"Huh?" The word escaped Ishiki’s lips as a choked gasp, shock and terror coiling in his gut so tightly he thought he might just cry.
His thoughts raced like a runaway train.
His heart, that traitorous muscle, hammered against his ribs with such brutal force he felt the urge to vomit again. A pointless impulse; he was already empty.
He wanted to laugh.
He wanted to scream.
He wanted to ask what kind of joke had made him the seventh son of an emperor in a world where everyone wanted him dead.
"You Ba-"
Before the words could fully form, a boot slammed into his back. "How dare a dog like you open your mouth in front of the great Shogun?"
Ishiki’s jaw clenched. The older guard stood behind him, a cruel smile twisting his face as he looked down on Ishiki like he was something to be scraped off a boot. Less than an animal, less than dirt.
Ishiki tried to shake him off, but his body betrayed him. So instead, he turned and bit at the man’s leg with a feral desperation.
"Ahhhh!" The guard shrieked, stumbling to the ground, clutching his leg.
Blood ran down his ankle... he looked back with bloodshot eyes.
Ishiki spat a piece of flesh onto his face. "Go eat shit," he grumbled.
’Worth it. Totally worth it. If I die, at least I’m dying with—’
A volley of stones rained down on him before the thought could finish.
The pain was immense—blinding, white-hot agony that should have knocked him unconscious. But his body was already so numb from previous abuse that it barely registered.
’Ow. Ow ow ow. Okay, maybe not worth it. Definitely not worth it!’
He was dragged back to his cell like a sack of garbage. The adrenaline that had fueled his brief rebellion had faded, leaving behind a deep, throbbing ache and now he was regretting his decision, he didn’t feel much pain in the heat of the moment, but now things were rather... unpleasant.
His whole body was a symphony of bruises, he couldn’t even tell where did the stones hit him... not the wrong parts through, he was lying with his stomach down and took the blows to his back.
His eyes twitched as he read the messages that floated in front of him like ads from a certain app.
[Admin 81 has wagered 5000 NC on Death]
[Admin 97 has wagered 8000 NC on Death]
[Admin 77 has wagered 2700 NC on Death]
’Oh good. They’re betting on my death now. How delightful.’
[Admin 97 - I am gonna get rich soon]
[Admin 81 - Lets wait for my 10,000 NC]
[Admin 292 - You are all fools... I will wait for a bit]
[Admin 77 - There is no need to wait, results are as clear as day]
[Admin 70 - I am with 292. Patience is the key]
Apparently a new kind of bet thing had started following the announcement of his execution. These unknown watchers called ’Admins’ were betting if he would survive or die.
And yeah... no one betted on his survival. They would get twice the NC they put if they win. And in the rare occasion that they loose, all of the wagered NC will be rewarded to Ishiki.
Simple economics, right?
’Simple my ass! How am I supposed to survive without a skill? Am I supposed to bite everyone to death? Because I just tried that and it went...uh, not that great!’
He almost cried from the sheer frustration of it all.
"These bastards..." he grumbled, voice barely above a whisper.
"Hey... you!"
Ishiki heard a voice while he was busy looking at the messages. The young guard stood in front of his cell, face twisted with conflicted emotions—guilt, pity, and fear competing for dominance.
He tossed a small pouch through the bars. Fruits and a rice ball tumbled out.
"Here, eat something," the guard murmured, eyes darting around nervously like he expected to be arrested for basic human decency. "And come near the gate so I can give you water."
’This fool,’ Ishiki thought automatically.
But he stopped his thoughts just right there, he was in no shape to deny the generous offering coming from a soft fool who didn’t take warnings.
He crawled to the pouch, his body screaming with every inch. He set it aside and dragged himself to the gate. The guard poured water into his mouth from a distance, not caring that half of it splashed onto the floor.
Ishiki coughed, water dribbling down his chin, but it was the best thing he’d tasted in... he didn’t knew how long.
"Cough... cough..."
Soon, the older guard returned with his leg bandaged. He shot Ishiki a venomous glare before taking his position.
’Just you wait, bastard,’ Ishiki thought, a familiar anger simmering. He had to live. If for no other reason than to wipe that smug look off his face. And to find his mother.
He’d seen people vanish, just like him. She could be one of them. But another thought, a darker one, wormed its way into his mind.
’What if she’s still out there? What if she’s alone?’ In a ruined world, humans were the most vicious of things.
The thought was so repulsive that he slammed his head against the wall, a dull thud echoing in the silence.
The guards stared, their jaws slack. "Is he trying to kill himself?" the older one muttered, fumbling for his keys. "You can’t just die without the execution! Wait for two days!"
Ishiki stared at him. "Why... why the fuck would I wait when I know I will die?"
"No, you will be executed," the guard shot back, as if that made any difference. He fumbled for the loose end of the chain on the ground.
Ishiki looked at him with a strange expression. ’Is he alright in the head? Execution is still dying, moron.’
The guard finally found the chain and pulled Ishiki towards the gate. He went out, closed it, and tied the chain to the bars of the metal door, like a dog’s leash.
Ishiki resented it, but he couldn’t do anything, except glaring at him.
[Admin 91 - Haha... This trial is funny]
[Admin 70 - he is a dog now. Guess that’s it can’t let the opportunity slide]
[Admin 70 has wagered 7,000 NC on death]
The messages won’t just stop appearing. ’Isn’t there a way to shut them up?’
Alas! there wasn’t. He sighed and looked at the ground, thinking of how he would be executed soon.
’It better be painless... or, you know what? No. I don’t want to die. I’m still a virgin, for crying out loud. That’s just sad.’
He focused on the things he knew so far. About what was going on and what he can do.
The trial screen at the beginning said that If he could complete this trial he will be going back to earth. But if he died or failed to complete it, that would mean actual death.
’I have to live. Not just for two days, for however long it takes to finish this nightmare trial and get back to Mom. Back to Earth.’
Ishiki’s fists clenched despite the pain.
’I don’t care what it takes. I’ll bite, I’ll crawl, I’ll beg if I have to. I’ll become the most pathetic, desperate, stubborn bastard prince this world has ever seen.’
’I’m going to survive this. No matter what.’
SHIING!
PIERCE!
THUD!
It happened in an instant. Ishiki looked up, his eyes widening at the horrifying scene. The older guard was on the ground, a pool of blood spreading around his head, an arrow sticking out of it. The young guard was frozen, his face a mask of shock.
Suddenly, the sound of screaming filled the air, faint but undeniable.
Ishiki took in heavy breaths, pulse racing. ’What... what is happening now?’
Part of him wanted to laugh hysterically. The other part wanted to cry.
The guard who’d tormented him was dead. Just like that. Arrow to the head.
’Karma works fast in this world, apparently.’ And yet there was something dangerous coming in motion.