WiseTL

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [16]

“So, Sister Baobhan,” Jasmine looked up at her with a soft voice, “should we head over and take Miss Amanai now?”

“Not just yet.” Baobhan took a bite out of an apple and replied as she chewed, “Whether we want to capture or kill the Star Plasma Vessel, Gojo Satoru will be the toughest wall in our way. Don’t let his carefree behavior fool you—despite playing around to entertain Amanai, he’s constantly using his technique to monitor everything around him.”

Even...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [15]

Beep-beep—beep-beep—

The phone rang, but the few people in the shop were too engrossed in watching an old TV to notice.

A burly man, dressed in a black shirt, black pants, and black slippers, picked up a bottle of soy sauce, pouring it generously over freshly grilled takoyaki, the sauce drenching the dish to an almost wasteful degree.

“What’s this? They didn’t return to the Academy?”

The voice was rough and booming. The man was solidly built, with ...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [14]

“Why are you staring at the washing machine? Are you hoping to be tossed around with all the soap bubbles too?”

“Eep!”

Jasmine squeaked like a kitten caught stealing cookies.

“Uh… good afternoon, Sister Baobhan.”

This little incident started with a clash over washing clothes, with Baobhan and Jasmine having a bit of a disagreement.

Even though Baobhan had bought a washing machine for the house, Jasmine insisted on hand-washing the clothes just like ...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [13]

There were always flames.

Red, snarling, clawing flames stretching from one edge of the sky to the other.

These scenes visited her dreams often.

If a purgatory had ever existed in the past, it probably looked like this.

If an apocalypse arrived in the future, it might look like this, too.

Once, her mother had a book on the shelf that said both sinners and saints would pass through purgatory, their sins burned away by scarlet flames before they could ascend to hea...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [12]

As long as it dies and resurrects, it can gain complete immunity against its opponent’s abilities.

Not to mention its corrosive breath, capable of melting the ground and tearing through the skies.

The strongest shield paired with the strongest spear—it was supposed to be invincible in this world.

So, where did it go wrong?!

“We’ve still got plenty of time together, so don’t you dare… let me break you too quickly, trash~~”

Wait, which one of us is th...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [11]

The lush forest had transformed into a sea of fire, a purgatory from which life was banished.

The mere breath of the three-headed demon god pulsed with a curse so intense it could snuff out life with ease. And its high-temperature corrosive breath? Even a mere graze could melt solid rock without resistance.

The battle was in full swing.

Dodging the claw that swiped toward her, Baobhan Sith placed her hand gently on the demon god's abdomen.

In an instant, countless slas...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [10]

Storm clouds gathered overhead.

The night sky, already devoid of stars, grew darker still, thick bolts of lightning snaking across the roiling clouds like celestial serpents. In ancient times, people must have seen thunder as the wrath of the gods—for such power commands both awe and dread.

Below the storm lay the mountain, hiding that unknown, dreadful creature within, as if even the heavens were rejecting its presence on Earth.

“Quite the spectacle,” Baobhan Sith rem...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [9]

In the Arakami family’s forbidden ground, the skeletal figure of Arakami Douman raised his head with a knowing look.

“So… my end is finally near, is it?”

When one lives long enough, they develop an uncanny awareness of their own impending death. No logic to it, just a sudden flash of insight.

“Oh… so, I’m about to die.”

It was that kind of feeling.

Lowering his gaze, Arakami Douman looked into the stillness of the blood pool before him.

The ...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [8]

“Looking for someone~~?”

Her voice was sweet, and people often said that just hearing a person’s voice could conjure up their image. To Arakami Yuu, such a beautiful voice could only belong to a rare and enchanting young woman.

In ordinary circumstances, hearing such a honeyed voice nearby would be a pleasure.

However, at this moment, the sound chilled him to his core.

As a seasoned curse user, Arakami Yuu reacted in an instant. A massive, ice-blue skeleton with ...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [7]

Baobhan Sith suddenly halted, closing her eyes and pressing a hand over her chest.

“It seems I’m quite a handful, don’t I?”

The presence of Da Vinci and Mash proved that FGO wasn’t just a simple game; for the people of Chaldea, those memories were real, part of their lives.

Just to help her live a better life in another world, they’d selflessly lent her their strength.

This was proof of their bond—a heartfelt blessing crossing time and space...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [6]

In her past life, she’d seen it happen too many times.

Innocent children abducted by human traffickers, one family after another shattered overnight.

She still remembered a movie she’d seen as a child. It told the story of a young girl abducted by traffickers. Her mother cried herself to death, and her father sold everything he owned, riding a motorcycle across the country in search of his daughter for twenty years.

That film was based on a true story, and in the end, th...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [5]

“Whew~~, that was easy.”

Baobhan Sith glanced at the “bodies” littering the ground and gave a casual whistle.

Tearing her gaze away from a pair of heels that looked fit to be a collectible, she turned her attention to a large cube covered in white cloth not far off.

“What’s this? Looked like it was something they really cared about…”

She stroked her chin thoughtfully, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

“…Still putting up a fight? I only wanted to...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [4]

Baobhan Sith thought she was doing her best to appear harmless and friendly.

She didn’t materialize right in the center of the group; instead, she appeared at a visible distance, flashing a bright, sunny smile in front of everyone.

But to the others…

The girl in front of them had slipped past all their scouts and approached them without any of them noticing! With stealth as formidable as hers, she could have easily taken a few lives without them being any the wiser. Yet ...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [3]

In a dense, isolated forest, a group of people moved in a line.

Their attire was unusual, and a few of them even carried weapons.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man at the front came to an abrupt stop, looking up as if he sensed something.

“Hey, what’s the holdup?”

A companion shot him an annoyed look, clearly frustrated by the unexpected pause.

Unperturbed, the man replied in a grave tone.

“…One of the spirits was eliminated.” He thought for a moment,...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [2]

Under a clear sky, a few fluffy white clouds drifted lazily by.

A little sparrow flapped its wings, enjoying the carefree freedom of flight.

Until something suddenly appeared in its path—something that had no business floating around the open sky.

The poor bird didn’t even have time to react before it crashed right into this strange object, and together, they plummeted toward the ground.

---

When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a freefall, rapidly...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [1]

“So… I’m already dead?”

Instinctively, I tried to scratch my nose… Oh, well, it turns out even a simple action like that is now a luxury.

Because, right now, I’m nothing more than a small, white glowing orb.

Who would’ve thought that one day, the phrase I used to yell at people—“You’re nothing but a ball!”—would actually apply to myself?

“Huh… reacting so calmly? Honestly, I thought you’d be more shocked, maybe struggle to accept ...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [30]

“Key Stones… Mega Stones…”

The mention of these items caused Luo Yuan to raise an eyebrow.

He hadn’t expected Team Flare to be such a big catch, spilling such valuable intel.

Back in his previous life, Mega Evolution was already well-known among Pokémon fans.

But here, in this world, Mega Evolution was still a rare and mysterious phenomenon, known only among a select few.

It wasn’t until recently, when the Kalos League unearthed a large cache of Key ...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [29]

To be honest, Luo Yuan was a little nervous.

Sabrina—publicly known as the Gym Leader of Saffron City, but secretly a high-ranking Rocket executive overseeing Kanto.

Together with Lt. Surge of Vermilion and Koga of Fuchsia, she formed the trio of Team Rocket's Kanto Enforcers, maintaining Team Rocket’s control over the region.

Of course, if Sabrina’s rank alone were the only factor, Luo Yuan wouldn’t be feeling this way.

After all, even Athena, one of the four ...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [28]

“I’m here to challenge the Gym,” Luo Yuan announced.

The words hung in the air, and an awkward silence fell over the group.

The oldest sister, Daisy, looked at Lily; Lily looked at Violet; Violet turned to Misty.

“No, absolutely not.”

Misty crossed her arms in front of her, firmly rejecting her sisters’ unspoken plea for her to be the Gym Trainer for Luo Yuan’s challenge.

No way. They’d been teasing her moments before, and now they wanted her to b...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [27]

The moonlight was beautiful—a big, bright moon in a clear night sky. Luo Yuan gave the sight an approving nod.

—

The next morning…

On the road from Mount Moon to Cerulean City.

“Dratini, use Water Gun!”

“Dree—!”

A jet of water shot from Dratini’s mouth, striking a tree and leaving a small dent in the bark.

“Well done.”

Luo Yuan patted Dratini’s head and rewarded it with a Pokéblock.

During their journey, he had bee...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [26]

Facing the short-haired woman in front of her, Akebi’s expression grew tense.

“You’re Team Rocket’s Chief Secretary, Truebird.”

While other criminal organizations had leaders who acted publicly, Team Rocket’s true boss was an enigma. No one outside of Team Rocket’s core members knew the leader’s identity, despite endless speculation from outsiders.

In the public’s eyes, Truebird—Giovanni’s direct assistant—served as the de facto spokesperson and leade...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [25]

Standing on the ridge above the valley, Luo Yuan watched as his Gyarados obliterated the machine below. One look at the red uniforms told him exactly who these people were—they were from Team Flare, the criminal organization hailing from the Kalos region.

The leader of Team Flare was Lysandre, a renowned scientist who had developed the holographic communicator.

Giovanni had once called him an extremist, a misguided idealist with visions of creating a utopian world.

“Team...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [24]

“Luo Yuan, look over there!”

Misty pointed into the distance.

“What is it?”

Luo Yuan, in the middle of thinking about his prize draw, looked up in the direction Misty was pointing.

In the sky, a large flock of Pidgey took off as if fleeing from something, their wings flapping frantically as they escaped toward the sky.

“What happened over there?”

Misty glanced toward the Viridian Forest, where the Pidgey were flying from.

His psychic sense...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [23]

“Heliolisk, use Thunderbolt!”

At the trainer’s command, a thick arc of electricity crackled from Heliolisk, arcing straight toward Gyarados.

It was obvious the trainer knew his type matchups well.

Electric trumps Water. Electric trumps Flying.

With Gyarados being both, it would take quadruple damage from an Electric move.

While Luo Yuan’s Gyarados was indeed powerful, not even it could shrug off such a super-effective attack.

But Luo Yuan saw throug...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [22]

A rough voice called out from behind.

Turning, Luo Yuan saw a burly man step forward from the miners’ group, speaking up on his behalf.

Although Luo Yuan didn’t really need any help, he figured he might as well step back and watch how things unfolded.

He left the young man with a cold expression standing alone in front of the crowd.

“Save your breath. We’re not letting you through,” the young man said.

“We didn’t come here expecting your permission....

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [21]

Boom!

A torrent of water crashed into Pidgeotto, slamming it against a rock with a heavy thud.

“Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Luo Yuan wins!”

Brock, from the judge's podium, announced the outcome of the match.

The result had been clear from the start.

Gary had sent out both Wartortle and Pidgeotto.

Yet, combined, they hadn’t lasted more than three moves against Gyarados.

Actually, it could’ve ended in two moves—Pidgeotto had merely...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [20]

“Where’s Brock? I, Gary Oak from Pallet Town, am here to challenge Pewter Gym!”

A familiar voice rang out from the entrance.

Luo Yuan turned to see Gary Oak, wearing his signature high-collared jacket, confidently strolling in with a squad of cheerleaders trailing behind him. The whole entrance was enough to catch anyone’s eye.

The moment Gary saw Luo Yuan, his smirk faded into surprise.

“Luo Yuan?”

Gary’s jaw dropped as he took in the sight, eviden...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [19]

When Brock saw Luo Yuan’s Gyarados, he was taken aback.

Out of all the Kanto gym badges, the Boulder Badge from Pewter Gym was often considered one of the easiest to earn. Every year, Brock was used to facing rookies with little experience and teams mainly made up of unevolved or just slightly evolved starter Pokémon.

To have a challenger suddenly bring out a powerhouse like Gyarados? That was definitely a first.

For a moment, Brock looked at Luo Yuan—standing there wit...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [18]

In the end, Luo Yuan and Misty found a bustling grill spot along Pewter City’s main street for a well-deserved meal.

It was worth noting that, in the Pokémon world, all meat products came from synthetic sources.

Why? Well...

Beyond the cruelty of consuming Pokémon, who are highly intelligent creatures, using them for meat had gradually been outlawed by the League over the past few years. On top of that, Pokémon had pushed most ordinary animals to the brink of extinction...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [17]

“Phew!”

Watching Luo Yuan successfully capture Gyarados, Misty finally let out a sigh of relief. The tension that had been mounting since Gyarados appeared gradually faded.

“Looks like I still haven’t gotten over my fear…” Misty admitted quietly. She’d tried to conquer her fear of Gyarados before, hoping to break free from the shadows of her childhood trauma.

But today, just like every other time, her attempts had fallen short.

She clenched her fists with...