In a dark, eerie place illuminated by a bright moon, the surroundings revealed a graveyard. A young man ran with ragged breaths, glancing back at the humanoid figure chasing him—a creature of rotten flesh with one eye dangling by a nerve.
The silver-haired youth gritted his teeth, running desperately through the grim terrain. Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled as he stepped, and a decayed hand shot up, grabbing his foot and stopping his progress.
Looking at his leg, he saw the disfigured creature clawing its way out of the dirt, debris falling from its decayed body.
"Oh shit, why is this nightmare back?!" he shouted, his eyes wide with fear.
...
Before the nightmare began, a young man with silver-white hair lay motionless in bed, his eyes closed. Slowly, his body trembled as he stirred awake.
His sharp features lit up as his eyes opened, brimming with excitement for the day. "The examination for the Awakening is finally happening!" he exclaimed.
Sitting up, he ran a hand through his unruly silver hair, faintly shimmering under the morning light. A happy smile spread across his face as he glanced toward the door, eager to start the day.
He stood and headed to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he dressed in his uniform and paused to look at his reflection. A strikingly handsome young man stared back.
His chiseled jawline, flawless skin, and piercing eyes that seemed to hold depths. Though youthful, his features carried a quiet a matured side.
He is tall, about 6'1" with a well-built body, a of his efforts to become strong.
He adjusted his collar, ready to go to school for the examination. As he descended the stairs, he saw two girls; one slightly younger than him, and the other one year older.
These girls are not his blood-related sisters, but they have already become family.
In the year 2020, a time when humanity was living their everyday life. That illusion shattered when the first wave hit, a horde of beasts, unlike anything in recorded history, poured out from cracks in reality.
Chaos consumed the world, and in the span of weeks, 60% of humanity was wiped out. Cities fell, governments collapsed, and the era of human dominance teetered on the brink of extinction.
Then, in humanity's darkest hour, the world itself changed. A mysterious energy, later named 'Aether,' began to permeate the air, the land, and even the people. With it came the chance to fight back.
Those who learned to harness Aether became stronger, faster, and capable of feats previously thought impossible. They stood as humanity's new warriors, reclaiming lands and rebuilding civilizations brick by brick.
Bars by Bars
By now in the year 2124, over a century later, the world was a fractured version of its former self. The technology had become somewhat advanced, humanity had already adapted to the Aether and advanced their abilities as did the beasts.
More powerful monsters began emerging from rifts, some colossal enough to level entire cities, others intelligent enough to orchestrate invasions. Humanity, once again, faced the threat of annihilation.
Ten years ago, when he was just eight, his parents—both warriors fighting for humanity—left him behind. It was a sacrifice every warrior had to make.
If they didn't, even the smallest mistake could spell the end of humanity. Over the years, beasts had grown stronger and more aggressive, pushing the limits of survival.
Reports from the news warned of grim statistics, is that the earth wouldn't last another hundred years if the beasts continued evolving.
The rifts and portals were growing larger, spawning disasters above the Continental tier, threatening humanity's very existence.
That's why being a warrior became the primary focus of every organization—the survival of their world depended on these warriors to fight back the beasts.
A week later, both of his parents were killed, leaving him completely alone. The two girls sitting in front of him were his childhood friends, once his neighbors.
They had also lost their parents in the battles against the beasts. As children, they loved playing together, but after losing their families, they made a decision.
That they would live together under one roof and sell the other house to make ends meet.
To support children left orphaned by the loss of the awakened parents, the government provided compensation. Each child received an allowance until they turned 18, giving them enough support to survive until they could work and fend for themselves.
The allowance wasn't big, but it was enough to survive. They weren't the only ones who had lost their families, and the government's limited resources were spread thin.
For warriors with families old enough to work, a one-time compensation of a hundred thousand pesos was sufficient.
Now, the day he had been waiting for had finally arrived—the moment he could step up, serve mankind, and honor his parents by avenging their sacrifice.