Mark Chambers, that's his name, and to tell the truth, Mark wasn't the sharpest tool in the bag; that's what his friend Alex excelled at. He admired his friend more than once for that quality of his; he wished he was as smart and clever as him.
Now he looked at the transparent system window in front of him in wonder; what should he do? Call his friend for advice like always. But for some reason, he just didn't want to bother his friend like usual this time. He doesn't wanna be bothered again.
***
"Tsk, why the hell is this condition listed at the bottom?"
[Conditions To Mark The Target: 1. They must say, "You will always be my friend."
2. Target must say the keywords willingly.]
"Ugh, even that idiot won't say something like that easily."
Alex scratched his head in frustration. After all, this line was so cheesy, making him wanna give up directly.
"Should I buy some beer on my way? As long he is drunk, even this kind of cheesy line can be said without any trouble, right?"
As someone who was a businessman in his previous life, he know that drunk people can truly say and do anything with a little push. "Since he is just awakened his alcohol tolerance shouldn't be enhanced yet."
***
"Thank you for informing us of your awakening. I hope you will become the great hero that will guard the humanities from otherworldly monsters."
The woman responsible for the registration told him with a smile while handing him a letter with his hunter exam date. Mark deeply bowed to her before leaving the Hunter Association with a strange, empty feeling.
If Alex saw him here he would have remembered that today they met here and registered to the Hunter Association together.
But as many people say, it's a bad thing to dive into the past, so you should let it go, right?
***
After a somewhat empty journey back to his, Mark was prepared to go to his home and take a quick shower before going to bed, but to his surprise, he met with someone unexpected.
"Took you long enough. Where have you been man? I almost scared to death worrying for you."
Alex, with a box of beer in his hand, lets out a smirk as he sees Mark's shocked expression. "C'mon, I brought some beer. Don't you gonna invite your best friend in?"
"U-uh, sure. Come in Alex." Mark nodded in stunned expression before unlocking the door to his house and going in with his friend.
His parents work at the insurance company because the gates open at random locations at random times. The insurance companies are way more busy than one would expect. They earn a good amount, but they rarely come home to spend time with him, so most of the time, It's him and his sister. Sadly, today, even his sister was sleeping at her friend's, leaving him with no one to share the news of his awakening.
Alex enters the apartment with a somewhat stunned look. It has been more than 5 years since he last came to Mark's place after his sister's tragic death, and the rift between them glowed even more. The house was quite different from his last impression there was no picture of Mark and his hunting team or him and his girlfriend.
The interior of the apartment was both very familiar and very unfamiliar. He exactly can't explain the feeling. Perhaps this was nostalgia speaking in his mind. After all, there are many childhood memories with Mark buried here, too.
"Hey Mark, since I brought the drinks, you must prepare the snacks, right?" Alex said while passing by Mark with a box of beer still in his hand.
"About that, why are we drinking again?" Mark wasn't much of a drinker. At least, there was no reason to drink to him right now.
"Reason? I just wanted to celebrate my friendship with you. Say the truth, I am not sure myself. I just wanted so, I guess." Alex jumps over the couch, taking a comfy position. He places the box of beer on the table with a smirk.
"Celebrating our friendship huh..." Mark thought for a moment before smiling brightly. "Yeah, of course."
***
"So, what is got in your mind?" Alex asked Mark as he stuffed fry into his mouth.
"Hm?"
"Mark, we have been friends so long. Of course, I can tell when you are upset or something is in your mind."
"O-oh, you see, Mark, there is something... I wanted to do it myself. You know, on my own to prove myself... yeah, prove myself."
"Did you awaken or something?"
"H-huh?! What do you mean?!" Mark started panicking.
"Calm down, I know you have awakened the moment I met you outside your house."
"H-how did you know?"
"You were holding a letter with the Hunter Association logo on it. It was pretty easy to guess from that on."
"O-oh." Mark felt embarrassed.
"Are you keeping quiet because you didn't want to hurt my feelings?" Upon hearing Alex's almost out-of-place question, Mark looked at him confusingly.
"Say the truth. I am jealous of you, man. Even you awakened before me. The man who was supposed to be the hero that saves the world."
Upon hearing Alex's words, he finally remembered an old memory he had long buried in his mind. He finally understood the reason behind his emptiness. It was because his best friend Alex dreamed of becoming the hero who would save the world.
"I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for? Be proud you idiot."
"Huh?"
"We are friends, aren't we? How could I be upset with my friend for them being successful?"
"A-Alex..."
"So what if you triggered awakening before me? I will awaken too, sooner or later, and become the hero that will slay the demon king and become the hero that saved the world!"
Upon hearing this, Mark's eyes couldn't help, but water and a smile appeared on his face. "Hebe, yeah, you will be the hero that will save the world. I am sure of it."
"And you better be. Because I am sure you will do great as a hunter too." He then offered his beer for a toast. "After all, you are the future hero's friend. I will always be friends too, right?"
Alex carefully worded the last part of his sentence. Instead of we, he said I so Alex will answer him with 'you.'
With a warm smile on his face, Mark said. "Yeah, you will be always my friend!" He then toasted with Alex.
[Ding! Target [Mark Chambers] is successfully marked.]
Seeing this, Alex's eyes filled with emotions, and said in a cheerful tone. "Mark My Boy!" Nobody knows how many beers Alex drank that day.