Divinity

Before I’m able to react, he picks me up by the throat.

I grab his arms and try my best to get free, but he’s not letting go.

I…

I can’t breathe!

“I warned you.” – Kuro

His fist moves straight towards my chest.

It’s like I’m seeing it in slow motion, but…

I can’t move my body!

Isn’t this what people say happens when you’re about to die…?

His fist slowly inches towards me, but I’m completely helpless.

Am I actually going to die?

When the fist is just a few centimeters away from me, I close my eyes.

I guess this really is the end…

…

---

It all started in a small village called Minima.

It was a poor village like most others.

It’s scolding hot for most of the year, and it rarely rains, so the harvest is very small.

Many farm animals die because we don’t have anything to feed them with.

Luckily, my big bro is our hero.

He is a hunter from The Red Knights guild, and he’s incredible!

At only 24 years old, he has already managed to become a C-rank hunter!

Every month he comes back to the village with different valuables we can sell for food.

However, recently this has changed…

He hasn’t come home for over two months now, and people are starting to go hungry.

It was my 16th birthday the other day, meaning I’m finally old enough to take the hunter exam!

The only way for the people in our village to not starve, is if we get another hunter, and that will be me!

---

“Mom, I’m going to be a hunter just like big bro, and you can’t stop me!” – Alex

“No way, Alex! It’s way too dangerous!” – Mom

I know it’s dangerous, most hunters die before they even get to rank up from F-rank.

But…

“I know, but people are starving!” – Alex

“I’m not having this discussion with you, Alex. It’s not happening. If you want to help out more, then help out with the farming!” – Mom

“You can’t keep treating me like a child, Mom. Big bro hasn’t come back for over 2 months, if he doesn’t return soon then we’ll all be in trouble…” – Alex

Just when my mom is about to respond, I interrupt her.

“Wait, do you see that?” – Alex

I say as I point out of the window.

“It’s a guy on a horse. Maybe it’s big bro? Has he finally come back?!” – Alex

I run outside, right towards the mysterious guy on the horse.

He’s holding some sort of flag, but I can’t quite make out what it is.

As I get closer, I can just barely see what it is.

It’s The Red Knights flag!

So it is big bro after all!

I run towards the horse, shouting-

“BIG BRO!” – Alex

But as I get closer, I start to notice that it isn’t him…

If not big bro, then who?

Finally I’m right next to the unknown hunter, he looks about the same age as big bro.

Could he be his friend?

“Who are you?” – Alex

“Yo! I’m Victor Lepus, but you can call me Vic. You’re Leo’s little brother, right?” – Victor

“Yes, do you know him?” – Alex

“I sure do! We’re very good friends.” – Victor

“You’re one of his hunter buddies, right?” – Alex

“Yup!” – Victor

“But… Why didn’t he come back with you?” – Alex

“He’s… On a very important mission, and probably won’t be back for a while…” – Victor

I see…

That explains why he hasn’t come back in so long.

“You’re actually the reason why I’m here.” – Victor

“Huh? Me? Why?” – Alex

“Well, he told me that since he won’t be coming back for a while, the village will be in desperate need of another hunter. He talks about you quite a lot. He even mentioned that you’ve always wanted to be a hunter just like him. You look up to him quite a lot don’t you?” – Victor

“I do!” – Alex

“If I’m not mistaken, you also turned 16 recently, right?” – Victor

“Yeah.” – Alex

“Then that means you’re old enough to become a hunter! Well, if it wasn’t obvious enough, I’m here to train you!” - Victor

---

Vic also brought some gold that the village could sell; enough to sustain us all for a good while.

We went back to my house to tell my mother everything.

As expected, she was against the idea of me becoming a hunter, even when Vic explained the situation…

He then asked if he could talk to her alone for a few minutes.

They eventually came back and…

She changed her mind!

I have no idea what he said to her, but it doesn’t really matter anyways.

All that matters is that I can finally become a hunter!

We walked into the forest north of our village.

“This is where we’ll train. First of all, do you know anything about Divinity?” – Victor