Then, the signal getting weaker all this time must have been part of the process of becoming a hero.
First, he had to meet Deon. Ben quickly ran into the open gate. The magic stone necklace had long since stopped working, but it was not difficult to get his direction because all he had to do was run while looking at the huge pillar of light.
A pillar of light was radiating its presence from inside a mansion.
However, unlike the momentum that made him look like he was going to jump in at any moment, Ben stopped for a moment and rubbed his eyes. An unbelievable scene was unfolding in front of the main gate.
'What is that?'
Humans wearing bombs were attacking the demon soldiers waiting in front of the main gate. The demons showed reluctance in the attack, which did not spare their bodies, and were each swinging their weapons. Their livers must b swollen.
Otherwise, there's no way they would do such a crazy thing. He was mesmerized by the completely unexpected sight for a moment and thought.
'Deon comes first.'
Ben came to his senses again and jumped into the midst of the chaos, holding his visitation bag tightly.
"Everyone get out of the way!!"
If you block me, I'll hit you!
Every time his bag was swung, there was a dull sound and the demons and humans flew into the distance.
...
'... I thought it would be okay once I came into the mansion.'
He sighed and swung his visitation bag. A human fell against the wall with an eerie sound of his neck being broken.
A presence could be felt throughout the mansion. With seemingly impure intentions, they were flocking towards a specific place.
Not only that, but the sound of something exploding and the vibrations transmitted through the air were so ominous. He ran up the stairs like he was flying. Ben, who saw the crowd gathered in front of one door, rushed in without even thinking about it, swinging his bag.
"Show off fireworks outside, you rude and senseless people!"
"... Ben?"
It was natural that Dan, who was barely swinging his sword while maintaining a distance away from the explosion, was dumbfounded.
The situation was resolved in an instant.
Even though there was only one person added, and it was all sorted out so quickly. Dan, who was standing with a stunned expression, slowly sheathed his sword and turned his head to look at Ben.
As if he had gone crazy, he approached the pillar of light and was examining Deon's condition.
"He's already been caught in an explosion once. He's very tattered. He's almost fully recovered, but you can't deceive my eyes."
"..."
His reaction was calmer than expected?
If it's the Ben he'd seen so far, it's a little more...
"What did you do when you weren't protecting Deon?!"
There it was.
But it wasn't his fault at all.
He too was deeply regretting it.
'He came in trusting only me, so I should have kept it clear.'
This was a matter of trust. It was a matter that not only depended on Deon Hardt's trust, but also the Demon King's Army's gaze towards him.
'I'm glad he's alive.'
If he had died here, he would have died too. From the demons' point of view, there was no need to keep a human who cannot protect even one person who is their guarantor and commander.
Deon Hardt didn't trust him for nothing.
"Sorry."
"Why did you do something so sorry...!"
Dan, who was inadvertently looking over Ben's shoulder, paused for a moment.
The brilliant pillar of light was gradually fading away. Soon, Deon appeared in the midst of it all. The moment his face came into view, his mind went blank. Ben was still angry and shouting something, but he couldn't hear him.
'It's strange, the pillar of light has clearly disappeared...'
Why was it still bright around Deon Hardt?
Ben was not unaware that the other person's mind was somewhere else. After seeing Dan's dumbfounded expression, he growled loudly and turned his head to follow his gaze.
"You don't listen to me... Deon!"
The demon in front of him disappeared, leaving only an afterimage. The movement was so fast that it was difficult to follow it with the eyes, but Dan leisurely looked away. Because it was obvious where the destination was anyway.
Sure enough, Ben was sitting where Deon Hardt was. As he reached out to Deon, who was crouching with the box in his arms, he paused for a moment.
"What is this box...?"
"Oh, that's..."
He didn't think he should say it.
If he said it was Cruel Hardt's head, this doctor would immediately notice the situation. Everything from the fact that Deon Hardt was swayed by personal matters and diverted his troops to the fact that he ended up falling into a trap.
Things will not be good for Deon.
Ben shrugged his shoulders in response to no response.
"I don't know what it is, but I'm just taking it out for a while for treatment..."
Ugh.
Ben didn't finish his sentence. The wrist stretched out toward the box was caught. He flinched from a grip strong enough to crush his bones, and for a moment he heard a soft voice.
"This can't be done."
The voice was low, as if it was a little quiet, but the life contained in it was clear. This moment felt so dream-like that he wondered if it was an illusion, but Deon's eyelids slowly went up. As if reminding him that this was reality, the red eyes revealed between them turned toward Ben with a colorful light.
Not only Ben, who made eye contact, but even Dan, who was watching the situation from a distance, froze.
'... I open my eyes and it's really no joke.'
He felt it when he closed his eyes, but when he opened his eyes, he felt it for sure.
'He was considered good-looking before, but this is just...'
It's beauty that transcends taste.
Although the face of the original version remains, the appearance was of a different level. When you become a hero, doesn't it make you naturally look good? He thought carefully about the information about the hero.
As far as he knew, a warrior's power was a bundle of talent. The range of talent was very wide and varies depending on what you think...
'... Talent, yes.'
Even beauty like that was a talent.
Dan nodded.
Deon, who was shocked and then came to his senses, slowly stood up. Ben tried to help him from next to him, but he flatly refused and sat down, slowly clenching and unclenching his fists.
***
I am full of strength.
Was this what health was like? My vision was clear and breathing was easy. This body, which always had to be moved with more than a certain amount of force, moved softly and lightly just by thinking about it.
I could even feel the presence of my nemesis, the Demon King.
'I have truly become a hero.'
I could not deny this.
So, did that mean that the conversation in that space at that time was not a meaningless dream?
The hand holding the box gained strength. I had to quickly relax because I heard a cracking sound, but it made me feel even more like I had become a hero.
'The black-haired, green-eyed man asked me to say hello.'
... Cruel.
I bowed my head. Ben made a fuss, asking if there was anything uncomfortable, but no one heard him.
I just looked down at the box in my arms and closed my eyes.
I only realized it after hearing that.
'There was someone here who wanted you to live even after death. And there are people who want you to be happy even after death.'
The hero's words included not only himself but also Cruel Hardt.
'Free, not tied down by something, not oppressed. There are people who want you to live the life you want.'
He said 'people'. Why didn't I realize this?
And... and...
'I hope you live the life I want.'
I couldn't breathe, as if I was submerged deep in water.
I feel like he's thinking of me even after death, so I want to follow his words faithfully and show him my hope, but...
'I can't.'
Before discussing what kind of life I want, I cannot dare to assure him that I can follow his words. I can clearly feel that a great fate is driving me to one place, so how can a mere human being resist?
'But... like I decided, I can kill the Demon King.'
Was it really a coincidence that I awakened as a hero as soon as I made that 'decision'?
No way. I laughed as if I collapsed.
This made it clear what the world wanted from me. If I move according to my 'decision', I will be moving according to its will. This is my will and at the same time it is not my will.
'I said I would show the world a greater hatred than ever seen before.'
If I have no choice but to move as the world wants, then yes.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to show a larger scale than that.
'Revenge comes first, though.'
The feel of the box in my arms was cool. I stood up.
There was a commotion outside the mansion, as if the poor people have attacked the waiting soldiers. Although they did not have any decent military power, it will not be easy as it was a life-threatening attack. I walked away leisurely, nodding to Ben and Dan who were looking at me blankly.
I walked down the hallway with neat steps that completely concealed my true feelings.
***
The raids by the poor had almost all been put to rest. This contained the demons' survival instinct to clean up the place neatly before Deon came out.
Deon, who became the general commander, had a thorough atmosphere that made it impossible to make a single mistake. Unless it was a big mistake, no significant punishment was given, but the cold gaze and noble, trampling tone made the demons notice.
... But now it seems like the atmosphere has changed again.
Was it because he became a hero?
The demons looked blankly at Deon with his feet on the corpse's back. They knew that the pillar of light was related to the birth of a hero. Since they knew that the place where the pillar of light was located was the mansion where Deon and Dan entered, they also assumed that Deon could become a hero.
However, they did not expect this situation.
"This guy is attacking me, but no one can react."
The foot that stepped on the corpse pressed down stronger. The sound of the spine breaking as it was unable to withstand the hero's strength was heard.
Bright red eyes looked persistently at those who flinched and avoided his gaze. A voice filled with indifference and irritation came out slowly.
"What should I do with these incompetent things?"
It was unfair for the demons.
It's not that no one reacted. Everyone reacted, but before they could even move, Deon Hardt killed his opponent first.
It was almost all sorted out, but it was not completely sorted out.
In that situation, there was no way the remaining poor would just leave a famous person named Deon Hardt outside the mansion. Naturally, the poor person closest to him rushed towards him when he showed up.
When Dan, Ben, and other demons tried to react to the surprisingly transparent movement, Deon moved first.
"Did I look so easy that a sloppy guy like that would attack me?"
All of this happened in an instant, from grabbing the face of the person running towards him and slamming him to the floor and then turning his body over so that the bomb mounted on his stomach fell underneath him.
Meanwhile, Deon glanced at his left hand curiously.
He clearly put his left hand under his stomach when he knocked over the guy with the bomb. The explosion caused his body to shake and his left hand to be covered in blood up to the elbow. Nevertheless, now...
'I'm all better.'
The thick blood didn't disappear and it didn't look very good, but the wound didn't even leave a trace.
The hero's recovery power was this high. After a moment of admiration, Deon consciously lowered the corners of his mouth that had risen slightly.
"What should I do now? You didn't organize what was left quickly."
"Yes... Yes!"
Now there was no need to pay close attention to their actions.
Deon stopped speaking as if he had been waiting for this moment.
When Stigma taught something, there is always something added at the end. As a fairly conscientious junior, he had even that engraved in a corner of his head.
'All of this is irrelevant if you are overwhelmingly strong.'
The only enemy of a hero was the Demon King. The Demon King was also like that.
It is difficult to kill a hero with demons alone, and even if he was ambushed, with this level of resilience, he will be able to fight back and survive. There was no need to set himself up and be tough.
Besides...
'Not tied down, not oppressed, free.'
... He didn't want to live like that anymore.