With all of us summoned heroes marching towards the innermost part of the Center Continent, slaying the devils becomes a cinch. With trained mind and bodies for the past nine months, none of us are falling back on each of our own specialties.

We are those who fought until we grit our teeth, we are those who fought until our hands went numb and our legs fall to the ground, and lastly, we are those who fought with our lives in stake. Such is a life of dedicated heroes that wanted to save the world.

How much time passes, heroes are creatures that said to be an envoy of goodwill. Heroes can also be perceived as evil by the oppressed foes and savior by their companions and people who they saved.

People of this world also believe that Heroes are altruistic being that will carry out what’s right and will side in justice. They are those people who don’t need materialistic things as a reward. Though it may not be entirely true, wonderful words are best heard with ignorance.

That should be the case but right now…

“Aaaack!”

Another one fell in front of me.

The sound flesh being hacked by a sharp razor blade passes through my ears and blood splatters everywhere as that man, Roy, was sliced diagonally.

With anguish, regret, and despair painted his face, his body lifelessly fell down the instant a blade of pitch black gleams separated his body apart. His body was added to the more and more people I have traveled with, laugh with, and trained with for the past nine months.

Guts spilled, heads rolling everywhere, lives hacked down one by one with no mercy by their lone assailant.

A man, no, a Devil disguised as a man.

With a hat akin to a clown, with a face that certainly has a quality of a male human with discernible looks but a mouth stuck permanently on a smile. He wears clothes suited for a jester with right hand wielding a hatchet.

He introduced himself as…

“My name is simply Joker Devil. I am one of the devil generals but because of my impatience to perform in front of people, dear me, I got ahead of everyone.”

Rage? No, simply not.

I don’t possesed such emotion right now. It is more accurate to say that I detached myself from any emotional nuance towards them as soon as they fall prey to this devil’s blade. Now all I can see is the devil itself with the bloodstained hatchet.

What left to them are Vische, Elen, and me, who now stare eye to eye with the Joker Devil. Everything happened so fast and not even minute when he started killing everyone. Did Ashfon Astlan Lionheart have fought with this guy?

“Hey, you don’t seem very lively at all.”

At that very moment, I suddenly felt cold in the tip of my toes.

Such new sensation overwhelmed as death approaches. Feeling such dread in my heart that I never got to experience personally painted a grin on my lips.

“Smiling? You’re quite a madman yourself!”

The Joker Devil grins back at me.

But honestly, I don’t even have any idea anymore. I lead so many people to their deaths which I don’t intend to. Even after such failure, I feel no remorse or regret for their lost lives as I know that they willingly came with me.

But why…

Why my heart aches so much? Why does it beat so much? Is this a biological malfunction that I never knew this body had before?

No…

This is naturally a fear…that thing that he always had inside his head. The reason he needed me to exists, to face such adversity, problems, woes, or even self-doubt.

Why am I feeling it now?

“Nil! Please run away!”

A voice claimed its way to my ears, a voice of a clingy girl whose face is now covered in tears and snot as she held up her own weapons, a claw.

She bravely stands in front of me, however, her shoulders, legs, and her whole body trembles in fear of the mighty unknown devil in front of us. No one told us that something like this exists and neither anyone would know that it is here.

“Please, Nil…run away. Right now, I am the fodder that you always thought of. I am going to do my best to be one!”

…Eh?

What is this girl saying…? Is she even using her brain? Elen is…

When did I started caring for this fodder? Why do I feel dreaded of the image of her being plowed by that massive claws? My chest tightens as I thought of losing these two women with me. Was my claim earlier to be emotionally detached to them is a lie?

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“What’s wrong…Nil? Are you…feeling it now? Despair…fear…negative emotions. It’s my first time seeing you with that frigid smile.”

“Vische…”

Am I really feeling those weak emotions? If it is, I never knew that it was this awful. Does he always felt this helpless and feeble? These emotions that suddenly sprang up from my heart is turning everything inside me into a tremendous turmoil of confusion.

“Run!”

“Goodbye, Elen.”

Vische immediately drags me by my collar as she dashes forth with tremendous speed as she kicks the ground. I was too occupied with these swirling thoughts that I didn’t even comprehend what just happened.

What left before my eyes when Vische drags me away from that place is Elen struggling to defend against the Joker Devil, however, she only gave small resistance as her body was immediately pierced by a claw. Blood splatters everywhere and her body was hang up above as her body lifelessly sways.

The only thing left for me to see of Elen is her eyes looking back at my direction. Her eyes glitter with satisfaction and she forces a faint smile.

“Wait…”

“Nil…”

“Wait!”

“…Leave it be…”

“Why?!”

“Why do you care now?”

“That’s…”

“It’s as if…something inside you filled up in an instant.”

I grit my teeth as I look at Elen’s body being slowly torn apart by the Joker Devil with a smile on his face as he enjoys her scream. I can feel my body being drained of blood. I never knew fear was so a strong emotion, but right now, I learned that even in my twisted mind, I can still feel compassion.

No…it is accurate to say that the feeling of sympathy for others just bloomed. Was it because I occupied this body for too long that I was able to learn it?

Now that I think about it, everything that happened between everyone…was fun. None of it were boring nor stale. I was just always looking at everything from a third person perspective. Happiness, sadness, fearfulness, and finally, despair. Everything is something I have dealt before through logical means for him but right now, those emotions…I can already feel their weight.

That is the reason I was created as a second persona unknown from him…

Those emotions weigh so much that he couldn’t bear it. He needed someone to solve them as soon as he is about to break. I have underestimated it, I have underestimated everything that now, everything has come to this situation.

“Damn it!”

Vische shouted that took my attention away from my own thoughts. As I turn to the direction where she is looking, the Joker Devil is already there with his undying smile.

No way…

Why is this happening to us?

Why are you even trying hard to save me…Vische? She could have saved herself if she wasn’t dragging me. Did you even become retarded?

“I, by nature, doesn’t really want to kill people but hey, it’s my occupation as a creation of Lord Eresti. No hard feelings or anything okay?”

“Blasted!”

Vische jumps back vigorously, however, the Joker Devil was faster so I pulled Vische. But it was nowhere near enough to save her as her back becomes a fountain of blood as a diagonal slash etches on it.

Once again, I feel so dread as her countenance twists in pain and horror.

Vische…Vische is…

“Don’t feel bad about it.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“I’m sure…no one blames you. Everyone had fun in the end…We followed you on our own accord…”

“No…no…No…NO! Vische!”

“I have always admired you. I have always liked you, but I can’t imagine myself falling in love with you…that’s before. However, right now, you are…showing genuine emotions, true to nature of a human.”

She…always sees me like that?!

“But…finally…I am glad…to see that you can exhibit other emotions. I can gladly say now that I like you because…you are now much more of a human…rather than an extensive mind from the body itself.”

“You…you noticed?”

“…Nil…I like you…but I love the you right now. Despairing…full of regrets…”

“Vische…”

“That’s why…live…live for me…despair and regrets as much things as you can…”

Vische forces herself to stand up by using her sword as a stand. From her action, the Joker Devil who is all smile that gave us a little time to talk as a sign of his confidence, started walking towards Vische with his claws drawn out again.

In an instant, Vische’s magical power rises. It’s a sign that she is about to use her unique cheat skill.

“[Revision!]”

The large wound on her back slowly fades to nothing. It’s a power that is still a mystery to me. What is its activation effect, what are the consequences and its pros and cons? However, everyone considers it as a powerful skill.

“An interesting power I see. It’s quite catchy but it’s not something I don’t know. Your name was Vische was it? It’s nice meeting you, unique hero. If you had grown more before facing me, you could have landed a good blow.”

“Shut up!”

Vische kicks the ground and points her sword towards the Joker Devil.

“Such a shame…”

The Joker Devil muttered.

Before Vische and I realize it, there was a huge hole in Vische’s stomach…

“No way…”

“Magical power is very tasty. I’ve eaten every ounce that you have. It’s a shame that none of you can use divine power. You could have blasted me from the face of this world.”

The Joker Devil said as he slowly steps back from the falling Vische.

Vische lands on her back and her blood, without abandon, started making a puddle. My legs move on its own…

Before I knew it…I was walking towards Vische…

“Vische…”

There was no response.

“Vische!”

It sounds stupid, it sounds idiotic but despite that, I repeated called out to her. As if hearing my call, she raises one hand while trembling. I rush towards that hand and grab it.

“Vische!”

“…”

She rubs her hand to my cheeks as if she is caressing it. Emotion floods towards me and I unexplainable emotions of sadness, regrets, and even guilt started straining me from the inside. I can feel my eyes started becoming watery…

“I’ll…I’ll do something! Don’t die!”

“I…”

“Don’t talk!”

“r..tur…ing…it. T…nk…ou…! I…ve…u…”

Her hand loses its strength. The warmth left and her eyes steadily stare at me without life.

Empty…

I felt a deep emptiness…as if all emotions earlier was a lie…

But despite being empty…it’s heavy.

“That was a really good drama. I am glad that I let everything end. This is something I can blow a fanfare for and clap my hands for the superb acting!”

“……”

The Joker Devil said with a jolly expression.

“It’s sad that I have to end this. No more actors left beside you. Oh dear me, what a sad way to end a story.”

“I want a redo…”

“Yes?”

I said…

I don’t know why but…I want to redo everything.

These emotions…nothing has left me. Nothing is settled. I don’t want this route.

I want to revise everything…

“Redo…you say…?”

“I want to revise everything! I want to perfectly cope with this mental turmoil. I want to fully enjoy what it feels to be alive in this body! Even if it is not mine or even if it ends up being mine, I want to revise everything!”

“You’re crazy…”

“I want to revise everything! I want to laugh and laugh with all of them! I want to properly reciprocate Elen’s feeling and even have sex with her! I want to know how it feels to be loved by Vische! Everything!”

My only plead, my only wish.

There’s a large inconsistency with my character. There’s a large gap between my true emotions and my fake ones! This is not the story that I am hoping for! I want something else to happen! Something happier, something that could end with a happily ever after!

Fuck people saying that it is super generic!

What’s wrong with plain happiness?!

I want that! I want a route where everything will be saved and no problem in the future until I die and it becomes other people’s business if a problem arises!

Is there something wrong with an empty story but leads to happiness of the main character!? I want to revise everything, even if I turned out to be a generic boring protagonist!

I want to revise everything!

“Whatever, see you in hell.”

“Come forth to me!”

The Joker Devil swings his claw. I don’t care anymore. I can feel something inside me surging, something putrid and hateful, but if this kind of thing could take me back to time to revise everything, I don’t mind!

“[Revision!]”

.

.

.

A flash suddenly covered the whole place. I tried blinking twice to see what’s in front of me. The Joker Devil was supposed to kill me when I shouted Vische’s skill…revision…

After that…what happened?!

“Oh gallant heroes, welcome to Astlan Kingdom.”

Such grand speech was made of me with…

Wait…

What the hell is happening…!?

Did I turn back in time?! Did I really used Revision!? It’s the only logical thing I could spew right now.

“Vische!”

I shouted.

Everyone in front of me turned to around to look at me. I frantically turn my head left and right, however…something else made my feel sick…

None of these people…are someone I knew…

They are an entirely different group that I have been with.

“Um…Sir Hero, is there something wrong?”

“Hey, Old man Ishtal! Where’s Vische, and Elen, and Roy, and everyone?!”

“I am surprised that you knew me, young lad. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone goes by those names and this is the first time that we met.”

……

What…?

This can’t be…

This can’t be…!

THIS CAN’T BE!

WHY?!

I was able to turn back time but why they are not here! I want them, not these shitloads of strangers before me!

What is happening?!

I never knew that…this marks the start of my ten thousand years of nightmare and madness…looping and looping into these times.