Side Chapter 1: Reincarnated Hero

I am Yukio Katakana. Formerly known as the Divine Hero who saved the world Sigillare as my first target.

I once made a deal with the God Of Seals that in exchange for my mother's life, I would save his world.

Eventually, I succeeded.

I returned back to my world and managed to pull back my mom's deathly fate, but our world was then engulfed in catastrophe. Earth had changed, and became like the world I once saved. Brimming with magic power and bloodshed.

Monsters from another world poured out to this one.

After clearing the 100 floors that was laid out in the Tower Of Demise. The wormholes where the monsters came from, vanished completely. Earth returned to it's once peaceful state.

I lived my life with no regrets. As a hero that saved another world and this one from destruction. I have died, proud of my achievements.

But after my death...

"..? What is this?"

I found myself within the same place I was summoned before saving my first world, the office of the god who sent me there. This was a place that closely resembles heaven, atleast in my definition I was floating in the sky, standing on an invisible concrete floor while beneath me was an endless pit to the skies, just upside down.

"Lord Clodwal, what is the meaning of this?"

I asked the ikemen God who I made a deal with back then. Despite me growing old, he showed no signs of aging, as expected of a deity.

As always, he was sitting idly on his throne. But this time in a not so serious demeanor like before.

"I greet you once again, Hero Yukio Katakana."

"It's an honor to meet you again too, your holiness. So why am I here in front of you again? Is this normal after death?"

"No. Not really. It's just that I thought it would be a waste if a hero who had already saved two worlds, and has a well developed soul status, would have his soul recycled."

"Re-Recycled?! What do you mean recycled?!"

I asked him apprehensively. The thought of my soul being recycled sounded spooky and worrying.

"I forgot to tell you. When a living organism dies, they get their memories wiped out. Every memory, from your beginning to your end, and from your parents to the most insignificant acquaintances."

"So It's going to be the end of me, huh?"

I murmured to myself bitterly. It would seem that this wiping out of memory really is what someone would call true death. It was fine, I prepared myself for this much.

"Not really. But as a reward for saving two worlds and a rare feat of attaining enough power to oppose a godhead, I decided to make your soul an exception."

"...What?"

"You will be reincarnated in another world just like your previous mission."

Clodwal-san then raised his right hand, clenching his fist as if to grab something from mid air.

"So you're telling me I'll get reincarnated? Like those in isekai novel unlike last time where I got summoned?"

"Yeah. Starting from zero. Bye."

He bid me farewell quickly and I felt myself black out. He was in a hurry just like last time. Not even letting me ask some questions.

In my next life, I found out that I kept my status as to when I was still a hero. My status has been with me since I first became a Hero, and it even stayed with me even when I went back to Earth.

---

Name: Yukio Katakana

Class: Hero

Level: 999 (Max)

Age: 201 y/o

Race: Ningen

Height: 187cm

HP: 257,015,454 / 257,015,454

MP: 1,206,065,454 / 1,206,065,454

STR: 202,887,909

AGI: 202,887,909

INT: 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999

DEF: 202,887,909

Unique Skills:

"Skill Creation"

"Auto-Pilot"

Skills:

"High Heal"

"Dimensional Storage"

"Processing"

"Elemental Barrier"

"Craftsmanship S"

"Masquerade"

"Repel Perception"

"Cooking S"

"Atmos Blade"

"Inferno Edge"

"Dominator"

"Charm A"

"Spearsmanship A"

"Blacksmithing S"

"Wind Blast"

"Meditation"

"Fake Status"

"Skill Gifting"

"Enchantment Magic"

"Divine Swordsmanship"

"Shadow Clone"

"Water Walking"

"Synthesis"

"Blessing Of The Sky God"

"Blessing Of The Night God"

"Blessing Of The Day God"

"Mana Coordinate"

"Twisting Current"

"Instant Death Immunity"

"Fire Strike"

"Fire Arrows"

"Explosive Burst Strike"

"Gate"

"Dispel Curse"

"Alchemy A"

"Area Heal"

"Skill Steal"

"Reduce Status"

"Cure Ailment"

"HP Recovery S"

"MP Recovery S"

"Duplicate Skill"

"Instant Death"

"Temporal Invulnerability"

"Foresight"

"Redo"

"Godspeed Issen"

"Weather Change"

"Absolute Existence"

"Shukuchi"

"Magic Eater"

"Summon Golem"

"Race Change"

   ... And 1006 Others

---

It doesn't seem like it can be rid of easily, not like I want to get rid of it when it's this handy anyway.

Afterall, it's because of this cheat that I became someone that defied the laws of that world.

Once again, as a powerhouse. I lived my life being adorned by people and revered as the strongest in the world.

A hundred years had passed. It was time for me to die again. For sure, this time would be the actual time I would die, however, it didn't go as I expected.

"You again."

I said dejectedly to Clodwal Okamura. It's the third time I'm meeting him and he showed no signs of changing his attitude at all.

"Yeah. Bye."

"Already!?"

Like that, I reincarnated again.

This cycle of being reincarnated had continued for who knows how unbelievably long.

I was given many names, experienced many lives, lived in different worlds and civilizations, and had many different families, in some cases I was even a non-human race.

There were even times I travelled back to the past, just like my restart as Hero Yukio Katakana before I finally arrived to Aresthesia.

Which leads me to my current situation.

"It seems this is my defeat, Hero."

A crimson dragon muttered it's last words through it's decimated vessel. Who knew this Dragon God could put up a fight with me, but nevertheless it's strength was not enough to defeat my cheat. It was akin to going back to my past, but defeating every foe with my future prowess.

Motionlessly, I stood at my spot where the dragon's mighty body lay. The Holy Sword Veganzdnir impaled at it's reverse scale. Standing on top of a monster looked cool, but as this was a sentient being, it felt blatant unlike other times.

"I will make sure to see you in our next lives... Hero... Yukio..."

"Next time, I hope it won't be as an enemy."

Although I didn't hear his reply. I was content with what he said about meeting in our next lives, surely there will come a chance.

This is already my 999th reincarnation. I just can't bring myself to truly die. Not like I desire it, but nonetheless it is indeed getting boring having to live this long.

Then at last. The 1000th.

This ought to be my last reincarnation, right?

This time, there was a change in his facial features. He got a beard and a mustache. He greatly reminded me of Jesus from Earth.

"Hey again."

"Happy 1,000th reincarnation. Fancy a cup of tea?"

How rare. He always gets to the point, so why the sudden change now? I guess I'll accompany him for a bit since I've been curious the whole time.

A dining table and two sets of chairs was set up between us out of nothing. After sitting on my opposite end, a teapot manifested in his hand which he used to pour tea on my cup. It had a heartwarming scent that put me at ease.

"I don't really see that as something to be celebrated to. But thank you, your highness."

As I sipped a cup of tea that was handed to me, I felt the mild earthly taste ease my spiritual condition to it's deepest.

"Drink it slowly, it is a special kind that lessens your mental fatique. Living for this long must have been boring, was it not?"

"Damn hell it was. And what's with that look? Did you age? I didn't know gods age."

"That is a strange supposition. Pertaining to your question, I simply wanted a change of looks. I haven't been shaving lately, that is the cause."

After that followed a short silence. There was simply too many questions in my head to ask him and I didn't know where to start.

"Yukio Katakana, this will be your last reincarnation."

At his words, the questions that buzzed like bees in my head had it's importance reduced to nothing. His expression didn't tell a lie, thus I have no reason to doubt his words.

"...I understand."

"Have a fun last life."

All my senses dulled once again.

This was the sensation of reincarnation which I experienced a thousand times already.

Where exactly did I get reborn? I wonder who my parents are going to be.

The sound of a blade being unsheathed reverberated in my field of hearing.

Someone in a hooded figure was right in front of me. I couldn't make out the face, but the most important issue right now is, this person looks like an assassin, since in his hands he held a sword.

Judging by my slightly blurry sight, this must mean I'm currently an infant. At most a mere toddler that isn't even a year old yet. I'm even laying comfortably on a bed.

Inside this large room that seemed to be a bedroom of noble lineage, a multitude of swords arose.

The mysterious individual was environed by the swords that seemed to levitate around him. They were spiraling madly, as if to reduce me to mincemeat at any time.

Then in a flash that could be estimated to be as fast as light, the swords tilted it's edges to point the blades at me. And in a rocketing motion of the same speed, they plummeted to my direction with no signs of stopping.

I have no need to worry about such a weak attack. There's no way these things could ever harm me. My soul status is always intact.

"Alric!"

I was perfectly certain that I would be left unscathed. But then, someone blocked the swords with her own body, supposably in order to protect me.

It came from someone in front of me. A woman?

This person is most likely my mother. However, I reacted too late I was just in a trance after seeing this person protect me.

I let my guard down.

My mother had waist-length, light brown hair. And that's all I could make out as she was facing the hooded figure and stood her back against me.

Eventually, she was pierced by atleast twelve swords in different parts of her body, after that, she fell to the floor which was immediately stained by her blood.

"Alvis, can I save her?"

『I'm afraid it's too late, master. The soul had already parted from the vessel. The healing skills we have are unable to execute the operation.』

"It's a shame."

Alvis was my guide when saving my first world and had accompanied me for the past 200,000 years. She's a sort of artificial intelligence with a function to communicate with and aid me.

After slaying the lady I assume to be this life's mother of mine. The hooded figure leisurely walked over to me.

"Alvis, change me to my prime state."

Since my mother died just now in the hands of this murderer, I suppose I can't just let that slide as a keeper of justice. Even though I hardly knew that woman.

『Understood. Utilizing the skill [Masquerade] to change the host's physical form.』

My infant body was engulfed in light, my figure steadily grew and my perception of sight steadily heightened to indicate that I grew back to my first incarnation.

Brilliant golden hair, and brave-looking eyes accompanied with a splendid form. Such were the characteristics of Hero Yukio.

However, I still got one problem.

I still have a blurry sight!

The hooded figure was surprised by my transformation and halted in his tracks. For sure, even I would be shocked if a baby suddenly transforms into a 20 year old.

Despite that, this assassin still didn't make a sound. He's clearly a skilled killer.

"Come forth! Divine Sword Veganzdnir!"

Holy light poured out, from my palms and shaped itself into a magnificent sword.

The assassin quickly took a stance and covered all his blindspots with his floating swords. It's a unique technique that I've seen somewhere before, but for some reason I couldn't recall.

"You really shouldn't have killed that woman right in front of me. "

I approached him, sword in hand, and with a crackling sound, the holy sword bursted in divine energy that kept diffusing like firecrackers from all over it's blade. The room was set alight.

The enemy backed off little by little, and gradually started making a barrier made out of his swords as if anticipating the attack I was planning. He had good battle senses on top of espionage arts, or perhaps he's just scared.

I raised my weapon above my head.

"Divine Swordplay — Retribution!"

A tumultuous thunder roared, as the holy sword was overloaded with divine energy to the point it manifested into a colossal blade that reached the heavens. The roof of this building I am in, was tore down and leveled down into ruins by that same giant blade. In the face of this godly image, the assassin still hesitated to make a sound but was clearly astonished.

And then, he finally decided to make a run for it.

"You're seriously running away now? Well it's too late!"

I plunged the holy sword vertically towards his fleeing silhouette, and followed it was the descending blade giving to chase to his figure. I have to say, he's atleast broken through the sound barrier, but not fast enough to escape me.

『Master, flying sword at 3 o' clock.』

"What?!"

I was flabbergasted and hurriedly evaded the vermillion sword heading my way and jerked my head backwards to let it miss my chin by a hair's breadth.

Fuck! I did it by instinct!

*BOOM*

That was the sound of the divine energy that crashed at the assassin. It demolished the lands in a straight line by a width of 20 meters.

He shouldn't have escaped that.

"Alvis, did we get him?"

『Answer, it's most unlikely master. I detect no signs of death.』

"Couldn't it be that he just got fully erased by my attack?"

『That is true, however there is a considerably high chance you've missed your attack. The simulation my system has made, estimates that you've only so much as disintegrated a cropland, wild plants, trees, a number of metal swords and a single finger.』

"A single finger, so he dodged that when I was distracted."

I bit my own finger in frustration.

"Alvis, locate him through the world map."

『Answer, the [Auto-Pilot] skill's life detection has been automatically disabled. No signs of soul statuses are existent in the current world and as such, renders this operation meaningless.』

"So we can't track him down?!"

『It is possible. Would you like me to browse every skill in the soul status?』

Well, forget it. Going all out just to find that person and assert justice is plain hypocrisy anyway. I'll just let him go, atleast he'll have to live with a missing finger for the rest of his life.