Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 40

Choi Hyun-seok narrowed his eyes.

‘Did he leave…?’

The unidentified man had fled, and Hemis seemed to have returned as well.

Only then did Choi Hyun-seok rise from his spot, letting out a sigh of relief.

“Wow, damn. I really thought I was going to die.”

Choi Hyun-seok hadn’t completely fainted.

He had merely lost consciousness for a moment.

He had already woken up by the time Hemis appeared.

Originally, he was going to take advantage of Oceld’s carelessness to deliver a final blow, but.

Upon seeing Hemis appear, he decided to hold back and observe the situation.

Thanks to that, Choi Hyun-seok was able to see everything that happened.

“That pretty boy is definitely strong, but…”

Right now, Choi Hyun-seok knows nothing about Oceld Gefen.

Yet, he can be certain that he is incredibly strong.

Choi Hyun-seok felt that he was at least on par with Raidrun.

Both Oceld and Raidrun were too strong, making an accurate comparison difficult, but.

It was certain that he was not less skilled than Raidrun.

“Even that guy is something, but the lip monster is on another level.”

Hemis played with Oceld, who was such a strongman, like a child.

The fact that he was able to escape was certainly due to his outstanding abilities, but.

The bigger reason was that Hemis didn’t really want to catch him.

‘I should never mess with her.’

Choi Hyun-seok once again vowed not to challenge Hemis.

“Ah, Mr. Abelson! Are you okay?”

Choi Hyun-seok checked on Abelson, who was still collapsed.

Unlike him, who had pretended to be unconscious, Abelson was really unconscious and still couldn’t open his eyes.

Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with his pulse.

“I need to lay him on the bed first.”

Choi Hyun-seok carefully picked up Abelson to lay him on the bed when.

“Hero. Now’s the time…!”

Rachel, who had appeared without a sound, whispered in Choi Hyun-seok’s ear.

“You scared me! Where have you been!?”

“Geez! You told me not to bother you when I need to concentrate!”

“Ah…”

“And you told me not to come out when there’s a monster like Hemis. So I was watching the situation.”

In fact, there wouldn’t have been any problem even if Hemis had found out about Rachel.

She already knew that Choi Hyun-seok was the Hero.

Still, it was a bit awkward to show Rachel in front of Hemis.

“It’s like openly advertising that I’m the Hero.”

“It’s okay. I don’t want to appear in front of that monster either.”

Rachel shuddered as if imagining it.

The room was completely empty of corpses, blood, and even the meat that Choi Hyun-seok had cooked and brought.

Everything had gone into Hemis’s mouth.

“What if she says I look delicious and eats me…?”

“Well, she might.”

This was not something to be dismissed as a joke.

If it was Hemis, it wouldn’t be strange if she really looked at Rachel and wondered what she would taste like and ate her.

“Anyway, Rachel. What do you mean by now?”

“Yes?”

“You just showed up saying it’s now!”

“Ah! That’s right, Hero! Now is the perfect opportunity. Let’s take care of it right away!”

“Take care of what?”

Rachel wore a sinister, third-rate villain-like expression.

“Isn’t that silver hair too suspicious? She might be a witch, not a saintess!”

“Are you still on about that?”

“Think about it! That guy used divine magic at the end. So they’re on the same side, so why would they be fighting?”

“She seemed to know Mr. Abelson. She called him a saint.”

“That’s what I’m saying! But she grabbed him by the collar and beat him up!”

Rachel gestured as if grabbing a collar in the air.

Thinking about it, it was really strange.

Even if I don’t know exactly what the next saintess is, it’s clear that she’s a very precious being.

The sight of her grabbing Abelson by the collar was somehow strange.

“So, you’re saying we should take care of her now?”

“Yes!”

Rachel smiled brightly and nodded.

“Say something that makes sense!”

Choi Hyun-seok flicked her forehead.

“Ouch! Why did you hit me!?”

“Stop talking nonsense. Let’s go back for now. We’ll have to talk to Mr. Abelson when he wakes up later.”

Even with Choi Hyun-seok’s words, Rachel didn’t give up.

“Ugh! Let’s take care of it now!”

“Stop being stubborn! Are you even an angel like that? You’re worse than a demon.”

“I’m not a ‘him,’ I’m a ‘her’! And I’m not an angel, I’m a fairy!”

Choi Hyun-seok used all the facial muscles to make a pathetic expression.

“Are you actually jealous because Mr. Abelson is prettier than you?”

“N-No, I’m not! I’m much prettier and cuter!”

“Your voice is shaking, so I think that’s right?”

“No, I’m not! I’m not!”

“That’s right. You’re jealous, you’re jealous! Ehebebeb~ She’s jealous~ She’s jealous~”

Choi Hyun-seok teased Rachel with an excited expression.

“Rachel is a jealous person!”

“Ugh…! I’m not!”

The Hero and the exclusive fairy were becoming more childish day by day.

***

After becoming the head chef, Choi Hyun-seok’s daily routine was as consistent as a squirrel running on a wheel.

Wake up early in the morning and train.

Go hunting with the cooks.

After the hunt, he cooks the demon beasts caught that day and leaves work in the evening.

His daily routine ends here.

However, there is one change after the Oceld Gefen incident.

“Are you giving up already?”

“Huff… Huff…! Not yet.”

Even before the moon had risen.

Choi Hyun-seok was facing Raidrun in the dark training ground.

The torches burning in various places illuminated the two.

Raidrun looked at Choi Hyun-seok with a serious face.

“Then don’t stop.”

As if Raidrun’s words were a signal, Choi Hyun-seok kicked off the ground and ran.

His body shot out like an arrow.

Due to his body being strengthened with magic power, the speed far surpassed that of a human.

“Hap!”

Choi Hyun-seok stretched out his fist with a shout.

Swaeeeeeek!

The fist tore through the air and flew towards Raidrun.

It was an attack filled with enough power to break rocks.

However, the expression of Raidrun, who was on the receiving end of the attack, was endlessly calm.

He lightly twisted his body to avoid the fist and pushed Choi Hyun-seok’s chest.

“Cough!”

It felt like he had been pushed lightly, but he felt a shock that felt like his chest was breaking.

Choi Hyun-seok staggered back.

“Didn’t I tell you? Your attacks are too straightforward.”

Raidrun said.

“Choi Hyun-seok. You are not superior in strength and speed. You can’t use powerful magic either.”

“Yes…”

“Clearly, you have excellent talent. In fact, your ability to control your body and magic power is quite outstanding.”

“…”

“The problem lies here.”

Raidrun tapped his head with his finger.

“There is a limit to your imagination. As a result, your movements are monotonous and straightforward.”

“…”

“Forget the common sense of the past. Magic makes everything possible. Don’t set limits.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“This problem will continue to hold you back. But you must remember.”

“…”

“No matter how strong you become, you are weak. There will always be someone stronger than you.”

“…”

“So you have to keep all possibilities open. In order for the weak to defeat the strong, they must use any means necessary. You must not forget that honesty is only the privilege of the strong.”

“Yes.”

Raidrun raised his hand and patted Choi Hyun-seok’s shoulder.

“That’s all for today. Good work.”

“Thank you!”

Choi Hyun-seok bowed deeply.

Raidrun left.

Left alone, Choi Hyun-seok flopped down on the parade ground.

“Ughhh! I’m going to die.”

His whole body was screaming.

There wasn’t a single place that didn’t hurt.

“Hero. Are you okay?” Rahel asked, appearing above Choi Hyun-seok’s chest.

“Could you get off? You’re heavy.”
“How rude to call a lady heavy.”
“I don’t even have the energy to joke. Just heal me quickly.”

“Okay.”

Without another word, Rahel cast a healing spell on Choi Hyun-seok.

“Haa, I feel a bit better now.”

Choi Hyun-seok breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the wounds all over his body healing.

‘Can I keep doing this?’

Almost a month had passed since he started sparring with Raidrun.

Yet, the gap between him and Raidrun hadn’t narrowed at all.

He even felt like the gap was widening.

‘I need to get stronger quickly.’

Choi Hyun-seok briefly recalled the past.

That day when Oseld Gefen appeared.

He remembered being helplessly defeated by another human.

‘He said he couldn’t tell me the detailed reasons…’

Choi Hyun-seok had asked Abelson.

Who that man, Oseld Gefen, was.

Why he was attacking Abelson.

But the question Abelson returned was a different one.

“Choi Hyun-seok. Don’t you find it strange?”

“Yes?”

“Why has the war between humans and demons lasted for over 500 years? Don’t you think it’s strange that this war hasn’t ended?”

Choi Hyun-seok had nothing to say to the sudden question.

He was a stranger who hadn’t been in this strange world for long.

He had only just learned from Abelson that the war between demons and humans had lasted for over 500 years.

“All I can tell you right now is this: you must become stronger.”

“…”

“And trust yourself, not anyone else. That’s the only thing that will protect you from this chaos.”

With those words, Abelson closed her mouth.

Choi Hyun-seok had many more questions he wanted to ask, but he didn’t.

He knew instinctively that she wouldn’t answer any more.

“So, this training started, but…”

Choi Hyun-seok muttered, looking at the night sky.

“Is this okay?”

After his conversation with Abelson, Choi Hyun-seok accelerated his training.

He could confidently say that he was really putting in the effort.

In fact, it wasn’t like there were no results.

Thanks to the constant hunting and training with Raidrun, his stats had increased quite a bit.

Choi Hyun-seok opened his status window to check.

▫Name: Choi Hyun-seok

▫Title: Prospective Hero

▫Level: 335

· Strength: 110

· Agility: 108

· Stamina: 112

· Magic Power: 114

· Charisma: 52

· Bonus Points: –

▫Hero Points: 450

▫Abilities: Pickaxing (C), Leadership (D), Cooking (E), Magic Power Control (D)
▫Skills: Raidrun-style Combat

His level had increased by over 100 in the past month.

All stats except charisma had surpassed 100.

Choi Hyun-seok himself felt like he had truly transcended humanity, becoming incredibly powerful.

But it wasn’t enough.

There were too many monsters in this world.

“Something… something else is needed.”

He needed to get stronger as soon as possible.

He wanted to escape the Demon King’s army and become free.

To date a blonde noble lady, have rabbit-like children, and prepare a mansion to live in during his old age, he needed to get out of here as soon as possible.

“That’s right. I need to get Abelson out of here too. I almost forgot.”
“Hero. I told you to give up on that woman. She’s a witch!”
“If you keep saying that, you’ll really be cursed.”

Choi Hyun-seok and Rahel were exchanging silly jokes when…

“Cough! Cough!”

A soldier was approaching, panting strangely.

Looking closer, it was one of the cooks.

“C, Chief Cook! Are you here!? I’ve been looking for you.”

“What is it?”

Choi Hyun-seok asked with a puzzled look.

A cook looking for him at this hour.

It was something that would never happen normally.

“T, the Commander wants to see the Chief Cook. Go quickly!”
“Haa, I wondered why it’s been so quiet lately…”

It wasn’t particularly surprising.

Choi Hyun-seok got up from his seat with a look that said, ‘It’s finally here.’

***

The antique door made of black wood was huge, reaching a height of 3 meters [approximately 9.8 feet].

Choi Hyun-seok, standing in front of the door, took a deep breath.

“Hoo…”

He carefully knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in.”

A beautiful voice came from inside.

Opening the door and entering, he saw Hemis sitting on the desk with her legs crossed, as usual.

‘Her lips look even bigger today.’

Thinking nonsense, Choi Hyun-seok bowed his head.

“I heard you were looking for me.”
“Aren’t you bored these days?”

“Yes?”

Choi Hyun-seok blinked at the sudden words.

Far from being bored, he was moving so busily that he felt like he didn’t have enough time every day.

“No. You seem very bored these days.”

Hemis said again.

Only then could Choi Hyun-seok understand what she meant.

‘You’re just bored!’

Since the Oseld Gefen incident, there hadn’t been any incidents for almost a month.

It was obvious that the monster was planning to cause some trouble.

“So, I’m going to give you something fun to do.”

“Yes…”

“You seem to be performing the role of Company Commander well now, so shouldn’t you start taking the commander stage in earnest?”

At Hemis’s words, Choi Hyun-seok made a face as if to say, ‘No way… It can’t be…’

Unfortunately, bad premonitions always come true.

Hemis’s smiling lips stretched wide.

“I’ll give you a month. Catch the Battalion Commander.”

“Yes…?”

A new storm was approaching.