I stood atop the hill overlooking a village—the second Chosen's village—on the outskirts of the kingdom of Tirmagus.
Mary climbed onto my back, panting, wiping sweat from her face. "It's hot."
"Come on, don't exaggerate — it's not that hot."
She snapped in anger, "Am I exaggerating? Are you even human? Not a single drop of sweat has fallen from you."
I smiled at her and kept walking.
She followed behind, "Wait—what do you mean by that?"
After a few moments we reached the village. Silence lay over it; the ground was paved with rough stone, and the wooden houses stood as if waiting to collapse at any moment.
"What do you say we rest at that café?" Mary pointed to a rundown building.
"Good idea. Let's go."
We entered and immediately became the center of attention—faces ranged from fear to worry.
"Let's sit here by the entrance."
"But the middle is cooler."
"If anything happens we can escape through the door here. Not from the middle."
Mary's expression darkened, but she sat without complaint.
Seconds later the nervous waitress approached. "H-hello—may I take your order?"
Mary smiled. "Just some water, please."
Humans calm and trust beneath the smallest kindness; smiles soothe. "And for you?" the waitress asked me.
"A cup of tea."
Mary teased, "Tea? In weather like this?"
"I told you it's not that hot."
"I'll bring your order right away."
"Thanks."
As she left I scanned the room—concerned stares were still fixed on us.
"Excuse me—what's happening in the village? Why are you all staring?"
A foolish question; Mary addressed the group behind us, but what came next surprised me.
"…This village has been attacked repeatedly by a gang."
"What?! Why hasn't the kingdom intervened? Why don't you report them?"
"The kingdom's in chaos because of the civil war. Bandit activity has surged... you two should leave before they come."
"Thank you." Mary turned to me again. I hadn't expected them to answer her innocent question, but it worked in our favor.
"Let's help them."
"We should avoid getting involved, Mary."
"They're just a gang. You know they don't even understand their abilities."
"And you know there are people stealing those devices and forming gangs."
"If we help them, maybe they'll tell us about the second Chosen?"
"How would they know the Chosen? We only know them by the Hero's sword."
"Sir, here's your order." The waitress returned.
"Thanks—I was about to die of thirst." Mary grabbed the water and drank quickly.
"Drink slowly—you'll choke." I put the cup to my lips and sipped my tea.
"I don't need you to teach me how to drink."
A commotion echoed outside the café and everyone rushed out to see.
"What are you doing—aren't you coming?" someone called.
"I haven't finished my tea yet."
"Who cares about the tea? We must check what's happening."
Reluctantly, tea in hand, I stood.
Outside we saw a man thrown to the ground; another with a facial tattoo stomped on his body while two others held him down with chains.
Mary tried to intervene, but I stopped her. "We can't risk it."
Her eyes flared. "But they might kill him!"
I gripped her wrist and pulled her back. "Better that than them killing us."
A man who'd been sitting behind us in the café stepped forward.
"They won't kill him. They usually beat him up and leave… Noah keeps interfering and gets beaten for nothing."
"And you don't try to change that?" Mary demanded.
The man sighed with resignation. "Nothing will change—we don't have the strength."
"You don't need strength to change things. You can change it if you want to, but you shame every brave person who tries instead of supporting them."
The tattooed man continued to beat Noah, who lay on the ground. "This is the price for meddling, Noah."
Noah tried to rise but couldn't—the chains had him.
Suddenly a small girl with rare stubbornness in her eyes for a child ran forward and grabbed the chain with both hands. The whole crowd went silent—nobody moved, nobody dared.
"What are you doing, little one? Get away!"
"Noah, run!" she cried.
Noah rose and grabbed the girl, attempting to pull her away—then the tattooed man took the chain from his companion and threw it so it coiled around Noah and the girl's neck. When it tightened, everyone heard the crack of bone: the girl's neck snapped under the cold metal.
"Rika!" Noah screamed; his cry echoed through the village.
"I-I didn't mean to hurt her—" the tattooed man stammered as his legs trembled. Shame painted his face, then he fled with his two companions.
From afar a woman ran toward Noah—Rika's mother. She looked at her daughter's corpse in Noah's arms, began to rock her, and tears streamed down her face.
"You're the reason, Noah. You killed her. Couldn't you have just submitted and stayed quiet? No—all of you." She pointed at the onlookers. "All of you could have saved her but you left her to die. You are all to blame."
"We couldn't do anything—everything happened in seconds—"
The mother ran away with Rika's body in her arms, running and running to who knows where, tears blurring the path.
Noah remained kneeling, his eyes full of doubt and regret. I stood before him; the Hero's sword trembled in my hand and was pointed at him. Noah was the second Chosen.
I returned the sword to my side. "Your name is Noah, right?"
He didn't answer. I continued, "Pathetic and weak. You're the reason she's dead. You were supposed to protect her, not the other way around."
"I… I wanted to protect her."
"Did you?"
"..."
"You mustn't repeat your mistakes."
"How… I'm nothing but—weak."
"I'll train you."
Noah's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes. But first I need to finish my tea."
"Huh? Tea?"
I re-entered the café; Noah followed. I glanced at Mary, who I'd rendered unconscious so she wouldn't interfere, and sat beside her to finish my tea.
Noah asked, "Is she okay?"
"Yes. She's only tired."
When I finished I nodded toward Mary and told Noah, "Carry her and follow me."
I went to settle the bill with the café owner.
"Your total is one silver coin and two copper coins, or six copper coins."
"How much in gold?" I asked.
He looked at me bewildered. "One gold is worth four silver, and silver is worth four copper. How do you not know that?"
Eyes turned toward me; I explained the confusion to avoid more embarrassment. "I wasn't born in this world. I was summoned only a month ago."
"Wait—you mean you're the Calamity Hero?" His eyes widened in awe.
"Calamity Hero?"
"That's what people call you now. Some call you the Nameless Hero."
…What ridiculous names. Who came up with those?
"Just call me the Hero like everyone else," I said, though I hated the name as well.
I handed him a gold coin; he looked into the till. "Henry!" the café owner called to one of his staff.
"Yes, sir."
He handed Henry the coin: "Six copper coins."
Henry split the coin into eight coppers and two silvers. We left the café. I looked at Noah. "Is that an ability?" I asked.
"You mean splitting? Yes."
"What rank is it?"
"It's common."
"What's the difference between ranks?"
"Well, there are three main tiers: Common, Rare, and Legendary. Common are most useful and safe—skills for daily tasks like smithing, cooking, etc. Rare are abilities that don't belong to a higher entity, leaving their bearer unguarded by a patron. Legendary belongs to higher beings—you'd think a thousand times before touching their embodiments."
"Are there secondary tiers?"
"Actually only one: Myth."
"Myth?"
"Some higher entities may offer to change a human's ability so they become an embodiment of that entity. The more the power develops, the closer the embodiment becomes to the higher being."
"Wait—you said higher beings grant legendary abilities?"
"…Honestly, I don't know either. I'm just repeating what I memorized." He shrank back from my gaze; his explanation was shaky. "Never mind. Let's focus on what matters now."
We reached a secluded spot outside the village. "I'll start training you—right here, right now."
"All right, thank you." He showed relief and a hint of regret. I extended my hand. "Give me your hand."
"Why?"
"Do as I say."
Noah extended his hand and I began to read his past. I saw everything—his failures, regrets, joys, and sorrows… even the things he didn't know: the times he spent with villagers, the family that sheltered him off the streets, the meals they shared, the grief and anger at the gang, the shame of repeated losses. I lived those moments in an instant as if they were years. That was why I hated this ability.
"Hero—what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Okay, let's begin training."
"Yes. I'm ready." His eyes shone with determination, then he looked at me again. "What should I do?"
"Just wrap your mind with mana." I said as I set Mary down and prepared for any emergency. Noah tried to envelop his mind with mana but couldn't.
"This is hard. How do you do it?"
I climbed a tree and placed Mary there. "Don't worry—you'll get it. Trust yourself."
*******
Two hours passed and Mary awoke.
"You woke up at last."
"Where are we?" Mary looked around, bewildered.
"The place where we train the second Chosen," I said, pointing to Noah in the distance.
"Isn't that the man who was being beaten?"
"Yes."
"What about the girl?" she asked.
I didn't answer and kept staring at Noah from afar. Mary understood my silence. "You should've let me intervene… I could have saved her." Guilt and sorrow colored her voice.
"We don't know the gang's strength or its leader."
"How can a gang defeat the Deputy Commander of the Cavalry?"
"Are you sure we can handle an entire gang alone?"
"Yes, yes—I can."
"How can you be sure when you haven't seen their strength?"
"..."
"You're my companion. You're important to me… and Noah will be too."
I spent weeks training Noah. We took breaks for food, sleep, even shopping. During breaks I cooked for the companions with new utensils I'd bought. After preparing a dish, I served it to Mary and Noah.
"This tastes familiar, but I can't recall where I had it." Mary ate ravenously—she hadn't eaten for days. "Never mind, Noah—eat. It's really delicious." She looked at him. "Will you come with us after we handle the gang?"
"Of course. It's an honor to be the second Chosen."
"We're glad to have you."
"He hasn't joined yet."
"But he said he would come."
"Only if he defeats the gang. We won't interfere in his fight."
I looked at Noah and he nodded in understanding. "I'll do my best."
*******
Training continued for five weeks.
We went to the village; upon arrival we saw, as usual, some gang members stealing money and food. But one of them was different—not the tattooed man but another fellow.
Noah stepped forward and gripped the man's shoulder. The man turned with a crooked smile and whispered, "Oh... Noah. I thought you ran away in fear."
Noah punched him in the face, but it did nothing to faze him. The man looked terrified—but Noah stood firm. Then Noah returned the punch to the man's gut, sending him fainting to the ground.
The villagers watched in astonishment as Noah felled the man with a single blow. "Is everyone okay?" Mary asked; the villagers nodded.
I looked back and saw two gang members pulling out a device like a walkie-talkie.
"Should we let them call the rest of the gang?" Noah asked.
"Of course not—we must defeat their leader."
"Wait—you plan to defeat the bandit leader?" a villager muttered, imagining the village's destruction. I answered, "Not us—he will."
Soon a group of thirty-six people approached us, led by three figures.
"Didn't they overdo it bringing this many for one person?" Mary mocked at their numbers.
"They want to instill fear in the villagers so they won't defy them again." I took a sip of tea as I finished speaking. Mary noticed the cup and frowned. "When did you bring tea?" she scolded.
The man in front stepped forward, looked to his comrades, and asked in a serious voice, "Which one of you hit him?"
I pointed at Noah, who walked forward without fear. The bald man to the left whispered to his leader, "Does he think he can beat all of us alone?"
"He can't—but the one drinking tea can."
I slowly raised my hand and snapped my fingers.
A powerful wave burst from behind me—screaming, dirt, and bodies flying. The three at the front stood stunned; the rest were swept away.
I turned to Noah and Mary. "That's as far as I'll go... the rest is up to you two."
I looked at the villagers and the fallen gang members and continued sipping my tea.
Mary drew her sword while the gang leader pulled a huge, heavy hammer from his back; the bald man brandished a metal staff and the man on the right a spear.
Noah activated his ability and his body became encased in a hardened substance—his petrification power. He charged at the leader, who transformed his upper body into a beast resembling a bull and swung his hammer at Noah.
Noah didn't budge. He kept going and threw the leader aside. The spearman tried to attack Noah from behind, but Mary cut him off.
The fight became Noah versus the leader and Mary versus the bald man and spearman. The leader slammed the ground and raised massive stones, then hurled them at Noah. Noah slid under them and the leader punched his lower jaw.
A cry echoed—the rock the leader threw nearly crushed a villager. "Someone's under the rock! Help get him out!" yelled the man we met when we first entered the village.
"Hey—I'm here!" someone shouted; I grabbed him by the collar and released him to the ground. At the moment the rock was about to crush him, I dropped my tea, activated Lightning Form, and pushed him out of harm's way—then caught my tea again before anyone noticed.
"Don't worry. I'll protect the villagers. You focus on the battle," I said, watching Noah take a blow to his back from the leader.
"You mustn't turn your back to your enemy," I said, finishing my tea while saving villagers here and there. Memories of that girl Rika had made me feel for this village—and I hated that.
Mary struggled to fend off the bald man and spearman, using her flames as cover to attack and defend. The bald man formed golden arrows above him, forcing Mary to retreat, while the spearman stabbed into the ground and roots erupted, pinning Mary to the earth. She cut them quickly, but time was running out and the arrows were about to pierce her. I prepared to intervene, but then I saw a scene that stopped me.
Noah stood in front of Mary with his hardened body protecting her. I smiled at the sight and continued watching.
"You alright?" Mary asked him anxiously.
"Yes. What about you?" he replied, turning to continue the fight.
"I'm fine—thank you." she answered.
They began to work in sync. Noah rushed the spearman, who dodged and countered toward his right as the bald man attacked from the left. Suddenly Mary's sword pierced the spearman's chest while Noah gripped the bald man's throat. The leader tried to strike Mary from above with his hammer, but Noah caught the hammer before it reached her.
Mary aimed for the leader's neck; he dropped the hammer and retreated. Noah floored the bald man until he fainted, then turned toward the leader, seized the hammer, raised it to his shoulder, and stood beside Mary as she set fire around herself.
The leader charged past Noah toward Mary and attempted to gore her with his horns. Mary rolled and slipped under his feet, and with a swift motion severed his tendons. The leader looked at them in terror and tried to crawl away, but it was too late—Noah stood before him. He lifted the hammer and, with speed and force, brought it down on the leader's head. The hammer and the gang's authority shattered.
Noah looked at me with a bright smile. "Mission complete."
Afterward, all the gang members were arrested and jailed. After thanks and celebrations, we quickly departed to continue our journey.
I cast one last glance at the village—the place I had memories of though I had never lived there—and then looked at the sword; the second jewel had completed and settled into its slot.
Suddenly time stopped around me. Mary and Noah, who were walking ahead, froze.
[Ah, young one—welcome.] A voice emanated from the sword and the reason for everything became clear.
"Master, Great Writer! Is something wrong?" I asked.
[Most End Writers who preceded you in this world have gathered all the Chosen by now, but you've only gathered two so far.]
"I don't see the problem."
[It's not a problem. It's... curiosity.]
"There's no need to hurry. I'll convince the Chosen to come with me, not force them."
[You could simply have killed them if they refused or were weak.]
"You chose them to be my companions, and I trust your choice... and killing isn't my way."