The Rising Of the Shield Hero!
You and your step-brother Naofumi had never been particularly close, even as you grew up. Your mother's attention had always favored Naofumi, much to your annoyance. Despite disliking your brother, you find yourself su...
'The pain... it is unbearable,' I murmured to myself as i layed there in the cold, desperately trying to block out the pounding in my skull. Everything was a blur, I couldn't make sense of anything. The pain was utterly overpowering, as if something unseen were gripping my head and ripping it apart from the inside.
As I groggily pried open my eyes, I found myself in the midst of the woods. I was bound and unable to move, my arms and legs trussed up tightly. Blood slowly dripped from a gaping wound in my head.
As I struggled to tear loose from the bindings that held me fast, the pain in my head became even more excruciating. Every movement, every tiny attempt to wriggle free, exacerbated the agony that pounded within my skull.
My memory was somewhat hazy, but there was no mistaking Myne's involvement in this affair. I had a dim recollection of being prepared to depart when suddenly I felt a sharp blow to the back of my head, sending me crashing to the ground where I lost consciousness. This event had clearly been orchestrated by Myne.
In hindsight, I should have been much more prepared for such a treacherous and underhanded move. I had known that Myne would not have let me just walk away without some kind of malicious trick up her sleeve.
As I struggled against my restraints, I could hear a group of men approaching my position. Panic rose in my throat, and I was about to yell out help in desperation when a strange sense came over me, telling me that I should remain unconscious instead. I didn't quite know what to make of it at the moment, it was just a strange gut feeling.
As the men approached, I could hear them laughing. Their voices suggested that there must have been at least five amongst them, though I couldn't see them clearly from my vantage point. They were all bragging about the money they had earned that day, and it was clear that they were not bothered by my helpless situation.
I remained there perfectly still, allowing the men to believe that I had already succumbed to the fatal blow. One of the men approached my unmoving body and began poking me with a stick he had picked up, seemingly amused by my unconscious state. "Is this bastard already dead?" He questioned aloud, "I'd be shocked if he was still alive after a hit like that to the head." One of his companions agreed emphatically.
As expected, it had been a wise decision to feign unconsciousness. The man who had been poking me with his stick seemed distinctly underwhelmed by the fact that I had remained lifeless. "Eh, how boring," he lamented with a dismissive yawn, "I really thought that since he was a hero, he'd be tougher."
"You really are quite peculiar, let us depart as soon as we can. Our job here has been completed," one of the men shouted hurriedly,
"You really are quite peculiar, let us depart as soon as we can. Our job here has been completed," one of the men shouted hurriedly, "Alright, fair enough." He said as he casually tossed the stick with which he had been poking my inert body with. "Are we really leaving this idiot's body here though?" He inquired with worry, "What if someone stumbles upon it and becomes suspicious?"
"Eh, let him be," one of his companions remarked dismissively, "The woods are swarming with wild wolves that will make a meal out of his body before anyone can notice anything."
"How disappointing!" another chimed in, laughing hysterically. "I expected so much more from him, i mean to be fair just look at the pitiful excuse of a weapon he had, a mere metal rod. He was a joke, we are practically doing him a favor by disposing of him."
The group's laughter echoed throughout the woods as they casually walked off, hurling insults at me as they went.
As I sensed that the men had vacated the vicinity, my body began to tremble in a rage-induced fury. "How dare those bastards insult me in such a manner" I muttered to myself, seething as I aggressively attempted to tear myself free from my bindings.
"How dare they call me weak!" I yelled in an eruption of raw fury, my body shaking uncontrollably as I fought back the tears of anger. The pain across my body was all consuming, but I could not care less, I was far too pissed to care about such meaningless inconveniences.
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I had no idea how long I had been there, perhaps hours, perhaps only minutes. The bleeding from my hands and feet was a testament to my futile struggles to break free, and the pain I had endured during the process was intense and excruciating.
Defeat had claimed me, my spirit broken beyond repair. The words that those men had spoken still tormented my thoughts, my pathetic struggle had no end in sight. I was helpless, truly helpless, and the hopelessness overcame me as I let out a deep sigh and resigned myself to fate.
My usually smug and confident disposition was shaken to its core. For once, a weakness had found its way into my armor, and it was a humbling experience for me. I guess even the best of us can have a fatal flaw, though I must admit it's something I would rather not dwell on.
As I lay there lost in thought, I suddenly heard the low rumbling growl of predators from the bushes. My body trembled with anticipation as my eyes darted around urgently, searching for the source of the terrifying sound. Finally, I saw the pack of wolves, slowly making their way out of the bushes to feast on my helpless body.
The wolves all looked emaciated, their lean physique highlighting their sharp claws and jagged teeth. Their hungry eyes were locked on me, and I could make out the traces of blood in their white fur, as if they had recently claimed a kill. The wolves looked as though they were on the brink of charging and tearing into my helpless body.
Though my body had long since given up and had turned helpless, I fought on with the last traces of strength I could muster. Maintaining relentless eye contact, I attempted to crawl back, aware that one should never turn their backs on predators. One of the wolves did appear much larger than the others, and it was evident from the scar across its face that it was the pack leader. I knew all too well that if I looked away, even for a second, the wolves' predatory instincts would kick in and the situation would become dire.
Upon realizing the sheer severity of my predicament, I was seized by a sudden realization, if I did not manage to free myself from this situation, my fate was certain. Every fiber of my being became consumed by the intense desire to rid myself of these vile restraints, for there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that if I failed to do so, death would soon embrace me.
( A: Sorry it it took me 1 month to update this guy's I was busy with life and school ofcourse that isn't really a good enough excuse...Don't worry though I'll promise to update more from now on!)
