The NTR Hero Knelt Before the Demon King – Chapter 82

“Ugh…”

“Cough…”

“Damn it…”

The three people barely managed to raise their bodies after an overwhelming storm of magic had passed.

Although they were still clinging to life, they knew that the situation they faced was nothing short of the worst.

At this moment, every part of their bodies was battered, and their physical strength and magic power had hit rock bottom.

Dagon, who was at the front blocking the attack, had broken bones in his arms and legs, and the others suffered injuries that made it difficult to find a single unscathed spot.

This was due to the enemy’s formidable assault, but also because they were caught off-guard and countered in an unexpected manner, leaving them with no chance to react.

Thus, the three of them stared at the Black Hero, realizing that further combat was impossible.

At that moment…

“Ugh!…”

“!”

“Ah…”

In the next moment, Hector was thrown right in front of them, his face a mess.

As they confirmed that their last hope had vanished, shadows of deep despair began to cloud the faces of the Hero Party.

“Huh… This is the end.”

“Good work. You wrapped things up faster than I expected.”

“The Hero, on the contrary, has had quite the challenge taking out not one or two, but three of us.”

While the Hero Party trembled in fear for their lives, Samuel and the Black Hero spoke with a sense of relief and calm.

Just as the three were spiraling into despair, realizing that they had no remaining hope…

“Cough… Cough!…”

“Hmm?”

“Do you still have the strength to stand?”

One person struggled to rise, blood trickling from his nose and mouth.

Seeing Hector, the Black Hero and Samuel exchanged looks of mild interest.

“What’s this? Are you seriously saying you want to keep fighting in this situation? If so…”

The Black Hero spoke in a cold voice while watching Hector force his body upright.

However, Hector slowly shook his head and began to speak with effort.

“I have no intention of engaging in reckless fights anymore. I only wish to ask for one last mercy from you.”

“Mercy?”

“Yes… As you can see, we no longer have the capability to fight. I will surrender willingly, and if necessary, I will even offer my life, as the captain who leads them. Please… please ensure the safety of my comrades.”

“! H-Hector!”

“What are you saying right now!”

“Don’t say that! If one of us survives, we all survive! If we die, we die together!”

Hector spoke resolutely with his head bowed.

In contrast, his comrades shouted urgently at him, wanting him to stop sacrificing himself, yet Hector’s will remained unyielding.

Given the chaos they had caused, someone had to take responsibility, and Hector was prepared to accept that willingly.

As the leader of the group, this was a natural duty, the final sacrifice he could make for his precious comrades.

Thus, Hector fell silent for a moment, leaving his fate in the hands of the two before him.

He had no certainty whether what awaited him behind this was death or something else.

*

In front of him, Hector was pleading for mercy.

Samuel, appearing unfazed, turned to me and said, “What’s your decision, Hero? Since you were the one who captured these three, I’ll follow your lead.”

“Understood, then…”

Samuel showed that he didn’t care whether these guys lived or died.

I took a moment to contemplate and started questioning the one named Hector in front of me.

“Did you say Hector? Before deciding on your treatment, I’d like to ask a few questions.”

“…Ask away.”

Hector answered, showing a somewhat compliant attitude.

He was well aware that how he responded could determine the fate of his comrades, so he displayed a considerably obedient stance.

“First of all, what brings you guys from the Racial Alliance to Jerusalem? Moreover, what was the reason for causing such an uproar?”

“Well…”

For a moment, Hector seemed to ponder over my question.

Upon seeing his expression, I instinctively sensed that the reason for his infiltration wasn’t very innocent.

However, what Hector said next completely exceeded even my expectations, which I had prepared myself for.

“That’s because I carry the mission to take the Demon King’s neck.”

“…What?”

Hector brought up a topic I had never anticipated.

In that instant, I thought that maybe this fellow had eaten something wrong, considering his claim hadn’t been mentioned even in the original story.

Yet upon reflection, I realized that it could very well explain this situation.

‘An human hero, an elf archer, a witch, and a beastman warrior. Certainly, their combination is fitting.’

Moreover, simply causing such a terror-level uproar in a place where simply revealing their identities could mean danger was clear evidence that they were indeed a Hero Party on a mission to assassinate the Demon King.

As I came to comprehend the identities and objectives of these individuals before me, I couldn’t help but view them through a different lens.

‘A Hero Party, huh… so by that logic, they resemble my juniors? If so, then they are definitely not ones I can let off easily.’

These were beings dispatched from the Racial Alliance with the goal of killing the Demon King.

This was also the task I held when I first fell into this world, yet at this point, the Hero Party was distinctly an enemy to me.

They were targeting the life of the Demon King, who happened to be my lover.

Given I had no reason to show mercy to those who dared to lay a finger on her, I suddenly considered the thought of taking their lives here and now.

However, separate from these impulses, I realized I needed to ask a few questions since they were a Hero Party, thus I had no choice but to suppress my emotions.

“Are you really a Hero Party? But even so, the reasons for your actions here remain unexplained. There’s no need for you to engage in such reckless deeds at a time when the Racial Alliance has dissolved, is there?”

Although they had just been defeated by me, their prowess was enough for each to be recognized in their respective nations.

Just looking at Hector in front of me, he was capable of fighting nearly on par with Samuel, the Demon General, so he could easily secure a position as a high-ranking mercenary or general in the Falcon Empire.

Despite this, they chose to pursue the perilous and unlikely mission of taking down the Demon King rather than enjoying wealth and glory in their own countries.

Reflecting on this fact, I felt a hint of doubt and posed my question before taking action, leading Hector to respond with a noticeably somber expression.

He spoke not with a simple reason but rather in context with the current fractured state of the Racial Alliance.

Throughout this, the Hero Party tried to resist the reality of separating from their once-faithful companions, even having to draw their swords against them.

Listening to their story, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of regret regarding my own situation as a former member of a Hero Party who was thoroughly betrayed by those companions and ultimately sided with the Demon King.

Yet separate from that, my resolve to punish those who dared to meddle with my lover remained unchanged.

*

“…I envy you.”

“?”

Hector spoke the unfiltered truth while pleading for the Last Mercy.

Watching him, the Black Hero muttered softly.

To Hector, this personal remark was incomprehensible.

Yet, despite the details of the matter, Hector felt a flicker of hope from the fact that such words had emerged from the Black Hero’s mouth.

After all, if the opponent viewed them positively, it meant that the survival probability for his comrades might increase as well.

Having shared everything he needed to say, Hector awaited the judgment of the Black Hero before him.

At that moment…

“Eh?”

“Cough…”

The scene that suddenly unfolded before their eyes was one that they had not anticipated.

It was the sight of the Demon Race Soldiers closing in and starting to surround them from all directions.

The warriors clad in red armor, whom they had seen just moments ago on the battlefield, arrived alongside them.

The Hero Party, who had thought there was a chance they might save their comrades, now began to feel that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

‘I guess that red armor signaled for the soldiers to come…’

‘Damn it… Ultimately, is there no way for us to come out alive?’

The moment the soldiers officially intervened, it was impossible to pin any hopes on the mercy of just the Black Hero alone, leading the Hero Party into deep despair.

Meanwhile, quite contrary to their thoughts…

The black warrior, who had intended to wipe them out in a flash, was suddenly halted by the arrival of the red-armored soldiers.

He raised a light question on the Demon King’s actions.