This was a dream.

  That was the first thing that Gray realized.

  The sight unfolding before his eyes was something that wasn't Earth, and it wasn't reality.

  Even so, Gray couldn't look away.

  It was a world of infinite potential. A nd where fantasy came to life. Magic existed, allowing anyone to achieve their goals with enough time, effort, and sacrifice.

  It was an incredible world. A pce that could grant the greatest of dreams. But as Gray watched, he soon saw that it was also a pce that held the worst of nightmares.

  A figure wreathed in eerie bck light stood before a throne carved of pure obsidian.

  Standing before that figure was a party of four.

  Gray realized what it was. A cliched scene that he had watched py out in countless RPGs and even a few anime.

  It was the scene of four brave warriors sent out by the world to retrieve the light of tomorrow. Four heroes who would defeat the Lord of Darkness condemning the world to destruction.

  Gray knew the script. At least, he thought he did. But while he stood there as a silent observer to the strange scene, he quickly realized that he definitely didn't know what was going on.

  "Fools." The figure wreathed in darkness called out in a voice that rumbled like thunder. "Did you believe that you could change anything by coming here?"

  The leader of the warriors, a young man barely in his teens, gred at the figure and raised his bde. His shining silver pte mail and golden crown seemed to radiate divine light. But it was dim. And even the splendid silver sword in his hands was tattered and pitted with damage.

  The figure wreathed in darkness swept his gaze across the rest of the group.

  As he did, Gray did as well.

  Directly behind the youth, there was a young girl. A pointed hat covered her crimson hair, and flowing bck robes covered her lithe body. Unlike the first young man, she was kneeling on the ground, her hands clenched tightly around a pure white wooden wand carved with intricate runes.

  'She must be the mage.' Gray looked back at the young man who even now was gring at the figure wreathed in darkness.

  The young man's golden hair shifted beneath his golden crown, almost as if an invisible breeze was flowing past.

  'And those two... definitely the hero and Demon Lord.'

  Behind the mage, there were two others. One was an older demihuman who was part wolf. Like the hero, he wore pte mail, but his had been shattered, revealing a bare muscur torso caked in blood and burns.

  'That must be the warrior. And then the st person...' Gray shifted his gaze to the st member of the party.

  A beautiful woman with refined features and long silver hair. Clutching a long staff, she panted, holding her tattered white robes.

  'Their cleric. An elf too, judging by her pointed ears.'

  It was an all too familiar set up. And though the situation looked a bit dire, it was bound to flip any moment for the better.

  That was what Gray thought. At least, that was what the script should be. But then the Demon Lord acted.

  It was a single moment. In less time than it took to blink, the warrior was suddenly slumped along the obsidian walls, his armor and muscles shattered to reveal crimson flesh and white bone.

  Not only that, the elven cleric was dead. As if to ensure she couldn't interfere, countless obsidian spikes had pierced her through, leaving only her shocked beautiful face untouched.

  Gray gagged. No, he felt like he should gag. Should look away. But like a spellbound prisoner, he was forced to watch.

  The mage screamed.

  The hero roared.

  And the Demon Lord simply raised his right hand, palm facing the sky. Looking at the remaining two, the Demon Lord said, "The goddesses have been sin, and I have already seized their power. The consequences of that... Well."

  Although the Demon Lord's face was obscured, Gray had the sense that the Demon Lord was looking at the dying warrior and dead cleric.

  "...Your companions found out firsthand."

  The hero let out a strangled cry and charged, swinging his tattered sword. "You monster! Sylvana... Rudgar...! How could you!"

  'You idiot! Run!' Gray wanted to shout, but he couldn't.

  The mage spoke for Gray though. "Rein! Look out!" She quickly swung her white wand, sending her crimson hair flying.

  And then a thunderous explosion resounded.

  Gray was rattled. But like before, all he could do was experience what was unfolding before him.

  The light faded, and the hero froze mid-step, his eyes wide. Just a hair in front of him, a torrent of bck lightning was barely kept at bay by a crimson barrier.

  "Tch." The Demon Lord clicked his tongue and said, "How unexpected. The world has empowered you beyond my predictions. It seems very insistent that I fall today at the hands of a new 'hero.'"

  The hero, Rein, shook off his shock. Gring at the Demon Lord, he shouted. "Of course! Someone like you... a monster like you deserves to die! If you died, the world... everyone! Everyone would be saved!"

  The Demon Lord chuckled, a sound like rolling thunder. Then he said, "A monster, am I? You're mistaken, 'Hero.'"

  Even though his eyes were obscured, Gray could sense a sharp gaze emerging from the Demon Lord, directed right at Rein.

  The Demon Lord spoke in a level voice and said, "If I were truly a monster, then consider this. Why were only you four sent to face me?" He held out his hands and said, "If I am truly this worldly threat... why not send armies? Why send only two youths barely in adulthood, a grizzled mutt, and an elven hag?"

  Gray frowned at those words. 'That... is a very good point.'

  And Rein seemed to think so too. His sword started to lower a bit as he considered those words.

  The Demon Lord chuckled again and turned to look at the mage. "It seems that your companion has realized it. Why not ask her?"

  Rein's eyes widened and he looked back. "Annie?"

  The mage, Annie, was drenched in sweat and looked worse for wear from blocking the previous attack. But she didn't notice. Instead, her eyes were wide in shock and disbelief, staring at the Demon Lord. "That... can't be. You're... You're not... No. You're...?"

  The Demon Lord chuckled. "Go on."

  "What is it, Annie?" Rein quickly said. "What did you realize?"

  Annie shook her head slowly. Then she slowly stood up and pointed her wand at the Demon Lord, tears streaming down her face. "Why?! Why are you... Why is the previous hero turning against Humanity?!"

  'What is going on here...?' Gray didn't understand it. Why was he seeing this? What was he even seeing?

  And Rein seemed just as confused. For a split second, he turned back to look at the mage, Annie, and said, "What? He's the previous hero? But why is he-"

  'Idiot!' Gray wanted to scream. 'Don't look away now!'

  It was a brief gap. A moment of hesitation.

  In that moment, it was over.

  A sword that radiated pure light pierced Rein's chest.

  Rein's eyes widened and he reached for the bde, trying to pull it out.

  "REIN!" Annie screamed and tried to grab him.

  Rein didn't respond, his eyes drawn to the bde in his chest. "Valor? The... lost holy sword...? But how-"

  His words were cut short.

  In a single fluid motion, the bde in Rein's chest was wrenched up by an invisible force, sending his corpse falling in halves around Annie.

  Annie froze, dyed with the blood of the hero she had just been reaching for. Then, after a few seconds, she let out a shrill scream. Completely forgetting her fear and disbelief, she pointed at the Demon Lord and shouted. "Why?! Why did you kill Rein?! Why did you kill all of them?!" Tears streamed down her beautiful face, mixing with the blood. "You saved us! You swore to be humanity's savior and hero! You brought everyone together under your name! So why...?!"

  The Demon Lord grabbed the hilt of Valor and flicked the bde, scattering the blood on it.

  Annie pced her hands against her chest and screamed. "Why are you doing this, Father?!"

  The Demon Lord paused for a brief moment.

  And for that brief moment, Annie looked hopeful. But then...

  "I am not your father."

  ...That hope was cut in half, along with her body.

  The Demon Lord flicked his hand, sending out bck lightning. And with that lightning, all that remained of the hero and his party was just ash.

  Gray wanted to scream. What was this? Why was he seeing this? What was this cruel twisted mockery of heroism? Why? Just... why?

  There wasn't a response.

  But the Demon Lord- No, the previous hero spoke. Looking up at the ceiling, he muttered, "Is this still not enough? How many more lives will it take to sate your thirst, Goddess? How much longer will you foist this role of both hero and vilin upon me?"

  Like Gray's questions, the Demon Lord's questions went unanswered. Only silence met him.

  "Hmph." The Demon Lord walked back and sat on his throne. Holding out his right hand, three orbs emerged, blue, violet, and gold. They revolved around another orb of pitch bck. And as they did, the Demon Lord muttered, "Fine. Stay silent. But know this. The time when I reach you is near. And when I do... I will have my reckoning."