I sat alone in the corner of the cave. I laid my head on my knees. The cave was silent... the only sound was the water drops echoing.
I slowly raised my head and looked ahead. I was hopeless... sad... frustrated... I slowly stood up and looked beside me. There was a path—but I didn't know where it went...
I stared silently. The place was dark... quiet... I slowly turned and faced it.
"I... I should get out of here..." I said in a small, cold voice.
I slowly raised my glasses and put them back on, but I saw blurry... I took them off again, then I saw everything clearly... I threw the glasses on the ground and started walking forward slowly.
The sound of my footsteps echoed in the cave... It was scary, but I kept walking forward.
I started to see small white flowers on the floor and walls. I kept walking, not knowing where I was going, but I was aware of one thing...
"I don't want to die," I whispered.
I walked... and walked... and walked, hoping to find an exit... but all I got was an endless path leading to the unknown.
After walking for a long time, I sat down on the floor, breathing heavily. My stomach made a sound...
"I'm hungry..."
Then suddenly, my mind flashed back to a moment.
An old lady—her face couldn't be seen because of the bright light behind her—slowly raised her hand, holding a cookie.
"Here you go, say 'aa'," she said in a soft voice.
As I remembered that, tears started to flow down my face. I stood up again, wiping my face, then continued walking.
"I won't give up this easily," I said in a small voice.
"So what if I don't have any magic or powers? I can survive alone... I always did... All alone. I don't need anyone..." I said and kept walking.
Then voices started to echo in my mind.
"Look, she's their daughter."
"I heard her parents were killed by police?"
"Did you hear the news? Her parents were caught selling drugs."
I clenched my teeth. I kept walking without stopping.
Then suddenly, I started feeling dizzy... my stomach growled... I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was tired.
I was having a hard time even walking.
Then I heard it—the sound of a water drop. My eyes widened as I heard it. I quickly moved toward the source of the sound. After a moment, I found it.
A small lake filled with water. A smile appeared on my face. I quickly bent over and started drinking as much water as I could.
But...
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck my stomach and chest. My eyes widened in pain. My mouth opened, but no sound came out.
I coughed... blood... I put my hand over my mouth, and when I looked at it—it was covered in blood... my blood.
I fell to my knees. My body felt weak.
Then the lake, once filled with clear water, suddenly turned purple. From inside the lake, a long, large snake-like monster emerged. Its body was made of sharp purple scales. It had one eye and a mouth filled with sharp teeth. It stared at me with its glowing red eye.
My eyes widened as I looked at it. I fell on my back.
'Snake? No... what is this thing?' I said inside my mind.
'What is happening to me... It hurts like hell...'
My eyes opened in realization. It was a snake monster, so the water I had just drunk must have been...
'Poison.'
My eyes blurred from tears. The pain was so sharp, it felt like it was cutting my organs from the inside. Blood flowed from my mouth like water.
Before I could do anything, the creature jumped out of the lake and dashed toward me. In surprise, I tried to dodge by jumping back, but...
It bit and cut off both of my legs.
I fell face down. It swallowed my legs. I couldn't even scream from the intense pain.
I turned and looked up at it.
'It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!' I screamed inside.
The snake jumped again toward me. But I couldn't move.
'I'm going to die... It's fine, right? I don't have anything to live for anyway... I was always like this... Acting strong, but all I am is a weak girl...' I said to myself.
I slowly closed my eyes, waiting for the end. But then a flashback hit me.
I was standing in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by many people.
"She is the daughter of criminals."
"Yes, we should not let her stay here anymore."
"She'll just die like her parents."
"Worthless. Useless!"
I heard them say that... At that time, I swore to myself that I would not end up like my good-for-nothing parents... I would prove them wrong—that I wasn't useless... That I would be someone everyone noticed... But it looks like I was worse than them... I was the same...
"Kire! You should not give up no matter what! It's your life, so you have every right to do what you want! It's your freedom, so stand strong!" The voice of the old lady echoed loudly in my mind.
My eyes shot open. Then I raised my left hand—and the creature bit into it. Pain. And more pain. But I ignored it. All I knew was—
"I'm not going to give up! You hear me, everyone?! And you too, shitty goddess!!!" I screamed.
Blood flowed like water from my hand, but I held the monster in my grip. My eyes widened with determination.
"I won't give up!... Because it's my lifeeeeeeeeeeee!!!" I screamed, my voice filling the entire cave.
The snake monster ripped off my hand, and I rolled over, crashing into the wall. It swallowed my hand and looked at me again.
I didn't scream. I looked up at it. Then it jumped toward me again. I picked up a stone with my remaining right hand and screamed—
"I'm going to liveeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!"
Then suddenly, a robotic-type female voice spoke in my mind.
> [/Analysis Complete]
[/Subject has survived a near-death state]
[/Conditions met — Unique Skill "Willer" has been acquired]
[/Current Losses: Bilateral lower limbs and left arm — confirmed]
[/Current weapon on hand: Stone]
[/Initiating Physical Enchantment on remaining right arm… Success]
[/Status: Critical. Fighting spirit — exceeding standard thresholds]
[/Conclusion: Against all logic… survival is possible]
Then suddenly, my whole body started glowing blue. The snake monster was still charging toward me—but I felt strength... I felt energy. And with a loud scream, I threw the stone.
The stone flashed toward the snake—it struck its eye and pierced through, exploding the eye instantly.
Its body was thrown back. It crashed into the wall and collapsed… dead.
I looked at it in shock, then in a small voice, I said—
"I... survived..."
Then I fell, closed my eyes, and lost consciousness.