Raphica, I have been so used to the hero of my era his Master Sword in hand, that I cannot help but ask, did the Hebra of your time ever have some kind of hero? Were you the hero perhaps?
Interested in some history Zhenn? Well sure, I'll be happy to answer.
In my time, if your referring to the hero of the Rito, then you'd be correct in saying that I would be seen in such a manner. I was the Rito Elder at the time. Who then became the Sage of Wind. To my people I was a hero of a sorts.
But if you're referring to all of Hyrule, that's... complicated to answer.
In my time Rauru sacrificed himself to stop the Demon King's reign of terror, so in many ways he could be seen as a hero.
But if there was someone who could be considered a hero in the way that your describing in my time. Someone who saves others, just because it's right thing to do. Someone who fights for others, and not himself. A single individual "wielding a sword" as you say... yeah there was someone like that.
This Hero single handedly turned the tide of the war to our favour, when things were at their worst. The Rito, myself included are alive because of him. Many people are alive because he swooped in to the save them, from something they couldn't defend against. It's something he did nonstop. Fighting monsters, and saving people was all he did, without any care for his own wellbeing. Rather than wielding a weapon, this hero... in many ways was a weapon. A very dangerous weapon... that decided to fight for our cause.
He... disappeared one day, after the war was over, and no one's seen him since.
I'm reminded of Link whenever I think about this hero, and another hero who also wielded the Master Sword just like him.