Author's Corner: First side story/bio and only one for now. Others later if you guys want them (hence the poll).

Legend

" " = people talking

italics = people thinking

* * = sounds

' ' = people talking within telepathy

CAPS = Power usage

Book 2: Chapter 2.5: A Hiro’s Journey

As we sit here meditating and trying to find our mana core, I think about my life up to this point. All my life I have been told by my father that I was special and going to do something great. It wasn’t the normal father son pep talk, no he was dead serious and even gave me the needed information to be great. When I was five he told me I was the next one of the Yuusha clan that will become a hero and that is why I was named Hiro. I told him I didn’t understand and he just mumbled something about superheroes changing the balance and how I may be the last hero or some such.

I was only five at the time so was completely clueless as to what he meant. As I grew older he kept saying the same general theme and one day I finally asked him if there was something I needed to learn. If I was some great hero and maybe the last of my line then don’t I need to know how to fight? When he heard this he simply laughed and gave him a book and said to read it and later I will understand.

The book was a simple book that read like an rpg spell book. It described an entire sword style that used a single katana, it even had all the footwork and other techniques one might need if they were using a katana. But the book was a total joke! It talked about techniques that combined the power of Light with the power of Fire to create Soulfire, the ultimate weapon against evil. Since the book was interesting I read the whole thing, of course I was waiting for the game that came with it so I could choose this holy samurai class and use the techniques to thwart evil.

I never truly understood my father or the things he said, but I will never forget his teachings. He taught me to always be a hero and to be righteous no matter what! It was because of this that I got the nickname Righteous Hero as no matter what I would fight for righteousness and even though I was physically weak and not too tall, bullies still would leave me alone when I accosted them for their evils. I was told it had to do with my eyes, the piercing gaze in them was too righteous they would say, whatever that means.

Growing up I only had two friends, Aya and Hina. Aya was my next door neighbor and had the cool beauty that went with the quiet hero that would take no nonsense from anyone, especially evil. Hina was… well she was always around. At least for as long as I can remember she was always there near me and Aya and quiet. For years she never said anything but we always counted her as a friend since she was always there. Eventually she started to talk more and was instantly accepted and our trio became even more inseparable. Being part of the gang she also started to gain some hero tendencies only she was more of the quiet assassin type that would destroy evil in the shadows while not ever talking about it. On the outside to others she seemed like death as she literally would only talk to me and Aya and gave everyone else the stink eye. But we knew she was just shy and didn’t want to be bothered.

Eventually even I thought something was wrong with this world as after reading history books things were never so crazy before superheroes started fighting supervillains and werewolves, vampires, and witches started terrorizing the streets. It’s funny how the news only focuses on what happens in the west, as if their problems were just so large the no one else mattered. In Japan it was much worse! Sure we had the same heroes vs villains situation, only we didn’t have the simple things like werewolves or vampires or even witches. No we had things that were so terrifying that they couldn’t make the nightly news or no one would sleep.

From Oni, to Youkai to the simple Kitsune, you name it, it existed and slowly started to claim territory in the small islands of Japan. It’s funny how movies tried to sensationalize what was going on in life and make it all seem like us normals were safe. I recall the western movie called The Blair Witch Project and how it was made to be real with homemade cameras and other stuff. No one cared much since real or not, it wasn’t that bad or even scary. Even the Paranormal Activity movies were fake and just meant to make money… odd that no one talked about The Grudge. Sure the footage was good but that is only because of the fancy cameras all around the house that the movie was in. But the movie was real! Just think about that the next time you watch that movie, as not much is scarier than that shit.

It was because of these things that I started to pay more attention to my father and even make sure to read up on all the different things that walk the night. It was weird though when all of a sudden I had the urge to visit the old abandoned building behind our school. It was after club activities and I told Aya and Hina that I had to go there and that I wasn’t sure why. Finding one of the most famous superheroes was not on the menu, neither is what happened next.

Once I woke up and saw we were in a different world it started to click all the information my father told me. That night Aya and Hina snuck into my room and told me their feelings. It seems I was an idiot not to realize that they both were in love with me, but I accepted them anyways and even promised to marry them both once this situation was over. That night was very interesting to say the least. I woke up with a lot more confidence than usual. I also told them again about all the stuff my father told me about my clan and growing up and how it all makes sense now.

But it wasn’t until training today that I really understood what was going on.

*DING*

Skill Unlocked: Sword Mastery

*DING*

Conditions met.

Affinity Unlocked: Fire

Affinity Unlocked: Soulfire

Skills Unlocked: Fire Mastery, Soulfire Mastery

Skill Upgraded: Sword Mastery to Soulfire Sword Mastery

All these messages came up after I swung my sword one time. Then all the knowledge in the book started to make sense, well at least up to level 1. But if the Princess is correct then all I need to do is kill a few creatures and max out my skills to fully understand them. Eventually I learned how to find my core and manipulate mana and control mana with the help of the Light Orb spell. Odd that a level 1 Soulfire spell called Soulfire Enchant showed up in my skill list even without anyone teaching it to me. I remember it from the book so I guess it is something I already learned so it was just given to me when I met the requirements. This made me wonder what Aya and Hina got since they clearly were destined to be summoned with me as the hero never goes alone.

That night after training we went to our room to compare notes.

“So girls what did you two learn? When I learned sword mastery it unlocked fire and Soulfire masteries and a new sword style that I can’t wait to try out once we go killing.” –Me

“After I learned sword mastery it unlocked water and holy ice masteries. I even got some spells without doing anything… but it’s almost like I already knew them though, oh well it will make sense once we level up I guess.” –Aya

“Once I learned dual dagger mastery I unlocked darkness and balance masteries. When I looked up balance it has to do with life and death and is a rare mixture of light and dark.” –Hina

“Great news, well let’s show off our status and skill windows before bed. Show status and skills to all.” –Me

*DING*

STATUS WINDOW!Name:Yuusha HiroAge:17Race:HumanAlignment:NeutralLevel:1Mana:10000Titles:Hero, Righteous HeroStrength:100Vitality:100Dexterity:100Concentration:100Intelligence:100Wisdom:100Unlocked Affinities:Light, Fire, Soulfire

SKILL LIST!

Active Skills:None[table]Passive Skills:Light Spell Mastery (Level 1)

Fire Spell Mastery (level 1)

Soulfire Spell Mastery (level 1)

Magic Mastery (level 1)

Mana Manipulation (level 1)

Mana Control (level 1)

Soulfire Sword Mastery (level 1)

“Me next! Show status and skills to all!” –Aya

*DING*

STATUS WINDOW!Name:Rei AyaAge:17Race:HumanAlignment:NeutralLevel:1Mana:10000Titles:Hero, KuudereStrength:100Vitality:100Dexterity:100Concentration:100Intelligence:100Wisdom:100Unlocked Affinities:Light, Water, Holy Ice

SKILL LIST!

Active Skills:None[table]Passive Skills:Light Spell Mastery (Level 1)

Water Spell Mastery (level 1)

Holy Ice Spell Mastery (level 1)

Magic Mastery (level 1)

Mana Manipulation (level 1)

Mana Control (level 1)

Holy Ice Sword Mastery (level 1)

“S show status and skills to all.” –Hina

*DING*

STATUS WINDOW!Name:Hyu HinaAge:16Race:HumanAlignment:NeutralLevel:1Mana:10000Titles:Hero, DandereStrength:100Vitality:100Dexterity:100Concentration:100Intelligence:100Wisdom:100Unlocked Affinities:Light, Dark, Balance

SKILL LIST!

Active Skills:None[table]Passive Skills:Light Spell Mastery (Level 1)

Dark Spell Mastery (level 1)

Balance Spell Mastery (level 1)

Magic Mastery (level 1)

Mana Manipulation (level 1)

Mana Control (level 1)

Balancer Dual Dagger Mastery (level 1)

“Hey it looks like our mana cores stabilized enough for our mana to shoot up. If we can get it to 100,000 and level up to 200 then we will have a chance to defeat the evil that plagues this land!” –Me

“Yes, so long as you let Nick get the final blow as we promised. And we won’t take no for an answer!” –Aya

“Of course! It was agreed and I never go back on my word.” –Me

Especially when going back on my word will get me gutted. And with that we went to sleep… Well we did other stuff first, but eventually sleep came or was that the sun that came first…

___

Real chapters start back up again tomorrow! Just some backstory on the hero of this arc since it would be boring with just a villain.