CHAPTER 25: THE HERO AWAKENS

The translucent screen flickered before me, its soft glow a sharp contrast against the suffocating darkness surrounding me. My body sagged against the cold, unforgiving wall, every limb aching with numbness. Blood streaked down my face, clouding my vision, but I could still make out the faint, cryptic text floating in the air.

[Plot Armor][Grade: Unique][Type: Passive][Details: You are the fortunate one, receiving the blessings of the universe.]

Blessings of the universe? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

I could hear the commander's footsteps in the distance, his armored gait reverberating through the chaos, each step deliberate, heavy, and menacing. The gleam of his sword caught the dim light as he neared, and for a moment, fear constricted around my throat. My heart thundered, each beat reminding me of my vulnerability.

Then, the screen flickered again, the ethereal glow spasming with glitches.

[Error]

… [Player is unauthorized for power.] …

[Error] … [Something is disrupting the system.]

My breath hitched. The pulse of panic was relentless in my ears. The glitches intensified, and the screen fought to stay stable.

[Analysis complete.]

… [Loading Abilities…]

… [Receiving skill: Swordsmanship]

[Receiving skill: Pain Tolerance]

[Receiving skill: Cold-Headed]

[Receiving Title: Chosen Warrior]

… [Player activated and recognized as Hero.]

… [Overwriting Title: Chosen Warrior with Hero.]

… [Loading Hero-specific Abilities…]

… [Granting skill: Hero’s Growth]

[Granting skill: Noble Sacrifice]

[Granting skill: Window of the Soul]

[Granting Mission: Holy Sword]

[Granting stat points: +10 to all stats, +30 unallocated stat points.]

What the hell was happening? The overwhelming surge of information swirled around me, but there was no time to process it. The commander was getting closer, his presence dark and suffocating. I could feel time itself bending, slowing, no, warping completely as the seconds stretched into infinity.

A larger screen materialized, taking over the others with more detailed information:

[Player: #23081]

[Level: 1]

[Title: Hero]

[Skills: Plot Armor (U-grade), Hero’s Growth (U-Grade), Noble Sacrifice (U-Grade), Window of the Soul (U-Grade), Swordsmanship (D-Grade), Pain Tolerance (E-Grade), Cold-Headed (E-Grade)]

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

[Stats: Str-93, Agi-79, End-88, Int-44, Mag-10, Luck-76]

[Unallocated stat points: 30]

[Status effects: Severely wounded, immobilized, slight blood loss.]

My eyes raced across the skills, unable to process the sheer magnitude of what was unfolding. The next set of screens appeared one after the other, relentless:

[Hero’s Growth][Grade: Unique][Type: Passive][Details: Experience gain increased by 500%.]

[Noble Sacrifice][Grade: Unique][Type: Passive][Details: Release an explosion covering a ten-kilometer radius, exterminating all within—including yourself, for the greater good.]

[Window of the Soul][Grade: Unique][Type: Active][Details: View the stats of a target less than twice as strong as the player.]

[Swordsmanship][Grade: D-Grade][Type: Passive][Details: +5 Str, Agi, and End whilst using a Sword.][Proficiency: 0%]

[Pain Tolerance][Grade: E-Grade][Type: Passive][Details: Reduces incoming pain by 5%.][Proficiency: 0%]

[Cold-Headed][Grade: E-Grade][Type: Passive][Details: Increased resistance to fear, panic, and emotional disturbances.][Proficiency: 0%]

Finally, the screen flashed one last time:

[Loading Hero Awakening…]

… [All status effects removed.]

The transformation hit me like a tidal wave. A searing heat spread through my body, stitching flesh and bone with divine precision. My heartbeat steadied, its rhythm now powerful and unyielding. My senses sharpened, the world around me becoming unnervingly clear, as if I had stepped into a reality beyond mortal understanding. Blood loss ceased, wounds sealed, and pain faded into nothingness, a distant memory.

When my eyes met the commander’s once more, something had shifted in him. The fierce confidence in his gaze faltered, replaced by confusion, and was that fear? His grip on his sword wavered, his steps faltering as if something in him was grappling with an emotion he hadn’t expected.

A shadow passed overhead, immense and foreboding. My breath caught in my throat as I looked up. A gargantuan black-scaled dragon loomed above, its massive gray horns twisting like jagged spires reaching for the heavens. Its wings, vast and powerful, blocked out the faint moonlight, plunging the alley into an unnatural darkness. Those golden eyes locked onto mine, their malevolence penetrating to my very core. Its presence was suffocating, a weight in the air that made each breath a struggle.

[Plot Armor Activated]

The dragon’s roar shattered the silence, a guttural sound that reverberated through the ground beneath me. The commander staggered back, his fear now undeniable. But it was too late. The beast opened its maw, unleashing a hellish torrent of purple flames.

The fire consumed everything in its path. Buildings crumbled like paper, their stone walls reduced to ash. Screams echoed through the air, mingling with the roar of the blaze. The commander never stood a chance, his form was vaporized in an instant, swept away by the inferno that surged forward with relentless fury.

Chaos erupted. The air thickened with smoke, each breath sharp and searing. The acrid scent of burning flesh clung to me, a reminder of the lives lost in the dragon’s wake. The streets that once teemed with life were now nothing more than smoldering ruins, their remnants devoured by the dragon's rampage. The purple flames cast eerie, distorted shadows, their glow casting an otherworldly pall over the devastation.

I staggered to my feet, my chest heaving as I surveyed the nightmare around me. The world had been reduced to ash, and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to fully comprehend it.

“What the hell is happening?” I gasped, my voice hoarse.

The dragon ascended into the sky, its roar echoing through the desolation, its wings cutting through the air with thunderous beats. It wasn’t just destruction, it was annihilation. I was a mere speck in the face of this cataclysm.

As I stared at the ruined city, the translucent screen flickered before me once more, its ominous glow casting a shadow over the world.