Hearing those sounds--or rather, those voices.
Screams full of fear and cries of pain.
Voices of those unable to change their fates, mixed with shouts of anger and regret at their own naivety--believing they could change everything simply because of their positions in society.
I hate such kinds of people.
Nevertheless, all those voices, and even the smell of blood in the air, were soon drowned out by the sound of gunfire and the stench of gunpowder.
What was going on?
How did this happen?
Why did this happen?
It was supposed to be just another concert--one a bit more important than the rest... and yet...
The stage where he was meant to perform had been struck by terrorists, resulting in countless deaths. After cursing the turn of events internally, he began crawling away from the stage--but pain soon followed.
"Agh... my legs!" After trying to move, he realized the state his body was in.
The explosion had completely severed one of his legs, while the other hung together by mere strands of muscle. Blood poured from a gash on his head, slowly blurring his vision.
Of course, the pain alone would make anyone scream, but he tried to keep quiet, hoping not to attract unwanted attention.
Unfortunately, his struggle was in vain.
As he crawled, someone suddenly kicked his back with brutal force, tearing a cry from his throat--the pain so overwhelming that moving even an inch became torture.
The one who kicked him was one of the terrorists.
The man said something in a language he didn't understand. Moments later, two others joined him, laughing cruelly.
Soon, I understood why.
Baaam!
An explosion of pain tore through his back, followed by the sharp crack of gunfire
"Arghhhhh!" he screamed until his voice nearly shattered. The agony made his vision flicker--
--but I was naïve.
Baam! Baam! Baam!
Bullets tore into his shoulder, legs, and palms one after another.
The pain was unbearable... so strong that it kept him conscious.
Pain, despair, confusion--and finally
Anger.
"Why!? Why are you doing this!? For what purpose!? What will you gain from this!? Tell me!" he shouted with every ounce of strength left.
The terrorists who had been laughing a moment ago stopped and looked at each other, then at me with a sudden seriousness. One of them bent to his knees and began speaking in a language I could understand.
"Why, you ask? Isn't it obvious?" The man's serious face twisted into a grin far darker than before.
"Because it's fun."
...Huh? What did he just say?
"The sole reason we do this is because we can. A sinner like you should be grateful--we're ending your filthy life. And if what I do brings me happiness at the cost of yours, why should I care?"
He pressed his handgun against the top of my head as I stared, dazed by his words.
"After all... that's what humans are."
Glaring at them, I gritted my teeth, my vision blurring red. How could someone like him call himself human!?
To ruin others' lives for survival could be understood in such a world... but for fun? For pleasure? Such men were nothing but monsters.
"You're not human! If that's what humans are, then I wish I was never a hum--"
Baam!
That was the last sound I heard before everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, there was nothing. Only darkness.
I felt myself sinking into something cold--water, maybe. The deeper I sank, the more my consciousness slipped away.
"Mother... Brother... I should have listened... I'm sorry that I... I... what was it again?"
As my head sank beneath the surface, I felt my memories fade, washed away one by one.
"Wait... where am I?"
My body was numb. I couldn't feel, see, or hear anything anymore.
Time itself lost meaning.
A moment stretched into eternity.
Or maybe I had forgotten what a moment even was...
I kept sinking through endless dark decades--emotionless, without warmth or sense of touch.
Yet for some reason, one emotion remained.
Hatred.
Hatred toward the so-called humans.
I didn't know why, but I despised them to my very core.
I hated and cursed humanity for what felt like eternity--until a massive silhouette appeared before me.
Then, a terrible force pulled me inside-out, crushing and remaking me in a vicious cycle.
I felt everything. Every shred of pain. Every broken memory.
ust as confusion consumed me, a unbearable cold, distant voice echoed in my mind.
"Your wish... has been acknowledged."
Before I could grasp its meaning, the agony vanished--replaced by the sensation of falling.
*Splash!
"What the hel--!" I gasped. "Wait, I can talk? Where has the darkness gone?"
I reached out, but my hand met resistance.
It wasn't like before.
Before, I couldn't feel anything. Now I felt... touch. Pressure. The ground beneath my hand.
But something was missing.
I pushed that thought aside and stood up.
Before me stretched a breathtaking lake, shimmering with a blue light. Shards of glowing rock floated on the surface--the source of the ethereal glow.
For a moment, peace filled me.
"Weird... how did I end up here?" I muttered, confusion clouding my thoughts.
"Huh? Who am I?"
[Your Status is now available]