Chapter 83

“Hey, you! Why the hell are you so late?!”

“Grrr… Didn’t I say main characters always show up at the last minute?”

“Are you the main character? Huh? You piece of dung…! You’re not even worthy to be called a dog anymore! I’ll demote you to a dung puppy!”

“…So, you hate it?”

Do you call that talking?!

Of course…!

“Damn straight I do!”

“Grrr!”

Heroic entrance! You showed up just in the nick of time! Starting today, Aru’s the protagonist! The one and only Dung Puppy Hero!

Aru’s gaze pierced through the smoke and scanned my body. Oh no, I totally forgot about that. I quickly hid behind Beatrix. It’s too early for Aru to see all of me yet.

“Huh…? But… Are you injured? By a young demon…?”

Just then, Aru notices the blood on my chin from when I coughed up earlier and asks worriedly.

“Ah, because some wolf didn’t bother to help in time… Cough! Cough!”

“Eh? Young demon! Grrrrrr!”

“Don’t look this way! We need to stop that guy!”

While answering his question, I fake some more coughs. Aru’s pupils ripple. The girl’s back twitches. Ahh, what a delicious scene – manipulating someone like this.

“Grrr… I’m gonna… kill you…”

There goes our knight Claire, getting up again like a stubborn spring. Realizing Claire’s murderous intent is aimed at me, Aru immediately charges at her.

This time, Claire doesn’t seem willing to take Aru’s surprise attack lying down. With both hands glowing with Heavenly King Technique to an almost dangerous degree, she prepares to face Aru head-on. A fierce combat ensues.

Tat-tat! Boom! Pow!

Claire’s fist connects with Aru’s head, while Aru’s claws scratch Claire’s face. This is the perfect opportunity while Claire’s attention is distracted. Without hesitation, I repeatedly stab my own abdomen multiple times with the dagger I’m holding.

Puncture-puncture-puncture…

“Mi, My Lord?”

“Shh, did you see that? Keep quiet. Sometimes secrets can be beneficial. We should use this chance to increase Aru’s loyalty.”

My lord…this is dangerous. If any vital organs get damaged…

“I’m fine. I know my body best. And demons don’t die from a few holes in their organs.”

“Hmph, but self-harm is still very…”

“Mmmph.”

Pinch!

Using my thumb and index finger as tweezers, I pinch Beatrix’s butt. After this, Beatrix won’t dare contradict my orders anymore.

“Ugh…”

“I’ve used the self-harm threat on Aru before. That got me three hundred years of peace. But now it seems to be losing effectiveness. The pup’s getting unruly.”

“That’s because Aru is going through adolescence, rebelling against authority like any stormy teenager. However, Aru’s love for you hasn’t changed.”

“Love? Lady Beatrix, what I need is a weapon that follows my commands above everything else, no matter what happens. Not some soft-hearted daughter. Same goes for you and Mr. Yohan, and even the goblin assistant I’ll have soon. The only exception might be Mr. Uriel, who walks a different path than me.”

I’m not asking for emotionless machines like Western Duke Lilith did in my previous life. While they may be more efficient, I prefer beings who can think and speak for themselves.

However, there must be limits. I won’t tolerate defiance against my authority. This is the perfect opportunity to re-establish discipline.

“My lord.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“…I’ll tell you later.”

“Good. Since you’re injured, lie down here. I’ll go help Mr. Yohan and Aru for a bit.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Oh, and…”

Pressing down on Beatrix’s shoulders to force her onto the ground, I whisper:

“Don’t get yourself injured without my permission. I’ll let this slide this time, but if your injury affects your duties, I’ll consider it overstepping your bounds.”

“I understand, my lord.”

“Good, I trust you.”

Pinch!

This time I pinch Beatrix’s chubby cheek, which stretches like bread, giving me a strange sense of satisfaction.

Gulp…

My stomach hurts a little. Even though these wounds are mostly for show, I actually stabbed myself, so there’s nothing I can do about the pain. But I ignore it.

“Mr. Yohan, let’s go. Mr. Uriel, please stay and protect Lady Beatrix.”

“Understood, demon.”

“Leader, will you really fight with that body?”

“Aru alone can’t defeat Claire. Though she’s weakened, and Aru has experienced awakening, it would be quite the struggle. Losing an arm or leg in the process would be too great a loss.”

The close combat between Aru and Claire continues intensely. Riding on Langwang whose back could seat ten people, I approach Claire.

What follows is a completely predictable sequence of events.

Langwang and I mainly assisted Aru in the battle. Using my staff-turned-weapon, I restricted Claire’s movements while Langwang blocked her spirit-infused counterattacks with his mountain-like endurance.

Aru, our main fighter, slashed at Claire’s entire body with lightning-clad claws. Trying to protect herself, Claire surrounded her body with Heavenly King Technique energy, but it was futile. Without a sword, there was no way she could block all of Aru’s precise attacks.

Gradually, Claire started wearing down.

Aru’s relentless barrage of fangs and claws became faster and faster. Her sporadic counterattacks were easily stopped by Langwang. Whenever she tried to recover, my magic beads would seep into her body, paralyzing her.

Rip!

“Die… I’ll kill youuuu…”

“Grrr! Grrrr! Grrrrrr!”

“Young warrior, it’s time to rest.”

“Yeah! Ow! Aru should’ve come sooner, or I wouldn’t have gotten hurt like this!”

“Ku, Ku? Sorry…”

Cornered Claire. The floor is already soaked with her blood. Can a human lose this much blood?

Claire’s legs gradually lost strength. She seemed ready to fall unconscious on her own. Like a slowly sinking ship, her heavy eyelids gradually closed.

Rip! Rip! Crunch!

“Ugh…”

Aru’s blade-like hand cut through Claire’s wrist tendons and arteries. Now Claire can’t make a fist. Helplessly watching the river of blood flowing from her body, knowing she can’t stop it.

Scrape-scrape!

“Ku… kuuh…”

We’ve pushed Claire to the brink of death. Though desperately trying to hold on at the edge of the cliff, each of our effective blows makes her wobble dangerously.

Snap!

“I… can’t… fall…”

Claire’s ankle is severed. Having lost mobility in her lower body, she collapses to the ground. There’s not even enough strength left in her body to move a finger.

“…”

“Finally, it’s over.”

“Kiing… Is the young demon’s wound okay? Let me check…”

“Young warrior, your determination was remarkable. Even as an enemy, I admire you.”

“Yeah… If Aru had come sooner… I wouldn’t have been injured like this…”

“Ku, Ku? Sorry…”

Suddenly realizing my abdominal injuries, Aru ignores Claire completely. She must have been worried during the fight since she kept glancing at me.

“Kiing… Licking… I’m sorry… I didn’t know you were fighting…”

“That’s why you shouldn’t disappear without saying anything, idiot. If Aru had been any later, I would’ve lost all my internal organs.”

“Kiing… Sorryyyyy… Does it hurt?”

“…Ow! Ouch! I’m dying! Someone call a doctor! Aaaah!”

“Grrr! Grrrr! Kiing, kiing!”

Hehe, nothing beats a good old self-harm bluff. Smirking inwardly at my cleverness while outwardly screaming in pain.

Of course, we can’t keep this up forever. There’s something I need to do before Claire’s breath completely fades away.

Standing in front of the battered Claire, I ostentatiously look around as if searching for something.

“By the way, where did our little goblin friend go? Can’t see him anywhere? I did warn him to stay away from the fight, but he seems to have wandered off too far?”

Confirming the fight is over, Uriel approaches supporting Beatrix. Before they can say anything, I issue my orders first.

“Everyone, can you find our goblin friend? Mr. Yohan, Aru, goblins with abs aren’t common, so you should be able to find him quickly.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Understood.”

“Leader, do you truly intend to treat a goblin as a companion?”

“Companion? Sure, something like that. Essentially the same as faith or camaraderie.”

“Kiing… Can’t I stay by the young demon’s side? What if he gets hurt again…”

“Arur? You’re supposed to be the fastest, so what’s this nonsense? Everyone else is working hard, are you the only one trying to slack off?”

“Grrrr…”

Using the excuse of finding the mutant goblin, I sent everyone into the forest. I made sure to send the goblin far away earlier knowing this would happen.

Now it’s just me and the hero.

“Ugh…”

“Hero, can you hear me? Your consciousness is fading, but hang on a little longer.”

“What… are you doing…”

You’re about to die. Before that happens, there’s something I’d like to ask.

“What? You… tear me apart…”

“Stop the pointless swearing. This might be your last words as a hero. How tragic would it be to leave behind curses as your final legacy?”

“…”

“Smile. I’ve died before? Smiling is better. If you’re going to die anyway, dying with a smile looks much nicer, right?”

“How… can you talk about smiling…”

Already torn apart, the clothes come off easily.

Tears stream from the hero’s eyes. Drops of frustration fall.

“Losing all my precious comrades…! How can I smile when I couldn’t even properly avenge them…!”

“Pitiful, isn’t it?”

“Kuek…!”

“You have every right to feel pitiful. I understand. Why do we have to fight monsters in some random forest we don’t want to be in, and end up dying? Thoughts like that must cross your mind, right? Isn’t that so?”

“Damn…! So miserable…! Truly miserable!”

“You’re the only one who can hear my final confession. Of course, you probably hate me. You must hate me so much you want to kill me. But you know, don’t you? You can’t dream of avenging your comrades anymore.”

“Yes… That’s right. No matter how much I struggle… It can’t be undone anymore…”

The hero’s gaze turns to the sky. Wet, glossy eyes.

“O Demon… Why did we have to die?”

“Because you fought me.”

“I asked the wrong question… So, why did we have to come to this Demon Forest before meeting you… Why were we forced onto a journey destined for death…”

“Because the Empire ordered it.”

“…”

“Of course it was expected, but an answer is still an answer, so now it’s my turn to ask. Please don’t die before I finish my business.”

“What are you… Kuek!”

Placing both hands on Claire’s chest, she lets out a painful groan.

“Why did you try so hard?”

“What kind of question is that…”

“Anyway, you guys were all destined to die. Whether by us or someone else.”

“The order from the Empire… To exterminate all monsters in the Demon Forest. Surely you didn’t think that was an achievable command, did you?”

“O Demon…”

“Of course, if you had continued fighting step by step, you might have grown significantly stronger. Your party members would have grown together, and you might have eliminated quite a number of them. But you know, don’t you? Even then, you couldn’t have reached the Dragon King. Maybe you could have managed the Seven Dragons around him, but that would have ended in mutual destruction.”

“I fought with all my might because you killed my comrades…”

“No, even if it hadn’t been me, you would have fought until death. That’s the kind of person you are.”

That’s what happened in my previous life.

“You knew this was a journey destined for death, didn’t you? Yet why didn’t you run? If it were me, I would have fled somewhere the Empire couldn’t find me and lived quietly forever. But you deliberately sought out the goblin group to start your assault. You obediently followed the Empire’s orders.”

“That’s obvious, isn’t it…”

“So why is it obvious? I’m curious about the reason.”

“If I ran away… The Empire would continue sending future heroes indefinitely… Until the Demon Forest was eradicated…”

“Hmm?”

“…If I could eliminate even a little more… Future heroes would suffer less, wouldn’t they… This tragic cycle would end sooner…”

The sincerity fills the golden eyes of the hero.

This is the look humans get when they accept death. Heroes are all the same – too kind. Even though I know from my future regression that regardless of the accomplishments of this hero, only two heroes died in the end, and when Frey was a heroine she started a war with the Demon King, after which the Empire stopped its <Demon Forest Eradication Project>.

But he doesn’t know that.

Altruism. Yes, altruism. Tragic Hero Claire continued his lonely battle for the sake of future heroes. Meeting him and hearing his thoughts firsthand after only reading about him in books is quite moving.

“So that’s why. Good, I’ve heard enough. Then…”

Lifting the palm that was pressed against Claire’s chest.

“I have to finish my work.”

“What…! What have you done…!”

A red and black bead emerges from Claire’s skin. It’s a bead of swirling qi without distinct surfaces.

“I’ve extracted your soul. It will become my nourishment.”

“What…?”

“To think you woke me up and made others bite you by ‘accident’… It would be disappointing to miss out.”

“What…? Didn’t you awaken my rage by calling it a ‘mere mistake’…!”

“Huh? Mistake? When I clearly knew you had opened the door to awakening, why would I say something to accelerate it? I wanted to make you stronger faster so I could ‘absorb’ you better.”

“Such…! Impossible…!”

“In the first place, if I had intended to kill you from the beginning, I would have told Lady Beatrix and Mr. Yohan to take your companions hostage. That way I could have finished things without getting my hands dirty. Do you really think I kept only the priest as a hostage for no reason? Aren’t you underestimating me too much?”

“Zzzz…”

The soul vibrates. Thanks to the connection with the body through the tail, the physical lips can still tremble in shock.

“Tsk, stop talking nonsense! You were clearly about to die before the werewolf came…”

“…Ah, there’s one misunderstanding you seem to have.”

“Ugh!”

“It’s not difficult for me to kill you, Claire. Why do you keep daydreaming? Everyone has their trump card. You shouldn’t be too confident until you’ve cut off your opponent’s breathing. Remember how you thought you could kill me, then suddenly got stopped by the werewolf?”

The deck in my pocket itches. I want to pull out the Joker Card and shove it in the hero’s face. But the hero doesn’t have much time left.

“I may talk a lot, but it’s not meaningless. I think more deeply than anyone before speaking. When you awakened, the game became Hard Mode, but I still planned to eat your soul. Hard and Impossible are different words. It just became more difficult to kill you, not impossible.”

“Everything from the start was planned…?”

“Pfft, I’m no genius and can’t do that. I’m just an ordinary demon.”

If I had used the Joker Card, killing Claire would have been effortless. But it would be such a waste to use my limited power on someone like this. I would have used it if Aru hadn’t shown up.

At first, I just wanted to watch the hero party. But then I found the goblin who could fulfill my wish, and that’s when I started scheming.

“I can devour the souls of other beings. An ability that transforms their power into mine. Sounds amazing, right? But it has a downside. I can only use it five times in one lifetime.”

I never planned to eat the hero’s soul. But recently my growth has slowed, and Aru surpassed me after her awakening. I needed to grow quickly. I chose the hero as my growth material. Besides, I needed to fight him to get the goblin anyway.

As a side note, in my past life, I devoured the souls of Dragon Lord and Merlin Gregory. They were the foundation of my rapid growth. Back then, eating just those two was enough to reach the top, so I didn’t need to look for more. But this time, I plan to use this ability wisely.

To capture the Demon King, Canos above. The hero is the first offering, and the Dragon King Endros, who will die a hundred years later, will be the second offering.

“Why only five times? Don’t ask. Explaining the reasons would make the story too long.”

Things didn’t go perfectly. The party’s priest sacrificed himself to free Claire, resulting in Beatrix getting injured. But overall, the gains outweigh the losses.

“Because the werewolf came too quickly, I had to experience stabbing my own abdomen… Anyway, everything worked out well. I managed to strengthen your soul to its maximum potential before devouring it, and reset Aru’s loyalty to its peak. Now Aru won’t act rashly anymore. In the end, I gained quite a lot, including our goblin friend.”

An earthquake ripples through Claire’s pupils. He might go into shock and die from this revelation. I need to devour his soul quickly. I open my mouth as wide as possible in a greedy manner.

“Your soul is quite substantial. Worthwhile to have ‘awakened’ you. Hero. This is why you should watch what you say. Then…”

“You insane bastard…!”

Swallowing the wavering soul mass, I furrow my brows. To the tree of endless giving that was Claire, I express my sincere gratitude.

“Bon appetit?”

Munch…

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