10 09: The End

The hero went back to the demon king's bedroom and carelessly threw himself to the bed. He was thinking about taking a nap to waste time, but he wasn't able to do so when he suddenly felt his body getting slammed against the ground.

"FUCK! That hurts…" The hero hissed in pain.

When he got up from the fall his body froze at the sight. White, everything was white, just like the one before. It was unfamiliar yet at the same time familiar. However, this time he was able to freely move.

"Little guy?" he called out before he caught a glimpse of a fluttering white cloak in the corner of his eye.

He turned to the side and saw the little white figure whom he hadn't seen for a long time. Before he could open his mouth to say something, the little figure reached out his hand and he flew back and landed back on the ground.

[You have failed your mission. Something impossible as that, how can you be such a failure?]

He coughed and looked at the figure in shock. "Failed? How did I fail?"

The little figure laughed in its deep and monotonous voice. [How did you fail? You doomed the humans and their future. The moment you let the demon king go to face them alone, you were fated to fail the mission.]

"How's that possible? I promised that I would defeat him if it was," he paused and continued, "within, I repeat, within my capabilities. And you agreed to it. You also didn't mention there was a time limit. What if I decided to kill him later in the future instead?"

Shaking its head, the little figure said, [But it was within your capabilities. You just decided to not choose to defeat the demon king. That was your own choice, no one could change your mind but yourself. Do not speak about the future, you know very well that you would not change your mind.]

He smiled, "And how would you know that? Only I would know whether or not that is true. Therefore, this is invalid. Bring me back."

[Wrong. You are wrong.]

Frowning, he asked, "Why?"

[Because it is the world's rule and fate. Your fate has been decided. You shall be obliterated for failing the mission.]

Upon hearing this, he began to panic. Did it mean that he would no longer see him? Touch him? Talk to him? Hear him? Did that mean he would disappear forever, not even reincarnate?

"W-wait! Wait, hold on! I—"

[The obliteration will initiate in fifteen seconds.]

[15…]

[14…]

His whole body collapse, he could no longer move. He tried his best to move but it was futile. He didn't want to disappear. He wanted to go back, back to where the demon king was. Back to the bedroom waiting for the demon king to come back and greet him with a smile and a pat on his head. He wanted to see the demon king again, even if it would be the last time.

Demon King, where are you? Will you come and pick me up again?

It hurt. It hurt so badly. He really didn't want to leave. Must he leave? Must he disappear? Disappear forever? Why? Just when he finally thought he could let the past of loneliness go and enjoy his current life with the demon king. The demon king he came to adore so dearly. Was this karma? For letting his original self down by ending his own life? It must be, or why else would he receive such unfair treatment?

Tears rolled down his cheeks from his eyes that revealed no movement.

[9…]

I'll wait for you, so please hurry and get me, Demon King... I will wait patiently, okay? I will behave well, so pick me up like always.

[7…]

[6…]

Fragments of memories of him and the demon king flashed in his mind. The moment when he first met the demon king; when he and the demon king slept in the same bed; when the demon king would always find him and carry him back to the bedroom; when the demon king patted gently on his head, and the demon king's heartfelt smile and laugh…

[4…]

Ah, I'm so sorry, Demon King. I miss you so much… I don't want to leave you…

[3…]

[2…]

DEMON KING!

[1…]

[Obliteration initiated. Cause: Mission Failed.]

Back in the demon king's castle, the demon king entered his bedroom and saw no one. He found it odd but didn't think much and went to other places to find him. He had dealt with humans and just came back. He wanted to quickly return to his side. However, he searched all the places he could think of and yet he couldn't find a single trace of him. How could this be? He was only gone for a little bit, so how could he not find him? Where could he have gone in such a short amount of time?

"Hero? Hero?!" the demon king desperately called him out.

No response.

"This isn't a laughing matter. Come out already, you have had enough of fun, haven't you?"

Yet he was returned with another silence. He couldn't hear the voice he longed for.

"No more hiding, you won!"

"Hero?"

"Where are you?"

"What a fool you are, getting yourself lost again. Don't worry, I will come and get you. Just like the previous times… Wait for me."

And so, the demon king was left alone trying to find his dearest person without knowing that the person will never come back ever again. No matter how much he wished, no matter how much he yearned and prayed. Even if the demon king knew, his hero was already long gone, his soul obliterated. It was over. Everything has ended, for he was no longer in the world, or anywhere at all.