011 (1/2)
-Kazuya's POV-
The blinding rays of sunlight seep through the tall rock-like buildings
It strangely contrasts with the chill of the earlyalleyways
At this time of day, you can see a boy with dirty black hair with shout the different paths as if he knows it like the back of his hand
”Come back here, you damn thief!”
Needless to say, that boy was me
I run and run like I always do
Until I run out of breath, no even when that happens, I'll still continue
I mean, there was no other choice, is there?
It's been a harsh life so far for me
Evenone
Before I got dragged here by that woman
In that world, I was known as Tomohiro Kazuya
In this one, Reiten
In my hands is a handful of fruits and bread that I ”borrowed” from that peddler over there
I think I finally shook him off
It's to be expected after all, I've been here for 5 years already
”Ren, you're back!”
Oh yeah, my friends call me Ren
And by friends, I ot to know in these streets
Yes, to be frank, I can call them my only family in this world
”Ah, I'm back Zen!”
This red haired devil(literally) is my best friend, Zenos
Me and the others call his
I hand hi us
When I came to this world, I've been self-aware from the start
So, I knew right away I was born as a baby
But as I was being born, when they saw my hair
They threw me away in an abandoned alleyway
It seeht I was a bastard child since reen
And since they did it right away, I didn't even get the chance to be fed
The result was, I starved for 3 days in that alleyway
Well, it was to the point where I thought I would die
And when all hope was lost, I was saved by a passing old man
He e later called, our foster father
Since these guys were in an orphanage he ran
So for 2 years, I grew up in a home
It wasn't much, but I learned to love it
But all good things come to an end
When the old man died of sickness, our daily lives ended
The orphanage was seized by a corrupt official and ere thrown out into the streets like trash
But I just thanked my lucky stars I could walk at that time
During this time period, we supported each other by any means necessary
Eventually I started doing it too Stealing, pick-pocketing, tricking nobles, beating other kids, and all other things
I'm not proud of it but, if we didn't
We would have died here
And I refuse to die a dog's death at a tender age not even reaching 10 years old
So noere back here
We ate our fill by carefully sharing it a us 8 kids
Yes, eight
We were er before, but now
I try not to think about it
I wonder what I could do to s better every day
The only thing I can do is use this deher specs than a human one
Even though I re a hero, I don't get it
I don't even know about these things because I don't read fantasy stories like these in my old life
I hat they called a ”riajuu” now that I think about it
So I tried to do various experi adults
To see that I had enhanced abilities
The result was, no
Not surprising, I got beaten bruised that day
So, I pass daily life like this waiting for a miracle
I am now 7 years old
Hoish I was back in japan
”Yo, what are you sulking about again, Ren?”
”Oh, nothing, just thinking about the future”
”Haha, don't worry about it When we reach 10 years of age, we'll join the army!”
”What, no I ain't joining the demon lord's army!”
”Then what are you gonna do with that immense power?”
”What ih) anyway, I'll join the traveler's guild to tour the world!”
”You still can't re to travel, we'll all come with you!”
This guy is always saying this
We apparently ”met” when he was 3 years old and I was 2 and a half
But strangely, I don't remember hoe met
He wasn't originally froe
He said he was captured to be a slave from another land he can't remember
Figures, he was a child back then
But he kept saying that I esoe amount of power
”Fine, do what you want We are friends”
”The very best!”
I still don't knohat he meant but I hope I find out soon
The next few years flew by fast
When ere all 10 years old while Zen was 11
We registered at the traveler's guild by using the money we saved
We are now on our way to the next town
When we got out of the gate, we attracted the stares of people
But mostly towards me
And they're keeping their distance
Thanks again hair
We walked on the rocky uneven road for hours until it became sundown
We reach a forest with a clearing inside and stop
”We'll cauys”
”Oh, let's set up the campfire”
”I'll start preparations for dinner”
The dinner was as usual, ood nonetheless
Since the one who cooked it are the twins Risa and Lisa
They both have green hair but different colored eyes
Risa has red eyes and Lisa has yellow
By the way, mine are total black
(sigh) Just like when I was a high school student
But I'lad to have a reliable family
When we finished dinner, they went to sleep while ht watch
It was indispensable to have to have soerous world
And the fact that we are in a forest
A few hours later we heard rustling
Man, I wish I was the one sleeping
”Wake up! It's a pack of demonic wolves!”
Zen shouts to the others to warn the threat
They wake up a few seconds after
”No, did they get attracted to the flame?”
”I think it was the smell of food”
The twin sisters see
Can't blaht now
But I very well know I can't
Even in this hopeless situation
I lock eyes with Zen and we both
NOD
I knew he'd understand
”Run guys, we'll keep them distracted!”
I shout as hard as I can to at least save them from their demise
But alas, my words fall on deaf ears
They aren'tfrom where they are
Almost as if, they were stuck in place
But it uy in front
Yes, that's right
Demon Wolf Leader, the head of their pack
It has a different appearance than the others
The blood-red fur with the golden eyes exuding an overbearing stature of 2 meters
It's twice as big as the whole pack
It's overwhel, more so if we are just newly admitted travelers
I want to run
Is not what I would say!
We both dash towards the beast with daggers in hand
It's no use
Zen got bloay and I have scratches and wounds all over my body
It takes all I have just to even stand
Why did this have to happen?
Why did I even get the delusion to travel