My name is Alex, and I never asked to be a hero. In fact, I had absolutely no intention of getting involved in all this madness.
It all started like any other day at school. Well, except for the part where my friends and I were suddenly "summoned" to another world, as if we were in a role-playing game or something. Honestly, I couldn't care less. Saving a world in crisis? No, thank you. I just wanted to go back to my normal life: my room, my video games, and a world without talk about "epic quests," "mystical powers," or whatever heroes are supposed to face. But, of course, life doesn't work that way, does it?
My plan was simple: stay with my friends, keep a low profile, and hope it all blew over quickly. That was the plan, at least. But that was the first time I realized my plans always took me to the wrong place.
When we arrived in this new world, we were greeted by a figure who was clearly the "queen" of the kingdom. Apparently, our mission was to save her kingdom from destruction, or something like that. Honestly, I wasn't paying attention; I was more focused on figuring out how to get something to eat, because hunger doesn't just disappear because you've been "invited" to save a world.
What surprised me was how easy it was for me to stay unnoticed. While my friends stepped forward with passionate speeches about saving the world, I stayed back, in the shadows, as always. Drawing attention wasn't my thing, and neither was getting involved. But my best friend, Emi, didn't see it that way. She was always the type of person to jump in headfirst, ready to face any challenge without worrying about the consequences.
"Alex, come on!" Emi shouted, dragging me down the street. "They're waiting for us! This is our chance to do something amazing!"
I rubbed my head and sighed.
"Do I really have to go, Emi? I told you, I'm not the hero of this story. I'm the guy who watches from a distance."
But Emi didn't listen—or maybe she chose not to. For her, it was unthinkable that I'd stay behind. She always dragged me into the middle of everything, while I preferred the comfort of staying in the background.
At first, I tried to blend in with the crowd, but, as always, Emi found me. And, of course, every time things got complicated, I somehow ended up right in the middle of the chaos. If anyone was going to be dragged into trouble, it was Emi, and I, for some reason, could never refuse to help her.
Take today for example. We were facing some kind of "shadow demon," an otherworldly creature that was ravaging a nearby town. Everyone else was fighting, with Emi at the forefront, unleashing her magic without hesitation. I was in the back, doing nothing remarkable, just waiting for it all to be over soon.
The chaos was deafening. The air smelled of burnt ozone and pulverized stone. From my hiding spot behind the rubble of a fountain, I watched as flashes of magic illuminated the plaza. Emi danced through the wreckage, her light spells tearing through the shadows the creature summoned. I shifted to a more comfortable position, wishing my "invisible guy" camouflage would work for once.
That's when the sound of the battle faded from my ears for an instant, replaced by a sudden, icy silence behind me. A primitive instinct, one I didn't even know I possessed, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Before I could turn around, Emi's voice cut through the tumult like a knife.
"Alex, look out!"
I spun on my heels. The world narrowed down to a nightmare image. Inches from my face, suspended in the air as if it had sprouted from the very darkness, was a stray creature. It looked like a grotesque demon, with tattered bat wings and a disproportionate mouth from which a long, viscous tongue protruded. But the most disturbing thing wasn't its appearance; it was its expression. It was making a grimace that could be interpreted as a smile of pure, joyful appetite, a twisted happiness at the prospect of devouring its next prey: me.
Time didn't slow down; it stopped. The creature's foul breath already caressed my skin, its claws were a hair's breadth away from tearing into me, and yet everything hung suspended, frozen in a frame of imminent horror. It wasn't magic I knew; it was as if the universe itself had hit pause.
In the absolute silence, my eyes, more out of reflex than bravery, drifted to the side. There, in the distance, silhouetted against the battle smoke, was Hiroshi. His short black hair didn't move, his expression was one of absolute calm—the kind a person has who rarely needs to speak for things to happen. Our eyes met for a fraction of an eternity. He nodded, an almost imperceptible movement. I, with my heart still trying to remember how to beat, whispered into the void: "Thanks, Hiroshi." He simply nodded again. He had understood.
The pause broke, but not with the creature's attack. A wet, powerful roar filled the air before the demon's cry could. A whirlwind of pure, violent water, appearing out of nowhere, slammed full force into the creature, ripping it from my personal space and smashing it against a distant wall with brutal force. The shock wave, however, made no distinctions. A torrent of cold water completely drenched me, chilling me to the bone and leaving me gasping like a fish out of water.
I spat out some water and wiped a hand over my face, letting out a sigh so weary it seemed to drain all the energy from my body. I looked in the other direction, where Ayumi was posing with the elegance of a Greek statue in the middle of the apocalypse. Her blonde hair shone under the sun filtering through the smoke, and her green eyes sparkled with amusement. She had one hand on her cheek and let out a clear, melodious laugh, that "high-class girl" laugh that always seems a little above it all.
"You're welcome, Alex-chan," she said, her voice a sweet counterpoint to the chaos. "You can always rely on your Ayumi-senpai."
I could only nod, too soaked and relieved to articulate a worthy response. At that moment, Emi's shout reconnected with my reality.
"Alex, cover me!" she yelled in the midst of the renewed chaos, as if there were no other option. "Don't let it get close!"
And I, soaked and without flashy powers, just a normal guy who, for some reason, always ended up in the middle of disasters, did what I always do—try to run, but it seems someone always knows what I'm trying to do and interferes, and that someone is my best friend EMI, as usual.
"Alex, cover me!" shouted Emi—the one I consider the protagonist of this adventure—in the middle of the chaos, as if there were no other option. "Don't let it get close!"
And yet, I didn't even have powers. I wasn't anyone special. Just a normal guy who, for some reason, always ended up in the middle of disasters. But, of course, my best friend believed in me. And, for a strange reason, I could never say no to her.
So I did what I always do, even though I hated standing out. I discreetly aimed towards Emi and activated my ability. I might not be a hero, but my power was something simple yet valuable: I could boost those around me. Nothing flashy or impressive, but it gave Emi a small edge. Without her noticing, her body moved with more agility, her magic shone brighter, and her reflexes were quicker.
Emi didn't notice a thing, but the creature did. Its attack completely missed, giving her the chance to unleash a decisive spell that weakened it. It was a victory, but no one knew I'd given that little nudge.
When the battle was over, Hiroshi and Ayumi left quickly, called by the Queen. Only Emi remained, who thanked me as if I'd done everything, even though I did nothing. I just nodded, glad it was over and that no one had dragged me into the spotlight. But deep down, I knew that what had started as a simple mission was going to last longer than I thought, and that I'd inevitably be dragged into more trouble. But, as always, from the shadows.
"Alex, that was incredible!" Emi said, flashing me a radiant smile. "Did you see that? We actually saved the town!"
I just gave her a faint smile back, a look only she could understand, and averted my gaze. I knew this wasn't over. I knew Emi would keep dragging me into new adventures, no matter how much I tried to avoid the spotlight.
And that's how it always is. I'm just the guy who doesn't want to be the protagonist... but who, somehow, always ends up helping. From the shadows.
---
As we walked toward the next town, Emi looked at me with a knowing smile.
"You know, Alex? I have a feeling this journey is going to be a lot more interesting than I thought."
I sighed. Of course she thought that. But deep down, I knew things were only going to get worse.