I had set out for another continent early that morning.
Taking my position in the sky, I gazed down at the ground below.
Before my eyes, two armies prepared to clash.
One side was led by a man claiming to be a Savior. He was inciting an invasion of a neighboring country under the guise of purging heretics. A former Bishop of the Church, he now supposedly held high rank within the military as well.
The opposing force belonged to the nation that had received his declaration of war. They had mobilized for defense, but they were clearly prepared to push forward if the opportunity arose. They coveted the mineral resources lying just across the border.
Soon, volleys of arrows flew from both sides. The frontline soldiers opened fire with their guns.
Initial casualties were significant, yet neither side showed any sign of relenting. On the contrary, they were steadily closing the distance. They likely intended to settle the matter through melee combat.
Both armies were thinking the same thing.
(Even if I warned them to stop, it would be a waste of breath.)
I leveled the weapon I carried on my shoulder.
It was a sniper rifle, a specialized firearm developed at the Research Institute using John Doe's memories as a blueprint. I had brought it along today to test its performance.
I channeled miasma into the chambered round. The rifle turned pitch black, its frame groaning under the strain. It seemed to scream as the burden of the miasma pulsed through it.
Peering through the sight, I locked onto my target within the magnified field of vision.
Then, I pulled the trigger.
Propelled at supersonic speed, the bullet tore through the chest of the Savior leading the army. In that instant, his upper body vanished in a red mist. Flesh and viscera sprayed through the air. Death was instantaneous, and there would be no resurrection for him.
With their Savior dead, his army spiraled into a state of total panic. The chain of command shattered, and the soldiers scattered in every direction. Seeing an opening, the opposing army prepared to strike.
Without a moment's delay, I called down black lightning from the heavens.
Saturated with miasma, the bolts incinerated the soldiers and raised them back up as the undead. Beset by these walking corpses, both armies were forced into a desperate retreat. Battered and broken, the remnants crawled back to their respective territories. In the end, they were too busy fleeing to pursue one another.
(That should deter the war for a while.)
Gazing at the carnage below, I lowered the rifle.
This was a region where the influence of the Demon King’s Army was thin. Conflicts had apparently been incessant here since the era of the previous Demon King. This intervention should have helped them understand one thing.
In this day and age, humanity does not have the luxury of fighting amongst itself.
I gathered the undead wandering the battlefield and teleported them to the nearest Demon King’s Army base. My subordinates there had been complaining about a lack of manpower. Handing over this many should solve their problems.
The fame of the Savior was growing exponentially across the land. Rumors were spreading with unnatural speed, and in some circles, these figures were already being deified.
It was common for prominent individuals or those in power to claim the title. To put it simply, they used it for political and religious leverage. This only served to accelerate the chaos.
Furthermore, some self-proclaimed Saviors had begun to take direct military action. The battle I had just halted was a perfect example.
I didn't mind if their blades were pointed at the Demon King’s Army, but I could not overlook them using the title as an excuse for humans to slaughter one another. Thus, I was forced to intervene.
Concealing the existence of the Saviors was no longer possible. The Demon King’s Army had attempted to manipulate the flow of information, but the concept had already saturated the world.
By now, "Savior" had become synonymous with "hero." The title had achieved a level of recognition that eclipsed even the former Hero. Due to its nature, the name did not necessarily denote actual strength. However, as the number of self-proclaimed Saviors grew, so did the number of deeds and achievements attributed to them.
As a result, the perceived value of a Savior continued to rise.
Those who heard these grand heroic tales were struck by admiration, awe, or a competitive spark. Those most deeply influenced would then declare themselves Saviors and mimic those same activities. It was a self-sustaining cycle.
(To think it would develop so rapidly in such a short time...)
The cause lay in the people’s desperate yearning for a hero, the fluid nature of rumors, and the resonant power of the word Savior itself. These elements had converged with miraculous synergy. This was the true power of the Will of the World.
However, the situation wasn't entirely negative.
In fact, the Demon King’s Army was successfully exploiting the circumstances. By co-opting the Savior's influence, we manipulated them into focusing their efforts on the Demon King’s Army.
Spies and intelligence agents embedded within the human nations worked tirelessly behind the scenes to control the narrative. Simultaneously, we applied just enough pressure through our own invasions to maintain a sense of urgency.
The plan was simple: force those who felt threatened to stand against the enemy at their gates.
Long before the Saviors appeared, the people had prayed for the Return of the Hero. That collective desire had manifested in this current phenomenon. If one followed the logic of that desire, then a Savior was simply "the next hope for Demon King Subjugation."
Even left to their own devices, they would eventually seek to eliminate me.
The Demon King’s Army had acted in anticipation of this. Realizing we could not stop the proliferation of Saviors, we focused our efforts on refining the situation. Through various covert maneuvers, we steered the masses toward our ideal outcome.
While human conflict hadn't been eradicated—as evidenced by the battle today—it occurred far less frequently than before the Saviors emerged. With the common goal of Demon King Subjugation, nations were beginning to form alliances and non-aggression pacts.
The world was moving exactly as I intended.
It didn't matter how many Saviors appeared. If they united the people and prevented internal strife, it was to our benefit. They likely didn't realize it, but they were performing a vital service.
In my eyes, they were effectively allies.
On the whole, these Saviors were acting in a manner worthy of their title. I can only hope they continue to contribute to world peace in their own way.