Chapter 05: Live a Life You Regret, Fraud

"Tell me, what was it about my novel that failed to reach readers? I poured my soul into it."

Rome's voice held a hint of menace, but beneath it, Erik could sense a tremor of uncertainty.

Rome had pored over nearly all the comments about his novel, yet no one had ever articulated why it didn't succeed. The sting of failure, the lack of recognition, felt like a dismissal of his entire life and struggle. 

It was especially bitter given that a novel plagiarized from his own life had pushed him to the brink, leading him to contemplate suicide.

In all three of his lives, Rome had been a prodigy. However, he lacked mental fortitude; he was always dependent on others. From his school days to his battles against monsters and demons, he had always relied on the support of his comrades to propel him to greater heights.

The fear of disappointing his people drove him to attain the highest level of strength a mortal could achieve, but he still fell short in his battle against the Demon, a being whose power rivaled that of the gods.

Now, Rome had transformed into the very Demon that had slain him, standing before the man who had driven him to suicide. Rome bore no hatred for Erik; he understood the ways of the world all too well. But he wanted Erik to seek forgiveness, sincerely and from the heart.

The gods, Erik, and even Rome himself knew that Erik would rather perish than bow before someone he loathed. 

The gods wished for Erik to endure a fate worse than death and revel in it. Rome, on the other hand, wanted Erik to acknowledge the harm he had inflicted on others.

"How long will you remain silent? Are you scared now?" Rome's authoritative voice reverberated within the cave.

Erik drew a deep breath, smirked, and retorted, "The reason nobody liked your novel is because it sucked."

Erik braced himself for Rome's wrath, ready to retaliate if Rome attempted to throttle him again. But Rome remained silent, patiently awaiting Erik's candid response.

Erik clicked his tongue and grumbled, "You're no fun."

Erik sighed and nodded, taking his time to formulate his response, but eventually, he spoke.

"Your novel didn't succeed because no one wants to read a story where the protagonist consistently loses until his eventual death. It might work in some novels where the protagonist is up against insurmountable odds, is a brave warrior who charges headfirst into battle, has a romantic interest, or always manages to vanquish his enemy in the end, regardless of how powerful the enemy is, and other bullshit to keep readers engaged. But your novel lacked all of that.

Your protagonist is a coward, incapable of fighting without constant support or motivation, or a noble cause to fight for. Worst of all, he always retreats when confronted with a formidable enemy, dubbing it a strategic retreat. 

Readers dislike it when the main character backs down; they want him to confront that powerful enemy head-on, even if it leads to his death. You wrote your novel as a reflection of your own life and battles, which is fine. In real life, one must evade death, but in a novel, no one wants to read such a narrative.

These idiotic readers don't want struggle; they just want a brief respite from their own troubles and enjoy seeing their favorite characters triumph over the characters they dislike.

So, I gave them exactly that. I reimagined the protagonist as a strong male, constantly surrounded by women of various species, from elves to witches. He's a badass; he is either admired or despised, but everyone acknowledges him as the mightiest warrior. I depicted his journey from weakness to the pinnacle of power, a journey known to the entire world. But in your novel, only a handful of people are aware of your protagonist's strength. Why? Isn't he the hero?

I could continue listing these points for another year, and I still wouldn't have covered everything."

Erik gasped for breath, having delivered his critique without pause, his gaze fixed on Rome, anticipating tears.

Rome remained composed, lost in thought. Erik wondered if Rome had even paid attention to his words.

After a few moments, Rome's voice faltered as he asked, 

"Erik, do you admit your guilt for your actions? Do you wish to seek forgiveness for your deeds? Do you regret your actions?"

"Fuck no. No matter how many times you ask, I have no regrets. I won't plead. I take pride in what I did. I would do it all over again if I had to."

"Then do it again, Erik." Rome's voice turned icy. Rome had finally decided to execute the plan that had brought Erik here.

Erik was puzzled by Rome's statement. Suddenly, Rome's voice resonated like a chainsaw.

"When I died, the gods granted me two wishes. I used one to return to Earth, and I used my second wish just before I took my own life. I wished to be reborn as the Demon Lord on the planet Anmoa where I was slain, and for you to be reborn as me, the weak, cowardly hero you described. Go live my life. You fraud."

Erik fell to his knees, a sense of devastation washing over him. He had read all 600 chapters Rome had written before he stopped two years ago. Until the 600th chapter, the protagonist had only experienced suffering, agony, and grief. 

Whenever he defeated a powerful enemy, an even more formidable one would emerge, nearly killing the protagonist. If the novel was based on Rome's real-life struggles, Erik was indeed facing a fate worse than death.

"Two years, I waited in the void for two years to see that look."

 Rome grinned manically as he rose and approached Erik, each footstep sending ripples through the water.

"Are you prepared to live a life filled with regret?" Rome savored every moment of this fleeting joy, relishing Erik's disbelief.

Slowly, unconsciously, tears began to stream down Erik's face. Imagining Rome's pain from the novel brought him to real tears for the first time in twenty years.

Rome extended his fingers, preparing to flick and said,

"Come and defeat me, Erik. No… Herris."

[End of Chapter]