Prologue
"Ugh"
I groan painfully, holding my head. I remember walking home after buying groceries for dinner, and then suddenly a truck-kun strike.
I live a normal life, like a normal high school student.
Average number of looks and grades. My athletic ability is also average.
Yep average. But I am very happy with my life.
A loving family and a few friends share the same hobby.
I am content living that way, being an average boy you can find everywhere.
Ahhhh.. Why truck-kun?!
There are still many games I wanna play and anime to watch.
"Ahem!"
Wha--!
Getting called out suddenly I began observing my surroundings and looking ahead to where the voice came from.
Pure white room.
Yes, this is the best way to describe this.
Office desks and chairs.
Except for me and another person, there was nothing here.
I found myself sitting at the other chair while in front of me…
A Goddess…
So beautiful! Oh my god!
Smooth silky blue hair flowing like a waterfall, pretty blue eyes with long eyelashes, and her face is the perfect golden ratio. She wore a light-purple hagoromo emphasizing her godly figure and showing all of her curves with a modest chest.
I was dumbstruck, staring at the goddess intensely without blinking.
"Ahem!!"
"Yeah!"
Getting called out again, breaking my trance, I answer unconsciously.
"Hikimori Saiko-san, welcome to the afterlife. Unfortunately, you've died. It might've been short but your life's over."
The goddess announced my current situation calmly as she had done countless times.
"Uhm..so I died huh? So, what is going to happen to me now? Ummm.. By the way, you are?"
The girl in question stood up looked at me and introduced herself.
" I'm Aqua, a Goddess who guides young people who died in Japan. Now listen carefully hikikomori-san--" (A/N: 'Hikikomori' also known as acute social withdrawal, is total withdrawal from society and seeking extreme degrees of social isolation and confinement.)
"No, actually my name is Hikomori."
"—I know what I said. Anyway, you have two options."
This goddess… wait Aqua?
That Aqua ?!
Holy moly, did I die, and did my soul reincarnate in the Kono suba world?
But what a waste I did not enjoy living in a fictional world, instead my soul was sent here in the afterlife right away.
Sigh.
It is not surprising that this goddess is trying to finish my business quickly with me and looks bored.
This girl was famous for being a useless goddess. In the story of Satou Kazuma, the main character picks Aqua as a cheat item and is transported into the isekai world. Together, they go on countless adventures with their party member: Megumi an arch wizard Loli who loves explosion magic, and Darkness a crusader who looks like a noble knight at first, but she is a masochist who likes getting hurt. This isekai anime is very popular among those who love anime for comedic relief.
I am a fan of this anime.
Aqua continued.
"The first option would be reincarnating and beginning a new life; the other option would be staying in a place sort of like heaven and living the life of a retirement home."
Kazuma was right. What a lazy way to describe the situation.
However, knowing what will happen next, I'm very excited about the third option.
And waited patiently.
"By the way. I do not recommend going to heaven. Heaven isn't as great as you humans would imagine. You do not need to eat after dying and will not be able to make any food naturally; there are no ingredients or necessities for you to use anyway. I am sorry if I disappointed you, but there is nothing in heaven. No television, no manga and no games. Only other people that've died before you. Moreover, since you are dead, you cannot do anything kinky. You cannot, since you do not even have a body. The only thing you can do is bask in the sun with your predecessors and chat. Forever."
I cannot believe this goddess describes heaven in that way. Well knowing Aqua.
"if put it that way-."
"And for the other option-."
Oi!.
Don't ignore me!
My opinion here is important.
"-reincarnating and beginning a new life."
Aqua still talks like meeting a stranger for the first time and forgetting it later on. I guess my life was very uninteresting, which is why Aqua has no interest in me, unlike Kazuma's death.
"You don't want to go to a boring place like heaven, right? However, asking you to let go of all your memories and start again as a baby is the same as erasing your existence since your memories will be gone. And so, I've great news for you!"
There it is!
Unlike Kazuma, I will not pick Aqua as a cheat item. I will live my life to the fullest going adventure, and hopefully, I can get Megumin or Yunyun as my party member. Sorry kazuma I am going ahead of you.
"Do you like games?"
Aqua asked me, even though she already knew the answer.
I did not answer her question. I do not want my opinion to be ignored
So I nodded my head.
As usual, Aqua explained the current situation for the third option.
A fantasy world.
Just like any adventure game. The Demon King and his army wage war for world domination over the human race causing the loss of countless lives.
"The people who died in that world were killed by the Demon King's army and were very afraid, saying that they didn't want to die like that again. Therefore, almost all the people who died rejected reincarnation in that world. More specifically, the world will end if this continues, since babies will cease to be born there. Hence, we will solve this problem by sending the dead from other worlds, right? That's how it is."
We were only used to fill the soul shortage. Despite being given an Op item or ability, this goddess will not expect any of us to succeed in killing the demon king or saving the world. After all, in her eyes, we are just a bunch of otaku teenagers who know nothing about fighting and a harsh life.
"And since we're sending people over, we should find people that died young and still yearn to live and send them over with their original body and memories. It would be meaningless if they were to die immediately after going over, so we would grant a privilege to all of those going to that world, allowing them to take one thing they like. It may be a powerful ability, exceptional talent, or god-level weapon. What do you think? It might be another world, but you can live there once more. For the people of that world, someone who can fight immediately will appear. How about it? Isn't this great news?"
Yep.
Great news my ass.
I do not know how many people were tempted by the sweet offer before me. This scene might look like a plot for anime, but in reality, God was just desperate for a new soul to avoid a world crisis.
I admit that, compared to others, this is the best choice. Getting isekaid and going on adventures with Op abilities is the dream of all otakus, like me.
No more regrets.
"Okay, I will do it. I have chosen to be born in this world. I will slay the Demon King and save everyone!"
"Oh my hero-sama, everyone will be delighted for a heroic person like you to be sent there. Now I can finally feel at ease."
Dammit and stop with flattery.
Sigh…
"Please choose. I may grant you one and only one power. It may be a powerful, unique ability or perhaps a legendary weapon. Come, this can be anything. You have the privilege to bring this one thing to the other world."
Aqua took several cards and scattered them on the table for me to examine.
Since this is my lifeline in a dangerous world, I need to take it seriously.
Items such as legendary swords might do the work for easy kill, but my swordsmanship skill is very low. The same for the other weapons, I do not want to spend my time there training and mastering the weapon to use it effectively.
And for the ability like magic….
"I choose this one."
Saying that after taking the card and showing it to Aqua.
"Let's see you choose… 'Root of Origin'. An ability to restore anything to its original state. Oh my a very powerful healing spell, but hero-sama this might be powerful but it has no damage output, how can you kill the demon king with this? Don't tell me all the talk about saving everyone is a lie Hikikomori-san?! "
Now I am back to being hikikomori-san.
For that one, Aqua has a point. That world is very dangerous; getting an OP cheat that has high damage is the most optimal option, but not for me. There are reasons why I chose healing ability. First, safety, with this spell, I can avoid getting a serious injury that may lead to my death during a fight. With this ability, I can join a party easily even if I am a beginner. Finally, there is an additional effect for this ability, which is +1000 intelligence. In this world, status is a sign of hierarchy, especially in different classes. With high intelligence, I can become a mage of some sort, unlike Kazuma, who began as an adventurer.
"You are right about that Aqua-sama, but to save everyone and slay the demon king I need companions. People who are strong and trust their lives. Together, I will lead everyone and fight to save the people. To do that, I believe this ability will be helpful. I know my limits and know I don't have a talent like Shounen protagonist who fights against all odds but I will do my best to support everyone for world peace!"
After passionately spouting the bullshit, I waited for Aqua's reaction.
After calming herself, the goddess took a deep breath and looked at me.
"I'm sorry for doubting your choice hero-sama. You are kind. I hope you are right in your choice and be successful in your quest. As a Goddess, I will pray for your safety and bless you to live a long life. Now, let's finish this quickly there are still dead souls waiting on the line."
Oyy ! Useless Goddess you are showing your true color. I cannot believe that I was moved after listening halfway, but this girl ruined everything.
"Please stand there and don't move out of the magic circle."
I did I am told and waited nervously.
This is it!
I do not know what to expect, but I will make myself famous. I refuse to stay on average.
" Hikimori Saiko-san, you'll be heading to another world now and will become one of the hero candidates to defeat the Demon King. You'll receive a gift from the gods the moment you defeat the Demon King."
The gift was to grant any wish. If somehow, I manage to defeat the Demon King, I wonder what kind of wish I will ask for….
"It's a gift befitting to someone who becomes a savior of the world. You will be granted a wish. It may be anything you want. "
The magic circles became brighter. I can feel it. I do not know anything about magic, but I feel it!
The new world is opening to me.
"Hero, may you be victorious among the many hero candidates and be the one to defeat the Demon King…! Well then, I bid you farewell!"
"Goodbye Aqua-sama and thank you for the gift, I hope we will meet each other again."
After saying my goodbye, a bright light surrounded me, and I dissolved in a golden light….
Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.