“Shit! Why did I have to meet a blood thirsty monster when I first got here?” As he lamented, Tus randomly changed directions in order to evade the pursuit of the gorilla. That was a futile action in this employment in the game of cat and mouse.

The gorilla with its evil grin, leisurely gave chase while trying to make as much noise to scare Tus. Its light from the internal energy created a ghastly atmosphere as it spread throughout the nearby pitch-black forest. Even though it was as so dark, Tus’s own perception allowed him to dodge trees and avoid tripping on anything above ground.

“I only want to nibble on your bones! Come on!” The gorilla spoke while taking a deviation in its running that was similar to walking and suddenly lunged. Tus, with his trained instincts that screamed at him, took a dive to the left escaping from the sudden assault from the gorilla.

Having fallen to the ground, Tus quickly stood up, and took a single glance in the direction of the attack. That single glance caused his heart to shudder as an area of fifteen feet was cleared of all vegetation. A crater was created on the ground where the gorilla made its impact. The crater of compressed dirt was lower by a foot from the incredible weight and force.

The gorilla had an admiring expression while drool came out of its mouth as it looked at Tus, “For such a weak, escaped deity of Oblivion, you have already gained such heights in your basic abilities. I really can’t wait to eat you to acquire them!”

Not taking heed to what the gorilla was saying, Tus was already trying to increase the distance. However, the gorilla had other ideas as it easily pulled a boulder out of the ground that weighed over four hundred pounds and with a casual wave of its arms, threw the rock at a rockets speed.

Tus felt the danger, but his body was not capable of moving away from the boulders direction. All he could do was turn his body marginally, where the boulder just grazed his left leg. This small touch was still enough to cause him to twirl in the air like a leaf, heavily hitting a tree with his head that rendered him unconscious.

“Hahaha!” Laughing, the gorilla moved with light steps. “Although you escaped from that place, you don’t know how to use your divine ability. It was your bad luck coming out of there when it was my turn to wait.” Speaking up to here, ten feet away from Tus, the gorilla’s body stiffened, and started trembling fiercely. Its eyes turned in all directions and panted with frustration.

“Who is the bastard daring to interrupt my meal?!” The gorilla roared at a figure that moved in between it and Tus.

The light coming off of its body in the dark forest showed a metal-armored female with auburn hair and golden eyes that stared at the gorilla. She had a three foot sword drawn in her right hand, the blade seemed to emit a sensation that stung the skin.

With a grave voice she said, “You grade 3 beast, have you and your guardian Hive finally lost your minds! Your sadistic hunting game is coming to a halt!”

Seeing the woman, the gorilla’s rage burned out instantly and a bit of fear enveloped its eyes. “Captain Haya, this unimpressive beggar is an intruder who broke curfew. I was merely trying to capture him due to suspicion and unlawful conduct.” It took a couple of steps back and kneeled on the ground with its head lowered to the ground. Around the same time, the five-manned squad under Haya Kirm, came out of the forest with varying expressions.

“This person was obviously a beggar walking the main road and no such curfew exists. You chased him into our zone with such audacity! If our tracker did not find the commotion in time, our Organization of Rotalia would have suffered backlash! The alliance law clearly states that your guardian Hives in the territory can’t attack civilians! What is your reasoning?” The vice-captain Talian Rul, a man of tall stature with blond hair and green eyes that glowed in the darkness, said in a mimicking tone similar to Haya’s. The tracker he referred to was a man who stood off to the side with a taut bow and glowing arrow aimed at the gorilla. He wore loose garments that were camouflage and he was also a mute whom they nicknamed Arl.

As he said so, Haya’s expression twitched slightly in irritation, she casually thought to herself ‘Why did the branch have to be in Rul?’

It was reasonable that Tus would be observed as a beggar. His clothes were tattered, dirt covered his body, and he carried a smell that was rotten. Anyone who saw him, would make it out to be poor and unrefined. He probably walked along the road for any lost coin.

“He seems to be fine expect for a couple of cracked ribs, the gash on the left leg, and the awful smell. I should be able to heal him promptly, although it will take a few hours for him to wake up.” A short girl with green hair, pointed ears, and a small voice kneeled next to Tus and extended her right hand. She was the healer of the group, Ruia Vine, and was part of the elven race in the continent.

A green tendril extended form the palm and entered Tus’s chest, causing a small sheen of green to appear over his entire body. The gash on his leg and the cracked ribs quickly mended back together perfectly. As she did so, her expression changed drastically when she glanced at the left side of the chest.

“I can only beg for mercy. I forgot that beggars were still considered off of the food chain…” The gorilla glanced at Tus and couldn’t contain its drool that started unconsciously pouring out of its mouth. It licked its lips in order to stop, but to no avail. Its expression and intent were both obvious to the group.

“Tulian, what should we do?” Haya turned to Tulian Rul, Talian’s brother and a stout looking man with brown hair and brown eyes. He had a large broad-axe slung over on his back, showing that he was the berserker of the group. He also specialized in the discipline of any newly formed squads, while knowing every law and regulation in the area. He administrated punishments both civilly and bloodily, a battle-bureaucrat so to speak.

“Rotalia allows Hives greater than grade 2 to do their own punishments on their individuals with a first offense. All we can do is leave this beast alone as it comes from a grade 4 Hive.” Tulian emotionlessly gave an explanation that was choppy.

In the world, grades referred to the overall strength of something. On individuals, it includes weapons, degree of specialization, skills, effectiveness of tactics, experience, etc. While for forces like Families, Organizations, Countries, and the one not considered to be a force and is most commonly subservient, Hive. The grade refers to the total accumulation of everyone with their individual grades and/or by the strength of their absolute best at the head.

The grades are placed thusly; a force had one person who was grade 6, but everyone else were grade 1, they would be considered to be grade 6, even if though there is only a single grade 6. A force that had two grade 5 leaders, would also be a grade 6 force. The reason is that with each successive grade, the requirement to take on a higher grade would require at least two of a grade that is a single level lower. While mentioning this, all of the individuals in a force are counted towards the grade as well.

A grade 1 standard is based on a person with average abilities and is completely healthy. A grade 2 would be someone with 100% better abilities than the calculated average, being two times stronger than the grade 1. A grade 3 would be another 100% increase in capabilities compared to grade 2 and so on. This may sound ridiculous in the long run, but it isn’t exaggerated when the use of internal energy is factored in, as internal energy can augment the body, while having other effects... In the case where there is a person without a second heart, they would be universally rated as a grade 0.

Of course, Hives are another matter entirely as their grades are based off of their Hives type of congregation, the different kinds of monsters that are together. Their grades are based off of the combat of equivalent human individuals with the different types.

In the alliance, Hives are not directly a part of it as they usually follow those who control the land, albeit not willingly. However, the alliance still protects some of the Hives rights due to the other forces using their discontent to destabilize regions in the past, allowing for opportunities to arise. This was agreed by all of those under it, including this Organization called Rotalia.

“Then, what should we do with the beggar?” Haya asked while gesturing.

“We should just leave him be out here. We saved him from the monster, but that is where our responsibilities end. It would be a waste of effort to go any further for someone who may die in the future.” Tulian suggested.

“I agree, if we take it any further, the rest of the mercenary squads would laugh at us. Even more than that last incident.” Talian concurred with the same emotionless tone as Tulian, along with his expression becoming a little gloomy from a past experience.

The tracker also nodded his head, obviously also thinking along Talian’s line of thought. The gorilla licked its lips while listening to their conversation with its eyes obsessively watching Tus who wasn’t aware of the situation.

“Then, let’s drop this monster somewhere else, and leave the beggar.” Haya announced with a disappointed expression. Although she didn’t agree with what they were saying and had a weird feeling coming from Tus, risking demoralization for a random stranger wouldn’t do any good, and if their own ranking in the Organization went any lower due to morals, they would probably be expelled.

“Wait!” Ruia interrupted the almost unanimous decision, “I think we should take this so-called beggar with us.”

“Why?” Talian was confused regarding this.

She stood up and faced Haya with a pleading look, “This person lacks the second heart, but they survived the onslaught of the grade 3 beast showing that he has great combat and perception abilities…”

“So you want him to join our squad?” Talian finished her sentence with her voice and an expression of disbelief. “Are you out of your mind?! That would really make us a laughing stock, not to mention that it would be against regulations, and he is a grade 0. Just because of some old emotional attachment you had with a sibling, does not mean that you can recommend him. Right, Tulian?”

“Yes, unless the beggar can receive direct permission from our branches’ Leader.” Tulian shook his head, “However, lacking the second heart would make the chances of him being accepted a lot lower than the average, probably around 30% would be the best chance in the best condition. Personally speaking, I’m also really questioning your state of mind.”

Rotalia is a mercenary Organization, receiving monetary compensation for duties received from the other forces. To such an Organization, the ability to complete missions is the thing required for its existence. Like a business, they would screen people and only recruit those who have the ability. Having a good staff allows for success. However, recruiting someone who was a beggar, the lowest rung of society, and had no prospects of improving themselves due to having no second heart, resulting in said state of being a beggar, it would tarnish the reputation of the Organization.

“And,” Talian continued with Tulian’s expressionless voice, “Your argument towards him having exceptional abilities is without justification. The monster was just toying with its food, so the beggar was able to survive when we found him.”

The gorilla, still kneeling, nodded its head incessantly, “Yes, I was only playing with it.”

As the group was discussing, a faint sound of stones breaking apart could be heard coming from underground. The earth cracked and sand was flowing through the surface right next to Tus, swirling just above his body. Nobody from the group noticed this at all, except for the gorilla whose eyes were growing wider by the second. It watched as the sand entered into Tus’s nose, mouth, and ears. Tus’s his body trembled as his skin rippled like water and he silently blew apart in chunks of sand that flowed back into the ground, leaving behind the tattered clothes.

The gorilla’s mouth gaped open in shock for a moment and then suddenly roared in extreme madness, “My golden pork ticket! You bastards made me to lose my chance of freedom!” It then rushed at Haya who stopped it earlier.

Before it could take a step, it froze on the spot with a light flash of light coming from Haya’s sword. An intense stinging sensation spread from a linear line on the gorilla’s waste to the rest of its body. With a ‘puff,’ the gorilla turned into a gray dust and a blue orb flashed from the center of its body.

If looked at closely, the gorilla’s face could be vaguely seen soundlessly screaming at every member of the squad before it flew and disappeared toward the altar of Oblivion.

This was part of the primary reason why monsters weren’t exterminated. The monsters could never be killed off and would reappear sooner or later, just as before or even stronger. Killing them would also result in no benefit as the body would disperse into nothingness, leaving nothing behind worthwhile, besides a peace of mind.

The group turned toward where Tus was and were silent with puzzled faces. They couldn’t make sense of the situation. The disappearance of an individual who lacked a second heart right under their noses was incomprehensible. The slightest movement would alarm them of anything, but it was like he disappeared without a trace.