Chapter 4: The Most Hated Person
The title of Sage, bestowed upon those who had reached the pinnacle of magical mastery, came with no restrictions on marriage or relationships. Natia, with her petite yet curvaceous figure and captivating beauty, naturally attracted a slew of admirers.
However, her heart belonged to magic. She harbored no interest in romantic entanglements. Rumors even circulated that she was incapable of physical intimacy, some going so far as to claim she preferred the company of women. It was this disinterest, they said, that fueled her icy demeanor towards her suitors.
Those who dared to press their luck were met with explosive results, quite literally.
Yet, here she was, flushed and breathless, her eyes clouded with an unfamiliar emotion. Something was definitely amiss.
“Why don’t you check your status panel?” Shaye Nigulas’s voice chimed in, a hint of amusement in her tone.
The status panel was a unique feature of this world, a metaphysical interface that displayed an individual’s attributes, abilities, skills, and magic. Unless explicitly shared, its contents remained private, a convenient feature for maintaining a degree of personal privacy.
Qin Chu mentally summoned his panel. A translucent screen, akin to a computer display, materialized before his eyes, showcasing his current stats in meticulous detail:
Level: 1
Class: Hero
Strength: 6
Stamina: 6
Agility: 6
Mana: 6
Defense: 6
Charm: 6 (Average: 5, Max: 10, Can be increased through special means)
Skills: None!
Magic: None!
His initial stats upon his first summoning had been identical.
However, the next few lines were… different.
Abilities:
Greed: Super-tier Ability. You crave power, hungering to possess all that you desire. Ability: Devourer—You can absorb the strength and abilities of others, making them your own.
Rage: Super-tier Ability. You are fueled by anger, your fury a weapon in its own right. Ability: Rage Explosion—When your rage peaks, you gain a temporary, but significant, boost to all attributes.
Forced Calm: High-tier Ability. You remain calm and collected under pressure, your mind shielded from emotional turmoil. Always active, can be manually disabled.
Lust: Special Ability. Super-tier Ability. Details hidden. Ability: Touch of Lust—Effect can be toggled on/off.
In this world, power manifested in three primary forms: Level, representing raw physical and magical potential; Skills and Magic, encompassing combat techniques and spells; and Abilities, unique traits that could grant a wide range of benefits.
Some Abilities were utterly useless. Qin Chu had once encountered a man whose only Ability was an uncanny knack for distinguishing between sugar and salt. Utterly useless in a fight.
Others, however, could be devastatingly powerful.
He vividly remembered his Abilities from his first summoning: Justice’s Companion and Heaven Rewards Diligence, both Super-tier Abilities.
Not only had the number of his Abilities increased to four, but their very nature had changed.
He could understand Rage. It was a natural consequence of his experiences.
But Greed? Where had that come from?
And Forced Calm? That explained why he had managed to regain control at the last moment, despite being consumed by rage just seconds earlier.
But the most troubling Ability of all was Lust.
Qin Chu didn’t consider himself a libertine. He had spent the past seven years of his life training and fighting, his every waking moment dedicated to honing his skills and fulfilling his duties as the Hero.
His power had attracted its fair share of attention, both political and personal. He had received countless offers, some more tempting than others, but he had rebuffed them all. Loseweisse was the only woman who had ever captured his heart. And now, here he was, dead before his time, still a virgin.
The thought filled him with a strange mix of sadness and resentment.
“That particular Ability is a gift from yours truly,” Shaye’s voice purred in his mind.
“Why are you helping me?” he asked, suspicion tinging his voice.
“You think I wanted this?” Shaye snapped, her usual playful demeanor vanishing. Her silver hair swirled around her, her beautiful face contorted in a grimace.
“After you died, the Heavenly Chains shattered, freeing me from my prison. But thanks to you, dear Hero, I’m a shadow of my former self.”
She punctuated her words with a frustrated stomp of her foot.
“You and your underhanded tactics! Binding our lives together! And an unequal contract at that!” she fumed.
“You die, I’m free. I die, you’re free. But if you die before your time…” She trailed off, her voice laced with barely suppressed rage.
“This Witch refuses to die because of your incompetence!” she roared. “So, with the last vestiges of my power, I activated the Super-tier magic, Death Knell, sacrificing a million souls to turn back time. To this very moment, seven years ago, when you first arrived.”
“And now look at me!” she wailed. “Not only have I not recovered my full strength, but I’m worse off than before! I can’t even maintain a physical form! I’m stuck here, tethered to you, forced to share my power with you!”
“This is all your fault!” she screeched. “You owe me!”
So that’s how it was. The Heavenly Chains, meant to bind her, had inadvertently given him a second chance.
And this time, he would make them pay.
Their mental conversation, imperceptible to the Sages, continued as Natia’s blush deepened.
The other Sages, too afraid to intervene, watched with bated breath, praying that Natia wouldn’t snap and unleash her fury on their newly summoned Hero.
An awkward silence descended upon the mountaintop.
Finally, Qin Chu feigned a startled expression, taking a step back from Natia. “My apologies,” he mumbled. “I must have drifted off…”
Natia gasped, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and something akin to… longing?
The moment his fingers had touched her lips, her temper had flared. She had been ready to blast him off the mountaintop.
But then… something had happened. Something she couldn’t explain.
In truth, the effects of Touch of Lust were subtle, working on a subconscious level to stir up desire and longing. Natia’s extreme reaction was likely due to a combination of factors: the unexpected contact, her complete lack of experience with men, and perhaps, a touch of latent curiosity.
The other Sages, relieved that she hadn’t erupted, wiped the sweat from their brows. The Hero lived to fight another day.
They were all too aware of the power disparity between them. In his current state, the Hero was weaker than a goblin, as helpless as a slime. Had Natia unleashed her full power, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Zimmerman, the eldest and wisest of the Sages, took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Welcome to the Heavenly Continent, Hero,” he said, his voice raspy with age. “I am Zimmerman, leader of the Thirteen Sages. We summoned you here in our hour of need. Please, you must help us. Our world is being ravaged by Demon Beasts, on the brink of utter destruction.”
It was time for Qin Chu to put on a show.
He schooled his features into an expression of polite confusion. “My good sir,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “I believe you’re mistaken. I’ve never heard of this ‘Heavenly Continent.’ I’m from Earth. Perhaps you’re referring to another world? It seems you’ve quite the sense of humor.”
Zimmerman was unfazed by his reaction. This was to be expected. The First Hero, Jie Luo, had reacted in a similar manner, refusing to believe he had been transported to another world.
But Zimmerman had an ace up his sleeve. He pointed towards the sky. “Look closely, Hero…”
Qin Chu followed his gaze. Two moons hung in the night sky, one bright and full, the other a pale, waning crescent. His carefully crafted facade crumbled. His jaw slackened, his eyes widening in disbelief. “Two moons…” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I… I’m really in another world…”
He mentally patted himself on the back. His acting deserved an award.
Zimmerman smiled inwardly. Jie Luo, too, had finally accepted his fate after witnessing the twin moons.
However, this new Hero seemed to be adjusting rather quickly. He was already deep in thought, his mind working overtime to process this new reality.
After a moment of contemplation, Qin Chu spoke again. “Master Zimmerman,” he began, his voice hesitant. “You mentioned something about fighting Demon Beasts?” He paused, his expression turning grave. “While I appreciate your… efforts in bringing me here, I’m afraid I must decline. I can’t possibly fight these… Demon Beasts. I’m just an ordinary man.”
“Please, don’t say that,” Zimmerman pleaded. “As the Hero, you have been blessed by the gods with extraordinary power. Try accessing your status panel. Show us your Abilities.”
Qin Chu feigned surprise at the appearance of the translucent screen, fumbling for a moment before finally revealing his (doctored) status panel to the Sages.
Even Natia, her curiosity piqued, leaned in for a closer look.
Of course, he had no intention of revealing his true Abilities. Shaye had cloaked his panel, replacing his current Abilities with those he had possessed upon his first arrival.
Though her power was a fraction of what it once was, her illusions were still beyond Zimmerman’s ability to detect.
The old Sage’s eyes widened as he scanned the displayed information, his lips moving silently as he read the Ability descriptions. “Justice’s Companion… Heaven Rewards Diligence…”
“Two… two Super-tier Abilities…”
Justice’s Companion: The more lives you save, the stronger you become. As long as you walk the path of righteousness, your power will know no bounds.
Heaven Rewards Diligence: Hard work and dedication are rewarded with strength and wisdom. The more you train, the more you learn, the greater your power becomes.
These two Abilities were practically tailor-made for a Hero.
Tears welled up in Zimmerman’s ancient eyes. Two Super-tier Abilities! Even the legendary Jie Luo had possessed only one.
This new Hero… he was something special.
“There’s hope…” Zimmerman choked out, his voice thick with emotion. “There’s hope for the Heavenly Continent…”
The other Sages erupted in cheers, their usual composure forgotten in the face of this incredible news.
Even Natia couldn’t help but steal another glance at Qin Chu, her heart skipping a beat. Perhaps this Hero, despite his earlier transgression, wasn’t so bad after all.
If only they knew that beneath the facade of Justice’s Companion lurked the sinister presence of Greed, Rage, and Lust…
“Masters, has the summoning been successful?” a voice called out from the path leading up the mountain.
Qin Chu’s blood ran cold.
The Forced Calm Ability activated, suppressing the surge of rage that threatened to consume him.
He turned, his movements stiff and mechanical, his gaze falling upon a young woman in a white dress, bathed in the pale moonlight.
The wind tugged at her skirt, revealing a glimpse of her slender legs, their skin as smooth and flawless as polished jade.
Her delicate features were as beautiful as he remembered, her expression a picture of innocence and purity.
Compared to her older self, she seemed younger, more naive.
This was the person Qin Chu hated most in the world.
Loseweisse…
We meet again.
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