A dark mist of the skies, a glimpse into the corner of the universe. Constellations hidden deep in a bubble, frozen in time. The power of stars.

– Oy dude, what the hell is that? – Katsumi looked over the drow's shoulder.

– The weapon of our bloodline. It's so-so shameful you've seen it.

– Ay, no worries! It looks dope or something, better than my club.

Behind the spore cloud, a black hooded figure was fast approaching. Aeren heard his steps and swiftly aimed his weapon, recreating the draw of a bow. White light began to shine as an arrow formed on the cloud of cosmic gas. It sounded like small iron balls hitting each other, echoing with a deep bang. Releasing the gaseous thread, the arrow swooshed through the air, blowing off the attacker's knee.

– Saw that? – Aeren yelled. – I held most of my power back on that shot! Come out and surrender now!

Katsumi was too focused on the boy's confident stance to see what was approaching her. She saw Aeren look back at her shocked and a rope of chain from the corner of her eye.

– Got you! – a man yelled, lassoing Katsumi by the neck.

– Katsumi! – Aeren raised his bow for another attack.

White light pierced through the spores above the girl, hitting a tree, then slashing through its middle. The pull disappeared. Katsumi freed herself from the chains, keeping it in her hands as she stood up. Looking back where the pull came from, she saw the body of a grey man lying on the ground, his body perfectly split above the waistline. A fountain of blood shot out to the spores, making a them shine with a deep red light.

– Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit…

She put both hands on her mouth to hold back the scream. Never before has she seen something so brutal, something so savage. It was terrifying. She wanted to run. She wanted nothing more, than to run. But before she had the chance, Aeren pushed his back against hers.

– Miss Katsumi!

– Huh? What?

– Thank you for giving me confidence.

– What are you talking about?

– Alone, I wouldn't have the courage to fight back. It's because you got my back that I don't drop to the ground and just try to beg my way out.

Aeren looked up at her, his eyes full of fear and sadness. No more were his eyes that of a battle-hardened warrior's. Those were a child's, looking at his sister for help.

– I'm thankful to have a hero by my side.

That word. Even though she was just about to flee, she got called a hero. Only now did Katsumi understand the weight her words carried. The weight of the word 'hero'.

Throwing her hair aside, she readied her chains and club.

– Hah, I'm proud of you, Enque Aeren! You truly have what it takes to become a hero one day! – she forced a laugh and a thumbs up, soothing the boy's fear.

Katsumi looked down on the chains and another screen popped up in her eye.

/// Warning! ///

User not proficient with this type of weapon.

'Do I look like I give a damn? Boo-hoo, I won't earn any EXP! This is a life or death situation, you stupid system! Get your priorities straight!'

– Get ready, they're approaching from both sides!

– Huh? – she raised her head to see a hooded man rushing towards her with chains in hand. – Yeah, you want some? Then come, get some!

The man tried to hit him in the head, but she blocked the attack with her club and bashed her chains at the man's chin. His chains wrapped around the girl's club. Using this he pulled it out of her hand, but couldn't block another chain-strike in the face.

– Filthy human! – he grabbed the club and attacked Katsumi from the side, which she barely blocked.

The man abused she was focusing on the club and kicked her in the knee, sending the girl to ground. He raised the club for one final bash, but just as he attacked, Aeren shot an arrow into his skull, making it explode in a bright, bloody flash.

– Got you! – he smiled, copying Katsumi's thumbs up.

– That's what I'm talking about! – she stood up to see two figures rush towards the boy.

She grabbed the club with the chains entangled around its head and rushed in front of the Aeren.

– Try not to hit me!

– Yes mam!

One of the figures dodged the boy's arrow and tried yanking Katsumi. She grabbed the chains midair, hurting her palm in the process. A furious wrangle began between her and the man as she didn't let go of the weapon. It was decided by an arrow, flying straight through the chest of the hooded figure.

– Are you alright?

– Yeah, I'm… Aeren, watch out!

Caught up in saving the girl, he forgot the other man. He was just about to strike they boy from behind when Katsumi lunged at the man's face, making time for Aeren to draw an arrow. As she heard the sound of small iron balls hit each other, she jumped to the side and let Aeren shoot an arrow straight through the man's face.

– Nice teamwork!

– Goes both ways!

The sound of clapping broke their conversation. Another hooded man appeared from behind a tree, smaller than the enemies they cut down before. His robe was different. Purple lines ran from his hood down his chest and up his spine. The color of his skin was white, unnaturally white.

– Wonderful! Utterly terrific! None of the rookies passed the test!

– Who are you? – Aeren aimed his bow at the figure.

– It's rare to see someone with so much potential! What's your name, lady of green?

Katsumi raised her club.

– None of your business, old man! Besides, the one with true potential is this boy standing beside me. He did most of the dirty work.

– I'm not talking about your fighting skills, my child. It's your stench. That terrific stench!

– Aeren, get your bow ready, we're beating this dude up.

– It's the stench of a terrific curse! Oh, how awfully wonderful! I've truly been blessed to see the day someone with such a sad blessing turns up!

He took off his hood to reveal a wrinkled face with strange, black markings. Katsumi remembered that some of his shapes were identical to the man's that slapped her.

– What are you, some kind of curse collector? Your body bears the markings of the dead, just what kind of sick fuck are you?

– How rude! – he screamed so loud, even the spores around him ran away. – You dare talk to me like that, someone who spent a lifetime collecting twice the power you'll ever achieve?

– So you think you are hot shit, eh? God, are all titans the same?

– You talk to your elders like that? How rude! How childish!

He stopped as he could hardly breath from screaming so much. Coughing like a sick donkey, he leaned against a tree. Then his eyes lit up.

– No! How dirty of me!

He fell on his knees and fanatically prayed to the flora.

– Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with this dude? – Katsumi moved closer to Aeren.

– I don't know. This is new to me as well. Should we run?

– No… look around us.

Robes were visible from behind the trees. She pointed towards one of them.

– See that man?

– Just his hand.

– Look closer.

– Uh… he has a hammer.

– These people have some kink for the trees. Think about it! None of the weapons we've seen so far had the ability to slash, cut, pierce… no… only impact damage.

– How does any of that help the situation?

– The old dude completely lost his shit over just touching the tree. This must be some kind of cult and he's the leader. Just look at them, all the others waiting for his command! He's their top priority. Aeren, is there a reason you haven't killed him already?

– Yes. He has a curse that makes him immune to my damage type.

– So your arrow would just bounce off of him?

– Yes.

– I see. That's all I wanted to hear.

– Huh?

– I'm sorry, Aeren.

She put her hand one last time on the boy's shoulder. With careful steps, he began approaching the elder.

– So you like curses, eh? Can you recognize mine?

– The stench of the pig? I'm not some kind of townfolk that doesn't recognize the smell of a god! Tell me, what does your curse do?

– It's a secret! – she winked. – Even to me as of now. But trust me, it has tremendous potential. How about I trade that for the life of this boy? If you let him free, I'll join your sect.

– Cannot do! This boy could be a danger for true titankind, we cannot let him escape!

– Oh come on now, don't be scared! Even if he tries to attack us again, I'll take care of him. He might act like a hero, but deep down, well…

Aeren watched her walk to the other side. He didn't know what to do. He felt confused. Lost. Hurt. Sick.

– Even then, it's impossible! – the old man yelled. – And who do you think you are, acting so confident? I could easily murder you and your whole family!

– But then you would lose this rare curse. – her smile was poised with an ugly smugness. – It's like collecting baseball cards. I'm a rare card. You're just a collector!

– Fine. If you join our mission and let us kill the boy, you can have the best meals every night, I don't care! I need you! I need your mark!

– Two more things. First off, I get to sleep with your bulkiest dudes. Every. Single. Night. And I'm not just talking about muscle! That means inspecting every one of you. Even you, old man.

A small bite on her lip. This suggestive nature awakened something in the man. Something, that made him approach the girl.

– What's your second request?

– A handful of Kisma.

– What's Kisma?

– Kisma' ass, you dumb fuck! – she attacked the man with her weapon, only for the club to froze midair.

– Such a dirty strike, you really thought an act so bad could fool anyone? I thought too much of you. You truly are…

– Eat shit, asshole! – she threw a palmful of dust into the man's face, blinding him. – Aeren, run! Run as fast as you can and don't look back! Run and never come back to this forest! Go!

He did not move. He looked at her with fishy eyes, following the movement of her hand. But nothing more.

– Don't just stand still! Run! Run already! Don't let this be for nothing!

His expression was shocked, as if witnessing a ghost. A weird substance began to pour from his mouth. Then more. Much more. It was bubbly, like the saliva of a rabid fox.

– Aeren, can you hear me? Aeren!

– Youngsters like you deserve punishment for their mistakes. That's the only way they can learn.

– Huh?

Roots pinned her legs down, not allowing escape. They ran up her chest below the uniform, circling around her neck then finally resting on her face.

– It's true that I can't kill you, but even then… you need to repent for your sins.

– The fuck are you talking about? – she felt the vines creep around her left eye.

– You tried to hit me in the head. A head for a head, am I right? Well, we can't have that, but you know how the saying continues.

– But you can't kill me! Remember? I'm your… – she let out a gasp, feeling vines creep in her left eye, trying to force their way into her skull. – Wait, stop! What are you doing? Stop it! Please, stop!

– Screaming only makes things worse. Be a good girl and accept fate.

– No! Please, I beg you! I give up! I give up!

– You should've done that before losing an eye.

The sounds of pulling and tearing joined the painful screams of agony. It was almost as if the world became all red and black for a second. A boy choking on his own saliva. A girl screaming from extreme suffering. A fleshy ball hitting the ground.

The sun's setting awfully early today, isn't it?