1 Chapter 1 : A Life Not Worth Living

[ Random Building Rooftop ]

On a roof on top of a building. A man looks down as he leans over the railing. He remembers the life he lived.

'Are people like me the bad guys of society? Why do I feel that despite everyone saying we have freedom, I am forced to live by others standard.'

The man thought. He remembers the words said by his parents, relatives, friends, strangers...

"Stop living inside a fantasy."

"Stop with those unrealistic stories and games. Start thinking about your future."

"We place our hopes on you."

"We are doing this for your own good."

"This isn't enough. You need to do more."

The man felt tears start building in his eyes. He hated his life. His needs and desires do not align with what society wants of him. His entire life was transformed into a prison he could not escape. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He just wanted to be left alone and keep doing what he wanted. But society called him a loser, a NEET. He wasn't exactly a shut-in. But compared to what society considers normal he didn't fit the bill. He did not like being among too many people. He found comfort in loneliness.

Not wanting to let anyone down because of their expectations he forced himself to confront society and to build a life for himself. After all no man can live by himself. Each time he struggled his hate for life grew. But he never showed the anger to anyone. He knew in a way they did not hate him. They just could never understand him. They believed as long as he kept trying, his life would change for the better. But the better they meant was not the better he needed.

'Society only allows a certain type of mindset to survive. All others are forced to adapt and those that can't are discarded.'

He thought and that's exactly what happened to him. In the end, he could not adapt. His inner self remains unchanged. To live as long as he did he had unknowingly created a machine persona. He unknowingly dampened his feelings to function in society. Every communication he did was the bare minimum and the emotions displayed were fake.

Then new expectations came for him. A higher income, a house, marriage, a family. Eventually, his parents found out his true thoughts and they exploded. Quarrels were normal for him. He could never talk back to his parents. Because he knew he wasn't good with wordplay while his parents were masters. Also, he does not want to hurt them. He was selfish but not to the point that hurting others did not make him regretful. His parents have also suffered in their life as well. So he simply listened swallowing and locking all the disgusting emotions in his mind.

The only thing that gave any color to his dull life was that which was not real. Anime, novels, games and comics were his escape. They gave him strength to fight another day. But in the end, every man has his limits.

Yes, he had been finally broken. He no longer wanted to suffer for other's happiness. He knew he was most likely going to hell or just going disappear from existence into the darkness of nothingness or maybe reincarnate as someone else with his memories erased. He did not believe in religion, but he did believe in higher forms of life, transcended beings.

'I really wish Isekai exists.'

Yes, he loved Isekai. His dissatisfaction with the current reality is the cause.

"Everyone... I am sorry."

He said and made the jump.

'If I can't live the way I chose then I will choose the way I die.'

As he was falling the fear of the unknown came at full force. But compared to the torture that is reality, he would choose an unknown future any day. If what awaits him is an even bigger hell, he will think about it then.

"THUD!"

"CRASH"

"AAAH.. Somebody fell..."

"... call an ambulance... call the cops"

Cars stopped. People were screaming. Many started taking videos.

As the man lay dying...

'What a shitty life.'

He thought as the last drops of life left him.

[ Unknown Realm ]

In a realm no man ever touched, seen or theorized. A place not made of matter or mind but by something of a higher order. A complex system has been working from the start of time itself. Clusters of unknown energies were being guided.

Suddenly one cluster started drifting away from the system. A distorted voice reverberated.

"I.I. wi.i.wl.l b.eb.e efer. ree..."

This was not the first time something like this happened and it won't be the last. Also, this was not the only place like this.

As the cluster left the system, it started stretching out and fading into the surroundings.

Finally, it disappeared.