Chapter 21:

Chapter 4.4: The Role of the Hero

GODS I: BLACK LIGHTS ARC

A gentle breeze warmly caressed the faces of those two beings.

One kept his gaze lost in the vastness of the sunlit sky.

The other stared down at the ordinary details of that society—

Women.

Laughter.

Sweets…

All those things that had once seemed meaningless, nothing more than part of everyday life, now carried a faint touch of magic.

—What the hell was all that…? —Edén asked as he kept watch for the crazed fans from atop the rooftop.

—I’m sorry. I should have warned you before we entered the city —Shun apologized with genuine calm.

—Then what exactly are you? —Edén asked, turning toward his master—. Some kind of god? Or a celebrity?

—Something like that… —Shun murmured dismissively—. According to them, I’m some kind of hero.

—But I’ve never considered myself one.

—I envy you —Edén said with a laugh—. If that many women were chasing me, I wouldn’t complain.

—Believe me, it’s the last thing you would ever want —Shun confessed—. Once you reach this point, there is no turning back.

—A normal life ceases to exist.

—I see…

The two fell silent once more as the gentle coastal breeze brushed against their hardened faces.

…

—Thank you —Shun said sincerely.

Edén looked at him in confusion.

It was the first time he had ever heard those words leave Shun’s mouth without even a trace of sarcasm.

—What are you thanking me for?

—For what you did earlier…

—I was growing tired of wearing that fake smile.

—Every time I’m surrounded by people praising me, I feel disgusted with myself —he murmured as he slowly sat upright—. That smile. That warmth…

—All of it is fake.

—Then why do you keep doing it? —Edén asked coldly.

—The day I chose to wield this sword, I accepted everything that came with it —Shun replied, gazing at his white blade—. I chose to become the light that would guide their path.

—Their hero.

—But little by little, I began to understand just how twisted this damn world truly is.

—Those who rule it are nothing more than a group of old fossils incapable of seeing beyond their own interests.

—Everyone believes titles are something to be proud of.

—That the moment someone calls you a “hero,” you somehow gain an unbreakable strength.

—But that title is nothing more than a curse —he confessed, anger filling his voice—. A hero is not allowed to grieve the deaths of his comrades.

—He must keep walking forward without ever stopping.

—He cannot hesitate.

—He must always be righteous.

—A pure white light that continues to shine when no one else can.

…

For the first time, Edén watched cracks begin to form across that heroic mask.

—I have watched millions of comrades die…

—People who truly mattered to me.

—And the only thing this world ever gave me was a cold command:

“Get back up, Hero.”

—I am just as filthy as everyone else.

—Perhaps even more so…

—The blood staining my hands does not belong only to my enemies.

—It belongs to people I once knew as well.

The world surrounding Shun turned black.

Blood from the fallen flowed across his hands.

Hair, teeth, and fingernails mingled with the metallic stench of blood.

Before him lay countless corpses stretching far beyond the horizon.

They stared at Shun as though they were waiting for him to fall, so they could drag him into the deepest reaches of that hell.

The eyes of that invincible being had lost every trace of light.

…

—You know something? —Edén interrupted—. For as long as I can remember, my grandfather always reminded me of how special I was.

—He told me again and again that I wasn’t like everyone else.

—That there was something so unique within me that even the gods would envy it.

Shun looked at his student in surprise.

—And yet, on the day I had to prove just how special I was…

—I could do nothing but stand there.

—Fear invaded every cell of my body when I faced something I couldn’t understand.

—I simply sat there and watched those bastards attack my grandfather.

—Edén…

—Time after time, someone had to come and rescue me.

—Whether it was Grandpa, Tenzak…

—Or you.

—I kept wondering what made all of you so extraordinary.

—There was even a point when I believed understanding you was impossible.

—That I could never become like any of you.

—But… —Edén murmured with a warm smile— when I watched you laugh, become angry, and suffer…

—I realized we were not so different after all.

—We all have our own reasons to fight.

—Something that drives us beyond our limits.

—Tell me, Shun…

—What is it that drives you?

At that moment, a warm, feminine smile surfaced within Shun’s mind.

A smile capable of bringing him to a complete halt, if only for an instant.

…

Edén noticed the smile on his face and continued:

—There is nothing wrong with being human.

—With feeling pain.

—With crying.

—Our emotions are not what make us weak.

—They are what make us stronger.

—You don’t have to pretend to be some perfect being around me —he declared—. Whenever you need help, come to me without hesitation.

Shun smiled with genuine trust and sincerity.

—You really think highly of yourself, brat.

Shun averted his gaze for an instant, as though he had noticed something out of place.

And then—

BAM!

Shun lightly struck Edén on the head, a small amount of Zenka surrounding his hand.

—OWWWWW! —Edén cried out in pain—. What the hell was that for?!

—You’ll thank me later —Shun replied with a laugh.

—Hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing?!

Shun grabbed Edén by the shirt and slowly lifted him toward the edge of the rooftop.

—Hey! Put me down!

“All students participating in the GODS entrance trials, please proceed to the theater to confirm your registration,” announced a loudspeaker that echoed throughout the city.

—The GODS trials…? —Edén repeated, as though the name sounded vaguely familiar.

—So that’s where it is… —Shun muttered, staring into the distance—. Good. You shouldn’t have any trouble with the landing.

—My landing…? —Edén asked in horror.

—Try not to cause any more trouble, Edén.

Shun’s arms suddenly tensed, every vein standing out beneath his skin.

—Help!

—There you go!

With tremendous force, Shun hurled Edén straight toward the clouds.

—YOU BASTAAAAAAAAAARD!

Within seconds, Edén vanished among the dense clouds above Athens without leaving a trace.

…

For a brief moment, Shun covered his face.