Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 190

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Part 2, Chapter 57

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Aphene smiled, lifting one corner of his mouth at the Hero’s bold appearance.

But that was all.

“But you foolish Hero, you should have known that.”

Aphene spoke in a low voice.

Perhaps because he was on the dais, looking down at him from above, it seemed as if the Demon King was now in a position that humans could never dare approach.

“It must have been the wish of fools to think I would be in the same weakened state as before.”

Aphene spoke with his voice lowered.

His mood seemed thoroughly twisted, as he had now erased all traces of laughter.

Of course, that had been something he said to reassure Judith and get him to leave.

From that statement to his current actions.

Whether he had rubbed Aphene the wrong way, his aura was fierce.

Seeing the Demon King directly, he understood.

How Aphene could maintain composure even when facing the one who had once killed him.

‘My body is already at its limit.’

He couldn’t endure the curse in this space thick with demonic energy.

The holy sword he gripped was trembling finely.

It wasn’t resistance toward the Demon King standing before him. It was showing rejection toward Adam, who had been its master.

But Adam couldn’t retreat right now.

Because it had always been that way.

When he went alone to subjugate the Demon King that everyone said was impossible, when he first laid eyes on the Demon King.

Nothing had ever been easy.

However, his god had always given him answers.

‘Iberis…’

So her Hero too had no choice but to continue until his strength was exhausted.

However, Adam’s appearance seemed arrogant in the Demon King’s eyes.

Aphene, who had been watching with interest, wore a mocking smile as if finding it ridiculous.

“Do you think you can oppose me with just this much?”

Adam swung the holy sword with trembling hands.

But there was no way he could land an effective attack on Aphene with a holy sword he couldn’t even grip properly.

And Aphene knew this well too.

Aphene brushed away the holy sword aimed at him with his hand.

Where it grazed the back of his hand, a scar spread red like a burn, but Adam’s grip on the sword had weakened.

Having easily brushed away the holy sword, Aphene glared at Adam with sharp, cold eyes.

“The fact that you’re maintaining your sanity right now was already remarkable… Instead of opposing me, if you had run away right now, you might have lived a little longer.”

Aphene smiled gleefully.

“But you’ve thrown away that opportunity.”

This was the first Hero who had entertained him this much.

He could at least praise him as the first Hero to corner him this far.

If things had gone wrong, he might not have recovered his power for several more decades.

Aphene wore a languid smile.

But that was all.

Aphene had been resurrected by sacrificing countless lives.

Even without a core, his power resurrected through countless sacrifices wasn’t satisfying, but it was quite useful.

After all, humans softened by peace could be easily killed by his subordinates alone.

And if he just killed that Hero, no matter how lacking his power, there would be no one who would dare stop him.

Yes, if only there were no Heroes to dare oppose him.

Aphene ground his teeth at the face of one woman that came to mind.

If only that damned thing called a Saint hadn’t existed, there would have been no Hero to trouble him.

However, a Hero who had received only a portion of the Saint’s power was not perfect enough to oppose the Demon King.

If he made this Hero his plaything again, he was curious to see how the already-at-her-limit Saint’s will would react.

But there was no way a dead Saint could harm him.

In the end, after going round and round, it was his victory.

The red wine in the golden goblet flowed down, wetting Aphene’s hand.

Having drained the wine in one gulp, Aphene flicked his hand.

Then countless streams of demonic energy moved and enveloped Adam. Adam swung his holy sword to drive the demonic energy away.

And he quickly ran toward Aphene.

But even in the midst of this, a red glint briefly flashed in Adam’s eyes before disappearing.

Aphene watched such an Adam and chuckled.

“No matter how much you struggle, the ending is already decided.”

“What if that ending could be changed?”

Adam approached him while striking away all the demonic energy that came to bind him.

“Your subordinate seemed to notice, but you don’t know? You shouldn’t think about it normally.”

“Even if you have some petty trick, do you think I can’t kill you?”

Abaddon had noticed that Adam was using some strange technique.

That’s why he had approached Iberis and urged her to kill him.

But rather, if Adam died, the Saint would give him another chance.

Having accumulated experience through endless regression, next time he could easily kill the Demon King.

Before the Demon King could cast a curse, he was confident he could plunge his holy sword into the Demon King’s belly.

However, Adam didn’t choose the easy method.

If he regressed…

‘Iberis might not be there.’

If Iberis could live and breathe, he didn’t need a better future for himself.

However, what Abaddon also knew, Aphene didn’t know that fact, thinking he could reach his goal.

Adam brought up what he had been thinking about all along.

“Your purpose isn’t to kill me, so you won’t kill me.”

“Why do you think that?”

It was strange from the start that the Demon King was indulging him in trivial chatter.

So Adam could be certain.

Hadn’t Adam heard it directly from Iberis?

The person who brought Iberis to this place.

And the person who kept making him regress.

He was certain that the Demon King was doing this now because he wanted to kill the First Saintess.

At first, he had wondered why he unnecessarily cursed Heroes and played with them.

Just as toys? But there would be more toys than Heroes who could point swords at him at any time.

So the Demon King was trying to make the First Saintess give up. To break the will of her who kept creating Heroes to oppose him.

“Aria whispered it to me.”

“…!”

When the Saint’s name came up, Aphene’s body froze for a moment.

Not missing that moment, Adam rushed at him.

The Demon King had nothing in his hands except the glass goblet, and no demonic aura could be felt.

Due to the holy sword’s rejection, Adam’s palm gradually turned red.

However, Adam didn’t let go of the holy sword and brought it right up to his neck.

It was the moment Adam was certain he had gained the upper hand.

“…Ugh.”

Demonic energy he couldn’t strike away tightly wrapped around Adam’s legs.

Even though it was small demonic energy he would have easily shaken off normally, Adam couldn’t move at all.

And his arm stopped right there.

Just a little more, just a little more and he could have cut the Demon King’s neck.

However, the demonic energy that burrowed into his legs from the start was faster at consuming him.

The curse that had already worsened would not allow his movement.

His chest grew increasingly tight and his vision blurred.

Adam raised his hand and wiped his face.

‘I’ve been had….’

Adam could barely stand by leaning against the wall.

Cold sweat trickled down his cheek.

Adam’s eyes reflected in the window he turned to look at were a vivid red color.

Aphene giggled and stretched out his hand.

“So what is she going to do about it? You’re my toy now anyway. The previous Hero was a cherished collection, but since he died, you’re not bad as a replacement.”

Aphene came down from the dais and grabbed Adam’s neck like a child clutching a toy.

However, Adam couldn’t move at all.

The curse applied to him made him unable to budge an inch.

“You know it too. The curse has never stopped, not even once.”

Aphene shrugged his shoulders as if anything was fine.

“Good, let’s start the party.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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