What do you see beyond the hill?

PROLOGUE

|Hey, Will, what would you do if you can't do something, like no matter how hard you try, you just can't do it?|

Tch! Why did I have to think of this right now?

"Urg…" I stand back up the best I can but it seems my body won't hold out much longer. "Ahahaha…I must have been a real fool to think that I could do it without going beyond the limits."

"Are you finally going to give up?" The ruler of demons is standing in front of me, with his eery presence and his dominant strength. "I will commend you for resisting so much but sadly, it has to end. You can blame that god for giving you such a handicap."

"Handicap, huh…" He is not wrong though. I would have never thought there would be so many obstacles on my path. If I had known, perhaps I wouldn't have…I see. "Fufufu, I see. That's why I thought about it now, huh."

"Amazing. You smile even in front of your death. You truly were amazing."

The bastard raises his hand and makes a giant black magic circle appears in the sky. I was? You are already talking about me like I am dead?

"Don't get cocky with me now. This fight isn't over!!!"

But perhaps, Was there perhaps another way...?

***

Three months prior:

"You got bullied even today? I thought they would stop before summer vacation."

This girl, Sarah Campbell, A foreigner who came from another country to study here. As always, she comes right after I get beaten up by those guys. Her blonde hair and blue eyes are well aligned with her white skin. In comparison, I guess my black eyes and hair make me look plain at best.

"Don't you have anything better to do? What do you want anyway?"

With the training I have received from him, those guys barely hurt me. At most, my clothes get dirty every time but that's not a problem. The real problem is why I still can't see it even though he said I was ready. Did he lie to me? Am I still too far away from him?

"You are as grumpy as ever, black bear." Sarah shows me a first aid kit while walking to me.

Here I was enjoying my sunbath on the rooftop of the school and now, you have come to ruin it.

"I don't need your help. I believe I made myself clear last time."

"Yeah, and I also believe I told you I would help you even if you don't want to, right?"

"Tch!"

She started applying some alcohol on the scratches I have here and there. She looks at me, hoping for a reaction, but this… this doesn't hurt. Compared to what I went through in the mountains with him, this doesn't qualify as pain.

"You are really a black bear."

"Are you finished?"

"Sigh…You could at least thank me, you know. I am the only person who still wants to approach you even though you are the center of bullying at the school. Why do you let them do as they please, anyway? I am sure you could at least complain to a teacher or the principal."

"And what will change?" I wonder why you are the only one indeed. Perhaps you are enjoying this? Or you are the one pulling the strings behind the scene? He did say that a mirror always has two faces.

"I know that David isn't easy to handle even for teachers but still. There has to be something you can do."

David Hilde, the god's favorite as he is called in this school. Qualified as the most perfect guy. He has had the best grade of the school each year since he started attending. His parents have the biggest industry in the country and their wealth is nothing short of immense. Apparently, he is supposed to be a pro in martial arts as well, though from what I have seen, he is just dancing rather than fighting.

"Okay, I am all done. Should we go back to class? The break will end soon."

"You can leave. I still have ten minutes." I thought she would leave after doing what she wanted. Why is she still here?

"Hey, Will, what would you do if you can't do something? Like, no matter how hard you try, you just can't do it?"

"Are you not leaving?"

"Geez! You don't need to be so grumpy!" She smacks me gently then finally stands up and leaves, almost revealing her panties in the process.

Finally, some peace and quiet. I can enjoy the warm breeze announcing the summer and the sun. This… this is a true moment of bliss. But I really wonder. What would I do if, in the end, I was lying to myself all this time?

"Fufufu. I guess it would be too late to think about it then."

***

The next day, he left a note saying that I am summoned to the school because I was bullied. Since when does he care? No, wait, who told them about it? Three years without as much as a complaint and they called me out of nowhere?

"That stupid girl…"

I put on my uniform and when I leave the school, she is there, standing before her house that is right in front of where I sleep.

"Good morning, I hope you slept well." She waves her hand while crossing the road but I simply turn and start walking. Her father is observing from a window with a cold start, though. Does he think I did something to his daughter? It's irrelevant anyway.

"Hey! I said good morning, dammit!" Sarah smacks my back then stands before me like some sort of barrier.

"You really know how to do unnecessary things."

"Eh?"

"Are you trying to say that you don't know?"

"Know what? Stop speaking weird."

I continue walking and she matches my pace.

"You are the one who called at the school about the bullying, right?"

"No, I am not. In fact, I was just as surprised and happy when my father told me about it this morning. I thought you finally decided to do something."

"I guess you are a bad liar then."

"I am not lying!" She takes my hand and grabs it tightly. "I swear, I didn't call the school. You must trust me, okay? I know when not to overstep my boundaries."

"You don't look like you do, though."

I free my hand and we continue walking silently. At least, in my case, but she keeps humming some sort of song that I don't know and it gradually gets on my nerves. Normally, she would remain quiet as well so why is she so noisy today?

When we reach the school's gate, a huge black car is parked before it. David comes out of the car first, with his always too shiny blue hair. Unlike us, he is not even wearing the school's uniform. He has a relaxed outfit with a black and red T-shirt and a jean that is teared up here and there, with a chain hanging from them. Is this what is considered fashion?

I walk past him as always and I can see him sneering from the corner of my eyes.

"Good morning, Hilde." Sarah greets him, calling him by his family's name. I thought she would use his name instead. Why does she call me like that then?

"Oh, come on, Sarah. I thought we were closer than that."

"It's Campbell, please."

"Tch! You are still playing your hard to get, huh. Well, it doesn't matter much today. I have the greatest entertainment coming up after all."

I hear three guys also coming out of the car as I continue walking. Well, whatever they are here to do, it's not my problem, unless it is about me, of course.

When I reach the school's yard, there are other students there as well. Twenty-five students from different classes, some are my upperclassmen, others are from my class.

"Will, no matter what happens, please, make sure you run away."

When Sarah reaches me, she whispers in my ear before advancing to the group of students as well. I turn around to see why she said that and I see David with the three guys I heard earlier. All of them looks like gangsters I see sometimes in the news. They are all wearing a costume with shirts that are lousily buttoned up inside, revealing their tattooed chests. One of them, at the center, has a scar on his left eye and is even smoking.

David smiles like a devil when our eyes meet but seeing that I don't react, he snaps as usual. He goes crazy and looks angrily at his dogs.

"You know what to do, right?"

"Of course, boss."

The guy at the left leaves his group and comes to me, bringing out a knife. As soon as they see it, the students behind me start making sounds of fear. In the meantime, Sarah appears before me.

"I won't let you!"

Right as she screams, a circle of light appears on the ground before us and everything turns white. When the light subsides, we are in a completely different place.

"Welcome, heroes." And a new unknown voice resounds behind me.