War Hero's Resolve

The sword in Renji's hand vanished. Leaving nothingness, as if was never there.

[War Hero]

Name: Renji Regina

Level: 7

EXP: 20 / 110

STR: 25

AGI: 18

VIT: 15

DEX: 20

INT: 5

Mana Pool: 45/45

ATT:

Fire

Earth

Spirit

Water

Wind

Unique Skill: [Armory <IN-USE>]

Encumbrance: 125 / 1,000 kg]

He looked at the information the goddesses blessing showed. He glanced back to the dungeon, "Was it the right choice to abandon the Time Hero? We still could have saved him."

Shinra, the Death Hero stopped. His dark and commanding aura still radiating. However, the party had gotten used to it, they were not fazed in the slightest. 

"You barely knew him. He's just a poor boy from a small village whom you met two months ago at the castle. Why the attachment?"

"Still, he's one of us a Skill Hero. We're supposed to work together."

"Work together? With that useless nobody? What good is his skill? Surely, the goddess herself wouldn't want to ally with him."

Renji's expression hardened.

"Every Skill has a purpose. The goddess wouldn't have bestowed them upon us for nothing. We're supposed to fight for humanity together."

Shinra laughed.

Renji frowned. "This isn't funny."

"No," Shinra said, his smile fading. "It isn't."

He turned toward Renji. "This was never about him."

Renji said nothing.

"It's about the Time Heroes before him."

Shinra raised a hand. "How many times have we heard the same story? Five seconds. That's all they ever get." He lowered his hand. "And what did they accomplish with it?"

Nothing.

"They stopped time. They tried to fight. They tried to escape. They tried to be useful."

His expression became colder.

"And they died."

Renji gritted his teeth. "You can't blame him for what the others did."

"I'm not blaming him." Shinra shrugged. "I'm judging his Skill."

He glanced back toward the dungeon.

"Five seconds of stopped time has never helped us Heroes accomplish anything. Not once."

"That doesn't mean this Time Hero will be the same."

"It does until he proves otherwise." Shinra turned away. "Until then, he's dead weight."

Renji's hand tightened around his sword.

"Enough."

He turned toward the dungeon.

"I'm going back."

The others looked at him.

Shinra's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"You heard me." Renji began walking. "I'm bringing him back."

A low voice came from behind him.

"He's probably already dead."

Renji stopped.

The Corpse Hero stood several steps away, his dark expression unreadable.

He tilted his head.

"Do me a favor, Renji."

Renji looked back.

"If you find him..."

The Corpse Hero smiled faintly. "Bring back his corpse."

Renji's eyes widened.

"You—"

He turned around.

And immediately found Shinra standing in his path.

Shinra raised his hand.

Two fingers.

Renji's expression changed. Everyone's expression changed. Everyone knew what it meant.

Two.

Two uses of Death Touch remained today.

Shinra slowly walked toward him.

A sword materialized in the War Hero's grasp with a flash of light.

Shing.

Shinra's eyes dropped to the blade.

Then back to Renji.

He smirked.

"Fine."

Renji's grip tightened.

Shinra turned away.

"Yuna."

Yuna looked at him.

"Get us back to the city."

She hesitated.

Her eyes drifted toward Renji.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Yuna raised her hand.

Space twisted.

A shimmering portal appeared beside them, its surface rippling like water.

One by one, the Heroes stepped through.

The Healing Hero looked back.

"Renji..."

He didn't answer.

Yuna was the last.

She lingered for a moment, her expression conflicted.

Then she stepped through.

The portal vanished.

Silence returned.

Renji stood alone outside the dungeon.

His sword remained in his hand.

He stared at the dark entrance.

Then slowly smiled.

"Guess I'm going alone."

He stepped forward.

"Hang in there, Takumi."