Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 157

Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes flashed.

He had felt uneasy for a while, and now he finally knew why.

‘It’s too quiet.’

The royal palace was eerily silent.

All that was visible were scattered corpses.

There was no sound of battle, nor any sign of life.

The unidentified masked men who had attacked Abelson and him were nowhere to be seen.

‘Is this a trap…?’

Just as a sense of foreboding crept in, a group of people appeared from the front.

It was Lace and his escorting knights.

“Lace…!”

Abelson tried to run towards him, but Choi Hyun-seok stopped her.

“Just a moment.”

“What is it?”

“Please stand behind me for a moment.”

Choi Hyun-seok’s gaze was serious.

Abelson clenched her fists and nodded.

She figured Choi Hyun-seok must have a reason for reacting this way.

“Sister, you’re safe!”

Lace greeted her with a happy expression.

“I’m relieved. I’m truly relieved.”

He seemed genuinely concerned for his sister, sighing in relief.

However, Choi Hyun-seok felt a strange sense of unease.

‘He’s not approaching beyond a certain distance.’

Just as Choi Hyun-seok had prevented Abelson from going to him, Lace also kept his distance from his group.

As a result, they ended up facing each other from a distance.

“You’re safe.”

“Yes. I’m glad to see you haven’t been seriously injured either, Choi Hyun-seok.”

Choi Hyun-seok spoke first, and Lace nodded in response.

“You seem to be coming from the King’s chambers. Did you happen to meet him?”

At the mention of the King, Lace bit his lip.

“I was too late. When I arrived, Father was already…”

“No…!”

Lace trembled, and Abelson collapsed to the floor.

Only Choi Hyun-seok remained calm and continued speaking.

“Did you happen to see who the enemy was?”

Lace shook his head.

“I didn’t see them directly, but it was probably a demon. I was suddenly attacked by demons as well.”

“Didn’t you see any men in black hoods and masks?”

“Masks? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“So you only fought demons.”

Lace’s expression twisted at the continued questioning.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I was just curious. Do you have something to hide?”

“Enough. Even if you are my sister’s benefactor, I will not tolerate any more disrespect.”

Lace said with an angry voice.

Then Choi Hyun-seok chuckled.

“What a load of crap.”

“What…?”

“At least try to make your lies believable. There’s a limit to how much you can treat people like fools.”

Choi Hyun-seok raised his hand and pointed down.

“The blood on your swords. It’s human blood.”

Most demons have blood that is a different color from humans.

Occasionally, there are demons whose blood is red like humans, but the viscosity, the way it clots, the color, and the smell are different.

It was a subtle difference that most people wouldn’t notice, but Choi Hyun-seok, with his extensive experience, could tell the difference at a glance.

To Choi Hyun-seok, demon blood could never be the same as human blood.

“You’re telling me you fought demons, but your swords are covered in human blood. You expect me to believe you?”

“…”

“Actually, it was strange from the beginning. Even if the Royal Knights were gone, it’s hard to believe the royal palace could be taken this easily.”

This was the royal palace where the King resided, and also the kingdom’s capital, Skolbon.

For the enemy to reach the royal palace, they would have to get through the high walls surrounding the capital, the numerous capital guards, and the knights.

“It would be difficult for an armed force of this size to enter the capital without any friction, unless they had an inside helper.”

As the explanation continued, Abelson’s expression hardened.

She thought Choi Hyun-seok’s words made sense.

“Lace… did you kill Father?”

Abelson said in a trembling voice.

Lace didn’t answer and lowered his head.

“Answer me! Now!”

“Haa…”

Lace sighed and nervously swept back his hair.

When he raised his head, a grotesquely distorted face was revealed.

“I heard all the heroes were idiots. You’re quite perceptive.”

Lace twisted his lips.

“Yes. You’re right. I killed Father. Not only him, but also my brother. And my mother. I killed them all.”

“Why!? Why!?”

Abelson screamed.

Lace also raised his voice, veins popping out on his neck.

“It’s all because of you! Traitor Abelson Marriott!”

“What…?”

“Hoo…”

Lace calmed his breathing and continued speaking calmly.

“The Gatren Holy Empire is after you. But the King tried to defy the Empire’s wishes, so I had no choice but to step in, right?”

“…”

“I just received the throne I would inherit in the future a little earlier.”

Abelson shook her head with a look of despair.

“Lies… You… How could you…”

“You wouldn’t know, since you were always wandering outside. You have no idea how much I’ve endured.”

Lace’s voice gradually grew louder as he spoke.

“Those morons don’t deserve to rule a country! My family! I’m ashamed to be related to them!”

“…”

“Now, all that’s left is for you to die, and everything will be perfect. So just die quietly.”

It was then that soldiers and knights began to appear.

It was the Skolbon Knights and the defense forces guarding the capital.

“They’re finally here.”

Lace chuckled and turned around.

“The demons have assassinated His Majesty the King! Kill the traitor Abelson Marriott, who is in league with the demons!!!”

The magically amplified voice echoed loudly.

“Waaaaaah-!”

The shouts of the soldiers and knights were heard.

The numbers were impossibly large.

It was a scale that the group could not possibly stop.

Despite the urgent situation, Choi Hyun-seok quietly looked at Abelson.

“I’ll give you a choice.”

Abelson, who met Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes, lowered her head.

“Let me kill him.”

“Understood.”

Choi Hyun-seok nodded and turned around.

“Bobo. Give it to me.”

“Here you go.”

He received Bobo from Rachel, who was standing behind him.

He stroked Bobo’s head once and said.

“Bobo. Let’s go.”

“Heh! Heh!”

Bobo smiled, sticking out his tongue.

Choi Hyun-seok threw Bobo with all his might.

“Go wild!”

Bobo, flying fiercely, grew huge in front of Lace.

“Kuaaaaah-!”

Bobo’s roar echoed throughout the royal palace.

The knights next to Lace tried to stop Bobo, but it was not enough.

“Kkeuaaaa!”

A highly skilled knight, comparable to the Royal Knights, was swept away like a leaf with a single swipe of his forepaw.

“W-What is this!? I wasn’t told there was a magical beast like this!”

Lace, startled, turned around and started running.

“What are the Skolbon Knights doing!? Quickly! Quickly deal with that magical beast and the traitor!”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Choi Hyun-seok, who had already approached his side, reached out his hand.

Lace twisted his body at the last moment to avoid his hand.

He was also a swordsman who had been systematically trained since childhood.

His talent was also outstanding, and he had reached a fairly high level of skill even at the age of 20.

“Die!”

Lace swung his sword.

He intended to cut off his head in one blow.

However, the sword was easily caught by Choi Hyun-seok’s hand.

“Eek…!”

Even with all his strength, his arm trembled, but the sword didn’t budge.

Then Choi Hyun-seok kicked Lace hard in the abdomen.

“Keuheok!”

Lace spat out blood and flew through the air.

There, the blonde former saintess, Abelson Marriott, was waiting.

Swaeeeeek-!

In a brief moment.

Abelson felt like time was slowing down.

Lace, flying towards her, was as clear as if he were right in front of her.

Cheeeik…!

Grasping the mace with both hands, she vigorously spread her legs.

The center of gravity between her left and right legs was 6 to 4.

Her left elbow was raised high so that she could swing quickly.

With her chin resting on her left shoulder, she looked at her younger brother, Lace, flying towards her.

Hwaaaaa-!

A flash of light erupted from the mace.

The mace trembled as if it would break from the overwhelming divine power.

“N-No… way…!”

The expression of panic on Lace’s face came into view.

His mouth, shouting ‘No way!’, seemed to be in slow motion.

Abelson licked the dried tears from the corners of her mouth and smiled.

“Way.”

Soon, Lace arrived in front of her.

Abelson swung the mace with all her might.

Kwaaaaaaaa-!

The mace struck his crown precisely, and a loud noise erupted.

At the same time, Lace’s body began to shatter.

As if a huge explosion had occurred inside.

His body was divided into thousands of pieces, and blood scattered into the air.

Because it was so finely divided, a mist made of blood was created momentarily.

“…”

Silence fell over the royal palace.

Everyone closed their mouths at the shocking death of the prince and stared at the blood mist.

Only the sound of Choi Hyun-seok’s applause was heard softly.

“Nice swing.”

Choi Hyun-seok, who had been clapping, naturally moved his feet and climbed onto Bobo.

“Good… Now that I’ve seen everything.”

Choi Hyun-seok slapped Bobo’s butt.

“Let’s go!”

***

The group left the royal palace and headed straight out of the capital.

People who encountered Bobo on the main street screamed and fainted.

“Kyaaaaak-!”

“Uwaaa! Run away!”

“A magical beast, a magical beast has appeared!”

“Yes, yes. Our magical beast doesn’t bite. Everyone, please step aside and rest assured.”

The capital’s knights and defense forces chased after the group, but it was impossible to catch up with Bobo’s speed.

Moreover, the chaos caused by Lace’s death prevented a systematic pursuit.

Thanks to this, the group was able to leave the capital Skolbon relatively easily.

“Hmm…”

After leaving the capital.

Choi Hyun-seok stroked his chin as he crossed the plains.

“It’s strange.”

Rachel, who was sitting on his shoulder, looked back with a puzzled expression.

“What’s strange?”

“It’s too easy. The Holy Empire is clearly involved, but it doesn’t make sense that they’re letting us go like this.”

“We’re just that great!”

“Is that so… And those guys wrapped in black cloth suddenly disappeared. No matter how I think about it, it’s unsettling…”

The enemies in black hoods and masks had disappeared in an instant.

He was inwardly concerned about that fact when Choi Hyun-seok chuckled.

“Yeah. It was too easy.”

Mana began to be felt from all directions.

“Hero! The numbers are no joke!”

“I know!”

The mana that could be felt was roughly in the hundreds.

Moreover, they were not just any random people, but each one was a considerable powerhouse.

In terms of the Demon King’s army, they were about the level of a battalion commander or a regimental commander.

Powerhouses who were difficult to meet easily were gathering in droves, spreading a siege.

“Bobo! In that direction!”

Choi Hyun-seok shot mana to guide Bobo.

He was planning to move in the direction where the siege was the thinnest and break through at once.

‘I can’t win by fighting at all. I have to shake off the pursuit somehow.’

As the group moved, the enemy moved in real time, narrowing the siege.

Like a single giant organism, their movements were perfectly coordinated.

‘It won’t be easy…’

Choi Hyun-seok frowned.

As they gradually approached the siege, magic began to fly.

Kwaang! Kwang!

The ground shook and the vision was obscured as magic exploded around them.

“Hero! Too much magic is flying!”

“You can take my mana, so block it somehow!”

“Leave the defense to me!”

Abelson created a shield with divine magic.

Then the magic flying towards the group collided with the shield and disappeared.

“Bobo! That way!”

“Kwang!”

Bobo swung his feet and instantly blew away the enemies blocking the way.

How long had they been running like that?

“We’ve almost broken through! Just a little more…!”

Just as they were finally reaching the end of the siege.

Suddenly, something fell from the sky.

Kuoong! Kuoong! Kuoong! Kuoong!

Four pillars fell in a row, and a huge barrier was created as each pillar was connected.

“What the hell…”

Choi Hyun-seok spat out a curse.

‘I’ve been properly caught.’

He thought he was breaking through the siege, but that wasn’t the case.

Rather, the group was moving according to their intentions.

The enemy deliberately exposed the weak part of the siege to make them head this way.

“The sky is blocked too.”

The mana barrier was not simply blocking the ground, but also covering the sky.

It would be impossible to fly in the air in this state.

“Hero, what should we do?”

“Wait.”

Choi Hyun-seok, who had come down from Bobo’s back, raised his fist.

He was going to break the barrier.

Raiderun-style martial arts

Form 1 – Early Battle Decimation (初戰搏殺) [A powerful offensive technique focused on quickly eliminating enemies at the start of a battle]

A storm of mana shot out from his fist.

Kwaaaang!

The barrier shook with a loud noise.

However, the result was not satisfactory compared to the loud noise.

Only a slight crack appeared in the barrier.

Even that was restored to its original state in an instant.

“Give up. You can’t break it at your level.”

Then a voice was heard from behind.

When he turned around, he saw the man approaching, along with the masked men who had disappeared.

“I finally caught you. Choi Hyun-seok.”

Kieran, the hunting dog who had been chasing Choi Hyun-seok by order of the Pope.

He finally faced Choi Hyun-seok.