PROLOGUE: BETRAYED

Trash!!. That was what everyone called me. I was trash. At 24, I was stuck at F rank. The lowest rank any mana cultivator could have. So low that I couldn't even get a skill. Most people my age were already at C rank . But no matter how much I tried, I could never pass F rank .

I was so weak that I soon became an object of ridicule and a punching bag . People took turns in bullying me even those who were younger than me. Life was a constant pain.

Because I was weak, I couldn't become a dungeon hunter. This was because I couldn't even survive the weakest monster's blow. It was that bad.

Knowing that I couldn't become a dungeon hunter, I took another path and became a businessman. I took over my parent's cafe when they passed away. It was the only thing they had left for me before they died.

But amidst these dark clouds, there was a silver lining__ or so I thought .

Ruth Lashfield. The love of my life.

She was a very beautiful dungeon hunter who always visited the cafe.

We struck a conversation once and that led to friendship. I later found out that I had feelings for her and I asked her out .

She said yes and became my lover .

It still took me by surprise anytime I wondered what brought us together. She was a C rank hunter meanwhile I was just a mere F rank.

Many men tried to woo her but she stuck with me .

As they say, love is blind__ or maybe I was blind.

As our relationship grew stronger, so did our trust for each other .

One day, Ruth came running to me in tears.

" I am in debt, the creditors are threatening my life", she sobbed.

" How much do you need?" I asked.

" I million", she cried.

One million!!! I opened my mouth in shock. Even my whole cafe and my savings weren't up to 100,000 Rance*(* currency used in the story).

" I didn't think I...........", she didn't let me finish as she burst into tears again. I couldn't bear to see her like this . It was sad

So I did the craziest thing I had ever done in my life .

" I'll give you all I have", I said" 100,000 Rance."

" You are giving me everything, darling", She asked innocently.

" Everything", I replied.

She hugged me and wiped her tears.

" Thanks honey".

" no problem", I kissed her forehead.

I gave Ruth everything I had. I didn't even care if the Cafe fell or if I had nothing to eat. Just as long as my love was happy.

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Two days later, I tried calling Ruth but her number didn't go through. I panicked thinking something had happened to her. I feared that the people she owed had come to take her away.

I continued calling but she didn't answer. So I decided to check on her.

When I got to her door, I knocked but no one answered. This increased my fear. I barged into the room, what I saw left me speechless .

There Ruth was, naked, her head on the laps of a muscular Man who was stroking her hair .

" Ruth!!!!", I screamed after regaining myself.

She looked up and didn't even seem fazed by my appearance.

" Do I know you?", she asked lazily.

What did she mean by that.

" Ruth what the hell are you doing?", I exclaimed.

The muscular Man looked at me with anger and hate .

" Who the f*ck are you?", he asked.

" I'm her boyfriend", I said" who are you?".

The Man glared at me as Ruth laughed.

" Boyfriend? you? c'mon honey, this is my boyfriend", she pointed to the muscular Man.

I opened my mouth in shock.

" what... do..... you mean?" I stammered " what about those times we shared ".

" You've been conned Mister", the Man said.

Conned? what did he mean?. I was confused.

" That whole thing was all a lie, why would I, a powerful rank C hunter fall for a measly trash like you? All I wanted was your money", she sniggered.

What?

" you are joking right? please tell me this is a prank", I pleaded.

" It's no prank mister, I am her boyfriend", the man said " Now get the fuck outta here".

I had been played!!

" shut up", I shouted in anger and made to punch the Man who had gotten up and was ready to push me out.

My fist didn't reach their target as the man caught my hand mid air.

He gave me a dirty jab to my jaw and I staggered backwards falling face flat.

He began raining punches on my face as I coughed out blood.Turns out that the guy had a hardening skill .

He had made his fist twice hard, dealing double damage.

Ruth looked at the whole scene giggling. The bitch!!!!

That day, I received the beating of my life as they kicked me out. I ran home in shame and bruises.

I cursed myself that day, I was the one that brought this up on my self. I was thinking there was a place for a weakling like my in this world. I couldn't take it anymore. Nothing else mattered to me and life seemed unbearable due to the fact that I was now broke.

What was I even living for? I wondered. I reached for a knife in the kitchen and stabbed myself with it.

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That was the day I died. But it was also the beginning after the end for me.

A/N: Although this chapter is written in first person narrative, the other chapters would constantly switch between first person and third person narratives.

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