"The Great Misunderstanding I"

Rat Calendar, Year 2026

8th Day of January, Thursday

Tranquilis, Outside the Fortified Base Camp, Unexplored Area

The dawn of a new day in Tranquilis marked the beginning of actual combat operations for the Second Expedition. After a full day of training and preparations, the 5th Field Army, including Accel's assigned squad, was deployed to an unexplored region beyond the fortified base camp. Their mission was to eliminate hostile creatures, secure new territory, and gather initial data on the environment.

As Accel moved forward with his 30-member squad, he remained focused on assessing the new world. Tranquilis had a vast landscape, lush forests, rugged terrain, and an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere that kept everyone alert. However, nothing could have prepared him for what came next.

A monstrous roar echoed through the air as their advance was abruptly halted by a massive level 500 Direfang Beast, a towering, heavily armored wolf-like creature with razor-sharp claws and crimson eyes. The moment its level registered on Accel's interface, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Level 500!?" he muttered under his breath, feeling a chill crawl up his spine. He had assumed the expedition would encounter low to mid-tier monsters, perhaps ranging from level 50 to 150, but 250 to 500 was an entirely different story.

A sense of regret filled him. Why did I sign up for the frontline? He had wanted to prove himself, but now he realized the battlefield was leagues beyond what he expected.

"All units, prepare for combat!" The voice of their squad leader, a Grand Knight Lord from a prestigious noble household, snapped Accel out of his thoughts. The knight, clad in ornate silver armor, raised his greatsword and issued a command. "On my signal, we charge!"

The squad followed orders, weapons drawn, forming a battle line to confront the monstrous foe. Accel was positioned near the rear, still contemplating his next move. But as the Grand Knight Lord's battle cry rang through the air, there was no turning back.

"Attack!"

Left with no choice, Accel gripped Aetherium and Voidbringer, his dual swords, and rushed forward with the squad. He wasn't sure what to expect, but the moment he swung his sword, the reality of his situation became clear.

With a single strike, the Direfang Beast was instantly killed.

A horrifying silence fell over the battlefield.

The squad, especially the Grand Knight Lord, stared in utter disbelief at what had just transpired. A level 500 monster, something that should have required a coordinated effort to take down, had been felled in one hit by a mere swordsman.

Then came the eruption of cheers.

"Unbelievable!" one of the knights exclaimed. "That was an instant kill!"

"By the heavens… what kind of strength is this!?" another voice rang out in awe.

The Grand Knight Lord, his expression shifting from shock to amazement, turned to Accel with an approving nod. "Impressive work! With power like yours, we shall claim victory with ease! Stay by my side and continue fighting at the front!"

"Wait, this isn't…" Accel opened his mouth to explain, but before he could, another monstrous presence emerged from the forest.

Another level 450 beast, equally ferocious as the last, lunged toward them. With all eyes still on him, Accel had no choice but to swing his sword once more.

And once more, the monster perished instantly.

By now, the squad had fully bought into the illusion of Accel's overwhelming power. They weren't aware that the true reason behind his effortless victories was due to his swords—Aetherium and Voidbringer—which had been enchanted and enhanced beyond conventional limits. Their base damage alone exceeded 10,000, meaning even the strongest monsters in this area were nothing more than fodder to him.

But the squad didn't know that.

To them, Accel was a swordsman of unimaginable skill, a prodigy who could slay high-level monsters with a single blow.

"Lord Accel! A natural-born warrior!" one knight declared in excitement.

"To think such power existed among us! We are truly fortunate!" another knight praised.

Accel internally panicked. Wait, wait! This is all wrong! But before he could correct them, three more monsters appeared, and with the Grand Knight Lord's enthusiastic command, Accel had no choice but to keep fighting. And with each effortless kill, the misunderstanding deepened.

Soon, whispers spread beyond the squad. Other squads took notice of the commotion, and word quickly traveled through the battlefield.

"A swordsman in the 5th Field Army on a 30-member squad is taking down level 500 monsters with a single strike!?"

"Who is he!? Some kind of hidden master!?"

Even among the commanding officers, discussions began brewing. If a single swordsman could effortlessly dispatch such powerful monsters, he was clearly someone worth observing.

Completely unaware of the growing rumors, Accel simply continued fighting, his mind torn between helpless regret and silent acceptance. He knew this misunderstanding would only spiral further, and soon, it would be impossible to clear up.

This was only the beginning of the Great Misunderstanding, that many high-ups and new dangers would soon target Accel due to being called the Hidden Master of the 5th Field Army, but it's not.