Chapter 3: Accepting the Offer

What? What did he just say? Did the demon king he had killed just offer for him to become a demon king just like him? What kind of sick joke was this? Did he really think he would say without batting an eye?

[Are you rejecting the offer?]

He snapped. "You killed countless people. My entire party is dead because of you. Grace died to take you down."

[Grace? Are you perhaps referring to the Saintess? Were the two of you perhaps lovers? If you became the demon king, you could resurrect her.]

"No," he denied instantly.

[No, what?]

"I refuse," he said as he crossed his arms. "I'm not going to become a demon king for such a pointless reason."

[Well, that was a quick rejection. I thought for sure you would accept. Did she mean that little to you?]

"I respect her as a comrade. She wouldn't want me to bring her back as a minion to some demon king after dying to kill one. If you think I'll be willing to desecrate my comrade's remains just so they'll be at my side once more, think again," he said.

[That's a good mindset to have. I'm certain you'll make a lot of allies.]

Luke narrowed his eyes. The demon king seemed to truly believe that he would agree to the offer in the end. How could he be certain he would accept in the end?

He might have been fooled once, but he wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice. The demon king would probably tempt him with promises to return home, only to go back on his word like the angels did.

[Going home isn't possible.]

Flinching, he pressed a hand to his head. "You're reading my mind."

[It's a side effect of me becoming like this.]

His first instinct was to tell him to stop that, but he was a demon king. He doubted the demon would listen to him. Instead, he chose to focus on what he said earlier.

"What do you mean going home isn't possible?" he asked.

[The angels didn't tell you, but it's a one way trip. They can only summons things into our world. They can't send things back or to other worlds.]

So, even their promises had been impossible from the start. What was he supposed to do now? The only reason why he had fought so hard was to get home as soon as possible. He had planned to beat the angel up until she kept her word and sent him home, but it had been a pointless endeavor in the end.

All his energy left him. Slumping onto what he thought was the ground, he stared blankly at the blackness. He was so tired. He had just wanted to see his family again.

[I can't send you back, but I can help you get revenge on the ones responsible for your current situation.]

He twitched. "Revenge?"

[That's right. If it wasn't for them, you would have been living peacefully with your friends and family. You wouldn't have had to worry about fighting demons every day.]

That was right. If the angels hadn't summoned him here, he would have already graduated high school and gone to college. He would have been hanging out with his friends and maybe find himself a girlfriend that his parents would approve of. The only thing he would have had to worry about was doing well in school and finding a well paying job.

The very thought of all the things he lost burned deep inside him. He might not be able to go home, but he should at least make them pay tenfold before biting the dust.

Staring at the message, he asked, "Why are you trying so hard to make me a demon king? There's no way anyone would make such an unbelievable off without something in return."

[I want revenge too. They're the reason I'm dead.]

He scoffed. "You can come back."

[Not exactly. When I asked you to become the demon king, I meant for you to become the 12th demon king.]

Blinking, he opened and closed his mouth a few times before he said, "What?"

[When I said, demon kings are eternal, I was referring to the title. There are always thirteen demon kings, but they aren't always the same demon king from before.]

"Wait, wait," he said as he raised his hands up as if to shield himself from further shock. "If a new demon king takes the place of the previous one, then why me? There are plenty of other demons out there. There must be better candidates than me."

[While that might be the case, there's a rule regarding succession. The new demon king is always the one who killed the previous demon king. The fact you can hear me is proof that the process is about to start. All that's left is for you to accept your new role.]

At another sudden revelation, he wondered just how much had been hidden from him. This explained why the angels wanted him dead. He would have become the new 12th demon king. They were trying to get rid of him before this happened.

This must be why they summoned people to fight for them. They didn't want to sacrifice their own people trying to permanently kill the demon kings. Who cared about some stranger? They were quite devious. It was almost as if they were the demons instead.

"If I'm going to become the demon king anyway, why are you asking me for my permission?" he asked after he sighed.

[It's better to get permission. The process can be quite painful if forced. The system won't start unless it is forced to.]

"I don't really have a choice though, do I?" Even though he was asking, he already had his mind made up.

[No, you don't. So, what do you say? Will you become the 12th demon king?]

"If the only way I can get revenge is to become the demon king, then so be it," he said.

A bright red light flooded his vision.

[A good answer.]