Davi's tired eyes lingered on the sunrise before him. Perhaps that view was the only thing he actually liked about his hometown.
This place had once been a small grove where children played. But the land was sold, as a nearby mine of magical stones made it valuable. Soon, a massive industrial complex took over that part of the city.
Now, thick pollution blanketed the area. The soot made visibility awful, and a foul stench hung in the air constantly.
The boy scratched his long, disheveled hair as he reflected on the past. Maybe it wasn't so bad, the destruction of his memories helped him let go of it all.
Then, he stared at the payment he'd received for his days of backbreaking labor. No matter how many times he counted, the amount of money he had still wasn't enough.
With a bitter sigh, he thought, if only he hadn't punched his boss on the last day of work, they wouldn't have cut his pay.
The reason for his reckless outburst was defending a coworker. But if he'd just ignored it, he'd have the money he needed now.
So, what now? Another year of this?
Clenching his fists in frustration, he was reminded again of his own powerlessness. If only he were as strong as his father, he wouldn't have to work that hard for so little.
And still, the oppressive smoke continued to suffocate him.
"Damn it!" he yelled trying to release all the pent-up anger inside.
A bluish energy flared in his hands. In an attempt to disperse the oppressive fog, he unleashed it in all directions.
For a fleeting second, he managed to push the soot away, but it quickly returned. That was the limit of his pathetically small power.
With a melancholic sigh, he forced the defeatist thoughts out of his mind. He would leave this city no matter what, even if it meant borrowing money from that damn man.
[You have leveled up to 24.]
Interrupting his train of thought, the message he'd been expecting for a while finally arrived. It was said that even if one had accumulated enough experience, leveling up tended to occur during moments of intense emotion. So, it made sense that it happened now.
Over the past month, Davi had worked himself to the brink of collapse. While it wasn't as efficient as slaying monsters or fighting, pushing his body and mind to their absolute limits was still a valid way to grow.
It was common knowledge that non-combatants typically leveled up once a year. In that sense, for a 20-year-old, level 24 didn't seem so bad. The problem was that his 14-year-old brother was almost at level 40.
For someone dreaming of exploring the rifts, Davi's level was pathetically low. Still, he sent a message to his best friend, Luna, celebrating his long-awaited level-up.
"Let's see if anything's actually changed…" he muttered under his breath, still feeling deflated.
Profile:
Name: Davi Motolitte
Class: Digger Lv 24
Skills:
- Thermal Resistance Lv 3
- Excavate Lv 12
- Shield Lv 1
- Mana Manipulation Lv 31
Status:
- Strength: 24
- Defence: 28(+5)
- Speed: 23
- Stamina: 31
- Intelligence: 25(-2)
Titles
{???????}
Effect: none.
Requirement: Reach level 25.
{The one who failed}
Effect: Mental instability in some situations. -2 intelligence.
{One who resisted inhumane working conditions.}
Effect: basic resistance to adverse situations. +5 defence.
Davi was surprised to notice that he had earned a new title. The last month had been rough, but he hadn't expected it to be significant enough to warrant such a change. Still, it explained why he'd been feeling less fatigued over the past few days.
And then there was that suspicious title. The nameless one that had followed him for as long as he could remember. For years, Davi had clung to the hope that reaching level 25 would completely change his life.
But deep down, he knew it was a foolish dream. Passively waiting for something to transform your life was almost always a recipe for disaster. That's why he was so determined to leave his hometown. He would fight for his future regardless of what that title could mean.
As he looked ahead, he left his old job behind, walking the familiar streets. With every step, bitter memories surfaced, and his expression grew more sour.
His destination was his father's house: a place he knew all too well and avoided whenever possible. But what choice did he have? He still needed just a little more money to pay for the trip and the registration fee.
His goal was to apply to one of the 12 great exploration academies. Specifically, Enki Academy, where his best friend, Luna, was studying.
After what felt like an eternity, but was really just a ten-minute walk, Davi found himself standing before the place he considered a personal hell. Still, no one could deny how stunning and luxurious that mansion was.
Davi stepped into the house and closed the door behind him. A stench of alcohol lingered in the air, a grim herald of the presence of someone he'd rather never see again. Nonetheless, he made his way through the garden, and there he was: his father.
Norman lounged on a beach chair, basking in the sun with a bottle of vodka in hand. His striking blue eyes were an exact replica of Davi's, probably the only physical trait they shared.
The man was massive, a mountain of muscle bulging against the confines of his too-tight shirt. Adding to his intimidating presence, his face was stern and commanding, the kind of face that could silence a room with a single glare.
"What do you want?" the man asked, his tone dripping with disdain as his gaze fell on his son.
Davi's body quivered, a paralyzing fear snaking up his spine and coiling tightly around his chest. No matter how many years slipped away, the shadows of his past clung to him with relentless grip, suffocating his every breath like a serpent tightening around his throat.
But Davi was stubborn. He forced himself to lock eyes with the powerful and terrifying gaze of his father, desperate to prove to himself that he could overcome this fear.
In the end, he couldn't.
His resolve broke, and he averted his gaze. His eyes wandered to the pools nearby, where he saw a few young women in bikinis so skimpy they barely concealed anything lounged around. Unsurprisingly, none of them looked anything like his mother.
To the left, he spotted a massive training arena. No matter where he looked, every inch of the garden was filled with things that epitomized everything he despised about his father.
"Dad..." Davi began, his voice low and shaky. He wanted to sound firm, confident, but the hatred in Norman's eyes made his courage falter. "I need money. Just a little, to..."
Before he could finish the sentence, Norman stood up and crushed the whiskey bottle in his hand.
In the next instant, he was standing in front of Davi, his face twisted in a grimace of disgust.
"Why should I give money to someone like you?"
Without giving him a chance to respond, he grabbed his son by the neck and lifted him into the air. Then, he wrapped one hand around the boy's throat, choking him lightly.
"I just need a loan," Davi barely managed to say the words. His father loosened his grip slightly. "I want to go to the Explorers' Academy. I'll become an explorer and pay you back, I promise."
For the first time, the disgust disappeared from the man's face. Norman let go of his son, and then a wide smile spread across his face. He suddenly burst into forced laughter, as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.
"You?" He stepped closer to his small son, his mere presence enough to make Davi struggle for air. "You think you can go to the Academy and survive? I'm not lending money to someone who won't be able to pay me back."
"Please, father," Davi lowered his head, nearly begging. He clenched his fists, full of hatred, but he needed the money. "I'll be able to become an explorer, and I'll pay you back. I promise."
Norman stopped laughing abruptly, then stared at his son with a serious, contemplative expression, as if weighing what Davi had said. There was a heavy, tense moment of silence. Then, suddenly, he took a step back, his smile returning, but this time with calculated cruelty.
"Alright, boy," he finally said. "I'll give you a chance. But only one." He pointed to the arena beside them. "If you want that money so badly, you'll have to prove you deserve it. We'll fight, here and now. If you can land at least one hit on me, I'll give you the money."
Davi felt his heart sink. His father was a martial arts master and, more importantly, had a combat class. Davi, though he had trained to the point of exhaustion during his childhood, only had technique..
That said, he couldn't back down now. He needed this money, needed this chance.
"Alright," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "I accept."
The two walked toward the arena. With a confident smile, Norman looked at his son with a hint of disdain. Meanwhile, Davi took a deep breath, preparing for the fight ahead.
Norman advanced, moving surprisingly fast for a man of his size, catching Davi off guard. Instinctively, Davi stepped back and managed to dodge, but his whole body trembled with fear.
"You need to hit me, Davi!" Norman shouted, his voice dripping with contempt. "Come on! Or are you going to keep running away like always?"
The boy took a deep breath, trying to overcome the fear deeply ingrained in his mind. It was hard to forget all the times he had been beaten by this man.
Still, he tried to move forward, and then…
Before he could see anything, his stomach was struck by a powerful punch.
Davi clutched his chest as his knees buckled, hitting the ground. Then he fully collapsed, his delicate face slightly scraping against the rough floor.
Powerless, he tried to breathe… nothing. He opened his mouth, still nothing. Desperately, he clutched his abdomen. Even the simple act of pulling in air was excruciatingly painful; moving was even worse.
He spent several seconds writhing on the ground, his pupils dilating as he wanted to scream but had no air to do so. For a moment, he thought he was going to die, the sensation akin to someone strangling him.
Finally, through a small gasp, a bit of air entered his lungs. The pain persisted for a few more seconds but then lessened to a tolerable level. Still hunched over and weak, he managed to stand up and breathe again.
His gaze wavered in confusion, everything spinning around him. Even on his feet, the boy staggered, feeling as though he might collapse at any moment. In front of him, he could see only blurred, disconnected shapes.
This was the absolute difference in power between him and that man.