MVR Round 2 P3

Long ago, there existed a nation called Iaia, in which the land prospered, crops and resources provided from an unknown pit at the centre of the land known only as the Dungeon. For many years, the people of Iaia lived off of the Dungeon's fruits, for which life energy emanated from the pits to sustain the various crops growing on the surface.

However, one day, the Dungeon stopped supplying the nation with its energy, and soon the nation of Iaia suffered a large widespread famine. Crops would not grow, leading to a decline in food and medicine. Water was not purified, causing a widespread epidemic to plague the land. Because Iaia was secluded from the rest of the world, with little to no connection to the outside, the people of Iaia suffered for years, until one day, a group of seers and priests came together to pray to the gods for salvation and repentance.

For months on end, the priests came together and prayed to the gods, until one day, the goddess Demeter, along with her disciple, Paladin Koloth descended from the heavens to warn the mortals of the true nature of the Dungeon. The Dungeon was a massive labyrinth created in ancient times to house monsters, and as monsters died, their souls would ascend the Dungeon to the surface. However, due to the monsters being impure, they are unable to enter heaven, and so, instead, spread to the surface of the land, their life energy supplying the world through bountiful harvest. Over time, as the nation of Iaia continued using this resource, their numbers continued to climb, but the deaths of the monsters did not, causing a deficit in the life energy supplied to the land. To continue to live, the people of Iaia must descend the Dungeons to kill monsters.

Praising Demeter, the numerous people of Iaia swore their allegiance to the goddess, begging for her to stay and watch over their nation. Taken aback by the sincerity of the mortals, as well as feeling satisfied with the increase in her followers, Demeter decided to stay and watch over the people, tasking Koloth with establishing a Folia Level System after his fellow Paladin, Folianon, the Paladin of Harvest and blessing the mortals with the power to become stronger, and wield magic. Equipping the mortals with a means to fight monsters, soon, many became trained to become the first adventurers of Iaia.

However, as Demeter continued being worshipped, the other gods in the heavens were not happy with the attention Demeter was getting, and decided to descend to the mortal realm themselves to also obtain followers. Realizing the potential for another divine war, Koloth suggested the creation of Legions, groups of humans would choose the deity they want to worship, and the deity may choose those who would be fit to be their followers.

Soon, Legions began to form, with the big three, Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades, Legions being the strongest, and some Legions being smaller than others due to the certain deities being less prominent than others. And for many years, adventurers of these Legions would descend the Dungeon to hunt and kill monsters, becoming stronger and establishing a trade system for monster shards to validate their contributions to the land.

The gods would return to heaven, with the Legions continuing to frequent the Dungeons and to become stronger, until the nation of Iaia prospered by these adventurers. The day Demeter and Paladin Koloth had come down from the heavens became mere folk tales, after centuries of prosperity, and with this, the rise of adventurer legends soon dominated the scribes, such as Leonidas Swallowtail of the Hades Legion, being the only Level 12 adventurer in existence, and Alexander Rosewald of the Aphrodite Legion, the greatest swordsman in the entire land.

R7

Ever heard of the generic anime MC?

Strong. OP. Noble. Popular with the girls but either too dense or upholding a massive sense of chivalry.

Sometimes it's comedic. Ending up in some kind of sexual situation with girls and then freaking out.

Well if you came here expecting I was one of them, then you're in for some major disappointment. Because this type of person isn't me.

That type of MC goes to my Legion Captain, Jack Flock.

Haruka handed Jack a bowl of what looked like some kind of cooking.

"I hope you enjoy it..." Haruka said, her face bright red as Jack took the cooking and ate it.

"This is so good! You're amazing Haruka!" Jack said, as Haruka blushed.

Jack held the bowl to me.

"Want some, Shun?"

I glanced at Haruka, who was giving me a murderous expression.

"No thanks, I'm already full." I responded, quickly.

I got up and left the living area of our Legion headquarters. There wasn't much. If any at all.

I made my way across the hall, looking at the rooms of the place.

Here in Folia, adventurers belong in Legions. Each Legion serves a god or goddess. In my case, I serve the goddess Vala. Vala is supposed to be the goddess of Fortune.

"Shun!" Vala called out to me from her room.

I went up to Vala, who was holding a card.

"By my divine will, I request a coin!"

I rolled my eyes as I gave her one of my Folian dollars as she scratched the card.

"As the goddess of fortune, I predict winnings of unparalleled-"

Vala stared at the empty card. Another blank.

I leaned in.

"Listen. I know I'm just some normal mortal, but I'm pretty sure that's not very fortune-like."

Vala threw the card on the ground and grabbed her hair.

"Not again! By the heavens! I demand retribution. This is ridiculous!"

"Tch." I grumbled, as I walked away.

The Vala Legion.

In Folia, each Legion houses adventurers. The top Legions are the Venus Legion, Poseidon Legion, Hades Legion. With Venus being at the top.

And you may have guessed from how low down my living quarters is...

The Vala Legion is at the dead bottom.

The only thing really bringing it up is Flock. But at the end of the day, we're just some low level trash that is barely hanging on.

I left the building and went on a walk.

My hands were feeling itchy again. They always felt like this.

I glared at the night sky.

All those manga I've read. Stories I was absorbed in. Every main character had a purpose. A reason to live. And it was always some kind of motivation.

When I lived with baba and mama with Wen, my twin brother, we always wished to become someone great. At first, we wanted to become kung fu masters together.

Wen was a prodigy. He became a master real quick and was able to train with the monks when we were in the temple. But I failed.

So I changed my dream.

I wanted to become a warrior like those badass MC's.

I contracted a demon named Hiiro, and together, we joined the Red Circle Gang. But the moment I saw blood from killing my first rival gang member, I threw up. My nausea and fear of blood ultimately caused the whole gang to fall.

And so I changed my dream again.

I wanted to become an adventurer. So I travelled to Folia.

Only to end up here.

The lowest of the low. And despite almost a year of being here, I was still a Level 2 Adventurer. The Vala Legion still near the bottom of the ladder.

Flock had all the girls. He kept levelling up with his crazy Limit Break skill.

No matter how hard I tried, I would always be some side character.

And for side characters like me, reality often hits the hardest.

Hard work doesn't always pay off.

To make it big requires luck.

And I have had none of that.

I leaned against a wall. I noticed a group of adventurers were walking down the street, and among them, was a girl with silvery hair.

Calypso Rosewald. Level 9 Adventurer. Probably the most frightening Level 9 in existence. If not, the most frightening blade fighter in existence.

Basically a celebrity in Folia, known as the Blade Princess.

Next to her was another girl with pink hair who was smiling and laughing with her colleagues of the Poseidon Legion.

I recognized her.

Leah Cromwood.

I tried to keep my heart rate in check.

Leah never talked to me, but for some reason, I felt super attracted to her. It might be because of her positive vibe. When I first met her, a year ago, we were tasked to do a Dungeon clearing together. Flock and I were at the time the only members of the Vala Legion, and we ended up with the Poseidon Legion since some crazy monster upsurge blocked off our exit from the Fortieth Floor.

Leah always seemed uncomfortable near me. I didn't know why. It was like she was intentionally ignoring me. And that hurt a bit. She fancied Flock a lot though.

After the clearing, Leah and the Poseidon Legion left Folia to pursue a quest that would take a year. That meant I wouldn't see Leah again for a while.

And so over the course of the year, I decided to train myself up. I put everything on the line to become stronger so she could acknowledge me. And I went from Level 1 to Level 2. But despite that, it wasn't enough.

When she got back, she still treated me like I didn't exist.

Flock and my guild advisor told us that levelling up was a huge deal. It was like accomplishing something that would make one evolve. So on paper, my ascension to Level 2 should have been something Leah would recognize... but the problem was...

Something special to a normal person would always be eclipsed by something special from special people.

Flock's Limit Break skill allowed him to progress from Level 1 to Level 4 in that year. And Calypso's accomplishments allowed her to go from Level 8 to Level 9.

My accomplishments meant nothing.

I clenched my fists.

Even in the land of adventures, I could never accomplish my dreams.

Because I am nothing special.

I continued walking, my hands in my pockets.

"Hiiro. I know you can hear me."

Hiiro didn't say anything.

I punched a wall.

"You told me that you would lend me your power again, once I levelled up. You told me everything would be better once I became stronger. Yet here I am with nothing."

Silence.

Normally, when a MC gets the power of a demon, they get super OP.

What the hell was this?

I went down to the creek as I yelled at the sky.

"WHY AM I LIKE THIS." I roared, ripping at the grass, as I plunged my face into the ground.

Why am I like this?

No matter what world I end up in.

I'm always destined to be no one special.

I walked dejectedly back to the Legion home. I opened the door, as no one greeted me. I walked by to see Flock, Vala, and Haruka laughing over something. I wasn't involved, as usual.

I went to my room and slid into my sweat stained bed.

"Hey. Something on your mind, Shun?" A female voice appeared in my head. I turned around to see a beautiful woman wrap her arms around me.

"If you ever feel down, I'm here for you." She said, as she smiled.

"I wish that was possible. But you're not even real. " I responded, as I watched the woman disappear.

I wouldn't even mind being haunted by a ghost if it meant having someone to talk to.

The next morning, I trudged to the kitchen as Flock waved at us.

"Headed to the Dungeon to train with Calypso!" He said.

Vala waved back.

"No funny business! You hear me?!" She screeched like a desperate housewife.

Haruka frowned as she watched her crush leave out the door with the lunch she packed for him.

"Tch." I muttered, as I also made my way out the door.

Another day, another disappointment.

I walked down the streets as I handed my numerous copies of my resume out to the shopkeepers looking for work. No one would hire me.

"We're looking for someone with experience." One said.

Since when did selling hot buns require the experience of a god damn business mogul?!

I went by another business.

"Why do you want to work for our company?" The employer asked me.

Because I'm too weak willed for Dungeons and I owe Vala rent, I wanted to respond.

I cleared my throat.

"Because I believe working for your company will allow me to contribute to your business and Folia as a member of society." I said.

The employer didn't look impressed.

Fuck.

I left the building with resumes. The guy straight up returned it to me without even looking at it. Asshole.

I sighed. Another day, another job rejection.

"Oh my god, I didn't even know putting syrup on this makes it so good!" A familiar voice said, as I looked up.

Leah.

Leah walked by me, as she was surrounded with her friends. All geared up to go to the Dungeon.

"You might have enough to level up again, Leah!" One of her friends said.

"Level 7! That's incredible!"

"At this rate, you might even be promoted to Vice Captain!"

With each coming positive comment coming her way, the more annoyed I got. Then the final hit came.

"I saw you talking to a boy from the Hades Legion Leah."

"Oh my god! I don't know what you're talking about!" Leah stuttered, as her friends laughed.

"Someone's in love!"

My hands scrunched up the papers so hard that they ripped. I threw them to the ground.

I've had it.

This... this life.

I'm done waiting for the opportunity to come.

I stomped forward, as I reached into my pockets. I took out a pair of bandages as I wrapped them around my hands.

If I want something to happen to me, something good, I can't trust the world to give it to me.

I have to force it.

I followed the Poseidon Legion to the Dungeon, trailing behind.

* * *

I immediately regretted it, as I stared at the monster that the Poseidon Legion had annihilated instantly. The blood leaking out of its caved in skull, as I instantly doubled over and threw up.

"Calm down, Shun. Calm down. You can do it. Go to the Dungeon, kill one monster in front of Leah. Just do it."

I continued following as I watched Leah cut down monster after monster with blinding agility.

This was ridiculous. How the hell was I going to kill a monster this tough?!

"That's another monster down." One of the adventurers said to Leah. Leah smiled.

"We can do it!"

The adventurer returned the smile, when suddenly, it melted, as he pointed.

"Leah! Look out!"

Leah turned around, and to my horror, a hobgoblin that had just been slain had regained his posture, leaping to Leah's position. Leah wasn't able to react in time, and time seemed to slow down.

Was this my chance? Was it?!

I took a step forward. I gotta save Leah. This HAD to be my chance. I could kill this monster AND save Leah. I could finally show her. My leg flexed as I shot forward, but suddenly, the hobgoblin turned to me.

"EEK!" I yelped, as my stomach turned inside out.

Its bloody face.

Something from my stomach began to rise up. I could literally feel my body turning pale as my punching arm went slack.

I have to fight...

I have to run...

I want to save her...

I want to throw up...

I closed my eyes.

"I can't lose! Fight it, Shun! Fight!" I yelled, as I forced my hand to move forward, but it was too late. The hobgoblin screeched as it dug its teeth into my shoulder. I yelled in pain as Leah stumbled back, her eyes wide.

"What the hell?!" One of the Poseidon Legionnaires shouted.

"What's a Level 2 newbie doing here?!"

My shoulder felt like it was burning, as the hobgoblin grabbed me by the throat and held me hostage in front of the Poseidon Legion.

"H- Help me..." I gasped, as Leah and the others stared at me in surprise.

The monster leaned in closer.

"Make another step. And the human dies." It cackled.

"Speech?" An adventurer said.

"What do we do?" Another asked.

Leah gritted her teeth.

"Let him go. Killing him won't do you any good."

Good to know Leah had reduced me to some kind of objective.

"We have evolved. We as one. The monsters have evolved. For our lord has returned."

"Lord?" Leah asked.

"Yes..." The hobgoblin grinned sinisterly.

"The Demon Lord has returned, just as the prophecy had predicted."

Leah's eyes went wide.

"Demon Lord... no..."

Demon Lord? What the hell? This was coming straight out of an isekai.

"We will prevail." The monster said.

"We will win. For he has returned. We cannot fall here. I cannot fall here, not until I get one victory. Even if it is this runt of a boy."

The goblin lifted his blade.

"Oh god!" I yelped, as I closed my eyes, when suddenly, another familiar voice burst from the corner.

"SHUN!" Flock shouted as he thrust forward, slashing his sword wildly and disarming the hobgoblin, then kicking him away.

"Flock?!" I and Leah said in unison.

Flock looked completely battered, like he was just done fighting a huge horde of enemies.

"It's okay, Shun. I'm here now." Flock said, as he put distance between us, then fought the goblin one on one, eventually defeating him. I could only watched uselessly, as the goblin fell off the edge of the cliff of the Dungeon floor.

"How?!" I gasped.

Flock smiled at me.

"I fought my way down here."

Leah smiled.

"I can respect someone who would put in the effort like that. It's refreshing seeing you again, Jack."

"Likewise." Flock said, as the two began hitting it off.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. What had just happened. I was supposed to be the one to save Leah, but instead, I ended up looking like an idiot again. I froze up, and not only that, I got saved by Flock. And now Leah and Flock were...

"I'm not done yet!" The hobgoblin screeched, as a hand erupted from the ledge and grabbed Flock's leg.

"Flock!" Leah shouted, as she stepped forward, but the goblin had already pulled Flock over the ledge.

"No!" I shouted, as I instinctively dove forward and grabbed Flock. But the sheer weight of the monster and Flock was beginning to pull me off too.

"Drop me!" Flock growled, as I shook my head frantically.

"I can't! You're all that's keeping the Vala Legion a thing! I can't!"

Flock gave me a determined expression.

"No. It has to be you. You have to-"

I gritted my teeth.

"No Flock."

A surge of strength erupted in my body, as I let go with one hand, supporting both the hobgoblin and Flock with one arm.

"Sh- Shun...?" Flock asked, his face incredulous as Leah and the Poseidon Legion stared at me in surprise.

"Wha- What's his strength stat?"

"Isn't he Level 2? Even a Level 9 can't do that..."

I should have been surprised, but for some reason, I wasn't.

It all felt natural.

Like I was meant to do this.

I looked at Flock.

"You're the Captain of the Vala Legion. That's who you are. You're way too invaluable to Folia. I'm not. So..."

I ripped Flock away from the goblin's grip as the three of us tumbled off the ledge.

"Flock!" Leah shouted as everybody ran to the ledge. Flock was screaming at me, as I grabbed Flock with my other hand.

"Not much... strength left." I muttered, as I looked at Leah one last time.

Yeah.

That's right.

Flock is the hero of this world. Not me.

I'm just a side character. I'm insignificant and meaningless.

But even if I am, that just means I'm expendable.

And if that's the case...

My sacrifice can still help them out. Help Flock out.

"Go and be a hero, Flock." I said, as we made eye contact.

"Shun..." Flock said, as his eyes began tearing up.

"I shouldn't have... neglected you this entire time, I-"

"Forget it" I said, as we continued free falling.

"I know in the end, if we both returned to the Legion safe and sound, over time, it'll just be the same thing. You going to the Dungeon, training with Calypso. Levelling up and becoming more and more famous as Folia's Rising Star. Getting more and more girls to fall for you. And becoming a hero. While I continue to be a nobody because I suck as an adventurer. Nothing will change."

I grabbed Flock and hurled him to the top with what little superstrength I had left, as I confirmed he was safe and sound with Leah and the others.

I closed my eyes as I fell into the darkness. Deeper and deeper into the Dungeon.

It was a guaranteed death. No one had ever descended below the Fortieth Floor.

It's fine.

A Level 2 nobody like me.

My death doesn't matter.

It doesn't...

Tears left my eyes.

It doesn't matter.

But at the same time...

I don't wanna die.

I yelled in desperation, frustration, and pain as I let all of my pent up emotions loose, falling to my death.

From my days being abused by baba for being worthless, to seeing mama lose her sanity from all the abuse Wen and I had.

To the days Wen and I spent at the Shaolin Temple, where I kept failing and watching Wen pull ahead of me.

To Wen announcing that he would no longer be my brother because of how much of a failure he recognized me to be.

To me acquiring Hiiro's possession to fight for the Red Circle Gang, but having it all fall because of how weak I was.

To me being not strong enough to be an adventurer, and failing to find work in a town of adventurers.

I wanted to be someone great.

I know people like me aren't allowed to dream.

But part of me wanted to have some kind of a purpose.

Not to die a meaningless death like this.

And as I watched the light from the Fortieth Floor disappear, becoming smaller and smaller, I began to realize that for the longest time, I always pretend I was okay with being a failure.

When I really wasn't.

R7

"Hey! Hey! Are you okay?" A voice peered from above. My eyes fluttered awake but everything was still blurry.

"I fell from the fortieth floor... and you're asking me if I'm okay." I groaned.

I sat up, as someone from within the shadows was sitting on a rock nearby. I couldn't really make out his figure, but it was like he was curiously inspecting me.

"Well, if that's the case, you'd be dead." The voice responded.

I choked. He was right. How... how was I alive?

"Wait, how am I alive? I'm supposed to be dead! I fell all the way from-"

I stared at the crater on the ground that my body had formed. This didn't make sense. I... I'm alive? But Hiiro's power never returned to me. Did this mean...

"Well, I guess it just means you're one tough cookie. And my one way ticket out of here." The voice said, as he plopped onto the ground. I made out his details. A fur coat with dragon hide, and a pale white mask that covered his face. His hair had strange magenta streaks, just like mine.

That was weird.

Most people in Folia had solid coloured hair. A bit on the weird side for some people, maybe even exotic colours like blue or red. I always found myself to be unique because of the strange magenta streaks in my black hair, as I was born with it.

There was no way this guy having the same hair color as me was a coincidence. But there wasn't much time or effort in me to care. Especially since something way more urgent was going through my mind.

I turned around and high tailed it.

"Wait! What the hell?!" The person shouted after me as I ran for my life.

Like hell I was sticking around. God knows how deep I was in, considering I fell for what seemed like an eternity. If I was in any floor lower than the fortieth floor, it meant the monsters here were beyond anything Folia adventurers could handle. And that dude was just chilling in here like it was another Sunday.

If anything, he was all kinds of sketchy.

And even I knew that this dude was definitely bad news.

I panted frantically as I turned the corner and kept running.

The person was tailing me.

"Calm down! Hey! I haven't found another adventurer here for ages! Come back!"

Screw that!!!

I grabbed a nearby ledge and pulled myself up as I shot into the air with surprising speed.

My eyes widened as I processed what just happened. I had gotten significantly stronger.

"What did I just..."

I slammed my head against a nearby cave wall as it cracked. My vision went blurry, but nothing seemed to be bleeding as I continued running, when suddenly, the person materialized in front of me, blocking my path as I screamed.

"Stop screaming!" The person said, as he grabbed my shoulders. I frantically tried to escape, but the man held me in place.

"Look, I'm not gonna hurt you, okay?! I just wanna talk, and just-"

ROAR

We froze, as giant footsteps flooded the entire floor.

From the shadows of a nearby cave, a massive centipede emerged. My mouth hung open as the monster roared at us, spit flying everywhere.

But it wasn't just the appearance of the thing that made me freeze. The sheer aura...

Every monster had an aura. It's linked directly to their magical output. High level monsters typically give off auras to the level of the fifties and eighties.

And this monster...

Had a level nearing 100.

I stumbled back in shock as the monster began inching forward.

"We're gonna die!" I screamed.

"No we're not!" The guy yelled at me.

"Yes we are!!"

"No we won't!" The man responded a he flicked his hand, and a jolt of lightning blasted the monster into cinders.

That easily.

I was dumbstruck as the masked figure turned to me and took a deep breath.

"If I wanted to really kill you, you'd be dead. Is that not enough proof that I'm not with those guys?"

I slowly stopped struggling as the man let go.

"What do you want." I asked, still cautious.

The man extended his hand.

"My name is Sammy. As you probably guessed, I'm not an adventurer here. I'm looking for a way to the surface. I'm not here to do any harm."

I hesitantly took it. Not like I had a choice. From the fact that this dude easily just killed a Level 100 monster with one hand movement was enough for me to know this guy was leagues above anybody in Folia.

Leagues above the best.

Stronger than Calypso.

And...

An image flashed in my mind of that day I used Hiiro's power at his fullest to fight Captain Oxar Uxas of the Venus Legion in China. His overwhelming power. Despite being an adventurer.

Yeah.

Stronger than Oxar Uxas, the only Level 12 in all of Folia.

We shook hands, as Sammy made a sound like he was approving.

"Well I'll be damned. This is the first time I've seen a human!"

What the hell was that sudden change in attitude?!

We continued walking, searching for the way up. The occasional monster tried to approach us, but Sammy just gave them a look and for some reason they backed off.

"They're... afraid of you." I observed.

"Well, yeah." Sammy said.

"In here, I'm at the top of the food chain. Like last ti-" Sammy stopped himself.

Last time?

Sammy cleared his throat.

"I have someone I want to see at the surface. And... I thought maybe I could talk to her before I left again. I also have to rescue a couple of people."

"Leave? Are you not from Folia?"

"Nope. I'm an otherworlder."

I paused momentarily.

An otherworlder?

Like... me?

Walking from behind, Sammy had a very carefree attitude. Like he didn't even have to try once in his life.

I hated that.

My knees buckled as I almost collapsed.

"Whoa there, buddy." Sammy said as I felt my body stabilize, black magic wrapping around me as Sammy had turned to me. And for a moment, I felt a tremendous surge of raw emotion.

Pain. Suffering. And one stood out in particular.

Guilt.

I stared at Sammy.

"Is... that from you?"

Sammy choked as he cleared his throat.

"Well! Look at the time. Guess we should camp for a bit."

"I can keep going."

"No, you can't."

"Yes I can." I replied, angrily, as I took another step forward and fell flat on my face.

I had no idea how much time had passed. There was no way to keep track of time in the Dungeon. Especially with the fact that I had been free falling for some time now.

We sat huddled around a fire in a small crevice of a cave that was secluded from the monsters.

"We'll camp here for the night." Sammy said.

"Whatever." I grumbled.

Sammy scoffed.

"Perseverance and stubbornness are different things, kid."

I glared at Sammy.

"The hell did you just say?"

Sammy leaned back.

"I met you for a short time, but even I can tell. You're the type to never give up, huh."

I scowled, as I warmed my hands by the fire.

"I want to... get stronger." I admitted.

Sammy was silent, but I could tell he was listening. For some reason, talking to Sammy... I felt like wanting to open up. Something about him. Something about him made me want to trust him with my deepest and painful secrets.

"Stronger?" Sammy asked.

"My whole life, I lived it a failure. Never good enough at anything. I watched everybody else do well. And every story and movie I watch... the main character always wins in the end. But that's never happened to me. I always lose."

I sighed as I stared at the flames.

"If I had more power, my life would be so much better."

Sammy brought his knees to his chin as he huddled himself closer to the fire.

"Power won't make things better the way you think. Trust me, kid."

"What would you know." I scoffed.

"You lived your whole life with power, probably. You don't know what it's like to be powerless in this world. Or any world."

Sammy tilted his head.

"But I do know what it's like to have power. And believe me. It's... not as great as you would think."

Sammy's voice was laced with pain as he waved his hand. A black flame appeared in the mass of orange, as it swirled around.

I clenched my fists.

"But wouldn't it be better. To have the strength of the world. To finally swing back at it for torturing you? For so damn long?"

Sammy stopped waving his hand and looked at me.

"No."

"But-"

"It won't make things better." Sammy's hand tensed.

"Hurting others never makes things better, kid. It never does. Being at the top, being the strongest, has its own problems too."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?"

Sammy chuckled as he laid on his back.

"You work with what you got. That's how it's always been. And how it's always gonna be. Life is cruel and unfair. But there's nothing you can do about it."

Sammy reached out to the Dungeon sky with his hand, almost like he was trying to grasp something that didn't exist.

"Life is cruel. But it can be good too. There's no such thing as a fully negative situation. Just being alive is enough to be grateful for."

I could feel my eyes getting heavy. Sammy noticed.

"Get some sleep, kid. You'll need it. Oh, by the way, what's your name?"

I shot to my feet.

"You're asking that NOW?!"

Sammy stammered.

"Sorry!"

I groaned as I sat back down and rested my head on a patch of moss as the fire began to flicker.

"Shun Zhang. In China, I was the Red Beast. In Folia, I am the Stray Dog."

Sammy repositioned himself on the opposite side of the cave.

"Shun Zhang, huh."

I watched as a breeze blew at the fire, causing Sammy's magenta streaked hair to dance.

That hair, which looked so much like mine.

For a second, I almost thought he was a long lost family member.

If that was the case...

That would have been the best thing to have ever happened to me. Someone who was alone for so long. Finally someone to talk to and open up, without being judged.

R2

Objective. Locate the rescue targets. Secure the rescue targets.

Locate allies?

Locate...

Conflicting objectives.

Logical solution: abandon allies. Probability of ally survival: > 90%.

I emerged from the ruins of a nearby town. It was being ravaged by monsters. A group of townsfolk were trying to hold it off.

If I destroyed the monsters, the townsfolk would be safe, and I could obtain items from their merchants.

"ATLAS Protocol: Weapon Summon: Lesion C5BR"

A cyan projection appeared in the palm of my hand as a semi-automatic pistol attained shape. I took aim as my cybernetic eye created a reticule for me to focus.

Lock on.

Analyze fastest dispatch method using Skylar's Mark One restraints.

I fired in rapid succession as the monsters began falling one by one.

"What the..."

"An adventurer?"

"But what is that weapon? Is he a mage?"

"I've never seen a mage wield such a weapon. It certainly isn't a bow..."

The monsters all turned to me, and roared, charging forward. I continued firing calmly as my movements followed procedure.

Hostiles defeated: 30%. 55%. 67%. 71%. 89%.

I needed more distance.

"Dash Step."

I blasted forward as I ducked, evading the swings of one of the orcs, as the monsters rushed past me. I leapt into the air while still retaining my momentum as I spun around, time slowing as my supercomputer brain processed reality in a hypersonic rate.

I fired in faster frequency as the monsters fell, but as I expected, they had adapted to my bullets by using their tougher hide to absorb the impact damage.

There was no time to load my weapon with a different bullet type.

"ATLAS Protocol: Weapon Summon: TIBER."

I extended my other hand as a large double barrelled break action shotgun appeared. I took quick aim as I fired, the spread shattering the hide of the remaining orcs. The spread dispatching them instantly.

I landed on the ground. The barrels of both of my guns smoking as I regained my posture.

I let go of my pistol hand and broke open the shotgun, reloading it as the townsfolk ran up to me.

"An adventurer! Our saviour!"

"We cannot thank you enough!"

Praise.

Perhaps this town did not have any adventurers. If that was the case, it meant it was very far away from Folia. Meaning I was transported to this world in a location that was outside of the vicinity of the town I needed to be in.

With Skylar's Shackle System, I was stuck at Seal One. At Seal One, many of my abilities were limited.

No SPARTAN platebody, no SPARTAN cycle. No Supercharge.

An elder man approached me as he took my hand.

"An adventurer..." His voice cracked from emotion.

"Please. Please stay the night great one. We know we are not in the position to ask this of you, but your presence... it will help us immensely."

That night, I stayed at the household of the elder.

I sat on the ground as I assessed my surroundings.

This town was exceptionally poor. However, the people were able to sustain off of the natural resources. Magic was abundant and greatly relied upon by the residents of this town. However, due to this town containing natural resources, monsters invaded frequently, to steal the resources and kill the townsfolk if available.

A young girl handed me a bowl of soup.

"There are no heroes or adventurers in this town. Whenever a monster attacks, we always had to fend for ourselves for the longest time."

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at the soup.

"Does this town have a Garrison unit?"

The old man hobbled to me.

"We all learn to use offensive magic. But none of us are strong."

I regarded the elder.

"Your town consists of approximately eighty six people. There is statistically a non-zero chance that of these people some would have an aptitude in combat."

The elder smiled.

"Fastidious and a thinker, you are, adventurer."

I said nothing, as a tear ran down the girl's cheek. She looked at the ground.

"I- I will go clean up. Please excuse me, father."

I watched her leave.

"Did I say something that offended her?"

The old man sighed.

"You're smart, aren't ya? Surely you know of my connection to her. Of the people in this household."

"That girl is your daughter. You have similar genetic traits. A quick analysis shows a low probability of a niece and uncle relationship. And..."

My heart suddenly twinged in pain.

What was this feeling?

"And..." I clutched my chest. The old man leaned in, in concern.

"Hero?"

Why. What was this pain?

"She must have had a sibling. A family member. A mother."

The old man straightened his back.

"You are correct. So not all of you has become a thoughtless husk. I had a son. And a wife."

"I..." My voice trailed away. Why was it trailing away?

Emotion.

I stared at my reflection from the soup.

"The monsters took them from you. From her." I deduced.

The elder nodded.

"I did my best to stay strong, but for Hina, the pain is still there, eating away at her. I understand that you are smart. And what you said was not wrong. But some things just cannot be said."

"I apologize." I said.

"I accept your apology." The elder sat next to me.

I looked at my hands.

"I have a mission objective. I will need to leave this town soon."

"Is that so?"

"I must rescue several proxies."

"Yet you seem troubled. For someone so emotionless, that doesn't seem like you."

I stared at the soup.

"Your town will be missing a defender if I leave. More people will get hurt..."

The old man smiled sadly.

"Indeed. But we have survived this long from their onslaught."

This should not have been my concern. Staying in this town would not have been beneficial to me in any way. Logically, the best option would be to obtain resources from this town and move on. But...

"This isn't right." I stood up.

"It's logical, but it isn't right." I walked to the window as I noticed numerous people had gathered around to hold a goodbye celebration.

"What isn't right, young man?" The elder hobbled next to me.

"I can't explain it. I cannot explain it. No logical calculation can explain how I'm feeling. But... something draws me here."

The elder smiled.

"May I ask you of your name, adventurer?"

I looked at the old man.

"SPART..." I stopped myself.

I took a breath.

"My name is Benjamin Fong."

"Benjamin Fong, eh? I am Horath. My daughter there is Hina. This town is known as Garlen. We aren't much. But we welcome you to stay, not just as a defender, but as one of us for however long you choose. We are holding a small celebration tonight for our first major victory against the orcs. It would be fantastic if you joined."

And with that, Horath left me alone in the room.

I sat alone for several minutes until I heard footsteps. They were lighter and more nimble than Horath's. Meaning they were Hina's.

I turned around, to see Hina at the doorway. She looked nervous.

"Your attire." She said as she laid down several clothes.

I watched as Hina carefully folded them.

"I'm sorry." I blurted.

What was I doing?

Hina stared at me.

"Hero..."

"I'm sorry." I repeated myself as I found myself falling to my knees and bowing my head. Nothing about what I was doing made any sense. But something was telling me to do it.

"For my insensitivity. The truth is, I have been finding difficulty in expressing emotion. My body, my mind, it's all chaotic right now because of an entity that is-"

I was blurting out nonsensical ramblings. Like a glitched system.

A chaotic mind?

My mind was nothing chaotic. It was logical. It was flawless. Mathematical calculations governed all my decisions. But this was quickly being proven as I felt something inside me pour it all out.

"It's okay, hero." Hina said, gently, as she placed her hand on my head. My eyes widened as something warm spread through my body.

"I understand."

"But-"

Hina smiled.

"The truth is, you're one of the few heroes who have come here and brought themselves to this position. Arrogance and dignity is highly prized in this land. It's integral to a hero's status. So to see a hero prostrate himself, to a mere village girl, it's..."

Hina put a hand on her head like she was pondering.

"I can't find the word. But it makes me happy."

I put on the clothes Hina had given me as I took off the torn and shredded remnants of my trench coat that were clinging onto me from when I descended into the world.

Fur lined my collar and cuffs, much like a overcoat. Black and brown dragon hide made up a majority of it, as I emerged from my room into the night sky.

Hina waved me over as several children were dancing around the fires. Even several elderly couples were laughing and dancing.

I walked to Hina and joined her as she handed me a cup.

"Do you drink, adventurer?"

I took the cup.

Hina and I sat on a nearby log with several other villagers and music played in the background. Everybody celebrating in the night around the fire. Happiness. Joy.

"Garlen always holds celebrations." Hina explained.

"What for?"

"It's just a regular thing."

"Celebrations should be held during significant events that invoke happiness and benefit." I said.

Hina raised an eyebrow.

"Then I suppose this celebration should be held for us being alive. After all, you did save this town, hero."

"Being alive..."

My mind flashed back to the time I was struggling to live when I was teleported into the war zone of the future. Mogul's Iron Council, raining hell on the world. I lost count of the many times I wished I was dead. I wanted to die so badly because of the reality I was forced to live through.

Finding food to eat.

Surviving the wrenching pain in my gut as the bugs and insects that had invaded my gastrointestinal tract, gnawing away at me from the inside from all the raw meat I was forced to consume.

Hina stretched her legs as she watched her father learn to dance. She laughed as he stumbled around. Despite being so elderly that he no longer had the dexterity as the younger townsfolk, many of the children were trying to teach him to dance. And his smiling face radiating all around.

"Being alive is enough of a blessing." Hina said.

"That depends on the situation." I replied.

Hina looked at me.

"I think it depends more on how you make of it."

"I can think of many ways that it could be considered a curse." I replied.

Hina smiled as she turned back to the laughing townsfolk.

"Then tell me, great adventurer. Do you think that this night. This moment, is a curse?"

I paused.

"No." I said, as my heart began radiating warmth. That same warmth as before. Something I hadn't felt in a long time.

A child went up to me and handed me an ornament. It was made of flower petals and plant stems.

"Thank you for saving mommy and daddy from those orcs, mister!"

I stared at the gift.

A gift from a mere child.

Calculations and deductions could not find any use or benefit of the ornament.

But in the end, it did have a benefit.

It was a gift after all.

Hina leaned in.

"Life is more than deductions. And I think you're beginning to see that."

"To see what?" I asked.

Hina's kind face became illuminated from the fire.

"That you too, are capable of being a person like us."

I stared at Hina as the revelation hit me.

I am a person.

No matter how much I had integrated ASTRO into my body.

Fundamentally.

I was a Remnant.

A person.

"I-"

SHINK.

Hina's eyes widened as her face turned pale.

"Hina?" I asked, as everybody stopped dancing. Chatter and laughter cut off abruptly as Hina stared at the blade that had sprouted from her midsection.

For once, I didn't know what to do as the shock travelled across my body.

"N- No.." My voice trailed off as Hina's body was lifted into the air.

Monsters. Humans. Townsfolk. Mortal lives are so peculiar. Don't you think, Remnant 2? A large man appeared before me, his body cladded in armour, and a pair of green goggles covered his eyes as he lifted the large blade he had used to stab Hina and tossed Hina to the side.

I rushed forward with my cybernetic speed as I caught Hina.

Hina was barely conscious as she tried to speak, but each sound she made was accompanied by a spurt of blood from her mouth.

"HINA!" Horath screamed as he tried to run forward, but was blocked off by several of the man's minions. Goblins.

A goblin spat venom at Horath, but a villager jumped in his way as he began to melt. His last words begging everybody to run away and stay alive.

I was frozen in shock. For the first time since my merge with ASTRO, I was frozen in shock, horror, despair, as I held Hina in my arms.

"Save us! SAVE US!" An elderly woman screamed at me as she was instantly decapitated by a goblin, her husband screaming to save her, but impaled from behind.

It took me two seconds to realize this was one of the couples who I saw dancing by the fire earlier.

"S- sav..." Hina spurted as I looked at the village girl.

"Hina..."

"Save... the town... hero..." Hina muttered, her face turning gray as I quickly ran to shelter with the rest of the villagers, laying her down.

Horath took Hina and sobbed as I watched the army destroy the villagers, who were trying to fight back with their offensive magic.

"They're even stronger than before!"

"We can't hold them off, we're going to die!"

Why wasn't I doing anything?

Why wasn't I...

I looked at my hand, which was trembling.

My emotions.

My emotions were keeping me from acting. And if the was the case...

I was useless...

"Hero." A small hand took mine as I looked at the child who was grabbing it. It was the same child who gave me the ornament.

"Please... please save us, Mister Hero!" The child sobbed as more and more people joined him.

"Save us! Save us!"

"Please, hero!"

"Great hero, please protect us!"

"I can't.." I muttered, as I stumbled back.

"My emotions. My human side... It's weak. It always has been. It's keeping me from acting. My non-logical side has overtaken-"

Horath grabbed my wrist, his face stern, his eyes bloodshot.

"Benjamin... your human side is not weak. You saved us and stayed because of your human side. So please... please make sure no more people end up like my daughter."

My eyes widened as I stared at her, she was beckoning me forward as I leaned in.

"Adventurer... I remember."

"Remember what?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"The word. What it was, to see someone like you, someone so powerful... prostrate... himself..." Hina burst in a fit of coughing as I and Horath held her tightly.

"No, you must save your energy, Hina." Horath begged, but Hina shook her head, the light leaving her eyes as she turned to me, smiling with that same radiating smile.

"The word was `redeeming`. Adventurer."

I let out a shaky breath.

Redeeming.

I stared at my hands. The same cybernetic hands that had aimed a gun at Merrow Rivenlight. The hands that belonged to the same person who called his own girlfriend, the girl he had loved for the longest time, an objective. The same robotic asshole who trivialized everybody's circumstances because it was all a logical calculation.

I was a machine. For the longest time, I felt that ever since merging with ASTRO. I was losing who I was to become a machine strong enough to destroy Prime Aspect Mogul. The more I sinned, it was fine. Because it didn't matter how irredeemable I could be, as long as my objective was complete.

"Redeeming..." I repeated as I stood up. I walked out of the shelter as Horath stared at me.

"Benjamin... are you..."

I turned around, my eyes flashing cyan as I felt something inside me well up.

The seal on my hand from Skylar's Shackle System, revealing two Seals now. I needed the power. There was no more room to be conservative. I needed to finish these monsters off to make sure no more people were hurt.

Not because it was logical.

Because it was right.

"Horath. I will redeem myself."

My hand outstretched as I summoned a weapon. An assault rifle. The Aufregung MAR M2. I made my way to the entrance as I approached the army.

It was almost ironic. That my feelings. My emotions. The very principle of being emotion was that it would get in the way of my objectives, but seemingly... almost for this moment.

It was strengthening me, as I coldly fired a rapid stream of bullets from the rifle which decimated the entire front line of goblins that were overpowering the remaining defenders of the village.

"Fall back." I said, as everybody evacuated behind me. I stood between the army of goblins and the villagers as I extended my other hand. A submachine gun. The FN P90 SPARTAN Grade S.

I took aim as a breeze blew the hair out of my eyes, my villager cloak ruffling in the wind as I glared at the goblins.

"By my name. You will all be eliminated. Begin contract."

My eyes glinted murderously as my internal combat computer marked everybody down. All three hundred and eighty markers. The size of a platoon of monsters.

R5

KABOOM.

The skies rumbled as my battle against the supervillain Veritux had reached its climax.

Veritux had half of his armour cracked, while my entire costume was completely in rags. Half of my face was showing from my utterly destroyed mask. I was breathing hard as I hovered in front of the villain.

"Floating Man... why are you fighting me? Can't you see? You and I..."

Veritux held the palm of his hand in front of him as a purple sphere of energy condensed together. A spiralling sphere of kinetic momentum.

"We are both monsters. We fit in nowhere. Even amongst our meta human kind."

Veritux launched the sphere in my direction as I stopped it with all my might, my body's green glow illuminating the entire sky as the city watched in awe.

"I can't let that thing hit the city!" I growled, as I yelled from the telekinetic strain of stopping the massive amount of momentum threatening the entire place.

I was all that was left. Empire City's last line of defence. Veritux had already defeated the New Metro Team, led by Lady Liberty. He had already stopped all of the military that was dispatched to take him down. I was all that stood between Veritux and absolute destruction.

After all,

I was the only one who could stand a chance against a fellow telekinetic user.

I roared with one final push as I flung the sphere into the air, but Veritux had already closed the distance, slamming his fists into my chest as my subconscious telekinetic barrier barely absorbed the impact. I coughed out blood as I blasted backwards into the side of a skyscraper, my body hurtling through the hundreds of floors into the ground and creating a massive crater.

I became buried under hundreds of tons of debris as I used my telekinesis, in the form of super strength to toss the rocks away.

Even with my barrier providing me invulnerability, that attack knocked the wind out of me, as Veritux knew that, as he descended from the skies. His armour gleaming from the sky.

I struggled to my feet as my vision was blurry, but I could make out a young girl who was clutching her backpack, staring at me in horror as her parents yanked her away from the danger.

"Floating Man... please don't lose!" She cried out.

Blood leaked down the side of my face as I staggered forward, face to face with the super villain.

It was funny.

This city, along with the rest of the world, always thought of me as a bad guy because of my tremendous power. But when they needed me the most, that was when I was considered a superhero.

I couldn't even react, as Veritux shot forward with blinding speed, launching another punch which caught me in the jaw. I flew back and smashed through more buildings and landed on the ground.

"Tell me Floating Man. What will you have. After this fight is over. After I leave this world. What will you have?" Veritux grabbed me by the collar and punched me in the face over and over as I grunted in pain. Then another blow to my stomach which made me fall to my knees.

A kick in the face as I flew into the skies.

Veritux appeared above me.

"This world hates you. It hates you as Thomas King. It hates me as Parsa Wahla. We are both hated by this world because we never had any gifts to begin with, no talent, no one to love us. And once we had our gifts. The blessing of telekinesis, the greatest meta human power in the world! We're suddenly revered as monsters."

Veritux grabbed me by the collar again. I was too disoriented to fight back.

"I won't... let you win..." I coughed.

Parsa scowled.

"And even I lose... nothing will change for you. Tell me, Thomas. I want you to tell me truthfully."

Parsa brought me in closer until I could make out all the scars on his face. From when he had muggers beat him and bloodied his face during his time homeless and unemployed, before his meta human powers manifested.

"Do you even have a girlfriend?"

I gritted my teeth.

"What does that even have to do with anything?!"

Parsa lowered me as he regarded me with a cynical expression.

"Your colleagues. Your comrades. In the end of the day, they will only see you as comrade. Companions come and go. Friends come and go. In the end, the one person who will follow you and will always be in your life, whether it be in person or remotely. Is your soulmate. The woman who loves you. That was what my parents had taught me. And that was how I learned. From all the people who had helped me and I once called family. I watched as they all left me for their own loved ones. Their own husbands and wives. I..."

Parsa let go as I began to free fall. But I stopped myself with my telekinesis.

Parsa grimaced.

"I am alone. Just like you. Not appealing to women in any way. You may call my reasons silly. You can say it all you want. But you know, deep down, that you are just like me."

I said nothing, as I watched Veritux's body beginning to crumble away. He had used the last of his life source to fuel his telekinesis. That was how he was able to overpower me and the entire superhero team.

Veritux tried to reach out to me with his crumbling hand, his voice fading with the wind.

"Floating Man. You may see your comrades as family. But in the end of the day, they will leave you. Everybody moves on. And you will have no one. And you will understand the pain that I am feeling. The feeling of being unwanted. And you will begin to realize my resolve."

Veritux dissipated into smoke as I stared at his ashes, which dispersed in the wind.

"My acceptance as a monster of society. It isn't a role I wanted to play. But a role I am forced to play."

"Thomas? Thomas!"

Someone was shaking me awake as I woke up. Merrow's pretty face was peering down at me, concerned.

"Merrow? Wha- What happened?"

I sat up as I looked around. We were in some strange field in the middle of nowhere. All around me were a bunch of smoking carcasses, as I realized they were from dead monsters.

"Monsters!" I yelped.

Merrow put her hand on my shoulder.

"Not anymore. I took care of them. They dropped a lot of things, I'm not sure what they are."

I rubbed my temples as I got to my feet, making a fist as all of the loot levitated and flew towards me.

"Looks like enemy drops. We could use them to trade in for some town currency."

Merrow raised an eyebrow.

"Like... a video game?"

"Yeah, sorta."

Merrow smiled at me.

"Well, as long as they aren't cursed or trapped. You're the expert here, Thomas!"

"Tch." I grumbled as I opened a rift and tossed the loot in. A small spacetime pocket that I learned to make from my telekinesis training.

"Yeah. A video game nerd. Real popular with the ladies." I muttered.

"What?" Merrow asked me. I guess she didn't hear me say it.

"Nothing." I lied, as I pointed at a cluster of buildings.

"Looks like a town up ahead, let's head there and see if we can get some leads on Corey, Nozomi, and Colin."

We continued walking. We couldn't use anymore than a small fraction of our power, otherwise, our presence would set off radars in this world. We had no idea where the hostages were being kept. If we set off alarms, we could risk getting them killed.

Why was I having that particular flashback? To my battle with Veritux.

It was one of the more painful fights I had. Not really physically. Well. I did get my ass kicked in that fight. But also emotionally hard. After all, Parsa and I, we were best friends in Uni.

Parsa was the only guy in my class who really, truly, understood what it was like to be lonely.

A lot of people loved to go on YouTube and say, hey. I have no friends. I'm all alone. I'm lonely. And life sucks.

For the first few seconds, I would always go, wow. I can relate to this guy. Damn. Respect.

Then all of a sudden, they would say.

"All I have is my girlfriend."

Or

"All I have is my wife."

I would always scroll to the comments to see if anyone called him out. And it would always be the same shit.

"But girlfriend isn't considered a friend."

Well, why the fuck does it have the word "friend" in it?!

The thing with Parsa was that, he knew exactly what it was like. To not be appealing to girls in any way.

I understand looks might not be a strong suit for people like me.

It's personality and being sweet and all.

But it's hard to suddenly be this type of kind, attractive personality when you spent so many years a loser. After all, I spent most of my life a loser.

I learned to be antisocial and awkward.

That was just how it was.

It was the same as needing experience for a job that requires experience. It's just such a contradictory thing.

For a long time, it was just Parsa and I. After my battle against Mogul and Arman's leave, Parsa and I became close. We would always have these deep talks about how people like us could never be accepted by society. And we would always be there for each other.

Yes. I had my brothers. But a lot of them ended up going their separate ways to train. To become stronger for when Mogul would return. Deacon, my mentor, would push me like hell in training, but then there would never be time for me to talk to him, as he would be off training himself, or training with his girlfriend, Meena. Or just spending time with her instead.

Merrow would be busy doing Corinth stuff.

And well...

I didn't really find Skylar too attractive. Plus she always made fun of my acne.

I still struggled in school, but being with Parsa made it a bit more tolerable. Until one day, Parsa had left. Disappeared.

It was then did I discover that Parsa never actually lived in a house. He was homeless the entire time, going to school from nowhere. I always thought he had B.O., but it was because he just didn't have a means to find public showers and effectively dry his clothes without either them getting stolen, dirty, or soaking wet giving him a cold.

When he had unlocked his powers, the first thing he did was murder a group of muggers that frequently beat him up and stole his belongings.

I had to investigate his case as The Floating Man, and I can't lie.

It was the hardest case ever.

How can I bring my best friend, the only person in the world who truly understood me, who was there for me, who I depended on, to justice?

And so, I kept coming up with excuses to validate his crimes. He had the power of telekinesis, just like me, and he used it to hurt others. Believing that it wasn't fair for other people to be happy while he was suffering.

And to some extent, I could see where all this hatred was coming from. But as a superhero, murder was murder. Hurting others was still hurting others.

Eventually, Parsa gained the moniker of Veritux, and while I was too busy hesitating to put him down, he got stronger and stronger, until I finally had to face him in our battle.

The Floating Man vs. Veritux.

When I watched my best friend disintegrated into dust that day, his words stuck with me.

Even when this battle was over.

Even if everybody had the good ending.

I would still be alone.

I looked at Merrow, as we both continued walking to the town. Her beautiful frizzy green hair ruffling in the wind.

She was so pretty and attractive.

But I knew for a fact that I would never be with her. It just wasn't a thing.

And that I understood. She was technically like an aunt I guess. Which would make it weird.

But every time she was nice to me, and would help me and support me and reassure me that things would be okay.

I couldn't help but fall in love with her a bit.

After all, I was just some lonely guy who never had a girlfriend and most likely never will.

That's just how it is with people like me. We find random gestures of kindness from girls to be amplified into romantic interest.

And I hated that so much.

"Thomas? What's wrong?" Merrow asked me.

"Nothin." I lied.

"Are you sure? You looked like you were really furious..."

"I'm fine."

I could tell Merrow was getting concerned.

"Really, I'm fine. Let's just focus on the mission."

"Okay. But if there's something bothering you, you can always talk to me, you know that, Thomas."

"I know."

But honestly, I wish I didn't.

She would never understand the position I was in.

We kept making our way to the town. Skylar's shackle system was restricting my ability to use telekinesis to a large extent. I could use higher levels if I brought down the level a bit. The shackle system was at Layer Four. Releasing each layer would unlock more power.

My lazy side wanted to go to Layer Two just so we could arrive faster. But doing so would alert the people in this world given our ridiculous power.

"Hang in there, Thomas! We're getting there." Merrow reassured me as she led the way. I wish I was more athletic.

A few more hours past, as we continued walking. I trailed Merrow from behind.

Come to think of it, I rarely had any alone time with her. Aside from the first time we met, when she was spying me on the bus back when I lived with Sam (not Arman or Sammy). My roommate.

I would have loved to cherish this opportunity. Let's be honest. When all fifteen of us were dudes, it's a massive sausage fest. It's only natural for the girls to be attractive when you're surrounded by guys all the time.

Wait. I can't think like this.

I smacked my forehead.

You idiot.

Why would Merrow like someone like me?

Everything that made me, me. Was the complete opposite of what Merrow would look for.

A Remnant of her master.

An unattractive loser virgin.

A total nerd who wasn't even smart.

And not to mention...

My mind flashed to Michael Kuchel. The big body builder boyfriend of Merrow who was like a brick wall of support to each and every one of us. There was no way I could compete with Mike.

Not to mention the fact that I was going to die.

I stopped walking as my heart began to hurt a lot.

"Holy shit.." I gasped.

I gazed at the horizon.

"I'm... actually gonna die alone."

Merrow realized I wasn't following her anymore.

"Thomas?" She said as she ran up to me, but I instinctively recoiled from her touch.

"Nothing. Let's keep moving."

Merrow's face turned sour as I could tell she was starting to get irritated by the way I was acting.

"Thomas. This is starting to get out of hand. If something is bothering you, please. Just tell me. It's really affecting you and this mission."

"You wouldn't get it." I retorted, only to instantly regret it, as Merrow's face became even more irritated.

"Seriously? You're going to act like this now? You're not a little kid anymore, Thomas. You need to start acting your age! Look at where we are. Look at the situation. Do you really think there's time for me to be your nanny when we have a bunch of hostages to rescue? When lives are at stake? For once in your life, stop thinking about yourself!"

A howl of wind brushed the hair around my eyes as I stared at Merrow and I realized I was tearing up.

Merrow's face softened up as she looked away.

"Tho- Thomas. I... Look. I know things aren't going well for you. And I can't tell you that I understand how you're feeling. But if you can't do this mission, just tell me. I don't want to force you to do things you don't want. Anymore than I have anyway."

My hands hurt, as I realized I was clenching them into fists.

Did I want to do this mission?

Did I really want to risk my life?

To die alone?

To die a loser, without anyone to remember me?

If an afterlife really did exist, I don't want to die knowing no one went to my funeral.

"I can't." I found myself saying as Merrow turned around, her face full of surprise.

"What?"

I glared at Merrow from within the cloudiness of my tear filled eyes.

"I'm done. I said I'm done."

I ripped off the coat that made up my Floating Man costume and threw it on the ground. I felt myself heaving as I stared at the dirt and grass of the isekai world that I was so excited to go to after reading about them so much on my spare time.

"I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to train and train and train. Just to know I'm gonna die alone."

"But you're not alone-"

"That isn't what I meant!" I snapped, as Merrow inched back. A wave of force had emitted from my body as everything was pushed backwards. Anger laced my voice.

"Merrow, you had a boyfriend when you were 16. Arman has Rei. Lucius has Sophia. Deacon has Meena. Sammy has Leah. Or had her anyway. Ben has Corey. Kanade is a full blown Christian. Who do I have, Merrow?! Who do I have?!"

I ripped at my clothes as I buried my face in my hands.

"Merrow. I'm literally throwing away my life. For no reason at all. Why am I training to be the Floating Man when all I've received was hate from the media and society? Why am I training to fight Mogul when I know for a fact that I'll lose and die? Even if we get these hostages back, nothing is gonna change! Everybody around me has a special someone to go back home to and I have no one."

I went up to a nearby boulder and slammed my fist into it as it cracked from my subconscious telekinesis.

"I don't wanna do this anymore. I don't want to see you anymore."

Merrow's face was pale in shock and hurt.

"I... didn't know you felt this way..."

"Well I do! You're hot! And you're always looking out for me! I'm a full grown ass man! OF COURSE I'm going to get attracted to you! Yet you're always in my face. Like you're teasing me! And my brothers. I can't... I can't STAND the fact that they're all in a better place than me!"

I glared at the city of Folia.

"Everyone got so much stronger than me. And I was fine with it. But the one thing I just can't accept... is the fact that I've never once won anything in life. And these brothers of mine, they won both in strength and in love. I've lost both battles in both fronts."

Merrow wanted to step forward, but she hesitated. I could feel my heart drop to the ground.

Even Merrow, the one girl in the world who wasn't hesitant to talk to me, was now scared of me.

Good going, Thomas.

"Do you... really not want to see me anymore?"

My heart crawled into my throat.

"I-"

I CAN ARRANGE THAT.

A terrifying familiar voice boomed behind us as Merrow instantly materialized behind me and put distance.

"Thomas!" Merrow shouted as she summoned her spear and blocked the punch of the Prime Aspect of Sin.

Merrow slid back as the shockwave slammed into me. I smashed into several boulders and landed on my back as Mogul appeared in front of me with blinding speed.

I raised my hand.

"SHUNT" I commanded, as the air molecules around me began to warp, responding to the massive wave of force I had used that blew away Remnant 1. But Mogul simply smiled as he staggered forward right through my attack and grabbed my hand, breaking it.

Obviously, I screamed in pain. I felt like blacking out as I was hysterical in agony.

Mogul chuckled deeply as he kneeled down in front of me.

WHAT AN INTERESTING EXTENSION TO TELEKINESIS YOU HAVE CREATED. IT BRINGS ME GREAT CURIOSITY TO SEE YOUR DEVELOPMENTS.

A bright green flashed appeared in front of me as Mogul leaned back, the figure of a Neptunian stood in front of me as she was glowing with a green and blue light.

Merrow had broken all of her seals.

"Get out of here Thomas."

"I- I can't!" I seethed from the pain, but Merrow glared at me.

"It's my duty as a Guardian to protect my Paladin. And by extension, his Rem-"

Suddenly, a wave of force appeared, and a wall of black smashed into Merrow's face as she flew backwards, her body creating a large chasm.

But Merrow blasted into the air, her spear in hand as she created hundreds of water constructs and shot them at the Aspect. Mogul blocked them with his arms as Merrow zoomed in, her other hand wielding her trident, slashing up.

But Mogul shot backwards, dodging the swipe as he closed the distance again. Merrow, this time, clashing with the Aspect with her two weapons and a fiery green aura reinforcing her. But even I could tell she wasn't going to win this clash as her feet began to dig deeper into the ground.

HOW PECULIAR, THAT A MERE NEPTUNIAN CAN WITHSTAND MY MIGHT. BUT I SUPPOSE THAT IS THE ROLE OF A GUARDIAN.

I got to my feet and lifted my arm, summoning a large piece of the ground and hurling it at Mogul, which shattered into thousands of pieces and spraying dirt everywhere.

I flew into the air and unlocked my seals, a surge of energy flowing through my body as I began to power up to full potential.

My hand was still broken, my TK slowly healing it. Meaning I could only fight with one arm. But that was fine.

I zoomed in and launched myself at Mogul, slamming into his midsection with as much force as I could as the two of us blasted into a canyon. I shouldered the orc as I began pummelling his face repeatedly with my TK strength.

But Mogul caught my punch, smiling sinisterly as he sent an uppercut at my chin. The sheer force of the punch completely overwhelmed my innate TK protection field as I blacked out, flying into the air.

THOMAS KING. I CANNOT KILL YOU. BUT I CAN HURT YOU. AND I KNOW YOU ARE AFRAID OF PAIN.

Mogul began to kick the air, the sheer force of his strength generating enough momentum for him to zip around and land heavy blows against my body.

"I'm... I'm gonna rip apart..." I gasped as my head recoiled from Mogul's successive punches. I was getting extremely disoriented as my TK barrier had finally shattered from Mogul's final kite attack.

Mogul smiled at me as he pushed back with his legs, hurtling his gigantic towering body in my direction. My eyes went wide in fear as I froze, blood leaking down my face.

"Thomas!" I heard Merrow shout as she grabbed me by the collar and yanked me out of the way before Mogul could rip my head off. Mogul stopped as Merrow yelled, unleashing a swarm of Hydropower tendrils which latched onto the Prime Aspect, hurling him into the ground.

Merrow zipped in as I followed suit, but I wasn't able to move in a straight line as I suddenly became dizzy from the repeated onslaught of Mogul's attacks. I slammed into the ground and created a massive hole as I slowly climbed out of it to see Merrow and Mogul exchanging blows.

"Get away from Thomas you creep!" Merrow snarled as she unleashed a blinding volley of slashes at Mogul, her body flashing with green electricity as she flanked the towering opponent.

I always knew Merrow was strong, but when I spent so many times being with powerhouses like Sammy and Deacon, it was often easy for me to forget that Merrow was tough in her own right. After all, she was Decen's Guardian.

Seeing her hold her own, even briefly against Mogul was extremely impressive, considering none of us had managed to do so ourselves. I think Arman held the record for the longest fight against Mogul.

Two minutes.

Mogul launched a punch, but Merrow slipped past it, her face frightening as she threw her spear point at Mogul's face, but Mogul disappeared with insane speed, about to catch the Neptunian from behind until I caught his fist.

Mogul turned around as I launched a TK enhanced punch with all my might, managing to recoil his head back.

I roared as I punched Mogul again. Left. Right. Left. Right. Mogul's head snapping back and forth, the Prime Aspect stepping back with each punch.

For a second, I was getting excited.

Until Mogul smiled.

HAS YOUR BRIEF MOMENT OF BRAVADO SATISFIED YOU, LITTLE REMNANT?

Mogul caught my punch with his elbow as I felt something crack. I didn't even have time to register the pain as Mogul sent an uppercut at my stomach. This time, my TK barrier was at its minimum capacity.

I vomited blood as my vision went dark for a moment.

I stumbled back, as Merrow leapt in front of me to try to strike Mogul again, but then I realized.

Mogul had just been messing with us the entire time, because the moment Merrow tried to initiate an exchange, Mogul overpowered her immediately, slamming her face against the ground, knocking her unconscious.

Mogul faced me as I found myself frozen in fear.

"Y- You... won't kill me. You can't kill me." I mumbled, as Mogul tilted his head.

"You said you would wait for us to grow. In ten years. We'd unite and fight you."

Mogul smiled. A bead of sweat rolled down my back as my heart was beating at record pace.

"Why are you here?!" I shouted at the Prime Aspect.

"There's no reason for you to be here! We're just..."

TRYING TO STEAL MY HOSTAGES. IS THAT CORRECT, FIFTHBORN?

My heart crawled into my throat. No words were coming out, as Mogul put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth.

THOMAS KING. THE CONTROLLER. THE TELEKINETIC. A POWER THAT PALADIN DECEN HAD OBTAINED FROM KILLING DEMON LORD ILLEUM SWALLOWTAIL. YOU ARE A PECULIAR ONE. I DO NOT HAVE AN ACOLYTE YET WHO HAS BEEN YOUR COUNTER.

Why was Prime Aspect Mogul here? Why did he always come here, beat us up, and leave? I was so confused. I had no idea what this guy was planning. Why was he letting us get stronger? Was this all just a game?

I just knew all I had was to play along with it.

"I... What do you want?" I said.

I FIND IT PECULIAR. THAT THE REMNANTS OF DECEN WOULD SEND SUCH SMALL GROUPS. KNOWING FULL WELL THAT AT ANY TIME I CAN SHOW. AT ANY TIME, I CAN CRUSH YOU. BUT YOU STILL SEND THESE SMALL GROUPS TO DO MISSIONS. AS FOR WHY I HAVE SPARED YOU, IT IS NOT AN ACT OF MERCY.

Mogul knelt down and picked up Merrow by the hair. She was out cold as I reached out.

"Put her down!" I yelled, but Mogul shoved me, as I blasted through multiple mountains. My body lay suspended in the side of a wall face as I heard something. Voices.

I was starting to black out, but I was forcing myself to stay awake.

"Don't... please don't take her..." I muttered, as I held out my hand.

The image of Merrow's face when I told her I didn't want to see her.

I so wanted to take back what I said.

YOU MISUNDERSTAND. PERHAPS YOU SENT OUT THESE SMALL GROUPS UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BELIEF THAT I CANNOT KILL YOU YET. AND WHILE THAT IS TRUE, THE SAME DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS LITTLE GUARDIAN HERE.

Mogul inspected Merrow as my eyes went wide.

"Don't! Don't please! I- I'll do anything! Just leave Merrow alone!"

YOU MADE THE WISH TO NOT SEE HER AGAIN. I CAN GRANT THAT WISH. RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW.

"Don't! Don-"

I burst into a fit of coughing. That barrage of attacks from Mogul must have messed up my ribs or something. I suddenly found it hard to breathe. Maybe it was the physical damage. Maybe it was the fact that Merrow was going to die and she would die thinking I didn't want to see her again.

THOMAS KING. WHEN YOU ARE WITH YOUR BRETHREN, YOU FEEL PROTECTED. INVINCIBLE. UNSTOPPABLE. BUT NOW THAT YOU ARE ALONE, YOUR TRUE SELF HAS BEEN REVEALED. A COWARD. TOO WEAK TO PROTECT THE GUARDIAN WHO SO GAVE HER LIFE TO LOOK AFTER YOU.

Mogul created a dark portal as he began to step through, taking Merrow with him.

"Merrow! Merrow!!!" I screamed, hysterically, as I fell to the ground. I watched as Mogul disappeared as footsteps began to get louder and louder.

I fell to the ground, too weak to move, as tears streamed down my face.

"M-... Mer..."

I heard the voices and silhouettes of a number of being as they all surrounded me.

"Is he an adventurer? He's really injured."

"This was where the massive power spike was from. If he is connected to The Black Dragon, he could be of use for intel."

"No point if he's already dead."

"We need med-bay. Stat."

My eyes turned heavy as I stared at the skies, someone prodding my body as the face of a young woman appeared above me.

She looked... unusual. She looked like a person. But she gave off a strange aura, different from the other people in my field of view.

An aura that wasn't human or mortal.

Like a goddess.

I was definitely starting to pass out, but I was able to make out the last few words she said. She looked horrified, like I had done something to offend her.

"Shun...?"

Everything went black.

R4

Shun was getting stronger.

With every monster we encountered, Shun insisted on fighting it instead of me. The first few monsters we ran into, he got his ass whooped and I would have to bail him out.

But each time, he would force himself to his feet, body dribbling with blood as he rushed forward. His face was like red graffiti, plastered with a mix of monster blood and his own, but this kid wouldn't stop.

"GRAAAR" A large serpent appeared and struck the ground. But Shun, this time, was not fazed, as he dodged out of the way, leaping into the air, and winding his fist back, slamming it into the serpent's face, then flipped around and sent a powerful kick which knocked the wind out of the monster.

Shun landed on the ground, breathing hard, as a large horde of monsters emerged from the darkness, each wielding a sword or some kind of weapon.

I glanced at Shun, and was taken aback, almost stumbling away from him.

His face was pure bloodlust, and his eyes were wide, like a cornered animal. A stray dog.

Shun brought his foot back and entered a wide stance.

Shun had told me that he was a martial artist. When he was little, he studied Chinese wushu (kung fu), against his parent's wishes. Then he joined the Shaolin Temple. When he arrived in Folia, he tried to make some sorta transfer of the skill he had learned back then to the things he did now. The only problem was that he didn't have the technique or intelligence to use the stuff he was taught to his full potential.

Until now.

Shun rushed forward and yelled, engaging the entire legion of monsters, diving, rolling, slamming his fists into the monsters, his feet into their skulls.

One monster had managed a slash at Shun's back, but Shun ignored it, and kept fighting.

"Hey, Shun-"

"SHUT UP." Shun growled.

"Dude, you have an arrow stuck to your back."

"I know!"

Shun kicked a skeleton, the force of the attack blowing it away and crashing into more as Shun leapt at it like an animal, swinging wildly, as he turned to the rest and continued fighting, but his limits were beginning to show. A cut at his leg which caused him to fall to one knee. Then a knife slash which caught him across the face. A wallop to the back of the head which threw him to the ground, then all of a sudden, they were all on him.

Shun was blocking them, grunting and growling.

"I won't lose!"

I took a step forward.

"If I don't do something, you're going to die."

"If you do something..." Shun grunted, as another arrow pierced his side.

"If you do something... I won't be able to prove myself to Leah."

I froze...

"What did you just say..."

Shun continued getting pummelled, when suddenly, he caught the wrist of one of the skeletons, the blade barely scratching his forehead as Shun glared at the monster.

"You may be strong, Sammy. You may well be one of the strongest people I've ever known in my life. But that doesn't mean shit."

Shun seethed, as he lifted his head, one knee into the air, then the other as he slowly got to his feet, his breathing become more and more monstrous.

My eyes narrowed.

That red on his face.

It wasn't blood.

Shun's voice became deeper and deeper, until it sounded downright demonic.

Two small horns grew on his forehead as his entire body turned red. His nails had grown longer.

"You don't know hard work if it hit you in the face. Everything I've done so far has been through hard work. FORCING my way through to success. Because even if God doesn't want me to succeed, I do. And that's what matters."

Shun tightened his grip as the bone disintegrated. Then Shun turned to the rest of the monsters. Around two hundred in total.

"That's why you didn't come out, did you. Hataka-sensei. Because you wanted me to see that. Because change starts from within, right?"

Shun traced a circle with his foot.

Something about him was different. Much different.

Not the same Level 2 adventurer I had seen who had fallen from the upper floors. His aura was now completely different.

"The power of the Wicked Oni, the technique of Grandmaster Hataka Hiiro, of Hung Gar: True Chained Shadowless Kick"

Shun lifted his foot, and suddenly, all the monsters were reduced to dust.

Shun then turned to the next wave of monsters.

"You're finished."

Shun leapt into the air, right above the horde and wound his leg back.

"Shockwave Style: Vortex Wheel"

Shun spun, as a massive tornado began lifting the monsters off the ground, the wind slicing into them, leaving behind monster ash.

Shun landed on the ground, as his skin was turning pale again. He stumbled as I caught him.

"What..." I muttered, as Shun breathed heavily.

"Wicked Oni." Shun replied, as he stabilized himself.

"I have a demon inside me. That's what made me so strong before coming to Folia. When I lost to Folia's top adventurer, Oxar Uxas of the Venus Legion, Hiiro went into stasis. And I had to rely on myself. I guess... he wanted me to believe in myself more."

"Well, let's take a break first. Our first objective is to get to the surface-"

"Hell no."

I stared at Shun's battered face.

"Wha- are you stupid? Look at you! You're on the verge of death!"

Shun raised his fist to my face.

"No. I wanna keep pushing myself. I have a new goal. I want to see how far I can take myself. I want to fight strong people. Let's stay in the 100 level floors a bit longer."

Shun stabilized himself.

I reached my hand, but Shun took a step forward. And another.

"Further and further. Until I see Leah again."

My hand wavered.

Leah.

Suddenly, I heard a thump. Shun had hit the ground, unconscious.

That night (at least I think it was night), I dragged Shun up several more floors. We were now on Floor 87. Whenever we stopped to rest, Shun would always tell me something about Folia. It wasn't much. But from what I learned, the adventurers here only got as far as the Fortieth Floor from their expedition team. Leah Cromwood was one of the adventurers in the team.

The current top adventurers were all around Level 6-8. Leah was Level 7.

Shun himself, when he first fell into the 150th floor, was a Level 2.

But unlike the other adventurers he had been around, he was able to keep pushing himself without worrying about dying. Since I was here.

He was able to push himself against monsters on the 150th floor. The 150th floor was the floor we stayed the longest, as we worked our way up.

And Shun began to improve drastically from the insane conditions here.

"Sammy... why don't you show your face." Shun mumbled from within the folds of my coat I had lent to him.

"Cuz this mask is what's sealing my power."

"You have more?" Shun grumbled.

"Bullshit world I live in."