Froggy: Yeah… uh, over there. Follow me.
He led them down a path no one should've been able to walk, yet they kept going, driven by their determination to hunt down any demons in the area. They didn't understand him—clearly. No matter how hard he tried, without Star there was nothing he could say that would reach them.
Luckily, gestures worked. If he wanted to say "that way," all he had to do was point and start moving. The first time, they thought he was casting some kind of curse—but soon enough, they figured it out and followed.
Froggy: Good. I'm sure they're somewhere around here.
The dwarves began murmuring among themselves. They didn't look happy—tired from the march, and whatever little trust they had left was slipping away. After an hour, they had found nothing. Their patience was running out.
The "demon" spoke again.
Green Demon: TRAK TRAK AKT Grum-Tram HAHAHA!
The dwarves stopped and exchanged glances. They already believed he was a demon. If he didn't survive the mission, it would just be written off as an accident. They silently agreed—he had to die.
Froggy: Friends?
The first strike came—he dodged it by inches.
Froggy: Wait! Wait! I'll take you to the army!
They didn't understand. Froggy ran—but they didn't chase. Instead, one dwarf began charging his weapon, a glow building along its edge. Magic. If that hit him, it was over.
No escape. No hidden way out. No miracle waiting around the corner.
This was it.
Froggy: Goodbye… cruel world…
The weapon came down. A massive explosion followed.
"Rebooting… Rebooting… Rebooting…"
[WELCOME BACK TO THE HERO SYSTEM]
Hero Froggy Green.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
You have died.
[Revive]
[Mysterious option]
Froggy: …
It felt strange—like someone who vanished suddenly showing up again right when things went wrong.
Froggy: Where were you?
6…
Froggy: This again?
2…
Froggy: Yeah… you really never change.
[MYSTERIOUS OPTION SELECTED]
Froggy: Let's see what you've got.
You obtained: Old Potato.
He reappeared right in front of them, wearing an arrogant grin.
Froggy: Miss me?
The dwarves stared in disbelief. That shouldn't be possible…
They tightened their formation, moving as one, preparing to charge.
Froggy took the chance to rip off the cloth, revealing his glowing knife.
Froggy: Aha! Look… a mysterious glowing artifact. Dangerous… yeah, very dangerous…
He waved it around, only making things worse.
Inside his head, everything was chaos. No way out, dwarves furious beyond reason, and his knife starting to annoy him with how brightly it shone.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
UPDATE!
New mission: Defeat the enraged dwarves.
Level: ???
Reward: ???
Froggy: That's not very helpful…
They attacked again. Froggy dropped to the ground—the strike passed just above him.
Froggy: HA!
The second one didn't miss.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
You have died.
[Revive]
[Mysterious option]
Froggy: Hey… do you always give me something when I pick the mystery one?
[MYSTERIOUS OPTION SELECTED]
You obtained: Old Potato.
Froggy: What are you now, a farmer?
He came back again—but this time, the dwarves didn't hesitate. They rushed him together. From that moment on, it was hopeless. One of them—Twar—grabbed his arms.
Twar: Now!
The axe rose.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
HOSTILITY HAS EXCEEDED CRITICAL LEVELS
Froggy: I KNOW THAT ALREADY!
The end closed in again.
Then his knife flared—brighter than ever before. A blinding light swallowed everything. The dwarves. Froggy. The entire field.
They covered their eyes. No one could see.
Things had spiraled far beyond what anyone expected. The dwarves, now fully enraged, had made up their minds—they would kill him no matter what.
In the chaos, Froggy staggered to his feet—blind as well. They began striking wildly, hitting each other, convinced they were fighting the demon.
He stumbled forward and crashed into one of them. Someone stepped on his foot.
Froggy: AHH! Watch where you're stepping!
Twar: He's here!
Something hit him.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
You have died.
[Revive]
[Mysterious option]
And the fight dragged on, leaving every dwarf bruised and battered, along with the so-called demon—collapsed and exhausted, just like them. No one stood. Every part of their bodies ached.
An open field. Red, steaming ground. Around twelve dwarves—and one man in his underwear—lying scattered among weapons and armor, like the aftermath of a war.
Froggy let out a long breath.
Froggy: I really missed you.
The system didn't answer.
But far away, something stirred. A presence awakened from an age-long slumber. It had sensed something unusual—a displaced soul. A hero.
The ancient being opened its eyes—like a burning abyss, brighter than any star. A primordial entity, guardian of lava, master of the True Flame.
The absolute lava lizard had felt that glow…
That hero.
It had to destroy him.
Its rival.
The entire dungeon trembled under its presence.
It had awakened.