In a deserted alleyway that was full of rotten stench, two figures could be seen huddling up together to provide warmth to each other. Despite the winter almost over, the night was still unbearably cold.

 

 

"One, where are you?" One of them asked.

 

 

"I'm here Two."

 

Both of them were starving since the last time they ate was around five days ago. They were considered too old to be in an orphanage but due to their disability, they couldn't find any jobs.

 

The only thing they could do was become homeless beggars but the older beggars tend to steal from them leaving them with nothing.

 

They didn't have names and thus decided to just call each other 'One' and 'Two'. The orphanage never bothered with naming them and that name stuck with them.

 

"Hey! There's a charity group giving out food down the road. Go there if you're starving!"

 

 

Both of them suddenly heard people shouting from afar.

 

 

"Should we go there, One?" Two who had lost both arms asked.

 

 

"What else can we do then? Let's go," One decided.

 

 

Both of them needed each other. One was blind while Two had no arms thus they depended on each other to survive.

 

When they arrived, the line was longer than they had expected. A few menacing bodyguards in black were monitoring the people thus none of them wanted to make trouble.

 

After queuing up for half an hour, suddenly somebody tapped Two's shoulder and caused him to turn around.

 

"???"

 

"Did you lose both of your hands?" The man in a butler suit asked.

 

"Y-yes?" Two were confused and nervous.

 

"Is your friend blind?"

 

"Yes."

 

 

"Please come with me since we have a treatment tent for the disabled," the man offered.

 

 

One and Two were hesitant but the moment Two saw a crippled man on a wheelchair went into a tent pointed by the man, Two lowered down his guard.

 

 

"Follow me."

 

 

The moment they entered the tent, they could instantly feel their skin warmed up as if they were soaked in warm bath water.

 

 

"Come here so the healer can take a look at you."

 

 

Both of them complied and let the young healer check on them.

 

 

"There's nothing much. Both are unawakened, severely malnourished, dehydrated and have mild fever. This one, his blind eyes can be said to be caused by a genetic disorder but I'm not so sure. The other one, his arms were amputated most probably due to an incident," the healer said before he gave both of them a few bottles of vitamins, potions and medicines.

 

 

"You can go to that area to rest and eat. You can also sleep here tonight," the man said with a smile before another young lady guided them to their resting place.

 

 

"?????" Why are they so kind?

 

 

"????"

 

Both of them were served warm porridge along with a soft white bread and warm milk before they were told to take their medicines and go to sleep.

 

 

The next morning, One and Two woke up a bit late due to how comfortable they felt after a long time not resting and eating properly.

 

The charity event had ended and both of them weren't shameless enough to demand for more. They were already grateful to be able to eat, rest and live for another day.

 

 

The moment they came out from the tent, they saw the same man from yesterday talking to someone who seemed slightly younger than them.

 

 

"Young master, we already concluded the charity event so is there anything else you wanted to do?"

 

 

"Nope."

 

 

Vincent noticed One and Two standing not far from them, "Oh it's you two. How's your condition today?"

 

 

"We're fine. Thank you so much," Two said before bowing respectfully.

 

 

"You need to thank my young master. He was the one who wanted to do this charity event giving out food. Since both of you are disabled, why not work in our talent program?" Vincent suggested.

 

 

"Talent program?" One was skeptical. What can a blind man and an armless man do?

 

 

"Yes, my young master is from a noble family and he wanted to create a charity organization  and you guys might be able to work as volunteers. Of course you guys will get paid."

 

 

"Really?" Two seemed interested.

 

 

"Let us think about it first," however One thought they needed to think it through first.

 

 

"Of course. Take this mana stone and crash it if you want to talk to us. We will come to you in an instant," Vincent gave them a blue colored mana stone the size of a tennis ball.

 

One took it and carefully put it inside his chest pocket.

 

 

"Have a safe day you two," Vincent bid farewell to them who went back to the alleyways that they came from.

 

 

"Shouldn't we consider their offer?" Two asked.

 

"What if they are human traffickers, not a noble? They will kill us and sell our organs. Do you want that to happen?" One explained.

 

 

"But what if they really are nobles?"

 

 

"Why would a noble hire people like us?"

 

 

"I don't know. Maybe to help people like us?"

 

 

"Why?"

 

 

"Noblesse oblige?" Two was a simple minded man thus he couldn't think of any other reasons or possibilities.

 

 

"You really believe that?" One was skeptical.

 

 

Out of nowhere, a few robed guys blocked their path.

 

 

"Do you want power? If yes, you won't starve anymore."

 

 

One and Two both glanced at each other. They were confused why the stranger in front of them suddenly talked about power with homeless people like them.

 

 

 

 

Both of them were in good condition thus they were able to think properly.

 

 

"What power Sir?" Two was curious.

 

 

One as usual was skeptical but also curious at the same time. If he could be stronger and more useful, he would do it and repay that young master for his kindness.

 

 

But he also knew, nothing is free in this world.

 

 

"You know the Hunters? Power comparable to those guys, is what I'm saying."

 

 

"Sir, we are already 18. It is already determined that we will just be ordinary humans that can't be awakened," One answered with a bit of impatience.

 

 

"Yes, I know but don't you want to make this place a better place where no one will starve and everyone will treat you nicely. Nothing is impossible. If there's a will, there's always ways to achieve it."

 

 

"What is impossible is impossible. This is not paradise where everyone can get everything they want," One said.

 

 

"No one starves and everyone is treated fairly?" Two repeated with a hint of hope in his voice.

 

 

"Hey, I don't think we need to listen to them. Two, let's go," One already lost his patient. 

 

 

He didn't want to listen to this kind of nonsense anymore, especially when the people in front of them talked like a swindler trying to swindle poor people with sweet unattainable dreams.

 

 

"Aren't you almost fully blind? Do you already accept the fact you're going to be a fully blind man?" The man continued talking with a slight smile on his lips since that was the only thing visible under his robe.

 

 

"You, who are you? How do you know that?" One never told anyone, not even Two that he actually wasn't fully blind.

 

 

He could still see the hazy silhouette of people but he realized that his eyesight had become worse each day and currently he was indeed almost fully blind.

 

 

"I know more than you think. So how about that Aaron? Oh yes you guys might not have a name now but Aaron sounds nice right? There you go, I even give you a nice name. And your brother, Trevor, seems interested."

 

 

Unknown to Aaron and the robed man, while they were talking to each other, Ares used the mana stone he gave them to eavesdrop on them.

 

 

"Are they really the people you're searching for, young master?" Vincent asked.

 

"Yes. Tell the others to prepare the paralyzing fog but avoid the two of them. We will catch those robed men."

 

 

"As you wish, young master."

 

 

"Hmm Sir, is what you said true? Currently my left eye is already blind and my eyesight on my right eye has become blurry as time goes. What should I do?" Aaron asked cautiously while Trevor remained silent by his side.

 

 

"We can give you the way to gain power and with that power you will not be trampled."

 

 

"So, how much is the payment?" Aaron asked.

 

 

"What bullshit. We don't have money! Let's go brother," Trevor was shocked and he didn't want to listen anymore.

 

 

"Relax. We are kind people. Just take it first and if fate makes us meet again in the future, maybe I will ask you guys for help at that time. Consider this as we just help each other out of each other's predicament. This time we will help you and next time you guys will help us."

 

 

Both Trevor and Aaron glanced at each other before Aaron, who seemed like he was already slightly tempted, said, "Isn't it a loss for you guys? Why help slum people like us?"

 

 

"We are a group of people that are tasked with spreading kindness all over the world, thus that's why we didn't need compensation or payment from unfortunate souls like both of you. Let's make this world, a world where there is no unfairness."

 

 

"I agree but you still don't explain what we should do?" Aaron couldn't help but frown the more he listened to them.

 

 

"It's easy. In this box contained beast cores. When you consume the core, you will awaken your mana and obtain powerful abilities. The bright orange core for Trevor and the other one is for you"

 

 

The other robed man opened the box and it contained two cores, one was dark blue and the other one was bright orange with tinge of red and brown.

 

 

"Take the box," Both Trevor and Aaron suddenly heard a familiar voice but seeing that the robed men didn't seem to notice anything, the two of them just thought they were hallucinating.

 

 

However, with uncertainty, Aaron took the box while Trevor still couldn't take his eyes from the core, especially the bright orange beast core that was said to be his

 

 

"Good choice. Let's meet again when fate allows us to meet."

 

 

Before the robed men managed to vanish, bright golden chains suddenly appeared and tied both of them.

 

 

"What!? This-no way"

 

 

"Hmm it seems you know what that is." 

 

The four people turned their heads up and they could see a red haired youth leisurely sitting on top of the road lamp pole. 

 

 

"You! What are you doing here?" He asked dumbfoundedly.

 

"What do you mean? I can be wherever I want," Ares was confused.

 

'Why the hell did these people talk as if they knew where I should be?'

 

 

"Huh, have you gone crazy after your twin servants died? Whatever, let us go and I can give you things to become stronger and make this world despair just like you."

 

 

"I don't understand."

 

 

"It's not your time yet but if you let us go. When the time comes, we will also give you a way to become stronger. You will sit on the pinnacle. You won't feel sad anymore."

 

 

"I'm sad?" This time, Ares was genuinely extremely confused. 

 

 

He never felt sad since he became Ares. There's nothing to be sad about. He is a rich noble and most importantly he had caring family members that would gladly die if he told them to die.

 

 

 

 

 

"How do you know about the Moran twins?" Ares laid a bait.

 

 

"I know more than you think. I know your family hides you and even your mother tried to kill you and never accepted you as her son. But worry not, we will help you."

 

 

"I see. Then that is more reason not to let you go."

 

 

"Tskk, we know you always try to bury all those memories but believe me, we will come to you when the time is right."

 

 

Seemingly persuaded, Ares immediately released his golden chains.

 

 

"You're as intelligent as ever. Thank you for releasing us young master Ares. We will meet again soon enough."

 

 

Since they were sealed just a moment ago, they couldn't use their mana and they just walked out from the area with a smile still plastered on their faces. They treated Ares more cautiously than when they were interacting with Trevor and Aaron.

 

 

"Young master, is it ok just to let them go. They seemed to know a lot of things," Aaron said since it was obvious those guys didn't sound like good people at all.

 

 

"Who said I'm letting them go? I never said that."

 

 

Not long after Ares said that, a loud scream was coming from the direction the two robed men had gone. Ares had put a really special thing over there.

 

 

"Young master, both of them have been paralyzed. Based on the concentration of their mana, both of them were around C or B rank hunters."

 

 

 

"Bring them into the interrogation room. I have a lot to ask them."

 

 

"Yes Sir."

 

 

"Is this really ok? Those guys seemed like they are related to a certain organization," Vincent asked.

 

 

"That's what I'm trying to find out. So what should we do with you two?"

 

 

Trevor and Aaron suddenly felt like they escaped a crocodile's mouth just to enter a tiger's den.