Frieren: Reincarnation into the Hero’s body

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Rain poured relentlessly against the cracked pavement, soaking through Alen's thin jacket as he trudged home beneath flickering streetlights. The city was quiet at this hour, the hum of distant traffic fading into the backdrop of his tired thoughts.

He glanced at his phone. Midnight. Another late shift, another day wasted behind a desk.

"I really need to quit that job…" he muttered to himself, his breath visible in the cold night air.

His eyes drifted to the empty road ahead, but his mind wandered elsewhere—back to the warm comfort of his small apartment, the unfinished stack of anime Blu-rays on his shelf.

Frieren: Beyond the Journey's End.

He'd started rewatching it last week, drawn once again into the tale of Himmel and his companions. It was one of those rare series that left a lasting mark—a story about life after victory, about the passage of time and the weight of memories.

He smiled faintly. Himmel had always been his favorite character. Despite the hero's untimely death early in the story, Himmel's optimism and unwavering dedication to his friends resonated deeply with Alen.

"Maybe I'll finish it tonight…"

The sudden blare of a car horn shattered his thoughts.

His head snapped up—headlights surged forward, too close, too fast.

"Move—!"

But the impact came before he could react.

---

Silence.

The cold faded.

Alen's senses drifted through an endless void, the weight of his body dissolving until all that remained was a strange, comforting warmth.

Was this death?

The darkness around him began to shift, swirling like ink in water.

A faint voice echoed in his mind.

[Congratulations to the Host for Awakening the Mage System.]

Alen's eyes shot open.

Soft morning light streamed through an open window, casting a golden glow over a room he didn't recognize. His gaze darted across the unfamiliar space—an old wooden dresser, a polished sword resting against the wall, and a mirror reflecting someone he didn't expect to see.

He stared at the reflection.

Blue hair. Blue eyes.

His breath caught in his throat.

"Himmel…?"

Alen leaned closer to the mirror, the face of Himmel the Hero staring back at him with equal confusion. His heart raced as he ran his fingers through the silver locks, tracing the sharp angles of a face he had only seen through a screen.

"No… this has to be a dream."

The memory of his death lingered, too vivid to dismiss.

He stepped back, his eyes scanning the room again. The intricate carvings on the dresser, the faint scent of old parchment, and the distant hum of life outside the window—it all felt too real.

His hand trembled slightly as he reached for the sword against the wall. The weight was solid, familiar in a way that sent a shiver down his spine.

This wasn't his world.

A flood of memories—not his own, but Himmel's—rushed through his mind. Images of battles fought against the Demon King, of long travels alongside Frieren, Eisen, and Heiter.

His breathing grew shallow.

"I… reincarnated into Himmel… after the Demon King was defeated?"

Before he could process it fully, a soft knock echoed from the door.

"Himmel?"

That voice—calm and distant, yet undeniably familiar.

"Frieren…"

The door creaked open, and there she stood.

Long white hair, tied into two high pigtails, cascaded down her back. Her large, pointed ears framed her face, while piercing green eyes beneath thick eyebrows regarded him with the same unreadable calm she always carried.

She was exactly as he remembered her from the anime.

Alen froze. Seeing Frieren in person felt like stepping into a painting—beautiful yet surreal.

Her gaze lingered on him, eyes narrowing slightly.

"You're awake. We leave soon. Eisen and Heiter are waiting downstairs."

Her words carried no warmth, but Alen could sense the familiarity in them. This was just how Frieren was—aloof but caring in her own way.

Alen tried to speak, but his throat tightened.

"I… yeah, I'll be down soon."

Frieren didn't question him. She turned without another word, disappearing down the hall.

Alen sank onto the bed, burying his face in his hands.

"Okay… breathe. This is happening."

His reflection in the mirror—Himmel's face—stared back at him as if daring him to accept reality.

A flicker of excitement stirred in his chest, overriding the initial shock.

He was Himmel.

And if the system's voice hadn't been a hallucination, there was more to this world than the one Himmel had left behind.

[Mage System Online.]

[New Quest: Learn Basic Spells to Unlock Rewards.]

[Starting Reward: 100-Year Lifespan, Basic Spell Knowledge, and Language Mastery.]

Alen's lips curled into a faint smile.

"If this is real… I guess I'm not just the hero anymore."

He tightened his grip on the sword.

"Let's see where this path leads."