Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 5 Chapter 73   “Survivor” Koosuke Igami

“…Sigh. Seriously, why is all this happening?”

Wearing a suit that I don’t usually bother with, I let out a sigh, contemplating the events that lie ahead.

“Really, why is all this happening? Well, we can laugh it off, but still.”

“You’re the one who brought up this whole thing in the first place.”

While complaining, I glared at my friend, Hiro, who had approached with a laugh, but he just shrugged his shoulders, seemingly indifferent.

“But, well, look at you. Just getting younger already makes you quite stylish.”

“Well, as an Awakener, my body rejuvenated. It not only enhanced physical abilities but also improved resilience against injuries and diseases, so the appearance tends to look better than in the previous mundane state.”

“Yeah… Awakeners get biologically superior bodies. With enhanced physical abilities, improved resistance to injuries and diseases, and even increased reproductive capabilities, it’s not surprising that the appearance improves too. So if you rejuvenated with that kind of condition, your appearance would naturally be different from ten years ago.”

“I don’t really care about the looks now.”

“That’s true for you. After all, with four cute girls who don’t mind even if you don’t care about your looks, why would you bother?”

“In that sense, I don’t mean it that way. You understand what I’m saying, right?”

However, complaining here would only be evaded, and I’d end up wasting energy before the crucial moments. Convinced of this, I suppressed my emotions, letting out a sigh to bring an end to it.

“…Sigh.”

“Don’t sigh like that. Happiness will run away.”

“If my happiness runs away just like that, it probably disappeared a long time ago.”

I’ve sighed so many times until now.

“Well, anyway, ‘Do your best.'”

“…Yeah.”

Those words probably apply to the upcoming events, but they might also be directed towards the events that will follow afterward.

“Well then, I’m off.”

Uttering those words to reaffirm my determination, I headed towards the stage.

——◆◇◆◇——

“Now then, we will begin the lecture by ‘Survivor’ Koosuke Igami.”

The host’s words on the stage sounded distant, as if coming from somewhere far away. Well, it’s quite nerve-wracking. Can’t be helped, though. After all, I’ve never spoken in front of hundreds of people like this in my entire life. Granted, I’ve had conversations with powerful figures that even a gathering of everyone here wouldn’t match, but dealing with them is a different kind of fear and pressure.

But well, once I’m up here, I can’t just stay silent. I have to gather my courage and speak.

…But hey, what am I going to talk about? Well, I do have a topic, and I’ve even written it down on paper.

However, is that enough? Depending on my words, the lives of the people here might change. Someone who might have died could survive based on what I say. Yet, is it enough to just read the words I’ve written beforehand? Will the students here listen seriously to the words of someone who’s just reading from paper? Will they accept what they hear as something wonderful and use it as a source of growth?

…Probably not.

If that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do. It might be embarrassing, but so be it; let them know.

“—I have something to say to you, students who are either going to become adventurers or are already active in that field.”

“You might call me a hero, but I’m not such an extraordinary person. Keep that in mind.”

“The only reason an ordinary person like me is standing on this stage is simple. It’s just that I was lucky. I, who desperately struggled, crawled, and survived while covered in mud, am nothing more than a small fry. I was fortunate enough to return from the gate to this side this time, but that’s not because of my abilities; it’s just luck. I was lucky, that’s all.”

“But, it doesn’t mean I can’t teach you anything. I may have survived because I was lucky, but to grasp that luck, a corresponding effort is necessary. I’ll talk about the efforts I’ve made, how I’ve lived, and leave it to you, the listeners, to decide what you feel and how you’ll make it your own nourishment.”

“I awakened when I was almost thirty. Until then, I had lived a normal life as an ordinary person. Graduated from school, worked a normal job, and lived with a normal lover. I was leading such a life, and…”

Here, I paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and then continued.

“My lover died.”

I stated it clearly.

It was a very brief fact when put into words, but the students seemed to be holding their breath, and the atmosphere became tense.

After that, I talked about how I felt about my lover’s death, my thoughts on the dungeon, and the training I underwent after becoming an adventurer.

“I made efforts continuously, cramming knowledge and training my body to the point of depletion. The result is what you see now. There were various troubles and unfair things along the way, but the effort paid off. I encountered irregularities, managed to defeat them by luck, and thanks to that, some people started calling me ‘Survivor’ with a grand name. Now, I’m standing here, speaking arrogantly on the stage.”

There were indeed many things that happened. Looking back, I had been involved in so many incidents that it was not hard to find topics to talk about.

Even now, it’s ridiculous that I’m speaking so self-importantly in a place like this. You never know what life will throw at you.

But well, let’s wrap up the story. I’ve talked about my past, the training methods I’ve undergone, and some of my knowledge. It’s about time to conclude.

“I’ve been talking for a long time, but if I have to sum it up, it’s just one thing. What I want to say is, put effort into surviving until the end.”

If there’s one thing I want to convey, it’s just that. Just remember that. I want you to remember to put effort into surviving until the end.

“As you continue to be adventurers in the future, there will inevitably come a time when difficulties will block your path. There will be a time when you have to challenge something with everything you have.”

This applies not only to adventurers but to anyone as long as they live. There will come a time when you absolutely have to do your best.

“Whatever. There should be some kind of difficulty or challenge. When you face such a situation, people around you will surely say, ‘That’s impossible,’ ‘You can’t do it,’ ‘Give up.’ Certainly, there are plenty of reasons to give up. When you give your all, run with all your might, it’s not a pretty sight. If you run full force, your face is surely going to look ugly. No one can give their all and still look beautiful. So, there are those who seek a ‘dignified and beautiful death.’ There are people who think it’s better to end it gracefully and coolly than to struggle in an embarrassing way and ultimately fail. And those people, even though they gave up, want to force others to do the same. Because, if others are doing their best, it makes the one who gave up look uncool. But you should just ignore the nonsense of such fools.”

“For example, irregulars. If you’re going to be adventurers, there will be an obvious pinch—a difficulty you should face. Imagine a situation where an existence so formidable that even heroes would give up suddenly appears in front of you. What would you do at that moment? What would you think, and how would you act? There will be those who just cower in fear, those who run away, and those who recklessly attack. Well, that’s inevitable. I understand their feelings. Depending on the situation, even heroes would give up, so it’s not unreasonable for you to think you can’t win. …But is that okay?”

There’s no good reason. It’s unpleasant to look uncool, but surely, everyone dislikes the idea of dying.

It’s better to survive, even if you struggle in an embarrassing way, than to resign yourself gracefully and die. “The fact that you can’t win is not a reason to give up. The laughter of someone saying it’s reckless is not a reason to hesitate to challenge. Ignore the voices of those who laugh at your desperate struggles. Those who laugh like that will eventually die. That’s what it means to be an adventurer, a job that risks your life. If there’s someone laughing, just pity them. After they die, they’ll become a memory. Then that person will become a laughingstock. Oh, that guy was stupid. Everyone will laugh at them after they die.”

No matter who laughs at you, it’s not a reason to give up. It’s not a reason to stop. It’s not a reason to abandon effort.

“Even if everyone in the world laughs and says it’s impossible, even if you think it’s already beyond your limits, even if you feel like you’re being crushed by anxiety, take one step forward.”

That’s right. If you can take that first step, ignoring the voices of others, then everything else becomes possible. After taking that step, it’s no longer a battle with others but a battle with yourself. Keep making efforts toward the wish you set and the goal you want to reach.

“It’s okay to be clumsy. Laugh forcibly if you have to. And overcome your fear and move forward. Once you start walking like that, winning or losing doesn’t matter anymore. If you’ve taken that step, all you have to do is continue forward with all your might.”

By continuing to move forward, almost anyone can achieve their wishes, and like me, they can survive.

“By shaking off fears and hindrances, summoning courage, and stepping forward, that’s where the future awaits. There, rank and talent differences don’t matter. Some might think it’s a lie. However, it’s a fact. After all, I am here. As I’ve said many times before, I’m a Third Rank. I don’t have any special abilities; I’m just a Third Rank. If anything, I’m below average in terms of talent among Third Ranks. Still, I’m here. Despite encountering irregulars multiple times, I survived and now stand here, speaking confidently in front of everyone. Even as a Third Rank, I can achieve this much. So, depending on how you do it, depending on your efforts, anyone can do it.”

The result of effort has nothing to do with talent, and I’m proving that. Even without talent, with effort and the determination to see it through, you can defeat a hero, even the world’s strongest.

“Of course, as I mentioned earlier, substantial effort is necessary. If you want to continue being adventurers in the future, you’ll inevitably need such effort to some extent. Whether you’re a Third Rank or a Special Rank, there will be a certain degree of hardship in your daily life. At the very least, it will be much more challenging than the daily life of an ordinary person unrelated to gates. Some might quit once they finish the minimum mandatory adventure period.”

While everything is not determined by talent, the difference in talent certainly exists. If you want to bridge that gap, you should be prepared for challenging days. It’s the kind of life that ordinary people wouldn’t experience. Why am I doing this? There will definitely be someone thinking, “I want to live an easier life.”

“However, even so, I hope you won’t give up on facing difficulties and living. Even if you’re talented, there will be days of hardship if you choose to continue being adventurers. The least you can do is finish the mandatory adventure period and then quit.”

Talent doesn’t decide everything, but the difference in talent certainly exists. If you try to overcome it, there will be tough days ahead. Days that ordinary people don’t have to experience. There will surely be someone wondering why they’re doing this. If you’re someone who wishes for an easier life, that thought will surely cross your mind.

“But even so, I want you to keep facing difficulties and not give up on living.”

If you keep making efforts without giving up, you will surely survive.

“With this, I’ll conclude my talk.”

Saying that, I close my speech and turn to the student hosting the event.

“—That concludes the talk from ‘Survivor’ Koosuke Igami.”