"Mom, look!" Zarek exclaimed, his tiny legs pumping as he sprinted towards his mother, Serena Valtor, with a vibrant, crayon-scribbled masterpiece clutched in his small, chubby hands. Serena's warm, brown eyes sparkled with affection as she knelt before her five-year-old son, her silky black hair cascading from its ponytail like a waterfall of night, framing her radiant smile.
Zarek handed her the drawing, his face aglow with pride, his bright blue eyes shining like stars. "I made it for you!" Serena's eyes widened as she took in the colorful image, her gaze filled with wonder.
"Wow, Zarek, this is amazing! Is this me?" Zarek beamed, nodding enthusiastically, his small chest puffing out with pride.
Serena's gentle touch on his head sent waves of happiness through Zarek, like a soothing balm to his soul. But suddenly, her expression froze, her smile faltering. Her body began to crystallize, petrifying into a statue, as if time itself had stopped.
"Mom... Mom!" Zarek's voice trembled, panic rising like a storm within him. Tears streamed down his face as he screamed, but his voice was muffled by some unseen force, like a suffocating shroud.
Zarek jolted awake, gasping for air, his chest heaving like a bellows. His cheek was wet with tears, and his heart still raced from the vivid dream. Cain's voice pierced the fog of Zarek's consciousness, calm and steady.
"Looks like you had a pretty ugly dream, kid. You were screaming in your sleep." Zarek's gaze shifted, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings of the old wooden house. The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows on the walls.
He lay on a makeshift bed on the ground, his head throbbing like a drum. "Where... am I?" Zarek asked, his voice laced with disorientation, his eyes scanning the room for answers.
"You passed out, kid," Cain explained, his voice low and soothing. "I brought you here. Better than freezing to death out there." Zarek's eyes closed, his head feeling heavy as memories of yesterday's grueling fight with Cain resurfaced.
"Here, kid, have some tea." Cain handed him a steaming mug, the aroma wafting up like a warm hug. Zarek took a sip, the scalding liquid reviving his senses, banishing the lingering fear.
"The test... did Iā" "You passed, kid," Cain said, a hint of surprise in his voice, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"But I can't let you participate in the next Omega Dungeon raid." Zarek's face fell, disappointment etched on his features like a scar.
"Not at this condition, that is," Cain added, his expression thoughtful, his eyes narrowing as he weighed the risks. Zarek's head snapped up, eyes widening with renewed hope.
"Your D-rank, right? How many stars?" Cain's voice remained steady, his tone measured.
"One star." Cain's gaze intensified, his words cutting to the heart of the matter.
"One star, huh? Let me be blunt. If you went into that portal, your chance of survival would be more or less than zero. Even if you entered the dungeon with me, it's more or less than five percent."
Cain's pause hung heavy in the air, like a challenge. "I don't own a guild or have teammates; it's just the two of us." Cain's eyes locked onto Zarek's, searching for any sign of doubt.
"I've told you the stakes. Do you still want to do it?" "Yeah!" Zarek's voice propelled forward instantly, without hesitation, his determination burning like a fire.
A slow grin spread across Cain's face, creasing his weathered skin.
"What's your name, kid?" "Zarek Valtor." "I'm Cain... Cain Locke," his words cut short by a sudden, deafening vibration.
The utensils on the table rattled and clinked, as if a meteor had crashed nearby, shaking the very foundations of the house.
"What was that?" Zarek exclaimed, his voice lost in the din.
"It must be Shadow," Cain muttered, already heading outside. Zarek followed, squinting against the blinding light from the doorway.
As his eyes adjusted, the chill in the air hit him like a slap, the cold biting at his skin. The scene before him was transformed. Snow blanketed the ground, and gusts of icy wind whipped through the trees, sending powdery drifts swirling.
Zarek shivered, his breath visible in the cold air, his fingers numb.
"Where the hell am I?" Zarek muttered, inspecting his surroundings. No sign of Cain. "Captain..." Zarek called out, but only his own echo replied, bouncing off the snow-covered trees.
He reached out a hand, sensing the thick mana in the air, like an invisible fog. "What is this place?"
Suddenly, a snarling dire wolf charged at Zarek, catching him off-guard. He fell to the ground as the beast's screech pierced the air, its hot breath washing over him.
Saliva dripped from its jaws, splattering onto Zarek's face. A Night Wolf - an A-rank creature.
"Why the hell is a Night Wolf here? Aren't these things supposed to be in a dungeon? How did it escape?" Zarek's mind raced.
Just as the wolf prepared to strike, Cain's voice intervened, calm and authoritative. "Shadow, stop. It's not food."
The wolf stepped back, its eyes never leaving Zarek, as Cain approached. The remains of snow etched on its back as it rose from the ground.
"Do you mind explaining," Zarek asked, still wary, "why a dungeon creature is here, and where are we?"
"This is my pet, Shadow," Cain replied, his voice matter-of-fact, "and we're in the Yuki Mountains."
Zarek's mind started racing. "Yuki Mountains? How are we in Yuki Mountains? It takes about a week's worth of travel to get here from Zolack! So that's the speed of an S-rank hunter - we reached within a night, not only that, while carrying me here."
Zarek turned to Cain, immediately grasping the situation. "Why are we here?" he asked.
"For your training," Cain said, his eyes glinting with purpose. "Normally, I don't train D-ranks because they can't catch up that much, but I saw something incredible yesterday when I used a potion on you. The injuries in your body got healed instantly. Even an S-rank hunter couldn't heal like that."
Cain's gaze intensified. "So, what's your skill, Zarek?"
Zarek reflected on his miraculous recovery. "My injuries... yeah, come to think of it, I'm perfectly alright."
"My skill is Absorption," Zarek broke the silence, catching Cain's attention.
"It's a basic skill every hunter has when using potions or healing magic," Zarek explained. "But for me, the only benefit is that I can absorb any healing potions and magic, healing faster than an average hunter. It's pretty handy, but utterly useless in combat."
Zarek's voice carried a hint of frustration. "Other hunters can develop secondary skills from their primary skill, unlocking new abilities. But mine doesn't work that way. My main skill, Absorption, is useless in combat. I try to keep up with other hunters through training, but it's never enough."
Cain listened intently, his expression thoughtful.
"I'm pretty much human since I have no combat skill," Zarek said, frustration etched on his face. "If it wasn't for my mana reserves, I'd be completely helpless. All I can do with my mana is absorb; nothing more. My combat skills are solely due to relentless training, but even the human body has its limits."
Cain's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. "I think I'm beginning to understand you better, Zarek," Cain thought.
"Among hunters, he must have been treated as an outcast, judging by the scars on his body. He's been doing this for years, yet he doesn't look more than sixteen."
Cain wondered, "What drove him to push so hard, to not give up?" Self-reflection crept in. "Compared to this kid, I look kinda pathetic."
Then, a startling realization struck Cain. "Wait a minute..."
"Hey kid, I think I've found a way to help you."