The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years - Chapter 5

Based on the popular Vocaloid series, by HoneyWorks, called “Kokuhoku Yokou Renshuu (Confession Rehearsal)“:

Natsuki, a third-year at Sakuragaoka High School, who holds unrequited feelings for her childhood friend, Yuu, who’s in the Film Club. However, instead of being honest about her feelings, she makes him be her confession “rehearsal” partner. Unable to say her true feelings, things start to get complicated when Miou and Akari, who are also in the Art Club, get involved! Will she ever be able to confess for real!?

The story is about a man whose compulsive tendencies make it impossible for him to keep a job, and a young girl who skips school and loves insects. The two meet, come to support each other in reintegrating into society, and fall in love. There’s a problem, however: namely, the parasites in their heads.

In a world where failure is almost guaranteed, the game I now find myself in has a staggering 99.9% chance of defeat. Every choice brings chaos, and every road leads to disaster. No one has ever beaten it—it's infamous for being impossible to clear. But somehow, against all odds, I've transmigrated into this cursed game.Worse yet, I've taken over the body of Max, a minor character whose role is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. In the original story, Max is destined to die—nothing more than a forgettable extra lost in the background, a mere footnote in the epic tale of others.Frustration hit me hard as I realized I was trapped in this dead-end character. My doom felt inevitable, and every instinct told me to give up. What hope did I have in a world where even the strongest could barely survive?But just as despair was about to swallow me whole, a System suddenly activated, turning everything on its head. Along with the System came a peculiar ability:[Charm]It wasn't some overpowered skill designed for combat or survival. No, it was something entirely different, yet equally powerful in its own right.[Charm: Increase favorability as more women are captivated by your presence.]This was my key to survival.Through this strange, almost ridiculous skill, I realized that I could change my fate. The powerful female characters, once unreachable in the original storyline, could now be influenced. If I could make them favor me, their strength, influence, and protection would be mine.But it wouldn’t be easy. Each of these women had their own complex personalities, histories, and goals. They were dangerous, capable of crushing me in an instant if I misstepped. But with charm on my side, I might just be able to win them over—and in doing so, alter my destiny.What was once a game of certain death had now become a gamble of life and affection. Every conversation, every interaction, would determine whether I live or die. My charm was my weapon, and it would be the only thing standing between me and the grim fate that awaited Max.Now, with my new plan in motion, I’ll have to navigate the intricate web of relationships and alliances while avoiding the countless threats looming over me. The odds are still stacked against me, but for the first time since I arrived, I can see a glimmer of hope.If I can make the right moves, charm the right people, and avoid the pitfalls, I might just survive this nightmare.Or better yet, thrive.This is my one chance at life in a world of inevitable ruin, and I’ll do whatever it takes to change my story.

I thought I had been abandoned,But I was actually the child that the Namgoong family had been searching for.It wasn’t until I was killed by the Blood Demon, whom I had called “teacher,” that I learned the truth. When I awoke again as a thirteen-year-old child, I decided to return to the Namgoong family.I didn’t seek to be recognized as family.I only wanted to prevent the Namgoong family from falling apart as it had before.“This is the jewelry, silk, gold bars, and elixirs that the family head has gifted to you.”“Here, little one. This is a congratulatory gift for your return.”As soon as I was recognized as the lost granddaughter of the Namgoong family,I gained delicious food, fine clothes, gold and silver treasures, and a high-quality sword!I also gained a grandfather and a father who cried and laughed for me.But what was that strange, tingling feeling in my chest every time that happened?In order to protect the smiles of those I had once killed,and to preserve this warm and ticklish sensation for as long as I could,I was determined to change the bloody future that awaited me, unlike my previous life…**Namgoong Mucheon’s face darkened.‘Is this child truly raised to be an assassin?’The sharp killing intent and the sword techniques essential for an assassin were reflected in her life, as if they were embedded in her very being.‘Damn brat.’Anger surged within Namgoong Mucheon.He restrained himself from cursing aloud in front of his granddaughter, muttering in his mind instead.‘How dare they raise my granddaughter as an assassin?’The blue energy surrounding Namgoong Mucheon grew even stronger.