The Childhood Friend of a Shonen Hero Doesn't Want to Be a Sacrificial Extra

Vera was once a brilliant student, admired by all.

But as her world grew larger and more talented people surrounded her, she fell from first place to the upper-middle ranks, then the middle, and finally the lower-middle.

All she could do was watch helplessly as she slid toward the very bottom.

If her ranking kept dropping, she might end up a failing student and risk expulsion.

She was anxious every day and lay awake all night.

Her childhood friend didn't understand. He thought she was worrying over nothing.

What did he know? Back when she was still a brilliant student, Raymond had been average. And now, his grades were still hovering steadily in the middle, even though he slept through class every day.

Once, he even defeated the top student in a higher year in a magic competition, earning a chorus of cheers.

She couldn't help growing resentful, even hateful, toward her friend for hiding his abilities. She felt he had been playing her for a fool all along.

So she wasn't the genius after all? It was Raymond, who had followed her around since they were little?

Why? What made him so special?

A rage at being unable to escape her fate swept through her. She and Raymond drifted further apart, while a group of geniuses gradually gathered around him.

They all looked down on her, believing she would only hold Raymond back. This made her even angrier and more disgusted.

"Vera, listen to your desires."

Unable to accept her lot, she was tempted by the sealed evil god. When Raymond's sword pierced her, possessed by the evil god, she finally learned the truth about the world.

She was merely a throwaway NPC in a hot-blooded shonen manga, Raymond's childhood friend whom the hero would kill with his own hands, a bit of backstory to make his life more exciting, a mere tool.

After her death, he naturally gained the motivation to strive, rose to the top of the magical world, defeated the evil god, and became a hero celebrated by all.

No. I refuse to accept this.

And so Vera woke up.

1. The female lead is imperfect. She can be jealous, avoidant, and have immoral thoughts, but overall she is on the side of justice.

2. This is not an overpowered female-lead wish-fulfillment story. There is a growth arc, but the romance is the main focus. Many characters have one-sided feelings for the female lead, with plenty of romantic tension and face-slapping, followed by a change of heart. There may also be coercive scenes, so proceed with caution if that's not your thing.

3. The main male characters who like the female lead are all virgins. The female lead won't be paired with used-up men. Aside from that, nothing about the men is guaranteed: each has his own kind of bastard personality.

4. The blurb was screenshotted and saved on May 22, 2025.

Theme: Defy fate