Life... and death.
More alike than humans think, despite standing at opposite poles.
All living beings, without exception, love life... rather, they crave it.
From the very first moment a human is born, and before they even understand the meaning of death, they have committed their first sin.
It is desire.
The desire for survival...
The desire for life...
The desire for immortality.
Every human wishes to live forever.
But...
Doesn't that seem strange?
How can you wish for an eternal life... when you originally did not even exist?
You were created.
And just as you were created...
a day will come when you perish.
You are the one who determines how to live your life...
But why do I not have the right to determine mine?
Everyone talks about the value of life.
But...
Is a human's worth really measured by their status?
How?
How does that happen when all humans are born with nothing?
How does one's value become higher than another's from the very first moment?
Perhaps value is born with status.
For he who is born the son of a ruler...
has life placed right in the palm of his hands.
But he who is born the son of a poor man...
spends his life as a servant to survival, running after happiness.
Damn all of this...
If life is precious to all creatures...
then why...
am I worthless?
Rain was pouring heavily, nourishing the barren land, while the body of a young man lay stretched at the foot of a mountain, drenched in blood.
He opened his eyes slowly.
Rainwater mixed with his blood, pouring over his scarred face.
His body was completely torn apart, and his bones screamed from the intense pain.
He raised his gaze toward the black sky, then muttered in a broken, barely audible voice.
"Why... was I born?"
Silence prevailed.
Then came the words that had weighed heavily on his heart for nineteen years.
"Did you really want to get rid of me, Gwen?"
He wasn't sad because his sister pushed him from the top of the mountain.
For the method no longer mattered to him.
Rather, it was the question that had haunted him since birth that was breaking him.
"If nobody wanted me...
then why did my father and mother give birth to me?"
Am I the family's shame...
because I cannot wield a sword?
Because I failed to learn swordsmanship techniques?
Because I am incapable of even using magic?
If all humans are born with one of the sins...
then with which sin was I born?
To my parents...
there is no difference between me being alive or dead.
I am just a burden.
How can a human be born without fault...
yet be treated as if he is the greatest sin in the world?
If you didn't want me...
then why did you bring me into this world?
How is a person's worth determined?
From birth?
Or after he proves his strength?
As for my sister...
Gwen.
She was barely fifteen years old.
And yet...
she excelled at everything.
The sword.
Magic.
Talent.
Beauty.
Everything.
She was the pride of the family.
Everyone smiled at her.
Everyone praised her.
Everyone treated her like a priceless treasure.
As for me...
no one would even look at my face.
Even though I am human...
I was treated like an animal.
Everyone in the palace despised me.
The servants glared at me with disdain.
Even the food they served me...
made me feel like I was eating trash.
My entire existence...
was trash.
Is this why you gave birth to me?
Just to exploit me?
Fine...
If I were strong...
even stronger than everyone else...
wouldn't you all be beneath me?
If I possessed power...
I would have never hated you.
And I wouldn't have treated you the way you treated me.
But you...
because I am weak...
instead of helping me...
you decided to get rid of me.
Ha...
Haha...
Hahahahaha...
His laughter turned into a manic echo, reverberating between the rocks.
He was laughing...
while the rain washed his face.
And the sky was dark.
As if the entire world was mocking him.
Truly...
Humans do not treat anyone with kindness unless they benefit from them.
If your brother is successful...
and you are a failure...
your father will always tell you:
"Do not become like him."
Without looking outward.
Without knowing how many battles he fought.
How many times he fell.
How many times he rose.
And how many times he sacrificed for everyone.
As for Tiger...
he did not have a dream.
He did not want glory.
Nor power.
Nor revenge.
He wanted only one thing.
For his family to be happy.
But after the talent evaluation day...
everything was shattered.
He was classified as Rank Zero.
A rank...
lower than an ordinary human.
In a world ruled only by magic...
swordsmanship...
and absolute power...
Rank Zero meant one thing.
That his existence...
was worthless.
And at that moment...
when a human loses all meaning of life...
and no longer desires good...
nor evil...
nor even revenge...
but only wishes...
to erase everything.
Then...
the final sin of humanity is born.
The sin that was never mentioned in any book.
The sin that even the bearers of the Seven Sins fear.
Nothingness.
An infinite void born within the soul...
swallowing the human whole...
until nothing of him remains.