On a vast island covered in thick forests stood a massive city inhabited by thousands, surrounded on all sides by enormous walls.
Not far beyond those walls, a strange yellow-tipped tree stood alone. Sunbeams slipped through its branches and landed softly on the grassy earth where a boy lay asleep. He had brown hair, pale white skin, and wore filthy clothes. A gleaming black pendant rested on his chest.
The boy, Dan, slowly opened his eyes, letting the golden sunlight reflect off his deep blue irises as he stared at the yellow leaves above him.
"Wait a second…"
He quickly turned to his right—only to find the sun already halfway below the horizon.
Dan's eyes widened in horror.
He realized he was late—the city gates closed just before sunset to protect the citizens from the strange creatures that emerged across the island at dusk.
He scrambled to his feet in a panic and took off running at full speed toward the gate.
"Damn it, I'm not ready to die yet!"
Cursing under his breath, his face frozen in fear, Dan glanced back toward the forest—and instantly felt his terror deepen.
From the edge of the trees, one of the island's creatures had appeared.
A grotesque beast bounded toward him on all fours. Its body was covered in thick fur, but the blood streaming from its many wounds had turned the white coat a deep, horrifying red. Even from a distance, Dan could clearly see its massive fangs. Its claws tore into the ground with every leap, producing a deafening thud.
The moment Dan saw the monster, he found strength he didn't know he had—his legs moved faster.
He closed the gap between himself and the city; only a few meters remained. The beast, however, was rapidly gaining on him. Gasping for breath, Dan forced a smile and muttered:
"The crawlspace under the gate… If I make it in time, I can slip through and—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
The ground beneath him began to shake violently, and Dan fell hard onto the earth.
Before he could fully grasp what had happened, the beast was nearly on top of him. It charged, drool spilling from between its jagged teeth.
Dan knew this was the end. He thought to himself
*If only I had taken the Ring Test… If I had earned a strong ring, maybe I could've saved myself.*
But even now, Dan wasn't ready to die—not before fulfilling his dream.
He pulled a dagger from his belt , fully aware of how hopeless the fight was.
Screaming, he charged the beast with his tiny blade aimed true. The monster roared, raising its claws toward his throat
Then a golden arrow pierced its skull.
The creature collapsed beside him.
Dan fell to his knees, staring at the beast's corpse, eyes full of confusion and disbelief.
"A golden arrow...? Don't tell me it's him…"
He spun around and saw someone approaching—calm, as if he walking through the safety of the city rather than the perilous outside.
The man had long blond hair that reached his shoulders and a calm expression. He was tall, dressed in flowing white garments laced with golden accents, a mark of high status. What truly caught Dan's attention, though, were the two rings on the man's right hand.
The stranger approached and gazed at the monster's body. Before Dan could say a word, the man vanished—only to reappear behind him half a second later.
Dan heard a voice from behind.
"What were you thinking, leading a dark creature straight to the city walls? Couldn't you at least die quietly, far away from the city, you little rat?"
Dan quickly turned around, to find the stranger looking down at him with a look of disdain on his face
He stiffened. A crushing aura filled the air. This man was powerful—so powerful that even breathing became difficult.
The stranger stepped closer, eyes fixed on Dan as though reading his very thoughts.
A chill ran down Dan's spine. He clenched his dagger tightly and tensed, preparing to fight.
The man gave a wicked smile.
"And what exactly do you think you'll accomplish with that tiny dagger against enemies far stronger than you?"
His gaze drifted to Dan's tattered clothes.
"What can I expect from someone without a clan? You're just a waste of air. I should've let the beast finish its meal."
Dan gritted his teeth and glared.
"I know how weak I am compared to people like you. I know how disgusting I must seem to you and the clans. But that doesn't mean I'll lie down and die without a fight."
The stranger smiled coldly again. He opened his palm where there were golden sands
He blew it in Dan's face.
Before Dan could react, everything went black