The Insurrection of the Inept Hero
Chapter 121: Culling of Heroes Part II

'This… is Naoko? There is no fucking way he's the same guy!'

Kai's thoughts ran loose through his head as he stared at the man approaching them. Kai recognized that eye from anywhere. Blue irises with a hint of purple on the inside and shadow trim around his eyes. This was indeed the same man he met that day at the colosseum. It was definitely Naoko.

'He's fucking crazy! He's missing an eye. His fingers are crippled. He just had his ribs broken by Michael!'

Kai who possessed a keen eye, a gift that came with being the Archer Hero, had inspected everything that had just happened. He wished that he could see the full face of the man standing in front of him but his mask covered the rest of his face.

'He was dangerous when we fought at the colosseum, but now… he's like a monster! What the hell happened to you, Naoko!?'

Nero on the other hand looked at the fallen group in front of him and noticed that Kai was the first one to get up. He smirked, grabbing his hair as he appeared behind him.

"Kai…," Nero uttered his name, sending chills through his spine.

"So you listened to what I said years ago, huh? Honestly, I thought you would just stay a crybaby."

Nero forced Kai to meet his gaze. Kai gulped as he opened his mouth and spoke.

"Y-you are that Naoko… right? The one that fucking talked shit and spouted random nonsense at me back then!?" Kai shouted at Nero who stared at him with an expressionless face.

Nero looked up at the sky, recollecting his memories. Seconds later, he looked back down at Kai and smirked.

"Oh yeah… I remember. I'm sorry, I just regained these memories moments ago so my mind is a little scrambled right now. If I talk weird, just deal with it."

"So mind explaining to me now that you remember?"

"Gladly. You see, Kai, I was only a few years old before my sister decided to corrupt me with things that I should not have been able to understand but I was fully aware of."

"S-sister?"

"Yeah, sister or technically half-sister. She was the daughter of my mother's first boyfriend and she was older than me by 13 years. My sister was smart, pretty, and scary. If I were to compare her to my parents to see who was the most fucked up, it was definitely her. She molded me into her own pawn, corrupting others in her place. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and just continued to do whatever she told me to do. Then, before I even turned 6, she mysteriously disappeared without a trace. The last place she was seen was at her school."

"So… it was her? She made you do that?"

"Yeah. When she presumably went missing or most likely died, I went crazy because I had been broken. So my dad hit my head and gave me amnesia. That was what made me... normal... is what you could say. Well, now that those memories flooded back into my mind, I remember everything now."

Letting go of Kai, he walked over to Murai, dragging him to Kai by his chest plate.

"You know, you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me. I made you what you are right now. So-"

He snapped his fingers, causing Jessica to appear in between them.

"I'll keep you three alive. I'm not going to kill all of you, just seven. So, I want you to choose who lives."

Kai stared at Nero, horror in his eyes.

"Wh-what?"

"Each of you will pick one person to live. Those three will live and the rest will die. I recommend keeping the strongest ones alive, though I doubt they could even reach my level of power."

Nero lifted both of his now fully healed arms up, equipping Osiris as he walked behind the trio.

"So? What are you waiting for?"

Kai, Murai, and Jessica trembled in fear as Nero glared at them with blood-lusting eyes. They started to shed tears of fear as they looked at the other heroes scattered in front of them.

Nero could sense and see their fear. They were dreading to the point that they could not think clearly so to make them snap out of it, he charged up a Piercing Red and pointed it directly at Kai's neck. Kai could sense the energy posted up against his nape and that caused him to return to his senses in addition to more fear.

"If you don't choose, then I'm just gonna kill you three."

His voice darkened as he moved his fingers up Kai's neck to the back of his head. Not wanting to die, Kai lifted his hand and pointed forward at Michael who had finally recovered and was back on his feet.

"Good choice," Nero said before appearing behind Michael and knocked him out with a simple chop to his neck, not giving Michael a chance to even react.

"So who's next?"

Nero directed his attention to Murai and Jessica. The two looked at each other and gulped before closing their eyes and pointing at the ones they want alive based on strength.

"Hmm… I know the Assassin, but who's that one?" Nero questioned, turning to Murai who had pointed at Fujita.

"H-he's Fujita Botan, th-the Knight Hero," Murai answered.

"Fujita huh?"

Nero turned and gazed into Fujita's eyes. Fujita only looked at Nero for a second and he instantly felt fear rush through his body.

Whack!

Fujita only blinked and Nero disappeared instantly. He appeared next to Akira and knocked him out before appearing in front of Fujita.

"Fujita… correct?"

Fujita opened his mouth to answer but he could not speak as his words were stuck in his throat. He shook as cold sweat trickled down his neck.

'D-damn it, I didn't want him to notice me. Now I'm gonna die!'

Those were the thoughts running through Fujita's mind. He thought he was going to die! But—

"You should be thankful to him," Nero said, pointing to Murai. "If it weren't for him, you would be dead. Be sure to thank him for that later."

Hearing that, Fujita felt a sense of relief.

"Now then, it's best you get out of here unless you want to be caught in the crossfire."

Fujita did not even hesitate to linger around and instantly fled the field, leaving everyone behind. Nero watched as Fujita ran for his life and clicked his tongue.

"Coward."

Now that that was done, Nero focused his attention on those that weren't chosen and smiled eerily, approaching them as he accumulated energy to his fingertips again.

"Naoko!"

Suddenly, Jessica shouted his name and Nero looked over his shoulder.

"Th-there are 14 of us… so shouldn't 7 of us at least be spared? Where is Risa?"

Nero stared at Jessica and his expression shifted. Jessica noticed the change and she immediately knew.

"You just don't know when to shut your mouth, do you? Don't speak of her name again or I'll tear that mouth off your stupid ugly mug."

Those terrifying words did not match Nero's expression. No tears fell down his face but he was sad. He quickly turned away as he directed his fingers at the seven heroes that were not picked by Kai, Murai, or Jessica.

Nero didn't even bother to ask what their names were before they meet their doom. Blinded by his sorrow, his mission, and anger, he could only fulfill that sense of frustration lingering inside him by doing what he was commanded to do. He strived for more power. He had lost a precious friend because he didn't have enough strength, and now he will do whatever it takes to prevent that from ever happening again.

Nero took in a deep breath before calmly activating his newly developed Active Skill.

"Infinite Slash Dimension."

…

…

…

It only took seconds for Nero to hold the souls of 7 heroes that he culled with his gore-covered hands. He devoured them each one by one until he had completed his task.

[Final requirement completed]

[You have passed the Trial of the Fallen]

[Host will now be put to rest]

Fatigue took over his body. He tried to fight it but was eventually forced to sleep.

Kai watched as Nero fell to the ground and with the courage he had left remaining, he got up and drew his bow.

'I can't leave him alive… I can't! He just killed 7 people! He needs to die!'

He poured all his mana into his arrow and fired his arrow. However, a figure appeared and knocked the arrow to the ground.

"Huh? Who are you!?" Kai shouted at the mysterious figure. The figure turned. They wore a black robe with green lightning patterns, held a blue metal staff with a hook at the end of it, a large, white pointed hat, and a black mask painted with a green 7. The figure had long braided white hair, so Kai immediately assumed it was a woman.

"You're a mess," The woman spoke in a distorted voice as she sank her hook into Nero's chest before lifting him up, ignoring Kai's words.

"First you kill an entire army, then Jeredal, and now heroes. I think you've done enough."

It happened before Nero's pursue of Jeredal. The army they had commanded and brought to the field was in the midst of leaving until Nero dropped in and annihilated them all. He killed over 5,000 soldiers in 60 seconds.

With that, the figure vanished with Nero along with her.

***

A month passed after the incident. It was called the Frost Siege. The results were tragic on both sides. Many humans died and so did the demons. By the words of the remaining heroes, 8 other heroes were murdered by the hands of Naoko, the Inept Hero.

The Inept Hero's bounty had risen but he was still wanted alive. Though the council wanted him dead, the king had refused to do so under the command of a certain individual.

"Looks like it will be harder to convince him to join my side now. I need another way. What do you suggest?" Authorian asked the figure standing in front of him. It was the dead of night, so the figure was clad in the dark shadows.

Authorian still wanted to have Naoko on his side. After hearing he decimated several heroes with ease, he needed his strength, but it was going to be nearly impossible. Hence, he sought guidance from the figure standing in front of him.

"Without him, your kingdom will fall to ruins. You need him on your side more than ever now. Don't fret however, fate will eventually have him on your side. Though I don't think you should let your guard down when that does happen. Fate has its fair share of surprises."

The figure chuckled. Authorian raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Trust me... I've lived long enough to see through fate."

The clouds covering the moon parted away and moonlight shined through the windows of the throne room, revealing the figure's appearance.

"Now then, you know where to meet... correct?" Said the female figure, sporting a long silver coat with several diamond accessories. She had long golden and black hair, glowing eyes that were blue with a hint of purple in the middle, and pale, unblemished skin.

"I... don't think I will be able to make it..." The king began to stutter as he stared at the figure in front of him.

"Oh, then that is alright since this will be the second last meeting we will have."

"Huh? Second last meeting? What do you mean by that?"

"Oh... nothing really."

The woman then turned around before fading into the shadows, leaving the room completely silent.

Authorian wiped the sweat off his forehead, taking in deep breaths.

"To think she was the figure talking to me months ago... how did I not know?"

Authorian got up from his seat and started heading for his room.

"The Twilight Queen... Damn it. How could I not have sensed her presence?"

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