Beyond Human

Chapter 3: Taste O Death

As the spear tip pressed closer to his chest, he knew he had only one chance of survival. Hiro tried to talk with the beings and convince them that he was not a threat, but they seemed to have no intention of listening to him. He was outnumbered and outmatched. In life-or-death situations, the body's natural "fight or flight" response is triggered, which can result in a surge of various stress hormones, mainly adrenaline. Individuals may exhibit extraordinary strength or endurance in life-or-death situations, and the body may be pushed beyond its limits. Hiro felt the surge of adrenaline, managed to break free, and sprinted through the forest. He could hear the beings chasing him as the footsteps of their horses pounded on the ground behind him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, made of a metal that blasted energy waves that sent Hiro flying. It wasn't even a chase; it was as if they deliberately let him escape. As he got knocked down, he was unable to get up due to the sudden energy rush that made his body weak and unresponsive. Which made him lose the will to live. As he lost the spirit to live, he accepted his impending death and could not fear it.

 The beings got off their horses and walked toward Hiro, emitting a clear murder intent, and all of their faces were covered with masks made of metal. The top half of the mask resembled a monkey's face with large, round glowing eyes, a small nose, and exposed fang-like teeth, while the bottom half resembled a human face, creating an overall cyberpunk oni mask appearance. The mask of one of the beings was red, while the others were white. The red-masked being slowly walked toward Hiro, who stood majestically in front of him, looking like a deer about to be devoured by a lion. Hiro kneeled before the being, his desperation to see its face overcoming his fear. Summoning his courage, he threw a punch at the being, but in response, it landed a crushing blow that rendered Hiro unconscious. As he slipped away into the darkness, a childhood memory flooded back. 

Ten-year-old Hiro was running to school with his friend Oliver when a group of high school students confronted them. Hiro apologized, but the group had no intention of letting them off easy. One of the students punched Hiro, sending him to the ground, and they began to beat him. Oliver, though frightened, stood up for his friend and charged at the attackers. But they overpowered him, leaving Hiro frozen in terror. Just when it seemed they would be beaten, a hooded man with a long scar across his face appeared and put an end to the fight. Hiro couldn't see the man's face clearly, but he had a feeling that he owed his life to him. And now, lying unconscious before the being, Hiro couldn't help but hope that the hooded man would appear once again to save him. In his mind, he heard a voice say, "Nothing has changed! You haven't changed one bit, dammit! You're still as useless as you ever were! Nothing changed!"

The voice was his own, echoing in his mind as Hiro slipped deeper into unconsciousness. His thoughts drifted back to Oliver and how he had failed to save him from the bullies in their youth. Now, as an adult, he found himself in another situation where he could not protect himself or those he cared about. The bitter realization hit him hard, crushing him as he lay there, helpless and alone. Just then, a tear fell from one of his eyes as the being slowly opened its mask, revealing a face that was both human and inhuman.

Hiro's heart pounded in his chest as he gazed upon the being's features, taking in every detail. Its eyes were cold and calculating, its skin an unnatural shade of gray, and its features elongated and sharp. Hiro couldn't help but notice the prominent brow ridge and jutting jawline, which seemed almost primitive. As Hiro surrendered to the darkness, his last thought was that he had seen something that no one else had, and he wondered if that meant anything. He hoped that when he awoke, he would find himself surrounded by those he loved and who loved him in return.