I stood atop the hill overlooking a village. This was the village of the Second Chosen One, located on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Termagus.
Mary climbed behind me, panting. She wiped the sweat from her face and said, "Shouldn't we have rented a horse-drawn carriage?"
I replied, "Bandits will target us if they see the carriage."
"I can handle a few bandits."
"It would be annoying to stop every now and then because of them."
"What's more annoying is walking this whole distance on foot."
"Come on, don't exaggerate."
She snapped angrily, "Am I exaggerating? Are you even human? Not a single drop of sweat has come from you."
I looked at her and smiled. "Who knows?" Then I continued walking toward the village.
She followed behind me, asking, "Wait, what do you mean?"
After a while, we arrived at the village. It was silent, its ground paved with rough stones, and its wooden houses stood as if waiting to collapse at any moment.
"What do you think about resting in that café?" Mary said, pointing toward a café.
"I think that's a good idea," I answered.
We entered the café and quickly became the center of attention. Everyone's looks ranged between fear and anxiety.
We sat near the door to avoid any trouble.
The waitress came over, nervous. "Welcome. May I take your order?"
Mary smiled, trying to reassure her. "I want some water, please."
The waitress seemed a bit relieved, though some tension still showed on her face. "And for you?"
I did the same as Mary and said, "I want some tea."
Mary joked, "Tea? In this hot weather?"
"It's not that hot."
"Alright, I'll prepare what you asked for," said the waitress, then left.
After a few moments, five men with bulky builds approached us.
The man in front said, "You're strangers here."
"Yes, we arrived today."
"If you want to harm the villagers, you'll have to go through us."
He sighed and added, "And if you just want to pass through, hurry up. There's a dangerous gang threatening the villagers for some time now."
"A gang?" Mary asked in surprise.
"Yes, a year ago a gang came to the village and began stealing and killing anyone who stood in their way. We tried to suppress them but... we couldn't."
"So you came here to threaten us while the gang is wreaking havoc in the village," I said, looking him in the eye.
One of the men tried to intervene, but the leader stopped him.
"Yes, you're right... Sorry to bother you," he said as he left the café with his men.
Suddenly, Mary whispered to me, "Let's help them."
I looked at her and said, "No, it might be dangerous. We need to assess the situation first."
"Why don't we ask them about the Second Chosen One?"
"How would they know the Chosen One when we only know him by the Hero's Sword?"
"Excuse me, sir, here's your order," the waitress came back with our drinks.
"Thank you, I was about to die of thirst." Mary took the water and started drinking quickly.
"Drink slowly, you'll choke," I said while sipping my tea.
"I don't need you to teach me how to drink."
Suddenly, a loud noise echoed from outside the café. Everyone went out to check.
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"
"I haven't finished my tea yet."
"Who cares about tea? We need to check what's going on."
Reluctantly, I stood up with the tea in my hand. Outside, we saw a man lying on the ground while another man with a tattoo on his face stepped on him, pinning him down with two others holding chains.
Mary tried to intervene, but I stopped her.
"We can't risk it."
She looked at me angrily. "But they might kill him!"
I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "This is better than them killing us."
The tattooed man kept beating the man on the ground.
"This is what you get for interfering in others' affairs, Noah."
Noah tried to get up but couldn't because of the chains. Suddenly, a small girl ran forward. Her eyes held a rare stubbornness for a child. She grabbed the chain with both hands. Everyone fell silent... no one moved. No one dared.
"What are you doing, girl? Get away," said the man holding the chain.
"Noah, run!"
Noah stood, grabbed the girl, and tried to escape.
The tattooed man took the chain from his companion and threw it toward Noah, wrapping it around him and the girl's neck. When he pulled the chain—
A cracking sound was heard—the girl's neck broke.
"Reika!" Noah shouted, his scream echoing throughout the village.
"I—I didn't mean to hurt her, I just..." the tattooed man said with regret on his face, then ran away, followed by the other two men.
From afar, a woman ran toward Noah. She was Reika's mother.
"Reika," the mother looked at her daughter's body in Noah's arms,
She held her and started shaking, tears streaming down her face.
"You're the reason, Noah. You killed her. No, not just you—all of you," she shouted at the bystanders, "All of you could have saved her but you left her to die. You're all to blame."
"We couldn't do anything. Everything happened in seconds. We..."
The mother ran holding Reika's body. She ran and ran, not even knowing where.
Noah was still crying, looking at the ground, blaming himself for her death.
I stood in front of him, the Hero's Sword trembling powerfully, pointed at his face. Noah was the Second Chosen One.
I sheathed the sword and said, "Your name is Noah, right?"
He didn't answer, but I continued, "Pathetic and weak. You're the reason she died. You were supposed to protect her, not the other way around."
"I... I wanted to protect her."
"Did you?"
"..."
"You must not repeat your mistakes."
"How... I'm just... weak."
"I will train you."
Noah's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes, I will, but first I have to finish my tea."
"Tea?"
I went back inside the café, and Noah followed me. I looked at Mary, who I had made unconscious so she wouldn't interfere, sat beside her, and continued drinking my tea.
"Is she okay?" Noah asked, looking at Mary.
"Yes, she's just tired."
After I finished the tea, I pointed at Mary and told Noah, "Carry her and follow me."
I went to pay the bill to the café owner.
"Your bill is one silver coin and two copper coins or six copper coins."
"How much in gold coins?"
Noah looked surprised. "A gold coin is worth four silver coins, and a silver coin is worth four copper coins. How do you not know that?"
I felt all eyes on Noah; it was an uncomfortable and embarrassing feeling.
I quickly said, trying to avoid more embarrassment, "I'm not from this world. I was summoned only a month ago."
"Wait, do you mean you're the Disaster Hero?" he said, clearly amazed.
"The Disaster Hero?"
"That's what people call you nowadays. Didn't you know? Some call you the Nameless Hero."
What stupid names—who came up with those?
"Just call me Hero like everyone else," I said, though I hated that name too.
I gave him the gold coin, and he started looking in the cash drawer.
"Henry!" the café owner called one of the employees.
"Yes, sir."
The owner gave Henry the coin and said, "Six copper coins."
Henry closed his hands over the coin and split it into eight copper coins and two smaller copper coins.
We left the café, and I looked at Noah. "Is that an ability?"
"I mean currency exchange, yes."
"What type?"
"It's the common type."
"What's the difference between types?"
"Well, there are three main types: Common, Rare, and Legendary.
Common is the most useful and safe because it relates to daily tasks like blacksmithing, cooking, and others.
Rare types have either weak or strong combat abilities but are hard to develop, unlike Legendary, which is powerful and develops quickly."
"I see. Are there any secondary types?"
"Actually, just one—the Mythical type."
"Mythical?"
"Some higher beings may grant humans the ability to change so they become embodiments of those beings. The more the ability develops, the more the embodiment resembles the higher being."
I suddenly remembered Ragnar, who became the embodiment of the White Tiger Pai Ho.
"Who exactly are the higher beings?"
"It's hard to explain. They're like Zeus and Odin. Wait, you won't know them by their names. Let me think..."
"No need to explain. I got it. Let's focus on the important part now."
We reached an isolated area outside the village.
"I'll start your training now, here."
"Okay, thank you," he said, showing happiness mixed with some regret.
"Give me your hand," I said, extending mine.
"Why?"
"Do as I say."
Noah extended his hand, and I began reading his past.
I saw everything: his failures, regrets, happiness, and sadness.
The times he spent with the villagers, the food they shared, the sorrow and anger from the gang, the grief of separation, and the shame caused by repeated losses. I lived it all in a moment as if it were years, and that's why I hate this ability.
"Hero, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Alright, let's start the training."
"Yes, I'm ready," he said, his eyes shining with determination. Then he looked at Noah again and asked, "But what exactly should I do?" while rubbing his head.
"Just wrap your mind with mana," I said, carrying Mary and ready for any emergency.
Noah tried to wrap his mind with mana but failed.
"This is hard. How do you do it?"
I climbed up a tree and placed Mary there. "Don't worry, you'll be able to do it, just trust yourself." I paused a bit and then said, "We won't leave this place until you're strong."
*******
Two hours passed and Mary woke up.
"You finally woke up," I said standing beside her.
"Where are we?" she asked, looking around.
"The place where we'll train the Second Chosen," I said, pointing toward Noah.
"Isn't that the guy who was getting beaten?"
"Yes."
"What about the girl?"
I didn't answer and kept staring at Noah from afar.
Mary understood why I was silent and said, "...You should have let me intervene. I could have saved her." Her voice was full of regret and sadness.
"We don't know the strength of the gang and their leader," I said quietly. "And I promised your mother I wouldn't let you die."
"How can a gang defeat the Vice Captain of the knights?" she said, anger on her face.
"Are you sure we can handle a whole gang alone?"
"Yes, yes I can."
"How can you be sure when you haven't even seen their strength?"
She fell silent. I looked at her and she continued, "You're my companion. You're important to me… and the same goes for Noah."
I spent weeks training Noah. We took breaks between sessions for eating, sleeping, or even shopping.
During breaks, I would prepare food for my companions. I heated the pans I had recently bought, cooked eggs with vegetables, stirred them for three minutes, then added rice and mixed it all. Finally, I added salt.
After finishing, I served the dish to Mary and Noah.
"Hey, this is the same way Reika used to cook," Noah said, surprised and a little skeptical.
"Really, what a coincidence."
"How did you learn it?" Mary asked.
"Let's just say I have my ways."
Mary looked at Noah and said, "Tell me, will you come after we deal with the gang?"
"Of course, it's an honor to be the Second Chosen."
"Glad to have you join us."
"He hasn't joined yet," I said while eating.
"But he said he would come."
"Only if he defeats the gang. We won't intervene in his fight."
I looked at Noah who nodded in understanding. "I'll do my best."
*******
Training continued for five weeks.
We headed to the village, and as soon as we arrived, the first thing we saw was some gang members stealing money.
"By the way, why didn't the kingdom intervene to protect the villagers?" Mary asked curiously.
Noah replied with regret, "There's a civil war in the kingdom," as he stepped forward toward one of the gang members.
The man was different — not the one with the tattoo but another man.
Noah reached out and firmly grabbed the man's shoulder. The man turned with a sly smile on his face, then whispered,
"Oh… Noah, I thought you'd chickened out and ran away."
The man pulled away from Noah's grip. Noah punched him in the face, but… Noah wasn't affected.
The man's eyes filled with terror, but Noah looked at him with determination.
Noah returned the punch to the man's stomach, knocking him to the ground unconscious.
People stared in amazement at Noah, who had knocked the man down with a single punch.
"Is everyone okay?" Mary asked, and the people nodded in agreement.
I looked behind us and saw two gang members pulling out a strange device, something like a walkie-talkie.
"What's that?"
"It's a walkie-talkie for communication. We used it during the monster waves, remember?" Mary said, folding her arms.
So the device carries the same name as in other worlds.
"Should we let them call the rest of the gang?" Noah asked.
"Of course not, we have to defeat their leader."
"Hey, are you planning to defeat the gang leader?" asked a villager, imagining the village's destruction because of us.
I answered, "Not us, him," pointing toward Noah.
Not long after, a group of 36 people approached us, led by three individuals.
"Didn't they overdo it bringing so many just to kill one person?" Mary joked about their numbers.
"They want to scare the villagers so they won't interfere again," I said, taking a sip of tea.
Mary noticed the tea in my hand and frowned. "Hey, when did you bring tea?"
The man at the front stepped forward and looked at one of his gang members. In a serious voice, he said,
"Who hit him?"
I pointed at Noah, who also stepped forward without fear.
The bald man to the left whispered to his leader, "Does he really think he can defeat us all alone?"
"He can't. But the one drinking tea can."
I slowly raised my hand and cracked my fingers.
A wave exploded behind me, fierce and wild, carrying screams, dust, and flying bodies.
The three in front stood stunned, and the others… none remained in their place.
I turned to Noah and Mary.
"This is the most I can do… the rest is up to you."
I looked at the villagers, then at the fallen gang members, and resumed sipping my tea.
Mary drew her sword while the gang leader pulled a huge, heavy hammer from his back. At the same time, the bald man pulled out a metal rod, and the man on the right grabbed a spear.
Noah activated his ability, his body coated with a hardened material—his "Hardening" power.
Noah charged at the leader, but the leader transformed his upper body into a bull-like creature and raised his hammer to attack.
Noah didn't falter or stop; he continued and threw the leader away.
The spear wielder tried to attack Noah from behind, but Mary cut off the attack.
Soon, the fight was Noah against the gang leader, and Mary against the bald man and the spear wielder.
The leader struck the ground, raising huge rocks, then grabbed them and hurled them at Noah. Noah slipped under the rocks and punched the leader under his jaw.
Suddenly, screams echoed around. One of the rocks nearly hit a villager.
"Someone's under the rock, help me get him out!" said the man we met when we first entered the village.
"Hey, I'm here!" shouted the man as I grabbed him by the collar, then let him fall to the ground.
At the moment the rock was about to crush him, I released the tea's power, turning it into lightning and pushed the rock away. I grabbed the tea again before anyone noticed.
"Don't worry, I'll protect the villagers, so focus on the fight," I said, watching Noah get hit in the back by the leader.
"You shouldn't turn your back on your enemy," I said, sipping my tea while saving villagers from time to time.
The memories of that girl, Reika, made me feel something for these villagers… and I hated it.
Mary struggled to fend off attacks from the bald man and the spear wielder, using flames as both shield and offense.
The bald man used his ability, golden arrows forming above him, forcing Mary to retreat. Meanwhile, the spear wielder stabbed the ground, and roots sprouted, binding Mary in place.
She cut through them quickly, but time was running out and the arrows were about to pierce her. I prepared to intervene but stopped when I saw the scene.
Noah stood in front of Mary with his hardened body, protecting her. I smiled happily and kept watching.
"Are you okay?" Mary asked worriedly.
"Yes, what about you?" Noah replied, turning to continue the fight.
"I'm fine, thank you." Mary said.
They worked together. Noah charged at the spear wielder, who dodged and tried to counterattack his right side while the bald man attacked him from the right. Suddenly—
Mary's sword pierced the spear wielder's chest while Noah grabbed the bald man's neck. The leader tried to attack Mary with an overhead hammer strike, but Noah caught the hammer before it reached her.
Mary tried to strike the leader's neck, but he dropped the hammer and retreated.
Noah knocked the bald man to the ground, knocking him unconscious, then turned to face the leader. He grabbed the hammer, lifted it onto his shoulder, and stood next to Mary, who ignited flames around herself.
"Noah, let's finish this."
Noah nodded and advanced.
The leader charged past Noah toward Mary, trying to hit her with his horns, but Mary rolled under his legs and quickly cut his tendons.
The leader looked at them in horror and tried to crawl away, but it was too late. Noah was already in front of him. He raised the hammer and with great speed and power slammed it on the leader's head. The hammer shattered, as did the gang's authority.
Noah looked at me with a bright smile. "Mission accomplished."
Afterwards, all the gang members were captured and imprisoned. After all the thanks and celebrations, we hurriedly left to continue our journey.
I glanced once more at the village, a place I hold memories of though I never lived there. Then I looked at the Hero's sword—its second gem had been completed and placed in its spot.
Suddenly, time stopped around me. Mary and Noah, who were walking ahead, froze.
["End Writer."] a voice echoed from the sword, revealing the reason behind everything happening.
"Sir Great Writer, what's wrong?"
["Most End Writers before you in this world have gathered all the Chosen by now, but you've only gathered two so far."]
"I don't see what the problem is."
["It's not a problem, just… curiosity."]
"There's no rush. I'm convincing the Chosen to come with me, not forcing them."
["You could've just killed them if they refused or were weak."]
"You chose them to be my companions, and I trust your choice."
I paused, then added, "Besides, this isn't my way."