《I Got Reincarnated as a Sidekick, but I Stole the Protagonist’s Story!》


 [1] - Wait, I’m Not the Protagonist?

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 [2] - The Sidekick Who Stole Fate

    Kai rested against a massive oak, his breath still heavy from exertion. The Holy Sword of Light lay across his lap, its glow pulsing with an uncertain rhythm¡ªas though the weapon doubted its newfound master. The forest had fallen silent; the glitches and the disembodied whispers urging him to ¡°return¡± what he had stolen had finally ceased. For the first time since disrupting the prophecy, Kai allowed himself a brief moment of relief. In his mind, he quickly reviewed the situation: he had commandeered the protagonist¡¯s divine weapon, defied the natural course of fate, and resisted the forces set to correct the error. Yet now he found himself in uncharted territory.


    A soft chuckle escaped him as he struggled to process the magnitude of his actions. This was no trivial deviation¡ªit was a rewrite of the entire narrative. ¡°So, I suppose that makes me the main character now,¡± he murmured, gazing at the golden leaves above. Yet he felt far from heroic; his limbs still trembled from the lingering pressure of destiny¡¯s push, and an unsettling sensation of being watched nagged at him. He pushed the thought aside¡ªone problem at a time.


    Before he could delve deeper into his next move, a voice interrupted. ¡°Excuse me! Have you seen a glowing sword anywhere?¡± Kai¡¯s pulse quickened. Slowly, he turned toward the sound and recognized a familiar blond youth stepping into the clearing with hopeful eyes, completely unaware that the man he sought sat mere feet away. Leo. Kai suppressed a curse; he had mere seconds to decide his course. Running would be too conspicuous, confessing was far too dangerous¡ªhis only option was to feign ignorance. He shifted the sword behind him against the tree, praying its glow remained hidden.


    Leo advanced, his clear blue eyes scanning the area with frustration, as if he¡¯d spent an hour searching for a weapon that had vanished. Kai forced on a confused expression. ¡°A glowing sword? I haven¡¯t seen anything,¡± he replied, his tone steady despite the absurdity of his cover. Leo frowned. ¡°It was here, in the temple ruin back there. You didn¡¯t happen to see anyone suspicious carrying a holy-looking weapon, did you?¡±


    A nervous laugh escaped Kai. ¡°No, nothing at all¡ªjust me and this¡­ branch.¡± He snatched up a stray limb from the ground and waved it, hoping it looked plausible. Leo¡¯s gaze lingered, and for a moment, silence fell. Then, with a resigned sigh, Leo muttered, ¡°What on earth is happening? The sword was supposed to be here¡ªit¡¯s in the prophecy.¡±


    Kai fought the urge to smirk. ¡°Prophecy, you say? Written in every detail?¡± Leo¡¯s eyes lit up with exasperation. ¡°Yes, an age-old legend declaring that ¡®the hero shall pull forth the Holy Sword of Light from the ancient pedestal, and thus, his journey shall begin.¡¯ It was meant to be the first step of my quest.¡±


    Kai raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you¡¯re sure it was supposed to be today?¡± Leo groaned in response, recounting the oracle¡¯s impassioned speech, the visions, the unmistakable signs directing him to this moment. Internally, Kai savored the irony¡ªLeo¡¯s distress was complete, his suspicion nowhere near him. Yet as Leo¡¯s arms folded and his expression turned serious, Kai¡¯s amusement waned. Could it be that Leo was more perceptive than he appeared? Leo¡¯s narrowed eyes pressed him further with the silent question, ¡°You¡¯re sure you didn¡¯t see anything?¡±


    Realizing that further inquiry might unravel his ruse, Kai shifted the conversation with a dramatic sigh, draping an arm around Leo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Honestly, do you really need a legendary sword? After all, you are the Chosen Hero¡ªthe very golden boy of destiny. Surely, you¡¯ll collect many divine weapons along your journey.¡± Leo hesitated before slowly conceding, ¡°I suppose that makes sense.¡± A surge of relief washed over Kai as Leo straightened, determination replacing confusion. ¡°A sword doesn¡¯t define a hero,¡± Leo declared. ¡°If the sword isn¡¯t here, then I must earn my worth through hard work.¡±


    With that, Leo strode away, leaving Kai to marvel at his own ability to deflect suspicion. Yet as he watched Leo head toward town, Kai sensed that his reprieve was temporary; the gods were still watching, and fate would eventually push back.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The town of Eldoria embodied every clich¨¦ of a fantasy starting point¡ªquaint, lively, and steeped in medieval charm. Thatched cottages lined cobblestone streets, the aroma of freshly baked bread and roasted meat mingling with the clang of a distant blacksmith¡¯s hammer. Though the scene was picturesque, Kai couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was terribly amiss.


    Adjusting the concealed Holy Sword of Light, now meticulously wrapped in cloth and strapped to his back, he steeled himself against any chance of detection by an overly zealous priest. Yet the stolen sword¡¯s burden paled in comparison to the unsettling clarity of the sky overhead. The blue expanse was unnervingly perfect, devoid of clouds or birds, and the sun cast long, unnatural shadows as if the world itself were holding its breath.


    Then, a bell tolled¡ªa deep, resonant chime that sliced through the murmur of the town. Conversations faltered, vendors paused, and even children¡¯s laughter died away in an instant. Every villager turned, in eerie unison, toward the central cathedral. A chill gripped Kai as the cathedral doors groaned open, revealing a figure in silver robes. This figure did not walk but floated, barely skimming the ground with an inhuman grace, their face hidden beneath a deep hood, their presence bending reality itself.


    Instinctively, Kai stepped back, his disbelief barely contained. The figure raised a gloved hand slowly and, in a voice that transcended ordinary sound, declared, ¡°A deviation has occurred.¡± Kai¡¯s heart sank. ¡°The gods have decreed an intervention,¡± the figure continued. In that moment, Kai turned sharply, intent on avoiding any divine meddling. Yet a single word cut through the clamor: ¡°You.¡±


    Kai¡¯s pulse pounded as the silver-robed figure fixed him with a cold, unyielding gaze. ¡°The gods wish to see you,¡± came the calm, inevitable decree. As villagers moved in perfect synchronization toward the cathedral, Kai¡¯s heart thundered¡ªhe had to escape, and immediately.


    But fate was not so easily evaded. In the cathedral¡¯s vast stone hall, adorned with towering stained-glass windows depicting ancient prophecies, Kai found himself alone¡ªsave for the silent, imposing presence of the silver-robed figure standing beneath a massive golden sun emblem. The figure¡¯s voice was measured when they spoke, ¡°You have done something irreversible.¡±


    Kai struggled to maintain his composure. ¡°Could you be more specific? I do tend to do a lot of irreversible things,¡± he replied, half-jesting. The figure offered no clarification. ¡°The Fate Weave is unraveling. Your interference has triggered divine scrutiny. The gods have taken notice of you, mortal.¡±


    Sweat gathered on Kai¡¯s palms as he pressed, ¡°Notice? Surely that means something good?¡± Receiving no response, he realized the gravity of his situation. Desperation edged his voice as he asked, ¡°Who exactly are you? A divine repo agent sent to reclaim the sword?¡±


    The figure¡¯s silence was palpable before responding, ¡°I am an Arbiter of Balance.¡± Kai raised an eyebrow. ¡°A rather elegant term for what might be called a cosmic hitman.¡± At that moment, an invisible surge of power made the torches flicker, and Kai¡¯s attempt at levity vanished under the weight of destiny.


    The Arbiter stepped forward slowly. ¡°You do not comprehend the weight of your actions.¡± Kai managed a strained smile. ¡°I comprehend, but I¡¯m not fond of bearing that weight.¡± The Arbiter continued, ¡°The gods demand an audience. You are to meet them at the next celestial convergence.¡±


    Kai¡¯s smile faded. ¡°And if I refuse?¡± The air vibrated with the intensity of unspoken consequences. ¡°You will be erased,¡± the Arbiter stated flatly. With no room for negotiation, Kai attempted to inject a note of levity. ¡°Just checking¡ªwill this meeting involve smiting? I have other plans that day.¡± The Arbiter¡¯s expression remained unmoved as they raised a hand, causing the stained-glass windows to shift.


    Kai stared in disbelief as the familiar prophetic images dissolved into scenes that no longer celebrated Leo¡¯s triumphs but instead featured him¡ªKai¡ªholding the Holy Sword, standing in the place where Leo once shone. His blood ran cold. ¡°This¡­ cannot be,¡± he whispered.


    In a quiet, almost mournful tone, the Arbiter intoned, ¡°And yet, here you are.¡± The silence that followed was heavy with inevitability. Kai forced himself to breathe and think: the gods were not merely watching him¡ªthey were actively reshaping fate around him. His theft had transformed him into a major player in a divine game he barely understood, and he had no idea how to win.


    As the Arbiter turned away, their fading words urged, ¡°Prepare yourself, Kai,¡± before they vanished completely. Alone in the vast cathedral, staring at the broken remnants of a once-fixed destiny, Kai realized that while he had sought to steal the story, it was now the story that was stealing him.