As I woke up, I felt the injuries all over my body, hurting, throbbing. But still I was glad as this showed that they have already began healing. When I looked over my body, I saw bandages placed over my arm and chest, covering the more serious wounds. I tried to stand up, only to hear the voice of a young kid.

“Mama, the hero has woken up.”

A small child looked at me before running behind a counter through a door. I smelled an aroma I haven’t dreamed of the last few decades. Is this a coffee-shop? Living from monster meat and water found around in the wild has been a serious hassle at the start. Never thought about how easy we had it to eat something before the rise of dungeons.

When I heard the door again a woman, with brown hair, falling down to her shoulders, came outside. She was dressed in a white shirt, dirtied by the latest happenings, and blue skinny jeans, giving her a youthful appearance. She looked over me, unsure what to do. Given the bandages and that I’m not lying in a crash side, covered in my own blood I guess she helped me.

“I believe I should thank you.” I stood up, wobbling before I could find my balance. Luckily, I was placed beside the counter and could steady myself with it, otherwise I would have just fallen to the ground again. “How long was I out?”

She twitched, tumbling her thumbs, before taking a deep breath to calm herself. “It’s been 5 hours since… then. Since these monsters came.”

5 hours, huh, I seriously thought it would be longer. What did I even think about fighting it before I could use the system? I am lucky it activated and that I killed it, wouldn’t had survived without the level-up healing.

“Here, take this.” The young boy came over, holding a glass of water out to me. I took it before rustling his hair with my other hand. Well, at least the boy survived.

“Ex, excuse me.” The woman started to ask. “Could you tell me what is happening. What are these monsters? And how could you heal this fast? You nearly have been dead.”

“Isn’t it obvious? This world just turned into shit. And it’s not going to get better.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it this way. What would an army do when they’re invading other countries? First there come the scouts. Did you see these ugly fellas, green-skin, most likely naked?”

She nodded her head, shaking with her whole body. Seems like they already had their share of adventures.

“When they have seen enough, they will send their warriors.”

“Then that big thing was…?”

“No, definitely not.” I let out a hollow laughter. “That thing was an abnormality.”

She exhaled deeply, letting out her pent-up breath. Yeah, that’s not something beginners should challenge, or even come across. I swear system, if I ever find you, you better be prepared for it.

“Thank goodness.”

“Don’t take me wrong. It’s not going to be long before beast like these become the normality. And a cyclops isn’t that much of a problem. These things are stupid, like retarded even. Just be careful not to get hit and attack the eye or the mouth.”

The woman turned silent once again, thinking about my words. I walked over to the entry, staggering all along the way. When I looked outside I saw the light dimming as the sun settled down. Then I felt a hand grabbing at my shirt from behind.

“Could I ask you…”

“Don’t try to ask me for protection. It’s not going to be enough to rely on others.”

“What if…”

“I don’t believe you have something worth offering to make me protect you.”

My shirt rustled as she let go. Then I heard a thud as she collapsed to the ground, sobbing quietly. I turned around and walked back to the counter, grabbing whatever food was left behind and putting it into a bag. With it in hand I walked back to the door, grabbing the kid along the way and setting it down in front of her.

“Calm down lady. I said I wouldn’t protect you, but I’m not going to leave you alone just yet.”

She looked up at me, streaks of tears running down her face.

“Call it a favor for a favor. You carried me inside, didn’t you? I would probably be dead by now if you didn’t, the least I can do is make sure you can survive.”

She looked at me silently, stunned at the sudden development.

“You have got five seconds, stand up now or I’m going to leave alone. Five, four…”

She shot to her feet, a newfound determination in her eyes. Seems like my eyes didn’t deceive me. This woman is determined to live and do what is necessary.

“We will go with you!”

“Good. First things first, go grab some food, you don’t want to end up hungry without something left.”

I smiled as I watched her run back to the counter, rushing through the door before coming back with a handbag in which she stuffed the rest of the food I couldn’t carry without it hindering my movement. I need to get a backpack from somewhere.

Meanwhile the kid came up to me. “You’re going with us hero?” Hah, Hero! As if I’m a hero. I wanted to leave you dead behind when the cyclops chased me.

“Just part of the way. And don’t call me hero. There aren’t any in existence. And even if I’m certainly not one of them.” I’ve seen enough to be sure that there aren’t heroes amongst men, only other monsters.

“But you saved me!”

“Call it a sudden decline in rational thoughts.”

The woman came back, her cheeks turned into a rosy color from the sudden rush.

“Good to go?”

She nodded at which I turned around and left the building.

“Second lessons for now, never ever search refugee in a place that’s like fifty percent windows.” I stepped forward as five goblins came out of hiding. Behind me the woman stepped forward, covering her child from the goblins.

The first goblin dashed at me, only to crash down when I kicked it into his face. “The third,” I held my hand out, sparks coming out from it, “it’s only yours if you kill it. Be it experience or other drops.”

“[Flame Whip; Modify: Multiple].” In opposite to the fight against the cyclops I conjured multiple Flame Whips. Well, I tried but it just split into two, and those didn’t seem to have even half of the power the lone one had. Well, should be enough for these little rats.

The flames shot forward, striking the goblins accurately at the vital areas. At the end of the fight two were left, stumbling blindly around, their tendons cut so they couldn’t walk anymore, while the other three lay dead on the floor, grasping at their throats which were burned till they were unable to breathe.

I picked up their weapons, a knife and an axe before I called the other two over. The woman gagged at the smell of burned flesh mixed with the body odor of an goblin while the child hid behind the woman. See kid, would a hero do something like this?

“Take these,” I held out the weapons to both of them, “and kill one each.”

The woman looked down at her child before speaking. “I will do it but please leave him out of it.”

Haaah, this is the problem with the first encounter. Idiotic survivors and overprotective parents. “Do you want him to survive?” The woman looked at me wondering. “What are you gonna do if another five of them appear? Can you take them all out all while you are protecting him?”

She still didn’t answer, biting her lips in reluctance. Gotta do this the other way then. “Hey kid, do you want to protect your mother?” The child hid behind his mother. “What will you do if these things attack her?” His tiny hands tightened into small fists. “She cannot protect herself alone.”

He stepped forward in front of his mother. “I will protect her!”

“Good kid,” I beckoned him forward to the maimed monsters before holding the small hatchet out to him. Given the size of the goblins it was perfect for a human child and he wouldn’t have enough strength to stab him with the knife.

The women stepped forward to stop her child but I moved between them.

“You have no right to decide this!”

“That’s a given. We all have no right to decide the lives of others.” I looked at the child. “Only you can decide if you want both of you to survive.”

The child looked at his mother.

“You don’t have to do this dear.”

The child looked at his mother, before his gaze fell back onto the hatchet. “I will protect you.” He turned around and lifted the axe.