They say life is simple — you live, you die. But that's a lie. Life's just a series of fights to stay standing.
I was born an assassin. Trained from the moment I could walk. Every breath, every heartbeat, every thought was sharpened into a weapon. Mercy wasn't part of my training.
And yet… even after all that, I wanted more. Not money, not fame. Power. The kind that breaks limits.
I thought reaching the top would make me feel something. It didn't.
When you finally become the strongest human alive, there's nothing left but the emptiness above you.
Something warm ran down my face. I wiped it with my glove. Blood. Mine.
That's when I noticed the silence wasn't peace — it was death.
Bodies were everywhere. The air smelled like smoke and metal.
And then… a cry.
A little girl was kneeling beside me, hands pressed against my wound, shaking.
Her voice broke as she begged me not to die.
Right. I saved her.
Guess even a killer like me can protect someone once in his life.
I wanted to laugh, but it hurt too much.
"Hero," she called me. That's new.
I looked up at the sky.
You know, anime always says people get another life after death — start over, become stronger. Sounds dumb, but if there's even a chance…
If there's a next life, I'll become the strongest. Stronger than time itself.
My vision dimmed. The girl's voice faded.
And for the first time in years, I smiled.