Chapter 158

Chapter 158: Chapter 158

"Any attack against you will strengthen you," the High Priest said. "Any magic used on you will be learned by you. Any technique employed against you will become your technique. You are the perfect warrior, the ultimate hero, the—"

"Yeah, I’m getting that," Advent interrupted again. "So basically I’m like that guy from One Punch Man but with extra steps. Anything thrown at me won’t work and I can’t actually be hurt, so I am basically the definition of Op "

The High Priest looked confused by the reference. "I do not understand your words, but yes, you are invincible."

"Great," Advent said with surprising lack of enthusiasm. "Invincible. That’s... great."

He didn’t sound like he thought it was great.

—---

FEW WEEKS LATER

Advent who had started being called The Reaper after his first major battle where he’d "reaped" an entire demon army single-handedly sat in a tavern, laughing with his party.

Yes, despite being literally invincible, he’d formed a party. Because what was the point of being in a fantasy world if you couldn’t have the full adventurer experience?

"And then—" his party member Marcus was saying between laughs, "—and then the dragon tried to breathe fire at him, and Advent just stood there and ATE THE FIRE. Just opened his mouth and swallowed it like it was food!"

"It tasted like cinnamon," Advent said with a grin. "Weird, right? Dragon fire tastes like cinnamon."

"You’re insane," Sarah, the party’s mage, said with affection. "Completely insane."

"Nah, just curious," Advent replied. "I mean, if I’m immune to fire anyway, might as well see what it tastes like, right?"

This was Advent in his prime—still enjoying the adventure, still finding joy in exploration and discovery. His party had been together for twenty years, and they’d become like family.

They’d cleared dungeons together. Defeated demon generals. Saved towns and kingdoms. Had silly arguments about whether slimes were cute or disgusting (Advent maintained they were cute, much to his party’s exasperation).

"So what’s next?" Marcus asked. "We’ve cleared every major dungeon in the western kingdoms. Where do we go from here?"

"I heard rumors about a sky fortress in the north," Advent suggested. "Supposed to be full of ancient technology and flying monsters. Could be fun."

"Fun," Sarah repeated with a laugh. "Only you would describe fighting flying monsters as ’fun.’"

"What can I say? I like variety." Advent stretched, feeling content. "Besides, you guys make it fun. Fighting alone would be boring."

"Speaking of fighting," their fourth member, a dwarf named Thorin, interjected. "The kingdom’s been putting pressure on the guild. Saying we need to take the fight to the demon lords directly. Stop messing around with dungeons and actually end the war."

The mood at the table immediately sobered.

"The demon lords," Advent repeated quietly. "Yeah. I’ve been avoiding thinking about that."

"Avoiding?" Sarah asked. "Why? You’re invincible. You could probably take them all on yourself."

"That’s the problem," Advent said. "I probably could. Which means... what? I go there, I win, the demon lords die, war’s over. Then what?"

"Then we’ve saved the world?" Marcus offered.

"Yeah, but then it’s done," Advent said. "The big adventure, the ultimate challenge—it’s over. What comes after that? What do I do when there’s nothing left to fight?"

His party exchanged glances. They’d never heard Advent sound so melancholic before.

"You find new adventures," Sarah said gently. "You live. You build something. You don’t need constant fighting to have purpose."

"Maybe," Advent said. "But fighting is what I’m good at. It’s what I was summoned for. Without it..."

He didn’t finish the sentence, but his party understood. Advent was worried about what happened when the adventure ended. When invincibility meant nothing because there were no more challenges.

"Well, we’re not there yet," Thorin said practically. "Plenty of demon lords still around. Plenty of world left to save. So let’s not borrow trouble from tomorrow, eh?"

"Yeah," Advent agreed, forcing his smile back. "You’re right. One day at a time."

But the seed of existential dread had been planted.

-------

YEARS LATER

Advent stood alone on a battlefield that stretched for miles.

Behind him lay the ruins of what had once been the demon lord council’s fortress. The massive structure had been reduced to rubble and dust. Bodies—thousands of them, demons and corrupted creatures—littered the ground like fallen leaves.

And in front of him stood the twelve demon lords themselves.

His party was long gone. Marcus had died 180 years ago, killed by a demon general in a battle Advent hadn’t reached in time. Sarah had retired years ago due to being too old to adventure anymore, and had died peacefully in her sleep years later. Thorin had been killed by assassins years ago.

Advent had been alone for a long time now. And in that solitude, his power had grown to impossible heights. Every battle, every encounter, every attack had made him stronger. His Absolute Adaptation had accumulated centuries of experience, techniques, and immunities.

He was no longer just invincible. He was a force of nature. A walking apocalypse.

"So here we are," Advent said, his voice carrying across the silent battlefield. "The twelve strongest demons in the world, versus one human hero. This should be interesting."

"You think this is a game?" the first-seat demon lord—an ancient lich whose name Advent had never bothered learning—snarled. "You’ve slaughtered thousands of our people. Destroyed our territories. Hunted us like animals. And you call it interesting?"

"What else would I call it?" Advent replied with a shrug that was infuriatingly casual. "I was summoned to fight demon lords. That’s what I do. Nothing personal."

"Nothing personal?" another demon lord—this one wreathed in flames—roared. "You’ve destroyed everything we’ve built!"

"Yeah, well, you guys did try to conquer the human kingdoms," Advent pointed out. "Kind of brought this on yourselves."

"We’re fighting for survival!" a female demon lord screamed. "Humans hunt us, enslave us, kill us for sport! We were defending ourselves!"

"Look, I get that there’s probably nuance to this whole conflict," Advent said. "But honestly? I stopped caring about the politics a century ago. You’re strong. I’m strong. We fight. That’s the relationship."

His casual dismissal of their grievances enraged the demon lords beyond reason.

"KILL HIM!" the lich commanded.