I Saved a Girl from the Isekai Route

The vision of a rampaging truck that lost its brakes alerted me as its route directed towards a school girl who was walking across the pedestrian lane near their school. Being the main character of my life, I rushed to push the girl out of my way. I don't have suicidal tendencies, not really. Maybe it's my way of pleasing people, even if this accident would cause my death.

Did I get Isekai-ed?

Kuru kuru… Kuruu kuruu… Kuru Kururing…

"AAAAHH!"

With ramping breaths, I woke up and shouted along with the deafening echo of my phone's alarm. I sat straight on my bed, my slack mouth wide open. The alarm usually irritated me, but I only darted my gaze at it. "A dream… Just like back in the old days."

The sound of a lizard ticking on the ceiling reached through my ears. When I stared above, I witnessed that it only had three legs, one was chopped off. "Tsk… Tsk… If I only had a chance, I would choose to become a Lizard."

It was still six in the morning. Dragging my numb right foot out of my bed, I calmly stood to turn off the digital alarm clock, telling myself it's currently Saturday, the long awaited weekend to purchase another merchandise of Fantasy Chronicles Online 5th, a game I am currently addicted to.

I wandered my gaze around my colorful room full of vibrant posters of anime characters. "I hope I will get a Shizu-sama figurine instead, but that's only a blessing from the Gatcha gods." Getting that figurine would mean that I had a chance to be hit by lightning since they both have the same odds. I didn't wish to get another poster since there's no room for it to be placed.

I skimmed at the full-body oval mirror, reflecting my fringe brown hair, and gazed at my own hazel-brown eyes while wearing my glasses that stood over my computer desk. "Brown here, brown there… Soon, I'll become chocolate. No time to be negative! Let's ramp up and train! I need to become a shonen protagonist and rely on hard work."

It only took thirty minutes for me to prepare for my departure towards the upcoming event and was on my way towards the station. As soon as I got out, I felt a leer from a neighborhood window. I witnessed their neighbor's second floor window shut its curtains. They're currently the Hase family, and I don't want to get involved with them.

Before planning to take the train to the station, I sat on the bench on the nearby park. Do those who get lost ever truly find their way back on track, or do they discover new paths instead? I always asked this question every time I visited this place. A dark-haired newborn cat always welcomed meon a bench under a tree, expecting me to open the pack of cat food he brought.

I placed the food beside me, my gaze fixed on the emotionless cat who didn't find joy in eating the food. "Are you lost? Me too… I feel like I'm lost. After the past accident that nearly caused my death, my social life drastically changed."

Ever since she was born, the cat didn't leave its place, waiting for her family to return. After countless roundtrips around Ningyocho, the place where I suffer monthly rents, she may have given up on her search. Noticing this in the past, I always provided food for this cat in my free time every second day.

"I'm jealous of your patience, far different from I was. I always blame what I lack for not chasing my dreams. My promise to Mimirin is to be the perfect manager for her career, but I may not reach that. I have no other experience with managing, and there's no one willing to accept me as one. Only I would gain experience by becoming one, but no one was willing to accept me. I'm lost like you do, waiting until death for the right opportunity to achieve my goals. I couldn't apologize to Mimirin, knowing how far she was from me."

Meow. The cat finished his meal and glared at me for another serving. I picked another pack from my pocket, a reserve, already knowing this cat could only be satisfied with two servings a day.

"You're a cunning one. I would adopt you only if my place allows pets. Don't people give you food because you're black? Racist retards. They sure give the public unwanted misconceptions. It's not like you're the one to blame when someone gets unlucky for a day. We're also the same in that aspect. We're just creatures that were unlucky, not given by the god the satisfaction until we die of old age. What would happen to you if I'm not here?"

The said bench was always left open for me and the cat. No one dared to sit there, knowing they would be flooded with misfortune for a whole day. But for me, visiting this cat always provided me luck, even in Gatcha games.

"Only if you're a person, I would be willing to become your cosplay manager. I'll solely handle the costs. That would be give-and-take for us. But… Humanity was just cruel. The ability to judge others was far menacing from a deadly virus. If one loses his limbs, others would already think that they're incapable of being successful. What a pain. Hard fact, discrimination is real."

I sighed and stared at the flickers of the sunlight reflecting on the holes created by the swaying leaves above me. "Promises are meant to be broken. However, that doesn't mean we stop our dreams."

I raised my is open palms towards the sun and clenched it, like grabbing a supergiant with my small hands.

"I'll be the only judge of myself, and I don't care what others think. It's time… I will crush fate with my own hands."

It was only a thirty minute travel from my place towards Akihabara, the place where Otakus and electronics meet. Even with most of its shops closed, the streets were already filled with residents, tourists, cosplayers, weebs, and maid cafe workers. I could only appreciate the fragrance of perfume everywhere, though I didn't count the smell of those who didn't take a bath for a week.

In front of the GAMER! store, a branch that sells discounted video games and visual novels, I witnessed a long line being bent up to a distant intersection. The store was still closed, and these people may be patient freaks that were already in here a day before. What in the freaking yonks is this TLDR? That patience… Argh, I need it.

I stayed at the end of the line, my eyes squinting. My muscles tensed while maintaining my two-faced behavior. It might be irritating for me, but I couldn't cause a ruckus in the public. Soon, I calmed down, overhearing the conversation of two other Otakus with cosplays as their topic.

"Did you see the upcoming CosFiesta Mashup 7th event that will be held in Neribei Park next week? Do you think Mimirin will attend the convention?"

"If she does, what does her alias 'Ghost' mean? Change my mind!"

"If she promised it, she will surely appear! If we're there, we'll be able to witness the first appearance of the mysterious cosplayer since her debut years ago. Those who were competing were newborn nuts! Would you think it was unfair for the newbies to compete with a legend from the Regent of Glamour Rankings?"

"You're baited. Those who will join are also Mimirin's fans. They will get exposure and a chance to meet their never-appearing idol at the same time. Win-win!"

Within the cosplay industry, the Regent of Glamour Rankings defined how popular a cosplayer was. Mimirin, a popular cosplayer of fantasy genres, stood within the top 9 of the non-NSFW rankings. She was only active in her social media accounts and never appeared in conventions. Not to brag, but I was one of her top fans, and it's not because of her skills in cosplaying… She saved my life in the past.

It was already eight, and the line wasn't progressing. For every five-minutes that the line moved forward, I rapidly tapped my foot, my face scowling. While my breathing grew heavier, my hard jawline appeared sharp on my face. I hate this!

The giveaway would be only until nine in the morning. Judging by the line, I somewhat lost hope in getting my promo while abiding by the world's rules. I would only be the part of the giveaway if I did things dirty. But when I realized that luck favored me, I had a trump card… a literal card.

I left my station, walked near the GAMER! Entrance, and asked the butler in tuxedo and shades who was responsible for managing the line and ordering.

"Sir, may I request to enter the priority lane?"

"I apologize kid, but we don't have priority lanes. May I know your situation?"

"I'm not impatient, Sir. However, I'm only forbidden to stand for hours, and it will heavily strain my body. I'm a huge fan of FCO5, especially Shizu-sama. I hope you reconsider, Sir."

"I'm really sorry, kid. The owner didn't tell me about the priority lanes and warned me not to initiate one. I'm not referring to you, but many abusive people use the priority lane to skip lines. Since all of you are fans, you are all treated equally."

I picked a clear-white passport-like ID and handed it to the butler. "You can call my doctor if you want. I'm not lying."

He flipped the ID I gave him and raised his shades. After validating the card with his narrowed eyes, he halted the progression of the line and rushed into the store. It didn't take long for him to return to his position and give my ID back. "I'm sorry, kid. I hope I'm not rude to you. You may now enter the store."

"Sure, I'm not angry. Thank you for listening to my request."

I was a registered Japanese resident associated with a private healthcare system. Hence, I always bring my Shogaisha Techo with me. It was similar in size and shape to that of a passport, with a cover on the outside and the actual photo ID on the inside.

Just like any other identification for persons with disabilities, it included an ID number, date of birth, address, issuing authority, disability type and the severity. The severity section may have attracted the butler's attention. His compressed face told me that he doesn't want to experience the same situation.

I registered my name for the raffle in the counter section, and I still had time to browse the newest games in the other floors. If they're within the building, the participants of the raffle will be called via the speakers exactly half-past nine. Since I still had an hour and half to wander around, the counter woman asked me.

"Sir, do you need a wheelchair? I'm informed that you shouldn't strain yourself from standing for a long time."

I shook my head. "There are already stools here. I'm also looking for games and cosplay references. I still had a dream that I shouldn't give up on."

"Wow! You're like a Shonen manga protagonist. But don't pressure yourself since there are normal people around you. If you need any help, don't hesitate to come to this counter."

I don't need your pity and help. I can stand on my own foot. The world was the same everywhere I went, only judging my disabilities and dragging me down internally. I wanted to say that while forcing into my thought that she was only concerned about my well-being.

While browsing the non-fiction section of the books, I encountered the book Manage Someone's Career for Dummies. On the outside, it looked like a reliable handy-man's guide on general management. I skimmed through the book, an enticing phrase caught my attention which he was currently applying to myself.

Embrace your passion and creativity while continuously improving your skills!

"Yeah, right! Real fact," grinning, I whispered in amusement. I twirled my head left and right, checking if there were other people present, and closed the book like I ended a religious sermon. "My cash can handle this."

Initiated from a short deafening static, the embedded speakers on the ceiling announced, "Ehem, participants for the anniversary giveaways for Fantasy Chronicles Online 5th, we may request your presence in the event room on the first floor. If you feel lost, just go to the counter and they will guide you with directions."

Being a seasoned Otaku, I went down the elevator towards my way to the capacious event room, its width took the space up to the second floor of the building. Only 150 participants were able to join. Each person's shoulder pushed against one another within the tight space. If not for the game's popularity, the numbers should be less, and people have room to breathe. Half of the population wore their cosplay, and I was pretty sure they were already suffering.

Before them lies a stage where a raffle drum took the center spotlight. Beside it were a table containing five limited-edition Shizu-sama figurines in various display cases, hanging merchandise shirts, character photocards, and posters for consolation prizes. On the right were two gaming computers with its screen connected to the back projector.

The event commenced when the host entered the stage and erupted chaos the moment he spoke on his microphone. The cheers competed against the speakers, and all I could smell were damp sweats. FCO5 was a turn-based exploration game featuring a vast worldbuilding, relatable story arcs, and characters with unique traits, backstories, and races. Shizu-sama was the elf goddess that brought the FCO5 protagonists into the new fantasy world. Kou knew that he wasn't the only Shizu-sama fanatic, but so far, he was the most competent.

The program flowed first with voice actor talks of playable characters, and it was followed by hardcore content gameplays of volunteers from the crowd. Iwas lucky to sit in the front-most priority zone, away from the chaos, hence I lasted in the event for about six hours. The most anticipated portion of the event made my hazel-brown eyes glimmer.

"And finally, we're nearing the end of the program. We will be commencing the raffle event for the giveaways for FCO5! Five lucky winners will earn these limited edition action figures of Shizu-sama. Oh, wow! Look at those clothes! Fun fact, they're removable! The following ten winners will receive free merchandise clothing from our partnered clothing line. The following thirty will receive their designated character's photocards, which you can use as a bookmark I guess. The consolation would be posters. Don't worry if you don't get picked! We'll be providing you with promo codes within the game for a free ten pull!"

Long story short, the game developers were far from geniuses. They would only spend their earnings in improving their product, hence it appeared to its players as the game was balanced even if they were too generous. This work of art garnered massive amounts of audiences, including those who weren't interested in gaming like me.

"For the first lucky winner of the limited figurine…" The host stopped the raffle drum and picked a registration paper inside. When he unfolded it, he announced, "Mariya Stojaković! Wait, are you Serbian? If so, welcome to Japan! Who would expect that our first winner would be a tourist!?"

"Tsk!" The first roll ended, and I could only click my tongue out of disappointment. He thought that I still had a chance, but this hope degraded after the second, third, and fourth roll… I didn't even hear a letter of my name.

I made a firm eye contact towards the raffle machine, my lips parting in focus and desperation. My hands moistened, a product of my uncontrollable trembling. It only took a second until I heard my loud heartbeat. My fingers twitched compulsively and in repeat. I've never won a raffle once in my life. Please grant my favor just this once! 

The host stopped the machine; My heartbeat raced. I rocked in my place, shaking, moaning… I already thought of bargaining with the winner using my disability card if things didn't go well. However, this is a limited-edition figurine we were talking about.

The host unraveled the lucky person whose blessings were granted by gods. Even with a heightened level of pain resistance, my chest tightened in pain as the host's words slowly echoed towards my eardrums.

"...... Kou Sugiyama! Are you in–"

"YES! HAHAHAHA!" Just when the host mentioned, I stood on my seat and shouted in high colors, my face with a flushed appearance. I couldn't contain my laughter, even after I raised my arms up in a victory V. I stepped onto the stage, my heartbeat became my own drumroll.

The warm sensation in my body made me feel like everything was not real. I didn't care about what's around me. Before I took the figurine, I slapped my face slightly to feel pain. This is no dream! I raised the figurine like a trophy and looked down at the unfortunate weebs.

Even after the event, I grinned uncontrollably, not containing the sense of elation that I felt. This moment was only stored in my memory, the feeling of winning. A recording would be possible, but I don't have such friends to share my hobbies with.

Walking on the street, I stood before the pedestrian lane of the wide street of Akiba. I planned to check out new gadgets in the Softmap's branch on the other street and survey an upgrade of my devices. The traffic lights appeared green, and countless vehicles passed through my view at high speeds of freedom.

There was not a person within the pedestrian lane, and only those who dared to die would pass through. However, after an ice cream truck passed before my eyes, a woman appeared in the middle of the street, surrounded by high-speed cars.

She had blonde hair, and emerald green eyes, and wore a broken hair brooch. Not aware of the upcoming accident that will happen to her, she kneeled on the cement ground and dragged the bottom part of her white dress underneath it. I noticed that a public utility vehicle would soon hit her body, and she couldn't escape.

I wouldn't have cared if I wouldn't get harmed by my actions, unlike my everyday morning dream. But reality was far different from dreams because of emotions. However, the worst part was… I hesitated.

I shook my head, released the bag of prizes from my hand, and ran towards the woman without a hint of care for my sides. The PUV would only be a meter away when I dragged her standing and pushed their bodies out of the rampaging car's route. I managed to get the woman to safety, though… The succeeding cars forced their halts to create a chaotic domino collision. Judging the speed of the vehicle, I was sure to be hit, like how my dream went, but I never felt any pain.

Did I get Isekai-ed?

No. When I looked back, my right leg was squashed…