Requiem Of A Failed Hero

"Okay, Mr. Absalom... you can talk to me."

"Y-y-yes, I've been doing that." Absalom nodded his head, with a sleepy stare.

"And it has not been working out as expected because you keep repeating the same thing. You say you are from a gate. Is this place called Felfhiem where the monsters are from?"

"Hell no! Why the hell will monsters be from Felfhiem." Absalom despite his broken state still managed to glare back at the doctor.

"Okay... See, Mr. Absalom. I am trying to help you. We have performed all tests and it has proven that you are in good mental health, in fact maybe too good. The thing is you have an amazing body that is likely to be that of an–

"What?" Absalom"s eyes widened as he watched the TV in the doctor's office.

'...that helmet, it looks different but it is just like Teacher's own. Not to say that bastard... he sure has grown but I can't miss it!'

"Mr. Absalom?"

"Mr. Absalom?"

Slam!!

He slammed the doctor's table as he flared, giving the doctor a crazy scare.

"Human! Where can I meet that cockroach?!" Absalom inquired intensively, pointing to the TV, which was currently giving a news feed on Korea's potential Special rank hunter and how he cleared a rank B gate alone.

"I don't know but he's in South Korea."

"South Korea? Whatever is that, how can I reach there?!"

"You would either have to go by sea or by plane but I think you are too broke to go through either."

"I am not broken..."

"I never said you were broken Mr. Absalom, I said you are broke."

"What does that even mean."

The doctor sighed, "Mr. Absalom it's a financial state where one does not have any money in his account for you, who has no account at all. It is even devastating."

"Ah, I see... humans are complicated." Absalom rubbed his chin as he thought about what the doctor told him. The young red-haired guy that was looking all down and sad a few seconds ago had suddenly become full of energy just because he saw someone on the news.

"Who is this man that you are looking for?" The doctor couldn't resist the urge to ask.

"That man has been to my realm. I am sure you will finally believe me if you talk to him. But before that, I have a serious business with him and I cannot tell you about it, so don't ask."

"That's fair enough, but even if you go to South Korea which I doubt will be possible anytime soon. You can't meet him."

"Why not?" Absalom tilted his head.

The doctor went over the plasma TV glued to the wall.

"Can't you see this caption? It says 'Is this Korea's third special rank?!'

Absalom tilted his head the other way again. "So?"

"So?" The doctor's lower lips fell, "What do you mean So? This year means that this guy is the number one most important person in Korea, you are in a mental hospital right now, and you don't even have money to travel out of the country but you want to meet that hunter?"

Absalom leaned into the chair he was seated on, "I don't know why but you human sure speak rudely to me."

"You are the one being very rude... and I have been condoning it since you got here. Looking at you, you are probably not even 20 years old yet."

"Tsk tsk tsk..." Absalom clicked his tongue and chuckled at the doctor. But said nothing after. '...this human cockroach, while Teacher is getting punished for the trouble he caused, he is in the human world playing road to fame, rise from the rubble... you just wait, wait for me...' He scowled at the TV, his eyes emitting his murderous intentions.

"I have a way, that can help you to get to Korea real quick"

The doctor's latest sentence called out all his faculty. He stretched over the table, almost kissing the man.

"Hey hey hey hey!!" The doctor pushed him back immediately.

"What do you mean, you can help me? You can help me meet him." Absalom's eyes brimmed with integrity, a look that Doctor Takashi has never seen on Absalom.

"Yes, he is a hunter, if you become a hunter too, you can raise enough money to go to Korea."

"Hm, hunter huh... So if I become this thing called a hunter. I can get money?"

"Yes, lots of it."

"This hunter people, what is it that they do?"

"They hunt monsters, you know monsters that come out from gates, the portals, you know right?"

"Hm, in order words, Adventurers..." He mumbled as he brushed back his red and silky hair with his hand, flipping his head backward. "Okay, human. I like your offer. All I just have to do is hunt monsters right?"

"Yes, the more monsters you hunt, the more money you get." Doctor Takeshi replied.

"Okay, tell me human. How do I do this thing called hunter?"

"Well... leave that to me..." Doctor Takashi responded with a smile. 'With those physical attributes that he had exhibited for the past month, I am very sure he is an awakened. He might not be ranked too high but he would be able to earn a reasonable amount to live all right. All he needs is some guidance.'

"Then Mr. Absalom. You can rest easy for tonight, I will submit a report stating that you are okay. I have monitored you for the past month. Although I still find it hard to believe your stories but I'm willing to give you a shot. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Then I can stay in your office tonight too."

"You don't normally ask before."

"I know... since you have done me a favor, I think I should return the gesture."

"Oh, and you think asking me for permission to use something you would still break into if I say no... is returning the gesture."

"Human, I say to you. You are fortunate to host me. You won't understand now."

"Sure. It's late... I should head home." Doctor Takeshi pulled his white coat and put on his black blazers, after checking things out in his office, he walked out. Being the last person that leaves. It has always been like that ever since he has been on Absalom'a case.

Absalom smiled at the TV, even though the news feed about Raith was long gone.

"You wait... I will meet you soon. And I will kill you, then I will take you to Felfhiem. Then I will prove that Volmak is innocent."

***

***

***

"So he lost." The association chairman said, smiling at the man that was seated opposite him.

"Were you expecting him to win?" Hunter Mok Jae-Hwa responded.

"Not that I was... but he cleared a rank B gate on his own so I expected more."

"Don't say it like that father. I would have lost if I didn't have Parallel Thought Pattern."

"Was he that tough?"

"The only thing that set both of us apart is experience. Even though he has a very good swordplay and is incredibly fast, he seems to not be giving it his best shot. At first, I thought he was just going easy but later, I discovered he has never fought a hunter before."

"Hmm....so he is pretty much a newbie to everything." The chairman stated, rubbing the coffee mug he was holding.

"Yes, he has little to no experience when it comes to fighting a hunter. I can't say the same for monsters though. Not to say, I had never been out of stamina like that... never. If not for Parallel Thought Pattern, which enhanced my thinking abilities and automatically proposes counter solutions. I think I would have lost."

"What if he had your skill... or what if you didn't have that skill." The Chairman asked.

"If he had my skill... I think he would have defeated me in ten seconds, maybe less. If I didn't have my skill, I think I would have lost, but it would have been a tough fight."

"Hmm..." The Chairman nodded gently, his white beard dashing him an astounding and commanding look despite the wrinkles on his face. One could tell where Mok Jae-Hwa got his cold handsomeness from.

"Where did you find him anyways?" Mok Jae-Hwa asked.

The Chairman smiled immediately but that was no welcoming smile. The smile accurately reminded him of how cunning his father could be.

"I will take care of him for now. And I will also see what makes him so special for Turner to be after him."

"I think you've seen that already." The chairman replied to him.

Mok Jae-Hwa stood up, "Regarding the S rank gate..."

"I will call a Merchant meeting soon. Let's talk about it then. There is also an incident of a different kind of gate in India, help me look into it."

"Are you asking for favor as a father or as the association chairman?"

"Depends on what you want... I am going to owe you regardless, aren't I?"

"I like the way you think. That is why you and I get along so well." Mok Jae-Hwa majestically walked out of the chairman's office afterward.