What happens when a powerless person goes against those with strength?
The answer is obvious, isn't it?
Pure, inevitable defeat.
That was the same reality that Sung Han Soo faced in the presence of these three overwhelming figures.
They were probably on the level of average Hunters, but to him, they were monoliths he could not overcome.
Even the Special Item his grandfather gave him was undergoing repairs, so he didn't have it on him.
He was utterly powerless!
And so, as one would expect from their clash, he lost by an overwhelming margin.
Of course, Han Soo struggled, fighting with the full power he could draw from himself, but still found himself to be no match for even one of the men.
He tried calling for help, but he couldn't even world his smartphone for one second.
His opponent was too fast.
In the end—
"Geuk!!!" One sharp thrust of the enemy's hand to his throat sent all the strength in his body shimmering away.
"I hate slippery kids." The man who did this said.
His grin was the very essence of sadism. "You're a tenacious one, aren't you?"
Han Soo could not answer. The man's strong grip was tightening around his throat, prevention him from uttering even one syllable.
He could only grunt and groan.
"Sleep tight, little guy. When you wake up, the real action begins."
And so, just like that, Han Solo lost consciousness .
*.
*
*
'W-where...' Han Soo's blurry vision was greeted by a very spacious and unoccupied space.
It looked like a warehouse of some kind.
'Where am I?'
The weather was cold, and he was barely in anything except his vest and boxer shorts.
'A-ahh... I feel so....'
In front Han Soo sere the three men who abducted him. They were busy mumbling to themselves why they enjoying the conversation they were having.
"H-hey, you bastards!" He would have liked to say, but he had a gag on that prevented him from saying anything
Was this the fate of the weak? Expressing such suffering, so close to imminent death, and yet remaining ignorance.
'Can I at least know what I did wrong?!' He held back his tears, and his body shivered.
'Do they want money? These bastards!' His family was in a terrible state now, so money was a big problem for them.
'Still, they could just be upfront with what they want!'
Almost immediately after making this thought, a crimson warp in space appeared, and a silhouette emerged from the red portal.
"B-boss!"
"We greet you, great leader!"
"We have secured the target, per our agreement!'
Wasn't it strange how these three men acted so confident when they were at the top of the food chain, only to suddenly become bubbling idiots in the presence of their master?
The strong bowed to the stronger, and the weaker would be pushed down by those who were not as weak as they were
"It seems you've secured the property." The man's voice was dignified, yet deadly.
It sent chills down Han Soo's spine, and it took him everything to endure the malefactor's presence.
He began walking closer and closer to Han Soo, causing hiss heart to race faster than what anyone would consider healthy..
Was this the moment of his death? No, if they were going to kill him, why go through such an elaborate method?
They were definitely after something else!
"Oh? I like those eyes of yours. It shows you're thinking." The malefactor smiled, removing his hat.
He had dark brown hair, with glowing orange eyes. He looked younger than his voice connoted, probably in his early thirties.
"My name is Sloth. I'm one of the Seven Stars of the Shadows of Light."
'Shadows of Light?!' Han Soo's eyes widened instantly.
What did they want with him?!
"Seems you know who we are. Then again, who doesn't." An air of pride coursed through his words.
"I'll keep it short, kid. You're the grandson of the Chairman of South Korea's Hunter Association. We're going to use you as a bargaining chip to get something we want.
To think he would end up being the weak link that would make others attack his grandfather.
'I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, grandad.'
"Hey, don't cry on me, brat. We haven't even started yet." The malefactor's grin widened, displaying his sets of teeth. "We just gotta know a few secrets is all.,"
The moment Han Soo heard the word 'secret', his mind went to only one person.
'Miss Vida! Do they want to know about her?!'
It was only a matter of time before she became public, but they had taken a lot of precautions so she wouldn't be so needlessly exposed.
This was premature!
"It seems you know what I'm taking about. You're young, so I'm sure you check your smartphone a lot Those two are trending everywhere."
The man called Sloth pushed a phone in front of Han Soo, forcing him to watch a completely unexpected sight.
'H-huh? Who are those?' He was witnessing two people go head-on against an army of Grand Orcs, and several variants.
'This is the first time I'm seeing this? But... this intensity... who's the they? How were they able to ..?'
Han Soo had a plethora of questions, and his curiosity surfaced in response to the mystery presented before him.
"This happened while you were recorded to be in a Dungeon, and while the Hunter Association claims they share no attachment to those two, it's obvious that's a lie."
'Could they be... Miss Vida's friends?' Han Soo's thoughts echoed.
"It appears you know a little about the matter, kid. Mind enlightening us a little before your grandfather replies my threats, ah, I mean, invitation for discussion."
"E-eh...?"
"Come on, kid. Say something." Suddenly, the air gree heavy, and Sung Han Soo felt as though he would be crushed by the sheer weight that was afflicting him.
It was too much!
'KEUK! Is this... the end ..?!'
As his vision blurred, Han Soo's gaze wandered to a strange figure who stood inconspicuously behind the Star, wearing a hood, and placing his hands in his pockets.
The stranger had a smile on his face, and he appeared like a ghost..
However, even if it was just a ghost, Han Soo couldn't bear the pain any longer.
Thus, he cried from the depths of his heart.
'P-please... HELP ME!'
"
