King of Ten Thousand Demons Who Overcame Arrogance
Somewhere in the backspace of Akashic Archive
"Thank you for your help, Demon God."
I stood before the Demon God, who had assisted me in shoving that sludge bastard into Weekly Boss mode.
"......I just wanted to see him suffer eternally."
Countless—tens of thousands, millions—of players were relentlessly pummeling the sludge from all sides, its numbers ever-growing.
The Demon God sneered.
She twisted her lips forcibly, as if the sight was just too satisfying.
But even that smile couldn't hide the sorrow welling in her eyes.
A sorrow so vast I could read her thoughts yet still couldn't fathom its depths.
Her master, who raised her, went mad as a slaughterer, so she stopped him—and killed him in the process.
But it turned out her master had deliberately lost and died for her.
To verify the truth, she tried to resurrect her master by looking back into the past, only to grow too attached to her child self.
She couldn't sacrifice her young self to revive her master, so she tried to stop it—then her master resurrected within and merged.
She thought it was a true happy ending, but unleashing her power would erase her master and his world.
Forced to restrain her power, yet needing it to fulfill her master's will as Demon God.
In the end, she unleashed her power, leading to her master's annihilation.
......Isn't it a miracle she's even holding onto her sanity?
If it were me, I might've snapped right then.
Just imagining it happening to my own constellation makes me dizzy.
Yeah, I really hate tragic backstories.
"Demon God."
"......What is it?"
"I've prepared something in advance."
I pulled an orb from my pocket and held it out.
"What is this?"
......How do I even explain?
Your backup plan in case things went wrong with trapping you in the story world, the world collapsed, you got pissed and tried to kill me—so I kept this as a hostage for negotiations... Yeah, no way I can say that.
I pondered for suitable words.
"It's a backup of the game data from your playthrough."
"......Backup?"
"Like saving your progress state."
Prepared for any contingency, this contained her young Demon King companion, Lena, intact from their adventures together.
Unfortunately, I couldn't include her resurrected true master.
"......Is, is that real?"
The Demon God's eyes widened as she reached out and took the orb.
Her hands were trembling wildly now.
Worried she might drop and shatter it in a catastrophe, I cupped my hands beneath hers.
"It, it's real......!"
Peering into the orb with her divine sight, the Demon God saw it all.
Her saved progress—and the Demon King who remembered her as "Demon God."
The girl Lina, safe and sound.
"She's... safe......!"
Overwhelmed, the Demon God wept endlessly.
Forcing dignity as Demon God, suppressing her emotions until they burst forth—who would believe this was the same haughty being?
......Did I go too far, trying to trap her by exploiting those feelings?
How was I supposed to know the Demon God who smashed my investors, took hostages, and commanded me had this side?
She was just lashing out to survive.
I couldn't bring myself to tell the sobbing Demon God that while we'd saved the game data, true resurrection of her Demon King was impossible.
"D-Demon God?"
Back in the Demon King's chamber.
Demon King Lina fidgeted in the Demon God's embrace.
"It's fine. No need to fear missing the era of peace. I'll handle everything."
Materializing fully, the Demon God unleashed her full authority.
Demonic energy overflowed amid her surging power.
Normally, it would shatter the world—but separated from the main server and rebuilt as a private free server optimized for her, the world endured the balance of energy and authority.
"All battles are over. You can set down your heavy burdens now."
Chains of hatred?
Endless conflicts from repeating vengeance?
Those happen when forces are evenly matched.
Overwhelming power.
Power none dare challenge renders vengeance impossible.
And the Demon God wielded it.
"We won't do it! We refuse!" "W-We obey the Demon God's command!"
Exercising her might directly, the entire continent fell under her domain in submission.
Not a few tried defying her orders for revenge, but she had the power to preempt and crush them all.
"......"
The Demon King gaped blankly at her.
"You said you wanted to see it—the era of peace."
Solving in an instant the lifelong struggle—it was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Now you can shake off all those burdens and enjoy an era of peace and harmony. It's all for you."
The Demon King let out a hollow laugh, incredulous.
"Somehow...... it's refreshing, but also a bit disappointing."
"......Is it?"
"Yeah. I achieved my dream, but it feels off. I lived so desperately for this one thing, and it resolves so easily."
"Problems that don't resolve easily usually stem from lack of power."
"True...... I lacked the power."
The Demon King's shoulders slumped.
"In the end, I was meaningless."
"What are you saying?"
"A problem the Demon God could solve this easily, and I became Demon King yet agonized over it. Haha...... I'm truly incompetent."
Crunch.
No.
What are you saying?
I exist because of you,
and that's how I ended the era of hatred and achieved peace.
You started it all—what do you mean?
"......Lina."
"Yes?"
"Truth is...... I wasn't a Demon God from the start. My master saved me when I was alone, crying after losing my parents."
"Even you had a master?"
"......Yes. No one starts strong."
"I'm curious about your master. If anything, you're my master, right? ......Oops, did that offend you?"
"No! Far from it. You're the only one I've ever taught. My greatest masterpiece, my finest apostle. No one surpasses you."
"Ahaha... thank you, Demon God. But my whole life stems from you. Without you, I'd have died in that basement to humans that day."
The girl waved it off with an awkward smile.
The Demon God understood her feelings.
I ended it too quickly.
To save the girl, I shattered the chains of hatred with raw power—now she's questioning her life's purpose.
The Demon God wanted to spill every truth right then.
I'm your disciple. You're my master.
Your sacrifice made it all possible—me becoming Demon King, Demon God, reaching here.
The words rose to her throat.
But she couldn't voice them.
Squeeze.
The girl's eyes widened at the sudden embrace lifting her up.
"Without you, I wouldn't have cared for this wretched world. You are this world's savior—my...... beloved savior."
The girl's warmth, unknowable in soul form.
Her master's scent, thought lost forever.
The soft touch forever missed in dreams.
Eyes closed, the Demon God savored it.
Her master is the true Demon King, hero, worthy of godhood.
Not a foolish, incompetent disciple like me.
Before long, the Demon God slumbered.
The girl laid her head on her thigh, easing her down beside her.
"You've grown so much."
She gently stroked and straightened the Demon God's bangs.
"Where'd you pick up that line?"
With a faintly flushed face, the girl poked her cheek.
"Teasing almost gave me away from how hard my heart was pounding."
At those warm fingertips, the Demon God's lips curved into a smile.
As if dreaming a happy dream where she'd overcome all tragedy and sin within.