A Hero Who Returns But Is Out Of Place

Kaoru Rasputin was the child of a couple from two very different cultures. His name itself reflected this blend—his mother came from an esteemed family in Japan, while his father was a successful businessman whose company was rapidly expanding in Russia. From birth, Kaoru had faced numerous challenges. On one side, his family in Japan viewed him with disdain, as if his presence was a blemish on their esteemed lineage. On the other side, his family in Russia welcomed him warmly, treating him as part of their immediate family. Consequently, Kaoru dreamed of following in his father's footsteps in the business world, although for now, he had to stay with his mother in Japan until his father's business was firmly established in Russia.

However, fate had other plans entirely unforeseen by Kaoru. A mysterious force dragged him to another world, a realm of wonder and danger he had never imagined. There, he had to struggle as a hero, a role he had never desired. Years passed, and Kaoru honed his skills, facing countless enemies until he finally defeated the greatest threat of that world, the World Eater.

"The World Eater itself wasn't too strong," Kaoru often grumbled to himself, "But its minions… they were the real challenge." With the power borrowed from the World Eater, these minions became a far more serious threat. They weren't just savage beasts; they could think like humans, plan tactics, set traps, incite, and destroy anything that obstructed their path.

Fighting them felt like facing the final boss in an almost unwinnable game. The most challenging part was the fact that they were led not by the World Eater but by a corrupt human general, an exceptionally intelligent and cunning figure. The war felt like a more brutal and intricate version of World War II. Yet, despite the many comrades who fell along the way, Kaoru persevered. He pressed on until, eventually, the enemy forces were defeated one by one, and finally, the World Eater itself fell at his hands—easier than he had imagined.

"The outer deity… it wasn't really worried about the World Eater," Kaoru pondered after everything was over. "What troubled it was the minions exploiting that corrupt power to create an unmatched army. They were the real threat."

With his long and arduous journey finally over, the outer deity fulfilled its promise to return Kaoru to his world. However, a small mistake occurred, and Kaoru found himself in a place he did not recognise—a future Earth with an unfamiliar and daunting landscape. Kaoru was unsure whether this was still his world or not, but it was clear that this was a world that had changed significantly, full of technology and futuristic sights he had never imagined.

Kaoru sat in front of a convenience store, staring blankly at the streets filled with vehicles he did not recognise, the most striking feature being the tyres no longer having rubber and the towering buildings adorned with neon lights. His appearance had reverted to his younger self, as if he were back to the time when he was first summoned to the other world—wearing a 20th-century Japanese school uniform.

"What the hell… what is this?" he muttered, his voice full of confusion and uncontrollable anger. Kaoru found himself once again in an unwanted situation, and once more, fate was playing tricks on him in the most unexpected way.

As he stared blankly ahead, his lips moved, uttering words full of curses. "Damn outer deity… why do you always mess up my life?" he whispered softly, though in his heart, these words felt like an explosion of rage. Kaoru, or Kou-kun as he was commonly called, was once again trapped in an unfamiliar world, with his only hope being to find a way out of this new nightmare.

Although it was called the future, the place where Kaoru Rasputin now found himself seemed more like an intersection leading to a futuristic era rather than actually being in it. The people around still used smartphones, but the devices were slightly more advanced than those he knew, lacking the cutting-edge holographic technology often depicted in various sci-fi films. There was a strange feeling haunting Kou, as if he were in a world that was not entirely real.

The year was 2082, far beyond the time Kou should have been—2022. This information was clearly displayed on various news screens plastered on the walls of the towering buildings around the city. Kou felt awkward, trapped in a time span that was not his own. All the items he brought from the past seemed outdated: a school uniform, a messenger bag containing some books and stationery, a wallet with money that might now be obsolete, and of course, a smartphone from 2022.

Confusion engulfed him, and he sighed deeply, feeling helpless in this unfamiliar city. Kou was also unsure if the powers he had gained from the other world would be usable here. If they were, it would at least make surviving easier. Fortunately, Kou was an extrovert with reasonably high social skills, something he had developed due to his dream of following in his father's footsteps in the business world.

As he contemplated, his smartphone suddenly beeped, indicating an incoming message. Kou quickly reached into his pocket and opened the screen to read the message.

Ding!

[Kou-kun, I'm so sorry! When I sent you back, the coordinates I set suddenly changed. I'm not sure what caused this problem, but at least give me time to fix it. The world you're in now isn't your original world, although it seems like the future, it's not your home world! But the good news is, the abilities you gained from the other world haven't disappeared, so surviving here shouldn't be too difficult for you. So, while I fix this mess, I hope you can be patient and wait. Oh, and don't lose your smartphone, as it will be very hard to communicate without it. Peaceful greetings from this cute deity~ Tehe! ❤️]

Kou's eyes widened as he read the message, and his face immediately crinkled with a visible twitch in his forehead. An angry aura began to envelop his body, causing people around him to move away in fear.

"TEHE YOUR ASS, DAMN OUTER GOD!" Kou yelled angrily, his voice echoing down the city streets, creating a commotion that drew the attention of everyone around. They looked at him with confusion and fear, none daring to approach.

Kou felt an overwhelming frustration. He was trapped in a world that wasn't his own, with an outer deity that seemed more interested in playing games than actually helping him out of this mess. With his anger still burning, Kou tried to calm himself. He knew that shouting wouldn't solve the problem, but it was difficult for him to contain his frustration towards the outer deity who had turned his life into a series of unending nightmares.