Dungeon Diver: Stealing a Monster's Power

Chapter 28

Abby and I walked out of the small brick building passing the two security guards on the way out.

I was feeling too many emotions at once.

I was happy and excited because my level just went up so much and I got to see a new dungeon.

On the other hand, I was a bit frustrated and disappointed because Abby just held my hand through another dungeon and basically gave me free pity levels. Without thinking I turned to Abby and let my emotions do the talking.

"Hey! You know I appreciate you showing me how these dungeons work and everything but I'm not getting the real battle experience a real hero would get if I went in alone!"

She grinned a little.

"A hero huh?"

I nodded in agreement without much thought to it.

"Yeah! Next time we face a dungeon together I'm going to be the one saving you! Got that?"

She didn't respond for a second and reality hit me in the face, my cheeks went a little red and I stepped back. What I said was true... but I didn't mean to say it all out loud.

"I-I didn't mean to say all that out loud."

Abby just giggled and kept walking.

I followed close behind. It was pretty much a silent walk until we got back to the Hunters Association building. She turned to me as we approached the front door.

"Well, you said it Jay. Next time we hunt together you'll be stronger than me. Let's see it."

Abby smiled and bobbed her head as she went back inside the building.

I stood outside for a while. Then decided to take the train straight home. I didn't even get anything to eat or sell my mana, I just walked straight to my apartment and flopped onto my bed.

My mind was foggy. Today's dungeon run was an eye opener... but it just didn't feel right.

I defaulted to my usual mental defense mechanism and picked up an old comic from my dresser and began to read. It was the newest volume of a series where the main character recently became the "strongest hero". He now has all these secret unimaginably difficult missions that he needs to complete to save the world. In the end, of course he saves the world. So predictable, but I can't stop reading!

A few hours later I smiled while closing the back cover. That was a pretty good one, I mumbled to myself.

"A hero... what is a hero?"

As I stared at the ceiling I pondered the word. A hero. Everyone has their own definitions for it.

Someone who saves those who can't save themselves?

Someone who stops evil from winning?

Someone who makes the world a better place?

Or is it just...

Someone who is the strongest.

That is the best type of Hero. They don't even have to save the day every time, just when they feel like it. They don't answer to anyone except for their own moral compass.

At the end of the day is that even a hero? And...Why does it even matter if that's a "hero" anyways. Why does everyone even aspire to be a "hero"?

In my drunken state of what I like to call "fantasy brain" my mind went back and forth from my bedroom ceiling to the many simulated worlds of comics I'd read about over the last few years. I came to a resounding conclusion. I mumbled it out loud.