Chapter 1

Taiwanese Edition Translated from Light Novel Kingdom

Illustration: Andromeda (LK&TSDM ID: Alice•Lise)

Input: You Kedi

I sat heavily in the airplane seat.

My overseas work was done, and I was about to return to Japan.

The profession of an assassin only exists in fictional stories.

For most people, that should be common sense.

However, I hope you will calmly consider this.

To eliminate an enemy, there is no more efficient and quick method than killing; the more money and power one has, the more enemies one wants to eliminate.

Where there is demand, there is supply... and thus, assassins like me are born.

"The last job went as usual."

And my assassination business will end today.

Known as one of the world's top assassins, I even made a certain country's president "die of illness," but even I cannot escape aging.

The next job has already been decided.

I will teach at the facility where I once learned the skills of an assassin.

Teaching assassins requires extremely high professional skills.

Such talent is rare.

In the future, I will cultivate talented children and train them to become assassins like me.

...However, it seems this job was fabricated to make me let my guard down.

The airplane shook violently with an explosion and began to lose altitude.

"Eliminating a used tool is understandable, but to go to such lengths just to kill one person... it seems they treated me well in the end."

I realized how old I had become, as I couldn't even predict such a situation.

I stood up, pushed past the panicked passengers, and ran toward the source of the sound.

I hacked the security system and broke into the cockpit... along the way, someone tried to interfere, but I put them to sleep.

In the cockpit, both the pilot and co-pilot had their heads blown off.

If that were all, it would be fine.

Assassins are required to have a wide range of skills, and piloting an airplane is no exception for me.

...As long as the control panel wasn't destroyed along with the pilot and co-pilot's heads.

"I've taken enough lives in the past. I knew it would be my turn eventually, but to go out in such style..."

I closed my eyes.

In any situation, if there's even a 0.01% chance of survival, one should do everything possible to survive. That's my creed.

I mobilized all my experience and knowledge to find the best solution.

...There's still a way. While saving the airplane might be difficult, I still have a chance to survive alone.

"Earlier than expected. They must have planned this meticulously... I've been outsmarted."

Outside the window, a fighter jet equipped with missiles was approaching.

We were currently flying over a city.

If we continue, the airplane will crash into the city, causing massive damage. They plan to destroy us before that happens.

Calculating the time, it should be about ten minutes before impact. It seems they had everything planned out.

The missile was launched.

Too bad, if it were just a crash, I might have had a plan.

Air-to-air missile, AIM-92. A commercial airplane like this wouldn't leave a single fragment behind.

...I'm not willing to accept this.

I have always faithfully carried out orders as a tool of the organization, but now I have been betrayed.

I was once so loyal that I would have completed my mission even if ordered to die.

Now that my loyalty has been trampled, I have begun to question the organization and my life.

If I have another life, I won't be a tool for others; I will live for myself.

With these skills, experience, and knowledge, I can surely achieve something...

I prayed as I continued to take every possible measure to survive until the last second.

◇

When I opened my eyes, I saw a temple.

If I had to describe it, it resembled the Parthenon. It was an old, white stone temple.

In that situation, there was no way I could have been saved. Was my previous experience just a dream?

"No, you're wrong. Everything you experienced until now was real. You, a world-class assassin, were assassinated due to your oversight. Hehehe."

A woman with white hair and wearing a white tunic smiled. Not just her hair and clothes, but her skin, eyes, and everything about her was white, and she was incredibly beautiful.

Every feature was crafted in the golden ratio, a perfect and superhuman existence.

However, her straightforward and blunt tone was quite off-putting.

"...Can you explain a bit more?"

"I summoned your soul after you died. And I am a goddess. Hmm!"

"Would a goddess specifically summon a dead person and chat with them? Considering the number of dead people, wouldn't the gods be as numerous as the stars, or perhaps bored? ...Or is there a special reason for summoning me?"

"Your last guess is correct. Normally, tainted souls are quickly purified and recycled. We aren't idle, you know."

Since the beginning, I have been trying to verify the truth of her words through her facial expressions, tone of voice, sweating, and other factors. However, everything about her was unnaturally natural, as if she knew exactly what I was looking for, giving me a sense of being manipulated by an act.

I can use similar techniques, but not to such perfection. For a human, it's an impossible feat.

At the very least, this confirmed that the being before me was not human.

"Then, let's talk about why you summoned me."

"Very perceptive. You have a choice. You can either have your soul purified and be reborn as a stranger, or accept my commission and retain your current knowledge and experience in the next life."

Choosing the former would mean I would no longer be myself.

Choosing the latter would, in a sense, be a continuation of this life. The conditions are tempting.

Because I lived my life as a killing tool and was betrayed by my masters, I couldn't help but regret it in my last moments. I can start over.

Considering why the goddess chose me, there is only one possible commission. It's not a pleasant task.

"Your commission, wouldn't it be to kill someone?"

"I'm glad we can get straight to the point. You are indeed the soul I chose. Please assassinate the hero in a world of swords and magic, and the deadline is eighteen years after your birth."

"A world of swords and magic? A hero? Isn't that just a fantasy?"

As I questioned, information about that world flowed into my mind.

The structure of the world; the definition of magic; the culture and technology level of the era; and details about the hero.

...I see, this world is different from mine.

"Being called a hero, shouldn't they be a hero? Why is it necessary to kill them?"

"Sixteen years from now, after the hero defeats the demon king and saves the world, they will use their power for personal gain, causing great chaos, more ruthless and effective than the demon king. The world will be destroyed eighteen years from now. So, I need you to take care of it."

"So, the hero is no longer needed after defeating the demon king?"

I felt a sense of familiarity towards him.

"Sure, if he behaves, he can be left alone, but that guy has caused too much trouble. I'm so angry!"

A world where magic exists, and some humans have abilities surpassing this world.

The technology level is between the Middle Ages and the modern era, with only magic being exceptionally advanced.

Do you want me to be reborn in that world to assassinate the hero?

"The hero, who defeated the demon king, is no longer needed, so they need to be eliminated. Then, the next person who is no longer needed would be me, the one who killed the hero, right?"

"I've already said, as long as you don't cause trouble, you can be left alone. Besides, you don't have that kind of power. If I were to give you that power, I wouldn't have chosen you in the first place."

The goddess placed her hand under my chin and smiled seductively.

"I chose an assassin because, among humans, only an assassin can kill a hero, not a warrior, knight, or magician."

"So, I have to kill a monster that transcends human limits with a human body?"

From the information the goddess gave me, I understood the reasons.

Humans in that world have their limits, and the hero is an existence that far surpasses those limits, superior from birth.

Moreover, the goddess cannot create exceptions other than the hero, and only one hero can exist at a time.

If the hero goes out of control, no one can stop them. In terms of combat, no one can match the hero.

That's why assassination is needed, right?

"I understand the extent of the hero's power. To kill them, I need to be at the upper limit of human capabilities."

"Indeed, I will assist you with that. You can reach the theoretically strongest human specifications... and you can choose from a wide range of skills that are usually randomly assigned."

Numerous skills appeared in my mind.

In the world of swords and magic, a person is born with up to five skills.

Being able to choose from a vast array of skills is a significant advantage.

Not only can you select powerful skills, but you can also combine them for even greater effects.

"Can't you choose for me?"

"I'm not good at thinking about such trivial matters. Using my limited power to piece things together gives me goosebumps... I'll give you three days to choose after you've done your research. Of course, if you accept my commission."

"Before that, I have a few questions. From the information I received, it seems goddesses can't interfere too much with the world, but bringing someone from another world to be reborn doesn't count?"

"Exactly, it's fine. It just so happens that souls are lacking, and souls from other worlds are used to supplement. It just so happens that the purification process left some memories and knowledge intact, and you just so happen to have a high-performance body and draw powerful skills. In that sense, 'mortals' can't match you no matter how hard they try."

So, she intends to manipulate things within the normal rules' limits.

"Next, about the eighteen-year deadline. Can I take care of him as soon as I'm ready?"

"Ah, that won't work. Please wait until the hero has defeated the demon king. The demon king can only be killed by the hero, so if you act too soon, the world will be destroyed."

"Next question... how many souls like me have been lured to be reborn with similar incentives?"

It's hard to imagine that only I was reborn to assassinate the hero and retain my memories.

If I were in the goddess's position, I would prepare multiple pawns to increase the chances of success.

"Oh, as expected of a famous assassin, you see through things clearly... The answer is no. At least, for now, you are the only one. Even I, with all my power, can't create multiple coincidences."

For now...

"Finally, are you trying to save the world, or kill the hero? ...If the former, if the world can be saved without killing the hero, that should be fine, right?"

"Of course, my goal is to save the world. Yes, if the world can be saved without killing the hero, that's fine... if you can do it."

The goddess smiled meaningfully.

"I understand. I accept this commission. I am willing to be reborn into the world of swords and magic. I have one request: I want to be reborn into a relatively wealthy family where I can train my skills and physical abilities."

"Sure, no problem. After all, you will be reborn into the most powerful assassin family in the other world, the Tuhart family. So, please strive to reach the pinnacle of human capabilities. Once you've chosen your skills, I will let you be reborn."

The goddess disappeared, and I smiled.

I didn't expect to still be an assassin after being reborn.

Although I vowed to live for myself in the next life, this time I became a tool for others from the start, which is ironic... but I don't intend to complain.

I have eighteen years to prepare. I should only need to kill once more, and in return, I will get the rest of my life as a reward.

This time, I will live according to my will, seek happiness, and obtain it.