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

The red-badged guard charged at Baldwin without a moment's hesitation, his arrogance radiating from every step. Behind him, the rest of the guards followed closely, their weapons ready, their resolve unwavering.

Meanwhile, Olivia's mother and Lola stood just behind Baldwin, their fear evident in their trembling forms.

"Ah, brave warriors," Baldwin remarked dryly, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Yet, you lack confidence. All of you attacking me at once... like cowards."

The red-badged guard reached Baldwin first, his fiery hand igniting as he hurled a barrage of fireballs. Each one burned hotter and fiercer than the last, the air crackling with heat. At first, Baldwin dodged with ease, his movements fluid and deliberate, but soon he found himself in a precarious situation. With his powers sealed, he had to split his focus—protecting himself while ensuring the safety of the two women behind him.

Realizing the need to act decisively, Baldwin extended his hand, and dark shadows surged upward, forming a protective barrier around Olivia's mother and Lola. The shadows enveloped them, shielding them from view.

"This is necessary," Baldwin explained firmly. "I need you both to stay safe. Trust me."

"Sir Baldwin!" Lola's voice rang out, desperate and defiant. "You can't fight them alone! Let me go with them—please!"

Olivia's mother placed a trembling hand on Baldwin's shoulder. "Enough, Baldwin. Let us go with them. With your powers, you can escape. You can come back for us later. Please, think about this!"

Baldwin gently removed her hand, stepping forward with resolve.

"I promised Olivia that I'd protect you, no matter the danger. A promise is a promise—and I always keep my word." His voice was calm but carried an unshakable determination.

As the shadow barrier began to rise, completely obscuring the two women, Baldwin turned back to give them a reassuring smile. It was warm, kind, and comforting—a stark contrast to the cold, menacing aura that began to emanate from him as he faced the guards.

With the women safely hidden, Baldwin's smile disappeared, replaced by an icy glare.

"What's your name?" Baldwin asked, his voice deepening, carrying a weight that made even the boldest of the guards hesitate.

The red-badged guard paused, his confidence wavering as a powerful, oppressive aura radiated from the boy before him. For reasons he couldn't explain, he felt compelled to respond.

"It's... Humar," he stammered, almost involuntarily.

"Humar," Baldwin repeated, his lips curling into a cold smile. "Congratulations. You're about to witness something extraordinary. You've been chosen—not by your gods, but by fate—to stand before the Demon King."

As his words lingered in the air, shadows surged around him, crackling with dark, electric energy. A wave of fear rippled through the guards as the once-arrogant Humar took an instinctive step back.

Baldwin stood tall, his crimson eyes glowing with unbridled power. "Let me show you why your gods should tremble."

"So what! What!" Humar shouted, his voice trembling despite his attempt to sound defiant. "My goddess, Lady Hecate, is so powerful she doesn't need to flaunt her strength like you do, boy!"

Baldwin tilted his head, a sly smirk spreading across his face. "Oh, I see. You all serve a goddess named… Hecutut? No, that's not right. Hecate, hmm?" He dragged the name out mockingly, as though tasting the syllables. "So what?"

Without another word, Baldwin casually released the dark lightning he'd been holding since the start of the fight. The crackling black energy arced through the air, striking the other guards who stood frozen in place.

Humar's eyes widened in horror. The instant the lightning touched his comrades, they were incinerated. There was no scream, no struggle—just a flash of dark light and then ash. Pure white ash that seemed to shimmer for a moment before vanishing into the air.

Humar's mind went blank. His body froze as an icy fear gripped him. The sheer magnitude of what he had just witnessed—something akin to the wrath of a demi-god—left him paralyzed.

Baldwin turned his glowing crimson gaze to the trembling man before him. "Hmm. It seems you're in no condition to talk," Baldwin mused, his voice dripping with mock disappointment. "What a shame."

Taking a deliberate step forward, Baldwin's aura grew darker, heavier, and more oppressive. The shadows around him writhed like living things, and his eyes burned brighter, the intense red light cutting through Humar's very soul.

"I'll ask you one last time," Baldwin said, his voice low and menacing. "Who is Galinthias? What is his relationship with Hecate?"

Humar tried to move, to speak, but his terror held him in place. The aura radiating from Baldwin wasn't just overwhelming—it was suffocating, pressing down on him like the weight of the abyss itself.

"You have a choice," Baldwin added, his tone calm but carrying an unspoken threat. "Answer me… or you'll wish you had."

"Galinthias is… is—" Humar stammered, his trembling voice barely audible, as if suffocated by fear itself.

Before another word could leave his lips, Baldwin's shadows surged forward like a living storm, consuming him entirely.

The last image burned into Humar's fading consciousness was Baldwin's cold, smirking face, his crimson eyes glowing like embers in the dark.

"Oh no," Baldwin remarked, his tone icy yet amused. "You're not qualified to answer my questions. I was merely toying with you."

The shadows devoured Humar, his lifeless body crumbling to the ground as if the very essence of his being had been extinguished.

Baldwin dusted his hands nonchalantly, stepping over the fallen man's empty shell. As he turned his gaze upward, a searing beam of golden light erupted from the sky, descending upon him with the fury of the heavens.

Baldwin dodged swiftly, the golden energy crashing into the earth where he had just stood, leaving behind a smoking crater. Divine energy rippled outward, warping the air with its raw power.

"Found you, little creature!" bellowed a voice that echoed like thunder. "Last time, you scurried into the shadows, but this time, there will be no escape!"

Baldwin's gaze shifted to the heavens, where a radiant figure descended with an aura that commanded the air around him.

The being was immense, his muscular form glowing with celestial brilliance. Towering white wings—seventy in total—fanned out behind him, shimmering like molten silver.

"Ah," Baldwin mused, his lips curling into a smirk. "You must be Galinthias. A celestial enforcer, perhaps? Or maybe just another of Hecate's lapdogs? Or… something else entirely? A different species from another realm?"

Galinthias landed heavily, the earth trembling beneath his divine weight. He straightened, his golden eyes narrowing into slits as he raised a gleaming spear, its tip radiating lethal light.

"You little brat! Where did you find such courage?" Galinthias bellowed, his voice laced with disdain. "You are nothing more than a creature of mud—a human! No matter how much power you wield, you remain destined to meet your end. You merely hold the power of a godslayer, but you are no godslayer yourself. And yet, you dare to insult our Lady?"

"Your Lady? You mean Hecate, right?" Baldwin replied, his tone casual, almost mocking.

"Speak with respect!" Galinthias snarled, his golden aura intensifying.

"So what?" Baldwin shot back, his annoyance bleeding into his voice. "A so-called 'preaching goddess'? Why should I respect her? For all the lives lost in her name? For all the destruction caused by her 'divine will'? I should take a good look at her face and judge for myself!"

"Enough!" Galinthias roared, his wings flaring wide. "How dare you utter such blasphemy! You are finished!"

"Oh really?" Baldwin smirked, folding his arms. "You've been itching to kill me from the start. I've already taken a good look at your face, and it's not impressive."

Without another word, Galinthias lunged forward, his spear shimmering with divine energy. The weapon struck like lightning, but Baldwin's hand, glowing an uncharacteristic fiery red instead of his usual shadowy hue, caught the spear mid-thrust. Red and golden electric currents crackled where their energies clashed.

Galinthias's eyes widened. "I was right about you! You really wield the power of a godslayer!"

"How many times are you going to tell me that?" Baldwin retorted. "And let me guess, your next line is, 'I can't let you live.' Newsflash—who the hell said I'd let you kill me?"

In an instant, a shadowy mist formed around Galinthias's chest. Baldwin's other hand shot forward, delivering a devastating punch.

Galinthias, confident in his divine defenses, dismissed the attack as trivial. But the sheer force behind it sent him hurtling backward, crashing into a distant church with an earth-shaking impact.

Rising from the rubble, Galinthias growled. "Oh, great goddess, lend me your strength!"

Though he appeared unharmed externally, an unsettling weakness crept through him. His golden energy flickered, dimmer than before.

"This power… it's demonic. Energy Absorption." Galinthias's thoughts raced as he stared at Baldwin. "That's a skill unique to the demon tribes. Could it be… he's a demon? No, that's impossible… unless… the Demon King himself? No… it can't be!"

Galinthias soared back to his original position, his divine light blazing defiantly despite his waning strength.

Now the two stood face to face, their powers colliding in a storm of shadow and light. Baldwin's smirk widened. 'I hope your goddess is watching, Galinthias. She'll need to pick a new enforcer when I'm done with you.' The air trembled as the real fight began."