Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 197

Choi Hyun-seok doubted his ears.

The Demon King’s army was deliberately opening a path.

“What do you mean?”
“It means exactly what it says. For some reason, the Demon King’s army is avoiding engagement and only retreating.”

Following Sullivan, Park Hyun-ah added.

“Looking back, it was strange from the beginning. Even if the Gatren bastards moved, it didn’t make sense for the front lines to be pushed back so quickly.”

This was a war that had lasted for 500 years.

Although it was a war intentionally prolonged by a secret agreement, that was only for about 100 years.

For the previous 400 years, humans and demons had fought fiercely.

For the demons, who had been so formidable, to suddenly collapse so futilely was absurd.

“The length of the front lines pushed back so far is almost a thousand kilometers. At this point, it’s no exaggeration to say they’ve practically just been marching without fighting.”

It had only been two months since the declaration of the Holy War.

In that time, the Holy War army had not only recovered all the land taken by the Demon King’s army but had also pushed into the heart of the demon territory.

That distance alone was a whopping thousand kilometers.

Considering that the majority of the troops were moving on foot, it meant they had been moving every single day without rest.

“So, in the end, it means the Demon King’s army is deliberately retreating.”
“I understand, but what benefit does the Demon King’s army gain from doing so?”

He understood the situation.

But what benefit did the Demon King’s army gain from repeatedly retreating?

Their territory had already been invaded, and countless demons had died.

Choi Hyun-seok couldn’t understand what this retreat was for.

“The only hypothesis that comes to mind right now is…”

Sullivan stood next to the map and said,

“An encirclement and annihilation operation.”

Currently, the Holy War army was digging into the Demon King’s territory in a U-shape.

“It could be a trap to lure the Holy War army in deep and wipe them out.”

If done well, it was a situation where they could reverse-encircle the enemy that had entered.

“But, that’s probably not it.”

It seemed plausible enough, but Sullivan denied his own hypothesis.

“Why is that?”

“The other units are too quiet. No troops or key figures are moving at all.”

Sullivan frowned.

“To encircle, they should be moving now, but everyone is ignoring the threat to the Demon King’s castle and only defending their own territory…”

In the end, it wasn’t an operation to trap and encircle them.

“Anyway, the conclusion is this, right?”

Park Hyun-ah, who had been listening to the story, interjected.

“There’s absolutely nothing we can do.”

She said with a cynical expression.

Her tone was sharp, but no one could deny that she was right, so everyone nodded.

From the beginning, the purpose of Ultimum Fes was to assist the Demon King’s army.

Although their strength was as strong as that of a single nation, the Holy War army was the Human Alliance.

If the Demon King’s army had no will to fight, there was nothing they could do on their own.

“Anyone have any good ideas?”

Park Hyun-ah asked.

“Hmm, I guess I’m getting old, my mind is getting stiff…”

Leader Carebe Cowell scratched his head and avoided eye contact.

“Without knowing the Demon King’s army’s objective, even if we try to come up with a plan…”

Even Sullivan, whom they had trusted, shook his head as if there was no way.

While listening to the story, Raidrun suddenly came to Choi Hyun-seok’s mind.

‘It would be nice if I could contact Raidrun-nim [Raidrun – honorific title] at times like this…’

Unfortunately, the communication device Raidrun had given him was destroyed during the battle.

At that time, he didn’t have an inventory, so he couldn’t afford to worry about the communication device in the heat of battle.

‘Even if I wanted to go and ask him directly, I don’t even know where he is now…’

Choi Hyun-seok, who had been pondering, suddenly snapped his fingers.

“Isn’t it that we can come up with a solution if we only know the Demon King’s army’s objective right now!?”

“That’s right.”

“Then let’s just ask them directly.”

Everyone’s attention was focused on Choi Hyun-seok’s words.

Ask them directly?

Who on earth was he going to ask about the Demon King’s army’s plan?

Park Hyun-ah asked on behalf of everyone.

“Ask about the Demon King’s army’s plan? Who are you going to ask?”

Choi Hyun-seok said with a look that asked the obvious.

“Who else would it be? The Demon King, of course.”

***

His eyelids were heavy.

An overwhelming drowsiness washed over him.

The Demon King Tegrad closed his eyes, surrendering to the flow.

“Demon King.”

4th Army Commander Onyx called out to the Demon King.

“Onyx…”

The Demon King shook his head and raised his body, which had been leaning against the backrest.

“I’m sorry. What were we talking about?”
“We were talking about the betrayal of 1st Army Commander Doritugs and 5th Army Commander Ozges.”
“So, it has come to that…”

Tegrad didn’t show any particular reaction.

It was something he had expected.

To some extent, he had even encouraged it.

‘Doritugs has always been an ambitious guy.’

He had never expressed his intentions, but Tegrad knew.

That 1st Army Commander Doritugs was secretly coveting the next Demon King’s throne.

‘I’m sorry, but it won’t go as you wish, Doritugs.’

Tegrad, who had been raising the corners of his lips, suddenly grabbed his head.

An inexplicable headache washed over him.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah, I’m fine.”

Tegrad waved his hand once and continued.

“Anyway, this is unexpected. I can understand Doritugs, but even Ozges betrayed me.”

Ozges’ loyalty was second to none.

He was also a demon who knew honor, rare in this era.

“Perhaps he had no choice but to follow for the sake of the demon race’s future.”
“I think so too.”

That meant he saw himself as so pathetic that even Ozges had no choice but to betray him.

Tegrad was rather pleased.

If Doritugs and Ozges had been at odds now, the survival of the demon race would have been even more precarious.

“Demon King. You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Does it seem that way?”

Tegrad chuckled.

“Maybe I’ve gone crazy because it’s time for me to die.”
“Is it even difficult for you to maintain your physical body now?”

Tegrad’s body repeatedly broke down and recovered.

It was a subtle movement that would be impossible to detect unless you looked closely, but it couldn’t deceive the eyes of a commander-level figure.

“Yes. I think it’s time for me now.”

“…”

“Onyx. What are you planning to do?”

Onyx was silent.

He seemed to need time to think in order to answer.

“…Don’t you know?”

He finally opened his mouth after a long silence.

“The loyalty of the demon race is directed towards the strong.”

Onyx turned around.

“It’s been fun. Tegrad.”
“It was fun for me too, Onyx.”

Onyx left the Demon King’s castle.

Tegrad sat on the throne and looked at the empty hall.

“…”

The Demon King’s castle was endlessly silent.

All the demons had already been sent outside.

Only the Demon King Tegrad remained in this castle, which was as vast as a decent-sized city.

“Hmm…”

Tegrad got up from his seat.

At the same time, his body began to weaken rapidly.

The horns on his head withered, his muscles disappeared, and his skin shriveled.

Tegrad, who had become a wrinkled old man, walked through the dark hall.

‘The end is approaching.’

***

Park Hyun-ah lowered her head and kept muttering something.

“Shit… is this right? Is this really right? No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem right…”

She looked somewhat uneasy and also seemed angry.

Park Hyun-ah continued to mutter to herself like that.

“The bastard who came up with this plan and the guy who accepted it as right…”

Choi Hyun-seok, who was listening from the side, shook his head.

“Noona [older sister or close female friend]. If you’re scared, just back out. I’ll go alone.”

Instantly, Park Hyun-ah flared up and turned around.

“S, scared! Who’s scared!?”

“You are.”

“You little punk! Are you out of your mind!? Where do you see me being scared!?”

Park Hyun-ah shouted, glaring.

‘No matter how I look at it, she’s totally scared.’

She had been like that ever since they decided to go to the Demon King’s castle.

Was the Demon King that scary?

Choi Hyun-seok clicked his tongue.

“Oh? Look at this punk? What’s that tongue motion now? It seems to contain some impure meaning like I’m hopeless? That’s a signal to pull it out right now, isn’t it?”

“Of course not.”

Choi Hyun-seok smiled nonchalantly.

He had been through this kind of thing with Rachel a lot, so this level of acting was a piece of cake.

“Haa…”

Park Hyun-ah sighed deeply and continued.

“Okay. Let’s be honest.”

“Please do.”

“Going to the Demon King and asking him about the Demon King’s army’s plan. Do you think that’s right?”
“Who else would we ask if not the Demon King?”
“Shit! That’s not what I mean!”

Choi Hyun-seok reached out his hand as if to calm her down.

“Noona. Think about it. We are temporarily helping the Demon King’s army right now, aren’t we?”

“Keep going.”

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend! Since we have a common enemy called the Holy Empire Gatren, wouldn’t the Demon King be cooperative if he has a brain?”

Choi Hyun-seok’s words seemed reasonable at first glance.

However, there was a big flaw in his logic.

“Did the Demon King’s army you experienced seem like a group with brains?”

The Demon King’s army had no brains.

No, to be precise, they had no brains.

Choi Hyun-seok had no choice but to shut his mouth.

“The heads on those bastards are just stands for putting eyes, noses, and mouths on. They’re decorations!”

“Hmm, but wouldn’t the Demon King be a bit smarter? Noona has met him directly, so…”
“Yeah. The Demon King does use his head a bit. The problem is the underlings. If we sneak into the Demon King’s castle, do you think the underlings will welcome us and guide us to the Demon King?”

Suddenly, Park Hyun-ah snatched Choi Hyun-seok’s wrist.

“I bet your right wrist that we’ll be surrounded and beaten to death before we even get to see the Demon King’s face.”

“Why are you betting mine!?”

“Then should I bet mine? You came up with the plan!”

At this point, Choi Hyun-seok was starting to feel uneasy.

‘It’s been quite a while since I left the Demon King’s army, so I forgot.’

How much that place ran on madness and instinct.

He had forgotten that it was a group where you couldn’t find reason or intellect.

“Hmm…”

Park Hyun-ah smiled when Choi Hyun-seok’s expression hardened.

“Why? Are you starting to get scared too?”
“Well, what can I do? It’s already done. Let’s go anyway.”

Choi Hyun-seok shrugged as if he couldn’t help it.

Park Hyun-ah ran her hand over her face.

“Haa, what a crazy bastard.”
“So, it’s okay if Noona backs out if you’re scared…”

“I’m not scared!”

Choi Hyun-seok and Park Hyun-ah bickered like that until they arrived at the Demon King’s castle.

***

“Ah… we finally arrived…”

Park Hyun-ah stared blankly at the huge castle in the distance.

A castle as huge as the black fortress where Choi Hyun-seok used to live.

Because the sky had become cloudy, it had a sinister atmosphere that made it seem like a Great Demon King would really live there.

“Hmm, but Noona.”

Choi Hyun-seok opened his mouth, gazing at the Demon King’s castle.

“Why? Are you starting to realize that we’re screwed?”
“Not that. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Is the Demon King that strong?”

Park Hyun-ah turned to Choi Hyun-seok with a dumbfounded expression.

To ask that now.

She wondered what kind of guy he was.

“Is that even a question? Of course, he’s strong.”
“Even so, if Noona and I join forces, wouldn’t we be able to run away if things go wrong?”
“I don’t think so. Are you confident in running away from Judong [powerful being]?”

Choi Hyun-seok fell into deep thought for a moment.

Could he run away from Hemise?

He nodded after finishing his thoughts.

“I don’t think it’s possible at all.”

No matter how strong Choi Hyun-seok had become, Hemise was on a different level.

Even if he ran away, he would have to be prepared to lose an arm or a leg.

“The Demon King is more than Judong. Once we meet him, we won’t be able to get away easily.”

Choi Hyun-seok suddenly knelt on the floor.

Park Hyun-ah narrowed her brows and watched the scene.

“What are you doing?”

“Should we pray for a moment before we go?”

“Idiot.”

Park Hyun-ah grabbed Choi Hyun-seok by the collar and lifted him up.

“Just a moment! I’m going even if I don’t do this!”
“Why are you sticking to the floor like this when you’re going!?”
“Just a moment! Just one prayer…!”

The historical moment when two heroes arrived at the Demon King’s castle.

In reality, it wasn’t as wonderful as a fairy tale.