Defected Dark Healer’s Rise to Wealth
The Yohenheim Empire, within its capital city Sacred, at the circular coliseum. Before a packed crowd of over a thousand spectators, a fierce battle unfolded between the Kingdom’s hero, Ares, and the Empire’s hero, Milistine Sacred.
“Haahhhhh!!!”
Once a month in the Empire, a mock battle is held at the coliseum in the capital as part of the Knight Corps’ display of military prowess. This time, however, was special—Ares, the hero of the Kingdom, was making an appearance in the arena. As a result, the crowd was larger and more excited than usual.
Each time Ares’ holy sword clashed with Milistine’s, sparks of red and white lightning erupted, further fanning the flames of the audience’s excitement and plunging the arena into a frenzy of passion.
At the center of it all—
“You’ve improved a lot in the past two months, Ares,” the Empire’s hero, Milistine, said with a sly grin.
“Your training with the Imperial Knight Corps must be paying off, no?”
“…Hmph. Still running your mouth before the fight is decided, huh? I never quite got used to that smug face of yours over these two months.”
“Oh, this isn’t smugness. Two months ago, sure, I could barely keep from yawning while dealing with you,” Milistine said, flashing a fresh, herb-like smile.
Ares lunged toward Milistine’s opening, his anger at the taunting words controlled—not an emotional outburst, but a calculated increase in speed to catch Milistine off guard.
“So, you’ve learned to control your raging emotions, Ares?”
“Shut up, or I’ll make you bite your tongue.”
Ares unleashed an upward slash from below. It was a heavy, powerful swing, but—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The slash transitioned smoothly into a series of three strikes: downward from above, diagonal from below, then a horizontal sweep. Each strike was delivered seamlessly, without leaving an opening.
“Haha, it’s as if a wild beast has learned swordplay… terrifying!”
“I’m not falling for your provocations anymore.”
“Hm? No, I was honestly complimenting you.”
“And I’m saying it is provocation, you damned mint-fresh bastard!”
Whoosh! This time, Ares’ swing was driven by anger. The oversized motion left his body open.
“Oops. Sloppy, Ares.”
Milistine drew his holy sword as if nocking an arrow to a bowstring.
“But your improvement is genuinely incredible. As a parting gift, let me show you the Sacred family’s hereditary sword technique: The Dance of Falling Leaves.”
Milistine’s technique was less of a sword strike and more akin to a graceful dance, as the name suggested. His movements resembled leaves swaying in the wind, unpredictable as they closed in on Ares.
The sword style was known within the Imperial Knight Corps as a “first-strike killer,” a technique said to be impossible to counter upon first sight. However—
“You think I haven’t already seen that countless times?” Ares said.
Tilting his body, Ares narrowly avoided Milistine’s holy sword, which had somehow shifted to his blind spot. The blade cut through empty air.
Ares spun around in an instant, swinging his own holy sword. It stopped mere centimeters from Milistine’s neck.
“That makes it one win and twenty-nine losses for me,” Ares said with a smirk.
“…I can’t believe I actually lost,” Milistine replied, accepting his defeat with an air of curiosity.
“Ares, you said you’ve ‘seen’ my dance before? Where exactly…?”
“A woman,” Ares said flatly. “Your dance is similar to the sword technique of that female knight from the Demon Nation—the one who completely outclassed me back in Elden.”
“…How peculiar,” Milistine said, placing a hand on his chin.
“There’s no way someone outside the Sacred family, who hasn’t undergone our generations-old training, could possibly use this technique.”
“I don’t know anything about that. But I’ve beaten it now, here and now,” Ares said with a grin.
“I replayed that woman’s movements in my head, over and over, so much that I dreamed of them. And today, I’ve finally overcome that wall. I’ve perfected myself… the true Ares Ifrit.”
“Perfected?”
“Here and now, the true hero Ares Ifrit, perfectly invincible, has been born!”
“…I see,” Milistine said, shrugging in exasperation at Ares’ triumphant expression.
“Well, as a fellow hero chosen to vanquish the demons, I wish you luck, Ares. Don’t lose to the Demon Nation.”
“Leave it to me. I won’t let them do as they please anymore. And I’ll definitely rescue Artemis…!”
With firm resolve, Ares left the arena and walked back to the preparation room.
Waiting there was—
“A splendid display, Lord Ares,” a familiar voice said.
It was none other than Schwizen, neatly dressed in the Kingdom’s military uniform, alongside other soldiers.
“It’s been a while, Lieutenant Colonel Schwizen. What brings you here?”
“A report regarding the special operation.”
“You mean the mission to assassinate Kiwi Alaya …? Speak.”
“The selection of the hero unit for the mission is complete. You will lead the unit to the World Tree in the Western Elven Kingdom.”
“There, I’ll finally face them again, won’t I? The one who took Artemis, the mastermind behind it all—Kiwi Alaya , the master of that female knight.”
“Yes, without a doubt.”
“Good.”
Ares walked forward with firm, deliberate strides.
“Let’s return to the Kingdom and make our preparations. I’ll ensure absolute victory.”
“—Something interesting has happened, Schwizen.”
While Hero Ares had disappeared into the waiting room and they stood waiting for him to emerge, one of the soldiers leaned in to whisper to Schwizen.
No—strictly speaking, it wasn’t a human soldier at all. It was a small female elf dressed impeccably in a man’s military uniform.
“In the recent battle with the Demon Kingdom’s army, that ‘lazybones’ Marlow has finally decided to make a move.”
The speaker, chuckling softly, was Melissa, one of the Three Sages of the Western Elven Nation. Once again, she had appeared in a disguise wholly unsuitable for blending in. No soldier that small could possibly exist.
However,
“Marlow… You mean one of the Three Sages? If he’s mobilized, will that have any significant impact on what comes next?”
By now, Schwizen wasn’t surprised by her sudden appearances. He lowered his voice to ask.
“Don’t you see, Schwizen? This means there’s a real chance Marlow himself might take to the front lines in the next full-scale battle. If that happens, the next battle could be the greatest—and final—decisive one.”
“What!? Is that true!?”
Schwizen involuntarily raised his voice and glanced around.
But none of the other soldiers waiting alongside them for Hero Ares seemed to notice Schwizen or Melissa at all.
It was probably thanks to some sacred magic Melissa was using.
Composing himself, Schwizen cleared his throat and said,
“In that case, we must prepare even larger forces for the next battle.”
Crossing his arms, Schwizen began to strategize.
“Reinforcements for the Western Elven Nation, or perhaps launching a simultaneous attack on Elden to act as a diversion… Either way, to ensure victory, we need to force the Demon Kingdom to contend with a two-front war.”
“Unnecessary. Don’t bother.”
But Melissa cut him off sharply, dismissing the idea in a single sentence.
“Doing something like that would only throw the plan into disarray.”
“B-but still…”
“We need only one thing—to lure Kiwi Alaya to the Western Elven front. As long as that happens, that’s all I care about.”
Melissa smirked, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished before Schwizen could react.
“…”
A cold sweat ran down Schwizen’s back.
‘To lure Kiwi Alaya to the Western Elven front. As long as that happens, that’s all I care about.’
Melissa’s words from earlier wouldn’t leave his mind.
To draw Kiwi Alaya to the Elven front… and then? What would happen after that? Would the Western Elven Nation, the Hero Unit, and the Kingdom itself… truly be able to achieve victory over the Demon Kingdom?
“…Damn it.”
An overwhelming unease spread through Schwizen like a storm cloud.
He could no longer see where the path he was on would ultimately lead.
Please ignore this author’s note part (it’s for site’s technical reason)
Author’s Note:
Thank you for reading this action-packed chapter! If you enjoyed the clash of heroes, the intrigue of the Demon Kingdom, and the unfolding political tensions, don’t forget to leave a comment or share your thoughts. For more immersive lore and behind-the-scenes insights, check out the Worldbuilding Glossary below. Your support helps keep this story alive and thriving!
Worldbuilding Glossary
- Yohenheim Empire: A powerful empire known for its military prowess and the Sacred family, whose hereditary sword techniques are legendary.
- Sacred Family: The ruling family of the Yohenheim Empire, renowned for their unique sword techniques and leadership in the Imperial Knight Corps.
- Holy Sword: A weapon imbued with divine or magical energy, often wielded by heroes and knights to combat demonic forces.
- Dance of Falling Leaves: A hereditary sword technique of the Sacred family, known for its unpredictable, graceful movements that mimic falling leaves.
- Imperial Knight Corps: The elite military force of the Yohenheim Empire, responsible for maintaining order and showcasing the Empire’s strength.
- Hero Unit: A specialized group of warriors, often led by a hero, tasked with high-stakes missions such as assassinations or decisive battles.
- Demon Kingdom: A rival nation ruled by demonic forces, often in conflict with the human kingdoms and empires.
- Three Sages of the Western Elven Nation: Legendary figures in the Elven Kingdom, each possessing immense power and influence over political and military strategies.
- World Tree: A sacred location in the Western Elven Kingdom, often central to major conflicts due to its strategic and mystical significance.
- Kiwi Alaya: A mastermind within the Demon Kingdom, known for orchestrating high-stakes schemes and commanding powerful subordinates.
- Artemis: A key figure whose capture by the Demon Kingdom has driven Hero Ares to seek vengeance and rescue.
- Sacred Magic: A form of magic tied to divine or holy sources, often used for protection, healing, or concealment.
