Chapter 2 The Return

The hero saved the world from the clutches of the demon king. In any other situation, Ethan would be greeted by smiles everywhere. Still, while he crossed half of the world to finally return home, he saw himself being watched by only stern eyes. He didn't stop in any place, but despite having the speed of a bullet, he couldn't just follow a route where he wouldn't find a single living person. Although he single-handedly defeated the demon-king, many soldiers still were camped in the wastelands that had been created thanks to the conflicts.

Half of the world had been destroyed in that war, but the more Ethan approached the Hedo kingdom, the more people he saw. He recognized some, but no one recognized him. Even though he fought alongside them for quite a while. The hero of the calamity… he was called that by the humans of that world because those who got close to him would disappear and only reappear after a while with amnesia and powerless. Meanwhile, Ethan only grew in strength. Thanks to that, not even the humans of that world could see him as an ally.

Thanks to the power of magic, everyone learned that the hero of calamity was fast approaching. However, those in the royal palace already knew that. The summoning magic circle could only be activated when the hero was summoned and when he defeated the demon king. Those events were beyond anyone's control. So, the king and its retainers alerted the citizens to stay at their homes for three days and three nights. Everything is for the sake of protecting the citizens and not to increase the heroes' power. The hero never tried to get close to anyone, but nobody could imagine what he was thinking. Many assumed that he only fought the demons alone because that way, he could obtain their power, after all.

The capital was completely silent. The place looked like a medieval city like London during the industrial revolution without the smoke. Ethan crossed the streets without finding a single living soul. Even the castle was empty… Thanks to Ethan's effort, the royal family of the Hedo kingdom was never put in danger, and yet, no one was there to greet him or even offer him a thanks for fighting for his life and dirtying his hands with blood for an entire year.

"What a big welcome party for the hero who saved the world," Ethan said while showing a self-mocking smile. "Well, not that I would waste any time at a party at this point in time, and I will party as much as I want once I return home."

The moment Ethan had been waiting for in the last months finally arrived. When he opened the door of the throne room, he saw the magic circle shining. He was finally going home and would free himself from his accursed power. The more he approached the magic circle, the more Ethan felt the mana living in his body. It was only natural that something like that would happen. He was returning to Earth, and Earth didn't have mana.

Unfortunately, after a while, Ethan felt that the core of his mana wasn't disappearing. He felt shivers imagining the possibility that his power might not even leave him once he returns to Earth. If that were to happen, then there would be no mistake, the demon king used the right words, and Ethan would deserve the title of the cursed hero.

Ethan gulped when he stepped on the magic circle. The space around him whitened just like before he arrived in that world. All the mana in his body began to leave at an astonishing speed. Ethan felt his body getting heavier, and he also felt all the things he had obtained over the past year disappear from his control. However, the only thing he truly needed to lose didn't leave him. In the next moment, Ethan saw himself back in his classroom. He was sitting on the same chair that he used on the first day of high school. The chair that he used only a single day…

The classroom was empty for some reason. Ethan got up and approached the windows only to confirm his fears. The school was empty… eleven months had passed while he was in another world, and so eleven months had passed on Earth as well. As if that wasn't enough, Ethan still could feel some mana in his body.

"Status Screen," Ethan said.

Name: Ethan

Class: Omni Hero/ ????

Level: 01 (0/100)

Health: 50/50

Mana: 50/50

Stamina: 50/50

STR: 05

MAG: 05

PHY: 05

END: 05

RES: 05

SPE: 05

ραпdα nᴏνa| сom DEX: 05

EVA: 05

ACC: 05

Coins: 00

Status Points: 00

Skill Points: 00

Ethan, fifteen years old… an ordinary high-school student and savior of Eheia, finally returned to Earth. Still, he didn't have many reasons to feel happy.

Things didn't change even a little bit in his neighborhood. Summer was about to end, but since it was only seven in the morning, Ethan couldn't see many people walking on the streets after jumping over the gates of his high school. His residential area was pretty close to his school, and most people had already gone to work while the students were still lazing around and enjoying their summers.

Despite everything, Ethan felt a sense of comfort just by walking in his civilized world. Although the few people he met along the way frowned while looking at him, he paid them no mind.

"Although I'm thankful that these clothes didn't disappear, I still wonder why I have them," Ethan frowned while looking at his clothes, which made him look like a hunter of the Middle Ages. "This is made of mana, so it should have disappeared… perhaps…"

Ethan's power as a hero was equipped with many features. Not only could he access a status screen, but he also could access a skill screen, a quest list, an inventory, and a shop. Since the power he received by being summoned was the power to steal magic and memories from others, he didn't get all that much experience while fighting. Although it was called experience, it was just mana absorbed by the monsters that it was used to strengthen him, so he could use that mana to create and buy all kinds of things. All of those options would be upgraded the more he leveled up and did other things like analyzing the gear of his opponents.

All in all, it was like Ethan's had become a game character, but he also had access to game master powers. So, even if his current clothes had been crafted with the mana he received in another world, those wouldn't disappear until he unequipped them.

The more Ethan approached his home, the faster his heart began to beat. He couldn't help but start to sweat, thanks to the tension when he finally saw his home. Even his house didn't change a single bit in the last year. The garden which his mother liked to look after in her free time. Even his dog, Milo, was sleeping there as if it was waiting for him. Even though he always liked to do that at that time of the year.

Ethan approached him, and Milo opened his right eye but quickly closed it again. Ethan couldn't help but laugh a little. Milo had never been particularly close to him, so he did that many times.

"Thanks for not forgetting about me, boy," Ethan said and then scratched Milo's head.

Ethan headed to the door of his home. He didn't know which of the week that was, but most likely, his parents and older sister wouldn't be at home. However, if that was Sunday… Ethan took a deep breath and then opened the door. He had been waiting for that moment for months. There was no need for hesitation. Still, after doing that, Ethan couldn't help but frown. Even from the entrance door, he could see his family having breakfast, his father, mother, and older sister in their seats. However, his seat wasn't empty. A strangely dressed figure was there.