While passing through the crumbling stone gate, Koji called to the three who were behind him.
“Alright then. Let’s go.”
“We do not know what is there. So stay on your guard.”
Said the armored mad as he lowered the guard on his helmet and stood next to him.
When they came out the other side, they were in a courtyard covered with grass. There was a well and the remains of some kind of hut. There were no signs of people.
“Still, I heard that this place was attacked by demons a few months ago. But it is quite a ruin, huh, Hero?”
The girl in the leather armor who carried a staff, looked around while furrowing her well-shaped brows. As if reacting to this, something in the tall grass began to move.
“I checked the damage to the fields before leaving. It was no human or beast. It was some kind of monster.”
Added the girl with red hair, who held a wooden staff and wore a cape and travelers clothes.
While they could not see the enemy, it seemed to see them as prey. Aside from the grass, there was also something moving on top of the walls.
“In that case, as we planned before, I will lure the enemy towards me. Ril will buff Axle and then protect Elka”
“Please be careful, Hero!”
And then Koji rushed into the courtyard. At the same time, a mass of needles jumped out from the grass.
‘Gyuuuu!’
“That won’t work on me!”
The body slam of the mountain urchins bounced off of him after hitting an invisible wall. As these monsters had very little intelligence to speak of, they continued to group around him.
The horrifying sounds echoed around him. He had been surprised at first, but not it was like background music that proved his superiority.
“Please accept this petition, beautiful one. Protect us with your sacred sword, and illuminate our path. Let your strength reside in the steel of our brethren.”
The words of Ril the priestess caused her finger tip to glow, and the knight sword and armor were branded with the holy script and seal.
“It is done, Axle!”
“Aye!”
With the shining sword in hand, Axle rushed towards the monsters. At the same time, the sword swung, slashing into several mountain urchins at once.
“Hero! I will do the rest!”
“I’ll leave them to you then!”
Axle raised his shield and passed him, then Koji ran. The mountain urchins were already filling the courtyard. There were hundreds of them now.
“Hero! Above!”
Ril, who had been creating a magic circle of protection, pointed upwards. There was a spider-like creature stuck to the wall. It raised its front legs and was swinging a web like a lasso.
“Hangman Spider!”
“Elka, can you target that!?”
“Leave it to me. You take care of the others.”
She assured him, and Koji raised his sword again.
“Dance, ‘Zephalis’!”
He shouted, and then the sword began to glow as the world accelerated.
As if being guided, the tip of the sword danced and sliced the mountain urchin in two.
“Come from the mist moon, cunning one.”
The sorcerer’s staff glowed in the corner of his vision. Watching this had recently become one of the things that Koji looked forward to.
Buying time until the chanting was finished, and then using great magic to slaughter the enemy all at once. The moment that created such a situation was too good.
“The blessing of frozen silver is a single arrow of admonition that pierces through all obstacles.”
The light expanded greatly and pierced through the heavens. After seeing this, Koji and Axle jumped at the same time and…
“Unleash the Frozen Moon Arrow!”
Silver light shattered into numerous shards and cut through the atmosphere like meteors. Their aim was true, slamming into the spider that tried to jump, and cutting into the remaining mountain urchins.
Once all of the enemies were still, Koji stood in the center and raised his sword.
“Alright! We won!”
‘Not yet, fool!’
Said a voice, and then the earth shook. And the corpses in the courtyard began to be sucked into a hole in the ground. and then a sweet smell began to blow from the open hole. It was not poison, but the smell was so strong that it made them feel dizzy.
“What!?”
“An incense worm! The mountain urchins must have gathered here because of it!”
He rushed back to the others, just as something like a giant hose came out of the ground. It has sharp teeth and scales like a snake.
“Woah! It’s huge! It really is a worm!”
“Oh, you know about them?”
“Uh, I’ve seen them in games. But never in real life before!”
“Hero, you are too easy going. Though, that side is also…”
“In any case, let us retreat for now. We cannot face this…”
However, as if ignoring them, a voice tickled Koji’s ears.
‘There is no need to retreat. Blow it away, Hero!’
“So he says.”
“Did the god speak to you again?”
“Aye.”
Koji grinned as the giant worm turned to look at him.
“Crush it! Zephant!”
He thrust out his left hand, and the bracelet around it shone gold.
The world was then bathed in white, and there was an explosion that felt like it would destroy everything.
“Woah!?”
“Kyaaaa!”
“AHHHH!!”
The parapets crumbled as heat and flames licked the world. And then it was over in a flash. What remained was a ruined fortress and the burned remains of bugs.
“Ah, really. What power. I feel like an idiot for spending time chanting.”
Thanks to the barrier, Elka was unscathed, but she still shrugged her shoulders with exasperation..
“That being said, I can only use this three times a day.”
“Don’t you mean as much as three times?”
“Besides, chanting is cool. I want to use magic like that.”
“This is just it. I think you have to have a few screws loose in order to be a Hero.”
“How rude! You become a Hero due to things like generosity and class!”
As the two started to argue, Koji looked up at the sky.
“Now that I think about it, I think my level went up after that worm?”
‘You noticed then. In any case, I’ll save the protection for now.’
“I agree with that. But how long until the magic nullification ability?”
‘It is still far off. But you are practically invincible already.’
Indeed, this armor was ridiculous. It blocked nearly all weapon attacks already, as well as status effects such as poison and paralysis.
His sword could also cut through magic defenses, and with one command, he could unleash multiple sword arts.
On top of that, he had a bracelet that came with powerful magic.
“Your initial investments really are important in a game.”
‘Hmm. So you think so too.’
“It’s easier to use microtransactions to become stronger. Games are more fun if you are strong.”
‘Hahaha! Exactly. Trampling over enemies with overwhelming strength. There is no greater joy!’
A Hero who is summoned into another world. What a cliche. The most common trope in games, comics and light novels.
But he had never thought that he would become that protagonist. Or that he would be having such casual conversations with a god about his plans to level up.
‘That being said, stay on your guard. From here on, I will be choosing even more powerful enemies for you to fight.’
“You said I’d fight other Heroes as well. Is that really fine?”
‘It is. The other gods and Heroes understand. If anything, you will get more experience that way. And so it would be best to target them.’
“I’m surprised that you are allowed to kill other players. Still, if it was agreed upon…”
At first, surprised that they so casually talked about experience points, but he was used to it now. It was like what he had seen every day on a computer screen was now in front of him.
“Still, what about the fact that I’m using this cheat item?”
‘The god vessel? That is fine. After all, I bear the risk as well.”
“Like, you are paying money for it?”
‘Something like that. The world that I am worshiped in, the resident creatures, or the spiritual resources. Such things are the security. And since you would be losing all of that, it is only the most powerful gods that can bet as much as me.’
Zephalis was the god who had summoned him. And he sure liked to talk about himself. Even the Hero’s armor had his name.
That being said, Koji was satisfied. Unlike most stories about being summoned, he had been given powerful friends and equipment from the very beginning. And the god was guiding him.
There was no troublesome training or anything. He could do whatever he liked and run wild.
“Alright, let’s get going.”
‘Mmm. I must leave, as I have a feast to attend to with other gods. I doubt anything will happen, but be careful.’
“Aye.”
The presence then vanished, and Koji turned back to the others with a cheerful smile.
“Sorry, we talked a little too long.”
“I see… And what did the god say?”
Only he could hear the god’s words. Others had said that it looked very creepy to witness. But as someone who was used to cellphones, he did not care.
“That we should continue onwards.”
“In that case, we should report to the chief and head to the next destination…”
“Heeey! Hero!”
The voice interrupted Axle, and Koji jumped out from the fortress. Near the base, several men were running towards them.
“They are from the village.”
“It looked like something had happened.”
“Hero! Please help! The village is being attacked by monsters!”
Koji frowned when he heard this.
“What? Where did they come from!?”
“There is a fortress on the other side of that mountain. More than a hundred monsters suddenly came down…”
These events kept coming. And he wielded unlimited power. And the more quests he completed, the stronger he became.
“Alright! Everyone!”
Without waiting for them to reply, the Hero in blue armor rushed forward.