Bonus Story: The Adventurous Journey of Hero Hua Xin 7

Blood, like a stream flowing gently in summer, slowly slid down the indestructible armor, leaving a layer of stains on the armor that had once gleamed in the sunlight, stains that seemed impossible to remove no matter how much it was washed.

Despite its vibrant colors, it evokes a chilling silence.

"Why..."

Hua Xin merely moved her lips slightly, looking at her partner and comrade-in-arms with disbelief.

She had clearly planned to defeat all her companions with the Magic Power contained in the Demon King's simple words, then disappear here using Return City Magic to return to a safe place before facing the Demon King and the Demon General alone.

As for Dong Miao, he also has the Return City Blessing left by the Archmage, so there is no need to worry too much that he will also perish here.

In this way, the responsibility belonging to the hero will end at this moment.

She can handle all of this.

But why...

There's no reason why.

"Actually, I once thought about being a good person."

Dong Miao simply sighed softly. It was easy to see on his face that the determination and fighting spirit he had shown earlier had completely disappeared, replaced by a relaxed look that Hua Xin had never seen before.

Hua Xin remained silent, simply gazing at the man before her.

She seemed to want to see some details of Dong Miao lying, or perhaps she wanted to see if Dong Miao was joking with her.

Dong Miao wanted to say something more, but in the end, he pulled out the longsword that could Easily Cuts Iron Like Mud. Blood immediately began to flow slowly from Hua Xin's body, which had been pierced at the waist.

There were no screams, no signs of pain, not even a curse. All that remained was the long sword in his hand, which he never put down, and the complicated look in his eyes as he looked at Dong Miao.

But the Hero's Sword, which represents the courage of a human being, did not point directly at the person who had inexplicably stabbed him in the back; instead, it fell to the ground.

The Magic Staff that Dong Miao had been holding tightly had its outer skin removed, and a cold, sharp light was hidden in the gap that was impossible to detect. The Magic Staff, which should have been used as a medium for casting magic, had been used by him to hide the peerless sharp longsword inside.

He spent many years honing this sword before it finally had the chance to be forged into a fine blade.

Now...

The fragrance of plum blossoms should come from the bitter cold, shouldn't it?

Dong Miao waved his hand.

Then, Mu Feng, who was pretending to be the Demon King in mid-air, and Xiang Guan, who had been blocking the rear of the team, seemed to understand each other perfectly. They didn't speak, but slowly lowered their heads, as if using some kind of magic, and instantly disappeared from the scene.

On the vast, empty grassland, only the brave Hua Xin remained, along with...

Dong Miao.

"I never thought it was you."

Why did you betray me?

A flicker of pain crossed Hua Xin's eyes. The conflicted look in her eyes seemed to suggest that even if only the two of them were left to face the demons' encirclement, Hua Xin would not doubt Dong Miao, but would only suspect whether she herself was a spy sent by the demons.

They're brothers who'd risk their lives for each other...

But why has it turned out this way?

"I have no choice either, Brother Hua."

"Perhaps this is the choice of destiny. The great World Will has brought us together and allowed us to spend so much time together."

Dong Miao's voice sounded somewhat melancholy, but more so pleased with the success of his scheme.

No one knows how long he endured for this day, how long he lay low, or what he had to give up that he found unacceptable. No one knows any of these things!

This time, he is determined to reclaim what he has lost, and to let the world know that the Demon Realm is not to be trifled with, nor is it some alien race that lurk on the sidelines, eyeing the continent with predatory intent...

They are the masters of the world!

Dong Miao couldn't help but recall how, over the years, he had narrowly escaped death and traveled among various races and kingdoms, stealing... no, picking up so much wealth that, when accumulated, would now make him richer than a country.

This wealth wasn't something a dragon would collect for a single purpose, simply because it liked glittering gold. Its purpose was to use this wealth to accomplish a feat powerful enough to overturn the entire Hachimid Continent.

But now...

Prior to this, his idea had changed in the last year, which led him to a new plan.

"What do they control over you, Dong Miao?"

After a long silence, the brave warrior Hua Xin spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, which startled Dong Miao, who was standing opposite her, and he didn't quite understand what Hua Xin meant.

No...

What's going on?

Isn't the current scene obvious enough?

Could it be... that she thought she was being threatened by the Demon King and was forced to become a traitor?

"I will defeat the Demon King and free you from these shackles."

"Whether he kidnapped your friend or threatened your family, I will free them so that you can live a free and honorable life!"

"Dong Miao! Let's join forces!"

Despite having a bloody hole in her body caused by Dong Miao, Hua Xin seemed to feel no pain and looked at Dong Miao with excitement and sincerity, just as if she hadn't seen the culprit who had just attacked her.

"?"

Dong Miao twitched his lips. Seeing his "good brother" of nearly two years looking at him with such an expression, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty, even though he was a notorious villain.

No, how can you still be so naive even at this point?

Is this "hero" even a normal person? He just killed someone, so why is he acting all righteous and talking about getting rid of the Demon King and freeing himself?

Oops...

I really want to laugh, but I can't.

Dong Miao's expression was very complicated, with a hint of tension in his eyes. He seemed to want to laugh but couldn't, and the feeling of waiting to say the key words was perfectly displayed on his face.

Hua Xin, however, was still waiting for her good friend and comrade-in-arms to answer.

"All right..."

Dong Miao let out a long sigh, then a slight smile appeared on his face, as if he had truly agreed with Hua Xin's words, reformed his ways, and rejoined the ranks of the righteous heroes.

"I'm telling the truth."

A look of joy flashed in Hua Xin's eyes, as if she could see the Saintess deep in the goblin cave picking up the Bible again, ready to save all people.

"Actually, I am the Demon King."

Dong Miao looked at Hua Xin with a bright smile, and then stabbed Hua Xin with a sword again.

"?"

"!!"

The girl was stunned for a moment, then her face turned red as she angrily cursed at Dong Miao.