Face the Demon King.

"We didn't find you in the United States, but that's where you'd have found me," Elok explains. Now having regained his composure, it feels as if he's speaking simply to hear his own voice.

"Not even the same continent," you reply.

"You're welcome. It's everyone's dream to be isekai'd, isn't it?"

"Was it yours?"

He chuckles. "It's been so long since I first came to Absoterra. I know your struggles, Warren. Don't think that I had it easy. In fact, I had it far more difficult than you. Thanks to me, you were thrown in with the powers to at least somewhat defend yourself. Imagine if that wasn't the case."

"So your goal was to build yourself up to one day become the world's strongest Demon King? Pretty psychopathic if you ask me."

"It was far more complicated than that. And you're one to talk, Demon King Warren."

"This wasn't my goal."

"Yet you've embraced it pretty well so far. Anyway, is this not a world of your dreams? If given the opportunity, with the right people and good luck, you were able to gain the power to do anything you desire in such a world, would you not take it? Earth was so boring. Dull. Tedious. People more powerful and wealthy than us had it all, and all we could do was work, sleep, work, and sleep. Don't tell me you've lost the strongest element of humanity. Aspiration for something more."

Unsure of how to respond to that banter quite yet, you say, "What about Breiah? It was her, wasn't it? You wouldn't have even had the ability to have a class let alone channel mana, so let me guess. You're her little pet project. Just her dog."

His brow furls. "The outstanding Breiah did find me, and we've done much together. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be where I am today. It was her aspiration to create such a being as well as my own, so our goals merely met perfectly. I'm nobody's dog."

I don't know Vivi's past, but I know her family is much older than they appear. I also don't know the whole story with Elok, but if he did come over from Earth, and he was able to get this far, I have a feeling Breiah had a lot to do with it. I think it's about time I learn everything I can about Vivi's family, whether she wants it or not. This knowledge is becoming too dangerous to be without.

"And imagine bringing that power home," he adds. "Earth wouldn't stand a chance against an isekai protagonist at their peak. If you ask nicely, maybe I'll even send you home. You won't have to worry about any of this anymore."

"This is my home now," you reply.

"So you do understand the misery of our home. But ironically, it's the human race of Earth that allowed me to achieve this form. It took experimenting on people like you to truly realize that potential. Humans of Abso simply cannot be altered. Think of our original selves as... blank slates. I was **** to transfer myself into the form of an elf to do anything at all, and I was incredibly frustrated, until you showed me what we're truly capable of achieving. Imagine finally being able to build the exact you that you want to be. Editing the values of your favourite RPG to give yourself the abilities you want. In the end, our fragile Earthling selves have the most deadly potential out of anybody. Perhaps even the power to strike down a god."

"All this monologuing is pointless. I'm not joining you if that's your endgame. My friends are already saving everybody here, and then we're all going back home."

"My plan was already a success, so do whatever you wish." He takes a step back and glides his palm along the flat end of his sword. "Flare Blade," he says, causing said weapon to burst into a roaring fire.

"Flare Blade," you say with **** in the discomfort of your similarities.