Prologue

“Did you see that… Grandpa?”

Drip.

Drip.

The sound of blood dripping was almost as thin and light as his powerless and weak footsteps.

The heavy snow filling the sky had stopped, and the mist of blood across the sky had also settled.

A deathly silence hung between heaven and earth.

It was so quiet that he could almost not believe his own recent slaughter, struggle, fury, and roars.

Not even the sound of the wind could be heard here.

He was certain that this was not because blood had clogged his eardrums.

The wind passing through this place must have also been slain by the bloody battle just now.

There were no longer any living things here.

“Grandpa… did you see…”

Wright’s voice was hoarse.

Blood flowed backward from his nasal cavity into his trachea.

His voice was as if it were blocked by glue.

It was so raspy that one could even hear the explosive sound of blood bubbles bursting as faint air currents broke through his lungs.

Thud.

Finally, his thighs were the first to lose function.

Then, every part of his body stopped operating like a row of falling dominoes.

His body ceased all movement.

He fell to the ground like a broken puppet.

In a vision blurred by a mixture of tears and blood, the rising sun entered Wright’s eyes.

That light was different from the color of blood.

It was so warm and soft, caressing the sky bit by bit.

Everywhere its fingertips touched, the sky turned blue.

It was such a beautiful and indifferent color, pure and simple.

Just like the gurgling streams of childhood, or the rime ice sleeping quietly in deep winter.

Just like this victory.

“I finally…”

Wright slowly raised his hand.

His weak heart no longer had the power to pump the insufficient blood to his fingers.

Almost in an instant, Wright felt his fingers lose control.

The joints locked tight, standing straight like spears.

And his hand still maintained the gesture it held when he fell.

“Your grandson, Wright…”

A gesture pointing straight toward the sky.

“Has finally become a Hero… I…”

Hot tears, like the obsession of the heart and the young boy, broke through the dam.

They streaked across his face covered in blood and dust in an instant.

The boy, finally unable to endure, wailed and cried aloud.

The morning sunlight shimmered like gold.

“I! Wright Toras!”

The wind surged once again into this dead realm isolated by slaughter.

And hope, hope was surging…

“Have not tarnished the glory of the Toras family, aaaaaah!”

Surging and rushing toward the dawn.

The roar collided with the brilliance of the sun in an instant.

This roar was so powerful and surging that it shattered the sunlight.

The entire world was reflected in seven colors…

A mere twenty years had passed, and in response to the call of the six Creator Archangels, the Hero Ritual had begun once again.

One hundred chosen Hero candidates gathered in the Border Dead City to slaughter each other for the mere six thrones.

Greed, desire, conspiracy, death.

In the name of the Supreme God, exhausting the path of evil ghosts, committing the deeds of demons.

This tragic and inhumane war lasted for one month.

Finally, it reached its inevitable end.

The medical treatment lasted for quite a while.

By the time Wright woke up again, he was already in a private carriage.

In an instant, although he had rested for a long time, a massive amount of drowsiness and pain attacked him.

The total number of survivors was ten, but those who ultimately became Heroes were only six.

“You have been asleep for nearly a week, and your body is recovering well.”

“If there is anything you need help with, please give orders at any time.”

Beside him, a person like a service worker lowered their head slightly.

“Okay, thank you.”

The boy without any strength, Wright Toras, became one of them.

“If possible, help me to the side of the carriage.”

“…”

Seeing the explicit look of refusal from the medical staff, the attendant hesitated.

“Your physical condition is not suitable for the cold wind.”

“It’s fine,” Wright smiled. “Not catching the wind is even less suitable for my body, believe me.”

The attendant looked once more at the doctor who showed an even gloomier expression, and hesitated for a moment.

“…Alright. Please.”

Wright poked his head out of the window.

He seemed to have been unconscious for a considerable period.

The scenery outside the window was already difficult to recognize, and many plants had appeared.

Only the familiar wind accompanied him, repairing bit by bit the facial nerves that were accustomed to pain.

It allowed him to show a smile naturally.

It wasn’t a dream.

The cold wind of late autumn and early winter toyed with his waist-length braid.

That extremely feminine face still seemed to retain the heat of tears.

He blinked his eyes, trying to reflect this dazzling morning sun deeply into his pitch-black pupils.

From a distance… no, actually even up close, one would accidentally mistake him for a girl.

Wright’s white and overly smooth body, combined with his delicate features and slender face shape.

And the skin that was pale due to years of imprisonment.

No one at first glance would think he was a boy.

To some extent, this was intentional.

Because he did not have any combat ability, pretending to be someone with combat ability was really not a wise move.

Despite this, the current situation of becoming like a young girl was not part of his plan.

It was just that he had almost never cared about women, so he had inexplicably grown into the appearance of a woman.

Of course, these were not all of his own shaping.

He had spent three whole years in an unjust prison for the non-existent crime of murdering his grandfather.

The lightless cells of the Black Prison caused his skin tone to be a transparently pale white.

And the harsh environment constantly squeezed the only fat and form from his body.

Later, he took advantage of the situation, growing his hair long and hiding his Adam’s apple.

Doing only the most basic exercises, he maintained this slender figure as if reshaping his own skin.

He who once loved books and had read ten thousand volumes, used everything he had learned.

Even if it meant abandoning a man’s dignity, wearing women’s clothes, disguising his voice, or even seducing men, he did not hesitate.

No matter the means, even his life could be gambled without hesitation.

Only to become a Hero, and to restore the fallen family.

All the effort put in the past, all the pain and even sins endured, now seemed to vanish.

He had never felt like this, that something was so tightly grasped in his hand.

Completely unaware that a pleasant smile appeared on his face, he gently brushed his braid behind him.

Wright stepped onto the carriage.

After becoming a true Hero, one still needs to go to the altar for the final Hero Investiture Ceremony.

This is a journey that is neither long nor short.

He heard the location of the investiture seemed to be across the sea.

As the carriage cannot go into the water, they could only travel along the winding coastline.

The time along the way was used for the victors to restore their bodies that became broken in battle.

This is truly a boring and cruel humane design, Wright thought randomly while sitting in the carriage.

The bumps of the journey bit by bit seeped into his consciousness, like a cradle.

The wind was the lullaby, and the sound of the surging sea was the lyrics.

Exhausted, he finally could not resist the sleepiness and fell into a deep slumber again.

This journey took half a month in total, but it felt as if it were fleeting.

If a person doesn’t sleep for five days and then takes a nap, they will sleep for a very long time.

And Wright’s revenge had lasted for nearly all his days until now.

His rest, too, would take a very long time.

To the point that he, who was as sharp as a rabbit, actually could not detect the medical staff angrily pushing aside the helpless attendant.

They gently carried him back to the velvet bed.

Occasionally, sometimes when opening his eyes, Wright would always think: did that war never happen?

But the flickering incantations on his hand wordlessly told the truth.

That was a truth that had indeed happened.

Ninety people died just like that in that city.

Whenever he closed his eyes, it was as if he could still hear their wails…

[Don’t, Wright… please, please don’t… ugh, cough, ah!]

Especially those he killed with his own hands.

“Whew… ha…”

He took a deep breath, wiping away the bloodstains that still remained in his mind.

Unpleasant memories.

Creak…

“Um, is it Mr. Toras?”

What interrupted the fragments of memory was the voice of the attendant.

“It is almost time for the meal.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Although he could understand being somewhat respectful toward a Hero candidate, but…

‘I am, after all, only a fifteen-year-old child.’

Descending from the carriage, Wright only now became slightly aware of his age.

“How far is it to the altar now?”

“It will probably arrive in the afternoon.”

After a brief exchange with the guards, Wright went straight to the campfire not far away.

Several Hero candidates already sitting on the ground were gathered there starting their meal.

Iron pots, wooden bowls, and hot soup.

Although these facilities looked relatively simple from a distance, they were already the best that could be found nearby.

Nutritional supplements were mixed into the soup, and the taste could be guaranteed.

Hunters also accompanied the group.

After all, this was the border, too far from the Royal City.

Large-scale material replenishment over long distances could not be realized.

The top of the rations was only at this level.

Lamenting thus, his gaze involuntarily drifted to the other side.

On the other side of the carriage, over at the even more simply prepared campfire.

The remaining survivors were also gathered there dining.

For some reason, looking at them not far away, there was always a trace of dissonance that could not be voiced.

‘If we were still slaughtering each other right now, would my head pop out something that needs to be guarded against?’

Wright looked at their eyes as they ate.

Former enemies, current coworkers.

Their eyes carried both chaos and relief.

Wright also found it difficult to suppress the strangeness in his heart.

‘Forget it… the war is over, there is no need to think more.’

He interrupted his overly cautious self’s attempt to think, and his consciousness returned to reality.

Only, through the gap between the carriages, the back of a girl with a ponytail gathered by that campfire somehow occupied his entire vision.

Rista…

“Wright! What are you still doing!”

“Come over here, the food is served!”

Before he could finish the name he was muttering, a slightly piercing shout came over.

His gaze returned to the front, looking at the other five people who had become his partners.

At the same time, the corner of his eye caught the flickering on the back of his right hand.

I have already become a Hero.

“Sorry, I’m coming.”

It was not the time to worry about her.

He stepped forward, using words that deceived himself, forcing out a smile that didn’t need anyone to worry.

Whoosh!

The sea breeze carried a stinging dampness.

Standing on the edge of the cliff, looking out at the distant sea view, he involuntarily fell into deep thought.

Not even a bit of light could pass through.

That group of continuously rolling mist was like a nightmare that often appeared in bad dreams.

He remembered it was mentioned in the teachings of the Archangel Church—the [Divine Oracle].

This world we live in: Neworth, is the new world guided by the seven Archangels for humanity.

Once, in a distant ancient period, the Gods launched a war for ownership of the world between heaven and earth.

Humans, who were enslaved by one of the races of Gods as slaves at the time, came to this new world under the guidance of the seven Archangels.

However, one of the angels also coveted the ownership of the world and betrayed the other six angels along the way.

To protect humans from the Gods, the remaining six angels summoned mist to shroud this new world.

Only, the power of angels is always limited.

Every hundred years, the descendant of the Gods who regains enormous power—the Demon King.

He will tear a corner of the mist and lead countless monsters across the ocean to land on the human world continent.

Wails are constant, and slaughter is unending.

To save the human world, the six angels will descend to the world.

Each will give the holy energy gathered over a century as a blessing to the only person they have chosen.

The Hero.

Lifting weapons and shouldering the mission, the six Heroes who protect the human world will eventually cross thousands of dangers and obstacles to reach the Demon King’s castle.

They will cut off the head of the Demon King, summon the mist again, and return in triumph.

…This was such a legend.

Although he had deep doubts about this story since childhood, as it couldn’t be explained logically in various places.

But because the adults said so, he believed it.

“Seeing it with my own eyes… I am somewhat more suspicious.”

He hugged his arms, whispering in his mouth.

Only his gaze was cast further out, as if wanting to see through that group of mist…

No, maybe he really wanted to know.

Does a Demon King really exist over there?

Will everything really follow the prophecy, with countless monsters surging from there?

The rune in his hand flashed wordlessly, both as if affirming and as if denying.

But in any case, I have already become a Hero.

Being a Hero is not the ultimate goal, and even if the prophecy comes true, killing the Demon King is even less of a goal.

[Hero] is just a tool, and [Glory] is just a stepping stone in the process of reviving the family.

Yes, I—

“Wright.”

A voice.

A familiar call.

He turned around, and under the sea breeze and sunset, that girl with a ponytail wearing a cape entered his eyes.

“Why did you call me here?”

He kept his face expressionless as much as possible, and his mouth softly breathed her name.

“Rista.”

Under the warm yellow light of the sunset, her eyes were filled with tears.

This point was easy to notice, but he chose to ignore it.

Because they were enemies.

Even though they were once friends, once having shared happy times in childhood.

We are childhood friends.

Her father was Grandpa’s comrade-in-arms; we had been together since childhood.

The weak me was always bullied, and she always stood in front of me, protecting me.

–Wright will be protected by me!

From that time on, I had secretly fallen in love with her.

Only all of this shattered when we both reached the age of ability awakening.

She, who had an outstanding magic circuit, and I, who could not use any magic at all.

The result in that magic academy was predictable.

She, with excellent grades, got together with the prince who was hiding in the campus at the time.

Afterward, both outstanding people became Hero candidates.

And then in this war, she was my enemy.

The tragic war pushed us to the crest of the waves, and a duel between each other was unavoidable.

Only even if the final duel was won and the prince’s candidacy was taken away, she… still did not choose me.

But she was my first love, and I still have love for her; this is beyond doubt and will not change.

Even in the war, this point became my weakness many times, and I…

“I’m sorry…”

Something slid down from her cheek.

“I’m sorry, Wright… I’m sorry…”

Tears.

Tears as large as beans were falling continuously.

“W-what’s wrong, what happened?”

“I, I…”

I wavered.

Her crying stimulated my eardrums, and the poker face I had been holding up also began to crumble at this moment.

‘Is it something I did wrong? Or is it because of the war?’

“If it’s about things during the war, I already said there’s no need to apologize anymore.”

After all… I only saved you purely because of personal desire.

Unknowingly, the steps I took had already pulled my body toward her.

“No, it’s not, I…”

Her shoulders trembled slightly, and she, who was somewhat sobbing, raised her head.

Those brown eyes flashed with teardrops at an extremely close distance, making one unable to help but hold their breath.

“Wright is clearly a partner… but I, but I…”

‘This is not the time to be nervous!’

Forcing the mysterious throbbing in my heart to be smoothed out, I stabilized my breath.

I tried to console her with as gentle a tone as possible:

“This doesn’t blame you; at that time we were both enemies, and enemies killing each other was originally the rule of this game.”

“I know… I know, but I still have no way to forgive myself… obviously Wright did that—”

“I said, there is no need to apologize anymore.”

Seeing that she seemed about to cry again, my hands had unconsciously grabbed her shoulders.

My voice also rose by several tones.

“W-Wright…”

Her face was immediately covered with a layer of pale red, looking particularly prominent under the light of the sunset.

“S-sorry!”

I immediately pulled away from her and apologized, feeling as if there was a fire burning on my face.

“Puff… haha, although you are very cold on the battlefield, you are still the same as before in this regard, Wright.”

Wiping away the tears from the corner of her eyes, Rista finally showed a smile.

“Really, noisy.”

Scratching the back of my head, I who felt embarrassed had my gaze wander to the side.

“But, I still don’t understand.”

Rista, who stepped forward on her own, looked up at my right shoulder, staring straight at me.

“Why, even though we were enemies, did Wright still choose to save me?”

‘That’s because I like you.’

Such words, I of course could not say them without my face turning red and my breath becoming laboured.

“Because a true Hero cannot stand by and watch someone die, right?”

This sentence was also a level of shame equal to my inner voice.

As I spoke, an awkward smile hung on my face.

I thought Rista would also show a smile at this foolish behavior of mine.

“Cannot stand by and watch someone die…”

“Ri-rista?”

I, who did not understand Rista’s murmur, turned my head to look at her.

“That, Wright.”

Her small hands clenched at her chest, and she lowered her head so her expression could not be seen.

“If a former partner encountered life-threatening danger, would you save him?”

“…I would, probably.”

Although, I could not say words like it was because I was a Hero.

Perhaps the [partner] Rista meant here was herself.

I, who understood it this way, did not feel regret for this answer.

Holding my chest high and facing the sea breeze, I once again looked out at the thick mist across the sea.

“Even if… it would sacrifice your own life?”

Rista’s words became much softer after being filtered by the sea breeze.

“If it is for a partner.”

‘If it is for you.’

My inner voice was completely different from my words, but I still said it without hesitation.

“I wouldn’t hesitate.”

“…!”

Whether from the cold or from being moved, Rista’s shoulders trembled unnaturally.

“It’s almost time, if we delay any longer the time will be late…”

“For Lord Lester…”

“Rista?”

I didn’t hear clearly what Rista was muttering with her head down.

I, who had originally taken a step, stopped.

“It’s getting late, we should early—”

“I’m sorry, Wright.”

When she raised her head, although her gaze still flashed, her eyes were no longer lost.

What does this sentence mean?

Bang!

“If I don’t become a Hero… Lord Lester will die.”

She pushed hard with both hands.

Before my body could react to this force that destroyed my center of gravity.

W-what’s going on?

My feet lost their support, and my wide eyes held only deep incomprehension.

‘Why are you pushing me? Rista, behind me is… behind me is…’

The cliff.

“So for Lord Lester… I’m sorry, Wright.”

That voice was like a bolt from the blue.

—Why were the survivors brought along even though the Hero candidates were already chosen?

No, no, I! I!

“Ri-Rista!”

I reached out, extending my arm with all my might, only hoping she could lend a hand.

But what awaited me…

“You must die here.”

Was only Rista’s cold gaze.

I finally understood.

Did that gaze wake up the brain that had been sleeping since the war ended?

The gears began to turn, and countless equations were starting to recalculate at an extremely fast speed.

But even the brain that saved me countless times in the war was helpless this time.

W-why…

Why did I stop thinking?

Tears swirled in my eyes, and I desperately reached out my hand toward her.

Wh…y…

“Ah… ah… ah…”

I waved my hands desperately, but I could no longer catch anything.

The final thing that entered my sight was that young girl whose figure was receding at an extremely fast speed.

My childhood friend.

My former first love.

Rista.

“Ah ah ah…”

Tears flew in the air.

Finally seeing the truth of the facts, I gritted my teeth.

With bloodshot eyes, I stared deathly at that young girl’s face.

‘For Lester… for that bullsh*t prince…’

‘Rista! Even I, who once saved your life, can you discard me!’

“I won’t let you off…”

The gale wind.

My vision was gradually distorting due to the acceleration of gravity, and I used all my strength.

“I will not forgive you all, aaaaaah!”

I roared in fury.

Plop!

Deep darkness attacked together with the sea water.

Together with the Hero rune on the back of my hand, it swallowed my consciousness entirely.