The next to step forward was another boy of average height—not too short, not too tall—with green hair and black eyes. He carried an air of arrogance with his upturned nose, wearing equally fine and luxurious clothes. He seemed to think he was the boss, the best among them all.
"My name is Alden. I come from the United States and I'm in college, 22 years old. I just appeared in this new world... but I've already figured it all out. I will be the best and greatest hero ever seen, and I will return home with honor. I hope you can be useful, otherwise, get out of my way. I don't want any dead weight by my side, you hear?" he said, with a tone of arrogance and superiority.
Arthur felt a surge of hatred rise from his chest. He despised people like this.
'Who does this guy think he is? He just got here like everyone else and he already thinks he's the best? I hate people like this. I bet he's never even held a sword, let alone been in a real fight,' he thought angrily.
However, the boy didn't want to make a bad first impression and decided to overlook Alden's arrogant attitude, simply nodding with a fake smile on his face.
The last one to approach—or rather, she—was a girl. She was short, much smaller than Kaien. The girl had short white hair that didn't go past her neck, and eyes as white as snow. She shimmered like a full moon on a tranquil night.
"My name is Millena. I came from Finland. I'm a full-time student. Like the others, I appeared here suddenly and learned the news that I'm to be a heroine. I hope we can cooperate to complete our mission as quickly as possible. I miss home," she said with a sad smile.
Arthur felt his heart skip a beat. Millena was… beautiful. Very beautiful. He couldn't quite hide the surprise that hit him, along with a sudden urge to help her with anything she needed. He didn't even know where that feeling came from. His face starting to heat up, he took a deep breath and gave a slightly crooked smile, hoping no one would notice the blush on his cheeks.
"Heroes, with everyone now gathered, I will explain your mission," Sireon said, his voice loud and confident. "You must defeat the Demon King and his demonic army and save our world. Each of you possesses extraordinary and unique abilities. However, as you have just been summoned, you are at level one. Simply extend the palm of your hand to see your status. Furthermore, each of you possesses a special weapon. Kaien has the Sacred Sword, Alden has the Divine Bow, and Millena has the Staff of the Gods. These weapons have unique abilities that you must learn to control," he said with a smile.
The heroes seemed enchanted, observing their magical weapons with smiles on their faces. The excitement of each one was palpable.
"This is incredible," Kaien exclaimed with a confident tone.
"Truly a weapon worthy of my use," Alden said with a confident smirk.
"This is really amazing, guys," Millena agreed, spinning her staff.
Arthur was amazed to see his companions with such powerful weapons, but he soon questioned it.
"And what about mine, Sireon?" he asked, anxious and curious.
"Unfortunately, my boy, you cannot have a sacred weapon, seeing as there are only three. This is a new situation; we have never had a fourth hero before," he exclaimed in a sad tone. "But I am sure you will be able to help. You are a hero, after all."
Arthur nodded sadly. He had really wanted a magic sword or something of the sort.
"Alright. I'll do my best."
"If you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to. My disciple will meet you in the main hall. He will finish explaining everything to you," Sireon said, smiling, as he walked out of the room.
Later, all the heroes were gathered in the main hall. The disciple, Lian, began to explain everything. The heroes would need to go out and defeat monsters to improve their status, thereby gaining levels and enough experience to face the Demon King.
They also received a brief explanation of the world, which wasn't too different from their own. The calendar, money, and time followed the same logic, which made things much easier. Additionally, they all spoke the same language and understood each other perfectly—a magical and greatly helpful feature. Everyone could hardly wait to set off and level up.
That was when Sireon returned, entering the main hall.
"Heroes, before you depart on your journey, I need you to accompany me briefly," Sireon said kindly.
They all agreed and followed him to the castle library.
"What exactly are we doing here? Seriously, I need to go level up. I can't waste my time with this," Alden said, clearly irritated and anxious.
Arthur watched him, judging him mentally.
'I really don't like this guy,' he thought, annoyed.
Sireon then took a book from a shelf, revealing a secret passage. Everyone gasped at the sight of it and followed him inside.
The path was a staircase leading down into the ground, completely dark save for the warmth of torches that guided the way. After descending for some time, the heroes arrived in a dark and mysterious place with a shadow in the middle.
"Let there be light," said a mysterious voice.
Bright particles began to emerge from the ground, and soon the entire area was as bright as day.
The now-visible figure was that of a woman, in long, flowing robes that covered her entire body. Her face was half-covered by a mask, with only her mouth visible. She had long black hair that fell to her shoulders.
"Welcome, heroes. I am Solara, a benevolent mage to this kingdom. I am here to assist you on your journey. Over the years, I have helped many heroes summoned just like you. I hope we can work together for the sake of peace," she said in a calm, soft voice.
All the heroes immediately turned their attention to Sireon. Kaien stepped forward and asked:
"There were other heroes? What happened to them?" he asked, indignant.
Simeon just smiled and answered briefly.
"Every ten years, a new Demon King is born, and we must once again summon other heroes. I am sorry for not sharing this information sooner," he replied, bowing his head.
The four heroes were surprised, but a ray of hope entered their hearts. Other people had gone through this before, which meant it was possible to return to their world.
"Right, that's good, I think. If people managed to go back, it means we have a chance, right?" Millena exclaimed, tense and confused.
Despite nodding, Simeon's gaze was filled with pity, revealing a hidden truth.
"I will be honest with you, heroes. Unfortunately, only one group of heroes was ever able to return. All the others died, either in training or in combat with the Demon King."
A heavy, panicked silence fell over them. The heroes exchanged frightened glances, each searching for an answer in the others' eyes. Suddenly, Alden shoved Millena aside, his gaze fixed and accusatory on Sireon.
"S-so, if we die in this world…?" he stammered, his voice filled with dread.
Simeon nodded gravely. "Yes. You die in your world as well," he said, his voice sad and assertive.
The four of them stood paralyzed, in total shock. They knew nothing about their powers, let alone the monsters they would face. The possibility of death was real, and very likely at that.
"Calm down, everyone. If we work together, we can get through this. The last thing we need right now is panic, right?" Kaien said confidently.
Arthur's instincts had been right. Kaien was a natural-born leader and would probably assume that role among the four of them.
The fear was still there, pulsing in the pit of his stomach. But Arthur tried to cling to what he knew: his skill with swords. He had already faced armed knights in this world… maybe the monsters wouldn't be so different. Maybe. He wanted to believe that, but deep down, he knew it was impossible to predict the enemies to come. And that was why he remained silent, indignant and lost in his thoughts, wondering what else this world was hiding.