We seem to have a blood moon this night. The heavy wind made the atmosphere look even more eerie, the forest could be called "lively" tonight as the only sound that can be heard are the gawking of crows, definitely would fit a horror scene.

I wasn't particularly concerned but it's already late and the old man always told me to not stay beyond the Groyar tree after sunset. I was practicing a few of my spells and so I didn't notice when the might time came.

{Looks like I'm going to get another earful tonight, but it definitely wasn't my fault... He told me to perfect it so it couldn't be helped right? If only he'd understand that.} 

I thought to myself but of course he wouldn't. I need to hurry, at least he may reduce my punishment if I arrive earlier. 

I hurried back to the house, or "cottage" to be exact, for some reason he thought quite highly of the design of the building here, it really sounded dumb to me at first. I didn't really know why but instinctively it looked old fashioned to me.

It was located in the Latent Grove, also known as the abstract great forest and we lived near the center of the the forest, The Avan Tree. That is said to be the dimensional gateway that no one had ever ventured and returned. As I neared the turn that lead to my house,

I saw 3 white horses loitering near our fence, their skin looked completely clean and untainted and they posed with such elegance that would make you think they were once nobles that took the form of horses. In the past years we had lived almost no one had ever come to visit, even if it was that guy I'm sure he didn't have any horses like this.

(Strange, Maybe they're the old man's friends)

As I walked through the gate I noticed there were scorches on the porch and two swords lying on the ground. Those weren't normal swords... They were...

(What was really going on?)

If there were only scorches it would only mean there was an offensive fire spell used or a mistake happened when conjuring one. 

My mind decided to stick to the latter, because I felt it was the only logical solution, Or maybe it's because I didn't want to believe that our peaceful life here was being threatened. To begin with it was already very unlikely and probably impossible for the old man to make a mistake in conjuring a simple fire spell. and if it really was a mistake the entire house would've gone up in flames, I already knew there was no way he could make I mistake but I wasn't prepared to face reality.

And with those swords lying down there, there could only be one conclusion no matter what I thought.

A fight? Slight disagreement maybe..?

Whilst afraid, I took of my shoes and decided to proceed as normal, hoping it was all a lie. I flung my hands in the air waving as I walked through the door grinning as much as my face could carry. He could be nice sometimes if you show you are nice as well I guess.

[I'm back... I'm sor--]

I stopped in my tracks, and my eyes opened so widely I thought they were going to pop out of their sockets. My smile rapidly turned back to its former position. The scene in front of my eyes was probably an illusion, yes, it had to be. Because there was no other explanation. There were three figures who resembled the knights I'd seen in the stories the old man had always shown to me about the outside world, each time he taught me, except this time a little different.

Two of them had a very muscular build and we're dressed in a shining white armour and wearing veils over their heads. Both with swords in their hands and had intense atmosphere, a presence in which I couldn't even hope to understand, they resembled saints, No, they were far more powerful than that title, they felt like heavenly beings. And the one infront of them had a feminine build, she was clad in the same white armour but instead had a bright light that surrounded her face that made it impossible to make out what she really looked like. She was in a different league from the other two and her mere glance almost made me pass out from fear, I couldn't even begin to imagine the extent of her Mana not to even talk of her power. The Aura she released contained incomprehensible power, it was Divine. She held a sword that was also clad in a shining white aura similar to what shone on her face.

{ Is this a god?} 

Those were the only words my mind could process at that moment. On her beautiful white sword there was a red streak that ran around the lower half, and that streak could only realistically in this situation mean, Blood. Human blood. I watched as blood slowly dripped from the top and the sides and I could hear very clearly the sound that was generated when each drop hit the ground. They all turned their attention to me and I glanced at them all one after the other, trying to make out their thoughts and expressions, checking out which one of them the blood belonged to, until it dawned on me that none of them were bleeding. And if it's not them, there was only one other person who was present. 

I looked down at my feet only to see The Old man, Jhio, lying in a pool of blood holding unto his necklace and scrawling in pain, crying out my name very quietly. My heart must have skipped a beat, My entire body shook. Fear. For the very first time in my short 16 year old life I felt genuine fear.

I screamed.

Ok let's back up a bit

Hello, my name is Hyota Hachiman. A 3rd Year Highschool teenager.

I'm not like your typical shut in neet main character at all, I was actually pretty popular with the girls in my day, I dated around 13 girls per year and I'd still be hotcake in the entire school.

I could fill an entire warehouse with the Valentine's day chocolate I get from the girls and don't even get me started on the love letters, 

I'd reject like 10 per week and it didn't really feel good until you see the same girl try their best to gain your attention the next period, I mean c'mon, was there really something wrong with them? Are they alright?

But it doesn't really matter... I was living the complete life. 

Until I wake up every 6am in the morning.

Yes yes, I'm Hyota Hachiman, I'm well built for my age but I still don't get any attention. My days are boring as hell and if you ask most people at school, I've got quite the thing going for me. You see, normally the unpopular guy isn't noticed and is basically oxygen to everyone, but I'm different. After all I'm called "That guy that screamed he was a Virgin during the sports festival last year". A genuine misunderstanding though, But that's not really important right now.

Truthfully speaking, my life sucks. 

By the way, my seat was the 4th row and 4th column counting from left to right, near the ever open window with the wind that casually blows my hair. Classic right? I've got that cool main character seat and I still looked like a side character, My highschool life was already past its peak and I still didn't have a highschool life to speak of. I even grew up in Tokyo, the big city and still had no girlfriend after sixteen years of my life.

Yes how truly sad . 

Sho: Don't make that kind of face Hyo, it'll make others feel so bad for you. Well not like it'd make anything worse or better though.

Ofcourse that ever annoying voice belonged to Sho, one of the only three friends I managed to secure since I started this academy as a first year, which is funny because Sho only transferred at the beginning of our third year.

[Don't make me call the cops on you, you emotional harasser]

Quite frankly, I was too ticked off at my current life situation to engage in stupid conversations. So he was one bullshit away from starting a fight. But ofcourse I'm the cool headed friend. What is he going to do without me to keep a level head in all situations.

Sho: Are you planning on coming to buy the latest Tier Nine comic with me?

The idiot giggled as he asked a question that he probably already knew the answer to. There was no way in hell I'd do that. Ahh and here comes that hideous pleading face he makes when he wants a partner to do Otaku stuff with.

{What the hell is that? Disgusting! Stop before your face freezes that way}

I thought, letting the annoyance show on my face. I was already a boring loner with no life to speak of and he wanted to bring my non-existent reputation down even more by identifying as an Otaku!? Never, I refuse, Refuted, Forbidden, No way in hell that was happening!.

[No way! I already am the most disliked guy, the guy whose rumoured having the least chance to get married, let alone a girlfriend and you still want me to be called an Otaku?

Give it back! All the friendly feelings I had till now, I want it all back]

At least that would be what I'd say but still ended up going with him, This guy might act like an idiot most of the time but he's got some serious bargaining skills. I was just promised the number of some hot chick I had seen him with countless times who supposedly went to the same middle School with him.

{Ohhhhhh how jealous I am}

is what I always think but this time I might have a shot at her since he clarified that he's not going out with her. Following him to the bookstore was just a mediocre price to pay for this God-gifted opportunity. We walked on the side of the road while he filled me in on the details concerning her life, although they were a bit shallow, facts are facts, I have to be prepared for this one. We were just one road crossing away.

Thinking back, I probably should've expected this to happen. In accordance to the life I was currently leading, I was approaching a possible fate change but I didn't give it too much thought. The idiot Sho was walking a tad too fast and was so interested in blabbing about the Cliff hangers of his idolized comic that he didn't notice the speeding truck approaching him as he walked carelessly across the road, ofcourse like any other main character, I dashed towards him and took a leap, which was incidentally, the last leap I would take in my life pushing him away. For a moment it felt like time slowed down. My life flashed before my eyes and I started recalling all the memories I'd made up till now.

Ahh, twas a wasted one, no? Anyways not much could be done as I stared at the blinding truck lights and accepted my fate.

{IS THAT WHAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN!?} 

The moment I pushed him out of the way I made a long side step and twisted around rapidly moving away from it's lane. There was no way in hell I was going to die from something that lame! What is this, An Isekai light novel? I refuse for my idle life which was finally going to get introduced to a girlfriend candidate to end like that! Never! Did you think I wouldn't include that in my thought process fate?

But you know, I probably should've paid more attention to my surroundings even after that, I didn't realize yet that I wasn't actually safe.

Turns out, even though I moved out of the way, The truck driver was actually trying to swerve and avoid hitting me.

{Guess he was always tired of seeing that trope huh? I mean, when people write about others going to another world they never really spare a thought to think of how the driver is going to get out of court cases. Humans are wicked, no?}

But as a result of that, a white car that was following closely behind the truck was at a loss of how to dodge as well and as wise as it could get decided to move in the opposite direction, and yes dear friends, the exact location where your I was standing 

Crash!!!

My body was flung into the window of the bookshop we were planning to visit just a few seconds ago. The glass shards and pieces flew everywhere, the shelves in that Isle all collapsed. My entire body felt numb, maybe because it was impaled by large pieces of glass. I couldn't make anything of my current situation right now. But, one thing I was sure of was that there was a pool of blood where I was lying on.

{Huh? Did I hit someone by accident, when I was flung? Wait... There's no one in this Isle, everyone must have seen the first incident and moved out which means... This my blood!! Ohh.... Everything looks blurry... Am I dying?..}

It was still kind of hard to accept the fact that I died such a lame death, by a car accident. I wasn't even hit by a truck, how truly lame. But by the way, what car hits someone with that sort of intensity, Does she want to kill someone?

{Oh yeah. Me}

Sho: Hey, Hyo!! Hyo!! Hyota!! Wake up, Don't close your eyes!! Please wake up! Plea-- ... Ple... Pl...

I couldn't pay any attention to him anymore, my mind was slowly fading. Yes that was definitely it, I was dying. After all I was losing blood at a dangerous level and I wasn't too healthy to begin with. Being a guy who eats convenience store food all the time.

{Ah Pathetic}

But there was one thing I could see.

A young lady, roughly in her early 20's wearing a long white dress with a beautiful white hat, carrying a nd something that shined like a small stone descending slowly out of nowhere, saying something that referred to me but wasn't my name. Ofcourse I couldn't make out what she was saying to me and her appearances was dimmed out like a ghost but she had a soft smile on her face as she whispered somethings into my ears. 

The last thing I remember seeing was a tear running down her cheek and her mouth moving while drawing crosses in my palms and softly pressing a stone into my forehead.

{The preparations have been completed, I hope it goes according to your wishes, My Lord.}

I felt a sudden prick inside me and I blacked out. Thinking back, It was a quite uneventful one, I almost had a chance at getting a girl but ofcourse, life wouldn't let me have that one thing. Even when one came to me at death's door she was just a ghost, am I being played?

If I ever have a redo, I'll make sure to do something about this forces. If possible, Destroy them. But life after death was one of those unreal manga stuff, Honestly what a wasted one.

Life and Death, truly stupid.

And so, those were Hyota Hachiman's last thoughts before his recognized his death.