-When I opened my eyes, I smelled the food Mama was cooking. I saw Mama and Papa setting the table.-
"Jin, you're already awake," Mama said, while Papa looked at me with a tense and worried expression.
-I approached Papa and hugged him because we hadn't seen each other for a long time. I asked him about his mission.-
"Papa, did you fight many monsters again? What kind of mission was it this time?" I asked.
"Easy there, Jin, one question at a time," he replied. "I fought a lot of monsters this time. Guess what color the monsters were in my mission?"
I answered, "Hmm... Blue, Papa?"
"Wrong, Jin," he said. Then Papa took something out of his bag and showed me a badge that said "ER" — Emerald Rank. I was shocked and asked if the monster was green. Papa replied, "Correct, Jin," with a happy smile on his face.
-Monsters each have their own strength based on color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. There is one color of monster considered a disaster — the Black Monsters. Only a kingdom general, a Challenger Rank, or someone who has reached the 10th Circle, Square, or Aura can kill or capture them.-
-An Adventurer is an individual in the Adventure Guild who takes on missions to protect or work for others. They can be compared to mercenaries, but the difference is that they work under the Kingdom.-
-The strength of an Adventurer is based on their rank. The ranking order is: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Master, Challenger. The higher the rank, the more difficult the mission. A Challenger Rank is comparable in strength to a kingdom general. Only five people have ever reached this rank, and currently only four are active. Rumors say there is a rank even higher than Challenger — the Z Rank — said to reach the 11th Circle, Square, or Aura, an almost impossible level.-
I told Papa, "So, you'll be busy again," with a sad look. But he answered, "If Papa doesn't stay busy, you won't get to eat meat."
I replied, "Oh, then it's okay for you to be busy, hehe," and looked at him with a silly face. Papa laughed with me.
"Papa, where's Kuya (Big Brother)?" I asked.
"He's out back chopping firewood," Papa answered.
I quickly jumped up and ran to Kuya Rin.
"Kuya Rin!!!" I shouted loudly.
"Jin, why are you yelling?" he asked.
"Kuya, look! I want to show you something hehe." I looked at him, picked up a piece of wood, and he stared at me, confused about what I was doing.
"Watch me, Kuya — 3rd Form: Shapeless Slash!"
I slashed and cut through a bunch of firewood, leaving Kuya Rin shocked. He asked, stunned:
"Ji...n, how?!"
I looked at him and explained,
"Earlier, remember when I fainted? Right before that happened, time suddenly slowed down when you showed me the 3rd Form. I felt like I wanted to use it immediately, and as I stood up, my vision went dark and I passed out."
"You only saw it once??" he asked, in disbelief.
"Yes, Kuya Rin, hehe."
Though Rin was both surprised and excited, he also felt afraid. He told me:
"Jin, never — and I mean never — show this to anyone, understand?"
I replied, "Yes, but not even to Mama and Papa?"
"I'll be the one to tell Mama and Papa. Jin, promise me."
"Yes, Kuya. I promise I won't show it to anyone."
I looked at Kuya Rin and smiled. He gently patted my head and said:
"Come on, let's eat."
"Yes, Kuya."
-End of Chapter 3-