Chapter 1: The Missing Feeling
Ray was, at first glance, an ordinary boy. Nothing extraordinary about him: a common face, a quiet life. But deep within, he carried a feeling he couldn't quite describe. It was like a shadow constantly looming over him, an inexplicable void. Something in his life felt... wrong.
Over the past year, this feeling had only grown heavier. Not just for Ray, but for all of humanity. That's because they had appeared: monstrous creatures, almost humanoid. I say "almost" because their resemblance to humans ended at their general shape. Standing three meters tall, their skin was as tough as armor, impervious to conventional weapons. Their circular mouths, lined with jagged teeth, were the stuff of nightmares, and their four powerful arms and robust legs made them seem like unstoppable predators. Atop their heads grew a single, sharp horn—a symbol of raw power.
Humanity had been caught off guard. In less than a year, Earth's population plummeted from 9 billion to just 3 billion. Cities were abandoned, and those who survived retreated to underground metropolises hastily constructed to serve as shelters. It wasn't clear how long these refuges could hold. Resources were scarce, and morale was at an all-time low.
But humanity didn't give up.
In the face of this unprecedented threat, old conflicts were forgotten. The nations of the world united under a single banner: The Terran Empire, a global government created to coordinate the fight against the monsters. Scientists worked tirelessly to find a solution, and the most promising idea was a serum capable of genetically modifying humans, transforming them into warriors strong enough to confront the creatures.
Ray, however, wasn't a soldier. He wasn't even a hero.