I Was Reincarnated as the Villainous Knight Commander Who Betrays Everyone at the End, So I Plan to Leave the Fake Hero’s Party with the Exiled Girl Who’s Actually the True Hero! ~While Watching Over the Protagonist Up Close, I Somehow Ended Up Destroying the Whole Scenario~ - 28

Chapter 28: Fake Hero Side: The Fake Hero Is Turning Into a Savage Demon

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“Hah… hah… I won…”

“Good work.”

This place was near the base of the Death Mountain Range The place reeked with the stench of piled-up goblin corpses stacked like a mountain. And now, another corpse was added.

It belonged to a giant one-eyed titan with a body like a mountain: a Gigantes. Sitting atop the Gigantes’ lifeless body was Allen, the hero and prince of Azure Kingdom.

“…It’s not enough yet… I have to become stronger… I’m the hero, so I must…”

“…Haah.”

A young man stood by, silently watching Allen as he muttered with eyes as lifeless as a corpse. That young man was the assassin, Krok. Krok let out a quiet sigh, careful not to let Allen, who had just defeated the Gigantes, notice.

He’s starting to come back to his senses, but he’s in a terribly unstable state.

Allen had been silently, almost mechanically, slaughtering monsters. He showed no hesitation even toward terrified monsters. He swung his sword mindlessly, drenching himself in their blood as he sought power, mercilessly slaughtering even those that tried to flee. That appearance was a far cry from that of a hero.

He’s like an oni or a demon… I never imagined he’d be able to take down a Gigantes solo in just a few days.

Krok had also joined in the fight. However, he’d been so busy decapitating the goblins accompanying the Gigantes that he couldn’t assist Allen directly. The strength of Allen and the Gigantes was on a completely different level, and Krok had felt sure Allen would lose.

He had even begun preparations for a retreat, but against all odds, Allen, though battered, defeated the Gigantes. Krok had revised his evaluation of Allen. If Allen’s combat ability kept improving at this rate, crossing the Death Mountain Range was starting to seem feasible. But…

The real problem is his mental state.

Right now, Allen was on the verge of breaking. Even without any interference from Krok, he looked like he might self-destruct at any moment.

Perhaps it’s the long-term effects of Maria’s brainwashing magic (tentative name). His sense of self isn’t stable. At this rate, he’ll turn into nothing but a killing machine… Though, that might be entertaining in its own way.

Krok was a realist, but also a hedonist. Whether something entertained him or not was directly tied to his motivation for a job. And in his eyes, the current Allen was endlessly fascinating.

If I can nurture his mental growth while he retains this demonic strength, he really might be able to defeat the Demon Lord. The question is: how do I do that? There must be some kind of good trigger…

It happened just as he was thinking that. When they passed through the forest near the base of the Death Mountain Range on their way back to the city of Handel, they suddenly encountered a group of orcs. It seemed neither side had noticed how close they were due to the dense trees of the forest.

“…Orcs… Monsters… I have to kill them…”

Allen staggered forward and stood before the orcs. His eyes were empty of light, and he saw only targets to kill in the orcs before him. Seeing Allen approach, one orc shouted:

“Wait!! We have no intention of fighting!!”

This orc was noticeably bigger than a normal orc. Krok, standing beside Allen, judged it was probably a higher variant of ordinary orc: an Orc General.

“The orcs behind me have no strength to fight!! Please, let us go!!”

It was a plea for their lives. From what Krok could see, the Orc General didn’t appear to be lying. Allen said nothing, his clouded eyes fixed on the Orc General.

“We left our herd and came this far to live in Death Mountain Range!! We will never attack humans again!! So please let us go!! If you cannot trust us, then take my life instead!!”

The Orc General knelt on the ground, pressing his forehead into the dirt. Krok felt a sense of relief inside. Right now, they had run out of healing potions, and their ability to continue fighting was severely compromised. His honest hope was to avoid an unnecessary battle and withdraw.

“Hero-sama. Here, we should—”

He was about to say, “withdraw,” when he was struck speechless. Allen’s eyes were filled with murderous intent.

“…But… They’re monsters… Monsters have to be killed… I’m the hero… No, that’s not right. A hero should protect the weak… Even if they’re monsters… No, even if they’re monsters… I have to kill them… No… I have to protect… Monsters must be killed!!”

With a single stroke, Allen severed the head of the kneeling, unmoving Orc General. But he didn’t stop there. He began to mercilessly slaughter the other defenseless orcs gathered there.

“Ye-Yeah, I have to kill them, kill them all. I have to become the hero, or Mother will abandon me, kill me. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Nii-san. Niisan, I’ll become the hero in your place, aaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!”

“P-please spare—”

He cut down orcs pleading for their lives, orcs asking why, even orcs that looked like children… He just kept killing. Allen’s massacre didn’t stop until the forest’s green was stained red with blood.

Wow, he’s really gone off the deep end now.

Krok had stepped back to watch the scene unfold from a slight distance. The orcs’ pleas for mercy didn’t go unheard by Allen—not entirely.

Oh boy, every time he kills an orc, his face twists more and more…

Though Krok’s thoughts sounded detached, in truth he felt a twinge of pity. Allen believed he had to be strong because he was the hero; he had to kill monsters because he was the hero. Even though part of him knew slaughtering these helpless orcs was wrong, he couldn’t stop himself. Krok felt sorry for him.

But well, there’s nothing more mentally taxing than killing something that can speak. If this pushes the hero’s mental growth, then good… Let’s see how it goes.

While he mused, Allen finished killing every last orc. The thick scent of blood filled the air, and bodies lay strewn across the ground.

“…I have to kill… More monsters…”

His strength spent, Allen collapsed where he stood. It was only a few minutes later that scouts from the private army belonging to the head of the major trading company ruling Handel arrived on the scene.

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