Story of a Cannon Fodder who Firmly Believed He was the Protagonist, Misunderstood the Actual Protagonist as the Cannon Fodder, and Ended up Victorious

Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Sour

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 045 – Protagonist’s Awakening – Original Timeline and Alternate Timeline [C]

“—You are truly pitiful creatures.” 

Shut up.”

 

It was a voice that contained unbearable rage that dispersed the darkness that enveloped them. The wrathful voice of a shura forced Juggernaut to focus on him(Fay). 

He was angry. As for what he was angry about, he was the only one who knew, but he was indeed angry. 

 

“…Who are you?” 

 

Juggernaut couldn’t recognize what was standing there. He lacked any eyes, but he could sense art instead. He could also read any presences. 

However, the thing he asked was “who.” Juggernaut believed the one he thought of as trash earlier wasn’t worth paying attention to. However, with the man’s abnormal wrath directed at him, Juggernaut couldn’t help but focus his consciousness on him. 

It was his first time recognizing an existence outside of using art and presence detection. 

 

“Shut up, shut that mouth. Those words you say, that bullshit, is nothing but an illusion. None of it is worth listening to…” 

“What are you…”

“It’s my first time experiencing such a clear anger. I will deny you with all of my existence.”

“What are you talking about…”

 

What is this sensation… Am I getting scared of such a trivial existence? 

Our conversations aren’t on the same level. He did respond to my words… but he likely means something completely different… What an unpleasant existence. I can’t understand it. 1 

 

Juggernaut wondered if the thing in front of him was really a human. He couldn’t confirm it since he lacked eyes, but his (Fay) foreign replies made his mind unable to pick up Fay’s true intentions despite his responses. Juggernaut couldn’t help but find that disgusting. 

 

“Fay…” 

 

Arthur was overjoyed by Fay’s words. Fay directly denied the words that hurt her. Arthur proceeded to draw her sword and ran towards Tlue, using her light to force Tlue’s darkness away. 

Fay’s words made Arthur regain her composure.

 

Fay will definitely not die, and I will not let him die. 

 

Looking at Arthur’s struggle, Merlin had no choice but to stand up as well. Her almost broken mind regained itself once again. 

 

Arthur… It seems she was inspired by his words… I… have no idea what he meant by his words… but it seems I have no leisure to stay depressed. 

 

“I will support you. You are to—“ 

“—“

 

Before Merlin finished her words, Fay rushed toward Juggernaut. Merlin was astonished by that, wondering if he forgot the tactics they agreed to earlier. With the power to kill his enemy mentally, it meant Juggernaut could easily force his enemy to their death. 

 

“How foolish!” 

“Shut your mouth.”

 

Fay’s rage was unstoppable, black fog wrapping around his form. Merlin rushed to offset it with her light. However, Juggernaut reached out to Fay and unleashed his curse towards Fay. 

 

“Full Curse (Deadly Mental Illness).” 

“Damnit, I’m late by a beat!”

 

Merlin’s expression distorted bitterly. The back fog exuded by Juggernaut had covered Fay. Those who were trapped within it would literally die, moreover, even if one managed to avoid it, it would chase after its target so there was no escape. The deadly curse would definitely reach his target to erode their mind. 

 

“Why do you still keep going…” 

“Shut up, shut up. I will erase you here.”

 

Fay didn’t stop. He managed to reach Juggernaut. Now in close proximity, Fay immediately used berserk art reinforcement on his body. Fay’s feet were swollen red as if burned. 

But Fay didn’t care, slashing down onto Juggernaut and severing his body in two. However, Abysses could revive themselves as much as they wanted as long as their nucleus remained. 

 

“Eh…” 

 

Juggernaut was confused why he was injured and why the entity in front of him didn’t die from his curse. While he was at a loss, he didn’t die but still was cut in two. 

 

“…I guess I should support him.” 

 

Merlin wrapped her light around Juggernaut and healed Fay’s feet. 

 

“I-I must escape.” 

 

Juggernaut was trying to escape from Fay, but Fay’s feet were already healed. Moreover, Juggernaut was already in pieces and the cracks of his body gradually revealed the location of his nucleus. 

 

“What is this, what is this, what is this…” 

 

In Juggernaut’s mind, he recalled the fierce battle during Oumagadogi where he had a fierce battle against the primordial hero. He also had cast his curse towards said hero back then, but it was repelled through the sheer strength of his spirit. 

And as Juggernaut recalled that, the hero’s figure overlapped with the black haired boy despite not looking similar at all. 

 

“How-how, disgusting, to think in this era, there is still a monster like him lurking…” 

“Shut up.”

 

A sound of shattering glass echoed through the ruins. It was the sound of the destruction of Juggernaut’s core, all while Fay was still carrying his indignant rage within him. 

 

“It’s over.” 

 

Merlin smiled at Fay, who was still in a bad mood without any sign of relief even though he just won the deadly battle. 

 

◆◆

 

As the protagonist, I was given a mission at a place called an abyssal city. Arthur and Tlue came along with me. Well, I guess they served as my, the protagonist’s entourages. 

Upon arriving at the city, a new character appeared immediately. It was a blonde woman. This world sure had a lot of blond people. In my perspective, Maria came to mind, though… 

Rather, weren’t they all blonde except me? Tlue, Arthur, and even the new character, Merlin, were blonde… Rather, there didn’t seem anyone else with black hair though? 

Fuh, I guess that made me the one and only such existence in the world. As expected, I was the protagonist. It’s just that my stagnant growth has become my recent worry. It was about the time for a new power, or perhaps a sudden awakening. There were times for hardworking characters to suddenly achieve awakening after all. 

Just as I thought of that… It seemed that Merlin fellow was coming along. According to her, there was a dangerous Abyss lurking in this city… heh, wasn’t that great? I didn’t hate the development of having to face a great adversary. 

Also, she said the abyss had the power to kill others mentally, what was that? That certainly sounded strong. It made me excited. 

 

“I see. I understand the situation.” 

 

I really understood it. Now the conversation was over, I proceeded to warm up outside. 

My practice swings were part of my routine after all. But really, it was fine to go out and all, but I couldn’t seem to find a nice spot for it. As I was searching for it, it seemed Merlin and Arthur were talking about something. 

I only heard it in the middle, so I didn’t know what they were talking about, but perhaps they were talking about me now? 

 

“Yes.”

“It might be wrong to say this to people I met for the first time, but I think it’s better for you to stop relying on him.”

“Why?”

“I saw the state of his art… it feels like it is mostly empty, with only a trivial amount remaining. It is harsh to rely on him for the upcoming battle.”

“What do you mean by the upcoming battle?”

“It’s against the Abyss, no, it’s more of the final clash against the true body of Oumagadogi. Darkness is trying to envelop the world once again. The ones who can resist it are us with light art.

“Fay has been fighting with us all this time. So even for the upcoming battle-“

“…No, the boy named Fay won’t be able to keep up with the future battles.” 

 

No no no, there was no way that was the case. I was the protagonist after all. I was the center of the world. It had to revolve around me. It wasn’t even the matter of whether I could keep up or not, Merlin. 

It was about whether you could keep up with me or not. You got the premise wrong. 

But really, perhaps there was a meaning to hear something like this. As for me, the protagonist with a meta perspective, I couldn’t only think “what the heck are you talking about, Merlin?” 

But if it was from the reader or player’s perspective, having a new character to suddenly make such remarks about the protagonist would imply something… Moreover, it was about the limit of my power… 

 

At that moment, an electric current ran through my head. 

Was this a flag? It would make the readers and players think the protagonist’s strength reached his limit and think it was all over, but then, the protagonist would suddenly achieve some sort of awakening… 

Perhaps, that was really the case. After all, there was no way I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I was the protagonist after all. There was no way a protagonist couldn’t follow along. 

Haha-hn, so it was a flag after all… huh? Wasn’t the enemy this time a pinnacle among the Abyss…? Huh? Wasn’t it just the right set up for an awakening event?

So I came to realize it… it was finally here. I had been waiting all this time. 

 

It was an awakening event for the protagonist! 

 

Well, it was that after all. Even though a character was insulted as an incompetent and untalented low rank warrior, there were times they would suddenly awaken something in front of a great and deadly adversary. 

Wow, I sure waited for a long time. There was nothing to say that a hardworking protagonist couldn’t suddenly awaken a new power in a crisis after all. 

Fufufu, I’ve been waiting. I really was. Ahh, I really look forward to tonight!!!! 


Want early access to Executed Sage, Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer, and I Was a Man Before Reincarnating, So I Refuse a Reverse Harem? Support the translator on Patreon!

Also, Tsukii has picked up a new series called “A Story of a Cannon Fodder who Firmly Believed He was the Protagonist, Misunderstood the Actual Protagonist as the Cannon Fodder, and Ended up Victorious!” The title really says it all. Early access to more chapters for this story is available on Patreon.

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RKADE 14
RKADE 14
5 months ago

Love how an apex predator literally can’t do anything against Fay and opts to run because he knows he’s crazy.

Lildev47
Lildev47
8 months ago

Ah so he was mad there was no awakening?

Carrion
Carrion
8 months ago
Reply to  Lildev47

We have same opinion boy

Nice
Nice
8 months ago

Ah, I see. He was angry because of Tlue protag development.

Bruh moment.