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Chapter 1: The Awakening of the Hero

Hero.

A being standing at the opposite end of the Demon King, protecting the world and humanity.

I became such a hero.

To be more precise, I was forcibly summoned and awakened as a hero. Something about my compatibility being high, they said?

The grandeur and nobility that come from the title of ‘hero’ gives an unparalleled pride, different from any fiction.

The problem is, during the awakening process, I was forced to become a woman.

According to the goddess, since a hero is a divine incarnation meant to protect humanity, I had no choice but to merge with the goddess’s form who bestowed her blessing.

They said I can’t go back to being a man, and looking back now, I can’t tell if that makes any sense at all.

Now it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but back then, I was plagued by anxiety, fearing I might turn into a mere female, which led to insomnia and endless suffering.

But they say humans are adaptable creatures, right?

Or perhaps I just had an exceptionally strong desire to live.

Before I knew it, I found myself focused solely on smashing the heads of demons, hardly bothering with this bodily issue.

Thrown into a hell where my life could be crushed like a fly, I realized that such worries were a luxury.

The reason I endured in this hell until now was singular.

Simply to return safely.

Of course, I witnessed a lot of things I wish I hadn’t. Why?

Because unlike the usual fantasy novel demons, they were the kind of wicked beings you’d find in ancient religious texts.

At any rate, after awakening as a hero and engaging in bloody combat with demons, I lost track of time, and when the feeling of emptiness settled in…

I was finally able to put an end to this long journey.

“Finally, it’s over.”

With the holy sword planted in the ground, my feelings upon witnessing the great upheaval before me were starkly simple.

As the Demon King vanished, the other demons naturally dissolved as well.

The hellish scenery, which twisted and exhausted my mind, began to collapse slowly along with the world.

“Sweet experience points!”

The experience point count shot up rapidly in my status window.

It seemed like the naturally disappearing demons were being converted to my experience points.

I doubted whether it even mattered now that everything was done, but hey, just like in games, you get experience and money from defeating the final boss.

So I decided to think of it that way.

I had killed the Demon King and saved the world and humanity.

At that moment, a blinding light wrapped around my body, and my vision flickered.

“…!”

How much time had passed?

When I opened my eyes…

“I was waiting for you.”

Wide-open space, adorned with clusters of stars in the Milky Way, came into view.

It was clearly the space where I first set foot in this world, etched in my memory.

The goddess smiled at me and said, “Hero, I pay my respects to your great deeds. Honestly… I didn’t have high expectations.”

“True that.”

I couldn’t shake the anxiety that maybe the Demon King would jump back out while I thought this could be some prank? My right hand clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

But the sensations in my grasp told me that this moment was indeed reality.

“Actually, I want to reward you and let you vent about your hardships, but time isn’t on our side.”

I nodded at the goddess’s words.

A hero summoned with excessive resources to stop the demons.

Not only did I awaken at the highest point ever recorded, but I also defeated tens of billions of demons, gaining all that experience, to the point of surpassing my limits.

I guess I was now the only risk factor in this world. Depending on my mindset, I could easily become the new Demon King, or evil itself.

So the goddess preemptively informed me.

If I stopped the Demon King, I’d have to return quickly…

Of course, I also agreed to that.

“Then, let’s start the settlement immediately as time is scarce.”

The goddess spread out a scroll.

“The only item you can take back to Earth is your Hero’s Equipment. The awakened equipment is bound to the hero’s soul and cannot be separated. The rest of the consumables and magic equipment will be automatically disposed of.”

After tapping at the buttons repeatedly, the goddess finally finished calculating, wearing a relieved expression.

“The disposed equipment will be converted to Earth’s currency. It may not perfectly reflect the current exchange rate, but you should live quite comfortably. This is a small reward for you, Hero, for saving the world through harsh trials.”

With a cheerful gesture, the goddess displayed the final amount calculated.

The amount caught my eye was an enormous sum I could only have dreamed of obtaining before I crossed into this world.

How much exactly? It seemed to be even more than the wealth amassed by someone who invested early in cryptocurrency and hit the jackpot.

By the goddess’s words, there was little difference in monetary value even now.

“Unfortunately, it’s impossible for you to return to the time when you were summoned. The flow of time is beyond even my abilities, and I sincerely apologize.”

I brushed off the goddess’s apology without care.

There’s no one waiting for me back in the modern world anyway.

“I tried my best to adjust, but the timeline on Earth has progressed roughly 13 years since you were summoned to this world. Instead, I will ensure you have proper identification, residency, and basic living necessities at the highest level. You shouldn’t have any issues settling back.”

Seeing the goddess making an effort to provide maximum consideration, I nodded in silence.

In the web novels and comics I used to read, goddesses were often depicted as incompetent or unreliable.

It’s a given they’d turn on you or drag out remnants of despair-filled stories.

Fortunately, the goddess in front of me, who summoned me, was trying her best to help without shirking responsibility.

In times of crisis, she provided support, and she consistently reflected my requested improvements, definitely playing her role as a solid supporter.

So I had no complaints about her current arrangements.

“Your strength and powers will be sustained on Earth, but the laws of that dimension will not allow the power from another world. Normally, using a hero’s strength would put a strain on the body but…”

The goddess hesitated slightly, continuing while eyeing me carefully.

“Right now, the situation for you as a hero might be, well, slightly different. There has never been such a heroic achievement as yours before. Of course, I trust you know what such power means.”

“Don’t worry.”

Maybe it was because I had just defeated the Demon King. My voice was hoarse and dry as it echoed between my lips.

“What’s worrying you will not come to pass.”

Still smiling brightly, I swore I wouldn’t commit any evil deeds. Not in front of the goddess and my conscience…

For those who fought alongside me and fell with noble sacrifice until now, I won’t inflict harm upon any innocent with this power.

The goddess, with a gentle smile at my firm resolve, abruptly exclaimed as if realizing something important.

“Ah! When you return, there will be some really exciting things waiting for you.”

“Exciting? What do you mean by that?”

Is this some hint about becoming a villain and dragging me into a despair-filled world?

But the goddess seemed far removed from whatever nefarious thoughts that might imply.

She appeared more like a little child hiding something delightful, radiating pure emotion.

“There will be a startling change in your world, Hero. But in a good way, so I’m sure you will find it enjoyable.”

Oh, really? I found her self-satisfied expression rather cute.

In any case, it seemed there would indeed be a significant positive change waiting back on Earth. I’d see for myself when I returned.

Then, with a graceful wave of her hand towards the void, a massive dimensional gate materialized next to me and the goddess.

“Step through that dimensional gate, and you’ll return to Earth.”

After listening to her explanation, I moved towards the dimensional gate.

Leaving behind all the painful memories of this world.

Just as I was about to step into the dimensional gate,

“Hero!”

I heard the goddess’s urgent voice behind me.

Halfway through the gate, I turned to see her sending me off with a demeanor more reverent than ever.

“On behalf of all beings in the world, thank you once again.”

As she slowly bowed, her gratitude felt far more sincere than anything I’d heard before.

“Thank you… for saving this world and the universe.”

I chuckled lightly, sending a friendly wave as I leaped into the dimensional gate.

“May you always be happy…”

Blessed by the goddess’s final words, I returned to Earth, to South Korea.

 

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