I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 127

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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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Chapter 127

 

When I opened my eyes in the rural village, there was a woman full of wrinkles beside me. She said she was my nanny. She said my mother was dead, but she continued to serve me. She took me and fled, soon arriving at a village.

 

Even when I asked who exactly my parents were that she would do such a thing, the nanny never answered even once. She only told me to forget everything and live healthily. That it would be painful memories. That there must be reasons for everything I had forgotten.

 

Though I was full of questions, I obediently followed the nanny’s words. The nanny treated me like her own child, and the village people were good too. They said I was strong and handsome, so I was quite popular. I even had a girlfriend I promised to marry. It was a peaceful life.

 

That was until the bandits attacked the village.

 

The peaceful village became a wasteland in an instant. Everyone except me died. It happened while I had gone to the mountains to gather medicinal herbs.

 

While frantically searching for survivors, I found the nanny who had lost her mind. She left behind words that I carried the Emperor’s blood and died.

 

The bandits had already left and couldn’t be found. So I decided to become a mercenary. I thought that if I took missions to exterminate bandits, perhaps someday I could get my revenge without even knowing it.

 

And surprisingly, it suited me.

 

Perhaps it was thanks to the swordsmanship I learned as a pastime from Hans, the neighbor who said he was quite a successful mercenary until he retired after taking an arrow to the knee. Or maybe it was due to my natural physical ability.

 

Before long, I became a fairly renowned mercenary. I even belonged to a successful mercenary company. Thanks to that, I fought bandits to my heart’s content. They said it was because the entire continent suffered from famine due to the influence of the Gate of Demon Realm opening. My resentment naturally turned not toward the bandits, but toward the Demon Realm and the Demon Lord.

 

This became even more so after all my companions died to a Dark Mage who commanded bandits.

 

Perhaps the attack on the village where I lived was also because of a Dark Mage.

 

I joined the subjugation force to kill the Dark Mage and met new companions. One day, a Saint who suddenly appeared called me a Hero.

 

It was a repetition of battle, battle, battle.

 

Every time I defeated Dark Mages and faced demons, strength surged within me. In contrast, I felt my emotions gradually becoming numb. Even when someone new whispered love to me, I no longer felt excited, and even when companions died, I was no longer sad. Even when I thought of my nanny or the village people, I felt nothing.

 

When facing the Demon Lord, not even anger remained.

 

Now I know.

 

That my entire life was according to someone’s design, a life thoroughly crafted to make me a Hero.

 

I also vaguely recalled memories from my childhood. Beyond the memories of the cold laboratory, even the words my mother muttered when I was born.

 

“Ru, Ruin, Epeldor…”

 

Even the haggard face that whispered names in my ear.

 

It was a shabby face that bore only a slight resemblance to the portrait hanging in one corner of the Imperial Palace.

 

However, this deed was not done out of revenge.

 

It wasn’t revenge against the world that tormented me, against those who trampled on my life. Emotions like anger had long since disappeared.

 

Simply.

 

The moment I first thrust a sword into a bandit’s body, the moment I finally smashed a Dark Mage’s head to pieces. The moment I defeated a demon after a fierce battle.

 

And ultimately, even the moment I brought down the Demon Lord.

 

Even when all other emotions disappeared, only the exhilaration felt in moments of struggle never faded.

 

Greater struggle. Greater exhilaration. I simply wanted to feel more of the only emotion that remained to me, the one that proved I had survived.

 

When I think about it, my life was always a struggle. Except for the moments spent in that artificially created village.

 

Since that’s how it began, there was a moment when I thought it wouldn’t be bad to end my life this way either. But when facing the dragon born through Kaela Rowan, I felt those suppressed emotions again.

 

And now, at this moment.

 

“Ahh…”

 

It blazed intensely in the crisis where one more swing of the Holy Sword would mean death.

 

It was hard to control the corners of my mouth rising.

 

If I couldn’t bring that thing down in one strike and obtain the divinity contained within it, I would die. Even Fate’s Protection, which ensured I would never be defeated until I brought down the Demon Lord, had disappeared.

 

The true sensation of death I was experiencing for the first time in my life.

 

“Hey, this time it’s for real! The back of the neck!”

 

I heard my companion’s shouting voice.

 

Putting everything into it, the man who was once a Hero swung his sword.

 

* * *

 

“Did, did we get it?”

 

Johnny, who had driven his sword into the ground and was barely supporting his body, muttered. It was right after that when Shtidy struck his head with the staff she was holding.

 

“Didn’t I tell you that word is forbidden?”

 

“No, why….”

 

“It’s ominous. What if it happens again like last time.”

 

Only then did Johnny draw his sword and point it forward. It was because the Dark Mage they had faced last time was so tenacious.

 

A strange magic that half-transformed his own body into undead, reviving him no matter how many times he was killed. The Dark Mage who shouted about living eternally and becoming a god could only be defeated after completely collapsing the dungeon with the Holy Sword.

 

But the Dark Mage they faced this time did not rise again. Though he possessed greater power than anyone they had encountered before, he seemed to lack that tenacious life force.

 

After a long while, as Johnny let out a sigh of relief, Albeng burst into laughter beside him.

 

“Our Strong is still full of energy even after the battle ends.”

 

Albeng smiled slyly and cast Divine Magic on Johnny. Due to the influence of the closed sky, his Holy Power had not increased much despite becoming a saint. It was disappointing compared to the legend of the Saint who could even revive the dead.

 

However, even that was desperately needed by Johnny’s current party. It seemed that the spells of other Priests didn’t even have the capacity to reattach severed limbs.

 

“It’s Shtidy, not Strong.”

 

On the other hand, Shtidy had grown brilliantly.

 

His mana capacity had increased incomparably to before, and he had succeeded in forming circles with mana, which was said to be recently popular. The casting speed and stability of his magic went without saying.

 

Skills that anyone would have to acknowledge as those of an Archmage. Even in this battle, he had played the most active role after Hero Johnny.

 

“Are you two having a lovers’ quarrel again? What are we supposed to do with our broken hearts. Right, Hero?”

 

“A lovers’ quarrel? Me with him?”

 

“Sherry. You shouldn’t say such things carelessly. Why would you want to trap innocent people.”

 

When the leather-clad woman spoke with a sly smile, both Shtidy and Albeng frowned simultaneously.

 

“Is this the end of the Dark Mage subjugation?”

 

“The ones that were authorized for subjugation.”

 

The woman called Sherry sat down on the floor. Not a single wound was visible on her, despite having distracted the Dark Mage’s attention with swift movements.

 

A Mage who only studied theory, a Priest lacking in faith, a thief who was almost executed after being caught pickpocketing.

 

At first, they weren’t particularly impressive, but now they had grown enough to look like a proper Hero’s party. And the one who had achieved the greatest growth of all was.

 

“By the way, what was that earlier?”

 

The Hero at their center, Johnny.

 

“Aha, ha…”

 

People’s gazes focused on Johnny, who was laughing awkwardly. Shtidy’s eyes in particular looked unusual.

 

Certainly, the final blow he had delivered was comparable to the Second Hero’s attack that split the sky together with the dragon.

 

“It seems I somehow completed all the trials.”

 

“The trials?”

 

Johnny scratched his cheek sheepishly as he spoke.

 

“I had originally skipped several trials anyway. Even if I don’t reach the prime of the First Hero or Second Hero, they say this level should be enough to defeat the Demon Lord. Though it might be a bit close.”

 

“Did the Holy Sword tell you that too?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

It was shortly after defeating the Great Demon that they learned the Holy Sword in his hand was an ego sword with its own consciousness.

 

The Holy Sword constantly compared Johnny to the First Hero and belittled him at every turn. Johnny’s mental state rapidly deteriorated, but the Holy Sword became an excellent master in return.

 

If that Holy Sword said so, it was certain. The Hero now had only one trial remaining.

 

Defeating the Demon Lord.

 

If he accomplished that, this tiresome journey would finally end. A strange ripple arose in everyone’s hearts.

 

“Breaking news, breaking news!”

 

While they were discussing the Holy Sword and trials, Sherry, who had briefly stepped away, returned and shouted.

 

“What is it this time?”

 

“It’s probably nothing special. Something about what the next subjugation target is. What, are they finally going to push down the Black Tower?”

 

“No, no. It’s really breaking news. Let me see, so…”

 

Sherry, who seemed at a loss for words as she checked the paper in her hand again, spoke.

 

“They say a Hero has become Emperor?”

 

“Huh?”

 

An unexpected story. Shtidy and Albeng looked back at Johnny. When someone mentioned a Hero, he was naturally the person who came to mind.

 

“No, no. Not our Hero. The Senior Hero over there in the Empire.”

 

Sherry urgently waved the hand holding the paper to correct the group’s misunderstanding.

 

And she checked the paper once more before speaking.

 

“A Fire Giant suddenly attacked the Imperial Capital, and the Emperor and Crown Prince died. There are only a handful of Imperial Family members left, so Ruin Epeldor, who defeated the giant, ascended to the throne as Emperor.”

 

“….”

 

Everyone was momentarily speechless.

 

The death of the Thousand Year Empire’s Emperor. This was something that hadn’t happened even when the Demon Lord invaded the Middle Realm. The Empire founded by the First Hero had always been steadfast. It was an Empire that had safely overcome even the dragon’s invasion.

 

Where this Fire Giant that killed such an Emperor had suddenly appeared from – everything was questionable, but the first to speak was Shtidy.

 

“Is the capital okay?”

 

“Since the Emperor died, the damage seems severe. But overall it appears to be fine.”

 

“…Phew.”

 

Shtidy barely let out a sigh, but her trembling didn’t improve at all.

 

“Do you have a lover you left behind in the capital?”

 

Sherry joked, but Shtidy only glared at her for a moment and gave no answer.

 

Albeng, who sent a bit of Holy Power to Shtidy, asked.

 

“Come to think of it, Shtidy said the Empire was her hometown.”

 

“I never left the capital until joining here.”

 

“Oh my.”

 

“It’s fine. I haven’t met my family since Academy days anyway.”

 

“Then, as expected, a hidden lover….”

 

Sherry’s voice, clapping her hands as if she understood, died down under Shtidy’s cold gaze.

 

“Let’s return to the capital.”

 

“There’s no need to do that just because of me….”

 

Johnny said while waving his hand.

 

“It’s not unnecessary. If Shtidy makes a mistake, everyone will be in danger. It would also be good to stop by to secure the Demon Lord’s location.”

 

Shtidy was the strongest fighter excluding Johnny. Each of her spells could devastate an area dozens of meters in radius. If she made a mistake in Mana Control or her spells went out of control, allies would get hurt.

 

“Above all….”

 

Johnny’s face turned cold as he turned around.

 

“There’s something I need to take care of first.”

 

The Hero loses most of his power the moment he defeats the Demon Lord. Even Fate’s Protection, which had protected him from absolute defeat, disappears.

 

There were things that had to be completed before that happened.

 

“How about we also pay a visit to see our Sponsor’s face after such a long time?”

 

Albeng shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head.

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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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