HI3: I Don't Want to Be a Valkyrie

"I quit this job— farewell!" one adventurer declared.

"Exactly! When we signed on, no one mentioned it would be this dangerous," another chimed in.

"Not a single member of the previous party returned. With our skills alone, wouldn't we just be walking into certain death?"

Several honest adventurers voiced their concerns and prepared to turn around and leave. After all, they weren't bound by any loyalty to this kingdom; they had merely come out of respect for its king and enticed by the promised rewards.

Now that they realized accepting this commission could cost them their lives, they were out of here. No way were they willing to risk death for a nation with which they held little connection or interest.

Most adventurers shared this mindset. They didn't believe the small kingdom could truly harm them anyway—if worse came to worst, they'd simply move elsewhere.

"Wait, please don't go!" The minister hastily called out to those about to depart. "If you let things continue unchecked, allowing the demon to revive the Demon Lord—it would bring catastrophe upon us all! Are you prepared to stand idly by while such disaster unfolds?" His hand reached out pleadingly towards the departing group.

"Eliminating the Demon Lord is the hero's task," the minister said. "We should not involve ourselves." His words clearly fell on deaf ears; one of them retorted immediately and made to leave.

As these few adventurers prepared to depart, the others began wavering as well, contemplating their own retreats. Compared to whatever might unfold in the future, this perilous mission at hand was far more daunting. Even if the Demon Lord truly had been resurrected, they could always choose not to come here—simple enough.

"Gentlemen, I'm afraid you won't be leaving so easily," the minister interjected coldly. "The royal palace isn't a place where you can enter or exit as you please."

Seeing that his initial appeal had failed, the minister's expression shifted abruptly. He gazed down at the adventurers with icy eyes.

"What?" One adventurer started to protest, but before he could utter another word, a nearby soldier drove his weapon into the man's body without warning.

"You..." The stabbed adventurer never expected that the minister would dare kill him right then and there, before all these other adventurers present.

Sure enough, with this single death, panic and disbelief swept through every remaining adventurer on the scene. They gripped their weapons tightly, turning towards the minister standing atop the steps above them.

Just as Yae Sakura thought the minister was about to concoct some excuse, his expression shifted abruptly. He stepped back behind his guards and spoke with a cold, menacing tone:

"You fools don't recognize opportunity when it's offered. I had intended to let you enter on your own merits, but since that seems lost on you—this will suffice."

No sooner had he finished than nearly a thousand soldiers materialized, encircling all the adventurers present.

"Minister, what do you mean by this?"

"We came here out of goodwill to help eliminate those demonic beings for you! What is the meaning of this treatment?"

"This is preposterous! Aren't you afraid word will get out and expose your true intentions?"

The sudden appearance of soldiers left all present adventurers utterly bewildered and incredulous.

They could scarcely believe that the Carvensia Kingdom would draw weapons against them—adventurers who had come to their aid. The move was completely incomprehensible.

This action on the part of Carvensia defied any semblance of reason. If word got out, it was likely no adventurer would ever set foot in this kingdom again, let alone assist with any tasks they might need help with.

Moreover, the reputation of not just the adventurers but the entire kingdom itself would be irreparably tarnished beyond recognition.

"Exposed," the minister scoffed derisively at their stunned faces. "Do you really think there's anywhere else for you to go now? Soldiers, seize them—all of them." With these words hanging in the air, he waved his hand, signaling the armed troops to advance steadily towards the group.

-

"There's no need for futile resistance... Soldiers, seize them."

The minister couldn't suppress a smile as he observed the exhausted adventurers in the grand hall. With this batch of sacrifices, his master's plan was nearly complete.

Why specifically target adventurers? The answer was simple: their value far surpassed that of ordinary individuals. Only by using adventurers as sacrifices could one truly enhance their power and summon demons effectively.

As the soldiers approached, the adventurers struggled to raise their weapons in defiance, their movements labored with effort.

"How intriguing indeed... To have summoned so many demons. Do you perhaps intend to establish some kind of demon realm here? And all done so openly, at that."

Just as the soldiers were about to reach the adventurers, Yae Sakura could wait no longer.

Earlier, she had assumed there must be some powerful adventurers among them who would catch on to what was happening. After all, from listening to the boasts of those around her before their arrival, these adventurers seemed exceptionally strong—certainly not lacking in ability.

By now, not a single adventurer had made their move—and it seemed they'd all fallen for the trap. If Yae Sakura didn't act swiftly, these adventurers would truly be in dire straits. For the sake of her mission, she stepped forward with an inexplicable tone in her voice as she sighed.

Seeing Yae Sakura emerge, the soldiers didn't hesitate. With grim determination, they raised their spears and lunged directly at her.

Clang...

The soldiers' spears were met by Yae Sakura's sword scabbard, deflecting them effortlessly.

"How is this possible? You still have strength left?" The minister atop the steps couldn't mask his shock upon realizing that Yae Sakura was capable of wielding a weapon. He quickly retreated behind his guards, barking orders at the soldiers below. "Soldiers, hurry—kill her!"

This minister was merely an ordinary man. His composure before such renowned adventurers stemmed from two factors: his loyal guard detail and the protective formation cast across the grand hall floor.

Even Silver Wolf, leader of the previous expedition—a legendary adventurer—had found himself utterly defenseless against this very same setup.

It was utterly unexpected to find among this group of adventurers someone capable of resisting even a large-area debuff magic like Weakness.

-

Hearing the command, the soldiers disregarded the helpless adventurers and rushed straight for Yae Sakura.

"Watch out!"

As a voice of concern rang from behind her, three or four soldiers with spears lunged directly at Yae Sakura's body.

"Slash!"

A burst of Sakura Sword Force swept forward, instantly cleaving several soldiers before her into pieces.