Chapter 8

There are no bad heroes in the world - Chapter 8 (8/273)

‘They say that even if you enter a tiger’s den, you can survive as long as you keep your wits about you.’

Choi Hyunseok’s eyes gleamed brightly.

‘I will survive.’

On the way to the headquarters of the Demon King’s 3rd Legion.

Over the past few days, Choi Hyunseok had desperately tried to compose himself.

‘I managed to win Raidrun’s favor, didn’t I? Why should it be any different with the other Demon King’s legions? I’ll capture the hearts of all, whether they are legion commanders or the Demon King himself.’

It’s fine even if it makes me look servile.

I can grovel as much as I need to.

As long as I can survive somehow.

Then, someday, an opportunity will come.

‘Hehe… I won’t give up…!’

His mind was filled with the thought of eventually having a blissful romance with a blonde beauty, having many children, and spending his old age watching his grandchildren play in a grand mansion.

Just as Choi Hyunseok’s eyes were gleaming with a strange madness,

“Hero, snap out of it. Dealing with the Demon King comes first!”

Rahel, who was perched on Choi Hyunseok’s shoulder, whispered.

Choi Hyunseok glared at Rahel with a serious expression.

“Can’t I live happily?”

“Huh…?”

“Can’t I live happily?”

“…”

“Can’t I live happily? What a fucking hell of a world! Why is it only me who has to suffer!?”

“H-Hero… The Demon King’s army might hear you. Lower your voice…”

“Then what the hell!?”

Choi Hyunseok foamed at the mouth and screamed as if in a fit of rage.

‘He’s completely gone mad…’

There’s no way to reason with him.

It feels like watching a mad demon.

Rahel forced a smile and nodded.

“Yeah… hahaha…! That’s right….”

At that moment, Rahel suddenly disappeared.

At the same time, a head poked into the carriage.

“Choi Hyunseok, what’s going on?”

It was Raidrun, the squad leader.

Choi Hyunseok smiled brightly as if nothing had happened.

“I’m just so excited to meet the legion commander. Haha! I’m sorry if I was being noisy.”

“Indeed, meeting the legion commander is a great honor.”

“Absolutely!”

“We’re almost at the legion headquarters. You’ll meet the legion commander soon, so don’t be too anxious.”

“Yes! I understand!”

“Then rest for a bit.”

After finishing his business, Raidrun returned to the front of the carriage.

Choi Hyunseok let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew… I almost ended up a lifelong bachelor in this life too.”

Choi Hyunseok shook his head.

To think he would waste two lives without ever having a relationship.

Just imagining it was terrifying.

“Hero, look over there!”

Rahel, who had reappeared, pointed somewhere.

“What is it?”

Choi Hyunseok looked in the direction her small finger was pointing.

“A castle…?”

When had it appeared?

There stood a massive black castle.

‘It looks ten times bigger than Hemorn Fortress…’

It might even be larger.

It was so large that it distorted one’s sense of distance.

As Choi Hyunseok stared in awe, the massive black castle seemed to grow even larger.

As they got closer, someone shouted loudly.

“We’re almost at the 3rd Legion headquarters!”

They had arrived at the headquarters of the Demon King’s 3rd Legion.

***

This world was on a much grander scale than he had imagined.

The 3rd Legion headquarters looked like a city surrounded by a massive wall.

In the center stood a grand castle.

Choi Hyunseok entered and stood in front of a large door made of ancient black wood.

“Choi Hyunseok, the legion commander is inside.”

“Yes.”

“Be careful not to offend him. If you value your life, that is.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Offend him?

That will never happen.

Choi Hyunseok was prepared to wiggle his toes if the legion commander wanted him to.

Of course, whether the Demon King’s legion commander would want that was questionable.

Knock knock.

Raidrun knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

The voice from inside was surprisingly beautiful.

To use a cliché, it was as sweet as rolling jade beads.

Creak…

The ancient black door opened.

Finally, the owner of the voice appeared.

Thump…!

Choi Hyunseok could feel his heart pounding.

‘She’s beautiful…’

The woman standing before him had her back turned.

Even though it was just her back, her beauty was undeniable.

Her lustrous black hair flowed down to her waist.

Below it, her curvaceous and voluptuous figure seemed to be seducing him.

‘Maybe it’s fine even if it’s not a blonde beauty…’

Normally, Rahel would have called him out with a “What the hell are you saying!?” but she was silent.

She seemed to be holding back in front of the legion commander.

“Commander Hemes.”

Raidrun called out to the legion commander.

The beautiful woman turned around.

‘Stay calm. No matter how beautiful she is, she’s the legion commander of the Demon King’s army. I must always be ready to flatter her…’

Choi Hyunseok, who was thinking this, was startled and widened his eyes.

The legion commander Hemes, who had turned around.

Her entire face was covered by a massive mouth.

“…”

A large mouth, torn vertically, with sharp teeth wriggling inside.

“Raidrun, you’re here?”

The beautiful… no, the large-mouthed monster spoke.

“I come to see the legion commander.”

Raidrun bowed and paid his respects.

“Oh! No need for such formality between us. Hehehe.”

The large-mouthed monster covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.

Of course, it only covered half of the massive mouth.

“Raidrun, your muscles have become even more impressive since I last saw you?”

“The legion commander has become even more beautiful.”

Raidrun spoke in an unusually smooth voice.

‘What the hell…’

Choi Hyunseok watched the situation, trying to suppress his urge to vomit.

“Hemorn Fortress fell this time, didn’t it?”

“I apologize. I am ashamed.”

“No, it’s not your fault, Raidrun. It was the mistake of the incompetent 8th division commander.”

Suddenly, a fierce aura emanated from the large-mouthed monster Hemes.

An immense magical power, like a massive tidal wave, pressed down on his entire body.

‘I can’t breathe…’

Choi Hyunseok gasped for breath, barely maintaining his composure.

“8th division commander. That shameless crocodile head came back to life?”

“…”

“So I’m thinking of making a leather bag out of him. Crocodile heads are in fashion these days. Hehe.”

Hemes laughed, throwing out a statement that was hard to tell if it was a joke or not.

At the same time, the suffocating aura disappeared.

Choi Hyunseok was drenched in cold sweat.

‘One finger and I’m dead.’

Even Raidrun, who was a formidable monster, couldn’t compare.

The legion commander Hemes felt like an alien from a completely different dimension.

‘Her appearance is enough to make even an alien faint.’

But the real shock was yet to come.

“Raidrun, have you heard the news?”

“What news are you referring to…?”

“This time, the Demon King’s pet dog gave birth to a puppy.”

“Yes, I’ve heard the rumors. It’s a cause for celebration.”

“So, there was a minor dispute among the legion commanders about who would get the puppy.”

Suddenly, Hemes’s massive mouth stretched wide.

It seemed like she was laughing.

“I won! You can’t imagine how cute it is. Want to see it?”

Raidrun nodded.

The scene that followed was beyond imagination.

Rip!

The mouth on Hemes’s head grew to about 2 meters, and from inside, a black dog as large as a tiger leaped out.

“Look! Isn’t it incredibly cute?”

“Indeed, it’s a dog the Demon King would cherish. Even as a puppy, it has a noble presence.”

“I named it ‘Babo’!”

“Babo… A name that conveys strength.”

“You’re right. You really understand me, Raidrun!”

Listening to their conversation, Choi Hyunseok felt like he was going insane.

‘That’s not the important part right now!’

Why were they so calm?

‘A dog as big as a tiger just jumped out of a person’s mouth! Well, not a person, but still, the mouth stretched out… No! How can such a massive creature fit in that small body? And it’s a puppy? Even an elephant calf would be smaller than that!’

There were too many things to call out on, and he didn’t know where to start.

‘Ah, I don’t know…’

In the end, Choi Hyunseok decided to remain silent.

At that moment, Hemes’s gaze turned to Choi Hyunseok.

Or rather, her massive mouth turned to him.

“By the way, Raidrun, who is this human?”

“This is Choi Hyunseok, the human I reported to you before.”

“Oh, that clever human?”

The formidable Raidrun had already finished boasting about Choi Hyunseok to the legion commander.

“Yes. I brought him here to officially induct him into the Demon King’s army.”

“Oh, so Raidrun chose him. I’m looking forward to it?”

Hemes approached Choi Hyunseok.

“He has a cute face and a well-defined physique that I like.”

Cute face.

Well-defined physique.

Words that had nothing to do with Choi Hyunseok.

“L-Legion commander, your lips are truly beautiful.”

“Oh! Really?”

Hemes leaned in close.

Choi Hyunseok was drenched in cold sweat, forcing a smile.

‘S-Save me…’

The massive mouth seemed ready to swallow him whole at any moment.

“Even if it’s a lie, I appreciate it!”

Fortunately, Hemes moved away, and Choi Hyunseok let out a sigh of relief.

“But Raidrun, no matter how much this human pleases me, it might be a bit difficult?”

“Is it really that hard to be accepted into the Demon King’s army?”

“No, it’s not hard to be accepted. It’s not the first time.”

“Then…”

Raidrun stroked his chin, as if he had an idea.

“Yes. Even if we accept him into the Demon King’s army, can he really survive?”

Hemes’s question was valid.

The slave battalion Choi Hyunseok was in was part of the Demon King’s army, but not a direct combat unit.

All slaves were the Demon King’s property.

“I will tear the mouth of anyone who dares to covet the Demon King’s property.”

In the fortress, Raidrun’s threats kept the Demon King’s army from laying hands on the slaves.

But the place he was about to enter was different.

The real Demon King’s army, where humans were often caught and eaten as snacks.

Could Choi Hyunseok survive in such a group?

“I bet he won’t last a week, let alone a day.”

“You’re right. But I believe in Choi Hyunseok.”

“Really…?”

Hemes looked at Raidrun with surprise.

The one known as the Red Nightmare believing in a human was hard to accept.

“Choi Hyunseok has excellent command skills. Although his current strength is insignificant, he will become powerful in no time.”

“What makes you think that?”

“I plan to train him myself.”

Raidrun’s words shocked Choi Hyunseok.

‘The squad leader is going to train me himself!?’

Hemes was equally surprised.

The Red Nightmare Raidrun training a human?

It made him doubt if he knew the demon race at all.

“Raidrun, you’re taking this personally. It seems this human really pleases you?”

“Choi Hyunseok is a human, but I know he fits the Demon King’s army better than anyone.”

“Is that so…”

Suddenly, Hemes’s mouth stretched wide.

“This is making me jealous for some reason?”

Choi Hyunseok instinctively felt that the situation was turning bad.

“I don’t know why, but it feels like things are going downhill.”

“If Raidrun speaks so highly of him, I’ll accept him.”

“Thank you.”

“But, no personal training.”

“Huh?”

“Our Raidrun shouldn’t waste time on a mere human. I have other tasks for him.”

“…”

Hemes approached Choi Hyunseok.

She slowly caressed his chest.

“Instead, I’ll take special care of you.”

“…”

“Since Raidrun holds you in such high regard, I’ll give you special attention too.”

Choi Hyunseok shivered as Hemes’s touch sent chills down his spine.

‘Don’t give me that special attention!’

He wanted to get rid of both the squad leader Raidrun and the large-mouthed monster Hemes.

Of course, it was just a feeling.

Choi Hyunseok was a man who knew how to survive.

“Being given special attention by the legion commander is a great honor for my family! Haha!”

Choi Hyunseok shouted as if he was genuinely overjoyed.

“Right, right. From now on, you’ll be assigned as the caretaker of my pet dog.”

“Huh?”

Caretaker of the pet dog.

The pet dog was clearly referring to Babo, the super-sized dog (?) that could eat a tiger.

‘You want me to take care of that thing?’

The only animals Choi Hyunseok had ever taken care of were two hamsters he received as a gift in elementary school.

‘I feel like I’ll end up as a snack…’

If it were Hemes, she would probably just laugh it off if he were eaten.

‘Oh my, how can my darling eat so much? He’s just like me! Ohoho!’

He was sure of it.

“Why the long face? Don’t you like it?”

Suddenly, Hemes’s massive mouth twisted subtly.

Choi Hyunseok, realizing his mistake, quickly forced a smile.

“How could I not like it! I was just worried if I, a mere human, could take care of such a noble and impressive Babo!”

“Oh, you speak so beautifully! Yes, my darling is indeed noble and impressive.”

Hemes stretched her massive mouth in satisfaction.

“By the way, our Babo is still growing, so he has a big appetite. You’ll need to make sure there’s always enough food.”

“I will keep that in mind!”

“You must, or you might end up as a snack too.”

“…”

“Assigning caretakers is a hassle, especially since they get eaten so often. I wonder who he takes after to have such a big appetite? Ohoho!”

“Perhaps he takes after the beautiful and excellent legion commander!”

“Is that so? Ohoho!”

“Of course! Hahaha!”

A tear rolled down Choi Hyunseok’s eye as he laughed along with Hemes.