"So you're saying you want me to replace you?"
"Correct. More precisely, I want you to inherit all of my power."
The being looked at me with an indifferent gaze and spoke in a flat, emotionless voice.
I never imagined that I would come face to face with him—death itself, or rather, what should be called [The End].
I tried not to get too excited and asked carefully.
"Yogiri… is what do you mean to say is you want me to become the avatar of [The End]?"
This was insane.
I never thought I would actually meet Takatou Yogiri in the Void. Just moments ago, I had been reading a web novel in my room like always. Then, the next thing I knew, I was here—sitting on a chair across a table filled with snacks and canned drinks, as if the laws of physics didn't apply to this place.
Until recently, I was just a man in his late twenties with no real purpose in life. Every day was the same—playing games, watching anime, reading comics and novels. Over and over again. I was a failure, someone who never lived up to his parents' expectations, someone who was still a burden to them.
I knew there were people out there who were far less fortunate than me. And I knew that made me nothing more than an ungrateful person who had already given up.
"No. I want you to replace me—literally. You will become [The End]."(Yogiri)
Yogiri's voice pulled me back from my depressive thoughts.
Alright. Enough negativity. Back to the point.
Yogiri from Instant Death was sitting right in front of me. Death itself.
Wait… did I hear that right?
Me becoming [The End]?
Seeing him casually offer me snacks and drinks, I took a canned soda and asked again, just to be sure.
"What do you mean I'll become [The End]? Isn't that you?"
"I want to retire, buddy. Do you really think I don't want to live a completely normal slow life?"(Yogiri)
"Then what if some kind of threat comes after you?"
I opened the can and took a sip, trying to calm myself.
How could he say something like that so casually? I couldn't believe he wanted me to become [The End]. And even if he did—was it really possible for him to just hand over that power?
If I remember correctly, Yogiri was [The End] itself. He wasn't someone who possessed power—he was the embodiment of the end of all reality and beyond that.
"You think I didn't consider that? If I'm here, telling you to replace me, then obviously I can do it."(Yogiri)
"... You can?"
"Yes. I already ended my own story. I concluded my plot with [An Endless Happy Ending] And that ending was defined according to what I like."(Yogiri)
"…"
You could do that?!
Then why didn't you end your story from the very beginning?
…Wait. If you did that, we wouldn't be able to enjoy the light novel. So I guess that would've been bad.
Maybe beings like him simply think differently. Or maybe his true form doesn't even need to think at all.
Whatever. Thinking about it was pointless. If Yogiri wanted to, he could erase me in an instant.
And honestly… This wasn't bad for me.
It was actually incredibly good.
"I see. You've already made your decision, haven't you?"(Yogiri)
Hearing his question, I answered immediately, unable to hide my excitement.
"Yeah. I think I'm incredibly lucky."
No ROB. No wish granting. Just become [The End].
Lucky.
"Besides, I'm the type of person who likes overpowered stories. It's not that I hate stories where a weak protagonist struggles through endless hardships to become strong—I just don't like dealing with that kind of trouble myself. I can enjoy watching or reading it, sure. But if I had to go through all that? I'd probably give up immediately, unless it killed me first."
"…"(Yogiri)
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."(Yogiri)
I already knew the answer. I just wanted to hear it from him.
"Why did you choose me?"
"Random."(Yogiri)
"…"
I knew it. Of course.
It's not like I was some kind of good person or anything.
"Does this mean I'll be isekai'd?"
"You're becoming [The End], and you're still asking that? How troublesome. You are the being that can define what an end in however you want. Sigh… Once you become [The End], all your questions will be answered anyway. So don't worry about it."(Yogiri)
Good.
Then I could give my parents a happy ending too—literally.
At the very least, I could give them beautiful happiness. They deserved that much.
"I understand."
"Then… are you ready to replace me?"(Yogiri)
Yogiri looked at me, his eyes still utterly indifferent. I met his gaze and replied.
"Yeah."
Hearing that, Yogiri closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he opened them again and looked at me with a faint smile.
"I hope you live the life you truly desire, #####. Farewell."(Yogiri)
And then he vanished.
No—more accurately, he returned to his own world.
Suddenly, I felt incredibly sleepy.
Damn it… he really just left me here alone.
I tried to stay awake, but my consciousness slowly faded away.
3rd POV
The Void began to tremble, as if welcoming the arrival of [The End].
Across the entire omniverse—and beyond that—countless omnipotent beings felt terror.
Something had changed.
Something they could not comprehend.
And something they would never dare try to understand.