Oath City, Council Hall.
The grand chamber was filled with dawn light streaming through high windows.
Archbishop Ditas of the Light sat in plain white robes, a golden holy sigil faintly glowing on his chest. Duke Brennus, armored and stern, tapped unconsciously on the map spread across the table. And at the main seat, Grand Duke Lorenzo frowned deeply.
“Fresh report,” Lorenzo’s voice was low and tight. “Anges Port has fallen. Serpent-men launched the vanguard raid, followed by eight Imperial warships. Count Anges… sent one final message before abandoning the city.”
“So all those spy activities were just the appetizers before the feast.” Brennus snorted, then narrowed his eyes. “Serpent-men? The Empire has such a race?”
“They exist in the far north.”
“And seizing Anges Port—what’s their aim?”
“Likely to bypass the Redridge Mountains and strike Highcastle Fortress in Alamar together with the Empire’s main army—forming a pincer.” Lorenzo traced a dangerous arc on the map. “But fortunately, the Empire hasn’t fought a real war in too long. They didn’t even manage to disrupt magical communications. The message reached us at once.”
He turned to Brennus. “The interception falls to you. If there’s a chance, retake the port before they root themselves too deeply!”
“Fine by me.” Brennus nodded, but shifted quickly. “What about supplies? Elvien, how’s your side?”All eyes turned toward the glowing communication crystal at the hall’s center. From it came the voice of Sword Saint Elvien, still groggy with sleep: “My side? Demons did send assassins against the envoy, but I cut them down too easily. Not sure if any nobles were among them.”
“That’s not what I asked!” Brennus snapped. “The grain! When are the elves delivering it?”
“Not so smoothly,” Elvien admitted helplessly. “They keep spouting ‘The World Tree cannot be lightly awakened’ as an excuse—only willing to provide one-third of the quota!”
“These long-ears—what are they thinking?!” Brennus slammed a fist down. “If we fall, do they think they can stay untouched?”
“Could it be…” Lorenzo’s gaze shifted toward Archbishop Ditas, tinged with suspicion. “That the Hero Summoning Ritual… has been leaked?”
At this, Brennus’s eyes also turned to the cleric.
“Impossible!” Ditas’s voice was firm, his expression unmoving.
“Strange indeed,” muttered Lorenzo. Then to the crystal: “Elvien, inform the elves directly of Anges Port’s fall—the demons’ invasion is no border skirmish, but war. By treaty, they must contribute! Demand grain at once, and call on them to march in support.”
He looked back to Brennus. “You depart first. I’ll prioritize sending you rations. I’ll also dispatch envoys to the Dwarves, urging them to attack the Empire’s eastern frontier and pin down the vampires.”
Brennus gave a curt nod. “So be it.”
Lorenzo cast one last glance at the Archbishop. The matter of Heroes was known to few—entrusted wholly to Ditas. For now, he could only trust there were no leaks.
——
Silversand Bay.
The sun was already high when Commander Tanaka strolled lazily from his mansion toward the guard post.
This was his routine: parade about with his lackeys, extort a little “inspection fee,” and end his “hard day” in the tavern.
Not far away, a young mother carrying her child watched his slouched figure vanish around a corner. Hugging the infant tighter, she whispered: “How much longer must we keep watching him? We already copied the scroll’s results with memory crystals and sent them back. When will higher-ups take over? Guarding a Hero every day—this is too dangerous!”
The child blinked innocently—then scanned their surroundings with sharp, wary eyes. Its voice, incongruously sharp and seasoned, came from the little mouth: “Complaining, Moya? This is a heaven-sent merit! Only a duke-level adult could handle a Hero properly. You think we’d be told their movements? They must probe carefully. What if it’s another trap like last time?”
The “last time” was when a fake summoning ritual lured away a demon duke—the greatest humiliation the demon race had suffered in a century. None dared pursue accountability.
Meanwhile, Tanaka, now level 24, stepped from a restaurant, having “inspected” the food. He grinned at the satisfactory results.
“Where to next?”
He was content with life. He knew exactly what he was doing—abandoning the Hero’s duty, serving as a glorified guard under a slaver lord.
And he felt no guilt.
In his old world, responsibility had crushed him like a beast of burden.
Now, in this strange land, with no ties, why should he care for others?
Defeating demons, saving mankind—that was for the other Hero, the pretty young woman. Let the youth chase glory; he just wanted a quiet life.
But fate had other plans.
That night, returning home, Tanaka opened his chamber door. Moonlight streamed in.
A pale but strikingly beautiful woman leaned at the doorway, lips curled in a faint smile.
“Welcome back, Hero.”
【Name: Elinor de Nox】
【Race: Vampire】
【Level: 72】
Tanaka’s pupils shrank. Instinctively, he raised his hand, gathering faint light—
But Elinor seized it with icy fingers, snuffing the glow before it bloomed.
Crack—
The sound of breaking bone. The level gap was insurmountable. Tanaka couldn’t even resist. Yet his expression barely changed, which drew a raised brow from her.
Her voice was lazy, mocking. “Playing tricks on sister’s memory? That’s rude.”
“If you’re not here to kill me, then what?” Tanaka asked flatly.
“Come with sister, and you’ll know.” Her smile deepened, brooking no refusal.
Seeing she wouldn’t answer, Tanaka only muttered: “Calling yourself ‘sister’ to a middle-aged man… isn’t that weird? And I like pale skin, but you’re overdoing it.”
The next moment, his body began to fade—becoming translucent!
“What?!” Elinor’s smile shattered into shock. She lunged—but her hand passed through emptiness.
Silently, like ink dissolving in water, Tanaka’s figure melted away, leaving no trace.
A deathly silence fell.
Her hand froze midair, her pale face twisting from disbelief into burning rage.
“Gone… vanished? Impossible!”
She, who had seen countless spells, could not fathom it. Not even an avatar spell left no trace.
Yet that level-24 man—whose only special trait was [Memory Deletion]—had slipped from her grasp.
Humiliation!
Scarlet power burst from her body, obliterating the entire residence in a roar.
“Hero! I’ll remember the scent of your blood!”
The explosion woke Silversand Bay. Guards rushed out, staring dumbfounded at the ruins of their commander’s home.
By morning, the island lord’s fortress overlooking the bay had doubled its watch.
——
Far out at sea, aboard a drifting ship—
“Aaaghhh!”
From one cabin came a strangled howl of pain.
Tanaka curled on the floor, clutching his hand, teeth rattling, sweat pouring.
“Damn… should’ve known it’d hurt this much…” He gasped, vision blackening.
After long minutes, he lay back, trembling, wiping his soaked face.
【Sin of Sloth (Unique Title): Creates a perfect duplicate of yourself, dismissible at any time.】
He had gained this title a month ago. The conditions were unclear, but he had mastered its use.
He knew demons had dealings at Silversand Bay with the island lord. That was fine. But lately, their disguises around him had grown suspicious.
And demons didn’t realize he could read panels—their tricks were useless.
So, sensing danger, he had let his clone attract attention while his true body slipped away on an unknown ship.
He wanted to live quietly. This world wouldn’t let him.
Staring out at the dark waves, rubbing his still-aching wrist, Tanaka muttered: “Where… should I go now?”
——
Meanwhile, not far below the waves, another Hero faced her own trial.
The Tide Sanctuary—an underwater dungeon where vast chambers, sealed in magical bubbles, allowed landfolk to venture.
At least, that was how it should be.
Now, a sealed chamber. Only exit: a central pool.
Corpses of fishmen floated on its surface, their blood staining the water. Guards ringed the shore, weapons ready.
“Can we retreat the way we came?” Hero Sophia asked with a trace of hope.
Priest Samuel shook his head. “The mud passage is sealed by fishman magic. Breaking through would take time—and leave us defenseless.”
Sophia frowned.
The Sanctuary’s paths were labyrinthine, but the enemy knew them better.
That fishman wasn’t strong, yet wielded every trap and mechanism to deadly effect, his warriors throwing themselves to the slaughter.
And with rising water, they had been forced into this chamber.
They had magical bubble-gear to survive underwater, but it wasn’t fit for fighting. Outside, fishmen waited.
“Lady Sophia, this is no longer training,” Samuel urged. “Use the teleportation circle. Return to the ship.”
“But the circle only transfers one—and drains your mana!” Sophia protested. She looked at each of her men. “What about you?”
“We’ll cut a path and join you,” their captain replied.
“Better to give them this than waste lives!” Sophia pulled a rotted wooden handle from her cloak.
【Relic: Ocean Scepter (Fragment)】
It looked worthless, save for the glowing panel. Useless so far, yet the fishman had demanded, ‘Return the holy relic!’
Samuel opened his mouth to object—but Bella, silver-eyed, staring at the damp ceiling, spoke: “There might be a passage above… tracks lead there, then stop.”
At once, all eyes lifted. Samuel’s magic boosted the captain, who clambered up like a gecko.
“Indeed—a hidden shaft! But likely flooded.”
“As long as there are no fishmen,” Sophia seized hope. “Prepare bubbles!”
With glowing orbs enveloping them, the captain struck the ceiling—water cascaded down in a roaring torrent. Samuel’s staff blazed, lifting the party upward against the flood!
“The outer halls!” Sophia cried, recognizing the vast space as they burst through.
But fishmen surged in after them.
One guard met the captain’s gaze—then turned back alone, blocking the horde with his life.
……
Clambering up wet ropes back onto the ship, Sophia gasped, sunlight blazing overhead. “We made it!”
But joy was brief.
Scanning the faces around her, she froze. One was missing.
“Where’s Ron?”
Silence. Then the captain said flatly: “Ron stayed behind.”
“You let him cover us?!” Sophia whirled, voice rising in disbelief.
“Your safety is paramount.” His tone was cold, resolute. “Any sacrifice is worth it.”
“Worth it?” she echoed, choking.
Reason understood. But this was the first time, in this world, someone had died for her.
She opened her mouth, but no words came.
At last, she turned away, silent, and walked into the cabin.
The heavy door closed behind, shutting out sun and wind.
Bella’s eyes lingered on the captain, then she too followed Sophia inside.