Chapter 2

"Whoa..."

The exclamation snapped me back to reality.

Turning my gaze forward, I saw a group of men in robes staring at us in astonishment.

"What is it?"

Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw three men who seemed just as confused as I was. I tilted my head, wondering what was going on. I was in the library just a moment ago, so why... and where are we?

Looking around, I saw stone walls. Were they brick-like? Anyway, it was a building I didn't recognize. Definitely not a library. Looking down, I saw geometric patterns and an altar, as if made with fluorescent paint. It resembled a magic circle from a fantasy story.

We were standing on that altar.

And... why am I holding a shield?

It was oddly light and fit perfectly in my hand. I couldn't understand why I was holding it, so I tried to put it down, but it wouldn't let go.

"Where are we?"

Just as I was wondering what was going on, the man with the sword in front of us asked the robed men.

"Ah, brave heroes! Please save this world!"

"Wait, what?"

We all spoke in unison.

"What do you mean by that?"

This phrase felt familiar, like something from a web novel.

"Due to complicated circumstances, to put it simply, we have summoned you, the heroes, through an ancient ritual."

"Summoned..."

Yeah, that's it. It's probably some kind of prank, but it's best to hear them out.

"This world is in grave danger. Heroes, please lend us your strength."

The robed man bowed deeply to us.

"Well... just to hear the story—"

"I don't want to."

"Agreed."

"Can we go back to our world? We'll talk after that."

While I was trying to hear them out, the other three interrupted.

What?

How can they respond like that to someone who is bowing so earnestly? We should at least hear them out before making a decision. I glared at them silently, and they turned to look at me.

...Why are they smirking? I can tell their mood is slightly elevated.

You guys are actually excited, aren't you?

If this is real, it's a situation that fulfills the dream of jumping into another world. Your attitudes are typical, but still, you should at least hear them out.

"Do you feel any guilt for summoning us without our consent?"

The man with the sword, who looked like a high school student, pointed his sword at the robed man.

"Even if the world becomes peaceful, if we're just sent back to our original world, it would be unpaid labor."

The man with the bow agreed and glared at the robed men.

"How much will you consider our feelings? We might end up as enemies of the world, so be prepared for that."

This is about confirming our position and asserting our rights to rewards. These guys are really tough, and I feel like I'm losing.

"First, we would like you to meet the king. We can discuss the rewards then."

The representative of the robed men opened a heavy door and showed us the way.

"Fine, I guess."

"Agreed."

"Well, it won't change no matter who we talk to."

The tough guys followed, and I chased after them so I wouldn't be left behind. We walked through a dark room and a stone corridor.

...What is it? Is it just that the air is fresh, or is my vocabulary limited?

The view from the window took our breath away. The sky stretched endlessly, and there was a town that looked like medieval Europe.

We didn't have time to gaze at the town for long as we continued down the corridor and reached the audience chamber.

"Hmm, so these are the ancient heroes."

The old man sitting on the throne in the audience chamber sized us up and muttered. He didn't give a good impression...

I don't like people who look down on others.

"I am King Orthclay of Melromarc, the 32nd. Heroes, raise your heads."

We weren't even looking down! I wanted to point that out, but I held back. He is our superior, after all, and he looks like a king.

"First, I must explain the situation. This country, and this world, are on the brink of destruction."

To summarize the king's story: There is a prophecy of the end of the world. A series of waves will bring disasters that will destroy the world if not repelled. This year is the year of the prophecy, and the sand in the ancient hourglass, the Dragon Carving, has started to fall. The Dragon Carving predicts the waves and gives a one-month warning. According to legend, a month of respite is granted after each wave. Initially, the residents of this country ignored the prophecy, but when the sand in the Dragon Carving ran out, calamity struck.

A dimensional rift appeared in Melromarc, and vicious monsters emerged in large numbers. The country's knights and adventurers barely managed to defeat them, but the next wave will be even stronger. If this continues, the calamity cannot be stopped. Therefore, the country's elders performed a hero summoning ritual according to the legend.

That's the gist of it. By the way, we can understand the language because the legendary weapons we hold have that ability.

"I understand the story. So, you want us to work for free?"

"That's a convenient story."

"Indeed, it's selfish. If the world is going to end, let it. It's none of our business."

Despite their earlier smirks, they were now saying such things. I might as well join in.

"True, we have no obligation to help. If we work for free and then are just dismissed after the world is saved, that would be terrible. Also, can we even return to our world? What about that?"

The king sent a glance to his subordinates.

"Of course, we plan to provide the heroes with ample rewards."

The heroes, including me, clenched our fists. Alright! The first step in negotiations.

"We also have prepared financial aid. We would like the heroes to protect the world, and we will prepare a place for that purpose."

"Hmm... Well, if you promise, that's fine."

"Don't think you can tame us. We'll cooperate as long as we're not enemies."

"Agreed."

"Right."

Why are these guys always so condescending?

If the kingdom becomes our enemy, we'll be in the most trouble.

Still, we need to be firm to avoid being taken advantage of.

"Heroes, let's hear your names."

That's when I realized something. This is similar to the book I was reading earlier, the Book of the Four Holy Weapons. Sword, spear, bow, and shield. We have a common element as heroes, so maybe we've entered the world of the book. The sword hero stepped forward to introduce himself.

"My name is Amakasu Ren. I'm 16 years old and a high school student."

Sword hero, Amakasu Ren. He looks like a pretty boy. His face is handsome, and he's about 165 cm tall. He's so good-looking that he could be mistaken for a girl if he dressed up. His hair is short with a hint of brown. He has narrow eyes and fair skin, giving off a cool impression. He looks like a slender swordsman.

"Next is me. My name is Kitamura Motomasa, I'm 21 years old, and a college student."

Spear hero, Kitamura Motomasa. He gives off a light, easygoing impression. He's quite handsome, and he seems to have had some experience with relationships. His hair is tied back in a ponytail, which suits him well. He has a caring older brother vibe.

"Next is me. My name is Kawasumi Itsuki. I'm 17 years old and a high school student."

Bow hero, Kawasumi Itsuki. He looks like a quiet, gentle boy who might play the piano. He has a fragile yet strong presence. His hair is slightly wavy. He has a shy younger brother vibe. Everyone seems to be Japanese. It would have been surprising if they were foreigners.

"Last is me. My name is Iwagami Naofumi. I'm 20 years old and a college student."

The king looked at me with a scrutinizing gaze. It made my back itch.

"Hmm, Ren, Motomasa, Itsuki..."

"King, you forgot me."

"Oh, Naofumi."

He's a forgetful old man. I feel a bit out of place, but I don't want to be forgotten.

"Now, everyone, check your status and objectively assess yourselves."

"Huh?"

What's a status!?

"Um, how do we check it?"

Itsuki timidly asked the king. What's this about a status all of a sudden!

"Are you serious? Didn't you notice as soon as you came to this world?"

Ren sounded exasperated, as if we were clueless.

"Try to see if there are any icons at the edge of your vision."

"Huh?"

Following his advice, I saw a strange mark at the edge of my vision.

"Focus on it."

A light chime sounded, and a large icon appeared in my vision, like a browser on a computer.

Iwagami Naofumi

Occupation: Shield Hero, Level 1

Equipment: Small Shield (Legendary Weapon), Otherworldly Clothing

Skills: None

Magic: None

There are many more items, but I'll skip them. So, this is what you mean by status.

But this is so game-like!

"Level 1... That's concerning."

"True, it's hard to tell if we can even fight."

"What is this?"

"In your world, it doesn't exist. This is a status magic that anyone in this world can use."

"Is that so?"

It's surprising that it's normal to see physical attributes as numbers.

"So, what should we do? This is indeed concerning."

"Hmm, we want you to go on adventures, improve yourselves, and strengthen your legendary weapons."

"Strengthen? Aren't they already powerful?"

"According to the legend, the summoned heroes must cultivate and strengthen their legendary weapons."

"Legend, legend. Can't we use other weapons until these are useful?"

Motomasa twirled his spear while suggesting. That makes sense. Especially for me, with a shield, which isn't even a weapon.

"We can deal with that later. For now, if we're asked, we should focus on improving ourselves."

The situation of being summoned as heroes to another world is exciting. The desire to experience it is boiling up. It's a dream come true, and the excitement won't fade.

The others are similarly captivated by their weapons.

"Should we form a party of four?"

"Please wait, heroes."

"Huh?"

The minister advised us as we were about to set out on our adventure.

"The heroes will gather their own companions and go on separate adventures."

"Why is that?"

"According to the legend, the legendary weapons have a repelling nature. If the heroes act together, it hinders their growth."

"Is that true? If we act together, we won't grow?"

There's a help section on the weapons. Everyone noticed and was reading it.

Caution: When holders of legendary weapons work together, a counteraction occurs. It's best to act separately.

"It seems to be true..."

What is this game-like explanation?

It feels like we've entered a game world.

The usage of the weapons is explained in detail, but there's no time to read it all now.

"So, should we gather companions?"

"I will prepare companions for you. It's late today, so it's best to rest and set out tomorrow. I'll gather suitable candidates by then."

"Thank you."

"Thanks."

We expressed our gratitude in our own ways and rested in the guest rooms the king had prepared for us.