Chapter 6

CHAPTER 5 The Worst Hero “Th-that was a close one, huh?” After tumbling out of the gate, I immediately close it. I was in a hurry, so I didn’t have time to choose a destination, which is why I’m now crouching in the snow-white Summoning Chamber trying to catch my breath. Seiya, on the other hand, has his breathing under control. “It’s pretty lucky that we ended up here. I’d better start training at once.” Then he shoves my back while I continue panting. “E-excuse me?” “You’ll be a distraction. Get out.” “Y-you’re going to do more weight training?” “Yep. I won’t be able to defeat her if I don’t. And from the looks of it, she’s a lot stronger than that slime.” “Y-yeah, I mean…she is one of the four generals of the Demon Lord’s army…” “I am not leaving this room until I achieve the desired results. I’ll buzz you when I’m ready. Don’t bother me before then.” Seeing his eyes brimming with determination leaves me speechless. And so Seiya kicks me out and locks himself in the Summoning Chamber once again. …Two nights have passed. As I slide Seiya’s breakfast under the door, I suddenly get a bad feeling. Call it a goddess’s intuition. After borrowing Aria’s crystal ball, capable of displaying an unobstructed view of the human world, and bringing it back to my room, I place it in front of me and cast a spell. “Oh, all-knowing crystal, if there is imminent danger in the world, let it be revealed…” At once, an image of the town of Edona appears within the crystal ball—centering around the heart of the city’s businesses… …when suddenly… “Heeey, can you see me?” “Ahhh!” Chaos Machina’s ominous face pops up on the crystal ball, almost giving me a heart attack. Wearing an alluring smirk, she yells: “Someone’s sneaking a peek, aren’t they? Could it be the goddess and her Hero? Just so you know, if you two don’t show up soon, I’m going to destroy this town, okaaay?” Then, as if Chaos Machina knows exactly where I’m watching from, she grabs an innocent man by the head with one hand and forcibly faces him in my direction as he weeps in terror. “For every ten minutes you don’t show up, I’m going to cut off a villager’s head.” Without a moment of hesitation, the colossal blade glides through the air and cleanly separates the crying man’s head from his shoulders. Fresh blood sprays in every direction, and I have to look away. “The fountains of red that gush from humans are so very, very, very beauuutiful.” Even through the crystal ball, I can hear the ecstasy in Chaos Machina’s voice. WHAM! I fling open the door to the Summoning Chamber, catching Seiya in the middle of training. He shoots me a piercing glare. “I told you not to come here until I rang the buzzer.” “It’s an emergency! We have to go back to Edona! Now!” “Why?” “Because Chaos Machina is executing villagers, and she won’t stop until we show ourselves! Now hurry up and get ready!” I plead with Seiya, but he doesn’t stop training. “No. I haven’t fully prepared yet.” “But…! Chaos Machina is killing villagers as we speak!” “Relax. Weren’t you the one who said that time moves more slowly here?” “That doesn’t mean it stops completely!” “Then could you tell me the exact difference in time between this space and that one?” “…Time moves almost one hundred times slower here. Ten minutes there is sixteen hours here.” “Then there isn’t a problem. We still have plenty of time before the next guy gets killed.” …Well, yes, but wouldn’t most Heroes want to rush over to save the villagers as quickly as possible?! What is with him?! I impatiently return to my room but start feeling uneasy and gaze into the crystal ball again. …How many hours have gone by? Before long, Chaos Machina makes her move and grabs another hostage by the neck. “Looks like this guy’s up neeext.” I know that man, but I’m not entirely sure how I know him until I hear a certain voice through the crystal ball. “PAPA!! NOOO!! LET HIM GOOOOO!!” A small girl who wears her hair in two braids is howling and crying. The moment I see her, I pick up the crystal ball and make a dash for the Summoning Chamber. When I open the door, Seiya glares at me as if fed up. “How many times do I have to tell you to stay out?” “Who cares about that?! Look at this! You know who that is, right? It’s Nina! Her dad’s about to be killed!” But Seiya doesn’t even flinch. Instead, he starts doing one-handed push-ups. “H-hey! Are you even listening?” “I haven’t fully prepared yet.” At that moment, I feel like I’ve caught a glimpse of Seiya’s mind while he trains. I decide to have a heart-to-heart with him. “Seiya, I know it’s scary. But with your stats, you really do have a fighting chance against her, and I’ll make sure to back you up as much as I can. My healing magic isn’t too shabby if I do say so myself. So…? What do you say?” But his stare practically screams, Are you stupid? “What are you talking about? I’m not scared.” “Says the guy who ran away from her.” “That was a tactical retreat.” His stubbornness causes me to explode with rage. “We’re leaving! Now! Okay?! Even if you happen to die, you’ll just be sent back to the world you came from! But those villagers won’t! Once they’re dead, there’s no bringing them back!” Even after all that, Seiya still refuses to listen to me. The only sounds that can be heard are Nina’s heart-wrenching cries as a heavy silence falls over the Summoning Chamber. “Papaaa! No! Please don’t…! Please don’t kill him!” Chaos Machina gives Nina a wicked grin. “Don’t wooorry, little one. You won’t be lonely. You won’t be lonely at all! Because after I cut your papa’s head off, you’re next, okaaay?” I hold the crystal ball right in Seiya’s face. “Seiya! Do you feel nothing?! This little girl gave you a flower! She was worried about you, so she gave you her good luck charm!” He takes the pressed flower out of his pocket and glances at it. “Hmm… It looks like this flower really is a cursed item. I probably would’ve never run into that woman if I didn’t have it.” I’m in shock. “I failed… I’m a failure…!” Seiya reacts to the words dribbling out of my mouth. “Why?” “Because I summoned you! You might have good stats, but you’re a terrible Hero! The worst!” Tears well up in my eyes. It’s so frustrating that I can’t even contain myself. As I start walking out the door, Seiya stops me. “What are you going to do? Is there someone other than me who can defeat Chaos Machina?” “I’ll find someone else! I’m going to go get a Hero to replace you!” “You said that my talents were one in a billion when you first saw my status, so I highly doubt you’ll be able to find a replacement that easily.” “I’ll find someone else even if it kills me! There are plenty of Heroes who could replace a coward like you!” “I’m not a coward.” “Coward! Just admit you’re afraid to die! That’s why you’re being so careful and preparing so much! Am I wrong?!” “I’m not afraid to die. I just can’t afford to, because if I do, that village will be destroyed. And before long, that entire world will be destroyed along with it.” …I can’t believe what I’m hearing. H-he’s actually thinking with the world’s interest in m— Wait! No, that can’t be! I can’t be taken in by his words! He’s just making excuses and trying to sound cool to hide the fact that he’s a coward! I shoot him a distant glare, but he’s already on the move. He’s removing his training gear and equipping the steel armor. “Wh-what are you doing?” “What does it look like?” “W-wait… Don’t tell me you’re…!” I use Scan and peek at his status. H-how did he get this strong in such a short period of time?! His stats even surpass the Demon General Chaos Machina…! A man whose talents are one in a billion—Seiya Ryuuguuin, dressed in steel armor, sends me a penetrating gaze. “I’m perfectly prepared.”