|You're a Hero of your world, not the people who live in it.|
That was what Byrant had just told Evan, a conclusion he'd come to from his own years of experience.
For a moment, the table was silent. Then Evan, drumming his fingers on the surface, spoke.
"That's a rather cold perspective."
"Call it practical," Byrant corrected.
"You tried to save people in your world and got disconnected in the process. That's the consequence of your actions. Not a failure. A consequence."
Evan opened his mouth to speak, but Bryant raised a hand to stop him, addressing the very point he knew Evan was about to make.
"Now, I'm not saying the people of your world are the same as the dipshits from mine who invited disaster.
I'm just saying, that while you're doing your job as a Hero, remember this: The World comes first.
In my case, if we hadn't shown up to deal with every little problem the people requested, they wouldn't have gained the belief that we'd solve whatever mess they caused.
If we had ignored the small stuff that didn't threaten the planet's survival and just focused on the major threats, idiots like that never would've come about, and they'd have been a lot more cautious—because they wouldn't believe we'd fix EVERY problem for them."
As soon as Bryant finished speaking, he tapped his forehead, looking like someone who'd just remembered something.
"I forgot to mention something. Our world had survivors. My colleagues who were left behind realised the Hegemon's intentions after those idiots pissed them off and evacuated some people.
It barely amounted to 10% of the planet's population, but it was still a lot.
And among those survivors, the majority blamed us Heroes, who were too busy trying to resolve the first conflict, for not stopping the planet's destruction.
Some of them literally told me to my face that, regardless of the cause, it was 'my job.'
Those survivors didn't thank the Heroes who saved their lives—they cursed us for not doing our jobs. And, of course, among them were some of the very idiots who caused the whole mess in the first place."
Bryant raised an eyebrow at Evan and asked,
"You see what I'm saying?
The expectations never end. People see you as the Hero, and they expect you to handle everything, even the messes they've created.
Expectations become burdens, and gratitude is fleeting. One slip-up and those same people would turn on you in a heartbeat. It won't matter how many times you've saved them before.
I fought for nearly a century, and it didn't mean a damn thing when they blamed us for not saving them from a disaster they brought upon themselves.
You were chosen by the World itself, not its inhabitants. Those inhabitants are just a part of the equation, not the equation itself. Keep that in mind."
Evan kept drumming his fingers on the table as Bryant finished speaking. After a few seconds of quiet contemplation, he asked.
"So, focus on the world at large. Survival of the planet, above all else?"
"Precisely," Byrant replied.
Evan's fingers came to a halt. Time Difference activated, his perception of time distorting as he pondered the man's words.
After nearly a minute of silence, he deactivated the skill, then folded his hands together and leaned forward, raising an eyebrow as he asked.
"However, is that really the best idea?"
"Personally, I don't think there's a 'best' way to go about it. But it's clear you've got something to say about mine, so let's hear it."
At Byrant's prompt, Evan leaned back and started.
"Let's say I take your ideology to heart. What happens when that world decides to drop me?"
"…what?"
Byrant took a figurative step back in surprise upon hearing Evan's words. After a moment, he understood what Evan was hinting at and asked.
"You think the world would just abandon you?"
"If necessary, it would.
The Planetary Consciousnesses who choose Heroes are, by nature, logical existences. They prioritize their survival above all else.
If a Hero's existence is no longer necessary for that survival, everything they've done up to that point wouldn't stop the planet from abandoning them.
I've seen it happen before."
Evan spoke in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, giving no hint that he might be speaking from personal experience.
Byrant, hearing him, pursed his lips in silence.
He hadn't witnessed anything like that himself, but he understood well enough how planetary consciousnesses operated. Regardless of how they acted on the surface, deep down, they were all cold, logical, and singularly focused on survival.
"...It is possible," he finally admitted in a low voice.
Evan nodded, as if confirming something that he already knew.
"Exactly. The whole 'Hero of the world' thing is great until the world doesn't need you anymore. Even if you focus on the world, the world might not always return the favour. It's a calculated risk, not a guarantee."
Byrant sighed at Evan's words, and then he asked.
"So what exactly are you saying? You're not going to focus on the world because of the danger?
But if you focus on the people instead, and they end up believing they matter more than the world... or worse, YOU start thinking they matter more, you're not going to like how it all turns out when everything comes crashing down."
"Nah, that's not what I'm saying," Evan replied casually, tapping the table once.
"To begin with, I didn't become a Hero of my world because my world chose me. I became a Hero for my personal benefit.
And I'm still doing the job because there are even greater personal benefits waiting for me down the line.
Things that I want to get. Specific people I want to build a safe place for—somewhere they, and I, can live peacefully.
Answers that are waiting for me at the end of my R—my Hero's journey."
Evan almost slipped up and said Reincarnated Hero's journey, but he caught himself and continued smoothly.
"So no, it's not that I'm going to focus too much on the people. But at the same time, I'm also not going to strictly cling to that 'Hero of the world' ideology either.
My idea is actually a blend.
A mix between both sides—balancing the world and the people. With a healthy dose of pragmatism and cunning stirred into the pot."
Byrant lifted an eyebrow in surprise when Evan mentioned he became a Hero by choice rather than being chosen. However, the reasons behind it didn't catch him off guard.
He'd been around long enough to know that there were Heroes who worked with pure idealism, and then there were others who did what they had to for their own gain.
As for Evan's idea of blending the two approaches, it piqued Byrant's curiosity. It was evident in his expression, and noticing it, Evan continued speaking without being prompted.
"It's simple, really. I'll just have to make myself indispensable."
"Indispensable? Byrant echoed.
"Yep. A necessary component. If the world even thinks about discarding me, it'll be crippling itself.
I'll have to build contingencies, ensuring the consequences of such a decision would be catastrophic for the planet itself."
"You're planning to play a game of power?"
Byrant's question made Evan blink once in mild surprise before he nodded.
"You could put it that way."
"That's a dangerous game."
"Every game is dangerous," Evan replied immediately. "Virtually all my World-related decisions back home have been walking a fine line, pushing against the laws of fate, time, and causality, with consequences that could easily lead to Nexus Events involving Beasts of the END.
A simple power game sounds cute in comparison."
The Rogue Hero chuckled after he spoke, leaning back on his seat as he continued.
"The people of the world will need a little...coddling for this to work. But I'll take your advice to not go too far, and make sure they remember that I'm not obligated to deal with everything.
Like you said earlier, the people are part of the equation, not the whole equation.
But they are also the part with free will—their thoughts, their choices. And sometimes, chaos is the only thing that can save you from pure logic, because logic doesn't give a damn and just works in absolutes."
Byrant didn't respond right away, simply holding Evan's gaze, waiting for him to continue.
"I believe it's possible to put myself in a position where I can avoid being discarded, and at the same time, stop people from becoming complacent, thinking it's my job to deal with everything.
Not just because of the power I have, but because of the circumstances I create. I'll be in a place where I'm continuously relevant, but at a cost steep enough that people think twice before getting me involved in certain issues."
Byrant nodded slightly, acknowledging the point, even if it wasn't a path he would have chosen for himself.
"So like I said from the start, it's really simple. Use the planet and the people, just like they're using me. We're all tools in this scenario, each getting something out of it.
The planet needs me to defend it, and I need to defend it for some of my goals. The people need me for the sake of the planet they live on, and depending on how I use that 'need,' they'll either support me or turn against me. Either way, I'll be the one steering how it plays ou…t..."
Evan slowly trailed off to the end, his eyes slightly widening in surprise.
It was only now, after voicing this plan aloud, that Evan realized—he was already partway down that road.