Chapter 31: Two Heroes?

At the capital, before the King, a Knight bent the knee. Her ponytail swayed as she lowered her head, then she casually asked, “So, like… Can I totes go check out the Hero in Beetho, Your Highness?”

At the end of her request, Conrad shook his head, appalled by the levity with which she addressed the who ruler all of Asturia.

“Yes, you may,” the young King replied from his throne—a seat far to large for his little frame.

His green eyes glinted as he narrowed them. “Tell me how everything goes—I need, every detail!!!”

Despite his serious tone, it couldn't mask the traces of excitement hidden within his command. He swung his legs idly, a gesture far removed from the dignified image of a ruler.

“Totes, your highness!” the Knight chirped, avoiding eye contact with Conrad. “I’ll just drop by and say hi!!!”

Then she got up, flicked her ponytail, crouched low—

BOOM!

—and shot out of the hall, the sudden blast of wind knocking Conrad clean off his feet.

The King giggled, unable to hold back his laughter as Conrad scrambled on the floor.

Meanwhile, before Beetho’s Explorers Guild, in a shaky cackle, the Hermit proclaimed, “This young man here is the real Hero!!!”

His followers erupted in praise, their voices swelling like a choir and magnifying the weight of his words. The boy at his side ignored the crowd. His sneer fixed solely on Meisatsu.

Gō—who was supposed to be on his way to Bac—took a good look at the strange boy standing across them. Then his eyes shifted to Meisatsu.

He repeated this silent comparison several times, gaze flicking back and forth, until at last he voiced the question...

 “Two Meisatsu’s…?”

They were nearly identical—same height, same build, same hairstyle. The only difference being that, while Meisatsu’s hair and eyes were black, his gleamed light shade of yellow.

Even the way he dressed was similar—a plain white shirt, black trousers, and matching shoes. It was Meisatsu’s usual look.

Peeking out of the boy’s right pocket, was a slender brown wooden handle with a strange marking on it.

“W-wait… Huh?!” was all Meisatsu could manage, staring at his look alike.

Umare’s hand landed softly on Meisatsu’s shoulder then gripped it firmly. His face that was once easygoing, had now turned gravely serious.

“I’ve been in Moonlit Sonat, training. And now I hear that there’s someone claiming to be the Gun Hero or something. Are kidding me?” The boy’s words stung like venom, his eyes flashing with disgust. If pride were a person, he would be the perfect embodiment.

“I’m Ethan Sasaki, the Hammer Hero: Level 5,” he spat, yanking the object from his pocket. A Cross Peen hammer was now leveled squarely at Meisatsu. “And who the hell are you?”

The anger boiling inside Ayame’ erupted as she shouted, “He’s the Gun Hero!!! You’re the fake one!!!”

Umare held her back with his other arm, urging her to calm down. The tears welling in her eyes sizzled and vanished under heat her body radiated—her magic spiraling out of control.

“What’s your Level?” Ethan asked, glaring at Meisatsu with unfiltered contempt.

Meisatsu hesitated for a moment before replying, “Level 3…”

A mocking laugh erupted from Ethan—the Hermit joined in, and shortly after, his followers followed suit.

“See? If you were the Hero you’d at least be Level 4 Everyone knows Heroes improve faster than any other Class.”

Ethan slowly turned to the wall of people at his back, raising his hammer. “I can’t let this insult to the Hero’s legacy stand!”

It was common knowledge that a Hero’s development progressed at an astonishingly faster rate than any other Class—at least according to the records of all those who came before.

And the crowd saw reason to believe his words. There was some truth in it. It made sense. The murmurs sifting through them was proof...

"I know what a hammer is, but seriously—what even is a gun?"

"I heard that the weapon was meant to massacre the entire world..."

“W-well, you’re only Level 5!” Meisatsu retorted weakly, partly upset at the obvious difference in power. “So what?!”

Akane, who had earlier dashed back into the Guild, returned with Lysa, holding the same crystalline orb she had used to appraise Meisatsu when he first joined.

“Please put your hand over it…” Lysa said, holding it up to Ethan who scoffed, but still complied.

Hammer Hero: Level 5

As the words beamed out of the crystal, the hand gripping Meisatsu’s shoulder slackened and fell limply to its owner’s side. Umare’s countenance was one of utter dismay, stricken with defeat. “So that’s how it is, huh?”

Seeing him so troubled, Meisatsu that the situation was dire—

BWOOSH!!!

A sudden gust kicked up so much dust that, everything blurred like into a brown haze and a few people literally knocked off their feet. Meisatsu’s cape billowed violently behind him in the chaos.

A single foot, clad in gleaming silver, stepped forward. Rays from the sun shimmered and danced the contours of her light armor.

Across her chest, a stylized plate. While gauntlets with swirling markings reached up to her elbows. Knee high sabatons braced her legs.

Beneath her amour, she wore a blue shirt and an extremely short white skirt fluttered teasingly in the breeze.

Her skin was a rich tan, her ponytail blonde, and her mischievous eyes a vibrant blue. Flashing a victory sign with her right hand, she lifted her left leg at an angle, then called out, “Wassup gang?!”

One thought thundered through Meisatsu’s mind—

 A GYARU KNIGHT?!!

Umare’s face lost some of its color as his eyes dilated. 

"Saki...?" he asked. "Did you just run down here...from the capital…?”  

The girl in front him had shown no signs of  fatigue or physical strain. If anything, she looked like she had just returned from a light stroll.

“Sure did!” She faked wiping some sweat off her brow, then playfully sighed. “Nice lil’ workout!”

The distance she had just covered would take several years by foot to travel—but she had just sprinted across half the continent and casually called it a lil’ workout...

“Long time no see, Umare!” As she greeted, her eyes flicked over the scene—Meisatsu caught her attention and she rushed over to him impatiently.

She sidled up next to him and held two fingers up behind his head. “Say cheese!”

“Eh?”

A flash burst from the small rectangular object Meisatsu had seen in Bac. She tucked quickly it under her chest plate. “The new Hero’s such a cutie!”

“Eh?” Meisatsu repeated, like a broken record, his face burning hotter by the minute—she was too close to him. She smells so...nice!!! My first time with a gyaru...awesome!!!

Ayame's fingers curled tightly, and Umare scooted back, trying to avoid the sudden blood lust he felt oozing out of her.

“He’s a fraud!” Ethan's voice rang out, filled with haughtiness, “I’m the real Hero!”

“So that’s a gun...” Saki ignored the former's calls, focusing on the angular object holstered at red belt on Meisatsu’s red belt.

Suddenly she froze, whipped her head around. “Wait—Fraud…?!"

✦✦✦

Meanwhile, Go—blown away earlier—returned, positioning himself beside Ayame.

She shot him a glare so sharp it sent him scrambling toward Meisatsu. 

“What’ll happen now?”

Meisatsu shrugged. “Dunno…”

The Hermit wore a shrewd smile, then shouted with a voice thick with animosity. “Today, you will surely draw your last breath!”

A pillar of red flames roared up to the sky—lightning slowly coiling around it. Ayame’s body was surrounded in searing hot fire, and all the Explorers close to her hastily moved away—but they still felt the blistering heat.

She was just about ready to fry the entire Anti-Gun Front when her flames died out completely, noticing Umare and the Knight wrapping up their talk.

Their mouths slowly parted as they gave their solution to the matter, and her heart seemed to stop as she heard the two echo…

“A battle to the death!”

Ethan smiled in cold satisfaction. His intent was now crystal clear to Meisatsu, who could only stare blankly back at him.

“What do you mean ‘to the death’?!!” Ayame voice had cracked as hot, salty tears rolled down her cheeks. “Isn’t there some—”

“No!” Umare barked, grinding his teeth. They made a terrible sickening sound that scraped the air. “There isn’t...”

Gō, unable to to remain silent, stammered, “You cannot really mean that, r-right?!”

“In this world, there can be only one Hero!” Umare’s finger shot violently towards Ethan. “It’s bad enough he claims he’s the Hero. An offense punishable by death! They were both appraised and it solved nothing!”

Lowering his head, Gō finally understood the gravity of the situation.

“If they fight with everything they’ve got, only the real one would win…” Saki glanced casually at the two Heroes. “…But someone would totes die.”

Akane rubbed her hand softly on Meisatsu’s back, trying to comfort him. He just recently joined us and now he’ll be fighting for his life…

Overwhelmed, Lysa stood, frozen. With her eyes watering, she sniffled. W-what would happen if he died…? I haven’t even asked him yet…

She wiped her eyes, and her jaw set. He’ll win! He can’t lose!!

A breeze filled his cape, and his eyes sharpened. Meisatsu had made his choice. “Then I’ll fight however I want! Doesn’t mean I have to kill him, right?”

This… kid... Even with his life on the line... Umare thought as he watched him with an unreadable expression.

“That’s why you will die on this day,” The Hermit said hauntingly, his words like a rusty blade. He then gave a nod to Umare and Ethan sealing the decision.

Ethan's face had now twisted into something that was far from human—a reflection of his rawest desire.

Kill...

Ayame dragged her feet, and hung her head. Through choking sobs Ayame pleaded, “Don’t die, Satsu... Please...”

In the next few minutes, Meisatsu would enter a battle that would determine whether he lives to see another day…

OR DIES.