Chp. 54 Birth of the Demon King

In a small remote town in the mountains, smoke rose up as the smell death and decay became prevalent.

At the gate of the town stood a man carrying a large bag with him and a carriage filled with goods.

He was stunned as he looked at the state of him hometown in this state. Not caring for the carriage behind him he dripped his bag and ran inside towards a certain direction.

He was feeling his heart go up his throat as he hoped that his home is alright.

As he passed by the streets he found some people limping and crying about the corner as they held burnt bodies of their loved ones.

He did not understand, there was nothing of value within this poor town of farmers nor does many know of this place.

So why was this peaceful town of his in this state, the buther house he used to frequent, the tailorshop where he bought gifts for his daughter, the town hall where his friends worked and just as he ran he came upon the plaza.

Then it seemed like a surge of electricity ran through his body as he locked on a platform raised where dozens of bodies hanged.

More precisely a body that was all so familiar yet also strange for him, the dead body of his wife.

"Ah...arg...arghhhhh!!" The man screamed as he ran towards the bodies and tripped on the way.

Even then as he tripped he did all he can to arrive on the platform and tried to get the body of his wife down.

Some people walked into the plaza as well all disheveled and confused but some reacted when they recognize some faces on the bodies hanging on the platform.

"Brother!"

"My son!"

"No! My husband no!"

"Why?! Why her!?"

"My baby!"

"Nooo!"

Wails and cries were heard as many people came out from the rubbles of their broken houses.

The man was blankly staring at the face of his dead wife as he crafled her body within his arms.

He was confused, he had just left a week ago to trade for supplies for his town but he returned to see this.

He was dazed, thinking what could have happened or what might have done this to his hometown.

"You came back..." A okd tired voice sounded behind making the man look back and saw an old man walking with a cane but his eyes were drawn to the empty right shoulder of the old man.

"Village head...what happened? Where's my daughter?" The man asked as he seemed to be still thinking this was but a dream.

"It was that noble, the son of the duke who had taken a fancy to your daughter before. He was angry that he was refused last time, so yesterday a troop of soldiers arrived and said the town has insulted the young master so they killed and attacked anyone who resisted. Including your wife... I am sorry, I was weak and could not protect your family..." The old man kneeled as he seemed regretful that he was not able to protect his village.

"I...I thought that...that was months ago..." The man murmured as he seemed to not be able to understand why they would attack and kill them over such a small matter.

"They lived a bit far from here...but they still carried their house's insignia and attacked this village..." The village head looked around and felt profound sadness, it was at this time the survivors arrive by the side and was also mourning.

"I know of that house insignia..." A burly man with a rather rotund belly and rough appearance walked weakly towards the platform. On his chest was a large gash that spanned from his right shoulder down to his left waist.

"Old Butcher..." The man said weakly as he found a familiar friendly face.

"Brother... I am weak, I cannot protect Sister-in-law." The burly butcher said as he also looked at two bodies hung on the platform.

They were his sons who also fought back trying to protect the daughter of the man in front of him.

"I can see that brother butcher... But I want to know which noble family did these soldiers come from?" The man said calmly but everyone could hear the coldness in his voice. He did not blame his friend as he too saw the bodies of his nephews hanging on the platform.

"Then what? Are you going to get revenge? They are too strong and we are all but poor farmers..." A mature woman said as she looked at the man with reddened eyes and dried tears.

"Madame Tailor... Do not blame him, we all lost a lot today. It is proper we all know who we should curse when we die." Another woman arrived with a ragged face also with red eyes from crying, she was the Butcher's wife and was also distraught seeing two of her sons dead.

"That is right madam, we too want to know who we are going to haunt!" Some citizens were also agitated as they too cried, more than half of the town died and everybody lost a loved one during this event.

"You young ones still have a long life to live, just leave the revenge to us the old fellows. We could at least have a use for the life we have left to live." Old men at the age of the village head arrived with hoes and sickles in their hands. But they too were wounded and weak at the moment.

"..." The man looked at the faces of the town's people and seemed to feel sad why such good natured people have to face this. He then turned to the Butcher who seemed pale but still standing strong.

"That man was from the Ducal Family of Dunskirk, I do not know his name but the sigil in the flag in undeniably that Duchy's insignia...*cough*!" The butcher then coughed up blood as he seemed to fall but his wife caught him seemingly worried at her husband.

"Butcher..." The village people seemed worried as well as they had seen earlier he was one of the people that fought the fiercest against the soldiers but he was not able to fight back against the commander at all.

"Hah! I am fine, just a flesh wound is all...*cough*!" The butcher smiled languidly as he felt strength leave his body.

"Brother... Do you want revenge?" The man laid his wife gently as he then walked towards the slowly bleeding out friend of his.

"Haha...*cough* you of all people know how petty I can be brother... To bad that commander is an A-rank knight and I am too old to even develop hahaha*cough*!" The butcher paled a bit more as he coughed up blood more and more.

"What if I can make you stronger? Would you seek revenge?" The man said calmly as he seemed like a stone cold statue standing there while the villagers seemed to also look towards him.

"Really? Hehe... It seems you still have secrets brother*cough*, I thought you stealing the widowed Lady Tailor's panties was the worst I could*cough* arghh!" The butcher was suddenly punched by his wife and kicked by the man on his sides while the tailor seemed to have a darkened complexion.

"Why are you putting me in danger?!" The man said as he looked at the smirking face of his friend.

"Hehe, just didn't want to see you with that face brother. I of all people...*cough*...want revenge but I know you have secrets of your own for a long time. Yet you must not let yourself...drown in...hah...revenge, your daughter is still waiting for you*cough!*...my friend." The Butcher smiled with a bloody toothy grin as he saw the face of his friend relax.

"Husband please stop talking, you must rest. You still have a wound on your chest..." The wife of the butcher said as she seemed worried for her husband.

"I know my body...*cough* better than most, I am sorry wife, it seems I have to go with our boys this time..." The butcher raised his hand to pat his wife's head as he seemed weaker by the minute but he was suddenly punched by the man on his head.

"You dumb muscle head, I asked if you want revenge which means I can help you get it!" The man said a bit angered at the drama his friend was making even in this situation.

He might seem burly and crass at times but he was the most understanding of all within their village.

"You mean that?" The butcher's attention was drawn to his friend as well as the Tailor and the others.

"Yes, but this is a secret i kept for years. I did not want to use this power of mine since it'll change you unto something...not human." The man seemed a bit reluctant but he knew he must do something to save those that he can right now.

"Hah, is that so brother... It seems your secret is quite *cough* powerful. If I can take revenge for my boys then who cares if I am not human, I do not care*cough!* If I even become a demon as long as I can smash the faces of those that did this to us!" The butcher said as he seemed to have gotten a second wind as his anger surged.

"I don't think being human is that great anyways, look around us. Humans did this, our own kind so why care for those animals if they do not even treat us as fellow humans." This time a middle aged man arrived being carried by two other men, this guy had his two feet severed by a large swipe of a spear.

"Hunter, you are okay..." Butcher said as he looked at this friend of his.

"I want revenge as well brother, even if I am not human I know my heart is clear. These nobles have gone too far, I want revenge and I want to help those who face injustice like us!" The hunter growled as he was placed in the platform by the men that carried him.

"*Sigh* brother hunter, my power is that I can turn any of you into monsters. And the more I turn the more power I gain, this is the secret I have been keeping my whole life. I do not know what will you will become but if you let yourself turn then you will not return back. So to any of you who are not seeking revenge please do not turn yourself into something else..." The man said as he waved his hand and a dark gloomy pool appeared in front 

He turned around and picked up his wife's body and slowly brought her to the dark pool.

The villagers watched with bated breaths as dark tendrils slowly creeped up and covered the body of the wife.

After a few moments the man walked up from the pool with a pale white haired woman looking around curiously like a newborn.

"As you can see, I can also revive the dead but do not mistake it for your loved ones because they would have forgotten who they were and would become a blank slate. My wife right now is an undead and she will stay this way...forever..." The man said as he looked at the curious woman in his arms.

They locked eyes and saw the unfamiliar look the woman was giving him making his heart ache more. But even then the undead wife of his felt familiarity to the man that held her so she grew attached to him as she placed her arms around his neck and smiled innocently.

"She seems to have become at least A-rank!" The Tailor said as she felt shocked seeing the changes on her friends' body.

"What about us? Will we lose our memories as well?" The Village head asked as he looked at the man.

"No, only the dead ones will." The man said.

"Very well..." The village head did not hesitate to walk towards the pool surprising everyone even the man.

They were silent as they watched the pool churn and then a scaled arm came out and pulled itself out.

They saw that it was the village head and he still looked old but his body became robust and fit. His skin became red and horns now grew in his forehead while his right arm regrew and changed into a scaled arm full of power.

"I can feel I have become at least S-rank, so this is your power. I promise that I will get revenge for all of us and take back your daughter." The former village head turned demon look at the man with resolute eyes.

"What are you waiting for? Throw me in already!" The hunter said as he was carried again by two men and thrown to the dark pool.

Soon he came out as a ten feet tall tigerman with long powerful legs and deadly looking claws as well as fangs.

"Wife, can you take our boys down?" The butcher said weakly as he looked at the platform then to the revived wife of his friend.

"Yes..." The woman understood as she also thought what her husband planned. The butcher pushed himself up as he coughed and bled but he was able to arrive to the dark pool.

Soon he came out as a fifteen feet tall four armed ogre with a body similarly proportioned to how he was before. His skin showed a metallic luster as he stood tall.

"Tailor, I know you did your best but of all people here you have the least reason to take revenge. But I do hope you will take care of the young ones that are still left of the village, they still have a long life to live..." The man said as he looked at the mature woman who also looked at the kids and teenagers that survived while many are slowly walking towards the pool to gain power and seek revenge.

"What can I do? I am but a helpless powerless woman, even if I can fight I am just at B-rank at best so where would I bring these kids? This place will soon change with you revealing your power." The Tailor sighed as she felt helpless at the circumstances right now, she could see the eyes of many become resolute as they walked forward and brought their dead with them.

"Take this, this token will get you to the Castle of Mogard at the edge of Portwest. The goods I have with me were traded there a month before the wave happened there so I got a lot of good deals. The castle Lord owes me a bit so she'll probably take you in." The man said as he saw most of the old men of the village had turned into redskinned burly grandpas while some changed into different kind of monsters.

"I am still too weak to escort these kids..." The Tailor said but it was this time that the wife of the butcher brought their sons to the pool turning them into something similar to their father but they too were blank slates not remembering who they were.

"We'll follow you Tailor, our parents insist that we do not partake in this. Though we too are aggrieved but we cannot let this town be forgotten." A young teenager walked towards the Tailor and said as he looked back watching his parents bring his older brother's body on the pool with them.

Many teens and children were led by him as he felt frustrated but also understood that they cannot leave everything behind as they have the hopes of their elders to survive.

"I can give you powers as well Tailor, but it will not be as strong like the ones that dipped in the pool. This will just turn you into a rank higher, I had planned to gift this to my daughter but I think you will need this more." The man said in sadness as he gave a vial to the Tailor.

"Tailor, take this as well. This will help you find your way in the dark when light is needed." The former village head walked forward and gave a blue marble carved with intricate golden lines.

Many went forward to give the Tailor some things that will help her bring their children and young ones to a place far from danger.

The rest were angry but they did not want the young ones of their village to follow them to the road of revenge.

"You all..." The Tailor seemed sad as she saw the resolute faces of the village people.

"Don't worry about us, we trust you." The man said as he looked to the people lining up to transform.

"I will not let you all down..." The Tailors beautiful face showed great determination as she accepted the request of the village people.

Soon she and a few dozen teenagers led a dozen more children with them to the gate of the village where the carriage filled with supplies was readied for them by some recently transformed people.

"Sis…"

"Dad..."

"Brother..."

"Mom!"

Many children sobbed but they were obedient as they followed the Tailor and the teenagers. A few carts were also prepared with some essential items were placed by the parents of the children.

The teenagers were armed as well by bows and spears but they were not the main force, aside from the tailor there were five other adults that were tasked to protect them, one of which was the Butcher's wife who the butcher prevented to transform.

Reason for that is they still have a youngest daughter three years young so she had no choice but to follow the Tailor.

Soon their silhouettes vanished from afar as the man watched from the village's gates.

"Brothers, you want to know the name of this power I have?" The man said as besides him the former Hunter, village chief and Butcher stood.

"That matters not to me brother, right now my blood just boils thinking of revenge." The butcher's deep voice sounded out as he was glad his wife and his daughter are far from them right now.

"All that matters is for us to get revenge for our people, they might have been revived but as you said that they are no longer themselves..." The hunter said looking at the undead villagers.

"I know, but it will dictate what we will be in the future. That pool is my rage, my anger and my wrath, it represents the feeling I have inside and right now it is overflowing." The man said calmly and coldly as he closed his eyes holding the cold hands of his wife who was looking around curiously.

"It becomes stronger as my anger increases and could make much more powerful transformations to those that swim in it. And right now I am boiling, seething and filled with bloodied resolve to take back my daughter." The man said in the calmest way possible like it was a trivial thing but the pool behind them surged as the people coming out became more grotesque and monstrous.

"I have led an honest and good life but this is what the world gives back to me? I know this is the fault of a greedy young man but it was the world that made him like that, so I will cleanse this world of its filth. And I need you strength to do that my brothers." As more and more people submerged and transformed, their wrath and anger also made the pool larger and larger by the minute making the man become stronger as his body grew and his hair turned red.

"Too much innocent has spilled their blood for these corrupt nobles, now I will embrace this power I did not use for my whole life and show these people the consequences for taking us for mere toys to break! Brothers! Let us make the world wake up to the truth of the world that there are things that should not be done!" The man growled as seconds passed and his power skyrocketed while the Butcher, Hunter and The old Chief also grew stronger at his sides.

"THE WORLD SHALL KNOW THE WRATH OF THE AGGRIEVED AND PERSECUTED FOR FALSE REASONS, I NOW RENOUNCE MY NAME AND HENCEFORTH BE THE DEMON KING OF WRATH!!" The Demon king roared as the skies darkened and the moon rose up blood red.

The whole world trembled as power of massive proportions could be felt and monsters of all kinds roared all over as a Demon King has been borne.

The Tailor looked back at the direction of the village and looked sad as she felt that this might be the last time she'll see the people she used to know for years.

"Garrett, I hope you find peace one day." The Tailor said as she turned around and urged the children to follow her.