"Woosh, woosh." The coffee mixer swished and whizzed, releasing a loud beep to prove that it's delicious drink had finished. A black haired youth walked towards the coffee with his favorite mug, one marked with 'Blackwood' in bold black letters. He also had another mug, one meant for the uninvited guest currently sitting on his couch.

"So you want to tell me that you know my father - Westington." Karo lifted his voice, one that was unnervingly cool. He seemed to be handling the situation well, but no one knew what was truly going through his head.

"Yup." The strange guest, Ging Freecss, took the coffee mug with satisfaction - he also appreciated the taste of quality coffee.

"And that you looked after me when I was young?" Karo, rather than sitting next to Ging, leaned on the kitchen counter taking a conservative sip of his coffee. It was his favorite kind, with cocoa beans being imported from half-way across the world. It was in no way cheap, but quality coffee was necessary for his day-to-day life.

"Well, I wouldn't call it looking after. The only person I look after is myself. I just made sure you had a safe place to grow up." Ging was especially careful about the "looking after" part; he was known for his lack of responsibility skills. Many of his friends knew he had a son which he hasn't seen in years.

"A safe place? Were your eyes closed when you came here? Exactly how 'safe' is 'Murder Alley'?" At this point the originally calm Karo burst out in rage - he couldn't stand the irony. This mysterious stranger randomly appears and claims to have "left him in a safe place"!

One had to know that Karo grew up in Murder Alley! Even Blackwood District had it's prettier and uglier sections, and Murder Alley was famous for being the cruelest street in Blackwood District.

The reason it was called Murder Alley is due to the overwhelming amount of violent deaths that happen every day on the street. Legend says that a minimum four people die on Murder Alley every day - a streak that hasn't been broken for thirty years!

Karo had to grow up in this grueling environment, dancing with death weekly. Not to mention his lack of parenting or background, he had relied on himself to live on the unrelenting streets of Murder Alley.

Karo, despite his dislike for killing, killed for the first time at the young age of six. His upbringing was in no way "safe", it was the exact opposite. Murder Alley had zero sympathies for anyone, including children.

So how could Karo remain calm when Ging dared to say that he left him "safe". It only infuriated him even more!

"Listen! Maybe safe isn't the right word, but you aren't dead yet, right? This was necessary to raise you in the skills you'll need for avenging your father. Do you think you would have all your current skills if you were born into some rich family?" Ging refuted calmly, showing no shame in his decision in leaving Karo in Murder Alley. He still believed that was the best decision for Karo.

"Shut the hell up about this 'avenging' my father nonsense! He's dead, and I never knew him anyway." Karo fury rose even further as Ging kept talking, setting down his favorite mug. As much as he wanted to leap forward and give this visitor a vicious beating - he had a better plan.

He swiftly opened a nearby kitchen container, one meant to carry knives and spoons, but instead hid a single red button. Just as Karo was about to press this brutish button he was interrupted.

POW!

Karo's face swung to the side as a sharp stinging pain spread from his face to the rest of his body. He tasted the warm bitter feeling of blood leaking into his mouth - he knew he had been slapped - hard.

Ging was naturally the one who slapped him, and he stood in front of Karo with a furious expression. He naturally withheld his strength, otherwise Karo would have been flung out of the entire complex. His speed was too fast - Karo only saw a flash before the pain hit.

"Don't ever say anything like that about Westington. He cared about you more than anyone else - I won't let you disrespect his death!" Ging was now the one angry, his voice calling justice for his late friend.

"Hmph!" Karo swallowed down a mouthful of blood; that slap confirmed one of his predictions. This Ging Freecss was immensely strong - there was nothing Karo could do to him.

"You think I don't know what that red button does? A single touch and this simple apartment becomes a deadly gas chamber. So vicious at such a young age!" Ging had long ago figured out what that red button did, he had En after all, and was startled at its purpose.

In truth, there were many such red buttons all over the room. Once Karo pressed it deadly carbon monoxide would be released into the room. Colorless, odorless, and tasteless, the victim wouldn't even know it was released until it was too late. At that point, Karo would make his swift escape from the room - with one of the several gas masks hidden in the apartment.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

This was just one of Karo's self-defense measures.

"I can't imagine you know much about your father, so I'll explain it to you here and now." This was true, Karo knew very little about his father. All he could remember is the final look his father gave him - one of endless love and care, with eyes that were so tender they seemed to melt. Then, like a short dream, everything abruptly cut off.

"Westington Hui Gou Rou, the Third Prince of the Kakin Empire. That's who your father was, and he was a very very powerful man. But he didn't want to be." Ging returned to the comfy leather couch, picking up his still warm cup of coffee. His eyes turned solemn as he remembered the past and tragic ending of his brother.

"Kakin Empire!? Of the Azia Continent?" Karo's eyes widened into full moons - he knew of the Kakin Empire well. Despite his upbringing, Karo was a very educated youth.

The Kakin Empire of the Azia Continent, a militaristic and economic superpower. They were the most recent member of the V6 - a council of the six most powerful countries worldwide!

The Empire was ruled by a famous royal family, which roots and background were simply unfathomable. The kind of power the Kakin Royal Family had was simply incalculable, and was at border Karo was very far from.

"Yes, Third Prince of the Kakin Empire. But as I said, he didn't want nor need this status - he wanted to live a humble and happy life adventuring, not dealing with the dirty politics of taking over an empire. And for this, he was fated to be at ends with his tens of brothers and sisters." Ging expected Karo's shock, even he wouldn't dare push the Kakin Royal Family too far.

"I became friends with Westington through a myriad of adventures. We truly experienced life and death together, and through that, we became life and death brothers."

"But the politics of the empire refused to excuse Westington. He was chained to a deep and dark mess that I can't explain to you right now - you simply don't have the qualifications to know." Ging shook his head, he clearly felt that Westington didn't deserve what he went through. He took another deep sip of coffee before continuing his story.

"He died an unjust death, fighting the Royal Family down to his last breath. Why? Because of you. All because of you." Ging paused once more, this time looking up at the ceiling as if he could see past it and look at the stars in the sky.

"He knew that the dark mess he was thrown in would lead to the death of you and the people he loved, albeit if he followed along he may have survived. But he wasn't willing to live at the cost of the lives of you and others. So rather than following the Royal Family, he decided to fight them."

"With his last few breaths, he gave you the only gift he could before dying. He died for you, Karo." Ging's hazelnut eyes locked on Karo, wanting to search deep and far into his soul. This look was unexplainable, it contained too many aspects, from high expectations to sadness.

The two sat in silence as Karo digested all that was given to him. As he thought about the story, he began to piece things together in his mind. And then the thought, or rather the picture, of his father smiling at him during his last moments him.

Karo didn't even notice that a tear had run down his cheek. As much as he wanted to call everything Ging said as lies, he knew it was all the undeniable truth.

If any of Karo's childhood friends, the crucial members of Blackwood Redemption, saw Karo crying they would be shocked! Karo was a loving and trustworthy friend, one who always looked after his friends even during the darkest of times. But even when a storm came, they never saw Karo cry.

"So...this is what I must do." More tears escaped Karo as he thought more and more about his late father. Truth to be told, he had more memories of him than he would like to accept. Scenes of his father's love only made him more emotional.

"You may also wonder why your last name is Riverbliss - not Hui Gou Rou like your father. The answer is Westington named you after his wife, Mo Riverbliss, rather than the family name that haunted him." Ging took another deep sip of coffee, he was almost done with his job here.

"My mother?" Karo never knew a mother, neither did he have any memory. He couldn't help but admit that when he was young he always longed for a loving mother.

It hurt to be alone.

"Yes. But that's apart of the dark mess I said you have no qualification of knowing. Which brings me to my final message here - become stronger! Only through strength will you have the qualification to know about this mess and be able to avenge your father!" Ging took one final swig of coffee, slamming the mug on the low wooden table in front of him.

"Strength? So like becoming a Hunter?" Karo's eyes twinkled. He, like countless others, knew about the famous Hunter Association. He was completely confident that Ging was a Hunter, and an extraordinary one - how else would he be able to find him?

"Becoming a Hunter is just the start! Perhaps once you become a Double Star Hunter will you have the qualification to know the entire truth!" Ging's words were like a thunderclap to Karo's ears. Even a One Star Hunter wasn't anything to scoff at!

After all, Hunters were people who chased the very definition of the unknown. They were powerful and dangerous people, whose duties ran from taking care of the world's most dangerous criminals to exploring treacherous ruins.

They were the aspiration of billions across the world!

"But for now, you shouldn't take the Hunter Exam. Despite your exceptional combat skills, your strength hasn't been honed properly. After all, you can't go to the Hunter Exam and expect to steal and pass. First...reach the 199th level of Heaven's Arena!" Ging said explicitly, his voice similar to a teacher. Though he was in no way a "teacher". He just wanted to set a goal for Karo and prepare him for the destiny ahead of him.

"Alright! I'll accept." Karo spoke once more, his heart hardening with determination. He decided to take the path that lay ahead of him.

"Good. This will be the last time you see for a long, long time. Don't think I'll be watching or anything - I wasn't lying when I said the only person I look after for is myself." Ging smiled after seeing the determination written across Karo's face. He wasn't lying on his last sentence.

He had done his job, how Karo proceeded in his future no longer affected him. And with that he got up from the couch, strolling towards the door.

"W-wait!" Karo didn't even have time to blink before Ging seemed to dissolve into the air, vanishing into the night sky.

Karo was left leaning on the kitchen counter, an empty coffee cup in hand.