Through the vast and radiant universe, a divine God appears, surrounded by countless galaxies shimmering in his presence. His voice echoes across every planet in the cosmos, resounding with authority and grandeur.
"All mortals in my universe," he declares, "I am your creator. I am here to grant you a chance to ascend and become a God, just like me! Every five years, I offer this opportunity to those who prove themselves worthy. I call them Stars! Across the universe, these Stars will face trials of wits and strength, clashing until only one remains standing!"
His proclamation reverberates across all the planets, filling every corner of the universe with his divine words. As the years pass, the Star Games takes root, and countless mortals are chosen from across the universe to become Stars.
Five hundred and forty-five years pass in this tradition, and now the 110th Star Game looms on the horizon. On a planet called Isha, a world that is deeply divided by class.
The Nobles, who inhabit gleaming, high-tech cities that floats in the sky, they live lives of luxury and carry royal blood that sets them apart. The Commoners dwell in modern but unremarkable cities, leading ordinary lives without the grandeur of the Nobles. Meanwhile, the Slummers survive in the harsh underworld cities, facing brutal conditions and enduring the scorn of being deemed poor and insignificant.
At the center of each capital city, no matter the class, stands a towering structure that commands attention. These towers serve as a universal reminder, their glowing displays counting down the days until the 110th Star Game begins.
The timer, bold and unyielding, reads: 365 days remaining.
In the Noble cities, the countdown is framed by the pristine architecture of gold and silver, surrounded by lush gardens and advanced technology. Nobles glance at it with calm confidence, certain their lineage will secure their place among the chosen Stars.
In the Commoner cities, the tower rises above the bustling streets, its glowing numbers casting a faint light over the ordinary lives of its inhabitants. Commoners pause to stare at it, some with hope, others with dread, as they wonder who among them might be selected.
In the Slummer cities, the tower looms over crumbling buildings and harsh environments, its light piercing through the gloom. Slummers gaze up at it, their expressions a mix of defiance and desperation, dreaming of a chance to escape their suffering and prove their worth.
No matter the class or the city, the countdown unites the planet of Isha in anticipation, signaling that the Star Game is comingâand with it, the chance for one mortal to ascend to godhood.
In the lower slum city, a weathered building stands with a sign that reads "BOA OF HONOR." At the front gate, two guards remain vigilant until their eyes catch the sight of over fifty armed men marching toward them with purpose.
Inside the building, Boa, 32 years old, is sound asleep in his room. The door creaks open as a young man carrying a katana steps in, calling out, "Master Boa!"
Boa's eyes snap open, and he sits up groggily. Without hesitation, he starts heading toward the bathroom. The young man interrupts him. "Master Boa, you don't have time. Rag and his men are outside fighting with the guards right now!"
Boa's eyes widen in alarm. He springs toward his closet, pulling out pants and hastily dressing. Meanwhile, the young man grabs a jacket from another closet, handing it over. "What's the update, Yunbam?" Boa asks as he fixes his belt.
Yunbam, 21 years old, helps him slip on the jacket and replies, "Two of our guards are already dead. Rag's men are chanting that 'there is no honor in the slums.'"
Boa adjusts his collar with a sharp motion, his face hardening with resolve. Grabbing his katana from Yunbam, he commands, "Wake up Jen."
Yunbam nods and bolts out of the room, heading to another door. He knocks loudly, shouting, "Wake up, Captain Jen! We're in deep trouble!"
When there's no response, he presses his ear against the door, still hearing Jen's faint snores. With a sigh, he pulls out the keys from his waist, unlocks the door, and flips on the lights. Jen, still sprawled on her bed, squints in the sudden brightness.
"Jen!" Yunbam yells, urgency in his voice.
Jen, 30 years old, groans and grabs the nearest knife from her bedside table, launching it at Yunbam without hesitation. He ducks just in time, the blade embedding itself into the wall behind him. "Sorry, sorry!" Yunbam blurts. "But Rag and his men are here for blood!"
Jen sits up, rubbing her eyes before dragging herself to the mirror. She lazily begins fixing her disheveled hair. She mutters, her voice drowsy. "Don't worry, I'll be there when I'm ready."
Yunbam clenches his fists in frustration. "Captain, you should hurry! There's a lot of them!"
Jen smirks, glancing at him through the mirror. "Relax, Yunbam. Boa can handle them."
Back at the building's entrance, Boa steps through the doors. His sharp gaze takes in the sceneâthe broken gate, the chaos of battle, and the bodies of fallen guards. Rag and his men clash fiercely with the remaining dozen guards holding the front. Boa unsheathes his katana, its blade gleaming under the harsh lights of the slum.
He doesn't hesitate. With a burst of speed, he rushes into the fray, cutting down two of Rag's men with precise, lethal strikes.
Rag's men falter, shocked by the ferocity of Boa and his remaining guards. Despite being outnumbered, the defenders stand strong, their resistance shaking the attackers' confidence. Rag, standing among his men, narrows his eyes, clearly underestimating Boa's strength. The battle intensifies, blood and steel clashing under the flickering lights of the slum.
Rag's machete clashes against Boa's katana, sparks flying with every strike. Gritting his teeth, Rag growls, "You're all wrong! There is no honor in the slums!"
Boa parries with precision, his voice calm but firm. "I am honor!"
Their blades meet in a flurry of blows, and Boa gracefully sidesteps attacks from Rag's men, countering with lethal precision, cutting down every one of them who dares come close. Rag swings his machete wildly, managing to land a cut on Boa's shoulder. Blood trickles down, but before Rag can follow up, Yunbam charges in, slamming him with a metal bat.
Rag stumbles, wiping blood from his forehead. He roars, "Kill them all! Show them there is no honor here!"
Boa and Yunbam stand shoulder to shoulder, their resolve unshaken. The remaining dozen guards gather around them, forming a united front. Boa raises his katana, his voice booming. "Stand strong, Boas! These men have no code of honor, but we are stronger and better!"
The guards respond in unison, "Yes, sir!" Their stance is firm, their eyes filled with determination.
The battle resumes in full force, with Boa and his men cutting down Rag's men one by one. Amid the chaos, Jen steps out of the building, a mischievous grin on her face. She pulls out a syringe filled with a glowing blue liquid and plunges it into her chest. As the drug courses through her veins, her eyes light up with an electric blue glow. Drawing her dual swords, she dashes forward with incredible speed, laughing as she carves through Rag's men with ease.
Rag lets out a furious roar as reinforcements pour through the broken gates, weapons glinting in their hands. The rain begins to fall, drenching the battlefield in cold water and turning the dirt to mud. Boa remains unfazed, his katana cutting down his enemies with relentless precision. Yunbam stays close, covering Boa from attackers on his blind side.
Jen lands in front of a group of Rag's men, her swords spinning. With a powerful slash, she sprays mud across their faces, blinding them. Boa, Yunbam, and the guards press forward, cutting down the disoriented attackers.
Boa finally reaches Rag, their weapons colliding once more. Rag's wild strikes come fast and furious, but Boa counters with sharp, measured movements. Sliding forward on his knees, Boa dodges a machete swing and cuts Rag across the side, then slashes his back. Rag collapses to his knees, gasping in pain.
Boa rises, his katana steady. Without hesitation, he delivers a final slash, severing Rag's head. The body falls to the muddy ground with a heavy thud, silencing the battlefield. Rag's men stop in their tracks, staring in shock at the lifeless body of their leader.
Boa glares at the remaining men, his voice strong and commanding. "Scram, you punks!"
Fear grips them, and most of Rag's men turn and flee through the gates, slipping in the mud as they rush to escape. A few, however, drop their weapons and fall to their knees, trembling.
Boa looks down at them, his hardened expression softening just slightly. "We Slummers can change," he says, his voice steady but filled with conviction. "We must be better than this. Instead of killing each other, we need to grow stronger together so we can match with the other cities during the Star games."
He steps toward one of the kneeling men, extending a hand. "Come, young one. There is always honor for the worthy."
The man hesitates, tears mixing with the rain on his face, before reaching out and grasping Boa's hand. In that moment, the tide begins to turnânot just in battle, but in the hearts of those who remain.
Moments later, inside the building, Yunbam carefully cleans the wounds on Boa's back. The room is quiet except for the occasional clinking of medical supplies. Breaking the silence, Yunbam hesitates before asking, "Master Boa, earlier you were talking about the Star Games as if⌠as if you're planning to join next year."
Boa glances over his shoulder, his voice calm but resolute. "Yeah, I am."
Yunbam freezes, the shock evident in his voice. "But, Master, we need you here. The slums still need you if we're ever going to make this place a better city, like the ones above."
Boa nods, his gaze firm. "I know. But when I'm in the Star Games, you'll stand in my place."
Yunbam stares at him in disbelief. "You're serious? You actually want to become a Star and compete to become a God?"
Boa nods again, his voice unwavering. "Yeah. I want to become a God to create perfect worldsâworlds without suffering, without slums like ours. And, of course, I'll change this world too."
Yunbam's expression softens into concern as he sets down the cloth. "But, Master⌠rumors say that most past winners never return. They go to some other plane of existence."
Boa sighs but remains determined. "Yeah, I've heard the rumors. But those Gods must had been selfish Gods who've forgotten where they came from. Besides, Isha has never had a winner, Yunbam. I'll be the first God to come back and change everything for all of you."
Tears begin to well up in Yunbam's eyes. "Master Boa⌠I won't let you down. I'll hold things together here until you come back. But, please, if it gets too dangerous, leave the games whenever you can. I don't want to lose you!"
Nearby, Jen sits on a chair, wrapping a bandage around her left shoulder. She chuckles lightly before chiming in. "Don't worry. He won't go alone. A few of us are going with him⌠including Crank."
Yunbam's eyes widen in shock at the mention of Crank. "Crank? Are we really that close to getting him out of prison?"
Boa nods with a faint smile. "Yeah. We've been working hard to pull the strings in the prison system, even for someone like him. I shared a cell with Crank when I was 20. I know what he's capable of, and I'm going to need him by my side for the Star Games."
Meanwhile, on the surface level of Isha, within a bustling modern city, a woman entirely wrapped in bandages stands by a tall window. The morning sun casts its golden rays across the cityscape, illuminating her shrouded form.
She stares upward, her gaze piercing through the sky toward the floating, high-tech city island hovering above like a beacon of unreachable power. Clenching her fists, she mutters under her breath, her voice firm and laced with defiance.
"I'll prove you all wrong. Even when I'm like this, I can become a God!"
Days later, a tall man with glasses drives through the city in his sleek car. As he passes by, people on the sidewalks notice him, their eyes lighting up with recognition. Phones rise into the air as fans begin recording, their excited voices calling out his name.
The man pulls up in front of a tall building with a glowing sign that reads "Star University." Stepping out of his car, the crowd erupts into chants of his name:
"Tomi! Tomi!"
Tomi (42) adjusts his glasses with a calm demeanor and waves at the gathering crowd before making his way inside. As he enters, the front desk staff greets him warmly.
"Good morning, Professor Tomi."
With a polite nod, he proceeds to his lecture hall, where a class of 100 eager students awaits.
Moments later, Tomi stands at the head of the room, finishing his lecture. He leans casually against the edge of his desk, his sharp eyes scanning the room.
"Teaching time is over," he announces, his voice calm yet commanding. "I hope you've all absorbed the knowledge I've shared today because I'll be reviewing your entry papers to determine who is truly worthy of becoming a Star."
The students sit in silent anticipation as Tomi continues.
"As commoners, we don't just send anyone into the Star Games. A Star must be worthyâpossessing intelligence, strength, willpower, fitness, and, of course, a measure of luck."
He glances down at the watch on his wrist before adding, "We still have 30 minutes left in class. I'm sure many of you have questions for me since I've been a Star player myself."
The room immediately bursts into excitement as dozens of students raise their hands and start speaking all at once. Tomi raises a hand to calm them, then adjusts a hand microphone.
"One at a time, please," he says smoothly, his voice amplified through the speakers.
He picks up the mic and hands it to a student in the front row. "All right, let's hear your question."
The student in the front row nervously grips the microphone and asks, "Professor Tomi, I know you haven't reviewed the entry papers yet, but who do you approve as your top ten students to become a Star?"
Tomi adjusts his glasses and leans back slightly, his calm gaze sweeping over the class. "As you all know, I'm not the only professor who needs to approve your entry papers. I only teach the intelligence aspect, but to officially become a Star, you'll need the approval of all the other professors as well. Strength, fitness, and willpowerâevery category matters."
He pauses for a moment, creating a sense of anticipation in the room. "As for my top ten... I don't have a finalized list in my head yet, but there's one student I'm absolutely certain will be approved as a Star. You could say this student is number one on my list."
The room goes quiet, every student on the edge of their seat, hanging onto his words. Tomi presses a button on his desk, and suddenly, a spotlight illuminates a figure in the crowd.
"That student is... Kayle Ross," he declares with conviction.
Gasps ripple through the room, and heads turn toward the student sitting under the spotlight. Kayle Ross, wearing a Star mask that conceals most of her face, remains silent, their enigmatic presence commanding the room's attention.