The burning sensation in Kayden's throat and food pipe intensified, each swallow feeling like a journey through hell.
"Cough-Cough!!"
'W-Water! W-Water!!' Kayden screamed inwardly, the desperation evident in his thoughts.
The arena was silent, gripped by the spectacle unfolding.
In the midst of Kayden's agony, Eli stood, a stoic figure, as if orchestrating a symphony of pain.
Kayden's entire body was on fire, and he wriggled his body in a futile attempt to escape, but he couldn't move an inch. Faced with the unbearable pain and humiliation, he opted for an extreme measure,
"Slam!"
He slammed his head against the ground, desperately seeking unconsciousness as an escape from the agony.
Yes, Losing consciousness seemed the only save from the relentless pain.
Humiliation? Being looked down on by everyone? Betraying his people's expectations?
So what?
Read first at m-v le-mpyr
As long as he was alive, whether others liked it or not, he was their Hero and no one could change that.
Felling the blood flowing from his head, he started to feel his consciousness slowly fade away but,
"You do know that I haven't even settled my old balance..."
The voice forced him to remain conscious, trapped in a waking nightmare.... he was forced to stay conscious.
With terror in his eyes, he witnessed Eli healing his forehead.
'PLEASE!!!' He wanted to shout, but his voice was stifled by the overwhelming pain.
Observing the Hero's pathetic state, the people from Theos Kingdom shifted from anger to shame and pity.
"Hehe..." A light chuckle escaped from Eli's mouth.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Eli had bluffed about the High-Level Healing potion... in reality, it was just a concentrated capsicum that literally had the same appearance as Healing Potion.
He was fucking broke now... how could he casually waste something expensive like that? He may be a petty person who would always remember the grudges whatever the amount... but he wasn't an idiot.
"ppeesssss!!" Kayden managed to utter through his suffering.
'Please?' Eli understood the plea, an amusing smile playing on his face.
Seeing Kayden's desperate struggles, Eli decided to compromise slightly, 'I mean it's kind of waste to let him go now...'
"Do you have a Healing Potion?" Eli asked. Even if he has a healing potion he won't use it on others.
Kayden's eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately looked at his missing right hand.
Understanding, Eli beckoned for the scattered limbs on the ground.
"This?" Eli questioned, holding up the severed hand that had two rings on it.
Kayden nodded hastily.
"Hmm?..... Are you engaged?" Eli asked casually before tossing the torn hand aside like garbage.
Kayden nodded again, this time with a sense of embarrassment.
"Hmmm..." A sinister smile crept across Eli's face.
He then produced a Middle-Level Healing potion and held it before Kayden.
Kayden, devoid of any remaining pride, opened his mouth willingly, accepting the potion like a beaten dog.
However, Eli leaned back on the throne and fixed his gaze on Kayden with lustful eyes. He provocatively inquired, "Is your fiance good?"
Kayden, startled for a moment, felt a rush of anger and suspicion. His rational thoughts hastily tried to piece together what Eli was implying. He shot Eli a glare filled with hatred as if he had caught onto the veiled threat.
"TTRRRRRNNNGGG!!"
Observing Kayden's reaction, Eli nonchalantly shattered the healing potion once again, the sound of breaking glass echoing through the arena.
"Answer me, otherwise...." Eli trailed off, wearing a haughty smile that hinted at consequences should Kayden remain silent.
"AAAARRRRRRHHHHHHHH!!" Kayden suddenly felt a sharp pain inside his skull, as if something had violently snapped.
Something went inside his brain!!
'Ting, Ting'
Eli gently tapped another healing potion, ensuring Kayden's attention was fixed on him.
Witnessing the appearance of another healing potion, Kayden's face turned desperate, his eyes locked onto the bottle.
"Is she good?"
"..." Kayden hesitated momentarily, but the threat of Eli breaking the bottle spurred him to nod vigorously.
'Nod, nod, nod, nod..'
Eli slowly brought the potion an inch closer to Kayden.
Eli's voice resonated,
"There was this one kid who was always straightforward, obedient to his parents, respectful to elders and followed the rules... He had a great dream, just like any other kid..."
As the audience watched, the kid-like white figure immersed himself in the carefree play of childhood.
"Even though he was a good boy, he didn't have many friends."
New white figures appeared in the playing area, drawn by the joyous sounds. However, as the boy started cautioning them against various activities, fearing potential injuries like a nagging mother.... the new figures hesitated and gradually moved away.
"For other kids, they found the boy's actions weird. They wanted to play joyfully, bearing some wounds that make childhood memorable....
Yet, The boy seemed to play it safe. Treating everything with seriousness and... Soon, they lost interest and started to play separately."
The playground, once filled with laughter and camaraderie, slowly saw the boy becoming a lone figure under the shade of a tree. The laughter from the other children became distant echoes.
Yet, the boy didn't get discouraged. He continued to play by himself... Although he was alone, he wasn't lonely because there were many people who would love to play with him.
The illusions changed, showing the boy alone in a park while others played outside, their joyful screams a stark contrast to his solitude.....
Suddenly, a carriage fueled by mana hurtled down the road, out of control.
"Seeing an uncontrolled carriage hurling towards the children, a man steps in to save the children. No matter what he tries, he can't stop the carriage as it breaks beyond anything....."
The illusion shifted to show a white man with a frightened expression as if faced with a difficult decision. The terror in his eyes mirrored the impending tragedy....
Eli, still staring at the ring, continued the story.
"The Man left with two choices.....
Either Kills the group of children...
or
Kill only one boy....."
The tension in the air was palpable as if the entire audience held their breath in anticipation of the unfolding story.
Each spectator was inexplicably drawn to the illusion images, their hearts beating in sync with the suspense.
They yearned for the illusion to reveal the next scenes, yet all that lingered was the white man's frightening expression. The atmosphere in the arena became charged with an indescribable energy...
Unable to control their curiosity, someone in the audience shouted, "W-What happened next?"
Eli, still playing with the ring, glanced at the voice's owner..... a small, white-haired girl looking like a Loli... whose eyes sparkled with curiosity.
A sly smile played on Eli's lips as he engaged with the audience. "Why don't you tell your answer if you were in that man's position?" he suggested.
As the illusion transformed the frightened man into the image of the small girl, a hush fell over the audience.
"I-I... I have to save the group of children, right?..." The small girl's voice trailed off, a hint of hesitation evident as if she was reluctant to voice her decision.
"I see..." Eli nodded, acknowledging the small girl's response, and soon, the illusion continued....
The carriage changed its direction and hurtled towards the lone boy, altering the course of fate....
Everything in the illusion shifted, and the girl who saved the children was now hailed as a hero. The families of the children expressed their heartfelt gratitude to her.
News channels, magazines, and social media were everything about the girl who saved the children.
Parents of Children also boasted about the girl's hard work to save.
And then..... it all ended.
The illusion dissipated, leaving the audience in a state of bewilderment.
"..." A peculiar heaviness settled in their hearts, as if they had lost something precious, yet they couldn't grasp what it was.
After a minute of contemplative silence, one audience member spoke up, unable to bear the uncertainty,
"W-What happened to the lone boy?"
"..." Eli didn't answer, his attention absorbed by the golden ring he played with.
"H-Hey?"
"H-Hello?"
"Eli?"
"A-Asher!"
"M-Mr. A-Asher Eli?"
Hearing someone calling his name respectfully, Eli responded without looking at that person,
"What?" he said, his voice holding an air of indifference.
"What happened to the child's family?" the person asked, seeking closure to the.... unfinished tale?
Eli said,
"Well, Your Hero will answer for that!
.....Aren't you Hero?"
"Shut the Fuck Up!!" Kayden roared with a mix of pain, anger, and frustration..... little fear?
"BOOM!!"