The Final Warrior

Finally, today marks the last day.

The long and arduous moments of training.

Now, the time has come to bid farewell to that journey.

"Are you ready, my disciple?"

"Yes, Master."

"You're quite adept at answering. Hopefully, your skills match, but that might be impossible, right?"

"Of course, it's totally possible, Master!"

"My disciple."

"Yes!"

"If you make one more confident remark like that, I'll make sure your forehead feels the consequences."

"Gulp."

In the chaotic realm of a gaming universe.

The concept of using a quite casual tone, and all that, why did they even stick with it?

Despite looking different, the atmosphere is completely shattered with such a different tone.

Anyway, these game developers, even if they understand, they just can't seem to grasp it.

"Indeed, our Master is the biggest gangster in the world..."

As I subtly raised my fist, my disciple went "Hot!" and covered her forehead as if trying to adopt a similar defensive posture.

Even so, my disciple couldn't defend against the master, trained in the Heavenly Demon Martial Arts.

Crack-!

"Hiing!"

"Well then, let's get started."

As if responding to my words, the girl with jet black hair  swiftly threw a dagger, going "Hot!"

Normally, there should be a dull sound of hitting the target, like a "Thunk!" on impact.

"..."

"..."

"My disciple."

"Yes, Master."

"You really throw terribly, you know."

"Now, I've only thrown one so far! Get ready for more!"

Expectations for accuracy when the first one didn't hit are a bit optimistic.

Without even watching, as it's a video, I observed my disciple's dagger throw with a detached level of amusement.

Boom-! Whoosh-! Swish-!

...Could it be that the target I set and the one she's imagining are different?

Why is she skillfully avoiding the targets as if they're possessed every time she throws?

Could it be that she knows I'll have to pick up all those daggers later?

Thunk!-

"Wow! Look, Master! It hit the target!"

"Yeah, yeah. Congratulations, my disciple. You threw five and managed to hit one. Not even inside the circle, mind you. Hmm! Congratulations once again, you troublesome disciple."

"Woo hoo!! You're being too much!!"

Is my excessive congratulation for hitting one out of five on me? 

Or is it on you for wanting congratulations just for hitting one out of five?

After teaching with dedication for over a year, what in the world is this?

'That's our final hero? No wonder nobody wants to level up in this game.'

Unlike other heroes with assured performance, she possessed various unpredictable abilities.

However, her character couldn't be discarded easily due to the rather special title she held.

This girl, who would be my last disciple, was none other than 'The Final hero,' Iris Future Walker.

"My disciple, it seems daggers might not be your thing. Let's try something else."

"Yes! I'm confident with something else!"

Expecting talent? Not in a million years. I didn't even bother getting my hopes up.

Even after trying various tests, it was impossible to pinpoint what this girl's talent was.

No skill with a sword, no use with a spear, magic is almost non-existent, and even her punches lack strength.

Well, finding a single place where she could be of any use is as elusive as it gets.

No, at this point, she's more like a curious bystander than a hero.

Having the title of 'The Final hero' and not knowing how to do anything.

Did the game developers really mess up with this character?

Otherwise, there's no way she could have nothing good going for her, unlike the others!

"Hiing...."

Still, it's a relief she's not completely clueless.

Maybe she sensed that her skills don't meet my expectations.

Iris had a sad expression, tears welling up in her eyes.

Although my heart briefly wavered at that sight, it was just a passing moment.

I'm confident only up to Season 1.

I barely know the beginning of Season 2.

I'm completely clueless about any developments beyond that.

If we're to survive together, we better get something right, and considering the not-so-great game universe, that's saying a lot!

"It's not working, my disciple. Follow me."

"What? Where are you going?"

"It seems we need to resort to desperate measures."

I lead Iris to my room.

Upon entering, she exclaimed, "Eek! M-Master?! W-Wait, you're not planning to eat your disciple all this time, are you?!" or something equally nonsensical.

"Foolish people are immune to beating, as the ancient sages said."

"Crack! This disciple's head is cracking!!"

Damn it, whether it cracks or not! Do I look like I care if the head of this blabbering fool cracks?

Put as much effort into things other than your mouth skills!

"My disciple? If you blabber nonsense one more time, I'm kicking you out."

"Gasp, I'm sorry. I was wrong."

The threat of being kicked out seems to have worked, thankfully.

If that hadn't worked, I wonder how I would have dealt with this troublesome mess.

Just thinking about it makes my chest feel tight.

More importantly... Where did I put this kid?

I'm sure I left her here. Did I shove her too far inside because she was too noisy?

"What are you looking for, Master?"

"Princess."

"What? A princess?"

"Yeah, a princess."

"What... Is it that kind of princess I know...?"

"Not that princess."

"Then?"

The terror's princess. Let's call her "Princess of Dread."

"Found it."

"...Is it a sword?"

"Yeah. It's a sword. More precisely, it's an item called the Divine Sword Largo."

"If it's the Divine Sword... are you talking about the Ego Sword with self-awareness?"

"That's right."

I exhale a sigh of relief.

I roughly brush off the white dust piled on the scabbard and infuse magic into it.

Seeing it steadily gulp down the magic, it seems it's not dead for now.

...Uuung-.

[ ...Hey, get lost. What do you want after so many years? ]

"Eek! T-The sword is talking!"

[ What's up with this bratty girl? ]

"Princess."

[ Hey, is she also your disciple? ]

"Princess. Let's get some work done."

[ Still calling me that shitty nickname. Don't ignore me and answer properly. ]

"How about saying, 'Before you throw me into boiling molten iron, order me to do anything,' Princess."

[ Oh my gosh, just order me anything! Yes, yes! This lowly sword will do as it is told! ]

Truly the Dreadful Princess.

I don't know why she's so good at running her mouth about swords.

"Let's do a compatibility test."

[ Hey, fuck. You know it's so fucking hard, right? If I use that once, every nook and cranny of my body will ache as if it's breaking... ]

"Do you want to dive into boiling molten iron?"

[ .... ]

"Choose one. Between feeling like your whole body is breaking and hurting, or smoothly melting away into nothing."

[ Just order me anything. ]

Should have cooperated sooner.

Why did make a good person resort to threats?

"My disciple, hold this sword carefully."

"What? Oh, yes!"

"And from now on, this sword will probably talk a lot. Just ignore everything."

"Uh... it's already asking  about this and that... They say they won't know if I don't answer..."

"It's all bullshit, so just ignore it. Will you not listen to me?"

"Absolutely not!"

Well, at least the youngest is quite obedient.

After Iris tightly closed her eyes for a moment, a beam of light emerged from the sword.

At first glance, it looked like the image of a holy warrior chosen by the Sacred Sword....

But if you look carefully, the current situation is somewhat reminiscent of a scene from that Harry Xter movie.

It's comparable to wearing a hat and getting sorted into a house.

[ Hmmm.... ]

"How is it?"

[ Don't talk to me. I'm concentrating. This one is a bit tricky.... ]

If Princess Largo says something like that, it must be a serious matter.

I'm a bit worried, but there might be something.

Even though she came out with the glorious title of the last hero, a new character.

The other disciples live up to the name of a Hero, so I have some hope.

[ ...Let me ask one thing. ]

"Why."

[ Didn't you know all the disciple's abilities since that fox incident? ]

"I know about the others, just not her."

Unlike other characters who were trained up to 6 stars very neatly and manipulated here and there, Iris was simply drawn from the gacha without ever being used.

Why didn't I use her? Well, right after pulling her, I was thrown into the damn game world, damn it.

So, I have absolutely no idea about the precise characteristics or stats of Iris, the 'Last Hero.'

[ ...Whoa. This one is intense. What's up with her. ]

"Is it done?"

[ It's done. ]

"How is it? Does she show some potential?"

[ Potential? ]

Princess Largo exhales as if to say, "Wow, amazing!"

Why is this sword acting like this? Could she possess something outstanding enough to make it flustered?

[ There's no potential or anything. ]

"What kind of nonsense is that?"

[What are you talking about? There's nothing. No ability, no talent! Nothing at all! It wasn't there, not even at a basic level. Just completely absent! No, how did you endure a year with someone like this?]

…What the fuck?

I mean, being named the 'Last Hero' and having nothing outstanding?

Even the highest-rated sword in the compatibility test has no hope?

Did those crazy game developers release such a character and encourage gacha pulls?

Damn it, they should step on a Lego and die while walking on the street, you bastards!

[ Give up. There's no hope. ]

Sigh. A sigh escaped involuntarily.

I've been teaching Iris in seclusion for a whole year.

I taught her so intensely that it even caused hair loss!

At times, it was confusing whether I was teaching her or conducting a test of my own patience.

But, turns out, she was a character with hardly any talent at all?

If that's the case, why on earth does she carry the title of the last hero?

Oh, could it be that this character was meant to drain the wallets of players and then disappear?

"Ma, Master."

Iris grabed my sleeve, her face full of fear.

Watching her, my boiling anger calmed down just a bit.

Yeah, what wrong could you possibly have done?

If there's a sinner, it's those damn scammers from the game company and the developers.

"Iris."

"Y-yes, I did wrong. Please don't kick me out. I'll work hard, I promise..."

"Get ready. We have somewhere to go together."

"W-where? Are you going to abandon me?"

"Stop talking nonsense. I need to go see my master."

I want to give up like this, but it feels unfair, and I can't let it go.

I've wasted a whole year doing nothing, and I can't just accept that.

"You're going to see your master's master?"

"Yeah. You're becoming a Taesabu, so be careful with your words. That person is not as benevolent as I am."

[TL/N: 태사부" (Taesabu) is a Korean term which means ''disciple of the master's master.'']

"Even though you're not that benevolent either..."

You're asking fot a beating now.

Well, let's grant your wish.

"Kyaaaack!! I-I think there's a hole in my head!!"

"There's not. So stop it."

If it were my master who hit you, it might be different.

If you got hit by that person, your head might really go 'pop!'"

"Master."

"Why."

"What does your master do?"

"...Heavenly Demon."

"What?"

"He's the Heavenly Demon."