I Was Reborn in Another World, but Hold On – No Parents? Was I Abandoned? - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Losses and Gains

Inside a church, there stood an old man.

“I apologize… for involving you in this.”

The old man said, sounding remorseful.

His voice was the same as the one heard in my mind.

“Involving me? What do you mean?”

“If I tell the whole story in order, it will be long, but do you mind?”

“No, I don’t mind. Please, go ahead.”

“Then, let’s start from an old tale…

Once upon a time, when this world was still a blank void, the Creator God created the land, sea, sky, moon, stars, humans, and animals.

As civilization flourished and people began their journey of development…

The Creator God decided to discard all of his negative emotions in order to create a purer world.

However, those discarded negative emotions, influenced by the immense power of the Creator God, gained self-awareness.

These self-aware emotions later became evil gods, aiming to destroy the world and make people unhappy. They created demi-humans, demons, and monsters to serve them, implanting in their hearts the instinct to conflict with humans.

For thousands of years thereafter, chaos reigned as per the evil gods’ intentions.

After the chaos subsided, the demons and demi-humans, originally created for warfare, gradually overwhelmed humans with their inherent magical abilities and physical prowess, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction.

The war ended with a victory for the combined forces of demons and demi-humans, bringing an end to the prolonged chaos.

However, the evil gods were not satisfied.

Because the evil gods drew power from negative emotions such as anger and sadness among the people.”

So the evil god began sowing the seeds of discord cunningly.

Having been on the brink of destruction after losing the war, the humans were now deceived into believing that all the trouble stemmed from demons and demi-humans, instilling this belief for generations to come.

At the same time, the evil god bestowed upon the humans wisdom and magical arts to counter the demons and demi-humans, preparing them for war.

Now, he is known among the humans as… the Creator God.

With cunning and guile, he continued planting seeds of discord for generations, and now he has gained immense trust and faith from the humans.

At times whispering to the demons, at times manipulating the humans, he creates sparks of conflict, and when the war subsides, he sows the seeds again.

Several generations ago, the previous Demon King, the first to notice the anomaly, abandoned the evil god and forged an alliance with the true Creator God, seeking to avoid war and build a peaceful world.

However, times change.

Despite the intentions of the previous king, the anger and frustration of his subjects and citizens continued to simmer, leading to war once again.

And when the current Demon King ascended… the Creator God bestowed upon him a special power.

The power to turn back time with magic.

Using this magic repeatedly, the Demon King managed to avoid war.

But the evil god even interfered with this magic, using heroes and followers to steal the Demon King’s most precious possession.

Day after day, the Demon King returned to the past, trying to protect what was dear to him.

Yet, even though he rewound time, the interference of the evil god ensured that the outcome remained unchanged.

Enraged, the Demon King vowed to obliterate both the humans and the evil god.

However, the thing that the evil god supposedly obliterated was hidden by the hands of a hero.

It was a miscalculation even the evil god, and perhaps even the Creator God, hadn’t anticipated.

“The Demon King, upon hearing this from the Creator God, swiftly began his march towards the southern continent.”

“The precious possession…?”

“The son of the Demon King, his successor, named…

Arus Silvasta Belzebuth.

It’s you, isn’t it…?”

“I had a feeling that I might be the son of the Demon King. So, you’re the Creator God, right?”

“Even without me saying it, you understood. Yes, I am Zeus, the Creator God.”

“So, I wasn’t abandoned as a child. I was kidnapped by the humans, servants of the evil god, right after I was born, and then hidden in that forest by the hero.”

“That’s right…”

“So, the war that’s happening now is to retrieve me?”

“It’s not quite like that.”

“Then, I must go and stop it immediately.”

“Even if it means putting your life in danger?”

“Of course. There are friends on that battlefield. And while I understand that the evil god is at fault, I don’t intend to blame the humans.”

“Is that so…? I’m glad I brought you to this world.”

“You’re the one who reincarnated me here?”

“I apologize. I don’t have the power to stop the evil god on my own. I want you to save this world.”

“But I’m not sure if I’m strong enough for that…”

“Hmph, it’s a simple matter. It’s because you’re not aware of your own power.”

“My own power?”

“Yes… become aware of it. You are the successor to the Demon King, bestowed with absolute power.”

I am the successor to the Demon King.

Absolute power…

Before I knew it, there was no god there,

and in front of me were my father, mother, Mel, and my subordinates.

Was that a dream? No, reality?

“I knew it…”

“What’s wrong, Arus?”

My mother looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Father… the continuation of what you said earlier… was correct.”

Upon hearing those words, my father looked at me with suspicion, but the others tilted their heads in confusion.

“Captain… I apologize. What do you mean?”

Kaito asked, and I looked at everyone’s faces.

“It’s a simple story. Once you know that, everything falls into place. I am the lost one.”

“Wha…?”

Everyone except my father widened their eyes at me.

“My real name is…

Arus Silva Belzebute…”

As I uttered my name, it felt like a bolt of lightning struck in my mind, and a surge of power surged through my entire body.

“Belzebute? Captain… could it be that you are…”

There was no time to react to Kaito’s words.

My entire body went numb, accompanied by excruciating pain.

“Arus… what’s wrong?”

My mother approached me as I found myself collapsed on the ground, overcome by pain.

As the pain gradually subsided, I managed to sit up and look over my body.

There didn’t seem to be any major changes.

But somehow, I understood that things were different from just moments ago.

Ping! [Status information has been overwritten.]

Ping! [Acquired title: Successor to the Demon King.]

Ping! [Acquired title: Successor to the Demon King. As a result, all fire attribute attack magic has been integrated, and acquired the [Fire Magic] title. This allows the use of all fire attribute attack magic.]

Ping! [Acquired title: Successor to the Demon King. As a result, all water attribute attack magic has been integrated, and acquired the [Water Magic] title. This allows the use of all water attribute attack magic.]

Ping! [Acquired title: Successor to the Demon King. As a result, all wind attribute attack magic has been integrated, and acquired the [Wind Magic] title. This allows the use of all wind attribute attack magic.]

Ping! [Acquired title: Successor to the Demon King. As a result, all lightning attribute attack magic has been integrated, and acquired the [Thunder Magic] title. This allows the use of all lightning attribute attack magic.]

Ping! [Acquired title: Successor to the Demon King. As a result, all dark attribute attack magic has been integrated, and acquired the [Dark Magic] title. This allows the use of all dark attribute attack magic.]

Ping! [Acquired title: Successor to the Demon King. As a result, all light attribute attack magic has been integrated, and acquired the [Light Magic] title. This allows the use of all light attribute attack magic.]

Ping! [Acquired unique skill: Leadership.]

Ping! [Acquired unique skill: Intimidation.]

Overwritten? What does that mean…

Indeed, there’s a tremendous surge in various aspects.

The title “Successor to the Demon King” is understandable.

However, acquiring all types of magic except for non-magic… doesn’t that seem a bit too overpowered?

ーーーーーーーーーー

Name: Arus Silva

Family Name: Belzebute

Age: 9

Race: Demonkin

Occupation: Magic Swordsman, Martial Artist

Titles: Successor to the Demon King, Iron Wall

Level: 89

HP: 423,000 (423,000)

MP: 858,000 (858,000)

Attack Power: 328,500

Defense Power: 1,278,000

Agility: 49,800

Dexterity: 15,300

Luck: 777

Magic Affinity: Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, Dark, Light, Null

Unique Magic: [Telekinesis Level MAX]

Attack Magic: [Fire Magic Level MAX], [Water Magic Level MAX], [Wind Magic Level MAX], [Thunder Magic Level MAX], [Dark Magic Level MAX], [Light Magic Level MAX]

Defense Magic: [Body Enhancement Level MAX], [Shadow Warrior Level 3], [Breath of Recovery Level 3]

Unique Skills: [Supremacy Level 4], [Path of Training Level 4], [Leadership Level MAX],

[Intimidation Level MAX], [Auto Recovery Level MAX], [Status Check], [Qi Gong Level MAX]

Resistance Skills: [Loneliness Resistance Level MAX], [Hunger Resistance Level MAX], [Physical Attack Resistance Level MAX], [Magic Attack Resistance Level MAX]

Divine Skills: [Divine Protection of the World God], [Divine Protection of the World Tree]

ーーーーーーーーーー

Whoa…

My attack has increased to 300,000.

No, more importantly, my defense…

A rise of 1 million?

Is this my true power?

This defense is like, ironclad.

Is it even possible to get hurt with this?

“…Hey! Are you okay, Arus?”

Feeling like my head was overheating, I managed to snap out of it at my father’s voice.

“Arus being the son of the Demon King… is that even possible?”

My mother’s eyes were slightly teary.

“But, is that really possible, Captain?”

“It’s possible… Actually, I was picked up by my father in the forest a few years ago. I didn’t realize it until now because I didn’t have any memories before that. But, after confirming it through a certain method, it seems to be true.”

Afterward, Arus explained the story he heard from the Creator God to everyone.

“So that’s what’s happening… in the world right now.”

Kaito hung his head.

“So, basically, the Demon King and the Creator God were the only ones trying to create a peaceful world, but the Demon King’s son was abducted, causing the Demon King to be furious… Is that it?”

Leonardo rested his chin on his hand and murmured.

“But, what do you plan to do, Arus?”

My father’s expression became more serious than before.

“To end this war, I think I have to go and stop it.”

“No, Arus! That’s too dangerous.”

My mother said, still teary-eyed.

“But, would that be enough?”

Kaito’s question was indeed valid. If asked whether I would stop, I couldn’t say for sure.

However, were there any other options?

“What if we call upon the demons of the Demon Kingdom? Maybe the evil god might notice, but they can’t directly kill the people of this world. Sooner or later, they’ll notice anyway.”

A voice echoed.

Huh? God?

Was God still here?

I frantically looked around, but there was no sign of God.

It seemed like it was just a voice.

But how do we call them?

“Well, you see, among the demon executives, there’s a magic for declaring emergencies. If you’ve gained control over the six elemental attack magics, then you should be able to use it, don’t you think?”

What is this… a spell?

Just as I was about to ask, the method and overview of how to use it popped into my mind.

Is this it…

“Wait a moment, everyone… I’m going to call a member of the demon tribe and talk to them directly.”

“Huh? Arus… Can you really do that?”

My father’s astonished voice trailed behind me as I raised my right hand towards the sky and cast the spell.

A small spherical magic rose into the air, then BOOM, flames exploded, followed by thunder, water, and wind exploding one after another.

“Is this… correct?”

I said, still unsure myself.

After a few minutes, I suddenly felt a presence behind me and turned around.

There stood several individuals dressed in black lightweight armor with jet-black robes, emitting a momentary aura of killing intent before quickly kneeling down.

“This overwhelming presence… it’s undoubtedly His Majesty’s…”

“Your Highness… so you were indeed alive…”

“We have come to escort you.”

The one in the middle spoke, sounding like an older gentleman.

“Escort… meaning back to the Demon Realm?”

“Yes… Upon sensing the magical reaction earlier, His Majesty instructed us to immediately bring you back to the castle once we were certain it was Your Highness. However, it is not possible at this moment. We must stop that war.”

“If Your Highness returns, His Majesty will surely withdraw the troops immediately. There’s no need for Your Highness to go personally.”

“Right now, there are people dying. Every moment counts. We can’t afford to waste time.”

I insisted.

“But…”

“Still hesitating, huh?”

Suddenly, a voice echoed from above, and everyone looked up at the sky simultaneously.

Floating there was a man with a towering figure easily surpassing 2 meters, two horns protruding from his forehead, stark white hair standing on end, and a beard covering his mouth and chin.

The overwhelming pressure was palpable, and his magical aura was clearly extraordinary.

Despite the tremendous increase in my own stats, I understood in an instant that I couldn’t defeat this man.

“Y-Your Majesty! Why are you… here?”

Someone stammered.

Your Majesty? That meant this man was the Demon King.

And my real father.

“Since my elite troops under direct command unexpectedly didn’t return, I thought my son might be causing trouble. So, I came to see for myself.”

The Demon King said, descending before me, his presence towering over us.

He was indeed a fitting figure for the title of Demon King.

“It’s been a while, Arus. Although, you wouldn’t remember me. I’m glad you’re safe. I apologize for the trouble you’ve been through.”

He said as he embraced me.

As he held me, I couldn’t help but feel that despite being the Demon King, he was a good person.

Why was that? I had resilience, and life in the forest wasn’t lonely at all. I had been living happily since my father found me.

Yet… tears were streaming down my cheeks.

“I didn’t face any hardships… really. Life in the forest was tough at first, but I quickly got used to it. Being raised by my adoptive parents and living happily with them, I couldn’t ask for more.”

I introduced my father, mother, and Mel to the Demon King.

At first, my adoptive parents were on high alert, ready for combat at the mention of the Demon King. However, seeing the Demon King embrace me and apologize, they quickly relaxed their guard.

“I’m grateful for raising my son this far. If there’s anything you wish for within reason, I’ll try to provide it… Is there anything you desire?”

“Desires… Well, I don’t have any. As long as Arus is happy, we…”

Father…

“That’s right. I don’t have any desires either. Arus would be happier with his real parents. If his biological father were a terrible person, I would’ve definitely fought to bring Arus back. But it doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Mother…

“Big brother… If you’re happy…”

Mel seemed not to fully understand, but she looked at the Demon King with tears in her eyes.

“Your Majesty!”

“Just call me Father, Arus… What is it?”

“Well then, Father. If you say you’ll give us a reward, wouldn’t it be okay for Father, Mother, and Mel to live together with us?”

“What? Hmm, well, I don’t mind. As long as you all don’t have any objections.”

“Is… Is that really okay for us to go?”

Father stared straight into the Demon King’s eyes, as if confirming his true intentions.

“What are you saying? Of course! My son considers you, his father, mother, and sister. Isn’t that what family means to me too?”

The Demon King… no, Father… he’s such a great guy.

I always thought that the king of demons would be a terribly evil person. I’m sorry for judging you like that.

“If that’s the case, then please, we’d appreciate it. We’re also being pursued because of this incident…”

My father and mother deeply bowed their heads, followed by Mel and Kaito, who reluctantly followed suit.

It seemed like everything was settled smoothly.

“Also, Father… can these people come with us?”

I explained the situation to the Demon King, including my subordinates and how they’ve been with me through it all.

“I see… Even in such circumstances, they followed my son without hesitation. Of course. Whether they are humans or not, being under my son’s command remains unchanged. You all may come with us… I’ll continue to rely on my son.”

“Hai!”

The subordinates, who had been kneeling before the Demon King, bowed their heads.

What a flexible response… truly remarkable.

“Then, Father… please take the others to the Demon Kingdom first. I’ll go alone to stop the war.”

“Brave as you are, I can’t let you go alone. You’re the next Demon King, after all. Zes, you’ll accompany him.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

The person in the center of the black-robed figures from earlier stood up and came to stand beside me.

“He’s the man I trust the most. His abilities and knowledge surpass those of others. Take him with you.”

As everyone, including myself, volunteered to go, I left it to the Demon King to handle, and with Zes’s magic, I returned to the battlefield.