They say I'm merely the eleventh descendant of the Demon King's bloodline. Yet among my ten predecessors, I am the strongest, the most enduring, and the most feared entity in this world. They even call me 'The Last Singularity'-the Tyrant Demon King.
A truly terrifying name. A title that didn't need to be shouted aloud, merely uttering it would strike fear into people's hearts, as if they were staring death itself in the face. All of this seemed to grant me an undeniable position-absolute and boundless power.
But me? I'm just Malrik. Well, I admit I am feared. Yes, it's reasonable. I mean, I am the Demon King after all. I've lost count of how many lives I've taken throughout my existence. Too many humans have come wielding swords, prayers, vengeance, or just foolish courage, only to leave in... well, not leave at all.
Understandably, humans were afraid. They feared the day I would appear and end their lives. And I understood. I truly understood. I would be terrified too if a creature like me roamed the world.
But please don't misunderstand. I have no desire to take the lives of the weak, you know. I have my pride. If you want to die, at least give me a worthy reason to raise my hand. The problem is, those reasons are becoming increasingly rare.
And I remained here, waiting for time to pass, hoping that one day someone truly worthy would appear—a figure capable of bearing the expectations of humanity, a perfect hero! Their last hope, and the legendary figure they would proudly proclaim.
Then that person stood before me, drawing their sword without hesitation, and finally... succeeded in killing me—The Tyrant Demon King.
Humans would cheer. They would weep with joy. They would write songs, build statues, and declare that day a national holiday.
And at that very moment! Just as they let their guard down, just as they were convinced it was all over, I would unleash my ultimate technique, turning the tables and plunging them back into despair and—! ...Oops. That's not good. I need to restrain myself.
Speaking of heroes, the person standing before me is...
"DEMON KING—!!"
The hero screamed, his voice hoarse and desperate. His hands trembled, yet he stubbornly gripped mine. I let my hand pierce through his abdomen and frowned at him. Well, this was the end for him anyway. Pathetic.
"Are you listening, Demon King?!" he still shouted, his voice trembling between coughs of blood. "Humanity will surely avenge all your crimes!"
Yes, yes, I'm listening. This was the forty-third time such words had reached my ears. Though each hero had their own style, the outcome was always the same: they died before me, brimming with ambition. But... it was all so tedious.
I yanked my right hand, which had pierced his abdomen, free with a slight tug. His body lost its support and collapsed to its knees before me. "Enough. I'll end this here," I declared in a dramatic, heavy voice.
"Urgh... bastard!" he cursed, choking on blood. "Do you even realize what you've done?! How many hundreds of thousands of human lives have you taken? How many—"
So noisy. I simply slit his throat. How cruel of me.
Well, that wasn't very cool.
*
For as long as she could remember, Althea had been haunted by the same dream. A woman gripped her hand tightly, pulling her out of a magnificent mansion. But it was too late. The sky had already turned crimson, and distant flames engulfed parts of the capital.
"Thea, go to your grandfather's place. That man would definitely be able to protect you," the woman said.
"Mother-" Althea's voice broke. Tears streamed down her small cheeks. The woman lowered her head and gently wiped away the tears.
"Listen to me, Thea. This house isn't safe anymore. I have to protect it. But if you stay here, I'm not sure I can protect both of you, understand?"
Althea tugged at the hem of her shirt, trying to hold back her sobs.
"Wear this," the woman said, removing her pendant and placing it around Althea's neck. The green crystal shimmered with clarity and beauty. "This necklace will protect you from that evil demon."
"Thea!-" A voice called out from the distance, calling her name.
Althea clutched the pendant tightly. "But... what about you, Mother?"
"It's alright. Mommy is strong, you know," the woman replied with a confident smile.
"Althea!" The voice called out again, louder and closer this time.
Althea quickly wiped away her tears. "Okay... Thea will wait for mom at Grandfather's place."
"Good girl," the woman said, kissing Althea's forehead. "Now go."
Althea nodded and ran out of the yard toward her grandfather's place, not daring to look back.
"ALTHEA CELESTINE ARWEN!!"
BAM—!
—
Althea blinked, finding herself back in the room. The bright office, the tranquil atmosphere, and the instructor sitting across from her.
"Goodness, daydreaming in the middle of a conversation? Are you lacking confidence?"
"Eh, no. That's not it, ma'am. I was just thinking about something." Althea instinctively clutched the pendant around her neck.
The instructor sighed dramatically. "I'll repeat myself. Althea Celestine Arwen, you have been chosen for the next Hero Summoning Division."
"Yes, I understand," Althea replied.
"Furthermore, this summoning will be conducted by five people. Which means we will be welcoming five new Heroes this time."
"Eh? Why is that?" Althea asked.
"The Great Sage said that this calamity will be ten times more dangerous than usual,"
Althea paused briefly. "Grandfather... does that mean someone else will be summoning Heroes too?"
"Yup. Five skilled students from this Academy have been selected for the Hero Summoning Division. Elric Dolner, Ryn Avelor, Thalia Feldwyn, Calis Dunvar... and lastly, Althea Celestine Arwen. You."
"But why me? My magic isn't particularly advanced," Althea protested.
The instructor replied without hesitation, "It's simple. The Great Sage himself chose you."
Althea swallowed hard. "Grandfather...? But why?"
"I don't know the details. But that old man insisted you possess extraordinary potential for holy mana. The problem is, you don't seem to realize it yourself."
"I have holy mana? What kind of joke is that?" A sudden silence fell over the room, the atmosphere growing palpably awkward. "The Hero summoning ceremony begins next week, specifically on Monday. If there are no further questions, you may leave."
"If... if Grandfather's words are true... then what should I do, ma'am?" The Instructor sighed. "How should I know? It's your own responsibility to figure that out." Althea was clearly displeased with the Instructor's answer, and the Instructor noticed.
"But if the old man pointed directly at you, it means there's truly something special within you." He gazed at Althea. "If you manage to awaken it... you might gain immense power. Perhaps... power that could end the evil in this world."