Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 63

The forest sprawled near the Black Colossus. Here, the law of the jungle reigned supreme as countless magical beasts clashed in a fierce struggle for survival.

A constant barrage of roars and the din of battle filled the forest, a symphony of the strong preying on the weak!

But today, the usual sounds were overshadowed.

“Kuhoo! Let’s get this started!” “I’m going to be the first one in!” “I, Ulkakook, will become a battalion commander! No, a regimental commander!”

A staggering number of demons, nearly a thousand, had gathered, each exuding a chilling aura of power.

Each of them possessed strength equivalent to at least a company commander, a force to be reckoned with.

The combined magical energy of these formidable individuals created an atmosphere that was almost suffocating, a palpable weight in the air.

The nearby magical beasts, sensing the unusual gathering and the immense power it represented, were nowhere to be seen, having wisely retreated.

“That anchovy over there has a combat power of 20,000… that pig is at 35,000. And that crocodile head exceeds 40,000.”

Choi Hyun-seok, wearing a combat power measuring device, carefully surveyed the surroundings, assessing the competition.

Since everyone was aiming for the coveted position of battalion commander, their combat power was, unsurprisingly, considerable.

From a rough estimate, the average combat power hovered around 35,000.

With a combat power in the mid-20,000s, Choi Hyun-seok was, at best, just above average, a small fish in a big pond.

“I expected it, but… it won’t be easy.”

As Choi Hyun-seok muttered to himself, Rachel peeked her head out from his chest, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“Hero, are you perhaps scared?”

“Who’s scared?”

“Eyy~ you seem scared.” “I’m not scared at all. I’m used to this kind of situation.”

“Used to it?”

“Think about it. Among all the guys we’ve fought so far, was there anyone weaker than me?”

Looking back, Choi Hyun-seok realized he had almost always been the underdog, facing opponents stronger than himself.

However, being an underdog didn’t necessarily mean being a loser. It was a position he had learned to thrive in.

Choi Hyun-seok was both an underdog and a victor, a testament to his resilience and cunning.

“What happened to those guys who acted tough in front of me? They’re all lying in coffins now. So, this time too, I’ll be the one laughing last!” “Ooh! Hero, you’re really fired up!”

Choi Hyun-seok thumped his chest and shouted, trying to project confidence, while Rachel clapped her hands enthusiastically beside him.

Both of them seemed to be exaggerating their actions more than usual, perhaps to shake off the palpable tension that hung in the air.

‘I can do this. This is actually easier than I thought.’

Choi Hyun-seok steeled his resolve and finalized his strategy, focusing on the task ahead.

‘Avoid unnecessary fights. After all, the goal of this competition is to reach the destination first, or at least, within the top hundred.’

The condition for victory was simple: cross the forest from the starting point and reach the destination about 20km away.

It wasn’t necessary to be the first to arrive, a fact that played to his strengths.

He just needed to be within the top 100 out of the thousand or so gathered here, a feat that required endurance and strategy.

Simple calculation put the odds at less than 10%, a daunting but not impossible challenge.

It wouldn’t be easy, but it was a fight worth taking on, a chance to prove himself.

‘Just keep running forward, and especially avoid getting close to those with high combat power. Let them eliminate each other.’

As Choi Hyun-seok was organizing his thoughts, a massive demon approached him, his presence imposing.

The goat-like demon stroked his magnificent beard, his eyes glinting with amusement.

“So, you’re the rumored human.”

He came out of nowhere and spoke while looking down at Choi Hyun-seok, his voice laced with condescension.

“Daring to challenge a Demon King Army executive as a human. You better be prepared for the consequences.”

Choi Hyun-seok’s face twisted in annoyance.

“Why are you picking a fight out of nowhere?” “Shh! Hero, calm down! You can’t fight before it even starts!”

Rachel was, for once, making sense, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Choi Hyun-seok agreed with her and decided to hold back, swallowing his pride.

It definitely wasn’t because he was intimidated by the goat’s combat power of 40,000, he told himself.

“I’m a bit busy. Let’s talk later.”

As Choi Hyun-seok waved his hand dismissively, the goat snorted, his nostrils flaring.

“Hmph! Arrogant fool. I’d like to crush your head, but there’s no need. You’ll be dead as soon as the competition starts anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it, so please get lost.”

Choi Hyun-seok said nonchalantly, trying to appear unfazed.

Instantly, the goat’s hand, which had been stroking his beard, clenched into a fist, his demeanor turning menacing.

“Be careful… you’re not the only one after you.”

“What?”

“I hope you’re still alive when I, Holgoth, come for you.”

With those ominous words, the goat demon, Holgoth, turned away, his back radiating an aura of threat.

Watching the receding back of the goat Holgoth, Rachel jumped out, her small frame trembling with indignation.

“Hmph! This is a running race, you moron! And you better watch out at night! If I catch you, I’ll rip out all that stupid beard of yours!”

At that moment, Holgoth turned around, his eyes narrowed, and his gaze piercing.

Rachel, startled by the fierce goat’s gaze, quickly hid back into Choi Hyun-seok’s arms, burying her face in his chest.

“That goat has sharp ears…”

“Scared?”

“I’m not scared! I was just letting him off easy. Those guys can’t do anything if you grab their beard and pull it!”

Rachel whined and tugged at Choi Hyun-seok’s collar, trying to regain her composure.

Choi Hyun-seok chuckled and gently pushed Rachel away, amused by her bravado.

“I get it, so let go and talk.”

He felt a little less tense thanks to Rachel’s antics, her presence a comforting distraction.

Choi Hyun-seok turned his head and looked in the direction the goat had left, his mind racing.

‘There are many who are after me?’

The ominous words he had uttered at the end lingered in his mind, casting a shadow of doubt.

After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head to clear his thoughts, dismissing the fear.

‘Whatever it is, I have no choice but to give it my all. I can’t afford to fail.’

He didn’t want to go back to the lab, no matter what the cost, the thought fueling his determination.

Whether it was a goat or a pig, or any other demon that stood in his way.

He would crush all those who dared to impede his progress, his resolve hardening.

***

“From now on, we will begin the competition to select the regimental and battalion commanders for the 3rd Corps direct regiment of the Demon King Army.”

The competition was being overseen by Roiger, a high-ranking demon and the regimental commander of the 3rd Corps direct regiment, his authority unquestionable.

“Combat is allowed, but intentionally killing your opponent is prohibited. The executives will be monitoring in real-time, so be careful. Any unnecessary deaths will be punished.”

Even though he spoke softly, his voice, amplified by magic, was clearly audible to everyone, resonating with power.

“Then, from now…”

Roiger raised his hand to the sky, a gesture that commanded attention.

Magical energy surged from his hand, crackling with raw power.

“The competition begins!”

The magical energy that soared into the sky exploded, creating brilliant fireworks, illuminating the forest with an eerie glow.

At the same time, thousands of demons began to run, a chaotic surge of bodies and ambition.

“Uahaha! Get out of the way!”

A demon with black skin and resembling a buffalo shouted, his voice booming through the trees.

He recklessly pushed aside the demons blocking his path and charged forward, his brute strength evident.

“I, Durkan, will confidently pass through in first place!”

The buffalo quickly took the lead, his confidence bordering on arrogance.

Just as he was laughing heartily and trying to overtake another demon, savoring his imagined victory.

A fist like a boulder came flying, an unexpected and devastating blow.

“Insignificant things are noisy.” Kwajik!

The buffalo’s head, struck by the fist, caved in, the sound echoing through the forest.

“Keu, keuheok…”

“Doesn’t seem to be dead. Pity.”

The demon who threw the punch had a body as hard as rock, appearing closer to an inorganic substance than an organic one, a golem-like figure.

He left the buffalo with its crushed head and ran forward, his expressionless face betraying no emotion.

The buffalo was dying, but since he wasn’t dead yet, there was no need to worry about him, the demon reasoned.

“Kkiyaaht! I’ll mince all the muscles in your legs!” “I’ll accidentally cut your neck off!”

In addition to this, slaughter was taking place everywhere, a brutal display of ambition and power.

Even though the competition had just begun, already dozens of demons were on the verge of death, casualties of the ruthless race.

“Ignorant fools. They could just fly in the sky, but they insist on running on the ground. So predictable.”

Some demons, more cunning than the rest, moved into the sky instead of the ground, avoiding the chaotic melee.

A rat-like demon was confident of his victory, his eyes gleaming with malicious glee.

“Kkikkik! There’s no rule that says you can’t fly in the sky, yet they crawl on the ground like insects. How can they be so stupid!”

The rat laughed, squeaking with amusement.

“It’s a little disappointing to just leave. Kkikkik! I need to spice things up a bit.”

If he continued like this, first place was guaranteed, but that wasn’t fun enough for his twisted mind.

He felt like he should give a ‘gift’ to the idiots fighting below, a parting gesture of chaos.

The rat focused his mind, channeling his magical energy.

“Kkiit!”

The magical energy emanating from the rat’s body spread out like a mist, soon turning into rain and pouring down on the unsuspecting demons below.

Shwaaaaaaa!

The identity of this rain was a potent poison that melted skin, causing excruciating pain.

No one would die from this, but it would be quite painful, a lesson in humility.

“Goodbye, inferior fools!”

The rat laughed contentedly and flew away, savoring his cruel prank, but at that moment.

The rat’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Huh?”

When did it fly over? He hadn’t sensed anything.

A log the size of a house was approaching right in front of him, hurtling towards him with terrifying speed.

“Jji, jjik!”

It was already too late to dodge, his small frame unable to react in time.

Peo-eok!

The rat, struck directly by the log, had all the bones in his body crushed and fell to the ground, a broken mess.

“Get out of the way, get out of the way, get out of the way! I’m number one!” “If I kill them all and go in, will I immediately become a regimental commander!?”

The forest was completely a battlefield, a scene of carnage and chaos.

Regimental commander-level executives were in charge of monitoring everywhere, but they were only watching, observing the unfolding drama with detached interest.

Their expressions were full of annoyance, as if they were watching a poorly acted play.

They didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping this chaos, content to let the demons eliminate each other.

In this extreme situation, amidst the carnage and chaos…

The only human, Choi Hyun-seok, was running ahead quite well, surprisingly agile and resourceful.

“Shibal! What is this acid rain!?”

Choi Hyun-seok frowned, blocking the rain falling from the sky with his hand, his face contorted in discomfort.

Even with his body protected by magic, it stung, indicating that it had a fairly strong acidity, a testament to its potency.

“I’ll block it!”

“Thanks!”

Rachel cast a protective spell over Choi Hyun-seok’s head, creating a shield against the corrosive rain.

Only then could Choi Hyun-seok ignore the acid rain and continue running, his pace unhindered.

“Rachel! How many people are roughly in front of me!?” “Not that many. About a hundred?” “Good! If we keep going like this, we can be in the top 100.”

So far, so good. He was on track.

This was because Choi Hyun-seok had been running while avoiding fights as much as possible, relying on his speed and agility.

The stupid guys were fighting each other, thinning the herd, so things were going too smoothly than expected… or so he thought.

“So, you were here. Human!”

A familiar silhouette approached from the side, his presence radiating menace.

The goat demon who had picked a fight before the competition, his eyes filled with malice.

It was Holgoth.

The guy stroking his beard while running was quickly getting closer, his intent clear.

Choi Hyun-seok’s face contorted in annoyance.

“Just go your own way!” “I can’t do that. A human daring to be in the rankings. I, Holgoth, cannot tolerate it!”

Holgoth reached out his hand while running, his eyes fixed on Choi Hyun-seok.

Magical energy the size of baseballs poured out from his hand like a barrage, a relentless assault.

“Die by mistake!”

“What is this crazy goat saying!?”

Choi Hyun-seok was horrified and desperately dodged the incoming projectiles.

Each baseball contained an enormous amount of magical energy, capable of inflicting serious damage.

Those baseballs were pouring out like bullets from a machine gun, a terrifying display of power.

‘What kind of cheat skill is that!?’

He wouldn’t die from one hit, but he could suffer a serious injury, jeopardizing his chances of success.

Tudududududa!

The magical energy that poured out like a barrage destroyed the entire forest, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

Choi Hyun-seok desperately moved his body, weaving through the explosions and dodging the deadly projectiles.

However, it was not enough to dodge all the attacks while running, his movements hampered by the terrain.

“Hero! I’ll block it, so don’t worry about it and run!”

“Good!”

Rachel had become much more reliable lately, her magical abilities growing stronger.

As Choi Hyun-seok’s magical power had increased, there were more things Rachel could do, making her an invaluable ally.

Thanks to Rachel’s assistance, Choi Hyun-seok was able to overcome the crisis without any damage, his determination unwavering.

“This bastard…!”

Holgoth’s beard trembled with rage as Choi Hyun-seok leisurely blocked his attacks, his frustration mounting.

He was angry, his pride wounded.

He didn’t like the sight of a mere human dodging his attacks and stubbornly running forward, defying his expectations.

“I’ll kill you…!”

Holgoth, who had thrown away the no-killing rule in his fury, gathered magical energy, his eyes burning with hatred.

A huge mass of magical energy soared into the sky, crackling with destructive power.

The magical energy was soon divided into countless beads, each one a miniature bomb.

“Rain of Beads!”

At Holgoth’s cry, a rain of beads poured down on the ground, blanketing the area in a deadly shower.

Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes widened as if they would pop out, his heart pounding in his chest.

‘I can’t dodge this. I have to block it!’

The magical energy he felt was ominous, a sign of the immense power contained within each bead.

Choi Hyun-seok hurriedly hid behind a rock, seeking what little protection it offered.

At the same time, Rachel strengthened her defensive magic, creating a barrier to shield them from the onslaught.

Tuquagwagwaga!

The small beads covered the area where Choi Hyun-seok was, causing a huge explosion, the force shaking the ground.

‘I can handle it. The power has decreased as the range has increased. It’s a wide-area attack, not a focused one.’

Fortunately, the power was not as strong as he had initially feared.

Choi Hyun-seok was able to block the attack without any significant damage, his shield holding strong.

However, the situation was different for the other demons who were caught in the magic nearby, their screams filling the air.

Those who had not prepared were directly hit by numerous explosive beads, their bodies torn apart by the force of the blasts.

“Kuaaa! Which bastard is it!?” “Daring to attack me, Ulkakook. Do you want to die!”

The demons who were suddenly caught in the wide-area magic were furious, their anger directed at the unknown assailant.

Selective anger control disorder was a common disease among most of the Demon King Army, a side effect of their inherent aggression.

Those who participated in the competition with the goal of becoming a battalion commander were no exception, their ambition fueling their rage.

They looked around for the culprit who had fearlessly cast the wide-area magic, their eyes burning with vengeance.

At that moment, Holgoth pointed at Choi Hyun-seok and shouted, his voice dripping with malice.

“That human used magic! He’s the one who attacked us!”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Choi Hyun-seok, their gazes filled with suspicion and hostility.

Choi Hyun-seok glared at him with murderous eyes, but Holgoth stroked his beard and responded leisurely, his expression smug.

“So, it was you, human!” “I didn’t like the fact that a human was in the Demon King Army from the start. He’s a spy!” “Daring to attack me, Ulkakook. I’ll have to kill you by mistake!”

The atmosphere was not good, the air thick with animosity.

Choi Hyun-seok hurriedly waved his hand, trying to defuse the situation.

“No! It wasn’t me! I don’t even know how to use that kind of magic!” “Then is it magic that came out by mistake?” “That’s not fun! It seems like my ultimate skill will come out by mistake too!” “My magical energy is starting to move by mistake!”

They didn’t understand his explanation, their minds clouded by prejudice and anger.

Choi Hyun-seok gritted his teeth, his frustration reaching a boiling point.

‘These rotten bastards… They’re just looking for an excuse to attack me.’

When he turned his head, Holgoth was already far away, disappearing into the chaos.

“Tonight’s dinner is human stew!”

“Kill him!”

“Just go your way! You crazy bastards!”

They were now about halfway to the finish line, but the path ahead was fraught with danger.

Even though they could win easily if they continued to run, the demons didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so, their bloodlust overriding their ambition.

“Bloody Blade!”

“Horn of Praise!”

Magic flew from all directions, and fists and feet crossed, creating a whirlwind of violence.

Choi Hyun-seok squeezed out every last bit of strength and sprinted, dodging attacks and weaving through the chaos.

‘That goat bastard. If I catch you, you’re really going to die! I swear, I’ll make you regret this!’

He would deal with the goat no matter what, his anger fueling his determination.

Of course, not intentionally, but by mistake. A very unfortunate accident.