[1] My Goal Is To....

"One day,

"Masamune, starting today, you have a little sister named Sagiri. Please get to know each other."

"Please take good care of this child."

Like an ethereal silver-haired loli in winter, she hid behind her mother, slightly bowing her head, secretly watching him.

Her gaze was a bit timid, yet also filled with curiosity.

Masamune wasn't surprised; as a transmigrant, he had already foreseen this scene.

"Hello, Sagiri."

He walked over, gently bending down, and smiled warmly.

"Nice to... meet you, Nii-san."

Sagiri stepped out a little from behind her mother, appearing somewhat shy.

Her voice was soft, but she turned her watery eyes to look at her brother.

"Uh-huh."

Masamune's eyes narrowed in a smiling manner, nodding.

Due to the restructuring of their family, he now had an extra little sister, an exceedingly lovely silver-haired beauty.

However, he wasn't overly happy because this event might be a harbinger of another very important matter.

In his memories from his previous life, his parents had perished in an accident, and he couldn't help but worry about that possibility.

However, after careful consideration, Izumi Masamune realized he couldn't change this outcome at all, mainly because he couldn't determine the exact date it would occur.

Should he ask them not to leave the house?

That was, of course, impossible.

So, all he could do was hope that this event wouldn't happen.

It seemed that his presence had caused some alteration in the timeline, as about a month had passed without any disturbances.

In the original worldline, that meeting would have been the last time he and Sagiri could have had a proper conversation.

But in reality, over the past month, his relationship with Sagiri had been steadily improving, and she no longer felt as distant as before.

Thus, he was confident that the accident would not occur.

"Nii-san..."

Sagiri sat down beside him, and after a few minutes, she couldn't hold back any longer.

"What's wrong?"

Masamune asked.

"That... that..."

Sagiri struggled to find her words, appearing somewhat breathless.

He noticed Sagiri's gaze lingering on the remote control and quickly understood.

"Take it."

Masamune smiled knowingly.

"Thank you, Nii-san."

Sagiri immediately became excited, then pressed the remote control, selecting her favorite TV show.

On the television screen was one of Sagiri's all-time favorite classic animations, "Tom and Jerry."

Watching Tom and Jerry engage in their outrageous antics, Sagiri laughed joyfully.

Finally, life had settled into a more regular routine.

The family was in good shape, and the sibling relationship was harmonious.

Izumi Masamune could now focus his energy on himself.

...

"Phew..."

He let out a deep sigh.

He had finished rewatching series, caught up on the light novels and manga that piqued his interest.

It felt like he had entered a state of ennui.

Masamune lay on the couch, his hands behind his head.

"What should I do now?"

Reflecting on his uneventful life that had persisted for over a decade, Masamune was ready to reevaluate himself.

In this life, even though he was delighted to find himself in this familiar yet unfamiliar world, he didn't possess any overpowered abilities or powerful systems like the main characters in various stories.

He remained as ordinary as ever.

After living a routine and repetitive life for over a decade, shortly after entering junior high school, he could no longer endure it.

He was determined to challenge that extraordinary life!

Even if the path ahead might be incredibly tough.

But if he were to continue living an unremarkable life forever, it would be a waste of this lifetime.

In his heart, a vague goal was taking shape.

He loved and was most familiar with ACG (anime, comics, and games) culture, and with his memories from his previous life as a foundation, he wanted to pour his efforts into this field.

Animation and game production were too challenging, and it was definitely impossible.

Being a manga artist also demanded too much repetitive practice, a skill he wasn't proficient in and didn't align with his desires.

So he decided to become a light novel author!

.......

"What are you saying, Masamune? I didn't catch that. Can you repeat it?"

In front of her desk, wearing a green tracksuit, with disheveled hair and a messy twin-tailed blonde girl, looked very unkempt and stopped her drawing.

She turned her head, looking quite puzzled.

At home, Eriri looked like this, and Masamune had long gotten used to it, so he didn't express any opinions about it.

"I'll say it again; I want to write light novels, break into the light novel world, and become a light novel master!"

Sitting at the foot of the bed, Masamune leaned forward slightly, striking a confident pose similar to a prominent figure and spoke with deep determination.

"Hmph! You? You're overthinking it! Thinking you can write a bestseller just because you've read a few light novels is quite naive... You're just slightly better at academics; it doesn't mean you have high literary talent."

Eriri gave him a slightly disdainful look.

Becoming a light novel author wasn't too ambitious, but becoming a light novel master? That would be a substantial challenge.

While the industry didn't have a specific definition for a "light novel master," it would undoubtedly require sales of over ten million copies, and the time frame wouldn't be too long—ideally within any three-year period.

Just reaching a total of ten million copies would be daunting for an ordinary light novel author, let alone considering the time factor.

"Weren't you just acting all 'I'm fine like this,' content to be a layabout? Why this sudden change of heart?" Eriri asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Can't I suddenly aspire to achieve more? Besides, not having exceptional literary skills doesn't necessarily hinder writing light novels," Izumi Masamune retorted, a bit annoyed.

"That makes sense. After all, lately, light novels seem to be all about buying them for the illustrations and using the pages as toilet paper. With a talented illustrator, even a mildly popular work is possible... Wait a minute, Masamune, are you serious about this?"

Eriri was taken aback by his determination.

Eriri went on criticizing the current state of the industry, then suddenly pointed at him, astounded.

Until just a moment ago, Eriri had thought he was joking.

"Eriri, how many times do I have to say this?"

Masamune was already exasperated.

Did Eriri, his childhood friend, really have such a pessimistic impression of him?

"Well, if that's how it is..."

Eriri took a few steps closer, carefully inspecting his eyes as if confirming something.

She crossed her arms and huffed, "If you want to do it, go ahead, but if you get discouraged and give up halfway, I won't go out of my way to comfort you!"

Throughout his life, Izumi Masamune hadn't displayed any particularly outstanding talents.

His academic performance was decent, his athletic abilities were average, and his artistic skills were just passable.

There was nothing extraordinary about him.

So far, that's how it had been.

No one could achieve success effortlessly; challenges in the future were inevitable.

Even someone like Eriri, who was considered a genius for her exceptional talent in painting, hadn't had an easy journey in the world of art.

That's why she held this belief.

"I won't give up halfway, what do you take me for, Eriri? Back when Mashiro struck you down and turned you into a layabout, you managed to persevere. Why can't I do the same?" Izumi Masamune declared.

In response, Masamune presented his counterarguments, well-founded and logically sound.

"Huh? Did I have a memory lapse? You dummy, Masamune! Are you conveniently forgetting that you used to mock me mercilessly back then? You roasted me so hard! If I could endure that, doesn't it show I have strong perseverance?" Eriri retorted with a tone of frustration.

Once upon a time, they had both attended the same art class, and most of the students had been disheartened by Mashiro's formidable talent, causing many to give up on pursuing art. Eriri had been one of them.

Masamune hadn't been particularly ambitious at the time, mainly accompanying Eriri, so he hadn't been affected by Mashiro's prowess.

He had merely marveled at Mashiro's talent and determination.

During his free time, he had noticed Eriri's struggle and had stepped in to help her using his own methods.

"You've got it all wrong, Eriri. To be honest, at that time, you were so discouraged that you wanted to give up. If I had just consoled you normally, it wouldn't have had any effect. So, I intentionally said the opposite to motivate you!" Izumi Masamune explained confidently.

"Really? I find that hard to believe!" Eriri's face was filled with skepticism.

"If you were lying, I'd have your head!" She then playfully bared her small fangs, as if ready to pounce on him for a bite.

"I couldn't stand seeing you look like an abandoned kitten. If I hadn't said something, you might have really given up on art."

Masamune said this with genuine sincerity.

Eriri naturally stopped doubting him.

"Well... I guess you helped me that time!"

Her voice paused for a moment.

Then she raised her eyes and said, "Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Of course, I wanted to remind you of that favor,"Masamune smiled.

"Could it be... Masamune, are you asking me to be your illustrator? Although your artistic level is yet to be evaluated, thinking about debuting doesn't require an exceptionally high level of skill. If you invite me sincerely, I might consider accepting..."

Eriri blinked her eyes, blushing slightly, as if waiting for a definite answer.

Although Eriri had just debuted, she had good talent and had honed her skills for about five years, achieving a considerable level of success in her art.

Becoming the illustrator for a new author was already quite an accomplishment.

However, Izumi Masamune had no such intention.

"As for that matter, there's no need to trouble you, Eriri," he shook his head.

"Huh? Are you looking down on my skills?" Hearing him say this, Eriri felt a sense of shame and grew angry.

Her tsundere personality was both cute and troublesome.

"Don't you still have club activities to participate in? If you were to become my illustrator, you'd be too busy, wouldn't you?" Izumi Masamune had to explain this issue.

"Oh, I see."

This explanation satisfied Eriri, and she thought about it carefully.

It was true that she had just entered the industry as Kazuki Hoshino, and her focus should be on the club activities.

Otherwise, everyone's efforts would go to waste.

The future world of light novels would also lose a bright rising star.

The loss was immeasurable!