Blood was pouring out of his stomach, down to the small grass roots as his vision turned blurry. His eyes slowly closed and everything turned dark. Downing inside the endless darkness a thought came to his mind.
Ah… What a shitty life…
At least it's over now…
I don't have to keep struggling…
I don't have to keep putting effort to no avail…
I don't have to worry about losing the people close to me…
In the end…
I don't feel regret.
Maybe it's cowardly of me to say this but I feel free.
I was never the one that can be a hero.
That would be my friends who never hesitated to give their all no matter how tough things got.
Never thought I'd be the last one to die…
Maybe it's because of the sacrifices they made for me. Trading their lives to keep a worthless soul like me alive.
But none of that matters now. It's the end, I only wish that I can see them again in my afterlife…
If there is one…
"Hey… hey Kori… wake up. We're going to be late for the training."
A bright ray of sun shined through the small window that hit his closed eyes.
Ah… that voice… must be my memory flashing before my death.
"Thud!"
Aww. I felt that. Who in the… wait, the sunlight, it looks so real. How long has it been since I saw a day this bright, feels like my early childhood.
"Hurry up Kori… we're already late. Master's going to chew us out if we don't hurry up."
He moved his body and sat upright. He was inside a large hall, on a small bed that was placed amongst a few other beds that were identical. He moved his right hand towards his chest.
What is this? I'm not bleeding anymore…
He turned his head to the left and saw a familiar face that almost didn't remember at first glance.
"Uroi… How are you alive? Wait.. why do you look like a child?"
"What are you talking about? Are you still dreaming? Wake up already, I don't want to do extra training because of your laziness."
No. This isn't real. This can't be real. How? This doesn't make any sense. Why me?
He stood up from the bed and saw his reflection through translucent glass on the window.
"Wait… I look like a kid too."
No way. Could it be?
I have really regressed to my childhood…
"Slap!"
"Yes! You're a kid too. Now hurry up and let's go to the training ground."
He dressed up and both of them went outside.
- At the training ground -
"You two!! You are late. Ten rounds around the ground…
NOW!!! And no stopping," a middle aged man in a red and black uniform yelled.
Uroi looked at him with angry eyes and they both started running.
"Huff.. Huff.. How is it.. that I'm out of.. breath by just running.. around the ground?"
"You better make up for this Kori. You know I hate training. I blame you, you stupid Kori…"
"No talking while running!!!" yelled the instructor.
"Wait Uroi, what day is it?"
"Stop asking stupid questions and let me run, you moron!"
There's no doubt about it. This is real.
"Huff.. Huff.."
I can feel my body getting tired. I can feel my heart beating. But most importantly… Uroi, Master Instructor and my brother & sister disciples, they are all… alive.
If it's like this. If this is truly real… Then…
Then my friends…
And my master…
They would all be alive too…
If that's true… then..
A stream of water flowed from his eyes, down to his cheeks.
"What is wrong with you Kori? Why are you crying now?"
"Uroi… I'm so glaaad.. aaaw.. that you're alive…" said Kori as he tried to hug Uroi who was running.
"Stop that! What are you trying to do?
Let me run and you too, focus on running you maniac…
"Thud!" Uroi hit him and it left a bump on his head.
"Huff… Huff…
We finished ten rounds…
Why.. Why is it so hard? My heart feels like it's beating out of my body."
"Come on, Kori! We need to join other disciples for the training. Let's take our positions."
"Yeah."
They walked towards the rows of disciples and took a position at the end of the line.
This place…
It's been a long time since I left this place but I remember it like it was yesterday.
This was the last place where I felt at peace.
I lost my parents before I even developed a consciousness and this place.. it was my only home. Uroi… He was also an orphan like me. My friend.. no he was like my brother.
This place is the Trinity Temple…
Most of the disciples here are either orphans or have no place to go.
The monks of the temple took all of us in. They gave us a place to live and food to fill our stomachs.
Not only that, they trained us in martial arts and the best of us would go on to live prosperous lives.
A dark memory came flooding in his mind.
At least that was the case before the disaster that left this place in shambles. Killing all the other disciples and monks. All of it was gone before I could even finish my training.
And the only reason why I survived…
My master…
I was somehow saved by a Martial Grandmaster from a distant land.
Kori vaguely recalled his face and his long white hair.
A wave of sweat came over him and his body turned cold.
Now that I think of it, I was given so many chances to live and do better in my previous life. In the end, I couldn't become someone who saved others.
Instead, I was the one getting saved by everyone.
If this is truly real…
Then I can't let the past repeat itself. This is my chance to become someone who saves others. A chance to not repeat the same mistakes that I did in the past.
I don't know why I was chosen but if it's real.. This time, I'll make sure to become strong.
I'll make sure to save my family, Uroi and everyone else..
I'll make sure to defeat those eight demons from the hell.
Yeah, I'll make sure to kill them all with my own two hands.