For I Am A Side Character - Zetro Translation

As Jason watches the battle unfold, a screen appeared before him that showed words that felt ominous.

[The Guide.]

“What is this?” he asked the woman in black.

“…What do you think it is?” she asked in return.

“Don’t joke around with me or else I’ll cut your throat in an instant!” he shouted as he warned her with a spiteful tone.

“Is that so?” as she asked this, she had already stood behind Jason with a playful smile on her face.

As if time had stopped, Jason could not comprehend the abilities of the woman who was not threatened by his word or sword.

“!?” Jason could not comprehend her abilities…he could not sense anything from her…not the essence of her life or power. It was as if air was simply standing before him.

“Trust me Jason, you will want to use this to achieve the rightful fate placed upon your destiny.”

“…”

“From the way things are going, that boy down there won’t last any much longer.” she said.

“What do you mean?” Jason doubted the woman because of the old man’s arrival, the demon would have been defeated by then, but as he turned back his attention to the battle, he witnessed the sight of another person in the field.

And like the woman in black, that person whose hair was as gold as the sun, showed dominance over Soril’s weakened body while his wings were spread about. Soril was showing weakness…and even an expression close to death over the man standing before him,

‘I have to go down there!’ Jason thought quickly.

But right before he could, he was stopped by the woman with a simple touch to his temple.

“W-what are you doing!? let go of me!” he screamed as he could not move his body. As if his entire form was wrapped by a chain he could not see…

“What do you think will happen if you go down there on your own? I’l tell you now, you won’t last a single second against that fallen angel.” she said.

“…A f-fallen Angel?”

“…From the looks of things, his end is nearing.” she said.

“…” and hearing her words, Jason observed Soril being played by the angel.

From start to end, he could only watch as Soril struggled against his enemy…

Certain events occurred under his watch. The Fallen Angel summoned the red factory, and that factory burried its hands deep in the ground where jason noticed that it was devouring the essence of life from the very forest it was floating on. while also, not long after, it extended a flesh-like tube from its mouth and began devouring pieces of Soril’s body…

Watching as Soril’s body was bit off piece by piece, Jason couldn’t help but feel…disgusted.

His body was shaking out of fear from the gruesome event that was being displayed before his eyes.

It was more grotesque than watching a top-rated horror film. Nothing coulkd prepare him to such a sight.

Fear had devoured his soul…disabling him from taking action anymore.

And in the end…he watched as what remained of Soril’s body, was crushed by the fallen angel’s foot.

*Thuck!*

Bits of skin, brain and skull fragments splattered everywhere…and watching it happen, Jason shivered.

“H-he’s dead…” he whispered as he could not find his voice very well.

“Yes…I’d thought that he’d last longer, but seeing it happen…*sigh* well, from here on out its your turn to take action.”

“W-What are you talking about?” he asked.

“Your fate must be played…and this guide will help you in taking action.” she said.

And once again, the screen appeared before him.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked as he was confused.

“I’ll tell you this now, and I want you to not let my words go over your head.”

“…”

“You are the main protagonist of this world.”

“…What?”

“Its as niche as it sounds…but the world flows as a large story written out be God. Fate has already been set for every man woman and child since their birth. He knows their heart and soul…and through it all, he chose you to be the hero of his story.” she said.

“…I…I don’t understand what you’re saying. What are you talking about? Why are mentioning God of all things??”

“Hmm…Tell me, Do you believe in God?”

“…What?”

“I think its time that you stop being curious and simply answer my questions.” she said as she tightened the chains that were wrapped around Jason.

“Aghh!!” Jason screamed in pain. And feeling threatened, he tried escaping her powers…but it was futile. He, in all his efforts and strength, could not move…not even to the most smallest tendon of his muscle. It was as if he was paralyzed. Only his mouth was given permission to move under her magic.

“…” and the woman only stared with not an expression placed on her face. She did not show anything negative or positive. She only stared with such a neutral expression.

“F-fine…I…I don’t know.”

“…You don’t have faith?”

“I…I don’t have any reason to believe. My family was never religious and God was barely a topic I look to. Sure we go to church from time to time, but…I never really think so much about it. To me, actions speak louder than words…and the church has done nothing but spread words that I could not care less about. I’m a hunter and I trust in myself more than a God I don’t see when I step into a dungeon.”

“…So you lack faith?”

“I don’t…I don’t have any reason to believe.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case. I suggest that you start believing.”

“…Why?”

“Because despite it all…he’s watching you. And he’s waiting for you to fill your role in all of this.”

“…” after she spoke, she released Jason from her magical restraints. Giving him the freedom to move once again.

The two stared at each other as they felt the silence overwhelm them.

“…You have a choice Jason. A choice to fulfill your role…or the choice to let this whole world fall and crumble.”

Saying those words, Jason looked to the screen before him and thought deep to himself…

‘…’

God chose him since his birth…him…

But even with such words, he still felt doubtful but at the same time, hesitant of saying no.

because of his lack of faith, he felt guilty of not taking action, and because of his distrust towards everything as of that moment, he was hesitant.

The question of God’s authenticity still lingered…

“…” but despite it all…he moved his finger forward.

What truly pushed him to finally make a decision was Guilt. An unknown sense of guilt that he could not explain.

So…without any sense of common rationality…he reached his hand forward and accepted the Guide.

He trusted all too easily.

And as he did…as he accepted the offer given by the woman, the woman smiled rather slyly.

And with it, she vanished into the air after giving one last worded advice.

“Starting right now Jason, you will finally lead.”

And with it, she vanished.

From her tone alone, Jason could sense a faint character of deciet, yet his mind was ultimately turned at the next second when the guide finally showed a different image.

“!?”

A screen showing forms of tabs marked with different words.

The fiirst tab he saw was the tab named the [Main Mission] tab which showed him a message which the screen introduced itself to Jason.

It was an introduction to the beginning of his role.

[You have accepted your role (Hero), from here on out, you will follow the missions set out to you by the guide. Fail to accomplish these missions means punishment both physical and mental.]

“…” Jason was taken aback, by such a aggressive message.

It felt like as of that moment, he had worn a leash over his neck.

“W-what do you mean by punishment?” he asked.

As he asked, the Guide responded kindly.

[Would you like a demonstration?]

And to its question, Jason quickly denied the offer.

“N-no, just tell me in detail what it means to fail a mission?”

[If you fail to accomplish your objective, you will face a physical infliction of pain that is similar to a person’s heart being grab straight and squeezed with no mercy all up to a point of near death. While on a mental punishment, you will be met with an incredible surge of pain that will strike all your nerves. Similar to a bolt of lightning struck from the heavens, this punishment will leave you incapacitated depending on how severe the mission is. Both physical and mental pain will be inflicted at the same time.]

“…Ah, are you serious?” he asked as he was completely bewildered by its message.

But as he asked, the Guide did not answer. Making him feel even more nervous.

“You…you gotta be kidding me.” feeling betrayed, Jason tried ot look around for the woman in black, but he could not see her or find her.

And while he was feeling pressured, the Guide all of a sudden posted his first mission then and there without warning.

And along that message was a small compass that pointed to four directions. And on that compass was a needle that was pointing only to one direction. When he looked to the direction of that needle’s point, he realized that it was pointing the floating monstrousity above the clouds.

“Are you serious? You want me to go there?!” he asked angrily.

[If you do not wish to go, your first punishment will be inflicted the moment you deny your mission.]

“!?” Seeing that, Jason felt like he was being tugged on by a leash.

With no other choice than to follow, he hesitantly went on his first mission nervously.

On that coincidental moment, as he flew into the sky using his flames, he noticed that a certain person also came about and landed on the Red Factory as well.

At first, he thought it was an enemy, but as he got a closer look at her face, he realized that that person was none other than Jessica.

Seeing her, he was curious as to why she was there…

He thought that maybe she came to fight whatever it was that she was standing on, but also at the same time, he remembered about a certain person’s death.

It had only been a minute maybe two at most since Soril’s death…and seeing Jessica standing by, he did not know what to do knowing Soril died.

‘…Should I tell her about…him?” he felt hesitant to ask…and feeling afraid of how she would respond, he decided to keep his death to himself. He decided that once this entire situation was resolved, he would finally tell her.

For now, he would keep his mouth shut and avoid talking to her entirely.

The moment he landed on the Red Factory, crashing through the gate entrance, the guide suddenly appeared and showed the next update to his first mission.

[First Mission Update]

-Fight through the enemies coming your way while following the Compass.

The mission detail was plain…so he could not complain.

Without question he followed.

And seeing that Jessica also followed, they both made their way into the depths of the Red Factory.

Demons came in waves, but because of Jason’s affinity towards the demons, he was able to wipe them off with his anger-filled emotion and fire.

It didn’t take long before finally…the compass led him to a door that felt ominous…

And once they passed through that, the guide updated his mission again.

[First Mission Update]

-Take the Child’s Life to defeat the Red Factory.-

It was here that he noticed the sight of an infant being displayed on a stone slab…

The room was cold and seeing such a sight puts conflicting emotions in Jason’s heart.

‘How could a child live in such a depressing place?’ he asked.

And with that, there came also a heart that was put inside an orb. Jessica’s attention was on that.

He did not know what it was, but all his attention was on the child put on top of the stone slab. The guide wanted him to murder a defenseless child who seemed like they were going to die at any second.

“…W-what is this?” he asked the guide in a small whisper.

But the guide did not answer.

Feeling conflicted, feeling unsure…Jason could not act.

As he stayed motionless, Jessica on the other hand, suddenly sheathed her sword and kneeled in front of the heart with a praying form. With her hands clasped together, she started to whisper to herself…

Jason could hear her whispers…feeling curious, he turned to her and saw that she, in an unexpecting turn, was seen praying in the room.

‘…is this why she came here?…to pray?’ he thought.

Feeling confused of everything happening, he turned back his head to the infant.

And seeing its innocent expression, Jason couldn’t help but not go through with such a task.

“You can’t make me do this!” he said into the air.

And as he spoke his disagreement, the guide came about with a warning to him.

[If you do not plan to go through with the mission, punishment will be inflicted with an hour of continuous pain both physdically and mentally.]

“Fine, then do it! I don’t want to take this child’s life even if it goes against your stupid mission!” he screamed in anger.

His scream caught Jessica’s attention, but Jessica simply went through with what she came here to do. Ignoring everything that Jason was screaming about despite how crazy he was sounding yelling at himself.

[Warning!]

[Threat of Mission being disrupted. Initiating Auto-Control mode]

In his defiance of the guide, the guide took its threat seriously.

[Because of your inability to follow through with the mission, 15 minutes of physical and mental punishment will be given as a demonstration. Do you truly wish to go through with this punishment?]

The guide asked in reassuring Jason’s answer…

‘…Fuck you.” said Jason out of anger.

And like so…the Guide displayed its punishment on Jason without mercy.

Just as how the Guide had describe the pain of failing one’s mission, Jason was quickly inflicted with a sort of pain that quickly brought him down to his knees.

“GaaaahhHH!!!!!” he screamed as he denied going against such an order…

And as he went through such a pain…

For only a minute of continuous torture, Jason quickly regretted his decision.

‘Make it stop!’

He could not say his words aloud.

He was too busy screaming in pain.

But over and over again, he wanted to end the pain.

‘IT HURTS! IT FUCKING HURTS!!! STOPP!!! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!!!’

‘MAKE IT STOP!’