Chapter 2 – Summoning and Introductions
"Our world teeters on the brink of destruction. Heroes, please lend us your strength."
The men with the sword and the spear began complaining.
"I won't help you."
"Me neither."
"Send us home, will ya?"
"Yeah, this isn't funny!"
They continued ranting on and on.
Surprisingly, the man with the shield stayed silent. Well, I did stay silent as well, so maybe we were both assessing the situation until further notice. Smart guy.
I wanted to see how the robed people would react to such an outburst. I could clearly tell that the men wielding the sword and the spear were quite stupid, or at least just without any common sense. However, if you were kidnapped and brought to god knows where, it would make sense to freak out in this manner. For the time being, only the man with the shield seemed to have some brains.
All they did was continue bowing, waiting for the blabbering to cease. These robed people really did have good temperance.
After even more complaining, the man with the sword yelled out loud, his anger quite literally reaching its breaking point.
"Have you no remorse for summoning us here? Did you stop to consider our feelings?"
I did agree, but no need to babble about it like a heartbroken teen. As I've learned time and time over, its better to keep those negative opinions to yourself. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be good at convincing people at all, which is the main job of an attorney.
The man with the spear also joined in.
"Even if we do help you out and save the world, what will we get? This seems like such a chore, like we're janitors or something. I'm not doing forced labor!"
To be honest, if this really was real and we really were summoned to save the world like in those isekais on TV, I wouldn't mind it at all. My life was so stressful since I had to study all the time, and a nice break would be enjoyable. I don't want a whole hockey roster of a harem or anything, I just want to venture across the land and relax along the way, while fighting monsters and kicking ass. Fun times.
This went on for a bit more. I listened to every word they said, but there was nothing of note other than "Answer us!"
After respectfully bowing for even longer, the complaining ceased. It seemed like the guy with the sword and the guy with the shield ran out of steam, and their voices were hoarse. That's certainly one way to deal with an issue.
The man who was speaking to us peered up, and then offered the two a deal they couldn't refuse. Or could they?
"P-Please, before you decide on anything, we would very much like for you to speak with our king. He will discuss payment and compensation with you in the throne room."
The man with the sword and the man with the spear's eyes lit up, their expressions gleaming in excitement. What an obviously greedy bunch.
You know what, now that they're talking about kings and stuff, I'm way more confident that I have been isekaied. I don't think the king of Norway kidnapped me to his basement in a castle in Bergen to invite me to eat some pickled fish. According to isekai rules, anybody can be isekaied through any way at any time. Hell, even random ass teenagers with no qualifications get isekaied to save the world, and I have more qualifications than most people will ever have in their lifetimes. Not meaning to brag or anything.
"Fine."
"Whatever."
"We'll do it."
"Sure, we better get something for this."
The men in the robes respectfully trotted towards the heavy door, using immense strength to pull it aside and revealing a corridor leading to spiraling steps upwards. The man with the sword and the man with the spear quickly darted out of the room, leaving everybody else in the dust.
The man and the shield and I trailed behind, alertly asserting our surroundings.
As we began scaling the steps, I decided it was a good time to make some acquaintances. I was pretty sure I was summoned to another world, anime isekai style, but I still had my doubts. I mean, as obvious as it may seem that we have been summoned, there is still a miniscule chance of that remotely being a possibility. Anyways, if we really were kidnapped, it was important to make friends in order to forge an escape plan. I watched a bunch of those escape room shows, so I probably could come up with a solution.
"Hey, my name is Satoshi. What's your name?"
The man with the shield tersely responded.
"My name is Naofumi. Nice to meet you."
I decided to ask him a question. You could never know too much.
"Do you think we really were summoned here?"
"Yeah, I think we were. I was reading a book, chilling in the town library, and then I blanked out and woke up here. That is too abnormal to be anything but a summoning."
"I think so too. Back in my world, we have this genre of anime called isekai where the protagonist is summoned to another world, and our current situation sounds exactly like that. To a tee."
I won't bother to make friends with the other two, since they were too stuck up and could get me involved in their trouble. It is better to wait and see before making any rash decisions. I might befriend those two eventually but having one reliable ally right now would be of the utmost importance.
Huff. Puff. How long were these stairs?
As we walked by a barred window, we glanced outwards, sweeping the landscape below with our eyes. What lay before us caused our jaws to drop in unison.
The sight was truly breathtaking. Fluffy, white clouds lined the sky, avian creatures that I had never seen before roosting on the rooftops. A city resembling a medieval setting sprawled outwards from the castle we were in. The seemingly brick and wood houses were neatly lined up, with small, windy alleyways adjoining the larger, cobblestone streets. It was like something out of a Disney princess movie.
Yep, we definitely weren't back on earth. This was isekai time, baby!
I wanted to see more, but the robed individuals urged us on. We were ushered up the stairs and down a hall, and right through the throne room door.
There, an old man wearing regal robes sat before us, all high and mighty on a regal throne. He had a confident complexion, with white hair and a triangular beard.
"Ho. So these are the four Holy Heroes of Legend." He remarked in an authoritative voice.
As soon as I saw this man, I instantly knew he was the boss of this place. Judging from his clothing, there was no doubt in my mind he was the King of the place. Pissing him off would be a death sentence.
Due to these concerns, I would try my best to placate him while formulating a course of action in my head. That would start with shutting my mouth and listening to what he had to say.
"My name is Aultcray Melromarc XXXII, and I am the ruler of these lands. Heroes, present yourselves!"
All four of us waded up to the king, standing upright and attentively listening to his every word. The robed men were nowhere to be seen.
"Now then, I shall offer an explanation. This country, and the whole world, is heading towards total annihilation."
This man sure knew how to leave an impression. Hearing that booming voice, it was impossible not to listen to him.
"Makes sense why'd you summon us, then." The others commented.
The king continued on for quite a while. To save time, I will summarize what he told us.
There was this prophecy about the end of the world. First of all, waves would start appearing, and they would attack the world repeatedly until nothing was left. Unless the waves were defeated, the world was screwed. Although the prophecy was written a long time ago, it indicated that now was the time it would come into effect. There was a giant draconic hourglass that could detect when a wave would be incoming. Legend indicated that the waves would strike every month.
The countdown timer started one month ago. The sands inexplicably started falling.
Then, the wave hit, greatly shocking the citizens who had been mocking the prophecy up until then. A giant interdimensional fissure appeared over Melromarc, in the southern part of the country. Monsters and creatures of the most revolting kinds emerged, and wreaked havoc upon the land. They were ultimately repelled, with immense help from knights and adventurers, though not without casualties. There was no way they could survive a second wave.
Knowing that their country was doomed without outside help, the kingdom decided to summon heroes in order to defend itself.
Therefore, we were summoned here.
Our legendary weapons, which was what the bow, the shield, the spear and the sword were called, had a unique quirk that allowed us to understand the language of this world. I'm not sure if it allowed us to understand every single language or just the local language, but we'd probably figure that out later.
"Well, we get what's going on here," said one of the other heroes, "Does this mean you are basically just ordering us to do your bidding?"
"Yeah, that seems unfair. What's in it for us? If your world is going to hell, so be it. What's it got to do with us four?"
Judging by their expressions, I could tell that these people really lacked empathy. I mean, what happened in this world really didn't concern them, but still, you should at least be somewhat sympathetic to the crisis at hand. Chuckling at someone else's problem, while getting off at their despair, isn't what a normal person would do.
Naofumi took the opportunity to voice his thoughts.
"As the other two said, we don't have any obligation to help you. If we dedicate our all to bring peace to your kingdom, do we get any benefits? What I mean is, is there a way for us to return home?"
Well, right now we're powerless. Who's to say that the king won't just kill us right now, and summon someone else? This ritual probably wasn't easy or anything, but it could probably be repeated.
I decided now was the perfect time to talk.
"With all due respect, your majesty, I would like to add on to what he said. If you promise us a way back home, I will pledge myself to assist you in your endeavors."
I attempted to say that sentence in the most respectful way possible, to avoid any issues.
"Of course, we will compensate you for your efforts," the king reasoned. "I've arranged to support you all financially, and to provide with whatever you may require, as long as you agree to assist our cause."
The other two heroes were high fiving each other. I could tell that what the king just said told them all they needed to hear.
"As long as you keep your end of the bargain, we'll keep ours."
"What he said."
I couldn't help but facepalm. To threaten the king, and then act so stuck up before him wasn't a good plan. The king was the most important man in the room, so why would you be so greedy and risk making an enemy out of him? Well, to be fair, the king needs us, and we don't need the king, but we are newcomers, and he holds all the influence here. The pen is mightier than the sword, after all.
"Now then," the king said, "Please tell us about yourselves."
I decided to go first.
"My name is Satoshi Sera. I am 24 years old, and a law school student."
I didn't want to give too much away at the moment, so this seemed like an adequate amount. There are plenty of other people in the world named Satoshi Sera, so I think giving that much away is not an issue. A simple search on LinkedIn proves my point.
"My name is Amaki Ren, age 16. First name Ren, last name Amaki. I'm a high school student."
Ren Amaki is the sword hero. He's about 5 foot 4. In a nutshell, he looks like a shorter version of Kirito from Sword Art Online.
"I'll go next. I'm Kitamura Motoyasu, age 24. First name Motoyasu, last name Kitamura. I'm a college student."
Motoyasu is the Spear Hero. He's about 5 foot 7. He looks like the generic protagonist of a dating simulator, with blonde hair and handsome features.
Naofumi proceeded to introduce himself.
"The name's Iwatani Naofumi. First name Naofumi, last name Iwatani. I'm a 20-year-old college student."
Naofumi is the Shield Hero. He's around Ren's height. Looks like your typical Japanese guy, but with emerald, green eyes that give him quite a menacing appearance.
The king gave Naofumi a frigid, penetrating stare.
"Now then," the king said. "Satoshi, Ren and Motoyasu, correct?"
Naofumi, visibly annoyed, reminded the king of his mistake.
"Your Grace, you've forgotten me."
"Ah, yes, pardon me. How careless of me to do so."
That seemed like a sincere apology. Or not.
"Anyways," the king continued, obviously not very apologetic about his error. "Please evaluate yourselves and confirm your statuses."
Almost instinctively, I zoomed in on the weird icon in the corner of my eye. It showed me some videogame-like information.
Satoshi Sera
Class: Bow Hero LV 1
Equipment: Legendary Bow (Legendary Weapon)
Other-World Clothes
Skills: None
Magic: None
Great, so my stats sucked. At least I had some good gear though. Most games aren't so generous as to give you such a powerful item as soon as you join, especially a Legendary tier item that usually is only unlocked near the end.
If I wasn't summoned to a new world, which I'm pretty sure I probably was, I probably had an advanced virtual headset put on me by my roommate Mark, an advanced VR coder. I might have passed out from the bright light or just due to sleep deprivation.
I didn't see an option to log out, though.
With such a low level, I made sure even more not to piss off the king. One wrong move and it's game over. I was either in another world or in a super advanced simulation. Getting killed in either scenario could lead to my actual, permanent death, Sword Art Online style.
As I was indulged in my thoughts, the other heroes were up in flames. Not literally though.
"Can we even fight at such a low level?"
"What is all this crap?"
Ren and Motoyasu were voicing their disbelief, clearly annoyed that they started out quite weak. To be fair, nobody ever starts a game at level 100.
"What? Do you not have such a thing in your world? It is called Status Magic. Everybody in this world can see and use it."
That was quite surprising. I wouldn't expect a whole world of people to just accept a numerical indication of one's body, but it happened somehow.
Anyways, how were we supposed to upgrade our pathetically weak weapons? Our best option would probably be to ask the king.
"Your Majesty," I questioned respectfully, careful not to draw his ire. "Do you know of such a way that would allow us to improve our combat skills and improve the abilities of our legendary weapons?"
I didn't want to seem like a pushover, being so polite and not speaking up about every concern I had, but I really did not want to get in trouble or displease people who hold more authority than I do. The circumstances require such a behavior, after all, even if we're supposed to be the saviors of this world.
"Well yes, I was just about to get to that. You all must go on a journey to polish your abilities and strengthen your Legendary Weapons."
"Strengthen your weapons?" Ren asked. "This means that the weapons are weak from the start?"
"You are correct. The legendary heroes must raise their weapons like they would their own children. Only then can they be strong and assist you in battle, far stronger than any weapon this world possesses."
Ren and Motoyasu' s eyes lit up upon hearing that statement. Surely, they were in awe at the legendary weapon's supposed combat abilities.
Motoyasu asked: "It's cool that these weapons can become strong and all, but can we use different weapons while leveling them up?"
Ren quickly cut Motoyasu off.
"We can figure that out later. We should focus on getting stronger at the moment, like the king told us."
The more I listened in on this conversation, the more my inner nerd got excited. I could only imagine how excited the other people were to truly live out an RPG. Finally, now is the time to live out my childhood dreams! Screw VR, this is the new way to go!
From the outside scenery, to the magical summoning circle, to the way I got transported here, to the magical game menu and the scenery, there was no doubt in my mind I was in a new world. I previously thought we were just in a game, but everything imaginable here has a texture and smell and sound. This made Sword Art Online seem like a budget flash game on a sketchy unblocked website! Achieving such feats would be at least 20 years ahead from the current era.
This new information was overwhelming, but yet my expression remained calm. Freaking out wouldn't be a good course of action right now.
I believed it was time to offer a reasonable suggestion.
"Hey, let's form a party! The four of us!"
The other three nodded in unison. After all, teamwork makes the dreamwork.
"Yeah! That'd be great!"
Before we could get any further, the king interrupted us.
"The four of you should adventure independently and recruit your own party members."
"With all due respect, your Majesty, what would be the reason against us teaming up?" I respectfully rebuked, trying not to draw his ire.
"According to the prophecy," the king calmly continued. "The legendary weapons naturally do not want to cooperate. They will interfere with each other's development, and as a result you cannot get stronger fighting alongside one another."
"Aww, man." Ren lamented.
"I guess we just have to get stronger on our own." Motoyasu sighed.
"If we stay together, won't we level up faster though? That makes no sense."
As soon as those words left Naofumi's mouth, a pop up emerged from our legendary weapons.
Attention: The Legendary Weapons and their owners will experience negative effects if they fight together.
Caution: It is preferable that the Heroes and weapons be used individually.
Welp, guess that's our question solved.
The pop ups lingered for a while before finally disappearing.
The king patiently finished his address.
"I will attempt to secure companions for you all that will accompany you on your travels. You should rest for the night as you will be departing in the morning. I have prepared a room for you all. Please, retire there for the time being."
"Your Majesty, your generosity is much appreciated." I politely thanked him.
"Thanks, your Majesty!"
"Thanks."
"Thanks a lot!"
The heroes waved in glee, happy that they would at least start out with a party. Especially Naofumi, since shielders usually couldn't attack.
After thanking the king, we retired to our chambers as nightfall approached.