1 Prologue - The Hero's Death and Return

The world burned.

As far as I could see, ashes and molten ground remained as the former valleys and the tall hills that used to litter the place, had long since crumbled to dust.

But even so..

BOOM!!

An explosion shook the world as I narrowly evaded an incoming beam of light.

BOOOM!!!

I didn't know where it landed, but I know, that wherever it is, it was now reduced to a molten crater several hundred meters in diameter.

"My sword is the light..."

I chanted as I kept dodging the gigantic claws that threatened to rip me apart if ever it lands the slightest scratch.

"My sword denies illusion.."

I continued as I kick the ground, soaring in the air as the next instant...

BOOOOM!!!

Another explosion ravaged the ground, reducing it to dust...

"Thus, it guides the lost..."

I didn't stop chanting while keeping up with 'that'. That wretched thing that only brings about destruction wherever it goes.

"As it vanquishes evil."

The moment I completed the chant, a prayer to the divine beings, my sword lit into a blinding light as I raised it to the skies. And to finally end this fight, I shouted the name of my ultimate trump card.

"DIVINE LIGHT OF JUDGEMENT!!!!"

The same time I declared, I brought down the sword as blinding white light that extended to the skies and fell along with the sword. It landed squarely on the 2 kilometer tall monstrosity as it screamed in pain.

RRROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!!

The roar shook the world as the shockwave it sent cleared the clouds from the skies.

However...

"I see...I lost..."

It was far from defeated, much less dead.

That was it. I have nothing left...

No more comrades...

No more place to return to...

All other living beings were wiped out...

It's just me. And I lost...

I let out a heavy sigh as I felt my chest lighten...

That's right...

"I'm tired...I can't fight anymore."

And I finally said it...However.

"I still can't let go of the sword, huh?"

It wasn't like it was bound to me. I just can't let it go. I just can't. Perhaps it was because I'm a hero, or maybe I just love the sword, or maybe it's all that remained with me all this time.

"Haah...So much for being the world's strongest."

I wasn't the world's strongest. I just wanted to be one, and killed all those who had better talent than me. What a shitty thing I've done.

And because of that, the world is ending...

Seriously, what was I doing?...

The monstrosity, who had finally recovered, opened its mouth as flames gathered and built up in its giant maws.

"Well, this sucks...If I ever reincarnate, I swear not to walk the path of light again...The chants are just too annoying. Haha."

Yep, I've always wanted to say that.

I closed my eyes as flames swallowed my entire being...

What a shitty way to die...

... ... ... ... ...

"..ey...Hey, Lancell! You listening?"

"Huh?"

As my consciousness slowly vanished, I suddenly woke up from my stupor. Huh? Where was I? Why does this place look familiar? And...

"Lina?"

"Hey! You totally wasn't listening, were you!!"

Ah. I remember now. This was the day the Great Shift began...

Something that happened 20 years ago...