episode_0056

[Nickname: Golden Sun Devouring Mother-Daughter Rice Bowl]

I possessed this body a year ago. Among the possessors, I was the first to arrive. That meant I had plenty of time to prepare.

I devoured all sorts of hidden items in the Demon Realm, maxed out my level by hunting monsters, trained in the Sanctuary of Discipline, and even conquered the Cave of Trials.

Though I possessed a C-rank character, through relentless effort, I transcended even A-rank. “At this point, I’d qualify as A+ rank, wouldn’t I?”

I wasn’t at the level of an S-rank hero, but I was confident I could easily surpass any A-rank comrade. “Plus, there’s the level gap.”

I was max level. They were low level. Against another max-level opponent, I’d stand no chance— but with this level difference, victory was possible. …Or so I thought.

“The man who defeated the hero and taught him a lesson…” “Now that’s a legacy.”

The hero who slays the Demon King becomes a legend, worshipped by all. And if I beat that legendary hero once, then became the legendary mentor who schooled him— how could I resist? …That’s what I used to think.

“She must be speed-focused, right?”

Hero Ria’s equipment was the Fairy Set— top-tier when it came to attack speed, but sorely lacking in raw attack and defense. “Against someone like her, a counter skill is perfect.”

A counter skill does have one flaw: you have to take a hit first. But it ignores evasion and defense, landing a devastating blow. Against a speed-focused opponent? A one-shot wonder. …Or so I thought.

WHOOSH!

Before I could even react, Ria closed the distance with inhuman speed. Frankly, I was shocked.

I expected her to be fast, but not this fast.

Still, that was fine. Speed-focused builds meant weaker defenses. Her hits would barely scratch me. “I’ll take one punch.”

CRACKLE!

I channeled electricity covertly. Anything touching me would be electrocuted, frozen in place— followed by a lightning-fast counter punch. …Or so I planned.

THUD!

“……?”

The moment Ria’s fist connected, I knew something was wrong. It looked like a light tap. But the impact felt like getting hit by a meteor.

ZZZT-CRACKLE!

I unleashed my lightning on contact— but TINK! SZZZT… It dissipated against her body without effect. A counter punch? I never even got the chance.

“UWAAAAAAAGH!”

Her punch sent me soaring into the sky.

Result: Hero Ria’s Overwhelming Victory.

Knocked out in one hit. I couldn’t even react.

After recovering, I tried again— this time launching a punch as fast as lightning.

THWACK!

Ria caught my wrist effortlessly.

SWISH!

Desperate, I threw a punch with my other fist. A speed-and-power-focused hero should have weak defenses. One solid hit, and I’d win. …Or so I believed.

CRUNCH!

The moment my fist touched her, it felt like punching solid steel.

SNAP!

Her body was so hard my fist shattered first.

“No way…” “This doesn’t make sense!”

I was an A+ max-level character. Not as strong as an S-rank, but I should’ve been able to beat a low-level S-rank.

Instead, the gap between us— in strength, defense, and speed—was absurd.

“This is a hero?” Something wasn’t right. Even with help from a veteran RPG prophet, this level of power wasn’t just unfair— it was impossible.

“More?”

Ria asked, hovering amid a battlefield of floating magic circles.

“This is insane…”

Her physical prowess was already overwhelming. Now she had this level of magic?

“What is she?” “A cheat character?”

“Wait… cheat?”

Now that I thought about it, the Prophecy RPG had an official cheat mode: Blessing Mode.

Officially labeled “Easy,” it was stacked with cheats: infinite attack, infinite defense, complete immunity to status ailments. Players called it Baby Mode.

“Baby Mode?” That would explain everything.

“Wow…” “She’s insane…”

A Baby Mode hero was unbeatable. Not even the Demon King could win.

“Well… there is one way.”

Surprisingly, the Demon King’s strategy against a cheat-stacked hero was simple: Run.

Abandon the Demon King’s castle, roam the Demon Realm in hiding, and wait for the hero to die of old age.

Ria was strong, sure— but she couldn’t overcome mortality. …Or so I thought.

With lifespan-extending or race-changing items, she could live for 1,000–2,000 years.

“Then I’ll just give up.”

Forget about humanity’s extinction. Leave it to the next generation’s Demon King. That’s the only way to “beat” her.

“Honestly? Reassuring.”

With a hero like her, the world won’t be ending anytime soon. I can relax, enjoy mother-daughter rice bowls in human territory, and live happily ever after.

“Sure, I didn’t get the title of…” “‘Legendary Mentor Who Beat the Hero Once and Taught Her a Lesson’…” But she’s unbeatable. I’ll accept that cleanly.

However.

Ellis? She’s beatable.

“Ria’s a cheat-stacked monstrosity, but Ellis is just a normal A-rank!”

I equipped my ring.

Ellis had overcome her mana instability. She’d be strong— strong enough to be called the strongest A-rank, since she could go all-out from the start.

She might be weaker than an S-rank hero, but apart from Ria, there wasn’t anyone she’d lose to. …Or so the lore said.

But that was mid-to-late-game Ellis. Right now, lacking levels and experience, she was still within my reach.

“I’ll beat Ellis instead!”

Not as legendary as defeating the hero, but Ellis was destined to become the world’s strongest Sword Master. If I could fight her, win, and become the legendary mentor who schooled her—

“Now that, I can’t resist!”

So I challenged her.

“Ellis.” “This time, I’m challenging you.”

“Me?”

“You might think I’m weak…” “since I lost to Ria so pathetically.” “But I know.” “Ria’s just abnormally strong.”

“O-oh?…”

“You’d make a great training partner.” “Right?” “Fighting me will be a good experience for you. A losing experience.”

“Losing?… Hmm…”

Ellis smirked. “Just fighting’s boring. Want to make a bet?”

“A bet?”

“If I win, tell me everything you know about Cain.”

“If I win?”

“Got any requests?”

“Hmm…”

Ellis wasn’t my type. No denying she was attractive, but she had no mother. As a mother-daughter rice bowl enthusiast, romancing a motherless girl was unthinkable.

“But asking for something else…”

Items? I had more. Money? I had more. Information? I had more. No matter how I looked at it, there was nothing I wanted from Ellis.

So I kept it simple.

“I don’t plan on becoming your enemy.” “Promise you won’t seek revenge or badmouth me later over today’s fight.”

“That’s it?” “That’s enough.”

“Hmm…” “I can agree to that, but…” “?” “You won’t badmouth me if I beat you up, right?”

“Of course~” “I can promise that much~”

“You mean it?” “I, Golden Sun, am a man of honor!” “I’d never stoop to pettiness over sacred combat!”

“Good.”

Ellis drew her sword lightly. I readied myself.

“Going all out this time!”

Against Ria, I hadn’t used my full strength. Not that I held back, but I hadn’t pulled out my trump card.

Now? Now I would.

“TRANSFORM!”

[Go! Go! Go! Lightning Thunder!]

A cheerful voice rang out as blue lightning erupted from my belt.

CRACKLE! CRACKLE-SNAP!

Black superalloy armor pieces fused over my body.

ZZT! ZZZAP!

Blue lightning surged, etching glowing lines across the suit.

SWOOSH!

A black cape fastened itself last.

Behold! My true power!

Masked Hero—Lightning Thunder!

KABOOM!

An explosion and lightning erupted behind me as I struck a pose.

Damn, that’s cool.

“What do you think?!” “Witness the true form of Masked Hero Lightning Thunder!”

“You done posing? Can I beat you up now?” “?”

“Ria.” “Put up a barrier so you don’t get caught in it.” “Mm!”

Ria, now behind a barrier, held potato chips in her right hand and cola in her left.

Wait. She has cola?!

“Real cola?!”

Not the crappy imitation made from gathered materials. Real cola, straight from a supermarket.

“How?” “Did she get an item to summon modern stuff?”

“Makes sense.” I had a few hidden items I hadn’t told anyone about either. So others having their own secrets wasn’t surprising.

“Tch…” “Should’ve negotiated cola as my prize if I won…”

Ingredients in this world were top-tier. Monster meat tasted great even just grilled, and wild fruits and veggies made perfect sides. But something always felt missing.

I’d managed to secure premium pork belly, lettuce, onions, garlic, and rice— but no cola, kimchi, or doenjang soup.

And now she had cola?!

“Should I ask for some?” I could always buy it with money or trade items. After a year of hoarding, I was loaded— with both cash and high-tier equipment.

Cola shouldn’t be a problem.

“If it were ultra-rare, I wouldn’t stand a chance, but…” It felt like pouring water to drink— not precious at all. Meaning cola was easy to get.

…Or so I thought.

WHOOSH!

Suddenly, the temperature plummeted.