Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

"..." The woman raised her gaze upward while simultaneously pushing up her glasses. Her expression as she took in the sight of the city's main gate at a glance was mixed with various emotions. Then. The woman's companion who had gone ahead carefully clasped her hand. Her characteristic narrow eyes held affectionate emotions as gentle as that touch. Seer Shuon. She said. "Shelloa, are you alright?" "Huh? Oh." Hero of Sealing Shelloa. She nodded her head in response to her companions who were looking at her. "It's nothing. Just- I've been thinking a lot more." Shelloa once again took in the cityscape spread before her eyes. Bondaless. Recently, the city that had become the busiest on the continent for various reasons. The city's main gate was bustling with numerous visitors. Probably, they had all visited this city for different reasons. She was no different. Shelloa fidgeted with the sacred sword at her waist. And she recalled the reason she had come here. Divine Oracle. It spoke. That in this city- Bondaless, a true hero would be born. "Leroun." Shelloa quietly spoke the sacred sword's name. -... No answer came back. Shelloa had already expected this. After the oracle. The sacred sword had been in a dormant state for unknown reasons. "..." Eventually. Shelloa resolutely nodded her head. The Hero of Sealing entered Bondaless. With that, all heroes had gathered in one place. *** [Title: What are the Seven Rays of Light] Content: I'm already busy as hell with the base bullshit suddenly what the hell is this [3/7] thing -: what could it be what was there in this game that divides into exactly seven shining things -[Author]: oh shit don't tell me this is sacred swords? you're telling me to collect 4 more sacred swords??? -: why do you only have 3 in the first place? did you play the game wrong? -[Author]: no wtf are you talking about I picked them up without fail every time I watched heroes die confiscated the Sacred Sword of Advancement from Face Thief confiscated the dead Hero of Knowledge's from Asking Left Hand confiscated the dead Hero of Sealing's from Apostle of Karma isn't that three and done? -: if you had a brain you'd think about it there are 7 sacred swords in this game you think it ends with just 3 heroes dying? -[Author]: no shit what kind of head do you need to have for 1 sacred sword = 1 death to be common sense I don't need that kind of head -: that's why you're shitting your pants right now lol -: game comprehension deficiency issue lol humbly accept it -[Author]: ok I'll accept it I'll just assume the owners of the remaining four sacred swords are alive and leave them alone -: Developer: ok I won't show you the true ending -[Author]: ok I'll quit the game -: Developer: ok I told you to quit from the start of the game -[Author]: ah they really are a piece of shit -: if you want to see the true ending it's better to collect all sacred swords before the main base is set up once that main base burning event starts it becomes a pain to go get sacred swords -[Author]: what if the main base is already set up? -: just writhe in despair while listening to our belated advice -[Author]: I'm suddenly curious does playing this game make everyone crazy like you guys -: it's the opposite we play this game because we're crazy? -: Fact) from a normal person's perspective, the author who keeps eating shit while getting angry is also crazy -[Author]: ah -: (roughly the sound of when you gaze into the abyss blah blah) *** Gus's Mansion. Now reborn as a proper meeting place of Bondaless, that location never ceased to have crowds day and night. Should it be called thanks to that. The mansion's owner Gus had now become an eccentric who could calmly welcome even extraordinarily special guests. Among some merchants, rumors circulated that he had become something more than a merchant. "Good heavens..." Such Gus unconsciously let out a sigh. The group of visitors he was welcoming this time had a special composition that could be counted on one hand even among all visits so far. Gus's gaze first turned to the familiar places. An ideally handsome young man as if drawn in a picture. Hero of Ideals Jane. A man whose ordinariness was rather impressive. Hero of Knowledge Felix. Both heroes had stayed for a period exceeding a certain level, so they could now be considered proper citizens of Bondaless. It wasn't strange for those two heroes, who had the same master and were connected through their relationship with Risir, to gather in one place. However- Gus's gaze turned to the next figures in order. A woman with a scholarly impression wearing glasses. Hero of Sealing Shelloa. A man whose clear eyes were strangely unsettling. Unyielding Hero Kuzan. Finally- A woman with a cynical atmosphere. Hero of Blessing Roera. "All heroes in one place..." To Gus's dazed murmuring, Jane spoke with a bright smile. "Strictly speaking, not all heroes." "Pardon?" Felix spoke with a somewhat awkward expression. "Mr. Gus. Could we meet Risi- no, the Hero of Advancement?" *** Gus immediately gave the heroes one of the largest rooms in the main building. Thus a spectacle was created. A large rectangular table positioned in the center of the room. The heroes sat around it, gauging each other's reactions. As heroes in the same situation, they knew each other's purposes without speaking, and could understand each other's positions. Following the aura of sacred swords as if entranced, they had gathered in one place like fate and arrived here at Gus's Mansion. That is. They were essentially no different from strangers who had met on the street. A fitting awkward atmosphere flowed for a moment. "So-" Hero of Ideals Jane casually broached the subject. His handsome voice and smile magically broke down the awkward atmosphere of the place. "Shall we gradually discuss the reason we've gathered in one place- would that be alright with everyone?" The Hero of Knowledge calmly nodded his head. The Hero of Blessing tilted her chin. The Hero of Sealing politely pushed up her glasses. And- "My thoughts are as follows." Unyielding Hero Kuzan. He suddenly got to the point and took control of the conversation. Not entirely gentle gazes focused on Kuzan. He continued his story with clear eyes as if that were a signal of attention. "We skip the meaningless arguments that will follow from now on." "Hey, meaningless arguments? We didn't gather here to fight, did we? Surely we can have a productive conversation. Right, Felix?" "Right. That would be so. If everyone is prepared to approach the conversation with an accommodating attitude like you." "Then-" Hero of Sealing Shelloa checked the faces of the heroes and said. "It would be better for those prepared to have productive conversations to talk first among themselves." "Does that mean I should be left out?" When the Unyielding stared directly with clear eyes, the Sealing didn't return the gaze and answered. "If you're not prepared to have productive conversations, then that would be right." "Hahaha, you keep emphasizing productive conversation from earlier- to begin with, what is productive conversation?" The Unyielding placed both arms on the desk and rested his chin on them. "All of us gathering here means that we all heard the same oracle. Right?" It wasn't a statement meant to get an answer. The Unyielding immediately continued speaking. "A true hero will be born in Bondaless. A hero who hears that oracle and heads to Bondaless will have only one thought." The true hero is me. The Unyielding's proclamatory statement caused ripples large and small across the other heroes' expressions. "Is it necessary to make such extreme conclusions?" Hero of Ideals Jane spoke to ease the tense atmosphere of the place. "As I said. The direction of productive conversation I envision is skipping unnecessary processes. Hero of Ideals Jane. Then let me ask you in return." The Unyielding extended his hand toward him sitting across. "Are you fine with that 'true hero' not being yourself?" "..." That idealistic smile instantly hardened stiffly. "Of course not. Such a person cannot become the Master of Sacred Sword." Satisfied with the Ideals' reaction, the Unyielding smiled and placed his sacred swords on the table. One sword. And then another. "It may not look like it, but I too am a Master of Sacred Sword just like all of you. That's why I can know. That thing the hero's name brings-" The Unyielding looked at his own hand and clenched it with all his might. "That amazing emotion. That amazing pride. I can say with certainty. No one will want to give that up. Am I wrong?" Not only the Ideals and Knowledge, but even the Sealing and Blessing couldn't deny the Unyielding's words. Their lives changed completely when they were chosen by sacred swords. They became clearer and more special. They felt incomparable pride in the fact that they were heroes. "The true hero. You must have vaguely realized what that existence implies." "...If there's a real one, there must be fakes too." Everyone's gaze focused on the Sealing. Her quiet murmur pierced through the anxiety everyone was feeling. As she said. The heroes hearing the oracle and gathering in Bondaless wasn't solely to seize the name of 'true hero'. If a true hero were to appear. What would happen to the other heroes? As such, what was moving the heroes now was not ambition but anxiety. "The true hero." Then, the Unyielding spoke. "As you can see from this gathering, sacred swords have chosen various people and continued the lineage of heroes." "...But throughout history, there has been only one person praised as a true hero." Lindal. It was a name mentioned from the Knowledge's mouth. "The true hero. The first hero. And-" By this point, everyone could understand. What the current story was trying to say. The heroes began placing their sacred swords on the table one by one. "Master of the seven sacred swords." Meaningful glances passed between them. "Really. If a true hero is born, will he become the master of all sacred swords?" "...No, Jane. It could be the opposite." "The opposite?" Snap. The Unyielding, who had been watching their conversation, brightened and snapped his fingers. "Exactly, Knowledge!" The Unyielding gathered his sacred swords that were placed on the table into one hand. "I too share the same thought as you! The one who becomes master of all sacred swords- that is, being reborn as the true hero!" The heroes' gazes turned to each other's sacred swords. Eventually, those gazes focused on one place. On the Unyielding's spot where two sacred swords were uniquely placed- "Skip the unnecessary processes." The Sealing quoted the expression the Unyielding had used earlier. "What does that mean?" "It's simple." The Unyielding conspicuously lifted both sacred swords to show them. "Transfer the sacred swords to the one who is rightfully suited to be the master of the seven sacred swords." "And that's you?" The Blessing spoke for the first time. A defiant posture with arms crossed and body leaning fully against the backrest. The Blessing looked down at the Unyielding from that position. As if finding it pathetic. "..." For the first time, ripples appeared in the Unyielding's eyes that had been purely clear. However, he immediately regained his original expression. The Unyielding and Blessing glared at each other without giving an inch. "Hey, hey! Everyone calm down first-" As the atmosphere grew endlessly sharp, the Ideals quickly intervened. "It seems like we can't skip those unnecessary processes after all- how about we try having a conversation with each other first?" "Conversation? In this situation? What kind of conversation could we possibly-" The Sealing spoke in a pessimistic tone. The Ideals answered without losing his smile. "The most certain and fair method in times like this- wouldn't it be voting? Before proceeding with the vote, we have time to get to know each other. How about it?" "Jane-" The Knowledge sighed while looking at his friend. His proposal was certainly idealistic. However- "Are you serious? Do you really think anyone here will vote for someone other than themselves?" "..." The Ideals couldn't bring himself to answer. Because even he who brought up the topic couldn't dare to vote for someone else. "But it's also true that there aren't any other options." The Sealing, who had been looking at the Unyielding rather than the two, spoke. "We can't have heroes fighting each other to steal each other's sacred swords." "Wouldn't there be a peaceful method called dueling?" The Unyielding spoke with a confident smile. "Oh, dueling. You seem quite confident?" "..." However, his momentum was broken again by the Blessing's meaningful remark. In the midst of this. The Ideals spoke once more. "Then for now- how about this? We ask each other the same question, and based on those answers, judge whether the other person is qualified." Before anyone could raise objections, the Ideals raised his index finger and immediately continued. "If you were to obtain other sacred swords, what would you do first?" *** At first, they were lukewarm. However, they soon began responding to the questions with serious attitudes. What they would do first if they obtained other sacred swords. That question was also asking about the beliefs and ideals they held as heroes. In that sense- They could indeed be called heroes. The heroes' answers each held different ideals, but all of them were directed toward a greater cause. The heroes who responded to the questions with such serious attitudes- Shortly after returned to their lukewarm attitudes again. "This way-" At some point they realized. The fact that all this conversation was meaningless. And for good reason. No matter how upright and admirable one hero's ideals were, they were insufficient to move the other heroes. This was especially true if the standard was 'transferring sacred swords'. I absolutely don't think so, so hand over your sacred swords. No. I absolutely don't think so either, so hand over your sacred swords. Such one-sided conversations continued for a while. "Ah! Everyone, I'm sorry! I'm too late!" It was then that the last hero arrived. Hero of Advancement, Risir. The moment he arrived, the stagnant atmosphere of the place stirred. The heroes could clearly feel it. The fact that the other heroes' gazes directed at him were distinctly different from when they had looked at each other before. The one who felt the greatest anxiety about this fact was the Unyielding. 'No... even so, I'm the one chosen by the most sacred swords-' The Unyielding intended to make it clear in this place. The Hero of Advancement. As a hero, he was no different from the others. Compared to himself who was chosen by two sacred swords, he was just an ordinary hero. "Ah, Risir! You came at just the right time! We were having quite an interesting conversation." "An interesting conversation?" The Unyielding threw the same question at Risir. It was to firmly imprint on himself and the other heroes. That he too couldn't persuade the other heroes- He was just one ordinary hero no different from others. "If I were to obtain another Sacred Sword.... well. One Sacred Sword is already enough-..." Unlike the other heroes who were intoxicated with dreams. The Advancement imagined himself having multiple sacred swords as if having a nightmare. "Ah!" Then. He changed his expression as if something had occurred to him. A very strange act was mentioned from his mouth. It was an act called 'Sacred Magic Sword Show' in some circles. "You see, one sacred sword is insufficient to completely purify the aura of three magic swords! So sometimes I'd imagine. If the number of sacred swords matched the magic swords-" A strange sight was forcibly injected into the heroes' minds. Three sacred swords. Three magic swords. The sight of them being wielded simultaneously in one man's hands. It was an utterly bizarre sight. Therefore, it was an utterly stimulating sight. "..." "..." "..." "..." "..." Thump! The heroes' ears perked up for the first time. Unlike the boring and pedantic ideals of the other heroes- The Advancement's manifesto was immediately imprinted in their minds.