I guess you could say... I've had terrible luck but an incredibly tough life.
The first time was probably back in elementary school.
"Hey, watch out!!!"
"...Huh?"
'Screeeeeech!!!!! Bang!!'
While crossing the street with friends after school to go to an internet cafe, I was hit by a car and sent flying. I was diagnosed with full-body fractures, had metal pins inserted into almost all my bones, and—
"Sigh... It's a miracle you're alive. If that car had braked even a little later..."
Because of the scars from the surgery, I was teased by the kids at school and called Frankenstein, and—
Then... the second time was probably in my second year of middle school.
"Ah, damn those weather forecast bastards. They said it would be sunny today... Why is it suddenly pouring like this?"
'Rumble!'
"...Huh?"
'Crack!!'
While riding my bike home, it suddenly started raining. I sat on a nearby bench to get my umbrella out of my bag and wait for the storm to pass, but a concrete structure installed for landslide prevention gave way. I was buried under debris and dirt for five hours before being rescued. My body was covered in fractures, and I was told it would take eight weeks to recover, and—
"...So, to sum it up, you were caught in a landslide, but thanks to the bench you were sitting on and the bike being pushed aside, your whole body wasn't crushed. You'd loosened your helmet, which ended up protecting your face like a mask when you fell, so you weren't completely buried and could breathe. That's how you survived for five hours under the dirt? ...How on earth did you do that?"
"How should I know... I was unconscious until right before I was rescued..."
The third time was during a school trip in my second year of high school.
"Okay, everyone has their seatbelts on, right? I trust you guys, so I'm just going to sit down."
"Aw, teacher, of course we don't!"
"True lol"
"Why would we wear those uncomfortable things?"
"Ah, I've had stomach pain since last night, so..."
"Hey, this bastard's talking weird again. Where's the guy in charge of him!"
"You guys... just put them on before the teacher comes around to check one by one."
"""Yes!!!"""
"Geez, you guys work well together when it comes to this."
Inside the bus with its cheerful atmosphere, I was naturally among them.
"Hey, hey! Ignore the teacher and hurry up—let's play PokéXmon!"
"Yeah, today I'm gonna crush that damn Coin Toss deck."
Unlike middle school, where I stayed quiet because of the bullying I faced in elementary school, I became more social in high school. I made several friends, even got a girlfriend through an acquaintance, and had a brief period of happiness, but—
'Bang!! Screeeeeech!!!'
"Whoa?!!"
"What, what is it?!"
"What the hell?!"
'Crash!!!'
"Everyone, grab onto something tight!!!!"
'Shatter!!!'
Due to the sudden accident, I lost consciousness again.
.
.
.
"Patient! The patient has regained consciousness!!"
"Quick, contact his guardians! Hurry!!"
When I finally came to, six years had already passed.
"...Due to a severe impact on the patient's head and neck, a brain hemorrhage occurred. Because of geographical issues, the patient's transfer was delayed, and he missed the 'golden hour.' This resulted in a coma and a vegetative state. It took six years for him to regain consciousness..."
"...Damn."
After that, I devoted myself to rehabilitation and earned my GED. I tried to fill the six-year gap by overworking myself, but reality was too harsh to catch up.
"Ha, haha... They won't even consider someone with just a GED..."
"It's, it's okay, son! There's plenty you can do with a GED!! For example... well..."
"How about the arts or sports? You've liked drawing since you were a kid, right?"
With my parents' support, I spent four years trying to find work that suited me. I earned certifications in drawing, architecture, woodworking, bartending, interior design, and cooking—anything that fit my aptitude—but—
"Sigh... In the end, I circled back to working part-time at a convenience store."
Sadly, reality wasn't easy. Despite having multiple certificates, I was always rejected because of the peculiar circumstance of being a vegetable for six years and having only a GED for an education.
'Ding!'
"...I should just focus on working for now."
After that... I'm not sure if you'd call it luck, but with the help of my father and an old family friend, I started working at a convenience store in a building my uncle owned.
'I can't burden my parents any more than this, so I need to work hard...'
It was 9:55 PM. With less than five minutes left until the next shift arrived, a customer suddenly walked in.
'A customer five minutes before closing...'
Fortunately, he didn't seem like a "special" customer—like a drunk, or someone who catches pigeons with their bare hands and asks to trade them.
Huh? You're asking where such customers exist? I didn't think they were real either...
'...Why is the guy who usually comes ten minutes early so late today?'
I was looking toward the front door, hoping the relief worker would arrive before the customer finished, when—
"..."
The moment I noticed the customer was subtly staring at me while pretending to browse, my instincts screamed that he was dangerous.
"..."
I was seriously considering bolting out the back door, even if it meant getting chewed out by the boss, when—
'Ding!'
"Oops... Sorry I'm late! My stomach started acting up on the way, so I had to stop... Uh... Excuse me, sir? You shouldn't open items before paying for them..."
The relief worker arrived just in time to see the customer pulling a utility knife off the shelf, and—
"Hey! Dodge!"
I reflexively shouted for him to get down and slammed the emergency button on the register.
'Scrape! Slash!!'
The customer's demeanor shifted instantly. He lunged at the other guy with the knife, but—
"Ah!!?"
Fortunately, the guy fell backward, only getting a slight cut on his cheek.
"Damn it!?"
"...Huh?"
But the man immediately turned on me, stabbing the blade into the hand I still had on the emergency button.
"Ugh?!! What the hell, you crazy bastard?!!"
"Shut up and get the money out now!!!"
Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking at that moment.
"Damn! Fuck you, you bastard!!!"
"You damn bastard!!!"
I should have just given him the money, but I can't change the past. Enraged by my defiance, he forced the blade deeper into my hand until it snapped, then slashed at my neck, but—
"Cough?!!"
The blade didn't just cut; it completely embedded itself in my neck.
"Wh, what the hell!!?"
The perpetrator clearly hadn't intended to kill anyone. He panicked for a second before skillfully opening the register, grabbing bundles of 50,000 and 10,000 won bills, and stuffing them into his pockets before bolting out the door.
"B-Bro?! Your neck... you're bleeding!!"
As soon as the man was gone, the other guy rushed over and tried to stem the bleeding, but—
"Q...quick... amb...ulance..."
"I already called one, so hang in there!!"
"Then... keep... talking... to me..."
"O-okay! Just don't say another word!"
My consciousness began to fade, and—
'Ah... I shouldn't worry them any more than this...'
The guy seemed to keep talking to me, but his voice grew increasingly distant.
"Bro... amb...ulance... came... hang... in... there..."
'Ah... I'm... losing... strength...'
And so, my life, short but eventful, came to an end.
.
.
.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a room of pure, brilliant white.
'Where... is this?'
"This is really... a pitiful child..."
In the previously empty room, a figure appeared holding a large crystal ball, seated upon a throne that looked like it belonged in an epic fantasy movie.
'...Who are you?'
"Usually, bad luck has its limits, but this... this is a bit much..."
She—I assumed it was a she—casually watched my life play out in the crystal ball and began to pity me.
'Who are you to look at someone else's life... More importantly, where is this place?'
"Since you haven't committed any notable sins and have a kind heart... alright! I'm going to give you a special chance."
No matter what I asked, she only said what she wanted. I started to wonder if she could even hear me, but—
"Oh, I can hear you perfectly fine, so don't worry about that."
Her response made me dumbfounded.
'What are you trying to do...'
"Hmm... how to explain this? Ah! Well, I'm essentially the administrator of the world you lived in. Don't overthink it~"
'...Administrator?'
"In simple terms, yes~ Though I'm more like a subcontractor's subcontractor... Ahem! Anyway, I can't say more than that, so please understand~"
'Ah, yes...'
"Aw~ You're so polite. Other kids would have talked back~"
'...'
"Anyway! As an administrator, after reviewing your life, I'll give you a choice."
'A choice?'
"Yes! Unfortunately, you can't be reincarnated back on Earth, but I'll give you the option to go to a world that suits you—or one you desire!"
'...What kind of manga trope is this?'
"Huh? Well, because it's true?"
'...What?'
"Hmm... Is it okay to say this much? About how this world operates."
The story I heard from her was a bit hard to believe.
'...So you're saying that you send dead souls to other worlds, receive souls from elsewhere, erase their memories, and let them start over?'
"Yes! That's a very concise summary."
'Earlier, I said it was like something from a manga, and you said that's right...'
"Exactly! Occasionally, even after their memories are wiped, people remember fragments of their past lives through dreams or inspiration. Then they turn them into manga or stories~"
'...Is that so.'
"Anyway, back to the point! Now I'll give you that chance too. Is there anything you want?"
'...Anything I want?'
"Like superpowers, or being born into a wealthy family—that sort of thing, right?"
When she asked what I wanted, one thing came to mind before all else.
'My parents...'
"Huh?"
'I want to see how my parents are doing... now that I'm gone...'
"..."
My answer must have been unexpected. She hesitated for a moment before handing me the crystal ball.
'Mom... Dad...'
In the crystal ball, I saw my funeral portrait. My mother was wailing in front of the coffin, while my father tried to hold back his own tears as he comforted her.
"Having someone who cries for you like that is a great blessing, I think. On the other hand, it can also be a curse..."
Seeing my father try to return to a normal routine and my mother crying helplessly in my room, missing me... seeing them try to gather their strength over and over made my heart ache, and—
'Mom... Dad... I'm sorry... Really... I'm sorry...'
"..."
As I shed tears, she approached me and quietly started patting my back.
'I promised not to worry them any more... I'm sorry... It's all my fault... I'm sorry...'
"..."
After crying for a while, I finally calmed down.
"...Are you a bit calmer now?"
'Yes... Thank you.'
"Whew... Then, could you quickly choose what you want?"
'I already chose something...'
"What I showed you just now was just a courtesy. It doesn't count as your wish, so don't worry."
'Is that so...'
"...We're running out of time, so I'd appreciate it if you told me what you desire."
Thinking of those I left behind, a thought occurred to me.
'Then... is it possible for me not to die?'
"Which are you referring to, immortality or invincibility?"
'Uh... What I'm thinking is closer to invincibility...'
"Then what form of invincibility do you desire?"
'I don't necessarily want to live forever... just...'
"Just?"
'I just want to live until my natural lifespan ends, without any accidents. I don't want anyone to be sad because of me ever again...'
"...So, the ability you want is 'to live without dying until your body passes away of old age'?"
'...Yes.'
"It's possible, but... let's add one more thing here."
'Huh?'
"I'll give you that, along with a highly adaptable body."
'...Is that okay?'
"Well... it shouldn't be a problem. I might get nagged later, but that's it."
'Then... will my memories be erased now?'
"Ah... about that part."
'Is there some problem?'
"It's not a problem. In fact, it's better."
'Huh?'
"Well~ Before we send souls to other worlds, we first have them reviewed by the higher-ups, you see?"
'And?'
"After reviewing your record, they said, 'Considering the karma he accumulated, he lived a remarkably unfortunate life. This time, we won't erase his memories.'"
'Uh... that sounds a bit casual...'
"Well, even if they seem casual, the higher-ups have their reasons. Good news is good news, right?"
'No, what kind of...'
"Now, it's time for you to cross over to another world..."
'Um... My personal hope is for a fantasy world...'
"Heh~ Everyone says that~"
'Ahaha... since most of the manga I read were fantasy or adventure, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for them.'
"Hmm... then, a world from one of those manga where your abilities can be fully utilized..."
'Wait, those worlds are actually real?'
"Well... Not exactly the same, but there are places quite similar... Ah, found it!"
'...What kind of world is it?'
"The world you'll go to is the world from the manga called 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?'!"
'Uh... I stopped reading that one halfway through...'
"Unfortunately, we're out of time! I hope a joyful life awaits you!!"
'Huh? W, wait a minute?!!'
"I'll plant the information about your abilities in your memory, so don't worry~"
And so, I was sent to the world of 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?', abbreviated as 'Danmachi'.
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