Luck and Fate.
Do they truly exist? Perhaps, or perhaps not. No, they do exist.
Regardless, it seems they play a role in my life.
From my earliest memories, I have experienced fluctuations in what I call my "luck" and "fate." At times, good fortune graced me; at other times, misfortune loomed over my head.
It's not as simple as just good or bad.
Allow me to elaborate. The "good" that I speak of refers to monumental scientific discoveries, such as finding a cure for a chronic illness by sheer "accident" while researching something entirely unrelated. I can't comprehend how such occurrences happen. Upon analyzing the medication, I realize that it is pure coincidence.
Coincidence!
The "bad," on the other hand, encompasses the untimely demise of those dear to me through "accidents" and "mistakes," or suddenly contracting a bizarre illness and finding treatment only after teetering on the brink of death. In one instance, I inadvertently created a virus while working on a vaccine for my pharmaceutical company.
That very virus paralyzed the world for three long years! Miraculously, no one discovered that I was the one responsible.
Some individuals circulated rumors of a conspiracy to reduce the global population. Who knows? They could be right. After all, I had nothing to do with it; the virus was a product of a "mistake."
Nevertheless, this string of "bad luck" contributed to my early maturity and the development of an introverted personality guided by unique principles.
I matured early.
Far too early.
Simultaneously, this instilled within me a deep-seated disdain for the 'illogical' and 'supernatural.'
The concepts of luck and fate are no exception. I was reluctant to accept their existence, for to do so would be to acknowledge my life as a mere plaything in the hands of fate and chance.
A careful examination of my life and personal journey reveals that I am the protagonist of a third-rate tale.
I questioned it. Delving into my family lineage, I discovered that I hailed from an ancient, extraordinary bloodline.
One day, when monsters emerge into the world, this lineage may prove significant! Naturally, such thoughts were mere flights of fancy. I never suffered from delusions of grandeur; rather, the extraordinary chain of coincidences in my life was peculiar enough to make me doubt.
The absurdity of it all is somewhat comical, even depressing. If possible, I wished for a normal life as a scientist. To study diligently, pursue my desired field, attend a prestigious university, and continue as an ordinary researcher thereafter.
Yet, the winds do not blow as the ships desire. It's not that I detest my opulent lifestyle; instead, if given the choice, I yearn for the simplicity of the working class, albeit with financial security. I have grown weary of so many things.
Hmm.
Enough with these tedious introductions. Let us move on to the crux of the matter.
In all seriousness, it's often wise not to believe in rumors, lest you find yourself in a predicament similar to my current state.
Rumors are mere nonsense and fabrications, concocted to attract attention or incite controversy.
When boredom plagues the human spirit, people engage in all manner of frivolous behaviors, including spreading rumors. Some may even resort to taking a life, simply to alleviate their ennui.
Not long ago, someone gained fame on social media, claiming to live on Mars. A human on Mars? Can you believe that? Ridiculous.
I watched one of the clips he posted on his account, where he was leaning on something, capturing the sandy plains and the crimson mountains extending as far as the eye could see. I could feel the heat of that place just by looking at it on my phone.
But would that make me believe he was on Mars? Of course not! This was something I could never believe, even if threatened with death, as our current level of science hadn't reached that point yet. Even a six-year-old would know that.
Upon further investigation, I discovered that the man lived in one of the deserts in the Middle East.
See? Utter nonsense!
But sometimes, these so-called rumors turn out to be unbelievably true.
Recently, numerous rumors spread across the internet, claiming things like:
"Wow! A fortified tower appeared in front of my house!"
"A mysterious labyrinth has appeared in the mountains near our city...This...This is unbelievable!"
"I saw a giant snake moving down there in the trench! It was 15 meters long!"
Some even provided photos as proof of their claims. I could see that those images were so realistic that even film experts wouldn't be able to fake them.
One of my friends even tried to convince me of their authenticity.
As someone who despises supernatural matters and a researcher, I didn't believe it. I mean, come on, we're in the 21st century!
Are there still people who believe in such things? Has the entire world suddenly been afflicted with Chuunibyou?
I could swear I had no interest in the subject.
Childish rumors like these would quickly vanish like a passing breeze. Moreover, I was no longer a child to be intrigued by such 'phenomena.' However, suddenly, one of my friends decided to explore one of these alleged places and invited me to join him to prove the existence of the supernatural.
I owed him a favor, so I didn't refuse.
The trench we went to was located in the southern half of Africa, and according to the locals, it had appeared suddenly – which matched the rumors.
Having a considerable amount of money, I hired a team of seasoned excavators and equipped them with cutting-edge gear. My friend contributed to the expenses, and we hired three people in total.
I thought it would merely be an exploration of a mysterious Dungeon, nothing more.
However... the outcome was more terrifying than I had ever imagined.
As soon as I entered the Dungeon, I felt a sensation urging me to delve deeper, and because of that, I couldn't force myself to leave or even think of departing. It was a sort of obsession that made me feel as if I were on the verge of discovering a great treasure within this Dungeon.
It was like the seductive voice of a demon whispering in my ear!
After venturing further into the Dungeon for a while, all members of the exploration team perished.
Yes, they all died! Moreover, each of their deaths was more gruesome than the last by several times.
The first one lowered her head to retrieve something she had accidentally dropped on the ground. As soon as she did, she was poisoned by a toxic gas and collapsed dead.
We quickly reacted and put on the gas masks we had prepared beforehand.
The second one was melted by lava until he died. Abruptly and impossibly, the lava surged from the walls without warning. If not for the distance between us, I would have melted along with him.
The third one, frightened by the sight of his molten friend, had his feet tremble in fear, preventing him from moving.
How did he die? He was crushed by giant rocks that fell from above after the lava flow had ceased!
I can still remember his faint scream of terror before he became a bloody pulp.
The fourth and last one, my friend who initiated this exploration, fell into a deep abyss near the scattered rocks.
After running aimlessly in the dark, he was screaming in denial like a madman: "This wasn't supposed to happen!"
Damn you!
Seriously...what is going on?
My mind couldn't keep up with all these sudden events and deaths. By the time I grasped the situation, I was clinging to the edge of a cliff, nearly falling. I was like a bell hanging by a thread; if my slender fingers couldn't hold onto these walls any longer, I would plummet and die.
Even after all this, the cursed obsession didn't stop. On the contrary, it increased several times, as if telling me to jump straight down the cliff.
"Why did all this happen?"
I could only ask myself.
Yes, after thinking about it, it was all to satisfy my researcher's pride.
I didn't want to believe anything unscientific, like the sudden appearance of these towers and dungeons. If I hadn't agreed to go with him, I could have continued living normally.
Well, I've always loved analyzing and taking things apart since I was a child. I would disassemble toys before putting them back together again; I did this with nearly everything I owned.
The reason was that I was curious and wanted to know.
It was the kind of curiosity that could never be satisfied. I took apart so many of my toys that my father grew tired of buying new ones.
Despite being a child, he enrolled me in a course to learn mechanics. I remember it being somewhat amusing; my father was the first to notice my talent, but he couldn't see my later achievements due to his early death.
Mechanics wasn't my main field of study. I later got bored with it and turned to something better after studying many other majors.
Anyway, it's too late to say anything now.
I want to return to the lab and sip a cup of coffee.
"Whoosh!"
My fingers slipped, and I fell into the dark abyss below.
Despite my despair, fear, and reluctance to die in this place, it doesn't mean I can change what's happening. I wanted to shed some tears, but after thinking about it, I realized that this was a wasted effort and my crying wouldn't change anything. So, I decided to save my tears for myself, as they wouldn't change the fact that I was falling.
"Damn it, I have so many regrets!"
At this point, a heartfelt scream couldn't hurt, right? Aaahh
I haven't screamed like this in years…
Curse you, Tamakama! I'll make sure to personally incinerate you in hell!
In the end, I still loathe the bugger who invited me here.
I swear I want to kill him myself. I shouldn't have come with him to this dungeon.
I'll kill him when I see him again. I'll make sure of it! Of course, if the opportunity arises. Sigh, I really... don't want to die yet.
As I plummeted into the darkness, I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom, and yet, that insatiable curiosity still lingered within me.
Would I discover something remarkable at the end of this fall, or would I simply perish like the others, a victim of my relentless pursuit of knowledge? Only time would tell, and it was running out fast.