I Killed the Heroine in the Game

rob z says:

This story is a mixed bag, so I can understand the different viewpoints above. However, to provide some clarifications that may help you judge whether you may like the novel or not:

As of this point, it is not really an academy novel. More generally, MC is transported into a game world, but it was a game played by his younger brother so all of MC’s knowledge is based on what his bother told him (and little brother had an unhealthy fixation on the game, particularly the heroines). To set some context for the character, the MC’s life in real world is sh!t, and he and his brother constantly had to struggle to survive (which helps shape MC’s behavior in the game world).

In the game world, as folks note above, there are “divine spirits” and “evil spirits” – I won’t rehash what others have said about this, but much more of the story after the first chapter and the killing of the divine spirit “heroine” deals with battling evil spirits – MC makes money by exterminating evil spirits, and gets to purchase tools / skills to help him in that quest. MC is promised by the system (there’s always a system) that if he survives the game, he can take the money he earns in the game world back to the real world. Thus, MC’s goals are to (1) avoid the protagonist of the game, his harem, and the main plot line, (2) not do anything too stupid or dangerous, (3) make money to take back to his little brother, and of course (4) survive. In so doing, MC is almost an anti-hero – he does what he wants when he wants, and gives the finger to anyone who pushes back on that.

However, there is a constant tug of war with the system that wants to bring him into the academy and the plot. Trying not to give too much away, MC generally does a good job in pushing back and avoiding this (I note this because a few people above comment how they hate academy stories) – the only times he starts giving into the system are when he would basically get killed if he didn’t (but again, at least so far, this is not an academy novel in the traditional sense).

There is not much of a concept of “leveling up” or “grinding” – MC can purchase items or skills, and has stats, but they don’t really increase even after killing a bunch of evil spirits (from what I have read) – I found this a refreshing change of pace. There is also a way to use “spiritual power” that MC learns how to use that is pretty much the same as what Vera uses in The Regressor and the Blind Saint.

Also, there isn’t much of a romantic plot line, and the MC doesn’t have a harem (the original protagonist does). There is maybe one female character that seems a potential love interest, but that seems a long way off, if at all.

My big problem with the story is that on multiple occasions, the author decides to turn the MC stupid to create dramatic tension or plot points As one example, there is a scene along the following lines:

Character to MC: This quest you are about to do, the requester lied and there is a really bad thing in there
MC (thinking to self): Should I abandon this and report it to the authorities? No, that’s a bad idea.
MC (thinking to self again while not getting out of there): I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
MC (thinking to self again while still not getting out of there): Wow, I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.
[MC gets dragged off by monster]