There Are No Heroes

2 Unexpected attack.

Ariel scanned his surroundings, his eyes sweeping over the scattered debris. What was once a grand city had been reduced to ruins—mere remnants of a life shattered by war. "Look at this… We've really been reincarnated into this world," he murmured, his voice calm yet heavy with emotion.

"But…" Luna’s gaze lingered on the lifeless bodies of soldiers strewn across the battlefield, her expression filled with deep sorrow. "It looks like a terrible disaster just happened here. A war that brought nothing but destruction."

Hendrik followed their line of sight. His heart sank at the sight of the fallen soldiers—some clad in torn armor, their blood dried on the ground. He held his breath, trying not to let the nausea take over.

Blazz, seemingly unfazed by the gruesome scene, casually patted Ariel on the shoulder. "Oh, come on! The important thing is that we’ve got superpowers now! Wohoho! And we managed to save this guy!" He pointed at Hendrik with his index finger. "By the way, what was your name again?"

"Uh… Yeah, it’s Hendrik," he replied hesitantly, still struggling to process everything that had just happened.

"But wait… You guys were reincarnated too? Were you also pulled into that hole like I was?" Hendrik added, his curiosity piqued.

"Hole?" Blazz frowned, tilting his head. "What are you talking about?"

Ariel stepped forward. "No, we weren’t pulled into a hole like you said. We were comrades-in-arms, caught in the devastation of a great war in our homeland. We died together, our bodies pierced by a rain of arrows as the battle raged around us."

Luna gave a small nod, her voice soft but tinged with sorrow. "And then… suddenly, we found ourselves in the realm of the gods. They granted us these powers and sent us back to this world."

"Gods?" Hendrik repeated, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"That’s right," Blazz said, his enthusiasm returning. He clenched his fist, summoning a small flame in his palm as if to emphasize his point.

"They gave us these incredible powers! But there was a condition… We were given a great mission: to defeat the Demon King and hunt down the other reincarnated ones who are causing chaos in this world."

Luna lowered her gaze slightly, a hint of hesitation in her voice. "It’s a heavy burden, but… we have to do it."

"Oh, come on, Luna! Don’t overthink it. We can totally handle this mission!" Blazz laughed loudly, his confidence unwavering.

"We need to find a city," Ariel said, his sharp gaze scanning the ruins and the lifeless bodies scattered around them. "There’s a lot we need to learn about this world."

Blazz nodded eagerly. "At the very least, we should gather information about who’s responsible for all this destruction. And—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden flash of blinding light erupted out of nowhere, striking toward them. The ground trembled beneath them as a powerful force surged through the air.

Reacting swiftly, Luna raised her hands, summoning a shimmering green barrier that enveloped them in a protective glow.

"Who’s there?!" Ariel shouted, narrowing his eyes as he tried to discern the source of the attack through the brilliant radiance.

From behind the dust and debris, a man emerged with a cold smirk. The silver armor he wore gleamed, reflecting the light of his own attack.

"So, you’re the new reincarnations? Before you become a threat and a rival to me, I’d rather wipe you out now."

Blazz clenched his fists, flames igniting around his body. "Damn coward! Attacking us while we’re off guard!"

"Ariel, calm down. Blazz, Hendrik, stay behind me! Lend me your energy," Luna commanded, reinforcing her shimmering shield.

"Understood, Luna," Ariel replied, channeling a stream of blue energy into the barrier.

Blazz added his own fiery energy, his face tense. "Judging by the way he talks, he must be a reincarnated one too. What a disgrace!"

Hendrik stood frozen behind them, his body trembling. He felt useless, completely powerless in the face of danger. Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this? His thoughts swirled with fear and confusion.

The mysterious figure laughed loudly. "Just give up and surrender your lives! This world doesn’t need weak reincarnations like you!"

His attacks grew stronger, sending relentless waves of white energy crashing against Luna’s barrier. Cracks began to spread across its surface, and Luna’s face paled under the overwhelming pressure.

"I… I can’t hold on any longer!" Luna cried out, sweat trickling down her face.

"Don’t give up, Luna! We can endure this!" Ariel shouted, trying to encourage her.

Blazz suddenly pointed at the ground beneath them. "Look! The ground is cracking!"

Deep fissures began spreading from where they stood, unable to withstand the force of the clashing energies. The tremors grew louder, shaking everything around them.

Finally, with a deafening roar, the ground beneath them gave way.

They all plummeted into the darkness below.

Luna, Ariel, Blazz, and Hendrik tumbled down, their bodies crashing against jagged rocks as they fell into an unknown cavern. Before they could regain their balance, a powerful underground current surged toward them, sweeping them away.

"Grab onto something!" Blazz shouted, but the rushing water was too strong.

Hendrik desperately reached for the cave walls, but his fingers slipped, and he was dragged further into the abyss. The deafening roar of the water swallowed their voices.

"HENDRIK!!!"

Blazz’s cry echoed through the cavern, but Hendrik’s silhouette faded into the darkness until it was completely gone.

Meanwhile, Luna clung desperately to a thick root jutting out from the cave wall. Her hands trembled, struggling to maintain her grip while holding onto Ariel, who had fallen unconscious from the harsh impact of their descent.

"Blazz... I can't hold on much longer..." Luna's voice was weak, her body on the verge of slipping from the root.

Blazz tried to inch closer, his eyes filled with worry. "Hang on, Luna! I'll help!" he shouted, reaching out in an attempt to grab Ariel and lighten Luna's burden.

However, the root she clung to was being worn down by the relentless current. Using the last of her strength, Luna looked at Blazz, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I'm sorry..." she whispered before her grip finally gave out.

"LUNA!!!" Blazz screamed as both Luna and Ariel were swept away by the powerful underground river, disappearing into the darkness.

Without hesitation, Blazz let go of his own hold on the cave wall. "I won’t leave you behind!" he yelled before diving into the rushing waters after them.

---

Some time later, Hendrik regained consciousness, his head heavy and his vision blurry as sunlight reflected off the water’s surface. His body, drenched and battered, lay sprawled on the bank of a large river, his clothes tattered and muddied from his perilous journey through the underground currents.

"Where... am I?" he murmured weakly, attempting to sit up. However, his body was too frail to move properly.

The river appeared calm, but something about it unsettled him. Suddenly, he noticed a disturbance in the water nearby. A pair of sharp, yellow eyes emerged above the surface, followed by a massive maw lined with jagged teeth moving toward him.

"A crocodile!" Hendrik gasped in terror, scrambling to crawl away. But his foot slipped in the mud, causing him to fall back onto the riverbank.

The beast let out a deep growl, its powerful jaws widening, ready to strike. Hendrik squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable.

A sharp sound pierced the air. Srekkk! A spear shot through the air and embedded itself directly into the crocodile’s skull. Hendrik’s eyes snapped open just in time to see the massive creature convulse before sinking lifelessly into the water.

"Who... who’s there?" Hendrik stammered, his breath ragged as he searched for his savior.

From the dense undergrowth, five towering men emerged, clad in rough animal-hide garments. Each carried a weapon—spears, crude greatswords, and wooden bows. One of them, a bearded man with a deep scar across his face, stepped forward, scrutinizing Hendrik with piercing eyes.

"Who are you? And what are you doing in our territory?" His deep voice carried an air of authority.

Hendrik, still shaking, could barely form a response. "I-I... I was swept away by the river. I’m no one. Please... don’t hurt me."

The scarred man narrowed his eyes, scanning Hendrik from head to toe. "You look weak. Are you a spy from Vorya?"

"A spy? No! I swear, I’m just lost!" Hendrik tried to explain, but the warriors' expressions remained guarded and suspicious.

"Come with us," the bearded man ordered, grabbing Hendrik by the arm. "Our leader will decide what to do with you."

They led him through the dense forest until they arrived at a village unlike anything Hendrik had ever seen. The houses were built from rough-hewn wood, decorated with the skulls of massive beasts. The villagers were towering figures, their bodies adorned with scars and tribal tattoos.

Children sparred with wooden swords, while women sharpened spears. Every pair of eyes in the village followed Hendrik with wary, hostile gazes.

At the village center, a massive man clad in a wolf-hide cloak sat upon a stone throne. His sharp, assessing eyes locked onto Hendrik as he stood before him.

"Who are you, wanderer? And what is your purpose in our land?" His voice rumbled with power.

Hendrik knelt, his body trembling. "I... I don’t know how I got here. Please... I mean no harm."

The leader stood, stepping closer to Hendrik. "A weakling like you won’t survive here. Do you have anything that would make sparing you worthwhile?"

Hendrik swallowed hard, realizing his life hung in the balance. "I... I can help you! I may not be strong, but I am smart. I can repair weapons, devise strategies... anything to prove my worth."

The leader let out a booming laugh. "We shall see. But if you dare betray us, your weak little head will be the next decoration for our village."