# Extreme Summary
To put it extremely simply, the relationship between the army, the Seven Dragon Lords, and the Hero Party is like rock-paper-scissors.
Individuals cannot defeat an army. However, occasionally, an "exceptional individual" appears who can overwhelm armies.
At this point, the battlefield changes dramatically. One must face both an "individual" capable of confronting armies and the "enemy army" led by that individual.
At this juncture, the Allied Kingdoms had lost nearly half their territory.
This is when the Hero appears. Like immune cells going berserk right before death.
This "overwhelming individual" cannot face armies. Their purpose is different. Rather than having the ability to face many, they focused on developing certain killing power against the few.
On the battlefield of large armies, the Hero is just "one person who fights extremely well." When allied forces are annihilated faster than enemy forces, this individual's utility can only shine brightly.
However, if this "extremely skilled fighter" is pitted against an "independent entity capable of facing armies"...
The tide of war changes again. Now the Allied Kingdoms can restart a "army versus army" war. The frontline, which had to retreat with minimal sacrifices, expands greatly.
Now the Seven Dragon Lords realize they too can die. Their choice was not special: "seclusion."
As long as most of the Hero Party are human, they cannot escape the limitations of lifespan.
Time will inevitably favor the demon army. It's a battle they win just by waiting. The Allied Kingdoms are merely terminal patients relying on the Hero Party as a respirator.
Finally, the Hero disappears.
The Mage and Knight die.
The Priest loses their god.
The Berserker becomes bound within the framework of a nation.
And when it becomes clear that they are raising another Hero Party, that this "new" Hero Party challenged the Seven Dragon Lords again, and even won...
Now the demon army realizes. The "antibody" known as the Hero Party might continue to appear consistently in the future.
Unless they completely cut off the host's breath, the only future left for the pathogen is annihilation.
If all Seven Dragon Lords die, what remains for demonkind is just a primitive tribal society without centripetal force. It might take hundreds more years for another "overwhelming power" to emerge as a focal point.
And if humans capable of precisely targeting these Dragon Lords appear once per generation, then only one option remains.
At this point, when both humans and demons consider each other terminal cases.
To avoid death, one must exterminate the other.
"Do you understand?"
"Cut the bullshit..."
A man spat thickly in response to Maximillian's words.
"Fine, let's say all that is true. Isn't it ridiculous? I'm not saying we should shake hands peacefully and play house, but this war has been going on for 30 years...!"
"The Demon King started it. That's correct."
Maximillian sighed deeply and removed his eyepatch. His dull golden eyes looked down at the man.
"Originally, the Allied Kingdoms had no interest in demon territory. Too barren for humans to live in, too costly to develop for resources, and it was more efficient to deal with fellow humans within the alliance."
"..."
"The demon realm likewise had no interest in humans. For exactly the same reasons. There was little to gain from stirring up a hornet's nest for conquest, and demons were never numerous to begin with. If they sacrificed their kin in war? They'd only be devoured by other Dragon Lords eyeing their divine authority."
Maximillian drove his chain-bound sword deep into the ground. The blade sizzled as the ground beneath it blackened, as if the earth itself rejected him.
"Only the Demon King wanted this war. Breaking the long peace, subjugating all Seven Dragon Lords, binding together demons who had never been united under a single will. The will of one person defined the world as it is now."
"But why?"
It was a question containing many layers.
Why commit such acts? Why betray the alliance? Or rather, why...
From the beginning, this war...
Why did it mix the boundaries between demons and the alliance, two species living in opposing realms, pushing them into a situation where only mutual annihilation could guarantee peace?
All these lives, the despair sown in this land, countless nations and cities destroyed by war, and the many tragedies that would follow and occur again.
What was it all for? If the Demon King merely wanted power, he would have ruled half the world after defeating the Seven Dragon Lords.
At the end of war, all one could gain was a half-victory in a ruined world. Or one's own death.
Why make a choice with such high risk and seemingly no reward?
Maximillian looked into his eyes and concluded:
"For true freedom."
Aviditas's vengeful spirit strangled Yust's soul. With his reason worn down by continued destruction, he shouted:
"You at least, you of all people!!"
Yust screamed and stretched out his arm. Even in that brief moment, dozens of destructive attacks followed. The party was mechanically attacking Yust.
Yes, it could be considered mechanical coordination. Though they hadn't worked together long, Ivan had focused all his training on "coordinated attacks against individuals."
He never attempted to make each person a "complete warrior."
He never cared about the future of each party member, or the talents they could brilliantly develop.
He wanted only one thing: precisely moving components capable of facing powerful individuals. The name for when all these components came together was the Hero Party.
And his purpose, if one had to add something...
"Fall back now."
Before Ivan finished speaking, the entire party quickly withdrew.
If the Hero Party's purpose is "eliminating the Dragon Lords," then their dilemma is "the Dragon Lords' curse." That was the main reason Maximillian disappeared.
Ivan desires a "perfect ending."
'The ending hasn't been determined because preparations for a future Demon King's birth are underway.'
Because Maximillian took on the curse of the Demon King and the Seven Dragon Lords, his very existence hinted at a future Demon King's return, preventing a conclusive ending.
If the "final page" for all transmigrators, in Ivan's case, is "permanent world peace"...
Wouldn't it end only by concentrating the Dragon Lords' curse on one person and completely killing that person?
Though Isabelle and Elfihera proposed a "true solution" through "curse dispersion," the fundamental framework hadn't changed much.
So, the so-called "conclusion" must be written by him.
"Spider Venom—!!"
[Ivan Petrovich!!]
The skull and vampire each screamed. After too much destruction and recovery, the vampire was spewing emotions, unable to maintain rationality.
Aviditas's vengeful spirit had taken control. And that—
[You of all people, at least you I will never overlook!! As payment for all the deaths you've caused, I declare your end!]
Ivan had already placed his empty hand against his chest.
If Aviditas's vengeful spirit had completely consumed him, then naturally his fighting style would be the same as before.
Indeed, the moment his finger pointed at Ivan, Ivan's heart momentarily stopped beating.
Aviditas's price collection. A necromantic spell that stops the target's heartbeat. Until the caster dies, his heart can no longer beat on its own.
It's a spell he already knows well. Therefore, the solution is also the same.
-CRACK!!
Magical power erupted from fingers digging into flesh. Precisely manipulating the cardiac muscle to restart its beating. With the minor side effect that every contraction and relaxation must be replaced by electrical stimulation created through magic.
"What's next in your preparation?"
[Let's see how long your arrogance lasts!]
He screamed and swung his hand. Toxins that sever nerves and burn blood upon skin contact were released into the air.
With his heartbeat restored, blood carries the toxin throughout his body. Blood vessels blacken, creating a mottled pattern like a spider web across his face.
His vision blurs from bloodshot eyes. His extremities tremble. His nervous system is overloading.
-Crack.
So he severs the nerves. Movement can be accomplished through magic instead. Like manipulating a puppet, he steps forward precisely, one step at a time.
That was what the training was for. An agent of that caliber could coordinate every movement, including each step and breath, under precise units.
Therefore, outwardly, all of Ivan's movements appear unchanged.
"What's next in your preparation?"
[You!!]
Chains fall. A spell mixing necromancy that plants curses on skin and sorcery that physically entangles and neutralizes the body.
He breaks it precisely in the reverse direction. It's a spell he already knows and has mastered countermeasures for. The chains shatter and scatter the moment they touch Ivan's body.
One should never use the same technique twice against a trained agent. Let alone a third time.
"What's next in your preparation?"
[...]
He no longer convulsed. In a solemn manner, multiple spells were fired at Ivan. Each spell contained deadly magic capable of killing a human dozens of times over.
The toxin glowing dark green is neutralized by pre-consumed antidote.
The reddish-brown gleaming spear is deflected without even looking.
Crushing the dead hands gripping his feet, shattering the frost of vengeful spirits clinging to his arms with a mere shake of his hands.
Breaking all the patterns he's already experienced with all the countermeasures he prepared in advance, finally...
Standing before him, he asks again:
"What else have you prepared?"
[Ivan Petrovich. I will remember you. I will await your demise.]
"There won't be a fourth chance, Aviditas. I will no longer remember you."
Ivan raised his arm and grabbed Aviditas's head. The already half-split skull screamed, but the muscles in the arm gripping him bulged like writhing snakes.
With a grinding sound, until the skull turned to powder and scattered.
And then pushing his hand in again, grabbing the gasping vampire's skull beneath.
Again, grinding.
The body flutters. Blood spurts between squeezed fingers, then is reabsorbed into the body for recovery. The shattered skull reassembles itself each moment to revive.
Grinding.
It's mechanical destruction, devoid of emotion. The time continues where it breaks, recovers, scatters, and clings together again, craving life.
The party stared blankly at him from beyond the toxin's range.
A face with protruding blood vessels soaked in poison, bloodshot eyes. Yet the gaze and expression beneath were utterly calm.
GRINDING!!
The simplest and surest way to kill an endlessly reviving vampire is to kill it repeatedly until it can no longer revive.
Proving this absurd statement himself, Ivan moved his hand again.
GRINDING!!
The body fluttered once more then went limp. Blood from the shattered head dripped down, unable to seep back into the body.
Looking down at this, Ivan examined the smashed head.
The dead eyes looking up at him were filled with terror.
"Enrique. Vampirism?"
"If you were going to do that, you could have left it in an edible state. Forget it, looks like it would make me sick."
"I see."
Ivan said, wiping the blood from his fingers.
"Now we needn't worry about Olega's minions."
"Were you ever worried?"
"About you."
Ivan's eyes turned to Enrique.
"If I ever worried about vampires, it would only have been about you."
"..."
Enrique looked back at Ivan, then sighed while looking at the sky.
"Flirting as a married man..."
Dawn was breaking through the split sky.
Long sunlight shining between clouds illuminated Pritzenkaya like a carpet, and corpses in its path stretched their bodies under the sunlight.
The undead who rose in this city scatter as ash. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, the dead to the land of the dead.
After hesitating for a while, Enrique shook his head and said:
"Go. I should at least welcome them."
"...Mm."
Ivan turned around, dusting off his hands.
In the distance, a group of skeletons were watching him.