Rei wandered aimlessly through the forest, his hands stuffed in his pockets. The dense canopy overhead filtered the sunlight into scattered patches, creating a serene atmosphere—at least until a distant rumble shattered the tranquility.
The earth shook, birds scattered, and a plume of smoke rose over the treetops.
"Great," Rei muttered. "Another problem for me to deal with. Can't the gods take a hint already?"
Following the disturbance, Rei emerged from the forest to find a small town under attack. Massive, armored boars with glowing red eyes charged through the streets, demolishing stalls and buildings as panicked townsfolk fled in every direction.
At the center of the chaos, a young woman with fiery red hair stood defiantly, wielding a rusty sword. She slashed at one of the boars, but the blade barely scratched its thick hide.
"Fall back, Sylvia!" an older man shouted, but the woman refused to budge.
"I won't let them destroy my home!" she yelled, lunging at another boar.
Rei sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Guess I should do something before she gets herself killed."
He stepped into the fray, raising a hand toward the nearest boar. "Denied."
The boar froze mid-charge, its red eyes dimming before its entire body dissolved into a cloud of harmless sparks. The remaining boars skidded to a halt, their glowing eyes flickering as if confused.
The red-haired woman turned to Rei, her expression a mix of relief and confusion. "Who are you?"
"Just a guy passing through," Rei said. He gestured to the rest of the boars. "Denied."
The remaining creatures vanished one by one, leaving behind nothing but silence.
The townsfolk slowly emerged from their hiding places, murmuring in disbelief.
Sylvia approached Rei, still clutching her rusty sword. "You... you saved us. How did you do that?"
Rei shrugged. "It's a long story. Let's just say I have a talent for making problems disappear."
Before Sylvia could press further, the older man who had called out earlier stepped forward. "Young man, you have our gratitude. Please, come to the tavern. The least we can do is offer you a meal."
Rei's stomach growled at the mention of food. "Fine. But no long speeches, okay?"
The tavern was warm and lively, filled with the smell of roasted meat and freshly baked bread. Rei sat at a corner table, quietly munching on a loaf while the townsfolk crowded around him, bombarding him with questions.
"Are you a hero?"
"Where did you come from?"
"Are you here to save us from the Demon King?"
Rei sighed and waved them off. "I'm not a hero, okay? I just happened to be in the area."
Sylvia, now sitting across from him, frowned. "You may not want to admit it, but you are a hero. Those boars would have destroyed the town if not for you."
"Yeah, well, I didn't do it for you," Rei said. "I just don't like unnecessary noise."
Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "Then why are you here? You clearly have the power to do anything you want. So why not use it to help people?"
Rei paused, staring at his bread. "Because it's a hassle."
"A hassle?" Sylvia slammed her hand on the table, making him jump. "Do you have any idea how many people would kill for the kind of power you have? To protect their families, their homes—"
"I deny that," Rei said, cutting her off.
Sylvia blinked, confused. "What—"
"I deny your anger," Rei continued. "I get it, okay? You're mad because your town got attacked, and I showed up with a cheat code that makes everything easy. But yelling at me won't change anything."
Sylvia opened her mouth to argue but found herself strangely calm. Rei's words had somehow erased her frustration, leaving only a quiet sense of resolve.
"Fine," she said, sitting back down. "But if you're going to stick around, you're going to help."
Rei groaned. "I didn't say I was sticking around."
"You owe us," Sylvia shot back. "You destroyed the boars, but their rampage left half the town in ruins. The least you can do is help us rebuild."
Rei stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. "Fine. But only because I don't have anywhere else to go right now."
Rei spent the next few days reluctantly helping the townsfolk rebuild. With his powers, the work was quick and easy—denying structural damage, broken tools, and even exhaustion itself. But no matter how much he helped, the villagers continued to treat him like a hero, much to his annoyance.
Sylvia, meanwhile, seemed determined to keep him involved. She followed him everywhere, peppering him with questions about his past and his abilities.
"So, where are you from?" she asked one afternoon as Rei repaired a collapsed barn.
"Another world," Rei replied without looking up.
Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
"And how did you get here?"
Rei hesitated. "Let's just say the gods have a weird sense of humor."
Sylvia frowned. "If the gods sent you here, then that means you have a purpose. Maybe you're meant to—"
"Don't start with the 'chosen one' nonsense," Rei interrupted. "I'm not here to save the world. I just want to be left alone."
Sylvia crossed her arms. "You say that, but you've already saved this town. Like it or not, you're involved now."
Rei groaned. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"
Before Sylvia could respond, a loud crash echoed from the forest. The ground trembled as a massive figure emerged—another armored boar, larger and more menacing than the ones before.
The townsfolk screamed and scattered as the boar charged toward the village, its glowing red eyes locked on Rei.
Sylvia drew her sword and stepped in front of him. "Get back, Rei! I'll handle this!"
Rei sighed and waved her off. "Denied."
The boar froze mid-charge, its body trembling as if trying to resist.
Sylvia's eyes widened. "It's not vanishing!"
Rei frowned. "Huh. That's new."
The boar let out a deafening roar, shattering the denial like glass. Rei staggered back, genuinely surprised.
"What the hell is this thing?" he muttered.
Sylvia gritted her teeth. "It's the Demon King's minion. They're immune to normal magic!"
Rei narrowed his eyes. "Good thing I'm not normal magic."
The boar charged again, but this time, Rei stepped forward, his voice cold and commanding. "I deny your immunity."
The boar stopped dead in its tracks, its red eyes flickering out as its massive body dissolved into nothingness.
Sylvia stared at Rei in awe. "What are you?"
Rei dusted off his hands. "I'm the guy who keeps getting dragged into other people's problems. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a nap."
As he walked away, Sylvia couldn't help but smile. He might deny it, but Rei was starting to look like a real hero.