++++++++++++

Sounds of waves repeatedly hitting the shore reverbed through his ears with a soothing effect akin to live asmr. Arin slowly opened his eyes to a still red world. *Cough ahem!* He cleared his somewhat parched throat as he sat up on the red sand.

Using his eyes to scan his surroundings he slowly got up and his eyes caught a message that had probably been sent since god knows when. It was a reply to the question he'd asked before falling off the mountain.

[ @User1645: How does one leave the venue after an in-person trade? ]

[ @Braindeadfish: Just go to the map site, scroll until you find the dimension, then keep scrolling until you find the planet. you can then use the planetary map to find the best spot you're looking for though, this is if you're going somewhere else. But if you want to return to where you came from, then all you need to do is go to your profile, tap on your 'Last Seen' under your name then tap the 'transport' button. That's all. You're welcome. ]

After reading through, he wasted no time relaying his thanks and following the instructions laid out. He didn't want to stay here for another minute.

+ + +

Seeing the familiar dining table in front of his eyes, Arin laid down flat on the spot where he was. The was the exact place he was before he appeared in that planet. If not for the wetness of his yellow pajamas that had now been dyed red, his hair sticking to his face and the pain he felt throughout his fevered body, It would have been hard for a person to find out that he'd just spent time in another room, more so another planet in another dimension.

"That was... haah. Thankfully I still have these."

Arin opened up his inventory and a smile couldn't help but bloom on his face when he saw three lovely beads.

"Ah?" His eyebrows shifted.

"Weren't there four?"

"...."

"Doesn't matter. I'm happy with just one so three is even more than enough. No way I'm going back there".

He tried his best to stand up without slipping and walked to the bathroom with his head down.

  He came out an hour later after washing up with a lot of hot water and an entire bottle of soap. He didn't know what was in that red world and he didn't want to take any chances to find out. He was already thankful it didn't harm him before he had a chance to wash it off.

He held up the now tattered socks he had used to run around and a tear almost slid out from his eye. 'It was one of my favourites.' He walked to the trash can and said a few words before throwing it in and forgetting about it within the next hour.

He was too busy with the behemon beads.

A behemon bead doesn't just become a beast out a blue, it has to be nutured and kept well by the nuturer for some time before it's transformation.

To begin with, one would need sufficient blood of what they want the bead to take after, and after their transformation, they become a heavily exaggerated version of the original source of blood. Take the villain Kai's 12 headed hydra for example, it was very likely that it was fed the blood of a snake.

Looking at the three beads placed on the table, Arin was contemplating what blood to use. The problem wasn't just which blood to use but how to get the blood needed.

'Oh well. I'll just use the best of the blood I have now. I can always trade for more when I get better beast blood."

He put the beads back into his inventory and looked out the window. It was already nighttime so he slowly walked to his bed and laid down to have a well deserved rest. Unknowing of the black stain that had formed on his ten fingers.

× ×× ××× ××××

The next morning...

Arin felt like he was about to die.

High internal heat and pain coursed through every part of his body. His breathing was ragged and sweat soaked his hair and neck. He laid on the bed unmoving with the thick blanket over him. Try as he may, he couldn't move a single part of his body, not even his finger. 

 His limbs were unable to have any reaction no matter how or how hard his determination was. It felt like he was paralysed.

His mind was in such a weakened state even with the pain that he couldn't think straight. He tried to endure the pain that seemed like it would never die down. From the corner of his left eye,he could see the calender and clock hanging on the wall. The 'tick tock' sounds of the clock were like an alarm blaring in his ears, reminding him of the time that was slowly running out.

Arin was so confused.

'What's wrong with me? ...what's happening?'

He remembered the red world and the red water he was submerged in. 'Was that the cause?'

His unstable eyes darted to every corner of the room that seemed to be closing in on him. Hard swallow followed after each other like he was trying to digest the pain.

'Ah. It hurts.'

'This isn't right. In all the other novels.... In all the other novels I've read..."

'In all the other novels, nothing usually happens. ...They're always able to prepare well enough before the apocalypse arrives. They always...'

'Why is my case different?... Is it because I'm not a protagonist?... like them?'

'Ah this isn't fair... Are the children of destiny the only ones able to use their chances well?'

'Is no one else given the ability to even do anything? Even when they know the solution?...'

'Or... or is it just me?'

'... Am I the problem?'

'.... Have I always been the problem?'

With these thoughts the only thing to keep him sane running through his mind, he watched the days and nights go by three times before finally collapsing on the fourth day.

×××××××

   On the seventh day, Arin woke up. Other than his stiff joints, there was no single feeling of pain on his body and the sense of paralysis was gone. He slowly and carefully came down from the bed before walking to the calender. His eyes narrowed soon after as his fists clenched tightly before suddenly fully relaxing.

Less than two weeks left.

At this point, due to the days of pain and weakened mental state with different thoughts and the past, plus the time at the red world, Arin already had convictions of giving up. He wasn't a protagonist. He couldn't be as strong as them, he didn't have any qualities of a protagonist.

Even his big build was just for show.

He only strived to get them so he wouldn't be overly Intimidated anymore. Most people are usually deceived by what they see and don't usually try to make a move. But if they did, they would find out that under those muscles laid a weak and powerless soul.

"Haha. This is where the protagonists would usually overcome that thought and say 'No! I can do this! I will do this! I will fight!'."

"...Unfortunately, I'm me."

He continued walking to the bathroom to wash up. Though he'd reached the edge of giving up and basically did, that didn't mean he was just going to sit down and do absolutely nothing.

"I'll just try a little... just a little and if it doesn't work, that'll be the end of it I guess. I could always just jump off a building on that day and die before I get to feel what it's like to be eaten."

As he walked past the full body mirror close to the bathroom door, he halted.

He slowly turned and a few minutes later, the neighbors were shocked by a shrill scream whose owners gender couldn't be distinguished from. 

The voice abruptly stopped after a second.

Arin had passed out again

'That... That's a zombie.' 

'A Rank four zombie.'