NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Assault Operation on the Demon Lord Castle
My name is Alexander.
Suddenly, I want you to hear about my death.
That day—the Pan-Humanity Alliance launched a surprise assault on the Demon Lord Castle.
With the cooperation of friendly dragons, we infiltrated the demon territory from high altitudes.
A team of heroes, including myself, descended upon the Demon Lord Castle with the aim of taking out the Demon Lord single-handedly.
—It sounds good to say “single-handedly,” but it really means assassination.
Moreover, whether we succeeded or failed, the chances of the assault team surviving were grim.
The Pan-Humanity Alliance had been cornered to the point of relying on such a tactic.
During the operation, the high-altitude flight was so harsh that we nearly froze to death, but thanks to that, we succeeded in descending without facing any intercepting fire.
The battle at the Demon Lord Castle was fierce.
Perhaps they didn’t expect heroes to fall from the sky, as the demon forces were initially in chaos, but they quickly got their act together for a counterattack.
High-ranking demons, a Vampire Duke comparable to the progenitors, the Undead King with immense magical power, and countless demon guards—
That day’s battle is one I don’t want to recall.
Many heroes, comrades, fell before their ambitions were realized.
Still, fortunately or unfortunately, our team managed to reach the Demon Lord.
The arrogant king of the demon race.
He welcomed us coolly from his throne room.
Unlike humans, the demon race is entirely meritocratic.
The Demon Lord is the strongest magical warrior among demons.
Even considering how exhausted our assault team was, he—
—was undeniably strong.
“Not bad, hero. I’ve had a bit of fun.”
He picked me up, near death, and said that with a cool demeanor.
Overwhelming physical abilities. An immense magical power that deflected all forms of magical interference. And the dark magic acquired through contracts with demons—“Soul Eater.”
With each of my comrades falling, the Demon Lord grew stronger.
And because of that, more of my comrades died.
It was like a nightmarish slaughter.
“You’ve done well for a weak human.”
“Damn… ugh…”
“Oh? You’re still talking in that state?”
His grip on my neck tightened.
It felt like my neck was about to snap before I suffocated—
“Your soul looks delicious. Allow it to become my sustenance.”
The Demon Lord’s dark magic filled me through the grip on my neck.
Worn out in both stamina and magical power, I couldn’t resist—
“Guh… Gaaaahhhh!!”
I exploded like a bursting balloon.
Flesh ruptured, bones shattered, and I was engulfed in excruciating pain as my entire body burst apart.
Amidst the Demon Lord’s booming laughter, my consciousness was swallowed by darkness—
I had died—supposedly.
However.
When I next opened my eyes, the face of the dreaded Demon Lord was right in front of me.
“Hm, a rather sharp face for such a baby.”
“Abba!? Ababubaba!? (Demon Lord!? Why are you here!?)”
I screamed, but no words came out.
Something was off with my body.
What’s going on? It seems I’m being cradled by someone.
How big must this person be to cradle me so completely—
No, wait. I realized I had become incredibly small.
Pale blue skin. And chubby little arms.
“Ababuan!? (A baby!?)”
—I had turned into a baby.
And a demon baby at that.
“A fine boy indeed.”
“Hmph. Well, it’s better to have more heirs than fewer.”
“Your Majesty, may I name this child—”
“Zilbagias.”
With that, the Demon Lord promptly left the room.
I was left stunned.
No way. That’s not how a just-born father should behave…
“Hehehe… Hehehehe…”
However, the woman cradling me was smiling eerily, seemingly unfazed.
“Finally… finally, I was able to bear a child… Hehehe…”
The next thing that entered my field of vision was the coldly beautiful face of a demon woman.
Oh no… could it be… could this be… my mother…?
What shimmered in her eyes was not the love of a mother for her child—but rather a murky mix of obsession, ambition, and hatred.
“Zilbagias.”
She spoke with a creepy, cat-like voice.
“You shall become the Demon Lord.”
With a smile that would send chills down anyone’s spine.
“Push aside the spawn of those wretched women, won’t you…! Hehehe… Ahhahaha…!”
Thus, I—Hero Alexander—died.
And then, reincarnated.
As the prince of the Demon Lord Kingdom, Zilbagias.