Chapter 3: Chap 3
It hurts! My poor wing got torn like paper, and it's swelling up!
Doctor! Help!
Sigh, I can only swallow bitter tears and endure.
The pain was nothing compared to anxiousness of being handicapped.
How could I survive if I couldn't fly? I'd be devoured like afternoon snack by a random lizard A.
Fortunately, as the days passed, the wound automatically started healing back and my HP also recovered bit by bit.
Thank god! It's the phrase you least expect from an atheist. But like every atheist becomes a true believer right before exams, I similarly found that bit of faith and clutched on it.
When the wound healed back to original and my HP almost fully recovered, I tried flying. My right wing still felt discomfort and little pain, so I waited until the complete recovery.
Only a linear scar was left in place of the wound.
I'm finally back!
For the past few days, I felt the urgency to become stronger. Any random Bob and Harry can critically injure this poor I. How can I let this happen?
After sneaking around and stalking, I found an unfortunate scouting rat singled out from its kind.
Before long, it found itself several meters above ground, flailing its tiny legs and squeaking in resistance.
'What is this treatment? I demand an answer! Let me go this instant!'
'Sir, the resistance is futile. Your punishment - execution!'
I imagined a funny dialogue between us and let go of the poor rat.
*Squeak!!!
Aaaand...
*Splat
I almost found it funny.
[ +10% Exp ]
[ Title gained: Sadist (+1% DMG against sentimental entities)
Skill acquired: Intimidation ]
Wow. The system never lets go of the opportunity to tackle me. You're welcome, system.
Eeeh? What was I at, again? Right, onto the next target!
A few genocidal *splats later...
[ Level up!
+22 Skill points; +0.5 stat points
+0.4 HP; +0.2 STA; +0.02 STR; +0.09 AGI; +0.01 DEF; +0.02 WIL; +0.11 PER ]
A level up! Feels amazing.
Though I feel I'm only a tiny bit stronger overall, it's still progress, nevertheless.
After flying around happily, I kept it down. It'd be tragic to grab the attention of a hungry predator and put myself on a plate right after a happy celebration dance of level up.
Hmm?
My echolocation has grabbed the familiar soundwaves.
My heart couldn't help but beat in excitement.
Humans?
I felt the presence of two of them.
Thank god they exist in this world.
Wait, I'm a bat, a monster, so I can't approach them directly, but it'll be fine to observe from distance right?
I happily flapped my wings and followed the sound vibrations. My vision could see their vague outlines.
Once I got closer, a weird feeling started gnawing my heart.
I hid behind a rock protruding from the ceiling.
My vision was partially obstructed by terrain so the human on the right entered my sight first.
I froze and almost let go of the rock from shock.
That's because I recognized...her.
While I was petrified in shock, the duo moved forward, fully appearing in my sight.
The silent echo of footsteps rang in the dark cave.
How...how is this possible?
My body started trembling uncontrollably. I was genuinely freaking out. I was afraid, terrified even.
Just what is happening?
I recognized him too.
In fact, I couldn't be more familiar with him.
The flashback of my last day on earth quickly resurfaced in my memory.
* * *
'Fucking useless nerd, can't even compile documents in the right order. What am I paying you for?! I've become everyone's laughingstock all because of your mistake. It's all your fucking fault, useless piece of garbage. Can you compensate for me, huh? Can you?!'
The obese middle-aged man spat saliva everywhere as he violently swung around the papers in his hands, then tore them apart and stomped on them.
The four-eyed young man of below average height and below average looks was looking down on the floor as he listened to his boss complain. That was me, that day.
It was clearly his fault he didn't clarify the order of papers and irresponsibly dumped the stack of them on my desk. I couldn't even ask a thing before he waved his hands carefreely and vanished.
Serves you right, fucker! I hope they demote you into a worker for that fucked up presentation.
I thought venomously at that time. It was unfair, how could this braindead pig be a boss? This is total bullshit.
Besides, I know there was nothing wrong with the papers. It was just him blaming others for his mistake, like always.
'What are you waiting for? Get lost!'
The boss bellowed as he swung around his hand abruptly.
*Crash
Seeing his precious cup break, he started another round of curses.
'Fucker.'
I muttered and grabbed my things without hesitation.
'Don't let my eyes see you again, a dumb piece of shit, jinx. Everything's been going wrong since you j...'
*Bang
I violently slammed the door behind me and went out in the streets with a heavy heart.
Everything has its pros and cons, they say. I would no longer have to listen to more of his annoying rant. I thought bitterly.
'I'm jobless once again. It's okay, it's not like I've not been jobless before. Everything can be fixed.'
I tried to be positive, but depression gnawing at my heart wasn't so easy to fool.
No wife, no children, no caring parents, no nothing...Did I have anything left to live for?
When there was no single reason for me to live, when I was at my lowest and weakest, I tended to remember novels, manga or anime I had yet to watch or read.
I had to finish them, I had to see them to the end. This thought would be my only pathetic driving force, fuel, and source of motivation to live on.
Ironically, I had also run out of things to watch and read, leaving an abyssal emptiness in my heart.
There was nothing left to look forward to...
The plain looking me joined the busy crowd.
There were so many people around, yet I felt so lonely and miserable. Who could understand the pain in my heart and even if they understood, why would they care?
The noises coming from the busy crowd sounded like the buzzing of bees, meaningless, empty.
And, despite being an empty shell, I walked...out of instinct, out of habit. Why was I even walking? Where was I going? Everything seemed so abysmal...and again, meaningless.
Suddenly, I was woken up by a noise.
The crowd stopped to stare at a certain direction too. A huge object was moving at high speeds, making grating noises on asphalt.
A cute young girl seemed to have frozen on spot out of fear, seeing a massive truck approaching at great speed.
I looked ahead and my expression froze. Half a second later, peaceful smile surfaced on my face.
'My truck has also come.'
This was my last thought as I dashed with abandon.
A heroic death would be great for this worthless life. I wouldn't have any regrets.
The people in the crowd yelled at the girl to move, but nobody went up to help.
The time seemed to slow down. Everything happened so fast.
*BANG
The waves of unimaginable pain wrecked my body and in a matter of seconds, I lost the ability to think.
But before my consciousness extinguished, my last thought full of bitterness lingered.
'Fuck! couldn't push her in time...I'm really useless.'
And I blanked out.
* * *
It's not hard to guess why I found the duo familiar.
It's because one of them was that girl and another one...it was me.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone