When I said, "You can be a hero," to a child with no talent, he really started to become a hero, so I acted like I knew what I was doing, like I was a wise master.

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I am a member of the hero party called Sakura. My nickname is the “Supreme Swordsman.”

Although I bear this grand title, to be honest, I think it’s quite exaggerated when I look at our hero.

Having traveled with our hero, I can truly say that he is exceptional in every aspect as a living being.

Sword skills, physical strength, blessings—nothing eludes him. In the past, it was me who was predicted to become a hero, but in the end, it was him.

Our hero always wears an iron mask. I’ve never seen his true face. I’ve been curious, but he never showed it, no matter what.

It bothers me. I’m incredibly curious about his real face. And, well, I’m curious about his background too. If we were to get married or something, I’d have to meet his parents.

He mentioned that his parents are not deceased. So, they must be somewhere, his parents.

I want to introduce myself and ask about him. What was he thinking, how did he grow up? I want to know as much as possible, even the smallest details.

But his true face and background are unknown!

That’s when I saw him—a man. I first saw him when I was with Lin duLing the tournament. Something felt off, very off.

I had a feeling because it was strange. His strength was extraordinary.

And his speed at the Knight Academy. Blink, and you’d miss it. But when I realized it, the match had already ended.

Even as a former hero party member, or more precisely, the “Hero of This Era,” I would have been him if he weren’t here.

Can my eyes not perceive his true strength?

There are many skilled individuals who hide their abilities. But even so, isn’t this abnormal? And it seems like he’s not too aware of it.

There’s too much of a gap in strength compared to the people around him, and this inconsistency in strength standards.

The one who possesses this is… Dan, the hero.

Dan, as he’s called, doesn’t exude any aura of power. But sometimes, I feel waves of isolated otherworldly strength from him.

Even if he’s not our hero, I can’t understand why this level of strength would go unnoticed. Where has he been hiding all this time?

He used to say he was a shut-in, but that’s just too unbelievable. How could someone with that level of skill become so isolated?

I need to confirm this in the city of Lambda.

“They say that ghosts come out at night.”

“I see.”

Right now, Lin and he are talking. Lin, who doesn’t usually open up to others so easily. That also piques my curiosity. Maybe she, too, is suspecting his true identity in some way, or perhaps she’s keenly evaluating the possibility that he might be our hero.

“Hey, let’s wander around the city for a bit. Sakura, you too.”

“Yeah.”

“We both hide our true faces because things get noisy when they’re exposed.”

Lin and I wear masks to conceal our identities, as it tends to cause a commotion when revealed. Dan, on the other hand, remains carefree, whistling along.

For now, we decided to stroll through the city together until nightfall.

“What would you like for lunch, Dan?”

“Oh, some meat, I guess. Today, I’ll go easy on the fats and go for chicken breast…”

“Fats? Didn’t our hero use that word often?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Yeah, I think it’s nothing. Let’s just let it slide for now, Sakura.”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not very good at hiding things.”

Lin-chan was whispeLing something to herself. Speaking of fats, our hero used to mention it occasionally. Well, it’s a word our hero popularized, so it’s not strange for others to use it.

“Hey there, buddy, how about joining the brawl festival?”

“No, thanks.”

Ban was being encouraged to participate in the brawl festival. If he decides to participate, we might learn something.

“It might be good if you give it a try. I guarantee your skills.”

“I’ll pass. Too much of a hassle.”

“You’d be a hit with the opposite sex if you win.”

“I’ll join. Will I be popular even if I’m just an average guy?”

“You will.”

“I’m in.”

He was about to enter, but Lin stopped him, and the matter was dropped. Eventually, the three of us spent the evening together. Surprisingly, he was easy to talk to.

“Well then, let’s go look for ghosts.”

“Yeah, Ban, aren’t you tired?”

“I’m fine.”

As the three of us walked around the city, Lin-chan and I quickly noticed something. In the distance, there was a skeletal figure moving. Cloaked in robes, it was approaching us.

“Hero Sakura, isn’t it?”

“…Yeah, I’m Sakura.”

“I see, I see, I see. Good, this is one of the paths created by the gods. Now, defeat me and grow stronger.”

“I’ll defeat you. That’s why I came.”

Is this the ghost, the Fifth-Generation Guide? He certainly has a strong presence. What’s intriguing is the magical weapon he holds. It’s similar to the one the Fifth-Generation Guide used—the “Sorcerer’s Sword Sorelandart.” It can launch magical attacks, and its strikes always hit.

It seems there are slashes on the body if you’re not careful.

“Wait… Hero Sakura, I have one question.”

“What is it?”

“Why isn’t one of your ears missing? According to the divine prophecy, you were supposed to lose one ear in battle. And standing there is the child of the gods, Linlin Frontier. Why are you both whole? Why, according to the prophecy, should your limbs be slightly maimed? One of your eyes should be missing too. Why, why, how did you defy the divine prophecy?”

Lin-chan and I exchanged glances. Indeed, the “Divine Prophecy” had foretold that a part of our bodies would be missing.

The “Divine Voyager” had said so. But our hero defeated the enemies mentioned in the prophecy…

“Why, why, why is the path of the gods perfect? Why did you… No, that’s not it. How did you defy the path of the gods?”

The ghost erupted in anger. Lin-chan’s eyes sharpened; she seemed to sense something. I must be feeling the same way as her.

“Sakura, that’s not just an ordinary ghost, is it?”

“Yeah, I have a feeling.”

Upon our words, the ghost’s face drooped slightly. Then, in the next moment, silver wings sprouted from the white bones on its back. They shone brilliantly and eerily in the night.

“An angel…”

“You know about it, Sakura?”

“It was mentioned in ancient texts. The battle between gods and demons, those who served the gods… angels.”

“Indeed, I am an angel. Currently, I inhabit this ghost’s body. But this is all for you, Hero Sakura! For you to become the one who can defeat the demon gods! And for you, Linlin, you are nothing but a bomb created by the gods! Why do you get to live comfortably? Why do you live so easily, carrying the expectations of the gods?”

“…Sorry, but we don’t like that kind of talk. Besides, I’m not a hero. The hero of this era is Dan, the strongest hero in history.”

“…Who is that?”

The angel doesn’t know our hero… Seems like an ignorant angel. However, I’ve gleaned something: this angel has recently awakened. That’s why they don’t know our hero; they rely on outdated divine knowledge.

“Well, never mind. Then, as per the divine prophecy, I shall strip your limbs, borrow your ear, and blind your eyes right here and now. Defying the divine prophecy is unforgivable!”

“Don’t say such arbitrary things.”

I drew my sword, a troublesome magical weapon with pinpoint accuracy. Let’s end this quickly. I would like to confirm whether he is our hero, but this could be dangerous if he’s not.

“Ban, you can run from here.”

“…I’m fine. I want to fight a bit.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve read about angels as part of my knowledge. I’ll fight just once.”

“Uh, but…”

“There’s no real point in fighting. Well, I don’t feel like fighting, but… angels haven’t been in any battles. I’ll keep it as an experience. I’m not particularly fond of gods either.”

He walked slowly towards the angel. Even the angel, who had ignored him until now, noticed him.

“Who are you?”

“Well, don’t worry about it. We won’t ever meet again.”

His voice lowered slightly. It didn’t seem like he was angry or emotional; he was rather detached.

“Die.”

The angel swung the magic sword. It should have been a guaranteed hit, but it only cut his clothes.

“Oh, you’re one of those…”

He continued walking nonchalantly, as if saying, “So what?” upon noticing the guaranteed attack.

“Well, I already have your attack within my reach. I will kill you.”

“Sure, if you can.”

“Disappear. You’re obstructing the divine prophecy!”

Dozens of slashes were unleashed in an instant. But even though they struck him, it seemed like nothing happened.

“Why… can you maintain your physical form?”

“Well, maybe the user is inexperienced.”

“I am an angel, a divine being’s incarnation! Don’t belittle me, a member of a super-ancient race, who lives at the grace of the gods! To treat me as an outsider is unforgivable!”

He attempted another slash towards him, but this time, it didn’t land and dissipated.

“What…?”

“Huh?”

“What’s going on?”

The angel, Lin-chan, and I all opened our mouths in astonishment. It should have been a guaranteed attack.

“What did you do?”

“It hit me. As soon as it touched my skin, it cut everything.”

“Huh?”

“What are you talking about? Hey, you?”

“Never mind.”

Before we could react, he had a small knife in his hand. Did he use that to cut everything?

“God’s underling, huh? That’s it?”