The Coward's Adventures

Also known as The Life of the Despised Coward On the brink of death, everyone loves you, but love that comes too late is meaningless. My next new story, Can a Coward Be Loved Forever After Being Reborn?, is about Coward being reborn in the original world after her death, then completing a mission to come back to life and return to her own world. This story is a prequel to The Coward's Adventures. It's best to read the earlier story before this one, or some plot points may be confusing. Coward is dead. The good news is that she can be reborn. The bad news is that she needs to win a hundred sincere hearts in order to truly be reborn. The even worse news is that she'll have to complete this task in a world where she doesn't exist. It's like playing a multiplayer dating game. Since she can't fight it, she might as well enjoy it, bathing herself in other people's love. Will she get what's coming to her? Of course not. Sincere love will always be an irresistible killing move. Characters unlocked so far: [In a damp storage room, warm sunlight spills through a small window high on the wall, falling at an angle across the wooden floor, marked with dark footprints. Dust lazily rises and falls in the air. Soft pink hair rests on the boy's head. Having lost his glasses, his ears and neck are bright red. The air and his gaze both turn dewy. “L-Let's share it,” the shy boy says.] [The barrel, soaked through with seawater, bursts apart in an instant, sending splinters flying everywhere. Your eyes meet those of a boy who has just woken up and is yawning. Like a puppy, he comes close to sniff the scent he likes, his damp breath brushing your nose. He smiles brightly, his clear, youthful voice full of joy. “Hey, you! Wanna be my crewmate? I really like you!”] [Under the blazing sun, the bound monster obediently draws in its claws and fangs, biting the grain of rice off the other person's hand. Its teeth brush the fingertip, leaving only a shiver that makes your bones feel weak. He takes the mouth of the bottle between his lips. Clear droplets run along his taut jaw and down his chest, leaving dark stains that cling to his well-defined muscles. He laps up the last drop. His throat bobs as he swallows, and his amused voice trembles. “Not bad, you.”] [The girl with short orange hair sits at the table, her chin propped in both hands, a straw between her lips. She bites it flat and holds it in her mouth, then smiles as she speaks. “Big Sis, why are you always looking at me?” Click. She turns the straw around and bites it again, her eyes narrowing with a smile as she gently grinds it between her teeth.] Characters not yet unlocked: [The first thing you see is the rose being offered to you. It's gorgeous and dewy. A long, elegant hand with distinct knuckles holds it out. Following your gaze upward, you see that his deep blue shirt makes his skin look even paler. His sleeves are rolled up, revealing lean forearms. After waiting so long, his fingers holding the flower turn white from gripping it, then quickly flush red, as if he's terribly embarrassed. His voice is no longer as bright as it was at first. It trembles and quavers. “Dear miss, please accept this flower, or my heart will break.”] [It was your first meeting. The young man in a cowboy hat bends at the waist to thank the crew for looking after his younger brother, revealing his strong, defined waist. His heated presence makes your scalp tingle as soon as he comes near, yet he is completely unaware of it. By instinct, he draws close to the person he liked at first sight, more than anything. In the air of Alabasta, he brings his face close to yours, his dry skin pressed against you, and grins foolishly. “You kissed me!”] [As they part, the red-haired man calls out to the person about to leave. His stern expression is just like the one he wore when he wanted to kill someone at their first meeting. He asks, “Do you know the first thing we'll do when we meet again?” Then he immediately breaks into laughter, a deep, heavy sound that rolls out of his chest. It's as if he's been holding it in for a long time, finally releasing the feeling he's kept buried in his heart since he was a boy. He laughs without a trace of shame. “We should kiss when we meet again.”] [He's on watch tonight, and the room has been left entirely to the guest who's been aboard for the past few days. Moonlight spreads all around him. With a cigarette between his lips, he takes a drag, then bends close and blows smoke in her face. Watching her eyes squeeze shut as she chokes, he swallows and says, “Wouldn't it be better if I left the room to you? Then you wouldn't have to worry every time that I'm sleeping beside your bed.” After speaking, he frowns and pinches her cheek. “Don't tell me you're going to find Shanks. If you dare sneak into his room to sleep, I'll throw you off the ship.” The scent of tobacco from the man floods her nostrils, leaving her dazed in an instant, and she can only agree.] To be continued. New characters will unlock as the mission progresses. Theme: Be self-reliant and strong, and have the courage to strive forward.