One day, something happened that the world would never forget.
Without warning, the earth trembled. A global earthquake—magnitude 9.9—struck every country at the exact same time. The ground shook violently for a full hour. Cities crumbled, oceans surged, mountains cracked open. And yet… this was only the beginning.
When the shaking stopped, a strange transformation began.
The amount of oxygen on Earth suddenly doubled. With this one change, trees grew five times larger than their natural size, turning forests into towering, overgrown jungles. But the real terror came from the animals. The oxygen surge triggered an evolution—turning ordinary animals into monstrous beasts. Creatures once harmless became terrifying predators. And they began a massacre.
But humans changed too.
They evolved—physically, mentally, spiritually. Stronger, faster, and more resilient than ever before. For the first time, humanity had the power to fight back. A great war began between humans and monsters. Through blood, sacrifice, and sheer will, the humans emerged victorious.
But not all of them.
There were those among them who desired more than peace—they craved power. In their hunger to rule, they performed a terrible ritual… and resurrected the monsters. Only this time, the creatures were stronger, darker, and far more intelligent. Not even the strongest hunters could stand against them.
Then came the final sacrifice.
A hundred mages—guardians of the arcane—gave their lives to seal away the monsters. The Earth fell silent once again. Peace returned… for a time.
Ten years passed.
And then, it began again.
All over the world, strange rifts started opening—dungeons, leading to realms unknown. People watched in fear and wonder. But curiosity turned to horror when those dungeons began to crack… and out poured monsters, demons, and soldiers from other dimensions.
The war reignited.
But this time, humans were ready. The hunters—those born with awakened powers—rose again and pushed back the tide. From that moment on, the Hunter League was born. A new world order emerged, one where strength defined your place in society.
Hunters were ranked:
SSS, SS, S, AAA, AA, A, B, C, D, and E — the lowest of all.
And so began the age of awakening.
---
: The Ceremony
A massive crystal pulsed in the center of the Awakening Hall, its glow filling the room with energy. Hundreds of students gathered, eyes wide with anticipation and fear. Each would place their hand upon the crystal to discover their rank—and their future.
Among them sat a quiet boy—dirty, bruised, and hunched in the corner. His name was Harvin.
"Boss, he's gonna die from one more kick," one of the boys whispered with a chuckle.
The one called Boss—a brute named Bobby—grinned cruelly. He marched up to Harvin and without warning, slammed his boot into his stomach. Harvin gasped, blood spilling from his lips as he curled into himself, motionless.
"Next time you even look at that girl, I'll kill you," Bobby growled.
Harvin said nothing. He just stared at the floor, silent… broken.
The ceremony began.
One by one, students stepped forward. A boy received a D rank and sighed in relief. "At least it's not E," he muttered. Others followed—C, D, C, B. Small cheers and whispers filled the hall.
Then Bobby strode up to the crystal, cocky and confident. The moment his hand touched the stone, a golden light flashed.
AA Rank.
"I knew it," Bobby grinned. "I am the strongest!"
Then a hush fell over the crowd. A girl stepped forward—elegant, confident, graceful. She placed her hand on the crystal, and it glowed like the sun itself.
S+ Rank.
The room fell silent in awe.
"Isn't that the third young miss of the D'Souza family?" someone whispered.
"No one from that family has ever been ranked below S," another replied. "She's amazing."
And then…
"Harvin," the instructor called.
Harvin stood. His legs trembled as he walked to the crystal. In his mind, one thought echoed: I need power… for Vasu.
---
Flashback
He was running. His younger brother Vasu limped beside him. The buildings burned around them. Monsters roared in the distance.
A fire lion roared and blocked their path. Harvin pulled Vasu away and darted into an alley. But from the shadows, a giant poison spider leapt out.
Harvin barely dodged as it spewed venom—missing him, but striking Vasu's leg.
"Aaaghhh!!" Vasu screamed.
Harvin clamped his hand over his brother's mouth and dragged him through the alleys, heart pounding. The spider pursued.
Then, just as it lunged, a hunter arrived. With one clean strike, he killed the spider.
They were saved—but Vasu's leg was paralyzed.
Harvin cried for help. But the healers only served the rich… and the powerful.
That day, Harvin made a promise.
I'll become a hunter. I'll find a way to heal Vasu.
---
Present
Harvin placed his hand on the crystal.
He closed his eyes.
Please… anything but E.
A dull, faint red light shimmered.
E Rank.
The lowest.
A silence fell. His ears rang. His vision blurred. His heart cracked.
And yet… no tears came.
He couldn't cry. Anhedonic depression—a condition where he could no longer feel joy, no longer shed tears.
But the pain? The pain was endless.
As if that weren't enough, Bobby stepped forward and laughed. "I knew it. You're trash. You'll always be trash."
And Harvin?
He just stood there… shattered.
But somewhere deep inside him… something stirred.