Chapter 9: Kill me, So that I could feel alive. (Part 1)

Once again, I awoke to the same haunting nightmare that had visited me in the night. The chill of the room enveloped me as I lay on the edge of the bed, the memory of Tadashi's lifeless form lying next to me, his severed head haunting the silence. Guilt washed over me as I regretted my actions of forming an attachment to him.

I was angry, all of my emotions were in disarray, and with no one else to see or hear my pain, I screamed, "AAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHH" Every bit of my emotions were attached inside before I stopped and emptiness gnawed my inside taking away a piece of my heart.

In the wake of it all, I made a promise to myself: "No more attachments, no more kindness." With determination I steeled my heart, locking away the softness and positivity I held dear.

After a while, I rose from the floor, I buried Tadashi's body outside. Looking at my missing right arm, I felt it had already healed however it didn't restore my limb. Maybe it was the limit of my regeneration, one thing I noted to remember.

I moved through the forest, following the familiar markers until I reached the concealed path leading to the village. Masked figures awaited my arrival, conducting a thorough inspection and relieving me of my weapons. Once cleared, they guided me through the dim, narrow passage into the village's heart.

I headed straight to my quarters, the darkness embracing my contemplation.

-----Senkou's POV-----

'He has returned from his mission. To be honest, he wasn't quite as formidable as I had anticipated. I had even toyed with the idea of considering him a rival. However, the recent loss of his right arm made it even harder for him to reach my level, dashing away my expectations that he was as talented as me. Even if he fought me with all his might he couldn't push me that much to the point of revealing my true strength.'

'Still, I do find his intellect intriguing. Among my peers I've sparred with, only he and another child with an innocent smile was a match to my current strength, a feat only those in class 1 could do. Yet, that's the limit of their potential. Nothing more to describe only that they are far from reaching me.' I thought as I lay asleep on the usual cold floor I always slept in.

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------Martes' POV------

(Day 1)

'Get stronger, that's what I would do.' I said as I shouted with all my might even when my muscles began to tear.

'Until I'm not stronger than my enemies, people who are close to me will die.' My heart pounded, and my mind was on the verge of collapsing but I willed myself to break my limits.

I only stopped when I couldn't move. I heaved my breath fighting for my dear life just not to die. My regeneration did wonders as my muscles and tears began to mend however it didn't help my exhaustion. It was even a miracle that I made myself crawl to my room.

(Day 2)

I tried again, urging my body to adapt to the pain. I know I had to do this. 'I should! Because someone will die because of me again and I can't let that happen!' My body was giving up on me, it didn't give me the satisfaction of getting stronger but I felt weaker as I pressed through. My thoughts of the ultimate enemy that I had to kill appeared in my mind.

'THOSE GODDAMN CORRUPT POLITICIANS AND THAT MAN...I'M GOING TO RIP YOU ALL INTO PIECES' My hatred for them intensified and all day it fueled me to grow stronger.

(Day 7)

Standing before my opponent, the person who grasped my intentions without words, I noticed a shift in his demeanor. His gaze lingered on my missing arm, his eyes hinting at a message of his arrogance. I could only internally chuckle at his haughtiness. He was undoubtedly brilliant and more skilled than me, though he masked his true potential during our sparring matches.

I didn't want him to think that way, I knew one day he would be the one to free the people here with his great potential, but for now, I wanted to teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget, even if it meant sacrificing myself in the process. Despite my battered body, I raised my remaining arm, though it trembled with strain. Adrenaline surged, temporarily dispelling my fatigue. I launched myself at him, but he sidestepped effortlessly, leaving me rolling on the ground. Undeterred, I rose and attacked again, repeating the cycle. His demeanor wanted nothing more than to end this fight as it held no benefit for him only a waste of time, but I was angry at how he viewed us, those who had no talent with indifference.

He found an opportunity and struck me with ferocity, each hit gradually increasing in strength, his kick became faster and more accurate yet I stood tall, enduring the pain even when my bones started to crack from the pressure. He wanted to perform his last attack, a fast kick to my sides but it showed me an opportunity.

Summoning my last reserves of strength, I lunged at him. His finishing act was broken as my left arm swiftly aimed at his surprised face. At that moment, I saw his hesitation take place but he decided that it wasn't worth it so my fist uninterruptedly impacted his face, sending him flying to the other side. I stood while he fell, the last thing I saw was the befuddlement of his face as he looked at me before I collapsed from the injuries I had accumulated.