What I remembered then was vague.

Falling off the cliff, I crashed on the protruding part of the cliff's wall, luckily it was not my head, but my leg is now in such a horrifying state I don't have the mental strength to look at. Back then, I continued to fall, with the tree's branches that extend out of the cliff’s wall cushioning part of the impact, I fell into a river.

When I came to, I already was washed up on the river bank in a certain cave, with my lower half still submerge under the water.

If this continues I might freeze to death. Enduring the pain as much as I can, I turn my body to the right side where my other healthy leg is. With the only still moving leg facing the ground, I slowly crawl with my whole body up the riverbank like a caterpillar.

I don't remember how much time it took…

Was it minutes? Hours?

Whichever it was it still felt like an eternity to me when just enduring the pain took most of my mind's strength.

And then, I met that.

____________________________________________________________________________________

[narrator POV]

Delicious.

How many month has it's been since it got to eat something this delicious?

It has only been a little over a year since it first left it's mother's womb.

It belonged to a batch of seeds with similar disposition to their mother. In other word, once it becomes an adult, it'll leave the nest and build its own. Taking a month to travel far away from mother's territory, it finally arrived at a good location, abundance in prey, rich in food and water.

By itself, it was not a strong monster. No, if compared to weak monster, it is certainly strong. However, that was as far as its strength goes. It surely was not something that could proudly and arrogantly walks this dangerous world on its own. But there was no need for it to do everything by itself. After hunting some weak monster, building a nest, it started to produce soldiers. And from that point on, everything was running smoothly. There were a couple of strong monsters around the area, but none of them were a significant threat, it simply overwhelmed them using numbers. The colony’s strongest weapon was not a single individual’s prowess. It was the combined strength of hundreds and thousands members, all single mindedly carry out their duty till death.

Life was secure and stable, until one day. Its nest was attacked by a powerful army, lead by one of its siblings. It had confidence in its own excellence, but the opponent this time was overwhelming, much more than anything it had experienced. Whether it be number, or individual strength, the invader had the upper hand in all areas.

Abandoning everything, it ran away and finally arrived at this forest.

When on the run, it did not have any time to relax and was only able to eat weak and bad tasting monster on the way. It had been a long time since it was able to taste good meat.

Delicious.

Even though it's of the same species, this is much better than the previous ones.

Not the villagers who are just skin and bones, not the stinky adventurers.

Sweet, soft and juicy meat.

In no time, there was nothing left but the prey's inedible outer most skins.

In the place that the high school boy once was, now there are only puddles of blood and his torn clothes.

_______________________________________________________________________________

[Class-rep POV]

“Kawagami-san!”

I screamed as the boy who just saved my life fell off the cliff…

…or so maybe that’s what supposed to happens, but it didn’t.

I did not so much as to let out even a small sound.

Everything happened too fast, My brain cells were still in the middle of trying to comprehend the situation.

When that panther jumped at me, I was scared stiff, I wasn’t able to move. Even if I could I would not make it. I was sure that was the end of me.

Yet I’m alive.

Before I realized it the panther that aimed for me was thrown off the carriage and stood in its place was Kawagami-san.

Was Kawagami-san always this kind of person? He has always given me the impression of someone who would never let himself be bothered by other people’s antics. He’d ignore his peers and goes at his own pace, even when he was bullied and shunned by the whole class. In such a person’s eyes, what do we, his classmates look like? If I were to venture a guess, he probably sees us as simple bags of potatoes lying around.

It might sound harsh... but everyone is free to choose their own way of living.

Though I think his is a little lonely, it’s not like he’s causing trouble for any one.

More importantly, it doesn't concern me.

Classmates or not, we're technically strangers.

That's why I’ve been turning a blind eye to the bullying, despite being the class representative. 

What is a class representative anyway? Everyone were just pushing the troublesome job they don’t want to shoulder to me. Though my grades are good, I doubt they have any relation to the job of a class representative. Realistically speaking aren’t I just a glorified class gofer?   

I just want to quietly go through my high school days, then go to a good university and get a job as a translator or interpreter. Maybe even a book author if I were to be ambitious.

I didn’t want any trouble.

So I looked away.

Even if you were to call that cowardly, it’s fine. It’s true after all, I am a coward. I want you to spare me from those kinds of hero acts. I didn’t want to involve myself in trouble. And I believed he was the same.

Yet, why did he save me?

Certainly it was not life risking, and him falling was a stroke of bad luck. Yet, why even risk anything at all? We never even talked to each other.

I doubt it was because of the goodness in his heart.

But still, why?

Even if I wanted to ask, it’s no longer possible.

Even if I wanted to think about it, I don’t have that kind of leisure. The panther are closing the distance, they would catch up soon.

“Teruel-san! You can use magic can’t you, please deal with them like you did yesterday!”

I shouted in Elf’s language.

“Haah? There’s no way I can. My magic is at most being able to enchant my arrows. Magic isn’t something so simple you spoiled brat! Not everyone can easily shoot out offensive magic and defeat monsters!” – Teru

Isn’t your personality a complete 180 compared to yesterday?

But… is that so, it seems like magic is not as overwhelming as I thought, or maybe it’s just his ability that’s low. If the best he can do is to enchant arrows, the moment he stops this carriage and takes out his bow they would catch up and turns this into a melee…

I can’t think of any way to get out of this situation, we’re check-mated.

Looking at the hungry beasts that are closing the gaps every second, I unintentionally forget to breathe.

There's a lump in my chest, and my eyes start to feel hot.

“Hey, brat, if you want to live, kick that big kid off the carriage!” – Teru

What is this guy saying?

“You don’t want to die do you, just kick him off already, your legs aren’t tied are they!” – Teru

“There’s no way I can do that!”

The nerve of him! He wanted to sell us as slaves, and then nonchalantly order me to betray my friend? Though Takanashi-san isn’t exactly my friend…

“Those guys won’t endanger themselves more than necessary. Once they’ve gotten their prey, they’ll stop chasing us! So just fucking kick him off already or I’ll kill you even if those beast don’t kill you, goddamn brat!” –Teru

Ahh… I see, so he plans to sacrifice the slave that’s likely to make the least profit doesn’t he... 

Just how low can you get?

But it’s not as if I can object to that either. Considering the situation, it is our best bet to get out of this alive.

I guess I’m a low-life too.

“HEY! Class-rep, what are you doing! Stop arguing already and do something!” –Harusaki

“That guy is strong right!? Tell him to help us!” –Takanashi

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

My two classmates desperately petition to me. Can’t you two see that I’m also at my wits end here? Are you perhaps expecting a miracle because I awakened my [Arte] or whatsoever? If I could do something about this I’d have done it already, my own life is at stake here.

“Hey! Aren’t we friends!? Please do something!...this…-sob-…no more” –Harusaki

“Ha…Hanasaki…don’t cry, I’m still here, I will protect you” –Takanashi

“Takanashi-kun…” – Hanasaki

Takanashi-san… I know you want to look good in front of her so it’s not like I can blame you.

But it is still irritating either way.

While their foolish display unexpectedly returned my calmness back to me, the grumpy guy on the driver seat apparently has run out of patience.

“Damn it you noisy brats. Fine! If you’re not going to do it then I’ll do it myself!” –Teru

Losing himself to anger, he turned his palm toward Takanashi-san and his palm started shining with a pale green light.

This guy! He’s going to blast Takanashi-san off the carriage.

Or rather, so you can shoot an offensive spell after all? If so then why don’t you shoot it at the monsters in the first place!?

Perhaps it’s too weak to wound monster but is enough to push someone off a carriage?

Not that it matters anymore.

Because before I knew it, I tackled Takanashi-san’s body and pushed him out of the spell’s path.

Why did I do it I wonder?

It’s so uncharacteristic of me.

It’s not like me to save someone, I was never the self-sacrifice type to put my body in the line of danger for others.

Yet my body moved without permission.

What was it about going through a peaceful normal school life? About a trouble-free graduation? About becoming an Interpreter?

I’m regretting it already…

My body is assaulted by a strong gust of wind and after floating shortly in the air, I crashed onto the ground, rolling.

It hurts…

My body is hurt all over. Did I break a bone from my fall?

I can’t really tell, all I can do right now is to groan in pain…

Over the distance, I can hear Teruel cursing in Elf language after losing his most valuable merchandise.

Serves you right, I thought.

The monsters stopped chasing the carriage just like he predicted, they surround me cautiously, slowly close the distance, and their teeth sink into my flesh…

If this was a nightmare, then would I wake up by this point?

But the pain from the fall, the pain from countless fangs slicing my skin apart mercilessly denies my last hopes.

Surrounded by the nauseating stink of wild beasts, the flaming agony of being cut into. As if a dam breaking, all the fear and panic I've been pushing myself to suppress these past few days overflow and fills my heart with intense dread. 

I shake my limbs wildly and bawl like a child, even though I know it's futile.

I don't want to save any one.

I don't want to help any one.

I don't want to die.

I don't want to die.

________________________________________________________________________________________

[Narrator POV]

The monster was still hungry.

It wanted more.

More.

This is simply not enough.

It's not filling at all.

Mor--

"Kisshhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!!! "

The monster's painful throes echo through the cave, smashing away the tranquil atmosphere that was there just a moment ago.

What happened?

It could not understand.

No, it doesn't understand, but somewhere deep inside its consciousness, it understood by instinct.

Something is tearing itself apart.

Not the body, not the mind.

In the depth of its very existence.

Something is destroying its soul.

The only thing that could touch the soul would be another soul. However, the monster would not understand that. It doesn't understand how such a thing is happening, nor does it realize the identity of the perpetrator. The only thing it understood was that its existence is being crushed, broken, and torn apart. Pain unlike any flesh wound shook its entirety.

Not good.

This is not good at all.

Desperately the soul tries to hold itself together.

But it was too late.

The attacker has already got the upper hand with their surprise attack.

No, perhaps even if that was not so, the monster stood no chance. It understood this very well, from colliding with that other soul, it understood that the other existence held much stronger will to live than its own.

It's different from a monster's simple instinct. That existence wishes to live with its entire being. That existence is something that has experienced the world in much more colors than the monster. A monster that can only be a slave to its own instinct cannot even hope to perceive the kind of rich world that an intelligent being can perceive. Whether it be sadness, anger, or joy, the experiences that a human goes through while living are something that’s out of the scope of comprehension for a beast.

For the first time in its life, the monster posed a question. It was just a fleeting thought, a slight tremor in its mind. It wanted to know just what kind of world does that being sees through their eyes? Just what kind of world do they feel so attached to that they even surpassed a monster’s born instinct to survive?

Why do you wish so strongly to walk this world?

But it could not ask, there was no way to. And the only thing that lies ahead, is the monster’s own soul being disintegrated into darkness.

The meat that was being digested inside the monster's body, started to throb. As if that flesh has gained their own consciousness, and then it started to fuse together with the monster's own flesh…

______________________________________________________________________________________

[MC POV]

I thought I was dead.

No...  I died.

But, from the deep abyss where there was neither light, weight, nor direction. I regained my consciousness, and once again I was able to feel.

Thought it was not something I'd want to celebrate.

Because the first thing I felt.

Was pain.

It was similar to the pain when my leg broke, the only difference is now that pain is felt all over my body. Every single cell in my body screamed in agony.

My mind is extremely exhausted, as if I had been through mortal combat where I was waging my very own existence.

Yet, the pain was not at all considerate of my situation.

Throughout my whole body, every single one of my bones break down, and joined together again, my muscles tear themself apart, then sewn together again. It's as if my body is rebuilding itself…

"Kukuku...so this is it, my final form"

Like I could say something like that.

This isn't such a nice turn of event.

My body is screaming to me.

That the battle is not yet over.

Yea, I get it, this body is rejecting me.

Even though the owner's soul is no longer in this world, this body is rejecting the strange existence that was not supposed to be inside.

The majority of the body's original flesh is being torn off.

The massive tail was the first to detach from the body. Then one leg fell off. And then another.

Pieces of skin and meat drop on the ground with sloppy sounds.

What's left of the body could be falling apart at any moment now…