This is not a living.
Why did I get created in the first place? What for?
If I have to live like this.
When I was born my mother died birthing me. My father hated me for that for eternity. Even when he died he looked at me, and instead of what fathers say to their children before death, that he is proud, that he has a son like him —
he just said: you killed my beloved wife. You ruined everything.
The day I was old enough to think, I hated my guts too. My father was right. I came to life just to ruin everything.
I'm tired of searching street by street just to find a job that pays enough to buy food for the day. Some days I even sleep without eating. I drank so much water just to fill up, to not feel the hunger.
The root of the problem is this — even animals have magic power, but not me. God decided I don't need it. Why. That's the question I will ask him when I die.
Even if you have a little magic power you can be an adventurer, E rank. It makes you money, you can live on it. There is not a drop of magic in me.
Is this all I have to do. Live like this forever. This is all I have in this world. I don't accept it.
Tomorrow I'm going to leave the city. I'll go — maybe I can hunt in the jungle. The jungle is better for me. I will hunt animals for food, or I will be hunted. It's a win-win for me.
The butcher on this street let me sleep behind his shop for years. He was the only one who was good to me. If someday I could give back his kindness.
In the first light of morning, Liam goes out of the city.
I'm a little scared. I know if I don't come back, no one will miss me. No one will even know I'm missing. I have some bread and a knife. The bread can last me three days. Even if I don't hunt anything I'll start eating grass.
He starts walking. Three days pass. He hunts a rabbit and eats it. He finds a lake, swims in it, rests, then starts walking again. Days pass — one day or two at a time — hunting a rabbit or a smaller animal just to survive. Some days he eats leaves. Some days nothing.
Where am I? What is this jungle?
Why is nothing here? It's been two days and I haven't even heard a bird. Just wind. Nothing else.
I heard there is a forbidden jungle. No one brave enough to enter it ever comes back. The moment someone enters, they vanish. Did I enter it without knowing?
I don't care. What do I have to lose? It's going to be night soon. I have to find a tree I can rest in.
Night comes.
It's strange. There is sound in this jungle. I hear voices sometimes, but far away. Nothing comes to this area.
Liam is almost asleep when a voice reaches his ear.
Follow my voice. Come to me.
Liam wakes up. Stands up. What was that? Was I dreaming?
No, you weren't dreaming. I said come to me. Follow my voice. I will guide you. Like you said — what do you have to lose.
You're right. Okay. How do I get to you?
First get down from that tree. I will guide you.
Why not come to me yourself, if you want to see me?
I can't. The moment I move from my hideout they will find me and kill me.
Okay. Okay. Tell me which way to go.
The voice guided Liam through the jungle. After some time he arrived before a dark cave.
Do I have to go in? I can't see anything.
Just enter. I don't have much time. Guiding you was the hardest thing I've done since running from god and demon.
Lord, that was a little harder than this.
Liam enters the cave.
Okay. I'll trust you.
Trusting a voice in the night, in the darkest jungle, telling you to enter a cave — smart move. He smiles
The moment he took his second step into the cave he fell. A sloped, wet passage. He hit rock after rock and screamed in pain. Finally he hit the ground.
His whole body was scratched. Some of his right ribs were broken. His right hand too. He lay on the ground, barely breathing.
What the fuck was that. If you want to kill me why not just kill me. Why torture me. Is this some kind of game to you, torturing your prey before you kill them.
Yes. I do like my prey like that. I want to eat you after you've lost all hope.
The voice was so close. Like whoever owned it was standing right in front of me. But I couldn't see anything.
Is this the end for me. My journey ends here. But I didn't do anything in this world. Never loved anyone. Never was loved. I didn't even eat a full meal once in my life.
I want to be alive. I was wrong. I was wrong. Why did I come here.
Now that you're facing death you changed your mind. What do you have to live for. Tell me. I want to hear it before I eat you.
Liam sees two big red eyes. One eye alone as big as his entire head. Moving toward him.
He screams. I don't want to die. I want to live. I want to see the world. I want to know what love feels like. To feel what it's like when everyone loves you, when everyone respects you.
The eyes stop.
That's what I like.
Let me heal you first.
Liam was stunned. Why did the monster stop. Why — can a monster even talk.
Liam was healed in a second.
What are you. Can you show yourself to me.
Okay. But don't be scared.
Liam hears the monster chanting.
Creation — Light.
A great light opened above them. Liam couldn't open his eyes. Too bright. Slowly, little by little, he opened them.
He threw himself back against the cave wall.
A snake. Bigger than anything anyone had ever seen. A monster above monsters.
What are you. You're a snake — how are you this big.
I was a test subject. In the games the demon lord and the light gods play with each other. They create something like me and kill it when they're done. I wasn't always this big. They gave me power and magic to do their dirty work, but I couldn't do it. I hid myself in this jungle — I don't even remember how many years ago. That's why I'm big. My life force merged with this power they gave me and I kept growing. You see me now.
The day I entered this cave, they lost me. This cave has a magic energy that interferes with detection spells. They can't find me here. After that, I trained. For years. Until I finally mastered it — a spell that can transfer all my power to another living being. You are the best candidate. Will you accept it. Can you help me.
I want to rest. I want to go to the other side. This world has nothing left to offer me. But you — I can see the fire burning inside you. You will have so much power that by the time you master it, no S rank adventurer will be able to hold a candle to you.
All my life I wanted to be strong. To help others. To do good. To be the man that makes my father proud of me on the other side.
I'll accept it. But won't they kill me like they did to you.
No. Your power will be hidden at first. By the time they find out, you will be strong enough to protect yourself.
The snake began to chant.
Creation magic.
Create a mana bridge.
A light appeared — mixed of dark and light, like gold — coiling around the snake's body. It stretched slowly toward Liam. He felt a warm wave enter him. It took some time. The moment it was done, the snake's body began to crumble, slowly, piece by piece.
Make them pay for what they did to this beautiful world. Ascend. Go beyond the gods.
Farewell, young one. Be careful.