1 Chapter #1: The Boy In The Slum Part 1

In this world, power is everything. The weak will fall, and the strong will reign. The time is now, the turning point in the matrix, where ranks divide the poor from the rich and the weak from the strong.

One hundred fifty years ago, a mysterious creature attacked Earth, leading to a decline in humanity's numbers. Accusations and controversies arose, with the rich blaming the poor for orchestrating the attack. Fifteen years passed swiftly, leaving people aged and weary, some grateful for the life they had left.

A determined and hostile man sought to reshape the world. Vengeful thoughts consumed him, leading to the division of Earth into two factions: the Rich and the Poor.

In the heart of this divided world, a young boy traversed the darkened city. Their small piece of land was littered with slum ruins from the former city of Ishmael. He climbed the tallest tree he could find, yearning for a glimpse beyond the walls that held them captive, preventing him from realizing his dream of becoming a hunter.

A brisk breeze tousled the boy's scarlet hair as he heard a familiar voice below. An older woman's silhouette emerged from the shadows, her scarlet hair matching his own. "YOUTA!!!" she shouted, her voice echoing three times. "COME DOWN FROM THERE, DINNER IS READY!" she called again, prompting the boy to descend.

As Youta climbed down, he grinned, "Hey, Mom?"

His mother chuckled,

"One day, I'll make it out of here, Mom. I'll become a hunter, and then I'll protect this place with my life." said Youta.

"That's sweet, honey, but who's going to protect our dinners from the evil man?" she asked with curiosity.

"What evil man?" Youta queried, puzzled.

"He's named...the COLD!" she exclaimed, and they both burst into laughter.

"Come on, let's go inside quickly," his mother said as their pace quickened.

At home, a man commented, "You found him."

"Yeah, and guess where?" Youta's mother asked.

"Outside?" the man replied with a mouthful of food.

"No, he was in the tree," she said, setting a plate in front of Youta. "Don't I always tell you not to climb so high? What if you got hurt?" she admonished, placing a glass of water in front of him.

"I'm fine, Mom," young Youta assured her.

"Yeah, honey, you heard the man, leave the boy alone...let him climb," the man chimed in.

As Youta finished his dinner, he noticed his mother staring into the fridge. "What is it, Mom?" he asked, puzzled.

"We're all out of rice," she replied, clicking her tongue in disappointment. "I'll have to get more from the store. I'll be right back, hon."

Youta grabbed her bag's handle, and as she headed to the door, he said, "I'll go, Mom. You've been working all day."

"I'll be careful, Mom!" Youta promised his mother watched him run in the distance, slowly being engulfed by the darkness.

Young Youta walked on the dried-up concrete, stumbling across piles of junk scattered across the city. "Darn trash!" he exclaimed angrily to himself as he regained his balance.

As he wandered the lonely streets at night, Youta's mind began to wander. He couldn't help but ponder the enormous walls looming in the distance and how much power they held over their lives. Curiosity flooded his mind. "How come no one has ever set foot inside those walls? Moreover, why has no one from our people become a hunter?" Youta pondered to himself.

"It's clear it's never been done before, and that's why... that's why I'll have to be the first!" He shouted in excitement, causing nearby crows to scatter due to the sudden noise.

"A pathetic way to think," muttered a raspy voice from an abandoned store beside Youta. He stopped in his tracks, and a chill ran down his spine. "Have you ever heard the saying that curiosity killed the cat?" The silhouette of the man speaking remained unclear, with only his blonde hair visible and the sound of coughs accompanying his words.

"Who are you?" Youta asked, turning fully to face the man.

"I'm a man who bit off more than he could chew," he replied, stretching out his hands toward young Youta, signaling him to come closer.

Youta obeyed and approached the silhouette lying on the ground. As he got closer, the image became clearer. The man, in his 40s, had wrinkles and bags on his face, ashy blonde hair, and eyes as blue as the morning sky. He wore a uniform that seemed oddly familiar to Youta, though he couldn't quite place it.

"Why does this uniform look so familiar? I haven't seen anything like it before," Youta thought to himself. His gaze trailed down to the man and noticed the bleeding wound on his left side, indicating a serious injury. In his concern, Youta dropped his mother's bag and rushed over to help the injured man.

"Sir, are you okay?" Youta asked as he knelt beside the man. The man held his right hand over the bleeding wound on his left side and let out a sigh. "I'm fine, kid," he replied.

"No, you're not, sir," Youta responded, reaching out to assist the man. But the man used his right hand to push Youta away. Blood began flowing from the wound like a stream.

"Just leave me alone, kid, and go home. It's not safe for you here. That's why I called you over," the man said, looking pitifully at Youta.

"I'm not leaving you here alone," Youta insisted as he sat down next to the man. Silence filled the space between them. "You said my way of thinking is pathetic and that my curiosity killed the cat... What does that mean?"

The man looked at Youta, surprised by his determination. "I said those things because you're foolish to think that someone like you could be a hunter. I know for a fact that no one takes you seriously. You think it's easy, but it's not. Even if it's possible, I highly doubt you're the one percent that can make it," the man replied, his gaze fixed on the ground.

Youta, disheartened by the discouraging words, looked down in shame. But then he noticed something on the man's hand. He realized it was a tattoo—a THOUSAND RANKING SCORE!

"You have a THOUSAND RANKING SCORE!" Youta exclaimed with excitement, his sadness instantly dissipating.

The man couldn't help but chuckle at Youta's enthusiasm. "You must be a hunter. That's why my uniform looks familiar. But I'm not from this base, am I?" Youta questioned the injured man.

"No, I'm not from around here. I was sent to investigate something beyond those walls, and as you can see, it didn't go well," the man replied, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Youta realized he had jumped the walls, which meant it was possible for others to do so as well.

Youta's attention was suddenly drawn back to the man as he coughed loudly, blood escaping from his mouth and onto the pavement. Concerned, Youta asked, "Sir, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm f-fine," the man stammered. Another silence settled between them until the man broke it, saying, "You don't want to be a hunter, son... trust me."

"You're wrong," Youta declared, his gaze unwavering. The man lifted his head, surprised by the determination in the young boy's eyes. "I know it's difficult, but life isn't easy. I've spent my life serving and protecting everyone from WMC. I've served my time protecting the poor and the rich. Even though I'm glad I did it, I still regret most of my decisions, like now... not getting to see my kids again, all because of this DAMN JOB!" The man's laughter turned maniacal as it slowly transitioned into tears.

"HAaaAa, I'M SORRY... IT'S JUST FUNNY HOW LIFE IS. THE ONE DAY I WON'T RETURN IS THE DAY WHEN I GOT IN A FIGHT WITH MY FAMILY!" Youta stand and watched the weeping man shouting and crying as he poured out all his sorrows on the ground.

"You made a mistake," Youta's voice rang out. The man halted his tears and gazed up at the determined young boy.

"We all make mistakes; we're human, after all," Youta continued. "My reasons for becoming a hunter are similar to yours. But you forgot a crucial element: passion. My passion to become a hunter is what will make me one. I know you think I won't make it, but I will. I have to, for my family and my city. You wouldn't understand how we live here, so you wouldn't know how I feel, how strongly I feel about this opportunity. Even if I fail, I won't complain; I'll just get back up. So, mister, GET UP!" Youta passionately spoke, and the man stared at him in awe.

"Whose kid is this? He really is... extraordinary," the man mused silently. "Okay, kid... I-" Suddenly, a loud screeching sound pierced the air.

"SHIT! He's back," the man cursed as he struggled to stand up. "I've got to get you out of here. Grab on, climb onto my back," he insisted.

"W-what's happening? A-and you're hurt," Youta began to say, but before he could move, the man grasped his legs and threw him onto his back. Youta let out an exclamation as the man grunted in pain and started running. A trail of blood followed them as they continued to move.

"ROOOOOOOOOOOAR!!!!!!!!!!!"