An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

They were grateful. At least this way, Hajime wouldn't find his parents unemployed when he returned, which would be too embarrassing.

Having said that, the atmosphere around me has started to change recently.

People don't find them troublesome. If anything, they feel sympathy.

The people around them used to look at them with encouragement, always promising that they would one day find Hajime. However, now everyone looks at them with pity and reluctance, and it's clear they've given up hope.

They all began to think that Hajime would never come back. Of course, even if they thought so, they couldn't say such words to the parents who had lost their children.

However, as the people involved, Sou and Sumire couldn't help but notice the change in atmosphere, causing them even more mental distress. However, they were only able to devote the time they had to search thanks to the help of the people around them, so they couldn't take their anger out on them.

Many parents have been forced to resign as a result of this, and many have collapsed from exhaustion.

The Sonobe family offered their own Western-style restaurant as a gathering place for parents. Because of this, the restaurant was frequently harassed by the media and onlookers, and has currently suspended operations completely.

The Hatayama family was in an even worse situation. Shortly after the incident, Aiko was suspected of kidnapping the student, and her family was subjected to various slanders and difficulties. Her grandparents' health deteriorated significantly and now requires medical treatment.

Even though more than a year has passed, every parent is still desperately searching for their child.

However, no matter how hard they searched, there were no clues and they had no idea what was going on.

This cruel reality gradually eroded the bodies and minds of those left behind. Every parent gradually lost their expression and became exhausted.

Chou and Jin are no exception.

They believed their son was still alive and well somewhere and tried desperately to get him back. They carefully cleaned Hajime's room every day so that he would have a room available whenever he returned.

Even so, time passed relentlessly, leaving the couple in despair and their spirits weakening.

The room, now ownerless, was so desolate that it made one tremble. No matter what she did, she could almost hear her son calling out.

Even though I knew it was hallucination, I couldn't help but look around. I didn't know how many times the same thing had happened.

Lately, the couple has been talking less and less.

Even if I tried hard to communicate, it would only be an empty conversation like the one just now, and the conversation would naturally end.

Then, all that could be heard was the unusually loud ticking of a clock.

That is the sound of time passing relentlessly.

Chou slowly closed his laptop. Not only had he found no useful information, but he had also witnessed malicious messages, which made him sigh.

He rested his elbows on the table, covered his eyes with his hands, and lowered his head weakly.

“…Hajime, where are you…”

"husband……"

Although he is not even forty-five years old, he looks as haggard as an old man who has experienced many vicissitudes of life.

Hearing her husband's trembling voice, so helpless as if he was about to cry at any moment, Sumire stopped what she was doing and looked up.

"You should go and rest for a while."

"...You know, I can't sleep even if I want to."

"That's true, but..."

Sumire was speechless. She herself was no exception to the situation Cho described.

No matter how exhausted or lifeless I felt, the anxiety within me didn't subside. Instead, the torment in my heart grew stronger day by day, like a fire smoldering in my arms.

In this state, they would never be able to get a good night's sleep, unless their son came back.

"It doesn't matter. It's only been a year. No matter how many years it takes, I will find our son. Until then, I will never fall."

“…Yes, you’re right.”

Seeing her husband forcing a stiff expression to put on a bitter smile, Sumire also forced the corners of her mouth to raise, forcing a smile.

In an attempt to soothe her husband's visibly melancholic mood, Sumire stood up and was about to walk around the table to sit next to him when—

The doorbell rang.

Chou and Sumire glanced at each other subconsciously, then naturally glanced at the clock hanging on the living room wall. As they had just seen, it was late at night.

"...I'll go answer the door. It's definitely someone looking for trouble again."

"Be careful."

After all, it was so late. Even if it was an emergency, if it was the police or someone they knew, they should have notified me before coming to the door.

In that case, what kind of person would come to visit at this time? The couple knew what kind of person was coming.

During this period, unscrupulous people have frequently shown up uninvited, including unscrupulous media outlets, unscrupulous groups that seem ready to commit crimes at any moment, and ordinary people who watch the fun out of vulgar curiosity.

These people have hardly come to their door recently, but when the couple heard the doorbell, they immediately thought of this possibility and did not think of "another possibility" at all. This shows how exhausted they are physically and mentally.

Chou dragged his heavy body to his feet with great effort and picked up the microphone of the doorbell intercom.

They never expected that the person on the other end of the phone was the person they had been hoping for from the bottom of their hearts.

"Uh... how should I put it... it's, it's me..."

The intercom screen showed the figure of the person outside the door.

His eyes kept wandering, and he seemed unsure what to say. If someone who had known him well over the past year saw him like this, they might have doubted their own eyes.

Sou's eyes widened. Sumire, who was looking at the screen from behind, also changed her expression immediately.

Even through the camera, the couple can be recognized at a glance.

Even if that person's temperament, eyes, and height are different from what I remember.

even so.

Chou and Jin could still see it immediately.

The person on the screen who looks a little embarrassed and has his eyebrows lowered in embarrassment is none other than their beloved son whom they have been looking for and whom they firmly believe will come back one day.

With a click, the microphone was thrown aside, and the couple ran out like bullets.

The two men kicked the living room door open roughly, stumbling over each other and running down the corridor, unable to hide their inner anxiety. They roughly unlocked the front door and opened it in one breath.

then……

"Ah... I... I'm back, Mom and Dad."

He was right before my eyes. It wasn't a dream, nor an illusion. He was standing at my doorstep, a look of nervousness and uneasiness on his face.

""beginning!!""

The couple shouted their son's name, not afraid of shouting until their throats were broken, and simultaneously rushed towards their stunned son.

“Hajime…! You, you bastard son! Where the hell did you go!?”

“Ahh, that’s great… that’s great…! Do you know how worried we were…?”

The couple hugged their son tightly at the same time, so tightly that he could hardly breathe.

As if to confirm his presence in her arms, as if afraid that he would disappear again, she held him tightly, tightly.

The dim light of the street lamps, the light from the entrance hall, and the round moon in the sky gently illuminate the reunited family.

Shi Youhao was speechless for a moment. His parents suddenly hugged him tightly, leaving him with only his hands half-raised and his eyes wide open in shock.

He knew his parents must be very worried.

He was also certain that his parents believed that he would return one day.

Even so, Hajime understood that even if he adjusted his hair color, prosthetic eyes, and prosthetic limbs as much as possible to their previous appearance, his current appearance and temperament were obviously different from his previous self.

So, he assumed his parents would be confused and surprised to see him. "Are you really Hajime?" He even mentally prepared himself for such questions. Perhaps it would take some time for his parents to accept him.

Unexpectedly, when we actually reunited, my parents' reaction was like this.

Chou and Jin didn't care at all about the change in Shi's appearance, and they knew at first sight that he was their son.

As soon as they saw Hajime, they didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately hugged him tightly, showing their relief without reservation.

Earlier, during the test in the Ice Cave, the illusion reflected Hajime's hidden anxiety and fear. It turned out that it was just his unfounded worry.

I began to feel a warm yet calm deep emotion rising from my chest.

All the tragic experiences he had in the other world flashed through his mind like a kaleidoscope.

Then, this was the only thought in his mind.

──Ahh, I'm finally back.

Hajime's trembling arms gently wrapped around his parents' backs.

In order to prevent his arms, which had gained monstrous strength, from injuring his parents, who had become much thinner, he placed his hands gently and tenderly on their backs to comfort them.

Then, Hajime said it again in a trembling voice, softly but clearly, with a heart full of emotion.

"Dad, Mom—I'm back."

That was what he had always wanted to say.

Chou and Jin were in tears. They kept a little distance from Shi and looked directly into his eyes, as if they wanted to understand his feelings.

Then, with the happiest smiles on their faces, they sent him these words in the same trembling voice.

“Welcome back, Hajime.”

For Hajime, these words were the true end of his long and arduous journey.

A young boy, along with his entire class, was summoned to another world, yet he alone possessed ordinary professional talent. This weakest boy rose to become the world's strongest, even defeating a god. After overcoming all obstacles, he finally returned to his family—this story officially concluded.

But──

Next, the vampire princess, the rabbit-eared girl, the metamorphosed dragon, and the seaman mother and daughter will become new members of the Nanyun family, and another storm is bound to happen.

The sudden simultaneous return of the students who mysteriously disappeared would surely cause a commotion and draw the attention of governments and the forces of law and order, dragging Shi and the others into a major incident.

What’s even more amazing is that there is a completely unknown new world waiting for them.

As if they were born to be caught up in a big commotion, Hajime and the others will continue to face an extraordinary daily life.

But that's all for later. I'll talk about it later when I have the chance.

The only thing that is certain is that Hajime will be able to overcome all difficulties.

When faced with unreasonable difficulties, use unreasonable power to break through.

Modify the unreasonable with the unreasonable, and even destroy destiny if necessary.

Furthermore, he wasn't alone. He had important companions with whom he had cultivated friendships in another world, and—

His beloved vampire princess.

Postscript to Volume 13

※Attention! Please be aware of spoilers!!

After the epilogue, there will be [Another Epilogue of the Extra Chapter], which is the story of Miledi.

Some of this content involves spoilers for the Zero series, so readers who plan to read the Zero series in the future please take note.

As for readers who have no intention of reading the Zero series, please listen to me!

This is my capricious request as the author. Please at least read the first chapter of the manga version of Zero. Just read the first chapter first, please!

A free trial is available on the website "COMIC-GARDO" launched by OVERLAP!

Just by reading the first chapter of the comic version, you can have a basic understanding of the meaning behind the lines of the characters, and you will feel it even more when reading the subsequent extra chapters.

Please! Please! Please, please, please watch this first!

Please forgive my impoliteness in making a request to the readers at the beginning of the postscript.

Thank you all for reading this thirteenth volume of "The Ordinary Occupation Makes the World's Strongest".

I am the original author Bai Miliang.

Finally, finally, it's over! The first volume was published seven years ago, which feels like a long, but also not short, period.

In addition to the novel, comic versions, spin-offs, derivative works and animations were also released one after another. It was really a fulfilling time.

I have so many emotions. The story of this work ended long ago on the web version, and now I'm free to create various epilogues according to my own preferences. Even so, releasing this final volume, I still feel a sense of accomplishment.

All of this is thanks to the support of all of you, my readers. I'm truly grateful for your continued support. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much.

I believe that some of you readers may feel unsatisfied and can’t believe that the “Ordinary Occupations” series has really ended like this.

...Perhaps you can look forward to the release of the epilogue.