"Yo, old man... did you fight all seven of those bastards by yourself?"
"Yes, I did," he muttered, voice low—like the mory was heavier than he let on.
"I wish the other six ca up," Kael said, laughing under his breath. "Would’ve killed them all at once."
The Demon King leaned forward, raising a brow. "Yeah? Then why’d you toy with him at the beginning?"
He shrugged. "Well... they were prideful. He thought he was special."
He paused, then looked off—like replaying the mont in his head.
"I made sure he felt small. Helpless." He said it casually, without care. Like it wasn’t even worth getting worked up about.
"How did you even lose to those losers?" he asked.
The Demon King went quiet for a second. His eyes darkened.
"They were strong, with different types of magic. But I was too careless," he muttered. "That’s what got . Out of nowhere, power exploded out of them."
He placed a hand over his chest. "Next thing I knew, they plunged their sword into my heart."
Then he smirked. "Not before I killed three of those losers."
"Damn... I’m sorry for disrespecting you. I didn’t know you were that badass." Kael could barely talk. rging with a Sin drains a lot of godly energy.
"That’s right, kid. Show so respect to my na," the Demon King said, letting out a laugh.
"Shut up. So how do I beco as strong as you?" Kael asked.
"Ti and training," he answered.
"That’s la," Kael groaned.
"Co. Follow ."
Slowly, the Demon King started to change. He was no longer just a voice—he began forming into a small glowing ball of light floating in the air.
"Why didn’t you do that earlier?" Kael asked.
"Because I can’t keep this form for too long. Now follow ."
He asked Kael to push the statue.
Underneath it was a small door.
"You hid a door under the statue? Smart," Kael muttered.
"Now pull the door," the Demon King commanded.
Kael opened it, revealing a staircase spiraling downward.
"Go on. Climb down," the Demon King said.
They started moving slowly. Kael’s body still ached. It was a long way down.
"What the hell is this...?" Kael asked, staring into the shadows.
"That’s what they all ca here for," the Demon King replied. "My treasure."
"What about all the stuff upstairs?"
"Those were just distractions. The real ones are all down here."
As they continued, they reached a large golden door.
"Now open it," the Demon King muttered.
Kael reached for it. As soon as he pulled it open, a blinding gold light poured out—so bright, he nearly went blind.
He squinted, slowly opening his eyes.
Inside were rows of weapons and armor—each one more beautiful and powerful-looking than the last.
Right away, Greed popped out of Kael’s shadow and lunged at everything.
"Kael! Control your beast!" the Demon King scread.
"Can’t do that," Kael shrugged. "He takes whatever he desires."
"What even are those things?"
"They’re human desires... in monster form," Kael replied calmly. "I only won today because of them."
"You made those?!" the Demon King asked.
But Kael didn’t answer.
His eyes had fallen onto a mask. He walked toward it and picked it up.
The surface was smooth, made of so kind of black tal. Two horns twisted upward like a crown.
"What’s this?" he asked the Demon King.
"That is my mask," the old voice replied. "Made from steel found in the deepest part of the underworld—right here."
"Really? Wow. What does it do?"
"It does absolutely nothing," the Demon King said quietly.
"Just sothing I wore to cover my face... to hide the sha."
His voice softened, like the words hurt just to say.
"I wore it so she wouldn’t see like that—broken, cruel. I wasn’t always the man who died protecting this world."
He paused.
"Once... I burned it. Brought chaos. Let revenge twist everything I was. That mask didn’t give power."
He looked away.
"It gave sothing worse—a reason to keep hiding while the world fell apart."
Kael cut him off.
"You’re so la."
His voice was light—but the way he said it wasn’t.
He didn’t want the old man to keep rembering.
Didn’t want him sinking back into all that pain.
Because Kael knew that feeling.
The weight of losing soone you loved.
And the way it changed you.
The Demon King let out a dry scoff.
"Shut up, kid. You’ve never been in love before."
Kael didn’t argue. He just smiled.
Then he reached for the mask, turning it over in his hands.
"I like it," he said. "I’ll take it."
Almost like he was saying—
"I’ll carry this for you."
Not because it did anything.
But because maybe...
It was ti soone else bore the weight.
Ti soone freed him from it.
Eventually, he found a small box. Inside was a ring—wrapped in chains, with a red stone in the center that looked like a heart.
"What’s this?" he asked.
"It’s a contract ring... I believe. But I don’t know how it works. It’s basically useless," the Demon King muttered.
"I’ll take this as well."
"Take everything here."
So Greed did.
After that, they went back upstairs. But Kael couldn’t stop thinking about what Leon said.
Being chosen. The god.
"Hey, Demon King... do you know anything about this blessing-from-god junk?"
"No, child. This is the first ti I’ve heard of it."
"Really?"
"Yes," the Demon King muttered.
Kael walked over to what was left of Leon’s head.
Chains slowly slithered from his hand and pierced into Leon’s skull—searching for mories.
Kael saw everything.
It was like living Leon’s life from the beginning.
He was a normal man in a world filled with monsters. A weak warrior. Bullied. Picked on.
Until one day... a voice granted him a divine gift.
It gave him power—to grow stronger without limit. And with it, he rose.
He trained hard. Grew stronger. But the stronger he got, the more cocky, arrogant, and egotistic he beca.
He started acting like a god. Took what he wanted. Did whatever he pleased.
No one could stop him—because he was the hero. The one who saved them all. The one who defeated the Demon Lord.
But it wasn’t Ethen. It was soone else. Soone different.
After that victory, Leon lost his purpose. The people he saved grew tired of him. They didn’t want to deal with him anymore.
He hated that no one respected him. No one obeyed him.
He felt superior, like he was above them all.
He hated that they treated him like a normal person—when he was the chosen.
So he did the unthinkable. He beca the villain.
He killed the royal family. Took the throne. Ruled the world with his six allies by force.
They committed horrors Kael could barely watch. But he forced himself to keep going.
Leon ruled until there was nothing left. No people. No nations. Only female slaves—used for unspeakable things.
Until one day...
A crack opened in the sky above his castle.
And from it, a man stepped through.
Kael couldn’t see his face—but the man raised his hand and said:
"You have been chosen by the god. Co."
Leon grabbed the hand without hesitation.
Then he was sowhere else. Standing with others. All of them staring at that sa man.
They bowed. All of them. As if he were a god.
Then the man spoke:
"You are all chosen, and given a divine blessing from your majesty. With it, you will continue to grow stronger. There is no limit to your power.
You were all once weak... worthless. Then you were gifted this opportunity.
Now you must pay for that kindness.
If you disagree, your blessing will be stripped away—and you’ll return to your miserable lives.
Any questions?"
No one spoke.
Then he said—
"Your job is to travel to different worlds. Kill. Destroy. Until you find her."
As he said that, his eyes locked onto Kael.
Everything shattered.
Kael was thrown back into his body.
"What happened?" the Demon King asked.
Kael stood quickly, eyes wide.
"I need to leave. Now. Before that man shows up."
"What did you see?"
"Everything."
Then Kael explained.
They were going from world to world, destroying everything, looking for a girl. He didn’t know who she was—or why they wanted her.
"I need to find my friends before that man shows up," Kael muttered, panic rising in his chest. "If he shows up... we’re all dead."
"Wait—before you go, take this."
The glowing orb that was once the Demon King floated into Kael’s chest.
Power rushed through him. A deep warmth. Energy filled his limbs.
His body lit with dark energy. The pain faded. His strength returned.
"What did you do...?" Kael asked, breath heavier now.
"My ti is up," the Demon King replied. "So I passed on the rest of my power. Take care... young king."
The glow faded.
But before he disappeared completely, Kael stepped forward.
"Thank you. In exchange... I’ll give you a gift."
He raised his hand. Shadows responded.
Eyes burning. Voice steady.
"You were kind. You were a king.
Now let that crown fall.
Leave your old na behind.
And in exchange, I give you a new life... without sha.
Rise again—
Not as what you were,
But as what you were ant to be."
Light wrapped around the soul.
The Demon King changed. Not a monster. Not a demon lord.
Sothing new.
He smiled.
"Thank you... my king," he whispered.
Then he was gone.
Kael watched the light fade.
"Don’t worry, old man. I’ll make good use of this power."
He walked out to the mountain.
It began to sink. Slowly.
Kael kept walking.
Then turned one last ti.
"Hope you find a peaceful world... live as a human in your next life... and find the love you once lost," he muttered.
Then walked away.
Reviews
All reviews (0)