A man is seen standing, tossing bread crumbs to a flock of pigeons. He suddenly tosses the piece of bred he was holding, away.
He walks-runs to the entrance of the park a few metres away.He trips on a bird and stumbles onto the road falling face first on the asphalt.
He picks himself up sloely as passers-by laugh. Only then does he notice the truck coming at him.
'Hope for something better. I really envy the isekai protagonists.'
Those were his last thoughts as he was ru over, taking his last breath.
---
Evan found himself on a pedestal high above the clouds with seven thrones of colors:violet, green, orange, pink,red, yellow and sky-blue.
There was a figure draped in a cloak of similar corresponding color to the throne thet were on.
All expect one, the green one.
"Mortal, do you know where you are?"
Evan's head turned towards the source of the sound, it was the one in purple.
"Tsk, don't you even know basic speech?"the figure clicked in disdain as if he were speaking to an insect not worth his attention.
"Guess, I'm dead."
"So you do know how to speak."The purple figure spoke in contempt.
"Who are you people? I thought there would be one in white, a god or goddess. You guys don't give the exact godly vibe."Evan said in confusion.
"Fufufu~Humans are funny creatures.How do can you expect anything, Superbia, if you don't introduce yourself." A feminine voice as soft as honey and enticing as sin spoke up.
But Evan didn't even spare her, the voice's owner, a glance as his eyes widened in surprise as one word kept repearing itself i his mind like a broken recorder...
Superbia.
'Isn't that the name of a sin, the Pride sin, usually represented by the violet color.'
Color drained from his as he realised whi these mysterious figures were. He identifies them with their names.
Orange, gluttony a.k.a Gula
Pink, lust a.k.a Luxuria
Red,wrath a.k.a Ira
Yellow,greed a.k.a Avaritia
Sky-blue,sloth a.k.a Acedia
And the missing one, green whose envy a.k.a Ividia.
Do they expect me to fill in for envy? What will happen if I don't? What if I do? I know I wasn't the model church-goer but this is excessive.
These and countless other thoughts were running through his mind as his face drained a bit more.
"You ain't worthy for that seat."Pride scoffed.
"You-you dare to think your worthy!"Wrath looked visibly pissed.
Sloth snored, lust chuckled while greed and gluttony looked at Evan as of he was a priceless treasure for different reasons.
Lust spoke up,"How about a test? If he passes he leaves and goes through the coveted reincarnation, but, if he fails, well... He's yours Superbia."
Wrath stared daggers while Pride scoffed but none of them disagreed.
Wrath volunteered to go first, but which tint of color renainwd on Evan's face, immediately drained.
"It's three tests per one of us, try to survive."Wrath grinned evily.
---
Evan found himself in a bright white room surrounded in mirrors, above the following words were projected:1000 mirrors remaining.
Evan felt a little irked by the fact he was taken to a place fill of mirrors and the total number was projected, like was he baby that he couldn't count?
Suddenly a mirror close to him shattered and the pieces flew to him and embedded themselves in his skin.
He let out a blood curdling scream, then forced his jaw shut. He felt mad at himself at showing weakness before these sadistic sultans.
Just then, another mirror shattered and the shards painfully embeded themselves into his body causing another pained scream to tear from his throat.
He unconsciously looked up and saw the number had reduced by two. His eyes widened and he started cursing the internally.
Another mirror shattered and the same process followed but he didn't scream this time,although, he noticed that everytime another shatters the ones already present wedged themselves deeper.
He smiled but still cursed himsrlf for not speaking uo before, but, that caused another mirror to shatter and painfully penetrate his skin.
He screamed but still tried to reign in the sound, but he still got angry at either himself, the sins or his situation. This continued untill 109 mirrors broke when the 110th mirror shattered and grazed his family jewels.
Evan broke down crying until he thought,'Therw was nothing I could do. If I had spoken, Wrath would've blown a fuse, greed and gluttony done horrible things to me. It wasn't my fault yet it was for I didn't rven try to negotiate. I forgive me, I forgive me... '
He repeated the last words over and over until he believed them, and just as it had happened, the shards moved out of his body and reformed mirrors.
Above him there was a giant '✓' mark indicating he had passed.
'How cliché.'he thought.
He was whisked away to a room with various fragile objects ranging from ceramic cups to glass vases as large as a full grown man.
There was a table Infront of him with a hammer on top. Above there was the same indicator but different:
Trials:1/3
Smashed objects:0/100
He chuckled in disbelief.He grasped a china tea cup and smashed it using the hammer,immidietly after,a searing pain worse than if the previous tortur-test assaulted his body.
It felt like boiling water was poured on his wounds which still hadn't healed.
Yet, he didn't scream but his hand trembled so much that he dropped the hammer.
*Ding*
He looked up and saw the same cliché '✓' symbol.
He chuckled lightly hoping his nature may continue saving him.His vision blinded for a second before returning.
He scanned the area but all he could see was a red blurriness.He took a few steps forward but he heard splashes as he walked.
*Splash* *Splash*
He squat down and moved his hand along the ground.The liquid which was there reached up to his wrist.
He raised his hand but he couldn't see what it was. Without a second thought,he moved his hand close to his mouth and licked.
Almost immediately,his body spasmed sending jolts of searing pain through his body.
He fell on the ground and began writhing in pain ,but, he refused to open his mouth and scream for two reasons.
First,he didn't want more entering his mouth and it's metallic taste felt nauseating.
Second, he wouldn't give those sadistic pricks the satisfaction.
'Endure! Endure! Endure!'
He repeated like a mantra till his overthinking mind kicked in,'I can't focuse!Wait... exactly, I can't focuse.Maybe...just maybe...'
He forced his mind to quiet down and sat cross legged on the ground,he noticed that it reached his waist.
He calmed down and focused, ignoring all the pain until his mind entered a meditative state.A while later,the long awaited sound rang,washing him with a wave of relief.
*Ding*
Trials:3/3
[Good job.You have survived Wrath's baby-mode challenge]
Suddenly his wounds started healing.He was brought before the sins and could here them talking and mocking Wrath.
"Why don't you do better ,you narcissistic prick!?"Wrath shouted to Pride.
Pride chuckled lightly,"Don't worry your yourself.You know I'm the strongest here but we'll all make it harder for...Oh. You're back, good job on surviving."
Evan felt like ripping his head off.They were discussing how to torture him then acting like it's nothing more than a stroll in the park.
If their roles were reversed,he would inflict the most hellish torture known across the universe.
But Evan just clenched his jaw and said nothing.Pride rose from his seat and clapped arrogantly.
"It's a marathon from now on. Let's see how long you last with that confidence and defience ~MWAHAHAHAAA!"
Pride laughed maniacally as Evan gulped down audibly.Would he survive?