Chapter 137

“Is this the Hero’s Village?”

“Yup. The village where the first hero closed their eyes.”

The young hero gazed out at the village landscape from the entrance.

The village of the nameless first hero, where their final breath still lingered.

In a small mountain village…

“Hero Bread for sale! Freshly baked and piping hot!”

“You gotta buy souvenirs when you come to Hero Village! Hey! We’ve got Hero Statues! And Hero Sword Decorations too!”

“This is the Hero Memorial Hall! It’s a perfect recreation of the house where the first hero lived! Only 10 silver coins!”

It was a scene of people doing business off the hero theme.

“What is this…?”

“By the way, none of the people in this village are direct descendants of the hero.”

The silver-haired girl said coldly.

“After the first hero passed away, the hero bloodline gradually left this village. Some direct descendants stayed here for the first few generations, but they didn’t stay long.”

“So what about the people here?”

At the hero’s question, the silver-haired girl shook her head slightly and said,

“Hmm. Probably humans who heard the hero’s legend and gathered here to make money off it?”

“It always comes down to money, huh…”

With all hope lost, the young hero face-planted into the ground in despair.

“But at least this place is close to the Life Sect’s main temple. They might think it’s safe from the Demon King’s threat.”

“That’s true I guess… But what even IS hero bread? Hero bread…”

“It’s bread baked in a clunky sword-shaped mold with flour dough. It’s delicious with red bean paste inside. Wanna try some?”

“No, I’m fine…”

The hero despaired once more.

What the hero had imagined upon hearing “Hero Village” was…

「A small village where the hero’s descendants gather.

When a new hero appears, it’s the village to test them.

By overcoming that trial, they receive recognition from the first hero and obtain the treasures they used.」

This is what they thought it would be like.

But in reality, it’s just a tourist spot…

“The hero’s descendants are people too. After the first hero died, they all scattered.”

The silver-haired girl already had a paper bag filled with sword-shaped bread in her arms, taking a bite out of one.

“Really not gonna eat any? I’ll eat them all by myself then?”

“Not eating…”

“With how good it tastes…”

Unaware of the young hero’s feelings, the silver-haired girl munched on the clunky sword-shaped bread.

– A record of a certain hero party’s adventure.

The hero descended into hell with the Grim Reaper.

Walking along the riverbank that divides this world and the underworld, they saw children longing for their parents.

‘Huh, do kids like these come to hell too…?’

「Death is fair for all, regardless of age or gender. Still, innocent children like these pass onto their next life without the judgment of hell.」

Passing by the children, the hero and the Grim Reaper arrived at a ferry dock where an old man with his mouth sewn shut with black thread stood silently.

「You should have a pouch in your inner pocket. Take out the fare.」

‘Inner pocket?’

The hero searched the plain white clothes they wore and pulled out a rather heavy pouch.

「Huh, smaller than expected. I thought a famous hero would have a huge bundle so big they’d struggle to lift it.」

‘This… It’s the pouch I got from my beloved sister.’

A pouch made from wyvern hide, capable of easily carrying something as large as a house.

‘And this weight… I’ve never filled it this heavy before.’

Carefully holding the pouch, the hero didn’t go to the dock but instead opened it on the solid riverbank.

An enormous pile of silver coins spilled out, forming a small hill.

「…?」

‘That explains why it felt so heavy.’

The hero smiled faintly at the small hill of silver coins.

‘This should be enough for the fare.’

「Ah, yes.」

The Grim Reaper and the ferryman could only weakly nod at the overwhelming amount of silver coins.

The hero continued onward with the Grim Reaper.

They passed through the beautiful flower field whose sight alone could heal wounds, advanced along the pitch-black gravel path where nothing appeared,

crossed the hell of fiery souls being burned, went through the hell filled with people pierced by icicles, and traversed the hell grown with countless thorn trees.

And facing the hero, who walked through the hell of darkness where not even an inch ahead could be seen, was a gigantic gate.

「This is where I leave. Inside are the three Underworld Registrars.」

‘So I’ll be judged here?’

「Yes. After reviewing a person’s life, they weigh their sins and deliver judgment. Well then, I’ll take my leave.」

‘Huh? My beloved sister isn’t here… She disappeared.’

The Grim Reaper who brought the hero was already gone.

‘Hmm… Do I really have to enter?’

Looking at the massive gate before them, the hero steeled their resolve.

‘Pfft, I’m already dead anyway, what’s the problem? Not like I’ll die again! But this gate… How do I open it?’

The hero began examining the massive gate. A pitch-black gate. A gate carved with various patterns. It somewhat resembled the gate at the underworld’s entrance, but its size was overwhelmingly different.

Creak.

The gate started opening on its own.

‘Oh… So it opens automatically, huh.’

The hero peeked beyond the gate. Countless pillars decorated in crimson lined the dark passage.

And at the end of that passage… There must be the gods of the underworld.

The hero reaffirmed their resolve once more and took a step inside the now-open gate.

「You’ve finally arrived.」

The scenery completely changed.

A building filled with elegant decorations. Three pairs of eyes looking down from the front and sides of the hero.

「7 layers, each taking 7 days, making 49 days total. Finally, the hero’s trial has come.」

Seated to the left was a being composed entirely of black shadows.

Similar to the Grim Reaper, but incomparably overwhelming.

A towering Grim Reaper enveloped in the energy of death.

「This is Thanatos. The king of reapers who commands the Grim Reapers.」

The king of reapers. That’s why the hero felt a similar vibe between the Grim Reaper who brought them and this Thanatos.

Next, the being seated directly in front.

Dressed in eastern attire, wearing a flowing crown that covered their face.

One hand held a mirror, the other a bamboo slip.

「Yama, or Moros. The Investigator who examines your life.」

Compared to the others, this existence felt rather gentle.

Finally, the being seated to the right.

Resembling a woman half-alive and half-dead.

One hand held scales, the other leaned against a massive greatsword.

「Hmm, can we just skip this? Hearing about your deeds in life, it feels like you should get a complete free pass.」

「Keres. Introduce yourself.」

「Ugh, fine… I’m Keres. The Judge who weighs sins and delivers judgment.」

Though speaking lightly, this being possessed a far more intimidating gaze than the other two.

「Then let’s begin.」

Yama shone their mirror on the hero and examined the automatically unfolding bamboo slips while speaking.

「Hero. Johanan the Hero. Lost parents at a young age, became an orphan, and wandered until accidentally pulling the sword from the Temple of Life, becoming a hero.」

「The hero had a name? Wow… Never heard that before.」

「Keres. Silence.」

When Thanatos spoke lowly, Keres pouted slightly.

「Afterward, traveled the world with the Dragon Priestess, defeating countless monsters and saving humans.」

「Dragon Priestess, huh? Even the Goddess of Life seems to lack common sense. Why involve themselves in such troublesome matters?」

「Keres.」

「Yes sir! Shutting up now!」

Ignoring such Keres, Yama continued reading from the bamboo slips.

「After finishing their travels, married and had one daughter, living quietly without incident until passing away. Age at death: 103. Any discrepancies?」

‘Was I really 103 years old…? Honestly, I never really knew my age.’

「Hmm. Being an orphan makes that possible. Let’s quickly move on then. Having too many souls awaiting judgment is frightening.」

「Ker-es.」

「Yes~yes~. I’ll be quiet.」

Expecting the underworld gods to be extremely serious and strict, the atmosphere was surprisingly light-hearted.

「Let’s see. No murder records. No fraud or theft records. Slight violence records, but only against monsters. However, these were either to protect humans or save other lives.」

「Clean record.」

「Well, obviously. Someone was always watching over them, after all.」

The three underworld gods nodded as they reviewed the hero’s life.

「Judging by this alone, there are no issues in their life.」

「Indeed. This might be the first soul to pass through judgment since I’ve been here.」

「Hmm. Then let’s just weigh it and finish, shall we?」

Keres slightly pointed the tip of their greatsword at the hero, causing a faint presence to flow out of the hero and gather at the sword’s tip.

“This is… Just dust coming off when you brush it. Hardly any sins… The result is obvious even without looking.”

「Keres. Procedures must be followed.」

「Got it. Got it. You old-school types are so stiff, really.」

Keres placed the presence gathered on the greatsword onto the scale, but the scale showed no change at all.

At that moment,

「Then, let’s add the final sin.」

Yama, who had remained silent after reciting the hero’s life, spoke softly.

「The sin is… A mere human monopolizing divinity.」