He wasn't chasing after a dream, not a goal either. He didn't have a milestone to surpass or a rival to exceed. For him, life consisted of whys, why did those kids despise him? why did the sisters leave him to his misery? Even though he was quite the loner, a person who always sat behind looking at his peers laughing and smiling with tears… none of the orphanage sisters extended a hand for him… maybe because one of the kids wasn't really an orphan, he was the keeper's son, a person whose treatment was simply put, unfair…

he had the observation of the sisters, the looks and the personality to attract people… And the arrogance to despise him… Why did that boy despise him so much? was it because he was better than others in sports? He didn't really know… He regretted flying that punch… It really wasn't worth it.

So Why did he have no ambition? and how come he thought of this negative feature? It started when they sat on that table, in the middle of the kitchen, a square one with only two chairs.

"A child should have ambition." The old man said out of nowhere and Ray only listened but with focus and care "Ambition is a milestone that gives your life a meaning." 

Ray nodded, "When you have an ambition you can sleep with plans about tomorrow," said the old man "I was an ambitious person before. Though I still have ambitions… but not a strong will like before."

"I don't understand." The boy said putting down his spoon. 

It had been a month since they lived together. During this time the old man seemed quite free, he used all of his time culturing Ray about life… And today, it was a lecture that would push his life forward.

"What do you want to do? It is a simple milestone of greater ambition," the old man said, "So what are you planning to do after this meal?"

"Spend time with you," Ray's teeth appeared in a genuine smile… the old man turned to the side, his ear a bit pink. Still, two moments later he faced Ray again, his eye sparkling and unable to cover his smile.

"And tomorrow? What do you plan tomorrow?"

"Have breakfast with you," said with his blue eyes glowing.

Yes, Ray didn't have much interest in the thing called ambition, so the conversation kept going to a vague direction where Ray could only give a puzzled look. 

"You don't get ambitious at all," the old man said having the last spoon of his lentil soup.

And before Ray could comment on that, a person tapped twice on the door… Ray went and opened it, and with a faint scream, he sprinted backward. 

"A human that can see demons, such a rare occurrence master Marshal" the voice shrill and snake-sharp. with some undulation movement, the demon reached the kitchen, a human face but a snake lower body, the demon with shoulder-length hair had the eyes of a dead person, his voice as non-interested as ever said: "Master Marshal, a rampant demon in the Korpan district makes a fuss, it had already killed a few low demons and he wanted to eat humans for dinner." 

The old man didn’t reply to the snake demon instantly, he looked back at Ray who was looking at them from the kitchen door.

"Hey Ray, how about you go solve this problem with Mr.Crake. It's a good chance to explore the world that only you can see." the old man giggled.

"Crake, take him around the city when you finish as well," the old man said looking at Crake "heh wh-" Crake couldn't complete as the glare of the old man rendered him silent, "o-okay," said crake coiling his hair with one finger.

The old man told Ray to change his clothes, and when he finished Crake was already on the door waiting for him, as Ray got out Crake began undulating in front of him. Their neighborhood was minutes away from the city, only a little river separated them. On its bridge, Ray asked, "do you eat humans as well?"

Crake glanced at him from the corner of his eyes "Yes, but I stopped a few decades ago. Demons can eat animals and even plants, it's just humans are way more delicious and nutritious." 

Ray looked around, on the river shore a walking turtle dropped on its knees and dived through the river, its bald head floating like some algae.

"It's kappa, a demon as well. But it only eats fish." Crake commented as they walked out the bridge a fat one-eyed mushroom-like person was before them, his kimono sleeve moved as he pointed at Ray "A human, it’s been some time." 

Ray looked at him calmer than before.

"He's adopted by Master Marshal, it won't be a surprise if he ruled over us in the future."

"Impossible!" The mushroom face widened his single eye. "A lowly human rule over us?!" The demon added.

"Well, why don't you tag along? he's going to finish SurKus," said Crake his tone sleepy and unmotivated. 

"This boy will finish Surkus! Unbelievable, Surkus is able to touch humans and even eat them."

"just tag along, if he fails we have more witnesses to tell Master Marshall."

"A-ah" said the mushroom showing his agreement.

"I want to tag along," a voice said from behind, Ray who still understood nothing looked its direction, the Kappa who was in the river a few minutes ago was behind them.

"Do as you please," said Crake. 

Having two unidentified demons following him a few sweats dripped on Ray's face "Mr. Crake" Ray asked, "What does it mean to finish a demon?"

"To kill it," said Crake leisurely and casually.

Ray froze on his place, his beautiful pupil shrinking for a few seconds, Crake looked at him. "Why are you surprised, he's a bad person, he is strong enough to touch and eat humans." Crake said both of his arms crossed against his chest, his human face gave off *What a pain* vibe.

"Why kill him, we can talk with him."

"well that if you can reach him with words," said as he moved, unmotivated to extend the conversation furthermore.

Ray's heart rose steadily as stress built upon him. Every few minutes they would pass by a demon.

"Hey, what's happening?"

"The adopted human by master Marshall is going to finish SurKus."

The demons chitchatting with one another kept gathering behind and Ray's back became sweaty wet.

Ray's heart never returned normal, it had been more than thirty minutes and by one glance behind he could see that the two became eight.

"You will have to do your best," Crake muttered a few inches in front of him. Ray no more looked behind. He closed his eyes and a flashing picture of his old man passed through his head, his old man had put his trust in him and gave him this mission… he shouldn't disappoint him.

still…

Yes, killing was too much for his age, but in the end, the one called SurKus wasn't a human and wasn't a good demon either. Ray convinced himself that if he left him today one day this demon might kill people that Ray would love.

Ray's thoughts kept smashing inside his mind until they reached an alley in the Korpan district. Crake entered before them. The alley was old and rigid, the walls had no windows but crack all over them. At a certain point, the alley branched into three, all of them long and quiet…

"Which one?" Crake asked Ray.

"I don't know."

"Just guess," Crake glared at him. Ray swallowed his saliva and gazed at each alley for a few seconds. 

"The left?"

Crake looked at him with one flexed eye, his pupil big and dead…

"True," Crake moved inside the deep alley. On the way, Crake looked at Ray again "It's called instinct, something like a sixth sense, though if you really have it, you can call it the seventh sense as your sixth is the ability to see us." 

Ray looked back at him, silently didn't know what to say back…

"Let's make sure." Said Crake as he reached another branching point…

"Guess." Crake said.

"The middle?"

"True."

The demons behind weaseled in surprise.

"He's good" Ray heard a murmur.

"Still won't defeat SurKus, that guy is a psychopath." 

Ray's back trembled, even though he didn't know the meaning of a psychopath, their way of saying it gave him the chill.

"We are here," said Crake as his foot stepped on a vicious red liquid, Ray looked on the ground, the whole alley was bloody… on its walls a few limbs scattered and a brain's pieces shattered here and there.

Ray's belly boiled and an urge to vomit ascended to his pharynx. 

Ray swallowed his saliva.

"SurKus, why did you cause a mess again? Master Marshal is annoyed."  

Ray looked the way Crake looked. On a box in the alley, a skeleton sat, and then looked their direction, his hollow eyes illuminating purple…

"I hate it, they came here laughing… I hate happy people." said the skeleton as he stood, his skeleton arm became a skeletal sword. 

Crake retreated and pushed Ray with his palm

"Your turn."

"Ha..."

It was a second, the demons witnessed clearly. The second Ray was pushed, Surkus disappeared, when he appeared he was flying with his sword swinging to Ray's waist…

"Good, a human."

And the sword slashed. The wall collapsed and cracks spread like a spider net around the hole.

"He's dead," The Mushroom head said.

"For sure, no demon can take such a slash, for a human, it's a dead-end," another demon commented.

The demons behind sneered.

"In the end, he's only a human," their teeth were brighter than light.

It wasn't their fault, in this country Where calamities stopped ten years ago both demons and humans forgot the sense of danger, both species misunderstood one another. 

"Stupids, the blade," Said Crake "has no blood on."

From the edges of the hole, two hands gripped and a body stood again. Ray couldn't know what had happened, his glowing eyes saw SurKus' movement clearly… but his sense of danger never awoke.

Why it doesn't hurt?

The boy stared at his clean hands then stared at the skeleton. The skeleton tapped his sword on Ray's neck.

"Aren't you human? You should die when you take such a slash. don't repeat it okay?" as he said he pulled his arm again, and a faster swing stroke Ray's neck throwing Ray’s body. Ray rolled in the air, tumbled on the ground, and stopping by a mass of garbage. 

Ray stood again and the skeleton eyes glowed fiercely.

"Please stop killing demons!" Ray shouted, "It's a bad thing!" he added.

…….

The air broke into silence, even crake had his eye throbbing in amazement…

It's a bad thing? 

SurKus broke into laughter, the demons behind Crake as well…

"Are stupid, kid!" Said Sirkus and disappeared. The second he appeared his swords peak was touching Ray's nose…

"Don't mix your logic with ours, human!" his other arm became a sword and in unnoticeable speed, tens of slashes crossed Ray's face and body. From the vision of the demons, they could only see Ray's body swinging right and left, up and down in dreading speed… But that for a few seconds, the swords suddenly stopped, if they look closely, it was Ray who stopped them. Grasping the two swords with his bare hands, he curled his fingers and with a double snap, the two swords shattered. 

Surkus squealed in misery but before he could finish his scream a punch landed on his chest. Tumbling on the ground until Crake stopped him with the end of his tale. The lamps within Surkus eyes no longer glowing and his chest ribs shattered.

The demons gaped their mouth and their eyes blinked in awe. What had just happened? Wasn't that Surkus who demons didn't dare to approach? How come he was lying on the ground?

"Do you know the reason no high demon crossed this country? And no high demon cause chaos during the last 10 years?" Crake looked at the demons behind him.

"Strong demons have enough intelligence to understand… that they would never stand to this child, during the last ten years, they chose to not cross this country fearing this existence." 

The demons swallowed their saliva and said nothing.

Crake with his sleepy eyes stared at Surkus and with his tail pushed it forward. Surkus eyes glowed again, and he stood, his arms changing into shorter swords, his legs stumbling as the walked toward Ray.

Ray's legs trembled.

"Don't come… I might mistakenly kill you." 

Ray's words burned rage within Surkus making his eyes burn fiercely, "You're only a human," Surkus dropped on his knees, pushed his swords against the ground, and stood again "Never act high, you're only a human."

"Never dream of killing me," Surkus added.

"No, he had already killed you," a familiar voice came from the sky, Ray rose his head, he knew the blurred figure by his voice, but the sun just wouldn't let him make sure.

"His punch was intended to push you back, your current state scared him though..." the figure descended slowly, and by the time his feet touched the ground Ray ran and stood two inches away from the old man's leg.

Ray looked at the old man's face with a few sweats. 

The old man patted his head and pulled him closer "You wanted to hug me right?" 

Ray nodded yes with both of his eyes sparkling, then hugged the old man's leg.

"Ray, why didn't you kill him already?"

"It's wrong," Ray said without much thought.

"I see..."

The old man pushed Ray a bit behind him "Look, Ray. My ambition is to create a place where demons don't hurt humans and don't hurt themselves." said as he grasped Surkus head with one hand.

"Still even in human society, a murderer is punished. criminals who have lots of killing cases are usually executed." he rose Surkus high as he rose his arm above his body.

"Please Lord, spare me, I won't repeat it!" Surkus gave away his dignity when he faced death for real. "I didn't know he was your acquaintance. If I had known I wouldn't have approached him, I swear!"

Still, the old man's eye showed no mercy.

"Ray, there are two types of criminals, rehabilitatable and unrehabilitatable… You spare the first type and discipline them, and execute the second type."

He clenched his grasp and Surkus head shattered, the rest of his body dropped on the ground, unmoving.

He looked then at Ray… unexpectedly, Ray wasn't crying, his body wasn't trembling either… the old man squatted and patted Ray's head… 

"Didn't that scare you?" The old man asked.

"It's not scary," Ray said, " you said he's wrong," Ray looked at the ground. "And killed him because he killed others..." 

Then a few tears smudged on the ground, Ray sniffed deep "I-it's not scary," Ray's voice trembled. The old man hugged him…

"This is my ambition, I'm working hard for it… You should have your own ambition as well." The old man then looked at Crake, and with one gesture Crake took SurKus’ body and the other demons and went back. Meanwhile, The old man held Ray and floated back to their home. 

Not long after that Ray entered the bathroom, Stared at the water in the bathtub, a duck doll shook of his trance, but his thoughts stayed unshaken… 

The old man was right, ambition keep people busy, the old man with his ambition made Crake and the other follow him, made people call him lord… Made a lot of things, a lot of good things… because of him, demons who hurt humans were wrong… the old man was like the cop to this country. 

Ray had to have an ambition as well, an ambition that would make his old man proud… Ray clenched his fist… 

First I will never cry.

Because whenever he cried that old man would look troubled… 

Second Think of ambition.

However, Ray didn't have to think a lot to process his ambition… He had it a long time ago. Even though some demons had scary faces, he didn’t use to hating them, he was just scared of them. 

Ray left the bathroom after wearing his clothes.

When he got out the old man was preparing the table for another meal.

"Sit, I've finished." 

Ray sat on his chair, meals kept coming one after the other, however, when the time to dine came and the old man took his seat, Ray didn't eat.

"Are you feeling sick?" The old man asked.

"No, I want to tell you about my ambition." 

The old man put down his tableware and listened "Very good! what's it"

"A place where demons see hurting each other as a bad thing… I want to see such a place as well… I want this to be my ambition as well."

The old man’s eye widened, but not long after, it returned normal…

"That's good as well. Actually, I wished you to become a doctor, humans these days are nuts about doctors, and before I noticed I became obsessed as well."

"I'll become a doctor as well," Ray said instantly, his eyes sparkled with determination. The old man stared at those eyes and gave up a sigh.

"I'm so happy that I want to call someone and tell her how proud I'm of you." 

Ray didn't understand what the old man had just said. But why the old man's face was getting red. Ray looked at the dishes, they were untouched… Even though he didn't taste the heat of the food. Ray looked back at the old man, then why his face became so pink?

…..

….

"Ray call me dad from now on,"

"dad," he said instantly, his eyes never reducing their determination. The old man rubbed his eye, "you look new, what did you do in the bathroom? You're way bolder now."

"I noticed my ambition."

"..." The old man was a little puzzled. 

"Anyway, I've completed your papers you should begin going to school in a few days."

ha!

This time it was Ray who got surprised.