"I just want to be a painter; I didn't want any of this."
The sound of clashing swords reverberated through the air as the war between demons and humans raged on.
"Assist the Hero! Back him up!! May the power of the Holy Centurion guide us!" — General
The general of the human forces shouted to his soldiers, his voice cutting through the chaos as he fought fiercely.
The demons had already conquered Ygradassil, and the Hero was fighting to reclaim it. The Demon King of Hell, Emporio, clashed his sword against the Hero of Centurion, Arthur IV. The screech of steel on steel echoed through the battlefield, while their mana erupted around them like lightning. Some watched in awe, some wept, and most could only cower in fear.
And I, Morrick Von Berthand, didn't want any of this.
"If only I had never been born into the Berthand House, I could've been a painter by now." — Morrick
The Berthand House had served the Hero since the time of the great Alfred, who was rumored to possess infinite strength during his battle with the Demon King. After Alfred's victory, the Screwpine Kingdom had enjoyed an era of peace. That was, until the Demon King's generals began to stir again. One of them, Emporio, was now fighting against us.
As the firstborn son, I, Morrick Von Berthand, was expected to fight. I wished, more than anything, that my younger brother had to take my place. Then again, maybe they just wanted me to die. I had a feeling that the moment I told them I didn't want to be an Imperial Knight, they'd found a way to throw me into this hellish mess.
Blade of Blasphemous Technique IV
"Snake Bite!" — Unknown Demon
"ARGHHHHHH!!!!" — Hero
The Hero's scream cut through the battlefield, and all of us froze in shock.
"The Hero is gravely injured! We need to retreat!" — General
The knight-general's face was pale, his voice shaking as he processed the grave injury of the great Hero of Centurion, felled by a mysterious technique from Emporio. Stunned by the sudden attack, I charged forward, knowing I was walking toward certain death.
"Hooh, who is this puny little worm that dares to charge toward me?" — Emporio
The massive, red-skinned general sneered at me, his eyes filled with disdain, as though I were nothing more than an insect.
With the color red,Like scarlet's shade,I'll paint my canvas,With your dread.
"Shining Blade!" — Morrick
The infamous technique that had earned me my reputation, despite being considered the weakest in my family. My mana was limited compared to that of my ancestors, but with this skill, my blade shimmered as I infused it with the little mana I had left, making it the sharpest of all.
Unexpectedly, my blade pierced through Emporio's body, and blood splattered across my face.
"I didn't know the Screwpine Kingdom hid such a trump card." — Emporio
Emporio smirked as he effortlessly shattered my blade and began regenerating. I stood frozen, shocked that I had actually pierced him. Without hesitation, he grabbed my neck, preparing to crush me.
I was terrified. This was it. My final moment.
"I just want to be a painter. I don't like fighting. I want a wife… heck, I just want to live."
"Even though you are nearing death, you still have a wish, human? What a hopeless little creature." — Emporio
As Emporio loomed over me, ready to end it all, a strange sound filled the air…
[Creating Player….][Creating Player….][Creating Player….]
[Player Name: Morrick Von Berthand][Level: 0][Skills: Powerless][Trait: None]
Suddenly, everything went pitch black. I could see nothing but darkness. Powerless? What did that even mean? Was I more useless than I thought? Had I died after charging at Emporio? How foolish I was to try and act heroic all of a sudden.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, I felt the breeze against my face.
"Oi, weird guy, don't sleep on the road! There are cars passing by!" — Unknown Man
Cars? What...?
"OIIII!!! Blue hair, wake up!" — Unknown Man
"Wait? I didn't die?! I'm alive!" — Morrick
"You didn't die? But it seems like you want to, sleeping on the road like that!" — Unknown Man
Suddenly, I realized that I wasn't dead, but I had no idea where I was. The first thing I noticed was an old man standing next to me. The second thing? The strange surroundings. There were merchant stalls in front of me, but they seemed to be using ice magic to keep the area cold. I also saw horses—wait, were they infused with smoke magic? Why were these horses made of iron? Was this some kind of advanced magic?
"Oi, stop acting all edgy. You look ridiculous, making that weird pose and face." — Unknown Man
"Do you have a home? Who's your father? I can take you there. I know everyone here." — Unknown Man
The old man pulled me up by the arm, his grip firm. He bombarded me with questions about where I was from, who my parents were, and countless other things. But how could I answer when I didn't even know where I was?
"Alright, old man. Tell me, where am I? What continent is this?" — Morrick
He just smiled and laughed at my question.
"You're not from here, are you?" — Unknown Man
Well, that was obvious. I'd never seen magic like this before. It was clear this place wasn't anywhere near my homeland.
"This is Buntar Ditch, part of the Golden Khersonese. It's where all the ore and Ertha goods are produced. Buntar Ditch is a city in the Windstream state." — Unknown Man
He went on to explain that I had been "transferred" to this place.
"It's getting late. You can rest at my place for a while," he said.
As I followed him to his home, which was somehow attached to a metal horse, I was completely flabbergasted.
"Is this even worthy of being called a place?" — Morrick