The next morning, Haru woke up in the softest bed he had ever felt. It was so fluffy, it was like sleeping on a cloud made of marshmallows. For a moment, he forgot he was in another world.
Then the door creaked open.
"Good morning, Lord Haru," a maid said with a polite bow. "Today is your first day of training. Please allow us to dress you."
"W-What? I can dress myself!" Haru said quickly, holding the blanket like a shield.
"But it is the custom," the maid explained. "Heroes must be treated with respect."
Fifteen minutes later, Haru stood in front of a large mirror, dressed in a fancy training outfit. It had gold lines on the sleeves, a long red cape, and a shiny badge shaped like a dragon.
"I look like a boss in an RPG," Haru muttered.
Ding!
[World Influence +1: Appearance of a chosen warrior. The people's belief grows.]
"Oh no. Not again," he sighed.
---
The Royal Training Grounds
The palace gardens had been turned into a giant training field. Knights swung swords. Mages shot magic at moving targets. Even tamed monsters were used for battle practice.
Haru was led to a shaded area with red carpets and comfy chairs. Rich nobles sat nearby, sipping drinks and watching the training like it was a sports event.
Haru sat down, unsure of what to do.
"Should I be training too?" he asked a nearby servant.
The servant looked horrified. "Lord Haru! You must not train here! It would be too dangerous for the others."
"Dangerous? For who? Me or them?" Haru asked.
The servant bowed deeply. "For them, of course. Your power is beyond compare."
Haru didn't know how to respond. Across the field, the other summoned students were working hard. Kenta was punching boulders until they broke. Rika floated in the air while reading a spell book. Another student summoned a lightning wolf.
And Haru?
He was drinking juice.
"I feel so useless," he mumbled.
Ding!
[World Influence +1: Strategic Commander. The hero observes and plans in silence.]
---
The Sword That Shouldn't Move
Later, a group gathered around a large stone platform. Sticking out of the middle was a giant sword.
A knight pointed to it and said, "This is the Blade of Truth. Only someone with a pure heart and great strength can pull it out."
One by one, the students tried. None of them could even make the sword wiggle.
"Maybe... Lord Haru should try?" a noble suggested.
"Me? No, I really think that's a bad idea," Haru said, waving his hands.
"Let him through! Let the strongest hero try!" shouted a knight.
Haru was pushed toward the platform. He looked around nervously. Everyone was watching.
"Okay, just touch the sword and pretend. Nothing will happen. It'll be fine," he told himself.
He reached out and grabbed the handle.
Then he sneezed.
The sneeze made him stumble forward.
SHRIIING!
The sword slid out like a knife through butter.
Silence.
Then the crowd exploded.
"HE DID IT!"
"THE BLADE OF TRUTH HAS CHOSEN HIM!"
"THE LEGENDARY HERO!"
"I... I just sneezed," Haru whispered.
Ding!
[World Influence +5: Legendary feat witnessed by many. Title gained: Bladebearer of Destiny.]
---
The Rumors Begin
By the time lunch came around, everyone in the palace was talking about Haru.
"He didn't even try, and he pulled the sword out!"
"He must have hidden powers!"
"I heard he destroyed a golem yesterday just by walking."
Haru sat in the dining hall, poking at a plate of grilled fish.
"This is bad," he muttered. "They think I'm some kind of super warrior."
A royal mage walked by and gave him a respectful bow. "My lord, your magic is so deep we cannot detect it. Truly, a hidden master."
"I have no magic," Haru replied.
The mage smiled. "Such modesty."
Ding!
[World Influence +1: Humble Hero. The people admire your attitude.]
Haru groaned.
---
New Worries
That evening, Haru sat on a balcony looking over the city. The sunset painted the sky orange and pink.
"This is too much," he whispered. "One sneeze and now they think I'm a god."
Suddenly, another chime echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[World Influence +2: You are now being watched by important figures. Be careful with your next steps.]
Haru's eyes widened.
"What does that mean? Who's watching me?!"
He looked up at the sky.
"Can I please go back to being average?"
No answer came.
And so, the legend of Haru Nakashima continued to grow, all because of accidents, misunderstandings, and a very unlucky sneeze.