There’s a Demon King Inside the Hero

Chapter 3: The Retired Hero and the Former Demon King (3)

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

The young mother repeatedly bowed her head to Suhyeon.

“No, I just picked a fight with the monster on a whim.”

“But you saved my daughter. When the monster’s tongue brushed by my daughter’s side, my heart nearly stopped…”

After the hunter took down the monster, dozens of emergency vehicles arrived at the scene.

Current displacement measurement devices can only detect the wave of magic beforehand. In other words, it’s hard to tell whether it’s a surprise summoning or a dungeon summoning until it happens.

The alarm rings, the monster is summoned, and only then do they realize it’s a surprise summoning.

Such surprise summonings are rare, but because of that, the number of casualties tends to be high.

That’s why so many emergency vehicles were sent, but the paramedics who got out of the vehicles were shocked.

There wasn’t a single citizen casualty behind Suhyeon, who was panting in exhaustion after confronting the monster.

The few injuries people had were just bruises from bumping into each other or falling.

This happened because Suhyeon held the monster in place at the intersection.

Just in case, a paramedic transported Suhyeon to the hospital.

The hospital they arrived at was the same one Suhyeon had left just a few minutes earlier, leaving the doctor dumbfounded.

The diagnosis? Other than some muscle shock from the sudden physical exertion, there was nothing wrong.

After receiving the medical check, Suhyeon greeted the mother of the rescued girl outside the hospital.

Those who had been in the hospital watched the scene, glancing back and forth between their phones and Suhyeon’s face.

“Isn’t that the guy?”

“Looks like it. And it happened nearby too…”

“A surprise summoning with zero casualties? Is this for real?”

After the monster was defeated, Suhyeon noticed the large number of people filming with their phones from across the intersection.

As he was being transported to the hospital, he checked the news on his phone, and, sure enough, it was being broadcast under the title ‘Citizen’s Skill.’ The footage showed Suhyeon fighting the living tongues monster.

Well, ‘fighting’ was a bit of an overstatement; he was mostly dodging its attacks.

Watching the footage made Suhyeon’s heart race as he narrowly avoided all of the monster’s attacks by mere inches.

Without the Demon King’s advice on the monster’s movements, he might have died.

[Are you only now feeling grateful to me?]

‘Think of all the people you’ve killed. Honestly, I’m not even sure if you deserve my thanks.’

[Tch!]

“Come on, you should say thank you too.”

“Thank you for saving me, mister.”

Suhyeon crouched down and patted the head of the girl, who looked about ten years old.

“It’s nothing. Just doing my job.”

“I feel like we should give you something in return.”

“No, it’s fine. I just acted on my own. No need for repayment.”

The number of people staring at him from inside the hospital was growing.

If this keeps up, they might come after me.

He hurriedly waved his hand and left the hospital.

“As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. Take good care of your daughter. You too, stay well!”

“Okay, bye, mister!”

[Hah, without my help, you could have died.]

The Demon King grumbled.

The hospital records included Suhyeon’s address.

He didn’t remember that when he left earlier, but now that he was back, he was able to check his medical records and confirm it.

Using location services, he had no trouble finding his way home.

[Is this an abandoned ancient ruin?]

It wasn’t surprising that the Demon King would say something like that.

Dust had piled up everywhere in the house, and since Suhyeon wasn’t the neatest person to begin with, things were scattered all over.

Still, even for him, this mess was too much.

Suhyeon rolled up his sleeves.

Let’s clean this place up a bit.

He grabbed a rag, wiped the floors, and put the scattered clothes and items back in their proper places.

As he raised his eyes to clean the desk, a framed photo on the desk caught his attention.

He picked it up, blew off the dust, and looked at the photo inside.

There were three people. In the middle was a young man, with a man and a woman in their fifties on either side.

The man had his arm draped over the young man’s shoulder, while the woman stood with her arms crossed, smiling slightly.

In the middle, Suhyeon, the young man in the photo, looked a little uncomfortable with the casual gestures of the other two, slightly frowning as he turned his head away from the camera.

The man and woman were his parents.

It was a picture taken when Suhyeon entered university at the age of 20.

Three years after this picture was taken, his parents passed away.

A monster had escaped from a dungeon that formed nearby and went on a rampage.

It happened on his parents’ wedding anniversary. They had asked if he wanted to come with them, but he slipped away to go drinking with his friends. And as they were driving, the unfortunate incident occurred.

When he stood at their funeral, Suhyeon thought he would be able to take it like a man, without crying.

But as soon as he saw their funeral portraits, memories of everything his parents had done for him flooded back, and he couldn’t hold back his tears.

Why hadn’t he been more thoughtful? Why had he been so immature?

Regret washed over him.

After the funeral, he needed time to clear his mind. He took a leave of absence from university and a year passed.

Lost and without direction, he found himself in another world, Altera.

He spent 105 years in Altera, and now his memories of his parents had faded.

Their voices, their faces, the regrets that had once consumed him—all of it had become blurry.

Looking at his parents in the picture, Suhyeon lowered his head.

The erosion of memories is a law of nature. It’s inevitable.

But… What can fill this emptiness that feels like a hole in my chest?

… I’m sorry, Mom. Dad.

He placed the frame back in its spot and looked at himself in the full-length mirror.

During his time in Altera, as he lived as a hero and destroyed monsters, one thing became clear.

The kind of tragedies caused by monsters and creatures—like what happened to him—were no longer acceptable.

He wanted to show everyone that a future could exist where people could laugh and live happily without fear of monsters.

And Suhyeon had realized that future in Altera, shouldering the hopes of all the people.

If he did it once, why not a second time?

“Hey, Demon King.”

[It’s the first time you’ve properly called for me. What is it, you mortal nemesis?]

“You said most hunters only use magic for physical enhancement, right?”

[That’s true.]

Suhyeon clenched and unclenched his fist.

“So, if I unlock the magic in my body, I can become a hunter too, right?”

[What?]

Reading Suhyeon’s thoughts, the Demon King gasped.

[You’re not serious…]

“I want to wipe out all the monsters in this world, just like I did in the other world, so…”

Ignoring the Demon King’s shocked voice, Suhyeon spoke the words he had been considering for a long time.

“Teach me magic, Demon King.”

[I refuse.]

The reply came back as sharp as a knife.

It wasn’t surprising. He had expected it.

[Even if I unlock your magic and turn you into a hunter, there’s nothing in it for me. I don’t see the need.]

“You must be mistaken. I’m not asking you. You could say I’m… threatening you.”

[What makes you think you can threaten me?]

Suhyeon smirked inwardly.

“You don’t want to die again, do you?”

[…]

There was no reply, but the silence was confirmation enough.

When the monster suddenly appeared earlier, the Demon King had predicted its movements and warned Suhyeon.

It wasn’t hard to figure out why the Demon King, who had always cursed at him, would suddenly offer help.

It wasn’t to save Suhyeon.

It was to save himself.

After Suhyeon deduced that much, the Demon King sighed and spoke.

[Fine, you’re right. But if I turn you into a hunter, you’ll end up fighting monsters. Either way, you’re going to face life-threatening danger.]

“Are you sure about that? Do you think surprise summoning attacks like today won’t happen again?”

Earlier, an F-rank monster had appeared, so he was able to handle it. But if a monster of a higher rank showed up, even with the Demon King guiding him, Suhyeon knew he wouldn’t last long in his current state.

Barely surviving against the weakest F-rank monster had been exhausting.

If a stronger monster came next time, his life would be on the line.

[Hmph, you could just run away.]

“Do you think I would run, Demon King?”

He shot a thought back at the Demon King.

“No matter what kind of monster appears, if I need to protect people, I’ll do everything I can to stop it.”

[Big words are easy to say.]

“Well, can’t you read my thoughts? Check for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

[…]

The Demon King examined Suhyeon’s mind. Since his consciousness resided within Suhyeon, he could simulate how Suhyeon would respond if monsters appeared in a crowded place.

[Hah.]

The Demon King sighed in disbelief.

Through that, he realized something.

There wasn’t a hint of a lie in this guy’s words.

The will to survive is part of human nature.

Even this hero had the desire to live.

But this guy’s survival instinct wasn’t for himself.

Kim Suhyeon’s inner nature could be summarized in just a few sentences:

He wanted to save as many people as he could.

The hero wanted to live longer so he could save more people.

He’s crazy… truly insane.

His very survival instinct had transformed into something for others.

How could a person have such thoughts?

[You lunatic… you’re serious.]

‘If I could be swayed by something like this, I never would’ve become a hero in Altera.’

He was the one who led many races, fighting on the frontlines to defeat monsters and even the Demon King himself, all because he wanted to save as many people as possible.

[So righteous. And yet, now you’re threatening me, hero?]

‘I have a motto I made back in the other world.’

Live kindly, but don’t be a pushover.

When he became a hero, there were people with ulterior motives who approached him.

Selfish people exist everywhere.

If you only live kindly, you’ll end up being used by them.

Suhyeon quickly learned this and began weeding out those kinds of people around him or using them to his advantage.

If he hadn’t done that, he would never have united the races or reached the Demon King’s castle.

Suhyeon realized that while the goal could be just, the methods to achieve that goal sometimes required a bit of cunning.

[Even if I unlock your magic, what’s the likelihood that you’ll become a strong enough hunter to easily defeat monsters?]

‘I think surviving today’s fight with the Living Tongues was proof enough.’

In the worst-case scenario, Suhyeon’s internal magic might be too weak even after unlocking it.

But exceptions exist.

There are hunters who, despite having lower physical abilities, use martial arts or techniques to overcome their limits and fight.

Suhyeon had countless battle techniques from Altera stored in his mind, to the point that he could use them with his eyes closed.

Even if his magic was limited, as long as he poured it all into physical enhancement magic and used the techniques he had mastered, he was confident he could hold his own as a hunter.

‘If I unlock my magic and become a hunter, I promise I’ll do everything I can to avoid dying to a monster. My goal is to protect people, not to die.’

[Hero, you’re not just a naive goody-two-shoes, huh? You’ve got a nasty streak like a worm.]

‘Think of it as being sly like a snake.’

[It seems that being a hunter makes you popular with women too… Are you really that desperate?]

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Do you have any proof of that?’

[Proof? Hmm… didn’t you work part-time at a motel in the capital city of Argen?]

Suhyeon’s face stiffened.

There was something nagging at the back of his mind.

[Let’s see… hmm…]

‘W-wait, Demon King?’

Sensing impending doom, Suhyeon tried to stop him, but the Demon King seemed determined to continue. Even if he covered his ears, the voice echoed in his mind. There was no stopping it.

[There was a female adventurer who flirted with you, wasn’t there? She even let you sit next to her after your shift ended and stroked your knee. Must’ve felt nice, huh?]

If the Demon King had a visible form, he’d probably be grinning maliciously, stroking his chin.

[You actually thought she liked you, didn’t you? What a fool.]

‘S-stop it.’

[Not happening. Let’s see… oh, I remember. She took you to her place, you both took a shower… Wow, she had quite the body. No wonder you got all excited.]

The Demon King continued with the tone of someone casually munching on popcorn while watching a movie.

[So, with your heart racing, you took your shower, and when you came out…]

Please, not that part…

The Demon King exaggerated his voice in mock surprise as he continued.

[Lo and behold… your clothes and money were gone! That idiot was you? Hard to believe you were supposed to be a hero.]

It turns out the woman had been part of a thieves’ guild, using her looks to scam men out of their money and run off.

She didn’t even book a room, and the name she gave wasn’t real.

In short, Suhyeon had been played by a con artist.

‘That was decades ago, damn it!’

[Seeing you standing there naked, dumbfounded, must’ve been quite the sight.]

“Shut up!”

It was back when Suhyeon had still refused to become a hero, during his immature days. He had tried to defend himself, but it didn’t work on the Demon King, who was gleefully digging up his embarrassing past.

[It’s all too vivid in your memory for something you want to forget, isn’t it? It left quite the trauma.]

‘…’

[The crowning moment was when the innkeeper gave you that pitying look.]

Suhyeon, his expression vacant, grabbed a pillow from the bed and clenched his teeth as he threw a few punches at it.

[You think hitting something will silence me?]

‘Ughhh…’

Watching the hero grind his teeth in frustration, the Demon King finally felt satisfied.

Whew, now I feel better.

That’s your punishment for trying to blackmail me, hero.

Hmm… But all jokes aside.

It was clear that no matter what happened, this guy would fight monsters to protect people.

But without magic, he was just a well-trained piece of meat.

What a headache.

If I don’t unlock his magic, he’ll have no means to fight monsters.

But if I do, he’ll be at risk of dying to stronger monsters.

Either way, his life would be in danger, but unlocking his magic seemed like it would at least give him a better chance of surviving.

If the hero becomes stronger, he’ll have more tools to defend against the dangers he faces.

Might as well unlock his magic and improve his combat abilities.

[…Fine. I will graciously teach you magic. Consider it an honor.]

Suhyeon ground his teeth at the lingering effects of having his embarrassing past dug up.

But what could he do? The Demon King was lodged in his mind, and there was no way to get rid of him unless he died.

And besides, since Suhyeon had no magical knowledge, he needed the Demon King’s expertise to learn.

‘Thanks a lot, you damn Demon King.’

Thus, a strange relationship had formed between the hero and the Demon King, who had once fought to the death.

[The first thing to do is unlock your magic. If your body has a high affinity for magic, it would’ve naturally unlocked through contact with mana in the air. But since you’re already 24 and it hasn’t unlocked, it means your affinity is average or low. For people like that, unlocking magic requires contact with a stronger concentration of magic.]

Now that the conversation had turned to magic, the Demon King began to speak freely, as if a dam had burst.

They said he was a genius mage with high magical aptitude, almost becoming the representative of the Mage’s Tower… Guess those weren’t just rumors.

‘Like what?’

[In Altera, touching a sacred relic or ancient artifact, or asking another mage for help, would’ve been enough. But this world has no such things. The easiest method here would be… to come into contact with a monster’s magic stone.]

Magic stones are the cores embedded in all monsters and are also their weak spots.

If a magic stone is destroyed, the monster loses its shape, form, and life, turning to ash.

That’s why the monster Suhyeon fought earlier crumbled to ash.

In Altera, mages often studied these stones as conduits for magic due to the high concentration of magic they contained.

‘So I just need a magic stone to unlock my magic?’

[It depends on how well you handle it, but contact with a magic stone is essential to unlocking your magic.]

Suhyeon frowned.

When a dungeon is fully cleared, the ownership of the cleared dungeon and its spoils, including the monster’s magic stones, goes to the hunters who cleared it.

The hunters can either sell their loot, including the magic stones, to the Hunter Association, or keep it for themselves.

Companies that research monsters or develop weapons and equipment for hunters often buy these items for research and production.

In other words, Suhyeon would have to go to one of these companies or guilds to get his hands on a magic stone.

There’s no way they’d just hand one over to a regular person or even let him see one.

Looks like I’m stuck from the start.

What to do…

[Maybe you should reconsider becoming a hunter.]

‘Nope.’

[Tch.]

As Suhyeon was lost in thought, his phone rang from his back pocket.

The caller ID read ‘Thankful Uncle,’ and he answered.

“Hello?”

(Oh! Suhyeon, are you okay?)

A rough, middle-aged man’s voice shouted into the phone, forcing Suhyeon to pull the phone away from his ear.

It sounded like the call was made in a rush.

“Y-yeah?”

(I saw the news, kid. That was you on screen, wasn’t it? You’re lucky to be alive. You’re not hurt, are you?)

“No, I’m fine.”

(Not bad for someone who isn’t even a hunter. You did great, really.)

“I just got lucky… Wait, did the news spread that quickly?”

(Spread? It’s already on the Hunter Association’s news as breaking news.)

…On the Hunter Association’s news?

No way…

The news broadcast by the International Hunter Association?

The one that airs worldwide?

“Is there really nothing else for them to report?”

(It’s not every day a regular person takes on a monster with a broom and manages to hold their ground, you know?)

Listening to the voice, Suhyeon recognized it. This was the man who had rushed to the hospital right after hearing about Suhyeon’s accident.

He was a close friend of Suhyeon’s father and had been there for him after his parents passed away, helping him deal with inheritance issues and treating him like his own son.

‘If I remember correctly, this guy’s job…’

He worked for a company that dealt with monsters and magic stones. Suhyeon vaguely recalled the company’s name being ‘Daeho.’

With that thought, an idea came to him.

“Uncle?”

(Yeah? What is it?)

“I have a favor to ask. Would that be okay?”