CH 8

[……I won huh.]

After confirming that the Doom Demon I stabbed with my sword from behind has completely disappeared, my shoulders finally relaxed.

(I never thought I would die twice in such a short period of time……)

No matter how I see it, my life is being too tumultuous.

As I look up, having such thoughts in mind……

[Rex-san!]

I saw someone running up to me.

[Thank God! Rex-san, thank God!]

It was one of the members of the newbie party, Mana, the healer.

She touched me all around my body to make sure I wasn’t dead, then came to her senses, pulling away from me, and looked up at me with tear-stained eyes.

[I- I’m sorry. Ummm, I’m glad you’re alive, but how is it……]

If I didn’t know how it worked, I would also be surprised, but the secret for this isn’t that big of a deal.

Thinking about it for a moment, I answered.

[It’s the effect of the <Healing Phantom Dust>.]

There were two items I used before the battle.

The first is the <Mysterious Liquid>, a strengthening item that temporarily raises all ability values and adds an Automatic HP and MP Regen buff, but the side effect is that after 10 minutes, all abilities are severely lowered.

This item is risky when used by itself, but its disadvantage can be canceled out by using it in combination with the <Healing Phantom Dust>.

The reason for this is that, unlike what its name suggests, it actually “returns you to your physical state when you use the <Healing Phantom Dust>”.

In other words, it has an extraordinary effect of “healing you by rewinding your time”.

I know it’s a meta way to describe it, but when you use the item, it saves your character’s state at the time of use and automatically loads it 5 minutes pass.

If you use it properly, you can reset it before the side effect of the <Mysterious Liquid> appears, and in some cases, you can revive your character even after they die.

[I- I didn’t know such an item existed……]

Mana was shocked when she heard the explanation, but in fact, the <Healing Phantom Dust> wasn’t regarded as a useful item in the game.

After all, the <Healing Phantom Dust> has a major drawback.

The most effective feature of the <Healing Phantom Dust> is its ability to “rewind and revive” after death.

However, this effect isn’t available for the Hero.

It’s because, in the game, it’s game over when the Hero dies, so even if you use the <Healing Phantom Dust>, the game is over before the item takes effect.

(Well, thank God I was just a Sub-Character here.)

I don’t know if this world would also “end in a game over when the Hero dies”, but either way, I am now the Sub-Character Rex, not a “player”or a “Hero”.

Even at the verge of death, I was able to hold out hope that “the <Healing Phantom Dust> would take effect and I would be resurrected”.

Although I don’t feel bad about the fact that I died once, fortunately, the memories I had been worried about, wondering if they’d also be rewinded, seem to have been fully inherited, so I will just be happy for now.

Anyway, I survived this sure-death event without dying…… permanently.

Just as I was about to go to Radd and the others, secretly feeling a sense of accomplishment, “it” started.

[Wha!? That is……!]

Radd’s startled voice.

All of a sudden, an image of a majestic woman appeared in the western sky.

While everyone was amazed at the image projected in the sky, I watched it with deep emotions in my heart.

Ahh, that’s right.

This was the first World Event, a common event to all the routes the Hero had picked.

The “Words of Beginning”, which marks the end of the Opening Event and the beginning of the adventure.

Does my voice reach you?

O’ my beloved children all over the world, does my voice reach you?

Do you hear my voice?

After a thousand years, the sealed evil deity “Rasulphi” is about to be revived.

Once Rasulphi revives and regains their full power, you will have no way to resist them.

This time, Rasulphi will see to it that their objective of ruling over the world is fulfilled.

I beseech you.

Your strength shall be indispensable for victory against the God of Darkness.

Please destroy the statues brimming with evil miasma, which are hidden in the Twelve Dark Ruins.

We have but two years……

You are our only hope……

Please……

Please save the world……

After saying these words, the image of light projected in the sky disappeared.

[The Goddess of Salvation……]

Everyone present was awestruck by the sudden descent of a God and her oracle.

Some of the guards who had rushed to the scene were so moved that they fell to their knees in prayer.

I glanced towards Radd and the others.

As Radd was just stunned, Nuku remained silent, Mana seemed to be filled with determination, and Prana looking disinterested, the Goddess in the sky vanished.

I wonder what the real “Hero” of this world is thinking when he sees this miracle.

Is he trembling within upon receiving the mission to save the world, determined to help the Goddess?

And……

Just like them, I was also quietly making up my mind.

……The me right now is weak.

The Doom Demon certainly is a high-level monster, but there are countless monsters in the game that are stronger than it.

And in order to prevent the resurrection of the evil deity, it’s necessary to defeat powerful monsters and clear numerous events.

That’s why————

————I’m gonna leave all the bothersome stuff to the game’s protagonist and enjoy my post-retirement days!!!

……Yeah.

I really think it’s unreasonable to ask a guy who has been living and working in Japan for a long time to suddenly take a sword and kill monsters!

We’re not savages after all.

Let’s be more civilized here, seriously.

I was on the verge of dying here, or rather, I was completely blown away by the fact that I had already died twice.

I’m getting swept away by the situation and making a few protagonist-like actions, but I originally don’t have any reason to make any effort.

Of course, I’ll help those who can be helped by my power, and I will offer the bare minimum of support since I don’t want the world to be destroyed.

However, “saving the world” and “fighting monsters with your life on the line” should be left to the Hero.

I mean, I’ve had the opportunity to live again.

So, I’m going to live for my own sake!

From now on, I’m gonna keep my distance from the life of cut and thrust, and use the knowledge I’ve gained from the game to have fun and do things the easy way!

(I first need to earn some money, right!? You can manage anything in life as long as you have money after all! Then, I’m gonna exploit my game knowledge to have other people be in a debt of gratitude, and live off the profits from the back!)

The next step is to find out what to do next.

With my tension rising, I even began to feel as if infinite possibilities were spreading before my eyes.

The world being in danger or those battles against powerful enemies, I don’t care a single bit about that.

I’m going to walk down my own path.

After all……

————I’m not the Hero!

☆　☆　☆

On this day, Sword Emperor Era, Year 664: the 10th Day of the 10th Month.

The whole world bore witness to the “Goddess of Salvation’s Oracle”.

This was followed by the news of the fall of <Ash City> due to a monster attack, which sent tremors through the world.

The centuries-long era of peace has come to an end, and just as in the myths of old, the era of “courage and strength” has been unveiled.