Marj's world was a cramped, fluorescent-lit mini-mart, the air thick with the scent of stale coffee and cheap air freshener. It was a far cry from the glamorous life she dreamt of for her son, Elijah. She sighed, the echo of her boss's slap still resonating in her ear.
"Didn't I tell you not to let those poor, dirty people into my store?!" Her boss, Mrs. Kim, had bellowed, her voice sharp as a knife. Marj flinched, the sting of the slap fresh and raw.
"It won't happen again. If it does, you're fired. Get out!" Mrs. Kim had roared, her fury a tangible force as she slammed the door shut behind her.
Marj stood alone, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to shout back, to argue, to tell Mrs. Kim how unfair it all was, but the words stuck in her throat. Tears pricked at her eyes. Why was her life so hard?
She gazed at the city's glittering skyline reflected in the store's window. The neon lights seemed to mock her, a cruel reminder of the dreams she couldn't afford. "Dream big, everything is possible," they whispered. "You can have it all, just work hard." But she was working hard, wasn't she?
Her life felt like a dead-end, a cycle of endless drudgery, each day blurring into the next. Yet, even in the depths of her despair, a flicker of hope remained. A faint, fragile ember that whispered of a better life for Elijah and her. A hope that she could become more than just a cashier, more than just a struggling single mother.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket, the screen flickering to life. A news headline glared back at her: "Dungeon Gate Opens in Downton Metropolis."
The news was filled with stories of the awakened, those who had been gifted with extraordinary powers, abilities that once belonged to the realm of fiction. Superhuman strength, speed, the ability to control elements, to fly, to wield magic. All of it was terrifyingly real now.
The world had been shattered. Dungeons, mysterious gateways to other dimensions, had appeared, spewing forth creatures of unimaginable horror. Humans had fought back with guns and technology, but the monsters were relentless. The world stood on the brink of destruction.
But in the chaos, a miracle emerged. The awakening, a wave of extraordinary powers that surged through humanity. Fire erupted from their hands, earth and air bent to their will, they moved with lightning speed. They were the new protectors, the awakened, the ones who could stand against the monsters.
However, they were few, chosen ones, holding the key to humanity's survival.
These awakened formed Hunter Guilds, organizations that trained them and dispatched them on missions into the dungeons. The guilds had a ranking system:
E-Rank: The lowest rank, comprised of new awakenings with limited experience and abilities. They often served as support, carrying supplies and assisting higher-ranked hunters. They were rarely allowed to enter dungeons alone.
D-Rank: Began to gain experience fighting monsters. They had more powerful abilities than E-Rank hunters, but were not yet ready for challenging missions.
C-Rank: Stronger and more experienced than D-Rank hunters. They had a wider knowledge of monster types and combat strategies. They could enter lower-level dungeons alone, but it was safer to have a partner.
B-Rank: Skilled in combat and highly capable. They could enter most dungeons alone and faced stronger monsters. They often took on difficult missions and led teams of hunters.
A-Rank: One of the most skilled awakened, capable of facing dangerous monsters. They were proficient in combat, with extensive knowledge of strategies and tactics. They could enter the most challenging dungeons and led teams on risky missions.
S-Rank: Rare, consisting of the most powerful awakened in the world. Their abilities surpassed the ordinary. They guarded the world and led teams on the most challenging missions.
SS-Rank: A level beyond S-Rank, individuals whose power was almost legendary. Their abilities were whispered about in hushed tones, their names whispered with awe and fear.
The world was in a state of flux, a world where the ordinary had vanished and the extraordinary had taken its place. Marj, a seemingly ordinary woman, found herself caught in the middle of it all, her life about to take a terrifying turn. She had been dreaming of a better life for Elijah, a life filled with laughter and sunshine, not the harsh reality of their tiny, cramped apartment. She had been clinging to the hope that things would get better, that maybe, just maybe, she could escape the dead-end existence of her job and find a way to make a better life for her son.
Then the text message arrived, a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
"Hey, Marj! You still working at that annoying store? We need to talk. Apparently, there's a new Hunter Guild opening, and they're looking for members."
It was Nicole, her best friend, a girl who had always been a dreamer, always chasing after the impossible. Marj chuckled, shaking her head. Nicole was probably just messing with her, as usual.
But the text lingered in her mind, a persistent echo in the quiet of her apartment. The new Hunter Guild... a chance to escape, a chance for a better life?
She closed the mini-mart, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and excitement. She was a nobody, a small-town girl with no special abilities, no power to control fire or earth, no ability to fly. What could she possibly offer to a Hunter Guild?
As she walked home, her mind raced. She had seen the news, the chaos, the terrifying monsters that had emerged from the dungeons. She had seen the rise of the awakened, the fear in the eyes of those who had no special powers. She was just an ordinary woman, trying to survive in a world that had gone mad. But what if she wasn't ordinary? What if she held a secret, a power waiting to be awakened? The thought was terrifying, but also exhilarating. She had always felt a pull, a sense of something missing, something waiting to be discovered. Could this be it?
The walk to her apartment felt shorter than usual, her steps quickening with each passing moment. As she fumbled with her keys, a wave of anxiety washed over her.
"Elijah!" she called, her voice echoing through the tiny apartment. He wasn't in the living room, where he usually played. A chill ran down her spine, the air suddenly heavy and oppressive. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
"Elijah?" Her voice cracked with apprehension.
She hurried towards their bedroom, the door creaking open with a chilling sound. Her breath caught in her throat. Standing in the corner of the room, pulsating with a dark, swirling energy, was a portal. Not a massive, city-devouring gateway like the ones she had seen in the news, but a smaller, more sinister version, barely taller than her knees. The portal was alive, pulsing with a malevolent energy that seemed to consume the room. It hummed with a low, guttural sound that sent shivers down her spine.
"Mama?" Elijah's sweet voice broke the silence. She turned to see him sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching his worn teddy bear. His eyes were wide with a childlike wonder, oblivious to the danger lurking in the room.
She rushed to him, pulling him into a tight embrace, her heart pounding against his thin frame. "Elijah, we need to get out of here. Now."
A sharp, guttural noise erupted from the portal, a sound that sent a jolt of terror through her. She tried to scream, to reach for Elijah, but her body wouldn't obey. A hard, metallic clang echoed in the room, followed by a voice, a man's voice, thick with anger and fear: "Fuck! What the hell is this…?"
Then, a blinding flash of light. A searing pain exploded behind her eye, as if someone had hammered a nail directly into her skull. The world spun, black dots danced before her eyes, and darkness swallowed her whole.