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 On the battlefield where flames were soaring, a man collapsed to the ground and curled up.

-Thud!

His chest was pierced by an unknown weapon, and his lips twitched, yet he couldn't utter a word of the deep remorse in his heart.

‘I figured my life would be full of regrets...’

Born as the bastard of a ducal family, I left them after being unable to endure their relentless persecution.

Until then, I had foolishly thought I was the most unfortunate person alive.

When I encountered the harsh realities of life, I realized I was a fool who had recklessly squandered my greatest fortunes.

Even being a child of a concubine was preferable to the conditions awaiting me outside.

I now comprehended that my lack of rights and privileges was insignificant in comparison.

Everywhere, people were dying of starvation, and, in their desperation, many traded their own babies to neighboring households in an exchange of human flesh. This abhorrent practice was the last vestige of their moral conscience fading into oblivion.

Such was the wretchedness of this cursed world.

‘For the last time...’

But as death approached, only one regret resounded in my head.

Gurgle, gurgle!

“Cough!”

The blood flowing like a waterfall from my open chest left me with no energy to think. With my eyes closing a final time, I gazed at the enemies rushing toward the Empire.

Unidentified beings. I couldn't tell if they were monsters, the traitors to God called demons or demon worshippers.

Yet humanity was helpless against their onslaught.

-Clench!

I focused my half-closed eyes on the one standing alone at the end of their ranks, determined to confirm their identity.

If there was only one thing I wanted to know before I died, it was why they attacked us. That one thing.

'I don't want to... regret... anymore.'

Resolving to learn my enemy's identity, I fixed my gaze upon them as death drew closer. I looked, and looked, and kept looking.

To know my enemy's identity...

To know… my enemy's… identity.

To… know… my… enemy…

To…

I had no idea what was going through my mind.

But just before I lost consciousness, I mustered up the last of my strength, something I didn't even know I had left.

In a final outburst, I instinctively shouted.

"No matter what! I will kill all of you!”

No one would hear my last cry in this place where the sound of slaughter consumed all.

But for some reason, I thought he smirked.

'I didn't know… until the end...'

He held nothing but mockery for my desperate cry.

‘Is this regret…?’

No matter how much I struggled, this frustration wouldn't disappear.

I closed my eyes completely, holding onto my last remaining regret.

<....>

Someone watching the war from a place that didn't exist in the world slowly opened their mouth to speak.

-Ring!

<The King of Heroes is delighted to say that someone with the talent of a hero has finally appeared>

<The King of Heroes is depressed, saying it is too late.>

<The King of Heroes grunts and ponders what to do.>

<The King of Heroes looks around and says it wouldn't hurt to give this planet another chance. They pat themselves on the back for having a good idea.>

-Ring!

【Time is going backward.】

***

“Aaaaaaaaagh!”

As soon as I got up, I grabbed my chest.

“Pant… Pant...”

It was only for a moment that I was relieved the cold fluid covering me was just sweat.

My last memory was so vivid that I couldn't think properly.

"Dream? It was a dream, right?"

I wanted to think of it as a dream; I didn't want to feel that despair. 

I no longer wanted to experience my frustrating limitations, the fear of death, and the despair of having to live on. 

But I couldn't just brush it off as a dream. 

The reality in front of me made it clear that this wasn't a dream – the reality now revealed before my eyes told me this place was the last place I wanted to be. 

-Click.

As I screamed, a middle-aged man in neat black attire opened the door and entered the room.

He looked at me with no emotion in his eyes and said.

“Is there something wrong?”

“…Tessrun?”

"Yes. What happened?”

“…Nothing. I think I had a nightmare.”

Tessrun looked at me as if I was pathetic and said.

“It will be mealtime soon, so please get up.”

With that being said, Tessrun went out the door without another word.

As I grew used to the emptiness in the room, my thoughts gradually found their place.

"Did I… return to the past?”

The dream was too vivid to be dismissed as nonsense or an absurd fabrication.

It was clear that it was real.

I remembered all the sadness, pain, and despair so vividly that it couldn't have been a lie.

<The King of Heroes, ahem! They clear their throat and say this is all by their grace.>

“…!”

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed in my head.

I hurriedly looked around the room, pulling back the blanket.

“W-Who’s there?”

<The King of Heroes says it's the King of Heroes and tilts their head as they look at the Chosen One.>

“…Yes?"

<The King of Heroes proclaims that they have selected you as a hero and to remain composed.>

“…Me?”

Even with my confusion, I snorted at the absurdity of it.

A hero?

It was the word that least suited me.

I wasn't that great, and I wasn't dedicated to saving others.

Should I say that… it was the future me who didn’t fit in?

I'd been struggling just to survive, to hold on even for another day.

My life had been lived only for survival, which I saw as natural for all living things.

I regretted it, but... I couldn't change it.

<The King of Heroes tells you not to doubt your qualities as a hero.>

<When the King of Heroes looks back on your life... They say you’ve lived the life of a hero at least twice.>

“Not really. But, could you tell me what happened?”

I realized the dream was real, and where I was now was also real.

'I returned to the past.'

For some reason, I was back here.

“You said King of Heroes… right? Are you the one who brought me back to the past?”

<The King of Heroes nods yes.>

“Why?”

<The King of Heroes looks at the chosen one with a pout and says that they only saved the hero for him to save this planet.>

<The King of Heroes looks at the chosen one with a slightly fearful gaze, asking what he is dissatisfied with.>

“I’m dissatisfied about… a lot.”

The fear of repeating this life all over again gripped me.

The King of Heroes spoke again.

<The King of Heroes asks if it is because of the fear you will live the same life all over again.>

“…How did you know?”

<The King of Heroes themselves made a choice, so they say they can hear the chosen one's heart.> 

<The King of Heroes looks at the chosen one with bright eyes and says that they can change the present because they have seen the future.>

“I can change it, huh…?”

I said with a bitter smile.

“It’s impossible for someone without talent to change the world.”

I was just a human being.

Just an ordinary person, not even one with a great physique or the capability to use mana.

The difference between me and others was that noble blood ran through me. Or at least half of me.

I was, and always would be, a human who lived begrudgingly.

<The King of Heroes is dumbfounded, asking why only geniuses should change the world.>

“…What?"

If not them, who the hell would change things?

<The King of Heroes says that madmen change the world, for better or for worse.>

“…What?"

<The King of Heroes tells you to go crazy and not to mind that other stuff. You can go crazy about one thing, you can go crazy with the world, or you can do it within your mind… but they say that you’re the main character in your life anyway and that you should go crazy since you’re already living it.>

The history of the world could change from a single madman.

It was the first time I had heard it, but it reminded me of something.

“…Come to think of it, that's not wrong.”

When a monarch goes mad, blood is shed, and when someone goes crazy with magic, their level rises.

If someone goes crazy about swordsmanship, they become a swordsman; if someone goes crazy about academics, they become a scholar.

Because you're crazy about something, the world changes.

Because you are crazy about something, you change yourself.

<The King of Heroes smiles broadly and says the chosen one seems to have regained their energy.>

“But I’m… different from others.”

<The King of Heroes tilts their head, asking what is different.>

“It’s because I have a Mana Rejecting Body.”

A body that couldn't learn how to use mana. 

I was the third son of three sons and two daughters in a ducal family. If I had talent, even a bastard could stand out, but I had no talent for magic, no skill with swords, nor aptitude for academics. 

And I wasn't even physically strong; I was just ordinary. 

I didn't have anything special, so my family treated me as if I didn't exist. 

No, did the people I called family even know I existed...?

<The King of Heroes is telling you not to be an idiot who gives up on your dreams for things like mana.>

<The King of Heroes rubs their hair, grinning that they wanted to grow taller, but realistically it was impossible.>

<The King of Heroes, however, declares they grew by 0.5cm after hard work and perseverance.>

“…”

<The King of Heroes says that growing taller is harder than not having mana.>

"Hahahaha… Hahahahahahahaha!”

<The King of Heroes tilts their head, asking why you’re suddenly laughing.>

The laugh just came out, but I laughed at the King of Heroes, comparing my despair to his height.

At that moment, it seemed all my worries were light.

"Haha...”

After laughing for a long while, I climbed out of bed.

"Indeed… I don't want to see this world end either.”

Even in a world consumed by despair and fear, happiness existed.

I wanted to enjoy the happiness I saw and felt then, no, a little more than I had.

“I won’t give up. So where do I start?”

<The King of Heroes pounds their little chest, telling you to leave it to them.>

-Ring!

『The King of Heroes' gift has arrived.』

'Gift?'

<The King of Heroes says that it is an information window.>

“…Information window?”

-Ring!

【Hero Draw】

【Card: 1】

“What is this?”

<The King of Heroes says it's the gift they sent.>

<The King of Heroes says they have information about the souls of dead heroes.>

<The King of Heroes says that those heroes' strengths can be sent to the chosen one in this way.>

<The King of Heroes says your body is still too weak and that they cannot pass on all of their powers because you have returned to the past after using their power.>

<The King of Heroes says the hero's path must be made yourself. They insist it's better to build your own path by referencing the heroes rather than using all of their powers.>

“Hmm… Then how do I use it?”

<The King of Heroes tells you to think of it as a card, simply put.>

<The King of Heroes says that if you press that card, you will know how it works.>

I checked the clock hanging in the room.

'It's still far from mealtime.'

If I remembered right, I had a little while left.

I lifted a bony finger to the card.

-Ring!

[You have won the F-Grade hero <Hero of Nagusil Village>.]

At the same time, I suffered from a throbbing headache.

“Ughhhh!”

With the pain of being stabbed in the head with a dozen needles.

-Ring!

[Going into the memory.]

I fainted.

***

#(When I opened my eyes, I saw a small village.

[Here is…]

<The King of Heroes says it’s the memory of a hero.>

It was just a small village.

At the entrance, there was Nagusil written on a sign.

[…Wait a minute. I’ve never seen those letters before.]

I wandered around many places after running from my family, but I had never seen or heard of such a language.

However, even though it was my first time seeing them, I could read them without difficulty.

<The King of Heroes says this is a memory of a hero who appeared in a small village on another planet.>

When I raised my head at his words, I noticed a small boy holding a dainty dagger and staring at something.

"Don’t get any closer! This is my village!”

I knew it instinctively: that boy was the hero of this town.

-Kyeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

In front of the boy was a tiny monster.

[It's a baby Goblin.]

It was much weaker than a Goblin, so even a child could easily hunt it.

[It seems he came to this village because of the scent of food.]

Judging by his skinny belly, the baby Goblin must be starving.

Having hunted Goblins a few times, I knew that even if it was just a baby, he had to be slain.

The problem with Goblins was their fertility.

If you just threatened them and drove their group away, the Goblin's descendants would attack that village in the future.

Conversely, if you fed them, they would think the village had plenty of food and attack.

"I! The warrior Giggs! Will punish you! Die!”

The boy attacked the baby Goblin with a small dagger.

I could tell at a glance he had no special abilities or physical talent.

He grabbed the Goblin's head and began hacking at it with his dagger.

The word madness fit better than calling it courage.

-Kyeeeeeeeeeek!

Pow! Pow!

Soon after, the Goblin's body dropped with a spout of blood.

At the end of that scene, my vision started to become hazy again.)#

***

-Ring!

[Returning from the memory of <The Hero of Nagusil Village>.]

[Giggs, the little hero of Nagusil Village, was engrossed in reading a heroic novel and was play-hunting small monsters approaching the village.]

[Giggs saw a hungry baby Goblin.]

[Giggs didn't hesitate and hacked the Goblin to pieces.]

[The baby Goblin had the qualities of a Goblin King who would later claim countless lives.]

[Giggs saved 14,123,879 people from future death.]

-Ring!

[The skill [Courage of a Child] has been acquired.]

“…What?"

I was speechless.