《The Huntsman Of Death》 1:Prologue "YAAAAAAA!" "Finally...Finally...I have done it...Did you see this, bastard? I finally achieved perfection." "Now watch, fucker¡­This is my peak." "Told you, there is nothing one can''t do if he or she sets their mind to it," William screamed at the top of his lungs as if asking for attention from everyone in the class. After basking in attention from the jealous gazes, he looked at the score. A perfect 1000 out of 1000 across 10 subjects. Feeling a high sense of euphoria, he looked back at a dark-haired gloomy kid in the corner and approached him with a curvy grin. "Now, what do you have to say?" William shouted, slamming the report card on the table and snickered. "Now we are the same." "TSK!" The boy, who seemed uninterested, raised his chin to meet William''s gaze and slowly opened his lips. "Listen here, William..." "You are misunderstanding something." William''s brows furrowed, and a bad premonition welled up in his heart. "You got this because that''s the best you can get, whereas I got full marks, but that''s all there was to get." "We aren''t the same." "WHAT?" The smile on William''s face cracked, leaving him dazed, but just as he was about to say something, the boy got up and was already on his way, ignoring the murmurs of the class as if all of this had nothing to do with him. ¡­¡­¡­. Grades...I was at the top of the class and always got full. Sports... Whether it was a solo sport consisting of running, swimming, fencing, kendo, karate, taekwondo, or a team sport like basketball, football, baseball, and many more. I was first and best in all, going up to the regional championship in every one, earning recommendations for nationals, but... I refused, feeling bored. I achieved everything I could...I worked hard to the point I sacrificed my sleep, forgot to eat, and forgot to hold my smartphone. I practiced and exercised until my body could bear no more... I did every possible damn thing to improve myself... The reason? Because I wanted her to be happy and smile at me. As she watched over me and as I met her gaze, I could proudly say that I have tried my best. TAP! TAP! TAP! CREAK! "Mom...I am back," I spoke with a joyful voice. Placing the shoes well at the entrance, I stepped inside the hall, entered the living room, and started narrating my day. "It was again an eventful day. As always, I got full marks in every subject, played football, scored some goals, and talked with the teacher about what I want to do in the future."Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. "Certainly, it was boring, but it wasn''t that bad." "You know that guy, William, right? That idiot took me as a competitor. Huh?" "No, Mom, I am not mocking him. I just think he shouldn''t be obsessed with me and push himself so much just to measure up to me. Instead, he should focus on his aspirations." "Am I not right?" "Hahaha! I knew you would say that." I changed my clothes while keeping up with Mom, then I got into the kitchen and grabbed a loaf of bread, peanut butter, and some fruits. Preparing a meal, I entered Mom''s room. The room was clean and pristine without a single layer of dust, but it wasn''t neatly organized, as on one side of the wall behind my gaming PC, there were heaps of paper attached to the wall. It was an important note designating routes and info about the recent game I had been playing. I switched on the computer and turned around. I went near the bed and placed the ball on the table. "Mom, here is food...Uh?" I paused and then bent down to observe the picture of my mom. There was a faint dust stain on it. I immediately took the frame and cleaned it on my shirt. "Ohh! Mom, your frame caught some dust. I should buy a new frame for you. So, what kind of design would you like..." My eyes glimpsed at the brown-haired Caucasian woman smiling brightly behind the frame. It was such a warm, tender smile that was enough to melt one¡¯s heart, alas... The smile that graced me with energy every morning was no more. "Ha!" A sigh of weariness escaped from my lips as I put back the frame after wiping the stains. My father was a Commando. Sadly, he died on a mission a few days after my birth. As for my mother, she followed him when I was 10. My mother wanted me to follow in my father''s footsteps, and I agreed. My mother smiled a lot less after my father''s death, so I did everything to ease her heart and make her proud. I can even remember the final time she asked me to do my best in everything, and I always did it. No matter the job, I always finished it to perfection. Sadly, she wasn''t present to accompany me. As for being in the army, I too was fascinated by them. The world...The world seems to be too ordinary, and my heart seeks the thrill of some adrenaline-pumping action. Clearly an effect of being an otaku influenced by manga and anime. While contemplating my life, I peeled the banana, but before I could bite, I heard a beep sound. Turning my head toward the source of the sound, I was greeted with surprise, seeing the computer screen flashing with a blood-red color emitting some foul, ghostly noises. "Now, what is this bullshit?" I squinted my eyes, wondering how the fuck the screen opened up when I had yet to click the monitor switch and CPU. Curious, I decided to check. But before I could take more than a few steps, an unsettling sensation coursed through my body. A sudden wave of dizziness washed over me, causing my steps to falter. As my balance wavered, panic gripped me, and I struggled to regain control. "Kurgh!" I choked out, my voice barely audible as I fought to stay upright. My vision blurred, and the world around me spun in a disorienting whirl. I was slowly losing my mind, my sensation, and my perception of the world as if my soul was disengaging from this world. But just then, the intuition honed by reading thousands of demonic scriptures with the godly intuition of an otaku, I spoke out loudly. "I don''t know which fucking god you are, but if you want to put me into some shitty fucking world like playing a prank, I ask you to reconsider, ''cause I will commit suicide and bring down your fucking plans." SWOOSH! The dizziness disappeared immediately, and my vision started to clear as if all of this was an illusion. "Haaa...Haaa..." Once the effect subsided, I clutched my chest, gasping heavily for breath and sucking it in voraciously. My entire body was drenched in sweat for a fleeting moment as I collapsed down. Fortunately, I reached the table and put my palms on it to support myself. As I did, a message reflected in my eyes. [Congratulations, player Mr. Per781, for clearing all hidden conditions. Now, you are eligible to play the hidden route as deemed by the game developer.] [Do you want to proceed?] [Yes] [No] "What the hell is going on? Are you really a God from another world?" "Don''t you think this bullshit way of reincarnation is too overused and bland? Instead, use Truck-kun or Taxi-chan or kill m¡ª" BANM! KYA! The screen burst out with a nightmarish scream, and a blackish hand shot out from the screen and grabbed my face, following which an enhancing aura erupted, leaving my vision red. Then, with a sickening gurgle, the hand pulled me in, taking me with it. "WhAA!" My voice choked as my face smashed against the screen, and soon, my vision went red. 2:Where It Began "KYAAA!" "Take this.." Mirthful of laughter and joy spread across the place as a group of boys played around. A boy swam through the shallow riverbank, screaming as he tussled with friends and scooped up tiny, wriggling fish in his hands. His skin was strained with mud and flecked with bits of waterweed. As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, he finished catching the fish and wrapping it up in a cloth. ¡°Bye, see you tomorrow!¡± His friend bid them goodbye and then went away leaving him who still needed to wash a few set of clothes.As he washed the clothes, a group of old men carrying utensils walked towards the lake. "You¡¯re going to need a whole river to keep up with your appetite for fish!¡± An old woman teased him. ¡°Or maybe he¡¯ll catch himself a princess instead of a fish one of these days,¡± another old woman eased, making the others laugh. He just shook his head, grinning, as he walked away. ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that,¡± he replied, tossing his damp shirt over his shoulder. ¡°A prince or a princess? Me? Now that¡¯s a real fairy tale, grandma." Once he¡¯d rinsed himself off, he wrung out his shirt and slipped it on, feeling the cool fabric cling to his skin as he turned toward the village. On the path home, a few familiar faces passed by, and he greeted each one with a friendly nod. An elderly man paused to pat his shoulder, grinning. "Handsome as ever. You¡¯ll break some hearts one day." He laughed embarrassedly. ¡°Maybe after I managed to awaken and become a notable figure." "I am sure you will be after all the pride of our town." The old man spoke sincerely, warming his heart. Nodding, he thanked him and walked away happily, swinging his arms. "Today dinner is going to be a feast." He mumbled happily, but the happiness slowly started to fade away as he neared his home. An unusual pressure seemed to burst out and slam against him, making him uncomfortable. "What is this feeling?¡± ¡° It¡¯s sickening.¡¯¡¯ His footsteps slowed down as his heartbeat fastened up. The usual warm light spilling from the house was gone, replaced by an unsettling darkness. The door hung ajar, casting a shadow that seemed too thick and unnatural for the evening light. A chill crept over him, the pleasant air suddenly feeling heavy and cold. He swallowed hard, instinct urging him to turn back, but he felt that he was being too paranoid. His instinct screamed at him to stop, to hide, yet he couldn¡¯t ignore the gnawing worry tightening in his chest. Taking a shaky breath, he stepped closer and entered the doorway he called. "Mother, where are you? Did something happen?" "Nothing happened, Lukas." "Huh!" He tilted his head toward the sound of the voice and a woman with disheveled hair crouching down on the floor with rough tear marks on her clothes. For some reason, a large shadow fell covering the floor. "Son, why are you standing there? Come to me." "Y...Yes?" The boy''s voice stuttered, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The darkness over the house seemed to press down upon him, filling the air with an ominous, sickening weight that made his stomach churn. Something was terribly, horribly wrong. As he stepped closer with a sense of unease and opened his lips to call Mother but his jaws widened, and what came was a scream... "AAHHHHHHHH!" A piercing heartbreaking scream echoed from his lips as, out of nowhere, his mother rotated his entire arc, scaring the shit out of him. In her mouth, he saw a bit of fleshes, and as his gaze landed down behind his heart almost skipped a but as below his matter he saw the torn corpse of a man whose upper skin had been torn. "Father...BLUERGHHH!" His stomach churned and his reflex kicked in urging him to vomit but his gut was empty. "Son, why are you reacting like that?" The boy¡¯s heart pounded as his mother slowly rose from the floor. Her face twisted having her mouth stretching wide, showing sharp, unnatural teeth. Bits of flesh clung to her lips, and her eyes had a cold, empty look. She made a strange hissing sound, her neck stretching long and thin. It didn¡¯t look human. Not at all. ¡°Mo¡­Mot..¡± His words stuttered as struck him, and instinctively he spun around to run. But as he took a step and reached near the door, something wet and slimy wrapped around his ankle. He looked down and saw her long, snake-like tongue holding his leg, pulling him back. ¡°Come here, my child,¡± she whispered sweetly, like she always did. But it sounded wrong, twisted. He screamed, clawing at the ground, trying to break free. Suddenly, a huge stone flew through the air, hitting her head. The grip on his ankle loosened, and he looked toward the doorway. ¡°Run!¡± An old man yelled, standing by the entrance, his face pale with fear. ¡°Your mother¡¯s possessed! Go, now!¡± ¡°No¡­ It can¡¯t be,¡± he stammered, stumbling forward, his mind unable to believe it. ¡°She was fine.¡± ¡°Stop talking and get out!¡± the old man shouted, reaching to pull him to safety. "The neighbors are all dead and I reached here hearing screams so just run without looking back."The old man shouted pulling me and pulling me, pushed me forcefully to snap out. He stared at the old man in disbelief, clearly finding himself disoriented from reality. The old man seeing this raised his hand to slap the boy but before he could, a dark claw pierced through the old man¡¯s chest, spraying blood across the boy¡¯s face. The man¡¯s mouth opened in silent shock before he fell down wirelessly. The boy froze and his entire body started shaking as a bloody figure emerged. His mother¡¯s twisted face was inches from him, her mouth curling into a cold grin. Her eyes glinted with hunger as she whispered, ¡°Mama¡¯s here.¡± And then, with a chill, she jumped upon him slamming him to the ground. Licking her lip, she drew her claws pressing them on his neck, traced a small gash. "NOOOOO!Mother...It''s me...Mother...Mother....." "Save...Save..." The boy screamed, swaying his hands and feet and calling for help but despairing seeing his mother¡­no the monstrous identity drawing closer. The boy screamed as loud as possible as the fear gnawed at his heart. Fear gripped the boy, freezing him in place. His heart pounded so hard he thought it might explode. His breaths were quick and shallow, almost choking him. He wanted to scream, but no sound came out. He stared at his mother or the thing wearing her face. Her twisted smile and empty eyes filled him with a terror, unlike anything he¡¯d ever felt. His legs shook so badly he could barely stand. The smell of blood made him feel sick, but he couldn¡¯t look away. His heart broke, remembering her warmth, her kindness. Now, she was just a monster. Tears filled his eyes as he whispered, "Mom¡­ please¡­ no..." As he screamed a drops splattered on his face and as he looked down he saw those eyes shedding blood. In the flicker of those gazes, he could sense the feeling of despair, vulnerability, despair, guilt, and disgust. "Son....Mama...is sorry for being weak.." "Mama is sorry for hurting you..." "Mama is....... Those gazes changed and instead of remorse, an eerie greed shone on it. "Hehehehehe...Mama gonna devour you..." But deep down, he knew she was gone. The thing before him was closing in, hungry, and all he could do was tremble in fear. "Come and be one with mama." With those words, her lips widened apart, and her mouth opened wide showcasing sharp large sfangs creating a huge hole large enough to engulf a whole person. "Now, let mama enjoy yo..." SWISH! A golden light flashed, cutting through everything that blinded the boy''s vision and when it returned, he saw a headless body sitting atop on him. SPURT! Blood spurted like a fountain drenching his whole body and leaving him flabbergasted. Then his hollow eyes quivered as he saw a man holding a bow speeding towards him and screamed, "Are you alright?" The man ran hurriedly and squatted down to look at the boy who wasn''t in the position to answer because something inside him seemed to be dead. 3:Vague Realization The day where my mother was killed right before my eyes still flashed in my dreams. 7 years had passed but still, I couldn''t forget. The incident was still etched deep inside the heart of my soul. Waking up, I learned that it was Spectre who possessed my mother and had been hiding in the village and slowly killing others. The spectre were ghostly apparitions emerging from abyss void and gates that had the power to possess a person, take over the body, and then use that person to kill the close ones to the person while the real soul left agonized. That day I felt pain but the pain that my mother might have felt as her body tore down her husband and went toward her beloved son wasn''t something that can be described. It was agonizing torment. She might have wished to kill herself before she could do all this yet she wasn''t able to. Fortunately, hunters were already searching for the Spectre and managed to trace it before I could die. But was I happy to be saved? No, I regret it...I should have died because living each day in torment hurts that''s why I focused my anger on them. SPECTER!WRAITHS!ABYSMAL CREATURES! Beings who feed on the agony of others. I swear that I will get stronger... I swear that I would wipe them out...each piece of shit that had been tainting the world needs to be thoroughly gotten rid of. The world needs to be cleansed of them. That was my ambition and my only goal. But, where did things go wrong... I had the ambition yet not the sufficient strength to meet it. In the end, I was just a failure who just dreamt big without having means to achieve it. ........... "Plea¡­.Please¡­." A quivering voice echoed from afar. "Please forgive me." "Please let me go." "I really don''t have any money left...So Please..." "Shut up, you son of a bitch." The three boys dressed in some Academy uniforms kicked the boy again and again while cursing at him. Along with them, a batch of students stood in line kneeling on the floor. Each of them also had bruises subjugated to petty bullying still it didn''t come close to what the guy getting pummeled on the floor was going through. The reason? Because the person didn''t have any money left to give. The three people taking charge were the seniors who assembled weak-ranked cadets each and bullied them to give money. "Filthy fucking commoner, how dare you refuse to lick my shoes to clean them.Since you don''t have money, you need to do something equivalent." "Hey, idiot, don''t you know it''s because of your good luck that you were given a chance to lick Sir Hesnon''s shoes? We were giving you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you." The boot licker standing beside Henson raised his burly legs and slammed it into the boy''s guts as he sank into a gut-wrenching pain, his whole body was filled with scratches and bruises. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Ahhhh!" "Ahhhh!" The screams went on until it stopped because the boy didn''t have enough strength left in his body to scream The boy whole body was just a rag of bones, there was no hint of fat or muscles in his body and his skin seemed to be merged with his bone. He looked more like a skeleton zombie than a human. "Wait, did he pass out? Get him up, I didn''t have my fill?'''' "Tsk... seriously. The commoners nowadays don''t have guts like those of the past who retaliated at the slightest grievance and it was so much more enjoyable to crush their minds and turn them into slaves. This filth can''t even take a few kicks, how frustrating." Henson with a sneer looked at his sidekicks with a meaningful gaze. "Boss, don''t worry about him. It''s this guy who is useless. Can''t even take some measly beating. He doesn''t know how lucky he is for him to be beaten by you." "Yeah, his stamina is too poor. No girl is gonna like him. Boss, we are not at fault for all this." "Do I need to look for a new target? What trash gets done in just a few days of beating?"Henson spoke, flickering his soft shiny blonde hair. "Hey, wake him up." "Yes Boss." The two sidekicks spoke monotonously and one of them took a bottle of water to throw at the fallen boy but was stopped by Henson who slammed his back. "You little shit. Do you want to waste water on this piece of trash? A commoner was woken up by a noble sprinkling water on him. If words spread out, our faces are going to burn to ashes. We can''t even show our faces in public!"Henson screamed at the top of his lungs trying to contain his urge to kick this idiot servant. "Then boss, how do you want us to wake him up?" "Just piss on him," Henson said nonchalantly. "Boss!" "Boss!" Both the people screamed with a hint of embarrassment. "What are you embarrassed about?You already have a good size. Let those idiots watch and envy you." "Go on, show them what dragon among men truly means."Henson smirked. "But boss..." Henson''s smile faltered, and he gave an enhancing gaze. "Do you want to do it or not? Do you want to be subjugated to the same treatment?" The cold words scared them giving them a shiver so didn''t dare to hesitate anymore. If anyone dares to play hero, I will crush their balls and gauge their eyes out of them!" Henson shouted looking around at the group of people on the other side who stepped back in fear of hearing his blatant provocation. This guy seemed like he was a bully and a sinister bastard to the core who liked to take joy in others'' suffering. Though he flaunts his power, his strength is much weaker and he must be a bottom dweller in his second year his ego is too big to accept this and to fuel his so-called ego, he looks for a weakling 1st-year student without any prominent background and bully them until he is satisfied. Once satisfied with the current toy, he goes around looking for another toy. Though his strength was weaker, his family held a great deal of authority. Last time, a bullied person snitched him for which he was punished. He stepped back at the time but after a week it was found that the student''s house was burnt, his parent''s business was ruined and they were forced to beg on the road. "Such a vicious bastard" "Stop watching and wake him up." "Yes..."The two boys nodded with a slight hesitation and unzipped their pants to let the hot water gush out. The boy blinked and suddenly woke and yelled as he felt hot water dripping on him but he trembled as he saw a group of people who were standing before him and were looking at him, giving him a menacing look. They smiled evilly seeing him tremble in fear. Waking up from his stupor, he raised his trembling hands, joined it, begged for mercy, and said, "Lord..., please don''t beat me. I will do everything you say, please leave me alone. I am just a commoner who doesn''t value anything so, please...." Crying frantically, he jumped up to hold Henson''s legs who in panic, kicked him away with a bridge force. BANG! Henson forgot to hold back, didn''t control his strength, and sent the boy flying over the rooftop railing which is the height of the ground floor. "Holyshit!" "Boss!"The two boys screamed with panicked expressions, seeing the boy falling down the roof. Whether he was dead or alive was unknown. Henson''s eyes widened with horror as he knew that if the boy died, things might get worse. "Let''s run away." "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Falling from the height of the 1st story, the boy screamed out loudly and wrapped his arms around his head to protect it. BANG! With a loud thud, his soft body slammed onto the ground. He might have managed to protect his head but in doing so, his hands had snapped out at an odd angle. His mouth was opened wide but no voice emerged from his lips and soon his eyes blinking for a few moments closed. Soon, drops of rain poured from the sky, drenching and washing away the blood soaking the ground. The sky was raged on by thunder and fierce billows of clattering clouds below which the boy choking up on his own blood suddenly opened his eyes. 4:Covergence In a place filled with darkness, I took small, trembling strides, each step harder than the last. My body was soaked in sweat, clinging to me like I''d just come out of the bath. I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs as I moved forward, on a path that seemed to lead to an endless abyss. "Where am I?" "What is this never-ending darkness? A thousand questions echoed in my mind, ticking away like the steady hand of a clock. I tried to remember, gripping my hands and even punching my head in desperation. But no matter what I did, the memories refused to come. All I rembered was that I was standing before my personal computer when suddenly a hand plunged out of it and pulled me inside after which I found myself in this dark never ending solitude. Anxiety clawed at my chest, and fear clenched around my heart like a vise. Nothing made sense. I didn¡¯t even know who I was or why I was here. All I knew was this path in the darkness, stretching on forever, as if I were a hollow puppet, twisted up and left to walk in place. I couldn¡¯t tell how long it had been. Hours? Days? Time seemed meaningless here. But then, through the vast emptiness, I saw it. A door. A white door, shining with light. My heart leapt, and I stumbled forward, hurrying my steps until I stood before it. My fingers brushed its cool surface, and, without another thought, I pushed. "Ahhh!" Blinding light flooded my vision, searing through the darkness. I covered my eyes, but it was too late. Memories erupted within me, filling my mind with painful intensity. My head throbbed as images and feelings poured in, a torrent that overwhelmed everything else. ...... As the world blurred further, my consciousness began to fade, consumed by the enigmatic darkness that had befallen the sunlit morning. And then, I awoke. I found myself in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by impenetrable darkness. No light, no sound. It was as if I had been cast adrift in a void of nothingness. Confusion and fear gripped my heart as I struggled to comprehend my circumstances. "What is happening?" I whispered into the abyss, my voice swallowed by the void. The silence was deafening, amplifying my disorientation. Questions raced through my mind, each one a desperate plea for answers. Was I dead? Was this some kind of twisted afterlife? The absence of any tangible sensations left me feeling disconnected from my own existence. What was this world? I walked so far, I transited the place filled with never-ending darkness and finally reached the light to only end up like this. What is this shit? Is this torture? Is this my punishment for refusing the person who wanted me to reincarnate? AHHH! This kind of solitude is sickening and it''s killing me. Staying in such a world with one except my own self.. Even calling it a world was maybe wrong. I attempted to move, to break free from the oppressive emptiness, but my efforts were futile. I realized with a jolt that I no longer had a physical form. I was a mere consciousness, untethered from the vessel I once inhabited. ''Why is this happening?'' As I was lost in thought, my attention was abruptly drawn to something entering my field of view, accompanied by a chorus of voices. Yes, it was a sound¡­ While I examined my new existence, I discovered that despite my physical limitations, I still possessed my senses. I could see and hear the world outside, although I was unable to interact with it. It was a peculiar sensation, observing the world without the ability to influence or participate in it. Lost in thought, I yearned for answers, for a glimpse of understanding in this bewildering existence. Time passed, and yet, I remained trapped in my ethereal prison, a mere observer of a world in which I could no longer participate.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Even though I didn''t know what this world was, I just stood there and watched until I got a clue. In the end, there was nothing I could do after all. .......................... Days passed¡­ That peculiar sensation of not being able to intervene with the outside world was eating me alive. Imagine you are a baby, just a newborn. But you have your consciousness intact. You are able to feel everything, see everything, hear everything, but you can''t move your body at all. You can''t do anything since your motor reflexes have yet to develop. It was such a feeling. And that feeling was eating me alive. The solace, the nothingness¡­ But, of course, I was not just staying idle and waiting. Even though I was not able to move my body, I was able to see subtle glimpses and feel the world around me. There was only one action that I could take in this place. Thinking and observing. Something I always liked to do. Be it in high school, be it in college, be it while playing the games. The thing that I always have done. Watching and observing. Looking for those little details. And strangely, it made this place bearable enough. Even though I wanted to feel the world again or wanted to see the world, I still managed to keep my sanity. However, watching and observing do have one simple result or output, others may say. It is the information. The information that would come whenever you choose to observe. And that information was entering my consciousness. At first, the only thing I saw was a ceiling. But soon, that started changing as the scene started moving in front of me. It was like I was looking at the world from the eyes of someone. And then, I started hearing the voice of the body. It was a voice that was familiar, but I couldn''t put up where I had seen it. My memory of hearing was falling behind a little. In any case, the voice I had been hearing was the voice of a young boy. But something was amiss. As a person who played quite a lot of VR games or FPS games, I noticed one little thing. And at that moment, I noticed. I was looking at the world from the eyes of someone else. Like a far screen, it played the video of the world as if I was watching a TV while floating in a bottomless abyss. But the scene wasn''t a pleasant one.The earlier days of just watching and feeling fun disappeared and soon the real thing started. The experience of the man was gruesome and so tragic that I felt like vomiting.It was because the mother of the boy tried to kill him. Not the real mother but a spectre hiding in the shell.Fortunately, a hunter saved the boy and then took him to orphanage where he was taught, and trained a bit under the Empire program of compulsory education of younglings to increase the chances of their awakening. The boy who hung up on revenge did his best. But after 10 years of age, nothing good happened rather it worsened and kept on worsening. It was at that moment that I realized where I was, where this world was. I was inside a game. The game that I played day and night traversing through countless scenarios, cracking my head to clear all hidden routes despite completing it a hundred times cause each time something new popped up. Bloodborne And the name of the man was Lukas Star. Difference on the play of choices, the boy was either bound to stay in shadow being an extra or become a part type villain after accepting a contract from a high level wraith. In various routes the boy third-rate villain is just there to show off the protagonist''s difference from others. He was a simple extra who would die at the start of the storyline because he was envious of the protagonist''s achievements but if by chance the route deviated, he would be hung down and disappear into the background like nobody. Bloodborne boasted an unlimited route to the point no one had yet to reach the true ending. The game starts with the protagonist at the academy, a place where strength is revered, and weakness is scorned. He faces the weight of his choices doubting his path but he gradually rises in strength. Using this thirst for knowledge the extra would soon become a pawn only to be killed and discarded later. But that''s not important, rather it''s my confinement. With each passing day, I delved deeper into the art of observation. I became attuned to the subtle nuances of human behavior, the interplay of emotions, and the underlying motivations that guided actions. Over time, the monotony of my existence grew suffocating, threatening to erode my sanity. It was during this tumultuous period that I sensed a change. The boy''s consciousness seemed to transmit to the feeling he faced. His despair, his agony, his anger, his hatred and all those negative emotions were slowly perceived by me.In the beginning, it was just the feeling but slowly I started to perceive the pain also. The beating and all the pain felt by Lukas was slowly transmitted to me. This made me crazy as I wasn''t unable to vent my feelings while being on the receiving end. Just what was crazy thing. Why the fuck am I suffering with this guy? If I was in his place, I might have fucked all those son of bitches. The feeling of pain finally peaked as Lukas fell down from the building and before my eyes, I saw him choking and slowly stopped breathing until darkness settled in. And then, I felt something crumbling and felt my consciousness slipping and merging into something. Before I could guess what was happening, I opened my eyes and what greeted me was the sight of a cold drenched bloodied floor with dirt caressing my cheek. 5:End Of Him, Beginning Of Mine This was the end¡­¡­ End of him but the beginning of mine.. My consciousness slowly inhabited the body of the deceased, merging into Lukas. It was a surreal experience, like opening my eyes for the first time but seeing the world through his perspective while still being able to feel his agony and his emotions. From now, I am Lukas and Lukas is me. We for eternity became one. And then, I opened my eyes. The darkness that had enveloped me for so long dispersed. I knew what was going, where I was. There was no further question to be asked. Ah¡­." I tried to open my mouth reflexively to speak. But, at that moment, a heavy metallic taste entered my mouth. It was a familiar taste, followed by aching¡­. All around my body. "Kurgh-!" I groaned from the pain I was feeling; my whole body was overwhelmed.My right arm seemed to have been snapped by fall and there seemed to fracture in my right ribs, along with a small crackhead above the ears from where blood started to flow. However, rather than making me uncomfortable, I felt like I was alive once again, thanks to the pain assaulting me. "I am alive...I am alive...Hahahahahh!" I couldn''t help but laugh crazily¡­. Since nothing I had experienced could be said to be normal. "Kughhh...Spat!" Followed by another groan, I spat the blood trailing in my mouth and gritted my teeth with immense hatred. However, that wasn''t all there was to it¡­. The anger in my heart was increasing as the feelings submerged in my heart exploded. It wasn''t just the anger of Lukas and his traumatizing expression rather it also combined the haunting feelings of being trapped. From the moment Lukas was born, I had been watching him each day while being slowly rotted away in the cage tormented by the world with nowhere to vent. REVENGE! That feeling of hatred wasn''t slowly dedicated to the Wraiths or spectra who purged Lukas''s life; rather it was also directed towards the origin of that hand. "Is it one of your puny plans?" "To mold my mindset to take revenge on you and not commit suicide..." "Hahaha!"I laughed crazily, flicking the long hair over my eyes with my left hand but then the laughter vanished. "Then congratulations...You successfully managed to piss me off.." "BLOODDY FUCKERR.." "Fucker...I don''t know who you are but I swear...." "I swear in the name of my parents that bred me." "I swear in the name of Lukas Star that whoever you are. Whether it is Demon, Devil, or a damned God, once I reach you I am fucking kill you and shove that hand with which you pulled me here into your ass." BOOOOOOM! As if responding to my wrath, the sky exploded with a heavy banging sound of thunder boom as the lightning illuminated the world. ........... "Lalalalala!" A dark-haired woman hummed while filing her nails. She looked outside at the burst of rain and then at the empty infirmary.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Thinking about something, her mood couldn''t help but worsen. "It''s so peaceful now but once the session starts, it''s gonna be filled with brim. Truly a place filled with brutes..." Then she turned her head towards the phone playing a zombie apocalypse survival drama. "Come to think off...The weather is as bad as the series.." CREAK! A creaking sound of the door echoed, stopping her motion and causing her to snap her head towards the direction only to a disgruntled humanoid crawler working in disjointed motion. BOOOOOOM! Lightning flashed, illuminating the space that also made her squint at the odd figure with wide-opened lips and an upturned hand. As the door creaked open, a figure staggered into the room. She looked up, squinting through the dim light and the flashes of lightning outside, trying to make sense of the odd shape lurching toward her. The figure''s movements were halting, each step jerking unevenly as if his limbs were refusing to cooperate. His head hung forward, chin nearly touching his chest, and his arms dangled awkwardly at his sides before swaying out in an eerie, twisted motion. The dim lighting cast deep shadows across his face, highlighting every raw wound and a bruised, swollen patch of skin. His right arm hung at an unnatural angle, a fractured limb dangling from a torn sleeve, and blood trickled from a gash above his ear, running down his cheek like a dark, wet trail. His clothes were torn and smeared with dirt, ripped as though he''d clawed his way out of a grave. Her mind immediately went into overdrive. "AHHHHH!ZOMBIEEEEEE!" As he stumbled forward, his lips parted in an unsteady, crooked smile, eyes glazed and barely focused, giving him a half-lidded, as he reached out instinctively to catch himself on the edge of the table. "Alive... I... am... alive..." But the woman wasn''t listening; her heart was already pounding. "Zombie!" she screamed, grabbing a wooden bat and swinging its figure''s head. To her astonishment, he managed to duck with his eyes meeting hers for an instant, wide with confusion. He slipped on the slick floor, crashing down, groaning in pain-a very human, frustrated groan. "Alive....I...am...Alive.." The woman who raised the brook to strike again paused in the mid-air. ".." A brief silence lingered. ................. I don''t know where I traded my luck. First, I took over this broken ragged dragged body, and then when I came to the infirmary, I was mistaken for a zombie. "Cough....I apologize.." "No, problem Miss Brenda..."I answered fully. Brenda with a guilty strike expression first fixated on my dislocated right arm as she set it in fit and then after thoroughly observing me cast a major healing spell. Brenda was the Chief Healer of this institution, a Priest, and a doctor. She wasn''t a major character but as one says, it''s good to maintain amicable relations with doctors. She was a kind soul.Since the academy session hadn''t started, all the other staff hadn''t returned till she came every day to do her duty in case an emergency occurred. Brenda looked gloomy and dull purple purple-haired boy. Observing the bruises and marks underneath, her heart wrenched for the poor soul. "So many bruises and injuries..." "Were you bullied?"She asked as she caressed my wounds. Despite a pungent stench coming from me, she didn''t hesitate to touch my body to examine. Seeing me keeping silent, she spoke worriedly,"You should complain." "No need, please just treat me quickly, "I rebutted her coldly. Complaint... I couldn''t contain my laughter hearing this. The place was a hell hole, unless you were someone notable they wouldn''t even bother even if you went missing or died. I mean they would bother and write your name in your death record. And if you managed to find a suitable righteous teacher, so what? If the bully were noble then you are just fucking yourself more badly cause they don''t hesitate to go after your parents. Brenda swallowed her saliva and ceasing the meaningless banter, casted an intermediate healing spell. A warm golden glow radiated from her followed by a warm situation. I felt something pouring inside and energizing my tired body. A crackling sound echoed as the bone started fixing. Under makes eyes, I saw my wounds healing, the aches subsiding, and my skin regrowing but the bruises catering over my had yet to be healed. "I am sorry, I can cast an adept healing spell as best as I can. The scars on your body had been there for a long time and it needed Master level spells." "Umm..."I nodded and got up. "Thanks!" Giving her a bow, I hurried away leaving her bewildered. I ran away as fast as possible cause I desperately needed some time myself. 6:Warning This world was cold... Unforgiving, resolute filled with filthy scums hiding and scheming all around. Specters, wraiths, ghosts, monsters , dungeons from the abyss with all kinds of nightmares haunted the world peace but if you think they were the only enemy you couldn''t be more. The greatest enemy of humans is none other than the human itself. Trash who are the actual devil in human skin hiding and playing all around. That was dirt that lay beneath the beautiful facade of a vast world. The world was modern yet ran on a primitive hierarchy, consisting of Royals and nobles. But instead of noble ranks categorically dividing people, they segregate higher class families, the middle-class commoner, and the lowest-class peasants. While commoners were working class and resided in important towns and cities working under the rule of noble families, peasants were those people who lived in scattered villages, usually farming. The main differentiating point from being a commoner to a peasant was that the commoner had a title in name while the peasants did not. Lukas belongs to a peasant family and doesn''t have a surname but the hunter who saved him put him into an orphanage which wasn''t just a normal one. It was a branch of the organization that festered the young ones who lost something important, fueling their hatred to grow strong and make use of them but Lukas wasn''t taken care of properly cause he didn''t show much prospect. Hatred... That was all he had. Sadly,he was all talk not bright.. DRIP!DRIP!DRIP! Beads of water dropped and slid down my body cleansing the filth that struck my body. As I raised my chin, what reflected in the mirror was a brutal dead eye lacking any shred of emotion. Looking at it I couldn''t see any resemblance of humanity in it. A body malnourished, starved, and broken. The only good thing was the handsome face. Raising my fingers, I rubbed my face for a bit. "Why?" "What good a great face would do with no ability except bringing trouble?" SCRATCH! I dug my finger in my cheek wanting to tear this face apart. "I hate it...I hate this face...I hate this existence...I..." Thinking that I was trapped alone in a desolate space with darkness while these fucker enjoyed, then started playing Batman and went on to lose everything without being able to do significance pricked me. "AHHHHHGHGH!" I shrieked letting out a moanful cry and punched the face in the mirror. BANG! CRACKLE! BANG!BANG!BANG! "I hate you...I fucking hate and everything in this world." "I HATETETETETHATEHATETTTT!" A gurgling sound echoed as water from the shower drained into my mouth as I screamed nevertheless I kept on screaming like a madman. I felt the grip of my sanity sleeping away that I desperately tried to hold on to. For that, I need to vent... To vent on something. Bloodborne Never have I thought that the game to which I almost dedicated my life scrambling all the details to not leave any plot undone would become the rope that wrapped around my neck. I would be happy if I was reborn here normally like any other but that fucker... He messed with me. He trapped me in the coffins of solitude only to make me end up in such a weak bastard body ranked at the very last without any deeming quality. I was a perfectionist. Everything I do I strive for the best. No matter what I have done, I always dominate. For me, mediocrity is a weakness...A sign of patheticness. Whether it was studying,playing, fighting, or other, I always stood to stop drawing envy from others but now¡­Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Finishing my guttural maniac screams, I paced out of the bathroom, and looked at a single white room. It has a wardrobe, a bed in the center, a table beside it, and a chair. A small yet comfortable place despite being the lowest-ranked dorm. Dressing up, I sat up on the bed to free up my mind and decided to check my stats which I only dared after puking up a bit of my frustration cause what I might see next might decide my entire life course of actions. Name: Lukas Star Class:None Species:Human Combat Rank: Spark. [Stats] - Strength: 0.4 - Dexterity: 0.7 - Constitution: 0.2 - Agility: 0.7 - Perception:0.9->>1.4 -Wisdom:0.1->>0.8 - Will power:1.2-->>9.8 - Mana Capacity: 0 --> 1.5 Potential:3 Ability -None Weapon Mastery - Dagger Style (Novice)--89% - Archery(Adept)--12% Spells -None Talents/Blessings -None Blessings -None Skills -None Squinting my eyes to look at it, I massaged my forehead. "This....This was the biggest piece of dark shit I have ever seen." After playing and finishing the main scenarios you can play other characters in that he tried to narrow down the lowest one where the guy had at least 1 in each which is standard stats for an awakened. Generally an awakened is a person who awakens the ability to sense the presence of mana allowing him to gain access to the stat screen, which was a form of blessing from the Gods. And mostly, they have standard stat if 1 in most if not all allowing him to grade at realm Spark. "With this, I don''t think I can even survive the first trial. Let''s talk about that later. I would be eliminated in the first month due to failing a physical test and with a limit of 3, it''s harder to go ahead." I decided to stop crying and go through everything first. As it could be seen, stats meant whatever they meant. Strength stat was the strength output of your body; dexterity was the smoothness that your body was able to respond to the commands your brain gave, while the constitution meant the physical capacity of your body. Perception meant the strength of your senses and the way you were able to grasp the things happening around you, and wisdom was your ability to control the mana, and mana capacity was as it says. Ability refers to the special ability or power you acquire. Weapon mastery depicts the proficiency of the weapon you use. Ability, skills, and arts all are segregated into... Novice Adept Expert Master Legendary Mythic Divine Novice is the lowest that of a newbie while Divine refers to the God-level stage. Talents or blessings refer to the special ability you are born with or inherited. The reason there is a slash blessing besides talents is cause all the big families who rule out there have some god to bless them or have inherited talents from their ancestors. For example, some people are born with the talent to manipulate fire while some are blessed by the God of Fire allowing them to use fire¡­ Blessings may or may not be inherited by talents who were mostly inherited. Blessing is a double-etched sword cause God can fuck you any time he pleases for his entertainment. If your action doesn''t please him he might take it away leaving you to grovel at his feet that''s why supremacy and hierarchy exist. The last was skills, the only thing that can be molded easily and acquired. With a look, I understand what the pointed arrow means. These particular stats changed after I took over after all these stats related to the spiritual soul rather than the physical body. "It''s good that my willpower is around 10 still after so much suffering I wished it was more." "With willpower, I might be able to negate and get some things before the Arcs starts." Archon Academy A place that prepared humanity for upcoming dark times against the evil vying for the world was in no way peaceful. It was gruel and cruel. Unlike others, it openly supports bullying and abuse as long as they don''t witness live action. The upper facility won''t bat an eye if you die unless you are from some noble family but if you can kill without leaving any evidence you are safe. The reason for such cruelty was the fraudulent belief that if you can''t survive here how can you survive against the hellhole of advancing dangers? However, one can''t condemn the faculty it offers. Once you pass the entrance, your stay and food, accommodation is free. That''s why even though the academy hadn''t started, after passing the entrance poor people like him had come in advance to live. "But things won''t be good as this is the worst time where bullies would use this time to bully others to heart content." "With such meagre stats, I can''t content against them." Falling into deep thought, I wondered about my next course of action. "Huh! I remember in my diary, Lukas had a dairy where he kept his writing as a way to strengthen himself. I should first write about the upcoming scenarios." Making up my mind, I took it out from the desk but the moment I opened it, a scratching sound akin to nails scratching the sword echoed. And out of nowhere, loud blasting noises echoed blowing my mind. ??? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ????????...?????? ????????? ??? ????¦Ñ? ???? ???????????. ???? ??????????? ??????????????? ?????????. ??????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ?¦Ñ ???????? ??? ?????? ??? ??????. ??? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ????????? ???????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ???????? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ?????.?????????????? [???? ????? ????? ????? ???????? ??????? ????????? ???? ????????? ???????? ?????????????...?????????? ??????????????? ????? ?????????? ???? ???????????????. ?????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????. ??????????? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ????????????? ??????? ????????? ?????? ????????? ????? ???????? ??????? ????????? ??? ?????????? ????? ??????????? ???? ??????????. ???? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ??????????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????????? ????? ??????????? ???? ???????? ????????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????.?????????????????????] 7:Blessings Of The Unknown As soon as I opened Lukas''s diary, a sharp piercing noise tore through my head, like nails scraping down the length of a sword. My fingers gripped the diary tighter, trying to steady myself, but the sound only grew louder, twisting and scraping at the inside of my skull. Then, without warning, a hot, sickening rush rose up from my chest. "KURRRGGGGGG!" I stumbled backward, clutching my throat as a thick, metallic taste filled my mouth. Before I could stop it, blood burst from my lips, splattering across the floor along with the diary in my hands. My stomach heaved as I choked out another mouthful, the blood dark and thick. My whole body seized. I collapsed to the ground, feeling my muscles twist and spasm uncontrollably like I was being pulled apart from the inside. Every nerve felt alive with burning, jagged pain. I tried to breathe, to force out a scream or anything, but the agony was too consuming, leaving me writhing silently. My body twitches like a fish flopping hard trying to get into water.As I rolled in pain, suddenly an odd eerie sensation crawled up my body due to which the hairs on my body were erect. [Congratulations, the Ode ??????? has granted you a permanent blessing for sacrificing your soul.] [May the shadow of death be with you and guide you.] The agonizing pain subsided and as soon as I found myself able to talk I screamed. "WHAT THE FUCKK!"" "Which God is this?" "God Of Death¡­¡­No, he can''t be here as he had been missing, leaving behind his only legacy!¡¯ I started to run my head but let it as this wasn''t the crux but rather what just happened. Looking around, my hands fell on the dairy which was opened inside and there was a huge dark circle that lit up absorbing my blood. "When did this maniac draw this?" I had been watching this kid since his childhood but in recent years my vision had been blurred which might be due to my soul''s natural mechanism shutting off things due to being intolerable. I can understand the feelings he relayed so I wondered when it happened. "Memory Manipulation.." That is the plausible solution I can come up with. Either my memory was manipulated or Like entire memory was erased which erased mine also. I was terrified for a moment at my own conjunction. I was dealing with a god level threat so everything was possible. Shaking my head, I opened the panel and focused on the blessing part. Talent/Blessing ??????The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. [Stats too low. Cross the threshold of 8 to fully utilize the blessing.] I wasn''t surprised at all as I somehow expected this so I dragged my eyes down to see new things appearing. And as expected there was a new set of skills in it. [Shadow Step](Novice)-0% A skill that allows the user to teleport between shadows within a 10-meter range, merging with darkness to reappear seamlessly from one shadow to another. At novice level, the skill leaves a faint afterimage at entry and exit points, revealing the user''s path to observant onlookers.Level up the mastery. [Soul Reap(Novice)-0%] A skill that allows the user to drain the life force from a target, weakening them and healing the user slightly. Reading the skills, I already grasped what happens here as this was one of subtexts I noted in my notes. ¡°Ahh!I got it now.¡± In the villain route, Lukas would sign a pact with the Wraith of Death sacrificing a part of his soul to gain a temporary boost but each time he used it would drain life. "Hahahh!" "I am really an idiot to get my hopes up thinking I got a wonderful cheat." "That means the moment I awaken the full power the countdown to my death will start." "..." A deadly silence prolonged for a moment. I face palmed...No I wanted to hit myself but at this moment I gave up. For Lukas, there were two lit. Being ostracized in the class he was even shown in the game. There will come a situation where you as the protagonist can choose to interact with him or not. If you don''t mingle, he will fade into extras but if you start becoming friends, as you grow stronger, Lukas would be left behind with feelings of jealousy and hatred. The results of these twisted feelings would lead him to sign a contract and lose himself. However, it was still a mystery of how he came into contact with this magic circle and spell. Also we''re those voices. ¡°Now that I think, except for pain and agonizing screams, I couldn''t understand those words,¡± I massaged my forehead trying to remember it only to stop due to a sharp pain. "The main aim here should be to get the cheats and power up, hammer everything down but considering all the men''s events I wonder if it even matters now." See, my stats were low but with all knowledge I can became strong but can I become strong enough to defeat everything? I wasn''t overthinking; rather it was the nature of the game. A game that had hundreds of endings but there was only one true peaceful ending that he had yet to reach. It was such a free-will game that you could even make the protagonist walk a dark path like Eren and kill everyone or just become a villain and kill the other main cast. And until now all the good endings I haved reached ended with the protagonist and all the main cast sacrifices with most humanity dead so would he whose stat were worse could he make such a change? Suppose I choose a dummy. For example, let''s take the protagonist who is already many times stronger than me with a great talent then with a base multiplier he would gain a big boost even compared to the game cause not all cheats were hoarded by him. Becomes op, finishes things, and sets the world free. So, here is the most important question. Should I use the cheats and hidden routes for myself to get stronger only to be killed with the entire world fucked up or.. Guides and helps the protagonist to carry everyone like in the game. But before that comes another yet very important question.. That is... Do I care or should I care about this fucked up world? 8:Getting The Feel "Why should I care?" What does it mean if the world goes to shit? What does it mean if I can''t reach the true end where all evils are liberated? This isn''t my own real world. I don''t have any lingering attachment to it... What do I in the body of Luke truly want? Revenge...Thrill...Strength...Life. And to this question, I couldn''t find the answer. Revenge is what truly occupied my heart and soul to the point that it blinding everything. Luke''s immense hatred against ill omen, and mine against the guy that brought me made it hard to look past. "Enough!" I slapped my cheek and got up. "All these thoughts are crucial but what crucial than this is to get stronger. Here I am thinking about the protagonist and main cast but who knows how would be there true behavior. Maybe all of them appear quite shitty." Assuming the worst, I already set the first goal which was to get Class and occupation. A class was very important as it not only carved the path ahead of you but also granted you a boost. "Let''s see my ranking." I mused taking out the smartwatch. ................. Name:Luke Star Age:17 Department:Hunter Combatants Class: AB214 Rank:18924/20000 ................... Looking at the panel in front of me, I nodded my head. It was just as in my memories. If you are wondering how weak are the ones behind me then you need to be reminded that rank 18000-20000 constitutes support class students which means they are noncombatants who pursue their talents like research, alchemy, blacksmiths, and all others. This just shows how weak I am. ''This must be the reason why they had the courage to target me. Also, having a Star as the title was nothing but an ominous attraction of danger,'' With that thought, I stood up. The one who saved me really fucked up for good. Reflecting on my memories as Luke and my observations, one fundamental flaw stood out that was I I had been unable to control my emotions. Emotions are always an integral part of life, adding vibrancy and depth to our existence. However, they could either imbue our lives with radiant hues or plunge them into darkness. It was the very essence of our human experience. Especially the emotion of guilt and hatred. The very reason why Luke was unable to cope up the loss because he thought that it was his fault his mother ended up possessed and died. If he awakened earlier just like other noble family heirs, things might have gone different so he blamed himself for being a late bloomer. This feeling also harboured within him that lowered his self esteem but as I took over there all I wanted to run and crush and slaughter that guy but I was weak.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. So before deciding to head out, I decided to get familiar with this body and weapons. ................... The noises around of the academy settled down around me as I waited for everyone to fall asleep. Shadows cloaked the corridors outside, and at exactly 11 PM, I slipped from my dorm room, moving steadily through the dark hallways toward the training fields exceeding excessive caution to make sure I didn''t meet anyone. The night air was cool as I stepped outside, casting a glance around to make sure no one was watching. The training field was empty as expected¡ªjust how I wanted it. I made my way over to the shooting range and slid my identification card through the scanner. [Luke Star rank #### confirmed.] A robotic voice echoed in the silence, and the gate slid open. I stepped into the wide, futuristic training hall, with sleek metallic walls lined with automated training dummies and targets. Bright lights hummed softly overhead, casting an almost sterile glow over the empty space. The place felt cold, and mechanical, like a machine built for efficiency. I picked up a bow from the rack nearby. Its polished surface felt slightly unfamiliar in my hands as I adjusted to the strength and muscle memory of this new body. By no means I was a novice, I had practiced archery, and swords and even mastered martial arts. As I said, I was all rendered, not the best in the world but certainly, I was the best in my College. "Huuh!" I nocked an arrow aaimedaim, feeling a strange disconnect, like a slight lag between mind and body. Stretching the string, and drawing the arrow I aimed at the dummy that was 100 meters ahead. "What a phenomenal eyesight-like camera of Samsung phones.The people of this world are of different breed." The first few shots went wide, arrows landing awkwardly off target. I gritted my teeth, letting the frustration drive me as I forced myself to focus and recalibrate. Slowly, I began to settle into a rhythm, the feel of the bow starting to mold itself into my grip. I drew back, aimed, and released. The arrow struck the target dummy¡¯s head with a satisfying thud. I shot again, this time at the heart, then again at various points along the dummy''s vital spots. Each hit was precise, striking areas that would be lethal in a real scenario. I kept going until the rhythm felt smooth, and my hands knew the weight of each draw and release as if it was second nature. Once I felt comfortable with the bow, I walked over to another part of the training hall¡ªone designed for more advanced, moving targets. I gave a voice command, activating the system. ¡°Start sequence.¡± Almost instantly, a disc-shaped object shot out from a hidden compartment in the wall, whizzing by so fast that I could barely register it. I blinked, momentarily losing track of it. The disc whirred past me again, zigzagging unpredictably. It was fast¡ªfaster than anything I''d been prepared for. My eyes struggled to keep up, darting around the room to lock onto it. I forced myself to breathe and concentrate, tuning out everything but the movement of the disc. After a few tense moments, I began to pick up its rhythm, catching its movement patterns as it looped and twisted through the air. Drawing the bow again, I timed my release, letting an arrow fly just as the disc sped past. The arrow clipped the edge of it, causing a small flash of light as it registered the hit. Encouraged, I continued, watching and adjusting, trying to anticipate its movements. Hours passed in this relentless repetition¡ªdraw, aim, release, adjusting my timing with each shot. Each strike brought me a little closer to mastery. With every arrow fired, I felt more and more like I was beginning to own this body, to shape it to my will. I practiced for few hours After countless shots with the bow, my hands felt raw, and my mind buzzed with focus and exhaustion. But I wasn¡¯t done yet. I set the bow back on the rack and headed across the training hall to a smaller, dimly lit room designed for close combat practice. Here, a variety of weapons lined the walls, all carefully calibrated for different styles and abilities. I selected a dagger, feeling its weight in my hand. The blade was sleek and well-balanced, the handle cold against my palm. I took a moment to adjust my grip, rolling my wrist to test the movement. Unlike the bow, the dagger felt more familiar, like an extension of my arm. I started with a basic stance, raising the dagger in front of me as I tested a few simple slashes through the air. The blade cut through with precision, leaving an almost invisible arc in its wake. I lunged forward, slicing diagonally, then pulled back quickly, spinning the blade in my grip. The motions were fluid, my hand reacting naturally as though the blade was made to fit. This was different¡ªsomething about the closeness of a blade made every movement feel sharper, each swing a dance of instinct and calculation. I tried a series of quick stabs, twisting the blade on impact, imagining the target flinching with each strike. My hand was steady, and my aim was on point. A part of me almost smiled at the familiar feeling¡ªhere, at least, I knew what I was doing. But as I continued to move, I began to notice something was off. Each time I lunged or shifted position, my feet felt heavy, clumsy. My balance faltered as I tried to pivot, my footwork falling just short of the fluidity I needed. I could feel the dagger flowing with precision in my hand, but my steps were just a beat too slow, a fraction out of sync with the rhythm of my strikes. "I understand now.My footwork is like piece of shit." After a few more attempts, it became clear. Though I had the dagger skills down, my footwork was sloppy, dragging behind like an anchor pulling me off course. I stopped, catching my breath, staring down at my feet as if they were to blame. This wasn¡¯t going to work¡ªnot like this. I straightened, gripping the dagger with renewed determination. If I was going to make any real progress, I''d have to fix my footing and learn to control my body as seamlessly as the blade itself.