I Became the 101st Hero – Chapter 25

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Finn was likely beyond the barrier.

That assumption proved true the moment I crossed over.

‘The Chaos Beasts are…!’

Even the normally docile fluffballs that usually stayed put were moving, slowly but surely, towards a specific direction.

This could only mean one thing.

‘It’s begun.’

But I wasn’t too late.

If I hurried, I could still stop him.

Moreover, I could roughly pinpoint his location.

‘He must be at the center of where they’re converging.’

I followed the flow of Chaos Beasts.

As I moved deeper, their density increased.

At the same time, the area where Finn was likely located narrowed.

‘Is it that cathedral-like building?’

Most of the Chaos Beasts were gathering outside the building.

It seemed they couldn’t enter the cathedral itself.

‘Now, how do I get in…?’

Even though I could now handle Chaos Beasts in this area, facing such a large number alone was impossible.

‘I don’t want to cause a commotion either.’

That left me with only one option.

I retrieved a black orb from my inventory.

One of the orbs I confiscated from the bandits.

I tossed it towards the Chaos Beasts.

Black particles spread among them, creating a thick smokescreen.

Using the distraction, I swapped Gravitas Replicant for Night’s Shadow.

‘Night’s Shadow.’

A strange sensation washed over me.

Despite practicing with it a few times since acquiring it, the feeling still felt unfamiliar.

However, this peculiar sensation confirmed that Night’s Shadow was active.

I blended into the darkness and silently moved through the throng of Chaos Beasts.

‘I can enter from over there.’

I spotted a crumbled section of the cathedral wall.

Though a bit high, I could climb it without much difficulty.

Carefully scaling the wall, I infiltrated the cathedral.

The interior was pitch black, devoid of any light source. Perfect for concealing myself with Night’s Shadow.

‘Where’s Finn?’

As I scanned the darkness, a faint light caught my eye.

An eerie, crimson glow.

It emanated from the altar at the front of the cathedral.

And a figure stood silhouetted against the light.

‘There he is!’

Even from behind, I instantly recognized Finn.

I crept towards him, enveloped in darkness.

I had to be silent; a surprise attack was my only chance.

‘Just a little closer…’

Just as I was within striking distance…

Finn suddenly turned around.

“Huh? You’re…”

‘He noticed?’

There was no time to hesitate.

I abandoned my attempt to draw Gravitas Replicant from my inventory.

Instead, I lunged forward, aiming Night’s Shadow at his throat.

However, Finn swiftly dodged the attack, bending backward just in time.

“Allen? What are you doing?!”

“I’m sorry!”

It wasn’t Finn’s fault.

He simply rescued Weiss, only to become the victim of the Demon King that resided within her.

And…

‘His body is already under the Demon King’s control.’

There was no way an ordinary human without a Stigma could react that quickly.

“Allen! Stop it!”

I wasn’t falling for his act.

Even as Finn feigned confusion, his movements were fluid and calculated.

He was the same Demon King who would eventually deceive an entire kingdom; this was child’s play to him.

“If you’re going to act like this, then I’ll…!”

You’ll what?

Finally ready to drop the charade?

I already knew the true identity of the being that controlled Finn.

No matter how much he struggled…

Thud!

My vision blurred.

I thought I dodged his punch, but then a headbutt connected with my face.

Through my hazy vision, I saw Finn pull out a dagger from his backpack.

‘Damn it.’

I let my guard down.

I relied too much on my superior stats compared to an ordinary human.

Even if the host body was weak, the Demon King was still a formidable opponent.

‘Back off!’

Despite the dizziness, my body reacted instinctively.

I managed to evade Finn’s attack and put some distance between us.

Finn didn’t pursue me. Instead, he yelled,

“Why are you attacking me, Allen?!”

Why was I attacking him?

“Because the Demon King is inside you, of course.”

“The Demon King? What are you talking about?”

“You’re being controlled. Don’t you realize?”

I gestured to the intricate magic circle drawn on the floor.

Candles flickered at each corner, and in the center lay a pig’s heart. An eerie crimson light pulsed from the circle.

“You wouldn’t have prepared this magic circle on your own.”

“That…”

He couldn’t deny it.

Not that I needed to convince him.

I sheathed Night’s Shadow and drew Gravitas Replicant from my inventory.

Finn’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What was that…?”

I ignored his question and pointed my sword at him.

“I’m sorry, but I have to kill the Demon King inside you.”

It was time to utilize my [Swordsmanship (B+)] skill.

Even the Demon King wouldn’t stand a chance against a hero’s swordsmanship in a human body.

I charged at him.

Clang!

My sword clashed against Finn’s dagger.

His arm trembled from the force of the impact.

“I don’t care if she’s the Demon King… Weiss is Weiss!”

He mustered all his strength and pushed my sword away.

“I promised her I would return her home.”

I shook my head.

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no way to restore a kingdom that’s already been destroyed.”

“There is. Weiss said it’s possible, if she completes that magic circle.”

He was naive beyond belief.

“Don’t you think the Demon King might be lying to you?”

“Weiss, lying? That’s impossible. She’s always kind and gentle.”

He was wrong. He had only seen a small part of her.

The Demon King Weiss, the one currently residing within him, was the complete opposite.

Cunning, ruthless, and cruel.

Due to her unique characteristics, the 71st Demon King was one of the most controversial Demon Kings in the game.

‘But it seems reasoning with him is futile.’

Then I had no choice but to subdue him by force.

While a part of Finn’s consciousness remained, the Demon King was ultimately in control.

“Allen… you…?”

Finn seemed to understand my intentions.

He tightened his grip on his dagger, ready to fight.

‘But a dagger is still a dagger.’

It was no match for a longsword.

I expertly wielded my longsword, pushing him back.

“Ugh…”

Once he started faltering, there was no stopping it.

He managed to defend himself with the Demon King’s power, but I started landing blows, inflicting wounds all over his body.

Just as I was about to deliver the final blow…

Finn’s movements changed dramatically.

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‘Weiss is the Demon King?’

‘She’s been deceiving me?’

It couldn’t be true.

He pictured Weiss’s bright smile.

She was too kind to do such a thing.

(Yes. It’s Allen who’s lying.)

She confirmed it.

And yet…

‘Why?’

Even with Weiss’s support, he was losing.

Allen, who seemed like an ordinary innkeeper’s son, was pushing him back with his skillful swordsmanship.

‘This can’t be happening.’

He didn’t want to die.

He had promised Weiss he would return her home.

If he fulfilled his promise, surely she would realize his true feelings for her.

(But at this rate, you’ll lose.)

He couldn’t deny it.

Allen’s attacks were relentless, chipping away at his defenses.

Finally, Allen’s sword thrust towards his throat.

(Do you need my help?)

There was no time to hesitate.

‘Help me, Weiss.’

(Then surrender your body to me completely.)

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‘So, the Demon King has finally decided to grace us with their presence.’

Until now, it seemed like the Demon King hadn’t fully taken over Finn’s body.

But now, everything had changed.

The Demon King had gained complete control.

‘What the…?’

The proof was in his movements, which became completely unpredictable.

He moved with erratic, chaotic motions, defying all logic.

“Gah!”

Multiple blows connected with my body.

The tide of battle had turned in an instant.

‘How did he get so strong?’

In the game, the 71st Demon King wasn’t depicted as a powerful fighter.

Their combat abilities were, at best, comparable to an average hero…

‘This is a bit much for me to handle.’

While I possessed combat abilities that rivaled a hero candidate, this was a different level altogether.

I needed a plan, and fast.

‘What can I do…?’

As I focused on defending myself…

Finn’s mouth opened.

“Disappointing.”

The voice was different.

It was the Demon King.

“What’s disappointing?”

“You displayed some interesting swordsmanship, considering your insignificant presence. I even went through the trouble of fully taking over this body, hoping for some entertainment.”

At the same time, a fist slammed into my chest.

The impact stole my breath, and I stumbled backward.

“Ugh, cough!”

As I lay on the ground, the Demon King, now fully inhabiting Finn’s body, kicked me in the gut.

The blow paralyzed me, and I rolled on the ground, gasping for air.

The Demon King smirked.

“Oh my, you two seemed so close. What a shame it would be to die here. But don’t worry, I’ll be sending Weiss to join you soon enough.”

Now that she had taken over Finn completely, she didn’t even bother to lie anymore.

I looked up at her.

“Are you sure about this?”

“About what?”

“Are you sure you’re okay with killing Weiss? She was your original host, a human being. Don’t you feel even a shred of remorse?”

A cruel smile twisted her lips.

“You know quite a lot, don’t you? That just gives me another reason to kill you. And to answer your question, I feel no remorse whatsoever. The Weiss you know is nothing but an empty shell.”

She pointed her thumb over her shoulder, towards where Ice Valley once stood.

“I am the true Weiss, the one who witnessed the destruction of Ice Valley. I was reborn from those ruins. That naive girl doesn’t even understand why this world must be destroyed.”

Her words struck a chord.

‘Why must this world be destroyed?’

Even I, who had played through the game countless times, didn’t know the answer to that question.

However, I had no time to dwell on it.

I had spotted a brief opening.

‘He flinched.’

When the Demon King spoke about the “true” Weiss, Finn’s body twitched.

He hadn’t completely lost control.

That meant there was still a chance.

“What about you, Finn? Who do you think the real Weiss is?”

I called out his name.

“Finn?”

I scrambled to my feet.

Now!

The Demon King froze for a split second.

Finn had regained control, however briefly.

I thrust Gravitas Replicant into Finn’s chest.

Blood splattered, a gruesome confirmation.

It was at that moment…

Finn’s body was engulfed in a crimson aura, twisting and contorting his form.

“You… You little wretch! How dare you…!”

Until now, the Demon King had fought in a human form, simply for amusement.

While the 71st Demon King was a parasitic entity, they possessed their own demonic form.

That was the form emerging now.

‘If I hadn’t experienced this pattern before, I would have been caught off guard.’

But I knew.

That was why I had been saving this technique.

‘Gravitas Replicant.’

I minimized the weight of the sword.

‘Wind Manipulation.’

I felt the sensation of wind swirling around the blade.

With a swift motion, I swung the sword.

I had been training relentlessly, honing my Wind Manipulation to the point where I could wield Gravitas Replicant with ease even at its lightest weight.

Now, empowered by Wind Manipulation, Gravitas Replicant accelerated to an unprecedented speed.

There were few attacks in the entire game that could match this speed.

But this technique’s true terror lay not only in its speed.

‘Maximum weight release.’

Just before it struck the Demon King, Gravitas Replicant, now heavier than any other sword, collided with the Demon King at an unimaginable velocity.

The result was pure destruction.

A deafening explosion, as if dozens of dynamite sticks had detonated simultaneously, reverberated through the cathedral.

The Demon King’s form disintegrated, scattered into fragments that rained down around me.

I looked down at Finn, or what was left of him.

“I’m sorry.”

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