kscans

Chapter 26 - # A New Departure

The moment Hero Ares was blown away to another continent, the atmosphere on the battlefield changed completely.

Silence.

Everyone was speechless, standing there in a daze.

"The Hero is gone...!"

As his allies stood in confusion, the mage Lumina turned away with a swish of her robe.

"My contract is terminated. I was only hired by that man. I've done the work I was paid for. So, that's that."

"Wait...!? You're not going to fight...?"

Before anyone could stop her, she turned her back without a second thought and vanished from the battlefield. There was no hesitation, no emotion in her steps.

For her, battle was nothing more than a 'job.'

Meanwhile, the monster party felt not even a shred of accomplishment. True, the Hero was gone. But it was not a victory. Tiris's magic had only temporarily repelled him.

If they had fought him head-on, they would have been the ones annihilated.

"Damn it... why...!" Mamoru slammed his fist into the ground in frustration.

"Waaaaah...!" Amy and Koni-chan, who had been fired up for revenge, broke down and sobbed. Their tears were a mixture of frustration and shame.

"Don't cry, Koni..." Defray gently embraced him. But his own hands were trembling with regret.

"...It's alright. You all fought well."

The Dark Elf Tiris said, looking each of them in the eye. Her gaze was filled with kindness and a touch of sadness.

"But you're not planning on letting this be the end, are you?"

Silence. But then, slowly, someone nodded.

"...Yeah. We can't be finished yet." Mamoru stood up, clenching his fists.

"We have to get stronger. To fight the Hero one more time. And this time, to truly win!"

Outside the cave, the flame of a bonfire flickered in the night wind. Illuminated by the fire, everyone's expression grew firm.

"It seems we're still not 'strong' enough," someone said, and the others nodded powerfully.

"Then it's decided," Mamoru declared, looking up at the sky.

"We're going to 'evolve'! And to do that... we're going to see the Demon Lord!"

"What, the Demon Lord...!?"

"That's right. He might be able to give us something. It could be dangerous. But we don't have time to hesitate anymore."

Tiris smiled.

"...This is getting interesting. I'm going with you."

And so, the monster party, with a newfound resolve, set out on an unknown journey.

Their destination, the Demon Lord's domain. A place where, beyond trials and despair, the possibility of 'evolution' awaited.

This is a story of a comeback that begins with defeat. Now, the 'second chapter' for the monsters has begun.

Chapter Four, End.