Life Number 0-Chapter 43: Unnamed

It wasn’t a scream.

Not his scream, at least.

It was a sound echoing in his mind, strange yet familiar in a way that stirred terror. The resonance was deep, as if it were an extension of an ancient voice, a voice that no longer belonged to him.

He opened his eyes suddenly, a cold gasp escaping his lips, his body jerking under the weight of shock. He was lying on the ground, his back pressed against cold, hard stones, the smell of ash filling his nostrils. Faint fires danced in the corners of a stone cell, casting long, twisting shadows that seemed like lurking ghosts.

Then came the whispers.

"Finally... it’s Zero."

The words were spoken, but he wasn’t sure... Was that his voice? Or was it the echo of something older?

He raised his hand slowly, his eyes focusing on his skin. On his left forearm, there it was—the number "0," glowing faintly red, warm to the touch, as if branded into his flesh.

And in that moment, the memories began to flood in.

100 lives... and now, no more.

Life 100: He was a great king, fighting to the death in a battle that had no end but destruction.

Life 99: He was a scientist, discovering a way to create artificial meat, only to die from the toxicity of his own creation.

Life 75: He was an assassin, his life ending in a narrow alley, short-lived.

Life 50: He was a holy knight, ending up crucified as a traitor.

Life 10: He was a slave, hanged in front of the woman he loved.

And then... Life 1.

It stopped.

Hazy. Blurred. His mind searched for it, but he couldn’t reach it.

"You’re awake, then? Your turn is coming soon." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

A deep voice rang out in the cell. It was booming, rough, as if its owner was accustomed to giving orders without expecting objections.

He lifted his head slowly, his eyes adjusting to the faint orange light. In front of him stood a grotesque ogre, greenish-black skin, broad-shouldered, with a swollen face.

He stared at it for a moment, then asked in a hoarse, tired voice:

"My turn?"

"You’ll fight now. It’s your second match. I don’t want any more delays from you."

"Fight?"

Part of him didn’t understand the concept, while another part... a deeper part... pulsed with a strange anticipation.

"Oh yes... it’s the fight... it is."

He whispered the words as if savoring them.

His face paled... and yet, his lips twisted into a wide, distorted smile.

He stared at the grotesque creature in front of him, looking at it as if it were a delicious meal.

The ogre showed no reaction, simply turning its back and moving away calmly, as if it had something more important to attend to.

Then he moved quickly, searching for any reflective surface... anything that could show his reflection.

He stopped where a pool of stagnant water lay. He bent down slowly, his gaze piercing the darkness... until he saw his reflection.

Gray hair... almost silver, long and unkempt.

His eyes... intensely black and cold.

His frame was lean, but not weak. It was agile.

But what truly mattered to him... wasn’t this.

What mattered was his soul.

He had trained it, honed it over dozens of lives, made it into an unbreakable weapon. He had planned everything for this final life... it was his. No one would take it from him.

And yet...

"I’ve lost so many memories this time."

He gritted his teeth. "Fuck this."

"Is it because it’s Life 0? Damn...!"

He took a few steps forward, his gaze wandering down the corridor ahead.

What caught his attention was the strangely carved wall directly in front of him.

It wasn’t just random engravings, but interlocking shapes forming a specific image.

"Oh, I see you’re excited."

The heavy voice interrupted his thoughts again, and he turned slowly.

The massive figure approached quickly, its features still devoid of clear emotion, but it was smiling... or at least, something resembling a smile.

"Your excitement is warranted. It was a quick round."

Then it continued in a more serious tone.

"Your opponent... since entering the arena, he hasn’t died in the last five rounds. I think he’s determined to reach the end."

"Is he that strong?"

The creature let out a short laugh. "Oh..."

It leaned in slightly, then whispered as if sharing a secret: "He’s terror incarnate."

"Now, stretch out your hands, human. Time is pressing."

He didn’t need much time to understand what was meant. He stepped toward the rectangular opening in the bars, stretching his hands out.

A strange binding was wrapped around his wrists, resembling dead branches or a distorted tree trunk, pulsing faintly.

The door creaked open with a heavy screech, and with steady steps, he exited the cell. The grotesque ogre moved ahead, leading him down a corridor drowned in shadows.

"Lead me where you want... show me this world! I will live!"

He muttered to himself...

He believed it, as an absolute truth.

But amidst his thoughts, one thing continued to bother him...

His name.

But it didn’t matter, he was sure his name would be spoken soon.

He stared at the repulsive ogre and its foul stench as they continued forward until they reached the end of the corridor, where the path bent slightly to reveal a massive iron gate, sealing off the strange passage.

Then it pushed the gate open forcefully, producing a sharp screech as it slowly swung open.

Then came the light.

The light seeped into the dark void, bright... too bright.

He wasn’t ready for something so simple.

He felt his weakness manifest in that moment, his soul trembling slightly, his eyes squinting from the intensity of the light. Despite his 99 experiences, he always lost to this simple enemy: the first light.

He stepped out of the gate with hesitant steps, as if emerging from a long shell of darkness.

Finally, the screams came from all directions, shouts filled with anger, hatred, and malice.

"Damn, it’s him! Finally!"

"The damned human!"

"He burned my brother!"

"Damn it, may this race go to hell!"

The anger was boiling in the arena, the number of spectators large and growing. How could it not be, when he was a human? Amidst a crowd of monsters who vowed to see his blood splattered everywhere.

"Go on, Egologia! Good luck!" it said as it removed his bindings.

"Egologia?"

He lifted his head slowly.

"Oh... is that my name?"

The ogre retreated, closing the gate behind him with a metallic clang.

And the hateful creatures grew even more hateful. "Hell awaits you!!!"

He raised his head slightly, looking at them briefly, his lips parting in a faint smile.

"Hell? That’s fine, but before that, I’ll create my paradise here... in Zero."

Zero – The Beginning of the End

Zero – The Beginning of the End

Zero – The Beginning of the End