20 Years Ago...
A catastrophic disaster, akin to the end of the world, struck the Earth. Creatures once thought to exist only in legends and myths began appearing through mysterious "Portals." These terrifying beings brought nightmares to reality since their emergence. Technology, weapons—even bombs—proved useless against their endless invasions through the portals.
The dreadful calamity spread chaos across humanity. Nearly 30% of the global population was wiped out by this devastating event. Just when hope seemed lost, an entity bestowed a glimmer of hope upon mankind. Some humans received a blessing they called the "System." Those awakened by this blessing rose up and began hunting the monstrous creatures that poured through the portals—they became known as "Hunters."
Thanks to these Hunters, humanity regained its hope. Empowered by the System's blessings granted by what humans now revered as "God," Hunters hunted down and pushed monsters back into the Portals. The System rewarded those who defeated monsters, awarding them "Crystal Shards" according to the monster's rank.
These Crystal Shards came in various types and were highly valuable. Scientists experimented with them—extracting elixirs and potions, or embedding them into weapons. Weapons enhanced with these magical crystals could kill monsters, and even unawakened humans could kill a monster if equipped with such modified gear. As Hunters of various ranks appeared, governments worldwide established a "Ranking" system to measure the power of each Hunter, using technology derived from these crystal shards.
The general ranking, as known to the public, goes like this:
Rank S: Possesses power capable of destroying a country, comparable to a nuclear bomb.
Rank A: Fast enough to dodge bullets and strong enough to destroy a small city.
Rank B: Powerful enough to demolish a residential complex.
Rank C: Strength surpassing even Olympic-level athletes.
Rank D: A Hunter recently awakened, with some strong skills.
Rank E: A freshly awakened Hunter.
Rank F: A normal human without the System's blessing, but who can still enter Portals using modified equipment.
Twenty years have passed since that cataclysm. Society, which once feared to breathe outside, now walks the streets more freely.
Now, let me introduce myself. My name is Lathan Louvain. I live in Indonesia, specifically in Bandung. I'm almost 18 years old.
You ask if I have any special powers? Haha, of course not. I'm not awakened yet. I awakened much slower than most people. I don't know why this happened, but… damn this System.
Not long after, a teenage boy approached me.
"Oi bro, why are you talking to yourself here? You crazy or what? Still not awakened?" he joked.
"Geez, you scared me. Don't sneak up on me like that, Zy," I replied.
"Hey, I just saw you mumbling to yourself. What's wrong? Did your otaku soul awaken?" Razy, my close friend, laughed.
"You always roast me," I said, slapping his back lightly in irritation.
"Hahaha, sorry sorry, just kidding."
"By the way, where are you headed?" he asked.
"Oh, just going to work… gotta earn some cash to survive," I said jokingly.
"Oh… I see. Sorry about that, Than," Razy said apologetically.
"Why apologize? Chill," I said.
"Hahaha, okay okay."
We walked together, laughing and joking now and then.
I glanced up at the cloudy sky. The Bandung breeze carried the scent of wet earth, blending with the distant noise of city life—honking cars, footsteps, and announcements from the subway station echoing faintly.
"I wonder," I murmured as we walked along the sidewalk, "why my system hasn't awakened yet… Everyone around me got theirs two years ago."
Razy walked beside me, hands in his jacket pockets.
"Well… maybe you'll get some unique system. You know, the theory goes…" he said.
"Yeah, I heard that the longer you wait to awaken, the more 'unique' your blessing will be," he added.
I scoffed. "What theory? Some Hunter conspiracy forum?"
Razy laughed. "Could be!"
"But seriously, I heard a rumor about one of the strongest Hunters in the world who awakened late and got a blessing that made him globally powerful. Don't know if it's true though," Razy said seriously.
"Wow, that means I'm special, right? Maybe I'm the main character of this world," I joked with a laugh.
"Yeah yeah, a little support and your ego inflates—typical otaku," Razy teased with laughter.
We kept walking toward the city outskirts, where I usually worked part-time as a delivery guy. Even though I wasn't awakened yet, I was physically strong from tough training and surviving in this harsh world.
That evening, the Bandung sky darkened further, orange hues hidden behind thick gray clouds. Around us, traffic and pedestrians were busy.
"By the way, are you sure it's safe to work over there?" Razy glanced at me.
"Well, the pay isn't much, but it's enough for food and electricity," I replied calmly, then smiled at him. "Besides, you know that places like that often have portals. It's not certain, but around 70% of places with certain signs will have portals."
Razy nodded quietly. "Yeah… but still, what if a monster suddenly appears near you—"
"That's why I always carry this," I interrupted, showing a short knife tucked into my belt. It was modified, with tiny crystal engravings on the handle. Cheap, but better than nothing.
"You're stubborn," Razy muttered, but there was admiration in his eyes. "But honestly, I respect you. Even though you're one of the rare ones who awakened late, your spirit never dies."
I stopped and looked ahead. "I don't have any other choice. This world is crazy now. If I give up, who will protect me? Besides…"
I turned to him, looking deep into his eyes.
"…I still want to live."
Razy was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "You sound like the main character of a dystopian novel."
"But the difference is, I'm just cleaning up after Hunter raids, not fighting dragons," I said.
"And who said I won't protect you? You know you have me and Faiz, right? We're friends for life."
"Haha, yeah, but I can't always bother you guys, right? Can't always rely on you." Say's lathan
"Stop talking like that. It creeps me out—sounds like a love confession or something," lathan joked.
"Hey, I'm normal too. I say this because you're truly my friend," razy replied, a little annoyed but feeling his deep care.
"Hahaha, I know. Just kidding," lathan smiled.
"Oh, by the way, once you awaken, do you plan to join a guild? What kind of guild would you want?" I asked, curious.
"Oh, probably after graduation? I'm still unsure. My level and class are average. So maybe I'll join a regular guild first… hope I get accepted," Razy said enthusiastically.
A Guild is a place where players gather in an association—a private Hunter association.
A Player is someone who has awakened their System, also called "Awakened."
Guilds help players grow, offering support depending on awakening rank and influence within the guild. They provide modified weapons, budgets, and mentors to guide Awakened in mastering their powers.
Although guilds mainly consist of awakened people, normal humans can also join, though usually not in high positions.
"Hmm... if you could choose, what kind of guild would you like to join, Than?" Razy asked, turning his head curiously as he swung his steps.
Lathan thought for a moment, holding his chin with one of his hands.
"… If I could choose, I'd want to join a guild with minimal drama," I said after thinking a moment. "Guilds are often filled with politics. You know? Competing for high-level portal access, crystal sponsorship, positions…"
"Even competing for crushes," Razy added with a chuckle.
I laughed softly. "Yeah, that's a bonus, bro."
This city never truly sleeps. There's always noise—vehicles, street performers, drone patrol announcements.
"For starters, maybe I'll join a small guild first," I continued. "People who aren't arrogant. Those who genuinely want to help each other, not just for profit."
Razy nodded, understanding.
"Like… family?" he said quietly.
I was silent for a moment. "Yeah. Something like that."
We passed a woman selling fried snacks by the roadside. The scent of tahu isi and bakwan wafted faintly in the breeze. My stomach growled quietly.
"Did you hear that?" I said, glancing at my stomach.
"Yeah, me too," Razy smiled. "Let's take a break. My treat."
"Wow, is today Earth's birthday or something?" I said
"Once in a while. Consider it charity for the non-awakened." Razy said
"You roast me while being nice. Damn you." I smiled and accepted the offer.
We sat on flimsy plastic chairs. The woman handed us two plastic bags filled with fried snacks. I grabbed one and bit into it.
"Hot, crispy, greasy," I murmured while chewing. "Perfect."
Razy ate slower, watching the busy streets filled with workers heading home and kids finishing school activities. In the distance, a siren wailed briefly, but no one panicked. It was routine—maybe a Hunter patrol or an activated portal detector. That's how the world is now.
"Hey, Than," Razy said after a moment. "Do you still remember the first time we saw a portal?"
I paused, staring blankly at the road ahead. "Yeah. How could I forget?"
I took a deep breath. "Back then, I was just a kid… playing in the yard. Suddenly, the sky tore open. Literally torn. Purple lightning flashed. Then the creature came out. Tall, hairy, with glowing red eyes."
"I remember you told me. That was the first time you saw someone killed right before your eyes."
I nodded slowly. "My neighbor. He just wanted to help his kid who left his bike behind. But he…"
Silence fell.
"Sometimes fate can be cruel like that. We have to be stronger… much stronger to fight against it," Lathan replied.
"What the hell, suddenly all wise like that? Hahaha," Razy said, patting my shoulder.
After finishing their meal, they stood up again. Suddenly, from across the street, a commotion broke out. A few people were running, shouting in low voices.
"A portal?!"
"No, it's… a pickpocket!"
Two men in gray uniforms chased after a teenager who was running with a woman's bag. The street briefly turned chaotic. Some vehicles stopped, horns blaring impatiently.
Lathan and Razy just glanced over before the thief tripped and was caught by the crowd.
"Even in times like this, people still cause petty trouble like that," Razy muttered.
"Hungry people often do desperate things," Lathan answered quietly. "Sometimes they have no choice. I get it… though it's still wrong."
Razy just nodded.
They continued walking, their footsteps slower now. In the distance, although it was still late afternoon, the lights of tall buildings were on, contrasting with the silhouette of the mountains surrounding the city.
"You know, Than," Razy finally said, "even though your life seems so hard, you never really give up."
Lathan chuckled softly. "That's because I'm still not dead, bro."
"I'm serious."
"Me too."
~~Continued~~