Isn’t it going to hurt though, to be killed?


    “It will, but in a muted way, since you are only possessing the body. It’s good practice. Also, weren’t you just killed as a baby?”


    I died too fast to really feel hurt…


    Wait, what do you mean good practice? This isn’t something I need to practice, this life is weird, but normally I will just live peacefully. Not fighting and stuff like this.


    “Sure,”


    You don’t believe me? Just watch.


    “Okay...”


    …I hate you.


    It must’ve been the other way. I’ve been running for like half a day.


    “Just keep running, there must be something this way too.”


    Mm.


    Wait a minute Vorm. Shouldn’t I keep my abilities from my previous life?


    “I can’t even begin to explain how stupid that is. No.”


    Why not? How else am I going to be stupidly overpowered and face-slap arrogant young masters?


    “...”


    “I’ll explain it to you when you can explain gravity to an ant. Also, even if you were stupidly overpowered, you’d just run away crying if you were bullied by an arrogant young master.”


    ...Can’t argue with that, people are scary… anyway, can’t you just try? I’ve read a book where the main character kept reincarnating, and each life she would gain new abilities, and get overpowered. Shouldn’t I be like that, even if I won’t beat up arrogant young masters?


    “No. Your Soul Core’s too weak.”


    So when my Soul Core gets stronger, can I carry over abilities?


    Well, it is not completely impossible if it’s just one or two. Bit tricky, but should be doable for me to do for you.”


    Vorm, I knew you were awesome.


    “While those kinds of abilities you want can’t be carried over yet, the skills that only require muscle memory can even now.”


    So muscle memory is stored in the soul?


    “Yes and no. For you, yes.”


    Hmm, I see. So I should spend a couple hundred years, and become the most awesome sword master.


    “You don’t have the patience for that.”


    Look! Finally a town!


    “Go die.”


    …..


    …I understand that is the plan, but… when you put it like that… wow, rude.


    “Vorm broke his peaceful contemplation.


    “


    “


    Ray took a couple deep breaths, then started walking towards the slowly awakening town with heavy steps.


    As he got closer step by step, his anxiety grew into unbearable heights, and he was on the verge of crying. Every part of him was screaming, wanting to turn tail and run, as he ran away many times before in his old life. He was a coward after all, he could run this time as well, and just die quietly. But… he hated that he was like this. No matter what, he couldn’t run anymore. Each step was a struggle, each step he fought himself, each step he was on the brink of running away, but each step was a testament that he could choose differently. He could go against himself, because that was what he wanted, and he had the power and strength to fight against his own nature.


    This way, Ray eventually got to the gate of the little town. His gaze locked on the ground in front of him, his mind was fully focused on each step he took, he didn’t even realize he knocked down the gate. His mind was a mess, he was shaking uncontrollably, crying bloody tears, anxiety driving him half-mad.


    Then he heard the screams, and he looked up as he stopped. People were running away, they weren’t looking at him. They only looked for a split second then ran. Not being stared at, made him feel slightly better. He kept going. But now something else occurred to him.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    “as Vorm said this, Ray saw a figure in brilliantly blinding armor, his golden hair like a halo framing his heroic face, his righteous roar announcing the evil demon’s demise, his sword of justice firmly gripped in two sturdy hands, his dash unstoppable.


    As the noble hero charged at him, Ray closed his eyes in content, awaiting judgment. He felt relief that he was about to be freed from his anxiety. As a wicked smile spread across Ray’s demonic face, the dazzling champion slashed down with his sword of inevitable death that could not tolerate any evil, aiming to bisect this hideous foe, vanquishing the—


    At this moment, everything froze.


    Ray was speechless.


    The sword hit him, alright.


    He got a scratch on his stomach.


    A scratch.


    “Vorm was having the day of its life, roaring with laughter.


    Ray: ...


    I tried! I really tried! You know how hard it was for me to go into that place I didn’t know, among people I didn’t know? But I did it! I fought really hard, and I went into that place! I thought I even met a hero to fall to his blade like a proper demon! He totally looked like a hero, didn’t he? I’M SO PISSED! How can he be that incompetent? He got my hopes up, I’m so angry…


    It was still bright when Ray woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw someone standing not far away. He jumped up in fright, but then sighed in disappointment. It was just another idiot. He scoffed in derision at the fake hero. He wasn’t going to get his hopes up again when he will only get a third scratch on his


    Ray was still reeling from his incomprehensibly sudden death in his soul space.


    Ray was inconsolable. He had imagined to be a cool epic demon, but what did he do? He ran away from a fake hero, and then when the real hero came, he acted like the dumbest idiotic villain ever, the kind he himself hated with a passion.


    “


    “


    “Vorm asked mockingly.


    Ray was livid, but he didn’t know what to do with himself. At the end, he just sat down and tried to summon some books. They were of course all blurry. He didn’t want to ask but… he really wanted to read…


    “Vorm said in a sickeningly sweet tone that made all of Ray’s hair stood on end.


    Ray threw the books at the hole.


    Vorm chuckled, but it summoned the books Ray wanted.


    Ray forgot all his grievances and even thanked it. He could read about his favorite fellow transmigrated bookworm, that always cheered him up. He only wanted to read one book. But then he thought he could read just one more. And then another one. Just a little bit more. When he was on the sixth book, Vorm’s voice suddenly disturbed his blissful reading.


    “


    “


    shut up, it’s fun.


    Give. Them. back.


    “Live a life first, then you can read more. Or, you don’t want to be a dragon anymore?”


    Okay, but can I not be a baby?


    “Yeah, no baby, too annoying. I can kick someone out and you can take their body.”


    Isn’t that just possession that would make me die in days?


    “…”


    “…there is a difference between a powerful demon and a lowly human. It won’t be like a possession.”


    Hmm… but no. I don’t want you to kill someone for me.


    “What does it matter when you had already killed hundreds of thousands? So you’d rather start as a baby then?”


    Hundreds of thousands… That was different, I didn’t have my memories back thenAnd no baby… can’t you just make me a… co-pilot?


    “Co-pilot? What strange ideas are you coming up with this time?”


    Co-pilot. Put me with someone’s soul, don’t kick them out. We can swap who controls the body. Preferably someone cool. Ah I know, co-piloting the school grass.


    “…”


    “…you read too much danmei.”


    But wouldn’t it be fun? Put me in the school idol’s body in a high school. It would help me with my anxiety too if I could see how normal people interact with each other. And I’d also need to be able to speak their language… Sorry, sorry, I know that’s too much. Vorm, I know you are pretty amazing, but this is too specific, isn’t it? As awesome as you are, there’s no way you can do all this, it’s impossible, forget it, forget it.


    “I can’t? There is no way? Impossible? Laozi is going to show you”


    Whose the one who read too much danmei now...