In the shadowed depths of the transcendent planes, where light dared not tread, a foreboding presence loomed. This dark side of the realm, a twisted counterpart to the heavenly transcendent realm, served as the dominion of Kamiel, the fallen angel. His throne, an imposing structure of jagged black stone, emanated an aura of malevolence. The air itself seemed to shiver in his presence, heavy with the weight of his dark power.
Kamiel lounged on his throne, a sinister smirk playing on his lips as he gazed into the crystal ball before him. The orb's surface shimmered with images from across the realms, capturing moments of joy, fear, triumph, and despair. His eyes, cold and calculating, focused intently on one particular scene—Mark, the young hero, practicing his newfound abilities.
A dark figure, clad in tattered robes, approached the throne and knelt before Kamiel. "My lord," the figure spoke in a raspy whisper, "I have news of the boy."
Kamiel's smirk widened. "Speak," he commanded, his voice a low, chilling echo that reverberated through the cavernous hall.
"The boy grows stronger each day. He has recently defeated an S-rank chimera and has garnered attention from the royal family of Altheria. They are sending their princess to find him."
Kamiel's eyes glinted with interest. "Ah, the princess... How delightful. This is a perfect opportunity."
The robed figure continued, "There is also a chance to corrupt something near the kingdom, to sow discord and weaken their defenses. Perhaps a sacred grove or a revered shrine?"
Kamiel pondered for a moment, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest of his throne. "Yes, the sacred grove of the Altherian forest. It is a place of great power and significance to those mortals. Corrupting it will not only undermine their morale but also draw the boy into our grasp."
He leaned forward, his gaze piercing through the crystal ball. "Mark grows more intriguing by the day. His potential is vast, yet untapped. If we cannot destroy him, perhaps we can corrupt him, bend him to our will."
The robed figure bowed deeply. "As you command, my lord. I will see to it that the grove is corrupted and that whispers of the deed reach the princess and her entourage."
Kamiel reclined back on his throne, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Good. Soon, the realms will tremble, and all will fall into darkness."
The figure retreated into the shadows, leaving Kamiel alone with his dark thoughts. As he continued to watch Mark through the crystal ball, a new scheme began to take shape in his mind, one that would test the young hero's resolve and potentially bring him to his knees.
In the murky silence of his dark dominion, Kamiel's laughter echoed, a sound devoid of mirth and filled with ominous intent. The game had begun, and the stakes had never been higher.
Mark's perspective
Back at our home base, the early morning sun cast a warm glow over the courtyard. Things were pretty lively—well, more like chaotic—because Kai was chasing me around like a madman. He was red-faced and shouting, while I was laughing my head off.
"Mark, you little pervert! I'm gonna kill you!" Kai yelled, his voice a mix of embarrassment and fury. Yeah, I had maybe gone a bit too far by cutting all his shorts in a way that left very little to the imagination. But hey, it was hilarious!
"Hey, you should be thanking me! Now everyone can appreciate your... assets," I called back, dodging around a tree.
Kai turned an even deeper shade of red. "I don't want anyone appreciating my assets!"
On the sidelines, Eryn was watching with a bemused expression. At first, he found the whole situation hilarious. I mean, who wouldn't? But after a while, the constant running and shouting started to get on his nerves.
"Alright, enough is enough," Eryn muttered, stepping forward. "You two, knock it off!"
But I was too busy evading Kai, and Kai was too busy trying to catch me to pay any attention. Eryn sighed, and I knew he was about to take more drastic measures. Suddenly, a wall of vines shot up from the ground, cutting off my escape route.
"Whoa, Eryn, that's a bit much, don't you think?" I skidded to a halt, caught by surprise.
Kai seized the opportunity and tackled me to the ground. "Gotcha!" he said triumphantly, still clearly embarrassed.
Eryn walked over, shaking his head. "You two are impossible. Can we please have some peace and quiet now?"
Grinning up at him from the ground, I wasn't bothered at all. "Sure thing, Eryn. Just having a bit of fun."
Kai, still sitting on me, huffed. "Your idea of fun is warped, you know that?"
I laughed, shrugging. "Hey, you gotta admit, it was kinda funny."
Eryn helped Kai off me and gave us both a stern look. "Let's all try to act like adults for the rest of the day, okay?"
Rubbing my shoulder where Kai had tackled me, I nodded. "Alright, alright. No more pranks for now."
Kai, still a bit miffed but starting to see the humor, added, "Yeah, and no more funny business with my clothes, got it?"
Holding up my hands in surrender, I grinned. "Got it. No more messing with your wardrobe."
As we finally settled down, the peaceful morning resumed. The air was filled with the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the breeze. Despite the earlier chaos, there was a sense of camaraderie hanging in the air, a bond that had only grown stronger through our shared experiences and my relentless humor. It felt good.
After the chaos finally settled, Kai crossed his arms and glared at me. "Mark, fix my clothes. Now."
I rolled my eyes. "Can't you just do that yourself? I'm not the one who cut them off in the first place."
Kai huffed. "I don't care. You did the damage, you fix it."
Eryn sighed and gave me a pleading look. "Mark, just do it for Kai, please."
"Fine, fine," I muttered. With a snap of my fingers, I repaired all of Kai's clothes, making them look as good as new. "There, happy now?"
Kai examined his clothes and gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah, but that still doesn't cut it. You owe me a proper apology."
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, we're going to battle to make up for this," Kai declared, his eyes glinting with determination.
"Why battle?" I asked, feeling a bit exasperated. "Can't we just, I don't know, hug it out or something?"
Kai shook his head. "Nope. A battle is the only way to settle this."
I looked over at Eryn, who just shrugged. "Hey, if it helps him get over it, why not?"
I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. "Alright, fine. Let's do this."
After the chaos finally settled, Kai crossed his arms and glared at me. "Mark, fix my clothes. Now."
I rolled my eyes. "Can't you just do that yourself? I'm not the one who cut them off in the first place."
Kai huffed. "I don't care. You did the damage, you fix it."
Eryn sighed and gave me a pleading look. "Mark, just do it for Kai, please."
"Fine, fine," I muttered. With a snap of my fingers, I repaired all of Kai's clothes, making them look as good as new. "There, happy now?"
Kai examined his clothes and gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah, but that still doesn't cut it. You owe me a proper apology."
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, we're going to battle to make up for this," Kai declared, his eyes glinting with determination.
"Why battle?" I asked, feeling a bit exasperated. "Can't we just, I don't know, hug it out or something?"
Kai shook his head. "Nope. A battle is the only way to settle this."
I looked over at Eryn, who just shrugged. "Hey, if it helps him get over it, why not?"
I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. "Alright, fine. Let's do this."
Eryn smacked the back of my head. "I don't want to hear anything more about this idea," he said, giving me a stern look.
"Ow, okay, okay, I get it," I muttered, rubbing the spot where he hit me. "No more arenas."
Kai chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's just head to the guild and see if there are any new quests. We've had enough excitement for today."
"Fine, fine," I agreed, still feeling the sting of Eryn's slap. "Let's go see what trouble we can get into next."
With that, we headed off to the guild, ready for whatever adventures awaited us.
We teleported into Moonshadow, expecting the usual hustle and bustle, but it was weirdly quiet. As we headed toward the guild, I heard these royal horns blaring. I looked at Kai. "Uh, what's with the horns?"
Kai's eyes got big. "That's the royal horns. The princess must be here."
Princess? I didn't even know there was royalty around here, but I guess that makes sense. Eryn just looked annoyed, not caring much as usual. We followed the sound and saw a crowd gathered in the town square.
"Attention, Moonshadow!" a herald shouted. "The princess approaches!"
And then she appeared, surrounded by knights and guards. The crowd split, and I got my first look at her: all regal and commanding. Definitely intimidating. She stepped forward and made an announcement. "Hello, Moonshadow! I am here looking for your hero."
People around us started murmuring. "Jarvis is in prison," someone said.
The princess waved that off. "I'm not talking about Jarvis. I'm talking about the legendary hero who scored an S rank and defeated the Chimera."
Kai smirked. "What do you mean, he's not the only one that defeated the Chimera. We helped too."
Eryn nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't just him."
The crowd buzzed with whispers, eyes darting towards us. I couldn't help but feel a rush. This trip to the guild was turning out way more interesting than I thought.
I awkwardly stepped forward. "Um, I think you're looking for me, if you're not mistaken."
The princess looked at me, clearly shocked. "But you're just a mere child."
I gave her a smirk. "Hold on, Princess. I'm pretty sure we're the same age, so you don't get to pull the 'child' card on me."
The crowd gasped. One of the royal knights stepped forward, fuming. "You dare speak to our princess this way? I'll have your head!"
The princess raised her hand. "Enough. It seems you have quite a mouth, young hero. And about the legendary part?"
I shrugged. "I don't think I've done enough to be a legend. I've only been adventuring for, like, three or four weeks? I don't even know how long it's been."
The princess looked intrigued, maybe even a bit impressed. "Well, you certainly have confidence. What's your name?"
"Mark," I replied. "And these are my friends, Kai and Eryn."
The princess nodded, taking us all in. The crowd was still buzzing with whispers, clearly not expecting this kind of interaction. This day was definitely turning out to be way more interesting than any guild quest.
The princess looked me up and down, trying to come to terms with the idea that I might actually be the hero. "There's only one way to prove it," she said.
She called out to one of her legendary knights. "Knight Captain, come forward."
The greatest knight in the kingdom stepped up, towering over me. The dude was built like a tank and had an aura that screamed 'badass.'
"To prove you're the hero, you must face our Knight Captain in combat," the princess announced.
I glanced at Kai and Eryn, who both looked a bit worried but also intrigued. I sighed. "Alright, let's do this."
The knight captain drew his sword and got into a fighting stance. The crowd fell silent, all eyes on us. This was my chance to show them what I was made of.
"Ready when you are, Captain," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
This was going to be intense.
The captain drew his sword and pointed it at me. "Dear hero, my name is Captain Algris III. I am the best swordsman known to this kingdom. What say you?"
I looked at him, feeling the weight of everyone's gaze on me. "So, a sword fight it is," I said, trying to sound confident.
I shrugged and then materialized a golden sword out of nowhere. Everyone around us was in awe, and I could hear a collective "ooooh" from the crowd. I pointed the sword at Captain Algris and said, jokingly, "On guard!"
A referee stepped forward and started the countdown. "Three… two… one… fight!"
We lunged at each other, our swords clashing at lightning speed. The air crackled with the energy of our blows. Ava's voice chimed in my head, "Moveset copied."
I grinned, using my lightning speed to mimic and outmaneuver Captain Algris. I chopped at his sword, disarming him, then shattered his armor with a series of precise strikes. Finally, I did a flip kick, sending him spinning to the ground, thoroughly defeated.
Everyone paused for what felt like ten seconds before erupting into applause. The princess was in shock. Everybody from the royal guard was shocked. The entire crowd was just shocked. Captain Algris sat on the ground, completely stunned. The best knight in the kingdom, destroyed in not even twenty minutes, not even ten minutes—five seconds. Just five seconds.
The princess was still in shock, her mouth hanging open. I turned to look at Kai and Eryn, who were just standing there, completely unfazed. They'd been expecting this, and their calmness just made the whole scene even more surreal.
I pointed my sword at the princess. "Believe me now?"
The princess, still in shock, managed to compose herself. "It appears you were not lying. However, to truly verify your claim as the hero, we must also test your companions. For a hero is only as strong as those who stand beside him."
I frowned. "What does this have to do with them?"
Kai and Eryn stepped forward. "Hold on, Mark. Let's hear her out."
The princess nodded gracefully. "Your companions must prove their mettle by facing our two finest battle wizards and a contingent of knights. Only then can we truly ascertain your group's worthiness."
The two wizards and knights stepped forward, taking their positions to battle Kai and Eryn. It was two against five, which would normally seem unfair, but Kai and Eryn didn't seem fazed.
Kai smirked. "I'll take the knights. Eryn, you handle the wizards."
Eryn nodded and began his attack. He created a swarm of flowers that spread out, disrupting the flow of mana and dampening the wizards' powers. With a swift combination of wind and earth magic, he knocked the wizards off balance, sending them sprawling.
Meanwhile, Kai transformed into his half-formed Kitsune state, two tails flickering behind him. With blinding speed, he darted through the knights, knocking them off their feet. His movements were a blur as he created a magical force, whipping them into a small tornado. With a series of precise punches and kicks, he sent the knights crashing to the ground.
The crowd watched in stunned silence, their best warriors bested in moments.
After Kai and Eryn bested the best warriors with such ease, the princess was in shock. She couldn't speak for a moment, her eyes wide with disbelief. The crowd began to applaud, the sound filling the air. I looked at the princess with a smug expression.
"Your Highness, I believe your men are nothing compared to us," I said, not trying to be too smug, but just stating the facts.
The princess's face twisted with anger. "How dare you say my men are nothing! These are the best warriors around!"
"And yet, we just took them down," I replied, holding my ground. "So my statement still stands."
The crowd gasped at my boldness, whispering among themselves about how freely I was taunting the princess.
In a final attempt to show off, I summoned my golden flames, letting them swirl around me in a dazzling light. The flames formed into all kinds of shapes before taking the form of a majestic phoenix that blazed across the sky, launching a bunch of fireworks. The crowd watched in awe, their eyes wide with amazement.
The princess's eyes widened as she stared at the golden flames. "This young man possesses the golden flame?" she whispered to herself, her mind racing. "How is this possible?"
I smirked, reading her expression. "Let me guess, Your Highness, you're trying to figure out how I possess these golden flames. Yeah, they're apparently a big deal. So, there's your proof. What do you want?"
With no other choice left but to fully accept my hero status, Princess Alara stepped down from the carrier throne and approached me. She executed a courteous bow, introducing herself with a regal air, "I am Princess Alara of Altheria, the second princess of the Altheria Kingdom."
I nodded, trying to match her formality. "Pleasure to meet you, Princess."
As she straightened up, I took a closer look at her. Up close, she was strikingly beautiful, and I felt my face heat up. She seemed to notice and blushed slightly herself, but quickly composed herself. Clearing her throat, she continued, "We have been searching for you for the past two weeks due to the growing threat of the dark magic mist that has been enveloping this land. Monsters have become corrupted, people have fallen ill, and we are in desperate need of a hero."
Hearing her speak of the dark magic mist triggered a memory. I thought back to my deal with Isa, remembering why I had been reincarnated into this world in the first place. This was it. The connection between my purpose and the current crisis became clear.
I gave a teasing smirk, "So, princess, what took you so long to find me? I thought royalty had better resources."
Princess Alara's eyes narrowed, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "We had to be certain. A hero's reputation is not built on hearsay."
Kai and Erendor chimed in, sensing the gravity of the situation. "We understand the urgency," Kai said. "We'll do everything we can to help."
Erendor nodded in agreement. "The corruption must be stopped."
With that settled, we followed Princess Alara through the kingdom, exploring the bustling market square and the impressive palace grounds. The grandeur of the palace was overwhelming, with its white marble walls and intricate gold accents.
As we walked through the palace, we were introduced to various members of the court. Captain Argyris, the knight I had defeated, was there, still recovering from his earlier humiliation. He gave a respectful nod, acknowledging my victory. Lady Evelyn, a renowned sorceress, and Lord Victor, the king's trusted advisor, also greeted us.
Despite the formal introductions, the relationship between me and the princess remained tense. She kept her distance, maintaining a professional demeanor, and I couldn't shake the feeling that she was still skeptical about my abilities.
Later in the afternoon, as we were exploring the palace grounds, a sudden commotion drew our attention. Shouts and cries echoed through the courtyard, and we rushed to see what was happening.
We arrived at the scene to find a sacred stream, its once pure waters now tainted with a dark, swirling mist. A creature, once a majestic stag, had drunk from the corrupted waters and was now transformed into a monstrous, twisted version of itself. Its eyes glowed with a sinister light, and it bellowed a horrifying roar before charging toward the palace.
Without hesitation, we sprang into action. Kai transformed into his two-tailed Kitsune form, using his blinding speed to distract the creature. Erendor summoned a wall of vines and earth to block its path, attempting to contain the beast.
"Mark, we need to purify the stream!" Erendor shouted, struggling to maintain the barrier.
Ava's voice echoed in my mind. "Mark, use the golden flames. They have purifying properties."
I summoned the golden flames, feeling their warmth and power surge through me. Just as I was about to direct the flames toward the corrupted stream, the creature let out another horrifying roar, breaking through Erendor's barrier and charging straight at us.
The courtyard erupted into chaos. Princess Alara and her guards tried to protect the palace, but it was clear they were overwhelmed.
As the creature bore down on us, I raised my hand, ready to unleash the golden flames. But before I could act, a blinding light enveloped the entire area, freezing everyone in their tracks.
The light receded, and a powerful, enigmatic figure stood between us and the creature, casting a long shadow over the battlefield.
"Who... who is that?" Princess Alara whispered, her eyes wide with fear and awe.
I had no answer. The figure turned slowly, revealing a face shrouded in mystery and power.
"Prepare yourselves," the figure said in a voice that echoed with authority. "The real battle is about to begin."