Chapter 1

1

Chapter 1 Prologue

I am kind.

But what does it mean to be kind? Does it mean to have a good heart?

In the old days, it probably did. But not now. When evaluating others, people call someone kind if they seem naive or innocent.

I am kind. Or rather, others evaluate me as kind. The underlying tone of that evaluation is this:

"That kid is easy to take advantage of, a pushover."

They say I am kind to put it nicely. Like a big, friendly golden retriever. I greet people with a smile even in the face of human malice.

'I must have lived like a fool.'

Like the lyrics of a song.

When you're around 30, you start to realize the reality of your life. You realize how wrong your life has been so far. But inertia is like a truck loaded with dozens of tons. It doesn't stop just because you hit the brakes.

'Humans don't change easily.'

We repeat the same mistakes and regret them. To change, you need tremendous effort and willpower, but I never had those qualities.

'I'm already a goner.'

It's a loser's self-consolation. Trapping yourself in your own framework and being content with reality. I thought it was easier to live that way.

However!

Even that was a luxury for me.

"You have terminal pancreatic cancer."

The doctor told me.

"Excuse me?"

"The cancer cells have metastasized to the point where treatment is impossible. I'm sorry."

At some point.

The period at the end of my life was right in front of me.

"H... H..."

A cold wind blew fiercely. Looking down, the dark Han River was staring at me. They said the water temperature today was 3.7 degrees?

"......"

I drank three bottles of soju, but I couldn't bring myself to jump.

'A real loser, unable to even commit suicide properly.'

On the way back home.

A red light stopped me. A phrase suddenly came to mind.

'Good children follow the traffic signals.'

Suddenly, I felt a surge of anger.

"Screw it. I'll live my life my way."

Alcohol had rushed to my head. I didn't want to live a good life anymore. If I died in a traffic accident?

'So what? I'll just die.'

I staggered forward. The world was a blur. It was turbulent, rushing forward fiercely. Even if I wasn't part of that flow, I wouldn't care.

Bam!

A bright light and a sharp honk.

A truck weighing several tons was bearing down on me. In a panic, I raised my hand to block it, but it was futile.

Crunch!

My body floated up. It was like a slow-motion video. Then, at some point, everything went dark.

****

Thud... Thud...

The ground shakes.

I open my eyes, which I had tightly shut, feeling the vibration.

A muscular monster approaches.

A massive horn on its head, a demon.

But it bows respectfully before me.

"Master, the army has gathered."

"Well done."

I step outside.

Below the castle walls, countless demons line up.

Upon seeing their master, they respond with boiling cheers.

"Roar!"

"Master!"

"King of Demons!"

"Peak of Ten Thousand Demons!"

The owner of all these cheers is me.

And today is the day of the ceremony to conquer the world.

"I will fulfill the unfulfilled wishes of the previous Demon Kings! I will conquer and ravage everything, leading to their destruction! Thus, I will make the demons thrive and flourish!"

Everyone looks at me with burning eyes filled with desire and passion.

"Just follow me!"

Roar!

****

Beep...

"150 joules, charge!"

Zzzz...

Bang!

"Cough!"

Beep... Beep...

"I'm alive!"

"Cough, hack, cough..."

What...

"Patient! Patient! Can you hear me?"

"Ugh... I can hear..."

"Thank goodness. You were in cardiac arrest for 15 seconds just now."

"Ugh..."

"Do you remember your name? Do you remember who you are?"

I... I... who am I?

I feel so tired...

"Patient, don't lose consciousness. Keep answering. Don't close your eyes! Patient!"

It's annoying.

I'm so tired, why can't I just sleep...

My head hurts.

I am definitely...

"Patient, answer me. Your consciousness is fading! Do you remember who you are?"

Yes, I am.

"King of Demons."