The Forgotten One

In a world where strength defines everything—where the elites rise and the weak are cast aside—Ares Roshin was nothing more than a disgrace to his own family.

A D-rank hunter born into one of the world's strongest clans, the Roshin Family, he was the stain that tainted their legacy. His siblings were powerful prodigies, each of them recognized across the world. His father, Orion Roshin, was a living legend, a titan who crushed both monsters and men with overwhelming force. But Ares?

He was a failure. A joke.

Sitting alone beneath the shade of a tree in a quiet park, Ares looked up at the vast sky. His dark brown eyes held no light, no spark of life—only exhaustion.

"What is this bullshit they call power?" he muttered bitterly, tossing a small rock into the pond before him. "If I had that power, maybe I'd have some pride in myself... Maybe I'd still have a place in my family."

He clenched his fists. "But no. The universe only favors those it wants, and the rest of us? We're left to fend for ourselves. I was one of the unlucky ones."

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. "I used to think I was special. I was good at everything—academics, sports, even socializing. I studied hard, got into a great university, helped people when I could."

Ares took a deep breath, his fingers digging into the grass. "Everyone praised me. They said I was the future head of the family. Even my father..." He paused, his jaw tightening. "Even he said it. And I believed him."

The memory was still fresh. The admiration in their voices, the pride in his father's eyes. And then it all crumbled.

"The moment they learned my rank, everything changed. My classmates distanced themselves. My so-called friends stopped talking to me. My own siblings—Leon, Celeste, even Linda—started looking at me differently."

His voice trembled with anger. "And my father? The great Orion Roshin? He abandoned me without a second thought."

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzzing of his phone. He glanced at the screen.

"Little One"

A faint smile formed on his lips. It was his younger sister, Linda Roshin—the only one who still treated him the same.

He hesitated before answering.

"BBBRROOOOOTHHHHER!!!"

Ares flinched, pulling the phone away from his ear as Linda's cheerful yet deafening voice blasted through the speaker. "Damn it, Linda... Do you want to make me go deaf?"

"Hehehe~! Where are you?! I wanna play with you!" she whined.

Ares sighed. "Don't you have training? You're a national prodigy, you know. Shouldn't you be busy?"

"Haaaaah!! Work is boring! I'd rather hang out with you!"

A soft chuckle escaped Ares' lips. "Sorry, Linda. If I meet you now, your big brother might get in trouble for 'wasting the time of an elite hunter.' We'll play when you have no work, alright?"

There was a brief pause before she responded. "Okay! But I'm bringing treats next time!"

"Deal."

"Talk to you later, Brother!"

The call ended.

Ares stared at the phone for a long moment before sighing. "You used to call me 'Big Brother'... I guess even that changed."

His mood darkened as he stood up, preparing to leave the park.

From the corner of his vision, he noticed two women whispering while casting glances at him.

"Oh my, is that the disgrace of the Roshin Family?" one of them whispered.

"Yeah. I heard he excelled at everything… except the most important thing—his rank. How pathetic."

Ares quickened his pace, his nails digging into his palms. "Tch. It's not surprising. Even I'm shocked. Maybe that's why Father left me—because of the one thing I couldn't have: power."

The Roshin Family – The Fifth Strongest Clan in the World

The Roshin Family was one of the five strongest clans on the planet, wielding influence that stretched across nations. Their strength was legendary, their power absolute.

At the head of this family stood Orion Roshin, a man who had fought in countless battles, facing both humans and monsters alike. Despite being in his fifties, his presence alone could make S-rank hunters tremble.

He had one rule.

"The weak have no place in my family."

Ares was no exception.

Ares' Temporary Peace – The Restaurant

Ares walked through the streets, eventually reaching a familiar restaurant. It was a humble place, nestled beneath his apartment complex.

As he stepped inside, a deep voice greeted him.

"Yo, Ares! Good day, isn't it?"

Ares looked up to see Ricko, the restaurant owner. A towering man with muscles thick as steel, Ricko was a C-rank hunter who had once been a renowned tank.

Despite his fearsome appearance, he had a kind heart. He despised unnecessary violence—especially in his restaurant. Even A-rank hunters had been thrown out for causing trouble here.

Ares smiled. "Yeah, I guess it's not too bad."

Before he could say anything else, he suddenly felt something grab onto his leg.

Looking down, he saw Riley—Ricko's 7-year-old daughter—clinging to him.

"Big Brother Ares! You're back!" she beamed, her small hands wrapped tightly around his leg.

Ares' heart softened. He crouched down and ruffled her hair. "Did you really miss me after just two days?"

She pouted. "Of course! Riley missed Brother very much!"

Ares let out a shaky breath, his emotions threatening to spill over. "Don't worry, no matter what happens, I'll always be here, alright?"

Riley's face lit up. "Okay, Brother!" She then ran off to the kitchen, giggling.

Ricko chuckled. "Kids these days… even in a world like this, they're still as radiant as ever."

Ares nodded. "Yeah… they really are."

After chatting for a while, Ares picked up his food and left.

The Mysterious Figure

As he approached the alleyway leading to his apartment, his body tensed.

A figure stood in the shadows.

A tall man dressed in a black suit and dark shades leaned against the wall, arms crossed. His presence alone felt suffocating.

But what made Ares' blood run cold was the emblem on the man's suit.

His throat tightened. He took an involuntary step back, his breath shallow.

"You... You're with the government, aren't you?"

The man nodded.

Ares' fingers twitched. His instincts screamed that something was very, very wrong.

"Oh boy… this is not good."

To Be Continued…