It was the year 3001. With a born fire as my source of light, I gazed into the night sky. Sigh... what a beautiful night sky. Having felt such a surreal atmosphere has been years ago, but deep inside I felt this peace that was unsettling as if God was feeling pity and doing one last good deed before the inevitable doom.

The dessert, as far as I could see, was empty. Not a single soul except for me and my companions. 

‘Ahhh..’ 

I flinched at the sudden loud morn which I was kinda expecting. Rihanna and Min are at it again. I sighed, casting a soundproof barrier on the tent. So where was I… the flow went thanks to those two, but I guess it is nice to feel and enjoy love. I envy them for it is something I could never do or something I am afraid of. Where did it all start to go wrong? I wonder? 

‘HARDER..!’

Fuck.. really Aadil…. Really!…. We can die any moment and you guys can’t control your horniness…. I grumbled, casting another sound barrier. 

10 years ago  

Pitch black was all I could see. With the sack that was over my head to obstruct my view, all I had to rely on was my hearing, and I could hear a lot. The sound of the cars passing by and the laughs and remarks of the people next to me. It felt like eons since this car ride started, but in actuality, it has only been an hour. 

Boring as it is, my heart was beating faster than ever before. I wouldn’t be surprised if it jumped out of my body. Abruptly the car stopped and all the people exited, about six including the driver, got out. I felt a hard thug pulling me out of the vehicle roughly. 

‘Open the gate’ a commanding voice said 

The metallic clung was loud enough to be heard from miles away. All these years and such high advancement of technology and still why that arcane clang I couldn’t help but wonder. Soon another pull motioned me to start walking. This time it was a steady, decent through stairs I passed an accidental chuckle at another ancient concept. 

‘Did you lose a screw after understanding your fate?’ asked a voice next to me

‘Leave if Ruff…. It runs in the family,’ said the commanding voice once again.

Soon we stopped in our tracks. I could hear beeps, the ones used for password locks. seriously, I know this place was built hundred years ago, but really. The rumble could be heard. It was the sound of a door opening in one of those American Mummy movies. 

My mask was removed, revealing a dense forest area of a fantasy novel or something. 

A hard push from the back sent me flying towards the other side of the door. I knew where this place was, but deep down, I didn’t want to. 

‘Well brat, enjoy your new world said the commanding voice, which turns out to be a woman. A giant who looks like she eats her enemies for breakfast. She tossed me a bag and smirked as the door slowly closed. 

Again, I didn’t want to accept this, but I was for sure without any doubt on the other side of the Grand Border. 

The grand border is a giant wall that runs across the planet operating the Earth in two. Why, you ask, well, 100 years ago the Earth got its energy back that has been gone for hundreds of years. The one used by Sages, Cultivators, Magus, etc. Along with that came monsters that laid water on the planet and to stop that came the Heroes, who are now known as Adventurers. The monsters laid waste to half of the planet which turned into a habitable area for them but a death trap for us, so Earth got divided. Pretty sure most of you have read Hunter-based novels, so you get the idea right. 

Anyway, it seems like I got thrown in here finally after a year of imprisonment. They could have just killed me. Well, I guess that guy had something to do with this. Trying to forget the annoying face of a brat from school, I rummaged through the bag. A Superior dimensional bag made of Grey Mice King about a crore (122737.50 USD).

There wasn’t much in it: a bottle of water, a dagger, a small container filled with rice, along with a bottle of poison and a letter. 

I was surprised by the letter expecting it to be a prank I opened it which was an action that I regret to this day. It was from an Asshole I don’t want to associate with. 

Dear Son...

I am your father don’t just go around calling me an asshole. Anyhow, I am writing this letter, cause I have gone into hiding and you might or might not get thrown over the wall. If you want to find the reason why I did this and want to avenge your mother, get strong and then come and find me.

Love 

DAD.

The reason why she died, huh... well I know who was behind it already. I mean, it’s as clear as day it was you, you jackass. You killed mom, and you caused me to be here. Why did she marry an irritating bastard like you? I still don’t understand. 

Reading that letter shot my blood pressure higher than when my sister found herself a boyfriend pissed me off to the point that I killed him, but this is even worse. Grumbling to myself, I stuffed the contents back into the bag and walked aimlessly. 

The jungle was thick and dense. I cut my way through the traumatizing jungle with the dagger given to me, making sure to stay away from the smell of blood and the noises of wild beasts. I thank the days when my mom forced me into those who have and dangerous exercises and martial arts having only sensory-type powers like heightened smell, vision, and hearing the only way I could stand head to head with my peers who could decimate a mountain by the age of ten were using my brain and homemade physique. I wasn’t a genius, and neither was I useless just in the middle. That was my position, which actually was. Better not to have much pressure or expectations from noisy people. 

I walked on for hours when I heard a thundering sound hopeful of what it was I rushed towards the sound only to be not disappointed. It was magical as if a long blue bed was falling down. It was a waterfall used over the rocks into a pool that was the personification of serenity. 

I walked towards the pond, carefully inspecting if there were any wild beasts around but there were none. It was a bit strange though not having breasts in a high-class water source, but who the hell cares finally about some water? I did have a canteen filled with water, but only an idiot would trust that. 

I bend down and scooped a handful of those crystal clear water. Gulping down the water, it felt more like nectar rather than water. Intrigued, I emptied my canteen and filled it with water. I sat down, giving my aching legs a bit of rest before continuing my torturous and pointless journey. 

Looking around, I admired the place untouched by humans and blessed by the nature. It’s a good thing that humans can’t exploit the resources of this place to their fullest even with the help of those Adventurers who come here from time to time. 

But at the corner of my brain, one thing still bothered me why is there are no beasts here? I mean, I have been here for quite some time and as far as I know, beasts also feel hunger and thirst like normal animals, so then why. One reason would be that the water is not drinkable but since I drank it and is still fine, then the only reason would be that there is something dangerous in this place but I don’t see……

SPLASH…….ROARRRRRR……!

Never mind, there it is… why am I so slow at times for god’s sake? Completely drenched, I looked at the monster in front of me. A giant snake-like monster with grey scales all over it towered over me, looking down upon me with its red gleaming eyes. 

A Naga ranked as class A in the ranking class to subjugate it. At least a team of two consisting of Rank S and S+ is needed. How the fuck did I encounter a Naga here, even though I am not that deep in the forest? 

‘HUMAN. HOW DARE YOU ENTER MY SANCTUARY,’ it roared 

‘Listen… th.. this was a mistake… I swear… ‘ the pressure it exerted was unimaginable for a D-rank 18-year-old like me. 

Judging by its temperament, I think this is a young Naga otherwise, it would have snuffed me even without looking at me. 

‘I WOULD HAVE FORGIVEN YOU IF YOU HAD JUST STUMBLED UPON HERE AND LEFT BUT YOU DARE DRINK MY WATER…. DEATH IS THE ONLY WAY OUT

Ok, this guy is very young since he informed me that he is going to kill me, but still, there is no way I could…

BOOOM… 

A beast sent a powerful breath of water towards me, which I dodged involuntarily somehow. What a troublesome situation. I looked around for high ground or a way to escape, but there was none wherever I go that thing could just shoot a giant breath of water of something and decimate me along with the surrounding vegetation. 

This is stupid I mumbled before jumping into the water. Don’t judge me. This is the only way to escape, probably. The water, as expected, was brilliant inside too. With all my might, I swam towards the body of the beast, intending to cut its belly before it can dive back fully. 

Clinging on the beast, I thrust my dagger into its belly, which wasn’t of much use, but it started to shake violently. Impressed at my daggers and that beast’s durability, I once again thrust the sword and then just kept on doing it while clinging to it like a parasite. 

It wailed in agony as it drowned in its own sanctum. Relieved and surprised at my own feat, I swam back. I gasped for fresh air, happy to be alive. Sadly, no one saw it. Where are the people when you need them? I thought. Not wanting to stay there anymore, I gathered my stuff and ran as far as I could. 

I stopped as soon as I made sure that the pond was out of sight wanting to do nothing with that place again I sighed in relief when suddenly I felt a tug and the next instant I was flying retaking my step back to where I came from the pond. 

With extreme speed, my neck was caught by a man. Tall with a well-defined body, dark skin, gleaming red eyes, and a familiar aura. 

‘So… you dammed snake you were playing with me huh,’ I said, struggling to get some air. 

‘Ahh… you should see the look on your face. I like it when hope just vanishes from someone’s face.’ The man sneered.

How did I get entangled with someone like him? A Naga who can take a human form is ranked as unfathomable. Those who saw it never lived to tell the tale and the only information we have on it is from a GoPro found from what is presumed to be a missing Adventurer’s belongings. 

This thing is powerful enough to take out every single nuclear powerhouse with a single flick. 

‘Now then I have been bored for years… Let's have some fun shall we Mister Warrior,’ the beast smiled as it looked down on me with its blood-red eyes.