I Was Kidnapped to Another World and Forced to Become a Hero

Ch. 12 - A Monster From Another World

"I'll have to try it," Ayu said. "Invocabo Glacies: Ice Tomb."

From head to toe, the creature was enclosed in glistening ice. It's piercing green eyes glowed within, and the ice began to crack.

"I'm not sure how long it will hold. This is a new spell I had just started practicing before the quest," Ayu said.

Why...? Why do they try so hard? They're always protecting me... But what about them?

Kamiro faded into darkness, along with the sounds of the battle. But he remained conscious. He found himself in a familiar scene of a void.

"A... light." His voice echoed in the void, and brightness from out in the distance attracted him like a moth. "This is..." He'd seen it once before, during his adventurer assessment. It was a being made of a myriad of colors combined that gave off a white, intense glow.

The being had a humanoid form, no taller than Kamiro. It didn't speak. "..."

"What... are you?" Kamiro stopped right in front of it. He shielded his eyes from the brightness, unable to get a clear view.

"..." After a moment, the being spoke in a deep, calm voice. Had it remained silent for dramatic effect? "I am known to be many things. Or, nothing."

Is now really the time to be speaking in riddles?

"Tell me, boy. What is your purpose with the power you seek?"

"Power? N-No, I'm not seeking—"

"If you find yourself here, it is only for the desire of power."

What I desire? "I-I want to..." Kamiro hesitated. "I want to live. I want to go back to my world! I don't belong here!"

"..." The being was silent. It waited as if it knew there was more Kamiro had to say.

"...But, mostly... I want to protect those I care about."

The being took a moment to reply. "It is still premature. But very well, I will release a portion."

Kamiro felt a comforting warmth as the being stretched its arm.

"Uncover your gaze, boy, and grab my hand."

For a moment, Kamiro froze, but he did as instructed. As soon as he grasped the being's hand, the unbearable brightness became tolerable and his body filled with intense but pleasurable warmth. He peered at the being. Its face had no indistinguishable features, and he felt as if he saw a reflection of himself.

The scenery faded to white.

Kamiro's eyes snapped open. In front of him were Earla and Ayu, who appeared to be on their last legs. The barrier had long shattered three times over, and Earla struggled to form another to no avail.

Ayu panted heavily. Just how many times had she used her Ice Tomb spell? She no longer had the strength to enclose the creature's whole body. She continuously froze the Aberration's feet to the ground, but it had no trouble cracking it just as fast.

As Kamiro's vision cleared, he felt something surging inside him, and a disembodied voice in his head grounded him in reality.

<Limited access granted. Activating: SOPHOS...>

The voice reminded him of his smartphone's GPS lady, except its tone was a bit more natural. At the same time, his senses sharpened with every passing second. Touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight; they became magnified.

<Analyzing environment...> The voice rang out once again within Kamiro's head.

What is this?