The First Page of Legend

"Hmm... Hans. Instead of that longsword, why don't you try using a spear."

"A spear, sir? I've never held one in my life..."

"Enough with the questions. Just trust me this once."

"Yes. Understood."

Hans looked at me with doubtful eyes, set his sword aside, and gave the spear a few experimental swings. His eyes widened, and he turned to stare at me in shock. It was clearly his first time wielding one, yet the weapon looked far more natural in his hands than the sword he'd used his entire life. He must have realized it himself.

"Commander. May I ask you something?"

"What is it, Vice-Commander Cerise?"

Cerise had been watching Hans swing the spear in a trance from beside me. She hesitated for a moment, then began to speak.

"By any chance... do you already know every single mercenary in this group?"

"...That couldn't possibly be the case, Vice-Commander Cerise."

Cerise's gaze flicked between me and the mercenaries, brimming with suspicion. I had a pretty good idea why she was looking at me like that. Every time I offered advice to one of the mercenaries, they showed remarkable growth. And it wasn't just a handful—it was every last member of the group. All of them had changed dramatically, and always for the better.

From Cerise's perspective, it might have looked as though I'd simply gathered people I already knew and pretended they possessed hidden talent. Their growth had been extraordinary enough to invite exactly that kind of doubt.

"I can't believe it, Commander. Every mercenary you advise shows the same result... even Hans, the very last one."

I only used my unique ability.

Still... all I had done was offer them a few words of guidance after activating my unique ability, Talent Insight.

"Vice-Commander Cerise, the advice I give is nothing special. I simply reveal the potential that already lies within them. Whatever growth they achieve after realizing that truth is entirely their own accomplishment."

No matter how excellent the advice, it meant nothing if the person receiving it refused to accept it. But the mercenaries, though initially skeptical, had chosen to trust me and embrace the change. In the end, I had merely given them a gentle push from behind. The steps they took forward were theirs alone.

"Commander. You are exactly..."

"Hm? Did you say something? I didn't quite catch it."

"...It's nothing, Commander."

Had she said something just now? I must have misheard. In any case, I gazed with satisfaction at the splendid young sprouts growing before my eyes.

Yes! This is what makes raising them worthwhile. Don't you think?

It felt exactly like watching the heroes I'd chosen in a story game grow stronger with my own eyes. Perfect. Let's keep going just like this!

Cerise witnessed Hans being reborn as a true spearman through the Commander's guidance.

Commander. You are exactly...

In the end, even the final remaining member, Hans, had changed. After him, it was clear to see that every mercenary in the group had grown beyond comparison with their former selves.

In truth, Cerise had suspected the Commander at first.

All he ever does is make them sprint at full speed.

For days on end, he had conducted no training whatsoever except full-power sprints. When she asked whether they shouldn't incorporate other forms of training, his only reply had been, "Please trust me and wait just a little longer."

Her heart had been filled with unease, but... she decided to believe in him one more time.

And the result surpassed anything she could have imagined.

Everyone. Not just a few, but every single mercenary had transformed one hundred and eighty degrees—or more—the moment they heard Venice's advice and put it into practice.

To be honest, the combat ability of the mercenaries when they first joined had been utterly dismal. At best, they were only slightly stronger than ordinary people. The thought that constantly ran through her mind was whether they could even defeat a 2-Star monster, the basic requirement for any mercenary group.

After seeing their condition, she had felt intense suspicion toward Venice, who had chosen the members after nothing more than a brief glance.

It was only natural.

Yet everything Commander Venice had said about having a plan had turned out to be true.

Just look at those mercenaries. Their clumsy, awkward demeanor had vanished, replaced by the bearing of professionals who could hold their own among veteran sellswords. At their current level, they could set their sights not only on 3-Star monsters, but even on 4-Star threats.

Commander Venice.

Commander. Who exactly are you?

I still don't understand you at all.

You appeared like a sudden breeze and filled every part of me like air itself. Just who are you?

When I had given up on everything, you came to me and solved miraculous feats as easily as if they were the most natural things in the world.

"Commander. You are exactly..."

"Hm? Did you say something? I didn't quite catch it."

"It's nothing, Commander."

You, who are both charismatic and generous. You, who carry a heavy presence yet somehow possess an endearing clumsiness. Venice. My Commander.

I want to believe in you, even if only a little—you who remain so mysterious and unknowable.

"Good. Today is the day we've been waiting for. I trust everyone is prepared?"

"Yes! Commander!"

The sight of the mercenaries standing in perfect formation filled me with satisfaction. Today was the long-awaited day of our first official mission.

A designated request had arrived—one that would become the very first stepping stone in the tale of the Ska Mercenary Group, a story destined to become legend.

Tremble tremble—

"Vice-Commander Cerise. Are you ready?"

I asked quietly so the others wouldn't notice, directing my words toward Cerise, who looked as though she might shake apart at any moment.

"C-Commander... I... I'm..."

Cerise spoke with a trembling voice and body. No matter her title as vice-commander, she was still the youngest among them. In other words, she had the least experience. From what she'd told me, this was her very first mission. Naturally, it was also her first time facing a monster. Thanks to the worthless commanders who had come before her father, she had never once been allowed to join a subjugation or mission.

It must have been terrifying for this young sprout who had always tried to appear strong. After all, she herself had no idea just how extraordinary her talent truly was.

"Commander... I... I..."

"Vice-Commander Cerise. Look into my eyes."

"..........."

I gently grasped her trembling shoulders and spoke softly. Cerise lifted her gaze to meet mine, her eyes still shaking.

"Vice-Commander Cerise. I believe in every member of this mercenary group. And... I believe in you even more than I believe in them."

"In... me, sir?"

"That's right. Aren't you the vice-commander of the Ska Mercenary Group? The vice-commander of the glorious Ska Mercenary Group that once commanded the entire Empire."

"..........!"

Cerise's eyes flew wide open. Then, as if making up her mind, her expression hardened with resolve.

"Vice-Commander Cerise. Square your shoulders. You mustn't show weakness in front of the members."

"...Yes! Understood, Commander! Mercenaries, is everyone ready?!"

"Yes! Vice-Commander!"

Having heard my words, Cerise approached the members with a look of firm determination. From behind, I could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no longer see even a trace of the fear and terror that had lingered in her.

"Excellent. Then let's move out. Vice-Commander Cerise?"

"Yes! All mercenaries, follow me!"

Clack. Clack. Clack.

With Cerise at the lead, we set off toward the location of our request. Let's go—to write the scene that would mark the first page of our legend!

Beyond the walls of Leria Village lay ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a vast forest. Its immense size meant it was home to countless species of flora and fauna. Naturally, it was also teeming with monsters.

Among the many requests available, we had received one to subjugate the Ironclaw Monkey, a creature responsible for dozens of casualties.

The client said he had entered the forest with an old friend to gather medicinal herbs, only to encounter the beast. He had lost his friend and barely escaped with his own life. He had paid a substantial sum for the request in order to avenge his companion.

The Ironclaw Monkey possessed hands lined with razor-sharp blades resembling tempered steel, a body harder than stone, and a savage temperament that drove it to attack any living thing in sight. To ordinary people, such a monster was no different from a natural disaster.

How did I know all this? From books, of course. My main body had read so many volumes that I now possessed an overflowing wealth of knowledge on such subjects.

"Everyone, halt."

We had been wandering through the forest in search of the Ironclaw Monkey for several hours when Cerise, who was leading, suddenly raised a clenched fist. It was the stop signal we had agreed upon in advance, so we fell silent and followed her gaze.

Ooo— Ook-ook—! Uhuwaaaak—!

Crazy. What the hell is that?

What kind of monkey was the size of a house? Its face was grotesquely ugly, steel-shredding blades protruded from the backs of its hands, and the muscles covering its entire body looked thick enough to stop bullets.

Wow. It looks even more horrifying in person.

I had only ever encountered monsters through books. This was my first time seeing one with my own ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes.

Still, I don't feel any fear.

Who would feel fear while playing an RPG? Not unless they were actually thinking about fighting the thing.

"Huk... huk..."

"Can we... really do this?"

Unlike me—who felt no fear because I was a clone—the mercenaries looked genuinely terrified. Of course they were. They only had one life to lose.

"Everyone, stay calm. And focus. We can do this."

When I spoke to them in a low, intense voice, they began taking steady breaths, and their complexions gradually improved.

"I'll take the lead. Just follow the formations we practiced."

Yes, Commander...!

The mercenaries answered quietly.

Then... let's begin.

"Vice-Commander Cerise. I'll draw its attention from the front. Support me."

"...Yes, Commander...!"

Huu... Here we go!

Tadadak—!

Ooo—?

The moment we broke into a run, the Ironclaw Monkey turned at the sound of our footsteps. Then—

Uwaaaaaaaaak—!

It spotted us and unleashed a bloodcurdling scream. It felt like staring down a living catastrophe.

Thud. Thud. Thud!

Uwooooooo—!

"Over here!!"

The Ironclaw Monkey charged madly toward me at the front of the formation. It raised its right arm.

Right arm attack...!

Kuaaaaak—!

Shwaaak—!

"...Ugh!"

The stance was so obvious that I dodged the first strike with ease, but the follow-up left-arm attack nearly caught me. I barely slipped past it.

Kuaaaaak—! Hwoong—! Hwoong—! Shwaaak—!

As I continued dodging its blows, the Ironclaw Monkey began swinging wildly without any proper stance.

Left. Left... Below. Right!

I could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠see everything. Perhaps because of its massive size, its attack patterns were easy to read.

Hwoong—! Shwaak!

"Hup—!"

I evaded several more strikes by a hair's breadth. Okay, adaptation complete. At this rate, I could probably avoid taking a single hit.

Kkeuuuk... Kuaaaaak—! Bang! Bang!

When its attacks kept missing, the enraged Ironclaw Monkey began slamming its fists into the ground at random. It was completely unguarded, paying no attention to its surroundings.

This was exactly the moment I had been waiting for.

Tadadak—!

Cerise, who had been watching for her chance, burst forward from the creature's blind spot.

Tap—!

"Hup—!"

Shwaaak—!

Cerise's clean, lightning-fast sword strike flew toward the Ironclaw Monkey's torso.

Good. If we land a few more hits like that, we can—

Sliiice—!

Srrrrr— Thud—!

"...Huh?"

Cerise stared down at the bisected corpse of the Ironclaw Monkey with a blank expression.

The monster that had been the nightmare of Leria Village had been cut cleanly in two by a single strike. It died without the slightest resistance.

"........Hah."

Right. Cerise was destined to become a Swordmaster. Still, I had expected it to take at least a few exchanges. I never imagined she would bisect it in one blow.

I gazed at Cerise and the halved Ironclaw Monkey in utter disbelief.

"...Eh?"

"...Ehhh?"

I let out a hollow laugh. Cerise kept looking back and forth between her sword and the monster's corpse, still unable to process what had happened. The rest of the mercenaries, who hadn't even had a chance to do anything before their first request ended, froze in place right where they stood.

And so, the first page of the Ska Mercenary Group's legend came to a close with a single line.