The square buzzed with anticipation as Anyi faced his father. The Hobgoblin's body still lay nearby, adding to the epic feel of the duel. With monster corpses scattered around, the atmosphere felt like something out of legend. Even though Anyi respected Assel as an opponent, he knew he had to hold back—after all, this was his father.
Instead of using a sword, Anyi decided to slap Assel several meters away. It wasn't too much, right? It was his way of showing love while still respecting the duel. Defeating his father with a sword would've been humiliating, so brute strength seemed the more respectful choice.
Assel, after being knocked down, couldn’t get up. The Theocracy’s men quickly put him on a cart, while Elza sighed at the stubbornness of her two most important family members. Assel admitted defeat, and agreed to move the family to the city, leaving little for Elza to argue about. Annie, shocked by Anyi’s strength, couldn't believe it, but Anyi humbly attributed it to Kami's blessing and his boosted attributes.
In the beginning, Anyi's base strength was only 2 points, a modest stat for a future Sword Hero. After distributing 14 attribute points, his total reached 16, a considerable improvement. In comparison, the Hobgoblin from the night before had a strength of 20, capable of leveling the entire village. Though Anyi's 16 points couldn’t match the Hobgoblin in raw power, it was enough to hold his own in a fight.
Assel, like Anyi before becoming a Hero, had a base strength of 2 points. Both were ordinary men with some training. But now, with Anyi’s strength at 16, he completely outclassed his father. Sending him flying with a slap was a testament to this newfound power.
Annie listened intently as Anyi explained his strength, nodding thoughtfully. "Kami... blessing," she murmured. She asked if Kami had given him this power like someone paying him to do a job. Anyi shook his head. "No," he said. It wasn’t a gift to hire him but rather something granted because he had the will to fight monsters.
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When Annie asked if future battles with monsters would be dangerous, Anyi admitted softly, "Maybe." He knew the risks, having faced them in his past life. Annie then hesitantly asked, "Could you... die?" Anyi's quiet reply of "Maybe" left her troubled.
Concerned, Annie begged him not to go. Anyi reminded her of the jungle encounter where they had narrowly escaped death. Others weren’t as fortunate, and he saw it as his duty as a Hero to stop more tragedies from happening. His mission was clear: "Destroy all monsters."
Annie fell silent, digesting his words. She knew Anyi saw beyond their small world, but his goal seemed impossible. Still, she accepted it, urging him to be cautious. Anyi understood that Annie couldn’t fully grasp his hatred for monsters—she hadn’t experienced the same agony he had.
As she went to pack, Anyi promised her he wouldn’t die. Annie gave him a bittersweet smile and hugged him gently before returning to her preparations, carrying the weight of his words with her.
...
Anyi escorted his family to the Aldrich Theocracy's city, spending half a day helping them settle in. By nightfall, he had made his way to the Theocracy's Holy City. The agreement with the Theocracy promised that for the next 10 years of his quest to defeat the Demon Lord, his family would be protected and provided with essential living expenses. This covered basic needs like food and household items but excluded luxuries like entertainment, gambling, or alcohol. Their survival was assured, but indulgences were not.
That night, Anyi pushed his horse to reach the Holy Temple. Upon arrival, he learned he was the first Hero to show up, with the other two still far off, expected to arrive the next morning. Sunderland village was close to Aldrich Theocracy, and monster attacks were uncommon in this area. Yet, despite the safety, monsters would occasionally "refresh," much like in a game, though these appearances were due to being summoned by stronger creatures.
As Anyi rested at the temple, he inquired if the Holy Maiden wanted to meet with him. The believer informed him that she was resting and would not be available until the morning. Content with this, Anyi decided to sleep and prepare for the tasks ahead.