003. The Essence of the Canon

Even now, things weren't much different, but the me from before regression had been brimming with pride.

Overflowing with confidence? Overflowing, indeed.

Arrogant? Arrogant to a fault.

Racial superiority, flowery praise as the top graduate in history, and the adulation from those around me—it all forged me that way.

It wasn't just empty words. Among my peers at the academy, there wasn't a single cadet worth comparing myself to.

Even among the students at the Demon King Academy, where only the finest demons gathered, I stood unrivaled.

I enrolled superior and graduated overwhelmingly so.

Thus, I saw the hellish dimension of Alein not as a curse, but as a trophy to showcase my excellence.

No— I believed Alein was the only fitting stage for someone like me, the pinnacle.

The dimension befitting the greatest had to be Alein, naturally.

Despite warnings from a few, I stubbornly descended upon Alein. And defying everyone's expectations, I achieved some results.

I pushed ahead of the Demon Kings already entrenched there, too busy playing it safe. That success convinced me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I could conquer Alein and ascend even higher.

Until I realized that damned Demon King's Canon was made not for Demon Kings like me, but for heroes.

Thinking back still makes me want to curse.

In any case, the old me had experienced the dimension of Alein once. And that experience was an invaluable asset.

An asset I now possessed, allowing me to reject blindly following the canon.

With that, I was truly confident I could conquer Alein.

But Gordon clearly didn't think so.

"Alein? Alein?"

Gordon tore at his hair. Strands as fine as silk, worthy of an elf, regrettably scattered.

"We have nothing. In a situation where even the easiest dimension might be too much, the worst one?!"

His teary-eyed desperation overlapped with the past.

'It'll be tough, but we have you, my lord, and me. It's worth challenging! No—without Alein, I wouldn't even feel motivated!'

I remembered it being pretty spirited back then.

"I'm not going! I can't go! If you want to die, die alone!"

What was the difference between then and now?

Plenty.

For starters, back then I was the model student. Top graduate, acknowledged by all. But now? A rebel who upended demon values.

Due to the butterfly effect, the benefits I'd received and the demons who'd pledged loyalty were gone.

No wonder it's changed.

But I couldn't exactly say I'd regressed, so all I could do was order obedience.

"How about you stop ripping your hair out? It's a waste."

"Is my hair the issue right now?!"

It backfired. Even more strands rolled across the floor.

If I gave him another chance and he refused, would he go fully bald?

Regardless of Gordon's opposition, the moment of dispatch arrived.

Furious Alkain had nailed me to Alein permanently and threatened that no one could aid me.

It was only natural that Gordon, who'd tried persuading friendly demons to avert the worst, lost even more hair.

Time passed, and the day came. Standing before the portal were just me and Gordon—the most pathetic dispatch in Demon King history.

The one consolation? Archduke Alkain himself came to see us off. Though surely not out of pure goodwill.

"Even if you cry and beg now, no second chances. Rot away in that godforsaken dimension forever."

"Thanks for the well-wishes. I'll return after turning it into a full colony."

"Guts befitting the top graduate. If you truly manage that, I'll grant any one request."

"I look forward to it."

I smirked past Alkain's increasingly crumpled face.

Grabbing the limp, corpse-like Gordon by the collar, I dragged him along.

Thus, for the first time in Ma-gye history, a Demon King and his adjutant alone crossed the dimensional portal.

The first to greet us was a flurry of pure white snowflakes.

Chilling cold, amplified by Dimensional Interference weakening our bodies, burrowed in.

I exhaled frosty breath and brushed snow from my hair.

"We made it properly."

"Where... is this?"

"Northern continent, somewhere in the Erjest Mountains."

A natural fortress untouched by human hands.

Monsters overrun the area, and the harsh environment repels the weak.

That's why here.

"We'll build the Tower."

Where no one can find it.

And even if they do, they won't dare approach.

"That defies the canon."

Gordon bristled.

Canon Rule 1: A Demon King must build their tower in the assigned world.

The directive simply says "build a tower," but later demons added their own details.

Choose a suitably treacherous spot—but not one humans can't reach at all.

"So?"

"The canon is an inviolable law of Ma-gye."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"After the stunt I pulled at graduation? You really think I'll follow it?"

"...Have you truly abandoned even a Demon King's pride?"

I clicked my tongue at his deepening disgust.

I understood. Deep-rooted faith isn't easily discarded without death—or something equivalent.

I didn't answer.

Slowly surveying the peaks, I spotted a suitable valley. Encircled by summits, impossible to pinpoint ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠without exact coordinates.

Perfect for a tower.

"This spot looks good."

"Not content with a remote site, you plan to hide the tower entirely?"

Gordon, watching me, piped up again.

"And?"

"I'll stop you. Pointing out a Demon King's errors and advising is my duty."

"Obeying your Demon King's orders is your duty too."

I sank him easily and dug into the earth. Planted the tower seed from Alkain.

Covered it with soil, sliced my palm, and dripped blood. As the dry ground drank it greedily, I infused Magic Points.

A faint vibration.

The tower's system recognized me. The seed, absorbing my blood and Magic Points, unleashed its latent potential in a burst.

Ku-gu-gu-gu—

The mountain shook. Air churned from the massive Magic Point wave.

A colossal five-story tower emerged.

Its form was crude. Seamless like a single hunk of metal carved whole, utterly devoid of ornamentation.

Worlds apart from the 20-story behemoth before regression, but nostalgia lent it charm.

Kiiiek—

The door opened. I stepped inside over a welcoming red carpet.

And took in the empty cavern within.

Before, it'd brimmed with academy beasts granted for my top honors and demons drawn by my fame. Now, only Gordon.

"Take a good look. This is the tower you'll manage from now on."

"Manage what? It's barren."

He snapped curtly. His constant nagging grated.

If he weren't competent for tower duties—or the loyal soul who'd served me in my past life—his teeth would've been shattered by now.

"Ease up. Don't elves treasure their ears above all?"

"......"

Gordon shuddered. No matter the situation, I was still a Demon King—among Ma-gye's elite.

Trembling, he lifted his head defiantly.

"...I'll remember that. And as your adjutant, I'll advise."

"Speak."

"Kidnap a princess."

"Reason?"

"Kidnap a princess and leave your mark. One kingdom's rage and sorrow will flow entirely to you. Those emotions become sweet Magic Points, strengthening you further."

Even in fear, he burned to correct my deviance.

That was Gordon's strength. But this time, wrong direction.

"Rejected."

"The canon must be followed because it's the canon! It's canon because it's most efficient! Passed down over ten millennia and enduring—that proves its worth!"

"Might hold for other dimensions. But not here in Alein."

"What makes Alein different from others?"

"A millennium un-conquered? That's proof enough."

"But the canon was set by the First Mahwang for efficient Magic Point gathering."

"Half right."

After heroes toyed with and killed me, I wondered.

Was I special? Or all Demon Kings the same?

Had the canon truly twisted into a system for heroes, not Demon Kings?

From academy graduation to Alein dispatch, I scoured Ma-gye's archives.

Librarians glared in disgust at the rebel, but I forced my way and checked.

And realized.

The First Mahwang's intent in setting the canon.

And why it corrupted only in Alein.

"To know why the First Mahwang set that canon, understand how demons gain Magic Points."

Demons draw energy from humans or other races' life force and negative emotions.

Higher quality, greater quantity—the better.

"No demon is unaware."

"Then, for a Demon King invading the mid-world, what's the way to gain more and better Magic Points?"

"Fame."

Demons, humans, or other races—all gain fame from feats.

For Demon Kings invading mid-world dimensions, feats meant toppling nations and slaying their nemeses: heroes.

Bigger kingdoms.

Stronger heroes.

Destroying and killing them built fame.

"Slay weak heroes all day—humans barely react. Killing weaklings proves nothing."

But a famously strong hero?

"A strong hero isn't just any hero. They're hope incarnate."

"So we must follow the canon? To raise such heroes?"

To build fame, Demon Kings needed strong heroes. But they weren't common.

So the First Mahwang resolved: if none, create them. Foster and devour.

Thus, the canon clause to aid hero growth materially and morally.

Plus, a strong hero's despair in defeat yielded greater value. One stone, two birds.

"That method wasn't wrong."

Academy elites are handpicked demons risking lives to graduate—a select few.

Such Demon Kings outclass humans or other races, even with Dimensional Interference limiting power.

"Countless dimensions conquered that way, past and present. In a sense, the canon wasn't wrong."

"Then why...?"

"But Alein is different."

Alein differs fundamentally from other dimensions.

"Yes. One thing."

A tiny difference. Monumentally so.

"Alein has too many heroes."

No— "many" doesn't capture it.

"Too damned many."

That reversed the dynamic.

When situations change, rules must adapt. But to demons, canon was faith, not rules.

The canon's secrets spread. Heroes exploited it en masse.

Thus, a "Hero's Canon" using the Demon King's Canon emerged.

"So I'll use that canon against them."

I'll toy with the trash heroes who mock foolish canon-following Demon Kings.