The Boy and his Situation

The sounds of crickets and cicadas filled the air, their rhythmic chirping creating a haunting melody that echoed through the forest.

A chilling breeze rustled the leaves of the tall, imposing trees surrounding the clearing, and the occasional howl of wolves sent shivers down anyone's spine.

The two moons, one with a blue hue and one with a red tint, cast an eerie glow over the starry sky. These woods are the home to all dangerous beasts and monsters.

In these parts of the kingdom, hunting, killing, and harvesting the bounties of the forest was the primary source of income for many.

Despite the danger, individuals who call themselves adventurers braved these woods for the promise of money and glory.

The boy slowly opened his eyes, his body stiff and sore from lying on the cold forest floor. He looked at a man humming while stirring a clay pot over a crackling fire.

The smell of mutton stew wafted through the air, making the boy's stomach growl with hunger.

"Hey, kid. You're finally awake! Come over here and have a taste of this. Come. Come. Don't be shy," the man said, beckoning the boy with a kind smile.

The boy intently looked towards the man, hesitating before nodding. He slowly stood up, his legs still shaky from exhaustion. He approached the man, who passed him a wooden bowl and spoon filled with cooked meat stew.

"Hmm. You're distrusting. I respect that. Here. You must be hungry, right? Have some of this," the man said, watching as the boy hesitantly touched the wooden spoon. He took a piece of meat and soup, slowly placing it in his mouth.

"What the hell! Yuck! Urgh! How can food be too salty, bitter, and sweet simultaneously!" The boy grimaced, unable to hide his disappointment at the taste.

The man laughed. "Wow! You're mean kid, aren't you? But you're right. It's because I can't cook! Hahahaha!"

He also grabbed his bowl and spoon and slowly ate his food.

"It is disgusting. Hahaha!" the man said, enjoying the food nonetheless.

The boy continued to eat, his hunger outweighing the awful taste of the stew.

"Kid, my name's Wil. What's your name?" Wil asked, introducing himself.

Wil stood tall with a carefree attitude. His black hair and smooth skin made him appear more in line with a nobleman than a typical adventurer.

He wore a full-length leather jacket that seemed simple but was clear extraordinary gear. There's also some type of goggles dangling on his neck. What caught the eye was the large weapon holstered on his back; the sheer size was distinct from the flintlocks the boy had seen before.

Despite his friendly and approachable demeanor, he understood Wil possessed considerable strength.

Even with the boy's rash personality, he knows the man before him is his savior.

"Thank you, Sir Wil. I'm called Mik," Mik replied, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Wil, who had saved him.

"Mik, huh? Just Mik?" Wil asked, raising an eyebrow.

The boy had distinct silver hair and defiant blue eyes. The boy looked around, not even ten years old. If not for his ragged clothes and poor complexion, he might be mistaken for a lost son of a royal.

"Yes, Sir Wil. Just Mik," Mik replied, still nervous and unsure what to say.

"I'm not some snobby noble. Wil is fine," Wil said, chuckling.

"So, Mik, tell me your story. Why is someone as weak and small as you ever in the deep in the forest?" Mik's situation piqued Wil's curiosity.

With slight hesitation, Mik began to talk.

"I am a servant in the Heavy-Fist Clan in Toadcreek. Three days ago, they gave me the task to carry the bag of my young masters."

…

Three days ago.

"Fireball!"

"Ice ball!"

"Uge. Kekekeke!"

A volley of fiery and icy orbs soared through the air towards a small pack of humanoid monsters, some finding their mark while others missed their intended targets.

The goblins, with their green, wart-covered skin and a hunched back, measured about a meter in height. They often roamed in groups of five, possessing limited intelligence.

They typically hunted small creatures on the outskirts of the forest for food. Armed with rudimentary weapons like wooden clubs and spears, their physical strength was akin to a human child's.

"Why can't you hit them right, Van?" complained the young woman, firing another ice skill that missed its target.

"Shut up, Emi! If I hit it, it'll be dead for sure. Just keep firing! And Boder, make sure none of them get too close!" frustrated the young man.

As they continued the chants of their spells, the twins failed to hit the group of goblins with their magic. It showed their inexperience as their attacks were unsteady and uncoordinated.

Boder, a hulking man, scratched his head and nodded. He seemed bored by the affair and only joined them because the boss had ordered him to guard the pair.

One goblin managed to run towards the young pair, who panicked.

"Now! Defend us, Boder!" shouted Van in distress.

"Yes, young master," replied Boder, stepping before them. Wielding a massive sword, his arm emitted a pair of light rings. With a swift and effortless stroke, he quickly dispatched the goblin.

"Keeeeek!"

"Impressive! Achieving two rings have made all the difference in your strength!" Van exclaimed in amazement as he observed Boder's incredible strength.

However, his expression quickly turned to jealousy as he realized the extent of Boder's power.

"Damn you, pests!" Emi cried out angrily, kicking one of the dead creatures in frustration.

"Hey, Mik, come here!" Van shouted to the young man behind him, who appeared to be struggling under the weight of his heavy bag. With sweat beading on his forehead, Mik made his way over to the group.

"Collect their heads and check for demon cores. Maybe we can loot something valuable," ordered Van, his tone filled with authority.

"Don't laze around. Get every sellable part, understand?"

"Yes," Mik replied, using a small knife to remove the goblins' ears.

"Hey! Didn't I tell you to add 'Young Master' when you talk to me?" Van shouted. Mik remained silent but shot him an annoyed look.

After a moment, he sighed and bowed his head. "Yes, Young Master," he replied, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.

"Better! Hmph! Don't get impudent with me," Van grumbled before resuming his walk ahead.

"Yeah, you little shit," Mik muttered under his breath.

He remained obedient despite feeling overworked from the past two days spent dissecting monsters and cooking for the group.

After all, they were the young masters of the Heavy-Fist Clan, and he was just a servant.

"Over the past two days, we've taken down around fifteen goblins. The guild quests states that for every ten goblin heads we get, they'll give us a mana pill. The more mana pills we have, the easier it is for us to form our second ring," Emi explained, her eyes filled with ambition.

"We need to keep hunting. We both became one-ring mages two months ago, and Father promised that if we reach two rings before we turn thirteen, he'll enroll us in Evergrande Academy in the capital," Van added, his mind already imagining the possibilities of being a student to the most prestigious academy of the kingdom.

Emi's expression turned from excitement to a fierce determination to kill more goblins. "What are we doing? Let's continue to hunt and kill as many as we can!"

Van turned to Mik. "Hurry up and finish. We need to keep moving." They turned to venture deeper into the forest.

Mik hesitated before asking, "Young Master, should we not bury the dead goblins? The smell could attract other monsters," Mik points to the corpses on the ground.

Van and Emi scoffed at the idea. "Let them come," Van said with a grin. "The more monsters, the more points we can gather."

Both their eyes glinted with greed and arrogance.

'Ah, they're hopeless,' Mik thought, shaking his head in frustration.

After spending another day in the mountains, the group's trail of blood and corpses grew longer.

They had already collected over twenty goblin heads, but their thirst for blood fueled their ego as they continued their ruthless killing spree.

"Kekuk!"

A wriggling goblin hit the ground.

"That makes it twenty-five!" Van exclaimed as his fireball incinerated a monster on the ground. "Five more, then we can sell the loot at the guild and get three mana pills."

"If only Father had given us our mana pills, we wouldn't be in this mess," Emi complained.

She was used to being pampered at home, and now they need to get their hands dirty.

Suddenly, a howl cut through their conversation.

Awooo!

"Gray wolves, young masters." Boder, who had been quietly sitting on a trunk, sprang up and alerted them.

"Wolves? In this part of the mountains?" Emi's fear was evident. "Brother, we can't fight them off. They're a lot stronger than goblins!"

"Shut up, I know! Mik, hurry and grab those heads! Quickly!" Van commanded, determined to complete the task at hand.

As they saw the wolves' shadows pop up individually, Van immediately panicked, "Run! Run!"

Everyone ran their fastest, but the terrain made it challenging to keep up, with large roots and the soft soil of the forest.

Before they knew it, a scarred and menacing wolf appeared, covered in scars and snarling as it charged toward them.

"Isn't that a large grey wolf?! Run faster!" Emi cried, tears streaming down her face.

'Shit! The bag's too heavy, but I can't leave this behind, or they'll kill me for sure,' Mik muttered to himself as he trailed behind, his breaths coming in quick gasps due to the struggle of keeping up with the heavy load.

"No. No. No, we can't die like this! We still need to get to Evergrande Academy!" Van's face trickled with sweat as he spoke urgently. "Boder, can't you defend us? You have two-rings!"

But Boder's usual boredom was replaced with concern. "No, young master. The large one is strong, and there are too many of them."

Suddenly, Mik stumbled on a shrub. "Young masters, wait for me, please!" The others stopped. The wolves are now catching up.

But instead of helping the young servant, Van had a sinister expression as he came up with an idea.

"Boder, grab that bag!" he commanded. Boder helped Mik up and took his bag.

Then, without warning, Van's true extent of cruelty was revealed. "Throw him to the wolves! He'll give us time to escape!"

Mik realized with horror his young master was. "No, no, no! Please, don't leave me alone!" he cried, pleading for his life.

"Yes, leave him! A useless runt like you should serve a purpose at the end of your life!" Emi's face twisted into a sinister expression as she joined Van in abandoning Mik.

"I've always hated that face of yours. I always knew you silently cursed us with your defiant eyes."

Boder also didn't hesitate to throw him to the wolves, and as they fled, Mik was left behind to face his fate alone.