FRAP 01

Chapter 01

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Delivery apps are on the same level as pyramids.

That’s my conclusion.

And I fight to revive the delivery app.

You might think that sounds insane, but the revival of a delivery app is synonymous with the revival of humanity.

Reliable law enforcement, advanced communication technology and transportation, invisible collaboration and division of labor, sufficient supply and demand—all of these combined are the essence of civilization.

Just as the pyramids were the ultimate expression of the ancient Egyptian Empire’s technology and advanced society, the delivery app is the culmination of all the technology of modern society.

At the same time, it’s the pinnacle of human civilization, satisfying humanity’s most basic desires in the most comfortable spaces with the greatest ease.

I realized this after being thrown into this wretched world and crawling through it for roughly a hundred years.

My whole body was sticky. Monster blood, chunks of flesh, and damp mud clung to me like armor.

The stench was so unbearable that my sense of smell had long since numbed.

Still… I had made it this far.

Beneath my feet lay a massive crystal radiating a sickly red light.

Inside it writhed something unidentifiable, grotesque in its movements.

The red masses, somewhere between gas and liquid, twisted and writhed like thousands of intertwined mollusks, emanating an ominous glow.

I could finally go home.

The thought alone made my heart race uncontrollably.

What would I do first when I got back?

A steaming bowl of soup would be the first, of course.

Packed with blood sausage and head meat, mixed with a fiery red sauce… just thinking about it made my mouth water.

“Quick, Mr. Calvert! Once you smash that, this world will regain peace!”

As I indulged in the imagined taste of that blood sausage soup, a fluffy white ball appeared out of thin air. Its eyes, sapphire-blue, glimmered faintly like a cat’s.

But I didn’t move. Instead, I shouldered my greatsword, soaked with monster blood.

And I turned my gaze to the three-tailed cat-shaped demon.

“Why me?”

“Uh… what do you mean?”

The demon’s eyes, sensing the ominous energy, ballooned to the size of fists.

“N-No way…”

I silently stared into its eyes.

All my companions were dead. I’d been alone for about fifty years, give or take. I didn’t know exactly—the place had no concept of day or night, so there was no way to gauge how much time had passed.

I had wandered over mountains of corpses alone, sleeping on damp mud heaps that smelled like elephant dung, eating rotten food—enduring all this for one goal.

For this very moment.

“Smash its head, you bastard.”

“Why… why even come all the way here…”

“Don’t talk back, smash its head, you demon bastard.”

What’s going on?

It’s the classic cliché from novels and games: someone pulls a betrayal right before the final boss or ending.

Well, I didn’t expect to be the one enacting that cliché.

Of course, I am the protagonist here.

Just not the one getting betrayed, but the one doing the betraying.

Isn’t that the trend these days?

If not, sorry. It’s been a while since I left Earth.

Anyway, when I left, that kind of story was popular.

“Why? You didn’t expect this, huh? Suddenly kidnapped while napping peacefully?”

Kim Dae-shik. My old name.

A late-twenties office worker, fond of finding good restaurants, spending holidays ordering delivery, watching dramas, movies, YouTube—just a normal guy.

Until I was dragged into another world while napping on a weekend.

Ah, thinking about it makes me furious again.

Should I just smash that bastard’s skull?

“If you’ve been exploiting people for hundreds of years for free, you’ll pay the price. You human-trafficking bastard.”

I hadn’t died, and I hadn’t done anything wrong to deserve punishment. No resurrection, no reincarnation, no granting of wishes.

All I had asked was: save this death-covered, ruined world, and I would be sent back to where I originally belonged. That was it.

And I struggled in this destroyed world for over 200 years. Just to return to Earth.

In other words, I’d been forced into labor for 200 years, in a life-or-death environment. Makes you angry, right?

“You drag people here, exploit them like dogs, and now that your mission’s done, I’m supposed to just go home? Is this your reward? Just get lost once you’re done?”

I sat in front of the crystal, facing the cat demon that refused to answer.

Not to destroy it—just in case I needed to protect it.

“Do you know how long I’ve waited for this day?”

The demon, shocked at my sudden change in attitude, could only gape silently.

“You have no physical power. And I’m the only one who made it down here. Maybe someone else will come eventually, but…”

I wiped the monster flesh and entrails off my greatsword and continued.

“I will do everything in my power to stop it from breaking this gem. Maybe, once it hears my story, it will side with me. Let’s see what happens.”

It didn’t respond, but that was answer enough.

For hundreds of years, thousands of summoned heroes fought to purify this world.

But I’m the only one who survived.

Could someone else make it here? Impossible. Even if they did, I’d destroy them myself.

“All the strong monsters are dead by my hand, the colonies are destroyed. No one who comes next can be stronger than me.”

Yeah, that’s why I crushed every monster and zombie on the way down. Also, stress relief in this cursed world was limited.

“This is your last warning. Smash its head, bastard, if you don’t want to see me become the Demon King.”

The outcome was already set.

“Yep!”

The fairy—or rather, demon—hit its head. Well, “hit” isn’t strong enough—it planted it firmly.

“What do you desire?”

Watching the demon smash the rotten, stinking mud around, my 200-year-old grudge eased just a little.

“Not fun, right? I’ve slept on this elephant-dung-like floor for 200 years.”

“Sorry!”

“Now do you understand how I feel a bit?”

“Please… tell me what you wish!”

“When I return to that world, I want to keep this ability.”

There was only one thing I wanted.

To return with this power.

How much time had passed in that other world?

The answer: “Unknown.”

But here, over 200 years had passed.

Could someone who lived in another world for 200 years adjust to Earth now? Impossible. It would take months to adapt to modern life. Maybe even longer. Surviving work during that adaptation period? Doubtful.

Eventually, I’d get fired, open a chicken shop or café, maybe take a loan to get a house—if I’m lucky.

So at least I wanted to gain a skill that would let me survive. Eat well and live well.

“Ha, but that violates interdimensional rules…”

“Yeah, I know.”

I stated calmly.

No deals. 200 years of unpaid labor are justification enough for an ordinary office worker to become a Demon King.

“Behold, the birth of the Demon King!”

“Wait! I’ll ask the gods first!”

“Do as you wish.”

Minutes passed, and the fairy, head planted in the mud like a taro, finally stammered.

“What ability do you wish for?”

“How many can I choose?”

“One… only one.”

“One?”

Unbelievable.

“Calm down. I’m not actually going to be a Demon King here. What would I even do?”

Play hide-and-seek with rotting corpses? Fight monsters?

‘Stay calm. Why bother staying here.’

If I could only choose one, that was the absolute limit.

“One’s the limit, huh… nice rhyme.”

My sense of humor was still intact. Maybe I could adapt to modern society faster than I thought.

“Fine, then make it a crafting ability.”

“Really, that’s it?”

The demon seemed puzzled.

“Yes.”

“Not combat ability?”

“What would I even do with that? There are only criminals or monsters to fight. That world’s peaceful.”

Even on Earth, going wild like a monster gets you nothing. At best, a bullet in the head. Or dragged to a lab for experiments.

Better to gain an ability that makes money. Craft things, make money, eat whatever I want. Delivery, omakase, anything. If money’s left over, maybe a sports car.

“Understood.”

“Okay, contract accepted.”

Immediately, the demon handed me a magically created sheet of paper.

“And what will you give in return for using this ability?”

Using powers in this world required a cost. Normally, crafting consumes points from killing zombies, but there are no zombies here. So I’d replace it with something else.

And I had the perfect cost in mind, long ago.

“Satiation.”

“Huh?”

“Eat until I’m full, use the ability, get hungry, eat again, use ability again.”

The cat-demon stared incredulously.

“Are you serious?”

“Am I joking?”

“Ah… understood…”

It reluctantly scribbled the contract on a magical scroll.

“Good. Perfect.”

I carefully checked every word, worried about being scammed. My experience told me that once signed, even the gods couldn’t undo it.

Satisfied, I raised my greatsword and shattered the crystal.

Whoosh!

The massive blade, about the size of an adult torso, struck with a terrifying sound, cracking the crystal.

Thud, thud!

I continued striking without pause.

Finally, the giant crystal shattered completely…

A dazzling light enveloped me.

“Hey.”

I spoke to the cat one last time.

“Thanks anyway. You helped me not forget how to speak.”

“Thank… you too.”

The cat looked at me with a wistful gaze and sighed deeply.

Watching it, I felt a bittersweet sense of relief.

“So, don’t be too sad. I’ll go enjoy all the delicious food over there.”

“Please… be safe.”

With that, my vision filled with light.