The Tale of Hero - Chapter 1

The Beginning of Hero's Tale

Beyond this mountain is a plain wasteland.

Within the wasteland, a thick wall was build.

This wall doesn’t mean to protect the content of the wall but instead to protect the people outside from what existed within it, Dungeon. It was a structure appeared out of nowhere 50 years ago. At first, it was just seen as a normal ancient heritage from certain lost tribe but it was not really the case. 45 years ago, a swarm of monsters came out from the entrance of the 5km radius structure. It destroyed the surrounding at fast pace and was finally subdued by the military 5 years later.

The government had somehow got their hand to the weaponry to exterminate the monsters. It was called Relic. Relic was an ancient weapon connected with certain legend and tales that had its ability activated within the wall.

There was a mad theoretician who said that the word called fantasy existing within the wall from the Dungeon. Based on that theory, the new weapons to raid the Dungeon were made. Magic, that was the first weapon. By using the simple praise and poet by certain individual, a miracle could be done. It was the concept behind it. The people capable using magic was very limited. Out of 100,000 people, only 1 person capable using magic existed. Those chosen people were called Magi.

The second weapon created was Magitech. It was almost using the principle of the Relic but it used some new energy called ether. It was a mechanical weapon that could be used by people with sufficient strength.

The third weapon was called Pleideias. The people said that they were just an urban legend. Pleideias were people that appeared from the thin air that possessed an outstanding ability par with Magi. The rumor said that few of them were forced by the government to build the magitech or fight the dungeon. Thus, made the Pleideias blend into the society.

‘The Heroes had returned from the dungeon with a great victory again today. This time, General Cormwell had guided other 35 soldiers to raid the ‘Tartaros’. He had returned with a lot amount of magic crystal for replenishing the ether from the exhausted Magitech.’

I listened to the news with bored manner. The TV showed the 150 KM height structure. It was one of the dungeons in the world, Tartaros. There were 5 dungeons appeared so far, Tartaros, Atlantis, Babel, Atlantis, and the last one is Cocytus. The closest one to my country was Tartaros.

“Heeh, the soldiers are getting better lately.”

A girl’s voice sounded behind me. I looked back and saw a girl with long black straight hair was watching the news curiously. She was Adelle Arnsteid. She was a Pleideias appeared in my residence last month. Actually I wanted to hand her to the cop at the beginning but then she began begging under my feet for mercy with puppy dog eyes. Thus, I ended took her in. I told my neighbor that she was a relative of mine. None would suspect me since I was a foreigner myself. I was an exchange student from abroad.

“Argo, don’t you think that we can do ‘that’ today?”

Adelle said innocently. I face palmed hearing her statement. No, don’t misunderstand me. What she meant with ‘that’ isn’t ‘that’ in ecchi term. It was rather a contract.

According the explanation I got from her, Pleideias were Witches from another world. They formed a contract with suitable partner called Medium to use ancient weaponry called Avatar. The Pleideias themselves were people of other world connected to this world through the Dungeons. According to Adelle’s explanation, the earth and her world had clashed because the existence of relic in this world.

The Pleideias moved to the earth after founding this world. They wanted to stop the cause of this clash, the Dungeons. Each dungeon had a core on the last floor. By destroying it will destroy the dungeon and will save the world from destruction. I didn’t know how many Pleideias hid around me but so far I just met her.oooik

“No, thanks. I have no interest to become your belonging. Well then, I’ll head to school now.”

I picked my bag and headed to the entrance. I took my shoes and departed. I stopped beside the bus stop. A guy jumped down from the bus and greeted me.

“G’morn, Argo, you’re early too today.”

He was my first friend in Japan, Ryuugamine Andou. He had 162 cm height and was a bit shorter than me. He had short black hair and fair skin.

I gave him a fist bump before we walked together to the school. We talked about some rumor regarding the Dungeon along the way. We entered the school gate. ‘Engei High School’ was written on the entrance. I took off my shoe and opened my locker. 5 pink envelopes were piled above my indoor shoes. I picked them up and wore my indoor shoes.

“Morning guys”

I greeted my classmates in 2-F. Heading to my seat, I felt some strange gaze from the side. I looked at the direction the gaze was directed and realized the pink envelopes in my pocket was popping out. I hurriedly pushed it down to hide it.

“Good morning, playboy-kun”

My classmate sitting in front of me replied. He was Nakamura Suzuki, 16 years old, the number 1 pretty boy in my class. I sighed and sat on my desk.

“So, how many letters from the first year do you get this time?”

He asked me. I bet he was just comparing his to mine. I whispered to him the number and he went pale.

“Just that many huh, ohohohohohoho!!”

I titled my head and asked him.

“What about you?”

He froze for a moment and trembled. He slumped down to his desk and looked lifeless.

“Actually, his popularity dropped drastically after ‘that’ incident. Lately he had become the most hated male in the school.”

A girl butted in. She was Dairenji Momoka, a classmate of mine. She had average build of a girl with fair skin and ponytail hair. She was quite tomboyish and energetic. She was also the ace of softball club.

“I see, it’s because of ‘that’ huh? I can’t help it.”

I replied. I looked at Suzuki. He was still in his seat slumping down. The term ‘that’ we were talking about is the incident when Suzuki was busted when he tried to sneak some porn video and several things that a high school boy shouldn’t have. Thanks to that, he was degraded from charming prince to dog puke.

“But, now you, the runner up of the mr. charming, has raised to the top without doing anything. I bet you’ll become the target of the curses of the single boys throughout the school.”

She said.

“Let’s cut it out, Dairenji. You know that I’m just staying in this country for 3 years right? I’m just an exchange student here.”

I tried to shake off the topic. She then grinned at me. I stopped my hand from taking out a reference book from my bag.

“Wh-What is it?”

“You see…… I heard from Tanaka-san from 2-A that she saw you living with a young girl. Is that true?”

She had her eyes full of expectation. I looked around and realized that many students of my class were also listening to our conversation. I took a deep breath.

“Well, that’s a truth.”

I blurted out. The class went amok and listened for more.

“But, she is just my relative. I’ve known her for a long time now and I see her as my little sister, no more than that. Well, she’s a problem child of my uncle’s  house and she somehow managed to get a visa and passport on her own and followed me here out for fun and… what’s with this atmosphere saying ‘what a dense guy’ here?”

I stopped my explanation realizing the strange gaze of my surrounding. I sensed something was off when suddenly the door to my class was opened. Adelle stood in front of the door and looked into the class. She walked toward me and handed a lunch box to me.

“Argo, you forgot your bento.”

“Thanks.”

“Ah, your tie is crooked.”

She reached for my tie and helped arrange it. She smirked and walked to the door.

“Ah, what do you want to eat for dinner?”

“Anything’s fine.”

She left right away after that. I sighed and looked at Suzuki who looked like a broken doll. He took a deep breath and opened his lips.

“YOU LUCKY DENSE BASTARD!!!! JUST GET HOOKED BY A YANDERE GIRL AND DIE!!”

His voice echoed throughout the school just before the bell rang. After school, I walked out from the class and headed to the club room. ‘Occult and Wizardry club’ was written there. I sighed and entered without any hesitation.

2 people were sitting side by side. Both of them were quiet and didn’t say anything. They were the twin and only members of the club beside me, Nagisawa Akane and Nagisawa Akeno. The reason I joined this club was because I was framed by the previous club president.

I sat down on the opposite seat and opened my bag. I started my PC and browsed for a reference for a possible theory regarding ‘Tartaros’ and ‘Atlantis’ from my hard disk.

“So, let’s start the meeting today. I don’t want to have the Student Council to fuss about our club because we don’t do anything. Let’s continue from the last topic. One of the theory said that the Dungeon was sent by the ancient gods and goddesses after they lost their worshippers. Tartaros is the one sent by Hades while Atlantis is sent by Poseidon. This is also proven by the attack of aquatic monster from Atlantis and Undead monster from Tartaros.”

I started the discussion. The twin put down their book and looked at me. They took a deep breath and pointed their finger at me in unison.

““THAT’S ABSURD!!””

They shouted at me.

“Hades and Tartaros are not related to them. If Hades and Poseidon are related, it would be strange if the leader of gods didn’t make a move. Zeus is told to be the most temperamental god among Olympians.”

Akane explained.

“That’s amazing, Onee-chan.”

“Right? I’ve always wanted to do that at least once.”

I twitched with the sudden pressure from the twin. Being cornered in argument by a girl is indeed unpleasant. But, as a leader I must endure it.

“In that case, can you give me both of your opinion regarding this event?”

““Sorry buchou, we didn’t prepare anything about it.””

They said in unison. I somehow felt annoyed there. Suddenly my cellphone vibrated. I picked it up and answered it.

“Hello?”

[Hello, Argo? How’s life in there?]

A female voice I wasn’t familiar reached my ear. I was bit wary of her since she spoke with fluent Japanese.

“Who might this be?”

[Ara, how cruel… It’s me, your beloved Onee-sama.]

I widened my eyes. My eyes turned grim for a second. I walked out from the room.

“I don’t know who you’re but don’t piss me off any further.”

[Ah, how cute. I like your expression when you’re angry.]

Blood started to rush to my head. I then realized that I shouldn’t listen to this girl’s nonsense at all. I took a deep breath and ended the call. Soon later, my cellphone vibrated again. I looked at it again and found an unknown number.

“Hello”

[MEANIEEE!!!!}

I cut the call. I entered the room and sat back to my seat. I didn’t forget to put the number under my blacklist.

“Buchou, what’s wrong? You looked unwell just now.”

Akane asked. I scratched my head.

“Nothing really. It’s just a prank call. I’ve blacklisted it.”

I said lazily. I had lost the mood of discussing anything now.

“Say buchou, what do you think about Pleideias?”

Akane asked hesitantly. I arranged my sitting posture.

“Well, for me they are no different from normal people. In here, they are homeless and kind of like a immigrant to this world. It just that they have a special power, it doesn’t mean that they are a monster or a mindless weapon. But, the people won’t think as I am. Some of them will avoid them somehow or report it to the military. It’s just like an antibody that was trying to define whether the unfamiliar object is harmful or not.”

I replied with anything popped out in my head. I stopped for a brief moment I tried to find more appropriate answer.

“Well, as for I, I’ll try to not act as the people who will scorn them. In my eyes they are just like us, humans. I won’t act as a race that superior over them as the owner of the land and I won’t stay quiet if they tried to conquer everything for themselves. If both sides can make peace together, why not do so? If by blending our tribe’s blood together can bring a better prosperity to the world, we should do it. Also… why are you crying?!!!”

I stopped my answer when I saw both girls started dropping tears. They gasped and quickly wiped their tears. I had a strong cold sweat.

“Don’t tell me…”

They also stopped. I raised my finger at them.

“You two are Pleideias?”

Akane and Akeno gasped. They hugged each other and trembled.

“Well, whatever. I had said that I won’t put any fuss about it. Actually, I also had an acquaintance who is also a Pleideias.”

I laid back to my chair. I felt my cellphone vibrated. I reached it and answered the call.

[BIG MEANIE!!!! YOU EVEN BLACKLISTED MY NUMB-]

I ended my call and put the number under the blacklist.

“Say buchou, why did you keep annoyed after getting that call?”

Akane asked. I looked at her as my annoyed mood hasn’t subsidized. Akeno quickly hid behind her sister and both of them were shivering.

“Well, I guess having a stalker is unpleasant indeed.”

Akane remarked. Suddenly my cellphone rang again. I picked it up.

[YOU MEA- Please don’t hang up yet!!!]

“I’ll listen to you after you can find a grasshopper sitting above your ceiling. Bring that grasshopper to your father and I’ll talk to you.”

I said before hanging up. I also added the number to the blacklist.

“You’re kind of scary there.”

Akane commented. I sighed and called my home.

[Hello, Wijaya Residence here.]

“Ah, Adelle, can you come to my clubroom for now? I have something to talk about with you.”

[Eh? What is it?]

“Well… how should I say it? I can’t say in phone. I’m afraid if someone was tracking my cellphone right now.”

[Alright]

I ended the call. I sat back to my seat when suddenly the door was opened wide. Adelle was standing there. Her ponytail fluttered as he took a sudden brake. I stared at her blankly. I regained my consciousness and quickly told her to sit beside me.

“Let me introduce you two, this is Adelle. She’s the one I told you before.”

I introduced Adelle to Akeno and Akane. Three of them stared at each other.

“Adelle Arnsteid, level 1”

“Nagisawa Akane, a.k.a Resviella Burnsted. This is my twin sister, Akeno, a.k.a. Asviella. We’re in the same level.”

They introduced themselves. I could sense some hesitation or wariness here. I cleared my throat and they regained their wits. I reached for my cellphone and put it on the desk. Not long after that, the cellphone rang again. I pressed the receive button and put it on the loudspeaker.

[YOU BASTARD!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY DAUGHTER!!!!!!!!]

“I don’t know who you’re or why you’re angry. Furthermore, who is your daughter?”

I replied jokingly.

[Grrr… Just wait there and clean your neck. I’ll reach your place in instant!!]

Suddenly the earth shook violently. I took cover below the desk and hid. The girls beside me were looking outside with wary expression instead of fear. The earthquake stopped. I got out from the desk.

“What’s with this sudden earthquake?”

I wondered. I took my cellphone and picked my bag.

“Adelle, let’s go home now. I bet our house is in mess due to the earthquake.”

I said to her. She didn’t reply me. I grabbed her hand and she regained her wits.

“Eh?”

“Don’t ‘Eh’ me!! We’re going home. Akane, Akeno, what about you two?”

I asked. When I was about to let Adelle go, she grabbed my wrist.

“Wait, if you let go of me now, I’ll enter the stopped time condition again.”

She said pleadingly. I sighed and patted her head.

“Alright, but can you explain more about this situation?”

She was bit hesitant when suddenly the surrounding turned gray. It was just my body and Adelle’s body that were not turned gray.

CRACK!!

A huge crack appeared from the surrounding. The scene changed after the surrounding scenery was shattered like a piece of glass. Where Adelle and I were standing right now was a place with pitch black surrounding and white marble floor.

“Timegap Space”

Adelle muttered. A huge shadow manifested. He was shaped like an archdemon with 2 big horns, a pair of wing, and a tail. His red eyes were intimidating and caused my spine shivered.

“I’ve come just as you had wished. You dare to trick my daughter like that so don’t blame me if I am bit forceful to you.”

The demon said. I looked at Adelle. She was glaring at the demon sharply.

“Hmm? Well well well, what do we have here? A little witch that accidentally barge into our private conversation.”

“It’s you who barge into my precious conversation with Argo, ugly beast!!”

Adelle returned the demon’s word with insult. The demon smiled sinisterly and clicked his finger. Black bars emerged from the ground and imprisoned Adelle. From the bar behind her, a vine grew out and caught her wrist.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

She screamed loudly. She slumped down and fell to the ground. I quickly approached her.

“STOP!! Don’t touch the bar!! It will absorb your mana. I’m okay. So, don’t worry!!”

“YOU’RE OKAY MY ASS!! You looked more miserable than me you know!!”

I shouted at her. She froze for a bit. When I tried to reach her, I felt a burning sensation on my chest. I looked down hesitantly. A vine had shot a needle like crystal to my chest. The needle throbbed and entered my body.

Pain spread fast in my chest. I fell to the ground and screamed. I looked back at the demon behind me.

“It’s your mistake to ignore me, human. Well, a former one I should say.”

I clutched my chest and glared at the arrogant demon. I felt the pain spread more. It throbbed a lot and made things uncomfortable.

“Just for information, that needle is mutation needle. It will corrupt anything it pierces into a demon.”

He laughed at my miserable state. To become a demon was the last thing I want. I tried to grasp the air and reached out for Adelle. She was also tried to reach me with teary eyes.

“A-lle, ta-e my oath, ma-e me yo-r Medium. I’d ra-er beco-e a hero tha- a de-on.”

Adelle seemed understand what I said. She pushed her body up with her last strength. She reached for her pocket and threw something at me.

“Swallow it.”

She said. I looked at the object she threw. It was a blue colored sphere.  It rolled toward me and stopped by my face. I held my chest tight and took the sphere with my mouth. The demon was still laughing at me. I ignored the fact that some dirt was swallowed along with it and forced the sphere entered my throat.

In instant I jerked up. The pain on my chest intensified. It felt like my chest was being shredded into pieces. From organ to organ, tissue to tissue, and cell to cell, the pain spread fast. The pain was very maddening till I slowly losing my consciousness.

“-on’t fight it!!”

I heard Adelle’s voice. I tried to hear it clearer but I couldn’t hold the pain anymore. My surrounding turned black is I entered my subconsciousness.

When I opened my eyes, I was standing in front of the house of my hometown. I looked around but I found nobody was wandering as it used to be. I walked toward the direction of my home.

I stopped when I found an identical building to my house was standing in front of my house. I looked at the real one and then the identical one carefully. It was looked like a mirror was placed in the middle to imitate the real one.

A person came out from my house. He was wearing white faceless mask, bluish tiara with a amber stone and ruby in the shape of an eye as ornament, black cloak, black gloves, Blood colored armguard, 8 colorful rings on his fingers, 2 golden earring, dark blue shin guard, black boots, and a dark purplish chest plate armor. I looked at his waist. He had a pair of twin gun with bayonet installed on the tip.

He turned his face to me. Despite unable to see, he could pinpoint my location precisely. He dashed toward me and aimed at my face with his fist. I barely dodged it with my reaction speed. The fist flew past me.

“Thank god I had learned some martial art during middle school.”

I muttered to myself. I readied my stance. The man clenched his fist. His gloves suddenly had a glowing crest behind the palm but I couldn’t see it clearly. He dashed forward. During his run, he kicked the ground and closed our distance in instant. He punched at me but he missed me by a hair thread gap.

BOOM!!

The ground exploded from the impact of the punch. It created a strong sonic boom and pushed me away toward the window of the opposite building. I bared the impact and was sent inside. I felt few glass shards scratched my skin. I glared at the man when I sensed a presence beside me.

A demon sitting on a throne was in my view. He had a pair of horn, pale skin, black eyes with golden iris, and a pair of wing, 3 demon tails, and long white hair. In single glance, he was looked like a demon noble in the movies I used to watch.

He wore black noble suit and white gloves. He stood up. He raised his hand and I realized few presences at the other side of my view. There, I saw my female childhood friends, classmate, and few famous actresses were kneeling while wearing clothes that barely cover their body.

I quickly stood up and jumped out to the yard to face the masked man. The demon leaped toward the window to pursue me. I gasped seeing him about to reach me when a gunshot was heard. The demon dodged the fast bullet coming after him.

The shooter was the man. He pulled up his second gun and aimed it at me. The demon smirked. He summoned a twin talwar sword. He leaped straight at me. The man leaped toward the same direction while shooting the bullets at the demon.

I leaped backward and looked at the demon. He was ignoring the man and was clearly aiming for my head. Gritting my teeth, I threw my body away. The sharp blade grazed my chest and destroyed my clothes.

I rolled on the ground and tried to withstand the pain. I looked down at my soaked clothes. The red liquid flowed out from my wound.

“A normal human like me, how I supposed to fight those two?”

I clutched my fist and raised my body. In my vision, the man and devil were fighting each other to reach me somehow. I felt some warm feeling on my chest grew. I looked at the source and saw an amulet was hanging on my chest. The amulet was made of black wood with some golden inscription of 20 letters.

“Kalimasada”

I muttered the name of the amulet. It was a Relic I had seen before in the picture book. It was an ancient item that was supposed to be owned by a lord or something. I grinned and looked at the two inhuman beings before me.

I froze when I realized something crucial. I wondered why I was sent here. I looked at the both figures before me. I looked upward and tried to gather every pieces of information I had gotten.

Pleideias

Demon

Soul

Avatar

Relic

Medium

I entered a zen mode. I tried to figure out the reason why the demon and the man aimed for me once they saw me. I looked at the man again. He was wearing some equipment that seemed off for some reason. I then looked at the house of the man. If my reasoning was right, my answer should be in there.

I dashed to the house with all my might. The demon and the man stopped fighting and looked at me entering the house. I ignored them and headed to my room. If my guess was right, i should enter this room.

I pushed the door wide and found my room somehow different. It was full of cosplaying equipment. I examined every item carefully and sighed. I looked at the door.

Don’t fight it

That was the message Adelle wanted to give me that time. I looked at the man and the demon. They somehow looked calm.

“I finally understand who you two are. You’re my ego. I’m you and you two are me.”

The man reached for his mask. He showed his face to me. Just as I thought, he had the same face as me. The demon beside it also slowly transformed into a normal human with the face just like me.

“I won’t hate or reject you two as we’re actually the same person. I know this might be crazy but please lend me your power.”

I bowed. The two ‘me’ were approaching me and tapped my shoulder.

“We’re your power to begin with. This world, this power, and everything are already belong to you since the beginning.”

The demon ‘me’ said. I nodded and we hugged each other when the world turned white.

I opened my eyes. I was standing up straight. I looked back at Adelle inside the black cage. She was looking at me somehow weirdly. Some new information flowed inside my head.

“Arondite”

A pair of black glove wrapped my fist. I put my stance. The demon smirked at me.

“To think you not just become my kin and directly evolved into a demon lord class since birth is unbelievable indeed. My daughter indeed chooses a good man as a target. I’ll pull back for now. Be stronger to take my daughter from me.”

The demon laughed loudly. I glared at him. Suddenly the scenery distorted. I was sent back to the real world. I quickly looked toward Adelle. She was still on the ground while weakly showing a forced smile. I grinned and gave her a princess-carry.

I turned around and gasped. Akane and Akeno were looking at us with a wide grin on their face.

“Conglaturation, buchou”

Akane said with a wide smile. I looked down and saw Adelle was already unconscious. I felt that I just made a grave mistake by doing this in public.

To Be Continued.....

Read Side Story at: http//www.allneedshelp2000.blogspot.com