People always talk about them as if they are saints.

Heroes.

Men and women who pierce through all evil with their benevolence and courage, their valor and strength, and last but not least, their determination. They are carriers of light and upholders of justice and bow down to no one except the greater good. When catastrophes arrive and threaten the society, these heroes appear to face it. They stand together as one and risk their lives, so that we, the ordinary folk, can live to see the dawn of the next day.

Is this not the highest form of self-sacrifice?

Is this not what can be called a heroic act?

Right. That’s what I thought too, a long time ago, before I was shown the true face of mankind.

...

“Mr. Marble. One last question.” the middle-aged interviewer, clad in a black suit and yellow-purple tie, said. He flipped through a couple of documents that were spread across his oiled oak desk, his frown growing ever stronger. He sighed and looked up from the sea of paper.

“Do you mind if I’ll be blunt with you, Mr. Marble?”

“Not at all,” I said, flipping a pen through my fingers. “Go ahead.”

The interviewer nodded and began his rant. Like they always did.

Humpf, another ignorant fool.

“You applied to work for us, MechaCorp, the largest and most grand company in terms of building battlesuits. Your grades were the top of your class, to the point of almost too excellent. And to add, you placed second in the world’s 'solo mecha high school tournament'"

“However, there’s one thing that buggers me, well, something that twists my knickers so to say.”

The man took another sip of his coffee.

I sighed inwardly. How about you get to the point? I just want to get to work.

Finally, he opened his mouth to speak again.

“For what reason did you did not apply to the College of Heroes with the scholarship you won? I mean, with your close to mad practical skills, regarding mecha operating, I’m sure you could have become a rising star! Perhaps you could even make it as an obsidian ranked hero!”

The clock is ticking, come on, hurry up old man. We don't have all day.

“So please, tell me, why, why would you, and enormous talent, seldom seen in the western world, choose to come here, and work for us as a mere low-paid worker at Mechatech, creating low-ranked battle suits for a living? Forgive me for my disrespect, but I could not help but to ask.”

Oh? So they have some brain after all?

As startled as I was by the question, I jerked my body slightly without thinking. The motion caused the black chair beneath me to let out a creaky noise.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Was the chair old or defect? Rusty, perhaps?

All kinds of thoughts flew through my mind. Though I had no choice but to admit that the chair was, indeed, very comfortable.

Nothing less to be expected from the grand MechaCorp, right?

Oh, I have to answer his question…

Why I don’t want to become a hero?

A hero?

You’re asking me why I don't want to become one of those hypocrites?

HAHA, WHAT A JOKE!

YOU WANT ME TO BECOME A HERO!?!

'Calm down, Jonathan.'

I kept quiet and turned a deaf ear to my true thoughts. I put on a faint smile and lied straight up in their faces.

“My dream has always been to work with Mechas. From an early age I have always been fascinated by the sheer complexity each battle-suit contains.” I explained, still flipping the pen through my fingers, increasing the speed exponentially. “I love how every cog and every scrap of metal holds their own, little purpose, one which I must fulfill in order to make the most out of every suit’s potential.”

“Being a hero might hold more honor and riches, but I would trade all thousand times over for doing what I love yet another day.”

After hearing what I said, the black-clad interviewer seemed stunned. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and just stared at me blankly. He then turned to his college. Both of them nodded and turned to look at me nervously, their faces depicting a strange blend of happiness and surprise.

The black-clad one broke out into a shaky laughter. “Our company would love to have you here with us. Do you mind starting tomorrow, Mr marble?”

“Not at all,” I smiled and rose to shake their hands. 

They actually believed me?

But why would that be surprising?

They are all stupid beings, unable to open their eyes and look.

That, of course, does not apply to me. Strings of deceptions do not shackle me. I have learned to see through the lies, for I am no puppet.

My eyes are open.

That’s right. I see the world for what it really is.

...

"How nostalgic."

That was me, ten years ago, when I joined MechaCorp after graduating from high school.

Oh, how strange it feels to look back into the past. How humorous to see the old me, starting this fateful mission of mine. Ten years of hard work, sweat and tears and blood and pain, and now, at long last, I have finally arrived here.

The core of MechaCorp, its beating Heart.

The floor, roof, and walls were all the color of white, divided into square blocks that were similar to the 21st century glazed tile. 50 years in the future, yet the trend is still ongoing, just in a different material, I suppose.

I licked my lips and looked straight forward. Oh dear god. At long last.

“Connect to the database.” I murmured in the ears of the sapphire, pear-shaped object in my hand. The control device shone with a faint shimmer of gold. The AI answered with a soothing voice, tinged with an almost angelic touch.

“Welcome, Chief Technology Officer, Jonathan Marble."

The room lit up, and a black platform arose from the center. White mist seeped out from the space between the platform and the floor, congealing into nothingness as it evaporated.

“How have you been, my dear friend?”

I stepped closer to the platform, panting as I touched the suit of armor standing there, alone. The black surface was smooth, like a polished diamond. Almost slippery.

The black surface was smooth, like a polished diamond. Almost slippery.

“Don’t worry; your true owner is finally here,” I said, starting to laugh. Tears welled up from my eyes as I caressed the two-meter tall battle-suit. “I will show the world your true nature, my dear friend. They will feel fear from the bottom of their hearts, and all but my name will make their heart beat faster, their scalps tinge, and their souls freeze!

Tears welled up from my eyes as I caressed the two-meter tall battle-suit. “I will show the world your true nature, my dear friend. They will feel fear from the bottom of their hearts, and all but my name will make their heart beat faster, their scalps tinge, and their souls freeze!