Chapter 1: The Hero is a Crazy Bastard

I wanted to become a bard and wander the world.

That was my dream—Owen, the Hero’s.

“Are you okay?”

“No.”

But, having chosen to die together to defeat the Demon King, I am currently lying side by side with my longtime friend and Great Sage, Ryuk, waiting for death.

“My chest pain has been getting worse since earlier. Is it because it’s a wound from the Demon King? It hurts even inside the Holy Sanctuary.”

“……Yeah. I thought so.”

“Did you find out anything?”

Ryuk, lying next to me, was creating mana in his hand, repeatedly examining the pattern engraved on my chest.

This madman, despite losing his waist alongside me, was still obsessed with magic research until the very end.

“If there’s something I found out, it’s that the worst ending is waiting.”

“……Worst ending even though we defeated the Demon King?”

I turned my head at Ryuk’s words.

“What did you find out?”

“The wound engraved on your chest is a Curse Brand left by the Demon King. After you die, he will possess your body and use it to resurrect.”

“……What did you say just now?”

I wanted to tell him to stop spouting nonsense, but the Great Sage’s eyes were sincere.

……Really?

After all the hardships, prepared to die together, if I die, the Demon King will be resurrected using my body?

“What a load of crap.”

“Well, I simplified it because you’re a bit slow, but it’s not like he immediately resurrects by becoming the Demon King all at once. It’s more like your body gradually gets corrupted.”

“Anyway, what I’m saying is, if you die, the Demon King will come back.”

“Yeah. That’s the truth, after all.”

“What’s the plan?”

The Demon King must not be resurrected.

Humanity has already lost most of its power.

If the Demon King comes back, humanity will be on a direct path to extinction.

“I’ll turn you back.”

I tilted my head at the Great Sage’s words.

…What do you mean, ‘turn back’?”

“About ten years back in time, probably.”

“How? You’ve used up all your mana.”

“If we use that Curse Brand the Demon King engraved properly, I think we can manage somehow.”

“Are you insane?”

Every mage in the world avoids using the Demon King’s magic.

They would fall into becoming his servants.

“You know full well what you’re trying to do, don’t you?”

“I do.”

Ryuk’s eyes narrowed as if he’d already made up his mind.

“But I have to do it.”

…….

I closed my eyes quietly and asked,

“What’s the cost?”

Ryuk expanded the Holy Sanctuary and exhausted all his mana.

Even using the Demon King’s Curse Brand, this won’t be easy.

He placed his hand on my chest and said,

“At least in the past you’ll be sent back to, I won’t be there.”

When a mage borrows external mana, they must pay a corresponding price.

I clenched my teeth quietly.

“Hey, you crazy bastard. How do you expect me to fight the Demon King without you?”

“It’ll be fine.”

Light burst from Ryuk’s hand.

The black Curse Brand engraved on my chest slithered like a snake, crawling up to his hand.

In the process, the mark, now turned white, settled back onto my chest.

“I believe in your persistence.”

“……You always warned me that persistence alone won’t solve everything.”

“Then should I start demanding you use your brain?”

“I’m sorry. I’m ready to quit without a second thought.”

Even as I said that, the resolve Ryuk showed made my already heavy shoulders even heavier.

The pressure of responsibility crushed my body mercilessly.

“I’m entrusting the future to you, Owen. From now on, you’re truly the only variable.”

I nodded while looking at the Great Sage’s face.

There was no turning back now.

“Leave it to me.”

No matter what it takes, I will kill the Demon King.

That was the blood-stained responsibility I had to bear as the Hero.

Soon, my vision brightened, and the agonizing pain in my heart vanished.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I entered the mountains and immediately started training my body.

When I defeated the Demon King as the Hero, I was 26 years old.

Since Ryuk said he would send me back ten years, I was now 16.

I should have been physically weaker, as I hadn’t yet been chosen as the Hero.

‘…….What is this?’

Even after six hours of training, I wasn’t as tired as I expected.

More importantly, not a single drop of sweat had fallen.

It seemed that my stamina as the Hero had carried over intact.

“Owen! Where the hell have you disappeared to again?!”

At that moment, while doing physical adaptation training rather than just conditioning, the door was slammed open roughly, followed by a familiar string of curses.

It was the voice of my drunken father.

Even after regression, keeping my abilities intact was a huge advantage.

Whatever Ryuk had done, although my body was younger, my abilities from before the regression remained completely.

If it wasn’t Ryuk, then perhaps the Demon King truly wanted my body all along?

Anyway, even training deep in the mountains, I could hear the sounds from the village clearly thanks to this.

“Ugh? Ugh?!”

Not long after, there was a crashing sound as my father fell to the floor.

He must have triggered the trap I set.

A jar dropping on the back of his head—it must have hurt quite a bit.

‘Maybe he’s dead now?’

Honestly, I wouldn’t care much.

We weren’t even really related by blood, and it was my drunken father’s betrayal that turned my hometown into ashes.

It’d be great if he ended up crippled or worse—would be a fitting punishment for that awful personality.

‘Just in case, I also embezzled some funds, so it won’t matter if I go to the capital now.’

Now that I knew my abilities were intact, I knew exactly what I had to do next.

‘First, I need to take down the Order of the Royal Knights.’

They were constantly interfering with the day I led the Hero’s party.

My priority was to wipe out the rotten elements inside.

If that wasn’t settled, it would lead to another one-on-one battle with the Demon King, like last time.

Thud!

“Hmm. What’s this all of a sudden?”

A heavy club slammed down from behind.

Turning around, I saw a monster towering over five meters tall.

I’d thought the beast’s survival instincts would keep it from attacking, but it seemed to have some intelligence.

Monsters like these usually size you up first to decide if you’re weak or not.

“Oh.”

Upon confirming its identity, my eyes sparkled as I grabbed the hoe my drunken father used.

“Meat.”

After thirty days of continuous battles since deployment, I hadn’t tasted meat once.

I licked my lips and swung the hoe toward the delicious-looking Ogre.

The weather was clear and sunny.

The Order of the Royal Knights was in full training mode today.

The Demon King’s forces had been growing increasingly aggressive lately, so training intensity had also risen.

“Hmm?”

Bern, the captain of the knights, realized something strange outside while checking the knights’ training status.

“Tch, is the royal family holding another festival again?”

Wasteful budget…

As Bern muttered, the sound of someone running urgently suddenly echoed.

There was a rough knock, and a knight standing outside shouted,

“Captain! Captain! You have to come quickly!”

Bern opened the door and saw a familiar face, so he asked with a puzzled expression,

“What’s going on?”

“Um, well… you have to see it yourself.”

“Okay.”

Following the knight’s lead, Bern left his office.

Soon, he saw a ragged-looking boy who had made it all the way inside the barracks.

“……Huh.”

Bern ignored the boy for a moment and looked around.

He realized the knights’ faces had turned pale.

Looking around, he saw why—the protective barrier blocking external intrusion had been smashed apart in a large chunk behind the ragged boy.

Behind it, an Ogre with its neck severed and body cut in pieces was dragged along.

Anyone could see that the boy in rags had brought the Ogre here.

The boy said,

“Sir. Can I be a knight?”

His tone was as casual as if he were asking if he could get some dinner.

Bern was the captain of the Second Knight Order of the Kingdom of Lumin.

He was a veteran who lost his wife in the battle against the Demon King’s army and was the first to teach me swordsmanship.

Though I graduated in just a week, Bern had been the one who gave me the strength to fight the Demon King’s forces and stood as my mental pillar.

‘Though he died in the final battle.’

Because the boy barged in causing quite a commotion, all eyes were on him.

Though intentional, the level of suspicion was higher than usual.

‘Is it because I’m no longer called the Hero?’

That was probably the truth.

Well, what does it matter if it’s true or not?

As long as I get the results I want.

Bern suddenly asked,

“Who are you, really?”

“Hmm.”

I folded my arms and pondered for a moment.

Who am I really?

For now, I’m Owen, the Hero.

But at this time, I haven’t been chosen as the Hero.

So how should I introduce myself now?

A normal 16-year-old from a small village?

No.

A normal 16-year-old can’t kill an Ogre and turn it into food.

Since I had the hoe, should I say I’m a passing farmer?

No.

Since there was green blood from a monster on the hoe, any sharp-eyed knight would immediately realize I killed the Ogre with it.

“A passing knight aspirant.”

Alright. That should clear any suspicion.

“Why do you want to join the knights?”

“To defeat the Demon King’s army.”

“Any other reason?”

“Does it really need one?”

Bern nodded.

“Normally, sensible people don’t introduce themselves like that.”

“Uh… really?”

I’d never thought about it.

Had I gotten away with it just because of the title ‘Hero’?

That could be a problem.

“How should I introduce myself then?”

“You’re such a ridiculous guy, asking me that.”

Bern chuckled, but since I was serious, I thought for a moment.

What would Ryuk do in this situation?

I recalled an old memory of Ryuk boldly kneeling and bowing his head to the ground to persuade that damn prince.

Remembering my old friend, I copied him exactly.

“If you accept me as a knight, I’ll cut down the Demon King’s neck. Please accept me!”

“……You’re crazier than I thought. What’s your name?”

“Owen.”

“I’ve been wondering this—didn’t your parents teach you to use honorifics with adults?”

“I didn’t learn because I don’t have parents.”

My drunken father who burned down my hometown wasn’t really my parent, so that was an exception.

“……Sigh.”

Bern sighed and scratched the back of his head roughly.

The look in his eyes was like staring at a mad dog.

“Alright. I’ll accept you.”

“B-Bern Captain?! No matter what, you’re making a knight out of a brat like that……”

Bern glared at the knight who was panicking beside him and said,

“Do you think one sword—or rather, a hoe—can wreck the fortress walls like that?”

“Is it possible for one person to drag an Ogre the size of two horses alone?”

“I… no, it’s impossible.”

“But that kid’s doing it. If you start a riot because you don’t like my decision, can you suppress it?”

“Ah, but if the whole knight order attacks him…”

“A knight order that gang beats a kid who doesn’t even look like an adult? That’s something to be proud of, you bastard.”

The subordinate knight fell silent, having no reply.

I quietly raised my head and asked,

“Does that mean I’m accepted?”

Bern answered my question.

“To accept an orphan as a knight, I have to convince the higher-ups.”

“Are you powerless, sir?”

A vein popped on Bern’s forehead.

Indeed, the fastest way to move a conversation forward is to hit someone’s Achilles’ heel.