The Demon King moved.

To bring ruin to the world, he crushed kingdoms and slaughtered anyone who dared to stand in his way.

Yet, even as they fell, those who perished under the Demon King's power did not die in vain. With each life sacrificed, they bought time, allowing people to rally and strengthen their unity against the dark force.

This created a front line between humanity and the Demon King.

“Kill them!”

“For humanity!”

“For the world!”

The knights roared as they charged toward the monstrous horde. Spears pierced monster skulls, and giant creatures swung their limbs, sending soldiers sprawling like falling dominoes.

Both humans and monsters fell. Bardray himself stood at the front, cutting down beasts with relentless ferocity.

“Watch yourself, you fool,” grumbled the old man beside Bardray, slicing through a cluster of monsters, splitting dozens in a single swing.

Bardray grinned back. “You came after all, Master.”

“Quiet, idiot. Thanks to you, I’m stuck here in my twilight years fighting monsters.” Despite his grumbling, the old man’s expression was not unkind.

Taesan advanced onto the battlefield. Monsters turned toward him with savage intent, charging as if they knew that ending him would be the key to their victory.

“Protect the Hero!” Soldiers surged forward to guard him.

But Taesan needed no protection.

His sword traced a lethal arc.

A dozen creatures charging toward him were cleaved in half in an instant.

“Oh?” The soldiers paused, dumbfounded, as Taesan gathered his mana.

[You have activated Starlight Arrow.]

[You have activated Magic Focus.]

A barrage of luminous arrows appeared before him, piercing every monster in their path before exploding in their midst.

“Arghhh!” A deafening blast erupted, engulfing the battlefield in radiant light. When the light faded, every monster within sight had been eradicated.

“Incredible!”

“That… that magic!”

The mages on the battlefield were dumbfounded by Taesan’s display of power. As practitioners of magic, they recognized the spell’s nature and felt the overwhelming strength behind it, far beyond what they could ever hope to achieve.

“…A monster indeed. Is that the power of the Hero?” Bardray mused.

“This is my own power,” Taesan replied.

“Is that so? Makes my ambition of becoming a Hero seem pretty humble now.” Bardray sighed, eyes fixed on the battlefield.

More monsters charged from the distance.

“The minions are ours to handle. Go face your true enemy,” Bardray said.

An immense, ominous power loomed beyond the ranks of monsters.

Taesan crouched, ready to spring.

[You have activated Acceleration.]

[You have activated Skill Acceleration.]

With a leap, he propelled himself forward, moving so swiftly that those around him were blown back by the wind.

Creatures attempted to block him, but before they could react, Taesan had already reached his destination.

Standing before him was a figure cloaked entirely in black, holding a dark blade.

Taesan raised his sword. The man gripped his blade with both hands, bringing it down in a powerful strike.

A resounding clash rang out as their swords met.

Taesan braced his arm, attempting to push back his opponent’s weapon.

In response, the shadow surrounding the man surged, reaching to engulf Taesan’s entire body.

Taesan summoned his own force, pushing the darkness back with a mighty swing.

“You’re strong,” the man muttered, adjusting his grip.

The shadows scattered, revealing his pallid, bloodless skin and the towering dark blade in his hands.

[The harbinger of ruin, the Demon King, has appeared.]

The Demon King’s cold gaze fell on Taesan, then shifted to his side.

“Show yourself, hidden one.”

Silence followed, and then the specter materialized. The Demon King studied him briefly before nodding.

“You are the failed Hero of the previous world.”

“You catch on quickly,” replied the specter.

The Demon King had already recognized that this world was an illusion.

The specter spoke quietly, “[And you… are the Demon King.]”

“Yes. I exist to bring about this world’s end.”

For a moment, the specter gazed at the Demon King, then disappeared from sight again.

“So silent,” the Demon King murmured. “It seems you have many regrets… but a defeated man need not concern me.”

He pointed his dark blade at Taesan.

“You must be the warrior summoned to defeat me?”

The shadows spread, seeping into the world with a malefic aura that Taesan could feel.

“You are indeed a monster,” he remarked.

The Demon King had transcended the bounds of mortality. Taesan recognized a similar presence elsewhere—the World’s Will within Harpran.

A being so powerful that Taesan had nearly sacrificed himself to block a single strike. The same degree of power emanated now from the Demon King.

“For now… I’ll extend my thanks.”

The Demon King inclined his head in acknowledgment.

“Thanks to you, I have the chance to bring ruin once again. Not to a world filled with ignorance but one willing to sacrifice everything for victory against me.”

“If you’re so grateful, you could just die quietly.”

“That, I cannot do. I am the Demon King, a mechanism for the world’s destruction. It is simply my purpose.”

The Demon King stomped, and darkness surged toward Taesan.

“Then, warrior who dares to oppose me, show me your strength!”

[You face an impossible foe.]

Within the raging darkness, Taesan gathered his power.

[You have activated Apostleship: Darkness and Chaos.]

[You have activated Vessel of Kingship.]

[You have activated Incarnation of Nature.]

[You have activated Resister of Mighty Wills.]

[You have activated Giant Slayer.]

[You have activated Contempt for the Strong.]

[You have activated Honorable Duel.]

[You have activated Battle Lust.]

[You have activated Forced Descent.]

Countless skills activated at once, infusing Taesan with strength and resolve.

He focused his dark energy against the oncoming shadows.

[You have activated Marbas’s Black Wave.]

The ravenous darkness surged forth, clashing with the Demon King’s shadow in a struggle for dominance.

[You have activated Forced Amplification.]

Even with amplified power, Taesan’s dark magic was being overwhelmed, trampled under the might of the Demon King’s shadow.

This was more than a simple difference in strength.

The Demon King existed to annihilate the world, to consume and obliterate all things.

He was on par with the World’s Will within Harpran—a being that transcended mortal limitations.

The gulf in power between Taesan and the Demon King seemed insurmountable.

But Taesan possessed the means to bridge that gap.

The will within his sword surged. Following the prophecy, the sword’s power swelled, endowing Taesan with an immense strength that flared in defiance against the Demon King.

He slashed with ferocity, shattering the darkness in his path. As he lunged forward, his blade met the Demon King’s in an impact that shook the ground.

“Hm.” The Demon King grunted, momentarily pushed back by the force within Taesan’s sword.

With a sharp disengagement, Taesan assessed his situation.

‘So this is how it works.’

The will within the sword roared to life, forcing his strength and spirit to rise beyond his previous limits.

For the first time, Taesan felt an overwhelming power suffuse him.

This was the weapon’s gift for fulfilling the prophecy—a power solely for defeating the Demon King.

In this state, Taesan clenched his fist, confident.

[You have activated World of Ice.]

[You have activated Magic Focus.]

Cold energy surged forth, clashing against the waves of darkness summoned by the Demon King.

This darkness was the force of annihilation, a power that consumed and erased all things.

Ice and darkness met in a violent confrontation.

A detonation reverberated across the field.

Neither side yielded; they were evenly matched.

The Demon King’s lips curled in satisfaction.

“Excellent.”

He advanced, shrouded in darkness.

Their swords clashed again as the Demon King bore down, his arm swinging wide in an attempt to engulf Taesan in shadows.

[You have activated Gale Sprint.]

Taesan gripped his twin swords, cutting through the darkness as he closed in on the Demon King.

The two exchanged a flurry of blows. The Demon King spun, his large blade slicing toward Taesan. Taesan ducked low, pressing forward, while the Demon King unleashed a burst of darkness.

Dark waves surged, threatening to engulf Taesan.

[You have activated Limited Blink.]

Taesan teleported behind the Demon King, aiming for his back.

But the Demon King spun instantly, evading the strike and swinging his blade downward.

Their swords clashed with a ringing impact.

The Demon King pressed against him, trying to push Taesan back. They struggled, locked in a fierce battle of strength.

[You have activated Mighty Strike.]

For an instant, Taesan’s sword flared with increased power, forcing the Demon King back slightly.

The will within Taesan’s sword burned hotter, igniting with the desire to crush destruction itself and save the world.

Momentarily, Taesan’s strength surged, enough to overpower the Demon King.

A dull sound escaped the Demon King as he was forced back.

Yet Taesan frowned.

The force within his sword continued to press upon him.

It was as though the blade itself was unwilling to accept his control, attempting to impose its own will upon him. The sword seemed to demand: If you can’t defeat the Demon King, then I will force you into a state where you can.

But Taesan wasn’t one to submit to the sword’s demands.

This intense power, continuously imposed upon him, would break anyone eventually, no matter how strong. It would twist them, transforming them into nothing more than an instrument for slaying the Demon King, disregarding all else.

“Rather uninspiring,” the Demon King muttered, as if sensing Taesan’s struggle.

Even the Demon King appeared dissatisfied. He didn’t want to be defeated by some mere vessel—a Hero turned weapon by the sword’s force. He wished to be bested by a human, not some other mechanism like himself.

“Then let me end this before you’re forced into such a pathetic state,” the Demon King said, gathering the dark power of annihilation into his blade. He prepared to make his move.

“Stop.” Taesan’s voice cut through the air.

[You have activated the Word of Rejection.]

Taesan’s words carried the power to defy. The will of the sword, pressing down on him, began to recede.

The sword resisted, warning that without its full strength, Taesan would be unable to defeat the Demon King.

“Shut up,” Taesan commanded firmly, exerting his will.

Relying on the sword’s power alone? That was not his way. Every victory he had earned was from his own decisions, his own actions.

“You exist to serve me,” he muttered, pressing his will against the weapon’s.

The sword’s rebellious spirit faded, becoming a mere tool in his hand once more.

[Your skill in the Word of Rejection has improved by 1%.]

[Your mastery of ??? has improved by 1%.]

The Demon King had watched the entire exchange, a smile forming on his lips.

“Well done.”

The sight of a human struggling against a force meant to make him the perfect killing machine and winning through sheer will alone was gratifying. The Demon King found himself truly enjoying this battle.

“But what now?” the Demon King asked. “You’ve resisted, but in doing so, you’ve sacrificed the full strength the sword was offering.”

Darkness swirled from the Demon King’s figure, preparing for another clash.

Without the overwhelming power forced on him by the sword, Taesan was again left with only his own strength—a power that was undoubtedly impressive but still lesser than that of the Demon King.

“That’s fine,” Taesan replied, eyes steely. “I have other weapons at my disposal. So let’s keep this fair. You and I—let’s settle this with our swords alone.”

[You have activated Forced Duel.]