Chapter Eight: Life of the Heroes

"Heroic Slash!"

A white wave of energy in a crescent shape was sent flying towards a giant humanoid monster with sharp tusks sticking out of the bottom of its mouth pointing upwards, his face completely bald of all hair and he was only wearing a giant loincloth. He was fat and didn't look to have much muscle but if you were fighting against him you would feel the strength behind each of the hits he would give with his club that had metal surrounding the top of it.

He let out a loud bellow from his throat as his club was already lifted above his head as he started to bring it down. But before he could even move any more the white wave of energy bisected him from the shoulder to waist and his body fell back as blood poured out from his corpse.

"As expected from the Hero, an ogre like this wouldn't give you any trouble." A man exclaimed from behind the person he called a hero. This man was the general of the army, if he was just a bit stronger he could qualify to be put in the royal squadron, his name was nagatsune.

The man he called around to look at who was talking to him and the Hero is Shiro Murayama. He was wearing silver armour that had golden outlines around each separate piece but no helmet on his head, and he wore a white cape that was a royal red on the inside.

Shiro looked at the general with a smile on his face and spoke in a calm and nice voice that could turn into a charismatic voice if he wanted to. "No, I enjoy killing these monsters. The less of them there are the less civilians are hurt and the less the Demon King can use when he wants to invade. It also helps us get used to our new found strength, even I'm having trouble getting used to it. I fear I might shake someone's hand and accidentally hurt them." He finished in a joking tone while he scratched the back of his head.

"That's what I like about you, Sir Shiro! Always looking out for the people!" Nagatsune exclaimed while hitting the back of shiro in a good natured way.

That was the interaction currently being watched by another hero, Yae Yuguchi. She had the class of a martial artist. She didn't understand how he- No all of the class, could act like nothing had happened just over a week ago.

They had pretty much killed one of their classmates just because he wasn't like them, he didn't have a class and was weak, but in her opinion that wasn't a reason to just kill him.

While they were all shouting insults at Kenjiro as he lay there weak and defeated on the ground she could only watch and do nothing. She wished she could do something, but she was pretty much in shock about the whole thing.

Of course she knew that didn't excuse her, if he was alive, and she wished with all her heart that he was, she would do anything he wanted to make her do so she could make it up to him.

They had very few interactions but Yae would consider him a friend, he had helped her a few times after all. She had been crying one time on the school roof and he helped and comforted her when he saw her crying.

And the classes homophobic accusations towards him really hurt her now that she looked back on them. She herself was a lesbian and the reason she crying on the roof that one time was because she had figured out she was gay. But she also knew that her parents would never accept her if she came out.

And then she did something really stupid a few days after getting in this 'magical world'. She came out to her class at one of the big dinners they had, she thought that they would be accepting of her.

She was wrong, if anything most of them didn't talk to her anymore and some didn't make any comments on it. People she had called friends now openly sneered at her and talked bad about her behind her back.

Yae guess that would be what Kenjiro would be feeling if he was still alive.

Although it wasn't all bad after coming out, guards that usually accompanied them didn't do that much to her anymore so she had more time to train and practice her form alone instead of completely changing her style to the ones they were trying to teach.

And she had found someone like her. They got along well and although nothing big had happened, and Yae knew they never would but she could hope, they were going along well. Hell, they weren't even official, in public or private. Definitely not in public, both of them would get executed if they said anything.

Yae could only sigh, why was love this difficult.

"Oi! Watch out!" A guard shouted as Yae turned her head to see a Vermillion Wolf charging towards her, its red fur starting to light ablaze.

It jumped towards the upper half of her body. Yae lifted up her right leg and brought the calf inwards and tilted her body to stay balanced, she then shot her foot out while pivoting on her foot to get extra speed to add to the strength.

Her foot hit directly on the head of the wolf as it couldn't change directions mid air and it blew the head clean off the earth, making it explode into a pile of blood as the corpse fell to the ground a little bit backwards from where it was killed as the strength of the kick had actually created a wind force making leaves blow away from her.

She then brought her foot back down and walked to a nearby stream to clean her foot of all the blood. She still couldn't believe how strong they all were, or how fast they were getting stronger.

They had all at least doubled their stats or some of them, and the more active ones had almost tripled their stats.

And the rate they were all adapting to the world actually scared them a little, although Yae had seen Matsuta act like he was in his element in this place. Which he was, he was one of the strongest of them and not even because of his class. Apparently Sages grow slowly as it depends on their knowledge of magic and stuff but any spell he came across he immediately knew how to do it with little to no mana deficiency, or he even improved it or created his own version of it.

After that little episode they all went back to the castle and all the separate groups met up in the dining room with the king and the other royals.

They all had their dinner with many enthusiastic talks between them all except for Yae and Matsuta. Even if he was liked by them and not hated like he pointed out as he cast out Kenjiro he was still only neutral and preferred to keep to himself.

While Yae was eating her dinner, which by looking at the others food she realised it was in smaller portions but she didn't mind she needed to keep in shape, she kept sending discreet looks to another female at the table who also notice the looks and send one back.

Eventually dinner was over and everyone could go about the rest of their day as they wished, which was directly said by the king.

Yae just went straight to her room, the reason why she did this was because Yae and the girl she was talking to had a deal that they would go to her room to talk to each other.

She eventually got changed into just regular clothes for this world and waited for her to come, she was running a little late but oh well.

Eventually she did come into her room, quickly as well, making sure to lock the door so no one came in and saw something they weren't supposed to.

She then turned around to face Yae, her royal gown swirling with her as she turned. That's right, this was the princess of the kingdom, Himemi. For Yae this name was very fitting for the princess, as it meant what it said in kanji.

She had long blonde hair, something everyone in the royal family had, with green eyes and beautiful unblemished skin. With her royal gown being a white and purple, something to make her more attractive to suitors, as Yae had been told by Himemi herself, and Yae agreed that it worked.

Himemi then looked into Yae's eyes with a saddened look in them. Yae got up off of her bed and walked towards Himemi and wrapped her up in a hug for comfort. She didn't know what was going on with Himemi but she would do anything to make it better for her.

"What's wrong, Hime?" Yae asked as she used her nickname. Although it wasn't really as people would use it as a more formal form of talking towards Himemi, but Yae used it in a casual manner compared to others.

Himemi sniffled as she hugged Yae back with all her strength. "My father… he wants me to give my body to Shiro." Himemi said and Yae hugged even tighter than before. Such a bastard of a king, willing to sell his daughter's body to someone for no reason. What would he benefit from telling her to go with Shiro?! Even if there was a benefit unless they loved each other, which they don't, it wasn't right!

Yae then pushed out of the hug and looked down at Himemi. "Shiro, didn't touch you, right?! If he does, I'm going to kill him no matter how much stronger he is!" Yae claimed as she was about to go out her doors and beat up Shiro right now.

But Himemi stopped her as she went in for a passionate kiss that Yae returned. It was starting to get a little heated in the kiss and they both had to pull away for a breath.

Eventually Himemi spoke while they were catching their breath. "I don't want that to happen. So I want you to take me first." Himemi tried to push Yae down on the bed behind them but Yae didn't move, instead she just turned Himemi's head up towards her.

Yae looked down at Himemi in sadness, at herself and at the situation. "Can… you just stall with Shiro. He knows how to take boundaries seriously… I think." Himemi looked up at Yae confused and with a bit of concern thinking she might have done something wrong. "It's not that I don't want to… take you… it's just, this is my first relationship and I want to take it slow." Then Yae got down and close to Himemi's ear and whispered in a way that excited Himemi. "If you really are worried about it though, then I will take you right now. But if you're just worried then how about you just stay here tonight, just to talk."

Himemi thought about what Yae was saying. She could understand where she was coming from, this was also her first relationship as they didn't accept people like them here. And, yeah she wanted to take her time as well, but if Shiro was going to push it she would Yae do it to her.

"I guess I'll just stay here tonight, just to talk." Himemi said with a smile. She enjoyed spending time with Yae, she didn't judge her or treat her differently because of her status, she really enjoyed it. And this was also the first time she was spending a night with Yae, even if they plan on doing anything. She then got up on her tippy toes and spoke into Yae's ear trying to sound hot but coming off as innocent. "But I'll kiss you whenever I get the chance."

Yae giggled a little hearing the attempt and picked up Himemi with her strength as she wrapped her legs around Yae's waist. "Then don't expect any mercy." And with that Yae started another kissing session that would go on and off during the night.

With the King and Shiro both were talking in his office about the princess. "My daughter has privately stated to me about her growing love for you. She wishes to pursue you but is too shy to. So if you could make an effort with her if you feel the same, I would be most grateful." The king claimed without breaking his cold demeanour that he put on everyday and never took off.

Shiro scratched the back of his head shyly. "Really? I never noticed. Although she really is beautiful, so I will give it a try. Thank you for telling me of this, my King." Shiro said graciously.

"No, this is for the benefit of my daughter. Of course I would tell you." The king said as kindly as he could while maintaining his cold tone of voice. "You may leave now." He dismissed Shiro while waving him away with his hand in a dismissive motion.

Shiro bowed a little with a kind smile on his face and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Once the door was closed he smiled a little, before it transformed into something more sinister once he saw there was no one around him.