Darkness.
Endless, shattered darkness.
I was floating… drifting without weight.
"...Huh?"
When I opened my eyes—
I wasn't on the train anymore.
No seats.
No rails.
No phone in my hand.
Just an infinite void of broken light, swirling like shattered glass.
"Finally… you've opened your eyes, human."
I spun around.
Standing several steps away was—
A demon.
Tall.
Majestic.
Wearing black armor cracked with faint glowing runes, silver hair flowing loosely past his shoulders.
The presence alone made my chest tighten.
"W-Woah?! A demon?!"
Panic surged through me.
"I-I died?! This is hell, right?!"
The demon exhaled a tired laugh and walked closer, raising a hand.
"First—yes, I'm a demon.Second—no, you are neither dead nor in hell."
He placed a hand gently on my head.
"Calm yourself. I pulled you here."
"Y-You pulled me?! You can hear my thoughts too?! That's creepy, old man!"
He chuckled.
The sound was weary… but warm.
"Old man, huh…"
Then his expression softened.
"In any case—I'm glad you came."
He straightened slightly and placed one hand over his chest.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"I am the former Demon King—Annon."
"…Annon?"
The name struck like lightning.
Wait—
No way—
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Annon… as in—the strongest Demon King from Asterfall?!"
He smiled faintly.
"So… you truly know who I am."
"Yes. That was me."
Holy hell—
He's real?!
"So—uh… w-what does the Demon King want with some random exhausted salaryman like me?"
To my surprise—
He smiled gently.
Not the smile of a tyrant or monster…
But the smile of a tired man.
"Only one thing…"
His eyes locked onto mine.
"Will you become me— and take over as Annon?"
"…HUH?!"
Meanwhile — Asterfall
"My king—please wake up… please…"
Kneeling on blood-soaked stone, Lenna Welter, human commander of the legion, pressed trembling hands against the wound in Annon's chest.
But the blood kept flowing.
Her healing spells… failed.
Behind her stood Orion.
Silent.
Broken.
Guilt crushed his chest, but the truth remained stuck in his throat.
Lenna turned slowly—and met his eyes.
The sympathy there enraged her.
"Go."
Her voice was cold, trembling with restrained fury.
"You won… didn't you?"
"…Then leave."
"Get out of our land."
Orion lowered his head.
Without another word, he ordered the empire army to retreat.
The heroes withdrew—
Leaving the Demon King's land to its mourning legion.
The remaining commanders gathered around Annon's body.
Vampire.
Beastwoman.
Dragonkin.
Dark Elf.
Succubus.
Humans.
Women of countless races—
All stood motionless, tears quietly falling.
Suddenly—
A glowing magic circle bloomed beneath the Demon King's corpse.
"A spell—!!"
Felfi, the Dark Elf Commander, shouted.
"Regression Formation!"
Lenna exhaled shakily.
"So… he was prepared even for this…"
She knelt beside Annon and gently brushed bloodstained hair from his face.
Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss upon his cold lips.
"Until we meet again… my king."
Back to the Void
"…So you tried to cast a regression spell to turn back time?"
I asked quietly.
"Then why bring me here?"
Annon nodded.
"I intended to reset my own life."
"However…"
A faint smile appeared.
"I heard your voice."
"I wish I were the Demon King."
"So I changed the spell."
"Time was not reversed."
"Instead—I invoked a Regression of the Soul… and summoned yours."
I nodded slowly…
Like this made any kind of sense at all.
"…You really expect me to just accept something this crazy?"
I shrugged.
"I mean… we're talking about you, Annon."
"If anything's possible—it's with you."
He chuckled quietly.
"Is that so?"
"Then let me ask."
"Are you willing to leave your world behind?"
I paused.
The train.
The endless overtime.
The empty apartment.
No girlfriend.
Family out of reach.
Crushing monotony.
"Honestly…"
I scratched my cheek.
"I don't have anything waiting for me back there."
"Job? Meh."
"Love life? Zero."
"Dreams?"
I laughed quietly.
"Can't even remember the last one I had."
Annon gazed at me with quiet pity—
Then nodded.
"A man with nothing left… is not weak."
"He is free."
Then he smiled with pride.
Raising his hand, he spoke solemnly—
"Yoshi Nakagawa…"
"Please inherit my legacy…"
"Protect my world…"
"And protect them."
He already knew my name.
Yet somehow, it didn't surprise me.
I nodded firmly.
"I will."
Light exploded.
Two souls intertwined—
Memories flooded into my mind:
Magic theory.
Battle experience.
History.
Tactics.
And countless emotions.
We merged—
Not replacing each other…
But becoming something new.
Whoosh.
Awakening of the Demon King
My eyes opened.
Stone ceiling.
Torchlight flickering.
And six figures kneeling around me.
"…I'm… back?"
Tears broke instantly.
"My king!"
The Six Commanders lunged forward, wrapping their arms around me.
Choking sobs filled the chamber.
An unfamiliar warmth swelled inside my chest.
Yet…
It felt right.
I smiled and gently patted their heads.
"You've all done well…"
And for the first time—
The Demon King Annon returned.
Not as a tyrant…
But as a man who finally had something to protect.