Chapter 1: CHAPTER 1.
Adrian shook his head to stop the disorientation. It took a moment but when he focused on his surroundings; the confusion manifested again. The most jarring fact was that he was not sitting in front of his computer. Instead, he stood on a stone surface that had glowing symbols on it. It seemed to be the only thing that provided the light in the room.
Another fact that screamed insanity? The beautiful sword with a blue gem embedded in the hilt. The fact that he was suddenly holding a sword was odd. Worse, he recognized the sword from a picture he had seen. A picture from a Light Novel he had been reading.
A quick look around to convince himself that this insanity was not happening failed immediately. The room itself was remarkable, dozens of people around what he could now tell was an altar. Each of them with a weird glowing gemstone in their hands. He noted the other three weapons and their wielders. All of them looked like their pictures. There were some differences, which he assumed were because these were actual people and not fictional characters, but their heights, hairstyles, builds and weapons suggested that these were the other three heroes, from the same novel he had been reading.
Adrian's heart pounded as realization dawned. He didn't want to believe it.
It was then that he saw the small icon that had been in the edge of his vision. Adrian didn't want to activate the icon; he didn't want to be here in this mid-apocalyptic world; he didn't want to be away from his family. The impulse faded a moment later. The desire to confirm exactly what the hell was happening won out.
He focused on the icon, and his nightmare solidified into reality. Adrian was in the world of the Rising of the Shield Hero. The idea was ludicrous. But he couldn't deny that everything felt real. Adrian rarely had dreams or nightmares and he wasn't hallucinating...unless they had drugged him? The screen that manifested in front of him didn't help him gauge the situation.
It was rather different from what he had read about in the novel, but one piece of information stuck out.
Equipment: Legendary Holy Sword (Base)
Adrian tried to stop the chill from spreading down his spine but failed. He could feel his breathing slowly go to the pattern that his teacher had drilled into him and slowly calmed down, but the utter ridiculousness of the situation was still overwhelming.
"Oh, Heroes! Please save our world." said an old man wearing an ornate red coloured robe.
"What?!"
The voice and the choral response from the other heroes broke his attention away from the status screen.
"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?" asked the Spear Hero, taking a half-step forward.
Adrian carefully studied the reactions of the robed men. If this truly was the same situation as the story he had been reading then he was in a lot of trouble. He needed as much information as he could get ASAP or he was as good as dead in the long run.
That assumed that this was all real instead of some absurd dream or hallucination.
"Our world is on the brink of catastrophe Heroes, we have summoned you all through an ancient ceremony so we may have your aid in stopping the calamities that are to follow." he went to his knees, "O' Legendary Heroes lend us your power to save the world."
Disbelief struck like a meteor. Adrian had never seen someone kneel before him in submission. If this was truly a kidnapping by some cultists or a dream, then it was surely an absurd one.
Unfortunately, everything was feeling more and more real. The weight of the sword, the sense of comfort he felt in holding onto it, the sweat he could feel on his back, the smell of some incense that he had no recognition of. All of it was real, as real as any other day in his life.
Well, somewhat like any other day, he normally wouldn't have to question his perception of reality.
It seemed however that the other three did not share his shock.
"Well, it wouldn't hurt to…" the Shield said before the other two interrupted him.
"I don't think so." said the Bow.
"Yeah, we can go back to our world right? We can talk about your problems later."
Adrian was uneasy at their swift answers. Sure one was rather polite and the other two relatively rude but that hardly mattered, mere basic variations in personality. Did none of these three care about the fact that people who had performed interdimensional kidnapping while making sure that the language barrier was not a concern surrounded them?
That they could do that should bring up the question of what else these kidnappers could do. Had they not thought of it? Were they so very confident that this was the introduction to a game that they assumed that they would not die or suffer in some other manner?
Adrian felt a little awkward at being the only one who had been silent but crushed the feeling. This was not the time to let petty emotions and herd behaviour rule.
"You guys haven't even considered our opinion on this, have you? I mean, are you just going to use us and then throw us back to our world?" the Spear continued.
"Yeah, that's a job, isn't it? Send us back, we have no reason to be here." said the Bow Hero.
Adrian noted that Naofumi looked a little stunned, as did some robed men. To their credit, however, the robed men quickly collected themselves and their leader, the man who had knelt before them, spoke swiftly.
"I am sure that the King would be happy to speak to you regarding your compensation for your aid, Lord Heroes. Please follow me. We have no intention of disrespecting your actions by disregarding them."
Adrian ignored their follow-up comments and followed the robed men once one of them opened the door. He wasn't sure where the other heroes were getting their confidence from, but he had no intention of being rude, not when it could get him killed or worse. Unfortunately, they would lump him in with them unless he made a separate impression.
He walked forward a little faster than the other three and moved towards the only robed man who had spoken up till this moment.
"Greetings, I am Adrian Black. I had a few more questions about this whole situation. Would you mind answering them?" he asked while smiling slightly. Adrian suspected that if he was reading the situation right, no matter how inconvenient they would accommodate his request, for now.
"Of course, my Lord. Please ask. We do not have long before we arrive before His Highness, but we surely have time for a question or two." he said, smiling pleasantly while giving a quick bow.
"Good. I suppose the first concern is regarding whether you can send us back to our world," said Adrian. Yet even as he spoke he knew that he had been too blunt. Too foolish. It had been stupid to ask this right after they had kidnapped him.
The man winced. He must have been hoping for an easier question. He took a breath and then answered carefully, "I am afraid that we do not have a method to return you to your world, Sir Hero. The ceremony we used to summon you is ancient. Truthfully, were it not for our desperation and how incredibly devastating the Waves of Calamity are we would never have used such a poorly studied ceremony."
Adrian tried not to let his fury and grief show on his face. This answer was the expected one. Adrian could not tell if the man was lying or telling the truth. However, it didn't truly matter. What mattered was that he could not expect any aid from this nation in his goal to return home. He would need leverage to force the issue or find an alternative.
"I see," said Adrian, trying to stop his tone from showing his anger, but given the man's flinch, he must have failed.
Adrian changed the subject while trying to rein in his temper,
"Then what can you tell me about this weapon I am bound to? The status menu seemed to describe it as the Legendary Sword but also mentioned that it was the base form with a massive number of options. I have assumed that I have to level up myself and unseal the Sword somehow. Can you tell me anything else about it?"
Adrian heard a small sound of surprise from behind him, probably one of the Heroes, but ignored it. Now was the time to get this man's perspective on the sword and further the illusion that he understood nothing, knew nothing...which was true enough.
The man's eyes lit up, and he spoke without taking a pause, "My lord, they say the Legendary weapons to grow stronger with their wielder unlocking their legendary power in a way that serves their masters best. It is said that their power is limitless" His excitement climbed, "But I am afraid that all we have are Legends of the amazing feats of the Heroes. It is said that the Sword Hero can cut through a mountain if needed and that the Bow Hero can strike down a target from the other side of the world. The Shield Hero can survive even an army attempting to harm him with no trouble at all..."
The man continued, and Adrian did not interrupt. It was a rambling explanation, but it was still fascinating. Still, it was a little stunning just what an overblown reputation the Heroes had in this world. He had not realized just how powerful they considered the Heroes to be.
"We are here Headmaster Andre." one of the other men interrupted after they had climbed through the tower and walked along the corridors for nearly five minutes.
"Ah yes. Thank you, Nathaniel. I must have lost track. My apologies Sir Hero, I have monopolized our conversation. Please forgive me." He said bowing.
Adrian smiled slightly, finding this old man to be likeable, he did not trust him, but Adrian could not deny that he sensed no real malice from this him.
"It isn't a problem Headmaster Andre, but if we could continue this conversation later I would be grateful," Adrian said.
The old man almost jumped, "Yes, yes. It would be an honour, it would be wonderful to hear about your world from you. I have always wondered about them, we have records showing that many Heroes are from worlds that have no magic-"
"Headmaster," the same man interrupted again.
"Ah, forgive this old man, let us not keep the King waiting." he said, and walked towards the guarded door in front of them, "Sir Black please speak to me in my tower, I spend all my time there."
He walked towards the guards and spoke to them for a moment. They were far enough that all he heard was a soft murmur.
Then the guard signalled the other two standing there. They slowly opened the ornate gate.
It was time to meet the king.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone