I found an inn to stay at for the night, gladly paying four silver coins. Before settling in, I cast a protection spell over my room—just to be safe.
Once that was done, I headed downstairs for dinner. As I waited for my food, a group of people entered the inn. The lively chatter and laughter that once filled the room instantly fell into silence. A tremendous aura radiated from them, commanding attention.
I observed them carefully. Even the innkeeper was visibly trembling in their presence.
"Tsk, peasants," one of them sneered, looking down on the other guests."What do you expect from insects like these?" said a massive man beside him. "Their lives are pitiful, and their power is useless."
I narrowed my eyes and activated my Evil Eye, allowing me to gauge their true strength. As expected, they possessed powers worth bragging about. But honestly… their strength didn't impress me.
Not compared to mine.
My power is on the level of the gods. How do I know that?
Because when I was a child, I summoned the Seven Gods of Darkness themselves. They told me I was a gifted dark wielder—perhaps the most powerful of them all.
And yet, back then, I foolishly ignored it. I was obsessed with light magic, desperate to walk a path that didn't belong to me. But that was the past. Now, I've accepted who I am. I no longer fear the darkness within me. I will use this power not to rule or destroy but to help those who truly need it.
"Hey! What the fuck are you looking at like that? Do you want to die?"
I snapped out of my thoughts, realizing the group was standing right in front of me. I quickly averted my gaze, not wanting any trouble.
But then I noticed—they weren't talking to me.
Their eyes were fixed on someone behind me. I turned slightly and saw a man glaring at them with clear hostility.
"You killed my comrade… and then you stole our valuable item!" the man growled.
Before I could react, he drew his sword and lunged at one of the group members. But his attack was easily deflected, and he was thrown into the air like a ragdoll.
The massive guy in their group stepped forward, his face twisted in a sadistic grin. He approached the attacker and began pummeling him mercilessly. The crowd watched in horror as the huge man laughed like a psycho, clearly enjoying the violence.
Then, to everyone's shock, another member of the group pulled out a knife and stabbed the man repeatedly until he lost consciousness.
A minute later, one of the attacker's allies arrived… but it was already too late.
I watched from the side, frozen—until I saw a familiar face.
Wait… was that person from my guild?
From the Guild Carrier?
I overheard someone say, "How are we supposed to bring him to the Healers' Guild? We don't have that much money."
So that guy… was my co-member?
I approached the group, and their gazes immediately shifted toward me.
"Do you need help?" I asked calmly.
The atmosphere turned tense, thick with hostility. Still, I continued, "I think I can heal him."
They stared at me with suspicion until one of them finally spoke.
"A dark user… can heal? Is that some kind of joke? Sorry, but we don't have time for—"
"I can try," I interrupted. "Didn't you just say you can't afford to bring him to the Healers' Guild?"
They exchanged uncertain glances, weighing their options, then finally stepped aside.
"I can use resurrection magic," I said plainly.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
"W-What…?" one of them whispered.
"Resurrection?" another echoed, stunned.
"Yes," I continued. "It's a power granted to me by the God of Death—a gift that allows me to bring life back to the dead. I still can't believe I finally get to use this power..."
Gasps spread through the group. Their suspicion quickly turned into awe and fear.
I knelt beside the lifeless man and activated the spell. Shadows gathered briefly, then faded. Moments later, the man gasped for air, his chest rising as he came back to life.
"I… I saw the God of Death," he whispered weakly. "He said I was lucky… that their god spared me."
The others stared at me—shocked, wide-eyed, and terrified.
"You're terrifying," one of them muttered. "How could someone like you be connected to the dark gods… the immortal enemies of the gods of light?"
I was about to respond, but someone stepped forward to defend me.
"If he truly holds power over the gods, then that means he can control them," the man said. "And it looks like… he's a good person too."
It was the first time anyone had ever called me a good person.
Most people only saw me as a monster.
"You're insane!" another shouted. "Just because he healed Arthur doesn't mean he's a good guy! What if this is all part of some scheme?"
"I'm sorry if my power scared you," I said sincerely. "But believe me… I mean no harm. I just want to become a hero."
My words left them speechless.
"A dark user… wants to become a hero?" one of them finally said. "How insane are you?"
Maybe I am insane for dreaming something like that. But it's still my dream.
Then Klerin spoke, his voice calm but laced with bitterness. "Heroes today aren't as incredible as you think. Most of them don't actually save anyone. They just brag about how the gods of light favor them."
His words hit harder than I expected.
Even in my own family, I thought, my brother is a well-known elite in the Light Organization.
One of them muttered, "I'm starting to think dark users might make more sense after all."
Then another stepped forward. "What's your name?"
"Cooner," I replied. "And all of you?"
"I'm Lukas," he said, gesturing to the others. "This is Arthur, and that's Klerin."
"Nice to meet you all," I said, offering a small smile.
Klerin gave me a curious look, his arms crossed. "A dark user trying to become a hero… sounds interesting."