Chapter 9: War - Part 2: True Power
I was fighting Lord Edo, but the battle was completely one-sided. I hadn't learned how to fight with my full power, so when he unleashed one of his powerful attacks, I had no choice but to face death. What am I doing? What do I truly want? For the first time, I regretted it immensely. Why? I've died four times before, so why does it feel different this time? Everyone is safe in Vendaline Town, so it's not like I'm really worried about them. So why? Elisabeth, huh? Yes, it's the first time I've fallen in love. But I never confessed to her. Hahaha.
I couldn't move. I saw his attack coming towards me. In that moment, I shouted, "Please, someone, save me! I don't want to die. Please!" And suddenly, everything around me turned white and bright. Where am I?
"You are in the realm of the gods," someone said from behind me.
I turned around and saw a man, his face too bright for me to see clearly. Who is he?
"I am the God of Creation," he revealed, walking towards me.
"God of Creation? Does that mean I died?" I asked him.
"No, I stopped time around you, but that attack would have definitely killed you. I want to ask you something: why do you always want to die? When you know you can't win, why do you still want to fight?" the God questioned me.
"I don't know. Really, before I realize it, I don't want to die, but I keep dying. But why did you reincarnate me all these times?"
"Why? You're the one who asked me why. You should be grateful. If you die to save others, what do you think? Are they grateful to you? No! They live with regrets. Have you realized why they also reincarnated here and why you met them? It's because they all wished for another chance to fill their regrets. They haven't awakened their memories yet, but when they do... Are you already dead again? Why? Because you fought with the Demon Lord for them. Have you ever thought about how they feel?" the God explained.
"I see. And I think I'm a hero to them. How foolish I am! You're right, I never thought about others' feelings. I left Elisabeth alone, and I never realized how she would feel if I died. But it's too late now, isn't it?" I lamented.
"No, you haven't awakened your true power yet. But even if you did, you have no chance of winning. You have to become a Demon Lord," the God revealed.
"A Demon Lord? How?"
"Just awaken your power and devour the souls of the demon army you have killed earlier. Then maximize your mana. You know how to do it, right?" the God asked.
"Yes, I know. I learned it in my past life."
"Okay, after you become a Demon Lord and awaken your true power, you will possess a new ability called Supremacy. It's a combination of human, elf, and demon powers. You will become the most powerful being. If you use it truthfully, you will be able to defeat any opponent, no matter how powerful," the God explained.
"But how do I awaken my true power?"
"It's simple. Just think about who you are and what your purpose is," the God advised.
"I don't understand. Who am I?"
"Yes, remember why you are here and why you don't want to die?" the God prompted.
"I see. It's because I want to live. I want someone to love me. I want to protect what I have. I am Diablo, the demon," I declared.
"Fufufu, I see. Good. Now you can easily become a Demon Lord. But before you go, there's something I want to tell you. Do you remember saving a Monster Girl in your previous life?" the God asked.
"Yes, Aly," I replied.
"Hmm, when you died, she wanted to save you using her own life, using her Philosopher's Stone," the God revealed.
"What? Aly has a Philosopher's Stone? And don't tell me she used it!" I was completely shocked. The Philosopher's Stone is the most powerful artifact that grants infinite power and even the ability to destroy the whole world. However, it is said that normal people, monsters, or even demons cannot use it. It was considered a legendary item, and if someone uses it without the willpower to control it, they die, as the stone consumes them. And Aly has that stone?
"Yes, she tried to use that stone to save you, but before she could, I stopped her. Not only does she have the Philosopher's Stone, but she also possesses the seed to resurrect the True Demon Lord. If she used the stone, it would accidentally resurrect the True Demon Lord. So, I explained it to her and also told her about you. She asked me if she could also be reincarnated with you since I interfered in her life. I had no choice but to accept her wish. She currently lives in the east, in a mountain cave. After you defeat the Demon Lord and save her, remember one thing: if she is found by another Demon Lord and they discover she possesses the seed to resurrect the True Demon Lord, she will become everyone's enemy. And if they find out she has the Philosopher's Stone, it will become even more dangerous," the God informed me.
"Yes, I have to save her." According to what I know, the True Demon Lord is the most fearsome of all Demon Lords. It appears as a monstrous entity and is born solely to bring about the destruction of the world, like Ragnarok. No one survives, not even demons.
"Yes, I told her how to destroy the seed and what to do with the Philosopher's Stone. Just ask her when you meet her. One last thing I want to tell you: as a rule of reincarnation, someone can only be reincarnated four times. So, if you die again, I will not be able to reincarnate you. So be careful and live your life. Now, go," the God concluded.
"Okay, thank you."
[Realm of the Gods]
"You didn't tell him why you reincarnated him again and again, and you also lied to him about the reincarnation rule. You're one naughty god," the God of Water remarked.
"He has to figure that out for himself. Even I owe him a great debt, but I have burdened him even more. He has to save the world. I have just given him the power," the God of Creation responded.
---
After regaining my senses, I used teleportation to appear near the black hole that destroyed everything within a 300-meter radius. Lord Edo looked at me.
"You were able to dodge that? It doesn't matter. I won't miss next time," Lord Edo declared, laughing.
I had to awaken my power quickly. I devoured all the souls around me, using the command "Devour all." Edo freaked out and asked me what I was doing. He launched his attack, realizing my intentions.
I swiftly dodged his attack and focused on maximizing my mana. Little by little, I reached 40
%, 50%, 60%. I had to be fast since my mana would decrease if I used magic here. But Edo kept attacking me relentlessly, and I couldn't dodge them all. I had to use something.
Suddenly, something kept Edo at bay for a short moment.
Yes, I used Cyclone and soared into the air.
"What was that? So much wind! I can't see," Lord Edo exclaimed, caught in the cyclone. He tried to cast a spell, but his only escape was upwards. Before he realized it, it was too late. I had already maximized my mana, and my true power was about to awaken.
Edo looked at me and unleashed his most powerful attack, a black hole. My entire body started glowing, overwhelmed by strength and mana. The black hole was approaching, and in the last moment, I commanded, "Devour." I devoured the black hole.
"Impossible!" Lord Edo exclaimed.
I descended from the sky, now possessing the power of supremacy. I teleported in front of him and delivered a powerful punch. He was sent flying and crashed into the mountain. Wow, such incredible power. My body was still glowing, gaining even more power. It was overwhelming.
But I needed more time.
"Impossible! How did you become so powerful? What have you evolved into in the middle of the fight? How is that possible? You will die!" Edo charged towards me.
I unleashed Inferno.
"What kind of power is that?" Lord Edo questioned.
Even my regular spells had increased in power.
Now it's time to make him pay. I roared.
[Demon Lord Gleen's Palace]
The Great Demon Lord Gleen sat on her throne, holding a cookie. She looked frustrated and dropped the cookie, shocked by something.
"What kind of power was that?" she wondered aloud. She rushed to the window and gazed at the sky. "Don't tell me... Diablo has become a Demon Lord. Fufufu, becoming a Demon Lord in the middle of a battle, huh?" she laughed.
Elisabeth was crying while clutching her necklace, and Lily stood in front of her.
Lily also sensed the overwhelming power and was about to inform Elisabeth when, suddenly, Elisabeth's whole body began to glow. It wasn't just her; every single demon in the Diablo clan started glowing as well. "They are evolving?" Lily exclaimed.
Elisabeth smiled as she held the necklace. "My Lord has become a Demon Lord. Diablo-sama, please be safe," she whispered, and then she collapsed along with everyone else.
Lady Gleen emerged from her room and, upon seeing everyone glowing, smiled.
"He has awakened his true power. Excellent, excellent," Lady Gleen remarked.
"It seems so. Mr. Diablo is truly a mystery," Lily added.
"Indeed," Lady Gleen agreed.
[Demon Lord Elvis's Bedroom]
Lady Elvis stood at the window, sipping her wine. Suddenly, she stopped drinking, put down the glass, and burst into laughter.
"Fufu, now I'm even more interested in you, Diablo. I can't wait to meet you," she chuckled.