A figure towers over Jiang, standing before him with a similar pole in hand. His golden horns like tree branches jutting from his head through long red hair tied near the top. Blood leaks onto the stone ground we find ourselves on, as the result of a one sided beatdown lays itself bare.

  My body trembles but I move towards him, the scent of iron breaches my lungs, and I'm sent back to that moment of horror in the forest. A severed leg limply hanging in view as I stand helpless to my own fate and another's.

  I move before my mind does and I'm already reaching out to help Jiang to his feet.

  But a hand slaps mine away. Glaring eyes bore into me before Jiang mutters, "Leave."

  What? I must have misheard. Going to reach out to him again the wooden pole of the other figure blocks its path.

  "You waste my time with this. Then your companion interferes? What a dishonorable drake you are."

  Jiang breathes out as he struggles to bring himself to his feet, his own body weight dragging him down to the cold stone. This 'fight' is clearly over, the drying blood a blatant indicator.

  After some struggle he mutters with some venom in his tone, "I accept my defeat with humility, yet this foolish Celladian is no companion of mine, simply one I aided earlier this day."

  W-what? What a dick. Sure he's helped me out, but I'm helping him now! I'm going to be super powerful in the future anyways so he should be thankful!

  "Why are you here?" he nearly growls at me.

  "I was just about to spar with someone," His gaze goes past me, and I turn to follow his eyes. The green haired man approaches us arm being thrown around my shoulder.

  "Was just about to spar with my buddy here, showing a little grace as his upper classman."

  Unhooking his arm from my shoulder with some struggle I turn to the unnamed man. Hopefully I can awaken my talent in this fight, then I'll beat this guy up for looking down on me. Seriously, why does everyone I meet have to be an asshole?

  I'm an isekai protagonist, it's not my fault I'm starting off without knowing what my powers are.

  Shaking away those thoughts I raise my sword, the scent of dried blood pulling me back into reality.

  "My name is Mercury, pleasure to spar with you." The green haired man runs a hand through his hair the tattoos on his arm glowing faintly. A smile starting to bloom on his face.

  "Lev, and the pleasure's all mine." I really don't like the way he said that, he sounds full of himself.

  Turning my head slightly to see Jiang limping away he mutters as he walks past me.

  "I'm not going to watch you humiliate yourself." Arrogant jerk, thinking I'm just gonna lose without a fight? I'm stronger than that.

  I have to be.

  "Guess I'm ready when you are," I announce. Our distance, about 3 meters(about 10ft) away from each other, my sword held in a two handed grip as Lev approaches.

  His approach is slow, nearly casual, a smug smile on his face as though our fight has already been decided. I pace sideward as we circle around each other, groups of people on the edge of my vision.

  My mind goes back to wolves, but forcefully regains attention at the thumping of steps. Looking back to Lev his hair is soaring in the wind as his fist flies towards me, his tattoos glowing aggressively as they soar towards me upon his arm.

  Bringing my sword up to defend myself I nearly stumble backwards as I swing wildly my blade being ducked under as a fist rockets towards my stomach. Bringing up my knee in a desperate effort to protect myself all I hear is a crunch as my mind goes on fire.

  My body spirals in the air as I tumble to the ground, Lev says something I can't hear as the pain floods my leg. Flipping my body over tears fill my eyes from the pain. My pant leg turning red, I luckily can't see what happened underneath. Suddenly a kick flies into my chest slamming me harder into the ground.

  My sword is long gone from my hand as I try to clutch my leg in agony, as a guttural noise leaves my mouth as his leg continues to hammer on my body.

  I hate this. This is all WRONG.

  I came from another world.

  I regressed.

  This is how the world treats me?

  The pain resides as I feel an immense anger, a wrath, a hate. Something beyond what I could describe besides the bubbling feeling in my eyes and heart. But, I can't bring myself to stand up.

  My eyes turning up towards that green haired bastard, all I see is disappointment. Some fucking NPC looking down on me? What a joke, that's right, a joke. Everyone I've met has treated me like a fucking joke.

  Laughter leaves my throat as I lie there beaten, and broken. Lev's hand reaching towards my head.

  "Enough, he is beaten." A clear voice rings out, commanding authority. "Heal his leg and bring him to his feet." "Yes Lord Cellavort."

  A figure approaches me as I try to laugh, but only blood comes out. Their tan hand hovering over my bleeding chest, somehow causing the pain to recede. Looking up to the figure, it is the indifferent face of a woman in school uniform. Lev's figure long gone.

  How dare she look at me like that? When I'm like this? This world is miserable, everyone here is just some fucking NPC who doesn't make any sense.

  Her hand pulls me up off the ground and makes me stand up, my leg renewed after another moment of healing. My back slouched as I look towards the figure in front of me. My 'savior' stands there with his arms crossed. Blond hair and purple gold eyes stare back at mine. A small entourage of students in uniform standing near him, most notably the large man with a great sword over his back. Maybe these guy's can be of some use.

  "I recommend seeking swordsmanship lessons if the field intrigues you, however I must recommend you leave this area." So he's just telling me to fuck off? Alright. I can play this game.

  "Perhaps your friend could help me out a bit in that department?" Looking towards the knight I can't help but have a small grin on my face. This guy clearly knows how to use a sword, so he can definitely teach me well.

  Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  Though these bastards seem put off by the idea of helping me out, their shocked expressions being any indicator. Why does everyone here have to be such a waste of time?

  "I don't believe I properly introduced myself. My name is Arthur Avo Voculevi Cellavort(1), I don't feel as though my Knight would make a good teacher. Perhaps you should wait until the semester begins, however if you wait until tomorrow perhaps I could schedule a brief lesson?" Ah, this guy is royalty then? Guess a 'commoner' like me is way to above his time.

  All these NPCs are the same. This one is just trying to let me off 'nicely'. I'm sure that 'lesson' would just be me getting beaten into the floor.

  Though wasn't his name way shorter during the opening ceremony?

  Doesn't matter, he's not relevant to my story.

  Without even responding I start to walk away. My fist tightly clenched. The 'Knight's' voice however tries to cut me off, only to be stopped by his 'master'.

  "You-"It's alright Thomas. Let him clear his head." Let me clear my head? Let me clear my HEAD?

  My breath quickens and my eyes strain against my skull. I'll show them. I'll show every last one of them. Walking over to my sword I pick it up, and as I turn towards them a pointed glare is sent my way.

  I'll make a tactical retreat for right now.

  Dragging my frail body out the arena my heart flutters in my chest as phantom pains wreck my internals.

  That was my first fight. Ever. And I got destroyed. I'm really not used to pain either.

  God I'm pathetic. My anger dies out in the face of a steady sense of gloom.

  Walking through the blackstone gates I look aimlessly at my surroundings. Students walk past me idly chatting as they make way to the arena. Nobody even bats an eye at me.

  Wading through the crowd I start walking.

  My mind a haze I pace forward eventually though I bump into something.

  "Ah, it looks this time you've collided with me." Turning up I see the handsome face of a smug bastard who I vaguely recall from earlier.

  A sword at his side.

  . . .

  Should I ask?

  Nah, I'm sure he's going to the arena for a reason beyond me.

  "You look quite pale, perhaps it would be best if you take a seat for a moment." Reaching down he pulls out a small canteen and offers it to me. Looking at the object in his hand my throat dries, but I don't accept his hand out.

  My fist clenches lightly as my face heats up in embarrassment.

  "m' fine" I mutter out, before making my way past without another word. I feel his silent gaze on my back slowly fade away as I get past the other students and into the park.

  Spotting a bench I take a seat and look down at my shaking hands. The sun beating down on me as I helplessly sit here doing nothing in this new world.

  I want to get mad, but everytime I do that searing pain rushes through me again and I'm reminded of my helplessness.

  Of my weakness.

  Liquid starts to pool in my hands as I stare at them with foggy eyes, only causing them to shake even more violently. Until inevitably my face falls into them.

  I'm sorry Mercury. I'm so, so sorry. I can't be a hero. I'm just . . . I'm just . . .

  "The fuck's got your gears rusting?" What?

  Turning my head up and peering through clouded vision a vaguely familiar fellow stands in front of me. Messy brown hair, tanned skin, and a small hammer over his shoulder.

  My vision clears and my heart speeds up for a moment. It's him. Someone I got killed because my own stupidity. Suddenly a hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me to my feet, which I luckily manage to catch as to not fall down.

  "Rough first day?"

  "You don't know the half of it."

  A slow silence begins to build, as he stands their awkwardly for a moment before sighing.

  "I'm not a very good listener, but as your dorm mate you can at least fill me in. There's not a lot of us, so it's best if we stick together."

  But . . .

  "Don't you have anything more important to do?"

  "Obviously, but you sitting here moping would weigh on my mind. Seeing people like you pisses me off." So this is more for him then? I, I guess that makes me feel slightly better.

  How much should I tell him? If anything at all . . .

  Though if I tell him that then would I really be considered the protagonist at this point?

  Do I deserve to be the protagonist at all? Everyone I'm surrounded with is just so much more than me.

  He, of all people, deserves to know what I did to him, if he knows then he won't forgive me and I can go back to sulking. Back to how things used to be.

  A choice is made in my heart, and as I start to speak I push my burden onto someone else.

  "Well, It all started when I got my head caved in-" my breathing hitches as his expression morphs into shock. I can no longer speak. Then the sounds of the world fade away. Then the smell of the trees surrounding us. Then my vision on the world. I reach up to touch my face only to feel a lack of any features.

  Air stops entering my body and I feel my lungs burn and my body hits the ground paralyzed.

  My face . . . WHERE IS MY FACE, WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT THE FUCK, WHAT THE-

  [But the Story must only be experienced by One]

  . . .

  . . .

  . . .

  Soft chatter flows into my ears as I desperately gasp for air. I fall to my knees in an instant as sweat pours down my shaking body. I reach my hand to my face, and it's back.

  It's back, I can breathe, I can exist.

  Blurry eyes scan upwards from the ground and I find myself in front of a familiar rotating door, the taste of fresh juice on my tongue, wetting my rapidly drying throat.

  W-what?