The universe unfolded in silence, its vast emptiness punctuated only by the occasional flicker of distant stars. Earth, once a desolate wasteland of molten rock and searing heat, lay barren under a darkened sky. There was no life, no water—only the harsh remnants of a violent past.
In the void of space, an unknown celestial object glowed faintly, its journey through the cosmos guided by unseen forces. It approached the solar system with purpose, its size akin to a quarter of the moon, yet its significance immeasurable. With silent determination, it hurtled towards Earth, a collision course set in motion.
The impact was cataclysmic. The celestial visitor struck Earth's surface with a force greater than a billion tons of combined nuclear explosions. The ensuing chaos unleashed a maelstrom of heat and wind that swept across the globe, reshaping continents and obliterating ancient landscapes.
For millennia, the celestial object lay dormant amidst the wreckage of its impact. Around it, roots began to creep and grow, their quest for sustenance unfazed by the devastation around them. As the world slowly cooled and the fiery tempests subsided, life tentatively began to return.
160,000 years passed. The oceans, once barren and lifeless, teemed with evolving marine organisms. Simple forms gave way to complex fish and myriad sea creatures, adapting to the changing tides of a recovering world.
On land, life began to venture forth. From the primordial soup emerged creatures that crawled, then walked, and eventually evolved into diverse animals. Among them, humans rose to dominance. They learned to control fire, communicate with newfound languages, and master the art of hunting. Their intellect blossomed in the shadow of the towering World Tree—a majestic giant standing over 10,000 meters tall, revered as a deity by many.
Half a million years since the cataclysm, humanity flourished. They built settlements, their populations swelling with each passing generation. The World Tree remained a central figure in their lives, its presence shaping their beliefs and cultures for millennia.
For a hundred thousand years, humans worshipped the World Tree as the progenitor of life itself. To their astonishment, the tree bestowed a rare gift upon the world—a child born with supernatural abilities. As time passed, more individuals manifested these extraordinary powers, either from birth or through a mysterious awakening at the age of ten. Those who did not gain abilities by this age were forever deemed non-gifted, setting the stage for a societal division: the gifted and the non-gifted.
[The Divided]
For centuries, the gifted viewed the non-gifted as abominations, hunting them down and using their abilities to dominate and enslave. The non-gifted were subjected to unspeakable cruelty, forced into hiding, their numbers dwindling as they were hunted, tortured, and killed. The gifted reveled in their power, believing themselves superior in every way.
Yet, in their desperation, the non-gifted discovered a remarkable truth about their own biology. Unlike the gifted, whose powers were bestowed by the World Tree, the non-gifted possessed a unique ability to evolve. Through rigorous training, their bodies could enhance their strength, speed, durability, agility, and senses to extraordinary levels. The more they trained and experienced trauma, the more their bodies adapted, eventually reaching the pinnacle of physical prowess.
When their bodies reached their peak, the non-gifted became formidable warriors. They could run at blinding speeds, hurl massive boulders with ease, and withstand the most lethal attacks. Their durability was such that even the sharpest ice strikes from the gifted could not scratch them. Fueled by rage and a thirst for vengeance, the non-gifted began to fight back against their oppressors, slaughtering the gifted responsible for the suffering of their loved ones.
For 10,000 years, a relentless war raged. The non-gifted slowly gained power, their ranks swelling with each battle. Despite their growing strength, the gifted continued to dominate, forcing the non-gifted into hiding in remote mountains and underground refuges. The conflict seemed unending, with neither side willing to relent.
In the kingdom of Arkalinia, ruled by the kingless queen Alina Markalina, the tide of war reached a critical juncture. Alina, the last royal light user and the strongest gifted among her people, decided to confront the leader of the non-gifted, General Arkana Markulas. Arkana, the strongest non-gifted warrior, resided in the hidden city of Hantarlak, deep within the mountains.
On the battlefield, Alina stood small but resolute, her hand glowing with yellow light. Opposite her, Arkana towered with his imposing physique and long, heavy blade, capable of slicing through gigantic boulders. Behind Alina, a million-strong battalion of gifted soldiers stood ready. Opposing them, Arkana's 500,000 non-gifted warriors prepared for what was to come.
As the battle commenced, Alina created a barrier of light and unleashed a barrage of beams towards Arkana. Despite his size, Arkana's intense training allowed him to dodge the attacks with incredible speed. The battle raged on, each side demonstrating their extraordinary abilities. Alina's powerful supernatural attacks were met with Arkana's unmatched physical prowess, leaving both combatants struggling to gain the upper hand.
Hours passed, and both warriors began to tire. Their breaths came in heavy gasps, but neither bore a single scratch. The soldiers watched in awe, realizing the battle was a stalemate. As Alina caught her breath, she had a moment of clarity. She understood that the war would never end if the hatred persisted. She knew the gifted had caused immense suffering, and she desperately wanted to change that.
With newfound resolve, Alina shouted for all to hear. Her voice carried across the battlefield, reaching even Arkana. She proposed an unprecedented solution: "Marry me."
The shock rippled through both armies. One of the gifted generals questioned Alina's sanity, but she explained her reasoning. The cycle of violence would never end unless they united. Her father's dying wish had been to reunite the gifted and non-gifted, and she believed that marrying the strongest non-gifted warrior was the first step toward achieving that goal.
Arkana, seeing the sincerity in Alina's eyes, realized that she had never truly intended to kill him during their battle. He accepted her proposal, understanding that her goal was genuine peace. The non-gifted lowered their weapons, and the gifted followed suit. Even the general who had opposed Alina's plan relented, his desire to protect his son from the horrors of war outweighing his objections.
Alina bowed her head, apologizing on behalf of the gifted for their past atrocities. With Arkana's acceptance, they united the two factions through marriage, declaring peace and ending the centuries-long conflict. The world rejoiced as the gifted and non-gifted came together as one, ushering in an era of harmony.
But this newfound peace would soon be threatened by an unknown force, lurking on the horizon.
[The New Threat]
Years of peace and prosperity followed the unification of the gifted and non-gifted humans under the reign of Queen Alina and General Arkana. The kingdom of Arkalinia flourished, and harmony reigned between the two once-divided factions. Yet, as with all periods of tranquility, a new and darker chapter was destined to unfold.
Monsters of grotesque flesh, varied in size and form, began to emerge from the shadows. These creatures, later named Carnage, hunted humans indiscriminately, gifted and non-gifted alike. Possessing extraordinary abilities, they proved formidable foes. For two thousand years, humanity battled these abominations, erecting reinforced walls around every kingdom, city, and village to keep them at bay. Though Carnage attacks were rare, the threat remained ever-present, with particularly intense periods recorded during the time of Queen Alina Markalina.
The scene shifts to the year 2078. Loid Coloma, a renowned Class 1 hunter from the Philippine Hunters Corps, gently closes an ancient book. His son, Mark Coloma, listens intently to the history of their world—how the World Tree came to be, the coexistence of gifted and non-gifted humans, and the ever-looming threat of the Carnage.
Loid is a towering figure, both in stature and reputation. His weapon of choice, a colossal war hammer-axe hybrid, is a testament to his immense strength. Each side of the weapon, weighing one kiloton, serves a different purpose: one side for smashing, the other for slicing. Despite his prowess and status as a Class 1 hunter, Loid insists that Mark live a normal life, free from the dangers of hunting.
Mark, however, dreams of following in his father's footsteps. Even at the tender age of five, he is captivated by the tales of bravery and valor, especially those of his father, the first non-gifted human to achieve the rank of Class 1 hunter. Loid, a kind and caring father, reads these stories repeatedly to his son, hoping to instill a sense of caution rather than ambition.
Tragedy had already touched their lives once when Loid's wife abandoned them, leaving Loid to raise Mark alone. Despite this, Loid remains a pillar of strength and love for his son, determined to protect him from the perils of their world.
Seven years later, the city of Galanar faces a catastrophic attack by a Type 2 Carnage. This particular beast, a 50-meter-tall spider-like creature with multiple tentacles ending in deadly spikes, breaches the city's defenses. The 18th battalion, including Loid, is deployed to confront the monster. Of the ten hunters in the battalion, Loid is the only non-gifted member, a testament to his unparalleled abilities.
The battle is fierce. The Carnage's regenerative abilities and thick skin make it nearly invulnerable. Despite their combined efforts, the nine gifted hunters are overwhelmed, their powers proving insufficient against the relentless beast. Loid, covered in his own blood but undeterred, continues to fight. His comrades, severely injured, struggle to retreat.
As communication breaks down and night falls, Loid realizes the dire situation. He proposes a retreat, giving his comrades the chance to escape while he faces the Carnage alone. Activating his weapon's Carnage ability, Berserker, Loid enters a state where he feels no pain, allowing him to fight without restriction. This comes at a great cost, as the lack of pain means he cannot gauge his own limits.
Loid's heroic stand allows his comrades to escape, but as the battle wears on, his fate becomes uncertain. By dawn, the city is quiet, the Carnage gone, and Loid missing. His comrades, despite their injuries, manage to return and report the tragic events. Loid's body is never found, nor is the Carnage, leaving a void in the hearts of those who knew him.
At Loid's funeral, thousands gather to pay their respects, including high-ranking generals. Mark, now twelve, stands in the rain, watching his father's empty casket being lowered into the ground. His grandmother stands beside him, later taking him home to care for him.
As Mark grows, he trains his body to the extreme, determined to honor his father's legacy. At eighteen, he transfers from a normal high school to a hunters academy, setting his sights on becoming a hunter and avenging his father's death. As a first-year Class 5 hunter, Mark Coloma embarks on a journey that will test his resolve and push him to his limits, navigating the perilous world of hunters to achieve his ultimate goal.