Reluctant Hero | Amaki Ren

Chapter 6 | Leadership

"Those who hold back are afraid of the consequences."

The past few days spent training and levelling up with her teammates brought them to a solid strategy. Sakura was able to study their abilities as they were training. She was certainly grateful that Nami is a mage who specializes in defense. If they were to be completely reliant on the offensive, they won't be able to form a tactic that will protect and attack.

"When is the Wave?" Sakura asks herself, her lips unconsciously forming into a small pout as she lifted a spoonful of her breakfast. Unbeknownst to her, the rest of her squad members heard her pretty clearly.

"Did no one tell you, Sakura-sama?" Freya asks.

"Tell me what?"

"You know when the Wave will come by going to the church by the town square. The huge hourglass there tells when the Wave will come." Haru said. "Don't tell me you really didn't know?"

"So, it's just like in the game?" Sakura mumbles to herself again.

"Game?"

"It's nothing." Sakura sighed. "We're going there after breakfast. Depending on when it will happen, we will revise our strategies."

Despite being the youngest among them and the Hero from an entirely different world, Sakura has proven to be quite knowledgeable about strategies and attacks. Her quick wits allowed her to process things faster than most people, and her ability to think up of counterattacks allowed them to gain advantage in the battlefield. Their preparations will be put to the test the moment the Wave hits.

After finishing breakfast, Haru leads the way to the church as Sakura was still a little unfamiliar of the place. Though she was able to navigate her way around a bunch of times because it looks like Brave Star Online, actually going around by yourself in a whole new perspective takes some time to get used to.

The remaining three followed behind them while they passed through the bustling streets to get to the Four Heroes Church. While they were passing through the citizens, whispers began to be not-so-inaudible. It was gradually becoming louder, as if they were purposely volumized to let Sakura hear them.

"The Dagger Hero is a woman?"

"Can we really rely on her?"

"She's a girl. I doubt she can defeat monsters."

"But, I heard she landed quite a blow on the Spear Hero when they had a disagreement."

"The Spear Hero must have been easy on her."

While Sakura paid no mind to the rumors, her party members were struggling to hide their annoyance. The people literally had the audacity to talk badly about her in her presence. They were degrading her right in the face, and Sakura herself was not doing anything about the rumors.

Nami looks back front, having a clear look on Sakura's back. The pastel tips of her hair swayed from side-to-side as she walked. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought that she was seething in anger. However, Sakura is never one to show her frustrations easily. The only way to know if she really was is through her words.

"How dare they talk crap about Sakura-sama?" Ria's face morphed into that of irritation.

"Calm down, Ria." Freya landed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't let words get the best of you. Sakura-sama knows better than to listen to no-base rumors."

"Yeah, but..."

"We're here." Haru and Sakura stopped in front of the said church. As the leader looked up to fix her eyes on the odd structure of the building, Haru took a step back to join the rest of his teammates. A nun wearing an all-white uniform came out of the church doors and bowed to greet the Dagger Hero.