Chapter 37: Is that you Saitama?

Chapter 37: Is that you Saitama?

At first, Ben brushed it off as mere coincidence—until he observed several inhabitants emerging from a dwelling, swiftly retrieving children playing at the brook's edge, and securing entrances with an air of urgency.

"Are they intentionally avoiding us?" Ben inquired of the red-haired companion, who seemed equally affected and disheartened by the situation. In response, the chief clenched his hands tightly before speaking.

"Before I became the chief of this village, an elderly man resided here. The preceding chief was an immensely potent archmage who rendered invaluable service to the nation during times of crisis. In recognition of his contributions, the king bestowed upon him one of the most enchanting domains within the kingdom—a realm known as the village of Lumina."

"I understand, so this village is named Lumina. But what happened to the previous chief, considering you now hold the mantle of leadership?" Ben's curiosity was piqued by the narrative.

"The new chief, though a formidable archmage from a noble lineage, embodied humility and compassion. He viewed all individuals as equals, irrespective of their strength or magical prowess." The second guard, who walked alongside the red-haired youth, chimed in, responding to Ben's query.

"He extended his affection to all, regardless of status, and the sentiment was reciprocated by the people. Lumina swiftly evolved into a haven—a haven that embraced all races and bloodlines."

"Nurtured by a mana vein's blessing, guided by a benevolent leader, and buoyed by the support of its residents, Luminia metamorphosed into a utopia beyond imagining. Yet, life's course isn't always smooth. As Lumina flourished day by day, an opposing sentiment grew—nobility's resentment toward this haven."

"While some embraced this harmony, others of noble lineage felt their dominance threatened. Their pride and sense of superiority precluded any camaraderie with the common folk. Nor could they stand idly by while the community prospered in serenity."

"And thus, adversity reared its head. Rumors began to circulate about Lumina, bandits assailed it with increasing frequency. Even with the chief's substantial powers as an archmage—a power capable of single-handedly safeguarding the village—he couldn't prevent the dissemination of rumors that led merchants to flee, vowing never to return."

"Ultimately, more challenges emerged, burdens that gradually weighed upon the village. Luminia slowly started to lose all the wealth, people, and prosperity. Plagues and diseases became common occurrences in Luminia, and the village's population dwindled drastically."

"I can't even wrap my mind around something like this. How much hate must someone harbor to plot such suffering for fellow beings?" Ben contemplated, his forehead creased in a frown as he envisioned the distressing scenario playing out before his mind's eye.

"But as they say, adversity forges stronger bonds," the guard continued, resuming after a brief pause. "Despite the declining population and peak of hunger, one thing remained constant—the villagers' unwavering faith in their chief. The nobles believed that as long as the chief stood by their side, no matter the schemes woven against them, the village would eventually reclaim its glory."

"And the sole solution to this predicament was..." n--0VelbIn

"To remove the village chief," Ben interjected, piecing together the narrative's trajectory. "By doing so, they'd shatter the villagers' spirit to a degree where resurgence would seem impossible."

"To the point." The red-haired guy answered, interrupting in between "And that's why I was appointed as the new chief of the village. Tho the people still seem to hate me for replacing that old guy you see."

"Hmm, now it makes sense, Why a multipersonality delusional nutshell like you hold that position" Ben muttered rubbing his temples.

"Wait what did you just say?"

"Tho I still don't understand, what happened to the old chief?" Ben asked changing the topic, and in response, a silence fell in the group again.

"Look we almost reached our shelter." The guard said pointing towards a wooden house that seemed to be bigger than normal houses in the village.

[Sus... ]

"Indeed" Ben responded, looking at the two guys, with sharp gazes, before he followed them towards the inside.

The wooden house was only two stories tall, occupying a massively big area. As he entered the structure Ben saw the big empty area between the house, which served as the training ground. The house was built like the Marshelarts training institutes in those Eastern movies.

A rectangular shape structure surrounded the large training area in the center, with an open roof while the rooms and balcony were built around it. More like a collision, just rooms in the place of spectator seats and the big open ground in place of the arena.

"That damn big! Just how many people live in there?" Ben couldn't help but look at the enormous housing with wide-open eyes, his mouth open in admiration.

"If we count you two as well, then there will be four of us living there." The red-haired guy said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Pff- the fuck, only four people in this entire big thing? You make it sound like a horror house. What if a vampire attacks us while we are sleeping?" Ben asked all these questions in one breath like he saw a corpse walk off the ground.

'Jeez just relax a little will you? There is nothing like ghosts and vampires in real life, so stop acting like a pussy already." The red-haired guy said, stepping back a few steps from Ben.

"In any case, we never introduced ourselves... so... ahh...My name is Ray, and it's your pleasure to meet me." The red-haired companion said, extending his hand for a handshake.

"My name is Ben, and the pleasure is all yours," Ben said, tightly gripping his hand in response, with a wide old smile on his face.

"Oi guys, don't forget me, My name is Alex, and I don't usually need introductions." The other guard said, removing his pseudo leather helmet. Around the same tall as Ben, but leaner body, Alex will fall under the category of an average-looking guy with...no hairs on his head.

[ Is that you Saitama?...]