The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

Adventurer's Guild.

Zun Zun, seemingly to avenge the events of the previous night, was currently beating Dust… oh, no, it was just the two of them sparring to improve their skills.

“Get up.”

Zun Zun slapped Dust, who was lying on the ground, and said, “At your age, at your stage, can you even sleep? Hurry! Get up and keep fighting!”

Because Dust's true strength lay in his marksmanship, his swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat were laughably weak. Even without magic, Zun Zun could easily knock him down, and Dust couldn't even retaliate.

This feeling… it was amazing!

The bullying-like behavior made the kind-hearted Yunyun feel a little uneasy.

On the other hand, Lynn was clapping and cheering. After all, she had been attacked by this scumbag the night before, and coupled with the nonsense he had spouted, it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

Being treated as a spellcasting material would disgust any girl unless she genuinely liked the person, especially when the person in question was a scumbag like Dust.

“N-No more… I'm going to die if you keep hitting me! Lynn, save me!”

“Get up! The more you sweat in peacetime, the less you bleed in war; the more you risk your life in peacetime, the less likely you are to lose it in war. Don't you understand such a simple principle, Dust!”

“Are you my drill sergeant!?”

Dust wailed incessantly.

Did you think the adventurers in the guild would speak up for him? Of course not! Dust's favorite thing to do was to bully new adventurers and extort drinks from them, and he never tired of it.

Most of the adventurers present had been extorted by him, so they all cheered and even urged Zun Zun to hit him harder.

Although Dust's swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat were terrible, his body was very well-trained. After all, it was rare to see someone who could scream so full of energy after being beaten for so long.

He was indeed hiding his true abilities, willing to play the clown.

Darkness, who was in the corner, was eager to try, but her friend Chris held her down tightly.

“Stop it! Your actions are too much!”

A very righteous voice.

It sounded like a disciplinary committee member from somewhere.

Turning his head to look, as expected, it was the Magic Sword Hero, Mitsurugi Kyouya.

“I can't let you bully him!”

“Bully him? No, we're just having a friendly spar. After all, if you want to get stronger, you have to seize every opportunity to train. Right, Dust?”

“Y-Yes…”

Under Zun Zun's kind smile, Dust had no choice but to swallow his anger and dared not speak out. However, because Mitsurugi Kyouya interrupted, Zun Zun let him go, and Dust hurriedly fled.

“I see, if you want to get stronger, you have to seize every opportunity to train? I've learned something.”

Mitsurugi Kyouya looked like he had learned something.

Seeing him and the two followers beside him, each carrying a knapsack, Zun Zun realized something.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes. Since losing to you, I've felt that my training is not enough! Plus, what just happened made me realize that if I want to win against you, I have to work even harder!”

Mitsurugi Kyouya was ashamed and then brave, knowing his weakness and striving to improve. He had the style of a hero. How could she not lend him a hand?

The corners of Zun Zun's mouth cracked into an evil smile, which disappeared in the blink of an eye, making people think they had seen things.

“Ahem, Mitsurugi Kyouya.”

“Just call me Mitsurugi.”

“Then… Mitsurugi, do you want to become stronger?”

“That's right.”

Mitsurugi Kyouya answered solemnly.

Zun Zun nodded and said, “Yes, wanting to become stronger is a good thing, but I think your method is wrong.”

“M-Method is wrong?”

“That's right. Look, I'm only level 10 now. I don't know what level you are, Mitsurugi, but it must be higher than me. However, even so, your strength is not as strong as mine. Don't mention not using the magic sword or anything, I haven't used my true strength either.”

Being hit where it hurt, Mitsurugi Kyouya's face was a little strained. But soon, he was attracted by what Zun Zun said next.

“Do you want to know why I'm so strong?”

“…Why?”

“This is thanks to a potion.”

Zun Zun said somewhat mysteriously, “Mitsurugi, you should know that the Crimson Demons are all born great archmages, and basically all of them have learned advanced magic. However, not everyone has enough skill points to learn advanced magic from the start.

But why did we learn advanced magic when we graduated from school, even though our levels were not high?”

Without waiting for him to speak, Zun Zun answered himself.

“Because we used this.”

Under Mitsurugi Kyouya's gaze, Zun Zun took out a bottle of potion. The potion was light purple, and there was a character [Zun] on the bottle.

“—Skill Point Potion.”

“I've heard of this. It's a very rare potion that can increase skill points.”

Mitsurugi Kyouya was not a newbie either. He often went to the royal capital and had seen the world, so he had naturally heard of the existence of skill point potions. It was just a pity that he had never drunk one because it was too expensive.

Zun Zun's voice, as alluring as a succubus, followed.

“Do you want to become stronger, do you want to stand out, do you want to be different? As long as you have this skill point potion, you can learn more powerful skills, be sought after by more people, and become a true hero!”

“T-True hero?”

“That's right! Think about it, Mitsurugi! Since becoming the Magic Sword Hero, you have been working hard to become the hero who defeats the Demon King. But look, you have been a prospective hero for so long and have not gathered all your teammates or defeated any of the Demon King's army executives!

Is it because you are not working hard enough, or is it because you are not talented enough? No! You have the talent of a sword master, you have the magic sword Gram, and you always go to dangerous places to fight! All you lack is a mere bottle of skill point potion!”

“Skill point potion…”

Mitsurugi Kyouya was clearly tempted, but soon regained his composure.

“B-But leveling up can also give you skill points…”

“At most 100 points, and then what? Mitsurugi, you have to understand that humans have limits, unless you surpass them! And this bottle of skill point potion is the insurmountable gap between you and ordinary sword masters! Are you going to watch it, the hope of defeating the Demon King, slip away from your hands?”

Zun Zun's words were powerful and passionate, and the meaning he wanted to express was very simple:

—How can you become stronger without spending money?

Mitsurugi Kyouya struggled for a long time, and finally gritted his teeth and said, “I'll buy it. How much is the potion?”

“Thank you for your patronage, 20 million Eris.”

Zun Zun had the face of a profiteer.

The two followers beside Mitsurugi Kyouya immediately shouted, “W-Wait! 20 million Eris is too expensive!” “…Why don't you just rob us!”

“I don't like hearing that. How can robbing be as quick as this?”

“You…!” X2

Zun Zun's words made the two flat-chested girls swell with anger, their faces flushed red.

But he really wasn't asking for an exorbitant price. Although skill point potions were expensive, they were indeed rare and priceless. Many powerful and wealthy adventurers were eager to get their hands on them.

Hearing this exorbitant price, Mitsurugi Kyouya also retreated a little.

How could this be?

Zun Zun stepped on the gas.

“Mitsurugi, think about it, the money you spend hasn't left you, it's just changed into a happier way to continue accompanying you, right? Not to mention, you didn't use the money to eat, drink, and have fun, but to become stronger!”

“B-But it's really too expensive, I'm just an ordinary adventurer…”

“What are you talking about? You get what you pay for! Go out and ask around, how popular are the potions made by the Crimson Demons? Many people are scrambling to buy them! Besides, shouldn't you pay something if you want to become stronger? You have the Demon Sword, and it will become even more powerful after using the skill point potion. Once you do a few high-level quests, won't you earn the money back?”

Kyoya Mitsurugi thought carefully.

It seemed to make sense!

He was a famous adventurer in the kingdom, currently ranked third. Plus, he had a divine artifact bestowed upon him by a goddess—the Demon Sword Gram. As long as he wanted money, he could definitely earn it quickly.

Seeing him waver again, Zun Zun seized the opportunity.

Appealing to his emotions and reasoning.

“Skill point potions are very scarce. Many powerful adventurers hope to have one. If you don't want it, I can only sell it to someone else.

But you know, Axel is just a beginner town. How many people can use such a thing? And rather than giving it to these insignificant small fries, it's better to give it to you. Only a powerful Demon Sword Hero like you, Mitsurugi, catches my eye.”

“Ugh!”

Being recognized, Kyoya Mitsurugi was somewhat moved. Zun Zun's emotional appeal was quite effective.

“B-but the price of 20 million Eris is really too high. I really can't come up with that much money at once,” Kyoya Mitsurugi said, looking troubled.

Zun Zun grinned: “It's okay, we can do installment payments!”

“I-installment payments!?”

Kyoya Mitsurugi was all too familiar with this term.

In his previous life as a modern Japanese high school student, because he didn't have much pocket money, he used installment payments to buy various return gifts for his younger sister, childhood friend, upperclassmen, and lowerclassmen. Why did he have to do installment payments even in another world?

He felt like the world was a giant cage that he could never escape.

“Come, take a look.”

Zun Zun drafted a contract.

Buyer (hereinafter referred to as Party A): ____

Seller (hereinafter referred to as Party B): Zun Zun

Details omitted.

The main point is that Party B provides Party A with a skill point potion, and Party A needs to repay 220,000 Eris each month for a total of 100 natural months, totaling 22 million Eris.

A maximum of two months of non-payment is allowed in between, but they cannot be consecutive, i.e., pay for one month, then skip two months.

Zun Zun was very considerate. In order to avoid making Kyoya Mitsurugi feel uncomfortable, he even made himself Party B and Kyoya Party A. Anyway, the contract content didn't change, and he didn't lose out.

But…

“W-wait a minute! Why is it 2.2 million Eris!?”

“The interest is too high!”

The two followers were really noisy.

“Because I'm taking a big risk… You are adventurers who frequently enter dangerous places, right? You might lose your life at any moment! Besides, normally a 20% down payment is required. Only because Mitsurugi is my friend did I only ask for a 1% down payment! Hurry up and say, 'Thank you, Brother Zun Zun!'”

“W-well…”

Kyoya Mitsurugi twitched his lips.

You could say Zun Zun was a cunning merchant. He didn't deliberately ask for more money. He even only required a 1% down payment. But if you said he was kind, he wanted 10% interest from you, which was even higher than XX!

N-no good…

Suddenly, he didn't want to buy it that much.

Kyoya Mitsurugi wasn't stingy with money, but he felt like he was being tricked.

“Kyoya, maybe it's better not to buy it after all.”

“That's right, that's right. Even if Kyoya wants to buy it, save up enough money to buy it. With your strength, you can save up enough money quickly. There's no need to spend extra money.”

Honestly, these two followers were really noisy.

They actually dared to hinder him from making money!

Kyoya Mitsurugi also sighed slightly and said, “Indeed, I still…”

“There is such a goddess!”

“Eh, eh? What are you suddenly talking about?” “Hey, what exactly do you want to do!”

Zun Zun shouted loudly, making the two followers somewhat wary. But Zun Zun ignored them and continued to say:

“There is such a goddess. She has beautiful long blue hair, as beautiful as an angel. Although she is at the age of a flower, she is trapped in a black room like a cage. Day after day, she receives guests, gives them farewell gifts, and sends them to the world they should go to, while harboring an expectation she shouldn't have—that the hero will defeat the Demon King.

Finally, one day, the blue-haired goddess met a young man with great potential.

The goddess asked: 'Ah, hero, can you defeat the Demon King and save the world, freeing me from this cage?'

The young man said: 'Please rest assured, Goddess. With the Demon Sword you bestowed upon me, I will definitely defeat the Demon King.'

The goddess said: 'Okay, I look forward to it.'

So, with the goddess's high expectations, the young man embarked on an adventure.

However, the young man did not live up to the goddess's expectations. Although he worked hard, he never gathered companions, nor did he become very strong. In the end, he died frustrated because he couldn't defeat any of the Demon King's generals.

And after learning about this, the goddess remained silent for a long time, just like the black room that was like a cage, she also closed off her heart and became lifeless.”

Zun Zun closed his mouth and quietly looked at Kyoya Mitsurugi.

The two followers were a little scared.

“W-what's wrong… Suddenly telling such a strange story…”

“T-that's right! No matter what you say, we won't buy it! Right, Kyoya!… Eh, Kyoya?”

The expected response did not come.

Kyoya Mitsurugi fell silent.

Zun Zun said in a flat tone, “Mitsurugi, you should know that upper-level classes require a lot of experience points. The more you level up, the harder it is to obtain skill points, the more time it takes, and there's no way to start over.

But the skill point potion is different. It's a shortcut for you to become stronger without side effects. It's a guiding light for you to turn back when you go down the wrong path. It's also a sharp blade and shield in your hand…”

Taking a deep breath, he added the final sentence.

“Youth has no price, this potion is a friendship price.”

“…I understand, I'll buy the potion.”

“Kyoya!” Ｘ ２

The two followers were shocked.

But how could they know that it was Kyoya Mitsurugi's white moonlight, the idiotic goddess. As long as it was related to her, how could Kyoya Mitsurugi remain calm?

Checkmate, unsolvable!

Kyoya Mitsurugi quickly signed his name and drank the skill point potion on the spot.

“…I must become stronger. Let's go, you two.”

“W-wait for us, Kyoya!”

He left these words and walked firmly out of the guild, as if he had made some kind of determination.

At some point, Chris sat down.

She looked at Zun Zun with a complicated expression and said, “You really are… daring to trick Kyoya Mitsurugi. He might blame you and hang you, the capitalist, on a lamppost in a fit of anger.”

Even though she was from another world, she used modern language. You accidentally revealed yourself, Goddess.

However, Zun Zun didn't want to expose her identity yet, so he pretended not to hear.

“Ahem, Chris, you're wrong. I didn't trick him from beginning to end. When he actually buys the potion, he will know that my price is really very favorable. And not only will he not blame me, but he will also thank me.”

“What?”

Chris was completely dumbfounded.

Just then, Kyoya Mitsurugi, who was about to leave the guild, suddenly turned around and said, “Thank you, Zun Zun.”

Then he left gracefully.

Zun Zun raised his eyebrows at Chris triumphantly.

“See, he even thanked us.”

“…Really?”

Chris was completely stunned.