Hero return - 01

"It's me who thanks you, Cedric Valenhart." Lucian Hale chuckled, his voice hoarse and weak, but still retained the remnants of arrogance. "Anxiety? It's funny that you talk like that, Cedric. You yourself don't even know what you're really fighting against. You're just a puppet dancing to the rhythm played by a greater power." He coughed, fresh blood flowing from his lips again. Cedric ignored Lucian's taunts.

He lifted Radiance, the holy light of the sword shining on Lucian's deathly pale face. "Enough is enough," Cedric said, his voice firm and determined. "I will end this suffering. I'm going to end you, Lucian Hale. For the sake of this world, for the sake of those you have hurt, and for the sake of justice!" Cedric took a step forward, ready to unleash the ultimate attack. It was still raining heavily, as if witnessing the end of this fight.

However, a faint whisper could be heard in his ear, a voice so soft that it was almost drowned out by the roar of the wind and the rain still pouring down. It wasn't Lucian's voice, but a deeper, older, more terrifying voice. The voice whispered, "You think you've won, little hero? You've only killed a pawn, a tool used for a greater purpose."

Cedric felt a bone-chilling cold. He realized that by killing Lucian, he had accidentally helped that evil force. By getting rid of the only one who could stand against it, he had opened the way wide for that evil power. Lucian was actually the victim, and Cedric, with his actions, had become a tool for the real enemy.

"Impossible..." Cedric whispered, his breath gasping. His fingers gripped Radiance's hilt tightly, but the sacred light of the sword had dimmed, as if responding to the confusion and uncertainty within him.

Cedric was still panting, his mind was confused as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. However, before he had time to calm down, a familiar mechanical sound echoed in his head.

[I didn't expect you to go such a stupid way, Guardian.]

Cedric jumped. "System?" His voice was filled with shock and confusion. "Why? Didn't you hint that the real mastermind was Lucian Hale?"

[Funny, the system that helped you is now under my control. This is all because of your negligence.]

Cedric felt a chill creeping down his spine. His breath quickened as the horrifying realization hit him.

"What?!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Who are you?! How could you take over the system?!"

[Ah, good question. But do you really want to know the answer?]

Cedric was starting to feel like something was off. This voice... wasn't the system he usually heard.

"You're the voice from before, right?!" He growled, his hands clenched tightly at his sides.

[Hehehe... Exactly, Guardian.]

The voice chuckled again, its mocking tone becoming clearer.

[Actually, it's quite enjoyable to see a Guardian like you in despair. But, since this is our client's precious request, we have to do this.]

What do you mean?! Cedric snapped, frustration mixed with fear.

[Oh, no need to rush, Guardian. Soon, our esteemed client will arrive. So—]

A chill crept over Cedric's body, a strange sensation as if being pulled by an unseen force struck him again.

[Goodbye, Guardian Cedric Valenhart.]

—

The blinding light enveloped Cedric's vision again. His body felt light, as if he had been thrown into the void. Then, in the blink of an eye, he woke up.

The air around him felt much calmer than the previous battlefield. No rain, no mud, no blood. He was kneeling in the middle of a grand hall surrounded by white pillars. The sound of footsteps echoed, accompanied by whispers from elegantly dressed people around him.

Cedric recognized this place.

He lifted his head with wide eyes. In front of him, an old man in a white robe stood on stage with a shocked expression. The summoning magic circle still glowed faintly in the air.

"The summoning is successful, oh Guardian. Please show your ability to save our world."

The voice of the old man in the white robe echoed throughout the grand hall. Like déjà vu, Cedric witnessed the same situation as a few years ago—a gathering of wizards surrounding the summoning magic circle, nobles watching with hope, and the air filled with the sacred aura of another world's summoning.

"Guardian, can you tell me what your name is?" Said one of the witches.

Cedric, who was still kneeling in the middle of the magic circle, finally opened his mouth. His voice was hoarse, but full of firmness. "Cedric."

"Oh? Alright, Sir. Cedric," said the white-robed old man, in a slightly hesitant but respectful tone, as if ready to continue the ritual with the name just mentioned.

Cedric, who was still in the magic circle, felt a turbulent atmosphere within him. He tried to calm his mind, but everything didn't feel right. It seemed like something had changed.

"If I'm not mistaken, soon the crown prince or something like that will enter this room." Cedric muttered, trying anxiously to ascertain if he had really gone back in time, back to the starting point of the summoning.

Just as he said it, the magicians around the room began to move restlessly. They seemed to realize that something was going to happen.

"5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

Moments full of tension rolled around, and suddenly the huge door at the end of the hall opened.

From behind the door, there was a sound of resolute footsteps, and someone appeared on the doorstep. His voice was so clear, so confident. "I heard the Guardian's summoning was successful."

Cedric raised his head. And just then, he saw him—a young man with a flowing royal robe, a handsome face adorned with a powerful aura of royal descent. Crown Prince. And it seems, nothing has changed.

"Yes, Your Highness, he is Sir. Cedric," said one of the witches standing beside Cedric, paying his respects to the prince who had just entered the room.

The young man, the Crown Prince, looked at Cedric with a curious look. "Hee? So you're that Guardian?" Prince Kallion smiled sarcastically, as if disdainfully, but there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "I, the Crown Prince of the Avandor Empire. My name is Kallion Ryan Avaris."

Cedric felt his heart skip a beat when he heard the name. His face couldn't hide his mixed feelings—shocked, confused, and a little annoyed. The reaction was spontaneous, almost automatic.

"Damn, this is truly happening again as it did in the past," Cedric muttered with frustration, gazing at the prince who appeared so young, as if it were the first time he had met him. He tried to calm himself, but this situation, which he should have been well acquainted with, now felt much heavier and more confusing than before.

Cedric lowered his head for a moment, trying to absorb the reality that had just struck him—that he was back at the starting point. Everything that had happened before, all his struggles, now seemed to be repeating, and he could not escape it.

"Your Highness, Sir Cedric must surely need rest after traversing space and time. I apologize for my boldness; perhaps you could meet him another time," said one of the wizards, bowing to the prince.

"Hmm, alright. I will obey you this time, Old Man!" replied Prince Kallion, in a relaxed but challenging tone. "I'll see you again later, Guardian," he added with a wink. "Please think of this palace as your own home."

Cedric could only snort, feeling annoyed by the prince's overly arrogant attitude. "Ckk... I really didn't like that prince's personality from the past," he muttered to himself, as if he couldn't wait to get out of the situation.

"Sir. Cedric, if I am Anna, I will escort you to your room," said one of the maids who appeared politely, introducing herself with a friendly smile and then beckoning for Cedric to follow her at this time.

Ah, so Cedric is rewinding time and going back to the past. He's following Anna from behind as they walk through the palace corridor.

But as Anna leads the way, Cedric feels the same tension as before. It's... a familiar feeling, as if he's back in the past—same time, same events, but everything feels... a bit different.

"It seems like I'm really back," Cedric whispers to himself, while keeping his expression calm. Each step in this hallway brings back hazy memories, like a puzzle being revealed again. But now he knows more about what's going to happen and the choices he'll face.

"Really a second chance," Cedric muttered quietly, as if warning himself.

"This is your room, sir," said Anna, opening the door of the luxurious and spacious room.

Cedric stepped in, his eyes sweeping around, observing every detail of the room with mixed feelings. Although everything seems familiar, something feels like it... It's strange, like repeating an episode that has already been passed, but with a slightly different setting.

"Please, if you need something, please ring the bell," Anna continued, explaining the facilities in the room.

Cedric nodded softly, but in his heart, he only felt more and more heavy with the fact that he had gone back in time. "I need to be more careful this time," he whispered, trying to digest all the information at hand.

"Who exactly is the client that the voice mentioned?" Cedric asked himself, full of confusion. "I hope the system can help me." He gritted his teeth, hoping that an answer would come soon. "Wait? system?" Cedric began to realize that this system was not new, as if someone was waiting to give him information.

"System calling," the system's voice sounded slowly but clearly, before a loading screen appeared in front of Cedric, hanging in the air.

"Oh, it's still the same," Cedric muttered, realizing that the system was still functioning in the way he was used to. But this time, he felt that something unusual would soon be revealed.

[ Player successfully identified]

[ Displays the current status.]

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Character Information

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Name : Cedric Valenhart

Class : Swordmaster

Job : Guardian

Statistics:

STR : 898 MP : 500/500

AGI : 687 HP : 700/700

INT : 80 CHA : 0

END : 698

EXP : 0. [Skill] [Quest]

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"So here it is... the same system." Cedric muttered quietly, staring at the screen in front of him. "Why are there changes in the CHA and EXP sections?" His eyes narrowed, trying to analyze the differences that just appeared. "Does it have anything to do with what just happened?"

[ CHA (Charisma): 0 — No social influence or leadership ability can be used. This status doesn't work if not honed through interaction with others. ]

[ EXP (Experience): 0 — No experience gained after the recall. Must engage in battles or quests to gain EXP. ]

"Is this because of going back in time?" Cedric murmured, his eyes still glued to the loading screen. His confusion deepened, trying to understand what was really happening.

"Damn... I have to start from scratch again," Cedric sighed. "Losing that expansion means I really have to start everything, even the relationships with the people here." He looked around, trying to absorb this strange situation, but his heart was filled with an even bigger question: who was the real client behind all this?

"Well, I'll think about that later. By utilizing information from the past, of course it is very beneficial for me," said Cedric with a slight smile, feeling a little relieved. He knew that knowledge of previous events would give him a huge advantage in facing what lay ahead.

"For now, let's prepare to greet the nobles here," he continued, preparing himself to face the interactions with important figures that would soon appear. Cedric knows very well that in this world, social relationships have a great influence on the next steps.