Rats Out 2

The orb of light started setting at the horizon. Waving their way in the skies, the sun rays gave out the color of orange-red, capturing Eddra's attention. The color then turned to shades of dark inflamed color, until the darkness took over the sky.

The five of them left the scene. Four were barely scarred, including Eddra, while the fifth person was staggering from the wound on his thigh.

Eddra was also surprised he had dealt with twelve knights with no casualties, although it was probably because of the [System] with its routine and [Base Stats]. Maybe because the enemies were not that intimidating than the ones he would encounter in the next three years.

"See that kid? He thought he could survive if he fleed." The commander pointed his finger at the dead body hidden behind the bushes. It was the corpse of one of Eddra's fellow recruits.

Seeing its state, Eddra was reminded of his past self. He left his teammates just like the owner of the body and flee for his own survival in the war.

Their only difference was, the kid met his proper death while Eddra did not, he was bestowed with hunting [System] who forced him to reset.

Shortly after they walked away from the incident, Eddra could now see the carriage in the distance. And at that moment, Arundel informed them they had to return back at the inn for another stay.

Splitting into two groups, the commander and the wounded went in the same carriage while Eddra was obligated to share the last vehicle with the two others. Defeatedly taking the seat beside the door, Eddra rested his chin on his palm.

...

After having his warm bath, Eddra stormed inside the rented room provided for him. In a similar way, when they had reached the inn, there were no clients other than them.

He was relieved though, that the commander wanted to stay at the same place for lodging since he forgot to fetch his equipment in the far back of the inn.

"... Now, what shit is this [System] spitting again?" Eddra irritatedly belted as he brought a hand on his waist and the other on his chin.

He hadn't had the chance to scan the contents entirely when it popped in front of his face because he was enjoying his bath at that moment. But soon while he was dressing, he took a quick gaze at it, and a second later he hastened back to his room.

[The 'First Order', the Birth of the Culminating Hero.

A dying knight striving for his life was given the second chance to live again.

"I don't want to be weak again. I don't want to regret my life this time!" was his cries... ]

It was obvious that the thing attached to him was mocking Eddra. He did not remember speaking any of the lines, and most of all he would never say those.

Well, he was indeed displeased that he was weak... So, maybe he could safely say that the plate was half right.

Raving as he waved off the plate to his face, his hand pervaded through the translucent thing and suddenly the plate changed its contents.

[The 'First Order', the Birth of the Culminating Hero.

He had the memories of the future and he could use it to avoid the death of thousands of innocents.

He swore he won't fail in the second life bestowed to him.]

Just after Eddra finished reading it, the plate gradually faded out before him and another one popped out as a replacement.

Ding!

[Main Quest: Birth of the Culminating Hero!

Acquire a bound weapon and start the journey to become a 'Hero'!

Reward(s): 450 EXP

Warning: Failing the Quest will bring death to the User.]

'Is this a joke?' he scoffed out.

An individual such as himself, a coward who left his teammates to try and survive on his own benefit would be a hero? Eddra's mind stopped running immediately shortly after the contents sunk in his head.

"No... Firstly, I have to write down the events that will happen in the near future."

Gladly, his youngest sibling foreshadowed that he would need a few papers. His only problem was ink or a pen to write down his thoughts—

Of course! Why did he forget about the pen of his father?

Snapping his finger, he was satisfied that everything he needed was in his hands. Without wasting a second, Eddra opened his [Inventory] and grabbed the two necessities, placing it on his lap as he took a seat on the side of the bed.

Eddra took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. Recollecting his memories, he opened the thin notebook. The first three pages were full of gibberish writings, surely it was his sister's handwriting.

Eddra ignored those, moved on the empty papers, and started his writing to what could happen in his first year of recruitment.

The truth was, nothing really happened that much to him. It was just his father sending him a letter and nothing special had occured next in the army.

The first year was mostly about the future events for the expedition troop, that Arundel had successfully recruited four strong individuals—and Eddra, of course, wrote them as monsters in his note.

'Four beasts...'

He had met the first two, Curstian and Wensy. Eddra assumed that the other two would show themselves in seven to eight months. Did he know any information about the other two?

Well, one was identified as a mage, however, she chose to join the expedition. The last individual was simply... a cunning noble and that was all he knew about the man.

Was that all that occurred in a single year? Eddra thought maybe that was all that happened.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "The army lost connection on the troop for a month when they were in the middle of a mission from the Royal Commandery."

Obviously something happened there, which made the army lose contact with Arundel. '... And that's only four hours carriage ride from this inn.'

A mission where they were sent to obtain land from the indwelling tribes at the southern border of the Bancroft. It was around that single year where Curstian acquired a weapon as well, and it was the biggest talk in the army because the sword was said to be ostentatiously attractive.

"How flashy was that sword?" Eddra asked himself since he hadn't seen it when they met at the west border of the Principality of Bertyr. "And Wensy obtained his too..."

When he snapped out from the thought forming in his head, Eddra's chuckles filled the quiet room. It was not that he would steal it... Or would he?

[You have received an EXP!]

The plate that popped up in front of his face cracked him up. It felt as if the [System] was answering his ridiculous ideas. "No, I can't do it now. I'll be in the army by tomorrow."

Shaking his head, he proceeded on the events to his second year of recruitment: their household's butler's retirement, Idris' entree in the army, and Everette's enrollment in the academy.

And on his third year, the Royal Commandery gave the mission to kill the traitor along conquering the enemy's base.

"I think that's all there is..."