Chapter 4: Chapter 04: The Best Act

When Leon woke up, he wondered why he was still alive.

Why was he still breathing?

Why had he failed to pass once more?

But he quickly found his answer when glancing at the figure laying next to him.

'Stupid protagonist,'

He slowly sat up to observe his surroundings.

They were surrounded by miles of forests and vines. The trees were extremely tall and large. You can barely even see the sky above. The sound of wind was hollow and echoed throughout the area. The flow of mana was even different around here.

It makes you feel tiny.

Leon concluded that they must be far from the book's original setting.

Sighing, he shoved the protagonist's arm off him and slowly went to stand up.

This world favors the protagonist. So while the protagonist is unconscious, he should make his getaway and quietly take his own life.

As such, he left the protagonist behind and began walking to who knows where, contemplating on how he should die.

Maybe a quick stab to the throat?

Oh . . . he doesn't have any weapons on him though.

Maybe he should strike himself with lighting?

Just because he's close combat fighter doesn't necessarily mean that he can't cast a few magic spells. But then again, his magic ability wasn't that good to begin with. If anything, he would end up waking the protagonist instead.

Maybe he should poison himself?

That seemed like a nice option. He was in an unknown forest. There should be plenty of poisonous plants somewhere around here.

With his decision made, he went around looking for things to eat.

He ate mushrooms. Mushrooms were usually poisonous.

But nothing happened.

He ate berries. The red ones are usually dangerous, he's sure.

Also nothing.

He ate flowers. You never know, they could kill you.

Unfortunately, nothing.

This world must be fighting against him.

How had he not stumble across a single poison yet?

How has he failed to die this many times already?

Don't people usually struggle to live, why is trying to die also a struggle?

This must be a curse from the world.

Just as he thought that, a glitter of light caught his eye.

There rest a beautiful blossom sparkling under a singular beam of light.

It literally screamed, come pick me up.

Obviously, how could Leon refuse?

This trap may be the answer to ending his life.

Maybe he was wrong about the world after all?

Maybe the world was just leading him here?

And just as he was a couple feet away, he was forcefully yanked backwards.

"What are you doing?"

He groaned, of course it was the protagonist.

As he thought, this world was definitely fighting against him.

"Ehehehe," Leon laughed innocently, "Just admiring the pretty flower,"

"Stop admiring," Rey dragged Leon away by the shirt, "Talk,"

"Talk?" Leon 'innocently' wondered, "Talk 'bout what?"

Rey threw him across the ground.

"You know exactly what," Rey glowered, "Explain to me right now,"

". . . . Uhh . . . explain wha-"

SLAP!

"Stop f*cking with me and explain now,"

Rey's eyes glowed red. A signature feature of his demon origins. They only glow red whenever his emotions are high.

". . . What is there to explain?" Leon glanced away, "It's exactly as you saw,"

With trembling fists and eyes burning red, Rey yanked him by the shirt and forced Leon to look at him.

"Then why, Leon?! Why?! What happened in those few months when I was gone?! What could have possibly happen to make you want to kill yourself?!"

Leon only stare at Rey nonchalantly.

Silence.

All Rey could see was the lifeless eyes of his best friend.

It ticked him off.

So, he slapped Leon again, hoping it'll take that look off his face.

"Say something!"

"Look, I'm sorry," Leon joked proudly, "I just slipped a second time-"

SLAP!

It definitely hurt, but Leon couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

The thing about the protagonist is that he slap those he cares about and punches those he doesn't. Leon hopes the protagonist will start punching him soon, because this slapping session is starting to make him laugh.

"You think this is funny?"

Honestly, no. Leon doesn't think this is funny at all. He genuinely does want to end his life.

"Leon, stop playing around and talk to me. What happened in those few months?"

Seeing the deeper color of red in the protagonist's eyes, Leon suddenly had an eye-opening realization.

This is the protagonist!

A protagonist can't just lose his best friend of ten years in a simple manner, no wonder the world was against him dying peacefully!

He needs to break their friendship!

And not just in a simple way, but as dramatic as possible!

As the loyal best friend, he must die protecting the protagonist till his last breath, only then will the world be satisfied!

Blessed with this revelation, Leon had set his plan in stone.

"Leon-"

"-It's none of your business," Leon glared, staring straight into the protagonist's eyes.

Shocked, and a little hurt, Rey was almost lost for words.

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". . . . None of my business?"

Rey was quiet, but you can feel the rage fuming behind each word.

"My friend of ten years is trying to kill himself and you're telling me it's none of my business? Don't make me laugh, Leon. You know better than anyone else what happens when you tick me off,"

"Oh, I am so scared," Leon taunted dramatically.

Oh yes.

Leon does know better than anyone else.

The protagonist truly, and will always, help those around him. Telling him to back off will only make the protagonist want to help more. But that's not the point, he has to make sure the protagonist will say something he doesn't mean.

What else could be more dramatic than the protagonist regretting his last words to his dear best friend?!

Which is why Leon just has to tick the protagonist off.

This slapping session will soon become a sudden scene of death!

But not just any kind of death,

A heroic death by self-sacrifice!

Leon knows the protagonist is barely keeping it together already.

You can tell just by looking at the protagonist's glowing red eyes.

He's sure the protagonist is disoriented from witnessing his loyal, jolly friend of ten years committing suicide, not once, but twice!

And that same best friend had just denied help from him like a total stranger!

Furthermore, he's in an unknown land with possible danger creeping at every corner. Doubled with the fact that he's also extremely low on mana right now, an easy prey for anyone to attack.

In fact, the protagonist can't even tell that surrounding them in the darkness are no other than a family of Shadow Wolves.

Leon knows that.

He knows that, which is why he knows that this is the perfect moment for a heroic act of self-sacrifice!

The best way for the protagonist to part ways with his dear best friend!!

His last words something he could never take back!!!

It was a brilliant idea!

Phenomenal!

He should've done this from the beginning!

"-LEON!"

A voice seem to distract him from his thoughts.

Shit.

It was then that Leon had realized he had been laughing hysterically this whole time.

He couldn't control this whole new revelation of his and it was seeping through to his body.

"Leon," Rey frown, his red eyes dimming back to black, "You need help,"

. . . .

No.

It's all going wrong.

He had messed up.

Failed before he even tried.

Curse this world.

CURSE THIS WORLD!

With swift move of his arm, Leon reached towards the sky and casted a spell.

"Lightning rain down,"

Usually, you would need to chant an entire sentence or two to cast a spell. However, Leon is the protagonist's best friend. If the protagonist can cast spells with absolutely no words, then Leon could only fall a step behind. Just saying a few words will do.

As if the sky had answered him, lightning had struck.

How unfortunate that he failed to strike himself, but it served it's purpose.

It was used as a signal to startle the Shadow Wolves into attacking.

Like its name, these wolves travel through shadows as they make their attack. Inside this dense forest with almost no light, it was obvious who were at the disadvantage.

Rey unsheathed his sword and struck down the incoming enemies.

He may be low on mana, but that doesn't mean this sword had lost its purpose. It will continue to cut through anything evil or cursed. In fact, this sword deems anything with dark energy its enemies. So, even if someone happened to be a kind person, as long as they wield the powers of darkness in their veins, the sword will strike them down.

Rey easily fought his way through, protecting Leon at the same time.

"You bastard!" Rey yelled, "You're trying to get both of us killed!"

'No, just me. You'll be fine. You're the protagonist,'

Leon sat down amidst the chaos, relaxed.

He closed his eyes and breathed a sigh.

Now, all he has to do is wait.

Eventually, the protagonist will stumble and . . . .

The protagonist . . . . will stumble . . . .

Leon stood back up.

He glanced at the protagonist defending him.

And he sprinted.

"Rey!" he yelled loud and frantically, "Behind you!"

Hearing Leon's voice, Rey swiftly turned around and slashed at whatever that was there. He was met with empty air. Baffled for only a second, he immediately turned back around only to be kicked with bone-crushing power. He gasped for breath, feeling a crack in his ribs.

Leon stood before him once again, trying to take his own life.

The Shadow Wolf had it's jaws wide open and Leon welcomed it with open arms.

Not wasting even a second, Rey pushed forward, using power he didn't even know he still had. He could feel blood rising to his mouth. His mana was already low, he must've gone over his limit and caused another backlash.

Nonetheless, Rey made it.

He pulled Leon back behind him.

His sword aimed forward and stabbed into the heart of the wolf.

But his shoulder was now a bloody mess, throbbing in pain.

He must've killed the leader of the wolves, seeing how the rest fled.

Biting back his pain, he turned towards Leon.

Leon was sitting on the ground staring at him, listlessly.

It pissed Rey off.

So, he punched Leon with all the strength his could muster, knocking him out.

Then, he broke Leon's leg. Or tried to at least.

This was because Rey could feel himself losing consciousness. So he did the only thing he could think of to make sure that Leon will still be there when he wakes up.

And then he dropped beside Leon, darkness filling his eyes.

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