As the sun rose over Duskmire Island, I packed my bag in silence, ready to leave my hometown behind and risk everything in this year's Seeker Exam.
Golden light spilled through the small wooden window of my house, bathing the simple room in a warm glow. The gentle sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs below echoed faintly in the distance. This place had been my entire world for sixteen years. Every corner of this small house held memories of my grandmother and the quiet life we lived together. But today, all of that would be left behind.
The so-called Seeker Exam was a deadly trial held once every year—a merciless test that filtered out the weak and the foolish. Only those who possessed both overwhelming strength and a sharp intellect stood a chance of surviving long enough to claim the coveted Seeker License, a symbol of elite status, near-limitless freedom, and privileges few in this world could ever obtain. To most people, it was an unreachable dream. To many others, it was a death sentence.
To me… it was the reason my father abandoned me.
When I was six, my grandmother finally told me the truth about my father. She sat me down at this very same wooden table, placed her wrinkled hands over mine, and spoke in a trembling voice. My father had left me in her care while I was still an infant, choosing to become a Seeker instead. He left without ever looking back.
Since that day, he never once returned—until my grandmother passed away from old age.
I still remembered the night she closed her eyes for the last time. The lantern beside her bed flickered weakly, and the rain outside fell without mercy. I had held her hand until it grew cold, calling her name over and over again until my voice broke. After that night, this house became unbearably quiet.
Now, in my sixteenth year of life, I wanted to understand why my father chose the path of a Seeker over raising his own child.
It wasn't hatred that filled my heart.
It's not that I despise him for abandoning me all those years ago. If anything… I admire him. To leave behind even your own blood just to chase freedom and dreams—such a man could only be called truly free. I didn't know if that kind of freedom was beautiful or cruel, but I knew one thing for certain.
I wanted to see that world with my own eyes.
Thinking about it made my heart beat faster with excitement. My fingers tightened around the straps of my bag. After all, this would be the first real journey of my life. Not a short trip to the neighboring village. Not a walk through the forest to gather supplies. This time, I was stepping into the unknown.
"This will be my last and most important possession—a revolver."
The cold weight of the gun rested in my right hand as I took it out from beneath the floorboard where I had hidden it. The metal gleamed faintly under the morning light. I carefully loaded it with six bullets, one by one, each soft click echoing in the quiet room. When I was done, I strapped it to my waist and hid it beneath my black coat. The remaining bullets went into my bag.
The world of Seekers was filled with danger. Monsters, criminals, ruthless examinees—dangers existed everywhere. Even the people around you couldn't be fully trusted. I bought this gun from a pirate who came to the island to trade a month ago. His eyes were sharp, and the scar across his face told stories I didn't dare ask about. It cost me nearly all the money I had saved from odd jobs, but I didn't regret it.
Even though I possessed superhuman strength and speed that my grandmother said that I inherited to my father, I was still an inexperienced kid when it came to dealing with people who had real experience. Raw power alone wasn't enough to survive in this world. Life was the most important thing in this world, after all. Even if I failed this year's exam, I could still try again next year—as long as I survived.
With that decided, I put on my black coat to hide the gun at my waist and put my bag on my back. The weight settled against my shoulders, heavier than I expected. Not because of the luggage inside, but because of what this journey meant.
I took one last look around my house.
The wooden floor. The empty chair by the table. My grandmother's worn blanket folded carefully on her bed. I silently bowed my head to the room before turning toward the door.
It was time to leave.
When I opened the door, a small figure was standing outside. A little girl, about eleven years old, holding the hem of her dress nervously as she looked up at me.
It was Elena—the child that I saved a year ago when she got lost in the woods.
"Big brother Kaizen… are you going to leave?" she asked. Her voice was quiet, her solemn expression unable to hide the sadness in her eyes.
"Yes," I replied with a gentle smile. "I'm going to follow the path my father took, just like I always told you."
Her lips trembled slightly. For a moment, she tried to hold it in, but her eyes quickly turned red.
Seeing her expression crumble, tears welled up in her eyes. I patted her shoulder gently, trying to encourage her without saying a word. Ever since my grandmother died, I became somewhat of a loner, and my communication skills weren't exactly the best. Moments like this always left me not knowing what to say.
After that, I locked the door of my house. The sound of the lock clicking shut felt heavier than it should have. I looked toward the sea. Not far from my sight, I could already see the tall mast of the ship at the port. The sails swayed gently in the sea breeze.
It was finally time for me to leave the island.
I walked beside Elena down the quiet path that led toward the port. The morning air was cool, and the scent of salt drifted in from the sea. She didn't speak much, and the silence between us became awkward. I tried to cheer her up by making a few jokes about the city and the food I would bring back for her one day—but it didn't really work.
After a few moments of walking, Elena and I finally arrived at the port. Standing in front of us was a massive wooden ship that could maybe carry a hundred people. Its hull was dark and worn, marked by countless journeys across the sea. The people on it were already done trading with the locals of the island and were now preparing to leave. Sailors moved back and forth, tightening ropes and shouting orders to one another.
This was it.
"Elena," I said softly.
She looked up at me with watery eyes.
"I hope you grow up into a fine woman. I'm going to leave now and become the best Seeker in the world," I said as my last farewell to her with a gentle smile.
Hearing this, Elena couldn't help but burst into tears and said, "Big brother, I hope you pass the test safely and become a Seeker. I promise you that I'm going to be a good kid," she said while crying.
Her small hands clenched into fists as she spoke.
Seeing her cry was somewhat reassuring to my heart, knowing that there were still people who cared about me dearly besides my grandmother. I crouched down and pulled her into a gentle hug.
"Take care of yourself," I said quietly.
She nodded again and again, still sobbing into my coat.
With that, I slowly let go of her, said my goodbyes, and turned around. I didn't look back as I walked up the wooden ramp and boarded the ship. The deck creaked beneath my feet. The smell of the ocean was stronger here.
The ropes were loosened.
The sailors shouted.
The ship slowly began to move away from the port.
And just like that, Duskmire Island—my hometown, my past, my only home—started to drift farther and farther away.
My journey to become a Seeker had finally begun.