I have always been fascinated by the various martial arts that I have seen in films, such as Shaolin, Kung-fu, Taekwondo, and more. They all display amazing skills and techniques that captivate me. Even though I know they are not real, I still admire them.
Oh! My father, on the other hand, practices kendo. It's a traditional Japanese sword-fighting art that requires discipline and skill.
Kazu, out.
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Many people tend to depict history in a heroic and glamorous style. Some even exaggerate and praise it excessively, as if they were witnessing the glorious deeds of legendary heroes and gods. Maybe it sounds cool and exciting, but I doubt that the person who is actually fighting in the middle of an epic battle would share the same view.
Not all of us, at least.
I'm standing in the center of a deep crater that covers a few kilometers in every direction. With a single flick of my finger, I unleashed a wave of fire that incinerated all of my foes who surrounded me. In a split second, the rocky mountains and valleys were leveled and shattered to pieces. The smoke rose and drifted in the wind, signaling that something extraordinary had happened. I wiped out the enemy's presence completely; nothing remained of them: total annihilation.
That was what I wanted to tell, but the reality was far from that glorious scenario.
Numbness and weakness spread through my feet, making me kneel slowly on the ground. Smoke filled my lungs as the wind carried it to my location. I coughed up dust and dirt, reaching for my chest which tightened and hurt.
The smoke cleared, leaving me in a terrible state. Tears streamed down my face as I gasped for a breath of fresh air that I desperately needed. Raped? It was worse than that. I was violated from the inside out. I felt a searing pain in my chest. I slowly laid my hands on the ground, resembling the Orz posture.
I stared blankly at the ground, feeling hopeless and defeated. I had no purpose or meaning in life anymore. I didn't want to continue living this miserable existence.
Could someone please tell me that this was all just a nightmare? That I could wake up from this horror? To suffer one after the other. I thought I was strong enough to overcome whatever life threw at me. That I could always find my way and get back up. But no. You can never truly know yourself until you face it yourself. I gave up.
"Please…someone…please put an end to this," I screamed with all my strength. "Kill me!!!"
I cried out desperately, but only the wind answered my plea, making a mocking sound as it howled. It was as if it was laughing at me and my pathetic situation. I had been humiliated and scorned.
The sun reached the horizon, creating a cold and gloomy atmosphere and a sorrowful and depressing mood.
Before I knew it, darkness engulfed me.
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I don't know how long I've been like this. A chill runs down my spine as I see fiery eyes in the dark. They stare at me with piercing gazes, ravenous beasts that hunger for my flesh.
They circle me like sharks in a pool of blood, waiting for the right moment to strike. I consider using my phone to end it all. It can go nuclear, creating a massive explosion. But what's the point? It won't end my misery. Nothing will. I feel nothing but helplessness and hopelessness.
I slowly stand up and take a step forward. I spread my arms, urging them to come.
"What are you waiting for?" I shout. "Come!"
As I yell, one of them seizes the opportunity and leaps at me, biting my arm. I stumble and fall. My right hand is nowhere to be found. It has been severed by its sharp teeth. Not wanting to waste this chance, they pounce on me one by one.
They rip my flesh apart, tearing my internal organs as if they are hungry for a feast. They devour my liver as if it is a delicacy.
I feel it all, all that pain. It is unbearable, but I can't die. I am immortal, cursed to live forever in this hell.
I've stopped caring about what they do to me; everything seems to slow down and my thoughts seem to fade away. But every now and then, a memory surfaces, usually a nasty one, but sometimes a happy one. I just let it pass by.
I am content with my life; I have lived it on Earth, and I have no regrets. I may not have finished most things, but that is okay with me. I have done what I wanted to do, seen what I wanted to see, and loved who I wanted to love.
But now, there is nothing left for me here, nothing to pursue. Nothing but pain.
I've tried… I really tried.
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I smell something horrible and grab for something until I see the sky. I have been buried under a mountain of flesh. There are dead creatures around, and several fierce-looking birds are gnawing at them.
But I gasp in shock when I see the enormous beasts looming over me. They are like dinosaurs, with scales, claws, and teeth. My resurrection does not cause their wounds. They prey on each other, so I am not the only target. It seems that a battle royale has taken place in a single night. How absurd.
Seems like this is what happens last time I slept.
I flick my phone in my pocket, causing a huge explosion that incinerates all the corpses and evidence that a monster's feast has taken place here.
I walk away, still feeling the heat on my back. I leave behind a massive cloud of smoke that rises due to the explosion. The smoke covers the sun, creating a dark and gloomy atmosphere.
If you look into my eyes, you would see lifeless eyes staring at you blankly.
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I find myself in a vast forest, surrounded by towering trees and dense foliage. I am facing a tiger with strange markings on its fur. It glares at me with predatory eyes that seem to pierce through my soul.
I have barely set foot in this place and I have already met a monster. What a stroke of luck indeed.
It growls lowly and waits for a chance to strike. It does not seem to be afraid of me at all. I do not flinch when it leaps at me with incredible speed and power.
Unlike last night, this time I fight back. I punch its neck with my fist as it jumps in midair. I force it to change its course and land clumsily on the ground, but its claw grazes my shoulder in the process. I feel a sharp pain and blood dripping from the wound.
I stand my ground, ready for its next move. This time, it charges at me with a much faster sprint after letting out an angry roar that echoes through the forest.
ROOOOAAAARRRR!!!
It is too fast to dodge. I let it sink its teeth into my shoulder as the tiger drags me down to the ground. I can feel its fangs digging into my bones as it clenches its jaw. It tries to rip my flesh apart with its savage bite.
I grab a branch and use it as a weapon. I thrust it into the tiger's side and stab it. It snarls and bites harder, making me grit my teeth due to the increasing pain. But as I keep stabbing it, I notice its grip loosening. It starts to bleed from the stab wounds and its strength fades.
Even though the tiger is already dead, I keep stabbing it. I grin wickedly. "This is wonderful. This is wonderful." I laugh hysterically.
I feel a surge of adrenaline and excitement as I stab the tiger. Killing is not half bad at all; I could do it all day. The tension, the sense of victory and dominance. I have never felt anything like this before.
I may not have a reason to live, but I have discovered something to enjoy.
I can't stop laughing. This is the first time I have laughed wholeheartedly since I arrived in this world.
Truly satisfying.
After I finish laughing, I still hold the branch and stab myself in the chest. My face twitches, but then I feel refreshed. I don't even fall; it seems that the resurrection happens quickly after I die, maybe within a second or two.
I notice a change in myself. And I somehow like it.
If you look into my eyes, you will no longer see lifeless blank eyes. Instead, a piercing gaze, not to mention a wide grin on my face.
It's time to find my new prey.