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[[Attention please! The maglev transport for Exalor City to Faldrin City has been delayed! Passengers, please check our rescheduled timing at our official site or on our announcement screen.]]
[[Thank You]]
A loud voice of a woman echoed from the station's speaker system, announcing the delay to all the civilians.
Taegyun Park stood on the platform as usual, in his usual spot. He always waited in the same place whenever he came to the station, but today, for some reason, he felt a strong urge to get home as quickly as possible.
He was currently at the underground Hyperrail station, a large modern hub bustling with the occasional commuter. The surrounding area was brightly lit, but the crowd was light. Here and there, autonomous androids, known as Sentinels, moved through the area.
Sentinels were humanoid enforcers equipped with synthetic muscle systems and emotion-neutral AI cores. They were programmed to assess potential threats, maintain public safety, and display emergency alerts directly on their facial visors. Their black uniforms were designed to adapt to environmental hazards, offering resistance to radiation, extreme heat, and acid rain. They patrolled the station, ensuring everything was in order, while their screens displayed essential information such as foreign radiation levels or emergency announcements.
After waiting for a few minutes, Taegyun noticed a sleek, white futuristic train approaching the platform. If someone looked closely, they would see that the train was actually floating above the tracks, thanks to Super Advanced Maglev technology. These high-speed trains, often referred to as Maglev pods, glided effortlessly without touching the tracks, their design enabling speeds that were nearly unmatched.
Taegyun waited for the automated door to open, then stepped inside. He quickly found a seat, sank into it with a sigh, and pulled out his phone from his pocket. The screen lit up, and he checked the time, the large numbers clearly displayed against a backdrop of smaller text showing the day and date.
– 04:10 PM –
– Tuesday, 9 May, 2142 –
After checking the time on his phone, he tapped on the contacts icon and found Miss Anna's number.
As the memories of their earlier awkward interaction replayed in his head, a flush crept up his cheeks.
'She's a total lunatic. Was she trying to hit on me? Seriously? Damn... Anyway, there's nothing for me to lose.'
He chuckled faintly under his breath, then turned his head to gaze out of the large transparent train window.
The train had now exited the underground tunnel and was gliding above the ground on its elevated track, giving him a broad view of the world outside.
Towering high-rise buildings dominated the landscape, their smooth surfaces reflecting the fading sunlight. Sleek hovering vehicles zipped through the skies in neat formations, weaving between traffic towers and checkpoint beacons. Down on the streets far below, people bustled about—some wearing modern citywear, others clad in medieval armor, enchanted robes, or futuristic combat gear. Many were armed with swords, axes, wands, and other strange equipment. Among the crowd moved humanoid androids, working side by side with civilians.
But beyond the vibrant sprawl of life and progress, ruins stood like corpses of a lost civilization.
Crumbling skyscrapers, broken towers that once touched the heavens, and half-shattered mega-statues jutted out from the landscape like bones torn through flesh. They bore the scars of a war so devastating that the Earth itself still seemed to bleed from it. The entire scene was bathed in a soft crimson glow—the dying light of the setting sun that painted everything in a hue of sorrow and menace.
Those skeletal remains were not just the byproduct of human error. They were silent testaments to the Third World War… and the first emergence of supernatural phenomena.
It all began eighty-seven years ago.
Tensions among the world's superpowers had reached their peak. Global trust had eroded, and long-standing alliances had turned brittle. Military strength grew unchecked. Economies competed ruthlessly. The balance of power teetered on a knife's edge. Though none dared cast the first stone, the world had become a battlefield of invisible wars—cyberattacks, covert sabotage, proxy conflicts… all veiled under diplomacy.
Then it happened.
Two smaller nations, both possessing nuclear capabilities, clashed over a disputed border. What began as a regional conflict quickly spiraled into a full-blown catastrophe. Treaties were triggered. Defense pacts activated. Like falling dominos, the world's most powerful nations were drawn into the vortex.
By 2055, the Third World War had officially begun.
Unlike the previous world wars—born of assassinations or direct invasions—this one was ignited by decades of simmering resentment, broken promises, economic decay, and reckless technological escalation. The war spread across continents like a living plague. AI-directed weapon systems ran independently of human control. Orbital drones blackened the skies. Satellite systems were shattered. Super-weapons once thought impossible became reality. One by one, nations fell.
And then came the nukes.
Entire cities were wiped clean from existence in seconds. Oceans boiled. Forests turned to ash. Humanity fell silent not because peace had returned, but because no one was left with the strength to continue the slaughter.
By 2063, the war was over.
What remained was a poisoned Earth. Ash covered the skies. Nuclear winters froze entire regions into silence. Seasons grew erratic. Famines, diseases, and radiation did more harm than the bombs. Survivors emerged to find a world that no longer recognized them.
But still, humanity clung on. Barely.
Yet, the true trial of survival was only just beginning.
In 2064, exactly one year after the war had ended, the world was forced to face a second calamity.
Without warning, strange supernatural phenomena began to manifest across the globe. Gates—massive rift-like portals—appeared in cities, forests, deserts, and oceans. These Gates connected to vast otherworldly realms now known as dungeons. Within them lurked monstrous creatures, unidentified lifeforms, lower leveled intelligent non-human species, and artifacts with unknown powers.
No one knew what triggered their appearance. No explanation, no warning. Only chaos.
At first, humanity fought back with what remained of its military power—and it worked. Conventional weapons, though weakened, were still effective against the initial wave of monsters. People rallied, rebuilt defenses, and managed to keep the creatures contained.
But the Gates did not stop.
More appeared. Stronger ones. The dungeons beyond became deeper and darker. The monsters that came out—more terrifying, more powerful, more intelligent. Bullets no longer worked. Technology failed. And once again, humanity began to fall.
It was no longer a world defined by politics or territory.
This was now a battle between survival and extinction.
However, as a wise person once said—"Humans are tenacious. They cannot be easily erased, nor can they be dominated. Humanity adapts. No matter how many times you throw them into hell, they will find a way to crawl back out."
And that held true.
One year after the sudden appearance of supernatural entities and the collapse of global civilization, humanity—on the brink of extinction—found hope once more.
That hope… was power.
Ordinary people, those who had lost all reason to keep going in this hellish new world, began awakening. From helpless survivors, they transformed into something new—hunters. Blessed, cursed, or perhaps chosen by unknown forces, they were granted supernatural abilities that allowed them to fight back against the monsters pouring out from the Gates.
The hunted had become the hunters.
Prey turned predator. Predator turned prey.
These first humans to awaken became known as the First Generation Awakened—the pioneers of survival in this unforgiving new era. They were the ones who ventured beyond the Gates, who delved deep into dungeons where no one else dared to go. They slayed monsters, collected rare materials, ores, magical artifacts, and unknown relics never seen before in human history. They returned with knowledge, strength, and resources that shaped the very foundation of the modern world.
They conquered every Gate that emerged, turning despair into victory.
And so, shoulder to shoulder, they rose—these Awakened—to reclaim a shattered Earth and construct something entirely new from its ashes.
The end of the Old World marked the beginning of the Brand New World.
Countries and traditional nations no longer existed. Long gone were the lines drawn on maps and the flags hoisted atop government buildings. In their place rose titanic territorial dominions known as Sovereign Zones—colossal, fortified habitats that stretched across vast expanses of land and sky, each housing multiple sprawling mega cities under a unified structure.
Unlike the fractured world of the past, these Sovereign Zones were not built to isolate but to integrate. They were interconnected and interdependent—bound by a global network of trade, resource exchange, shared technologies, and mutual survival. Though geographically distinct, their relationships formed a web of fragile cooperation, balancing power through diplomacy, artificial intelligence governance, and systemic economic agreements.
Each Sovereign Zone developed its own unique society—shaped by its environment, culture, technological access, and historical legacy. In many ways, each Zone functioned as a self-contained civilization, complete with its own security systems, laws, and even dialects.
Gone were the days of petty border conflicts. With global communication systems managed by a unified orbiting satellite core, the risk of war between Zones was reduced to near zero. Cooperation was no longer a choice but a necessity.
And thus, seventy-seven years passed without war—an era of relative peace unknown to previous generations.
It was now the year 2142—an age shaped by the rise of supernatural power.
This was the Era of the Fourth Generation Awakened—modern hunters who were born in an age far removed from war, famine, and the ancient scars of nuclear devastation. Every thirty years, a new wave of awakened individuals emerged, each generation stronger, more capable, and more evolved than the last.
These new hunters, far from being mere tools of survival, had become society's core force—symbols of strength, fame, and ambition in the Brand New World.
.
.
.
.
.
The day gradually came to an end, and the sky dimmed as dusk transitioned into night. Faint hues of indigo spread across the horizon, giving the world a muted, tired glow.
The train came to a slow halt, the brakes hissing sharply as a soft mechanical voice echoed throughout the cabin.
[[...Now arriving at Amber District. Please check your belongings before leaving.]]
Taegyun Park, who had been staring blankly out the window, lost in a spiral of thought, blinked and snapped back to reality. He straightened up, stretched briefly, and then stood from his seat. With a casual pace, he stepped off the train and onto the platform.
The city outside was vibrant even in the dark—bathed in the glow of neon signs and amber-lit streetlamps. As he made his way through the crowd, his eyes caught sight of several Lumo vehicles cruising through the street. They were dark blue, sleek in design, exuding a modern yet sturdy look.
In the past, people would have called them "cabs" or "taxis." But the times had changed. Now, they were known as Lumo—updated and redefined. Unlike their predecessors, these vehicles were equipped with the latest tech, layered with armored plating—just in case a monster managed to slip through during a dungeon outbreak. They were not flying cars or overly futuristic. Just fast, durable, and reliable.
Taegyun raised a hand, signaling for one to stop. A Lumo pulled up smoothly beside him, and he stepped in.
"Take me to Crescent Street," he said after shutting the door.
"Crescent Street? Alright," the driver replied, adjusting something on the dashboard before merging back onto the road.
As the Lumo cruised forward, buildings and signs zipped past, blending into an indistinct blur. Taegyun's gaze remained fixed on the window, unfocused and heavy. The vehicle took a right turn, slipping onto a narrower street.
There, between two old buildings, stood something enormous.
An enormous Gate—a shimmering vertical portal pulsating with an ominous glow—towered ahead, guarded by several armed hunters in reinforced gear. It loomed like a beast waiting to devour the city.
Taegyun's eyes widened slightly.
The driver caught the same sight and let out a low whistle. "Woah... I've never seen a gate that big in person."
He turned slightly, glancing at Taegyun. "Have you ever seen one that size before?"
"No" Taegyun replied, his eyes still following the blur of buildings outside. "It's my first time seeing a gate that big up close."
"Must be an A-Rank gate," the driver muttered under his breath.
After that, silence settled inside the Lumo, thick and absolute. Neither of them spoke again.
Five minutes later, the Lumo rolled to a smooth stop in front of a three-storey house tucked quietly along a residential lane.
Taegyun stepped out, shutting the door behind him with a soft thud. The Lumo sped off into the night, its lights fading in the distance.
He walked along a narrow walkway cutting through a small front yard—a modest space with trimmed grass and a few potted plants lining the path. The quiet of the area was a welcome change from the restless noise of the city.
He reached the front door, placed his thumb on the embedded fingerprint scanner.
Beep.
A soft click followed.
The door unlocked.
He pushed it open, stepped inside, and closed it gently behind him.
"I am home!" Taegyun called out, his voice echoing lightly through the quiet interior.
Kyuuu!~
A high-pitched, adorable sound responded from the upper floor.
His eyes instinctively scanned the living room, then turned to the right, where the stairs stood just a few meters away.
A moment later, a small, fluffy black ball tumbled down the steps in a flurry of excitement. It hurried across the polished floor and ran toward him, its tiny paws making soft taps against the surface.
Taegyun's face lit up with a warm grin.
The fluffball jumped onto his leg and started climbing up eagerly.
"You missed me, huh?" he said with a chuckle.
Two big, sparkling eyes stared up at him—innocent, loving, and full of energy. Its wolf-like ears twitched with joy as it let out another adorable sound.
Kyuu~
He bent down, patting its soft head and gently rubbing its tiny belly. The little one wriggled happily and made a bubbly chirping sound, almost like laughter.
"I am really sorry, you had to miss me when I was away, Niri," he murmured, rubbing its back.
The small, fluffy being—adorable in its infancy—wasn't something that belonged to Earth's natural ecosystem. Niri was part of a rare magical species discovered during a dungeon raid.
They were discovered years ago when second-generation hunters entered what was believed to be one of the weakest Gates ever recorded. But the truth inside was far from simple.
Instead of the usual monster-infested hellscape, the dungeon was rich—glimmering with mana crystals and unknown ores, like raw materials from myth: adamantium, mithril, and others, buried deep in glistening caverns.
But what truly shocked the raid team was the scene playing out within.
They found dozens of small black beings—adorable in their younger stages, but older ones nearly waist-height—working like miners, tirelessly chipping away at the walls to harvest the crystals and ores. They looked worn down, bodies slumped, eyes hollow with exhaustion, pain, and silent pleading. There were no snarls, no aggression—just silence and suffering.
The hunters were confused. Never had they encountered such a sight. Creatures inside dungeons were always hostile. Yet these beings worked under duress, their bodies shaking from fatigue.
Then the truth revealed itself.
A group of red-skinned monsters—hulking brutes with horns and glowing eyes—emerged from the deeper tunnels. They were slave-drivers, wielding whips and cruel weapons. These beasts were torturing the miners for the slightest mistake or slowdown.
The moment the horned monsters spotted the hunters, they attacked with primal fury. But the hunters responded in kind, clashing violently and wiping out the attackers. Eventually, they pushed deeper into the dungeon and reached the boss room, where the leader of the red-skinned beasts awaited.
The battle was fierce, but the hunters emerged victorious.
Yet something strange happened. Normally, a Gate would collapse thirty minutes after the dungeon boss was defeated.
But this one remained wide open.
Confused and unsettled, the Hunter Association sent experts, researchers, and support teams, but no answers emerged. The dungeon became known as a permanent gate, and the area was left active—mainly because the resource-rich dungeon offered a goldmine of materials.
And most importantly… because of those miners.
Those innocent beings—adorable, small, and cute in their infancy—resembling black fluffy balls with big, sparkling eyes and wolf-like ears—were rescued from their chains. Many were injured. Some were carrying their young in their arms, shielding them from further abuse. To the hunters' astonishment, these beings showed no hostility.
In fact, the adults even bowed to their rescuers.
As they grew older, they stood around waist-height, and their intelligent nature became clearer. They communicated through chirps, gestures, and mimicry. Eventually, the Hunter Association used appraisal skills on them… and discovered something terrifying.
They were not ordinary dungeon monsters.
They were called Eldomir—an ancient, intelligent race that once ruled across countless worlds. Their ancestors were fearsome: humanoid in form, with demonic horns, black muscular bodies, and the strength to crush armies.
But long ago, they were cast down by the gods. Their powers were sealed, and their forms devolved into what they were now. Over hundreds of thousands of years, they had become shadows of what they once were—gentle, helpless, and nearly forgotten.
The discovery shook many.
"Countless worlds? gods?" people murmured in disbelief. "Dominant species from parallel realms?"
There were theories—some wild, some grounded—about other habitable worlds, gods, parallel dimensions, and even a multiverse. But until that moment, they were all just speculation.
There is a saying: "We do not believe in anything until we see it with our own eyes."
That saying rang louder than ever.
Even when the appraisal results flashed undeniable proof, the majority still chose skepticism over acceptance.
To them, it was already enough—dungeons, monsters, mysterious beings, and the never-ending struggle for survival.
The rest could wait.
The soft creak of footsteps echoed down the staircase.
"Taegyun, did you come home?"
"Yes, Grandma," he replied with a nod, glancing upward.
An elderly woman, appearing to be in her mid-sixties, carefully descended the stairs, wearing a gentle smile.
"Niri's mood dropped the moment you left for academy," she sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "He does this every day. What a cute little child."
Taegyun looked down at the tiny creature curled around his arms like a fluffy serpent. Niri was wriggling playfully, wrapping himself around his forearm as if trying to claim it. When Taegyun tried to pull his hand away, the little fluffball gripped on tighter and opened his mouth, trying to suck on his finger.
"Hahaha, stop it, you little rascal." He chuckled and poked Niri's round forehead gently. "Wanna have a shower together? What do you say?"
"Kyuuu~" came the enthusiastic reply.
With a laugh, Taegyun headed upstairs and entered his room. He stripped down, leaving only his shorts on, and carried Niri into the bathroom. He turned the faucet and let the lukewarm water flow into the bathtub.
He leaned back against the edge of the tub and sighed deeply. "Ahh… I feel better now."
He relaxed, resting his head on the rim of the bathtub.
"Kyu?"
Niri tilted his head adorably, watching Taegyun with curious eyes. Mimicking him, the fluffy creature scooted forward and rested his head on Taegyun's bare chest.
"Kyuuahhh~"
It almost sounded like he was trying to imitate Taegyun's relaxed sigh.
"Hehe," Taegyun smirked playfully. "Looks like you really are learning the good stuff from me, huh? Let's see if you can do this too, you little rascal!"
"Eyahhh!"
With a mischievous grin, Taegyun splashed water at Niri, who squealed in delight. The two played in the water, laughter echoing off the bathroom walls.
After some time, they stepped out. Taegyun dried himself, got dressed, and let Niri ride on top of his head like a fuzzy crown. He returned to his room and checked his phone.
No new messages.
Clicking his tongue, he left his room and walked across the hallway. Stopping in front of the door opposite his own, he knocked three times.
No answer.
"Grandpa? Are you in there? Grandpa?"
"…"
Taegyun frowned.
'Hmm? Is he not in his room?'
He turned away and leaned over the railing at the edge of the upper floor, looking down toward the living room where his grandma was seated.
"Grandma, where's the old man? Don't tell me he said he's off to see his old friend again?"
She let out a deep sigh. "Yeah. Said he went to visit that friend again. I swear, three times a week. What kind of old friend requires this much attention?"
Taegyun shook his head with a disheartened look. 'This shameless old coot probably went to a love motel again, leaving his poor wife here. Where does he even get that kind of stamina at his age?'
"Kyuuu~"
"Ahh—H-hey! don't pick my nose—Ah-Ahhchoo!!"
Taegyun sneezed loudly as Niri's tiny paw poked him right in the nostril.
"You little menace!" he snapped. "Don't run! I swear I'll catch you and throw you in the cage!"
With long strides, he dashed after the fluffy troublemaker and caught him mid-air with both hands. Niri squealed but was no match for his captor.
Moments later, he was locked inside his little cage back in Taegyun's room.
"Kyu…"
Niri sat with big teary eyes, his adorable expression one that could melt any heart and move anyone to tears.
But not Taegyun.
"Not happening," he declared firmly, arms crossed. "It's time for your workout, you lazy fluff. You won't grow if you keep lounging around like that."
"Kyuuu…"
"No buts! Get on the wheel and start running!"
Reluctantly, Niri glanced toward the exercise wheel sitting in the corner of the cage. It was a standard circular running wheel, like those used for hamsters—firmly fixed in place, rotating endlessly as one ran inside it.
With a sulky face, Niri dragged himself toward it and began running in slow, painful steps.
Taegyun made sure Niri was following instructions before heading to his study desk.
All he could do now was wait for Miss Anna's message.
His heart pounded in anticipation.
'Am I overthinking this? It's clearly not a date. I mean, look at me. I'm not that handsome… I don't have that bold or confident personality either…'
He shook his head and tried to focus on his homework.
An hour passed.
Suddenly, his phone screen lit up. He snatched it eagerly and read the text.
——————
[Miss Anna]:
Hii!
Let's meet in an hour at Célavue Restaurant.
Here's the address: 42nd Avenue, Amber District.
Please come, okay? ^_^
——————
A warm flush rose to his cheeks.
"She really messaged me… She actually wants to meet…" he muttered, heart racing.
Niri, who had just jumped off the wheel, looked at him with a curious tilt of the head.
"Kyu?"