In the sprawling metropolis of Arcadia, the world operated on simple, yet ruthless laws dictated by power, dungeons, and hunters. Eighteen years had come and gone since the Cataclysm, an event that violently tore the fabric of reality asunder, revealing the labyrinthine dungeons that now peppered the Earth. In their depths lay untold power, wealth, and the inevitable demise of the unwary. This new world birthed a new breed of humanity: the Hunters.
Among these hunters was a young man named Kael Draven. On his 19th birthday, like a scripted fate, Kael's life twisted into a new, extraordinary arc. Each Hunter was assigned a rank at the age of 19, and their rank determined their future potential. Ranks ranged from D to SSS, with SSS being a legend whispered about, a tier that Kael never dared to dream of—until today.
Kael, a self-avowed middle-tier Hunter of C rank, stepped into the Ascension Chamber—an ancient, runic room that assessed one's potential, drawing forth one's innate skill. The room pulsed with a light that seemed to vibrate through the very bones of all who entered, and Kael was not exempt.
As the pulsing light coursed through his veins, Kael felt a disconcerting ease, a silence that fell upon his mind like the first snow on barren lands. Then, the light converged into a single, piercing lance, painting a vivid display within Kael's consciousness—a wheel of inscriptions, rotating and revealing the skill crafted in the heart of his soul.
"Infinite Speed."
The words echoed in the grand chamber, causing a ripple of shock among the onlookers and the great computerized Oracle that had never, in its centuries of service, granted an SSS rank skill—to anyone.
I would follow Kael's initial shock and the overwhelming rush of his newfound ability. It would paint the disbelief of his peers and mentors as Kael steps forward to test his skill in a secured training dungeon. A demonstration would not merely leave viewers in disbelief but also magnetize the attention of friend and foe alike.
By the end, Kael would come to realize that the gift of Infinite Speed was a double-edged sword. It was not only a ticket to unimaginable heights but also painted a target on his back for those who wished to exploit or destroy such a power that disrupted the precarious balance of their world.