章節 2: The Beginning of the End
"When will that auth- no piece of trash upload again?"
Every time I remembered how I could no longer read my favorite novel, rage and fury filled my mind.
"Why can't I enjoy one thing? No matter what I do this trashy luck follows after me. Can my life become even worse?"
I shouted at the absurdity of my life.
After losing everything, reading was the habit I picked up to elude myself.
Gradually it became the only thing that I enjoyed. The world of novels was dazzling and beautiful.
Anything one could desire, one would find there, be it adventure, love, money, happiness, or comfort.
And I had finally found my Eden, 'Saga of Heroes'. Set in the modern fantasy world, it is a classic of weak-to-strong.
It was a cliché novel about a protagonist's losing his family and everything else. When he was a kid, he lost everything during the invasion of other races. Yet, he still never gave up. The protagonist strived to become strong to protect others so that no one would have to lose their loved ones.
No matter what dangers he faced, he kept on moving forward. And he always succeeded.
I was captivated by such a protagonist. Now hear me before you start dissing me.
I know that the story was your usual cliché wish fulfillment. But witnessing someone who always stood up against the absurdity of the world, I felt merry.
Reading the story filled me with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. It was my sole solace.
And though he and I were the exact opposite, seeing someone stand up no matter how badly he fell comforted me.
I was among the top fans of the author, and though the support I could provide was pitiful, I still always bought the latest chapters.
He had also written a few more novels, but only his first novel was a success. In his review, he wrote that this book was the fruition of his frustration and desire to try something new so that he could ignite the last remaining embers inside of his heart.
He was writing his final masterpiece. Yes, he 'was'.
A few weeks back, he stopped uploading without any news.
"I wonder what excuse he is going to this time "Sorry, I had a heart attack"? Don't let me find you, I swear, I'll make you bend ov-"
SCREECH-!
In the middle of my rant, something rammed into me and I flew away like a broken kite.
"Arg….ghh."
For a moment, I lost consciousness. Regaining my senses, the only thing I felt at the moment was pain, immense pain.
My ears kept ringing like someone was blaring horns right beside me. Even breathing was laborious and torturous. Moving a muscle never felt so excruciating. It was as if an entire mountain was placed on top of me.
Seeing the red pool below me, I realized something.
'Ah, I am dying.'
The thought crossed my mind and as if cold water was pored on my head, I calmed down. The pain numbed, and I was no longer panicked. Thinking of how I no longer have to live this crappy life, I was at peace.
I never thought that death could be so peaceful. Looking back at my life filled with regret I wondered if the struggles I went through to continue living were worth it.
My life was a cycle of regret.
I couldn't save anything. Even after I killed that bastard, I was only pushed further into darkness.
Inwardly, I shook my head and looked ahead. This was the end I shouldn't be melancholic at least now.
'Is that a truck?'
My mind blanked as I looked at object that had smashed me along with the wall.
Wasn't my room on the second floor?
But before I could think more my thoughts came to a halt, and darkness covered my vision.
And so, I, Nathan died.
******
In a broken castle, a figure was sitting on the throne. The castle was humongous, spanning a few hundred miles.
Only a single wall was standing of the once splendorous castle.
Away from the castle, as far as eyes could see, was utter destruction and devastation.
Ruins, wildfires, and wreckages were what the entire world contained as if the god of destruction himself had raged.
The figure continued sitting on the throne, looking at the world with an indifferent and detached gaze.
Suddenly there was a ripple in those unexpressive eyes. Raising his head he gazed at the crimson sky.
A second later a crack, the size of a pebble, formed in the sky. Immediately after, with the crack as the center, the sky began shattering.
The crack began expanding rapidly, and within moments a fissure, the length of several miles, was formed in the sky.
Stepping out of the fissure, what greeted the world, was another human. His golden eyes swept through the world, witnessing the carnage that had passed.
Finally, his gaze rested on the figure sitting on the throne.
"Was it you all along?"
A powerful commanding voice reverberated through the whole world.
"It was necessary."
The first figure answered with a calm and composed voice.
The answer was simple but the meaning behind those words was anything but simple.
Closing his eyes the second figure finally endorsed the truth he had always been trying to ignore.
Then with a snap, his eyes opened, but this time there was unparalleled wrath behind them.
The pressure around him increased, flattening hundreds of miles of the area around him.
Even after seeing the destruction caused by the pressure alone, the first figure continued sitting on the throne.
He merely released his own pressure to stop the destruction from moving further.
As their pressures collided the sky started turning dark, tornadoes formed, and the land split.
It was as if the world itself was crying with rage from the injustice it had suffered.
Raising his head the first figure looked above to see the sky filled with hundreds of lightning bolts, all falling towards him.
Massive explosions engulfed the world as the thunder continued to bombard the castle.
As the last bolt of thunder fell the havoc stopped and only deathly silence prevailed.
But the second figure knew that this was far from enough to do any substantial damage.
Suddenly the air began howling again and the dust stirred. From within it, a colossal giant rose.
The behemoth imposingly stood at the center of the castle. Inside the transparent behemoth, the first figure was floating at the center of the chest.
With the wings behind its back and its regal appearance, the colossal giant looked like the warriors from legends.
It raised its hands and a sword began materializing.
Seeing its actions the second figure also moved. Combining hundreds of lightning bolts he created a gigantic lightning arrow.
He threw the arrow while the first figure slashed his sword. Cracks began forming in the sky wherever their attacks passed.
Moments later, their attacks clashed and a deafening explosion, covering half of the world, was created.
***
"What was that?"
Groggily opening my eyes I questioned, feeling overwhelmed due to that strange dream.
"I shouldn't have drank too much."
Alcohol had to be the reason behind the fanciful dream.
Otherwise, why would I have such a childish dream where I was an overpowered god. I was already past that age.
I raised my hand to stop the yawn that was about to emerge, only to be stunned.
"W-what is this?"
My hands looked smaller and a lot softer than I remembered. Panicking, I stood up only to realize that my point of view was also lower than it used to be.
Before I could think anything more, memories of what happened before my sleep resurfaced.
My face scrunched up. The experience of being smashed by a truck wasn't very pleasant, to say the least.
"Wait, was it really truck-kun?"
Connecting the dots, I realized what was happening.
"I have been transmigrated!"
I joyfully shouted as I realized that my wish had been granted, and I was given a second chance at life.
Was I adapting too fast? Eh, who cares.
More importantly, I transmigrated!
"No, you dipshit. Now shut up before they throw you out."
As I was relishing the moment a voice interrupted my jovial mood, followed by a jolt of pain at the back of my head.
"Huh?"
Only now did I realize that I was standing in the middle of a lobby.
Everyone was looking at me weirdly. Some were even snickering as they pointing at me.
Turning my head I looked at the person who had smacked my forehead just now.
A girl who appeared to be 16-year-old and had flaming red hair was glaring at me.
"Are you trying to ruin your chances of entering Ward!!"
She growled while pulling me towards two empty seats. Before I could do anything her strange words registered in my mind.
'I think I just heard something very wrong.'
Sighing I waited for my brain to work properly. There was no way what I heard was real.
"This is Ward's interview we are talking about. Even though our turn is yet to come we are undoubtedly being monitored."
I wasn't transmigrated where I think I was, right?
Hahahaa... Yes, of course.
I think I read too many novels of this troupe. This must be why I was thinking things that weren't possible.
"Did the tension make this area malfunction? Don't worry we'll pass, sister Gwen prepared us plenty."
She patted my head.
But I wasn't pay attention to her any longer.
"Please pick one bracelet each."
That horrific guess seems to be more correct by the second.
A robot shaped like a pyramid, with a single wheel at its base, entered. From its side two pipe-like structures were protruding, holding a plate.
'Isn't this….'
After everyone had worn the bracelets, a voice again rang out. This time it seemed more humane.
"A hero must always be prepared for every situation! Only by turning the predicaments into opportunities can you prevail!"
"Every crisis is an opportunity! The tribulations you go through today will become your strength for tomorrow!"
"Good luck, our future heroes!"
Realization hit me as I felt the floor beneath me vanish.
"The beginning of the entrance exam!"
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