Chapter 2: Rebirth in Rainfall
The air was crisp as Maro ambled down the cobblestone path leading to Derrington Academy, his school in the heart of the city.
The vibrant autumn leaves crunched beneath his shoes, and the echo of his footsteps reverberated through the quiet neighbourhood.
The incident that had left him teetering on the edge of life now lingered like a spectre in his memory, but the promise of a new day and the prospect of normalcy appealed more to him.
As he approached the imposing iron gates of the school, Maro felt a sense of both trepidation and anticipation.
The Hero System, the strange force that had bridged the gap between life and whatever lay beyond, lingered in the background of his thoughts like an ever-watchful guardian. He wondered what it wanted, why it had picked him.
It was all he could think of as he walked onward, returning to the mundane.
The hallways of Derrington Academy bustled with the raucous noise of students preparing for another day of academia. Maro, with a bookbag slung over one shoulder, navigated the labyrinth of lockers and laughter until he reached his first class – Mathematics.
The lesson unfolded under the steady drone of the teacher's explanation, the chalk scratching against the board noisily. As Maro immersed himself in algebraic equations, he felt the peculiar rush of the Hero System stirring again.
[Int +1]
'Huh?', he rocked back in his chair, surprised by the sudden flash - drawing a frustrated glare from his teacher, Mr Birbon.
His Intelligence stat ticked upward by a solitary point.
'Interesting...', he mused - curious as to what else could affect the Hero System he had been bestowed.
In the subsequent hours, Maro traversed the school halls, each class offering a unique opportunity for his stats to blossom.
In Gym class, under the watchful eye of the imposing Coach Mersey, Maro pushed his physical limits for the first time since the incident.
In all honesty, he had never pushed his physical limits before either, not even once. But the incident had truly acted as a catalyst for change - he was pitiful, incapable of running nor fighting and that had to change. Lest it happen again.
'If I had just been a little faster I might have gotten away.', he scowled - noting how the fancy of fighting had evaded him completely. He knew he was no fighter.
The coach led the students through a gruelling regimen of exercises, from tire flips to rope climbs. As beads of sweat cascaded down his brow, he felt the dormant energy within him stir again.
[Str +1]
[Agi +1]
[End +1]
With each push-up and sprint, progress ensued – Strength, Agility, and Endurance inching upward. The increments were small, imperceptible to the casual observer, but Maro sensed the growth.
He truly was a single point stronger, faster, and sturdier.
During the breaks between classes, Maro often wandered the hallways alone, the murmurs of conversations and the laughter of his peers forming a distant hum in his ears.
He was keenly aware of the invisible barriers that separated him from socialising at Derrington Academy. He couldn't help but feel a certain detachment from the lively interactions around him.
His isolation was not just a result of the recent incident that had shaken his world; it had always existed. Ever since his mother's death and his father's illness worsened - he found it difficult to talk to anyone. What could they understand?
In quiet moments, He engaged in silent dialogues with himself, contemplating. He was a capable boy, relatively smart academically, and he paid for his things, to avoid being a burden to his father.
Yet sometimes he wondered if he had been forced to grow up too quickly. The troubles that waned in his mind were not the troubles a 13-year-old boy should possess.
He observed his classmates forming bonds and alliances, sharing jokes and secrets, while he remained on the periphery, an observer of a world he struggled to fully inhabit.
The final bell rang, signalling the end of school. The once pristine halls of Derrington Academy transformed into a river of students eager to escape "prison".
Maro, was always the last to leave. He contemplated joining a club, but shook his head in dismay at the thought of being turned away.
As he exited the school gates, the familiar cityscape stretched before him, bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun. A crisp breeze stirred the air, but as he looked further down the street, an unexpected encounter awaited him.
A figure, shrouded in the dusk's gathering shadows, stepped forward – a face that Maro recognized all too well. The person who had once shot him, callous eyes devoid of remorse, now leered at him from a distance.
Fear, a familiar companion, gripped his heart. The memories of the alley, the gunshot, and the cold embrace of death flashed before him.
The confrontation was brief, a mere exchange of glances laden with unspoken animosity. The figure vanished into the shadows, leaving Maro standing dumbfounded.
The criminal hadn't remembered who he was.
Returning home, He mulled over the day's revelations. The stat points he had earned were meagre, a testament to the long journey that lay ahead.
As he approached his residence, the system's voice resonated in the chambers of his mind, an order.
[Quest: Stop the mugging nearby!]
It urged, the words echoing like a clarion call to action.
The streets, now cloaked in the mantle of night, offered a canvas for Maro's story. With a sense of purpose, he traversed the alleys, vigilant for the signs of impending danger.
And then, as if orchestrated by fate, he witnessed the scene unfold before him – the same criminal who had once threatened his life now preying upon an unsuspecting man. His heartbeat quickened, and sudden determination propelled him forward.
The Hero System, a silent observer to the unfolding drama, whispered its command once more.
[Countdown until quest expiration. 10, 9, 8...]
Maro, now standing on the precipice of heroism, knew that this was his first quest, a trial that would determine the trajectory of his life.
The alley became a stage for a confrontation, the echoes of past violence mingling with the palpable tension of the present. The criminal, strengthened by a false sense of impunity, turned to face Maro with a sneer. He had noticed him.
Amid the darkened alley, raindrops began to fall, a reminder of the night that had changed his life. The Hero System's voice, resolute and unwavering, murmured its final command.
[Final choice. Do you accept?]
"Yes.", he said with a strange sense of finality. As though he had just made a promise, one that he could never return.
As Maro faced the imminent clash, his every step etched a new chapter in his story, seeking redemption for the injury he had been given by that man.
His heart pounded in his chest, a symphony of anticipation and anxiety. The rain-soaked alley, illuminated only by the distant glow of streetlights, became the stage in which his fate would be tested.
The criminal, a silhouette against the shadows, brandished a glinting knife – poised to carve a new scar into Maro.
With wavering determination, Maro faced the criminal, his gaze fixed on eyes that mirrored his own determination.
A flurry of energy pulsed through his veins, and he felt the dormant stats within him flicker with newfound potential.
[Skill Unlocked! Valor]
[Lvl 1, Valor: Temporary surge in stats.]
[Congratulations, User. You have taken the first step to becoming a Hero. The Hero System has now bonded with the User. What is your name?]
He whispered, a mix of disbelief and awe lingering in his voice., "Valor...?"
[The Hero System welcomes you, Valor.]
"What? No, that isn't-"
[Stats Temporarily Upgraded! Strength +4, Agility +4, Endurance +4, Vitality +4, Intelligence +4]
-
Maro Dumont (Valor)
Race: Human
Strength: 7
Agility: 7
Endurance: 6
Vitality: 8
Intelligence: 14
Luck: 1
-
The criminal lunged forward, a dagger cleaving through the air. Maro's instincts kicked in, and he quickly sidestepped the attack the blade whistling past him like an arrow.
Unfortunately, he slipped - falling to the floor in a sprawled-out position. Fuelled by the rush of adrenaline, Maro seized the moment and rolled to the side as the criminal stabbed down. His clumsy dodge sufficed, and he narrowly dodged the impending blow.
He then sent a retaliatory strike, swift and measured, catching the criminal off guard.
The criminal staggered, a yelp of surprise escaping parted lips as he clutched his leg. In the struggle, the knife clattered to the ground.
As Maro grappled with the criminal, the alley became a battleground, rain-slicked cobblestones bearing witness to the clash.
He tussled with the man many times bigger than him - with extensive difficulty.
In the confrontation, his Endurance was put to the test. The exertion grew with every dodged blow and retaliatory strike, acting as the catalyst for his growth.
[End +1]
A single point materialized on his stat screen, an affirmation of his resilience.
As the struggle reached its crescendo, Maro's vision became a blur for a moment – a dance of shadows and desperation. He kicked upwards, landing a hit between the criminal's crotch.
The criminal, now disarmed and subdued, lay defeated upon the damp cobblestones. Groaning and whimpering as he clutched his crown jewels.
The city, a silent witness to the heroism, sighed with the collective breath of gratitude.
The Hero System's voice echoed once more, a congratulatory whisper in the aftermath of Maro's trial.
[Quest: Stop the mugging nearby, completed!]
[Rewards: 5 Renown, 3 Available Stat Points!]
[Lvl 1 Valor, Exhausted. Stats returning to default.]
The alley, once shrouded in gloom, now bore witness to the birth of a hero.
With the mugging thwarted and the criminal incapacitated, Maro's gaze fell upon the fallen figure. Recognition flickered in the criminal's eyes – a realization that fate had woven an unexpected twist. "You...!"
The authorities, summoned by the vigilance of the man who had nearly been a victim of the mugging, arrived to apprehend the criminal. As the handcuffs clicked shut, Maro's eyes met his gaze.
An unspoken understanding passed between them – a shared acknowledgement of the choices that shaped their lives.
In the aftermath, Maro felt a sense of satisfaction, a realization that the Hero System had not merely given him powers but showed him the latent heroism that he possessed.
The city, indifferent to the forces that governed its fate, continued its raindrops tapping against windows like the applause of unseen spectators.
After having spoken to the cops, the Hero System's voice called out to him.
[Your first quest is complete, Valor. You have defended the innocent, and your journey as a hero has only just begun.]
The rain persisted. Maro walked away from the alley with newfound purpose.
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