709 First Hunt
'The higher you climb, the colder it gets.'",
To most, it was a mere quote. A flimsy excuse by the elite to hide their opulence behind the mask of solitude.",
Yet, for Caleb Xander, the very definition of that 'elite'—a peak level 7 at the young age of 38 and one of the bright stars of the strongest family—those words couldn't be more true.",
He used to be a bright but relatively normal kid. He had friends, he liked a girl and despite the privileged life he was born into, he didn't view others as inferior.",
'Life is good. I can go to school, hang out with friends, and spend time with my girlfriend.'",
It was the last entry of the diary he maintained during high school.",
Then…",
Things changed.",
Even in school, he was always a tad ahead of his peers. Being a level 1 when they were still unawakened, reaching level 2 when they were barely getting started.",
Even though his friends were also mostly from elite families, the difference between him and them was equal to the difference between elites and normal people.",
Be it the 3-star clothes he wore, the rare and carefully prepared beast meat he ate, the guidance he received from a young age, and the training resources he had at hand.",
The gap had always existed.",
Since he was still a low awakener, it didn't become apparent…until he got into the Defense Academy.",
It came as a shock when one of his friends couldn't qualify for the entrance exam.",
He was surprised when a friend still stayed at level 2 when the second year began.",
It was baffling to see his friends struggle so much in a dungeon his team easily cleared.",
They weren't weak. He was just too strong.",
But what him hurt him more was that even the girl he loved, no longer appeared as bright.",
She was still smart and smiling, but the smile she faced him with was no longer as carefree. Whenever she was him, her eyes went dim and her expression heavy.",
…It was as if she was scared of him.",
And guilty.",
After all, even with the resources, he provided her, she barely followed his footsteps.",
And as he reached higher levels, he was prohibited by the family to give her the extra resources.",
Before he knew it, the people he ate with started skipping lunches.",
The friends he hung out with in the evenings were busy with missions to improve their performance.",
The girl he loved started to break down from the pressure.",
Fortunately or unfortunately, they graduated by then.",
They met up after graduation and partied.",
He desperately hoped everything would become normal now that they didn't need to stay in that academy where strength mattered the most.",
He wished they could still laugh with him and look him in the eye.",
It was a naive wish.",
Stepping into society, their differences were magnified multifold.",
He quickly grew climbed the rankings in the military while his friends progressed, but to him, it seemed like they were crawling.",
Once he reached level 7, the last bit of friendliness they had toward him disappeared.",
All that was left was respect.",
Their decade of friendship. Gone.",
At least, he thought he could marry the girl he liked or used to like, but he didn't know anymore.",
But…",
When she met his family, they bombarded her with sharp questions.",
Worse, in front of her, they introduced him to his fiancee.",
More beautiful, powerful, and talented than her.",
'You are suitable to be his maid, not a wife.'",
Hearing those cruel words from that beautiful girl, his girlfriend left in tears.",
No matter what he said and did, she didn't stop.",
It hurt.",
It hurt seeing their relationship fall apart.",
But what hurt him more was her smile of relief through those tears.",
After all these years…",
After so much struggle…",
The burden placed on her—the weight of expectations was taken off.",
It was then Caleb realized how much he hurt her.",
And how lonely he was.",
That day, something in him broke.",
He grew resentful of the bright laughter.",
He hated happy lovers.",
He was bitter about companionship.",
The people he both envied and hated were the common people.",
People that were born just into enough privilege that they were cut above the average but low enough that they could maintain their bonds with normal people.",
He tormented the happiest couples. Messed up their lives using his influence. Made them break the heart of their loved ones and relished their wails.",
Beat up closest of friends. Caused them to betray each other. Poisoned their bond with his malice. And enjoyed their sadness.",
Somewhere…",
Somehow…",
He grew into someone he never wanted to be.",
"A sadist, a psychopath, a sicko. You believed you were a victim and you became a bully."",
A cold voice rang in Caleb's ears as he floated in space. The light of his spaceship going up in flames reflected in his confused eyes.",
"Huek!"",
Suddenly, he flinched as the pain from the large on his chest assaulted his brain. His lungs and liver were missing.",
The pain caused his face to pale and grit his teeth.",
Yet, focusing his vision, he glared at the abyssal in front of him with spite.",
"W-What do you know? It's not my fault. Everyone abandoned me, even the love of my lif—"",
"It's not your fault that you're born into the shitty Xanders. But it's still your responsibility to live a proper life. What did you do when your lover was harassed by your family?" Varian asked with contempt.",
"I—"",
"You let them spew venom at her. You left her to the wolves." Varian's eyes were cold.",
"I tried, but they didn't liste—"",
"Did you really try that hard?",
Yet you abandoned her. If you just stood up with her and let them know you wouldn't back down, then what would've happened?" Varian's voice stabbed the knife of regret deep into Caleb's heart.",
"I…maybe things would've been different." Caleb's eyes, which remained tough even when Varian broke his lungs and thrashed him, started to water.",
Seeing him break down, Varian continued with a cold smile.",
"Even after being burdened with expectations for so long, even after your friends left you, she stayed with you. Did you ever wonder why?"",
"W-Why…" Caleb's eyes had a hint of hope mixed with fear.",
"Because she loved you the most. Even more than your friends, your parents, and that fiance."",
"S-Sorr…" Caleb gritted his teeth as he recalled her. Her bright smile, her loving gestures, and finally her eyes...when she stared at him with those eyes filled with pain...Caleb felt like someone pierced a knife into his heart and twisted it.",
"The reason she cried…it wasn't because of your fiancee's words, but because she realized that even after she went through so much struggle to keep up with you, even after she braved herself to face your family, you didn't even stand in front of her when she needed you the most."",
His calm words stabbed Caleb deeper than any weapon could.",
Like dams bursting, tears poured out from the grown man's eyes and mixed with his blood.",
The pain from his physical body was nothing compared to the ache in his heart.",
He wasn't a victim.",
He abandoned her because he didn't want to risk his role in the family.",
"B-But my frien—"",
"It's all on you. A friend distanced himself from you, fine. Two, alright. But all of them? Is the problem with them or with you?",
And let's assume all your friends did abandon you. What stopped you from forging good bonds with your colleagues? Why are you a loner?",
Why? Because that way, you can avoid trying completely and blame your past for it.",
You aren't a victim, Caleb Xander. You are a twisted, rotten piece of filth."",
"P-Please…kill me." Caleb closed his eyes shut as the tears didn't stop.",
"If you didn't live so selfishly, you'd have had everything you envy in others."",
"K-Kill me already…." Caleb pleaded.",
"You aren't even worth that." A cold blade was placed in his palm.",
Caleb gritted his teeth and glanced at the abyssal. Then, using the last of his strength, he stabbed the blade into his neck.",
Varian watched a top Xander genius die. His lips curled lightly into a cold smile.",
"Seven left."",
