Chapter 9. What Makes a Hero
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I, Bell, want to become a hero.
But if possible, I would also like to experience a fateful encounter, the kind that makes your heart skip a beat and takes your breath away. Really, I have no impure intentions, I just want to know what that feels like!
Facing the gigantic silverback in front of him, Bell felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart, causing him to instinctively hold his breath.
Damn it! Who wants this kind of encounter?!
Just when his teacher had finally given him a holiday.
Just when he could finally have fun with the Goddess.
Why did these two joys combine into this situation?
The monster that had been kept locked up had broken free, wreaking havoc on the street. This shouldn't have been possible. This wasn't the first time the Monster Festival was held; the safety measures should have been flawless!
The pressure emanating from the silverback made Bell subconsciously take a step back.
I need to run…
I can't win…
I can only kill goblins. How could I possibly defeat a silverback gorilla?
I just…
[Bell, in the face of disaster, if a hero flees, who will protect the weak?]
Bell slowly turned his head.
He saw a mother and daughter hugging each other, trembling.
He saw an elderly man who had fallen to the ground.
He saw helpless people praying for a hero to appear.
[Bell, being a hero isn't just something you can decide to be. But when you take that step, when you want to save those people and become their hope...]
Bell took a deep breath, removing the small round shield from his back and strapping it to his left arm. He gripped the short sword, the blade gleaming with a strange purple hue.
"Bell?" Hestia, who was planning to pull Bell away, froze.
"Goddess, please step back," Bell exhaled and began to walk slowly toward the silverback gorilla. "Leave this to me."
"You are the hero," standing on a rooftop, Cyd watched Bell with satisfaction.
Carrying a large bag, Ryuu silently observed the man before her.
He was smiling because his student had finally taken that step. The path of the hero had begun.
"Bell, no, you can't handle that…"
"I can do it! Goddess!" Bell charged toward the silverback.
"ROAR!!"
The silverback roared, raising its massive fist.
"I have to do this!"
The once frantic heartbeat began to calm, and all confusion and fear faded away. The world before him became clearer.
Because this is what it means to be a hero.
At the moment the silverback swung its fist, Bell raised the short sword enchanted with poison by Cyd, while sidestepping the hairy arm that swung past him.
[It's okay even if you lack strength. Just borrow your opponent's power.]
"I understand, Teacher!"
Bell calmly swung his sword. His own strength might not be enough to inflict much damage on the silverback, but what if he borrowed the speed and power of the silverback's punch?
The sharp blade sliced through the silverback's arm, and blood spurted into the air like a fountain.
"ROAR ROAR ROAR!"
The searing pain enraged the silverback, and it swung its right fist toward Bell.
"Bell!" Hestia screamed.
There's no time!
"It's okay, Goddess." Bell spun and threw the round shield in his left hand. The spinning shield flew like a dart and pierced the silverback's eye.
The stabbing pain forced the silverback to retract its fist, covering its eye and howling in agony.
Its vision was gone; it couldn't see anything. What terrified it more was the burning sensation spreading from the wound throughout its body.
The sword was poisoned!
The silverback, now blinded, roared and wildly flailed its fists at the ground.
At the very least, it could drag this detestable adventurer down with it.
The wind whipped at Bell's clothes. One wrong move, and he'd be smashed to pieces, but he wasn't afraid—he didn't even flinch. Such frantic attacks could never hit him, so there was no need to dodge.
"Bell…" Hestia watched in a daze as Bell stood unmoving in the storm.
Bell had grown.
He was trying in his own way.
"That's…" Hestia's eyes widened. For a moment, when Bell's clothes were lifted by the wind, she saw it.
A special skill—Hero.
"BANG—"
The poisoned, frenzied silverback finally howled and turned to ash.
"Goddess, I did it…" Bell slowly turned to Hestia, his lips curling into a reassuring smile.
"Whew…" Hestia blushed.
"THUNK—"
A crystal dropped from the sky and hit him on the head.
"Ouch!"
Tears welled up in Bell's eyes as he clutched his head and rolled on the ground.
"Seriously, couldn't you keep it up a little longer?" Hestia walked over and knelt beside him. "Are you okay, Bell?"
"It hurts, but I'm okay!" Bell grinned.
The situation seemed resolved, and it was because of that, people relaxed, and when they let their guard down, they became prey.
From a dark corner, a massive black wolf lunged forward, its jaws opening wide, aiming for the unsuspecting Hestia.
"Goddess!" Bell roared, grabbing Hestia's hand, pulling her into his arms, and turning to shield her with his back, trying to protect her from the wolf's attack.
"Bell!"
Bell tightly closed his eyes.
"Your training isn't enough yet…"
The crystal, symbolizing the power of the sun god Apollo, began to shine. The black bow covered in orange crystals was drawn.
"But it's not too bad."
Cyd released the string.
"WHOOSH—"
A flaming arrow pierced through the wolf's head, embedding itself in the ground beside Hestia.
"BANG—"
The wolf, which had been waiting for its chance, didn't even have time to howl before it turned to ash. It had considered itself the hunter, but in the end, it was merely prey.
"Honestly, don't let your guard down. Haven't I always emphasized that?"
The familiar voice made Bell's eyes light up with joy as he raised his head.
"Teacher!"
"So how long are you going to stay in that position?" Cyd slung the [Reforged Pandora] back onto his shoulder.
"Position…" Bell looked down, realizing that Hestia was blushing beneath him.
"If Bell likes this, I wouldn't mind, you know~"
"Ahhhh!" Bell's face turned red as he tried to stand up, but his legs gave out, and he fell, his head landing directly on Hestia's chest.
"Oh~ I didn't teach you that," Cyd, understanding, turned away.
"Go…Goddess…" Bell stammered, feeling the incredible softness against his face, swallowing hard.
"Well, Bell, you really do love to snuggle," Hestia said, hugging Bell's head.
"N-No!"
Unable to move, Bell's face turned crimson as he shouted.
"This feeling… Have you returned?"
A blonde-haired youth holding a two-stringed instrument looked up as if sensing something, gazing out the window at the sun in the sky, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Welcome back."