The NTR Hero Knelt Before the Demon King – Chapter 134

A location about 10 kilometers north of the Imperial Capital of the Falcon Empire.

Deep within the hills situated there, there was a place guarded by a considerable number of soldiers at all times.

It was a Forbidden Place where powerful magic was cast, and even the royals were prohibited from entering recklessly.

Only the Emperor and those he directly permitted could enter this place.

And at this very moment, the very person who had obtained that permission, Achilles, along with his subordinates,

was descending the stairs after undergoing stern procedures to retrieve something that had been strictly protected for a long time.

The underground staircase was deep and seemingly endless.

As he descended, Achilles was…

suppressing the emotions that were wriggling deep within his heart, letting out a sigh of relief.

‘Finally, I’ve made it this far… To be honest, it hasn’t been as easy as I imagined.’

Despite granting permission, the Emperor had continued to hesitate for a while, delaying the execution.

However, Achilles exercised his utmost patience, persuading and coaxing the Emperor to reach a decision, doing his best to make it happen.

“According to my investigation, the power contained within can wipe out the enemies of the Empire in an instant. This weapon, named by our ancestors with the meaning of guarding the Empire for their descendants—it will not be used at any other time than now, will it?”

“Hmm… But my predecessors said that we must never be greedy for that power. And this is a rule passed down through the royal family. We are merely to observe it, and that power cannot be used by us.”

“Of course, I understand their intentions. But our Empire is currently on the brink of extinction. Haven’t you heard that Delphi fell just yesterday? If we remain like this, it will soon be a matter of time before the enemies reach Olympius.”

“Well… That’s true, but…”

“Do not worry, I will surely drive out the enemies and claim victory. My research on the Guardian Stone is already perfect thanks to all the various documents I’ve consulted. I will ensure that nothing destroys it, merely using its power. I will stake my life on this, and I promise you that what you fear will never happen.”

With his life on the line, Achilles earnestly pleaded in the face of a national crisis.

Seeing this, the Emperor ultimately decided to accept his loyalty… and his determination to save the nation from this crisis,

and finally handed him the key passed down through the royal family…

the key that allowed entry to where it was kept.

“Make sure to drive out those vile beings and bring victory.”

“I will obey, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost to bring victory from them.”

Thus, Achilles received the key from the now resolved Emperor.

However, in that moment…

as Achilles knelt before his lord, there was not an ounce of loyalty toward the Emperor in his heart.

‘I finally did it… At last… At last, this is in my hands.’

The old platinum key, now in Achilles’s hands, having passed through the Emperor’s.

And at this moment, the key was once again visible in Achilles’s hand as he descended the stairs.

‘It really was a long road… I had to manipulate the battle situation and psychologically pressure the Emperor to obtain this. It was quite an effort raising the Emperor’s dependency on me.’

Using all the power, connections, and funds he possessed, this event finally came to fruition.

Thinking of how long the process had taken as well as the fact that it had finally bore fruit, Achilles felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

Then, a moment later,

upon finally seeing the giant door, he stopped thinking and stood right in front of it.

Next, he inserted the key received from the Emperor into the keyhole and began to turn it slowly.

Then…

– Crrrrrrrrrring…

With a heavy sound that was almost unsettling, the basement opened.

At the same time, an overwhelming emotion of joy began to well up within Achilles’s eyes that could no longer be hidden.

“This is the national treasure of the Falcon Empire… the Guardian Stone.”

A huge stone, exuding a blue aura, almost the size of an adult male.

As he looked at it embedded in a solid mithril base, Achilles smiled a deep and sincere smile, one he had never shown anyone, and slowly approached it.

“…With this, will we really be able to achieve victory?”

“It just looks like an ordinary stone, however…”

“I’ve heard that the power of the Guardian Stone can obliterate those filthy Magic Kingdom folks… and also those elf and beastmen types… is that really true?”

His subordinates asked with a mix of doubt and tension.

In response, Achilles slowly turned to them, emitting an unsettling aura as he spoke.

“Why? Don’t you believe me?”

“Ah… no, it’s not that or anything…”

The subordinates started to react instinctively, flinching at Achilles’s words.

Watching them, Achilles slowly placed his hand on the Guardian Stone.

And then…

“Yeah, it’s natural not to believe. Although the existence of this Guardian Stone is somewhat known and its powerful nature is recognized, its exact role is hardly known.”

“Hmm…”

“That’s true, but what kind of power is really contained within?”

The subordinates cautiously asked, looking at Achilles.

In response, Achilles began to stroke the Guardian Stone slowly, speaking in a voice that sent chills.

“The power contained… is as the name suggests, a protective force. It’s a kind of barrier that shields the Falcon Empire. No… it’s a power that shields this world from other great beings.”

“Pardon?”

“…You’re starting to sound increasingly incomprehensible, so how does that lead us to victory in war?”

Feeling an intensifying unease as their superior’s words seemed to spiral, the soldiers pressed him for answers.

To this, Achilles carefully took something out of his pocket and looked at his subordinates.

“You will be able to achieve victory. I told His Majesty as well, and there lies not an ounce of falsehood in my words. However…”

With that, Achilles slowly began to bring something he had taken from his pocket closer to the Guardian Stone.

At this, the soldiers present couldn’t help but flinch.

“Uh… General…?”

“W-What’s that all of a sudden?”

The next moment, a small vial appeared in their view, held by Achilles.

Inside was something they all recognized.

Black Flame.

A weapon that had once devoured more than half of the Kann Forest of the elves and almost set the World Tree ablaze—it was extremely dangerous.

Given that Achilles was the one who had initially introduced this flame, it wasn’t particularly strange for this scene to arise from him.

The problem was that this place he was in and the object he was presenting the flame to was the Guardian Stone.

In this situation, the soldiers began to feel a sense of dread regarding something that felt off, mixed with their tension born from ignorance.

However…

– Crang!

Just when they were hesitating, the vial in Achilles’s hand shattered.

Then, the flame contained within leaped and stuck to the Guardian Stone.

Subsequently,

the Black Flame ignited, fiercely consuming the entire Guardian Stone as if devouring dry wood.

“!!!”

“What… what is happening?”

“G-General!? What… what is this…”

The soldiers could not comprehend the scene unfolding before them, and it was only then that they realized something had gone seriously wrong.

However, ignoring their confusion and fear, Achilles raised both hands to the sky, filled with joy.

“Finally! Finally, your time has come! Oh, our deity! The Almighty Amun!”

“!!!”

“A… Amun?”

“General! Right now that is….!!!”

– Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrng!!!!

Casting aside the mask he had been wearing all this time, Achilles began to reveal his true fanatical self.

At the same time, the flaming Guardian Stone caused the entire room to shake uncontrollably,

and his subordinates fell to the ground, overwhelmed by deep fear and confusion.

“W-What in the world…”

“W-We need to escape quickly…!!”

As the walls cracked and the ground shook, the subordinates tried desperately to escape.

However, just as they were crawling their way out, the corridor they had entered collapsed entirely.

In the end, none of the subordinates who accompanied Achilles survived, buried beneath the rubble.

*

The soldiers stationed at the entrance of the Guardian Stone were thrown into chaos amidst the sudden earthquake.

“What… what’s going on?”

“What in the world is happening?”

“!! Look over there!”

As the ground shook, one soldier spotted something.

Their gazes shifted to the sky directly above them.

The sky, which had just moments ago been clear as day, was now stained a deep red, resembling blood.

In a scene that they could not comprehend with their limited knowledge, a heavy fear settled in their hearts.

At that moment…

– KABOOM!!!

A tremendous explosion erupted right behind them.

In that shock, those present were annihilated without even having time to scream, and the defensive structures they had built around the Guardian Stone turned to rubble in an instant.

Then, from the center of that destruction, a figure began to slowly emerge.

No longer clad in silver-white armor, but in ominous red armor, Achilles exuded a dangerously powerful aura.

And behind him, a massive, serpentine form resembling a dragon began to rise.

Emitting a chilling force, it roared towards the Imperial Capital visible before them.

– “At last, the time for revenge has come. Filthy gods that have disturbed this world, I shall bring an end to your distorted beliefs!” –