Leon Yuuki had always been an ordinary boy—or so he had thought. One moment, he had been walking home from school, headphones in his ears, lost in the mundane rhythm of life. The next, he found himself standing in a grand, but ruined throne room, a hundred eyes staring at him with desperate hope.
The king, an aged man clad in regal but battle-worn robes, stood from his throne. His face bore the weight of countless struggles, his eyes sunken from sleepless nights.
"Hero," the king spoke, his voice filled with unshaken resolve. "You are the chosen one, summoned by the sacred ritual to bring salvation to our land."
Leon's mind reeled. He wanted to believe this was a dream, a hallucination. Yet, the air smelled of blood and fire, and the pain in his head from the summoning ritual was all too real.
"I… don't understand." His voice was hoarse, uncertain. "Why me?"
A knight, clad in armor stained with blood, stepped forward. "Because we need a saviour. The Demon Lord and her armies march upon our lands. If nothing is done, our people will be slaughtered, our kingdom reduced to ash."
Leon clenched his fists. None of this made sense. He was no hero. He was just an ordinary high school student. But as he looked around, he saw the hopelessness in their eyes. The silent plea. The yearning for salvation.
The king stepped forward, placing a trembling hand on Leon's shoulder. "You may not believe in yourself, but we believe in you."
A katana was presented to him, its blade forged in an obsidian sheen, its edge lined with silver. The hilt bore intricate engravings of forgotten legends, its presence exuding a quiet but overwhelming power. A weapon of hero's past, imbued with the strength to cut through darkness.
Leon hesitated. Taking that blade meant accepting this world, accepting this fate. But what choice did he have? If he refused, the kingdom would fall, and with it, countless innocent lives.
Taking a deep breath, he reached out, grasping the hilt. The moment his fingers wrapped around the cool silk binding, a surge of power flowed through him. Images flashed through his mind—battles, bloodshed, and the weight of responsibility.
"This blade chooses only those willing to fight," the knight murmured. "Are you willing, Hero?"
Leon exhaled slowly. He had no idea what awaited him, no clue what hardships he would face. But if he had been given this power, then perhaps… he could use it to protect.
He lifted the katana, its balance perfect yet heavier than he expected.
"I don't know if I'm the hero you need," Leon admitted, "but I'll fight."
The soldiers knelt, their expressions a mix of relief and admiration. For the first time in years, hope had returned to the kingdom.
Leon Yuuki had taken his first step on the path of a hero.
A path paved with sacrifice, blood, and betrayal.
The doors to the throne room burst open. A wounded soldier staggered in, blood spilling from a deep wound in his side.
"Your Majesty," the man gasped, falling to one knee. "The southern wall… it's been breached. The Demon Lord's forces are here."
The air turned tense. The knights around Leon immediately gripped their weapons, their eyes burning with determination.
The king turned to Leon, his expression grim. "Hero, your trial begins now. Will you fight?"
Leon swallowed hard. He had never wielded a weapon before, never been in a real fight. But there was no time to hesitate. He tightened his grip on the katana and nodded. "I will."
The knight who had first spoken to him stepped forward. "Then come, Hero. Let us see if the blade has truly chosen you."
Leon followed them out of the throne room, stepping into a world bathed in fire and war.
The battlefield was chaos. Flames roared in the distance as screams echoed in every direction. Eldoria's soldiers clashed with monstrous beings—demons with twisted forms and glowing eyes. Leon's heart pounded in his chest.
A demon lunged at him.
He barely had time to react. Instinct took over as he swung the katana. The blade sliced through flesh, hot blood splattering onto his face. The creature let out a gurgled shriek before collapsing.
Leon stood frozen. His hands trembled, his breath ragged. He had just killed someone—or something. The weight of it crashed down on him, nausea twisting his stomach. The battlefield blurred around him.
"Focus!" The knight shouted, blocking a strike meant for Leon. "You hesitate, you die!"
Leon gritted his teeth. He had no choice but to keep fighting. Another demon rushed at him. This time, he struck without thinking, cutting through it. Again and again, he fought, his body moving before his mind could process it.
His vision swam. The smell of blood overwhelmed him. The screams drilled into his skull. He had never felt so hollow.
Then, pain. A blade pierced his side.
Leon gasped, his knees buckling. A demon loomed over him, its jagged weapon still embedded in his flesh. He tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. His strength was draining fast. Was this how he would die? Just moments after taking up the sword?
Before the final blow could land, a knight tackled the demon away. "Stay with us, Hero!"
Leon's vision darkened, his body slumping to the blood-soaked ground.
The last thing he saw before unconsciousness took him was the endless sky, covered in smoke and fire.