...
Inside a messy apartment stood a young man who was slowly cleaning everything up. His once small yet neat apartment became a ruin in just a couple of minutes after that fight. Those who can see him in this state just shake their heads after they have seen what has happened.
Some of the onlookers saw that the young woman he was fighting was an Esper; hence they didn't dare intrude in this fight between the lovers.
Though they admire the guy for having an Esper as a girlfriend, they lament his unluckiness for selecting a hot-tempered one.
Espers are powerful beings that are almost treated as a national treasure by the masses. And many would turn them into idols or movie stars due to their strength and abilities.
An Esper has varied jobs according to their power. There are those who would help with agriculture for earth or water Esper, law enforcement, and more. But the most productive way that can give them more earning is by subduing and hunting large beasts outside the domed city.
Yes, that's right. The cities that exist in the world right now are covered by a transparent energy dome that protects the city from the mutated animals outside. These domes are powered by LEP energy and acts as a barrier. It is strong enough to resist any attacks from any large beasts as long as the LEP energy is stable.
In this world, the earth has been changed into something different.
At that time, around 1,600 A.D., there was a huge change in the earth's atmosphere due to an unknown particle coming from space. This said particle, which the scientists in the later years called LEP, suddenly mixed with the air and caused huge changes in the planet.
Due to the sudden appearance of the LEP or Light Esper Particle, the ecosystem was suddenly thrown into disorder and in chaos. This is the cause of why almost 50% of the world's population at that time died while many had suffered. In history books, they call it the Great Purging.
But not everyone died in this 'Great Purging' and the 50% that survived discovered something different... something... magical... that happened to their bodies. Humanity has changed and began to adapt to this new environment with the plants and the beasts on both land and water.
Then suddenly, people who have the ability to control the elements begin appearing from within the surviving humans. Though not that many, they became the hope of humanity to survive the apocalypse at that time. They are the few and exceptional people whom the masses call Espers.
Humanity began to adapt, change, and fight for their very own survival and place in this new world.
Though the change was not abrupt, it gradually happened. And now, after a few thousand years have passed, people have already acclimated and have developed the technology which enables them to live a safe and peaceful life under the chaotic rule of monstrous beasts. And those places are called the domed cities.
The outside world is truly a terrifying place filled with both colossal and small beasts of every shape and size. Some grew up to ten to twenty times larger than their previous sizes, while others did not change that much.
In this world that suddenly turned hostile, humans were able to survive, adapt, and fight for their right to be at the top of the food chain.
Because of the power of the Espers, they were able to hold on and grow to the size of the population they are today.
As man became food for the beast, so did the beast become food for man. The beasts became a great sustenance for humans and humans for the beasts. This cycle balances ecology and harmonizes nature.
Although beast meat is a great source of energy, it is hard to procure. Hence, they became a delicacy for the rich and the powerful. But of course, normal meats like chicken and pork still exist, but have grown to double their size.
These animals raised by humans do not provide much LEP energy to people.
Aside from that, man's diet didn't change, except for the amount of food one needed to eat every day.
However, in this world where humans have already changed, there are still those existences that have never adapted and retained the weak and original bodies of their predecessors.
Curt Nilfiem is one of those unique existences in this world. The reason why he is unable to get a good job or even study at a good university is because of his unique weak physique.
Unlike his younger brother, who is the pride of their family and a very strong young man, his physique can be considered trash.
Though being scorned and branded as the trash of the family. He has learned to live a life outside, without any help or assistance from anyone. He never despises his parents nor his brother, as they all still love him. It's just that he can not accept himself if he pulls them down with him.
With him gone, he noticed that the Nilfiem Clan had given his brother and parents the respect they deserved. And this has already made him happy.
But then everything has already changed since last night. Though his body is still weak, he has already gained the confidence and knowledge to change his future.
...
"Sigh, I guess everything is ruined now. Luckily, my room is still fine." Curt muttered as he looked at the lump of garbage he had just thrown outside.
Although he threw away many things, those ruined appliances like the TV, the old radio, and the fan, were kept by him. He has plans for those things inside his head.
After cleaning, he decided to take a bath and report to his workplace. Today he plans to resign from his long-time part-time job. Although the boss was very kind in accepting him, he knew that what he earned from that job was not enough to support his now about to grow, he needed to become strong.
Plus, he has a goal to be a better person for the woman he loves. So how could he just stay in his low-paying job? With a treasure of knowledge inside his brain, he is confident that he can provide a good life for himself and his girlfriend, Jenny Mae.
However, he also has to be steadfast enough to quell her cold personality and aloft temperament.
When they fought that morning, though he was sure that he could hold her down, he was not confident about winning her heart. With that in mind, he already knew that what he needed was a strong body and a deep pocket.
So, besides getting a better job, he also needs to have a stronger physique.
"My understanding of this new LEP energy is a bit lacking. I'm afraid that if I could not control it, then I might die while absorbing it. I should tread carefully on this path… Sigh… If only the plants from my memory existed in this world, then I would have a better chance of progressing…" he thought.
While mulling over these problems, an idea suddenly pops out of his mind.
"Wait a minute, maybe they exist in this world… Only one way to find out," he muttered to himself as he picked up his old phone and began searching the net.
After two hours…
"Damn it! Those plants have already turned into something different. Plus, the only plants that seem to have not changed are some of the grass types inside the dome. Sigh, this is really frustrating." Curt muttered to himself as he helplessly lay down on the bed.
"Anyway, I will just make do with what I can from now on." He said as determination suddenly appeared on his face.
But before he could take a step after getting off the bed, his eyes landed on the ruined appliances. And he once again felt dejected.
…
It was already 2 pm when Curt Nilfiem came out of his apartment. He didn't take any public vehicle and just ran in the direction of his workplace. He knew that his boss would be furious at him for not reporting this morning, but he didn't care.
When he arrived at the convenience store, true to his conjecture, he saw his boss glaring at him.
"Curt! You have the nerve to arrive at this time? I accept you here even though your qualifications are low because I pity your circumstance in life, and this is how you repay me? Do you want to get fired?..." his boss suddenly shouted when the last customer walked out of the store.
Curt just showed a sheepish smile on his face. He knew that it was his fault for not informing his boss, but how could he? He was too busy cleaning his place up. So, without a choice, he just listened to his boss's nagging.
After about 30 minutes of his boss's sermons and nagging, the guy seems to have vented his frustrations towards him and suddenly stopped talking.
He looks at Curt and heaves a heavy sigh.
"I'm sorry, I was just feeling too frustrated nowadays… it's my knee and my prostate that's killing me. Getting older is really problematic. A lot of diseases will start popping out of your body. I envy those people with an enhanced body and the rich who can afford the enhancement. Sigh…" he said with a low spirit.
When Curt hears this, something pops out of his mind, and he turns to look at his boss. He wanted to say that he wanted to quit his job, but then his mind was diverted towards the condition of his boss's health.
This is because, inside his mind, he can already see a vague image of his boss's sickness. Though he is not sure if it was just his imagination, he can seem to diagnose the condition of the man's body. Judging from his breathing, the way he stands, his actions, and most of all, the color of his eyes. As Curt looks at the guy, everything about him slowly became clearer to his mind.
This appearance of Curt made his boss feel weird.
"Hey, Curt, are you okay?" the middle-aged man asked in confusion.
"Ah… Yes… Well… actually, no… I… I want to tell you something, Boss Lan."
"Wait… if you want an advance I will tell you that I have no extra money. I need to save something for my operation, you know." His boss said with a frown.
"It's not that… I… I just want to help you with your sickness. I… I think I have an idea about how to help you." Curt said, with a hint of hesitation in his tone.
Curt is not sure of this decision, because the guy is a kind man and he didn't want to cause him any harm. However, the medication in his mind was truly something that he knew would be effective. It's like his heart is pushing him to help the guy.
Hence, he gritted his teeth and decided to help his boss for the last time before he left.