Under the dark sky, the streets looked ruined and destroyed.
On both sides of the road, some people with hunched backs and gaunt faces were lying or sitting, forming a stark contrast to the Red-Light District in the distance that shone brightly with laughter and cheer.
This was Daedalus Street, located in the northeast corner of Orario, the center of the world, also known as Labyrinth Street.
This street was designed and built by a genius named Daedalus hundreds of years ago, with a level of complexity comparable to a labyrinth.
Now, a shadow with his entire body wrapped in white bandages and an unrecognizable face passed through the crowd of people with empty expressions on the roadside, turned a corner, and arrived behind a magnificent building.
Here, the crowd of people with empty stares grew denser, but they weren't noisy just silently staring at the large door that was tightly shut.
In front of that magnificent door, two demi-humans holding weapons were leaning to the side.
Kuro slowly walked forward, handing over the bag of money he was holding.
"I've brought all the money, fifty thousand valis total," Kuro opened his mouth, speaking in an emotionless voice.
"Good, starting today, you're already an adventurer of our Soma Familia."
The demi-human leaning against the doorframe quickly snatched the money bag, weighing it in his hand.
"Since your dream's come true, hurry up and get lost."
"The blessing!"
The demi-human acted like he didn't hear Kuro's words, exaggeratedly pressing his ear close to Kuro's chest: "What did you say?"
"To become an adventurer, I need to receive a blessing written by the main god, cough cough!"
Maybe because he spoke too much at once, Kuro couldn't hold back his coughing.
Seeing Kuro continuously covering his mouth while coughing, the demi-human said mockingly: "With that sickly appearance of yours, you still want to become an adventurer, still want to get a blessing? This is really ridiculous, hahaha!!!"
"Cough cough, cough cough!!!" Facing his opponent's mockery, Kuro coughed even harder.
Finally, he endured the discomfort and took a deep breath: "Please give me back my money!"
"Look, the money's right here, come and take it if you want!"
Kuro stared without blinking at the hand resting on the weapon at his waist, while the other hand held up the money bag, placing it in front of the demi-human.
After a brief silence, he quietly turned around and left calmly.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
Even though Kuro's face showed no emotional changes, hearing the laughter from behind, his clenched fist and the red blood seeping through his fingers quietly revealed the anger in his heart.
But what was the point.
He understood better than anyone what the Soma Familia was really like.
And what kind of people were in it.
Even though he knew the result would be like this, he still had to try.
Even though his memories were already blurry, there was always a voice in his head that kept whispering.
'Become an adventurer!'
Kuro had visited every familia in Orario, but because of his illness and weak body, he basically couldn't even pass the initial tests.
When meeting ordinary familias, it was still okay they might say that Kuro wasn't suited to be an adventurer.
However, if he was unlucky enough to meet familias with bad reputations, what awaited Kuro was mockery and beatings.
But Kuro didn't give up. After trying many times, he got some inside information.
He only needed to hand over fifty thousand valis, and the Soma Familia could accept him as a member.
Even though the Soma Familia had a bad reputation, this was Kuro's last hope.
It's just that now, this last hope was also shattered!
Before coming, Kuro had already predicted this ending. Even though he didn't know why, he was certain things would develop like this.
But Kuro still came... what if!
'CRAAACK!'
Suddenly, a loud thunder roared from the sky!
Then, raindrops began to fall.
"What should I do!?!"
Like a question, but also like a complaint.
Kuro stood in the rain, walking step by step into the dark alley.
The rainwater soaked the bandages, irritating the cracked wounds, bringing wave after wave of piercing pain.
"You're back!"
Outside an ordinary wooden house, an old woman with a wrinkled face was standing.
Seeing Kuro slowly walking in the rain, she didn't ask many questions, just said flatly: "Hurry inside, go back to your room first and change out of those wet clothes. I'll get the medicine."
"Mm!"
After returning to his room, Kuro took off all his soaked clothes and unwrapped layer after layer of bandages that wound around his body.
Under the bandages were wounds, red patches, or festering sores.
As the bandages were torn off, the blood scabs that had gotten wet from the rain and stuck to his skin were also ripped away.
Red, yellow, white continued to flow from wounds all over his body!
Kuro was already used to this bone-burning pain, but his trembling body every time he tore off the bandages could never stop.
"Ouch! How many times have I told you, don't rip them off directly like that."
Granny Lan, who brought a bowl of clean water and bandages, slowly put down the water bowl in her hands, stopping Kuro's almost self-harming behavior.
"Saves time."
"It's okay, Granny happens to feel lonely alone at night anyway."
Granny Lan gently unwrapped the remaining bandages with her rough hands, carefully cleaning them with clean water, then meticulously wrapping them again with new bandages.
After Granny Lan finished treating him, she picked up the murky water bowl and the bandages full of blood, leaving the dim room.
Lying expressionlessly on the bed, staring at the ceiling, Kuro was thinking.
'Who am I!'
'Become an adventurer!'
'Why am I still alive, why do I have to live so painfully.'
'Become an adventurer!'
'Don't tell me there's no way at all even if I can become an adventurer, then what.'
'Become an adventurer!'
...
Dawn broke, the land of Orario was covered by warm sunlight. Adventurers wearing full armor, holding weapons, climbed the stairs toward the underground dungeon, beginning their respective adventures!
Kuro opened his bloodshot eyes. The whispers that kept echoing in his head and the unbearable itching under the bandages made it impossible for him to find true peace.
Even though he had already lost hope of becoming an adventurer, since Kuro couldn't choose suicide, he could only continue living his usual life.
After getting dressed and washing his face, he pushed the small potato ball cart that Granny had prepared for him toward his usual selling spot.
Observing the crowds of people coming and going, Kuro didn't move at all.
He was like a lifeless doll, sitting still and motionless, only occasionally when someone came to buy potato balls would he raise his head and hand over the food.
Then he'd lower his head again, sitting silently.
"Hello young man, interested in joining my familia?"
"Eh, sorry, I'm not interested!"
"Don't go! There are lots of benefits to joining our familia!"
"Oh, what benefits are there!"
"You can have a beautiful main goddess!"
"Goodbye!"
"Young man, please give me a chance... I haven't eaten for two days!"
"Ah, now I remember, you're that lazy goddess who loves to eat. Let go of me, I suddenly remembered I have business at home..."
"Huhuhu ┭┮﹏┭┮, I'm so hungry!!!"
"Grumble~"
On the roadside, a girl with black twin-tails, blue eyes, a small childlike face and body fitting the name "Loli Goddess," but with a full chest, with blue ribbons running under her chest and tied on her arms, was sprawled on the roadside.
Right now she was lifting her head, looking at the young man running away, with tears in her eyes wanting to reach out and stop him.
Unfortunately, in the few days since being kicked out by her god friend, without money she could only endure hunger by drinking water now even standing was difficult.
"Here!"
Suddenly, a bandage-wrapped hand held out a fragrant potato ball.
Smelling the appetizing food aroma, Hestia quickly got up from lying down, grabbed the food, and devoured it in an instant.
"So delicious! I've never eaten food this good!"
"That'll be thirty valis!!!"