Tashiro Ikigaya was an invisible man. An introvert in his forties, he spent his life working thankless jobs, avoiding people, hiding in anime and video games. When his parents died in a train accident, his loneliness deepened. By the time he retired early — “too old, too useless” — his life felt wasted. Then, in a rare moment of courage, Tashiro sacrificed himself during a mall robbery to protect a mother and child. He thought his story had ended. Instead, it began again. Awakening in a new world of mana and magic, Tashiro expected adventure, guilds, and the chance to finally live the fantasy he had always dreamed of. But reality is cruel. Branded as “cursed,” rejected by the city, and forced into the hands of a ruthless underworld, Tashiro discovers that survival here demands blood. His expectations of heroism collapse with every choice he makes. First, a killing in panic. Then, the refusal to save an innocent child. And now, under the cold hand of Raktos — a manipulator who sees him as nothing but a tool — Tashiro is pushed down a darker path, where his humanity crumbles against the weight of survival. In Avalycia, there are no heroes. Only survivors. And Tashiro Ikigaya must decide what he is willing to destroy — in the world, and in himself — just to keep breathing. ⚔️ This description paints the story as dark isekai survival, not wish-fulfillment. Readers know immediately: no harem, no easy wins, no predictable guild adventure.