The isekai genre is dominated by low-effort overly repetitive and formulaic "hero's journey" stories, all with nothing original to say.

The Hero Must Be Killed is not one of these stories.

The hero's journey has already ended. The demon king is dead. Humanity is free. Now for the part no isekai write wants to tackle: what comes next, now the scapegoat is gone? Humanity's problems are now entirely their own, and at the heart of the corruption and suffering that plagues the world is one issue no one can ignore: the institution of slavery.

Members of the heroes party, influenced by his stories and ideals from Earth, take it upon themselves to carry out his dream and end slavery in their home once and for all. The story tackles this fight, and all the political upheaval it comes with. How do you end an institution as old as society itself, one that often provides the backbone of the economy and produces vital resources? The entire story is about a group of young people, primarily the main character Charlotte, grappling with this very question and all of it's implications. Merchant backlash, assassination, even the looming threat of civil war, all on the back of a young girl and her friends.

It's clear from the writing that the author, Alfi, knows history well enough to handle such a topic with the grace and skill it deserves. References to real world history are sprinkled everywhere if you're well versed enough to spot them, and the inspiration from real-world abolition movements is clear to anyone with knowledge on the subject.

In a genre filled with power fantasies, it's a story about how powerless you can truly feel in the face of insurmountable societal change, and why you should try anyway. And it's done perfectly. I cannot recommend it enough.