Reincarnated Devil's Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~ - Chapter 98

Reincarnated Devil’s Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~

Chapter 98   Desert country

“Hahahahahaha! This is exhilarating, Ars! After a long time, something hot inside me has started to burn again!”

“Yippee! That’s right! Oh, go a little more to the right there. Just scatter those monsters and keep going.”

“Kruooooooo!”

“That’s right. You can do it, can’t you? I know you can, right?”

In the scorching desert region further south of the magical kingdom of Rulans.

Ars and his party, who had set off with significant support from various countries, were currently heading towards the desert nation, using a super gigantic sandworm that swims across the sands at high speed as their means of transportation.

However, this sandworm wasn’t something provided by the country.

The support received upon leaving the magical kingdom included a large amount of funds, magical items, the title of hero which allowed them to pass through borders and towns without question, and the right to have a priority audience with the kings and lords of the lands.

In addition, there was an unspoken agreement that the various countries would respond as positively as possible to any requests from the hero, but this was the extent of their current support.

So why is this gigantic sandworm, seemingly over a hundred meters long, carrying them across the sea of sand…?

“Oh, dear customer. I’m really sorry that you had to give us a ride in your caravan. I never expected that instead of doing business with travelers, we’d end up being rescued ourselves…”

“No, please don’t worry about it. This little one who attacked us opened up its heart once it recovered with my healing magic. It’s only natural to help each other in times of need.”

Ars, realizing that something was wrong with the attacking sandworm, noticed it was injured and rampaging due to some cause. He managed to open the creature’s heart by healing it with magic.

The creature, understanding that its deep wounds had been healed and it had been saved, no longer saw any reason to fight the humans before it.

Since then, the sandworm has voluntarily taken on the role of a riding beast, helping them cross the scorching desert in place of the caravan it had destroyed.

This time, Mermel was also greatly active, possibly due to the power of angels or something else. Utilizing her ability to communicate with the creature, she directed the friendly sandworm towards the desert nation she had visited during her previous solo journey.

Of course, the enormous power of this creature is proportionate to its size. While it can’t match the power of a dragon in aerial combat, it has enough strength to scatter nearby monsters and continue onward without any problems.

“Oh no. Not only did you face such a formidable creature, but you even managed to open its heart… Despite your youth, you have a grand spirit. Just like the legendary hero recently officially announced in Rulans! Hahaha!”

“Ah, haha…”

Normally, this would be a good time to reveal himself as a hero, but Ars, not particularly attached to the title, just smiles awkwardly to deflect the comment. However, seeing this, Gaius, proud of his disciple’s growth, grins and chats from the rear.

“Hah, it seems that caravan leader didn’t realize that the hero himself was among us.”

“That’s understandable, Gaius. It’s only been about a week since the official announcement, so the rumors haven’t spread accurately yet.”

Amanda realizes that there hasn’t been enough time for the details about the current hero—blond hair and blue eyes—and the characteristics of his companions to spread accurately.

Eventually, the merchant might realize that the person they encountered back then was the hero, but that realization would not come now.

And so, despite resolving various accidents along the way, their journey continues until they finally see their destination: the desert nation.

They arrive at the labyrinth kingdom of Garard, known for its immense pyramid-shaped ancient ruins, which function as a labyrinth and are rumored to sustain the kingdom.

◇

“Oh, you’ve come at last. Welcome, Hero Ars and his companions.”

In the grand palace of the Labyrinth Kingdom of Garard, adorned with an immense amount of gold. This palace, said to be a part of ancient ruins according to historical records, was where King Garard eagerly awaited the hero’s arrival in the audience chamber.

And rightly so, as the presence of demonic forces alone was enough to make King Garard uneasy.

Of course, this nation had a significant level of self-defense and had also secured S-rank adventurers as a trump card.

However, even the lowest-ranked demons are on par with B-rank adventurers who could single-handedly destroy a small town, and some mid-ranked demons could match S-rank adventurers.

In such a situation, if an advanced demon attack, like the one that occurred in the port town of Grazier in the Rulans Kingdom, were to happen, the country would suffer a severe blow in an instant.

Even if they could defeat it, it would clearly exhaust the nation’s strength, and it was uncertain if the capital would have enough resources left to survive.

Thus, having a hero who could cut down even an advanced demon with a single stroke of his golden sword was invaluable. The king was eager to borrow the hero’s power at any cost.

No king, especially one who must consider what is most beneficial for his country, would choose to disregard the hero under any circumstances.

“Yes. It is an honor to meet you, King Garard. We have come following the signs of demonic presence in your country.”

“Indeed. You must have heard the general situation from King Rulans, and that is correct. And…”

After a brief pause, the king began to explain the current state of the country.

The foremost issue he needed to discuss was the abnormal occurrences attributed to demonic activity in the country.

To begin with, the labyrinth of Garard Kingdom had already served its purpose and ceased to function. However, recently, knights patrolling the shallow levels of the labyrinth for historical preservation frequently went missing.

Suspecting something unusual, King Garard ordered an investigation by dispatching knights into the labyrinth. There, they discovered countless monsters resembling sand puppets, which attacked them.

“I see, so endless sand puppets are pouring out from the ruins that should have already ceased to function… Whether it’s the work of demons or not, there seems to be something behind this.”

“Exactly. This phenomenon is clearly caused by someone. Considering the scale, it’s almost certainly the work of demons.”

Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of the knights, there have been no significant casualties so far.

However, if monsters start overflowing from the labyrinth adjacent to the royal palace, it poses a threat not only to the historical prestige of a nation that houses such ancient ruins but also to the safety, implying demonic activity, and cannot be left unchecked.

“Of course, the knights will continue their internal investigations and share the results with the hero. But if we anticipate the involvement of an advanced demon or something even greater…”

“Yes. That’s precisely where we come in. We accept your request wholeheartedly.”

Ars nods firmly at King Garard, who has chosen the best course of action by preparing for the worst, as is his duty as the ruler.

“Indeed. The interior has likely already become an alternate dimension. Given your journey’s fatigue, I would like the heroes to rest in this country for a while before embarking on the investigation. If you have any requests, we promise to provide as much support as possible. We are counting on you.”

King Garard concludes, entrusting the well-prepared heroes with the task of exploring the ruins that have become an alternate dimension.