The Second Life of Demon King

Episode 5: Unconscious Power

In a warm room, dimly lit by a flickering candle casting light on the wooden walls, Isaac sat on the floor holding his small wooden toy. His face was innocent, yet his gaze was sharp, fixed on the candle burning on the table near where he sat. In the silence, something stirred within him, a faint yet powerful feeling, like a force trying to find its way out.

“What is this… this urge? As if something inside me needs to be released.” Little Isaac stared at his hands, his tiny fingers moving slowly, as if trying to feel something beyond just physical touch.

Isaac reached out toward the candle, and suddenly, the flame wavered, flickered softly, then flared a bit brighter. Then it went out. David and Lydia, sitting near the door, were startled and exchanged glances, their eyebrows furrowed.

“Did you see that?” Lydia whispered, her hand clutching David's arm. Her voice held a hint of anxiety, though she tried to stay calm.

David gave a small smile, though his eyes couldn’t hide his surprise. “Ah, maybe it’s just the wind. This room is somewhat drafty, Lydia. The candle flickers easily,” he replied with a soft laugh, though his gaze remained on Isaac. In his heart, David couldn’t shake the strange feeling that had become more frequent since Isaac was born.

Isaac stared at the candle, which relit with an intensity unusual for a child his age. "What was that? Did I… did I do that?" he wondered, confusion sweeping over him. His instinct as Maximus began to stir, like a blurry shadow emerging and sinking back into his mind. But in his fragile body, that power felt trapped, only able to show itself in brief flashes.

His mother, Lydia, approached him, gently stroking Isaac's head with a warm smile. “Isaac, you’re such a calm baby,” she said softly. Yet deep inside, Lydia felt an unease she couldn’t explain.

“Is there something different about my child?” Lydia thought, watching Isaac as he continued to gaze at the candle as if trying something new. “Could it be…? No, that’s impossible.”

As night fell and the house grew quiet, Isaac lay in his small bed, his eyes closed but his mind restless. The sound of the wind outside the window made the thin curtains flutter, creating a tense silence.

“I… I feel something missing… that power… I must find it again…” Isaac thought to himself in the quiet. Though he didn’t fully understand yet, the spirit of Maximus within him began to stir, struggling to break free.

Isaac suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the small window above him that revealed the night sky adorned with stars. A sharp and cold look, unnatural for a baby, crossed his face. As if he knew, beyond that dark and beautiful sky, something was calling to him. "I… will not be silent. I will find my way back… someday."

From the corner of the room, David carefully peeked, watching Isaac, who seemed to be awake. “Lydia… did you notice his gaze?” David whispered, trying not to disturb Isaac.

Lydia nodded, attempting to smile to calm herself. “He… he’s just looking at the sky, David. Little children have a great curiosity,” she said, though in her heart, she felt that Isaac’s gaze held more depth than mere childhood curiosity.

Isaac’s gaze remained focused on the night sky, a faint smile tracing his small lips as if promising to rediscover his lost power. The candle near his bed flickered again, as though responding to the awakening instinct within him, then went out. Darkness shrouded the room, while the spirit of Maximus, trapped within Isaac’s body, continued to watch from behind his small eyes, waiting for the

moment to rise once again.

*****

One day, the sky was clear, and the laughter of children filled the air in a small village park. Isaac, now five years old, stood among them, observing the other children with a sharp, confident gaze. His neatly fallen black hair added a mature touch to his still-childlike face, yet there was something different in his eyes—a calmness, intelligence, and depth, as though they held a thousand secrets.

One evening at home, Isaac sat with his parents after dinner in the warm, cozy living room, the silence comfortable yet contemplative. Isaac looked at his father with an inquisitive expression.

“Dad,” he asked, his small voice steady but filled with determination, “what happens after we die?”

David paused, his face slightly startled, and Lydia, hearing the question, nearly dropped the plate she was holding. They exchanged glances, searching for the right answer.

“Isaac… why are you asking about that?” David asked slowly, trying to smile despite the concern in his eyes.

Isaac shrugged his small shoulders. “I’m just curious. Can people who are gone… ever come back?” His piercing gaze fixed on his father, as though demanding a deeper response.

Lydia placed her hand gently on Isaac’s shoulder, smiling softly. “Sweetheart, that’s a very big question for someone your age,” she said, though she felt a strange unease about it. “Why would Isaac be interested in something like that?”

A few days later, Isaac was playing with a group of children in the village park. They gathered in a circle, and without realizing it, Isaac stood in the center, leading a game of hide-and-seek. But unlike usual, the other children listened to Isaac’s instructions intently, as though they were being guided by someone much older.

Isaac raised his small hand, signaling to them. “You’re here to win, aren’t you? Don’t hesitate. Search quickly; your hiding spots are your strength,” he said confidently, though he was only talking about a game.

The other children looked at him wide-eyed, impressed by the way Isaac spoke. One of them, a boy named Leo, hesitated but soon followed Isaac’s lead. “You’re different, Isaac,” Leo said in awe. “You’re like… a hero from my dad’s stories.”

Isaac smirked slightly, a hint of pride in his eyes. “No, Leo. I’m more than that.” There was a confidence in his voice that made the other kids feel both inspired and a little intimidated.

As the game continued, Isaac moved slowly, observing every move of the children around him. Deep down, he felt the power he once possessed in his past life, though it hadn’t fully returned.

“This power… I can feel it again, even if faintly. I know I can’t remain still. This world… I will make it mine.”

Isaac felt a strong urge that even he couldn’t completely understand yet. But with every step he took, every word he spoke, a small trace of his past life’s aura resurfaced.

As evening approached, David and Lydia watched Isaac walking home calmly, an expression far too mature for a child his age. Lydia clutched David’s hand, her eyes filled with worry.

“David… there’s something different about our child,” she whispered softly. “He asks about death, about power… Do you feel like he’s… growing up too quickly?”

David sighed deeply, looking at his wife with concern. “I don’t know, Lydia. Maybe it’s just a phase… or maybe Isaac really is an extraordinary child.” Yet, in his heart, David sensed that there was more than just ‘intelligence’ in his son. There was something that felt powerful, almost frightening.

In his bedroom, Isaac stared out the window at the night sky filled with stars. His gaze was cold and calm, showing no trace that he was merely a young child. He clenched his fist, feeling the faint power beginning to reemerge.

“I can’t remember everything yet… but it will come to me soon.” His small eyes narrowed, displaying an awareness no child his age should have.

Isaac smiled faintly, filled with determination. The little boy harbored the soul of an unbreakable ruler.

******

In a village field, the midday sun shone down on Isaac and his friends as they played war games. The other children ran around cheerfully, shouting with excitement, but Isaac, who stood in the middle of the field, suddenly froze. His breath caught, and cold sweat began to trickle down his forehead. The scene around him blurred, veiled by flashes of memories that swept over him like a storm.

In his mind, Isaac saw shadowy figures running amidst a sea of flames. Screams, the clash of weapons, and familiar faces flashed through his mind—one of them the face of someone he once trusted. The face of a lieutenant who had betrayed him with a sinister smile as he stabbed him in the back.

“What… is this?” Isaac murmured, his voice barely audible. His once-cheerful eyes turned dark, gazing into an unknown distance. His heart raced, and anger surged through him, something he had never felt before. “Betrayal… I was… betrayed here once?”

Awakened by this memory, Isaac clenched his fists, his face tense with anger—a fury he couldn’t yet understand.

“Isaac! Isaac, why are you just standing there? Come on, let’s play again!” called Leo, his close friend, tugging on Isaac’s arm. But the touch jolted Isaac back, and he looked at Leo with an intense, piercing gaze.

Leo stepped back, his eyes wide with fear. “W-Why are you looking at me like that, Isaac?”

Isaac snapped out of it, his expression softening gradually, though he still looked slightly confused. “Ah… sorry, Leo. I… just felt strange.”

Leo tilted his head, his eyes filled with curiosity. “Strange? Why? Are you sick?”

Isaac shook his head, forcing a faint smile to ease Leo’s worry. “I don’t know… sometimes I feel like… something’s missing.” He gazed off into the blue sky, but in his mind, he saw a red sky—a sky filled with blood and death from memories of his past life as a Demon Overlord. “I’m not just Isaac… who am I really?”

As the game went on, Isaac remained distracted by the flashes of memories that appeared now and then. Suddenly, Leo ran toward Isaac, pretending to attack him. Reflexively, Isaac dodged quickly, his movements precise, far beyond the abilities of a child his age. Leo was astonished.

“Wow! You’re so fast, Isaac!” Leo exclaimed in awe.

Isaac only gave a faint nod, though inside, he wondered, “Why does that move feel so natural? Like I’ve done it thousands of times before…”

That night, Isaac lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. The flashes of battle memories continued to haunt his mind. He felt emotions unfamiliar to a child his age—anger, sadness, and a deep sense of loss.

“I… I once stood on a battlefield. But how is that possible?” Isaac gripped his blanket, as if searching for answers that wouldn’t come. “Am I really Isaac Ackerman?”

In the living room, his parents, David and Lydia, spoke in worried tones.

“I feel there’s something different about Isaac, David. Today he was lost in thought in the middle of his game. He even looked at Leo with a… strange expression,” Lydia said softly, her voice filled with concern.

David nodded, gently holding his wife’s hand. “I noticed it too. Sometimes he asks questions that are… too mature for a child his age. Maybe he’s just gifted?”

Lydia shook her head slightly, her gaze distant. “It’s more than intelligence, David. Sometimes he looks like… someone much older. Someone carrying a great secret.”

In his room, Isaac finally closed his eyes, but in his sleep, he once again saw visions of his past life. Former comrades, betrayal, and an unsettled vengeance filled his dreams.

In his sleep, he whispered softly, “I will find you… and finish this.”

That night, Isaac’s eyes closed in restless sleep, yet within him lay the resolve of a Demon Overlord still seeking a way to rise again. His face, bathed in the moonlight, showed that the memories of his past life were beginning to seep deeper into his new soul.