[Omake 3] We're off to slay the Demon King! [Temporarily Locked]

The wings twisted and distorted around each other as they formed a spiral and repeatedly collided with each other, causing them to repulse and then re-attract. As they did, the sparkles of light and darkness continued to fly out from the wings.

Kohaku was lost in a trance as she stood on the naked stone surface of what used to be the bath. The water had parted completely around her as her power continued to exude an intense pressure that seemed to engulf everyone in the area.

However, Maria stood in quite close reach of her mistress while being unable to externally show any effects from being close. She watched as her master struggled to regain control of her power after having lost it.

---

The scenery was dyed in an oddly shade of gray. Kohaku stood at a random point with her body half lit up in a pure white as the other half was dyed in a pure black. However, on each half the crest on her body displayed as a complementary shade to its surroundings. The crest on the side of light was a jet black. The crest on the black side was a pure white.

She stared off into the distance.

Why am I…oh right…I lost control of my magic. She pondered. It was when I corrupted whoever was probing my mind. I guess my magic and miasma started to leak out.

She sighed. This is such a pain. Why did this have to happen? I just wanted a nice relaxing bath at some hot springs.

At that moment something clicked in her head. Geh! The hot springs! If I lose complete control, Maria might get hurt and the springs will get destroyed and…I'll have to pay the repair costs and go through the paperwork. I refuse to do paperwork for something this stupid!

In that instant, all of the brightness and darkness coalesced into her two hands. I can control this. I can do this.

The light of the beginning in her left. The void darkness of the end in her right. For the sake of lowering repair costs.

She clapped her hands together as the magic in her hands engulfed the entire space.

---

In a single instant, the collisions of the wings stopped. In fact, the wings had even begun to uncoil themselves and straighten out to look like the state they had originally erupted.

Maria smiled as soon as she saw this. That was fast. I bet it was the fear of paperwork. Knowing her, it was definitely the fear of paperwork.

Kohaku's trance stopped. She was looking around at the area as the pressure started to not only recede but actually return under Kohaku's complete control. It was as if regaining control had completely shook the ocean of miasma and mana and drawn it back into Kohaku. In fact, the pressure that she exerted while in control of her power was far more terrifying than the blunt ocean from before. It was like having a multitude of sharp and heavily refined blades pointing at everyone and everything…except Maria.

All that was left was a girl in markings with two wings. She gave a stern look as she turned her head around to assess the damage of which there was…none…

"No damage, huh…that's a relief." Kohaku put her hand to her chest and exhaled deeply as she allowed her wings to completely recede and the pressure to completely fade away. "That means I won't have to worry about paying for repair costs."

"But you still have to worry about punishment from me." Maria announced from behind her. "It's punishment time~"

Kohaku felt a cold sweat as soon as she heard the announcement but failed to react in time to the pair of hands that came up from behind her and grabbed at her chest and started to move around.

"AHAHAHAAHAHA! STOP IT, MARIA! THAT TICKLES!" Kohaku shouted while trying to resist. However, that only led to her tripping and landing on all fours, dragging Maria along with her.

After falling on Kohaku's back, Maria stopped moving her hands and whispered. "You did a wonderful job at controlling your power, though."

"Thanks."

During this moment where Kohaku thanked Maria, she let out a subtle glare towards the sword, the place where she detected the endpoint to that psychic link. She could say something for certain. That sword was not normal.

"It was the fear of having to pay the repair costs, wasn't it?" She asked as the two of them got up.

"You know me too well."

"But that still won't stop the tickle punishment." She said before moving her hands down to Kohaku's sides and starting up her punishment. Needless to say, the laughter of the young girl continued to ensue.

The aura around the girl slowly dissipated.

Seeing this, Hiromi calmed down a bit and recollected her thoughts. Kohaku was definitely no ordinary girl. She was sure of this. But she couldn't bring herself to ask her about it, she barely met her some minutes ago.

So, she decided to ask Martha instead. As old as she was, she surely must have some idea about what happened. But also, she needed to make sure Kohaku wasn't an enemy. It would be very bad if she was. She doubted anyone in their group right now had enough power or enough expertise to fight this girl.

"Martha-san, um... Are you sure this girl is an ally? I mean... This kind of power seems... very dangerous. Do you have any idea what it might have been...?", she asked hesitantly, projecting her thoughts into Martha's without talking out-loud.

Suddenly, the other girl, who looked like Kohaku's servant, started... groping the silver-haired girl.

'W-what is she doing?!', Hiromi was shocked, and quickly turned around, covering her face and blushing at the embarrassing scene.

She was a girl who hated physical contact and the sight of nudity. Getting into this hot springs was already the limit of what she could consider as "not embarrassing". But she wasn't ready to witness such intimate actions, even if they were between two girls. But those two didn't seem to be finishing any time soon.

That's why she took Martha and the materials she had and went to a far location in the other corner of the hot springs. She was going to start maintaining the sword to distract herself from that embarrassing sight. She needed to concentrate on something.

She got back into the water, as Martha has requested before, and started her task.

She liked taking care of swords. She had always found that it was a way to show the owner's care for his swords. A clean and polished sword reflected a swordsman who was dedicated to his duty, but also a swordsman who loved said duty. A swordsman should look after his swords. They weren't just tools. They were his allies and friends. Or so Hiromi has believed. She didn't know how other swordsmen saw their swords so she couldn't pretend this was a general truth. It was just her own point of view. However, she had never maintained a living sword before, so she didn't know if it was any different from maintaining a normal sword.

After a moment of hesitation, she decided to do things as she has always did with her own sword. She would clean the blade, oil it, clean the handle and the scabbard, polish the blade and finally wax the leather elements of the sword. While doing her task, sha was making sure to be as careful and as gentle as she could, even more than usual, because she didn't know if a living sword would feel pain if she did it hastily and roughly.

She than had an amusing idea, and couldn't help smiling innocently.
'This is just like taking care of little kids, isn't it?'

She had no idea what kind of thoughts the sword would be having meanwhile...

Takashi hated pubs and bars. A collection of drunken morons spouting stories and thoughts that no one could care less about as they down the most disgusting, mentally destructive drinks he could think of. "Couldn't we have just gone to an inn?" Takashi thought as he sat in the bar with the stench of crude alcohol and boisterous chatter and laughter demolishing any hope of even hearing himself think. However, everyone was exhausted from practically escaping the castle after Koyoko had made another mess because of the sword. "Oh well, I'll scold him later about that..."

His team, if it could even be called that, disbanded as quickly as it had come together, as Hiromi and the sword left for the springs and Koyoko left to check on them. Koyoko asked if Takashi wanted to come with, but he simply shook his head. "Some people need their privacy, you know. Go if you wish, but I would prefer to just stay here, with the..." he looked around, seeing all the people drunk off their asses. "...tenants."

However, as time passed, Koyoko hadn't come back yet. "What's taking him so long? It's just a quick check up, not a conversation starter. Besides, he doesn't seem like one to want to start conversations anyway. Perhaps I should check up on him." As he got up, someone had walked up to him. Clearly he was completely smashed, as he started his completely slurred sentence. "Hey, weren't you wi-" But before he could even finish the beginning, Takashi quickly turned and shot him a quick, but angry look. He didn't have to say a word and the man understood Takashi through his stupor. Thus, because of both Takashi's sword and stare, the man backed up, put up a hand, and said a quick "Ok, then..." before turning around and walking away. Takashi sighed and continued to where Koyoko might have gone first. The hot springs. "My days just keep getting better and better don't they..."

"Martha-san, um... Are you sure this girl is an ally? I mean... This kind of power seems... very dangerous. Do you have any idea what it might have been...?",

Martha wasn't really interested anymore and if she can eyes you would be able to see her peering in the distance as if she wanted to avoid the subject. However she couldn't simply ignore the one who was maintaining her body at this moment of time. For some reason she felt this situation would only be so temporary for now.

"Oh it's nothing we shouldn't worry about. I have a strong feeling sweetie that it's nothing compared to the true power we face at the end of our journey." Martha said knowing that Hiromi was scared but in truth none of it really effected her much and there was a reason for it. Something she had no intention of revealing right now and to placate any suspicions, the warm glow of Martha returned but it was barely noticeable by anyone else but her since it was hidden by the steam of the hotspring.

This warm glow started to encourage Hiromi, which felt like her fears was being washed away with the warm water of the spring. "What you should focus on Hiromi is that wall right there." Martha said hinting at the one which devided the males and female baths. "Beyond there lies the hero and our new ally, who I must say has some .. GUTS!" Martha shouted that last words which felt like if she had hands, she had just did a first bump into the air.

Koyoko sighed as a rather random chain of events occurred behind him, though other than the ominous aura that came out of it, most of it was blocked by a rather well made wall. Someone give the carpenter a medal because it made the sounds from the Girl's bath go from outright destructive, to annoying. "...I'm hungry..." Koyoko muttered to himself as he tried to relax into the hot rock, heated by the water.

But that relaxation was short lived as a muscular individual came up to him, with extremely wet hair that for some reason, despite being wet, defied the weight of the water and stayed perfectly messy. "Heard you're the hero." For some reason, as he spoke heartily, Koyoko sensed something wrong with...the universe? Nah that couldn't be, there's posters of him everywhere. He kept one eye open as he analyzed him. Surely he appeared to be skilled in some way, but who he is exactly made him curious. "You must be tired already of taking a job you didn't want." There it is again, a disturbance in the universe, but much more noticeable.

"Oh yeah, I hate it in fact.." Koyoko started, playing ignorance since this was all clearly in his imagination. "Despite meeting someone...err...nice...I-I still hate it. I don't get paid, I don't get a decent thanks and GOD DAMNIT a hero needs food too! Yet no one is willing to spare much..." Koyoko growled as the chaos behind the wall ensued, but the well made wooden wall kept it to an annoying level. Was it enchanted by some wizard or something? "Who's asking...?"

Damion Koyoko is not the first person to bear the title of 'Hero'. In every age, in every era, and in every generation, there is a Hero. Whether the world is at peace or at war, in an era of stagnation or innovation, there is always a single human born with the power of a Hero in their body. The power of the Hero is a power granted by the gods so that, in times of great peril, the Hero will be able to step up, wield that power, and drive away disaster. That is what separates the Heroes from the heroes. Anyone can become a hero. They are simply people who rise up against the norm, achieve incredible feats, and become objects of admiration or figures that represent hope. But the Heroes... No one can become a Hero. If you are not born a Hero, you will never be able to become a Hero no matter how hard you try. To become a Hero, you do not have to achieve any great feats or even do much of anything at all. In fact, many a Hero lived their entire lives without ever realizing the existence of the great power that they held.

However, when disaster is but a step away, and when humanity is on the brink of utter destruction, then the winds of destiny will blow. Through the power of the gods whose power the Heroes wield, circumstances will make it so that regardless of the current generation's Hero's personality, circumstances, or awareness of his own power, he will begin the journey to save the world. However, that is not a perfect method. Even if it succeeds in driving the Hero to begin his journey, it will all be for naught if the Hero does not awaken to his power and fails in his quest as a result. And so, long long ago in a long forgotten age, the God of Light Spiritus bestowed a task upon his followers. He had them build temples that served the purpose of awakening of a Hero's power and scatter them throughout the land. If the time shall ever come that an unawakened Hero begins a journey to save the world, then he will inevitably stumble across one of those temples. And when he does, then he will be forced to enter it for his own sake, and to complete the trials within in order to awaken his power.

However, as mentioned before, these temples were built in an age that has long since passed. So, while those temples most certainly remain even today, the changing of the lands has caused a great many of them to have ended up in unconventional locations, to say the least. Some lie buried beneath the desert sands, hidden within ancient forests, or even within an active volcano. One may have even been buried far beneath the earth, its existence long forgotten...

---

The Hero, Damion Koyoko. His teacher, Yamaguchi Hiromi. The knight, Murakami Takashi. The thief, Yanagi Mila. The mage, Sogiita Gunha. The cleric, Yanagi Miiru. The Hero's party was composed of those six people. They were currently enjoying the town's hot springs, which was formed from a reservoir of underground underground water being heated by a flow of magma deep beneath the earth. However, even if any of them happened to know of the method through which hot springs were formed, there was no possible way for them to know that that stream of magma was all that remained of an ancient volcano, whose eruption had once caused vast expanses of land, including that upon which they currently stood, to be covered by a massive amounts of lava and volcanic refuse. As a result, there was no possible way for them to have been prepared for what happened next.

With no rhyme or reason that they could discern, a bright golden light began enveloping the hot springs. It's already blinding intensity only grew greater and greater, until at last none of them could tell which way was up or down, or even if they stood upon the ground. And just when it seemed that it couldn't get any worse, it all vanished. Both the golden light, and the world that it should have blinded them to. As far as the eye could see, if there was indeed anything to be seen in that place, there was nothing but a vast expanse of darkness. As there was no ground, no basis with which to discern above from below, and not even the omnipresent pressure known as gravity, despite the fact that they were most definitely in motion there was no possible way for them to tell whether they were falling or flying. There was no sound to be heard, no light to be seen, no heat nor cold to be felt, no scents, no tastes. It was truly worthy of being called a perfect void.

This could have lasted for an instant or an eternity, but it came to an end as suddenly as it began. A great impact shook their bodies, and they could feel a solid surface at their backs. For the moment, with their senses were still in utter disarray, having gone from reality to that senseless place and back again without a single moment to compose themselves, it was impossible for them to make any complicated observations. However, if they were to glance around, they would find themselves in a large, open room. It appeared to have been built from a strange pitch black stone, and it was lit with eerie blue torches. Oddly enough, there were no seams or cracks to seen in the room's construction. It was if the entire structure had been carved out of a single, enormous stone. Aside from that, the room had only three things of note: a gigantic, grandiose door made of a strange white metal that stood in startling contrast to the rest of the room, their companions lying on the floor, and their weapons and armor heaped in piles across the room.

Yes, their weapons and clothes were lying in heaps on the floor, as opposed to being on their bodies. They'd been enjoying a nice relaxing soak in a hot spring up until just a moment ago, after all. And because the Hero had been caught at the tail end of a rant, he was in slightly worse condition then the rest. While most of the party had managed to retain their consciousness throughout the ordeal, it seemed that Koyoko's had been thoroughly snuffed out.

They was enjoying a very hot bath, the drama involving that other interesting girl had no longer concerned Martha. She had her mind on other things far more important, things that would determine her actions in the future. But for now she was going to enjoy getting maintained by Hiromi until suddenly something had disturbed the peace.

A bright golden light which blinded everyone but her since she had not actual eyes, she just lost anything to pick up. There was nothing that her power couldn't perceive anything physical or mentally. This was like a void, something that had grasp them from their place for a purpose but why. And while she could imagine how the others react, Martha was undisturbed since she herself didn't think emotionally reacting to a sudden event is worth the trouble until you understand why it happened.

That was the personality she had that she barely reveled. She was a calm soul when it came to the unknown and suddenly as her senses barely came too herself. She felt like she was chucked to the ground without care which only annoyed the Legendary sword. She couldn't move her self and so she tried to enhance her senses to get a visual of what was happening. But she felt something soft over herself, some pieces of clothing that seemed to have been chucked over her like with no care.

"Bra?!" Martha said as her senses passes the clothing near her towards the many bodies around her place. Ignoring the surroundings at this point and for good reason as Martha realized everyone was naked. If she had a nose it would be bleeding so much the entire area would be flooded. But her excitement quickly vanished as she noticed something about the hero.

"Hero is knocked out... Guys! GUYS! SOMEONE PICK ME UP!" Martha shouted knowing she can't do anything to help the hero without being brought to him.

"...guys!guys!SOMEONE PICK ME UP!"

That plea stirred Gunha's consciousness, making the athletic magician the first person to awake. He registered the voice in his mind, but he didn't actually process it until after he rose from the floor. Looking around he saw the Hero he had been bathing with (and lecturing about how he was going to die because he lacked guts and how important guts was). Scanning the room for the source of the voice, his abilities as a magician made him recognize it was a... sword?

Walking over to the sword in the pile of female clothing he bent down, gently moved the bra aside and grasped the sword by the hilt. He easily lifted it; he was no swordsman, but he was no fragile spellcaster either. Examining it, he immediately recognized it.

The Hero's sword. In Gunha's youth he had always wanted to be a Hero. He trained himself to be. Then he came to try to pull the sword. It budged little. Instead of letting his dreams shatter he went to the mountainside and trained himself to be "stronger than a hero". When he heard a Hero had risen, he wanted to meet that person. Imagine what he had felt when he saw that gutless, downtrodden Hero! Yes, the Hero's situation was actually bad; worth sympathy, if Gunha was to be asked.

Seeing this sword again he really had to ask himself:

Does the sword make the hero or does the hero make the sword?

In Gunha's heart there was no greed. Ever since he heard a Hero appeared, he never thought of just taking the sword for himself. He had chosen the path of Guts: the Gutsy way, and he would never go back.

"Well, I've picked you up now, what do you need?"

Not once had he seen or heard of a talking weapon before. Thinking, he tried to run through his knowledge of magic and the occult in search of anything that could remotely cause this phenomenon.

At one moment, Takashi was just enjoying a hot bath, trying to wash away the stench of alcohol and general disgust. Now, Takashi was lying on the floor of some new place. While knocked out, he heard Martha calling out and upon regaining consciousness, he looked around and saw where they were now. "Great. This day just keeps getting be-...wait..." He looked down to see that he was completely naked. "OH COME OOOON!" He yelled at nothing as he looked around for his gear and upon seeing it, rushed over to put on his armor, check his equipment, and grab his sword and scabbard but keep it in hand. He needed to stay on guard for anything that might happen.

Now ready, he turned towards the source of the noise and saw someone with the sword in hand. Not recognizing the person at all and reacting on instinct, Takashi ran towards the sword wielder and called out to him. "HEY! Put the sword down and state your business!" His voice was hoarse with rage and he was in a combat ready stance. He had tolerated enough for one day and was about ready for some action.

Hiromi was peacefully maintaining the sword when the ground, no, it seemed like the whole world shook. There was a big impact followed by a blinding light. After that, Hiromi didn't know what happened. She lost consciousness.

When she opened her eyes, she was still too dizzy to register what was happening around her. She stood up slowly trying to recall what happened. Just as she remembered, she unconsciously looked down. It was then that it hit her.

"......................................................... huh?"

When she realised she was naked, her face reddened so much it could be mistaken for a tomato. She became self conscious suddenly. Then her surroundings sank in too and she understood that everyone else was in the same state. She quickly shut her eyes closed.

But then she realised she wouldn't be able to move around like that.

She half-opened one eye, and run to the pile of clothes.

Upon arriving, she noticed Murakami Takashi, already in his armor, and a naked guy she never saw before standing there. What intrigued her is that this guy was holding Martha. Sir Takashi seemed angry at him, probably because of that, and ready for combat. She wanted to calm them down to speak, but she couldn't do it in her current state.

She was too embarrassed to talk to them, however, she had no other choice. They were standing in front of the girls' clothes piles and she had to get her clothes to dress.

She could feel herself tear up a bit because of the unbearable embarrassing situation.

'This is the worst day of my life...', she complained.

She forced some unconsistant sentences out while closing her eyes.

"C-c-could you p-lease... e-excuse me... I-I need to get m-my clothes..."

After voicing out her desparate plea, she quickly grabbed her clothes without even waiting for a reply, went to a corner, and dressed up as fast as she could.

When she finished, she waited some seconds to calm herself down, and then went back to them.

"S-sorry for earlier...", she started with an apology, "but what is going on? Before quarreling between ouselves, we should understand how did even get in here? All of us were in the hot springs right? So, were we teleported or something? And... more importantly, what is this place to begin with?"

While Takashi was focused on the person holding Martha, he was distracted by Hiromi running by while completely naked, grabbing her equipment, and running into a corner. He was absolutely stunned, never expecting to see that, but regained his focus on the target. However, Hiromi, now clothed, came back.

"S-sorry for earlier...but what is going on? Before quarreling between ourselves, we should understand how did we even get in here? ALl of us were in the hot springs, right? So, were we teleported or something? And...more importantly, what is this place to begin with?"

Without taking his eyes off the stranger, he replied. "What is important right now is what the hell are you doing with that sword in your hands? You have about 10 seconds to explain yourself before I take action and it will not be pretty. So spit it out!"

Putting aside the sudden naked Hirmoi and everyone else for a second, Martha was actually very concerned about the hero. So she was very glad someone picked her up, even if it was somebody with guts. But a but rash ridden Knight had come with rightful suspicions, asking the second time.  "What is important right now is what the hell are you doing with that sword in your hands? You have about 10 seconds to explain yourself before I take action and it will not be pretty. So spit it out!"

"Because this gutsy fellow was the first one to answer my call to pick me up. Quit your babbling people and take me over to the clearly knocked out hero! Then point me towards the hero and shout heal! WITH GUTS! It would take all three of you, since you don't have the strength of the hero! But you can do it! " Martha shouted who was actually panicking and if she had hands she would be wailing them about. Not caring at all her current wielder was rather naked.

Her attempt to calm the Royal Knight down and to cast the light on more important matters was met with another hasty comment coming from him.

"What is important right now is what the hell are you doing with that sword in your hands? You have about 10 seconds to explain yourself before I take action and it will not be pretty. So spit it out!"

Sir Takashi wasn't entirely at fault when he had his suspitions about that guy. However, to Hiromi, he didn't seem like an enemy. If he really wanted any harm, he would have attacked them by now. He might also be trying to deceave them, but honestly, he just... didn't look like that kind of person to her. That's why she found the other mysteries to be more urgent right now.

Just as she was about to reply, Martha said somethig and pointed out something more urgent than all.

"Because this gutsy fellow was the first one to answer my call to pick me up. Quit your babbling people and take me over to the clearly knocked out hero! Then point me towards the hero and shout heal! WITH GUTS! It would take all three of you, since you don't have the strength of the hero! But you can do it! "

'Koyoko-san is... knocked out...?', she repeated in her mind questionably and looked around searching for him.

Seeing him lying unconscious on the ground, Hiromi was afraid he had received a rather strong blow and that he was in danger.

"Koyoko-san?!", she cried out.

How could she... How could she have missed to notice his state? Hiromi scolded herself mentally for not paying attention and not noticing something this dangerous. It was her duty as a tutor too to protect him until he acquired enough skill to defend himself, no, even afterwards, she would protect him at all costs and make sure he fullfills his mission. That was the promise she made to Her Majesty. And honestly, even if she didn't make that promise, she would have done so anyway.

She turned to face the others.

"Sir Takashi! Martha-san is right. We can deal with everything else later. Right now let's hurry and heal Koyoko-san."

After she made her resolve clear, she ran to the Hero's side, not even waiting for the others.

"That was…" After a short tickle punishment from Maria, Kohaku sat in the bath with her wooden bucket holding her alcoholic drink like she was previously doing. But the golden light that had encompassed some of the people in the bath had broken her relaxed mood again. As the light subsided, it seemed the people enveloped in the light had disappeared. "…Spiritus's magic, wasn't it?"

"Yeah." Maria said as she sat next to her. "It definitely was."

"I see. So, that was the legendary sword then." She looked at the hand she had originally held it with. Surprisingly, the branded message on her hand had seemed to have disappeared, likely during the time she went out of control. "But that still makes no sense. Even if it is some legendary sword imbued with the powers of the God of Light, it should not be enough to cause such an adverse reaction or even probe into my mind."

"I take it you're going to look into the legends, Milady?"

"Yes. I'm going to have to." Kohaku clenched her hand into a fist and then released it. "There's something wrong with that sword."

"You do realize that the fact that the legendary sword was here--" Maria tried to make the obvious inference but her mistress cut her off.

"…means that the hero was nearby? Yes. I know that too." Kohaku sighed. The hero was enough of a problem to deal with but the sword was a greater issue. "The hero can wait. He's nothing more than a fledgling. At this point, the sword is more of a problem."

Kohaku stood up out of the bath. "Let's go, Maria."

"Understood, milady."

---

Two pairs of feet walked down a path just outside of the town where the hot spring had been. "Why start with the royal demon library, milady?" Maria asked. The girl was dressed back in her typical maid outfit as she followed her mistress Kohaku.

"Well, legendary swords have never been kind to Demon Kings before. I figured that some previous Demon King would have likely compiled a list of holy swords and the like out of fear." Kohaku said while walking in a black-and-white lolita style dress that was clearly unbecoming of a demon king.

It was odd to see the two of them walking on the path not because they were a Demon King and her personal attendant but because they looked more like a Princess being escorted by an eccentric maid. It actually looked like they were a perfect target for thieves. Hell, that's what some thieves lying in wait thought as they watched the two walk out of the city and closer to where they were hiding.

"So, are you sure you don't want to just teleport over, milady?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Let's enjoy the scenic route for a bit and then I'll fly us both over." Kohaku said.

The thieves, numbering in the 20s, were unaware of the dangerous conversation between the two of their new 'victims'. In fact, all they could see were a pair of girls who they could rob and kidnap. The silly thieves, with a silly group name like the Wet Bandits or something along those lines, watched as the girls took their steps into the optimal spot before finally jumping out.

"THIS IS A HOLD-UP. HAND OVER ALL OF YOUR MONEY AND VALUABLES AND WE MAY LET YOU PASS WITH YOUR FREEDOM INTACT!" The most burly one who was likely the leader had shouted out.

"So much for the scenic route, milady." Maria spoke.

"What a pain…" Kohaku sighed. "Well, at least this will make for a nice post-bath warm-up. Wouldn't you agree, Maria?"

Maria simply nodded in agreement as she watched Kohaku walk a bit forward. "Well, if you gentlemen would be so kind as to allow us to pass without incident, then perhaps we can all walk away from this without you all lying unconscious on the ground."

"What…was that?" The leader stuttered in shock as the princess-like girl's atmosphere had completely changed to one of full confidence. "Dammit. She's bluffing! Charge, boys!"

Kohaku sighed as the thieves charged right towards her. "I guess my warning was not tactful enough."

---

Over twenty low level thieves were lying on the ground. It was pretty obvious that they had all been knocked unconscious by some external force. If one looked at each of the bodies, the points on their bodies where they had all been attacked became pretty obvious. Each person had one mark on a random but crucial point on his body. It was as if the assailant was reading a physiology textbook while knocking the thieves out since the thieves likely did not even see the attacks coming at all or feel pain.

One could wonder how it happened though if anybody knew the identities of the girls they were trying to attack, the sequence of events would become rather clear.

As for the girls, their foot prints disappeared only a few meters away as if they had disappeared without a trace.

Within the castle of the Heavenly King Omamori, for what seemed to be months a giant turtle could be observed striding towards the throne room, carrying some small box on its shell. This was not any giant turtle, but the King most trusted general. Besides that title, however, it was just a highly intelligent turtle trained to listen to the king.

Upon passing through the curtains to the inside of  throne room, the turtle was greeted by Omamori jumping down towards it, holding a wooden bat. When he noticed it was just a turtle, he lowed his bat and hung his head in shame. "You may be my number one general, but that doesn't mean you can just walk in. Try knocking  next time."

Although there was no way to show it physically, the turtle was highly confused. not at what the king was saying, but at the idea of knocking without hand and on a curtain. in this mental confusion, the king found what the general had come all the way to him for, a letter with a very fancy seal.

Kira Kohaku wrote:

---

Letter to Heavenly King Omamori

---

Omamori,

I've notified the other Heavenly Kings at this point so you are last on the list. It seems the hero has pulled the legendary sword. Just be on the lookout for them and please make sure there is as little collateral damage as possible if they end up coming to you.

Honestly, I have the most confidence in your keeping the key given the nature of the key you're protecting. But, do be careful.

Until then, I wish you luck…but you likely don't need it.

Kohaku

Omamori seemed to turn into a little child on their birthday after reading that letter, eyes widened, hopping up and down and yelling "yay" repeatedly. After about a minute of this, the king turned the paper towards the general roaring, "The sword has been drawn! Do you know what this means?! After all these years of silence we will finally going to have guests! Your in charge of decorating General. Make sure there are plenty of streamers, balloons, and confetti!"

This confused the turtle even more. The request to decorate wouldn't be challenging, no that wasn't it, the problem is, how could the king be so happy people are coming to kill him, being that the key is inside him, and more importantly, how does he not fear the wrath that will come from the Demon King when the paperwork form the decorating bill ends up on her desk.

In his deep sleep, the Hero laid upon the floor, exposed and unaware of the situation, had his eyes peacefully closed as the others dressed themselves and grabbed their gear. He would not move or stir from the commotion that was being caused by his comrades and strangers alike. Instead, he continued to follow his own personal plain of imagination, in what was his dream. Though this dream in particular was nothing more than what may come in the future.

Koyoko was walking, how long was insignificant to him, as walking was all he seemed to care for. Endlessly walking a stone path as all he could see was black. Yet, as he walked, torches lit displaying an individual or a group of individuals with their respected scenery backgrounds. Peasant adults stood outside their doors, cheering for him. Merchants offered him a 'good deal' as some might say, aiming to gain a greater income knowing that 'the hero' shopped at this very location. Guards silently whisper to each other as he continued to walk by.

However, it wan't the people themselves that bothered Koyoko, as his face was shadowed by his long silver/grey hair. Rather, it was what they were saying.

"Eeeh, so he's the hero? He's gotta be one lucky guy."
"Yo hero! We're rooting for you!"

Shut up...

"You have a grand duty to this kingdom, brave hero. Some in which people dream of."

Shut up!

"Slay the demon king!"
"Slay the demon king!"
"SLAY THE DEMON KING!"

"I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP!!"

Koyoko then drew his sword and as he was ready to swing it, to silence the noise once and for all. Only a couple days since he drew his sword, and he couldn't take it. The expectations, the praise, the hope...Why? Why must it be him that bares this responsibility? Lucky? This was the opposite of what he wanted, yet because he pulled the sword, he was now responsible with the fate of humanity.

As he swung the blade, a triumphant blast of dust and fire engulfed his body and everything around it, as the village he was supposedly walking through was turn to ash and burning wood. In reality, he would never take his rage out on the innocent like this. But in a dream? Where you can act from the simplest if impulses? Yes. He was capable of burning everything to the ground.

With that he dropped the blade, and got down to his knees, leaning back slightly as he stared up at the sky as the stars disappeared slowly from the smoke and ash, rising into the sky. Beside him was a handmade doll from a peasant child, who wished him luck, as he dropped it to the ground.

"I never...wanted this..."

----------------

Koyoko woke up from what he considered a nightmare, with his eyes slowly awakening from the spell in which the muscle man himself casted. He felt cold as his vision was blurred as he moved his head from side to side, looking around to find familiarity to his surroundings, only to find none other than his comrades, standing around him as they either bicker toward eachother, or worry over him.

Mmmmm....Wha...Guys what's with all the noise I'm trying to sleep..." In his drowsiness, he doesn't recognize that he had no clothing, nor the dire situation they were in. instead he brought his hands up over to his eyes and rubbed them a bit, as he reached for a blanket, which was actually his cloak, and pulled it over himself and tried to go back to bed.

Takashi just watched as the next events played out with a mixture of stupification and frustration. The stranger just pointed the sword at Koyoko and shouted some nonsense, as Takashi thought it was, causing Koyoko to wake up, but only for a few moments before going right back to sleep. Takashi sighed angrily, facepalming, before quietly saying "This is my life now..." He then walked over to Koyoko, crouched down, and pulled the cloak off before saying "Wake up, you dunce. We aren't exactly in the best of places right now, so get on your feet, grab your sword, and get ready." He then stood up, and turned around to the stranger who just woke up the hero with an annoyed look on his face. "And you...get some clothes on, please."


While Takashi was bitter about these events, he was also relieved that everyone had made it in one piece and barely hurt, besides their pride from waking up naked. "I just hope that it stays that way, although looking around, I can see that it won't last for long..."

The guy seemed to be offended by Martha's suggestion because he started emitting an overwhelming pressure and mumbling things about guts or whatever.

Suddenly a shout echoed through the place.

"Guts! Heal!"

Wasn't that the sentence that Martha told the three of them to say?

'So he is so prideful that he'd rather do it on his own...? Well, if Martha said it wouldn't work then it wou--', just as she was thinking this, Koyoko woke up.

"...", she wasn't expecting it to work at all, so she was surprised. Just how much powerful was this guy to be able to release an amount of aura enough to do a spell that supposedly needed 3 people?

"Mmmmm....Wha...Guys what's with all the noise I'm trying to sleep..."

Just as she was lost in thoughts, Koyoko spoke covered himself and went back to sleep. It was then that she realised she was basically in front of another naked boy. Thankfully for both of them, she had been in deep thoughts so she wasn't looking at him.

To avoid any more awkward situations, she stood up hurriedly, turned around and moved away from the boys a little.

"I'll be waiting here...", she mumbled embarrassingly, and couldn't even finish what she wanted to say: to get ready.

She was the only girl here so she was the one bothered by this situation the most.

'Honestly... They all are insensitive and inconsiderate...', she complained deep down, still slightly embarrassed.

Meanwhile she heard Sir Takashi ordering the other boys. He must have been thinking the same thing as her, and maybe even figured what she was intending to say. He probably was the only person besides her who understood the situation they were in...

"Y-yeah. You should get ready both of you," she was talking to the two still naked boys while still facing the opposite direction, "We should go investigating about this place and find out why and how we were teleported here."

"Guts! Heal!"

She was annoyed and not because the prideful magician attempted to do what couldn't be done. Though that didn't help, but because the moment the mage tried to use her powers without the help of the other two. The Hero stirred which made Martha seem like a liar and it greatly annoyed the spirit within. The spell didn't work, there was no light or aftereffect of her power. There was no healing done. Martha was very worried, whose concern only turned to rage knowing that the Hero was just sleeping and not hurt at all.

So much so she turned the dial all the way up on the volume of her voice and directed her next words solely through the mind of the Hero. One way or another she was going to get this hero back up on his feet. "HERO WAKE UP NOWWWWW!!!! Martha shouted so loud in the mind of the hero, that he would be beginning for a heal for mental damage after she was done.

Koyoko was not exactly in heaven, but he was certainly looking comfortable for merely having a cloak over him and sleeping peacefully. He wanted to dream of being at a buffet of many sorts of meats and vegetables, filling his stomach with a meal that has never been so large for him. As a thief, his meals were mostly bread and drink, in some cases on a good day, a full course meal at the nearby pub. But never once had he been to a feast where you fill your plate to your hearts content. He wasn't a glutton but food is a delicacy to those who hardly have any income.

HERO WAKE UP NOWWWWW!!!! A voice from hell itself ravaged his brain tremendously as he suddenly jumped up in fear and actually punched the nearest person out of fear and anger at the same time. One such person was the Guts mage himself, as his reward for trying to save a life was only a painful bruise to his cheek.

"What the...hell...Wait?" Koyoko looked around for a moment to see that he had not only punched Gunha, but was surrounded by many familiar faces. Some of those faces turning out to be complete strangers. More importantly the area they were in, this strange room. He stood there with his cloak over his body still. "Where the hell are we- GEH! Where are my clothes?!" Koyoko yelled as his cloak was the only thing keeping him exposed, but still made him all the more uncomfortable with so many eyes on him.

With the Hero finally awake, he gently set the sword down and pointed to the Hero's clothes. "They're right there." He commented before he went to his own clothes and began to dress himself. He currently needed to think of two things:

1. Why there is a sword that can speak and perform magic. His current hypothesis was that there was a spirit in the sword, but he had no real proof, nor any way to detect something like that.
   
2. A new training regime that allows him to (barely) travel while breaking his limits over and over. Now that he is going to be comitted to the party, he's going to need enough power to defeat the demon lord in a single strike.

To call Gunha the best magician in the land was a gross overstatement in the field of knowledge. However, his wisdom and magical power was indeed amongst the best around. Yet, he realized how disgustingly lacking his power was despite being the best.

He didn't have enough Guts. Challenge accepted.

Adjusting his bag of belongings, he did a quick count to ensure everything was still there. Money, check. Guts potions, check. Magical equipments, check.

Everything was accounted for.

Silently, he began his new training regime. He summoned an even more massive pressure than he did before, yet nobody, not even the sword, would feel anything...

...Because he turned it upon himself. Experiencing such incredible gravity he stood expressionless, waiting for the rest to move on.

Begin training.

Koyoko turned to the GUTS magician and nodded slightly with grattitude as he began getting fully dressed. If he understood the situation correctly, everyone was...moved? Not only that, but undressed. However everyone's belongings stayed at their side. Any valuables and weaponry were not stolen, rather placed neatly by everyone's items. "Hmph..." Koyoko let out a huff of breath as he put his hood over his head instinctively and grabbed his sword, slinging it over his back.

Soon after he would take a brief walk around as everyone got situated. It seemed he was the last one to wake up and get prepared. Still, it seemed as if no one knew how they got here, who brought them here, and why. In the end he just sighed as he crossed his arms, looking toward the knight known as Murakami and his skilled teacher Hiromi-sensei. "...Any of you got any ideas where we are?"

Deep down the Sword was happy, sure she was slight peeved by the Hero not actually being hurt making her worry feel for naught. But she was actually rather happy that he wasn't hurt and while the relationship between them wasn't grand. She can rest assured that nothing is wrong except for the fact they friken got teleported to somewhere completely different then the hot springs.

But that doesn't matter, she would leave the work to them regarding this current location unless they asked her nicely. You see even the sword has to rest and brood on what she has going in her mind. This place, the only place in her mind which even predates herself. She has learned a very long time ago to not mess with old things irregardless of what they are since well that is the problem.

You are ignorant of old things with no record and curiosity really killed the cat all those years ago. Seriously there was a reason why that phrases exists because it had killed Martha's very large cat with horns. Swung over the heros back, Martha snuggled into the sheath which for her to rest. "I'll rest for a while, feel free to call for me if you need anything." Martha said leaving these young souls to learn the lesson why curiosity killed the cat really exist.

In reaction the Hero's rise, the whole of the temple thrummed with power. It was of such magnitude that even the most magically inept could feel it. Throughout the temple, noises resounded. The sound of gears long unused, turning again at last. Somewhere, a great deluge of water flowed. Elsewhere, a wildfire of amazing fire burned. And all throughout the temple, the raging of great beasts could be heard. All of this continued for several seconds before the noises began to slowly fade away, as if growing quiet. ...Or as if some force had began intercepted the sounds before they reached their ears.

The silence did not last long, however. The great door of pure white steel opened, revealing a great open space beyond. Unlike the bleak, unfurnished room they stood in now, the next chamber was lavishly decorated with rugs made from the hide of some great beast, couches and chairs with upholstery woven from golden silk, long granite tables with delicacies of all varieties laid out upon them. And at the far end of the room, there stood a door identical to that which they had just passed through. It was the only other such structure in the room, and it was shut tight.

And yet, despite the gleaming of gold, there was a single structure which drew the eye away from from all of those material luxuries standing in the center of the room. It was a simple pedestal, wrought from unremarkable lead. And upon it, lay a stone tablet written in a lost language, neither spoken nor read by any creatures alive today. And yet... The moment they laid their eyes on it, a voice resounded throughout their skull, speaking to them not with words, but with thoughts.

O Hero, chosen by the gods, and companions, chosen for the Hero. Welcome to the Temple of Awakening. Please, do not be alarmed. This temple holds no danger for you. It is a place of peace, of safety, and of enlightenment. Hero, the fact that you have been drawn into this place means that despite having begun your quest, you are wholly unaware of the powers you possess. If you continue on your journey as you are now, you will surely perish.

But do not fear. This temple was created for the sole purpose of rectifying that. Here, you shall be faced with three trials. Should you complete them, then you shall awaken to your powers. But if you fail, then for your own sake, you shall remain here. This temple has food and water; supplies and luxuries enough to last you a lifetime. The walls are impenetrable; no enemy will ever find you here. You will be free to live out the rest of your life here in safety.

For now, however, focus on the trials. For the first, examine the stone tablet.

With that, the voice falls silent. Should you follow its instructions and examine the tablet, you will find that despite the fact that you could previously not make heads nor tails of it, you can now understand it perfectly. It reads thus: "Have you heard of the Philosopher's Stone? It is said to be the pinnacle of alchemy, able to turn lead to gold, and purify the life of mortal man and make him an immortal god. However, there is but one domain it cannot trespass on. It is the realm of secrets kept hidden from the self, of darkness forever untouched by the light, where those forever lost go to rest. Even the stone itself is home to this domain. O Hero, should you desire to move onward, then purify the stone. Sully the perfect gloom, and continue onward."