36 The First Step- From a Gutter onto a Stage.

Lili's gonna chew me up when she finds out I smoked 713,000 Vs in a matter of minutes. 650,000 went into the Crossbow and the complementary Stamina and Mana Potion, 50K for five top-tier Grade-1 Healing Potion, 11K for the Karambit, and 3K for the Grade-1 Bolts- 100 V each.

But so long as I get the kills tonight, I really don't care what happens to me.

When I asked the Gnome about the special treatment before walking out, the man simply giggled and said, "Because just like the crossbow… you too are one of a kind. And the clock is still ticking, M'Lord… it is 2 AM already."

As much as I wanted to press for answers, the old man was right, I don't have time for this.

So, here I am, zipping through the freezing night sky, fighting the churning stomach.

/It's still not too late, Argus. You can return… please do not forget you're just a normal guy… grievously injured to the boot who is about to step into a den crawling with people who can end him with a single slap… and they won't hesitate either. No matter how I look at it… I do not see you coming on top. I know how you feel… but feelings alone do not win against the impossible… ability does. Can you look at yourself in the mirror and say you have the ability to accomplish what you have set out to do? /

[I'm way past the point of reason and rational… I don't know if I can do this… maybe it is impossible, and I lack the ability you speak of… but it doesn't matter. Nothing you or anyone says does… It's they or I tonight.] I conveyed as I initiated another Blink Propulsion.

/Look… I just don't want you to bite off more than you can chew. /

[Living in itself is biting off more than you can chew if you ask me.]

/ Very well then, but do not delude yourself thinking what you're about to do is something noble… for the good or something along with those ones. You're going to orphan children, widow wives… kill someone's son or daughter… some will deserve it, but not all. /

[I've made peace with that fact hours ago… In case you've forgotten… Morals are only good so long as there's something to be gained from them- it was you who taught me that.] I said, gazing at the approaching mansion- Soma Familia's Home Base as I initiated another Blink Propulsion.

And a few seconds later- at the peak of its height, I hung in the air, suspended in time, burning the layout into my brain… the layout of stage I'll be dancing on tonight.

Their land was rectangular, surrounded by 2 story stores and homes outside its huge wall, and I was approaching from it's left.

Ahead of me- it started with a gigantic park, covering the entire left wing of the base, and ending at the big grayish medieval-style mansion in the center of the land.

In front of the mansion was the main entrance of the base, a glamourous fountain in the middle of the brilliantly lit stone pathway.

Behind the mansion were the training grounds.

To its right were 4 five-story apartment-style buildings facing each other in a perfect square with a fountain in the middle- Living quarters, I assumed.

[That almost rivals The Hale Mansion!]

Canceling the Blink, I gave myself to the gravity, and it threw me in an arc towards the roof of one of those houses just outside the huge fence.

My clothes began fluttering again, along with my heart and my gut as the winds rattled my eardrums louder as each second went by, but not my focus.

My eyes never left the rapidly approaching roof.

[Now!]

My world stopped again, tinting everything bluish-grey, mere meters away from the fate of a meat paste.

Carefully aiming the Exit Point just a meter above the roof, I initiated the Blink.

And with a soft 'thud', I landed.

"Yep! Just like that," I spoke under my breath as my adrenalized… and shivering hand wiped the cold sweat off my eyebrows.

/ I'm not sure, I'll ever get used to it. /

[Welcome to the club.]

And here it was… the stage. Now all that's left was a costume. I've never seen a performer stepping up on the stage without a costume appropriate for the dance. Nor will I.

Channeling mana into my clothes, I closed my eyes and painted the coolest tactical outfit I had ever seen- down to every minuscule detail I still remember of Sam Fisher's classic outfit from Splinter Cell Blacklist.

And the next second, my clothes melted and began taking shape. Crawling on my skin, they wrapped my entire body from head to toe, leaving only the eyes.

And as my eyes opened, the orbs ran wild through the cloth which was only a set of shirt and pants a few seconds ago, turned into a sleek inky-black stealth suit.

I even shaped a small backpack.

With some test jumps and moves, I concluded it- perfect before going over tonight's objectives once again.

- The Primary Objectives were…

· Murder anyone on sight so long stealth remains unbroken.

· Gather intel on the current locations of the Primary Targets.

· Leave no clues, only dead bodies.

- Confirmed Targets-

· Caneo Belway.

· Zanis Lustra.

· Soma

Yes, I was going to kill a God tonight.

And as I've said before… This ends tonight.

- Secondary Objectives.

· Loot any and all Potions and money I find as long it doesn't interfere with the Primary Objectives and Targets.

- Primary conditions of failure.

· If the stealth breaks and the situation cannot be defused. Then I must abort the mission and head for the Exfil.

· KIA- Killed In Action

Those were the clear-cut objectives- the conditions I came up with. It was just as 'SHE' said, I did not come here with any noble intentions… to fight for the good- I came here for revenge and revenge alone, nothing more.

With a final deep breath, my eyes focused ahead. And here it was. The moment had arrived.

This is it. I was just a step away from the biggest test of courage I ever dared myself. Just a step away from the point of no return.

I stood at the edge of the roof… all dressed, ready, and black as the night, gazing at the castle ahead. Just a step… once taken, either I'll come back alive or die rotting in a gutter.

And I swear I never felt a step so heavy.

My heart too was just a step away from breaking through my rib cage. Breathing never surged so hard- stomach never churned so bad. I never felt so cold. Never was the mere act of standing still felt impossible.

And the next second, something in me snapped like a neck. And something flooded into my mouth.

-Blurgh!

My body bent forward- hand shot to the mask, hurling it off my face as the gooey putrid vomit gushed out of my mouth in a never-ending flow.

The idea of turning away and hitting the bed was never so seductive.

Lili was probably just angry for the moment, she'll be fine after a good night's rest, and I wasn't completely at fault, was I? I would've never left her alone if not for that accursed mommy wannabe. And Lili should've gone straight home and should've waited for me to come back, understanding I needed some time alone. That was the smartest and the most obvious thing to do.

Why am I even here? All dressed in black and tactical? I'm just another guy… a failure, who by a wild stroke of luck managed to interest a bored God, and got the ability to teleport short distances. I was never supposed to be here. It should've remained a Fantasy.

What happened to my OP and happy isekai life? Where's my harem? Rolling in riches I was supposed to be.

I'M A GOD DAMN ISEKAI PROTAGONIST!

Why am I dealing with this bullshit?

Teleportation is the only advantage I have, and I'll be up against people Captain America strong.

And if I really wanna take revenge so bad, I should suck it up and get a Falna and train and get strong.

And kill Soma? A God? LOL!

Right now, I'm in an arena way… way above my league.

I'm in front of a gate of no return… How stupid must someone be to still step in, knowing the people on the other side can end him with little to no effort at all, and he'll be fighting such people all alone- outnumbered.

I'm not that stupid. I'll bide my time.

My foot lifted and moved all by itself… but not forward.

'You're worthless! A LAIR!'

She might as well have added in a- You're a coward!

No, I'm someone who knows his limits.

That's right, no point in instigating a fight you can't possibly win.

Indeed.

-SLAP!!

Just like the foot, my hand rose by itself bore descending on my cheek a resounding slap!

[The fuck you mean indeed you little bitch!! Indeed my shrapnel studded ass!]

My teeth chomped shut in a clenched jaw, almost cutting my tongue in half as a frenzied heat blazed through every ounce of my being, evaporating that frost in an instant- mana flooded into the Mark, executing Blink Propulsion by instinct alone before another thought could form.

And I found myself flying with a heart, pounding more than a beat a second.

And a focus I never felt before… a heat- a feeling I was a stranger to.

Body trembled… but not in fear or cold. It was beyond words.

Reaching the peak, my body began its descent onto the stage, prepped and waiting for the fight of my life.

Felt like I'm taking the first step out of a cold gutter I was clamped in for so long.

This step… it was so heavy… expensive, took way more than what I had…

And now, l was almost on to the stage half a step away from a heart attack. Lungs were dying for a breath.

Something even got into my eye.

I was scared too…. Terrified and nauseated. I could even feel some bits of my puke still stuck on my lips, flapping in the wild winds.

But I was grinning- it felt just so good that I couldn't stand it.

A grin stretched so wide that it hurt.

It was a blind leap of fate… I had no idea if I'll land on a cushy stack of hay in style… or the cold hard ground.

But either way, it was the first true step I took.