[50 Years Ago]
"You''re going to do great" His mother knelt down on one knee holding both his cheeks and looking deep into his eyes.
Although she smiled, her brown eyes told a different story. She looked scared, her hands trembled as she held his face.
"She''ll be fine honey, that''s our boy. He''ll get us out of this mess." His father''s voice was warm as he sat alone in a small table. The table was barely holding it together, it creaked at the slightest signs of movement and was ready to crack and snap.
The entire was house was like this, it shook a very time and a breeze rushed past it and he was always fearful that it would break.
Red nodded, to his parent''s words. It was the big day. He was going to Rainstar Academy.
He wore his brand new clothing. A red jacket with red pants. His black leather boots were solid and sturdy. There was just one thing wrong. His figure. Red''s face and body were so thin, his bones were visible.
As he walked towards the door, his stomach grumbled silently. He felt like his insides were twisting and being wrapped to form a tight knot.
Red''s mind rushed through all his memories leading up to this day. He overheard from his parents that they took out a loan worth 2 million gold pieces. This was just the cost for getting Red to Rainstar Academy. The family was In debt, what scared Red the most was that they took the money from that man... One of the Three Overlords, Darui.
When he opened the door he could feel the weight of their expectations weighting him down. Red just turned around to them, with the biggest smile on his face, and said "Wish me luck!"
The last thing he rembered where his family''s smiles as he closed the door.
[44 Years Ago]
The door swung open as Red came back home after a 6 year absence. His mother who was sitting by herself on the table was almost unrecognizable. She had gone so thin and frail Red could barely recognize her. The same could be said for his father who sat alone at he conner of the room.
"I''m back"
His parents both jumped at him as they crawled their way towards him like animals. Their smiles felt forced as his mother spoke "You''re back...I''m so glad. So did you get it?" His mother started picking his pockets.
"Did you get the Academy License Joe."
His mother picked his pockets inside out frantically but he still couldn''t find it. "Where is it? Where''s the license?" His mother''s voice was loud as she shouted.
With tears flowing down his cheeks. Red could only respond.. "Sorry mom, dad. I failed"
With those simple words Red Joe could see their eyes die.
His father shot up to his feet "You can''t do that! You''ve got the license right?" His father''s voice was shaking his expression blank.
"I''m sorry I couldn''t get it I fail—"
His father''s frail hands grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and he smashed him to the wall.
"Bullshit! Where''s the license Red? You failed? After everything we did for you! All those sacrifices and you still failed? Do you know what will happen to us? Darui will want his money back, he''ll kill us"
His father smashed him repeatedly against the wall. "You useless piece of shit! What was the point of spending all that money?" He was weeping like a child as he started pummeling his son with fists.
Red''s mom was now coughing and coughing. She was coughing blood, she looked like a women whose been sick for years.
No matter how much Red tried to cry out for mercy his father wouldn''t stop.
He was going to kill him.
This was before Red''s hand started to glow and a blue mark was reflected on the ground.
[You Have Activated The Skill (Summoning)]
[The Bloody Hound (Rank 5) Has Been Summoned]
A furry red beast shot out fron the light on the ground. Immediately it''s jaws dug into Red''s father''s legs. He screamed in agony but the bloody hound was having none of it. It dragged him to the ground forcing his hands to slip down Red''s figure as he looked up to him with helpless eyes and painful screams.
"Stop it hound! Stop it" Red screamed but the beast wouldn''t stop. Within a few seconds it devoured both his father and mother. It growled with bloody teeth as it turned its attention to its host.
The bloody hound was ready to pounce on Joe but it''s disappeared into blue mana moments before it could devour him.
[80% Of Your Mana Has Been Depleted]
[Your Summon Has Been Disabled]
Joe''s mouth spit out a pool of blood as he crumbled to his knees. Tears fell down his cheeks as a thought echoed in his mind.
"I''m sorry I didn''t mean to do it"
Joe just laid there in a floor drenched in blood.
[40 Years Ago]
Red was now living in hiding. Darui wanted his money. Red didn''t have it, he didn''t have anything. The only thing on him were the clothes he wore which were 4 years old at this point. They were tattered and his boots were gone, he was walking on feet. Through the heat, rain, blizzards his body somehow survived through all of it.
He was battered,hungry and exhausted. He gave up begging for coins since that led to him being beat up. He couldn''t steal since he was top sapped of energy to even move at this point.
Adventures would point fingers at him as they went past without a care in the world.
"He couldn''t even get past Rainstar, useless piece of trash"
"How did he expect to pass with such a low Mana Signature. At this point his just as worthless as a Rejector."
"How can he serve The Union with such low mana he can''t even be an adventurer. Heck even swordsmith or any kind of job would be above his pay grade."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
"It''s kids like him our kingdom is considered small. Useless!"
These whispers went on for days on end. Red heard them. He heard all of them.
Red was starting to give up of hope. What was the point of living? Why was he still struggling to survive in such an unforgiving world.
He had a sharp bone on his hands, he placed it on his neck ready to end it all. Maybe this time he could apologize to his parents in the after life.
That''s when he appeared.
"Do you want me to save you Red?"
Red raised his head slowly. That''s when he saw him a man wearing a black cloak extending his hand, his leather gloves only fingertips away, but red hesitated.
"Who are you?" He asked confused.
"I''m Mikey but you can call me Daddy"
"Daddy?"
"Yes, I know everything about you Red. A kid who who failed to pass at Rainstar. A boy who can''t even tame his summons. A boy with such a low mana signatures his no better than a Rejector. A boy who killed his own parents"
Red dropped his bone, "I didn''t mean to kill them. It was a mistake" he cried coveting his face with his hands
"You did the right thing by killing them.'' Mikey''s voice was low but cold.
''What?" He raised his head once more.
"They never loved you. They were only controlling you because they wanted the license. A way out from their misery. When you were no good to them what happened? They were going to kill you."
"That''s not—"
"It is true and you know it. Look Red. This World is messed up. If you don''t have a license your life is basically nothing worthless. If your mana isn''t good enough you''re expendable. People look the other way when you''re different, not once do they reach out." Mikey extended his hand closer to him.
"Those at the top think they can bring up down because we lack power. Those who are bigger than us seek to control us, listen Red. You did nothing wrong, they tried to control you but you took control of the situation. That''s the strenghth you need to have in order to have control and authority of your own."
"What about Darui... he''ll kill me!"
"I can take care of everything, I just need you to be with me. Help me create a utopia where those who have been rejected by the world can thrive. Let''s take control of everything. Help me kid, help me change the world."
Through his darkness and misery someone reached out to him. In that day, Red was saved.
[Present Moment]
"You think I''m doing this because I hate those kids, don''t you? I''m just looking to make someone''s dream a reality! You won’t touch Mikey for as long as I live!" Red yelled, his voice shaking with conviction.
[The Glattanor Has Activated The Skill (Tremor Rush)]
The Glattanor stomped the ground, and a series of jagged earth spikes erupted from the surface, racing toward Joe with terrifying speed.
Joe’s grip tightened around his blade.
[-300 Mana From Your Mana Pool]
[Current Mana Pool: 7,545]
[+120 Rank Points To Your Physical Attributes (Total: 162)]
[+180 Rank Points To Your Mana Attributes (Total: 225)]
[You Have Activated The Skill (Outsider’s Perspective)]
In an instant, Joe’s form disappeared, rocketing forward at nearly untraceable speeds. With one fluid motion, he swung his blade vertically.
[Crescent Moon Slash]
A surge of mana erupted in a sharp crescent arc, tearing through the advancing spikes in one swift motion. The slash didn’t stop there—it surged forward, aiming to bisect the Glattanor entirely.
"Use Hardening!" Red shouted desperately.
[The Glattanor Has Activated The Skill (Hardening)]
The crescent slash clashed against the Glattanor’s reinforced hide. The impact created a thunderous explosion, shaking the battlefield. When the smoke cleared, the Glattanor was still standing. Its body wavered, a deep scar etched across its chest, but its defiant gaze locked onto Joe.
Its eyes darted right—Joe wasn’t there. It shifted left, catching a glimmer of Joe’s figure speeding toward it like a blur.
[The Glattanor Has Activated The Skill (Raging Tongue)]
The Glattanor’s grotesque tongue shot out at blistering speed, aiming to skewer Joe. Anticipating the attack, Joe leaped to his right and dashed forward, the tongue missing him by mere inches.
But the Glattanor wasn’t done. It whipped its tongue again, snapping it like a brutal lash aimed at Joe’s midsection.
Joe reacted with precision, flipping acrobatically over the tongue and landing on the tongue''s opposite side. Wasting no time, he slashed, severing a large portion of the tongue in one clean motion. Blood sprayed violently as the Glattanor recoiled with a guttural cry of pain.
Joe’s speed increased further, his body blurring as he vanished.
[You Have Activated The Black Blade’s Skill (Charge)]
[The Black Blade Is Gathering Mana]
From above, Joe descended like a black meteor, his blade surging with dense, crackling mana.
"A dream that needs kids to suffer in order to succeed is a worthless dream that must be destroyed!" Joe roared.
[Charge Complete]
[Current Mana Output From The Black Blade: 285 Rank Points Has Doubled]
[New Mana Output From The Black Blade: 570 Rank Points]
[The Black Blade’s Weight Has Doubled]
Joe felt the strain in his muscles as the blade’s immense weight threatened to overwhelm him, but he held firm.
[You Have Activated The Black Blade’s Skill: Fatal Swing]
With a mighty swing, a crescent-shaped mana slash erupted from the blade, descending upon Red and the Glattanor. The attack engulfed them in a torrent of darkness, their screams of agony echoing in the chaos.
When the smoke cleared, Joe landed heavily on the ground, his arms trembling from the strain of the Black Blade’s sheer weight.
The Glattanor lay cleaved apart, its blood soaking the earth. Its form began to disintegrate into mana particles, fading from existence. Joe didn’t even have time to activate [Predator].
So this is what happens when a summoned beast dies?
He raised his head and spotted Red on the ground, his face pale and contorted in pain. Somehow, he had escaped the brunt of the attack, but both his legs had been severed, and blood was pouring from the stumps.
"Are you going to talk to me about Mikey?" Joe asked, his voice icy and sharp.
[Red Has Activated The Skill: Summon]
[The Big Hound (Rank 19) Has Been Summoned]
"Atta—"
Before Red could finish his command, Joe’s blade moved with ruthless precision, cleaving cleanly through the Big Hound’s head. The beast didn’t even have time to react before its body disintegrated into mana.
Red staggered, blood spilling from his mouth as the backlash of his summon’s destruction wracked his body.
Joe advanced slowly, each step measured and deliberate, until he stood over Red, his shadow looming. "Last chance," Joe said, his voice a low growl.
Red smiled weakly and pulled a green crystal from his jacket pocket. The stone shimmered faintly, resembling a small orb. With a defiant sneer, he crushed it in his hand.
"Go to hell!" Red spat, his words venomous.
In the blink of an eye, Joe’s blade sliced through Red’s neck, decapitating him instantly.
[You Have Slain A Native]
[+13,000 Rank Points]
[Rank Up Progress: 11 [25 000/ 40 000 Rank Points Required]
[You Have Activated The Skill (Predator)]
As Red’s body crumpled and darkness began to swirl around him, Joe turned without a second glance and walked away.
[You Have Activated The Branch Skill (Soul Consumption]
[+1 Native Soul Has Been Stored Inside Your Body]
Joe made his way back to the Meat is Money store, entering through the crack in the wall he had created earlier.
"Get out of my sight!" he commanded.
The customers scattered, fleeing the store in a blind panic—everyone except for the girls who worked there and Shelly.
"You’re free now—"
"Shut up!" one of the servers snapped, cutting Joe off mid-sentence. Her voice was raw with anger and despair. "Now that Red is gone, where do you expect us to work? We have nothing now, nothing! Do you think you we can just start over? We don''t even have an academy license. This job was all we had!"
Others began to break down, falling to their knees in tears.
"What do you think will happen to us when we stop making money? Mikey will kill us!" another wailed.
"My sister depends on the little money I earn here. Now what are we supposed to do?"
Joe stood frozen, completely lost for words. His eyes darted toward Shelly and the girl she had healed. Shelly had done a remarkable job saving her, but the weight of the workers’ despair pressed heavily on him.
I need a plan, Joe thought, his mind racing. Something to help these people.
But before he could formulate one, a deafening bang echoed through the town, followed by a piercing, inhuman cry.
Joe and Shelly exchanged a tense glance before rushing outside to investigate. The workers remained inside, their cries of despair filling the air.
What Joe and Shelly saw was a scene of pure horror.
At the center of the town, a boy was impaled on a long pole, a massive nail driven straight through his skull. Blood poured from his lifeless body, pooling beneath him.
It was John—the boy Shelly had caught earlier after he stole potions.
He hung there, motionless, his blood-soaked figure swaying gently in the breeze.
"Piece of trash!"
The townspeople, including the chubby shopkeeper from earlier, stood around the corpse, pelting it with stones. They jeered and shouted, their hatred unabated even in death. The boy’s body, already lifeless, was reduced to a mangled, unrecognizable mess.
Joe and Shelly stood paralyzed, the weight of the scene crushing them.
In that moment, the truth was undeniable.
Perina was not just a town. It was a town made in hell.