Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 209

My head cooled down.

It’s true that I wanted to avoid this fight if possible.

However, if I decided to fight, I had to win.

Bringing up personal feelings here would be disrespectful to Raidrun.

I didn’t have the luxury to do that in the first place.

Choi Hyun-seok frowned and looked up at Raidrun.

‘He’s strong.’

Raidrun was really strong.

His physical stats were inferior to mine.

Plus, he had just finished sparring with Sidriel, so his stamina was low.

Yet, Raidrun didn’t back down and kept exchanging punches.

‘This is a first…’

Choi Hyun-seok had never been pushed back in pure fighting skills before.

Only his lacking physical stats had held him back.

He was confident that his combat skills had never been the problem.

His already outstanding skills had grown even more by fighting opponents stronger than himself.

But now.

For the first time, Choi Hyun-seok met an opponent who he thought fought better than him.

‘It sounds weird to say, but his punches are truly a work of art.’

No matter how he attacked, he couldn’t land a clean hit on Raidrun.

Most attacks were blocked.

Attacks that couldn’t be blocked were dodged or deflected.

Meanwhile, the counterattacks that came at perfect timing disrupted Choi Hyun-seok’s rhythm and seized the initiative.

Blind spots.

Center of gravity.

Leveraging power.

The sharp attacks that came in with perfect calculation were enough to send chills down Choi Hyun-seok’s spine.

‘Should I use Aura?’

Choi Hyun-seok hesitated.

At this rate, he couldn’t guarantee victory.

The damage was gradually accumulating.

The best way to win was to use his superior stats to overwhelm his opponent.

To do that, he had to use Aura.

However, Choi Hyun-seok was hesitant to use Aura.

If he used Aura here, this sparring match might really turn into a fight to the death.

‘The goal is to persuade Raidrun to join, not to kill him.’

As Choi Hyun-seok’s 고민이 깊어지던 그때 [worries deepened] , Raidrun suddenly stepped back.

“Choi Hyun-seok, what are you doing?”

“Yes?”

“To be distracted while talking. Are you trying to deceive me?”

Choi Hyun-seok shook his head.

“I have no intention of doing that.”

Deceive.

He never thought of that.

However, Raidrun’s eyes narrowed coldly.

“Then does that mean your resolve is only this strong? With what mindset did you come to me?”

“…”

“If you want to achieve what you want, subdue me! With all your might! Using every means possible. Unleash everything you have and crush me! Otherwise…”

Whoosh-!

Instantly, flames erupted from Raidrun’s horns.

“You will never get what you want.”

Choi Hyun-seok bit his lip.

At the same time, mana began to surge from his body.

The 잡념 that had been gnawing at his body [idle thoughts] disappeared cleanly.

As Choi Hyun-seok had always done.

Only the thought of defeating the opponent filled his head.

“It will be a little different from now on.”

“That’s 기대되는군 [I’m looking forward to it].”

A smile appeared on Raidrun’s face for the first time.

“I’m going.”

“Come!”

The two men began to clash in earnest.

***

How much time had passed?

The largest training ground at the 8th Division headquarters was devastated.

Those who were watching the two’s sparring had no choice but to retreat to avoid being caught in the aftermath.

“Haa, haa…!”

Choi Hyun-seok exhaled roughly.

No matter how much he tried to control it, his body, which had reached its limit, could only heave and shake violently.

However, his gaze remained fixed on the giant demon in front of him, Raidrun.

“커허억…!” [cough]

Raidrun was also breathing roughly.

No, his condition was much worse than Choi Hyun-seok’s.

His battered body trembled precariously, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if he collapsed at any moment.

But he, too, was looking at Choi Hyun-seok with clear eyes.

‘He’s strong. And he’s getting stronger even at this moment.’

Raidrun suddenly remembered Motem, who had called himself a monster.

However, Raidrun thought that Choi Hyun-seok was the real monster.

An unbelievable rate of development.

At first, he seemed flustered by his skills, but he quickly adapted and even learned his skills.

In addition, he instinctively saw through the opponent’s weaknesses and compensated for his own weaknesses.

Even in this short sparring match, Choi Hyun-seok was constantly moving forward.

At a terrifying speed.

‘훌륭하군 [Excellent].’

A faint smile appeared on Raidrun’s lips.

At the same time, he sensed that the moment to end the fight was approaching.

“Choi Hyun-seok! Are you just going to keep watching!”

Raidrun shouted loudly.

As if responding to that, Choi Hyun-seok roared and kicked off the ground.

“으아아아!” [Aaaaargh!]

Seeing him running, Raidrun also prepared.

‘This is the last…!’

He squeezed out all his remaining strength and moved his legs.

The two men gradually approached.

The moment he was about to swing his last fist.

Thud-

Raidrun suddenly fell to the floor.

His legs gave out.

His body, which had been overworked to the point of exceeding its limits, could not be controlled by will alone.

“Haa…”

Raidrun closed his eyes while lying on the floor.

“I lost.”

“…”

Choi Hyun-seok seemed momentarily flustered, but soon naturally sat down next to Raidrun.

The two remained silent for a while.

“…I learned a lot.”

Choi Hyun-seok was the first to speak.

“Me too.”

“Still, I won, so you have to listen to me.”

“I was going to do that from the start.”

“Yes?”

Choi Hyun-seok looked back at Raidrun with a surprised expression.

He still had his eyes closed.

“Then why…”

Choi Hyun-seok was puzzled.

If he was going to join anyway, what was the point of this sparring match?

It was a sparring match in name only, but it was a fierce battle that was truly life-threatening.

Each of Raidrun’s attacks contained murderous intent, and Choi Hyun-seok was the same.

It wouldn’t have been strange if either of them had lost their lives.

Why did he have to go this far?

Choi Hyun-seok couldn’t understand.

“I’m ashamed but…”

Raidrun slowly opened his mouth.

“I was confused.”

Confusion.

There was no other way to express his feelings.

Raidrun was just confused.

“It felt like everything about me was shaking from the roots.”

Since childhood, he had been taught to be loyal to the Demon King, and he had diligently practiced it.

Everything was for the Demon King.

Naturally, humans were just beings to be killed.

He didn’t particularly have any ill feelings towards humans.

He killed them because he had to.

However, as time passed and he grew, many questions arose in his head.

Especially after meeting Hemis.

She, who lived freely, shattered many of the common sense that Raidrun had.

The cracks in Raidrun’s heart grew larger.

After meeting Choi Hyun-seok, the cracks spread uncontrollably.

“I heard from Hemis-nim [respectful suffix]. Why the Demon King died. That someone would have done it even if it wasn’t you. But breaking the framework of thinking that I’ve had all my life isn’t easy.”

He was forced to change.

Just as he had learned.

By someone, for someone.

A life of 관철하는 my own will [enforcing], not such a life.

It felt like he had fallen into the open sea.

“This is… I could say it’s my selfishness.”

Raidrun got up from his seat.

“Thank you. I think my thoughts have been 정리된 a little thanks to you [sorted out].”

Raidrun held out his hand.

Choi Hyun-seok took his hand and got up from his seat.

“I will help Sidriel-nim to fix the Demon King’s army again.”

“Thank you.”

“No, I’m doing it because I want to, so you don’t have to thank me.”

His gaze turned to Sidriel, who was in the corner of the training ground.

In the meantime, she had come to her senses and was looking at this place with her usual indifferent eyes.

“She’s a great person. She’s young, but her beliefs are 확고하고 and her will is strong [firm].”

There’s no need to talk about physical strength.

The Demon King’s bloodline is a sure guarantee.

So what’s important is the mental aspect.

The key is how well you handle a strong body, and as a result of 직접 부딪쳐본 [experiencing it firsthand], she had enough potential.

“If she had spent time alone without doing anything, it would have been 버거웠을 even to control her own body [difficult], but she doesn’t show that 모습 [appearance]. She must have 노력한 [tried hard].”

All Sidriel lacked was experience.

In the future, she will become stronger and stronger.

Many combat experiences will surely 메꿔줄 her 부족한 parts [fill in her lacking parts].

Even if only the growth period ends after time passes, she will be able to rise to the position of Demon King.

“Until then…”

He must protect the young Demon King.

A new goal was taking place in his head.

***

The next day.

Choi Hyun-seok and Sidriel, who had recovered to some extent, visited Raidrun again.

“You’ve come.”

Raidrun bowed and 예를 갖췄다 politely [showed respect].

He, who had suffered the worst injuries, greeted the group as if nothing had happened.

“I was 실례했습니다 yesterday [rude].”

“No. I was 오히려 고마웠다 [grateful]. Thanks to you, I realized how 부족한 I am [lacking].”

Perhaps she liked her answer, Raidrun’s lips turned up a little.

Perhaps she didn’t notice it.

Sidriel continued with a slightly 호전적인 attitude [belligerent].

“The Demon King is the strongest demon.”

“Yes.”

“I will 뛰어넘어 you before long [surpass].”

“영광이군요 [It’s an honor].”

Raidrun’s smile deepened even more.

“So. What are you going to do in the future?”

Everyone sat down.

Raidrun immediately brought up the main point.

“I have to 복속 the 2nd Army [subjugate] and become the Demon King. After that, I plan to 협상 with Doritugs [negotiate].”

“흐음…” [Hmm]

Raidrun 침음을 삼켰다 [swallowed a groan].

1st Army Commander Doritugs.

He had heard about him from Ozges, the 5th Army Commander.

He is strong, capable, and arrogant.

He is also a demon with greater ambition than anyone else.

In fact, if Sidriel hadn’t been there, Raidrun wouldn’t have opposed him becoming the Demon King.

Then, naturally, the Demon King’s army would have become one.

Looking at the current situation of the Demon King’s army, it was better for Doritugs to become the Demon King than for Sidriel to step forward.

“However, I heard that 1st Army Commander Doritugs is not that great.”

He cannot become a 그릇 that can embrace other demons [vessel].

A demon that is more like a 간웅(奸雄) [villainous hero] than a king.

The future of the demons that Doritugs will create is not so bright.

This was the thought of the 5th Army Commander Ozges, and Raidrun also agreed.

“The reason why 5th Army Commander Ozges joined forces with Doritugs was because there was no other 대책 [alternative].”

“Then…”

“Sidriel-nim must 설득 Ozges before Doritugs [persuade].”

“That’s right.”

Sidriel nodded and 수긍했다 [agreed].

It seemed better to take things step by step than to meet the 1st Army Commander right away.

“What about 4th Army Commander Onyx?”

Currently, there are a total of three army commanders excluding Raidrun.

1st Army Commander Doritugs.

4th Army Commander Onyx.

5th Army Commander Ozges.

Among them, I didn’t know much about the 4th Army Commander Onyx, so I couldn’t 잡지 못하고 갈피 [grasp the direction].

“Onyx is a person who moves according to the logic of power. If the 5th Army and the 3rd Army join forces, it won’t be difficult to 설득 [persuade].”

“Then the isolated Doritugs is likely to 항복 [surrender].”

“That’s… not certain. Maybe he’ll choose 결사 항전 until the end [fight to the death].”

No one knows whether Doritugs will 항복 or not [surrender].

Raidrun had never actually seen Doritugs either.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to 확신 until the situation comes [be certain].”

“I understand.”

Sidriel nodded without saying anything else.

She was also the type who didn’t 신경을 쓰지 않는 to parts that she couldn’t control right away [pay attention].

“I want to meet 5th Army Commander Ozges. Is it possible?”

At her question, Raidrun nodded.

“Yes. I’ll make a 조용한 자리 [quiet arrangement].”