The Hero System - Chapter 24

“Well, you’re in a mess.”

Jonah jolted from the ground when he heard another voice. He remembered that he was almost killed by the misty creatures and the golem.

However, the cave was no longer there. There was only a house with a person sitting in front of it. The house was made of wood and vines intertwined with it. It looked quite magical with all the green lights hovering around.

Jonah looked at the person sitting in front of the house. It was a young woman sitting on a bench reading a book. The woman wasn’t truly human but she looked like one.

‘If humans really coexisted with this world’s beings before, I’m sure our evolutionary lineage is quite similar’ Jonah thought.

He couldn’t help it because the woman looked really human, but she wasn’t one. Jonah realized this when he saw the two wings on her back. They were transparent and sparkling. The woman had a seafoam-green hair and eyebrows. She also had emerald eyes that got along well with her unique hair.

“Welcome.” The woman looked at Jonah and smiled.

“Hello.” Jonah nodded. He has already figured out this woman’s identity.

“You seem to be having a rough fight.”

“Uh things happen?” Jonah didn’t know what to say. Luckily, his body wasn’t really injured now. He was how he originally looked.

“Haha, they sure do.” The woman laughed.

“Have a seat.” She gestured at the bench.

“But”

“It’s alright, the time has stopped in your world. This is just my consciousness.” The woman knew what Jonah was worried about.

When Jonah heard this, he walked over and sat next to the woman. He could smell the fresh aroma of spring from her even though this place wasn’t real. The two sat in silence as they gazed at the forest.

Now that Jonah calmed down, he was amazed by this place. The house was surrounded by forest in every direction. The sky was blue and looked never-ending. Jonah was confused about how this place existed. It was obviously not in real life since time is frozen in Terra.

“You’re here for the trial?” The woman asked breaking the silence.

“Um Yes.”

“Would you like to begin?” The woman looked at him and smiled.

“Sure! But, I have some questions” Jonah said. The woman looked surprised but her smile didn’t vanish.

“Okay. Go ahead.”

The two kept chatting. Well, Jonah was the one who asked and the woman simply answered. After a couple of questions, Jonah figured out the woman’s name. Her name was Riya. Apparently, she was a fairy! Jonah thought fairies would be a bit smaller

“Can I know why did you help this kingdom?” Jonah asked the question that bugged him the most. He felt that the story Lia told him didn’t make sense. Why would a spiritual being suggest to build a kingdom?

“To make him stay.” Sadness and reminiscent flashed in Riya’s emerald eyes.

Jonah asked no longer. He already had the answer he wanted. Riya’s heart belonged to someone, and that was Lia’s ancestor. However, he didn’t know what happened afterward.

“Can you tell me about the trial?” Jonah changed the topic.

“Okay. You’ll have to go through a test of mine. If you pass, you get to request something.”

“Uh does it have to be one thing?” Jonah asked. In his current situation, he needed more than just one thing to survive.

“Hmm. You can if you pass the trial three times. But that would depend if you manage.” Riya smiled and nodded.

“Okay. Let’s do this!” Jonah stood up and said.

“Okay, go into the forest.”

Jonah nodded and started walking. After walking for a bit, the house was no longer in sight. Only tall trees surrounded him. Jonah was confused since nothing happened. However, he kept walking around.

‘Hmm?’ Jonah spotted someone from far away. When Jonah got closer and saw his face, he slightly trembled.

“You!” Jonah could feel his blood boil with fury as he looked at the young man. It was the young man who threw him off the building and tried to kill him!

Jonah still shivers when he remembers the feeling of powerlessness when he fell to the ground. He didn’t ever want to experience that again. His fear, at some point, turned to hatred toward the person who did that to him.

Besides, this young man has already killed him in a different timeline. When Jonah thinks about the grief that his mother felt in the other timeline, his hatred amplified.

Jonah dashed toward the man without hesitation with savageness in his eyes. His heart was filled with hatred that he forgot why he was here. He only had one thought, to kill!

The young man also didn’t say anything and started to attack. The two exchanged a couple of blows but they were quite equal. However, Jonah was the only one who got tired.

While Jonah was battling the young man, he noticed something weird. The more he battled, the more the young man’s face changed!

What made Jonah shocked was that the young man started to resemble him! His iris were slowly transforming to green color like Jonah’s and his features changed a bit by bit!

However, Jonah trembled when he saw the expression the young man was starting to make. It was twisted with hatred and savageness.

‘Is this how I looked right now?’ Jonah snapped out of his rage.

This wasn’t him. Even if he met the young man in real life, he wouldn’t act this way. Jonah’s heart was filled with hatred stronger than he ever felt before.

The thing that sent a shiver down his spine was the one other feeling he had. Uncontrollable killing intent.

‘I the trial’ Jonah realized what was happening. This trial amplifies his heart demons. The shadows in his heart started to manifest.

‘So to pass this trial, I need to forgive this man?’ Jonah furrowed his brows and looked at the man that is not so far away.

‘No. Fucking. Way! I can’t do that even if I have to fail this trial! He almost murdered me!’ Jonah gashed his teeth.

He didn’t know what to do. He can never lie to himself and forgive this man. However, he’ll die if he doesn’t pass this trial.

‘No revenge is only wrong if it’s blindly executed. Hatred cannot cross boundaries and blind us. This is not who I am. Even if I want revenge, I can’t be like him.’

Jonah calmed down. Even if he wanted revenge, he wouldn’t let it control him.

He started walking toward the young man and arrived in front of him. Jonah’s heart was cold and calm. He saw things clearly and didn’t let his hatred out of control. His rage turned from a boiling lave to an ice pit. He raised his hand and pushed the young man.

The young man’s body turned into lights and disappeared.

“Well done, Jonah. You passed the first trial! What do you want?” Riya’s voice resounded in the forest.

“Life Dew!”

“Very well. Would you like to proceed with the trials?”

Truth is, Jonah didn’t want to. His earlier mental struggle drained his spirit. However, he can only clench his teeth and nod.

“Okay, proceed.”

Jonah nodded and started walking again. Soon, he met another person. However, this time it was him. But his other ‘self’ near a tree mumbling.

Jonah didn’t hear what his other-self was saying so he went closer.

“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!” Jonah felt unease as he heard his own voice repeat this like a maniac.

When Jonah was only three meters away from his other self, the latter turned around toward Jonah.

When Jonah saw the latter’s face, he felt so scared that he almost screamed. The other Jonah’s eyes were closed, deformed, and looked like they were burnt! On ‘his’ forehead was a third eye that was placed vertically and twitched non-stop.

All the hair on Jonah’s body stood up with fear. This time, he knew what this trial was about. It was about his fear

However, even if he knew that he couldn’t ease the fear in his heart nor make it disappear!

“Aaaaaaaaaaggggghhh!!! I don’t want to die!!!” The other Jonah went berserk and started to madly attack Jonah!

Please comment on any mistakes or typos you spot! I need to study my math exam so I can’t proofread haha!