The world once knew peace, but all of that changed in an instant. On a fateful day, reality itself fractured as colossal, multiversal rifts known as Gates tore open across the planet. From these rifts emerged monstrous beings, resembling creatures ripped from fantasy video games, bent on destruction.

It started without warning. The sky split apart with a deafening crack, and the first Gate emerged above a major city. From its swirling void came creatures of nightmare—twisted, towering forms with obsidian armor and glowing eyes. Streets flooded with screams as buildings crumbled beneath their weight. The air smelled of burning metal and ash, and the ground trembled with every monstrous step. Those who survived the initial assault scattered, seeking shelter in the ruins of their world.

Civilization crumbled beneath the relentless onslaught. Entire cities fell, and humanity teetered on the brink of extinction. For a time, it seemed there would be no survivors. But from the wreckage, something new emerged—a force that would alter the course of history. Strange energy, later called Nexis, flowed from the rifts, altering human biology in ways no one could have imagined.

Some survivors began to experience strange visions—hazy, flickering images that whispered of power and destruction. They could perceive the threads of luminous energy that connected everything, and some found they could manipulate it.

These individuals became known as Sensers. Yet, even among them, only a rare few could harness Nexis to its fullest potential. These gifted few were dubbed Manipulators.

Manipulators were further classified into three distinct types:

Physical Enhancers: These individuals could amplify their physical strength and speed to superhuman levels. They could leap entire city blocks or shatter stone with a single blow, their bodies becoming living weapons against the tide of monsters.

Energy Conjurors: Capable of transforming Nexis into tangible, elemental forces. Flames erupted from their hands, torrents of water drowned their enemies, and jagged winds cleaved through even the toughest armor. The raw might of nature was now at their fingertips.

Specializers: Some Manipulators exhibited unique, often unpredictable powers. From teleportation to shadow manipulation or even controlling the minds of weaker beings, their abilities ranged from the seemingly trivial to the extraordinary, each depending on the whims of fate.

While the monsters' invasion nearly ended humanity's reign on Earth, Nexis sparked a glimmer of hope. It was this hope that spurred humanity's last defenders to rise against the abyss. But even in this last stand, danger lurked in the shadows—among allies and enemies alike.

And in the chaos, a single figure stood still, his body frozen in terror. He had just witnessed the death of his beloved parents, consumed by the hideous beast that now stared at him, its gaze filled with malicious interest.

"Mom! Dad!" The boy shouted, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. The monstrosity loomed over him, its jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light. It eyed him as if to declare that he was next.

The boy's chest tightened as he attempted to stand, but his legs betrayed him, refusing to lift. His body was trapped in fear, a cold, paralyzing dread crawling up his spine. His heart pounded in his chest, every beat a reminder of his helplessness. His mind screamed at him to move, to run, to fight, but his limbs remained still, rooted in terror.

The beast let out a guttural growl, its massive claws scraping the ground as it took a step toward him. The boy's breath came in short gasps, his vision swimming with the shock of loss and fear. He wasn't strong enough. He couldn't fight. He was just a child, powerless in the face of such an overwhelming monster. And yet, the voice inside him—the one that told him to survive—clawed at his thoughts.

But it was too late. He was frozen, a mere witness to his own demise.