WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 6 of I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
It's not easy to survive in an isekai world, but if a reborn hero is flung into an idyllic setting and has the local god's favor, then all is well. Azusa Aizawa was once an overworked office employee, eventually collapsing from the sheer strain and finding herself in a new world. She is tired of trying to please managers and clients, so this new life is all about her. Or is it?
While it may be true that poor Azusa needs a break from her difficult original life, it's a bit much for her to spend the rest of eternity in isekai heaven, doing nothing but hunting slimes and goofing off at home. A real protagonist will roll up their sleeves and do something, especially for their friends.
When protagonists find themselves in an isekai world, they will have a number of questions, such as "How did I get here?" or "What is this place?" But another vital question is, "What is my purpose?" An isekai hero is either summoned for a specific reason -- such as Rising of the Shield Hero's Naofumi Iwatani -- or they end up in the new world by other circumstances and must determine their own goal and lifestyle.
In I've Been Killing Slimes, Azusa was reborn with the explicit purpose to distance herself from her stressful mortal life and take it easy for once -- but that alone doesn't make for a great story. It's a fun novelty to kick things off, but Azusa had better do something besides hunt slimes. Sure enough, she has figured out her true calling in the isekai world: helping her friends.
In both fictional settings and real life, people are expected to help one another. Generous acts such as tutoring a student or getting a part-time job to support the family can make all the difference. This can move the plot along and make a character far more likable and empathetic, and Azusa is working hard to help all her new friends despite her "I want to take it easy forever" mission statement. She is not so selfish that she'd just hole up in her cottage forever, and even if boredom isn't really an issue, she can't help but get involved in her friends' lives and do something for them. She has a good heart and was bound to express it sooner or later.
Azusa already has a reputation for being the wise and powerful witch of the highlands, and benevolent witches use their magical talents to make other people happy as a matter of course. In her original life in Japan, Azusa worked herself to the bone as an office employee to please her supervisors, who likely didn't show much appreciation. Thankless work like that can take a toll on a person, making them yearn for more meaningful work that yields personal rewards for all involved. At first, Azusa goofed off in I've Been Killing Slimes' isekai land just to escape the entire concept of working hard, but now she realizes the real change she needs is why she works, not whether she works.
In this realm, it's much easier for Azusa to find friends who appreciate her talents, kind heart and goodwill. She befriended Laika the dragon girl and tutored her, and also adopted twin girls who were born from the collected souls of all those slain slimes. Next, Azusa helped Halkara free a ghost in her factory and gave it a new lease on "life" in her home. She even brokered a truce between two feuding dragon tribes, and right before heading to the demon realm, Azusa devised a whole new spell just so Rosalie the ghost could have a nice outfit for the trip.
The I've Been Killing Slimes protagonist magically becomes a tireless worker when friendship and gratitude are involved. At this rate, Azusa will become known as a peacemaker and innovator, rather than the reclusive witch in a distant cottage. She has too much time on her hands to not make a difference in other people's lives, and now she's making good headway.
