A man walked through the night on his way back to his small rented room, his face drained of all energy, his eyes empty and hollow.
He had just finished another exhausting shift from his part-time job. Every muscle in his body ached. All he wanted was to lie down and rest.
As he walked, his thoughts spiraled.
God… why is my life always like this?
Why can't I prove myself to all the people who looked down on me?
Why am I always so damn stupid? I'm tired of living like this—like someone completely useless. I keep making the same mistakes… mistakes I should've never made.
I always say I want to change, but…
Did I really change? Even when I do change, new mistakes just show up again.
Can't I just live in peace? That's all I want… peace. I'm tired.
He held back the despair and anger boiling inside him.
If only I were useful like everyone else...
If only I were smart or athletic like others...
His chest tightened. Tears tried to surface.
If only... I could've been a better son before my parents passed away…
At least then… they could've been proud of me.
At least I wouldn't hate myself this much.
I want to praise myself too. But how can I, when there's nothing to praise?
Well… at least my face isn't too bad. And my body's not terrible either—
He touched his own face.
But what's the point of this face… this body,
if my personality is rotten and I have no real strengths?
Whenever I look in the mirror, all I feel is shame.
Damn it… why am I always like this?
Why was I so cruel and stupid in the past—
and even now, I'm still the same.
Every decision I make, I regret it.
And the more I regret, the more I hate this foolish version of myself.
Suddenly, old voices echoed in his mind.
"You think someone like you can be successful?
You'll end up a beggar or worse—unemployed trash."
"I don't want my kid hanging out with someone like you.
You're a bad influence. Stay away from him."
"You're so rude, even at that age.
You bully your classmates. What kind of future do you think you'll have?"
Maybe they were right.
My future really is doomed…
Back in elementary school, all I ever did was bully others,
talk back to teachers, and even disrespect my own parents.
I don't want to remember it… I'm so ashamed.
At midnight, I'll turn 22. But as usual…
Hah… no one's going to celebrate it but me.
What's so special about a birthday anyway?
He tried to comfort himself by thinking that birthdays were just like any other day. Nothing worth celebrating.
So dramatic... birthdays are overrated.
Whether you celebrate them or not, you still get older each year—
assuming you're still alive for the next one.
Before he realized it, he had arrived at his place.
He searched for his key and opened the door.
"Creak."
"Creak."
He closed the door behind him and continued muttering in his heart.
If only the world worked like in fiction…
Where I could travel to another world… or go back in time.
Then maybe… I could fix all the things I did wrong.
But yeah, that's just fiction.
That's just my little escape from reality—reading novels, comics, and anime.
"Fuhh..."
He collapsed onto his mattress—a mattress barely worthy of the name.
He smiled faintly, imagining what it would be like
if those fictional chances were actually real…
if he could get one more chance to fix everything…
But above all else, what he truly wanted…
was a peaceful life.
His job barely paid enough for food and rent.
His clothes were limited,
and he had to save on electricity and water every day.
After lying down for a while, he slowly got up and went to take a shower.
---
Later, after his shower, he lay back down in bed.
Please… in the future, let me find peace.
I'm tired of this life.
I'm willing to work for it.
Even if it takes everything I have.
Maybe I'll find peace through marriage… and having a child?
Or maybe I'll win the lottery.
Whatever it is… I just want peace.
I don't want to live like this anymore.
This… this is hell.
Even if I know it's all my own fault.
It's midnight already, huh?
Not like it matters… today, tomorrow, whatever—
I still age either way.
Happy birthday… me.
He murmured in his heart, then closed his eyes.
---
But suddenly—
A sharp, unbearable pain ripped through his body.
From head to toe, a searing agony unlike anything he had ever known.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
"DAMN IT!!!"
"IT HURTS—IT HURTS SO MUCH!!"
"ARGHHHHHH!!!"
"WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE MY HANDS ARE BEING CUT
AND CRUSHED AT THE SAME TIME!?"
"I CAN'T THINK! THIS IS TOO MUCH!"
"PLEASE!!! SOMEONE HELP ME!!!"
"ARGHHHHHHH!!!"
"WHY AM I ALWAYS SO UNLUCKY!?
WHY IS MY LIFE ALWAYS A CURSE?!"
"ARGHH! MY EYES—IT'S LIKE THEY'RE BEING STABBED—STOP!!!
PLEASE, STOP!! I'M BEGGING YOU!!!"
"ARGHHH! MY LEGS—IT'S LIKE THEY'RE BEING SAWED OFF—"
"JUST KILL ME ALREADY!!
STOP TORTURING ME!!!"
"I HATE THIS LIFE—AND I HATE MYSELF!!"
"ARGHHHHHHHH!!!"
His scalp felt like it was being ripped apart.
Then his head was slammed by something heavy—like a hammer, crushing his skull.
His back was stabbed and then bashed again with brutal force.
His throat tightened like it was being choked, while at the same time
it felt like a blade was cutting through his neck.
And it wasn't just his outer body—
even his organs were being crushed and torn apart:
His kidneys were squeezed, stabbed, beaten.
His lungs, his stomach, his heart—
Every single part of him screamed.
It was indescribable.
And all of it… happened at the same time.
Then came the temperature shift.
Heat. Then cold. Then burning warmth.
His body temperature spiraled out of control.
He tried to open his eyes.
He wanted to get up, to run, to escape—
But he couldn't move.
He was drowning in agony.
---
The next morning...
He opened his eyes—and shot up instantly.
His body felt... light.
Strangely refreshed.
And then—he saw it.
Right in front of him, floating in the air.
=== STATUS ===
Name : Henry Krynhart
Level : 0 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
Deaths : 0
Universes Traveled : 1
Class : None
[HP] : 100 / 100
[Energy] : 100 / 100
=== STATISTICS ===
Strength : 30
Speed : 30
Durability : 30
Stamina : 30
Intelligence : 30
[Abilities / Powers] : None
[Available Points] : 0
=== INVENTORY ===
=== RULES ===
"W-What… is this...?"
"This is… a system!"