Sentenced to Be a Hero: Penal Hero Unit 9004 Records — Requiem of the Transmigrated Poet
Kuon Kanade had one dream: to be a poet. For that, his classmates laughed at him. For that, he learned to make himself invisible—eating lunch alone in the library corner, humming where no one could hear, surviving on poetry collections and silence.
Then a strange book called *Resonance* swallowed him whole.
He wakes in a world of towering bookshelves and pointed ears, where a burning mark has appeared on his neck—a holy mark. By the laws of this continent, all who bear one are conscripted as h
Sentenced to Be a Hero: Penal Hero Unit 9004 Records — Requiem of the Transmigrated Poet - First Mission: Trembling Song and the Smell of Blood
The dirt of the training ground had dried pale white under the morning sun.
Kuon Kanade felt the sweat slick against his palms as he gripped the wooden sword. Five days had passed since then. He kept replaying the morning after Zairo ordered him to "sing." Each time he sang, the holy mark on his neck glowed just a little. The pain in his body eased. What that meant, Kanade still didn't understand. But something was definitely beginning to change.
(But it won't become the power to fight.)
Kanade bit his lip. In the training ground, the other penal heroes were sweating through their drills. The smell of iron. Dust. Shouts. All of it felt like something from a distant world.
"Hey, Kuon."
A low voice came from behind him.
He turned. There stood a man with short, near-black brown hair spiking messily, an old scar on his left cheek, and a scruffy beard. Sharp amber eyes fixed steadily on Kanade. Zairo Forbarts. Captain of Penal Hero Unit 9004.
"Y-yes."
Kanade straightened his back.
"You're coming today too. First mission."
"...Huh?"
First mission. The words echoed heavily in Kanade's head.
"A mist-eater squad's shown up in the forest north of the fortress. Not many of them. We'll sweep them out while we're at it—good chance for reconnaissance."
Mist-eaters. Kanade recalled the word he'd heard in the transport wagon. Small monsters that spawned around the Distortions. About a meter long. They moved in packs and drained the life force of living creatures. Low danger level. But that was for people who could fight.
"Um... I can't fight."
Kanade's voice was so small it made even him feel pathetic.
"I know."
Zairo's reply was surprisingly casual.
"But come anyway. Just watch from the rear. Get a feel for the battlefield."
The feel of the battlefield. Kanade swallowed hard. He was scared. He didn't want to go. But he didn't have the courage to refuse, either.
"...Understood."
Kanade gave a small nod.
"Don't die."
Zairo said only that, then turned and walked away. Kanade just watched his broad back.
—Don't die.
Just one word. But it seeped slowly into the depths of Kanade's chest. This man had told him not to die. Just that alone made the fear ease, if only a little.
The equipment depot stood on the east side of the fortress.
Inside the dim stone room, weapons and armor were lined up in neat rows. The smell of iron and oil stung his nose. Kanade took the worn leather chest piece he was handed. Heavy. Just wearing it would make his shoulders ache.
"Oh, so you're Big Bro's singer! First battle, huh!"
A cheerful voice rang out. It was Tsarv. The murder-conviction man from the transport wagon. He slung a magic-driven rifle easily over his shoulder and came bouncing over to Kanade with a grin.
"A-ah, yes..."
Kanade instinctively took a step back.
"You'll be fine if you stay in the back. I'll shoot through everything for you!"
Tsarv was as bright as if he were heading off on a field trip. That innocence was, conversely, terrifying.
"Tsarv, shut up."
Zairo said low.
"Okaaay."
Tsarv laughed and began deftly checking his sniper's magic-driven rifle. The long barrel glinted dully in the dim depot.
Beside him, Tatsuya silently picked up his battle axe. A man wearing a rusted helmet, keeping the contents from spilling out of his lost rear cranium. He said nothing. He simply lifted the massive axe one-handed and gave it a light swing, as if testing its weight. A whoosh of air being split. Kanade caught his breath.
(If that hits you, you die instantly.)
Kanade looked down at the wooden sword in his hand. This was his weapon. It looked like a toy.
"You planning to fight with that?"
A voice spoke. He turned to find Benetim standing there with a sly grin. A genius con artist with nothing but talk. He was lightly equipped, carrying nothing that resembled a weapon.
"No... they told me it was for self-defense."
"Self-defense, huh. Well, it's a placebo at best."
Benetim shrugged.
"I'm the negotiator, so I'll be watching from the back. You can join me—let's pray together from a safe spot."
"...I'll do that."
Kanade nodded honestly.
"Benetim, you're coming too. Run and I'll kill you."
Zairo said in a cold voice.
"Huh, kill? You serious? That's a harsh joke."
Benetim was smiling, but his voice trembled slightly.
"I'm not running. I know I'm safer near Big Bro than running."
"Then stop talking and get ready."
"Yeah, yeah."
Benetim disappeared lightly into the back of the depot.
Kanade looked for Dotta. The small-statured thief was in a corner of the depot, trembling with a small dagger in his hand.
"Dotta."
When Kanade called out, Dotta's shoulders jumped.
"A-ah... Kanade."
Dotta turned with a face about to cry.
"Are you all right? You look pale..."
"Of course I'm not all right... I can't do fighting and stuff. I'm good at stealing, but killing each other... I'm scared..."
Dotta's voice was about to fade away. Kanade realized this small man was just as scared as he was.
(This guy's scared too.)
Kanade felt his heart lighten, just a little. It wasn't just him. He wasn't the only one who was scared.
"I'm scared too. But let's do our best together."
Kanade said it as if convincing himself.
"Yeah... yeah, that's right."
Dotta wiped his tears and nodded over and over.
—The north gate.
The heavy iron gate slowly opened. Morning light illuminated the landscape beyond the fortress.
The ridgeline of the Alvein Mountains stood sharp against the blue sky. At the foot of the mountains spread a deep forest. In that forest were the mist-eaters. Kanade stared at it, palms sweating.
"Formation: me, Tatsuya, Dotta, Kanade, Benetim. Tsarv, free sniping from the rear. If you spot a grotesque, I give the orders. Don't move on your own."
Zairo's voice was sharp enough to cut through the battlefield air.
"Got it!"
Tsarv ran lightly up onto the rampart with his rifle. In an instant, his figure shrank.
"Let's go."
Zairo took the lead and walked forward. Tatsuya followed silently. Kanade chased after them on trembling legs.
The forest entrance was closer than he'd expected.
The trees grew thick, morning light filtering thinly through the leaves. The ground was damp, threatening to trip him up. Somewhere, a bird called. Other than that, it was eerily quiet.
(So this is the feel of the battlefield.)
Kanade felt the depths of his chest grow cold.
"...Hey, Dotta. Scout ahead. Check the surroundings."
Zairo ordered in a low voice.
"Huh... me? Alone?"
Dotta's face went pale.
"Your night vision and your skill at killing your presence are the best in this group. Go."
"B-but..."
"Don't die. If anything happens, shout. I'll come running."
Dotta glanced at Kanade with a tearful face. Kanade couldn't say anything. He could only give a small nod.
"...I'm going."
Dotta gripped his dagger and vanished among the trees.
Kanade watched him go with something like a prayer in his heart.
(Please, be safe.)
How much time passed after that?
Zairo stood with his arms crossed, staring into the depths of the forest. Tatsuya hadn't moved a muscle, his battle axe planted in the ground. Benetim fidgeted, glancing around restlessly.
Kanade felt his own heartbeat pounding unnaturally loud.
—That was when it happened.
"GYAAAAAAAH!!"
A scream echoed from deep in the forest.
It was Dotta's voice.
"Dotta!"
Kanade's body moved on its own.
"Hey, wait!"
Zairo's voice of restraint didn't reach Kanade's ears.
Kanade sprinted through the trees. Branches grazed his cheeks, cutting them. The taste of blood spread across his lips. His legs tangled. He nearly fell. Still, he ran.
(Dotta! Dotta!)
Toward where the scream had come from, at full speed.
—He burst into an open clearing.
Kanade caught his breath.
There lay Dotta. Blood flowed from his stomach. Around him, five grotesques had gathered.
Mist-eaters.
Creatures like beasts wrapped in black mist, about a meter long. Their bodies had blurred outlines, and only their eyes glowed red. They crept toward the fallen Dotta with low growls.
"...Ah."
A rasping sound escaped Kanade's throat.
He was scared.
His body trembled.
No voice came out.
(I have to save him.)
His head understood. But his body wouldn't move. His legs stuck to the ground as if glued.
"U... uwaa..."
Dotta groaned in pain. Blood kept pouring out. At this rate, he would die.
(He's going to die.)
The words spun round and round in Kanade's head.
(Dotta's going to die.)
—That was the moment.
Kanade's hand unconsciously gripped the poetry collection in his chest pocket.
(If I sing... maybe I can do something.)
Kanade opened his trembling lips.
"...Wind."
His voice came out.
Faint, trembling, about to vanish at any moment.
"Blow..."
Kanade began to read a verse from the poetry collection aloud.
—Wind, blow.
—Take even this pain in my chest.
—Carry it away.
—To the far, far edge of the sky.
His voice trembled. The pitch was off. But Kanade sang.
That was when it happened.
The holy mark on Kanade's neck glowed.
Faintly, but surely. The murky holy mark began to give off a pale light.
The light spread from Kanade's body into the air.
And then—
The blood flowing from Dotta's stomach slowed, just slightly, just barely.
"...Huh?"
Kanade couldn't believe his eyes.
The bleeding hadn't stopped. But its force had clearly weakened.
(The song... is working?)
Kanade kept singing. Even as his voice trembled, even as his throat felt like it would tear, he kept singing.
—Wind, blow.
The holy mark glowed again.
The mist-eaters stopped moving. Their red eyes all turned toward Kanade at once.
"GISHAAAAAA!!"
One of them leaped at Kanade.
"...!"
Kanade squeezed his eyes shut reflexively.
—THUD!!
A roar.
When he opened his eyes, the mist-eater that had leaped at him was dissolving into black smoke.
"You idiot! Running off on your own!"
Zairo's angry shout rang out.
Zairo had lightning wrapped around both hands. Pale blue sparks scattered from his palms. Lightning magic. His holy mark blazed with dazzling light.
"Tatsuya! Take the two on the right! Tsarv, snipe from the left!"
Zairo's orders flew.
Tatsuya silently raised his battle axe.
SHAAK!!
The air split. One mist-eater was cut clean in two and vanished into black smoke.
—BANG!
A dry gunshot.
A bullet fired from afar blew off another mist-eater's head. Tsarv's snipe.
"Come on, who's next!"
Tsarv's cheerful voice echoed through the forest.
Zairo unleashed lightning.
BZZT!!
Pale blue light pierced a mist-eater.
"GYAAAAH!"
A death cry.
The remaining mist-eaters tried to flee. But Tatsuya's axe wouldn't allow it.
SHUNK!
The last one was slammed to the ground and vanished into black smoke.
The battle was over in an instant.
Kanade had collapsed where he stood. His legs shook violently. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest.
(Is it... over?)
Kanade looked toward Dotta with trembling hands.
Dotta was still down. But the bleeding was far less than before. Zairo knelt beside Dotta and pressed a cloth inscribed with a staunching holy mark against his stomach.
"Dotta, can you hear me?"
"U... uuu... it hurts..."
Dotta's voice was weak, but he was conscious.
"You're fine. We're heading back now. Like I'd let you die."
Zairo lifted Dotta's body.
"Benetim, give me a hand too. Tatsuya, watch the perimeter. Tsarv, head back to the fortress first and contact the infirmary."
"Roger!"
Tsarv's voice came from far away.
Kanade still couldn't move.
"...Hey."
Zairo stood before Kanade.
"Y-yes..."
Kanade looked up.
Zairo's amber eyes stared down at him. He was angry. But somewhere behind that, Kanade thought he sensed something else.
"Don't throw away your song."
It was a short, single sentence.
"...Huh?"
"Dotta's bleeding weakened because of your song. And it's not just that. My lightning and Tatsuya's axe both felt like they were in better form after that song. Might be my imagination, though."
Zairo turned h
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.