Once upon a time there was a demon king named Satan, who was perfect and flawless in everything. He wielded a sword skillfully, charisma captivated hearts, could compete with the gods with magic, and the most experienced military leaders envied his tactics. So perfect that he couldn't control himself. The overly ideal Satan could not cope with his overflowing energy, and his untapped power began to manifest itself in other acts. And the power that overwhelmed him burst out. He left the underworld... And he invaded the human world. This is how the invasion of demons into the human world began.

The six supreme gods, who had never encountered such cruelty before, could not bear to see Stana's deeds, and they blessed the humans to fight the devil. They sent a brave warrior and a sacred weapon that appears once every 100 years. This is the legend of the hero and the demon king.

However... this story, as known to humans, is actually slightly different. Just a little bit... This brave man and the devil will be the subject of our story.

As for who I am to tell it? My name is El. In the legions of the Demon King, I am known as one of the Four Guardians of the Netherworld. They call me the "Spear Master," the "Warden of the Abyss," the "Peerless Defender." In this particular story, I am the first guardian, the sentinel at the Gates of Perdition, and I have been waiting here for the prophesied hero for seven long years.

Being the first guardian comes with one very "important" mission. And that is... upon meeting the brave warrior... I am meant to die by his hand. You see, Lord Satan is deeply unsatisfied. He craves a challenge, an opponent who can truly test his might. Therefore, the potential hero needs experience and proper gear, which conveniently drop from demons when they are slain. That's my job! By falling to the hero's blade, this loyal guardian of Satan secures a generous social package and a luxurious pension! A comfortable retirement, complete with hot springs of magma and all the brimstone soufflés I can eat. That's right—my death at the hands of the protagonist is my golden ticket to a life of eternal, subsidized leisure!

However...

At this very moment, I was sprawled unceremoniously across the main passageway in the middle of a dense forest, my tail flicking idly against the ground. I was calmly ordering a pizza from the human world via cell phone.

"Hello, 'Gorgon's Pizzeria'? This is the first checkpoint to the Netherworld. I'd like a large pepperoni with extra cheese, a side of cheesy spaghetti, and please add an excessive amount of pickled gherkins on the side!"

The truth is, after seven years of guarding this gate without a single, faint hint of a hero, I was dying of boredom. To combat the mind-numbing monotony, I'd started importing all sorts of human-world novelties. Like those fascinating fan-fiction novels about the legendary hero and the demon lord, where they somehow fall in love, have a bunch of hybrid children, and live happily ever after. Human stories are delightfully absurd; I order them by the crate, hardly finishing one before starting the next. The same goes for their fast food—a revelation! I must admit, humans are geniuses at crafting deliciously unhealthy cuisine, a temptation I simply cannot neglect in favor of my dreary duty!

Suddenly...

Clink. Clank. Clink.

The unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps.

I let out a heavy, resigned sigh. "Ugh, and my pizza hasn't even arrived yet..." Muttering under my breath, I slowly, almost reluctantly, rose to my full, imposing height. My claws wrapped around the shaft of my gleaming battle-axe. In one fluid motion, I settled into a formidable combat stance, my chest swelling as I unleashed a ground-shaking, terrifying roar that reverberated through the very foundations of the gate. The time for leisure was over. Showtime, and my pension, had finally arrived.

"Hehe, I've been waiting for you... The brave warrior and his followers. This place will be your grave!!!"