Being tricked more than once by a fictional character who dares to look down on us Authors and thinks he has the right to complain? I endured enough! I should give him a lesson. A lesson of respect and reverence to the Author. The experience he wouldn't be able to forget.
I activate my secret ability Uninterrupted Speech, so what he wouldn't be able to say anything in return.
"You think that your power means anything to me? What you are already invincible in the Multiworld? Your arrogance is the true reason why Hero was able to defeat you. Unlike you, he wasn't born with power but earned it step by step. And you will follow in his steps!"
Nerf! Nerf! Nerf!
"Currently, you are too strong for the story that just started. But, on the other hand, you are limited by your own so-called 'Superior Race'. The story isn't an ending. The story is a journey. And to enjoy it, you need to grow. Both as a person and... as a fighter."
Nerf! Nerf! Nerf! I will steal the thing he is most proud of.
"Your body, given to you by the Mother you 'love' so much. I will take it away from you! And replace it with something else. The Race that fits your new role. Of course, all Basic Abilities would be removed, and Racial Traits changed. What else you expect?"
He is obviously uncomfortable, but what can he say? I'm the one who creates the dialogues after all. If I want him to shut up, then he has no choice.
"Your levels, your race! Your body, your soul! Everything belongs to me. The contract with the Author is sacred. Compared to it, measly contract with a Devil is a joke."
And so, he is Demon Lord no more. The Protagonist fell on his knees, he lost control of his body, and excruciating pain welcomed him in its embrace. Ordinary lifeform would die tens of times just from the feeling alone. But, Belial is different. This level of torture is nothing to his transcendent willpower. More than anything, he just hated the fact that a being he considered only a helper, actually holds so much power over him. It was a completely different sense of defeat than when he fought the Hero's party. Because it isn't a fight. There is no room for resistance. Absolute control over his whole existence.
"Now, you can understand? We are not equals! I'm not your buddy. I'm the one who holds your Fate in his hands. A relationship between the Protagonist and the Author isn't that of a partnership..."
I watch him crumbling on the ground, his body changes from the inside out. But, his face is tranquil even if his pain-receptors scream in anguish.
"...but that of a master and a servant. You aren't my slave, you have your own free will. But, I hold both a stick and a carrot to make sure you obey when it matters. You exist to make my story interesting, to make people read it."
This is the cruel truth of any fictional world.
"Your satisfaction is just an unnecessary side-effect. In many popular stories, the Protagonist suffers through his journey and sometimes dies in the end without even achieving his goals. If you want to have a Happy End, then you'd better behave well."
Only a few minutes passed since I started his metamorphosis, but from his point of view, it lasted the indefinite amount of time.
"So, let's get along well, my precious Protagonist."
I ended my prolonged speech with a voice as kind as I can muster and canceled my nasty "shut everyone else up" skill.
"Cough, cough, cough."
He coughed black blood and then hastily stood up. Faster than I expected. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but then changed his mind. Of course, I can read his thoughts if I want to, but it is unnecessarily. I know what he wants to say.
Believe me, I'm not a sadist who wanted to make him feel extreme pain. Even if he annoyed me to no end and deserved some punishment, but I'm usually more subtle than this. The thing is - we, Authors, have rules too. And his suffering is the result of the Realism Rule.
It would be just not believable if his Race changed instantly and without any consequences, right? Or maybe I'm wrong, and it is actually restriction put on my omnipotence by this Lower Dimension? Well, whatever.
Former Demon Lord looked at his new body. And, obviously, he wasn't glad about the changes. The level of his handsomeness decreased significantly. His body is still athletic, but not perfectly so. His hair is no longer fiery orange, but his eyes are still silvery blue.
Of course, less advanced races like humans or lesser demons would still consider him to be above 9/10 in looks. But it is just because their ability to see small details is limited by their senses. If another Demon Lord was able to see him now, they would ask, "Hey, why so ugly?".
"Hey, why I'm so fucking ugly?"
Ugh, it seems his aesthetics stayed the same. Did I make his new "race" too overpowered? I wanted him to become OP step by step!
Wait a minute... After suffering indescribable physical torture, the first thing he does is complaining about his new appearance? Really, as expected from the Protagonist I chose. It is just a matter of time until his harem is full of beauties.
"Hey, why I'm so fucking weak?"
Oh, he noticed. Isn't it obvious? You can't be too strong too soon, or it would be boring. But of course, the answer I gave to him was different.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"Do you want to become strongest? Your previous body wasn't good enough."
It seems my words made him angry.
"What do you mean? Demon Lord is the strongest Race out there."
Em, it is just me, or my so-called "educational lesson" didn't work well? He still has it in him to argue with me.
"If it was the case, then how could 'human Hero' be able to defeat you? To make you a new body with the potential of achieving perfection, it is necessary to reconstruct it from the start. So, deal with it."
He checked his Status Window.
"So... Alongside my Race, all my Basic Abilities and old Classes are gone as well? And levels... I'm level one! Also... my new Race is a Basic one? Freaking hell, even in this low ranked World, I'm currently at the bottom. And the Race's name... are you serious?"
Thank you for reminding me of the entire reason why I changed your Status without warning or any explanation and did it in the most painful way possible (it wasn't intentional, though).
"If I hear from you another complaint related to your new body," I said slowly, each word clearly pronounced in his mind, "then I will transform you into a very cute girl. Is that clear?"
He just helplessly watched his Status Window with a miserable, almost tearful face. After a few minutes of self-pity, he took a deep breath and returned to his overconfident self. Albeit trying to not annoy me too much.
"What is done is done. I guess it is fair to exchange my limited power for potential invincibility."
Oh, it seems he gets it.
"Though I never felt so bad as I do now. The pain of transformation is nothing compared to that feeling of being so stupid, weak, and ugly."
He says it, but in my reality, he probably would be considered a model-looking genius. Ugh, I already start to hate him.
"So, let me properly introduce myself. I'm Belial Caim de-"
"Stop it."
I interrupted him before he can continue with his extremely long and cringy name.
"As I said, my full name is-"
"It doesn't matter. Your new full name is Belial, the Protagonist."
He looked at the sky (from where I was supposed to watch him, but of course, omnipresent being, I can do it from anywhere) with a dramatically sad expression.
"You took away the body given to me by Mother. You took away my right to call myself Demon Lord. And now, you want to rob me of my true name?"
Hey, I'm not a cruel bully! I'm really not! Just, his name is so awkward I can't accept it.
"At least allow me to introduce myself as Bel Ultra."
Well, it is fine, I guess.
"Ok, ok. I'm the Author, my real name doesn't matter. The introduction is over, right?"
Action! I want some action in my story! I'm already tired of all the dialogue.
"Yeah, over. Now you can just leave me alone in my adventure and enjoy observing how I achieve Multiworld Domination! This is what the Author does, right? You just talked to me to be sure I'm a cool guy, right?"
And here I thought that he became too humble. So he just wants me to be gone!
"Yeah, usually this is the case. But not this time. I just decided to accompany you on your journey! Because without me, you'll stay the arrogant asshole that you are. It would be lame. Readers love character development, and you are beyond being saved. Of course, unless I help you personally! So, you should appreciate how benevolent I'm."
In fact, I just want to pester and annoy him. The sour face he is making now is priceless! I'm not a sadist, please believe me.
"Thank you, but..."
Before he can finish, I change the topic.
"Now, now. Relax. Everything would be fine. Have you read your Racial Traits? Just complete the Quests I create for you, and you'll be even stronger than before in no time!"
His expression is more and more pleasant to my eyes! Yeah, who said that everything in life is easy? Until I get the sincere respect each Author deserves, I will make sure that your life is never simple, I swear.
But, before choosing the appropriate Quest, I, of course, should properly check his Status.
Let's appreciate my new masterpiece.
Status
Basic info
Name=Belial Caim de Demiurge el Eligos Forneus Gorgon the Last of Apocalypsis Ultra
Title=The One Who Cheated Death (+another 2)
Age=22 years old
Height=175 cm
Body Mass=75 kg
Three sizes=he is a guy=who cares?
Sentience=Fully Developed (Level 4)
Race=Newby Protagonist (Basic Race, Low Tier)
Subrace=Anti-Hero
Class=None
Professions=Child Caregiver (Grandmaster),
Demonic Chef (Master), Ladies Man (Advanced), Space Blacksmith (Intermediate)
Stats
Basic stats:
Strength=2
Agility=3
Vitality=3
Intelligence=4
Wisdom=4
Willpower=10(max)=33(max, suppressed due to Low Tier Race limitations)
Luck=5
Origin stats:
Level=1
HP=30 (100%)
MP=100 (100%)
Physical Attack=5
P. Defense=5
Magical Attack=5
M. Defense=5
Acceleration=5
Integration=5
Traits and Abilities
Racial Traits:
Superior Interface
Superior Level-up
Plot Armor
Quest Generation
Protagonist's Charm
Hero Detection
Problem Attraction
Generic Abilities:
None.
Class Abilities:
None.
Profession Abilities:
Child Care=10lvl(max)=Grandmaster
Demonic Cooking=9lvl=Master
Sexual Charisma=7lvl=Advanced
Spatial Blacksmithing=5lvl=Intermediate
Special Abilities:
Indomitable Will=??lvl
Mental Suppression=10lvl(max)
Mind Reading=9lvl
Mind Domination=8lvl
Will Manifestation=6lvl
Equipment
Weapon=None
Armor Set=None
Accessory 1=None
Yeah, ideally low stats. It is how it should be! Though his Willpower, Professions, and Special Abilities still make me worried... Also, I guess you now understand why I avoided his so-called "true name". No, really - his parents sure have strange naming sense.
In any case, I'm now sure that kind of Quest I will give to him. The first Quest of our story, it would be Epic!
Or maybe not.