I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
"Welcome, child of man."
"It has been some time since I last saw another soul. How long has it been? Seventy years, perhaps? Or maybe forty?"
"...No matter."
The suit of armor rose from its throne, each step ringing with metallic clangs. Though clearly just armor, its shoulders bore lion-shaped pauldrons, and a black cape draped down to the floor. From its helmet spilled a long, fiery mane that flickered like flames.
"My name is Zeldris. The Herrscher of War."
"That is why I closed the gate. I have no intention of letting another intruder escape."
As it descended, a crimson stain spread across the ground, and from it emerged a massive spear—more like a harpoon, lined with jagged teeth along its edges. Zeldris lifted it effortlessly with one hand.
"Shall we begin?"
In an instant, he vanished.
My skill, 〈Chronos〉, activated on its own, granting me a split-second glimpse of his movement—already aiming for my head. I barely dodged, feeling the air shear past my skull. Behind me, a pillar was cleaved clean through, as if sliced through butter.
He swung again, the massive spear tearing through the air. I evaded once more, drawing my twin daggers. A combined blast of fire and ice struck him head-on—yet the armor didn't flinch. Unscathed, he shattered my next attack, a wind spear, with his bare hand.
Desperate, I drew my katana. Its shadow-binding effect coiled around him.
"Is this all you can do? Disappointing."
With a click of his tongue, he snapped the restraints and returned to his throne.
"I expected someone more entertaining—or even dangerous. But you're just a weakling."
"They'll deal with you while I sleep."
A magic circle erupted from the floor, spewing forth an endless tide of knights. I cut them down, my blade a whirlwind of motion. But for every one I destroyed, two more emerged. My arms moved on autopilot, carving through metal until exhaustion blurred my vision. How long had it been? My legs buckled, thirst clawing at my throat.
By the time I realized it, I'd destroyed them all.
Zeldris snapped his fingers, and another horde materialized.
"No matter how many you slay, more will come."
"Such is my power as the Herrscher of War—endlessly escalating strength to crush my foes."
As fatigue threatened to consume me, a memory surfaced—
◇
I was recovering in the royal castle after a life-or-death battle against the Demon King's Lich General.
The door to my room opened, and Princess Clara—a beautiful girl with blue hair and eyes—sat beside me.
"Lord Yamato, how are you feeling?"
"Fine. Just some body aches... but I'll manage."
"...I see. That last battle was truly horrifying. The castle sustained heavy damage, and so many soldiers and servants perished."
That Lich General was one of the most powerful undead in the world. To defeat it, innocent lives had to be sacrificed—just to activate a purification spell the moment it devoured their souls.
The princess began to cry.
"Why... does this keep happening?"
"Father, Mother, even my elder brother... They all died because of the Demon King."
"Why must we suffer like this...?"
"Princess Clara."
"But... I'm glad you're still alive. Having you here with us... truly brings me comfort."
I reached out to embrace her—then realized.
This was an illusion.
"...Why are you showing me this, Sage Yelena?"
The Grand Sage stood in the corner, missing an arm and covered in wounds.
"I merely wanted to give you a pleasant awakening. That's all."
"..."
"Don't tell me the princess...?"
The Sage fell silent.
"...Unfortunately, she failed. She tried to save everyone until the end, but... a cowardly attack took her life."
I punched the bed hard.
"...How many more comrades must we lose?"
"Who knows? Does it even matter now?"
"Only the Demon King remains. Yamato, hurry. We must strike him down immediately."
"In your condition?! Can't you see you're using magic to staunch the bleeding around your ribs?!"
The Sage hung her head, tears welling up.
"I know. But... before my final moments, I want to support you. The princess, I, and all the others—we joined you for the same reason."
"...To see that 'blue sky from fairy tales' together."
I couldn't forgive myself.
Even though they called me the "Hero," the one destined to defeat the Demon King...
I had no real power.
I only made it this far because my comrades turned their corpses into stepping stones for me.
How many more deaths must I witness to protect those precious to me?
That memory resurfaced as I glared at the crimson armor—no, at Zeldris the Herrscher.
Rage flooded my veins.
"No matter how many times I try, it's pointless, you say?"
"That I'm a worthless mutt not even worth attacking?"
"You and these armor puppets are nothing but trash."
"I'll slaughter every last one of you. I'm a survivor—I'll live carrying the wills of those who fell beside me!"
"Prepare yourself, Zeldris!"
I stabbed my black katana into the ground, activating its shadow-binding chains. As the restraints coiled around Zeldris, I lunged to bisect him—
—or so I thought.
He dissolved into crimson mist, evading effortlessly.
"Futile effort. You lack the strength to make me feel pain."
"...Oh really?"
My katana's special effect, 〈Nightmare〉, triggered—inflicting spiritual damage as it pierced his shadow.
Finally, he reacted.
Purple liquid oozed from his armor as he collapsed.
I drew my twin daggers for the finishing blow—but he leaped into the swarm of armor knights.
"I see now how a weakling like you made it this far."
"But I am the Herrscher of War. This is my domain. Let's see you handle this!"
The knights attacked. Exhausted, I fought back with my daggers—
—until Zeldris used them as a distraction to close in. His spear cleaved through the earth, but I dodged and counterattacked with a flurry of slashes.
"I'll commend you. You've graduated from worthless insect to a roach worth crushing."
The physical strikes did nothing, but spiritual damage kept his purple blood dripping.
Our battle escalated—clashing midair, kicking off pillars, blades sparking.
Zeldris' spear shattered the ceiling. As rubble rained down, my knees buckled.
"Enough games. I'll send you to hell with my ultimate technique—using but a thousandth of its power."
He retreated to his throne, raising his spear now glowing blood-red.
(Damn... I can't move. No way to dodge—)
(Wait. That item!)
I pulled out the 〈UR Dagger〉 from my inventory. Its effect: "Perfectly timed counters reflect attacks."
"Ready, human? Behold what mortal eyes shall never see again."
"Kazikli Bey! (Banquet of a Thousand Thorns)"
The spear shot forth at light-speed—too fast even for 〈Chronos〉 to slow. But my hand moved anyway.
"Counter!"
—The world turned crimson.
Zeldris' own spear multiplied into a thousand lances, impaling him instead. The shockwave annihilated half the ruins.
"...Impossible."
He stood up, laughing through his perforated body.
"Hahaha... To think I'd lose to my own attack."
Removing his helmet revealed nothing inside—just hollow darkness.
"Come. I won't bite. This is your victory."
His tone softened, like a veteran recounting war stories.
"Let me properly introduce myself. I am Zeldris Tepes—the Divine Spear of Seven Calamities."
"In life, I was feared, revered, and envied. This cursed spear and I crossed a thousand battlefields... undefeated."
"...Until he appeared. A sorcerer from 'beyond this world'—the King Bel."
(King Bel?)
His voice darkened.
"He demanded my submission. I refused... and lost my limbs in an instant."
"When I spat on his second offer, he cursed me—to guard one of his Seven Catacombs until a 'tyrant-slayer' arrived."
"...That would be you."
"Me? But this is just a dungeon—"
"A dungeon? Hahaha!" He laughed unnaturally. "Boy, humans don't even exist in this world—"
"What?!"
"...No time left."
"First—by defeating me, you've earned the title Herrscher, one of the Seven Sovereigns."
"Second... your life will change. The countdown begins. The other Herrschers will hunt you."
"What happens if I defeat them? What are Herrschers?"
"...You must find those answers yourself."
As his body dissolved into red mist, he declared:
"I, Zeldris, recognize Yamada Yamato—Yukimiya Yuuya—as victor."
"Thus, the gates of Valhalla open for you."
"O blasphemer who treads where heaven forbids... You have passed the trial to become a Monarch."
A searing pain erupted in my head. My status screen updated:
[Class: Herrscher]
"May King Bel have mercy on your path."
"Hail ████."
With those cryptic words, Zeldris vanished. The dungeon collapsed, leaving only his spear—now reshaped into a dragon-tailed lance called "Bloody Emperor Vlady"—in my grip.
Everything was incomprehensible...
"I'm starving. Let's go home."