A heavy morning fog rolled across Foksly. I sat, melancholically looking out upon it from the governmental bureau’s library.

The Inquisitor’s raid last night was a failure...they turned up zero results. I’m sure Arciel will be pretty cheeky about that when she wakes up.

I sigh.

I’ve been sitting here, thinking about my situation since I woke up an hour ago.

I’ve been transported to another world, and it’s only now the magnitude of that phrase is hitting me. It’s not some, fun and short stay in a flashy fantasy world, it’s a permanent residence in a world worse than the one I was in. It’s not like I was given any special powers either, just physical strength. In the power scale of this world, Arciel said I was about as physically strong a Platinum knight, but a run of the mill soldier could beat me in swordplay. I have zero magic, only my body. This world is technologically distraught, stuck in some blend of dark ages and renaissance tech. All of humanity are nationalists, they aren’t united as modern humans are. A different country indicates a different world, like 1930s Germany. I have zero contacts outside of Clarke, Arciel, and Epsilon. I’m bound to Andestine against my will, and I’m forced to fight for them. I’m forced to wear some pussy ass white-knight getup. There are weird ass creatures that definitely don’t belong in a fantasy world. If I can even call it a fantasy world.

My mind is like a jumble of negative thoughts.

Ugh. A tough guy like me, acting like some kind of emo. Ew. Who the hell am I?

A civil and modern human? Yeah.

A crybaby bitch? Fuck no.

I’m supposed to be the one on top.

I’m getting all bitchy about things not falling into my laps; am I a brat?

Fuck no.

It was the same way when I was a freshman, I was just like everyone else, a nobody. But I made myself who I am. I made myself a threat, an idol, someone not to mess with, someone reliable, someone to wholeheartedly respect.

Where’s my spunk?

I got transported. Me. I didn’t lose shit.

It’s my environment that’s changed.

But just because of that, I’ve been acting all meek and tiny, like a bitch; all because I don’t know this place.

I say, fuck that.

I’m a modern and civil human, I’m ten times anyone else here.

I crack my knuckles.

I can see the bigger picture and why things are like they are, and accept them, as the realist I am.

I twist my head, cracking my neck.

Hmph. Think. I’m gonna get the hell outta here. And I’m gonna do it while being a fucking gangster about it.

My priority?

The Andestinian Hero Order is a good place to start. Heroes have rankings, one to thirty, they categorize our strength like objects.

The benefits at being closer to the top?

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Access to information and special treatment.

Information. I’m gonna need it if I wanna get back home.

The summoning ritual that got me into this mess is top secret, nothing is written down about it.

But…the number one Hero is in close call with the Andestinian council, the guys who did the ritual and the ones in control of arguably the strongest human country. If I can get to the top, and get in cahoots with the council, I’ll have a good chance at being exposed to shit that involves whatever got me trasnported here.

I’m not some oblivious idiot. There’s a reason the summoning ritual is a big secret. Everything else in this world is too organic and natural, nothing here seems out of place or unrealistic compared to the whole Hero system that Andestine has going for it. They bring in random people from random times and places and force them to fight. That’s completely out of this world, literally. Magic exists as well; it too doesn’t feel natural. It’s like less of a fundamental and more of an aspect people barely grasp. People in this world have zero idea how it really works, like dark energy, it just works it seems.

My.

Ass.

I’m a firm believer that there’s a reason for everything. So just like how I think there’s something to dark energy that modern humans haven’t figured out; There’s something to this magic system, a reason, a mode of operation. The world would not create something that exclusively benefits humans or life.

I know that magic is firmly related to Heroes. It can enhance their bodies, and the translation it gives doesn’t translate other magic spells.

On that topic, the magic spells here are all languages that I know. The other languages here are mixes or similar to languages I know. There’s definitely some sort of tie between my world and this one.

“Tch…”

I click my tongue. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I’m not on good grounds to theorize or arrive at any conclusions regarding how this world works.

From my own experience though, the humans here are exactly the same.

Yes, they’re tougher, and aren’t as spoiled and bitchy as the ones I know, but they’re still human.

But to recap, I need to increase my ranking in Andestine, to that, I’ll need to get stronger with swords. That also comes with its own benefits, like literally being tough and not just acting like it. I hate people who have nothing but bark.

“Excuse me…Shepard?”

I turn at the door to the library. Arciel is timidly peeking through. It looks like I turned so fast and with so much vigor that she jumped in surprise. Good. You’d better be scared, my ‘Summoner’. I wonder what happens to a Hero if a summoner dies…

Probably nothing but the Hero dying. Since the mana supply would be cut off, if Arciel were to die, then I by extension would probably die. I guess mana holds me to this world like a thin string, and I’m balloon, hoping to float up and away to my past world. Of course, that’s a hopeful conclusion, there’d be a lot more strife between Heroes and summoners if that were true. Like all of the Heroes just murdering their summoners to get back home.

So more likely, mana is a string that keeps me from falling into Hell.

“Umm…you have a really scary face right now…”

Oh. Yeah. Well whatever.

“When are we getting back to Re’relihn? Aren’t we done here?”

“Well…about that…”

Fuck. I’d rather be back at the Andestinian capital, training without any worry of my safety. I may be ballsy, but I’m not gonna put myself in suicidal situations.

“As a show of good faith, the Council has attached us to Foksly’s garrison army. There’s apparently been a lot of strikes within Jedathari lands, so until it blows over, the Council wants us to assist our allies.”

Damit. Who knows how long this could take?

No! Wait! This might be great! I’ll be able to fight and gain experience! Not only will the enemy be cut off and surrounded, but they’ll also not be as strong as that ‘Alisson’ guy. Yeah, I’m all for one sided slaughters.

“It’s probably the Sidonians who’re attacking us, so we shouldn’t let our guard down just because their numbers are small and they’re far from their territory.”

Arciel says while slouching in another library seat adjacent to me.

You know, for once, I think I agree with her. With all the sketchiness I’ve seen from the Sidonians; White Phosphorus; them looking basically like humans and yet being called a different species; their long-life spans; I’m pretty curious about them. Who knows what the hell they could whip out of their asses? But that’s not gonna stop me from trying to fight ‘em, and win.

Yeah. If I wanna make a name for myself, surpass the other heroes in strength, and be recognized by the council, I’m gonna have to beat the crap out of these behind-the-lines forces. I wonder how large battle are like in this world, I’ve only been in combat with that super powerful Alisson guy and his apprentice; maybe Mr. Alien if you could consider that a fight.

“It seems the raid last night turned up empty handed as well…”

Arciel seems genuinely a little frustrated. Maybe her little rivalry with St. Yulick doesn’t encroach on her professionalism, something that she seems to have a surprising amount of.

“Well,” I stand. “I’m not gonna sit around until then, I’m gonna go see if Epsilon has anymore tips for me.” I say while waving a backhand at Arciel.

***