The Greater the villain, The Bigger the mess

Haah!

"Kill me… just fucking kill me!" I screamed, desperation clawing at my throat.

"Stop, you trash! Close the gates before he escapes!" bellowed one of the generic bastards—the knights chasing after me.

Yes. The worst has happened. 

And now I regret ever uttering those words. 

How did it all come to this? I had it all planned out—a meticulous scheme to outsmart these bastards and make a clean break. But, of course, my rotten luck had to screw me over… again!

My plan had been simple: sneak up on a guard, knock him out cold, disguise myself as a knight, and slip away undetected. 

But why do I feel so foolish just recounting that pathetic plan? What the hell was I thinking?!

I have no mana, no strength—I'm as powerless as an unawakened child. And I definitely have no plot armor to save me! 

I let my ambitions carry me too far. This isn't a game… this is reality. I could really die here.

There are no retries, no checkpoints, no saved states. I've got only one shot at this. 

"Stop him! Cripple him if you have to!" I heard a knight shout, and a chill raced down my spine.

To understand how I ended up here, I need to rewind to the moment I tried to sneak up on a well-trained knight—a knight who, I must add, possessed mana. My lack of mana should have helped me avoid detection, but that knight was honed to a razor's edge. His hearing must have been impeccable… and, well, my plan didn't work out at all.

It's a miracle I'm still alive after he spotted me. But that's a thought for another time—if I survive this ordeal!

The knights were closing in at an incredible speed, while others positioned themselves to flank me. They were coordinating a pincer attack, and that was a serious problem.

I could feel my strength waning, as expected. I had to exert every ounce of energy this frail body possessed just to keep up with this pace, while they glided forward with ease, boosted by mana manipulation techniques.

"Damn it!" I cried, my legs melting beneath me. It was agonizing to keep running when every fiber of my being screamed to stop. 

I glanced ahead—my only hope. For some inexplicable reason, the massive gate before me stood open. But, as if mocking my plight, it began to lower, inching downward at a torturous pace due to that bastard's orders.

"I can't make it," I realized, the truth heavy in my chest. 

As much as I wanted to cling to that elusive hope, the reality remained… it was impossible.

"Argh!" 

And there it was—the moment that would seal my fate. 

An arrow pierced my calf.

"AHHHHHHH!"