Chapter One: Arriving in an Alternate Universe

Silence.
It had never been this silent before. It was as if I were sinking into a dream—endless, bottomless. How long had it been this quiet? I could feel the pulse in my veins, the pounding of my heart. This had to be a dream. But when would I wake up?
Out of the silence, a calm and sweet voice drifted through the darkness.
“My hero… the time has come for you to awaken and free me from my binds. Only you can. It will not be easy—in fact, it may be impossible—but if it is you, I believe you can do it. Now, awaken, and answer the call you alone were chosen for.”
It was a beautiful voice, angelic, one I wished would never end. And yet, my eyes slowly opened, only to meet an even greater sight.
I was lying on the ground, staring at the sky, my head cradled in the lap of a figure leaning over me.
The first thing I noticed was her hair. Long, dark, and shining, it floated gently in the breeze, cool against my skin.
It had to be a dream. A girl I had never seen before was holding me, her hands soft against my neck, her face so close I could see every detail. Her eyes, deep and black, sparkled like polished obsidian. Her lips were small, delicate—almost inviting. Her beauty was disarming, and I could do nothing but stare.
We sat beneath a massive tree, its trunk wide as a house and its crimson leaves drifting down in slow intervals. Beyond it stretched an endless plain of green grass and wildflowers, a world so vast and quiet that not even a fly disturbed the stillness.
Her expression was curious, as though she were studying me, waiting for my reaction.
At last, her lips parted.
“Can you talk…?”
I froze. Though I was certain this was only a dream, my face burned with embarrassment. Still, I found the strength to nod.
“…I don’t know you. Why are you in my dream?” My voice came out weak, almost trembling.
Her smile was faint, knowing.
“A dream…? Yes. But also… not a dream.”
Her words sent a chill through me. I had never experienced a dream so vivid, so clear. I was running out of questions when she spoke again.
“Do you want to hear a story?”
Her voice was soft, melodic. As I lay with my head in her lap, unable to look away from her, she began.

Long ago, there was a girl who sought strength—not for herself, but to bring peace to a world consumed by war. She wielded powerful healing magic, able to restore bodies and spirits alike. She traveled from village to village, across nations and continents, bringing relief where she could.
But the need was endless. For every life she saved, thousands more were lost in the chaos of battle. Slowly, despair crept into her heart.
If only I could end the wars themselves… then no one would have to suffer.
One night, she dreamt of a village engulfed in flames. When she awoke, she traveled across the sea, only to find that very village alive and well. Still, unease gnawed at her, so she remainedOn a moonless night, her nightmare came true. The livestock grew restless, the air grew heavy—and suddenly, the village was ablaze. She barely escaped, the flames devouring everything.
Traumatized, she fell to her knees. She could have healed her wounds, but her despair was greater than her pain. That was when a shadow fell over her. A hooded figure hovered in the sky, its presence suffocating, its voice echoing like thunder.
“Do you seek strength? Do you seek strength? Do you seek strength?”
She had always wished for strength. But in that moment, what she desired was darker. She wanted destruction—not of herself, but of the entire world that allowed such suffering to continue.
“I would stain my hands with blood if it meant this would never happen again.”
And so, strength was given.
The being was no savior, but a demon lord. With a gesture, he annihilated the village, and the girl was reborn as a demon.
From then on, she vanished from history. When she returned, her power had grown beyond measure. Nations crumbled before her. In time, she was given a name whispered with dread: the Demon Lord of Demon Lords.
Yet, even at her most terrifying, fragments of her humanity remained. For reasons no one understood, every six months she became human for a single week. During that time, no monsters or demons dared approach civilization. Instead, she wandered the world, healing and helping, as she once had. Then, without fail, she would lose herself again to the curse and return to destruction.
It was said that she wept during those fleeting days of humanity, desperate for release from her fate.

The girl finished her story and looked down at me, her dark eyes glistening.
“Despite what she became… do you think there is anyone who would still try to save her? If it were you… would you?”
Her words pierced me. I couldn’t answer with logic, only instinct. My head nodded before I even realized it.
“Yes.”
Her lips trembled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. Yet she smiled.
“…Thank you. You are a kind person.”