head down and eyes on the floor, the man moved rather awkwardly, his walk becoming wider and wilder. Every jolt passed through his body from the arrow stick deep in his left shoulder muscles. He could have power running out of him as blood was dripping from the injured area and leaving crimson spots on his clothing and a little blood streak behind him. His face was now pale, his lips were dry, his shirt was wet from sweat and he looked very much exhausted. With the intensity increasing Karatsu could hardly move and his sight was beginning to fail him.
Suddenly and unexpectedly the translucent screen of the system appeared in front of his eyes which made him to halt instantly. His heart sank as he read the new set of choices presented to him:His heart sank as he read the new set of choices presented to him:
1. Take the arrow out and increase the circulation of blood.
2. Never remove the arrow and feel the pain.
The system, as if mocking him, continued with another message, cold and detached: The system, as if mocking him, continued with another message, cold and detached:
Mission completion rewards:
1. You can actually die in a shorter span of time due to bleeding.
2. You can die gradually in pains with the arrow still stuck on your body.
What shocked him the most wasn't the cruel choices, but the emoticon that appeared next: a head wearing a grin which shows that the person is happy in the most vicious way possible. It was not a simple ordinary smile as if the smile has wickedness inscribed on it, the edges of the lips slanted upwards revealing the pointed and shiny teeth. Its eyes were like small black lines drawing deep satisfaction out of the man's suffering.
Even the smile was given a look of pure malevolence, an indication that the system fed on his pain. And this evil smile, usually associated with someone not particularly threatening at a glance, brought only a wave of darkness in his spine.When this man saw this he gritted through his teeth and all the anger rose in him despite the weakness that had overwhelmed him.
He swirled down the streets and shouted on top of his voice, "Damn you, system… You bastard." "Do you really want me to die that badly?" he heard himself say, the words coming out harsh, bitter, and angry.
The man wasn't naive. He was well aware of systems having read about them in numerous novels he has ever come across and fantasy comics. In theory, the systems were intending to lead the protagonist, to develop him into a stronger, smarter or skilled individual. They were often kind, or, in any case, non-malevolent, created solely for the purpose of helping or hindering the host on the path toward success. But this—this was different.
Really this system appeared as one that had a personal hatred for the man. Today toying with his life it presented him no way out alive, merely methods one was more painful than the other. Plus, that smile… that, that infernal smile was as if the system relished every moment of his torment appeared to be quite sarcastic.
He tried to stop the blood flow and clutched his hand on his shoulder but that effort was in vain. His fingers were wet with warm blood and even when he tried to use a finger to press any key, the pain was excruciating. The floor then turned and started revolving as if trying to tell him that even one step was a difficult thing to make, but he had to.
He wracked his brains as he attempted to find a meaning of what was happening to him. I thought about how he had come to this. What vice had he committed and to what extent to be worthy of being on the receiving end of such beating? His mind felt foggy, especially due to the having been up at night healing his wound and the stress.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
He tried to stop the blood flow and clutched his hand on his shoulder but that effort was in vain. His fingers were wet with warm blood and even when he tried to use a finger to press any key, the pain was excruciating. The floor then turned and started revolving as if trying to tell him that even one step was a difficult thing to make, but he had to.
Suddenly there was a completely different situation. He was just an average man before he found himself living a struggle for his life, hunted by unknown individuals and having to conform to the crazy system's desire of seeing him miserable."I never wanted this," he murmured to himself, the words almost drowned by his ragged breathing. "Why… why me?"
His physical strength was gradually diminishing in every second that passed. His legs were shaking under him as if at any given point he were to collapse to the ground. But still, he continued to fight to live no matter how hard the world was telling him that he cannot make it.
He felt that it took ages to see a house in the far horizon before him. Its windows were guest and there was no movement in the house. His energy almost gone, he lurched towards the front door: his movements were more like slumped than staggered. Blinded by the thought, he blinked and as quickly as a thought, he felt as through he might fall right there parallel to the road. But he continued going, motivated by just the force of his will, and the barest of desire to live within that compound.
Getting to the door, the man leaned against it and placed both his hands upon it, he didn't have enough strength to stand. He lowered himself down the wall very gently, his spine pressed against the metallic door and he finally sat on the floor, leaning against the door. He panted heavily with heavy movements of his chest.
"Is this… the end?" he asked as he could hardly open his mouth and speak louder. His eyes were gradually becoming blurred at the edges, and he saw not clear silhouettes of objects around him. The pain in his shoulder was immense, worse than that was the cold dread in his heart that he felt – the dread that he might not wake up from this damn nightmare anymore.
Then, the monitor of the system appeared in front of him, as though it knew he was getting frustrated. The wicked smile returned, taunting him with its sharp teeth and gleeful eyes, as another message appeared: The wicked smile returned, taunting him with its sharp teeth and gleeful eyes, as another message appeared:
"Host, you've chosen well. It is going to get worst from here onwards. Enjoy your slow death."
In anger the man clenched his fists, but he could not even raise his arm in irritation. Even his legs were giving way from him, his muscled form weakening and losing stamina as the minutes ticked by. He wanted to shout, to strike the system as systems had struck him earlier but all he could do was sit be a passive sitter.
"Damn you…" he repeated again, but the voice after that could hardly be heard even by those nearby. His mind later went back to his normal life before such a mess, how he had wished it could just remain normal. He had looked at all these as a privilege that he was entitled to.
When it occurred to me that time was speeding on far from us, I realised that time was almost infinite. He had no idea of the number of hours he remained there staring at the dark sky outside and feeling the cold blood dripping from the wound on his body. Everything that he saw all around him was calm and still. The street was empty since everyone went home because when one was in the country, the night fell very late.
The reflected face glared at him complacently from the frozen lips of the still illuminated system screen, but the man no longer possessed the energy to concern himself with its implications. His eye lids began to droop and he knew his mind was rapidly fading away.
But just before he completely seemed to slip into the darkness, he heard a voice – barely audible, coming from somewhere very far away.
"Hey… are you okay?"
The man narrowed his eyes and squinted as if he was having trouble to see clearly. He attempted to raise his head a little in order to look at her but he found that the head had become as heavy as a ton. The voice became louder, Determined.
"Are you alright? You're wounded. Wait here, I'll assist you…"
The man struggled and opened his eyes for the last time. Looking up from the female form was a figure that was hazy like it was just an apparition of the night. He did not see any face, or anything for that matter but the voice on the other end of the line seemed considerate and worried. Before he could respond, his vision went black and this time, he was unconscious for good leaving behind with the twisted grin of the system.