Chapter 2: The Three Sacred Heroes

The air in the room felt heavy, as if every breath added to the weight on my chest. I stared at the sword in my hand—and still couldn't believe what had just happened.

This morning I was just a kid. Wake up early, have a simple breakfast, play games for a while, and then read isekai novels for entertainment. And now?

I was standing in a giant magic circle, holding the holy sword that had just spoken inside my head.
Yes, talk.

I blinked, trying to calm down, but the cold voice still ringed faintly in my ears.

—You finally came.

I swallowed hard.

The brown-haired young man next to me—Isamu, if I heard it earlier—was also still staring at his crossbow with an expression of awe and fear.
"This... crazy," he muttered. "It's like coming straight out of an RPG game cutscene."

The bespectacled young man, Seichii, held his breath for a long time. "I don't even have physical strength. I... I'm not the right person for this..."

While the three of us were still busy with our respective panics, the man in the white robe with a long beard spoke again. Its heavy sound echoed through the stone wall, giving me goosebumps.

"I am Patriarch Valerius, the leader of the Great Church of Valoria. We are the ones who call you into this world."

I suddenly turned my head. "Calling... Us?"

"That's right." Valerius stuck his eucalyptus stick into the floor. The tip of the stick shimmered softly, scattering light particles in the air. "The kingdom of Valoria is on the verge of destruction. Monsters are raging, famine outbreaks are spreading, and the continent is on the verge of drowning in civil war."

He looked at us in turn. His gaze pierced, as if trying to read the contents of our souls.

"This world... need a savior."

My heart was pounding. Rescue? We?

"I'm just a student," Izuku said quickly, raising his hands. "I don't even have a driver's license, let alone a license to kill monsters."

Seichii nodded quickly, his face pale. "I... bookworm. I didn't even do ten push-ups."

I wanted to say the same thing too, but the words stuck in my throat. Partly because of fear, partly because... To be honest... There is a part of me that... For some reason I feel this is real. And it's scary.

Valerius smiled faintly, as if already guessing our reaction. "Holy Weapons don't choose arbitrarily. They appear only in souls deemed worthy by the Creator Goddess. Sword, Crossbow, and Staff... You have been bound to the destiny of this world."

I lowered my head, looking at my sword. A faint light surrounded the blade, but between the black carvings on the handle... It was as if there was a thin gray smoke creeping up slowly, barely visible.

—Bring ruin to this world.
The whisper rang out again, softly, almost like a cold breath right in my ears.

I stiffened. What... This sword just now told me to destroy the world?

My hand reflexively wanted to let go, but the sword seemed to stick to my skin. As soon as I tried to remove my grip, the sword disappeared into light and was absorbed into the back of my hand, leaving behind a faint circle-shaped symbol with three black stripes in the middle.

"What—!?" I gave a small squeak, jumping back.

"Calm down." Valerius raised his hand, calming down. "That's a sign of a contract. Your Holy Weapon will be stored in the soul space, and only you can summon it."

I turned quickly to Isamu and Seichii. They also looked shocked, staring at the backs of each other's hands—a different symbol glowing faintly on their skin.

"Whoa... "It's like a permanent tattoo," Isamu muttered quietly.

"A seal to be precise," Seichii corrected, adjusting his glasses with nervous movements. "It's kind of... dimensional storage. A high-level magic theory..."

He stopped talking as soon as he realized we were looking at him, then blushed." … Sorry. Reflex."

I took a deep breath, trying to think clearly. So... We are called to another world. Granted holy weapons. He is said to be a hero. Sounds like... The premise of the novel is too exaggerated. But with each passing second, this reality becomes harder to deny.

Valerius turned to one of the priests behind him. "Bring a map of the continent."

The priest lowered his head, then walked to the stone table at the side of the room and picked up a large scroll. He laid it out in the air, and instantly a giant holographic map appeared, hovering above the floor.

We all stared in amazement.

"This is your world now," Valerius said. "Four continents make up a large landmass: Valoria, the center of humanity; Uriel, the land of magic; Orion, the military empire; and Mystara, a hidden continent that has never been open to the outside world."

He pointed to the center of the map, a vast area of pale gold color. "This is where you stand now—the Kingdom of Valoria."

I swallowed saliva. The map features small icons: a skull symbol in a forest area, a fire symbol in a village, and a crossed sword symbol in a border town.

"All this... a dangerous area sign?" asked Seichii quietly.

"That's right. Monsters, rebels, plagues, even the destruction of nature. This world is dying," Valerius replied softly. "And only a Holy Hero can change that."

I wanted to laugh sarcastically, but no sound came out.
I? Save the world? I can't even cut an onion without crying.

Isamu crossed his arms, sighing loudly. "Okay... For example, we just believe all of this is real. What is the first step? Do you want us to slaughter dragons or something?"

Valerius smiled slightly. "No. You are still too weak. Even a goblin can kill you in the current state."

Ugh. It hurts, but it seems to be true.

"You will be given time to understand the Status System," he continued.

"Every Holy Hero has the ability to see their own stats, gain experience, and level up."

System... Status? Like in the game?

"Focus your thoughts and say 'Status' in your heart," said Valerius.

I hesitated, but obeyed his words. In my heart, I muttered: Status.

Instantly, a transparent window appeared in the air right before my eyes.

[Name: Takeshi Ryuu]
[Level: 1]
[HP: 110 | MP: 20 | SP: 45]
[ATK: 15 | DEF: 8 | MAG: 2 | RES: 3 | AGI: 12 | LCK: 5]
[Holy Weapon: Iron Holy Sword (Dormant)][
Soul Resonance: 0%]
[Willpower: 10]

My eyes widened. I-in... It's really like a game!

"Whoa...!" Isamu exclaimed next to me. "Crazy, there's a UI!"

"Stat... The real statistics..." Seichii muttered in amazement, but his hands were still trembling. "This means that we... really..."

"Really in another world," I cut softly.

There was a silence for a few seconds. Those words finally came out of one's mouth as well, and it made everything feel even more real.

Valerius nodded. "You will receive initial guidance from the kingdom. King Valoria wants to meet you tonight. After that, the basic training will begin."

I almost fainted when I heard it. "Meet the King? Tonight?

Isamu still looked shocked, while Seichii already looked like he was about to vomit.

Valerius patted his stick on the floor. The magic circle slowly faded, the blue light on the wall began to dim. "Take a break first. This is the beginning of your journey... but remember, the path of the Holy Heroes is always stained with blood and treachery."

I stiffened. The last sentence was spoken so flat, but it echoed like a threat.

Isamu looked at me, then at Seichii. "Okay... This is crazy. But... We're together, right?"

Seichii nodded softly, still pale. "It seems... Yes."

I took a deep breath. The sword inside my body felt a delicate throbbing, like a second heart that kept reminding me that all of this was real.

My footsteps echoed on the marble floor, every echo of his voice reminding me that this was not a dream. The magic circle behind us had already been extinguished, leaving the dungeon in the dim light of the torch.

Isamu walked beside me, his crossbow already sealed in his hand, but he still occasionally stared at the glowing symbols on his skin." Ini... really, yes..." He muttered softly, as if still trying to convince himself.

Seichii walked a little behind us. He held his glasses tightly, his face still pale. "I... I don't know if I should be happy or afraid."

"Both, perhaps," I replied shortly.

The spiral stone staircase took us to the top. Slowly, the humid air underground changed to a cool breeze that carried the scent of flowers. We stepped out into an inner courtyard—and my first glance froze instantly.

The blue sky stretches wide with no power lines or skyscrapers. Instead, white stone towers loomed in the distance, their roofs pointed and clad in red tiles. Along the cobblestone path, royal flags flutter, displaying the emblem of a golden-winged lion.

"We... Not really on Earth," whispered Isamu, his eyes widening.

Horse-drawn carriages passed on the main road, their wheels creaking on the cobblestone road. Turban-clad vendors offer greenish-purple fruits from their carts, while small children run after glowing butterflies.
The air was full of sounds: horse trots, bells, laughter, and flute songs played by street buskers.

I stood sculpting, almost forgetting to breathe.

In the midst of all that strangeness, I also realized something: the people out there—ordinary people—were staring at us.
Our clothes are still the casual clothes of the modern world. T-shirts, jeans, sneakers. In the middle of a medieval city like this, we look like aliens.

A guard chaplains exclaimed: "Don't stare too long. Follow us." The voice broke my daydream. The three of us obeyed.

We passed through a large gate guarded by dozens of fully armored knights. They bowed respectfully when they saw the seal symbol in our hands—and it made my stomach sick. They really believe we are... hero?

The Valoria Palace towers gracefully in the middle of the capital. The white walls glitter, the stained glass windows reflect the sunlight. There was a giant fountain in front of the main gate, the water forming the emblem of a winged lion as it fell—I don't know if it was magic or technology.

"I-this is like... "It's a medieval version of Disneyland," Isamu quipped.

"Disneyland is full of politics and potential death," Seichii said, his voice bitter.

We were taken through the palace courtyard, down the red-carpeted hallway, until we reached the side building called the Guest Wing. The building itself is luxurious, with marble columns and gold leaf carvings adorning the ceiling.

A young maid in a black-and-white uniform bowed respectfully. "Welcome, Your Majesty the Heroes. Your room has been prepared."

I was stunned.
Your Majesty?
This is the first time I've been called that. Usually it's just "woi" or "bro" with high school friends.

We were each escorted to a private room. My room was spacious—too spacious. There are white canopy beds, large carved closets, and even small balconies overlooking the garden. The scent of roses fills the air.

I stood stiff for a while, feeling like an intruder in the rich man's world. Then the door was knocked, and the same waiter came in with new clothes.

"This is the starting uniform for the Heroes," he said as he bowed. "Please change it before the hearing tonight."

The uniform was in the form of a long white shirt with gold stripes, black cloth pants, a leather belt, and a thin dark blue robe. Lightweight but elegant-looking.

I stared at him for a long time, then muttered, "God-level cosplay..."

After changing we were taken to the guest dining room. Isamu had already sat down first, looking awkward, while Seichii was busy examining spoons and plates like he was testing a laboratory.

Food was served—grilled meat, clear mushroom soup, warm bread, and red wine (which thankfully was replaced with fruit juice after we refused alcoholic beverages).

It... extraordinary. Either because it was delicious or because my stomach had been empty since the morning.

"I still can't believe all this," Isamu said while wiping his mouth. "I just wanted to watch anime this morning, and now I'm sitting in the palace eating steak."

"I want to sleep for five years and hope this is all just a hallucination," Seichii said grimly.

I didn't answer.

Partly because my mouth is full, partly because... There was a faint sound from my sword whispering in the corner of my mind.

—Don't believe them.

I shivered, hiding my hands under the table.

After the meal, we were given a break. I sat on the balcony of the room, looking out over the palace garden below. The servants walked back and forth, the knights patrolled the walls, and in the distance the sun began to set, painting the sky a golden orange. And as the sun was about to set, my door was knocked hard.

"Your Majesty, it's time for an audience," the bodyguard voiced from outside.

I straightened the body. My stomach immediately became nauseous again.

The three of us were gathered in the grand hallway of the palace. Everyone has changed into formal clothes: Isamu looks dashing in a dark blue robe embroidered with silver, while Seichii wears a long black coat with small crystal embroidery on his shoulders.

"I feel like a background NPC character who was suddenly thrown into the main cutscene," Isamu muttered.

"You're not the only one," I said softly.

The giant gold-plated door opened slowly, and the light from hundreds of crystal candles greeted us. The Throne Hall of the Kingdom of Valoria stretches majestically before us, its floor is shiny black marble, its walls decorated with paintings of previous kings.

At the end of the hall, on a stepped stage, sat King Valoria Arthur XII. A man in his fifties, his hair was silver-golden, his face was stern with a thin scar on his left cheek. She wore a simple gold crown and a deep red robe embroidered with gold.

Next to her sat Queen Serafina XII, a pale blonde woman with piercing blue eyes and a beautiful smile. too perfect. A smile that never really touched his eyes.

On either side of the hall, dozens of nobles stood in a row. The Dukes, Counts, and Viscounts looked at us as if they were judging merchandise.

The guard's voice echoed: "Offering... The Holy Heroes."

The three of us walked forward slowly. I felt my every step sound louder than my own heartbeat.

We stopped a few meters from the throne, then lowered our heads stiffly. I could feel the gaze of hundreds of eyes piercing my back.

King Arthur rose slowly from his throne. His voice was deep, thunderous but full of authority.

"Souls from other worlds... welcome to Valoria. The world stands on the edge of the abyss, and you—you are the hand chosen by the Creator Goddess to hold back the fall."

I was barely breathing. That sentence is too heavy to pin on a person who is still having trouble getting out of bed this morning.

"We... We'll try," I said quietly, almost in a whisper.

Isamu and Seichii nodded nervously beside me.

The king smiled faintly. "You will receive training from the kingdom's elite troops starting tomorrow. For tonight, enjoy your welcome banquet."

He turned to one of the nobles on the left side—a burly man with black hair and sharp eyes.

"Duke Alexander, make sure they are equipped."

"Ready, Your Majesty," he replied flatly, but his eyes were staring at us like a hungry eagle. I refrained from taking a step back.

Queen Serafina stared at us for a long time. His gaze was cold, but his lips curled into a smile.

"Hope you don't disappoint... The world has no room for failure."

That sentence was like an ice knife piercing my neck.

After a few official greetings, we slowly retreated out of the hall. As soon as the golden door closed behind us, I was able to breathe again.

Isamu leaned against the wall, wiping the sweat from his temples. "Okay... I think it's scary."

"I thought my knees were going to come off," Seichii muttered.

I looked back, caught a glimpse of Patriarch Valerius standing at the end of the hall, talking quietly to a man in a red robe—it looked like Cardinal Julian. They both smiled faintly, too thinly.

I don't know why, but my back suddenly felt cold. The sword inside my body throbbed slowly, and for a split second, I felt a whisper in my head.

—They will betray you.

I closed my eyes tightly, holding my breath. I don't know who to trust. All I know... This is just the beginning.

The night sky of Valoria hung darkly over the palace, sprinkled with stars that seemed closer than the earth's sky. The air felt cold but clean, like a new sheet of paper that fate had not written on it. But my head is still buzzing. The voices of hundreds of nobles, the chanting of party music, the keen gazes of the King and Queen—all mingled in the vortex of my mind that had not yet calmed down.

We walked down the quiet hallway of the palace, accompanied only by the light of a torch that swayed slowly in the wind. The sound of our footsteps echoed softly on the black marble floor, each beat as if it was a marker of the weight of the step towards an alien future. Seichii walked silently, his shoulders slightly bent. Isamu looked more agitated than usual—his fingers kept tapping on his waist, as if looking for something to hold.

"So..." Isamu broke the silence, his voice low. "Are we going to be trained like soldiers tomorrow?"

"It seems so," I replied quietly.

"Good. Because now I can't even defeat a free-range chicken, let alone a monster." He laughed bluntly, then turned to Seichii. "How are you?"

Seichii pushed his glasses, but didn't turn his head. "I just hope I don't die on the first day."

Silence again. The answer was too honest—and maybe that's what made my chest tight.

We arrived at the Guest Wing again. The same waiter greeted us at the door of their respective rooms, bowed politely and said that the training started at six in the morning. Afterwards he retreated with a silent step like a shadow, leaving the three of us looking at each other in the hallway.

"Tomorrow we start..." Isamus muttered. He tried to smile, but failed. "Hopefully we don't immediately become goblin bait."

Seichii just nodded slightly, then walked into his room without saying anything else. Isamu also finally stepped away, his shoulders down, leaving me alone in a lonely hallway.

I stood there for a few seconds, stared at the closed door of my room, then took a deep breath. My body was tired, but my brain refused to shut up. The whispering sound from my sword still echoed faintly, as if waiting for the moment when I closed my eyes to infiltrate my dreams.

Finally I pushed the door of the room, and entered.

The room was still the same as before: grand, quiet, and felt too big for an ordinary person. I sat on the edge of the bed, took off my shoes, and looked at my right hand—right where the sword seal symbol shone faintly under the skin. The black line beats slowly, like any other heartbeat.

“… Are you really alive?" he whispered.

There is no answer. But in that silence, I could feel something... staring back from behind the symbol. Wait. Observe me.

I lay down on the bed, staring at the white canopy that swayed gently in the night breeze from the window. My eyes slowly became heavy, and my mind drifted home—to my rickety mattress, the pile of comic books, the sound of a squeaky fan, and the smell of fried rice from the neighbor's kitchen.

All of them feel like memories from someone else's life.

I woke up before dawn, not because of an alarm, but because of a nightmare.

In the dream, I was standing on top of a mountain of corpses. The sky is blood red. The sword in my hand glowed black, dripping liquid like ink. The sound of laughter—not mine—echoed from within my own chest.

—Destruction is your destiny.

I jumped up and sat up, panting. Cold sweat drenched my temples, and the symbol on my hand shone darker than usual, then slowly dimmed. I stared at him for a long time, trying to calm my breath. But those words—loss, destruction—still linger in the mind like burning embers.

Knock knock.

I almost jumped when the door was knocked. Isamu's voice sounded from outside, half sleepy. "Hey, wake up. We have to be ready for training."

I rubbed my face, then stood up with trembling legs. After changing into the training uniform provided—a lighthearted version of our hero's outfit last night—I left the room.

Isamu and Seichii were already waiting in the hallway, their faces both pale from lack of sleep. The three of us were led by a bodyguard to the inner courtyard of the palace, where the training arena was located.

Once I arrived, I was choked.

The arena was vast, the floor was solid ground and fine sand, surrounded by iron fences and watchtowers. Dozens of knights were training there—swords clashed, shields collided, arrows pierced through wooden targets. The sound of metal clinking fills the air. The smell of sweat and dust pierced my nose.

In the center of the arena stood a tall, muscular man, his skin tanned by the sun, with black hair combed back. He was wearing light armor and a deep red robe. His sharp eyes immediately stuck to the three of us.

"So this... Holy Hero." The sound is heavy and flat. "I'm Duke Alexander. From today on, I'm your coach."

I swallowed saliva. So this is the person who was ordered directly by the King.

"First," he continued, walking closer while looking at us as if judging a horse. "You guys are too thin, too slow, and too innocent. Monsters won't wait for you to be ready."

He stopped right in front of us, then said quietly but coldly, "Today you will learn one thing: survival."

Without warning, he swung a wooden sword towards us.

I barely had time to raise my hand. The attack hit my shoulder hard, sending me pinned to the sand.

"UGH—!"

Isamu swears, tries to jump to the side but falls with his face kissing the ground. Seichii didn't even have time to move—he just stood stiff before being swept off his feet by Alexander and slamming down.

"Slow." Alexander stood up straight, not looking tired at all. "If this is a battlefield, the three of you will have become a carcass."

I moaned softly as I got up, sand sticking to my cheeks. My shoulder hurts excruciatingly, but I gritted my teeth. Not... I shouldn't give up in the first minute.

"Now, get up," he ordered coldly. "We start from the basics. Fight without weapons."

We were forced to do physical exercises until it felt like our lungs were on fire—push-ups, sit-ups, squats, running around the arena, and then sparring hand-to-hand against real knights. They held back, but still we were beaten. Many times I fell, kissed the sand, felt the world spinning. But every time I fell, Alexander shouted, "Get up! Heroes have no right to fall!"

The sun rises slowly, burning our skin and throats. Seichii almost fainted, Isamu vomited in the corner of the arena, and I—somehow—was still standing with a bruised body.

Finally, after many hours, Alexander raised his hand. "Enough."

I collapsed to the ground, almost crying in relief. But even in that exhaustion, the symbol in my hand pulsed. That sword... It was as if I was enjoying my suffering. It seemed to strengthen my body a little, enough so that I wouldn't faint.

Alexander walked back and forth in front of us lying like a fish out of water. "Tomorrow we start training with your Holy Weapons. Today your body must remember the pain."

He turned around and left without looking back. The knights also dispersed, leaving the three of us lying in the middle of the arena.

Isamu rolled onto his back, facing the sky. "I... Really. I want to die..."

Seichii just raised a weak thumb from the supine position. "At least... We weren't killed by goblins..."

I laughed dryly, then immediately grimaced because my chest hurt. But I don't know why... Behind that pain, there was a small spark in me. Like a tiny ember that refuses to be extinguished.

Maybe... just maybe... I can do it.

The sun was already high when we returned to the room. The waiter gave us warm water and herbal medicine to reduce muscle soreness. After taking a shower and changing clothes, I sat on the balcony, looking out over the bustling city of Valoria in the distance.

Temple bells rang, chariots passed by, and birds migrated in the sky. Everything is visible... peace.

It's hard to believe that the world is on the brink of collapse.

I looked at my right hand, the black symbol pulsating slowly.

“… You want me to save the world," I whispered softly. "But why... It feels like you want me to destroy it?"

There is no answer. But the night wind blew with a faint whisper, too soft to understand, enough to make my hair go goosebumps.

I clasped my hands tightly, then stood up.

Tomorrow, training will be heavier. Tomorrow, maybe we will be faced with real monsters. Tomorrow, maybe we'll know if we're really heroes... or just pawns in the game of powerful people.

Whatever it is, one thing I have made sure. There is no way home. And from this moment on, I must survive—or the world will be destroyed with me.