The majority of the new world is green, then blue, brown, and white. Covering the bigger half of the world was land, a supercontinent called [Reland]
There, humanity just began resurfacing after a major event in the past caused by a Hyperobject that almost wiped out all humanity. The age where their supremacy over the Earth begins once again brought a new era called the [Era of End]
The present is the 117th Year of this new and forebodingly named era.
Reland, if seen from the outer space, has a thin white and yellowish boundary before it touches the ocean called [The Great Ocean]
Poems and arts depicting the great one have been circulating the culture of humanity since they reconnected to each other, forming a new society.
After one passed through the [Shoreland] that surrounds Reland, they are met with the [Green Belt] where it meets the north pole and south pole.
The Greed Belt of Reland is where most humans live. The one and interconnected river called the [Continental River] is thicker there, thus, more animals also live in the Green Belt.
Currently, on the west side of the belt, there are numerous mountains and greenery. Wildlife flourishes and hunters have never lacked prey to hunt.
Although humanity mysteriously and almost went extinct in the past, animals ruled over the sea, land, and sky. There was even a theory; due to the disappearance of human supremacy for a period of time, the animal kingdom received a chance to spread.
Furthermore, different from the past, animals have gained greater strength, speed, durability, vitality, and even intelligence for an unknown reason.
However, even though technological, agricultural, and industrial advances were lost, people had never been afraid of living in the wilds.
This is due to one reason...
"Hey! Don't let it escape!" a man with a bushy beard shouted with a fierce and cranky voice.
"Pull the ropes!"
Growl...!
In the thick lushes of a forest, surrounded by the tall woods and uneven ground, there was a huge beast that is similar to a bear.
Ropes entangled it from all directions as many men pulled it, not letting the beast escape. Their collective groans, that was from their hard effort, were washing the growl of the beast.
"Sir Merim, the king may escape if you don't make a move..." the man with a bushy beard looked at an elegant-looking youth beside him, anxious.
This youth who was called Merim seemed to be a scholar one, unfitting to work in this kind of job, much less contribute.
"Not to worry, I'm just waiting for the perfect timing." Merim elegantly, with a tinge of arrogance, replied to the leader of the men.
"I-is that so." the leader with a bushy beard named Teiman sweated. While he looked calm on the outside, his heart was actually palpitating from anxiety.
'This is the first time that we went against a king of the woods. If we succeed, we can finally safely hunt the area from where it came from. However, as expected, this bear king is just too strong.'
Teiman felt his feet cold just by looking at the bear. It's about reach twenty feet tall by standing on its hind legs.
The scary thing about this beast was its lack of aggressiveness as if it was looking down on all of the men trying to bind it down.
The only one the beast looked with wariness from the very start was the youth.
"Why were you trying to apprehend this bear anyway? I know for sure there is plenty of meat to hunt back in your area." Merim calmly asked while the situation was heated.
"As I said before, this king is roaming around our town. It is too dangerous and has been feeding itself from what should be our hunt! Sir Merim, please, we specifically hired you to kill this king for us!"
Teiman had lost his cool when Merim asked such a calm question amid such a situation and basically pleaded.
"Don't you think it's strange?" Merim squinted his eyes, "Why would an apex predator leave its territory?"
He then thought, 'This is near where that academy elite said about the streak of light he saw. However, I don't sense anything. Maybe it's just a rare meteor that scared off the bear.'
Teiman began breathing haggardly but soon relaxed when he saw Merim raised a hand.
The youth then revealed a focused expression. His eyes glowing with intent.
"Hah!" with a jerk of his hand, the area where he had focused violently rose like a sharp sword towards the bear's body as it bent!
The eyes of the beast widened.
The dangerous feeling it was having about the thin youth was correct. However, it didn't know why it would fear such a thin creature, thus, it just stood with vigilance.
Shick!*
However, it was already too late. If only it was not restrained by ropes, it could've somehow dodged. It was too focused on the thin man and ignored the "useless" attempt of the men to bind it.
The sharp accumulated soil harshly pierced the bear's body. Its skin and the meat were tough but the force behind the rising ground was greater.
All the men who were pulling the rope gasped.
Roar-!
The bear frantically moved but it was already at death's door. After a few helpless struggles, it took its last breath, and its body permanently relaxed.
The men dropped the rope they were holding and loudly cheered.
"Wahh!! What was that!?:"
"That's the power of an Imagi!"
"It's my first time seeing it! I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!"
"So that's why others are calling us ignorant bumpkins..."
Teiman deeply breathed cold air when he saw the fearful beast went down in a single blow.
"Now, do you think your village's money is worth hiring me?" Merim smiled with a bit of laughter.
"Y...yes, Sir Merim..." Teiman gulped.
Merim nodded.
"Now, listen, what I am about to tell you is very important."
Teiman frantically nodded back with full attention.
"You don't hurry an Imagi. The reason we are taking long is that we have to imagine it first. You should at least know our imagination is where the Imagi's form of force comes from, right?"
"Y-yes..." Teiman immediately realized what Merim was trying to say, "I apologize for earlier."
"Good. That will be important. You see, you are very lucky that it is me you hired. If it was any other Imagi, they would've killed you instead for being annoying. They are very prideful and arrogant, after all."
"I... understand..." Teiman submissively lowered his head since he felt a surge of killing intent.
"Then that's that. I should go now so lead me to where I will get my pay."
"Yes, Sir Merim!" Teiman politely pointed his hand before turning around and shouting to his men;
"You lots! Work isn't done for y'all! You just pulled ropes and nothing more! It is Sir Merim who did the job! Now, split that dead king piece by piece then transport it back to the village! As for the others, you will go and scout the territory this beast king came from! If it is too dangerous, just run for it!"
He shouted with his usual fierce voice as if he doesn't care about the lives of his men.
Right after his shout, Merim whispered, "Tell them that if they ever found something strange, report it back to me."