I found myself lost in thought.
Why have stories about reincarnation and transmigration to another world become so popular lately? Let me share my personal observations.
First and foremost, I blame cheat abilities.
If the protagonist has overpowered skills, they can do anything.
In today's market, writing about a plain Level 1 hero slowly growing stronger would just invite comparisons to legendary RPGs like Drag〇n Quest or Fin〇l Fantasy, or the countless shounen manga and light novels out there.
But give the protagonist cheat abilities, and—voila!—you instantly have an invincible, ultra-popular, unbeatable hero.
Next, why are so many of these stories about overpowered protagonists?
Simple.
Because the authors like it.
Whether it's self-insertion or just a preference for unstoppable heroes, writing them is fun.
This is especially obvious on amateur writing sites, where isekai stories thrive because they let authors write freely without interference, keeping their motivation high.
And then there's the harem element.
Sure, some stories make you wonder, 'Why would anyone fall for this guy?' But the logic is simple—strength equals popularity.
That's why cheat-powered protagonists almost always end up with harems.
Plus, let's be honest, guys love fanservice. It's like the ecchi boost in shounen manga—it just works.
Now, don't get me wrong.
I'm not hating on cheat-powered, harem-filled, isekai power fantasies.
Sure, there are critics—especially for this genre—but these stories still get published, adapted, and loved by many.
Again, this is just my personal take, not some deep literary analysis.
But here's my question:
Why do you have to fight just because you got cheat abilities in another world?
Let me be clear—even if I ended up in another world, I'd want nothing to do with combat.
Can you imagine fighting a bug the size of a person?
Even with cheat skills, no thanks.
Scary. Disgusting. Absolutely horrifying.
Just thinking about it makes me shrink in fear. And even if I won, getting monster guts on me would traumatize me for life.
And what about the guts?
Slash open a beast or humanoid monster, and you've got meters of intestines spilling out.
Unless you're a butcher's kid, who the hell wants to see fresh, glistening organs?
My sanity would plummet.
But the worst? Undead. Zombies. Skeletons.
Come on, that's way too terrifying.
They're dead.
Rotting flesh, dangling eyeballs, exposed bones—somehow walking around without muscles.
Even if I suppressed my fear, getting swarmed from all sides would only end one way: death.
I don't think I'm just being a coward here.
I'm not trying to act tough—anyone would feel the same after hearing those examples.
Most reincarnation stories feature teenagers or people in their twenties, but even they wouldn't stand a chance.
「Ano… are you really sure about this?」
「Hell yeah! Absolutely!」
That's why I'd already made up my mind.
If—just if—by some miracle, I ever got dragged into one of those reincarnation stories…
「Very well. Shinomiya Itsuki, I shall now grant you your unique skills. …Ah, please be careful.」
「Don't worry, it's all good.」
I would absolutely, under no circumstances, become an adventurer.
Instead, I'd achieve the perfect slow life in another world!
『Unique Skill: [〇〇 Mastery] acquired.』
『Spatial Magic Lv. 1 acquired.』
『Alchemy Lv. 1 acquired.』
『Farming Lv. 1 acquired.』
『Cooking Lv. 1 acquired.』
『Appraisal Lv. 1 acquired.』
『Remaining extra points: 0』
Spatial Magic is basically just a convenient substitute for a magic bag.
And let's be real—this kind of magic usually has some cheat-level utility.
Even for a slow life, having at least one cheat ability is a must.
But if I picked a combat-related cheat, I'd probably get tempted to use it. So I stuck with pure support skills.
From what I've heard, magic bags and pouches exist in this world—but they're either dungeon treasures or royal gifts, meaning they're nearly impossible to get. And I really don't want to lug heavy baggage around.
Plus, if I level up Spatial Magic enough, I might unlock Teleportation.
According to web novel lore, teleportation is usually part of spatial magic.
If I could get my hands on that, I'd never have to face monsters—just hop between towns and countries, sampling all kinds of exotic pleasures.
And if I ever ran into something dangerous? Instant escape. Huge advantage.
Alchemy, Farming, Cooking, and Appraisal—I picked these based on what seemed most useful in other isekai stories I've read.
Basically, they're just hobbies and side hustles for my slow life.
「Now then, I shall send you to your starting town. Please… do be careful.」
「Yeah, yeah. I got it.」
My goal is set.
Buy a big house and some land in the countryside, hire workers to handle farming and production, and let them handle self-sufficiency.
Then, once everything's running smoothly, spend my days teleporting around, indulging in local delicacies, bedding various women, and living like an emperor in a world of wine and luxury.
No work, just play—until I die of old age, happy and satisfied.
With that vow in my heart, I took my first step into another world.