Helo, a descendant of the hero, was going to undergo the Divine Bestowal Ceremony today. This was the ritual where the goddess grants skills to the heroes of each generation, intended to fight the Demon Lord. The thought of facing the Demon Lord made her stomach churn with nerves. As she slowly approached the temple entrance, her heart raced, and her whole body trembled. She couldn't bring herself to take a step forward, as if her body was warning her—this was not a game; this was harsh reality.
She stood at the entrance, taking a deep breath, yet still hesitated. Countless thoughts filled her mind: If I go in, what will happen next? Am I truly ready? The urge to run almost took control of her body.
Just as she turned to flee, the heavy wooden doors creaked open. The spacious temple flickered with candlelight, and shadows danced along the walls. A blonde girl stepped out, her tone stern yet concerned:
"Helo, today is your Divine Bestowal Ceremony. Where are you going?"
Helo stammered, lips trembling, unable to speak.
The blonde girl added, "You're not planning to run away, are you?"
At those words, Helo couldn't hold back her tears. They streamed down her cheeks as she spoke in a trembling voice,
"I… I'm just too scared… I'm a coward… I could never fight the Demon Lord…"
The blonde girl sighed, her tone firm,
"But we can't just run away. And… if you don't accept the Divine Bestowal, you will become a sinner. Let's just do the ceremony first, and we'll figure out a plan afterward."
Helo wiped her tears, speaking softly with a heavy heart,
"I hate being a descendant of the hero… having to accept this fate, and carry such a heavy responsibility…"
The blonde girl patted her shoulder, a hint of helplessness in her voice:
"Reality is cruel, but it's okay. Let's finish today's ceremony first, and afterwards, the three of us—you, me, and Ein—will come up with a way to handle this together, alright?"
Helo lowered her head, her voice shaking,
"But… I really don't want to… I really can't…"
The blonde girl sighed again and offered a gentle smile to soothe her,
"It's okay. I know you're afraid, but we'll be with you. You won't face any battles alone."
Helo heard this and, though still trembling, she slowly took a deep breath and began to calm herself a little.
The blonde girl looked at Helo with a mix of helplessness and warmth:
"Helo, I know you've known this day would come since you were little. You've been scared all this time, always thinking of ways to avoid it… But running away won't change anything."
Helo kept her head down, voice quivering,
"But… I'm scared… I'm really scared… I've never even fought a single monster. How could I possibly fight the Demon Lord…"
The blonde girl reached out and held her hand, her voice firm yet comforting,
"I know your fear didn't appear overnight—it's been building up for a long time… But you don't have to become strong all at once. Today… is just the ceremony, just receiving a skill. The skill is meant to help you grow, to slowly prepare for the future. We'll be with you. You're not alone."
Helo lifted her head slightly, tears glimmering in her eyes, her voice choked,
"Really… you'll always be with me…?"
The blonde girl nodded, smiling,
"Of course. We'll first hold a strategy meeting. We'll figure out a way for you to fight with minimal pressure, slowly adapt, and gradually practice. The battles won't crush you all at once, okay?"
Helo lowered her head, silent for a long while, seemingly deep in thought. Finally, though her hands were still trembling, she slowly nodded,
"…Alright… I'll… I'll go…"
The blonde girl smiled, lightly patting her shoulder,
"That's the spirit. We're right here by your side. Whatever happens, we'll be with you."
Feeling the tension in her chest ease slightly, Helo carefully took a step forward and walked into the temple. The high priestess watched her, her gaze calm yet impossibly commanding:
"You're here. Come in."
Helo's throat tightened, her whole body stiffened, and she murmured awkwardly,
"…Y-yes… I'm here."
Her voice trembled so much even she could hear it.
The priestess nodded and slightly bowed, signaling her forward,
"Come. The ritual will begin."
The moment she stepped into the temple, the air seemed to solidify, carrying a sacred and solemn weight. Every step on the smooth marble floor echoed softly. Helo clenched her hands, palms sweating, heart pounding as if it might leap from her chest.
The priestess raised her hands, beginning to chant a low, holy incantation. Her voice was long and resonant, each syllable vibrating in the air, making time seem to slow. Suddenly, a beam of divine light descended.
As the chant deepened, the soft, bright light spread from above Helo's head, lifting her body gently as if invisible hands supported her. The light enveloped her entirely, warm and radiant, seemingly isolating her from her anxiety and fear. She closed her eyes, feeling the light flow over her fingertips, shoulders, and chest. Slowly, the tension in her heart began to ease.
When the ritual ended, the light gradually receded and vanished into the air. Helo opened her eyes to find glowing text shimmering before her:
"Skill Acquired: Universal Equality"
"Effect: Regardless of race, all attack skills deal 1 point of damage."
She blinked, frowning slightly, whispering in doubt,
"…Does this really work?"
The priestess smiled faintly, her voice gentle yet firm,
"It should. The goddess chooses the skill most suitable for you."
Helo, uneasy and helpless, said,
"High Priestess… I'll take my leave for now… I'll go to the training ground and try out this skill."
She walked to the training ground. The floor was smooth stone, with wooden dummies and various magical barriers for practice. She swung her sword, cutting through the air and hitting an armored dummy. A number instantly appeared—"1".
She switched to her bow, aimed at a distant dummy, and fired. Though the arrow struck, the number again appeared—"1".
She then tried a fireball spell, hitting the dummy, and the result was still—"1".
Helo froze, her lips twitching slightly, both surprised and speechless in her heart:
"…Really, everything only deals 1 point…"
She thought: This is terrible. They gave me this skill and still expect me to fight the Demon Lord.