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Hero.

A person who shows extraordinary courage, selflessness, and strength in the face of adversity.

A profession driven by a sense of mission, willing to sacrifice for a greater good, acting nobly, and demonstrating exceptional courage.

Heroes, who strive in various ways for the sake of others, are the highest examples for humanity…

“Answer me! Where’s the rescue team!”

They must endure such pig-like remarks and safely rescue people.

‘Hate the sin, not the sinner.’

That man was also suddenly dragged into the Demon Realm, into Satan’s territory, and imprisoned in the underground prison of the Demon King’s Castle.

He must have been mentally worn out from enduring harsh torture day after day.

I thought his natural disposition couldn’t be that bad.

Bang bang bang bang!

“Hey! Whatever it is, get me out quickly!”

He banged on the prison’s iron door, his voice growing louder.

“Is there anything to eat? You’re the rescue team, you should have brought food. I’ve been captured for almost a month, suffering like a dog. Didn’t you think I’d need food? Seriously…”

He demanded food as if it were his right.

“How much is the reward? It’s like I was kidnapped during filming. Will they handle it as a work injury? The broadcasting station must be paying a fortune, right? Tell them if they don’t, I’ll sue them all.”

He boldly brought up money, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was still in prison.

‘Really… it’s almost admirable.’

Even if he wasn’t a model hero, he was the kind of person who made Jeong Gyeoul, who thought she was at least as good as the average hero, consider turning to villainy.

He had the mouth of a demon and the tongue of a snake.

I tried to ignore him and looked around for the keys, but found nothing.

I didn’t forget to occasionally talk to the imprisoned people to ease their anxiety.

“Are you all the people here?”

“Ah… yes, the people taken yesterday didn’t come back… so it seems we’re all that’s left.”

“No, let’s talk outside first! The dead are dead, but we need to survive!”

“Ugh… why is it so noisy?”

While everyone frowned at the man’s rampage, the person who had been lying still finally woke up.

As he got up, the rambunctious man quieted down.

He just shot a glare at Jeong Gyeoul, exerting silent pressure.

It seemed the man who just woke up was the actual leader of the group.

‘That guy must be the hero.’

He looked in bad shape, possibly from enduring harsher torture than the others.

It looked quite serious.

Whether he screamed in pain or cursed at the demon torturers.

His throat didn’t sound normal either.

The sound of phlegm and metal clashing together, followed by a grotesque voice.

“…Jeong Gyeoul, the hero?”

“Do you know her?”

The hero from Team 2 recognized Jeong Gyeoul.

“I’m Jeong Daesik, a B-Class hero from Daehyun. How could I not know Jeong Gyeoul, the hero!”

“So you’re from Seolhwa’s team. Nice to meet you.”

“…Is that kid famous?”

The man who had been shouting and using informal speech suddenly spoke politely to B-Class hero Jeong Daesik.

“Not just famous. She’s probably the strongest hero on Earth. Our lives are safe now!”

“…That little kid is the strongest on Earth? What about Demon King Jeong Hayul?”

“She’s the younger sister of that Jeong Hayul, the hero.”

“…”

As Jeong Gyeoul’s identity was revealed by the B-Class hero, the imprisoned people all brightened up.

But the rambunctious man turned pale and started sweating.

“Ah, man… they don’t even leave keys around. Everyone, could you step away from the bars for a moment?”

After searching thoroughly while continuing the conversation, no keys were found.

So, I decided to just force it open.

Clang— clang—

As I shook the iron bars, the underground prison seemed to experience an earthquake, with dirt falling from above.

“Uh, this looks a bit dangerous…”

“…No choice. If we force the bars open, at least this room might collapse.”

Hearing that, some people’s expressions darkened.

Just as someone was about to ask if there was another way.

Creak— creak—

The iron bars bent to the side with a strange sound.

“…”

“…Wow…”

Breaking it seemed too hard, so I just forced the bars apart to make enough space to squeeze through.

“Let’s talk outside first.”

“Yes! Everyone, come out quickly!”

Inside, Team 2’s heroes pushed, and outside, Jeong Gyeoul pulled.

The thinner women came out first, followed by the skinny men.

When it was the rambunctious man’s turn, he got stuck in the middle and needed a bit more force.

“Ugh… everyone’s skin and bones, but you’re the only one who’s well-fed.”

“…I’m sorry. I’ll lose weight once I get out.”

“Suddenly using polite speech. What an honor.”

If he had stuck to his initial attitude, it would have been annoying, but I would have just focused on the rescue.

But his sudden groveling to the strong was hard to bear.

‘I’ll rescue you, but can’t I at least give you a hard time?’

Jeong Gyeoul’s tone made the man realize he was doomed, his expression growing darker.

Anyway, after getting everyone out, we headed back to the food storage.

On the way, we ran into Heukrang, and calming the frozen people and making awkward introductions was just a bonus.

***

After hearing Team 2’s radio, I told them we started the search immediately, and they seemed quite shocked.

In the common sense of ordinary people, it’s an unbelievable situation.

Like between the Demon Realm and Earth, sometimes there’s a time gap in dungeons, something only heroes like Team 2 could easily understand.

“The Demon Realm’s time flow is chaotic. Anyway, it’s definitely faster than Earth’s.”

“This makes the theory that dungeons are spaces in another dimension seem about right.”

“Captain, the place you mentioned earlier isn’t that way, is it?”

“…You lead the way.”

“Yep.”

After raiding the food storage, we headed back to where we first came.

That passage-like place connecting the center of the island to the Demon Realm.

The fact that we took a couple of wrong turns is a secret only Heukrang and I know.

We should be arriving soon, but why don’t I see the forest?

Thinking this might not be the right place, I followed Heukrang.

Thud—

I bumped my head against his hard back.

“Ow, why’d you stop suddenly?”

“Sorry, but Captain. This is the place you mentioned… but I don’t see anything. Is this the right place?”

“…”

Haha. We’re screwed again.

Should I have used telekinesis or magic to widen the passage as soon as I arrived in the Demon Realm?

The passage I came through was closed.

“Everyone, we have a pretty big problem.”

“…What is it?”

“The passage I came through is closed.”

The faces of those who had been talking about eating chicken as soon as they got back to Earth, calling their moms, and enjoying life after reducing their workload, froze.

“W-what do you mean! We can’t go back now? What kind of hero are you! The strongest, huh! Ugh! S-sorry!”

Shocked by the news, the rambunctious man started freaking out again.

At the same time, Team 2’s heroes subdued him by pressing on his shoulders…

But thanks to the rambunctious man, Team 2’s anxiety grew even more.

“Let me think for a moment…”

I roughly sat down and tried to organize my chaotic thoughts.

First… to get out like last time, we need the Dimensional Stone that Asmodeus had and the magic circle drawn by Satan.

I can just take the Dimensional Stone by force, but how do I draw the magic circle?

From what Heukrang and Heukgu said, Satan has fallen from being the best personality in the Demon Realm.

‘He probably won’t draw it willingly.’

I’m not confident I can subdue him enough to make him draw it.

Can’t Asmodeus or other Demon Kings draw the magic circle?

I’ll have to go ask when I go to get the Dimensional Stone from Asmodeus.

That snake brat has a history of being beaten by me once, so he might give it up easier than expected.

‘If he doesn’t… I’ll just beat him until he does.’

Let’s see if my stubbornness is stronger or his endurance is tougher.

“I need to go meet the Demon King for a bit. What about you all? You can stay at the Demon King’s Castle if you want.”

“…Here? No way! I don’t want to stay in this horrible place any longer! I’d rather follow Jeong Gyeoul, the hero!”

Everyone nodded in agreement, looking at each other.

“…No choice.”

The guy I’m going to meet is a pushover, but he’s still a Demon King.

Especially since Asmodeus’s territory is where Satan personally led an invasion.

Staying at the Demon King’s Castle would be at least ten times safer, but it’s hard to ask people who’ve been tortured in the underground prison to stay here.

It’s definitely going to be twice as hard for me, but I decided to take them along.

‘If we can just avoid Satan’s army, we should be fine.’

The Jeong Gyeoul Express is now departing.

Destination… who knows Station.

 

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