1 Prologue - "Thus I Reset You!"

"Demon Lord! We meet again and this time, I will slay you and end your ridiculous game! Prepare yourself because you can't defeat me the second time!"

The golden sword surge of cyan magical energy, pulsating of heroically divine power that has the strength to split the whole planet in half. The tip of the holy flame blade pointed at the one and the only final boss. The weapon's immense potential shook the entire demon castle into terror and chaos.

If only this world became a reality instead of a video game, the fantasy realm would have ended long ago...

"AH-HAHA! Welcome for coming here the second time! And it is surprising for someone like you to be returning for more of me!"

Her slender finger pointed at the one who drew his heroic sword, a clear sign of threat and warfare. Although, it seemed like the request for a battle between the Demon Lord and the wannabe hero only worked once.

The hero held onto the handle, having his golden armor weigh down his body, his head completely exposed, and an azure cape swayed dramatically left and right without any wind in the throne room.

"How can it be surprising? It's not like I am the first one to request another match with—"

"Guess what~! You are the first one to challenge me the second time and I really mean it! The first persistent player I met and to reward you for your few months' effort to get this far once again, I will now—!"

Immediately, the fearless girl hopped off her purple crimson throne, landing on the silk carpet from where she stood extended to the end of the final shadowy hallway filled with an intense demonic aura.

The throne room itself is an abomination, full of the player's avatar souls within her grasp. It all screamed out in frustration and despair. The corruption of fear spreads for those who enter the room for the first time. Nevertheless, the courageous lad became unaffected by the terror.

"If you're planning on tricking me, it won't work the second time!"

He had his guard up. His grips tightened as if he prepared to defend himself from any treacherous attack that came from the purplish-white hair girl and her purple-gray demon armor designed by the devil's daughter herself.

"Nope! Not a trick, just a reward for your effort and bravery to see me again. Everyone usually never bother coming here unless they want their progress reset. But you, you want to risk that do you? Now that is a person who sparked my interest. Now then, here is for all your hard work~..."

Her fuchsia eyes, white diamond pupil cutely gazed into the lad's vision like a little sister proud of her big brother's accomplishments.

A moment later, she lifted her arm while leisurely floating upward until her head level with his. Immediately after, a pair of soft palms touched his slightly red cheek, causing his eyes to widen in revelation to her action.

"You, the one who was supposed to slay me, deserved a kiss. Regardless if you are a hero or just a stranger, you tried your best to reach here for the second time."

The girl levitated closer to him as her eyes closed, and she calmly moved her head forward without any hesitation. Her lip came close to his as well...

All of this caused the hero to panic, his heart beating awkwardly alongside his deep bashfulness. His hands accidentally dropped his moderately heavy sword as his nervous body sweat. He didn't know how to respond to this.

It was devastatingly distracting for the young man who stood still frozen, waiting to receive his reward since he had no choice.

"So lame, aren't you, hero~?"

Her cute appearance vanished as she had a surge of evilness surrounding her. The affectionate and the sinful atmosphere clashed furiously, the dark side regaining its position. It wasn't a battle between a Demon Lord and a hero. It morphed into a battle of her personality.

A lunatic personality struck the boy by surprise, pinching harshly at his ears and playing around with his fragile heart. It was game over ever since he let go of his blade powerful enough to slay her.

"W-w-what? W-what you mean by that!?"

"I am a Demon Lord, right? So that means I shouldn't be nice to a hero like you. There is no reward to begin with. There is only your demise, foolish one."

She let go of his cheek and allowed him to stumble back dumbfoundedly.

"So you did trick me, you sly demon! I thought you became kind for once, but it seemed like a final boss like you, a computer character like yourself will always find a way to fend off players like us!"

He held his sword—or an imaginary sword since a few seconds after, he quickly noticed his weapon was missing. The blade laid on the cold ground next to the evil young lady. She levitated and snickered with both hands next to her smiling mouth.

"Fufufu~, that wasn't kind, calling me a computer character. You are in a virtual world you know, being here means you're also a computer character. The body you have is just ones and zeros. So, silly! Such a silly wannabe hero!"

She burst into laughter. Not just any informal laugh of fun, this one had a high-pitch teasing sound for the one she prey her hands on. The smile of a sadist, waiting for the best reaction before swooping to claim their victim's emotion and determination.

The one who stole the soul to keep as memories, the mistress of evil. After all, she is the final boss, and the last creature in their path never shows any true peace.

"You bastard! Even if you were to steal my progress away, I swear, I'll try—"

"Oh stop that!" She glared, having an adorable grin. "You're repeating aren't you. Even if you did come again, you will never defeat me. I am the undefeated Demon Lord, you'll just chip away your life span. Give up and never return here. Hence, it took you three months after your first reset to get here. Dummy."

"Doesn't matter! I'll keep returning until I defeat you! Even if it took me my whole life, I'll see you until you stop ruining the game for others. Because someone has to do it!"

"Oh, bothersome rascal. What a sore loser you are, which means I have an endless supply of tricks up my sleeve to get you to go mentally insane. I'm so proud of you! Keep embracing your achievement for a while because that's all going down the dumpster in three seconds!"

The Demon Lord teleported on the ground in front of the armless hero. Her eyes filled with mischievous intent, her left palm touched his armored chest, a slow rhythm of chuckling came after. The throne room suddenly turned pitch black, forming into the void for the two of them.

"Honorless Demon Lord, I have no weapon on my hands you know?"

"Weapon? Aren't you holding one right now? It's on your right hand by the way."

"My right hand—?"

The young man noticed his heroic sword grasped on his dominant hand. It suddenly came to his realization that whenever he is near her, all unexpected occurrences may happen.

Since he had his weapon equipped, she had the right to harm him and repeat the process like all the other hundreds of players who arrogantly opposed her. No matter how many time

"Silly wannabe hero. You do have a weapon, dumb-dumb. Thank you for visiting me the second time, my wondrous challenger... Thus I reset YOU!"

Momentarily, her palm emitted an insanely bright flash that not only blinded me but also rapidly drained all my statuses, his health, mana, and stamina alongside all the long-lasting buff himself before entering the demon castle.

"Enjoy your trip back to the start! And please do come again so that I could do this more to you! It was fun seeing you the second time! Bye-ya!"

＜＜Health Reached Zero; Death＞＞

.....

＜＜Character Reset＞＞

「...Damn it!!!」