Chapter 0: Prologue
Chapter 0: Prologue
The age of myth
The destruction of countries, reducing the spirits forest to ash and even killing the gods. This was the man feared as the demon king.
The name was Arnos Voldigod
“….So how about it?”
The demon king Arnos uttered these words whilst sitting on his throne with his arms crossed.
With just that a normal human being would be in fear from the power of his words, however, the people in front of him right now do not have that worry.
The severer of fate, the hero chosen by the holy sword Kanon.
The mother of all spirits, the grand spirit Reno.
And the creator of this world, the creation God Militeia.
Including Arnos, they control this worlds fate. Four people will be handed down these names in later times but now they gather in the hall of the demon kings castle Deruzogedo.
“I understand the story. It’s not a ridiculous condition either. But now, when we are trying to reconcile?” the hero Kanon said.
“That’s right.”
“Demon king Arnos. How many people have you killed until now?”
Arnos answered with a gaze now turned cold.
“Let me reverse that hero Kanon. How many mazoku have you killed so far?” he returned to words of Kanon back to him.
Who struck first? The humans or the mazoku?
There was no way to know.
No, it doesn’t matter. Even knowing the answer would not make the past disappear.
The reason would no doubt be trivial.
Both sides killed and those who survived got revenge on those that were killed.
After that, the cycle just repeated.
Because they were killed they were avenged and then those that got revenge were killed for revenge.
Hatred accumulated endlessly for both races and the chain of tragedies accelerated to a pace that could not be stopped.
Both humans and mazoku are the same in that they hate things different from themselves.
“After all your brutality do you think you can say those words?”
“What would have happened without my cruelty? If you did not fear the demon king Arnos you human beings would have calmly slaughtered the mazoku. It was a just cause. I do not remember even feeling one bit of guilt. I even praised the humans I killed as heroes.”
“That was because the mazoku committed atrocious acts.”
“And I say you humans also did.”
“Are you saying the mazoku are faultless?”
“It means that in war there is neither good nor bad.”
With a glint in his eye, the demon king Arnos glared at the hero.
“Kanon. You are a human. Don’t you believe that the world will become peaceful if the demon king Arnos is defeated?”
“Yes, I do.”
“No. You should actually understand it. Stop being a fool. In the place where the demon king Arnos was defeated a new fire will be born. Both humans and mazoku. If the other side is not exterminated the fighting will not end. No……”
Arnos is just talking but he is also a being of immense magical power. Word by word each one had a compulsion like magic.
“Even if the mazoku perish human beings will just make a new enemy again. Next will be the spirits that are different to yourselves. If you eradicate the spirits next will be the gods that made you. And if you defeat the gods you will turn on each other.”
“Certainly, people have weak parts to themselves, however, I want to believe in people. I want to trust in people’s kindness.”
*Kuukuuku* and so Arnos laughed.
The hero Kanon is a good person. He knows of humanities ugliness but has the courage to believe in the goodness of people.
“Then, Kanon. How about trying to believe in the goodness of the demon king Arnos?”
Kanon does not answer immediately.
Is this offer true? Should he doubt it?
“As I said earlier. Divide the world into four. The world of humans, the demon world, the spirit world and the world of the gods. Put up a wall between the worlds and don’t open the doors for a thousand years.”
If the bond disappears for a thousand years the grudges against each other will also disappear.
“I can change my life force into magical power if you three cooperate and I can activate the grand magic.”
“So you die for peace? You who are called the demon king.”
“You and the others called me that without permission. I will not die. I will find a handy container and reincarnate. Though it will be two thousand years before I next wake up.”
Kanon falls silent.
After a while he steeled himself.
“….All right……..I’ll believe in you……..”
Even though he had suggested it the demon king Arnos could not hide his surprise.
He had explained it in good faith.
Humans, spirits and gods were shown evidence without any demerit.
The remaining problem was emotion. Hatred stacked on top of hatred, constantly repeating.
That is why those words needed courage.
For the first time, the demon king Arnos understood why he is called a hero.
“Thank you.”
Kanon laughs a little.
“I never thought I’d see a day when the demon king thanked me.”
“And I did not think a day would come when I could thank the hero.”
The two of them locked gazes.
Their viewpoints are different but they acknowledged the power and strength in each other’s hearts.
Now, at last, the long battle is about to be rewarded.
“Let’s get started then.”
The demon king Arnos stands slowly up from his throne and hold his hands in front of his eyes.
At that moment countless particles of black light began to rise from the castle.
Many magic letters appeared on the walls, floors, ceilings etc. The words being drawn are cramped together.
The demon kings castle is a huge magic circle that Arnos had prepared.
“This body is the entrance for the magical power.”
Arnos steps forward and exposes his defenceless body.
First, the grand spirit Reno and then the creation god Militeia turned their palms towards him and loosed an extremely pure white wave. It was like looking at a star, it was dazzling. A bundle of infinite magic power.
No matter how much magic power was poured into his body the demon king Arnos absorbed it all.
Finally Kanon pulled out the holy sword.
“The preparations for the reincarnation?”
“Already done. You can do it.”
The torrent of magic power was intense, crackling and scattering sparks everywhere. It was loud enough to rupture your ears.
It could not endure the use of the grand magic that was absorbing all the magical power of the world and the demon kings castle began to collapse.
Kanon kicks the floor and thrusts the holy sword forward. Magic is fed into it and the blade becomes pure white before piercing through the heart of the demon king Arnos.
“Gofuu…..”
Blood drips from the chest of Arnos.
His lips become wet and red.
With this, his ambition was finally fulfilled.
He was fed up.
The fighting, this barren world. He was tired.
“……Hero Kanon. Thank you once again. If you are also reborn in two thousand years……….”
“It will be as friends.”
Demon king Arnos laughed.
“Farewell.”
His body disappeared with the light.
***
Two thousand years later.
A baby was born in a human house.
“Dear…..I saw him born. Our baby……”
Looking happy Isabella was holding her baby.
Standing at her side was her husband Gusta.
“He’s cute. He will become an excellent man.”
Gusta pokes the babies cheek.
“Dear, have you thought about a name?”
“Aah. His name is—”
At that moment when Gusta was about to speak.
“The name is Arnos. Arnos Voldigod.”
Their mouths fall open and their eyes look like they are about to pop out.
Gusta and Isabella have expressions of complete surprise.
“Fumu. Even though it has been two thousand years it was only a moment.”
Forgetting himself he turned his attention back to the surprised couple.
“Aah, sorry. Is this the first time you’ve seen a baby who reincarnated? I was surprised. It seems that even in this age childbirth has not changed. My best regards.”
“Ta……”
“Ta…..”
“Ta?”
The couple yelled out together
“He talkeeeeeeeeeed!!?”
Arnos floats a look on his face that says, of course a reincarnated baby can talk.
“It’s hard to talk in this body. Should I grow up a little?”
A magic formation appears on Arnos’ baby body.
Instantly he got bigger and grew up to about 6 years old.
“For the time being will such a place do?”
Arnos places his feet on the floor.
“Na…….o………a…..”
“E……..a…….u…….”
While he looks himself over and stamps his feet Gusta and Isabella have expressions of extreme surprise again.
Again they scream out together.
“H……..he……….he grew biiiiiiiiiiiiiig!!”
Arnos the reincarnated baby that had used the crest floated a face that said, of course it would be natural to use this magic.
Authors note: Because it was a prologue it was third person but it will become first person from now onwards.