I rose to my feet, feeling the air slightly move toward me from the south. I entered a half-sprint toward the north.
THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'LL RUN, IF NOT FOR ME, THEN FOR EVERYONE CHEERING FOR ME!
Immediately, I entered a full sprint—or at least tried to—toward the northern side, where the entrance to Dokuremi came from.
"WHA—WHAT'S THIS—…" Trying to run, I was instead limping. Trying to wipe my lips of blood, I simply smeared it all over my face instead.
It hurts. It hurts like hell! I think that punch broke a few ribs… What is he? Superhuman…?
My pace slowed down even more.
"Well, that's pathetic," Dokuremi said behind me. I tried ducking, in vain, as he kicked the back of my knee joint, making me fall again.
Suddenly, I felt something heavy against my back. The next moment, I was flipped over onto my back.
My eyes widened as I realized he was atop me.
"No—WA—"
His punch slowly showed, then it connected.
Bang
He punched me.
Bang
Again.
Bang
And again.
Bang
Slowly, my already semi-deaf hearing turned to a high-pitched frequency once again.
Bang
Each punch felt heavier than the last. My bloodied face was now thrown into the ground with each punch, creating a small dent in the mud. As the blood mixed with the mud, dripping down the sides of my face, a flash of my parents appeared in front of my eyes.
Bang
"HEY—Isn't this a bit.." someone yelled from the sides.
Ahaha… Who the fuck did I think I am…? Ah, wait a second, I cursed, didn't I?
Bang
Breaking promises is the only thing I'm good at, isn't it?
Bang
I'll break a promise for them? And then I couldn't even run?
For the first time since the start of the battle, a different kind of liquid dropped down my cheek. It wasn't blood, sweat, or rain. It was a tear—a single tear followed by slow crying.
How pathetic can you be, Sato!?
Bang
Bang
Bang
Why did I think I could win, why did I think I could search for my parents?
In my fit of half-consciousness, seconds felt like hours, while each punch felt like a bullet.
I can't surrender. I DON'T WANNA—But…
My crying intensified with each tear, while the pain inside my heart grew bigger.
For the first time since the start of the battle, my heart started beating slower, because just as the mind understood, so did the heart.
I've lost.
I'VE LOST, DAMN IT ALL. I'VE LOST, I'VE LOST—
I can't… I CAN'T SAY IT OUT LOUD. HOW CAN I? EVERYONE CHEERED, EVERYONE WANTED ME TO WIN—
I DON'T WANNA LOSE, DON'T WANNA LOSE, I DON'T WANNA LOSE, I DON'T WANNA LOSE, DOKUREMI, I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU.
In front of the darkness in my eyes, one word engraved itself: Murder.
The punches stopped.
"Enough, Dokuremi." It was Ryuzaki's voice.
As the punches stopped, I found my chance. With the last bit of strength I had, I leaped forward.
I'LL KILL YOU— ITS MY LAST CHANCE
CREATE
"I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL FUCKING MURDER YOU—" I yelled as I opened my eyes. Halfway through, I noticed a couple of people in a circle around me. Rain slowly poured over my eyes, but the most important thing—Dokuremi was visible, and furthermore, distracted by Ryuzaki's hand on his arm. "DIE SO I CAN LIVE,"
Someone screamed, noticing a blade in my right hand.
Blood splattered.
The next moment, it was me screaming from the deepest abyss of my lungs.
"DOKURE—AUUUUUUUUUURGH—"
My hand holding the blade to strike Dokuremi's neck was cut off completely.
I glanced at who did it—Emily, the bookworm girl, had a bloodied rapier in her hands.
W-WHY—"AUURGH—" IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURTS, WHY? WHY? WHY!?
The next moment, Dokuremi clenched his teeth. "YOU FUCKING F-RANK—"
Ryuzaki's eyes widened as he saw the scene before him. He stepped back, releasing Dokuremi's arm, who continued punching me, while my arm dropped to the ground.
The last thing I noticed was my left wrist. The timer had continued.
30
29
28
27
26…
"ENOUGH!!" someone yelled. It was the homeroom teacher.
The punching stopped again.
Is this is..
I opened my eyes, seeing two teachers pulling Dokuremi back, who was still screaming about something. I couldn't hear it, nor could I bother with it anymore—and even with the pain, I couldn't help but laugh at my own misery.
…I failed..?
Defeated, armless, pride-less, and worst of all, in a fit of rage I tried committing the worst sin one can, murder and even failed at that.
HOW FUCKING PATHETIC CAN I BE!?
Noticing both Anastasia and Marianne looking with horrified faces down toward me, I covered my face with my left arm.
Don't watch me… Don't. Not now, not ever again… I don't even care anymore. Perhaps, in trying to take regrets away, I had gained the biggest one yet.
Why did I ever try this?
Why?
Through a gap in my fingers, I noticed both Marianna and Anastasia having a small smirk, almost like they were barely containing their laughter.
"Idiot, did he really think we were helping? Pff—" Anastasia muttered.
"Shh—Let him believe that as he's dying. I bet today was the first time he talked to someone of the opposite sex. He was so excited thinking he'd beat a C-class… PWAAHAHHAA, how laughable…"
Immediately, I felt my heart itself drop.
So that's all it ever was… a hoax? A trap? How was I so stupid?
With those words the last amount of humanity I had descended into madness, slowly I started laughing. At my own misery slowly then louder, and louder.
15
They glanced down at me. "Has he gone crazy?"
This is how I die?
"How couldn't he put two and two together is just beyond questioning. Were you that stupid, Sato? Thinking we'll challenge you out of nowhere?" Dokuremi asked with a grin as the teachers held him by the arms. "BUT TO THINK YOU'D STOOP SO LOW, TRYING TO KILL ME WHILE THE FIGHT WAS STOPPED—PATHETIC, EVEN FOR YOU."
14
Alone and fucked with? Was no one on my side? Was it all my imagination? What about them? They cheered…?
I glanced at the F-ranks. They were still behind the windows. Looking disappointed, they refused to look me in the eyes.
"Sato, do you remember when I supposedly texted Anastasia? The truth is, I actually texted everyone in the class by a group chat you were never invited to. 'Our dumb little Sato confessed to me—help me crush him before he dies.'"
Why me? Why always me? Fuck you… Fuck you—
13
Barely through my teeth, I muttered, "Fuck all of you."
12
"All of you GO TO HEE—" I coughed up blood.
"I'VE TRIED MY BWEST, WHY? I REALLY REALLY L-LIKED YOU—MARIANNE!!" I sniffed in pain, trying to contain further tears. "I STILL DO! WHY… WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY!?"
5
"Pathetic…" Marianna said, while Anastasia burst into laughter. "By the way, how excited were you about the kiss, SATO~!?"
"I WASN—" I coughed again, not being able to continue my words or thoughts.
2
As my head dropped, I glanced to the side—on the far western side of the school, on the rooftop building, I noticed a black figure…
0.
Suddenly, ten or so kids cracked up around me, starting to laugh.
Akito started questioning Ryuzaki, who had his arms up defending himself, explaining he didn't know what was happening.
I couldn't feel my heart beating anymore.
Am I.. Dead?
The warmth and stickiness of the blood disappeared.
What is this…?
Weirdly enough, I wasn't looking at them from below. This time, I was above.
This again…?
I was floating above all of them, noticing the rain slowly becoming heavier with each second.
In my left ear, I heard a small hushed whisper. "Enough…"
It came from the side where I saw the figure. Turning around midair, I noticed a batch of crows coming from the north.
It was a woman with a black coat over her shoulders, while her face was pale.
How can I see all the way from here?
Weirdly enough, I recognized her from somewhere.
"I saw more than enough…" she continued, then the next second she jumped.
The rain slowly transformed into heavy snow.
"WAIT—" I tried yelling. It came out as a muffled sound. My arm stretched forward as she jumped. Suddenly—
I was thrown back into my body on the ground. Someone screamed, "KYAAAA—" while pointing at the batch of crows KAW KAW flying between us, hiding away the woman, making me lose sight of her.
WHAT WAS THAT!?
I heard a few quiet steps behind me, then a warm palm touched my face.
"You did well," the voice continued, almost like a whisper in my ear. "Leave everything else to me."
Noticing my heartbeat return, with the pain gone, I turned around and saw her face.
You are!?
"WHO ARE YOU!?" a teacher yelled as everyone now glared at the figure behind me.
"Frozen sphere."
Suddenly, cold air arose around me, unveiling further.
Thud.
I immediately turned my head toward the crowd—everyone was half-frozen, some even fell onto the ground.
Then, my consciousness slowly faded into darkness while my body dropped down into the muddy, bloody snow.
.
.
.
End of prologue.