At the age of 19, Davey Lionheart had become a living legend.

The name of the young saint had etched into the history with every step he took, every demon he killed, and every life he saved.

His feats were unreachable... killing four of the seven Archdemons who served as the Demon Lord's strongest generals, all while keeping the promise he had made at his comrades' graves...

no more lives would be lost under his command.

He kept that promise.

His journey through the chaos of the demonic hordes had only made him stronger.

Each battle pushed him closer to perfection and higher strength, sharpening his skills and aura until he stood at the very pinnacle of strength.

His fame reached new heights when he defeated the strongest Holy Knight of that era, Nicholas Simon, the patriarch of the Simon family.

That victory earned him the title of the strongest Holy Knight.

By then, Davey was no longer just a saint or a warrior.

He had become a pillar who supported the world and it's hopes, a legendary hero who carried the weight of humanity's future on his shoulders.

It was during this time that he discovered a map while defeating the Archdemons.

The map was worn and torn, leading to the final stronghold of the Demon Lord... a fortress located on an isolated island, far from the mainland.

Davey didn't hesitate.

He accepted the task without question, rallying his comrades and preparing for the final march.

But amidst the grim and cruel environment of their mission, something unexpected bloomed in his heart.

Love.

Alice, the saintess who had stood beside him through every trial, had grown into someone more than just a companion.

Her laughter, her kindness, and her unwavering faith in him stirred something in Davey that he hadn't felt before.

One quiet evening, as they sat together beneath the canopy of stars, Davey turned to her with a soft smile.

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"After this is over..." he began, his voice steady but warm...

"when the Demon Lord is defeated... will you marry me?"

Alice's eyes widened as tears welled up, spilling down her cheeks before she lunged forward to embrace him in her arms.

"Yes!" she cried as her voice trembled with joy.

"Yes, I will!"

In that moment, Davey felt a happiness he'd never known... a sense of completeness that made all his struggles worthwhile.

For once, it wasn't about the Goddess, the world, or his duty.

It was about him.

But happiness, as fleeting as it often is, was soon overshadowed by the looming mission ahead.

The day of trial arrived.

Davey and his comrades stood at the edge of the Demon Lord's castle.

The fortress loomed like a mountain of obsidian as its dark spires sliced into the crimson skies.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and rotting flesh, while before them, stood an army of unimaginable size... hundreds of thousands of demons... Their roars echoing like thunder.

The Demon Lord's remaining Archdemons stood at the forefront while their auras covered the battlefield like a thick blanket.

Davey raised his sword high as its divine glow cut through the oppressive darkness.

"In the name of the Goddess of Light!" he shouted in a steady and unwavering voicee.

"We shall purge this evil from the face of the world!"

His comrades joined in unison as their cries showcased their determination.

"For Aria!"

The charge began.

It was a battle that no mortal could have believed was possible...

27 warriors against an endless tide of Demons.

But Davey's presence turned the impossible into reality.

He stood at the forefront with his blade covered in divine energy as he cut down demon one after another.

His comrades fought valiantly, protecting the saintess Alice as she healed their wounds and supported them from the rear.

For three days and three nights, the battle raged on.

By the end of it, the ground was littered with the corpses of demons, as their blood seeped out and pooled on the entirety of ground.

Davey and his comrades stood victorious with their bodies battered and exhausted...

Although, alive.

As they tried to catch their breath, a sudden surge of malevolent energy pierced the air.

Davey's instincts spiked.

Without thinking, he swung his sword into the seemingly empty space ahead of them.

The force of his strike cleaved through an invisible aura that would have torn them apart.

His comrades looked around in confusion as if still trying to understand what had happened.

Davey's gaze turned upward, towards the castle.

And there, standing atop its highest spire, was the Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord was a towering figure, clad in obsidian armor that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

His eyes burned with crimson flames, and his black wings spread wide, casting a shadow over the battlefield.

Davey clenched his jaw, glancing at his comrades.

They were too tired as their movements had become sluggish from the relentless battle.

He couldn't let them fight.

"I'll handle this." he said, changing his gaze towards the last target while his eyes were filled with resolution... Resolution to win

"But Davey—" Alice began, but he cut her off with a soft smile.

"Stay back. I made a promise, remember? No one else will die today."

With that, he stepped forward while his sword glowed brighter as he channeled all his remaining energy.

The Demon Lord sneered, sensing the immense power gathering around the young knight.

But instead of attacking Davey, the Demon Lord launched himself toward his comrades, aiming to exploit their defenselessness.

"No!" Davey roared as his eyes widening in desperation.

In an instant, he surged forward as his aura blazed like the sun.

He extended his right arm, intercepting the Demon Lord's attack just inches away from his comrades.

The force of the collision sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.

"Not them... Never them!" Davey growled as he poured everything he had into a final strike.

The clash was blinding, a burst of light and darkness that seemed to freeze time itself.

When the dust settled, the Demon Lord lay defeated, his body crumbling into ash.

Davey turned to his comrades as a sense of relief washed over his face.

But as he took a step forward, his body faltered.

His right arm... the arm that bore the stigmata of Aria and the power of his bloodline... was gone, destroyed in the final attack.

The divine energy that had fueled him all his life had vanished.

He collapsed to the ground with a faint smile on his lips.

"I saved them..." his smile seemed to say.

"I saved the world."

But as his comrades rushed to his side, their expressions shifted.

Relief turned to unease, and unease to doubt.

Unbeknownst to Davey, the world's hero was no longer a necessity.

His strength was gone.

His purpose was fulfilled.

And in the harsh reality of the world...

A Hero who has no longer use is nothing more than a burden.