Chapter 29: New Hero

“…”

Lirinel, who had been sitting on the wall of the third city, watching the monsters batter the barrier with a pitiful look, suddenly shot up as if burned.

Her eyes were wide and shaking violently.

“Lady Lirinel? What’s wrong? Could there be a problem with the fourth city…?”

“It’s broken.”

“Yes?! Are you saying the barrier is broken?!”

“The necklace I gave to Demon-nim is broken!”

“…Yes?”

For a moment, the adjutant’s thoughts stalled.

Demon-nim? If it’s Demon-nim… right, Demon Hart. The commander of the Demon King’s 0th Legion.

To me, he is an existence as lofty as the sky, someone I wouldn’t dare to even think lightly of, which is why my thoughts were delayed.

So, you gave something to him? No, when exactly? And it broke? Why?

“What should I do? I made it so it would only react to attacks that are truly ‘instant-death’ level!”

“Ah… that’s really…”

…Is it dangerous?

The adjutant’s expression turned awkward.

I want to sympathize, but it’s hard to relate.

The Commander of the 0th Legion is in danger? In a life-or-death situation? No matter how I think about it, I can’t imagine it.

Moreover, if what she says is true, this is a serious matter.

For someone to push him to the brink of death means they could also be a threat to the Demon King!

“I have to go!”

“Yes? No, please calm down and wait a moment… Ah, please.”

Lirinel waves her hand wildly towards somewhere.

She’s signaling the legion, who are already diligently wiping out the monsters, to hurry even more!

As if that wasn’t enough, the adjutant hastily grabbed her as she tried to move somewhere, letting out a heartfelt sigh.

‘Honestly…’

The Demon King hasn’t issued an order, and the legion hasn’t been annihilated, so we should complete our assigned task and return following standard procedures. That’s common sense.

Whether she doesn’t know it or is pretending not to know it. I can’t tell which, but one thing I’m sure of is…

Either way, it’s absurd.

‘I want to quit being an adjutant…’

A sigh filled with someone’s anguish scattered silently in the air.

***

“I was planning to kill you in one go.”

A voice filled with coldness flowed from inside the helmet.

Despite the clear provocation, Demon simply stood still, his eyes taking in the fragments scattering around him.

This was a scene he hadn’t anticipated either.

Demon was calm when it came to things related to survival, and he was quite clever.

That’s why, instead of being provoked by the opponent’s words and rushing in, he focused on understanding what had just happened to him.

So, let’s think back to what happened a moment ago.

Suddenly, a transparent barrier formed around his body and shattered, and then the mana stone necklace Lirinel gave him crumbled and scattered like this.

This means one thing.

‘It used its power completely.’

It means the magic contained in the mana stone was used.

In other words, the transparent barrier that appeared a moment ago was a kind of defensive magic that blocked a powerful surprise attack, and the mana stone, having fulfilled its role, simply crumbled away.

…Did she say it would prevent instant death at least once?

‘That means I almost died in one hit.’

His eyes, which had been looking down at the necklace, lifted to take in the culprit of the attack.

Although his face is hidden by the helmet, he’s probably the ‘new hero’ that the soldiers are excitedly talking about.

Thinking that far, the corners of Demon’s mouth hidden by the black cloth turned up in a smirk.

“So you’re the new hero.”

“I’m being called that, perhaps too generously.”

“…Hmm.”

The dagger in his hand twirled.

Unlike before, Demon frowned slightly and pointed his dagger at him.

His uncomfortable mood was evident in his attitude.

“Your voice is strangely familiar. It’s irritating.”

“I’m the one who’s irritated. I’ve never met a demon before.”

“Take off your helmet.”

“Are you telling me to take off my helmet in front of an enemy?”

A clear refusal.

Clang! Sparks flew before Cruel’s eyes.

Clack, clack, clack.

The dagger and long sword intertwined, making a grating sound.

With the weapons locked, Demon brought his face close to Cruel’s and said with a teasing voice.

The utterly abnormal laughter contained a thick and clear madness.

“You said the title of hero is too generous, didn’t you?”

“…”

“I’ll check for you whether it’s really too generous or not.”

A storm of attacks began to pour down on Cruel.

Clang, clang! Claaang!!

A rapid exchange of blows.

In the relentless barrage of attacks, Cruel calmly blocked each and every one.

He was only blocking.

The Commander of the 0th Legion wasn’t giving him any chance to counterattack.

However, it wasn’t as if Cruel was completely at a disadvantage.

‘The attacks are light.’

Whether it’s because he’s focusing solely on speed or that’s his original level of attack, the attacks are too light.

They were so light that he felt even the attacks of ordinary soldiers were heavier, so despite the overwhelming speed, blocking them wasn’t too difficult.

Claaang!

When he timed it perfectly and struck the incoming dagger hard, it slipped weakly from the grasp of the Commander of the 0th Legion and flew far away.

However, even after losing his weapon, the Commander of the 0th Legion didn’t panic at all. Rather, he brandished the dagger in his other hand to create distance, hid his empty hand inside his robe, and then pulled out another dagger that looked exactly the same.

As if he knew his own weaknesses, it was a practiced and natural action.

‘It seems like pushing him with strength and stamina would work.’

Just as Cruel made that judgment, Demon wasn’t idle either.

‘It’s time to retreat.’

That voice is so annoying that I lingered longer than I intended. Anyone with a bit of sense would have already noticed my weakness.

I didn’t intend to win in the first place.

Demon knew his own body too well. He had to know it well because he was weak. That’s how he could use this body efficiently.

The current condition of his body, as he understood it, wasn’t good.

His breathing was starting to quicken. His hands were trembling from exhaustion after clashing with his opponent several times.

He could try to fight a little longer, but there was no reason to take risks in such a pointless endeavor, so he mercilessly kicked Cruel in the stomach to create distance and retreated.

“It’s a shame, but it’s over for today.”

“…Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“If you want, we can meet again tomorrow. Right?”

“…”

The losses would be too great to do that.

Regardless of the actual skill of the Commander of the 0th Legion, what ultimately sways the morale of the battlefield is his reputation.

Since we suffered a significant blow this time, if he participates again, our side’s morale will probably drop even further than it is now.

That being said, Cruel didn’t have the confidence to chase down the Commander of the 0th Legion who had already created distance and finish the fight.

Cruel had experienced his speed firsthand during their brief exchange. He knew that the commander could escape faster than he could reach him.

As if reading Cruel’s hesitation, Demon chuckled cheerfully.

Hiding his dagger inside his robe, he murmured as if to himself, just loud enough for Cruel to hear.

“Well, the truth is I came because our side was being pushed back too much, so I plan to return as soon as we reclaim the Demon Realm’s land. It’s not like I want to stay in a place like this for long. I’m not really fond of cruelty.”

As if.

Cruel’s brow furrowed.

“Your side was the one that started the trouble in the first place. If that demon called the Commander of the 9th Corps hadn’t kept crossing the border, this fight wouldn’t have happened. I wouldn’t have had any reason to come here.”

“Ah…”

He had heard that the Commander of the 9th Corps was causing a ruckus out of boredom, but he didn’t expect him to cross the border.

He must have been provoking them by stepping into the Human Realm and then back across the border. The Empire, already sensitive to the movements of the Demon Realm, wouldn’t have stayed still after hearing that news.

Demon, realizing what must have happened before the hero arrived, hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“If you return the Demon Realm’s land, I’ll make sure our guys don’t chase after you.”

“…An apology would have been enough. Either way, it was beneficial for me. I’ll gladly accept your offer, though.”

“Good, then.”

The conversation ended.

Cruel stared silently at the man in the black robe who disappeared from his sight in an instant, then turned and said.

“We retreat too.”

Back to the border.

***

The Imperial army is retreating.

It was truly a refreshing sight.

How much hardship had they endured since arriving here? Considering all the suffering so far, this wasn’t satisfying enough.

The soldiers seemed to feel the same way, their faces filled with joy as they roared and chased after the Imperial army.

Commander of the 1st Corps, Jaykar, who had intended to capitalize on this momentum and pursue the Imperial army, soon noticed something and quickly changed his orders.

“All troops, return.”

There was only one reason.

Commander of the 0th Legion, Demon Hart. He was sending a hand signal of disapproval from afar.

This man was the one who had relieved this continuous crisis, allowing them to finally breathe. It was only natural to respect his opinion.

Moreover, the fact that he, who had been pushing back the hero, stopped and returned midway meant there must be a good reason.

More than anything,

‘There’s no need to provoke him and create problems.’

He turned his head and looked at the Commander of the 0th Legion approaching unsteadily.

“Good work.”

“…”

No answer came back.

Jaykar, tilting his eyebrows in confusion, was about to speak again when the lips of the Commander of the 0th Legion slowly parted.

“Ah…”

…Ah?

Before he could voice his question, the legs of the Commander of the 0th Legion buckled and he fell forward.

Just as a flustered Jaykar was about to grab him, a hand reached out to support him even faster.

A hand that received him naturally, as if prepared for this.

The adjutant of the Commander of the 0th Legion, Ed, was it? It seemed like this wasn’t the first or second time this had happened, as he skillfully caught the collapsing Commander of the 0th Legion and spoke carefully.

“Are you alright?”

“…Damn…this body…”

A faint tremor resonated from their touching bodies. Proof that he had exhausted almost all of his strength.

Ed stared at him silently, then adjusted his position to make him more comfortable and whispered kindly.

“You’ve strained yourself despite your poor condition. Please rest.”

It seemed his tension had finally eased. The body of the Commander of the 0th Legion slumped.

Ed, practically carrying him, nodded towards someone. Naturally, Ben, the physician, approached and began the examination.

This entire series of events was so natural that Jaykar could only stare blankly, forgetting to manage his disorganized troops.

“He seems to have accumulated fatigue from pushing his weakened body. It’s just a fainting spell.”

It took about three seconds for Jaykar to realize that Ben’s report was directed at him.

Ah, Jaykar let out a short sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. The gesture held the embarrassment of being momentarily distracted.

“See that the Commander of the 0th Legion is taken care of.”

“Yes.”

He had a question he wanted to ask, but it wasn’t important enough to bother a collapsed person, and besides, he had already found the answer himself, so he didn’t wake the Commander of the 0th Legion.

The reason he sent the hand signal not to pursue.

It must have been because he knew his physical condition wasn’t good.

If he pushed himself any further and collapsed in front of the enemy, the tide of the war would turn again as if nothing had happened.

Moreover, how would the Imperial army’s thoughts change upon seeing that?

The thought that the Commander of the 0th Legion might not be a big deal after all would subtly arise.

If that happened, the Commander of the 0th Legion’s participation would no longer shake them.

The decision not to pursue was truly understandable, and following his words was also an excellent choice.

What would have happened if they hadn’t followed his orders?

Jaykar shook his head at the thought of such an unpleasant possibility and looked at Demon Hart being carried away in Ed’s arms.

‘Deciding to respect him was probably an excellent choice.’

The Commander of the 0th Legion who suddenly appeared and took a position.

Many legion commanders had been pondering this.

[Should we acknowledge and respect him, or should we push him out?]

Jaykar was no exception, though he didn’t show it.

Especially since he was the Commander of the 1st Corps, the commander with the highest number until now, he had no choice but to consider it even more deeply.

And so, the conclusion was reached.

[Let’s acknowledge him.]

There was no choice from the beginning.

Even aside from stopping the hero’s self-destruction and killing the former Commander of the 7th Corps, he was someone the Demon King had personally brought in. What could they do if they didn’t acknowledge him?

And that choice was truly right.

The Commander of the 0th Legion was not a general who blindly chased after the enemy. He was a commander who could appropriately assess the situation and suppress his own desires.

‘He must have wanted to fight more.’

He probably could have fought a little longer if he had pushed himself.

Even so, stopping meant the risks would increase significantly.

The Commander of the 0th Legion’s defeat wasn’t just a loss for him alone; it directly impacted the morale of the entire Demon King’s army.

Jaykar looked at the Demon with a fresh gaze, then chuckled softly and turned his head.

There was still work to be done.