Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 4

Golden hair cascaded down her back, pooling at her waist.

Her delicate features were perfectly arranged, a miniature masterpiece.

And pure white wings sprouted from her back, shimmering in the dim light.

Rahel appeared before Choi Hyun-seok in her true form.

However, there was one significant difference: she was incredibly small.

Her height had shrunk to about thirty centimeters (around a foot).

She resembled a porcelain figurine.

One might wonder why she had become so diminutive, but Choi Hyun-seok didn’t bother asking.

He was simply shocked and consumed by rage at Rahel’s sudden appearance.

“You’re curious about Hero Points? I’ll tell you all about them!” Rahel chirped, oblivious to his inner turmoil.

“Hero Points are crucial for nurturing heroes… Ugh!”

Choi Hyun-seok’s hand shot out, grabbing Rahel mid-sentence.

“W-What are you doing…!”

Rahel’s voice, which had been about to erupt in panic, trailed off into a whimper.

“You…”

Flames danced in Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes as he glared at her, a burning intensity that promised pain.

Choi Hyun-seok, already known for his fierce demeanor, looked as terrifying as a high-ranking demon when truly angered.

“U-Um… Hero…?”

“Let’s have a little chat first, shall we?”

“Huh?”

Choi Hyun-seok seized Rahel by the ankle and began to swing her around with alarming speed.

Thwack! Whack! Thwack!

“First, let me get a w-urk! word in, gack! just! Ugh! a moment! Ugh!”

Perhaps unable to bring himself to smash her against the unforgiving stone floor, Choi Hyun-seok instead slammed Rahel repeatedly against the pile of foul-smelling straw.

Of course, from Rahel’s perspective, that was hardly an improvement.

As she found herself buried in the filth-covered straw, Rahel silently cursed her superior, Frizzell.

The truth was, she hadn’t wanted to come here in the first place.

How could she possibly face the man who had been trapped in a Demon King’s fortress because of her blunder?

Rahel had only come because of Frizzell’s forceful coercion.

“Become Choi Hyun-seok’s exclusive fairy.”

Being an exclusive fairy was nothing particularly glamorous.

It simply meant doing odd jobs and providing guidance to the hero.

“You want me to be an exclusive fairy!?”

“Yes. It’s originally something you can choose as a hero perk, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Naturally, Rahel protested vehemently.

“I gave up the exclusive fairy title a hundred years ago!”

“If you don’t want to be an exclusive fairy, I’ll just send you down to Earth as a human.”

“Huh…? You want me to become a human… are you kidding me…?”

Rahel asked in dismay, but Frizzell’s eyes remained unwavering, devoid of humor.

“Does it sound like a joke?”

“…”

“If you don’t want to be an exclusive fairy, I’m thinking of throwing you into a Demon King’s fortress without any abilities, just like you did before.”

“How could you…”

There was no real choice to be made.

Surviving in a Demon King’s fortress as a powerless human was an impossibility.

“The term is until Choi Hyun-seok defeats the Demon King. Any complaints?”

“No…”

Rahel reluctantly agreed to become Choi Hyun-seok’s exclusive fairy.

After concluding her less-than-pleasant conversation with Frizzell, Rahel was unceremoniously sent to Choi Hyun-seok’s location without even a chance to grab the macarons she had stashed away at home.

And now, she was in a sorry state, her head buried in straw and grime.

“Ugh! J-Just a moment! Gack! Let me say! Hyack! Something!”

Choi Hyun-seok continued to swing Rahel around like a man possessed.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

He spun her around in a dizzying windmill motion, then slammed her into the straw with all his might, as if he were a major league baseball player connecting with a fastball.

Whack!

Rahel, completely battered and disoriented, staggered to her feet.

“Ugh… H-Hero. Calm down and listen to me…”

“Calm down?”

Choi Hyun-seok grinned, the word “calm down” clearly lost on him.

His eyes gleamed with a strange, unsettling madness.

“This is just the beginning.”

“Kyaaaaa!”

“Die!”

And so, another layer of hell was being forged within the existing hellish landscape.

***

After a prolonged bout of chaotic violence, Choi Hyun-seok felt himself gradually regaining a semblance of composure.

‘I should probably listen to her story first,’ he thought.

Beating Rahel senseless wouldn’t magically solve the underlying problem.

He needed to hear the full explanation to understand the situation.

“…And that’s what happened…”

Rahel finished her explanation, her voice subdued, and hung her head in shame.

Of course, the preceding events had been magically soundproofed, ensuring that no one else could overhear their… discussion.

“So, you’ve become my manager. Is that the gist of it?”

“Yes. The term is until Choi Hyun-seok Hero defeats the Demon King.”

Choi Hyun-seok muttered under his breath and shook his head dismissively.

“Sorry, but I’m done with being a hero.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not doing it. Hero-ing, I mean.”

“What are you talking about…?”

At Rahel’s bewildered question, Choi Hyun-seok frowned and fixed her with a steely glare.

“Why should I fight the Demon King and save the world? I heard that most heroes just end up living ordinary lives anyway.”

“Of course, there are many prospective heroes who don’t amount to much. Most of them live ordinary lives and eventually die. But!”

Rahel clenched her tiny fist, her expression earnest.

“Choi Hyun-seok Hero is different. I told you! SSS-class potential! This is incredibly rare!”

“How can I trust your words? What if you’re lying again?”

“That was a mistake…”

Choi Hyun-seok abruptly cut off Rahel’s attempt at justification.

“Enough. Let’s say you’re right. Let’s say I actually have high potential. But do you honestly think that’s a good enough reason for me to step up and sacrifice myself?”

“…”

“My goal is to escape this fortress and become an adventurer. That’s all I want.”

He was utterly serious.

The reason he had initially considered becoming a hero wasn’t simply because he was swayed by Rahel’s enticing words.

He just desperately wanted to live his life freely again.

‘My past life was far too regimented and stressful.’

The position of world martial arts champion wasn’t easily attained.

He woke up every morning before dawn to engage in grueling exercise and strictly adhered to a meticulously planned diet.

Every day was virtually identical to the last.

He traveled abroad frequently for matches, but he never even considered sightseeing or indulging in leisure activities.

He constantly had to manage his physical and mental condition, pushing himself to the absolute limit.

And now, he had no desire to return to that kind of existence.

“But Choi Hyun-seok Hero…”

“What.”

“It’s difficult for me to admit this… but this world isn’t exactly a walk in the park. To be honest, it’s incredibly dangerous. Even if you want to become the adventurer you desire, you’ll need considerable strength and skill.”

Choi Hyun-seok chuckled dryly at Rahel’s surprisingly practical words.

“I’m not that naive. Of course, I’m going to get stronger. I’ve been thrust into another world, so shouldn’t I learn magic and swordsmanship to survive?”

“Then why…”

“However, I’m not going to be swept up in the illusion of being a hero and suddenly develop a sense of duty that I never possessed before.”

Choi Hyun-seok spoke with unwavering resolve.

That only served to make Rahel even more troubled and conflicted.

‘Was he always this cynical and self-serving?’

At first, she had harbored the prejudice that he was a simple-minded athlete, focused solely on physical pursuits.

That’s why she had rushed the process of sending him as a hero, but she hadn’t realized he was concealing this pragmatic side of his personality.

‘I can’t go back unless I defeat the Demon King…’

Rahel was now completely subservient to Choi Hyun-seok’s will.

She was obligated to follow his instructions without question and share in his triumphs and setbacks.

She could offer advice and guidance on the path he chose to take, but she couldn’t force him to do anything against his will.

“Anyway, you said you have to follow my orders no matter what, right? I’m planning to leave this fortress, so cooperate with me.”

“Okay…”

Just as Rahel was listlessly drooping her head in resignation.

“Huh?”

Suddenly, Rahel’s physical form vanished from sight.

While Choi Hyun-seok was momentarily panicking, Rahel’s voice echoed directly in his mind.

‘Hero. Someone’s approaching!’

“Approaching? Who?”

Choi Hyun-seok’s question was answered almost immediately.

“Human! Human!”

The goblin guard, Jack, banged frantically on the iron bars of his cell.

“Come out.”

“Huh?”

“Why are you standing there like an idiot! I said come out!”

It was nearing bedtime, the usual time for lights out.

But why was he the only one being summoned?

The other slaves remained silent, but he could sense their subtle gazes fixed on him, filled with curiosity and apprehension.

‘Could this guy be…’

Choi Hyun-seok, having stepped outside the cell, looked down at Jack with a sullen expression.

To be more precise, he was eyeing the massive, wickedly sharp sword clutched in the goblin’s hand.

‘I might have to kill him if it becomes necessary…’

Jack had been particularly tormenting him from the very beginning of his captivity.

If he was secretly plotting to harm him, Choi Hyun-seok wasn’t going to passively stand by and let it happen.

But what came out of Jack’s mouth was entirely unexpected.

“Lord Raidrun is summoning you.”

***

A towering figure of two and a half meters (over eight feet) in height, covered in rippling red muscles.

Raidrun, a high-ranking demon with the head of a bull and flames erupting from his nostrils, was sitting in his opulent office, patiently waiting for Choi Hyun-seok to arrive.

“I heard you’ve been working diligently lately.”

“Excuse me…?”

“I heard it from Jack. He said you’re the most enthusiastic and productive of all the slaves these days.”

Choi Hyun-seok was visibly startled and shot a suspicious glance at Jack.

‘That little runt actually praised me?’

He found it difficult to believe.

He wanted to demand an explanation from Jack, but Raidrun continued speaking, preventing him from doing so.

“At first, I thought you were just as crazy and useless as the other morons, but it’s good to see you working hard and showing some initiative. So, I was wondering…”

Raidrun flashed a surprisingly warm and friendly smile, which seemed oddly out of place on his fierce, demonic face.

“Would you like to become a slave driver?”

“Excuse me?”

“The overall work speed has been unsatisfactory lately. This fortress is located right on the front lines of the war. Human forces could invade at any time, and it would be a complete disaster if the fortress expansion is progressing at such a sluggish pace.”

“…”

“So, Choi Hyun-seok, I’d like you to take on the role of slave driver and help us increase work efficiency and productivity.”

It was at that precise moment, as Raidrun finished his proposition, that Rahel’s frantic voice exploded in Choi Hyun-seok’s mind.

‘Absolutely not!!!’

Rahel’s mental scream echoed with vehement disapproval.

‘You’re suggesting that the hero become a lackey of the Demon King? Are you out of your mind!?’

It was already surprising enough that the usually prim and proper angel Rahel had used the vulgar term “lackey,” but Choi Hyun-seok didn’t have the opportunity to dwell on it.

“What was that? I thought I heard a strange noise just now…”

Raidrun narrowed his eyes and glared intently at Choi Hyun-seok, his suspicion palpable.

‘Hup!’

Perhaps Rahel hadn’t anticipated that Raidrun would be able to sense her presence, even in her incorporeal form. She was visibly startled and abruptly clamped her mouth shut, ceasing her mental outburst.

“I…”

Choi Hyun-seok hurriedly opened his mouth, desperate to defuse the situation.

Then, he bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, his forehead nearly touching the ground.

“Thank you! Lord Raidrun!”

“Oho.”

“I will do my absolute best to efficiently exploit the slaves and maximize their output!”

Choi Hyun-seok shouted the words with enthusiastic conviction.

“Hahaha! Good. Despite his initial appearance, he’s actually a rather likeable guy.”

Raidrun chuckled heartily and clapped a massive hand on Choi Hyun-seok’s shoulder.

“If this goes well, I’ll even give you a formal application to join the Demon King’s army.”

He was offering the designated hero an official invitation to enlist in the ranks of the Demon King’s forces.

The hero, Choi Hyun-seok, nodded eagerly with a bright, disarming smile.

“Leave it to me!”

***

“You’re crazy! You’re crazy! You’re completely insane!”

Rahel buzzed around Choi Hyun-seok’s head like an agitated mosquito, her voice shrill with disbelief.

“Are you out of your mind! How could you possibly accept such an offer! Are you even a hero anymore!?”

“Ugh, this is getting really annoying.”

“You’re crazy! You’re crazy! You’re crazy! Go back and tell him you can’t do it! Right now!”

“Are you going to keep bothering me like this? Besides, did you even see that bull-headed guy’s face earlier? If I suddenly tell him I won’t do it, he’ll probably tear me apart alive.”

“…”

She couldn’t exactly argue with that assessment, as it seemed highly plausible.

Raidrun had looked genuinely terrifying.

“So… why did you accept such a ridiculous offer in the first place…?”

“I have my reasons, so don’t worry about it.”

Choi Hyun-seok grinned slyly and opened his status window, his eyes scanning the information displayed.

There was a new message there that he hadn’t noticed before, a notification that piqued his interest.

It was a Hero Quest.

★☆★☆ Hero Quest! ★☆★☆

(Due to some idiot’s monumental mistake, you’ve been unceremoniously dropped into a Demon King’s fortress right from the start!

You may be feeling as depressed and helpless as if you’ve run out of toilet paper in the bathroom, but don’t despair just yet!

Fortunately, a golden opportunity has presented itself!