A hero is always praised for his good deeds. Rare is he condemned or judged for doing something he is tasked with, most especially when the mission comes from a higher authority such as the Emperor himself.
Regardless of whether he wants it or not, the hero is expected to come.
Because a hero never surrenders, he never gives up, and most of all, he never turns his back on people.
"Hero, the princess has been captured! Go and save her!"
"Hero, General is in need of help. Hurry and assist him!"
"Hero, the villagers are dying! Quick, find the remedy!"
"Hero, the dragons are attacking the town! Quick, kill them all!"
"Hero! We need you!"
"Hero!"
"Hero!"
"Hero!"
Hiroki's blades were used, slashing to and fro, magic pouring out of his core as he appeared and disappeared into the wind. In swift movements, he flew up high and landed smoothly to give the enemies his attacks. Cold sweat covered his back but he remained focused, his eyes only following each and every movement of the monsters before him.
It had always been the same.
In every world, in every task, there will always be obstacles while reaching the end of his goal. In most cases, they were in the form of beasts. In different sizes, shapes, and appearances, bad or good looking, pungent or odorless - nonetheless, a monster would appear on Hiroki's way and would try to stop him reach his goal. And the more he killed a monster, the stronger he became.
The more blood that spilled, the more powerful his core became.
Monsters.
His world and life had always been filled with nothing but monsters.
That was why, when Hiroki woke up and found himself in what looked to be a new realm he hadn't been and seen before - Hiroki's first instinct was to find the monster blocking his way.
His mind didn't choose to halt and analyze, only quickly trying to move to a defensive position.
Just then, his eyes found a small creature standing near him.
It was a girl with her hair tied up into two on each side, her stature looking to be many years younger than Hiroki himself.
She stared at Hiroki in awe, her eyes clear and bright, almost sparkling as they went wide and shone, her small lips opening, "Whoa... It is really Hiro-kun...!"
Hiroki was stunned. This girl... Was she perhaps, an elf? Did Hiroki enter the demonic elf realm by accident? She called Hiroki's name just now... Did she know he was coming here after all?
"Mama! Mama! Hiro-kun is awake!" the little elf exclaimed, her voice sweet and soft despite being a monster.
Hiroki stayed still, silently observing her movements.
The elf girl who rose with a strange warm light like the sun around her, jumped down from the bed, running outside and calling out for what seemed to be her mother. "Mama! Hiro-kun is awake! Come see him, Mama!"
A demonic elf with a mother? That can't be right...
Hiroki's eyes swept across the room, slowly taking and sensing his surroundings.
It was then he finally realized he wasn't in the elf realm.
He looked further around, finding himself in what seemed to be a room with four walls and a window that was neither too big nor too small. The walls and ceilings were all painted white. There was also furniture like a table and a chair; the table was filled with papers and books while on the chair, there sat what seemed to be a purse.
His eyes went over further, finding some paintings on the walls - ones that left him speechless for a bit. Those paintings, weren't they too clear and detailed?
Hiroki slowly lowered his head next, eyes falling to the bed he was in and the clothes he was wearing. This... wasn't his usual clothes. Did that little girl take them away?
Then he looked at his hands, freezing as soon as he did.
These pair of hands still looked like his own, except, the calluses were gone.
He blinked.
Then he froze.
They truly weren't there anymore.
"Hiro-kun? How do you feel? Do you feel hurt anywhere?" Another voice of a woman came, suddenly. She entered the room with a white towel in her hands.
Hiroki tried to move then but found his body was unable to. Somehow, this body felt too weak and soft.
He remained on the bed as the newly arrived woman sat on the side of the bed. "Hiro-kun? Let me check if you really feel better now." She looked at Hiroki with a worried expression, her hand extending as if trying to touch Hiroki's forehead.
An unfamiliar scent hit Hiroki's nostrils as the woman's skin touched his. It almost brought him to the time she visited a town full of women -- all of whom treated him with gentleness and kindness.
Surely, this woman wasn't a monster. Anything but a monster.
The woman seemed to be pleased, the worry in her eyes fading as she smiled and sighed in relief. "Thank goodness, your fever has gone down. Do you want anything to eat for dinner? I'll head to the market later."
Dinner... At the mention of food, Hiroki felt his stomach rumble. He indeed felt like eating.
"... Bread," he softly said.
The woman, gentle and soft-looking like a beautiful villager Hiroki had met before, paused. It took a whole minute for her to finally react with a soft chuckle. A soft smile was on her face as she looked at Hiroki, "I see. Bread it is then. Don't move around too much yet and just rest. I'll call you once dinner is ready."
Hiroki blinked, not saying anything as he watched the woman turned around and leave.
Hmm... Did he say something wrong? He wondered why that gentle-looking woman suddenly laugh.
Hiroki had always preferred to eat bread over anything after all. As a person who was always called and tasked to do something, he always did things fast - be it slaying monsters or eating breakfast. Naturally, it became a routine to eat bread over meat, a simple soup over a huge meal.
Wasn't that what these people in this world eat too?
Suddenly, Hiroki froze.
It began to dawn on him.
This world... What was this world exactly?
Where was he exactly?
Finally alone himself, Hiroki forced himself to move. He walked up to the mirror that was being hit by the rays of morning sunlight a little earlier and stood in front of it.
It was still him.
His face, hair, voice -- everything was similar to how he used to be. Except, this body felt a lot weaker and softer. And for some reason, he also couldn't feel his spirit core anymore.
"I want to stop slaying monsters."
He suddenly remembered what he said to God.
God... Did God really grant Hiroki's wish?
If so, was he really in a world with less physical violence and more 'internal conflicts' as God said back then?
A world with internal conflicts... Hiroki wondered what were those things mean.
Once they appeared, would Hiroki be able to face them?
A sigh escaped Hiroki's lips. Unclear bridges in illusions remained to be unclear bridges no matter how one would try to see them in full view.
He shut his eyes and calmed his nerves down. It was even more fruitless to fight a monster that hasn't made himself visible yet.
Deciding not to worry about the future yet, he looked at his body -- thin and fragile as it stood near the window. First, he had to make sure this body wouldn't die soon. At the very least, if this world was indeed the place God had chosen for him to stay in, he should take care of it.
Planet Earth... That was what this place was called, right?
Hiroki turned to look at the window, finding a blue butterfly that had landed on it.
Just then, a cool and soft breeze passed by and entered the window, making the white blinds hanging by flutter gently. The little butterfly moved, flying up and away.
Hiroki's gaze slightly softened. He lowered his head slightly, just and respectful as he had ever been.
Nice to meet you, Earth.