Many people firmly believe in the notion that "Persistence beats talent." This saying encourages those without inherent skills, pushing them to excel. But what happens when talent is combined with hard work?

At the entrance of the petite village of Sofiya, a boy in his sixteenth year emerged. Known as Anesidora, but affectionately called Dora, he was a striking figure. His silver-gray hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his visage carried an alluring femininity.

Clad in a sleek, black tracksuit paired with lightweight athletic pants, he bore a sizable bag brimming with medicinal flora on his shoulders. As he ventured closer to the bustling village market, the merchants manning vibrant stalls paused to watch his arrival.

"He's here, look! Hey, Dora, how much are you selling those plants for? I want all your stock."

The young man stopped, his expression surprised.

"... Really? Finally! So... Huh... I just want to get rid of it quickly. Wait, what does that mean?"

Hearing the shopkeepers laugh, he realized they were teasing him. His serene expression shifted to mild bitterness.

"Each leaf is worth 1,000 lyre. There are 1,682 plants total with several different leaves. I'll send the invoice to your weird daughter who can't count."

"Oi, brat, who are you calling weird?"

The shopkeeper's companions burst into laughter as they restrained him, thoroughly enjoying his embarrassment.

"Hahaha, calm down, Mr. Rohn. You know he's like that; it's just between friends."

"Friend? That brat is my daughter's age! He owes me respect!"

"I can't respect someone who owes me money. But I like you and your daughter. She can't count, you can't read, you're the ultimate combo."

Laughter erupted as Rohn, held back by the other salesmen, attempted to lunge at Dora. This amusing exchange seemed to be a common occurrence.

Anesidora was a valued emissary in the village, part of the esteemed team Shining Sword. He played a vital role in safeguarding the town and was praised for his humility and friendly demeanor.

His dedication to helping others had earned him widespread respect, establishing him as a beloved member of the community.

"If only his mouth were as noble as his heart," one merchant muttered as Dora walked away. "He's a great boy, but I wouldn't trust him with my kids. Too unpredictable!"

"By the way, what's the deal with what he's carrying? You said it would be wood or rocks."

"Huh? You don't know? Ah, yeah, you're usually out hunting at this hour. You see, this kid leaves the village every day. Nobody knows where he goes, but on the big market's opening day each week, he shows up with a weird bag of goods no one wants to buy."

"How come? Does he need money? He's an emissary, right? He should be loaded."

"Not that kind of emissary. He's still E-rank. At that level, he probably earns less in a month than the rest of us."

"Ah, that's weird. With all the talk about him and his team, I thought he was a big shot."

"Nah, Dora's just an average emissary. But the leader of his team, Leon, he's the real deal."

Dora was part of Shining Sword, an assault group led by Leon, a hero-branch emissary famed for his exceptional strength and daring exploits.

The team's seven members boasted unique skills and personalities.

Leon was their brave leader. Erick, his loyal companion, was a cunning thief. Sana, a serene and captivating monk, brought balance.

Marie, the silent puppeteer, remained composed. Morgiana, an honorable spearwoman, was formidable. Lilith, though small, possessed sharp wit and immense power as a warrior. Lastly, Dora specialized in debuffs and mystical talents.

The group served as the village's primary protectors, standing against Rifts and the menacing creatures that threatened the town. Their skills often outshone the city guards, earning them a reputation as heroes.

Dora "accidentally" dropped his bag of plants in Rohn's garden before heading to an old wooden house near the village entrance, the headquarters of Shining Sword. Once a grain storage for peasants, the house had been transformed into a beautifully renovated base, magically decorated by Dora himself.

Entering through the rear door, Dora found his comrades gathered with expressions of discontent. Leon sat silently in his chair, and it was Lilith who finally broke the tension.

"Unbelievable! Where have you been all this time? We had a meeting 30 minutes ago!"

Dora walked to a mini fridge, ignoring her outburst.

"What don't you understand about me being unavailable in the morning? Nobody disturbs your 40-minute holy baths, so respect other people's time."

"What?! You... You idiot! You're wrong here, and you dare insult me?"

"Oh, okay. So you call 'holy' an insult? Poor Sana."

Sana stifled a chuckle but quickly regained composure. Lilith, red-faced with anger, grabbed her hammer, a weapon twice her size.

"The only holy you'll get is a holy beating if you keep testing me!"

"Little one, put that down before someone gets hurt."

"What did you say?"

Sensitive about her size, Lilith advanced, unwittingly giving Dora his opening.

"Ah? Your ears are too small to hear? Should I try short sentences?"

As she prepared to strike, Dora concealed one hand behind his back, extending the other in a poised, sword-finger gesture. Standing tall and composed, he braced for the attack.

"Enough!" Leon's loud command startled them both. Lilith's hammer clattered to the floor, and she nervously twiddled her fingers. Dora calmly lowered his arms, unfazed.

"It's your fault... stupid," Lilith muttered, pouting as if on the verge of tears.

"It's your fault too, stupid," Dora replied, playfully attempting to pat her head. She swatted his hand away, visibly irritated.

Despite their frequent bickering, the two shared a complicated friendship. However, Lilith had grown colder toward Dora since he began dating Sana.

Leon sighed deeply.

"Dora, we agreed we wouldn't call you in the morning. But between you and me, is this behavior worthy of an emissary?"

"Depending on the situation, Leon, I don't need to change my routine if there's no threat. The Rift won't open for three more days, will it?"

"Is that really how you think? Just because there's time, you're ignoring team instructions?"

"We had a deal when we started this team, Leon. You're the one stepping out of bounds now."

"Watch your mouth!" Erick shouted.

Leon held up a hand to silence him, then sighed again.

"Dora, you're right. But since you're so confident, I think you'll have no problem with what we decided. Come in."

The restroom door creaked open, revealing a stunning girl with long white hair cascading down her back. Her piercing blue eyes sparkled, and she wore lightweight armor that accentuated her slender frame. Moving with confidence, she left a trail of sweet-smelling perfume.

Leon smiled.

"Allow me to introduce Liliana, your replacement."

Dora's gaze shifted to his companions. Most looked concerned. Sana kept her head down. Lilith gazed irritably out the window. Marie toyed with a stuffed animal, her expression unreadable. Only Morgiana and Erick met his eyes directly. The young girl curtsied gracefully.

"I am honored to meet you, Sir Anesidora."

"What... what does that mean?"

Leon's laughter echoed.

"I'm doing you a favor, Dora. Shining Sword aims to be the best emissary team in the world. To progress quickly, we can't waste time in this village. As a hero, I have a duty to help the world. As a leader, I must carry our team to the top."

"I understand that," Dora said, "but why replace me? We've always worked as a team."

Erick laughed harshly.

"Don't you see the need? What exactly have you been doing all this time? Do you think we can't succeed without your debuff?"

"AH! Shut up! Look at this."

Erick unsheathed his dagger and focused his energy, causing a vibrant purple aura to envelop his weapon.

"Is it..."

"Yes, it's, 'poison skill', from the black snake the last time."

Dora grasped the situation immediately. Erick was part of the rogue branch known for stealth attacks and debuffs. The key distinction between an assassin and his evolved form was the strength of their attacks.

However, there was a problem. In order to excel globally, they had to excel in their respective fields. So, why would he willingly limit himself by avoiding strong attacks as an assassin and instead concentrate on weakening abilities like a shaman?

"You see? Now that I also have a debuff, what use are you now? You were useless before but now you're just pathetic."

Dora's eyes narrowed, the answer coming as simply as this.

"... It looks useless because the monsters and rifts around the village are low-level, when you meet more powerful opponents, you will see my usefulness!"

His eyes implored my comrades to reconsider, a passionate fire lighting up his gaze and revealing unspoken emotions. When Morgiana spoke next, the tension in the room grew palpable.

"Helpful? You've been asked for weeks to hunt monsters from your branch and improve your skills, but you always refuse, you said your ridiculous magic tricks were better right? Why do you change your mind now?"

"I... I was just..."

"Can't explain yourself? Better stay quiet, you're a disappointing."

Shoulders hunched, face contorted in sadness. Liliana went up to him and gently held his hand.

"Please everyone, this is not what we agreed on. I've heard what you did with and for everyone and I don't want to cause the destruction of such a great bond. We decided to have a sort of test, and depending on the result, we will keep you."

Not knowing how to handle the moment, his mind was filled with different thoughts, and he made a quick grimace.

"A test? To let me stay on the team? You're serious?"

"Yes, the latest rift level rating is down, its dangerousness is officially E-rank, and some teams are on their way from nearby towns to deal with it, which means if Shining Sword manages to stop the Rift, we will be a recognized E-rank team."

Rifts were known as massive vortexes leading to an alternate dimension. In order to prevent the release of dangerous monsters, emissary teams from various global organizations were given the urgent task of neutralizing them within a five-day timeframe.

As he observed the teams, Dora shook his head, his gaze filled with an indescribable emotion far from his previous guilt.

"... Great... So generous... But then... If it's officially E-rank, I should be useful, it's the time to show our full power... But you were willing to get rid of me?"

Lilith let out a frustrated sigh.

"We told you that you just had to do the raid well, stop whining and go train, we agreed to give you 2 days."

"... No... I understand you all, It's true that I hampered the team for too long, I wanted to do my best but it's clear that I don't have my place. You must get rid of me."

All eyes were on him this time, with Sana appearing shocked.

"W-what are you saying? We said You just have to do better in the next raid, please, it's time to get serious."

"I am, You're right, I'm not trying to play the victim, I understand that I'm a burden on you. As an avatar, it takes too much effort for me to get stronger, I'm just going to slow you down, and it's true that my habit of only gaining ridiculous powers for my own satisfaction is an insult to your name."

A soft chuckle escaped Marie's lips, which she promptly disguised with a cough. Lilith, with a slight tremble, moved ahead.

"Stop this right now! Just apologize and go do some training you idiot!"

Dora put a hand on his chest.

"Lilith, it's pointless. He's nothing like before, if he doesn't even want to try, I refuse to keep teaming up with him." Morgiana's tone was icy as she stated it.

Liliana grabbed his hand again, a pleading look on the face.

"Please, sir Anesidora... Everyone is a little tense so don't do that, please, I'll help you train."

Just then, Leon put a bag on the table.

"Well, that will make our job easier. Here is an indemnity for your services rendered for Shining Sword, since it is decided that you can leave now, you are officially free."

He motioned towards Erick, who grabbed the bag and tossed it in Dora's direction, but it landed too far away for him to reach, but suddenly, the bag vanished and reappeared in his hand without any movement on his part.

"Well, so it's been an honor to work with all of you and… Huh? It's not money, there's rocks and papers in it!"

Erick let out a chuckle while Leon sighed, and it didn't take long to realize that it was intentional. However, judging by the slightly astonished expressions on everyone else's faces, it was clear that they were unaware of the situation.

The thief rubbed his nose with a grin.

"Look closely, there are a few coins inside. Of course, we had to remove some fee for accommodation, food, celebrations for Liliana's arrival..."

"What?!" The girl exclaimed.

Dora, dangerously too calm, let his smile fade away.

"... So you're stealing from me too?"

"It's not a robbery, this money comes from the work of the team, and since you are deemed useless you don't deserve more than that."

"... Okay, but then, we can agree that it's a theft, you take what belongs to me."

"So what? If you have something against it, come take it." He said, pointing his dagger at him.

The tension in the air was palpable as Erick and Dora's complicated relationship mirrored that of water and fire. Among emissaries, brandishing a weapon at another was a direct challenge, especially when the person's identity only fueled the conflict further.

Even Marie seemed on edge this time. As they stood face to face, Dora was about to speak when a sudden slap jolted him back to the present.

"... Sana?"