"What is going on?!"
"The Four Holy Heroes, the fifth... there's a fifth person?!"
Inside a Western-style classical tower, several men in robes stood to the side with stunned and blank expressions. The heavy stone brick floor emitted a deep blue glow, resembling a geometric magic array drawn with fluorescent paint. As a dazzling light rose, five figures stood upon the array.
Four of them wore modern clothing, their faces full of confusion and bewilderment as they looked at each other, each holding a different weapon: a sword, a spear, a bow, and a shield. The last person wore ancient Japanese-style red armor, his expression cold and handsome, arms crossed over his chest, with a flash of crimson in his dark pupils.
"...Another world?" the man in ancient armor murmured in a voice only he could hear.
"Where is this?" one of them asked, curiously sizing up the robed men before them.
"Oh oh, Heroes of the Four Holy Weapons! This world is facing a grave crisis of life and death. We implore you to save this world!"
Several robed men spoke with intense emotion, hands clasped in prayer and tones of entreaty.
"Eh?!!!!" x4
Perhaps because the four clueless people were too loud, the man in ancient armor nearby frowned in displeasure, cast a cold glance at the four of them, and then fixed his icy gaze on the sky outside, remaining silent.
Inside the majestic palace hall.
Nobles and robed mages stood on both sides of the hall, followed by two rows of heavily guarded soldiers. A silent and solemn atmosphere filled the space.
"Aren't there four Holy Heroes? Why is there a fifth?" Sitting on the throne, an elderly man wearing luxurious attire and a crown looked up and down at the five people before him, turning his head to question the robed man beside him in a low voice.
"Well... there must have been some mistake. After all, summoning all four Holy Heroes at once has never happened before." Hesitating as he looked at the five people below the hall, the robed man replied in a low voice.
"Never mind... I am the king of this country, Aultcray Melromarc XXXII. Heroes, raise your heads." Arrogant words spilled from the aged king's mouth, his expression indifferent as he looked down at the five people at the foot of the steps.
This arrogant tone, which regarded people as beneath notice, left the other four-excluding the man in ancient armor-feeling rather displeased, with an urge to retort, but they held it back when they remembered the other's status.
"First, I must explain to you all that this country, and indeed the world, is heading toward destruction!"
Hearing this, the four nodded slightly. As expected, with this classic heroic storyline unfolding, the next step would be asking us to save the world, right?
The explanation was roughly as follows:
There was a prophecy in this world foretelling the imminent arrival of an apocalypse, announcing that waves of calamity would inevitably drive the world to ruin. It was said that unless a way was found to repel the disasters brought by these waves, the entire world would not escape doom.
The year of disaster pointed to by the prophecy was this year, and just as foretold, an ancient artifact known as the Dragon Hourglass seemed to have stirred.
This Dragon Hourglass predicted the appearance of the waves and had been issuing warnings since a month ago. According to legend, a one-month grace period followed the end of each calamity wave.
At first, the citizens of this country completely ignored the prophecy. But when the sand in the Dragon Hourglass ran out precisely as foretold, the disaster struck.
This country, Melromarc, suddenly spawned a dimensional rift, and a vast horde of ferocious demonic beasts poured out from it.
At the time, thanks to the joint efforts of the national knights and adventurers, the demonic beast army was barely beaten back, but the next wave of calamity would bring an even more ferocious army of monsters.
Continuing like this would make stopping the calamity impossible, so the heavyweights of the nation followed ancient tradition and held the hero-summoning ritual... Such was the gist of the events.
"...Therefore, we ask you, as heroes, to save this world on the brink of destruction!"
"Of course, as a reward for saving the world, our nation will offer generous compensation to you all. Now then, heroes, state your names." Staring at the five, the king spoke thus.
The black-haired, handsome youth holding a long sword said, "Ren Amaki, sixteen years old, high schooler."
"Guess it's my turn next. I'm Motoyasu Kitamura, twenty-one years old, college student." With a high ponytail of blond hair, the Spear Hero Motoyasu Kitamura replied in a flippant tone.
"Then it's my turn. My name is Itsuki Kawasumi, seventeen this year, and I'm a high schooler." The shortest youth with wavy curly hair spoke up.
"My name is Naofumi Iwatani, twenty years old, college student." Naofumi Iwatani, whose appearance seemed somewhat stern, introduced himself.
For some reason, Naofumi Iwatani felt that the king was looking at him with a hint of contempt, and suddenly felt an itch on his back.
"Then who is the last person?"
Everyone's gaze immediately gathered on the black-haired man in ancient armor. The cold and arrogant aura he exuded caused the other four to glance sideways at their unfamiliar companion.
"My name is Ye Uchiha, and I am a ninja." Ye Uchiha crossed his arms over his chest and said indifferently, carrying an air of looking down on the world that caused the faces of the nobles and the king to sink slightly, though they said nothing.
"Eh, a ninja? This cosplay-dressed bro really knows how to joke, actually saying he's a ninja-like those ninjas in night clothes who leap over roofs and vault over walls, throwing shuriken everywhere, assassinating people and using poison?" Motoyasu Kitamura laughed, trying to strike up a friendly rapport.
Ye Uchiha cast a cold glance at Motoyasu Kitamura. Catching that gaze, Motoyasu Kitamura froze as if grabbed by the neck, his face turning pale without daring to draw a full breath until Ye Uchiha withdrew his look, after which his complexion improved somewhat.
Feeling Ye Uchiha's gaze, the other three subconsciously took a few steps back, looking at him with a mix of awe and astonishment.
"Ren, Motoyasu, Itsuki, and Ye, is it?"
Naofumi Iwatani called out with dissatisfaction, "King, don't forget about me."
"Oh, sorry, Naofumi."
Glancing casually at Naofumi Iwatani, the king replied absentmindedly.
Naofumi Iwatani scratched his head, vaguely feeling that he was the only one out of place in this scene. Er... no, there was also that weirdo Ye Uchiha who claimed to be a 'ninja'.
Looking at the five people present, the king spoke, "Now, I would like you heroes to check your status and objectively review your current strength."
"What?"
What on earth was a status?
"What's wrong with you guys? Did you not notice that thing first when you came to this world?" Ren Amaki asked with a dumbfounded expression that seemed to say, You guys actually didn't know?
Who would know that! Or rather, what's up with that smug face of yours acting like a walking encyclopedia.
Naofumi Iwatani twitched his mouth, starting to complain internally.
Before you continue