The Hero And The Demon Lord— Part 1

Far beneath the layers of stories, buried in the depths of countless Stories, in one of the lower worlds, everything was burning.

On the scorched, desolate ground, two massive armies clashed: the soldiers of humanity and the legion of demons. This was a holy war.

Under a sky dyed as red as blood, magic and steel intersected, and the very air trembled with the flow of power. Streams of light pierced the earth, and explosions of fire and darkness burned the sky.

In the air, those using flying magic engaged in a fierce battle against winged demons amidst the clouds. Shouts and incantations echoed toward the heavens, and the battlefield transformed into a chaos that swallowed everything.

For hundreds of years, humans and demons had been in a cold war of skirmishes and distrust. Although the demons excelled in magic, humans always outnumbered them. That difference had kept them subdued until six months ago.

Something changed.

The factions that had been divided by tribal infighting among demons suddenly united.

Under a single banner and name, Lilith.

She achieved the impossible. She united the demons and transformed them into one army. And she initiated the war.

Humans responded. Thus, the war that would tear the world apart began.

However, far above the battlefield, where the air began to thin in high heavens, a decisive battle was taking place.

A man floated in the air, his body enveloped in dazzling light.

His name was Reinhardt. A Hero, the one and only.

At just twenty-two, he was already a legend. Five years ago, chosen by the goddess, trained in the royal castle, and bestowed with the divine sword, Solbreaker. His golden hair danced in the wind, and his azure eyes held unwavering determination.

What he was intercepting was the strike of the Demon Lord Lilith.

Her beauty was otherworldly. With jet-black hair, deep crimson eyes, and a single horn protruding from her forehead, the magic power radiating from her transcended the limit, enveloped in black flames that burned everything.

Yet an expression of anxiety was on her face.

This was not how it was supposed to be.

This man was supposed to be defeated by now. Her power was the culmination of everything. She had ended the long-standing infighting, subjugated all demons, and prepared for war. She believed she would win.

So why—?

Why was this man still standing?

With a roar, Reinhardt unleashed dozens of spears woven from holy light. Golden flashes split the sky.

Lilith moved like a tempest, slipping past that brilliance, and was already right next to him. A sharp blade aimed at his neck.

Reinhardt barely managed to parry her strike with his sword, their blades colliding.

Their gazes met.

"Why… are you fighting for them?"

Lilith's voice trembled with low, simmering anger.

"For humans who would burn children alive just because they have horns?"

In Reinhardt's eyes, she saw her own reflection, a mere girl with horns, hated by the world.

"I'm not fighting for them," Reinhardt said through gritted teeth. "I fight for what they could become. Not for hatred. I want to believe that someday, they can let go of that hatred…"

Lilith's lips twisted in a sneer.

"…then you are a fool."

The moment she spat those words, she feinted to the left and Reinhardt took the bait.

Her fist pierced into his chest.

The space warped, and the shockwave twisted the atmosphere. The hero's body was slammed to the ground like a meteor, gouging the earth with a thunderous sound. Dust rose, and debris scattered around. A deep mark was etched into the ground where his body had slid.

"…Ugh."

Reinhardt stood up, coughing up blood.

But she was already descending at a deadly speed.

Black flames coiled around Lilith's hand, a concentrated magic power that warped reality itself.

She fell like a star and struck with one blow.

That searing punch pierced through Reinhardt's chest.

"—!"

Air escaped from his mouth.

"It's over."

Lilith spoke quietly, yet with a definitive tone.

However.

At that moment.

His hand grasped her wrist.

Lilith's eyes widened.

A torrent of divinity burst forth from within Reinhardt's body. Pure, wild, unstoppable magic power on the brink of collapse. That force overflowed from his wounds, his soul, and the prophecy that had never ended peacefully.

"I'm sorry…"

Reinhardt murmured with a faint smile.

"If I let you live, the world will perish... but if I survive, nothing will change. Then—if we both vanish together, surely something different will happen."

Lilith's lips quivered.

"What are you… saying—"

It was then.

An explosion engulfed the world.

A light akin to the wrath of a god, trading his life as a price. Golden brilliance intertwined with pitch-black flames, swallowing the battlefield, the sky, and everything.

The hero and the demon lord vanished into the storm they had created.

And the world trembled teetering on the edge of breaking.

When the light finally subsided, only silence remained.

Where Reinhardt once stood, only ash danced in the air. His body had already disappeared, but there, faintly, a smile lingered.

The world had not shattered because the goddess had protected it.

And at the moment the last vestige of magic faded into the wind.

On the other side of death, he was smiling.

Because he knew he would soon meet her.

The goddess who was nothing but light...

"…Huh?"

Reinhardt blinked once, and then blinked again.

His body felt strange. It was oddly light and, in a way—perfect. His hands, which should have been severely injured, were completely unscathed. The chest should have had a gaping hole, but its presence was gone. His armor had vanished, and his sword was nowhere to be found. Yet he stood there, alive.

Before him stretched a long staircase. It extended straight up towards the sky, but that "sky" was not a true sky. The world was shrouded in darkness that was not just an empty void. It flickered like night, with stars faintly glowing as if a distant heart was quietly beating, pulsing far away.

"…Is this the realm of the goddess?" Surprised and cautious, Reinhardt murmured.

At that moment—

Something moved at the edge of his vision.

He reflexively turned to look, and there stood a person he thought he'd never see again. Lilith. She was completely unharmed as well. There were no traces of the fierce battle left on her body or clothing.

"What..."

He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat.

It seemed Lilith had noticed him too. She instinctively reached for her waist, but the sword that was supposed to be there was nowhere to be found. With a click of her tongue, she glared at him, her eyes saying, "So it's you again."

Reinhardt awkwardly smiled faintly.

"…I see. So this doesn't seem to be heaven after all." He said dryly, crossing his arms.

"Hmph. The mere fact that you're here means it's definitely hell."

"…."

He felt no magical power. The flow of magical energy that had constantly coursed within him was now completely gone. It felt as if he had become an empty vessel, unable to feel anything.

He couldn't fight. There was no place to escape. In the end, the two decided to ascend the staircase in silence. Though Lilith walked just a step behind him, she did not let her guard down.

At least, the scenery was beautiful.

The staircase existed as if it floated in a vast cosmic canvas. The stars sparkled like jewels, with no ceiling in the sky and no end in sight. Some stars moved slowly, trailing golden light behind them as they passed. It was a quiet scene, oddly soothing.

At the top of the staircase was a small platform. At its center sat a single throne.

And on that throne was a woman. Reinhardt gasped.

She was not intimidating. There was no crown of light, nor was she clad in garments of divinity. Simply wearing a soft white robe, her light chestnut hair gently draped over her shoulders. Her gaze was calm, and there was a hint of a smile that seemed to see through everything, yet it also bore a nostalgic warmth.

In that moment, Reinhardt thought; Somehow, it felt like he could tell her everything.

"Welcome."

The woman said. Her voice resonated softly like a spring wind chime. As she waved her hand gently, the throne transformed, melting into a round wooden table. Five comfortable-looking chairs were arranged around it.

"Please, have a seat."

Lilith hesitated for a moment, narrowing her eyes as she eyed the woman suspiciously. However, with a graceful gesture befitting royalty, she took a seat next to Reinhardt, never taking her eyes off the woman.