NOVEL NEXT Chapter 174
I prefer true endings over bad endings…
I was just an ordinary gamer.
And in [Reincarnated Hero], the ending where the player becomes the Demon King was undoubtedly a bad ending.
Sure, the Demon King might have been defeated, but the unsettling truth is that the chain of evil continues due to the greed of power-drunk humans.
Well, considering this context, any ordinary player wouldn’t feel inclined to become the Demon King.
However, I had no other choice.
This place is not a game; it’s a reality from another dimension.
If sacrificing myself can help Yeriel Artina achieve her Tarchangel transformation,
It will surely bring a happy ending to others.
‘I feel like I’m going insane…’
By the way, without the traits of a gamer,
Inheriting the role of the Demon King is… horrifically difficult.
The pain when my erosion level exceeded and I was consumed by the Gray Ashen Bolt was nothing compared to this.
But it can’t be helped.
‘If I bear it all and self-destruct…’
This is definitely a necessary evil, so I must endure.
…
The throne room of the Demon King.
I sit on the throne that only Satan can occupy as comfortably as a chair from a neighborhood PC bang.
Of course, I’m sweating bullets from the constant influx of Dark Magic.
“Human… how rude…”
Lucifer’s bewildered expression endured quite a long time.
“You didn’t even recognize your master, how reckless. Lucifer.”
“How dare you…!”
–Duk!!!
In an instant, the spear he was holding was infused with Dark Magic and thrown at me,
–Chiang!!!
–Crash!!!
Yellody, who was next to me, cast a protective spell to block it instead.
“Demon girl… why have you turned to the human’s side?!”
At Lucifer’s question, Yellody answered lightly.
“Hmm? Well, this person is the Demon King now.”
“!”
When Yellody placed her hand on my shoulder, Lucifer couldn’t say anything further.
“Lev…?”
Conversely, the word “Demon King” made Edwin react intensely.
“Lev, why are you…?”
It was a question that seemed too obvious.
“Why are you the Demon King?”
Edwin began listing various hypotheses he had imagined alone.
“Oh. Haha. Just a joke? You defeated the Demon King and… no, no. The Demon King disguised as Lev…?”
–……
Silence crept into the throne room.
“Making jokes as a Demon? That’s too much, Lev.”
Edwin looked at me seriously and uttered one word.
“There’s no way you could be the Demon King.”
*
“Haah…!”
–Thud.
Meanwhile, Yeriel, who was forcibly undergoing her Tarchangel transformation, collapsed between Aria and Psyche.
“We don’t have time. If we don’t purify Yeriel…”
“I’m fine… Aria… just leave me and go save Lev…”
At Yeriel’s powerless words, Lucifer started laughing while looking at the ceiling.
“Keuh… Haha!”
“?!”
This is an absolute disaster.
He laughed to the point of tears, as if he couldn’t accept the current situation.
“It’s maddening. How did these kids end up being the Demon King and Hero? The last bastion of the Demons, the Demon King’s Castle?”
“…”
Lucifer faintly understood.
The current chaotic state of the Demon King’s Castle, and the abnormal reactions from the surrounding Magic Towers.
It was because the gray-haired man was truly the ‘Demon King.’
However, this made the situation more entertaining.
They say human greed is endless.
Somehow or another, the gray man, who betrayed his Hero comrades and became the Demon King…
And the green man, denying reality until the very end.
“Marvelous.”
A tragedy drenched in the scent of betrayal and despair that demons love was unfolding.
Moreover, the Tarchangel he created, Artina, would soon fall as well.
Previously, she had somehow been suppressed by the Saint’s miracle…
But now, it was impossible.
The curse of the Tarchangel is not just simple erosion; it is bound to manifest sooner or later. Right now, she is in Pandemonium, within the Demon King’s Castle.
The indescribable amount of Dark Magic would start devouring her, plunging her into despair before long.
‘Then what I can do…’
A crisis is an opportunity.
With the change in the current Demon King, the hierarchy had twisted.
Typically, it would be impossible for a Great Demon of the 72nd rank to harm the Demon King.
But now, that meant it was possible.
For now, I would appease the desires of that creature and bide my time, waiting for the chance to strike and kill him… and becoming the Demon King wouldn’t be a dream.
At that moment, the gray boy.
No, the Demon King, Lev Denec opened his mouth.
“Lucifer. This is an order. Bring Yeriel Artina this way.”
At those words, Lucifer grinned and immediately fulfilled the command.
–Snap!
“…!”
With his gesture, Yeriel, bound to Lucifer, began to be pulled towards the throne.
“Lev…? No?! Wake up!!! What are you trying to do right now!!”
At the same time, Edwin began to roar.
The Lev he had come to know wouldn’t act this way.
He had defeated countless demons and
“Lev!!!”
Hadn’t we promised to defeat the Demon King together?
‘Ah… What a disgusting and greedy sight…’
While Lucifer was admiring humanity’s endless desire,
Lev approached Yeriel, who was soaked in Dark Magic, stood up from the throne, and held her hand.
“With the authority of the Demon King, I command that… all Magic Towers and fallen sanctuaries in Pandemonium…”
“Hmm…?”
“Cease operations.”
–Whoosh!
With those explosive words, shrouded in Lev’s voice, the two forms vanished.
…
The personal dimension of the Demon King.
In that space, three pairs of black wings unfurled, in the form of a succubus, Yeriel Artina was sitting facing Lev, who had now become the Demon King.
“Hello, Yeriel.”
As if tattooed, his face was crawling with numerous dark magic symbols.
Yeriel gazed at him with a sad look and replied.
“Why, Lev…?”
“You’ve worked hard up till now.”
“Then why this again!”
“I’m sorry, it took too long.”
He continued to apologize without end.
Such responses didn’t erase Yeriel’s sense of déjà vu.
For some reason, it felt like he would leave her and drift away again.
–Sniff.
Yeriel held onto Lev’s arm, suppressing her tears.
“Why do you always… leave me behind…”
“…”
“I like… I like the world where Lev exists… but every time this happens… I…!!”
“I’m sorry.”
In that instant, Yeriel let go of Lev’s arm.
And cautiously, she asked.
“…Do you dislike me now…?”
With her innocent and cute words, he smiled and replied.
“No, how could I… I’ve liked you since the first time we met.”
“I… sniff… I like you too.”
“I’m sorry for being cold back then…”
“Stop… with the apologies! I don’t like it… it makes me feel sad….”
Yeriel sniffled and extended her pinky.
“So promise, promise me…! You’ll come back again…?”
“I wanted to create a world where the people I love could live without worries.”
“Lev…?”
Ignoring Yeriel’s desperation, he murmured a different response instead of an answer.
“With the authority of the Demon King, I command… to lift the curse of the Tarchangel placed on Yeriel Artina.”
–Swoosh!
–Huh?
Yeriel’s murmurs got swallowed as they were pulled into the Dark Magic swirling around Lev.
–Whoooosh!
“Ugh! Graah!”
And then, painful groans began to escape from Lev.
“Lev…!”
In that moment, Yeriel’s head went cold.
Why should Lev bear the pain?
If he had to become the Demon King to free her from the curse of the Tarchangel and endure the pain in her stead…
“Lev…! No!! Stop it!!”
She had to stop him.
“Rather… Let me… I’m fine even if I die…! Just stop it! Lev!!”
Yeriel didn’t want to see the person she loved suffer.
She didn’t want to burden Lev any further.
Above all, he was no longer a Demon.
Just a human, if he took on the burden of Dark Magic from the Demon King and the curse of the Tarchangel, he could never return to how he was before.
“Lev… please stop… please… please…”
As Yeriel wept, she approached Lev.
“Sorry. Tell Aria and Edwin…”
He began to withdraw even while writhing in pain.
“Lev…?!”
“Tell them I’m sorry.”
“Lev!”
“And…”
–Live happily.
-*
–Live happily.
That was the end.
In an instant, everything turned bright white, and I returned.
To the throne room of the Demon King…
After that…
–Grrraaarrr!!!
–Grrraaaarrr!!!
All that remained was a tremendous noise.
–Drip. Drip.
Cracks began to appear in the ceiling of the castle, which was like a fortress.
“Wh-what a fool…!”
Lucifer stood frozen in shock.
“Foolish!!!”
This is the worst.
He had thought for sure that the human, intoxicated with the Demon King’s power, would follow the path of endless corruption,
Because they said if the operation of the Magic Towers and fallen sanctuaries ceased, it would mean the collapse of both the Demon King’s Castle and Pandemonium, along with…
–Boom!!!
The power of the Demon King himself would surge and then vanish.
Lucifer promptly unfurled his wings.
No longer was there the gray-haired boy who masqueraded as the Demon King.
“Lev…?”
[…]
Only a Demon clad in pitch-black energy…
–
!!!
Gushed with chaotic magical pressure, staring at Edwin and company.
He was neither human nor Demon.
Just the very embodiment of the suffering of the world.
While it couldn’t be said to be stronger than the former Demon King, given the current situation, if caught up in it, they would be in serious danger.
‘The future… the future will be promised…!’
–Flap!
Lucifer flew out of the Demon King’s Castle.
–Clank!
As the Tarchangel disappeared, the shackles binding Edwin, Psyche, and Aria faded away.
“Lev…? Lev…?”
“That’s…?”
While Edwin Gwynn stared in daze at Yeriel, who looked bewildered, he fell into confusion.
After Lev took her away and reappeared,
The dark energy emanating from Yeriel had completely vanished.
In its place stood a writhing Demon that was unrecognizable as Lev.
–Grip.
It was instinct.
Edwin clenched his holy sword tightly.
–Make sure to kill the Demon King with your own hands.
–Make sure to kill the Demon King with your own hands.
–Make sure to kill the Demon King with your own hands.
“Lev…”
Before defeating Belial, it seemed like his last request had somehow been foreseen in this situation.
–Thud.
At that moment, Yeriel stood in Edwin’s way.
“I won’t… if Lev’s not here… I too…”
“Sorry, step aside. Yeriel.”
“I’ll die too…”
She was just shedding sorrowful tear drops.
…
…
…
–Grrrrr!!!
Everything collapses.
To the point of no return.
Lev Denec.
Demon King.
Demon.
“Lev, sir…?”
The shock of the unbelievable sight wasn’t just felt by Edwin and Yeriel.
Aria felt the same shock as well.
And while all this unfolded, the Saint, Psyche, closed her eyes gently and recalled.
-I may have failed… but for the next Heroes…
-Psyche, you must live. I beg you.
Kroon’s last words.
She reflected on this as she lifted Aria’s hand.
“…?”
Aria’s gaze, which had been on Lev, met Psyche’s red eyes.
“Saint Psyche…?”
“It’s alright. Aria, if it’s you… you can do it.”
Psyche gave a benevolent smile befitting a saint,
–Shwooosh!!!
And began to transfer all her sacred power.