Part 1
Four months had passed since Rei Kanzaki was sacrificed.
On the surface, no one spoke of him.
In the Church of Yoru, his name had been erased from the summoning records.
In tactical meetings, his existence was referred to as a "corrected error."
And among the heroes... his absence was an uncomfortable silence no one dared to break.
The heroes had been separated into groups, stationed across the different cities of the kingdom.
"Kazuki? What do you think about the next expedition to the Mist Valley?" Aya asked, her tone as calm as ever.
The paladin gazed out the strategy room window. The landscape was beautiful—worthy of being immortalized by the most respected contemporary painter.
"If it's an official mission, we'll go. It's our duty as heroes," he replied with a smile that never reached his eyes.
Beside him, Kaede clutched the edge of her robe. She hadn't spoken a single word during the entire meeting.
"Four months..." she whispered, barely audible. "No news... not even in dreams. Not a single trace of him."
Shunta, leaning against the wall, shrugged with indifference.
"The German guy? Forget it. If he didn't die screaming, he died crushed... or of starvation. No way he's still alive down there."
"I just hope it was slow and painful," he added with a twisted grin, as if savoring the idea.
Kaede turned her head slowly. Her gaze held no anger—only a kind of indescribable disappointment. Deeply human.
"You're a damn coward… Because of you—and those idiot friends of yours—he was sent to die down there alone."
Shunta scoffed but didn't reply.
Maybe because he knew she was right.
Or maybe… he just didn't care.
Aya raised her hand to diffuse the tension.
"Let's stay focused. Mist Valley is generating strange readings. It could be a highly dangerous demonic settlement."
"According to reports, many Rank C adventurers have died there."
Kazuki finally stood. His voice was steady, but laced with caution.
"Then we go prepared. We don't know what's waiting out there."
He turned to one of the guards stationed near the entrance.
"Tell the watch to dispatch a second scouting unit. And notify Junya Mori… he's our best tracker. I want him to explore the area first."
The soldier nodded quickly and left.
Meanwhile, in the trading city of Valia…
Renji Sawada strolled down the cobbled streets with a smug grin.
Three beautiful women followed him, dressed elegantly—like his personal courtesans.
"Being a hero has its perks," he laughed, like a nobleman without conscience.
"Of course. Since we got summoned to this world, they've treated us like royalty—women, money, luxuries. This is paradise," added Tougo Shirakawa, adjusting his cape as if he already saw himself as an aristocrat.
"You two are the ones abusing your status. But if we don't train, we'll get wiped in a real battle," Minami Aoki snapped, frowning.
"Come on, Minami, don't be so uptight. You should enjoy it too… like Professor Itsuka, living in the capital now, surrounded by her own harem of men and women," Renji teased.
The mention of the professor—summoned with them, but quick to separate from the group—brought an uncomfortable silence. Her class was "Saint," a title that clashed completely with her frivolous, egotistical personality.
"Yeah… I wish I was in the capital with Kazuki, not stuck here with a bunch of greedy idiots," muttered Sanae, her voice laced with restrained disgust. "At least he acts like a real hero. Not like these jackasses."
Just then, a young boy playing with other children accidentally bumped into Renji.
He fell backward, landing right at the hero's feet.
"I-I'm sorry, sir!" the boy said immediately, bowing in a panic.
Renji's face twisted instantly.
His white cloak now bore a smudge of mud.
"You little shit... do you have any idea who I am?" Renji spat, leaning in and grabbing the boy's arm with furious strength.
The other children dropped to their knees, trembling in fear.
"Please, Hero-sama! Don't hurt him… we're sorry for bothering you…"
"Enough, Renji. Let the boy go," Aoki ordered, her brow furrowed, her voice steady.
"He ruined my clothes. And he's disrespecting a hero... Under royal decree, I could execute him right here."
Renji unsheathed his dagger. The blade—gleaming with divine light—reflected the terrified boy's face, who could do nothing but cry and scream, begging for his life.
"I'll cut off his arm... just so he learns his lesson," he muttered, slowly bringing the blade closer to the child.
The boy kept screaming, his fear rising with every inch the dagger drew near.
Then—a dry sound cut through the air.
The temperature dropped.
Renji's arms began to freeze—slowly, but firmly.
Frost spread from his elbows to his fingertips, forcing him to release the boy, who was then whisked away by a sudden blast of cold air.
"I TOLD YOU that was enough," Aoki said flatly.
Her staff trembled slightly, coated in a thin layer of ice. This time, her eyes showed no hesitation.
The children took the chance to flee—leaving behind only their cries… and the chilling fear lingering in the air.
"What the hell's your problem, Aoki? I was just playing," Renji muttered with a mocking tone.
"I told you to let him go," she repeated, voice like ice.
"Come on, come on… let's all calm down," Tougo interjected, raising his hands in a gesture of fake peace.
Sanae stepped toward Renji, thawing his arms and healing his wounds with a light spell.
Barely recovered, he squared off against Aoki, eyes bloodshot with fury.
"You might've been class president back in school, but out here, you're just like the rest. You don't get to order me around."
"Maybe you're right," Aoki admitted.
But the cold around them intensified.
"But I'm still a triple-S rank mage. And if you want—we can settle this in the arena… A-rank assassin, Renji Sawada."
He didn't reply.
Just turned his back.
"Maybe. But if I were you… I'd watch my back. You never know when someone might strike from the shadows," he said with a malicious grin as he walked away.
Aoki watched in silence.
Since being assigned to this group, she hadn't let her guard down for a single second.
Rumors were already circulating... that Renji had made people "disappear" at the bar just for looking at him the wrong way.
"Let's go, girls," he called out to his companions. "I feel like having some fun. A nice hot bath... and maybe a little action."
He walked off laughing, unconcerned with the stares.
Far from the grand cities, another summoning error remained quietly unnoticed in the agricultural town of Norrendel.
Hinata Yoshino worked under the sun, soaked in sweat as he tilled the earth.
But for him, this wasn't punishment.
He was born in the countryside—and had spent most of his life farming with his family.
"These lands are fertile... We'll have a great harvest this year," he said, wiping sweat from his brow with his forearm.
The village chief, an elderly man with a calm expression, followed silently behind him, watching as the villagers planted rice according to Hinata's instructions.
A young woman with long blond hair approached carrying a wooden tray.
On it, several glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice.
"Good morning, Hinata!" she greeted brightly.
"Good morning, Emilia. How are the stables?"
"All good!" she replied, handing him a glass and a towel. "We've milked the cows, gathered the eggs, and let the horses out to pasture."
"Great job!" he said, smiling warmly.
"Thank you! It's all thanks to your advice. Our productivity has gone way up."
"I'm just happy I could help," Hinata replied humbly.
Emilia walked off with a big smile, handing out juice and food to the other farmers still working under the sun.
Hinata let himself fall back onto the grass and calmly lay down, eyes fixed on the sky.
"What a tragedy... what happened to Kanzaki," he whispered. "I wish he could've had a peaceful life like this too."
He was silent for a few moments.
"But if it hadn't been for his sacrifice… it would've been me instead," he added quietly.
His gaze lingered on the few clouds drifting slowly above.
"In a way… I owe him this life."
"I wish I'd done something for him."
He sighed, letting the breeze brush gently against his face.
"I guess… all I can do now is move forward. For both of us. Right, my friend?"
He paused, as if waiting for an answer that would never come.
"Yeah… that would've been nice. Being friends with Kanzaki."
He stared at the sky, lost in thought.
"Since they sacrificed you, the group fell apart… no one wants to talk about it, but everyone knows."
"I wish you could see how much Kaede misses you. She won't admit it… but she's definitely the one hurting the most."
His voice softened. It became something real. Something raw.
"If we ever cross paths in another life… I want you to know—I would've been proud to be your friend, Kanzaki."
With those last words, he closed his eyes and surrendered to the cool shade.
Letting himself drift into a well-earned rest after a long day's work.
Because not all heroes are noble.
Not all loners are evil.
And not everything that shines… is worth chasing.