The NTR Hero Knelt Before the Demon King – Chapter 72

In the dark and shadowy hours of the night,

A figure cloaked in a black robe stealthily crossed the streets of Jerusalem.

Moments later, they arrived at a dim basement,

where four individuals, including the cloaked figure, were hiding in secrecy, waiting.

Each of them wore a robe, their colors differing slightly, yet all concealed their appearances.

However, as a new arrival entered the room, seeing them brought a deep sense of relief to their heart, prompting a cautious inquiry.

“Has everything gone smoothly?”

“Of course, we came in without being chased at all.”

In response to the black-robed individual, a figure in a gray robe guarding the entrance locked the door and replied.

Their voices were hushed, speaking cautiously.

Although this was a basement with walls closing in from all sides, the four of them remained vigilant, ensuring that their words didn’t escape to anybody outside.

“Thank you for making it here safely.”

“You’ve had quite the struggle alone; gathering intel in the heart of enemy territory must not have been easy.”

“It’s all thanks to this item. It allowed me to disguise myself as a demon whenever danger approached.”

One of the comrades managed a small smile while lowering their voice.

Just then, the apparent leader of the group, clad in a dark red robe, cleared their throat softly and continued speaking in a calm tone.

“By the way, what’s the update on the investigation? I felt on the way here that there was some kind of event taking place.”

“Right, you’re correct. The Demon Kingdom is currently busy hosting a tournament to select the next Narcil or Nasirin or whatever it’s called. Especially since it follows a recent victory, the atmosphere is even more charged.”

“Narcil… I’ve heard of it. I believe it’s a martial arts tournament to select the best warrior in the Demon Kingdom.”

The individual in the blue robe spoke earnestly, and the one in the black robe nodded in agreement.

“Yes, exactly. But rather than just a martial arts event, it can essentially be perceived as a grand festival. Even outside, there are stalls all set up, and high-ranking demons from other regions are flocking in as well.”

“Indeed… that explains why the defenses appear so lax.”

“Of course, that applies only to within the city. The security measures around our target have been significantly heightened.”

Those present nodded gravely at the statement of the black-robed person.

Then the leader in the dark red robe spoke seriously.

“Regardless, it doesn’t matter. As you all know, we are gathered here as the last hope of the entire continent. We must succeed in this great undertaking, no matter what happens.”

“Of course. We must do this for the peace of the continent.”

“Even if it costs us our lives…”

“Following in the footsteps of the previous hero, Ellen Savior, we will surely take the Demon King’s neck.”

Each of them spoke resolutely, their determination palpable.

The leader in the dark red robe nodded and then looked down at a map of the city spread out before them.

“According to the information, the Demon King usually stays in the well-guarded Demon King’s Castle, but I heard that during the tournament, he makes an appearance at the arena to personally watch the matches. This is essentially our only chance.”

“But we need to be careful. No matter how lax the security seems, the Elite Guard protecting the Demon King is said to be quite formidable.”

“Moreover, within the arena, there may be monsters possessing abilities we cannot even imagine. Depending on the situation, we might be caught before the event even begins.”

“So, it means this is a gamble of sorts. A gamble on our lives to take the Demon King’s neck…”

In a cold and composed manner, they spoke of what would be a particularly high-risk assassination attempt on the Demon King.

Nonetheless, in this moment, they had already resolved to go all in on this dangerous gamble.

At a time when the Racial Alliance was crumbling and the air of civil war was growing stronger,

for them, who had nowhere left to turn,

this moment

was the only path they could choose.

*

Amidst the countless people gathered in the tournament hall.

Viewing the thousands of demons filling the circular arena that resembled the Coliseum, I felt a slight tension begin to swell inside me.

“This is… more impressive than I imagined. The atmosphere is far from a joke compared to what I heard.”

“Well, of course. It has always been one of the most important events in the Demon Kingdom, and now that it coincides with a victory, the atmosphere is even more charged. In that sense, it certainly feels more intense than the last tournament forty years ago.”

Eliza casually remarked, as though discussing something trivial from long ago, and I couldn’t help but realize once more that her age was far greater than her appearance suggested.

‘Well, our Demon King is older than Eliza too, but still… it’s hard not to feel a bit bewildered every time I hear stories like this…’

With that thought, I began to scan the crowd of demons packed into the spectator stands.

Honestly, at this moment, I harbored little fear or pressure regarding the match itself.

I was currently strong enough to defeat even the Demon King, the strongest in the Demon Kingdom.

With overwhelming strength and mana. And with the combat skills and instincts that felt utterly familiar since I arrived in this world.

Though the mind enclosed within this body was entirely my own, the technical aspect of combat I possessed was that of a hero, so it would be fair to say I had virtually no chances of losing in this selection match.

However, regardless of that aspect, it was undeniably daunting to fight while being the center of attention for countless spectators.

During war, I had faced the gaze of many enemies, but this felt entirely different.

To perform before people who had vague expectations and excitement directed at me wasn’t something I was used to.

‘It’s not like I’m a particularly nervous person, but it’s still quite burdensome.’

However, separate from that feeling, I had no intention of putting on a splendid display to meet their expectations.

I would simply wield my sword with all my might against the opponent before me.

Since the aim of this event was to showcase strength and achieve recognition, there was no room for so-called “fan service” or flashy “productions” in my plan.

‘Well, on one hand, demonstrating overwhelming power could indeed serve as a form of fan service…’

With that thought, my gaze drifted toward the VIP section at the highest part of the arena.

It wasn’t long before the figure of the Demon King entered my sight.

Just like during the banquet, she wore a veil and was slowly surveying the area around the arena.

And seeing her like this,

I steeled my resolve once again regarding the events that lay ahead.

‘I must show her something impressive. As her lover… I will secure a perfect victory so as not to disappoint the Demon King.’

With that conclusion in mind, I turned my gaze away from the tournament.

At this moment, my attention shifted to a group of warriors seated in a waiting area.

Among them, some possessed proven abilities like Eliza and I, entering directly into the finals, but many had also made their way here after passing earlier qualifiers.

‘Looks like there are quite a few who weren’t even named in the original work. I might have some measure of the competence of the legion commanders and the elite guards, but I wonder about those guys…’

Hidden experts are always lurking around, and this phenomenon is particularly evident in this world, where individual strength can be multiplied into the thousands.

With that vigilance toward potential dangers in mind,

my gaze shifted toward the tournament bracket currently displayed on the wall.

“Let’s see… my first opponent is… a newcomer I’ve never seen before?”

As Eliza nodded while checking the names on the bracket.

Indeed, I recognized that the names from the original didn’t include this new opponent.

“I’m also a newcomer… it might be interesting.”

Just then, a dry voice echoed beside me, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

There stood the Elite Guard Four Kings member Samuel, sporting an emoticon-like expression of ●△● as she gazed up at the bracket.

‘Are they deliberately pairing stronger contestants with newcomers? There might be a kind of seed rule here too. If so, maybe I…’

With such thoughts, I began searching for my name among the brackets.

But in that moment…

“Your first opponent is me. Hero.”

“…!”

The next moment, I heard a woman’s voice from behind me.

There stood Nyadan, the Elite Guard Four Kings member clad in golden armor, radiating an overwhelming presence.