"...are you perhaps a demon?"

"A demon?"

Rey felt his confusion reach its peak. The world they lived in had beasts, monsters, super humans and magic contraptions everything defied common sense, but a demon was still considered something from myths and legends.

'Is this old man delusional?'

The closest thing to demons were the Flame Goblins present on the 30th floor of the beginners hunting ground. They were akin to the mischievous imps found in books.

"Answer my question."

Alex interrupted Rey's thoughts. The tone in his voice was still calm as ever, which made it even more terrifying. Alex's aura pressured down on Rey even more.

Rey almost fainted while standing. Unlike the weight he felt on his shoulder a moment ago, the aura was suffocating him. The pressure made his whole body tense, his instincts were telling him to run, but he knew he couldn't escape someone like Alex.

"N-no, I'm human through and through."

Rey said while trembling. He was doing his best not to fall unconscious. The fear he felt was on a primitive level.

Alex wasn't convinced. He doubted the words Rey uttered, a demon was cunning and manipulative.

The creeping familiar feeling he felt a while ago was still present, his body was telling him to show his bracelet to Alex. He didn't know why, but he felt like it was the right action.

"T-this."

Rey slowly lifted his right arm that had the translucent bracelet. He pointed at it and opened a screen. The screen showed his hunter profile which was one month old.

"What are you expecting to happen by showing me your profile?"

"I-I..."

Rey opened and closed his mouth. He wanted to say something, but he was hesitating. There was a secret he'd been hiding even before becoming a hunter. Right now he needed to speak, he felt like his life was on the line and he'd lose it if he didn't talk.

"I-I...don't know why I became a hunter. I suddenly woke up one day without any memories of who I am. Hell, I'm not even sure if I'm 18. Please...please...I know I'm human."

Alex looked at Rey and analyzed his faint aura. It seems like Rey was being genuine, there were no lies in his words. Alex released the pressure on him.

He fell down on his knees and gasped for breath. The pressure that was suffocating him dissipated. He looked up towards Alex who was looking down at him, interest gleamed in his eyes.

"Continue your story."

"Two years ago before I became a hunter, I woke up in a desolated village far from here. I didn't have a name nor parents, there was no clue who I was or why I was there."

"Where is the location of this village?"

"S-sorry, but I can't tell you that."

Rey was afraid. He thought Alex was going to force him to speak out, so he steeled himself. Rey didn't trust Alex at all he had no reason to tell him the location.

"I have one more question."

Rey's body trembled, he didn't want to go through the experience again.

"Did you make a deal with any demon?"

"N-no! I-I don't believe that they exist at all. Please...please...I'm telling the truth."

Alex observed Rey's aura once more. Rey was telling the truth, there was no need to pressure him to speak more.

"I got the answers I needed. You can leave now."

Rey was expecting Alex to squeeze more information out of him, but luckily it didn't happen. He mentally sighed in relief. It seems he was satisfied with the answer he gave.

Rey slowly went down the stage. He kept looking back at Alex, he was scared that he would attack him if he let his guard down. He reached the exit and a sigh of relief exited his mouth. He grabbed the handle of the door, but before he could exit Alex shouted something from the stage.

"Hey kid, If you want to know more about your past. I could help you."

Rey flinched for a moment, but after hearing his words his body relaxed. He looked back once more at Alex and exited the auditorium.

Rey reached the door of his room. He placed his bracelet on the scanner that was present on the right side of the door.

Click.

The door unlocked. The room was messy with chips and cans scattered on the floor. It was the size of an average bedroom. A small bed was present on the corner, a table and chair was located in the middle of the room.

Poomf.

Clink. Clink. Cliiiiinnk. Whirrrrr..

He threw his bracelets on the table and laid down on the bed. He was mentally and physically exhausted. He thought about all the things that transpired today.

Alex clearly threatened him and even showed killing intent to scare him, but he didn't feel any resentment towards him. He was confused. The familiar feeling he had throughout the whole scenario was telling him everything is going to be alright and he should trust Alex.

He sighed once more, and stared at the ceiling. The plain white ceiling calmed him for some reason. He ignored his past and focused on the present. The past only brought mystery and pain to him.

He felt uneasy thinking about the past. He just made up childhood stories when his friends asked him about it, in truth he had no idea what it felt like. He heard stories about it and he just imitated what they said to make it sound realistic.

'Hey kid, If you want to know more about your past. I could help you.'

Alex's words reverberated in his mind. He couldn't sleep. Of course, he wanted to know more about his unknown past, but he was also scared to find out. What if he really wasn't human? What if his friends won't accept who he truly is?

After a few hours of hard thinking. His thoughts started to drift off and he soon fell asleep with a heavy heart.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Urghhh..."

Rey moaned as he woke up. He stood up his bed and opened the door.

"Oh, its you. Good...

Yawn~

...morning."

He looked haggard as he gave a greeting to Maki who was standing outside his door.

"Morning? It's already three in the afternoon."

"Huh? Looks like I got too tired yesterday."

Rey gave him a boring answer and asked a question.

"Why did you come here?"

"I wanted to talk about what happened between you and the instructor. What did you guys talk about."

Rey flinched. The thoughts of Alex pressuring him with his aura made his body shivered.

"Oh, nothing much it's just about the contract to the company."

Rey answered nonchalantly. He didn't want to talk about what transpired last night. Maki looked at him with suspicion.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Okay then. What about the contract then?"

"Oh, you know the..."

"The...?"

"...conditions! I talked about that with him. He said he'd provide us what we needed as hunters."

"You're acting very suspicious right now. Tell me the truth."

"I just woke up, man. I can't think straight."

"That must be the case then. I'll be leaving now have a good rest."

Maki put on a friendly smile and bid Rey goodbye. As he walked away from Rey's room his expression suddenly turned serious. He had a hunch that Rey was hiding something from him.

'Phew'

Rey let out a sigh of relief.

'How many times have I sighed in the last 24 hours?'

A meaningless question popped up in his head. He quickly shrugged it off and thought about what transpired last night. He made a decision before falling asleep.

'I will ask Alex for help, but I need to get stronger first.'

Ambition was burning in his eyes. He wanted to reach the Early Ardent Class before seeking for his help. He needed strength, It was only luck that he could escape the village.

The memories of him escaping the village made him feel on edge. He clearly remembered the first year after he woke up in the village. He was constantly hiding, everyday was a struggle to survive.

He equipped his bracelets which he threw on the table haphazardly. He was mumbling something to himself. He wanted to enter the Beginner's hunting ground alone today to test his limits. He went out of his room and immediately headed outside.

It was already afternoon, but that didn't matter. Time flowed strangely inside the mountain. He looked at the gaping maw of the mountain, he took in the sight first as always. After preparing himself, he entered without hesitation.

A gentle breeze greeted him and the rustling of leaves could be heard all around. The scene of the 50th floor was in front of him.

Rey stood at the entrance. He was repeatedly mumbling something to himself.

'No one must find out where the village is located until I'm ready to head back.'

He thought of the village once more and the place it was located. A determined expression was shown on his face. He mumbled something once more in an icy tone.

'Beithir's Necropolis. I'm coming.'