Resources[2]
A boy with white hair and green eyes stood silently in a big hall. His skin looked pale, almost like he hadn't seen sunlight in days. He was thin, his arms like sticks, and his eyes had dark circles under them.
All around him, people were staring. Some with disgust, others with fear, but no one looked at him with kindness.
In front of him, his mother was kneeling on the cold marble floor. She was crying, her hands joined in front of a rich woman who wore expensive designer clothes, shiny high heels, and a heavy diamond necklace that sparkled under the lights.
The rich woman said coldly, "If you want me to forgive your son… then have a meeting with my boss."
The boy looked at his mother. His heart broke into pieces as he saw her being treated like this. She was being taken away by two tall men in black suits with sunglasses and blank expressions. They looked like bodyguards or something worse.
Tears began to fall from the boy's eyes. He was angry. No—he was furious. He wanted to destroy everything. But he couldn't. He was weak, and the world didn't care.
Suddenly—SLAP!
He felt a burning sting on his cheek.
"It… hurts," he whispered.
The rich woman had slapped him. Again. And again.
"You poor piece of shit! How dare you touch my son? How dare you!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the hall.
The boy didn't say anything. He didn't even look angry. This… was normal for him.
He was abused every day by this woman—his aunt. Her son, who was two years older, beat him, bullied him, humiliated him. But today, that boy made a mistake. He called the white-haired boy's mother a slut.
And the boy… he lost control. He snapped the bully's arm and sent him to the hospital.
Now, he stood here, being punished.
"Consequences of your actions…"
An old man stepped forward. He was his father's assistant, with grey hair and cold eyes. He grabbed the boy's thin wrist and dragged him away.
They reached a dark room—cold, silent, and empty. He pushed the boy inside and shut the door.
Darkness. No light. No voice. Just his breathing.
And then… a whisper.
"I'll kill them."
Again.
"I'll kill them all."
Again and again.
"I'll kill them all… I'll kill them all…"
..
..It had been four weeks since I got the Neon Shield skill. A lot had changed since then. I had worked day and night, trained like a madman, and now... I had finally reached B Rank.
I still had three months left to achieve my short-term goal — reaching A Rank before the academy reopened.
The Neon Shield, which I bought for 10.5 million UI, had turned out to be an amazing skill. Not only did it adapt to my body, but it also absorbed energy-based attacks. It changed shape depending on my fighting stance — round, long, flat — and it could even float for a few seconds to block attacks from behind. It was made using thorium, a rare element, and infused with Neon Energy, which made it semi-solid. It glowed a soft blue and pulsed with light whenever danger approached.
But I didn't stop there. I also upgraded two of my old skills:
Healing Self — now I could recover from light injuries in seconds and serious ones in minutes.
Acceleration Burst — it now gave me super speed for 10 full seconds. That was enough to dodge, run, or land powerful attacks.
Both of them were now A Rank, just like Neon Shield.
Three A-rank abilities. I was satisfied… for now.
---
During these weeks, I made a clear plan. I had to be smart, not just strong. I had read on the academy website that in the 4th year, students could choose a path — like picking a job.
It reminded me of old video games. There were 10 main categories:
1. Warrior Path – This was all about strength, defense, and close combat.
Swordsman
Spearman
Tank
2. Mage Path – All about spells, magic, and healing.
Healer
Herbalist
Druid
But for me… I had to choose something different.
Adventurer Path.
And within that path, there were three options:
Pathfinder – scouts and trailblazers.
Rogue – fast attackers and explorers.
Cartographer – the map makers, the explorers, the ones who go where others can't.
I smiled when I saw Cartographer. That's what I wanted to be.
It had versatility — meaning it could do many things.
It had utility — useful in different situations.
And the best part — I could go anywhere, enter any region, any dungeon, in the name of exploration.
The only problem?
To officially become a cartographer, I needed to be at least S Rank.
That was the requirement.
It would take me a few years, but I was sure I could do it. I had the motivation. I had the discipline. And now, I had strong skills.
---
I opened the World Web Store again, just to see if any new skills were on sale. Nothing special. So, just for curiosity, I clicked on the EHA Website – the government's main platform for Hunters and Awakened individuals.
There was a section I had never noticed before — Top 100 Heroes.
I clicked it.
A long list appeared. These were the best of the best.
1. Claudius Throne – Warrior
He looked like a knight from ancient times, wearing golden armor and holding a huge sword.
2. Alaric Grant – Mage
A man with white robes, glowing tattoos, and a calm expression.
3. Eleanor Vance – Mage
A woman floating mid-air, holding a spellbook in one hand and fire in the other.
4. Coburn Eret – Warrior
A man with huge muscles and two giant axes on his back.
5. Yuan Shung – Tactician
A man with sharp eyes, a folded fan in one hand, and maps in the background.
As I scrolled through the top 50, I noticed something strange.
Not a single adventurer was on the list.
Strange. Were they too weak to be in the top 100? Or maybe... they were not combat types? Maybe they focused more on missions, discovery, and survival rather than fighting?
I shrugged. I didn't care. I wasn't doing this to be famous. I had other plans.
---
I then decided to check out the Academy Website again. I wanted to see the top students in the school. Maybe I could find someone interesting.
I clicked on the 1st Year list. Nothing. It said: "Website to be updated soon."
What the hell? Lazy people.
I clicked on 2nd Year — and there it was:
1. Casimir – S Rank
2. Lucius – S Rank
3. Julian – A Rank
4. Darius – A Rank
"Whoa…" I whispered.
Two S-Ranked students already? In just the 2nd year? That was crazy. I clicked on their profiles.
---
Casimir – The first thing I saw was her picture.
She was beautiful. No, not cute — like model-level beautiful. Long red hair that flowed like fire, and big blue eyes that looked like the ocean. Her face was so perfectly shaped, it almost felt fake. But it wasn't. She looked calm but dangerous — like someone who smiled while destroying you.
Then I clicked on Lucius.
White hair. Green eyes. His shoulders were broad, and his muscles looked carved like a statue. But his eyes…
They were lifeless.
Empty.
Like someone who had seen too much.
I stared at his picture for a few seconds, then shook my head. I had no time to be distracted. I closed the tab.
---
Now that I had three powerful A-Rank skills and my goal was clearer than ever, I headed out to practice again. Silia was waiting for me, and I couldn't waste even a single day.
Because my path wasn't going to be easy.
But it was mine.