The Naive Hero

"Relax, Princess. Lightning Knight is in charge, and with 32 crimson labyrinths, 63 reds, and 125 sunrises under his belt, it's a treasure trove of free money and experience," assured a fair-haired young man, his smile radiant. With his bright blue eyes and silver armor adorned with golden accents, he appeared to be the epitome of a capable hero. Yet, upon closer examination, it became evident that he had dyed his hair, and his armor didn't quite fit him properly.

"Don't 'relax' me, 'Hero,'" a brunette demanded, pointing a rook at him. She was sitting on a patio at sunrise, playing chess with a flustered expression. "This is a crimson labyrinth, one level below the most dangerous. What's your rank?"

"Rank is irrelevant," Hero sighed. "We have Lightning Knight, Holy Sword, Forge, Divine Protector—"

"Silver," she mocked, "which surpasses your armor but is only one rank away from being last among hunters. Your reasoning is glaringly flawed."

"It's not," he frowned, more pained by her remark about his armor than his intellect. "Crimson labyrinths are treasure troves, and my shadow soldiers can transport up to seven miners' worth of ore. Just because you don't appreciate the potential in my 'variate' doesn't mean others won't."

He glanced at the chessboard to prompt her to make a move.

After silently calculating her options for several minutes, Princess grumbled, "How do you always win? You don't even practice."

"I'm smarter than you give me credit for," Hero smirked. "Don't forget, I ranked first on the Red Team Federation's Bar for new hunters. I may be inexperienced but have a little faith in me. Alright?"

"That..." Princess hesitated, biting her lip. "Just be careful, you idiot."

"And you stay healthy," he smiled, Fool's mating her with the black bishop and standing up. "I must leave, but I'll return triumphant."

"Wait!" Princess called out as he reached the door, her lips pursed together.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I love you," Princess said.

He gazed tenderly at the brunette. "You speak as if I won't come back," he smiled, opening the door. "I refuse to die, so let's save those words for when I return."

Princess stared at the chessboard after he left. "I do have faith in you…" she whispered, reluctant to put away the pieces. "That's not the issue."

***

A cool breeze swept through the sky shuttle as the teen soared above Horizon, a futuristic megacity set in 2097. The sensation made it hard to believe the city was a VR replica of 21st-century New York City. After all, he was born in Horizon.

The teen had never seen his real body. It was cryogenically preserved on Earth, which had become an uninhabitable wasteland ravaged by climate change and pollution. He wouldn't even know if it weren't for the occasional need to pay for body transportation – and the labyrinths.

The sky shuttle descended into Central Park, an 834-acre park at the city's core. 120 hunters and numerous reporters gathered before a colossal gate that materialized out of thin air, pulsing with a crimson swirling light. It was the entrance to a labyrinth, alternate digital worlds built on Genesis, the programming framework that Horizon was built on.

"How does it feel to be here!?" a male reporter shouted.

"I-It…" Hero was taken aback by the reporter treating him like a celebrity – but he didn't mind it. "Fighting for humanity... and alongside my heroes... is a dream come true."

He flashed the recording drones a practiced smile, and more reporters flocked to capture the face of the younger generation.

"Are you thrilled to start your journey as a hunter?" a woman asked. Hero began to respond but noticed the attention had shifted to another, who stood out more than the famous hunters – because the sixteen-year-old wasn't wearing armor.

The disheveled teen had unkempt black hair, dingy black pants, and worn-out shoes, giving him a shabby appearance bordering on homelessness. However, he wore a stylish black peacoat and a dirty white dress shirt and tie, which clashed with his overall demeanor.

"No," he replied, pushing past her.

"Why not?" she persisted.

"If I wanted to experience the bleak, crushing despair of a labyrinth, I'd watch your news segment," he sighed. "Regrettably, it's been forced upon me, much like this situation."

The woman's jaw dropped, speechless and reeling, as reporters swarmed her for a reaction shot while he disappeared into the crowd.

"What an asshole," Hero muttered. "I'll call him Cynic. No, forget a nickname! I'm going to make him apologize!" he declared, striding into the crowd.

However, his heart nearly stopped when he saw Cynic standing beside a silver-haired woman, leaning against a tree, clad in raven armor. No one else was around for thirty feet – and for a reason.

"Don't you see there's no one around here?" Hero whispered, approaching cautiously

Cynic glanced up, his frown revealing undisguised judgment. "I can: that's why I'm here."

"Let me clarify," Hero seethed. "Do you know who you're standing next to?"

"I don't," Cynic replied, casting a sidelong glance at the woman.

"Don't you think that's a bad sign?" Hero snapped, losing composure.

"No, I find it comforting," Cynic retorted, catching the silver-haired woman's gaze.

"Look, guy. You shouldn't stir up trouble," Hero swallowed. "That's the Silver Phantom; she's known for breaking hunters' bones if they bother her."

"Then stop bothering her," Cynic scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I came here to avoid people, just like she did. Now you're bothering both of us."

Hero's eyebrow twitched. "How are you like this?"

"I was taught to treat people as I wanted to be treated," Cynic retorted.

"You'll die alone at this rate," Hero huffed.

"And you'll die surrounded by people," the teen retorted. "The difference is that my trap will be hidden, not merely disguised."

***

"Great, he's standing next to me," Hero grumbled, seeing Cynic beside him during roll call. It was a double slap to his mood, as it proved how weak he was.

The ranking system was based on metals: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, titanium, palladium, legendary, and then demigod. It was mildly infuriating that titanium was above platinum, but it allowed people to remember high-ranking hunters as titans, paladins, legends, and demigods.

Silver meant nothing to hunters, and Hero was the weakest of ninety-nine, standing only above the two bronze hunters: Cynic and a boisterous teen he was ignoring.

Although he wasn't being ignored, Hero couldn't help but feel secondhand resentment. "You're the worst."

"If you think I'm bad, just wait until you see your 'heroes' in this labyrinth," Cynic replied, his tone devoid of humor.

Hero attempted a retort, but a redheaded woman in silver armor approached him at that moment. Her curvy figure, prominent cheekbones, and delicate jawline might have made men swoon if not for the fierce, resting bitch face she wore.

"Are you Mr. Igneous?" she frowned.

"I am..." Hero swallowed. "You're Grace Olivia, the Holy Sword—"

"You two – fuck off," Holy Sword ordered Cynic and the other bronze. "You've fulfilled our opportunity quota. Congrats. Now leave, or I'll ruin your reputation for life. I won't let people die because you slowed us down."

"I'm getting drafted by the Red Team Federation, so employment isn't a problem," Cynic countered. "In fact, I'd appreciate it if you did ruin—"

"Do you think you're being funny?" she snapped.

"What about that could be funny?" he asked, his tone dry and monotone.

Holy Sword gritted her teeth, unable to argue. After scrutinizing his peacoat with a perplexed gaze, she checked off their names and stomped away.

"Are you insane!?" Hero snarled. "That's Holy Sword herself!"

"I know," Cynic replied.

***

Lightning Knight strode to the podium in flawless silver and gold-accented armor, his million-credit smile capturing the teen's admiration. His long, curly golden hair and blue eyes beautifully accentuated his handsome, chiseled face. Combined with the engraved broadsword at his hip, he appeared divine to the teen.

"Welcome, hunters and aspiring heroes!" he boomed to rapturous applause. "We stand before a virus threatening to destroy Horizon. It's not an exaggeration to say those who stop it will become heroes and be immortalized in history!"

The silver-ranked hunters cheered alongside Hero, leaving only Cynic with a solemn expression.

"However, it will take courage," Lightning Knight warned. "No labyrinth is the same; they constantly evolve, testing new ways to overcome humanity. Therefore, we don't know what's on the other side of this gate. It could be a futuristic world with NPCs or a fantasy realm teeming with dangerous beasts. It could be the size of a house or larger than Hyperion. So you must be brave to enter and expect anything!"

The recruits swallowed nervously.

"However, do not falter! Place trust in the legendary hunter who leads you!" he roared, speaking in the third person as he glanced at the cameras. "If you stay calm, trust me, and follow my orders, you'll leave this labyrinth a hero!"

Thunderous applause met his words as the team marched through the labyrinth's gateway.

***

Hero found himself in a majestic cathedral when he opened his eyes. It was massive, the width of two football fields, miles long, and had large pillars that held up an arched ceiling and stained glass windows that gave it an ethereal glow, highlighting the intricate gargoyle statues mounted on the wall, crouching with horns, pointy ears, and wings. It was stunning.

Ding!

A semi-transparent interface popped up for the hunters with six words:

[Welcome to the Labyrinth of Camaraderie]

Hero's eyes lit up with excitement. He sent Cynic a smug smile, only to find an arrogant smirk waiting for him. Following the teen's eyes, he saw grave expressions on the veterans' faces, even sensing a tinge of fear in Lightning Knight's eyes.