Forced to Change the Story

"Filthy scum!"

"Nasty vermin!"

"This is the end of the Demon race!"

The Demon Lord, Malvorthar, the strongest Demon in existence, spread fear across the world. His name echoed through kingdoms, and the world itself bowed beneath his feet.

This same Demon was now enduring a one-sided beating—not from a divine being like a God of destruction or death, but from a young boy and his friends.

The boy's aura radiated light so intense that it transformed the perpetual darkness of the demon realm into a city that never slept. His companions, mostly women, fought by his side. Only one other male was present, though he contributed little.

'These are the ones who will defeat me?! Mere children! Impossible! I, Malvorthar, the Harbinger of Death, shall not be defeated so easily!'

Malvorthar's dark aura oozed into the sky as he retreated. Raising his hand, he roared, "Oblivion's Requiem!"

Hundreds of dark swords materialized in the sky. With a single motion of Malvorthar's hand, they rained down upon the young man and his companions.

"Die!"

The young man finally stepped forward, his voice calm. "Reverse Eclipse."

The world fell silent. The sounds of battle ceased, and all eyes turned skyward. The dark swords were engulfed in light, shining so brightly that even people across the globe could see it. They fell to their knees, instinctively praising the radiant display.

Malvorthar's rage dissolved into disbelief. Before he realized it, the young man had approached and stood beside him, calmly sheathing his sword.

The soft click of the scabbard was the last sound Malvorthar heard before his head was cleanly severed from his neck.

***

"Huh?! That's it?!"

A brown-haired boy scrolled through his phone, searching for more of the novel he had been reading.

"They hyped up the demon as this unstoppable force of power, and he just dies without putting up a fight?!"

This was Abel, a teenager engrossed in the novel The Hero's Quest.

"The main character and his harem had more trouble with random mobs than the final boss. This is ridiculous!"

For the past week, Abel had eagerly followed the story, hoping for an epic ending. What he got instead was disappointing. Frustrated, he left a three-star review.

| Reminds me of GoT: a good story with a rushed ending. Lots of hype for the final boss, but it's anticlimactic. Fun read, but the ending ruins it. 3/5. |

After submitting his review, Abel felt a weight lift from his shoulders. A notification chimed on his phone.

"From the Author…?" Abel whispered, confused.

He opened the email.

| Hello, dear reader! I saw your review. Thank you for reading The Hero's Quest! |

'This has to be an automated response,' Abel thought. 'But how did he even get my email?' The email continued, 'I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the ending. As a token of my apology, I'm giving you the chance to change it. Do you accept?'

Abel blinked, confused. Maybe the author really had read his review. If so, that showed dedication.

But how could Abel possibly change the ending? The book was already published, with hard copies sold worldwide.

"What's this guy playing at? Is this some kind of joke?"

He clicked his tongue. "You just want to embarrass me, don't you? Too bad. I decline."

Abel tried to send a response, but another email appeared.

"Your decline has been declined. You will now be selected to change the ending :)"

Abel's eyes widened in horror. Was the author listening in on him? Had his phone been hacked?

Before he could act, his vision went dark.

***

A 16 year old scrawny boy with messy brown hair and gray eyes awoke in a small bed. Standing at 5'11", he had average looks and no idea where he was.

The boy bolted upright, his panic bringing on a mild headache. As he tried to collect himself, he noticed something odd—this wasn't his bedroom.

A notification chimed, the sound of ptsd for Abel. He was hesitant, but he looked for his phone regardless. What he found was unlike anything he'd ever seen, a transparent, almost holographic device.

'What in the world…' Abel thought, analyzing the strange phone.

Another message appeared.

| Hello, reader! You've been summoned to change the ending of The Hero's Quest! Failure to cause major changes will result in your death! Due to the forced decision of the reader, you'll receive a special gift. Good luck! :) |

Abel stared at the screen, struggling to process the information.

Summoned? Death?

This had to be a dream. And yet, everything felt disturbingly real.

Was I kidnapped by the author? No… this tech is too advanced.

The phone worked flawlessly. The coffee machine and other items in the room were clearly beyond anything humanity could currently produce.

Abel sighed, his initial theory about being kidnapped shifting to something far worse.

I'm being watched by a higher power.

He sat down, trying to make sense of it all.

Abel was used to being thrown into circumstances beyond his control, but this was on another level entirely.

After a long pause, he muttered to himself, "All of this… over a stupid review? Fuck me."

Abel could choose to enjoy life in this new world for as long as he could before inevitably being killed for failing the mission, or he could make light of the situation and at least enjoy the chance to live in a world he'd always dreamed of.

He hadn't yet figured out what the so-called special gift was. He'd read plenty of novels where the main character was transmigrated with a overpowered system, but he didn't seem to have one.

He searched for a weapon possibly being powerful, but there was no sign of that either. He sighed, pushing the thought aside.

The author's cryptic message claimed the gift would make his life easier in this world, so Abel assumed it would reveal itself in time. For now, he needed to focus on surviving and preparing for what was to come.

Opening his phone, Abel checked the date—and frowned.

"I only have a week to get stronger before the academy starts."

He had been hoping for a lot more time, but at least a week was better than a single day.

Determined not to waste any time, Abel opened the gps feature on his phone and searched for the Demon Hunter Guild.

The guild was the perfect place for him to train, gain combat experience, and learn how to fight effectively—skills that were absolutely necessary if he wanted to survive and change the story.

With a plan forming in his mind, Abel steeled himself. He couldn't afford to hesitate. Whether or not he liked it, this was his life now.