R18: Isekai Villain

Chapter 1 — The Summoning

"The summoning... it succeeded!"

"A Hero! The Hero has appeared!"

"The Hero has come! We're saved from the demons!"

The voices echoed throughout the chamber.

'What's with all the noise?'

Ren slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still hazy, as though he had just woken from a deep sleep. For a moment, he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing.

A vast stone chamber stretched before him. Strange people surrounded him, most of them wearing robes or armor he had never seen before. The walls were decorated with unfamiliar symbols, and the air carried a faint, almost imperceptible sensation that felt different from anything he had experienced in his old world.

Ren looked down.

Beneath his feet was a massive magic circle.

Crimson runes were carved into the floor, emitting a faint glow that slowly faded.

He stared at it.

Then he looked at the people surrounding him.

'...Did I really get isekai'd?'

It sounded ridiculous.

Yet the magic circle beneath his feet, the unfamiliar surroundings, and the constant whispers of "Hero" made it difficult to come up with any other explanation.

"Where... am I?"

Ren deliberately allowed confusion to show on his face.

An elderly mage stepped forward. He wore elaborate robes and carried himself with the dignity of someone accustomed to being obeyed.

"Oh, Hero, you need not be afraid."

The old mage gave him a respectful bow.

"You have been summoned to the Grand Kingdom of Eldoria."

"Summoned?"

"Yes, Hero."

Another old mage stepped forward.

"We humbly ask for your aid. Our kingdom is facing the threat of the Demon King, and we need your strength to defeat him."

Ren stared at them for a moment before shaking his head.

"What are you talking about? I'm just a normal person. I woke up here without knowing anything about this place."

The head mage smiled calmly.

"You may have been an ordinary person in your previous world, Hero, but you are no longer ordinary."

Ren frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"You are special. That is why you were summoned."

"I don't know anything about being special."

Ren took a breath before speaking again.

"Just send me back to my old world."

His voice carried a hint of frustration.

It was, of course, a lie.

'Why the hell would I want to go back?'

His old life had been ordinary. There was nothing waiting for him there that could compare to being summoned to another world filled with magic.

Still, revealing that he was excited about the situation would be stupid.

For now, he needed to understand what kind of place he had been brought into.

The old mage's expression turned apologetic.

"Unfortunately, we cannot do that."

Ren's expression changed.

"Why not?"

"The summoning ritual cannot be reversed immediately. Only after the Demon King has been defeated will we be able to send you back."

"So that's how it is..."

Ren lowered his gaze, pretending to think about it.

Then he looked back at the mages.

"Fine. If I have to defeat the Demon King before I can return, then tell me how I'm supposed to do it."

The old mage's smile widened slightly.

"Of course. But before that, there is something we must confirm."

Another elderly mage stepped forward, holding a crystal orb in both hands.

"Please place your hand upon this crystal, Sir Hero."

Ren looked at the orb.

"What's that for?"

"It will measure your talent and magical affinity."

Ren's eyes narrowed slightly.

'Or they're checking whether they summoned the wrong person.'

His gaze casually swept across the chamber.

That's when he noticed something near the edge of the floor.

A dark stain.

Blood.

It had clearly been cleaned before, but whoever had done it hadn't done a particularly good job. A faint reddish mark remained on the stone.

Ren's expression didn't change.

'So that's what this is.'

The old mages were treating him politely, calling him a Hero and speaking respectfully.

But that blood told him something far more important.

These people weren't harmless.

If the person they summoned didn't meet their expectations, what would happen to them?

Ren didn't know.

He had no intention of finding out.

'Better not give them a reason to consider me useless.'

He steadied his breathing and stepped forward.

"Like this?"

"Yes. Place your palm against the crystal."

Ren placed his hand on the orb.

For a moment, nothing happened.

The crystal remained completely still.

The mages watched in silence.

Then—

A faint light appeared inside the crystal.

Ren's eyes narrowed.

The light grew brighter.

And brighter.

Until—

Fwoom!

A dazzling radiance erupted from the crystal, flooding the entire chamber with light.

The surrounding mages staggered backward, shielding their eyes.

"What?!"

"Impossible!"

"Such a powerful reaction!"

The crystal continued to shine.

One of the grand mages stared at the readings appearing within it, his aged face slowly transforming from confusion into disbelief.

"SSS grade..."

His voice trembled.

"SSS-grade magic affinity!"

The chamber fell silent.

Then the old mages erupted into excited whispers.

"SSS grade..."

"An SSS-grade affinity!"

"To think the Hero possesses such talent..."

The head mage looked as though a tremendous burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders.

"We haven't failed His Majesty..."

He let out a relieved breath.

"At last, we have completed our mission."

Ren quietly watched them.

'SSS grade, huh?'

He still didn't know exactly what that meant, but their reactions made one thing obvious.

It was extraordinary.

The head mage turned toward him.

"Hero, may I ask your name?"

Ren paused briefly.

"My name is Ren."

"Ren..."

The old mage repeated the name with a pleased smile.

"What a beautiful name, Hero Ren."

"Thank you."

Another mage stepped forward and gestured toward the massive doors at the far end of the chamber.

"Hero Ren, please come with us."

The doors slowly opened.

Beyond them awaited the King's Hall.

Ren glanced toward the entrance before following the mages.

'So this is my new world.'

He couldn't help but feel a faint smile forming inside.

Things were already getting interesting.