The crowd was staring.
I stood there in the middle of the marketplace, white kimono slightly torn, hair disheveled, clutching the last piece of my takoyaki like it was the only thing keeping me tethered to sanity. Which, to be fair, it kind of was.
[System: You've been standing there for 47 seconds. People are starting to think you're broken.]
Shut up.
[System: Just trying to help! ♪]
I popped the takoyaki into my mouth and chewed slowly, trying to look calm and collected while my mind raced. Okay. Assessment time. I was in another world—probably one of the worlds I'd sent heroes to, given my luck. I had no powers. No money. And apparently a System that existed solely to make my life miserable.
But I was smart. I could figure this out. I just needed to—
"Excuse me, miss?"
I turned to find two guards approaching. They wore leather armor and had swords at their hips—actual swords, not the decorative kind. One was older, maybe in his forties, with a graying beard. The other was younger, barely twenty, and looked like he was trying very hard to appear intimidating.
Great. Authority figures.
I put on my best innocent smile. "Yes, officer?"
The older guard's eyes narrowed. "You appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the marketplace. Care to explain?"
"Oh, that? I'm just a traveler! From very far away. I got a bit... lost."
"Lost," he repeated flatly.
"Very lost. Extremely lost. You could say I'm—"
"We have orders to bring in anyone suspicious for questioning," the younger guard interrupted, reaching for my arm. "Captain's orders. There's been increased security due to the political situation."
I jerked back. "Whoa, hold on! I'm not suspicious! I'm just—"
"You appeared in a flash of light wearing foreign clothes," the older guard said. "That's pretty suspicious."
[System: He's got you there.]
I will find a way to delete you.
"Look," I tried again, backing up a step. "This is all a big misunderstanding. I was just at a festival and then—"
The younger guard grabbed my wrist.
Instinct kicked in. I tried to slap his hand away, put some real yokai strength behind it, the kind of force that would've sent a human flying—
My hand bounced off his armored bracer with all the impact of a thrown marshmallow.
What.
I stared at my hand. Then at the guard, who hadn't even flinched.
"Are you... done?" he asked.
"I—" My voice came out strangled. "That should've— I just—"
[System: Congratulations! You've discovered you have the physical strength of a mildly athletic teenager! Maybe you should've exercised more in your human form?]
The older guard sighed. "Just come quietly, miss. We're not going to hurt you. We just need to ask some questions."
Okay. Okay, new plan. I'll just run. I'm fast. I've always been fast. Sure, that was when I was a truck, but I'm still—
I bolted.
Three steps later, my lungs were on fire.
Five steps later, my legs felt like jelly.
Seven steps later, I was doubled over, wheezing like I'd just run a marathon.
"Are you..." The younger guard jogged up to me—actually jogged, not even slightly winded—and stared. "Are you okay?"
"I'm—huff—fine! Just—wheeze—strategically regrouping!"
[System: Stamina: 3/100. Current status: Pathetic.]
The guards exchanged glances.
"Should we... carry her?" the younger one asked.
"NO!" I straightened up, ignoring the burning in my chest. "I can walk! I have dignity!"
I took two more steps and nearly collapsed.
The older guard caught my arm—not roughly, almost... concerned? "Easy there. When's the last time you ate?"
"I—" I paused. "Does takoyaki count?"
"That's not a meal."
"It had octopus in it. That's protein."
He sighed deeply. "Come on. Let's get you to the station. At least there's water there."
And that's how I ended up being escorted—not dragged, not arrested, but sort of... shepherded—to the guard station by two men who seemed more worried about me passing out than me being a threat.
This is humiliating.
[System: On the bright side, they haven't noticed your negative karma yet!]
Yet?!
[System: ♪]
The guard station was surprisingly nice.
I don't know what I'd been expecting—maybe a dungeon, or at least some cells—but it looked more like a municipal office. Wooden desks, paperwork scattered everywhere, a few guards milling about looking bored. One was eating lunch at his desk.
I could really go for some lunch right now.
The older guard—I'd heard someone call him Marcus—guided me to a chair. "Wait here. Captain will want to speak with you."
I slumped into the seat, still trying to catch my breath. The younger guard brought me water, which I gulped down gratefully. At least they weren't treating me like a criminal.
Okay. New plan. I just need to figure out what they want to hear and—
"You're from another world, aren't you?"
I choked on the water.
Marcus stood there, arms crossed, watching me with sharp eyes. Not suspicious—curious.
"I—what makes you say that?"
"The clothes. The confusion. The fact that you can't run more than ten steps without dying." He pulled up a chair. "We've seen it before. Heroes. Summoned ones. They usually appear in cities or temples, but sometimes they show up in random places."
My brain kicked into overdrive. Heroes. Right. The people I used to isekai. If I say I'm a hero, maybe they'll...
"Yes," I said, trying to sound confident. "I was... summoned. From another world. By, um, a truck."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "A truck?"
"It's a... divine vehicle. Very powerful. Legendary, even."
[System: Oh, this is going to be good.]
"I see." Marcus stood up. "Then we need to get you processed immediately. Hero arrivals are top priority. Jenkins! Get Captain Aldric!"
Suddenly, the entire atmosphere changed.
Guards who'd been lounging at their desks sat up straight. Someone ran off shouting for the captain. Another guard—a woman with short brown hair—approached with a nervous smile.
"Miss Hero, can I get you anything? Food? A change of clothes?"
"I—food would be great, actually—"
"Right away!"
She scurried off.
I blinked. Wait. This is... working?
[System: Enjoy it while it lasts.]
What's that supposed to mean?
[System: ♪]
A man in fancier armor strode in—Captain Aldric, presumably. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a stern face that softened slightly when he saw me.
"Another hero," he said, more to himself than anyone. "Unexpected timing, but... we'll make it work." He turned to me. "Miss, I apologize for any rough treatment. Hero protocols should have been engaged immediately. We'll get you registered and assessed, and then arrange for proper accommodations."
"Assessed?" I asked weakly.
"Standard procedure. We need to register your power level and abilities. It helps us determine where you'll be most useful." His expression darkened slightly. "With the current political situation, we need all the heroes we can get."
Oh. Right. The kingdoms-on-the-verge-of-war thing.
I was escorted—with much more respect this time—to a different building. The Adventurer's Guild, apparently. It was bigger than the guard station, with high ceilings and a massive crystal set into a pedestal in the center of the main hall.
A woman in guild receptionist attire stood beside it. She was young, maybe mid-twenties, with bright eyes and an excited smile. The kind of person who genuinely loved their job.
"Another hero assessment?" she said, practically bouncing. "Oh, how wonderful! We had one just this morning, but two in one day? That's rare!"
Captain Aldric nodded. "Please proceed with the evaluation."
"Of course!" She gestured to the crystal. "It's very simple. Just place your hand on the crystal, and it will measure your power level and display your basic attributes."
I looked at the crystal. It was about the size of a basketball, smooth and clear, with faint light swirling inside it.
Okay. This is fine. I'm from another world. I've got otherworlder buffs or whatever. Even if I don't have my yokai powers, there's got to be SOMETHING that—
"Oh! Actually," the receptionist said, "someone's already waiting for their assessment. Sir Hayato, if you would?"
A young man stepped forward. He looked like he'd walked straight out of an anime—black hair, sharp features, probably seventeen or eighteen. He wore simple clothes, but carried himself with quiet confidence.
Another hero. Great.
He placed his hand on the crystal.
It exploded with light.
Numbers appeared, floating above the crystal in glowing script:
POWER LEVEL: 9,847
The receptionist gasped. "It's over 9000!"
"9000?!" Another guild worker leaned over. "That's incredible!"
"And his magical aptitude is off the charts! Fire, lightning, and... oh my, he has spatial magic affinity too!"
Hayato removed his hand, looking slightly embarrassed. "Is that... good?"
"Good? Sir, that's exceptional! You're easily S-rank potential!" The receptionist beamed at him. "With proper training, you could become one of the kingdom's greatest heroes!"
Everyone applauded. Hayato gave a small, humble bow.
I felt my eye twitch.
Okay. So that's the standard. Fine. I'm special too. I'm Truck-kun. I've killed—I mean, isekai'd hundreds of people. I've got to have SOMETHING going for me.
"Miss?" The receptionist turned to me, still smiling brightly. "Your turn!"
I stepped up to the crystal, trying to project confidence.
Here we go. Time to show these people what a legendary yokai can do.
I placed my hand on the crystal.
It flickered.
Dimly.
Numbers appeared:
POWER LEVEL: 2
Silence.
The receptionist's smile didn't fade, exactly. It just... froze. Like someone had paused her mid-expression.
"Um," she said. "That... let me just..."
She tapped the crystal. Adjusted something. "Try again?"
I pressed my hand against it harder.
POWER LEVEL: 2
The receptionist stared at the number. Then at me. Then back at the number.
Her excited expression melted away like ice in summer, replaced by complete indifference. The sparkle in her eyes just... vanished.
"Is the crystal broken?" Captain Aldric asked.
She didn't even look up. "No. It's accurate." Her voice had gone flat, professional in the worst way. The kind of tone you'd use for paperwork you didn't care about.
"Check it anyway," the captain ordered.
Another guild worker came over, examined the crystal, ran his hand over it. It lit up normally for him, showing his own stats.
"Crystal's fine," he reported.
The receptionist had already turned away, straightening papers on her desk like I wasn't even there anymore.
Everyone looked at me.
"There must be some mistake," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm from another world. I was summoned by—"
"The truck, yes, we heard." The captain's voice had lost its warmth. "And you're certain you were summoned as a hero?"
"I—" My mouth felt dry. "Well, I mean, not summoned summoned, exactly. More like... transferred? Isekai'd?"
"Isekai'd," he repeated.
"It means—"
"I know what it means." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "So you're not a hero. You're just... someone who got hit by a truck."
[System: Technically correct! The best kind of correct.]
"I mean, when you put it like that, it sounds—"
"Do you have any combat experience?"
"...Depends on how you define combat?"
"Have you ever fought anything?"
"I've hit a LOT of people with my—" I caught myself. "—with various objects."
"Magical abilities?"
"No."
"Special skills?"
"I'm really good at—" I desperately searched my brain. "—eating?"
The captain stared at me for a long, long moment.
Then he sighed.
"Miss," he said, and his voice was tired now, all the earlier respect gone. "I don't know how things work in your world, but here, we have procedures. Claiming to be a hero is... not something to joke about. With the political tensions and the border disputes, we need real heroes. Not—" He gestured vaguely at me. "—whatever this is."
"I wasn't joking! I really am from another world! The deities sent me here because—"
"The deities," he said flatly.
"Yes! They set me up! I had too much negative karma and—"
"Negative karma."
"One third of all the negative karma in existence, actually." I was babbling now, I knew it, but I couldn't stop. "Which is why I'm so weak right now, but if I just build up good karma I'll—"
"That's enough." The captain turned to Marcus. "Escort her out. And miss?" He looked back at me. "I'd advise you not to waste the guard's time again with false hero claims. We have real problems to deal with."
"But I—"
"Good day."
Five minutes later, I was standing outside the guild building, alone.
The sun was setting. The marketplace was starting to close up for the evening. Somewhere, someone was cooking meat, and the smell made my stomach growl.
I had no money. No food. No place to stay. No powers. And a power level of 2.
Two.
[System: Current Status - Homeless, Broke, Hungry, Powerless, Humiliated. Would you like to view your quest log?]
I stared at the floating text.
Then I screamed.
Not loud. Not dramatic. Just a small, frustrated scream of pure rage and helplessness.
A few people passing by gave me worried looks and hurried away faster.
[System: Feeling better?]
"No," I said through gritted teeth. "No, I am not feeling better."
[System: Well, good news! Your first quest is ready!]
[Quest: Survive Your First Night]
[Objective: Find food and shelter before nightfall]
[Reward: You don't die of exposure or starvation]
[Penalty: You die of exposure or starvation]
[Time Remaining: 2 hours]
I looked up at the darkening sky.
Then down at my empty hands.
Then at the town around me, full of people who probably thought I was crazy.
"I hate everything," I announced to nobody in particular.
[System: That's the spirit! ♪]
Somewhere in the distance, I heard thunder.
Of course it's going to rain.
[System: Negative karma has minor effect on local weather patterns! Isn't that fun?]
"I'm going to find a way to uninstall you," I muttered, starting to walk. "I don't know how yet, but I'm going to figure it out."
[System: Looking forward to it! In the meantime, you should probably focus on not dying. Clock's ticking! ♪]
I pulled my torn kimono tighter and trudged toward the marketplace.
Two hours to find food and shelter with no money, no powers, and a power level that was somehow less than most children.
But I was Hitomi. Former Truck-kun. Legend. Icon. Isekai delivery service extraordinaire.
I'd survived being a haunted murder truck. I'd survived the deity council's rejection. I'd survived getting hit by a truck.
I could survive this.
Probably.
Maybe.
...I really hoped so.
[System: Good luck! You're going to need it! ♪]