Chapter 2

When I came to, I was in an unfamiliar space.

It was a room decorated primarily in white. It was incredibly spacious, with an interior so lavish it could easily be mistaken for a palace. One look was enough to tell that an absurd amount of money had been poured into this place.

Looking around, I saw rows of people clad in full plate armor. Their equipment made them look like medieval knights. To top it off, they had swords hanging from their waists. Some, however, were carrying rifles. They were a type I had never seen before, but the shape was unmistakably that of a gun.

(A cosplay group? No, their presence feels too real for that.)

I tilted my head, unable to grasp the situation. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t find an answer.

In the distance, men dressed in high-end, foreign-style clothing watched us from a distance. They looked like the type who would enjoy elegant balls. Nobles, perhaps? They were looking this way with eyes that suggested their very souls were rotten.

At the far end of the room, a middle-aged man wearing a crown sat enthroned. He had a magnificent handlebar mustache and a red cloak. Sitting upon his throne, he projected an air of majesty.

(Where the hell am I?)

Faced with this nonsensical sight, I twisted my mouth in annoyance. I was supposed to be at a gas station—how did I end up standing in a place I didn’t recognize? Had I been drugged and kidnapped by the light of that magic circle? If so, which organization pulled it off? I couldn’t think of anyone who would put on such a ridiculous performance.

For some reason, I was still holding my bottle of cola. I took a sip while eyeing the people gathered nearby.

“What is the meaning of this!?”

“Eh, what! No way, wait, what?”

“This situation… could it be…?!”

Standing near me were several men and women I didn’t recognize. Including myself, there were seven of us, dressed in business suits, casual everyday clothes, or school uniforms. There was almost no sense of uniformity. However, I noticed their fashion sense seemed to be from overseas. I wasn’t an expert, but it felt subtly different from back home.

Furthermore, no one else was wearing combat gear like I was. Their ages varied widely, ranging from their teens to their thirties. At thirty-two, I was likely among the oldest in the group.

Judging by their features, the other six were of Asian descent—probably Japanese. Moreover, based on their clothing and bewildered expressions, they were ordinary civilians. It seemed they had been kidnapped just like me.

At that moment, a man wearing robes approached us with an elegant stride. He spoke with a somewhat suspicious smile playing on his lips.

“Welcome, visitors from another world! I am the Chancellor, Vilarze. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Receiving such a fluent greeting, the Japanese people stood there dumbfounded. No one was able to respond. I downed the rest of my bottle of cola.

Chancellor Vilarze continued without concern.

“…This is a world that exists in a different space from the one you lived in. We have summoned you from another world to serve as our trump card in the intensifying war against the surrounding nations.”

“So it’s an ‘Isekai Summoning’!”

At the shout from a boy in a school uniform who had raised his hand, Vilarze nodded happily.

“As expected, you are quick to understand. That is exactly right. And through the act of world-crossing, you have all become Heroes. Won’t you please become the swords that uphold this Empire?”

Vilarze bowed deeply while making his plea. His demeanor was the picture of sincerity. Consequently, I found myself doubting my own ears.

(What did he just say? An ‘Isekai Summoning’? And we’re ‘Heroes’? What kind of joke is this?)

Holding the empty bottle in one hand, I let out a sigh. I felt like I was being told the plot of some movie. It was a pretty wild story. I even wondered if I was dreaming.

However, my five senses insisted that the current situation was an unmistakable reality. Pinching my cheek didn’t make me wake up in my bed at home. It was hard to believe, but I had no choice but to accept it.

“I’ve finally been summoned. I… I’ve become a Hero!”

The schoolboy was secretly pumping his fist. For some reason, he seemed overjoyed. I didn’t really understand why. He stood out from the reactions of those around him, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“The swords that uphold the Empire? I refuse. You kidnap us without permission and expect us to just say ‘yes’ and cooperate?”

A man in a business suit protested. He stepped forward impulsively and glared at Vilarze head-on. To be able to speak his mind so freely in such a hostile environment, he had a fair bit of nerve.

In response, Vilarze lowered his eyebrows apologetically.

“I am well aware of the inconvenience we have caused… However, if you agree, we promise you the highest level of treatment. This will serve as both a reward and compensation. Wealth, status, fame… everything will be yours for the taking. We shall guarantee you a social standing second only to the Great Emperor himself.”

The Japanese people began to murmur among themselves upon hearing this. They were shocked by the extraordinary conditions being offered. Rubbing his hands together, Vilarze pressed his advantage.

“Furthermore, we are currently developing return magic. Once the Empire triumphs over the surrounding nations and increases its power, our research will progress, allowing you to return to your original world whenever you wish. What do you say? Will you lend us your aid?”

“Hmm… well, if that’s the case, I suppose I could lend a hand…”

The man in the business suit suddenly became quiet and averted his eyes. All his previous bravado had completely vanished.

“Thank you! As expected of a Hero from another world, your decision was swift. What about the rest of you?”

Vilarze asked, but no one else spoke up. They didn’t say no. In other words, it was a reserved yes—a specialty of the Japanese.

(He’s trying to gloss over the kidnapping with a massive reward, huh? Something smells fishy.)

I glanced at Vilarze. He had a face that looked like the embodiment of a good person, which only made him more suspicious. The more unreadable a person’s thoughts are, the more likely their insides are completely rotten. To be blunt, he was exactly the kind of person I disliked.

Ignoring my suspicions, Vilarze proceeded in high spirits.

“Moving right along, I would like to check your Status. I wish to know the abilities you gained through the world-crossing. If you focus your consciousness, your Status will be displayed in your mind. Please, take a look at that first.”

Having been given these mysterious instructions, I focused as told for the time being. An image resembling a 3D holographic screen, like something out of a sci-fi movie, floated into my mind. I was surprised by how easily this supernatural phenomenon occurred.

(When you’re in a different world, I guess anything goes.)

The Status was divided into several categories. There were also detailed numerical values. It looked similar to a video game screen, though it had been a long time since I’d played one. I looked through each item.

Since I had nothing to compare it to, I couldn’t say for sure if it was good or bad, but since the Level was 1, I assumed I was weak. Usually, in these things, the higher the level, the stronger you are. If I were the protagonist of a game, I’d surely grow from here.

Next, I looked at the skill column. Was the reason I could converse without problems in another world perhaps thanks to [Translation B]? Come to think of it, it was unnatural that I understood what the Japanese people were saying. I only knew a few simple greetings in Japanese. In other words, “Skills” seemed to refer to special techniques.

As for my other skill, [Bomb Manufacturing EX++], it was total nonsense. It had an aura of being something special, but I didn’t know the actual effect. Since bombs were familiar territory for me, I felt like it couldn’t be anything bad.

Well, I’m sure this will all be explained properly. There was no point in speculating aimlessly. Just as I thought that, Vilarze gave a well-timed, elegant bow.

“Now, let us verify your Statuses in order.”

Having declared this, Vilarze stared intently at the man in the business suit. Then, he flinched in astonishment.

“Wh-What is this…?! An initial level of 80 and [Absolute Reflection A+]!? Simply marvelous… H-Heavens, I must check the others immediately.”

A flustered Vilarze looked at the schoolboy and once again reacted with exaggerated surprise. He continued this process, checking the statuses of the Japanese people one by one. Each time he shouted out the details with an over-the-top reaction, the surrounding knights and nobles broke into cheers. Apparently, the results were that astounding.

Honestly, I didn’t fully grasp the significance, but I figured they were at least superior to my own status. While waiting, I tried looking at the other Japanese people. I couldn’t see their statuses. It seemed I could only check my own. Vilarze appeared to be the only one who was special—or perhaps he had a skill for that purpose.

Eventually, my turn came. The air in the room was thick with anticipation. This was because the previous six had all possessed exceptional abilities. No one doubted that I would have equivalent power. Vilarze stroked his chin and observed me closely.

“Hmm. You appear to be a soldier. You possess a very sturdy physique. Your bearing is not that of an ordinary person.”

“I’m a former soldier. I’m a freelancer now.”

“That certainly raises my expectations. Let’s see now…”

Vilarze, who had been wearing a smile, quickly showed a puzzled expression. He crossed his arms and fell into deep thought.

“To think you possess an irregular EX-rank skill…! And with a ++ modifier! I have never seen anything like it! However, for the essential skill to be this of all things… Hmm. You men, bring a set of Gunpowder Grass.”

When Vilarze gave the command to the knights, a wooden box was carried into the room.

The wooden box was about large enough to be held with both arms.

The knight handed it to me respectfully. When I took it, it was surprisingly light. I could hear a rustling sound coming from inside.

I opened the top lid of the box. Inside were some spindly, thin cords, paper cylinders, and some kind of dried plant. The plant had been broken down into a fine powder. I understood what these materials were for the moment I laid eyes on them.

“These are ingredients for a bomb, aren’t they?”

“Your quick understanding is a great help. I would like you to demonstrate your EX-rank skill.”

“Sure, fine by me.”

I nodded and began assembling the materials from the box. A nearby knight tried to explain the construction process, but since it was a simple structure, I didn’t need to bother listening. I could make something like this with my eyes closed. Even in another world, there wasn’t much of a difference.

The bomb was finished in about a minute. It looked remarkably similar to dynamite. If I lit the cord—the fuse—protruding from the main body, it would eventually explode. It was simple, but not a bad design.

As I stared at the finished product, my Status expanded in my mind.

I couldn’t say for certain without a point of comparison, but the performance didn’t seem very good. Well, it was practically a firecracker. It probably didn’t have enough power to actually kill or wound a human. It was on the level of a toy for children.

“Here you go. It’s done.”

I tossed the finished product to Vilarze. Vilarze stared at the bomb and groaned with a bitter expression.

“…There are no modifiers, I see. It is a perfectly ordinary bomb. After verifying the details of the skill, it appears its only effect is to ensure the absolute success of the bomb’s creation. All the modifiers have been poured into this single point!”

Vilarze shouted in a fit of temper. I wondered why he was so angry. If the effect of [Bomb Manufacturing EX++] was to guarantee the success of making a bomb, I thought it was quite a convenient ability. While it lacked flashiness, it wasn’t something I’d be troubled to have. Creating bombs with delicate structures always carried danger. Being able to ignore that made it a top-tier skill in my book.

On the other hand, Vilarze threw the bomb I had made aside. He breathed heavily through his nose, speaking with irritation.

“The rank might be lower, but [Bomb Manufacturing] is a skill held by the majority of combat engineers! Furthermore, one can make a bomb even without the skill! Modifiers are utterly useless! What a colossal disappointment of an ability!”

A dangerous atmosphere began to drift through the room. The nature of the gazes directed at me was shifting. It seemed they didn’t care for the results. After catching his breath, Vilarze knelt before the man on the throne.

“Your Majesty, what shall we do? This man alone is a talentless, useless outlander. His initial level is 1, and he has no other abilities.”

The man with the crown, addressed as Majesty, snorted insolently.

“He is beneath discussion. A Level 1 would not even make for common fodder. Take him away.”

Taking those words as a signal, the surrounding knights converged on me. They weren’t being gentle; they were radiating open hostility. It looked as though they might draw their swords and cut me down at any moment.

I lowered my gaze to my feet. The bag containing my weapons was gone.

(Crap. Did I leave it at the gas station?)

The gear I was wearing was still there, but it was hardly reassuring. It would be reckless to take on this many people.

“Hahaha. Well, this is a pickle. Talk about being outnumbered.”

With a wry smile, I raised both hands in a gesture of surrender. In times like these, it was wiser not to resist. Even if I were to escape, now wasn’t the time.

As the knights surrounded me, Chancellor Vilarze walked over. His polite aura had vanished, replaced by a look of utter contempt.

“So that’s how it is. You are no longer needed. I shall sell you to a slave trader. Though, I doubt you’ll fetch much of a price.”

“Heh, you’re going to sell me? What a waste. Even with me as I am, there are clients who’d pay top dollar to hire me.”

A dry sound echoed through the room. Vilarze had slapped my cheek. The faint taste of blood spread in my mouth. I shrugged and laughed.

“Hey now, don’t get too carried away. Even a nice guy like me has a breaking point.”

“Those are my lines. You don’t seem to understand your position. Men, teach him.”

The moment Vilarze gave the order, the knights began a collective assault of punches and kicks. Countless impacts and waves of pain ravaged my body. They didn’t hold back or show any restraint. It seemed these guys made a hobby out of bullying defenseless people.

I clenched my teeth and simply endured. Fighting back here would only make the situation worse. They would stop once they were satisfied. I just had to clear my mind and bear it. That was the correct course of action for this situation.

The lynching lasted for about two minutes. The knights stopped moving, and Vilarze stood before me.

“Well? Have you resigned yourself? If you mend your attitude, I might consider reconsidering your treatment.”

Lying on the floor, I stared up at the Chancellor. Then, I spat out some blood and laughed.

“Not a chance. Keep talking to yourself.”

The moment I answered, he stepped on the back of my head. My nose slammed into the floor with full force. A dull heat and pain gradually radiated through my face.

“A man who doesn’t know his place. It seems he needs a bit more education. Do it.”

Following Vilarze’s instructions, the knights resumed the lynching. In the midst of the crowded traffic jam of pain, I happened to glance over at the Japanese people. They were showing their disgusting faces, smirking at me. They were mocking me as I served as a punching bag. Seeing someone other than themselves getting hurt filled them with a sense of superiority.

No, it wasn’t just the Japanese. Looking closely, the knights inflicting the violence were laughing too. The nobles watching from a distance wore similar expressions. Chancellor Vilarze, and the one called Majesty acting all high and mighty on his throne—they were all laughing in amusement.

…Every single one of them was looking down on me.

The moment I realized that, something snapped inside my head. I shoved the knights aside with all my might and lunged at Vilarze.

“What—”

Vilarze stood there looking shocked. He was wide open. There wasn’t even a hint of him trying to do anything. I drove my fist into that stunned face, punching him away without holding back an ounce of strength.

“Take that!”

“Ugh!?”

Vilarze let out a ridiculous sound as he was sent flying. He tumbled pathetically across the floor and vomited blood. Several broken teeth were mixed in the mess.

“Ae… hee… aaaaaahhhh…!”

Vilarze began to shed large, fat tears. He was a truly pathetic sight. I wondered what had happened to the momentum he had when he was insulting me. To go down from a single punch—wasn’t he a bit too weak? I wished he’d consider the position of someone who had been ruthlessly lynched.

I drew the handgun from my holster and fired a burst at Vilarze. Riddled with countless bullets, Vilarze fell onto his back. Red stains gradually seeped into his clothes. His twitching limbs eventually went still. The expensive carpet with gold embroidery soaked up the fresh blood.

Silence enveloped the room. I, the cause of it all, let out a guttural laugh. Suppressing the impulse surging through my body, I holstered the handgun with a trembling hand.

“That’s why I told you, didn’t I? Don’t get carried away.”

The next moment, the knights snapped back to their senses and let out angry roars. They drew their swords all at once and entered combat stances. Some leveled their rifles. It seemed they intended to finish me off with sheer numbers.

“Ha, don’t underestimate me.”

I closed in on the nearest knight, grabbing him and twisting his arm up before he could react. Immediately after, several gunshots rang out in succession. The gunfire from the knights peppered the man I was holding. The bullets made metallic clinks as they struck his armor.

“Ugh… guh, stop…”

A groan escaped the knight I was using as a shield. The gunfire appeared to be destroying his body, but I, behind him, was safe. It seemed the rounds didn’t have the performance to penetrate through the back of the armor.

Timing it for when the volley of fire ceased, I tossed aside the now-dead knight.

“Oh, God. Shooting your own precious comrade to death—you guys are a cold-blooded bunch, aren’t you?”

“You bastard…!”

A knight, baited by the provocation, swung his sword at me. Dodging the downward slash, I thrust out my combat knife. I gouged his neck through a gap in the armor and swept the blade across in one breath. The knight, his throat torn open, staggered and sank to the floor. Blood overflowed and stained the ground.

I whistled while twirling my knife. For good measure, I kicked the knight’s corpse with my toe.

“Oops, my foot slipped. Haha!”

The opponent’s swordsmanship was decent, but I was a professional killer. I had been through my fair share of battles and had stepped over a mountain of corpses. I could handle this many people easily enough. I just had to be careful not to expose myself to the line of fire of those with rifles.

“You barbarian!”

“Go say that to a mirror.”

Avoiding a wide swing of a sword, I shoved my handgun into a knight’s mouth and fired. Pieces of flesh and skin that looked like berry jam splattered everywhere. The knight, with a hole going from his mouth to the nape of his neck, collapsed while spraying bubbles of blood.

“A Level 1 weakling! Don’t get cocky!”

“There is no reason we should lose to the likes of you!”

Two knights attacked me from the front and back. Level this, level that—they were so noisy. Was that the only thing they had going for them?

I used the spring in my legs to leap straight up. For an instant, there was a strong sensation of floating. The slashes crossed beneath me, nearly scraping the soles of my combat boots.

“What!?”

“So fast…!”

The two knights who failed their attack looked up at me in shock. Their mouths were hanging open. Every single one of them was wide open. I flipped my knife into a reverse grip.

“Here, this is the power of a Level 1.”

I twisted my body in mid-air and slashed the knife back and forth. I cut the carotid arteries of both knights, killing them. Landing on the floor while being showered in blood, I exhaled slowly.

The intense rage had not yet subsided. If anything, it was amping up the voltage, driving me toward slaughter. It couldn’t be helped. I had tried to endure it, but they had gone out of their way to step on my tail.

Giving myself over to my anger and running wild, I turned twenty-four more knights into corpses.

“Wait a second. Where did all that bravado from before go? This is so boring I’m about to yawn.”

I shook my head and let out an exaggerated sigh. The corpses of knights were scattered all around. Perhaps because of that, no one else was attacking. Didn’t they have the spirit to avenge their comrades? It was truly lamentable.

The Japanese people who had mocked me so much were also frozen in place. Every last one of them was looking at me with nothing but awe and fear. They had acted so condescendingly. Had they not considered the possibility of a counterattack? If so, their arrogance knew no bounds.

I walked over to a nearby window. Since I’d caused this much of a ruckus, reinforcements would surely be arriving soon. It was better to leave quickly. The idea of killing everyone here was tempting, but it would take too much time. I’d save that for later. I didn’t exactly want to fight a whole national army solo.

I shattered the window glass with a kick. The outside became clearly visible. It was a significant height down to the ground—no less than a hundred and sixty feet. When I poked my head out, I could see part of the building’s exterior. It was a massive white structure with several spires. I had suspected as much, but it was apparently a castle. Beyond the grounds past the castle walls, I could see what looked like a town. Combined with the clear blue sky, it was a fine view. If I weren’t in this situation, I might have enjoyed it.

“Y-You! Do you think you can simply walk away after committing such a folly!”

An angry shout came from behind. I saw the man on the throne, his face beet-red. He was screaming without a shred of majesty. Since he was noisy, I shot him through the stomach for the time being. The man tumbled from his throne and groaned. Holding his punctured stomach, he pointed at me.

“Ugh… Execution! Capture that man! Do not, under any circumstances, let him escape…! Take his head!”

“That’s a scary order. Is there anyone who’ll follow it?”

When I leveled my handgun, the retainers looked away in silence. Not a single knight or noble made a move.

“Wonderful loyalty. I should learn from you.”

Praising them, I hooked one leg over the windowsill. From that posture, I looked back into the room and flashed a brilliant smile.

“Well then, I’ll be going now. Have a nice weekend.”

Saying my farewells, I spread my arms and dived out the window. Immediately, a terrifying wind pressure hit me. Watching the ground rapidly approach, I fired the wire hook from my hip. The hook, cutting through the air, caught onto the edge of a spire ahead. With a strong jolt, my movement changed from a vertical fall. Describing a pendulum-like arc, I approached the ground from a slightly shallower angle.

(This is almost like a swing, huh?)

The scale was completely different, but I felt like I’d suddenly returned to my childhood. Putting my nostalgia aside, I released the wire hook just before impact and performed a forward roll landing. My vision spun violently.

I stood up, brushing off the grass and dirt clinging to my body. My limbs were numb from the impact of the landing, but there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with my bones. My limbs moved properly, and my head was clear.

“Just like a spy movie.”

I chuckled while shaking out my wrists. It was my first time using the wire hook in actual combat, but that was a bit too dangerous. The fall speed didn’t change much, so if I didn’t do it right, I’d break some bones. Actually, it wasn’t much different from a suicide jump. It wasn’t something to do out of curiosity.

Looking up, I saw the figures of people looking down from the broken window. Some were shouting in panic, others just stood there dazed. At that rate, they wouldn’t be able to chase me immediately.

“Now then, I suppose I’ll start by escaping the grounds.”

I’d been dragged into a bizarre situation, but I understood the actions I needed to take. It would be a pain if those guys caught me. I should go into hiding somewhere and decide on a plan.

“A vacation to another world after finishing a job. Seriously, talk about a top-tier schedule.”

Muttering sarcastically, I started walking with a knife in one hand.