The Hero System

Chapter 2

Alexander was perplexed. He was sure he was dead. Now, he should be in heaven or be the brightest star in the sky.

He ignored the unfamiliar voice.

“Was it all just a dream?” Alexander hugged his body. “A horrifying nightmare.”

Alexander sat at the edge of the bed. His brows knitted together, indicating that he was thinking deeply. He remembered his dream vividly and could still feel the tension and terror surrounding him.

“How could I have dreamed that the dragons attacking us were subordinates of the devils? Then the devil king appeared to reveal the truth and kill us?” Alexander felt that his dream was genuine.

The fragrance of cooking diverted his attention, and his tummy growled, signaling that he was hungry.

Alexander smiled at his mother, who came out of the kitchen.

Alex, you have to eat a lot," Lilian said as she forced her son to sit down. She nimbly placed the rice and all the side dishes on the plate. "This is your first time joining your dad on a dragon hunt."

Alexander frowned. "First time?" Why was he so sure he had often hunted dragons with his father and friends?

"I have prepared provisions for you and your dad." Lilian didn't notice her son's puzzled expression. "Even though I'm sad, I can't do anything because my son is fighting to save humanity."

Alexander had not yet touched the spoon and realized how much food was on his plate. He sunk deeper into confusion just because he had previously heard his mother say something similar.

“Alex.” Rowan was already wearing armor to protect himself from the dragon's tail. He held a sword tightly, and another sword slung across his hip. “Why haven't you eaten yet? We'll be leaving soon."

Rowan kissed his wife's cheek before eating breakfast.

"Dad," Alexander asked hesitantly. Rowan's face expressed displeasure because his son had not eaten his food. "I want to know. Those dragons… when did they first attack us?”

"Five days ago," Rowan responded without suspicion because, at that time, his son was frightened when he witnessed scores of dragons assaulting Klaudstion. "From today, you will always join my group to kill dragons so you never get shocked again."

Alexander immediately remembered the unfamiliar voice, and when he wanted to hear the voice again to be sure, the stranger's voice echoed in his head.

[5 days after the devil's subordinate dragons attacked humans.]

[You have been chosen to be a hero. Your first task is to save your best friend from the dragon.]

[If you fail. You will get a penalty.]

[You are powerful, but your status will decrease if you fail your task.]

"What does it mean?" Alexander shouted at whoever the unfamiliar voice belonged to. Then, he was even more surprised to see a transparent blue window floating in his view.

[Status.]

Strength: 1.000.000

Speed: 1.000.000

Intelligence: 1.000.000

"I don't understand." Alexander scratched his head.

"What happened to you, Alex?" Rowan asked, confused by his son's strange behavior.

“Are you scared, sweetheart?” Lilian pulled up a chair to sit next to her only son. “Don't you have an appetite? Do you want me to feed you?”

Alexander opened and closed his mouth. His parents didn't hear the unfamiliar voice that tasked him to protect his best friend from a dragon.

“Oh, God," Alexander said as he stood up, his hands hitting the table. A painful memory that he had almost forgotten suddenly appeared in his mind. “Francis is dead!”

"Alex!” Rowan snapped with a sharp glare on his son. "Why are you acting so strangely? You don't want to eat, then you yell and pound the table, and what you said ...?" Rowan frowned. "Francis dead?"

“Sweetheart.” Lilian stroked Alexander's back with a warm smile. "If you're not ready—" Rowan immediately cut Lilian off.

"Can't. He has to come now!” Rowan put on a fierce face. Lilian swallowed her saliva. She didn't dare to go against her husband even though she was worried about her son's mental condition.

Alexander couldn't tell his mother the truth. He returned one year before all humanity was wiped off, and he was picked as a hero despite not knowing whether the unfamiliar voice was kidding or serious.

***

"Dad!" Alexander approached his father, who had finished explaining the forest they would go to to hunt dragons to to the twenty Hunters and twenty Magic Hunters.

"Dad. Please, believe me, it wasn't the dragons living in the forest that attacked us. They never attack us. They always guard the forest they live in.”

Rowan looked at his son expressionlessly. "Stop talking crap. You should better pack your belongings and be sure to bring plenty of arrows." Rowan headed towards the horse-drawn carriage, which upset Alexander.

“Hey, why are you making a scary face? Is your father unwilling to give you his magic crystal anymore?” Francis put his hand on Alexander's shoulder.

Alexander glanced at his best friend with fear and anxiety as he remembered a traumatic experience and the unfamiliar voice that assigned him his first task. He held Francis' hand tightly. “You must always be by my side.”

Francis' jaw dropped, and his eyes forgot to blink. He didn't believe Alexander cared about him. “Why do you say that? Are you afraid that I will die?” Francis laughed.

"I'm serious," Alexander said firmly. Francis smiled crookedly; Alexander was similar to his father when he was angry. “I'm not joking. You should be happy because I don't want you to die.”

Francis whistled. “Luca should know about this.”

“Shut up.” Alexander pulled Francis' hand, and they walked towards the horse carriage. Alexander didn't want to see his best friend die horribly before his eyes again. He was confident he could protect Francis.

"What's wrong with you? This is the first time I've seen you think seriously.” Francis whispered to Alexander, who was sitting next to him.

Eighteen Hunters sitting with Alexander and Francis in the horse-drawn carriage silently observed them. Francis didn't care about their thoughts, but he wondered when his best friend would let go of his hand.

“I was thinking about what I should do to save you from death,” Alexander said honestly.

Of course, Francis didn't take his friend's words seriously; he was just confused by Alexander's change in attitude.

Two horse-drawn carriages, each carrying twenty people, moved fast to their destination forests.

Alexander fell deep into thought again. He didn't know what he had done to make himself go back to the past before the devils destroyed humans. Was Alexander the only one who got that precious opportunity?

Alexander already knew the truth. So he realized that slaying all the dragons in the forest was pointless.

They should be hunting for the location of the devil king's subordinate dragons' base or the devils themselves.

Alexander was restless when they got to the forest, and they were surprised to see a red dragon sleeping on the route leading to it. Rowan and nine Hunters plan to attack the dragon.

Alexander forbade Francis, a swordsman, from assaulting the dragon. Francis was upset with him, but Alexander refused to release their hands. The noise that they created caused the red dragon to awaken from its deep sleep.

Everyone who didn't attack the dragon took several steps back.