The Reality of a Buffer (2)
Thump, thump.
How long had I been walking through this dim light? The surroundings were becoming clear enough to identify with the naked eye, thanks to the glow of a campfire, suggesting I was nearing my destination.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
As I drew closer, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. I put more weight into my combat boots and picked up the pace.
You know that feeling, right?
That chilling sensation during night guard duty in the military, the one where you feel like a superior officer is going to sneak up on your post? That god-awful situation where they don't take the normal path, but instead crawl along the barbed wire, circling the forest just to catch the sentries off guard?
I approached the campfire, haunted by that exact same feeling.
Around the fire, there were six massive, meticulously carved flat rocks. They were large enough for a grown man to lie down on with room to spare.
Six rocks...?
That airheaded angel clearly said there were twelve of them. That meant they were split into at least two factions.
I had expected them to be torn into small cliques of two or three, like in the Spring and Autumn period, or—the worst-case scenario—that they’d be total individualists, acting purely on their own whims.
I suppose being split into only two factions was a blessing in disguise...
Just a short while ago, I was a young man with big dreams, looking at the moonlight and wondering what I’d do after my discharge. Now, I was worried about whether I could properly mediate the factional strife of these legendary heroes. Still, I steeled myself, vowing to make it work as I stepped toward the fire.
At that moment.
Something cold brushed against my left ear, and a blade emerged.
The thing that had popped out was a thin, ink-colored blade. It was polished to such a high sheen that the moon reflected off the steel. Just looking at it, I could tell how much the person behind me cherished their weapon.
I didn't move a muscle, careful not to provoke the one aiming at my back.
"..."
"..."
How long had we been in this standoff?
"Who are you?"
"...!"
Have you ever heard it? A voice that commands the room just by existing?
I don't mean the kind of attractive, focused voice you hear in historical dramas. The presence behind me exuded the aura of a queen—the kind that makes you feel like you have no choice but to obey her intent.
Anyway... it was a voice that stirred up a sense of submission, making me feel like I just had to do whatever she told me.
"Ha... do my words mean nothing to you? Do you have two lives to spare?"
"..."
She must have been truly furious, because the blade that had been at my ear was now pressed against my throat.
To show I had no intention of fighting, I slowly raised my hands, interlaced my fingers, and answered.
"I... am not an enemy. I am a hero..."
"...!"
A moment of silence passed.
The presence behind me slowly pulled the blade away from my neck and asked,
"Your voice is... deep. You're tall... and your hair is short...! Don't tell me... you, you, you, you, you, you, you! Are you a man!?"
"...Yes."
Seriously, why are you so flustered? Is a male hero really that unusual?
"Hey, everyone come out! This isn't the time to be hiding and watching!"
Shimmer—
No sooner had she finished speaking than the space in front of me distorted, and they appeared.
The five figures that materialized were hard to see clearly in the night, but they were all staring at me from their respective rocks. Their eyes, wide with shock, quickly shifted into guarded glares.
What? Why? It’s not like staring at me like that is going to make something happen.
As I made eye contact with them one by one, I noticed someone else had moved to the center rock in front of me, having shifted positions without a sound.
Wait, what? Why are there six people in front of me now?
I was sure someone was behind me just a second ago!
Flustered, I turned around quickly, but the figure that had been behind me was fading away, leaving a blurry afterimage.
Whoa... what the hell!
Is this... Yihyeonghwanwi (Shadow Displacement)!?
What is Yihyeonghwanwi? It’s a legendary movement technique from martial arts novels, said to be usable only by those who have reached the realm of Hwagyeong (Transformation Realm) after mastering both Samhwachwijeong and Ogijowon. It’s the art of moving at super-high speeds while leaving an afterimage behind!
This was certain. The person before me had definitely used Yihyeonghwanwi.
Wow... I’m actually seeing this in real life after only reading about it in books.
Wait.
Hold on...
That means, at the very least, these people are masters who have achieved the legendary Hwagyeong realm or higher, right?
And these beings are my... comrades?
If I think positively, I could call them my comrades. But if I think negatively... do they even need my help?
These absolute powerhouses among humans, accepting me—a mere supporter, a "bus-rider" who gets carried through battles...? No matter how I look at it, it doesn't make sense. It’s not a good trade for them at all.
Amidst my gloomy outlook, the advice of that airheaded angel who had been grinning at me popped into my head.
-Hmm~ Wouldn't it be a good start to gather the human heroes first? Since... you're a male hero... they'll probably listen to you well... Hehe!-
Ma...
Could it be...
Really?
Maybe... just maybe... since this is a world of gender reversal... is there a possibility...?
Should I... bet on the "Airhead Coin" just once?
Should I try to spin my "Happy Brain" for a second?
Just as I was about to nudge a neuron in my happy brain, a cold, businesslike, and blunt voice—reminiscent of a "cold city woman"—came from the direction of the figures.
"...You really are a man. But... I can barely feel anything from you. You're a hero?"
The cold city woman asked again, clearly not believing it.
"Are you really a hero?"
"...Yes."
"Ha..."
Tramp, tramp.
Seemingly dissatisfied, she sighed and walked toward me from the right side of the group.
She was a tall woman, 175cm, wearing a classic black robe with long silver hair that reached her waist. She held a pure white staff with an emerald orb embedded in it.
The golden eyes visible through her robe flashed as she scrutinized me.
Wow...
Look at that gaze...
She looks like she’s ready to swing that staff and crack my skull open just with her glare...
Could you... maybe take that look back and try talking instead...?
"Do you think war is a joke?"
"...?"
Huh?
Suddenly asking if I think war is a joke... Of course war is difficult, what is she trying to ask?
I couldn't answer her question immediately.
The cold city woman looked at me, unable to answer, and berated me.
"What is a man doing on a battlefield? I can't feel any power from you at all... Are you just here to act all arrogant and pretend to be a man? And what have you been doing until now, suddenly showing up and saying, 'I'm a male hero'? I find it so disgusting."
I felt a surge of anger and almost snapped back, but when I thought about it from their perspective, I could see why she’d act that way.
They had lived their lives as the best of the best, only to be crushed—it must be a reality they can't accept.
They were already in a bad mood, and then a man—a male hero in a gender-reversed world—shows up late to the battlefield? It was easy to guess how poorly they would think of me.
That must be why she was treating me like this.
Ha... if I tell these heroes that my ability is just "support"... my evaluation would probably hit rock bottom. And if I told them it was a Gacha draw... gambling...
That staff with the emerald orb would definitely not forgive my skull.
The outcome I didn't even want to imagine was predictably obvious.
From behind the cold city woman, the voice of the one who had aimed at my back earlier spoke up.
"Stop it."
"Stop what? Did I say something wrong?"
"That's not what I'm talking about right now."
"Ha, are you trying to look good because he's a man?"
Grind—
Crack—
With the sound of teeth grinding, one of the rocks near the campfire split in two with a sharp snap.
No, why would someone like that be worried about me trying to look good? Why are you provoking her, you idiot woman!
Crazy...
She just ground her teeth and the rock split in half.
Not listening to someone like that... I was seconds away from being split in half myself. Hahahaha!
The one who had targeted my back was definitely a master beyond anything I could imagine.
"Is that even a topic for conversation right now?"
"Then is it not?"
"Hey, Merlin. Are you really going to keep doing this?"
"What? Did I do something wrong?"
"Hey!"
???
Who???
Merlin...?
The 9th-class Archmage who always appears in fantasy novels... Merlin?
Don't tell me... is the eternal partner of Merlin, King Arthur, here too...?
The emerald orb on the white staff of the one known as Merlin began to blink. In response, something pitch-black began to pour out from the ink-colored sword of the one who had targeted my back, covering the blade.
Look, look, look at those eyes, seriously...
They’re going to start a fight at this rate!
It was obvious that if those two fought, it would be a disaster... I felt like I had to step in and mediate before things got any worse.
I unclasped my hands and raised them high into the air, saying,
"W-wait a minute!"
"..?"
"..?"
The standoff that had been on the verge of exploding was interrupted by my intervention, and their gazes focused on me.
"*Huu-ha*... Alright! I get it! I have my own story, but this doesn't seem like the time to spill it, so I'll just say a few words and back off."
"..."
"... Go ahead."
Thank goodness!
They were heroes, after all; they seemed to know how to separate public and private matters.
"First of all... I'm sorry for joining so late..."
"..."
"..."
I bowed my head nearly 90 degrees.
"I was also sent here by the angel's guidance just a moment ago. She just told me to join up."
"..."
"... So?"
Son of a... look at that attitude...
Ha, I have no power, so I have to endure it...
I'll just face it head-on, truthfully, with everything I've got!
"Well... as you can see... my ability is pathetic. I have no attack or defense capabilities."
"..."
"As expected, trash, right?"
"I... I just have a small support ability..."
"... What? Support? Support is trash that only fits into incompetent and weak parties..."
"Stop—"
The one who had targeted my back cut off the cold city woman and asked me,
"What is your ability?"
"I can provide support from afar with auxiliary abilities like stamina recovery..."
"Do you have no other abilities? They wouldn't have sent you here with just that, would they?"
As expected, they have keen observation skills... they’re seeing right through me...
Sigh... let's not lie and just go with the truth.
"... It's Gacha."
"W-what cha?"
"... A draw."
"... What do you draw?"
"Ah, gambling! Gambling! I can draw and provide things that might help the party!"
"... Merlin."
"Huh?"
"I'll take him with me for a while and keep an eye on him."
"What? What are you going to do?"
"If I feel he's useless, I'll just dispose of him immediately. Probably... with a high probability, I'll dispose of him."
Dispose of me...?
They think people are just toys!
So much for keen observation skills... they just needed a toy to comfort their wounded egos!
That’s really mean...
The one who had targeted my back reached out and pointed behind me.
"If you come near the campfire, I'll just cut you down. Go to a spot where you can hear me if I call."
"...Yes."
When you have no power, you have to follow the words of the strong...
I walked away from the campfire, dragging my feet.
Once I felt I was at a reasonable distance, I laid my body down on the ground.
Relieved of the tension, I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.
The first day of entering the gender-reversed world.
I didn't die. I survived.
Are you watching? You people who wanted me to die?
Damn it all...