"Next, number 124. Number 124, please make your way to Desk 3. Thank you."
In my hand, a slightly crumpled slip of paper reading 124 was slowly being smoothed out. Due to the announcement, my hands tighten involuntarily and crumple the slip of paper.
'It's finally my turn.' I thought.
My right hand is slightly shaking from nervousness. I quickly grasped it with my left hand to make it stop.
I stand up. Noticing my movement, everyone else in the waiting room looked all at once in my direction.
The thing that is similar between all the people that look at me and myself is that we are all young.
Boys and girls, ages around 16-17 years old, are all waiting around waiting for their number to be called. As to why they are all here, each is aiming for one thing only.
My name is Daniel Foster. 16-year-old high school student. Currently enrolled in Raeparth's Academy, continuing as a second-year. Black hair and brown eyes. While my looks are average, my body underneath my clothes is toned and firm revealing my discipline training lifestyle.
As to where this place is, this is the International System Administration Bureau For the Americas (ISABFA). Created and funded through the cooperation of many countries around the world, the ISABFA holds an important responsibility.
It for this important responsibility is why young people, such as myself, line up in droves just to get it.
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Since the end of WWII, after the effects of the war were beginning to diminish, a world-shattering phenomenon happened all over the world.
On November 1, 1955, appearing all over the world, 'Space Rifts' began to open all at once.
Appearing as giant slits in space, from the other side of these Space Rifts, otherworldly alien monsters began to pour into the Earth in droves.
These otherworldly monsters come in all different shapes and sizes, but they had one behavior in common: they will devour every and all living being that comes on their path.
Their victims include plants, animals, and of course humans. Even portions of non-organic material were seen to disappear into these monster's stomachs.
Having understood the threat that these otherworldly monsters are causing, military forces from every country began to have free-for-all to eradicate the monsters from the face of the Earth.
The problem is most conventional weapons at this time barely did any damage to the otherworldly creatures.
At first guns worked well against the initial wave of smaller otherworldly monsters. Just as several military forces were about to cleanly sweep them, reinforcements from the other side arrived.
These otherworldly monsters all sport an extremely hard exoskeleton which could deflect every and all bullets.
More heavy artillery such as missiles, tanks, and bazookas was also used. However, due to their exoskeleton, none were able to take out any of these new arrivals in one hit.
As the Earth's military forces continued to fight bravely, the number of otherworldly reinforcements began to override the number of monsters they take down.
It was a desperate strait.
The United States even considered dropping Atomic Bombs on the monsters in hope of taking them down in one fell swoop. The order was canceled due to the close proximity these monsters were to human civilization. Due to the suddenness of the invasion, many people living near the sites where the Space Rifts appear were not able to leave. Unless the US was planning on sacrificing these people for the 'greater good', an atomic bomb was not to be dropped anytime soon.
It was at that time 'Hope' began to appear from an unexpected place. The other side of the rift.
An army of humanoid beings began to pour out of the Space Rifts around the world.
The 'beings' looked a lot like humans, yet also don't. Some have long ears. Other animal ears and tails. Some seem to be a race of people with unnaturally small stature and full beards. There even beings that look like giant lizards that are bipedal. And finally what looks like 'normal' humans but they wear unusual clothes.
As these unusual beings began to appear, they begin shouting in languages unlike anything heard on Earth and all at once attacked the otherworldly beings.
The ensuing fight was on a scale the likes that no one has ever seen!
Flames appeared from their hands turning the monsters into ashes.
Tornadoes conjured out of thin air sliced the monsters apart.
Other otherworldly beings carried weapons you would only see in museums such as hammers and swords. With a single swing, countless number of monsters were eradicated in one swell swoop.
In no time, the fight between the otherworldly beings and the monster was coming to an end.
Once the last monster was destroyed, the armies on Earth, while numb from surprise before, began to fear and panic.
What are these people? How could they destroy those monsters so easily? Was that really magic?
Countless thoughts went through the mind of the people of Earth. Each feared that they would be next to be eradicated by these beings.
While they kept on worrying, several beings from each otherworldly army in every battlefield made their way towards the headquarters of each Earth's military bases.
It seems that they were planning on sending a representative from their respective sides.
Once the representatives had made it to each of the headquarters, as if tuning their voices, each began to vocalize certain tones.
The next moment, each representative was able to speak the language that was predominantly used at each base. English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, you name it.
After being shocked by the fluency for which they speak, the people of Earth began to be even more surprised about the information the representatives brought to them.
Each rep. said that they were inhabitants of a world called Arrynna from the other side of the rift. Even in their world, these otherworldly monsters also came to Arrynna through Space Rifts and devastated their world.
They called these otherworldly monsters 'Invader' in their language.
At first, they too did not have enough power to overcome the vast numbers of Invaders coming through the rifts.
Just as when all of their warriors have just about been massacred, mysterious 'Black Steles' fell from the heavens.
These Steles destroyed multiple Invaders as they landed, creating craters in their wake.
As if frightened, the Invaders immediately retreated at the sight of the Steles.
Curious, a couple of brave but reckless warriors went towards a site where one of the Steles had landed.
Once they touched the surface on the Stele, a miracle had occurred.
Their bodies had become granted with a mysterious power.
By completing certain tasks commissioned by the mysterious power, the warriors were able to gain strength beyond those they had ever seen.
As the warriors were granted the mysterious power, the name of power echoed in each of their heads at the same time.
'System'.
They had no idea how the System came to be. What they did know was now they have a chance for a comeback.
With the addition of the System granted warriors, the people of Arrynna were able to successfully drive the Invaders from their homeland.
While they wish to celebrate this victory, they were not ready just yet.
Although they had triumphed over the Invaders, they have yet find a method to close or prevent the openings of Space Rifts that had appeared out of nowhere. Unless stopped, Invaders will keep coming.
Even the strengths of the Invaders increased every time they cross the rifts. In order to keep eradicating them, warriors infused with a System needed to constantly be stronger.
The fight for supremacy lasted for many years.
It was then one day, a peculiar condition appeared in all of Systems of the Arrynna people.
'Cross the rift into the otherworld, Earth. Protect its people and spread the word of the System! A special reward will be given to all who have a System'
Immediately after receiving these words, several new Space Rifts opened all over their world. Beyond the rift, they could see a world different from their own. Tall buildings, flying contraptions, metal sticks that explode, and other things they have never seen. What they saw was our world, Earth.
Taking what their Systems are saying seriously, they immediately crossed over the Space Rifts into our world. This was details of how they had come to our world.
The countries of Earth at the time were overwhelmed by vast number of information they had received from the representatives. At the same time, they thought, 'What are we supposed to do about this?'
The answer to that thought came immediately as soon as the representatives finished their story.
Falling from the sky, black pillars landed in various parts of the world.
Those pillars are without a doubt the 'Black Steles' said to have appeared in their world.
When the Steles made their landing onto the ground, the Arrynna people all began to glow at the same time.
Seeing this, all the people of Arrynna began to cheer in celebration, staring into spaces in front of them as though they were seeing something no one else can see.
It seems just as the System had said, they received a special reward from passing on the word of the System.
Though to this day, no one on Earth knew what they had gotten.
However, one thing was for sure. This was a beginning of a new era!
Believing that people of Earth as a whole should be united to fight against a common enemy, various leaders from all countries joined together to create the very first 'Earth Union'.
Through countless negotiations, the Earth Union was able to obtain a pact of cooperation from the people of Arrynna and gained a mutual agreement to fight together against the Invaders that will continue to come again.
With the appearance of the mysterious 'Black Steles', humans on Earth too can now obtain a System of their own.
After the Earth Union took control over the management of the 'Black Steles', while needing rigorous background checks, anyone at the age of 16 and older was able to make contact with the Stele and obtain a system.
Having heard of this, countless young men and women from all over the world wished to obtain a System as they too could fight against the Invaders to protect their homeland.
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And so, it led up to this.
The ISABFA is an Earth Union-funded organization that was tasked to handle anything System related. Specifically the Americans branch. There are other ISABs which take in the custody of their own 'Black Stele'.
Beyond a set of heavy doors, lies the origin which allowed those of the young generation to obtain a System, the 'Black Stele'.
ISAB buildings all over the world each had built around a 'Black Stele'. Without the ISAB's permission, no one is allowed to even see a 'Black Stele'. To be even allowed to work at ISAB requires an even more strict background check and huge fines and/or punishments for breaking any of their rules.
I, Daniel Foster, am about to go through what is probably the most important event in my life.
With nervous steps, I made my way towards Desk 3's receptionist.
"Hello, Daniel Foster I presume?"
"..Y-yes!"
"Okay. I would like you to sign this form as you promise not to break any terms as written on this sheet."
With a professional attitude, the female receptionist smoothly went through the required procedures with me.
After reading all the terms and conditions carefully, I signed my name with shaking hands.
"Good. I have perfectly received your signature. Now, if you could please follow me."
The receptionist stood up. She briskly walks towards the thick heavy doors placed in the area behind her.
With a nod towards the two guards on the side, the guards slowly open the heavy doors.
With a business smile, the receptionist beckoned me to follow along the long hallway behind the door.
After going through even more checkpoints, it seems we finally reached our destination.
"Behind these doors is where the 'Black Stele' lies. Make sure you do not wander off on your own and only touch the Stele once to receive your System."
I nodded once to her words.
The receptionist then opens the final doors herself and stepped into the room.
With trepidation, I followed after her.