The guards wrestled against me as I slammed my hand over and over on the orb. I was causing such a ruckus that one of them suddenly placed a hand over my face. I felt strange energy surge through me—and everything went black.
JOHN'S POV
"Oi! What the hell did you do to him?!"
"He's alright. He'll wake up in a few," the guard who knocked Kazumi out said casually. The other guard held Kazumi's limp body with a sigh.
"Must be rough... not getting an element at a time like this," he muttered.
"I apologize for the inconvenience," the Queen said softly. "To be summoned into a world you never chose... I cannot imagine how it must feel. But, great Hero—I truly need your help," she added, bowing her head once more.
"Don't worry, Your Highness! It's not every day you get summoned into a magical world," I said with a grin. "I honestly can't wait to meet this so-called Demon King."
The Queen raised her head and thanked me. Soon after, she offered to personally care for Minori and the rest of us since they were dragged into this mess unwillingly. But they all declined—they wanted to explore their abilities and see this world for themselves.
Still... I couldn't help but feel bad for Kazumi.
We were given separate rooms for the night, but I requested to stay with him. Someone had to keep an eye on the guy—plus, I wanted to see how he felt about all this when he woke up.
---
KAZUMI'S POV
I was jolted awake by a burst of sunlight hitting my face.
"Ahh! Damn it!" I shouted, shielding my eyes.
"Took you long enough," John said, grinning from the chair beside the bed.
"John?! What the hell are you doing in my room?!"
"Please. Your room? This bed is too comfy to be yours."
...Wait—he's right. I usually wake up with my back hurting. So... that wasn't a dream after all.
"Nope," John said, reading my mind.
"SO THAT DIPSHIT REALLY SMACKED ME IN THE FACE?!"
"What?"
"One of the guards smacked me when I tried to see my stats!"
Then it hit me—I had no stats. My mood plummeted.
"He didn't smack you, actually," John replied calmly.
"It doesn't matter... What am I gonna do with no abilities?"
"Relax. The Queen said she'll take care of us. Bro, you're basically royalty now. Hot ladies, good food, luxury... not a bad deal."
"It's still not fair—" I was cut off by a knock at the door. An old man peeked in.
"You are summoned for breakfast."
---
The entire crew was already seated at a long table, food piled higher than I'd ever seen. Royalty... might not be so bad after all. I greeted everyone and sat beside Shinome.
"Now that you're here, Kazumi," the Queen began, "I'll fill you in. Your friends have chosen to become adventurers to assist John on his quest."
"Adventurers?" I asked.
"Oh! They're people who go on quests to defeat monsters, explore dungeons, and grow stronger," she explained.
So... like a game? Hell no—I'm not missing out on this.
"You can stay here with me in the castle, if you'd like," she offered. "You'll be safe and well taken care of."
"I refuse," I said after a beat.
John nearly spit out his tea in shock.
"Kazumi, are you sure?" Shuka asked.
I nodded. "Your Highness, I want to train and become an adventurer too."
"Kazumi... did you forget when she said demons and monsters?" Shinome asked, raising a brow.
"I know this might sound stubborn, but I refuse to sit here cooped up like some pampered princess while you all experience the world."
The Queen hesitated—but ultimately agreed.
---
Later that day, we were introduced to a knight named Renaldt III. He had reddish-brown, messy hair, sharp brown eyes, and a long horizontal scar across his nose. Built like a tank—this guy was at least 6'5".
"So this is the group?" he asked, sizing us up. "Which one of you is the Hero?"
John stepped forward casually with his usual smirk.
The knight studied him for a second—then shouted:
> "ALRIGHT, I'LL MAKE YOU ALL INTO FULL-FLEDGED WARRIORS BY THE END OF THE MONTH!!!
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'VE NEVER HELD A BLADE, CAST A SPELL, OR PISSED YOUR PANTS AT THE SIGHT OF BLOOD—
BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, YOU WILL BE WARRIORS!!!"
...I'm pretty sure John's eardrums are permanently damaged. I swear I heard a window shatter somewhere.
---
We were taken out to a large field behind the castle. Five training dummies stood there, each with a sword planted in the ground before it. A man in a white cloak stood near them.
"You all will strike your dummies 1,000 times with your swords," he said, handing them out.
"One thousand?!" we all shouted.
"HMM? A PROBLEM? IN THAT CASE—TWO THOUSAND!!"
Suddenly, the man in the cloak laughed.
"Something funny?" Renaldt barked.
"You always go overboard," the man said. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Name's Lokiel Winchester. The Queen sent me to monitor Renaldt here... apparently, his training methods are a bit much."
Thank God for this man. Two thousand strikes? I'd rather die.
"Though, to be fair... two thousand strikes is not that bad," he added, smirking.
---
And so, we began our torture. We swung our blades again and again while Renaldt barked like a drill sergeant behind us. Thankfully, Lokiel made us stop at one thousand.
That night, I lay stiff on my bed, hands barely able to move. One of the maids had to feed me dinner. The moon was bright—blinding—and I couldn't even lift my arm to close the damn curtain.
> "DAAAMN IT!!"
---
Elsewhere...
Far, far away—an entire village burned.
Among the wreckage, screams echoed. A cloaked figure walked through the fire, slicing through anyone that moved.
"YOU BASTARD!!"
From the rubble, an adventurer lunged forward, bloodied and barely standing.
> SKILL ACTIVATION: WIND – BURST RUSH!!
The man rocketed through the air, blade aimed for the cloaked figure's head.
But the demon didn't flinch. He calmly raised one hand and stopped the blade cold.
CLANG!
The adventurer's eyes widened. The blade shattered. The cloaked figure grabbed his throat, lifting him into the air.
Purple-glowing eyes peered up at him—cold and cruel.
"D-Demon..." the adventurer choked out.
CRACK.
The body dropped.
The cloaked demon looked up at the moon—eyes narrowing. Then, in a flash, he vanished.
---
The demon traveled far—deep into a land where even light dared not tread. He arrived at a jagged castle atop a twisted mountain.
He knelt in the throne room.
"The stars shine bright tonight, Aravus," said a voice from the shadows.
"Yes, Your Highness. It is... oddly concerning," replied the cloaked figure—Aravus.
"You may rise."
He stood. The King's face remained hidden, only red glowing eyes visible. Two silent, soulless female demons flanked him.
> "It seems another Hero will soon fall to my blade...
Aravus. Locate him—and bring me his head."
"Yes, Your Highness."
---
Back in the kingdom of Zerix, John slept peacefully in his bed, a dumb smile on his face.
> "Oh, Eresilla... no more," he mumbled.
End
So yeah late. I'v been gone for awhile actually but im back now.