Vol 4: Chapter 5: Business

Demon City Aquarius

Business

Aleph was making his way through a huge building in the center.

The inside of the building is designed like a giant factory, and is filled with the strong smell of blood.

After walking a little further and coming out into an open area, he heard the sound of machinery and were greeted by a strange sight.

Naked people are hung from meat hooks and transported somewhere.

["What a horrible sight... The Four Heavenly Kings of Demon King... I will never forgive this!"]

Chefs, who is usually asleep most of the time, awakens as if the Four Heavenly Kings are approaching, and conveys his angry intentions to Aleph.

"Are you awake, Chefs? Do you know where the Four Heavenly Kings are?"

["Holy Hero Aleph! He is inside this building. We must never forgive someone who commits such a sadistic act."]

Chefs is filled with righteous indignation. As the first hero, he was filled with a strong sense of justice and believed in and loved people.

It was impossible for him not to feel angry when he saw how changed the people he loved had become.

"The previous two of the Four Heavenly Kings were incredibly strong, but this guy... seems pretty insane."

The wind demon Galf, the ice demon Neriev... neither of them were opponents that Aleph, who had acquired the powers of all the previous heroes, could defeat without Chris's full use of healing magic.

The person who used this cruel method must be one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and therefore must possess unimaginable strength.

Can Aleph win, with their only hope, Chris, unable to support him due to her magic being sealed?

Of course, Aleph has become much stronger since then, so there's no way he'll be defeated unilaterally.

But...what if he lose?

Given the way these humans were being treated, Aleph predicted that they would meet an end more painful than death.

["It's true that the Demon King's army has killed humans... but never before has anyone degraded them to this extent. For someone with such a disgusting personality to become one of the Four Heavenly Kings, the current Demon King's army has really fallen."]

Although the first hero had the intention of defeating the enemy, the Demon King's army, he also had a certain respect for the powerful Demon King's army.

Something he would have in a rival... But this time, Chefs only felt discomfort towards his enemy.

"Well, whatever. Let's just kill that madman and save Chris, okay?"

["Ah, that's right... Holy Hero Aleph. Don't let your guard down."]

After passing through a large room where a large number of people were hanging from moving hooks, Aleph, following Chefs' instructions, went further and further inside.

"This room, there's no doubt about it... I can feel their presence."

Aleph kicks open the door to the room Chefs pointed to and goes inside.

There was――

There was a man sitting in a luxurious chair, his hand on his chin, looking at me with amusement...two other men and one woman were standing guard over him.

The three men and women are completely naked, drooling, and looking in the direction of the door with blank expressions.

A terrible smell emanated from his body, a mixture of fishy blood and sexual odor.

"Those three... I thought I'd seen them somewhere before. They're the A-rank adventurers who went missing on their way to the Demon City."

["They are supposed to be protecting people...how pitiful that they have become minions of the Demon King's army."]

"Hehehe... Welcome to my castle. How about a little introduction first, Hero Aleph?"

The man sitting in the chair speaks to Aleph.

Would it be appropriate to describe his appearance as a very beautiful young man? His black hair and ice blue eyes were striking.

Apparently, this handsome young man is one of the Four Heavenly Kings who brought this place to devastation.

"It seems you knew my name before I introduced myself... Well, never mind, let me ask your name."

“You’re famous, after all. Defeating Galf and Neriev almost singlehandedly… are you really human?”

The handsome young man asked Aleph in amazement, but naturally Aleph had no intention of answering such a question.

"I have no interest in chatting with you. Tell me your name quickly. If not, die quickly."

"Oh, so scary! Fufu, let me introduce myself then. I am one of the four heavenly kings of the Demon Lord, Karma. Pleased to meet you--"

Before Karma could finish speaking, Aleph used his Body Strengthening (Extreme) skill and moved in front of Karma in one go.

"It's over!"

Aleph gathers his power into Arondight and unleashes a powerful slash.

However...

Karma had easily blocked the attack with his pale blue sword, though he's not seems bothered by it.

"Suddenly attacking by surprise is not what a hero would do, is it...?"

"Tch!"

Aleph clicked his tongue and stepped back, at which point the naked A-rank adventurers attacked him.

"Stay out of the way, you scrubs!"

Irritated, Aleph slashes to the side.

The three completely changed A-class adventurers fell to the ground, leaving only the lower halves behind.

"Wow, they were pretty much the same as other humans, but to take them out with just one hit. You're definitely closer to our side."

"Shut up, you're next!"

["Karma! You are one of the Four Heavenly Kings, yet you have committed such an ugly act. Aren't you ashamed?"]

Chefs, who had been silent, angrily criticizes Karma.

"No, this is just my hobby. It has nothing to do with the Four Heavenly Kings. The meat from that hook is for feeding magical beasts, so it's different. My hobby is destroying brains... destroying the bonds between humans!"

"Huh..."

Chefs is left speechless when Karma suddenly starts talking about his hobbies.

Chefs had never seen anyone like this in the Demon King's army when he fought.

"For example, the husband of a loving couple. He could watch his beloved, brain-damaged wife being fucked by another man, and watch him despair... it would be the best."

"Tch... There's trash like this in every race. It makes me sick."

Aleph expresses disgust and murderous intent towards Karma, who shares the same hobbies as a certain hero.

Aleph cannot hide his hatred for people like this.

"Don't get so angry. Ah, the three people you just killed were apparently a childhood friend's party."

"… So what?"

Karma suddenly speaks about the circumstances of A-rank adventurers. Aleph is confused because he doesn't understand his intention.

"Those two guys actually both liked that girl, you know? So I destroyed their brains and made them violate her over and over again. It was the moment when the love between these childhood friends was fulfilled."

Aleph begins to become irritated by Karma, who smiles and speaks in a tone of voice as if he has done a good job.

"So what is that? Just wanted to show you what a shitty bastard you are?"

"A childhood friend party... I think this is something that Aleph can relate to, don't you think?"

Aleph was slightly shaken.

This is because he found out that Karma knew about his past before he became a hero.

"You... why did you say that?"

"Your childhood friends were stolen by the hero, right? I know. After all, before you, that hero was a threat to the Demon King's army, so we would at least observe him."

"You were peeking? What a disgusting bastard..."

Aleph's anger towards Karma grows and grows.

For Aleph, those days were something he didn't want to mention.

And Karma just...

"But there was one person who was kind to you, right? The Saint... the girl who's here now."

"...That's it...If you dare say something more ...."

Aleph glares at Karma with hateful eyes, but Karma doesn't stop talking.

"Wouldn't it be fun if I destroyed her brain... and raped her in front of you?"

"?! Y-Youu!!!"

["Aleph! Don't fall for his tricks, stay calm..."]

Karma spoke with a grin, while Aleph, with an angry look on his face, headed towards Karma at incredible speed.

--At this very moment, a deadly battle with the Four Heavenly Kings began.

I think this one would get along well with Hayato.