Chapter Twelve: Summoning of the New Heroes

In their desperate attempts to gain an edge in the war, the kingdom succeeded in summoning more heroes. Once again, they hailed from Japan, and astonishingly, they were also from the same school as Kael.

The heroes who had already been in this world went to meet them. As they gathered in the grand hall of the royal palace, there was a tense air of anticipation. Akari, Renji, and the others carefully explained the situation—the war, Kael's transformation, and the horrors they had already endured.

The newly summoned heroes were initially bewildered and struggled to grasp the magnitude of what had transpired. The idea that their former schoolmate, Hoshi, was now the feared warlord Kael sent shivers down their spines. Some refused to believe it outright, while others, seeing the expressions of the veteran heroes, began to accept the grim reality.

Among the summoned was a group of highly gifted individuals, each possessing unique abilities that made them formidable. There was Ayame, who had an extraordinary affinity for lightning magic, her presence crackling with raw energy. Kaito, a master of shadow manipulation, could bend into the darkness and strike without warning. Mei, a healer whose magic extended beyond simple restoration—she could accelerate regeneration to unnatural speeds, even regrowing lost limbs. Then there was Jason, the strongest among them physically, a towering force of brute strength with an ego to match.

Jason was also Hoshi's old bully, a relentless tormentor back in their school days. As he listened to the story of Kael, a scoff escaped him. "You expect me to believe that weakling Hoshi became some all-powerful warlord?" he sneered. "He could barely stand up for himself back home."

Akari's hands clenched into fists, her voice icy. "That weakling has surpassed every limit imaginable. He's stronger than you'll ever be, Jason."

Jason laughed, cracking his knuckles. "We'll see about that. If he really is this warlord, I'll put him back in his place."

The other newly summoned heroes exchanged nervous glances. Some, like Ayame and Mei, were deeply unsettled. If Kael was truly beyond human, what chance did they have? But others, like Jason, carried arrogance, unaware of the nightmare that awaited them.

As the explanation ended, a heavy silence hung in the air. The newcomers realized that their summoning was not the beginning of a heroic adventure but a plunge into a battlefield of gods, warlords, and uncertain destinies.