The Yellow Zone—a place where only C-rank hunters could hope to survive. Though most monsters here were classified as D-rank, they hunted in deadly packs. Thunder Wolves, Poison Hyenas, and Golden Monkeys roamed the dense terrain. Even for seasoned C-rank hunters, this area was considered dangerous.
The party of four stepped cautiously into the forest. Compared to the Green Zone, the Yellow Zone was much darker. Thick canopies blocked the sunlight, and the air was damp with the scent of moss and decay. Strange cries echoed in the distance, making the atmosphere feel even more suffocating.
They eventually reached a murky swamp, where they spotted their target—a Red-Bellied Toad. Its fiery crimson belly glowed slightly against the green muck, and it sat motionless by the water's edge.
Alex stepped forward and said calmly, "You guys stay here. I'll be done in a minute."
Moving like a phantom, Alex used the shadows to approach the toad from behind. In a blink, his dagger pierced its brain, killing it instantly. He retrieved its heart and returned, his skin now covered in a faint green slime from the swamp.
William stepped forward with a black wooden box, and Alex dropped the heart inside. William quickly sealed it and placed the box in his elemental space ring.
Alex smirked. "How was that?"
At that very moment, an earth spike shot through Alex's chest. His body jerked, then collapsed onto his back.
William sneered, "Idiot. You thought I'd ever be friends with trash like you? I'm the heir of the great Mythical Lion Clan."
Sarah and Emily burst into laughter.
"We've already placed the essence to lure Thunder Wolves," Emily said, her voice cold. "They'll tear him apart—nothing will be left, not even bones."
"No one's coming for this fool," Sarah added. "The Ten Clans would never allow someone with that much potential to live freely."
Emily spat, "You thought you could come near us? A dirty beggar boy like you?" She scoffed. "Last night, he actually said he liked me!"
They all laughed again.
Tears streamed from Alex's eyes. William turned away. "Let's go. The Thunder Wolves will be here any minute."
As they left, Emily kicked Alex in the stomach. He flew backward, landing in the swamp with a splash.
"Die in the mud, where you belong," she said.
They disappeared into the forest.
Alex's body slowly sank into the swamp's thick, suffocating embrace. His breath grew shallow. Memories flashed through his fading mind—a little girl, just three years old, with white, shiny hair, bright blue eyes, and chubby cheeks. Anna.
Then came his father's voice, stern and distant. "Never trust anyone from the Ten Clans, son."
He remembered being four, leaving the Veylor Clan, holding Anna in his arms.
Then came his mother's cold voice:
"I don't care about talentless bastards like you. I'm ashamed you even came from me."
"Mother…" Alex whispered, tears mixing with the swamp water.
SLAP.
His mother's hand struck him in the memory. "Don't ever call me that. I'm not your mother."
Then, the image of Anna's severed head flashed before his eyes. His father's final words echoed again.
"I'm sorry… Father… Anna…" Alex muttered, again and again. His body sank deeper.
With a heart-wrenching scream, Alex drowned in the swamp. The sound echoed through the forest like a ghost's cry—raw, pained, and final.
Life is unfair, Alex thought in his final moments.
But is life unfair? Or is life just… life?
If this world is truly created by God, then is God really fair?
Some are born into poverty, others into palaces. Some are born into warzones, and some die of hunger. Others perish in disasters they never caused.
Where is the fairness in that?