Clyde remembered the first time he entered high school. A boy who wears glasses because he staring at the PC monitor too much.
A boy who is too thin and pale because he always spends time in a dark room.
It all provoked the bully to go after him.
Bullying doesn't just mean being beaten up or ridiculed with harsh words.
But anyone who chooses to walk away when he's been treated unfairly is also a bully.
Clyde didn't blame them. He too, wouldn't even bother to defend the victims of bullying when he sees them. But Clyde didn't like their actions either.
Sometimes he wants to be defended. But back to reality, the figure of a hero in the real world doesn't exist.
The heroes were created in a fictional world to fill the fantasies of the oppressed person like him.
Clyde even refused to ask his parents for help. Two people who had the heart to throw him out of their lives and create a new family.
And so Clyde had run out of hope in humanity and the world. His teenage emotions can't handle that treatment.
He felt that the world was supposed to be hit by an apocalypse.
Not for a good reason like, the world should be destroyed and return to start over as a better world.
Clyde just wanted the world to fall apart. That way everyone can feel the misery in life like him.
Back to the present.
"HAAAA!!!"
Clyde hit the giant ant BOSS until he flew through several buildings.
Now Clyde was on top of the building. The heated battle brought him here.
He was only wearing trousers that had holes in them. His shirt had been destroyed.
But Clyde smiled.
He felt happy because he turned out to be so strong. The feeling he had when he could step on the BOSS monster so easily was delightful.
On the crushed asphalt, the black ant BOSS stood.
Its body was already battered and oozing black liquid. The light in its eyes was even dimmer than before.
Suddenly a fireball shot toward him. An explosive sound was heard and the asphalt shattered and burn.
*BOOM!*
But the BOSS had jumped before the fireball hit it.
Clyde fall off the top of the building and landed on the road.
He spread his eyes around to find out where the BOSS was.
The ant monsters that had been away from the battle area suddenly started charging at Clyde again.
Clyde snorted, disdainfully. This must all be the BOSS's attempt to defend itself.
But Clyde instantly slaughtered all those ant monsters like before.
His clear blue sword flashed along with the black liquid of the ants.
[ "You leveled up!" ]
[ "You leveled up!" ]
[ "You leveled up!" ]
Rainn continued to level up while taking care of the monsters. Then he saw the BOSS in front of him.
The ant BOSS was eating its underlings. When it finished eating, the wounds on its body began to heal.
Clyde who saw it dash towards the BOSS and then spread out his hand that wasn't holding the sword.
[ Burning Hand (Lv.3) is activated! ]
Clyde who had used Skill Points to raise his Burning Hand shot fire at the BOSS.
The BOSS shouted and his underlings charged forward to form a wall of ants.
Clyde's flames burned them and scorched them to ashes in an instant.
The BOSS ran away and crept into the building. But Clyde shot through the flames and thrust his sword forward.
*CRAAT!*
Clyde's sword pierced its body and they both fell onto the ground.
Black liquid gushed out from the wound inflicted by Clyde's sword.
Clyde grabbed the ant BOSS' face and pressed it against the asphalt.
Clyde smirked at the ant's eyes which glowed red and looked terrified.
[ Burning Hand (Lv.3) is activated! ]
*SWOOOOSHHH!!!!*
Flames shot out of Clyde's hands and spread in all directions creating a heatwave that scorched everything around them.
Once the fire was ended, Clyde no longer gripped the BOSS's head.
When he raised his hand, what was there were black ashes.
Clyde stood up. A chime-like rhythm of tone resounded in the air. The sound of an announcement followed.
[ "Congratulations to Player "CLYDE CROSS" for defeating the BOSS "BLACK ANT KING."" ]
Clyde smiled. Finally, he could feel what it was like to win something with his own strength. He walked back.
[ "Rewards for defeating the BOSS sent to Inventory." ]
[ Reward: B-grade equipment: Dark Night Coat (Defense: Lv. 5), 1,000 Coins. ]
Clyde walked into one of the clothing stores that were still intact and picked up a black shirt and black jeans and a pair of boots.
The clothes he was wearing were already torn as a result of the battle.
After that, he took the Dark Night Cloak and put it on.
Clyde saw himself in the mirror's reflection.
Dark shirt, dark jeans, a dark coat, and dark boots, plus a sword hanging from his waist.
Clyde smiled contentedly admiring his appearance.
He likes black and has wanted to wear an appearance like this for a long time ago.
But if he wore it, then he would only be considered a freak. But now, no one will judge him.
As soon as he came out of the shop a voice was heard.
[ "The Prolog: Underground Monster has been completed." ]
[ "Players who participate in killing the BOSS will be given the key item for the next chapter." ]
[ "The next chapter will start tomorrow." ]
Tomorrow, this disaster will continue. Clyde felt calm in the face of this apocalypse.
This was quite strange since he was probably the only person who was grateful to face this apocalypse.
Clyde doesn't want to be a hero who will settle things so everyone can be saved.
He just wanted to feel the joy of being the strongest person in this apocalypse.
Asqa and Sonya had already exited the convenience store and were staring at the approaching Clyde.
"You're still spending some time shopping," said Sonya, looking Clyde up and down.
"My clothes are torn. What can I do?" Clyde shrugged his shoulders.
"You okay?" Asqa asked in a worried tone.
"I'm fine," Clyde replied.
"What will we do now?" asked Asqa.
"Hmmm," Clyde thought. "We'd better find a place to stay first."
They started walking again amidst the rubble.
Sonya looked at Clyde and wondered what kind of reward he got for defeating the BOSS alone.
Sonya could tell that the coat he was wearing contained a strong magical aura.
That means the black coat is one of the rewards he gets.
'As long as I follow him I'll be safe.' Sonya thought of using Clyde for her own safety.
Clyde could take on the monsters alone without help. Sonya just needs to be near him and she will be fine.
Behind Clyde and Asqa, Sonya smiled at her luck.
~~~