I Was Supposed to Be the Demon King, but They Made Me Save the World

Baldwin stepped out of the hut, his crimson eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkened forest. The faint rustling of leaves and the whisper of the wind hinted at an unseen presence. His instincts sharpened.

Without hesitation, he silently closed the door behind him, ensuring the mother and daughter inside remained undisturbed. His lips curled into a smirk as he advanced toward the shadow lurking behind a tree.

"It's quite late for a hunt, Mr. Smith." Baldwin's voice was low, almost amused. "I didn't take you for the type to stalk beasts at this hour."

From the darkness, a figure stepped forward—Mr. Smith, clad in his long overcoat.

A dry chuckle left the older man's lips. "So, you recognized me. That's good. It confirms what I suspected—you're no ordinary child."

Baldwin tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening. "Who said I was a kid?" His voice was laced with mockery. "Now, what exactly are you doing here? Clearly, this area isn't swarming with beasts."

Mr. Smith's expression turned unreadable. "You said you live with your mother." His gaze darkened. "So, tell me—when did Lady Velisara have a second child like you?"

Baldwin's smirk faltered, replaced by an unreadable look. "Sorry, sir, but I don't quite understand what you mean."

A shadow passed over Mr. Smith's face, his grip tightening. "Oh... you will, soon enough."

Without another word, he reached into his overcoat—and pulled out a beast weapon.

The gleaming barrel caught the faint moonlight, and Baldwin's gaze sharpened.

"Oh? A beast weapon?" His voice remained casual, but his eyes flickered with interest. "They're expensive... and extremely difficult to craft. Humans have only managed to develop cannon-type versions so far, right?"

Mr. Smith ignored his remark, his voice cold and demanding. "Enough games. Tell me— for what reason are you here? Who sent you?"

Baldwin's eyes flashed dangerously. "Who sent me? Who would dare to order me?" His smirk returned, though this time, there was something more menacing behind it. "And more importantly—who are you to question me?"

The tension in the air thickened.

The fight was inevitable.

Both men stood their ground, the quiet night trembling with the weight of their impending clash.

Smith raised his rifle and fired—but to his shock, Baldwin **moved faster than the bullet.

The projectile cut through the air, but Baldwin had already shifted, a blur against the moonlit forest.

Smith fired again.

Another miss.

His expression twisted in frustration. "You're troublesome! Rance is already struggling to collect beast crystals, and here I am—wasting them on you!"

Baldwin chuckled, effortlessly avoiding another shot. "Hey, hey! You're the one wasting them, not me! I'm just trying to protect myself."

Smith gritted his teeth. "You—rat!"

He discarded the rifle, pulling out a sleek black handgun.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three consecutive shots rang out, but Baldwin barely acknowledged them. A quick step to the left, a smooth tilt of his head, a pivot of his body—each bullet passed harmlessly by.

Smith let out a growl of frustration and threw the gun aside.

With a flick of his hand, flames erupted from his fingertips.

The fire danced and crackled, shaping into orbs of molten heat. Without hesitation, he launched them at Baldwin.

Baldwin raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

He extended his index and middle fingers, mimicking a gun. Blue sparks flickered at his fingertips.

Then, lightning roared to life.

A blazing blue streak shot forward, colliding mid-air with Smith's fireballs.

Boom!

A surge of light and heat exploded between them, scorching the ground and illuminating the dark forest in a clash of elements.

Smith narrowed his eyes, his voice sharp. "Did Rance's Howard Stern send you? Who sent you?!"

Baldwin tilted his head, amused. "Who? Never heard of him." He let out a chuckle. "If you're this paranoid, maybe I should start attacking you too."

Without warning, a crackling surge of blue lightning shot from Baldwin's fingertips.

Smith reacted fast, forming a shield of fire before him. The flames roared, absorbing the attack, but the sheer impact sent him skidding backward, boots scraping against the dirt.

Then Baldwin heard it.

Two things.

First, Smith was chanting a spell, his lips moving in practiced precision.

Second, the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.

Baldwin's lips curled into a smug smirk. He let Smith continue.

Smith smirked, confidence dripping from his voice. "You're still as arrogant as ever! You just stood there and let me finish my spell—let's see how you survive this!"

The flames roared to life, swirling into a vortex around Baldwin, trapping him inside. The inferno snapped shut like the jaws of a beast, sealing him within a ring of searing fire.

Smith's eyes gleamed with triumph. It was over.

Or so he thought.

Then it happened.

A blinding golden light erupted from within the fire, not flickering like flames but pulsing like a living force.

The moment it touched the inferno, the flames cracked like shattered glass, pieces of fire dispersing into the air as embers.

The air grew thick with pressure, heavy and suffocating.

Baldwin's silhouette stood at the heart of the vanishing flames. But he was no longer alone.

A figure had appeared beside him.

Smith's breath hitched. His grip on his weapon tightened.

A woman—no, a presence—stood there.

She was barefoot, her steps leaving no imprint on the ground. Golden strands of hair moved unnaturally, as if caught in an unseen current. Her eyes, glowing like molten gold, stared at Smith—not with anger, nor with mercy, but with an unreadable depth that sent a chill down his spine.

The world around them felt still.

It was none other than Velisara Nath, Olivia's mother.

The X-Hero… The fallen kingdom's last sovereign.

The strongest human female Hero.

Baldwin's lips curled into a smirk—only for a second. Then, like flipping a switch, he erased all traces of amusement from his face, replacing it with fear. His body tensed, shoulders trembling just enough to be convincing. He lowered his gaze, playing the part of a helpless child caught in something far beyond his understanding.

Meanwhile, Smith's reaction was far more telling.

The moment his eyes registered Velisara's presence, his face drained of all color. His body stiffened like a man standing before a divine judgment.

Then, without hesitation—

He bowed deep.

"L—Lady Velisara!" His voice wavered, a stark contrast to the confidence he'd displayed just moments ago.

Velisara did not acknowledge him at first.

She simply stood there, her golden eyes sweeping over the scene, analyzing, calculating. Then, finally, she spoke—

And the very air seemed to shudder under the weight of her voice.

"What is going on?"

No warmth. No curiosity. Just cold, undeniable authority.

At the same time, Athan arrived at the Ranch Republic State.

He barely had time to take in his surroundings before a group of figures in black robes emerged, standing in formation, their beast weapons gleaming under the dim light.

Athan's crimson eyes narrowed slightly, then brightened with amusement.

"Oh man… You guys are using advanced beast weaponry? That's not fair!" He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders. Then, with a grin, he raised his hands—blood aura swirling around his fingers, molding into gloves of deep crimson.

"Hey, tell you what—why don't you just hand over those swords?"

The figures remained unmoved. Their voices, low and unified, carried a weight of quiet menace.

"Tell us, Athan… Where is Baldwin?"

Athan blinked. Then, he laughed.

"Baldwin? No idea. But hey, let's not get caught up in the details." He tilted his head, eyes locked on their weapons.

"Now, about those swords…"

The robed figures shifted, their stance tightening.

Athan grinned wider. A fight was inevitable. And he was more than ready.