Prologue

Location: Unknown Battlefield

The air was thick with tension as the group faced an imposing armored figure with glowing red eyes. The ground around them looked like an explosion had occurred, with traces of fallen armies scattered everywhere.

The tension was palpable as the group faced an armored figure with glowing red eyes.

"I never thought I’d ever fight alongside him," Player 1 muttered, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Yeah, a big surprise for me too," Player 2 replied, glancing at the figure. "I guess he only listens to him."

"Guys! Don’t target him; the dude is trying to change for once," Player 3 interjected, trying to diffuse the situation.

Player 4, however, was less forgiving. "I’ll shove this sword up your ass, midget!" he snarled.

"Oh really now?" Player 3's hair began to glow and flow upwards, eyes changing pattern. "Guess I’ll have to call her then, don’t you think?"

Present Day

Location: Unknown Hut

A guy with blue hair lay sleeping in his hut, his dreams disturbed by a vision. He woke up in terror.

"What... was that?" he gasped, his mind racing. "But it’s not the time yet, is it? So this time it’s this prediction, huh?"

Location: Mumbai, India

At the College Roof

"So, how’s your job going?" Arush’s friend asked casually.

"Are you trying to gaslight me?" Arush shot back, suspicion in his eyes.

"Of course not."

"Spit it out."

"You don’t get it, do you? You’re damaging yourself, brother."

"Come on, you know what’s the situation," Arush replied, trying to brush off the concern.

"Yeah, and I’m completely aware of the freshly received scar under that eye," his friend said, causing Arush to startle.

"It’s just normal for me now," Arush muttered.

"You MADE it look normal."

"Come on, I don’t have any option."

"You always have an option, you just don’t believe it. You PAY RENT in your own damn HOUSE. They TORTURE you with belts and shoes. Do you still think it’s normal?"

Arush’s eyes dulled. "You just have to believe in yourself and take the first step. I know, it’s always the hard one, friend. The rest is up to you. Bye."

At Work

"Hey! You SWINE!!" the boss’s voice cut through the air. "I’ve been calling your ugly presence for 5 seconds straight! Or do you want me to have a talk with your mom?"

"NO! PLEASE! I’ll do anything but please don’t call her!" Arush pleaded.

"Is that how you beg, peasant?" The boss brought a shoe in front of Arush’s face. "You know what to do, now hurry!"

"Look, and that’s why you must study hard, not to end up in a position like him, okay?" a customer said to her child.

"Yes, mommy."

"Pathetic as always," a co-worker girl sneered at Arush. He looked at her, and she kicked him. "Where are you looking, perv! Boss! This pig is staring at me with creepy eyes!"

The entire restaurant looked at him with disgust.

"Hey babe, is he bothering you?" another customer asked.

"Yes! Please help me," the girl said, tears in her eyes.

"Creeps like you are the reason why our society is unsafe!" the customer shouted, beating Arush.

"Oh, you’re SO strong, my savior," the girl cooed.

"Want to come to my place after your work, sweetie?"

"Why not, my hero?" said in seductive tune

Everyone cheered for the hero as Arush lay on the ground, beaten and crying.

Monologue- Arush

This was just a small example of my daily routine. Parents beat me physically. Bullies beat me mentally. And co-workers beat me emotionally. However, this was never always the case. If I think correctly, they started treating me like this after that boy was born; from that moment, the only thing I saw ever after were their true colors.

After that thing so-called Ma started treating me like this immediately after that kid’s birth, my so-called biological brother. I developed an emotion which people call kindness, though most people think it’s a blessing, but I know what it is... IT’S A CURSE...

Because of this cursed emotion, people around me like to take advantage of it, and it’s a hindrance for me, and I mean a lot!! It cringes me out to even remember that the people who harmed me numerous times in the past, when experiencing themselves, I try to help them come out of their problems only to be toyed with once again.

I tried a lot not to interfere in others' difficult times, but this damn heart never listens, and I help them only to be backfired by those damn rascals. I believe in karma, quite a lot, because I always experience the terms “Instant Karma” and “Correct Time Karma” even though others rise straight up like a rocket.

WHAT DID I DO??? When people hurt me, they experience happiness, and when I hurt people, they get their revenge by laws of nature. WHY IS IT ME??? I’m not even allowed to counter their actions since instant karma comes in clutch. HOW IS IT ME???

This world is not worth living for; the strong rule and the weak perish, the strong take and the weak give, the strong laugh and the weak cry. STRONG AND WEAK HUH?? The upper ones only harass the lower ones because they CAN, and the lower ones HAVE to suffer no matter what. GOD IS STRONG. The talented ones are raised with care, and others are labeled useless and tossed in the trash. I’M WEAK. Am I going to suffer like this for the rest of my life?

Heartbeat

Location: Home/Hell

The elevator doors opened at the 35th floor. Arush grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. Suddenly, a steel bowl came flying at high speed towards him.

"Huh?" Arush barely had time to react.

Bang!

Blood dripped as Arush, with one eye closed, felt it running down half of his face.

"Yeyyy! Maa! Did you see that? Did you see?" his brother shouted with excitement.

"Yes, I saw everything," his mother replied with a twisted smile. "That was a jackpot shot! The cow cannot open that useless eye now! I think you’ll become a great aimer someday, sweetie."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Arush suffered in silence, pain evident but no scream escaping his lips.

"Maa, why isn’t the pig oinking?" his brother asked, confused.

His mother looked at Arush in disgust. "That’s because that one is a useless and abandoned pig, okay? No matter how much you beat it, the pig will not oink at all. Also, if you even hear that pig’s fainting voice, come and tell me, okay? That thing is not allowed to share that disgusting voice of his."

"Maa, are you proud of me?"

"Of course, baby," she said, her eyes shining with a cruel light. "You’re my perfect creation and..."

Arush's eyes widened upon hearing it, pupils started shifting and changing.

"...That’s the talented and blessed son a mother can be proud of."

Heartbeat

"I can never curse myself on you like I do on that thing."

Heartbeat

Arush’s pupils continued to shift and change into an unfamiliar pattern.

Arush started emitting an unfamiliar, devilish aura which his mother and brother didn't notice at all

Somewhere the guy with blue hair keeps sensing all this ruckus and smiles with a poem

''When the weak perishes, the darkness wakes...''

Arush picked up the bowl and slammed it into Maa’s face.

"MAAA!!! WHY, YOU FAT PIG???" his brother screamed, his voice filled with shock and anger.

Arush turned to him, eyes blazing with fury, and picked up the bowl again, banging it on his brother's head. Maa shouted for help, her voice echoing through the room as Arush continued to smash her face with the steel bowl. Blood splattered everywhere as his brother screamed, the sight of their mother’s blood horrifying him.

A neighbor came running, drawn by the commotion. Both Arush and his brother noticed him.

"You... you’re over, brat!" Maa managed to choke out, her voice weak but filled with venom. "Hahaha..."

Arush quickly moved, tackling the neighbor and running away.

8:30 PM

While Running

"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn iiiiiit!" Arush yelled, his voice filled with frustration and fear.

Location: Park

9:35 PM

Arush sat on a bench in the park, panting heavily with blood still on his hands. A girl sitting beside him noticed and panicked.

"Blood?" she exclaimed, quickly grabbing his hands to inspect them.

"Don’t touch it..." Arush said, looking at her. As the wind blew, her jacket's cap slipped open, revealing her face. Both of them stared at each other, wide-eyed.

They looked away, and Arush realized he had never talked to a girl before. He hesitated, shivering with embarrassment, while the girl pulled her cap down further to hide her face.

Arush turned red, overwhelmed by the situation and unsure of what to say to avoid looking like a creep.

Silence

"So, are you really okay?" the girl finally asked.

"Ah, yeah," Arush replied awkwardly.

Silence

His mind raced. "Now what? I took the initiative to talk to a girl, and that’s it?" he thought. "I’ve never had the chance to talk to a girl before. Those years I did nothing except being tortured or becoming a toy or an alert guard to notify the ones who were having sex in the school washrooms and provide condoms with my own saved-up money. If not, they would frame me for assaulting or touching girls inappropriately."

"I see. So how did it get on your hands? And is that person going to be alright? At least without you? People in trouble need attention, you know," the girl said, breaking the silence.

"I’m a thousand percent sure they will be happy now that I’m gone," Arush replied, his face showing his deep depression.

The girl looked at him with concern. "Why is that? I’ll listen if you want to."

"Nah, it’s not worth your time," Arush said. "On top of that, the action is already done. Now only the result is pending."

She touched his shoulder gently. "Don’t be so harsh on yourself. I know that men have a really bad habit of hiding their feelings. Even if it’s small, you should speak about it, you know? Sometimes the solution to the biggest problem ever is just a small ant-sized piece of advice."

Arush looked at her, noticing a tear drop. "Are you crying?" he asked in a deep voice, no longer shy.

"Huh? What?" the girl responded, panicking.

"Nothing to be angry about. I saw a drop fall, that’s why I asked. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I was just confirming, that’s all."

"No, I’ll be fine, I guess," she said, sobbing.

Arush thought to himself, "Though she is crying, I can’t let my guard down. But if a baddy is crying, that would mean she had an argument with a baddy boyfriend and he kicked her out, I guess." He smirked. "That’s what you get for choosing based on looks, 'bad girl.'"

He remembered the bruise he saw on her cheek.

Quickly kneeling down, Arush confirmed that the bruise was indeed there.

"So you were indeed beaten up," he said softly.

Her eyes widened as they stared at each other. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer. She grabbed him and cried her heart out.

Arush's mind raced. "How did this happen? My mind had completely different thoughts, and now my body is acting in the opposite direction?!"

He hugged her as she continued to cry on his shoulder. She maintained her posture but turned completely red, giving him a side-eye stare while embarrassed. Both avoided looking at each other, completely flustered.

10:00 PM

A leg stepped forward.

"So HERE you are! Tagging with another guy already??" a man’s voice boomed.

Both Arush and the girl looked up to see the man approaching. Arush felt unconscious, as if his soul was leaving his body.

"What is this? No, what is he? Is this guy on steroids? He’s a complete CHAD!" Arush thought, panic setting in.

The man walked towards them slowly, eyeing Arush from top to bottom.

"So you already replaced me with this fatso, huh? I’ll accept your taste changes pretty fast," the man sneered.

Arush looked at the girl, her eyes rolling towards him. She was trembling in fear.

The man grabbed Arush's shoulder.

"Wait! What? Why did he place his arm on MY shoulder? I didn’t even do anything yet, nor did I plan to do anything to her, so WHY? WAIT NOOO!" Arush's thoughts screamed as a punch came straight at his face.

Arush fainted but could still hear everything around him. The world around him faded into muffled sounds and blurred vision, yet he could sense the ongoing confrontation.

Arush's eyes slowly opened with blurry vision. He saw the man grabbing her neck.

"Is this... my payback?" he thought as he watched the man slam her to the ground.

"Don’t drag him into this!" she screamed.

"My karma?" Arush wondered.

"Leave him alone!" she shouted again, walking towards Arush.

"My punishment?" he thought, struggling to make sense of the situation.

"He has nothing to do with us!" she cried out.

"Damn! I-I can’t see clearly what is happening. I can’t open the left eye, and the right one is blurry as hell too! I cannot even scratch him, but then again..." Arush thought, a smile forming on his face as he leaned against the tree for support. "I never was able to do anything to anyone before either. I’m shaking in fear, but I’m getting angry at the same time," he smirked.

"You stay here, PIG!" the man snarled, a kick coming straight for Arush's face.

The guy with blue hair continues his poem ''Evil rises...''

Arush's eye opened. Summoning his last ounce of strength, he caught the man's leg with one hand just as the kick was about to land.

The man stood there confused ''And terror quakes'' said the blue haired guy in the hut still in an unknown location

Arush grabbed a stick and sliced it at the man's leg. He went for another slash, but the man dodged, only to have his vest slashed.

"What is happening here? Did he bang his head or something?" the man muttered, bewildered.

Arush's eye had completely lost its shine, as if he were possessed.

"His personality completely changed, as if he is a mad zombie. I was about to make him unconscious, but this psychopath is literally trying to MURDER ME!" the man thought, panic creeping into his voice.

Arush swung the stick again, each swing a close call. "How can a fat pig even move like that? He’s not what he looks like. That damn hand is suspicious; the tree should’ve broken it, but it’s still functional. This damn brat! I’m gonna kill this pig!" the man thought, his anger rising.

Both landed hits on each other. The man punched Arush in the jaw, while Arush stabbed the stick into the man's gut. The man screamed in pain and stepped back. Arush fell to the ground, his face bruised and bleeding. He lay there, his dull eyes glaring at the dark sky.

"What just happened? What was that and... what is this feeling? I just took two hits on the face, and I already feel like I’m gonna die? Not to mention, my body was pretty weak from the start. All that excess weight was for nothing, huh? Now that I think about it, my entire life was filled with so many illogical and pointless scenarios from the beginning, so I won’t be surprised if I die from these minor bruises. God really enjoyed himself by playing with me and bringing these kinds of people into my worthless life. Whatever I did that would benefit me, you destroyed it. Whenever I tried to create a positive relationship, you destroyed it," Arush thought, tears falling.

"No matter what I do, you WILL interfere, won’t you, God? No matter how hard I try, you WILL interfere, won’t you, God? No matter which path I choose, you WILL interfere, right? Now there is only one option left to end this suffering," Arush thought, his mind racing.

The man sat on Arush, pinning him down.

"So that’s how it is, huh, punk? Too bad, the odds are against you today," the man sneered.

The man grabbed Arush's neck, squeezing tightly. Arush struggled to breathe, his vision blurring even more.

The girl shouted, "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

"What did I say about you paying back? You remember? Well, now’s the time for it," the man sneered, squeezing Arush's neck tighter.

Arush struggled, gasping for air.

"Feel the pain, BRAT!" the man growled.

"Don’t do this to him," the girl cried, tears streaming down her face. "Please!"

"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T LISTEN TO ME!!! THIS IS ALL ON YOU, SLAVE!!!" the man roared. "Rest in pieces, brat!"

Arush slowly closed his eyes, a tear drop falling as his vision faded.

24 December 2020

The full moon slowly changed color, shifting from white to red, and then to blue, all while shining brightly in the night sky.

A display appeared out of nowhere:

WELCOME

You are one of the 10 chosen people to be transferred to another world as

PLAYERS

Do you want to?

TRANSFER REFUSE

Arush hesitated for a moment, then tapped the transfer button.

Suddenly, he found himself traveling through space, a surreal journey unfolding before him. A glass wall appeared in his path. His soul clashed with it, shattering the wall into small pieces from the middle.

CHAPTER 1- TO THE END