Vol 1 Chapter 3 – No Forgiveness for the Demon-kind【Vol 1: The Beastkin Hero Arc】

The giant-race hero Gavreel remembers it clearly.

He first met Allen Norsh as an enemy.

The young man who had descended with the evening darkness looked like a death god at the time—but thinking back on it now, to Gavreel, he had also been an angel bringing light into his world.

Several years ago, Gavreel had gone about killing others and plundering their valuables, relying on the raw power inherent to the resilient giant-race. He was defeated without effort by the 【Obsidian Knight】—utterly beneath that man’s notice.

A gathering of countless races, the most powerful and most feared bandit organization in the world: 【Enigma】.

Gavreel had been sold into the organization as an infant by parents who craved money. What worked against him was the fact that, being a member of the giant-race—the mightiest in close combat—he had harbored a Brave Core within him.

Every living creature in this world possesses a special organ known as a Mana Core.

It serves as a reservoir where mana accumulates, and its varying shapes and forms determine one’s fighting style and abilities.

Among all Mana Cores—the most critical organ in combat, bar none—the Brave Core is something altogether special, possessing a power far beyond all others.

Not everyone is born with one.

An extraordinarily powerful force bestowed only upon the chosen.

Since every member of the 【World Knights】 possesses a Brave Core, it is often called a ticket to herodom. That was why Gavreel had sold for a high price.

But I digress.

Gavreel killed for the first time at the age of three. The boss had taught him that strength was justice.

Gavreel believed that teaching until he came of age. Even on that day five years ago, he had assaulted a Holy Imperial noble who was fleeing with his subjects—their domain having been razed by the Demon King’s army.

But there, he witnessed something strange.

The middle-aged noble had a daughter. He sent her and his people running ahead, then fought back with the desperation of a man with nothing left to lose. Even after having both arms torn off, the noble bit into Gavreel’s throat. When his teeth were knocked out, he resorted to headbutts.

Despite clearly sustaining fatal wounds, the man did not fall.

Even so, the difference in power was undeniable. For all his desperate resistance, Gavreel walked away without a scratch. Yet, for some reason, the noble’s expression from that moment was seared into his memory and refused to leave.

The face of a man who, knowing his death was certain, had watched his daughter and subjects flee to safety—and smiled with quiet satisfaction.

For the first time, Gavreel did not chase after the fleeing daughter or the survivors. But his bandit companions were a different matter.

Their feet didn’t stop—they went to finish the killing. They overtook the fleeing people swiftly, and as the screams drifted to his ears, Gavreel turned his eyes away… then felt a faint breeze against his skin.

Seconds later, it became a gale, then a tornado. And from the eye of that tornado, a jet-black dragon descended.

“…Too late.”

On the dragon’s back rode a knight clad in black.

Eyes downcast, sorrow living in that pair of dark irises. From a distance he might have appeared fragile—but his bearing was so utterly flawless it raised goosebumps.

His companions challenged him.

And without landing a single blow, every one of them was swallowed by a sea of blood. Criminals capable of leveling a small city could do nothing against one knight.

“…I surrender.”

Witnessing that, Gavreel stepped forward without raising a hand and offered his neck.

The knight in black—Allen—sheathed his sword, and, against all reason, did not kill Gavreel.

“Why won’t you kill me?”

“…I know your record. The one they call the Storm-Behemoth.”

“…”

“I will let you live. From this day forward, learn what it means to feel—and fight for others. Save more lives than the number you have taken. That… is your punishment.”

On that day, Gavreel was born a second time. This was his encounter with the man who had turned him from a killing machine back into a human being.

Later, when Gavreel learned that the noble he had killed had been an extremely close friend of Allen’s, he wept for the first time.

He had heard it on the wind—that whenever they met at social gatherings, Allen would always speak to that noble warmly, like a cherished old friend.

Allen had spared the man who killed his friend. Even through all the hatred he must have felt, Allen set his personal feelings aside and offered a chance at redemption.

Fair. Magnanimous. Allen was a knight among knights—and Gavreel understood that now.

“—The rest, I can handle alone.”

In the crumbling Evil-Eye Fortress, fallen comrades lay strewn behind him.

The knight he had admired showed not the slightest trace of fear before the Demon King as he spoke those words.

The benefactor who had given him a chance to atone—who had turned him back into a person—had remained in the Demon King’s castle alone, to save him. He had given Gavreel everything. And Gavreel had given nothing in return.

——Why didn’t you let me die with you, Allen.

How many times had he turned those words over in his chest?

＊　　＊　　＊

The throne room where the Emperor—sovereign of the Holy Imperial Kingdom—held court.

Into that hall stepped the one-armed warrior of the giant-race.

Between two colossal knight sculptures standing side by side ran a staircase laid with a deep crimson carpet.

Upon the golden throne set atop that grand staircase sat a solitary old man—an elder with white hair grown to his shoulders, his face deeply lined with wrinkles. He looked well past eighty, yet he radiated an uncanny, vital authority.

Robed in white vestments, a crown upon his head, this old man was the king of the Holy Imperial Kingdom, sovereign nation of the Human Alliance.

Beside the king stood a woman of breathtaking beauty with golden hair, dressed in what appeared to be a blend of clerical robes and a formal gown—and an expressionless young man in a white uniform, sword at his hip.

“—That arm of yours. Are you truly certain you don’t wish to have it healed, Gavreel-sama?”

It was not the Emperor who spoke first, but the woman at his side. She held the title of Director of the Holy Spirit Bureau—a position in the Holy Imperial Kingdom equivalent to that of prime minister—a woman by the name of Adelmaria.

The imperial palace also served as the Holy Spirit Bureau’s headquarters, making her the nation’s top administrator for domestic affairs.

“…Leave it as it is.”

Gavreel ran his right hand along his bandaged left shoulder—his left arm missing everything from the elbow down.

It could be healed—but Gavreel had chosen to live on with only one arm.

So that he would never forget his own powerlessness.

“…I see. Then I will say nothing more on the matter. Even so—I sent messengers to the towers asking the other 【World Knights】 to come before His Imperial Majesty once they had recovered, but it seems only you, the hero of the giant-race, chose to comply.”

“…”

“It appears none of them can bring themselves to accept Allen-sama’s death. Well, that is hardly surprising. Should one rejoice over the great feat of slaying the Demon King? Or mourn that he can no longer be relied upon? We cannot keep pace emotionally—not the people, and not us.”

Adelmaria narrowed her sorrowful eyes and sighed. At that, Gavreel too lowered his gaze and stared at his own enormous fists.

“…Same as me. If I sit here doing nothing, I will want to die. Give me a new mission.”

“…I see. So that is why you obeyed the summons and came to the palace.”

“Yes.”

“My, my. I had hoped His Imperial Majesty could personally offer words of celebration and gratitude—on behalf of all humanity—for the victory of the Great Human-Demon War. But it seems the heroes have no need for any of it.”

Adelmaria shrugged and shot a glance at the Emperor—the old man’s lips curved ever so slightly with displeasure.

“But speaking of missions so casually—you and the other 【World Knights】 are not retainers of His Imperial Majesty. You know, do you not, that mobilizing you requires the support of a majority of the kings belonging to the Human Alliance?”

The 【World Knights】 were warriors who, each as individuals, surpassed the armies of entire nations.

They were humanity’s trump card. Therefore, no single authority could move them at will.

Their missions ranged widely—from exterminating demon-kind and magical beasts that threatened the human races, to capturing dangerous criminals beyond the reach of any single nation’s law.

The freedom of these heroes, who maintain the world’s peace and balance, could not be bound even by the Emperor of the Holy Imperial Kingdom—sovereign nation of humanity within the Human Alliance.

“Right—I had forgotten there was such a troublesome rule. Five years of war will do that. The Demon King… Allen killed him. But there must still be many nations struggling against the remnants of the Demon King’s army. That should be arranged quickly enough.”

“…Hm. So Gavreel-sama has no intention of resigning from the 【World Knights】, I take it.”

“…Of course not. …Allen said it. He asked me to watch over the world. Until the day I die, I will do nothing but help whoever is in need. That is… my promise to my benefactor.”

His expression as fierce as ever, yet his eyes brimming with tears on the verge of breaking free—at the sight of it, Adelmaria smiled faintly.

“…That sets my mind at ease. It would be most troubling if even you were to resign.”

“…Even me?”

“Never mind that. More to the point—regarding missions—a world conference will be convening soon. And the central item on the agenda is—”

With a gracious smile fixed on her face, Adelmaria spoke of something truly alarming.

To summarize: a counteroffensive into the demon continent—the homeland of the demon-kind.

By leveraging the death of Allen Norsh, first seat of the 【World Knights】, she would pose the question to every nation in the world.

Should the demon-kind be allowed to roam free?

Should their threat not be eliminated—permanently?

Allen’s reputation had thundered across every nation on the continent. Children everywhere spoke the hero’s name and played at being knights.

Rather than simply grieving his death, voices of outrage toward the demon-kind were rising from every corner.

Hence the counteroffensive into the demon continent.

“A great many nations intend to give their assent. Allen-sama fought the Demon King and won, burning his very life in the battle. This struggle against the demon-kind has continued for generations—through all the 【World Knights】 before him—but we believe the time has come to end it, here and now.”

“…Wait. …You intend to… continue the war?”

“Yes. But if we ensure the demon-kind can never again invade the human continent, the lives lost in future generations will be far fewer. And in the first place—Gavreel-sama, do you not hate the demon-kind?”

“…!”

Adelmaria rested one hand against her generous chest and appealed to him directly.

“It was the Demon King who killed Allen-sama. The demon-kind are wholly to blame. The demon-kind are the root of all evil. The demon continent must be brought under our control. Now is the time to launch the counteroffensive.”

“…”

“I intend to mobilize Gavreel-sama and the other 【World Knights】 to advance the conquest of the demon continent. Every demon-kind slain means more lives saved. And above all—surely you want to avenge Allen-sama?”

That, he could not deny.

Gavreel did not possess a heart as just and magnanimous as Allen’s. He was, at the end of the day, a sinner. A filthy beast.

Inside his chest, hatred swelled. He could not forgive the demon-kind.

“…A world conference will be held in due time. If we secure the majority vote, the counteroffensive will proceed. When that time comes, please stand at the vanguard and lend us your strength.”

“…Understood, Adelmaria.”

Gavreel nodded without expression.

Seeking a place to die, the great beast returned once more to being a killing machine.