Atop a massive hill that reached toward the heavens, a colossal castle with the signboard writing "divine academy" stood in all its grandeur. Its towers pierced the clouds, casting a shadow over the land below. Surrounding the hill is a forest filled with vibrant hues resembling a rainbow. The gentle breeze rustled the leaves, masking the aggressive growls of the hidden figures. The sky wore a somber grey complexion, devoid of the comforting warmth of the sun, while the ground had cracks and signs of drought.
Nestled at the foot of the hill, a young boy rested, accompanied by his loyal black horse. The horse grazed contentedly on the grass as the boy stretched his body. Adorned with a katana secured at his waist and wielding an axe, he diligently chopped logs into small firewood. Each swing of his axe was executed with precision, cleanly severing the wood while his thoughts danced hazily within his mind. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, which he wiped away with a determined sigh, releasing the tension from his body.
"Gotta search for food now."
He exhaled with closed eyes again, but this time, red fluid energies emerged at the perimeters of his body. He jolted his eyes open which had two horizontal and vertical lines. The world became bluish transparent with a red or orange aura of living and moving creatures. He scanned all directions without blinking. About 50 meters into the forest, he perceived a faint red aura of a 40-inch tall rabbit.
"Found it."
He put the axe on his back and sprinted toward the target. Dodging all the branches and rocks, he silently closed in on the rabbit in mere seconds. He took out the katana from its sheath, creating a slight sound. The rabbit turned around and jumped over to a tree branch. Before it landed, the boy had his axe aimed at the spot. He smirked a bit and threw the axe, cleanly slicing its head off. The axe penetrated the tree, but he didn't flinch at this endeavor as if it was a regular Tuesday evening.
He picked up the rabbit and glanced at the lifeless head of the animal, staring at its death.
"Forgive me."
He used Detection to recheck the surroundings and found only red auras nearby. He didn't even bother to bury the head and reclaimed his axe. The bandages on his hand leaked a drop of blood and started reddening. He clenched his fist tightly and said, "Fuck Bears."
He rewrapped the bandages and returned to his camp. Using 'Detection', he avoided all animals with orange aura as much as possible, and red aura animals avoided him if seen. The boy finally arrived at his camp with the sun diving into the horizon.
As soon as he exited the forest, his smiles from getting the food disappeared. A girl wearing a silky pink gown with a rapier sword on her waist engraved with diamonds was carrying his firewood. Two other peasants in tattered and dusty clothes assisted her.
The horse was having a deep sleep during all of this.
The boy sighed, his voice resonating with a touch of warning. "Put those wood down now. Or else, I might accidentally have to bother scoring a triple kill."
They didn't look back and ran like a sports car. He slowly walked toward their direction and thought, 'I hope I haven't been dull after that long trip.'
The boy took out his axe again and tensed up his body. He took a step forward with veins popping out of his arms. The entirety of red aura- he concentrated it on the with the axe and closed one of his eyes. 'Hmm... Perfect angle... That girl is the leader.' He launched it toward the group at jolting speed. One of the servants turned back and saw the trajectory leading to the woman.
He bit his lips with shaking legs and jumped into the path of the attack. The axe plunged into his ribs, splattering a pool of blood outside. He took in a hollow breath resulting in a futile attempt. Tears streamed down his face as he outstretched his hands towards his presumed brother, only to realize the peasant beside him was a stranger. As his companions faded into the distance, he abandoned all resistance. The ringing in his ears ceased, replaced by the palpable sensation of his fading heartbeat. Finally, he collapsed to the ground, his departure devoid of any climactic ending.
Just another number.
The boy retrieved his axe, his voice carrying authority and persuasion. "If you drop off the wood, I won't chase you. Think of your family. A noble dying in a forest doesn't sound so good, right? If you drop them, you can avoid ending up like your servant."
The woman kept running but glanced back for a bit.
Seeing her familiar face, the boy's eyes widened. She screamed, her voice tinged with desperation. "AREN'T YOU THE SON OF THE KNIGHT CAPTAIN ADONIS? WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE US? WE'RE GOING TO BE CLASSMATES IN THE FUTURE, NO? LET'S GO TO THE ACADEMY TOGETHER. IT'LL BE EASIER IF WE GO TOGETHER-"
The boy chased even faster, all while ignoring her comments. The girl screamed incomprehensibly while the peasant ran behind her, most probably to defend incoming attacks.
'Yes, It's just some wood that I can chop a couple of trees and make again in a few minutes. But even a single compromisation can crack your brain, making you vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation. I can't let it happen again. Besides...'
Just as the girl focused on what lay ahead, Raymond stealthily leaped onto a tree, concealing his movement. After a minute, the peasant glanced behind, only to find no trace of Raymond.
"Lady Viola, he's gone."
The girl checked for herself, finding no one in their vicinity. Her legs suddenly turned to jelly, unable to bear the weight of her trembling body. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her chest rising and falling rapidly. A cold sweat trickled down her temples, mingling with tears that streamed down her face. Her voice cracked as she whispered into the air, "Daddy, please help me," each word choked with crippling desperation.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared behind them. The head of the peasant rolled down as the thick blood smeared on the girl's face. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the figure behind her. Overwhelmed by impending dread, her sanity teetered on the brink. Slowly, the world around her faded into an indifferent silence. With no air to breath and no alternative left, she succumbed to unconsciousness.
In mere seconds, the place turned quiet, forcing Raymond to absorb the depth of the situation.
'I'd forgotten how fragile normal humans were and this is just a low-end red aura b*tch. But... I didn't kill for six months, huh? Feels as thrilling as the first time I killed that prisoner.' He glanced at her twitching body. 'Her brain will push this experience to the corner. Always works like a charm.'
He squatted beside her and put his hand on the chin. 'Is she his daughter? The revenge would be easier if it was...'
He turned her around and saw a crest on her collar made of rose within a sword.
"God gives to the worthy, was it?" he said, with his hand over his grinning mouth.
As the air carried a metallic tang and Raymond's stomach growled, he let her go and stood up.
"I should eat something," he mused.
Rummaging through the pockets of the fallen servants and the girl, he discovered only a few silver coins. The reason behind their theft of his wood became apparent.
"But a noble only having a few silver coins. . . Well, not my problem."
Satisfied with his mission accomplished, he carried the firewood and returned to his camp- searching through the body of the first fallen peasant.
"Nothing, huh?" he remarked with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Well, encountering that girl was reward enough."
His grin grew wider, a twisted satisfaction emanating from within.
"Yeah, this is more than enough."
Just as he returned to the camp, his empty hands and hunger made him question his recent decisions.
"Maybe I should've stayed and prepared some food That trip really made me complacent."
Turning towards his horse, he nudged it gently and said, "Oi, Noir. You're becoming more and more lazy every day. Wake up."
The horse turned its head to the other side, to which Raymond remarked, "Can't believe this horse was my friend for two years... OI, FUCKER-"
A sudden gust of wind caught his attention, causing him to turn around. To his surprise, a lean man clad in a mysterious black suit hovered effortlessly above the ground. Raymond instinctively activated his Detection ability, but to no avail - the man emitted no discernible aura.
'Only the deceased and those stronger than orange aura can't be detected. Does he possess a yellow aura? Or something even more powerful?" Raymond pondered, his mouth suddenly dry as he broke into a cold sweat.
'Wait, think properly. Except for those from the Divine Academy or the student candidates, no one can enter the divine hills, let alone the rainbow forest.'
Summoning his courage, he mustered the strength to ask, "Who are you?"
The man remained expressionless, extending his hand towards Raymond. "Candidate Raymond, the Divine Academy will cancel your exam."