The moment the portal's light faded, Rynel opened his eyes and felt the hard ground beneath his feet.
Car horns, engines, and the noisy bustle of the city greeted him. He looked up at the gray sky and let out a faint smile.
"It's been a while since I heard this sound…" he murmured.
He walked slowly along the sidewalk, looking for the parents of the children he had just saved from another world.
But his steps halted when he saw a group of thugs beating a man and a woman in a narrow alley.
Rynel froze.
Those two… they weren't strangers.
They were his old friends—Rei and Miyu, the couple he had protected before dying in this world.
Without hesitation, Rynel dashed forward and struck the thugs. In an instant, they were thrown to the ground, unconscious.
"Every time we meet, you two are always in trouble," he said with a small smile.
The couple stared at him in confusion.
"T-thank you… but who are you? Have we met before?" Rei asked, voice shaking.
Rynel smiled.
"Well… I'm your senior. Akira."
They exchanged glances and shook their heads.
"Don't joke! Our senior died years ago. He was a 19-year-old guy with black hair, while you… you're a young girl with white hair and blue eyes!"
Rynel paused.
Right… my appearance has changed.
"Oy, Great Sage. How do I make them believe me?"
"Say something only your past self would know," the voice echoed in his mind.
Rynel nodded.
"Alright."
He looked at the two of them.
"Before I died, I asked you two to delete all my data from the internet, right? Did you do it?"
Their eyes widened.
Rynel then mentioned several secrets and small habits only Akira had.
"So? Do you believe me now?"
They fell silent for a long moment. Then their eyes began to tear up.
"S-Senior… you really are alive…" Rei whispered.
Rynel gave a faint smile.
"Yes. After I died back then, I reincarnated into another world. And I returned here to bring back the children who were summoned to mine."
The couple looked at the children behind him in shock.
Miyu pulled Rynel aside.
"Senior… we need to tell you something. The parents of these children… they died on the very day these kids disappeared."
She showed him recordings and photos—the exact moment the parents were killed, and the children vanished into mysterious light.
Rynel stared at the screen, and rage immediately exploded from within him.
A black aura surged out, the air shook violently—the aura of a Demon King.
"So… the ones behind this… are angels."
The couple trembled under the pressure.
But Rynel quickly calmed himself and exhaled deeply.
"Sorry. I lost control."
Rei looked at him seriously.
"What will you do now, Senior?"
"For now, I'll place these children in an orphanage. They aren't ready to hear that their parents are gone."
They nodded, and together they brought the children to a nearby orphanage.
Along the way, the children looked cheerful—happier than they had been in the other world.
Rynel smiled quietly at the sight.
After leaving them under the caretaker's protection, Rynel knelt down and spoke gently:
"Wait for a little while, okay? I'll bring your parents back."
The children nodded innocently.
Rynel stood up to leave, but Rei and Miyu stopped him.
"Senior, why don't you come to our house first?" Miyu offered.
"Sure," he replied with a smile.
They walked to a small house on the outskirts of the city.
As soon as they opened the door, a small child ran and hugged them.
"Papa! Mama! Welcome home!"
Rynel's smile softened.
"So you two got married, huh?"
They laughed lightly.
"Yes, two months after you passed away. Come in, lunch is ready!"
Rynel stepped inside.
Warmth filled the house—laughter, the smell of home-cooked food.
For the first time since becoming a Demon King, he felt at peace.
But that peace shattered the moment two glowing figures descended from the sky—angels with white wings.
Without warning, they blasted the front door open with holy light.
"Hand over your child," one angel said coldly.
"If you comply, no one will be harmed."
The couple trembled, holding their crying child tightly.
"N-no… we won't give up our child. No matter what!"
The angels exchanged glances and summoned glowing swords.
"Very well. We will take the child by force."
They stepped forward—emotionless, merciless.
But a dark shadow appeared before them.
The air trembled.
The light around them dimmed.
Rynel stood there with cold eyes.
"So you're the root of all this."
When the angels saw his face, terror twisted their expressions.
"N-no… It can't be… Demon King Rynel!?"
"How is he in this world!?"
They tried to escape, but Rynel raised his hand and whispered:
"Shi no Kontorōru Sakugen."
A black blade materialized in his grasp.
One swing—
and their bodies were bisected, leaving only their heads intact.
Yet somehow, they still lived, screaming in agony.
"You can't die… because I won't allow it," Rynel said calmly.
"This skill controls life and death."
His two friends were pale.
"S-so Senior… is really the Demon King…"
"Yes," Rynel replied softly. "Sorry it took this long to tell you."
He crouched in front of the severed heads.
"Now answer me. How many of you came to this house?"
Silence.
Defiance.
Rynel sighed and lifted his hand.
"Nokoribi Jigoku."
Black flames erupted beneath them, burning their souls.
"S-stop!! We'll talk! Please extinguish it!!"
Rynel closed his hand, and the flames vanished.
"Good. Speak."
Panting, one head whispered:
"T-there are… fourteen other angels… surrounding this house…"
Rynel rose slowly.
"Fourteen, huh…"
He raised his hand to the air.
"Lazrel. Seraphine. Ultima. Come forth."
A magic circle formed, and three legendary demons appeared, kneeling.
"Capture all fourteen angels. Alive."
"Yes, my lord," they said before vanishing like shadows.
Rynel turned back to the heads.
"These flames will burn you until your energy ends. After that, you'll disappear painlessly."
"Nokoribi Jigoku."
Their final screams faded into ash.
Minutes later, Lazrel, Seraphine, and Ultima returned—dragging fourteen angels bound by magic chains.
One of them wore golden robes—clearly the leader.
All of them kneeled, trembling under Rynel's aura.
"Now… tell me. Why are you kidnapping children from this world?"
Rynel glared at the leader.
Silence.
Rynel smiled coldly.
"Ultima. You know what to do."
"Hehehe~ with pleasure, Lord Rynel."
Horrific screams filled the room.
After a few minutes, the leader finally broke.
"STOP!! We'll talk!!"
Rynel signaled, and Ultima stepped back with a satisfied grin.
"Our mission… is to take those children… because Demon King Rynel would never hurt them…
In one week… we will destroy this world… and take the remaining children!"
Rynel went silent.
The air turned freezing.
His eyes became pitch black.
"Black Hellfire."
Twelve angels were burned to dust instantly.
Only two remained.
"Y-you two hold high positions… Good. I'll devour you."
"W-wait! We talked! Spare us!!"
"Mercy?" Rynel smirked.
"That belongs only to the worthy."
He raised his hand.
"Belzebub."
Black light engulfed the first leader, devouring him whole.
Great Sage echoed in his mind:
"You have acquired a new skill: Energy Manipulation."
Rynel blinked with a flat expression.
"Seriously? I expected something better."
He looked at the remaining angel.
"Alright… let's see if your skill is more interesting."
"Belzebub."
Black light devoured him.
Great Sage spoke again:
"You have acquired a new skill: Soul Weaver.
You may now grant skills to chosen subordinates."
Rynel smiled in satisfaction.
"Finally, a useful skill."
He turned toward the three demons and his two friends, all still stunned.
Lazrel stepped forward.
"My lord, what will we do next? They plan to attack in a week."
Rynel looked at the shattered window, watching the sunset.
"Tomorrow… we meet with the government.
They must know what's coming.
This world needs to prepare."