Somewhere in the modern world called Earth—cars rumbled across city streets, horns honked, laughter echoed. People spoke aloud their opinions and thoughts about life, about weekend plans, about frustrations, dreams, and what they were doing that very day. Teenagers zipped by on skateboards, laughing, chattering, talking about tricks they wanted to master next. Music leaked from passing cars. The world moved, and it spoke.
Teen 1: "I'm telling you, bro, that rail grind I did earlier? Sickest move of the day."
Teen 2: "You almost ate concrete, man. I'm heading to the plaza. Gonna land that kickflip gap today."
Teen 3: "Y'all go. I'm hitting the park ramps—need to nail my 360 spin."
Skateboards rattled and snapped against pavement, their wheels humming with momentum.
Citizens walked by, deep in their own bubbles.
Man on phone: "No, Karen, I told you the deadline was Friday. Friday. Not next week."
Woman to friend: "I swear if one more barista gets my order wrong, I'm switching to tea."
Elderly man: "Kids these days. Always in a rush, never savoring the moment."
And amidst it all, one lone figure made a different kind of sound—tap, tap, tap.
Victor Drake walked the sidewalks of the city with a cane tapping rhythmically ahead of him. His raven-black hair fell in controlled strands, and sleek sunglasses shielded his vacant eyes. He was 23, a kendo prodigy once hailed as the next great modern swordsman. That is, until it all went dark.
Flashback Memory
The stadium thundered with anticipation. Spotlights glared down on the center mat where two kendo warriors stood, wooden shinai raised. Victor's grip was poised, relaxed but firm. His opponent, a towering fighter named Kazuo Maki, snarled behind his protective mask.
Announcer: "And now—the final match of the National Kendo Grand Championships!"
Victor muttered under his breath, "Steady breath. Timing. Let the blade flow."
Kazuo lunged.
The clash of bamboo echoed like thundercracks. Victor danced backward, pivoted, struck—
YELL! Crack!
A clean point.
Victor: "MEN!" (head strike)
Cheers erupted.
Kazuo roared, frustrated, charging again. Victor sidestepped, countered with a lightning-fast kote strike (wrist).
Victor: "KOTE!"
The referee raised his hand.
Referee: "Match point—Victor Drake!"
The crowd exploded in cheers. Cameras flashed. Streamers flew. Victor bowed respectfully.
Victor: "Thank you for the match."
Kazuo ripped off his helmet, face twisted in rage. "You smug little—!"
Before anyone could stop him, Kazuo rushed forward, his shinai held like a club.
Victor turned just in time to see it.
CRACK!
The bamboo sword smashed across Victor's face. A gasp rippled through the arena. Blood. Screams. Pandemonium.
Victor's hands clutched at his face. "My eyes—!"
His vision flickered. Then… darkness.
End Memory
Victor had lost his sight that day, but not his spirit. Victor still lived the way of the blade—even if the blade was now metaphorical.
As he walked, he thought aloud.
"Never imagined how loud a city really is until I had to listen for everything."
His cane tapped the sidewalk, ears scanning for shifts in footfalls and echoes.
"Mmm… ramen sounds good today. Or maybe curry. Wonder if that spot on 3rd still smells the same."
He smiled faintly. "I miss the thrill… the crowd. The duel. The way everything slows down in the moment before a strike."
But now, he relied on instinct. Sound. The tap of his cane. The subtle shifts of city air and motion. At first it had been hell, learning to live blind. But he'd adapted. Trained harder, deeper. Let instinct and rhythm become his vision.
Still, fate wasn't done with Victor Drake.
"...I think I'll stop by the park," he muttered. "Clear my head. Remember what the wind used to sound like before the world went black."
Suddenly, he heard voices approaching—teenagers, maybe high school kids. Laughter. Energy.
"Yo, I swear if I don't win next round, I'm shaving my head!" came a brash voice.
The boy it belonged to had sharp, jet-black hair with navy-blue streaks, swept back with rebellious energy. His silver eyes were bright and cocky. Riku Tachibana, age 17, wore a school uniform with fingerless gloves and the swagger of someone who thought fate itself had handpicked him.
"Whatever, Riku. You're just gonna go home and train like a psycho," said a lilting, sarcastic voice.
Aika Himura, 19, with long lilac hair tied with a black ribbon, walked beside him. Her violet-gray eyes were dreamy but sharp. Dressed in a black school cardigan, she clutched a fantasy novel under one arm.
Behind them trailed a broad-shouldered teen in an oversized hoodie, curly brown hair poking out. Earphones hung loosely from his ears.
"Guys, I just wanna go home and game," Daichi "DJ" Yamada yawned. "I got to level 58 last night. One more dungeon…"
Their chatter echoed, Victor pausing as the soundscape shifted.
Victor thought, "They sound young. Confident. Just like I was before it all changed."
Then—a strange hum. A light beneath his feet.
"What the hell—?!" Riku yelled.
"What is this?!" Aika snapped, eyes wide.
"No way—summoning circle? Isekai?!" DJ panicked.
Victor had only time to furrow his brow. "Wait—something's not right—"
A blinding flash.
Victor's thoughts scrambled. Why can't I move? My body—it's like I'm weightless but frozen.
My feet… they're gone. No ground beneath me. What is this place?
Gone.
They were somewhere else. The streets were gone. The city sounds, silenced.
Victor felt the air. Different. Open. Crisp. The scent of stone, wood, and distant fire. Something primal.
He stood on cool, uneven stone. Around him, patches of glowing runes glimmered beneath their feet, slowly fading.
They were in a massive circular chamber—stone pillars carved with beasts and battle scenes rose up to a domed ceiling painted with stars and constellations that shimmered unnaturally.
Dust floated in thick golden beams of light that streamed in from crystalline windows. The chamber looked ancient and holy. A platform of marble. Symbols inlaid in silver and gold.
Riku staggered. "Where… where the hell are we?"
Aika glanced around, tense. "Is everyone okay? DJ? Riku?"
"I-I think so," DJ mumbled, patting his chest. "Still me. No horns or tentacles. Yet."
Victor stood silently, body still processing. It's so quiet. Too quiet. What happened? Where am I? This isn't the city anymore.
He slowly turned his head. "What… is this place?"
A voice behind them boomed with theatrical flair.
"Welcome… summoned heroes."
The four turned.
"Who are you?!" Riku shouted.
When the four turned, their eyes widened.
Before them stood a group of elaborately dressed figures—some clad in polished armor, hands resting on ornate weapons, clearly knights. Others wore flowing robes, layered silks, velvet capes, and glittering jewelry—nobles and advisors. Their expressions ranged from stern curiosity to outright disbelief.
A wide marble staircase ascended to a grand throne, gilded in silver and moonstone. At the top sat a woman, tall and poised, with long silver-gold hair that shimmered like sunlight woven with starlight. Braided with gemstone threads, her hair crowned her regal features. Emerald green eyes pierced through the room like blades.
Her gown, stitched with arcane runes and crested with the royal sigil, flowed like enchanted mist. A crown resembling blooming antlers sat upon her brow, ethereal and powerful.
She smiled faintly, her voice melodic yet heavy with purpose.
"Forgive the confusion. Let me introduce myself… I am Queen Elenora Lys Caelvarin, Ruler of the Kingdom of Elarith—and the one who ordered the hero summoning."
The three high school teens were frozen.
Riku blinked. "A queen…? Like, an actual queen?"
Aika's jaw dropped. "Wait—this isn't a dream? We've really been summoned?"
DJ gawked. "I knew it! Isekai! Oh no. This is real. This is real real."
Behind them, Victor stood silently, listening.
Summoned… to another world? By a queen? he thought. But I still can't see... this isn't some fantasy I can wake up from.
Riku stepped forward. "Wait a sec—why are we here? Did you seriously just forcefully summon us?!"
Queen Elenora's tone turned grave. "I did. Because the kingdom—even this world—is in grave danger. The Demon Lord is awakening. Soon, he will return. Our world may not survive."
All three students paled.
Aika's voice cracked. "D-Demon Lord? You mean like… destroy the world kind of demon lord?"
DJ: "But… but this isn't an anime! We're just students!"
Riku: "Are you insane?! We're not trained warriors!"
Victor exhaled, his thoughts swirling. So… that's it. We're summoned to fight a Demon Lord. Save the world. Great. He shook his head. And I'm blind. What help could I possibly be?
The Queen raised her hand. "There is a prophecy. Passed down through the stars. Three heroes from another world, chosen by fate, shall rise and defeat the Demon Lord when he awakens."
Story Time: Prophecy Sequence
Queen Elenora stood from her throne, her voice solemn and filled with ancient weight.
"Every one thousand years, the cycle repeats. The Demon Lord, a being of pure destruction and malice, awakens from the depths of the Abyss. Each time, his return is heralded by calamity—storms, plagues, dark omens in the sky."
She began to walk slowly down the steps, her gown trailing behind her like mist.
"And each time, the world cries out. And the veil between realms grows thin. It is then that the stars align and allow us to call upon three souls from another world—beings with untapped potential, brought here to stand as humanity's last hope. We do not know why your world holds such power, but every recorded cycle speaks of your kind. Dreamers. Fighters. Believers."
She stopped midway down the staircase.
"The heroes always arrive unprepared. Young. Confused. But within them lies a brilliance that cannot be replicated here—a spark born from the chaos and ambition of your realm. It is that spark which can cut through the darkness."
A soft glow filled the chamber, illuminating three massive stained-glass windows behind the throne—each depicting different generations of three summoned heroes in battle against monstrous demons.
"In the last cycle, the Three were warriors from the Steel Age—wielders of flame and machine. Before them, mages from a realm of endless ice. Before that, those who rode beasts with wings and stormed the sky."
Elenora turned to face them directly.
"This is not legend. This is history. And now… it is your turn."
End Sequence
Riku crossed his arms. "So, we're supposed to be these 'flames,' huh?"
Aika sighed. "I don't know what kind of power I'm supposed to have. I'm top of the class, not a swordfighter."
DJ raised his hand timidly. "Uh, I have one question."
Queen Elenora nodded. "What is it, Hero Daichi?"
DJ turned and pointed behind him—at Victor.
Victor's head tilted, confused. He couldn't see the gesture.
DJ continued, "You said three heroes were summoned. So… who's he? And he's blind. How did he get here?"
Aika blinked and looked behind her. "Wait… he's been standing there this whole time?"
Riku narrowed his eyes. "What the—how did we not notice him? Was he part of the spell?"
Victor stiffened. He could feel dozens of eyes land on him. The weight of judgment, confusion, whispers.
He stuttered. "H-hi there…"
The nobles murmured.
Mage: "He's blind?"
Knight: "An accident, perhaps?"
Advisor: "That doesn't match the prophecy."
Riku: "No way. You summoned a blind guy?"
Aika: "Was he hidden in the light?"
DJ: "Maybe it glitched or something?"
The Queen turned to the old figure standing beside her—short, wide, with a white beard bound in crystal rings. His robe was a chaotic patchwork of scrolls, metal charms, and strange runes. He leaned on a staff made from petrified world tree wood, and a thick monocle covered one eye.
Queen Elenora: "Grand Sage Belthandor, what is the meaning of this?"
Belthandor muttered, "Hmm. Glitch. Yes, yes. I warned you. Summoning magic this complex? Unstable at best. Something in the circle could've splintered across dimensions. Might've latched onto a nearby soul. Perhaps… even one whose path was already severed by fate."
He tapped his staff. "And he's blind? Interesting. Dangerous. Intriguing."
Queen Elenora turned back to Victor. Her emerald gaze softened.
"You're blind… and yet you were brought here. Who are you, stranger?"
Victor swallowed. "My name is Victor Drake. Yes… I'm blind. If I was summoned by mistake, can you send me home?"
The Queen's face faltered. She spoke with sorrow.
"I'm afraid… it's a one-way path. The gate is sealed. You cannot return."
Victor's shoulders slumped. He bowed his head, sighing in thought.
So… that's it. No way back. No more familiar sounds. No more city walks. Just this strange world. No sight. No home. Nothing to call my own.
Victor stood near the edge of the chamber, the murmur of nobles and the weight of truth settling into his chest. He was still—calm on the outside, but inside?
I can't go back, he thought. Everything I knew is gone. The city, the sounds, the routines... all gone.
A twinge of sorrow flashed across his face, but he straightened his shoulders. I need to figure out what comes next. Standing still won't help me now.
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.
"I have a question!"
All heads turned. Riku had raised his hand, face a mix of determination and anxiety.
Queen Elenora tilted her head. "What is it, Hero Riku?"
Riku took a breath. "How exactly are we supposed to defeat the Demon Lord? I mean—we don't have powers. We don't have combat experience. We're just… high school students."
Aika crossed her arms. "He's not wrong. I've never even been in a fight. Unless you count verbal takedowns."
DJ added, "I mean, I play tank in games but I've never actually, y'know, fought for real. Like... swords and monsters and death? Kinda a tall order."
Queen Elenora nodded slowly. "That is a fair concern. Which is why I shall have my Grand Sage explain the nature of your potential."
She turned to the robed figure beside her. "Belthandor."
The Grand Sage stepped forward, his staff tapping against the marble floor. His presence commanded respect despite his short, stocky form.
"Greetings, summoned heroes," he said with a courteous bow. "I am Grand Sage Belthandor, Arcane Scholar of the Ninth Circle."
Riku's jaw dropped. "A real sage? Like, actual Gandalf-level stuff?"
Aika pushed her glasses up, whispering, "This guy looks like he's been living in a library longer than I've been alive."
DJ chuckled. "Man, I knew we were in a fantasy world the moment I saw that beard."
Victor stood silently, processing. So this is the kingdom's top mage… Wonder what he's going to say. Could he really help us figure out what we are?
Queen Elenora spoke calmly from her throne. "Grand Sage Belthandor has served this kingdom longer than I've ruled it. I trust him with my life… and the fate of Elarith."
Belthandor smiled wryly. "A heavy burden, Your Majesty. But one I carry with honor."
He turned back to the group. "Now, as for your concern: this world operates on a foundation of what we call the Arcane Matrix—a living lattice of energy and fate that recognizes foreign souls brought by the Summoning Rite. This matrix grants you access to abilities tied to your latent spirit... a system of skills, strengths, and affinities. You are now bound to the world's magic."
The three teens stared.
Riku: "Wait. We can use magic?"
Aika: "That's… incredible. Is there a spellbook or mana limit?"
DJ: "Like a HUD? An interface?"
Victor's brow furrowed, quietly amazed. So there's actually a system. A magic structure that responds to foreign souls... even mine?
Belthandor nodded. "Yes, you each now have a personal arcane ledger—a 'status screen' of sorts. You can call it up with a phrase."
He raised a bushy eyebrow. "Try saying 'Open Status.'"
The three students looked at each other.
Riku smirked. "Let's do it. Open Status!"
A shimmering interface appeared in front of him, a glowing blue screen visible to all but Victor.
Riku's eyes widened. "Whoa. My class title is… 'Sword Hero'?"
Aika activated hers. "Mine says… 'The Mage Hero.' That's so cool. Arcane affinity 87%? What does that mean?!"
DJ blinked as his screen appeared. "I'm… 'The Shield Hero'? Huh. Kinda fits, I guess."
The three glanced at one another.
Riku: "Sword Hero, Mage Hero, Shield Hero. Looks like we've got our party lineup."
Aika: "You? Sword Hero? Please don't let that go to your head."
DJ: "I knew I'd end up tanking. It's destiny."
Riku crossed his arms, grinning. "Well, I always did say I was born for this kind of stuff."
Aika rolled her eyes. "You're lucky the sword doesn't come with a mute function."
DJ laughed. "Guess I better start learning how to actually block in real life."
Victor listened, thoughtful. So… each of them is chosen. Sword Hero, Mage Hero, Shield Hero. It sounds like a perfect trio. I wonder how their powers will grow… and what they'll be capable of.
The nobles murmured among themselves.
Nobleman: "A Sword Hero? That's a warrior of destiny."
Royal Mage: "A Mage Hero with 87% affinity? That's extremely rare."
Knight-Captain: "A Shield Hero… the last one saved the capital in the Third Cycle."
Queen Elenora observed the three with a gleam of cautious hope.
"These titles… they confirm the prophecy. They are the heroes we've waited for."
Victor stood quietly at the edge, absorbing everything.
"…Open Status," he said softly.
Nothing happened.
Then—
DING!
A tone echoed through his mind. And then—an odd sensation. A screen appeared not before his eyes, but inside his mind. Clear, pulsing with soft light.
Victor gasped.
I can see it… in my head? he thought. This… isn't like the others. It's different. It's… strange.
Text began to scroll slowly across his mental screen.
He concentrated.
What… is this?
Victor stood still, his breath caught in his chest as the status screen in his mind illuminated with clear, glowing text. The details unfolded slowly, line by line, and each word hit him like a drumbeat.
Name: Victor Drake
Age: 23
Race: Human
Level: 1
Class: Blind Swordsman
Titles:
One Who Walks Without Light
Accidental Hero
Summoned One (Illegitimate)
Sightless Sword Prodigy
Health Points: 190 / 190
Magic Points: 160 / 160
Strength: 22
Agility: 30
Endurance: 18
Mana: 160
Luck: 30
Charm: 28
Normal Skills:
Appraisal – Analyze and identify objects, beings, and materials.
Swordsmanship – Beginner – Fundamental sword techniques and combat stances.
Keen Hearing – Greatly enhanced auditory perception.
Sixth Sense – Combat Awareness – Senses danger and incoming attacks instinctively.
Mana Breathing – Increases mana recovery through controlled breathing techniques.
Pain Resistance – Reduces flinch and knockback – Maintains composure during injury.
Quick Step – A burst of agile movement to evade or reposition.
Ability Skills:
Vibration Deflect – Reflect a projectile using timed echo-blade spin.
Echo Blade Step – Dash toward a target using sound vibration trail.
Blind Focus – Heightens all non-visual senses during combat.
Instinctual Parry – Automatically deflects attacks sensed via sound.
Echo Tap – Victor taps the tip of his sword against the ground, emitting a controlled vibration pulse through the floor and air. This distorts local soundwaves and interferes with enemy senses—particularly hearing, balance, and spatial awareness.
Magic Sword Techniques:
Sound Blade – Rip – Unleashes a vibration slash that can cut through armor.
Silent Slash – A soundless strike that bypasses auditory detection.
Reverberation Guard – Forms a vibrating mana shield in front of Victor.
Tremor Fang – Stabs the ground to send out a radial vibration burst.
Thunderhowl Slash – Wide AOE slash with thunder soundburst.
Unique Skills:
Sword Soul: Blind Edge – Allows the user to "see" intent, motion, and presence through their sword. Improves all sword-based reflexes drastically.
World Echo – Passive. The world itself echoes to Victor's spirit. Grants awareness of surrounding terrain, enemies, and hidden threats via vibration and mana pressure.
Blade of the Fifth Sense – Victor's sword stores 5 consecutive sensed attacks, then unleashes them all at once.
Last Cut – "One Echo, One Kill" – Victor disappears in silence and performs a single, perfect strike based on the enemy's false sense of safety.
Weapons:
Wakizashi of Echo Iron (Starter Magic Blade – Slightly resonates with mana and amplifies sound-based sword skills)
Items: None
Victor blinked as the final lines settled in his mind. The silence surrounding him felt even deeper in contrast to the storm of realization within him.
Blind Swordsman… he repeated to himself. Titles like 'Sightless Sword Prodigy'... and 'One Who Walks Without Light'?
His mouth opened in awe.
I… have real skills. Real techniques. I can fight. I can cut. I can sense everything through the blade. This… this is insane.
He smiled, softly at first.
This is it. A new class. A new life. Blind, but powerful. A warrior built to fight in the dark.
The smile grew wider.
Maybe… maybe I wasn't summoned by accident. Maybe this is my second chance.
He clenched his fist tightly, filled with a purpose he hadn't felt since before the accident. The sword at his hip felt heavier—but in a good way.
I'm not the same man who lost in the arena. I'm not a victim of fate anymore. I'm the Blind Swordsman.
He lifted his chin and let out a breath.
This is my new chance.
Victor grinned to himself as the reality of his status settled into his heart.
Blind Swordsman… he thought. What a name. What a class.
Out loud, he finally said with pride, "My class is Blind Swordsman."
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire hall grew silent.
Queen Elenora and Grand Sage Belthandor exchanged surprised glances.
Elenora whispered, "Have you… ever heard of that class before?"
Belthandor stroked his beard, frowning. "Never. Not even among the forbidden scrolls or lost hero cycles. A swordsman… without sight?"
The nobles murmured with confusion and curiosity.
Noble 1: "Is that even possible?"
Noble 2: "He's blind… how can he wield a sword?"
Mage: "Could it be a cursed class?"
Riku blinked. "Blind Swordsman? That sounds like a disadvantage, not a class."
Aika tilted her head. "Unless it's one of those hidden path classes… like the ones you only get through unique trauma or fate."
DJ rubbed his chin. "It sounds like something out of a samurai RPG. Kinda badass, actually."
Victor stood in place, thoughtful. What do I do now? All I can see is darkness... Then his thoughts turned to one skill listed in his mind: World Echo.
He focused.
World Echo… what did the screen say again?
World Echo – Passive
The world itself echoes to Victor's spirit. Grants awareness of surrounding terrain, enemies, and hidden threats via vibration and mana pressure.
Victor's heart thumped with realization.
If I activate this… could I actually sense the world around me?
He closed his eyes.
"…World Echo."
A shift. The chamber trembled—not physically, but in sensation. Suddenly, light exploded—not in the visual sense, but in pure awareness. Every step, every whisper, every heartbeat painted a picture in his mind. The stone beneath his feet thrummed with energy, the air currents wrapped around voices like invisible ribbons. The world… echoed.
Victor opened his eyes.
And he saw.
He didn't see like before—not with color or light—but the silhouettes, the shapes, the very presence of people and structure were etched in layered pulses of mana and vibration. It was beautiful.
This… this is my vision now.
He took a trembling breath, tears forming.
He dropped his cane.
It clattered to the marble floor.
The Queen stood. "Victor? Are you… alright?"
Riku stepped forward. "Dude, why are you crying?"
Aika blinked, startled. "He dropped his cane. Did something happen?"
DJ: "Yo… is he okay?"
Victor wiped his tears, smiling. "I lost my sight after a kendo match… five-time champion. My opponent didn't take the loss well. Blinded me with a crushed bamboo sword across my eyes."
Riku's eyes widened. "Wait… Victor Drake? As in the Victor Drake? Five-time kendo champ?! I watched your final match online!"
Victor gave a soft, proud smile. "That was my last match. Since then… I couldn't fight anymore. Gave up what I loved."
He raised his hands, staring into the space where he now saw through echoes.
"But that ends now."
He extended his hand forward.
"Come to me—Wakizashi of Echo Iron!"
A flicker of light formed midair. Mana crackled and twisted. In a moment, a short sword materialized out of glowing blue and silver lines, landing perfectly in Victor's hand.
The entire room gasped.
Riku: "He just—made a sword appear!"
Aika: "That's not normal. That's elite-level mana control."
DJ: "That's anime as hell… and I love it."
The Queen stood again. "He summoned a blade… without a chant?"
Belthandor squinted. "Impossible… unless the sword is bound to his soul."
Victor inhaled deeply. He moved.
Sword drawn, he slipped into a stance. Legs bent, breath aligned. He moved through old drills—strikes, deflections, spins. Each movement fluid. Graceful. Lethal.
Then he began.
"Form One… Draw and Sever."
He drew his blade with blinding speed, executing a slashing arc meant to strike before an opponent can even react.
"Form Two… Echoing Parry."
A spinning, deflective movement. His sword hummed in the air, creating soft shockwaves that would deflect a projectile.
"Form Three… Windstep Fang."
He moved in a sharp, forward lunge, leaving a faint vibration behind. It was fast. Too fast for most eyes to follow.
"Form Four… Silence Reversal."
He flipped the blade backward in his hand, stepping into an invisible rhythm. His footsteps ceased to make sound, his strikes made with unpredictable rhythm.
He followed it up with a burst: "Quick Step—Reverberation Guard!"
A ripple of energy erupted from his sword, briefly forming a vibrating shield.
Then he spun—"Tremor Fang!"
He stabbed the ground with the tip of his sword. A shockwave pulsed outward in a circular radius, shaking the air.
The room trembled lightly.
Victor moved again, switching seamlessly.
"Echo Blade Step!"
He dashed to the other end of the hall, slicing through the air. The path behind him pulsed with a visible wave.
"Silent Slash!"
He vanished from sound—his sword flicked forward, the strike undetectable until it hit an invisible mark.
He then paused, breathing deeply.
"Now…" he whispered. "Let me try it."
He raised his blade above his shoulder.
"Sound Blade – Rip!"
A vertical slash came crashing down, sending a loud sonic boom through the air, leaving a thin cut in the air itself.
He shifted into his final form.
"Last Cut… One Echo, One Kill."
Silence. He disappeared for a second.
Then—he reappeared ten feet to the side, his sword extended, perfectly still.
Strike. Precise. Invisible. Deadly.
The nobles watched, stunned.
Mage: "He moves like he can see."
Knight: "No—he moves like he sees more than we do."
Riku: "Okay, that's crazy."
Aika: "It's like muscle memory took on a life of its own."
DJ: "Bro's a ghost. You blink, and he's already three moves ahead."
Victor ended with a sharp final slash, air whistling in its wake. His sword shimmered, then dissolved into light.
He smiled.
I haven't done that in years. But it's still in me. My sword's not dead. It just needed a new way to breathe.
Queen Elenora stepped forward. Her expression regal but earnest.
"You three summoned heroes—your journey to master your abilities begins now. You must train, refine your skills, and prepare for the Demon Lord's return. Go to the royal training grounds. Elarith will provide you with everything you need."
The three teens nodded.
Riku: "Time to find out what this Sword Hero can actually do."
Aika: "I want to understand the system's mechanics. Especially the spellcasting interface."
DJ: "Guess I'll tank until I find a better strategy. Time to grind."
Victor stood back, thoughts swirling.
They have each other. A party. A prophecy. But I… I want something different.
I want to forge my own way. To travel this world. Train with real swordsmen. Find monsters, climb peaks, fall and get back up. And one day… I'll be the one to strike down the Demon Lord.
Not because I was summoned.
But because I chose this path.
Just as the Queen was about to speak, a voice interrupted.
"Excuse me… may I say something?"
All eyes turned to see Victor raising his hand.
Queen Elenora paused. "Yes, Victor Drake?"
Victor breathed in… then out. He steadied himself.
"I don't want to stay here. I want to leave. Travel the world. Train alone. Become the strongest Blind Swordsman this world has ever known. I want to defeat the Demon Lord… not as a summoned hero… but as someone who chose the sword and walked the path on my own terms."
"I want to live free. This world is my new home now."
The chamber fell silent.
Shocked faces.
Awed expressions.
And in the echo of Victor's words… something stirred.
To be continued…