Chapter 6 - I’m just a person

I stared on to the beautiful fantasy sky. The birds were quite fascinating, they flew in a O pattern rather than a typical V. I wonder if there’s a unique ecosystem considering magic is commonplace.

I ignored the crowd, cheering as they sat on their benches. Encircling me was a wall, smaller than I would expect for this type of structure. Maybe the fatty didn’t understand the art of combat.

I studied myself, I was given ragged clothes, fitting for a peasant. Loose strapped armor lined my body, offering pitiful protection.

A sword chipped and damaged from use made it all the more depressing. I welded it, unsure of proper handling.

I stared down my opponent.

The fatty threw on expensive armor. Reflective in the shine, nearly blinding me. He carried no sword, but with the weight of the armor it makes sense he would want a lighter load, it's kind of weird he took off his glasses though.

I stared up to the Goddess, given a front class seat to my duel. She watched biting her nails as her anxiety grew.

I sighed.

“Look dude. Can I just apologize for the comment and be done here?” I asked monotone.

“Huh!? You insulted my pride and work! You falsely call yourself a God! I will not stand for it!” He grunted between breaths. He gave a cheeky smile to the Goddess with a wink, the woman in the audience shuddered.

I sighed once more, the itch making itself known.

This is tiring.

I don’t care for this fight. I am angry at myself. I should have kept my mouth shut.

My plan was to use God status to lord over the common folk for a while. I could even see me using them to my advantage in this new world, I clearly lack information. I just had to act impulsively, didn’t I?

After this fight, I’m going to wander a bit, learn some meditation, there is too many surprising elements that even a book worm like me couldn’t predict.

I readied my stance, the fatty doing the same.

“Let’s just get this over with.” I groan.

“With the requested duel by the hands of our towns creator-”

Creator?! That seems too big of a title.

“-Priest Lard wishes for a fair and honorable fight.”

Pfft

“Pfft?” Lard questioned.

“AHAHAHAHAHA!!! YOUR NAME IS LARD!!!”

I immediately recoil in laughter. The crowd stunned by my outburst.

“HA-AHAHA!!!” Tears blinded me, I couldn’t hold back.

Lard went beet red, his anger very apparent.

Before I knew it, he was standing in front of me.

“W- What!?” I shouted, my tears still flowing, now a mix of laughter and pain.

I was launched backwards, skidding the dirt and sand, slamming into the back wall.

I hit it too hard. I felt blood already drip from the back of my head, soaking into my hair.

In my daze I looked up, analyzing what had happened. Lard stood where I once did, my sword thrown aside from my tumbling.

There was a good chunk of distance between us. Even in my blinded laughter he shouldn’t have closed the distance that fast.

I watched as he readied a stance, he was still on the attack.

I ran, following the curve of the wall, a sudden gust of wind flung me forwards.

I rolled, my blood imprinting onto the ground. I gave my wound a feel, my hand wasn’t dangerously drenched meaning it wasn’t as bad is it felt. But even so, I need to rely on my subconscious here to move instinctively.

As my insight studied Lards shifts, ready to dodge, my conscious analyzed.

He did a similar shift before he charged the wall, squinting his eyes and pinpointing my general location. With the amount of power he used towards the wall I expect it to have cracked.

Observing, the wall was clean, I didn’t witness the impact itself. Considering he had enough strength to fling me around, he must have excellent control of his speed.

I dodged on impulse.

The dirt flung up, hitting my face like little daggers as he ran right past me. The wind dragged me down, almost smashing my face to the floor.

I gritted my teeth, choosing to observe his movements rather than protect myself.

He made it to the other wall with such speed. The wind blasted upwards, following the curve of the wall, but the audience grounded themselves to his attack as he hit the wall.

He hit the wall?

The arena was small as I noted earlier. His speed still fast and powerful, it's no wonder the audience had to stand strong against it.

As the dust cleared, I could see the wall was yet again clean. Lard was ready to attack, scanning the environment.

He doesn’t see me yet?

Even with his bad eyesight, he should see some kind of blob that stands out.

That’s it!

I stood, choosing to run. Lard locked onto me. I watched him ready his stance.

As he kicked off, I clenched, hoping this would work.

I swiftly backed away, juking him out as he attempted to predict my course.

He charged faster than anticipated, hitting the wall with greater force.

I let the wind fling me back, knocking me to the ground, on which I choose to stay low. The pain hurting even more, this recent maneuver caused me to hit the open wound again.

I watched Lard squirmed in pain. Hitting the wall with confident strength is not easy.

“Y- You asshole!” He whined, pouting like a child as he stomped his foot.

There was no strength to his stomping, despite all the power he just let out. The itch was strong in this one.

I kept low, watching as Lard scanned, struggling to find me.

“Come out you coward!” With his yell, the crowd was confused. The Goddess watched at the edge of her seat, bewildered to my strategy.

What to do now?

This question plagued me. It’s the boar all over again, ferocious speed and huge body. Using the environment around to hamper his speed, it’s now making sense why he made the arena this compact.

I can’t make sense of things.

His power seems to stem from speed alone, but that leaves so many questions. His profound ability to sweat after 5 steps down a staircase isn’t present. His cultivation of beautiful architecture and statues isn’t adding up. I’m missing something.

“FINE! HAVE IT YOUR WAY!” He shouted.

He readied a stance in a completely wrong direction. He’s not even going to attempt to stay within the area he passed me in.

My subconscious was afraid.

With one jolt, he was gone. One second and he lapped the arena. He left afterimages of himself, running between points of the arena, making a pattern in the sand.

“W- WHAT!?” I shouted. I couldn’t comprehend.

It was there. Something wasn’t making sense.

His pattern in the sand skipped. The sand dragged by the wind made sense, but there was too large of gaps between steps. It could be an excuse of a large stride or floating, but with his stubby legs and weight, I highly doubt it.

He’s not running... He’s teleporting.

I found my answer. The puzzle fell into place, you wouldn’t need to exert yourself if teleportation did all the work, from carving at great heights, to transporting materials. This is an overpowered ability, one that isn’t even exerting his body.

This is a cheat!

I felt a strong kick, I could feel my ribs crack, my insides taking such damage. Even with my conclusion it didn’t matter. I realized my second big mistake.

I’m just a person.

This inhuman ability flung me hard, without any powers of my own, I’m just a ragdoll at his mercy.

I felt a strong kick again on my back.

This isn’t a wish fulfillment story. I ruined my own start to this world by acting impulsively, missing out on my own cheat.

I felt a stomp on my back over and over as he ran endlessly, I gasped for air. The Goddess held her hands tightly, fear filling her eyes.

I now realize, there's others reincarnated out there. Each one with their own story, each one with their own powers that keep me at their mercy.

I grunted with the pain, Lard came to a stop, getting my general location down.

How could I be so stupid. I’m not a protagonist of my own story, I’m in a world where others are like me. Brought together to escape our old selves.

I laid in the dirt, feeling defeated, knowing the fatty overpowered me. I disgruntledly got onto my knee, blood dripping from my chin. My body was weak, shaking as I put all my strength into holding myself up.

“TOSHIRO!” The Goddess pleaded, I could feel her passion. Her desire for me to stand down.

I studied the man I looked down upon, insulted by his stature. He glared at me, catching his breath, sweat beating down as we locked eyes.

This man is me.

Our gaze locked onto one another. I could tell. His past life was awful, his life here is only made good by what he offers, the women stare down in disgust but still hold respect for his work.

His devotion to the Goddess is not from pure lust, but appreciation.

Remembering the statue, the one thing that stood out the most, was that crafted smile...

“Ha...”

“Hm?” Lard stared.

“Hahaha...” My voice was weak, my laughter barely audible through the pain.

“You... You still laugh, even after seeing my power?” He asked angry, furious to my demeanor.

“No... No...” I respond, my heart felt funny.

I look to the Goddess in the stands. Her eyes focused solely on me. Light bounces off her blue, telling of her inner emotions.

“You really believe in that smile, huh?” I ask her from the bottom of my heart.

I smile. The Goddess’s eyes widen in surprise.

Lard was beyond furious.

As I stared down the red-haired Goddess, I felt one last kick, making the world go black.