Nicholas stood frozen, every muscle tense, as the figure slowly approached him. The jungle’s oppressive silence seemed to amplify the sound of the stranger’s footsteps, each one deliberate, almost too measured. Nicholas had never seen anyone like this before, and the man’s glowing eyes made his skin crawl. Despite the man’s frail appearance, there was something unsettling in the way he moved, like he wasn’t fully human. "You seek power," the figure repeated, his voice a rasping whisper that seemed to slide through the thick air like smoke.Nicholas swallowed hard, trying to ignore the knot of fear twisting in his gut. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied, his voice rough from exhaustion. He stepped back, his hand instinctively reaching for the sharp stone he had used against the beast earlier.The figure chuckled, a sound that seemed far too deep for someone so gaunt. “Do not play games with me, boy. You wouldn’t have survived this long if you weren’t seeking somet
The beast's snarling echoed through the jungle as it turned to face Nicholas once more, its eyes glowing with primal hunger. Nicholas's breath came in ragged gasps, the world around him spinning as fatigue and fear gripped him in equal measure. He stumbled backward, his mind scrambling for any solution, any way out. But there was none.The beast lunged again, claws extended, saliva flying from its jaws as it hurtled toward him. Nicholas raised his arms in a futile attempt to defend himself, but he knew it was hopeless. This was the end.Suddenly, a shadow flickered at the corner of his vision, fast and silent. Before Nicholas could comprehend what was happening, a blur of motion slammed into the beast with bone-cracking force. The creature let out a deafening roar as it was knocked off course, crashing into a tree with enough force to shake the ground.Nicholas blinked, his mind struggling to process the scene. The man, his new teacher, stood between him and the beast, his movements
You're Nothing. Your Life is Meaningless.After Nicolas' parents were involved in a fatal accident that claimed both their lives, He was given to live with his uncle and aunt, his only relatives in the world. They took care of him like he was their own and they allowed him do whatever he wanted."You're like our our son now. We will love you just like your parents" Nicolas' aunt said."Don't ever feel like you're alone," His uncle placed a caring hand on his shoulder."We're here for you."Although Nicolas was happy, he couldn't help but feel like he was to blame for his parent's accident. He felt like if he was strong enough, if he was a hero, he would have been able to protect them. His life went downhill as soon as he lost the sense of obligation and responsibility. He went on to make friends with the wrong crowd, going to parties, drinking and doing drugs.He got his first girlfriend when he turned eighteen. He felt like he was on top of the world whenever he looked at her smiling
"Wake up, Human."Nicolas' eyes jerked open and he immediately sat up breathing heavily. He tried to regulate his breath as he looked around surrounded by complete darkness. Confusion took over him and his memories were in a complete mess. He continuously tried to remember what had happened before he appeared in the dark void that seemed to make everywhere smaller by each minute.He suddenly remembered his overdose and being rushed to the hospital followed by his the sound of his heart gradually coming to a close. He was dead.He stood up from where he sat and looked around, wondering if this was the way death was; total darkness and solitude. He walked around trying to find a way out but it seemed to lead to nowhere. He ended up walking in circles until he came up to where he had first left several minutes ago. He realized he had began to get thirsty and he wondered if it was possible for him to want to drink water when he was dead. Several thoughts of his family rushed into his m
Nicolas was confused as to why an arrow had been shot towards him but soldiers. He attempted to move away, but more arrows flew to him and he fell on his back in a bid to escape being hit."What the hell is happening?" Nicolas asked.His hand touched a small puddle of water and he looked at it, an unfamiliar reflection of an handsome man staring back."Who are you?" Nicolas asked the reflection that the puddle showed him.He put his hand on his face, trying to figure out if he was really the owner of the face he saw in the puddle. He immediately understood why he was being attacked; they mistook him for someone else.A knight who seemed like their leader drew out a golden sword and increased his speed towards him. In an instant, Nicolas was face to face with a golden sword being swung towards him.With the help of instinct and his new found magical powers brought about by being reincarnated, he slowed time just enough to quickly dodge the attack. He couldn't believe his eyes when he r
Nicolas could smell the stomach wrenching smell of blood all over him. His eyes opened in a jolt and he quickly sat up. He couldn't believe what he saw. All around him were organs and fleshy walls that made it seem like he had been swallowed whole by a mammal.He could feel the warm wetness of a liquid soaking his hands and clothes. He looked down and the sight of it's red colour making him sure what he was sitting on was blood made his skin crawl. He instantly stood up as he screamed."Are you that scared of your body?"Nicolas had been oblivious to the fact that a person was watching him all along. He turned to see a man, dressed in the way he had been earlier when he was with Lou-ra, sitting on a throne made of bones that looked like ribcage.Nicolas' mind replayed what the strange man had said earlier; he had called the place where he had suddenly woken up after suffering a severe pain in his chest his body. There was no way he had entered his own body, that was impossible, howev
Lou-ra had lot all hope of Nicolas waking up when she saw he didn't budge after she shook him several times. She suspected he must have collapsed because his body, mind and source were still adapting to being reborn. She immediately started to use the healing magic she had learned during her five hundred years of exile. Hero Hinnel stood up from the ground, angry he had let Demon King Abron completely subdue him and his comrades with just one attack. If word got out of their defeat, he might lose face as the Hero that has been reborn to save the world. As he began to make his way towards Lou-ra, slowly gathering mana he would need to fight, he felt air heavy with the smell of sulfur and decay as he walked through the barren wasteland that had once been a beautiful place where flowers bloomed, majestically making the environment seem more of a heaven on earth. The Demon king had spoilt all of that in just once move. His heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination, his golden
The journey back to the kingdom was a long and tiring one for the defeated Hero Hinnel. Every step he took felt heavier than the last. He was weighed down by the burden of his failure. The painful memory of his defeat at the hands of the Demon Lord haunted him, filling him with a seething anger that burned like a raging fire in his chest making it hard for him to think of anything other than how he had lost to the hands of his enemies. As he approached the barrier that camouflaged as the towering walls of the glorious city of Dysphoria, he could feel the eyes of the guards upon him, their gazes filled with shock. They quickly opened the barrier briefly, allowing Hero Hinnel to gain entrance. They quickly went to greet him."Hero Hinnel, we welcome you" the guard looked around for his comrades who had followed him in his quest to defeat the Demon King. "Where are the brave knights and soldiers who had accompanied you on your quest?""Perhaps they are on their way? " another guard ask
The beast's snarling echoed through the jungle as it turned to face Nicholas once more, its eyes glowing with primal hunger. Nicholas's breath came in ragged gasps, the world around him spinning as fatigue and fear gripped him in equal measure. He stumbled backward, his mind scrambling for any solution, any way out. But there was none.The beast lunged again, claws extended, saliva flying from its jaws as it hurtled toward him. Nicholas raised his arms in a futile attempt to defend himself, but he knew it was hopeless. This was the end.Suddenly, a shadow flickered at the corner of his vision, fast and silent. Before Nicholas could comprehend what was happening, a blur of motion slammed into the beast with bone-cracking force. The creature let out a deafening roar as it was knocked off course, crashing into a tree with enough force to shake the ground.Nicholas blinked, his mind struggling to process the scene. The man, his new teacher, stood between him and the beast, his movements
Nicholas stood frozen, every muscle tense, as the figure slowly approached him. The jungle’s oppressive silence seemed to amplify the sound of the stranger’s footsteps, each one deliberate, almost too measured. Nicholas had never seen anyone like this before, and the man’s glowing eyes made his skin crawl. Despite the man’s frail appearance, there was something unsettling in the way he moved, like he wasn’t fully human. "You seek power," the figure repeated, his voice a rasping whisper that seemed to slide through the thick air like smoke.Nicholas swallowed hard, trying to ignore the knot of fear twisting in his gut. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied, his voice rough from exhaustion. He stepped back, his hand instinctively reaching for the sharp stone he had used against the beast earlier.The figure chuckled, a sound that seemed far too deep for someone so gaunt. “Do not play games with me, boy. You wouldn’t have survived this long if you weren’t seeking somet
Nicholas strained against the heavy branch, muscles trembling with exhaustion. The wood groaned and splintered under the pressure, but it still held firm. Below him, the beast circled, blood dripping from the wounds he'd managed to inflict with the rocks. But it wasn’t backing down—it was waiting, eyes gleaming with a cold, predatory intelligence.Nicholas grip tightened around the branch. His body was screaming at him to stop, to rest, but there was no time for that. The beast would not give him a second chance.With a grunt, Nicholas gave the branch another violent shake. It splintered more, cracking like a whip in the still air of the jungle. Below, the beast growled, pacing in tight circles, as if anticipating his next move. Sweat dripped down Nicholas’s forehead, blurring his vision, but he couldn’t afford to stop.The branch finally gave way with a loud crack. For a heart-stopping moment, Nicholas hung in the air, feeling the world tilt as the massive piece of wood began its f
Nicholas blinked, rubbing his eyes, his vision swimming. When he looked again, nobody was there. No footprints, no signs of movement, only the quiet crackling of the fire remained.He staggered, disoriented. His heart was still pounding from the fight, his body bruised and aching, and now his mind was unraveling. Lou-ra’s comforting presence was gone, evaporating into the night like mist.He was alone. The jungle’s oppressive atmosphere closed in on him, the thick air suffocating as it pressed against his lungs. The dark canopy above loomed like a ceiling, shutting him off from the sky, from any sign of hope.Panic clawed at his chest. He fought to suppress it, but the loneliness gnawed at his mind, dragging him into despair.”I have to get up. I have to keep moving."But his body refused to cooperate. Every inch of him ached, a testament to the brutal training he had endured. He hadn’t just been fighting the man he had been fighting against his own fear, his weakness. And now, it was
Nicholas's muscles tensed as his mind raced. His body screamed for him to retreat, to flee into the dense jungle, away from the impending confrontation. But something deep inside him resisted. Maybe it was pride, or perhaps the sliver of defiance that refused to bow to fear. Regardless, he knew there was no turning back. The man had laid down the challenge, and to back down now would mean surrendering his spirit entirely.The man continued to stare Nicholas down, a tower of strength and menace, his battle-scarred chest heaving with quiet confidence. He wasn't making idle threats; Nicholas knew that. This world didn't leave room for empty promises. Survival was earned through blood, sweat, and the unwavering will to stand when everything inside screamed to fall."I... I'm ready," Nicholas finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.The man’s lips curled into a feral grin, satisfied with the decision Nicholas had made, even if it was drenched in fear. "Good," he said, his voice l
Nicholas's heart pounded loudly against his ribs. The man's casual dismissal of his plea for an alternative sent a fresh wave of terror crashing over him. A primal urge to flee battled with the knowledge that escape was impossible. This wasn't a test of his fighting prowess; it was a potential death sentence. Nicholas was stuck between pleading for his life or just putting his hands up as a sign to show that he has surrendered. He knew that fighting with this man would mean his imminent death and she was not prepared to die especially when he had to return to Lou-ra."Sir, please," Nicholas pleaded, his voice cracking with a tremor he hated. "There has to be another way. Let me train with something, a log, a…" he cast his eyes around, desperately searching for anything that wouldn't fight back. The man's lips curved into a humorless smile, devoid of warmth. It wouldn't be a mistake to say that she was actually looking forward to this fight.There was something about Nicholas that ju
Nicholas stirred from a restless sleep, shivering beneath the thin blanket he had wrapped over himself the night before.The cave, once a temporary haven, had offered little protection against the bitter cold that had transformed the jungle into a frozen wasteland. His breath emerged in visible puffs, and he rubbed his arms continuously, trying to bring warmth into his limbs.As he emerged from the cave, blinking in the early morning light, Nicholas' eyes registered the significant change in his surroundings. The cold desolation of the previous night had given way once again to a lush, vibrant jungle. Birds chirped cheerfully, and the air was thick with the earthy scent of plans and trees. It always felt unreal how the jungle had reborn itself overnight, shaking off the icy grip that had held it captive. The beauty of it all marveled Nicolas each time he sees it.Standing at the edge of the clearing was the man who had taken Nicholas under his wing, training him for the Armageddon
The birds beneath them let out warning cries and adjusted their flight paths to give Nicolas and the man better positions to defend themselves. Another beast lunged at Nicolas, its talons extended and fangs bared. Before it had time to fully attack Nicolas, it's found itself getting struck in the head in an instant.“Good!” the man shouted. “Keep moving, don’t let them overwhelm you!”Nicolas barely had time to register the man’s words before another beast was upon him.This one was larger, more aggressive. It swooped down with terrifying speed, its claws aiming for Nicolas’s face. He ducked at the last moment, feeling the rush of air as the creature’s talons whistled past his head. He swung his knife upward, catching the beast in its unprotected belly. It howled in pain, thrashing wildly before retreating.All around them, the battle raged. The man moved with a grace and precision that left Nicolas awestruck. His movements were a blur, his weapon flashing in the moonlight as he st
The rush of wind roared in Nicolas' ears as he plummeted through the air, the ground rushing up to meet him at a terrifying speed. His stomach lurched, and he felt sick.This was it; he was about to die. The realization struck him with a cold finality, and every second felt like an eternity. Nicolas closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact.Then, a sharp whistle cut through the chaos, and something massive and powerful surged beneath him. In an instant, strong talons wrapped around his torso, and the sensation of free fall ceased. His eyes flew open, and he gasped as he saw a bird, majestic and enormous, soaring upwards with him in its grasp. The bird’s feathers glimmered in the sunlight.Within moments, Nicolas found himself back in the sky, being lifted toward the man and the first bird. The change from impending death to sudden rescue left him breathless and shaking. As the bird finally leveled out beside the man, Nicolas clung to the feathers, his knuckles white.The m