I was summoned to another world, but the world had already ended

I can’t say I ever saw myself as a protagonist.

Most protagonists are usually on extreme ends of the moral spectrum. They either have extremely tragic stories or are the epitome of hope and compassion.

They are also either social outcasts or friendly and popular and thus they either believe that the world is rotten and rigged, or full of awe and wonder.

That is why I don’t see myself as a protagonist.

In this classroom of 18 students, I get along fine with everyone. I have two good friends, and I also have loving and caring parents. So, I do pretty well for myself.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to call myself an average joe, but I’m certainly not that outstanding either.

As for my view of the world? Well, if you care enough to know, I don’t think the world is all bad, but I also can’t say it’s fair and just either, I think to an extent we all have a chance to succeed.

Anyways, whenever I saw my best friend Joon-Seo read popular Isekai Mangas, like the shield hero, FFF-class trashero or the slime one, I’d always say: “Man, I’d really suck as a protagonist, I would probably die 5 chapters in.”

“That’s cause you have no ambition man!” Tae-min would say, “If I was transported to another world, I’d easily become the strongest! Just use knowledge from the modern world and boom! Rich, strong and a harem full of beautiful ladies.”

Joon-Seo would then scoff at his answer, “What a superficial thing to say.”

“What?! Is that not the point the of being in another world?” 

“You uncultured swine! You are forgetting the essence of Isekai stories! Adventure! Exploration! Treasures! Think of all the cool fantasy races and biomes that there could be! Floating islands powered by magic crystals! Ice and metal dragons that live in deep mysterious chasms! A rune left by a magician whose name was lost to time!”

“Yeah, I couldn’t give a shit about those” Tae-min would retort. “It’s all about power tropes for me.”

“Ugh, typical normie response, Hyun-woo, what do you think?” Joon-Seo asked me.

I had thought long on how to answer it, especially because to me being transported to another world meant a million ways to die, “Hmmm… well I think the best part of Isekai stories is glory.”

They both had frowned when they heard my answer, “Glory?”  Tae-min would ask.

“Yeah, I mean most of them were summoned to save a kingdom right? Or protect a race from evil, something along those lines. Is it not cool to be seen as a savior? Oh! You know what it’s like?”

They both had moved their heads side to side.

“You know how everyone says that a badass way to go out is fighting by yourself against a whole army? Like the last knight of an empire fighting till his last breath to defend his kingdom, or a soldier holding up against a platoon by himself to let a village escape to safety. I mean that type of glory, where you fight despite overwhelming adversity!” 

Tae-min and Joon-Seo both had looked at each other with surprised looks on their faces, “Or so I think… I would probably just die to some random disease 5 days in haha…” I joked with them.

“Hyun-Woo” Tae-min had said as he put his hands on my shoulder with a very serious look on his face. “That…is so badass!!” He said as his eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement.

“Indeed, glory, fame, prestige! That is a very cool and honorable reason to get isekaid.” Joon-Seo would say as he nodded up and down with his arms crossed down.

“Haha… you think so? But I think most people usually do it cause it makes you look hella cool rather than actually wanting to save people.” I remarked casually. 

“Nah nah nah, it ain’t cool if you don’t do it for the people then” said Tae-min, “Listen if we ever get isekaid we gotta save the world no matter what alright? That’s also how you get all the babes.”

“Yeah Hyun-woo, like Tae-min said, if we ever get isekaid, we definitely gotta try and save the world… and also get that last part.”

“SO YOU DO WANT A HAREM!” Tae-min had said loudly.

“SHH! SHH! The girls are gonna hear you! You asshole!” Joon-Seo had said in a panicked voice, while looking around the classroom, “I never said I didn’t want it, I just said it was a superficial reason to get isekaid!”

Tae-min had laughed mockingly while looking at Joon-Seo “Whatever you say man!! I’ve seen the drawings of the cat-girls you do in your notebook, anyways what do you say Hyun-woo?”

“Well, we are never gonna get isekaid anyways so…”  I had said dismissingly.

“Entertain the thought man! A what if situation! You don’t go ‘Well that would never happen’ in a would you rather conversation! This is a hypothetical situation!”

“Ughh fine,” I had groaned in defeat, “IF, by any chance we get Isekaid, and IF we don’t die immediately to disease, or some random monster like weak side characters, then no matter how shit the situation looks, we will save the world…or die trying. There, happy?”

“Well, no need to be so pessimistic…” Tae-min answered, “I mean porky over here is definitely a side character, but me?! Nah, I’d win.”

“Screw you” Answered Joon-Seo, “You’re not even remotely cool or good looking enough to say that line either!”

“Woow going for personal attacks huh?? Not cool man.” Mocked Tae-min once again.

Joon-Seo, who looked annoyed, had gotten up to wrestle Tae-min.

“Tho…if we did get isekaid, I hope it isn’t through a painful method.” I would say while the two stopped their wrestling to look at me.

“What?” Joon-Seo asked.

“Well getting hit by a truck sounds horrible, and having to die from like a terminal illness would suck too.”

Tae-min then had proceeded to mock me as well, “Bro’s never heard of a summoning circle.”

“Alright smart ass, you say you would be the protagonist, but you can’t even beat Joon-Seo in wrestling” I answered irritated as well now.

“Heh” Tae-min had sneered, “That’s cause if I released all my power, I would only end up hurting Joo-“

Joon-Seo had then proceeded to twist Tae-min’s arm, “OUCH! OUCH! OKAY OKAY!” he groaned indicating that he was done.

I had laughed at how easily Tae-min had given up, “See, you definitely aren’t MC material.”

“You ain’t him bro, you ain’t him” mocked Joon-Seo now as well laughing.

What I had thought was just another pointless ordinary conversation of our bygone days, would turn out to be our undoing. Turning our peaceful lives into a miserable hellhole.

That day, which began like any other, while we waited for first period to start, a large summoning circle appeared on the floor and our class of 18 students got transported into another world.