The NTR Hero Knelt Before the Demon King – Chapter 41

“Ma… the Demon King!”

“The Demon King has appeared here!”

Amid the chaos, I jumped onto the castle wall, eliciting intense reactions from the soldiers.

However, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation at the mention of ‘Demon King’ escaping their lips.

“A Demon King, huh… That’s an unexpected reaction.”

It’s true that I was displaying immense combat power, but hearing myself referred to as a Demon King in the body of a former Hero made me feel a bit awkward.

But regardless of that, this wasn’t a situation where I needed to insist that I wasn’t the Demon King.

And at the same time…

A good idea began to hatch in my mind regarding the fact that they were seeing me as the Demon King.

“Though it wasn’t planned, since they’re already calling me the Demon King, maybe I should play it up a bit?”

*

Before my eyes was the figure of the Demon King clad in black armor.

Just seeing this monstrous presence made my heart constrict, throwing the soldiers into deep panic.

Despair, frustration, and fear of death — the soldiers floundered in these feelings.

At that moment, amidst the chaos, the voice of the only person who remained undeterred in this situation began to ring out in their ears.

“Everyone, pull yourselves together! No matter how strong he is, he’s just one person! If we take his neck, we can become heroes of the continent and receive wealth and high ranks for our families for generations to come! You can obtain everything you desire in this world!”

The greatest desires of mankind — wealth, fame, power.

Parisect fanned the flames of these impulses within the soldiers, who were gripped by fear and confusion.

In that moment, a massive desire surged within their hearts, enough to overshadow their previous emotions.

“Y-Yeah… No matter how powerful he is, he’s alone after all.”

“Whether I die here or there, if I can take down the Demon King’s neck, it’ll be a huge help to my family back home.”

“Maybe this is an opportunity. The greatest chance that might only come once in a lifetime!”

Indeed, it was known that the first soldier to reach the castle wall during a siege would be rewarded handsomely.

What drove the soldiers to rush towards the wall, even under a rain of arrows and fireballs, was this mercenary motive.

And in this very moment, Parisect successfully coaxed the soldiers’ psychology from the grip of fear to ignite the fire of desire.

“This wicked Demon King! I will kill you and claim the bounty… No, I will seize peace for the continent!”

“Prepare yourselves! We will show the might of our Racial Alliance Army!”

With greed overcoming their fear, the soldiers boldly aimed their weapons at the Demon King, shouting defiantly.

Riding that momentum, Parisect, armed with a spear, gazed at the Demon King before him and proclaimed:

“Honorable duels are unnecessary for you! By Divine Will, I will end this here, Demon King!”

A fair 1:1 battle between warriors wasn’t even on the table.

What mattered was that if they could behead the Demon King by any means, everything would come to an end.

If that could happen, Parisect knew he would not just be an Empire’s Three Knights, but the greatest hero who saved the continent.

‘In a one-on-one, I have no chance of winning. But if I and the other soldiers, who are slightly below the Three Knights, team up… perhaps…’

Whether that would actually be possible was uncertain.

However, at this moment, Parisect was half-dazzled by the very words he’d spoken to his soldiers.

Wealth, fame, power.

He was standing at a once-in-a-lifetime gambling table where he could obtain everything he desired in this world.

He decided to roll the dice.

“Kill him!”

“Gyaaaaaa!!!”

At Parisect’s command, the soldiers charged forward, brandishing their weapons.

Around the commander, Parisect, only elite troops who were also his bodyguards were densely packed.

Dozens of warriors had reached a level where they could enhance their weapons and physical abilities with magic, and they unleashed their full-powered attacks, ready to shatter rocks and bend steel against the Demon King.

At that moment.

“Hah….”

In the next instant, the Demon King began to condense an immense amount of magic into the great sword he wielded.

In an instant, the soldiers felt an unsettling presence, and instinctively, something chilling gripped them. Yet, the soldiers and Parisect forced themselves to ignore that feeling and charged at the Demon King.

And then,

“Haaargh!!!”

The Demon King plunged the sword, now infused with condensed magic, into the ground.

At that moment, a massive whirlpool erupted, and a terrifying wave of magical power began to radiate from where the Demon King stood.

“This… this is!”

“Damn…!”

The Demon King’s strike, imbued with unfathomable power, crashed into Parisect and his soldiers like a rising tide.

“Gwaaaaah!!!”

“Gwaaaak!!!”

In the next instant, a horrific wave of extreme pain began to engulf their entire bodies.

That horrifying sensation, as if their bodies were being shredded by blades, swept over Parisect, who barely managed to unleash a barrier of magic to protect himself.

“Damn it! This filthy Demon King!!”

Through the tide of pain, Parisect gritted his teeth and pushed onward.

In the gusts of pain that felt four times more agonizing than anything he’d ever experienced, he barely steadied the spear he held, preparing his stance.

“Don’t you dare think you can… take me down with just this much!!!”

With those words, Parisect stomped forward with all his might.

Each step he took increased the intensity of the pain.

Yet he didn’t stop gazing at the Demon King before him.

‘I absolutely cannot crumble here! No way! I will bring you down today! For wealth, honor, and power! For everything that I desire!!’

With that pure materialistic desire raging within him, the transcendent will of General Parisect burned bright.

Seeing this, the soldiers who were unable to advance amidst extreme pain, unable even to stand up, began to show a deep respect for Parisect’s determination.

“Surely, General Parisect! To strive so hard for the peace of the continent…”

“Indeed, he’s fundamentally different from folks like us! That iron will… it must come from a sense of duty that surpasses any worldly desire!”

As they began to feel the nobility of a warrior from Parisect, who was throwing himself into the fray…

“Hah!!!”

“….?”

Finally breaking through the storm, Parisect reached the spot where the Demon King stood.

He swung his spear with all his might toward the Demon King, who swiftly drew the sword stuck in the ground.

And then.

-Swish!!!!!

With a sharp sound, the Demon King’s sword parried Parisect’s spear.

At that moment, the storm of power that the Demon King had been unleashing dissipated in an instant,

And despite the lingering pain, Parisect shouted sharply.

“Now! Finish him off!”

“Ah… Yes! Commander!”

With Parisect’s command, the soldiers, seeming as if they had been splashed with cold water, rushed toward the Demon King.

With their leader holding the Demon King in place, the soldiers saw this as their golden opportunity.

“Filthy Demon King! This will be your grave!”

“For the Alliance!!!”

From all directions, swords and spears rained down upon the Demon King.

Though each individual strike may not have been too strong, the collective power of many attacking together was undeniably formidable.

“Got him! I’ve got him!”

“This is the end for the Demon King!”

As the soldiers were filled with the conviction that they could undoubtedly take down the unguarded Demon King, suddenly…

-Creeeak!

“!? Huh?”

In the next instant, Parisect’s face blanched as the Demon King’s power inexplicably surged.

And then.

-Kwagh!!!

His spear was violently pushed away, and the massive great sword began to swing with terrifying force.

The sheer wave of power unleashed sent Parisect, who had been barely holding the Demon King in place, crashing to the ground.

Simultaneously, the soldiers who charged toward the Demon King were swept away like a cascade, crashing down.

“Gwaah!”

“Ghuh…”

Soldiers lay scattered on the floor, battered and injured.

Ignoring the fallen, the Demon King slowly began to walk toward the spot where Parisect was sprawled out on the ground.

“Cough… You want to just… sit down here like this!”

Yet, as Parisect struggled to rise despite the agony, he cast a gaze filled with desire at the Demon King who stood before him.

His body was in tatters, but even in this situation, Parisect’s eyes burned with the fire of longing and ambition aimed at the Demon King.

He was well aware of the bleakness of his chances for victory.

However, as someone who had resolved to take that gamble, Parisect was determined to empty his pockets for the last time.

“I’ll have to gather all my remaining power for a final strike. Though it might not do anything… I cannot give up until the very end!”

With his resolve firm, Parisect focused every remnant of magic left in his body at the tip of his spear.

Despite being in no condition to push his body beyond its limits, he felt himself slip into a haze, his senses blurring as he did so.

But even amidst this, Parisect maintained his focus and aimed his spear at the Demon King.

With the unwavering desire for power, fame, and wealth, he channeled his ironclad final will into that strike.

“Die, Demon King!!”

With a sharp cry, Parisect released the spear, sending it hurtling toward the Demon King.

However, despite the substantial power contained within,

Despite the fierce will imbued within it,

Parisect’s instincts already knew the truth.

That his strike would be easily deflected by the Demon King.

That no matter what he did, he could not topple that being.

He had expected precisely that…

“Gah!”

“….?! Huh?”