The Forsaken Hero - Volume 1 Chapter 4

Rigal Den Part 2 Katsuragi Daichis Point of View

Geh where am I?

I cant feel my body.

Memories of what happened started flowing through my mind.

Samejima deceiving me. Turned into fodder by my classmates. Killed by demons.

What a harsh life

But I guess its alright? I finally got away from them

If we ever meet again, Ill kill them no matter what.

Ill torture them before I kill them. Ill torment them just enough so that they dont die. Ill crush their fingers like they did to me, Ill cut their feet up, Ill crack their skulls.

That should make me feel better. I dont care what happens after that.

That aside

Right now Im conscious? Does that mean I got reincarnated into my next life!?

Thats the only explanation!

I cant think of anything else it could mean!

This time Ill get an overpowered ability and make a harem!

Even if I dont get that, please at least let me marry someone and live a happy life!

Alright, lets go.

Lets reincarnate!

Full of anticipation for that, I opened my eyes.

I was surprised. I didnt think theyd open. That wasnt the only reason, though.

Its what I saw when I did so.

Huh?

Its because I was in Rigal Den, the dungeon that should have been the place I died.

Katsuragi Daichi, sixteen years old.

Just when I thought Id died, I was alive.

 

 

No, no, no!

Whats going on?

I was confused. It gave me so much of a shock that I couldnt think properly.

Lets calm down and sort through it. Its times like this where taking deep breaths help.

In, out, in, out.

Pheeeeew

Alright, lets make sure if Im still in Rostalgia or if Im in some other world.

Fortunately, I have a way to check that rather easily.

I spoke the word

Open.

and the answer appeared before me.

Katsuragi Daichi
Job: Hero Lv. 2
Stamina: 1300
Mana: 2520
Strength: 3400
Resistance: 2600
Dexterity: 1400
Special Abilities:

[Heart of Steel] Double resistance value during combat. Prevents poison, paralysis, hypnosis, and mental corruption 1/3 of the time. [Indomitable Mentality] Mana cannot go below 100. [Lich King] Able to form contracts with creatures that have died, reviving them and bending them to your will. Every other time the user dies, gain a slot. Current: 2 Slots

Unique Abilities:

[Revenge of the Grudgebearer] No matter how many times you die, gather strength the the abyss of death and resurrect. Current: 5 Deaths

What!?

I rubbed my eyes. This has to be a joke, theres no way.

I closed my status and opened it again.

The values it showed were no different.

The hells going on with these stupid values!?

They were in the four digit range. All of them.

Even though not even Samejima had went over five hundred, mine went well beyond a thousand.

Whats with this unique ability?

If its explanation is to be believed, I cant die. My level didnt go up, so it should be safe for me to think of it as giving me overpowered stats. It looks to be different from special abilities somehow.

Rather, Ive already died five times?

W-well, its the present thats important. I wont dwell on the past. Right now, Im alive. Thats good.

Setting that aside, I have several new special abilities as well. Theyre all incredibly strong.

Indomitable Mentality and Lich King in particular.

My mana cant go below a hundred. I can use as much magic as I want.

I wonder what kind of things I can enslave?

I dont know anything else about it since it doesnt say, but Ill figure it out as I use it.

Setting aside my stats, I guess that Im still in Rostalgia?

I died and revived five times. I assume that means I was revived, eaten, and revived again in a loop.

So long as I have this Revenge of the Grudgebearer thing, I wont really die.

The only thing Im sure of right now is that Im alive, so Ill trust my unique ability.

Hmm?

Then does that mean that my stats are real too?

Ill have to give them a shot, experience is important.

Just in case. This isnt the Earth, the place I actually get. This is Rostalgia, another world.

Next on the list is to confirm what happened.

I looked around.

The floor around me wasnt brown, it was covered with red. A liquid.

When I tried touching it, I heard a water-like splash.

It wasnt water, though.

It was blood.

I guess thats my blood, huh

There was a ton of blood. I did die five times, so yeah.

But really Im actually alive?

I felt all around my body. I even rolled my clothes out of the way to look at my skin directly. I didnt even have a scratch on me.

My clothes are all red from soaking up the blood though it feels horrible.

Well then.

I stood up and stretched to loosen up my body.

What should I do now?

My first objective should be getting out of this dungeon.

Id like to use the stairs to go up to the previous floor, but I cant use them since they were blocked up by ground-type magic.

The only weapon I had on me was a bronze sword. Moreover, it had fractured halfway down the blade. Probably the demons doing.

Some of the equipment I had on me just before I died like my robe were alright, so I guess thats a small mercy?

So I guess Ill be heading back unarmed?

I didnt feel safe. But itd be the same thing if I did nothing. Id just starve from lack of food.

I dont want that. I dont want to just stay here.

Ill make something of my life.

This time, Ill fight back. Ill go with what I think is right.

So Im going to take my revenge on them. I will kill them all.

Ill vent my grudge from them killing me and everything else theyve done to me on them, all of it.

Thats what Ive decided.

Now that Ive decided to do it, I should see it through.

I suppose I should focus on raising my level and stats first

No matter how much my stats rose, they have twenty-nine heroes on their side.

I dont know how to take on so many people alone. Hell, I dont even know magic.

Even after becoming this powerful, taking them all on sounds like a bad idea.

Besides, I might be able to head back to the surface after defeating the boss of this dungeons lowest floor.

Im only thinking that because of mechanics added to all of the dungeon games I used to play allowing players to teleport straight outside after clearing a dungeon, but its worth a shot at least.

Alright, guess I should look for the stairs down.

After repacking and shouldering a bag that had been abandoned, I walked along the path.

I eventually reached a huge room with its doors left open.

Woah

My mouth dropped open.

There was green and red blood all around the room. The green blood is from the demons, leaving the red blood to be from Samejima and the others.

Doesnt look like theres anything here hmm?

As I looked all throughout the room, I found a corpse in the corner to the left of the entrance.

As well as the silver-colored wolf eating it.

Geh

The grotesque sight caused me to blurt out.

It was enough to draw the wolfs attention.

Grrrr!!

The wolf immediately shot over to me. It closed the distance between us like a gale windand leapt.

Woah!?

I punched at the wolf who jumped straight at me like a bullet.

At that instant, I heard the sound of my fist striking against bone.

The wolfs head exploded.

D-did did I kill it?

My arm had pierced into its head all the way to its neck. My fist made its way entirely out of the neck.

The wolf convulsed, soon dropping down limply.

It was dead. By a single amateurish punch.

Haha hahaha! Awesome! This is so awesome!

Realizing the significance of my feat, I couldnt stop myself from laughing.

I killed the monstrous demon Samejima and the others were all afraid of.

By myself. With a single punch.

It was the first time Id felt anything like it, theres no way I could stop myself.

Hmph!

Pulling out my left hand, I threw the corpse back. I walked ahead to the other body that was being eaten until a moment ago.

This girl is

Black hair that extended to her waist. Large breasts disproportionate to her half-eaten body.

Theres no mistaking her. Theres only one person I know who matches these looks.

The dead person laying before me was Hamakaze Shuri. A popular mascot-like person for our class.

Well, shell work.

Not how she was right then, of course. Im not that perverted.

Shes the best. The best thing to test my special ability on, that is.

The explanation said creatures that have died, right?

I thought back to what it said.

Lets take this as an experiment, then. Experience is the best teacher.

I started to invoke my special ability, Lich King, with Hamakaze as my target. Upon doing so, the incantation for it flowed directly into my mind.

I shall bestow you with new life, a second life. Make a pact with me and become my servant. Contract Resurrection!

A sparkling blue light came from my hands and descended into Hamakaze. A hexagonal magic formation appeared under the girl.

So it heals wounds too!

I was a little excited.

Her body was damaged, but it was quickly being mended.

Really, it would have been disgusting if she stayed like that with her organs all hanging out.

The light stayed there for around ten minutes before finally vanishing.

That was probably the signal for her being revived.

H-hey, Hamakaze? Wake up.

Timidly poking her cheep, I checked to see if she was alive.

With that, she opened her dark-colored eyes.

They werent clouded. They were eyes with a soul backing them.

She was breathing. Their fair skin exposed to the very limit, her breasts faintly moved up and down.

Experiment successful!

H-huh? Im alive? Didnt I die?

The first words Hamakaze spoke were shaky.

Not even looking at me standing right next to her, she hurriedly checked her bodys condition.

Her reaction gave me deja vu.

Hey, are you alright?

I wasnt exactly in a situation where I could just wait on her.

Nothing would change if other demons came, but it would be a waste of time.

Which is why I called out to her and presented my hand.

Shell probably just say Im gross or something.

And I would punish her for doing so.

But that isnt what happened.

Oh o-okay

Hamakaze responded to me with a slight blush on her cheeks. When she took my hand and stood up, she stared at me blankly.

Like a maiden in love.

 

 

No, no. Thats not what I should be thinking.

U-umm!

What?

I-Im Hamakaze Shuri. Umm c-could I know your name?

Huh?

Whats with her question? Doesnt she know that Im Katsuragi Daichi?

U-umm, did you not want to tell me? S-sorry.

Hamakaze looked down, tears forming in her eyes.

H-huh?

Whats going on?

I think I might need to check what I look like after this.

Hey, Hamakaze.

Sh-Shuri is fine.

Sorry, but I dont think Im someone you want calling you that.

It would be annoying for her to accompany me without telling her my name though.

I might as well tell her. I dont know why, but it looks like she favors me now.

Im Katsuragi Daichi.

Eh? Katsuragi Dai eh?

Hamakaze opened and closed her mouth, pointing at me. It was pretty funny to see.

Yeah. Im the very same Katsuragi Daichi that was summoned with you all.

N-no way!

Hamakaze plopped down on the ground.

Looks like her hopes just got smashed. Hah, serves her right.

I started to feel a bit better.

You know, Hamakaze, theres something I want you to tell me.

 

Hey.

Dont talk to me, know your place.

Hoh?

When she learned who I really was, she went right back to how she really was. My classmates never change, do they?

But this time, our positions have been reversed.

I am the strong one, youre the weak one.

Hamakaze. That wasnt a request. Its an order. You will answer my question.

What are you saying? Dont you know your place?

Saying that, she chanted an incantation.

Fire spirits, burn him! Fireball!

The fireball that should have appeared in the air didnt appear. Hamakaze blinked, dazed.

W-why!? I should have had enough mana!?

Why dont you check your status to find out?

I smirked. I probably looked close to a villain.

O-open!

Katsuragi Daichi
Job: High-Grade Slave Lv. 12
Stamina: 620
Mana: 520
Strength: 190
Resistance: 200
Dexterity: 320
Special Abilities:

[Auto Heal] Restore 5 Stamina every 10 minutes.

Special Abilities:

[Auto Heal] Restore 5 Stamina every 10 minutes.

Special Conditions:

[High-Grade Slave] Master: Katsuragi Daichi. Any attack against your master is blocked. Forced obedience until released.

W-what is this?

Hamakaze was dumbfounded.

By the way, it seemed as though that I was able to see the status of anyone who was my slave.

I saw Hamakazes status appear in front of me as well.

Understand now, Hamakaze? Im your master, you are my slave. You cannot go against me.

Th-theres no way Id accept that!

Its the truth. After all, isnt this just divine retribution for everything youve done to me?

I-I didnt do anything!

True, you didnt torment me personally, but you didnt try to help me either. That is your sin.

No way

Do you know how much I suffered? You dont, do you? Every single day, I was beaten, I was abused. Do you think you could understand how that feels?

 

Hamakaze was unable to respond at all. Of course she couldnt. Even if she could understand, she wouldnt be able to.

I would have been mad if she went ahead and said she understood so carelessly.

Tch, just cover up your chest and answer my questions and here.

I give her the robe that I was wearing.

W-what?

My robe. Use it to warm up a bit. You were dead there for a bit.

I-I dont need your charity

Even though your legs have been quivering for a while now? Dont hold me up.

Hmph.

Hamakaze took the robe from my hand and reluctantly put it on.

After glaring at me sharply, she stopped as though changing her mind and whispered something.

Huh? Did you say something?

No! And dont look at me!

Whatever.

When I walked out of the room, Hamakaze fell in beside me.

[ Thank you.]

That I heard those words that I hadnt heard in so long Ill keep a secret.