Lara Point of View

  With the wealth I had earned, I was able to build my own restaurant and even establish an orphanage nearby. I took pride in creating a place where the homeless could find work and shelter, carefully checking their attitudes and backgrounds before hiring them. Over the past six months, I had built a warm community filled with laughter, especially from the children who now had a home.

  I was content, but that persistent blue light kept nagging at me, urging me to engage in combat. The thought of killing someone, or worse, was something I couldn't bear to entertain, so I chose to ignore it.

  "Lara! Lara!" a child's voice broke through my thoughts. I turned to see a little girl, her eyes wide with excitement. "What is it?" I asked, kneeling to meet her gaze.

  "I see a big fairy above!" she exclaimed, pointing skyward. Just as I followed her gaze, the ground began to tremble beneath us. Panic surged through me as I quickly wrapped my arms around her, holding her close.

  "What's happening?" she cried, fear creeping into her voice.

  "Isla, can you take Lily and hide under the house?" I urged, trying to keep my tone calm despite the chaos unfolding around us. The little girl hesitated, frozen in fear. "Lara! A dragon has shown up in front of the yard!" Isla shouted, her voice trembling.

  A dragon? I thought incredulously. You mean a big lizard?

  "Get Lily! I'm going to check it out," I instructed Isla. She nodded, finally pulling Lily away from my arms, and I dashed toward the door, my heart pounding. As I stepped outside, the blue light flickered in front of me, filling my vision.

  "Level 1: Defeat the Lesser Dragon!"

  "Why are you showing me this? I'm trying to run away from it!" I shouted at the light, frustration bubbling inside me.

  "Not defeating the dragon will result in -20 luck points. Death for all individuals around you."

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  My eyes widened in shock. Was this some kind of sick joke?

  Suddenly, I heard a roar that echoed through the air, shaking the very ground beneath me. I turned just in time to see the dragon launching its attack, flames erupting from its mouth as it unleashed a torrent of fire upon the garden. Panic coursed through me as I realized that there was no escaping this fight.

  The heat from the flames washed over me, and the garden erupted into chaos. Flowers were reduced to ash, and screams filled the air. I had to act. I couldn't let this creature destroy everything I had worked so hard to build.

  "No! Not my home!" I shouted, steeling my resolve. I could feel the weight of the responsibility pressing down on me, the children's lives depending on my actions.

  With no other choice, I took a deep breath, drawing upon the strength I had gained over the past months. This was my home, and I would protect it. I clenched my fists, focusing on the blue light that lingered at the edge of my vision, igniting a fierce determination within me.

  "Level 1: Defeat the Lesser Dragon!" it echoed again, as if mocking my hesitation.

  It hurts my brain.

  I charged forward, my heart pounding with a mix of fear, ready to confront the dragon looming before me.

  I had to do this—not just for myself, but for all the lives I had come to cherish in this new world. Every child's laugh, every grateful smile, and every moment of joy at the restaurant and orphanage flooded my mind as I approached the massive beast.

  With every step, I felt the weight of responsibility heavy on my shoulders. The ground trembled beneath the dragon's weight, and its fiery eyes bore into mine. I steeled myself, knowing that retreat was not an option.

  As the battle raged on, I pushed myself to the limit. I felt strength coursing through me, every ounce of energy directed at defeating the creature. I maximized my stats, harnessing magic that I had only recently learned to wield.

  But despite my resolve, as the dust settled and the dragon lay lifeless before me, a sickening realization washed over me. Blood was splattered across my face and hands, warm and sticky. I had taken a life. I had become what I swore I would never be.

  I am scared

  "What do you want from me?" I shouted at the flickering system, a white glow illuminating the area around me. The words it displayed felt like a cruel taunt:

  "Defeat the Demon Lord."

  Defeat the Demon Lord? Is this my purpose here?

  I wanted to deny it, to shake off the burden it imposed on me, but deep down, I knew I couldn't escape this fate. The system flickered again, now glowing a deep blue.

  I hate this thing

  "Lara! Lara!" The distant voice of a child called out, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I turned, my heart racing as I saw the faces of the people I had come to care for, their eyes wide with shock and fear.

  I could see it clearly now: If I ignored the system, if I turned away from this new destiny, some of them might die. I felt the weight of their lives resting heavily on my conscience. Was this some kind of cruel joke?