"He''s been ignoring me lately, but I don''t know how to confront him about it. Furthermore, I don''t know whether he''s angry or not. I''m sure I''ve done nothing to anger him," a girl expressed herself through a heartbroken tone and teary eyes.


    "Hm, so basically, he''s ignoring you for no reason? Is he playing hard to get or something? But that doesn''t fit the characteristics you told me thus far. Then there''s only one possible reason..." I came to a halt, analyzing whether she''d be able to come to that conclusion or not.


    Unfortunately, she failed to meet my low expectations.


    Ah, how pathetic.


    My expression slightly grew dim at her incompetence. However, when she shifted her gaze to me, I reverted to my kind, composed expression. She was most likely expecting me to continue my sentence.


    What a greedy, dependent woman.


    In contradiction to my eerie inner thoughts, I accepted her request for elaboration with a reassuring smile.


    "The only possible reason could be that he grew bored of you," I bluntly said.


    This was partially due to my involuntarily condescending tone when I''ve deemed someone incompetent and... stupid.


    As expected of a dense, immature girl. She cried more upon hearing my harsh words—the harsh reality. She shook her head continuously, expressing her denial.


    "That can''t be... that can''t be," she cried.


    It has always been like this. Right... it has always been like this. Humans seek the beautiful lie instead of the painful truth. It is what gave birth to this fake, discriminatory society. It is why I despise humans.


    If you want a beautiful lie, I could give you a thousand, but only a single painful truth. After all, you can make as many duplicates, but there''ll remain one original. Since you rejected the painful truth, all that remains...


    "You''re right. Sorry, I got ahead of myself and spoke negatively. As for why he''s ignoring you, it is most likely nothing serious. You must understand that relationships are tiring. We occasionally need to take a break," I lied.


    She wiped her tears and finally stopped crying. After confirming that she was content with this answer, I continued.


    "Dating is like a game or activity. The more you engage in it, the more boring and exhausting it becomes. This is why people resort to cheating—to discover a new game. However, instead of doing that, he chose to take a brief break. This means he''s still committed to making this relationship work. So hold your head high. He''ll come back to you soon. All you have to do is wait," I finished with a warm smile.


    After she cleaned the wet mess she made on her face, she got off the bench, brimming with resolve. She turned back to face me with a strong smile.


    "Thank you, Cain. I knew I could count on you. Well then. I can''t let him be the only one fighting for our relationship. I''ll make sure to give him a good welcoming party, hehe!" She grinned enthusiastically.


    Disgusted to the core, I couldn''t find the words to continue this play. All I could fake was a smile of relief.


    Why in hell would I be happy and relieved about someone else''s relationship? Just get out of here, woman.


    Seconds passed which we spent smiling at one another. She was expecting me to reply to her self-centered nonsense, but she finally gave up.


    "Now then, I must get going. See you at school, Cain. I''ll keep you updated." With those as her final words, she waved while running off.


    "Ngh..." I stretched off that boring exchange.


    I knew that I could''ve easily just declined her request if I had no interest, but unfortunately, I made a name for myself at our school. ''The one that provides great advice''.


    Sigh...


    And now I feel obligated to help these pathetic girls with their relationship problems like I''m Jesus or something.


    At that moment, my thoughts were distracted by subtle footsteps. Footsteps that spoke of a kinder girl than the rest.


    "I see you''re done, Cain. Good work," she commended while giving me a soda can.


    "Thanks, Hime." I accepted it with gratitude.


    As if it was a visiting gift, she welcomed herself to the vacancy beside me. She began playing with her thumbs, trying to organize her thoughts.


    How troublesome.


    "Um, Cain... you know?"


    "No, I don''t," I interrupted.


    I had a good friendship with Hime. Unlike those girls who simply sought relationship advice from me, she was of use to me. I didn''t care if she asked for advice now and then because she equivalently gave me treats in exchange, such as this soda. That''s why I interrupted her.


    Rejection destroys friendships. Leaping from friends to lovers is like different dungeon levels in a game. If one of you refused to explore the next dungeon level together, the one who asked would either explore it themself or cut off the party as a whole. Nevertheless, they''d deem them as too slow. This applied to relationships as well. So, to make sure our party didn''t get disbanded, I simply needed to prevent her from asking.


    Fortunately, Hime wasn''t only superior to those girls in the equality aspect but also her perception and understanding. Everyone brushed off my great advice as just that—great advice. Hime, on the other hand, perceived it as great insight and knowledge. She evaluated me highly in those aspects because of the advice I gave.


    Due to this, she knew that I was aware she wanted to confess to me. So, of course, she was aware that I intentionally declined. However...


    ...Nothing really happened.


    Both of us were speaking indirectly. So, she never confessed, and I never rejected her. We confirmed one another''s feelings without causing a rift in our friendship.


    "You''re an amazing woman, Hime," I complimented her before getting up to throw my empty can in the bin, then immediately walked off.


    Well, there was no rift on the surface. No matter how it was said and done, nevertheless, I hurt her. The least I could do was give her privacy to cry or weep to herself.


    Socializing, friendships, relationships, and every other form of bond is truly a pain.


    I stopped in my tracks and looked back at her, burying her face in her knees. She cried to the extent she couldn''t feel my gaze. However, approaching and comforting her would have only put salt on the wounds.


    I lied. I just didn''t care about her feelings.


    Paying her pain not even a single cent, I strolled away from her. I came across a bridge that connected two areas that were divided by a riverbank. I stood at the edge, staring at the river... my reflection—emotionless.


    That''s right. I had my own problems. Those fools sought advice and help from me, yet none offered me any. They were so selfish and self-centered that they discarded my feelings. So, why would I give a damn about disregarding a single girl''s feelings? Furthermore, even God didn''t care about my feelings nor adhere to my desires.


    I removed one foot from the surface, but I was interrupted by someone just when I was about to remove my other one.


    "Hey, you! What are you doing?! That''s dangerous!" The man shouted while he rushed to pull me away from falling into the river.


    I fell on my butt and endured a 5-minute lecture before slightly bowing. I then parted ways with the worried man. My expression didn''t change as if it were an everyday occurrence.


    See? God couldn''t even adhere to a single wish of mine—death.


    I sighed, sending a gush of disappointment out of my mouth as I safely returned home.


    It was indeed a daily event. Attempting suicide and miraculously failing. At that point, I didn''t even doubt that God didn''t want me to die.


    "A curse," I muttered.


    That''s right. The majority would call it a blessing. However, to someone who sought death—to me, it was a curse.


    Upon entering my house, I went straight to bed.


    My parents? My siblings? That was a story for another time. I just wanted to rest.


    As I dozed off to sleep, I pondered on a more direct way of dying.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "A more direct way, huh?" Alas, I''ve lost consciousness.


    <hr>


    Like a vampire, I hated the sunlight. My groans advocated this. On the contrary, my dark circles depicted my love for the night. Well, that aside, I needed to get ready for school.


    Shower, breakfast, brushing my teeth, and putting on my uniform—let''s not forget the deodorant and whatnot. Well, you get the gist of it. There was nothing unusual about my routine other than my physical appearance.


    This generation was lazy due to advanced technology. So, I was considered unusual for being physically fit. Aside from that attractive feature, I had silver eyes. I liked to think it was due to everything I witnessed.


    After preparing, I leaped into the painful sunlight.


    <hr>


    Five minutes passed, and I arrived at school. The first thing I did wasn''t to greet my friends or teachers but to analyze the various friend groups formed. It was amusing because I could perceive their ''real self'' from the mask they showed to their so-called friends.


    I despise humanity.


    Those words always resided in my eerie inner thoughts when I projected myself as one of those people in the group. It meant I would be a daily victim of being deceived.


    "Ah, Cain." A girl met my gaze and waved to me.


    She was surprisingly cheerful sooner than expected, huh?


    Was I disappointed? Maybe. If she got over the rejection so soon, then it meant that her feelings for me weren''t that deep. On the contrary, she could be wearing a mask as well.


    Did it matter, though? They needed me; I didn''t need them.


    I responded to her wave with one of my own. Taking it as an invitation, she dashed over to me. However, she didn''t say anything. She must''ve felt awkward because my appearance reminded her of last night.


    She began looking around in search of a topic.


    "Ah. It sure is crowded so early, huh..."


    She was trying wayyyyy too hard.


    "There''s an assembly, after all," I answered nonchalantly.


    "Oh right... are you going to ditch it?"


    Why would she ask me that? I wasn''t a delinquent or anything. Was she perhaps teasing my lifeless eyes? I mean, I gave off the impression that I was not in the mood to do anything, but that was the same as calling me lazy. Well, that was true, but it was for an efficiency cause.


    Oh, well. If she was in the mood to tease, then surely she was ready to accept some teasing.


    "Good grief, Hime. Why would you make such a perverted suggestion?"


    She quizically tilted her head, only to become flustered shortly after.


    Another example of humanity''s despicable maneuver—playing with the human heart.


    I knew she had feelings for me, yet I still opted for such a comeback.


    "T-t-t-that wasn''t w-w-what I was s-s-suggesting!"


    "Right..."


    What am I even doing? I''m truly awful...


    <hr>


    Thanks to arriving early, we managed to snatch seats in the middle. Relief poured over us after we saw how quickly it became crowded.


    Ironically, the main figure didn''t arrive. Instead, a man covered in a black hooded cloak walked on stage. He was taller than most, so it was safe to assume that it was an adult. No—that wasn''t important. Was that a prop in his hand or a real sword?


    After taking a closer look, I could see trails of blood, which dripped from his sword.


    So that''s why the principal didn''t arrive, huh.


    The minority of the students looked in shock, including Hime. The rest weren''t aware of the blood, merely looking in awe at the cool-looking ''prop''.


    "Greetings, miserable humans. I am a high-grade alien. I''m here to have some fun."


    The man took off his cloak. Contrary to his statement, he showed no distinctive features. He very much appeared to be human. However, it was only later on that I realized how poor my judgment was.


    He threw the blood-stained sword onto the ground near the audience—the students. Aside from the blood, the sound of metal echoed through the hall. It wasn''t plastic...


    My gaze drifted from the sword on the ground to the other one he held in his hand.


    "So that''s what''s going on," I muttered.


    All the nerds and geeks got up and approached the sword. However, it was only one sword. Surprisingly, they didn''t fight for the sword but played rock-paper-scissors. After a winner was found, he picked up the sword.


    "Alright, alien-man. I accept your challenge," the boy declared, pointing the sword at the alien.


    More than 100 students stood up, awaiting their turn to use the weapon. However, the number dropped to 0 the very next second.


    As blood painted the hall, along with the decoration of limbs. The boy was swiftly decapitated before he could move or react in the slightest.


    The alien swung his sword, cleaning his sword from the blood of a mere human—a mere student.


    How brutal. An instant kill.


    Wait...


    I got up and slowly walked to the sword that dropped by the corpse as if I was hallucinating or hypnotized. Everyone looked at me surprised, including the alien.


    "Oh? Someone seems to still have some backbone. However, I don''t want it to end as quickly as before. So, I''ll be gentle this time~"


    Finally, I grabbed the hilt of the sword. I could feel the curves of my mouth subconsciously shaping into an eerie smile. At last, I looked up at the alien after picking up the sword.


    "No, don''t... don''t hold back," I said while getting into a random yet convincing stance. "Give me everything you got, bastard!"


    Alas, God answered my call.


    Seeming to comply with my request, he swiftly flanked me. Surprisingly, I instinctively turned around and blocked his attack in the nick of time.


    Even if I seek death, in the face of so many people, I refuse to die such a pathetic death. I want to die in a cool way. Like a goddamn badass! So, just this once...


    My eerie smile didn''t fade. It served as a taunt. The alien jumped back before charging in once more—no, twice more...thrice. He kept on trying, but I blocked every single attack.


    Just this once, I''ll abuse this curse!


    However, I wasn''t God himself. Even if my body''s reflexes were godly, my physical prowess was that of a human. In the face of an alien, I was cattle. My strength quickly deteriorated, making my moves sluggish. Amidst his attacks, I was grazed several times.


    Sometimes, his sword met mine, and other times he grazed my body. At that rate, I was going to lose without even hitting him once.


    "Hmph, that''s not badass," I said under my breath.


    I altered my combat style. I attacked and charged like a berserker and dealt with all the pain like a tank. A bold, suicidal tactic from a man who sought death.


    Perfect.


    This swordplay continued for ten minutes before we backed away from one another to catch our breath. My body was drenched in blood, but I still smiled triumphantly while surfing my eyes across all the cuts I''d laid upon his body.


    Strange. It doesn''t seem like he''s that exhausted. Why isn''t he attacking? Don''t tell...


    I immediately charged him.


    "Who the hell are you to consider me as a dead man so soon?!" I shouted.


    "You damn stubborn kid!"


    Our swords clashed once more.


    Fuck this!


    I removed my grip on the hilt and initiated hand-to-sword combat.


    That shit was too heavy for me. I needed to go for a quicker and lighter attack.


    Realizing I reeled him into my fort, he blocked my punch using his sword. Of course, I made sure to avoid the sharp edges. He threw a thrust at me to push me back, but I dodged sideways. I then immediately crouched to kick him off his feet and leaped over his body, throwing a punch mid-air. As expected, he tilted his head to avoid the punch.


    Fool.


    I utilized that hand to grab his head, reeling it against my knee. Unfortunately, that was all I could do before he regained posture. I backed away and picked up my sword.


    "For someone who has several fatal wounds, you sure are picking up quite the fight," he commended.


    Fatal wounds? It seems he lacks knowledge of human biology, or he''s perhaps an arrogant and inexperienced fighter. Well, even if I had fatal wounds, it''d be...


    "No problem," I responded, getting into a stance once again.


    And so the fight continued, click clash, slish slash. Nothing changed. I was still the one taking the most damage while slowly cutting away his ''hp''. However...


    "Ha-ha..." I was at my limit.


    He clapped in response to what he thought was my last breath.


    "You truly are amazing, kid. What is your name?"


    Ah, this exchange. The one asking for a name isn''t me. So, in the face of all these familiar people, I''m being depicted as a loser. This is not the badass death I want! Not yet!


    "Why should I give my name to a corpse?" I asked him, getting in a slightly different stance than before. I positioned in a stance that''d allow me to utilize my entire body to throw a powerful strike.


    "It''s futile, kid. However, I acknowledge you as a warrior, so I''ll respond to your strong will!"


    "I hate using this because it strains my eyes, but..." I took a deep breath before emptying my mind, allowing it to only take in information about my opponent. The only analysis that ran through my head was his movements. Thus, my brain responded quicker to his attacks and created the best solutions faster. I call it...


    "[The Zone!]"


    Now, I can finally go on the offense!


    I lunged forth, and so did he, but this time I held an overwhelming advantage. Through our one-time exchange, I struck him horizontally across his chest while dodging his attack.


    The downside of this technique of mine was that I couldn''t blink. Otherwise, I would lose focus.


    Acknowledging the fact that I''ve grown exponentially stronger, he examined my features and posture attentively. It took him mere seconds to realize what had changed.


    "I see. However, how long can you keep your eyes open, I wonder?"


    Now that I''ve gone on the offense due to my surefire evasion, he went on the defense.


    Occasionally, our swords clashed, but the majority of the time, I successfully slashed his body. Unfortunately, he was focusing on defense, so my evasive maneuvers were pointless. Not to mention, now that he''s on the defense, he''s more focused on avoiding any lethal damage.


    He was trying to buy time until my eyes could no longer take it.


    Everyone looked in shock, and I heard Hime frequently scream my name in the background. Like them, I was human. Neither of us could see this alien''s movement. I had to rely on alternative elements to grasp and predict his attacks. Furthermore, thanks to my ''curse'', most of my predictions were correct. In the face of death, I was constantly lucky.


    Damn it.


    My eyes twitched. The alien responded with a grin, switching to offense.


    "You''re finished, kid!"


    No. This is all according to plan.


    My eyes slowly closed, slapping blood trailing down. From the side, even though I couldn''t see it, I knew he''d horizontally slash there. However, there was a limit to my speed. I only managed to stop his blade with my left hand after it sliced across one of my eyes—my left eye.


    But this was better than I expected. I was ready to lose both of my eyes.


    Fortunately, it only cost me one eye. I held his blade firmly, no matter how painful it was. I ignored the river of blood running down my palm. To make things worse for my hand, I reeled him in by pulling his sword further towards me while side-stepping. At that moment, I caused him to lose balance, allowing me to throw in a single attack.


    What would I do with that single attack? I could easily slit his throat or pierce his heart. However, I wanted to die. So, I opted to slice off his dominant arm. I then backed away.


    We now both had a single durable hand to use. The only difference was that I could still utilize my dominant hand.


    Now then, try your best to kill me, you damn alien!


    I gripped the hilt of my sword firmly and got into a stance again, taunting him to attack. However, he responded with an expression of defeat.


    "No... you win, kid."


    The man landed on his knees and looked at me lifelessly. I couldn''t blame him for giving up, honestly. Blood was gushing out all over his body.


    Did I perhaps slash him too many times? Honestly, he more or less slashed me the same amount. I was most likely only alive due to that curse making him ''coincidentally'' miss my vital areas.


    Good grief. A frightening plot armor.


    "I''m disappointed that I lost to a kid, but it''s fine... I had fun." With those as his last words, he dropped to the ground face-flat.


    While everyone roared cheers in response to my victory, I was the sole person who felt defeat. I looked at his corpse with envy. He stole the badass death that I wanted.


    The medical staff rushed to treat my wounds, but they were interrupted by a female alien who appeared out of nowhere.


    "To think that a human would kill a high-grade alien. How intriguing~" the woman said, leaning closer to me. "Not to mention, those eyes—well...eye." Briefly after, she pinned me down and licked her lips. "I''ve decided. Human, you shall become mine."


    "Huh?" I responded, baffled.


    What is this woman talking about?


    I kicked her off me and charged towards her with my sword.


    A second alien. Surely this time I''ll die.


    I expected her to be as strong as that other alien, but she exceeded my expectations. In the blink of an eye, blood gushed out of my body from more than one hundred cuts.


    "W-whagh!"


    I dropped dead on the ground. Or so I thought...