Chapter 11
For the past few days, Alex had been plagued by an odd feeling—a sense of being followed.
Every step he took, every glance over his shoulder, seemed to confirm it. But no matter how much he searched, he could never find anyone.
He tried to brush it off, calling it paranoia or overthinking, yet his instincts refused to calm down. Something was off.
Despite the discomfort, Alex continued his routine. He woke up early, trained a bit, and went to the academy.
A smile stretched across his face whenever he remembered that Leo hadn't shown up lately.
That alone was enough to make his day better. Without that guy's mysterious presence, everything felt lighter.
He had tried talking to Sophia again, but to his surprise, she hadn't been attending the academy.
When he asked around, people just said she had taken time off for personal reasons.
He accepted it on the surface, though the timing felt strange.
What troubled him more was Selena's recent behavior.
Unlike before, she was distant, avoiding eye contact and brushing off conversations.
Whenever he approached her, she gave some excuse—"I'm not feeling well," or "I'm busy right now."
Even her smiles felt forced, and that stung Alex more than he liked to admit.
It wasn't just the girls, though. Alex had a gnawing sense that something crucial had slipped through his fingers, but he couldn't figure out what it was.
It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, sensing danger but not seeing it.
Today, however, lifted his spirits. He received a task: goblin elimination.
"Finally, something productive!" he beamed.
He had accepted the mission with enthusiasm.
Reports said that a group of goblins had been raiding nearby villages, stealing food and hurting people.
As a hero in training, Alex believed this was a great opportunity to prove himself and maybe even earn some praise.
Plus, with the reward, he could buy a gift for Selena and win her heart again.
The idea made him grin widely.
"This is it. This will change everything," he told himself, laughing.
With confidence in his step and a sword on his back, Alex made his way to the goblin-infested area.
The battle wasn't easy, but it wasn't beyond his capabilities either.
He fought with precise strikes, slicing through the goblins one by one.
He even pulled off a few flashy moves, imagining how cool he must look.
"Take that! And that! You monsters never stood a chance!" he shouted as he cut down the last goblin.
He stood amidst the corpses, panting lightly but satisfied.
"Perfect. Time to go back and bask in some praise."
As he began walking back through the forest, something unexpected happened.
He tripped on a small stone hidden in the underbrush.
His footing slipped, and he tumbled forward, straight into a hidden crevice.
"Ahhhh!" he yelped.
Down he fell, landing inside a cave concealed beneath the forest floor. Rubbing his back, he looked around, and his eyes widened.
A faint, glowing light shimmered at the far end of the cave. As he approached it, he could hardly believe his eyes.
There it was—a green dragon egg.
It radiated a soft warmth, its surface glowing with runes he couldn't understand. Alex's heart pounded with excitement.
"A dragon egg?! Am I dreaming?! No, no, this is real! This must be fate!"
His thoughts raced. "This... this will make me legendary! A dragon companion! I knew it! I was meant to be great!"
He snatched the egg, cradling it gently, and slipped it into his travel bag.
Just as he was about to climb out, he froze.
"Wait... what if someone tries to steal this?"
He crouched low and scanned the cave nervously. Seeing no one, he bolted out like a thief, clutching the bag close to his chest.
Back in the forest, he ran like his life depended on it.
"Mine! It's mine! Hahaha! Try and take it from me now!"
His excitement, however, was short-lived.
As he dashed along the dirt path, his foot landed on something slippery—a banana peel.
"Eh?"
Time slowed. His body tilted forward. He reached out, but it was too late.
"AAAAHHH!"
His face met the ground with a painful thud. Dirt and stones scraped his skin, and when he rose, his face was red, bruised, and bleeding slightly.
"DAMN IT!" he roared.
Still, he checked his bag in panic.
The egg was intact.
He sighed with relief. And then—laughed. A crooked, triumphant laugh.
Behind the trees, hidden in the shadows, the members of the Shadow Force had witnessed everything.
One of them wiped a tear of laughter from his eye.
"Master Leo really predicted this. He even told us to leave a banana there."
"He tripped like a clown," another snickered. "This Alex guy... he's a comedy show on legs."
"Still, he found the egg. Just as Master Leo said he would."
"Yeah. But he's walking right into Master's plans. Again."
They quietly dispersed, following Alex at a distance, their expressions filled with a mix of amusement and admiration.
Far away, Leo sat with a calm smile on his face, sipping tea.
"Enjoy your gift, Alex," he muttered. "You never knew how generous I could be."
End of Chapter 11
---
Author's Note:
Loving the journey so far?
Please support with a Power Stone!
Your votes help this fanfic grow—and as a thank you, there will be bonus chapters for Power Stone milestones!
Got suggestions or wild ideas?
Drop them in the comments—I'd love to include your thoughts as we shape Gojo's path together.
Let's keep pushing forward—no regrets, just pure hype!
– azuredragonx
---