Epic of Caterpillar

[Isaac Gervis Perspective] [Day 38 onward]

[Chapter 56 Human Adventurer Little Brother Perspective]

[Isaac has a small complexion; he is weak and shy. He looks like a younger version of his big brother, with brown hair, however, he possesses golden and blue eyes, resembling dazzling stars]

Since our parents died in that accident, big brother has been taking care of me. He's a very reliable person.

When I was born, I was called to be a "gifted" child… I was born with strange powers that could lead me to greatness.

This is a strange magic that manifests itself as a blinding light, resembling stars. Although I don't possess God's Blessing, everyone said that is very likely that I will become God's apostle.

Hmm… This is rather troublesome; I just want to live together with big brother peacefully…

I don't want to stand out either… I don't like these powers, and what brings to me.

These people, see me with other eyes as if I were an object…

People used to take pieces of my hair while selling them as amulets. My big brother had to intervene so those people stopped doing that, after half a year, I finally had my hair back, as I used to be bald because of this.

Big brother trained diligently every day, gaining strength and techniques until he was finally able to qualify as an adventurer.

When he was given an adventurer card, I have never seen my big brother so happy before. He was full of happiness and cheerfulness, full of hope, and it made me happy too.

Due to my talent in magic, big brother has been trying to help me develop my abilities, but it seems too complicated, as he has no magic affinity at all… But he came out with a solution, two years ago he started taking a lot of quests and saving money until he finally had enough to pay a magic school for me.

This magic school in Orange Town is not a normal one, but the most prestigious of the entire town, where even some of Noble's children attend…

I was overwhelmed by this surprise, and seeing my big brother's expectations about my future, I didn't want to disappoint him.

Since that day, I've set myself on becoming stronger and learning magic, if I can manage to obtain a [Class] like [Mage] or [Wizard], I would be able to become an adventurer too and help alleviate the work that my big brother has to go through to pay the rent and our food.

I've been trying my best these last two years, but trying to mold my magic and conjure spells it's too hard… It gives me headaches and sometimes fever… Perhaps, I am not fitted for this after all…

In these two years, I've only managed to learn two spells, these were [Starlight] and [Fallen Light]. The first one only creates a small amount of light that can last for a day, and the second is a small offensive spell, but it can barely do any damage to the monsters nearby, even a simple blue Slime can tank my attack easily and jump over me.

Because I am overwhelmed with my studies, I have very little time to accompany my brother to hunt and gain levels, but most of the time, he was the one doing all the kills, so the EXP was very little on my side.

Sometimes I think myself as a talentless and hopeless person… This "power" bestowed to me is not more than a lie, its only an illusion. I am not strong… And perhaps, I'll never be…

Day and day, I mold my magic and train diligently, yet… I cannot grasp it, even after studying for days, weeks and months, I cannot understand the magic formulas… It's too hard…

But… I need to keep trying… Because of big brother.

He is counting on me, to get stronger. He has expectations for me… My big brother has done so much for me, and I want to somehow repay his kindness with my efforts…

Even if I can only learn a spell a year while my classmates learn more than twenty, I must keep progressing… I know that someday, even if it takes me years, I will reach that future.

They call me talentless, even magicless. Because I don't have an affinity with any other elements outside of my own. I cannot learn Fire, Ice or Thunder spells…

However, I will show them! Someday… I will make them eat their words… They will stop insulting me and my big brother…

Today, big brother found a special quest that was very rewarding. It seems that there is some commotion going on in Orange Town about monsters being too active on the Grand Forest.

Due to this, the Nobles have put a lot of very rewarding quests so the adventurers can go explore on their place and come back with information.

Although I'm rather worried, my brother was excited about such an opportunity. The amount of money was… very generous. He said that with this money, he won't have to worry about paying my school for an entire year!

Even though I was worried, I couldn't contain my happiness over such an opportunity…

My big brother armed himself with his best equipment and items and said his goodbyes. However, before leaving, he took his lucky pendant, the one he's always carrying everywhere and that he has told me that has helped him to get out of very dangerous situations.

"Don't worry, I will be back soon. It's a pretty easy quest!"

"Big brother… O-Okay! I will prepare a delicious dinner when you're back!"

"Hahaha! I'm counting on that! See ya!"

Big brother opened the door and winked at me with a happy grin while meeting with his party, that was waiting for him outside of our house. He has very reliable people. They are very strong… I hope that they can protect him, he's sometimes a very rash man…

Seeing my big brother pendant, I was filled with easiness. Having his pendant with me its as if he was still here. He has used it so much that his pendant has his aura all impregnated on it, it calms me…

Big brother, I will also do my best! I won't disappoint you!

[A week later]

According to the guild receptionist, big brother should have been already back several days ago… Every time I come here to talk with her, she looks at me with a worried expression, as a cold sweat flow through her forehead…

She said that sometimes, adventurers never come back…

What does that mean? Did big brother… Die?

"B-But how?! He can't die… He's big brother… Big brother is strong, and he got a team too!"

The receptionist looked at me with a deeply depressed expression, she was as sad as me…

"I-I'm so sorry, little one… That's how things… are… An adventurer is always risking his life with every quest… That's the job that your big brother took…"

"B-But! Big… Brother…"

I have never felt this empty in my life… This grievance… This sadness… It feels as if the entire world is crumbling before me.

Big brother… Was just alive some days ago… I saw him being alive… He was breathing and talking to me… I even remember his voice, his happy expression… His smile…

I could have prevented this… If I only told him to stay with me… That it could be some kind of trap… That it was too good to be true…

I should have done something instead of staring as he walked away… away from me… and away from my life…

Will I never see him again? Big brother…

Why is life like this?

What's the point of living then?

I was living because of him! Because of his expectations… I was doing my best…

Even when I was talentless… It was for him, to see him happy! To fulfill his expectations!

I wanted you to see me become what I promised to you… Someone great…

Life is so fragile… Even my big brother, who was always so strong… I never thought…

I never thought that he would die someday…

Why?

Why?!

Why did you leave me alone, big brother?! Didn't you know that I would miss you so much?!

Couldn't you guess that, you hothead?!

Oohh… Big brother… Big brother…

There is no point in anything now… Why should I even live? I don't have anything anymore…

No one… I'm alone…

I'm empty…

[Several days later]

Since big brother died, I didn't have any money… I couldn't pay the rent, neither the school, so I was cast off…

I began to live on the streets, beneath the trash… I have experienced things… That someone should never experience in their entire lives…

Sometimes the hunger was so much… That anything would do…

Eating discomposed food, and even living rats… The trash that these rich people threw… Everything did…

Big brother… Why did you leave me alone…? I am nothing alone…

Sometimes I would be so hungry, that I would try to steal, but I am weak compared to other kids, my complexion is small and non-muscular… I can't run fast, neither resist the hits of others.

These old men… They always hit me with so much strength… With so much hatred…

Why do they vent their hatred and frustrations on me?

Don't they understand that I just wanted a little piece of what they have plentiful?

I just wanted to live another day…

As these old men ravaged my body, my bones were able to resist somehow, but my wounds were severe… Every day, I would gain new wounds…

My magic cannot heal… I can barely do anything on my own… I'm helpless…

Perhaps because I am young and still growing, these wounds would quickly heal after some days…

On a morning, a strange system notification appeared…

This accursed system, it seems that it's mocking my existence. People say that this system is a blessed gift from the gods, but what power can it give to me? Nothing…

It's only a reminder of how weak and pathetic I am and nothing more…

[Certain conditions have been accomplished]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Pain Reduction]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Hardened Skin]

Huh?

A… skill?

Since I was born, I've only had four skills… All these years, and you mock me with this? After being beaten to death multiple times, this is how this glorious divine gift rewards me?

What a joke…

I suppose… My life is a joke, isn't it?

It must be… Some comedy that these accursed gods see to have a quick laugh… If gods exist, I wish I could kill them all…

This is their fault… That my life is like this… Their destiny… The accursed fate!

And those monsters… Those damned monsters on the Grand Forest… Whatever killed my big brother and ruined my life… It will pay… All of them… Someday… I will burn that place to the ground!

Mark my words, destiny… Fate… Whoever is watching my life, whoever is mocking my existence…

Mark my fucking words!

After eating whatever I found, I kept on living… My body somehow adapts to this situation, but I don't know if my mind can adapt to this…

[Several days later]

Today, because I managed to eat some rotten fruits that I found in the trash, I have some energy.

After seeing how the system works, I thought about something ridiculous.

If the system rewards me for whatever hardships I put my body on, can I somehow abuse it? Doing intentionally these things…

I spend the last three days doing various exercises, going over my own limits until I couldn't keep going anymore… Thanks to [Lesser Pain Reduction] I can keep on exercising and ignore the pain a little bit more…

And now… these are the results…

[Certain conditions have been accomplished]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Enhanced Leg Strength]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Stamina Consumption Reduction]

[You gained +3 Speed]

What is this?

Really… Just what is this? I don't remember the system never rewarding me for anything before!

Every time I trained… It never gave me anything back!

I thought I was talentless… That my body was weak, perhaps because I never trained it… I never knew this potential…

With this newfound strength, I was able to steal faster and hide myself swifter. The orphan kids around me began to look me with new eyes and started to integrate me into their group.

As I kept stealing and hiding with efficiency, more skills appeared through the days, and my body slowly began to gain a new surging strength.

[Certain conditions have been acomplished]

[You obtained a new Class: [Thief]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Enhanced Thievery]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Hiding]

[You learned the skill [Sneak]

[You gained +3 Strength]

[You gained +5 Speed]

How can I keep obtaining strength by doing such unrightful things? Things that I never thought I would do…

And these kids, keep coming closer to me. As if something on me was attracting them…

I gave them food, and they became friendly to me. They showed me their hideout and I met others like them. Kids which parents died as adventurers or starved to death…

To think that there are so many in my same situation... This town… this kingdom, to let so many kids wonder on the streets, starving to death…

This whole place is rotten to the core… Those happy smiles, those nice mannerisms, all a lie!

All these people lack any kind of empathy for the unlucky! They are the truest trash! The ones that should be killed and treated bad instead!

I took all these kids by my side, and trained them… Well, I don't know how to train them, I just told them to do exercises. Perhaps, they can obtain what I have gotten by doing the same as me?

At least, I have a small shelter where I can sleep without passing through those horribly cold nights…

These last days, the older kids tried to attack me, and steal my food. I fought for my life.

It seems that they only wanted me because I bring food… They kicked me until I couldn't move anymore… The strength I gained was not enough to beat five older kids…

I laid on the ground while bleeding and barely being able to breathe…

When I woke up, they would order me to go steal for more food or they would beat me to near death once again…

I had to do it… However, sometimes I would eat on my own, and they would find out, beating me to almost die every night…

How did things become worse? Was I… Too naive?

[Certain conditions have been acomplished]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Pain Resistance]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Bleeding Reduction]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Hardened Muscles]

[You learned the skill [Sturdy Bones]

Hahaha… More of these useless skills, they barely make any difference…

[You gained +4 Defense]

Hm?

[Several days later]

The older kids have been keeping abusing of my abilities to their advantages and I have never had enough courage to confront them.

They have numbers and I am alone; no other kid wants to help me out as they see me with disgust.

Those glares… Those glares are the same that those old men give me when they beat me almost to death on the streets…

I have obtained a rusted knife on the trash some days ago, and since then I have been using it in various ways, in the hopes of obtaining some kind of skill.

After five days of slashing and stabbing the walls, I obtained something.

[Certain conditions have been acomplished]

[You learned the skill [Knife Technique: Savage Stab]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Increased Slashing Power]

Its time…

They will take… What they deserve…

All of them… Will pay…

[Some days later]

In this night, I finally did it.

I used my skills [Lesser Hiding] and [Sneaking], the same ones that I use to steal the fruits and bread, and stabbed each older kid on their sleep.

I covered their mouths with some robes and stabbed them on the back of their neck, through their spine. Most of them died instantly. The several abilities that hardened my skin and muscles also served to increase my strength.

Death… This was the first time I have killed someone.

Taking a life… Why I don't feel any remorse? I… What have I become?

I was enveloped on my rage, and without doubt, I stabbed their necks, one by one…

The funniest part is that the system somewhat rewarded me.

[You gained 50000 EXP]

[You gained 15 levels]

[All your stats have increased]

[Certain conditions have been acomplished]

[You obtained a new Class: [Novice Assassin]

[You learned the skill [Lesser Assassination]

[You learned the skill [Deviant Life Perception]

[Certain conditions have been acomplished]

[You obtained a new Class: [Starlight Mage Pupil]

[You learned the skill [Magic Affinity]

[You learned the skill [Heavenly Starlight Magic: Star Ocean's Ray]

For the first time for four years, I leveled.

After reaching level ten, I obtained two skills completely unrelated to what I have done. [Magic Affinity] and [Heavenly Starlight Magic: Star Ocean's Ray]. Aside from this, I finally obtained a Mage Class…

So, I had to… Level up? That was it?!

From the start… What I only needed to do is leveling up?

Those two years wasting my life on that damned school, filled with delusional imbeciles and I only needed to level up?

What kind of accursed world is this?

Why was such an essential thing hidden beneath a system mechanic?!

Perhaps… Perhaps if I leveled sooner… If I tried harder to kill those monsters outside of town… I would have been able to save big brother…

All of this is my fault…

My ignorance and my stupidity… My naivety…

Big brother… I'm sorry…

It's all my fault…