One by one the balls began to shine. Zuru gets a green glow, Adred gets a yellow glow, and Amiru gets a red glow. Only Sakamoto got nothing.
"W-Why! Why! Why!" With a deep sense of disappointment Sakamoto gripped his wrist tightly while closing his eyes.
Cracks!!!
Suddenly a cracking sound was heard, the sound startled everyone. Nazren rushed over to check what was going on.
"This…!" Nazren's eyes widened in shock after seeing the magic ball shattered right above Sakamoto's palm.
Everyone wondered what made the ball shatter like from being gripped firmly by Sakamoto.
"Eh...?" Sakamoto became confused as to why the ball was destroyed. Even though he didn't do anything.
"Hmmm…." Aaron growled sharply at Sakamoto. "This must be a bad sign!"
Sakamoto lowered his head withered, he didn't understand what was wrong with him.
"Enough!" Nazren opened his voice after everyone had obtained their magic power.
They gathered again to listen to Nazren's words.
"After seeing what you guys did, I can conclude that the four of you have a special element. The element is still very weak. Tomorrow you will be doing exercises in the great outdoors. You will be tested to defeat monsters. The bigger you beat the monsters, your level will increase! That way, when the demon army comes you can defeat it."
Everyone had happy faces apart from Sakamoto. His fists clenched tightly as a form of anger towards himself.
***
The day seemed very slow, after that practice. Sakamoto fell silent on the bench. The others were enjoying the food in the palace.
Meanwhile, he was ignored. Sakamoto wanted to curse himself, but his mouth couldn't say a word.
Inside the room Nazren, Vilion, and Aaron were having a discussion.
"What do you think Mr Nazren?" Vilion wanted Nazren to admit that he had wrongly assumed that Sakamoto still had hope.
Nazren was silent, there was nothing he could say.
"OK!" Aaron chose to speak up. "Nazren, I appreciate your efforts to prove that this young man can be turned into hope. However, according to legend only four heroes can be summoned, and now that five people have appeared, that is not a good sign." He explained in a tone that sounded very wise.
"Yeah, I feel like that too. I don't understand why something like this happened. I firmly believe that when I perform the ritual nothing goes wrong." Nazren admitted his mistake, his eyes lowered in regret.
"Are you sure that none of this was an accident?" Vilion denies that what happened, may have been an intentional act by Nazren.
Nazren stared intently at Vilion. "Are you saying that I am incompetent in carrying out the task that King Aaron has given me?"
His face lifted slightly then said, "If that's the case what do you want to say? The fact that it happened you brought up five men even though it was very clearly stated that only four people could be considered a hero." Vilion used a haughty tone when conveying his opinion.
"I never intended to bring up five boys. And all of this is beyond my knowledge!" Nazren explained using an annoyed tone.
"Enough!" Aaron spoke again to quell the debate between the two of them. "We can't always bring up the past! But, you must remember Nazren that this incident is entirely your responsibility. We have to solve this mistake immediately so that it doesn't reach the public's ears. This will definitely be a great opportunity for the enemy to take immediate countermeasures, it could be that that boy is a spy sent to destroy this kingdom!" Aaron tried to think of all the possibilities.
The opponent he was currently facing was too formidable to the point where bad thoughts kept creeping into his brain.
The discussion closed with an agreement that Sakamoto would be locked up in prison.
Sakamoto didn't complain or answer as the soldiers carried him. The people in the palace looked at him with astonished gazes, some stared with hatred. Symbols of threat and destruction had already begun to spread in the palace.
"I don't know why I feel sorry for him when he also comes from a world like us!" said Adred.
The other four boys looked at Sakamoto.
"It can't be helped, it all depends on each other's luck. He has had bad luck that can't be erased and this is proof of that!" Amiru felt that there was nothing to worry about, actually he just wanted to say that he was very happy not in Sakamoto's position.
***
Sakamoto sat with eyes that lacked the will to live. His eyes were fixed on the cold floor which would not restore his spirits at all.
"Why am I going through all this?" He still questions about fate's decision that feels very unfair. "Do I really not deserve to live?"
The light of life dimmed, then a day passed.
The four men who were already considered heroes began to continue their training.
That one day they get a lot of EXP, they quickly level up. Meanwhile, Sakamoto was silent in the cold iron bars.
A bowl of food is put in a cage. Sakamoto didn't see the food at all. For him there is no hope for him to stay alive.
"Let me die! I think I should have died, there's no need for me to continue living in this cruel world!"
Sakamoto continued that activity, until 1 month ended.
His body became very thin, his eyes were not at all like a living creature.
On that day an unexpected visit occurred. Some soldiers came and they entered the prison room.
"Get up! Today you will get special training!"
Sakamoto still thought it was all a joke. Unexpectedly he was brought to a room where on the table there was a bowl filled with food. Sakamoto hesitated to eat the food, but after one of the soldiers said that it was food for him then Sakamoto dared to eat it.
He devoured the food very voraciously, it had been a long time since he had had a proper meal. While in prison, only stale food was given with water gravy. The nutrients in his body are drastically reduced.
His face still didn't look good, but it was more than enough to get him to practice in the wild.
With five soldiers devoted to escorting him. Sakamoto is taken into the forest until he meets a weak monster.
Sakamoto tried to finish off the monster shaped like an insect. Some of the wounds he got and experience was also obtained.
Sakamoto became happy, he continued to be led until he arrived at an area near a cliff below which there was a swift river flowing.
"Uh? Why are we looking for that monster here?" Surprised Sakamoto saw absolutely no sign that the area was occupied by monsters.
When Sakamoto looked at the five soldiers, they were looking at him with grinning eyes.
___To Be Continued__