At night, a slightly handsome teenage boy with red eyes ran through the streets before turning into a deserted alley. Blood dripped from his hand. He stared at his wound, then tore his clothes to wrap it.
He saw a crowbar lying next to the trash bin. Like someone who had just been enlightened, he came up with a plan to face the one chasing him. He grabbed the crowbar and walked back, following his own blood trail while trying to keep the bleeding under control.
Near the end of the alley, he noticed a pile of garbage and quickly hid inside it. Not long after, two man enter the alley. They noticed the blood trail on the ground. Patiently, the boy gripped the crowbar, waiting for the right moment.
A phone rang in one of the men's pockets. The man reached into his jacket and answered the call. That was the moment the boy sprang from his hiding spot and smashed the man's head with the crowbar. The man didn't even know who had called him before collapsing lifelessly.
The boy's plan was simple: wait until his enemy let his guard down. But the victim's partner realized what had happened and immediately drew his gun, firing shot after shot until the clip ran dry. The boy ran, but a bullet hit his leg. He fell, face-first, to the ground.
The man approached the teenager's seemingly lifeless body. But before he could finish him off, he noticed his companion moving slightly. He rushed to check his pulse, making sure he was still alive. That was when he felt a heavy blow to the back of his head. The world spun, then turned black.
The teenager emerged from the trap he had set. He had been feigning death, luring his enemy into lowering his guard while checking on his partner. With a cold expression, he raised the crowbar to finish the man.
Before the final strike landed, the man weakly muttered, "Why… why did you betray us, Dion…?"
Dion stared at him for a moment. Whether from guilt or simple boredom, he replied, "Hosen, if only you hadn't messed with Black Wolf Gang, maybe you wouldn't have ended up like this."
Hosen choked on his own blood and said, "I never knew… you loved money that much. Damn it, Fang and I should've seen your trick back when you threw that party… and i still can't believe you poisoned the whole gang for them."
Hosen's gang had never realized the change in Dion—how he suddenly became cheerful. They thought it was because of their victory against Black wolf gang, but in reality, it was betrayal all along.
Dion lowered his gaze and said, "It's not that I love money, Hosen. But soon I'll undergo Creation, and I need money to prepare for the trial. Honestly, I enjoyed being with you guys… you were like family. But my life… I'll always put it first."
Black wolf gang had offered him a Relic Rank Refined Tier 2, one that could increase his chances of surviving the trial.
Relics were artifacts of Helzon, obtainable only by slaying monsters of equal rank. To gain a relic Refined rank Tier - 2, one had to kill a Tier-2 Dreadspawn. Yet even then, the chances of obtaining one were abysmally low.
That rarity made relics priceless. To own one was to hold power, survival, and influence. People killed, betrayed, and sold their souls for even a fragment of hope to claim one.
But there was another truth that made relics even more coveted—and dangerous. A relic could be destroyed with a single thought from its current holder, reduced to nothing in an instant. For this reason, ownership could not be seized by force it had to be transferred willingly, although there are some exceptions
Dion knew his own gang could never dream of acquiring such a treasure. To him, Black wolf offer was more than wealth—it was the thin line between life and death.
Item/Monster Drop Rankings
1. Crude
2. Refined
3. Enchanted
4. Ruined
5. Mythwoven
Relic Tiers
Each Relic also has a Tier level ranging from 1 to 10. The higher the Tier, the stronger the power of the Relic.
That was as far as humanity knew, for no one had surpassed the fifth rank—thus, higher names remained unknown. Monsters, however, had tiers: from Tier 1, mere beasts, up to Tier 10, as intelligent as humans—or even more.
Dion looked up at the crimson moon—the moon that was once normal, until Creation a decade ago started to twisted the earth to resemble Helzon. With teary eyes, he whispered, "This decision is heavy for me. When the first Creation happened, my parents never came back. I was only four years old. After that, I begged on the streets. My relatives took everything from me. Then I met you guys… you became my family. But still, my life must come first."
He wiped away his tears and closed his eyes. Before delivering the final blow, Dion searched Hosen body for first aid. After using it, he checked his phone call history and saw that he just call the man named Fang. That mean he was the one make a call to Fang on the phone. Then Dion searched for the Black Wolf gang boss contact. After calling Him, The boss agreed to give him the relic the next morning at the newly conquered Hosen gang's hideout.
Though the Black Wolves were notorious for their cruelty and cunning, they had a reputation for keeping their word. Betrayal was unlikely—but precaution was always better than none. Dion went to his secret hideout, a place even Hosen gang never knew about, to prepare for any unexpected turn.
He looked at his wound, surprised at how much it had healed. The "first aid" he used turned out to be a single-use relic that Hosen always carried during missions. Once more, Dion whispered softly, "Thank you… for everything, Hosen."
Suddenly, droplets of water fell onto Dion's head. He realized it was raining. He quickly left the deserted alley, he disappeared into the night, heading toward his secret hideout.