Reluctant Hero | Amaki Ren

Chapter 1 | Another World

"You live for a reason. When you lose that reason, you lose the will to live."

Sakura held the loop of the rope tightly, her fingers trembling at her firm grip. Her whole body was shaking. She didn't know that she would reach this point. No one would have expected this from the girl who used to always greet the cruel world with a beautiful smile on her lips. She was a positive, radiant young woman with the only dream to become a professional kendo fighter in the future.

She was strong-willed and possessed incredible strength through all the years training to become a professional kendo fighter. Everyone felt light and carefree in her presence, as if they were the reason of their bright smiles.

Her rounded teeth gritted together as she glared down at the wooden floor of her room. She was slightly elevated because of the stool she was standing on.

The lights were turned off, and the moon outside barely gave her any light to see around. It was the perfect set-up for her. She prepared and thought over this end for many weeks before reaching this kind of decision. She feels sick of herself for thinking this way, for being that weak.

What would her parents think of this?

Right, she didn't have any.

She was merely adopted by an abusive couple who needed someone to release their frustrations on at the end of their day. Sakura didn't understand why she had to be under their care, but she didn't complain. Because of them, she was given the chance to live and educate herself, to continue taking kendo classes.

But, it was all too much for her.

She tugged on the rope and tucked her head inside, carefully tightening it around her neck.

"The new VRMMO Brave Star Online will have its latest update tomorrow at 5PM Japan Time. Gamers from all around the world have been waiting for the latest version as the creators promised better performance, new quests, more locked areas, and other features that will bring excitement to everyone."

"I guess I won't be able to try the latest version." She chuckles, beads of tears streaming down her pale brown eyes. They were lifeless, just as dead as her soul that was done fighting for her freedom in this world.

If death means her freedom, then she will do it.

She won't have to suffer anymore.

With pursed lips, Sakura let go of the rope and was about to leap from the chair when she was suddenly blinded by a bright light coming from her computer screen directly in front of her. Her eyes closed upon instinct, the feeling of the rope around her neck disappearing as she felt her body go light.

Her body suddenly dropped on a hard surface. "What the hell?"

She goes to stand, finding herself in a whole new world. As she looks around the place, she noticed that there were two people standing on each of her side, making five of them. When she looked in front, her surprise only grew at the sight of cloaked persons triumphantly smiling.

"We did it! The summoning was a success!"

Sakura backs away from the random strangers. Her eyebrows were narrowed in confusion. She didn't know what was happening, and the fear of the unknown was getting the best of her. Her eyes glanced down to her hands, which were now holding a pair of twin daggers around 12-inches long each. The hilt was a beautiful shade of black. There were jewels embedded in the middle of each dagger, a glaring pastel pink striking at her.

"O brave heroes, please save our world!"

"Excuse me?" She spoke on instinct, but she was surprised when the four figures with her uttered the same thing. "Who the hell are you?"