A Journey Unwanted N Chapter 121 - 114: I want to be

Chapter 121: Chapter 114: I want to be...

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"M-my family jewels." Kneeling down on the flowery ground, the man known as Azael held both hands on his damaged groin. "But I do not dislike, I say I do like my woman feisty. Especially if they have the beauty far surpassing even the Gods," he stated as he sluggishly rose.

"I’m a guy!" Mikoto retorted. Azael rely waved his words off.

"Nonsense," Azael brushed off his words, intently gazing at his armored form. "Hah! You have such cute little feet!"

"Uh, what?"

"See? You even have slight curves, and such milky-white skin. It must be soft and-oh, you are a guy," Azael noted with so confusion. Mikoto was happy to help with said confusion by smashing his face in. Mikoto swung his right fist, and the man narrowly dodged by leaning back.

"Fucking pervert! You’re looking through my armor!" Mikoto accused. The supposed hero threw his hands up sheepishly.

"Now, now, is it a sin for a man to want to admire beauty?" he stated with a smile. "Though I did not think you were a man." He murmured. "Still, won’t mind sharing a bed with you!" flashed a smile.

"Shut up, any more words and I’ll rip out your tongue and shove it so deep down your throat you’ll be shitting it out in a day!"

"Oooh, feisty. I like it!" An eye twitch escaped Mikoto. He was not used to being on the receiving end of an annoying bastard. He was about to make good on his promise, but Azael spoke, "Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you even though your angry expressions are so cute." Mikoto threw him the bird. The hero rely chuckled as he continued. "Sabre, you wish to wield it, right?"

"That’s the idea. If I knew I’d run into a pervert like you, I’d choose another weapon," Mikoto spat, Azael humd.

"So, tell , what is your na?" Mikoto quirked his brow at the sudden question but nonetheless complied.

"Mikoto Yukio. Why does it matter?"

"Nas are always important, my Mikoto," Azael stated. Montarily, his gaze swiped over the field of flowers. "They shape us, they are us. Without a na, you are but a blank slate." Azael started walking, gesturing for Mikoto to follow him.

"Is there a point to your random tangent?"

"Maybe. I just feel like nas are important concepts," Azael mused. "Could you imagine a world without them?"

("What the hell is with this guy?")

"See, I am ingrained into the annals of history. I was a hero, after all. I slayed humans, Astrothians, and demons alike in the na of saving others. I fought not just to protect one nation, nay, I fought for the realm as a whole. Yet I was not granted so grandiose title," he drawled. "But I would not have it any other way. As a great hero, I simply want to be known as Azael."

"So you don’t want titles and you like your na," Mikoto’s rosy lips ford into a frown. "Are you actually going sowhere with this?"

"I am. This is a trial, so to speak," Azael revealed. Mikoto had surmised as much. "So tell , Mikoto, and answer

honestly. Do you want to save people? Do you want to be a hero?" Mikoto tilted his head at the random question thrown his way, his lushes mane of white hair spilling over his shoulder. As much of an insufferable idiot this man was, Mikoto could not help but ponder the question.

A hero? What really was a hero? Taking the concept and twisting it into its simplest form, a hero was soone who saved others, risking their own lives in the process. Or just using any power granted to them to save another’s life. A hero was soone who would not hesitate or think twice. A hero would fight for the betternt of others. A hero was sothing Mikoto was not.

With this power granted to him, had he actually ever gone out of his way to save soone? Perhaps he indirectly saved soone, but he has caused more harm than good. His battle with Selwyn, for example. Sure, most towns and villages near their battlefield were vacant, but even so, how many hos had he destroyed without reservation? His destruction had spread wide, even affecting larger cities. Soone like that could not be nad a hero, not when he was so very, very selfish.

Octavia had brought him to this world. If Rheya’s words were to be believed, then calamities would strike this realm. Yet upon hearing that, his thoughts were still with ho. He only cared about returning ho. He did not care for the billions upon billions of lives that might be lost. No, he rely wanted to return to their side. To his mother, his sister. Was he wrong for forsaking others?

Mikoto pursed his lips as his brows furrowed. He had killed, too, yes? Those Vel’ryr soldiers. His distaste for them was not even his own. Perhaps they had family or friends they cherished. Mikoto had not given it a thought. He was rely guided by disgust. Did the fault lie with him being a spawn of Octavia? He was nearing sixteen. He was already experiencing what all others before him had. Or maybe he was just making excuses. He had killed soone before becoming a spawn.

"I’m no hero," Mikoto breathed out. Why was guilt assaulting him now? Why did he suddenly care?

Azael rely gave another stupid grin. "Even so, honesty is a good first step!" The man declared. Mikoto rosy lips twisted into a wry grin.

"A good first step?" He snorted. "What? Think I can beco a hero?"

"Of course," Azael answered earnestly, dumb grin and all. "The potential to beco a hero is not reserved for just a few individuals. Being a hero does not take power; it takes courage, it takes the drive to do what needs to be done. Being a hero ans walking a reclusive path. You might have friends or family, but a hero’s journey can be a loneso path. Even so, those who choose to walk this path of suffering, they are heroes."

"A path of suffering?" Mikoto questioned.

"Indeed, I walked such a path," Azael admitted, an almost serene smile passing his lips. "I held great power, yet even so, I could not save everyone. Be it friends or family, I saw all perish before my very eyes. I was... powerless. Ironic, no? I was hailed as a great hero in my era, yet still, I could not save those closest to ."

"So why be a hero?" Mikoto’s red orbs glazed over the vast field of different flowers. He wiped a strand of hair out of his face as he continued. "Why save people? Why risk your neck? Why even bother? You’ve no obligation to save a random soul."

Azael rely smiled on. "Because I want to," he answered simply. Mikoto frowned, unsatisfied by the answer. Azael just grinned at his disappointed face. "Aww~ You look so cute when you’re disappointed."

"Shut it!" Azael rely chuckled at the outburst.

"You see, Mikoto, I had no reason to be a hero to the people," Azael clarified. "I simply had power, and I decided I wanted to use it for good."

"Just like that? Your reasoning is that simple?" Mikoto questioned. Was this man simply that good-natured? Well, ignoring that he was a perverted bastard, perhaps that was the truth.

"Of course! Co now, you cannot tell

you have never once in your life dread of becoming a hero."

Mikoto looked down, pondering.

Was there such a mont.

His mind wandered.

He rembered the yelling of his parents as background noise while his eyes were glued to the television. He was five, staring at another repetitive fight scene of an absurdly dressed superhero defeating the equally absurdly dressed supervillain. His sister was always at his side, with him looking to escape reality. They would always cheer for the hero, and Mikoto had always admired him. So may have found the villain to be cooler, but he always liked the hero. Saving others, using his power for good. He had all that power; he had no obligation to help others. Yet even so, the hero stepped up and defended the weak.

"I guess I have," Mikoto mumbled.

Azael grinned at that.

He stopped walking, and Mikoto abruptly stopped as well. "Well then, Mikoto, how about it then? Do you want to be a hero?"

"You know I’m a spawn of Octavia, right?" Mikoto drawled. "And I’m almost sixteen. I’ll be going crazy. I’d be more of a villain."

"Nonsense," Azael denied. "I believe you can fight it. I believe you have what it takes to be a hero, so..." Mikoto exhaled sharply.

Did he want to be a hero? Did he want to save others? Mikoto gave a wry smile.

("Using this power to save and not kill? Can I do sothing like that? Walk a lonely path and save others?") Mikoto turned to Azael. "It wouldn’t hurt to try to and put this power to use, right?"

"Great! Then co! Let

show you heroes of old!" Suddenly, Azael ran, a smile on his face as he moved through the field of flowers.

"Oi, wait!" Mikoto rushed after him, though no annoyance could be found. A childish smile broke onto his face as he ran freely. The wind whipped past his hair, and the world around him beca a blur. He leaped over a small crevice, and then the world around him changed.