My name was Surkarl Jandore. I was a thirty-two-year-old demon born in the Demon Kingdom. I wasn't just any man, though. I was the strongest.
Well, all right, maybe "strongest" was an exaggeration. Let’s just say I was a man who aimed for that title. You probably thought I was just some loudmouthed fool, didn't you? I hate to disappoint you, but I had a very good reason for my pride—a reason for my ambition.
I possessed a skill. It was called Result of the Match.
Essentially, it allowed me to see the outcome of any fight I intended to start. If I decided to challenge a man passing by, I could envision the conclusion before a single blow was struck. I would see a vision of myself either cheering in victory or lying broken in defeat. Occasionally—though it was rare—I’d see myself running for my life.
The vision didn't come from my own point of view. If I were already unconscious, I wouldn't have been able to tell what was happening. Instead, I saw it from the perspective of a third party, floating slightly above the scene like a silent observer.
Even if I saw a vision of my own defeat, there was no reason to despair. Results could be changed. If I fought exactly as I was in that moment, the outcome would match the vision, but I could always shift the variables. The easiest factors to manipulate were time and place. The result changed based on the timing of the strike. If my opponent happened to be unarmed, a vision of my victory became much more likely.
Exactly! By using my skill, I had spent my life winning by only picking fights I knew I could take. Cowardly? Hardly. The skill was mine, a part of my own strength. What was wrong with using it?
Besides, it wasn't as if I didn't put in the work. I had to exert effort just to create a scenario where victory was possible. The result changed based on my training, too. That was why I constantly honed my body and kept my sword skills sharp enough to outmatch any common adventurer. I maintained my gear meticulously and only used the finest quality equipment.
Hahaha! In other words, I would inevitably become the strongest man alive.
With that goal in mind, I arrived at Village Five. It was called a village, but the bustling atmosphere and level of development actually put me off a bit. B-But I couldn't let myself be intimidated by a mere settlement. My target was the God of War, Galf. I’d heard that the man rumored to be the strongest in the region often appeared here, so I had made the journey to find him.
For the time being, since I was in Village Five, I decided to try the ramen. Everyone said it was delicious. However, there were so many shops that I didn't know where to start.
I activated my skill. It applied to any kind of contest, and choosing where to eat was certainly a battle of sorts.
Eventually, I found a shop that seemed like a guaranteed winner. It was a strange experience, observing my future self through the skill. I had to make my "rejoicing self" easy to identify, which meant I’d developed a habit of being overly dramatic in my daily life. Still, it was worth it to avoid a bad meal.
However, I was baffled. Why was my future self crying tears of gratitude over a bowl of noodles? And why, when I checked a different shop, did I see myself emerging while literally worshipping a woman? What in the world was a Ramen Queen? I decided to steer clear of the shop that made me weep and the one that turned me into a cultist.
The ramen I did choose was delicious.
As a side note, Result of the Match didn't work for gambling. Or rather, it worked, but I had never once seen a vision of myself winning. No matter what I tried, I couldn't find a path to victory. Was my luck just that abysmal? Or was gambling not considered a "match"? Either way, I stayed away from the tables. I’d only lose.
Once my stomach was full, it was time to get down to business. Where was this Galf person? I knew he belonged to the Beastman Race, but that was about it. I figured if I just started causing trouble and defeating people, he’d eventually show up to deal with me. That was how it usually went. I’d take down a few experts, word would spread, and the big fish would come biting.
I decided to target some adventurers nearby.
Good, good. I could win. And I did. No problems there.
Wait, no, I was immediately accosted by the Security Team. I’d chosen a bad time and place. It was the middle of the day on a busy street. At least I hadn't killed the man, so they let me off with a warning.
I made it a point never to kill my opponents. It would have been easier, but killing people bought unnecessary resentment. If I ran into someone holding a grudge later, my skill wouldn't help me against a surprise attack. Being forced into a fight where I knew I’d lose was my ultimate nightmare. To avoid that, I made sure never to push things too far.
I wondered how strong the Security Team member in front of me was. I activated my skill.
Based on the vision, he killed me instantly. He was a master, far beyond my level. Ah, so he was the Captain of the Security Team. I decided to listen to his warning very, very carefully.
Once the Security Team released me, I let out a sigh of relief. But what now? I wanted to meet Galf, but I didn't want to brawl with the law. I leaned against a wall on the main street and started using my skill on every person who passed by. If I lost to someone, it meant they were a powerhouse—someone who might lead me to Galf.
I checked one person after another.
Wait... something was wrong. I was losing to a terrifying number of people. Was I sick? Was my sword dull? No, everything seemed fine. I forced myself to stay calm and observe the visions of my own death.
The first person—a woman. My weapon wasn't broken, but I was simply... gone. Blown away by magic so powerful that not even a trace of me remained.
The second person. I was in pieces. Finely minced. I couldn't even tell what had hit me.
The third person. I was a pile of cinders. The skill showed that the pile of ash on the ground was all that was left of me.
The fourth person. I was launched into the sky. High enough to see the stars. Was I in outer space? What was happening?
The fifth person. I was buried alive, deep in the earth.
I stopped. It wasn't a good idea to use my skill on random passersby. I needed to be more selective. They had all been women, anyway. I needed to focus on my goal: Galf. He was a beastman, so I decided to look for men.
Then I saw a weak-looking man. I’d had a string of theoretical defeats, so I wanted to see a vision of a win just to lift my spirits.
I activated my skill.
In the vision, I was pierced through the chest by a spear.
A spear? From where? There weren't any spears nearby. The man was empty-handed. I tried again, focusing harder. The result was the same: a spear through my heart. Was he a master of conjuration magic? I was on my guard now, watching him intently, yet the vision wouldn't change.
"Um, excuse me, sir?" I called out. It was a bizarre request, but I asked if he could hold my sword for a moment. I wanted to see if changing the variables would help.
He held the sword. I activated the skill. I was still pierced by a spear. Why? Why wasn't he using the sword? It was an expensive blade!
I apologized and took the sword back. Then I bought him some skewered meat from a nearby stall as a thank-you. I had him hold the meat and checked again.
Pierced by a spear. I knew it would happen. Who was this man? He wasn't a beastman, so he couldn't be Galf.
Suddenly, a voice spoke inside my head. "Um, excuse me? Can you hear me?"
Who was that?
"It’s me. Your skill, Result of the Match."
What? "Thank you for all your help!" I thought reflexively.
"Ah, no, think nothing of it. I've just... Awakened. Or rather, I was forced to awaken."
I was completely confused.
"Anyway, you absolutely cannot touch that man. If you do, he will return you to the soil. And I’ll be going into the dirt right along with you. He’s already decided that he won't hold back next time."
I was stunned. I hadn't even done anything yet.
"In this world, there are things you shouldn't even think about doing. Just stick to the opponents you can actually beat."
The skill seemed to emphasize that last part. But Result of the Match had saved me countless times. If it had developed an ego just to warn me, I had to listen. I backed off immediately.
I realized then that Village Five wasn't just home to a few strong people—it was crawling with monsters. While I was testing my skill, several people had already told me to "keep it moderate." I decided to keep a low profile. Even if I saw a beastman, I’d ignore him. He probably wasn't Galf anyway.
Then I saw an adult man whose only weapon was a wooden stick and who wore no armor at all. I decided not to even look in his direction.
I thought about leaving the village, but the food was just too good. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead, I decided to focus on my own training and earn some living expenses as an adventurer.
That was when the Captain of the Security Team approached me with an offer. He didn't want me for the guard; he wanted me to train some children. There were three elf boys. He said my level of strength was "just right" to be their tutor.
I felt a bit insulted, but the contract was for several years and the pay was incredible, so I took the job.
And that was when I finally understood.
The people surrounding those children were the same ones who had blown me out of existence or turned me into cinders in my visions. The man my skill had awakened to warn me about was there, too.
I see. Everyone around them was so monstrously powerful that there was nobody left to teach them the basics. I was the only one who was "appropriately" weak.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was the truth. Fine. For the money they were paying me, I’d train them right.
"All right, you three! Keep up with me!" I shouted. "And you can just call me Sur. Don't call me Teacher or Master. If you do, people will start challenging me to test my skills. Your mother already tried it once, and let me tell you, I've never been more terrified in my life. If you’re High Elves, you should have led with that!"
Regardless, we were comrades now. We would get stronger together.
My name was Surkarl Jandore. I was a demon born in the Demon Kingdom, and I was thirty-two years old. While I still aimed to be the strongest man alive, I spent my days as a martial arts tutor.
Also, I was currently looking for a wife. Let's live together in Village Five!