Dysphoria

Prologue

  Reality is shit.

  The crowd roared as I waited for the gates to open. Their excitement flew like electricity through the air, charging both my ego and my adrenaline.
 
  Why would I choose to live in a world where I don’t get to pick anything, despite it being my life?
 
  “ARE YOU READY!” The announcer's voice boomed across the arena, and the audience grew in volume.
 
  It’s a shitty game made by a shitty God who gave me shitty stats and a shitty life.

  “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” The crowd stomped their feet, causing the ground to shake like an earthquake. I let the feeling travel from my feet and legs to my neck. I relished the sensation as the announcer continued.

  “THAT’S WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR! NOW, WHO’S READY FOR SOME ACTION!”

  That’s why, in this world…

  The gate opened. I threw my hood over my face as I entered the arena. Several dozen others stepped in as well. They were my opponents, but to me, they were nothing but ADS that stood in the way of my inevitable victory.

  “Let the battle…”

  I’ll never lose.

  “BEGIN!”

  Immediately, the arena erupted into chaos—a mix of the crowd who cheered and the fighters who were all brawling with each other. Spells flew through the air, and swords clashed, but I didn’t move from where I stood.

  You see, the best way to win in a scenario like this was to wait for the others to whittle the numbers down, and I would fight who was left, for they would be the strongest of the bunch.

  “Got you!” A man lunged at me with his dagger. I sidestepped, causing his attack to miss. I grabbed his collar and threw him back into the fray.

  Several other attackers came at me, but I dodged each strike gracefully and without fail, executing perfect dodges each time. Those dodges gave me a window of opportunity to counterattack, and I grabbed one and tripped him. He staggered and crashed into another, causing them to fall into a tangled mess of limbs.

  Another swung his blade at me, but I twirled around it, grabbing hold of his arm and flipping him to his back. I jumped back as a hammer came down on me, back flipping in the process. I didn’t need to. It was just to look cool.

  How pathetic.

  I stared at the four men who now turned to me with their weapons drawn. They knew I was a threat, I could see it in their eyes. But it didn’t matter how many of them ganged up on me because, in the end, ADS are ADS. Useless AI. Basic bitches.

  “You think you’re tough shit 'cause you can doge?” One remarked.

  “Hate to break it to ya, but this ain’t a dance competition. It’s a fight.”

  “Do not speak to me as if you know what I am capable of.” I stepped forward. My cloak blew in a wind that touched no one else, a cool but otherwise useless effect I unlocked during an event. “For it was never curiosity who killed the cat, but rather vacuous impudence.”

  “Vac-wha?” One of the men’s faces twisted. “You’re just saying random words. That doesn’t even make sense.”
 
  “Just die!” One of the ADS charged at me. He slashed his sword as he came into striking distance. I didn’t dodge this time but instead caught the blade with two fingers. “What!?”
  
  “How insolent.” I turned my gaze toward him. I knew my face was clad in shadow due to my cloak's effect, but I used another effect that added an ominous yellow gleam to my eyes. “You truly believe such a flimsy sword can scratch me?” I squeezed my fingers together, causing the blade to shatter.