The Protagonist's Sister Is Actually The Strongest

After the new upgrade to my “Inner Realm,” as the Heavenly Empress liked to call the Purgatory Realm, which now had a beautiful, sunny area far from the demonic deserts and wastelands, it was time for Song to meet the Demon King. I was initially opposed to this to some extent, and our mother was also against it, but Song insisted, saying he wanted to meet his “other self,” as he called him, even though his true self—his soul—was already his own.

Perhaps the body is merely a physical vessel; it doesn’t contain our true self. But for Song, it might have meant more, and honestly, I can’t blame him. I do see the body as something important to us, a vital part of our sense of self, I mean. Some would even say the body shapes the mind—a healthy body makes a healthy mind, and so on. 

“Nemesis! Come here.” 

I called him while we stood near the golden palace, surrounded by the beautiful forest my mother had gifted me. There were even birds singing, as if nothing had ever happened here. It truly felt like a piece of her world was living here, always by my side. I had yet to leave this world, but it already seemed this place was fulfilling its purpose of making me remember “home.” 

RUMBLE!

A powerful shockwave struck the skies as blue and crimson lightning erupted and rapidly descended. A giant made of steel crashed to the ground, leaving a small crater. His mechanical body constantly transformed, growing more compact. His long, sharp metallic beak pointed at me, and his glowing red eyes pierced my soul.

He was only “dominated,” but if I were to ever set him free, he’d probably not hesitate to kill me. Rehabilitation by itself seems completely impossible. Demon Kings are monstrous beings you cannot reason with—embodiments of destruction and chaos driven only by their most basic impulses. 

However, deep down, this Demon King was made using Song’s body. Nemesis contained a part of Song within him—a fragment of his essence, a portion of his ki. Even though it failed to assimilate his soul to become a “perfect Demon King,” he was still a part of Song, indeed. 

“I’m sorry again… I know we should’ve simply gotten rid of him back then,” I sighed. “But I believed his strength could be of use instead of letting it go to waste. I kind of gambled on the chance of him becoming ‘dominated’ by the Purgatory Skill, but I’m glad it worked in the end.” 

“…No, thank you, Anna,” Song said. “You actually did well… Without your act of kindness, I would’ve never been able to meet my other self like this, face to face.” 

Song slowly walked toward Nemesis, facing his artificial red eyes. His bright golden eyes shone vividly as they stood next to one another, their presences and auras completely different from each other. 

“Hey.” 

“…” 

Nemesis’ eyes seemed unmoving, but as Song drew closer, they began to flicker… I think he knows who Song is. He’s the person he’s been with since his creation, after all. This entire time, he was trying to overtake Song’s soul so they could finally become one.

But now, they were separated. Perhaps there was some primal instinct within this being that wanted Song back, to become a true Demon King—so powerful I’m not even sure I could contain him with my Skill. 

“We spent a lot of years together, didn’t we?” 

“…” 

“Although I was pretty scared for the first hundred years… I slowly kind of… got used to it.” 

Song looked back at him. 

“To the darkness of your soul, you know… That sea of obscurity that made you who you were. Although I was really scared of having my soul assimilated, and I’m glad I was saved… there was also a part of me that understood you better.” 

Song patted his steel shoulders, smiling lightly at the Demon King. 

“I’m sorry…” 

“…?” 

The Demon King seemed puzzled for a moment, finally showing more emotion. 

“I didn’t want to leave you alone… After all those years—thousands of years we spent together—I learned a lot more about you than you think, buddy.” 

“…!” 

“I know you aren’t really a monster… And I know you didn’t wish to be born this way either… I know you were born from the anguish, pain, agony, and suffering of billions of souls from the world where the machines came from.” 

Song grew more emotional with each word he spoke. 

“I saw them, you know? The fragments of memories of countless people. As I walked through the endless pavilions of darkness, I had plenty of time to see what you truly were.” 

“You were a child, a scared child. You were confused; you didn’t know why you existed or why you were born from all this suffering. You were driven only by madness because you were born from madness.” 

“But… you also have a piece of myself within you—my whole body, actually… And I honestly don’t want it back. It’s yours.” 

“…” 

“I know it might be like talking to a wall; perhaps you don’t understand a single thing I’m trying to say… But I want to tell you that… you weren’t alone. I was there for you… And I’m still here for you, Nemesis.” 

“…” 

Silence.

Nemesis stared at Song for several seconds without reacting, without saying anything.

I suppose that’s the most we can get from him; he’s more machine than— 

“Fre…” 

Eh?!” 

“What?!” 

I heard my mother’s gasp, and I immediately stared back at Nemesis.

His beak was open as he tried to articulate words.

What?!

There’s no way…

Is this… 

“Fri…” 

His hands slowly moved toward Song, gently placing themselves on his shoulders.

And then, I saw something even more bizarre.

As I stared at Nemesis…

My powers somehow activated on their own.

The Heart of Hope and Love. 

FLASH!

An illusion—or perhaps a vision—of what was truly within his heart.

Countless humans, crying.

Children, elderly, men, and women of all ages and appearances.

They were almost unrecognizable aside from a few silhouettes, but they were all crying in unison, forming him.

The embodiment of suffering, the epitome of pain, a child born from a world’s destruction, from an entire population’s agony.

This is a Demon King. 

“Friend…” 

Song looked back at Nemesis, his eyes widening as Nemesis, now unable to let his destructive nature take over, finally revealed a part of his true self.

Deep within, the child he truly was… 

“Yeah… we’re friends.” 

Song patted his large hands and then went for a hug… 

“…” 

Nemesis’ huge arms stayed there, doing nothing. He probably didn’t comprehend what a hug was at all. 

“I’m sorry… for leaving you behind… But I know that Anna will take better care of you, Nemesis…” 

As Song cried for his friend, the friend he’d had for thousands of years, Nemesis remained silent. But from his artificial eyes…

I saw a small tear fall from one of them. 

“Lone… ly… Didn’t… want… to let… go…” 

Nemesis’ voice was that of hundreds of children together. Their loneliness was so powerful it released a dark aura around him.

If we weren’t as strong as we were, we would have dropped dead right there… Despite never meaning to, his very existence brings destruction. 

“I know… but it wasn’t the right thing either. I had a family too… I wanted to go back to them.” 

“…Forever… gone?” 

“No, surely, one day we’ll meet again… I want to see you once more after you’ve truly grown up, Nemesis. That’s why you have to go with her, with Anna. She will be… your friend, right?” 

Song looked at me, asking for a favor—perhaps the only one he’ll ever ask of me.

After going this far, I guess I couldn’t really refuse him either. 

“Yeah… If he’s fine with me… I’ll be his friend, gladly.” 

I nodded as Nemesis glanced at me with one of his eyes for a moment.

Then he looked back at Song. 

“Remember that time when I was crying amidst that dark world…” Song said, clearing his tears. “And you suddenly appeared? You were like me, a mirror of myself, made of that darkness.” 

“…” 

“You couldn’t speak like I could, but you tried to communicate with me… You tried to cheer me up. You jumped around and even tried to create a grassland for me to walk on,” Song said. “But I was too scared and young, so I continued crying and only got more scared… Now, when I think about it, I realize you were never a monster… You were a child like me. Or perhaps you wanted to be more than a monster, and that’s why you mirrored me.” 

“…” 

Nemesis looked at his own metallic hands, his sharp claws, opening and closing them.

I simply can’t imagine what’s going on inside his head anymore. 

“I hope that one day we can enjoy a moment together like that… Once you’ve grown up,” Song said, patting his shoulders one last time. “Nemesis, be good… Go against your nature if you must. Anna has given you the ability to do so. You’re more than a weapon… I believe in you.” 

“…” As Song walked away, Nemesis stared at him in silence. 

We decided to move on while he stayed in the forest, sitting on the grassland, touching the flowers, and letting the birds slowly rest on his huge body. 

“…Friends,” he whispered before we left. 

I think he was at peace, maybe.

He’ll have to go through much more development before he can grow into a proper person.

But I think Song helped him realize he was more than just his instincts, more than his drive for destruction.

Deep down, there was a heart. 

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