After leaving the office of the 750-year-old "young" Sage, I decided to kill some time in the village's central square.
The square was teeming with life. Elves were selling fruits of impossible colors, others were polishing crystal daggers, and children (or rather, seventy-year-old adults) were chasing glowing butterflies.
I found a massive tree stump cut flat, as if it were a seat designated for giants, sat on it, and sighed.
"Alright..." I muttered, looking at my hand.
It looked perfectly normal. Human skin, a few minor scratches, and nails that needed trimming. Nothing suggested that this hand, less than a few hours ago, was launching ice spears and controlling the elements like an enraged beast.
I started thinking about the "System."
[Power: SSS]
In video games, this rating means "You win, game over." But here, there's a small issue, which is the "Activation Condition"—Death.
What a ridiculous cosmic joke. To become the strongest, I must first be so weak that I get killed.
"Is there anyone stronger than me?" I asked myself softly, watching an Elf guard practice with his sword nearby. His movements were fast, fluid, and infused with magic.
The Sage said my energy was "volatile." He didn't say "terrifying" or "divine." This meant that when I was in "Return from Death" mode, others might not know my true power, I assumed. But after the sixty minutes passed, I was just a regular human. Level 1. Monster food.
But what about others?
I remembered what I had heard from one of the Elves. There was mention of the "Seven Sorcerers." Rulers of the continents. Their level was around S.
Mathematically, SSS is much stronger than S. Theoretically, if I die and come back, I could wipe them out of existence with a flick of my finger.
But... what if I didn't die?
If I faced an S-Rank Sorcerer now, in my normal state, he would turn me into a frog before I could say "hello." And I wouldn't have a chance to die and return unless he chose to kill me. What if he decided to imprison me? Or torture me without killing me? Or freeze me in a block of ice forever?
A shiver ran through my body. My weakness isn't during the "Hour of Power," but during my other, normal days.
"And can they even detect my power?"
The Sage sensed "volatility." The monsters in the forest attacked me fearlessly at first, which meant I looked weak to them. But after activation? That beast froze in terror before I killed it.
"The bottom line," I said, kicking a small stone with my foot, "I must act confident. I have to make them believe I'm hiding my power by choice, not because I don't possess it."
Deception. That is my only weapon when I'm not dead.
I must play the role of the "Mysterious Hero who doesn't care about trivial matters." If anyone challenges me, I should smile enigmatically and say, "You're not worth my time," and then flee as fast as possible.
I laughed sardonically. "What a great plan, hero. Die or run. What a heroic life."
Suddenly, I felt eyes on me. I raised my head to find a group of Elf children watching me from behind a bush, whispering and giggling.
"Look, the Human is talking to himself." "Is he crazy?" "Grandpa says Humans live such short lives that they lose their minds quickly."
I sighed deeply.
"Yes, yes..." I muttered as I stood up. "Wait till you see me die, kids. Then you'll know who the real crazy one is."
I dusted off my pants and decided to go look for a quiet place to sleep early. Tomorrow, I had a date with dawn, and I wouldn't let myself miss it.
I was walking back to the hut, planning the perfect sleep scenario: closing the curtains, inserting earplugs made of grass (if I could find any), and even sleeping before sunset.
"Human Guest!"
A strong, yet musical female voice stopped me.
I turned around.
She was standing there, leaning her shoulder against a tree trunk, her hand resting on the hilt of a long sword hanging at her waist.
If the breakfast waitress was beautiful in an innocent way, this girl was beautiful in a... dangerous way.
Her fiery red hair was tightly braided, and her green eyes were sharp as a blade. She wore light leather armor that emphasized her agility and strength. She looked like she had just stepped out of the cover of a "Monthly Forest Warriors" magazine.
"Yes?" I replied, trying to sound "mysterious and powerful" as I had just planned.
She approached me with confident steps. "I am 'Ilara'. The Guard Captain for the caravan you will be accompanying tomorrow."
"Oh, a pleasure to meet you, Ilara," I said with a diplomatic smile. "I am..."
She cut me off with a raised hand, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "I know who you are. You are 'The Ceiling Contemplator'."
My mysterious facade instantly crumbled.
"Is... is that my nickname now?" I asked in disbelief.
She gave a short laugh. "News travels fast here. Sage Grandfather told the Council, the Council told the merchants, the merchants told the guards... and now, even the squirrels probably know you like to sleep."
I put my hand over my face. "Oh God. I was just tired! It's exhaustion from traveling across dimensions... I mean, long-distance travel!"
Ilara looked at me searchingly, as if trying to gauge my strength. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that the caravan will not wait. I am responsible for everyone's safety, and I do not tolerate delays."
She took another step closer, and her voice dropped to a warning whisper, but her eyes held a slight amusement.
"If you are not at the gate at the first ray of sun, I will leave you behind. And I won't leave you a map."
Then she patted my shoulder with a strength that made me stagger a little. (My God, is her hand made of iron?)
"Good night, Ceiling Contemplator. Try not to dream too much, so you can wake up."
She turned and walked away, her red hair swaying behind her, leaving me standing in the middle of the path, feeling a mixture of admiration and humiliation.
"Damn it..." I whispered as I continued on my way to the hut. "I've become the village joke in less than 24 hours. 'The Lazy Human'. Great. An excellent start for the story's hero."
I opened the hut door and threw myself onto the bed in frustration.
"Tomorrow..." I gritted my teeth. "Tomorrow, I will be the first one standing at that gate. I will be waiting for them. And I will make them nickname me 'The Human Rooster' because of my hyperactivity."
I squeezed my eyes shut, praying my body wouldn't fail me this time.