As Sado Island continued its development—choosing to progress without the aid of magic-tech—my presence there became fleeting. My duties constantly pulled me away, and though I left trusted hands to oversee the island’s governance, my absence began to take its toll. A new council had been formed to guide the islanders, and for a time, they maintained order.

  But order was not strength.

  Without me there to defend them, Sado’s people grew vulnerable to the Demon Lord’s minions. The attacks were relentless, the monsters growing bolder in my absence. Worse still, the Demon Lord himself had begun to visit the island, not to conquer—but to break their spirits. Each time, he left behind a message, taunting them with the idea that their so-called ruler was nothing more than a myth, a false hope they clung to in desperation.

  And the people… they began to believe him.

  Even with Okinawa’s support, there was only so much they could do against an overwhelming legion of darkness. The islanders, once proud and fearless, found their faith in me beginning to crumble. Their words, once filled with admiration and certainty, became whispers of doubt.

  Had I abandoned them?

  Had my past victories been nothing but pretenses?

  Amidst this growing despair, Grandma Haruko—a woman who had been a guiding light for us all—passed away peacefully in her sleep at the astonishing age of three hundred years. Though her loss was a heavy blow, she had lived a full life, and before her passing, she had the joy of meeting her grandchild.

  Kokoro, after years of devotion to leadership, had finally allowed herself to love. She married, started a family, and bore a daughter—Maria—fulfilling one of Grandma Haruko’s final wishes.

  For an entire year, the Kokoro Heart Federation fell into silent mourning. Yet, even in sorrow, there was joy in knowing Haruko had left behind a legacy, a testament to the life and sacrifices she had made for our people.

  But as I paid my respects, the world outside did not pause for grief.

  Word reached me that, in my absence, Sado Island and Okinawa had been pushed to their breaking point. Despite Yuki no Mura’s intervention, neither their magic nor their magic-tech could stop the Demon Lord’s onslaught. The land I had sworn to protect was crumbling before my very eyes, and I was not there.

  Kokoro, sensing my turmoil, insisted on coming to my aid. But I could not allow her to abandon the people who now depended on her. She had built a home, a family, and she was meant to lead them into a brighter future.

  So we embraced one last time.

  And then, with a single thought, she teleported me home.

  ***

  When I arrived, I was met not with celebration, but with ruins.

  The Island was rebuilding.

  Houses that had once stood strong lay shattered. The once-thriving streets were now scars upon the land. The faces of my people—those who once smiled with unwavering faith in me—were now etched with uncertainty, exhaustion, and despair.

  And in that moment, a terrible thought crept into my heart.

  Had I failed them?

  Had I, in striving to be a ruler, forgotten to be their protector?

  The burden of leadership had never felt so heavy. But this was my home, these were my people, and no matter how much they doubted me…

  I had not given up on them.

  And I never would.

  I could never match the late Kie Satoshi’s leadership—the weight of Sado Island’s fate had fallen upon my shoulders, and I could feel the doubts surrounding me. I saw it in their eyes, heard it in their murmurs—whispers of discontent, quiet complaints about my failures as their ruler.

  Even as the Yuki no Mura and Okinawa people aided in rebuilding, I could sense the hesitation among my own. Okinawa, too, had suffered minor damage, and while they had begun restoring their island with the Kokoro Heart Federation’s help, my people still struggled to find hope.

  Queen Yuka approached me in private, her voice calm but firm.

  “You need to instill hope in them,” she urged. “I have already explained the reasons for your absence, but they need to hear it from you. They need to see that you have not abandoned them.”

  Hearing this, I felt a small relief, knowing that at least some still believed in me. But it wasn’t enough. I needed to prove it.

  When I finally stepped forward to address my people, I found the entire island gathered, their expressions unreadable, their silence heavy with expectation.

  I spoke to them—not just as their ruler, but from the heart.

  I assured them that I would not abandon them again. That I would commit fully to my role as their protector. I explained my departure, even though many already knew. But what I had failed to tell them before was how long I would be gone. That was my mistake.

  But I would not fail them again.

  Then, I made a bold declaration—one that would shake the very foundation of our world.

  "I will defeat the Demon Lord… but I won’t stop there. I will surpass that title, transcending all limits—and I will take you all with me. I will become something greater, a force beyond reckoning. I will make sure that none of you are ever vulnerable again."

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  For a moment, silence.

  Not a single voice was raised, not a single cheer nor cry of fear. Their expressions were frozen, unreadable. I turned to Queen Yuka, only to find her gazing at me in shock before she quickly composed herself.

  She stepped forward, voice low but filled with deep concern.

  “No one has ever done such a thing. It is… impossible for a Demon Lord to create another Demon Lord.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What do you mean?”

  Yuka sighed. “Only Archdemons or those of higher rankings can create a Demon Lord. The only other way… is to defeat one and take their status. But even that does not guarantee an evolution of one’s own power.”

  I placed a hand on my chin, memories stirring—words once spoken to me by Lyra and Yoshi in the past.

  If that’s the case…

  I lifted my gaze, my resolve stronger than ever.

  "Then I will keep evolving. And I will evolve those around me."

  The murmurs grew louder, uncertainty still present—but I continued.

  "I refuse to let my loved ones be weak. I will not stand by while those dear to me fall, while innocents die before their time. If becoming a Demon Lord is what it takes to ensure their survival, then so be it."

  I clenched my fists. "I once abandoned the path of becoming a Demon Lord. But now? That ambition must resume. This so-called Demon Lord has forced my hand. He has threatened my people. He has made an enemy of me. And for that, I will not stop until I surpass him."

  My voice rang across the gathered crowd, my will unshaken.

  The Demon Lord has now offended me.

  And for that… he will fall.

  As my speech ended, I was approached by several council members, their faces grim yet urgent.

  "There is something you must know," one of them said. "During your absence… a demon came to our aid."

  I froze. "A demon…?"

  They nodded. "Not only did she fight against the Demon Lord’s forces, but she has also… pledged her allegiance to us."

  The words shocked me to my core.

  A demon—an entity of the underworld, a being who should have been our enemy—had chosen to stand with us?

  Impossible.

  Or perhaps…

  This war had only just begun.

  “So this demon is a she after all,” I muttered to myself before turning back to my council.

  "Does she have a name?"

  They exchanged glances before shaking their heads.

  "No. She is nameless. And from what we can tell, she is likely not one of the strongest of her kind."

  I nodded slowly, piecing together what I knew.

  I had encountered many demons in the past, and now that I thought about it—most of them lacked names. Was this a coincidence? Or was there a deeper reason behind it?

  Queen Yuka, who had been silently observing, stepped forward. "Not all demons are given names," she explained. "Only Demon Lords or Archdemons have the authority to name them."

  That caught my attention. "So those with names… are special?"

  She nodded. "Yes. Demons who are given names become bound to their masters, serving them as loyal subordinates. In some cases, these 'named demons' are even promoted to serve higher-ranking deities—those that surpass Demon Lords and Archdemons."

  Her words lingered in my mind. So even Demon Lords and Archdemons, along with the nameless demons beneath them, ultimately serve something greater…?

  "Interesting," I mused. "Not the first time I've heard such a hierarchy exists. Even the strongest deities must answer to those above them."

  I took a moment to process this revelation before making my decision.

  "Very well. I want to meet this nameless demon who aided my people. I need to know her intentions. If her actions were truly selfless, then I will reward her accordingly."

  Yuka acknowledged my decision with a slight nod, and with that, we concluded the meeting.

  With our course of action set, we resumed the rebuilding process.

  Days passed. Then weeks.

  For three weeks, we worked tirelessly. Yuka and her people assisted us, and despite our losses, we rebuilt our homes, our structures, and our hope.

  Strangely, during this time, the Demon Lord was nowhere to be seen. No attacks. No threats. Silence.

  That unease lingered in my mind. Was he waiting? Plotting? Or had something else drawn his attention away?

  Still, for now, I pushed those thoughts aside.

  As the last stone was set in place and the final structure completed, I turned to Queen Yuka.

  "I owe you my gratitude," I told her sincerely. "Without your help, this would have taken much longer."

  She smiled. "We stand together. Sado Island will always have our support."

  With that, she and her companions departed, returning to their now-restored island, thanks to the Kokoro Heart Federation and the dedication of her people.

  But as I watched them leave, my thoughts remained on one thing:

  The nameless demon.

  And what awaited me when I finally met her.

  ***

  Six days of peace came to an abrupt, violent end.

  The sea churned with fury, waves crashing against the shores of Sado Island as the skies darkened with roaring thunder and streaks of lightning. The very atmosphere twisted with a suffocating presence, an omen of the chaos to come.

  As I stepped out of my abode, I saw him.

  The Demon Lord.

  He hovered midair, shrouded in malice, his piercing gaze surveying the battlefield below—his army rising from the sea, ready to lay waste to my home.

  My people, undeterred, stood their ground. Weapons drawn, spirits unbroken. They were ready for war.

  But I wouldn’t let them fight.

  "Stand down," I commanded.

  They protested. Their hearts burned with courage, but I could not let them throw their lives away. No matter how brave they were, they were no match for a Demon Lord.

  The demons charged.

  A flood of grotesque creatures rushed in from all sides, their monstrous forms lunging for the kill.

  But I was done holding back.

  With a single motion, I snapped my fingers.

  The seal on my forehead cracked halfway open, unleashing a pulse of energy.

  To my people, it was nothing more than a whisper. A faint low-frequency sound.

  But to the demons?

  It was a death sentence.

  Their heads, torsos, and limbs burst apart instantly—shredded in an explosion of flesh, blood, and bone. The sand turned red. The ocean foamed with gore.

  Screams of agony filled the air—then silence.

  Wave after wave of demons fell before me. Another snap. More carnage.

  Until only one remained.

  The Demon Lord.

  He had watched everything from above, his expression unreadable. A Demon Lord does not show fear.

  The surviving demons, sensing imminent destruction, fled into the sea.

  But he did not move.

  He descended, his malevolent aura thick as poison.

  We stood mere feet apart, his form still hovering just above the bloodstained earth. The air between us crackled with tension.

  A long silence stretched, broken only by the pounding of fearful hearts, the crashing waves, and the drip of demon blood onto the sand.

  Then, I spoke.

  "Tell me… Are you of high-ranking status?"

  He smirked. A dark, knowing grin.

  "I am Bael," he declared. "Also known as Baal. The first king of Hell, ruler of the East, and head of the Infernal Order."

  His voice echoed, filled with pride and authority.

  A true king of demons.

  And now, he stood before me.

  Baal claimed to be the first and most powerful Demon Lord, the progenitor of all who came after him. He had slumbered for eons, only to awaken after the Great Purge in the Demon Realm. Upon his return, he found chaos within and beyond the Demonverse.

  The title of ‘Demon Lord’ had been misused, weakened, and mocked. Once a symbol of supremacy, it had been reduced to a joke.

  And now, he sought to remind the world of what a true Demon Lord was.

  Yet when I questioned his attack on my island, his response was simple—he was bored.

  "I needed a worthy challenge."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Why not fight an Archdemon? Evolve your rank?"

  Baal scoffed. "Becoming an Archdemon is no fun. I have been a Demon Lord since the dawn of time. If I wanted to ascend, I could have done so at the very beginning."

  Then, his smirk widened. "Besides, I have heard rumors of you. The so-called savior of this island. A being who never shows up when needed. I assumed you were nothing more than a fantasy—a delusion these weaklings whispered in their despair."

  His crimson eyes burned into mine.