THE CHOSEN ONE

3 - A White Haired Hero

Why did I end up partnering with this i***t?

“Who are you calling an i***t?”

You! Who else am I supposed to vent to? Instead of acquiring a useful skill or a legendary item during our adventures, you choose to focus on looking good—like that’s going to help us in battle! How utterly foolish can you be? I was holding out hope for something impressive after your dramatic victory over the Demon King of Destruction. But alas, it turns out that it was merely a stroke of luck rather than a testament to your prowess or potential.

“What’s wrong with my looks? I mean, come on! Check out those abs, this strikingly handsome face, and my magnificent shining white hair!”

Sure, sure, it's nice to look cool—I'll give you that. But can you actually use that dazzling appearance in real combat? God, I had high expectations after Aramid entrusted us with this mission, yet this is what I ended up with? A pretty face and a vanity project?

“Don’t worry too much! I’ll just become powerful enough to save this world, right? Then, there’s no problem!”

Yeah, that's the spirit—naive optimism! Yes, yes, I get it—you’re strong, physically fit, and all that. But let me explain the kind of world we are navigating right now. We’re in a place known as Lubong. It’s not like the simple game we used to play that only featured two races—humans and demons. No, this world is richly populated by six different races: humans, demons, dwarves, elves, demi-humans, and beastmen, each with their own unique qualities and abilities.

Here's the kicker: aside from humans, the other races boast a minimum lifespan of a hundred years. In contrast, humans only max out at around that same century mark. However, because of this limitation, humans adapt quickly, making them the fastest race to learn magic. On the other hand, the other races, with their long lifespans, often dedicate themselves to mastering one or two specific elemental magics. For instance, dwarves typically excel in Earth magic, while elves tend to specialize in wind magic.

The silver lining here is that this world, much like the game, is governed by four fundamental elements: Earth, fire, wind, and wind. Based on these elements, adventurers can acquire and develop various skills. Take, for example, the ‘search’ ability you just used. That was quite impressive; you skillfully employed both Earth and Wind magic simultaneously—a rarity, even among seasoned magicians.

“Shh! Don’t be loud—I can hear something!”

What is up with you? I’m trying to convey something crucial here, and your attention is wandering! I need to—

“There are some creatures ahead!”

And just like that, Vin took off running toward the direction from which he sensed the presence of those creatures. There’s no reasoning with him now! Of course, he would take the initiative, diving headfirst into danger without a second thought. Why has fate intertwined our paths? Why must I continually wrestle with both my impatience and his reckless enthusiasm?

As I sprinted after him, thoughts churned in my mind. Perhaps, despite the frustration, there’s something to be said about his confidence. Perhaps it’s a quality I lack, a refreshing element to balance my analytical nature. But oh, how I wished he could fuse that confidence with a touch of wisdom. After all, if we’re going to survive in a world filled with mythical races and ancient powers, we’ll need more than just good looks and bravado. We need strategy, teamwork, and, above all, a solid plan if we’re to confront whatever awaits us ahead.

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Princess Laira's Point of View

The chaos around me felt surreal as I wrestled with the decisions that loomed over my head like a storm cloud.

"You have to go, Princess!" One of my loyal advisers urged, his voice thick with urgency.

"But I don't want to abandon all of you!" I cried, tears spilling down my cheeks, the weight of the world resting heavily on my young shoulders.

"You need to be strong, Princess. You still want to avenge your father, right? Don’t let the king’s sacrifice be in vain." His words struck a chord deep within me. "You are already on the Master's stage. If it’s just to cross the entrance of the Demon Forest, it will be easy for you. It can even work to your advantage. If they pursue you, the monsters there will attack them too."

"But—" I started, my resolve wavering.

"There are no buts! You need to survive, Princess!" His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Steeling myself against the tide of emotions, I stepped out of the carriage, a surge of determination coursing through me. I was prepared to run toward the only hope of survival, the Demon Forest. Just as I was about to take my first step, the ground suddenly erupted into chaos. My previous sanctuary, the carriage, erupted into a blinding explosion that flung me away, reeling from the shock of the blast.

As I struggled to regain my bearings, I glanced back at the smoldering remnants of the carriage and my heart sank. From the shadows emerged a man, his mocking laughter echoing through the wreckage.

"The game of tag ends now, Princess," he declared with a sinister grin.

"Prince Herald! Why did you do that? Just because I didn’t accept your marriage proposal, you didn’t have to destroy our kingdom!" My voice trembled in a mix of fear and defiance.

Herald stepped forward, eyes gleaming with malice. "My father and I only wanted to ally our families, but you had the audacity to refuse my proposal! For a tiny kingdom like yours to reject the mighty Herald, the future Magma King! Your little realm deserves destruction! Wahahaha!" His laughter pierced through the air, chilling my bones.

"If only my father weren’t sick…" I stammered, feeling a sense of hopelessness creep in.

"Wahaha! Do you really think that your father could ever defeat my father, the Magma King? Your father is barely at the King stage; he is no match for my father! And neither are you, barely at the Master's stage. Even if you accepted my proposal right now, I wouldn’t even make you my bride! You’d be my slave! Wahahaha!" His taunts cascaded over me like icy water, and I felt a pang of despair.

(Although he’s a Fire Master, and I’m a Water Master, he’s right. The gap between us is definitely immense.)

"You can’t speak, can you, Princess? Wahaha! Just accept your fate! Put a slave collar on her!" His command sent chills through my spine; it felt like a violation of my very being.

At his signal, nine men behind him sprang into action, rushing toward me with the intent of capturing me. Just as panic surged within me, the ground shook once again, but this time it felt different.

"Stay still, Princess, as we—"

"Freeze!" A voice rang out, powerful and commanding.

At that instant, an enormous wall of ice surged upward from the ground, freezing eight of Herald's men in place. Confusion rippled through the remaining bandits.

"What happened?! What’s that thing? Hey, are you okay?" one of the stunned captors shouted, looking around in disbelief.

"They aren’t moving!" another exclaimed, bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

"Where are you?! Show yourself! What did you do to my subordinates?!" Prince Herald's voice trembled, unable to comprehend the sudden interruption.

As if summoned by our plight, a mysterious figure emerged from the depths of the Demon Forest.

"Don’t concern yourself with them. They are not dead… yet. I have just arrived, but this is quite the spectacle I've stumbled upon. This is isekai for you." He said this with an odd smile, the word 'isekai' trailing off his lips as if it were a casual reference to my current dire situation.

He had striking white hair that glimmered in the dim light.

"You’re not the Ice King of the North, are you? Wait, he doesn’t have white hair... Who the hell are you?" Prince Herald seemed flustered, struggling to keep up with the rapid changes.

"It doesn’t matter who I am. But it’s wrong to bully a pretty girl." The mysterious man’s gaze turned to me, and at that moment, I felt as if hope had ignited within my chest. (Nailed it! Do I look like a hero there, Cassiel? ... Cassiel?)

"I don’t care who you are, but this is a matter between me and that girl over there, so don’t intervene!" Herald’s voice dripped with contempt. (Does that guy know this girl? What is a King stage human like him doing here?)

"I do have business with her. Hey miss, if I save you now, can you be my woman?" His proposition caught me off guard.

"Huh?" I blinked, momentarily stunned by his audacity.

"If you don’t want to, then I should leave," he replied, waving his hand nonchalantly.

"Okay! I promise! I promise to be your woman!" I exclaimed without fully understanding the implications. (It’s better to be the concubine of a King's stage than a slave of a Master's stage.)

"You heard my woman!" He grinned, and with a relaxed demeanor, he commanded, "Freeze!"

At that moment, the tides shifted, and I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time amidst the chaos.