Interlude 0

“What a loser!” spat the man as he pulled back his arm, muscles so bulky that his bulging veins seemed to be glowing with power. “And you were supposed to be the prophesized hero? Bullshit.”

They were at the throne room—the main seat of the castle from where this giant, King Mauro, controlled the entire kingdom.

A party made of two young men and a girl came there to vanquish him once and for all.

Just as foretold by the prophecy.

However, this climactic fight was not going well. As evidence, one of the young men was sprawled on the ground, blood gushing from his mouth.

“No!” yelled the girl, rushing to her companion. Her dark, frilly clothes were covered in dirt and blood, most of it not her own. “Wake up! This can’t be happening!”

“No way,” mumbled the third companion, a pudgy boy who had a face full of pimples. “But he’s supposed to be, to be, t-the hero…”

King Mauro roared with laughter.

“Prophecies are such silly little things. They’re just playing around with words. —I’ve heard your name for this interloper, but I think he should be called ‘Zero’ instead,” he said, smiling crudely. “No matter what spells you can cast, they’ll never help you if you’re this weak.”

“We’ll kill you!” yelled the girl.

The King laughed again. “It was a whim of fate that brought me to Avallux, and my time is almost up… so I won’t let small fries like you ruin whatever’s left of it,” he said. “I will slaughter all of you. That’s all there is to it.” He clenched his fists. “This wonderful world belongs to me alone.”

“…No.”

This voice came from the fallen young man. Gritting his teeth, he rose to shaky legs as his two companions watched him in amazement.

A new fire lit up in his eyes. Despite this situation and the seeming disparity in their powers, he looked like he was refilled with a new determination.

“If you think I’m down after a single punch… you’re in for a big mistake.”

“Ha!” laughed Mauricio. “As always, you talk too much. Real men prove themselves with actions.”

“H-how dare you talk to him like that!” said the pimpled boy, waving his fists. “You’re j-just jealous because you only rely on your fists like a brute!”

“Right! You’re just a dumb brute and he’s a genius!” added the girl.

For all of his laughter from before, Mauro did look like he was growing angrier. He took heavy steps forward.

“Right, real men only act. It’s time to finish this,” he called, gradually accelerating. The ground almost seemed to shake from his power.

For his part, the young man looked terrified—yet he gritted his teeth and focused. Light began to glow within his palms.

“I’ll beat you… and then call this world my own!” shouted C, aka Three, preparing his magic.