Nina struck the demon with her rod again. The demon’s face contorted in annoyance.
 
She immediately leapt back to dodge the horizontal swing of the club that followed.
 
(My body is in pain…)
 
Her current self was moving more nimbly than an average warrior, but the toll on her body was severe. It was incomparable to when she had fought goblins or ran from hobgoblins. She wouldn’t last much longer.
 
But even so, Nina felt fulfilled. She was happy that she could fight against a demon. She was no longer the person who had frozen … Read the rest

 
“At your age, your magical power won’t increase much. But since you haven’t trained your body until now, your stamina can improve. If you can cast spells while running, it’ll broaden your options in battle.”
 
When Leonard told her this, Sophia obediently trained her body.
 
She was told that Lei had undergone the same training.
 
As a daily routine, She imposed running training on herself, practicing casting spells while out of breath.
 
At first, it didn’t go well, but after continuing for half a year, She became able to recite spells while running. It was thanks to this that Sophia … Read the rest

Chapter 7: Garnahazza 2
 

“Are you Leonard?”
 
The demon Belzera’s voice was low but resonated throughout the surroundings.
 
“That’s right. Are you Belzera?”
 
“Indeed. I’ve heard about you. I’ll guarantee the lives of you four. In exchange, kill the hero Ares. I don’t care how you do it.”
 
Belzera’s words were concise, containing only the bare minimum without any waste.
 
“If you’re directly guaranteeing our lives, then there’s no problem. By the way, are those three behind you your only guards? Isn’t that a bit careless?”
 
“This is enough. I judged that bringing … Read the rest

Interlude: The Prophet
 

 
“Are you really going, Ares?”
 
The man asked in a skeptical voice to the young man with chestnut-colored hair walking ahead.
 
The man was tall with an impressive build. His short blonde hair framed a face that exuded both bravery and nobility. A great sword was strapped to his back.
 
“Of course, Leon. It’s the prophet’s words. ‘Help the man named Leonard,’ they said. We can’t disobey, can we?”
 
The young man called Ares turned back, smiling sheepishly.
 
“But Ares, we’ve heard rumors about this Leonard everywhere, and none of … Read the rest

Interlude: Leonard
 

 
“Luke, I’m really scared.”
 
When I said that, Luke laughed. It wasn’t to mock me. It was a gentle smile that seemed to accept even my pitiful state.
 
“You know, dying would be pointless. I became an adventurer because I wanted to be cool like you. I didn’t want to fight for the world or for people. I just wanted money and to be popular with women. That’s all.”
 
Even after hearing my shameful confession, Luke nodded quietly.
 
“Isn’t that what being an adventurer is about? We take on requests and get paid. It’s just a job. … Read the rest

 
“Maybe, just maybe, a hero is someone who’s gritty and never gives up. Someone who refuses to surrender no matter what. Sure, being strong is important, but it’s more than that. It’s about strength of heart, too. The kind of person who becomes a hero has that strength.”
 
[Do you think such a person will ever appear?]
 
“They will. You see, anyone can become a hero. But most people kill that hero within themselves, just like I did fifteen years ago. But there are many people in the world. Somewhere out there, there’s someone who will remain … Read the rest

“In the form of a request, you’ll be asked to come near the demon army’s occupied territory,”
 
Ralph told Leonard as they met again in the same shop, in the same private room.
 
“The plan is to retrieve valuable items from there. It’s a common story, right? The items are prepared, and there’s even a foolish nobleman who actually wants them. It’s enough for an alibi. No one will think you met with a demon.”
 
Ralph snorted. He couldn’t understand the nobles who desired art from fallen countries in this worsening situation.
 
“I see. So that’s … Read the rest

 
(Aren’t the demon folk, who recognize ability without any prejudice, superior to humans?)
 
Ralph came to believe this and increasingly worked for the organization.
 
Currently, Ralph has risen to a position overseeing the entire organization. Within the organization, Ralph’s status is higher than that of nobles or wealthy merchants.
 
However, despite his elevated position, Ralph is self-made and often handles important tasks alone. That’s why when he heard rumors about Leonard, he carefully investigated his reputation and took action to recruit him into the organization himself. Due to his contempt for humans, Ralph was a man … Read the rest

Chapter 6: Garna Hazza 1
 

 
Leonard was looking for his next job at a tavern in a town further west of Gastan.
 
This area was close to the fierce battlegrounds with the Demon King’s army, attracting not only adventurers but also mercenaries, creating a dangerous hustle and bustle.
 
Amidst this atmosphere, a man approached Leonard.
 
“Are you Leonard? The one rumored to have defeated demons in various places?”
 
The man was chubby with a round face, seeming to smile even without making an expression.
 
“Yeah, that’s me. Who are you?”
 
“I’m Ralph. … Read the rest

Interlude: Efsei
 

 
After the Battle of Malica, I had no desire to continue being an adventurer.
 
I couldn’t stand the thought of teaming up with others. Anyone who didn’t participate in that battle seemed like a fake to me.
 
Still, I needed to earn money to survive. So I looked for jobs I could do alone, making a daily wage by completing those tasks.
 
Thanks to the human side’s victory in Malica, things were peaceful for a while.
 
But after five years, the Demon King’s army began to move again.
 
Despite all those … Read the rest