I Became the 101st Hero – Chapter 49

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Defeating the Demon King.

It was a task I couldn’t avoid, and not just because of the hefty SP reward.

‘I want to save people.’

If I didn’t kill the Demon King, the villagers would all die.

The innkeeper, the girl who sold flowers…

Even Finn, whom I had been forced to sacrifice in my previous attempt to defeat the Demon King.

‘This time, I’ll save both Finn and Weiss.’

Previously, I hadn’t known that Weiss was the Demon King’s initial host.

I only knew that the Demon King would enter the village disguised as an outsider.

That was why I had decided to wait in the village, fully prepared to confront it.

But even that plan had gone awry.

Because of my encounter with the bandits, both Finn and Weiss had entered the village together, changing the entire scenario.

My strategy had relied on a surprise attack. If I accidentally killed the wrong person, the Demon King would be alerted, and my plan would fail.

Plus, I didn’t want to kill the innocent one.

But now I knew that Weiss was the initial host.

He would be somewhere outside the barrier.

‘Fortunately, I have more time this time.’

The Trial had ended quickly.

Thanks to inheriting [Precociousness] in advance, I didn’t need to waste time grinding for SP by hunting Chaos Beasts.

My proficiency in the Power of the Wind was already higher than before.

‘I need to find Weiss before Finn, or anyone else, encounters her.’

I had no intention of killing Weiss.

Even though the 71st Demon King was inhabiting his body, I believed a part of Weiss’s original personality still remained.

‘She called himself an empty shell.’

But I disagreed.

The Weiss I had met, the one who had shown me kindness and shared his tragic story… she had been human, a person with emotions and memories.

There was only one way to save her and defeat the Demon King at the same time.

‘I need to force it to transfer to another host.’

It would leave behind a Demon Body, but I had a plan.

Two weeks after entering the Chaos Realm, I finally found her.

Weiss was lying on the ground, looking weak and vulnerable. But I knew she wouldn’t die.

‘As long as the Demon King is inside her, she can’t die.’

I concealed myself nearby.

Thanks to Dark Night, it was easy to stay hidden.

The last time, I had approached her too carelessly, and he had sensed my presence. But from this distance, there was no risk of being detected.

‘Just hold on, Weiss. I’ll save you.’

Unlike my previous playthrough, the bandits were still active, even without their leader.

I had confirmed that while searching for Weiss.

Now I just needed a bandit to find her.

After several days of waiting, a bandit finally stumbled upon Weiss.

I had been considering luring a bandit over, as he was a bit outside their usual patrol route.

The bandit looked around cautiously, then, seeing no one, approached Weiss.

Just as he reached out a hand, Weiss bit him.

“Agh!”

The bandit yelped in pain, clutching his hand.

He looked around quickly, then drew his sword.

“You bitch!”

And then it happened.

As if suddenly burned, he dropped his sword, his hand trembling uncontrollably.

‘The Demon King has transferred.’

This was my chance.

The 71st Demon King couldn’t immediately take control of a new host.

It gradually eroded their mind, slowly taking control, while the host remained oblivious to the invasion.

That was why Finn, even when we fought, hadn’t been completely possessed.

And that’s why the Demon King couldn’t transfer to another host while still in the process of taking control.

In other words, the Demon King was trapped, confined to the bandit’s body.

I charged, Dark Night in hand, and easily subdued the bandit.

He was clearly aware of my presence, thanks to the Demon King’s senses. But without access to his relic sword, he was helpless.

“S-spare me! I didn’t do anything to her!”

He intended to. That was the problem.

He should have taken a lesson from Finn.

Of course, even trying to harm Weiss was unforgivable.

But I couldn’t kill him yet.

“Stay still if you don’t want to die.”

If I killed him here, releasing the Demon Body, the odds of winning would be slim.

Its regenerative abilities were monstrous.

Perhaps if I had Gravitas Replicant, I could have taken it down. But with only Dark Night, I wasn’t confident I could kill it in one go.

‘I’ll take it back to the barrier and finish it there.’

Within the barrier, it would be weakened, its regeneration suppressed.

I retrieved some cloth to gag him and rope to bind him.

As I was tying him up, I saw movement in my peripheral vision.

‘Weiss?’

But something was wrong. His movements were… unnatural.

‘Damn it.’

I had made a mistake.

I should have given Weiss a relic before tying up the bandit.

Finn had been able to save Weiss because he, unaware of his own possession, had given Weiss a bracelet, knowing she might turn into a Chaos Beast.

And now, I was paying for my oversight.

Crunch.

Warmth. Stillness.

A bed.

“Ugh…!”

I jolted awake.

I was in a familiar room.

‘The inn?’

I checked my inventory.

Empty.

‘Am I back?’

Relief washed over me.

There was nothing more comforting than knowing the Trial hadn’t ended prematurely.

It was strange, to feel grateful for being trapped in a terrifying ordeal, but it was better than failing.

‘That number…’

I remembered seeing a number right before losing consciousness.

‘1/100.’

‘Was that some kind of progress indicator?’

I didn’t know.

But one thing was clear. I had been given another chance.

‘My plan wasn’t wrong.’

I had devised the optimal route, the path that would lead to the best possible outcome.

I had just made a small mistake.

But that one mistake had cost me my life.

‘I’ll have to be more careful this time.’

I had a second chance. A precious opportunity.

And I wouldn’t waste it.

“Haa…”

I leaned against a tree, catching my breath.

I had gone back several months in time.

It was a significant setback, but I had diligently retraced my steps, determined to avoid repeating my mistakes.

I had defeated the wolf, met Gwen, and reached the Trial.

It was a shame to part ways with her again, but she wasn’t necessary for defeating the Demon King. I couldn’t afford to dwell on regrets.

I had to prioritize the optimal outcome.

However, things were different this time.

I knew where to find Weiss. There was no need to waste time searching for her.

I immediately set out to acquire a relic.

‘It wouldn’t be as effective as Gravitas Replicant…’

But thanks to my knowledge of the game, I was able to find a suitable 2-star relic.

And while I was at it, I also picked up a 1-star relic accessory for Weiss.

I returned to Weiss’s location and, just as I had planned, captured the bandit who was now the Demon King’s host.

I had just dragged him back to the barrier and finished him off after a grueling fight.

‘Without the Power of the Wind, I would have been seriously injured.’

Even weakened by the barrier, the Demon Body was powerful.

But the Power of the Wind allowed me to outmaneuver it. Using the 2-star relic and Libero’s swordsmanship, I was able to chip away at its defenses, eventually wearing it down.

The Power of the Wind had also served as a temporary substitute for Absolute Obedience.

The Demon King’s aura was overwhelming, making my movements stiff and sluggish. But the Power of the Wind allowed me to maintain my agility and speed, counteracting the debilitating effects.

I wasn’t unscathed, but compared to my previous attempt, I was in much better shape.

‘I should leave now.’

I had saved everyone I could.

It was a shame that I hadn’t had time to interact with Weiss properly, but I couldn’t afford to linger. I had to keep moving.

In my previous attempt, I had lingered for too long at the inn, caught up in the daily routines and distractions.

‘In the past, I would have headed straight for Sak at this point…’

But I had already learned everything I could from Libero at my current level.

It wasn’t that he had nothing left to teach me. It’s just that there was a limit to what I could learn at my current level of understanding.

I didn’t know how long it would take for me to reach the next level. So it made more sense to prioritize other matters.

But there was one more thing I had to do.

‘I have about a month and a half left.’

That was the amount of time I had previously wasted recovering from my injuries after the fight with the Demon King and gathering information about its identity.

Now, that time was mine to use freely.

And once that time was up, I would head to Basilium.

‘I have to save Elsie.’

She was a tragic character, a victim of circumstances.

My ideal scenario included a better fate for her.

I might not have a strong connection with Gwen this time, but I could send Elsie to Libero in my place.

‘Am I too early?’

I didn’t actually know when Elsie had arrived in Basilium.

But when I had found her in the rain, she had been on the verge of death. So I had arrived early, just in case.

‘It’s been a while.’

I hadn’t stayed in Basilium for long.

But for some reason, I had vivid memories of the shops I had visited with Elsie.

‘I guess I’ll just wait here for her.’

It wouldn’t be long.

Two days at most.

Elsie would arrive within that time.

‘I’ll just grind for SP while I wait.’

I couldn’t afford to waste any time.

I started looking for simple quests, menial tasks that would reward me with SP.

And as I completed the quests, I kept an eye out for Elsie.

I was making my way through a narrow alley, meticulously scanning every nook and cranny…

When I saw him.

‘Huh?’

I froze.

Someone who shouldn’t be here… was here.

‘What is he doing here?’

He was tall, his clothes shabby and worn.

He had no reason to be in Basilium.

‘Libero?’

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