Chapter 2: New Beginnings

As I opened my eyes calmly, knowing I had been stabbed to death by Jaune, I immediately realized that I had been reincarnated into something other than a human—a demon.

"Ughh, where the hell am I? I feel cold," I mumbled.

As I stood up in the middle of nowhere, I quickly realized that I was completely naked.

"Holy shi-" I blurted out in shock.

I needed to find a place to hide and cover myself for the time being.

"Grraaa!! Jhsishak Lurkhsash Ahk!" A group of 10 goblins ganging up on a wolf

"This is madness! How the hell did I end up here?"

While a group of goblins ganged up on a single wolf, out of nowhere, a huge pack of wolves started dashing into the scene, killing and feasting on each goblin.

I was shocked, watching from the shadows of the towering trees..

As the pack of wolves left, they left behind the remains of the goblins, including their dead bodies, weapons, and tattered rags of clothing. I quickly picked up a piece of cloth and covered myself with it.

"Finally, something to cover myself up with, ehehehe," I chuckled.

I began walking and searching for a place to stay, but as I continued to walk further and further, I started to feel this heavy weight inside my body.

"Ughh..." *I fell to the ground with a THUD!

"Where am I?" I asked, as I woke up in a very colorful place.

"How are you feeling?" said the weird-looking girl with pointy ears.

"I said, where am I?" I said, frustrated by everything that was happening.

"You are in Novaheim, and this is the deepwoods of the elven tribe," said the elven girl.

While the elven girl was checking up on me, I heard a group of grown-up elves talking and whispering suspiciously while looking at me.

"What's with them?" I asked the elven girl.

"They are in awe and terrified of you," she answered cheerfully.

"Why, am I ugly?" I asked.

"No! It's because you are emitting a massive amount of aura, and they are terrified of it. AND—you are a cute-looking demon," she replied playfully.

"I know I do look good, but what's this about aura?"

"You are emitting an amount of power that is too massive to be true. Not even the Elven King Allu is close to the power you are releasing," she whispered.

"And I know you are kind!" she said cheerfully.

I was at loss for words after hearing everything she said. I stood up, and as I took my very first step, everyone in the elven tribe fell to the ground except for the Elven King and the little girl.

"Get away from him!"

"Take cover!"

"Everyone, cast your magic!"

Out of fear, everyone tried to stand up and pointed their exquisitely lethal magic at me.

"Stoopppp!" the girl shouted.

"He is a kind demon; he will not bring harm to us," she calmly said.

But one of the elves reacted late and accidentally released his magic towards me. It landed perfectly on me, but it was as though a dust had landed on my skin. Once again, everyone was in awe of how this specific elven man hadn't even managed to give me a scratch.

As everyone lowered their arms and weapons from me, the Elven King spoke.

"If it's how you say so, then so be it, Verithra."

"Everyone lower your weapons, and treat this guy with good care!" the King declared.

After the tensions subsided, others helped me walk and tried to heal me with their magic, while some went to their homes.

"Our healing magic is being rejected by his aura." said an elven man.

"Hey, calm down. We are trying to heal you." said his friend.

"I'm sorry, but I am not doing anything." I said.

They realized that my aura was naturally rejecting their magic.

"Our magic is useless; he is healing on his own." he said in awe.

As they proceeded to assist my body, which was new to having this kind of unreal power, they took me to the throne of Elven King Allu to discuss everything, starting with how and where Verithra found me.

As I approached the throne, King Allu looked at me with keen interest. "Who are you?" He inquired.

"I am..." I hesitated, pondering the opportunity for a new beginning. "I am Zild Zecronia," I answered, choosing a name other than my real one, hoping for a fresh start.

"Zild Zecronia…" King Allu repeated, studying my face. "What are you doing here in Novaheim? What is your purpose?" He asked with a hint of fear and concern.

"I don't know... I just got here," I replied, playfully shrugging off the weight of my past.

"Where are you from, Zild Zecronia?"

"That... you will never know," I replied confidently.

[Knowing that revealing my true origins wouldn't make sense to him, considering I hailed from a different planet or universe.]

"Rest assured, I won't bring any harm. I simply seek a place to stay for the meantime, if you'd allow it. Please?" I asked, now more earnest in my plea.

The king looked at me with a mix of apprehension and understanding. After a deep breath, he decided.

"Verithra, the girl who can see everyone's heart, testified on your behalf; I believe you, Zild Zecronia. You can stay as long as you want, here in Aelyrion."

As I walked to exit the king's throne, he stopped me and said,

"Join us tonight, we will throw a welcoming feast for you, Zild." with a smile on His face.

The night descended, and a sense of enchantment filled the air as everyone gathered around a huge ethereal white flame conjured by the elves' magic. Laughter echoed through the clearing as people reveled in games, feasting on sumptuous delicacies, dancing with grace, and filling the night with melodic songs. 

While sitting by a wooden trunk in the corner, King Allu called out my name and formally introduced me to everyone as one of their own.

"Tonight, we welcome you as one of our own in Aelyrion, the land of the elves. Your presence here is a testament to the power of unity and understanding. Our tribe knows no boundaries when it comes to those who seek peace."

I nodded, deeply moved by his words.

"Thank you, King Allu. I am honored to be a part of your tribe and to have the chance to begin anew in this realm."

*He placed a hand on my shoulder, a genuine smile gracing his face.

"Remember, here in Aelyrion, we judge not by race or power but by the heart. Your actions shall define your place among us, and we have faith that your kind heart will shine brighter than any darkness."

The feast continued, and everyone danced, sang, ate, and drank to their heart's content.

Watching them all revel in happiness filled my heart with joy. I went back to the wooden trunk to sit again, but this time with a cup of tea in hand. 

While contemplating everything that had happened, Verithra sat by my side and joined me in watching everyone feast.

"Happy to know that you'll be staying here with us for the meantime, Zild," she said with a warm and welcoming tone.

"I'm equally grateful that everyone has accepted me as if I'm one of their own," I replied.

"I'm just curious, how old are you, Zild?" she inquired.

"Well," I chuckled, "I have no idea either."

"How can someone not know their age?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well..." I began to explain.

"What about me? How old do you think I am, Zild?" she interrupted.

"Hmm," I pondered, "this is a challenge. You have a matured body, yet your skin is smooth, and your face looks as youthful as a baby's... I'd say... 19? No, maybe 20?"

She chuckled at my guess.

"That's flattering," she said playfully. "I am 432 years old, Zild."

I was astonished.

"How the heck..." I replied in awe.

"Zild, we are elves! That's why our lifespan is much longer than that of humans, and it also explains our physical appearance," she explained.

"I wonder at what age I'm going to die," I mumbled.

"Zild, you are a demon, and your kind is much older than ours. If you somehow recall, you're probably already around a thousand years old," she answered with a reassuring smile.

"It's getting late, and I'm starting to feel sleepy," I mentioned.

"You're funny, Zild," she chuckled.

"What's so funny?" I asked, a bit puzzled.

"Demons don't sleep, Zild. Their bodies doesn't experience fatigue," she replied with a hint of sarcasm.

[At that moment, I realized I wasn't actually feeling sleepy. Perhaps it's because I once had a human body, and it still reminds me to feel sleepy at night.] I thought to myself.

"Well, this time, it's me who's actually feeling sleepy. Good night, Zild," she said warmly.

"Good night, Verithra," I replied.

I learned to suppress my enormous power and aura slightly to allow everyone to have a peaceful sleep.

The night passed, and everyone fell asleep, including me. By dawn, we were awakened by the smell of fire and screams as the forest of Aelyrion was being burned down by these massive humanoid-pig creatures—orcs. Everyone was shouting and crying, while others were fighting.

"What's going on?" I thought to myself in shock.

"Protect our women and elflings!" Elf 1 shouted.

"Hold the enemy's frontline!" a Noble Elf 1 shouted.

"How many of them are there?" Noble Elf 2 asked angrily.

"There are about 30,000 of them, sir. About 20,000 regular orcs, 8,000 mid orcs, 1,900 greater orcs, 90 noble orcs and 10 orc lords." Elf 2 replied. 

(Orc lords are slightly stronger than greater elves.)

"Damn! We only have 100 Royal Warrior Elves.. and 300 greater elves.." Noble Elf 2 answered disappointed.

(There are 7 categories of strength for every race: 'regular' is the weakest of every race, followed by mid, greater, nobles, lords, peers, and the strongest, 'king.' The strength of the Royal Warrior Elves is in between that of noble elves and greater elves.) P.S. Other races have different categories of strength.

"Take a hold of yourselves! We are being outnumbered!!" Elf 3 shouted.

A flash of light appeared, and out of nowhere, an Elven Male arrived.

"Where is the Princess?" He shouted.

"Your Majesty, the Princess is inside the throne room with the nobles to protect her," Elf 4 replied.

"Take care of the situation for the meantime; I'll go check on the Princess," said the Elven Male as He rushed to check on the princess.

As the battle raged on and casualties mounted, King Allu flew to the battlefield, unleashing a barrage of white rays of magic that decimated one-third of the enemy forces. 

There I was, in the corner, learning to unleash and harness my power to protect the people of Aelyrion.

"How do I—damn it! Come out, you damn enormous power!" I exclaimed in frustration.

With King Allu having killed one-third of the enemy forces, the King of Orcs emerged with an ominous dark ring that suppressed and drained King Allu's power, rendering him powerless in its presence.

King Allu dropped helplessly, and Targo violently picked him up by the neck.

"Ughh! You never learn, Targo!" King Allu retorted in agitation.

"Hahaha!" Targo, the King of Orcs, laughed sinisterly.

"This ancient demon treasures are not safe, Targo!" King Allu replied agitatedly.

"And so? I will now devour you and your power, King Allu," Targo replied maniacally.

"This will attract the Demon King, Targo! You are dooming yourself!" King Allu replied with concern.

"THERE IS NO DEMON KING!!" Targo yelled with manic rage.

My power surged, reacting to the dark ring, and it drew my power out, engulfing the entire Aelyrion in a dark aura. King Allu, Targo, the elves, and the orcs were all in shock at the enormity of my power's reaction to the dark ring.

"This can't be! How is that Demon's power reacting to this ring!? There is no Demon King! YOU ARE NO DEMON KING!!" Targo exclaimed in rage.

"It can't be..." King Allu mumbled in shock, wondering why my power is reacting to the ring.

The orcs and the elves were stunned in awe by the fact that my power was reacting to the ominous dark ring. They were all astonished and couldn't continue battling each other.

"Before this ends, I will take your life and your power, Allu! HAHAHA," Targo laughed maniacally.

Targo crushed King Allu's neck with his grip, simultaneously crushing his throat and punching a hole through King Allu's chest, taking King Allu's heart with his left hand. King Allu's power quickly subsided and merged with Targo's Dark Ring, making Targo even more powerful and sinister.

"UUAGHKGH!" King Allu coughed in excruciating pain.

Targo dropped King Allu's lifeless body to the ground, turning his attention towards me.

Consumed by uncontrollable anger, I transformed my hands into weapons covered with my power and blinked up to Targo in the blink of an eye, extracting his heart, draining his life force and power into myself.

"Is this it?" I said to Targo in a sinister voice. "You are done for," I added with a sinister smile.

There, I dropped Targo's lifeless body to the ground and consumed the Ominous Dark Ring completely, making it a part of my whole being. 

An image appeared in my head, where I could visualize the description and name of the Ominous Dark Ring.

Name: Hellscream Binder

Rarity: Ancient (There are 7 rarities: Common, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Primordial, Ancient, and Abyssal)

Rating: S- (Each rarity ranges with a specific rating: F- to F+ for Common, E- to D+ for Rare, C- to B+ for Epic, A- to A+ for Legendary, S- to SS+ for Ancient, SSS- to SSS+ for Primordial, and X for Abyssal)

Power:

- Power to Manipulate and Amplify Sound

- Power Amplification

- Control Over Underworld Energy

- Immunity to magic below the Ancient Class

- Aura of Fear

Lore: In the age of roaring infernos and cataclysmic battles, the Hellscream Binder was forged within the very bowels of the underworld, in the heart of a raging volcanic abyss. It is believed to have been crafted by the hands of a malevolent entity, a demon lord whose very scream could shatter mountains.

I momentarily set aside the image that appeared in my head and continued my desire to annihilate the orcish force.

"Bring me your strongest," I stated with a grin and a manic tone.

I unleashed a fraction of my power that nearly wiped out the entire orcish forces, intentionally sparing only ten orc lords.

"Zild!" Verithra shouted from afar. "Stop this!" she added.

As I came to my senses, I noticed that every elf, Verithra, the elven male, and the ten orc lords that were left had witnessed my power as I defeated the King of Orcs in a split second and wiped out nearly the entirety of the orcish forces.

"Tie up the remaining orcs! Seal them and put them in jail!" said the Noble Elf 3.

With the best effort I could muster, I tried to take a step closer to Verithra, but I fell and lost consciousness. The Elven Male caught me quickly, while Verithra went to King Allu, crying over the death of the king.

"D-Dad... huff... huff... p-please... D-Dad!" Verithra cried uncontrollably at the sight of Her grandfather laying down.

And the King was no longer living.

The day passed with everyone clearing the corpses of war and mourning the deaths and losses of each family.

As I woke up on the day after, lying in bed with Verithra on my right and the elven male on my left, I slowly opened my eyes and groaned.

"H-How's everyone?" I asked in a tired manner.

Verithra smiled with sadness in her eyes.

"The casualties are almost 3000, and the King... passed away," calmly uttered the elven male.

I sighed in a depressed manner, then I stood up and went outside. Verithra and the Elven Male assisted me out of the camp, and there I saw tons of graveyards, with the king's casket in the center. I walked closer to the casket of the King, and with a bit of my power regained, I easily brought the King back to life. However, the King was still in shock because I had revived him after a day.

"The King!" Elf 1 said in shock.

"He has brought the King back to life!" exclaimed the Elven Nobles.

Verithra and the Elven Male were in total shock to witness the power of bringing someone back to life.

"T-This can't be," the Elven Male mumbled in shock.

"R-resurrection power!?" Verithra replied in shock.

I attempted to bring the entire Aelyrion back to life, but I couldn't due to being almost drained of my power.

"Ughh..." I groaned.

"T-take it easy, Zild," Verithra said with concern.

"Easy," the Elven Male mumbled with concern.

Verithra and the Elven Male carried me back to the camp with the Elven King on the other side of the bed, and there we rested for another whole day.

The next day arrived, and I woke up to the pleasant sound of birds chirping.

"Good morning!" Verithra greeted me with joy.

"How was your sleep, Zild?" asked the Elven Male.

"How was the slumber, Zild? hehe," King Allu uttered with joy. "Come outside; everyone is waiting."

As I stood up and went outside to follow King Allu, 100 Royal Warriors of Aelyrion and the rest of the elves were bowing in reverence to me, followed by the Elven Male and Verithra. Even King Allu himself bowed before me.

"Thank you for everything, King Zild," the multitude chanted in unison, their voices a symphony of gratitude and awe, echoing through the land.

"H-h-huh!? huh!! W-wait... H-hold up!" I stuttered, trying to grasp the reality. "Kiiiingg!?"

"Thank you for saving Aelyrion, for protecting my people, and for protecting my two grandchildren, Zild. Please, lead us with your might," King Allu said.

"W-What?" I was stunned by what he was asking, and the realization that Verithra was the princess and the Elven Male was the prince, and that they were his grandchildren!

Verithra, the Elven Male, and everyone bowed again and asked me to lead them.

"Please lead us! Almighty Zild!" they uttered altogether.

"H-hold up!" I stuttered. "Verithra is the princess!? And this Elven Male?? The prince?" I inquired in disbelief.

"Yes, your majesty. Verithra and Caelum are my grandchildren. They are the prince and princess of Aelyrion," King Allu replied.

"P-pardon me for not introducing myself, your Majesty. My name is Caelum Aqoilith, and I am the prince of Aelyrion, son of the late King Belaric Aqoilith, and grandson of King Allu Zezar Aqoilith," he added.

I was stunned, realizing that they were all related to each other.

"T-that's cool. So, what now?" I answered, at a loss for words.

"Is there anyone who objects the ascension of Zild as the first Demon King of Aelyrion?" He asked with a loud voice echoing throughout Aelyrion.

There was no objection as everyone remained bowing before the presence of Zild Zecronia.

"I guess there's none. We will be having your coronation tomorrow as our new King," he added.