Friend.

… what a beautiful word... isn’t it?

I have read many novels and even watched lot movies on TV.

Scenes where friends felt for each other, trusted each other and supported each other.

If anyone was in danger the others wouldn't hesitate to offer their lives.

Even phrases like… ‘Don’t lose hope, we are here with you!’ and ‘we could do this as long as we're together so don't give up!’ would appear, calling it the so called ‘Power of Friendship and Love’ to portray their unbreakable bonds.

… Wasn’t it wonderful?

For better or for worse… that should be the case…

I used to think like that too.

When the world started its end and humanity faced its true extinction, I desperately tried to survive and fought bravely. And because of that, I have met many people that I can call friends and comrades.

Together we fought while leaving our backs to each other. The laughter, the tears, the intense fight… all of these, I shared with them.

Because of that, I thought that even if the world ends today or even tomorrow, I would be satisfied.

Because I wasn’t alone.

Because I met them…

But boy, I was so wrong …

“Why Celty? Why did you do this?”

I asked as I took a few steps forward but could only walk up until the 4th step. In front of me was a sparkling, golden grid, blocking my way.

…that’s right!

I was inside of a huge dome like prison… more precisely a golden cage, like those for an animal or a pet.

“Allen…” The golden haired girl standing outside the cage looked at me smiling. “The world has ended… the humanity lost. We, no, you can’t do anything anymore… God has abandoned us …”

God has abandoned us. These words struck me as if I was stabbed in the heart.

“No!” I denied strongly. “If you, if all of us worked together just like before then maybe…”

I know. I sounded like an idiot or even a naïve fool. But that was fine, I was desperate… I might as well become an idiot than to believe that the world truly ended… that humanity lost and was starting to become extinct.

“…yet you, Daniel, Yoyo, Bernard and Maria betrayed us! You even killed our friends!! Why Celty!!? I trusted you! I trusted all of you!!”

… She is, no... she was my friend. A cheerful American blonde girl who I met in one of my journeys.

The girl standing in front of my cage while looking at me happily was my very, very close friend. And yet…

… she betrayed me. She betrayed all of us…

--- ---

It was about three days ago.

Me, Celty, Alma, Mark, Daniel, Mia, Keneth, Yoyo, Bernard and Maria. Us ten were called the ten kings, known to be the strongest in the [ Dawn Alliance ]; the last hope of humanity.

But then one day, Daniel, Mark, Yoyo, Bernard, and Maria suddenly betrayed us and killed the others.

I learned about this and was truly enraged, but I know that I wouldn’t be able to do anything against them alone. I can’t defeat them just by myself.

I wanted revenge and so, I went to Celty to ask for her help and hunt the traitors…

And then it happened.

In her room, she gave me a drink to calm me down. I never doubted her even once and so I drink without hesitation and doubt.

The result, I lost my consciousness and then the next day, the next day… I woke up inside this golden cage.

I was shocked, but even an idiot would realize what happened, much less I’m not an idiot.

… Celty, my trusted friend… betrayed me.

--- ---

“Allen… do you really think that we could win? That humanity could win against those monsters?” Celty asked me. Her eyes were filled with deep sorrow and sadness.

“Of… ―”

―course. That was what I had intended to say, but those words were caught in my throat and never came out.

I’m not stupid, although I was crowned as the [ Beast King ], the same with the others, that title was nothing but an advertisement to raise the humanity’s morale and spirit.

That title was only there to give people; the survivors hope through us!

And in fact, our abilities are only limited. We could only fight knight class monsters and below. Although not impossible, beyond that was already too much to ask.

That was how terrifying those monsters were.

And so I couldn’t find any words to refute her claims. Even though I don’t want to admit it, she was right.

“… Besides, do you really think that the people you trusted were all good people?”

“?”

“I don’t know why Daniel and the others decided to become the demon king’s servant but, do you really think you can trust Mia and Keneth?”

“Wh-What… what are you talking about?” A foreboding feeling rose inside of me.

‘Stop!’ something inside of me screamed. ‘Don’t listen!’

No. I wanted to cover my ears … but I was too late.

“… Mia will kill you someday and I think you know the reason to it.”

Ah! I knew it…

A very long story. Although I wanted to set it aside for now because of the war, still it remains the fact that I killed her brother.

I know that and it haunted me all this time. I always thought that I was ready to take her retaliation, her revenge… but not now. Not until I’m sure we’ve won this war.

Besides, Mia was my friend. No matter what reason I have, I still stole her one and remaining family and that is something unforgivable.

In fact, Mia already told me before that she would kill me once all of this ends. The debt I have, I would surely pay all of it.

I have already accepted it!

And so, her killing me wasn’t something that I would care. It was, after all, the result of my unforgivable sin.

What’s more important was the other one…

“…And as for Keneth, he has already betrayed the alliance a long, long time ago…”

“Wh-what do you mean? Betray…? No way! He’s our friend!!”

“Friend?!” Celty raised her voice. Her tone was filled with intense hatred.

“Keneth betrayed us!!”

“!?”

“Do you still remember the sudden attacked on our Head Quarters a few months ago? We almost died back then and worst, more than a thousand people; including our friends, our families, and loved ones… all of them died. And this was all because of him!”

“Keneth told the enemies our location for what? All for him to become one of them! To become a king when the demons successfully conquered the whole world!”

“That’s… a lie… that’s impossible…” I couldn’t believe what I just heard. My mind short circuited.

All I could do was muttered ‘Impossible’ all over again, like a broken radio.

I’m pretty sure I surely look like an idiot at this moment.

No. that can’t be. It was impossible to think that Keneth would do something so stupid and unforgivable like ‘betraying us’.

In my memory, Keneth was a good guy… most of all he was kind, gentle, cool and fun to be with…

I tried to deny it by thinking that maybe Celty just wants to confuse me and that she lies to me in order for me to lose heart…

… Maybe this was just me trying to escape from reality, but sadly the reality was too strong.

“Whether you believe it or not, that is the truth…” No feelings could be detected in her smile. She looked like she was happy, and yet mocking, depressed, yet amused. All sorts of emotions were mixed together.

And so, the hope of it being a lie was crushed in an instant.

Brutally crushed as if it was a cockroach overrun by a bulldozer. No matter how much I wish that it was still alive, it was already futile.

“… yeah, I’m not lying. I learned this from the insect queen herself the moment I became her servant… maybe that was also why Daniel killed him. Just so you know, Daniel’s girlfriend, Lim, died in that attack…”

I could feel Celty’s gaze on me as I looked down on the cemented floor while kneeling.

Pity? Sympathy? I don’t know what feelings those eyes contained, but I only know one thing. It hurts too much.

“… You don’t need to worry. I won’t care even if you hate me and call me a traitor. Betrayal is deep rooted within humanity… or maybe it’s what you call the chain of life. All living things make use of each other in one way or another…

Besides, when the world falls apart, Ethics would certainly crumble, and only the drive to survive would be left.

And I believe it is our instinct to do so.”

“… …”

“… so you better choose which side you put your bet on. And remember, I don’t care if you choose the wrong one, I will keep you here until you made the right choice…”

As she finished saying those words, Celty left.

I was left there, looking blankly like an idiot. I wanted to cry but there are no tears coming out.

I felt such shock… it was like the world I was on was crumbling apart.

Friends? Comrades? Just what the heck have I believed all this time?

I was absorbed in the aftershock of this freaking reality, slowly closing my eyes.

The color of despair clouded my vision. I felt that all I had done up till now was completely destroyed by this one strike.

“Lime…” I called. In a short while, a small fist size, black colored thing with a jelly-like body flowed inside my shirt.

It was a small creature called slime. A rare dual attribute poison-metal slime. This was my trump card that not even the ten kings, including Celty, know of its existence.

It accompanied me ever since I’ve started my journey. And now, I’m giving its last order…

And that was…

“Kill me…”

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