A king is meant to be dethroned.
An empire fated for ruin.
The world— destined to crumble, so it may be rebuilt anew. Such is the cycle of time, and the cruel law that governs its grasp.
[This is the epilogue.]
The script— altered, revised… rewritten a thousand times by its multiple authors. Its ink, stained with every color of light, each shade of the shadows, painting reality upon its endless, unbiased… yet merciless canvas.
And now…
It readies to recite its final syllables.
Realities— shattered. Futures— unbound.
A battle of significance.
One side born of celestial intervention— the denizens and born conductors of this realm. And the other— the echoes of delusion.
The spiteful cries of a whimsical menace.
Interference. Deliberate, reckless defiance of a man who reached his hand beyond the veil, grasping at unfathomable heights no mortal should ever dare to touch…
A realm [He] wasn't supposed to be on.
He never mistook himself for a god, yet he acted as one… And for that, the world rejected him.
A man with a crooked mind, and a woman with a twisted heart. A paradox, entwined by a forbidden bond— one that should never have existed, never planned, never allowed to remain. One that... by the incinerating flames of hell and the divine rays of heaven, was never meant to be.
Within each other, they found solace.
The sole place of comfort in their cold, gray, indifferent fate.
However, reality does not tolerate mistakes.
Imperfection. Choices. Defiance. A world divergent from its flow is a flaw in its creation— an eyesore to its architects.
For this world… like the living trying their damnedest to escape the chilling embrace of death, clings to its survival, in the behest of everything that resides on it.
Anomalies must be erased. Errors— corrected.
"This is the end… [Sxb]…"
Beneath the watchful glow of a dying nebula, she lay in his arms— silent, breathless.
The heavens did not mourn or rejoice. The Earth neither cried nor chuckled. The eyes of the gold and silver stars— twins of convergence— cast their light upon him. A distant, impassive gaze telling of the harsh journey that brought them to this conclusion.
A lifeless graveyard in the ruins of the sky fortress, where the crimson blades of reality wielded by the destined savior struck— driven into his spine… Each a consequence of his deeds, a decree upon his sins.
A reminder from fate that he... shouldn't have existed.
[What a shitty story.]
Blood pooled beneath him, black against the abyss of his hollow vessel. The slow, creeping dissolution of everything he was… rushing one last time as the final exhales of his lungs slithers through his bloody maw.
[Haha… This is surreal… It's just like that time.]
The weight in his numbing arms, so familiar. Its loving warmth, gone. Her figure, sullied. The grief in his chest, agonizing, yet somehow… consoling.
And yet, despite everything, he smiled.
If he were to be erased. If all that made him would inevitably dissolve into the bottomless abyss that is obscurity. Forgotten. Banished... Swallowed by the very shadows he created.
Then, at least... at the very least, in these final moments of clarity… he was with her.
His fingers trembled as he reached up, tracing the elegant contour of her neck, brushing away a strand of silver from her pristine face.
[Even in death, she is beautiful.]
He closed his eyes and whispered to the void his final verdict—
[Descend].
[Hm? Preview of the ending already?]
Year 919 of the Kaleos Holy Calendar.
It was a scorching night. Hours have passed since the last rays of the brilliant sun set, but the scorching temperature remains as hostile as when they first set foot, with not a hint of it subsiding. The perpetually dim skies that bled crimson, swallowing the heavens with clouds made of charred ashes rather than reservoirs of the world's renewed cycle. The ground, black and searing, creaking with constant trembling that spilled fountains of molten lava— flames in place of foliage, death instead of life.
[Demon Realm]
The domain of monsters and fallen mortals. A hell ruled by those adorned with horns and the cloak of corruption.
They have already vanquished many under the banner of their cause, freed many cities, and saved countless lives from the cruel fangs and talons that brought about unprecedented demise to the holy continent. Braves, that is what they are. And yet, it wasn't the incinerating heat of this fiery graveyard. Not the rancid scent of blood and mangled corpses, or even the overwhelming horror that breathes from every corner of this dystopia.
At this moment, it wasn't determination and courage, but the chilling shivers of fear that embraced the fragile hearts of the cardinal heroes.
[The Ascension party]
The chosen ones harbored by the blessing of the Goddess of Wisdom— Dysthymia. The four pillars of prophecy hailed from the land of light and the scales of equity. They, who were planted into this world for the sole purpose of saving it— have finally reached the region where the accursed Demon Lord's throne runs its wicked roots.
[I've seen this scene in the animated pv they released... so this 3D rendition looks like crap in comparison.]
The Golden Sage, Silk Shrift.
Renowned for her bottomless mana reserves and unparalleled genius in innovative magical craft, she is hailed as a prodigy among prodigies.
Achieving complete mastery over 10th-tier magic at an age when most were still struggling with the basics, she shattered every and all expectations by reconstructing the objective truth. Reaching an entirely different realm of power— one beyond the known limits of magical comprehension that redefined the very fundamentals of magic itself, rewriting theories that had been untouched for millennia.
Her inherent affinity for the mystic arts, coupled with an unfathomable capacity for adaptation and invention, earned her the coveted title of [Grandmaster of the Arcane Order]— the first and highest seat of the Imperial Council of Magic.
She is not merely a meister of the mystic.
She is its pioneer, innovator, and untouchable ruler.
[Lush gold hair extending to her wide hips. A skimpy bikini-esque outfit barely covering anything of her slender physique, which supposedly is a high-level defensive item. Her weapons— two curved daggers, the length of her forearms forged with a unique dragon pattern. Has a rather brash manner of speech, matching her appearance. Is a tsundere because, of course, she is. And acts as if her whole clan was murdered overnight… Oh, wait, that's spoilers.]
[Damn! The devs really let their fetishes go wild with this shit. Most of her screen time, as well, if it's not her talking like an edgy teenager, is filled with just shots of her legs, belly button, and armpits…]
[Good job!!!]
She is the elder half of the stunning and elegant Shrift twins, the gold and silver sisters, whose meteoric rise to the apex of magical society two years ago was fueled by nothing but their sheer talent alone.
And speaking of her other half…
Gill Shrift, the Silver Saint.
Silk's timid and gentle younger sister, she is the current saintess of the Dysthymian Church— the pope, the head priestess, and the destined vessel of divine grace. She's in possession of the most potent holy essence in the entire continent, a power so pure and overwhelmingly enchanting that she is often regarded as the mortal mediator of the Divine Excellency.
Many believed her to be an angel in human form, if not the reincarnation of their Goddess herself.
Her kind and compassionate personality earned her the moniker of the [Benevolent Mother of the Battlegrounds], as her radiant touch of healing has turned the tides of war countless times, mending the broken and comforting the suffering with an almost celestial grace.
A sentiment her overprotective sister wholeheartedly agrees with, yet simultaneously vehemently despises due to the ever-growing number of marriage proposals Gill receives from lecherous men seeking to claim her under the guise of admiration.
To many, Gill is the light of the heavens. To Silk, she is an untouchable treasure.
And to anyone who dares covet her, she will be the cause of their perishing.
[Silver hair, and this time, golden eyes, opposite of the other b*tch— On theme for twins!]
[The pure and innocent nun-type character covered from head to toe in a stark white dress that, through the omniscient guidance of the holy spirit— follows every curve of her voluptuous body. She is the healer of the group and rather quite fittingly— wields a long, black, T H I C C staff that, for no reason other than to be erotic— she likes to stuff in between her cleavage.]
[What are these clothes made of, spandex!? And to think, this is one of the more modest ones in the series... not that I'm complaining.]
Stood beside them with the poise of a warlord, clad in a divine set of white and gold heavy armor, adorned with the golden mane of a tundra lion, an imposing figure cuts through the air like a storm, his presence radiating both authority and valor.
[Oh, here comes recolored Lirito... and now he's fused with Gums.]
The Admiral, Zession Noir Veraheim.
A tall gentleman of raven black hair and transparent gray pupils, his appearance is both striking and intimidating. Known to the world as the undefeated commander of the imperial knights and the chosen vessel of the hero's blessing. His true distinction, however, lies in the invincible reality blades he wields— as tall as an adult man, painted in a deep blood red hue. Ancient weapons said to have been breathed into existence by the Gods. Blades rumored to possess the ability to sever through the very fabric of reality itself.
[Wow... How original.The irksomely handsome main character has the broken ass ability to distort reality and bypass any logic like a plot armor forcibly inserted into his lore.]
[If they reveal that he's secretly the descendant of the past hero, I'm gonna lose it—]
He is the last living descendant of the Divine Hero, Ares' lineage.
[...]
And lastly, trailing behind them in a slouch was a man with shoulder-length ashen gray hair and filthy light armor who you could very easily mistake for a ghoul. Swords of differing sizes, vials of different content— magic items hung in his crooked waist as his cold, deathly gaze guides his unrestrained bloodlust towards the tip of his fingers.
[Sxbogf], the Muted Blade.
[…and the extra guy that exists only to be a unit measurement for the protagonist to be compared with. His introduction is too mediocre for it to come after the glazed-up profiles of the other three… there's a clear gap in the quality.]
They courageously enter the hostile territory with their divine weapons—
[Skip.]
When I was a kid, I was weak, unable to even lift a wooden sword. I was treated like trash by my own parents who expected me to be a formidable warrior just like them.
[What the... a backstory this early, really? ...Skip.]
I tried my best to appeal to them. To be what they wanted. I worked tirelessly, pushing myself past my limits, struggling to meet their expectations— to surpass them. Anything to make up for the disappointment that I was. To prove that I was worthy of their time, their approval, their love. But none of it was enough… In the end, they abandoned me.
They led me deep into the forest under the guise of a hunt. They spoke no words of anger, no condemnation. I thought it was the time they would finally accept me, but… they just turned their backs and left. I stood there. Patiently, I waited for them to return. Waiting for someone, anyone, to tell me this was just some cruel test, perhaps a dream— that I hadn't truly been cast aside. But the silence stretched on, swallowing my hope whole. The realization hit me like lightning. They had forsaken me to the monsters of the wild. It was no mere exile. It was an execution in disguise.
The forest was ancient, cursed with the screams of those who had perished before me. The gnarled trees loomed high, their twisted branches stretching like skeletal fingers toward the sky, blotting out the sun. Shadows slithered between the roots, moving— watching— hungry for the scent of fresh prey. I was alone. My breath came in shallow gasps, my body trembling, but I forced myself to move. To run. To survive. Because if the world had deemed me unworthy of life… Then I would carve out a place for myself by force—
[Skip. Skip! Skip!! Skip!!! What!? Why is this boring monologue unskippable!? Are you kidding me!? I don't give a flying fuck what you're anime protagonist sad-boy backstory is!!!]
"Rias." A deep, distorted voice called.
"Yes, Milord."
[Oh, finally...]
Basked under the cursed light of the oppressive red sky, casting long shadows upon the desolate ground of their domain— by the throne stood two figures, their silhouettes almost ethereal against the hellish backdrop.
One is of a dazzling servant. A woman with long scarlet hair that flowed like a river of blood. Cascading around her sharp features, accentuating an aura of the unnatural, was a single horn of malice framing her rich, amber eyes— glowing in the dark like molten gold, burning with an unearthly intensity that seemed to pierce through the very soul of anyone who dared gaze into them.
And the other— the one who had transcended the crux of mortality and entered a realm far beyond that of men. The very incarnation of evil, the harbinger of darkness prophesied to reshape the world in his twisted vision. An absolute presence whose existence is followed by an air molded with the stench of despair and decay.
Lich King. Argo.
[Ohhh~!!! The scary boss and his crazy sexy-tary!!!]
[Slick, modernist suit design and clean, simple aesthetics. Finally, some normal people! They kinda look like they belong to some sort of mafia, but that is cool in itself!]
[Seriously, why are the demons in this world dressed more properly than the heroes— DAAAMMNNNN!!! What was that!? Didn't know Rias was packin' a whole bakery down there! Hahahah~! She's definitely my favorite in this shitty game!!!]
"How are the heroes doing against our forces?" The demon lord asked.
"Events are unfolding as we have anticipated, Milord." Rhea replied, her tone flat yet commanding.
"Fenrir and the other generals are currently engaging them in the middle ring... Although those ingrates seem to be having trouble dealing with measly human intruders. However, please do not fret. In the event that they do get past them, Seth and I will surely—"
[Skip. Skip. Skip. Another info dump. I love my Goddess Rias, but I know this is 'bout to get boring quick… Those generals are useless anyways—]
"What of the Queen from the lost empire? How much longer would it take?"
[Queen...?]
"As per Milord's command, analysis of the seal had been our utmost priority. However, as it is right now, it will take a few more days before we reach completion. If everything unfolds accordingly, the realization of our ideals will have materialized by the time the next full moon comes around."
[Ohh… Shit. That was a death flag.]
The day of judgment is nigh. Desires and Dreams. Humans or Demons. A contrast that had seemingly separated them, distinct from the other— that same line that shone the spotlight on the similarities of their wills.
What shall the truth be… The victor will decide.
[Hee~ I like this slightly ominous phrasing… I wonder what that queen thing is all about. Pretty sure I haven't read anything about that plot point in the manga.]
[This is finally getting interesting...!]
.
A few despairingly long cutscenes later.
"Everyone, lend me your help one last time! We'll definitely rise victorious against the—"
[Shut the hell up...]
"Guh! How twisted, you fiend! But remember this! No matter what you do, I will never—"
[Shut your cringe ass up...]
"…gonna give you up—"
[Oh... my... fucking... god…!!! His dialogue was so long that it continued for three whole cut scenes! After being so cool in that poster, why did they make him so painful to watch…!]
The end of the line. The battle to ultimately dictate the fate of the entire world. A future of prosperity or eternal hell tipping the vindictive scale of the ancient creators and those who opposed their will.
The conclusion is upon us—
[Yeah, yeah, whatever... Can't believe I was baited into thinking it's actually going to be interesting for once… yawn~ I know this is the MC, but does the introductory part have to be this long—]
A blinding array of light swallowed my peripheral vision, too sudden that I thought someone threw a stun grenade in my room. But, just as brief as its appearance, it quickly faded into the darkness I am most familiar with. Like a phantom lurking in the shadows, not a sliver of its glowing tail remained in the surface— disappearing, silently and discretely… along with the adequately cool breeze of my cheap AC, the flickering gradient glow of my brand new RGB keyboard, and the light of my fucking monitor.
It's a blackout.
"…fuck my life."
I stretched out my stiffened arms, leaning back on my almost broken chair, cracking my knuckles as I couldn't resist the urge to yawn. As I stood up from the comfort of the cushion where my bum was just rested, I sneaked, flailing my hands like a clueless toddler in an attempt to reach my bed without making a mess of my desk.
I am in complete darkness without my PC. I could use my phone, but that's too much of a hassle since I'm sleeping anyway… just pray to Batman that there won't be any spilled cola in my carpet tomorrow.
"I still have a report to do, I need to wake up early."
I threw my phone aside 45 degrees from my ear so I could properly hear my alarm tomorrow, and let my exhausted body sink into what little comfort my $30 mattress could offer. I rolled under the rugged sheets of my blanket— struggled to fit and not accidentally lodge my foot in one of the holes. I closed my eyes and buried my head in this hard-ass pillow that I'm seriously wondering is stuffed with rocks instead of cotton.
"That old hag is going to be on my tail again, nitpicking about every little crap she sees… I hate this... Following the dream she didn't accomplish because of her own incompetence... Why do I have to be the one to…"
State your wish... Oh, brave soul.
"I wish... I don't wake up…"
.
"Eat my… flesh. Drink my blood… Inhabit this vessel and make the world yours once more… On the name of the dark one…!"
The sigils of depraved defiance wrote its rite on her skin, peeling her flesh, gnawing at her soul— recognized as the final plea of the single-horned deviant.
Defy the architect.
Defile the sacred delusions.
Carve the vessel into catalysts.
Catalysts into the eight-faced embers.
And those embers... into the very fractals that hold the embroidered destiny as it was written in those scripts.
"Oh, Queen of Avarice! I offer you my soul… so grant my wish!"
[What are you... No... I beg you... not you, too...]
A final smile. The fleeting life of a once-despaired orphan.
"Until we meet again… Milord."
[No… Don't… leave me… behind…!]
"[Distortion]"
How many days has it been outside?
Months... decades... perhaps centuries and millennia have passed since the moment that mine had halted its steps forward?
"Help me... anyone... It hurts..."
Have the flourishing petals of spring fallen and withered already? The warmth of summer light? What about the twilight leaves of fall and the monochromatic touch of winter? Have the plants in the garden terraces bloomed into the beautiful flowers they were destined to be?
I cannot see.
I cannot hear.
I cannot feel anything.
I think, but I cannot speak.
In this place, devoid of light… Am I… still alive?
What happened to Dearest Mother? Father and my cherished sisters, too? I hope they survived that tragedy… I hope they've escaped safely from that place of ruin… I hope I can see them again someday—
"I'm scared... please... let me see..."
"Die, you witch! It's all your fault! DIE!!!"
No. It wasn't me!
I haven't done anything wrong! I just wanted to help everyone… so I worked hard. I tried really hard to be helpful. I used the only thing people have praised me, saying that I had the talent for... I wasn't trying to oppose the leader, I promise. I just thought that plucking the fruit would save—
"You killed us! You've doomed us! IT SHOULD'VE BEEN YOU WHO DIED!!!"
No! It... It was supposed to go well... That man— the vassal of the last king! He, too, said so! He praised me when I entered the palace to show his majesty the fruits of my effort. He said that I'd done the right thing, told me that everything would be fine... He said I could become the hero of the village—
"DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE— Die…!!!"
Why? Why are you doing this to me?
I just wanted to make the curse dis—
[Viqz zit itss? Vitkt qd O…?]
A voice?
Is there someone there...? Gasp! You there! You, who just crossed that boundary. A soul vindicated by a divine catalyst… Can you hear me? Are you here? …Please, answer me—
[Vig qkt ngx?]
What…? Just now, what did you… I cannot understand your words— No, wait! Don't leave just yet! This is the first time in eternity, I still... I still have something to tell you…!
The ruins of the forsaken empire— Underground, where the critters thrive. Buried and scorched into ashes by the curse of the false vanity… Beyond the door of truth forged by the liars of heaven— there, where the angels casted light onto the false abomination…
They are there… I am there.
"Please... Save me…"
[Vqoz… ol ziol eioea ofcozofu dt kouiz fgv…? EGGS!!!]
.
"Hu-hummm~♪"
Embraced in an unfamiliar warmth, eerily tranquil— much more than what I was used to having, I woke up— or I suppose, regained consciousness would be more accurate?
This is strange, I can't seem to move properly. My body is different— at least, it feels like it. My eyes are heavy, limbs too light that they feel, almost brittle? And my voice— for some reason, it won't come out.
Just now… I could have sworn I've heard someone talking to me. A woman with a beautiful voice, I'm pretty sure. Crying, Laughing. Venting...
It felt like we've talked for ages, but... I can't remember a thing she said.
Hm? Was that just the game's sounds? Did my PC restarted by itself when the electricity came back up— Urghh, my head hurts. It feels like I had a hangover... Is this what that so-called sleep paralysis? But why does it feel like I was asleep for far longer than the four hours before my alarm is set to go off?
Shit... Did I oversleep again? How many does that make it this week—
"Hummm~♪"
Hmm? Again, this song— wait, this tune...!
Why is it not [What's up, people?]? Did I change my ringtone yesterday? No, no, no. I wouldn't set a lullaby track as my alarm. That's just a recipe for disaster... Though I do remember it. This slightly mellow note that rapidly changes into an upbeat, yet chill tempo in the middle verse... Somehow, I feel at peace as I listen to it— a bit sleepy too.
Ah, that's right... It was that game's BGM.
Its only redeeming quality... besides the voluptuous Goddess, Rias herself, of course.
This soft, gentle voice— sifting through the air with grace like refined silk on a loom, humming my favorite soundtrack... must be an angel singing. Yes, that's it!
Haha... Was I too far gone that I'm starting to hallucinate now? Or maybe the daily ice cream finally got into my arteries, and I croaked while I'm sleeping… but I do have my senses, so this must be some sort of dream, right?
Unless this is how it's supposed to feel in heaven... Pfft! Who am I kidding, I'm headed straight down in the pits if I did die.
This is certainly weird— just creepy, and downright depressing.
Dreaming of sleeping when I was supposed to be asleep. Even in my dreams, I'm as lethargic as a sloth, huh…
Hahaha… haha… hahhh… what a joke.
I felt my mind drifting into candyland, my senses gradually becoming duller, even my thought began to falter as I slowly melted into slumber once more.
"Hm, my pillow is so soft in this dream, huh... This feels nice. I wish I had the money to make this real." or so I thought, slowly fading into unconsciousness as my bed started shaking...
Hn? Sha... king...?
"Silk, don't push it too strongly. You'll disturb him." The angel said.
"Awawawahh~ Gill, I'm so sorry! I forgot this is a rocking cradle..." Another girl chimed in, voice high-pitched from slight panic. She staggered frantically, worry in her eyes, hands flailing as she scrambled.
"Wh-What should we do? Lux is waking up..."
Another... angel? They sure sound like it…
But these voices... It's familiar. I feel like I've heard them somewhere before...
"In the meantime, just be quiet. He might still go back to sleep— ah."
I opened my eyes in a strained motion. As hazy as my vision at that moment was, there was one thing I could definitively make out.
Silhouettes— a pair of lolis. Shadows and hue— silver and gold.
The slightly shorter one, peeking shyly over the wooden compartment, had her mouth slightly open, stuttering in her words as she skipped glances between me and the other girl. She seemed troubled by my open eyes. On the other hand, the silver girl kept her loving gaze fixed on me. Her eyes mellowed with an oozing warmth, carried with it a bright smile— so endearingly soothing to the point of fatality. She greeted me with a joyous hum, leaning forward as she kissed my cheek.
"Good morning, Lux." She whispered fondly.
Auoof... She smells nice~!!! Sweet lavender aroma to match her rosy cheeks and marigold eyes— what a very nice treat to start your day! Thank you for the treat!!!
"Sorry to wake you up..." The child with luscious blonde hair tied adorably in short braids apologized, closing in with a worried look.
"I just wanted to look at you... and then I..."
A moment of serenity threaded the air, blowing solace in each breeze as seconds— minutes passed by one after the other. The unhindered ticking of the clock, the sensation of peace in this instant that felt like an eternity, a mere apparel in the never-ending cycle. And yet, just for this moment, it slowed, complementing the innocence of this scene as the two girls shared a blissful giggle, each taking one of my hands in theirs. Gently, as one should when dealing with a child...
Yes. A child... a newborn child, that is.
My lack of mobility and motor function, restricted perspective, and the context of this situation itself. Unless these two are, in actuality, five-meter-tall goliaths, this is the only explanation that would make sense of my predicament...
I really went and regressed into a child Benjamin Button style— No, no, no!
This novel is supposed to be eastern— Japanese! Follow Dweeb logic!
A-Ahem! What I meant is— reincarnated into this new body with my personality and memories intact. Yes, that classic, generic, and boring Isekai plot line.
Ahh~ What a pleasant predicament…!
Not to mention, this world that I'm currently in right now… Silk and Gill... gold and silver sisters... and my name... Lux... Luxion... there's no mistaking it...
Tales of Ascendance.
A battle/dating simulation spin-off game based on the unfathomably popular series, [One day, when I was adjusting the cables of my WIFI router, I smell smoke, it blew up and before I knew it, I was transported in a fantasy world where I ricocheted and became the undisputed king of the continent as a low-level troll that ate a magic rock!?]… or [Rick-Roll] for short— a normal slice of life, isekai about an average Joe with surprising amounts of dark humor and a crap ton of absurd, borderline mental, twists and turns you'll only think of under the influence of meth.
Boring— kinda.
Predictable— sometimes.
Generic and cliche— abso-fuckin-lutely.
It is the type of garbage you watch when you want your brain to just melt into your couch. And lo and behold, I, your one and true protagonist… was helplessly obsessed with it.
Yes, I'm a degenerate… and so are you, dear reader.
Every volume of its low-effort manga. Every single episode of that shitty anime adaptation that looked like it has less budget than the last two seasons of 7 seedly dins. Every single side content, spin-off, and limited edition event and merch. I consumed it like the whale I am.
Even this game, I already watched all playthroughs I could find on MeTube and read every post about it on Leddit.
I know I have a problem.
This game depicts the events of an alternate world where the MC of the original series didn't get reincarnated— that is, the true story of this world, focusing on the actual cardinal heroes that ended up being treated like a joke in the original manga.
Among those forgotten characters...
"I'm Luxion Von Zancrest." or so I felt like saying with my toddler mouth to reaffirm my thoughts, but unfortunately, I am neither someone named Ason, nor am I a demon lord in disguise who can grow to an adult form within a month.
...
Well… for now, at least.
Kuhehe~ That might not be too bad of an idea, no?
A Demon Lord, of all things.
If I remember correctly, the original dark one in this game was… Argo, the immoral bi*ch— I mean, the immortal Lich King.
Hailed from the ashes of the fallen titans, where he was birthed into the overseer he proceeded to become. The progenitor of the fearsome race of monsters that feasts on shadows— the [one-eyed foxes]... And the incarnation of the vanquished God that once ruled the overworld— the Deity of Wisdom...
Whatever that cryptic description means.
Erm, ackshually~
According to the all-knowing source (i.e. the wiki), Argo was the undisputed top dog of this world and was mere steps away from reaching the realm of divinity himself at the end of his campaign. But he ultimately perished because he chose the path of noble sacrifice, forsaking his life, and everything he strived towards at that point for the, quote on quote, greater good of the world after a full 15-minute session of the f'n hero's talk no jutsu.
A gallantly useless triumph, I must say.
You have a dream and a vision. Through sheer will, you have reached a point where a chance to obtain the power to realize it presented itself on a silver platter... Why stop then? Just because your actions brought a few morons who aren't even aware of their fate knocking on death's door?
...those damned heroes didn't do a thing in the end, anyway.
I've been given another chance at life— with this gift no less. No way in hell am I going to sit around and let myself be the obscure side character this story dictates me to be.
If it were me, I'd choose to survive.
I refuse to become a slave to someone's narrative again. This time, I will take control over my destiny... not just of mine or my pawns, but theirs and the whole world as well while I'm at it. Money, power, magic, people— Everything that makes this world tick… I want all of it.
Everything should exist to befit my image.
To the Gods, if there are any.
To the one who brought me into this world, you have my gratitude.
You gave me this opportunity, so I truly wish that you don't regret the choice you've made, because I… I will be the Wraith of this realm.
The true devil of this plot, unrestrained by morals and magical limitations— the omniscient demon lord that Argo has failed to become. I would be the author to orchestrate every little piece and shape this story into the masterpiece I've always dreamt of.
This tale will unfold as I will it—
"Gill, look! Lux is smiling! I don't know why he has that look of a losing villain, but he's so cute!" Silk gleefully says, poking my cheek.
Or so I want to proclaim at this moment… but before all that crap… I'm starving.
Honestly, I still don't have a good grasp of what's going on. For all I know, this could be just a dream. I might still wake up to the tune of my alarm when I close my eyes again and end up all disappointed, but... if not... if this is truly my new reality. Well... I'll need this brittle self of mine to grow up first, and to do that... I need nutrition!
Breast milk!!!
Now, how do I get these two to summon my Mother Dearest for me— oh, I got it! The current me is the horrid embodiment of the worst thing a sleep-deprived person could ever encounter in a 17-hour-long trip.
The menace of sleepless flights! I should just embrace that and—
[At last… you're here.]
…wueh?