《The World's Weakest Hero!》


 Chapters 1 and 2: Summoning

    I shift in my school desk, leaning over to grab the book I need for the English class that''s about to begin.


    As soon as I move, something whizzes by my ear.


    I stop my hands before they even start unzipping my bookbag, looking up to see what it was that just flew by. My eyes catch sight of the culprit, just as the wad of paper hits the head of the person sitting in front of me.


    The classmate turns, his eyes first falling on me, then moving to the person sitting in the desk behind mine.


    "Curtis," he says to the guy behind me. "I''ll be waiting for you after class."


    "Yeah? What ya gonna do? Threaten to get your football buddies to beat me up?"


    "Keep talking like that, and I might." He turns back around, facing the front of the class.


    With the commotion having died down, I unzip my bookbag and pull out my English textbook, placing it on my desk.


    "Lezard," Curtis says in a whisper. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that.¡±


    For dodging your petty attempt to bully me? Don¡¯t make me laugh.


    Rather than answering, I simply wave my hand dismissively.


    Unlike the two guys who were just arguing, I''m just an average size high schooler. The perfect target for a big guy like Curtis to pick on.


    Hey Curtis, I can feel you glaring at me, you know.


    Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the bully can''t see the smirk on my lips.


    Still don''t have a clue, do you? Well, that''s to be expected of a dimwit like you.


    I keep my thoughts to myself. It''d be rude to make a scene just before class begins.


    Speaking of, where''s the teacher? He''s normally here by now.


    I look out the window to my left. Since this classroom is on the second floor, I have a good view of the school courtyard below, including the gate.


    Teachers and staff have a dedicated entrance, but many of them use the main gate, regardless.


    I¡¯m not exactly expecting to see him rushing through the courtyard, though. In fact, I¡¯d be quite surprised, if they were the case.


    But despite not spotting the man, my face is still covered in surprise.


    Or rather than surprise, it''s displaying absolute shock.


    No way! This is¡­!


    Goosebumps crawl up my arms, as if my body were reacting to a sudden burst of cold wind. That same feeling courses through my entire body, filling me with an uncomfortable sensation.


    I shut my eyes and turn from the window. The next instant, the world goes white.


    Even with my eyes closed, the intense flash is nearly enough to make me shield my face with my hands. But before I can make any moves, the light vanishes, along with the school desk, the floor beneath me, and even the cool air against my skin.


    Everything is replaced by an unfeeling darkness.


    As if waking from a dream, the world returns. Sensations hit me. A hard floor beneath my feet, a subdued light penetrating my closed eyelids, and whispering voices from all around.


    Slowly, I open my eyes. And what I see is¡­


    "What happened!?" Curtis yells, looking around the ornate room.


    Turning, I see every single one of my classmates. There''s Curtis, of course. But there''s also Josh, the football player he was arguing with, along with my childhood friend, Mitsuki.


    However, we''re not the only ones here. Many pairs of eyes watch us, some looking just as shocked as my classmates.


    "Lezard," Mitsuki says, stepping up to me. "What''s going on?"


    Although Mitsuki is full Japanese by birth, she grew up in America. So even if she looks Asian, she speaks perfect English.


    I give her a sidelong glance. "Why are you asking me?"


    "Don''t you usually have some insights during times like this?"


    "Sure, I guess. But what exactly are you expecting me to know about this kind of situation? It''s not every day that we get summoned to another world, after all."


    Mitsuki looks surprised. "Summoned to another world? What exactly do you¨C"


    "What a miraculous summoning!" A young woman in elaborate armor steps forward. "Not one, not two, but a whole squad of heroes!"


    She stops at the head of our group. "Never before have we received such a blessing from the gods! Surely, this world has nothing to fear now!"


    "How young," a well-dressed man says. "Can we truly win by sending these children to battle?"


    "The previous hero was nearly the same age, wasn''t he?"


    "Perhaps that''s why he failed."


    The young soldier sends the man a glare, but it doesn''t have any effect on him. When she turns back to us, her face has already returned to normal.


    "Regardless of the strange circumstances, we shall proceed as normal." She steps aside, revealing a pedestal that''s been standing behind her. "In order to gauge your strength, we require each of you to step forward and place your hand atop the orb."


    The orb she''s talking about sits in the grasp of several metallic fingers that rise from the pedestal. It looks like a holy relic, so there shouldn¡¯t be any surprise to hear that it serves such an important purpose in a world with magic.


    At least, it shouldn''t come as a surprise to anyone who''s been calmly analyzing our situation like Mitsuki and I have been doing.


    But not everyone can adjust to these circumstances so quickly.


    "W-what''s going on?" Nina asks in a small voice. "Where are we, and who are these people¡­?"


    The young soldier seems to realize that she skipped a few important details in her explanations. Or rather, she didn''t really explain anything at all.


    To make up for her mistake, she opens her mouth to soothe the worries of my classmates that have yet to catch up with what''s going on. However, someone beats her to the punch.


    "Don''t worry, Nina," Isaac says. "I''ve heard stories similar to this. Considering the events that have transpired until now, there''s only one conclusion. We''ve been summoned to another world to save it from some unstoppable disaster."


    "Eh!? But that kind of thing only happens in movies, right!? Isn''t this some kind of trick!?"


    "No, I suspect that everything we''ve seen so far is real."


    "How can you be so sure? Maybe we''ve been kidnapped by some weirdos¡­"


    "If that were the case, then something like that would be impossible." Isaac points to the ceiling, where an orb of light is floating.


    "No way¡­" Nina gulps. "It''s got to be a magic trick, or something¡­"


    "I''ve thoroughly examined it. There is no trick, no chain, no source of power. You can see right through it, meaning there''s no battery or electronics inside. It''s real."


    Everyone''s looking up at that floating orb of light now, soaking in Isaac''s words. Now that it''s been pointed out to them, they can''t deny what they''re seeing with their own eyes.


    "It is as your companion has concluded," the young female soldier says. "Our world is on the brink of ruin, and only a hero can save us. Or in this case, many heroes."


    "I''d like to hear the details." Isaac pushes up his glasses with a single finger. "But I suppose that can wait until after you gauge our capabilities."


    "Excellent." She steps up to the pedestal that holds the orb. "My name is Rosa, and I¡¯d be very pleased to see each of your strengths."


    Hmm. This might be a little troublesome. What am I going to do if¡­


    No, I can just deal with it afterwards. After all, I already know the answer.


    I shake my head, releasing a sigh at the same time. Mitsuki gives me a questioning look, but I pretend not to see it. Though she knows that I''m ignoring her, just like she knows that I know she knows.


    While I''m thinking, Rosa points to a student. It''s a guy who looks so normal, he''d blend in with just about any crowd.


    When he realizes that he''s going to be the first to have his strength tested, his face turns a bit white, but he''s more afraid of looking scared than he is afraid of whatever that orb will do to him.


    The rest of the class watches on as he takes the short stairs that lead up to the orb.


    "Just place your hand here." Rosa directs him.


    "L-like this?" He puts his hand on the orb.


    Although we can''t see it from here, I know that the orb is displaying his status on its glossy surface, revealing everything about him.


    His level, his stats, and his Heroic Skills. They''re all being displayed for Rosa to see.


    "Level 30," she says. "Respectable stats, with a clear bias toward melee. Heroic Skill is [Heraldry]."


    "Is that ¡­ good?"


    "Yes. Compared to the people of this world, you could be considered exceptional. Though we will need to study this Heroic Skill to find out what it does."


    "Really? So I''m strong?" The relief in his voice is obvious.


    "Indeed. Though compared to the previous summoned hero, you''re still lacking. However, perhaps that''s why so many of you have arrived. Even if none of you can match his strength, when added together, perhaps you can accomplish what he could not."


    "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."


    Rosa motions for him to return, then waves forward the next person. This time it''s Josh, the captain of our school''s football team, and the same guy that the school bully, Curtis, hit with the paper ball just before our summoning.


    The same scene plays out, except at the end, there''s a noticeable difference between him and the first guy.


    "Level 40," Rosa says. "It seems not all of you are of equal strength."


    "Seriously?" He sounds far more confident than the first kid. "Does that mean I''m even stronger than that other summoned hero you keep talking about?"


    "No, even with your heightened level and stats, you still fall short."


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Oh, man. Thought for a minute that I was something special. Hahaha." Josh shrugs.


    One by one, all my classmates take their turns with the orb. There''s about a 50/50 split between those who are level 30 and those who are level 40.


    At first, it looks like it''s random. But after a few of them have their levels revealed, the reason for the difference becomes clear.


    The level 40s are exceptional in some way, like Josh with his good physique from years of playing football.


    But it''s not just physical attributes that are taken into account.


    A particularly shy girl walks down the stairs after taking her turn. Most likely thought she''d be level 30, but it turns out, she''s one of the level 40s.


    Her stats are skewed heavily toward magic, as is her Heroic Skill. The reason for that is because she''s quite intelligent, regularly scoring high marks in school.


    Since it takes both physical and mental attributes into consideration, then that means¡­


    My eyes fall on Mitsuki. She decided to take her turn, leaving me in the back by myself. Her hand falls on the orb, and¡­


    "Ohhh." Rosa makes an impressed sound. "Level 45. High stats all around, and a Heroic Skill called [Bushido]. It seems you may well be the strongest among the heroes."


    "I don''t know about that." Mitsuki''s eyes fall on me for the briefest of moments. "But I''ll do my best to help with whatever strength I have to offer."


    "I''m glad to hear that you have such an ironclad will. We may be relying heavily on you in the future."


    With that, she comes back to my side. As she returns, my final classmate steps up to the orb.


    Isaac places his hand on its surface without instruction or hesitation, and his stats appear for Rosa to see.


    "What¡­?" Rosa looks at Isaac''s face. "Level 50, extraordinary magical strength, and ¡­ two Heroic Skills."


    Isaac removes his hand, his face completely composed, as if this were the expected result. "I thought as much."


    That''s all he says before turning and taking the steps back down, leaving everyone to wonder why exactly he expected to be the strongest hero here.


    Though the answer is obvious to me.


    Hmm. What to do¡­


    I get lost in thought, completely oblivious to the fact that every single person in the room is staring at me.


    Mitsuki nudges me. "Hey, it''s your turn."


    "Hm? Oh, right. Guess I better get it over with, huh?" Another sigh escapes my lips.


    "What are you so troubled about?"


    I wave my hand dismissively. "Nothing. I''ll be back in a minute."


    I step up to the orb. Even without touching it, I can feel a subtle power radiating from its surface, like a balloon that''s putting out enough static electricity to make my hair stand on end.


    Reaching up, I place my hand on its cool, glossy surface. Immediately after, words appear within the orb.


    "T-this is¡­!" Rosa looks up from the artifact, meeting my eyes.


    The room fills with a buzz, with whispers from the nobles, warriors, and mages who are close enough to see my status.


    "You are¡­" Rosa continues. "Level 1."


    "That''s¡­" I remove my hand. "Unfortunate."


    Chapter 2


    "Bwahahaha!" Curtis laughs loud enough to drown out all the commotion. "Did you hear that!? Level 1, she said! Level 1!"


    I turn to see the class bully pointing at me, laughing hysterically.


    Despite my efforts, my eyebrow twitches as his laughter echoes through this large room filled with important looking people.


    "Be quiet, Curtis." Mitsuki gives him a glare.


    "Why?" He says between laughs. "Always acting so high and mighty, then getting left in the dust! How''s that not funny?"


    "There''s a difference between confidence and arrogance. Or weren''t you paying attention in English class?"


    "Hah! Who cares what some stuffy teacher has to say. All I know is I''m level 40, and Lezard''s level 1! Hahaha!"


    "Curtis, you¨C"


    "That''s quite enough," Isaac says. "It''s rude to argue in front of our new companions. And if it''s our level that determines the hierarchy, then need I remind you who''s the only level 50 here?"


    Curtis eyes Isaac, looking like he just swallowed a lemon whole. But the petty bully doesn''t push the issue, having painted himself into a corner with his own remarks.


    From a quick inspection of the nobles and soldiers in the room, I see that they approve of Isaac''s punctual and levelheaded response. Especially Rosa, who''s been speaking to us in their stead this entire time.


    "It seems we''ll be needing to focus on cooperation before anything else," Rosa says. "But worry not, we have already devised a training routine for the hero. We need only to adjust it to include the other 12¨Csorry, other 13 heroes."


    Hey, don''t accidentally forget that I''m a hero, too¡­


    All eyes fall on me once again. It''s obvious that they already see Isaac as the real hero among us. Not only is he the only level 50, but he has two Heroic Skills while everyone else has just one.


    On the flip side, their gazes tell me that I''m not even in the same category as the rest of the heroes. They''d probably be happy if I just decided to stay here while the others went off to save the world.


    Unfortunately for them, I don''t have such plans.


    "I may have gotten a bad deal here," I say. "But I''m sure everything will work out in the end."


    "Yes." Rosa nods. "If we play our hands properly, you should be able to catch up to the others quickly. Though the lack of a Heroic Skill may become a problem."


    You sure do speak your mind without hesitation, as usual.


    "About this disaster," I say. "Care to explain what''s going on?"


    Even though I¡¯m asking Rosa, it''s an important looking man who answers in her stead.


    "Those spiritkin are trying to destroy this world using their foul magic. If we don''t put a stop to them, all of us will perish."


    "You don''t know that, Duke Bartholomew," Rosa says. "There''s no evidence that the spiritkin are the ones¨C"


    "You still believe the words of that so-called hero? Isn''t it obvious that he failed because he refused to accept the fact that the spiritkin are the ones who created the mist?"


    Rosa winces. "I don''t know why he failed, but there''s one thing I''m absolutely sure of. He tried his best to save this world, so I won''t sit idle while you disparage his name."


    "No matter," Duke Bartholomew says. "We have a whole squad of heroes at our disposal now. There''s no way we''ll fail this time."


    We? Why are you talking like you''ll be doing the fighting, Bart?


    Rosa turns back to us. "Before sending them to battle, we need to assess their fighting capabilities. Please, follow me to the training grounds."


    She steps forward, my classmates making room for her to pass through our group. She continues on, stopping at the door on the far end.


    Isaac''s the first to follow, breaking the stagnant atmosphere.


    It seems the rest of the class has already accepted him as the de facto leader as well, since it''s only after Isaac starts moving that the others follow.


    Man, what a pain¡­


    It''s a short trip through the castle before we reach the training grounds. The room is more than big enough for all 14 of us, even letting us spread out to give room to train without fear of bumping shoulders.


    Rosa looks at the parchment where they recorded our stats. "The most effective way to judge each of you will be to pair up and duel. That will give us a chance to see what everyone is capable of."


    "D-duel?" Nina looks nervous. "I''ve never fought before, and I don''t think I''d be very good at it¡­"


    "Worry not. From your status, it appears you specialize in defensive magic, meaning you can be judged by the effectiveness of your barriers, rather than your overall combat potential."


    "As for your partner¡­" Her eyes settle on me.


    I take a step forward, ignoring the snicker coming from Curtis. "Sure, sounds like fun."


    "You''re quite relaxed, all things considered."


    "I''ve always been the kinda guy that takes things in stride, and I don''t intend to change just because I''m playing on hard mode."


    Rosa''s eyes widen for a brief second, then return to normal. "I suppose it''s only natural that those summoned from the same world as him would use his strange terminology."


    "The previous hero?"


    "Yes. He was also from Earth, just like all of you."


    "Ah, well video games are really popular these days, so I''m not surprised to hear he made the same references."


    Rosa nods. "Regardless, I believe this to be a good chance for both of you. With so many heroes, we can afford to have some specialize, like Nina with her defensive magic. And since you lack all forms of power, she should quickly realize just what she''s capable of now that she''s been chosen as a hero."


    "So I''m a glorified practice dummy, huh¡­"


    "That''s ¡­ not quite what I meant." Rosa eyes the smirk on my face. "Could it be that you''re actually quite the prankster, Lezard?"


    "Me? I''d never dream of being such a rascal."


    She looks unconvinced. "In any case, let''s begin the training. Since the people of your world can''t use magic naturally, we can use this opportunity to showcase what your new powers can do. For that reason, we''ll have the others watch before starting their own training."


    "Eh?" Nina looks around. "But I don''t know how to do something like use magic. And I was never good with crowds¡­"


    "It''ll be fine," I reassure her. "I''m sure it''ll come naturally to you once you try casting. And as for the crowd part ¡­ well, just do your best."


    "Couldn''t you at least tell me not to worry?" Nina gives me a little pout.


    "Worrying isn''t always a bad thing. It means you''re aware of the consequences of failure, so as long as you have your worries under control, it can be quite beneficial, actually."


    "You don''t look the least bit worried, though¡­"


    "Ahahaha¡­"


    "Don''t just laugh!" Her pout returns.


    With a shrug, I turn from Nina and walk to a nearby stand where a small arsenal of training weapons is lined up.


    Now that I''ve gotten her to loosen up a bit, we can start the training session.


    But she might freeze if I come at her swinging one of these deadly looking weapons. Even if their edges are blunted, there''s still a primal fear when a metal sword is coming toward you.


    My eyes scan the rack, disregarding the swords, spears, and axes leaning haphazardly against the wooden frame.


    For a split second, my gaze stops on a particular weapon. It''s strange that they''d even have one here, as it''s quite out of place among the more traditional weapons that it stands beside.


    Why is that one here? Could it be¡­


    I turn to Rosa and see her simply eyeing me with an unreadable expression.


    Hmm. It''d be best if I didn''t touch that particular weapon, no matter how much I want to.


    I turn back to the rack, ignoring the scythe that caught my attention. Finally, when my eyes reach the far end of the weapon stand, I find what I''m looking for.


    "Oh, this is perfect." I pull a wooden sword from the rack. "Something like this can barely leave a bruise."


    "Erm¡­" Nina makes a nervous sound.


    "Don''t worry." I give the sword a few practice swings. "Your magic will protect you."


    She watches anxiously as I walk to the center of the arena. "Why do you always sound so confident? Aren''t you worried, especially since¡­"


    "Since I''m level 1? Yeah, I''m going to be honest, that is a bit worrisome. But there''s nothing I can do about it right now, so I''ll just have to focus on getting stronger when I have the opportunity."


    Nina shakes her head. "You always were the weird one¡­"


    "How rude. I''m not weird, I''m just eccentric."


    "That''s the same thing!"


    "Ahahaha¡­"


    Finally, with the urging of Rosa, Nina steps out of the group and toward the center of the ring. She''s not in a hurry. Or rather, she''s purposely trying to delay the inevitable.


    But time creeps ever forward, and before Nina knows it, she''s standing just a few paces from me, eyeing the wooden sword in my hand.


    "Please go easy on me, Lezard¡­"


    "Hey, I''m the level 1 here. Shouldn''t I be saying that to you?"


    "Maybe, but I really don''t understand this whole level thing. I was never into things like video games. Does it really matter that much?"


    "That''s why we''re having this match, to show everyone just what kind of strength all of you have now. We''re not on Earth anymore, so you''ll have to get used to how things work in this world."


    Nina gives me a perplexed look. "It sounds like you already have this all figured out."


    "Eh? No way, I just got summoned, didn''t I? I''m just making educated guesses based on what I''ve seen."


    "I guess that makes sense¡­"


    "Anyway, you need to learn how to cast your magic." I look to Rosa. "Can you give her the short version?"


    "Raise your hand toward your opponent, Nina." Our instructor gives her a demonstration. "And focus on the energy flowing through your arm."


    "Energy?" Nina raises her hand toward me.


    "It''s flowing from your core, down your arm, and into your hand. It''s only by directing the energy that you will be able to use magic. Furthermore¡­"


    The class and I listen on as Rosa explains the basics of spellcasting.


    Despite being level 1, I can clearly feel that same energy flowing inside me. The only problem is that mine is so weak, I doubt I can call forth a spell strong enough to be considered useful, either offensively or defensively.


    Though there are less direct methods of spellcasting that may come in handy for me.


    As Rosa continues to explain, I raise my hand toward Nina. She''s got hers pointed at me, as well. But despite being many times my strength thanks to her high level, she still looks at my raised arm with a tinge of fear.


    "Time to see what I''m capable of," I say before Rose even finishes her explanation. "[Water Gun]!"


    My mana reacts to my desire, bursting forth from my palm. The water emerges, just like I imagined, and¡­


    "Gahahahaha!" A certain school bully can''t contain his laughter. "Water gun!? More like water faucet! Hahahah!"


    The stream of water¨Cif it can even be called a stream¨Ctrickles out from my open palm, flying less than an arm''s length through the air before gravity drags it to the ground.


    "Hmm." I watch as a small puddle forms on the arena floor. "Looks like I''ll never go thirsty again."


    Rosa stops her explanation and watches in silence as my [Water Gun] comes to an end.


    "I suppose that''s to be expected for a level 1," she says. "I''m surprised you even managed to cast the spell, to be honest."


    "It''s thanks to your detailed explanation."


    "I wasn''t even finished, though? No, let''s just move on. I believe all of you should understand by now, correct?"


    "Yeah."


    "No."


    Nina and I speak at the same time. The only problem is that we give entirely different answers.


    "Just imagine what effect you want," I say to Nina. "In your case, a magical barrier that blocks spells should be right up your alley."


    "Um, okay¡­" She closes her eyes. "Err ¡­ [Barrier]!"


    A translucent wall appears between us, coloring Nina in a subtle shade of blue.


    "I did it!?"


    "Why do you sound so surprised?"


    "W-well, I didn''t think anything would actually appear¡­"


    I walk up to her [Barrier] and reach my hand out toward her defensive spell. It passes straight through, without even an ounce of resistance.


    "Hey!" Nina watches me bypass her magic with ease. "Why is it useless!?"


    "It''s not useless. Here, let me show you."


    I step back just a bit, my open palm pointing right at Nina''s [Barrier]. "Water fau¨CI mean, [Water Gun]!"


    The trickle of water bursts from my hand, hitting the [Barrier] with the force of a summer breeze. Unlike my hands, the magical water is met with resistance as it hits her defensive spell, splashing against the translucent barrier and sending droplets of water around the impact zone.


    But not a single one of those drops makes it through.


    "It''s working?" Nina watches the water splash against her [Barrier].


    "Yep. And if you want a spell that can block physical attacks, all you have to do is imagine it as you cast."


    "I see¡­"


    "Anyway." I bring up my wooden sword. "Ready?"


    "No. No, I''m not."


    "That''s¡­" I hold my weapon in a battle-ready grip. "...Unfortunate."


    I kick the ground, covering the distance between us in a breath.


    "Eek!" Nina backs away, nearly falling on her rear.


    My wooden sword flies out, heading straight toward her body.


    Nina''s caught completely off-guard, meaning no spell appears to block my attack. Despite that, I don¡¯t relent, and the edge of my wooden sword hits her in the upper arm, just below her shoulder.


    "Owww¨Chuh?" Nina looks at my sword, which still presses against her bare skin. "Oh, you held back¡­"


    "Yeah, I did. But not as much as you think. If it were the you on Earth, you''d probably have a welt in a few minutes."


    "What? But I barely felt anything."


    "Well, I''m level 1 and you''re level 30. It''d be weird if I could hurt you so easily, right?"


    "No, that doesn''t sound weird at all¡­"


    I remove my sword, bringing it back to my side. "That''s just how it is in this world. You can''t rely on your sense of physics from Earth, not when there are things like levels and stats that determine a person''s strength."


    "Oh, I see¡­" Nina looks to her unmarred arm. "I think?"


    "You''ll get used to it." I turn to Rosa. "But I think that works as a demonstration, doesn''t it?"


    "It does. In fact, I couldn''t have asked for a better explanation, both verbally and physically." She narrows her eyes just a bit. "You''re quite capable when it comes to adjusting to your new world, aren''t you?"


    "In terms of fantasy settings, this one seems pretty standard, so I don''t think it''s strange at all. Besides, I''m not the only one who figured out how to cast magic even before we arrived at this arena."


    Rosa traces my eyes, her gaze falling on two students.


    It''s not obvious anymore, but I didn''t miss the moment Mitsuki used body enhancement magic on herself, increasing her physical abilities.


    As for the other, it''s Isaac. Even now, he carries a small piece of stone in his hand, using it to test his magic. When he realizes that he''s been found out, he openly reveals what he''s learned.


    Isaac holds out his hand, palm up. The stone sitting in it begins to rise, stopping a finger''s length above his hand. It hovers there, as if held up by some unseen force.


    "I see." Rosa nods in satisfaction. "It seems our heroes are even more capable than I imagined."


    With the demonstrations complete, Rosa pairs all of us up based on our strengths and compatibility.


    Now, the real training begins.


    Man, this sucks. I want to be a high level, too¡­

 Chapter 3: Results of the Summoning

    Chapter 3


    "Hah¡­" I let out a long breath, holding my sword in a battle-ready grip. "Stop being a bully."


    Mitsuki raises an eyebrow, her own sword held before her. "Wasn''t it I who suggested you sit out the training session?"


    "That''s bullying, too."


    "So I''m a bully when I ask you to sit it out, and I''m a bully when I respectfully defeat you in a training match?"


    "That''s right. I''m glad you understand."


    She shakes her head. "There''s nothing to understand about your logic, Lezard."


    "It''s simple." I widen my stance. "Just let me win, and you won''t be a bully anymore!"


    I dash at Mitsuki, my sword angled behind me. Unlike when I was training with Nina, I''m not using a wooden weapon. Mine''s the real deal, though the edge is blunted.


    Mitsuki, on the other hand, is using the very same wooden sword I used against Nina. The reason for that is obvious.


    As a level 1, there''s no way for me to injure the level 45 Mitsuki. Even if I hit her with all my strength, it''s questionable if I could even leave a mark on her skin.


    But the same can''t be said for Mitsuki. With a flick of her wrist, she could put me on the ground. That''s just the difference between a level 1 and a level 45 in this world.


    The distance between us shrinks to nothing, my weapon blurring as I strike at an opening in her defenses.


    The metal sings as it cuts the air, my attack both quick and precise. Any swordsman on Earth would agree that there''s no way for Mitsuki to block my weapon, given her casual movements.


    And yet¡­


    A loud thunk rings out as her wooden sword appears in my weapon''s path at an impossible speed.


    I expected that, of course. That''s why I held back, only putting enough force behind my attack to threaten her just a bit.


    The metal sword in my hand recoils from Mitsuki''s parry, and I use that momentum to fuel my next attack. That too is blocked, as is my third strike.


    I''ve been giving it my all, holding nothing back as I desperately try to land even a single hit against her. Yet Mitsuki has thwarted my every attempt without an ounce of difficulty.


    Looks like I need to step it up even more!


    I release one hand from the hilt of my sword, pointing it directly at Mitsuki. She stares at my open palm, a hint of surprise in her eyes.


    I''ve already shown how useless my magic is, so there shouldn''t be anything to fear, even if I land a direct hit on her. Yet her posture changes just a bit, showing me that she''s preparing to dodge whatever it is I''m about to send her way.


    "Got you! [Water Gun]!" The pitiful stream of water emerges from my palm.


    "Lezard¡­" Mitsuki moves her head, and the water passes right by her ear.


    But the spell isn''t a one and done deal. It keeps flowing, draining my mana for as long as I keep it active. Because of that¡­


    "It''s not over yet!" I move my hand, pointing the faucet directly at her face again.


    She''s forced to dodge. Not because she''s afraid of my spell. No, it''s simply because who in their right mind would want to have water sprayed directly into their face?


    At the same time as I keep her eyes focused on the water, I swing my sword. For the first time, Mitsuki is put on the backfoot as my multi attack pressures her.


    However¡­


    "Rude." Mitsuki smacks my wrist away, then parries my sword.


    Just like that, my trump card is dealt with in a casual manner. Having failed even after that, I have no choice but to admit defeat.


    "Oh, man¡­" I let out a long breath. "Training against high levels sure is tiresome."


    "I''m not repeating myself." Mitsuki places her wooden sword into an imaginary sheath on her waist.


    "I know, I know. Sit out training, and all that. Still not happening."


    "It''s good to keep up your training, but is it really necessary to face us? There should be some lower level soldiers here for you to spar against."


    "True, but wouldn''t it be embarrassing for me to lose against them when I''m supposed to be a powerful hero? Think about my reputation!"


    "What reputation?"


    "Uh¡­" My eyes drift off. "I''m a hero?"


    "There''s no need to repeat yourself." Mitsuki shakes her head when she sees the smirk on my lips. "As carefree as ever, I see. Even I''m a bit surprised that you can take this situation with your usual attitude."


    "I find that in life, consistency is the key to success."


    During our post-duel conversation, Mitsuki and I have made our way to the weapon rack. Since all the others have finished their battles, that just leaves the two of us to put up our swords.


    We place them in their proper spots without fanfare, then turn toward Rosa and our classmates who are watching us from the edge of the arena.


    None of them have even a hint of sweat on their faces. Something like a half-hour training session isn''t enough to push any of them to their limits, even the level 30s.


    However, the same can''t be said of me. Since I was facing a level 45 opponent, I had to go all out just to be considered on the level of a mosquito worth swatting.


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    Though it''s fortunate that Mitsuki didn''t do any swatting. Otherwise, I''d be a splatter on the arena floor, just like said mosquito.


    "Wow," Nina says when we make it to the group. "You really were holding back when you were teaching me about how magic works."


    "Ah, right. I guess nobody here knew, huh?" I look to Mitsuki. "She''s been training me for a long time, so I guess I have some skill with the sword."


    "Me, training you?" Mitsuki sighs. "That''s quite a fine joke."


    "Eh?" Nina looks between us. "But Mitsuki, didn''t you win the regional swordfighting competition, or something? Are you saying Lezard is even better than you?"


    "Yes, and no."


    "That ¡­ doesn''t make sense?"


    "You''ll get used to that feeling when dealing with Lezard."


    "Hey," I say. "I''m right here, you know."


    "I''m aware."


    "How cruel. At least pretend to care. I''m just a pitiful level 1, you know?"


    "If you want to be treated with pity, then act appropriately."


    "But I can''t have fun like that."


    Mitsuki nods, as if waiting for this moment. "The truth finally comes out."


    Since all our initial training is complete, there''s nothing else for us to do here at the moment. But many of my classmates are taking a long look around, knowing they''ll be spending a lot of time here from now on.


    There''s not much to do within the arena except fight. It''s kept wide and open so people can train without obstacles getting in their way. The weapon rack is one of the only notable things in the room, but there is one more object that''s likely to grab people''s attention.


    That object just happens to be near where everyone gathered after their duels. Or rather, they gathered here precisely because it''s one of the only landmarks in the room.


    So despite having done my best to ignore this particular object, I find myself looking at it alongside them.


    A bronze statue stands on a large base made of the same metal, gleaming in the magical light of the orbs that float high above.


    The statue depicts a young man, no more than two or three years older than us. In his hands is a scythe that looks far more elaborate than practical, with curves and flourishes that enhance its aesthetic appeal but can''t have any use in real combat.


    "Triton, Hero of the Twin Moons," Josh says, reading the text stamped onto a metal plate. "Hero? Is this the guy you were talking about before?¡±


    "Yes." Rosa looks up at the statue with a bit of reverence. "It was built to honor the hero who came before you."


    "You mean the one that failed? I thought those important looking guys didn''t like him."


    "They don''t, but the soldiers do, hence why his statue is still maintained to this day."


    Josh looks back up at the figure. "He was from Earth, right? Triton seems like a strange name for someone from our planet.¡±


    ¡°He chose the name himself,¡± Rosa says. ¡°He claimed that a hero should have a name to match his status. He chose his heroic title, as well. For some reason, he was always fond of the two moons that orbit our world.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Josh shakes his head. ¡°But he really was young, huh? And he had to save the world by himself?"


    "Not by himself. He had allies, though they didn''t join him in the final battle. Or perhaps it''s more accurate to say that he left them behind for reasons we still don''t understand."


    "Why''d he do something like that? Did his strength go to his head?"


    "He wasn''t like that at all. Not only was he an enormously powerful warrior and mage, but he was what you could only describe as a true hero. Unbreakable will and strong of character, if a bit eccentric."


    Rose raises her head, looking at the statue''s face. "He was summoned at level 75, the highest in recorded history. Afterwards, he spent a year growing stronger, until not a single person in this world could even come close to matching his strength. And yet¡­"


    "He still lost," I say.


    "Yes. After his disappearance, the mist began to recede. Many believed he was victorious, yet lost his life in the battle. But a few years after the war, the mist stopped. Then, it began to creep forward once again."


    "How much time has passed since he disappeared?"


    "Fifteen years."


    "I see. Well he probably lost because he fought with a scythe. I mean, who would use a weapon like that, anyway?"


    "Lezard," Mitsuki says. "It''s rude to speak of him in such a way."


    "It''s fine. If he''s that honorable, then he''d forgive me, right?"


    "I don''t think that''s the issue here¡­"


    "The scythe may be an unusual weapon," Rosa says. "But in Triton¡¯s hands, there was nothing more deadly."


    I shrug. "Next you''re going to tell me he gave his weapon a name. That''d be quite embarrassing."


    "Arc of the Crescent Moon." Rosa looks at the scythe. "The most powerful weapon this world has ever known."


    "Sheesh. He sure had a penchant for the grandiose, giving it a name like that." I turn from the statue. "Anyway, I''m exhausted. How about we go get something to eat. And maybe a cup of water, too. Unless you really expect me to use my magic as a glorified faucet."


    I raise my hand, and the stream of water returns. My lips disappear inside, followed by a slurping sound as I take a few sips.


    "Wow. Delicious."


    Mitsuki sighs. "Not even a thought for the time and place."


    I give her a simple shrug.


    On the way out of the arena, Rosa explains a bit more about the disaster this world is facing. It''s a bit boring to me since I''ve already got a good grasp of the situation, but I still listen with half an ear, just in case there''s new information that I don''t already know.


    "Heroes are immune to the effects of the mist," Rosa says during her explanation. "But anything else that spends too long inside will eventually become a monster, including humans. Though I can''t help but wonder if we should take precautions for one of you¡­"


    All eyes fall on me.


    "I''ll be fine."


    "What makes you so sure?"


    "Hmm. Gut feeling?"


    "That''s absurd," Isaac says. "I''m not risking any of our lives on your gut."


    "Don''t worry. If I did transform into a monster, I''d be a weak one. I''m only level 1, after all."


    "Are you saying a creature''s strength directly determines how powerful the monster will be?"


    "Well, doesn''t that make sense?"


    Isaac narrows his eyes. "It does, and it''s a possibility I considered. But Rosa has yet to confirm it, so what makes you so confident?"


    "Hmm. Gut feeling?"


    "Dealing with you is always¡­" Isaac shakes his head. "No, it''s not worth the headache. Captain Rosa, do you have a way to enter the mist?"


    "Yes." She pulls an amulet from beneath her uniform. "This artifact can repel the effects, but only for a limited time. A day, maybe two."


    "If you were to carry more, couldn''t you stave off the mist for a long time?"


    "Perhaps, but unfortunately, we only have a few in the entire kingdom. The previous hero made them, but he never shared the knowledge on how to craft them. So all we can do is use the ones we have."


    "That seems rather selfish. If he knew how to repel the mist with a simple artifact, then maybe you could have solved this crisis yourselves."


    "I''m sure there was a reason he refused to tell us. Though I can''t even fathom a guess."


    I look at the amulet still sitting in Rosa''s hand. It puts out a magical energy, similar to that of a person. But it''s different, purer than the mana coming from everyone else.


    How much longer will that amulet last?


    Rosa leads us to a hall lined with doors. Since they were expecting only a single hero to arrive, they had to prepare several extra rooms to accommodate all of us.


    But something like that is easy for the high-ranking officials and commanders of a major kingdom. The only question is who''s going to be staying together in each room.


    "Hey, Josh." I wave at the football junkie. "Wanna bunk up together?"


    "Sure, doesn''t matter to me." He shrugs.


    "Sweet! From the number of doors in this hall, we''ll probably end up three to a room. Is that right, Rosa?"


    "Since there are eight male heroes and three rooms, you are correct. Though one of the rooms will only have two occupants."


    "Well?" I look around at the other six guys. "Any takers?"


    The level 50 Isaac doesn''t acknowledge my question. Neither does the bully, Curtis. That leaves four people to consider my offer.


    Josh is a popular guy, being on the varsity football team and all. But that popularity is mostly among the girls, who have their own rooms in another hall.


    And considering that I''m the only level 1 among us, it doesn''t surprise me that none of the remaining four guys are jumping at the chance to room with us.


    That means I have to take matters into my own hands.


    My eyes meet with a certain student, the very first one that was called forward to have his status checked. I know from experience that he''d rather keep his head down, so I wouldn''t expect him to speak up to join us.


    But that also means he''d have a hard time refusing if pressured.


    "Alex!" I call out his name. "How about it, buddy? We''ll order pizza on our first night!"


    "Um, I mean, I guess so. But do they even have pizza in this world?"


    "Nope."


    "Then how are we going to get some?"


    "Hm? I just said we''d order it. I didn''t say we''d ever get any."


    Alex realizes his mistake. "I messed up¡­"


    "Hah!" Josh gives him a slap on the back. "Don''t worry, man. We''ll go out to the city and have ourselves a good time."


    "Please, spare me¡­"


    With that settled, the three of us stop in front of one of the doors and open it. The inside is quite large, with three full-size beds lined up against the far wall.


    Josh and Alex step inside, but I stay out in the hall, watching as the next group stops in front of their own door. Surprisingly, both Isaac and Curtis opt to skip that room as well, meaning the two of them will be sharing their own room at the far end of the hall.


    I wonder why those two decided to stay together.


    Or did it just happen to end up like that on its own?


    With a shrug, I step inside my room and lay claim to my bed. Or rather, the other two have already picked theirs, so I don''t really have a choice in the matter.


    Of course I''d end up with the middle bed¡­

 Chapter 4: Twin Moons

    "The Royal Library?" Josh asks. "What''s in there?"


    I finish putting on my new shirt. "Knowledge. About this world and the monsters. We''ll need to know as much as we can if we want to survive."


    "Guess so. I was never much of a student, so I''ll leave that part to you!"


    "And seeing as how I''m level 1, I think I''ll leave the fighting to you."


    Josh pumps his massive bicep. "I''ll run ''em over like I do the defensive line!"


    I shake my head, with my eyes ending up on Alex. "What about you? Wanna come learn a few things?"


    "Nah, I think I''m just gonna relax for today. Too many things have happened already¡­"


    "Well, suit yourself. I''m out."


    I step out into the hall and look down the corridor. The other two doors are closed, but I already know that one of the occupants is missing from his room.


    Isaac went to the library too, huh? As did Mitsuki.


    As expected of them, taking the initiative to learn.


    With casual steps, I start walking, passing by the middle room in a matter of seconds. The next room goes by just as quickly, with Curtis still inside.


    Soon, I''m just a few paces from the intersection at the far end of the hall. But it seems my luck is exceptionally bad today.


    Ah, crap.


    I turn just as a nearby door opens. Seeing as how Isaac is already at the library, that leaves just one person inside that particular room.


    Or rather, it would be great if he was inside it, but unfortunately, he decides to step out just as I''m passing by.


    "Well, well." The petty bully smiles as he shuts the door behind him. "If it isn''t the level 1."


    "Oh, Curtis. It''s good to see you, too."


    "Cut the crap, Lezard." He starts walking toward me. "Don''t forget that I''m one of the level 40s. I won''t take that smug attitude of yours anymore."


    "I hope you don''t take it. I need it to keep up my reputation as an eccentric¨C"


    Curtis'' open hand comes up, slamming me into the stone wall. His palm presses against my chest with a force that shouldn''t be possible for any human, pinning me against the hard stone.


    "Don''t think I''ve forgotten all the crap you said to me back on Earth. And don''t think I''ll keep taking it here."


    His fist slams into the wall just beside my head. He hits it with so much force that I hear the stone crack just a bit.


    "You mess with me here, and you won''t live to regret it. You understand?"


    "You''re right." I raise one hand. "I won''t regret it one bit."


    The sound of a door opening fills the hall. Both Curtis and I turn and see someone step out of the room at the far end of the corridor.


    "The hell''s going on out here?" Josh''s eyes fall on us. "Curtis, you''re at it again? I''m getting tired of dealing with you."


    "What?" Curtis releases me. "Lezard and I were just having a little chat, right?"


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    I rub my chest. "Yeah, though it wasn''t little enough for my tastes."


    A flash of anger crosses Curtis'' face at my words, but he reigns it back in. Finally, he turns from me, fully facing Josh as the football jock comes to a stop beside us.


    "Lezard here was just giving me a detailed explanation on where to find the bathroom. Very useful, huh?"


    "Whatever." Josh waves his hand. "Get out of here."


    "Tch." Curtis turns, his irritation only growing.


    Josh watches on as the bully turns the corner. "That guy''s trouble. You better watch yourself, Lezard."


    "Thanks for the help, but you don''t have to worry about me. I''ve dealt with people far worse than him before."


    "Maybe so, but you said it yourself, didn''t you? This world ain''t like Earth. You can''t do anything against him with your level."


    "True. It''d be draining to fight him when I''m so weak."


    "Draining? From what I saw today, I''d say it''s pretty much impossible for you."


    I shrug. "Doesn''t matter. I was careless today, but I won''t let him get the jump on me again. Anyway, I''m off to the library. Thanks, Josh!"


    He shakes his head. "Just try to stay out of his way."


    With that, I walk to the intersection and take the path opposite to the one Curtis took.


    After a few turns, I find myself in front of a large double door made of dark wood. I give it a push, and the Royal Library opens up before me.


    There are thousands and thousands of books inside, lined up on well over a hundred bookshelves. Everything from fantastical tales to scientific literature can be found within. But most of it is useless to me.


    As I walk through the main passage, my eyes fall on a certain, studious classmate. Isaac barely spares me a glance as I pass by him, preferring to focus on his studies.


    I give him the same treatment, letting my gaze glide right over him. Instead, I focus on my other classmate within the library.


    I take a seat, then pick up one of the books on the table. "The Appearance of the Mist. Well, the title sure gives away the subject matter clearly."


    Mitsuki turns a page in another book. "Know thine enemy, don''t you agree?"


    "Sure. But who''s to say the mist is really the final boss?"


    She moves her eyes to me. "What do you mean?"


    "I''m just saying we need to keep an open mind. Every coin has two sides, doesn''t it? And right now, we can only see one."


    "So you''re saying the books from the people of this kingdom will only tell us what they want us to believe?"


    "Maybe. Or maybe they also can''t see the other side of the coin."


    She returns her eyes to the book. "I see. I''ll keep that in mind."


    I open the book in my hand. "But it can''t hurt to see what they have to say."


    As expected, I get bored quickly. The information inside is so basic that I¡¯d probably fall asleep if I keep reading it.


    Rather than that, I go hunting for more advanced material. Unfortunately, even the Royal Library doesn¡¯t have the information I truly want. Chances are, they keep certain texts hidden away from prying eyes like mine.


    Still, I manage to find a few interesting books, then retake my seat next to Mitsuki.


    Even with the more advanced texts, I find myself skimming out of boredom. But there¡¯s nothing else for me to do for the day since they released us to relax and get used to our new world. So, I read on for a good couple hours.


    Eventually, I close the final book, having absorbed all the information I can from it. Mitsuki, on the other hand, is still reading. But that¡¯s not going to stop me from bugging her.


    ¡°Hey, Mitsuki.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± She doesn¡¯t even look up from the page.


    ¡°What do you think about this world having two moons? Isn¡¯t it awesome?¡±


    Her eyes finally move to me. ¡°Really, Lezard? You¡¯re thinking about the moons?¡±


    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. Moons are amazing, after all.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°You and moons. I¡¯ll never understand what you find so fascinating about giant rocks hurtling through space.¡±


    ¡°Moons have an important function for life on the planet they orbit, you know. Like¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± She waves her hand. ¡°You¡¯ve told me many times before.¡±


    ¡°You should be thankful that I love moons so much. Mitsuki means ¡®beautiful moon¡¯ in your native language, right? Why do you think I became your friend?¡±


    She gives me a flat stare. ¡°I was the one who told you that, well after we became friends.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right¡­¡±


    Mitsuki returns her focus to her book. ¡°I get the feeling I¡¯m going to hear a lot about these two moons from now on¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expressing happiness.¡±


    Ignoring Mitsuki¡¯s comment, I stand and walk to the nearby window. It¡¯s late now, with the sun having recently fallen below the horizon. That means the two moons in question can be seen clearly.


    The first one that sticks out is the larger of the two. It¡¯s roughly the size of the moon on Earth, with a pale, blue light that illuminates the darkness of night and gives it an exotic and beautiful appearance.


    The second one is much smaller, about half the size of the first. Not only does it orbit this planet, but it also orbits the larger moon at the same time. Unlike the first, the second moon is a familiar shade of white, reminding me of the one back on Earth.


    As I look up at the twin moons, I can¡¯t help but wonder.


    Are those two doing well?


    Nobody answers my internal question.

 Chapter 5: The Mist

    "I-is that mist?" Nina points out the carriage window, where a thin mist can be seen in the distance.


    "Sure is," I say.


    "That''s bad! Aren''t we about to be in danger!?"


    "Sure are."


    "Ohhh, why do you sound so calm! You''re the one who''s in the most danger here!"


    "True. If I tried to fight a tough monster on my own, I''d be slaughtered in an instant."


    "Then show some fear!"


    "Hm? Why would I do that?" I look deep into Nina''s eyes. "I trust you will protect me."


    "E-eh¡­!" Her eyes start darting around.


    "Wow. Didn''t know you could talk to the ladies like that, Lezard." Josh gives me a thumbs up.


    I return it with a smile.


    "Aww geez!" Nina pouts. "This is why boys are annoying!"


    I feel a hand falling on my shoulder. Starting from the fingers, I trace it to the wrist, the arm, the shoulder, and finally to the face of the one the hand belongs to.


    "How lighthearted," Mitsuki says. "But I hope you don''t intend to keep that jovial attitude when we enter the mist."


    "It''s important to lighten the mood, isn''t it? Especially when everyone''s so worried."


    "That''s true, but if you make light of the monsters within, you may find yourself in a dire situation."


    "Eh?" I reach up, placing my hand on Mitsuki''s, which still rests on my shoulder. "But I have you to protect¨C"


    Mitsuki slides her hand out from beneath mine. "That won''t work on me."


    "Ah, haha¡­"


    The carriage comes to a stop shortly after our lighthearted conversation, the mist outside the window now closer than ever. Since the coachman and normal soldiers could be turned into monsters if exposed to the mist for too long, they stop outside the affected area.


    Not wanting to waste time, I''m the first to step out into the light of day.


    Checking the other three carriages, I see Captain Rosa''s already guiding my classmates out of the one in front. The other two still have their doors shut, but as I watch, one of them opens, with Curtis stepping out.


    His eyes meet mine, and I see that same disgust as always. When he sees the smile on my lips, his disgust turns to outright hatred.


    You''re really going to let yourself be manipulated by a simple smile?


    At least give me the slightest hint of a challenge, moron.


    "Not to worry, Nina," Mitsuki says from the carriage door. "The mist hasn''t reached this hill yet."


    "Really?" She peeks out, checking for herself. "I guess we''re safe for now, then¡­"


    Seeing her acting so timid makes me want to bully her a little more. Not in the same way Curtis does me, but simply to draw her focus and change her mood so she''s not so frightened.


    However, if there was ever a time to be scared, it would be now.


    Some of them really are underestimating the mist.


    It''s not something to be taken lightly, even for heroes. If they''re not careful, their lives in this new world could be very short.


    Although it''s good to be cautious, there''s a line where the fear and anxiety will have a negative impact on survivability. Too much, and people are prone to freezing when something goes wrong.


    Nina is a prime candidate for such a scenario.


    She''s really not cut out for the whole hero thing. But if she can temper her fear, then she could still be a powerful force, despite that.


    "Good." Rosa looks around at all of us. "It appears all of you are ready for your first trip into the mist."


    "We should go over the plan once more," Isaac says. "I wouldn''t want anyone to claim that they forgot their role."


    "Good idea." She points to several of my classmates. "All of you will take the front, as your specialties lay in melee combat. Just remember that your goal isn''t to defeat the enemies on your own. Rather, it''s to protect your more vulnerable members."


    She points to a few others. "As for all of you¡­"


    Rosa continues listing out everyone''s roles, giving them instructions on what their main tasks will be during combat, as well as things to avoid doing.


    It''s a little boring, so it can''t be helped that I end up zoning out during her explanations. She did go over this several times already, after all.


    Not that I needed a tutorial in the first place.


    "If you stick to your lessons and my instructions," Rosa says, "then there''s nothing to fear. Since it''s our first trip into the mist, we''ll be staying near the edge, where the mist is thin. It''s rare for powerful monsters to roam there, so we should be safe. Ah, and Lezard will be protected in the back, of course."


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    Yeah, yeah. You don''t have to say it again.


    Also, I couldn''t help but notice that I''m just an afterthought. How rude.


    "While we do battle," Rosa continues, "the soldiers will unpack the supplies and set up camp. Depending on how the fighting goes, we may spend several days here leveling."


    Leaving the soldiers to set up camp on a large hill that overlooks a valley, Rosa leads us down the slope. Directly towards the mist.


    In our captain¡¯s hands is her weapon of choice¡ªa scythe. Unlike the wheat-chopping variant used by farmers, the one Rosa is carrying has an exotic design, carrying an artistic, yet deadly, flourish.


    Although many of my classmates have been silent, their posture and expressions say more than their mouths ever could.


    It''s normal to be afraid, so I can''t blame them. But as long as we stay near the edge where the mist is thin, we''re more than strong enough to deal with a few mishaps.


    Mitsuki eyes me as we approach the creepy fog that covers the valley below. She doesn''t say anything, but I can feel her appraising gaze run over me, looking for any signs of what I''m actually thinking beneath my veil.


    Too bad. I won''t give it away that easily.


    Giving up on me, she turns back to the valley and refocuses on the upcoming journey into the mysterious mist that can turn any living thing into a monster.


    Rosa is at our head, leading us like the commander of a squad. Because of that, she''ll be the first one to reach the very edge of the mist. In fact, it''s only a few paces away. But she doesn''t even slow down.


    "From here on¡­" Rosa takes the first step into the mist, the fog swirling around her boot as she disrupts the air that carries the mysterious droplets. "...We''re on a bloody battlefield."


    "You ain''t gotta worry about it," Curtis says. "Look how many heroes you got now."


    "Don''t get arrogant." Mitsuki sends him a glare. "Weren''t you listening when she told the story of how their strongest hero failed against this mist?"


    "Just one guy. And he probably wasn''t even that strong. It was the same back on Earth, wasn''t it? Like how they talk about some great writers back in the day. But when they forced us to read their junk, it''s just boring crap. Probably the same here, making a big deal outta nothing."


    Mitsuki shakes her head, giving up on getting Curtis to take our first trip into the mist seriously.


    Well, can''t blame her for trying. Though she should have known that nothing can get through that guy''s thick skull.


    Our feet don¡¯t stop, even while they argue. By now, all of us are walking in the mist, leaving swirls with each step we take.


    "Stop." Rosa holds up her balled fist. "Get ready for combat."


    She points down the slope, deeper into the mist. From within the white fog, a shadow can be seen. As we watch, it grows larger. Or to be more precise, the creature that''s making the shadow is getting closer.


    My classmates watch with bated breaths as they set their eyes on their very first monster.


    It steps out of the swirling mist, revealing its true form. Long, sharp fangs, white fur, and a body the size of a lion.


    But the creature is no feline. Rather, it''s a canine. A wolf, to be exact.


    At least, it was a wolf until recently. And from the looks of it, it''s not even done mutating.


    The mutant wolf releases a growl that would send a shiver down the spine of anyone on Earth. A wild animal this size is already a fearsome sight, and with everyone''s nerves on full display because of the deadly mist, it''s not surprising to see many of them freeze up.


    But there''s someone here who''s hunted monsters much stronger than this pup.


    "Do not fear," Rosa says, pointing her scythe at the mutant. "A beast this weak will fall in an instant."


    She motions to the front-line fighters who stand beside her. Having been urged on, Josh steps forward.


    "Alright, I''m up! Let''s see how well this skill works in a real fight!" He raises his gauntleted fist, then slams it into the ground. "[Shockwave]!"


    A burst of energy flies forward, slamming into the approaching mutant and knocking it skyward. Gravity soon regains its hold, and the wolf-like creature lands in a heap.


    "Grrr¡­" The mutant struggles, but eventually stands.


    "C''mon!" Curtis pushes Josh out of the way. "Let me show you how to use that skill. [Shockwave]!"


    The same scene plays out, except the strength of the skill is a step or two below the one Josh used. However¡­


    "See that?" Curtis turns to us, the wolf mutant lying defeated on the ground. "That''s how it''s done!"


    "Don''t get conceited," Mitsuki says. "It was the combined effort of¨C"


    "Yeah, yeah." Curtis waves his hand. "I heard it all before."


    His Heroic Skill, [Copy]. Quite rare and powerful, if used properly.


    When he pushed Josh out of the way, Curtis copied his skills. Although he can only copy one person at a time, the fact that he can obtain virtually any skill he wants simply by touching someone can''t be underestimated.


    But that''s not the most dangerous aspect of [Copy].


    We need to be careful¡­


    As I''m lost in thought, my classmates are enjoying their first victory over a mist creature. Even if it wasn''t fully mutated, they should gain some confidence seeing how easily their skills were able to take it down.


    As Rosa reins in their excess enthusiasm, I take a moment to check something important.


    My vision is blocked by the sudden appearance of a text box. Words and numbers fill the box, along with various sub-screens that I can open with a simple thought.


    But my focus is only on one single line.


    No experience points, huh? That''s not good. Even if I didn''t fight the monster, I should have gained experience just by virtue of being a hero.


    Does this mean¡­


    "--zard." Rosa''s voice pulls me from my thoughts.


    "Hm? What''s up?"


    "I was saying that a mutant has appeared that could be beneficial for you." She points into the mist. "A hare. Or at least, it was. They''re just food for stronger mutants, but they also make good training for¡­"


    "For weak people like me." I finish for her.


    "Ahem. How about giving it a try? I''ll be here to back you up, just in case."


    I pull my sword from its sheath. "Sure, no problem."


    "A little bunny," Curtis says. "Perfect for you."


    Ignoring his snide remark, I walk forward from the group. Like the wolf, this rabbit has yet to fully transform. That makes the already weak mutant into something of a joke, even for newbie soldiers.


    But newbie soldiers aren''t level 1 like me. They have a bit of superhuman strength, even if they''re not at the level and class of heroes.


    Man, what a pain¡­


    The creature isn''t the furry little fluffball most people would imagine when thinking of a bunny. It has long fangs dripping with saliva, a set of razor-sharp claws, and a feral glint in its red eyes.


    Even if it''s classified as one of the weakest mutants, it''s still dangerous.


    Unlike my classmates, I don''t have a Heroic Skill and the special abilities that come along with it. That means I can only rely on generic magic and my sword.


    Seeing as how my magic is painfully weak, that really only leaves me with one option.


    "Eat steel!" I swing my blade, slicing into the mutant rabbit as it leaps at me.


    I feel my sword sink into flesh, but¡­


    "Still wanna go, huh?" I swing again, and again.


    Each attack sends a spray of red through the air, but none of them can put an end to the rabbit''s assault. But combined, they''re finally adding up.


    "It''s over!" I stab my sword into the ground, straight through the bunny''s body.


    I pull my weapon free and clean the blade before sheathing it.


    "Bwahahaha!" The usual suspect lets out a bellowing laugh. "All that to take out a little bunny!"


    "Curtis, you¨C"


    Isaac holds up his hand, cutting Mitsuki off. "It seems you''ve forgotten, Curtis. We¡¯re a team now, and I expect you to act like it.¡±


    ¡°Tch. Whatever.¡± Curtis spits off to the side.


    And just like that, our trip through the misty land begins.

 Chapter 5: Encounter in the Mist

    "Ohhh, how creepy¡­" Nina shrinks back a bit.


    "Eh?" I look out over the abandoned town. "What''s so creepy about it, exactly?"


    "Don''t start with me, Lezard! You know exactly what I''m talking about!"


    "Hmm. Is it the eerie silence of a place that should be filled with people? Or the ever-thickening mist swirling around the homes of the ones who fled? Or maybe¡­" I point down the gentle hill that leads to the town. "It''s the shadow moving where no living creature should be?"


    My classmates crane their necks, trying to find the supposed shadow I''m talking about. Even Rosa narrows her eyes, trying to pick it out from the thick mist.


    Unfortunately for them, the shadow doesn''t actually exist. At least, not yet.


    But that''s about to change.


    After several seconds, the mist at the bottom of the hill does begin to darken. After it steps close enough to reveal its form, we see that it''s a giant, furry animal with sharp nails and an armored plate on its back.


    Looks like it mutated from an armadillo. And just recently, too.


    That makes it weak, both because it came from such a small animal and because it hasn''t had time to grow stronger.


    Like people, mutants can level up and get stronger. They can do so by fighting amongst themselves, but they prefer hunting any creature that has yet to mutate.


    Like us.


    "Kshhhh!" It makes a strange noise as it rushes our way.


    "Leave this one to me." Mitsuki steps forward.


    With her hand on her sheathed sword''s hilt, she waits patiently for the monster to half-wobble its way into her attack range.


    Eventually, the foolish creature gets too close, and Mitsuki unleashes her blade.


    "[Heavenly Sword]!" A flash of light intersects the mutant.


    With hardly a sound, Mitsuki re-sheaths her katana. At the same time, the giant armadillo monster splits in two, each half falling to the ground with a soft thud.


    "Well, that was easy." I turn from the battle. "Leave it to Mitsuki to make all our efforts seem futile by comparison."


    "I''m glad," Nina says. "If everyone had to rely on me, I''m sure we''d all be doomed."


    "Hey, you''re not that weak." I put on a thoughtful face. "Hmm. Well, compared to me you''re really strong, at least¡­"


    "Why am I being compared to a level 1!?"


    "Haha. I mean, doesn''t it¨C" I suddenly cut off my own words, my head slowly turning back toward the misty village.


    What¡­? This feeling is¡­!


    "Lezard?" Nina says my name. "Hey, Lezard. What''s wrong?"


    "There''s someone down there." I take off without any further explanation.


    "Hey!" Rosa yells. "Don''t run off on your own!"


    I ignore her, dashing down the small hill. There''s not even a shadow within the mist, but that doesn''t stop me from running straight toward the one walking through the abandoned village.


    Rosa and a few others follow. With their enhanced bodies, it would only take a few seconds for them to catch up, despite my head start.


    But that¡¯s something I can¡¯t allow.


    Even if I¡¯m running down a hill, there¡¯s a limit to how fast I can go. At a certain point, my level 1 body just wouldn¡¯t be able to move fast enough.


    Despite that, I continue to go faster. Faster even than the quickest runners on Earth. So fast that even with their enhanced stats, Rosa and my classmates can¡¯t catch up so easily.


    Finally, a shadow appears within the mist. It grows darker and more defined, taking on the shape of a human.


    The person has long since detected me. Or rather, they definitely sensed all of us before even I felt their presence.


    After a few more heartbeats, their face appears. Having someone rush toward them within this dangerous mist sets off their sense of danger, so I''m not surprised to see them standing in a combat pose.


    But more importantly¡­


    It''s a girl. And she''s young.


    "Hey!" I wave my hands, showing that I don''t have my weapon drawn. "It''s dangerous her¨Cack!"


    My foot hits a rock hidden in the mist, sending me tumbling toward the surprised girl. She raises her hands, but she''s too late to stop me from careening into her.


    We go down in a heap of sprawling limbs.


    "Ouch¡­" I use my hands to push off the ground beneath me.


    Or rather, I push off the body of the person I''m lying on.


    "You¡­" Her soft voice contains barely any emotion. "Where are you touching?"


    "Ah¡­" I look at my hand which rests just below her neck, alarmingly close to a dangerous place. "Oops."


    Suddenly, gravity releases me from its ever-present hold, with the girl beneath me growing more distant as I rise into the sky.


    Or to be more precise, as I''m lifted into the sky.


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    "Lezard," Rosa says, turning me to face her. "What do you think you''re doing to that girl? And after running off like that on your own. Do you think this is a playground?"


    "I wasn''t¨C" My words cut off as gravity reasserts its dominion over me.


    In other words, Rosa drops me. The obvious result is that I hit the ground. Unfortunately, it''s not my feet that break my fall.


    "Ouch¡­" I find myself on my back, staring up at the sky. "Hmm. I seem to be saying that a lot lately¡­"


    A certain girl''s face covers the misty blue light that''s managing to penetrate to the ground. Her Japanese features are familiar, as is the disappointed stare that she''s giving me.


    "Lezard," Mitsuki says. "What exactly were you doing to that girl?"


    "Hey, it''s not my fault. Blame the rock that was waiting in ambush. I''m the victim here."


    "Stones don''t set up ambushes. And you''re not the type to trip on such things."


    "What''s that? I can barely hear you because of the thick mist¡­"


    Mitsuki brings one fist up, a vein slowly appearing on her temple. "I''m not going to go over how ridiculous your words were. Just get up and apologize to her."


    "A-alright, alright." I stand and turn to the girl. "Sorry for running into you. Are you okay?"


    The girl''s standing, her hand placed over her heart. Her face is sweaty and pale, which is to be expected of someone stuck in this dangerous mist. But rather than fear or uncertainty, her expression is filled with pure surprise.


    "How strange." Rosa holds her amulet in front of her face. "I could have sworn I felt ¡­ something."


    The girl looks up at the knight captain. "What do you mean?"


    "This amulet protects me from the mist, but it also reacts to the presence of spirits." She tucks it beneath her jerkin. "But I was mistaken. Perhaps it was merely my imagination. Regardless, it''s too dangerous for you to be this deep into the mist. If you stay too long, you will begin to turn."


    The girl stares back at Rosa with wide eyes. "Such an amulet exists¡­?"


    Hey, why is everyone completely ignoring my apology?


    Rosa motions toward the direction we came from. "We''ll be heading back with haste. In the event we run into a monster, I''ll deal with them myself."


    "Please wait," Isaac says. "We''ve just reached your intended location to truly begin hunting monsters, haven''t we?"


    "Yes, but I didn''t expect to find a human here. We need to escort her out of the mist."


    "I agree. But that doesn''t mean all of us need to leave. We can split up, with half of us escorting her while the other half can begin fighting." Isaac pushes on his glasses. "I believe this to be the most efficient strategy."


    Rosa looks doubtful. "You may be right, but¡­"


    "Don''t worry, we''re heroes. We won''t fail to escort a single girl to safety."


    The reluctance in Rosa''s face begins to fade and her eyes drift off, as if she were remembering something from the past.


    Isaac, you really hit her in a soft spot.


    "Understood," Rosa says. "Let us split the party. We''re still in the safer portion of the mist, so I have no doubt that the escort team will be just fine."


    "Heroes¡­?" The mysterious girl says softly. "Are you saying all of you were summoned here?"


    Rosa nods. "Correct. We were gifted with many of them, so you don''t have to worry about the mist. Soon, they will defeat the one who''s bringing disaster to our world."


    "Defeat¡­" The girl shakes her head, as if dispelling a thought. "In that case, I have something to say. I''m¨C"


    "Exhausted!" I shout. "That''s to be expected. Of course you''d be exhausted after spending so much time in the mist."


    "H-huh?" The girl stares into my eyes.


    "It''s dangerous here, so you should be very careful."


    "Dangerous¡­"


    "Yeah, so just relax and let us get you out of here quickly. Then you''ll be much safer."


    The girl looks down and places her hand over her heart, near where I touched her. A second later, her eyes meet mine again, the emotions that were on her face now completely gone.


    "Right," she says. "I''d like to get out of this mist."


    "In that case," Isaac says, "let''s get our two groups sorted out. If I call your name, you''re in the escort party. Nina, Alex¡­"


    He continues calling names until he reaches a total of five, then looks to the final one. "...And Curtis."


    "What!?" Curtis shouts. "I''m level 40! Why am I going back with all the level 30s!?"


    As expected of Curtis, he quickly realized that Isaac split us according to our levels.


    Of course, it''s not that Curtis is especially intelligent or observant. It''s just that he''s already separated everyone into tiers according to their starting level, so it was obvious to him what Isaac was doing.


    Isaac responds with a calm voice. "It''s because you''re level 40 that I''m sending you with them. It''s up to you to ensure they get back safely. And once you drop the girl off, you need to bring them back here."


    "Huh¡­" Curtis gives it a bit of thought. "So I''m the leader. Yeah. Yeah! That makes sense!"


    Hey, stop being such a dimwit for once, please. It¡¯s obvious that he just sees you as the least useful level 40, for obvious reasons.


    No, more importantly, we need to leave. All of us. If this girl''s here, then we''re not safe.


    There''s no doubt she''s been followed. And in her condition, I don''t think she has the strength to fight them.


    "I don''t think we should split up," I say. "I think we should all go back to our camp and regroup."


    "Huh!?" Curtis shoots me a glare. "Why should we care what a level 1 has to say? Just shut up and do what you''re told."


    "During my research at the castle, I read that humans are often the target of higher-class mutants. There''s a chance this girl''s being hunted by powerful creatures we wouldn''t normally find this close to the edge of the mist."


    "Yeah, right. Just admit it, you''re scared!"


    "No," Rosa says. "He''s right. Mutants have a tendency to hunt any creature in the mist that has yet to transform. And that goes double for humans. However, the stronger the human, the more likely they are to attract powerful opponents. I doubt a normal girl would be hunted so ferociously."


    Tch. Stop knowing things. Especially when the things you don''t know are driving you to the wrong conclusion.


    I look to the girl in question. She has a complicated expression, her face giving away exactly what I suspected.


    So you are being hunted. But how strong are they?


    "I think we should all leave," the mysterious girl says. "Just to be safe."


    "Hmm." Rosa looks to her, giving her words some thought.


    "There''s no use discussing it," Isaac says. "It''s already been decided. Curtis, take the others and escort her back to camp."


    "Hah!" The petty bully smiles. "Everyone hear that? Line up! And don''t forget who''s in charge!"


    Ugh. How troublesome¡­


    "I''m sure it''ll be fine," Mitsuki says, sensing my anxiety. "The girl will be out of the mist soon enough, and you''ll be here with us in case any powerful monsters do show themselves."


    "Actually¡­" I turn to Curtis. "I''m going with the escort group."


    "What? You need to level up more than anyone else, so why do you want to head back?"


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Curtis smiles. "He''s scared!"


    Many pairs of eyes fall on me. In them, I see agreement with Curtis'' words. As a low level who just complained about potentially running into powerful monsters and asked for everyone to go back to camp, it''s obvious they''d come to the same conclusion as Curtis.


    "I''m still going with the girl." I speak without an ounce of shame.


    Mitsuki gives me a thoughtful look. "What is it that you know?"


    "Hopefully nothing."


    "Whatever," Curtis says. "Just remember that I''m the boss. That means you listen to me."


    I wave my hand. "Got it, got it."


    With the groups settled, we split up and gather into two parties. Mitsuki continues to eye me with the same thoughtful expression, but I ignore her.


    As long as she''s with Rosa, she''ll be fine. I doubt that girl''s being followed by something like a Leviathan.


    Chances are, they''re aberrants. Depending on what kind and how many, it can still be dangerous.


    But knowing Rosa, she''ll sacrifice her life to protect the heroes, if she needs to.


    Though that''s not something I should really consider as a preferable outcome¡­


    Not to mention, they''re after the girl. That means the mutants might slip right by Mitsuki and the others in an attempt to reach her.


    But will they really leave a group of heroes alone if they sense them?


    There are still a lot of unknowns. Too many for me to feel comfortable.


    But one thing''s for sure. If the mutants chasing the girl are as strong as I fear, then I can''t trust someone like Curtis and the level 30s to protect her.


    "See you soon." Rosa waves to us.


    I wave back, along with most of the others. Curtis isn''t among the ones who wave, though.


    And so, I and the weakest members of our party set out to escort the mysterious girl to our camp where she will be safe from the mist.


    And safe from the monsters that are no doubt hunting her.

 Chapter 6: Battle in the Mist

    As soon as we''re far enough from the other group that their figures vanish into the mist, Curtis opens his stupid mouth.


    "If we come across any monsters, we take them down."


    "Shouldn''t we avoid fighting, if possible?" I ask. "Rosa said she needs to get out of the mist soon."


    "Didn''t you hear me? I said we fight. It''d be quicker to take them out than waste time going around them."


    "Sure, if they''re in our path. But if not, we should just let them be as long as they don''t bother us."


    "Shut it, level 1. I don''t want to hear anything you have to say."


    With a shake of my head, I drop the topic. Curtis won''t listen, especially when it''s me talking.


    Actually, he''d probably be more likely to avoid battle if I suggested we fight every monster we see¡­


    It''s too late to try reverse psychology, so all I can do is hope we don''t run across any monsters on the way back.


    Since the mysterious girl and I are both the weakest people here, we''re essentially being protected by the others. That means we''re walking close together, with the rest of my classmates several steps ahead of us.


    Because of that, I have the perfect chance to talk to her without anyone else hearing our words.


    "Hey," I say to her. "Care to explain what exactly you''re doing here?"


    "What do you mean?" She gives me a blank look.


    "I mean it''s dangerous for a spiritkin to visit the human lands, especially considering you''re¨C"


    A cold sensation washes over me, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It reminds me of the feeling in a scary videogame when you walk into a new room and just know that something''s going to jump out from somewhere.


    "You. So you were the one who used that spell on me." Her eyes narrow. "Who are you?"


    I brush off the feeling. "Me? I''m just this world''s weakest summoned hero. Level 1, in fact. How pitiful, right?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous. No mere weakling could use a spell like that."


    "Don''t sweat the small stuff." I wave my hand dismissively. "Rather than that, how about giving me your name?"


    "My name? Why do you want such a thing?"


    "Why? Why else? I can''t just keep referring to you as the ''mysterious girl'' in my head."


    The mysterious girl regains the emotionless expression she''s been carrying nearly since the moment we found her.


    "Lyra."


    "Lyra, huh? Well, it''s nice to meet you, Lyra. I''m Lezard Valesti, this world''s weakest hero!"


    "Why are you saying it with such pride?"


    "Because I plan to leverage it to my advantage as much as possible, of course." I give her a pair of puppy dog eyes. "You''ll protect me, right?"


    Lyra''s eyebrow twitches just a bit. "You seem a bit too practiced to have just picked that up recently."


    "Ah, well I do have quite a bit of experience messing with people for fun. More than you might expect from just looking at me."


    "What''s that supposed to¨C"


    Lyra cuts off her words as one of our classmates breaks off from the rest. After glancing at us, Nina slows her steps and eventually ends up walking beside us.


    "Hey," Nina says softly. "Is this the way back¡­?"


    "Technically, we''re still heading back, but not in a straight line."


    "Huh? What do you mean?"


    "I mean Curtis is zigzagging, looking for monsters."


    "Eh? But what about her?" She looks to Lyra.


    "Seems like he couldn''t care less."


    "Oh, by the way!" Nina suddenly smiles. "I''m Nina! What''s your name?"


    "Lyra."


    "Wow, that''s a cool name! In our world, I think there was an instrument called a lyra, or something."


    Uh, Nina. That¡¯s a lyre¡­


    Nina can carry a conversation for a while, so I leave it to her to entertain Lyra.


    The three of us keep our voices low so Curtis can''t hear us and cause yet another delay on our way back by blowing a gasket. Once again, I can only hope that we''re lucky enough to avoid running into any monsters, despite him actively looking for them.


    But as is often the case, luck isn''t on my side.


    "Monster!" Curtis sounds far too happy. "Everyone form up! We''re taking it down!"


    The others don''t seem to have realized that they''re being recruited into an entirely avoidable battle thanks to Curtis'' zigzagging. But now that the monster''s seen us, it''s too late to do anything but defeat it.


    Just hurry up, will you?


    The only saving grace is that Curtis wants to level up, meaning he shouldn''t waste time dragging battles out.


    Thankfully, that is indeed the case, as they defeat the monster in under a minute. The downside is that it''s not enough for Curtis, who only increases his zigzagging pattern, slowing us down even more.


    Tch. Just wait, you dimwit. When I regain my¨C


    A roar in the near distance puts an end to my thoughts. In fact, it puts an end to everyone''s thoughts, as evidenced by their dumbfounded expressions.


    That roar, it was definitely from an aberrant.


    With their current strength, these level 30s could take it down with ease..


    But that''s only if they work together and use their skills effectively. And from what I''ve seen so far, that''s not likely to happen.


    Rather, they''ll likely break and run as soon as they see how terrifying an aberrant looks.


    "Hey," I say. "We need to get out of here. Now."


    "Y-yeah," Nina agrees. "That monster sounded really big."


    "Huh!? What''re you getting scared for!? We''re close to the edge of the mist, so all the monsters should be weak! It probably just sounds tougher than it is!"


    "B-but¡­"


    "No," Lyra says. "It''s not weak."


    Curtis turns to her. "How do you¨C"


    "GROARRRRR!"


    The aberrant can sense us!


    The roar is much closer than the first, meaning the monster is moving directly toward us at high speed. Without a doubt, it''s caught a whiff of our mana and is charging our way.


    As my classmates stand undecided on whether or not to run or fight, the aberrant enters my own detection range.


    Strong. They could probably win if they fought like battle-trained soldiers, but¡­


    I scan my classmates and see fear and anxiety in their eyes.


    They''re not soldiers. They''re just kids who''ve been told that they''re powerful heroes.


    But the truth is¡­


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    Ignoring my classmates¡¯ hesitation, I grab Lyra''s hand. "Come on! We''re getting out of here!"


    "Okay." There''s not an ounce of hesitation in her voice.


    "You''re running!?" Curtis yells. "Coward!"


    "I suggest you do the same!" I shout back "You can''t beat that thing!"


    Or rather, it''s after Lyra, so you better hope I can drag it away from you!


    Rather than running in the opposite direction of the aberrant, I take Lyra and rush off to the side. If I ran away from the approaching monster, it''d put my classmates directly between us and it, meaning it''d run into them while chasing us.


    "Trying to keep them safe?" Lyra immediately recognizes my intent.


    "They''re not ready to fight an aberrant."


    "And you are?"


    "..."


    She pulls her hand free but continues running beside me. "Just who are you? You even cast a protection spell on me to stop that amulet from detecting me so that knight wouldn''t realize I''m a spiritkin."


    "That¡¯s right, but I''m so weak that it won''t last long. Regardless, we''ll have plenty of time to talk later. Right now, we need to focus on the aberrant. If only that stupid spirit of yours wasn''t asleep, this battle would be a cinch."


    "S-stupid!?" Lyra finally shows some emotion again. "I''ll have you know the Spirit of Water is¨C"


    Lyra closes her mouth, having realized she was about to spill something important. However, her attempt to hide it from me is useless.


    "The Spirit of Water is one of the twelve Great Spirits," I finish for her.


    "You know!?"


    "Well, yeah. You''re gonna have to try harder if you wanna hide anything from me."


    I come to a sudden stop. Lyra does the same, and we both find ourselves staring back, where we left our classmates.


    We''ve put enough distance between us now that the aberrant should pass by them without being close enough for either party to set eyes on the other.


    At least, that should have been the case. Unfortunately¡­


    "The aberrant isn''t following us¡­" My eyes narrow.


    Lyra closes her eyes and concentrates, sending a small ripple of power emanating from her. "Yes, it''s going after your friends. A group of heroes must be too enticing for it."


    "That''s not good. They''d be fine if Rosa, Isaac, or Mitsuki were with them, but if it''s Curtis¡­"


    "Yes. He seemed laughably incompetent."


    "Even that''s an understatement. If anything, he''s actively detrimental to the team."


    Lyra gives me a sidelong glance. "What are you going to do?"


    I shake my head, a sigh escaping at the same time. "No choice. I''ll have to go back."


    "Even though you''re so weak?"


    "Hey, that hurts. Who goes around calling others weak like that?"


    Lyra gives me a flat stare. "Who was it again that was using their weakness as a point of pride?"


    "Hmm. Who was that¡­?"


    "Focus." Lyra points toward our classmates.


    "I know, I know." I motion in another direction. "Go that way and you''ll be out of the mist in just a few minutes. You should be fine against any weak monsters, right?"


    "Of course."


    "In that case, I''m going on ahead. With that idiot Curtis at the lead, there''s no telling how poorly their battle against that aberrant will go." I take a step forward. "Anyway, be safe. I''ll meet back up with you soon."


    With those parting words, I take off back toward my classmates, leaving Lyra behind.


    ¡°[Body Enhancement I].¡± The basic support spell flows through me, giving me strength beyond that of a normal human.


    The mist is thinner here than it was where we first ran into Lyra, and the terrain is mostly clear of obstacles, besides the random shrub and rock. That makes it easy to move at my full speed, even without my usual detection abilities.


    Still, my top speed is laughably slow. I may be able to outpace an olympian back on Earth, but that kind of speed is nothing for this world.


    If Mitsuki were here, she''d be running at a light jog and still outpace me.


    I need to get stronger. If weak monsters don''t give me any experience points, then I''ll have to find and defeat stronger ones.


    With my strength, it''s risky to fight them alone. Still, it''s better than staying this weak forever.


    But before any of that¡­


    I turn my face, staring flatly at what''s covering my vision. "Why are you here?"


    "Why else?" Lyra gives me one of her expressionless glances. "I''m going to face that aberrant."


    "Your spirit is sleeping, which means most of your strength is gone. Plus, others may think you¡¯re mutating, but the truth is that you¡¯re immune to the mutation effects, just like heroes. The real reason you¡¯re so pale and sweaty is simple¡ªyou¡¯re exhausted from your long trip through this mist, both physically and magically. Do you really think you can defeat it right now?"


    "No, but neither should you be able to. Yet here you are."


    I sigh. "Fine, you can come along. Guess I''ll just deal with the consequences later."


    "I would ask what you mean, but it seems we''re out of time."


    "Kyaaa!" Nina''s voice cuts through the mist.


    Their formation broke immediately, as I suspected. How many would end up trampled as they flee?


    Not that I intend to find out!


    I break past the final layer of mist between me and my classmates. The melee fighters are scattering, with Curtis leading the retreat.


    Though to be more accurate, he''s simply running away, hoping the aberrant will decide to focus on anyone but him.


    Ignoring the coward, I set my eyes on Nina. She''s obviously terrified, as evidenced by her scream. But she''s not running.


    It¡¯s not that she suddenly found the resolution of a hero, it¡¯s simply that she froze after seeing that terrifying aberrant.


    Never thought I¡¯d be grateful to have someone freeze in combat!


    ¡°Use your barrier!¡± I yell as I run.


    "B-[Barrier]!" Nina follows my command, and a red forcefield appears in front of my roommate, Alex.


    The young man is a melee fighter, which means he''s on the front line. But right now, he looks dazed, likely from taking the brunt of the aberrant''s initial charge.


    "Nina." I stop beside the young girl.


    "Eep!" She jumps in surprise. "L-Lezard!? What are you doing here!? Didn''t you run away already!?"


    "I got turned around. More importantly, you need to get out of here."


    Nina flinches at the sound of the aberrant''s fist crashing into her barrier. "But Alex is¡­!"


    "Don''t worry about Alex. I''ll get him." I turn to Lyra. "Get her out of here."


    "Alright." Lyra takes Nina by the hand. "Follow."


    She takes off, the reluctant Nina following as ordered.


    Right. Better hurry.


    The aberrant''s fist comes down again, and this time, Nina''s barrier gives way, shattering under the monster''s immense strength.


    I''m already running toward Alex. He''s finally getting his wits back, only to look around and see that he''s facing off against the enormous creature alone.


    "Move!" I crash into Alex, pushing him out of the way from the aberrant''s next attack.


    We go tumbling to the dirt just as the fist smashes into the ground with enough force to shatter bones, leaving behind a small crater at the impact zone.


    If I take a single one of those attacks, I''m done for.


    I scramble to my feet, pulling Alex up in the process. "Get out of here."


    "W-what''s going on!? Where''d everyone go!?"


    "That way." I point to where Lyra took Nina, then give Alex a solid push. "Hurry!"


    "What about you!? Are you going to fight that thing!?"


    "Are you crazy? What can I do at level 1? I''m just going to lead him away, then escape."


    "But¨C"


    "Lyra!" I yell, cutting Alex off. "You know what to do!"


    "Obviously."


    She reappears after leading Nina away, so I task her with doing the same with Alex. She grabs him by the shoulder this time, turning him and forcefully leading him to safety.


    While Lyra drags him away, I''m forced to dive out of the way of the aberrant''s next attack. Although I avoid the fist, the impact still sends a shockwave coursing through my body, threatening to knock me off balance.


    As I struggle to regain my balance, the aberrant is already looming over me, the glint of murder in its pitch-black eyes.


    Its mouth is a void, as if just beyond is the eternal darkness of empty space. That same nothingness fills its eyes, the creature¡¯s light of reason having been completely stripped away by the mist¡¯s corruption.


    Unlike the monsters we fought until now, this aberrant is a true mutant, the resemblance to its former self not so easily discerned from just looking at the creature.


    The long, thin arms and legs move like something out of a nightmare. A monster as dark as night, evoking a primal fear that can make even a newly summoned hero freeze.


    Crap, this guy''s freaking fast!


    No, I''m just too slow¡­!


    The aberrant seems to have gotten angry at having his attacks miss time and again. A powerful energy begins radiating from its body, sending a shiver coursing through me.


    Can''t dodge! No choice, I''ll have to¨C


    The aberrant is suddenly colored in a blue hue. Or rather, the blue-white sheet of ice that appears between me and the mutant is giving everything on the other side a blue tint.


    As soon as that ice appears, the aberrant''s attack slams into it. The dark energy seeps out from around the edges of the sheet of ice, licking at me with its black tendrils.


    Ow, ow, ow!


    I take a step back, pulling myself free from the corrupt energy.


    Looking down, I see black marks on my arm where the attack touched me.


    Good thing heroes are immune to the corruption effect. Otherwise, I''d be in trouble.


    I bring my eyes back up, just as the sheet of ice explodes into a thousand shards.


    Fortunately, it held long enough to completely block the powerful attack, giving me a bit of breathing room.


    On the other side of the aberrant, I see the one who cast the ice shield spell. Our eyes meet, just in time for me to see her collapse to one knee.


    "Hah ¡­ hah¡­" Lyra breathes heavily. "Hope you ¡­ have a plan¡­"


    "You used quite a bit of power, considering your condition." I refocus on the aberrant. "But don''t worry. Leave the rest to me."


    I bring one of my hands up as the mutant roars in rage. With Lyra down for the count and all my classmates having fled, there''s nobody left to save me.


    At least, that''s what any outside observers would think, if they were here to witness these events.


    But the truth is¡­


    With no witnesses, there''s nobody left to save you, aberrant!


    A flash of light erupts from my raised hand. In an instant, it dies down, having done no damage or caused any infliction to my opponent.


    However, something has certainly changed.


    I bring my second hand up, grasping a cold, metallic shaft. The weight and sensation of the object in my hands always brings a smile to my face, and today is no different.


    How long''s it been since I''ve had a chance to use you like this?


    Hmm. Fifteen years, I guess. Ever since that final battle¡­


    But now¨Cnow it''s time for us to reclaim our title.


    I twirl my weapon, the subdued light leaking from it creating a beautiful image of a full moon with each rotation.


    With practiced movements, my hands come to a sudden stop, the curved blade hanging over my head like that of a crescent moon.


    With a smile, I run a single finger along the edge of my scythe''s blade, remembering all the battles we''ve been through together.


    That''s right. You and I¨Cwe''ll reclaim our title as this world''s strongest hero!


    "Groarrrrr!" The aberrant leaps, intent on crushing me with its huge body.


    "Foolish." I give my scythe a single twirl. "[Pale Moonlight]."


    A beam of subdued light falls seemingly from the heavens themselves, encasing the aberrant mid-jump.


    "Groaaa¨C" In the middle of its roar, all goes silent.


    Its voice isn''t the only thing to vanish. The mutant''s entire body goes with it, as if scattered into atoms by the beautiful beam of light.


    As I watch, the light fades. In a blink, the power that removed the aberrant from this world is gone, leaving only me and my scythe, Arc of the Crescent Moon.


    Looking up, I see the faint glow of one of this world''s twin moons, even through the thin mist. As always when I use my power, my connection to the moons strengthens.


    Unfortunately, that connection slowly fades, the moons fading from my sight. I lower my face, and the only other person in the area enters my vision.


    "W-what was¡­" Lyra looks at me with shock. "In an instant¡­? How? And that weapon, it''s¡­!"


    The world''s light fades. Or rather, it''s just that I can''t see anymore because¡­


    "Hey!" I hear Lyra stand and walk toward me with unsteady steps. "Why are you collapsing!?"


    As much as I want to keep hold of it, I have no choice but to let my scythe vanish. Without mana, I can''t keep the weapon materialized.


    With my hands freed, I raise one into the air, my thumb sticking up, even as my face is planted into the dirt.


    "Aberrant ¡­ defeated¡­" My hand plops back down.

 Chapter 7: The Apex of Power

    A pair of arms flips me over, giving me a view of the misty sky. But that view is partially covered by the expressionless face of a girl with azure blue hair, the same color as the sky on a warm summer day.


    "Ah, I can breathe again."


    "If you can breathe, then you can talk. And how about you start by explaining who you really are and how you defeated that aberrant with a single spell."


    "What''s that? There''s so much mist that I couldn''t hear what you¨C"


    "Would you like me to flip you back over?" She shows me her hands.


    "Ah, haha¡­" I meet her eyes. "Since you saw so much, you should already have some understanding. And once your spirit wakes up, she''ll be able to fill in a lot of gaps."


    "Are you saying you''re not going to talk?"


    I sit up, my strength slowly returning alongside my mana. "Will you tell me why one of the Lucavi is on this side of the mist? You''ve got one of the twelve Great Spirits inside you. Shouldn''t you be protecting the spiritkin?"


    "That''s¡­" Lyra makes a troubled face. "I have my reasons¡­"


    "Well, I can make a few educated guesses. But I''d like to hear the whole story from you."


    "Not long ago, weren''t you trying to warn me against revealing who I was by interrupting me before I could explain myself to the other heroes?"


    I get a hand beneath me and push myself to my feet, only wobbling a bit. "That''s right. You shouldn''t trust anyone in the human lands, not even the heroes."


    "Why? Weren''t they summoned to stop the mist? Why would we be enemies?"


    "The humans think the spiritkin are responsible for the mist, so if they knew one of the twelve Lucavi showed up, they''d definitely try to capture you."


    "And what about you?" Lyra narrows her eyes. "Can I trust you?"


    I silently look into her eyes for a long second before answering. "Of course. I''m not here to do the bidding of that cowardly king. I intend to put an end to the mist once and for all."


    A certain girl''s face appears in my mind. She carries a pure smile filled with happiness¨Cand tinged with sadness.


    Absolutely. I absolutely won''t fail again.


    Lyra visibly considers everything she''s seen and heard until now. Without a doubt, she''s here for an important reason. Perhaps failure could even mean death for many of the people she cares about.


    With that kind of burden on such a young girl''s shoulders, it''s no wonder I can see her troubles weighing heavily upon her. It''s admirable that she can even control the powerful emotions that must be raging inside her.


    Finally, Lyra opens her mouth. "I¨C"


    "Hey!" A voice calls out from within the mist. "I see someone!"


    Turning, I catch sight of several shadows. Since the fog is thin here, our vision is rather good. So, even though my detection abilities are deactivated due to my low mana, I can make out the slim figure of a certain Japanese girl.


    "We''ll talk later," I say. "For now, a regular girl like you needs to play her part."


    "Fine." She puts on a strained face. "Oh, the mist is really getting to me now."


    "Hmm. Maybe leave the acting to the professionals. Your monotone voice is in complete contrast with your expression."


    Mitsuki stops beside us, her body looking a little worse for wear than the last time I saw her. Some of the blood even belongs to her, but it doesn''t seem to bother her too much, likely because she''s used to getting battered during her countless hours of training with me back on Earth.


    "Lezard!" She grabs me by the shoulders with a little too much force. "Are you okay!?"


    "Ouch. I was until you latched onto me with your iron grip."


    "Ah¡­!" She remembers the difference between our levels. "Sorry. I was just¡­"


    "Don''t worry about it." I motion to myself. "I''m completely fine, as you can see."


    "Yes¡­" Her composure returns. "I heard you were the only one left fighting one of those huge monsters that showed up. I had assumed the worst."


    Two more of my classmates show up, with one of them being Josh, the captain of our old school''s football team. Like Mitsuki, he looks a little beat up, but also like Mitsuki, he''s used to getting bruised.


    "Speaking of those huge monsters," Josh says. "Where did it go?"


    "Oh, man." I wipe the sweat from my forehead. "We just managed to lose it."


    "Lose it? It was chasing you?"


    "Yeah. That thing was terrifying, so of course I ran with all my strength."


    "I heard you ran away first, then came back after that thing started overwhelming the others. What was that about?"


    "Oh yeah. Lyra and I ran because we''re so weak. But we got turned around in the mist and ended up right back in the battle."


    Mitsuki narrows her eyes. "You got turned around? When we used to go hiking, you always had a good sense of direction."


    "Well, it''s my first time in the mist, so it can''t be helped, right?"


    "I suppose." Her knowing gaze tells me she doesn''t believe a single word coming out of my mouth.


    "Forget all that," I say. "We''ve got to get Lyra out of here and find the rest of our classmates. They scattered all over the place once the monster attacked."


    "Right." Josh turns to Lyra. "We should get her out of here first. She''s not looking too good."


    Lyra puts on the same strained face as before. "The mist is really getting to me now."


    Hey, what did I tell you about your acting?


    Fortunately, the disconnect between her serious expression and monotone voice doesn''t seem to register with the others.


    Mitsuki and Josh wave for us to follow them, so Lyra and I oblige without complaint, walking along with the third classmate that''s with us.


    As for why one of my classmates is being lumped together with the two weak members despite being a level 30 hero¨Cwell, he was one of the people who fled while facing that aberrant. And from the looks of him, he still hasn''t recovered his nerve.


    Since we were already near the edge of the mist before the aberrant caught up to us, it doesn''t take us long to break through to the sunlight. A quick trip up a hill, and we''re back at the convoy with the wagons, supplies, and soldiers.


    Some of our classmates are already here, including Nina, Alex, and Curtis. But several are still missing.


    The knight captain, Rosa, isn''t here either, meaning she must be in the mist, looking for the other heroes. Or maybe she''s hunting the aberrant. Unfortunately, I can''t tell them that I actually defeated it, so they''ll just have to settle with never knowing what really happened to it.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "I''m going back in." Mitsuki turns her back to us.


    "It''s dangerous to go by yourself," Josh says. "Let''s get a group together first."


    "I guess so. Then I''ll leave it to you."


    She waits rather impatiently for Josh to get a few of the more willing members to go back in. Though even the ones who agree seem like they''d rather stay here where it''s safe.


    But fortunately, Josh is a rather charismatic guy. As the captain of the varsity football team, he has a strong reputation that makes it hard to tell him no. That and his large body makes people feel safe, even though this world is based on stats, rather than physical size.


    "Be safe." I speak to Mitsuki with my usual, carefree voice.


    "Not even worried?"


    "I''ve seen you fight. I''m sure you can beat that thing if you have a good group with you."


    "We fought two of them after we split up, but the third fled before we could engage it. That''s why we came back, to look for it. But we ran into some scattered members of the escort group, which is when I heard you were facing that monster alone."


    "So that''s why you look a little beat up. So you know how strong those monsters are, then."


    Mitsuki nods. "The regular monsters can''t compare. Now I understand why Rosa was adamant about not going too deep into the mist on our first trip."


    "Yeah, I doubt you want to face the creatures that live deep inside. Not yet."


    "What is it that lives in there?"


    "The longer a monster lives in the mist, the stronger it can get. There are various factors that determine their power, so it''s not quite that simple. But you can basically assume that the deeper you go, the more deadly the creatures will become. In truth, those aberrants weren''t even that powerful."


    "How do you know¨C"


    "We''re ready!" Josh yells.


    Mitsuki looks at the group he managed to gather. "I''ve got to go. Just stay here, and I''ll be back with the rest of our classmates soon."


    "Okay. Have fun." I send her off with a wave.


    Lyra and I watch as they leave the safety of the convoy and head back down the hill, where the tendrils of mist seem to be trying to claw their way up toward us.


    I don''t want to rain on their motivation by telling them that there''s nothing left but weak fodder.


    So let''s just leave them to it and enjoy a little break here.


    More importantly¡­


    A text box covers my vision again, filled with the usual status information. But there''s one noticeable difference from the last time I brought it up.


    I leveled up. It''s good that I can gain levels, but having to defeat an aberrant just to gain a single level is quite troublesome¡­


    My level has changed from a pitiful 1 to a glorious 2. Well, it''s still pitiful, but what''s glorious is just knowing that I can level up despite my powers being sealed.


    Hmm. This is going to be a problem when I get back to the castle¡­


    Ah, well. I''ll just deal with it when that time comes, as usual.


    For now¡­


    I meet Lyra''s eyes. She''s been staring at me ever since Mitsuki left, but I''ve been ignoring her gaze.


    I''m pretty good at that. Then again, I have a lot of practice with Mitsuki.


    "Hey¡­" A small voice draws my focus.


    Turning, I meet the eyes of the one who''s speaking to me. "Oh hey, Nina. What''s up?"


    "What do you mean ''what''s up''? Aren''t you even the least bit shaken up about what just happened?"


    "Ah, that? Yeah, I''m terrified. Never been so close to death in this entire life."


    "Then try to act like it!" Nina pouts. "Jeez. And here I was, worried we''d all left you to die as we ran away¡­"


    "Me, die?" I wave my hand dismissively. "I won''t die, even if I''m killed."


    "That''s not how it works!"


    Nina looks to Lyra, who''s been standing here silently listening. As usual, the spiritkin girl has an expressionless face, as if she didn''t just go through a near death experience in the mist.


    Hey, at least act like you almost died, even if you weren''t really in as much danger as everyone thought.


    Then again, with your acting skills, maybe it''s better if you just keep that nonchalant expression¡­


    As a Lucavi, Lyra is a host to one of the twelve Great Spirits, the Spirit of Water. That gives her an extraordinary amount of power, but right now, her spirit is sleeping.


    If the Spirit of Water is sleeping, then it must have used up all of its strength. That''s no small task, considering how much power the Great Spirits have.


    Does that mean the spiritkin are having an even more difficult time dealing with the mist than the humans?


    There are still a lot of unanswered questions. Fifteen years is a long time to be absent from a world on the brink of destruction.


    Unfortunately, we''re not really at liberty to discuss the details here at the convoy. There are far too many sets of ears. And mouths. Like the one that''s currently in the process of opening right beside me.


    "Hey," Nina says to Lyra. "How are you feeling?"


    "I''m fine. I can already feel the mist''s effects fading."


    "Yeah. You do look better already. I''m glad we got you out in time!"


    "Yes, I was fortunate that all of you showed up when you did. I never expected to run into an entire group of heroes."


    Nina puts on a stiff smile. "Some heroes. We couldn''t even beat one monster¡­"


    "I''m sure you''ll get stronger. That''s why you came here, isn''t it?" Lyra looks to me instead of Nina.


    "Yeah!" Nina recovers her energy. "Now that we''ve faced one of the most terrifying monsters and survived, I think we''ll be able to win next time!"


    "That''s ¡­ certainly the case."


    One of the most terrifying, huh? You''ve got a lot to learn, Nina.


    While that aberrant was certainly powerful considering how close we are to the edge of the mist, it''s far from the most terrifying.


    In fact, back when I was at the height of my strength, a creature like that was just fodder¨Ca grunt that could only hope to overwhelm me with pure numbers. But even that was only a mild hindrance to me back then.


    No, the truly terrifying monsters are far, far worse¡­


    There''s nothing for us to do except wait. Or in Nina''s case, talk.


    But Lyra''s not what I''d call a talkative person, and she has a lot of secrets to keep hidden, meaning she has to be careful about what she says. So, I''m the one who ends up as Nina''s conversation partner for a bit.


    Like Lyra, I also have many secrets. But I have a literal lifetime of practice hiding them. Well, the entire lifetime of a teenager, anyway. But that''s enough for me to comfortably engage with anyone about topics that dance dangerously close to subjects that delve into the deep history of this world.


    Mitsuki is the only person that I''ve really clued in to what I know. Unlike my other classmates, I have a lot of trust in her. Not just because we''re childhood friends but because I know that she''s the kind of person who would keep my secrets, if she were to figure them out.


    But as of yet, I haven''t decided how much I should reveal to her.


    After all¡­


    The truth would put a huge burden on her shoulders.


    Knowing Mitsuki, her sense of honor wouldn''t let her stand by while others are made to suffer.


    But what would she do if I asked her to trust me? Would she set aside her honor?


    That''s not a choice I''d like to force her to make, which is exactly why I''m hesitant to reveal the truth to her.


    I have a feeling that she''ll find out what''s really going on, even if I don''t tell her.


    If that were to happen when I''m not around to hold back her anger¡­


    I can only imagine a scene where Mitsuki becomes an enemy to some of the most powerful people in this world. At her current strength, that''s a death sentence.


    Man, if only I weren''t so weak¡­


    Unfortunately, there''s nothing I can do about that right now. So, I continue to keep Nina company until something else catches her attention.


    Eventually, Rosa and my classmates appear from the mist. With a quick glance, I see that they managed to find everyone who scattered from that aberrant''s attack.


    You''ve really grown into a fine knight captain, Rosa.


    And to think, last time I was here, you were just a little pipsqueak.


    Though even back then, I knew you were special. That''s why I trained you, after all.


    I watch with hidden pride as Rosa comes to a stop and looks us over. Our initial venture into the mist was almost met with disaster, but in the end, we all made it out virtually unscathed.


    Physically, at least. I have a feeling a few of my more timid classmates will have unseen scars from their brush with death today.


    "It was messy," Rosa says to all of us. "But everyone made it back in one piece. When you run into danger within the mist, sometimes you have to count your blessings."


    Her eyes fall on me next. "Lezard, I heard you managed to lure the aberrant away from the others. An admiral job, and one I''m quite surprised worked in your favor."


    I shrug. "It basically just ran off after chasing me for a bit. Did you manage to find it?"


    "No. I can only assume it retreated deeper into the mist. Aberrants don''t like it when the mist is too thin, so perhaps after losing its prey, it simply decided to leave." Rosa looks thoughtful. "Though it''s rare for mutants to simply flee like that. We''ll need to be careful, just in case it''s still lurking nearby."


    Nina visibly flinches. "Are we going back into the mist?"


    "Of course. It''s the only way for you to get stronger within a reasonable time."


    "I see¡­"


    I put my hand on Nina''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. What are the chances that something worse than an aberrant will show up next time?"


    "Hey, don''t jinx it!"


    "Haha. Too late."


    Mitsuki grabs my hand and removes it from Nina''s shoulder. "There''s no need to worry. After seeing Rosa do battle, even a small army of aberrants wouldn''t pose a threat to her."


    "Really?" Nina looks to the knight captain. "Are you that strong?"


    Rosa shakes her head. "I was trained by the previous hero, but that was long ago. And I''m no hero, so my strength is limited. Even if I seem strong to you now, you''ll far surpass me one day."


    Mitsuki narrows her eyes. "The previous hero trained you? That was fifteen years ago, and you''re still so young. Just how old were you back then?"


    "I was ten years old when I first met him. He saved me from the mist, similar to how we just saved that young girl today. He took me under his wing, training me with his weapon of choice." Rosa holds up her scythe. "I''ve trained on my own since then, but I still don''t have a fraction of his strength."


    "He was that strong?"


    "I said it before, didn''t I? He was by far the most powerful person in this world''s history. Whether it was strength, skill, magic, or knowledge, he was unrivaled. Even now, nobody knows how he obtained the apex of power in so many categories. Unfortunately, we may never know."


    Sorry, Rosa. You may be right about that. A promise is a promise, after all.


    After a short break, Rosa calls for us to gather back up. And for the second time since coming to this world again, I walk back into the mist.