After checking the calendar for the past week and recalling all the future events he could remember, River finally began preparing for the Awakening Ceremony.
He bought all the equipment he could afford after receiving his salary. Fortunately, the paycheck came just a week into his job at the restaurant. If he had returned to the past at the start of the month, he would've needed to work four full weeks—since salaries were only paid once a month.
In addition to buying the equipment, River also paid the necessary fees for the Awakening Ceremony. Luckily, there was an online portal for that, which made the process much easier. People no longer had to line up in front of a registrar just to make their payments.
After all the spending, he was left with barely enough money to cover food for the entire duration of the Awakening Ceremony.
River Faelan stepped out of their apartment building, wheeling his bike beside him. He wore a simple white shirt under a black jacket, jogging pants, and black running shoes.
On his back was a bag filled with food and other survival necessities.
As he made his way down the stairs, his brother Barn followed closely behind.
"You don't belong to an Academy or a Hunter Organization. Without their help, you're going to die. Are you really sure about this?" Barn asked, his voice unusually serious—far from the teasing tone he normally used with River.
"There's no turning back for me now," River said with a small smile as he glanced back at him. "Take care, Barn. Remember what I said—find me after you graduate. I'll be there to help you."
"No, brother," Barn shook his head. "I'll be the one helping you by then. I'll become the greatest Hunter!"
"Hahaha, that's the spirit," River laughed. He took the final step off the stairs, mounted his bike, and without looking back, began pedaling down the street. His figure soon vanished around the corner after making a right turn, leaving Barn staring after him, eyes brimming with tears.
"I'll find you, brother. I'll make sure of it," Barn whispered, clenching his fist as determination gleamed in his eyes.
…
River and his bike entered the bridge that led to the city. As the wind ruffled his hair, he turned to gaze out from the bridge—where only a dry ocean remained.
What was once a vast, water-filled expanse had disappeared after the many wars that followed the emergence of Dungeons and superpowers—also known as Skills.
There was still an ocean, technically, but from where River stood, he could only make out a tiny sliver of blue in the distance. It was as if the ocean itself had retreated to escape the chaos of war.
It had been 89 years since this phenomenon began—portals suddenly appearing around the world. At first, no one knew what they were. Scientists everywhere came together to study and investigate them. Their conclusion? Wormholes leading to an unknown world.
"Unknown world." That phrase struck fear into the hearts of ordinary people—but to governments, it meant one thing: resources.
Still, the potential threat to Earth couldn't be ignored, so they held back their greed. What if it was an alien invasion? Or a ploy by a foreign country to seize control?
Some believed it was Judgment Day. But when the government finally sent people into the portals, the truth came out.
Though not in words.
The investigation teams that entered didn't return alone. They were followed—by all kinds of creatures. From small green monsters to mythical flying dragons capable of destroying entire cities with a single breath of fire.
They came, and they ravaged. A few millions—if not hundreds of millions—died. Families and homes were reduced to ashes, plunging the planet into relentless devastation.
It started with one portal, then another, until Earth resembled hell itself.
But the people—threatened with extinction—fought back.
Guns worked, so they used them against the monsters from the wormholes. The government poured all its resources into wiping them out, using everything from small firearms to heavy artillery, from tanks to even nukes.
For ten years, humanity fought these otherworldly beings. Eventually, the governments of the world united, and through their combined efforts, they managed to kill the monsters.
Or so they thought.
The portals remained. And just a few months later, the second wave came.
This time, the monsters were stronger, faster—and deadlier. People couldn't do anything but run, hide, or die.
Hope crumbled. Despair set in. But just when the world was ready to give up, someone appeared.
A single person—one with the power to change everything.
He possessed strength beyond anything humanity had ever seen. With just his fists and feet, he could kill a giant dragon alone—even wipe out an entire herd of them.
His power surpassed even that of nuclear weapons. When the people realized it was a human who had done this, their broken spirits rekindled. Hope returned, and with it, the will to fight.
Together with the government, this man ended the second wave of monsters within a year—a blink of an eye compared to the ten years it took to stop the first.
But just when the world thought the invasions were finally over, the third wave arrived.
This time, however, the world wasn't defenseless. More people with superpowers appeared, and led by the same mysterious man—now known as the First Hunter—they succeeded in eliminating every last monster that emerged from the portals.
And finally, this time, no new wave came.
The people with superpowers—now officially called Hunters—began entering the wormholes to fight the monsters on the other side.
One by one, the portals disappeared. Within a few short years, most of them were declared "closed." And with their disappearance, the First Hunter—the man who could obliterate entire dragon herds alone—vanished without a trace, leaving the world to wonder:
Who was he?
No one knew. Not even his name.
Well... currently, there's only one person who does.
As River's mind wandered through memories of the War and the First Hunter, he couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Almost ninety years had passed since it all began. The world had changed. Many countries had disappeared from the map, and the names of old nations were now just history. Some places had their terrain completely altered by the devastation of the war.
Ancient lands with thousands of years of history were lost—erased by the Invasion. Only fragments remained.
But when River thought about the future, he knew these past tragedies were just the beginning.
There was something far worse coming.
A calamity so great, no human alive could even imagine it.
As River continued riding his bike, lost in thought, a loud honking noise snapped him back to reality.
He instantly recognized it—the same impatient honk from a week ago.
Turning his head, he spotted the familiar sports car: the one with the arrogant young man behind the wheel, golden hair shining in the sunlight, golden eyes fixed straight ahead.
Just like before, the driver was trying to overtake the other vehicles by speeding through the bike lane.
"*sshole!" River cursed as the car swerved toward him, trying to ram its front bumper into his bike.
River had to bunny-hop onto the sidewalk, nearly colliding with a few pedestrians in order not to hit by the sports car.
Skidding to a stop, he turned and raised his middle finger toward the disappearing car who roared its engine as if trying to announce its presence.
"F*ck you!"