The Curse of Inferiority
by Afuhfuihgs
A hero’s younger sibling is bound to be depressed. No matter how brightly a firefly shines in the darkness, it’s just a bug compared to the moon, which banishes darkness simply by existing. The younger sibling of a hero-a special being who is nobler, stronger, and more righteous than anyone else-is lumped together with them for the mere reason of being blood relatives.
Looks, skills, personality… an existence inferior in every way. Just having someone nearby who constantly makes you feel inadequate is bound to cause intense inferiority, and depression is a natural phenomenon to avoid going insane.
However.
Even if, unlike Roel, I don’t gain enlightenment just by suddenly swinging a sword, even if I can’t believe that the kindness of a stranger is genuine, even if I’m less capable and slower to grow than others, and even if I don’t receive my parents’ love…
A hero’s younger sibling cannot give up. Is there any firefly that doesn’t admire the moon, which banishes darkness from a place high in the sky, out of reach? Even if it’s unattainable, even if I can’t get closer… chasing after that thing that has become my nightmare and my dream is, in a way, a natural thing to do.
Kang-!
The spear I swung with all my might was futilely blocked by the cult leader’s gesture. My attack, filled with countless efforts and experiences, was blocked by a mere gesture, but I don’t stop. To be depressed by this much? Roel, my eternal comparison, has always been better. If it doesn’t work once, I can just repeat it hundreds, thousands of times, like I’ve always done.
“You too are wasting time on useless things.”
Ignoring those words, I materialized a shadow spear and opened my spatial storage to take out the Spear of Decisive Battle. I adjusted the position of my forward foot, changing to a stance suitable for using two spears, and closed the distance to the most effective position for the spear’s power, unleashing a barrage of strikes.
Rather than my personal thoughts, it’s more like acting on my own. The optimal action created by the experience fully ingrained in my body and muscles. The spear, imbued with magic power and strength, destroys the surroundings, distorts space, and emits pressure, but that’s all I can do.
The cult leader, using the power of chaos to lightly grab the spear blade, wore a bored expression along with a look of disappointment.
“You’re a foolish one.”
Pueong-!
The shadow spear I materialized exploded. Sensing something was wrong, I quickly let go, but the explosion was too fast. My left hand disappeared as if torn by the teeth of a beast. But what filled my head wasn’t pain, but the next action I had to take. I immediately used magic power to forcibly clump together the tattered flesh to stop the bleeding.
The cult leader looked at me with an uncomprehending face and asked.
“Why are you fighting me, whom you cannot defeat? Is it just because of your pride? Or is it because of the fear of thinking that giving up is a failure?”
Rather, I didn’t understand that question. All Rosses start with inferiority. There are Rosses who quickly overcome their inferiority, Rosses who flounder in inferiority and crave power, or those who give up on effort altogether.
But the latter case probably didn’t exist. Giving up on effort was the Ross before Jin Sian possessed me. Of course, if it weren’t for Luna, I might have given up long ago. Because I had the most difficult start, she, who supported my crumbling self, is even more precious.
According to God’s plan, we, who started with different abilities and environments each time by the Saintess, inevitably come to understand the curse of ‘inferiority.’ That understanding begins with ‘acceptance.’ I cannot beat Roel. I cannot surpass Roel even with effort. I cannot expect pure kindness like Roel from anyone. Let’s admit it. I am not the protagonist, just a Ross.
Once you pass the stage of acceptance, you can surprisingly calmly accept the situation. Yes, the expression that my heart has become stronger is right. It’s okay to be rejected. Even if I’m ignored, even if my plans go wrong, even if my efforts are betrayed… we, Rosses, just accept it.
That’s the setting, so what can you do?
But that doesn’t mean we give up. The moment when the inferior me is recognized by everyone even once, or when I endlessly repeat the betrayal of effort and finally achieve results, or when I become even a little ‘equal’ to Roel.
We, Rosses… feel an emotion that can never be forgotten. It’s similar to the sense of liberation from the shackles that have been weighing down on my body since birth. If you experience that even once, you can no longer give up. Maybe I, like others… maybe I can become like Roel. Because I end up gaining such vague hope.
That’s why I can challenge unwinnable fights and efforts that yield no reward. Failure is not at all scary for someone for whom failure is natural. Perhaps that is why God did not remove the curse of ‘inferiority’ from all Rosses. For the sake of a fool who can swing a spear against an unbeatable enemy, who can even use his own life for victory.
I belatedly answered the cult leader’s question. All Rosses would probably answer like this.
“Because I’m a Ross.”
“…”
The cult leader, who was also a Ross, wouldn’t understand, though.
***
When about half of the capital was buried underground, the army led by General Ian finally arrived. The three Chaos Worms were visibly growing larger each time they destroyed the city. If they completely destroyed the capital, it seemed like a fully grown Chaos Worm could easily wipe out an entire city.
‘Minimize the damage.’
Remembering the last order left by the Emperor, Ian sent the Imperial Guardian Golems to the front and pointed his baton at the Chaos Worm wriggling closest.
“Golems and mages, concentrate your bombardment!”
Bella, who was introduced to Wiz, who was recruited as a new comrade by Eunice, realized the power of the invention that Ross had ordered from Wiz and soon armed all the Imperial Guardian Golems with the invention.
That was―――.
Kwang, kwang, kwang, kwaaaaaaaang―――!
It was a magic stone bomb launcher that could fire 120 magic stone bombs per minute per golem.
“Kkieeeeeeeeee―――!!!”
As the Chaos Worm, its flesh instantly torn apart, screamed in pain, the other Chaos Worm destroying the city sensed Ian’s army and burrowed into the ground.
“It’s coming from below! Everyone, according to plan!”
While the cavalrymen on horseback drew large circles, shaking the ground to act as bait, the mages and golems hurriedly scattered around.
Kwaaaaang――!
The Chaos Worm, appearing while smashing the ground, attacked the cavalry.
“Pureureureung-!!!”
“Euaaak!”
“Kkeueueueuk!!!”
Horses and soldiers rose into the sky along with the ground before falling back to the ground. With the help of the mages, the impact of the fall was minimized, but the horses, unprotected by magic, exploded and died, and the soldiers who were too far from the mages shared the same death.
However, Eunice’s plan to sacrifice the soldiers to protect the golems that could kill the Chaos Worm succeeded. General Ian skillfully commanded the concentrated attack on the Chaos Golem once again.
“Kkieeeeeeeeee―――!”
The Chaos Worm that was first attacked was injured and escaped into the ground, but this one that appeared this time had to be killed for sure. Ian and the knights with hammers charged towards the Chaos Worm even before the sound of the explosions disappeared.
The worm’s flesh and blood poured down like rain, but they didn’t stop. It was an operation that would fail if they didn’t time it right. So, even if they were crushed to death by the flesh, they couldn’t stop. In fact, the adjutant running next to Ian was crushed by a piece of flesh that fell from the Chaos Worm, his body exploding beyond recognition.
But Ian’s gaze never turned anywhere else. It was fixed only on the enemy in front of him. Finally, the Chaos Worm, unable to withstand the power of the magic stone bombs, pulled its body out to escape into the ground.
“Now!”
Ten knights and General Ian, connected by ropes, threw themselves towards the mouth of the Chaos Worm entering the ground. It was an action taken without hesitation towards the Chaos Worm, which had countless teeth and stomach acid that could melt even buildings in an instant.
“Kkeuaaaak!”
“Aaaak!!!”
There were knights who were pierced by countless teeth or had parts of their bodies cut off by collisions, but they eventually passed through the countless knife-like teeth and arrived at a place with soft flesh.
“Push magic power into the bags and throw them away!”
The knights were carrying bags instead of swords. Small blades were useless against a giant worm that could easily collapse buildings. But it was different if it was a bag filled with magic stone bombs. Especially inside, where there was soft flesh unlike hard leather.
Following Ian’s instructions, the knights who activated the magic stone bombs immediately threw the bags down. In the meantime, the Chaos Worm pulled its body further into the ground, so Ian and the knights fixed to the rope passed by countless teeth again.
There were casualties again… but Ian could tell that the plan had succeeded. Soon, a huge reverberation was heard from the deep cave created by the Chaos Worm, where the bottom could not be seen.
Kuuuuuung―――!
Ian suddenly thought it sounded like the heartbeat of the earth.
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