《The Hero Hunter》 Im quiting heroing Chapter 1 The cheers were deafening, and Gabriel stood at the heart of it all, surrounded by familiar faces¡ªpeople he had grown up with, laughed with, and called family. The air carried the sweet scent of roasted meat and spiced wine, mingling with the faint traces of smoke from torches that illuminated the night. Children darted between legs, their shrill laughter blending with the raucous voices of the gathered townsfolk. There was so much merriment. At least more than he had ever seen in his life, and it was all for him¡ªtheir war hero. A banner hung above the orphanage gates, his name crudely painted in purple. ¡°Welcome Home, Gabriel!¡± The letters were uneven, clearly the work of excited children. Gabriel let out a quiet chuckle at the thought. He could recognize little Mara¡¯s handiwork anywhere. The thought of her and the others putting in so much effort just to make him happy felt like a stake to the heart. They saw a hero, but they couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. ¡°To Gabriel, our hero!¡± A striking young woman cheered as she raised her glass high. Gabriel returned the gesture, albeit with less enthusiasm. After a while, the cheers softened as the townsmen huddled up to discuss politics ¡°Did you see the return fleet? I''m telling you we barely lost a man.¡± The children meanwhile had gathered around Gabriel, bombarding him with questions. ¡°Big bro, tell ''em about the time you and the prince were stuck behind enemy lines!¡± ¡°Or when the eldritch witch ambushed your troop!¡± ¡°Big bro, is Prince Icarus really that amazing?¡± The flood of questions threatened to drown him, but before he could even attempt an answer, the young woman from earlier appeared behind him. ¡°Now, now, big bro needs some time to rest. He has a trip to the capital tomorrow.¡± The kids paused for a while, their already shimmering eyes turning to literal stars. ¡°Ohhh Big bro how many tall buildings are in the capital.¡± ¡°Are you going to meet a general?!¡± ¡°That''s enough interrogating for one day, bath time¡¯s been pushed back an hour, so off you go.¡± As the children groaned and shuffled inside, she turned to Gabriel. ¡°So, are you going to tell me what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Gabriel wasn''t even surprised by her question. If anyone could tell he wasn''t in a good mood it was going to be Pearl¨C His younger sister. ¡°It¡¯s the orphanage''s deed,¡± he admitted. ¡°Yeah? What about it?¡± ¡°I can''t risk us getting thrown out¡­" ¡°We¡¯ve been threatened before, Gabe. But we¡¯ve never actually had to leave. The professor always finds a way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much longer he can keep doing that. That¡¯s why we need this.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. She sighed. "I still say you trust the professor. That badge of valor was something you earned with so much strife. Cashing it out for this shabby old¨C "I''m not doing all this because of the damned building¨C" "Exactly! You know, sometimes you are actually allowed to think of yourself first..." They stayed like that for a while silently watching their little celebration come to an end. The music was slow and the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy could be seen enjoying each other''s warmth with a slow dance. Pearl wore a pleasant smile as she watched them dance. But her eyes held something more, something he couldn''t decipher. After a while, she spoke again. "But if this is something you believe you have to do..." She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "Then at least be sure of what you''re giving up in exchange¡­ It''s getting late Gabe, go get some rest." With that, she walked away. After a while Gabriel said to himself. ¡°I already know what I''m giving up¡­ tainted valor.¡± *** The capital city Veinne was breathtaking at dawn. The first light bounced off its towering structures, making the gold-plated buildings shimmer with such brilliance it was almost blinding. The city never truly slept, and by the time the sun rose, the streets were already bustling with movement. Gabriel had seen Veinne countless times during his military training and deployments, yet its majesty never failed to amaze him. He had left Pogswood in the earliest hours, and the contrast between the outskirts and the capital was stark. Here, men in gold and red armor patrolled the streets, while civilians donning extravagant robes moved around with purpose. Something was off, though. It was subtle, but Gabriel¡¯s senses had always been... extra sensitive. The closer he got to the government district, the louder his instincts rattled. It wasn''t long before the unease seemed to permeate the air. There was this unusual tension, tensed faces, more and more guards than usual, hurried steps, hushed conversations. Then came the sirens, and after that... "Gods be damned," the driver muttered, his wide eyes locked on the side of the road ahead. He was so distracted that he rear-ended the car in front of him. But Gabriel had already stepped out, his focus elsewhere. A massive centipede lay dead beside a skyscraper. Strangely, the gathered citizens weren¡¯t looking at the monstrous corpse but at the figure hovering above it. The man had his back turned with his vermilion cape billowing in the wind. He hung like that in the air as if deep in thought. "With just a punch?..." "He wasn¡¯t even wearing armor." "How does he stay up there like that?" "I swear, he¡¯s a god¡ª" Murmurs swirled all around Gabriel. It wasn''t long before most began to call out to him almost like collective hypnosis. "Icarus... Prince Icarus." Gabriel¡¯s belly churned. The prince meanwhile turned at the mention of his name, revealing his handsomely sculpted face, framed by dark blond hair. The chanting grew louder as he descended, civilians reaching out to touch the hem of his cape or the shine of his red boots. Gabriel watched him with furrowed brows as he hovered above the swarm of civilians. Then the crowd saw her, the woman Icarus held in his arms. The excitement died soon after, and the crowd slowly parted. Gabriel recognized her. The minister of defense¨C Minister Amadala. She had once been part of the inner war council. Her unyielding ethos was one of the major reasons why the war had ended. There was a temporary barrier put up by the security officers, with Icarus and the lady he held at its center. The paramedics swarmed in after her, but it was already too late. She had already been killed by the eldritch beast. Attacks like these weren¡¯t unheard of, but for a creature to appear this deep into the capital... was deeply unsettling. The Prince''s involvement was even more disturbing. But the masses couldn''t be more glad that Icarus had been there. His presence alone dulled the fear in his people¡¯s hearts, so there wasn''t much panic. Gabriel lingered at the scene for a while, watching the prince Icarus as he discussed with the security officers. A flurry of emotions welling in his chest when suddenly, Icarus''s gaze shot towards him. Gabriel was already gone. Shrouded deep in a canopy of civilian bodies. Gabriel caught another cab before long. But even after leaving the scene, he couldn''t help but wonder: An attack this close to the government district could mean war. Or perhaps just an excursion out of the dome to inspect for anomalies¡ª maybe a reminder of Icarus''s strength to keep their enemies in check. Either way, it was a dangerous precedent, one he wanted no part of. Gabriel arrived at the Sovereign Hall before long. The massive building loomed over him. ''The empire¡¯s administrative heart''. The sheer size of it was staggering, spanning over an acre in width alone. Glass and thin gold filaments made up most of its structure, reflecting the light like a beacon of authority. Gabriel forced himself to remain unimpressed as he stepped inside. He was clad in one of his red formal uniforms with his badge of valor dangling just below his heart. The sight of it left him with a bitter after-taste, but there wasn''t much he could do about that. He had a meeting with the Minister of Internal Affairs¡ªa man who had done everything in his power to keep this meeting from happening, even scheduling it at an absurdly early hour, knowing how far Pogswood was from the capital. Unfortunately for him, Gabriel was the timely kind. He still had Gabriel wait a little while before sending for him. "Sir." Gabriel said with a salute which the minister acknowledged with a barely audible grumble before sliding a stack of documents across his desk. "Listen, kid. That old shack of yours was sitting on a railway system. And due to the influence of its previous owners, the government had decided against tearing it down, choosing instead to build around it for whatever reason. Hence, its increased value." "So?" Gabriel urged. "The current owners simply don''t see how a badge of honor can compensate for the land''s current value." The minister said matter-of-factly. "Don''t see how... it''s a farm in the middle of nowhere how much value could it possibly have!" Gabriel roared. The minister simply gestured to the documents on the table, and with reluctance Gabriel reached for them. After a while Gabriel clenched his jaw. "So, it was never going to be ours." "Never." the minister said with a smirk. "I¡¯d suggest you stop wasting your time. If the owners have been good to you all these years, I advise you just keep paying the lease and go find something worth your badge of honor." Frustration boiled in Gabriel as he stormed out of the man''s office. "80 million V''s. How the hell is a farm in the middle of nowhere worth so much. This isn''t a price, it''s a wall." Gabriel mumbled as he stomped. He had barely made it down the hall when he felt the hair behind his neck stand on end. The air thickened as Gabriel¡¯s breath hitched¡ªthe world around him fading to red. Beads of cold sweat trickled off his skin as his instincts screamed at his feet to run for dear life. But from what? Then he saw him. Above the hall, staring right at him with a subtle grin. The Prince Icarus. ¡°Oh Fuck.¡± Icarus The Hero Chapter 2 Gabriel trembled under the weight of the prince''s intent. He had his head lowered as his knees threatened to buckle, reminding him how ill fitted he was in actual combat scenarios. A flash of pain suddenly coursed through his every nerve, accompanied by a metallic tang that flooded his taste buds. He had bitten his lower lips in hopes of gaining control of his body again, but just then, the prince''s suffocating presence suddenly vanished alongside his regal figure. Gabriel darted his head about searching for him, but the prince Icarus was nowhere to be found. There was this creeping sensation that lingered though¡ªlike unseen fingers tracing his spine¡ªstill setting his nerves on edge, albeit mildly. His instincts flared again in warning, but Gabriel was far too slow to react. Before he could turn, Icarus was already there, standing right behind him. Too close. ¡°Easy there,¡± Icarus said, raising his hands as if to calm him. His grin disarming, almost friendly. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to spook you.¡± Gabriel didn¡¯t relax, more like he couldn''t. ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± Icarus chuckled as he spoke. ¡°Oh? I''m sure I didn''t, soldier. After all, what could possibly frighten a ghost?...¡± Gabriel didn¡¯t answer, his hands still rattling as the adrenaline flooded his blood stream. His intuitions were still tolling bells, but Icarus wasn¡¯t acting like a beast about to rip out his throat. If anything, he looked amused. So Gabriel feigned composure as he assumed a much more comfortable stance. Then came his salute. "Your highness." He said, not daring to look the prince in the eye. "Please, please. At ease, soldier." Icarus said with a sigh, and Gabriel was quick to respond. "I apologize for my little indiscretion. I was merely curious about the extent of one of your... special traits. So I decided to test it out for myself.¡± ¡°I hope my performance pleased his highness.¡± Gabriel said, his expression failing to reveal his distress. ¡°You were sharp. A bit sharper than I anticipated, but when has that ever been an issue...¡± Icarus said with a smile as he tilted his head. He let his cold blue eyes linger on Gabriel for a bit before speaking again. ¡°I heard you can sense danger from far away before it''s even anywhere near you... and I hear that''s not all.¡± Gabriel didn''t reply for a while as he considered Icarus''s words and their intent. He and the prince had not worked at the front lines together in fact, the few times they had met, was during the war councils¨C and only on mission briefings he was directly involved in. The true extent of his capabilities had always been kept a secret from his pairs and even high-ranking officials. The only members of the war council that had sufficient information on his capabilities were the prime minister and Gabriel¡¯s Handler¨C the late minister of defense, Miss Amadala¡­ The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Icarus had been kept out of the loop, much to his distaste, but there wasn''t much he could do about it. As powerful as he was he couldn''t have possibly dared to defy the entirety of the war council¡­ at least at the time and certainly not because of him. Still Icarus wasn''t the first member of the war council that had tried to bring Gabriel under their camp, knowing how invaluable his abilities could be in political warfare. Fortunately, there were laws that protected him and his interests. But how useful were laws against men like Icarus. "I can recall reading your file, and I can''t deny that I was fascinated enough to wish you joined my company. We''ll be more than welcome to have you." "... My ability isn''t as useful as it seems sir. And... I plan to retire from active duty as soon as possible." Gabriel stated firmly. He knew what he was passing off¨C the wealth, the power, but the mere thought of what he would have to do in exchange made his stomach churn. ''Never again.'' He wasn''t going to let anyone use him as a tool ever again. "Retirement? Huh." Icarus finally said as his grin slowly faded into something more professional. The prince now seemed a bit more rigid, locking both hands behind his back. "Well it''s a shame. As you would''ve probably noticed, the capital is in a bit of a peril. Your services would''ve been very much appreciated.¡± ¡°Unfortunately sir an attack this deep in the government district is something even my intuition couldn''t have predicted.¡± Gabriel replied. ¡°How do we know that for sure if we are yet to try?... Tell me Ghost, your little sister back at Pogswood, if she had a knife to her neck right this moment do you really doubt you''d be able to tell?¡± Gabriel turned to face the prince then his expression sour. "Why stand in the middle of nowhere, when there are funeral preparations to attend to Prince Icarus!" A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind. When Gabriel turned he could see the overly robust minister of internal affairs struggling to make it across the hall. "Minister Doku." Icarus smiled as he received the minister''s hand. Gabriel stared at them both with furrowed brows. It was a stretch, but a vile suspicion had begun to take root in his mind. "Well then Ghost. I hope you reconsider before next we speak." Icarus said as he walked away with the Minister at his side. Dammit! Gabriel cursed silently as he watched their departing backs. They seemed too close, how hard would it be for Icarus to convince the minister of internal affairs to falsify land documents? Certainly, not hard enough. But could the prince really have done something to delay the redemption of his badge of valor? Since only soldiers on active duty are allowed to redeem their badges. Delaying his could prevent him from wanting to retire at least until he had chosen to serve under Icarus. But why would the prince go out of his way to preserve his servitude, if the war was truly over, and it really was¡­ no soldier who had witnessed the war''s conclusion harbored a shred of doubt. Then there was the death of minister Amadala and that eldritch beast appearing in the government district. Something doesn''t smell right. It was subtle but even now, his intuition couldn''t quiet down. The prince was gone and yet, Gabriel could still feel danger lingering around¡­ just like it had been before he spotted the giant centipede on his way here. The Sovereign Hall was awfully crowded today. Stuffed with all sorts of dignitaries. The longer he stood, the quicker the hall got filled up. It didn''t take too long before he found what was causing his intuition to scream in distress, but Gabriel couldn''t care less. He had decided long ago that he wasn''t going to play this game any longer. Gabriel clenched his fists as he turned for the exit. He had more important things to worry about¡ªlike the orphanage that should have been his by now. But just as he descended the Sovereign Hall''s outer steps, a beautiful young lady draped in all black had begun to ascend the marble steps with two young girls following closely beside her. Gabriel recognized them to be minister Amadala''s sister and her nieces¨C the late minister''s kids. He watched them silently as they reached the first landing, mixing in with the crowd as they entered the building. They were young girls barely at double digits. The minister''s younger sister meanwhile looked much older¨C albeit not much older than Pearl looked. The minister''s death must have hit them hard, even now, they moved with little orientation, their eyes bleak and sullen. For whatever reason Gabriel couldn''t get the young girls out of his mind, knowing that they were stepping blindly into danger. What sort of demon would he be if he left them there to die without even lifting a finger? Dammit! Gabriel cursed as he halted his steps. He turned to face the building then with a sigh proceeded to climb the steps once more. "Damn it. Let''s just have a quick look around¡­ what could possibly go wrong." Straight Through Gabriel could immediately feel his gut churn as he stepped into the hall. The grand chamber was stuffed with nobles and Military officials chattering among themselves, oblivious to the danger lurking in their midst. He had lost sight of the cloaked man, but his instincts hadn''t, pulling him through the sea of bodies like fish caught in a hook. Gabriel didn¡¯t put too much thought into it¡ªhe just let his body follow the pull of intuition, weaving through the crowd until he found himself behind a small group. Minister Amadala¡¯s sister and her children stood just ahead, their backs turned to him. He had stood behind them for barely a minute when he saw it¡ªa figure draped in a dark cloak slipping through the crowd. Gabriel didn''t need his instincts to sound an alarm to know he was looking at the cause of his turmoil. The way the man moved, the way his gloved fingers tightened around something in his hand¡ªit was too purposeful, too deliberate. So, Gabriel moved first, before the assailant could even notice him. Gabriel lunged forward. His shoulder crashing into the assailant¡¯s ribs, knocking him off balance. A small glass syringe slipped from his grip, clattering onto the marble floor. The man twisted, quick as a snake, regaining his footing as his hood fell back. His face was ordinary, forgettable¡ªone of the many shadows that lived within the capital¡¯s underbelly. But his eyes burned with something Gabriel knew all too well¡­ desperation. The man dove for the syringe, snatching it up before bolting deeper into the mix of nobles. Gabriel started after him, but the assailant was fast, slipping through the crowd like a rat. They had barely gotten half way through the main hall when the assailant came to a sudden stop, then in one swift motion, he plunged the needle into the neck of an unsuspecting nobleman. The effect was immediate. The man convulsed, a strifeld scream prying out from his throat. His veins bulged, skin rippling as if something was crawling beneath it, struggling to break free. Then, with a sickening crack, his body twisted¡ªelongating, distorting. His fingers stretched into jagged claws, his jaw unhinging as monstrous fangs pushed through. The nobleman was gone. In his place now stood an eldritch beast. Six blood red eyes on black seething flesh. The creature stood on all fours, its tail breaking through the air like a leather whip. Chaos erupted. Screams tore through the air as the creature lunged at the nearest nobleman, sinking its teeth into her fat shoulder. Blood sprayed, staining the pristine marble floors. Panic spread like wildfire, people shoving and trampling each other in a desperate attempt to flee. Gabriel ignored it all. His focus locked on the cloaked man as he darted away, vanishing into the corridors beyond. Gabriel gave chase. The sounds of battle faded as he pursued the assailant through twisting halls, past startled servants and frantic guards. The terrorist was quick, but Gabriel wasn''t letting up. The corridors tightened as they neared the lower levels. Gabriel skipped a series of steps, leaping from one landing to another as he closed in on the assailant. The man looked like he knew his way around, leading Gabriel deeper and deeper still, until a massive door stood a couple dozen meters away. From where he was Gabriel could see two guards standing by the massive door. ¡®The archives? why would he lead me down here?!¡¯ Perplexed, Gabriel chose to activate his other blessing. The panicked man meanwhile had just crashed into the door. ¡°I''m- I''m being chased.¡± He said panting, pointing nervously at the space behind him. Completely confused, the guards¨C who didn''t seem stunned by the assailant''s appearance, offered to go search for the man he claimed had been chasing him. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Once they had disappeared into the corner the assailant entered the room with strained breaths. He had barely gotten a couple steps away from the door when Gabriel suddenly appeared behind him like a herald of death. Gabriel spared him no time, immediately slamming the man into a nearby shelf. Papers and books tumbled to the floor. As Gabriel grabbed him by the collar. ¡°Who sent you?¡± Gabriel hissed, binding the man¡¯s arm in a gruesome hold. The terrorist didn¡¯t answer. His face folding into what Gabriel could only assume was a smirk. It was hard to tell through the man''s panic and hesitation. Before he could react though, the man bit down on something hard. A satisfying crunch reverberated through the air and seconds later, the man had begun to convulse vigorously¡ªfoam gathered at his lips as the poison worked through his system. Within moments, he was dead. Gabriel cursed under his breath, stepping back from the corpse with an exasperated sigh. The man had been prepared. After all, dead men tell no tales. Gabriel¡¯s pulse still thrummed with urgency though, and an opportunity had just presented itself. Right now he stood in the Sovereign Halls archives, all alone. Firstly he had to force himself to breathe, to push past the lingering rush of the chase and focus on the here and now. His orphanage. The deed. The Archives were lined with shelves, each one several dozen meters tall. Thankfully they made it easy to navigate through. The aisle labeled ¡®Landed Properties¡¯ was just a couple shelves away. It wasn''t long before he found the cabinet on lands in and around Pogswood. His fingers moved fast, rifling through documents, scanning names and seals. He didn¡¯t know how much time he had before the guards arrived. But then¡ª There. A leather-bound folder, stamped with an official insignia. ¡®Saint Marvel''s orphanage home.¡¯ Gabriel grabbed it, flipping through the pages. His eyes darting across the text, absorbing what he could¡ª Footsteps. He froze. The sound was slow, measured, confident. Gabriel barely had time to retreat into the shadows before the door opened. Luckily he didn''t have to. All he did was activate his blessing and almost instantly Gabriel had turned invisible. His body blending into the backdrop of high shelves and paperwork. Then three men walked in. Gabriel recognized them instantly. Icarus, draped in his signature blood red cape and what Gabriel could only identify as a pristine white bodysuit laced with gold embroidery. He looked as dastardly dashing as ever, a lazy smile playing on his lips. And beside him¡ªthe robust Minister of Internal Affairs and his aide. Gabriel held his breath. The two men spoke in low voices, their words clipped and laced with hidden meaning. But Gabriel¡¯s mind reeled as he pieced together what he was hearing. The minister was uneasy. He mentioned something about "the failed peace talks," about "loose ends." Icarus listened patiently, nodding along as if humoring him. Then, without warning¡ª Icarus''s hand flashed. Slick, precise, straight through the minister¡¯s chest. The older man choked, eyes wide with betrayal as blood gurgled from his mouth. He couldn''t even last a second longer, falling lifeless onto the cold marble floor. Gabriel¡¯s stomach twisted at the sight, but he remained still. The minister now laid in a pool of his own blood, a gaping hole occupying the majority of his chest. Icarus barely flinched at the sight, his expression untouched by remorse. Instead, he sighed, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off a minor inconvenience. Then, he turned to the lone security officer still standing in shock. ¡°Here,¡± Icarus murmured, pulling out a familiar glass syringe. ¡°Hold still.¡± Before the man could resist, Icarus plunged the needle into his neck. Gabriel watched in horror. The same serum. The same transformation. The guard convulsed, body reeling in pain as veins darkened beneath his skin. Bones popped twisting in all the wrong ways, until the man was gone, replaced by a towering beast with dagger long spikes protruding out of its skin. It stood in silence for a while, four beady eyes staring right at Icarus with dreadful curiosity. There was a subtle clicking reverberating off the creature''s hideous maw that dripped with saliva. Icarus stared right back at it, his head slighlty tilted. Then unceremoniously the prince let out a yawn. All the eldritch beast did was twitch and a gaping hole replaced its upper half. Icarus had struck it down with a single blow. What followed after was this long sickening silence. Gabriel¡¯s fingers twitched against the wooden shelf. His body pleading to flee, but he was paralyzed, caught between fear and disbelief. Then¡ª A sudden, careless movement. His elbow knocked against a small stack of books. They toppled, hitting the floor with a dull thud. Gabriel¡¯s heart stopped. Icarus turned. A slow smile lining his lips. Gabriel didn¡¯t wait to see what would happen next, bolting out of the hall the very next second.