116. What’s a hero if you’re not confident?
[Did you let go on purpose?]
On the way back, I continued to grumble.
I was preoccupied with Elseria, so even if I lost sight of Vargo for a moment, there was no way I wouldn’t have noticed Cream or Choco running away after Vargo.
Moreover, seeing Vargo’s mild-mannered personality, he wouldn’t have dared to run away after receiving treatment, so someone else would have kicked him out with tough measures.
“Poop.”
At my sharp questioning, Cream shyly turned her head away, and Choco openly laughed.
“A hunter is disqualified when he loses sight of his prey.”
[That damn kid…]
I wanted to hit it with my heart, but it was sad that I couldn’t because it was a sword. Come to think of it, I can’t even shed tears because it’s a sword.
[Then, are you heading to the base of the Dark Church now?]
“Yes.”
The request was not completed, and Firen and the Bishop of the Moon left to pursue Vargo. Because we realized that there was no more enthusiasm for us, or more precisely for Cream.
To be honest, I was very sad too, but it was okay. Instead, they found bigger and better prey. A book we found in a secret location of the Dark Church.
In the space beyond the portrait resembling Cream was a list of books compiling the secrets of the Church. Also, the locations of other bases were also recorded there.
[Do you remember exactly where it is?]
“Write it down, I put it down.”
Cream shook the paper he had made by roughly ripping a sheet of parchment. The contents seemed to me like graffiti rather than language that had any meaning.
Indeed, the original was crumbled by the touch of a person with divine power. Seeing that Cream is so confident, he can trust him a bit.
[······Me, but the hero.]
“Huh?”
[Are you going straight to your destination?]
There was no specific time limit, and as the destination was so clear, Cream was walking unsteadily. Of course, even at that speed, it was faster than most people sprinting.
With each step we took, we were leaving the city and going deeper into the forest. A land untouched by people, of course there are no signs, but I don’t know how to find the way.
“Problem, Rado?”
Cream tilted her head at the Holy Sword’s question, which felt somewhat uneasy.
[I haven’t read the contents of the book either… But judging from the atmosphere, it seems that the place recorded on that unholy paper is a pretty important place for the Dark Church.]
“Yes. They say darkness, weaving.”
Just hearing the name sounds precious. By the way, if that darkness isn’t a metaphor, if it’s the same power as the ‘darkness’ I’m dealing with, will I be able to devour it this time too?
Even if that’s not the case, recently, as I ate delicious enemies one after another, my strength has increased dramatically. It’s just a pity that I don’t have a chance to play an active role because Cream’s power is at odds with mine.
As expected, I am more suited to being in the hands of the weak, not the strong. Helping him to wring out his own life and rake the world with his deathbed. I am a flame that can only burn with firewood.
“So, do you hate me?”
[No, it’s not like that.]
Of course, I won’t look for other owners than Cream, but I can’t help but have personal preference.
If we unleash our powers at the same time, my cute ghosts will melt into the sanctity of the cream. That’s why we sealed the divine power and fought only using the power of the specter.
Actually, this is not a power that can be controlled. I can only take the specters out and put them back in, for once released, the specters attack all living things with rampant aggression.
[I can’t believe I have no guilt while exploiting poor souls as I please…]
[Ah, what.]
A person who might have a seizure if I exert myself. No, there is also a sword. Above all, even if you deal with ghosts or darkness in that way, the divine power of cream is actually stronger.
Still, I learned that I can expand the limits of my vessel by absorbing the holy relics of evil spirits, and recently I have been making significant progress. If we keep going like this, someday…
[······Hyuu. It would be pointless to expect a conscience from someone like you. However, warrior. Are you really attacking right away without any preparation or support?]
[Do! I can’t believe your hero! Didn’t Agu even hit the Demon King in the old days?]
[It’s awkward, so don’t talk like that. And, of course, the hero has great power, but he doesn’t fight the demon king alone, right?]
[What, really?]
I was shocked by the Holy Sword’s coming out. Wait, I wasn’t really conscious of it until now, but now that I think about it, it seems like that.
All the ‘darkness’ that exists in the world rushes to the target declared by the hero as the demon king. In return, the demon king gains enormous power, but the dark energy always gathers around him, so he can’t hide his location.
[Keeek! There is no romance in this world!]
Recalling the record that thousands of soldiers, hundreds of wizards, and dozens of high-ranking priests capable of drawing divine spells were mobilized to capture a demon king, I screamed.
[Wait a minute, Muffin. You said you were a battle saint? Was it like that when you fought together with the dragon?]
[······· Huh? Ah. It did. Besides, wasn’t the demon king of eternity an elder lich even before he became a demon king? Considering the subtlety of witchcraft, I can’t let the hero and the demon king fight one-on-one.]
This world is truly rotten. Why is it only in places like this that we focus on reality when it comes to fantasy? It’s funny for me as a demonic swordsman to say such a thing, but I also had a desire to become a hero in my own way.
The Demon King is waiting for you. Four heavenly kings wait on each floor, and after entrusting their opponents to his colleagues, the hero arrives in front of the throne of the demon king by blood and blood. And the two of them engage in a final duel.
[Do you have a childish side? Well, it’s not that I don’t understand your romance, but a hero shouldn’t be defeated.]
[Eh? Actually, isn’t the hero’s role over when he declares himself the Demon King? To be honest, if you look at the world as a whole, there are plenty of Transcendents who are stronger than the Hero.]
Of course, not among humans or mortals, but only among elder monsters, dragons, and demigods that have lived for over a thousand years. The hero isn’t really the strongest in the world.
And even if it is less than that, a group with a large number of strong people can hunt the stronger one. Only a hero can create a demon lord. It is not necessary for a warrior to catch the Demon King.
[You don’t know.]
[What?]
[If the hero is defeated by the demon king, the world will perish.]
Muffin said in a nonchalant tone, as if tonight were strong soybean soup, so I inadvertently agreed. Soon after I realized the meaning, I was startled.
[What?]
[What?]
But why are you surprised together? While I stared at the Holy Sword with bewildered eyes, Muffin explained in a voice as soft as ever but tired.
[The power of the hero only gathers the darkness of the world in one place. The demon lord who has taken on the darkness is strengthened just by possessing it… In fact, it’s hard to say that he’s handling the darkness properly.]
Well, regardless of the size of the power, those who perfectly control it do not leak their power. As if Choco, who used to radiate electricity when she was just a saint, is now walking around.
However, the description that appears in common to all demon kings is ‘wraps around a pillar of darkness that extends to the sky’. Like the rising peaks of the mountain range at sunset.
[If the Demon King is defeated in that state, the darkness of the world that has lost its focal point will naturally dissipate. Despair and death circulate in the world, and the Demon King does not appear until enough darkness gathers again.]
The demon king reappears with a period of time ranging from as short as tens to as long as over a hundred years. There was a reason for this. It was a very interesting story.
[······Is that true? How do you know this?]
[However, if the hero is defeated by the demon king, if he dies at the hands of the demon king, the darkness of the world will recognize the demon king as its master and obey him. If all the pain and grudges of this world were contained in one mortal body…]
However, Muffin coolly chewed the Holy Sword’s question and ended his speech in a bleak voice.
[Perhaps its power is comparable to that of a divine being. An evil god that grew up eating the solitude and anguish of mortals is born.]
The evil god that Muffin spoke of and the evil god that the Dark Church believed in were slightly different in nuance, but the meaning was the same. Either way, the point of being an absurd and unreasonable disaster to us is the same.
[Well, there’s no need to be too scared. Could it be that the cream will lose?]
Besides, we’re not going to fight the demon lord either. At most, they’re going to rob a pseudo-group’s base. There is nothing to worry about.
[But…]
[You know. When you become a hero, it’s hard to die because of the divine protection.]
Normally, a low-grade protection is applied to Cream, but if she wishes or is in a crisis regardless of her own will, the gods bestow a powerful protection that can overcome her crisis.
Blessings that prevent instant death, recover to a full state, or become extremely strong against a specific enemy. A one-step reversal that can overturn an unfavorable board at once.
But I’ve never seen Cream in such a crisis that it received such a high-ranking blessing. Before blessing, the basic specs of the hero itself are fraudulent.
[So don’t worry. Do you believe in the hero more than me, who is a demonic sword because they are each holy sword?]
[No, it’s not that kind of problem!]
[Whoops, don’t get too hot. When the work is over, those children will learn something themselves.]
Unfortunately, however, the only thing that insisted on preparing something was the holy sword. The muffins are also relaxed, and the cream or chocolate doesn’t seem to feel the need to prepare in the first place.
To be honest, there was nothing to prepare. Anyway, if it is the base of the Dark Church, the level of the enemies will be high, and halfway allies will catch our ankles like in the other world.
From noble mtl dot com
“As if, as if, a grown-up, he speaks.”
[At least now I’m older than you guys.]
Firen and the Moon Bishop, who are quite strong, were also very dissatisfied. It is also comfortable to work alone. Maybe Cream thinks so too.
“Don’t worry! I am too!”
Okay, should I add chocolate? Moreover, a cataclysm was happening in his status window recently. Maybe she was stimulated by becoming a saint and meeting her mother.
For now, most of his characteristics are filled with question marks, but once his powers are fully established, Choco will once again achieve great growth.
So that’s fine. With two such powerful Transcendentalists united, who the hell can stand against them?