Amid the uprisings of saviors across the lands, I was in a colossal facility in the former demon territory.
This was a place built for the demon lord's army.
It boasted a scale large enough to swallow their swollen military strength whole.
Within its grounds, there were training fields designed for all manner of environments.
It also stored saturated quantities of undead and weaponry.
The forces stationed here alone could likely conquer an entire continent.
I was walking down a corridor of such a facility.
Walking beside me was Henry.
Having finished our meeting, we were moving through the interior.
We were making small talk during a break.
We were both busy men, but such times were precious.
Henry, with his hands clasped behind his head, grumbled with a troubled expression.
"Recently, actual combat has been more frequent than training. I'm perfectly satisfied, but there are those among the ranks clamoring for leave."
"Grant it to them. Have them rotate shifts and rest. If our strength is lacking, I will manage."
"You speak plainly, General. It's appreciated."
Henry said cheerfully.
It was only natural to grant permission.
The soldiers were human.
Continuous battle would exhaust both body and mind.
Even I, an undead, made sure to set aside time for rest like this.
I never intended to work them too hard.
"On another note, how are the simplified guns holding up?"
"Almost perfect. They've been especially valuable on the defensive lines. Their power is modest compared to magic, but still sufficient. They can punch through armor at least, and require no training. Recently, we've even been arming skeletons and ghouls with them."
Henry states this with a satisfied air.
The simplified gun was a new weapon developed by the research institute.
It was essentially a cheaper version of the standard firearm.
Overall performance was inferior, but it allowed for easy mass production.
Even with reduced capability, it was considered acceptable.
When facing magic, arrows, or old-fashioned firearms, it still held an overwhelming advantage.
Furthermore, Henry had apparently devised clever ways to deploy it.
He seemed to be making excellent use of the gun's strengths.
After that, we continued walking in silence for a while.
As I mentally ran through whether there was anything else to confirm, Henry asked me a question.
"Hey, General. Are we going to keep fighting across the whole world like this?"
"I intend to continue for a while longer. I plan to bring things to a de-escalation when the time is right, but... is the current war troubling you?"
"It's not that I'm troubled, per se. I just can't shake this uneasy feeling. I want a clear enemy."
Henry rubbed his unshaven jaw.
I felt a catch in Henry's remark.
"The enemies are the countries of the world, aren't they?"
"They're all irrelevant. What I want to aim for is the more fundamental cause behind it all."
Henry spoke meaningfully.
No need to probe his true intent.
I understood what he wanted to say immediately.
"---The will of the world, you mean."
"Exactly! We've fought it many times by now. Don't you think it's about time we put it down for good?"
"That is a kind of law. It does not possess a physical form."
If it were a specific creature or object, I could deal with it at once.
No matter how powerful, I was confident I could destroy it.
But the will of the world was not like that.
It was the materialization of people's desires.
There was no way to preemptively interfere with the various phenomena it generated.
Hearing my assessment, Henry made a complicated face.
He groaned in frustration and muttered, "Hmm... I thought you, Commander, might be able to do something about it..."
"I am not omniscient or omnipotent. I simply have more cards in my hand than the average person."
I could solve most things with magic, but there were still many impossible ones.
In truth, if I could truly do anything, I probably wouldn't have become the Demon King.
"If you think of some secret strategy, tell me right away. Let's smash the will of the world together."
"Understood. I'll think about a way to make it happen."
As I nodded to the eager Henry, a soldier came walking over from the opposite direction.
He saluted us and addressed Henry.
"Lord Blarkin! It is nearly time for the meeting."
"Oh, so it is."
Henry spoke as if remembering, scratching his head.
He left with the soldier toward the end of the corridor.
Halfway, he turned back and delivered one last remark.
"Don't forget what we discussed earlier?"
"Of course not."
"Good, I have your word on it!"
Clenching his fist, Henry departed triumphantly.
Left behind on the spot, I stopped in my tracks.
Gazing at the floor, I fell into thought.
What came to mind was the content of our recent conversation.
(Killing the world's will, huh...)
It was something I hadn't even considered since learning its true nature.
I had concluded it was impossible.
That would be the natural judgment.
But Henry was different.
Should I possess such flexible thinking as he does?
Perhaps I had been unconsciously bound by common sense.
"Hm..."
After a moment, I began walking.
Returning the salutes of my subordinates as they passed, I proceeded down the corridor without pause.
In my mind, I sifted through various events and their possibilities.