Chapter 14: Hero and Saint

Vocation Saint huh Is that even a job?

Geez, dont say that, its too embarrassing!

Cheeks fuming in red, its the same old Sakura. I guess even receiving a Vocation, a supernatural power from the gods of this world, wont change people all that much.

And nii-san too, what indeed is up with that Hero vocation of yours?

Hahaha, having is said to my face is pretty embarrassing too

I had become a Hero before I knew it. Dont remember using that magic circle, but when my consciousness got floaty after getting a beatdown by the Armor Bear, I clearly remember hearing the voice of a Goddess.[1]

Mayst thou bring light to this world and become the Hero.

Is what the Goddess had said. I mustve become a Hero right at that moment.

Sigh, forget saving the world, I wanna know if I can save ourselves

I for one would like a one-way ticket to Earth the moment we escape

Goes without saying, but why the harsh tone?

Cmon nii-san, you know youre the type to dive straight into danger, saying things like the people of this world are in danger from monsters or something

I mean, if its in my power, I probably would

But, what happens when you keep fighting on and on? You could even get thrown into a war that and bashing heads with punks back in Japan are on a completely different dimension

I do realize. In this world the word fight definitely implies one where both parties bet their lives. I can easily imagine whats lying ahead if I kept fighting these harsh battles.

Dont worry. Ill definitely get you, and everyone else out of this dungeon; well get back to our world. I have my priorities straight

Alright, nii-san. But dont try doing everything by yourself now. Thanks to this vocation, even I can fight

Yeah, youre right, depending on you, Sakura

I am already witness to Sakuras powers as a Saint.

Now that were at a safe zone known as a Fairy Square, I think back on what Sakura means by her ability to fight. I have a deep impression that every one of her Skills are powerful.

There are 3 skills that come with a vocation

Holy Enchant(Keeper of the Light)

Grants the power of Light to any thing. Its brilliance disperses malevolence, and expels evil

Lux Sagitta(Light Arrow)

Shoots an arrow of Light; a low grade attack of the light attribute

Healing Light(Glow of Remedy)

A restoration magic that combines both Heal and Cure[2]

Those are the powers brandished by Sakura. Since we only perceive those brief descriptions, theres no choice but to test them out to observe their effect.

And as for what Sakura demonstrated those powers against, it was those bone monsters that pop up in games: the Skeleton.

The first surprise was the output of Lux Sagitta. When Sakura pulls her archery club bow, an arrow of brilliant white light appears nocked there. And when she releases it, leaving a pristine streaks of light in the air, the arrow flies towards the Skeleton as if being sucked in.

Upon connection, the dazzling light bursts, leaving behind only the remains of crushed, dismantled bone.

Its not like the bones of Skeleton are brittle. Having fought them myself, I can confirm their robustness. There are atleast as tough as those of human origin. They wouldnt crack under trivial force.

Making those bones explode into bits says a lot about that output. I dont really want to imagine getting hit by that dead on.

Next on the list is Holy Enchant. When Sakura let her hand hold my bokutou(wooden sword), it flushed with a faint white glimmer; a few seconds later, and the enchantment was set. The bokutou consequently held a holy radiance.

Bashing a Skeleton with it during this shining state causes its bony corpus to quickly crumble like sand.

Seems like Skeletons, as Undead, were super susceptible to the light attribute like in games, but I wonder if these kinds of weaknesses and corrections are being adjusted for in this world. Even without the advantage against Undead, I quickly understood after a few swings that this bokutou under Holy Enchant was much sturdier than usual. It wouldnt give even if I banged it against a wall hard enough to definitely break in normal conditions.

Theres a time limit on the effects, but its not an issue if only used when required. As a result, I could suffice with my single bokutou. No need to help myself to the clubs carried by the Skeletons.

Finally, on Healing Light, since we havent had any noticeable injuries, it hasnt been put to the test. The grievous injuries from the Armor Bears assault were completely healed when Id awoken as a Hero, and Ive been without a scratch since.

Still, looking at these awe-inspiring feats of magic, we could expect the healing magic to be great too. And since were traversing a dangerous dungeon thats crawling with monsters, this kind of recovery option is all the more indispensable. In a way, this healing magic can be considered much more valuable than attack power.

Id hope we could break free from here not needing to use it, but considering that theres not only the smallfry Skeletons, but powerful foes like the Armor Bear, I know it wont be that easy.

Sigh, this Fairy Walnut, it isnt bad per say, but its kind of dispiriting that well have only these to go on from now

Dont be so picky. I think were blessed enough to find a stable source of nutrition in this kind of survival scenario

Maybe for you, nii-san, youd be used to this from your extended trips to the mountain with jii-sama(grand father).

No, well even jii-san wouldnt take me training to this kind of monster infested dungeon. Well, that jii-san might gladly dive into dungeon capturing, but I dont see myself as that battle-hungry to begin with. I just wanna get back to regular old, peaceful highschooler life.

Leaving aside those thoughts, I finish up my walnuts, and stand up.

Now then, I guess we should check on that

Uu, nii-san, youre really going to check that?

Sakura openly makes a wry face, but we really cant ignore this previous guest lodging in this Fairy Square.

I mean look, its a dead Knight. And the swords still hanging at the waist Isnt this the best chance to get a weapon?

This was a genuine skeletal corpse wearing slightly dirty armor. Like if theyd been attacked by monsters while exploring, and made it all the way here, but the wound was too deep and etc.[3]

Id prefer not to be like that in the future. May they rest in peace(Namu-amida-butsu), I leave a prayer for their passing.

It wont become a Skeleton and attack right?

Right now, I feel like I can deal with that unarmed

Its not as much as when I beat the Armor Bear with the light sword, but my body feels exceedingly light and overflowing with power. In fact, Ive confirmed that my physical prowess has distinctly risen from the level I was at yesterday. Only, I didnt need to go full power against Skeletons, so I cant really tell exactly how strong I am.

See, nothing to worry about

That its showing no reaction as I rudely pick through its equipment shows, without a doubt, that the corpse is staying a corpse. I assure Sakura that its not an Undead monster, but its not right to expect a girl to happily engage in rummaging through a dead body. Reminds me, Sakuras a pretty easy scare. Shes weak to horror films after all.

For now, ransacking dutys on me. First job would be taking the most eye-catching longsword off from the belt along with the scabbard. I unsheathe and examine the blade.

This isnt, bad at all a fine sword. No rust, and the make isnt shabby either

It does indeed look new. I wonder, if its an effect from magic?

Not implausible. The armor has a light-weight make, favoring maneuverability, but there are elaborate designs here and there; doesnt seem like its for the common soldier. This sword too, has a coat of arms resembling a red lion, and doesnt seem like it was mass produced. Perhaps this person was a noble.

In that case, it wouldnt be strange if there was magic cast on this sword to maintain its edge. Though its not like we have any way to confirm that.

Yup, this actually looks appropriate for battle

And much more reliable than a bokutou

With a swing, I again affirm the splendidness of the sword. Wouldve been the best if it was a katana, but I really cant be that fussy about it in another world. I should consider it lucky their norm wasnt some weird shaped sword like a Shotel.[4]

Sorry Knight-san, but Ill be gratefully using this

Mostly, done with the scavenging, I once again place a hand on the skeleton of the Knight and say a prayer; following which, I equip the longsword to my waist.

The weapons I appropriated from the Knight are: this longsword, and a dagger they also possessed. The dagger was also well preserved, not a bit of rusting. Of course, it also had the same red lion coat of arms on it.

Sakura, you hold on to the dagger, for self-defence

No, Im wont it be more useful if nii-san takes it?

Lux Sagitta is pretty dangerous at close range. Also, havent you taken lessons in handling a knife atleast?

Well, a bit, yes

Though not as hard as with me, Sakura has been more or less put through the ropes by jii-san since childhood. Not only self-defence techniques to deal with hoodlums carrying knives, but even the ways of taking those knives and stabbing back has been drilled into her. That jii-san said Sakuras a girl, and its much easier to justify it as self-defence, so she should stab them to death without worry, really makes him a **ty old fart. Though, Sakura seriously asking him to teach her how to stab till theyre on the verge of death, is pretty something too.

Well, lets head out then. Sooner we find our classmates, the better

And with our equipment ready, we left the Fairy Square.

What appeared in the area right after were the pitch black, short, humanoid monsters called Goma. Carrying rusted knives or axes, clubs as if stolen theyd stolen them from Skeletons, or spears made of animal bone, these were crude yet indeed armed, dangerous monsters. Even scarier was the fact that these things had a craving for human meat. On the off chance they beat us, theyd probably literally eat us alive.

The appearance is reminiscent of the representative mob monster in RPGs: the Goblin, but thats no excuse to let our guard down.

Nii-san, wasnt that, just a bit too much?

No wait, I can explain, Sakura, please hear me out

Right now, spread around me was a scene so bloody and gruesome, youd want to ask if some crazed mass murderer passed by.

When we exited the passage that we left the Fairy Square from, we came upon a slightly large path where 5 Goma attacked. Of course, we easily got the upper hand and beat them but the killing was so brutal, even Im a bit taken aback. The corpses were scattered and shred so bad, its hard to tell if there were 5 of them. At some point, priority went from how Id attack to where Id put my feet to avoid the blood spatter.

Please, explain away

I was just trying out some Skills

The disaster before me was nothing but the result of me testing the effects of my Skills. If I hadnt done that, Id have properly finished them with clean and efficient strikes of the Knights longsword.

I see, thats why nii-sans movements started changing from normal. So, after using them, your impressions?

Its got ridiculous power. Though it seems theyre called Martial Arts when release by a sword

The Skills I learned after defeating the Armor Bear were in total 6.

Learned Skills

Thrust Boosts piercing potential. A sharp blow impales the enemy

Slash Boosts tearing potential. A sharp blow cuts the enemy

High Walk Boosts speed. Run like the wind

Acquired Skills

Force Boost Boosts strength. Force akin to the Armor Bear

Iron Guard(iron hide)

Boosts defence. Guard akin to the Armor Bear

Tri Slash 3 strike combo attack. Mutilate the enemy akin to the Armor Bears claws[5]

Learned Skills are ones that apply to my own growth. In gaming terms, theyre skills that I automatically learn as I level up.

Acquired Skills would be ones that originate from defeated enemies. This probably doesnt take the other partys Skill as is, but takes that as a base and converts it into a form that a human like me can use. They had gone through the necessary corrections.

The Armor Bears strength is a result of its own muscles, and its tough defence comes from that thick metallic shell. Of course, being able to maim the opponent with a swing of its arm is only thanks to the numerous sharp claws on its paws. If I was literally going to have the same powers as my foe, Id have the same appearance as the Armor Bear by now.

The powers ridiculous, but there some buildup time needed, and right after launching, theres a slight gap in my defence. They also drain more stamina than when normally swinging the sword, so I gotta consider the time and place.

Theyre quite similar to magic. But these powers we get from the Vocation, we become more adept the more we use them, it seems, so I guess you cant be too sparing?

Yeah, if I cant get used to using these Martial Arts, they wont be useful when it actually counts. So for now, Ill be practicing

But Ill refrain from bursting apart Goma with Tri Slash.

Nii-san, you kind of look like youre having fun

It may sound careless but I wanted to get stronger. And now, weve come to another world, and I was given this great power you can even visually confirm. My excitement being high, is probably because of my lack of mental training

Sorry, I wasnt saying that cynically. I really do know how deeply nii-san feels about wanting strength. But what if this great power changes you, is something Im a bit, uneasy about

Damn, Sakura really had me there. Seems I got high tensioned enough to arouse this kind of worry. Really need to get a hold of myself. Maybe some Zen meditation later?

Im perfectly fine. Me getting as strong as I can is only because I want to protect you, Sakura, and everyone else too. I dont know why God made me a Hero or how much stronger I can become but I wouldnt stray from using that strength correctly, ever.

Theres no use just having power. How you use it is the vital part. This doctrine has been pummelled into me by jii-san since I was a kid. You could say, its carved onto my bones by now.

I understand that. I meant to be aware of it since forever now. But now that I have the power to easily kill a human shaped thing, I feel like I gained a whole new apprehension of that teaching.

Or maybe Ill know it even better from now on; it would become something that keeps me in check.

Just being protected, its really vexing you know. So, I will get stronger with you. Ill try and get even a little stronger, so I can support you, nii-san

You will Yeah, of course you will. Thanks, Sakura. Counting on you

Anytime, nii-san

This excellent sister of mine thinking dearly of her brother, really does warm my heart but huh, this heartwarming feeling doesnt match scenery of me in the middle of a slaughterfest at all. Atmosphere is pretty important.

Anyway, after a breather, we continued on the passage with no end in sight.

On the way, we got into a large domed space filled with vegetation like a botanical garden, where we encountered more Goma and packs of wild, reddish dogs. They were in packs, but there was no special powers or magic as a result of them being grouped, so with Sakuras support fire, and High Walks maneuverability, we easily eliminated them.

Up till now, the monsters were smallfry. But theres no telling when a big shot with the Armor Bear would appear, so we made sure to be on maximum alert while advancing through the dungeon.

It was when wed been in this place long enough to notice that the safe, relief stations known as Fairy Squares, were scattered at quite reasonable intervals. It was when we arrived at another one of those Fairy Squares.

No way, Souma-kun?

There, we found the previous guests.

Ah, i-its true Souma-kun, and Sakura-chan Im not in a dream, right?

Familiar faces, there were 2 girls.

Class rep and Natsukawa-san! What a relief, youre both alrig

U, uuuwaaaaa! Souma-kuuun!

Wha! H-hold on, Natsukawa-san!?

Suddenly hugging me in tears, I cant do anything but get flustered. Im just normal friends with Natsukawa-san, nothing on the level of embracing each upon reuniting. And nowd be when Sakura misunderstands and looks at me coldly is what I though, but Sakura was facing class rep with a weighty expression.

Ryouko, I hoped to say Im glad youre alright but that, doesnt really seem to be the case

Yeah, Sakura, and Yuuto-kun, were really saved now that youre here. Thanks

Apparently their situation was worse than I thought. Natsukawa-san too, it doesnt seem like shes crying from simple anxiety. I could see her having been mentally cornered at a severe level.d new chaptrs on no/v/e/lin(.)com

For now, I return the sobbing Natsukawa-sans embrace to calm her down. And asking what happened, would be towards class rep who has an awfully tired and pale face, yet was still holding together.

Class rep, what exactly, happened to you guys

A friend, another one died. Just a while ago

It was an event I hadnt imagined No, thats wrong, I purposefully didnt think about it. The powerful Vocation, the weak monsters that could only crowd together. So everyone else was fine too.

Naively, I made myself think like that.

That that kind of thinking was not hope, but merely a convenient desire, is proven fact, right here, right now.

Thus, I was finally made aware that among my classmates, there was a casualty.

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[1]Ive decided to use -G-od(dess) for respectful addressing, like kami-sama, and -g-od(s), when theyre referring to the many gods or just mentioning a god in passing. No deep meaning here, just thought it could use a distinction.

[2]I try to make a note when names are involved. Thankfully, all names in this case have their dictions(furigana) given. So no changes there. Source for Keeper of the Light. Cure and Heal are also in furi, but theyre really very obvious. Also, stuff like Lux Sagitta appear in Kuro no Maou too! I bet the readers familiar with it, but Ill take any excuse to squeeze that in~

[3]Ill use they for gender neutrality.

[4]Glorious japanese katana folded 1000 times vs boring western longsword, also, Shotels.

[5]I made a table. Well, Ill get to doing this for the other skill listings soon. Also, I dont know why I said Full Boost before. typo = fixed. All skills are as per diction(furigana). The descriptions are pretty straightforward too, so nothing to say on that. The meanings are pretty similar to the dictions, except Iron Guard. Im debating changing Acquired to Integrated or Assimilated. All of these seem ok, doushio~

Chapter end