An Era ended.
And another began.
An Era of peace ended.
That of desolation and utter devastation began.
An Apocalypse.
In this apocalypse, few possessed the power to survive, and among those few, select individuals stood above mere survivors—guardians and vanquishers of the forces threatening to extinguish humanity's dying flame.
They were called Heroes and Heroines.
Humans who awakened supernatural powers that defied normalcy, and with these gifts arose enough courage to defend humanity from the vicious claws of the Nether Tower.
They fought and rescued civilization from the age of desolation, saving it at the brink of destruction and building a new world from the ruins.
A world that acknowledged the Tower's existence and exploited it.
Heroes and Heroines could now freely enter the Nether Tower to grow stronger and amass wealth! Provided they possessed the skills required to survive its harsh, fiery crucible.
In such a world, where power dictated wealth and status, awakening as a lowly F-rank was the worst fate for any human.
One whose pathetic power was controlling the duration of their erection.
It was a useless ability, one that made Theo's lip curl in disdain.
Yet what choice did he have? He still needed to work hard and earn money in the Tower regardless.
Fortunately for him, through connections scattered here and there, he secured employment as a janitor at one of the prominent hero agencies.
The job required him to work both inside the Tower and outside it, as the agency had established fortified bases in both realms.
Theo exhaled heavily as he sank into a chair, stealing a few minutes of rest.
He had just finished cleaning all the personal rooms, lounges, halls, conference rooms, and even training halls. Exhaustion clung to him like a second skin.
His chest rose and fell in rhythm with his labored breathing.
Soon, footsteps echoed in the corridor. A moment later, they entered the training hall he had just finished cleaning.
A tall, slender woman stepped in, her figure reminiscent of a battle-ready goddess. Her crimson hair, cut short, flowed just beneath her neck, glittering beneath the thousand gazes of luminous bulbs like scattered rubies.
She wore black track pants with white stripes running down the sides. Her hands remained tucked into the front pockets of her jacket as she entered.
She paused, casting a glance at Theo, her brow furrowing.
"What the fuck are you still doing here, you good-for-nothing hero wannabe?"
Theo sighed.
'Here she goes again.'
This was Syra of the Crimson Steel, born into a renowned hero clan known for their fiery red hair and equally fiery spirits. Not a single soul from that clan lacked either terrifying combat prowess or an infuriating temper.
Syra, like her mother and father before her, carried that overbearing nature in her blood. Though her father had no direct ties to the Hero Agency where Theo worked.
In truth, Syra's presence here stemmed from her status as something of an outcast.
To her family, she was disappointingly weak—merely a C-rank Heroine. Her father had no use for someone of her caliber, not when her elder siblings boasted impressive B and A ranks.
She was weak, in her own way. Theo had naively hoped she might understand his struggle.
But no...
Slap!
His head snapped sideways as her palm connected with his cheek.
"Are you insane? What the hell are you staring at, you freak!"
Theo remained silent, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, the skin where she'd struck him blooming angry red.
This was nothing new. He had always served as the punching bag for these so-called Heroines, a canvas for their frustrations, a tool they used to feel marginally better about themselves.
And there was nothing he could do about it. Because even though they were considered weak by their standards, he was exponentially weaker. An F-rank in a world that valued strength above all.
She shook her hand, disgust twisting her features.
"Eew, I should have worn a glove before slapping that ugly face of yours. I can't believe I just stained my precious hand."
Theo regarded her impassively, despite the burning sensation pulsing through his cheek.
He spoke, his voice deliberately even, betraying none of the pain.
"Was there really any point to hitting me? I didn't even do or say anything."
Syra's expression darkened the moment he dared to speak.
"Forget the gloves."
She folded her fist and drove it into his stomach with brutal force, causing him to double over and crumple to the ground. As he fell, his hands instinctively reached out, grasping for support.
Where his fingers landed, however, made everything infinitely worse.
Beneath his grasp, Theo felt something soft and squishy. For a fleeting moment, the sensation registered as pleasant. But in the next breath...
"You motherfucker!"
Syra pivoted sharply, her leg arcing through the air as she delivered a devastating roundhouse kick to Theo's side. The impact launched him across the room like a rag doll, his body colliding with the training hall wall with a sickening thud.
Theo shivered as waves of pain rippled through his entire body. Yet somehow, the phantom sensation of that soft surface lingered in his palms, refusing to fade.
And then—something unexpected stirred.
A peculiar reaction began between his legs. His lower anatomy was rising to attention.
Knowing the formidable proportions his arousal could reach, panic seized him. He curled inward, feigning greater pain to conceal his growing predicament.
He tried desperately to focus his energy on that rebellious region, willing it to retreat or at least halt its expansion.
But for the first time, his unique skill failed him. His body refused to obey.
Such a mortifying coincidence had never occurred before! Theo had always been a respectful, timid person—he'd never deliberately touch a woman inappropriately.
Syra stalked toward him, looming over his huddled form, her eyes burning with crimson contempt.
"You deranged creep," she snarled. "Your career ends today, after what you just pulled."
She cocked her leg back and delivered a vicious strike directly at his groin. Her foot, however, connected with precisely the one area where Theo possessed unexpected resilience.
A strange metallic ring echoed through the silent hall.
A heartbeat later, Syra trembled.
...
[Congratulations, condition "Contact your schlong with a creature" has been met]
[SSS class Tamer has been unlocked]