On an empty street was four young men hurriedly running. Their hands carried a struggling person refusing to give in. Just ahead of them, resembling the dark abyss, was a vibrating spatial rift. This supernatural opening shimmered, discharging rays of lightning every few seconds.

In this day and time, there wasn't a single individual who was clueless concerning these types of openings. It was a petrifying sight to behold.

Beginning in the year 30xx with the earth's tremendous progress in science and technology, the knowledge regarding space achieved a frightening degree.

In addition, the overpopulated earth spontaneously gave birth to many geniuses that took bioengineering to an inconceivable high level — quickly solving years of terrifying panic on the planet's surplus use of resources.

Having such advancement and achievements, they then applied the knowledge to adapting human bodies for colonizing on different planets as it became the norm in the Space Age.

It was also because of this new era regarding space travel and space manipulation; the world developed spatial rifts unseen by the naked human eye.

Those events then led to a phenomenon known as The Great Speech. The speech was so grand and imposing that it resounded reverberatingly. It sent everyone whose ears heard it feel their hearts and souls quake.

Not only for the people who witnessed the event but also later generations told. Those words had come forth emitting a suppression to engulf all. To this very day, its words could still shake anyone hearing them.

"My beloved creations, children, and all, I have reached my existence. Before my abdication comes, it shall fall to my successor. All candidates must enter the trials I've devised and prove their worth! Only one shall have true godhood to sit on this mighty throne!"

But once this astounding phenomenon ended, the rifts affecting the world's fabric, appeared visible. However, the resonating words didn't hold firmly on people it stirred great waves through.

This was because, despite the mightiness produced, the fear of the unknown was greater. Unless it was the government, none sought the opportunity. But even then, they also gave up once those entering the rifts never returned.

Since then over centuries by year 32xx, people knew the openings as nothing more than deathtraps engineered from alien lifeforms.

And it was at this moment, the struggling person's awareness sensed one of these alien engineered deathtraps; the Oblivion Gates.

Upon witnessing its close proximity and seeing it shudder in enticement, the young man's heart palpitated fearfully as his flailing became exceedingly violent.

In the end, it all proved futile. The boy's limbs were bound, and his movements were restricted, leaving no minuscule chance of resistance or escaping.

"Stop! Let me go! This is murder, you idiots! If you throw me inside, all of you are going to jail!" Shouted Brigan Heartforce, who was the black-haired youth held. The response he received was a blow to the torso.

"Heh! Shut up! You should've thought wiser before crippling my brother. Now look at you, I'll have you die without a burial!" The hatred and contempt spoke volumes of Brigan's ensuing fate.

"This isn't a joke! In this day and age, what criminal gets away with murder?! You all are throwing your lives away!" In his desperation, persuasion was the only thing he had.

But when was there a time when someone listened to their enemy?

"I said shut up, failure! The Oblivion Senders cult always gets away! Do you think I can't?! In your next life, be sure to remember, if I see you; that's your new death date!" The main perpetrator roared lividly.

The time to protest ran out when Brigan felt his restrained body get tossed through the air. Eyes wide open, he swore if there ever came an opportunity to pay this debt back, it would be a hundredfold.

With those convictions, his body disappeared in the Oblivion Gate.

On the outside, the group of four young men stared with mixed views. "Hey, we're not like that oblivion cult believing in delivering candidates to their god. Will we get caught? That girl still knows probably."

Pausing to contemplate the topic, Drick Wildspark, the main perpetrator made a decision. "Since she knows too much, she has to die also." He couldn't allow any loose ends.

___

In the Oblivion Gate, the feeling of being immersed while made anew engulfed Brigan, producing a cold sensation, enabling the vast emptiness and perpetual tenebrosity to paralyze his body, shredding everything possessed.

Even his mind experienced a danger of collapsing in on itself as questions plagued him, forcing him to endure the meaning of oblivion.

How long has it been? Is this death? Or is this rebirth?

In a flash, with feelings he could not describe, Brigan had his first disturbance since entering the void space. A pleasure that awakened him to his living and the end of his darkness.

[Congratulations! You are the number ----- human to accept the trials. As a God Candidate, you will receive an evolution startup! You may now begin the trials!]

After the message sent left his mind, there was a pop sound followed by a tremendous pulling response. Winds rushed pass and on his figure, steadily growing stronger.

His nostrils failed to catch a single scent as pressure entered them and continued to augment, leaving his face to distort while seeing the earth ascend closer through watering eyes.

Death, as close as he thought in the past of receiving it, never before did he taste it this intimately. With the occurrence before entering the Oblivion Gate, as well as inside it, he still would've had a little hope for survival.

Now however, his fate was a certainty.

A loud thunderous bang later, dust flew high in the sky. Fits of coughing and spitting allowed Brigan to discard the awful taste roaming his mouth. He also earned another message much to his displeasure and relief.

[Your evolution startup arrived! Fifteen seconds of Invulnerability and a random Geno Art box!]

After being embedded into the earth, he stood wiping off the dirt that clung hiding his modesty. Chilled shivers raked his body despite the sun shining brilliantly.

A glance down showed the space within the gate had indeed robbed him of everything. The only good thing out of the situation was the case of being freed from his bound state.

Investigating with greater detail, a red box the size of a ring case rested on the soil. It produced rays of an ethereal radiance in reddish hues, presenting its apparent uniqueness.

Unfortunately, everything he attempted failed to open the box in the slightest. He could only choose to put the matter aside for later since he had an urgent concern about his survival.

Stranded in the middle of nowhere while requiring food and water provisions, Brigan didn't idle long. With a steady pace, he searched the area for two days with nothing in sight. All that greeted him was the scenery.

Trees that were abnormally thick and sturdy, branches that gave durable metal a run for its money, and leafs gleaming with a sharp razor edge. In this regard, just the valley's trees alone were deadly attending.

And all of this didn't even speak for the land.

As he walked bare-footed, the ground below stabbed his feet repeatedly. The grass blades seemed to want to introduce him to the meaning of 'walking on needles.' And because of it, he was sure now he was deceived. His exiting the Oblivion Gate was not relief. Instead, it was the continuation of suffering.

What made him question the place further was how a valley had no water source. In his opinion, a green pasture and roaming rivers were what established a valley, an actual valley. To do without it was strange.

Not fully immersed inside his thoughts, sounds interrupted his pondering, raising his hope as he rushed to the cause.

"What the heck?!" These words exited his mouth once drawing close. In no way did he expect this.