Im Not The Hero Novels & Stories

Mom is one of the most famous reporters in the country. She exposes all kinds of wrongdoing, and the public hails her as a champion of justice. What she doesn't know is that while she's out fighting for other people, I'm being viciously bullied at school. When I finally work up the courage to ask her for help, she gives me a disgusted look and tells me to quit being so dramatic. Eventually, my bullies beat me to death and bury my body in a reeking drainage ditch. When my body is finally dug up, Mom is the reporter sent to cover the scene.

Charlie took blow after blow. It felt like an invisible pair of hands were wrapped around his heart, squeezing tighter and tighter until he couldn’t breathe. He moved like a broken, robotic machine, frantically searching for any way to contact me—calling, messaging, checking every platform. There was nothing. No trace. No clue. He couldn’t understand why I’d leave him without a reason. Charlie collapsed to the floor like a helpless child. He hugged his head and sobbed, completely falling apart.

I open my mouth, then closed it again capturing my lip between my teeth. He follows the movement and eyes darken. “Well,” I say, grasping for humor like a lifeline, “this is all very flattering, but why?” There it was. The real question. Why me? I’m not the loudest. Or the prettiest. Or the most accomplished. I don't even have a pack. No place in the world when he has an entire clan he’s come back to. He's a warrior, a hero. A male both respected and loved.

He complied without question. Emberlyn's gaze shifted to the distant horizon, a wistful expression crossing her features. "Well, you see, my siblings... they all achieved A-rank status, excelling in their hero careers. But me? I've always fallen short of their expectations. Despite my training from a young age, I never quite reached their level of skill and achievement. I guess my father is never going to acknowledge unless I do something worthwhile in this hero stuff, so that's how I ended up here doing this hero thing," Keagan listened intently, he sensed the weight of her words. "But you're here, fighting as a hero. That counts for something, doesn't it?"

I shouted quickly. Adipati took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "You know? I was bullied in high school; they abused me and took a video of me half-naked. It's a very horrible memory. They even spread the video; luckily, now no one has it because Kenan has cleaned up everything! From the story, You should know just this, right? How much Kenan means to me?" Hearing my story, Adipati's expression immediately turned somber. "I'll only consider him a hero, not someone I love, so... don't worry! I've prepared a special place for you in my heart!" I smiled so broadly in front of Adipati, making the man slowly soften and smile.

“What?” She shrugs, gaze trained on the window. “My father thought he was the hero. So did my mother. So did nearly every bastard I’ve met in my life.” Her hand tightens on mine. “I don’t like the hero. I don’t want him. He’s not real.” The weight on my chest disappears. It doesn’t just lift, lingering nearby for the chance to drop again. As her words ring through the night, it vanishes entirely.

“A coward? A disgrace? I just… I don’t want to fight him. Not when no one else is even trying.” Kael leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Lucas, you’re not a disgrace for not wanting your father back. You’re not a disgrace for not wanting to fight a war nobody else is fighting.” I swallowed hard, my chest aching. Kael went on, quieter this time. “It’s a mind screw, yeah? How do you defeat the bad guy when he’s doing more good than the guy who’s supposed to be the hero?” I sat down beside him, feeling strangely hollow and relieved all at once. “Exactly.”

Randell exclaimed. "I'll pay you back when my mom gives me my allowance next month, alright? I'll even double the amount!" I felt my heart sink to my stomach. "No! There's a red alert here! And I've already told you that I don't have any money with me now! I want to get out of this place! I don't even have the money to stay at the hotel anymore!" Randell laughed coldly and said, "You're really something, Cassidy Stanford. You can even resort to faking a red alert notification just to cause trouble with me on purpose.

She had a way of understanding the unspoken and was one of the few people who had ever managed to draw Hero out of his shell. “Hey, Hero!” she called out, waving him over. “You look like you could use a break.” Hero managed a small smile, joining her as they walked around the courtyard. “I was working on neural networks. It’s interesting, but… there’s so much I still don’t know.” Polaris nodded, listening intently. “I get it. But sometimes, you’re so far ahead of everyone else, Hero, it’s like you’re competing against yourself. Take it easy every now and then.”

I frown. “Why?” Her hands tremble. “Because he’s dangerous.” I glance back at the drawing. Then at her. Confused. “Isn’t he a hero?” Something in her expression breaks completely. “No.” The word is sharp. Immediate. Final. “He’s not a hero,” she says again, softer, but more terrifying. I don’t understand. “He’s strong,” I argue. “Strength isn’t everything,” she whispers. I open my mouth to ask another question—but a sharp scream cuts through the air.