My life began with a phrase from a flyer I saw on the street.
[Here, you who hate heroes. Come here.]
Heroes.
Beings whose job is to punish evil.
To deny them is to be antisocial,
but
I couldn't just ignore that phrase.
This chaotic world needs heroes all the time, but ironically, this era has given them too much attention and praise.
'Welcome, uncivilized crowd.'
Yes.
The reason I went to that suspicious auditorium, attracted by the phrase on the flyer, was because of a small rebellion against such a society.
'Is there anyone here who is angry at the word uncivilized?'
But this is a fact that should never be denied. Compared to the people who are here now, humans like us, insignificant beings, are not as good as ants.
The black hoods worn by those who stood on stage in front of thousands of spectators.
The symbol of a snake eating its own tail engraved on them was the symbol of an organization that had recently revealed its presence throughout Pangea.
Ouroboros.
From the moment their presence was revealed, the perpetrators had inflicted devastating damage on the heroes and, moreover, declared that they would overthrow the society that had established this continent.
'Yes, this person is the Apostle of Destruction who descended to this earth to destroy this rotten world… … Our organization is a sect that was founded to ridicule the corruption of the world by carrying this person on its back!'
One could tell just by carrying such a powerful name on their backs.
This was by no means a fraud.
They were real.
A force that sincerely wanted to negate the current era.
'I ask you. Have you ever hated this society? Have you ever thought about overthrowing this abominable society led by those who worship irrational justice?'
This realization made every word they said stick in my mind.
Yes, I'm not wrong, I'm just an oppressed being.
'Yes, you are evil. No, just feeling disillusioned with this world where evil reigns is enough for you to be called righteous!'
This world that oppressed me was wrong, but I had no choice but to sit back and watch, because there was no chance of change.
'Then, come together. You will overthrow this abominable society with your own hands!!'
I was so absorbed in that speech that I ended up holding their hands and walking the path of evil.
I hope that this euphoria I feel now will turn into a great evil and that one day I will rebuke the mistakes of this era.
***
'Is my aptitude E-class?'
However, all I received in return was a harsh evaluation.
My innate ability was extremely humble compared to my lofty aspirations.
'I have a gift, but it's just a regenerative ability… … Other than that, there's nothing that can really help me in battle.'
'Help you grow? The organization only does that for those who demonstrate good results.'
If I demonstrate good results, perhaps I'll have a chance to grow.
I tried my best, remembering only that advice, but in the end, there was a limit to what I could do on the battlefield with my innate ability.
The only main characters in battle were villains and heroes.
In their fierce battle, the pawns were dying mercilessly, and all I could do with my innate ability was survive.
'Oh, look over there. The boss is passing! He's passing!'
Even as I suffered from such impatience, the leader of this organization continued to advance with his followers.
Angol Moa, the God of Disaster.
A god of destruction descended from space and the head of the Ouroboros group.
She was a distant ideal to me, a mere pawn, and that applied equally to those who followed her.
'Are these people the executives of our organization?'
'I envy you, what would the world look like looking down from that position?'
'Wake up, this is not a place for lowly extras like us to look up to.'
Yes, the only ones who stood beside her were those who were on a different level than the pawns.
The smiling maestro. The shadow of the rising demon. The Chimera of Human Anatomy.
Bombastic beastbuster, Night Empress Bathory....
Each of them was a terrifying monster with a different origin and innate ability.
'There's that one too. A person who became an executive despite being a rookie.'
However, what made me even more unhappy were not the natural monsters, but the low-ranking people who rose to the executive position from the same rank as me.
Snow Flower. A new executive who was recruited from the same class as me.
I knew her, but after she rose to the executive position, she stopped caring about rookies like me.
Unlike me, who was just wasting my time down there.
She was already ready to achieve her ideals with her own hands.
'Why don't you give up now?'
There were times when I had to apologize for the trivial achievements I had achieved so far.
For some reason, I wanted to stay here, and I entered the final battle, clinging to the lifeline that kept me alive.
And then...
***
-Kururung, Kwagagang!
The sound of loud explosions could be heard from all directions.
I looked around, awakening my mind that had become numb to the noise.
The city center was a wasteland. In the abandoned ruins, everywhere you looked, corpses dotted like sprouts.
Even those so-called officers were no exception.
Even they, who surpassed ordinary heroes, had difficulty protecting their own safety in the midst of a war that revolved around their fate.
"bo, boss..."
What the officer who was almost dying blurted out was not for himself, but his concern for the one he served.
-Kururung, Kwagag!
The rumbling of the towering tower in the distance told me that this war was not over yet.
Yes, the moment that sound stops, this war will end and the results of the long struggle will be revealed.
But no matter what the results of the struggle are, there is nothing I can do.
This is not a situation where people are being swept away like fallen leaves, and even the skyscrapers towering in the sky are crumbling uselessly can interfere.
There is no way a guy whose only talent is survival can change anything by going there.
So, let's take a step back and prepare to accept the results.
These are all decisions I have to make because I have no power.
"...Don't make me laugh."
However, I did not run away, but chose to head towards that place.
I don't care about things that are obvious.
What's wrong with being weak?
Even if this body is humble, can't you still show some determination and spirit?
Just keep moving.
Keep fighting as long as your heart beats.
Carry whatever you can and be honest with your feelings at this moment.
"Are you the only ones left now?"
After continuing with such tenacity, the place I arrived at was a place full of corpses.
Villains and heroes. The only one standing in the place where the strong men from both sides were building a mountain was a man wearing an elegant cape.
Hero of Justice.
The greatest hero of the current era, and the one called the hope of the times.
"Will you resist?"
He asked the woman who was sitting on the ground.
A woman with a captivating dress and long red hair.
The man in the suit who had collapsed, with his head resting on her knees, was his closest aide, the Maestro.
Damn it, even he, who was called the strongest among the executives, was not safe in this fight.
"Coincidentally, I decided that any further struggle would be pointless."
On the face of the woman who caressed his face, only a distant smile appeared.
"Ha! Even though you have the power to interfere with fate, it seems that even that had its limits."
"Whatever you think, victory is yours, but you also don't want to prolong this. So, let's end this now. If it's now, I'll gladly give you my neck."
The woman closed her eyes silently, as if waiting for death.
Justice ignored him and raised her hand.
The blade of light in that hand would surely be merciless.
"The things you and your followers have done are too cruel to honor after a fierce battle."
The sword with blood flowing from its tip was swung, and thus this fight should have ended.
"God of Disaster, Angol Moa. I, the Hero Justice, will personally punish you here."
My two legs moved just before the final moment arrived.
-Chooak!
The blade that should have been slashed at the boss cut through my upper body.
"A mere scoundrel who doesn't even know what he's doing..."
Blood and flesh dripped from my waist.
Justice laughed at me as I lay on the ground in such a miserable state, as if I were trash on the street.
"Do you think the outcome of this fight will change just because you rushed in?
She's already been defeated, so how can you not accept this obvious fact and try to waste time on this glorious moment!?"
Ah, yes.
The last scoundrel who entered means nothing to you.
Up until now, you were the main character, and everyone is making sacrifices to make you shine.
But what lies beneath your feet is an ugly scene stained with blood and flesh.
It's the people who support you who wrap you in honor, not you.
Talking about "glory" here is nothing but arrogance and self-intoxication.
"Cough..."
I hate these heroes.
They become arrogant and intoxicated by their position of dependence on others.
They are a group of people who have fallen into the trap of focusing only on their own selfish desires.
"Yeah, if you're a scoundrel, you should be crushed like a scoundrel... Screw it."
So let's destroy everything.
This will have continued from the moment I stepped on this path until now.
Because I was faithful to this will, I was able to cling to his body with this body that was still breathing.
Half of my body was blown away by the wind, but I was still alive.
As if responding to my will, the bodies holding him by the waist began to intertwine.
"Well, what is this? What is this bastard doing!"
Of course, I would never have expected this.
No matter how strong I was, it would be unexpected for a petty punk I had underestimated to cling to me like a leech.
"Hey, hero."
And now, my body was filled with all sorts of battle remains that I had collected before coming here.
Among them were the equipment that the executives had used.
"Do you know what I planted in my body before coming here…?"
None other than the Ouroboros executives.
And the powerful bombs used by the Beastbuster.
"Self-destruct function, you punk."
"This is...!!"
-Kwaaang!!
With a violent explosion, everything around me was enveloped in light, and the moment that light disappeared,
everything around me turned to ash and scattered.
When I regained my senses, what greeted me was the sky that was pouring down rain that melted the ashes.
I moved my head to the side with great difficulty, and only the masked head fell.
Ah, right.
I finally did it.
I managed to hit the damn hero with these hands.
It doesn't matter if he let his guard down or if I was a coward. Whatever it is,
what matters is that I brought down the main axis of this era.
Look, world. I did it.
By sacrificing this punk's body,
I killed the greatest hero you support.
"...Kuluk!"
But the damage to my body was no small feat.
The bomb that detonated inside my body was far beyond the limits of my regenerative power.
Now that I couldn't even breathe and my eyes were going blind, I could feel my senses gradually fading into the empty darkness.
"Hehe."
Amidst all this, a soft laugh reached my ears.
The familiarity I felt with it made me think over and over again, even as my consciousness faded.
"Poor child, if you had used that power, you could have somehow survived even if the organization collapsed."
Ah, it's you.
Angol Moa, the transcendent being who descended from space to destroy human civilization, the god of disaster,
and the leader of the evil organization Ouroboros.
His voice was filled with arrogance, as befitting his position, but I didn't find it particularly unpleasant.
"Even though you were brave enough to accept death, why did you burn your body and mind to save me?"
After all, she was my idol, my hope, my everything.
Since everyone in Ouroboros was drawn to her, even in defeat, we were able to warn this world.
But we can't just end with a warning.
We need to tell her more. She must be there to deny this abominable society.
Even if I die here, I must use this death as a cornerstone to lead the change.
Why is the one who should do this approaching me?
"...I'm a little curious. How far can this poisonous person go?"
I feel a slight sensation of heat on my cheek, and that sensation gradually becomes clearer.
Yes, I've never experienced this. I've watched her wield this power, even from afar.
"Yes, it wouldn't hurt to try this kind of whim once in a while."
Angol moa, the God of Disaster.
A being with the power to read and twist fate.
She controls those under her power.
It is someone who can manipulate the fate of those who have the power to do so.
"Then I'll give you a chance, so why don't you try doing what you want?"
The moment I was exposed to that almighty power, I thought.
I should have met my end here, but from that day on, I was free from the fate I was supposed to face.
And...
***
"Hey, boss."
"Don't call me that. Don't you have another name to use?"
"Yes, yes. Moa-sama."
"That's not it."
"..."
I felt guilty.
I had to talk to the boss I held in high esteem like the sky.
Still, if it's an order, there's nothing I can do, he said softly to her.
"...My daughter, is there anything you want for dinner today?"
At the market late in the evening.
Amidst the news about the sale of discarded goods coming from all sides, a red-haired girl in a shopping cart spoke with a radiant smile.
"I like everything you do, my father."
"..."
Hey, boss.
Normally, my daughter wouldn't talk like that.