Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

”Three months left, less than a hundred days.”

The golden pocket watch’s hands slowly turned, and the countdown had just lost another day.

A woman wearing a black eye patch and tight clothing closed the pocket watch, a strand of her pale purple hair playfully peeked out from her hood,

”I really want to see you.”

The woman raised her head, and an elderly figure appeared before her eyes. Even after hundreds of years, the scenes of living with that figure remained vivid.

If it weren’t for that person, she wouldn’t be who she is today.

The reason she survived to this day was to do something for that person.

Putting away the pocket watch, the woman took out an egg-sized round compass.

The compass was pure white throughout, and when touched felt like a piece of jade.

Gently fiddling with the device on the compass, a magic began to dance on it, expanding into countless brilliant golden magic arrays.

After a while, a deep male voice came from the compass:

”Sister Alan, what’s the matter?”

This voice was less frivolous and more steady compared to before.

Called Sister Alan, the woman changed her previously worried expression, and said naturally:

”Vorquis, how are things on your side? How many floors have you strategized so far?”

Shaking off the blood stains on the sword blade, the fallen monster disappeared before his eyes, and Heroic Warrior Volcrix replied:

”I’m currently on the Sixth Floor.

The monsters here are relatively easy to handle and can provide a lot of experience.

The seventh floor still poses a bit of a challenge for me.”

”Is that so?” Sister Alan’s tone was extremely calm, ”You should realize there isn’t much time left before the Demon King Descent, right?”

”Precisely because I know, I chose the most efficient way to hurry and grow stronger to catch up with that guy.

Only then can I be called a Hero.

Previously, due to my arrogance, I wasted a lot of time and training opportunities.

Having found such a suitable place for training, I will cherish it and find ways to make up for the wasted time.”

”You’ve also changed a lot. You’ve become somewhat more like a Hero.

When you left the village, I was a bit worried, but now I don’t need to worry anymore.

However, I have some bad news to tell you...”

Sister Alan didn’t continue but paused for a moment, seeming to have some concern.

”Feel free to say it. No matter what bad news it is, even if it cancels my Hero qualification, I can accept it. I will save the world in my own way.”

Despite saying this, Volcrix still clenched his fist unconsciously, furrowing his brow.

Hapi Yixuan holding the tools dropped by the monster happily came to his side, and Volcrix’s furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

He kept mocking himself internally, deciding not to care for any reputation but still subconsciously paying attention to these things.

Sister Alan laughed, ”Since you say that, I have nothing to hesitate about.

I only heard about this from the Elder Council recently.

Everything starts with Hero Lox.

Hero Lox returned the Power of the Brave but didn’t completely return the Holy Sword.”

”Didn’t completely return the Holy Sword...” Volcrix tilted his head, ”What do you mean? Are you saying I can only have half of the Holy Sword? To wield the Holy Sword’s true power, I must find the Holy Sword Fragments hidden by Hero Lox? What was Hero Lox’s purpose in shattering the Holy Sword?”

”The Holy Sword wasn’t split in two nor turned into fragments.” Sister Alan replied decisively.

Volcrix silently breathed a sigh of relief and asked, ”Then what exactly happened?”

Sister Alan casually found a rock to sit on,

”It’s quite a lengthy topic.

When Hero Lox defeated the Demon King, he also sank the Demon King City.

Many believed the world would entirely say goodbye to Demon King’s invasion.

Even many from the Village of Heroes thought the same.

But even if the Demon King City is completely destroyed, it can’t guarantee that the Demon Clan has no other means to visit this world.

To be on the safe side, the Village of Heroes decided to continue preserving the Power of the Brave and the Holy Sword.

The Power of the Brave was reclaimed without complaint, but there was a disagreement between Hero Lox and the Elder Council regarding the Holy Sword issue.

Hero Lox believed that destroying the Demon King City, though it couldn’t completely prevent the Demon King from invading our world, could delay the Demon King’s arrival.

The next time the Demon King descends into this world, it would indeed be a long time away.

Through long history, Heroes have repelled the Demon King countless times.

This gives people the illusion that the Demon King is not that terrifying.

In the future, where they’ve never seen the true ferocity of the Demon King, many would believe repelling the Demon King is natural and underestimate him.

Even the Village of Heroes isn’t immune to this.

Hero Lox perhaps already saw the prideful attitude of the Village of Heroes.

Thus, Lox decided to impose some pressure on future Heroes.

He established numerous Underground Mazes and stipulated that as long as enough keys are collected, one could qualify to enter the special Underground Maze he constructed.

Once passing through that special Underground Maze, the Holy Sword can be obtained.”

Volcrix furrowed his brows, questioning: ”Wait, isn’t the Holy Sword a tool only Heroes can use?”

”Technically, yes.

But at that time, Lox seems to have made a deal with the elf of the Holy Sword, lifting certain restrictions on it.

The Hero indeed is the most suitable person for the Holy Sword.

But others slightly less capable can also wield it, using over seventy percent of its power.

If they manage to fully control the Holy Sword, gaining its recognition, this percentage will gradually rise to one hundred.

By then, they would be no different from a true Hero.

This is the pressure imposed by Hero Lox on this generation of Heroes.

Anyone can use their strength to negotiate with the Holy Sword’s wielder, whether verbally or through force.

The Hero isn’t simply the person who receives the Power of the Brave from the Village of Heroes but someone who wields the Holy Sword to defeat the Demon King.

It’s always been this way.”

Volcrix nodded heavily, thinking if he had known this earlier, he might not have been so arrogant before: ”Thank you, Sister Alan, for telling me this. I still need to work harder... Let me ask, the Underground Maze I’m currently strategizing is Lox’s special Underground Maze?”

Sister Alan shook her head, ”It’s not. You’re strategizing the dedicated passage for Heroes.

It was specially prepared by the Elder Council of the Village of Heroes. It’s part of their agreement with Hero Lox.

The Elder Council of the Village of Heroes still hopes you’ll firmly grasp the Holy Sword.

But due to your previous performance, they have some concerns, so they asked me to tell you this.

Now there are already two S-Class adventure groups, more accurately it should be three, that have collected all the keys.

They now qualify to enter the special Underground Maze, and two teams have already begun to act.

The remaining one is probably close as well.”