Chapter 114: I want to be...

"M-my family jewels." Kneeling down on the flowery ground, the man known as Azael held both hands on his damaged groin. "But I do not dislike, I say I do like my woman feisty. Especially if they have the beauty far surpassing even the Gods," he stated as he sluggishly rose.

"I'm a guy!" Mikoto retorted. Azael merely waved his words off.

"Nonsense," Azael brushed off his words, intently gazing at his armored form. "Hah! You have such cute little feet!"

"Uh, what?"

"See? You even have slight curves, and such milky-white skin. It must be soft and-oh, you are a guy," Azael noted with some confusion. Mikoto was happy to help with said confusion by smashing his face in. Mikoto swung his right fist, and the man narrowly dodged by leaning back.

"Fucking pervert! You're looking through my armor!" Mikoto accused. The supposed hero threw his hands up sheepishly.

"Now, now, is it a sin for a man to want to admire beauty?" he stated with a smile. "Though I did not think you were a man." He murmured. "Still, won't mind sharing a bed with you!" flashed a smile.

"Shut up, any more words and I'll rip out your tongue and shove it so deep down your throat you'll be shitting it out in a day!"

"Oooh, feisty. I like it!" An eye twitch escaped Mikoto. He was not used to being on the receiving end of an annoying bastard. He was about to make good on his promise, but Azael spoke, "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you even though your angry expressions are so cute." Mikoto threw him the bird. The hero merely chuckled as he continued. "Sabre, you wish to wield it, right?"

"That's the idea. If I knew I'd run into a pervert like you, I'd choose another weapon," Mikoto spat. Azael hummed.

"So, tell me, what is your name?" Mikoto quirked his brow at the sudden question but nonetheless complied.

"Mikoto Yukio. Why does it matter?"

"Names are always important, my Mikoto," Azael stated. Momentarily, his gaze swiped over the field of flowers. "They shape us, they are us. Without a name, you are but a blank slate." Azael started walking, gesturing for Mikoto to follow him.

"Is there a point to your random tangent?"

"Maybe. I just feel like names are important concepts," Azael mused. "Could you imagine a world without them?"

("What the hell is with this guy?")

"See, I am ingrained into the annals of history. I was a hero, after all. I slayed humans, Astrothians, and demons alike in the name of saving others. I fought not just to protect one nation, nay, I fought for the realm as a whole. Yet I was not granted some grandiose title," he drawled. "But I would not have it any other way. As a great hero, I simply want to be known as Azael."

"So you don't want titles and you like your name," Mikoto's rosy lips formed into a frown. "Are you actually going somewhere with this?"

"I am. This is a trial, so to speak," Azael revealed. Mikoto had surmised as much. "So tell me, Mikoto, and answer me honestly. Do you want to save people? Do you want to be a hero?" Mikoto tilted his head at the random question thrown his way. But as much of an insufferable idiot this man was, Mikoto could not help but ponder the question.

A hero? What really was a hero? Taking the concept and twisting it into its simplest form, a hero was someone who saved others, risking their own lives in the process. Or just using any power granted to them to save another's life. A hero was someone who would not hesitate or think twice. A hero would fight for the betterment of others. A hero was something Mikoto was not.

With this power granted to him, had he actually ever gone out of his way to save someone? Perhaps he indirectly saved someone, but he has caused more harm than good. His battle with Selwyn, for example. Sure, most towns and villages near their battlefield were vacant, but even so, how many homes had he destroyed without reservation? His destruction had spread wide, even affecting larger cities. Someone like that could not be named a hero, not when he was so very, very selfish.

Octavia had brought him to this world. If Rheya's words were to be believed, then calamity would strike this realm. Yet upon hearing that, his thoughts were still with home. He only cared about returning home. He did not care for the billions upon billions of lives that might be lost. No, he merely wanted to return to their side. To his mother, his sister. Was he wrong for forsaking others?

Mikoto pursed his lips as his brows furrowed. He had killed, too, yes? Those Vel'ryr soldiers. His distaste for them was not even his own. Perhaps they had family or friends they cherished. Mikoto had not given it a thought. He was merely guided by disgust. Did the fault lie with him being a spawn of Octavia? He was nearing sixteen. He was already experiencing what all others before him had. Or maybe he was just making excuses. He had killed someone before becoming a spawn.

"I'm no hero," Mikoto breathed out. Why was guilt assaulting him now? Why did he suddenly care?

Azael merely gave another stupid grin. "Even so, honesty is a good first step!" The man declared. Mikoto gave a wry grin.

"A good first step?" He snorted. "What? Think I can become a hero?"

"Of course," Azael answered earnestly, stupid grin and all. "The potential to become a hero is not reserved for just a few individuals. Being a hero does not take power; it takes courage, it takes the drive to do what needs to be done. Being a hero means walking a reclusive path. You might have friends or family, but a hero's journey can be a lonesome path. Even so, those who choose to walk this path of suffering, they are heroes."

"A path of suffering?" Mikoto questioned.

"Indeed, I walked such a path," Azael admitted, a serene smile passing his lips. "I held great power, yet even so, I could not save everyone. Be it friends or family, I saw all perish before my very eyes. I was... powerless. Ironic, no? I was hailed as a great hero in my era, yet still, I could not save those closest to me."

"So why be a hero?" Mikoto's red orbs glazed over the vast field of different flowers. He wiped a strand of hair out of his face as he continued. "Why save people? Why risk your neck? Why even bother? You've no obligation to save a random soul."

Azael merely smiled on. "Because I want to," he answered simply. Mikoto frowned, unsatisfied by the answer. Azael just grinned at his disappointed face. "Aww~ You look so cute when you're disappointed."

"Shut it!" Azael merely chuckled at the outburst.

"You see, Mikoto, I had no reason to be a hero to the people," Azael clarified. "I simply had power, and I decided I wanted to use it for good."

"Just like that? Your reasoning is that simple?" Mikoto questioned. Was this man simply that good-natured? Well, ignoring that he was a pervert, perhaps that was the truth.

"Of course! Come now, you cannot tell me you have never once in your life dreamed of becoming a hero."

Mikoto looked down, pondering. He remembered the yelling of his parents as background noise while his eyes were glued to the television. He was five, staring at another repetitive fight scene of an absurdly dressed superhero defeating the equally absurdly dressed supervillain. His sister was always at his side, with him looking to escape reality. They would always cheer for the hero, and Mikoto had always admired him. Some may have found the villain to be cooler, but he always liked the hero. Saving others, using his power for good. He had all that power; he had no obligation to help others. Yet even so, the hero stepped up and defended the weak.

"I guess I have," Mikoto mumbled. Azael grinned at that.

He stopped walking, and Mikoto abruptly stopped as well. "Well then, Mikoto, how about it then? Do you want to be a hero?"

"You know I'm a spawn of Octavia, right?" Mikoto drawled. "And I'm almost sixteen. I'll be going crazy. I'd be more of a villain."

"Nonsense," Azael denied. "I believe you can fight it. I believe you have what it takes to be a hero, so..." Mikoto exhaled sharply.

Did he want to be a hero? Did he want to save others? Mikoto gave a wry smile.

("Fine. Sorry, Mom, Hinata, I'll take a bit longer to get home.") Mikoto turned to Azael. "I want to be a hero."

"Great! Then come! Let me show you heroes of old!" Suddenly, Azael ran, a smile on his face as he moved through the field of flowers.

"Oi, wait!" Mikoto rushed after him, though no annoyance could be found. A childish smile broke onto his face as he ran freely. The wind whipped past his hair, and the world around him became a blur. He leaped over a small crevice, and then the world around him changed.