Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

The clear voice echoed in the solemn Elder Council.

Vorquis snapped back to reality, finally realizing that the voice did not belong to anyone else but his own!

What on earth is going on? Why am I saying such things? What do these words even mean!

Vorquis desperately sought answers in his heart, but he couldn’t find any.

He looked up, and the elders who were originally furious and enraged were now either showing expressions of surprise or fear, suddenly whispering to each other in chaos.

”Clang——” Vorquis heard the sound of a sword being drawn.

The Holy Sword Clochi, shining with a unique light, appeared before him.

He had drawn the sword.

Vorquis wanted to control his body and sheathe the sword, but now he was completely like an outsider, unable to control his body or express his true intentions.

His vision blurred, and he effortlessly broke free of the chains on his body, leaping in front of an elder and swinging the Holy Sword without hesitation.

In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, and the screams were endless.

The Holy Sword originally meant to slay the Demon King was stained with the guilt of blood.

Why am I doing this...

Vorquis’s consciousness became hazy, and one scene after another flashed before his eyes like fragments.

A massive lizard foot crushed the meeting hall, turning the elders into minced meat...

The Hero Village where he once lived was ablaze with fierce fire....

An old man riding a crocodile commanded giant eagles to hunt the fleeing villagers...

A vivid hellish scene played out before the eyes of the heroic warrior Vorquis, filled with cries and screams.

Stop!

Stop!

Stop it!

Vorquis tried to control his hands, telling them not to attack, not to raise the slaughtering blade against those who had treated him kindly.

But...

Every attempt Vorquis made to stop it resulted in new slaughter, mercilessly piercing through the familiar crowds.

This isn’t real!

This absolutely isn’t real!

I would never do something like this; I must be dreaming.

Yes, everything happening now is just a dream; only dreaming can explain everything now.

It must be a dream, definitely, definitely a dream!

A roaring sound echoed in his ears, and before he knew it, the sky was covered in dark clouds.

A raindrop reflecting the firelight passed through the vast sky.

”Plop——”

Vorquis looked up, and that raindrop landed on his forehead, bursting into a splash of water.

The cold wind carried the taste of ashes, blowing across Vorquis’s face, harsh and unyielding.

”This feeling, this taste... it’s not dreaming at all!”

Vorquis took a step forward, and a smooth obsidian under the glow of the firelight reflected his face.

.... Reflecting his terrified and unbelievable expression.

”Why? Why is all this real! What on earth is going on?”

Vorquis raised his hand; the crimson blood flowed through his palm, the wind taking away the remaining warmth of the blood.

Thick smoke rose from the burning village as a scantily dressed woman commanded numerous medium-sized demons to rampage through the village. Her long, jet-black hair was like the dark night, and her lower half was not a human’s body but a giant snake tail, with unique purple scales shining under the firelight.

That woman is a demon! It must be that demon controlling me to do all this!

I have to move.

I absolutely cannot let the demon run rampant; I have to save them!

Vorquis tried to calm himself, forcibly driving his slightly exhausted body to move forward, when suddenly, a massive dragon’s roar pierced the sky.

Following the dragon’s roar, Vorquis saw giant dragons spiraling above the village.

”There’s still hope. The presence of dragons here must be to stop the demon’s evil deeds!”

Vorquis’s brows slowly relaxed. Even if he was controlled, as long as the dragons were here, the people would surely be saved!

In the next moment, Vorquis’s eyes widened in disbelief at everything happening before him.

The dragons spiraling in the sky weren’t his reinforcements; each uniquely shaped dragon opened its mouth and spewed hot dragon breath, bringing catastrophic disaster to the already beleaguered residents of the Hero Village.

”Why...”

Vorquis knew nothing about the oath between the dragons and the ancient humans, nor did he know that the dragon-shaped creatures before him weren’t real dragons.

Everything turned to ashes.

Vorquis struggled to move forward, his body uncontrollably trembling all over.

He was just one person; could he be a match for so many enemies?

Vorquis found himself ridiculous; he had clearly decided to be a true hero, so why, at a critical moment like this, did he appear so cowardly? Wasn’t this the time he should stand out the most?

Forcibly driving his body forward, Vorquis staggered a few steps, nearly falling.

Thanks to stabbing the sword into a pile of stones, Vorquis didn’t completely collapse.

The blood-red drops were absorbed by the rubble from the Sword of Glory, while Vorquis gasped heavily; the Sword of Glory, shining with unique light, reflected an approaching figure.

As if grasping the last straw for survival, Vorquis looked up to the right front, seeing a woman with long purple hair stepping quickly towards him.

”Ah...”

Before Vorquis could call out her name, a unique light flashed before his eyes.

Everything just now seemed like a deceitful play, and ”Vorquis” stood fully upright in the quarry of the Hero Village.

Lightly brandishing the Holy Sword, cleaning the bloodstains on it, ”Vorquis” sheathed the sharp sword.

The original Holy Sword had already shattered; thanks to the gift from his uncle, the Holy Sword was reborn, enabling him to execute his current plan.

”Luo...”

The approaching Yongfang Chunlán just opened her mouth, but ”Vorquis” gave her a sharp glare:

”Use this body’s name to call me.”

The deep voice carried the desolation of centuries, as the fierce wind rose, lifting the youth’s golden braids.

Unable to call out the name of the person she longed for, Yongfang Chunlán felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, but she still smiled at the hero in front of her:

”I understand, Vorquis.

Just now, are you alright?”

”Vorquis” nodded,

”It was just an experiment.

The upcoming plan does not allow for any errors.

If that person possesses a stronger will than mine, he might seize control of this body midway...

Let him out; I want to see if he truly has the willpower.

The result is the same as the one from the past.

Merely a hero in name only.

This person doesn’t even have the ability to shake my faith a little...

From here on out, there will be no more worries.”

”Vorquis” took a determined step forward, with roaring flames and falling raindrops just serving as a backdrop.

”Now, it’s time to proceed to the next step of the plan.

The remaining tasks are yours; I have other matters to tend to.”

After saying that, ”Vorquis” turned and walked towards the edge of Sky Island without a backward glance.

Then...

He leapt.