Chapter 26: Am I A Protagonist?
I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. Again.
The morning sun was barely peeking through my window as I lay there, staring at the ceiling of my small disciple quarters. My entire body ached from the month of intense cultivation, but my mind was surprisingly clear. Maybe too clear, because it kept circling back to something I'd been trying not to think about since arriving in this world.
"Azure, I think I might be a protagonist."
There was a moment of silence before Azure's presence stirred in my mind. "An interesting conclusion to reach first thing in the morning…"
"I've been trying to avoid thinking about it, honestly. I didn't want to get my hopes up." I shifted on my bed, wincing as my sore muscles protested. "You know how these stories go. Sometimes people reincarnate as side characters and end up getting killed off for dramatic effect. Or worse, they're the young master antagonist whose only purpose is to be a stepping stone for the real protagonist."
"And you're certain you're not one of those?"
"Well, not completely certain. But I'd say I'm about ninety percent sure at this point." I started counting off on my fingers. "First, I'm reincarnated from another world - classic isekai protagonist setup. Second, I have what's basically a LitRPG system showing me stats and levels. Third, I have you - a mysterious spiritual helper.”
"I prefer 'appropriately enigmatic guide,' but continue."
"Fourth, I have this strange ability that lets me walk between worlds, and when I die there, I just pop back here instead of actually dying. And finally..." I gestured at my dantian, where the newly transformed Genesis Seed sat. "Yesterday I completed the first stage of a technique that's supposedly beyond Heaven-rank, something that's been impossible to cultivate for generations."