The Hero System

Chapter 3

"Attack!" Rowan gave the order.

The ten Hunters immediately attacked the red dragon.

“Why are you worried about me? You should be worried about your father!” Francis hissed.

"But you will die!" Alexander growled. “Trust me if you don't want to die!”

Alexander never forgot the forest in front of him because he had many memories of that forest. At that time, it was his first time hunting dragons, and he lost his best friend.

Many dragons inhabit the forest. There were no Hunters or Magic Hunters who could enter the forest and find the cave because most of them died after only killing two or three dragons.

Rowan, the chief of the dragon hunting organization Klaudstion, was curious about the forest and allowed all Hunters and Magic Hunters from everywhere to join him. He even invited his son, who had never hunted a dragon because he had just graduated from the Hunter Academy two weeks ago.

Alexander was tense watching his father and nine Hunters struggle to kill the red dragon, but he wasn't worried because, in the past, only Francis had died. He was increasingly convinced because the unfamiliar voice only gave him the task of saving his best friend from the dragon.

“Francis,” Alexander called to his friend with his gaze focused forward. “Would you believe me if I said that the dragons living in the forest differ from those attacking us?”

“Why do you have thoughts like that?” asked Francis indifferently. His annoyance with Alexander had disappeared. In the forest, there were many dragons that he could kill.

"Do you believe it?" Alexander repeated his question. "Trust me, we shouldn't kill the dragons that inhabit the forest."

Francis looked at Alexander with a frown on his forehead. "You're very strange today."

“I know everything,” Alexander muttered.

“How can you know everything? This is your first time hunting a dragon.” Francis pointed at the bow that Alexander was holding tightly. “You should shoot the red dragon. Prove to people that you are as great as your father."

Alexander looked at Francis expressionlessly. He never cared about other people's opinions about him.

He dug into his memory; at that time, his arrows always missed the target because Alexander was afraid, which made him unable to save Francis.

Alexander furrowed his brow. The number of Hunters attacking the red dragon has increased. Six Hunters, including him and Francis, didn't confront the dragon. The four Hunters who chose not to fight were Magic Hunters.

"Did you just realize how strong the dragon is?" asks Francis. "Almost all the Hunters banded together to kill him."

Alexander gripped the bow tightly. He remembered everything written on the transparent blue window, as well as the unfamiliar voice that told him he was powerful. He wanted to try to prove the truth.

Alexander threatened Francis not to leave his side before aiming his arrows at the red dragon's neck, which fluttered its wings, sending dirt and goes flewed toward them and halting the actions of the Hunters who were out to kill him.

Alexander's jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. The arrow he had released penetrated the dragon's neck, causing the dragon to fall to the ground. A few minutes later, someone announced that the red dragon was dead.

"Why did the dragon die?" Alexander was unhappy. He shouldn't have aimed his arrow at the dragon's neck.

“Wow, you're so great, Alex!” Francis was amazed by Alexander's archery skills.

Everyone turned to Alexander with looks of shock and disbelief. They didn't think about why Alexander's arrow could stick so deep into the red dragon's neck, which was as hard as iron.

Rowan gave his son the thumbs-up. Then he instructed five Hunters to grab the red dragon's heart, eyes, and skin. They would sell the dragon's body pieces.

Alexander didn't expect his strength to be so terrifying. He regrets it because they weren't supposed to kill the dragons that inhabited the forest.

The dragons they had to kill were those who invaded their country, the devil's subordinate dragons.

[You have made a mistake.]

Alexander wasn't used to the unfamiliar voice yet. A transparent blue window floated in his view.

Status.

Strength: 999.900

Speed: 999.900

Intelligence: 999.900

Alexander frowned. Was the penalty he received the point deduction?

The unfamiliar voice said that Alexander had made a mistake. Did the unfamiliar voice disagree with his actions in killing the red dragon?

Alexander didn't accept losing so many points. He just wanted to try how strong he was now.

“Why didn't that stranger's voice stop me? Damn.” Alexander kicked the tree next to him, causing his toes to throb.

They entered the forest, looking around warily with their hands always holding the hilt of the sword hanging across their hips.

Rowan walked at the forefront with a Magic Hunter who had fire magic. Because the trees were so shady, sunlight and moonlight could not penetrate the forest.

Alexander and Francis walked almost in the back row. Francis no longer cared about Alexander, who didn't want to relinquish his hand.

Alexander dug into his memories. He forgot where Francis died; perhaps his brain deleted the memories because he didn't want to remember the occurrence. But right now, Alexander needed those recollections.

He asked the owner of the unfamiliar voice, but Alexander didn't get any answer. He was getting increasingly anxious because they were already in the forest, and the mountains were already visible to their eyes.

The participants were separated into two groups. Those who seek to discover the cave's existence join forces to obtain treasure and magic crystals.

Meanwhile, those searching for dragons sought vengeance on the dragons that had attacked their countries.

Five days ago, everyone never expected the dragons to come to their country and emit fire from their mouths, causing fires and many deaths and serious injuries.

Alexander used to think that the dragons had run out of patience because, for decades, they had killed dragons to get treasures and magic crystals that the dragons had guarded for hundreds of years.

Not only that, they also make money from selling dragon hearts, eyes, and skin at very high prices.

Now that he knew the truth, Alexander really wanted to invite all Hunters to search for the whereabouts of the devils, but his father and Francis didn't believe him.

At least he had to gain his father's trust, the chief of the dragon hunter organization in Klaudstion.

"Black Dragon!" Francis yelled when he noticed a dragon sleeping on a pile of magic crystals. Using all of his power, he managed to free his hand from Alexander's grasp and sprint towards the dragon, followed by the other Hunters.

“Francis!” Alexander shouted after recovering from his shock. “Damn. Why doesn't he listen to me?” He ruffled her hair.

Alexander's pulse rate soared dramatically, and terror surrounded him as he recalled the awful memories. "He will die from that black dragon tail!"