"So, theoretically, only a true Hero can draw this Hero's Sword?"
"That's right." Diallo nodded and said calmly, "After a new Demon King appears, a new Hero will also emerge. Only then will the old Hero lose the power of the Hero's Sword."
"Then what happens to the remaining 'candidate Heroes'?" Chu Ke asked the question that had puzzled him most throughout the journey.
"Very simple. They either return home or become companions of the True Hero."
"Generally speaking, we choose to become the Hero's companions." Diallo's fist clenched slightly.
"Actually..." Diallo hesitated when she reached this point.
"There are no outsiders here." Chu Ke offered reassurance at just the right moment and pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds from his backpack.
Judging by her tone, this was about to get juicy.
"Mm." Diallo cast aside her usual confidence and dashing demeanor, a trace of irritation appearing between her brows. "I am actually a Princess of the Northern Royal Family."
"On the day I was chosen as the Hero of the North, my father summoned me for a private talk late at night."
"If I truly drew the Hero's Sword and truly became the legendary Hero, then after defeating the Demon King, I could use my immense prestige to control the North Country and even influence the other nations, then use the Hero's power to annex them."
"If I failed to draw the Hero's Sword, then I would be married off to another great nation, branded as the 'Hero's companion' and 'one who defeated the Demon King,' strengthening the North Country."
Chu Ke had seen the map as well. The North Country's lands were blanketed in snow and ice year-round, and the environment was harsh. No wonder they so often developed desires for invasion.
"The moment I learned that I had been chosen as the Hero of the North was the happiest moment of my life. But the North Country... the people of the North Country can barely hold on anymore. This may be our last remaining chance."
"With such impure intentions, someone like me could never draw that sword."
Chu Ke nodded, somewhat speechless.
What a heavy topic. If I'd known, I wouldn't have run my mouth. This felt like casually exchanging a few words with some uncle by the roadside, only for it to turn into an ultra-long, ultra-disgusting ultimate Side Quest that swept across an entire country.
XX, wouldn't you agree?
"But even so, no matter what, my purpose in setting out is to bring about war. Then I..." Diallo's voice grew lower and lower, as though her defenses had completely crumbled.
"What's with all this nonsense?" Chu Ke interrupted Diallo's muttering.
Damn it, it really was painful that reality had no skip button.
"It's simple. Think about it—doesn't all this bullshit stem from human desire? Whether it's your father's desire for power or the people's desire for a better material life."
"And those other countries refusing to give up land that is clearly sitting unused to save your people suffering in misery is nothing more than their own desire for rule and power."
Diallo did not understand, but she still nodded.
"Then things become simple. Suppose..." Chu Ke made a shrinking gesture. "Suppose you didn't see them as different countries, but as different counties within one country, and you were the emperor of that country. How would you solve it?"
"Huh?" Diallo paused for a moment. "Then I would issue an order and make them obey my decree, telling the people of North City in the North Country to migrate south. But how could such a situation possibly exist?"
"The Hero's Sword." Chu Ke smiled brightly. "You only need to use that power to unify the entire world."
Diallo's mind crashed for several seconds before she emotionally refuted him, "How could that be acceptable?! Starting a war like that—do you know how much death and suffering it would bring? How many families it would tear apart? How would that be any different from the Demon King's actions?!"
"Hyenas are highly territorial pack animals. When you, as a human, try to consolidate their territories, they will attack you. Even if you succeed, different hyena packs will still attack each other, causing countless casualties."
"But what if you were a dragon? I hear dragons possess the pressure of a higher life-form. With that pressure alone, they can make other creatures too afraid to move."
"When a dragon mediates the hyenas' conflicts, faced with such a chasm-like gap in strength, the hyenas can only lower their heads, tuck their tails, and obediently do as they are told. They might even merge their different tribes of their own accord."
"What I mean is, you can look forward to the power contained within the Hero's Sword, which has been passed down through more than twenty generations in legend."
"Before absolute power, the schemes of nations are nothing more than bedtime stories performed in a circus. As long as the gap in power is great enough, so-called war can be ended in an instant. No one might even get hurt."
Diallo stared at the wooden floor of the carriage with her mouth slightly open and her pupils trembling, not knowing what she was thinking. Beside her, Vega's entire body trembled faintly as she curled into a ball in the corner, doing her best to reduce her presence.
Fuck, what kind of treasonous nonsense did I just hear? These two aren't going to join forces and silence me, are they?! Chu Ke, meanwhile, happily cracked sunflower seeds.
A righteous Princess becoming a Hero whose goal was to rule the world—fuck, this was exactly what I wanted to see!
"But!" Diallo suddenly raised her head. "What if I can't draw the Hero's Sword?"
Hehe, looks like someone already had an idea.
"What do you think of my theory of power?" Chu Ke did not answer. Instead, he asked, "I believe in you. Don't lie to me."
Diallo bit her lower lip tightly and fell silent for a moment. "It's very appealing."
"Then that settles it. Could it be that not a single Hero in this generation can draw this sword?"
"You mean recruiting people?" Diallo's beautiful eyes lit up. "Right! If I can't draw it, someone else can!"
"And there's no need to worry about a tyrant, either. As soon as the next Hero appears, they can naturally inherit the power."
Diallo sank into a beautiful fantasy, automatically overlooking many flaws.
Seeing that expression on her face, Chu Ke knew it was settled.
"Speaking of which, what about you?" Diallo's smile had yet to fade. "What motivates you to draw the sword? Saving the world?"
"Huh? Me?" Chu Ke gave a bright grin. "Because it's fun."
"...How is that the truth?" Diallo was dumbfounded. She had considered many possibilities, but never this one.
"My ninja way is to speak my mind."
"Aah!!!" At that moment, the carriage suddenly stopped, and waves of alarmed cries erupted from the caravan outside.
"Run!"
"Forget the goods! Run!"
"Impossible! How could a creature like that appear on this road?!"
Just as Diallo was about to stick her head out, the carriage curtain was suddenly lifted. A terrified young man poked his head inside. "Guests, run! It's a dragon! A dragon is coming!"
Almost by reflex, tears of excitement spilled from the corner of Chu Ke's mouth.
He had never eaten dragon meat from another world before.
Chu Ke Class: Demon King Constitution: 27,000; Resistance: 10,000; Recovery: 10,000; Mana: 138 Available Points: 7,999
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