Adrian shook his head in an attempt to stop the sudden feeling of disorientation. It took only a moment but when he focused on his surroundings the feeling of confusion just manifested again. The most jarring fact was that he was not in his sitting in front of his computer, instead, he was standing on a stone surface that had glowing runes on it that seemed to be the only thing that provided the light in this dimly lit room.

The second fact that screamed that something insane was going on? The fact that he was holding a beautiful sword with a blue gem embedded in the hilt. Of course, the fact that he was suddenly holding a sword was indeed odd, but what was worse was that he recognized the Sword from a picture he had seen, a picture from a Light Novel he had just been reading.

A quick look around in an attempt to convince himself that this insanity was not happening failed immediately as he noted the other three weapons and their wielders, all of whom looked a lot like their pictures, there were some differences which he assumed was because these were real people and not mere characters but their heights, hair, build and weapon suggested that these were the other three heroes, the same as the novel he had just been reading.

The final nail in the coffin was the small icon that had been following his vision. For just a moment Adrian didn't want to activate the icon, he didn't want to be here in this mid-apocalyptic world where even the bloody apocalypse was insufficient with regards to stopping people from doing idiotic, counterproductive shit but the impulse faded and his desire to confirm exactly what the hell was happening won out.

He focused on the icon and his nightmare was now without a doubt his reality. Adrian was in the world of the Rise of the Shield Hero.

The Status screen was rather different from what he had read about in the novel but one piece of information stuck out quite clearly.

Equipment: Legendary Holy Sword (Base)

Adrian tried to stop the chill from spreading down his spine but failed, he could feel his breathing slowly go to the pattern that his teacher had drilled into him and he slowly began to calm down but the sheer ridiculousness of the situation was still overwhelming.

"Oh, Heroes! Please save our world."

"What?!"

The voice and the choral response from the other heroes broke his attention away from the status screen.

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?" exclaimed the Spear Hero, taking a half step forward.

Adrian carefully studied the reactions of the robed men. They would be his source of information for the moment. If this truly was the same situation as the story he had just been reading then he was in a hell of a lot of trouble, he needed as much information as he could get ASAP or he was as good as dead in the long run.

Assuming this was all real instead of some absurd dream of course.

"Our world is on the brink of catastrophe Heroes, we have summoned you all through an ancient ceremony so that we may have your aid in stopping the calamities that are to follow." he went to his knees after this statement, "Please O' Legendary Heroes lend us your power to save our world."

Adrian felt nothing but a sense of disbelief at the man's actions if this was truly some sort of absurd kidnapping by some sort of cultists or a dream it was surely an absurd one. Everything was starting to feel more and more real. The weight of the sword, the sheer sense of comfort he felt in holding onto it, the sweat he could feel on his back thanks to the heat in the room lit by the torches, the smell of some sort of incense that he had no recognition of. All of it was real, as real as any other day in his life.

Well somewhat like any other day, he normally wouldn't have to question his reality.

It seemed however that the other three did not share his shock.

"Well it wouldn't hurt to…" the Shield began to say before the other two interrupted him.

"I don't think so." said the Bow.

"Yeah, we can go back to our world right? We can talk about your problems later."

Adrian felt quite uneasy at their swift answers. Sure one was rather polite and the other two relatively rude but that hardly mattered, mere basic variations in personality. Did none of these three care about the fact that they were surrounded by people who had effectively managed to perform interdimensional kidnapping while making sure that we could understand and speak their language?

The fact that they could do that should bring up the question of what else can these guys do? Shouldn't it? Had they simply not thought of it or were they so very confident that this was the introduction to a game that they assumed that they would not die?

Still, Adrian felt a little awkward at being the only one who was silent but crushed the feeling. This was not the time to let petty emotions and herd behaviour rule.

"You guys haven't even considered our opinion on this, have you? I mean are you just going to use us and then throw us back to our world?" the Spear continued.

"Yeah, that's a job, isn't it? Send us back, we have no reason to be here." said the Bow Hero.

Adrian noted that Naofumi actually looked a little stunned, as did some of the robed men, but to their credit, the robed men collected themselves quickly and their leader, the man who had knelt before them spoke quickly.

"I am sure that the King would be happy to speak to you regarding your compensation for your aid Lord Heroes, please just follow me, rest assured that we have no intention of disrespecting your actions by disregarding them."

Adrian ignored their follow up comments and followed the robed men once one of them opened the door and the man who had spoken lead them out, he wasn't sure where the other heroes were getting their confidence from but he had no intention of being rude. Unfortunately, he was going to be lumped in with them unless he made a separate impression.

So he walked forward a little faster than the other three and moved towards the only robed man who had spoken up till this moment.

"Greetings, I am Adrian Black, I had a few more questions about this whole situation would you mind answering them?" he asked while smiling lightly. Adrian suspected that if he was reading the situation right then no matter how inconvenient they would accommodate his request, at least until he went forward and did something truly horrific.

"Of course, my Lord. Please do not hesitate to ask. We do not have long before we arrive before His Highness but we surely have time for a question or two." he said, smiling pleasantly while giving a short bow.

"Good. I suppose the first concern is regarding whether or not you can send us back to our world."

The man winced, clearly, he had been hoping for an easier question. He took a breath and then answered carefully, "I am afraid that we do not have a method to return you to your world Sir Hero, the ceremony we used to summon you is an ancient one and is poorly understood, in truth were it not for our desperation and just how incredibly devastating the Waves of Calamity are we would never have used such a poorly studied ceremony."

Adrian tried not to let his fury and grief show on his face. This answer was the expected one, Adrian could not tell if the man was lying or telling the truth but what mattered was that he could not expect any aid from this nation in his goal to return home. At least until he had enough leverage to force the issue.

"I see. I suppose that there is nothing more regarding that then," said Adrian trying to stop his tone from showing his anger, but given the man's flinch, he must have failed.

Adrian changed the subject while trying to control his anger, this was not the time for fury, "Then what can you tell me about this weapon that is bound to me, the status menu seemed to describe it as the Legendary Sword but also mentioned that it was the base form with a massive number of options, I assume that I have to level up myself and unseal the Sword somehow, can you tell me anything else?"

Adrian heard a small sound of surprise from behind him, probably one of the Heroes, but ignored it. Now was the time to get this mans perspective on the Sword did not bother with their trivial reactions to the obvious.

The mans eyes lit up, and he began to speak without taking a pause, "Indeed, my lord, the Legendary weapons are said to grow stronger with their wielder unlocking their legendary power in a way that serves their masters best, it is said that their power is truly limitless and without restriction." here his excitement climbed even further,"But I am afraid that all we have are Legends of the amazing feats of the Heroes, it is said that the Sword Hero can cut through a mountain if needed and that the Bow Hero can strike down a target from the other side of the world and that the Shield Hero can survive even an army attempting to harm him with no trouble at all-"

The man continued, and Adrian did not interrupt, a rambling explanation this maybe but it was still quite fascinating.

"We are here Headmaster Andre." one of the other men interrupted after they had climbed through the tower and walked along the corridors for nearly five minutes.

"Ah yes, thank you, Nathaniel, I must have lost track, my apologies Sir Hero I have monopolized our conversation please forgive me." He said bowing.

Adrian smiled slightly, finding this old man to be quite likeable, he did not trust him, but Adrian could not deny that he sensed no real malice from this old man.

"It isn't a problem Headmaster Andre, but if we could continue this conversation later I would be grateful," Adrian said.

The old man almost jumped, "Yes, yes of course. It would be an honour, it would be wonderful to hear about your world from you, I have always wondered about them you see, we have records indicating that a great many Heroes are from a world that has no magic whatsoever-"

"Headmaster," the same man interrupted again.

"Ah, forgive this old man, let us not keep the King waiting." he said, and walked towards the guarded door in front of them, "Sir Black please do not hesitate to speak to me in my tower, I spend all my time there."

He walked towards the guards and spoke to them for a moment. They were far enough that all I heard was a soft murmur.

Then the guard signalled the other two standing there and they slowly opened the ornate gate. It was time to meet the king.