I woke up as the Villainous Empress - Chapter 165 - 165 Secret Deal

Ukei Kaito fought a desperate struggle in order to fulfill his role as a summoned hero. He defeated the Demon Lord and saved the very world, only to meet an end filled but with betrayal. The companions that he’d trusted throughout his journey betrayed him and killed him by sticking a blade through his chest.

I don’t know why I die, I don’t know why I live.

Divided hunters die of loyalty,

The witch who plays with emotions dies of love,

Cautious fortune-tellers die of trust.

The thief who steals everything has nothing,

The visionary who created everything never existed.

The traveler fell on his way home,

The twilight giants rest before dawn.

Lawyers sacrifice for order,

Judges forget the law.

The sleepless sleeps in the dark,

The corpse collector lay in the coffin.

We are guardians, and a bunch of poor creatures who are constantly fighting against danger and madness.

This journey is life and death.

While drowning was inevitable, they had struggled.

This is the worst of times, this is the best of times.

- Description from novelbuddy

This is a world where humans, demons and mysterious beasts coexist. Humans cultivate mysterious qi. Demons cultivate corporeal bodies. Mysterious beasts cultivate soul perception. A legend says that in the middle of an endless rainforest, there are extremely powerful existences; they are called demon kings. Some demon kings have a tyrannical corporeal body, some are experts in illusions. Some demon kings are proficient in magic, some can even move mountains. Some demon kings are able to sense things thousands of miles away. These demon kings rarely appear in the human world. Even if they emerge in the human world, they would reincarnate in human form; assimilating with mankind while seeking to breakthrough realms…….

This is the tale of an earthling, who transmigrated as a dying third-rate god but somehow rose through the ranks, gaining followers and eventually causing the Fourth Great Apocalypse.