This is an 18+ fantasy story with strong adult themes.
It's set to go wild in various ways, whether in a sensual sense or otherwise.
The protagonist, the Demon King, is by no means a champion of justice.
If you were expecting a novel where a righteous hero shines brilliantly, I must apologize. That said, the story won't be too heavy it's meant to be light and breezy.
I welcome your feedback and typo corrections.
So, please enjoy this with a light heart!
-
This is a tale from a world long, long ago.
-
Chapter 1: It Seems the Demon King Has Been Defeated by the Heroes
The Demon King.
A symbol of terror.
A title given to the absolute ruler of the demon realm, a world deep beneath the earth.
He is the leader of the demonkin, known as the kin of evil, and the commander of monstrous creatures called fiends, notorious for slaughtering countless humans as an invader of the surface world.
But now, the Demon King was on the brink of death.
In the heart of the Dark Forest, the stronghold of the Demon King's army, stood a stone structure commonly known as the Demon King's Castle.
Deep within, near the throne often referred to as the Demon King's seat, the Demon King leaned against a pillar, gasping for breath.
His ragged breathing echoed, and a gaping wound on his chest likely from a sword or some sharp weapon oozed endless streams of blood, staining the ground beneath him.
Gritting his teeth, the Demon King glared at the one who had inflicted this wound.
Standing there was a group of men and women, young and old, dressed in attire typical of adventurers, looking out of place in the Demon King's Castle.
*Clank* The sound of armor clashing rang out.
A blonde female knight in ornate armor stepped forward, raising her sword and shouting, "This is the end, Demon King! This place will be your grave! Count your sins in the flames of hell!"
Her theatrical words made the Demon King's face twist in disdain.
It was a miscalculation.
He had never imagined that humans would leave their eastern territories, cross the natural barrier of the Brown Mountains between the Dark Forest and their lands, and attack the heart of the Demon King's stronghold.
Even more absurd was that this assault wasn't carried out by a human army but by a mere band of adventurers. It was a laughable notion.
Yet, this ragtag group had breached the castle's defenses and reached the Demon King's throne.
And now, in this very moment, the Demon King was fatally wounded.
It was, without exaggeration, a moment of life and death.
"..."
But no matter how much he had underestimated their numbers, the Demon King's Castle was still the Demon King's Castle.
Countless powerful guards stood watch, and layers of defensive magic, personally crafted by the Demon King himself, protected the stronghold. For all of that to be broken was simply unthinkable.
Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, the Demon King clenched his fist to check something.
And then he realized.
The greatest source of his power the magic that had elevated him to the throne of the Demon King was no longer accessible.
In that moment, he understood.
He realized the nature of the weapon that had just struck him.
The weapon that had so easily sliced through his countless defensive spells and his magically enhanced body.
"An Anti-Magic Weapon."
The Anti-Magic Weapon.
A relic from ancient times, said to have vanished from all records, created solely to slaughter mages.
It was said to possess the power to pierce any magical barrier and nullify any offensive spell in an instant.
And beyond that, it had one more terrifying ability: the power to seal the target's ability to use magic entirely.
"I was told they had all disappeared with the passage of time..."
"What a tacky name... It's not called that. If you're going to name it, call it what it is a Holy Sword, the Sword of the Hero."
"..."
The one who spoke, swaggering forward, was a man at the center of the group, heavily protected. He wore gaudy armor that seemed ill-suited to him, exuding an air of sleaze.
The Demon King frowned unwittingly at the man's mocking smile.
The situation was spiraling into the worst possible outcome.
The main forces of the Demon King's army were currently absent, either attacking human kingdoms or constructing settlements for the demonkin in the demon realm.
Though some demonkin soldiers and fiends remained, with all magic sealed, expecting their aid was futile.
In the end, the Demon King had only one option left.
He had to find a way to resolve this situation himself.
"..."
The Demon King's eyes narrowed. He had to find a way, no matter what. A heavy silence settled between him and the hero's party.
Then, breaking the stillness, a girl from the hero's party spoke up.
"May I ask you one thing?"
"...?"
The Demon King turned to look at the bold questioner.
The girl, seemingly intimidated by his gaze, pressed down on her star-embroidered hat. Frowning, the Demon King muttered, "A human from the Magic Tower."
"Yes, that's right," she replied affirmatively.
The Demon King steadied his ragged breathing and asked, "What business does a human from the Magic Tower have with me? Are you proposing a contract with the Demon King?"
He muttered sarcastically, scanning his surroundings to buy time.
"No, that's an appealing offer, but that's not my purpose. I'm not here representing the Magic Tower, but as a simple mage. Please, answer my question."
"..."
"Hey, what are you talking about? Why bother asking anything of the Demon King?"
"Hold on, Hero. The Sage must have a reason," said the blonde female knight, who had earlier spoken with theatrical flair, restraining the man called the Hero.
The girl, referred to as the Sage, looked at the Demon King with a resolute expression.
"..."
The Demon King remained silent under her gaze.
But the girl took his silence as consent. Steeling herself, she opened her mouth and asked, "Demon King, my question is simple. It's not about ancient spells or knowledge of the demon realm that only you possess. There's only one thing I want to know: why did you betray us?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb, Demon King. Or perhaps... I should call you by another name. One of the Great Mages of the Magic Tower... Lord Ragnite."
"...!"
At those words, the hero's party stared at the girl in shock. Some even muttered, "Is this a joke?"
"..."
But the girl ignored the voices behind her and fixed her gaze on the Demon King, determined to hear his reason.
Then, suddenly, "Heh heh heh..."
"...?"
Hearing her words, the Demon King let out a low chuckle, as if something had struck him.
"Hahaha... Ragnite, huh? What a nostalgic name. Truly nostalgic."
"Why? Why did you betray us? You, who were once called the Great Sage, praised as the greatest talent of the Magic Tower, admired by so many—why did you turn against humanity and join the demonkin?"
"...Betrayal?"
"...!"
In an instant, the Demon King's demeanor changed. A deadly aura emanated from his blazing eyes, causing the girl's face to pale.
"Sage!"
The blonde female knight stepped forward to protect her, using a scroll she had prepared to shield the girl.
"You vile creature!"
"Betrayal, you say? Betrayal?"
"...?"
"That's rich. Truly laughable. I betrayed humanity? Hah! I betrayed humanity?!"
"...Ugh!"
Suddenly, the Demon King's body twitched. His human form began to swell, transforming into something beastly.
"Be careful, Sage!" the female knight shouted, shielding the girl.
Glaring at them, the Demon King roared, "How absurd!"
"...?"
"I betrayed humanity? I betrayed the Magic Tower and joined the demonkin? That's rich!"
"...!"
His voice thundered like a beast's roar. "It was the Magic Tower that betrayed me first! They tried to kill me to steal my research!"
"...!"
The girl's face turned ashen at his words. But the Demon King continued to shout, "I worked tirelessly to repay the Magic Tower that raised me. I succeeded in grasping a fragment of the knowledge of the stars. But who was it that threatened me to hand over my research? And when I refused, who threatened my disciples?!"
"...!"
"When I fled the Tower to survive, who sent assassins to kill me? And when I discovered that the friends I trusted until the very end were behind it all, who stabbed me in the chest and left me in the Dark Forest?!"
"...!"
*Boom!* The Demon King's fist smashed a nearby pillar, shattering it into pieces. With glowing red eyes and massive horns, he roared, "Listen well, girl! I'll answer your question! I didn't betray you. It was you the filthy lackeys of the Magic Tower who betrayed me!"
"...!"
The girl staggered, letting out a groan. The female knight stepped forward, shouting, "Shut your filthy mouth, Demon King!"
"...Hmph."
"Your lies won't cover the truth, no matter how you try!"
"Is that so? But it seems that girl knows what the truth is," the Demon King muttered.
The knight's gaze turned to the girl, who avoided her eyes. The knight grimaced, then said, "Even if your words are true, that doesn't absolve your crimes!"
"Crimes? What crimes?"
"Don't play innocent! You know the sins you've committed! You led the demonkin from the demon realm to conquer the peaceful surface world! Countless people have died because of your attacks from the Dark Forest!"
At the knight's words, the others in the party snapped back to their senses, glaring at the Demon King.
Each of them had lost a friend or family member to the Demon King's forces.
"..."
The hero's party advanced with menacing intent, but the Demon King laughed.
"Hahaha! Ahahahaha!"
"...!"
The knight frowned, shouting, "What's so funny, Demon King?!"
"Hahaha! I see now. That's how it is!"
"...?"
"Thank you, girl! You've made me realize something I hadn't considered. I'm grateful."
"What nonsense are you—"
"Pfft... Hahaha! The demonkin started the war? Came to the surface to invade?"
"..."
"That's ridiculous. We didn't come to the surface to invade. We only needed land to survive. The demon realm was too small to support our growing population, so we came to the surface to find a place to live."
"...!"
"What nonsense!"
"We settled in the Dark Forest, a place humans deemed forbidden, to avoid conflict. We even sent envoys to inform humans and seek cooperation. But..."
The Demon King's eyes blazed red again, his massive body trembling with suppressed rage.
"Who was it that executed Margarita, the dark elf elder we sent as an envoy? She spoke of leaving the past behind and building a future together, but who killed her? It was you humans!"
"...!"
The knight fell silent at his words. The Demon King struggled to contain his boiling anger.
Margarita, the dark elf elder, was no ordinary member of his army. She was the one who saved him when he was on the brink of death in the demon realm, and the only woman he ever loved.
She had volunteered to act as an envoy to the human kingdoms, believing in a future of coexistence despite his distrust of humans.
But soon after, he learned that she had been killed by humans. That was the moment he gave up on coexisting with them.
"..."
The hero's party exchanged uneasy glances, shaken by his words. They, too, had heard a different version of the story.
The knight was no exception.
There was a tale from her kingdom, where the party had gathered to begin their journey.
According to it, a group of demonkin had invaded a banquet attended by the kingdom's royals and nobles. These dark-skinned demons allegedly tried to enslave the attendees with their beauty.
But their plot was thwarted by a hero a young nobleman from a prestigious family, notorious for his womanizing ways.
Drawn by rumors of beautiful women at the banquet, he attended with his family's treasured sword. When the demonkin appeared, he drew his blade and fought them, luring them into the woods outside the banquet hall and slaying them when they let their guard down.
Thanks to his actions, the royals and nobles were freed from the demons' spell, and his heroism spread, earning him the title of Hero.
"..."
All eyes turned to the man in gaudy armor at the center of the group. Scratching his chin awkwardly, he muttered,
"Oh, right. That dark-skinned girl's name was Margarita, wasn't it? Tsk, she was quite a catch..."
"...?!"
The party's eyes widened at his words.
His womanizing reputation was well-known, but even so...
"Wait, Hero, you mean..."
"Tch, guess there's no hiding it now. I only asked her to sleep with me once. I got her alone in the woods, but damn, who knew she'd choose to bite her tongue and die when cornered? Such a waste..."
"..."
The truth spilling from his mouth left the party reeling.
"Wait, then what have we been..." someone muttered.
The knight snapped back to her senses, shouting, "Get a grip! These are just the Demon King's lies!"
But the atmosphere among the party was already crumbling.
And more than anything, the knight herself the one who had supported the Hero and led the party was breaking down.
"No, it can't be. It can't be true."
She looked at the Hero, hoping he'd deny the Demon King's words. But he only scratched his head, avoiding her gaze.
In that moment, she felt the world collapse around her.
Wasn't he the Hero?
The one destined to defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world?
She had believed in him, endured his actions—even when he lusted after her body—because he was the Hero.
She had borne unimaginable humiliation, leading her loyal followers and the party, all because she saw hope in him to save humanity's future.
But if it was all a lie—if the truth she believed in was a fabrication created by a panicked kingdom to cover up a scandal, if countless lives had been sacrificed for that lie—what was she supposed to believe in?
"Don't worry," the Hero's voice broke through her thoughts.
"...?"
She turned her unfocused eyes toward him. Scratching his chin with a sleazy smile, he said, "It's all in the past, right? Don't sweat it. What, are you upset I fooled around before bedding you? Come on, it was just some demon girl who bit her tongue and died. Don't worry about a filthy thing like that. I'll make sure to treat you real nice tonight—along with the other girls. Heh heh heh."
"..."
His shameless words left the knight and her followers speechless.
Then, the Demon King's voice rang out.
"So it was you."
"...!"
His voice was chilling, like it came from the depths of the underworld.
The knight snapped out of her daze, turning to see the Demon King, his eyes fully red, his muscles tensing as he let out a roar.
"Ugh!"
The party flinched, shielding themselves from the deafening sound.
In that moment, the Demon King's massive body lunged toward them.
"...!"
His attack scattered the knight's followers, screams echoing as blood and flesh flew.
"Raaaargh!"
The Demon King roared, attacking the party with ferocity. They scrambled to fight back, but no one could match the strength of the beastly Demon King.
"Where are you, Hero?!" he bellowed, searching for the man in gaudy armor.
But the Hero was nowhere to be seen.
Then, the Demon King noticed the girl, pale and forming hand signs for a spell.
Magic!
As he realized this, the Hero dropped his invisibility spell, charging with a battle cry.
The Demon King turned quickly, but it was too late.
*Slash.* A cold blade pierced his abdomen.
"Gah!"
Feeling the blade dig in, the Demon King swung to finish the Hero, who smirked triumphantly. But his body began to shrink rapidly.
"Urgh... Argh!"
His swollen muscles, sharp fangs, and massive horns receded, his body reverting to its human form. The Anti-Magic Weapon's power was undoing his magically enhanced state.
The Hero whistled, muttering, "Phew, that was a scare."
"You... you bastard!"
"Half-dead and still struggling? Just die quietly, would you? It's annoying."
The Hero tightened his grip on the sword, pulling it out with a *shunk*, blood spraying around them.
"..."
The Demon King staggered back.
The Hero whistled again, as if amazed he was still alive. "Damn, tough as a cockroach, huh?"
"Heh heh heh..."
"...?"
"Heh heh... Hahaha!"
"What's wrong with this guy? Finally gone mad?"
The Hero stepped back, startled by the Demon King's sudden laughter.
The girl, realizing something, shouted, "Everyone, get out!"
"...!"
At her cry, the knight and the surviving party members fled. The Hero, cursing, followed.
Looking at them, the Demon King shouted, "Fine, humans! Today is my defeat!"
"...?"
"You said this would be my grave, didn't you? But I won't be the only one buried here you'll join me!"
"Damn it! He's going to self-destruct?!" someone shouted.
A blinding light began to erupt behind the fleeing party.
"...!"
Terrified by the menacing glow, they ran faster toward the exit.
The Demon King roared, "Listen, humans! Remember my name Ragnite, the Demon King! I will return, no matter what it takes!
And the moment I set foot in this world again will be your last day!"
"Damn it! Stop spouting nonsense and just die!"
The Hero's shout was drowned out by a deafening explosion. A shockwave erupted from the Demon King's throne, followed by cascading debris as the castle collapsed.
Explosions rippled through the structure, not confined to one area. The demonkin forces camped around the castle panicked, fleeing in disarray.
______
• Year 1328 of the Continental Calendar •
The Demon King Ragnite, who had plunged the world into darkness and fear, fell to the Hero's sword.
The Demon King's army, which had threatened humanity, vanished like smoke.
Not only the demonkin around the castle but also the forces fighting on the western front disappeared.
With this, humanity was finally freed from the Demon King's terror, and all praised the Hero's valor.
The Hero returned to his homeland, married the princess, and ascended to the throne.
The surviving members of his party went their separate ways.
The girl called the Sage returned to the Magic Tower, choosing seclusion and never emerging again.
The female knight returned to her duties with her surviving followers, carrying out her tasks in silence. The other party members scattered.
People hailed their deeds as heroic.
But they couldn't fully accept the praise.
They knew the truth behind this tragic farce.
Yet, it was a truth they could never speak of a truth that, if revealed, would plunge the world into chaos.
So they chose to bury it in darkness.
Thus, the demon realm's invasion of the surface, caused by the Demon King, was reduced to a few sentences crediting the Hero's triumph.
As time passed, those who knew the truth began to disappear, and the truth was buried, just as they had wished.
But they didn't know.
Once history begins to twist, it never returns to its proper course not until someone sets it right.
And so, carrying that distortion, the history of the surface world lost its direction, veering down a misguided path.
Five hundred years passed.
_____________________________________
Translated by Reversalnovel.web.id