True Demon

"What?!? I'm not going to wipe out humanity! I'm human!"

The monstrosity had just asked Shiro to wipe out his own kind as if such a task was a common request.

"Human. Demon. A soul is a soul regardless of the composition of its flesh."

"So the demons aren't even monsters? Just people?!"

"Their biology affects their mind. No different than your primate body affected you."

Thoughts raced through Shiro's mind. He had so many questions. The abomination before him spoke of the inner workings of all realities. The existence of souls, different races of people and the mind that holds the two together.

And in the face of all that, it still requests Shiro to commit unspeakable evils.

"You should be grateful. You will be reincarnated as a demon. Join the winning side, aid the Demon King with your inventions. And, in return he will reward you with every vice and sin you could ever desire."

There's no way this is actually happening. Reincarnated as a Demon?! I don't want this! I'm supposed to be reincarnated as a hero! Get overpowered abilities, have a harem, and fight the demons...

Shiro looked down at the ash, the looping play of heroes and demons.

"The demons and humans in your world. They're all the same type of soul?"

"That is correct. Though they are called demons, that isn't the correct term. True Demons, are us fallen Overseers."

Shiro could hear the pride oozing out of the abomination as it spoke of itself.

The devil looks the part that's for sure. So now what? Am I forced to be a pawn? To do as this demon says...

Shiro looked up to answer the fallen Overseer. But as he did, behind the demon he saw a one legged Torii gate.

"Wait. Where are we?"

"This is a city from your world, from a timeline that never came to pass. A beautiful future where humanity marked this land as forever ruined"

The demon spread his arms wide, showing off the hellscape as it walked through the rubble.

"Humans in this timeline left the ashes as a reminder, building these spikes as a warning for all future generations. This is what I want you to do for every human nation in my world."

In the real timeline, this city was rebuilt. In face of immense destruction my ancestors choose to persevere. That gate is a symbol of survival. Hope and resilience.

A fire of rebellion was lit in Shiro's heart. Like cinders reignited, any thoughts of succumbing to this demon's wish burnt away.

How could I go to a new world and cause such a catastrophe? No. I'm not going to give this monster what it wants!

Shiro stood up.

"I refuse."

The 3rd head of Fallen Overseer smiled wickedly.

"You think you can?"

"I do. Why not wipe out humanity yourself? You had to trade souls for me. Had to send a truck into the second floor of the engineering building to get me to reincarnate."

"What of it? You are merely repeating what I have already told you."

"There are laws that you must obey. Rules imposed on you by either the non-fallen Overseers, or some beings above all of you. I don't need to know the details to know that I can refuse you."

"Hahahahahah!"

The ground shaked as the Fallen Overseer laughed. Rubble and debris bouncing in the air like sand on a speaker.

"You speak of laws above me but think they do not hold above you? You will be reincarnated in my world by these very laws. Under these laws, your soul was bargained and traded for. Thrown away while still you were still alive by the Overseers of your world.

"So what? I bet they sent me knowing I won't help you! I just met you and the last thing I'd ever do is give you what you want!

"Ahhhhahahah! The hubris of Humanity. It is intoxicating! Is this arrogance what drove your world so far forward?!"

The demon shrunk down to the same height as Shiro and walked straight up to him.

"You think yourself a hero? You would stare me in the eye and challenge me? They had no faith in you. You're nothing more than a speaking monkey."

"A speaking monkey who still says 'no'."

"What is it that you say 'no' to exactly? You will be reincarnated, neither of us can change that. Your race maybe? Entirely my choice so long as the species can hold a mortal soul. Or last of all, the most foolish of options. That you can say 'no' to building weapons of mass destruction?"

"Reincarnated me as a human or demon or whatever else. I will not make you your warheads."

The head with eyes looked up and down Shiro. The demon had finally started to actually look at him.

"Foolishness. Arrogance. Defiance. Somewhere here is the driving force. It's what makes your world's humans create such beautiful weapons."

The fallen Overseer turned away and began walking, growing back to its original size with each step.

"Come, let us test your challenge. A life of pleasure or torture? Both sides will know I sent you. So, will you serve under the demon king and nail in humanity? Be rewarded for your inventions. Or keep your humanity? Under whip and bound by chains, be forced to save them as they faced annihilation."

Now it's giving me the option to wipe out the demons? Also tortured by humanity? What is this thing up too...

"Why do you fall silent?"

"You're scheming something. Why would I be tortured by humans if you reincarnated me as a human? Even if they did, if humans wipe out the demons, you lose."

"You have one thing mistaken. All races fight amongst themselves. However, demons unite under a king, humans don't under a hero. I seek the end of all war. Progress beyond the stagnant cycle. To that end, all means are justified!"

Why not just tell me all demons are soulless? Send me off willingly? Can it not lie? Does it actually not want weapons of mass destruction? No, it wants them, but there must be other laws that I don't know. All of this is the Overseer trying to bend the rules. And I refuse to play its game!

"So what is your choice, 'kingmaker'? Reincarnate as a human or as a demon?"

"Take your pick, it doesn't matter to me. I'll end the war without building you your nuclear weapons."

"Then suffer in your defiance before the inevitable."

A blinding light started to consume Shiro. He turned around to look at one legged Torii gate one last time. A silent prayer for resilience.

"In 3 months time, a company of demons marches on Vermelionne. A mountain kingdom just south of an undiscovered uranium deposit. Farewell."

The light now completely consumed Shiro. The world around him shifted.

When it finally started to dim and his eyes began to adapt, a collar on a long pole grabbed around Shiro's neck. It forced him to the ground and pushed his face into a stone floor.