The relentless advance of the human resistance and the hero's party had begun.
Their first target was the Eastern Legion Commander, who had held dominion over the eastern continent. Years ago, during the resistance's assault, Rain had decimated his demon generals, weakening his forces significantly.
Yet, he was still a Legion Commander, and he managed to hold his ground against the hero’s party for quite some time while the resistance fought the remaining demons.
But Rain’s sword was unforgiving.
Though her body was still small, her honed blade, combined with Melissa’s strength, easily took the Commander’s head.
With the Eastern Legion Commander defeated, the resistance set their sights on the western territories. The demons had tried to transform the continent of Astria into a demon realm, relying on a select few with overwhelming power.
But now that humanity had a fully-fledged hero, there was no reason to hide in the shadows. People who had barely survived in the wilderness returned to the continent, and races that had remained hidden began to show themselves.
The resistance army, now bolstered, grew powerful enough to overwhelm even the Western Legion Commander’s forces.
And at last, the Western Legion Commander fell.
The human resistance faced no crisis. Starting with the assassination of the Northern Legion Commander by the hero’s party, the Commanders of the East, West, and North had all been vanquished.
Now, only one invader remained: in the demonified southern continent lay...
the Demon King, Lucifer.
---
“Perhaps humanity was never truly weak.”
“The reason the demons were strong was because they wielded the absolute power of beings beyond human comprehension.”
The Legion Commanders, along with their demon generals, were beings that no human—except for the mightiest masters—could even hope to challenge. They produced dark energy that corrupted the continent, seeking to consume it entirely.
In reality, only the Legion Commanders were true otherworldly beings. The rest were either creatures born from the demonic energy or entities evolved through its corruption. Once a Legion Commander was defeated, the demons who relied on their power source quickly lost strength.
Forces held together by the charisma of a few individuals crumbled rapidly when those leaders disappeared. This peculiar structure of the demons ultimately created an opening for humanity’s counterattack.
“All of this was possible because of Rain.”
*Thud, thud.*
“What are you two talking about?”
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A familiar sound of footsteps approached Bern and Leon as they stared out over the miasma-covered southern continent.
With bright faces, they turned to greet her.
“Rain.”
“Feels like it’s really just the Demon King left now.”
“Yes. It took a while.”
Standing confidently between the tall princes, Rain gazed out at the demon realm that had claimed the southern continent.
Instead of looking ahead, Bern quietly observed the young hero.
Beautiful and strong.
Shy and hesitant around strangers, yet warm and friendly once close.
She cared nothing for her own safety, always prioritizing others, embodying the selflessness expected of a hero.
Who wouldn’t be captivated by her?
“Pfft.”
Bern found it hard to suppress his laughter.
To think that humanity’s survival depended on this one small girl.
How would history remember this remarkable tale?
“It’s not completely over yet. I wonder why the Demon King, who appeared when the Holy Kingdom fell, hasn’t shown himself even as the Legion Commanders fall.”
“Well, he’s bound to be far stronger than any of the foes we’ve faced so far.”
The princes exchanged thoughts, all while keeping an eye on Rain’s expression.
Despite her small, slender frame, the immense power she held was undeniable. She was almost fully realized as a hero. But Bern could detect a faint trace of conflict within her deep, obsidian eyes.
Rain had always harbored some inner turmoil, even as a child. Leon might have been oblivious, but Bern, who was more perceptive, had noticed.
Rain glanced at Bern, noticing his concerned gaze, and chuckled softly.
Then, she looked boldly toward the horizon.
“This fight... I intend for it to be my last.”
“Huh?”
“Of course, it will be the final battle.”
Was she planning to retire as a hero?
It would be helpful if she could lend her strength even after defeating the Demon King, at least until humanity’s stability was assured.
Ignoring the princes’ bewildered looks, Rain continued.
“A battle against the Demon King is one thing, but... I’m also fighting for my identity.”
She pointed to her head.
“There’s something strange in my mind. I’m going to get rid of it completely. When that happens...”
Her voice softened as she muttered, a bit embarrassed.
“...maybe then I can call you... big brothers.”
Bern and Leon both swallowed hard.
The hero, adored by all.
She often tried to act mature around them, yet moments like this reminded them that she was still younger than them, a seventeen-year-old girl who looked even younger due to her small stature.
Despite her attempts to appear adult-like, she could never quite pull off the natural authority of an elder sibling.
The mysterious young hero had found her way ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ into their hearts.
To completely send it away? What was she going to send away?
Would Rain change once this final battle was over?
Bern, as if mesmerized, asked without realizing it.
“After this battle... where do you plan to go?”
“Bern...?”
Despite Leon’s puzzled voice, Bern continued.
“Would you consider coming to Alpharion? Once we rebuild the Alpharion Kingdom, we’ll construct a grand palace. You could live there if you wanted. I could even... grant you a title, like Duchess!”
Blushing fiercely, Bern poured out his offer, and Leon hurriedly joined in with a similar invitation for the Kingdom of Betarion.
Caught between the two princes and their unexpected declarations, Rain tilted her head, puzzled, just as Melissa and Elena arrived to find her.
“Rain. Here you are! What are you up to with the princes?”
“Sisters!”
With a bright smile, Rain ran to them, embracing Melissa and Elena.
The maturity she’d shown in front of the princes was gone; here, she was just a girl with her friends.
Bern watched, dazed by the difference.
Thud.
“Bern.”
Leon placed a hand on Bern’s shoulder.
When Bern looked at him, Leon shook his head.
“Look at Rain’s eyes. You’re perceptive, aren’t you?”
The way she looked at her friends was completely different from how she looked at the princes.
It was a love she couldn’t hide.
The deep affection she held for her comrades was clear as day.
“We never had a chance from the start.”
“Why not?”
“Rain said she didn’t like men.”
Bern froze, as if struck by lightning.
Then, he burst into laughter, clutching his sides.
For some reason, he felt lighter.
Bernhardt von Alpharion, the prince of Alpharion, decided that if he ever wrote a memoir, he would definitely include this fact.
---
The final battle had begun.
On the southern continent, shrouded in dense miasma, the armies of demons and humanity clashed.
A golden streak surged forward, tearing through the endless ranks of demonic beasts.
At the vanguard, the dwarf of the hero’s party, with a body as tough as steel, endured countless attacks with his bare skin. His axe swung in wide arcs, sending waves of demons flying into the air.
A seemingly light green wind blew, yet the strength it contained was anything but light. The spirit wielded by the white-haired elf began to tear apart the demons’ bodies.
The massive orb of dark energy created by the demon generals was blocked by a brilliant white barrier—the Holy Maiden’s sacred shield.
Simultaneously, a dazzling burst of golden and blue sword energy obliterated the generals before them. The finest swordsman of humanity and the hero’s blade had struck.
The golden streak advanced without pause, all the way to the Demon King’s castle.
In the end, only the hero’s party could face the Demon King himself.
The human resistance focused on defending the flanks as the hero’s party forged their way forward.
“Go... Rain...!”
Bernhardt, prince of Alpharion, could only watch the hero’s radiant journey, unable to walk beside her.
Unable to be the one at her side, he continued to cut down demons, crying out:
Oh hero, who loves this world’s beauty,
Oh hero, who fulfills her duty without hesitation,
And at the same time, the girl who longs for the love of those dear to her,
May you cut down the final obstacle before you,
And at last, live the life you desire, cherished and free.
---
The final battle raged for days, with no rest between night and day.
Just as the human resistance began to tire,
a golden light broke through the Demon King’s castle, and the surrounding demons started to dissolve.
At last, the Demon King was slain.
Humanity of the Astria continent was saved.
But...
Not all of the hero’s party returned.