Vol 1 Chapter 26: The Sword Saint of Hope (Great Labyrinth Arc)

I thought he’d been bouncing around teleporting, and I never expected him to come back with a souvenir like this.

Not just come back—he even forced it to attach!

What a rough guy. He does the most outrageous things. I mean, is it really okay to just reattach a demon’s arm like that?

I have a lot of thoughts about it, but oh well—

“Gripping a sword with both hands is like night and day compared to using just one arm.”

Nio tossed Asterion over, and I caught it in my right hand while also grasping Grain’s reattached left arm.

Even though it isn’t my own—it’s an arm from another race—it moved obediently. Moreover, it overflows with magic that my original arm never had.

So much magic surged from the fingertips and enveloped the blade—so powerful that even Asterion, which is meant to drain magic from its bonded wielder, can’t absorb it.

“Without even needing constant enchantments, it’s already sheathed in incredibly strong magic. I have no idea how that works, but at this point, anything goes.”

They say it might have inherited Grain’s magic, or perhaps it’s a fusion of human and demon powers—whatever the case may be.

But right now, none of that matters. Even if it’s off the mark, it doesn’t matter.

The important thing is that I now wield power beyond my full strength, while Grain is left exhausted from overusing his magic and from losing an arm.

Grinning smugly, I brandished Asterion.

Grain, in a panic, shouted, “Reconsider your actions!”

“If I disappear, the secret pact holding the world together will collapse! Beyond that lies a world of endless, chaotic conflict!”

“What’s this? Begging for your life? Well then, rest assured—I’m not going to kill you.”

I said I wouldn’t kill him, and Grain found that oddly satisfying. He furrowed his brow, but I continued.

“I won’t kill you, but I’ll cut off your other arm so you can’t resist!”

He roared and lunged, swinging his blade downward. Grain quickly raised his defensive wall, but as he channeled power into both arms, it was cleaved in a single stroke.

“Wha—!?”

“You’re surprisingly fragile. Is that really all you’ve got?”

“It—it’s only one arm, so it can’t be helped! Do you really think jabbing your sword at me makes you a Sword Saint!?”

“…Who do you think you are, you damn Demon King!”

This guy is nothing more than a small fry—more so than I expected. By the time I realized it, I was drenched in his slashes, with blood splattering everywhere.

But, as expected of a Demon King, a few mere cuts weren’t enough to bring him down.

Still, he seemed to have accepted that he couldn’t win. He managed to put some distance between us and then spread a magical circle around himself.

Soon, countless monsters appeared, assembling as an army in the great hall where we’d fought Grutton, but I wasn’t about to lose.

Surprisingly, Grain’s left arm fit me perfectly. It now harnessed magic that my original arm could never wield, and its strength even surpassed that of my old limb.

It seemed capable of sustaining enchantments indefinitely. Even when facing a vast horde, I remained unshaken—so much so that a smile crept across my face.

Meanwhile, Grain desperately barked orders to the monsters.

“By the Demon King’s command! Kill him! Anyone who slays him will be handsomely rewarded!!”

Observing Grain—now reduced to a minor force—Nio muttered from behind, “I’m the Demon King, you know,” with a tone of exasperation.

Hearing that, I tilted my head slightly and asked, “Once you’ve managed to silence those guys for a bit, would you be willing to follow me?”

“Hm? Well, I’m not sure about the lower demons, but those with any intelligence will likely obey. Besides, there are still some who remember me… Yeah. Once they realize I’m stronger than Grain, even his monster minions will defect.”

They figured that if they understood our power outweighed the horde’s—and that it was more sensible to curry favor with Nio than to oppose her—it would be simple.

In other words, we just have to beat those disobedient fools into submission.

“Rough as it is, that’s about right. Once you silence everyone, you could even become a Demon King capable of commanding all demons.”

“…I’m not interested. After all, my dream is to be the Sword Saint of Hope.”

“Since I’ve heard that straight from you, I have nothing more to say. Now, go on and wreak havoc to your heart’s content.”

I have no need for a Demon King’s seat or a role controlling the world from the shadows. But when I considered the situation alongside my own strength, a grin spread across my face.

“Then just wait a little longer. I’ll beat every last one of them—and along the way, save the world too.”

With that final remark, I plunged Asterion into the midst of the monstrous horde.

About a month ago, the King’s voice resounded through the cathedral in the royal castle:
“Adventurer Kaim Ilation is hereby appointed as Sword Saint and a member of the Hero Party!”

At that time, I—a lowly adventurer—swelled with hope at the prospect of joining the Hero Party and vowed to devote my life to the people.

The hero Sieg welcomed me and led us to Grimoires Labyrinth—the Demon King’s fortress.

It was all to defeat the Demon King and save the world from the threat of demons. Sure, I also wanted to make a name for myself to find Nio, but I set out with the spirit of a Sword Saint of Hope, ready to exterminate the demons.

And here I am, storming the cathedral in the capital with a band of high-level demons. My arm isn’t even human anymore, my body is in shambles, and my once-prized blonde hair is unrecognizable beneath blood, sweat, and dirt.

Yet, with the demons I lead and with the Ancient Elf Yuu flanking me on both sides—and with no one capable of stopping the former Demon King Nio—the cathedral has been overrun by my forces.

Knights and citizens of the capital are shouting things like, “The Sword Saint who was thought dead has resurrected as a monster!” or “At this rate, the King is going to be killed!”

Had I known nothing and been swinging my sword as a knight defending the capital instead of as the Sword Saint, they’d likely have reacted the same way.

—Probably, they would. They’d charge at me, determined to impale me even if they had to fight through multiple foes.

Thinking that such ignorance was a sin in itself, I bellowed loudly inside the cathedral.

“Where are the false hero Sieg and the deceitful King who has been fooling the people?!”

My theatrical lines made the armed citizens tilt their heads in confusion.

Soon, cries of “What are you saying?!” began, but to wake these people up, it was necessary to summon the King and the hero Sieg—the very ones pulling the strings behind the scenes—to this spot.

So I added another line.

“The elf who knows the truth of the world and the Demon King who’s been hiding everything are right here! Come out quickly, or I’ll spill everything to the people!”

If that happened, a riot would surely break out. Those who believed my words and those who denied them—the former would only grow in number as I explained everything from the very beginning.

For the King, who’s been secretly enjoying sweet nectar, this is something he must avoid at all costs. And of course, the same goes for Sieg.

Before long, the King appeared, surrounded by a multitude of knights.

Beside him stood Sieg, sporting a displeased look, and, no doubt having received an oracle’s ritual, a new Hero Party had gathered to protect the King as he stepped forward.

After I told Yuu and Nio to wait, I too stepped forward.

In this setting, Sieg wore the mask of a hero; he didn’t reveal the crazed expression he once showed when he betrayed us.

Instead, I simply snorted with a laugh.

“Long time no see, Hero. So you’re off to defeat the Demon King with a new group of allies?”

“…Now, what are you talking about? No, it’s nothing. As a hero, it’s my duty to defeat the Demon King. Must I really explain myself?”

“Then hurry up and head to Grimoires Labyrinth. You’re a hero, right? I’ve fought too, and I’m sure even you could win a one-on-one with the Demon King.”

I fought the Demon King.

At my words, Sieg clicked his tongue so that no one could hear him.

Behind him, the King turned pale.

“…So, Sword Saint, have you defeated the Demon King then?”

“Do I need to say it? Just look at this arm.”

I unveiled my left hand—once hidden beneath ragged cloth—revealing an arm that, while resembling a human’s, was suffused with demonic—Demon King’s—magic.

Seeing that, Sieg and the King frowned even further.

I raised my left hand, savoring their reactions.

“I lost an arm in a fierce battle with the Demon King! But I also cut off his arm and claimed it with ‘a certain power’—that very power is…”

“Wait a minute!!”

At my words, the previously pale King finally reacted. He probably knew about Yuu waiting in the wings. As he compared me with Yuu, he struggled to form his words.

“So—you defeated the Demon King, then? That’s wonderful! I heard in reports that he was dead, but not only have you returned, you’ve defeated him and even turned his forces to your side! How about it, Sword Saint? I promise to grant you whatever you desire—any position you wish!”

“You’re desperate, aren’t you, Your Majesty? Don’t you hate it when your secrets get exposed?”

“W-what are you talking about… I’m merely saying that I shall reward the one who sacrificed himself for humanity…”

“Sorry, but it’s not just for humanity.”

With the King gaping in disbelief, I declared:

“I sacrificed myself to save not only humans but demons and demi-humans as well! I’ve brought along those worthy of leading the demons and demi-humans henceforth! But here’s the thing: the world they’re planning to create isn’t fit for filthy scum like you! So I’m here to tell you to scram!”

Amid shouts of “How barbaric!” and other exclamations, the King glanced at Yuu and then, as if in disbelief, spotted Nio.

Nio herself smirked and called out to the demons behind her.

“By the way, who’s going to be the new Demon King?”

All the demons gathered there were monsters who could easily claim that title.

In response to Nio’s words, they all bowed their heads and said in unison,

“It’s you, Your Excellency, Nio.”

“N-Nio, you say…!?”

Information about Nio had been kept under tight wraps by the demons. But humans aren’t fools either—they’d caught wind that the demons were chasing someone.

Even if they didn’t know why, they had at least deduced the target’s name. When the King heard the name Nio, he collapsed right then and there.

What I had brought along was someone even the demons forging secret alliances had hidden. And now, a host of high-level demons—a veritable horde of monsters—unanimously declared her the new Demon King.

With my additional testimony and, above all, with Grain’s severed arm—the very arm of the Demon King—it became clear that there was no one left with whom a secret pact could be made.

Moreover, it was obvious that the high-level demons who now knew the truth, and Nio—who was being hunted precisely for knowing it—would eventually have to speak out. With Yuu and I present, there was no one left to keep our secrets.

Or so I thought—until the final lifeline remained. The King, in a state of panic, ordered the hero Sieg.

“Kill them! Kill them all—those traitors included!”

Even though some among us still didn’t know the truth, the King had the nerve to order their execution.

Sieg, though reluctant, strode forward with his holy sword in hand.

With every step he took, it seemed as though he was gradually snapping out of his stupor. His face even betrayed the twisted delight he once showed when he betrayed us.

“It seems you’ve run out of time to play the hero charade honestly… No choice then; by the King’s command, I’ll kill every last one of you!”

By “every last one,” I believe he meant it literally. The secret pact had been shattered, and the title of hero meant nothing anymore.

So in the end, our true natures would be exposed—and I, along with Yuu and Nio, as well as the King and all his knights, would all be slain.

It would all end with us embracing the madness we first displayed. And that, too, was something we had been waiting for.

At last, they revealed themselves in front of the masses. All that remained was to crush them with our power.

Facing the hero Sieg—who brandished the holy sword Excalibur—I, holding Asterion (now known not as the demon sword but as the mythic weapon), stood my ground.

“I told you that next time we meet, you’d face retribution. Are you ready?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“I’ll remind you—by force…!”

At last, the time to strike back had come. But I didn’t lunge in to slash immediately. Instead, I beckoned Sieg, who looked oddly puzzled.

“Come at me. I’ll show you the difference between a fake hero and a true Sword Saint.”

《Next: Final Chapter of Part One》