A Core Ship From The Start-Chapter 2296 - 1550: Departure (Haven’t Craved Jelly in a Long Time)
"Boom!"
When Duanmu Huai kicked the door open and walked into the Royal Palace again, the King sitting on the throne had turned ashen-faced, and before him stood fully armed soldiers, along with three other heroes.
"You scoundrel! How dare you commit such atrocities against my daughter! Do you know your crime?"
"Know my crime?"
Duanmu Huai picked his ear indifferently.
"What does it matter?"
"What are you talking about?!"
"I am a hero."
Duanmu Huai revealed a cold smile, staring at the King.
"You summoned me here hoping the hero would save your lives from demons, right? In that case, what’s wrong with me playing with the Princess? Since I am saving your lives, I should receive whatever I want as a reward."
At this, Duanmu Huai scoffed—wasn’t it rational? Since you beg someone to save you, naturally you should satisfy their every wish. Not just the Princess, even taking both the Queen and the Princess for enjoyment is reasonable, isn’t it? After all, I saved your entire country.
"R-ridiculous!"
Upon hearing this, the King was nearly fuming with anger.
"You’re not a hero at all; you’re just a villain masquerading as one!"
"It’s your own stupidity that put fantasies onto heroes."
Duanmu Huai sneered at this.
"You think heroes are what you imagine them to be? What a joke, heroes can even defeat the Demon King; how could they obediently listen to idiots who can’t even face the Demon King’s minions? You’ve read too many fairy tales and forgotten what reality is."
"Ridiculous, ridiculous! I was already suspicious previously—why a fourth person would be summoned when there were clearly three heroes. Now I understand, you are a demon disguised as a hero!"
The King shouted, turning to the other three.
"I beg of you, heroes! Please take down this imposter!"
"I would do it even if you didn’t ask, Your Majesty."
At this moment, the three transmigrators took up combat stances, glaring at Duanmu Huai.
"From the first glance, I felt this guy wasn’t good; didn’t expect he truly is."
"Committing such atrocities...such evil acts, we absolutely do not acknowledge you as a hero!"
"Surrender willingly! Your actions, no matter which world, are crimes and unforgivable!"
Hearing the three transmigrators’ angry shouts, Duanmu Huai yawned.
"Brats are brats. Then let me see what you’ve got!"
"Take this!"
As Duanmu Huai spoke, the three transmigrators’ expressions darkened, gripping their weapons and charging at him directly!
After all, at this moment, Duanmu Huai wasn’t even wearing clothes, only a pair of shorts. Although he was burly, his side held invincible holy weapons!
"Hah—!"
One wielded a Long Spear, another a Longsword, while the last one behind them aimed a bow and arrow at Duanmu Huai and launched an attack. But Duanmu Huai just stood there, unmoving, coldly watching their weapons come stabbing towards him, then...he reached out and caught the weapons aiming at him.
"How is this possible?"
"What’s going on?"
Seeing their weapons caught barehanded by Duanmu Huai, the two were shocked. The Long Spear was easier said, but the Longsword was very sharp; an average person grabbing it would surely be hurt. Yet Duanmu Huai’s hands were like iron, gripping their weapons tightly.
"Let go, you bastard!"
"I told you, brats are brats."
Seeing the two struggling to retrieve their weapons, Duanmu Huai sneered.
"You’re grown-ups now, expecting others to follow your words blindly? Remember this lesson, so you won’t be stupid enough to be used as a tool in the next life."
With those words, Duanmu Huai’s hands exerted force.
Next moment, the Holy Spear and Holy Sword shattered completely in Duanmu Huai’s hands with a "crack"!
"What!?"
Everyone was shocked seeing this; those were invincible holy weapons used against the Demon King’s Army, yet in this man’s hands, they’re fragile like cookies?
Before they could react, Duanmu Huai reached out, grabbed the two’s heads, and slammed them forcefully to the ground!
"Splat!"
In the blink of an eye, the heads of the Sword Brave and Spear Brave Warrior burst like watermelons, completely shattered. Duanmu Huai then looked up, just in time to see an arrow whizzing past his ear, landing on the ground nearby. Behind them, the Bow Hero, holding a longbow, was pale and trembling, unable to utter a word.
"Just seeing a scene like this and getting flustered, as a hero, is quite unqualified."
Staring at the Bow Hero, Duanmu Huai revealed a menacing smile. The Bow Hero seemed frightened by his sinister grin, trembling and quickly stepping back.
"Ahhhh, don’t come over, don’t come over ahhhh!!!"
As he stumbled and retreated, he tried to stretch his hand to draw another bow, but his hand trembled so much that he couldn’t even handle the arrow. When he finally managed to draw an arrow, a huge shadow completely enveloped him. The Bow Hero timidly looked up, seeing only Duanmu Huai’s cold and terrifying face.
"It’s over, kid." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
"Bang!!"
The Bow Hero’s body twitched for a moment under Duanmu Huai’s foot, then ceased movement. Duanmu Huai then looked up, staring at the King slumped on the throne.
"Next, it’s your turn."
Very soon, the night passed.
The next morning, Duanmu Huai left the Royal City, and behind him were the King and Princess, along with the Guards, all respectfully saluting him.
"Safe travels, my lord."
"Oh, I know, you all must do your duties as well."
Duanmu Huai waved his hand, and the latter respectfully bowed again.
"Yes, my lord."
Duanmu Huai did not act himself; he merely summoned these people’s Shadows, then ordered them to kill the originals and replaced them. Though the King of this country was rather foolish, Duanmu Huai did not wish for the country to suddenly be without a leader—from this perspective, the Shadow’s copy and replacement were useful.
Killing them and replacing them directly suffices.
As for those three idiots, Duanmu Huai didn’t even bother replacing them, since the summoning of heroes hadn’t been publicly announced anyway. Dead is dead.
The benefit of replacement was that Duanmu Huai now had a substantial amount of funds, and also obtained the Royal Family’s token, granting him access to all domestic locations and the authority to mobilize the army.
This is the first time he’s had such a good start.
Indeed, Duanmu Huai was in a good mood.
Of course, he thought it probably had nothing to do with Pleasure.
Next is the issue concerning the Demon King’s Army.
As he walked out of the Royal City to start his journey, Duanmu Huai recalled the knowledge gained from the Shadows’ intelligence last night.
According to the Shadows’ information, there are three major nations and many smaller ones in this world. Even the major ones consist merely of a royal city and a few towns, while the smaller ones are even simpler, just a town and a few villages. Given the civilization background, you couldn’t expect a metropolis with a population of millions.
And these three major nations are essentially the front line against the Demon King’s Army, each holding different heroes to fight against the Demon King.
For instance, this country uses the summoning of Isekai heroes to combat the Demon King’s army. Duanmu Huai also heard from the Shadows that the neighboring country possesses a method called Protection, whereby everyone is bestowed with a Protection at birth, representing their abilities. Currently, that country has a "hero" with a Protection, forming a team to fight the Demon King’s army at the front line.
As for the other country, it’s akin to the King Arthur legend, where those acknowledged by the Divine Artifact are seen as heroes against the Demon King. How to put it... in Duanmu Huai’s view, they’re still quite typical.
Based on the intelligence, heroes from the three countries have started taking action.
The Guardian Country’s hero is alone, then a team is formed with a few adventurers who aim to fight and eliminate the Demon King alongside the hero.
On the other hand, the Divine Artifact Country supposedly has four heroes; the specifics are unknown, only known that one hero is the Princess of that nation.
In his situation, he originally had four, but now only himself remains... never mind, it’s no matter. Those three fools were wasting time anyhow; better they died straight away.
Concerning the Demon King, it’s the classic Demon King plus Four Heavenly Kings... there’s nothing much to say about that. Maybe all the world’s Demon Kings love including Four Heavenly Kings; Duanmu Huai doesn’t know where this idea came from. Why insist on four? Why not five or three? Or simply two sides? Or is it traditional for the Demon King? Ancestors’ rules cannot be altered?
If that’s the case, Duanmu Huai thinks maybe it’s best the Demon King changes it, after history proves that the Demon Kings with Four Heavenly Kings always die... maybe it’s that unlucky number.
All in all, he’ll first venture to the front lines to see what the so-called Demon Army on the opposing side really is. If it’s the classic subhuman versus human tangle, where each sees the other as Demons in a dull struggle, then Duanmu Huai shall pass. The Tribunal has no interest in humanity’s internal strife. Of course, if they prove to be actual Demons, that would be another matter.
Though Duanmu Huai isn’t concerned about those dead, in the battle between humans and Demons, he’d certainly stand on the human side.
But speaking of that...
The more Duanmu Huai studied the information, the more perplexed he became.
This world has nothing to do with Pleasure at all!
Isn’t it just a classic hero against Evil Dragon?
How is this related to Pleasure?
Could there be something else he’s missed?
