An amazing hero from another world

The villagers gathered around me, their faces a mixture of awe and disbelief. The fires in the distance were dying down, leaving the village blanketed in an eerie silence. My arms still trembled from the weight of the swords, but they had already vanished into thin air as soon as the battle ended.

An older man, clad in a worn but dignified robe, stepped forward. His long beard, streaked with gray, swayed slightly in the wind, and his sharp eyes scrutinized me as if trying to piece together who I was. His presence commanded respect, and the villagers instinctively parted to let him through.

"Young man," the elder said, his voice calm but heavy with authority. "Who are you? And how did you manage to defeat those demons?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal. But then, standing in the remnants of this battle, I realized I wasn't just some random guy from Earth anymore. I was here for a reason, and I had no intention of hiding it.

"My name is Ethan," I said, standing tall. My voice was steady, confident. "I'm... not from this world. I was brought here to protect humanity. The power you saw—it's something I've been given to fight against the darkness threatening your lives."

The elder's eyes narrowed slightly, though not in suspicion. It was more as though he were weighing my words.

"You say you're not from this world," he murmured, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Yet you wield such extraordinary power with skill. You saved our village when no one else could. Tell me, Ethan—do you have experience with battles like these?"

I allowed myself a small, confident smile. "Not exactly," I admitted, "but I've spent my entire life studying heroes. Stories of warriors, strategies of combat, tales of overcoming impossible odds—they've always fascinated me. And I guess, in a way, they've prepared me for this. I may not have had real-world experience before today, but I've learned to adapt quickly. I study, I analyze, and I act."

The elder seemed intrigued, his stern expression softening ever so slightly. "A genius, then," he said, nodding slowly. "It seems the gods have sent you to us in our time of need."

The other villagers began murmuring among themselves, some offering prayers of thanks, others simply staring at me with newfound hope.

The elder raised his hand, silencing them. "Ethan, your arrival here is no coincidence. There's a great darkness spreading through the land, and it seems fate has chosen you to stand against it. Come with me. You've done much for us today, and we owe you at least a moment's respite."

He turned and gestured for me to follow him. The villagers parted again, some bowing their heads in gratitude as I walked by. A sense of pride swelled within me, but I kept my composure, nodding back at them respectfully.

The elder led me to a modest guest house near the village center. Though simple, it was clean and well-kept, with wooden furniture and a small hearth where a fire crackled warmly. The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread wafted through the air, making my stomach growl.

"Please, sit," the elder said, motioning to a table laden with food. "You must be exhausted. Eat, and regain your strength."

I didn't need to be told twice. As soon as I sat down, a young woman placed a plate of food in front of me—a hearty serving of roasted meat, fresh vegetables, and steaming bread. I thanked her and immediately dug in. The flavors were simple but satisfying, and every bite seemed to restore a bit of the energy I had lost.

As I ate, savoring the simple yet satisfying meal, the elder sat across from me, studying me intently. His expression was thoughtful, his eyes carrying the weight of countless years of hardship. After a moment of silence, he spoke, his voice low and heavy with emotion.

"Ethan, your power... it's unlike anything I've ever seen," he began. "No human has wielded such abilities . You must understand, this world is cruel to people like us—weaklings with no magic. That powerlessness has shaped the fate of humanity."

I paused mid-bite, meeting his gaze. There was pain there, but also a flicker of hope, as though my presence alone had sparked something .

"Once, long ago, humans thrived in this world," the elder continued, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "We had no magic like the other races, but we lived peacefully, content with our way of life. For a time, our kingdom flourished. The people were happy, and the land was prosperous."

He sighed deeply, his eyes dropping to the table. "But peace... peace is fragile. The other races—the elves, the dwarves, the beastfolk—they looked upon us with greed and disdain. To them, humans were nothing more than weaklings who did not deserve such prosperity."

I set my fork down, listening intently. The elder's words painted a grim picture of humanity's past.

"One hundred years ago, they attacked," he said, his voice tightening. "All of them, united in their hatred for us. They stormed our kingdom, burned our cities, and slaughtered our people. Those who survived faced a fate worse than death—captured and enslaved, treated like animals by the very races that once called us neighbors."

His hands trembled slightly as he spoke, but he steadied himself, his gaze meeting mine once more. "Our king, who ruled with wisdom and strength, vanished during the chaos. No one knows what became of him. Without a leader, our people scattered, fleeing to the farthest corners of the land to escape annihilation."

The elder gestured vaguely around him, as though encompassing the village and its modest surroundings. "This place is one of those corners—a refuge for those who could not fight back. We live in hiding, clinging to survival, while the rest of the world sees us as nothing more than insects."

A heavy silence settled over the room. I felt a knot tightening in my chest as the gravity of his words sank in.

"But then you appeared," the elder said, his tone softening. "Ethan, you fought those demons with a strength and skill no human should possess. You stood against monsters that would have destroyed us without hesitation. You've given these people something they've long forgotten—a reason to hope."

I leaned back in my chair, the weight of his words pressing down on me. It wasn't just about survival anymore. These people had been broken, beaten down by a world that refused to give them a chance.

"I understand," I said finally, my voice steady. "The world sees you as weak, but that doesn't mean you are. If the other races think they can treat humans this way, then it's time someone proved them wrong."

The elder's eyes widened slightly, his expression unreadable.

"I may not know everything about this world yet," I continued, "but I know what it means to fight for something worth protecting. If I have the power to make a difference, then I'll use it. Not just to protect this village, but to help humanity stand tall again."

For a moment, the elder said nothing, simply staring at me with a mixture of disbelief and admiration. Finally, he nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Perhaps you truly are the one we've been waiting for," he said quietly. "Rest tonight, Ethan. We'll need your strength "

As he left the room, I turned back to the table, my thoughts racing. This world had stripped humanity of everything—its pride, its safety, its very sense of identity. But I wasn't about to let that continue.

If this was my purpose, then I would embrace it. I wouldn't just survive in this world—I would help rebuild it.

But first… how do I use the other characters' abilities?i thought

The question lingered in my mind, but exhaustion weighed heavily on me. My muscles ached from the battle, and my mind felt overloaded with everything I'd learned from the elder. The story of humanity's suffering, the daunting challenge ahead—it was a lot to take in.

"I'll look into it after I get some rest," I muttered, leaning back in my chair. The bed in the corner of the room suddenly looked more inviting than anything else in the world.

I stood up, stretched, and walked over, the faint creak of the floorboards beneath me the only sound. Lying down, I let out a long sigh, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. This wasn't my world, but it was the one I'd wishedto be born.

And if I was going to survive—and help humanity—I needed to be at my best.

With that thought, I closed my eyes and let sleep take me, knowing that tomorrow would bring new challenges and, perhaps, new answers.

End of Chapter