5 Prologue 5: The Hero

In the palace of the Jade Emperor, the Calamity Crusher made his way past the servants handpicked from the most dazzling talents of humanity who were gifted in their respective fields.

Whether it be those who held themselves in high esteem or those born with entitlement, there was no one even amongst the True Celestials who got in his way as he made his way to the main hall.

As always, he indulged the most precious immortal wines as he was followed by a servant who only had the job of refilling his cup every time he emptied it. His stoic yet handsome features made him a man worth remembering despite coming from a low-born background amongst 'Humans'. It could be said that even the most powerful of humanity weren't treated as well as this man was.

The most eye-catching thing about him was the personalised butler uniform he wore even to this day. He'd fit right in amongst the high-ranking servants of the Jade Palace if it weren't for his attitude looking both lacklustre and lackadaisical.

For those who took a longer glance at him, they would also feel a strange contrast between the superficial and depth of his personality as he didn't seem to even want to hide that this was just a fake persona. Those eyes were very telling of this.

Emotionless, passionless, composed... These were the first words you'd think when you saw those empty eyes that had lost all their flare. The way he walked and the strict way he dressed made it seem like the blush on his cheeks was only a farce.

A truly unique individual indeed...

Those who saw him, even the servant whose only purpose was to refill his cup, shivered as he walked past, as only the man known as the Jade Emperor's right hand who executed many 'rebellious' Immortals and Daemons could cause such silence.

The lively palace became dead silence far and wide at his presence, yet he didn't seem concerned at all. His unresponsive attitude only making it harder for those he walked past to know his thoughts.

As soon as the servants opened the door to the main hall, he was greeted by a sight that fit the current mould of the Celestial Court. The Calamity Crusher didn't find the young-looking emperor flirting with his personal dancers strange at all.

"How unexpected for 'you' to visit 'me'. It can't be that something is bothering you, right? Sit down and celebrate with me regarding your thousandth anniversary as the Immortal Equaliser~~!" The man on the throne spoke in a jovial tone as one of the dancers approached him to butter him up. The girl only stopped when he lifted his hand to gesture.

"Your Majesty..." Seeing that this rarely spoken servant wanted to request something, the Jade Emperor leaned toward with interest before hearing something that blew his mind: "I am choosing to retire from my post and return from where I came."

"...What?" The bottle of precious immortal wine the Jade Emperor held fell to the floor and shattered.

"I will be leaving my seat to someone else."

"Wait! Are you planning to return to your Master's side? Even so, do you have to 'retire' so early?"

"I only came here to give a gift before my departure the world beyond this one... Also, I have already visited the Heavenly Order and Earthly Order before coming here." As he spoke this, the oak brown-haired man with azure eyes extended his hand. An unparalleled might seeped out of his body before forming into a staff of light.

"What in the world...?!" The flustered man on the throne was shocked by such dense magical energy. What was even more surprising was that he could visibly see the glimmers of light showing the Calamity Crusher's Light Affinity vanishing...

"This is my gift to The Emperor. The Sage Staff Skill Essence. Please... use it lawfully and wisely."

"...So you're really retiring?" As someone who was more of an equal than a vassal, the ruler of the Celestial Court didn't have any way to stop him. He felt this was regretful... yet still held onto the 'gift' he was given that meant more than compassion.

The man knew that this was the way his strongest pawn was making up for leaving so suddenly without a word. It was a type of silent transaction that he could only sigh and nod to before the azure eyed executioner left to say goodbye to others too.

"Are you leaving your lovers behind like this?" The emperor no longer sounded as useless and incompetent as he did moments ago as he spoke these words with a heavy heart, only to be ignored.

The unresponsive hero of all who left the room sighed as he looked at the ground, sending the servant who normally refilled his cup away as he drank the last bit of immortal wine he'd ever taste.

The memory of his main wife crying only made his heart hurt, while also causing him to feel tired...

He couldn't be bothered dealing with anything anymore, which was why he used his wife's ability to discard every technique he had ever created and gifted it to her. Right now, he was many times weaker than before as he continued to discard everything he had ever earned through his perseverance and fortitude. Even one of his innate gifts like Magic Talent was given to the emperor...

This pilgrimage he took made him visit every important place that held significance to him.

The next place he visited was a religion intrinsically close to the Celestial Court's Heavenly Order. The Holy Sanctuary that was under the thumb of the current generation's Celestial Pope.

There, he gifted the heaviest divine weapon created by a Divine Smith amongst the Metal Celestials along with energy halo of created by Holy Mana that was similar to the Sage Staff.

This brought his female friend and his childhood rival were brought to tears... but he didn't stay.

Continuing on, he visited another one of his lovers who had once fought alongside him in the past.

The extreme faction of the Sword Church was surprised to see him as he gifted his lover the serpent who had once poisoned the skies. His connection to his other lovers broke as he did so.

He visited his mother and father who were now Rogue Celestials and gifted them his favourite pair of pistols called Gold and Silver, while also making it clear to them that he never blamed any of them for being born as a powerless Fallen Celestial.

The next place he visited would cause a commotion if it was known to the Celestial Court as he gifted his favourite nunchakus to his friend at the Martial Association. The temptress was visibly melancholic but didn't shed a tear as he talked to someone he had karma with who had been 'tamed' by her. The Daemon Lion lover she kept a secret.

"Have you come here to 'execute' me?" The golden-maned lion of the fallen Leonidas Family that had given everything to make sure the Daemons wouldn't go extinct spoke in a threatening tone.

This was the first time they ever met...

"I've come here to give you this. Now, I no longer have karma with your bloodline. Do with it as you feel like doing." Another aspect of his absolute power was severed from the Calamity Crusher.

The lion held onto the black katana he was given firmly as he watched the man leave with confusion.

He had no idea what this 'hero' was talking about.

In the dead wastelands where the dead were being forced to rest, he gifted two more divine weapons.

At the Magus Guild, he gifted a white sword to his little sister who had grown estranged from him.

He visited the Heavenly Cemetery and left two treasures he owned in front of a swordsman's empty grave. Even though he knew it to be so, he still hoped someone would pass on his techniques.

Then he visited the Execution Platform the ghostly man who was once his mentor stayed chained due to the conspiracies of the Jade Emperor. It was there he gifted a divine sword and one particular halo that contained the strongest magic of light.

The Calamity Crusher went on to visit his employer who nearly destroyed the whole Blood Celestial branch of the Celestial Court and the father of one of his lovers. There, he gave a gift which ruled over time along with his armoury of magic artillery.

The next who were graced by his presence where the hidden dragons and crouching dragons of the mortal realm who he gave his strongest divine armour to out of courtesy. The virtuous martial spirit of the lake waved her hand at him as he left.

Along the way to his next destination, he was attacked and almost killed multiple times as his weakened self fought against the remnants of the World Dragon's army threatening to resurrect it. An aspect of his power was stolen as he escaped...

As his last act of heroism, he went and saved the spirit of a Divine Smith that had been captured recently and managed to let him escape after he killed around a dozen cultists who worshipped the current Greatest Darkness as their heavenly idol.

The last of the artillery he had on him was given to the magic-less lover he had been meaning to visit afterwards. He also gave his thanks to the now lonely researcher who had to find meaning without him.

He visited the werewolves under the protection of his best friend and gifted a divine sword and an aspect of his power over darkness. It wouldn't be strange if that man became the current era's Greatest Darkness sometime way off in the future.

As he was leaving, he was met with the lover he had wanted to, the current Sun Goddess, and could only similarly use her ability to gift her the last branch of his techniques before leaving her.

As he was coming to the last stretch he had to walk on his pilgrimage, he met a Werewolf Daemon that was ousted by his pack and gave the injured Beast a second chance at life. He gifted his powers over space and his unparalleled affinity to darkness to this old acquaintance who had lost his memories. A Beast who once had deep ties to the 'Demon King'.

A third eye had grown on the wolf's forehead...

And lastly, he visited the Gods to reject the divine task he had been given. Rather than getting into a scuffle with them, he returned ancient and lost relics of the past from the time the original Mood Goddess and Sun God were part of the heavens.

The first thing he did before that returned the fragments of power the Sword Goddess accidentally scattered once in the past due to an unfortunate incident. She thanked him and gave her permission for him to leave his task unfinished.

He gave the Life Goddess who governed over 'Order' the forgotten Five Elemental Sword of Heavenly Creation made from the body of the Child of the Eclipse that once existed in the past. The corpses of the traitors of the world were also given to her along with their souls sealed within. It was the least he could do to get on her good side...

The fickle Twilight God who had authority over all of creation was given the Four Lawful Canines of Abyssal Destruction that the werewolf who had defied the Gods and killed their child had grown. It seemed he was happy with the exchange as the God even replaced his own teeth with the treasures in question, making it a part of his own body.

Then gave the divine treasure shaped like a glove that was most precious to him to the Eclipse God who governed 'Destruction' reluctantly. Even if it was the worst of his treasures in power, the enigmatic figure accepted it without displeasure.

He had even given his blessing for the hero's future...

It was after he was done settling everything and saying goodbye to everyone he ever loved did the emotionless hero return back to Earth, where he had originally come from before his reincarnation.

The Calamity Crusher changed his appearance and went back to the time he was only a high school student after sealing away the memories he had in this world. The last lover he met cursed at him with intensity, but he still left behind his mantle as a hero. This wasn't because he wanted to live a better life... It was so he could punish himself.

As someone who had tried to change the world multiple times, he felt it was natural he'd punish himself for failing his divine task many times. He saw no hope in the Other World's future and would rather forget about it than feel this searing regret.

For the sake of not regretting any longer, he decided to forget every hard decision ever made.

This was his answer as the Fallen Hero...