The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Naka didn't even move, merely slightly increasing the size of the vortex in her hand. The resulting shockwave easily blew away the charging hero. The hero crashed heavily against the mountain wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood before losing consciousness.

"Frost!"

The saintess cried out the hero's name, wanting to rush forward to heal him. But seeing that the demon king's magic was about to be unleashed again, she could only remain where she was, maintaining the magical attack-blocking effect on Aiqi.

But this was all in vain.

"Demon King-level Dark Attribute Magic: Dark World Spiral"

Naka chanted spells of a level no human had ever heard of, and the dark vortex in her hand exploded before Aiqi's eyes. Aiqi, already trembling with fear and unable to utter a single word, ultimately vanished without a trace, leaving not even a scream. His body was shredded by the sky-piercing black vortex and instantly vaporized. The magical barrier on his body didn't even grant him a second longer. The remaining three were still reeling from the shock of the hero being sent flying before even getting close to Naka, not even realizing whether Aiqi had been blasted away or was dead.

"So, who's next?"

Naka turned around and pointed at the three of them. Only then did the magician realize what had just happened.

"You...you actually killed Aiqi! Nia!"

"Okay! I understand, Kula!"

The mage and archer once again channeled their magical power. It seemed to be another combined attack of the highest-level magic. Naka remained unmoved, watching them chant with keen interest. Finally, a ball of magic, gleaming with blinding light, appeared in the mage's hand. Light, fire, wind, earth, ice, darkness... all the elements that constituted this world were concentrated together, pulsating violently. This was the mage and archer's final trump card.

"Supreme All-Attribute Magic... Primordial Bomb"

This was still an unfinished spell, and this was its first time being used in actual combat. Furthermore, simultaneously unleashing top-tier spells of all attributes had consumed almost all of the mage and archer's magical power. The two were now drenched in sweat, panting heavily. The enemy before them was precisely the kind of opponent they had to fight so desperately against.

"You guys do have something pretty fun."

But his opponent remained completely unfazed. He watched as the massive mass of magic gathered and expanded. Naka remained motionless, showing no intention of stopping his spellcasting or dodging.

That wasn't underestimating his opponent, nor was it arrogance. His attack, which seemed to consume his very life force, was merely described as "fun" by the Demon King. The mage closed his eyes and laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Ha, ha ha ha!... Demon King. I'll ask you one last question... What is that Demon King-level magic you just mentioned?"

It was a tone that mixed with a multitude of emotions, including anger over the death of a friend, fear of a powerful enemy, and a yearning and curiosity for unknown magic. For someone who had dedicated their life to studying magic, perhaps even a sliver of excitement lingered in their heart at this critical moment of life and death.

"Since you are the first humans to challenge me, I will make an exception and tell you."

Naka slowly raised her hand, and two streams of magic formed in her palm. Sharp spikes were aimed at the mage and archer. However, this time it wasn't dark magic, but rather ice magic emanating a chilling aura.

"That's a realm I reached only after becoming a Demon King, far surpassing any so-called 'highest level,' a supreme magic that only I can wield. The current classification of magic ranks can no longer describe that power. Therefore, I named it the Demon King level. What you just witnessed was a part of my Demon King level magic."

"So, what you have in your hand now is also..."

"No, no, no. This isn't a Demon Lord-level spell. It's just a low-level ice spell."

"Well, thank you so much..."

The mage named Kula had finally understood. Naka hadn't used Demon Lord-level magic to kill Aiqi because only Demon Lord-level magic could kill her. She was merely trying to demonstrate the vast difference in power, proclaiming her own strength. It was a complete overreaction. Even a low-level spell would have been enough to kill them all under the Demon Lord's immense magical power. He already knew the outcome of launching the giant sphere of all elemental magic in his hand. But now he had no other choice.

"Hito... you don't need to cast a magic barrier on us. Go save Fros."

"yes..."

Before the Demon King's power, even the highest level of magical barriers were meaningless. Kula stopped Hito's futile efforts. Hito also understood Kula's unspoken meaning. Fighting back tears, he dispelled his own magic and rushed to the unconscious Fros, casting a healing spell on him.

Given Fros's physical abilities, the impact with the mountain wall hadn't caused him any harm. However, the mere instant he approached Naka, a tiny amount of leaked magic from the Demon Lord-level magic emanating from her hand caused severe damage to his muscles, internal organs, and bones. It was a miracle he wasn't killed on the spot. Even with Hito using top-tier healing magic, he could only repair Fros's body at a very slow pace.

"Hang in there...you have to pull through, Frost!"

Hito bit her lip, completely ignoring the final screams of her teammates behind her, the explosion of the Sphere of Creation, and the thud of something falling to the ground. She focused solely on healing Fros, using all her remaining magic power.

The effects of the highest-level healing magic were naturally extraordinary. Soon, Frost coughed up a mouthful of blood and regained consciousness.

"Frost, that's great..."

"Hito? How's the battle going...?"

Before Hito could answer, the horrific scene behind him came into Frost's view. Aiqi was nowhere to be seen. The mage Kula and the archer Nia had their foreheads pierced by a massive ice hammer and collapsed to the ground. Blood and brain matter froze before they could flow from their brains.

And there stood the Demon King, still unharmed, clad in terrifying black armor. His natural, calm demeanor made him seem like a mere passerby.

In that instant, Frost understood everything. He shakily picked up the holy sword and pointed it at Naka.

"Demon King! How dare you... How dare you!"

As he roared, blood and foam flew from Frost's mouth. His internal injuries, which had not yet healed, reopened under extreme anger, and Frost, who had barely managed to stand up, immediately felt dizzy and his consciousness blurred.

"Hey, what kind of talk is that? You guys were the ones who started this trouble. You even pulled a surprise attack, trying to catch me off guard. I was just acting in self-defense, why are you so angry?"

Naka answered jokingly as she stepped closer to Frost. She claimed it was self-defense, but what Naka would do next to these two defenseless men was obvious.

"Frost! Run! Don't worry about me!"

Hito quickly steadied the swaying Frost and loudly urged him to escape.

This was Kula's true intention in asking Hito to treat Fros before she died. The soul of the team: the hero Fros could not die here no matter what. Kula was willing to die herself to save Fros, and Hito would do the same to protect him with his life.

But Frost, unaware of this, still showed no sign of giving up. He gritted his teeth, his hands gripping the sword refusing to loosen their grip even slightly.

"No, we are heroes. We came to save humanity. We absolutely cannot run away, even if it means fighting to the very last moment. And I still have a trump card I haven't used..."

"Snapped!"

It wasn't the Demon King who launched the attack, but Saintess Hito. Her slap landed heavily on Fros's face. Although the Saintess wasn't particularly strong, she easily knocked the weakened Fros to the ground. Just as Hito had suspected, Fros was simply not in a body capable of continuing to fight.

Fros and Naka were both taken aback by Hito's action and stood frozen in place. Fros covered his burning face, staring blankly at her.

"Hi, Hito?"

At that moment, two clear tears streamed down Hito's face. They were a reproach for the reckless hero, and also a final farewell to him.

"What nonsense are you talking about... If you die, you can't do anything! You are a hero. We can die. But you can't die! You can still make countless contributions to humanity. You are our last hope... Run away! Running away is not cowardice, nor weakness, but to create a new future! Even if it takes many, many years, we believe that you can avenge us..."

"A new...future?"

"Walk!"

"....."

Having said that, Hito rushed forward to shield Fros behind her. She drew a short sword from her bosom and pointed it at Naka. A saintess with no combat abilities was now launching a one-on-one challenge against the Demon King. Seeing this, Naka couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahaha! Your performance was quite moving. But do you think he can escape? Although you restored his strength, you didn't cure his internal injuries. Now he's slower than a lame old woman. You can't escape. Don't worry, after I kill you, he'll be next. You'll be reunited soon."

Naka slowly approached the trembling Hito. Although she seemed courageous in stepping forward, she was naturally too afraid to control her body. But only when she was less than a meter away did Naka realize that this was not the case. Hito was muttering something incessantly.

"Hey, what are you muttering about... Wh? What? What is this...?"

Only then did Naka realize that it wasn't muttering, but rather the chanting of magic. The spell was aimed at Fros behind her. Fros's body was enveloped in a circular magical aura, and a small magic circle appeared on the ground. At the same time, Fros's body glowed. Having sensed the situation, Fros seemed to try to break free, but invisible walls around the magic circle blocked him. He helplessly pounded on the walls of light, crying out in despair.

"Hito! Hito!... "

"This is teleportation magic! You damned woman...!"

Naka suddenly reached out and grabbed Hito by the neck, lifting her up with one hand. But it was too late; the teleportation spell had already been cast. Fros's body vanished instantly. Naka didn't notice that, in the instant before Fros disappeared, he pulled out a box-like object and scanned Naka's ability data.

She simply glared angrily at the saintess before her, who had already completed her mission and closed her tear-streaked eyes. The dagger in her hand had silently fallen to the ground. Resistance would be futile; she knew all too well her fate.

Naka looked at her like this, and after a long while, she spoke her final words in a calm tone.

"Very well, you've successfully disgraced this Demon King. As a reward, feel free to say your last words."

Hito closed his eyes and spoke the true feelings he had harbored since meeting Frost, feelings that he had never been able to express to Frost, feelings buried deep within his heart. Although Frost could no longer hear him.

"Flos, I love you..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Naka's hand pierced through Hito's frail body.

Blood stained Naka's armor and Hito's nun's habit.

Naka tossed Hito's body to the ground as if it were trash. She said nothing more, simply turning and walking away with heavy steps.

Time flew by, and the three bodies gradually decomposed. Exposed to wind and rain, they were occasionally bitten by wild monsters passing by, soon turning into skeletons. Some were carried away by wild dogs, others were swept aside by passing monsters who found them in the way. Still others were trampled to pieces, mixing with mud and sand. Ultimately, not a trace of the three could be found.

This is the first and only story of a tragic adventure party that challenges the Demon Queen Nama Kallenra.

The hardworking original hero

"Hito...Hito!"

Frost was jolted awake from his sleep by calling out a name.

When he woke up, he found himself in his office. Perhaps because he was exhausted and still had a lot of unfinished work, he slumped onto his desk. The clock in the room showed it was around 2 a.m. He had only taken a half-hour nap, but even that short sleep couldn't shake off the nightmare.

The events of twenty years ago were unforgettable for him. Although he didn't want to recall the scenes, they had replayed countless times in his nightmares. Hito, who was long gone, appeared in his dreams again and again. She looked exactly the same as she had twenty years ago.

He still had things he wanted to say to her, things he hadn't been able to because of his youthful naiveté, and he had uttered them countless times in his dreams. But dreams always ended in tragedy. The image of Hito falling under the clutches of the Demon King repeatedly struck Frost's heart.

Looking at himself in the mirror, the once spirited and passionate young man who had embarked on countless adventures with his companions had now become a weathered, unshaven, and wrinkled middle-aged man. His former companions were all dead, leaving him alone to drag on with this empty shell of a body.

Although no one blamed him, Fros himself couldn't forgive himself for a long time. He even thought that perhaps it would have been a good thing if he had died at the hands of the Demon King. But now, he no longer thought so. Even though he had been utterly defeated by the Demon King and fled in a sorry state, and never dared to challenge him again, he had finally found a way to contribute to the human kingdom's fight against the Demon King's relentless invasion. He had found the answer to Hito's dying words about a "new future."

Frost pinched the acupoint at the corner of his eye to clear his mind, then threw himself back into his work. There were still many things waiting for him to handle.

After a while, there was a knock on the office door. A woman's voice came from outside.

"Lord Frost, are you there?"

"It's Misha. Come in."

With Frost's permission, a woman called Misha came in carrying a stack of documents.

"Lord Frost, aren't you going home to rest after working so late?"

"Yes, some tasks cannot be completely delegated to subordinates; I have to personally oversee them."

"It's about... the adventurer school that's about to start, right?"

They were currently inside the Adventurers' School in Sunflower Town. With enrollment nearing its end, Frost, the school's chief instructor and founder, was busy with curriculum planning for the upcoming semester.

"That's right. We've recruited quite a few students this time, with varying levels and a rather dispersed distribution. I think the traditional three-tiered class system (high, medium, and low) might no longer be suitable. I need to plan and confirm how to divide the classes, what kind of teaching content to provide for different levels, and the new version of the textbooks."

"You are truly remarkable, Lord Frost."

"It's nothing. I'm too old for me to defeat the Demon King... But these children are different. Their future is limitless, their potential is boundless. They are the rising stars who are most likely to defeat the Demon King and save humanity."

"You're right..."

Misha blushed slightly as she watched Frost burn himself out for the country, for the people, and for the youth.

Misha was just a new employee at the school. She had already heard of the hero, Fros. He was one of the top warriors in the kingdom, though some thought he was just a muscle-bound simpleton. Misha initially thought so too. But after getting to know him, she realized that Fros was not only powerful, but also humble, kind, meticulous, and possessed a strong sense of responsibility. He personally handled all the student recruitment matters, tirelessly traveling between multiple cities. He took care of everything, big or small.

Misha also provided a great deal of help to Misha, who had many questions when she first joined the company. Although he was already quite old, in Misha's eyes, Frost still seemed to be the handsome young man she had seen in the photos years ago.

Charging into battle on the front lines isn't the only way to repay and save one's country. Even after retiring from the front lines, Frost remains an admired hero.

However, she wasn't just there to see her idol; she also had official business to attend to. Misha placed the documents on Frost's desk and said...

"These are the application forms we received today, ten in total."

"I understand. Have you confirmed the authenticity of the information and the payment details?"

"Yes, everyone's ability values ​​have been confirmed by the detection device, and there are no problems. Tuition, accommodation fees, and miscellaneous expenses were paid in full by three people, while the remaining seven people paid in installments."

"They don't have any bad records or anything like that, do they?"

"No"

There are no fixed quotas for each enrollment period. Those with criminal records, bad credit histories, or other blemishes are naturally excluded. However, the Sunflower Adventurer School accepts everyone, regardless of whether they are complete beginners or experienced individuals with combat skills and mission experience. Once the tuition is paid, all that's left is to wait for enrollment.

However, the necessary procedures still had to be followed. Frost picked up the documents and first checked the new students' ability values, which were attached as identification information.

"Hmm. Saintess Jasmine, Lv2. Hero Tatya, Lv9. And Saintess Naka, Lv4... Hmm, the Lv9 hero's physical abilities seem quite good. She can be placed in a higher-level advanced class. Her magic power is a bit low, so we can arrange for her to take a special magic enhancement course. The remaining two saintesses have relatively low stats. Let's put them in the beginner class. Next up is..."

After a quick review of the ability scores of those who registered today, Frost had already formulated a preliminary teaching plan for them. Having reviewed the abilities, Frost reorganized the information and began verifying the identity details. If there were no issues, he would stamp the document as proof. The student could then officially enroll.

The information for the first few people was normal. But when he got Naka's information, he hesitated for a moment.

"Hmm? She is...?"

If anything, there was something strange that bothered him. The face in the photo framed above looked somewhere between a young woman and a teenager, leaning more towards a young girl. But the age listed was twenty. Frost asked Misha, who had greeted her,...

"Is this girl really twenty years old? Have you checked her identification?"

"I've confirmed it," Misha said firmly. Actually, she had the same question when receiving Naka's information, which was why she repeatedly verified Naka's identity.

There are people in this world who age slowly and don't show their age. While Fros was surprised, since it had been confirmed that this wasn't a case of lying about age, there was no need to worry about it. However, Fros had a strange, inexplicable feeling about it.

He was seeing Naka's face for the first time, yet he felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had seen her somewhere long ago, but he couldn't quite place it. He had heard of a phenomenon called "déjà vu," but this seemed somewhat different.

"...I guess I'm just overthinking it."

No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out. Frost simply stopped thinking about it. Her file showed absolutely nothing suspicious. So Frost stamped "Permitted to Enrollment" on Naka's file.

Before enrollment (1)

Many cities are situated in this territory belonging to the human kingdom. Sunflower Town is one of them.

This town is located northwest of Isard Town, known as the kingdom's commercial hub. The two towns are over a hundred kilometers apart. Compared to Isard Town, Sunflower Town is slightly inferior in terms of town size, resident population, economy, and visitor flow. However, there is one area where Sunflower Town can surpass Isard Town: the average skill level of its adventurers.