Chapter 8: All heroes need some weapons

The scene was bustling with excitement as each hero chose their respective priestess. However, Ethan stood off to the side, watching as the others eagerly stood beside their chosen companions, basking in their beauty and grace. His gaze shifted to the priestess in front of him, who appeared to be looking at him with disdain and disapproval.

Her features were delicate, but her expression was cold and unapproachable. Her eyes held a certain sharpness, almost as if she was silently judging him.

The priestess finally spoke, breaking the tense silence between them. "I'm Alice, your assigned priestess, thank you for helping me." She said in a monotone voice.

Ethan nodded in acknowledgement, unsure of how to approach her. He couldn't shake off the feeling of being an outcast among the heroes, and now, even his priestess seemed to look down upon him.

Ethan stood awkwardly, trying to make a good impression on his assigned priestess. However, her look of disgust made it clear that she wasn't impressed.

"Nice to meet you," Ethan said, his tone lacking any enthusiasm.

The priestess let out a deep sigh, clearly disappointed with her assigned hero. "Why was I the one chosen to move with this expired hero," she muttered under her breath as she turned away from him and walked off.

As soon as the heroes had chosen their priestesses, they were handed weapons crafted from the same magic stones that formed the temple.

Each weapon was specially designed to suit the title of the hero who had received it, tailored to their unique abilities and strengths. The weapons shimmered with an otherworldly glow, reflecting the power that they held within them.

Each hero approached the king and received their weapon of choice.

Bali Ganfor, the thug and spear hero, was handed a gleaming red spear that shone brightly in the light.

Aiko Tachibana, the samurai girl and sword hero, was given a golden sword that appeared to radiate power.

Quin Saliva, the guitar man and scythe hero, received a black and gloomy scythe, while

Elena Yanhs, the girl that almost got killed by lizard men, the bow hero, was given an ancient-looking bow.

Veronica Vlandeli, the high school girl, the Sensu hero, received a delicate hand fan, a small but incredibly powerful weapon.

Ethan, however, was left empty-handed, as the king had explained that he would have to rely on his own physical prowess for combat. The other heroes looked at him with pity, but Ethan remained stoic, accepting his fate without complaint.

Ethan let out a deep sigh, his gaze fixed on the heroes who were celebrating their newly acquired weapons. He muttered to himself, "No magic," as he gazed down at his empty hands, "I really despise stress."

Aiko, The Sword hero, approached Ethan with concern etched on her face. "Excuse me, are you alright?" she asked.

Ethan glanced up, meeting Aiko's concerned gaze. He looked around for a moment, as if trying to confirm that she was indeed talking to him, before pointing to himself and asking, "Me?"

Aiko nodded, "Yes, you. Is everything alright?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment, before replying, "I'm fine. Just feeling a little out of place."

Aiko studied him for a moment, as if sensing that there was more to his words than he let on. "Are you perhaps…" she said softly, "Feeling powerless because of your lack of magic?".

Ethan kept his focus in front of him before he responded, showing no reaction from the tikerym, "Why would I feel bad about that? Is there any reason to?" He asked calmly.

"You're not bothered?" Aiko asked, "People are calling you the false hero because you have no magic or title…are you fine with that?".

Ethan tilted his head to the side puzzledly before he spoke, "You see, I am not a strong person. I know this all too well. I am weak, and I accept this. But what I refuse to accept is the notion that my weakness should somehow entitle me to the same rights and privileges as the strong. I find it absurd."

"A…surd?" Aiko muttered, a bit stunted by Ethan's choice of words.

"Strength is a double-edged sword, the way I see it." Ethan uttered, shifting his gaze a little to Aiko. "The stronger you become, the more challenges you will face. As a weak person, I have no problem with being weak. I don't have to worry about facing those challenges, because they simply don't exist for me".

"What the hell?" Aiko uttered, grabbing Ethan by the shoulder and tugging him close, "Are you saying you are okay with being weak?! Weakness isn't something you should take pride in in".

Ethan responded, his voice still calm and collected

"I don't think strength or weakness matters all that much in the grand scheme of things. Sure, some people might have more physical or mental prowess than others, but what does that really achieve?".

"That doesn't…".

Ethan interrupted, "I've always found it amusing how people try so hard to be strong, to prove themselves, to stand out from the crowd. But what's the point? No matter how strong you become, there will always be someone stronger.

And what happens when you're no longer the strongest? You become weak again. It's an endless cycle, and frankly, it's exhausting.

So I choose to be weak. I choose to accept my limitations, to conserve my energy, to take the path of least resistance. It may not be the most impressive or exciting way to live, but it's the most efficient. And efficiency is key in a world where time and resources are limited".

Ethan's words trailed off, his gaze distant as he lost himself in thought. Aiko released her hold on his arm, taking a step back as she watched him curiously. The silence stretched on for a few moments before Ethan shook his head, coming back to the present.

"Apologies," He stuttered, his cheeks coloring slightly in embarrassment. "I got carried away and spoke out of turn."

Aiko regarded him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "You're a really strange person, you know that?" she said with a sigh, running a hand through her hair.

Ethan's expression didn't change, but a small flicker of something - disappointment, maybe - crossed his eyes before disappearing. "Yes, I've been told that before," He replied simply, before turning to walk away.