Prologue
What is a Hero?
He stands at the pinnacle of the Human Race. Blessed by the Goddess, he is the hope in the struggle against the Demon Clan. Today, in the 349th year of the Sacred Era, the Human Race has produced a Hero hailed as the strongest of all time.
Legend says this Hero has golden hair brighter than the sun god’s radiance. Legend says he has piercing azure eyes that see through all worldly illusions. Legend says he wields power to cleave heavens and earth, like a god walking among mortals. To the world, this Hero is a living deity.
Yet if the Hero is the savior of the Human Race, to the Demon Clan he is the most formidable foe. Right now, one of the six fortresses of the Six Day Devils is under siege by the Hero’s forces.
“Report! Lord Demon King! The Hero has broken through!!”
“Report! Lord Demon King! Lord Crus of the Four Heavenly Kings was felled in one strike—he’s unconscious!!”
“Report! Lord Demon King!…”
“Calm down! First, tell me how many men he brought. The human army outside hasn’t moved. How could he breach the inner district guarded by Crus?”
Though chaos gripped the Demon King’s Fortress after the Hero’s sudden assault, Christia—one of the Six Day Devils—remained composed.
Any outsider seeing Christia on the throne would doubt their eyes. This mighty Demon King appeared as a girl under ten. In truth, she was only ten years old.
To demons who live for centuries, a decade-old child is like an infant. Yet her words silenced every demon in the hall. Their gazes brimmed with reverence.
Why? Because this child inherited the Demon King’s title at age ten—a prodigy beyond compare.
If the intruder was the strongest Hero in history, then Christia was his equal—the mightiest Demon King ever. Her voice hushed the hall. Only the messenger dared speak.
The throne room fell silent. The messenger took a deep breath and reported steadily: “Lord Demon King, the Hero entered alone. He bypassed all defenses, as if he knew every Secret Passage in the fortress. He skirted the street district’s guards and stormed the inner citadel. Lord Crus, the first guardian, fell to a single blow. The Hero advances swiftly. Soon he’ll…”
“No need. He’s here.”
Christia’s voice cut off the messenger. A door creaked open. A man matching the legends strode in—golden hair, azure eyes.
“What!?”
Panic erupted. But Christia rose calmly from her throne. Her voice rang clear, belying her childlike form: “Nameless Hero, impressive. You breached this fortress alone. I don’t know how you found its Secret Passages, but as an opponent—you did well.”
Thud… thud…
The Hero gave no reply. He walked slowly toward Christia, face blank. Demons drew weapons and lunged.
“Step aside.”
“What!?”
“Gaaahhh!!”
The Hero stomped forward. A gust of wind hurled the demons aside. They crashed to the floor, unconscious.
“What monster is this!? These were elite demons over level eighty! Blown away by mere footsteps? Impossible!”
Fear replaced their courage. The Hero continued, as if swatting flies.
“Stop him!! Don’t let him near Lord Demon King!!”
“Yes! My Lord, flee! We’ll buy time!”
They charged to protect their king.
“You—all of you—take the wounded and leave. Now. I’ll hold him off.”
“Huh!?”
As demons readied another assault, Christia’s voice echoed. A massive Magic Array flared beneath the Hero. Lightning and sparks erupted, engulfing him.
“Incredible! Lord Demon King cast the eighth-tier spell—Infernal Lightning Array—instantly!”
“Cheer later! I said: evacuate! I can only delay him!”
True to her words, the Hero stood unharmed within the storm.
“But Lord Demon King! We’re your subjects! We won’t let you die here!!”
“Fools! A Demon King’s fate is to fall in battle—but this isn’t your grave! If you have pride as demons, flee now! Deliver the Hero’s intel to the other kings! Understood!?”
“But…”
BOOM!!!
The Hero shattered the Magic Array. He advanced leisurely. Demons exchanged grim looks.
“Lord Demon King, forgive our disobedience. To us, you are the Demon Clan’s future. We won’t let you die here!”
“You dare defy me!? I’ll execute you myself!”
Christia’s roar cracked—but tears glistened in her eyes. Her followers smiled faintly.
“We know defying you is treason. But we’ll never regret this.”
“Everyone—charge! You few, take Lord Demon King and run!”
“Sorry. None of you are leaving.”
A crushing weight slammed down. Demons froze, pinned like insects.
“Th-this… aura?”
“Is he even human? This pressure… is he of this world!?”
Thud… thud…
The Hero walked on. No demon could move. They watched helplessly as he neared their king.
“Hero, come. If death here is my fate, I accept it.”
Christia hadn’t expected such power. She resisted the aura, but even a Six Day Devil couldn’t win. The Hero remained silent, stepping closer.
He stopped inches from the throne. All braced for his sword.
Whoosh.
The Hero dropped to one knee. His blank face broke into a joyful smile. He gazed up at Christia and spoke softly:
“Lord Demon King, please let me become your servant.”
“Huh!?”
