I Became a Foreign Worker Loved by Transcendents

Chapter 85: The Last One Is Me (2)

It was a well-known fact among adventurers that heroes were often stubborn and morally bankrupt.

Ironically, I came to realize this after encountering the eccentricities of the first hero who helped me after I arrived in this world.

"What is the ultimate state of a swordmaster known to cut through everything? Radioactivity! A swordsman who handles radioactivity as aura, ignoring the opponent's defense and destroying at the genetic level, is truly the strongest!"

"Uh... I wouldn't recommend that."

"Shut up! I'm a hero, and my ability is invincible!!"

Despite my dissuasion, he used his ability to create a sword that emitted radiation, slicing through all enemies in his path, fully indulging in the thrill of being a swordmaster.

And as a result, he soon succumbed to acute systemic cancer and died.

After witnessing such Darwin Award-worthy stupidity from the first hero, I became skeptical of heroes and spent some time anxiously shifting from porter activities to labor jobs like city reconstruction and wall repair.

"Oh, hey there, you work really diligently. How about coming over here and helping with some digging?"

I met Ja-seong about a week after I started working at that construction site.

He, who had arrived in this world a few years before me, was one of the heroes who assisted the empire primarily through labor, not adventure.

As a hero, his abilities greatly impacted the construction sites, to the extent that plans were modified around his participation.

Yet, this inevitably led to considerable doubts about his activities.

It seemed unlikely that those with power would leave someone of his abilities alone, yet why did he work in labor without any patrons and settle for an income below the average hero?

"It's simply because I don't like being under someone else's control."

One day, curious about this during a meal, I asked him, and he casually explained.

"The power of a hero comes from their patrons, so no matter the title of a hero, without being under someone, you can't enjoy any power or benefits."

"But as a hero, can't you benefit in various ways? Like being treated as a hero by the citizens."

"That damned hero treatment also needs to be selectively applied. If you're a hero, you're supposed to save and protect everything, but 'this is politically problematic, so delay it; that doesn't make money, so do this first'... With constant meddling in my work, how can anyone enjoy being a hero under those conditions?"

As he said, heroes were essentially promotional tools, when you get down to it.

Although his behavior was unbecoming of a hero, he had his own sense of justice, which likely didn't fit what was imposed on him.

Rather than being an idol to the public, he pursued justice accompanied by freedom... In essence, this male hero seemed more like a wanderer or gallant than a conventional hero.

"Of course, I could tolerate it if it were for making money, but there are things I just can't stand, no matter what."

However, my impression of him wasn't just because of his human-like and friendly demeanor, which differed from that of typical heroes.

Those who tread a different path from the usual heroes typically had eccentric aspects to them.

He was one of the most memorable eccentrics among such heroes.