Chapter 1: (0) I Was The Strongest, But Failed As The Hero

My name is Johann Winchester and I was The Hero.

As the son of the Saintess and The Hero of the previously summoned Hero Party, I was naturally gifted. 

Whilst others my age were unable to even walk, I could harness my immense mana and supreme mana control to fly the skies.

Whilst my fellow cadets would struggle against the practice dummies of the academy, I effortlessly manifested Sword Force to cut clean through them.

With such powers, my parents naturally made sure to raise me as an honourable warrior of justice, instilling me with the desire to protect the weak from the strong and the Diligence needed to hone my talents.

When I was deemed ready, I travelled the Seven Realms of Azerta, gathering my virtuous comrades and saving the world step by step from the Sin riddled Demon Lords, Prideful Angels and the ever Avaricious Evil Dragons .

As I journeyed the realm with my comrades, we wrought holy justice upon those who would trample over the weak, over journey seemed to have no end in sight but, all of a sudden, one day, the number of enemies that had the courage to challenge our justice diminished, until finally the world grew peaceful, my comrades like to joke that it was because we had become too strong.

I knew the truth however, it was because I had become too strong, but at the time I didn't think that was a bad thing, after all, the world my parents and comrades longed for, had finally come into our grasp.

But... over time I saw the truth; I saw the ever Charitable Knight steal treasures from the people that could help him surpass me, I saw the Humble Wizard crazily search for forbidden magics when my raw mana dusted the Demon King of Pride, I saw the Rogue lose his Patience as my strength outgrew the need for his once wise plans, I saw the Chaste Bard whore himself as he become obsessed with siring a child that could one day surpass me, I saw the Merchant succumb to the bottle as his self restraint withered to nothingness upon realising the futility of his role and I saw the Kind Saintess fall to depravity upon realising I had overcome the very virtues of the Gods our comrades had embodied.

I sought advice and returned home to the very Hero's that instilled within me the Diligence needed to remain focused and master my powers without slack. Surely, surely they, my parents, would know where we... where I had gone wrong.

However, my parents too… they were outwardly proud but, they seemed so distant, afraid even, of how far I had surpassed them… but why? I followed their teachings and worked so hard, every day, without rest to spread their justice throughout the world and bring peace to Azerta.

I overheard them that night… they were speaking in hushed but broken tones as they accused me of spreading their justice through fear, corrupting it, I didn’t understand… I had somehow tainted their justice by becoming too strong? That couldn't be!

And so I hid myself in plain sight, utilising the very same magics that the Bard had once coveted and travelled the world in various guises, indeed I saw it, the horrid impact of my power upon the balance.

The weak and downtrodden that I had dedicated my life to protecting, they abused the foundation of this new peace, they abused the threat of my power to enslave our former enemies, falling to the very sins we swore to reject, they relished their newfound authority, the forces of 'good' had become worse than our enemies had ever been in their sordid ecstasy.

I realised then, that the true goal of any hero should be to create and protect a fragile equilibrium, never allowing one side to have true dominion of the other… but it was too late, perhaps only my death could solve this and spur the forces of 'evil' into reclaiming their freedom.

But then... surely the same cycle would repeat itself? how would the people protect themselves from the physically superior Demons or the magically gifted Angels?

It was in this, my one and only time of desperation and need, that she summoned me and I took the first steps in discovering a way, my way, to create a lasting and mutual peace.

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