Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe

Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe

EP.73 The Fallen Hero

After waking from his dream, the hero seemed to ponder for a moment before heading towards the Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord was in her office, discussing matters with her subordinate demon executives.

“Oh, the hero has come. Perfect timing. We were just talking about how to win over the humans in the northern countries…”

“…Demon Lord. I have something to say too.”

When Rain spoke with a serious expression, she immediately sensed that it was a grave matter.

The Demon Lord signaled with her eyes for her subordinates to leave.

The executives weren’t pleased with the fact that the human hero was on close terms with the Demon Lord, so they gave the two a somewhat displeased look, but unable to resist the Demon Lord’s pressure, they left the office.

“What’s the matter? I don’t think you’ve come to ask about the breakfast menu.”

“Demon Lord, what I’m about to say is really, really just asking about a possibility.”

Tureglo tried to lighten the mood a bit with a joke, but Rain continued with a serious expression.

“What if, just what if. If we were to eliminate all of humanity that opposes peace, would this world become peaceful?”

Hero Rain’s question was completely unexpected.

To think that the protector of humanity would speak of humanity’s extinction.

Of course, it’s not about killing everyone, just those humans who oppose making peace and forming an alliance with the demon race.

Well, that would probably be most of humanity, though.

Anyway, it was definitely not something the hero, humanity’s last bastion, should ever suggest.

“…Hero.”

Demon Lord Tureglo had also considered this idea before.

The thought that if they eliminated all those who opposed them, peace might follow afterwards…

But it’s far too contradictory.

Breaking peace for the sake of peace.

Even if they were to crush everyone and rule through fear, it would eventually rot from within.

The demon race might somehow manage through forced submission, but if humans remained, there would surely be those who would continually rise up in rebellion against the tyranny.

Then, small-scale conflicts would be unavoidable, and peace would be out of reach.

And above all, wouldn’t the extinction of humanity be exactly what the Creator wants?

“That would just be doing what the Creator wants.”

“…No, that’s not it.”

But Hero Rain shook his head.

“What it wants is for us to keep fighting forever. But if one side completely disappears, that becomes impossible too. If the world’s destroyer and its nemesis team up to completely eliminate one side, extinguishing the very spark of conflict…”

“Hmm.”

The hero’s words had a point.

What the Creator wants is the recurring battle between humans and demons every few hundred years.

The Demon Lord retreating due to the nemesis, then regaining strength and invading again…

Repeating that cycle over and over.

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But if one side were to be completely destroyed, the very concept of a battle would cease to exist.

War would disappear.

“If the remaining side were humans, they would continue to cause conflicts. But what if it’s the demon race?”

The conclusion, ultimately, is the extinction of humanity.

That alone is the only way to achieve eternal peace.

“Oh, hero…”

The protector of humanity, uttering this with his own mouth.

Demon Lord Tureglo couldn’t even begin to imagine how torn his heart must be.

However, he seemed to have already made his decision.

“Humanity must perish. Submitting to the demon race and living under them… No, not even that. Total annihilation.”

Hero Rain’s eyes changed.

The annihilation of all humanity.

For the peace of this world.

He was prepared to abandon everything he had been protecting.

‘Instead, the demon race and the Demon Lord will be able to live in peace.’

It’s a being he had only come to know well a few days ago.

No, until then, they had been mortal enemies seeking each other’s lives.

But for the sake of the ‘world peace’ he desires, it seems to be an unavoidable choice.

The moment he made up his mind.

Rustle—

The holy sword began to turn black.

#

“Aaaaargh!”

“R-Run away!”

“The hero has betrayed us!”

The Demon Lord and the hero.

When these two transcendent beings joined forces, humanity naturally had no chance to withstand them.

The northern countries, which were at the forefront of the war, were completely annihilated, and then it was the turn of the central countries.

The hero and the demon race advanced, destroying everything in sight.

They began to move forward, killing all humans in sight as if trying to erase the existence of humanity from this world.

“P-Please spare me… Please spare my life!”

Even the soldiers who surrendered, trembling in fear.

“Hehehe, death has finally come for me.”

Even the sick elderly who couldn’t get out of bed.

“Oh, the child! Please spare the child!”

Even the mother shielding her child.

“Waaaaaah! Mommy!”

Even the child who lost their mother.

They killed them all.

Thoroughly and miserably, to a heartbreaking degree.

Like the corrupted holy sword that had lost its defensive abilities and instead gained powerful offensive capabilities that destroyed everything it touched,

A dark shadow had fallen over the face of the hero, Rain.

The things he had been protecting.

Someone’s happiness, someone’s dream, someone’s family.

He was destroying it all.

With his own hands.

His hands were still trembling.

It had been a month already, but there hadn’t been a single day when his hands didn’t shake.

‘I killed them. People. With my own hands.’

Of course, he had killed people before.

As a hero, he had eliminated bandits and beheaded nobles who had betrayed humanity and sided with the demon race.

But.

But.

But…

“You traitor!!”

“Kill him, kill him! Damn it, I’ll curse you even as a ghost!”

“Aaaaargh! M-My child!”

Isn’t this, isn’t this too cruel?

Even if it’s for peace, is this really the right path?

Killing all of humanity?

Not even leaving a single seed?

Whenever such thoughts arose, the hero straightened his mental state.

Yes, there is no other way.

Humanity has always created a history of conflict, a race that can never be peaceful.

Their very existence is war.

This is right.

This is what I must do.

This is unavoidable.

He kept thinking and affirming this in his heart.

“H-Hero… why…”

And so he cut down the soldier who had fought alongside him on the battlefield.

“Kuhek…! Please spa… Khek!”

He cut down the innkeeper who had made him warm soup when he was exhausted from battle.

“R-Rain! Rain, please come to your senses!!”

He cut down the childhood friend he used to play with.

“Ah, aah… Waaaaaah…!”

He cut down the village girl who had made him a flower crown to thank him for saving the village.

Squelch.

When Rain saw the flower crown the girl was holding, now soaked in bright red blood,

He trampled on it nonchalantly and began walking towards his next target.

He had now crossed a river from which there was absolutely no return.

If he had time to look back on the past, he should have killed even one more human.

And so, the hero Rain…

“…Hero Rain. So you’ve finally come this far.”

Like a father to him.

He reached the King of the As Kingdom, who had always believed in and supported him.

“Your Majesty, please understand me. Everything is for peace. This is unavoidable.”

Swish—

Rain said this as he slowly pointed his corrupted black holy sword at the king.

Usually at this point, people would try to persuade him or beg for their lives.

But the King of As did not do that.

He showed the same kind smile he always had when Rain visited, and said,

“I see. If that’s the conclusion you’ve come to, then it must be so. You’re trying to shoulder everything alone, it must be very hard.”

The moment he heard that gentle smile and those encouraging words,

It felt as if some of the pitch-black shadow that had fallen over his face had been lifted slightly.

And then.

Drip…

Tears began to flow.

He thought he had already thrown everything away.

He thought he had discarded all emotions, sympathy, affection, everything.

But in the end, even the hero was just a human.

Rain, called the hero, humanity’s guardian, the fallen traitor, the cold-hearted slaughterer.

But all of this was too much to bear, and he had been forcibly suppressing everything.

He was just an ordinary human after all.

“Aah… Aaaaaaaaaah!!”

His face covered in tears.

His hands visibly shaking.

Without any semblance of a hero’s sword stance, he rushed forward as if thrashing about.

He swung his sword like a child would.

As if a child throwing a tantrum to their father.

As if begging to be held, saying it’s too hard.

Slash—!

The King of As didn’t even try to dodge the wildly swung sword, allowing himself to be cut.

Blood splattered everywhere, and his upper body began to soak in the gushing blood.

“Kuhuk…”

The power of the black holy sword destroyed everything it touched, his internal organs were completely mangled, and blood gushed from his mouth.

Even so, the King of As didn’t utter a single word of resentment to Rain standing before him.

Just one phrase.

“I’m…

And with that, the King of As passed away.

At that moment, the fallen hero Rain

Finally lost everything.