Sho stood alone in the center of Rivera's square.
Fires still burned in several houses, leaving behind embers and thick black smoke that lingered in the night air. Bandits surrounded him from every direction, yet not a single one moved. All eyes were fixed on him—on the scrawny boy gripping a sword, the same boy who had just humiliated one of their own.
Sho held his breath.
This is enough.
Behind the noise and the countless hostile gazes, something far more important was happening—something the bandits completely failed to notice.
The people of Rivera… were gone.
One by one, with trembling steps and bated breath, they slipped away from the square. They vanished into narrow alleys, behind half-burned houses, toward whatever place still offered safety. No screams. No panic. Only fear swallowed deep within their chests.
All because of one fatal mistake the bandits made.
They were too focused on Sho.
But Cassandra wasn't.
Cass stood not far away, making sure the last of the villagers had truly escaped. Just as she turned to retreat—
"THERE!"
The shout tore through the night.
Cass froze for a split second.
One bandit saw her. Then two. Then all of them.
"She's the one letting the villagers escape!"
The rough faces twisted—confusion turning into rage.
Cass moved immediately.
She ran, leapt, and sharply changed direction between rubble and shadows. Her movements were fast, efficient, without hesitation. Her athletic body moved as if it had long been accustomed to being chased by danger.
A sword slashed—she dodged.
A hand reached—she twisted free.
Several bandits fell due to missteps. Others cursed loudly.
"DAMN IT, SHE'S FAST!"
But numbers do not lie.
One bandit blocked her path ahead. Two from the left. One from behind.
Cass stopped.
She was surrounded.
On the other side of the square, the bandit boss noticed her.
His face hardened. His jaw clenched.
He glared at Sho with pure hatred.
"I regret it," he said coldly, "giving a brat like you a chance to live."
Sho raised his head.
Then smiled.
Not a nervous smile. Not a fearful one.
A satisfied smile.
"Huh?" Sho chuckled. Then laughed louder. "Seriously?"
He looked straight at the boss, eyes burning.
"Only idiots believe bandits keep their promises."
The boss fell silent.
And at that moment—
Every last villager was gone.
There were no more hostages. No one left to protect.
Only two teenagers remained in the square.
Sho and Cassandra.
If this were a cliché story—
If this were some cheap fantasy—
They would rise, shout, and defeat all their enemies with ease. Including the boss.
But this wasn't that kind of story.
This was reality.
In this world, they could die at any moment.
The bandit boss raised his hand.
"KILL THEM."
The bandits charged.
Sho and Cass moved at the same time.
Not to attack.
To evade.
Sho slipped past an axe swing and dove behind the wreckage of a broken cart. Cass jumped onto a wooden crate, kicked a bandit's face, then vanished again into smoke and shadows.
They used everything around them—broken poles, debris, fire and ash.
Not to win.
But to survive.
Their breaths grew heavy. Their movements slowed.
There were too many enemies.
One small mistake—
"CASS—!"
Rough hands grabbed Cass's arm.
She fought back, twisting her body, slamming her elbow into one bandit—knocking him down.
But another hand followed. Then a third.
Cass was restrained.
"Three people… damn it…" she muttered.
She struggled, but her body was held tightly. One opponent—she could escape. Two—maybe.
But three?
No.
"Cass!" Sho shouted.
At that instant—
Something inside Sho cracked.
Logic vanished. Calculations disappeared.
Only one thing remained.
Fear.
Pure, overwhelming fear of losing Cassandra.
Sho faltered.
And that was enough.
The bandits closed in. Weapons raised. No openings. No escape.
Without realizing it, Sho stepped back.
One step. Then another.
Until his back hit cold stone.
Behind him—
Balmung. And Vijaya.
Two heroic relics.
Meanwhile, the bandit holding Cass began to grin.
A twisted, disgusting smile.
"What a shame," he said, leaning closer to her face.
"Such a sweet girl has to die."
His hand slid toward her waist.
Cass clenched her teeth. "Touch me again and—"
"And what?" the bandit laughed. "All alone like this?"
Sho saw it.
The hand.
The grin.
Cass restrained.
His blood boiled.
His body trembled.
Sho stepped forward—standing directly before Balmung.
His hand closed around the holy sword's hilt.
The air grew heavy.
Sho lifted his head and stared at the bandits one by one.
His voice cracked with fury.
"LET HER GO."
No one moved.
Sho tightened his grip.
"If you don't release her," he said, voice shaking but resolute,
"I'll pull this sword out."
He swallowed.
"And I'll kill every single one of you."
Silence fell over Rivera's square.
For the first time since the chaos began—
Stillness reigned.
Then it shattered.
Not by steel. Not by screams.
But by laughter.
Crude, mocking laughter echoed between burning buildings. One bandit laughed first—sharp and short. Others followed, until the square was filled with ridicule.
Even the boss—
He laughed the hardest.
His laughter boomed, heavy with contempt. He slapped his knee, as if witnessing the greatest joke of his life.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"Did you hear that?" he said, pointing at Sho.
"This skinny brat wants to pull Balmung!"
The others joined in.
"Little hero!"
"That sword weighs more than your life!"
"You think this world is a fairy tale?"
Mockery rained down on Sho.
Their eyes held no fear. No doubt.
Only absolute certainty that Sho was being ridiculous.
The boss wiped tears from the corner of his eyes.
"Seriously," he said, still grinning,
"Do you think the world will bow just because you're standing there?"
He stepped closer.
"You're not a hero. You're just a lucky kid who hasn't died yet."
Sho felt his chest tremble.
His grip tightened.
And that was when—
He made a fatal mistake.
Sho laughed.
At first, softly. Quietly.
Then louder.
His laughter broke—unstable, fractured—as if something inside him shattered alongside it. The bandits paused, confused.
Sho lowered his head, shoulders shaking.
"Hah…" He exhaled deeply.
Then he looked up.
A smile stretched across his face—not calm, but forced by overwhelming emotion.
"You're right," he said lightly. "You're absolutely right."
The bandits narrowed their eyes.
"Of course I'm not a hero. And of course this world isn't a fairy tale."
He looked at them one by one.
"But after I pull this sword…" His smile widened.
"I'll kill all of you."
The square fell silent again.
The boss stared at Sho for a long moment.
Then he smiled provocatively.
"Then go on," he said, spreading his arms.
"Try."
He leaned forward. "Pull it."
"If you can."
Sho swallowed.
He grabbed Balmung with all his strength.
And in that instant—
An image formed in his mind.
He saw himself pulling Balmung out effortlessly. Holy light enveloped him. The bandits were blown away, helpless. Cass stared in awe. The people of Rivera cheered. Sho Noerant was remembered as a hero.
Because wasn't that how it was supposed to go?
He was summoned to another world. He was the protagonist. He should be able to do something extraordinary.
Holding his breath, Sho pulled.
Hard.
His muscles screamed. Veins bulged. Teeth clenched.
But—
Nothing happened.
Balmung did not move.
Sho pulled again.
Harder. Desperate.
The sword remained embedded in stone—unyielding, unmoved, as if mocking him.
Sho froze.
Again.
No light. No reaction. No miracle.
Reality struck.
Main character syndrome.
Sho understood his mistake.
He thought he was the center of this world just because he and Cassandra had been thrown into it. He thought the world owed him something. He thought his existence alone justified touching something sacred.
But the world didn't care.
Not at all.
Sho pulled Balmung one last time.
Nothing.
And then—
The laughter exploded.
Louder. Crueler. More humiliating.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"HE ACTUALLY TRIED!"
"LOOK AT THAT—THE SWORD DIDN'T REACT AT ALL!"
The boss laughed, pointing at Sho.
"Clown," he said. "It's been a while since I've seen such a pathetic performance."
Sho stood motionless.
His hand still gripping the sword.
His chest felt empty.
For the first time since arriving in this world—
Sho truly understood.
This world was far crueler than any reality he had ever known.
And he—
Was nobody.
Cassandra saw it.
Not with her eyes.
With the system.
Sho's mental bar—previously stable—plummeted.
[Sho Noerant]
Mental: 85% → 68%
Cass's eyes widened.
"That's… too fast—"
The number flickered faintly. And worse—68% was already two percent below the stability threshold.
Sho was collapsing.
"SHO—!"
Cass struggled violently.
She twisted, kicked, slammed her elbow into one bandit. Her movements were wild, fueled by rage. If there were only one—no, even two—she might have escaped.
But there were three.
One locked her arms. One pinned her shoulders. One yanked her hair back.
Her body trembled.
Not from fear.
From helplessness.
"Stay still!" a bandit snapped, pressing harder.
Cass clenched her teeth.
Her arms ached. Her breathing faltered.
And worst of all—
She couldn't reach him.
---
On the other side of the square, Sho stood rigid.
The laughter sounded distant. The fire seemed dim. The world drifted away.
His mind emptied.
Then—
The memory surfaced.
He was still small. Not even ten years old.
Rain poured heavily that night.
Sho stood at the doorway of the Noerant household, staring at a small girl wrapped in a blanket on the sofa. Her hair smelled of smoke. Her eyes were red—far too empty for a child.
Cassandra.
Her home burned down. Her family gone. She was the only one left.
Sho remembered that look.
The look of someone who had lost everything.
Cora stood beside him.
"You see her?" Cora asked softly.
Sho nodded.
"From today on," Cora continued, firm yet gentle,
"Cassandra is part of our family."
She looked down at him.
"Sho. Promise me one thing."
Sho turned to her.
"Protect her," Cora said. "No matter what."
Young Sho clenched his fist.
"I promise."
---
Sho smiled bitterly.
"Heh…"
A fragile laugh escaped him.
"I'm sorry, Sis…"
His voice was barely audible.
"I failed."
The mental bar dropped again.
[Sho Noerant]
Mental: 68% → 66% → 64%
The number stopped.
Not because Sho was strong—
But because something forced it to stop.
"SHO!!"
The shout shattered the emptiness.
Cass.
Her voice was hoarse, broken, yet overflowing with emotion.
"DON'T YOU DARE STOP THERE, IDIOT!!"
Sho jolted.
His focus snapped back.
Cass stared at him from afar, her face a mix of rage and terror.
"IF YOU DIE BEFORE ME—
I'LL KILL YOU AGAIN IN HELL!!"
Those words hit harder than any mockery.
Sho gasped.
The world returned.
The fire burned hot again. The ground felt solid beneath his feet.
Sho lowered his head.
Not in surrender.
But to steady himself.
"I…" he muttered. "I was arrogant."
He raised his head slowly.
His gaze had changed.
No delusion. No hope for miracles.
Only resolve.
Sho turned around.
His steps headed toward the other artifact.
Vijaya.
The bow floated calmly, untouched by chaos.
The bandits froze—then laughed again.
"WHAT?! HE'S NOT DONE?!"
"Balmung rejected him, now he wants to try that?!"
The boss shook his head with a crooked smile.
"You really don't know your place, kid."
Sho didn't look back.
He walked forward.
In his mind, there was no vision of victory. No dream of being a hero.
Only one plan.
"If Vijaya rejects me…
at least the reaction might be strong enough."
A shockwave. A flash. Anything.
Just one second.
Enough to free Cass and run.
Sho knew their chances of survival were slim.
If lucky—they live. If not—
They die together.
His hand rose.
His fingers nearly touched Vijaya.
And Sho didn't know—
That from the very beginning…
Vijaya had been watching him.
Not when he shouted.
Not when he threatened.
Not even when he stood before Balmung.
But when he chose to walk forward—
Not to win.
But to save someone else, even if it meant death.
---
Sho grasped Vijaya.
There was no flash of light. No shockwave. No legendary sound.
Only… silence.
Then something changed.
The air around Rivera trembled faintly. Invisible, yet perceptible to the sensitive. The barrier protecting the village—two invisible layers—cracked like old glass.
One layer… vanished.
One remained.
The boss frowned. "The barrier—"
Before he could finish—
Sho dropped to his knees.
"—GHK!"
Blood sprayed from his mouth, staining the ground.
Pain struck all at once.
Not ordinary pain.
His head felt like it was being torn apart. As if his mind were ripped open, rearranged, and forced to adapt to something far beyond human limits. No anesthesia. No warning.
Only agony beyond words.
Power surged through his body—wild, brutal, foreign—seeping into bone, muscle, nerves, forcing him to endure or shatter.
Sho clenched his teeth.
His body shook violently.
"I… can't fall."
"Not yet…"
"Cass…"
The system flickered back into view, unstable.
[Sho Noerant]
Mental: 64% → 66% → 68% → 70%
Stable.
But Sho knew—
His mind was steady, but his body was on the verge of collapse.
His legs trembled. His arms barely moved. His breath came in ragged gasps.
Still—
He raised Vijaya.
His hands shook violently as he aimed.
"Just… once," he whispered hoarsely.
"Don't… let me fall… before that."
Sho pulled the bowstring.
Without arrows—
Three arrows of light formed instantly.
Silent. Immediate.
They flew.
Their targets were chosen not by sight—but by thought.
The three bandits holding Cassandra.
In a single breath—
Their bodies fell.
Not unconscious. Not wounded.
Dead.
Blood sprayed across the ground—and onto Cassandra's face.
Cass froze.
Her hands trembled.
She was free.
The bandits froze.
Panic spread.
Some stepped back instinctively. Others swallowed hard. Even the boss hesitated.
Cass didn't waste time.
She ran.
Her steps were unsteady, nearly tripping as she caught Sho, whose body could no longer stay upright.
Sho collapsed into her arms.
"Heh…" Sho smiled weakly.
"Guess I… overdid it a bit."
"IDIOT!!" Cass shouted, voice breaking.
"ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE?!"
She gripped his clothes, terrified he'd collapse entirely.
"This was your brilliant plan?! You could've died!"
Sho chuckled faintly.
"Relax… see? I'm still alive."
Cass wanted to hit him. To cry. To hold him tighter.
She hated Sho's plan.
But deep down—
She was grateful.
He was still breathing.
The smile didn't last.
Sho's body went limp.
Vijaya vanished from his grasp like mist in the wind.
Sho lost consciousness.
"Sho…?"
No answer.
Cass held her breath.
Around them, the bandits finally moved again.
The boss smirked.
"Now," he said coldly,
"kill the boy."
He glanced at Cassandra.
"Leave the girl alive. She'll sell well."
The bandits closed in.
The circle tightened.
Cass clenched her fists.
She knew—
She could escape.
With her abilities, fleeing wasn't difficult.
But Sho—
If she ran now, Sho would die.
Cass stepped in front of Sho's unconscious body.
She stared at the bandits without fear.
Their luck…
Had run out.
And this time—
There were no plans. No artifacts. No guarantees.
Only one choice remained.
Survive.
Or die together.
[To be continued…]