Beloved Disciple, My Demon God
The entire continent erupted in heated debate over a single figure: the Demon God.
Countless opinions clashed and opposed each other, with no single right answer in sight.
This was amplified by the fact that the figure was a historical giant known to all.
The irreconcilable clash of values only elevated recognition of her.
And in the end, they converged as one:
"……My disciple."
Awakening her.
Bang!
I shook off the unidentified entity piercing through me and leaped back, putting distance between us.
"……What the hell are you?"
This wasn't one of my creations.
So it came from outside the dream world?
[A mortal removed the seed?]
[Impossible]
[But the seed of pride is nearly gone]
[Confirmed]
[Intruder]
The black silhouette tilted its head, muttering something under its breath.
I had no idea what it was babbling about.
"Crashing someone else's turf and messing with their business? You must be ready to get wrecked."
The world's energy gathered and swirled toward me.
As long as this world remained intact, I was stronger than anyone here.
First off, let's punch a hole through you like you did to me.
My power formed into a massive spear amid fierce winds.
I thrust my hand forward, and the spear flew straight at it.
In response, it extended both hands as if to block.
Black energy oozed from it.
Thud!
Its foul sludge blocked my spear.
I spun the spear to increase penetration, but the sludge swallowed it whole.
"……What?"
The sludge rippled like it was digesting, then absorbed into it and vanished.
[God's authority has no effect on me]
I couldn't see its face, but it felt like it was mocking me.
"……What do you mean 'impossible' over and over? Is that the only thing you can say?"
I focused my mind.
In this world, my possibilities were infinite.
My imagination was my power.
Dozens of portals opened behind me.
The most devastating attacks I could imagine poured out from each one.
A psionic cannon from a spaceship that could cleave planets in half.
Treasure tools designed for battles between heroes.
The raw mana of a grand mage who devoted their life to pure firepower.
My imagination, honed by countless Earth stories, was beyond ridiculous by this world's standards.
Fire.
The barrage targeted only the sludge thing.
Each one carried enough power to end a tale.
I was certain even a god couldn't block it here... but.
Whummm.
A strange wave rippled from it, absorbing every attack.
All my unblockable attacks—wiped out by a single move.
No way.
This was my world that I created.
Blocking every power I wielded here?
My developer-cheat-level strength?
...This could actually be dangerous.
I immediately tried contacting the Constellation.
Ring...
Ring...
What the—
Why isn't it connecting?
Constellation?
Communication jammed?
The authority linking me to the Constellation felt neutralized.
...No way.
Shhrrk.
Black sludge unfurled around it.
"……Tch."
I unleashed my dwindling power to fend off the encroaching sludge.
If it could truly nullify the Constellation's dream authority...
This was the absolute worst.
Escape from this world? Impossible.
I had to take it down with what I had left... but.
I glanced down at the Demon God below.
Her mind was clear, but she couldn't help.
She wouldn't wield power if it meant collapsing this world.
Boom!
I squeezed out my remaining strength to block the sludge.
"This is seriously fucked."
If I die here, am I safe in reality? Didn't the Constellation say something about becoming a vegetable?
The Demon God stared blankly up at the clash of the two transcendent beings.
The NPC who called her "warden."
She could sense it. Not an NPC.
A familiar aura dwelled within.
Undoubtedly an apostle of the Dream God.
"So that's how it was......"
At first, she thought it was a prank, appointing her warden to tease.
But now, with [Pride] nearly washed away, she understood.
He sought to heal her.
To cleanse the sin clouding her eyes and ears, to let her face the pure truth.
To make her realize the truth about her master.
That evil being fighting him must be the one who planted this sin.
Appearing now to disrupt as [Pride] faded, to sow chaos again.
So what must she do?
She knew.
Release the Demon God's power immediately.
Annihilate the evil and save her benefactor.
Her mind knew... but.
She couldn't accept this world's end.
The days with her master.
From her master's childhood to now.
All those shared times weren't lies.
She couldn't lose them all.
The Demon God swallowed her tears.
I'm sorry. I'm... an unworthy god. I... can't betray and let my master die again.
"Demon God-sama......"
The Demon King approached the bound Demon God, held by invisible force.
"It's... been a while......"
The Demon God greeted her with an awkward smile.
The Demon King bit her lip, gazing at her.
"You know, Demon God-sama. I actually resented you."
"......"
"Why you left me behind. Why you promised to stay but abandoned me. I couldn't accept it. I cried every night, cursing you."
"I understand."
She knew.
She'd seen it all.
With divine perception, she'd watched every element in the accelerated world's flow.
The girl's sadness, loneliness, fear, inner conflict.
All that pain—she'd seen and felt it too.
"But... I didn't know. That you were still fighting all this time."
The divine beings battling furiously above, and the Demon God bound here.
Her master had been fighting her hardest in the shadows.
How childish she'd been by comparison.
"Eek!"
The Demon King gripped and sliced at the binding force on the Demon God.
A power beyond this world's specs, created by its maker.
No mere creation could harm it.
"This time... I won't lose you. My Demon God-sama."
Her authority shone from the girl's hand.
Sizzle.
Lava flowed, trying to melt the bonds.
"This time! This time, I won't lose you!"
The girl poured her power until her hand blistered and her authority depleted.
But the bonds remained unchanged.
"Lina......"
The Demon God bit her lip hard.
With her will alone, she could sever such bonds.
Just collapse the dream authority.
But...
The dream authority must not collapse.
To fulfill what the girl was doing, she'd have to destroy the girl and her world.
The Demon God wasn't ready to accept that.
"Why won't it break! Why! We just reunited, Demon God-sama! Whyyy!"
Thus, she couldn't grant the screaming girl's wish.
Not even if her benefactor died above to the evil.
"I'm sorry... Lina."
As the Demon God closed her eyes and shed tears,
"Still such a crybaby, huh? My cute disciple."
......?
Warm hands cupped her cheeks.
Impossible in her soul state, yet the Demon God felt the warmth.
Opening her eyes, the girl stroked her cheeks with her hands.
"Long time no see. My disciple."
"......Lina? ......M-Master?"
"Yeah. Have you been well?"
The Demon King's bright smile held the master's longed-for warmth.
"My disciple's grown so much, even playing master to your own master."
"N-No, that was to revive you...! I mean, I didn't want to be your master or anything! No, really!"
As the flustered Demon God sputtered, Lina giggled.
"My disciple. Still so cute even as Demon God."
"......Hmph. Always teasing."
The Demon God's cheeks puffed out.
"Why didn't you tell me? What you were trying to do. That you sacrificed to break the chain of hatred."
"Would you have let me if I did?"
"......No, but."
Lina hugged the Demon God tightly.
"Sorry. I burdened you with too much. You've had it rough."
"......Yeah. You're bad, Lina."
"Pfft, my fault. I'm really sorry. ......And you did great."
Lina stroked the Demon God's head.
"Never thought you'd pull it off like this. Severing all hatred, ushering in peace."
"......So much I want to say."
She wanted to show it all.
How the world changed after her master's sacrifice.
The peaceful era built on it, where everyone could smile and live.
"I wanna hear it all. ......But you know?"
"Lina. No."
"The Demon King has something she must do."
"No."
"I'm no position to advise since you're a full-fledged Demon King now."
"No!"
"As one who rules and protects, something you must do. You know it."
"No! No! Please! Lina! I don't want to part with you again!"
Pat pat.
"Really sorry. Making you bear this burden again."
"Stop it, Lina. I... I...!"
Rather than become Demon King on her master's sacrifice again, she'd just quit everything!
"Hey now, enough."
Stern-faced Lina raised a finger to silence the Demon God.
"You're the Demon God-sama. The great guardian of demons, far beyond any Demon King."
"Lina......"
"Lina believes in our Demon God-sama. That you'll slay evil, establish peace and justice. Become the greatest Demon God this world will ever see."
The Demon God bit her lip.
Blood trickled thickly from the torn flesh.
"Lina, I......"
"You'll do it, right, our Demon God-sama?"
What omnipotence? What 'this lady'?
She wasn't an omnipotent Demon God.
Calling herself supreme while failing to save her beloved?
What she could do, what she couldn't.
The final thread of [Pride] binding the Demon God shattered.
Grooooaaarrr!
Divinity exploded from the Demon God, swirling wildly.
"Lina."
So much she wanted to say, to show.
Tears blurred her vision.
She didn't want to accept it.
Another farewell.
How, just reunited, already parting.
"I love you, Lina."
She couldn't say more.
It would scatter her hard-won resolve.
Kwaaaa!
The Demon God soared into the sky.
She couldn't look back.
She'd collapse crying like a child.
She needed a target for this overwhelming emotion and rage.
The evil being that forced her to choose her master's death with her own hands—she'd tear it apart.
As the Demon God's overflowing power unleashed, the surrounding dream authority was severed.
The false dream, more real than reality to her, was cut away.
Everything blurred like waking from a dream.
"Me too."
The demon girl at the center smiled.
The dream world faded around her. She looked up one last time at her proud disciple's back.
Her beloved, whom she'd failed but grown so wonderfully—her disciple, master, companion, the one precious child in this world.
"I completely love you, our Demon God-sama."
With those final words, the Demon King vanished from the world.