Second Iteration

Second Iteration

A Demon King trying to evolve into a Demon God.

Rumi, the hero trying to stop this.

It was a structure no more special than the typical hero story often found in novels.

However, when I heard this all-too-common structure, I couldn’t help but have one question.

– What on earth is the goddess doing? That was the question.

In the original novel, it was expressed that a hero is a being ‘created by the goddess’.

It was said to be an ‘ideal being’ created by distorting the rules of the world solely to defeat the Demon King.

‘Therefore, the hero was described as a righteous and strong being… in short, like the sun of the world.’

Unlike that expression, Rumi’s existence was far from being the sun, more like a rat in a dark sewer.

She had no self-esteem at all, was gloomy from not receiving even a shred of affection.

Moreover, she only possessed ambiguous talents that were questionable for a hero.

‘That’s why I never thought this kid was the hero, even though she’s the protagonist of the novel.’

Of course, I might have missed countless hints…

Even considering this, Rumi’s existence felt somewhat out of place to be called a hero.

‘That’s why I couldn’t help but have one question.’

For four days, I wondered what the goddess who created the hero had been doing.

‘Even in a story where the protagonist is a rolling hero, at some point, a supporting character who helps the hero usually appears.’

If there’s no helper, Rumi’s individual abilities should at least be outstanding.

The only helper is Espin… and even then, Espin only helps conditionally.

As for abilities, although she ranked first at the Academy, she only possessed abilities that were woefully inadequate to deal with the Heaven God Cult and other characters.

‘Of course, there’s room for growth.’

But that’s only if the situation allows for growth.

Due to the rooftop assault incident by Ariel that appears in the early part of the original novel.

She suffered a major injury and spent the early to mid-part of the story in pain, unable to grow or even properly follow her schedule.

‘At first, I thought the goddess might have abandoned this world.’

But if she was going to abandon it from the start, she wouldn’t have created a hero in the first place, so I figured that wasn’t the case.

So I’ve long wondered why things have come to this situation.

Now, I’ve finally found the answer to that question.

“……”

As soon as the door opens, an immense divine power envelops the surroundings, swirling like the wind.

I let out a hollow laugh as I saw the man sleeping peacefully before my eyes…

Or to be more precise, ‘myself’.

‘Ha, shit.’

I don’t know what kind of joke this is.

My real-world self was sleeping there in this world.

‘What kind of joke is this?’

I couldn’t understand why I was here, and as I tried to reach out my hand.

Luna startled and urgently said to me.

[Master, it’s dangerous to touch it, so you mustn’t!]

“What…?”

Wondering what she meant, I looked at Luna, and she blinked and said to me.

[… The power contained in it is too strong! Many times stronger than you, Master.]

I had already expected that there would be beings more powerful than me.

But I never thought it would be me, and I frowned deeply at the thought.

‘What on earth is going on here?’

No matter how much I think about it, I can’t find an answer, and my mind becomes more tangled like a knotted thread.

As I was leaning against the wall, pressing my forehead due to the oncoming headache.

Luna taps my clothes and continues speaking.

[Wouldn’t you be able to figure it out roughly by looking at the scroll you brought earlier?]

… Come to think of it, that was there.

I slowly nodded at those words and picked up the scroll I had received earlier.

‘I’m not sure if the reason will be written here.’

Thinking it would be good to check it out first, I unrolled it and saw content that couldn’t be simply laughed off.

[Sacrifice the fake Rumi to complete the real one.]

… Fake?

A fake is a false item made to imitate the genuine article.

I was momentarily speechless at those words, and a thought occurred to me.

The suspicion that Rumi’s collapse into such suffering might have been intentional on the part of the goddess.

‘Does that mean they deliberately sacrificed Rumi to protect the real hero?’

Otherwise, there’s no way such a sentence would be written.

With that conclusion, I blankly stared at the reality of myself lying in front of me.

My hair had turned completely white as if weathered by time, and my body was so covered in wounds that there wasn’t a single intact part.

So many parts had changed.

It felt strange, as if they had brought a future version of me rather than my current self, but it was undeniable that this was me.

‘… What on earth is this?’

Everything was full of questions, making my mind complicated.

But I couldn’t just keep holding my head, so I decided to organize the current situation first.

‘From the context, it seems the real hero refers to me.’

Even if that’s the case, why leave my hero’s body there and

possess ‘Deren’s’ body?

‘If they can send the physical body, wouldn’t it be unnecessary to possess someone?’

Then why go through the trouble of possessing Deren’s body?

Unfortunately, there was no information about this part, so just as I was about to roll up the scroll to check for other information,

I discovered a strange flow of mana at the edge of the scroll.

‘Is something hidden there?’

Wondering, I tried scratching that part with my fingernail.

A piece of paper slips down and touches the top of my foot.

Curious, I examine it and find information that could answer the questions I had earlier.

*-*

[1st Attempt – Failed]

Reason: Death

* Regression Cost – Memory and body, and possession by the most hated subject.

[2nd Attempt – In Progress]

*-*

‘2nd attempt?’

At those words, I silently looked at my current physical body lying down, then tightly closed my eyes.

If what’s written on this paper is true, then I.

It seems I had already failed, and instead of turning everything back, I had lost many things.

‘… Don’t tell me. Was this the reason for my exceptional magical talent from the beginning?’

Thinking that the things I had accomplished in the first attempt might have been inherited, allowing me to progress so easily, I turned my gaze.

‘I have no idea where to even begin sorting this out.’

As I quickly felt an oncoming headache, I leaned back against the wall again.

Luna shakes me urgently and says.

[Someone’s coming this way!]

Since we’ve completely taken care of the Heaven God Cult, it must be Ember who’s coming.

Thinking this might actually be good, I dusted myself off and stood up.

‘I’ll just have to confirm.’

I’m not sure how much knowledge Ember has, but.

Deciding to extract every bit of information possible, I called out to Ember who was coming inside.

“Ember.”

At that single word, Ember trembled in surprise.

Then, with an unsettled expression, she looked back and forth between me and my physical body before speaking in a hurried voice.

“Ah, no, that’s, this is…”

Judging by her flustered state, it seems she knew something about this to some extent.

‘But considering how she spoke when I first came here, asking why I had come…’

It appears she didn’t know about my possession of Deren.

Thinking that she probably had scattered bits of information, I spoke to Ember.

“Spit out everything you know. If you don’t…”

I manifested magic in one hand as I delivered my ultimatum.

“I’ll destroy not only you but also the entire Illusion Library.”

Ember trembled uncontrollably, perhaps because her savior had suddenly turned into an invader.

I urged the shaking Ember.

“Speak now.”

At that commanding word, Ember hiccupped and then slowly opened her mouth.

“Th-this place… is where the real hero is sleeping. It’s a place created to complete the hero…”

“To complete?”

“… Yes. The goal is to refine the information and experiences sold by guests and insert them into the real hero.”

So that’s why they were collecting information and experiences.

I looked at the sleeping ‘me’ for a moment, pondering, then pointed and asked.

“Is this guy alive?”

In response to that question, Ember trembled like an aspen tree again and said to me.

“I-I’m not sure. The body seems to be alive, but without a soul… it’s hard to say if it’s really alive.”

Hearing that, I silently stared at my body for a while, then let out a long sigh and thought.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

I can’t even begin to grasp how this situation works.

I sat down in a chair, wondering if I would be able to return to my original body when I defeat the Demon King, or if I could even return to Earth.

After contemplating for a while, I spoke to Ember again.

“Why did the real hero fail in the first cycle?”

Ember hesitated at that question, then slowly opened her mouth.