What is a hero?
The hero is the greatest person of all! It is the most feared enemy of the evil demon king! Being a hero is the lifelong dream of countless young people in Eileen.
Then, what are the benefits of being a hero?
If you are a hero, you’ll be able to enjoy a lifetime of fame and wealth. Not only can you bring honor to your ancestors, be able to stand out among the rest and make yourself known to the world, but you can also get royal treatment. You’ll have more influence than the prince!
Since it’s so good, then pray tell, how do I become a hero?
It’s very simple, join Loran Academy and become the most outstanding student in the younger generation so that you will certainly become the next hero in the near future!
“Hey…”
Six months ago, Lin Xiao read two poems at an interview at Loran Academy and vehemently expressed that his dream was to pull out the Holy Sword that symbolized justice and become a hero!
At that time, he had a firm tone and a sincere expression. He clenched his fists when he spoke, and his veins bulged on his forehead. Even the most experienced interviewer was moved to tears and let him pass the exam smoothly.
But actually, Lin Xiao lied, that wasn't how he truly felt. It was just his superb acting skills.
As a traveler from Earth, Lin Xiao’s biggest hobby is watching anime, playing games, eating snacks… In other words, he’s a NEET! He has no interest in saving the world, he doesn’t want to be a hero, and he also doesn’t want to kill the demon king. He just wants to peacefully eat and wait for death while enjoying a happy life in a different world.
Be a hero? Don’t be stupid!
You only see the exterior bright side of a hero, but you don’t know how much of a high-risk job it actually is! Since the hero must lead humans against demons, he stands at the front lines of the battlefield so the mortality rate is extremely high and a new hero has to be selected after every few years of war.
What, why do the heroes die when they are so strong, you ask? Please stand face to face with the mighty demon army. No matter how many lives you have, it’s still not enough, okay?
No! Lin Xiao definitely won’t do a job that he has to sacrifice his life for!
(Cough) "Today is a magic test routine performed by the Department of Magic every month. Everyone must show their full strength and allow the teachers to see your monthly progress! In order of student numbers, number 1…"
A white-haired old man stood at the stage and gently placed a sparkling and translucent crystal ball on a soft dark purple cushion. He organized the students to undergo the magic test on stage.
The level of magic power is an important criterion for evaluating the strength of a magician. Humans can accumulate magic power through meditation, drinking magic potions, and actual combat. However, magic potions are extremely rare. Actual combat is very dangerous. Other evil ways are not reliable, so most magicians can only choose the most stupid way — meditation.
For decades, practicing meditation and meditative practice is the only way to become a great magician. Meditation is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the results are slow, so look at the entire continent of Loran. Grand magicians with grades 7 are a rare existence.
“Rosie, its your turn.”
“Okay, teacher!”
After being called by name, an elegant and beautiful girl stood up. She wore a refined shirt and a short skirt, had bright beautiful pale pink long hair, a slender body, and a slim waist. She took a deep breath, her already developing small chest moved rhythmically up and down. As she slowly stepped on stage, the students’ eyes were also converged on her.
As the eldest daughter of the Childe family, Rosie has long been used to becoming the focus of everyone. She gently placed a small white hand on the crystal ball, closed her eyes, concentrated her energy and mobilized her magical power.
Soon, the translucent crystal ball emitted a strange dark blue light.
“High second-level! Rosie, very good. This month you progressed very quickly. Continue to work hard, as long as you raise one more stage, your magic power will be able to break through to the beginner third-level!”
“Breaking through the third-level?”
The young girl opened her small mouth and was so happy that she was speechless. At the same time, whispered comments came from the audience of students.
“He he, you even said that Rosie was just a pretty face, now you have to eat your own words, right? She’s almost broken through to the third-level! You’re still in the middle second-level, right?”
“Oh, as expected of the eldest daughter of the Childe family… A goddess, she’s my goddess!”
“Stop dreaming! I heard that she was working hard because she was planning to pursue Caesar!”
“What? That Prince, Caesar? No way! Oh… It seems like people like us have no chance.”
Confronted with the rumors plaguing the audience, Rosie only faintly laughed and did not care.
Yes, she likes Caesar. But what’s wrong with that? Caesar Alex, the fifth prince of the Kingdom of Lombard, handsome, smart, talented, who wouldn’t like such an outstanding man?
Prince Caesar’s test already ended a while ago — beginner third-level, first place in the magic department, and also the first student of the magic department to break through the third level! It can be said that the position of the next hero is definitely Caesar!
In order to catch up with him, Rosie has been desperately practicing, only to be able to walk into his sight. Now she finally did it!
“Next, Lin Xiao!” The teacher’s voice rang again.
An average looking, unremarkable black-haired teenager stood up. Contrary to just a moment ago, the students were not interested in Lin Xiao’s test. They were still gossiping about Rosie and Caesar in a quiet voice.
Lin Xiao walked slowly to the stage and brushed past Rosie, who was about to go back. Inadvertently, Lin Xiao’s peripherals fell on her pretty face and he saw a slight trace of disdain.
Was I given the cold-shoulder? Lin Xiao smiled bitterly.
There’s nothing I can do, compared to the excellent Prince Caesar, Lin Xiao was only one of the common masses in Loran Academy. On the other hand, Rosie was born noble, born beautiful, and is the goddess in the hearts of students. Of course she would look down on all these toads.
Lin Xiao touched the crystal ball with both hands and felt the warmth left by Rosie. He couldn’t help but hesitate.
To be honest, is Caesar really the most powerful student in the department of magic? Not necessarily.
In fact, Lin Xiao was the first student to break through the third level. He broke through to the third-level a month ago, except that, other than him, no one else knew.
It may be difficult for others to improve magic, but it’s simple for Lin Xiao.
As a world traveler, he has no other ability, only a nature-defying ability that will have all the magicians in the whole continent drooling — he doesn’t need meditation, but he can accumulate magic power through sleep!
Because he came from Earth, his soul does not belong to the continent of Eileen. Thus, when he is asleep, the soul will have a wonderful interaction with the surrounding environment, repel, merge, confront, and repeatedly, in that process, magic power will inexplicably flow into his body.
This is such a cheat! Other magicians are laboriously meditating, but what about him? After a nice sleep, he effortlessly raises his magic power, which magician can compare with him?
“Okay, Lin Xiao, take out your full strength and let me see your progress this month.” The white-haired teacher urged.
“Okay, Teacher Woos.”
Lin Xiao regained his composure and focused on the test before him.
Should I use my full power? He was hesitant.
According to his estimation, his real strength is already near the fourth-level, and entirely worthy of first place. He will surely make everybody look at him in a new light, including of course the high and mighty, Rosie.
This is a great opportunity to act cool! But if he did it…
No, no. Lin Xiao immediately dismissed the idea.
“I’ll still follow usual practice and only use 30% of my magic power…” he murmured.
With only 30% of his magic power, he should be in the middle of the second-level. Although that’s still lesser than Rosie and Caesar, he would still be a upper middle player among the other students. Lin Xiao has always remained tight-lipped regarding the fact that he could “gather magic whilst sleeping”. He hid his amazing talents, concealed his strength, and kept a low-profile.
What? Why do you purposely want to hide your strength, you ask?
Its because he doesn’t want to be a hero!
If he exposed his true strength, he will surpass Caesar to become first place in the magic department and become highly favored. This way, the person who may become a hero in the future is not Caesar, but him!
No, no, absolutely not. As for the hard work of the hero, let that idiot Caesar do it, Lin Xiao will not fight for it with him!
Determined, he closed his eyes and carefully controlled his magic power, only taking 30%. Soon, the semi-transparent sphere glowed. Unlike the deep blue color of Rosie, this time, the crystal ball was a brilliant light blue glow, a clear azure like the sky.
“Is it middle second-level?" Lin Xiao opened his eyes and asked tentatively.
But when he saw the blue glow, he was dumbfounded.
“Magical grade, beginning third-level! Good job, even better than Rosie!” teacher Woos’s little eyes glowed with warm light. “You actually broke through three levels? Haha, Lin Xiao, this magic test you and Caesar tied for first place!”
“Tied for first place… What? Wait!” Lin Xiao was scared silly.
Not only Lin Xiao, but the audience was in an uproar. The students stared at the pale blue crystal ball as if they saw a ghost. Rosie who had a disdainful look earlier was now clenching her teeth, her eyes were filled with astonishment and unwillingness.
In his classmates’ mind, Lin Xiao is the most average student of the magic department. His performance is somewhere in the middle leaning towards the higher side, extremely stable. But today, no one would have expected him to be an overnight celebrity. He was tied for first place with the talented Caesar!
Fortunately, Caesar already finished the test a while ago and left early. Otherwise, he would probably rush out to fight Lin Xiao!
Teacher Woos was very excited and repeatedly patted Lin Xiao’s shoulder and loudly said: “Lin Xiao, this time you only tied for first. Next time if you exceed Caesar, you’ll be the strongest student of the magic department and the position of the hero will surely be yours! Ha ha ha!”
“Yes, yes, Teacher Woos… I, I, I must work hard.” Lin Xiao stammered, stifling his uneasiness and squeezed out a smile.
The hero position is none other than him? Stop joking with me. Isn’t this pushing him into a fire pit? Teacher Woos is spreading salt on his wound!
How did this happen? With only 30% of his magic power, he clearly should be middle second level, how did he become third-level, a difference of two stages?
Lin Xiao desperately tried to remember where he got it wrong. This month he didn’t try hard to cultivate. He was even more lazy than before. He not only skipped classes, he slept in everyday and he was late to class several times. Also…
Wait, sleeping in?
Lin Xiao suddenly realized. He almost forgot, he is relying on sleep to enhance magic power. This month he slept in often so his sleep time increased significantly, which meant that his magic power also grew faster!
His current real strength is not “close to” fourth-level, but he has already “broken through” four levels!
Thinking of this, Lin Xiao really wanted to slap himself.
It’s over, it’s all over.
"Save me, I don't want to be cannon fodder. I just want to quietly become a reserve hero, eat and wait for death!"
The world traveler, Lin Xiao who dreamt of becoming a reserve hero, age 15, end.