I Played the Role of a Hated Hero, but for Some Reason, I'm Loved by the Last Boss and Living W

Translated by AmaLynne
by AmaLynne
AN:
This is a description of the hero versus the last heroine.
I’m having a dream.
Why do I know it’s a dream…? It’s because the scene I’m looking at right now is an event from my own past.
The images that are playing as if I am reliving those days are my very own memories.
The memory I’m looking at, dream… is a fierce battle for my life against Demiurge.
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―――I was frustrated.
As I had heard, no magic attack really worked.
Fire Arrows, Wind Blades, Water Bullets, Flying Stones, everything is blocked by her【 Magic Barrier 】.
I managed to step forward to deliver a sword blow, but,
“Damn it, get out of the way!”
Because of the two demons that blocked my way―――【 Manticore 】and【 Black Scaled Wyvern 】, my attacks could not reach Demiurge at all.
The Manticore is a class-A demon with a human-like face, a lion’s body, and a scorpion’s tail.
It is a vicious, human-looking demon that likes to attack and eat humans.
And the Black Scaled Wyvern, as the name suggests, is a flying dragon species with black scales. It is much larger than a normal wyvern, and its scales are extremely hard.
Like the Manticore, this one has an A-grade demon rank.
“What’s the matter, is that all? Where’s the attitude you were talking about?”
“Shut up. Now, here we go!”
“Still barking? All right, deal with him, boys.”
『『 Gruuuoooooooo! 』』
The two demons roared and charged towards me.
I dodged it just in time and delivered a blow to the manticore’s abdomen with my sword.
Fresh red blood spurts out, and the manticore lets out a roar that is a mixture of pain and anger.
As I was swinging my sword, Black Scaled Wyvern swung its claws down at me, but I put my mana into my sword and gave it a quick flash. The claws fly off.
Although it doesn’t bleed, it looks shocked, and I give a further blow, decapitating it.
Turning around, I thrust my sword deep into the pained, slow-moving Manticore’s forehead and put an end to it.
“Houu, you’re good. But I can create as many demons as I want. Now, how many of them do you think you can take on before you fall? Fufu.”
Demiurge smiles cruelly at me.
I rarely take part in battles, preferring to watch from on high.
I felt a blue streak appear on my forehead at her conceited generosity.
But that’s how much of a difference in power there is.
So far, I’ve managed to defeat the demons that she creates.
But my strength is not inexhaustible.
At some point, I will run out of energy.
Before that happens, I have to settle this somehow.
“Hmm, you’re hiding behind a demon and sneaking around, Demiurge. You’re very weak, aren’t you?”
“Don’t try to provoke me. There have been plenty of defeated people who have tried to provoke me that way. In the first place, the moment I get in front of you, the end will come quickly. This battle is a sideshow. It was only meant to entertain me in the first place. Now, clown, show me once again how you dance!”
“Damn it!”
Once again, a demon is created.
This time is【 Tyrant Scorpion 】!
A giant scorpion monster.
I raise my sword and lunge at the monster.
I fend off the attacks, dodge them, and take advantage of the gaps to defeat them.
Such battles were repeated over and over again.
The【 Stamina Potion 】I had brought with me was running out.
But I’m still standing.
My whole body is injured, my breathing is ragged, and I’m so wounded that I feel like I’m about to break my knees, but I’m not down yet!
“Well done. You’re the first person to challenge me alone and hold out this long.”
“W-Well, isn’t it just that, the guy you’ve been up to, was too weak? I still, have time to spare, you know.”
“Are you still smarting while being torn apart, human? Why are you standing there? Don’t you want to get comfortable already?”
“I hate to say it, but humans are vindictive creatures. I don’t want to go down easily without having achieved my goal!”
Spitting blood, I raised my voice.
Demiurge saw this and narrowed her eyes.
“Is your goal to defeat me?”
“No. it’s to save the world!”
“Save the world, you say?”
Demiurge’s voice lowers as if it were tinged with cold.
“Every human before me, and every human before that, has said the same thing, that I must be defeated in order to save the world.”
“What?”
“To save their world, they challenged me again and again to kill me. Over and over and over again!”
Demiurge’s expression shows clear anger.
It was as if a mass of air was coming at her, a dense, angry air.
I almost fell to my knees.
“The people who come here always say it’s for the good of the world, for the good of the world, and then they turn on me. But in the first place, it is you humans who are trying to destroy this world!”
“Wha?!”
That voice made my body shrivel up.
But more than anything, I was astonished that Demiurge, who had always maintained a transcendent attitude, had revealed her emotions.
“What do you mean, humans are destroying the world? What are you talking about, you’re the one who is plunging this world into destruction and chaos!”
“Humans are ignorant creatures, aren’t they? I’m sure you’re not aware that the magical civilization you’ve developed is undermining the world!”
“Ha? What are you talking about when you say that magic is destroying the world…”
I’ve never heard of magic destroying the world.
It’s not as if Demiurge is making excuses to defend herself.
There is no reason for her to lie and bullshit in the first place.
That means… it’s, true? I can’t believe magic is destroying the world.
“In the first place, there was a great tree in this world called the World Tree. The tree produced mana that circulated around the world. However, the magical civilization that has developed over the years has undermined the world, and a lot of mana is being consumed from the earth. It is no longer possible to maintain the world with only the mana produced by the World Tree.”
“Th-The World Tree?”
It is the name of a legendary tree that appears in myths and fairy tales.
However, it is a great tree of legend that has yet to be found despite the efforts of scholars and adventurers around the world to find it.
Why does the name of such a great tree come from Demiurge?
“The World Tree was born with me at the creation of the world. Ever since then, I have been protecting the World Tree. But the tree is dying. A single World Tree is no longer enough to support the magical civilization overflowing in the world. That is why I have decided to destroy it. I will erase all civilizations created by humans and create a new life. That is my purpose. It is the salvation of the world.”
“You’re willing to die for it?”
“It’s the irony of the matter. Even if you don’t do it yourself, you’ll eventually perish. However, it is unacceptable to involve the world and destroy it. If it’s going to perish, perish by yourself!”
“Kuu…”
Was the Demiurge trying to protect this world?
The world tree is dying because of the magic that humans have developed?
And the world is dying because of us?
If that’s the case, then why did I come here?
It’s obvious. To save the world.
I just believed that if I could defeat Demiurge, the world would be saved.
But if I defeat her, the world will be destroyed.
Should I believe her, what she says?
…I guess I’ll have to believe. I can’t think of any reason why the Demiurge should be lying in distress.
Then, should I just go to sit here and allow this guy to take me down and kill all the people in the world?
Something like that…
“Something like that, there’s no way I could do that.”
The three girls who had just been separated came into my mind.
That’s not all. I’ve met a lot of people in my life before I got here.
I can’t just sit back and allow those people to be killed!
“Even if… Even if it destroys the world, I will defeat you!”
“Foolish. You do not see the big picture and challenge me for the glory of the moment! You’re only human, a snob!”
“Shut up! I’m not big enough to see the world on a global scale as you do! But still, there are people I want to protect, just like you want to protect the world!”
That’s right. It’s impossible for a small guy like me to protect something as big as the world.
Then, even if it’s my ego, I’ll protect the people in my hands more than the world!
So lend me your strength, Martina, Sofia, and Touka!
With your help, I’ll protect you all!
“…Well said, human. All of them have lost their will to fight as soon as they heard this story… You still want to challenge me, don’t you? Then…”
As soon as she said it, Demiurge moved.
The gear golem began to march forward, the earth shaking.
Its movement is terribly slow, but because of its huge size, it quickly reached me.
“Rejoice, mortal. For your folly, I will personally deal with you. I, Demiurge, God of Creation, will annihilate your soul!”