I had boldly declared I’d tear Nerzaka apart, but reality wasn’t so simple. His breath and magic didn’t affect me, but my attacks couldn’t fully overpower him either. Each time my sword sliced through his scales, he quickly healed the wounds with high-level recovery magic.
“And this bastard’s tougher than I thought.”
I steadied my breathing and glared at Nerzaka. His breaths were ragged, and his golden eyes flickered with a mix of rage and anxiety.
“Hey, this is getting boring. How about you stop resisting and just die nicely?”
At my taunt, he roared as if provoked.
“Grrrrrr… You think I’d lose to a mere human—!”
With a furious bellow, Nerzaka conjured hundreds of layered summoning circles in the air. From them emerged dozens—no, hundreds—of women.
All had dark skin, pointed ears, and piercingly beautiful features—dark elves.
“Meira, hold him off while I escape!”
At Nerzaka’s command, the dark elves surrounded me expressionlessly.
“Oi, lizard. All that bravado, and you’re running away?”
“Shut up, human! Weren’t you the one who unfairly ganged up on me first?!”
“Not a real dragon, just a scared little lizard.”
His body flinched for a moment, but he quickly turned to flee. Of course, I wasn’t about to let him go that easily.
“Biyeon, he’s worn out. You take him.”
“Ugh, always dumping the hard work on me when you’re horny.”
“I’ll pull out something tasty for you later.”
“Fine~”
The spirit fusion dissolved, and Biyeon appeared. She immediately whipped up a storm, shaping blades of wind that slashed at the fleeing Nerzaka.
Meanwhile, I faced the dark elf army Nerzaka left behind.
“They sure look like beauties on the outside… but something’s off. Why isn’t my dick reacting at all?”
When I swung my sword and beheaded one charging at me, the mystery unraveled. The wound didn’t reveal flesh. Instead, it exposed grotesque tissue mixed with metal and veins. As her clothes melted away, what protruded from beneath the skirt was unmistakably a male organ.
In the original story, these were merely described as combat weapons modified by Nerzaka. But seeing them in reality, they were nothing but monsters cloaked in the skin of beauties.
“Disgusting.”
I grimaced and swung my sword.
Black slime, neither blood nor flesh, splattered as the dark elf soldiers’ heads and limbs were severed. They charged mechanically, unfazed by pain.
***
After slaughtering all the modified dark elf soldiers, I turned my head. In the distance, Biyeon was dancing atop Nerzaka’s massive body.
Her turquoise hair fluttered as it cut through the wind, her movements like those of a graceful butterfly.
-Boom! Boom!
With every wind blade Biyeon unleashed, Nerzaka’s scales peeled off, and blood gushed out. Even as he writhed and spewed his breath, Biyeon rode the wind, dodging effortlessly. She soared back up, carving wounds into his eyes and neck.
“Grrrrrrrr…!!”
Nerzaka’s roar echoed through the mountains, but it no longer carried any menace. The magic circles he inscribed on his body to heal turned pale and cracked, quickly becoming drenched in blood again. Biyeon mocked him, slicing new wounds as fast as he could recover.
“She’s having a blast.”
I crossed my arms, watching the spectacle with a smirk. The more Nerzaka thrashed in pain, the sharper Biyeon’s blades became.
“Enough—!!”
Nerzaka’s roar no longer shook the mountains. His voice cracked, and his breath came out mixed with blood.
“When I was human, I saw a dragon once. But…”
Biyeon smiled coldly, raising her sword.
“You’re far weaker than that.”
“It’s over.”
Biyeon’s sword sliced through the air and plunged down.
-KABOOM!!
The massive dragon’s corpse crashed, shaking the mountains. The surroundings fell eerily silent.
***
Descending underground, I found Sora and Luci stomping on something—or rather, gleefully beating up Bolgus, the Gluttony Demon.
“Kweeeek—! P-Please, stop…! Spare me!!”
Bolgus squealed like a pig.
“Stop? You pig bastard, what did you say again?”
Luci crushed his face with her foot.
“‘You’ve got small tits, so be my bride’? Ha! The nerve…!”
Luci’s foot slammed down again.
“Hiiik! I’m sorry… Kwegh—!!”
Before he could finish, Sora kicked his plump side.
“And what did you say to me? Big tits are annoying, so you’d use me as a breeding sow?!”
Bolgus, drooling blood and saliva, flailed his limbs. I watched for a moment before slowly raising my hand.
“Girls, that’s enough.”
“Dad! Did you take down the dragon?”
“Papa! This bastard dared to—”
“Shh.”
I shook my head, pressing a finger to my lips.
“I still have business with this guy. Quiet down for a bit.”
At my words, the sisters dropped their playful demeanor and stepped back obediently.
I approached Bolgus, now a bloodied mess, and stood before him. He looked up at me, breathing heavily.
“Huff… hah… Please, spare me…! I’ll tell you anything I know…!”
“Good. Bolgus of Gluttony.”
I narrowed my eyes, pressing my sword tip against his chin.
“I have a question.”
“Y-Yes, yes! Just ask!”
“The Demon King’s main body—it’s in the west, isn’t it?”
Bolgus’s eyes shook violently.
“T-That’s…”
“No need to answer. I already know it’s there. That hasn’t changed.”
Pushing my sword slightly deeper, I asked one final question.
“Last question. Is the Demon King male or female?”
-Gulp.
Bolgus’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily. His eyes darted, trying to avoid mine, but he couldn’t hold out. Overwhelmed by my killing intent, his lips trembled as he answered.
“W-Why does that…?”
“I ask the questions. Just answer.”
My sword dug deeper into his neck. One more push, and blood would spray.
“Hiiik—!! M-Male!!”
“Male…?”
I narrowed my eyes, repeating the word.
“Y-Yes, yes! But… it’s a bit strange. From birth… it’s…”
Before he could continue, I drove my sword in with force.
“That’s enough.”
-Shhk.
Bolgus’s head was severed in one stroke. Blood gushed like a fountain, staining the ground.
“Just as the hero was born strangely, the Demon King likely emerged with mixed genders too.”
I’d always wondered why the Demon King’s army went quiet after Luxiar of Lust’s rampage. Now, it clicked.
“It was born with twisted genders, just like the hero… and because of that, it might not even be able to wield its full power. It could be holding on due to the demon race’s traits, but it’s far from normal.”
A smile crept across my lips.
“Girls.”
At my voice, my daughters looked up simultaneously.
“Hayoung and I are heading back to the capital first. You two stay here, clean up the remnants, guard the dragon’s corpse, and kill anyone who approaches.”
“Got it~”
“Okay, Papa.”
Hayoung yawned, waving her hand lazily.
“Dad, I’ll handle everything, so don’t worry.”
“Alright. I’m off. …Marianne, come here. You’re coming back too.”
Marianne hurriedly ran to my side, and I pulled her into my arms.
The next moment, Hayoung’s wings and my wind surged together.
We soared swiftly toward the east, where the capital lay.
***
The events in Siverne Kingdom spread across the continent in no time. A high-ranking demon’s attack and a dragon’s appearance.
But what shocked everyone most was the descent of an angel.
The fame of Marianne, a hero whose name was barely known, echoed across the continent after this incident. And so did mine—as the human who faced a dragon and returned alive.
Naturally, killing Nerzaka was kept secret.
But that wasn’t the only issue. Rumors always spread with tails attached. Alongside my exploits, news of my injury also swept the continent.
Of course, the injury was a false rumor—a deliberate facade to aid my future plans.
At the royal council hall in the capital.
The atmosphere in the council hall, presided over by Queen Bellatris, was heavy.
The damage to the capital was beyond imagination. Collapsed buildings, burned walls, fallen knights and nobles, and thousands of civilian deaths.
No one could smile in such a situation.
Amid it all, the name of Marquis Alcradion shone strangely. A hero, yet rumored to be crippled. For the noble faction, it was both welcome and unwelcome news—a chance to check him, but also a sign that the kingdom’s shield had fallen.
“…Duke Baran. What is the condition of Marquis Alcradion?”
Queen Bellatris’s cold voice cut through the council hall.
Duke Baran closed his eyes briefly before nodding heavily.
“I checked personally… His condition is severe. His wounds may heal, but it seems he’ll never wield mana again.”
-Murmur.
That single sentence stirred the hall. It was as if the kingdom’s pillar had collapsed.
Bellatris raised her head, looking elsewhere.
“…Duke Arduan. What are the movements of neighboring kingdoms?”
Arduan stroked his beard and replied.
“Kaisern seems to have resolved its internal issues. They’re already mustering new forces, preparing for war again. Also, word from the Empire says their championed hero achieved a great victory against demons.”
The council hall grew heavier. The kingdom’s future was becoming increasingly uncertain.
“With Marquis Alcradion, who guards the south, so gravely injured, how do you all propose we face the coming war with demons… and the scrutiny of neighboring kingdoms?”
Bellatris’s blue eyes scanned the hall. But the nobles only exchanged glances, unable to offer clear solutions.
After a brief silence, Duke Arduan stepped forward slowly. A sinister smile flickered beneath his beard.
“…For now, we must avoid war with Kaisern at all costs. It’s regrettable, but how about negotiating a truce by returning the territories Marquis Alcradion seized?”
Several nobles nodded in agreement.
“Reasonable.”
“We can’t afford to deepen the kingdom’s wounds.”
But Bellatris narrowed her eyes coldly.
“Even if the marquis is injured now, he could recover miraculously… If we carelessly hand over his achievements to Kaisern? He’ll never forgive us.”
Her gaze deepened.
“But we also lack the strength to face Kaisern head-on. If the Empire supports them again… Siverne is finished.”
After deliberation, her red lips parted slowly.
“The duke’s proposal has merit. But the moment we squander the blood shed by a loyal subject, the trust of our people and knights will shatter.”
She paused, surveying the hall. All eyes focused on her.
“However, it’s true we cannot afford an all-out war with Kaisern now. So, how about this compromise: we reward Marquis Alcradion’s contributions by granting him some of the vacant noble territories from this incident, and we negotiate a truce with Kaisern by returning a portion of the seized lands.”
Several nobles nodded at the reasonable compromise. But Duke Arduan’s eyes sank coldly.