Tap-Tap-Tap
In a dimly lit room, a woman sat in front of her computer typing away indifferently, her bloodshot eyes staring at the wall of text in front of her.
Tap-Tap-Tap
The room was small, with a meticulously made twin sized bed in a corner, opposite the three monitors illuminating the unkempt hair and average face of the woman. Though humble, the room seemed to meet the needs of the occupant as she sat, typing silently.
Tap-Tap-Tap
The woman was in her early thirties, with long black hair and black eyes. Everything about the woman seemed to convey the word average. Though, some might consider the deep ruby red hue of her skin a bit peculiar.
Tap-Tap-Tap
But those 'some' don't exist in the society this woman lives in, thus, her red skin carries the label of normal to the eyes around her, and if closely scrutinized, some would consider that aspect of her slightly below the standard.
Tap-Tap-Tap~
One thing is certain in this quiet room. The woman before the three monitors wasn't human, but a demon, though, a normality in the world she lives, the absolute standard here. To the people of this planet, the species of anything but demon was but another race in light novels and fantasy literature.
Roll Screechh~
As she finished with the task in front of her, she rolled her chair back a bit and stretched her arms over her head. If an observer were to see her, the modest chest under the fabric of her frumpy sweatshirt wouldn't ignite many lingering gazes on her feminine form, not that she would understand, given in this society, such lascivious eyes were reserved for men rather than the women of this world.
"Hmm, they never learn, do they?"
she murmurs as she gazed back at the screen with undisguised contempt as the number of likes, dislikes, and replies floods her user comments.
~~~
[ShotaShieldTav: The ending was trash. The author just lazily pushed the most rushed bullshit at the end to finish his fame dwindling saga. The ML went from bubbly protag to pure Gary Stu!]
[ToryTornado: @ShotaShieldTav please don't do this again…]
[SadGlobe: @ShotaShieldTav what are you talking about????? How is Damien a Gary Stu??? He had the most development in the whole story?? I'm guessing you just don't like him because of the reverse Harem like everyone else in this disgusting forum. ]
[ToryTornado: @SadGlobe don't engage! That's what she wants!]
[foxGloveFarmer: @SadGlobe nooooo!]
[ShufflePerson: @SadGlobe lol are you a guy?]
[ShotaShieldTav: @SadGlobe most development in the story? There were plenty of people with a wider range of hardships and personal trials that built their character, tbh that's the only reason I read until the end. Damien was just a power fantasy for wannabe macho males like yourself. Off yourself. ]
[ShufflePerson: lol true, reverse world stories are so cringe.]
[foxGloveFarmer: @ShufflePerson idk I like the concept, I would never share my guy with other girls tho, aren't Damians wives just a bunch of cucks? looool]
[SadGlobe: @ShotaShieldTav @foxGloveFarmer girls can have harems but guys can't? And he's a human, it's part of their culture, I'm pretty sure the elves in the story were like that as well? And name me a single person that had more personal growth than Damian? Not elf Bradly, and definitely not Shela.]
[ToryTonado: @SadGlobe I'm telling you engaging with her is pointless, she just looks down on men. ]
[ShufflePerson: @ToryTornado white knight Tory at it again lol. Shela is GIGASTACE tho.]
[ShotaShieldTav: @SadGlobe look bro, the character development you're talking about had to do with Damien saving human girl after human girl, and then getting an ouchee from demon lord Shela, only to come back with an armory of cheat weapons and a stolen bloodline. A blood line of which belonged to the most dynamic and underrated character in the entire story. That person would have been a way better lead than the multitude of rejects in that web novel. ]
[ToryTornado: and here we go….]
[foxGloveFarmer: bro lol]
[SadGlobe: @ShotaShieldTav ??? If Damien was a girl saving a bunch of helpless guys you would most likely call it godly development and who are you even talking about? The devil heart was a gift from his magic teacher, Sorceress Abigail, and she specifically says she only knows the power, not the origin. Did you even read that volume(chapter 156??????) Also, your femcel is showing using the word bro… ]
[ShufflePerson: femcel loool @SadGlobe you are a guy tho right? Do you play any mmos? I play a ton so…..]
[ShotaShieldTav: @SadGlobe quoting scripture in front of me? A mere man? Let me educate you normie. Side story 6 part 12: Betrayal of greed. The Author specifically says the 14th hero party made a deal with the devil 1st Avaritia that led to the gates of Hellnia to be destroyed by them with the god ritual. Keeping all devils and high demons from entering the land of Neel. Thus making the devil of greed and his family the only ones to form contracts in Neel and the surrounding worlds for 666 years. To ensure Avaritia's rule after 666 years and to show his sensarity to the human gods alliance, he murdered 3 of the other 6 ruling archdevils and 'executed' the devil with the greatest potential. After that, the god of the hero of magic told their hero to go find that devil's body after Hellnia's reopening, and to take his heart for Damien's use. I'm sorry were you not aware sir? Did YOU even rEad tHe sIdE StOrY?????? ]
[foxGloveFarmer: yap yap yap]
[ShotaShieldTav: @SadGlobe The Devil in question had an entire arc in both the main story and side story 8, sir were you unawares?]
[ToryTornado: here it comes…]
[SadGlobe: @ShotaShieldTav hold on are you talking about the devil's dungeon arc? Are you talking about that one dimensional side villain Vainglory? lol What entire arc? Why would I read a side story about a zombie devil that appeared in like 3 chapters that was killed by Damien's 2nd lover? lol is this a troll? ]
[ShotaShieldTav: @SadGlobe You uncultured swine, you are saying that BECAUSE you didn't read the side story, this story is lost on some bottom feeding gigolo like yourself. As I thought, 2D guys are indeed a cut above the rest. To look down on the multifaceted, complex, and genius character that is the strong, unwavering, cold handsome, 6th Vainglory. The ultimate husbando!? Again sir, you may off yourself. ]
[foxGloveFarmer: Vainglory died at the age of 16 btw…]
[ShotaShieldTav: @foxGloveFarmer He wasn't dead, he had his wishes stripped during the dungeon arc on top of having his organs harvested so technically he was around 680 years at the time, plus devils have the Ancestral knowledge ability so age really doesn't mean anything really.]
[foxGloveFarmer: Sis.]
[ShufflePerson: Sis…]
[SadGlobe: oh a pedo, So I was just wasting time arguing…]
[TonyTornado: I told you, she's been posting this garbage in every {Tragedy of heroes} forum after the release of the final chapter…. guess 'ShotaShield' isn't a joke lol… I don't even think she cares about the character story, just the fan fics of him.]
[ShotaShieldTav: Nonsense. Now allow me all to educate you on the intricacies of this long forgotten character, he may have died halfway through the story during that arc, but the reason he died and why that specific party member killed him all has it's meaning in the story, The MC damien doesn't even use his power meaningfully after he gets the heart. Hell, that gigolo doesn't even know how to use it. We have to go back 700 years in the story's history to explain it. So it started off with...….. ]
~~~
After reviewing her internet sermon, as well as the links to her fan fiction and blog posts, Tavja nodded and finally got up.
"Why did they even bother reading the story?"
How can so many people misunderstand the underlying meanings and dynamic consequences for so many arcs and still have an opinion of characters they barely knew?
She sighed to herself and walked to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast, sleepless nights of debating always brings back her appetite. She took out a carton for eggs, some sliced bread and some orange juice. As she broke the eggs into the pan and placed the bread into the toaster she became lost in thought.
'Great story, terrible ending.'
She shook her head, Tavja was indeed an…enthusiast of the web novel {Tragedy of Heroes}. In some aspects, some would consider her a shut in as a result of her deep diving. But she didn't see it that way, she didn't fear leaving the house, she just loathed the outside world and the headaches it brought with it. Everything about society to her seemed so… staged. Not in terms of reality as a whole, it's very much real. But the people in general, its customs, and how one had to act and get ahead in life just seemed so hollow.
It was exhausting to her, not to mention seemingly pointless. She knew the hand she was dealt wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good either. She knew she had an average appearance and her intelligence was only slightly higher than most, her memory wasn't very outstanding either. She was just…average. She didn't hate it, but she didn't like it either. Because she knew that if she wanted to stand out and be a cut above the rest she would have to work hard, work tirelessly, make connections, and be charismatic.
But for what? More money? She didn't need more money, she didn't think she could find a job that had as many perks either. Tavja worked as a software developer from home, and she was quite good. She was given weekly tasks and they would usually take her a couple of days to complete, leaving her with the rest of the week to do as she pleased. Even with all the free time and hefty salary, Tavja had no desire to go places or spend it on anything in particular, So the money in her savings account just grew with no real goal in particular.
What about fame, influence, respect? She found those to be a waste of time as well. She didn't particularly care who liked her, and she didn't really like the idea of being under a microscope for the masses to watch constantly. Why go into that arena when you don't really wish to interact with people on a regular basis? Why not just take time off, disappear and do what you want after you become famous or gain influence?
That's the problem. In her current day and age the spotlight favors those who remain in it. The longer she's away, the less fame, and the grip of influence loosens when relevancy vanishes. In Tavja's mind it's just more work with no real benefit to a person like her. She didn't even have a reason to influence others in a particular direction, so why bother?
Perhaps love? People get a better sense of fulfillment when paired with another. Sadly for Tavja her experience in relationships has been a trainwreck since she was 16, she had long since given up finding the perfect man for herself. What's worse, her time spent in solitude only made the image of perfection worse due to the amount of fantasy books she's consumed.
The User in the comments section that stated she looked down on men was indeed spot on. Her experiences with men early on had ruined the image of a perfect relationship, she began to turn to media that amplified her resentment to the men of this world. For a while, Tavja was what many referred to as a raving misandrist, tempered by rage of the 'harsh realities' said media revealed. How men just wanted money and glamour and how they would leave the second a richer woman that played video games better came around, she was incensed and infuriated with all irl men when she learned about the 'truth'.
By the time her resentment mellowed out and she realized her influencer idols were just saying those things for suckers like her to feel better about their circumstances and give them money, she was nearing 30 and she had long grown accustomed to being alone and indoors.
Simply put, Tavja had already given up on her society as a whole, and she didn't like pretending she loved it by going outdoors.
'But.. what do I read now?'
As Tavja scrambled her eggs, she began to feel a little empty. One of the few things Tavja looked forward to was reading the next chapter of her favorite web novel {Tragedy of Heroes}. A dynamic story that followed the adventures of many different heroes in a world thrown into chaos.
The story consisted of 8 different main perspectives. Each a 'Hero' to the people around them, after a series of different calamity events they all grew through the trials and ultimately became powerful individuals. But as the latter half of the story progressed, each one would die for one reason or another. Until the last one remained, the famed Damien, who eventually defeated the final villain with his harem and sealed all magic in the world of Neel, essentially turning it the same as earth, a rock in space with no magic or mystery.
'A lackluster conclusion.'
Tavja was truly disappointed in the author.
'Thousands upon thousands of main story chapters and almost as many side story chapters only to end with a magicless world and a group of cuckqueens serving a whimsical himbo.'
She sighed and put the eggs on a plate and placed it on her small dining table. As she did, she noticed her old office door slightly ajar. Strange, she never really stepped in there anymore.
'...maybe I should start my old job again?'
She shook her head, ever since finding that novel online, passing the time through other means just wasn't the same. Besides, she had quit that part time job for a reason. She sighed again, why did the story end just like that? It felt bitter.
'With a world like that, where magic existed, where power reigned supreme, there would be no way I'd let it end just like that.'
She chuckled to herself.
'If only I could live in a world like that…'
BUZZ BUZZ
'...with magic, Devils, Gods…'
BUZZ BUZZ
'...Hmph! I'd at least make a more epic ending.'
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ
'An ending where the actual power houses of that world played the roles of true hegemons. Instead of a bunch of lucky bastards that barely succeeded in the end.'
DING
As Tavja was thinking such thoughts, she noticed her phone was continuing to buzz. As she flipped over her phone to check who could possibly be messaging a shut-in like her, she glanced at the now finished toast.
Annoyed, she picked a fork with her other hand to stab the blackened sliced to add to her meal. As she reached out to pick out the toast she read the messages.
'Unknown?'
[Unknown: I agree with you.]
[Unknown: It was a disappointing display.]
[Unknown: the other worlders and champions blessed by their gods just didn't have what it takes to bring true glory to this world.]
[Unknown: But maybe you do, demon girl of an alternate world? Lol I'll give you a shot, good luck~ ]
'Hm?'
As she read, what she wasn't aware of, was the fact that the fork she had used to fish out the burnt bread she made, was now halfway down the toaster at this point.
BZZZT
"F-f-f-f- fuc-"
Soon, darkness overtook her vision.