A True MC Never Gives Up

Nite stood between the bear and the merchant. His hands stuffed into his pockets with his posture upright.

A smirk marked his face with his head bowed. The wind blew quicker, and the world felt shaky.

"Who the heck are you?" The merchant said with a grunt, appraising him. A smooth, demanding, and controlled voice left his mouth.

A cold sweat ran down Nite's face, but his smirk only grew.

"Are you more worried about me than about the bear? That's an honour."

"And what do you plan to do about the bear? Are you a knight or an adventurer?"

Nite squared himself with his gaze turning to the bear, his muscles locked up.

"I'd say I'm more of a traveller, but for my name. Call me, Nite Nexus."

"That sounded so cool, but I can feel the shivers run down my whole body as I'm standing here to square off against a bear. What's wrong with me? Why did I decide to face a bear?

I might not have cared about life before, but wasn't it obvious I didn't want to die?

One of that bear's punches is probably twice my entire weight. Let's not talk about how gigantic that thing is; it looks like a boulder."

"Are you ok, Sir Nite?"

Nite smirk transformed into a grin that spread across his face. A chuckled launching from deep within his throat.

"Why's he asking that when I'm facing off a bear without a single piece of equipment?"

"I'm fine. Would you happen to have a sword, though? I'm kind of defenseless since I don't want to dirty my hands."

"A sword?" The merchant's glare softened as he slowly backed away to the cart.

"What did you think? That I'd face a freaking bear with just my hands and pure willpower? I may act stupid sometimes, but not that stupid." Nite thought as his grin enlarged.

The merchant shuffled through the cart. He maintained eye contact with the bear while remaining stationed in front of the oracle.

The woman's eyes turned to Nite with a hardened gaze as mist twirled in her crystal ball. The merchant grabbed a long sword from his cart and held it high with glee.

"Here you go," he said as he tossed the blade.

Nite quickly turned and reached for the hilt. He grabbed it and struck a fighting stance at the bear. His smirk had faded as his eyes narrowed on the bear.

The bear, as if knowing a battle was about to start, came down on its forelegs and began circling Nite.

The oracle parted her lips with an unfeeling gaze narrowed at Nite.

"Before you start, I need to let you know. You... will surely die in this fight."

Her soft and sweet voice spoke words that sent shivers down Nite's spine.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine, then you can thank me."

He pointed his toes as he charged at the bear. The bear raised a paw to attack, but Nite paused the moment the bear was about to swipe.

The bear's claws cut through the air, giving Nite an opening, but he was met with a backpaw to his gut.

He smashed into a tree with splinters piercing his skin. Blood shot up his throat as his scream was choked by the upthrust, his vision blurred by pain.

He got on shaky hands and knees as his gaze focused on the approaching threat.

Nite reached for his sword as more of his blood painted the grass red.

His finger grabbed the hilt just quick enough for him to dodge the devastating claws of the bear as they smashed through the tree.

"What did I expect? Of course it's kicking my butt. I'm literally noticing time slowed down for me.

Maybe she was right; I'm going to die. Killed by a bear. That's really cool."

A smile settled on Nite's face as he relaxed his muscles with a sigh. Despite accepting his fate, a strange feeling stirred in Nite's gut.

"What are you doing?! Are you giving up?! What a pathetic sight?!

You're whining about a bear when you jumped headfirst into the fight? What did you expect—that this would be easy?

You made up your mind to become the MC. You decided to take on this bear. Now, you have to make the choice to get back on your feet or die a pathetic waste of space."

The bear loomed over Nite and waited for a reaction. Nite lay limp on the ground as the bear poked at him with its paws.

"Easy for you to say. If you knew just half the pain I felt, you'd be way less confident. What made me think I could take on a bear and win?"

The bear walked away from Nite and slowly moved towards the merchant and the oracle. The woman severed her focus from Nite as she lowered her head at her crystal ball.

"What makes you think you can give up?"

"You're just the voice I'm hearing at my deathbed. What do you think you can do for me? My bones are shattered, and I feel worse than shit.

What words do you think you can say to motivate a dying man who has had nothing to live for his entire life?"

"You have no right to give up. People's lives are in danger, and you lay here accepting death. What's the point?"

"Then what's the point of forcing myself back up to die for real and to protect strangers?"

"You gave your word."

"A dead man has no promises."

"You said you'd become the best MC. Even if you have no will to fight and no power left to move, do you think, for one moment, that a true MC would give up that easily?"

"Maybe I'm not a true MC."

"Then that was a quick end to a broken dream."

The world faded to black as the air in his lungs dissipated, and his heart stopped.

The merchant's face soured as Nite's body fell limp.

"He died." He said as his voice broke.

"Did you expect my prediction to be wrong? Just as you are well experienced and renowned in your craft, so am I in mine. I never fail a prediction."

"Well, do you see a way of surviving this thing?"

"It seems that for the first time in a long time, my crystal ball is blank."

"That's great. So much for your stupid experience. We're going to die here."

Its figure grew bigger and bigger as it approached them. The merchant squared himself in front of the oracle.

"Valerie, if I don't make it out alive, tell Crimson I said sorry."

"You're a fool if you think you're dying. What would be the point since Crimson needs both of us?"

"So we run together or not at all? Quite strong words for such a petite girl; though I have to say, you have the qualities of a grown woman."

"You just have to spoil every moment with a terrible joke, don't you?"

"We're about to die, so why not be a bit nicer and more comfortable with each other?"

With a bit of a slouch, Valerie sighed as her eyes rolled to the side.

"If that's your last wish, then so be it, George."

"You can call me John."

"John then. I have a question. Why do you have such a connection to Crimson, anyway? It's only been a few years, but yet you act like you owe her your life."

"It's complicated. Something that I'm sure even she doesn't remember. Let's say it was a long time ago."

A voice cut through the field with a playful ring.

"Well, I'd like to hear the full story."

Shock filled the air and even caught the bear's attention.

"Hey, big fella. Want to go for round 2? It'd be real fun."

"A MC can never give up! They cannot lose!"

"And this time, I'm the one who's leaving this dance alive."

Nite stood on shaky legs as he stared down the bear with a huge smirk plastered on his face.