Does The Demon King Come With A Paycheck? Chapter 0

"How regenerative is this bloody turnip?" I muttered to myself.

Chapter 0

...

I stared down into the abyss below with shaking hands and trembling legs. I could feel the wave of encroaching fear that threatened to swallow me whole as I shakily moved closer to the edge. The fear I'd felt going up every step on the diving platform's ladder felt small in comparison.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I tried and failed to centre myself as my feet edged closer to the end. The abyss met me once again when my sight returned, still nailed down below but this time it felt alluring in a way. I took a deep breath, feeling the warm breeze tug gently at my skin.

I knew deep down, that all it took to get rid of this fear was the freedom and elation that came out of taking that final step into the deep below.

'Just one more step... that's all!'

I focused down on where I would break through. My toes curled over the edge, and I could feel a surge of adrenaline start to course through me. A quick glance around confirmed that everyone was watching, anticipation hanging in the air.

All of them must've felt this way, at least during their first plunge.

With closed eyes and one more deep breath, I let go of the fear that had followed me for every rung on the ladder up here and accepted the uncertainty that promised me a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Holding on to the now blazing surge of adrenaline that had reached its peak within me, I pushed off with my legs, feeling the rush of air all around me. For a brief moment, I was weightless, suspended in time. The world above faded away, and all I could hear was the roaring sound of my own heartbeat as I dove down towards the pool.

Then came the splash. The cool water enveloped me, pulling me into its refreshing embrace. My body sank momentarily before I kicked my legs and surfaced, gasping for air and grinning from ear to ear- only for that brief height of happiness to rapidly fade as my grin disappeared the moment my eyes readjusted to the world around me.

I blinked a few times, my mind wondering if I'd been sucked into a dream without my knowing. Wondering if I would soon wake up in a hospital bed surrounded by doctors and nurses. The cold feeling that surged against me told me this couldn't be a dream but my eyes couldn't believe what was before me.

Slowly but surely, my feet dragged against the rocks below as the water descended lower and lower with every step I took out of its embrace. The tingling sensations were hard to ignore as I felt the sand grains that rubbed at the bottom of my feet. I was no longer in the familiar confines of the pool. I was on a sun-kissed beach, the sand felt warm against my skin as the sound of gentle waves lapping at the shore filled my ears. My heart raced faster than before, not just from the swim, but from the realization that I had somehow been transported to an island paradise.

Looking around, I marvelled at the thick greenery that bordered the beach, exotic flowers blooming in every colour imaginable. The sky was painted in a single hue of blue with the sun high up in the sky, casting a magical glow over everything. I took another tentative step forward, the soft sand giving way beneath my feet, and a fear of the unknown for a brief moment threatened to overtake me- until the realization of what my life amounted to hit me like a cold wind.

I thought of my small, cluttered apartment back home, the pile of unpaid bills on the countertop, and the constant hum of loneliness that had settled over me like a thick fog.

The world I had known felt so far away, a distant memory obscured by the clarity of this strange, beautiful place. I walked along the shoreline, each step sinking into the sand, grounding me in this new reality. This island felt alive, filled with the vibrant sounds of nature- birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the infinite whispers of the ocean.

For the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of possibility wash over me.

The world I had left behind had been filled with burdens and heartache, each day a reminder of what I lacked. As I stared out at the endless horizon, the weight of that sorrow began to lift. There were no deadlines, no judgments, no reminders of what I had failed to achieve.

Instead, I felt a spark of hope ignite within me. Maybe this new world was a chance to rebuild, to start over. It was a surreal acceptance, like shedding an old skin. I could drown in despair over what I had lost or embrace this strange gift of a fresh start. With each wave that crashed against the shore, the shackles of my past began to dissolve, replaced by the warm embrace of a future filled with unknown adventures. It wasn't hard to make the decision to let go of something that held no true value to me.

Yet... Just as quickly as that acceptance made its way through me, I tilted my head ever so slightly as I took notice of the strangeness of this world. I took notice of the birds chirping in the distance of this small island in the middle of nowhere, despite the lack of any creatures. As I took notice of the identical trees that swept along to the wind, that held nothing to their leaves.

Something about this place felt deeply unusual.

Giving the small forest ahead of me another look, I hesitated to walk into the unknown it promised- At the very least not so soon. Despite the sense of adventure and joy it filled me with, I was hesitant to throw it all way on a whim so instead I turned my gaze to the side, towards the edge of the beach.

As I ventured further along the beach, I noticed something peculiar glimmering in the grains of sand.

Curiosity pulled me closer, and I crouched down to appraise it more closely.

To my astonishment, there flickering in the wind among the grains was a timer!

The numbers built from a darker tone of sand stood out sharply among the grains around it. It ticked up, each second turning silently, almost ominously even.

A small part of me felt weirded out by the fact it was going up- A countdown would've at least told me there was something to be done but the fact it went up suggested something more.

“...And here I was just getting excited about all of this!” I whispered to myself, "...Shit really just went from paradise to a possible horror, huh?" I added on half hoping that the island would respond. Or at the very least someone would- To my further worry, the only response I got out of that was the sudden silence of the birds chirping from earlier.

I glanced around at the sudden change, half-expecting someone to jump out from behind the trees to explain the bizarre phenomenon, but the island remained still, its only company the rustling palm leaves swaying in the wind. I extended my hand toward the timer, the digits, my fingers grazing across them as the first minute passed and as I turned towards the side of that first minute, I realized the number of total zeroes available accounted for years and with every tick, a wave of unease washed over me.

"There's no time limit?" I whispered again.

Was this some sort of game or challenge? The beach was beautiful, but the timer anchored my thoughts in a strange mix of anxiety and excitement.

Ignoring that unease, that ominous feeling that swept through me, I took in a deep breath and focused just ahead of the counter towards the trees, my eyes widening at what they landed on.

It was only then that I realised at the very least part of where that anxiety had come from. Only then did I understand the sudden silencing of the chirping birds. For it felt as if the air sparkled with magic and just before me, in the dense trees lining the edge of the beach, the confirmation of that magical feeling stood alone and silent.

The trees loomed welcomingly because the prize or I suppose my gift awaited me with them.

I wasn't a fool, I've read enough fictional stories of a person finding themselves transported to another world to know where I stand- I just never thought it'd truly happen.

With a mix of excitement and trepidation, I walked toward the tree line, toward the only unnatural aspect, barring the ticking clock, that I've seen so far.

It was a stand made from twisted branches and adorned with bright, glittering shells and colourful vines. As my eyes landed on it fully, as my focus turned towards what it held in its grasp, I could hear a whisper beckoning me towards it, and at the centre of the stand rested something utterly out of place- a turnip. 

It radiated an ethereal glow, its surface shimmering in hues of green and gold as if it was alive with energy.

Beneath the turnip, strange characters were etched into the wood of the stand.

The language was unlike anything I'd seen before- I'd never regretted not learning another language in my life more than this moment.

Sure, the language didn't exactly look like it came from home, but I still felt like a second language might've at least told me it wasn't that one either with my native tongue which would've narrowed it down by two instead of one.

I leaned closer, a shiver of anticipation running down my spine. Just behind the turnip stand lay a wooden sword, the grain of the wood glinting in the sunlight, as if it had been carved with care and intent.

Next to it was a wooden staff, gnarled and twisted, exuding a sense of power just waiting to be harnessed.

And finally, a wooden bow, elegantly shaped, rested quietly beside them, alluring and sharp.

"I am guessing I am supposed to pick a class here, right?" I asked no one in particular.

My heart raced once again- I should probably get that looked at- and I felt a surge of energy course through me.

The timer continued its ascent, moments ticking by, and the pull of destiny tugged at my core.

I wondered what would happen if I took all of the items. Would the island object?

I reached out, my fingers brushing against the turnip, and in that moment, I knew that whatever lay ahead would change everything.

Naturally, with such a glowing feeling washing through me, I picked the turnip up and bit into it.

It was unlike anything I had ever tasted- sweet, tangy, and electrifying. But as the flavours danced on my tongue, I felt my vision start closing in on-

"Oh crap!"

I promptly passed out cold.

When I came to, I found myself lying on the warm sand once more, disoriented and groggy, still clutching the bloody turnip.

Glancing up, my gaze immediately flew to the timer and found it had progressed.

I tilted my head and reread the number.

Thirty-six.

I blinked again.

"...Well, guess this ain't a speedrun anymore..." A beat passed as the reality sunk in and panic coursed through me as I scrambled to understand what had happened.

Then my eyes caught sight of the new words that had appeared directly below the timer- Four words to be exact, of that same mysterious language, each followed by the number one.

Only unlike the etchings on the stand... these letters seemed to pulse ever so slightly, each one shifting the natural coloured sand away from it.

A sense of foreboding settled in my chest as I turned to stare at the turnip in my hand and found that it no longer had a bite mark. It had regenerated itself fully which, even by the stretchiest of imagination was eerily abnormal.

However, a small part of me, specifically the crazy part, felt glad that I had an infinite food source, even if it did knock me out cold. "...What the hell have I got myself into!?" I muttered at that insanity-provoking thought. "And where's the bloody translator? What's the point of having a warning I can't bloody read!?"

As I took in the glowing stand currently lacking a turnip, my gaze fixated towards the weapons drawn behind it, each one holding the same glow as before- something about the light flickering out of them set a strange uneasy through me as I turned back to the timer.

"...So... thirty-six hours have passed right..?" I questioned no one as I slowly raised my gaze up towards the sky and blinked at the sight of a sun that had not moved an inch. "...Oh that bodes real freakin' well!"

...

I stared at the timer. I stared at the sun glimmering down from its fixed point in the sky. I stared back down at the timer and this time the four pulsing words below it.

"...Research..." I muttered to myself. "I need to research this."

Standing up, my feet brushing against the sand once again, I promptly patted myself down and took in a deep breath.

"The sun ain't moving... but the timer keeps going up?" I tilted my head in thought. "Is the world around me stuck in time then? Or am I in a fixed point?" A beat passed as I blinked at that thought. "Am I the fixed point?"

I let out a sigh at the nonsense that was sprouting out of my mouth.

"Think, think, think!" I muttered, hopeful it would kickstart some unused part of my brain as I started pacing around, my hand idly throwing the turnip up and down-

I blinked as another thought occurred to me. "I am not hungry?" I patted my stomach with a frown on my face. My gaze lingered on the turnip in my other hand. "...Is it 'cos of this?" There was certainly a taste to it but losing thirty-six hours every time my stomach rumbled was-

I quickly turned on the spot and focused on the water lapping at the beach shoreline, my gaze fixating on the reflection that looked back at me. My eyes widened at the same face from yesterday without a single sign of any stubble or hair growing on my chin.

"...So I am stuck in time?" I'd certainly felt less hungry the moment I bit into the turnip which meant time was a factor but only to a certain degree.

I nodded at the thought process. 'The only question was where do I go from here? Considering the hours that have passed by I ain't winning anything for finishing it early... so...'

I turned my gaze from the shimmering water and away from the clock that continued etching upwards and instead, let my gaze fall over the ominous stand that had held the infinite turnip glitch.

Putting in some effort, I quickly made my way towards the weapons beside the stand and latched my hands around the wooden sword's hilt. Making an attempt at picking it up by the intricate handle though quickly proved to be a problem-

"Why is this thing so bloody heavy!?" I yelled out as I barely managed to pull it free, my body staggering backwards as I made to stop from falling on my backside. With a sigh, I forced the blade up into the air with both hands- Only to almost fall down out of balance.

Laying the blade against both arms instead, I let out a sigh of relief at the more manageable weight and made to move it towards the ticking clock, an inkling in my head regarding the words printed underneath.

I barely held in the urge to let out a whoop of joy as I took in the fifth word that appeared, though this one showed up with a zero as opposed to a one.

With a grin on my face, I dropped the heavy blade onto the sand and watched it slowly slowly sink into the soft sand an inch.

"...Right so the words are skills I am guessing..." Focusing my gaze on the four other words, I felt another surge of thought regarding the entire situation I'd found myself in.

To confirm the theory for sure, I quickly repeated the same with the other two weapons, which to my relief were a lot lighter than the sword. And just like before two more words appeared with the same number next to them.

"...Right... Right!" I promptly slapped my cheeks, a grin firmly in place. "I dunno' who put me here but, seeing as I ain't getting an early win bonus..." I let out a slight chuckle at the thought as I slapped my cheeks again, my focus turning up a notch in the process. "Whoever put me in an eternal tutorial without a time limit was going to heavily regret it!"

Given the trees, the sword, the timer and the source of energy... I figured the goal was to find a way out of the island but there was no need to rush things!

With that lovely thought in mind, I focused back on the final matter at hand- The turnip.

"If I had to guess, one of those four words is probably endurance..." With a slight gulp and a somewhat insane smile on my face, I hesitantly took another bite of the turnip and as the flavours flowed through, I sucked in a breath and prepared to pass out- Only to blink in surprise as I felt an insane amount of energy fill me while my heart rate sped up to an almost unbearable speed but barring that, nothing else.

I knew, instinctively, that if I took another bite of that turnip, I was passing out- but that was fine. Hell, even the time that passed wasn't much of a problem.

Which left me only one thing to test in truth.

"How regenerative is this bloody turnip?" I muttered to myself as I crouched down towards the blade, edged the sharp part upwards and promptly pushed the turnip through it, cutting it into two pieces.

'My endurance going up is fine and all but that puts a heavy limit on how much I can abuse this system...'

Staring at the two pieces, I picked up the side without a bite mark, braced myself, and promptly chomped into it- And immediately passed out.

When I came to, thirty-five hours later, I couldn't help the massive grin on my face as I stared at the increased number beside every unknown word, but more importantly, at the two perfectly regenerated magical turnips beside me.

...

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