It all began with one unforgettable declaration.
Let’s become treasure hunters.
To kids no more than ten years of age, those words marked a change that would shape our lives forever. A friend of mine—one of my childhood friends—had been the one to speak them.
“Let’s become treasure hunters. Let’s seize fame and fortune from the treasure vaults around the world with only one goal in mind: to become the strongest heroes in the world. If the six of us work together, we can make that goal a reality.”
This friend had always been reckless, but he was also strong and brave. There was no real evidence to support his confidence in us, but his vision of our future seemed to shine before us like gold. Another friend, the most dexterous and fastest among us, was the first to second the idea. The bookworm of the group timidly followed suit, and our quiet but reliable friend gave a big nod in agreement. My little sister, who always tagged along behind me, waited for my response. I was in.
Treasure hunters, those who ventured into ruins throughout the world to loot their Relics, had always held the most coveted of professions. No other career offered a quicker path to everything that mattered in the world: power, fame, and wealth.
Of course, treasure hunting also came with its risks. There was an abundance of stories of hunters who had fallen to sinister traps, terrifying monsters, or peculiar phantoms. Even the tale of one particular hunter, which had served as inspiration for my friend’s declaration, included plenty of gruesome details. But those risks were mere dewdrops to the roaring flame that was our yearning for adventure—an adventure that began from the very day we affirmed our dream aloud.
The first step of our journey to becoming hunters was training. We each took on a specific role and began honing our skills. Our strong, brave, and reckless friend became an unparalleled Swordsman; the fastest and most dexterous among us became a Thief—one who didn’t necessarily steal things but deactivated traps and guided their party through dungeons. Call it a blessing or a curse, each of my other friends also possessed extraordinary talent for a particular aspect of treasure hunting.
As we began that training, it didn’t take long for those talents to show themselves in all of them...but not in me. I was the only one of the six of us—my four friends, my sister, and me—who remained below average in every regard. The only one who failed at everything. The only one who saw no path to becoming a hero.
Five years had passed since then.