Prologue

It was just a normal afternoon. Busy streets and all that.

I was walking towards the court building as the trial was just about to end.

I was tasked to take out the richest person in Japan. Another company hired me to take this person out so they could have a chance to become rich or surpass them in some economic stuff. I never really paid attention to business stuff. As long as I get paid, I'll do whatever I have to do as long as I'm focused.

But this time I was a bit too careless, and that led me to my death.

A little later after the trial had ended, my target was walking out of the court. I think he was a really important person; the top investor in Japan or something like that. There were news reporters waiting for him, doing reporter stuff.

Of course, they were being held back by the guy's bodyguards and they were equipped with nightsticks. I'd expect them to be equipped with machine guns and armor but nope. They just had the sticks. I'd at least expect them to have a stun gun. Maybe this guy didn't even bother about his own security.

'This'll be easy', is what I thought when I was shuffling past the crowd while following the guy's movements. I was completely focused on him and I held onto the throwing knives in my jacket.

I'm not a fan of guns, they are a bit hard to control so I resort to knives. They are much easier to wield and much easier for me to use. The recoil on a gun is a bit too much for me to handle. Not only that but they aren't that suited for stealth either. Sure I could put a suppressor on them but they will still make noise. In video games, guns with suppressors equipped sound like tiny muffled lasers but that's not the same in real life.

Anyway, my target entered the car. That's when I saw an opening and took it.

I ran towards the hood of the car, jumped onto it, and flipped to the other side. I didn't plan ahead here, so it was basically my luck because the window on the other side of the car was opened just a bit.

The guy's reaction was priceless. He just looked at me cluelessly before my knives hit him where his thyroid gland was. All three of them hit him directly in that place. Blood splattered all over the passenger seat.

It took a while for everyone to notice except the bodyguards who yelled at me to stop.

It was time for me to escape. There is always a garbage truck that passes by here, and one was just about to come in a minute. But just as I was trying to escape, I accidentally tripped, and I saw flashing lights.

Honk-honk!!!

I turned my head and saw a truck heading straight for me.

Do you really think I would die from such a meaningless reason? No, I caught myself using one arm and then used that arm to propel me forward.

Whoosh!

The truck quickly passed me, missed me by an inch. I landed on the sidewalk and escaped through an alley.

I bought myself a few more seconds and needed to use them wisely. Heading into the alley, I knocked down a pile of trash so I can buy myself a few more seconds.

After that, I climbed a gate and got over the other side.

I remember this road, there is a train station here. If the garbage truck doesn't come, then I can escape through there.

I ran down the street as fast as I could. I heard police sirens in the distance and then I heard voices yelling for me to stop.

Then that's when I made the mistake.

I looked back and threw my knives, hitting one in the knee and another directly in the head.

"Heddo shotto."

Oops, my accent slipped.

As I continued to run forward, but then I heard a familiar pair of horns.

Honk-honk!!!

I turned and there it was again. The same goddamn truck!

WHAM!

It crashed directly into me, breaking the entire left side of my skeleton.

The truck immediately stopped, sending me flying into the open road. Then I saw another pair of lights.

It was another truck, more specifically, it was the garbage truck I was talking about.

It was coming at me at high speed and eventually, it hit me, finishing what the earlier truck had started.

Crack!

The garbage truck sent me flying over a fence. My eyes were clogged with blood and I could barely see. I don't know where I landed, but I felt gravel.

Hehe, how am I able to breathe even after being hit by two trucks? I was sure to be isekai'd or something. How does isekai even work? Do I have to die immediately right when the truck hits me or a few seconds later after I get hit? Because it's been more than ten seconds.

Oh well, whatever. Those guys won't find me here. But the trucks. It was like the whole thing with the trucks was orchestrated.

"Ough!"

I coughed. I must've spat out some blood. My vision was too clouded with blood. So this is how I'll die? Well, it's better than being caught. My client better be grateful now that I'm dead because he offered everything he had.

It's time I rest in peace...

But just as I thought that I heard noises.

Chuff-chuff-chuff~

Muffled sounds. Is that a helicopter? I don't know, but it doesn't sound loud enough to be a helicopter. Looks like even my hearing is clogged.

Chuff-chuff-chuff~

Did they really send a helicopter to come arrest me? Well, it's too late for that now, I'm about to die right here, alone and peacefully. I can finally rest… all the suffering I've been through… no parents… no friends…

Just give me peace...

Yeah… just as I thought that, I heard a loud whistle noise and I saw lights.

FWEET!

'No way' is what I thought. Because coming my way… was a train!

That's when I realized where I had landed. I had landed on train tracks!

This is not how I wanted to die! I just wanted to die peacefully!

Does the driver not see me?! Stop you BASTARD!!!

It got closer and closer. And at the last second, I could see clearly again. But what I saw last before I died was not what I wanted to see. A beautiful face of a girl would satisfy my last vision. But no...

Sparks and train wheels are all I saw.

The last thing I felt was my hair being tugged on and ripping off. And then...

And then everything went dark.

I remember the exact details of my death…

"And… that's basically how I died."

I said to the man sipping tea in front of me. He stroked his fuzzy beard and nodded. He looked like one of those serious dudes from anime. Beard, thick eyebrows, serious expression, a large looking sword resting next to him on the table.

I like watching anime and read novels on my free time whenever I don't have a job. Well, it ticks me off that I haven't finished some of those novels.

"I see, so Mr."

"Seiya, Seiya Gekiryu."

"Seiya, a nice name you have. So then Seiya, do you know who I am?"

"No clue, some guy that wants to interrogate me before I go to hell?"

The dude laughed and drank another cup of tea. He also offered me some, but it's a bit weird when you suddenly get offered tea by some stranger. For all I know, there could be poison in it.

"My name is Hades, God of the underworld."

"Hades, God of the underworld? Like the greek god?"

Now I've watched American movies, and he does not look like what I'd thought he'd look like.

"I don't know why people relate me to that guy. That's another Hades, he rules another part of the underworld. Anyway Seiya, I can tell you didn't die intentionally. I mean, that isn't the kind of death you imagined, isn't it?"

"It's pretty obvious, why d'you ask?"

"Well… lately there have been many souls coming in during the 21st century in your world. I think it's the influence of those novels being written."

"You mean isekai?"

"Yeah, isekai, I think it means-"

"Different world, yes."

"Yeah, I don't know what's wrong with them. Do they really think they can get isekai'd just by jumping in front of trucks?"

"Well, most isekai stories start with someone being hit by a truck. Those who intentionally jump in front of trucks are just mongrels that have unrationalized thinking."

I'd take the cup that Hades had offered me. Hmm… this tastes good. Wonder what kind of tea it is?

"It's funny too, does isekai even exists?"

Hades looked up and stroked his beard.

"As a matter of fact, it does."

"It does?"

"Yes, but we don't send everyone that dies into that world. We only send those that have done good deeds in their lives. They become heroes, kings, legends, basically all the things that a human wants to be. The glory and all that."

Good deeds, huh? I haven't done a single good deed in my life. Here I thought I could be tossed into that world.

"So, looks like I'm going straight to hell ain't I?"

I'd ask as Hades poured another cup and handed it to me. Oh? The tea stalk is standing straight up.

"Usually other gods would, but you deserve a second chance."

"Second chance? How?"

"Well, it isn't your fault that you suddenly became what you are, right? Many would have fallen into your path if they lost their parents and have been taught to kill."

"But I haven't done a single good deed. How is that fair to those that have done at least one?"

"I know, but you can redeem yourself."

"How?"

Hades stood up and snapped his fingers. Then the room crumbled into dust and we began falling down a dark void. I didn't feel scared at all, this didn't phase me. Hades would eventually stop me from the impact.

As I guessed, he did. Purple particles wrapped around me and placed me on the ground unscathed.

I looked at my surroundings. We were now in what looked like a deserted arena. It was… quiet. Well, I've dealt with this kind of environment before.

"So, why was I brought here?"

Hades looked at me and gave me a grim smile. He snapped his fingers once again and then behind him, a figure rose from the ground.

"You will fight to earn your right to be put into another world."

"You want me to fight? What am I going to fight? A monster? Well, if you tell me what kind of monster it is and give me a weapon, I might stand a chance."

But Hades cackled and shook his head.

"I believe I don't need to tell you. After all… "

He stepped aside and the figure that he had summoned appeared to me.

It took me a moment to realize what I was dealing with. The figure he had summoned for me to fight…

Was me…

"You'll be fighting yourself."

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