I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [350]

The night was as cool and serene as flowing water.

Outside, a gentle rain fell—too light to disrupt daily life but enough to add a touch of poetic charm to the scenery.

In Belzerg's royal capital, Nero reclined in the cozy room Alice had prepared for her. She sat cross-legged on the bed, examining her adventurer's card.

Then, with a quiet sigh, she leaned back and flopped onto the soft mattress.

"Whew… I finally made it to level 20."

Her emerald eyes half-closed, Nero muttered to herself, "The loot from that golden dragon was amazing. If this were a game, it'd definitely be considered a pay-to-win item."

Defeating the golden dragon and the horde of monsters had earned everyone an enormous amount of experience. Even Kazuma, typically slower to level, had jumped up four whole levels, and the rest of the team had each gained at least one level.

Nero, however, despite her lower level compared to Kazuma, still hadn't leveled up—until the golden dragon dropped its precious loot.

Among the dragon's treasures was a rare material used to create Level-Up Potions.

As the name suggested, a Level-Up Potion could instantly increase a user's level, regardless of the amount of experience required.

When they first obtained the potion, Darkness had suggested saving it for later when leveling up became significantly harder.

But Nero, without hesitation, drank it on the spot. She already found leveling difficult enough.

"I can feel it… My abilities have grown stronger. The change isn't dramatic, but it's there. I wonder, though…"

She gazed at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"If I swap to a different Spirit Origin in the future, will this strength carry over?"

The warmth of the soft bed beneath her was almost hypnotic, lulling her into a rare moment of quiet reflection.

"Umu… It's about time to set off again," she murmured softly.

"I've been in this world for quite a while now… It's been such an entertaining place…"

She couldn't help but smile faintly as she thought of the world's name: Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World.

"However!"

Suddenly, Nero sprang to her feet, her emerald eyes sparkling with determination.

"There's something I've decided on for a long time… and I'll settle it before I leave!"

The stars twinkled brightly in the cool night sky.

Without alerting anyone, Nero slipped away from her room and set off toward the direction of the Demon King's castle.

To reach the Demon King's castle, one had to pass through a vast forest teeming with high-level monsters.

Not surprising, Nero thought.

In a traditional RPG setup, the Demon King's castle was always the final destination. Naturally, the monsters guarding its approach would grow increasingly powerful.

The hero embarks on a journey to defeat the Demon King, gathering trustworthy allies, overcoming countless obstacles, and finally standing before the gates of the Demon King's castle…

Nero smiled to herself.

"This kind of conventional story just doesn't suit me. Umu!"

She dismounted from the griffin she had been riding, gently stroking its head. The majestic creature purred contentedly and nuzzled her face.

This griffin was a chance encounter in the forest—a serendipity Nero couldn't resist. She had idly wondered what it would feel like to soar freely through the sky atop a griffin, and now she knew.

Thanks to her [Riding] and [Animal Dialogue] skills, she quickly earned the creature's favor, convincing it to carry her on this journey.

"All right, it's time for you to head back. The rest of the path is mine to walk alone."

She gave the griffin's soft fur one last pat, savoring its silky texture.

The griffin let out a piercing cry, gazing at Nero wistfully before flapping its powerful wings and vanishing into the clouds.

As she watched it disappear, Nero turned her attention forward.

She now stood atop a hill, from which the Demon King's castle loomed ominously in the distance.

The fortress was a monstrosity of jagged, blackened stone, almost comically evil in appearance. Its design screamed, The final boss is right here. Come and get me!

If Megumin were here, she'd probably be shouting about how "cool" it looks…

The area surrounding the castle was eerily quiet—no guards or patrols in sight. Clearly, the powerful barrier surrounding the fortress gave its inhabitants all the confidence they needed.

Nero had learned from Wiz and Vanir, both former Demon King generals, that this barrier was created by the so-called strongest of the Demon King's generals.

The barrier continuously drew magic from the depths of hell, rendering it nearly indestructible by brute force.

Worse still, the general responsible for the barrier—an angel, no less—could wield this infernal magic as a limitless source of power, making them the world's most powerful mage.

Of course, it just had to involve those meddlesome gods again, Nero thought bitterly. They can't even keep their subordinates in check!

To weaken the barrier, all eight of the Demon King's generals had to be defeated. Only then could the barrier be breached.

Unfortunately, one of the remaining generals, the angelic mage, had holed up inside the castle, making the situation seemingly impossible to resolve.

Still, Nero wasn't one to back down so easily.

After carefully examining the barrier, she concluded:

"It's flawless…"

Seated on a rock outside the barrier, Nero propped her chin in her hand, looking utterly dejected.

"Umu! Even with four—or was it five—generals already defeated, the barrier's still too strong to break by brute force. Not even a hundred [Explosion] spells would work."

The barrier would simply regenerate faster than it could be destroyed.

If only one more general were defeated… the barrier might weaken enough for Yunyun's [Light of Saber] to cut through…

"But!"

Slapping her thighs, Nero stood tall, a confident smirk spreading across her face.

"I don't have time to go hunting down another general!"

Her gaze shifted to the faint shimmer of the barrier.

Drawing her massive black-and-red sword, she raised it high.

"I am the Emperor of Rome, Nero Claudius! And for me, impossible does not exist!"

As she spoke, a whirlwind of azure wind spiraled around her sword, growing more intense with each passing second.

"If your barrier is 'invincible,' then I'll meet it with an 'invincible strike!'"

The wind turned darker, blackening like tainted light.

It coiled and pulsed with a malevolent aura, oozing despair and destruction—like a voracious dragon, endlessly devouring everything in its path.

From a distance, one might mistake her for the villain.

[Mana Burst: Reverse]!

The pillar of black energy surged upward, its ferocity shaking the earth.

Nero gritted her teeth, her smile twisting into something fierce and wild as the strain mounted.

"Let this strike announce my arrival!"

From the direction of the castle gates, she could hear the distant commotion of soldiers scrambling.

Gripping her blade tightly, Nero poured all her energy into one final swing.

"Take this—[Excalibur Morgan]!"

Of course, it wasn't the real [Excalibur Morgan]. Nero didn't actually possess Artoria's Holy Sword or its corrupted counterpart. Her [Imperial Privilege] skill allowed her to copy abilities, not weapons.

But who cared?

Shouting the name made her feel cooler.

---

...

If you're reading this, then you've wandered all the way to the end. I'm impressed. Stories are like wine—meant to be savored, not rushed. So if you took your time? Thank you.

Of course, the real thanks goes to WiseTL—the one who turned tangled words into something beautiful. I just got asked to wrap things up with a ribbon. Hopefully this counts!

If you enjoyed the journey and want to support the person who made it possible, you can find them here:

👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]

Go on. Be generous. They've earned it.

Until next time—read well, rest often, and maybe come visit me at the Hostess of Fertility sometime.

– Syr ✨