Chapter 190: Sohow, With
The Guildmaster Had Returned!
The Hero Guild was an organization that boasted a long history and tradition spanning over five hundred years since its founding.
Over that ti, there had been countless changes of guildmasters, but the current guildmaster was special.
Heroes were those born with extraordinary talent after receiving the power of dinsions. As they were fated to oppose the Demon King and the demon race, they had to be strong.
Only the strong were treated with respect.
However, most heroes were still human, and they could not overco the passage of ti. No matter how strong they were, they aged. They weakened.
Yet their experience did not disappear. Because of this, the guild was divided into those still active and those no longer active.
The strongest among them—the Stars.
They were the vanguard of the guild, running about on the front lines, but the ones who actually managed and bore responsibility for the guild were the five Elders and the guildmaster.
Argann was occasionally appointed from among active heroes, but the Elders were granted eligibility only to retired veterans. And the guildmaster was elected through the votes of such veterans.
Not the one currently the strongest, but among those with the greatest reputation and the highest achievents in the past.
Yes—those who *had* accumulated them.
Compared to the active Stars, most of them were inferior in strength. That was inevitable, and precisely because of that, the current guildmaster was special.
More than ten years had passed since he vanished, yet even back then, he had already been well over seventy years old.
However, his appearance was youthful enough to be mistaken for soone in his thirties, and he was strong enough to overwhelm even the Stars, who bore the title of the strongest heroes.
After he disappeared, the ergence of the outstanding hero Balraf Dislode had caused him to be nearly forgotten, but there were still many who could not forget the nostalgia he left behind.
He was a great hero who had hunted two Demon Kings before Hero Hillan Cargill.
And even past the age of seventy, he was a great leader who was stronger than the Stars themselves.
Because of that—
“Long live the Guildmaster!”
“The Guildmaster has returned!”
His return could not help but shake the entire continent.
Moreover, compared to decades ago, his appearance—still seemingly untouched by age—made him stand out even more.
“Now that the Guildmaster has returned, the Demon King of Dark Fla is nothing…”
“That damned bastard won’t stand a chance against the Guildmaster!”
“Exactly, exactly.”
People believed that the guildmaster, unable to stand by any longer amid the chaos caused by the Demon King of Dark Fla, had broken his seclusion and returned.
Because of that, they clung to hope and pushed aside their anxiety. They believed that the ever-great guildmaster would naturally resolve the problem this ti as well.
And that assumption was, in part, correct.
* * *
Hillan Cargill felt a heavy atmosphere.
It was the first ti all of the guild’s executives had gathered, except for the mont he was appointed as Argann.
No.
It was the first ti that *truly* all executives had gathered.
‘…That man.’
‘The infamous guildmaster of the Hero Guild.’
He had been called a great hero who killed two Demon Kings before Hillan Cargill.
Even after retiring from being a Star, he was said to be unmatched.
He had reigned as guildmaster, then suddenly vanished, becoming a legend.
It was Hillan’s first ti seeing the guildmaster in person. By the ti Hillan had begun his hero’s march, the man had already gone into hiding.
‘He looks young.’
Despite being close to a hundred years old, he looked remarkably youthful. Had Hillan not known in advance that he was the guildmaster, he might have mistaken him for just another ordinary hero.
Realizing that the man had hidden his presence almost perfectly sent a chill down Hillan’s spine.
“Good to see you all.”
The guildmaster, who had been quietly seated at the place of honor, waiting for everyone to take their seats, spoke for the first ti. His voice was low and calm, without inflection, yet it heavily dominated the room.
“There are faces I recognize, and faces I do not.”
He swept his gaze across the room. Each ti his eyes landed on soone, they shrank back. Then his gaze t Hillan’s.
“....”
“....”
At that mont.
Goosebumps erupted across his entire body. An unprecedented, imnse sothing was felt.
Even the hair on his body felt as though it stood on end, and he bit his lip desperately.
Was it his imagination that the corners of the guildmaster’s eyes curved faintly upward?
The pressure vanished in an instant as the guildmaster turned his head back toward the room.
“The reason I broke my seclusion and returned to the guild, and the reason I summoned you all imdiately—I assu you roughly understand.”
“Is it not to save us amid this chaotic situation?”
The Grand Elder bowed his head.
“Similar, but different. It is because I cannot bear to watch, with my own eyes open, such a pathetic state of being toyed with by a Demon King.”
It was too pathetic—pathetic beyond words.
“A situation that would have been unthinkable even just over ten years ago. We were the ones who toyed with Demon Kings—never the ones being toyed with.”
Dozens of assault units had conquered towers, and whenever a hero’s march began, at least one Demon King died.
Demon Kings dared not set foot in human territory, and it was a ti when humans could confidently claim clear superiority over Demon Kings.
It was an era when jokes were even made that Demon Kings were being kept alive out of necessity.
And standing at the forefront of that era was the guildmaster. He had killed two Demon Kings and suppressed hundreds of demons and demonic beasts, along with even more monsters.
“And yet, after I stepped away for just a short ti, to fall this far.”
His gaze turned toward so of the Elders.
“In the Hero Guild, which should uphold neutrality more than any other organization, you tied yourselves to various nations and engaged in filthy political maneuvering.”
As if that were not enough—
“Those who should be at the forefront of hunting Demon Kings are instead shrinking back.”
A faint aura began to emanate from the guildmaster. As the air grew heavier, so swallowed hard.
“After defeating the Gold-Steel Demon King, you should have pressed on and even hunted the Demon King of Dark Fla. Yet I hear the preparations for a hero’s march are dragging on. In a situation where people tremble with anxiety, can you still pride yourselves on being heroes?”
“However.”
At that mont, an Elder cautiously opened his mouth.
“Hundreds of heroes died in the failed subjugation of the Tower of Dark Fla. It is the most shocking loss in several hundred years, and it will take ti to fully recover.”
“So you are saying that we can ignore the guild’s honor and justice, which have fallen to the ground because of that failure, and the expectations of the people who tremble while looking only to us?”
“Fortunately, we conquered the Gold-Steel Tower. We severed the head of the Gold-Steel Demon King, and the entire continent confird his corpse. Thanks to that, the guild’s honor and prestige have recovered to so extent, and anxiety has lessened. I believe it is right to use this precious ti to restore the guild’s losses.”
“Do you truly believe that?”
“Pardon?”
“I am asking whether you truly believe that killing the Gold-Steel Demon King has fully healed the guild’s wounds.”
“Not fully, but to so extent…”
“Elder Tristano Kanieff.”
Under the guildmaster’s scornful gaze, Tristano shut his mouth.
“Hundreds of heroes died. And you think that killing just one Demon King truly restored what was lost?”
“…A Demon King is not ‘just’ anything.”
“He is ‘just’ that. Countless Demon Kings have failed to fulfill their ambitions and could not even leave behind a corpse.”
“That was the past.”
“It is the present. It was the sa just one or two years ago. Was it not? Hillan Cargill. As the one involved, what do you think of this nonsense?”
Before the Gold-Steel Demon King was subjugated by Balraf Dislode, the last Demon King to die had been the Beast Demon King, whose head Hillan Cargill had severed.
And before that, it had been the Lust Demon King—also defeated by Hillan Cargill.
“…I agree with the Guildmaster’s opinion. Even just one or two years ago, a situation like this would have been unimaginable.”
“Of course, I also agree with that point. But the Demon King of Dark Fla is different. Hillan Cargill! Were you not also ensnared by the sches of the Demon King of Dark Fla!”
“That is also true. But precisely because of that, I believe we must not leave the Demon King of Dark Fla alone. He is different from other Demon Kings. If we continue to stand by, it is highly likely that a problem far greater than a few hundred will arise.”
“So you think the sa as I do.”
The guildmaster smiled. Even so, Tristano remained negative.
“I am not suggesting we stand by. We simply need ti. We cannot afford another failure, can we? Any further failure will deal an irreversible blow to the Hero Guild!”
It was not wrong. The Demon King of Dark Fla had inflicted far too many failures upon the heroes, delivering shock and fear.
If they moved rashly and failed once more, could they truly recover?
Perhaps the honor and prestige the Hero Guild had built over hundreds of years might fall to a level from which it could never be restored.
“But even so, we cannot completely let go.”
“You are absolutely right.”
“If we let go simply because it is dangerous, it may beco even harder to stop the Demon King of Dark Fla.”
The Grand Elder agreed. So Elders and Argann did as well. Tristano bit his lip.
After a mont of contemplation, the guildmaster’s gaze fixed on Hillan Cargill.
“Then it would suffice to prepare the hero’s march step by step under the leadership of soone more reliable.”
Soone who had clashed with the Demon King of Dark Fla more than anyone else and shown outstanding results.
“Hillan Cargill.”
The guildmaster softly spoke his na.
“I wish to entrust it to you. What do you think?”
“You an ?”
“You are a great hero who has killed two Demon Kings, and the only one who has rescued the Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Hilderan from the Demon King of Dark Fla. I believe there is no one more suitable. What say you?”
“....”
Hillan could not answer easily. From his position as a subordinate of Berje Deias, it was a proposal he could never truly accept.
However, the guildmaster’s reasoning was sound. He could not disregard his authority in front of everyone watching.
“It is a burden beyond what I can bear.”
“What do the others think?”
“The Guildmaster is correct.”
“I also believe there is no one more suitable than Sir Hillan.”
Everyone spoke in unison.
“You have heard them. Any further refusal is not humility, but negligence and irresponsibility. It is abandoning your duty as a hero.”
“....”
In the end, Hillan had no choice but to bow his head.
“I will do my utmost to subjugate the Demon King of Dark Fla.”
* * *
“Have you heard the news? They say the Hero Guild is preparing another hero’s march against the Tower of Dark Fla. And the leader is Hillan Cargill.”
“Not Balraf Dislode? The Demon King of Dark Fla is different from other Demon Kings. Naturally, the greatest hero should step forward.”
“The greatest hero? Why entrust a hero’s march to soone who has already failed multiple tis?”
“Failed? Do you not know who severed the head of the Gold-Steel Demon King this ti!”
“Gold-Steel and Dark Fla are different. And you—have you forgotten who was the only hero to ever locate the Tower of Dark Fla?”
Balraf Dislode and Hillan Cargill.
The current strongest and the rising powerhouse.
Comparing the two was a natural human instinct.
Such conversations were taking place all across the continent.
To dispel as much as possible the people’s anxiety and concern regarding the Demon King of Dark Fla, the Hero Guild had widely announced the facts of the next hero’s march, with Hillan Cargill as its leader.
“But they say it was the Guildmaster’s decision.”
“Why doesn’t he step forward himself?”
“Who could know the deep intentions of that man? He must have sothing in mind.”
“Well, whoever it is, I just hope they kill the Demon King of Dark Fla.”
Whether they supported Hillan Cargill or Balraf Dislode, the conclusion of such conversations was always the sa. They soaked their throats in alcohol, praying for the death of Dark Fla.
That was how great the shock and deep scars left by the Demon King of Dark Fla’s actions were.
Yet the very person bearing everyone’s expectations could not accept the role with joy.
『So you are to beco the leader of this hero’s march.』
“I am sorry. I could not refuse.”
『It does not matter. What you should be worrying about is not that, but how to preserve your honor as much as possible even if you fail.』
“Yes.”
『More importantly, what kind of man is that guildmaster?』
“I was not able to speak with him separately. And on the surface, I did not feel anything out of the ordinary.”
Except for the very brief mont when their eyes t.
Perhaps Hillan Cargill alone had confird a fragnt of the guildmaster.
“It sent chills down my spine. Even Balraf Dislode was not to that extent.”
『A hero stronger than Balraf Dislode exists?』
『That makes no sense.』
Balraf Dislode had fought on equal footing with Berje Deias, who had surpassed his pre-regression self.
Even if he had borrowed the power of the Red Dragon Sword, and even if neither side had gone all out, that level could not be disparaged.
And yet there was soone stronger than that?
“But it was definitely so.”
『What did he look like? Tell his hair and eye color.』
“Both were black.”
『…Damn it, no way.』
Berje’s eyes sank heavily.
There was one possibility that ca to mind—the hero who had killed Berje before the regression.
That man had been extrely strong and wielded the Red Dragon Sword, Barstain. But he had not been Balraf Dislode.
‘If Balraf was truly just the middleman, and the owner of that sword was the guildmaster?’
Then it would an that the hero who killed Berje back then was the guildmaster.
‘But no matter how I think about it, to have another monster like Balraf Dislode…’
A curse slipped out naturally.
The more he learned why Arein was the worst dinsion, the more he realized, once again, the wall that kept growing higher.
‘Balraf Dislode and the guildmaster of the Hero Guild. I must always be wary of those two.’
『Understood for now. Do your best as a hero.』
Those words made Hillan’s shoulders feel even heavier.
Because it ant Berje was counting on him.
‘…Will I ever get a chance to escape?’
Sighing, he cursed the guildmaster who had placed such an excessive burden upon him.
* * *
“The guildmaster…”
He had not seen the guildmaster’s face directly, but for so reason, he felt like it was that man.
For now, that was all. The new hero’s march could no longer pose a danger to Berje.
And at present, sothing else was troubling him.
‘Ugar Velbek.’
He was dead. The Gold-Steel Tower had collapsed.
From the beginning, they probably had not been aiming for the Gold-Steel Tower. Their offensive toward the Frost Tower had been certain, and after that tower disappeared, they must have made a swift judgnt.
‘Is this the butterfly effect of saving Reina?’
That foolish bastard.
He cursed Ugar, who had already beco a ghost.
A man who valued his own life above all else, yet at the critical mont, he could do nothing.
If only he had sent even a single transmission to Berje, Berje would have imdiately made him a subordinate and absorbed the tower.
What a waste. Such an incredible waste.
‘It is already past. A new Demon King will co anyway. So let go of your regrets…’
Berje tapped the armrest lightly.
His thoughts branched in another direction.
Jason Kokemundo.
‘Was this your intention?’
Ugar had been no more than Jason’s faithful lackey. The fact that such a man died at the hands of Balraf Dislode ant that Jason had abandoned Ugar.
‘To raise Balraf?’
Was it worth discarding Ugar, with whom he had been together for nearly a hundred years?
‘It is.’
Yes—there was exactly one reason. One that clearly existed.
‘To kill .’
To strengthen Balraf and more certainly take Berje’s head.
‘Do you think I will let that happen?’
In a way, this was also a case of one Demon King killing another.
‘If I gather evidence and use Reina’s communication device to contact the Archduke?’
If he severed the connection between Jason and the Demon Realm?
The blow Jason would suffer would be on an entirely different level than anything Berje faced.
‘Absorbing Reina really was one of the very best moves.’
Just as Berje was about to call Gordon Dyrik and Reina Sordein to further solidify his plan—
“Demon King!”
Gordon rushed in.
“What is it?”
“There are dozens of ships floating directly above us. I thought they would leave soon, but they have not moved for several days now.”
“Ships?”
Could it be a hero’s march? How did they know the tower’s location?
“Uh, um, well, you know…”
At that mont, Vivian Blunt peeked her head through the half-open doorway.
“Um, I think that might have sothing to do with …”
“...?”
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