Chapter 3 - New Arrival

Zane found himself surrounded by utter darkness, devoid of any sensory input. Yet, his mind remained sharp and active, despite the apparent absence of life.

'So, it looks like I'm dead. I hope this is when I reincarnate. Maybe I'll end up in some fantasy world. I do wonder, if I will ever see Ray and Iris again.'

As time passed, Zane's mind wandered through his cherished memories and random musings. The void persisted for what felt like an eternity, until a glimmer of sensation returned to him.

Sensations slowly returned to Zane, and the darkness dissipated. He became aware of his surroundings, feeling the softness of grass beneath him. He opened his eyes to a serene blue sky, dotted with trees at the edges of his vision.

As he sat up, he inspected his hands and found them to be distinctly human. Looking down, he noticed his attire - a sleek black shirt and pants, almost like a formal suit.

His attention was drawn to his head, where he felt a rough texture. After some hesitation, Zane realized that the rough texture on his head were actually horns - a peculiar feature he had never possessed before. He also sensed fragments of memories flooding his mind, containing knowledge about magical spells.

As he stood up, Zane stretched out his hand and opened his palm, conjuring a mesmerizing ball of darkness. He was enthralled by this newfound power, finally realizing that he had indeed reincarnated into a world where magic was real. He closed his hand, causing the darkness to vanish into thin air.

Zane's attention was drawn to the sound of approaching footsteps, and he turned to see a figure rushing towards him.

The newcomer was a woman with bright red hair styled in a bob cut that nearly touched her shoulders. Her piercing red eyes were complemented by a black and white maid dress, while a pair of red horns protruded from her head. It became apparent to Zane that she was not a human, and neither was he, given the presence of his own horns.

"Greetings, my lord. I am Amara, your assistant. It is a pleasure to see you return. If I may ask, have your memories been reset?" she inquired.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're talking about." Zane replied.

Amara straightened up and met his gaze.

"Allow me to clarify the situation you find yourself in. You have transmigrated into the body of a demon lord named Azaroth, who has since passed. Through his spell, your soul has taken up residence in his body."

Zane had indeed transformed into a demon. As he contemplated his new form, he couldn't help but harbor a small hope that he would be reincarnated as a human instead. However, he quickly dismissed this thought, as the intensity of power he felt coursing through his being was undeniable. It was as if he had shed his old self and emerged as a completely different entity.

"Where am I?" Zane asked.

"Sadly, I don't know." Amara replied. "I've only arrived on this planet yesterday. I am almost as unfamiliar with my surroundings as you are."

Zane nodded slowly, taking in this new information.

"I've got to ask, do you have any recollection of your memories before you arrived here? Perhaps you have a name?" Amara asked.

"My name is Zane. The last thing I remember was..."

He trailed off, his expression turning pensive.

"I was with my friends, and some creatures fell from the sky…"

Amara's eyes widened in surprise, and Zane caught the sudden change in her demeanor.

"Wait, hold on." she said, her voice a little shaky.

"What?" Zane asked.

Amara shook her head, dismissing her momentary lapse.

"Nothing. Nevermind." she replied with a reassuring smile.

Zane's confusion grew, but before he could say anything, Amara spoke again.

"You were killed, along with your friends. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Zane replied hoarsely. "I was killed."

"I see. It must have been rough for you, and your friends. You shouldn't worry though. If you ever have any concerns, I will assist you in any way possible." Amara said as she smiled.

Zane surveyed the area, trying to find some sort of shelter.

"Is there a place indoors where you live? Like some sort of castle?" he asked.

"Well, no. I've only arrived on this planet yesterday." Amara replied.

"What?! So you're saying we're stuck outside with no shelter at all? Does that mean I'll have to sleep on the grass?" Zane exclaimed, feeling disheartened.

"As I said before, we're both in the same boat. We'll have to make do with what we have."

Zane put his hands on his hips and gazed upward.

"I might as well go explore this new world. Maybe there's a village nearby? Although, those horns of mine will make everyone suspicious."

Recalling a memory fragment, Zane realized he could hide his horns to avoid drawing unwanted attention. He closed his eyes and focused, feeling the horns vanish from his head.

"Ah, there we go." he said, pleased with himself.

Amara noticed Zane's horns had disappeared and, to his surprise, she did the same.

"You can do that too, huh? Great to know."

"Yes, it is a natural ability which demons like me possess." Amara explained with a small smile.

Zane gazed into the dense forest ahead and turned to Amara.

"So, how about we take a look around this forest? I'll just walk ahead, and you follow right behind me."

"As you wish, my lord," Amara replied with a respectful nod.

With that, Zane began to stride forward confidently, while Amara followed dutifully from behind.