Darkness. Thick. Silent.
The earth trembled with a deafening roar, buildings crumbled into dust, and terrified screams shattered what was supposed to be a peaceful night. The sky, once adorned with twinkling stars, was now ablaze with a crimson glow—not from the beauty of nature, but from the inferno consuming everything in its path. A city that once stood in grandeur was now reduced to a sea of rubble, ravaged by colossal monsters beyond even the worst nightmares of mankind.
Metavore.
Beasts of darkness that descended like angels of death, siphoning the life energy from every living being they touched. It did not matter whether they were men, women, or children—all were prey. They did not kill out of hunger. They killed because it was their very nature.
Amidst the ruins, a ten-year-old boy ran with all his might. His breath was ragged, his small body covered in dust and wounds. Eyes that should have been filled with innocence now held nothing but fear and despair.
Behind him, a towering figure with glowing red eyes loomed closer. The Metavore let out a sound that almost resembled laughter, as if savoring the fear of its prey. The boy's small legs kept moving, despite the pain creeping into his body. But no matter how hard he tried, the monster was faster.
As the giant claw rose high, ready to end his life, a massive explosion shook the ground. A bright blue light flashed from a distance, striking the monster's body, causing it to release an agonizing roar. In an instant, the creature was reduced to ash.
The boy collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, his eyes locked onto his saviors.
They were Aether Corps.
Figures clad in gleaming advanced armor, wielding weapons forged from technology and energy far beyond ordinary human understanding. They showed no fear. They stood firm, facing the very threat that had plagued this world for decades. They were humanity's last hope.
The boy should have felt relieved. He should have cried for surviving.
But as he looked around at the ruins, at the lifeless bodies strewn across the ground, at the flames still devouring what was once his home, he realized something.
This world had changed.
And within his small heart, amidst the destruction, something was born—something that could never be extinguished: resentment, hatred, and determination.
Years later...
"Deren! Are you still asleep?! Get up, this is an important day!"
A loud voice shattered the silence in a messy, cramped room. On the bed, a young man with unkempt hair let out a lazy sigh.
"Ugh... Why do I have to be dragged into something this troublesome?" he muttered, pulling a pillow over his face.
Today, for many, was the day they would carve their destiny as heroes, joining Nova Academy to become Aether Corps.
But for Deren, this was merely the beginning of an endless string of misfortunes.
And without realizing it, the wheels of fate had already begun to turn, pulling him into a vortex far greater than anything he could have ever imagined.
Prepare yourself. This is not just a struggle for survival. This is a war to uncover the truth that has long been buried.