The man in black armor led me out of the hall. He didn't grab or drag me; he simply asked me to follow him.
There was no aggression, no force. I think they don't want to treat me poorly just because of my lack of talent—or at least I hope that's the case.
"I don't think I've introduced myself to you yet, have I? Or to the others," the man said, still looking ahead. His voice remained firm, with no hesitation.
"…No," I replied cautiously.
"Hm, I am Ison. I'm the General of the Royal Army that serves the royalty directly. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said. A general? I guess that was to be expected, right? After all, he had been accompanying the king ever since we were summoned.
We continued down the long palace corridor, where Ison escorted me to a door far from the hall where I had been summoned.
He opened the door, revealing a mystical and dark chamber. In its center was a glowing purple magic circle surrounded by four pillars.
"Stand in the center," Ison ordered. His voice carried authority, intimidating me. I hesitated, scared by the commanding tone of this trained soldier before me, but in the end, I obeyed.
Slowly, I walked to the middle of the magic circle, which began to glow brighter. That purple light emanating from the circle started to engulf me.
"Don't take it personally, young one," Ison said as a contemptuous grin began to creep onto his face. "We just don't want trash among the heroes! HAHAHAHA!!" He began laughing maniacally.
"WHAT?! WAIT, WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" I screamed in panic as that energy rapidly consumed my body. Suddenly, I found myself in what appeared to be ruins.
I was still trembling, so much so that I lost control of my legs and collapsed to the ground.
I was alone, in an unfamiliar world, in an unknown place. I had been abandoned…
"DAMN IT!!! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO ME?!" I screamed, desperate, biting my lips in rage as tears of loneliness streamed down my face.
"IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY! SAKURAI, THAT DAMN PRESIDENT, I NEVER ASKED FOR THEIR PITY!!!" I kept shouting, trying to expel the disgust swelling in my chest.
"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" I pounded the stone floor relentlessly, my fists bleeding from the injuries.
Little did I know that screaming in an unfamiliar place could have dire consequences.
The door behind me creaked open slowly, revealing the light from outside. However, a shadow obscured that light.
From my vantage point, it looked like a person. But when I turned, hopeful to see someone, something else awaited me.
It looked vaguely human, but massive horns covered its face, its skin was scaled, and its dark eyes stared at me like the abyss itself.
I screamed, panicking as I ran deeper into the structure where I had found myself, seeking refuge in a basement. The creature followed me, emitting maniacal noises as if enjoying my terror.
I ran.
I ran.
I ran.
Until I found myself in a basement where a strange statue stood at the center of an unfamiliar symbol etched into the floor. The creature was still on my trail, but worse yet, two others had joined it. Their horns were different, but they shared the same mocking laughter.
'I can help you, young one…' a melodic voice echoed from the statue, calling to me. 'Embrace me, young one, and I will grant you incomprehensible power…' it continued.
I was inexplicably drawn to it, compelled to join with it. And that power it mentioned—I needed it. I needed to survive.
Without hesitation, I ran toward the statue and embraced it, even as the creatures continued laughing and closing in on me.
The moment I touched the statue, I felt immediate relief, as if it were embracing me back. But that wasn't the case. The statue began to express pain, begging me to release it, saying that this wasn't how things were meant to be.
Its final words were, 'Let me go, human!! Someone like you isn't supposed to be protected by such a being!!!' it screamed inside me as the statue vanished, and the magic circle was absorbed into my body.
At that moment, I felt… reborn, enhanced. I felt… unstoppable.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in my mind—my own voice. It said:
"Haruto Tanaka. Supreme Hero of Destruction. 777% talent."
The message I delivered to myself changed my life. I began laughing with joy. Finally, finally, I could take revenge on those who had looked down on me. After all, now I was the strongest.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!" I laughed, my voice resonating throughout the ruins and the surrounding area.
The creatures that had been pursuing me looked confused, but now they understood—I was no longer just prey.
Turning to face them, my old school uniform began to transform. It became a cloak with golden engravings and a white shirt with a high collar. The gold symbolized my ascension to something greater, to divinity, while the white shirt signified that I was no longer the same person.
Raising my hand slightly toward the three creatures, as if guided by instinct, a golden lotus began to form in front of me.
And only two words escaped my lips.
"Infinite Lotus."
The lotus slowly began to engulf the three creatures, as well as the entire structure of the place.
From the outside, all that could be seen was an enormous golden lotus consuming everything around it. Its mystical aura demonstrated its unparalleled power.
As it slowly receded back to where it had been summoned, shrinking in size in the process, nothing remained. No structure, no creatures—only me, sitting on a stone platform beneath it.
"…" I waved the lotus around, trying to understand what it was.
"Now… Sakurai, Ison, Sougo, you'll all pay for underestimating me," I swore to myself as I stood up and slowly began walking to the other side of the crater.
Even outside that area, the trees were all toppled, shattered into pieces. The animals were no longer there, and I was sure any monsters had been purified just like those strange creatures.
'I guess I should try to understand more about this power I obtained… Supreme Hero of Destruction? That's a title I deserve…'
According to my instincts, the golden lotus represented destruction and rebirth—summarizing its powers. Its destructive capacity was immense, capable of evaporating mountains, while its sustaining ability was equally matched, capable of healing even the gravest injuries. And something deep inside me told me this was just the beginning, that there was more beyond these powers.
Looking eastward, the Golden Lotus moved closer to my left eye, enhancing my vision to see farther. It revealed the nearest city to where I was.
'An elven city?' I gazed through the Lotus, spotting a massive tree with houses built into its trunk. I'd say this tree was the size of a skyscraper.
'If I'm heading there, I'll have to be careful. I don't know if humans are on good terms with elves. Either way, it's probably the only place I can go for now.'
Placing moderate force into my feet, I leapt through the forest, heading towards the great tree.