The Immoral Hero/Part 1

A long time ago, a boy named Mark lived with Shino, his younger brother. Mark constantly sought attention and desired to become a great swordsman to protect his hometown, so he devoted himself to sword training. Shino was very shy and looked up to Mark, following him around and imitating everything he did. As time went on, Mark indeed became a great swordsman, with strength easily surpassing all others. One day, a large monster ambushed the town, and the townsfolk asked for soldiers to protect them. And while some people fled in terror, Mark stood strong and headed toward the monster. 'I'll protect my hometown!' Mark cried valiantly. His sword was not fit to dispatch the monster, but he refused to give up and attacked the monster with all his might. By the time the soldiers arrived, the monster had turned tail and ran, and Mark proudly stood there on the battlefield, covered in blood and gashes. Thanks to Mark's heroic efforts, not a single person was injured, and peace was bestowed upon the town once again. A mother clutching her baby thanked Mark, for she lived close to where the monster had ameared. 'Thank you, Mark,' the mother said. 'You saved me and my child. I will tell her stories of your heroics when she is older.' The baby smiled at Mark; Mark would never forget her smile. Everyone in the town praised Mark's bravery and regarded him as the local town hero. Happy that his hard work was paying off. Mark devoted himself to his sword training even more. After that day, Mark always received praise and adoration from the townsfolk wherever he and Shino went. He was given special treatment at popular establishments and received gifts from many people. Shino was awed by how much people admired his brother. 'How do I become a hero?' he asked one day. 'It's simple, Shino,' Mark responded. 'First, you get strong, like me. Then, when you defeat a truly horrible monster, you'll get recognition and finally become a hero.' Shino nodded at his brother's advice. 'Okay. I'll work hard to become strong and be a hero, too!' Something had changed within Shino the day Mark became a hero. It seemed as if Mark always did everything right, while Shino was destined to fail. Shino had given in to this idea, but had given up on himself and his dreams in the process. But today, Shino had finally realized his dream, which was to become a hero. He would no longer live in his brother's shadow, but instead devote himself to becoming exactly like his brother. And from that day on, Shino studied under his brother's tutelage in order to become a hero. Mark continued his heroics in felling monsters whenever they scourged the town. With each passing day, Mark's swordsmanship grew, and eventually he was able to tear common monsters asunder without batting an eye. After battles, Mark would always wipe the blood off his sword in a stunning fashion, which gave Shino a sense of pride and the drive he needed to improve his own swordsmanship. However, all the admiration and praise Mark received finally went to his head, and he came to the conclusion that he was superior to everyone. 'I'm the only one defeating monsters around here,' Mark arrogantly told the townsfolk. 'Giving me the same treatment as those too cowardly to face evil is an insult to my heroism.' As Shino didn't know any heroes but Mark, he began to believe that what his brother said was true, and this pushed his desire to be a hero even more. ある街の子供に、男の子マークと、その弟シノがいました. マークは目立ちたがりな性格で、街を守る剣士を目指していま す. 暇を見つけては熱心に剣の修行に励んでいました. マークの弟シノは気弱な性格で、兄の事をとても尊敬してい ます. いつも兄の後ろを付いて回り、真似をしているような子 供でした. ◇ 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　やがてマークが剣術を身につけ、剣の重たさを感じない程に 力がついて来た頃、街に魔獣が現れました. 住民が兵士を呼ぶ ために叫び、逃げ惑う中、マークは率先して魔獣の元へと向か います. 「家族の住む街は俺が守ってみせるんだ！」 まだ拙いマークの剣では１回りも大きい魔獣に対して満足に張 り合う事が出来ませんでした. それでも諦めないマークは必死 に食らいつきます. 暫くして兵士たちが魔獣の元に駆けつけると、傷つき逃げる 魔獣の姿、そして満身創痍ながらも膝を付かないマークの姿が ありました. このマークの活躍によって街の住人は誰一人とし て怪我を負う事も無く、平和が守られたのです. 「マークのお陰でこの子は助かったわ. あなたは私たちの英雄よ. この子が大きくなったら必ず教えるからね」 魔獣が出現した場所の近くに住んでいた奥さんは、赤ん坊をあ やしながらマークに感謝を伝えました. マークは自分の力で守 った命がとても誇らしく、その赤ん坊の朗らかな笑顔を胸に刻 みます. こうしてマークの勇敢な行動が評価され、街の人々か らは英雄と称えられました. マークは自分の努力が大きく実っ た事を喜び、さらに剣の腕を磨くようになります. ◇ 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　それからというもの、マークとシノが街中を一緒に歩いてい るとマークは道行く人々から毎日のようにもてはやされるよう になりました. 人気の施設では優遇され、街のお歴々からはプ レゼントが届くようになります. 「英雄になるにはどうしたらいいの？」 シノが尋ねると、マークは即答しました. 「強くなって、悪者を倒すんだ. シノも英雄になりたかったら 悪者を倒して街の人達に認めて貰うんだな」 胸を張って言い切る英雄の姿は、シノの目にとても格好良く映 ります. 「うん、僕も頑張って強くなるよ」 マークが英雄になると同時に、シノにも大きな変化が生れて いました. 昔から兄のやる事が正しく、自分がやる事は失敗ば かり. そう感じていたシノは自分の可能性を諦め、夢や希望を 持っていませんでした. しかしシノは今、生れて初めて将来の夢を持ったのです. そ れは“英雄になる事”. ただ漠然と兄の背中を追いかけるので はなく、自分も兄と同じ英雄になりたいという夢でした. それからというもの、シノは夢の実現に向かって愚直と言え るほど真っ直ぐに兄から“英雄”について学ぶようになります. ◇ 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　その後も魔獣が現れる度にマークは率先して魔獣の元に駆け つけては、退治していました. そんな日々を繰り返す内にマー クは剣の腕を上げ、並みの魔獣なら一刀両断出来る程に成長し ます. 剣に付いた血を手際よく拭き取り、鞘に納める姿は誰が 見ても様になっており、シノもそんな兄の姿に憧れて毎日剣の 修行に励んでいました. しかし、もてはやされる事が日常となったマークの態度は徐 々に横暴になり、今となっては街の誰よりも自分の立場の方が 上だと思うようになっていきます. 「俺は街の人達に代わって悪者を退治してあげてるんだ. 敵から逃げたり、躊躇ったりするような奴らと 一緒の扱いっていうのは英雄の俺に失礼だろ」 そう言ってマークは街の住人に対してふんぞり返るのでした. マーク以外に英雄を知らないシノは相変わらず兄の言葉が全て 正しいのだと信じ切り、一言一句逃さず心に留めては、早く英 雄になりたいと希望に胸を膨らませています.
 * -|English= Part 1: Birth of a Hero
 * -|Japanese= 第１回　【英雄の誕生】