I thought I had finally figured it out.

  The world was garbage.

  People were selfish, useless, weak.

  No one deserved my time, my effort, my kindness.

  And I wasn’t going to waste another second on parasites.

  I wasn’t some clueless fool anymore. I had evolved.

  At least… that’s what I told myself.

  ---

  Drowning in My Own Reflection

  I spent hours soaking in those “motivational” videos, the ones that screamed about strength, power, dominance.

  I let them rewrite my thoughts.

  Turn my past pain into a weapon.

  Fill me with the idea that I was above everyone else.

  That being alone was proof of my superiority.

  That caring was weakness.

  That emotions were a burden.

  And soon, I believed it so much… I didn’t even realize I was choking on my own arrogance.

  But then—

  Then my “perfect plan” collapsed.

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  One thing went wrong.

  Just one thing.

  And suddenly, the illusion cracked.

  I clenched my fists.

  It wasn’t a big deal. It didn’t matter.

  Because even if everything fell apart, I was still right.

  I was still better.

  Right?

  Then—

  The voice spoke.

  And it didn’t just crack the illusion.

  It shattered it.

  ---

  The Words That Tore Me Open

  "Look at you, Souta."

  The voice wasn’t angry. It wasn’t mocking.

  It was cold. Flat. Unimpressed.

  "You think you're untouchable. You think you're some superior being who sees what others can't. But let's break this down, shall we?"

  I exhaled sharply. "Here we go—"

  "Shut up and listen."

  I froze.

  "You talk about strength, yet one failed plan shook you. You act like you don’t care, yet you’re seething inside. You think you’re above emotions, yet your entire mindset is built on pure, fragile ego."

  I opened my mouth. Then closed it.

  "You call others weak for seeking validation, yet here you are, following internet voices like some mindless sheep, clinging to their words because they make you feel powerful."

  My hands curled into fists. "That’s not true—"

  "Then tell me, genius, what exactly do you gain from this? What has this 'superior mindset' actually done for you? Are you happier? Are you better? Or have you just built a delusional kingdom where you're the king of nothing?"

  The words cut.

  But the voice didn’t stop.

  "You’re not wise. You’re not powerful. You’re just another hurt little boy who refuses to heal because being bitter is easier."

  Something twisted inside me.

  "You don’t isolate because you’re strong. You isolate because you’re scared."

  I swallowed hard.

  "And let’s be real, Souta." The voice finally softened, but the weight of it only crushed me more.

  "You don’t want to be strong."

  I sucked in a breath.

  "You just want to hurt others first so they never get the chance to hurt you again."

  Silence.

  A deep, suffocating silence.

  Because I had no words left to fight back.

  ---

  The Riddle That Ends a War

  "A man who drowns himself in fire will call the world cold.

  A king who buil

  ds his throne on sand will blame the wind when it collapses.

  And a boy who fears being weak will die proving he’s strong."