Reborn As An Evolving Monster

Chapter 353 Remember, Pain Is...

Only those who keep going once it starts to hurt, will be able to change themselves and their body! No matter what, keep going! If it hurts, smile! Remember! Pain is...

'Pain is... We-'

"Mark, time for dinner."

The child shuddered as his name was uttered from behind him.

"Okay."

"What are you watching?" His father asked.

"Dad..."

"Mm?"

The child rewinded the video.

"Can you do that?" Mark asked as he pointed, having gone back to the video's introduction clips.

"Hahaha! Did a friend send you a link to one of these muscleheads? Of course I can't. These people spend their lives to be able to do that. It's a bit stupid if you ask me. Spending so much time moving things around for no reason. What do you think?"

"I... Don't know. He looks very strong."

"I think it's better to be smart than strong in this world. Don't you agree? Smart people are the ones who get ahead nowadays."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now, let's go eat dinner with Mom, okay?"

"Kay..."

The child followed his father out of the room.

But he did turn back towards that computer screen for a bit.

Towards that confidant man and his smile.

'I... Want to be strong.'

The child's gaze went to his father.

I'm sorry, Mark-

The doctors say that you have a weak heart, so-

What? Why? Is there anything I can do? Why is my heart-

Let's leave it to the doctors, okay? They will tell us when-

The child scratched his neck.

You have a weak heart-

So you must run-

Mark would cling to those words.

Why trust that man?

Because he had given an answer. And none else had given the boy a clear one.

A clear answer about what he could do.

Mark spent some more time in front of the computer after dinner. 

'Maybe he knows better...'

None had an answer except him after all.

Don't exert yourself

Be careful

You can play, but no sports for you. If you feel tired, you have to stop-

The young boy was tired of these 'answers'.

He was tired of being told what not to do. He wanted to be told what to do.

...

A couple of days later,

"Mom! Can I go to the park?"

"Umm. You want us to go?"

"I'm going with Ley and Eliott!"

A white lie.

"Oh, friends from school?"

Nod-

"Sure. I'll come for you in an hour or so, okay?"

"Two hours!"

"What?"

"Please!"

"I'll think about it."

"Yes!!"

About fifteen minutes later, the young boy stood on grass-covered ground.

He took a deep breath, taking in the scenery and fresh air.

The young Mark raised his arms to the sides and,

'The beginning... Of my Super Secret Training Arc!'

He could feel goosebumps all over his body.

A way to change anything.

He had finally found it.

An answer.

THE answer.

'Okay...'

Countless birds were chirping.

Children and adults filled the parents. Some were playing, some were having picnics on the grass.

All were laughing and having a good time.

But not the child standing away from them all.

He wasn't here to have a good time.

He was here to change his future.

Here to fight against his condition.

To fight against the shackles he had been born with.

The young Mark tilted his center of gravity forward and placed his right foot forward.

'Next time... Just like Ley... I'll be playing with them!' 

He started running.

You can't put too much weight at first. You have to slowly increase it, so that your body can adapt to it. But you can't go too light either! You need to pace yourself-

'This feels-'

Mark, don't exert yourself-

He stopped as he was suddenly reminded of his mother's words.

It won't be easy becoming strong! People hate change in general, so you should expect some of your friends getting mad at you. Especially the fat ones, haha! For me, even my family members started distancing themselves from me. This is too much, they said. You spend too much time working on your body, they complained. But only YOU know what YOU want! So don't listen to them! Trust yourself! Believe in yourself! Keep going-

The boy started running again.

Slight guilt knocked on the doors to his heart. The door remained shut.

Trust yourself!

The boy ran as he thought about the future.

About playing with his classmates next week.

About playing with Ley.

About scoring a goal!

How amazing would that be?

Minutes passed.

Tiredness.

The boy thought about scoring many goals!

The boy thought about the events he had seen on Tv.

The Olympics! The World Cup!

Becoming a sprinter! Becoming a professional footballer!

Having so many cheering. So many looking at him! So many shouting his name! So many encouraging him!

THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO?-

Next week, we'll ask the doctor again-

The boy shook his head and continued running.

His breathing grew heavier.

Until breathing became a difficult and arduous task to perform.

His legs had started burning.

His heart was beating.

The boy could hear his heart beating.

It was beating fast! Loudly!

Maybe it wasn't true after all! Maybe they were mistaken! Maybe my heart isn't weak! I can hear it after all! How could it be weak when I can hear it?

He continued running until there were none having picnics anymore. Until people only appeared sporadically in his peripheral vision.

The park was vast. There was more than enough place.

So he continued running.

Legs.

Lungs.

Throat.

They started hurting.

They burned.

The boy thought about stopping.

But something clicked.

And that something kept him going.

'I want to stop... Because my heart is weak! I need to keep going!'

Your body thinks of it this way. If you don't use it, that means you don't need it-

'I'll use it!'

And if you don't need it, then you lose it-

'I need it! I won't lose it! I've never felt this way before! That must be why!'

It burned. It burned.

It hurt. It hurt. But he wasn't scared of the pain!

'I haven't been using it! That's why it's weak!'

The boy stumbled, fell to the ground, and stood back up as fast as he could.

No breaks. No pauses. No rest. You've had enough rest until now! It's time to use your body now!

You need to show your body that it needs to grow stronger-

'I'll show you! I'll show you!'

The boy ran and ran.

'I'll show you!'

He clenched his teeth and kept going.

'I'll show you...'

He clenched his fists as he ran.

'It hurts...'

Do you think building a body like this is easy? It isn't! It's going to hurt! And you should be thankful that it hurts-

His lips slowly curled up as they twitched.

The boy smiled through the pain as he ran!

Nothing could stop him now! 

If it hurts, that means that it's working!

'Yes!'

The reps you do, once it hurts, are worth dozens of those before the pain! If it hurts, then it's working!

'I'll keep going! I won't stop!'

It won't be easy.

'It's not!'

It will be the hardest thing you have ever done!

'It is!'

It will hurt like nothing else.

'It does!'

Only those who keep going once it starts to hurt, will be able to change themselves and their body!

'I'll keep going!'

No matter what, keep going!

'It hurts so much!' 

If it hurts, smile!

'It hurts so much... I'll keep going!' Tears started going down the boy's face

Remember! Pain is...

'I'll become strong! Super strong! My heart will become super strong! I'll play with all of them next time! I won't be on the bench anymore! I won't be alone anymore! I'll play with them! I'll be the best! I'll have them fighting to have me on their team! I won't be alone anymore!'

The boy held on and held on and held on!

Until at one point, it didn't hurt anymore.

His eyes widened as his face relaxed.

It didn't hurt anymore.

Why doesn't it hurt?

Because it worked!

I kept going! Now I'm stronger! 

Seconds later, the boy suddenly collapsed to his knees.

'Huh? What is... What...?'

Dark spots appeared. Out of nowhere, they covered his vision.

It was terrifying.

What the hell were those dark spots?

The boy wanted to shout! He wanted to scream!

He couldn't.

When you can't keep going, when you've reached your absolute limit, rest. Lie down, and rest-

The boy instinctively understood that he had reached his absolute limit.

And so, just like the man on the computer screen had said, the young Mark lay on the ground.

But as soon as he did,

ARGHHHH-

His throat refused to let him scream!

Panic! 

His whole body trembled as more dark spots covered his field of vision!

What were those dark spots?? Was the world disappearing? Was he disappearing?? What were those dark spots?? The child had no idea!

The pain was greater than anything else the boy had ever gone through. It was just like that man had said! That mad was right!

It hurt more than anything! His throat, his lungs, his legs, his heart! Everything hurt!

Remember, pain is...

The boy tried breathing, but couldn't!

He couldn't move, shout, or breathe!

He couldn't do a thing!

Everything hurt!

Remember, pain is...

The world around him disappeared. Everything disappeared. Only the pain remained!

As he suffocated, the words kept spinning and spinning inside his head.

Those words were his only solace. The only thing allowing him comfort through this pain.

He couldn't see a thing.

His lips curled up.

And laughter echoed inside his head.

Remember, pain is...

I had no idea I was this weak!

No, I have always known it!

It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! 

I'm so glad that it hurts!

Remember, pain is....

It hurts so much.

I have so much weakness inside me.

It hurts!

It hurts so much!

Can you imagine...

Can you imagine how much...

Remember, Pain is weakness leaving the body!

CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH WEAKNESS IS LEAVING RIGHT NOW?!