SEN

“Sen, let’s go; we’ll be late!”

Under the warm sun, lush green grass ruffled. Yuzuru called out, waving from afar. Sen clenched his bag, walking slowly. He heard fast steps rushing his way and was smacked on his back.

“Mai, can you please not do that?”

“No way, it’s fun…” She laughed.

Sen quickly turned; with a smile, he ran back and joined Nami, who was playing on her phone.

“Nami, morning…”

Without looking at him, she nodded, chewing on a poky stick.

“Your phone will be confiscated again.” Sen glanced at the screen.

Nami pouted and looked at him. “But this game is—“

“Full of hot anime boys…I know.”

“This one is full of yandere boys…”

Sen sighed; suddenly Yuzuru snatched Nami’s phone and ran away.

“AHHHHHHH!” Nami screamed, running behind him.

Sen took a step forward but stayed behind, smiling faintly.

I am Sen.
I am acceptable at studies.

What's your grade, Sen?
An A+
Not only is he good at sports, but his grades are always great too
Mhmm…

I am well-behaved.
I never mess up……

Yuzuru learn a thing or two from Sen
He is such a good kid

I try my best not to show my interests around much
because if I do….

Quit wasting your time by watching anime all the time

Time?
What time?

SEN!
SEN!
STAY WITH US
We are losing this one too
Both of the girls died.
It’s all that kid’s fault
Sen!

What, kid…what happened…am I dying?
I wish I was more confident and expressive
and lived my life doing what I wanted

I wish….

“Ahhhhhh you are one of the new pee-o-pal.” Dacoria seized Sen’s face, squeezing his cheeks.

“Can you let go of me?” Sen grabbed Dacoria’s wrists. But Dacoria only tightened. If I push harder, I might hurt him.

Dacoria pulled away. “I am Dacoria; you can call me Dac.”

I came to this world
And became part of these so-called elite fighters
Called Star Awesome
I was told a lot
But I thought I had seen enough anime to figure things out here
But
I think I missed one….

I was given some power, which I don’t even remember….

“If you train hard, you will see your powers blossom.” Amanda smiled.

Sen glanced at his friends and back at Amanda. “P-princess…”

“Amanda…you can drop the honorifics.” She waved her hand.

“R-right, A-Amanda… Um, earlier you said we all died… but I don’t remember.”

“Me neither.” Yuzuru almost yelled.

Nami and Mai shook their heads. “Not even us.”

“It’s fine, that happens, don’t worry…” Amanda smiled. “This is a new start, and you guys will love it here.”

They left the potion room while Sen stayed behind. He lowered his gaze. “Amanda…I-I think it’s weird, but I don’t care that I died nor that I am here…”Is that normal?” He clenched his chest, slightly stooping over, and covered his mouth.
She must think I am weird

She pressed her lips and squeezed a smile. Sen quickly turned to leave.

“Two things come to mind.”

She answered me…she didn’t tell me I was being weird.

She continued. “Either it’s a mind manipulation spell, or it’s a side effect of dimension cross.”

Side effect?

“You are the first to ask about this… “Aren’t you a clever one?” Amanda walked out.

Sen blushed and looked at the floor. “T-thank you.”

As she said, I tried to train my powers

“What are you doing!?” Dacoria laughed, standing at the training room’s entrance.

“I am training.” Sen looked at the small powerball. “Look, kid.”

The power ball in his hand began vibrating and disappeared. Sen made one again, and it disappeared too. “Why can’t I make a stable one...?”

Dacoria walked up to him, trying to stifle a laugh. “Shen—“

“My name is Sen…”

“That’s what I shaid, SHEN!”

“So you can’t say ‘S’…but I heard you say ‘Star Awesome’ correctly…”

Dacoria went blank, staring at his feet. “I can talk okay, but shum timez thish happen…”

“Or you do this purposely to look funny.” Sen smirked and turned to his training.

“You know, Sen, I absorbed the power ball you made.” Dacoria smiled, narrowing his eyes.

“So you can absorb manoid…” Sen got up from the floor to leave.

Dacoria raised his hand; a light flashed from his palm, blasting a hole in the roof.

Amongst the 14 before me.
A mere 10 years old…beaten by his uncle… and died of starvation
Is the strongest person here?
Well, not the only one…

At one tournament, I met the other three fifth-grade power users

“So you’re also a fifth-grade power user?” Sen looking at Philomena’s wings.

“Yes, along with Damian and Shar.” She pointed at a glaring Damian.

“I wanna kill Sen!” Damian growled.

“Damian, killing isn’t good.” Philomena poked his cheek; his face flushed bright red.
Oh, so he likes her.

“Damian, say sorry.” She smiled

“Sorry!” he yelled, walking away.
She even got control over him.

“Hey pretty boi, wanna date me?” Shar slipped his arm around Sen’s.
I know this is a boy.

Philomena mind-contacted: Tell Shar he’s pretty, but also tell him you like someone else.

“I think you’re pretty, but I like someone else.” Sen’s mouth twitched.

Shar grabbed his face, pulling him closer. “I know… ‘That someone’ is me…”

WHAT DID SHE GET ME INTO?

“It’s a no, and I’m a boy.” Shar caressed his face and then flapped his hair onto Sen’s face. Laughter erupted from Dacoria and Damian.

“That didn’t work well,” Sen looked at Philomena

“This is better than what was coming.” Philomena patted him.

In that fight, most of us died except those weirdoes.
Cross-dressing idiot, fairy who can’t kill, stupid kid in love and that Dacoria
They won….

There was one thing that somewhat bugged me
how the people of this world took advantage of our immortality
we are branded as elite warriors…we partake in wars
despite being awfully weak
the reason….our immortality….they know we won’t die
but their men would…so they send us
That’s one thing…but the fighting tournaments are immoral
for their own entertainment…they make us fight each other to death

But honestly I was too accepting of this…..
So I preferred getting stronger

No matter how much I trained, I never reached their level….
continued being ridiculed as a weakling
I wasn’t used to losing

Then came a peculiar fight against the demon land.

“Sen, I’m scared!” Yuzuru clutched his shirt. The demons closed in, swearing to torture them.

Mai hid behind Sen. “Where are those stronger members…”

Sen looked around.
What do I do?
They look so scary….. I-I don’t want them to hurt us

He noticed Mai’s trembling hands and Yuzuru’s pale face.
I don’t want them to be hurt.....
I have killed in a fighting tournament before.....

“I’m killing you… See you after we come back.”

2 tortures
killing my friends… and the demons’ torture
But at least Yuzuru and Mai didn’t have to face this

“Nice thinking.” Amanda stood near his room’s window.

He lay in bed, eyes half-open as she touched his forehead. “I’m sorry I was late. Should wipe your memory?”

“N-no.” He turned to the wall. “Leave me alone.”

“Oh… sorry.” She pressed her hand away, leaving the room.

He gripped his head, curling up, clutching the blanket. Tears dripped out as he drifted into sleep.

Someone touched his head. He shot up, drenched in sweat. Dacoria rubbed his hair, swinging his feet. “You good?”

“Y-yes…”

“You have lots of water on your bed.”

“That’s sweat.”

“U-ummm…”

“What is it?”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve helped but wasn’t there.”

“It’s okay—”

“I shouldn’t have left weaker ones alone.”

*SNAP*

I took torture and killed my friends, and I’m still called weak by this brat who can’t even say ‘sweat’.

Sen rose, grabbed Dacoria’s arm, and pinned him to the bedside.

Dacoria’s eyes widened, his face pale; suddenly his chest rose, and a tentacle popped out, aimed at Sen.
But Sen didn’t let go. Dacoria tried to pull away but was no match for Sen’s strength.

A mere 10 years old.
Sen sighed, letting him go. Dacoria dashed to the door, sticking his tongue out before leaving.

Sen chuckled, leaning against the bed.

Sen left his room for dinner, strolling to the lounge. His heart raced with each step. The dining table fell silent. He glanced at Yuzuru’s empty seat, deciding to leave when someone grabbed his arm, pulling him into a hug.

“I was so worried.” Yuzuru cried.

Sen’s arm rose hesitantly. “Aren’t you mad?”

“I know you did it for us. We are only thankful.”

Later in the garden, he leaned against a tree, wiping sweat. Torture scenes flashed; he knelt down, vomiting.

Should I ask Amanda to wipe my memory?
What if I forget my previous life?
I don’t want to forget

“Hey kid, you okay?” Nandru knelt, rubbing Sen’s back.

“I-I’m okay…” He tried to stand but collapsed back.

“I wanted to talk. Why not try psychotherapy?”

“Do I look crazy to you!?” Sen’s eye twitched. “Psychotherapy’s for crazy people. I’m not crazy. Others will laugh.” He moved away.

“Why would anyone judge you?”

“NO, I’M NOT CRAZY!” He rubbed his head.

Nandru smirked. He comes from a place where therapy’s frowned upon. “Then try this.” He handed him a leaflet.

“What’s this?”

“A medicine to heal everything.”

I took that medicine knowing it was drugs
But I didn’t want to share my problems.
I didn’t want to be degraded.
My parents wouldn’t have liked the crazy-therapy either.
Drugs worked.