Chapter 1: I am a Reincarnator too (Chapter 1)
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The sun had vanished, leaving a void in the sky. Dimensional cracks, like jagged scars, marred the once-blue expanse, pulsating with an array of colors that seeped into the world, destabilizing it. These fractures, when touched, unleashed a chaotic energy that obliterated any life it encountered. Now, these cracks were spreading, casting the world into darkness.
In this bleak reality, humans begged for help or mercy from the gods who had long abandoned them. The remaining ten thousand Elves, their world tree barely alive, gathered in prayer, hoping for a miracle. But the world tree remained silent, its strength nearly extinguished.
Facing the end, some dwarves chose to share their final moments with comrades from other races with another drink. Others, determined to leave a legacy, continued to forge weapons, each blow a testament to their craft. In the orphanage, all food was given to the children, ensuring they would feast today, unburdened by the fear of tomorrow's hunger.
In this desperate hour, racial boundaries dissolved, and every race found unity in the face of annihilation. And as the sun set on this final day, a somber acceptance settled over the world, for all knew that their time had come to an end.
All the mighty figures in the world had perished, leaving doom as the only certainty.
The hero of Light? Fallen.
The hero of Fire, the hero of frost, or any of the seven heroes? All vanquished.
What about the Magic Sage? The Saints? Or the Archmage?
Most of the powerful figures had met their end. The few who remained had lost their resolve. They knew that no matter their efforts, they could never overcome the Demon King, who had singlehandedly defeated all the heroes and powerful forces. This world was doomed. All they could do now was embrace their fate.
***
In a distant realm where only the carcasses of beasts, monsters, and demons littered the land, a grand castle stood defiantly.
The Castle of the Demon King.
Seated upon his throne, the Demon King, responsible for the demise of all the heroes, was impaled by a sword. Crimson blood gushed forth like a fountain. Standing before him was the wielder of the blade, the weakest hero, the 8th hero.
"I have countless questions. I scarcely know where to begin," said the Sword Hero, the weakest hero who had never been trusted by anyone.
The Demon King glanced at the sword embedded in his heart. He made no attempt to remove it or stem the flow of blood.
"Ask your most pressing question," the Demon King replied.
"Why are you destroying the world?" the Sword Hero demanded.
"I am not destroying it. I was trying to protect it," the Demon King responded.
"Bullshit! By slaughtering thousands and millions of innocent people?"
"If you put it like that, then yes, something along those lines. But I thought you might ask a more personal question. I suppose you prioritize your duties," the Demon King responded, blood dripping from his mask. His voice remained steady.
"I do have a personal question. Twelve years ago, in a rural village, you suddenly appeared. Two children were playing beside a lake. You killed the thirteen-year-old girl but left the boy unharmed. Why didn't you kill the boy back then?" the Sword Hero inquired.
"...," the Demon King hesitated.
"Why did you leave him alive?" the Sword Hero demanded.
"You were not my target," the Demon King replied.
"So you knew it was me. And what's with all this deception? All seven heroes were slain by you. Yet, you were bested by me, who people don't even consider a true hero," the Sword Hero accused.
"Between a comforting lie and a harsh truth, which do you prefer?" the Demon King retorted.
"I prefer the truth, no matter how bitter," the Sword Hero affirmed.
"Are you certain? Once you know the truth, your world will never be the same," the Demon King cautioned.
"Who cares about the world? It's doomed because of you anyway," the hero retorted.
"Very well then. First of all, I am not destroying the world. The world is being destroyed because of the otherworlders," the Demon King began.
"Otherworlders? Now you're going to blame others for your actions? Get to the point," the hero demanded, pushing the sword further.
"Alright, alright. I am dying anyway. No need to hasten it," the Demon King relented. "When a person from another world is born here, they bring with them a chaotic power. We call it a cheating power. It gives them an advantage over normal people. The problem started when more and more people began reincarnating here. All of them brought powerful cheating abilities. But all these cheating powers were chaotic. The existence of the otherworlders and their powers was chaotic in itself. The world always tried to reject them."
"If the world tried to reject them, then how were they born here in the first place?" the hero inquired.
"In simple terms, the gods abandoned this world. They allowed reincarnation to occur, which ultimately led to the world's downfall. Initially, it was manageable. However, the number of reincarnators began to skyrocket, as did the number of chaotic powers. The world could no longer contain these powers."
"Why is that?" the hero pressed.
"Oh, for the love of... I'm dying here. Must I explain everything from the beginning? Can't you see that? If your puny mind can't grasp it, then just shut up and listen," the Demon King snapped.
"....."
"So, to answer your question, reincarnators came from a higher dimension. This world is a lower dimension. When they arrived, their souls had too much excess energy. This energy was transformed into suitable abilities or cheating powers when they were born. The more excess energy, the stronger the cheat. The number of cheaters increased so much that the world itself couldn't handle it anymore. So, it started to collapse," the Demon King explained. His voice had slowed, weakened by the loss of blood. Death was near.
"What does this have to do with you killing so many people?" the hero demanded.
The Demon King slowly removed his mask. The hero was shocked by the face he saw. He had expected a monstrous visage or a demon-like figure behind the horned mask.
"Wait! It can't be. You're human. Then the real Demon King is someone else? No wonder I was able to defeat you. Then the real Demon King is...
"Clam down. The Demon King is dead. I killed him long ago. Then I took his place. In order to protect the world, I swore that I would massacre all the otherworlders. I chose to annihilate every one of those otherworlders. But killing them was not the answer. If they died, they still left behind chaotic power. Using my own cheating abilities, I took over all those powers. I killed, killed, and killed. Even if they were innocent, even if they were newborn babies, I had to kill them all. The number surpassed hundreds, thousands, and I killed over millions. Now I have collected all the chaotic energy of this world. I have sealed all those powers within my soul. So after I die, I will be taking them with me. And the world will be saved."
"So you were not the real king of demons? You were an otherworlder too? " the hero questioned.
"Yes, the last one. I had to fight with heroes, kings, and powerful individuals," he began, his voice resonating with the echoes of battles fought and victories won. "So the best choice I had was to become the Demon King myself."
The words hung in the air, heavy with the burden of his decision. The Demon King continued, his voice tinged with regret and sorrow. "You won this fight because I had sealed all of those cheats, my aura, mana, and every type of energy. We fought relying solely on our swordsmanship. Yours was better than mine."
"And I am sorry I had to kill that girl back then," he whispered, his voice barely audible above the hush of the chamber. "I know I am not worthy of your forgiveness. But I hope this can make you feel better."
With a trembling hand, the Demon King reached into the folds of his cloak and withdrew a small, shimmering crystal. It glowed softly in the dim light of the chamber, casting a faint, ethereal glow.
It's an artifact called Memory Crystal. It is commonly used to record a part of one's memory and display it.
The Demon King's words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his final gift to the world.
"I have sealed my mana," he said, his voice filled with a quiet determination. "Put your mana into it. Think of this as my last gift to the world. Display it to everyone. They may not forgive me. But they will understand that I had a reason."
The hero nodded, his heart heavy with the knowledge of what was to come. He poured his mana into the crystal, and as the memories began to play, he felt a lump form in his throat.It was a boy and a girl playing beside a lake, their laughter echoing through the air like music.
The hero's heart clenched at the sight of the girl, her smile bright and her eyes sparkling with joy. This was the girl he loved, his first love. The memories played on, and the hero's eyes filled with tears as he watched the scene unfold.That day, they made a promise to marry each other when they grew up.
The scene in the crystal came to that moment, the moment before the Demon King suddenly appeared and killed her. The girl held the boy's hand, her eyes filled with love and trust. The sword hero still remembers that moment when the girl said in the loveliest voice, "Let's get married when we grow up, okay?"
The girl in the scene also said, "Let's get married when we grow up, okay?" But it was nothing lovely. Instead, it was the sound of an old man that made the hero cringe while listening. The next moment, the Demon King approached the kids. In the Demon King's eyes, he was seeing both their body and soul. The boy had a soul with the mark of a sword. And the soul of the girl was an old man. A fat, semi-bald old man. Out of disgust, the Demon King chopped off the girl's head.
The boy in the scene was looking at the girl's dead body with his mouth wide open, just like the current sword hero was looking at the crystal with his mouth wide open.
"Sorry, kid. You won't understand even if I tell you," the Demon King in the scene said this as he ran away, unable to look at the kid anymore.
"WHAT THE HECK?" Shouted the sword hero.
He grabbed the Demon King by his collar.
"Tell me. Tell me it's a lie. Say that it's a stupid joke. SAY IT!!!"
The Demon King was already at his last moment; he had already lost all his strength to talk. Mustering all his remaining strength, he pointed towards the end of the hall. The sword hero noticed certain words written on the wall. He let go of the Demon King and tried to read the words.
(I asked you before. Sweet lie or bitter truth. It's your fault you chose it . TEE-HEE.)
The sword hero realised the Demon King had planned it from the beginning. He turned around to unleash his fury, but only to realise the Demon King was sitting on his throne, smiling, giving him the middle finger, but already dead.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone