NOVEL WEB Chapter 2: Ch: 02
In the end, after screaming my heart out about how unfair everything was, I rode my bike home with the wind whipping against my face. I ate dinner with my family, but honestly, I think I was just going through the motions. Thank God it was Friday. There was no way I could face school in this state. To be completely honest, nothing about my future had been resolved whatsoever. I need to start thinking seriously about what comes next, or I might find myself with a death flag sprouting up out of nowhere.
The reason my mind suddenly cleared up was probably because of my memories from my previous life. The moment I realized this world was the world of "High School D×D," I also clearly remembered my past life. However, it seems like I've just inherited the knowledge and memories from before—my actual personality hasn't changed. I'm still the same seven-year-old who loves manga and games and enjoys playing outside. Well, my understanding and sensibilities seem to have been heavily influenced, so I'll just assume they've somehow fused together. At least, I think I'm still fundamentally me.
I don't know what triggered these memories of my past life, but I'm grateful for them this time. Otherwise, I would have gone on living carelessly without knowing I possessed a sacred gear. Of course, if I could have lived my entire life without ever getting involved with sacred gears, then it would have been better if I'd never recovered those memories. But that possibility seems pretty slim. In that case, it's better to have the knowledge.
"But still... what exactly should I do now?"
I brush off my father, who was trying to take a bath with me, saying, "I'm going through puberty," and enjoy a bath alone while muttering to myself. My sister is hogging my room, and this was the only place where I could be alone for a while. Also, I'll pretend I didn't see the shocked expression on my father's face. The word "puberty" is so wonderfully convenient.
"So does that make me the typical reincarnated protagonist? The one with knowledge of the original work? But what exactly does a reincarnated protagonist do?"
I try to imagine the actions of protagonists who were reincarnated into the world of "High School D×D," but mostly they were just fighting. I know the original work revolves around battles and fanservice, but isn't there any peaceful fanfiction where the reincarnated protagonist just lives a quiet life? ...I get it, writing about a reincarnated protagonist in a slice-of-life setting is way less satisfying than having them fight and be awesome. That's the kind of stuff I've been reading all along. Still, I can't help but sigh.
Deep down, I do have that desire. I have a sacred gear, after all. It would be amazing to defeat enemies with style. There are plenty of cute girls around, and I could appear before them like a hero and save them. Maybe one of them might even fall for me. It would be so wonderful if she became my girlfriend.
But would I actually be willing to risk my life for that?
"Probably not. It's pathetic, and it might be the opportunity of a lifetime, but... I don't think I can do it."
Knowing the original story, I might be able to save the people crying out for help. But is that something I should do, even if it means giving up everything I have now? A loving family, a society that protects me, peaceful and joyful days. Sure, it might just be temporary peace. But I don't want to destroy that peace with my own hands, knowing that once it's broken, it can never be restored.
Above all, I don't even know if I can protect my own life. It's cold, but I don't have the luxury of worrying about others. Moving to help someone I don't even know, when I don't know where they are or when I'll encounter them, that's suicide in this world. It's like hyperinflation of danger. No matter what I do, I need to secure solid footing first.
"So the first thing I should do is gather information."
The first thing that reassured me was that I wasn't in Kuoh Town. This alone allows me to avoid many of the crises from the original story. Yeah, the death flags for Kuoh Town residents are way too obvious. They're all concentrated in one place.
Does Kuoh Town even exist? Does Kuoh Academy exist? And it's also crucial to know when in the original timeline this is happening. The enemies change drastically depending on whether it's before or after the three major factions formed their peace agreement. In fanfiction, the protagonist is often born around the same age as the original characters, but I wonder how that works here. Ideally, I'd prefer this to be set decades after the original story has already ended. It would be nice if the world were a little kinder to background characters.
I'm seven years old, so I can't survive without my parents' protection. I have no money and can't live independently. In other words, I absolutely cannot let any of the factions know that I possess a sacred gear. I don't want to be killed or kidnapped. But I can't run away either. If my family is taken hostage, there's nothing I can do.
When investigating, I'll be extremely cautious. Even if Kuoh Town really exists, I won't go anywhere near it. Since there are definitely devils there, if they sense my sacred gear's aura, it's game over. As for the other characters from the original story, I won't go looking for them either. They're all way too eccentric. Besides, there's no one I could casually meet anyway, so this is probably just me overthinking things.
"Now, what should I do about the sacred gear?"
Should I follow the typical reincarnated protagonist route and go on a training journey? Like running while carrying a rock on my back? My sacred gear isn't like Asia's or Gasper's, supportive or special-purpose types. It's probably an attack-type gear. So physical training might be necessary.
But realistically, how do I train? I could take karate or judo lessons to build my body, but that's probably not the same thing. I doubt I'll find someone who can teach me practical combat techniques that easily. Training on my own is even more impossible. I don't even know the basics of martial arts.
If this were a world where background characters still had it easy, training wouldn't need to be so intense. Unfortunately, this is a brutal world for mob characters. A stray devil might show up yelling, "I'm hungry!" A fallen angel might appear shouting, "Sacred gear! Purification!" I know the church is a joke, and the way they treat gear users, conducting human experiments and dealing with fanatics, is terrifying. If I get kidnapped by some terrorist organization, they might abduct me for their "human resources," and I could end up mentally broken.
If I escape into denial and end up regretting it later, it'll be a complete disaster. Therefore, I need to train enough to master my sacred gear. Since having physical strength won't hurt, I'll start with running and basic conditioning.
Still, I wonder what my sacred gear is actually like. I'm a siscon, but since it supposedly has the same power as that Demon Lord called the "Transcendent," should I think it's strong? Or will it end up in an awkward position like the Switch Princess, where people say, "Hmm, besides her oppai, what else does she do?" No wait, she was amazing too, especially with her finishing move. Why do I only remember that part? Anyway, my sacred gear is probably inferior. I've never even heard its name before.
For now, I should learn more about my sacred gear. With that in mind, I got out of the bath, glanced at my father sitting in the living room, and climbed into bed. Maybe I'd been overthinking things, or maybe I was just overheated, but my consciousness quickly sank into darkness.
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"In conclusion, isn't this way less useful than the Gremory siblings' power?"
I'm still inexperienced, but I couldn't help letting out a sigh. Looking back, unlike the Demon King who could manipulate the very essence of destruction and overwhelm his enemies, my power of annihilation can only be activated through this spear in my hand. Only what I pierce with the spear can be annihilated. Unlike those two, who can throw the power of destruction, change its form, or cover their entire bodies with it, I can only annihilate in points or lines. Their ability to annihilate entire areas is their real strength.
The power of annihilation is powerful, I know that. But knowing there's someone who's basically a superior version of me makes me feel pretty down. In terms of attack power, they're clearly superior.
"Plus, it doesn't seem like I can annihilate just anything. So far, I can only annihilate something if I focus my consciousness on it, and I can only annihilate one thing at a time. ...Though being able to avoid annihilating everything is a useful safety measure."
On Saturday, I told my parents I was going to the park with friends, and since I'd be eating lunch there, I asked them to make me some rice balls. I rode my bike and kept going down the mountain road. Training with the sacred gear absolutely cannot be seen by anyone. Even the plaza where I first manifested the gear yesterday wasn't completely deserted. That's why I headed to a place where there were no people and plenty of natural objects to test the power of annihilation on.
This small mountain, located away from the residential area and preserved under local environmental protection policies, is rarely visited by anyone except the workers who occasionally come to harvest timber. The terrain is rough, and it's considered dangerous for children, so even adults don't go there. It was the perfect place for training. The abundance of natural obstacles was also perfect for my practice.
Manifesting the sacred gear was easier than yesterday. As the Switch Princess had said, once it's been manifested, it can be activated at will. At first, I touched the tip of the spear I was holding to a small stone on the ground, but nothing happened, which surprised me. However, when I said, "Disappear," and stabbed it, it vanished with a soft "whoosh" sound. Next, I realized that it would disappear if I just thought the command mentally without speaking aloud.
Gradually changing the size of the stones, when they were about the size of my palm, only the part where the spear tip touched disappeared, not the entire stone. When I concentrated and thought, "Disappear completely!" I managed to make the whole stone vanish, but immediately afterward, I felt utterly exhausted, as if I'd sprinted at full speed. Through this gradual exploration of my abilities, I came to understand why I'd initially thought it was inconvenient to use.
"In the morning, I could only make stones disappear while gasping for breath, but by noon, I could do it with just mild fatigue. So this annihilation changes based on my level, meaning the strength of what I can eliminate depends on my own power."
It seems that using this spear won't make it easy to eliminate any powerful enemy. If I'm weak, I can only eliminate weak enemies. Even if a strong enemy appears, I can't just stab them once and be done with it. Still, when it comes to point attacks, the power of annihilation seems to work quite effectively.
"This onigiri is delicious. Mm, mm. ...Well, what should I do this afternoon?"
I ate the lunch my mother made and drank tea from my water bottle. I've gained some understanding of this spear's abilities. As for the power of annihilation, I'll just have to keep practicing continuously. For now, my goal is to be able to make something the size of my palm disappear without getting tired.
"The power of annihilation... I wonder if there's anything else I can use it for..."
To be honest, this spear is still far beyond my ability to use in actual combat. Just eliminating an inanimate object like a stone leaves me exhausted. I haven't tried it on living creatures yet, but I can already tell that my current strength isn't nearly enough. When I try to eliminate something with the spear tip, I can sense a difference—some things I can eliminate, others I can't. But if I keep going like this, I don't think I'll be able to survive in this world. Honestly, I'm on the verge of tears.
If I could just train and get stronger, that might be okay. But if enemies appear while I'm still training, I'm screwed. Even if I train for several years, I honestly don't think I stand a chance against those inhuman monsters.
"The scariest thing is the aura emitted by sacred gears. The Boosted Gear was a God-class weapon, so maybe that's why it could sense even a sacred gear that hadn't manifested yet. If that's the case, there's a possibility that I could be detected by any awakened sacred gear user. Whether it's a devil, a fallen angel, an angel, or a terrorist organization, there are still plenty of powerful factions out there, and if I were discovered by any of them..."
They might ignore me, they might not kill me, they might even accept me as an ally. But clinging to such optimistic possibilities is impossible. If they were reasonable opponents like the Fallen Angel Governor, the Demon Lords, or Michael, that would be one thing, but they're all far beyond my reach. Above all, the low-ranking members are the most terrifying. Not just other races, but I'm pretty sure there were also humans who opposed sacred gear users.
The more I think about it, the deeper I feel myself sinking. There's no one safe around here.
"...Maybe I'm just being overly paranoid."
I let out a sigh that even I thought was too loud and leaned against the tree behind me. Hey, maybe I should just try to enjoy myself more. I have memories of my past life, I know about this world, so maybe I shouldn't just keep thinking about dying all the time.
It's okay to think more positively. There's always the possibility that nothing will happen. It's okay to have a little hope that I might meet a cute girl.
"I know, but... At least I need some peace of mind. I don't want to cause trouble for my family. Is there any way to hide or erase the aura of the sacred gear... Erase it?"
I raised my head with sudden determination. I don't know if I can do it. Even the Gremory siblings wouldn't attempt something so reckless. There's no guarantee that I can pull it off. But what if... what if the things I can eliminate aren't limited to just objects?
"I'm sure this spear can choose what to eliminate. If I choose to eliminate the sacred gear's aura, then maybe..."
I know it's impossible to eliminate the sacred gear itself. But maybe I can temporarily eliminate the sacred gear's aura that surrounds me. As if responding to my thoughts, a voice like confirmation suddenly echoed in my head, and I felt like I could actually do it.
"Alright, disappear! My sacred gear's aura! Crimson Destructor Spear, activate!!"
It hurts!! Blood is coming out like crazy!!?
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"So if the effect only affects myself, touching any part of the spear is enough. I see, I see. This really hurts though..."
I realized that stabbing the back of my hand had some effect, but the effect only lasted while I was stabbing myself. However, continuing to stab myself with the spear would actually kill me—I'd bleed to death. As I was thinking that, I realized the effect only worked when I focused my mind on elimination while touching the spear. In other words, it was a wasted effort. This was a valuable lesson in the importance of staying calm and handling things more carefully.
By the way, the next challenge was the spear's size. In the afternoon, I spent time trying to figure out if I could change the spear's size. I kept manifesting it and training to make it smaller. Thanks to that, I was able to shrink the spear, which was originally much taller than me, to a size that could fit in my pocket. Honestly, it was pretty inconvenient to use at my height anyway. This is the result of my relentless determination.
"To be honest, I thought it was just a weakened version of the Power of Destruction, but if used properly, it might be useful for various things. If 'annihilation' works on things other than living beings, it could be used to ensure safety depending on how it's applied."
I couldn't help but smile—I mean, how could I not? I never expected this sacred gear, which I thought was only good for attacking, to have such an unexpected application. As expected of something created by God, it's amazing. For the first time, I felt a little grateful to the gods. After all, it might have been God who gave me this sacred gear in the first place.
"Hey, Sota. We're going to the hospital tomorrow to have them look at your injury, so go to bed early. I'm glad it wasn't serious, but your mother nearly cried when she saw your wound."
"Hey, sis. I just tripped and scratched myself. You don't have to make such a big deal out of it."
"Then don't get hurt in the first place! Next time, watch where you're going and be more careful. Maybe I should start playing with you from now on..."
"You have your own friends to hang out with. Boys' games are rough and dangerous. Don't worry, I'll be more careful next time."
I swear I'll never act so recklessly again. More importantly, I'll be careful not to get hurt. I don't want to worry my family, and I don't want to get scolded. If my activities get restricted, I won't be able to train.
For now, I was able to make decisions about the sacred gear and my future plans for today. Thanks to being able to control the sacred gear's aura, I feel like I've gained some peace of mind. Tomorrow morning will be spent at the hospital, and my parents will be watching me closely, so I'll spend the afternoon researching this world.
I still don't know what I want to accomplish in this world. I know I'm cowardly and pathetic, but I still want to live my life to the fullest here. My memories of my previous life are vague, and I don't know exactly how I died. Still, I feel like there's a powerful desire within me to not die again.
Since I don't have a clear goal right now, I think I'll just do my best to avoid dying. It's only been two days since I regained my memories. It's only been two days since I started dealing with the sacred gear. I'll take it slow and move forward little by little.
"Well, I'm going to bed now. Good night, sis."
"...Okay, good night, Sota."
It's usually still early enough that I'd be awake, but maybe because I'd been training non-stop, my eyelids quickly grew heavy. The lights went out in the room. In my drowsy state, I gently touched the sacred gear in my pajama pocket. To me, the sacred gear was both a source of trouble and my only lifeline. It was also what had taught me about this world. Since it couldn't be taken away from me anyway, we were in this together. If the sacred gear were taken from me, I would die.
"So please take care of me, partner."
I gripped the sacred gear tightly through my pocket once, then immediately fell asleep.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"
And then, as I rolled over in my sleep, the small sacred gear accidentally pierced my butt, forcing me awake. Thus began my third morning. By the way, my older sister, who was sleeping on the top bunk, gave me a thorough scolding afterward. Maybe I really am just a walking disaster. Feeling depressed from the lecture and the pain in my rear, I slumped my shoulders in defeat.