''t want to overexert the Demons since they were our muscles for this trip.'' At this point, I really wished I didn''t kill Kiko''s Dragon. That would have been a really sweet ride, to be honest. Well, it was a good thing I already came prepared. "Appear before me, Construct of Carnage. Half Beast, Half Machine, Complete Steed." A bright light appeared before me, and space seemed to ripple in response to the emerging entity. Of course, I couldn''t actually use summoning Magic since my Mp was ridiculously low and I barely had ess to my Skills. I wasn''t even a Mage or Summoner. The chant was just for aesthetic. ''I''m just bringing this out of my Inventory.'' "ROAAAARRRRHHHH!!!" The creature finally manifested, roaring in its entrance¡ªjust as programmed. "W-what?!" "I''ve never... seen anything like this before!" "Isn''t that a golem?" "Why does it resemble a dragon?" "A dragon golem?" Standing with its wings majestically spread out was my very own creation¡ªthe Dragon Golem! It was just as massive as Kiko''s previous Dragon, and its back was more thanrge enough for all of us to fit on. Its body was, however, different from any Dragon known to this world. It was made using Golem parts, and it was most definitely not alive. Having dark, metal-like skin with glowing blue markings all over its body, it had the most marvelous look. Its eyes were bright blue¡ªthe same as the insides of its mouth. Its quadrupedal form andrge wings gave it the prestige that separated Dragons from mere wyverns. ''The Dragon Golem!'' Well, the name wasn''t very original, I was well aware. However, the look was enough to make anyone ignore it. Besides, I had already named it something absolutely cool. "Kneel before your master, Nero." The Dragon Golem instantly lowered its body, and its long neck fell t to the ground in response to mymands. I used the noise canction function when building it, so the whirring sound it would have made was eliminated. It still had that warbling tune, though. But that was cool, so I left it like that. ''Hehehe! I always wanted to do this!'' I screamed internally, also observing how bbergasted my audience was. The Demons had developed technology in this world to a frightening degree, but they were still a few years away from making golem models of legendary beasts like Dragons. ''I''m sure the project is currently under development¡ªmost likely in its experimental phase. But there''s no way Mid Demons would know about it.'' The most significant part of the MC''s adventure in the first turn was the Demonic Expansion, where the Demons decided theirnd wasn''t big enough, so they decided to simply take over the world so it could be one massive Demon Civilization. They used Dragon Golems and other freakish technology under development to easily achieve their goals, and every nation and race fell under the control of the world''s strongest species. They became colonies, and each area had Demon Supervisors. One would think all hope was lost, but the Hero used this chance to blend in with the Demon Colonies¡ªdefeating the formidable spread-out Demons one after the other until he was able to get to the heart of the new Demon Empire and defeat the Demon Emperor. It was a smart move, to be honest. ''Many lives were lost, though. That''s why I need to avoid that route at all costs. I need to stop the expansion before it happens.'' Fortunately, it was still a while away. At the moment, it was time to save some Elves from a tyrant¡ªbusting some Demon ass in the process. "Climb on. We''re leaving now." I smiled at my trusty subordinates. Unlike regr dragons, which possessed rough and scaly backs, my Nero had actual cushion-like seats on his back. Climbing was made easy by the stair-like mechanism I put on its side. With such a sweet ride, no one couldin of difort¡ªeven if the journey ended up being long. They all climbed, with Heshu positioned at the rear end. After him was Hogun, then Adu, and then Asa, and then... me. I was supposed to be at the forefront, but there was someone else who chose to sit in front of me. "What are you doing, Lucy?" That''s right. It was Lucy, my trusty warrior. "Allow me to be your shield and protect you from the front." Ah, sometimes this girl was too zealous. "Lucy, I¡ª" "It''s careless not to consider the fact that we might be attacked from the front. Someone has to defend you, or at least serve as a watch." "Then wouldn''t Asa be¡ª" "Asa might obstruct your view. I''m smaller, so I won''t serve any form of difort. Please let me be of some service to you." Lucy really put me in a tight spot here. I actually wanted to enjoy the dragon ride from the front seat. How did things turn out this way? "Fine. I ept." I forced myself to say. "Thank you, Sam." Lucy nodded while breaking into a smile. ''Eh?'' I fought hard to hide my surprise. Lucy hardly smiled. The fact that she was doing so right now meant this must have meant a great deal to her. If that was the case, I couldn''t reallyin, could I? With all of us nowfortably settled on the Dragon Golem''s luxurious, cushiony back, we set off for the adventure of our lives. ''I guess I''ll go on a solo rideter...'' Chapter 193 The Elf Sanctuary [Pt 1] In and surrounded by the forest and the warm allure of nature, a certain race thrived. These pointy-eared beings lived their lives peacefully, enjoying the herbs and fruits that nature blessed them with¡ªsticking to the healthiest lifestyle they could think of. Every once in a while, once any of the beasts they coexisted with neared the end of their lifespan, they were allowed to painlessly end its life and share the flesh as amunity. It was the only time they ate meat. They lived this way, enjoying their primitive lifestyle of tending to the vast forest around them, associating with the beasts, brewing potions, developing runes, telling stories, and simply enjoying their mundane lives. This was the Elven way of life. The Elves never cared for the fact that they were sitting atop a pile of extremely valuable resources known as mineral ores¡ªor the fact that the lush trees around them were useful as wood. No, their simple lives didn''t need those extraneous things. Their Sanctuary was protected by a Runic Barrier that prevented the interference of outsiders from encroaching on their civilization. This dome-like barrier gave off the illusion of a rough patch ofnd with oddly shaped mountains and a barren surface. Anyone who saw it would not suspect anything in the slightest. If they tried navigating through the barrier, then the Elves would resort to their second means¡ªbrainwashing. Using the potions they manufactured, they could cause memory loss in their victims. In extreme cases, the Elves interfered with the memories of the invaders so they would never ever find their way to the Sanctuary. After centuries of living like this, there were hardly any people who came to disturb their lives. Every once in a while, someone would get lost and stumble on theirnd, but they easily solved those little incidents. This was the way of the Elves. ? This was their life. Their culture. Their belief. Their structure. YET...!!! * * * "HAA... HAA..." Heavy breaths escaped the lips ofborers as they carried out their duties. The tired eyes of the hundreds of Elves gave nothing but blurry visions to them as they staggered with the load they carried on their heads. In a roughly orderly line, they marched with therge bowls of ore that sat on their heads. Their dirty skin showed how messy their work was, and the sweat leaking from their bodies disyed the intensity. The Elves felt their stomach growling, and their parched throats desired the soothing touch of water, yet they kept up their march. Their clothes were ragged¡ªthe standard wears for miners like them. Even blond hairs were darkened by the soil, and a musty smell clung to their bodies. "HAA... HAAA..." From the narrow, barely lit interior of the huge mine, they transitioned to the wider and brighterpound where they had to dump the ores they just harvested. Afterward, it was ''rinse and repeat.'' Again and again. "H-HAAA... AHHH..." How long had it been now? How long had they been working? Since before the sun rose, they had been at the monotonous task of venturing into therge mine and extracting the required ores. To ease the pain, it was best to simply focus on the job and forget everything else. It was how they lost track of time and were able to cling to their sanity¡ªif it could be called that at this point. Theborers had no free will of their own, so they had no choice but to act as cattle¡ªno, even cattle were treated better than they currently were. They knew it had been some time, though, so the Elfborers expected to be relieved of their tasks soon. Soon, they would be allowed to take a lunch break. Very soon. * * * ''This view is... WOW!'' Asa felt on top of the world¡ªand perhaps that was because she was literally thousands of feet above the ground. This was her first time so high up in the air, so Asa initially felt frightened. However, that feeling didn''tst very long. And that was because of the second reason she felt so ''on top of the world.'' ''The Hero is sitting right in front of me!'' Asa was almost mesmerized by this mere fact. While she wasn''t able to see his face for most of the journey, his broad back gave her courage. His lovely smell also made her feel floaty. She felt guilty for experiencing all these things despite how serious the situation was, but... ''Ever since I spoke to the Hero that day, it''s like fear has left me.'' ... The presence of the Hero gave her strength. Asa no longer had those nightmares that gued her sleep. Even now, when she was supposed to be frightened and uneasy, she waspletely at ease. ''Thank you... Sam.'' The young ranger closed her eyes and leaned on him inforting silence. If Asa was being honest with herself, she had initially wanted to take the forefront of the ride. She was the one who knew thendscape best, so wasn''t it better for her to stay at the front? Plus, as a ranger, her observational skills were great¡ªat least they surpassed Lucy''s. That was why she felt a little apprehensive when the redhead offered to take the frontal position. Worse yet, the Hero agreed! It almost made her utterly sad. However, after experiencing this position, she felt it was perfect for her. It was simply the best. ''I bet Lucy can''t rest on the Hero''s body like this...'' Asa smiled warmly, happy to be even the slightest bit distracted from the heart-wrenching scene that would greet her. She was no careless fool. She was well aware of what was waiting for her. ''But... at least for now... can I just close my eyes and enjoy this moment?'' Things were going to get a lot more difficult from this point on, Asa was well aware. After so long, she would finally be seeing her uncle, her people, her mother... her nation. A lot would have changed, just as she too changed. However, Asa was aware of one thing, at the very least. Something she didn''t have in the past, causing her to run rather than fight. She was so certain of it that she could close her eyes and smile while resting her head on the man that inspired her. ''This time... I''m not alone.'' Chapter 194 The Elf Sanctuary [Pt 2] ''Okay, this is very awkward...'' Why, someone might ask? Well, if you were to be sausaged between twodies, then perhaps you would understand my plight. Behind me was the well-endowed Asa, and in front of me was the small and cute Lucy--both of whom had no concept of space or boundaries etched into their heads. ''Why, oh why?'' I wondered as the torturous journey left me in difort throughout. It wasn''t like the ride was particrly ufortable, but I had to deal with so many thoughts that it took the fun out of everything. It didn''t make matters better when Asa decided to rest on my back and Lucy decided to rest her body on my front. They gave no warning at all and just dumped their bodies on me! ''What exactly am I to these people?'' ording to the Character List, they were both older women, so I wasn''t particrly doing anything inappropriate. But...! ''Awkward... so awkward!'' To while away time, I went to my ''happy ce.'' By that, I meant revisiting the n. ''Asa already gave me the rough coordinates, and I''ve ryed this information to Nero. For now, we''re good on autopilot.'' Our Elf friend also told us what to look for--a cluster of barren mountains. Apparently, the Elves had a barrier erected to prevent outsiders from discovering their civilization. It was pretty impressive, to be honest. I mean, I always knew Elves had to be more powerful than humans, considering the fact that their primitive lives stemmed from their reliance on Magic. ''Elves have a Level Cap of 50, so they''re stronger than humans. They can also have five Skills, unlike the three maximum allocated to humans.'' Selyon hardly mentioned the Elf Sanctuary, but there was quite a bit about Elves in the first round of Damien''s journey. For example, I knew for a fact that Elves lived up to 200 years--twice the lifespan most humans could dream of reaching. Their healthy lifestyle and peaceful environment contributed to this, so most of them lived till ripe old age. All in all, they were quite a unique race. This world didn''t have Fairies, so Elves were the nest best thing. ''It''s impressive they made such a barrier, though. I''m guessing it was the collective effort of a couple of Level 50 Elves. The stuff isn''t easy, after all.'' I was really excited to meet the Elves. ording to Asa, they were a nice group of people. I suppose that was why I became a bit troubled by the hardship they could be going through. I couldn''t stand for such injustice. ''Nice people shouldn''t be treated that way!'' Someone had to do something about it... and that meant it was up to me to help! After all, helping nice people always led to goodpensation. ''And if I help the Elves... hehehe...'' I had to say, I was really looking forward to meeting these people. ********** "We''re here." The Hero''s voice roused Asa from her half-delirious state. ''I... fell asleep?'' She was beyond mortified that she could sleep so easily in such a tense situation. Sure, the atmosphere was cool andfortable. Plus, the Hero''s back granted her the security she needed to throw off her defenses and grow vulnerable. She was confident in his protection. Still... how could she hvae gotten sofortable that she closed her eyes and drifted into sleep! ''D-did he notice? He noticed, didn''t he?!'' Asa began freaking out internally. "Should we descend?" The Hero''s voice caused her to snap out of her mind bubble. His head titled backward to look at her, and his piercing blue eyes sent the poor girl''s heart racing more than she could bear. "A-ah! Yes!" She swiftly answered, her face containing hints of embarassment. Asa felt almost out of breath after making those statements, so she distracted herself by taking a closer view of the surrounding area. Just as the Hero said, they had arrived at the location she described. ''I can see it. The rough cluster of barren mountains.'' Asa smiled fondly at her hometown.'' Of course, her view was from a distance. They couldn''t risk being spotted by the Elves, or alerting the malevolent forces in control of the Sanctuary, so this was the closest they could get. "Nero. Descend." The massive dragon began pping its wings slwoly, navigating its way to the most convenientnding spot tht ensured they could still view their destination from a distance while ensuring it wasn''t too obvious. "So, we''re settling for one of the nearby mountains. That''s a brilliant strategy." Asa heard Lucy mutter. The warrior was much brighter than her looks insinuated. Asa knew very well that her senior was very cautious, but she had underestimated her analytical skills before the start of the journey. ''After how she convinced the Hero to let her ride up front, and now... this statement...'' The young Ranger now knew never to judge Lucy by face value or prexisting bias. "Indeed. We need the height to view the vastnds. Plus, since the Elves are naturally people of the ground, and they have little or nothing to do with the outside world, they won''t notice us from this distance." As the Hero exined, the n was to subtly move into the Elf Sanctuary on foot. They would infiltrate the Sanctuary thanks to whatever strategy the Hero had in mind, and they would observe the Elves for some time before making their move. To Asa, and most definitely everyone listening, it sounded like an airtight n. Of course, the execution all depended on the Hero''s strategy and coordination. Then again, this was the Hero we were talking about. Everyone was well aware of one simple fact, granting them even more connfidence in the n-- --The Hero never failed. "The sun is slowly setting. We spent the whole day on this journey. You must all be exhausted." His voice softly touched their ears. As expected. Even now, he was being considerate of them. Still, they wanted to be of more help! "I can still patrol the surroundings, just in case!" "L-let me help too!" However, the Hero shook his head, kindly smiling at the two girls that offered to work extra hard. He gently ced his hand on their shoulders and gave them the warmest look ever. Their hearts definitely melted in response to his words--at the very least, Asa''s did. "Rest is essential for this n to work. Let''s take a break and call it a day." * * * [A/N] I just noticed we''re already quite into this Arc and there has been no action at all. I hope you all aren''t bored or anything. Hahaha! Chapter 195 The Elf Sanctuary [Pt 3] I was almost afraid we would have to work extra once wended, but thankfully, I handled things before things escted. ''Asa and Lucy have way too much energy...'' I cracked my back as I entered my well-made tent. After spending the entire day on a dragon''s back, how could they still have enough energy to think of patrol? Granted, I ensured the ride wasfortable. Still, they were too lively! ''It kind of makes me feel bad.'' I jumped on my bed and enjoyed its fluffy embrace. Honestly, my body ached so much. Not only was the ride longer than I wanted it to be, but I was in an awkward position throughout. Besides, Asa and Lucy also decided to rest on me. There was a limit to a man''s body, you know? ''It would have been no problem for me if I was still high-leveled, but... ah, this sucks.'' I could only murmur while hugging my dear pillow and sniffing the flowery scent of my bed. Having a warm shelter around me to call my space, as well as a nice bed for rest, were the only things that gave mefort. "Haa... really." INVENTORY had to be one of the most amazing features of the System. I didn''t have to sleep on the ground like a savage, thanks to the tent and bed I already kept within my special storage space. It was a shame I couldn''t store living things and intangible stuff there, but this was good enough. "Having a Subspace ability like that Jeremy guy from this other novel I read would be nice... what was the name again? Rise Of The Hoarder?" I still had to make do with what I had, though, and I was really doing a good job¡ªat least in my opinion. There were three tents erected at the ce we camped. One was mine, the second belonged to the demons, and thest belonged to the two girls. I ensured everyone with me had their warm mattresses to sleep on, so they had to befortable. "Now, then, let''s go over the n and then rest for tomorrow." *************** [THE ELF SANCTUARY] "Chief, I bring news." A noble-looking Elf knelt before arge desk. Behind the desk was the Elf he referred to as ''Chief'', but this Elf knew better than to lift his gaze to look at him. Not only was the Chief his superior, but he was not meant to be looked at¡ªat least, that was the rule. Instead, the nicely dressed Elf stared at the squeaky clean ground. It was luxuriously tiled with wood, and the quality was of exquisite taste. The noble Elf knew this could only have been achieved through the sweat of all the Elfborers, but he dared not voice those thoughts. "What is the matter, Dustinel?" A voice finally emerged from behind therge and also luxurious mahogany desk. The voice sounded bloated, for some reason¡ªalmost as if the person who spoke was too stuffed to speak properly. Sounds of munching and lip-smacking could be heard, but the Elf known as Dustinel kept his gaze down. His legs were already beginning to ache, and his back sought relief, but he endured. For an Elf in his youth, his body was so out of shape. Dustinel sighed internally, as he knew the reason behind this. "Sectors A-05, A-06, A-07, and A-09 were unable to meet the allotted quota for yesterday. The records of the previous days also show that they barely met the standard and had to work overtime to keep up." A disgruntled sound could be heard from behind the table as Dustinel spoke, and the Elf knew what would happen once he was done with the report. >BAM!< As he expected, the Chief banged his hand on therge desk in fury. Thanks to the sturdy nature of the desk, it was able to withstand the blow. That showed the improvement of this piece of furniturepared to thest one. "Damnit! What did you say?!" The bloated voice peaked, almost like the squeal of an angry pig. "I-I... after investigating the matter, we realized that a majority of the staff are ill. A simr incident was reported in Sector A-2 just yesterday. I think¡ª" "Sick? Is that a joke? When have Elves ever gotten sick? They''re lying. Thosezy bastards are lying to you!" "I understand your apprehensions, Chief. You are right to be skeptical. But after observing the workers, we have noticed that their physical conditions are indeed not optimal. They have burning fevers, pale skin, constant coughs, and reddish eyes. They are not well." Dustinel decided not to mention their emaciated frames, balding hairs, and the many incidents of lightheadedness since that had more to do with the poor conditions of the workers and not necessarily a sickness. ''If I say that, he might turn this into something else...'' Of course, Dustinel decided to swallow those thoughts too. "WHAT? And what are the physicians doing about it? Can''t they resolve this quickly so as to ensure maximum productivity?" The roar of the Chief caused Dustinel to tremble, but he did his best to maintain hisposure. "It''s a new illness, so it''s taking some to study it and¡ª" "EXCUSES! I DON''T WANT TO HEAR ANY OF IT!" Dustinel couldn''t even let his sigh leak out, considering the consequences. He hung his head in powerlessness and listened to the tyrant''s rants. "You better fix this, and fast! Or else... well, you know the consequences." The Chief''s voice huffed now, as though he was tired or something. Oh, Dustinel was well aware of the consequences of not meeting his superior''s expectations. He knew what awaited him if he didn''t resolve the problem of production and supply. He knew about the horrible fate he would be subjected to. There was a reason he got to wear fine clothes and not rags, as the other Elves did. It was because he swore fealty to the current Elf Chief, and he helped someone as ipetent as the fatty manage the affairs of the Elf Sanctuary. The moment his usefulness expired, he would be doomed to a life of forced servitude. ''Anything but that!'' Dustinel''s thoughts echoed. As much as he loved his people, and it hurt his heart anytime he saw them suffer, the sickly Elf couldn''t afford to halt his services to the Elf Chief. Thus, even though he had to sear his conscience, Dustinel resolved to carry out his duties. Whatever it took! "U-understood, Chief. I will do my best!" * * * [A/N] I hope this story is catching your interest, albeit slowly. Hopefully, you stick around till the end. It''s gonna be great. Chapter 196 We Are Totally Spies! [Pt 1] It was soon morning and the sun reminded everyone of this by sending its amber glow spreading across thends. The dey earth recieved its blessing, and the world became illuminated by the brilliance of the ball of light in the sky. Of course, our campsite was no exception. * * * "Good morning, everyone. I certainly hope you had a good night''s rest." As scheduled, my subordinates stood before me¡ªeach properly dressed for the task at hand. The demons nodded, while the two girls gave positive responses like; "Yes, I did." "It was a satisfactory night." I was pretty much used to the stuff treatment given by my demon subordinates, so I didn''t take it to heart at all. ''Besides, considering the fact that we might have to eliminate their kind here, it''s understandable.'' Demons were considered the big bad in this world, thus the enemies they would have to face as my underlings would be members of the same Race of the same race. "Today, we''ll be surveying the surroundings of the Elf Sanctuary''s Forest, as well as the Elf Sanctuary itself." Since I had already briefed all of them on the mission at hand, it was no secret that we wanted to achieve two major goals. Firstly, liberating the Elves and ensuring they live the peaceful lives they had enjoyed for centuries. Secondly, defeating the tyrant Elf Chief, as well as the person backing him. To do that, though, we needed information. ''I can''t rely on Asa''s outdated information. None of the Demons know much about this ce, and even I don''t have much information on this part.'' In the end, it was time for.some stealthy business. "We are a total of six. We''ll move in groups of twos, and each pair will be stationed a different spying route." I nned on one group taking the left side of the forest, the second group using the right, while the third team woulde through the middle. I wanted to stay at the middle, so that meant I had to choose the group that would operate independently. "Lucy and Hogun. You''re team 1." Lucy instantly raised an objection, but I had anticipated this move already. It wouldn''t work on me again. "I have ced you all as part of your respective teams because of a lot of factors to consider. It would be good for you all to remember." Fortunately, that was enough to silence Lucy and whatever word she wanted to spit out. She slowly lowered her voice and nodded in eptance. ''Is she pouting? That''s cute...'' It was probably my imagination, but I could have sworn that Lucy pouted. "Heshu and Asa, you''re Team 2." Once I said this, two of my subordinates showed distasteful expressions. One''s face was warped in surprise and disappointment, while the other was simply filled with disgust. "U-understood..." Asa managed to speak, though obviously downcast. Heshu seemed fine with the choice. The only person unounted for¡ªthe one who disyed repulsion to the list I just cooked up¡ªwas none other than Adu himself. "Tch!" I noticed him ring at me, bur I ignored it. I didn''t want to control his freedom of expression, though I sometimes wished I could. "Adu is with me once the third team. After breakfast, we''re heading out." I finally announced. All in all, the group matchings seemed to add up well. I mean, half of us wasn''t happy about it, but this was one of the benefits one received when he became recognized as a legendary Hero. ''Heshu will need Asa''s expertise in navigating them forest. Hogun and Lucy are both warriors, so they''ll properly make do. As for Adu and I...'' There was only one reason I chose such a snotty brat as my apprentice in this mission. And that was none other than his spatial maniption. ''It ites down to it, I''ll just run away thanks to Adu.'' It was literally foolproof. ''As much as I''d like Lucy or Asa, they''re better off on the other teams...'' Besides, Adu was very strong, so he could serve as my muscle. It would be a shame if I was the only one experiencing trouble in this expedition. ''This way, my group has quite a good chance of actuallying back with good Intel.'' "You will he wearing these. Here!" I threw five rings at my assembled subordinates. Since they appeared form Inventory, it seemed like I summoned them, but I didn''t. "They''re Magic Items that grant Invisibility and Noise Nullification on the user for a specified of time. Their effects onlyst five hours, though, so make sure youplete your tasks and return before time is up." I got the rings from the Main Shop, and of course I saw the ''full version'' that granted the effects indefinitely, but afterparing their prices, I picked these instead. As expected, everyone was amazed by my resourcefulness. * * * "Alright. Let''s head out." As stated the previous day, we traveled the remaining journey on foot. It didn''t take us over an hour to get to the start of the barrier. ''Haa... haaa... I''m so tired.'' Rather than just working normally, the whole team picked up a quick pace¡ªalmost running at some point. I suspected someone instigated the whole thing and turned it into a race, but without proof, what could I do? Unlike everyone, I didn''t have ridiculously high Stats. I felt so old while watching them all since it almost seemed like I couldn''t keep up. Fortunately, they misunderstood my inability to catch up to mean that I was patiently and slowly walking for a reason Before I knew it, they had all slowed their pace WHEW! It was a good thing I didn''t let my exhaustion show. And now, we were right in front of our target destination¡ªthe start of the rough cluster of barren mountains. Upon closer observation, I spotted a glitch or two with the details, but it still held up as a good disguise for a coverup. "So this is the barrier..." I smiled, feeling the strange and twisted maniption of space. "... Not bad." Chapter 197 DO NOT READ DO NOT READ OR UNLOCK. ANOTHER ERROR. I APOLOGIZE! It was soon morning and the sun reminded everyone of this by sending its amber glow spreading across thends. The dey earth recieved its blessing, and the world became illuminated by the brilliance of the ball of light in the sky. Of course, our campsite was no exception. * * * "Good morning, everyone. I certainly hope you had a good night''s rest." As scheduled, my subordinates stood before me¡ªeach properly dressed for the task at hand. The demons nodded, while the two girls gave positive responses like; "Yes, I did." "It was a satisfactory night." I was pretty much used to the stuff treatment given by my demon subordinates, so I didn''t take it to heart at all. ''Besides, considering the fact that we might have to eliminate their kind here, it''s understandable.'' Demons were considered the big bad in this world, thus the enemies they would have to face as my underlings would be members of the same Race of the same race. "Today, we''ll be surveying the surroundings of the Elf Sanctuary''s Forest, as well as the Elf Sanctuary itself." Since I had already briefed all of them on the mission at hand, it was no secret that we wanted to achieve two major goals. Firstly, liberating the Elves and ensuring they live the peaceful lives they had enjoyed for centuries. Secondly, defeating the tyrant Elf Chief, as well as the person backing him. To do that, though, we needed information. ''I can''t rely on Asa''s outdated information. None of the Demons know much about this ce, and even I don''t have much information on this part.'' In the end, it was time for.some stealthy business. "We are a total of six. We''ll move in groups of twos, and each pair will be stationed a different spying route." I nned on one group taking the left side of the forest, the second group using the right, while the third team woulde through the middle. I wanted to stay at the middle, so that meant I had to choose the group that would operate independently. "Lucy and Hogun. You''re team 1." Lucy instantly raised an objection, but I had anticipated this move already. It wouldn''t work on me again. "I have ced you all as part of your respective teams because of a lot of factors to consider. It would be good for you all to remember." Fortunately, that was enough to silence Lucy and whatever word she wanted to spit out. She slowly lowered her voice and nodded in eptance. ''Is she pouting? That''s cute...'' It was probably my imagination, but I could have sworn that Lucy pouted. "Heshu and Asa, you''re Team 2." Once I said this, two of my subordinates showed distasteful expressions. One''s face was warped in surprise and disappointment, while the other was simply filled with disgust. "U-understood..." Asa managed to speak, though obviously downcast. Heshu seemed fine with the choice. The only person unounted for¡ªthe one who disyed repulsion to the list I just cooked up¡ªwas none other than Adu himself. "Tch!" I noticed him ring at me, bur I ignored it. I didn''t want to control his freedom of expression, though I sometimes wished I could. "Adu is with me.onn the third team. After breakfast, we''re heading out." I finally announced. All in all, the group matchings seemed to add up well. I mean, half of us wasn''t happy about it, but this was one of the benefits one received when he became recognized as a legendary Hero. ''Heshu will need Asa''s expertise in navigating them forest. Hogun and Lucy are both warriors, so they''ll properly make do. As for Adu and I...'' There was only one reason I chose such a snotty brat as my apprentice in this mission. And that was none other than his spatial maniption. ''It ites down to it, I''ll just run away thanks to Adu.'' It was literally foolproof. ''As much as I''d like Lucy or Asa, they''re better off on the other teams...'' Besides, Adu was very strong, so he could serve as my muscle. It would be a shame if I was the only one experiencing trouble in this expedition. ''This way, my group has quite a good chance of actuallying back with good Intel.'' "You will he wearing these. Here!" I threw five rings at my assembled subordinates. Since they appeared form Inventory, it seemed like I summoned them, but I didn''t. "They''re Magic Items that grant Invisibility and Noise Nullification on the user for a specified of time. Their effects onlyst five hours, though, so make sure youplete your tasks and return before time is up." I got the rings from the Main Shop, and of course I saw the ''full version'' that granted the effects indefinitely, but afterparing their prices, I picked these instead. As expected, everyone was amazed by my resourcefulness. * * * "Alright. Let''s head out." As stated the previous day, we traveled the remaining journey on foot. It didn''t take us over an hour to get to the start of the barrier. ''Haa... haaa... I''m so tired.'' Rather than just working normally, the whole team picked up a quick pace¡ªalmost running at some point. I suspected someone instigated the whole thing and turned it into a race, but without proof, what could I do? Unlike everyone, I didn''t have ridiculously high Stats. I felt so old while watching them all since it almost seemed like I couldn''t keep up. Fortunately, they misunderstood my inability to catch up to mean that I was patiently and slowly walking for a reason Before I knew it, they had all slowed their pace WHEW! It was a good thing I didn''t let my exhaustion show. And now, we were right in front of our target destination¡ªthe start of the rough cluster of barren mountains. Upon closer observation, I spotted a glitch or two with the details, but it still held up as a good disguise for a coverup. "So this is the barrier..." I smiled, feeling the strange and twisted maniption of space. "... Not bad." Chapter 198 We Are Totally Spies [Pt 2] "It was made using several over a ton of Mana Chalk, and about fifty gallons of Mercury. Our elders also spent three days and night toplete the process." We all stood in front of the barrier and watched Asa geek on about the history about the barrier and how badass her ancestors were. I mean, sure, they were pretty decent, but... ''Its not like this barrier is that great.'' To be honest, I could think of ways to make it more efficient. Besides, the fact that I could spot certain errors in their illusory projection meant it was far from perfect. Still, considering what they had to work with, u still had to grant them respect. "That''s why Elves are renown as the best in runemaking¡ªof course, not counting the demons..." I could sense a bit of hesitation in Asa''sst statement, but it wasn''t like out demon friends cared. They probably never really paid attention to all she was saying considering they had to have seen the inferior quality of the Elven barrier. "Just to be clear, we all have our Magic Rings activated, right?" I asked, and everyone nodded. The only reason we were able to stand right in front of enemy territory was because our stealth tools were already functional. ''With this, even a non professional can survey an area undetected.'' It was possible for highly sensitive individuals to see through the effects of the items, but considering the level of the Elves based on their barrier and the little I already knew, I doubted we would find any such individual here. Besides, if such a person was here, then this mission was a bad idea, to begin with. ''If ites down to it, I''ll have Adu teleport both of us away from this ce.'' I didn''t want anything to happen to my ves, since that would be a waste of resources, so I had a n to hatch in case they were also in danger. ''No one gets left behind!'' "Now that I''ve gotten a good look at the barrier, I know the kind of countermeasures to use." I had already prepared a few counter runes before arriving here, due to my intention not to waste any time in our mission. With our good luck, it seemed it was an Advanced Barrier of the lowest strata, so it was within my expectations. I sorted through my Inventory and brought out a few cards¡ªsix to be exact¡ªthat had runic inscriptions on them. The inscriptions warbled a few seconds after appearing, most likely due to the barrier in front of us. "Here. Have these." I distributed the items¡ªone card per person. Their effects prevented my team.members from being deluded by any further barrier made by the Elves, or any form of mind disorienting Magic. Asa told me of the tricks Elves often resorted to, and while they couldn''t detect us, it was still imperative that we acted ordingly and took the right measures. "Once we invade this barrier, it''ll most likely alert the Elves. In that case, they might have other traps up their sleeves, so be careful." Everyone nodded in response. "Team one, you''re going West. Team two, you''re going East. Adu and I will pass the center route. Remember the n and duration." Fortunately, none of my subordinates were stupid. I surmised they all understood the n and knew the consequences of failure. Besides, every person had somewhat of a stake that prevented them from failing. The three demons automatically had to perform their roles as stipted since they were ves. This was Asa''s vige, and Lucy did her best to be of service. I wasn''t expecting any flop. "Alright. Split up and stand beside your respective partners. We''re moving out now." Imanded. "Understood!" If anyone was wondering why we were able to see each other and hear each other despite the effects of our Magic Items, there was only one exnation I could offer. Magic Logic. ************* [WEST SIDE] Hogun and Lucy ran through the forest in silence. There was no sign of difort or awkwardness. They both simply cared more about their mission and itspletion more than they did about their racial ipatibility. They were both loyal to the Hero, and with their hearts dedicated topleting the mission, they raced onward. The Elven Forest was muchrger and thicker than either of them thought, but that didn''t distract the.. The tall trees stretched as tall as sixty meters, and the undergrowth was lush enough to make anyone living in the wilderness stare in wonder. The branches above them seemed sturdy, but since neither Hogun nor Lucy were very acrobatic, they decided to run on the ground. Their pace was somewhat evenly matched¡ªinitially because of an effort Hogun made in order not to push the much weaker human too hard. However, when Lucy increased her pace and disyed no sign of exhaustion, Hogun realized he had been too foolish and considerate. Both of them instead ran at an appropriate pace,plementing each other in practically every fashion. "This way!" "The observatory said they sensed the intrusion from this location." "Why now? Shit! Shit!" The voices of three Elves caused the racing partners to halt in their tracks and hide behind different trees. Of course, they knew the enemies couldn''t see or hear them, but it was best to take precautions. Besides, considering it would only be until the Elves ran past them¡ªa few seconds at most¡ªboth Hogun and Lucy made the right call to pause. It was at this moment that the lion-faced demon stared at his partner, expecting to see some form of exhaustion. However, none was seen. ''We''ve been running at inhuman speed for a while now. I understand she''s a warrior, but she''s still human. Moreover, she''s using her base stats.'' Counting the fact that they had just concluded walking a decently long distance, wasn''t it only natural to expect some disy of fatigue? With no enhancements whatsoever, Lucy was meant to be catching her breath, at least. ''Have I been underestimating humans?'' Hogun wondered. He highly doubted it, though there was another exnation that Lucy was simply different from other humans. Perhaps she was just better? It seemed absurd, but Hogun decided to ept that as a temporary answer. ''Ah, the Elves are out of sight!'' Hogun noticed the coast was clear and began to sprint for his destination. Lucy did the same, and they resumed their journey in silence. * * * [EAST SIDE] "The Elves have gone past us. You think there''ll be more?" Heshu asked Asa, who stood on the same branch he sat on. The two both observed as the Elves ran toward the side of the barrier they infiltrated, though they knew it was all for naught. "I doubt it. In the past, we used to have Elves stationed around here as patrols, but I don''t see or sense any of them." Asa replied, still ncing around her for good measure. Heshu noticed that, just as she said, the cost was indeed clear. "What do you think is the cause?" "I''m not sure. It is worrisome that the security of this ce has gotten so flimsy. The time it took for the guards to arrive here means they were stationed further away. Plus, their numbers and their sluggish pace... " Asa''s face was clouded in worry. She knew her mission was to simply observe everything she encountered in her side of the forest and Elven settlement, but how she wished she could learn more about the issue of security. Merely seeing her fellow Elves brought back emotions she had long left buried. "We should resume our movement. Maybe we''ll learn more as we advance." Heshu''s calm, gentlemanly voice roused her from her nostalgia. "A-ah, yes. Sorry!" Asa took her gaze from the backs of her Elf brethren, turning in the direction where she was intended to go. An apologetic look dwelled on her face, and it seemed her partner noticed it. He understood her desire, but he also knew it was not the time or ce to indulge in sentimental actions "No need to apologize. Let''s just go." "Y-yeah!" * * * [CENTRAL SIDE] ''Tch! This is the most humiliating day of my life!'' The one who thought this was none other than Adu. He was running right behind the Hero, and he felt the sting of inferiority more than ever. ''I wanted to fly, but...!'' Adu recollected how the Hero told him not to. Apparently, the Magic Ring''s effects didn''t cover the cloaking of Magic¡ªespecially something as intense as Adu''s Miasma. He couldn''t fly, rather he had to run. ''Damnit! I''m not used to this!'' Adu gritted his teeth, watching the steady back of the Hero. While, he was never told to run behind the Hero, Adu was well acquinted with the ethics of a ve. He knew how they operated, considering he had seen many in the past. Besides, as much as he would have preferred to run in front of the Hero and despised his current position, he still found it uneptably ridiculous to run beside his Master. Yes, it was degrading, but... ''... I''ll just endure it for now! Just you wait, Hero!'' * * * [A/N] I''m going through a hard time irl currently, so it''s really difficult to write a chapter. I apologize for all the clone chapters recently I''m really not feeling very well with all that''s happening around me. Hope you enjoyed the read. Chapter 199 This Is Actually Worse Than I Thought ''WOHOOOOOO!!!'' My eyes bulged as I ran through the Elf Forest. I could feel my heart racing and every ounce of my body''s muscles throbbing in excitement. The nice breeze that tickled.ky nose, and the serene environment that surrounded me granted me a sense of peace andfort¡ªunlike anything I had ever experienced in this world before. And that was what made me so excited! ''Trees! So many trees! Look at all this nt life!'' I couldn''t stop staring at everything surrounding me. The shrubs and undergrowth, therge canopies of forest leaves, thepost that settled on the ground, the tall and thick barks, as well as the extended branches... ... Nature''s wonder epassed me. ''So many nts. So many trees!'' It was amazing, to say the least. This world was meant to be a wastnd, after all. The only prosperous areas that should have been in existence was the Demon Realm, and I doubted even they had such a vast collection ofpletely natural trees. ''The Elves are so lucky! How could they hoard all this stuff to themselves?!'' If humans could get a small supply of these goods, it would be sufficient to make a small fortune. ''Why aren''t they selling? Why did they decided to be secluded? Are they really such lovers of nature?!'' Questions swirled in my mind, but I had very little answers to give. There was no way I could understand creatures who were living in such a gold mine and refused to exploit it. ''I have to knock some sense to these people once the mission is done.'' There was no way I could turn a blind eye now. ''Not just one kind, but various types of trees! I''ve never seen these.kinds of fruits before. Such a ce rich in... damn those Elves!'' Deciding to push those thoughts from my head, I began wondering what the rest of my subordinates were up to and what we would each encounter. The sweet scent of the air nearly made me forget I had a partner, but after trying very hard to ignore him, his presence couldn''t elude me forever. ''Is he still upset?'' I could sense Adu''s animosity from behind me as we both raced through the forest. His evil re, his stifled bloodlust, and the incoherent murmurs he made as we swept through the thick forest. They were all pretty obvious, but I still tried my hardest to ignore them. ''I mean, who am I toin about his opinions?'' As long as he could not defy me and he did what I wanted, I really had no qualms about his disposition. ''Ah, I''m getting tired...'' I slowly began to slow down my pace, considering the fact that my legs were feeling weaker than before and I was running out of breath. Fortunately, Adu was too upied with his frustration that he didn''t seem to notice my shorings. One of the advantages of having this demon as my partner was that he was not very fit, making it so that I didn''t have to exert myself too much. ''Plus, he''s too distracted with his frustration. He doesn''t have my time.'' I began to hope we got to our destination soon. I knew the forest was huge, but I didn''t expect the Elven Civilization to be so far away from the entrance. * * * My prayers weren''t properly answered. Adu and I still spent some time running, but we finally navigated out way through a clearing. The branches and leaves whipping at our faces were finallying to a close, and I could see a bright exit at the end of the thick forest. Finally... finally, we had arrived at our destination! "U-uh...?!" Was what my lips blurted out the moment I could see past the forest and encountered what I had previously pictured to be some decent form of civilization. However... what the heck was I looking at? "This... this is practically the same as the settlement was!" I currently stood at a cliff-like edge, where the cluster of trees ended, and beyond where I stood was what would be considered the Elven Community. It was like a canyon surrounded by towering trees¡ªabout twice the size of the city of Dulum. The patch ofnd was excellently huge, and I could see lots of potential in it in terms of space for infrastructure. Unfortunately, what upied thend was a sight for sore eyes. There were severalpounds in the vast patch ofnd, respectively divided by pegs around them. Within those pegs were... buildings? ''Are those... houses?!'' It felt hard to imagine, and even harder to exin. And that would be ounting for the fact that I was literally seeing this stuff! The thatched huts, made from branch clusters and dry leaves were even worse than I thought. Even I could have done better! And then, just like when I first arrived at the settlement, the poorly made housescked proper maintenance. Some houses seemed like they were on the verge of copse¡ªwhich wouldn''t really surprise me considering the fact that they were basically made from twigs. >BOOOOMMMM!< ''A-ah, I said it!'' A couple of houses just copsed thanks to a violent wind blowing and causing their unstable walls to close in. Normally, I would be worried for the residents, but that posed yet another problem for me. After looking at the pathetic structure for some time, I was yet to see up to a hundred Elves. The only ones I did manage to see were pregnant folks and very small children. The rest were nowhere to be found. ''Where is everyone?'' I had to say, things were getting really disappointing really fast. But why? You might ask. Well, the cause for my disappointment was simple! ''I raised my expectations about the Elves after seeing Asa''s beautiful form and cross referencing it with all the Elves in anime and fictional works. Yet... yet...!!!'' What the heck was I looking at? First, the environment was unsanitary and totally unkempt. Secondly, the housing and formation of houses was simply beyond primitive¡ªnot to talk ofcking maintenance. Thirdly, the few Elves I hadid eyes, on other than Asa¡ªlike the guards Adu and I were sessfully able to evade, and now these residents¡ªwere not only looking pathetic, but that otherworldly radiance I expected from them was basically nonexistent. ''Look at their clothes. And then look at their expressions. Are they... sick?'' It was hard to get aplete picture considering my distance from the civilization itself. I mean, I hadn''t mentioned this before, but I had my binocrs which helped a great deal, but still... "They look pale, emaciated, andpletelyckluster." The bags under their eyes and the heavy dark marks that disyed a totalck of motivation... they bothered me. ''The children and adults look the same¡ªbut it seems worse with the grownups.'' The worst part was that they were pregnant. After observing for a few moments, I had to draw a hypothesis. ''The men and fit women aren''t present. They''re probably working or tending to other duties and aren''t in the residential area yet. As for the pregnant ones and kids, since they''re incapable of functioning as workers, they''re left here...'' I wondered why I couldn''t see any nursing mothers¡ªor newborn babies for that matter¡ªbut I had to put a pin on that while trying my best to gather more data. Everything just seemed depressing¡ªenough to make me d that it wasn''t Asa that was beside me at the moment. "Hmph! Pathetic. This is why Demons are the superior race." Hearing Adu say that strangely got me annoyed. I would have normally ignored his statement, but¡ª "And whose fault do you think it is that these people are miserable?" "It''s theirs. They have all of these resources, yet they choose to live mundane lives. Look how impoverished and pathetic their lives are." Adu''s re intensified. His words a struck a chord within me, and I gave another look at the Elves. Despite their unnaturally terrible lives and sickly frames, they were smiling. The pregnant Elves wereughing¡ªthough straining their faces while doing so¡ªwhile the children yed with one another while running around. In their rags, in their filth, in their hopeless condition... they seemed content. "This is what happens when an inferior species is blessed with resource. Like pearl thrown before swine. This is why the demons deserve dominance!" I knew Adu''s logic was wed, but how could I debunk it? Yes, it was most likely a Demon who was behind all of this terrible stuff, but it was still an Elf who was left in charge of his people. Asa''s uncle was still an Elf! Besides, even before the time of oppression, the Elves had so many reserves, yet they let them waste away while enjoying their mundane lives. If demons¡ªno, even just humans¡ªgot their hands on these kinds of resources, so much more would have been achieved. It was trite that humans were primitive and less imaginative than the demons of this world. However, after this encounter, I came to another realization. ''The Elves are even worse.'' Chapter 200 Theres A Stranger In Our Midst?! If I were to use the logic of the world I came from, it was practically like letting a huge pile of gold waste away in the possession of monkeys. Adu probably saw this scenario in that light. How could I argue with that perspective when I would have had the same opinion in my old world? "That gives the demons no right of conquest. At the very least, the strong exists to protect the weak." I managed to mutter. "ording to who?" Another difficult question was.posed by Adu, but my head was already aching too much due to overthinking. "We''ll split up now. Take that side, and I''ll take this side. We meet here in thirty minutes. Do your best to observe everything and take note of anything valuable." With a new mission silencing the question Adu raised, we both parted ways. I could hear my sigh of relief as Adu walked off, grudgingly obeying mymand. ''Alright. It''s my turn, I guess...'' There was one thing I was hoping to see, but it evaded my sight. Maybe with further investigation, it would turn up. ''Still, I was hoping to at least see the Chief''s Residence.'' ************* [Over An Hour Later] Adu and I returned to our rendezvous point with the others. It turned out I didn''t really get any new information, and Adu basically reported most of what I already knew of. The information we got on the Elves was sufficient enough, but there was so much room for spection that I couldn''t decisively reach a conclusion. ''Well, let''s hope the others have better luck.'' After easily navigating our way through the forest, we finally came out of it¡ªearlier than I had expected. ''Maybe it''s easier when you''re leaving a ce you''ve been visited?'' In any case, we were able to leave the Elf Forest without much trouble. We didn''t even encounter any guard or patrol officer on our way back. ''Ah... what''s this?!'' I thought to myself as I saw all my subordinates waiting for me. It seemed Adu and I were theters, even though we didn''t even take as much time than I expected. ''Does that mean they didn''t get as much information as us? Or maybe... wait, who''s that?'' My eyes twitched the moment I noticed someone I didn''t recognize among the group. There were five, instead of four people waiting for us. A stranger was among them¡ªthough he appeared unconscious. ''Uh...?'' I tried my hardest to stay as expressionless a possible, but my heart was racing as Adu and I drew closer to the awkward-looking group. Lucy looked as stern as usual, and her partner also didn''t look like he had a problem. The issue existed with Asa''s team. The Elfdy had a guilty expression on her face, and Heshu also appeared a bit uneasy. It was quite obvious who was responsible for the addition of a new member. "It seems you have all gathered here. Well done." I muttered, my gaze stylishly falling on the unconscious fellow who was hanging between Asa and Heshu. His arms were hung on their shoulders, and his slumping frame duly expressed that he was out cold. Still... ''Are those pointy ears I see? And what''s with that getup? Looks fancy.'' ... This was the strangest thing I had seen all day. ''An unconscious Elf that''s dressed in such a cool attire. What?!'' This literally went against what Adu and I just discovered in the Elven settlement. "H-Hero, I can exin!" Asa''s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, causing me to raise my gaze from the stranger to her. Now wasn''t the right time. I was confused, plus I had to also consider the effects of our Magic Items. "Later. Let''s get out here first." I replied calmly, to which she broke into a relieved smile. I shifted my gaze to Heshu, and he also nodded sharply. It seemed there was a bit of aplication in their mission. Thankfully, their expressions told me their blunder didn''t endanger the mission. ''Huu, I need to hear the details when we return.'' I just sincerely hoped that this Elf here wasn''t some bigshot where he came from... though something told me I was being too optimistic. * * * "Okay, let me get this straight..." I stared hard and fast at the girl known as Asa. She had this cute and guilty look that made it very difficult for me to get upset at her¡ªnot that I nned on doing so, to begin with. I mean, being rational, it was sort of my fault that this was happening. "... This Elf''s name is Dustinel, and he was your father''s close friend in the past?" Asa responded with a light nod, still looking as meek as a puppy. Apparently, this Dustinel was so close to her family that her father gave him the second heirloom of the Elves that allowed him to sense the presence of the first. In essence, his item could detect Asa''s presence due to her Magic Ring''s proximity to him. While undergoing their investigation, she got busted by him, and they had no choice but to capture him in order not to prevent any information leaks. "Heshu used a very small Spell to render him unconscious. He said it would hardly be detected." If Heshu was the one who said it, then I had to give credibility to his words. That guy knew what he was doing. Besides, I knew Asa had a lot of personal stake in this matter, especially regarding the Elf called Dustinel. ''I wasn''t wrong, after all. The Elves are indeed all dressed in rags and stuff. Dustinel seems to be the odd one out.'' That only meant one thing... and I was certain Asa knew that already. ''He''s most likely working for the Chief. That''s why he''s able to afford such decent wear and he looks so healthy.'' I could only imagine how heartbroken Asa was, but... her father''s trusted friend now worked for the enemy. ''Regardless, this works well for us!'' Why? Because this little error now solved the most prominent issue that I was trying to get my head around. Information! Chapter 201 ERROR DO NOT UNLOCK OR READ. IT''S AN ERROR DOUBLE UPLOAD If I were to use the logic of the world I came from, it was practically like letting a huge pile of gold waste away in the possession of monkeys. Adu probably saw this scenario in that light. How could I argue with that perspective when I would have had the same opinion in my old world? "That gives the demons no right of conquest. At the very least, the strong exists to protect the weak." I managed to mutter. "ording to who?" Another difficult question was.posed by Adu, but my head was already aching too much due to overthinking. "We''ll split up now. Take that side, and I''ll take this side. We meet here in thirty minutes. Do your best to observe everything and take note of anything valuable." With a new mission silencing the question Adu raised, we both parted ways. I could hear my sigh of relief as Adu walked off, grudgingly obeying mymand. ''Alright. It''s my turn, I guess...'' There was one thing I was hoping to see, but it evaded my sight. Maybe with further investigation, it would turn up. ''Still, I was hoping to at least see the Chief''s Residence.'' ************* [Over An Hour Later] Adu and I returned to our rendezvous point with the others. It turned out I didn''t really get any new information, and Adu basically reported most of what I already knew of. The information we got on the Elves was sufficient enough, but there was so much room for spection that I couldn''t decisively reach a conclusion. ''Well, let''s hope the others have better luck.'' After easily navigating our way through the forest, we finally came out of it¡ªearlier than I had expected. ''Maybe it''s easier when you''re leaving a ce you''ve been visited?'' In any case, we were able to leave the Elf Forest without much trouble. We didn''t even encounter any guard or patrol officer on our way back. ''Ah... what''s this?!'' I thought to myself as I saw all my subordinates waiting for me. It seemed Adu and I were theters, even though we didn''t even take as much time than I expected. ''Does that mean they didn''t get as much information as us? Or maybe... wait, who''s that?'' My eyes twitched the moment I noticed someone I didn''t recognize among the group. There were five, instead of four people waiting for us. A stranger was among them¡ªthough he appeared unconscious. ''Uh...?'' I tried my hardest to stay as expressionless a possible, but my heart was racing as Adu and I drew closer to the awkward-looking group. Lucy looked as stern as usual, and her partner also didn''t look like he had a problem. The issue existed with Asa''s team. The Elfdy had a guilty expression on her face, and Heshu also appeared a bit uneasy. It was quite obvious who was responsible for the addition of a new member. "It seems you have all gathered here. Well done." I muttered, my gaze stylishly falling on the unconscious fellow who was hanging between Asa and Heshu. His arms were hung on their shoulders, and his slumping frame duly expressed that he was out cold. Still... ''Are those pointy ears I see? And what''s with that getup? Looks fancy.'' ... This was the strangest thing I had seen all day. ''An unconscious Elf that''s dressed in such a cool attire. What?!'' This literally went against what Adu and I just discovered in the Elven settlement. "H-Hero, I can exin!" Asa''s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, causing me to raise my gaze from the stranger to her. Now wasn''t the right time. I was confused, plus I had to also consider the effects of our Magic Items. "Later. Let''s get out here first." I replied calmly, to which she broke into a relieved smile. I shifted my gaze to Heshu, and he also nodded sharply. It seemed there was a bit of aplication in their mission. Thankfully, their expressions told me their blunder didn''t endanger the mission. ''Huu, I need to hear the details when we return.'' I just sincerely hoped that this Elf here wasn''t some bigshot where he came from... though something told me I was being too optimistic. * * * "Okay, let me get this straight..." I stared hard and fast at the girl known as Asa. She had this cute and guilty look that made it very difficult for me to get upset at her¡ªnot that I nned on doing so, to begin with. I mean, being rational, it was sort of my fault that this was happening. "... This Elf''s name is Dustinel, and he was your father''s close friend in the past?" Asa responded with a light nod, still looking as meek as a puppy. Apparently, this Dustinel was so close to her family that her father gave him the second heirloom of the Elves that allowed him to sense the presence of the first. In essence, his item could detect Asa''s presence due to her Magic Ring''s proximity to him. While undergoing their investigation, she got busted by him, and they had no choice but to capture him in order not to prevent any information leaks. "Heshu used a very small Spell to render him unconscious. He said it would hardly be detected." If Heshu was the one who said it, then I had to give credibility to his words. That guy knew what he was doing. Besides, I knew Asa had a lot of personal stake in this matter, especially regarding the Elf called Dustinel. ''I wasn''t wrong, after all. The Elves are indeed all dressed in rags and stuff. Dustinel seems to be the odd one out.'' That only meant one thing... and I was certain Asa knew that already. ''He''s most likely working for the Chief. That''s why he''s able to afford such decent wear and he looks so healthy.'' I could only imagine how heartbroken Asa was, but... her father''s trusted friend now worked for the enemy. ''Regardless, this works well for us!'' Why? Because this little error now solved the most prominent issue that I was trying to get my head around. Information! Chapter 202 DRAFT ERROR DO NOT UNLOCK What is a Hero? When I was a kid, I used to watch lots of movies and animated series. I would see folks like Superdude and Bad save the day on countless asions. Then there were teams thatprised several heroes. Superhero groups like Justice Team, or the Revengers. Heroes came in many shapes and sizes¡ªsome being regr dudes with no special powers or anything. However, after many years of watching them¡ªand even dreaming of bing one at a particr point¡ªI noticed something. They all had something inmon. TRUST! The ''Trust'' of the people. That was what separated Heroes from vigntes or Anti-Heroes. Everyone believes the Hero. They love the Hero. They respect the Hero. And so, as someone who desired to reach that status, I realized what kind of man I wanted to be. Someone who saves others... someone others can rely on! But... ... As people grow up, they forget their childish ambitions. I was the same. I outgrew that desire and became a selfish, introverted Weeb. Other than the desire to consume vast amounts of novels, anime, manga,ics, and food, I literally cared about nothing and no one else. However, everything changed when I came across ''that'' novel. "Transmigrated With The Strongest System." The moment I read it... my life was forever changed. And that was why it became the best for me. A single volume rekindled the fire that I thought had died. The desire to be a true Hero! ************* ''Haa... no one understands these things...'' A single man can not build an empire. As the Hero, I was revered as a supreme being, capable of pretty much anything. I was pretty sure they thought I could totally blitz the Demon King if I wanted to. Bunch of idiots! No, perhaps I was the fool. Thanks to my misrepresentation, everyone now ced more trust in me than I wanted. I did everything myself¡ªat least in the department of nning. As a result, no one in this settlement thought for themselves. ''It''s convenient now, but it''ll be a bigger pain in the future.'' I couldn''t allow our current situation to fester! That said... "I am your Hero, am I not?" "WOOOHOOOOO!!!" Cheers echoed in my ears, almost making my eardrums burst. Even though these people obliviously followed me due to their mistaken notion, it wasn''t all bad. After all, their naivete saved me an incalcble amount of time that would have been used for exnations and tons of convincing. "I have rescued you from the scourge of the Demons. I have promised never to let you down. Now, I ask of you all..." It was thanks to their unwavering faith in the Hero¡ªin me¡ªthat I could pull this off. "... Will you trust me once more?" As expected, their reactions did not disappoint. "WE DOOOOOOOO!!!" Despite everyone''s dissatisfaction with the Demons. Regardless of their animosity with the vilest, most oppressive race in this world. Even with their hatred and the unimaginable sufferings they had experienced thanks to the evil beings... ... Everything was inconsequential before the Hero''s decision. ''Autocracy has its merits, after all!'' And so, with a single speech dering my intentions to adopt the Demons into our society¡ªas workers, of course¡ªmy subjects readily agreed. Their absolute trust in me rang true, and I was even able to get even more achievements as a result. For example; [Your Skill: With Great Responsibility Must Also Come Great Power has evolved] I was so hyped when I saw this! Many other rewards came flooding in¡ªmostly Stat Points and Karmic Value. As I was watched by both Demons and Humans, a new Title popped in. [The One Who Unifies] I was surprised to get this one. Even Damien didn''t get it till his 5th Round. It was an important Title thatpletely changed the game... and I received it so easily! ''Looks like I made the right choice, after all.'' Truthfully, things were moving much faster than I imagined. I hadn''t even spent a month in this brave new world, yet so many balls were rolling. I could only handle so much, after all. ''There''s so much to be done now...'' Not only did we need more allies and resources, we also needed to expand our territory. That meant more manpower and security. Sure, the costs would increase, but if we had a much bigger and efficient workforce, we could even the odds and rake in more profit. My thoughts were not merely on this single patch ofnd. Ultimately, the world would have to know of my existence as the Hero who would lead them to victory. ''Everything starts from now.'' I watched everyone with eyes brimming with hope. I was no fraud, and I indeed wanted the best for these people. Yes, I took advantage of their ignorance. I also gave them the wrong impression on many things. But... wasn''t it all for the greater good? ''Overpowered or not, I''m the Hero...'' Raising my hand, I parted my lips and dered my intentions to everyone who looked up to me. "I will save this world!" As expected, more roars burst forth. I had said a lot of bullshit in the past, and my words could never be trusted. But... this time I meant it. ''This is the world I''m living in now..." "HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''... This is what I always wanted, isn''t it?'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I almost lost everything because of my recklessness. Because of that mistake, I now understand that there''s no going back now...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''I''m not Damien. I''m not Selyon. I''m not like them...'' "HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO! HERO!" ''Compared to the big shots in this world, I''m unreasonably weak. But...'' "I will protect everyone, no matter what! I SWEAR ON MY NAME AS THE HERO!" My life in this new world was just beginning. I was responsible for so many people¡ªDemons and Humans alike. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way? Definitely not me! But, now that I had reached this juncture, there was no turning back. ''Not until I defeat the Demon God, and the 19 other Gods. Then... I challenge that ONE.'' It was going to be tough¡ªno, downright impossible. Even with my knowledge, victory wasn''t assured. Just thinking about the long journey that awaited me sent shivers down my spine. But, what sort of Hero would I be if I didn''t confront it head-on? ''If Damien could do it, so can I!'' As long as I yed my cards right, my goals could be achieved. ''I can do it!'' "HERO! HERO! HERO!'' ''I CAN DO THIS!'' * * * [One Month From Now] "I can''t do this..." Smoke filled the air as debris littered the ground. From the corner of my eyes, I could spot myrades¡ªno, my subordinates. They had been defeated so easily. As they struggled for their lives, I basked in despondency. Despair crept upon me, and the personification of my fears stood a short distance from me. "It is impossible to defeat me." A month ago, I would have vehemently disagreed with that logic. I would have sought whatever means I could to win. I would have used my Arcana Call. I would have bluffed. I would have done everything! ''I-I tried all I could think of... nothing works...'' Perhaps if I had one more chance... maybe things could be different. ''The Fool is out ofmission, and I can''t beat this one even if my Stats are all restored.'' Nothing could avail me at this point. ''They all depended on me... yet I couldn''t do anything. Everyone will die here... so will I.'' Frustration welled up within me¡ªand so did regret. Why did I ever think I could do this? I... I should not havee here! "It seems you''ve already epted your fate." I raised my head with thest bit of my energy, watching the silhouette of the Demon with my blurry vision. Defeating something like this was downright impossible. "Now... die." Something appeared within the Demon''s grasp. It was reddish, and the object had a peculiar shape. Was that... a heart? ''Haaaa...'' My thoughts trailed as the realization dawned on me. The Demon''s monstrous ws finally squashed the red heart, sending a painful¡ªindescribably painful¡ªsensation coursing through me. ''... This really is the end.'' "GUARK!" With my final cough of blood, I felt everything go nk. [SYSTEM NOTICE] [All Chances Of Restoration Have Been Exhausted] [YOU HAVE DIED!] * * * * * [End Of The First Arc: Settling In] ~The Second Arc: Demonic Crisis will begin shortly~ I hope you enjoyed the read. Also... If you enjoy this book, I know another one you''d love just as much. It''s my newest book titled ''Ascension Of The Failed Mage.'' Chapter 203 Dustinel Of The Elves "U-urgh¡­" Dustinel groaned as he stirred in his sleep. He was currently at the edge that separated unconsciousness from consciousness, though being ignorant of the fact himself. In this moment of being in a limbo of thoughts and sensations, the Elf felt like he was in a trance. Within this state, he saw several of his Elven brethren. He watched how they had been degraded by his current master. He powerlessly witnessed their envement with the inability to intervene. Fear was a shackle, and Dustinel was its greatest prisoner. ''I¡­ I¡­'' He found himself thinking in his dream¡ªunable to wake, but unable to maintain his mental construct. Soon, he found that everything around him copsed, and he was buried in utter darkness. He tried crying for help as he descended into the pitch-ck night, but no one heard him. No one could hear him because his voice couldn''t be heard. He opened his lips and pped his gums, but nothing came forth. At this point, several hands belonging to the darkness reached out for him and pulled him further in. He tried and tried, yet nothing could be heard. Not until he finally found himself drowning in a murky pool of pungent darkness. Immersed in this pool of ckness, Dustinel felt his eyes bulging and his insides corrupted. Gurgling the stinky liquid and the terribly chilly waters, the Elf had had enough. "ARGHHHHHHHH!!!" His voice ascended far into the air as he raised his body upward, finally breaking free from the darkness¡­ as well as his dream. In short, Dustinel was awake. "Haa¡­ haaa¡­" The Elf was drenched in his own sweat, smelling the pungent odor emanating from his drenched body. The ce he found himself in was chilly¡ªa sharp contrast to his warm home and soft bed. "Where¡­ am I?" Dustinel looked around him. He was surrounded by rocks, in what seemed like a cave. There didn''t seem to be any way out since everywhere was pitch ck, and even with his Magic Eye, he found what would have been the entrance to bepletely sealed. "I''m trapped? But how? Why?" The confused Elf found a gap in his memories, and he didn''t remember anything beyond his usual stroll meant to clear his mind and decide on the appropriate actions to take concerning the problems affecting the Mine and Mill productivity. Despite his justified confusion, Dustinel could still think of a bunch of reasons why he would be stuck in his current predicament. For one, the enved Elves could have kidnapped him with malicious intent. Considering how he was siding with the Chief, it was possible that they would want to vent their frustrations on him. ''But aren''t they worried about what the Chief would do? Besides, why would they do such a thing now?'' His Elven brethren must have despised him for so long, so why would they choose to make their move at such a sensitive moment? After all¡­ "The inspectors areing tomorrow¡­" Dustinel murmured. Their imminent appearance was one of the reasons why the Elf Chief has been on the edgetely. Even a tyrant like him had superiors, and they wouldn''t be happy with the way productivity was going. ''This is literally the worst time!'' Dustinel groaned as he tiredly stood from his position. His regal attire had been stained by dirt and sweat, and he smelled unpleasant, but he still managed to stand. His eyes glowed green as he slowly walked in the direction of the sealed entrance. ''I have to get out of here¡­ and fast!'' The Chief needed to see results before the Inspectors arrived. If he didn''t, then Dustinel was bound to receive the bacsh for everything. Thest thing the frail Elf wanted was punishment. He used the earthen wall around him as support while navigating through the narrow cave-like structure. The floor was cold, and so was the earthen surface. Judging from the low temperature alone, Dustinel concluded that it was most likelyte at night. ''The Elves should be resting back home. I should be able to escape without interference if I act now.'' Of course, there was the possibility that the Elf workers had nothing to do with this, and it was instead the Elf Chief that was responsible for his current situation. Dustinel knew quite well that his boss was currently dissatisfied with him. ''Is it possible that¡­?'' If that was indeed the case, there would be guards waiting for him outside, and escape would be unthinkable. There was a third option though¡ªand that was a third party. ''There was an intruder rm earlier, wasn''t there? But there''s no way they could have invaded so deep into our settlement. The illusory effects of the barrier were still active thest I, urgh¡ª'' Dustinel felt a loud pounding in his head. He was missing a portion of his memories, so it was possible that intruders had managed to take him prisoner. Once he considered his three options, Dustinel didn''t know which to subscribe to. The first was the best, in terms of his survival, but it made the least sense. The second was quite possible, but the Elf Chief still needed him and wouldn''t get rid of someone as talented as himself so quickly¡ªat least not without a recement. ''But the Chief has been shown to act rashly many times. Damn it¡­'' Thest option, which also seemed far-fetched, was the one about the intruders. Dustinel found it unbelievable that any race could prate their barrier and capture him even with the illusions and guards that were sent. Sure, security measures had thinned out quite considerably since they needed more manpower to work the mines and harvest wood, but still¡­ ''Could it be demons? No way! Surely, they understand that¡­ urgh!'' Dustinel felt his head pounding more. It wasn''t just his head, but his entire body ached. He had thought it was a consequence of sleeping on a cold, hard surface for too long, so he ignored it. However, the Elf found that it was reaching the point of notice. ''I''m burning up? A fever?'' He finally realized why he had sweat a lot despite being in a chilly ce. He couldn''t confirm his suspicion yet, but Dustinel realized he was probably sick. It was all the more reason why he had to escape as soon as possible. ''I''ll risk it. Anything to leave!'' * * * >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< A loud explosion caused the blocked entrance to turn into nothing but flying debris and a passable space¡ªenough for an adult male to pass through. "Huff¡­ Kuff!!!" Dustinel coughed heavily, making his way out of the cave as the smoke and rising dust leaked out to the open space he walked into. He moved as quickly as he could to escape the ascending dust, closing his eyes and pushing his body to get a whiff of fresh air. Unfortunately, he moved a bit too fast. "G-garh!" Destinel tripped and fell on the barren, rocky surface of the floor. It was just as cold as the cave floor, and the frail Elf felt the impact of his fall¡ªdown to his bones. "O-ouch¡­" He groaned, nearly in tears as he recoiled from the pain and shock. His vision blurred as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Just as he had suspected, it was dark out. The night sky spread as far as his blurry vision could detect, and he saw the brilliant illumination of the moon and stars. Dustinel wasn''t too distracted by these things, however, that he didn''t notice the fact that he wasn''t surrounded by trees or shrubs. The Elf Sanctuary had trees in every direction one looked, yet here he was staring at the vast night sky. Yet¡­ yet¡­ ¡­ There was no forest? "I''m not in the Elf Sanctuary?" Dustinel asked himself, half in disbelief, half in fear. Unknown to him, this was merely the start. "Correct." ''W-wha¡ª?!'' Dustinel''s eyes bulged the moment he heard a voice answer his barely audible inquisition. He suddenly felt paralyzed as his vision focused on an apparition in front of him. It was a person. A person was a distance from him! ''H-how¡­? I didn''t detect anyone!'' The person in front of him had ck hair, and his outfit was a bit strange,pared to what Dustinel was used to. The person appeared to be no more than a young man, yet something about him oozed maturity. The most important aspect of the person, however, was his ears. ''N-not an Elf? Then an intruder!'' So his third theory was correct, after all. Dustinel had feared this oue, but it was toote to wish things weren''t the way they were. The heaving Elf remained on the ground, trying his hardest to analyze the situation and think of the most ideal solution to his problem. "It seems you''ve finally awoken¡­" The young man didn''t wait for him toplete his thought, thus beginning to approach his target. Dustinel felt his body throb as the stranger began taking steps toward him. It was at this point that the Elf knew he had to take action soon, or else¡­ ''It looks like I''ll have to fight my way through this one!'' Chapter 204 Is It Just Me, Or Is Something Wrong With This Elf? >TAP< >TAP< >TAP< As Dustinel heard the steadfast footsteps of his enemy draw nearer, he put his brain to work in an attempt to hatch a n. ''His ears indicate he''s not an Elf. He also possesses no distinguishing features like animal characteristics or a short and stout body¡ªeven a muscr and massive stature.'' There and then, Dustinel determined that the malefactor couldn''t have been a Beastfolk, Dwarf, or Giant. After analyzing for a while, he arrived at the answer. ''A human? And he''s alone? How was he able to get past the barrier?!'' Dustinel was confused, and he still had many questions. Unfortunately, he was running out of time, thus he needed to act fast. ''Since he''s human, and he doesn''t seem like a very strong one, I should be able to handle him¡ªeven if only for a short while.'' It was settled then! Dustinel decided to find a way to upy the human, at least until he found a way out to escape. Tinme was of the essence and he couldn''t afford to drag things out for too long. ''Alright¡­ let''s go!'' The gentle stride of the human caused the nervous Elf to slowly panic, but he decided to bide his time and carefully wait for the perfect moment to strike. And then¡­ finally¡ª! >WHOOOOSSSSHHH< Dustinel moved his body in a swift motion¡ªas fast as he could go¡ªand leaped for the young human the moment he got close enough. As a frail Elf, suspecting himself to be sick as well, his stamina and Magic ability were well under par. He was fortunate enough to have had some Mercury and Mana Chalk on him, but he had exhausted most of them in the earlier explosion. At this point, he had neither the time nor the resources to depend on Runes to act in his favor. As much as it was a hassle and strain to him¡­ Dustinel knew he had to use the skills at his disposal. ''[Mana Boost]'' His body glowed, and he felt a sharp rise in his physical abilities. Not only was Dustinel now stronger and faster, but his senses were hrightened above his normal capacity¡ªwhich was already plenty high. In this state, Dustinel observed his surrounding more and figured out how to escape. ''We''re on one of the tall mountains south of the Elf Sanctuary. I''ll have to move quickly, then use something as a cover to take them off my trail!.'' He knew full well that it was practically impossible to return to his home in such disadvantageous conditions. He was too weak, and his opponent seemed healthy enough to eventually catch up to him. In that case, he would find a way to hide and wait for dawn. It ws his best bet! ''Fake my escape. Hide. Wait. And hopefully¡­ things get better!'' Dustinel prayed his n would work. It was the only one he could rely on given his circumstances. "[Wind Pu¡ª]" Before Dustinel could use the his second¡ªand only offensive¡ªskill to st the human away, the most shocking thing urred. >WHUUUUUUMMMMMMM!!!< A pressure unlike any other manifested, causing the older Elf to stutter and tremble. He, who was already making a break for it, suddenly felt numb all over. It felt like icicles were poking him all over. Frozen in ce, feeling the chilly presence of the human boy, yet also sweating profusely as the boy kept approaching, Dustinel realized that his n had failed. He had failed to examine one critical fact that his entire strategy was dependent on. The power of his opponent. Thus, with each footstep he heard, Dustinel''s heart jumped and his body shook with fear. Until finally, the young boy stood in front of him¡ªgazing coldly as though the Elf was nothing but a lowly worm. "Did you think you could escape me? Howughable." Those words sent more shivers down Dustinel''s spine, and he felt his fever return with even greater intensity. "M-mercy¡­" He managed to utter, though the human before him didn''t seem like the kind or type to show such sentiment. "Mercy, eh? Your Elven brethren must have pleaded that from you on several asions." Dustinel''s eyes widened when he heard this. Just as he suspected, this human must have indeed invaded their sanctuary. How else would he have known of the horrific conditions of the Elves? ''T-this power he has¡­ it''s possible¡­!'' Dustinel felt his heart racing beyond the safe margin. His vision slowly got blurry, but at this point, the human was right in front of him. He was saying certain things, but Dustinel couldn''t hear coherent words. The words simply danced around his ears as he staggered. ''I¡­ I''m really going to die here?'' He thought to himself as his eyes slowly closed and he felt himself losing consciousness. His life shed before his eyes, and the image of an Elf whom he regarded as his own brother appeared in his mind. His heart ached as he pictured the Elf''s sad face and grim expression. ''Raphael¡­ I¡­'' Tears fell from his eyes as he neared the ground. The image of the previous Elf Chief, and then that of his wife and daughter, surfaced. He could never forget histerade''s imprisoned wife and missing daughter too. They were like family. Dustinel knew how he had descecrated their legacy due to his selfishness, but¡­ ¡­ He only did what he had to do to survive! That made this current turn of events ironic to him, though. Despite his best efforts, karma finally caught up with him. This truly seemed like the end. It made him wonder what the point of all his struggles were. ''I truly am¡­ a fool'' With that single thought echoing in his mind, Dustinel finally gave in to the darkness. ******** ''E-eh¡­?'' I watched as the Elf before me fell to the ground¡ªmost likely scared shitless as a result of my [Domination] Skill. I could only use it in a limited way, soI didn''t expect it to work to this extent. ''I overdid it, didn''t I?'' I nearly shivered, watching the Elf known as Dustinel foam in the mouth as he wentpletely out of it. Was I so scary? I didn''t think so. I mean, I only wanted to interrogate him in a somewhat fierce manner so he would fess up and give me the information I wanted. It didn''t have to get so extreme¡ªthough even that wouldn''t have been too bad. ''Asa told me about what she saw¡ªsame as Lucy and the other Demons. To think the situation is this grim¡­'' Dustinel was a part of the governing body, no doubt. He was the supervisor in charge of both major project sites¡ªthe mines, and the mills. He was quite despicable, in my opinion. I didn''t think I would feel any remorse rattling him down a little bit. But now? After seeing his reaction towards me, and how frightened he seemed, I wasn''t so certain any longer. ''Asa told me he was frail, though. Maybe that''s the problem.'' Drawing closer to the unconscious body of Dustinel, I paid close attention to his sweaty body and reddened face. Something about his rough breathing, his excessive perspiration, and how his color was, seemed abnormal. It was almost as if¡ª ''He has a fever. He''s sick?!'' My thoughts echoed the moment I knelt and touched his skin. My eyes were widened at the surprising degree of his skins heat. This Elf was seriously ill, no doubt about it. The worst part was that the symptoms seemed identitcal to the Elves I saw, as well as the ones the others reported. If I pooled all the information together, I could only arrive at one conclusion. "A flu. A flu is going around¡­ could be worse." I had no idea on the cause, but this was clearly the sign of a contagious illness. Things were even worse than I thought! "Damnit! If we don''t act fast, the Elves might be in worse trouble than what I imagined. If I''m being realistic, the worst case scenario for this is death¡ªfor sure!" There was no longer time to waste. I had to act fast. "You can alle out of hiding now." I raised my voice, my eyes still focused on the passed-out Elf. As rehearsed, my subordinates slowly emerged from the darkness, undoing the effects of the Magic Ring I gave them. For Asa, since Dustinel could sense her family heirloom, I had to grant her an additionalyer of protection, so even she had remained indetectable throughout my exchange with him. "What seems to be the matter?" Lucy spoke first as they all gathered around me. Ana looked worried, but the Demons didn''t seem all too surprised. In fact, they didn''t seem to have much of an interest in the situation, even with a dying Elf in front of them. "You know what this is, don''t you?" I nced in the direction of the most experienced of the Demons. "I''m not certain, but¡­ lower life forms are susceptible to a certain illness gotten from overexposure to Mana Ores and Mercury emissions. Since their body can''t handle the radiation, they develop what is known as the M.M. Sickness." Chapter 205 DRAFT "U-urgh¡­" Dustinel groaned as he stirred in his sleep. He was currently at the edge that separated unconsciousness from consciousness, though being ignorant of the fact himself. In this moment of being in a limbo of thoughts and sensations, the Elf felt like he was in a trance. Within this state, he saw several of his Elven brethren. He watched how they had been degraded by his current master. He powerlessly witnessed their envement with the inability to intervene. Fear was a shackle, and Dustinel was its greatest prisoner. ''I¡­ I¡­'' He found himself thinking in his dream¡ªunable to wake, but unable to maintain his mental construct. Soon, he found that everything around him copsed, and he was buried in utter darkness. He tried crying for help as he descended into the pitch-ck night, but no one heard him. No one could hear him because his voice couldn''t be heard. He opened his lips and pped his gums, but nothing came forth. At this point, several hands belonging to the darkness reached out for him and pulled him further in. He tried and tried, yet nothing could be heard. Not until he finally found himself drowning in a murky pool of pungent darkness. Immersed in this pool of ckness, Dustinel felt his eyes bulging and his insides corrupted. Gurgling the stinky liquid and the terribly chilly waters, the Elf had had enough. "ARGHHHHHHHH!!!" His voice ascended far into the air as he raised his body upward, finally breaking free from the darkness¡­ as well as his dream. In short, Dustinel was awake. "Haa¡­ haaa¡­" The Elf was drenched in his own sweat, smelling the pungent odor emanating from his drenched body. The ce he found himself in was chilly¡ªa sharp contrast to his warm home and soft bed. "Where¡­ am I?" Dustinel looked around him. He was surrounded by rocks, in what seemed like a cave. There didn''t seem to be any way out since everywhere was pitch ck, and even with his Magic Eye, he found what would have been the entrance to bepletely sealed. "I''m trapped? But how? Why?" The confused Elf found a gap in his memories, and he didn''t remember anything beyond his usual stroll meant to clear his mind and decide on the appropriate actions to take concerning the problems affecting the Mine and Mill productivity. Despite his justified confusion, Dustinel could still think of a bunch of reasons why he would be stuck in his current predicament. For one, the enved Elves could have kidnapped him with malicious intent. Considering how he was siding with the Chief, it was possible that they would want to vent their frustrations on him. ''But aren''t they worried about what the Chief would do? Besides, why would they do such a thing now?'' His Elven brethren must have despised him for so long, so why would they choose to make their move at such a sensitive moment? After all¡­ "The inspectors areing tomorrow¡­" Dustinel murmured. Their imminent appearance was one of the reasons why the Elf Chief has been on the edgetely. Even a tyrant like him had superiors, and they wouldn''t be happy with the way productivity was going. ''This is literally the worst time!'' Dustinel groaned as he tiredly stood from his position. His regal attire had been stained by dirt and sweat, and he smelled unpleasant, but he still managed to stand. His eyes glowed green as he slowly walked in the direction of the sealed entrance. ''I have to get out of here¡­ and fast!'' The Chief needed to see results before the Inspectors arrived. If he didn''t, then Dustinel was bound to receive the bacsh for everything. Thest thing the frail Elf wanted was punishment. He used the earthen wall around him as support while navigating through the narrow cave-like structure. The floor was cold, and so was the earthen surface. Judging from the low temperature alone, Dustinel concluded that it was most likelyte at night. ''The Elves should be resting back home. I should be able to escape without interference if I act now.'' Of course, there was the possibility that the Elf workers had nothing to do with this, and it was instead the Elf Chief that was responsible for his current situation. Dustinel knew quite well that his boss was currently dissatisfied with him. ''Is it possible that¡­?'' If that was indeed the case, there would be guards waiting for him outside, and escape would be unthinkable. There was a third option though¡ªand that was a third party. ''There was an intruder rm earlier, wasn''t there? But there''s no way they could have invaded so deep into our settlement. The illusory effects of the barrier were still active thest I, urgh¡ª'' Dustinel felt a loud pounding in his head. He was missing a portion of his memories, so it was possible that intruders had managed to take him prisoner. Once he considered his three options, Dustinel didn''t know which to subscribe to. The first was the best, in terms of his survival, but it made the least sense. The second was quite possible, but the Elf Chief still needed him and wouldn''t get rid of someone as talented as himself so quickly¡ªat least not without a recement. ''But the Chief has been shown to act rashly many times. Damn it¡­'' Thest option, which also seemed far-fetched, was the one about the intruders. Dustinel found it unbelievable that any race could prate their barrier and capture him even with the illusions and guards that were sent. Sure, security measures had thinned out quite considerably since they needed more manpower to work the mines and harvest wood, but still¡­ ''Could it be demons? No way! Surely, they understand that¡­ urgh!'' Dustinel felt his head pounding more. It wasn''t just his head, but his entire body ached. He had thought it was a consequence of sleeping on a cold, hard surface for too long, so he ignored it. However, the Elf found that it was reaching the point of notice. ''I''m burning up? A fever?'' He finally realized why he had sweat a lot despite being in a chilly ce. He couldn''t confirm his suspicion yet, but Dustinel realized he was probably sick. It was all the more reason why he had to escape as soon as possible. ''I''ll risk it. Anything to leave!'' * * * >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< A loud explosion caused the blocked entrance to turn into nothing but flying debris and a passable space¡ªenough for an adult male to pass through. "Huff¡­ Kuff!!!" Dustinel coughed heavily, making his way out of the cave as the smoke and rising dust leaked out to the open space he walked into. He moved as quickly as he could to escape the ascending dust, closing his eyes and pushing his body to get a whiff of fresh air. Unfortunately, he moved a bit too fast. "G-garh!" Destinel tripped and fell on the barren, rocky surface of the floor. It was just as cold as the cave floor, and the frail Elf felt the impact of his fall¡ªdown to his bones. "O-ouch¡­" He groaned, nearly in tears as he recoiled from the pain and shock. His vision blurred as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Just as he had suspected, it was dark out. The night sky spread as far as his blurry vision could detect, and he saw the brilliant illumination of the moon and stars. Dustinel wasn''t too distracted by these things, however, that he didn''t notice the fact that he wasn''t surrounded by trees or shrubs. The Elf Sanctuary had trees in every direction one looked, yet here he was staring at the vast night sky. Yet¡­ yet¡­ ¡­ There was no forest? "I''m not in the Elf Sanctuary?" Dustinel asked himself, half in disbelief, half in fear. Unknown to him, this was merely the start. "Correct." ''W-wha¡ª?!'' Dustinel''s eyes bulged the moment he heard a voice answer his barely audible inquisition. He suddenly felt paralyzed as his vision focused on an apparition in front of him. It was a person. A person was a distance from him! ''H-how¡­? I didn''t detect anyone!'' The person in front of him had ck hair, and his outfit was a bit strange,pared to what Dustinel was used to. The person appeared to be no more than a young man, yet something about him oozed maturity. The most important aspect of the person, however, was his ears. ''N-not an Elf? Then an intruder!'' So his third theory was correct, after all. Dustinel had feared this oue, but it was toote to wish things weren''t the way they were. The heaving Elf remained on the ground, trying his hardest to analyze the situation and think of the most ideal solution to his problem. "It seems you''ve finally awoken¡­" The young man didn''t wait for him toplete his thought, thus beginning to approach his target. Dustinel felt his body throb as the stranger began taking steps toward him. It was at this point that the Elf knew he had to take action soon, or else¡­ ''It looks like I''ll have to fight my way through this one!'' Chapter 206 Error Upload DO NOT READ "U-urgh¡­" Dustinel groaned as he stirred in his sleep. He was currently at the edge that separated unconsciousness from consciousness, though being ignorant of the fact himself. In this moment of being in a limbo of thoughts and sensations, the Elf felt like he was in a trance. Within this state, he saw several of his Elven brethren. He watched how they had been degraded by his current master. He powerlessly witnessed their envement with the inability to intervene. Fear was a shackle, and Dustinel was its greatest prisoner. ''I¡­ I¡­'' He found himself thinking in his dream¡ªunable to wake, but unable to maintain his mental construct. Soon, he found that everything around him copsed, and he was buried in utter darkness. He tried crying for help as he descended into the pitch-ck night, but no one heard him. No one could hear him because his voice couldn''t be heard. He opened his lips and pped his gums, but nothing came forth. At this point, several hands belonging to the darkness reached out for him and pulled him further in. He tried and tried, yet nothing could be heard. Not until he finally found himself drowning in a murky pool of pungent darkness. Immersed in this pool of ckness, Dustinel felt his eyes bulging and his insides corrupted. Gurgling the stinky liquid and the terribly chilly waters, the Elf had had enough. "ARGHHHHHHHH!!!" His voice ascended far into the air as he raised his body upward, finally breaking free from the darkness¡­ as well as his dream. In short, Dustinel was awake. "Haa¡­ haaa¡­" The Elf was drenched in his own sweat, smelling the pungent odor emanating from his drenched body. The ce he found himself in was chilly¡ªa sharp contrast to his warm home and soft bed. "Where¡­ am I?" Dustinel looked around him. He was surrounded by rocks, in what seemed like a cave. There didn''t seem to be any way out since everywhere was pitch ck, and even with his Magic Eye, he found what would have been the entrance to bepletely sealed. "I''m trapped? But how? Why?" The confused Elf found a gap in his memories, and he didn''t remember anything beyond his usual stroll meant to clear his mind and decide on the appropriate actions to take concerning the problems affecting the Mine and Mill productivity. Despite his justified confusion, Dustinel could still think of a bunch of reasons why he would be stuck in his current predicament. For one, the enved Elves could have kidnapped him with malicious intent. Considering how he was siding with the Chief, it was possible that they would want to vent their frustrations on him. ''But aren''t they worried about what the Chief would do? Besides, why would they do such a thing now?'' His Elven brethren must have despised him for so long, so why would they choose to make their move at such a sensitive moment? After all¡­ "The inspectors areing tomorrow¡­" Dustinel murmured. Their imminent appearance was one of the reasons why the Elf Chief has been on the edgetely. Even a tyrant like him had superiors, and they wouldn''t be happy with the way productivity was going. ''This is literally the worst time!'' Dustinel groaned as he tiredly stood from his position. His regal attire had been stained by dirt and sweat, and he smelled unpleasant, but he still managed to stand. His eyes glowed green as he slowly walked in the direction of the sealed entrance. ''I have to get out of here¡­ and fast!'' The Chief needed to see results before the Inspectors arrived. If he didn''t, then Dustinel was bound to receive the bacsh for everything. Thest thing the frail Elf wanted was punishment. He used the earthen wall around him as support while navigating through the narrow cave-like structure. The floor was cold, and so was the earthen surface. Judging from the low temperature alone, Dustinel concluded that it was most likelyte at night. ''The Elves should be resting back home. I should be able to escape without interference if I act now.'' Of course, there was the possibility that the Elf workers had nothing to do with this, and it was instead the Elf Chief that was responsible for his current situation. Dustinel knew quite well that his boss was currently dissatisfied with him. ''Is it possible that¡­?'' If that was indeed the case, there would be guards waiting for him outside, and escape would be unthinkable. There was a third option though¡ªand that was a third party. ''There was an intruder rm earlier, wasn''t there? But there''s no way they could have invaded so deep into our settlement. The illusory effects of the barrier were still active thest I, urgh¡ª'' Dustinel felt a loud pounding in his head. He was missing a portion of his memories, so it was possible that intruders had managed to take him prisoner. Once he considered his three options, Dustinel didn''t know which to subscribe to. The first was the best, in terms of his survival, but it made the least sense. The second was quite possible, but the Elf Chief still needed him and wouldn''t get rid of someone as talented as himself so quickly¡ªat least not without a recement. ''But the Chief has been shown to act rashly many times. Damn it¡­'' Thest option, which also seemed far-fetched, was the one about the intruders. Dustinel found it unbelievable that any race could prate their barrier and capture him even with the illusions and guards that were sent. Sure, security measures had thinned out quite considerably since they needed more manpower to work the mines and harvest wood, but still¡­ ''Could it be demons? No way! Surely, they understand that¡­ urgh!'' Dustinel felt his head pounding more. It wasn''t just his head, but his entire body ached. He had thought it was a consequence of sleeping on a cold, hard surface for too long, so he ignored it. However, the Elf found that it was reaching the point of notice. ''I''m burning up? A fever?'' He finally realized why he had sweat a lot despite being in a chilly ce. He couldn''t confirm his suspicion yet, but Dustinel realized he was probably sick. It was all the more reason why he had to escape as soon as possible. ''I''ll risk it. Anything to leave!'' * * * >BOOOOOMMMM!!!< A loud explosion caused the blocked entrance to turn into nothing but flying debris and a passable space¡ªenough for an adult male to pass through. "Huff¡­ Kuff!!!" Dustinel coughed heavily, making his way out of the cave as the smoke and rising dust leaked out to the open space he walked into. He moved as quickly as he could to escape the ascending dust, closing his eyes and pushing his body to get a whiff of fresh air. Unfortunately, he moved a bit too fast. "G-garh!" Destinel tripped and fell on the barren, rocky surface of the floor. It was just as cold as the cave floor, and the frail Elf felt the impact of his fall¡ªdown to his bones. "O-ouch¡­" He groaned, nearly in tears as he recoiled from the pain and shock. His vision blurred as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Just as he had suspected, it was dark out. The night sky spread as far as his blurry vision could detect, and he saw the brilliant illumination of the moon and stars. Dustinel wasn''t too distracted by these things, however, that he didn''t notice the fact that he wasn''t surrounded by trees or shrubs. The Elf Sanctuary had trees in every direction one looked, yet here he was staring at the vast night sky. Yet¡­ yet¡­ ¡­ There was no forest? "I''m not in the Elf Sanctuary?" Dustinel asked himself, half in disbelief, half in fear. Unknown to him, this was merely the start. "Correct." ''W-wha¡ª?!'' Dustinel''s eyes bulged the moment he heard a voice answer his barely audible inquisition. He suddenly felt paralyzed as his vision focused on an apparition in front of him. It was a person. A person was a distance from him! ''H-how¡­? I didn''t detect anyone!'' The person in front of him had ck hair, and his outfit was a bit strange,pared to what Dustinel was used to. The person appeared to be no more than a young man, yet something about him oozed maturity. The most important aspect of the person, however, was his ears. ''N-not an Elf? Then an intruder!'' So his third theory was correct, after all. Dustinel had feared this oue, but it was toote to wish things weren''t the way they were. The heaving Elf remained on the ground, trying his hardest to analyze the situation and think of the most ideal solution to his problem. "It seems you''ve finally awoken¡­" The young man didn''t wait for him toplete his thought, thus beginning to approach his target. Dustinel felt his body throb as the stranger began taking steps toward him. It was at this point that the Elf knew he had to take action soon, or else¡­ ''It looks like I''ll have to fight my way through this one!'' Chapter 207 Things Are Beginning To Escalate Pretty Quickly "I''m not certain, but¡­ lower life forms are susceptible to a certain illness gotten from overexposure to Mana Ores and Mercury emissions. Since their body can''t handle the radiation, they develop what is known as the M.M. Sickness." Heshu''s voice was calm and sullen. Ignoring the obviously dumb name, as well as the fact that he just called Elves lower life forms¡ªsorry Asa¡ªI was more concerned with the fact that I waspletely oblivious to such lore. Regardless, that was a matter for another time. The most important thing was for me to find a solution¡­ and fast! "What is the cure?" I asked, narrowing my gaze on Heshu, who seemed to know more than what he was letting on." "After performing experiments on specimens, I heard we found the cure to this ailment. I have to say, though¡­ the conditions are a bit absurd." I felt nervous hearing Heshu say this. If a demon could express something like this, then just how absurd were we talking about? "The medicinal properties that willpletely iste and exterminate the imbnce can be found in the undeveloped genes of the Dragon Race." He began. ''Eh? Undeveloped? Dragon Race? Don''t tell me¡­'' My eyes nearly popped wide open. "You need the egg of a Dragon." ''... EH...?'' For a brief moment, I allowed silence to take full charge in the situation. Why? Because this was one hell of a surprise and I needed time to sort through my jumbled thoughts. ''The Egg of a Dragon? Why? Just... why?!'' "Dragons have a special biology that allows for the high concentration of Mana to be stabilized. This cooling function is achieved by a single organ in the Dragon''s body called the Dragonheart¡ªof course, this is different from the regr heart..." I knew that much. After all, the biology of prominent beings like Dragons was well-explored in T.W.T.S.S. Both canon-wise and in the Fandom, the Dragons remained relevant to the story. But I never heard of this M&M sickness or whatever! "The problem with the Dragonheart is that it has been configured to act as a cooling agent for the particr Dragon it belongs to. After developing with the Dragon, it absorbs the genes and is wired with the Draconic frequency. Even our best scientists, biologists, and Magic experts are yet to find a way to harness such power for the Demon Race." Heshu exined ''Well, not for long. During the Expansion, the Demons cracked the code, thus allowing constructs like Golems, or even lesser Demons to transcend their Mana Limits without overloading¡ªor at least prolonging the effects of overkill abilities like Taboo Skills.'' Fortunately, we hadn''t progressed to that point yet, but it was still a possibility. "The best course of action is to gain ess to Dragons before they develop. That way, the Dragonheart hasn''tpletely keyed into the frequency of the particr Dragon, and it''ll be fluid enough to bepatible with anyone." The more Heshu exined it, the more I understood. In theory, that could indeed work. However, there was something that still bothered me. "But the undeveloped Dragon would still be in its fluid-like state. How would the Dragonheart have formed by then?" "A-ah, I don''t know the details. Kiko should know more since I learned all of this from her frequent bickering." Heshu bowed slightly, disying a form of polite regret in his inability to help me further. I noticed Adu''s disgust from the corner of my eye, but I decided to focus more on the task at hand. "I see..." Unfortunately, Kiko and Pierrus were busy with the job I gave them, and we were running out of time. I could choose to rely on Heshu''s words since Kiko said them, or would it be better to hear the whole story from Kiko herself? ''I''ll try contacting her... just for good measure.'' In the meantime, the problem itself was yet to be resolved. I needed a Dragon Egg, but the oppression of the Elves was reaching a climax, and pushing them so far in their current condition could lead to an unsavory end. Once again, I needed to make a decision. "Give me some time to make my decision. In the meantime, you should take care of Dustinel and make his condition as stable as possible using Magic." MY subordinates responded, and fortunately, they left me to myself. I sensed Asa staring at me for a few seconds longer than normal, but she also left soon after. In no time, I was finally by myself. "Fuck... this just got overlyplicated." * * * Alright, perhaps it would be best for me to backtrack for a bit. That way, the whole thing I had to deal with would be open for all to see. Upon returning from their respective scouting duties, my subordinates informed me of the activities that were going down in the Elf Sanctuary. Hogun and Lucy, who had gone to the West, informed me of an industrial Mill where the Elves worked. ording to them, the Elves called it Sector B, hinting a different location called Sector A. Sector B was divided into nine parts¡ªdifferent areas of the Mill. The Elf workers were also divided into various groups. Some were lumberjacks, some were the heavy lifters, while thest group worked in the mill itself. The job was to cut down trees, carry them to the industrial site, and process them to wood. From what they told me, the Elves rotated their duties, thus ensuring every Elf got a good taste of every single bit of hardbor. The major issue they noted was how emaciated the Elves were¡ªan obvious sign of malnutrition or sickness. Their faces being pale, and the various other things they noticed matched what I noticed among the Elves in the residential areas. I had to assume that it was a sickness that was going around¡ªespecially when Asa adamantly insisted that Elves didn''t normally look like that. Fortunately, it seemed they stull had breaks, and their sickness wasn''t as dire as Dustinel''s condition. Unfortunately... Asa and Heshu''s reports showed even more danger. The ce known as Sector A was a mine where Mana Ores, Special Ores, and Mercury were harvested. The Special Ores mostly contained Adamantite and Mythril. Those were strong minerals that boasted good Mana conductivity. In essence, their uses were a lot. ''The deposits that were under Dulum seem far more valuable, but these kinds of stuff are a big deal too.'' Unfortunately, Mine jobs had the tendency of being dangerous¡ªeven on regr Earth. The risks of getting poisoned within a Mine due to exposure to certain elements considered harmful to the body. And, just as Heshu told me not too long ago, the M.M. Sickness is caused by the overexposure to the very things they''re mining. ''The Demons know of this sickness, so they must know of the consequences of letting Elves work like this...'' The fact that industrial Mines and Mills were sessfully built in the Elf Sanctuary meant the Demons in question had the means to prevent overexposure to the M.M Sickness by simply insting the working Elves. Yet... I could only think of one answer. "They wanted the Elves to be poisoned?!" The problem with a sickness that had the tendency to spread so far¡ªas well as a very rare and limited cure¡ªwas that there would be many casualties. Were the Demons looking to kill the Elves? Was that their goal? ''No. That makes no sense. They would have killed them already...'' At this point, I had no idea what the intentions of my opponents were. I thought I came prepared, but I was so wrong. There were new developments that kept causing me to change my initial ns. Still... ... There was no way I could ignore something as dire as this. "I need to save the Elves. That means getting the cure, as well as stopping this oppression." The safest, fastest way to achieve this was to split our forces once again. One group would go to get the Dragon Egg, while the second would face the Elf Chief. Once both teams were done with their missions, we would converge and face the Demon Forces responsible for all of this together. ''If we can''t win, we''ll retreat.'' Looking at things from this perspective, it was the most effective method I could think of. Perhaps it was simply because I was panicking, but I really saw no other way I could handle so many problems at once. ''Things are escting quicker than I expected. Hopefully, this is the end of our problems...'' ************ [The Elf Sanctuary] "Damn that Dustinel... why hasn''t he reported to me all day? Damn it... damn it..." An overweight Elf was pacing around his vast and luxurious office. His chair and table stood majestically in a corner, but he was too restless to think of having his seat. Even as sweat fell from his face and he panted, this obese person kept pacing around, his bloodshot eyes disying panic. One had to wonder... what would cause the Elf Chief to get so restless. "The Supervisors... the Supervisors areing!" Chapter 208 Divided We Stand, United We... Hold On! I gathered my courage and decided to act as quickly as possible¡ªwhich meant, of course, that I had to utilize the n I just came up with. Never mind the n I spent a whole day preparing for, no. Now, our team had to improvise. Needless to say, that didn''t give me the best of securities. However¡­ nothing ventured¡­ nothing gained! Yeah, I saw that in an anime once. It was pretty funny! * * * "W-we''re splitting up?" Yeah, I expected a bit of surprise, but not like¡­ repeating what I just said! Asa''s eyes were ringing if both surprise and worry after I went over the n with the whole team. Our stray visitor¡ªDustinel¡ªwas currently unconscious. Just as I ordered Heshu, the Elf''s condition seemed quite stable. He still had a somewhat pale face, but the excessive sweating had reduced considerably. He was in a well-insted tent, while everyone else was outside with me as I revealed the new strategy we would be implementing. While many of them seemed receptive to it, it seemed Asa had her concerns. "B-but what could we possibly do without you¡­?" Her voice quivered as her countenance fell. It pricked my heart to see such a pretty girl smile, but a man had to do what a man had to do. The reason for her nervousness was that I decided to go search for the Dragon Egg, alongside one of them. The rest would take on the Elf Chief and secure the Sanctuary. The rationale behind this was that I would be absolutely useless inbat based on my current condition. It was better to ride the Dragon Golem to obtain the Dragon Egg and make myself useful. ''I have a good idea which would be more dangerous, and I know I have the short end of the stick¡­ however, piloting Nero to search for a nearby Dragon Nest while utilizing my SHOP for certain useful items that can aid in the heist will be useful in the long run.'' I was doing this for everyone''s good. "Based on your reports and the other observations made, the workers of the Mine are in worse conditions. We need to get the cure as soon as possible, or else there might not be Elves alive to be saved." Once I told her of this grim fact, it seemed Asa was finally at terms with the grim fate that awaited her people if she didn''t want us to split up. ''I also don''t want us to split, but there''s no other way here.'' "Just to be certain, I tried to contact Kiko. Unfortunately, she''s not picking¡­ and neither is Pierrus." Normally, this would trigger my ''Hero Sense'' and I would think something was up, but after cross-checking using my Demon Contractor Title, it seemed they were perfectly alright. My Golems were also fine, and it didn''t seem like the city of Dulum was in any danger. In other words, were they ghosting me?! ''That''s not possible. They can''t ghost their master. It''s probably that they''re too busy to see the Magic Communicator tool I left in their care.'' My Observation Magic showed Dulum was fine. My Demon Subordinates were fine. My Golems were also fine. Thus¡­ I didn''t think the Adventurer''s City was in any trouble. "The Elf Sanctuary is in dire need of assistance. We need to act quickly, which means we need to move fast." Asa''s face was still clouded with worry, but I could tell that she understood the situation. "For the n, I''ll be leaving for the Dragon Nest with Lucy. The rest of you will stay here and work together with Asa to liberate the Elves and take care of the Elf Chief. I can count on you, right?" Heshu and Hogun nodded, while Adu shrugged indifferently. Well, it didn''t matter what they actually desired. All I had to do was give them specificmands for them to obey. It wasn''t too difficult when I thought of it that way. "Asa, you are required for this n as both the Demons'' guide, as well as the face of this revolution." Since she was the rightful heir to the throne and all of that cliche stuff, this entire movement could only makeplete sense if she was leading it. Besides, how could I deny the cool aesthetic? "Your people will follow you as the true heir, and you will hold the position of a savior¡ªa deliverer." I smiled at Asa, causing her to look away and blush. "Try bringing Dustinel to your side, and make sure he cooperates. I doubt he''d be able to resist your force, and he seems like the kind of person who would do anything to survive." Hopefully, the Elf joined sides with us. He seemed really important, so I was certain he would make our job so much easier. "I''ll probably be gone for a day or two. If the enemy is too strong for you, retreat. You have Adu, who can teleport. Also, Heshu you have a teleportation Magic Item. You must all preserve your lives if it seems like you can''t win. Understood?" "Yes¡­" Their voices trailed, though I could sense stubbornness in Asa''s eyes. She was probably going to die fighting if it came down to it. In that case, I would have tomand one of my subordinates to make sure she retreated as well. I cared about the Elves¡ªas well as my duties as the Hero¡ªI would rather keep those I cared about safe. "You must all survive. Failure is uneptable¡­ understood?" * * * "Are you ready?" Lucy and I were on the Dragon Golem, Nero. The cushiony seats greeted us well, but¡­ something didn''t feel quite right. It was awkward, to say the least. My current position was not what I wanted, but what did I expect when I chose Lucy as my escort? "Yes, I am." The young girl''s stern voice rang in my ears, and I found myself wondering if indeed this was the right route to take. ''It''s not toote, Sam. You can still renegotiate.'' However, one look at Lucy''s satisfied, child-like face as she sat in front of me and rested her back on my stomach¡­ I realized I couldn''t say anything. "Alright, then. Let''s go!" Chapter 209 DUPLICATE DO NOT READ! DO NOT UNLOCK! I gathered my courage and decided to act as quickly as possible¡ªwhich meant, of course, that I had to utilize the n I just came up with. Never mind the n I spent a whole day preparing for, no. Now, our team had to improvise. Needless to say, that didn''t give me the best of securities. However¡­ nothing ventured¡­ nothing gained! Yeah, I saw that in an anime once. It was pretty funny! * * * "W-we''re splitting up?" Yeah, I expected a bit of surprise, but not like¡­ repeating what I just said! Asa''s eyes were ringing if both surprise and worry after I went over the n with the whole team. Our stray visitor¡ªDustinel¡ªwas currently unconscious. Just as I ordered Heshu, the Elf''s condition seemed quite stable. He still had a somewhat pale face, but the excessive sweating had reduced considerably. He was in a well-insted tent, while everyone else was outside with me as I revealed the new strategy we would be implementing. While many of them seemed receptive to it, it seemed Asa had her concerns. "B-but what could we possibly do without you¡­?" Her voice quivered as her countenance fell. It pricked my heart to see such a pretty girl smile, but a man had to do what a man had to do. The reason for her nervousness was that I decided to go search for the Dragon Egg, alongside one of them. The rest would take on the Elf Chief and secure the Sanctuary. The rationale behind this was that I would be absolutely useless inbat based on my current condition. It was better to ride the Dragon Golem to obtain the Dragon Egg and make myself useful. ''I have a good idea which would be more dangerous, and I know I have the short end of the stick¡­ however, piloting Nero to search for a nearby Dragon Nest while utilizing my SHOP for certain useful items that can aid in the heist will be useful in the long run.'' I was doing this for everyone''s good. "Based on your reports and the other observations made, the workers of the Mine are in worse conditions. We need to get the cure as soon as possible, or else there might not be Elves alive to be saved." Once I told her of this grim fact, it seemed Asa was finally at terms with the grim fate that awaited her people if she didn''t want us to split up. ''I also don''t want us to split, but there''s no other way here.'' "Just to be certain, I tried to contact Kiko. Unfortunately, she''s not picking¡­ and neither is Pierrus." Normally, this would trigger my ''Hero Sense'' and I would think something was up, but after cross-checking using my Demon Contractor Title, it seemed they were perfectly alright. My Golems were also fine, and it didn''t seem like the city of Dulum was in any danger. In other words, were they ghosting me?! ''That''s not possible. They can''t ghost their master. It''s probably that they''re too busy to see the Magic Communicator tool I left in their care.'' My Observation Magic showed Dulum was fine. My Demon Subordinates were fine. My Golems were also fine. Thus¡­ I didn''t think the Adventurer''s City was in any trouble. "The Elf Sanctuary is in dire need of assistance. We need to act quickly, which means we need to move fast." Asa''s face was still clouded with worry, but I could tell that she understood the situation. "For the n, I''ll be leaving for the Dragon Nest with Lucy. The rest of you will stay here and work together with Asa to liberate the Elves and take care of the Elf Chief. I can count on you, right?" Heshu and Hogun nodded, while Adu shrugged indifferently. Well, it didn''t matter what they actually desired. All I had to do was give them specificmands for them to obey. It wasn''t too difficult when I thought of it that way. "Asa, you are required for this n as both the Demons'' guide, as well as the face of this revolution." Since she was the rightful heir to the throne and all of that cliche stuff, this entire movement could only makeplete sense if she was leading it. Besides, how could I deny the cool aesthetic? "Your people will follow you as the true heir, and you will hold the position of a savior¡ªa deliverer." I smiled at Asa, causing her to look away and blush. "Try bringing Dustinel to your side, and make sure he cooperates. I doubt he''d be able to resist your force, and he seems like the kind of person who would do anything to survive." Hopefully, the Elf joined sides with us. He seemed really important, so I was certain he would make our job so much easier. "I''ll probably be gone for a day or two. If the enemy is too strong for you, retreat. You have Adu, who can teleport. Also, Heshu you have a teleportation Magic Item. You must all preserve your lives if it seems like you can''t win. Understood?" "Yes¡­" Their voices trailed, though I could sense stubbornness in Asa''s eyes. She was probably going to die fighting if it came down to it. In that case, I would have tomand one of my subordinates to make sure she retreated as well. I cared about the Elves¡ªas well as my duties as the Hero¡ªI would rather keep those I cared about safe. "You must all survive. Failure is uneptable¡­ understood?" * * * "Are you ready?" Lucy and I were on the Dragon Golem, Nero. The cushiony seats greeted us well, but¡­ something didn''t feel quite right. It was awkward, to say the least. My current position was not what I wanted, but what did I expect when I chose Lucy as my escort? "Yes, I am." The young girl''s stern voice rang in my ears, and I found myself wondering if indeed this was the right route to take. ''It''s not toote, Sam. You can still renegotiate.'' However, one look at Lucy''s satisfied, child-like face as she sat in front of me and rested her back on my stomach¡­ I realized I couldn''t say anything. Chapter 210 A Sort Of Touching Reunion "The Hero has left us in charge of handling this situation. I suppose we all know how urgent this matter is. We will need to execute it tomorrow." The one who spoke was Heshu¡ªobviously the most sensible and oldest among the team. Asa, Hogun, and Adu stared at him as they sat on the cold, earthen ground. With the Hero already gone with Lucy, saving the Elf Sanctuary fell on their shoulders. "First things first. We convince Dustinel to assist us. Afterward, we move out as soon as possible tomorrow. ording to the Hero''s n, which I agree with, we''ll need to split into two teams." While they all agreed with the Hero when he emphasized theirck of time, the group was still grateful that he shared his phenomenal wisdom with them. Heshu, as one who had led manyrades in the past, found the n to be adequate. He most likely could not have made anything better¡ªespecially considering the situation. "Adu and Hogun will deal with liberating the Elves from the respective areas¡ªthe West and East. Asa and I will deal with the Elf Chief by moving for his residence." "B-but, we don''t even know where that is..." Asa murmured. ording to what Sam told her, the settlement where all the Elves lived¡ªincluding her father, the Chief¡ªhad grown very deste. Not only were the houses subpar, but there was no sign of the Elf Chief. "That''s why we have to get Dustinel on our side. I have just the right Magic Item to use. If ites down to it, I can also use my Skill to coerce him." Heshu shrugged. Since they were in a hurry, the most efficient means would work well the most. Unfortunately, there was a justified reason for hesitating. "He''s currently in a weakened state. Exposure to even more energy¡ªespecially one as toxic as Miasma¡ªcould kill him." He sighed. The gentlemanly Demon felt conflicted. It was definitely something he could risk, but they had to look for another alternative in the meantime. "I could¡­ try persuading him?" Asa muttered, raising her voice the further she went on with her suggestion. As the only non-demon in the group, she had been intimidated for some time now. However, if she didn''t speak up, it would do a great disservice to the people she was trying to save. Asa knew she couldn''t have that. "What makes you so sure he''ll listen to you?" Adu snickered, staring condescendingly at the Ranger. Asa was an Elf, everyone knew that already. Since it was essential to the n, Sam had revealed it¡ªwhich she was totally fine with. Everyone also knew about her status as the genuine heir. However, what of it? "Didn''t Dustinel betray your family or something? Your mum is still being held captive, right? Yet he did nothing about her condition, or the condition of the other Elves. How are you so certain he''ll listen to you?" Perhaps Adu''s intentions were to be condescending to the girl and induce her with despair, however, the points he made were pretty solid. Everyone nced in Asa''s direction¡ªhoping for a valid response. "I don''t know what happened to him recently, but I have known Dustinel for longer than any of you have. If anyone can convince him at all, it''ll be me. Besides, isn''t it at least worth a shot?" Her words weren''t exactly convincing, which made them wonder just how she nned on getting a subordinate of their enemy on their side. Unfortunately, her point was equally valid. They had to try any option they could. "Well, we can try that. If that doesn''t work, then we''ll use your method." Hogun nodded in agreement, moving his gaze to Heshu. "Pfft." They heard a disagreeable tone from the only one of their group. "Got any better ideas?" "Whatever." Adu shrugged, finally deciding to let go of the whole matter. With everyone on board, they decided to count on the Elf Princess and whatever rhetoric she could rely on to bring an enemy to her side and save her people. * * * "U-urghh¡­" Dustinel slurred as he gained consciousness. He could feel his body burn up and his joints ached as he moved. Wincing and groaning, he opened his eyes and took in the environment. It appeared he was in something resembling a tent. "W-wha¡­?" Dustinel grunted even more as he rose to sit up, feeling the soft mattress hey on to assist in at least easing him of some measure of difort. It was a strange contraption¡ªone which he thought was valuable. Still, given how he felt, the sickly Elf could not enjoy thefort as much as he wanted. "I¡­ I have the sickness too¡­" He murmured. Dustinel slowly remembered everything. How he found out he was captured by a human¡­ and how he lost so easily. He remembered feeling terribly ill, and now he confirmed it. His body was simply not acting the same as usual. ''This is bad¡­'' Dustinel was a sickly Elf, which meant his frame wasn''t built for stress. Having such a sickness that caused so great a harm to regr Elves would definitely kill him! ''No¡­ no!'' He didn''t want to die. He wanted to live! Wasn''t that the whole point of assisting the Chiefl in administrating the affairs of the Elf Sanctuary? So that he wouldn''t die? "I-I''m sure if I tell him about my sickness¡­ he''ll cure me. Right? I''m valuable, so he will¡­" No, who was he kidding? Dustinel knew the value that that selfish, arrogant, and self-serving glutton ced on anyone but himself. He would be lucky enough to escape death¡ªnot to mention a cure to something the Chielf was most likely ignorant about. ''Worst of all, the Supervisors areing. He''ll definitely not be in the mood to help me. I''m screwed¡­ I''m screwed¡­'' Dustinel itched his blond hair and gritted his teeth. ''I-if only I knew things would end like this¡­ I would have done the right thing! I would have¡­ would have¡­'' Dustinel''s thoughts were suddenly cut-off by a sound just outside the tent. It was the sound of approaching footsteps. ''E-eeek!'' With every tap on the ground, the sickly, frightened Elf found himself trembling. It was a look of terror and horror¡ªone that was most likely worsening his ill state. Swiftly, he returned to his previous state on the mattress, pretending to be asleep. With his eyes tightly shut, he awaited the entry of the one who would enter the room. ''I''m too weak to stand a chance. I¡­ I don''t know what to do!'' Someone entered the room, but he dared not open his eyes, talkless of turning in the direction of the tent entrance. He simply shut his eye¡­ even though he began to feel a glow on his finger. ''U-uh¡­?'' It was a faint glow. But it slowly grew brighter and brighter, and the sensation sent a feeling of energy down Dustinel''s spine. Enough so that he didn''t need to open his eyes to see the source. He knew it already! "T-the ring! No way¡­ it can''t be!" Dustinel didn''t realize it when his eyes shed open and his body turned in the direction of the tent''s entrance. That was when he saw ''her.'' His eyes widened, and the gap in his memory was filled with how he had felt the same sensation and seen the same effect of his ring before he was captured. Everything rushed in at once as he saw the beautiful form of his best friend''s daughter¡­ "A-Asariel¡­?" Her pointy ears were still not fully mature, but they represented her heritage quite well. Her glorious green eyes and her blond hair spoke well of her beauty. She was definitely the girl he remembered her to be. "Dustinel¡­" Her voice trailed. Her eyes were beautiful, but they coldly stared at him¡ªand he knew why. How could he expect any less? ''A-am I dreaming, though¡­? Is this a nightmare?'' He thought to himself. No, what did it matter? Whether dream or reality, there was only one thing he could do in the presence of Asariel Lucielle. Dustinel mustered all of his strength and rose to his feet, rushing toward the Elf as his eyes widened and his body screamed of pain. He could see her expression depicting shock, but he didn''t care. He had to do what he could¡­ NOW! "I¡­ Asariel¡­ I¡­" Just as he was about to reach her, he copsed to the ground, wrapping his hand around one of her legs and crying out in both pain and sorrow. "... I AM SO SORRY!!!" Tears gushed from his eyes, and snot cascaded from his nostrils. The fact that he could touch her legs proved that it wasn''t an illusion, and the evident pain and details around him told the bawling man that this was definitely reality. That made it all the better. "I''m so sorry for betraying your trust¡­ for letting this happen to everyone¡­ for allowing him to do this to our people¡­ our Sanctuary!" Dustinel knew he had no valid excuse, though his reasons were legitimate. "P-p-p-p-p-please forgive meeeee!" Chapter 211 ERROR DO NOT READ "The Hero has left us in charge of handling this situation. I suppose we all know how urgent this matter is. We will need to execute it tomorrow." The one who spoke was Heshu¡ªobviously the most sensible and oldest among the team. Asa, Hogun, and Adu stared at him as they sat on the cold, earthen ground. With the Hero already gone with Lucy, saving the Elf Sanctuary fell on their shoulders. "First things first. We convince Dustinel to assist us. Afterward, we move out as soon as possible tomorrow. ording to the Hero''s n, which I agree with, we''ll need to split into two teams." While they all agreed with the Hero when he emphasized theirck of time, the group was still grateful that he shared his phenomenal wisdom with them. Heshu, as one who had led manyrades in the past, found the n to be adequate. He most likely could not have made anything better¡ªespecially considering the situation. "Adu and Hogun will deal with liberating the Elves from the respective areas¡ªthe West and East. Asa and I will deal with the Elf Chief by moving for his residence." "B-but, we don''t even know where that is..." Asa murmured. ording to what Sam told her, the settlement where all the Elves lived¡ªincluding her father, the Chief¡ªhad grown very deste. Not only were the houses subpar, but there was no sign of the Elf Chief. "That''s why we have to get Dustinel on our side. I have just the right Magic Item to use. If ites down to it, I can also use my Skill to coerce him." Heshu shrugged. Since they were in a hurry, the most efficient means would work well the most. Unfortunately, there was a justified reason for hesitating. "He''s currently in a weakened state. Exposure to even more energy¡ªespecially one as toxic as Miasma¡ªcould kill him." He sighed. The gentlemanly Demon felt conflicted. It was definitely something he could risk, but they had to look for another alternative in the meantime. "I could¡­ try persuading him?" Asa muttered, raising her voice the further she went on with her suggestion. As the only non-demon in the group, she had been intimidated for some time now. However, if she didn''t speak up, it would do a great disservice to the people she was trying to save. Asa knew she couldn''t have that. "What makes you so sure he''ll listen to you?" Adu snickered, staring condescendingly at the Ranger. Asa was an Elf, everyone knew that already. Since it was essential to the n, Sam had revealed it¡ªwhich she was totally fine with. Everyone also knew about her status as the genuine heir. However, what of it? "Didn''t Dustinel betray your family or something? Your mum is still being held captive, right? Yet he did nothing about her condition, or the condition of the other Elves. How are you so certain he''ll listen to you?" Perhaps Adu''s intentions were to be condescending to the girl and induce her with despair, however, the points he made were pretty solid. Everyone nced in Asa''s direction¡ªhoping for a valid response. "I don''t know what happened to him recently, but I have known Dustinel for longer than any of you have. If anyone can convince him at all, it''ll be me. Besides, isn''t it at least worth a shot?" Her words weren''t exactly convincing, which made them wonder just how she nned on getting a subordinate of their enemy on their side. Unfortunately, her point was equally valid. They had to try any option they could. "Well, we can try that. If that doesn''t work, then we''ll use your method." Hogun nodded in agreement, moving his gaze to Heshu. "Pfft." They heard a disagreeable tone from the only one of their group. "Got any better ideas?" "Whatever." Adu shrugged, finally deciding to let go of the whole matter. With everyone on board, they decided to count on the Elf Princess and whatever rhetoric she could rely on to bring an enemy to her side and save her people. * * * "U-urghh¡­" Dustinel slurred as he gained consciousness. He could feel his body burn up and his joints ached as he moved. Wincing and groaning, he opened his eyes and took in the environment. It appeared he was in something resembling a tent. "W-wha¡­?" Dustinel grunted even more as he rose to sit up, feeling the soft mattress hey on to assist in at least easing him of some measure of difort. It was a strange contraption¡ªone which he thought was valuable. Still, given how he felt, the sickly Elf could not enjoy thefort as much as he wanted. "I¡­ I have the sickness too¡­" He murmured. Dustinel slowly remembered everything. How he found out he was captured by a human¡­ and how he lost so easily. He remembered feeling terribly ill, and now he confirmed it. His body was simply not acting the same as usual. ''This is bad¡­'' Dustinel was a sickly Elf, which meant his frame wasn''t built for stress. Having such a sickness that caused so great a harm to regr Elves would definitely kill him! ''No¡­ no!'' He didn''t want to die. He wanted to live! Wasn''t that the whole point of assisting the Chiefl in administrating the affairs of the Elf Sanctuary? So that he wouldn''t die? "I-I''m sure if I tell him about my sickness¡­ he''ll cure me. Right? I''m valuable, so he will¡­" No, who was he kidding? Dustinel knew the value that that selfish, arrogant, and self-serving glutton ced on anyone but himself. He would be lucky enough to escape death¡ªnot to mention a cure to something the Chielf was most likely ignorant about. ''Worst of all, the Supervisors areing. He''ll definitely not be in the mood to help me. I''m screwed¡­ I''m screwed¡­'' Dustinel itched his blond hair and gritted his teeth. ''I-if only I knew things would end like this¡­ I would have done the right thing! I would have¡­ would have¡­'' Dustinel''s thoughts were suddenly cut-off by a sound just outside the tent. It was the sound of approaching footsteps. ''E-eeek!'' With every tap on the ground, the sickly, frightened Elf found himself trembling. It was a look of terror and horror¡ªone that was most likely worsening his ill state. Swiftly, he returned to his previous state on the mattress, pretending to be asleep. With his eyes tightly shut, he awaited the entry of the one who would enter the room. ''I''m too weak to stand a chance. I¡­ I don''t know what to do!'' Someone entered the room, but he dared not open his eyes, talkless of turning in the direction of the tent entrance. He simply shut his eye¡­ even though he began to feel a glow on his finger. ''U-uh¡­?'' It was a faint glow. But it slowly grew brighter and brighter, and the sensation sent a feeling of energy down Dustinel''s spine. Enough so that he didn''t need to open his eyes to see the source. He knew it already! "T-the ring! No way¡­ it can''t be!" Dustinel didn''t realize it when his eyes shed open and his body turned in the direction of the tent''s entrance. That was when he saw ''her.'' His eyes widened, and the gap in his memory was filled with how he had felt the same sensation and seen the same effect of his ring before he was captured. Everything rushed in at once as he saw the beautiful form of his best friend''s daughter¡­ "A-Asariel¡­?" Her pointy ears were still not fully mature, but they represented her heritage quite well. Her glorious green eyes and her blond hair spoke well of her beauty. She was definitely the girl he remembered her to be. "Dustinel¡­" Her voice trailed. Her eyes were beautiful, but they coldly stared at him¡ªand he knew why. How could he expect any less? ''A-am I dreaming, though¡­? Is this a nightmare?'' He thought to himself. No, what did it matter? Whether dream or reality, there was only one thing he could do in the presence of Asariel Lucielle. Dustinel mustered all of his strength and rose to his feet, rushing toward the Elf as his eyes widened and his body screamed of pain. He could see her expression depicting shock, but he didn''t care. He had to do what he could¡­ NOW! "I¡­ Asariel¡­ I¡­" Just as he was about to reach her, he copsed to the ground, wrapping his hand around one of her legs and crying out in both pain and sorrow. "... I AM SO SORRY!!!" Tears gushed from his eyes, and snot cascaded from his nostrils. The fact that he could touch her legs proved that it wasn''t an illusion, and the evident pain and details around him told the bawling man that this was definitely reality. That made it all the better. "I''m so sorry for betraying your trust¡­ for letting this happen to everyone¡­ for allowing him to do this to our people¡­ our Sanctuary!" Dustinel knew he had no valid excuse, though his reasons were legitimate. "P-p-p-p-p-please forgive meeeee!" Chapter 212 ANOTHER ERROR DO NOT READ OR UNLOCK "The Hero has left us in charge of handling this situation. I suppose we all know how urgent this matter is. We will need to execute it tomorrow." The one who spoke was Heshu¡ªobviously the most sensible and oldest among the team. Asa, Hogun, and Adu stared at him as they sat on the cold, earthen ground. With the Hero already gone with Lucy, saving the Elf Sanctuary fell on their shoulders. "First things first. We convince Dustinel to assist us. Afterward, we move out as soon as possible tomorrow. ording to the Hero''s n, which I agree with, we''ll need to split into two teams." While they all agreed with the Hero when he emphasized theirck of time, the group was still grateful that he shared his phenomenal wisdom with them. Heshu, as one who had led manyrades in the past, found the n to be adequate. He most likely could not have made anything better¡ªespecially considering the situation. "Adu and Hogun will deal with liberating the Elves from the respective areas¡ªthe West and East. Asa and I will deal with the Elf Chief by moving for his residence." "B-but, we don''t even know where that is..." Asa murmured. ording to what Sam told her, the settlement where all the Elves lived¡ªincluding her father, the Chief¡ªhad grown very deste. Not only were the houses subpar, but there was no sign of the Elf Chief. "That''s why we have to get Dustinel on our side. I have just the right Magic Item to use. If ites down to it, I can also use my Skill to coerce him." Heshu shrugged. Since they were in a hurry, the most efficient means would work well the most. Unfortunately, there was a justified reason for hesitating. "He''s currently in a weakened state. Exposure to even more energy¡ªespecially one as toxic as Miasma¡ªcould kill him." He sighed. The gentlemanly Demon felt conflicted. It was definitely something he could risk, but they had to look for another alternative in the meantime. ? "I could¡­ try persuading him?" Asa muttered, raising her voice the further she went on with her suggestion. As the only non-demon in the group, she had been intimidated for some time now. However, if she didn''t speak up, it would do a great disservice to the people she was trying to save. Asa knew she couldn''t have that. "What makes you so sure he''ll listen to you?" Adu snickered, staring condescendingly at the Ranger. Asa was an Elf, everyone knew that already. Since it was essential to the n, Sam had revealed it¡ªwhich she was totally fine with. Everyone also knew about her status as the genuine heir. However, what of it? "Didn''t Dustinel betray your family or something? Your mum is still being held captive, right? Yet he did nothing about her condition, or the condition of the other Elves. How are you so certain he''ll listen to you?" Perhaps Adu''s intentions were to be condescending to the girl and induce her with despair, however, the points he made were pretty solid. Everyone nced in Asa''s direction¡ªhoping for a valid response. "I don''t know what happened to him recently, but I have known Dustinel for longer than any of you have. If anyone can convince him at all, it''ll be me. Besides, isn''t it at least worth a shot?" Her words weren''t exactly convincing, which made them wonder just how she nned on getting a subordinate of their enemy on their side. Unfortunately, her point was equally valid. They had to try any option they could. "Well, we can try that. If that doesn''t work, then we''ll use your method." Hogun nodded in agreement, moving his gaze to Heshu. "Pfft." They heard a disagreeable tone from the only one of their group. "Got any better ideas?" "Whatever." Adu shrugged, finally deciding to let go of the whole matter. With everyone on board, they decided to count on the Elf Princess and whatever rhetoric she could rely on to bring an enemy to her side and save her people. * * * "U-urghh¡­" Dustinel slurred as he gained consciousness. He could feel his body burn up and his joints ached as he moved. Wincing and groaning, he opened his eyes and took in the environment. It appeared he was in something resembling a tent. "W-wha¡­?" Dustinel grunted even more as he rose to sit up, feeling the soft mattress hey on to assist in at least easing him of some measure of difort. It was a strange contraption¡ªone which he thought was valuable. Still, given how he felt, the sickly Elf could not enjoy thefort as much as he wanted. "I¡­ I have the sickness too¡­" He murmured. Dustinel slowly remembered everything. How he found out he was captured by a human¡­ and how he lost so easily. He remembered feeling terribly ill, and now he confirmed it. His body was simply not acting the same as usual. ''This is bad¡­'' Dustinel was a sickly Elf, which meant his frame wasn''t built for stress. Having such a sickness that caused so great a harm to regr Elves would definitely kill him! ''No¡­ no!'' He didn''t want to die. He wanted to live! Wasn''t that the whole point of assisting the Chiefl in administrating the affairs of the Elf Sanctuary? So that he wouldn''t die? "I-I''m sure if I tell him about my sickness¡­ he''ll cure me. Right? I''m valuable, so he will¡­" No, who was he kidding? Dustinel knew the value that that selfish, arrogant, and self-serving glutton ced on anyone but himself. He would be lucky enough to escape death¡ªnot to mention a cure to something the Chielf was most likely ignorant about. ''Worst of all, the Supervisors areing. He''ll definitely not be in the mood to help me. I''m screwed¡­ I''m screwed¡­'' Dustinel itched his blond hair and gritted his teeth. ''I-if only I knew things would end like this¡­ I would have done the right thing! I would have¡­ would have¡­'' Dustinel''s thoughts were suddenly cut-off by a sound just outside the tent. It was the sound of approaching footsteps. ''E-eeek!'' With every tap on the ground, the sickly, frightened Elf found himself trembling. It was a look of terror and horror¡ªone that was most likely worsening his ill state. Swiftly, he returned to his previous state on the mattress, pretending to be asleep. With his eyes tightly shut, he awaited the entry of the one who would enter the room. ''I''m too weak to stand a chance. I¡­ I don''t know what to do!'' Someone entered the room, but he dared not open his eyes, talkless of turning in the direction of the tent entrance. He simply shut his eye¡­ even though he began to feel a glow on his finger. ''U-uh¡­?'' It was a faint glow. But it slowly grew brighter and brighter, and the sensation sent a feeling of energy down Dustinel''s spine. Enough so that he didn''t need to open his eyes to see the source. He knew it already! "T-the ring! No way¡­ it can''t be!" Dustinel didn''t realize it when his eyes shed open and his body turned in the direction of the tent''s entrance. That was when he saw ''her.'' His eyes widened, and the gap in his memory was filled with how he had felt the same sensation and seen the same effect of his ring before he was captured. Everything rushed in at once as he saw the beautiful form of his best friend''s daughter¡­ "A-Asariel¡­?" Her pointy ears were still not fully mature, but they represented her heritage quite well. Her glorious green eyes and her blond hair spoke well of her beauty. She was definitely the girl he remembered her to be. "Dustinel¡­" Her voice trailed. Her eyes were beautiful, but they coldly stared at him¡ªand he knew why. How could he expect any less? ''A-am I dreaming, though¡­? Is this a nightmare?'' He thought to himself. No, what did it matter? Whether dream or reality, there was only one thing he could do in the presence of Asariel Lucielle. Dustinel mustered all of his strength and rose to his feet, rushing toward the Elf as his eyes widened and his body screamed of pain. He could see her expression depicting shock, but he didn''t care. He had to do what he could¡­ NOW! "I¡­ Asariel¡­ I¡­" Just as he was about to reach her, he copsed to the ground, wrapping his hand around one of her legs and crying out in both pain and sorrow. "... I AM SO SORRY!!!" Tears gushed from his eyes, and snot cascaded from his nostrils. The fact that he could touch her legs proved that it wasn''t an illusion, and the evident pain and details around him told the bawling man that this was definitely reality. That made it all the better. "I''m so sorry for betraying your trust¡­ for letting this happen to everyone¡­ for allowing him to do this to our people¡­ our Sanctuary!" Dustinel knew he had no valid excuse, though his reasons were legitimate. "P-p-p-p-p-please forgive meeeee!" Chapter 213 The Elfs Revelation Asa was beyond amazed to see Dustinel in such a state, as well as to receive such a reaction from him. His tear-filled eyes caused her heart to ache, and they did ring of sincerity. Thus, she realized it right then and there... that Dustinel felt guilty for all he did. ''I was going to appeal to him in order to cooperate, but there might be no need for that anymore.'' She smiled softly to herself Hopefully, this next strategy of hers would work. "Why did you do it?" With a whisper, she uttered her words. Her gaze was sent down to the pleasing Elf, condescending and detached. Asa didn''t really feel that way, but she had learned a lot from watching the Hero''s interactions. ''I have to exert dominance. I have to¡ª!'' "I was selfish, I know!" Dustinel began, his body trembling. "I... I didn''t want to die. You know of my body''s condition. If I go through any hardbor like the rest, I''ll die!" It wasn''t an exaggeration. Dustinel had been very frail and sickly from birth. Because of this fact, even his Magic and Skills were in pitiful states,pared to his peers. He could barely use two Skills before running out of stamina, and any exertion of his physical ability would leave him exhausted after a short while. ''That''s most likely why his infected condition is worsening faster than the other Elves.'' Asa recounted what the Hero mentioned to her and the others. Dustinel was weak, and so he allied himself with the winning side in order to preserve his own life. That was probably what was also going on at the moment. "Did you have a hand in my father''s¡ª?" "NO! NO, I SWEAR!" This time, his tone was loud and full of energy. His widened eyes disyed conviction, and it seemed like he was at least being honest about that one fact. "I never had a hand in your father''s death, or your mother''s capture. I never helped Samiel to seize the position of Chief. All I''ve done is simply to assist his administration of¡ª" "Simply?" Asa''s offended voice interrupted his plea. Her eyes narrowed on Dustinel, and a noticeable frown formed on her face. It immediately sent shivers to his body. "Eeek! I apologize! I apologize!" Asa sighed internally, feeling depressed. She was happy that her current method was working, and that Dustinel was bound to cooperate with them. However... ''... This is too disappointing.'' She had known Dustinel to be a noble Elf¡ªa very intelligent and prudent person worthy of admiration. She knew her people had fallen on herd times, and nothing was how she remembered it to be. However, it seemed her imagination of the kind of person Dustinel was had been false He was simply a frightened, terrified Elf, hiding his fear in a shell of confidence and elegance. Just how many things had she been wrong about? ''This is all too much.'' She thought to herself, wondering how much of a fool she had been for so long in her life. Fortunately, there was a silver lining to her current state. ''At least, I know the Hero is true and genuine.'' Asa smiled. Her uncle, Dustinel, her people... they all showed her how fallible anyone could be. It was in their nature. However, never once had the Hero betrayed her expectations. He never wavered, and his choices were always the best. Even though she doubted him concerning their splitting up, he stuck to his ideals and exined the n exquisitely well. He showed her that he wasn''t the one who was wrong, but her. ''And look at how well things are progressing. It turns out his n was perfect, after all!'' Asa could feel the fog lifting from her eyes, and the scales dropping off. Why had she been so blind to the truth before now? She had no idea. However, it was too obvious to deny, at this point! Everyone was fallible... everyone except the Hero! Once she realized this, her disappointment in Dustinel began to fade away. "Dustinel, I believe you. However, you must already know why I have returned." She smiled at the cowering Elf. "N-no way! You mean... you''re going to¡ª?!" Asa''s smile grew broader and she nodded in response. "That''s right. I''m going to take the Sanctuary back..." "T-take it... back...?" Dustinel''s eyes widened even more than before. "... And you''re going to help me!" "H-help you...?" His eyes were bloodshot at this point. Sweat drenched his entire body, and he shivered uncontrobly. "What''s this? You''re not giving me the reply I want, Dustinel." Asa''s voice sent a heavy pressure on him, forcing him to croak. Even though he knew the only option was to ept, he hesitated¡ªfor several reasons, in fact. Why did he hesitate? What made him tremble and refuse to give his answer, despite having only one choice to do so? Well... "B-but what about the Supervisors?" ... He had good reasons. "S-supervisors?" Asa almost yelped it, but she quickly controlled her voice and her expression. "Who are these Supervisors?" She asked, drawing her face closer to Elf. ''U-uh...?'' Dustinel was frankly shocked. "Y-you don''t know?" He had expected his capturers to know about the consequences of their actions. After seeing Asariel, he had surmised that the scary human he had seen earlier was working for her. That was one of the reasons why he was so frightened, despite also genuinely regretting his actions. The Elf Chief, the Supervisors¡ªhe thought they could handle all the enemies and put an end to everything. However... what was this surprise he now experienced? "I don''t. Who are the Supervisors?" "T-they are demons. While he won''t admit it, the Supervisors are the ones who are really in control of the Samiel and the resources.of the Elf Sanctuary. H-he works for them." Asa''s eyes remained calm upon hearing all of this. She wasn''t really shocked, considering the Hero had already mentioned the likelihood of the demons being involved in everything. She, however, felt disgusted to hear that her uncle really sold her people away to demons to satisfy his lust for power. "You don''t have to worry about them. We have a n to handle the demons." Asa''s response caused Dustinel''s fearful face to break into slight relief. "Haa... thank goodness. I was wondering what you were going to do when they arrived tomorrow." This time, Asa''s eyes widened, and her confidence slowly sizzled out. Dustinel just said something she wasn''t expecting. Something that wasn''t in the n. "T-they''reing tomorrow?!" Once the truth sank into her head, Asa realized just how ignorant she had been, and how the victory she imagined slowly crumbled in her thoughts. Beads of sweat slowly began to form on her face, and her heart raced at a faster pace than usual. ''T-this is bad! Very bad!'' * * * [The Elf Sanctuary] Five shadows emerged from the darkness. They had various shapes and sizes, and their expressions also differed from each other. The only simr features they had with one another were the twisted horns that malevolently emerged from their heads. They floated in the air, refusing to tread the dirty Elf settlement. It was night, and all the denizens would be asleep. So, even if they were looming so obviously in the area, no one was awake to see them. Their glowing eyes took cognisance of everything around them¡ªthe Mill, and the Mine included. Something about how their eyes narrowed showed they weren''t too pleased. "Teleport." One of them whispered, and the tall figure beside him nodded in response. Instantly, ck and red shes of energy appeared, and within moments... the figures werepletely gone. * * * Elf Chief¡ªSamiel Lucielle¡ªwas murmuring in his office. He had grown tired of pacing across the room, so he was now seated. His reddened face of anger, and his bloated form told of his frustration, though. Unable to do anything but murmur andin, he continued his harsh whispers. >VWUUUUUUUUSSHHHHHH< Crimson shes of energy suddenly manifested at the center of Samiel''s office. Space twisted, and a terrifying pressure permeated the room, causing the Chief''s expression to warp from anger and frustration to something far darker... ... FEAR! "N-no..." His voice quivered as five beings emerged from the spatial rift that now warbled in the room. They were demons. One was fat and short,pletely red in color. His horns were also thergest in the group. Another was tall and very thin. The spatial rift was made by him, and his very bored expression told of his cold nature. The third was a woman,pletely white, with a fade like a serpent, and with the shortest pair of horns in the group. The fourth was a four armed monster-like demon. His hulky body and dancing tail rang of violence. Finally, the fifth¡ªalso appearing to be the leader of the bunch¡ªwas ady whose red hair was long enough to reach the floor. Her dark outfit resembled that of an investigator¡ªhaving a dark cloak and a formal shirt. Her crimson eyes glowed bright, and her grin was wide enough to disy her sharp teeth. "Oi, fatso..." Her voice confidently echoed in the room. In response, the Elf Chief shivered and rose from his seated state. His pale face showed just how much these five demons frightened him. The terrifying demons moved closer to his desk, and his head slowly bent in submission. "... We need to talk." * * * [A/N] I''m going through a hard time irl currently, so it''s really difficult to write a chapter. I apologize for all the clone chapters recently I''m really not feeling very well with all that''s happening around me. Hope you enjoyed the read. Chapter 214 MISTAKE DO NOT READ OR UNLOCK Asa was beyond amazed to see Dustinel in such a state, as well as to receive such a reaction from him. His tear-filled eyes caused her heart to ache, and they did ring of sincerity. Thus, she realized it right then and there... that Dustinel felt guilty for all he did. ''I was going to appeal to him in order to cooperate, but there might be no need for that anymore.'' She smiled softly to herself Hopefully, this next strategy of hers would work. "Why did you do it?" With a whisper, she uttered her words. Her gaze was sent down to the pleasing Elf, condescending and detached. Asa didn''t really feel that way, but she had learned a lot from watching the Hero''s interactions. ''I have to exert dominance. I have to¡ª!'' "I was selfish, I know!" Dustinel began, his body trembling. "I... I didn''t want to die. You know of my body''s condition. If I go through any hardbor like the rest, I''ll die!" It wasn''t an exaggeration. Dustinel had been very frail and sickly from birth. Because of this fact, even his Magic and Skills were in pitiful states,pared to his peers. He could barely use two Skills before running out of stamina, and any exertion of his physical ability would leave him exhausted after a short while. ''That''s most likely why his infected condition is worsening faster than the other Elves.'' Asa recounted what the Hero mentioned to her and the others. Dustinel was weak, and so he allied himself with the winning side in order to preserve his own life. That was probably what was also going on at the moment. "Did you have a hand in my father''s¡ª?" "NO! NO, I SWEAR!" This time, his tone was loud and full of energy. His widened eyes disyed conviction, and it seemed like he was at least being honest about that one fact. "I never had a hand in your father''s death, or your mother''s capture. I never helped Samiel to seize the position of Chief. All I''ve done is simply to assist his administration of¡ª" "Simply?" Asa''s offended voice interrupted his plea. Her eyes narrowed on Dustinel, and a noticeable frown formed on her face. It immediately sent shivers to his body. "Eeek! I apologize! I apologize!" Asa sighed internally, feeling depressed. She was happy that her current method was working, and that Dustinel was bound to cooperate with them. However... ''... This is too disappointing.'' She had known Dustinel to be a noble Elf¡ªa very intelligent and prudent person worthy of admiration. She knew her people had fallen on herd times, and nothing was how she remembered it to be. However, it seemed her imagination of the kind of person Dustinel was had been false He was simply a frightened, terrified Elf, hiding his fear in a shell of confidence and elegance. Just how many things had she been wrong about? ''This is all too much.'' She thought to herself, wondering how much of a fool she had been for so long in her life. Fortunately, there was a silver lining to her current state. ''At least, I know the Hero is true and genuine.'' Asa smiled. Her uncle, Dustinel, her people... they all showed her how fallible anyone could be. It was in their nature. However, never once had the Hero betrayed her expectations. He never wavered, and his choices were always the best. Even though she doubted him concerning their splitting up, he stuck to his ideals and exined the n exquisitely well. He showed her that he wasn''t the one who was wrong, but her. ''And look at how well things are progressing. It turns out his n was perfect, after all!'' Asa could feel the fog lifting from her eyes, and the scales dropping off. Why had she been so blind to the truth before now? She had no idea. However, it was too obvious to deny, at this point! Everyone was fallible... everyone except the Hero! Once she realized this, her disappointment in Dustinel began to fade away. "Dustinel, I believe you. However, you must already know why I have returned." She smiled at the cowering Elf. "N-no way! You mean... you''re going to¡ª?!" Asa''s smile grew broader and she nodded in response. "That''s right. I''m going to take the Sanctuary back..." "T-take it... back...?" Dustinel''s eyes widened even more than before. "... And you''re going to help me!" "H-help you...?" His eyes were bloodshot at this point. Sweat drenched his entire body, and he shivered uncontrobly. "What''s this? You''re not giving me the reply I want, Dustinel." Asa''s voice sent a heavy pressure on him, forcing him to croak. Even though he knew the only option was to ept, he hesitated¡ªfor several reasons, in fact. Why did he hesitate? What made him tremble and refuse to give his answer, despite having only one choice to do so? Well... "B-but what about the Supervisors?" ... He had good reasons. "S-supervisors?" Asa almost yelped it, but she quickly controlled her voice and her expression. "Who are these Supervisors?" She asked, drawing her face closer to Elf. ''U-uh...?'' Dustinel was frankly shocked. "Y-you don''t know?" He had expected his capturers to know about the consequences of their actions. After seeing Asariel, he had surmised that the scary human he had seen earlier was working for her. That was one of the reasons why he was so frightened, despite also genuinely regretting his actions. The Elf Chief, the Supervisors¡ªhe thought they could handle all the enemies and put an end to everything. However... what was this surprise he now experienced? "I don''t. Who are the Supervisors?" "T-they are demons. While he won''t admit it, the Supervisors are the ones who are really in control of the Samiel and the resources.of the Elf Sanctuary. H-he works for them." Asa''s eyes remained calm upon hearing all of this. She wasn''t really shocked, considering the Hero had already mentioned the likelihood of the demons being involved in everything. She, however, felt disgusted to hear that her uncle really sold her people away to demons to satisfy his lust for power. "You don''t have to worry about them. We have a n to handle the demons." Asa''s response caused Dustinel''s fearful face to break into slight relief. "Haa... thank goodness. I was wondering what you were going to do when they arrived tomorrow." This time, Asa''s eyes widened, and her confidence slowly sizzled out. Dustinel just said something she wasn''t expecting. Something that wasn''t in the n. "T-they''reing tomorrow?!" Once the truth sank into her head, Asa realized just how ignorant she had been, and how the victory she imagined slowly crumbled in her thoughts. Beads of sweat slowly began to form on her face, and her heart raced at a faster pace than usual. ''T-this is bad! Very bad!'' * * * [The Elf Sanctuary] Five shadows emerged from the darkness. They had various shapes and sizes, and their expressions also differed from each other. The only simr features they had with one another were the twisted horns that malevolently emerged from their heads. They floated in the air, refusing to tread the dirty Elf settlement. It was night, and all the denizens would be asleep. So, even if they were looming so obviously in the area, no one was awake to see them. Their glowing eyes took cognisance of everything around them¡ªthe Mill, and the Mine included. Something about how their eyes narrowed showed they weren''t too pleased. "Teleport." One of them whispered, and the tall figure beside him nodded in response. Instantly, ck and red shes of energy appeared, and within moments... the figures werepletely gone. * * * Elf Chief¡ªSamiel Lucielle¡ªwas murmuring in his office. He had grown tired of pacing across the room, so he was now seated. His reddened face of anger, and his bloated form told of his frustration, though. Unable to do anything but murmur andin, he continued his harsh whispers. >VWUUUUUUUUSSHHHHHH< Crimson shes of energy suddenly manifested at the center of Samiel''s office. Space twisted, and a terrifying pressure permeated the room, causing the Chief''s expression to warp from anger and frustration to something far darker... ... FEAR! "N-no..." His voice quivered as five beings emerged from the spatial rift that now warbled in the room. They were demons. One was fat and short,pletely red in color. His horns were also thergest in the group. Another was tall and very thin. The spatial rift was made by him, and his very bored expression told of his cold nature. The third was a woman,pletely white, with a fade like a serpent, and with the shortest pair of horns in the group. The fourth was a four armed monster-like demon. His hulky body and dancing tail rang of violence. Finally, the fifth¡ªalso appearing to be the leader of the bunch¡ªwas ady whose red hair was long enough to reach the floor. Her dark outfit resembled that of an investigator¡ªhaving a dark cloak and a formal shirt. Her crimson eyes glowed bright, and her grin was wide enough to disy her sharp teeth. "Oi, fatso..." Her voice confidently echoed in the room. In response, the Elf Chief shivered and rose from his seated state. His pale face showed just how much these five demons frightened him. The terrifying demons moved closer to his desk, and his head slowly bent in submission. "... We need to talk." * * * [A/N] I''m going through a hard time irl currently, so it''s really difficult to write a chapter. I apologize for all the clone chapters recently I''m really not feeling very well with all that''s happening around me. Hope you enjoyed the read. Chapter 215 The Supervisors Zerci Krell. She was a young, ambitious Mid-Demon. Despite her lowly birth, she had immense talent, enough to be recognized by the upper echelons of society. After being given a formal education¡ªa rarity for someone of her background¡ªshe was drafted into the military, where she proved her mettle once again. After reaching the very peak any Mid-Demon could attain in her squad, and then even in her entire nation, her superiors found her potential to be wasted among the dregs she was surrounded with. After some consideration, they made a decision. The higher-ranked demons opted for the creation of a special squad¡ªappointing Zerci Krell as the leader. Her elite teamposed of members she hand-picked, and were approved by the higher powers¡ªwould be assigned specialized tasks outside the usual purview of the regr Mid-Demon military. There were certain jobs outside the scope of soldiers who were considered Mid; but also thought to be too demeaning to the Upper-ss Demons. This special task force was given the role to explore and handle such gray areas. As such, Zerci Krell became the leader of an elite five-man team known as The Supervisors. * * * "Oi, fatso... we need to talk." Zerci''s heels mmed into the floor, creating a loud threatening sound. Her imposing voice matched her face quite well, and the crimson glow in her eyes made it evident how serious she was. She had pale-colored skin, and her horns¡ªthough moderately sized¡ªtwisted in so many spirals that they made her look evil and deadly. If Zerci Krell were to be described in one word, it would be Malevolent! Samiel Lucielle¡ªthe Elf Chief¡ªnoticed all of these factors, whimpering in submission. He swiftly moved away from his desk, sweating like a pig as he bowed before the female demon. "I-I offer my greetings. You arrived earlier than expected. Apologies for not¡ª" "Yeah, yeah." Zerci waved off his rambling and went straight for his distinguished seat. As she walked past him, Samiel felt dread course through his body. She had no tail, but her long, dark robe swished across the floor as she finally arrived at his esteemed position. "Haa, this ce reeks of you. Disgusting pig." She gagged, ring at the bumbling Elf Chief. There was no iota of resistance or defiance within the terrified man. He was nothing more than a worthless lump of meat¡ªand fat¡ªat that point. "Keke... I bet you get off on all these harsh words. Irredeemable pervert. Pfft." The gaunt demon whispered. "A-ahem... leader, you were saying something serious just now." The demon with the gaunt physique remarked, feigning a cough. Zerci shot him a passing nce, causing him to cough nervously. "Yeah, you''re right. So, Mr. Elf Chief, I couldn''t help but notice your supplies have been a littlecking as ofte." Zerci Krell wasn''t known for her patience. After all, she was the strongest Mid-Demon in her Lord''s territory, and arguably the most brutal one in the entire Demon Realm. Her infamy spread that wide. That meant whenever she asked a question, an answer was expected. "I-I, the Elworkers... sick... fever... erm... they are... uh..." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< With a single tap of her finger, the Elf Chief''s desk broke into pieces. A lovely piece of strong, enchanted wood shattered into unusable debris. The loud noise echoed throughout the room, causing the Elf Chief to jump in fright. "Eeeek!" He swiftly got down on his knees, groveling to the obviously superior entity in front of him. "The workers are sick! Manpower was reduced because of that! I... I''m trying my best to¡ª!" "Your best?" Zerci''s voice suddenly took a much darker tone. Authority oozed from every syble, and Samiel felt his spine¡ªno, his entire body¡ªstiffen in terror. "You are nothing. You were always nothing¡ªa worthless piece of meat. Had it not been for the slightest bit of use we bestowed upon you, ensuring consistent delivery of resources from this stupid excuse of a civilization to our grand empire, then you''d still be rotting in your self-pity and uselessness." Zerci rose to her feet and narrowed her eyes, staring at the trembling pudgy Elf. "We gave you power. We gave you what you''ve always wanted. Now that it''s time to pay us back, you''re here giving excuses? Pathetic!" "I... I''m sorr¡ª" "Silence! Who told you to speak, imbecile?!" "Eeeeeepppp..."" "Stupid pig. What do you think I''ll have to tell my superiors because of your ipetence? Disgusting." Zerci raised her leg and nted her heel on the Elf Chief''s trembling head, causing him to yelp¡ªthough one could mistake it for a moan. "Imbecile. Disgusting retard. Ugly bastard. Moron. Useless piece of meat. Why were you even born, huh? What''s your use?" As she hurled insults at him, she kept digging her heels even deeper into his head, sending him into acute agony. Slowly, blood began dripping from his head, but Zerci didn''t stop. She was lost in her maelstrom of insults. "Leader, we have an important issue to address... ahem... ahem..." The samenky demon from earlier cleared his throat and coughed once more. Of course, this warranted a re from Zerci. "Well, you''re right." She uprooted her feet from Samiel''s bleeding head, but not before mming it in one final time. "A-ahhhhh..." The Elf Chief gasped in agony, as blood trickled down his face from the gash in his head. It was difficult to tell if he was really in pain, or if this was... something else. "So, spill it in detail, fatso. You said your people are sick. What sickness? How do we get them back to optimal performance?" "I-I don''t know the details of... I... my..." The Elf Chief stuttered. He was most likely searching for the right words to express his ignorance of the issue without depicting his ipetence. "Tch. This guy is useless! Wait, where''s that other guy¡ªthe softie that is usually by your side. He''s weak and totally useless, but at least he always knows what to say." Instantly, the Elf Chief''s face paled. He was in a very difficult position, after all. Why? "I... I don''t know." He muttered, his voice barely audible. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Zerci roared in a thunderous voice, demanding an answer. He had no choice but to croak out one. "So you don''t know where he is, eh? Think he ran off when he knew we wereing, or what?" "I... I don''t know. Dustinel wouldn''t do that to¡ª" "Zip it! What would a hopeless idiot like you know? What do you think, fes?" At this point, Zerci was looking at her subordinates. Each of them was strong¡ªthe best of the best. Having an elite team like this by her side meant she was open to the opinions and help of those she deemed to possess some worth. "I could use my Skill to track him down. They''re both marked, so it''s not like they can escape our reach." "Yeah, I know that, genius! Jeez, way to take the fun out of things." Zerci snapped. It was the red and stubby demon in the group. He sighed after hearing his boss'' mean words, hanging his head in shame. "Maybe they''re¡ª" "There''s no point. Red has taken the fun out of everything. Boo, red." Zerci raised her voice, once again shooting the shortie a re. "BOO RED!" The four-armed demon chuckled as he repeated her words. "Hehe, damn straight." The atmosphere was surprisingly jovial for such a serious issue, and that simply stemmed from Zerci Krell''s weird personality. Though, once she had had her fun, she finally grew bored of picking on the smallest in the group. It was time to get the job done. "Alright, Red, do your thing." The short and fat demon gave another heavy sigh. It must have sucked for him; considering the fact that everyone had just made fun of him, yet they still decided to go with his n. Still, what could he do? "Here goes..." He closed his eyes, and his horns stretched out and grew longer. Red''s horns began taking the shape of branches, splitting at their ends until they became extremely huge and intricate. "Hehe. Never gets old." Zerci grinned. She spotted the Elf Chief''s widened eyes, causing her tough in exhration. "Never seen this sort of thing before, have you? Well, it''s a rare Skill. Hehehe. You two have been marked, you see. It means there''s no ce in the world you can run to that Red won''t find you." Her words brought Samiel both relief and fear. If she was right, that meant even he could never dream of escaping the clutches of these wicked demons. He was fated to be their subordinate forever¡ªdamned to such a cruel fate. "He can find that other guy in no time. Wherever he is, he''ll catch him. Hehehe." The extended horns slowly began retracting, returning to their original size in no time. "I''ve found him." Red opened his eyes and whispered. His pupils gleamed bright red, and it seemed like he was staring emptily into space¡ªat least to those who didn''t know how his abilities worked. For hisrades, though, they knew he was staring at his prey. "He''s close by¡ªon one of the mountains close to the forest. There''s one issue, though." Red looked at his leader, turning off the Skill. "What is it?" She asked impatiently. "I can sense other sentient entities around him. Among them is an Elf and three demons." "WHAT?!" * * * [A/N] DO NOT READ THE NEXT FIVE CHAPTERS. THEY''RE ERROR CHAPTERS, AND I CAN''T DELETE THEM Chapter 216 Demons Vs Demon "WHAT?!" Zerci was many things, but deaf wasn''t one of them. She was perfectly sound in hearing¡ªin fact, one could say better than most. However, the statement she had just heard was so absurd that she needed Red to repeat the words to her. "I said there is another Elf around him and¡ª" "No one cares about the other Elf. It''s probably another runaway or something. I''m referring to the three demons you talked about. Why would there be three demons around him?" Red bobbed his head a little awkwardly. He shrugged, indicating that hecked the information she needed. He was just as clueless as his leader, after all. "What''s the meaning of this? Any chance the demons could be from us? But what would that mean? Do the higher ups think I can''t do my job right?" Zerci surmised that if these demons were indeed on her side, then that officially threw all the aplishments she had attained thus far, out the window. The very purpose of having her own independent team was to avoid such pointless, and frankly annoying, surveince. "You think they captured Dustinel as he made his escape? If that''s the case, they''ll return him here." Thenky demon asked his superior. His face was still calm, but even he could tell the kind of problem such a scenario posed. Zerci was someone who liked her autonomy, and it was pretty clear that their superiors understood that. She had been excellent up until this point, and was far more functional as a Supervisor. Why would their superiors make such a blunder as to send extra demons now? "It makes no sense. Unless¡­ could they be demons from another city? That would make more sense, right?" He said thoughtfully, ncing at Zerci. Fortunately, their leader overheard his statement, thus quelling her mounting rage. "Yeah, you''re right. As always, your idea is smart. Jessop is correct." Thenky demon, Jessop, sighed in relief. The danger of having their leader explode in anger had been avoided. That was more than good enough for him. ''Unfortunately, this new and hypothetical scenario opens a different can of worms.'' He thought to himself. Wasn''t it even more improbable that demons from other territories woulde upon and already taken over by a demon sect. The Demon Realm was divided into separate regions, and they were all civilized enough to understand not to intrude thend of others. ''We''ve annexed this ce as our area of conquest. Of course, the process hasn''t beenpleted since the Elves need to either be dead or rightfully enved to our region.'' Jessop thought. Still, since the Elf Chief was their subordinate, and he represented his entire people, one could say they fulfilled the conditions quite well. There was also the principle of ''finders choosers.'' In any case, no demon in their right mind would perform such a reckless act. It made Jessop wonder if the first option was indeed the correct one. Unfortunately, his inner contemtion didn''t amount to much in light of their leader''s new disposition. "Red, you''ll go there and retrieve the Elf they have with them. If they try to resist, kill them. They shouldn''t be here in the first ce." "Wha¡ª?!" Jessop was shocked by the leader''s sudden decision, though he didn''t really show it with his deadpan face. "Won''t you at least try to confirm their identities before resorting to such an extreme measure?" To Jessop''s question, Zerci shrugged nonchntly. Her facial expression matched her bodily movements, indicating how little she cared. "I doubt any Upper-Rank demons would be found around here. They''re Mid-Demons, aren''t they?" Zerci''s grin grew wider, and Red nodded rapidly. "Then it''s their fault for being at the wrong ce at the wrong time. Kill them if they resist." "What of the Elf with Dustinel?" "Not important. I just want a useful Elf here, and that''s¡­ er¡­ Dustinel. Yeah! Dustinel. Get me Dustinel." Jessop nearly screamed in frustration, but he controlled himself. As the most level-headed of everyone in the room, he had to maintain his rational stance. In her own terribly brutish way, Zerci''s solution was quite efficient. No matter how one looked at it, the Supervisors were simply doing their jobs¡ªit was nothing personal, really. In essence, they were justified in their actions. "Alright, Red. Get our prize. Jessop, teleport him." "I understand." Thenky demon undted his Miasma, touching the short and red demon''s shoulder in order to get an urate idea of the exact area he needed to teleport him to. "I see it. Alright then, here goes." Red and ck crackles of electricity burst forth, and space warped. "You''ll be sent to the coordinates of the target. Your job is to retrieve him and signal me to bring you back. If they give you any trouble, or you feel you can''t handle it alone, then just¡ª" "I can handle them!" Red scoffed loudly, and he scowled in response to Jessop. ''Sigh. I understand, you don''t want to seem weak. Very well.'' Jessop said no more, and simply focused on his task of teleportation. A red and ck gate formed right behind Red, and it instantly enveloped him. Zerci grinned widely, now feeling a little curious about what Red had seen. Her heart wouldn''t stop racing, and something within her craved the violence that would surely result from the defiance of the three demons with Dustinel. "Well then, let''s see just who these demons are. Hehehe!" * * * "W-what are you saying, Dustinel? Why are you just saying all of this now?" Asa was beyond terrified at this point. All her bravado and resolve might have all been wasted at this point. Why? Dustinel had told her about the Supervisors, their imminent arrival, and just what that meant for whatever ns her group had. With the Hero on her side, something like that wouldn''t have fazed Asa. But now¡­?! A little something called fear began to creep in. * * * Asa didn''t know what to say to the cowering Elf in front of her. She knew it wasn''t his fault for not mentioning the urgency of the Supervisors impending arrival sooner. However, she also couldn''t attribute such a major oversight to her perfect image of the Hero. It brought about a dissonance that left her confused. "I-I honestly thought you knew." Dustinel croaked, trying to justify his position, but also doing his best to convince himself that it was indeed the truth. If his kidnapper¡ªAsa¡ªdidn''t know about the Supervisors, then that would make her an ipetent fool. In that case, siding with her team was going to be a fatal error for him. If he could, he would ditch them. Unfortunately, in his current situation, that option was impossible. ''The Supervisors and Elf Chief will think I escaped. Shit, I can''t go back!'' That was why he had no choice but to cling to the little faith he had, that Asa and her group knew their shit. Otherwise, that would mean¡ª "H-how could I know about it when you didn''t say anything?!" ¡ªHe was royally and utterly screwed. At the same moment Dustinel came to this realization, strange energy suddenly swept through the room. And¡ª "Uh? "Eh?" >VWUUUUUUUSSSSHHHHHHH< ¡ªA wormhole emerged within the tent. "Haaa¡­" A voice came from within the portal, and a creature emerged from it before it closed up. It was short, crimson, and had tworge horns on its head. It had a pointed tail, and its stubby stature added to its terrifying appearance. "So this is where you were Dustinel." The crimson demon spoke¡ªits extremely sharp fangs on disy. The Miasma the demon exuded made Asa almost pass out. Its sickening pressure was too much, so much so that she fought to keep her eyes open and her mind intact. With every step the demon took, she descended further into despondency. Until finally, it was right in front of her and the shivering Elf beside her. "Might as well take the two¡­" The demon whispered, stretching its fat hands to retrieve the defenseless Elves. However¡ª >WHOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!< In a brilliant burst of power, and in three shes of light, three demons appeared. "... Uh?" >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!< An explosion followed their appearance, and the entire area was buried in a sea of ming destruction. Plumes of smoke and dust ascended to the air, shrouding the vicinity in thick, fog-like smoke. >VWUUUUUUMMMMM< A good distance from the st, on level ground, a purple portal manifested. It spat out five individuals¡ªthree demons and two Elves. "Are you guys alright?" Hogun asked, stretching his hand to help up the flustered Asa. Fortunately, she hadn''t grown deaf or blind from the explosion; as she epted his warm gesture, nodding swiftly as well. "A-ah¡­ ah¡­" Unfortunately, the same couldn''t be said about poor Dustinel. He was most likely in a trance-like state. Not only did hey helplessly on the ground, but his eyes stared emptily into space while his body shivered in fear. It was an undesirable state, but the Elf was still alive, at least. That was good news. [A/N] Alright, guys! I am back. Sorry for my unwarranted hiatus, and all those clone chapters. I will desist from such shamelessness from now on... I hope. Thanks for your understanding. Now, then, let''s get into the story. Chapter 217 DO NOT READ DO NOT READ Zerci Krell. She was a young, ambitious Mid-Demon. Despite her lowly birth, she had immense talent, enough to be recognized by the upper echelons of society. After being given a formal education¡ªa rarity for someone of her kind of background¡ªshe was drafted into the military, where she proved her worth once again. After reaching the very peak any Mid-Demon could attain in her squad, and then even in her entire nation, her superiors found her potential to be wasted among the dregs she was surrounded with. After enough consideration, they made a decision. The higher-ranked Demons made opted for the creation of a special squad¡ªcing Zerci Krell as the leader. Her elite teamprised of members she hand-picked, and were approved of by the higher powers¡ªwould be assigned specialized tasks outside the usual purview of the regr Mid-Demon military. There were certain jobs outside the scope of soldiers who were considered Mid; the same was also thought to be too demeaning to the Upper-ss Demons. This special task force was given the role to explore and handle such grey areas. As such, Zerci Krell became the leader of an elite five-man team known as The Supervisors. * * * "Oi, fatso... we need to talk." Zerci''s heels mmed into the floor, creating a deafeningly ominous tone. Her threatening voice matched her face very well, and the crimson glow in her eyes made it evident how serious she was. She had pale-colored skin, and her horns¡ªthough moderately sized¡ªtwisted in so many spirals that they reflected her evil nature. These features defined Zerci Krell in one word... Malevolent! Samiel Lucielle¡ªthe Elf Chief¡ªnoticed all of these factors, whimpering in submission. He swiftly moved away from his desk, sweating like a disgusting pig as he bowed before the female demon. "I-I offer my greetings. You arrived earlier than expected. Apologies for not¡ª" "Yeah, yeah." Zerci waved off his trembling greeting and went straight for his distinguished seat. As she walked past him, Samiel felt dread course through his body. She had no tail, but her long, dark robe, swept past the floor as she finally arrived at his esteemed position. "Haa... this ce reeks of you. Disgusting pig." She gagged, ring at the nodding Elf Chief. No form of resistance could even be sensed from him. He was nothing more than a worthless lump of meat¡ªand fat¡ªat that point. "Keke... I bet you get off with all these harsh words. Irredeemable pervert. Pfft." "A-ahem... leader, you were saying something serious just now." The demon with the gaunt physique remarked, feigning a cough. Zerci shot him a passing nce, causing him to cough a little more. "Yeah, you''re right. So, Mr. Elf Chief... I couldn''t help but notice your supplies have been a littlecking as ofte." Zerci Krell wasn''t known for her patience. After all, she was the strongest Mid-Demon in her Lord''s territory, and arguably the most brutal one in the entire Demon Realm. Her infamy spread that wide. That meant whenever she asked a question... an answer was expected. "I-I, the Elworkers... sick... fever... erm... they are... uh..." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!< With a single tap of her finger, the Elf Chief''s desk broke into pieces. A lovely piece of strong, enchanted wood shattered into unusable debris. The loud noise echoed throughout the room, causing the Elf Chief to jump in fright. "Eeeek!" He swiftly took to his knees, groveling in respect to the obviously superior entity in front of him. "The workers are sick! Manpower was reduced because of that! I... I''m trying my best to¡ª!" "Your best?" Zerci''s voice suddenly took a much darker tone. Authority oozed from every syble, and Samiel felt his spine¡ªno, his entire body¡ªexperience the true chill of her presence. "You are nothing. You were always nothing¡ªa worthless piece of rubbish meat. Had it not been for the slightest bit of use we bestowed upon you... ensuring consistent delivery of resources from this stupid excuse of a civilization to our grand empire, then you''d still be rotting in your self-pity and uselessness." Zerci rose to her feet and narrowed her eyes, staring at the trembling pig-like Elf. "We gave you power. We gave you what you''ve always wanted. Now that it''s time to pay us back, you''re here giving excuses? Pathetic!" "I... I''m sorr¡ª" "Silence! Who told you to speak, imbecile?!" "Eeeeeepppp..."" "Stupid pig. What do you think I''ll have to tell my superiors because of your uselessness? Disgusting." Zerci raised her leg and nted her heel on the Elf Chief''s trembling head, causing him to yelp¡ªthough one could mistake it for a moan. "Imbecile. Disgusting retard. Ugly bastard. Moron. Useless piece of meat. Why were you even born, huh? What''s your use?" As she hurled insults at him, she kept squeezing her legs on his head, sending him into more throes of pain. Slowly, blood began dripping from his head, but Zerci didn''t stop. She was lost in her maelstrom of insults. "Leader... we have an important issue to address... ahem... ahem..." The samenky demon from earlier cleared his throat and coughed once more. Of course, this was awarded a re from Zerci. "Haa... you''re right." She uprooted her feet from Samiel''s bleeding head... but not before mming on it one final time. "A-ahhhhh..." A passing gasp for air, as well as a somewhat sickening melody, rang from the injured Elf Chief''s lips. It was difficult to tell if he was really in pain, or if this was... something else. "So, spill it in details, fatso. You said your people are sick. What sickness? How do we get them to optimal performance?" "I-I don''t know the details of... I... my..." The Elf Chief stuttered. He was most likely searching for the right words to express his ignorance on the issue without depicting his ipetence. "Tch. This guy is useless! Wait... where''s that other guy¡ªthe softie that is usually by your side. He''s weak and totally useless, but at least he always knows what to say." Instantly, the Elf Chief''s face paled. He was in a very difficult position, after all. Why? "I... I don''t know..." He muttered, barely making his voice audible. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Once he was met with the thunderous roar of Zerci, he was finally forced to croak. "So you don''t know where he is, eh? Think he ran off when he knew we wereing, or what?" "I... I don''t know. Dustinel wouldn''t do that to¡ª" "Zip it! What would a hopeless idiot like you know? What do you think, fes?" At this point, Zerci was looking at her subordinates. Each of them was strong¡ªthe best of the best. Having an elite team like this by her side meant she was open to the opinions and help of those she deemed to possess some worth. "I could use my Skill to track him down. They''re both marked, so its not like they can escape our reach." "Yeah, I know that, genius! Jeez... way to take the fun out of things." Zerci snapped, sighing at the one who gave her such a stiff response. It was the red and stubby Demon in the group. He sighed after hearing his boss'' mean words, hanging his head in shame. "Maybe they''re¡ª" "There''s no point. Red has taken the fun out of everything. Boo, red." Zerci raised her voice, once again shooting the shortie a re. "BOO RED!" The four-armed Demon chuckled as he repeated her words. "Hehe, damn straight." The atmosphere was surprisingly jovial for such an issue, and that simply stemmed from Zerci Krell''s weird personality. Though, once the fun was exhausted, she finally grew bored of picking on the smallest in the group. It was time to get the job done. "Alright, Red, do your thing." The short and fat demon gave another heavy sigh. It must have sucked for him; considering the fact that everyone had just made fun of him, yet he was required to work soon after. Still, what could he do? "Here goes..." He closed his eyes, and his horns grew even longer than usual. Red''s horns began taking the shape of branches, splitting at their ends until they became extremely huge and intricate. "Hehe. Never gets old." Zerci grinned. She spotted the Elf Chief''s widened eyes, causing her tough in exhration. "Never seen this sort of thing before, have you? Well, it''s a rare Skill. Hehehe. You two have been marked, you see. It means there''s no ce in the world you can run to that Red won''t find you." Her words brought Samiel both relief and fear. If she was right, that meant even he could never dream of escaping the clutches of these wicked demons. He was fated to be their subordinate forever¡ªdamned to such a cruel fate. "He can find that other guy in no time. Wherever he is, he''ll catch him. Hehehe." The extended horns slowly began retracting, returning to their original size in no time. "I''ve found him." Red opened his eyes and whispered. His pupils gleamed bright red, and it seemed like he was emptily staring into space¡ªat least to those who didn''t know how his abilities worked. For hisrades, though, they knew he was staring at his prey. "He''s close by¡ªon one of the mountains close to the forest. There''s one issue, though..." Red looked at his leader, canceling the Skill. "What is it?" She asked with impatience. "I can sense other sentient entities around him. Among them is an Elf... and three demons." "WHAT?!" Chapter 218 DO NOT READ DO NOT READ Zerci Krell. She was a young, ambitious Mid-Demon. Despite her lowly birth, she had immense talent, enough to be recognized by the upper echelons of society. After being given a formal education¡ªa rarity for someone of her kind of background¡ªshe was drafted into the military, where she proved her worth once again. After reaching the very peak any Mid-Demon could attain in her squad, and then even in her entire nation, her superiors found her potential to be wasted among the dregs she was surrounded with. After enough consideration, they made a decision. The higher-ranked Demons made opted for the creation of a special squad¡ªcing Zerci Krell as the leader. Her elite teamprised of members she hand-picked, and were approved of by the higher powers¡ªwould be assigned specialized tasks outside the usual purview of the regr Mid-Demon military. There were certain jobs outside the scope of soldiers who were considered Mid; the same was also thought to be too demeaning to the Upper-ss Demons. This special task force was given the role to explore and handle such grey areas. As such, Zerci Krell became the leader of an elite five-man team known as The Supervisors. * * * "Oi, fatso... we need to talk." Zerci''s heels mmed into the floor, creating a deafeningly ominous tone. Her threatening voice matched her face very well, and the crimson glow in her eyes made it evident how serious she was. She had pale-colored skin, and her horns¡ªthough moderately sized¡ªtwisted in so many spirals that they reflected her evil nature. These features defined Zerci Krell in one word... Malevolent! Samiel Lucielle¡ªthe Elf Chief¡ªnoticed all of these factors, whimpering in submission. He swiftly moved away from his desk, sweating like a disgusting pig as he bowed before the female demon. "I-I offer my greetings. You arrived earlier than expected. Apologies for not¡ª" "Yeah, yeah." Zerci waved off his trembling greeting and went straight for his distinguished seat. As she walked past him, Samiel felt dread course through his body. She had no tail, but her long, dark robe, swept past the floor as she finally arrived at his esteemed position. "Haa... this ce reeks of you. Disgusting pig." She gagged, ring at the nodding Elf Chief. No form of resistance could even be sensed from him. He was nothing more than a worthless lump of meat¡ªand fat¡ªat that point. "Keke... I bet you get off with all these harsh words. Irredeemable pervert. Pfft." "A-ahem... leader, you were saying something serious just now." The demon with the gaunt physique remarked, feigning a cough. Zerci shot him a passing nce, causing him to cough a little more. "Yeah, you''re right. So, Mr. Elf Chief... I couldn''t help but notice your supplies have been a littlecking as ofte." Zerci Krell wasn''t known for her patience. After all, she was the strongest Mid-Demon in her Lord''s territory, and arguably the most brutal one in the entire Demon Realm. Her infamy spread that wide. That meant whenever she asked a question... an answer was expected. "I-I, the Elworkers... sick... fever... erm... they are... uh..." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!< With a single tap of her finger, the Elf Chief''s desk broke into pieces. A lovely piece of strong, enchanted wood shattered into unusable debris. The loud noise echoed throughout the room, causing the Elf Chief to jump in fright. "Eeeek!" He swiftly took to his knees, groveling in respect to the obviously superior entity in front of him. "The workers are sick! Manpower was reduced because of that! I... I''m trying my best to¡ª!" "Your best?" Zerci''s voice suddenly took a much darker tone. Authority oozed from every syble, and Samiel felt his spine¡ªno, his entire body¡ªexperience the true chill of her presence. "You are nothing. You were always nothing¡ªa worthless piece of rubbish meat. Had it not been for the slightest bit of use we bestowed upon you... ensuring consistent delivery of resources from this stupid excuse of a civilization to our grand empire, then you''d still be rotting in your self-pity and uselessness." Zerci rose to her feet and narrowed her eyes, staring at the trembling pig-like Elf. "We gave you power. We gave you what you''ve always wanted. Now that it''s time to pay us back, you''re here giving excuses? Pathetic!" "I... I''m sorr¡ª" "Silence! Who told you to speak, imbecile?!" "Eeeeeepppp..."" "Stupid pig. What do you think I''ll have to tell my superiors because of your uselessness? Disgusting." Zerci raised her leg and nted her heel on the Elf Chief''s trembling head, causing him to yelp¡ªthough one could mistake it for a moan. "Imbecile. Disgusting retard. Ugly bastard. Moron. Useless piece of meat. Why were you even born, huh? What''s your use?" As she hurled insults at him, she kept squeezing her legs on his head, sending him into more throes of pain. Slowly, blood began dripping from his head, but Zerci didn''t stop. She was lost in her maelstrom of insults. "Leader... we have an important issue to address... ahem... ahem..." The samenky demon from earlier cleared his throat and coughed once more. Of course, this was awarded a re from Zerci. "Haa... you''re right." She uprooted her feet from Samiel''s bleeding head... but not before mming on it one final time. "A-ahhhhh..." A passing gasp for air, as well as a somewhat sickening melody, rang from the injured Elf Chief''s lips. It was difficult to tell if he was really in pain, or if this was... something else. "So, spill it in details, fatso. You said your people are sick. What sickness? How do we get them to optimal performance?" "I-I don''t know the details of... I... my..." The Elf Chief stuttered. He was most likely searching for the right words to express his ignorance on the issue without depicting his ipetence. "Tch. This guy is useless! Wait... where''s that other guy¡ªthe softie that is usually by your side. He''s weak and totally useless, but at least he always knows what to say." Instantly, the Elf Chief''s face paled. He was in a very difficult position, after all. Why? "I... I don''t know..." He muttered, barely making his voice audible. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Once he was met with the thunderous roar of Zerci, he was finally forced to croak. "So you don''t know where he is, eh? Think he ran off when he knew we wereing, or what?" "I... I don''t know. Dustinel wouldn''t do that to¡ª" "Zip it! What would a hopeless idiot like you know? What do you think, fes?" At this point, Zerci was looking at her subordinates. Each of them was strong¡ªthe best of the best. Having an elite team like this by her side meant she was open to the opinions and help of those she deemed to possess some worth. "I could use my Skill to track him down. They''re both marked, so its not like they can escape our reach." "Yeah, I know that, genius! Jeez... way to take the fun out of things." Zerci snapped, sighing at the one who gave her such a stiff response. It was the red and stubby Demon in the group. He sighed after hearing his boss'' mean words, hanging his head in shame. "Maybe they''re¡ª" "There''s no point. Red has taken the fun out of everything. Boo, red." Zerci raised her voice, once again shooting the shortie a re. "BOO RED!" The four-armed Demon chuckled as he repeated her words. "Hehe, damn straight." The atmosphere was surprisingly jovial for such an issue, and that simply stemmed from Zerci Krell''s weird personality. Though, once the fun was exhausted, she finally grew bored of picking on the smallest in the group. It was time to get the job done. "Alright, Red, do your thing." The short and fat demon gave another heavy sigh. It must have sucked for him; considering the fact that everyone had just made fun of him, yet he was required to work soon after. Still, what could he do? "Here goes..." He closed his eyes, and his horns grew even longer than usual. Red''s horns began taking the shape of branches, splitting at their ends until they became extremely huge and intricate. "Hehe. Never gets old." Zerci grinned. She spotted the Elf Chief''s widened eyes, causing her tough in exhration. "Never seen this sort of thing before, have you? Well, it''s a rare Skill. Hehehe. You two have been marked, you see. It means there''s no ce in the world you can run to that Red won''t find you." Her words brought Samiel both relief and fear. If she was right, that meant even he could never dream of escaping the clutches of these wicked demons. He was fated to be their subordinate forever¡ªdamned to such a cruel fate. "He can find that other guy in no time. Wherever he is, he''ll catch him. Hehehe." The extended horns slowly began retracting, returning to their original size in no time. "I''ve found him." Red opened his eyes and whispered. His pupils gleamed bright red, and it seemed like he was emptily staring into space¡ªat least to those who didn''t know how his abilities worked. For hisrades, though, they knew he was staring at his prey. "He''s close by¡ªon one of the mountains close to the forest. There''s one issue, though..." Red looked at his leader, canceling the Skill Chapter 219 DO NOT READ DO NOT READ Zerci Krell. She was a young, ambitious Mid-Demon. Despite her lowly birth, she had immense talent, enough to be recognized by the upper echelons of society. After being given a formal education¡ªa rarity for someone of her kind of background¡ªshe was drafted into the military, where she proved her worth once again. After reaching the very peak any Mid-Demon could attain in her squad, and then even in her entire nation, her superiors found her potential to be wasted among the dregs she was surrounded with. After enough consideration, they made a decision. The higher-ranked Demons made opted for the creation of a special squad¡ªcing Zerci Krell as the leader. Her elite teamprised of members she hand-picked, and were approved of by the higher powers¡ªwould be assigned specialized tasks outside the usual purview of the regr Mid-Demon military. There were certain jobs outside the scope of soldiers who were considered Mid; the same was also thought to be too demeaning to the Upper-ss Demons. This special task force was given the role to explore and handle such grey areas. As such, Zerci Krell became the leader of an elite five-man team known as The Supervisors. * * * "Oi, fatso... we need to talk." Zerci''s heels mmed into the floor, creating a deafeningly ominous tone. Her threatening voice matched her face very well, and the crimson glow in her eyes made it evident how serious she was. She had pale-colored skin, and her horns¡ªthough moderately sized¡ªtwisted in so many spirals that they reflected her evil nature. These features defined Zerci Krell in one word... Malevolent! Samiel Lucielle¡ªthe Elf Chief¡ªnoticed all of these factors, whimpering in submission. He swiftly moved away from his desk, sweating like a disgusting pig as he bowed before the female demon. "I-I offer my greetings. You arrived earlier than expected. Apologies for not¡ª" "Yeah, yeah." Zerci waved off his trembling greeting and went straight for his distinguished seat. As she walked past him, Samiel felt dread course through his body. She had no tail, but her long, dark robe, swept past the floor as she finally arrived at his esteemed position. "Haa... this ce reeks of you. Disgusting pig." She gagged, ring at the nodding Elf Chief. No form of resistance could even be sensed from him. He was nothing more than a worthless lump of meat¡ªand fat¡ªat that point. "Keke... I bet you get off with all these harsh words. Irredeemable pervert. Pfft." "A-ahem... leader, you were saying something serious just now." The demon with the gaunt physique remarked, feigning a cough. Zerci shot him a passing nce, causing him to cough a little more. "Yeah, you''re right. So, Mr. Elf Chief... I couldn''t help but notice your supplies have been a littlecking as ofte." Zerci Krell wasn''t known for her patience. After all, she was the strongest Mid-Demon in her Lord''s territory, and arguably the most brutal one in the entire Demon Realm. Her infamy spread that wide. That meant whenever she asked a question... an answer was expected. "I-I, the Elworkers... sick... fever... erm... they are... uh..." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!< With a single tap of her finger, the Elf Chief''s desk broke into pieces. A lovely piece of strong, enchanted wood shattered into unusable debris. The loud noise echoed throughout the room, causing the Elf Chief to jump in fright. "Eeeek!" He swiftly took to his knees, groveling in respect to the obviously superior entity in front of him. "The workers are sick! Manpower was reduced because of that! I... I''m trying my best to¡ª!" "Your best?" Zerci''s voice suddenly took a much darker tone. Authority oozed from every syble, and Samiel felt his spine¡ªno, his entire body¡ªexperience the true chill of her presence. "You are nothing. You were always nothing¡ªa worthless piece of rubbish meat. Had it not been for the slightest bit of use we bestowed upon you... ensuring consistent delivery of resources from this stupid excuse of a civilization to our grand empire, then you''d still be rotting in your self-pity and uselessness." Zerci rose to her feet and narrowed her eyes, staring at the trembling pig-like Elf. "We gave you power. We gave you what you''ve always wanted. Now that it''s time to pay us back, you''re here giving excuses? Pathetic!" "I... I''m sorr¡ª" "Silence! Who told you to speak, imbecile?!" "Eeeeeepppp..."" "Stupid pig. What do you think I''ll have to tell my superiors because of your uselessness? Disgusting." Zerci raised her leg and nted her heel on the Elf Chief''s trembling head, causing him to yelp¡ªthough one could mistake it for a moan. "Imbecile. Disgusting retard. Ugly bastard. Moron. Useless piece of meat. Why were you even born, huh? What''s your use?" As she hurled insults at him, she kept squeezing her legs on his head, sending him into more throes of pain. Slowly, blood began dripping from his head, but Zerci didn''t stop. She was lost in her maelstrom of insults. "Leader... we have an important issue to address... ahem... ahem..." The samenky demon from earlier cleared his throat and coughed once more. Of course, this was awarded a re from Zerci. "Haa... you''re right." She uprooted her feet from Samiel''s bleeding head... but not before mming on it one final time. "A-ahhhhh..." A passing gasp for air, as well as a somewhat sickening melody, rang from the injured Elf Chief''s lips. It was difficult to tell if he was really in pain, or if this was... something else. "So, spill it in details, fatso. You said your people are sick. What sickness? How do we get them to optimal performance?" "I-I don''t know the details of... I... my..." The Elf Chief stuttered. He was most likely searching for the right words to express his ignorance on the issue without depicting his ipetence. "Tch. This guy is useless! Wait... where''s that other guy¡ªthe softie that is usually by your side. He''s weak and totally useless, but at least he always knows what to say." Instantly, the Elf Chief''s face paled. He was in a very difficult position, after all. Why? "I... I don''t know..." He muttered, barely making his voice audible. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Once he was met with the thunderous roar of Zerci, he was finally forced to croak. "So you don''t know where he is, eh? Think he ran off when he knew we wereing, or what?" "I... I don''t know. Dustinel wouldn''t do that to¡ª" "Zip it! What would a hopeless idiot like you know? What do you think, fes?" At this point, Zerci was looking at her subordinates. Each of them was strong¡ªthe best of the best. Having an elite team like this by her side meant she was open to the opinions and help of those she deemed to possess some worth. "I could use my Skill to track him down. They''re both marked, so its not like they can escape our reach." "Yeah, I know that, genius! Jeez... way to take the fun out of things." Zerci snapped, sighing at the one who gave her such a stiff response. It was the red and stubby Demon in the group. He sighed after hearing his boss'' mean words, hanging his head in shame. "Maybe they''re¡ª" "There''s no point. Red has taken the fun out of everything. Boo, red." Zerci raised her voice, once again shooting the shortie a re. "BOO RED!" The four-armed Demon chuckled as he repeated her words. "Hehe, damn straight." The atmosphere was surprisingly jovial for such an issue, and that simply stemmed from Zerci Krell''s weird personality. Though, once the fun was exhausted, she finally grew bored of picking on the smallest in the group. It was time to get the job done. "Alright, Red, do your thing." The short and fat demon gave another heavy sigh. It must have sucked for him; considering the fact that everyone had just made fun of him, yet he was required to work soon after. Still, what could he do? "Here goes..." He closed his eyes, and his horns grew even longer than usual. Red''s horns began taking the shape of branches, splitting at their ends until they became extremely huge and intricate. "Hehe. Never gets old." Zerci grinned. She spotted the Elf Chief''s widened eyes, causing her tough in exhration. "Never seen this sort of thing before, have you? Well, it''s a rare Skill. Hehehe. You two have been marked, you see. It means there''s no ce in the world you can run to that Red won''t find you." Her words brought Samiel both relief and fear. If she was right, that meant even he could never dream of escaping the clutches of these wicked demons. He was fated to be their subordinate forever¡ªdamned to such a cruel fate. "He can find that other guy in no time. Wherever he is, he''ll catch him. Hehehe." The extended horns slowly began retracting, returning to their original size in no time. "I''ve found him." Red opened his eyes and whispered. His pupils gleamed bright red, and it seemed like he was emptily staring into space¡ªat least to those who didn''t know how his abilities worked. For hisrades, though, they knew he was staring at his prey. Chapter 220 DO NO READ DO NOT READ Zerci Krell. She was a young, ambitious Mid-Demon. Despite her lowly birth, she had immense talent, enough to be recognized by the upper echelons of society. After being given a formal education¡ªa rarity for someone of her kind of background¡ªshe was drafted into the military, where she proved her worth once again. After reaching the very peak any Mid-Demon could attain in her squad, and then even in her entire nation, her superiors found her potential to be wasted among the dregs she was surrounded with. After enough consideration, they made a decision. The higher-ranked Demons made opted for the creation of a special squad¡ªcing Zerci Krell as the leader. Her elite teamprised of members she hand-picked, and were approved of by the higher powers¡ªwould be assigned specialized tasks outside the usual purview of the regr Mid-Demon military. There were certain jobs outside the scope of soldiers who were considered Mid; the same was also thought to be too demeaning to the Upper-ss Demons. This special task force was given the role to explore and handle such grey areas. As such, Zerci Krell became the leader of an elite five-man team known as The Supervisors. * * * "Oi, fatso... we need to talk." Zerci''s heels mmed into the floor, creating a deafeningly ominous tone. Her threatening voice matched her face very well, and the crimson glow in her eyes made it evident how serious she was. She had pale-colored skin, and her horns¡ªthough moderately sized¡ªtwisted in so many spirals that they reflected her evil nature. These features defined Zerci Krell in one word... Malevolent! Samiel Lucielle¡ªthe Elf Chief¡ªnoticed all of these factors, whimpering in submission. He swiftly moved away from his desk, sweating like a disgusting pig as he bowed before the female demon. "I-I offer my greetings. You arrived earlier than expected. Apologies for not¡ª" "Yeah, yeah." Zerci waved off his trembling greeting and went straight for his distinguished seat. As she walked past him, Samiel felt dread course through his body. She had no tail, but her long, dark robe, swept past the floor as she finally arrived at his esteemed position. "Haa... this ce reeks of you. Disgusting pig." She gagged, ring at the nodding Elf Chief. No form of resistance could even be sensed from him. He was nothing more than a worthless lump of meat¡ªand fat¡ªat that point. "Keke... I bet you get off with all these harsh words. Irredeemable pervert. Pfft." "A-ahem... leader, you were saying something serious just now." The demon with the gaunt physique remarked, feigning a cough. Zerci shot him a passing nce, causing him to cough a little more. "Yeah, you''re right. So, Mr. Elf Chief... I couldn''t help but notice your supplies have been a littlecking as ofte." Zerci Krell wasn''t known for her patience. After all, she was the strongest Mid-Demon in her Lord''s territory, and arguably the most brutal one in the entire Demon Realm. Her infamy spread that wide. That meant whenever she asked a question... an answer was expected. "I-I, the Elworkers... sick... fever... erm... they are... uh..." >BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!< With a single tap of her finger, the Elf Chief''s desk broke into pieces. A lovely piece of strong, enchanted wood shattered into unusable debris. The loud noise echoed throughout the room, causing the Elf Chief to jump in fright. "Eeeek!" He swiftly took to his knees, groveling in respect to the obviously superior entity in front of him. "The workers are sick! Manpower was reduced because of that! I... I''m trying my best to¡ª!" "Your best?" Zerci''s voice suddenly took a much darker tone. Authority oozed from every syble, and Samiel felt his spine¡ªno, his entire body¡ªexperience the true chill of her presence. "You are nothing. You were always nothing¡ªa worthless piece of rubbish meat. Had it not been for the slightest bit of use we bestowed upon you... ensuring consistent delivery of resources from this stupid excuse of a civilization to our grand empire, then you''d still be rotting in your self-pity and uselessness." Zerci rose to her feet and narrowed her eyes, staring at the trembling pig-like Elf. "We gave you power. We gave you what you''ve always wanted. Now that it''s time to pay us back, you''re here giving excuses? Pathetic!" "I... I''m sorr¡ª" "Silence! Who told you to speak, imbecile?!" "Eeeeeepppp..."" "Stupid pig. What do you think I''ll have to tell my superiors because of your uselessness? Disgusting." Zerci raised her leg and nted her heel on the Elf Chief''s trembling head, causing him to yelp¡ªthough one could mistake it for a moan. "Imbecile. Disgusting retard. Ugly bastard. Moron. Useless piece of meat. Why were you even born, huh? What''s your use?" As she hurled insults at him, she kept squeezing her legs on his head, sending him into more throes of pain. Slowly, blood began dripping from his head, but Zerci didn''t stop. She was lost in her maelstrom of insults. "Leader... we have an important issue to address... ahem... ahem..." The samenky demon from earlier cleared his throat and coughed once more. Of course, this was awarded a re from Zerci. "Haa... you''re right." She uprooted her feet from Samiel''s bleeding head... but not before mming on it one final time. "A-ahhhhh..." A passing gasp for air, as well as a somewhat sickening melody, rang from the injured Elf Chief''s lips. It was difficult to tell if he was really in pain, or if this was... something else. "So, spill it in details, fatso. You said your people are sick. What sickness? How do we get them to optimal performance?" "I-I don''t know the details of... I... my..." The Elf Chief stuttered. He was most likely searching for the right words to express his ignorance on the issue without depicting his ipetence. "Tch. This guy is useless! Wait... where''s that other guy¡ªthe softie that is usually by your side. He''s weak and totally useless, but at least he always knows what to say." Instantly, the Elf Chief''s face paled. He was in a very difficult position, after all. Why? "I... I don''t know..." He muttered, barely making his voice audible. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Once he was met with the thunderous roar of Zerci, he was finally forced to croak. "So you don''t know where he is, eh? Think he ran off when he knew we wereing, or what?" "I... I don''t know. Dustinel wouldn''t do that to¡ª" "Zip it! What would a hopeless idiot like you know? What do you think, fes?" At this point, Zerci was looking at her subordinates. Each of them was strong¡ªthe best of the best. Having an elite team like this by her side meant she was open to the opinions and help of those she deemed to possess some worth. "I could use my Skill to track him down. They''re both marked, so its not like they can escape our reach." "Yeah, I know that, genius! Jeez... way to take the fun out of things." Zerci snapped, sighing at the one who gave her such a stiff response. It was the red and stubby Demon in the group. He sighed after hearing his boss'' mean words, hanging his head in shame. "Maybe they''re¡ª" "There''s no point. Red has taken the fun out of everything. Boo, red." Zerci raised her voice, once again shooting the shortie a re. "BOO RED!" The four-armed Demon chuckled as he repeated her words. "Hehe, damn straight." The atmosphere was surprisingly jovial for such an issue, and that simply stemmed from Zerci Krell''s weird personality. Though, once the fun was exhausted, she finally grew bored of picking on the smallest in the group. It was time to get the job done. "Alright, Red, do your thing." The short and fat demon gave another heavy sigh. It must have sucked for him; considering the fact that everyone had just made fun of him, yet he was required to work soon after. Still, what could he do? "Here goes..." He closed his eyes, and his horns grew even longer than usual. Red''s horns began taking the shape of branches, splitting at their ends until they became extremely huge and intricate. "Hehe. Never gets old." Zerci grinned. She spotted the Elf Chief''s widened eyes, causing her tough in exhration. "Never seen this sort of thing before, have you? Well, it''s a rare Skill. Hehehe. You two have been marked, you see. It means there''s no ce in the world you can run to that Red won''t find you." Her words brought Samiel both relief and fear. If she was right, that meant even he could never dream of escaping the clutches of these wicked demons. He was fated to be their subordinate forever¡ªdamned to such a cruel fate. "He can find that other guy in no time. Wherever he is, he''ll catch him. Hehehe." The extended horns slowly began retracting, returning to their original size in no time. "I''ve found him." Red opened his eyes and whispered. His pupils gleamed bright red, and it seemed like he was emptily staring into space¡ªat least to those who didn''t know how his abilities worked. Chapter 221 When Demons Are Not So Sure About Other Demons "WHAT?!" Zerci was many things, but deaf wasn''t one of them. She was perfectly sound in hearing¡ªin fact, one could say better than most. However, the statement she had just heard was so absurd that she needed Red to repeat the words to her. "I said there is another Elf around him and¡ª" "No one cares about the other Elf. It''s probably another runaway or something. I''m referring to the three demons you talked about. Why would there be three demons around him?" Red bobbed his head a little awkwardly. He shrugged, indicating that hecked the information she needed. He was just as clueless as his leader, after all. "What''s the meaning of this? Any chance the demons could be from us? But what would that mean? Do the higher ups think I can''t do my job right?" Zerci surmised that if these demons were indeed on her side, then that officially threw all the aplishments she had attained thus far, out the window. The very purpose of having her own independent team was to avoid such pointless, and frankly annoying, surveince. "You think they captured Dustinel as he made his escape? If that''s the case, they''ll return him here." Thenky demon asked his superior. His face was still calm, but even he could tell the kind of problem such a scenario posed. Zerci was someone who liked her autonomy, and it was pretty clear that their superiors understood that. She had been excellent up until this point, and was far more functional as a Supervisor. Why would their superiors make such a blunder as to send extra demons now? "It makes no sense. Unless¡­ could they be demons from another city? That would make more sense, right?" He said thoughtfully, ncing at Zerci. Fortunately, their leader overheard his statement, thus quelling her mounting rage. "Yeah, you''re right. As always, your idea is smart. Jessop is correct." Thenky demon, Jessop, sighed in relief. The danger of having their leader explode in anger had been avoided. That was more than good enough for him. ''Unfortunately, this new and hypothetical scenario opens a different can of worms.'' He thought to himself. Wasn''t it even more improbable that demons from other territories woulde upon and already taken over by a demon sect. The Demon Realm was divided into separate regions, and they were all civilized enough to understand not to intrude thend of others. ''We''ve annexed this ce as our area of conquest. Of course, the process hasn''t beenpleted since the Elves need to either be dead or rightfully enved to our region.'' Jessop thought. Still, since the Elf Chief was their subordinate, and he represented his entire people, one could say they fulfilled the conditions quite well. There was also the principle of ''finders choosers.'' In any case, no demon in their right mind would perform such a reckless act. It made Jessop wonder if the first option was indeed the correct one. Unfortunately, his inner contemtion didn''t amount to much in light of their leader''s new disposition. "Red, you''ll go there and retrieve the Elf they have with them. If they try to resist, kill them. They shouldn''t be here in the first ce." "Wha¡ª?!" Jessop was shocked by the leader''s sudden decision, though he didn''t really show it with his deadpan face. "Won''t you at least try to confirm their identities before resorting to such an extreme measure?" To Jessop''s question, Zerci shrugged nonchntly. Her facial expression matched her bodily movements, indicating how little she cared. "I doubt any Upper-Rank demons would be found around here. They''re Mid-Demons, aren''t they?" Zerci''s grin grew wider, and Red nodded rapidly. "Then it''s their fault for being at the wrong ce at the wrong time. Kill them if they resist." "What of the Elf with Dustinel?" "Not important. I just want a useful Elf here, and that''s¡­ er¡­ Dustinel. Yeah! Dustinel. Get me Dustinel." Jessop nearly screamed in frustration, but he controlled himself. As the most level-headed of everyone in the room, he had to maintain his rational stance. In her own terribly brutish way, Zerci''s solution was quite efficient. No matter how one looked at it, the Supervisors were simply doing their jobs¡ªit was nothing personal, really. In essence, they were justified in their actions. "Alright, Red. Get our prize. Jessop, teleport him." "I understand." Thenky demon undted his Miasma, touching the short and red demon''s shoulder in order to get an urate idea of the exact area he needed to teleport him to. "I see it. Alright then, here goes." Red and ck crackles of electricity burst forth, and space warped. "You''ll be sent to the coordinates of the target. Your job is to retrieve him and signal me to bring you back. If they give you any trouble, or you feel you can''t handle it alone, then just¡ª" "I can handle them!" Red scoffed loudly, and he scowled in response to Jessop. ''Sigh. I understand, you don''t want to seem weak. Very well.'' Jessop said no more, and simply focused on his task of teleportation. A red and ck gate formed right behind Red, and it instantly enveloped him. Zerci grinned widely, now feeling a little curious about what Red had seen. Her heart wouldn''t stop racing, and something within her craved the violence that would surely result from the defiance of the three demons with Dustinel. "Well then, let''s see just who these demons are. Hehehe!" * * * "W-what are you saying, Dustinel? Why are you just saying all of this now?" Asa was beyond terrified at this point. All her bravado and resolve might have all been wasted at this point. Why? Dustinel had told her about the Supervisors, their imminent arrival, and just what that meant for whatever ns her group had. With the Hero on her side, something like that wouldn''t have fazed Asa. But now¡­?! A little something called fear began to creep in. * * * [A/N] Alright, guys! I am back. Sorry for my unwarranted hiatus, and all those clone chapters. I will desist from such shamelessness from now on... I hope. Thanks for your understanding. Now, then, let''s get into the story. Chapter 222 Demon Versus Demons [Pt 1] Asa didn''t know what to say to the cowering Elf in front of her. She knew it wasn''t his fault for not mentioning the urgency of the Supervisors impending arrival sooner. However, she also couldn''t attribute such a major oversight to her perfect image of the Hero. It brought about a dissonance that left her confused. "I-I honestly thought you knew." Dustinel croaked, trying to justify his position, but also doing his best to convince himself that it was indeed the truth. If his kidnapper¡ªAsa¡ªdidn''t know about the Supervisors, then that would make her an ipetent fool. In that case, siding with her team was going to be a fatal error for him. If he could, he would ditch them. Unfortunately, in his current situation, that option was impossible. ''The Supervisors and Elf Chief will think I escaped. Shit, I can''t go back!'' That was why he had no choice but to cling to the little faith he had, that Asa and her group knew their shit. Otherwise, that would mean¡ª "H-how could I know about it when you didn''t say anything?!" ¡ªHe was royally and utterly screwed. At the same moment Dustinel came to this realization, strange energy suddenly swept through the room. And¡ª "Uh? "Eh?" >VWUUUUUUUSSSSHHHHHHH< ¡ªA wormhole emerged within the tent. "Haaa¡­" A voice came from within the portal, and a creature emerged from it before it closed up. It was short, crimson, and had tworge horns on its head. It had a pointed tail, and its stubby stature added to its terrifying appearance. "So this is where you were Dustinel." The crimson demon spoke¡ªits extremely sharp fangs on disy. The Miasma the demon exuded made Asa almost pass out. Its sickening pressure was too much, so much so that she fought to keep her eyes open and her mind intact. With every step the demon took, she descended further into despondency. Until finally, it was right in front of her and the shivering Elf beside her. "Might as well take the two¡­" The demon whispered, stretching its fat hands to retrieve the defenseless Elves. However¡ª >WHOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!< In a brilliant burst of power, and in three shes of light, three demons appeared. "... Uh?" >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!< An explosion followed their appearance, and the entire area was buried in a sea of ming destruction. Plumes of smoke and dust ascended to the air, shrouding the vicinity in thick, fog-like smoke. >VWUUUUUUMMMMM< A good distance from the st, on level ground, a purple portal manifested. It spat out five individuals¡ªthree demons and two Elves. "Are you guys alright?" Hogun asked, stretching his hand to help up the flustered Asa. Fortunately, she hadn''t grown deaf or blind from the explosion; as she epted his warm gesture, nodding swiftly as well. "A-ah¡­ ah¡­" Unfortunately, the same couldn''t be said about poor Dustinel. He was most likely in a trance-like state. Not only did hey helplessly on the ground, but his eyes stared emptily into space while his body shivered in fear. It was an undesirable state, but the Elf was still alive, at least. That was good news. "Who the hell was that?" Adu yelled at the group, his tone as belligerent as usual. "It looked like a demon. Felt like one too." Hogun added. "T-the Supervisors! Dustinel mentioned that they''reing tomorrow, they''re early." Asa struggled to speak as she caught her breath. Her face was drenched in sweat, but she didn''t seem to be in terrible shape. The series of events was just too much of a strain on her cognitive and physical processes. "The Supervisors? I''ve heard of them. Aren''t they¡ª?" "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" A loud, deep, and terrifying voice suddenly emerged from the pile of dust and smoke the group left behind. "FOUND YA! FOUND YA! FOUND YA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Even from their distance, they could hear the sound as clear as day. The cackles, belonging to what seemed like a maniac, kept getting louder and louder. Everyone found themselves staring in the direction of the noise as a result. >WHOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH< Suddenly, the smoke pervading the devastated area disappeared. Like a whirlwind, air pressure suctioned everything away in one swift gust of wind. And then¡ª >BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!< The earth shattered, devastating the entire mountain in moments. Debris flew up and about, and a silhouette seemed to fly from the devastated mountain. It seemed the entire tform only served as a prop for boosting his flight. It soared and soared, finally descending in one swift swoop. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< This time, the silhouettended a couple of meters away from Asa and her colleagues¡ªas well as the deadbeat Elf who was practically half-dead at this point. The ground shook, trembling as the creature made its appearance before its adversaries. Dust swirled about due to itsnding, but that too was sent flying by a surge of wind. "I FOUUUNNNDDDDD YAAAAAA..." Its amused voice sent a violent burst of wind flying in all directions. The area was instantly rid of all the debris and dust around, leaving only the five opponents on one end, and the ferocious thing on the other. "Nice move¡­ that explosion." The creaturemented. Looking at the thing, it looked far different from the red and stubby demon that was devastated in the earlier st. This creature was far, far different. It stood at least ten meters tall, and its horns extended even longer. Its fat form was yet to change, though. It still had bby arms, short legs, and an obese stomach. However, its crimson skin was now covered in extremely fluffy red fur. This beast, a demon that stood over a head taller than the group of five that saw it, was sporting an incredibly vicious smile with its shark-like teeth and salivating mouth. "I didn''t think I''d have to use this, but, let''s make this fast." Hogun, Heshu, and Adu instantly took battle stances, using their bodies to shield the weaker creatures, Asa and her uncle. They had determined expressions on their faces, although in all honesty, they had every right to be terrified. "My name is Red. And I think I''m going to enjoy this very much!" * * * As the smallest and youngest among the Supervisors, Red was naturally the most picked-on. This wasn''t done simply out of spite or the insensitive nature of his team members. No, it was because of a Skill he possessed. [Critical Point] It was a Skill that increased every aspect of Red''sbat ability depending on just how much pain he had suffered¡ªwhether physical or emotional. As such, being the most abused member of the Supervisors, Red had an enormous reservoir of power that he used to crush his enemies. "Hehehehehehe!" Chapter 223 Demon Versus Demons [Pt 2] "ROOOOOOOOAAAARRRRRR!!!" Red let out a frightening cry, sending pulses of power flying around him. He reveled in his power, enjoying the pulsating sensation of electrifying energy as it coursed through his veins. Usually the underdog, he felt like had been reborn. ''YEEEESSSSSSSS!!!'' With bloodshot eyes, he stared at his targets--the three demons who would dare defy him. The shackles of reason eluded him, and so he decided topletely enjoy his fight with the obviously hostile opponents--not caring at all about their similitude in race. "I''LL KILL YA!" With a growl, he swiftly began closing the distance between himself and his enemies. "Adu, teleport Asa and Dustinel somewhere safe. NOW!" He heard one of the demons say. The demon had a hat atop his head, as well as a cleanly cut beard. He had pale skin, and his attire oozed prestige. Of all three demons, he seemed like their leader. "GRAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Red directed his fury at him, sending his enormous fist flying in his direction. "Watch out, Heshu!" The lion-faced demon beside him interfered, suddenly activating a skill that seemed to increase his power. "Guh!" He breathed heavily, barely able to defend a single blow from Red. "Hogun!" "HUHUHUHUH!" The tall, terrifying demonughed at the foolishness--nay, the weakness--of his adversaries. The shortest of them all, called Adu, finally returned after supposedly taking the two Elves away from the scene of battle. He seemed to be a bit short of breath, and Red understood why. Teleportation was a tasking Spell, and a runt like this Adu could not pull two off in quick session without experiencing some recoil. That said, these three were Mid-Demons, so they had to at least bepetent to an extent. "Adu... Hogun... AND HESHU!" Red growled, suddenly increasing in size. He grew to be about twelve meters tall, now more powerful and ferocious than ever. His gleaming red and ck eyes could send the fear of death into his opponents, and he could see just how rattled his prey were. "KILL... I''LL KILL YA!" At this point, it was him versus them, and he had no intention of sparing any of them. >BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!< In a sh, Red leaped in the direction of the gathered three. The force of his sprint was enough to shatter the surrounding earth, and a shockwave shook the ground from his point of impact. His speed was also remarkable for his size. In mere moments, he had closed the gap. And then-- >WHOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH< A surge of wind burst through from his body, swirling and twirling around him. The three demons--his targets--were well within range, and they were instantly caught in the whirlwind. "Wha--?!" One of them yelled, feeling his body being hurt by the tremendous force of the whirlwind, which cut through skin like des. "HAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!! BE SLICED TO PIECES!" Red gleamed in delight, enjoying the destruction he wrought. The three demons were sliced from all sides due to the raging force of the tornado, were it not for their regenerative abilities, they would have died a dozen times over. "Tch! Adu!" Heshu yelled. The short demon--Adu--swiftly warped from his position, taking hispanions with him. They appeared about five meters from the swirling wind, and once again Adu seemed tired. Red observed all of this and gave a bright grin. Sure, he was currently berserk, but he could still use his basic intelligence. After watching his prey for some time, Red finally arrived at a conclusion. ''That Adu, he has a limit to his teleportation. Hehehe.'' More specifically, the burnout period for his teleportation was about two minutes. How did he know? ''They were all caught in my whirlwind. They were also injured greatly. If he could teleport sooner, he would have done so.'' However, this wasn''t the only thing he figured out about his adversaries. ''Adu can only teleport a distance of five, no, let''s be generous and say ten meters.'' Red remembered how they had traveled far from the explosion when he first appeared. Perhaps it was because Adu was now weakened, but he couldn''t do more than five meters from the whirlwind. Considering their situation, he expected them to increase their distance, but after seeing how exhausted Adu was looking, as well as the condition of the rest of his prey, Red had to admit the inevitability of his victory. Well, as long as he didn''t downy the abilities of the other two. "We admit, you''re strong." Heshu growled, limping as he approached Red''s whirlwind. Of course, he knew he was strong--stronger than them, at the very least. Unfortunately, when it came to his group, he was pretty much average, even considering his current state. Demons like these would never stand a chance against the Supervisors. That much was certain. "WEAK... DEMONS..." Red chuckled even more, staring down at the weakened creatures. He deactivated his whirlwind and decided to crush them himself. >VWOOOOSSSHHH< In another powerful leap, he closed the distance between the three. There was still about a minute left before Adu could use teleportation, so he was guaranteed to catch all of them this time. "HAHAHAAHAHA!" Swooping his hands to grab them, he caught Adu with his right hand and got Heshu with his left. He made to crush Hogun, but the lion-face demon escaped just barely, with a barrel roll. "HAHAHAHAHA! PUNY!" Redughed in ecstasy. He understood that Hogun had been strengthening himself, so he was most likely the fastest of the three, but even that luck was going to run out eventually. "HOW LONG CAN YOUR MIASMA LAST, I WONDER..." Red chased after Hogun, gleaming with delight as he snarled. Several times he almost crushed the annoyingly fast demon, but missed by a small margin. He had to admit, this Hogun demon was really lucky. "HAAHAHAHA! RUN! KEEP RUNNING! ENTERTAIN ME!" Red hardly felt tired. He could keep going for a couple more minutes, or long enough to dispose of his opponents at the very least. ''Ah, two minutes are almost up. I better kill the teleporter fast. Red decided to crush the shortie who was stuck in his grip. However, just before he could do this, he felt a swiftly moving boulder crash into one of his widened eyes. "ARGH! MY EYES!" He growled, feeling the sting of his naked eyes being crushed by a rock. The particles troubled him, causing irritation. Still, he couldn''t imagine letting go of his captives. Rather unfortunately for him, though, two minutes were up! >VWUUUUUMMMMMM< Red suddenly found himself in a different location/ "U-Uh... I''m falling?" He thought to himself. His eyes widened as he realized what was going on. He was about a hundred meters above ground, and he was crashing fast! "What?!" He looked to his right and left, seeing none of his prisoners present. No, they were also floating in the air--unfortunately, they had a Magic tform, courtesy of the demon who appeared to be the leader. Red growled, realizing he never really got to see the old demon''s Skill. "With this, we''ve won." Heshu huffed, holding an unconscious Adu. ''D-did he use up all his energy to raise me to such a height? Damn bastard!'' Red was right, after all! The more energy he expended, the further he would be able to travel. It seemed doing this much was enough to put a strain on him, though. Red realized he had underestimated his opponents, causing them to take advantage of him. Or perhaps... ''NO! They used underhanded tactics!'' He thought to himself. Unfortunately for them, he wasn''t out of options yet. >VWUUUUUSSSSSSHHHH< His destructive whirlwind emerged, softening what should have been a devastating crash. Red, gleamed with joy, as he surmised that he wasn''t going to crashnd at his current pace. "HAHAHAHAA! YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD--!" He stopped mid-sentence after observing the expression of Heshu, who was grinning intensely. "Got you!" Instantly, Heshu threw what seemed like a gleaming red crystal. Many would think it was a gem, or perhaps an oddly colored Magic Crystal, but those who were familiar with Magic Items would instantly recognize this thing. Red instantly knew what it was. "I-IS THAT A--?!" >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< The explosion was intensified by Red''s whirlwind, causing the sky to be littered in crimson fireworks as the winners glided down on Heshu''s tform. As for Red--now utterly crushed by a roaring explosion--he was forcefully returned back to his little form, crashing to the earth in a sh of violent light. >BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!< The earth shook, and he groaned as his little form felt the brunt of his impact. "G-Gark!" Blood spurted from his mouth, and his entire body writhed in pain. In his [Critical Point] Stage, he would have healed up, but this form was too weak for such rapid recovery. ''Shit, damage received in [Critical Point] doesn''t get tranted to power, damnit...'' Red groaned internally as he felt himself going unconscious. His blurry vision picked up the group of three that defeated him, and he could do nothing but curse weakly under his breath. He cursed their underhanded tactics. He cursed his own weakness. He just... cursed. And so, once he had exhausted all the energy from pointlessly cursing, everything went dark. * * * [A/N] I believe this is the first real fight scene of this Arc. Wow. Well... many more toe. What do you all think? Also, did you sense something sus in the fight just now? Chapter 224 Spare The Mercenaries, Oh Demon! "Well done, everyone." Heshu smiled warmly at hispanions. As Adu was still unconscious, he simply patted the youngd,ying him gently on the ground. Meanwhile, Hogun ran in his direction, huffing and puffing as he was out of breath . With all three of them converging, they stared jointly at their assaulter¡ªone whom it supposedly took all their strength and cunning to defeat. "What now? Should we just¡ª?" Hogun murmured. "No. Not yet. Not until we''re sure about¡­ hold on¡­" Heshu suddenly nced around, his face slowly morphing from a grin to something darker. "Where are Asa and Dustinel?" Suddenly, an immense wave of Miasma appeared, causing the two demons to jump back, bracing themselves for what was toe >VWUUUUUUUSSSSHHHHHH< Space distorted and warped. Waves of red and ck energy crackled in the air. It revealed a wormhole, and a being proceeded from it. "Well, this is unexpected." Thenky demon spoke as he stepped forward. In his grasp were Asa and Dustinel¡ªboth of whom were unconscious. The mere sight of them being in the hands of yet another enemy caused Heshu and Hogun to gasp in shock. "To think you defeated Red. Well, he must have underestimated your skill, but¡­" The tall, slim demon murmured. His eyes observed the three parties, noticing how disheveled and worn-out they appeared¡ªwith one of their members even unconscious. ''It must have been a rough battle,'' He thought to himself, trying to deduce what had happened. He had to admit, for a group of three no-names to defeat Red¡ªa Supervisor, albeit a weaker one¡ªit was quite impressive. As a fleeting thought, he began to wonder what would happen if he engaged them. "What are your names? My name is Jessop." He bowed as he spoke, maintaining his ethics as a cultured demon. If they had any manners, Jessop knew they would reciprocate. "Why do we have to tell you that? Hand those two over!" The lion-faced Hogun barked in defiance. ''So they''re savages, eh? Did they not have proper education?'' Jessop started to draw the conclusion that the three probably got lucky with Red. Going any further would be a waste of time. Besides, he had his mission toplete. "I could kill you three right now, but I still have a shred of respect for you, since you managed to defeat Red. Hence, I will spare your lives. We are fellow demons, after all." Jessop sighed, ncing once more at his small crimson colleague who had ended up disgracing their group. ''What am I even doing? Sigh¡­'' Quite frankly, the true reason he chose to spare the demons was because it was less of aplication. Even if he used a surefire attack, he would have to expend effort and that was something he wasn''t too fond of. "G-give us our Elves!" "Your Elves? You mean these two? Why?" Jessop shrugged. On second thought, perhaps he could capture one of the demons and interrogate him on how heid hands on the Elves. Yes, that made sense. "F-FORGIVE US! We''re simple mercenaries. We were paid by that female Elf to transport Dustinel from this ce. We don''t know any more!" Heshu spoke quickly, bowing as low as he could. "Hmmm¡­" "It''s true, I swear! We were just doing our job!" "And who is thisdy Elf? What is her identity?" "W-we don''t know! We were just doing our jobs!" Jessop was familiar with liars, and this old demon didn''t seem to be one. As one who was an expert at making-up excuses and seeing through the deceit of others, it didn''t appear that the old demon was lying. Still, it irked him to see demons working as mercenaries. ''Well, that''s the fate of lower end Mid-Demons. With no education or prestige, their career paths are limited.'' It made Jessop all the more grateful for his talent whichnded him his position among the Supervisors. "I see. So it was just in the course of your everyday activities. I understand." "Thanks man. It''s really hard getting decent jobs these days." "Tell me about it, brother." Jessop sighed. He didn''t really feel like taking any lives, so he would leave them be. "I''ll be taking your employer, though. Hope you have no problem with that." "N-none at a¡ª" "Boss, you can''t be serious! What would happen to our reputation if this came out? You''re just gonna abandon our job?" "S-shut up, brat! No job is worth more than your life, you hear me? What reputation? Zip it!" Jessop shrugged at this interaction between the bandits. He couldn''t imagine anyone questioning Zerci''s decisions, but things were apparently different among ruffians. ''At the very least, the old one knows his ce.'' With his job done and the retrieval of Dustinel guaranteed, Jessop decided to return. Red would exin, in great detail, how these mercenaries were able to defeat him. As for their intentions and activities, he would simply have to ask their employer. He had tied up everything pretty nicely in his opinion. "Well, then¡­" >VWUUUUUSSSSHHHHHH< The red and ck portal shed once more, causing space to distort. Jessop kicked the unconscious Red through the door, going through shortly after him. He watched as the mercenaries gawked at his perfect use of Space Magic, noting Hogun''s especially frustrated expression. ''There''s no need to get worked up. They should be grateful he hadn''t killed them. Weaklings had no choice in the events that urred to them. They had to ept whatever cards fate dealt them. It was simply the way of the world. ''Well, I hope I never see them again. This has been pretty uneventful.'' >VUUUUUUUMMMMM< The warp in space closed. * * * The group of three demons¡ªone unconscious¡ªsat in absolute silence. They didn''t move a muscle, as though they were frozen in ce. Until¡ª "You can open your eyes now, Adu. Coast is clear." ¡ªHeshu gave the signal. "Urgh! Finally, this is freaking embarrassing." Adu grumbled, climbing off of Heshu''s body. "Never speak of this to anyone!" It was one thing for him to fall unconscious mid-fight, but it was even worse to be carried like a baby by an old guy. Adu felt like he''d never be able to live through such humiliation. Then again, he was living his worst shame yet; a human''s ve. "Was all of this really necessary?" He grumbled, casting his gaze around him. Just as Heshu had said, the coast was clear. "Indeed. It''s much better to let them assume we''re harmless. It''s also why I telepathically told you all to pull your punches with that Red fellow." The old demon gave a sly grin. "Pull punches? Understatement of the century! You literally nerfed us. What the heck? I looked like an idiot, getting tired after a single teleportation!" Adu yelled, clenching his fists in anger. "Y-yeah. It felt weird. I¡­" Hogun had it worse, and his silence proved it. He had spent most of the fight running around like a dumb, scared animal. For a fearless demon like himself to be reduced to such a state. Hogun found it terribly distasteful. "Well, I apologize for the inconvenience, gentlemen. It was necessary." It wasn''t like Heshu had had it any better. He was the strongest of the three, yet he had to act all stupid and flustered when faced with the enemy. Now, wasn''t that uncool? "I hope you have a good reason for pulling this stunt, though. Because of this little show, the enemies now have Asa and Dustinel. It''s going to be even more difficult to rescue them, not to talk ofpleting the original mission. Argh, we''re so fucked!" Heshu''s grin only widened. Despite all of Adu''s whinings, he remained asposed as ever. "Of course. It''s even better now that they have both Asa and Dustinel. It removes the focus from us¡ªat least, for now." "Huh? What does that mean?" "It means, they''ll be trying very hard to figure out what''s going on, so they won''t pay much mind to three ''weak'' demon mercenaries." "But Asa is in danger, isn''t she? It''s only a matter of time before she spills the truth." Hogun added, looking concerned. One of their duties was protecting Asa at all costs. Not only were their current actions contradicting that directive, but it seemed Heshu thought everything was for the best. "The Elf Chief is the proxy of the demons. Why do you think Asa''s mother is still being kept alive? It''s the same reason I think they won''t harm Asa¡ªat least, not too much." None of his colleagues could answer, so Heshu answered his own question. "They each have authority in this ce. It''s clear that these Supervisors like to operate using Indirect Rule. That''s why they let the Elf Chief control the Sanctuary, while they control the Elf Chief." Now, if the Elf Chief was indispensable, it would give them very little choice in the administration of their governance. However¡­ "With the former Elf Queen¡ªAsa''s mother¡ªand now Asa herself, they have more options. I think they''d rather imprison Asa and use her as some sort of threat to the Elf King." Heshu grinned. Both Adu and Hogun were as surprised as they were amazed. Just when did Heshu figure everything out? Chapter 225 Final Preparations For A Big Fight The three demons stared at each other in a moment of silence. Two of them--Hogun and Adu--were especially amazed by Heshu''s strategy and line of reasoning. To their further bewilderment, however, he wasn''t done exining. "I used a special item to replicate a rare Skill. We''ll use it to track Dustinel''s whereabouts. That way, we''ll be able to get a good idea of the location of the Elf Chief''s residence." Using his method, they had solved their most pressing problem--well, one of them. "We''ll rescue Asa and her mother as well. The only major problem is how to handle the Elf extraction n. We''ll have to make some tweaks to the master''s ns." "Tch. You''ve already started calling him master? Disgusting." Adumented snidely, his face disying his disdain. "The sooner you ept it, the better." Hogun stated, sighing at Adu''s obstinance. Of the three, he remained the only one who stubbornly clung to his pride as a demon. He refused to ept the fact that he was a servant, much to the dismay of his colleagues. "Never!" Adu replied, shaking his head obstinately. Heshu sighed, watching as his colleagues fought in an exchange of words. He knew this was no time for such frivolities, so he decided to run through his strategy, ignoring the two. Based on the information they currently had, as well as the facade they had created in order to handle the Supervisors, a lot of things would have to change about the original strategy. "We''ll need to strike tonight." Heshu''s deration suddenly caused both demons to stop arguing. They nced at him in both surprise and disbelief. "You''re kidding, right?" Heshu''s grin simply broadened. It dawned on Adu that Heshu was dead serious. "Why, though? The Hero said to attack in the morning, right? Launch coordinated efforts to rescue the Elves, as well as defeat the Elf Chief." Hogun added. "Well, that n didn''t ount for the current scenario that the Supervisors would be here earlier than intended. Besides, now is the perfect time to strike since they''ll be too busy to take note of us or the Elves in the slums." Heshu sinctly exined the logic behind his reasoning, causing the other two to nod inprehension. "You two will go to the residents and lead them to an escape route, while I invade the Elf Chief''s premises." "WHAT?! You do realize the Supervisors are most likely gonna be there, right?" Heshu smiled and nodded at Adu''s question. Of course, he knew that was a highly possible scenario. In fact, he was counting on it. "It''s best if they''re concentrated in a single location. I want to keep them distracted long enough to allow the Elves to evacuate." In line with Heshu''s rationale, it was more advantageous to have their enemies concentrated at a single point, thus granting the Elves the opportunity to escape under the shadowy cover of the night. Besides, their enemies would have their hands full with Asa and Dustinel. "There''s a chance they might send one or two of their members to patrol, as a precaution. If that''s the case, I require you both to handle them. Remember, the safety of the Elves is of utmost priority. The two nodded in conjunction. "Good. Perfect then. Both of you should get yourselves prepared, we move in five." Heshu sighed as he walked away, looking at the devastatedndscape. "The Hero, you think he foresaw this?" Adu suddenly asked, stopping him dead in his tracks. "What?" "I''m asking if that dumbass Hero knew this would happen before assigning us a dumbass n that we''d have to improvise on." Adu yelled--annoyed and frustrated. He had thought he was going to carry out his mission the next day--get in, get out, noplications. However, all these new variables wereplicating their mission. The supposedly brilliant n had been ditched for a contingency n. The Hero was clearly ipetent. "I''m not sure if he was aware of theming so early. However, he left us three behind for a reason. Besides, he did not exactly specify that we were to follow the n strictly. I believe we can freely make choices, so long as they are for the benefit of the ultimate goal." In essence Heshu was saying he wasn''tpletely sure what the Hero had meant when he stated his n--whether he was being in ipetent or cryptic. However, one thing was obvious to him. "We can seed. That''s all that matters. So, rather than giving excuses and making us look ipetent, I''d advise you to get on board. Unless of course, you want to suffer the Hero''s wrath." Adu and Hogun shivered. They knew the Hero was extremely strong. Considering how he had easily defeated them during the war back then, he was far above their league. In fact, in the eyes of Heshu, Kiko, Pierrus, and practically every single resident of Dulum, the Hero was even more amazing than they recalled. After all, he had killed Demon Lord Valefor and was intensely OP. A human strong enough to defeat an Upper-ss demon--a Ducal Demon Lord for that matter. The extent to which they believed this myth, however, varied. For Adu, he believed the Hero had used underhanded tactics against his father. Even though several eyewitnesses mentioned how the Hero had suffered no injuries, he wanted to believe his father had actually wounded the Hero before he died. He really did his best to conjure up numerous excuses to exin the oue of the match. Unfortunately, none of them worked. "Let''s just do our jobs well and get this over with." Heshu''s advice sounded like a good one, and Hogun agreed. Adu grudgingly epted, and together, they decided tomence their mission that very night. * * * "So this is that guy, huh? He looks weird. Has he lost weight or something?" Zerci Krell was staring hard at the trembling Dustinel. The old Elf was paralyzed with fear, and other than his trembling limbs and constant sobs, he was pretty much still. "Indeed. He looks pale and has a temperature. Some form of illness, perhaps." Jessop spoke, also staring at the frail Elf keenly. "Y-yes, there has been a sickness making the rounds among the Elves. I... I don''t know what''s happening. That''s why we didn''t meet up to our quota, and why workmanship has been plummeting these days." Dustinel exined with a trembling voice, keeping his head bowed, even though it caused him excruciating pain to do so. "Hahahaha! Now this is what I''m talking about. Apetent guy, unlike you idiot." Zerci grinned toothily at the Elf King. Unfortunately for him, after experiencing torture at Zerci''s hands due to her impatience, he had already passed out. His hair was matted with blood, and his puffy face made a strange expression that was abination of joy and pain. "Just look at that fat pig! So useless except for his royal genes! It could prove difficult to our course that the former queen isn''t of full royal blood, so we managed to put up with his antics, but..." Zerci nced in the direction of thepletely surrendered Dustinel. "Haa. If only you had royal blood in you, old Elf. You could have been king, instead of this waste of space." Zeci clenched her fists and sighed in disappointment before turning to the second--or rather, third--victim in the room "And who''s this other chick? Seems like an Elf. She''s pretty too." The girl in question was, of course, Asa Asa tried her best to put up a brave front against her kidnappers, but after seeing the bloodied body of her uncle--one whom she feared so much--she knew the demons before her were far more dangerous. Their overpowering Miasma and terrifying appearance further increased her feeling of powerlessness. As such, Asa discerned that the best possible means to guarantee her safety and her life was... Being silent. "She hired some mercenaries to capture Dustinel for reasons unknown to the mercs." Jessop responded. "She did, huh? That''s quite brave for an Elf. Why, though?" Zerci''s narrowed gaze on Asa caused the young Elf to shiver even more. "I don''t know. You can question her and see for yourself. You''re the expert in that department, right?" Jessop stated, gazing at Zerci expectantly. "Tch. Yeah, yeah. By the way, what befell the mercenaries? Did you kill them? They did this to one of our members, after all." Zerci pointed in the direction of Red--who had beenid on the ground. The crimson, stubby demon was covered in white light, as he was being healed by the serpent-looking member of the Supervisors. "I didn''t kill them. They seemed to be telling the truth, and--" "Shit! Damn it, Jessop. Were you toozy to finish the job again?" The moment Zerci said this, thenky demon''s brows twitched. This was due to how he felt when heard that word. "Toozy? Toozy? Really/" He whispered. "HUH? What did you say, retard?" Zerci approached, shouting as she stared at him, daring him to speak. Jessop had a lot to say concerning Zerci''s personality, and even more to say about her current usation. ''How was Izy? I literally did everything asked of me. I brought the targets back, gathered information and even brought someone who can provide context to our current predicament.'' In his opinion, he did the right thing. "Let me guess. You''re thinking you made the right call, aren''t you?" Jessop smiled as he heard this question from the leader. She wasn''t wrong about his intentions though. He truly did not want to go through more trouble than necessary. Was that too much to ask? "Anyway, I''ll torture her until she tells me everything I need to know." Chapter 226 Hey, Isnt That A Dragon Nest Right There? Asa felt the overwhelming might of the demons, as well as the pressure they exerted, when she knelt in their presence. She felt herself hyperventte, and her heart kept pounding at an abnormal rate. Frankly, her current predicament was taking its toll on her, and she felt very weary. Her enemies¡ªthe Supervisors and her evil uncle¡ªwere in sight, yet she was powerless to do anything about it. She was weak. ''Oh Hero¡­" Asa remembered Sam''s face. She recalled his soothing words, his reassuring smile, his perfect n. Unfortunately, since he left, everything hade crashing down. They had fought enemies they were ill prepared for, and their luck seemed to be getting worse. ''At this rate, how will I help my people? How would she escape this peril?'' Asa had so many questions, and no answers. What about Adu, Heshu, and Hogun? Would theye to rescue her? They had been ordered to protect her, but what if they found a way around it? They allowed her to get captured, after all. ''This is so frustrating.'' Asa thought tiredly to herself. The Hero''s ns were in shambles due to their ipetence. Still, she had to consider the omniscience of the Hero. She was puzzled as to whether he suspected this was going to happen¡ªas well as the implications if he did. ''Hero.. I don''t¡­ I don''t know what to do anymore.'' Asa thought to herself as she watched a certain demon approach her. She had crimson hair, and her sharp teeth frightened Asa. She had this terrible look in her eyes which Asa could only trante as a lust for violence. Sweat covered her skin and she squirmed in terror. Something about thedy demon¡ªwhatever her intentions¡ªfelt extremely dangerous. ''Hero, please save me!'' ************** >VWOOOOOSSSSHHHHH< ''Wooohooooooo!'' I felt on top of the world as I glided in the air on my dragon golem. Well, I wasn''t really gliding, as Lucy was with me and all, but hey, at least this time I had some personal space. We had separate spaces on the dragon''s very luxurious seats, and I enjoyed mine well. The coolness of the night breeze made my body tingle with delight. I could see Lucy enjoying herself too¡ªthough she tried her best to appear all serious. It made her look all the more cute. ''I''m happy I took her with me. Everything is so quiet and peaceful up here.'' I initially wanted to strike up a conversation with her since we were all alone, but I decided against it. Sometimes, it was simply worth it to spend one''s time in silence, with a beautiful girl, on the back of a flying mecha-dragon. Yep! Totally worth it! I mean, take my word for it. After enjoying the very pleasant dragon ride, I finally decided to take things more seriously. "Hmm?" I squinted my eyes in a bid to observe a fairly distant area using my binocrs. Lucy had one too¡ªI needed an extra pair of eyes to spot things I missed. ''I also enchanted them with a Rune. Considering it''s pretty dark here, and I can''t see very far away, it''s better this way.'' Actually, Lucy had been keeping up her scouting and surveince while I was messing around, but that wasn''t really important. I saw the map, and I knew what area the dragon nest was. Well, that was what I thought. "Sam, I can spot a nest. It''s a few kilometers from this point." Yeah, I noticed it too. ''How is that possible, though? I mean¡­ well¡­'' It was possible that this was a new dragon nest¡ªunknown to the ones who designed this map. ''Isn''t this a good thing, though? I mean, it''s closer and stuff!'' This new turn of events could be a good thing. If we could use this as a shortcut andplete our mission earlier than intended, wouldn''t I be praised for being OP? Hehehe, that was right! Anything to improve my image among the Elves! The Dragon Nest was in sight¡ªit had the appearance of arge crater, with sharp rock spikes serving as a surrounding fence. It also had high Magical density around it, and for a canopy, it had a Magic field. This Dragon Nest was practically a fortress. It was definitely the real deal. ''I don''t see any dragons because of the force-field, but considering its rtivelyrge size, maybe a dozen dragons live here? Could be more, though.'' Dragons came in different shapes and sizes, after all. ''Umu, it seems we''ll have to take ount of that and make use of stealth to approach and steal the eggs we need.'' A nest this size had to have some eggs, right? Come on! "Sam, I spot other living entities there." Lucy spoke suddenly, snapping me out of my contemtive thoughts. ''O-oh, for real? How did I miss that?'' I buried my eyes into my binocrs in order to spot what Lucy was talking about. And would you look at that, she was right! What a keen observer this girl was! I missed the whole thing because I was too focused on the nest and not on the surrounding area. However, now that I took a good look around the crater¡ªto the southwest area specifically¡ªI spotted a rtivelyrge group of sentient beings. I couldn''t make out their details due to the distance, but they seemed humanoid¡ªwell, roughly so. I wasn''tpletely sure, though. "It seems we''ll have to descend lower toprehend the identities of these entities." I said to Lucy. From what I observed, it seemed like they were spying on the dragon nest. It was hard to tell, but the group was divided into two. One part of the group seemed to be a few hundred miles away, in a ce I figured was their camp. The location had a couple of tents, so I couldn''t have been wrong. There were more members in the camp, and only a few dozen were close to the nest. ''Do they want to attack the Dragon Nest? It seems like it.'' From what I observed, I could say it was most definite. There was one problem with that, though. ''I want to attack the Nest too!'' Well, not really. I simply wanted to steal from it. If these guys waged war against the dragons, it would be difficult to y my stealth game and safely take my grand prize. ''I thought I''d just go all ninja-like and steal the eggs while the dragons were sleeping. I don''t want to be running around on a battlefield.'' There was the option to simply wait the fight out, but what if¡ªin the process of fighting¡ªthe eggs got damaged. What would I do then? Or what if these guys won the war? Who was to say they would be willing to spare a few eggs for a random stranger? There was a very slim chance that such would ur. If the dragons won, they would be more vignt than ever. I could very well kiss my eggs goodbye. In light of these possibilities¡ªall of which were uncertain¡ªthe wise course of action would be to find out more information and see how to use said info to my advantage. ''I know so little at this point'' * * * Lucy and I waited atop our dragon until the dozen or so spies finally left for their camp. And yes, I finally got to know the identity of our mystery creatures. ''Dragonkin'' A mysterious smile formed on my face. They were abination of dragona and humans¡ªquite simr to my appearance when I used Draconic Transformation. Their scaly, reptilian bodies covered a good portion of their back and arms. They had scales on their necks and the sides of their faces. Dragon horns also grew out of the two ends of their foreheads, and a tail danced behind them. They wore clothes, of course, considering they had human-like characteristics, but their attires could barely be seen as appropriate. The males wore a thin, flimsy cloth that only covered a portion of their lower parts¡ªtheir chests were wide open. So also was a good portion of their legs. As for thedies, they also wore a flimsy cloth that covered their quite busty chests, as well as longer clothing to cover their lower parts. This was pretty much what you''d expect from a backwater savage race, but for some reason I couldn''t stop staring at how seductive the clothing looked on the females there. Of course, this was all recon. Oh yeah, the reason we could see everyone like this was because we flew a bit lower and decided to use my mecha dragon''s stealth mode. Ah, I meant dragon golem. ''Nero is quite useful. Hehehe!'' I grinned to myself, watching as the spies returned to base with my binocrs. It was advantageous that we got to know the identity of the third party. Unfortunately, that didn''t solve my dilemma. ''I don''t know what they''re up to. They spoke in hushed tones, and I couldn''t hear shit from this height even if I tried.'' All in all, their motives were a mystery. Welp, not for long! "Prepare yourself, Lucy." I smiled at my fellow warrior, who¡ªfor some reason¡ªkept ncing at and touching her chest. Surely, it had nothing to do with thedies beneath us. "Prepare yourself." I said in a calm, authoritative tone. Yeah, that''s right! I was nning on making contact with this group. It was the best means to discern their intentions and make a n topensate for whatever their deal was. This move was risky, as Dragonkins didn''t really have a really good impression of humans. However, I had to do what I had to do. ''Alright, Sam! Let''s do this!'' "They had better not stand in our way, for their sake." Chapter 227 The Dragonkin Tribe The Dragonkin scouts trod carefully, ensuring they observed their surroundings as they headed back to their base. Something about the eerie silence of the night, as well as the ominous chill, made it seem like they were being watched¡ªat least, ording to the leader of their group. "Pick up the pace guys. We need to report our findings to the Tribe Leader." Sirius stated to his followers. He had gleaming blue scales and matching blue eyes. Something about his expression indicated he was worried, but also in a hurry. The twenty dragonkin warriors with him nodded in response to his instructions, and they swiftly moved into the night. Before long, they arrived at their destination¡ªthe base of operations for their current n. "You should all rest. Lydia,e with me. We will both report our findings to the Leader." Sirius nced at thedy dragonkin closest to him. Unlike him, her scale was light blue, and she had a much smaller, leaner build. Female dragonkins usually had less mass than the males¡ªthough there were a few exceptions. Even in the group, there were nine female dragonkin warriors, and they all had smaller figurespared to the men. Regardless, the males and females had mutual respect for one another. They were all warriors¡ªonly separated by roles or hierarchy. "Understood." Lydia nodded and quickened her steps, drawing closer to Sirius. The group finally got past a clearing of shrubs, navigating through the magically created wall of nts, which shrouded their hide-out. Anyone flying overhead would be able to spot them, but with their constant surveince, he didn''t think anyone within close proximity could escape their watchful eyes. Their mission was of utmost importance, after all. Once they got past the nts, the group found themselves in their camp. They saluted the vignt guards and marched on with purposeful expressions on their faces. They were the brave ones, after all¡ªsoldiers who had volunteered to act as scouts despite the danger. Sirius sighed resolutely, observing his surroundings with a grave expression. Having a few dozen tents¡ªeach having the capacity to hold five dragonkins¡ªthe clearing surrounded by tall shrubs was simr to a battle camp. A few battle hardened dragonkins could be seen walking around, but Sirius understood that most were either enjoying their meals, or mating with their partners. In such a season, it was understandable¡ªespecially considering the uncertain fates they would be facing the next day. ''Even I¡­'' He nced at Lydia for a moment before swallowing anxiously. Lydia was his lover, and he had never wanted her to be a part of the drafted warriors. However, due to her defiant nature¡ªone that made her even more appealing to him¡ªshe had enlisted regardless of his pleas. As such, both their fates were uncertain. ''We''re still young. We have no young ones yet.'' Sirius quickly shook the thoughts off his mind, deciding to focus instead on the mission at hand. The group split up ording to Sirius''mand. He and Lydia walked in a straight line, heading for the biggest tent in the garden of tents, while everyone else went in their respective directions. The dragonkin scattered. "They must be tired." Sirius whispered, considering just how long the warriors had been watching the nest and doing their best to survey every nook and cranny while ensuring they remained concealed. All of this while they were still exhausted from their journey to this point and the harsh training they had to endure for theing crisis. It was frankly too much, and Sirius couldn''t help but feel empathetic towards them. He was the strongest warrior in the tribe¡ªother than their leader, of course¡ªand even he could feel the weariness that resulted from theck of rest. "You''ll need a massage after all of this." Lydia whispered in his ear, pressing her body against his as they walked toward their destination. "L-Lydia not here! Out in the open¡­ you¡­" Sirius whispered, quickly looking around to ensure no one had seen what just happened. Fortunately, everyone was too preupied with their troubles to care about the personal affairs of Sirius. Usually, a bigshot like him would garner so much attention, but at the moment, well¡­ there were more important matters to consider. "Hmm, I see. So you don''t want one?" "I-I didn''t say that." Sirius cursed his weakness as he grunted. Lydia knew fully well just how to get him to surrender. As strong as he was as a warrior, he was still a male. Among the dragonkins, there was a saying; The size of the male does not serve only to prove his strength, but also his weakness. That statement rang true for Sirius, and so he could do nothing but keep walking as Lydia kept pressing her enormous chest to his body. Of course, by dragonkin standards, Lydia''s boobs were pretty average. However¡­ For Sirius, they were the perfect size. "Is a massage all you want?" She asked him, whispering seductively in his ear, and Sirius could already feel his three-pronged trident rise. Dragonkins had a special biological make-up, one of which was the male ''equipment'' used for coption. Sirius could feel all three of his ding-dongs responding to the call of nature, and he could not allow something so shameful ur in public. He knew, of course, that many female dragonkins desired him. Seeing the sheer magnitude and number of his rods would make them want him even more. Polygamy wasn''t condemned in their culture either, but his hands were already full with Lydia. ''I¡­ I can''t lose control here.'' At this point, Sirius could only think of one solution to his problem. He saw only one light from this very bleak tunnel. It was¡ª "Let''s quicken our pace. The Tribe leader awaaaaiiiitttssss!!!" ¡ªTO RUN! Sirius picked up his pace and fled to the leader''s tents, anding after him quickly from behind was his lover. She also quickened her pace, causing her melons to jiggle, illustrating the simplews of physics¡ªnot that knowledge of saidw existed in this world. * * * "I see¡­" A female voice spoke up from themander''s seat. It belonged to the Tribe Leader¡ªthe strongest beastkin in their tribe. No, it was more urate to say she was the most powerful even among the surrounding ones. So strong, in fact, that she dared to challenge the Dragon Nest. "Yes. As I mentioned, the defenses are going to be very difficult to bypass. The Magic Barrier that surrounds the nest prevents any stealth approach, and it would take a great deal of energy to destroy it." Sirius was currently kneeling in front of the leader, bowing before her magnificence¡ªsame as Lydia. Unlike his lover, though, he was facing the floor. It wasn''tpulsory to do this, but despite everyone telling this to him, Sirius couldn''t help it. He had his reasons for refusing to stare at his esteemed leader whenever he was in her presence. "You don''t need to bow your head, you know?" "Y-yes, I understand. I''m good like this, though." "Are you certain?" "Yes, leader." "Alright then. You may carry on with your report." She sighed. Sirius was grateful for her understanding. Even though he didn''t want his preference to be that big an issue, he couldn''t stop this action of his. After all¡­ ''I fear what might happen if I look upon her!'' As a result of this fear of his, Sirius preferred to remain in his current state. "The Nest distorts the proper view of the premises, but I spot only six dragons within the premises. There appears to be a multitude of eggs, though." "Was there a male?" "None that was observed¡ªat least not an adult one." It was difficult to discern the sex of a dragon unless they had attained a certain age¡ªthe age of maturity. Once their distinguishing features clearly established them as either sex, the dragon could then be said to be an adult. "Only four females, and then one immature one." "And their strength?" "One possesses a level of 150, while the other females have Levels of around 101-105. As for the immature one, he has a Level of 50." Sirius and his scouts had to use a joint ritual, as well as an ancient artifact, to decipher the Levels of the dragons. It was a steep price to pay, but very much worth it. After all, they needed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. "Hmmm¡­" Sirius knew just from her tone that the Tribe Leader found the current situation challenging. The average dragonkin warrior in their tribe had a Level of 50. Their leader was an exceptional warrior¡ªone who was blessed by the gods they worshiped. She was at Level 120, butpared to the base difference between dragonkins and dragons, as well as the biological advantage their opponents had, it became clear which side was on the losing end. Their powerful leader, even at her best, would struggle to evenly match the strength of one of the younger female dragons. No, it was doubtful if she could win. That was how dreadful the situation was. "This is a dire situation indeed. Our people require a miracle. However, we can not back out now. With all that is at stake, we need to keep moving forward." Sirius knew quite well what his Tribe Leader meant. The dragons were upying their rightfulnd, and they needed the resource deposits underneath thend. Besides, with winter approaching, they knew their odds of surviving outside their fertilend were little to none. This impending sh with the dragons was necessary! "We must win this battle, or die trying!" * * * [A/N] Sorry if I diverted the story a little bit. Hope you enjoyed this perspective, though. Chapter 228 Is That A Dragon In The Sky? The dragonkin tribe was faced with a burden too heavy to bear. On one hand, they could choose to fight against the dragons¡ªrisking their lives. As for the second option, they could live on the meager resources they had left, hoping to survive the winter. Based on their observations, both choices boded a tremendous loss for their tribe. "Our neighboring tribes also face a simr problem of scarcity. Asking them toe to our aid would be dooming their people to the same fate." Sirius heard their Tribe Leader mutter to herself. He understood just how weighty the responsibility she was saddled with was¡ªthe heavy burden she had to shoulder. Heavy is the head that wears the crown indeed. Still, he needed her to endure. Everyone needed her to endure. "The way of our tribe is that of relentless effort. We wed our way to the top for a reason. We are resilient!" She growled, almost as though convincing herself, more than she was addressing the two warriors kneeling before her. Sirius knew the foremost problem that gued his leader, and that was the third option avable to their people. ''Plunder!'' Their tribe was the strongest among the dragonkin in the surrounding region. Just as humans had various areas of civilization, the dragonkin also had numerous tribes. In fact, one might say that humans got this idea from them. If it was the will of their leader, they could invade the other tribes and steal their resources. This would ensure their survival, at least to an extent. ''But that won''t happen.'' Sirius knew the reason behind her decision, and he agreed with it. The dragonkin race operated based on their pride as warriors, and they shared a deep sense of kinship with every member of their race. Each tribe, though diverse in location and customs, shared solidarity. In fact, it wasmonce for them to join forces to take down amon enemy. Not once in their history had they ever turned their fangs on each other, and Sirius knew their leader would never resort to such underhanded tactics¡ªespecially with her noble nature. That left yet another option. "Shall we attack another settlement? The human regions, perhaps?" The Tribe Leader''s voice was sullen, but there was a hint of steel in her voice. Contrary to popr belief, dragonkin weren''t savages that believed in conquering weaklings. Sure, they considered humans as frail beings, weaker and less evolved in many respects. The humans were however too insignificant to be deemed worthy of attention. Hence, this was the rationale behind theirck of interest in attacking them. ''We only battle our equals¡ªlike the beastfolk¡ªor those stronger than us.'' Sirius thought to himself. Killing humans and ravaging theirmunities would put a stain on their honor. However, now that they have reached this point of desperation, what was the use of honor? Would honor feed them? "Is it not worth considering, at the very least?" The Tribe Leader''s voice was thick with emotion. It was obvious to Sirius and Lydia that she was ufortable with the choice. No one wanted to go down this route, but perhaps it was the only way. "Or perhaps not. Haa¡­ humans live quite far from our territory, and we hardly have enough resources as things stand." Things would have been different had they made up their minds earlier, but it was toote now. The closest and most guaranteed target was the Dragon Nest. Unfortunately, that brought them back to the initial problem. "What a truly precarious situa¡ª" "W-WHAT IS THAT?!" "A-A DRAGON!" "A DRAGON IS HEREEEE!!!" Just before the Tribe Leader of the dragonkin could finish her statement, loud screeches echoed from outside the tent. The entire area erupted in chaos, as the silhouettes of several dragonkin could be seen running helter-skelter. Frightened screams pierced the air, and the ferocity of the screams indicated the severity of the situation. "A dragon? Here?!" Sirius'' eyes widened in both shock and fear. Did he and his team members mess up? Had they identally awakened a dragon? Did the dragon follow them back to the camp? ''But how? I took all precautions!'' He broke into cold sweat, ncing anxiously at Lydia. His lover also had the same expression as him¡ªshock, disbelief and fright. "I-I have to see for myself! Lydia, stay here with the leader!" Sirius ordered, swiftly rising to his feet in a hurry. "I''ming wi¡ª" "Stay here! That''s an order!" He marched on resolutely, refusing to take another look at his distressed lover, or at the shaken Tribe Leader. Sirius emerged from the tent and raised his eyes to the sky. Several dragonkin were already out in the open¡ªall with their various weapons ready. Some donned Magic Items, ready to fight till theirst breath to protect themselves from the monster hovering above their heads. "I-It''s big!" Sirius found himself remarking in amazement and shock. This dragon was muchrger than thergest he sighted in the Dragon Nest. It had to be a very powerful adult male for sure! It was dark, so only its massive silhouette could be seen in the night sky as it circled the camp. Sirius found himself gulping nervously, as he watched the looming figure draw closer. ''If we join hands, we can manage to subdue it, but at what cost?'' Sirius didn''t want to imagine the number of casualties they would suffer at the hands of this obviously powerful dragon. Dragonkin could sprout wings and fly, but their aerial ability paled inparison to an actual dragon. In addition, with the dragon possessing the advantage of surprise, they hadn''t prepared an appropriate defense strategy for dealing with such a frightening opponent. To put it inly, they were screwed! "Damn it! Is this my fault?" Sirius sprouted his wings and readied himself forbat. He swiftly instructed the guards and warriors around to assume battle formation, concentrating his efforts on ensuring the camp of their leader was well fortified. ''Even the leader can''t handle it alone. Our best bet is to cause enough harm to the dragon, so as to weaken it, then she cannd the finishing blow.'' Sirius, despite his best intentions, couldn''t pretend that he was doing this only for their leader. His lover was in the tent as well. As much as he loved his people and cherished their tribe, he wanted Lydia to survive this assault, at the very least. That was why he utilized his authority as her superior to make her stay put. ''Anything for you, Lydia!'' >WHOOOOOSOSSSHHHHHH< The wind around parted, and Sirius could feel an immense pressure surging as the dragon drew closer. A p of its wings sent huge gusts of wind swirling around. A few more ps, and their finely made tents would be uprooted. As it closed in on them, Sirius could see more of its features, and he was quite shocked by how different the monstrosity appearedpared to others of its kind. For one, its body had the gleaming glow of metal, and it had smooth skin, rather than scales. Blue energy warbled at certain joints and areas across the dragon, and it seemed odd in general. Regardless of these differences though, Sirius¡ªas well as his fellow warriors¡ªconcluded that it was a dragon. Thus¡­ "Get ready, everyone!" It needed to be eliminated! "THAT''S QUITE ENOUGH!" A voice suddenly boomed from atop the dragon. It contained such authority that even Sirius froze for a few seconds, practically flinching due to the raw power the voice exuded. Both fear and amazement assailed him. ''I-is this a Skill? This dragon is more dangerous than I thought!'' The most surprising thing about the voice was that it didn''t seem like it came from the dragon itself. No, it felt like the voice emanated from some other being. It was enough to cause the mighty Sirius to reconsider assault. "DO NOT ENGAGE, IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIVES. I HAVE NOT COME TO FIGHT YOU." Sirius had a serious inclination to believe those words, thus he ordered his men to be on standby. ''A dragon wouldn''t bother reasoning with us, considering how they consider dragonkin inferior to them in all ways.'' Besides, if this dragon had any intention of attacking, it would have simply rained down fire and Magic from its superior vantage point¡ªthe sky. Not only would his people have been caught by surprise, but even if they wanted to retaliate, it would be impossible tounch a sessful attack due to the immense distance. Ultimately, by not attacking when it had the element of surprise, as well as by descending, it was eliminating the ring advantages it already possessed. Besides, something about the voice that spoke to him made it convincing to believe it came in peace. Thus, the dragonkin fanned out, creating a massive circle at the center. The dragon safelynded on the ground. Fortunately, there were no surrounding tents for its massive feet to trample upon. ''I-It really is massive, and strange-looking.'' Sirius thought, as he observed the majestic form of the beast as it settled. However, more intriguing than the beast¡ªwell, in a certain respect¡ªwere the two entities who stood atop it. They were humans¡ªone a dark-haired male, while the other was a young female with crimson hair. They both seemed like warriors, hardened and fearless, in fact the male directly stared Sirius in the eye. He had a dangerous smile on his face, sending an instant chill down the warrior''s spine. Something about this young man, this human, seemed deadly. And it wasn''t just the fact that he was casually standing atop such a massive dragon. "I will only say this once, so listen carefully." Once the male human spoke, Sirius realized he was the one with the imposing voice from earlier. More dread filled his heart as he listened to the next words of the young man. "Take me to your leader." Chapter 229 Facing The Dragonkin Leader. Alright, I gotta be honest here. What am I looking at?! One might wonder what was running through my mind as I stood in the presence of the Tribe Leader of the Dragonkin. We were in a well-made tent. If I had to guess, I would say it was constructed using Monster skin, reinforced with Magic to ensure it was durable and of impable quality. Compared to any tent I had seen in this world, this was most definitely the best. Obviously, this excluded the one I brought from earth. Within the tent was an ornate, exquisite chair, and seated on the chair was the leader of the dragonkin. Behind me were the two dragonkin that had the right, or should I say nerve, to remain in the tent with me. The guy was most likely the chief warrior, considering how skilled he looked. Also, he was the one who led those scouts who were checking out that Dragon Nest. The second dragonkin behind me was also among the scouts¡ªand I noticed she and this other dude leaving for the leader''s tent when they first arrived at the camp. That meant she was an important personality as well. ''She''s also very close to the chief warrior, considering¡­'' I recalled how the two were acting all mushy on their way to the leader''s tent. Nero had been in camouge mode, and we were using binocrs to spy on them. We saw everything that happened so clearly, it was practically as though we were there in person. Speaking of visuals, though¡­ ''DAMN! This Tribe Leader''s tits are massive!'' I thought to myself, nearly drooling at the mere sight of her. I knew my thoughts were irredeemably perverted, but hear me out. If anyone else from Earth could see these puppies, they would definitely understand my sentiment! ''Such well-rounded beauties. They looked so plump and shapely, held firm by the thin piece of cloth that left little to the imagination, and left slightly exposed by the coat only she was wearing.'' Yeah, the leader of the dragonkin wore a special dark crimson coat, unlike the other females here¡ªmost likely a symbol of her authority as a leader. As for her other features, her lustrous long hair and beautiful red scales made her utterly majestic. She had piercing crimson eyes, and her horns arched backwards in a seductively curved stroke¡ªmaybe thatst part was my imagination, though. Her tail seemed to be rigid, for some reason¡ªcurving in an odd pattern. It didn''t seem that way a few seconds ago, when we first entered, but now¡­ ''Hm. Maybe she''s nervous. Did I read about that somewhere? Well, I don''t really know much about dragonkin physiology.'' What I knew about, though, were boobs! And hers were definitely on another level. I was actually quite distracted by the chest of the dragonkin females¡ªespecially the one behind me. However, the moment I arrived in the presence of her majesty, all my preconceived notions were shattered. I instantly realized the difference between mediocrity and perfection. ''They''re¡­ beautiful.'' Of course, I made sure to maintain my proper ''Hero Face'' while standing in the presence of the Tribe Leader. Lucy was right beside me, after all, and I couldn''t lose face in front of her. Besides, after building myself up to such a grand entry, it would really suck if everyone here branded me as a pervert and lost all respect for me. Yep, that would really suck. "How long will you remain silent? I asked you what you want!" I suddenly heard the tense voice of the Tribe Leader, which sharply jolted me back to reality. ''A-ah, damn! I almost got pulled in too deep!'' Quickly regaining myposure, thanks to my impressive mental fortitude, I decided to concentrate my gaze on the dragonkin leader. "I could very well ask you the same question." My tone was low, yet defiant. With my intractable gaze and authoritative air, I firmly passed my message across to the seated leader. She appeared dazed by my unapologetic tone¡ªno surprise there. The thing is, as much as I would love to be nice to these people, I could not afford to seem weak. My Dragon Golem was parked right outside, for crying out loud. ''If I act nicer, they''ll look down on me since I''m a human.'' That couldn''t happen! "What do you mean? You are the one who barged in here with your¡­ dragon. You are the one who needs to provide an exnation immediately." Fair point, to be honest. I wasn''t unreasonable, and I actually agreed with all she said. These people were just minding their business when I came over in this world''s version of a cmity, while flexing in front of everyone. If anything, they deserved an apology. However, I couldn''t afford to show weakness. ''That said, I shouldn''t be a jerk as well.'' "You seem to misunderstand something here." I spoke in a low tone, taking a step forward. I saw both dragonkin guards move, but their leader instantly told them to stand down. "I haven''te here for you, nor your tribe. I havee for the Nest. As such, it is you and your people that owe me an exnation for what you were doing there, to begin with." An ufortable expression instantly yed on the faces of the dragonkin. I could see the hesitation in their eyes, giving me the impression that I had hit the nail right on the head. "If I may ask, what is this business you have with the Dragon Nest?" The leader''s voice had been stripped of its previous animosity. She had a gentler, more docile tone. I could tell she was trying to y things safe, while also doing her best to pry information from me. ''I''ve gotten them right where I want them!'' I grinned internally. "And why should I tell you that?" As expected, another ufortable silence ensued. I could see the gaze of the leader shift awkwardly from left to right¡ªmost likely staring at her two subordinates. It seemed she was trying to make a decision. I just hoped it was the right one. "If I choose to tell you our purpose, would you listen to our story?" And just like that, the leader cracked. There was no need to be obstinate or stubborn at this point. ying along was to my benefit. Of course, etiquette demanded a mutual understanding. "I will." * * * "... And that''s why we need to take back the Dragon Nest." The Tribe Leader finally exined the whole thing, emphatically highlighting the high stakes involved in her tribe''s fight for survival. From her lengthy exnation, I deduced a couple of things. One was the name of these dragonkin. The stern-faced dude was Sirius. ounting for wordy, that name suited him perfectly. As for the chick, she was Lydia. The Tribe Leader''s name was Nadia¡ªa beautiful name, I might add. Without mincing words, she was stunning. She had this mature vibe to her, and if I were to measure her by Earth standards, she seemed to be in herte twenties. ''Damn¡­'' Before my mind derailed too far, I brought it back to the topic at hand. And yeah, it was quite serious indeed. This dragonkin tribe was stuck in a dilemma, where they had to take over the Dragon Nest or take their chances with the limited resources they had. Let''s just say their odds weren''t so great. As an alternative, they thought of attacking the nearby human settlements, but their pride wouldn''t allow it. Besides, it was toote at this point. I actually liked how Nadia was honest enough to tell me the truth to my face¡ªdespite me and Lucy being humans. It made her all the more amiable. ''I would have actually wondered about that option if she didn''t mention it, so, bonus points for you, Nadia!'' To an extent, at least, I felt like I could trust the words of the dragonkin. I mean, they hadn''t actually given me a reason to doubt them yet. "I see," I muttered, apprising them of myprehension of their problems. The thing was, this was actually good news for me! Not only did the ns of the dragonkin not sh with mine, but I could see a way in which we could both work together to achieve our respective goals. ''I could actually manage to steal a couple of eggs without them, but I actually wanna help these guys.'' I was the Hero, after all. My duty was to the people of this world. It definitely wasn''t because I hoped for some sort of reward from the Tribe Leader or anything¡ªno, I wasn''t that kind of Hero. I was an honest do-gooder who believed in doing the right thing. And right now, my Justice Senses were tingling. ''If we joined forces, we could actually stand a chance against the dragons in the nest.'' The dragonkin had done all the work for me by scouting the area and acquiring all the information needed to invade their Nest. All we actually needed to do now was to formte a great infiltration strategy that utilized the strengths of both parties. Then, we''d storm into the nest and both parties would obtain what they wanted. ''Am I brilliant, or what?'' * * * [A/N] Due to personal reasons, I will now be posting about one or two chapters of this novel per week. I thank all my loyal readers for their constant support, and the help you have all shown me during these times. I thought of pausing the book, but that wouldn''t be fair. Instead, I''ve chosen to simply write one/two chapters a week, to keep the fire burning. Feel free to drop yourments to tell me how you feel about this development. Thank you all once more. Cheers! Chapter 230 Lets Prove A Point "It seems you are indeed in a precarious position¡­" My tone was calm, yet dominating. There was no way in hell I was going to let these dragonkin realize I was actually happy about their predicament. It was beneficial to me, but no one had to know that. ¡­ Right? "We are currently desperate. And we are running out of time. I am sure you can understand that¡­" Their chief spoke with a somewhat rushed undertone. ''Ah. She''s practically telling me to screw off, or something.'' Their group had very limited time to make their choice, so my presence was a bother. Ipletely understood that. ''Welp, I guess it''s about time I made my proposal.'' "I have a proposal, Dragonkin Chief. Perhaps it might interest you." I took a daring step closer. Lydia and her sweetheart flinched the moment I did this, but Nadia¡ªtheir leader¡ªsignaled them not to bother. Her crimson eyes narrowed on mine, and it seemed we were battling with our wills. Thankfully, it wasn''t with our fists, cus I would have lost big time if that were the case. In this situation, though, I stood a good chance. "What proposal?" I grinned internally once she took the bait. "Before I get to that, there is something you should all know. That is, my identity." I made a calm smile, ncing at Lucy for a second. She seemed to be enjoying the situation. "I am known as the Legendary Dragon yer¡­ one who has ughtered my fair share of dragons. I came here for that very task before encountering your little tribe." "L-LEGENDARY DRAGON SLAYER¡­?!" The uproar from the dragonkin shocked me¡ªalmost to the point where I nearly had a heart attack. ''What''s with these people? They''ve heard of me?'' "You mean¡­ you''re that person? The one who offered salvation to the Adventurer''s City? The one who yed the mighty Earth Dragon and fought off the invasion of Demons?" Nadia''s tone was high now, but this only added to my confusion. How did these people know my identity?! Of course, there was no way I could make my confusion known to them. "Oh? It seems you know who I am." I deepened my voice as my smile broadened. "How?" Nadia seemed a bit hesitant to tell me, but after I insisted with my gaze, she spilled the beans. Apparently, the Dragonkin had sent spies to monitor Dulum a while back. They blended in with the people and heard the heroic tales of the Legendary Dragon yer¡ªhow he saved the people from a crisis that was sure to leave them in peril. ''They got past all my security? Damn. I really have to pay close attention to spy infiltration from now on!'' I thought to myself. Then again, since they were able to sneakily observe the Dragon Nest without being spotted by Dragons, then it wasn''t very surprising that they escaped the surveince of the security system I put in ce. I guess I just had to try harder. "B-but that''s impossible. The Legendary Dragon yer has azure scales like the sky, and he owns a beautiful set of wings. His form is glorious, and it is said that he resembles us¡ªbut as a far more majestic being." I finally understood why the Dragonkin were able to get such information about me. They heard the tales of someone simr to them¡ªwho held unfathomable power and was able to defeat a huge army of demons. ''Even if they''re desperate, they won''t bother attacking Dulum¡­ not with what they''ve heard.'' I smiled. These guys would rather take their chances with the Dragon Nest. Still, what was this they were talking about? It seemed Nadia was describing my Draconic Transformation. "You must be a fool if you expect us to believe your words just because you ride a dragon. We know the identity of the Legendary Dragon yer¡­ and he definitely doesn''t resemble a human." "Watch your tone." I increased the depth of my voice. Unfortunately for me, Nadia didn''t seem to back down on this. Her skeptical gaze withstood my bravado. ''Damn. For real? They''re so convinced of my persona as the Legendary Dragon yer, aren''t they?'' From the looks of things, they didn''t yet know about how the Legendary Dragon yer was the same person as the Hero, and how the Hero looked like a regr guy. I had no idea why the most crucial bit of information would escape them. Perhaps they were more focused on the story involving someone rted to their race than some idol that humans worshiped. Either way, I had to prove my identity as the Legendary Dragon yer, else things wouldn''t end well. "You think of me as an imposter? Really?" "Do we have any reason not to?" Nadia narrowed her gaze. Were these people blind? I had a dragon parked outside their tent, didn''t I? What happened to all my pressure from earlier? ''I mean, I made it seem like the one with the advantage is me, but¡­ if I''m being honest, I''m actually in trouble if they decide to turn against me. There were three dragonkin¡ªall of whom were stronger than my current state. They could make short work of me at such close range if I messed up. ''Lucy is here to guard me, but I don''t want to risk it. Besides¡­ it wouldn''t be wise to cause such a ruckus in such a situation.'' I was a Hero, first and foremost, after all. My duty was to the people¡ªhumans or not! "Hmmm¡­ very well." I closed my eyes and gave a confident smirk. "Watch closely and be enlightened." This was bound to stress my body a lot, and I would be pushing myself to the limits. However, there was really nothing stopping me from using this method¡ªnot even my low level¡ªI had to give it a try. ''I hope my meager MP is enough¡­'' >VWWUUUUUUSSSSHHHHHH!!!< At that very moment, a surge of power burst forth from me, spreading through the whole tent. Blue light emanated from my body, and at that moment, I achieved the state everyone had heard of so much. My Draconic Transformation! In this pristine form, I watched as my audience all witnessed my majesty with eyes of wonder¡ªincapable of nothing else but the deration of my title.. "T-The Legendary Dragon yer!" Chapter 231 [Bonus ] Lets Execute The Mission [Pt 1] Welp, to cut the long story short¡­ they believed me once I gave my little demonstration. Nadia, the Dragonkin Chief had no choice but to affirm my words. Not doing so, after all the evidence I had provided, would be in stupid¡ªat least, ording tomon sense. ''Whew!'' I heaved in relief. After all, my little MP only allowed me to use my Draconic Transformation for barely a few seconds before reverting to in ol'' Sam. Still, it was worth it. I matched the description they all had of me, plus I was also making a bold im. Most importantly, they were desperate. ''In the end, they have no choice but to listen.'' "F-fine¡­ we concede," Nadia spoke, after leaking out a bit of a hesitant expression. Even if she tried to hide her thoughts, I could tell. Even Sirius and Lydia were already disying signs of reverence towards me. It was one thing to own a powerful Dragon, and it was another to be a powerful Dragonic Warrior¡ªthough the two weren''t exactly mutually exclusive. As the Legendary Dragon yer, it pretty much came with the package. "It pleases me that we are on the same page. Now, then, shall we venture on to the main issue?" I smiled, a sharp glint appearing in my eyes. "The n to take down the Dragon Nest." It was ambitious, but the ideal conclusion to this whole thing would be for everyone to get what we wanted. ''Hang in there, everyone. I''ll make sure to do this right!'' ********** [The Elf Sanctuary: Vige Square] In the darkness of the night, a dark purple blot of energy began to swell at a slow rate. It distorted the space around slowly, and in only a few moments, it became arge gateway that allowed two silhouettes to make their appearance. "Haa¡­ I bet that guy wouldn''t be able to sense this one." Adu, the shorter of the two grinned mischievously. "Yeah. Good going." The lion-faced Hogun responded, looking stern as he faced their goal. Both of them were saddled with an enormous responsibility. They had toplete a set of tasks, one of which was now out of the way. "We''ve invaded the Elf vige. Guess it''s time for the next step." Adu murmured. They were currently on high ground, so both Mid-Demons could see the settlement of the Elves from their heights. At first, they said nothing of it. However¡­ it only took the two a few seconds to express how appalled they were by the miserable living conditions of the Elves. The vige was small, with only a few wooden houses and huts scattered around a central square. The only really amazing thing about their entire civilization was how poor it was. Other than the beautiful trees around them, the Elves were miserable. "Hm. As expected. Not even guards." Adu and Hogun looked around and saw that the ce was deserted. The Elves were all asleep in their huts, unaware of the impending danger. After working so hard all day, they had to rest hard in the night. It wasn''t like having guards was going to change anything anyway. After all¡­ Adu turned to Hogun and grinned, revealing his sharp, pointed teeth. "Let''s wake them up." Hogun nodded, and the two demons began to move silently through the vige. The Lion-Faced Hogun raised his hand and whispered a Spell, causing energy to course through his body. The moment he did this, a bright light shed in the darkness. Not only that, but immense pressure permeated the vige. It was a Skill that called the attention of the living beings around him¡ªas long as they were in a particr range, of course. "Well, we just have to wait now. Kekeke!" Adu grinned, already hearing the stirs from within the sorry excuse for homes that the Elves had. "We should be done in no time." * * * The Elves woke up with a start, startled by the sudden brightness, and a strange call to go outside. Unable to resist, they all trailed outside¡ªtoo weak-willed and dazed to fullyprehend what was happening. All of that changed, however, once Adu and Hogun appeared before them, their eyes glowing with an evil red light. "EEEEEEKKKKK!!!" The Elves jumped from a state of drowsy confusion to a terrified condition¡ªalmost in a heartbeat. Their eyes showed primal fear at the sight of the demons before them. "Get up! Get up!" Adu bellowed, his voice echoing through the vige. "You had better not think of resisting us. You know the consequences." This was, of course, part of their n. It would prove too difficult to try convincing the Elves that they were on their side, after all. The best solution would be to let fear take control. At least, that way, they would listen to them like obedient sheep. And, what do you know? It worked perfectly! The Elves trembled as they got to their feet, their faces pale with fear. Adu and Hogun used the fear and confusion that assailed the Elves to control them. They ordered the Elves to evacuate the vige and leave all their possessions behind. The poor Elves obeyed, stumbling out of their huts and gathering in the central square. "You have the Magic Tool, yeah? Use it already." Hogun spoke, looking at Adu with slight impatience. "The least I could do is enjoy the situation a little more. But whatever¡­" In a sh, Adu released a bright glowing orb that attracted the gaze of the hundreds of Elves all huddled together. "Follow the light," Hogunmanded. "And don''t dare to look back. We''re watching you, after all." The frail beings did as they weremanded and trickled out of their residence, all following the leading of the light. Of course, that was the beacon that would guide them out of their imprisoned state. With no questions asked, they were going to seed in their assignments. "... If only things were that easy." They smiled, casting their gaze above them. ording to Heshu, their leader, the Chief''s residence was suspended in the air. Not only were the Supervisors there, but their precious Elf ally. "We just have to trust Heshu''s judgment, don''t we?" Adu mumbled. "Yeah. Besides¡­ our mission isn''t over yet." No, far from it. If Heshu was right¡ªwhich he often was¡ªthe most challenging part of their task was yet toe. * * * [A/N] I received a message from a fan, which is why I decided to release a chapter. To be honest, I was discouraged to the point of dropping this book (at least, pausing it indefinitely). But, I have decided to continue it on the condition of receiving enoughments and responses from you readers. Thanks to everyone who has kept supporting me thus far, I appreciate it a lot. Chapter 232 Lets Execute The Mission [Pt 2] ? "Hmm?" Zerci Krell''s eyebrow suddenly twitched as she snapped her tongue. "Something is off¡­" Her subordinates were currently staring at her with a mix of confusion and dread. That was because the smile on her face had slowly morphed into something grim and forbidden. Not only was it enough to stop the torture she was about to inflict on the ''Asa'' Elf-girl, but it also halted her berating of the Elf Chief. Nothing screamed of worse news than that. "Hey¡­ are you sure those Demons were nobodies?" Zerci said, her gaze pointed at Jessop, who was one of the only two who had seen them. Apparently, Red was still brooding. "Yeah¡­ I mean, they were no match for me. They only got Red because he was careless, so¡­" "Then why am I sensing something off? Especially from this distance? Something is definitely off." She narrowed her eyes. Zerci always knew to trust her instincts. That was how she had made it this far, after all. "Both of you¡­ Red and Jessop, go and patrol the vige or something." The two exchanged curious nces. Their expressions showed that they clearly wanted to ask something along the lines of "Why?" but they swallowed their inquisitions. "Yes, ma''am!" With that, Jessop teleported both himself and Red, leaving the rest of the Supervisors in the room. And, of course, the three Elven captives remained. "The uneasy feeling hasn''t left." She nced at Asa and narrowed her eyes. "Guess your torture will have to wait." ********** e¦Áglesn?¦Íel Hogun and Adu emerged from the Elf Vige, the once-captive elves trailing a geat distance in front of them in an organized frenzy. One would think their vige had been under siege by a horde of monstrous creatures due to the way they marched away. As the demon pair began their departure, the air around them seemed to quiver with an unnatural energy. Space itself warped and twisted, causing Hogun and Adu to halt in their tracks. They exchanged a quick nce, their eyes gleaming with an understanding that transcended words. It was all going ording to Heshu''s n. Abruptly, a surge of dark power manifested a short distance away, giving form to two imposing figures. The red portal cackled, and out of it emerged Red and Jessop. "Well¡­ I guess it had to be these two¡­" Adu was the only one to speak, with Hogun merely grunting. What were the odds that the two Supervisors they encountered not too long ago now stood before them? "You two¡­" Red''s eyes zed with fiery determination as he spoke while Jessop''s sharp, calcting gaze hinted at a mind adept at strategizing. Thetter remained silent, though hiszy eyes still watched them like a hawk. "It seems she was right, after all. You two are up to no good¡­" He whispered. "Where''s the third one?" Hogun and Adu didn''t respond to the question, but rather shrugged. "Hey! He asked you a question!" Red growled, already rising beyond the level of his patience. The two pairs of demons faced each other, an air of tension enveloping the space between them. After some time of silence, Hogun finally broke it. "What are you two doing here? Pretty sure we snuck in as skillfully as we could." Red''s voice instantly boomed, filled with dark amusement. "It seems fate has delivered us an opportunity for a little... reckoning. I haven''t forgotten what you two idiots did to me. Especially you¡­" His re was focused on Hogun. Adu''s lips curled into a sinister smile, his voice dripping with subtle menace. "Indeed, Red. It appears our paths intertwine once more. Pfft." Jessop''s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, his voice smooth and measured. "Our leader is quite a perceptive one. I really shouldn''t have spared your lives. I won''t be making that mistake again, though." "Is that so?" Adu was especially annoyed because the Supervisor was still looking down on him. As if it wasn''t enough that they had a human as their master. This added salt to his injury. >WHOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHHHH!!!< Without warning, Red charged, his demonic energies erupting around him. Hogun stepped forward to receive his massive blow, causing a loud impact that sent echoes flying around. The sh of power reverberated through the air, each strike leaving visible traces of darkness and fire. The ground trembled beneath their feet, as if the very earth feared their might. Hogun met Red head-on, their fists shing with a thunderous impact. In no time, they began a quick dance in the melee. The ground cracked beneath their feet as they traded blows, their movements a dance of deadly precision. Each strike resonated with the force of their convictions, their rivalry fueling their ferocity. "Well, it looks like that leaves just me and you¡­" Jessop muttered as he watched Adu keenly. "I wouldn''t have it any other way. Try me!" In a sh, Adu covered himself in his dark energy and caused himself to float. Adu, now wreathed in spatial energy, instantly vanished from the battlefield already dominated by the powerful strikes of Red and Hogun, and Jessop followed. ********** Arcane sigils zed in the air as they weaved intricate patterns, casting spells that twisted space itself. Adu''s control over the dark elements of space shed with Jessop''s dark arts, their spells colliding in a symphony of destructive power. "Oh? I didn''t think you had such skill. Were you hiding your power from me before?" Jessop smiled, his dark aura increasing topensate for his obviously inadequate power; at least,pared to Adu. "I''ll show you not to underestimate me! Kekeke! I can finally go all-out!" Cackling like a madman, Adu summoned a maelstrom of his dark orbs, going crazy with the excess demonic energy he had. "W-whoa¡­" Jessop was forced to drop his jaws as he witnessed them appear in their hundreds. "This is¡­ quite a lot." "Let''s give it all we got, cheap knockoff! Hahahahaaha!" Adu screamed, drowning in his power. "I''ve been so frustrated, you know?" A dark purple spark emerged from his eyes, and the expression of death covered his face. "It''s time to vent a little!" * * * [A/N] This is for the fans who keep supporting me and this book. Thanks a lot, guys. I really appreciate it¡­ Chapter 233 Mid-Demons Duke It Out In A Rematch The deste wastnd reverberated with an eerie silence as Jessop, the usually calm and uncaring demon began to show another side of himself. His crimson eyes, smoldering like embers, materialized in a swirl of shadowy mist. His malicious smile twisted his features, a grim reflection of his dark intent. Opposing him, Adu, also grinning with dark malevolence, stood firm with an air of determination. His eyes, a piercing shade of purple, glinted with resolve and the faint trace of a foregone knowledge. "You''re so dead!" Whether it was out of arrogance, sheer ignorance, or something else entirely¡­ this fight ould prove instrumental to unearthing the answer. Adu''s mastery of spatial magic allowed him to bend the very fabric of space-time, albeit limitedly, while Jessop''s control over the same arcane forces also made him a formidable adversary. It was almost like they were made to fight each other. The air itself became charged with anticipation as they locked gazes, their powers surging at their fingertips. With a sinister grin, Jessop lunged forward, his movements as swift as a shadow. He initiated a barrage of spatial spells, teleporting from one spot to another with uncanny speed, making it difficult for Adu to track his movements. Adu, however, met each of Jessop''s assaults with unparalleled agility, his own spatial magic allowing him to anticipate and evade the attacks with calcted precision. As the battle intensified, Adu''s eyes began to radiate a dark energy¡ªa forbidden power he rarely unleashed. Drawing upon the depths of his being, he tapped into the forbidden art of dark magic. Adu''s spatial spells took on an ominous quality, infused with the potency of shadows, allowing him to manipte space with an unmatched ferocity. "Huh¡­?" Seeing Adu''s newfound strength, Jessop''s confidence wavered. He attempted to counter Adu''s attacks, using his own spatial magic to create barriers and distort the battlefield. But Adu''s dark-empowered spells tore through the defenses, ripping through the fabric of space itself. "What?!" Time and again, Adu outmaneuvered Jessop, closing the distance between them with terrifying speed. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!< With each sh, Adu''s power grew exponentially. His spells grew in intensity, ripping apart the very essence of Jessop''s being. Shadows danced around him, coiling like serpents as he unleashed a torrent of dark energy. It surged through his veins, granting him strength and precision beyond anything he had ever possessed. ''This is getting dangerous¡­'' Sensing his impending defeat, Jessop''s desperation fueled his attacks. If he didn''t go all out, things would end up going very terribly for him. A fate he desperately wanted to avoid now. Unfortunately for him, it was futile against the might of Adu''s dark spatial magic. Adu''s spatial spells became cataclysmic, tearing through Jessop''s defenses and reducing them to mere wisps of smoke. With each strike, Adu''s power grew, his onught unrelenting and merciless. In a final, devastating disy of power, Adu summoned all his strength, his body glowing with an ethereal darkness. He channeled his energy into a single spell, a spatial vortex of unfathomable power. The vortex engulfed Jessop, ripping him apart in a maelstrom of shadows. "G-guhhhhh!" It was toote to resist. Toote to do anything, really. "ARRRRRGHHHHHHHH!!!!" The malevolent demon''s shrieks echoed through the wastnd before dissipating into nothingness. As the dust settled, Adu stood alone amidst the remnants of his victory. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body trembling with the sheer exertion of his dark magic. "Damn straight! No one messes with me and lives." He had emerged triumphant, and the cocky smile on his face served to prove it. "Dumbass¡­" All that was left now was Hogun''s fight, and Adu could already predict the oue. "Show that loser who''s boss, Hogun.'' There was no way he was going to settle for anything less. * * * The moonless night sky hung heavy above the abandoned battleground as Red, the demon already consumed by rage and malevolence, growled in the silhouette of his own aura. His crimson eyes burned with an infernal fire, matching the fury that coursed through his veins. Towering over his opponent, Hogun, Red''s muscles bulged with an unholy strength, the manifestation of his berserk nature. Hogun, in sharp contrast, stood steadfast before the oing storm. His calm dark eyes shimmered with determination, his body poised for battle. With a deep breath, he invoked his magic, harnessing the power of enhancement that would push him to the limits of his physical prowess. >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< The sh began as Red lunged forward, his body expanding with each passing moment, resembling a monstrous berserker. He swung his colossal fists with devastating force, the very earth quaking beneath the weight of his rage. But Hogun, fueled by a quiet resolve, evaded Red''s brutal attacks with astonishing agility, his reflexes honed to perfection. With a swift motion, Hogun enhanced his own body, his muscles rippling with newfound strength. His movements became a blur, as he closed the distance between himself and the enraged Red. With each strike, Hogun''s enhanced blows cracked through Red''s defenses, causing the crimson giant to stagger backward. Red''s anger grew with every failed attack, fueling his transformation into an even more monstrous form. His size and strength increased, threatening to overpower Hogun. But Hogun, undeterred, intensified his own enhancements. His speed multiplied exponentially, enabling him to evade Red''s massive fists andnd precision strikes on vulnerable spots. The battleground became a dance of power and skill. Hogun weaved through Red''s onught, his strikesnding with resounding impact, leaving trails of destruction in their wake. The intense battle seemed to teeter on a knife''s edge, but the scales tipped in Hogun''s favor. As Red''s transformation reached its peak, Hogun summoned his ultimate strength. His muscles swelled with raw power, veins bulging beneath his skin as he infused every fiber of his being with energy. In a single, fluid motion, he unleashed an unrelenting barrage of blows upon Red, striking with a speed and force that was unmatched. >BAM!< >WHUUUUUMMMM!!!< >VWUUUUUMMMMMMMMMM!!!< >BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!< Each punch sent shockwaves through the air, shattering the ground beneath them. The force of Hogun''s assault overwhelmed Red''s monstrous form, causing him to stumble and falter. No longer able to withstand the onught, Red let out a roar of defeat, his hulking figure crumbling to the ground. Hogun stood victorious, his breath ragged and his body hardly scathed by the brief but intense fight. "I thought he''d be stronger¡­" Hogun whispered as he stared at his opponent''s remains. but unbroken. Redy defeated, his rage extinguished. The silence that followed was heavy with the weight of the battle that had unfolded, as Hogun, the embodiment of unwavering determination, emerged triumphant over the fury of Red''s anger. "Master will be pleased." All that was left now Heshu''s part in concluding the mission. Whether or not he could seed was not even a question that urred to the lion-faced Demon at all. ''He''s the strongest of us¡­'' And while there was certainly some level of intimidation these Supervisors possessed,pared to the impression Hogun had of the old and crafty Demon, they stood no chance. ''Adu should be done by now. We should meet up.'' * * * [A/N] Hey everyone! I have a new novel ongoing, and I would really appreciate your support. The title is "Only I Can See The End" Please support me by checking it out. Thank you all. Cheers. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!