Chapter 1 The Aspiring Protagonist Reincarnated As A Mob Character
'What made you admire heroes?'
Even if someone pointed a microphone at me like that, I probably wouldn't be able to answer.
I just can't remember.
I don't even know when I started to admire them.
By the time I became aware of things, I was probably already like that.
Heroes in masks who defeat villains are great.
Giant heroes who fight monsters are also cool.
A classic protagonist in armor, wielding a sword, defeating monsters is something special.
In manga, novels, TV, and movies, there are countless heroes in every fictional world.
For the past 18 years, I've been dreaming of becoming one of those stars.
So, well.
On the weekend of the 4th week of February, at a quiet street corner.
I stepped in front of a girl who was crying, shielding her from a thug's knife.
I thought that kind of ending wouldn't be so bad.
"Was it your mistake?"
""We're really sorry!""
When I thought I was dead and woke up, I found myself thrown into a space that looked like outer space.
As I floated around, wondering if this was what the afterlife was like, 2 beautiful women appeared, one dressed like a goddess and the other like a priestess.
Suddenly, they bowed deeply. They said my death was a mistake.
I, Atami Shou, was left completely confused.
"Um, can you please lift your heads? Uh..."
"I apologize for the rudeness. I am Norn, the goddess of fate."
"Th-thank you for being so polite. So, to clarify... I wasn't supposed to die?"
"That's correct. But, actually, please look at this."
"Golden thread?"
The priestess presented a shining golden thread on a luxurious blue cloth.
It was a beautiful gold, more like a mystical bridge of light over a blue sea than pure gold. It seemed to be split in 2.
But what does this mean?
"It's split in 2, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is."
"I did that."
"You did it...? Wait, what do you mean?"
"So, your thread of fate was beautiful, and when I touched it, my nail snagged it and it snapped..."
"Eh?"
What a thing.
Did I die because of a game played by bored gods?
So that's what a mistake means.
But honestly, it doesn't feel real. I should be angry, but it feels too unreal.
Plus, making the visibly upset goddess feel worse isn't my style.
"Anyway, this is my apology (owabi)!"
"An apology (owabi)?"
"Yes! It's not about wabi-sabi!"
"I get that."
"But wasabi really hits you hard, right? It's similar but not quite."
"I understand that."
"Abalone is so delicious, though!"
"Anyway, can we move on with the story?"
This goddess is really unpredictable in her words and actions.
Her way of steering the conversation is too sudden.
"So, what's this apology about?"
"Yes! Using my powers, I will grant you a new life as you wish!"
"Wait. As I wish? Anything?"
"Whatever you wish for, it can be done. Ah, since you're a guy, you probably want to be popular with the opposite sex, have some trendy cheat abilities to be unbeatable, manage a territory as a lord, or maybe enjoy a slow life with a beautiful girl, right?"
"...That's obvious."
──Let me grant your wish.
A life just as you desire. The ideal you've imagined, just like that.
If I told this to Atami Shou (myself), there would only be one wish.
For 18 years since I was born, I've been dreaming about it.
"I want to be... hero (Hiiro)!"
"Eh? 'Hiiro'?"
"Yes, hero! Oh, what a sweet and heartwarming sound! One hero, 2 heroes, even if there's no 3 or 4, 5 heroes!! I don't care about anything else! I want a life where I can proudly call myself 'hero'!!!"
"Uh, I see."
I begged with all my might, almost on my knees.
For 18 years, I worked hard not to lose to the heroes on the other side of the screen, but I never got the chance.
That's why I want to grab this opportunity, even if I have to ignore the details.
"You're quite a unique person."
"Is that so? It's a desire every guy has."
"Is it really?"
"Absolutely!"
But for some reason, the goddess looked a bit unsure.
She had a confused face that didn't seem to get it at all.
I don't understand. Is the desire to be a hero hard for women to understand?
"I understand. Please wait a moment."
But it seems she won't just swallow her words.
When the priestess took out a thick book, as big as a dictionary, and started mumbling while flipping through the pages.
"Um, Hiiro. Hiiro. Hiiro... Ah, here it is."
"Oh!"
"What a happy look... You really are a strange person. But that's fine. I will guide you to your next life."
"Is that the rumored reincarnation thing?!"
"Oh, no. It's a bit different from reincarnation. You won't be born again. It's not teleportation either. Your soul will just fit into a vessel... I think 'possession' is the most fitting term."
"I see! I don't really get it, but as long as it's about being a hero, I'm good with anything!"
"Wow. Your excitement is so obvious. But if you're happy, that's what matters. Oh, also, right now you could have a slow life as the goddess Norn's assistant by the side of the gods..."
"If it's not being a hero, then no thanks! I'm good!"
"Sniff."
I was talking with excitement, and the goddess looked like she was about to cry. What's wrong?
Did something get in her eye? Even in the presence of a god, dust can still float around.
"Now, I will grant your wish. Please stay still and don't move, okay?"
"Got it! I won't move at all, so don't worry!"
"Hehe, understood. Now then──."
It seems like it's finally happening.
With a smile that looked like she was amused by my nervousness, the goddess slowly raised a finger like a conductor.
"The goddess of fate, Norn, now uses her power here.
As the years pass, beyond eternity, to the soul that has been given to the sky.
Your next star's path is... beyond the twilight, scorched by blazing flames."
Awaken, flame of the restless soul────'Hiiro Merifar' be your vessel."
Claws glowing orange traced through the air.
Every time she chants her grand and majestic poem, the traced path glowed pale blue, connecting like constellations.
The lines of blue light wrapped around my body like a living thing at the moment she said "ignite."
"Ugh, my body is glowing..."
"It means you're ready. Soon, you will go to a world of swords, magic, myths, and mysteries."
"Your mood changed so suddenly."
"Geez! I wanted to make it special at the end! After all, I'm the goddess of fate!"
My body transformed from fingertips into particles of light.
I could feel it on my skin. Something was truly about to begin.
I was starting the story to become the hero I had always dreamed of, the protagonist I had longed to be.
"Soon, huh? Then, I want to ask one last thing."
"Oh, yes. What is it?"
Not that it mattered, but I wanted to clear my mind of any regrets.
"Was my previous end... a bit 'protagonist-like'?"
"........"
I couldn't stop someone's tears like a hero could.
But I wondered if I had gotten a little closer to something I had admired for so long.
"──Yes. You were undoubtedly the protagonist."
"Okay, then I'm glad!"
Surrounded by the light filling my vision,
I closed my eyes as if to sleep.
"May luck be with you on your journey──."
* * *
"Phew. I was worried for a moment, but it all worked out in the end."
"Goddess Norn."
"Huh? What is it? It's rare for you to talk to me first..."
"No, it's about his next life. Are you misunderstanding something, Goddess Norn?"
"Misunderstanding? That can't be. Didn't he say he wanted to be a character named 'Hiiro'?"
"Um..."
"You're really a strange one. Do you have a strong attachment to the name Hiiro? I looked in the life records, but I couldn't find a name like that. I was worried about what to do if I couldn't find it."
"Um, Goddess Norn..."
"What is it?"
"The life he wanted isn't a life named Hiiro... it's a hero. In other words, he wants to live a life like a hero or a brave protagonist, you know?"
"...What? No way. A hero? A protagonist!? Uh, um, his next life is more like a villainous mob character!"
"...And of all things, it's in that world known as 'Depressive RPG Game Hall of Fame.' He'll die again soon, goddess."
"Eh!!! W-What should we do...!?"
"There's nothing we can do anymore."
"That's just not fair for him!!!"
And so, the new Hiiro was born.
However, it seems he is not a hero.
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