I Became a Hero With a Lot of Experience

32 – 032: Castle Siege (4)

‘What nonsense is this…?’

The fleeting thought in Maro’s mind at that moment was probably something both tribes deeply empathized with.

Virgin. Human rights.

While he understood the meanings of the words, they were irrelevant to the current situation.

Caught in the absurdity of words with no context or discernible pattern, the warrior with a slammed Lance aggressively approached the three tribes.

With a sharp, sudden noise that struck the ears, the three tribes almost simultaneously broke into cold sweats.

The warrior’s trampled ground no longer maintained its original shape.

Having a physique surpassing that of humans was common among them all, but this one went beyond the limits.

Fear swallowed with dry saliva, and the first to step forward among them was Yesder, who possessed the most specialized defensive ability.

“I’ll go first!!”

Yesder laughed boisterously, as if trying to dispel the fear, and rushed out recklessly.

He had the appearance of a wild boar, and in reality, his thought process wasn’t much different. Yet, he had confidence that he could withstand the attack.

“aaah!!!”

With a shout, as the magic accumulated in his horn rushed through his entire body, red scales began to emerge.

If one reached the rank of an officer, it was natural to have at least one outstanding skill.

The technique Yesder named “Dragon Scale” covered his entire body with hard scales as soon as it was activated.

While the strength of the scales did not compare to those of an actual dragon, Yesder’s scales had a strength surpassing steel and resistance to abnormal mana.

Whether the warrior knew this fact or not, without hesitation, he thrust his Lance.

Coated with golden divine power, the Lance emitted a brilliant light as it clashed with Yesder’s scales, creating a thunderous roar that shook the mansion.

“Ugh, ugh!!”

Beyond the scales, the impact transmitted to Yesder’s internal organs, causing him to slowly retreat.

Although the Lance did not pierce the scales immediately, the focused impact was transmitted to all of his internal organs.

With blood, Yesder’s scales began to crack, and the Lance gradually moved forward.

If it continued like this, the scales would be pierced, and the tide of the battle would be decided, but…

“Die!!”

In this mansion, it wasn’t just one officer of the Demon Army, Yesder.

This is not a fair duel, and the three tribes are not honorable knights.

They never intended to fight alone from the beginning, and the pride of the unmanned never lingered in their hearts for even a moment.

From Edge’s leaping hand, a wind imbued with sharpness beyond the blade poured over the warrior.

From behind, the corpses of an unnamed knight and mercenary controlled by Maro covered the ground.

In front, Yesder bared his fangs, waiting for the warrior to falter.

From above, Edge and the wind’s blade.

From behind, Maro’s puppet was rushing toward the warrior.

“….”

In the midst of the crisis, the warrior immediately grasped the situation and turned on his heels.

As the crushing force struck the ground directly, the floor collapsed, and the warrior fell below.

As the ground shattered, swirling dust engulfed the warrior, and the three tribes reflexively stepped back, immediately pursuing the warrior through the hole.

But they couldn’t descend below.

Because beneath the hole where the warrior disappeared, a white light was aiming at the three.

*****

“….”

As anger filled his head, his thoughts strangely cooled down, turning almost absurdly calm in contrast.

As his head cooled, he had a moment to reflect on himself.

Of course, he was still under attack by the newly appeared virgin and indifferent ones, but they were more than enough to handle even if he turned a blind eye.

Where should he start?

Why did the demons suddenly appear?

Or why was he so angry at the virgins despite claiming not to discriminate against them?

That question had been with him for a while, but it was a contradiction he had consistently ignored.

A contradiction pointed out by Yuni.

He claimed not to discriminate against virgins, but in reality, he clenched his teeth at the sight of a virgin.

Not all virgins were hateful, but some with a high concentration made him nauseous just by being in the same space.

It wasn’t a reaction from a human who didn’t hate virgins.

When I recognized the contradiction and faced it for the first time, the world suddenly started to turn white.

“Now, do you have the courage to face the contradiction within you?”

Hearing that voice and looking around, I found myself standing in the center of a pathological city dyed not with the color of the mansion but with pathological whiteness.

In front of me is Uni. He looked at me with a stiff expression, as if urging me for an answer.

“Yeah, I actually…”

“Don’t hesitate in your response.”

“…”

“I am you. You are me. There is no reason to hesitate in answering yourself.”

“Yeah… I am――.”

I discriminate between virgins and non-virgins.

In front of another existence that could be considered another me, I admitted that fact for the first time.

“Yeah, surprisingly, that’s true. In fact, I’ve been thinking of non-virgins as weeds that a dog peed on.”

Although I was so good at acting that no one could have noticed, this was my sincerity.

Uni, being none other than myself, saw through my perfect acting and realized the truth.

“Why did you tell such a lie?”

“… Probably, at first, it was the internet.”

On the internet, I was invincible.

I gained fame from various places along with the alias of a seeker of purity, defining many virgin theories, including the virgin conclusion that everything leads to virginity.

No one could oppose me in the virginity debate, and eventually people called me “Hogakun” and admired me.

But even I had an unanswerable question.

“Since virgins are so precious, shouldn’t empathy also be avoided with virgins? In the end, virgins disappear, isn’t it the same?”

The moment I heard that question, it felt like I was slapped hard on the head.

Even though my followers defended me, saying it was nonsense, the fact remained that I couldn’t answer.

Yes, even if the opponent was empathy, there was no change in the fact that virgins disappeared.

In the end, virgins disappear. Then, is empathy meaningful even if it is expressed?

“The moment I realized that fact, many things began to become clear. I knew the nobility and preciousness of purity, yet I wanted to pluck that flower.”

“…”

I am the worst.

Despite knowing the nobility and preciousness of virginity, I tried to take away a virgin due to base s*xual desire.

Just like a male feminist hiding vile s*xual desire behind feminism, I was hiding base s*xual desire behind virginity.

“And I realized. The resentment I had towards non-virgins was simply jealousy.”

I couldn’t bring myself to hurt a virgin, even though I knew the nobility and preciousness of virginity.

However, how could they tear the virgin apart so easily?

The majority sympathize with not being able to be with a virgin.

Why did such a thing happen?

Who caused such a thing to happen?

Ah, it’s them.

Because of them, many sympathies didn’t graduate as virgins but graduated as used.

I envy those who don’t know the preciousness of purity.

I despise those who, without realizing that preciousness, discard virgins like disposable plastic straws.

Thinking like that, I’ve been saying that I don’t discriminate between virgins and non-virgins.

Because…

“If I seem lenient towards non-virgins during a debate!! I might look like a pushover!!!”

“……”

“But… I’m not someone who can be a pushover. I can’t be like a pushover. I could never bring myself to tear apart a virgin with my own hands…!!”

“Johan…”

“I tried too!!! I wanted to be with a virgin too!! But that’s not allowed!! Even if it’s sympathy, you must never lay a hand on a virgin!! So… I have to live as a virgin for life. Humanity doesn’t need further prosperity from here; everyone should die as both sympathizers and virgins――!!”

“Johan!!!”

Suddenly, Yuni, who had been quietly listening, embraced me.

Amidst my sudden confusion, Yuni whispered in a soft voice.

“Nevertheless, it’s okay.”

“What?”

“Even if it’s sympathy, you can say you want to be with a virgin!! For someone with a tally of 17 s*xual experiences seeking a virgin, that’s an act without conscience or shame, but it’s not sympathy!! You can demand it with dignity!!”

“Well, but…”

Sweet, so very sweet words burrowed into my ears.

It was a venomous temptation from the serpent’s tongue, yet it was the answer I had been seeking all along.

Because it was me saying those words.

And because of that… I knew.

I wouldn’t be able to resist that sweet temptation.

“In reality… haven’t you been waiting all along? For someone to tell you that it’s okay to be with a virgin from the moment the inner contradiction was born.”

“……!!”

A step away from Yuni, I gazed at the city tinged in white.

In the center of the city where color had slowly returned, Uni, whose hands were stained apricot, was waiting for me with a compassionate expression.

“Uni…”

“That’s not my name.”

“Ah, right…”

Uni extends her hand.

As I grabbed her hand, which had a hue of apricot instead of white, I shouted her name.

“Let’s go!! Johan!! No need to fear pity and virginity!!”

“Yeah!!”

“If you step back, it’s a flop! If you’re scared, it’s slaughter! Shout it out!! My name!!!”

Uni’s body starts emitting a brilliant light and begins to transform. With a strangely familiar sensation, I shouted her name while caressing it with my hand.

“Unicorn.”

When I returned to the mansion, I wasn’t alone.

With me was Gunrants, a guardian of newfound purity and the ultimate weapon hailed as invincible.

“Oh light!!”

Gunrants’ muzzle began to emit light.

The light of a hero announcing the beginning of a new world filled the world.