Chapter 4: The Level-Zero Demon King Lacks Motivation

“Wait, wait, wait! What does that even mean?” 

My voice quivered with shock, trembling under the weight of disbelief.

I’d assumed the hidden profession I’d snagged through that glitch would be confiscated, letting me start fresh with a new character—the ideal outcome. 

But reality had other plans, veering far beyond my wildest expectations.

“Exactly what it sounds like,” Alice said, her eyes glinting with a peculiar spark. 

“They originally planned for one of my avatars to take the ‘Demon King’ role, so it was hastily coded into the professions.” 

“You hijacked it instead. Honestly, it’s perfect—saves me a ton of hassle. Plus, I think this’ll be fun. Way more entertaining than dealing with those rigid old fossils.”

“Think of it as playing a game with me. I’m looking forward to how this unfolds.”

Her gaze held a mischievous anticipation, as if I were a piece in her grand amusement.

“You’re just trying to slack off, aren’t you?” I shot back.

“Instead of roasting me, worry about yourself. 

As Demon King, you’re tasked with leading the dark faction against the bright faction. 

If you don’t step up, players will storm Herentis and crush you.”

“So what?” 

I muttered, pouting. 

If my gaming experience was already ruined, letting the game crash and burn didn’t sound half bad.

“It’s not the end of the world,” Alice said, sipping her tea with infuriating calm. 

“Just that, as Demon King, you might get… toyed with by players. Forced into questionable outfits, subjected to relentless humiliation—no part of you spared, not even your dignity…”

“Too many bleeps! Is your head stuffed with a 10-gigabyte stash of depravity?” 

I yelped, horrified.

“What kind of AI do you take me for?” 

Alice replied, deadly serious. 

“It’d be 100 terabytes, minimum.”

“That’s not the point, and it’s nothing to brag about, you idiot!”

“Point is, you don’t get to say no.” 

Stumped for a comeback, she doubled down with the petulance of a tantruming child.

“But I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do!”

Leading a dark faction with my Bronze V skills? 

If we wiped, it couldn’t possibly be my fault.

“No worries there. Syl will guide you.”

“At Lady Alice’s command, I shall serve Your Majesty, the Demon King, with utmost devotion.”

Only then did I notice the tall demoness standing beside Alice. 

Silver-white hair cascaded over pale gray eyes that held a unique depth, accented by a teardrop mole at the corner. 

Her cool, impassive demeanor screamed stoic head maid.

“Another cup, please. Your tea is unmatched,” Alice said.

“My lady flatters me,” Syl replied.

No way—she was a maid!

“If you have questions, ask Syl. I’ve got a nap—er, tons of work to do, so I’m off.”

You were totally about to say nap, weren’t you?!

“Hold on! Isn’t this way too hasty? Shouldn’t you think this through?” 

My bigger concern was being inexplicably crowned Demon King. 

Entrusting a game-altering role to a random player? 

No way Epoch’s supercomputer would be this reckless.

“Oh no, the bright faction’s attacking!” 

Alice gasped.

“What? Where?!” 

I scrambled to the window, peering out—only to find Syl standing alone.

I take it back. 

She’s definitely a grade-schooler, pulling such a childish trick!

“A Demon King fooled by that is just as much a kid,” Syl remarked dryly.

“Syl, don’t roast me right off the bat!”

“My apologies.”

Fine. 

If Alice was going to be this cavalier, I’d play dirty too.

The thought of her grim depiction—exaggerated or not—of what awaited me if the bright faction won sent a shiver through me. 

Gritting my teeth, I steeled myself. 

“Syl, our target’s the bright faction, right?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

“Then I order you to lead every dark faction legion and launch a full assault on the bright world!” 

Early-game NPCs always outclassed players, but by mid-to-late game, players dominated. We had to crush them before they grew too strong.

I wasn’t about to be some brainless villain feeding XP to the protagonists.

“My apologies, Your Majesty, but we currently have no legions,” Syl said, delivering a gut punch.

“Are you kidding? What kind of Demon King doesn’t even have one legion?”

“I speak the truth. Per Lady Alice’s design, Your Majesty must build the dark faction’s forces from scratch.”

“This is a hell-mode farming sim!” 

I knew that jerk wouldn’t hand me real power.

Grumbling, I eyed Syl. 

“Your level’s gotta be high, right?”

She saw through me instantly. 

“My task from Lady Alice is to ensure Your Majesty’s safety and assist in developing the dark faction.”

I clutched my forehead, feeling a hypertension spike coming. 

“Fine, I’ll go myself then.”

With a Demon King’s power, leveling a city should be a breeze. 

Syl would step in to keep me safe, and from there, dismantling the bright faction would be child’s play.

Surprisingly, Syl didn’t object, offering only, “Your Majesty might first wish to review your abilities.”

Right, I nearly forgot. 

Knowing my powers would optimize my attack on the bright faction.

Eagerly, I pulled up my character panel. In my past life, I’d only glimpsed the Demon King’s might through forum posts by top players. 

Now, I’d see its terrifying strength in raw stats. 

Anyone would be thrilled.

—

An·Anastor·Liana

Level: 0

Race: Primordial Demon

Title: 19th Demon King of Herentis

Reputation: 0

Attributes: Strength 1, Agility 4, Constitution 5, Intelligence ⑨, Spirit 7

Health: 80/80

Attack: 3, Defense: 8

Talents: Lord of Darkness, Demon King Authority (I)

Skills: Demon King’s Intimidation

—

…Terrifying, in a way.

Terrifying for me.

The rest was irrelevant. Seeing “Level 0” and single-digit stats, I knew the game was over before it began.

“Syl, can we surrender now?”

Alice had played me like a fiddle.

I slumped onto the table, drained. 

After repeated blows, my heart was numb—a husk of its former self.

But Syl’s next words snapped me upright.

“Your Majesty might try wearing this.”

“What’s this?” 

I glanced at the frilled dress now adorning me, black velvet stockings hugging my legs perfectly. 

No doubt I looked adorable—my first time in such a girly outfit was embarrassing, but a thought sparked excitement. 

“Is this some divine gear that boosts my strength a hundredfold?”

“Merely ordinary girl’s clothing. It’s cute, so invaders might be gentler when they breach Herentis.”

“…”

I should’ve known. 

Syl was a master of deadpan snark.

“What kind of miserable situation is this?!”

“You’re escaping reality, Your Majesty. If you don’t strive, things will only worsen,” Syl said, cutting straight to the core of my defeatist attitude.

“But…”

“No buts. You lack vast legions or immense power, but adventurers are equally feeble now. With a higher starting point, why doubt you can outgrow them through effort?”

Her words hit like a thunderbolt.

She was right. 

My goal in Epoch was to grind, grow stronger, and surpass others. 

Sure, the circumstances had… shifted, but it boiled down to leveling up. 

With my past life’s knowledge, I had a massive edge over bright faction players. 

I could even leverage my Demon King powers to trip them up.

Heh, this’ll be the toughest game they’ve ever played.

Resolve hardened, I met Syl’s gaze. 

“I get it. Syl, teach me how to get stronger!”

For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a faint smile flicker across her stoic face.

“Follow me, Your Majesty.”