Caren opened his eyes.
“Hmmm?!”
He was lying on the floor.
After a few moments, still confused about where he was, he stood up and looked around.
He was in a room with only a mirror and nothing else.
Caren was silent, curious, and a little nervous.
He fell on the ground and felt a sharp headache.
Suddenly, a huge wave of memories rushed through his mind.
“Hhhhh!”
He died.
That creature killed him.
His head exploded.
He died like that.
Caren was breathing heavily, his eyes wide, as if doing so would help him forget the pain.
Then he frowned, clenched his teeth, and placed a hand on his head.
“W…
what?
What was that?
I…
I wasn’t crazy?”
His hands started shaking, and a cold sweat formed on his forehead.
He was terrified, too scared to even move or make a sound.
He really died.
Died and escaped death.
“It’s okay.
I’m not scared.
I can just try another direction.”
Caren nodded, then took a deep breath and left the room again.
He looked at the jungle and turned left.
He didn’t talk to himself this time.
He was too scared to do that.
Caren kept walking and made the text appear.
Temporary Power: Death Cheater: Remaining Attempts: 4
Caren stared at the text.
What would happen if he died four more times?
Would his power stop working?
Caren let out a breath.
Why were there just question marks next to the rest of the text?
What were they for, and what use did they have?
“Guess I have to wait.”
He quickly put his hand over his mouth.
He didn’t have to talk.
It was too risky.
Caren stopped walking and stared at something on the ground.
It was moving, but…
it wasn’t a monster!
It was more like a…
“A boy?!”
Caren ran toward him and knelt down.
“Are y…
you okay?”
Caren placed his hand on the boy’s neck to check if he was alive.
The boy had black hair and looked almost his age.
“Thanks, he’s still alive.”
But then he realized something.
A knife was plunged into the boy’s chest.
Caren turned away and threw up.
“Heee…
heeee.”
Why?
What was happening?
Why was Caren there?
Who did this to that boy?
When he was done, he turned back to the boy.
The boy slowly opened his eyes and looked at him with his brown eyes.
He looked broken and terrified.
Caren spoke in a trembling voice.
“Uh…
hi, I…
I am here to help.
Don’t worry.
I’ll help you.”
How the hell was he supposed to help?
He didn’t even know what he was supposed to do.
Why did he tell the boy that he could help?
Caren hesitated to even touch the boy.
The boy tried to form words but couldn’t.
Caren barely managed a smile and spoke in a gentle voice.
“Close your eyes.
It will hurt, but I know how to help.”
Caren had to help the boy.
There was no way he could leave him to suffer and die alone.
The boy nodded and closed his eyes.
When he wasn’t looking, Caren’s smile faded and was replaced by a terrified expression.
He didn’t want to touch him; it was overwhelming.
Caren didn’t want to be here.
Why had he wished to leave his home?
Why had he done that?
Why hadn’t he asked his parents for permission?
His dad didn’t know him anymore.
He was trapped here, watching a boy die.
He whispered in a low voice, not wanting to scare him.
“Please be a dream.”
Caren gently grabbed the knife.
He took a deep breath and pulled it out.
Without waiting, Caren plunged the knife into the boy’s heart, pulled it out, and did it several more times.
Then he sat back, his hands shaking as he breathed heavily.
The knife slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.
Caren covered his eyes with his hands.
“I…
I killed him.
I’m a killer.
I’m a killer.”
Tears welled up in his eyes.
He knew, he knew it was the best choice.
He couldn’t save the boy, so he had to end his suffering.
But accepting that, of course, was difficult.
His tears fell to the ground.
“Ehh…
ehh…
ehh.”
Why did that boy have to die?
What was happening?
Was he next?
The next target to die?
Death Cheater?
He needed a better power, not this useless ability that could only be used to save himself.
He wanted a better power.
He wanted…
Caren placed his hands on the ground.
He had to calm down.
That boy hadn’t died for nothing.
Caren could make sure his family knew how hard he had fought.
Caren sneered at himself.
Of course, that boy had tried.
But he was not alive anymore.
That was how cruel the world was.
Caren took a few deep breaths and started planning what to do.
If there was one boy, didn’t that mean there could be more humans trapped here?
“I have to find them and escape with their help.”
Caren looked at the boy and whispered,
“Rest in peace.
You’re free now.”
He frowned.
It was bullshit that he had to do this, but he wanted to survive.
So he started searching the boy for anything useful.
He reached for the knife.
It was still warm from the boy’s blood.
He cleaned it with the boy’s shirt.
“Sorry, but if someone sees me with a bloody knife, of course they won’t trust me.”
Then he found a bottle of water.
It was cold and fresh.
Finally…
he had water for later.
He stopped searching and took a step back.
“Damn this.
Damn this world.”
Caren started walking again.
He looked at the sky.
It was getting dark, and that was dangerous.
The thing that had killed the boy could still be around.
Of course, it was even more terrifying at night, so he had to find somewhere to stay.
He stopped again.
The desert.
He was there again.
“Hope there’s nothing dangerous.”
Caren shook his head and started walking.
His legs were shaking, and he was so hungry.
He drank the water eagerly, but left most of it for later.
He didn’t know if he could find water again, so he couldn’t waste any of it.
He smiled weakly.
There was a…
“A cave?!”
Caren started running.
He had a wide, happy smile on his face.
He entered the cave and looked around.
It was small and uncomfortable.
But it was okay.
At least he had somewhere to stay for the night.
“Don’t move.”