Chapter 1: Good Riddance

Ashen grey clouds covered the sky as a seemingly gloomy atmosphere enveloped the world.

—Swoosh

Suddenly, a brilliant abyssal black light pillar shot out, spreading within the empty air.

Following the light, if it could be even called that, a terrifying pressure arose splitting apart the clouds causing the sky to clear up.

Yet the atmosphere of dread seemed to have only become more intense with the passing of time.

Within the light, stood a dark figure, whose features indiscernible. Yet, the mere pressure the figure gave out caused the air to tense up.

Whoever the figure was, they were absurdly strong, unparalleled even.

The feeling of loss and utter defeat loomed among the scarce spectators. Their insignificant presence, luckily or unluckily, unknown.

Slowly, the dazzling dark light dimmed down, causing the dark figure to become increasingly clear.

The figure seemed to converge all the light in its surrounding as if absorbing it, causing it to appear pitch black.

It's size wasn't gigantic, rather it was similar to a human, maybe around 1.9 meters tall, donning a pitch black armor, or was it his skin?

No one really knew.

Well, even if someone did, they most likely lay dead by now.

I too wasn't in my top shape, after the incessant battles.

"Huff... huff..."

My condition wasn't the worst, however. I still stood my ground despite the pressure and fatigue I felt after the countless battles.

'For her sacrifice...'

I told myself for the umpteenth time before gazing around me with my erratic breathing, to notice the destruction.

I did that for a simple enough reason. To ignite some hope, some will to fight...

A small blood pool formed beneath me. The blood, however, wasn't mine. It was pitch black.

Everything around me was wrought with destruction, filled with the rubble, corpses, blood, of both allies and enemies alike.

Noticing my condition, I was merely fatigued with minor flesh wounds, I turned to gaze at the demonic figure still hovering in the sky, appearing superior to my... our race, humans.

My eyes locked with the figure mid-air, everything around the both of us seemingly froze from this minor event.

It was then, I saw its lips curl up ever so slightly.

'H-he... He's glad?' I thought, shocked by the revelation. It caused my mana to run amok, just like my emotions.

Thus, my body turned even paler as blood spewed out of my facial orifices like a fountain.

—Riiip!

It was right at this moment that the figure moved and seemingly tried to grasp the sky itself as if it was tangible.

Suddenly, red floating windows appeared in front of me, filling my vision, filled with the same message along with a neon sign of danger.

[Warning!]

[Warning!]

[Warning!]

Ignoring their blaring sound as if it weren't the most absurd thing, I moved at speed imperceivable by the naked eye, reaching the floating figure in a second.

In a flurry of motion, I swung my sword with a golden brilliance swirling on top of the blade.

All in an attempt to halt the figure's moves.

However, it seemed to just be delaying the inevitable.

"You are strong..." He spoke all of a sudden, his voice hoarse and raspy before he struck at me. "...for a human."

—Thud!

All it did was wave his other hand and I fell to the ground filled with destroyed buildings as his words echoed in my mind, for a second.

Shaking my head to regain clarity, I kicked out of the dust and destruction I was tossed into before pouring a major chunk of my current mana reserves into the sword.

The metallic sword glimmered in the twilight along with its own golden brilliance as several intricately carved runes of various colors came alive.

The mana became explosive before we clashed once again.

—Boom!

—Slash!

After an unknown period of time spent clashing weapons and fighting a life-and-death battle against the figure, the Demon King.

He stood before me.

Or rather, he knelt before me.

"That was a tough fight." I voiced out, looking straight into his eyes.

His chest had two glaring holes, on both the left side where the human heart ought to be and the right, just in case.

It was courtesy to my full-on blows during the time the Demon King had formed illusions, clones and doppelgangers to fight me.

If not for predicting his position with my senses, I would've suffered far more grievous injuries than him.

"What'd you expect, human?" He sneered at me, despite his current situation, as if he wasn't on death's door.

Still, I didn't have it in me to retort due to the massive number of injuries I traded with him in our fight.

As I said, it wasn't an easy fight. It was the toughest one ever since I got the system, at least.

Currently, my sword was stabbed through right above his sternum, jutting out of his neck.

'Turns out, the Demon King has a unique physiology and anatomy. Maybe, just his own bloodline?'

I wondered in melancholy as I remembered killing the so-called Noble demons who also had a heart, mostly on their left side, akin to humans.

I didn't think humans and demons could co-exist.

That was a naive thought.

Well, even if they could...

Not like, I wouldn't kill them all.

"Phew~"

I took a deep breath to bury my memories once again before they could impact me once again with the pain it brought.

"Human. Do you want to know?" He whispered to me, his voice breaking my reverie, giving rise to my inner turmoil.

It was a true devilish whisper.

"What?" I hissed at his dying form.

"My story.... My tale...." He rasped through the black blood leaking from his mouth.

It was a miracle how he was still alive, let alone have the capability to talk.

But then again, I had already seen the signs of something similar to mana heart in Noble Demons.

Surely, their King would have the complete one, right?

"Why bother? Just die... like the invader... you are..." I spat through gritted teeth, trying to control my surging emotions.

"Ha-ha... I will... die... Don't worry..." He responded calmly, even with a hint of mockery in his voice.

It obviously irked me in my current state, but I decided to entertain him for a while longer.

...

After listening to his story, it could be easily summarized:

A lowly demon, born to the whim of another, who abused him as his mother died right at birth. All other demons ostracized and bullied him. One day, he was on the verge of death and awakened his bloodline, alerting the previous King, who upon finding out, wiped out an entire Province, for a simple reason. Just to keep it a secret. After all, he had too many enemies. He gave me everything and taught me before vanishing without a trace, leaving me behind as the next King and the strongest demon. He squashed any rebellious demon cruelly and lived like that for a long time, thwarting assassinations and poisoning attempts and whatnot. Throughout my life, he never felt calm except when he finally felt a woman's pleasure. Born a boy, killing his mother just like his father. Probably, a trait of their bloodline. Anyhow, he ruled and taught his son while enjoying himself, knowing he couldn't impregnate any woman as such was their bloodline...

"Skip all that nonsense typical cliche stuff. I want to know who injured you and why the hell you appeared here. I am not interested in knowing about your life or your son's revenge."

I cursed the Demon King in a jesting manner because his story was... just too boring.

Yes, boring.

That was the only way to express accurately.

"A being... He... shattered... space..."

At this point, I wondered if the Demon King went senile with death so close and let out incessant ramblings.

However, it was a mistake...

—Riiip!

His sharp claws pierced my chest and held my heart as he clenched it, trying to destroy it.

I was already aware of his attempts to shatter my mana heart to kill me, but this...

How do I say it?

It was expected yet unexpected.

Whatever, it was something I welcomed.

Death.

The concept seemed elusive yet it was closer than one can imagine.

"Good... Riddance..."

I murmured with a crazed smile sporting my face as if I liked what the Demon King did.

Even his facial expression showed a hint of shock and surprise, albeit for a second as he turned lifeless before me.

Gazing around, my eyes darted to look at the signs of collapse around me, showcasing the current state of Humans and their civilization everywhere.

Yet I had a content smile on my face as if it didn't matter to me.

And truly, it didn't.

Slowly, I felt my consciousness fade and I realized it. Though I chuckled at the realization.

'Death is approaching...'

Ignoring the unknown blaring of the system like an everyday routine, I closed my eyes with a small smile before I died.... or at least I hoped, I died.

***

{A/N}

Yo!~

Welcome to my new novel!!

This novel will be slow and a slice of life one, better than the previous one.

But, no, I am not dropping my other novel, I will continue it after a one-month hiatus necessary for fixing the mistakes in it and sorting out a better schedule than now.

Tell me in the comments how you feel about it and share it with your friends!!

This novel is participating in June WPC, so give me your power stones, golden tickets, gifts and whatever you can! At least comment!!