I was a Nerfed Hero in Another World

The ogre tried to harm Aferous and his family using the blade gripped in his hand. That beast swung his make-shift sword and targeted the waiting hands of Aferous. The old farmer could only close his eyes, knowing that he would perish within a strike. He waited and knew that the time had come.

However, things didn't go the way Aferous wanted.

A violent clanking sound echoed in our surroundings as my blade clashed with the ogre's sword. Thousands of tons pushed me back to the ground, but I remained in my position and kept advancing my sword.

The Clarent glowed a brilliant light, telling me it amplified its strength. For a brief second, I pushed the ogre's bough at the side and created a distance between the monster and me. Those few moments allowed the rest of my comrades and me to run away at the ogre's sight. But it was not too long before the monster regained its balance.

'Where did that bright light come from? I don't even know that I could do that! I don't know that my sword could do that!' I pondered, and stared at my Clarent for a moment.

I brushed all those thoughts away and raced back to the village, hoping to retreat far from the monster.

Aferous carried the injured Rain in his arms and sprinted forward beside me, together with Afenos running close to our sides. The three of us scrammed our way out of the forest, carrying with us our burdened hearts.

"Thank you for rescuing us back there, Arthur." Aferous expressed his gratitude to me.

But I lowered my eyes and shook my head. "You shouldn't thank me. I came far too late-."

"Nonsense!" Aferous interposed, and flashed me a wide smile. "You threw yourself at the ogre! There is nothing braver than that!"

Just as Aferous was about to continue his sentence, a bough came flying towards us and hit his shoulder. A blaring cracking resounded from the man's skin as he tumbled on the road. I was fortunate enough to catch Rain before she could hit her head on the cold and hard ground.

"GARGH!"

Aferous screamed and winced in pain as his free hand caressed the injured part of his body. A puddle of blood formed around him, telling all of us he was losing blood at every passing time. I knew nothing about first aid, so my knowledge from my previous world became impractical in our situation.

"Go on... without me...Arthur...save my… children…."

Aferous said to me, using the last ounce of his strength left from his body. Afenos, his son, was the first one to respond and went to his father's arms.

"No! Please don't do this to me! Please don't die, father! We can still leave this place! A-Arthur can carry you on his back! If he can't, I will do it!"

"No, son… I will… sacrifice my life… for the… two of you…"

Despite her immovable body, Rain desperately crawled to her brother and dying father. She shed a tear and gave them the warmest embrace she could ever do. I, who was not a part of their circle, could only stare in silence.

The sounds of the monster bolting in our way shattered the family reunion of the three. It was a hard-to-swallow pill, but we needed to escape this madness if we still wished to see the sun for tomorrow.

My hands quivered every second, paired with my legs becoming like noodles. Thousands of sweats dripped from my body, but I knew what I needed to do. Although it was an idiotic move, I had no other choice but to believe in myself.

"Go… Aferous… Go take your family with you…" I whispered.

The farmer heard my words as he leaned closer to me and retorted, "Are you… insane… Do you have a death wish?"

"Afenos, take your father with you… and please be safe."

I knew that the old man would reject my idea, but I continued doing what I believed was right. Afenos also knew what was going on with the occurrence. Although Afenos hated my guts, that boy trusted my words. He gave me a nod and dragged the two out of this place.

Aferous could not retort to my actions anymore. Since his body glued him to the ground, he had no other choice but to comply with their retreat. The farmer clicked his tongue and opened his mouth.

"Arthur… please...be safe… I have some left...curry when you return…"

Even after meeting with the death's door, Aferous still tried and joked around. I flashed him a smile and gave him a nod. It was my gentle form of appreciation for the curry he had mentioned.

"Thank you. I will, don't worry. I will be back before you even cook that meal for me."

After we exchanged words, Afenos took the two and carried them onwards. The boy flooded himself into tears, knowing that the future had turned dark. However, he could do nothing about this.

Even I, who was the overpowered hero in Magique, felt helpless in the hands of an ogre. That monster was even the training grounds for beginning players.

Afenos looked back for the last time and went on their way on the other side of the woodland. The only thing that I heard from him was Afenos footsteps getting duller. After a few seconds, his figure faded away from the darkness, leaving me behind with the ogre.

"Heh… After all that talk, I'm still shivering?" I thought, and laughed at the brave front I placed.

The words that I told them mocked my inner self. I did not want to see them die. Aferous, Afenos, and Rain were the only people that I know in this world. Even Roger, the adventurer who gave me a lecture, left this world this morning.

I, who had no life in these two worlds, was the one who needed to die. Those two children had better futures and opportunities than me. Who would let a lonely man like me have the happy ending that I wished for?

"At least I became a hero…?" That statement became a question inside my head.

Despite that line, my entire body vibrated, telling me to run away. The longer I stood my ground; I could feel my soul leaving my physical vessel. Not a drop of heroicness stayed inside my head as I thought of listening to these voices…

"HERO? ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?"

"YOU ARE A GOOD FOR NOTHING PERSON! WHETHER YOU'RE IN YOUR PREVIOUS WORLD OR IN THE WORLD OF MAGIQUE, YOU ARE STILL NOTHING!"

"YOU WILL DIE ALONE."

"YOU ARE NO HERO, ARTHUR! AND YOU WILL NEVER BECOME ONE!"

I was never a hero. I knew that. All those voices inside my head amplified my depressing state. And the last thing I remembered was running away from the Ogre.

My hands never wanted to fight that monster. It always quivered every time I thought about feeling pain. Although the beast never hurt me, not even once, I still became terrified at that imaginary thought.

I was afraid to die, despite knowing that I was trash in this world. I became a garbage bin that had no use in this world but to spread filth wherever I went.

The sprinting sounds of the ogre racing in my direction clouded my ears. I wanted to leave this place alive. The only saving grace that kept me sane was the monster behind me. He pursued me rather than kill those three villagers. That ogre wanted my life and would do nothing to take away that gift from mine.

I screamed like a child would do and careered around the place. My heart pumped a thousand beats per minute, giving me the energy I can to outrun the monster. The sea of trees got uprooted every time the monster slammed them at the side. After blinking a million times, I reverted to my actual self.

"Hey! I might actually live here…" I said, trying to become an optimistic adventurer.

The environment juggled my brain and helped me recall the place. After some time, I remembered everything from my previous life, especially the roads of this forest. Since the game considered this place the training grounds for rookies, the roads must be the same as the map.

If it were not, that would be the end of me. I grabbed that glimmer of hope and yelled as loud as I could.

"HEY, UGLY BASTARD! COME AT ME IF YOU WANT TO!"

The monster caught my voice as he took his pace up a notch. Within a few moments, the ogre's face welcomed my eyes at the rear. I regretted looking back, but I needed to know the distance between the beast and me.

Up ahead in that corner, I knew that the dominoes of trees would wait for us. And further off that road was a cliff that the game developers added in the recent patch.

I could only hope that my plan works, or I would miss that lovely curry Aferous would make for me.