Prologue.

Humans.

Compared to other species, humans were extremely weak.

If one were to set this species as the standard, one would immediately realize that there weren’t a lot of species that were weaker than humans.

After all, humans didn’t have the strength akin to that of orcs, nor did they have the talent for magic that elves had, nor did they have a dwarf’s crafting skills.

But strangely enough, the world revolved around humans. Disregarding the demon continent that was ruled by the demon race, around 70% of the world was ruled by humans.

Even when you take into account the fact that other races weren’t greedy and only focused on living by themselves, one simply has to question why humans own so much land. Well, this line of thought would be normal for most, but this wasn’t what I thought at all.

You see, I happen to think that humans were beings specifically made for battle.

Not many species ever get into conflict with each other frequently. The most infighting you’d see is in their imperial courts.

But humans are different. Why was strategy created in the first place? To fight species stronger than humans? To defend themselves against the “demon season”, an event where the demon king revives? No, all wrong.

It was to fight humans.

The infighting within the imperial palaces around the world was a regular event that takes place every year. And every ten years, some two countries would enter a war against each other.

Unlike other species, who fight a hundred vs. hundred at most, humans fight with ma.s.sive numbers. There are even times when an army of million would fight an army of similar numbers as well.

But this isn’t the only reason why I’m saying that humans are the species born for battle.

“This is the end!”

“Kuoooo!”

A black dragon roared in pain in front of me.

Dragon.

The strongest specie that existed in this world. Even high demons hesitated fighting it, and even the demonkind that lived on the other continent trembled before its power.

It was a being that lived for thousands of years, and was even t.i.tled the master of magic. And currently, this master of magic was being brutally beat up.

By the hands of a human.

It wasn’t as if the dragon was young, either. A thousand years. The time it takes for an empire to rise and fall. Only after this time would a dragon become an adult.

In human standards, a dragon less than a thousand years is pretty much like a preschool child who isn’t worth talking about anything with.

Compared to that, the black dragon was an infamous high dragon. In other words, it was a dragon that lived for at least ten thousand years that got recognized for its power by other dragons.

Compared to that, the one who was beating up the dragon was a human. Young, too. Twenty five at best. Seeing how the cutoff for high dragons was an age of twenty thousand years, the dragon was getting floored by someone eight hundred times weaker than it.

Indeed, it is as you think, reader. Inside humans lay! A piece of DNA that allowed humans to fight beings like dragons and demon kings, just like the piece of DNA that allowed saiyans to turn into super saiyans! In other words, humans had the potential to become heroes!

“Sir hero…”

There even was a princess from a neighboring country faithfully fulfilling her role as the extra…

I, who too was spectating the battle between the dragon and the hero like the sobbing princess, felt liquid pour out not out of my eyes, but my back. As I felt the sweat collect, I prayed.

‘Fight hard, dragon!’

I was planning on running away after sticking the hero in some hospital of some sorts! Just why do you think I brought the hero all the way out here?!

“To think… to think I, Arketai, would die in the hands of a human!”

But unfortunately… the dragon ended up dying. And the hero, who achieved this enormous feat, took out the sword from the dead dragon and bowed towards me.

“It was as you said, teacher.”

“No, this was all done thanks to your efforts.”

“No, you’re wr- urgh?!”

“Sir hero!”

The hero’s words of denial was interrupted by the stereotypical hug from the princess. As I watched the hero become fl.u.s.tered, I felt more sweat run down my back than ever.

“d.a.m.n it…”

Mn? Why am I sweating so hard when the hero won, you ask? Why is it a problem that the hero is my disciple?

Well, you see, my dear reader, this is all very simple when you think about it.

It’s because I’m a villain.