Chapter 1 - Is this how I end?

It was just a typical modern day with technology, and people could do many more jobs that could be done with the help of the Internet. But suddenly, magic came out of nowhere in the year 2000s. Everyone gets magic or other abilities, and some are blessed with extraordinary powers or magic. But unfortunately, it also brought monsters, "gods," and other races like elves, dwarfs, beast-man, etc. Some people use their power to protect humanity from monsters. The "outer realm" is a gate that causes monsters to cross to the earth.

The people who fought against those monsters were called hunters, and they became celebrities and heroes. Hunters inspired people to become famous hunters or just wanted to be hunters to protect humanity. They save people daily and quickly become high public figures in society. Other people use their magic to do evil deeds and become villains. The whole global government has made some changes and rules because some individuals have used their magic to harm the people who should be protected.

The top hunters who are considered heroes not only have the authority to change society, but they also create guilds that are accomplished like the government, and those hunters are called guild masters; they have individual goals. There are also groups of individuals who create secret organizations rather than guilds. Society is unaware of an unknown organization's goals. In the beginning, everything was chaotic, but in a few years, it slowly became more common and into the environment. But one day, a "miracle" appeared, and the "true god" chose a Hero in the hero of selection. This person called the true Hero, is given the blessing of the "true god" and has many names in the religious. The true Hero is the one who will save the world and create a peaceful world, a world without violence or chaos.

Everything we believe that a fantasy world would have unexpectedly become a reality and that Heros will bring peace to this world isn't straight out like a light novel or manga.

But it wasn't anything like a light novel or manga, where the Hero would have accomplishment, glory, and a happy ending. It was more reality than fantasy.

Unfortunately, I am the chosen Hero or the so-called true Hero. People think this is a blessing to have overpowering abilities. Still, it is nothing more than a title. I am just a typical mage, nothing more.

As I was lost in thought, the lady was talking to me. Mr. Ashen? The lady continued saying my name before I realized she was talking to me. I glared at her; she didn't look so happy but put on a fake happy tone. After all, she was talking to me. If it were someone other than me, she would have been angry. I looked at her calmly.

"Oh, yes, ma'am. Sorry, can you repeat that? What did you say?" She looked at me with an annoyed glance, but she couldn't say anything after all—the lady at the front office.

"Mr. Ashen here is the receipt and reward for your latest mission. Remember the organization rule: every mission is kept secret from our Clients, organization, and employees because we are an illegal organization and do our mission out of the public. Got it, Mr. Ashen."

I listened to her and heard the organization's policy again, and I just nodded, grabbed the reward receipt, and left the front office. I was walking out, but then I heard someone call my name out loud; it was a girl. I know we work at the same organizations, but I wouldn't say we are friends, she said.

"HEY, HERO KILLER, WE ARE IN THIS TABLE!"

She shouted my code name out loud while she waved to me with her friend. I went to sit with them as she ordered the food for us. Looking at her, I responded.

"What do you want, Cyber Wolf?"

Her code name is Cyber Wolf, and she is known for her skillful hacking skills. She even hijacked global elite guild information without using any magic, and not only that, she even infringed on the government office to steal their valuable artifacts just for the fun of it.

Next to her is also a well-known assassin called James Moriarty because of his abilities as a genius assassin and mastery of criminal techniques.

As I said before, I wouldn't say we are "friends," but I should say we are more accurate and more like otaku friends. We are 25-year-old adults who, coincidentally, have the same hobbies and interests when we have days off from our missions.

"Oh, nothing. I want us to hang out a bit. Since we were busy with our mission. I'm right, James."

Cyber Wolf looks at James with annoyed eyes when James responds.

"Indeed, Cyber Wolf. It has been quite busy, especially with announcing a new war against each other. It is pretty disappointing that we humans are the ones who are the actual monsters. Right, Mr. Hero has many names."

James looks at me with a smile at the situation. Hero? Huh, I wish I weren't that, as I responded.

"Don't call me Hero, and I will fix the situation and find a way to change people's views of me."

Cyber Wolf laughed when she heard, "Find a way to change people's view of you." I know she thinks she is joking, but I just want to protect people like me, not the title of hero. If I were that, then what am I? There is nothing I can do; this is the reality, but still, this is my responsibility as the hero, even if people view me as a villain.

Cyber Wolf saying with petty. "Oh, man, that's quite a joke, you say. You know you're known for your rebellion against the system of the hunter and the government's rule. People now call you Hunter Killer; Ashen Demon even called you a Hero Killer because you killed a hunter who is one of the heroes of our country."

I just silenced myself. I agreed to eliminate the hunter by the government's order, but it hurt me that people thought I was just a villain who killed many Hunters out of his way.

She is playing her mobile game while telling me confidently in front of me.

I look at her without emotion but accept that she was right in the second part.

"I didn't rebel; I just followed the government's orders. But I knew I did anything to protect the people after that. I knew the consequence of what I did, even if I was ordered. It was my decision, and it was the right thing for society."

Cyber Wolf is still playing with her phone and looks at him slightly. "Woah, you really are genuinely kind to the people you believed in who betrayed you. You really are the Hero who was selected by the "true god." She thought I was naive. I wish I were a naive guy who didn't know the reality of the world, but I wasn't."

James signed and bonked Cyber Wolf. "Cyber Wolf, Stop it. We are here to relax and hang out. We are not here to hear about our reputation and the past. He didn't want to make a fight between hunters in the organization's lobby."

Cyber Wolf looks at James, annoyed, and wants to mess with Ashen. "Yeah, yeah. I know, anyway. I'm sorry about the sensitive topic."

I look at James and sigh. "It's okay; I've gotten used to it. What are we going to talk about then?"

Cyber Wolf finished playing with her phone, put it in her pocket, and excitedly wanted to tell them. "Oh, yeah. Do you guys already play the game I recommended four months ago?"

James and I nodded to her, and James also seemed excited to discuss it. James excitedly responds. "Yes, it is genuinely ten out of ten games. It became famous quickly when it was released. The illustrations, voice lines, and story are surprisingly good for an eroge game. At first, I thought it was a regular otome game, but when it came to the plot—boom, it netorare. That was a twist for me; I only played action and shooting games."

Cyber Wolf shoutout exciting with sparkly eyes. "I know, right!! I knew it was a cuckold game, but the story and plot were so good. Even though I knew it was coming, I was amazed by that scene, which was crazy and sad. What about you, Ashen? What do you think about the game?"

I sighed and told you about my game options. "It's all right, I guess; the most annoying part is that you didn't tell me it was an eroge game. You told me it was an otome game, so I bought it at the store. Now that I think about it, the cashier looks surprised when I buy the game. Overall, the game was fine."

Cyber Wolf laughs off and smiles. "I already know that if I told you the details of the game, you would never actually get a chance to play the game. What do you mean? Is it okay? This game is excellent! But whatever. Now that you guys have already finished playing the game, what do you think of the character?"

James responds while Walter brings the food ordered by Cyber Wolf. "It was great before the plot. You can see the development of the character if you choose the specific focus on one of the heroines. But the character design is excellent! You can see the illustrator thinks a lot about the character's design. I think that way; the game's merch was crazy. But I didn't bring anything since I was busy on the recent mission that I completed."

While both excited talk about the game, I listen and lie back.

She has a few bits of her food. "What are your favorite heroines in the game? I also want you to answer, Ashen. I can start. First, my favorite is the second heroine…"

James responds quickly. Cyber Wolf didn't have a chance to explain why she liked the second heroine.

"ME TOO! I like the three heroines, but she might be a tsundere if I had to pick the second heroine. However, her design and story of her developing a feeling toward the MC are crazy."

Cyber Wolf also gets the hype, knowing that James has the same thoughts and likes about the second heroine. "Really, James. I also have the same opinion, too. That's why I love the second heroine, and I even bought a key chain of hers while I had a day off. Wait, we were excited and forgot Ashen, too."

Both look at me with excitement and wait for my response.

"My favorite heroine, huh?" I carefully considered my answer about the game and the heroines and then asked which one I liked. "I guess the main heroine?"

Both just looked at me, unsatisfied, and then Cyber Wolf replied first.

"The main heroine? I never thought you were one of those hardcore fans who like the heroine. I bet you just like her design."

James also was disappointed but supported and understood. "I guess you also like the common people who like her. Mostly, they love her design, and the story is good, but you can expect something to come. Also, the developers love the main heroine that much. They even main the animation scene of the plot, and she is the only heroine given that much love."

I never thought that the main heroine was that popular character, and piss me off that they said something that I clearly didn't say anything about my explaining why I like the main heroine.

"Guys, I didn't say that I like her design."

Both quickly say together with seriousness. "What is so great about her other than her design and story?"

I sincerely think about why I like her, and after a few minutes, I answer their question. "huh…. I guess her personality. We don't have some backstory for all the characters, but before, she got stolen by the MC's best friends. I feel like she just wants to be herself and is forced to act on the person, for example, her parent, and it is just an example. Forcing something to be or what they think is correct for her life, and just wanting to find someone to free from it. I'm trying to say there is other than just meeting the eyes on her."

While explaining why I chose the main heroine, I realize that this character and I share some common things. Someone wants to be us rather than the people around us, forcing us to be the person they want us to be. I just don't know, but that is why she is my favorite main heroine.

Cyber Wolf and James listen and roll their eyes, and Cyber Wolf responds first.

"Really, are you trying to connect the main heroine of your situation? Just admit that you love her design and her illustration of her. Don't worry; we are otaku. I sometimes like my husbando for the design rather than personality."

James agrees with Cyber Wolf. "She's right; don't be shy about it. I also get it, you know. So we are not going to judge you; it is just a character and not a real person. It would be wrong if it were a real person; we would judge you, but you're fine since it is just a fictional character."

Both try to comfort and support me while wanting to force me to admit something that is not true about why I like the main heroine, but I will say that they want to hear so that they won't annoy me throughout the day.

I still remain calm and look at them. "Fined. I admit that I just like her story and the design because she is beautiful."

I do agree that she has a beautiful design, but that wasn't the reason why I liked the main heroine. I look at them, and it seems that they are satisfied with my answer, and some reason are proud of me, which got me a bit pissed off, but I still remain calm after talking about this famous and lovable game. We drink and eat a lot of food. It has been a long time since me having fun.

A few months passed after the last time I hung out with my friends. I was at war between the hunters facing the rebellion that wanted to change the better of the whole world and some guild masters who opposed their idea and wanted to keep everything the same as in past years. Rebellion Hunter hired me as a mercenary, but I also believe the rebel ideal is to find a better place than just relying on the hunters that we are trusting, and some hunters can't be trusted to control the side of the government. All the nations reunited and spilled one side of the rebelling and the other side of the hunters. It wasn't anymore, but more continued suffering again and again and again. It looks no end to this bloody war of each other. I killed many people and hunters who were in the war or not and who were evil or kind. I killed multiple people; even the people who I was on their side tried to kill me and betray me and fear me nothing more than one of my titles, "Hero Killer." I still continued alone to stop this stupid war; if only they would discuss it together, maybe there wouldn't be a lot of death. Many people cuss, trash talk, and see me as a true monster. I did everything the people told me and did everything to do the right thing.

Meanwhile, I am at the war felid filled with a corps of many hunters around me, and I look at my older brother. He is the hero people believed in, blessed by the mana and deities. I look at him and yell at him.

"Brother!!! I will stop you now. I don't care anymore about what you think of me. I will destroy everything that you have and build for.

My brother looks at me with a stare that is unsatisfied. It made me more piss and mad at him that he didn't acknowledge my present.

"Is that all? Am I really not important to you? It's because I was chosen to be a hero! First, I just want to be with everyone on your side. I just want to be acknowledged. I just want to be with our family. AM I NOT ANYTHING TO YOU, BROTHER!!!

I quickly attacked my brother, but he dodged. I used a powerful slash that he couldn't react to, but he evaded all my quick attacks.

"Say some things, BROTHER!!!"

He blocks my katana with his sword, looks down at me, and finally responds to me with a cold tone.

"It's just you are not worthy to be the "hero" for the people even though you were selected by the true god. I'm the true Hero that the people need."

Then, his right hand appears as he holds a holy lance, and lastly, it is precise through my right chest. Blood splashed everywhere; I was bleeding through the hole and mouth. I looked at him while I was slowly dying and while I was losing some hope.*

"Br-oth-er??"

While I felt warm and peaceful when he killed me at the war, this was the end of my life as a hero, and I didn't care to be the Hero. I didn't want to be chosen by the true god. Why does everyone look at me differently? I did everything to protect them, and I did everything they wanted. I just want to be with my family. Is that too selfish of me to wish selfishly? This is my reward. I guessed I could finally rest in peace.

Ring-ring, ring-ring, ring-ring!

"So annoying."

I woke up, turned off the alarm clock on my phone, and looked around me while slowly opening my eyes.

"I guess I still can't get over what happened in my previous life of my death."