In the Japan Sea, an old Japanese fisherman was out in his tiny boat at the early hour of 4:00 in the morning. The water, usually a symphony of gentle waves and whispering winds, suddenly became unnervingly calm and eerie. For ten long minutes, the fisherman felt an inexplicable fear creeping into his bones. He scanned the horizon, his eyes wide with unease. Then, without warning, a gigantic red eye with an orange glow opened beneath his boat. The fisherman's heart nearly stopped as he gazed into the massive, otherworldly eye. After five terrifying seconds, the eye closed and vanished into the depths. The old man, now pale and trembling, knew he had encountered something beyond the natural world—a carnage.
Back at the Philippine Hunters Academy in Cagayan, Mark was at his locker, retrieving his belongings for the upcoming class. He glanced down the hall and spotted Justin Lee, A Class 5 Grade 10 hunter, and the recent class president of Mark's Classroom. Justin, with his natural charm, wealth, and remarkable ability to manipulate gravity, was admired by almost every student. As Justin passed by, his presence seemed to light up the corridor, drawing envious and admiring looks alike. Mark couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, wishing he could be as popular.
As Mark closed his locker, Olivia Reyes approached. Her beauty turned heads, but she only had eyes for Mark. She greeted him with a warm, genuine smile.
"Good morning, Mark. How are you?" Olivia asked, her eyes sparkling.
Mark, trying to maintain his stoic demeanor, felt a bit of warmth from her presence. "Hi Olivia, good morning," he replied with a small smile.
Noticing his unease, Olivia leaned against the locker beside him. "Sorry it's been two days since I talk to you, being a class 4 has been a lot of work and training, so I was busy," Olivia took notice and gaze into Mark's eyes "hey you seem a bit off today. Is everything okay?"
Mark shrugged, casting a quick glance down the hall where Justin had just walked. "Yeah, just a lot on my mind, I guess."
Following his gaze, Olivia nodded in understanding. "Who is he? I haven't seen that guy before."
"His my classmate, we don't talk much but he is quite skilled as a user and popular, even in our one year entrance exam, women just look at him." Mark with little admiration and envy towards Justin, he gaze at Justin as if Mark wanted that kind of attention.
"Really?" Olivia said, a hint of annoyance in her eyes as she watched Justin slowly fade down the hallway. "I don't see why women admire him. All I see is someone who's self-centered and a showoff." She then turned her gaze back to Mark, her expression softening. "Unlike you, Mark. You're better than him. Despite being non-gifted, you have qualities that women would fall for."
Mark looked at Olivia with a stoic and slightly skeptical expression. "Really? I never knew."
He started walking towards his classroom, and Olivia followed close behind. "You know, being low-key is already charming since no woman would try to look at you," she said, trying to reassure him.
"Yeah, I guess so," Mark replied, his voice tinged with a bit of sadness.
Olivia noticed and gently nudged his arm. "You don't need to be popular to be liked, Mark. You're calm, friendly, sometimes terrifying but kind and caring. We've been friends since your father was still around, and I know you inside out."
Mark's lips curved into a small smile. "Thanks, Olivia. I've been seeking that kind of attention since my grandmother is the only one giving me that kind of love."
Olivia smiled warmly. "How is your grandmother, Berna, doing?"
"She's still doing the house chores. I've been working at the small antique shop for the past five years now, and Uncle Ronald still pays me a good amount of money since customers rarely visit or buy," Mark replied.
Olivia's eyes filled with amazement and a hint of envy. "I wish I had a part-time job, but my father won't let me. I'll just visit you at the shop where you work, then."
She gave him a cute and calming smile, which made Mark smile back a little. "Thanks, Olivia. I'll call you when I'm on shift."
They finally reached Mark's classroom. He opened the door, and before stepping inside, Olivia gave him a goodbye gesture. "See you later, Mark."
"See you, Olivia," Mark replied, entering the classroom with a slightly lighter heart. As he took his seat, he couldn't help but feel grateful for Olivia's friendship.
Later, Instructor Rivera entered the classroom and began the lecture. Hours passed as students absorbed the lessons, the morning moving seamlessly into the afternoon and to the night, the school ended students of the Hunters Academy finally goes home after a long day.
The scene shifts to Japan under the night sky. In Tokyo, the Japanese Hunters Fortress—a gigantic building towering over every other structure—stood as a beacon of strength. Inside, General Miku Nakamura, a gifted Royal Class Grade 4 hunter and an Infinity user from the illustrious Nakamura family, sat with other generals in a high-stakes meeting. The topic was a colossal carnage roaming the Japan Sea. This carnage's type was unknown, but its energy level was alarmingly high, surpassing that of a Type 1 high-grade carnage.
A scientist stood before the generals, explaining the grave situation. "The sightings of this carnage are indeed rare, but its energy level is unprecedented. This is something we haven't seen before."
Miku put her hands together, deep in thought. "We must hunt this unknown carnage," she proposed.
The scientist who presented the research hesitated. "We don't know its type yet. More research is needed to understand this new carnage."
General Yami Sato, a Special Class Grade 6 Solar user, interjected, his voice tinged with fear. "This might be a Class-type Carnage."
The room fell silent. Class-type Carnage were theoretical entities believed to surpass the might of Type 1 Carnage. Discovering one off the coast of Japan was an ominous sign.
"If this is a Class-type Carnage, we need all of our hunters ready for the upcoming threat," Miku responded firmly.
The scene shifts to the depths of the coast of Japan. There, a 1000-meter-long Carnage rested on the ocean floor, its body glowing an eerie orange-red. Slowly, its colossal eye opened, radiating a sense of impending doom.
Back to the Coloma household, Mark felt a sudden chill while cooking, unaware of the monstrous presence far across the sea. The future battles seemed to loom ever closer, and the weight of what lay ahead pressed upon him and his fellow students.