Pilot
Chains rattling, feet shuffling. "Get your ass out here," a bald man said, tugging on someone's chains. "I got the perfect match for you. Tall-ish, with a relatively good build, medium to long arms, and be careful—he's a meticulous bastard."
"That's fine," a woman with red hair and an eye patch covering her left eye replied. She wore a white button-up shirt, brown tight pants, and brown boots. A short sword hung at her left side. As the young slave stepped into the light, she took a good look at him. "His name's Wright."
Standing at 6'1", Wright had a chiseled, toned body and sand-colored hair with cyan streaks, spiking back to reveal his clear skin. His eyes, a mix of white, blue, and silver, sparkled in the moonlight. He wore black warrior leggings, a compact, tight black short-sleeved shirt, and a cover around his neck matching his hair color. A moon-shaped earring adorned his ear.
"Let's go," the woman said. They walked past multiple people in their cells and outside into the cool night air. Wright, studying her closely, scanned the area endlessly, seeking an escape route. Feeling confident, he lagged behind for just a second and felt a slight tug on his chains. It wasn't because there was too much space between them—they were quite close—but the distance had changed, and she tugged the chains, letting him know it was a warning.
"How old are you?" the lady asked.
"19 today," Wright replied.
"Oh, happy birthday. What do you know—the day of your birthday, you were bought as my slave. But be happy for what's in store for you." They stopped walking and got inside her carriage. She handed him a paper. "This is your contract," she said.
Looking surprised, Wright asked, "You're offering me, a slave, a contract?"
"The rules are: your title will go from slave to Hunter. You will be accepted into the Blue Phoenix guild and start off as a D-Rank hunter. I will let you pick five skills to learn, and you will be put in a dungeon with newbies. We will test you. You are the only one to receive this treatment. I see potential in you. You will also pick a basic weapon. If you survive, you will be put into an elite squad at the guild. Do you accept?" she asked.
Feeling a bit worried, Wright took the chance. The Blue Phoenix was a rising guild, and he accepted.
They arrived at the guild, and Wright was sat down in the main room where multiple pieces of skill pages were spread out. "Pick," she said.
He looked for a couple of minutes, then picked:
Skills:
War Cry (F)
Type: Active
Description: When the user uses this skill, any monster within 300m will come rushing to the center of the roar. If a human is attacked by this skill, their stats reduce by 2% and they may be put in a state of fear.
Shadow Step (C)
Type: Active
Description: The user can erase their complete presence once in the shadow and can move up to 100 meters within the shadow. When out, their presence will reappear.
Shadow Tendril (B)
Type: Active
Description: The user can use five black tendrils of any size. Tendrils can break through almost anything and defend as well. Mana cost: 15. Activation time: 20 seconds.
Voodoo Doll (D)
Type: Active
Description: If the user has the opponent's blood and it gets into the user's bloodstream in any way, any damage the user takes will be transferred to the opponent. The user suffers stamina loss. Mana cost: 20. Activation time: 1 minute.
Blood Soldiers (D)
Type: Active
Description: The user's blood turns black during use, and black soldiers form from the user's blood. (Upgradable) Soldiers: 3. Mana cost: 5 per soldier. Activation time: 10 seconds.
"Good choice," the lady said. "Here, you're going to need this." She threw him a blue crystal called a mana crystal. "Swallow that and then rip the skill pages to absorb them. Oh, and my name is Jessica," she told him.
Wright swallowed the crystal and then ripped the skill pages. "I have a scythe that I want you to use. It is ultimately the weapon that anyone who passes the test will use. Yours will be a basic one, though." She reached inside a ring and pulled it out, tossing it to him.
"Follow the maid; she will take you to the testing area. Oh, and don't lose. I actually like you." Wright followed a maid down flights of stairs and out to the front of the house.
"Get in the truck with the other participants," the maid instructed. When he went outside, there were three black SUVs with about eight people in each, so he hopped in the last one, and the truck went off.