I'm Actually Not Overpowered!

"It's finally over. I truly fought with all I had. But you are superior. I suppose this is my lot… to be defeated by you." The demon uttered as he coughed blood.

Now unable to fight, his bloodied body and nearly naked form was transfixed on the devastated flaming ground.

"It's strange how my colleague over there hasn't moved at all since the fight started. Could he be frightened by your power? Has he accepted his fate already? Maybe he—"

"Shut up." I glared at his unfazed expression.

Even now, he didn't particularly fear death or feel despair.

"Lilith… that demon girl… she never betrayed you till the very end. I couldn't understand back then, but… I can see why now. You really are—"

The demon's voice was irritating, I also hated how he mentioned Lilith—the girl he murdered—so casually, so I killed him by crushing his head underfoot—like the cockroach that he was.

"Level 225…" I glared at my final opponent, leaving the sea of blood and flames I had created in my fight with the now deceased demon.

"You never attacked even once… why?"

My gaze was on Hogun, the lion-faced demon. For someone with such qualities, shouldn't he have been bold enough to attack… and die.

"J-just how strong are you?" He asked, stuttering badly.

Nothing in his feeble voice reminded me of the powerful tone he once wielded. When I looked at him, I felt nothing but indignation and disgust.

"Stronger than all of you. And you're all weaker than me." I approached him, ready to end his life as well.

"Do you hate me… hate us?" I heard him ask.

His face was surprisingly calmer than I expected. Hadn't he just seen his comrades die one after the other. Surely, he understood who was next on my list, right?

"You do not fear death?"

"I do. Even at this very moment, I tremble. But… I also can't help the way I feel at this moment."

"And what is it you feel?"

Hogun's face twisted in confusion. He seemed ashamed to speak, but also had this glow in his eyes.

A truly bizarre situation.

"I feel awe. I feel inclined to submit to you. I somehow feel like we deserve this. Like you did the right thing. I feel like supporting you… but… I also see you as an enemy of my Master."

'Uh? What the hell…?'

"On one hand, I wish my Master didn't exist, so I could feel unrestrained to admire your power. At the same time, I want to wholly serve my master. It's this confusion that I have been battling throughout your fight."

'Don't tell me…' It was just a theory, but could it be that Hogun was still being affected by [The One Who Unifies]?

If that were true, and I used [Domination] on him recently, that would only make the effects binding and stronger.

'Back when I told him to back off… did he really not attack after that because of my command?'

Realistically speaking, I could go further to ensure he became my subordinate. The seeds had been sown. I could harvest them.

However…

… I would never do anything like that—not now!

"You deserve nothing but death." Summoning my Evil-Warding Blade, I readied it to strike.

"That hurts…"

"That's the point." Tensing my muscles and focusing on my target area, I raised my arm.

"Well, I'm glad to be of use to you… even if it's to alleviate your anger a little."

>SWISH!<

In one clean slice, I sliced Hogun's head off. Blood gushed out, and his lifeless body crashed to the devastated ground. It only took one hit, but I was certain.

He was dead.

"Level 230. Looks like this is as far as I get, huh."

Now that all my enemies were destroyed and I had gotten crazy strong, wasn't that just amazing?

I pulled off something so incredible, something I could never have dreamed of. I was amazing, wasn't I?

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

My loud bellow echoed as tears came streaming down. My heart hurt so badly that I clutched my chest tightly, hoping it would stop.

Guilt, regret, and sadness, were all I was feeling at the moment. Despite all I had said about the misfortune of this city and my friends—allocating it to the demons—I still felt responsible for them, regardless.

"It's all my fault. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry…" Breaking down like this, in the middle of a ruined city, was unbefitting of a Hero.

But, at this point, who else was here to stop me? They were all dead.

No one could correct me. No one could comfort me. No one could encourage me. I was truly…

"… All alone. I'm all alone."

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I had no idea how long I sat sobbing, but after feeling miserable for a long time, something shifted within me.

I felt my insides break, and then restructure itself.

"What am I doing?" The question echoed in my mind.

What was I? An idiot? Why didn't I think of something so simple?

"Hold on…!!!" My eyes widened as I looked around me. The horrid sight of devastation greeted me. A mess of the present—an irredeemable reality.

"I could use it… Arcana Call. I can fix everything! Yes… I can fix everything!"

There was no need to mourn the deaths of everyone!

"I should have enough time to last me about two weeks. If I use that time wisely, I'll be able to save everyone."

Yes, this reality didn't have to be the end.

Sure, it was risky. If I made another mistake, it would be impossible to reverse time once more. I would be left without options until those two weeks I reset had elapsed.

But, at the moment, weren't things at their possible worst?

"I'm smarter now. I'm stronger too. I can do it this time. I can change everything!"

Whether my individual strength was enough to protect everybody or not was a different story entirely.

One thing was for sure, though.

"I won't fail… not this time!"

With that single thought, I picked myself from the ground, ignoring the horrid sight of bloodshed and chaos.

"[Arcana Call: The Fool]."

Two weeks was a long time to prepare. With that, I would be able to solve a lot of the problems that made this round a disaster. Not only that, but…

'… They're all alive. Wait for me, everyone.'

My vision turned blurry, and I ignored the darkening sky and overwhelming darkness that pervaded the city all of a sudden.

It felt chilly, but I didn't care. I was out of this reality.

Light surged from me, and I vanished from the horrid present…

"Wait for your Hero."

… To a more acceptable past.

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[Time Left Until Death: 2 Weeks]

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[A/N]

Merry Christmas, everyone. If you're Jewish, Happy Hanukkah. Seasons greetings to my dear fans and readers. I cherish and love you all.

Do have a lovely time.