"We welcome humanity to the beginning of a new year and a new century. May we continue to flourish and make many more advancements in the coming years! Here's to making more cherished memories in the 27th century!" The holographic image of a female spokesperson sounded from every tall skyscraper in Emerald City.

As the artificial fireworks exploded on large holographic displays all over the city, a boy walking down a lonely dark alley grunted. He had a thin frame with a height of 5ft 6" and dark hair with a strong tint of green running through them. He had on some casual jeans and his favorite hoodie, which made him blend into the darkness.

This was Mako Grey.

"Humph! A happy new year for the people who have power and money, but it's the same situation for people like me." Mako voiced his internal dissatisfaction while continuing to head to his destination.

Mako took a left, arriving on a busy street with various types of decorations on the sides of the buildings in celebration of the brand new year. He kept walking down the street until he arrived in front of a two-story building that looked like a bakery.

"Hey! You nitwit! You're late by about an hour! How am I supposed to run this business if all my workers keep slogging their butts to work?!" a man yelled at Mako from across the store as soon as he walked in.

This was the bakery owner. A chubby, tan-skinned man with no hair except a goatee as thick as a dense forest.

"Right away, Sir Derek! I promise I won't be late again," Mako apologized hurriedly while putting on his apron from the locker room.

"You better be... or it will come out of your salary!" Sir Derek threatened the young boy as he made his way into the kitchen.

Mako gulped hard at the thought of getting his pay cut again. Knowing Sir Derek, who doesn't play around when it comes to such promises, Mako was quite scared of him, as he never wanted to be on his bad side.

However, Mako didn't know that Sir Derek had a sweet spot in his heart that made him always care about Mako. Those threats were his way of teaching Mako some discipline.

Mako had no choice but to suck it up and start working since he couldn't afford to lose this job as this was the only source of income that he had to provide for himself.

*******************

Mako's parents were killed during the final civil war that happened after the Yalhvi shared their secret to power with the humans.

The Yalhvi were the first extraterrestrials that humans successfully made contact with after searching for life in space for so long.

The Yalhvi presented themselves as refugees from their own home planet, which was on the other side of the galaxy and had been destroyed due to their destructive civil wars.

After facing the destruction of their home planet, the surviving Yalhvi converted into a peaceful race who refused to use violence after the events that led to the destruction of their entire world.

After drifting amongst the stars for so long, the Yalhvi finally made contact with a medium-sized world whose inhabitants called it Earth.

Earth was located in a neutral zone within the galaxy, where no galactic forces were active, so it was the perfect place to seek refuge and start over.

After a few back-and-forths, contact was established, and a treaty was signed amongst the two races. The Yalhvi were granted asylum on Earth in exchange for cooperation and knowledge exchange.

The Yalhvi were open to sharing all of their advanced methods and technologies with humans. They provided the humans with blueprints for upgrading their entire infrastructure, from framing to energy production.

They revealed to humanity a profound truth: they were far from alone in the universe. The galaxy was teeming with hundreds of thousands of civilizations, each at a different stage of technological and societal advancement. Some were just beginning to explore the stars, while others had ascended to heights beyond human comprehension.

Vast empires and formidable regimes controlled entire sectors of the Milky Way, their influence spanning thousands of star systems. Between these towering powers, smaller factions, independent worlds, and nomadic fleets carved out their own existence in the cosmos.

Despite the vast differences between civilizations, the galaxy was not without order. A set of universal structures and principles governed interstellar relations, ensuring a fragile balance between chaos and stability.

The "Accords of Celestial Conduct" outlined the fundamental rights of sentient species. The Galactic Conclave, a council of the oldest and most influential civilizations, implemented trade laws and warfare limitations and mediated conflicts of cosmic scale.

Hyperlane networks, regulated by neutral entities, allowed for safe and efficient travel between star systems. Powerful enforcers ensured that rogue entities did not disrupt the delicate equilibrium of the galactic order.

As the Yalhvi unveiled the vast truths of the galaxy, humanity came to a humbling realization: It was but a speck in the grand cosmic expanse. Yet, it was in human nature to reach beyond its limits, to push ever forward. With the Yalhvi guiding it toward a future among the stars, humanity resolved to carve out its place in the galactic order, not as mere observers but as a force to be respected by all.

With the Yalhvi's help and guidance, humanity underwent the "Celestial Revolution", a transformative era marked by groundbreaking advancements in space travel, medicine, artificial intelligence, and interstellar diplomacy, ushering in a new age of discovery and exploration.

Alongside Technology, the Yalhvi also shared with the humans the method of obtaining the true power of the universe. Mythical abilities that anybody could possess and control, something that was common and essential for the survival of a race trying to establish itself amongst the stars.

The Yalhvi envisioned that they could help humanity prosper and grow into the perfect race using everything they had learned and to warn them of the mistakes they had made so that Earth would become a safe haven devoid of any threats, an ideal place for their future generations to live and right the wrongdoings of their predecessors.

They wanted humans to use the power and knowledge they gained from them to help raise their society as a whole and not focus on using their powers to harm and suppress others.

At first, humanity made huge leaps forward, advancing in ways they had never imagined. Medicine became so advanced that once-deadly diseases were easily cured. Technology allowed them to predict and even prevent natural disasters long before they happened. Their weapons became more powerful than ever, capable of massive destruction without relying on nuclear energy.

Within a few decades, humanity had built a powerful space program, using Yalhvi technology to design advanced starships capable of traveling far beyond the solar system.

They wasted no time setting up outposts on uninhabited planets to mine resources and expand their reach. Before long, they encountered other alien civilizations. Diplomatic ties were formed, treaties were signed, and trade routes connected humanity to the wider galaxy, marking their official entry into the interstellar community.

The Yalhvi truly wanted the best for humanity, helping them reach their full potential. For a while, things were great, and humanity thrived, growing stronger and more advanced than ever before.

But it didn't last as an old plague started to creep back into society, one that had always been part of human nature and the reason for their downfall so many times throughout history.

Greed and corruption!

At first, humanity seemed on track to become greater than even the Yalhvi. But once they had taken everything they could from them, greed took over. They ignored the Yalhvi's advice, seeing them not as mentors but as outsiders trying to control them. Resentment grew, and humans began to believe they were being ordered around by the very refugees they had once helped.

With no real power over humanity, the Yalhvi could do nothing as a new system took over, one where the strong ruled and corruption spread.

Still, the Yalhvi didn't give up. They spoke out, held protests, and gathered followers—humans who wanted a better world. However, the powerful saw them as a problem. To keep control, they labeled the Yalhvi enemies of humanity and gave them a brutal order to kill them on sight. Anyone who followed their beliefs was called a traitor and faced the same fate.

One by one, the Yalhvi were wiped out. Their numbers shrank until, ten years later, the last Yalhvi was reported dead. The beings who had once guided humanity were gone, destroyed by the very people they had tried to help.

This was a huge blow to many humans who respected the Yalhvi for all that they had done for them, which sparked rage in many people's hearts from the heavy loss.

During the peak of chaos, the resistance enlisted the help of ten mighty warriors who fought side by side alongside the resistance to defeat the corrupted officials and their armies, end the final war, and establish order in the world.

The damage and destruction caused by the war were on a whole different level, similar to the tales of destruction that the Yalhvi had shared of their own world due to their own fighting.

This was one of the lowest points in human history, as even after being guided and warned about the dangers of obtaining such power and advancement so rapidly, they still made the same mistakes as the Yalhvi.

This was the last civil war that happened before order and peace was restored on Earth, but the damage was done with the Yalhvi's extinction and unimaginable amount of losses to so many families. 

It was during this war that Mako's father and mother were both killed while he was still an infant and left to his grandmother's care.

Quickly after the end of the last civil war, humanity began to rebuild and heal from the wounds they had inflicted on themselves.

New laws were passed to unite all people under a single government led by the resistance leaders and the ten mighty warriors, ensuring that such a tragedy would never happen again.

The corrupt and power-hungry individuals responsible for humanity's darkest era fled deep into space, escaping the wrath of the ten mighty warriors. But they did not vanish; they swore revenge, vowing to one day return and reclaim Earth.

With the civil war over, humanity turned its eyes back to the stars, eager to explore the unknown with renewed determination. Meanwhile, the ten mighty warriors set out on their own missions to help establish order wherever there was chaos in the galaxy, hunt down those who had caused the Yalhvi's extinction, and bring them to justice.

The Earth quickly healed from its battle Injuries, and life moved on. New cities were constructed on the remaining available land. During the wars, people used various abilities quite excessively, which caused the geological picture of the Earth itself to change. Rising ocean levels consumed more land.

The land that was left was joined together through powerful ability users, and the entire Earth became a single continent, home to people of all cultures and traditions.

A power measuring system was created to assess a person's strength level. For instance, a newly awakened individual is typically classified as having a ROOKIE Rank. In contrast, the ten warriors who ended the wars possess such extraordinary power that they exceed the measurement scales. Consequently, the scientists established a special designation for them, known as the MYTHICAL Rank.

There are ten ranks in total that a human being has managed to achieve, except those ten warriors that are in a league of their own. The ranks are listed from the weakest to the strongest, starting from ROOKIE to NOVICE to FALCON to ALPHA to ACE to ELITE to GUARDIAN to MASTER to GRANDMASTER and finally to LEGENDARY.

The actual power level of those warriors has never been tested again, so even with further improvements to the system, their actual power cannot be confirmed.

Soon, the ten warriors moved from Earth to various other parts of the galaxy to address issues that arose.

A few years had passed since the civil war, and while things had finally settled, humanity was nowhere near the golden age it once enjoyed with the Yalhvi. The new laws kept people in check, but the world was still recovering, and enforcement was weak.

Slowly, a familiar pattern reemerged. A hierarchy formed once again, and power became something only the wealthy could afford. The new trillionaires of the world ensured that the common man had no way to rise, turning influence and abilities into luxuries reserved only for those with money or powerful connections.

But this time, the elites had learned from history. They adapted, developing ways to keep control and prevent another rebellion.

The road to gaining power had been turned back into a game of monopoly. Without wealth, people couldn't buy any abilities. If you wanted power, you had to buy it or be born into it.

The scars of the Civil War lingered. Many had lost everything: their families, their homes, their businesses. Meanwhile, a select few not only kept their wealth but used the chaos to their advantage. They hoarded new discoveries, turned innovation into a business, and manipulated society through inflated prices, unnecessary taxes, and ruthless tactics.

The cycle had begun again, only this time, the people in control had ensured that they could never be overthrown.

This resulted in the present condition of the Earth, where more than 30% of the population will never have the opportunity to awaken and utilize their abilities. The sole way for individuals to gain power is by enlisting in the military, which offers comprehensive support but requires them to first undergo two years of compulsory training and then fulfill three years of mandatory service.

For people like Mako, it was the only option, as the only way to survive in the world with a decent lifestyle was to have a certain amount of power.

Many organizations provided their employees with abilities to do various jobs, but those employees had no control over the abilities, as there were many restrictions on when a person could use them. This same concept held true for many more professions, as only a handful of people could afford an ability and had complete control over its uses.

The military school recruited youngsters straight out of high school, carefully assessing their abilities before putting them through an intense two-year training program. During this time, recruits faced grueling challenges designed to test their strength, skill, and determination.

Some proved so powerful that they received offers for high-ranking military positions. Others, born into wealth, saw the training as nothing more than a formality, a means to legally use their abilities without restrictions. These privileged recruits often dropped out after the two years, returning to a life of luxury with no intention of ever serving.

Then there were those like Mako, young men and women who had no choice but to serve. After high school, they were required to complete at least three years of military service, with many staying simply because they had nowhere else to go. For Mako, however, the military wasn't just an obligation; it was an escape. He would rather grow stronger, earn his place, and build a future where he could stand on his own, free from dependence on anyone.

"Just two more months..." Mako said internally as he kneaded 15 kilograms of dough.

****************************

Author's Note: Hey guys! Universal Power System is one of my favorite projects, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This is my very first work, so expect some amateur writing and a few slips. However, I always try to learn and correct myself so I can create a more coherent narrative. I hope you guys enjoy it. Don't forget to check out my other works!

Come say hi to me on Discord: https://discord.gg/TvjkrdnbE2